EPAL: war in Ukraine impacts the pallet market

The war in Ukraine and EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus will have a long-term impact on the European pallet market. The European Pallet Association (EPAL) reports that production is currently suspended in many Ukrainian factories.

The anticipated shortfalls in the supply of wood and the increasing energy, transport and raw material prices will also have an impact on the price of pallet timber and EPAL Euro pallets.

«We recommend all EPAL Euro pallet users and their suppliers start planning their pallet usage for the whole of 2022 now and order EPAL Euro pallets early. In this difficult situation, which will probably exceed the shortfalls of 2021, long-term and trusted delivery agreements between users and suppliers of EPAL Euro pallets will prove their worth» said Dirk Hoferer, Vice President of EPAL.

However, as wooden EPAL Euro pallets can be used for many years and repaired economically, higher procurement prices can be offset by reuse, exchange and selling on as well as the fact that they can be repaired. EPAL licensees and the open EPAL Euro pallet exchange pool service providers will support users in this respect.