PLP’s John Stuart created interest in pallet hire reform with a presentation at the NatRoad Conference on the Gold Coast during August 2010.

An update was given to NatRoad members on how the Federal Government and the Small Business Commissioner for Victoria are involved with industry in improving pallet hire in Australia.

The involvement of the Federal Government will have to take a short break until after the Federal election. It is hoped that the Government will support a Code of Conduct for Pallet Hire and an Ombudsman.

The Office of the Small Business Commissioner in Victoria is following up their successful business improvement session with a Work Group during August and then a meeting of the major stakeholders on the 16th September. This meeting is keenly anticipated and is a major step on the way to pallet hire improvement.

Training works

Pallet Training is, in the main, overlooked and yet it is a key critical success factor.

• The best pallet control system in the world is not enough.
• The best people in the world is not enough.
• The best documentation is not enough.

Adequate training is what is needed – not just for your pallet controller – everyone needs to be trained.  This goes for everyone involved in pallets from the forklift driver loading the truck right through to the Chief Financial Officer.  Their roles are vastly different but yet they all have a role to play in preventing pallet losses.

Pallet problems - what pallet problems?

Australia should have one of the most efficient pallet hire systems in the world.  With only two major pallet hire companies and with few major retailers, the scene should be set for standardisation and simplification.

Instead we have complexity.  We have a system where it is easier to lose a pallet than to keep it.  We have a complex delayed transfer system.  We have hirers losing pallets and paying huge compensation sums.

It is time for major pallet hire reform.  We need a Code of Conduct and we need Government help.

What we have is a “dog eat dog” system where the risk of pallet loss is so high that very few people can find a place for ethics.

Code of Conduct - Join the Herd

The Pallet Hire Community is a means by which we can help change things.  It is free to join, is available for most people and can help build relationships and bring about change.

I encourage you to join the Pallet Hire Community and help reform pallet hire in Australia.  We now have over 100 members from all over the world.

Join the Pallet Hire Community by clicking on the LinkedIn logo below.

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