Ten Million New EPAL Pallets Already Produced

DUSSELDORF, GERMANY--(Marketwired - Oct 4, 2013) - The production of the new EPAL Euro pallets has started successfully. Since the 1st August 2013, the European Pallet Association e. V. (EPAL) has already recorded the production of ten million pallets bearing the EPAL in oval mark on all four corner blocks. The new pallets, in production across Europe exclusively under the licence of EPAL, are exchangeable without limitation within the open pool and fulfil the internationally uniform quality standards.

"The quality of the new EPAL Euro pallets is exceptional and their exchange within the Euro pallet pool is functioning seamlessly. We are receiving positive feedback from the licence holders and users of EPAL cargo carriers"; the words of Martin Leibrandt, Chief Executive Officer of EPAL. In total, around 95 percent of the roughly 1,600 licence holders of EPAL have signed the new licence agreement and are continuing with the production and repair of EPAL Euro pallets. The trademark of the new EPAL Euro pallets is the "EPAL in oval" logo applied to all four corner blocks. Furthermore, the "EUR in oval" mark and the marks of the national railways have been omitted since the 1st August 2013.

EPAL is the operator of the largest open pallet pool in the world. From the 1st January 2013 EPAL commissioned the independent audit company Bureau Veritas with uniform quality assurance, and the company is responsible for carrying out unannounced checks of EPAL licence holders. With these quality controls, the service provider ensures the unaltered and internationally uniform quality of EPAL Euro pallets during their production and repair, on the basis of the UIC codices 435-2 and 435-4. "As a result, one-brand pallets really are in circulation within the open Euro pallet exchange pool for the first time", explains Martin Leibrandt.

As a result of the change in audit company, the international railway association UIC terminated its cooperation with EPAL at the end of last year. Since the 1st August EPAL has continued its work as an independent pallet organisation. Martin Leibrandt: "A breaking up or splitting of the Euro pallet exchange pool, which was feared by various parties, has not become a reality. No new exchange pool has formed alongside the EPAL Euro pallet pool."

The new pallets bearing the "EPAL in oval" mark four times over are exchangeable without limitation, in equal measure to all pallets bearing the "EPAL in oval" mark on the left corner block only, the "EPAL/EUR" mark, or the "EUR in oval" mark in combination with other (railway) marks. "Users operating within the EPAL Euro pallet exchange pool are able to avoid the sorting and separate storage of the pallets. This speeds up logistics processes, saves time and reduces costs" emphasizes Martin Leibrandt.

About EPAL:
EPAL European Pallet Association, founded in 1991, is the umbrella association for the licensed manufacturers and repairers of EPAL/EUR pallets and box pallets. Since the 1st August 2013, Euro pallets produced and overhauled exclusively under EPAL's licence have borne the "EPAL in oval" brand on all four corner blocks. EPAL is globally responsible for the consistent quality of EPAL cargo carriers and utilises external quality testing for this purpose. EPAL is represented in 14 countries by their own national committees, who have undertaken to implement the EPAL objectives at national level.