Wood in Transport and Packaging
The overall vision of the “Wood in Transport and Packaging” process is to further the use of wood-based packaging and pallets as the optimum solution for the consumer, linking the advantages of wood to the needs of society and to develop innovate applications of wood and wood-based materials in the transport sector.
Timber packaging consists of 3 segments: pallets, light-weight packaging and industrial packaging. For “Wood in Transport” the focus lies on wood and wood products application in means of transport (trucks, trains, etc.) and timber packaging as a part of the transport logistics.
To be able to achieve the set out goal, “Wood in Transport and Packaging” tries to obtain a good overview of the European situation, country by country, by market analysis to determine trends, threats and opportunities for the pallet and (light-weight and industrial) packaging industry, and to establish a common action plan with the main areas of interests and activities/priorities. Other actions are to harmonise common items with other core processes and to search for alternative methods related to ISPM 15.
Compared to the other processes that are more consumer-linked, “Wood in Transport and Packaging” operates in a strict “business-to-business” environment.
The importance of wood in packaging
Wooden packaging is of critical importance in the wood chain since it provides an essential outlet for sawn timber, from small logs and as falling boards from larger logs. Wooden packaging also fits in the eco-cycle of wood as recovered and recycled wood can be used in packaging.
Also, the sheer size of the packaging industry is highly important. The European pallet and packaging industry uses about 20 million m3 of timber, the equivalent of 350 million pallets, light-weight and industrial packaging.