buy one Tomato harvest in Almería Will be available in supermarkets in less than 24 hours vigo This is not an easy task. From the moment a worker cuts it at the factory until it reaches the hands of the consumer, this vegetable must pass through sorting warehouses, distribution centers and logistics platforms of different chains transported by trucks, trains and even boats. A whole mechanism where every part must fit exactly, starting from the containers themselves, must meet the necessary standards and dimensions to make the best use of space and where the process can be automated as much as possible.
This is the task of companies such as Euro Pool System, one of the main companies responsible for supplying the reusable plastic boxes used to transport and in many cases display the fruit, vegetables, fish and meat in which they are sold. main supermarket chains. In the case of Spain, where they work with companies such as El Corte Inglés, Aldi, Caprabo, Consum and Makro, Approximately 35% of the company’s shares are concentrated. Sunday, This means that more than a third of all fresh food reaching major retailers travels in packaging, according to Bartolomé Saro, the company’s director for Southern Europe.
A percentage corresponding to approximately 125 million annual rentals, and to that we need to add everything Volume shipped from Spanish production areas to main supply chains supermarkets European companies added more than 300 million rentals In our country, according to commercial director Niko Matheve.
“We make agreements with supermarkets, who tell their suppliers that they need to rent our boxes. In this way, the products reach the logistics platforms in standard packaging and the process of creating sent orders is accelerated. “It is a process that many stores already automate,” says Saro. After they are emptied, Euro Pool System is responsible for the recovery and washing of the boxes for reuse in warehouses or platforms distributed throughout the country. As a clear example of the circular economy, one of the chains it has agreed to.
Foldable and coded
The fact that the models are foldable reduces space usage on the return journey.Each box is also marked with a barcode, allowing you to always know where it is and its contents, which also simplifies the task on supermarket platforms.
The origins of the Euro Pool System can be traced back to the early 90s, when Belgian agri-food cooperatives were established. Netherlands and Germany, with the main supermarket chains in the regiondecided to create a standard that would allow them to optimize their logistics processes for the distribution of their products. The next step was to ensure that the same standard was used for shipments from other countries and applied in local chains.
This is how the company’s Spanish subsidiary was born, headquartered here Alicante In 1998, he is responsible for managing the business throughout Southern Europe, including Portugal, Italy, Croatia and Greece.– In addition to non-European markets, Turkey, South Africa and Morocco are also prominent markets. In the latter, a new company will soon be formed, given the boom the country is experiencing in supplying organizations across the continent.
Turnover of the Spanish subsidiary reached 195 million euros last yearAccording to figures provided by the company itself, it made a profit of more than seven million euros. In addition to the headquarters, the company has seven more warehouses throughout the national territory, in Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Valencia, Murcia and two in Portugal. It is a facility where nearly 250 employees work in total.
Constant innovation
In the field of innovation, along with improvements in the design of the boxes, for example to facilitate a better view of the product in the store and to reduce the amount of plastic required for their production, the company has decisively chosen this option. by so-called recognition technologies. So, using artificial vision arcs, they can automatically record every box entering their facility and track it throughout the transport cycle..
The Euro Pool System has also taken measures to reduce its carbon footprint and improve its own logistics costs, especially regarding the empty return of boxes. A phase of the operation that generates traffic of more than 40,000 trucks a year, despite the space savings resulting from the boxes being fully collapsible.. To reduce this, the firm joined forces with Transfesa and launched CoolRail, a rail service that transports fresh produce to different European destinations and brings the company’s boxes on the return. A measure that contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 36%.
Source: Informacion
James Sean is a writer for “Social Bites”. He covers a wide range of topics, bringing the latest news and developments to his readers. With a keen sense of what’s important and a passion for writing, James delivers unique and insightful articles that keep his readers informed and engaged.