14 Pallets West
European Wood Pallet Manufacturing shows Continued Growth, Says FEFPEB
Production of timber pallets by European manufacturers has increased substantially over the last decade, the annual congress of the European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) heard last month.
At FEFPEB’s 65th congress, entitled “Packaging and pallets in a competitive European Union” and held in Brussels, FEFPEB’s secretariat reported on industry statistics, which showed an encouraging increase in the number of pallets manufactured within its member countries. Approximately 401 million pallets were made during 2013, up from 371 million in 2010 and 339 million in 2006.
The update also showed significant price inflation on pallet timber, according to reports from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK. The secretariat also discussed the decision to continue with the Europe-wide Packaging from Nature campaign to promote the benefits of using wood to manufacture pallets and packaging, as well as collaboration with global industry partners on a response to negative publicity created by plastics manufacturers.
The congress received further evidence that wood is the more environmentally friendly choice of material for pallets. A life cycle analysis which compared the impact of wooden and plastic pallets in monetary and percentage terms was presented by Jurgen Kemps of Dongen Pallets, a member of EPV, the organization representing Dutch manufacturers. It compared wooden and plastic pallets with identical dimensions and maximum dynamic and static load bearing capacities, finding that the total cost of a pallet made from wood is 25 percent less than the economic and environmental cost of an equivalent plastic pallet.
“The FEFPEB congress is always a productive event, providing essential updates on the developments in the fastmoving world of timber pallets and packaging, as well as important opportunities to network and discuss business with colleagues from across Europe.
FEFPEB President Rob van Hoesel