Stacking bins, folding crates and E1, E2 and E3 crates, or meat crates, are used in the meat industry to transport meat from slaughterhouses and meat processing companies to customers, such as supermarket chains and butcher shops. The essence in this delivery is in the meat, but what should not be forgotten is that the stacking bins and E crates are more expensive than the product itself. In this article we will take a closer look, at why not the product but the packaging is more important.

Food products are a fragile commodity unlike some other consumer goods. This has to do with shelf life, but also with hygiene. Food products must arrive in one piece, because beautiful products sell better. In order to transport products such as meat, fruit and vegetables as a producer or grower and protect their fragility, they are transported in cargo carriers.

Meat crate is required

The stacking bin and E2 crate are reusable packaging types, these are load carriers that are used more than once to transport meat. Every year, a food producer still has to deal with damage, loss or shortages of meat crates. These are terms that are interrelated. Damage and/or loss of a meat crate leads to a shortage. Knowledge of what happens to meat crates when they leave the premises is therefore essential and can also be simple by registering and managing them properly.

It is not yet common enough for meat crates and stacking bins to be properly managed, as the priority is logically the meat. However, reusable packaging is just as important as the product it carries since the cost of these meat crates is equal or sometimes even higher than the products. So, a meat crate is a requirement to deliver the meat properly to various customers and also it is essential to manage returnable transport items efficiently. This way, you avoid high packaging costs for repurchasing meat crates and stacking bins and you will always have enough available to transport the meat.

One platform with all information

Currently, the management of meat crates is often registered via Excel, transaction and cask vouchers, emails or Whatsapp. Because of the various communication channels and sometimes still a paper administration, it is too chaotic to keep an overview. Let alone that you are able to process the administration correctly, keep track of it and find something back.  Almost impossible work. By having the flow of information take place in one digital program for registration and management, you get a good overview. The online management and registration of meat crates provides data. With this data you have insight into your packaging flows. In one platform you get answers to all your packaging questions, such as:

– At which location are my meat crates?

– How many meat crates do I still have in storage?

– What type of meat crate is currently being returned and how many?

– Which customer still has meat crates because I’m missing some?

– Can I reconcile my balance of packaging items with my supplier and customer over a specific period?

An online packaging registration system, such as TrackOnline, collects a lot of data and gives you answers to all the above questions. With knowledge of the location and exact numbers of your meat crates, you can work more efficiently and have a correct packaging administration. Digital cooperation with your suppliers and customers has never been easier! In the next article we will take a closer look at the transport of goods related to hygiene regulations. Follow us or subscribe to our newsletter below to be the first to know about our latest articles.