Circular pallets for FMCG logistics

Tosca and Cabka launched a reusable plastic pallet on April 22 aimed at fast-moving consumer goods networks that still rely heavily on one-way wooden pallets. (cabka.com) The pallet is called the Tosca CP 1208, and the companies said it was built for pooled reuse programs, automated warehouses and retail distribution. Tosca said the design is meant to replace disposable transport packaging from production lines to store delivery. (cabka.com) Cabka said the pallet is made from recycled plastic, while Tosca said integrated deck grooves let its plastic crates lock into place without strapping. The companies said that setup supports double-stacked loads and reduces shifting during transport. (cabka.com) A pallet pooling program works like a rental fleet for logistics equipment: one company owns the pallets, and users share, return, wash and redeploy them. Tosca says its pooling service handles cleaning, repair and repositioning of reusable pallets, crates and bins for customers. (toscaltd.com) That model has become more relevant in Europe as consumer-goods companies prepare for tighter packaging rules. Tosca and Cabka said the new pallet was designed to support compliance with the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, or PPWR, and with extended producer responsibility schemes. (markets.ft.com) Wooden pallets remain the default in many supply chains because they are cheap and widely available, but they also break, absorb moisture and often move through one-way export systems. Tosca said plastic pallets can cut product damage, improve hygiene and remove the need for ISPM-15 heat treatment or fumigation that many wood pallets require in cross-border trade. (salestechstar.com) Cabka has made plastic pallets and containers from recycled plastic since 1994, and Tosca has built its business around reusable packaging and pooling services for food and retail supply chains. The new product combines Cabka’s pallet manufacturing with Tosca’s rental-and-reuse network. (cabka.com, toscaltd.com) The companies are pitching the pallet on cost as much as carbon. Cabka says reusable plastic pallets can lower total ownership costs through durability and lower damage rates, while Tosca says pooling customers avoid owning, washing and repairing the assets themselves. (cabka.com, toscaltd.com) The immediate test is whether large consumer-goods shippers will switch from low-cost wood into shared reusable fleets at scale. Tosca and Cabka are betting that stricter packaging rules, warehouse automation and pressure on transport margins will make that change easier to justify. (finance.yahoo.com, cabka.com)