TH E NEWSL ETTER F O R C U STO M E RS OF SC OT T PA L L E TS
ISSUE 45 WINTER 2023
Collaborate to cut carbon We joined forces with BSW Group member, BSW Timber, to support the world’s leading seafood company, Mowi, to reduce its carbon emissions. Mowi’s Fort William site, in northwest Scotland, is a primary processing facility, producing 65,000 tonnes of fresh salmon annually which is chilled, packed and shipped throughout the UK, and globally, on timber pallets. Scott Pallets was engaged by Mowi to support a move away from the more traditional forms of pallet supply, and so enlisted the support of fellow BSW Group member, BSW Timber, to collaborate. As a result, BSW Timber, which has been a critical timber supplier to Scott Pallets for many years, installed a pallet production line at its site in Fort William, and the team has been professionally trained by our production personnel to manufacture pallets specifically for Mowi’s fresh fish product. This strategic move means Mowi’s pallets are not just being manufactured in Scotland, but the timber is also being grown |in the country too - enabling Mowi to benefit from a secure, local supply of timber pallets to its production line. Ultimately, this has helped to solve the challenge of ensuring a continuous, reliable supply of sustainable timber pallets to this remote location, from just a few miles away. Such an investment showcases the ability of BSW Group businesses to work together and innovate to find better solutions for customers. From seed to finished pallet, the materials and labour involved are all within the northwest of Scotland. This saves the transportation of timber to a separate pallet manufacturing site, and again saves the transportation of the manufactured pallets to Mowi’s facility – that’s 290 miles saved for one load of pallets. So, during the course of a year, and 140,000 pallets used, this equates to roughly 43 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved. Having a reliable source of pallets in such close proximity means that Mowi no longer needs to order a full load of pallets and store them but can call off smaller quantities as and when they are required. Robert Blaikie, Sales Director at Scott Pallets, said: “We’re proud to be supporting this major employer in the Scottish Highlands with a collaborative approach that achieves really positive environmental gains. “This project is a perfect demonstration of how BSW Group, and UK businesses generally, can work together and create a reduced-carbon economy.” Scott Nolan, Mowi’s Sales and Operations Director, said: “Mowi has nearly completed its expansion and upgrade of its salmon processing plant in Fort William with the latest equipment that advances our sustainability goals detailed in our Leading The Blue Revolution Plan. This business partnership with local Lochaber companies Scott Pallets and BSW Timber compliments numerous initiatives that will help lower our carbon footprint while also securing delivery of the UK’s top seafood choice.”
Season’s Greetings
ISSUE 45
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Win
Following the recent vote on the draft Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) at the European Parliament, we’re pleased to report that, the European Parliament has adopted the industry’s proposed changes which effectively exempt wooden pallet shipments in and out of the EU from specific provisions that would unnecessarily disrupt vital supply chains. As a member of the Global Wood Packaging Forum, our Technical & Industry Affairs Director, John Dye, was actively involved in an advisory role with the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA), to support engagement and lobbying on the issue. He said: “As an industry committed to sustainability, we support the overarching goals of the PPWR in waste reduction, but a one-size-fits-all approach simply does not work for pallets and their pivotal role in the supply chain.
“The initial PPWR draft did not recognise the unique properties of timber pallets as infinitely customisable, reusable, and 100% recyclable. Within this context, we must ensure an uninterrupted, sustainable supply chain for timber pallets to support the continuity of global trade.” The NWPCA said: “As the sole advocate for the global wooden pallet industry in Brussels, NWPCA
thanks the European Parliament for exempting international wooden pallet shipments from disruptive PPWR provisions, safeguarding vital supply chains. “European Parliament has incorporated our proposed language into the PPWR. This is a big win for our membership and global trade, and we strongly recommend that the European Council adopt the same provisions.”
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Together, we deliver more.
ISSUE 45
Pressboard pallets UK launch Working in collaboration with binderholz, the largest timber processor in Europe, we can now supply UK businesses with pressboard pallets in a range of formats, offering an alternative pallet solution for storage and transportation requirements. As a member of BSW Group, we have unique access to this innovative product through our owner business, binderholz. Pressboard pallets are made from sawdust and reprocessed, recycled wood chips, then compression moulded under high temperatures to form a dimensionally diverse and accurate wood composite product. This provides a natural wood finish with a clean and smooth surface and hard, finished edges. Already preferred by global brands such as Bosch, Siemens and Swarovski, pressboard pallets offer a range of benefits. The innovative and compact design is stackable and comparatively lightweight, taking up significantly less storage and transportation space than conventional Euro pallets. This could increase business efficiency through lower transport times and costs. With a number of formats and dimensions on offer, businesses can also be confident in supply, with excellent availability across all formats, and the ability to be reused several times. Rigorous internal testing ensures quality and compliance with strict standards and pallets are also regularly monitored by external authorities. Due to their recycled wood content, these pallets contribute to the sustainable use of wood as a raw material, and if damaged, they can be recycled and fed back into the production process. Classified as processed wood, pressboard pallets are suitable for worldwide exports, according to ISPM15.
View the product range here.
RFID PALLET TRACKING BOOSTS CIRCULAR ECONOMY We’re pleased to report the successful deployment of RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags during a trial project with The Pallet Loop and MiTEQ, which sees the collaboration on course to roll out during Q1 of 2024. This £300k investment sees the RFID tags being introduced specifically for pallets manufactured for distribution and management by The Pallet Loop for reuse in the construction industry. Returnable items represent a perfect opportunity for RFID tagging and this initiative will deliver value right through the supply chain. In an RFID-based system, high-volume reading can be easily automated with quicker, more accurate results that ensure both supplier and customer benefit from several advantages, including:
• Digitised asset tracking and inventory management • Monitoring of asset life cycles • End-to-end asset traceability (and quality assurance) • Improved data accuracy and availability • Enhanced visibility and control of production processes • Cost savings • Greater efficiency • Better compliance, health and safety regulation Together, we deliver more.
Hassam Hernandez, Scott Pallets’ Operations Director – Manufacturing, said: “By digitally tracking pallet movements throughout the supply chain, this innovative project helps us to support our clients’ long-term sustainability objectives. Not only does this help ensure an increasing volume of pallets are reused, but it has a positive financial impact on both our customer and their customers.” MiTEQ, our supplier of RFID tags, is a specialist in the deployment, management, and support of asset tracking and automation solutions, and has already completed training with our teams at Burton, Needham, Peterborough and York sites – all set for launch in the New Year.
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ISSUE 45
Raising a glass to Scottish Whisky
Above: Celebrating success with the Scottish Whisky industry at the annual award ceremony on Thursday 30th November 2023 at The DoubleTree Hilton in Glasgow.
To locate your nearest Scott Group supplier please visit:
scottgroupltd.com
As a trusted supply chain partner to the Scottish whisky industry for more than three decades, we were proud to be supporting the Scottish Whisky Awards 2023 by sponsoring the Single Cask 12 and Under category. The Scottish Whisky Awards aims to recognise the best Scotch on the market by rewarding people and teams working to deliver Scotland’s greatest global product. The independent competition was judged by a panel of experts drawn from across the sector, bringing together industry experience and market knowledge to highlight the greatest achievements in the production of Scotch. The competition involved the blind tasting of 200 Scotch whiskies and the assessment of 58 distilleries and whisky producers.
To find out more about the awards, visit: www.scottishwhiskyawards.org.uk/swa/finalists
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enquiries@scottgroupltd.co.uk
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Together, we deliver more.