The world’s leading pallet and container pooling provider, Chep, has signed its first deal in the printing industry through an initial 12-month contract with Polestar Group.
Under the new agreement, Polestar – Europe’s leading independent printing company – will convert flows of its periodic magazine titles away from second-hand white wood pallets to Chep’s industry standard B1210A pallet, with up to 420,000 movements anticipated during the first year.
Chep has conducted a rigorous series of detailed studies of Polestar’s current supply chain to deliver a sector-specific pallet pooling solution for the delivery of periodical magazine titles to the wholesale media market in the UK and Ireland.
Potential operational efficiencies have been identified through the introduction of lean processes into the on-site handling and general use of pallets throughout Polestar’s supply chain. Reducing machine down time and the removal of pallet sorting activities are amongst the benefits to be enjoyed by Polestar.
Group project director at the Polestar Group, Janet Kenyon, explains: “Chep has made a real concerted effort to understand the wholesale printing market, and the current challenges we’ve been facing. Our two teams have been working increasingly closely together to develop this pallet pooling solution. The benefits for Polestar are significant, and could have a huge impact on our supply chain efficiencies.”
Chep’s managing director for UK & Ireland Howard Wigham, adds: “This is a very exciting deal for CHEP as this is a new market for us. So to be working with Europe’s leading independent printing company on a project of this scale speaks volumes for the efforts of both teams.”
