The General Assembly of the European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) elected Dirk Hoferer and Jarek Maciążek as the new Presidents of EPAL on June 24 in Zurich. They will jointly lead EPAL as Presidents for the next three years. Both have already served as Vice Presidents of EPAL and representatives of EPAL Germany and EPAL Poland on the EPAL Board in recent years and have contributed to the steady growth of the EPAL Euro Pallet Pool with great personal commitment.

"I am delighted to be taking on responsibility for the continuation of EPAL's positive development together with my Executive Committee colleague Jarek Maciążek," explains Dirk Hoferer. "We have been involved in all important projects on the EPAL Board and Executive Committee for more than 10 years and will continue our excellent cooperation as EPAL Presidents. One of the focal points of our work will be to expand and further improve the great importance of the open EPAL exchange pool for the circular economy, climate protection and the sustainability goals of trade and industry."

Jarek Maciążek and Dirk Hoferer are two experienced representatives of the pallet industry at the helm of EPAL. Jarek Maciążek was a board member of PalettenWerk in Poland, one of the largest pallet producers in Europe, for many years. Dirk Hoferer is Managing Director and owner of Treyer Paletten GmbH in Germany, an EPAL licensee from the very beginning.

"EPAL's strength is based on the direct involvement of companies that are licensees of EPAL in the production and repair of EPAL pallets and EPAL pallet cages," says Jarek Maciążek. "This ensures that all EPAL decisions regarding the organization of the EPAL Euro pallet pool are in the interests of our customers from trade and industry, who rely on the EPAL Euro pallet pool for their goods and transport logistics. For Dirk Hoferer and myself, this will be the benchmark for our work as EPAL Presidents."

Dirk Hoferer and Jarek Maciążek succeed Robert Holliger, who led EPAL as President for four terms of office from 2010 to 2022. During this time, the number of new EPAL Euro pallets produced each year has grown from around 65 million to more than 100 million in 2021.

"During Robert Holliger's tenure, the EPAL Euro Pallet Pool has developed into the largest open pallet exchange pool in the world," say Dirk Hoferer and Jarek Maciążek. "We want to continue on this successful path and establish EPAL as a modern association and central element of sustainable goods and transport logistics."

Jarek Maciążek and Dirk Hoferer have worked closely and trustingly with Robert Holliger as Vice Presidents of EPAL in recent years. The election of Jarek Maciążek and Dirk Hoferer therefore ensures the continuity of EPAL's work and the organization of the EPAL Euro Pallet Pool.

Robert Holliger has been appointed Honorary Member and Honorary President by the EPAL General Assembly.