IPP Logipal is one of Europe's leading FMCG pallet rental providers. It is a sustainable pallet pooling company that provides a full service concept for pallets and boxes.
After signing a deal with a major manufacturer in Leicester, IPP Logipal needed to set up a substantial pallet depot in the vicinity to inspect, repair, store and distribute its pallets. Following a recommendation, IPP selected logistics specialists, the Widdowson Group, based in Glenfield, to be its Leicester pallet depot. In terms of weekly throughput, the company has now become IPP Logipal's largest depot across Europe.
IPP Logipal signed a three year contract with Widdowson worth over £3m. The contract, which is now in its third year, is for processing up to 60,000 pallets each week.
Pallet processing 24/7
David Bage is IPP Logipal's operations manager for UK and Ireland, he explains, "Widdowson was initially chosen because it was recommended to us by two of our existing customers and the location of the company was very favourable.
"Then, once we did our own investigations and inspections we confirmed that they had the capacity to achieve the high levels of pallet processing that would be required for this contract."
Maintaining high standards
As a recognised pallet depot for IPP Logipal, Widdowson holds approximately 50,000 pallets for them onsite. When the pallets arrive from the retail distribution centre, they are stacked awaiting inspection. The pallets then go into the dedicated processing facility where they are put through a comprehensive inspection process by Widdowson operators. Trained by IPP Logipal, the operators inspect the pallets to check that they reach the high standard required to be labelled 'fit for use'.
If the pallets pass inspection they are restacked ready for distribution; for those that failed the inspection it is straight to the repair bays to be renovated and resprayed.
Bage adds, "We offer training and regular support to Widdowson to make sure that our pallets are sorted and repaired according to our strict specifications. We like to work closely with them and regularly send our own staff out to their site.
"In the UK and Ireland, we have a total of 16 depots, all doing the same or similar work to Widdowson. However, none across Europe has such a high volume weekly throughput."
A 'can do' philosophy
"At IPP Logipal we have a very proud philosophy that we are a 'can do' business," concludes Bage. "Widdowson is one of the few companies that shares our way of thinking and nothing you ask is too difficult or too much trouble.
"Whatever it is that we need doing, they will sit down together with us, work out a way to do it and also give us very good value at the same time. They are just brilliant to work with."
John Hawksworth is Widdowson's commercial director, he comments, "As a result of the close collaboration between our two companies we are able to provide a service to IPP Logipal which is both proactive and professional. It is a true partnership."