Managing reusable containers10 / 12

Before choosing a tag method, define what you need to track: total stock, customer balance or each container's maintenance history.

With returned chilled product the decision rests on the temperature record more than on the product coming back. Customer and depot returns have different legal bases, and the limits for meat are written as numbers.

Build transport controls around the certificate's product, site and service scope. Verify vehicle, container, cleaning and lot records against its terms.

Seafood transport involves meltwater and cleaning as well as product conditions. Review supplier documents alongside a route trial.

Compare ownership, pooling and mixed models at equal volume and period. Check contract terms for washing, returns, loss and peak capacity.

Own fleet or pool? A comparison of the two models on rotation life, turns per year and the annual cost of idle containers.

In a fruit and vegetable transport study 4.2 per cent of single-use cartons broke in transit, while reusable plastic crates stayed at 0.12 per cent. The gap shows not in the price of the packaging but in the bill for the goods inside the broken ones.

Choose cleaning by material, contaminant, and SOP; record the process by container ID and confirm drying.

Track use, damage, and maintenance; inspect and requalify the container when performance may have changed.

Compare total cost per completed trip and product suitability, not purchase price alone.

GEBHARDT Isotec TBX can be washed by hand, with a pressure washer or in an automated washing line. For an audit, what counts is a wash log and a seal check.

Do not raise heat or pressure by assumption. Manage manufacturer limits, cleaning checks, drying and damage records together.

Baseline one route, then test customer returns. Use measured loss and cycle data to decide scope at day 90.

A price tag alone does not show the break-even. Compare full rental and ownership costs for the same use, period and service.

Once you know how many trips a container makes and how many never come back, the EPP or EPS question comes down to one calculation. Density, temperature limits and the breakeven loss rate are below.

A code on a label alone is not traceability. Verify identifier type, readability and linkage to your records.