This is no real surprise as the company was originally registered as “Plastic Pallet Systems” with the intention of offering plastic pallet supplies to a range of industries, but primarily aimed at the food sector. In addition to plastic pallet supplies, PPS also offers returnable plastic food crates (which are used in conjunction with the plastic pallets) on a rental basis.

PPS has two sites, with a new site, also offering plastic pallet supplies shortly to open in Grimsby. The company felt that in addition to plastic pallet supplies that it should offer add-on services, so now PPS offers rental, with equipment management, online asset tracking, and a state-of-the-art wash operations at both sites.

Plastic pallets continue to offer new opportunities for companies in the food industry who wish to offer a more hygienic transit medium (wooden pallets cannot be washed).

As a complementary promotional feature, PPS has recently commissioned a report on the improved carbon footprint implication using plastic pallet supplies versus more conventional materials such as wood or one-way cardboard.

PPS Equipment Management Ltd has built up a solid reputation over the past seven years providing services related to returnable transit equipment (RTE). This started as the management of plastic pallets and food crates, but the company has introduced other RTE, notably a range of wire mesh containers.

Heavy duty wire containers are used across a wide range of industries from the food industry to retail to the automotive sector. A typical wire container will be of a robust construction as they tend to take a fair degree of punishment in the work environment.

PPS realised that there was a market in wire containers, not only on a direct sales basis, but also as part of a rental and equipment management option. The company offers prospective clients the further options of new or second-hand wire containers on medium- or long-term hire contract.

As mentioned above, wire containers will inevitably suffer a certain amount of damage during their working life, so PPS has recently set up a new repair service for its fleet of wire containers, and also offers this repair service to third parties. PPS has recently signed a long-term agreement with a leading sports retailer for the ongoing repair of its large fleet of wire containers.

PPS also offers a mobile repair service for wire containers where they will carry out repairs at the clients own premises.

PPS, based in the Midlands has over the past few years been steadily promoting its green credentials by persuading customers, mainly in the food industry, to convert from using cardboard boxes and packaging to re-usable and returnable plastic crates and boxes.

The company was doing this even before Product Carbon Footprinting (PCF), the method of assessing and measuring greenhouse gas emissions, came to the attention of the general public. Measuring PCF’s along the supply chain allows manufacturers, distributors, retailers and final customer to identify critical spots where greenhouse gas emissions occur and can be reduced.

However the motivation and ultimately the deciding factor in a switch from one-way trip cardboard boxes is that using returnable packaging is cost-effective. In other words it works financially.

Taking this a step further it is only financially viable if the equipment in question – in this case returnable transit equipment is correctly managed and returned for re-use. The traditional mindset of someone receiving goods in whatever form of packaging the goods arrive in then is that this packaging is at best to be thrown away or becomes the property of the receiving party.

As owners as well as managers of a large fleet of returnable transit equipment, in the form of crates, boxes and pallets, PPS cannot afford to have their working assets “lost” in the field. For that reason at the start-up of PPS the management instituted a robust policy of ensuring that anyone handling their equipment takes responsibility for it and they sign a Customers Agreement Form to that effect. In the early days of operations a small number of customers simply “forgot” they had signed this Agreement and lost, misused and in certain cases even sold some of the PPS equipment. The policy of PPS then and now is to vigorously pursue anyone deliberately breaching the terms of the Customer Agreement.

One particular customer PPS worked with towards conversion from cardboard boxes was a large poultry producer in Scotland. This customer had been sending out raw poultry products throughout the UK in cardboard boxes and had been following this practice for some years. PPS proposed the use of a nestable plastic crate having dimensions very close to that of the previously used cardboard box.

The trials were an immediate success on a number of fronts – the plastic crates were more robust than the cardboard boxes and during transport remained rigid whereas it was quite common for the lower levels of cardboard boxes to crush in the event of sudden braking of the transport vehicle. This meant that less of the meat had to be rejected due to spoiling of the carrier medium – i.e. the cardboard box.

An added advantage that arose out of the initial trials, and not one either PPS or the customer had foreseen was that instead of packing the normal 15kgs of meat per cardboard box 19kgs could be loaded into the PPS plastic crate, thus meaning fewer plastic crates were needed to transport the same weight of meat – another contribution towards the reduction of the Product Carbon Footprint.

In this particular example the combination of fewer plastic crates required and no need to dispose of used cardboard boxes, not only improved the PCF but critically resulted in a 12% cost reduction on a single trip basis.

Whilst there is no general rule to follow on direct comparisons, one of the UK’s leading crate manufacturers estimates that a standard plastic nestable crate as used by PPS will, over a five year period complete around 92 return trips. Even at the end of its active life cycle PPS has a use for the crates (and pallets) – these are sold back to a recycling company who grind up the products which can then be used to partly produce new plastic parts.

Another way to examine the advantages of plastic versus one-way trip cardboard boxes is the study carried out that shows that replacing disposable packaging with plastic returnable equipment will often pay for itself after only around 12 trips and generates considerable financial savings for our customers.

A number of potential customers would like to move to RTP but are put off by what seems to be a considerable upfront initial financial outlay. Although long-term it may make considerable financial sense to move to RTP there may not be the capital expenditure budget to meet the need.

