Package handling: CHEP teams with ScottsMiracle-Gro for pallet solutions

-- Packaging Digest, 6/7/2010 12:55:35 PM

CHEP announced it has expanded its commercial relationship with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care.

ScottsMiracle-Gro, based in Marysville, OH, is now shipping its Scotts® and Miracle-Gro® growing media, Nature Scapes® mulch and Songbird Selections® wild bird food to home centers, mass market retailers, supermarkets and wholesale clubs across the USA, Canada and Mexico on CHEP pallets.

ScottsMiracle-Gro previously used limited-use white wood pallets, but found the platforms costly and inconsistent. The company also wanted to improve customer service to its retailers.

Mark West, Vice President of Operations, Growing Media, at ScottsMiracle-Gro, said, “The CHEP pallet is more durable than the alternatives, flows through the systems in our plants more efficiently and holds up better at our retail partners’ stores. CHEP also delivers great value with its products and services, and provides an environmental solution that works well for us.”

CHEP pallets also help companies reduce their carbon footprint. Based on third-party life-cycle inventory analysis findings, it is expected that a company like ScottsMiracle-Gro, through its use of the CHEP pooling system as opposed to limited-use white wood pallets, could reduce solid waste generation by more than 2.5 million pounds each year, eliminating nearly 2 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and saving enough energy to power 1,400 homes with electricity for a year.*

Tim Smith, Vice President of Business Development at CHEP USA, said, “ScottsMiracle-Gro is one of the most advanced lawn and garden product suppliers in the world. It continues to demonstrate meticulous controls within its supply chain, which is one of the most important aspects of a pooling or any business model. CHEP is pleased to play a role in ScottsMiracle-Gro’s sophisticated distribution process and global reach, and to be helping the company operate in a more sustainable way.”

*Savings based on Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis of CHEP USA pallet pooling program conducted by Franklin Associates. The calculation is based on Franklin Associates, "Solid Waste Analysis And Life Cycle Inventory Of Pallet Systems", 2009 Update.

SOURCE: CHEP

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