The Dutch potato producer Aviko and CHEP Benelux, supplier of logistical packaging for the supply chain, recently concluded a collaboration for the European distribution of potato products on the typical blue CHEP pallets. The deal has a huge impact on the environment: by entering the worldwide circular pooling system of CHEP pallets , Aviko saves no less than 785,529 m 3 of wood and reduces 889 tons of CO2. “We were also surprised at the figures from the ISO analysis. Thanks to this new, integrated approach in our supply chain, we really make the difference “, says transport manager Frank Scholten of Aviko.
Dutch Aviko is the European market leader and one of the four largest potato processors in the world. The company processes and transports more than 1.6 million tonnes of potatoes annually to more than 110 countries. An efficient and high-quality supply chain management is therefore indispensable to continue to grow as a company.
By switching to a uniform circular pooling system of pallets (parts and reuse of pallets), Aviko can organize its shipments from its 6 production sites in 4 countries to its customers much more efficiently. The integrated approach, in which the planning of existing shipments by CHEP was scrutinized and optimized, in combination with standardization of pallets in the entire supply chain, has positive consequences for the company.
Thanks to this standardization and increase and follow-up of the pallet quality, the pallets can now be processed even more easily in the Aviko warehouses. In addition to the time savings in handling and administration that is being realized, the new collaboration also has a major positive impact on mobility and the environment:
- The switch from wooden disposable pallets to CHEP’s circular pooling system means a saving of 785,529 m 3 of wood per lifecycle, more than half a million trees. (-242%)
- Due to the disappearance of return transports of used return pallets, Aviko saves 889 tons of CO2, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 10,000 trucks that travel the Antwerp-Rotterdam route. (-46%)
- These figures are the result of a lifecycle analysis between exchange pallets and pooling for the total pallet volume that Aviko uses for its activities.
In a next phase, a further in-depth analysis of the various transports of Aviko is made, which should lead to transport collaborations with other companies to avoid as many empty transports as possible. “CHEP wants to make the supply chain of all its customers more efficient and sustainable. Thanks to our in-depth analyzes of data and our worldwide network, we have the strength to realize both business “, says Yoni Van der Veken, Country General Manager at CHEP Benelux.
Frank Scholten from Aviko is delighted with the new collaboration: “In 2014 we received our first Lean & Green Award because we deliberately search for opportunities to make our logistics less taxing for the environment. The collaboration with CHEP fits perfectly into our vision. Moreover, this increases the quality and uniformity of the service to our customers. We now go one step further and look forward to real transport cooperation with other producers and transporters. We believe that is the way to tackle the global mobility challenges together. “