CHEP is one of the world’s largest supply chain businesses based on a circular economy, operating a “share and reuse” concept for the pooling of its 345 million pallets, crates, and containers.
Leasing pooled pallets is a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to purchasing one-way white wood pallets, which have steadily increased in cost, commonly exhibit quality issues, and often end up in landfills as waste. Pallet pooling companies like CHEP have been recognized by different international organizations for their contribution to reducing waste and CO2 emissions, as they are considered a key example of the circular economy at a global scale. Reusable pallets are durable and of consistent quality and strength, minimizing the chance of customers’ product damage.
The sheer scale of CHEP’s network means that some of its assets inevitably move out of the eco system of the company’s customers, ending up where they should not be, such as with pallet dealers, plastic re-grinders and on non-customer premises. In an ever-changing environment like todays, where pallet availability is key to keep the supply chain moving, non-returned or destroyed pallets can have a very negative impact on the whole supply chain and ultimately on the end consumer.
CHEP manages the entire administrative procedure, retrieval, and quality assurance of the pallets in a closed-loop system. CHEP equipment or its pallets are owned by CHEP. CHEP never sells its equipment, and all customers acknowledge CHEP’s full ownership rights. CHEP never transfers ownership of its pallets either. No one can acquire, sell, recycle, or destroy CHEP pallets. All customers are required to return pallets back to CHEP.
CHEP’s trademark blue pallets, which are the same colour all over the world where they operate, are legally owned by CHEP, and never sold to any third party. CHEP’s business model requires that this equipment is returned to the company so that it can be checked, refurbished, and then reused by other customers. Non-returning of CHEP pallets is therefore a legal infringement that can lead to legal action to recover those pallets.
Feras Abual Hamayel, Manager of Asset Management for CHEP Middle East and North Africa said, “As pioneers of the circular economy, we are proud to be one of the most sustainable businesses globally and are passionate about protecting our pallets, and other assets, so that they can fulfil our customers’ needs. Unreturned CHEP pallets not only have a negative impact on the environment, but they also add costs to producers, retailers and ultimately the end consumers.”
CHEP’s pallets are easy to spot thanks to their distinctive blue colour and the fact that their name, trademark, and legal title messages are printed on each pallet as well. Moreover, the collection of CHEP pallets is easy to arrange and is free. CHEP takes care of it and has made this service easy to access via a public contact page for anyone who wants to request a pallet pick-up.
About CHEP
CHEP helps move more goods to more people, in more places than any other organisation on earth. Its pallets, crates and containers form the invisible backbone of the global supply chain and the world’s biggest brands trust CHEP to help them transport their goods more efficiently, sustainably, and safely. As pioneers of the sharing economy, CHEP created one of the world’s most sustainable logistics businesses through the share and reuse of its platforms under a model known as ‘pooling’. CHEP’s ambition is to create a positive impact on the planet and society, pioneering regenerative supply chains. CHEP primarily serves the fast-moving consumer goods (e.g., dry food, grocery, and health and personal care), fresh produce, beverage, retail, and general manufacturing industries. CHEP employs approximately 11,500 people and believes in the power of collective intelligence through diversity, inclusion, and teamwork. CHEP owns approximately 345 million pallets, crates, and containers through a network of more than 750 service centres, supporting more than 500,000 customer touch-points for global brands such as Procter & Gamble, Sysco and Nestlé. CHEP is part of the Brambles Group and operates in approximately 60 countries with its largest operations in North America and Western Europe. For more information on CHEP, visit www.chep.com. For information on the Brambles Group, visit www.brambles.com.