THE DISTRIBUTION PALLET AT DECATHLON FRANCE

Decathlon Bretigny France uses the Euro-size open deck version of Plasgad’s Distribution Pallet series. Having tested the pallet in 2019 they started using it in their logistic warehouse at Bretigny in France in January 2020. We interviewed Mickael Briffaz, Platform Transport Manager, to get his perspective on the performance of the pallet after several months of using it.

How do you use the Distribution pallet?

We use it to distribute products from our warehouse to 31 Decathlon stores in Paris. We usually load plastic containers (and occasionally cardboard boxes) on the pallet, depending on the type of product we need to ship. For some oversized products, e.g., bicycles, we still use wooden pallets.

What advantages and benefits do you get from using the pallet?

One of this pallet’s features we like is the safety rim. It is specifically designed to securely accommodate plastic containers placed on the pallet. This is fantastic because it ensures the load is secure both on the pallet itself and when transporting the pallets.
The pallet is very convenient to work with: it’s more stable under load and yet highly portable due to its low weight, when empty.

What type of pallets were you previously using?

The pallet we were using before was also a nestable plastic pallet, but it was lighter and therefore less robust. It also had a standard safety rim, so it was difficult to stabilize the load, even when we used an elastic band to secure it. We still use these elastic bands with the Distribution pallet to provide even greater security.

So, Distribution pallet has improved your work. What would you highlight as the main advantage for you?

First, I would highlight its safety. The load is more stable, so our safety has improved.
I would also mention the durability of the pallet. The service life of the Distribution pallet is longer compared to the pallet we previously used. We started working with the Distribution pallet in January 2020, and since then, have had very few breakages, about 4 5 times fewer. The pallet we used before would last a year or two, and now we hope to get three or four years of use out of the Distribution pallet. So, even if it required making a greater initial investment, we expect to use it for a longer period of time, so the ROI will be very positive for us.

So, do you think you will expand the use of this pallet to other warehouses?

The use of the Distribution pallet in Bretigny has been a pilot, and we have recommended it to other Decathlon warehouses in Paris.

Decathlon Bretigny Francia is using the Euro-size, open deck version of Plasgad’s Distribution pallet series. It is a nestable pallet designed for multiple work cycles in “closed-circuit” workflow scenarios, where the pallet is continuously reused. It is capable of performing around 100-200 trips depending on its use. Pallets from this series are also available with a closed deck configuration and the ISO standard size of 120x100cm.