EPAL board meeting November 2021

EPAL board meeting November 2021

On 25.11.2021 the Board of the European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) discussed current topics of the EPAL European Pallet Exchange Pool. Originally planned as a meeting of the Board members in Berlin, the Board meeting was held at short notice as a video conference for reasons of precaution due to the increase in Covid 19 infections.

The Board meeting focused on various issues related to the repair of EPAL Euro pallets. The shortage of wood and pallets in 2021 has significantly increased the demand for used and repaired EPAL Euro pallets. Alongside the growth in production, the growth in the repair of EPAL Euro pallets has continued undiminished in Q3 2021. Peter McKenzie, EPAL UK/Ireland representative on the EPAL Board: "Repair is of central importance in supplying trade and industry with exchangeable EPAL Euro pallets. In everyday logistics, EPAL Euro pallets are occasionally damaged, e.g. by forklift trucks or through improper use. The repair of damaged EPAL Euro pallets by EPAL-licensed repair companies restores the usability and exchangeability of the pallets and thus enables continued use. This preserves the value of the pallets and is good for the environment. We therefore want to make the repair of EPAL Euro pallets even better and more effective."

The use and exchange as well as the repair of EPAL Euro pallets in the open EPAL exchange pool follows the basic principle of sustainable circular economy (reuse, repair and recycle) and is therefore considered a prototype of the circular economy.

Another topic of the Board meeting was the international quality assurance of the production of components such as EPAL nails and chipboard blocks. Both products are of particular importance for the stability and safety of EPAL Euro pallets. The production of EPAL nails and chipboard blocks is therefore monitored by EPAL in an separate quality assurance system.

Jarek Maciążek, Vice President of EPAL and EPAL Polska: "The production of EPAL nails and chipboard blocks is also affected by the global shortage of raw materials and the disruption of supply chains. This requires an adjustment and sometimes an intensification of quality assurance. In this context, EPAL is testing the material properties and their effects on the stability of EPAL pallets. In close coordination with the producers of the components and their material suppliers, this ensures the highest quality of EPAL Euro pallets."

The next EPAL Board meetings will be held in January 2022 and March 2022.