EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

FEFPEB Torino 2006

The EURO Pallet.

UIC 435-2.

Size
Matters
800 x 1200
www.epal-pallets.org

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

The main players

Pallet Pools

CHEP

LPR
PRS
Which is the odd one out?
www.epal-pallets.org

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

What is EPAL?

EPAL
It is the biggest pool in the world!

BY FAR!!!
At least 300,000,000 pallets.
Possibly as many as 600,000,000.
Annual production of well over 50,000,000.
Of which EPAL accounts for over 90%.
www.epal-pallets.org

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

What is EPAL - continued?

EPAL is a regulatory body.

Its primary function is quality.
It protects the various trademarks.

EPAL

EPAL

BRB GB
001-5-06

EUR

EUR

Centre block markings allow identification.

EPAL promotes the EURO pallet.

It unites the various sectors:
Producers, repairers, logistics, railways,
traders, pallet-users.
www.epal-pallets.org

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

What is EPAL?

EPAL is non profit making.

It must cover its costs
It does this by licence fees and levies to
manufacturers and repairers
Income is spent in various ways:
On-site and market place inspection
Technical research mechanical analysis,
chemical treatments, etc.
Market research
www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Practical effect?

EPAL is fundamentally different.

The primary aim of closed pools is to make
profit.
They do so by providing a service to their
customers.
This service must be responsive to the needs
of the customer.
Under the control of the UIC, EPAL takes a
different view, not aimed at making profits.

www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Practical effect?

EPAL was initially constrained.

Because of the difference, for many years
EPAL offered only one size of pallet.
(Though there is also a range of metal box
pallets, lids and collars).
In more recent times, mainly driven by
manufacturers, this is changing.
As a result, EPAL, in conjunction with the UIC,
has brought in a range of new sizes.

www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

Other opinions?

The World Bank.

www.epal-pallets.org

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

New sizes

The growing EPAL family

1200 x 800

600 x 800

1200 x 1000
www.epal-pallets.org

600 x 1000

1000 x 1200

1000 x 1200

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

59th Congress Turin September 2006

What difference
Railways
involvement?
does this make?

However . . .
Working with railways is slow.
The UIC has added three new pallets to its pool.

www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Practical effect?

EPAL has changed.

EPAL now actively researches the market and
will respond to needs as they arise.
In particular EPAL is interested in expanding
into other geographical areas.
Approaches from individual companies in the
USA and China amongst others.
Each brings with it its own potential range of
sizes, to which EPAL will find a solution.

www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Phyto-sanitary measures.

ISPM 15.
EPAL pallets are somewhat different to closed
pool pallets in terms of ISPM 15.
Closed pools do offer a service across phytosanitary borders, but the majority of their pool
remains within a restricted range.
It is quite normal for EPAL pallets to be sent
outside of Europe, not only under goods, but
in bulk new and second-hand.
As a result, ISPM 15 is of considerable
importance to EPAL.
www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Phyto-sanitary measures.

ISPM 15.
EPAL firmly supports the IPPC standard.
Originally decided that standard would
be compulsory, from 1st July 2005.
ONLY HEAT TREATMENT
Withdrew compulsion because some
countries might not be ready in time.
Still fully supports ISPM 15, but as an
option for those users that require it.
The way forward for wooden packaging
www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Phyto-sanitary measures.

ISPM 15 comments.
We await with interest the possible new
techniques for treatment.
We believe that proper policing is a concern in
some countries.
Repair poses particular problems.
Should we treat the whole pallet, or just
replaced components?

www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Plastics

Plastics.
EPALs view is the same as I have already
outlined for new pallet sizes.
If a sufficient demand arises, we will research
the possibilities, and introduce if necessary.
However, because of the open nature of the
EPAL pool, it could be a very long time before
such things happen, if ever.
We do take note of some of the problems of
plastics in hygiene, fire-risk, and nonrenewable nature of the raw material.
www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

RFID

RFID.
Certainly a major impact in the future, one that
EPAL cannot ignore.
RFID could be of particular interest to the
European Pallet Pool, controlled by the UIC.
The practical problems are major, but will be
overcome.
Again, unlike the old EPAL, we will respond to
market pressures.
www.epal-pallets.org

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

Market share

Market Share.
This is another area in which EPAL is very
different to the other pools.
EPALs principal interest is to ensure that the
system operates efficiently.
Individual manufactures and repairers, however,
are interested in market share.
EPAL therefore promotes the system, and
does keep records to indicate usage.
www.epal-pallets.org

European Pallet Association

EPAL

EUROPEAN
PALLET
ASSOCIATION

59th Congress Turin September 2006

European Pallet Association

Cost comparison

EPAL European Pallet Association

Thank you

We Look Forward
www.epal-pallets.org