Millions of loading units are being transported around the globe every day. Harmonized standards ensure that they can pass through different points in the process chain without any obstacles. This is backed up by a complex logistical system - Efficient Unit Loads. 
What are Efficient Unit Loads?
In traditional Supply Chain Management partners only optimize their part of the logistics chain according to their own company needs. This merely creates a proprietary solution. A huge range of differing shipping and storage units such as product packaging and pallets are still to be found in the warehouses of retailers and suppliers. Proprietary solutions are frequently at the expense of efficiency. These solutions inevitably lead to additional costs, slow-down transport, stock turnover and warehousing:
- Shipments have to be re-packed in central warehouses or stores manually,
- Warehouse and truck space is not fully exploited
- and damage to goods cannot be ruled out completely.
Significant Savings Thanks to EUL
The supply chain can be made more efficient if manufacturers and retailers apply the Efficient Unit Loads System (EUL System). Unit Load refers to a logistical unit: this means pooling goods for the purpose of shipment or storage. Picking cans of soup and putting these into a box creates a Unit Load just the same as stacking several boxes onto a pallet. Logistical units are only efficient if all components along the supply chain are carefully aligned: goods can only be distributed and stored efficiently if transport packaging, pallets, high racks, truck space, loading bays, goods entry and exit gates as well as warehouse and terminal space are designed according to specific standards. EUL enable the design of shipping and warehouse units which comply with a standard and are fully compatible. As a result retailers and manufacturers can exploit a range of cost and competitive advantages. ECR Europe experts estimate, that between 13 and 27 percent of logistics costs can be cut if EUL standards are applied.
Jointly Promoting More Standardization
A number of companies from manufacturing and retailing such as Nestlé, Kraft Foods, EDEKA, Tengelmann and METRO Group have issued a recommendation for the efficient deployment of warehouse and shipping units as a result of their involvement in a GS1 Germany working group. It defines the specific demands these partners have to one way packaging (ETV) and provides suggestions for its standardized design. GS1 Germany has also developed application recommendations for reusable transport systems as well as for labeling packaging and shipping units.
