IPP, one of Europe’s leading poolers of sustainable wooden pallets, has launched a campaign to increase awareness around the value of pallet recovery amongst customers and retailers, as it aims to improve recovery rates in the UK.

IPP is part of the Faber Group and provides reusable pallet and box pooling services across Europe for fast-moving consumer goods and industrial supply chains, operating a pay-per-use model over ownership.

It has now launched a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of keeping pallets in its pool, ‘as lost or out-of-network pallets have a significant impact on the carbon footprint of the pallet pooler and its customers’, the company stated.

Specifically, any pallet lost from IPP’s pool is said to have a negative impact on sustainability, as its replacement requires the use of fresh timber. Conversely, returning pallets to its pool improves supply chain efficiencies and supports the circular economy.

The Coventry-based company has now launched a drive to fulfil its sustainability ambitions and reduce its carbon footprint, while supporting the sustainability targets of its portfolio of customers in the UK and Europe. To support its recovery drive, a custom app has been developed that can be used to report pallets that are currently out-of-network.

Shelley Harris, IPP commercial director, said, ‘The success of a sustainable and efficient pool depends on making sure pallets stay in our pool and are used in an optimal way.

‘Lost pallets undermine the circular pooling system; for example, if they are used to store overstock in a warehouse, or if their whereabouts are unknown due to poor data management, the efficiency and sustainability of the pooling system is jeopardised.

‘Pallets are an essential part of supply chains and a lack of pallets impacts all stakeholders in that supply chain, from producer to retailer, and ultimately to a consumer when their products are unable to reach the retail shelf. Therefore, IPP is calling on all customers, retailers and stakeholders who use our pooling system to ensure pallets are returned as soon as possible after usage.’

Ms Harris continued, ‘This enables us to ensure our pooling system remains efficient and sustainable and that all participants in the supply chain benefit.’