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Calculating the economic advantages of returnable plastic containers

Plastic reusable containers, among other things due to a low purchase price and a long service life have a relatively quick payback period when compared to cardboard boxes,. The evidence is provided by cost comparison and amortisation calculations.

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Key data:

  Cardboard boxes Reusable containers with lid
Transport costs per pallet 50 Eu 50 Eu
Transport costs per empty pallet 50 Eu 50 Eu
Number of full boxes/containers that can be transported on a pallet 16 24
Number of empty containers that can be transported on a pallet (folded or nested) 350 68
Transport costs per full box/container 50 Eu/16= 3,13 Eu each 50 Eu/24= 2,08 Eu each
Working days per year 220 220
Duration of a transport cycle / 28
Possible transport cycles per box 1 200
Price of a box/container 0,66 Eu 16 Eu
Costs per cycle 0,66 Eu 16 Eu/200= 0,08 Eu
Costs for the retrieval of a box/container 0 Eu 0,74 Eu
Number of shipments per day 500 500
Number of shipments per year 500 x 220 (days) = 110000 11000

Other costs:

  Cardboard boxes Reusable containers with lid
Number of boxes/containers to be purchased 110000 per year 14000 unique
Investment costs in 5 years 110000 x 5 x 0,66 Eu= 363000 Eu 14000 x 16 Eu= 224000 Eu
Assumed loss of containers due to theft, etc.   5 % or 700 700 x 16 Eu= 11200 Eu
Transport damage to boxes/containers 5000 Eu 1000 Eu
Storage    
Number of pallet spaces used for storage 31 7
Costs for one pallet space 30 Eu 30 Eu
Number of pallets with full boxes/containers per day 31,3 20,8
Procurement    
Ordering costs for boxes/ year 5 x 150 Eu= 750 Eu 1 x 150 Eu= 150 Eu (Reordering of lost containers)
Costs/revenue for waste disposal or recycling 0,01 Eu per box -0,10 Eu (revenue per box)
Costs for sealing 0 Eu 8800 Eu
Costs for assembly/ year 110000 shipments x 0,25 Eu= 27500 Eu 0 Eu

Amortisation calculation:

Costs per cycle Cardboard boxes Reusable containers with lid
Repackaging costs (if no Pick & Pack) 0,063 Eu 0 Eu
Costs for box/container 0,66 Eu 0,08 Eu
Seals / packaging materials 0,05 Eu 0,04 Eu
Process costs for assembly 0,25 Eu 0 Eu
Transport costs to the customer 3,13 Eu 2,08 Eu
Transport costs for retrieval 0 Eu 0,74 Eu
Loss of containers 0 Eu 0,004 Eu
Transport damage 0,045 Eu 0,009 Eu
Procurement costs 0,007 Eu 0,001 Eu
Costs for waste disposal 0,010 Eu 0 Eu (There may even be revenue here, but this is not taken into account in the calculation)
Load securing costs of the pallet per container 0,125 Eu 0,021Eu
Storage costs 0,009 Eu 0,002 Eu
     
Costs per cycle 4,343 Eu 2,976 Eu
     
Costs per year 110000 shipments x 4,343 Eu= 477730 Eu 220 days/28 days x 14000 containers x 2,976 Eu= 327360 Eu
Savings per year   150370 Eu
Payback period   investment costs)/ 150370 Eu (savings per year) = 1,49 years around 1,5 years

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