This is where PPS steps in – not only will they supply the equipment, but manage it, wash it and repair it on behalf of clients.

Iain McArthur, Director of PPS said “We were promoting the advantages of Product Carbon Footprinting even before we knew the term existed! When we started operations a number of years ago we were aware of environmental issues connected with disposal of cardboard, but we primarily promoted our services based on a cost-efficient financial model. In other words our customers wanted to save money. We feel we now offer the advantage of not only helping customers take some cost out of their businesses, but we promote the feel-good contribution of helping to decrease the carbon footprint”.

The roll cages are supplied either as “A” or “Z” frame units with 2,3 or 4 door and even “Full Security” models which are preferred when high value goods are stored or transported. As well as roll cages, wire mesh containers are also on offer where a tough, rigid and stackable box is required.

China is the source of the original manufacture of the units and the Midlands Company has established a strong relationship with a key Chinese manufacturer. One of the Directors recently spent time in China vetting potential suppliers.

Direct sales of roll cages is not the only option, as the company has now introduced what they term their “full service option” whereby not only will they rent you the roll cages, but they will manage them on your behalf, track them at third parties using their own proprietary online asset tracking system, retrieve the units and repair them wherever necessary.

This rental option is an economical alternative to direct purchase when availability of capital expenditure may not be viable.

PPS specialise in crate hire, crate rental, roll cages and storage boxes

PPS has worked with these processors to allow them to adopt a system of replacing cardboard with plastic trays and crates, a number of which have been in continuous use for over five years, thus allowing a more cost-effective delivery system. In addition PPS has worked with the producers and haulage companies in introducing Enable, PPS’s own online asset management system.

An added advantage has been that fewer road journeys are now required (for the disposal of used cardboard) which contributes to a lowering of the carbon footprint associated with the movement of the products.

Many of the plastic crates and plastic trays are used to transport raw meat, so every crate must be washed on return and before re-entering the rental pool.

As a result PPS wash to the highest standards of cleanliness and carry out regular swab tests on crates during each shift.

As well as a crate washing facility, PPS have installed a wash line specifically to wash plastic pallets.

A state-of-the-art crate wash and plastic pallet wash operation now offers industrial washing either on an ad hoc, short- medium- or long-term contract or even to meet seasonal demand.

While the large majority of its wash activities surrounds the crate washing of food crates, PPS also washes crates, trays and tote boxes for the packaging, pharmaceutical and bakery sectors.

Plastic pallet washing is also a speciality with PPS having installed a dedicated plastic pallet wash which can handle both 1200 x 1000mm as well as 1200 x 800mm sized pallets.

Dusseldorfer pallets are relatively new to the UK, but have already made a massive impact on all sorts of industries, although their presence has been particularly felt in the retail sector. They can also be used in a wide range of industries, from pharmaceutical to food to home to chemical. There is no limit to their use.

The Dusseldorfer pallets are usually made of timber so they are similar in appearance to wooden pallets. The only difference between them and the regular wooden pallets that you find in various industries every day and that is their size. Dusseldorfer pallets are smaller than their regular wooden counterparts by half. They actually measure just 600mm by 800mm. As such, their size makes them much more convenient for the transportation of smaller loads and orders as well as for storing goods in small spaces. One of the main reasons for their growing popularity is actually the latter because supermarkets and other big stores are using them for display purposes. They represent much less of a hazard and yet are perfect for the display of various stock items.

The Dusseldorfer pallets are much more versatile than regular pallets as a result of the smaller dimensions. They can fit into tighter spaces and can also be easily stacked for use at a later date. Another point is that they are also more cost effective. As with all other wooden pallets though, they are durable and incredibly strong as so will stand the test of time as long as they are protected against the elements as far as possible. All of these qualities add up to the Dusseldorfer pallet being one of the best possible solutions to your storage and transportation problems. Their popularity will undoubtedly continue to grow so they are worth consideration if your company is looking into investing in pallets in the near future!

PPS own crates are largely used in the beef, pork or poultry industries for the transport of raw meat. The crates are often returned in a heavily soiled condition and with labels still attached. It was imperative then that the wash line should be specified to meet the highest standards of cleansing. Extra-heavy duty pumps and additional wash jets were specified and installed and PPS employ extra staff to visually inspect every crate that passes through the wash line.

As a result PPS now offers the ultimate in crate washing efficiency where third parties who cannot reach the level of cleansing within their own wash facilities are sending their equipment to PPS for deep cleaning. Swab and other hygiene tests are carried out throughout each shift and test results collated and stored for future reference.

Many companies who use such equipment have their own wash lines which are usually sufficient to meet their own demands. However PPS can offer a number of options to third parties – e.g. long- medium- or short-term contracts, ad hoc or “one-off” washes, to meet seasonal demands or even in the event of a wash line breakdown in emergency cases.

PPS invites any business who may require some form of washing to visit the Measham site and inspect the facility. Furthermore they offer to run a trial using the customers own equipment (whatever level of soiling) during any such visit.

More information can be found on the dedicated website www.ppswash.co.uk