La Palette Rouge: 2010 turnover and pallet deliveries up again
30th March 2011:
LPR-La Palette Rouge achieved a turnover of 104.9 million Euros in 2010, an increase of 3% by value and 7% by volume.
For the 18th consecutive year since it was founded, Europe’s Number 2 pallet-pooling specialist posted a clear increase in its sales figures. Its consolidated turnover increased by more than 3%, reaching 104.9 million Euros (compared with 101.7 million Euros in 2009). The number of pallet deliveries was up by 7%, closing at almost 42 million.
All of the group’s subsidiaries posted an increase in both volume and market penetration. The evolution was particularly strong in Spain, the United Kingdom, Benelux and Germany, which all achieved double-digit increases in activity. These excellent results are mostly due to the signing of new contracts, exemplified by Unilever, Silver Spring Soft Drinks, PZ Cussons and ICT Iberica. But also to the renewal and broadening of existing arrangements, notably with Arla Foods in the Netherlands and Nestlé in Belgium and France. Further examples include Sofidel and Saint-Amand in France, Lactalis in Portugal and Mars and Kimberly- lark in Germany. Cross-border trade is increasing and is one of the driving forces behind LPR’s growth throughout Europe. Examples of this are Mars and Nestlé who have entrusted LPR with their pallet flows between Germany and France and between France and UK respectively.
High quality, full product range, wider reach
Torsten WOLF, CEO of LPR-La Palette Rouge Groupe, comments: “Our strategy is based on three fundamental principles: the quality of our pallets, the quality of our service and our ability to offer cross-European coverage with a range of pallets adapted to FMCG distribution. This three-pronged strategy allows us to reinforce our connections with key industry accounts, both national leaders and pan-European FMCG producers.” 2010 was a year of many initiatives and events for LPR. The Group was awarded certification in two important fields: ISO 9001 for quality management for all of its key subsidiaries across Europe and PEFCTM for its entire Supply Chain, which entitles it to propose wooden pallets that are guaranteed to come from sustainably managed forests.
The year also saw the opening of a regional office in Italy and the acquisition of Contraload N.V’s plastic quarter display pallets (600x400mm) pooling operation. “We have redesigned these pallets which are now doing very well in the market. This enables us to offer manufacturers in the FMCG sector a full range of solutions for shipping their goods to major retailers anywhere in Europe, with formats ranging from full-size pallets (800x1200 or 1000x1200), through half-size down to quarter-size pallets.”
Reasonable optimism for 2011
The Group has good reasons to be optimistic about the future: Torsten WOLF concludes “We are going into 2011 with a promising outlook for increased volumes and a solid customer portfolio.”
Arla Foods Netherlands and LPR sign up for a sustainable partnership
La Palette Rouge (LPR) and dairy company Arla Foods Netherlands have extended their cooperation for sustainable development of the logistics chain. This customised approach has lead to a significant reduction of CO2 emissions during the last years. Arla Foods Netherlands is the first customer of LPR to receive 100% PEFC certified pallets from sustainably managed forests. PEFC stands for Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes.
LPR – La Palette Rouge, Europe’s Number 2 pallet pooling company, specialised in
delivering high quality pallets to the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector, will support
the shipment of all Arla’s products into the Dutch market with its well known red
pallets. Arla Foods Netherlands is highly committed to protecting the environment.
Through their ongoing efforts and unique cooperation over the last few years, LPR
and Arla Foods Netherlands have invested a great deal of resources to achieve a more
sustainable operation. Arla Foods Netherlands actively subscribes to a lean and green
supply chain. LPR delivers customised pallet management services, which are supported
by and fit perfectly into Arla Foods Netherlands sustainability programme ‘Dichter
bij de Natuur’ (‘Closer to Nature’). This programme has relevance to all facets of
business: milk, ingredients, packaging, manufacturing, distribution including pallet
management but also the internal organisation and culture. Hereby the focus is directed
on efficient use of natural resources on the prevention of waste, climate and environment,
sustainable agriculture and animal welfare.
LPR and Arla Foods Netherlands have committed to a programmed reduction of greenhouse gases. In line with this commitment, LPR reduced the number of trucks going into Arla Foods Netherlands by 40% last year. Working together, LPR and Arla Foods Netherlands have implemented an ingenious plan for pallet supply based on high volume trucks, by increasing loads and optimising loading and unloading procedures.
Early in 2010 LPR obtained PEFC certification for its entire supply chain. Accordingly, LPR is able to guarantee that its customers are being supplied with pallets that originate from sustainably managed forests. LPR is the first and only pallet pooling company in Europe to be certified and to provide such a service.
