PKF/Post is a respected name in Europe, known for its mastery of automated equipment and technology. An exclusive Pallet Enterprise report in the September 2017 edition detailed its unique expertise in mass customization (high-speed production and automated rapid changeovers) and even same-day delivery. Digitally transmitted orders flow directly into the PALCOS (Pallet Control System) software system, and a six-hour span from the time of order placement to delivery is not uncommon.
This update provides insight into recent advances at the company, including introducing automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or autonomous forklifts for in-plant material handling. As always, the Netherlands-based company has made these investments with customer service excellence in mind.
Customer care is etched into PKF/Post’s DNA. It has been at the forefront of the company’s guiding principles since it was founded on February 12, 1964. “We have to crawl into our customer’s logistics process,” explained Erik Post, one of the managing team members, speaking to PKF/Post’s customer-first philosophy. “Only then do we have added value despite being a commodity.” Today, producing more than 6 million pallets annually, it has grown into one of Europe’s largest ‘custom-made’ pallet suppliers.
The highly automated new pallet producer operates from branches in Finsterwolde and Venlo, providing coverage in both the north and the south of the country. Both plants are strategically located close to the German border, allowing them to serve a diverse range of customers and deliver thousands of different pallet specifications as needed.
PF-12: New production line features self-propelled forklifts
The company finished a 20,000-square-foot expansion at its Finsterwolde location in 2022, including the installation of new production equipment. Given its successful relationship with Corali, it was no surprise that it again chose that brand for the project. Called the PF-12 line, the 6 million Euro investment marks the fourth production line now in operation at the Finsterwolde branch. There are an additional two production lines at Venlo. The project is also noteworthy in that it includes Toyota AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) for moving material in the plant rather than human forklift operators.
An urgency to increase production motivated the project. “PKF/POST is a true family business,” Post recalled. “That means many decisions are made at the kitchen table. So was this one—literally at breakfast with the family.” The project began in May 2019 and was finally completed in early 2022, all while dealing with COVID-19 and the scarce supply of parts during that period of disruption.
The PF-12 project heralded the introduction of the AGVs, which the company also operates at its Venlo location. It is something new for the pallet world. Experts have previously cited issues such as surface debris like wood splinters and airborne sawdust as reasons why autonomous forklifts would be a poor match for the wood pallet industry. Post commented that such assumptions about the pallet industry did not deter PKF/Post from investing in them.
“AGVs — they are the future,” he remarked. “Not only because of the scarcity of labor but also because of accuracy, safety and reliability.
“This does require tight concrete floors, something that has been taken care of in the new production environment,” he cautioned. Post and Tiggelaar agreed that good housekeeping was particularly important in running AGVs. The company has always prioritized keeping its plants clean and tidy.
Post and Tiggelaar underscored that PKF/Post has gained enormous practical knowledge through using the AGVs, enabling it to further optimize its processes. As a partner, Toyota has also gained new insights into operating in a wood pallet production environment. Post noted that PKF/POST expects to expand AGV usage across the company for other applications in time. Investing in new technologies and learning from them to increase optimization is a recurrent theme when talking to PKF/Post. Manual forklifts, however, are still used for loading and unloading trucks.
A world-class result
PKF/POST and Corali have been working together for about 50 years, so it was no surprise that the company once again looked to its key Italian supplier. Post emphasized that Corali’s quality and flexibility were key considerations. “PKF/POST is stubborn and always wants things to be different from standard,” he said. “Corali fits well with the automation vision of PKF/POST and our own PALCOS system. Corali works with separate axes, and everything can be controlled and adjusted separately. The lines are equipped with servo motors, making them extremely reliable. Corali may be more expensive, but you get a top product in return.”
PKF/Post refers to the PF-12 as a hybrid line because it is so widely versatile regarding its range of products, including small 390 x 390 mm pallets (15.35" x 15.35"). Changeover time can be as little as five seconds.
The PF-12 project also features a fully automated strapping system from Cyklop (www.cyklop.com/), a Dutch packaging machine supplier. The unit is used to strap “twin pallets” together for a specialty application. The linked pallets are separated when they arrive at the customer’s location.
The line also features an additional machine from Corali. It glues foil onto the deck of the pallet in any size without the use of staples. This value-added feature is prized by customers in the food and feed industries concerned about food safety.
