Inka Palet is based in Girona in the north of Spain and specialises in the production of pallets in different materials and sizes. Founded in 1999, it has its production and logistics centre in Girona and works with an international network of distributors. Generally, it takes no more than two days to deliver the pallets to their destination in Spain and only three or four days to ship them abroad. The company currently has a strong presence in Spain and southern Europe, however, as Mr Fontbona explains: “Inka Palet is growing continuously; we have an annual growth of about 25 per cent and we are entering new markets.”

From presswood to plastic

The main products manufactured by the company are presswood pallets. Inka pallets are environmentally friendly, wood based products which can be easily recycled. The wood used is mostly graded and chipped wood scraps from saw mills and industry. They can also be made from old Inka pallets which are no longer usable, in this way forming a renewable cycle. The company’s plywood or mdf pallets are similar to the presswood variety, but are produced in smaller quantities and are more flexible in terms of the sizes available. Inka Palet has now made the decision to begin moving away from wooden pallets, and to this end it has introduced plastic pallets to its growing portfolio. Mr Fontbona says: “Wood is a limited resource, and although we can recycle wood and wooden pallets and use wood scraps for our pallets, we also identified the need to offer a viable alternative so we developed plastic pallets.” These new pallets are made from new and recycled plastics. The plastic comes from recycling bins for plastic household rubbish and is melted down and poured into pre-fabricated moulds. These pallets are ideal for the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as well as for companies that export internationally, as they offer a number of distinct advantages compared to presswood pallets. Furthermore, these products weigh less, are hygienic and have a long life-span. However, there are some more significant advantages which Mr Fontbona is keen to point out: “They are adaptable with respect to size. Moulds be can prepared in any size according to the customer requirement. Secondly, they are produced from recyclable household rubbish so they are a valuable contribution to managing the mountains of rubbish we produce. Lastly, they can also be produced from plastic pallets that have reached the end of their life time so, like the wood-based pallets, they also form a renewable cycle.” The third variety of pallet made by the company is constructed from aluminium. These pallets are less popular and are used mainly in the pharmaceutical sector. They are very durable and have high levels of resistance.

Why Inka palets?

Inka Palet is very quick to respond to market trends and takes a proactive approach in the development of new palletising solutions. Mr Fontbona explains: “A pallet is not just a pallet. When we talk to our customers, we try to collate as much information as possible: the type of goods transported or stored, their weight, the load capacity, the storage location, exposure to the environment, the destination and times of use etc. All these factors determine the size and material of the pallet to best suit the customer. We work with multinational companies in very different  sectors with very different requirements.” Inka Pallets are dry, robust and light-weight, but have a high load capacity and can be adapted to the container size. On the other hand, they can be stacked densely and take up only 30 per cent of the storage space of conventional pallets. Wooden pallets are adapted to the special requirements for international shipments. They undergo Sirex treatment against parasites and plant pests, which is mandatory for exports into many other countries.

Plastic pallets, on the other hand, respond to the need for an environmentally sustainable product. Produced from recycled plastic rubbish, they contribute to reducing the company’s carbon footprint.