THE NATIONAL Association of Pallet Distributors (NAPD) has called on pallet manufacturers and users to work together to ensure new pallets are always specified with their reuse in mind.
The organisation, which represents the UK pallet repair and reconditioning industry, says the availability of lower specification pallets has declined as they are reused more often. It wants users and manufacturers to push for higher specs that will support increasing reuse — which will decrease costs and increase the overall sustainability for supply chain businesses.
NAPD chairman Paul Tait said: “Lower spec pallets, including class B and C, are currently going short as more of them are used multiple times and reaching the end of life and failing. There is a clear need to increase reusability by boosting the lifespan of pallets, which we can do by manufacturing with the goal of reconditioning a repair from the start.
“Wooden pallets are a naturally sustainable product, and the more supply chains can reuse them, the better the environmental benefits — and the lower the costs.”
Saleh Hijazi, press officer for NAPD, said forthcoming sustainability legislation, including the Sustainability Disclosure Standards (SDS) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the UK, and CSRD in Europe, meant reuse is becoming an obligation for business.
“Reuse is already rising significantly,” he said, “and in the coming months, we are calling for specifiers to do more to ensure they maximise reuse opportunities for pallets and they can meet the growing demand of customers and other supply chain stakeholders. It will save them money, too.”
NAPD is the UK association for companies that repair pallets for reuse to a high standard. Its members work by a code a conduct and provide additional supply chain services to customers.
See page 32 of our October/November 2024 issue on our Back Issues page.