The infeed and outfeed conveyors were sourced from Trapo (www.trapo.eu/en/), a Netherlands-based provider. They serve as ‘drop off’ and ‘pick up’ points for the unit loads of pallet components handled by the AVGs. A saw system from H&M (www.h-m.nl/) has also been installed to make any last-minute adjustments to wood sizes and increase operational flexibility. While tasks such as unstacking and placing components are still manual work, the company has embarked on a new innovation project to automate even these activities eventually.
“This line is fully automatic and capable of producing orders, from 1 to over 25,000 pallets, for different clients simultaneously and interchangeably,” said Tiggelaar. “Even the wood dimensions for the pallets can change during the process.”
One of the company’s key markets is the paper and cardboard industry, which regularly requires custom pallets. He noted that the food, chemical and construction sectors are also important markets. “Our great strength is our automation,” he said.
Leadership
Regarding company leadership roles and responsibilities, Erik Post leads commercial activities, while Tiggelaar looks after administrative responsibilities such as financing and permits. Erwin de Jong, Erik’s father’s brother-in-law, oversees operational execution. The original vision for technology innovation came from Nantko Post, Erik Post’s father and Tiggelaar’s father-in-law. The two men referred to Nantko as a “real techie.”
The company purchased its first computer back in 1988, and quickly came to integrate computing into its business — another example of integrating new technology and building expertise.
“We program everything ourselves,” Tiggelaar commented. “Since our first computer in 1988, we have been automating all our processes in administration, logistics and production. Orders are entered directly into our own Pallet Control System (PALCOS), which has been developed since the late 1990s.” The system generates everything from cut list and sequencing presentation to nailing machine setup to shipping instructions. He referred to it as a “puzzle” that is put together smoothly and efficiently.
The company relies on pre-dried, certified material. The dressed softwood is sourced from Scandinavia and the Baltic states. There are several motivations for this, including lighter shipping weight, more precise manufacturing quality and enhanced productivity and reliability of nailing machines. And because of staffing issues, getting the most out of automation is increasingly important.
“We have to work to the millimeter—something that cannot be done with fresh (green) wood,” Post explained. “In addition, professionals are increasingly difficult to find. The labor market is shrinking. Our production rate is high, and changeover time is kept to an absolute minimum. This is another reason why we must be optimally automated. We cannot afford to stand still. This is why we try to keep the ‘human’ factor in production to a minimum.”
Lasting relationships
“We have been working with some customers for 30 to 40 years,” noted Tiggelaar. Some relationships have been in place for over half a century. “We are like an extension of their own logistics. We make sure that the right pallets are ready at the right place, at the right time, and in the desired processing order.
“Our customers are within a 200 km radius of our production sites, and we have our own transport,” he added. “So that also makes us 100% delivery reliable.”
Post also stressed the importance of supplier relationships, such as Corali for the production line, Fanuc for the robots, Toyota for the self-propelled forklifts and Kallfass for packaging machines. “They, too, are involved in the new production line and other innovations in our company,” he reflected. “They have co-invested. We have worked with them for many years and have built a relationship of trust, which contributes to the success of PKF/POST.”
Brussels and packaging regulation, North American opportunities
Like other European producers, the company has been closely following governmental efforts to curb single-use packaging in the EU, particularly plastics, through increasingly stringent requirements. Tiggelaar observed that the future will be difficult to predict.
“The rules have clearly been drawn up by people who haven’t stood with their boots in the clay,” he said, pointing out that PKF/Post uses only sustainably certified wood and supports pallet reuse, repair and recycling. “For example, we repair pallets and retrieve them if required. We also use Pallet Control Tower (www.palletcontroltower.eu) through one of our companies. It is a new online platform that arranges the collection, delivery and matching of Euro pallets and other RTIs (reusable transport items) in Europe and between continents. They do so using blockchain, linking together the logistics chains for pallets. It’s reliable, sustainable and circular.”
Despite being a European company, PKF/Post says that the North American market is of interest to it. For example, the company can supply wood and semi-finished products to pallet companies at competitive prices. And with its advanced automation, US dimensions are not a problem.
“Efficiency in the logistics chain requires as little manual repacking of pallets as possible,” Post noted. “Therefore, goods must be immediately placed on the right pallet. We can make the right pallet in European and inch dimensions thanks to our PALCOS system. There are already some discussions in America/Canada, but we are open to any kind of cooperation. We are happy to come and take a look on site,” he concluded. For more information, visit https://www.pkfpost.nl/en/.