In the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, wooden pallets are the main packaging of goods in transportation and warehouse storage /distribution centre needs. Food manufacturer usually deliver in palletised loads of goods to the Distribution Centre (DC). Forklifts are used during
movements of palletised load in the warehouses/ distribution centre. All kinds of customized pallets are delivered to the distribution centre (DC), making it difficult in storages and stacking of goods.
In order for the wooden pallet to be efficient in the FMCG supply chain, urgently adopting of standards for pallet has become a priority. ECR Singapore is a private sector initiative comprising of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The objectives of this initiative are to improve
consumer choice, satisfaction and service by achieving a reduction of total costs, inventories, physical assets and remove unnecessary cost from the distribution system making it more responsive to consumer demand.
The Pallet Standardisation Working Group is one of the many working groups targeted at improving consumer choice, satisfaction and service and at the same time, reducing total costs, inventories and physical assets under the strategy called ECR, a movement which began in the United States in 1993
in response to the recession. ECR Singapore was launched in Aug 1998, an industry-led initiative of the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry in Singapore which includes the grocery industry.
ECR Singapore initiated the first pallet standardisation pilot. This project inception of the national standardisation program where definitive measurements of productivity gains from the use of a standard were carried out during actual industry operations. The project was undertaken by SPRING
Singapore, formerly known as PSB (Singapore Productivity and Standard Board) with ECR Singapore to roll out the first standards implementation.
The pallet standardisation project is the first Standards Implementation for Productivity project to be undertaken by SPRING Singapore. It resulted in the development of the four-way 1m x 1.2m standard pallet that is currently in use for the storage and transportation of goods for the FMCG industry. The design specifications for the standardised pallet conforms to ISO 6780 General purpose flat pallets for through transit of goods – Principal dimensions and tolerances and SS 334:1998 Singapore Standard for Specification for Timber Pallets.
Source: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/speeches/view-html?filename=2002102301.htm