(Commonwealth_ Tosca has partnered with Avery Dennison, a global leader in materials science, to support a significant transition toward reusable plastic pallets and reduce carbon emissions across its European supply chain. Through Tosca’s innovative pooling model, the collaboration has delivered measurable operational efficiencies and environmental benefits, cutting nearly 500 tons of CO2 emissions within a year. This partnership highlights Tosca’s commitment to providing sustainable packaging solutions that optimize supply chain performance while reducing environmental impact.
Addressing the need for sustainable and scalable solutions
Avery Dennison sought a scalable and efficient alternative to meet growing demand for pallets while adhering to its sustainability goals, including achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The increasing demand for wooden pallets, exacerbated by supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, posed significant challenges. By partnering with Tosca, a leader in sustainable packaging and supply chain innovations, Avery Dennison found a solution that aligned with its operational and environmental priorities.
Transitioning to Reusable Plastic Pallets
Tosca introduced Avery Dennison to its durable, reusable L1 plastic pallets, designed to enhance efficiency, minimize waste, and reduce environmental impact. Initially, the partnership focused on replacing Avery Dennison’s wooden pallets with more efficient plastic alternatives to meet growing demand. However, the collaboration quickly expanded to transition a significant portion of Avery Dennison’s supply chain to Tosca’s reusable plastic pallets.
Despite the benefits, a key challenge was convincing Avery Dennison’s customers to adopt the use of plastic pallets. Greater participation would optimize logistics and further enhance sustainability outcomes. Teams from both companies worked together to demonstrate the operational and environmental advantages of this shift.
The partnership officially began in 2022, and Tosca’s plastic pallets are now utilized across 13 Avery Dennison factories and distribution centers, shipping to over 400 customer locations across Europe.
Operational and Environmental Gains
The switch to Tosca’s reusable plastic pallets addressed several critical issues. These pallets provided a cleaner, more hygienic alternative to wooden pallets, contributing to improved warehouse standards. Additionally, their durability and reusability helped address the post-COVID-19 shortages of wooden pallets, offering a cost-effective and reliable solution.
Tosca’s plastic pallets replaced 40% of Avery Dennison’s Euro-sized pallets by 2023, exceeding initial expectations. This shift resulted in the reduction of nearly 500 tons of CO2 emissions annually, significantly advancing Avery Dennison’s sustainability objectives.
The partnership also aligns with the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which emphasizes reuse and circularity in packaging materials. As part of these regulations, at least 40% of transport or sales packaging must be reusable by 2030. Tosca’s plastic pallets meet these requirements, further positioning Avery Dennison as a leader in sustainable operations.
“Our focus is on the recyclability and circularity of our packaging,” stated Violeta Gómez Valdivieso, Central Packaging Leader at Avery Dennison. “By partnering with Tosca, we are moving in the right direction.”
A Vision for Continued Sustainability
Looking ahead, Avery Dennison plans to expand its use of plastic pallets as part of its commitment to achieving greater efficiency and sustainability across its supply chain. Tosca’s pooling system, a key element of the partnership, enables a circular economy approach by reusing and optimizing resources.
The integration of RFID tags on Tosca’s plastic pallets offers additional benefits, such as improved traceability and streamlined order management. These advanced tracking capabilities have the potential to further enhance operational efficiency in the future.
“At Tosca, we work side by side with our customers in long-term partnerships, and our successful collaboration with Avery Dennison is the perfect example of this,” said Felix Van Ouytsel, Sales Director for the UK and Ireland at Tosca. “Both companies strongly believe in the concept of continuing the loop.”
Setting an Industry Benchmark
The partnership between Tosca and Avery Dennison exemplifies how collaboration can drive substantial sustainability advancements. By transitioning to reusable plastic pallets, Avery Dennison has not only enhanced operational efficiency but also taken a significant step toward achieving its long-term environmental goals.
This collaboration demonstrates the potential for industry leaders to set new benchmarks in sustainable practices, offering a model for others to follow in reducing environmental impact while optimizing supply chains.
