Sustainable warehouse operations

CSR together with partners, so we are becoming a little more sustainable

Head of Warehouse André Peters explains:

At Theunissen Technical Trading, we always take small steps in the context of our CSR policy to reduce our impact on the environment and to work more sustainably. The main focus is currently on making our warehouse more sustainable. Every day we ship orders to our customers and we receive orders from suppliers. In addition, a lot of boxes and packaging materials pass by to send / receive everything properly packaged. Together with various partners, we have succeeded in creating a recycle culture, with a better environment on the horizon for both.

How do we make our warehouse more sustainable?

1. Recycling and reuse of boxes

Consumption of packaging materials has a considerable impact on the environment, especially when new boxes are used for this. That is why we at TTT reuse all boxes that come in from suppliers, but also boxes handed in by staff members or packaging material that is sourced externally. Partly because in this day and age more and more orders are placed on the internet, there is a surplus of boxes in many places. We also have agreements with our local ICT advisor from Mill, Verweijen ICT, from whom we regularly receive sturdy cardboard boxes. These boxes are often only used once and because Verweijen ICT no longer has a function for them, we use them as a shipping box. The basic principle is, however, that the reused boxes are at all times sound and sufficiently strong, so that damage to the products during transport is prevented. Boxes that we cannot use, for example because they are of insufficient quality, are used again as filling for other shipments.

2. Recycling and reuse of and packaging materials

Not only the boxes, but also various other packaging materials, which are both expensive and environmentally harmful when purchased new, such as pallet foil, pallet belts, foam packaging, tempex, flakes and filling cardboard, are all given a new lease of life. We also regularly receive packaging materials from Tabber's lighting in Nijmegen, such as foam packaging, tempex and filling flakes. They would normally have to deposit this against payment, while we can give it a second destination in the warehouse of TTT. These materials are ideal as filling materials to package the precious and fragile products of TTT, solid and resistant to impact.

3. Reuse and Recycling of pallets

The pallets that come into our warehouse from suppliers are also all reused. After having been checked for quality, they are used again for larger or damage-sensitive shipments. We have an agreement with our transport partner GLS-Netherlands that we can request disposable pallets that they would otherwise have to dispose of in the waste heap, while these are ideal for us to reuse. Sometimes it also works the other way around: for example, the oversized pallets that we receive from our lighting suppliers go on to our cooperation partner, which is very valuable to them for shipping their products.

4. Sorting the packaging materials

Our workspace in the warehouse is designed to separate reusable and recyclable packaging flows. As a result, each type, according to property and application, is neatly processed so that it can later be used for new applications. There is a reuse tray for tempex, foam, pallet foil, cardboard plates, small boxes and filling flakes. There is a space for reusable pallets and pallet boxes. Everything is close to the packaging location, so that the items to be sent can be sent properly, properly and qualitatively packaged.

5. Less-paper office

For several years we have already created a less-paper office in the office spaces. All information is made available digitally as much as possible for both our customers and our suppliers. We also work digitally internally (with each other) as much as possible. We have stopped printing invoices, mailings, etc., resulting in huge savings on paper. Our suppliers also work less paper as much as possible and they also only send documents digitally. In the warehouse, we only work with printing the required packing slip that goes with the shipments to be sent. The internal order picking lists are printed on reusable paper, resulting in huge savings on new paper. The packing slips are stored digitally, which is a considerable saving of the paper flow within the warehouse.

6. Sorting the waste flows

Due to the extensive reuse of materials within the warehouse, the waste flows are kept to a minimum. But the waste that remains is sorted immediately to be processed as environmentally friendly as possible.

In short: we do everything in the Theunissen warehouse to work as sustainably as possible. Do you have any questions or suggestions? Then we would like to hear from you!