FoodPro 2017 was the 50th anniversary of the event, and for this milestone the exhibition placed a particular focus on supply chain integrity and integration. As Eco Pallets products often play a vital role in sustainable supply chains, the event's focus was something that truly resonated with us. FoodPro saw over 300,000 people attend, a record for the trade exhibition, but also a true testament to the growing number of industry players that are looking to improve supply chain integrity and create better practises in getting food onto Australian plates. 

How the attendees reacted to Eco Pallets

The Eco Pallets booth at FoodPro was extremely busy for the duration of the event. We had an overwhelming number of enquiries as well as having our catalogues severely depleted. We were so busy that it became difficult to leave the booth to explore the rest of the exhibit.

We were very keen to show off our range of cardboard pallets to the attendees and many were blown away by what we had to offer. Our Eco Paper Pal cardboard pallets are brand new to the market and offer a little bit more flexibility than our plastic pallets, though our rigorous hygiene standards remain the same for both options. These cardboard pallets are made of 100 per cent recyclable cardboard and can be customised to any size, shape and weight bearing capacity. In addition to being much cheaper to customise than plastic pallets, our corrugated cardboard pallets extremely lightweight and meet all export regulations. The ECO Paper Pal series provides an excellent solution in supply chain integrity.

Changing attitudes towards supply chain integrity

It was clear to us from the people we met and the conversations we had that there is a greater awareness of how plastic can be beneficial to both internal and external supply chains. We also found that many industry players are looking to move away from the more traditional pallet pooling in a hire system, instead working towards purchasing pallets outright. This is great news not just for Eco Pallets as a supplier of cleaner, safer shipping pallets, but also for the environment and the people these industries serve.

What supply chain integrity means to Eco Pallets

Eco Pallets believes in quality of goods from the initial stages of the manufacturing process through to the final product. As such, we view our range of cardboard and plastic shipping pallets and containers as essential to the integrity of the supply chain by supplying equipment for the cleanest practises. While we acknowledge that Eco Pallets plays a small role in this process, it is still one of high importance. While manufacturers might tick all the right boxes going through their production processes, it could all go out the window if it's then loaded onto the wrong pallet.

Other highlights

There was a lot to take in at FoodPro – an astounding wealth of new technologies, specialised knowledge and emerging trends. One thing we saw a lot more of than we'd anticipated was the sheer volume of robots. Though there is a lot of interest in automation and robotics across the broader spectrum of manufacturing, at FoodPro we saw how these will relate specifically to food supply chains through automation of production line activities. The Internet of Things was also a hot topic, being applied most frequently to discussions about information-driven manufacturing; a completely interconnected production line where machines can intelligently communicate with each other. One thing is for certain, the next few years are going to prove an interesting time for manufacturing.

Overall, FoodPro 2017 was a great event, and a successful one for Eco Pallets. We're glad to see so many companies making the move towards better quality assurance and taking greater strides to ensure sustainability. For more information on how Eco Pallets can benefit your business, get in contact with us today.