CEMEX helped to reduce costly product damage and waste by Scott Pallets

Scott Pallets, the UK’s expert provider of pallets in the construction products supply-chain and a part of leading industrial supplies organisation, Scott Group, has been working with CEMEX, one of the world’s pioneer cement suppliers to help tackle packaging and transport damage to their products.

CEMEX challenged employees to review critical issues within certain aspects of its supply chain management and develop a new strategy. The key objective was to stem funds being lost through credits to customers due to damage being caused when loading and unloading their products.

Scott Pallets studied the loading footprints of the pallets and found that the majority of the damage was being caused due to the bags not being properly supported to stop the potential of the bags sagging through the top boards of the pallet and subsequently being pierced during fork lift truck transportation.

Using specialist PDS software, Scott Pallets formulated the best layout for the top boards of the pallets to fit the loading foot print. A specification was agreed that best met with requirements and an initial 50 samples were supplied and trialed with some of their major customers. Following positive feedback a full load of the pallets were manufactured and a wider trial was carried out. This pallet is now being used for all CEMEX dispatches.

Commenting on the success of the project, John Dye, Product Development Manager at Scott Pallets, said: “The work we have been doing with Cemex is a strong example of how Scott Pallets can respond to the individual needs of our customers. By zeroing in on key issues we can evaluate supply chain conditions and uncover opportunities for improvement, utilising our bespoke design services and technical knowledge. We are pleased that we could use our expertise to assist Cemex, helping them improve efficiency, customer relations and dispensing with unwanted cost to their business.”

Another of the Scott Group’s divisions, Scott ELM, which specialises in recovering transit packaging, has also been working together with CEMEX for the last couple of years. Whilst there has been success with this project, CEMEX is keen to increase the returned pallet volumes and this has been made a priority project for 2012. Scott ELM and CEMEX are currently working on new initiatives to encourage more of CEMEX’s customers to engage with this environmentally friendly initiative.

National Sales Manager Packed Cement, Graeme Barton, from CEMEX, said “We are delighted with the improvements delivered by Scott Pallets. One of our key objectives for 2011 was to reduce refunds being given to customers due to packing and transport damage of our products. Scott Pallets took time to assess our situation coming back with a solution that really worked. We are now keen to continue with improvements to our supply chain by encouraging our customers to return used pallets, through Scott ELM.”

The Scott Group was established in 1987 as a family-run sawmill and today employs over 1000 people UK-wide. The business is committed to ensuring customers are at the forefront of the latest industry developments and thrives on finding the most effective solutions for customers with the aim of providing quality products and a professional, straight-talking service at a competitive price.

Most recently, the Scott Group launched a new division: ‘Scott Pooling Solutions’, which offers sustainable pallet pooling services specifically designed around customers’ needs and challenges when it comes to the safe handling and delivery of their products in the supply chain. By implementing a customer focused, consultative approach to pallet pooling, this new service brings something completely new to the market.