Eurostars SmartPallet initiative targets food waste reduction and cold chain traceability.
A Norwegian-led consortium has launched an ambitious Eurostars project to develop SmartPallet, an IoT-enabled device designed to transform how goods are monitored during transport. The project is spearheaded by Invig AS, with partners Smart Retur AS, Circmar AS, and Dutch technology firm Qados BV.
“We are proud to lead this groundbreaking project that can contribute to significantly reducing food waste,” said Geir Vevle, chief product officer at Invig AS. “SmartPallet represents a technological breakthrough that will make cold chain logistics more efficient and sustainable.”
A pressing need in the cold chain
Globally, an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted each year, with roughly 10 percent of that loss occurring in transit. The limitations of current tracking systems contribute to the problem. GPS technology, for example, is unreliable inside warehouses or containers, the project leaders note, while many solutions on the market fail to provide the flexibility required in modern logistics networks.
The SmartPallet system is designed to address these gaps. It combines several advanced features: real-time monitoring of temperature and movement without GPS, the ability to act as a gateway for other sensors, on-demand activation for tracking services, and an ultra-low power design that enables up to 15 years of battery life.
“The Eurostars project has been picked as the best possibility to finally create a feasible solution for our market places for open loop pooling of plastic pallets,” commented Tom Romanich, Innovation & Pooling Director at Smart Retur. “When many of the other previous and existing solutions have mostly failed, we aim for a better technology which is easy to administrate and easy to run for our customers.
“Plastic pallets in the Nordics could be out of our physical sight for several years, so battery life is the main task to optimize,” he continued. “Also, communication compatibility across countries will be a main factor in this project. In order to give real added value for our customers, tracking data like location coordinates and temperature must be integrated with our customers own setups and systems.”
Eurostars consortium members bring complementary strengths
Each participant in the Eurostars consortium contributes distinct expertise.
Invig AS: Based in Norway, Invig has built a reputation for innovation in RFID, IoT, and digital tracking systems. The company has worked across multiple industries to improve asset visibility and supply chain data integration.
Smart Retur AS: As the largest pallet pooling provider in the Nordic region, Smart Retur manages millions of pallets in circulation and has deep knowledge of operational challenges in reusable transport packaging and logistics.
Circmar AS: Drawing on its background in the seafood industry, Circmar focuses on sustainable packaging and reusable systems, making it a valuable contributor in aligning the project with circular economy principles.
Qados BV: Headquartered in the Netherlands, Qados specializes in low-energy IoT hardware, bringing technical strength in developing devices capable of long-lasting performance in demanding environments.
Significant market potential
The economic opportunity for SmartPallet is substantial. The global pallet market is estimated at €65.8 billion, while the European cold chain packaging segment alone accounts for €8.3 billion. If development proceeds as planned, the consortium aims to bring SmartPallet to market by 2028, with projected revenues of €155 million within the first five years.
Supporting sustainability goals
The Eurostars-supported project carries a two-year budget of €1.52 million. Beyond the commercial opportunity, it also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 12.3, which calls for halving food waste by 2030. By improving cold chain monitoring and enabling better routing decisions, the SmartPallet initiative could help reduce waste and lower associated CO2 emissions.
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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.
