The Dutch Firm Pooling Partners is once again Europe's number one pooler and producer of pallets and boxes. The net turnover rose by 2% to almost 327 million Euro. The family company expanded again in 2017 - including in Southern Europe and the United Kingdom. This shows from the annual figures and the report of the previous year.
Like the rest of the sector the product division of Pooling Partners is also under pressure from the rapidly rising global wood prices. The sales prices of pallets can hardly keep up with this increase. Pooling Partners expects the turnover of new pallets in 2018 to up again to the desired level.
Pooling Partners, which has transformed over the last twenty years from a solely pallet producing company to a data driven, full service logistical partner for companies across the world, saw the competition increase once again and did over a quarter more investments than in 2016, including in the internal audit organisation.
Recycling is key
"Investing is important to continue to define ourselves with demonstrable quality in our pallets and our excellent operational knowledge, ability and experience," says Ingrid Faber, Chief Executive Officer with Pooling Partners. IT in particular is increasingly important for the pooling activities in the company. "Customers are asking for the best, fastest and easiest solutions from us every day," says Faber. "Due to automation and using data better we want to be able to offer even more tailored solutions, for every sector and every type of supply chain."
On the whole the company is doing well. "This shows in our growth in Southern Europe and the founding of a repairing facility in the United Kingdom over the last year," according to Faber. Repairing and recycling are key words for Pooling Partners over the coming years. "We want to invest further in recycling of materials and remain a front runner in the circular economy."
Culture of business
With an eye for the future, Pooling Partners has hired new talent for crucial positions over the last year. There was also considerable investment in existing staff. "We make a real difference with our culture, which is fully focused on business," explains Faber. "Thanks to this mindset we have been the largest European provider of full service solutions for pallet pooling and the production of wooden pallets. We want to continue to be this, with the best attention for the customer, people and the environment."
Annual report 2017