Exploring Coca Cola’s Inhouse Pallet Process
02 May 2015
Coca-Cola has a production and distribution process on an extremely large scale. They have thousands of products leaving the production line every day, which requires the use of hundreds of pallets. This means that the pallets, and those employees that are responsible for them, can make a big difference in the efficiency of the packaging and logistics section. They also help to maintain the reputation of the brand and are responsible for saving the business both time and money.
Maintaining the Brand
Brand reputation is an important element for a company such as Coca-Cola. Their products are exported across the globe, and every tiny element of the business needs to showcase the brand in the best possible light. This even includes the use of the pallets that goods are transported on. All the pallets that are used by the company are branded with ‘Property of Coca-Cola’. This ensures that the pallets look professional and that they are easily identifiable as belonging to the brand. It enables suppliers to know where the products are from so they can be quickly sent to the right location. Branding the pallets is also a cost-effective exercise, as it means that they are more likely to be returned to the original source. This cuts down on the number of lost pallets, so the company needs to buy fewer new ones.
Use of Stringers
The Coca-Cola pallet team also use stringers to help preserve the life of a pallet. The structure of a pallet can easily be damaged by the use of forklifts, and if this happens a stringer is positioned next to a damaged piece. This consists of a piece of two-by-four which helps to regain the stability and strength in the pallet. This reinforces the structure, making it more durable and giving it a longer lifespan. Within Coca-Cola they can retain the use of about 40 pallets every day using this method, which is saving the business money.
Team Efficiency
Team ethics can play a large part in maintaining an efficient operation when you’re dealing with as many items every day as they do in Coca-Cola. The pallet team work closely together and are considerate to one another. This is especially important when dealing with heavy labour on a continual basis, as one wrong move could damage stock or injure one of their colleagues. The team at Coca-Cola have built up a friendly atmosphere, and those that get along will generally work better together.
Optimising Your Pallet Performance
This type of initiative isn’t just reserved for large-scale global businesses such as Coca-Cola. Any company that uses pallets as part of their distribution process can utilise a similar system. By investing at this level of the business, you can save a considerable amount of time and money. It results in fewer wasted pallets, greater team co-operation and a faster and more efficient production process. The team feel that they are making a difference to the business, which boosts their morale.
By making your pallet system work better for your business, you can replicate the success that Coca-Cola has had. They’ve seen that investing at one end of the process can have benefits across the business.