Make Returnable Packaging your Business New Year Resolution

2013 could be the Year for many Businesses to
make the switch to Returnable Packaging 

What are your New year resolutions for 2013?

We are now into the third week of January and our News Year Resolutions are starting to be a distant memory.  Whatever our good intentions were at the start of the year be it lose weight, stop smoking or save money most of us have probably gone back to our old ways by now.

The New Year is not just a time for personal resolutions it is a time where businesses can look at their practices and look at ways that they can improve.   Popular improvements for 2013 will surely be to make cost savings and become more sustainable.  Switching to returnable packaging can help many companies achieve these goals and PPS will be able to help and support along the way.

Here are 5 reasons that our customers have switched to returnable packaging:

1.    Reduced packaging waste – The disposal of cardboard or polystyrene boxes creates costs including the disposal fee and the extra labour required.
2.    Reduced packaging costs – Annual packaging costs can be significantly reduced by switching to returnable packaging.  Packaging costs can be reduced to pence per trip by renting returnable equipment.
3.    Increased product protection – All forms of returnable packaging including plastic crates and bulk bins are strong and durable providing added protection for the important goods inside.
4.    Hygienic – Returnable packing can be washed at our BRC accredited wash plant to food industry standards.
5.    Improves environmental impact – Returnable packaging typically lasts at least 5 years and it can then be recycled at the end of its useful life.  This is far more environmentally friendly than single use cardboard boxes that need to be disposed of.

Moving from single use cardboard or polystyrene boxes makes sound financial and economic sense but the thought of changing your systems can seem daunting.  At PPS we are experienced in helping our customers make that move and we will ensure that it runs smoothly.

PPS Reusable Plastic Trays are in Flavour at Dairy Fruit

Dairy Fruit, northern Europe's leading supplier of quality aseptic flavoured fruit preparations and liquid spice mixes for the food industry, recently introduce PPS food grade, reusable plastic trays into its logistics supply chain.

PPS Total Equipment Solutions Process

Crispin Gell - Sales Director of Dairy Fruit reported, “In reviewing our packaging and handling operations, it was decided to source a company who could provide a food grade rentable plastic tray system that offered stability and security when delivering our products.

We also had to give serious consideration to Heath & Safety regulations, taking into account maximum handling weights for operatives both within our facility and our customers. Plus we wanted a company that could supply a full service and minimise our handling involvement by collecting the empty trays from our customer’s facilities. These reusable plastic trays would then be washed before being returned to Dairy Fruit and into the supply chain loop. 

We also had to consider the cost of switching from the current cardboard packaging to the returnable tray system, as this was extremely important as we could not add this cost to our product.” 

Dairy Fruit engaged PPS Midlands in the review and they proposed a hygienic, cost effective and practical solution to this problem using bale arm trays, which are ideally suited for food applications.

PPS Business Development Manager Jonathan Issatt commented, “We opted for a durable, ventilated reusable plastic tray that has been specifically designed for transport and storage purposes and incorporates moveable swing bale arms to provide strong hand grips. When not in use, these containers can be stacked and nested in order to save space.

Supporting a full and comprehensive service, PPS Midlands BRC accredited factory in Measham is equipped with modern state-of-the-art high pressure wash facilities to clean all type and sizes of returnable transit packaging, including trays, crates, tote boxes, bulk bin containers and even houses a dedicated plastic pallet washing machine. The company also recently invested in a box drying facility, which is particularly important for PPS customers who need the containers to be dry before depositing product and to prevent damage and contamination.”

According to Crispin Gell of Dairy Fruit reported, “The new PPS returnable plastic tray, collection and wash service has allowed us to expand business within a number of new areas, with Dairy Fruit now able to fulfil some customers hygienic, reusable packaging and delivery criteria.

PPS has proven to be a very responsive company, professional in its approach and easy to deal with. We would have no hesitation in recommending them or their products”.

2012 A year of growth for PPS Midlands

2012 was an exciting year with the national pride and feel good factor created by the Olympics and the Queens Diamond Jubilee.  It made a wonderful change for the news to be full of positive and inspirational achievements as opposed to the normal doom and gloom.

At PPS Midlands we have a great deal to celebrate at the end of 2012.  We have seen continued growth in our main service area, with new customers signing up to our full service option where we rent, manage,  pool and wash all types of returnable equipment.  The main equipment on hire is our plastic crates, pallets and bulk bins which are very popular within the food processing and distribution sectors.  Not only have we added new customers but our existing clients have increased their volumes.  Returnable packaging is now well established within the food industry and we hope 2013 brings more customers making the switch from cardboard.

PPS Wash Plant Busier than ever

Our wash plant has been busier than ever, the amount of returnable equipment washed by our machine has increased greatly this year.  Alongside the extra washing for our full service customers we have experienced a growth in our wash only service.  For customers who own their own equipment PPS can provide a wash service at our state of the art BRC accredited wash plant.  This service has become very popular with our food, automotive and retail customers.  Our wash plant has also seen the addition of a wash bay designed to allow us to wash larger types of equipment such as Dolvas, bulk bins and pallet boxes.  The addition of this bay had enabled us to wash all types of returnable equipment.

The PPS Midlands repair facility is well established and has gone from strength to strength in 2012.  We are set up to repair all types of plastic and metal equipment and the service is becoming ever more popular.  Companies are increasingly looking at ways to cut their costs and it is often far more economical to have your equipment repaired than replace to it.

PPS Midlands

Most excitingly 2012 has seen PPS Midlands expand into a brand new sector.  We are now offering crate rental to the commercial moves industry.  PPS Midlands has invested in a pool of plastic removal crates that are available to hire to removal companies and individual companies conducting their own move.  2012 was spent setting up this new service with it launching towards the end of the year.  We will be able to bring all the experience that we have gained in the rental and management of returnable equipment over the past 10 years to this new sector and hope to see it expand in 2013.

Certainly, 2012 was an exciting year for PPS Midlands, which saw us, continue to grow our existing services and enter into a whole new industry sector.  We are now all ready and looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that 2013 will bring.  We hope to develop relationships with new businesses and continue to work closely with our existing customers.  Hopefully 2013 will be the year that even more companies realise the benefits of returnable packaging.

Happy New Year from everyone at PPS Midlands!