Marco ter Maat, Manager Purchase and Sustainability of Arla Foods Netherlands clarifies: “Our cooperation with LPR is logical, based on our recognition of LPR’s performance and fundamental commitment to achieving innovative and sustainable solutions for our supply chain”.
Frank Janssen, General Manager at LPR Benelux explains: “Using Full Service pallet pooling with wooden pallets has proven to be a more efficient system than exchange models or plastic pallets. However, at Arla Foods Netherlands we have demonstrated that there is room for even further improvement. Increased efficiency, CO2 reduction and sustainable operations go hand in hand”.
LPR buys 600x400 mm plastic quarter display pallet pool from Contraload
LPR – La Palette Rouge and Contraload N.V. have reached an agreement to transfer
Contraload’s rental pool of plastic 600x400 mm quarter display pallets to LPR. The
pallet is manufactured by Schoeller Arca Systems, Europe’s leading manufacturer of
plastic pallets and crates. On July 1st, LPR started providing the pooling service
for this pallet to a pre-existing customer base of leading FMCG accounts in Belgium
and Luxemburg. LPR plans to extend this service to other countries.
LPR, Europe’s
Number 2 pallet pooling specialist continues to extend its service offer. LPR already
operates in 13 European countries through 7 subsidiaries, with a range of rental
pallets that includes all the full-size and half-size pallets in common use between
fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) producers and their retail customers. The acquisition
of Contraload’s display pallet pool adds a quarter size (600x400 mm) pallet to LPR’s
product portfolio.
Torsten Wolf, President of LPR explains “There is a clear market trend to ship more
and more products on display pallets from the manufacturer to the final point of
sale as this simplifies the handling of the products in the supply chain. LPR seeks
to provide a full range of services for its FMCG customers. We were therefore looking
for a solution to extend our product range to include the 600x400 mm quarter display
pallet format. The acquisition of the Contraload rental pallet pool allows us to
enter this market segment with a proven solution which is already well established
between retailers and leading FMCG accounts in Belgium and Luxemburg.”
Contraload
N.V. entered the 600x400 mm quarter display pallet market in 2007 with a pool pallet
developed by Schoeller Arca Systems, Europe’s leading manufacturer of plastic pallets
and crates. Today, more than 250,000 pallets in this format have been issued to a
number of important FMCG customers in Benelux for distribution to retailers in Belgium
and Luxemburg. Contraload’s core business, however, involves load carrier solutions
(plastic pallets, boxes, drums, etc.) for the B2B supply chain, which involves flows
between FMCG producers and their suppliers. The company decided to focus its growth
strategy on this supply chain and entered into discussion with LPR for the transfer
of its quarter display rental pallet pool.
Sylvain Naets, Managing Director of Contraload,
explains “CONTRALOAD has chosen to sell the display pallet pool to LPR as we are
convinced that LPR is a good partner to support and possibly develop further the
display business. Finding a good partner for our FMCG customers was a high priority
for us as we want to continue offering pooling services within the (B2B) supply chain
for deliveries from the suppliers (mainly ingredients and packaging) of our customers
on our plastic pallets or in our boxes or drums. On top of that, LPR can build a
service offer for display pallet pooling on a wider European network within the retail
supply chain including Germany, which is the biggest pooling market in Europe for
600x400mm display pallets.”
Contraload’s quarter display pallet pooling operations
were taken over by LPR Benelux from July 1st. Frank Janssen, General Manager of LPR
Benelux comments “Our service philosophy and quality standards will ensure a smooth
transfer for the existing customers in Belgium and Luxemburg. Moreover, we will be
in a position to offer a new range of services to both existing and new customers.”
Schoeller Arca Systems will continue to manufacture the pallet in its Hardenberg
factory, located in the Netherlands. LPR plans to offer a 600x400 mm quarter display
pallet rental solution on a wider European scale.
LPR opens Italian regional office - Fabio Benazzo appointed General Manager
LPR, the European Number 2 pallet-pooling specialist, has again extended its European
network with the opening of an Italian regional office in Landriano, near Milan with
Fabio Benazzo as General Manager. The office has a start-up team of 5 people whose
mission is to serve LPR Group’s core customers locally and to implement LPR’s pallet
pooling solution in the Italian fast-moving consumer goods sector.
