The exchange of pallets – errors & problems

Errors

  • „The euro-pallet pool is a closed exchange pool“
    Most enterprises think that the closed exchange pool, from which a pullout is impossible or if possible under very difficult conditions, still exists. Most of them do not know that „the central euro-pallet exchange pool“ does not exist as a closed pool. Merely uniform or standard criteria for exchange are determined here – the exchange itself is arranged through individual agreements between two contractual partners, i.e. between the dispatcher and the consignee.
  • „I can not do otherwise, because we have exchanging for several years.“
    Most enterprises are not cognisant with the fact that a switch over from exchange to resale is possible at any time. Because for the cases of both exchange and resale an individual agreement between both contractual partners is necessary and that they are free to choose the pallet handling system they will like to implement.
  • „The euro-pallet pool is helpful in case of problems between the exchange partners.“
    A further error: In the case of problems between the exchange partners, the euro-pallet pool can not effect anything, because both exchange partners undertook individual agreements. Thus they will have to solve their problems themselves.
  • „I can not change-over that fast/soon.“
    This is also a mistake, in most cases there are no existing agreements amongst the partners, rather individual understandings between the respective exchange partners. Thus a change-over is possible at any time.

 


Problems

He who is dependent on the employment of pallets knows the multilateral problems in the exchange of pallets:

  • New pallets are purchased. In the course of the exchange however some “bad” pallets may come back. It emanates from field reports of Falkehahn AG that, according to statements of the customer (consignor), 3 out of 10 pallets delivered during the pallet exchange process are no longer adequate for employment or do not meet the stipulated required quality standards.
    It is particularly a big problem in the case of employment in high rack storage area and in the domain of hygienic and foodstuff production,
  • because only new, qualitative unobjectionable pallets are supposed to be employed here, in order to guarantee sufficient security and trouble-free operation.
  • In case the consignor attempts solving this problem by consequentially introducing quality control, the demand for pallets shall accumulate, because the forwarding agents will not be able to provide the adequate pallets. This will lead to a lot of cost and efforts through issuing, booking and charging of pallet notes. In the course of time, several consignors will be having pallet demand to 6 or even 7 digits figures.
  • Several forwarding agents will not be able to afford empty trips to balance shortages of pallets, because these extra transportation drives will only waste the marginal interest obtained.
  • Situation in exportation: foreign partners demand that their merchandise should be delivered on exchangeable, multiplex pallets; in most cases no pallets come back although a concurrent exchange was agreed upon.
  • Furthermore, globalisation renders concurrent exchange of pallets almost impossible in supra-regional and international forwarding traffic.