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Pallet Pooling, FMCG, Supply Chain, Transport • min reading time 5

Agri-Commerce: logistics synergies with Euro Pool System and LPR

José Antonio Del Olmo published on 26 March 2018

The leading European fruit-marketing specialist calls on the expertise of Euro Pool System and LPR to optimise the effectiveness of its supply chain.Agri-Commerce was the first subsidiary of the AMC Group outside Spain. Located in Perpignan, it specialises in the marketing of citrus fruit, stone fruit, grapes and also fruit juices. Over time, it has developed a close partnership with Euro Pool System, leader in the logistics of reusable packaging, and LPR-La Palette Rouge, the pallet-pooling expert. This partnership with the two divisions of Euro Pool Group contributed to its considerable development in Europe, thanks in large part to rigorous and flawless logistics.

In a context of standardisation of packaging in the fruit and vegetables sector, Agri-Commerce uses as much as 80% of reusable plastic trays for the transport of fresh fruit. The European fruit-marketing specialist called on the expertise of Euro Pool System and LPR to optimise its logistics flows and preserve the quality of the produce being transported. The two players have built up a very close relationship over more than a decade, based essentially on trust, as Thomas Vico, Packaging Coordinator at Agri-Commerce, explains: “Logistics is an essential pillar of our activity. We have to work with partners on whom we can count throughout the year, including during our peaks of activity, of which there are several, when our need for trays increases significantly. Euro Pool System has always responded to our requests in a timely manner, even for very large quantities.”

In addition to this quality service throughout the year, the use of Euro Pool System plastic trays has many advantages for Agri-Commerce. These reusable trays help reduce the rate of damage to the fruit in the supply chain, in comparison with the use of cardboard packaging. This is because the trays clip together, which makes it easier and safer to load pallets when preparing orders for retailers. The fruit is consequently protected from potential crushing during handling at different stages of the transport process.

Moreover, with Euro Pool System’s trays, loading the transport trucks is optimised, as 300 folding trays can be stacked on pallets instead of 60 cardboard ones. And the more compact folding trays also require less storage space at the depot.

Thomas Vico has the same requirements in terms of services for his pallet pool. That is why the company decided to change its pallet-pooling provider in 2017, to work with LPR-La Pallette Rouge, the European pallet-pooling expert. The transition was carried out quickly and very efficiently.

For LPR, the partnership with the AMC Group had started successfully much earlier, as Jose Antonio del Olmo Fernandez, Sales Director of LPR in Spain, explains: “We were already managing flows of citrus fruits for the domestic Spanish market on behalf of AMC, but we never had the chance to work with the Group regarding fruit exports, as we were not seen as being present in this market. But since being taken over by Euro Pool Group in 2011, we have been able to benefit from the expertise of Euro Pool System in the fruit and vegetables sector to quickly comprehend the specific features of this market and thus anticipate the needs in terms of volume. This is how it came about that, with our colleagues in France, we were able to sign the agreement with Agri-Commerce for all flows of fresh fruit and vegetables from Spain.”

LPR operates throughout Europe, offering simple, flexible and transparent services with optimised flow management across the continent, essential features for Agri-Commerce, which does a lot of business in other European countries. In order to ensure that it can always respond to requests, considering the high seasonal peaks in demand, LPR’s teams maintain close relationships with the producers.

“In addition to the fact that the pallets are in better general condition, we appreciate the speed with which LPR adapted to our complex channels and the way its teams rapidly visited all the Spanish producers with whom we work,” – Thomas Vico.

This market is of course an important sector for the development of LPR, bearing in mind that Spain is Europe’s leading exporter of fruit and vegetables. This contract with Agri-Commerce is will help drive the pallet-pooling specialist’s exponential growth in this market. Since 2011, pallet deliveries in the fruit and vegetables sector have increases 100-fold, and currently account for 5% of the total volume of LPR pallets delivered.

With the massive development of its activities, Agri-Commerce is planning to modernise its Perpignan platform, with computerisation of the warehouse and the installation of a new packing station. This is perhaps the first step toward a future automation, which chimes well with Thomas Vico’s choice to work with companies like Euro Pool System and LPR, which have considerable expertise in the implementation of automated systems, both on the customer’s premises and at their own depots.

The values shared by the two divisions of Euro Pool Group, based on service, quality and innovation, are ideal for the optimisation of supply flows expected by Agri-Commerce in developing sustainable and high-quality logistics.

About LPR-La Palette Rouge

LPR-La Palette Rouge, a division of Euro Pool System Group, is a pallet-pooling company for manufacturers and distributors in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. LPR operates throughout Europe, providing a full pallet service to its customers and their retail partners. The company manages more than 83 million pallet movements per year throughout Europe.

About Euro Pool System

Euro Pool System, a division of Euro Pool Group, is the market leader in the field of reusable packaging in the fresh produce sector. The company provides continuous availability of reusable packaging throughout the logistics chain, from the producer to the distributor.
The added value is based on an offer of customised logistics solutions for all players in the chain. Euro Pool System has 45 service centres, each equipped with high-performance washing facilities, located in 13 countries. www.europoolsystem.com

About Euro Pool Group

Euro Pool Group is the European leader in logistics services for returnable packaging in the fresh produce sector. Euro Pool Group is composed of two divisions, Euro Pool System (EPS) and La Palette Rouge (LPR). www.europoolgroup.com

Press liaison: Sandrine Arnaud – Agence HL – 79ter rue du Général Leclerc – 78570 Andrésy
Tel.: +33 (0)1.30.26.34.00 / +33 (0)6.34.04.52.58 – Email: sarnaud@agencelavarde.com

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José Antonio Del Olmo

Commercial Manager

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