Westmoreland Sales Group, a Canadian greenhouse vegetable grower, has signed a two-year contract with IFCO Systems, a provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh products. The grower is now shipping Topline brand tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers from its distribution centers in Ontario and Michigan to retailers across North America in IFCO reusable plastic containers (RPCs).
Leamington, Ontario-based Westmoreland cited IFCO’s history of customer service and commitment to food safety as the main reasons it selected IFCO as RPC provider. Also important were IFCO’s proximity to Westmoreland’s facilities, ability to respond quickly, and ability to supply RPCs to service the retail demand for Westmoreland’s product.
“We are working with IFCO to ensure our Topline products arrive to our retail customers in the best possible condition while lowering costs through the supply chain. The IFCO RPC solution also supports Westmoreland’s commitment to the environment by helping to reduce the number of cardboard boxes used,” said Brian W Blommaert, chief executive officer of Westmoreland.
IFCO handles all RPC logistics for Westmoreland, from distribution to cleaning to re-entry into the supply chain. After each retail use, the RPCs are folded, collected, and shipped back to one of IFCO’s service facilities, where they are sanitized and prepared for re-use.
With more than 200 million RPCs in circulation in 33 nations, IFCO handles more than 1 billion RPC transfers each year, transporting the containers to fresh produce growers and other users and collecting them from retail distribution centers. The company is part of Brambles Limited.
Access www.ifco.com or www.westmorelandsales.com/ for complete details.
