22

May

How Bale-Arm Trays Can Help Businesses to Achieve Their Sustainability Goals

Supply chains are under increasing pressure to become more sustainable. Reusable bale-arm trays offer a powerful alternative to single-use packaging options, cutting down on plastic waste and packaging disposal costs. High-quality trays from trusted suppliers, like RECO Handling, can be used repeatedly over many years, making them a cost-effective and eco-friendly investment.

Why Sustainability Matters in Packaging.

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword – it’s a business imperative. Across supply chains worldwide, businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint. One often overlooked area where real impact can be made is packaging and transport materials. Bale-arm trays, particularly those designed with sustainability in mind, are playing a vital role in helping businesses meet their environmental targets.

This is an important consideration as packaging waste has a significant environmental impact. According to the UK government, packaging accounts for around one-fifth of the waste produced by businesses. As consumers and regulators demand more responsible practices, companies are seeking ways to minimise single-use materials and invest in reusable, long-life solutions. This shift underscores the importance of solutions like bale-arm trays, which have the potential to reduce both waste and carbon emissions across the supply chain.

Key Industries for Bale-Arm Trays.

There are many industries where bale-arm trays are frequently utilised. One of the most common is in the food industry. For fresh produce, bale-arm trays protect fruit and vegetables during collection, storage and transport while for meat and poultry, they help to maintain hygiene standards and reduce contamination risks. In retail and grocery settings, bale-arm trays enable efficient shelf replenishment, reducing manual handling. 

The industry will have implications for which tray a business should choose. Not all trays are created equal and when selecting bale-arm trays, businesses should consider a number of things, including load capacity, material quality, compatibility with automation, and ease of cleaning and maintenance. Choosing a trusted supplier like RECO Handling ensures your trays are durable, food-safe where required, and designed with logistics efficiency in mind. Further, we are able to help businesses choose the right sustainable solutions, supporting both operational needs and broader environmental commitments.

Key Innovations in Sustainable Bale-Arm Tray Design.

There are many ways that the design of bale-arm trays is evolving to meet the demands of sustainability.

Use of Recycled Materials.

Many modern bale-arm trays are now manufactured using recycled plastics, significantly reducing the demand for virgin plastic production. Using recycled polymers cuts down on resource consumption and lowers the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing new trays.

At RECO Handling, we also offer the option for used bale-arm trays. This has massive implications for business’ environmental impact as well as reducing the overheads associated with packaging and transport. All of the used bale-arm trays supplied by RECO have been reconditioned to ensure continued high performance.

Enhanced Durability and Longevity.

A major principle of sustainable design is to make products that last longer. Advances in material science have resulted in bale-arm trays that offer greater strength and resilience, even under demanding supply chain conditions. The longer a tray remains in use, the lower its lifetime environmental impact. This supports the shift from a linear ‘use and dispose’ model towards a circular economy approach.

Design for Easy Recycling.
At the end of their life, well-designed bale-arm trays can be easily collected, ground down and reprocessed into new products. This supports companies in achieving ‘zero waste to landfill’ targets and improves overall resource efficiency.

Lightweight Without Compromising Strength.

Advances in moulding technology have enabled tray manufacturers to reduce tray weight while maintaining the structural integrity needed for stacking and protection. Lighter trays mean lower fuel consumption during transport and easier handling – offering sustainability and operational efficiency benefits.

The Business Case for Investing in Sustainable Bale-Arm Trays.

While sustainable trays may carry a slightly higher upfront cost, they offer longer service life, which reduces replacement rates and equates to a lower total cost of ownership. Over time, choosing sustainable bale-arm trays makes excellent commercial as well as ethical sense.

While bale-arm trays may seem like a small component of a larger supply chain, their impact on sustainability is significant. By embracing recycled materials, designing for durability and recyclability, and reducing transport emissions with their increasing light weight, modern bale-arm trays are evolving to meet the urgent demands of our times. Investing in sustainable bale-arm trays is an investment in the future, not only for your business and customers, but for the planet. Contact RECO Handling today to find out how we can help you build a greener, more efficient supply chain with our range of high-performance, sustainable bale-arm trays.

Contact Reco Handling today to see how we can help to revolutionise your storage and efficiency!

Unit 1a & 1b Hammond Avenue,
Whitehill Industrial Estate,
Stockport,
SK4 1PQ
0161 429 7536
sales@reco-group.com

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