Rental Pallets for Exports to China | Reducing Pallet Transfer Work and Circulating Pallets Between Japan and China

FineToday Co., Ltd. uses JPR PT-11 rental pallets for product shipments to China. By using the same pallets already in use for domestic transportation in Japan for exports to China, the company has reduced the pallet transfer work previously required during the export process.

Through cooperation among multiple companies, including Marubeni Logistics Corporation, a system has also been established to circulate pallets between Japan and China.

Contents

• Different Pallet Operations for Domestic Transportation and Exports to China
• Pallet Transfers Became a Logistics Challenge
• Using Domestic PT-11 Pallets Directly for Exports to China
• Benefits of Reducing Pallet Transfer Work
• Circulating Pallets Between Japan and China
• Intercompany Cooperation for Stable Operations
• What JPR Can Offer
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Keywords

Different Pallet Operations for Domestic Transportation and Exports to China

FineToday Co., Ltd. was established in 2021 after taking over the personal care business from Shiseido.

For domestic logistics in Japan, the company had already been using JPR PT-11 rental pallets and practicing consistent palletization, in which products remain on the same pallets from the production site through to the delivery destination.

Exports to China, however, used different disposable pallets.

As a result, products had to be transferred from domestic-use pallets to disposable pallets before export. After arrival in China, those disposable pallets were then discarded.

Pallet Transfers Became a Logistics Challenge

FineToday exports approximately 60,000 pallet loads of products to China each year.

Under the previous system, products not only had to be transferred onto disposable pallets for export, but the protective film used to prevent load collapse also had to be reapplied.

These tasks took up to five minutes per pallet.

With the need to address Japan's 2024 logistics issue and reduce environmental impact, one of the company's challenges was how to reduce the workload involved in export operations while also reducing the disposal of single-use pallets.

Using Domestic PT-11 Pallets Directly for Exports to China

To address this issue, JPR and Marubeni Logistics proposed using the same PT-11 rental pallets already used for domestic transportation in Japan for exports to China.

Rather than separating pallets for domestic and international logistics, products are loaded onto PT-11 pallets at the production site and remain on the same pallets all the way to China.

This eliminates the need to change pallets during the export process and makes it possible to transport products from Japan to China using the same pallet standard throughout the journey.

Benefits of Reducing Pallet Transfer Work

One of the main benefits of switching to PT-11 rental pallets is the reduction of pallet transfer work during export.

Previously, transferring products and reapplying protective film took up to five minutes per pallet. By continuing to use the same PT-11 pallets through to China, these tasks are no longer required.

For FineToday, which exports approximately 60,000 pallet loads to China annually, this theoretically corresponds to a reduction of up to 5,000 hours in truck driver waiting time.

In addition, because disposable pallets no longer need to be discarded in China, the system helps reduce both handling work at logistics sites and the disposal of logistics materials.

Circulating Pallets Between Japan and China

A key feature of this initiative is that PT-11 rental pallets transported to China are not used for a single trip. Instead, they are circulated between Japan and China.

To operate rental pallets continuously in international logistics, the volume of pallets moving from Japan to China needs to be balanced with the volume returning from China to Japan.

In this initiative, imports and exports from multiple cargo owners, including FineToday, are combined to create an environment in which PT-11 pallets can circulate between the two countries.

Marubeni Logistics also manages pallet depot operations in China and helps establish the operating scheme. Each participating company plays its respective role in supporting international pallet round use.

Intercompany Cooperation for Stable Operations

When rental pallets are used internationally, it is also important to ensure that the required number of pallets can be supplied when needed.

For FineToday, stable pallet supply was one of the key considerations in this project.

In terms of pallet quality, the company already had experience using PT-11 pallets for domestic transportation in Japan. Being able to use the same pallets for international transportation was therefore an advantage.

By coordinating the roles of cargo owners, logistics providers, and JPR, the companies have established a pallet circulation system that connects domestic logistics in Japan with international transportation.

What JPR Can Offer

In FineToday's case, using JPR PT-11 rental pallets for exports to China as well as for domestic transportation in Japan reduced the pallet transfer work required during the export process.

By combining the import and export flows of multiple companies, the initiative has also enabled the same pallets to circulate between Japan and China.

JPR does more than provide rental pallets. Through cooperation with cargo owners and logistics providers, it supports more efficient logistics through shared and circulating pallet use.

For transportation between Japan and Thailand, as well as between Japan and other Asian countries, companies facing challenges related to pallet transfers during import or export, disposal of one-way pallets, or pallet operations in international logistics can discuss possible approaches based on their transportation routes and logistics conditions.

※If you have any questions or concerns regarding international pallet operations, please contact us using the inquiry button below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can rental pallets used for domestic transportation in Japan also be used for overseas exports?
A: This may be possible depending on the transportation route and operating conditions. In FineToday's case, the same JPR PT-11 rental pallets used for domestic transportation in Japan are also used directly for exports to China.

Q: What are the benefits of using the same pallets throughout transportation?
A: It reduces the need to transfer products from domestic-use pallets to export pallets, which can reduce cargo-handling work and driver waiting time. It can also reduce the disposal of one-way pallets.

Q: What happens to rental pallets after they are exported overseas?
A: In this case, import and export flows from multiple cargo owners are combined so that PT-11 rental pallets can circulate between Japan and China.

Q: Can rental pallets be used for imports and exports between Thailand and Japan?
A: Conditions vary depending on the transportation route, products, shipment volume, and pallet operating method. If you are considering using rental pallets for international transportation, please consult JPR regarding your specific requirements.

Keywords

• PT-11 Rental Pallet: A JPR rental pallet measuring 1,100 mm × 1,100 mm. It is a pallet standard widely used in Japan.
• Consistent Palletization: A transportation method in which products are loaded onto pallets at the point of origin and remain on the same pallets through to the destination without being transferred during transit.
• One-Way Pallet: A pallet generally used for a single transportation cycle. It may be discarded or otherwise processed at the destination.
• Pallet Round Use: A system in which pallets are not used only for one-way transportation but are circulated across multiple shipments or cargo owners and repeatedly reused.
• Pallet Depot: A logistics facility used for storing, collecting, and supplying rental pallets.

※If you have any questions or concerns regarding international pallet operations, please contact us using the inquiry button below.