Reusable bakery industry equipment pool increases its GPS tracker usage in the Midlands in response to misuse.
London, UK – February 10, 2025 – Bakers Basco, the membership scheme established by Allied Bakeries, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, Hovis, and Warburtons to manage bakery equipment, is significantly increasing its deployment of GPS tracking devices in the Midlands. This strategic move comes in response to a surge in equipment abuse and misuse cases in the region.
As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen recovery efforts, Bakers Basco is boosting its GPS tracker usage by 42%. These custom-made tracking devices, developed by Lightbug, weigh approximately 140g – comparable to a deck of cards – while offering a robust battery life of up to 15 years, Bluetooth 5.0 technology, remote-controlled alarms for equipment tracking alerts and NFC capabilities.
Having first introduced GPS technology into its equipment in 2015, Bakers Basco has continuously enhanced its tracking capabilities, making significant investments to curb equipment losses. The latest expansion targets key areas in the Midlands where data has shown a concerning rise in unauthorized use and theft of bakery baskets and dollies.
“By increasing the deployment of GPS trackers in the Midlands, we are taking a proactive stance against the growing issue of equipment misuse,” said Stacey Brown, national investigations manager at Bakers Basco. “The ability to precisely track and recover missing assets not only improves our operational efficiency but also helps us hold those responsible accountable.”
Beyond recovery efforts, the GPS trackers provide valuable insights into equipment movement, enabling Bakers Basco to analyze turn rates and pinpoint bottlenecks within its supply chain. This data allows for better resource allocation and improved operational flow.
In recent years, GPS tracking technology has played a pivotal role in several successful legal cases for Bakers Basco, contributing to 19% of charges made in the last financial year. With the Midlands now a focal point for increased surveillance, the company expects further improvements in equipment recovery and a reduction in unauthorized usage.
About Bakers Basco
Bakers Basco was established in 2006 by five of the UK’s leading plant bakers—Allied Bakeries, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, Hovis, and Warburtons—representing more than 55% of the UK’s bakery market. The company manages an equipment pool of approximately five million reusable Omega Baskets and 500,000 dollies, designed as part of the circular economy. Each bakery tray can be reused up to 400 times before the end of its lifecycle, at which point the raw plastic is used to produce new baskets. For more information, visit http://bakersbasco.com.
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
