The EPAL Euro pallet QR is an alternative to the widely used EPAL Euro pallet, marked with an individual QR code. The QR code contains information about the manufacturer and the date of construction as well as an individual serial number. It can be read with almost any barcode scanner and any smartphone. By definition in the technical regulations of the European Pallet Association, the EPAL Euro pallet QR can be exchanged without restrictions in the open EPAL exchange pool.

Wood as an important basis

The new EPAL Euro pallet QR is also made of wood by the licensees. As a renewable raw material, wood is considered the most important natural carbon dioxide store. An interesting fact: the wood from which an EPAL Euro pallet is made has already absorbed 30 kilograms of carbon dioxide by the time it is harvested and converted into biomaterial. For this reason and due to its natural robustness, wood has established itself as a material for EPAL Euro pallets. According to an analysis carried out by the Institute of Wood Technology Dresden in 2019, wood is also ahead of plastic as a pallet material in terms of its natural effect against bacteria: bacteria generally survive less well on wood than on plastic. EPAL Euro pallets made of wood can therefore be used without hesitation in food transportation and storage.

Thanks to an independently controlled repair system, the Europe-wide presence of almost 600 million EPAL Euro pallets and the established exchange system, EPAL Germany also creates the necessary conditions for reusable use and the reduction of empty transports to a minimum.

Digital networking thanks to QR code

If desired, the EPAL Euro pallet QR can now be transformed from a pure means of transport into a load and information carrier thanks to the printed code. The QR code and the serial number it contains can be used in the user's own IT systems. A simple scan and an API interface transfer the data directly to the company's IT system.

Thanks to the unique identification of each individual EPAL Euro pallet QR, it is possible to link the pallet with the goods stored or transported on it. In software developed by EPAL, the location of goods and pallets in the supply chain can be tracked almost in real time by automatically or manually scanning the QR code. This transparency enables seamless traceability and makes it much easier to optimize supply chains. In addition, scanning the QR code greatly simplifies the booking of goods and eliminates errors caused by manual data entry. The transparency and efficiency of the company's internal pallet management is sustainably improved. Information on the availability of the right number of EPAL Euro pallets in the right place and at the right time leads to a reduction in empty pallet transports and improves the carbon footprint of companies.