LPR – La Palette
Rouge expands its European coverage. Already well entrenched for several years through
five subsidiaries in eight European countries (France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium,
Netherlands, Luxemburg, U.K. and Ireland), LPR had also opened a regional office
in Germany in 2008 to service the German, Austrian and Danish markets. The opening
of a new office in Italy marks another step in the deployment of LPR’s strategy.
Torsten Wolf, President of LPR explains “Italy has the fourth biggest economy in
Europe and is a key market for many of our customers. It is a country where we have
to be present if we want to position LPR as a service provider with a true pan-European
network.”
LPR started local operations in Italy almost a year ago to serve some of
its core customers, under the leadership of Fabio Benazzo who has been appointed
General Manager of LPR in Italy. Fabio Benazzo is 47 years old. He joined LPR with
considerable experience of the Italian retail sector, in the logistics and distribution
of fast-moving consumer goods and also in pallet handling operations. Fabio Benazzo,
who started his career with a leading retailer, rose to the position of regional
logistics manager before taking responsibility for operations in Salvensen Cavalieri
Logistica for several large FMCG accounts. Subsequently, he worked with AF Logistics,
setting-up and supervising pallet handling operations.
“The role that I’ve been given
is quite exciting for me,” says Fabio Benazzo. “While the pallet exchange system
is still the main one in the Italian market there are good reasons and a strong demand
for alternative solutions. I see a high potential for growth for pallet pooling because
of the significant economic benefits it offers for the whole supply chain. Our solution
is simple and efficient: LPR provides a fully outsourced service which includes the
collection of LPR’s red pallets from their final destination, pallet sorting and
repair. Consequently, we are able to maintain a high-quality pallet pool at all times.
A simple trip fee is billed for each pallet delivered to a customer,” explains Fabio
Benazzo.
“I am convinced that our Italian branch will be a success. The market needs
alternative pallet pooling solutions and Fabio’s experience and extensive knowledge
of the Italian FMCG sector make him the right person to take on the challenge to
build a strong local presence for LPR in Italy,” concludes Torsten Wolf.
Since LPR’s
intention is to provide reliable local service, all core functions for operations
and account management are handled locally. LPR’s Italian organisation is already
up and running. In addition to Fabio Bennazo, it includes an Operations Manager,
a Business Development Manager and a fully operational team. Since the Italian business
and team have grown rapidly in recent months, LPR has decided to open a permanent
office in Landriano, located in the province of Pavia near Milan. Today, LPR handles
several hundred thousand pallet movements per year for leading national and international
customers in Italy such as San Pellegrino (Nestlé Waters), Kimberly-Clark and Sofidel.
The network to collect pallets from major retailers in the Italian mass distribution
sector consists of ten depots across all of Italy including Sicilia and Sardinia.
LPR reverts to La Palette Rouge
LPR, one of the UK’s leading pallet pool operators, has reverted its company name
to become once again ‘La Palette Rouge’, previously being registered as Logistics
Packaging Return. This move reaffirms LPR’s identity with its famous product – the
very distinctive ‘red pallet".
The change to La Palette Rouge takes it back to its original name, when the pallet
pooling specialist launched in France in 1992 and will apply to all of the Group
subsidiaries.
Jane Gorick, managing director of LPR UK, explains more: “La Palette
Rouge is well-known and understood, because as soon as we mention the red pallet,
people know who we are. In reality, we have never ceased to be ‘the red pallet company’
for most of our stakeholders, so it’s great to be reverting back to a name that ‘does
exactly what it says on the tin’.”
The company adopted Logistics Packaging Return
to describe its operations in 1997 as it was believed at the time that an English
name would better facilitate the company’s European expansion. With operations now
in Benelux, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France and the UK, LPR has seen significant
success in winning market share throughout the continent and last year its turnover
surpassed 100 million Euros.
LPR’s red pallets are known for their quality and several
surveys have found they are considered among the best on the market. Quality has
always been a company priority and La Palette Rouge strives constantly to strengthen
and improve its product and service to meet the rigorous demands of the FMCG supply
chain. Consequently, LPR has now turned its attention to sustainability and has launched
its sustainable development policy. In fact LPR recently became the
only company
in the pallet-pooling sector to be awarded PEFC status (Programme for the endorsement
of Forest Certification).
The organisation has undertaken a carbon footprint audit
with the help of the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) which
looked its activities across Europe including pallet production, depot management,
waste and transport. The conclusions clearly indicated that pooling systems involving
timber pallets has a reduced carbon footprint than pallet exchange models or plastic
pallets. Furthermore, LPR has focused on optimising its transport operations, involving
service providers, reducing business travel and committing to the Copenhagen Communique.