Wooden packaging

The Covid-19 vaccines need to be transported under very strict conditions using special transport containers, as well as refrigerators and freezers. While plastic pallets become brittle and are more fragile at too low temperatures, EPAL wooden Euro pallets are perfectly suited to transporting and storing goods, even at the lowest freezing temperatures. Moreover, EPAL Euro pallets meet the ISPM 15 standard (due to heat treatment of the wood), which means that they can be used in international trade.

In 2021, EPAL, the European Pallet Association, celebrated its 30th anniversary, as well as the 60th anniversary of the Europallet. EPAL was set up in 1991 as an international association for interchangeable Europallets, and is now represented in more than 30 countries. With around 600 million standardised EPA Euro pallets in circulation around the world, EPAL is the largest open pallet pool in the world. It also bears witness to a sustainable circular economy, characterised by reuse, exchange, recovery and recycling. See www.epal.eu.

In Belgium and Luxembourg, around 50 certified manufacturers and repairers of EPAL Europallets have joined forces in the non-profit organisation BELEPAL, since 2000. The goals of this organisation include promotion, assistance to manufacturers and repairers, and representation before governments and other agencies. Another objective is to actively combat fraud, counterfeiting and unfair competition. Fedustria acts as Secretariat for the organisation. See www.belepal.be.

The war in Ukraine in early 2022 has had major implications for the pallet and packaging sector in Europe. In fact, much of the softwood in use comes from Ukraine, Russia or Belarus. Following European sanctions and Russian counter-sanctions, imports of wood for European wood processing companies are no longer guaranteed, and have been partially banned. There is looming resource scarcity. Production of EPAL Europallets in Ukraine has largely stopped due to the war. Moreover, there is a shortage of truck drivers from Ukraine, which is causing problems in the logistics chain. Rising energy costs are also impacting the cost of heat-treating wooden pallets, transport and overall production costs. Together with FEFPEB, the European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers, and EPAL, Fedustria is pushing for solutions.