Pallet-Management-Services - AFM

Our business
IFCO SYSTEMS is engaged in two main business segments. We operate a RPC-Management-
Services business in Europe and the United States and a Pallet-Management-Services business
in North America.
Increasing market dynamics and globalization in commerce are placing increasing demands on
logistics providers. Today, products have to be transported intelligently, efficiently and above all,
rapidly. While these requirements place high demands on logistics management and transport
containers, this market shift also creates significant growth opportunities for well-positioned
logistics service providers.
We have market leading positions in multi-billion US Dollar markets and offer significant future
growth potential in our proven RPC-Management-Services business and our Pallet-
Management-Services business in the United States. Thanks to our broad range of solutions we
are able to meet virtually all customer requirements in an individual, client focused manner.
RPC-Management-Services
In our core markets, Europe and the United States, some 175 million tons of fruit and vegetables
are produced annually. These products must make their way quickly and without damage from
producers to consumers – and often across country borders. In many instances, the period
between harvest and consumption is no more than a few days.
Consequently, retailers and producers are calling for flexible, effective, cost efficient and stateof-the-art
product distribution solutions. This puts stringent demands on transport containers and
their utilization from producers through retailers to consumers. IFCO SYSTEMS’ container and
service systems are well equipped to meet these demands.
IFCO SYSTEMS’ core competence is the efficient management of a worldwide rental pool of
over 78 million RPCs used to transport fruit and vegetables. Offering a total of 20 different
models globally, our RPCs in Europe and the United States address the packaging and
transportation requirements of various types of fruit and vegetables in the goods and produce
cycle.
Pallet-Management-Services
IFCO SYSTEMS is North America’s leading Pallet-Management-Services company, specializing
in the procurement, reconditioning and distribution of wood pallets to and from the manufacturing
and retail sectors. IFCO SYSTEMS offers the only true, nationwide single source solution to
national pallet needs. Pallets are used in virtually all industries that transport products. We
estimate that approximately 2.1 billion wooden pallets are in circulation in the United States
every year. In 2006, the US pallet market volume was approximately EUR 6.1 billion, which
should continue to develop with overall industrial development in the future.
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