With the rapid development of the automotive parts industry, plastic turnover crates are widely used in the industry. They are suitable for frequent, medium- and short-distance transport requirements. They reduce parts inventory for OEMs, mitigate logistics risks for parts suppliers, and mitigate the risk of stockouts and even production stoppages. This reduces overall logistics costs for OEMs and their suppliers. Currently, approximately 60% of companies in the industry employ recycling logistics to varying degrees.
Currently, high-impact HDPE (low-pressure high-density polyethylene) and polypropylene (PP) hollow sheet are widely used as raw materials for plastic turnover crates. The primary purpose of using these plastic turnover crates is to optimize logistics efficiency within the automotive supply chain. Achievable goals include: resource conservation and efficient utilization, avoiding waste of disposable packaging and internal materials during use; standardized design improves transportation, storage, and handling efficiency.
Ergonomically designed for ease of operation; the self-locking design ensures secure transportation; and meets the requirements for loading and unloading automotive parts. High-quality packaging ensures the quality of parts logistics and reduces redundancy, thereby reducing logistics losses and overall supply chain efficiency. Storage and inventory space improve supply chain efficiency; increase the flexibility of plastic turnover crates in the supply chain, ensuring regional logistics equipment resource sharing; and ensure the reliability and stability of plastic turnover crate quality through strict control and regulation of plastic turnover crate manufacturers.
In my country, a wide variety of plastic turnover crates are currently in circulation. The earliest plastic turnover crates used were universal specifications (similar to the German VDA standard) from around 1997, measuring 600mm x 400mm in length and width, with heights of 148mm and 280mm. With the rapid development of the domestic automotive industry, some Japanese automakers began using European and European/Japanese standard turnover crates in 2005. Subsequently, some European/universal specifications also emerged, bringing the number of turnover crate specifications currently in use in China to dozens. The crate designs also include stackable, foldable, and, in a small number of companies, plug-in crates.
The wide variety of plastic crate sizes and varying technical and quality requirements increases costs for automakers as they invest more in product R&D. Logistics companies, however, struggle to mix and match these crates due to varying sizes and heights. Furthermore, the varying volumes and heights of unit loads prevent optimal transport and warehousing stowage, resulting in wasted logistics resources and reduced efficiency.
Therefore, establishing this national standard to regulate the size range and technical requirements for plastic crates will not only reduce material loss, improve transportation space utilization, and enhance transportation and warehousing quality, but also help automakers shorten production cycles, reduce logistics costs, increase supply chain agility and flexibility, and enhance competitiveness. Furthermore, promoting this advanced logistics packaging method and establishing relevant standards will have positive implications for promoting advanced logistics operations, saving on logistics equipment resources, and developing regional packaging leasing and resource sharing.
