Alpro
Alpro: Global Pallet Management Survey
It is a given that it is extremely difficult for many companies to identify what their exact logistics costs are. One of the logistics elements within the chain of most companies which is even less transparent is pallet management.
Alpro Soya is one of the pioneers in identifying the needs for a transparent and workable / practical pallet management system. On top of that sustainability is today a ‘buzz word’ but in future business will become a differentiator.
Alpro launched an RFQ for a market survey and study on pallet management activities with it’s worldwide base of customers, with the intention of adapting it’s current pallet management system based on this market response. To complete the story, a number of peers / competitors of Alpro Soya were asked about joining the study and to thus give further input for multiple market angles.
Innochain was selected during the RFQ process to conduct this survey and document the results and present the conclusions to an Alpro executive committee.
Stefaan VanDorpe - Logistics Control & Process Supervisor at Alpro Soya in Wevelgem – Belgium and head of the initiated Pallet Management project:
During our search for a partner that could conduct the pallet management survey for us, Innochain came into the picture. The VIL presented us with multiple companies with whom they had worked on their Reverse Logistics project; there are not very many consultancy firms however that have a clear understanding of returnable packaging. Innochain could clearly discuss this subject on our level, contrary to other parties
A European web based questionnaire was distributed to the Alpro customer base and a number of Alpro peers. A high response success rate of over 60% gave the survey the needed credibility for further analysis.
As a result of the analysis, the pallet usage and management trends and future expectations within the food industry were identified and highlighted per country. A final 50-page report was presented to an Alpro Executive team. This document will be used in further activities within Alpro to adapt their pallet Management system to the new and recent market trends.
Stefaan van Dorpe:
Innochain’s methodology for conducting and successfully completing the survey was straight forward, timings were precisely followed and the effort towards the survey panel members was for sure intense. Upon conclusion of the survey, we achieved a panel response of 61% - a result above market standards compared with most surveys. This result was absolutely a must for us, as we definitely did not have hundreds of panel members available. In any case, Innochain certainly deserves thanks for a job well done (A big ‘thumbs up’ for Kerryanne).