THE TIMBER Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) has launched a white paper on the status of reuse in the UK wood pallet and packaging business. The document highlights that reuse is high and has been increasing in sectors from fast moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and construction over the last 10 years.
TIMCON is the acknowledged representative body of the UK and Republic of Ireland wooden pallet and packaging industry, encompassing manufacturers, the four major pallet pooling companies and most sawmills who supply the industry from UK and Ireland and suppliers to the industry such as kiln and composite block manufacturers.
The white paper points to a “change in mindset” among supply chain users of wooden pallets and packaging who are acting on the clear environmental and economic benefits of reuse. This is driving already high levels of reuse in supply chains up further.
“Every wooden pallet, no matter what type, dimension and colour, will continue to be a reusable asset,” says the paper.
“This essential document illustrates how far advanced the UK market is in the reuse of wooden pallets and packaging,” said TIMCON President John Dye.
“The sector and its customers have changed their mind set with regards to reusing in the supply chain, which makes perfect economic and environmental sense.”
The annual UK Wood Pallets & Packaging Market research reports prepared for TIMCON and Forest Research show that between 2015 and 2023 there has been a 40 per cent increase in pallets being repaired and then reused in the marketplace.
There are many thousands of pallets being reused daily throughout the UK, across all sectors. TIMCON estimates there are approximately 250 million pallets currently in circulation in the UK.
In 2023, the volume of repaired pallets, at 54.1 million, was 30 per cent greater than the number of new pallets manufactured.
See page 8 of our December 2024/January 2025 issue on our Back Issues page.
