Transport packaging for logistics and 3PL
Pallets and returnable containers for 3PL logistics operators and courier companies. Article 29 of PPWR – at least 40% of transport packaging within a re-use system from 1 January 2030, for the operators covered by that obligation.
If you use transport packaging as a logistics operator, you are covered by
the re-use targets in Article 29 of PPWR: at least 40% of packaging within a re-use system from 1 January 2030 and an endeavour to reach 70% from 1 January 2040.
The 3PL sector in Poland
still runs largely on wooden pallets and single-use packaging. The 2026–2030 transition calls for investment in returnable packaging, on a scale that depends on the operator’s profile and the size of its fleet.
Pool operators are our potential customers, not our competitors
we manufacture durable returnable containers to the Euro standard.
Plastic pallets fall outside the requirements of ISPM 15,
so they need neither phytosanitary treatment nor the IPPC mark required on wooden pallets.
CHALLENGES
Four challenges for 3PL operators
We answer each of these challenges in 3PL logistics with pallets and returnable containers that fit our customers’ systems.
Article 29 of PPWR – the 40% re-use target from 1 January 2030
If you use transport packaging as a 3PL operator, the re-use targets apply to you: at least 40% of packaging within a re-use system from 1 January 2030 and an endeavour to reach 70% from 1 January 2040. Micro-enterprises that make available no more than 1,000 kg of packaging a year are exempt from the obligations (Article 29(13)).
Empty running – efficiency on the return leg
On the return leg the payload capacity is often only partly used, which pushes up the cost of empty running. Collapsible crates (Clever-Move-Box) reduce the volume carried back by up to approximately 84% (bekuplast data).
Exports outside the EU – the ISPM 15 standard for wooden pallets
If you export outside the EU on wooden pallets, you have to meet ISPM 15 – in practice, heat treatment (HT, with the core of the wood held at a minimum of 56°C for 30 minutes). Plastic pallets fall outside that requirement and need no IPPC mark.
Containers that feed customers’ pooling systems
Pool operators are our potential customers, not our competitors. When you work inside someone else’s pooling system, what counts above all is the durability of the container and its compliance with the Euro standard.
CHALLENGES
Four challenges for 3PL operators
We answer each of these challenges in 3PL logistics with pallets and returnable containers that fit our customers’ systems.
Article 29 of PPWR – the 40% re-use target from 1 January 2030
If you use transport packaging as a 3PL operator, the re-use targets apply to you: at least 40% of packaging within a re-use system from 1 January 2030 and an endeavour to reach 70% from 1 January 2040. Micro-enterprises that make available no more than 1,000 kg of packaging a year are exempt from the obligations (Article 29(13)).
Empty running – efficiency on the return leg
On the return leg the payload capacity is often only partly used, which pushes up the cost of empty running. Collapsible crates (Clever-Move-Box) reduce the volume carried back by up to approximately 84% (bekuplast data).
Exports outside the EU – the ISPM 15 standard for wooden pallets
If you export outside the EU on wooden pallets, you have to meet ISPM 15 – in practice, heat treatment (HT, with the core of the wood held at a minimum of 56°C for 30 minutes). Plastic pallets fall outside that requirement and need no IPPC mark.
Containers that feed customers’ pooling systems
Pool operators are our potential customers, not our competitors. When you work inside someone else’s pooling system, what counts above all is the durability of the container and its compliance with the Euro standard.
PRODUCTS
Pallets and B2B transport containers
PPWR · COMPLIANCE
PPWR for 3PL operators – what Article 29 provides
Article 29 of PPWR applies to the operators that use transport packaging, and those include 3PL operators, e-commerce fulfilment operators, freight forwarders, wholesalers and cash-and-carry operators, provided they use such packaging in their business. The definition of an “economic operator” (Article 3(1), point (12)) lists distributors, final distributors and fulfilment service providers, among others.
NEXT STEPS
What you can do now
Logistics operators that use transport packaging are covered by the PPWR requirements, the re-use targets among them: at least 40% of packaging within a re-use system from 1 January 2030 and an endeavour to reach 70% from 1 January 2040.
in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR)
PPWR COST
The cost of switching to reusable packaging
Compare the cost of single-use packaging with pallets and returnable containers for a 3PL fleet – the calculator shows the break-even point and the structure of CO₂ emissions.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is 3PL covered by PPWR?
PPWR does not create a separate legal regime for logistics operators – it governs the obligations of economic operators that place packaging on the market, make it available on the market or use it in their business. If you use transport packaging as a 3PL operator, the re-use targets in Article 29 of PPWR apply to you: at least 40% of packaging within a re-use system from 1 January 2030 and an endeavour to reach 70% from 1 January 2040. Micro-enterprises that make available no more than 1,000 kg of packaging a year are exempt from the obligations (Article 29(13)). The level of penalties will be set by the Polish act implementing PPWR (the UC100 draft). 3PL operators can also support their customers in meeting the requirements on reusable packaging.
Is bekuplast a pool operator?
No. bekuplast manufactures durable returnable containers that can feed pooling systems – the operators of those systems are our potential customers, not our competitors. We supply containers to the Euro standard.
Are plastic pallets compatible with customers’ warehouse systems?
Euro plastic pallets come in 1200×800 / 1200×1000 / 800×600 mm, dimensions that follow the EURO-NORM standard.
Do plastic pallets need treatment for export outside the EU?
No – plastic pallets fall outside ISPM 15. Exporting to the United Kingdom, the United States, China or the Middle East, you avoid the recurring cost of heat treatment or fumigation, and the mandatory IPPC mark that every wooden pallet has to carry.
Do you have containers for temperature-controlled transport (chilled products)?
Yes – basicline and basicline plus containers with a perforation or ventilation option are suitable for transporting chilled products; we match the material to your temperature requirements.
What does a pilot of reusable transport packaging in 3PL look like?
We pick 1–2 customers (usually FMCG or the food sector) and a single repeatable route. We put in Euro plastic pallets together with basicline containers or the Clever-Move-Box. The pilot runs in stages, and we set its timetable individually for the route and the scale.
Do you offer individual configuration for a 3PL operator?
Yes – we design containers and pallets to specific 3PL requirements. Production is to individual order; we agree the minimum order quantity and the lead time for the project, including a prototype, case by case.
CONTACT
Let’s discuss a solution for your process
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- We talk about your specific needs
- Free of charge and with no obligation
- Product samples available
