Modern depots and service centres

To drive efficiency and circularity, EPS and LPR are continuously investing in new and more modern depots:

EPS – opened four new service centres in France, Denmark, Germany and the UK. The depots are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, are automated and run at a high level of efficiency.

LPR – opened six new service centres in the UK, France, Portugal and Germany. The new service centres are equipped with automated and ergonomic workstations.

To contribute to the health and safety of our employees, we work towards reducing repetitive work, and we continued our efforts in 2020. A good example is the EPS depot in Venlo, where work is fairly physically demanding. We have been working towards solutions to help alleviate the physical work, thus contributing to the health and well-being of staff members who are nearing the retirement age. Another example is the development of a new pallet sorting line at LPR France. In the new design, lifting pallets during the sorting process is fully automated, thus avoiding heavy tasks.

Personal development 

Meanwhile business expanded for both EPS and LPR. This was partly caused by increasing retail volumes. EPS opened new depots in France, Denmark, Germany and the UK, and LPR opened new ones in the UK, France, Portugal and Germany. According to Aurélie, the expansion of the business had a positive impact on people as it kept people active and engaged. Working for an organisation that keeps a crucial sector going reinforced the value of people’s work and increased their pride in making an important contribution to society.

As EPS operates from its own depots across Europe, we had to keep up with constantly changing restrictions across countries and over time. This proved a major challenge, Laura Mollinedo explains. Together with our regional SHEQ departments, EPS was constantly monitoring and managing the situation. This efficient teamwork allowed us to quickly respond and adapt to all new developments. Operations at the depots continued and the health and safety of our employees remained our top priority. To ensure safe working conditions, we provided guidelines for our employees and contractors as well as organised additional training on hygiene, on working safely at a distance and on safe commuting. Employees received protective equipment and we put Business Continuity Plans in place to ensure continuity of operations in case one of the depots would have to close temporarily.

The restrictions were also a great challenge for La Palette Rouge. They required constant monitoring and adjustments in the supply chain, as well as re-grouping of assets to ensure the availability of pallets in the quantities required across Europe. LPR outsources its depots and transport to external service providers, who also need to comply with the LPR guidelines on employee health and safety. However, the focus of LPR was even more on people’s wellbeing. “The lockdown in France highlighted the crucial need to stay connected and to keep people engaged. This was more important than ever,” says Aurélie Viricel. “We worked hard on preserving the connection between our staff members, our depots and our clients. We organised many online meetings and regular online updates from the management. IT was a crucial element in supporting teleworking.”

Both LPR and EPS facilitate the food supply chain, a crucial sector especially during a pandemic, when it is crucial that its operations continue. We contributed to the continuation of the food supply chain while continuing to meet our high-quality standards. Business partners were constantly updated on how the situation around COVID-19 was being managed.