Enviro Pallets recently installed the high output turbo 505 pallet machine, ensuring great quality products in volume, big or small - Every Time!

The Turbo 505 is a high-volume pallet system capable of producing 1,500-1,800 pallets per shift with three operators. The Turbo truly is the top of the Viking line and has enjoyed tremendous success across the globe.

Despite the global financial downturn, Enviro Pallets (NSW) Pty Ltd general manager, Mark Duffin, says his company is 'weathering the storm' thanks to its pallet recycling division.

"Just like everybody else, we have been affected by the financial downturn but that same financial downturn has aided us in keeping our heads above the water," Mr Duffin said.

"With many of our customers feeling the pressure, orders for new pallets have dropped a bit but that has just about been offset by an increase in requests for cheaper second-hand, recycled pallets.

"Everyone is saving costs wherever possible from the front office, through factories to the loading docks where Enviro Pallets comes into the equation.

"Our recycled pallets do the trick for the majority of our customers and in these tough economic times they are wisely saving a couple of dollars per pallet by switching from new to second-hand."

Mr Duffin says that despite the current financial crisis, he predicts that Enviro Pallets will refurbish and recycle 'just over' 600,000 timber pallets in 2009.

These include softwood and hardwood standard pallets (1165mm x 1165mm), Euro 1 (1200mm x 800mm), Euro 2 (1200mm x 1000mm) and a large variety of 'bastardised' size pallets.

The company also recycles a wide range of light duty and heavy duty plastic pallets.

Enviro's the name and helping save the planet is the game.

Since commencing its pallet recycling arm in 2000, Enviro Pallets (NSW) Pty Ltd has established some remarkable figures in its bid to help save the planet. The company, which repairs and recycles softwood and hardwood pallets at its Glendenning factory in Sydney's west, has recycled in excess of 2.6 million pallets back into circulation.

That has prevented close to 100,000 tonnes of timber being dumped into Sydney's struggling waste facilities - and that's a small forest of tree!

Enviro Pallets' recycling division has grown markedly down the years since initially putting around 60,000 pallets through its quality refurbishment process in 2000.

The company recycled 150,000 pallets in 2004, doubled that to 300,000 two years later and this calendar year it expects to exceed 600,000.

Marvellous what a hammer, nail and a hunka wood can do to help save the planet.

Most 'sick' pallets only require a board and nail or two to become 'healthy' again while others spend a bit more time on the 'operating table' before being passed fit to return to the workforce.

Whatever it takes, Enviro Pallets has the necessary 'medicine' to give a second life to a variety of timber pallets.

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) decreed that from May 1, 2006, wooden pallets exported from Australia to most countries must comply with International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication 15 (ISPM 15).

As an added service for our valued clients, Enviro Pallets has installed a heat treatment module which ensures all pallets being exported by clients meet the strict IPPC regulations and are therefore ISPM 15 compliant.

Australia is one of 157 national governments which are members of IPPC, an international treaty organisation that works to prevent the international spread of plant diseases.

Its functions include the maintenance of lists of plant pests, tracking of pest outbreaks, and coordination of technical assistance between member nations.

ISPM 15 is a measure developed by IPPC that directly addresses the need to sanitise certain material used to ship products between countries.

It affects items like shipping pallets and requires that pallets be heat treated or chemically fumigated, or made from alternative material, like paper (cardboard).

Due to the IPPC regulations, most pallets shipped across national borders must be made of materials that are incapable of being a carrier of invasive species of insects and plant diseases.

Pallets made of raw untreated wood, are not compliant with ISPM 15. To be compliant the pallets must be treated by either of the following means under the supervision of an approved agency such as Enviro Pallets.

The wood must be heated to achieve a minimum core temperature of 56ºC for at least 30 minutes. Pallets treated via this method bear the initials HT by the IPPC logo.

Chemical fumigation

The wood must be fumigated with methyl bromide. Pallets treated via this method bear the initials MB by the IPPC logo.

Pallets made of non-wood materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, or made of engineered wood products, such as plywood, oriented strand board, or cardboard do not need IPPC approval.

For further information on ISPM 15 and the export of pallets, contact the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service on 1800 020 504 or 02 6272 3933 www.daff.gov.au

Enviro Pallets has installed a giant milling saw at its Prestons premises in a further action to minimise costs to its clients.

The mill saw enables Enviro Pallets to purchase timber in bulk directly from the mills and then cut to required size at Prestons – cutting costs which are subsequently passed onto customers.

Just one more reason why Enviro Pallets can offer clients quality products at the right prices!