CHEP South Africa’s Forestry & Milling division adds a unique set of advantages to our pallet pooling business. The division owns ten pine timber farms, which cover an area of approximately 6,000 hectares, and Weatherboard (Pty) Ltd owns a sawmill and pallet manufacturing plant in KwaZulu-Natal that employs approximately 380 people. 

Owning these enterprises is a key differentiator and allows CHEP to positively impact both our customers and our employees in specific ways. For example: 

• Uninterrupted supply of timber from both CHEP forests (40%) and long-term supplier contracts (60%)
• Quality assurance of materials improves the strength and safety capability of our pallets
• CHEP harvests mature 26-year-old trees, equating to stronger and more durable pallets
• Focus on Zero Harm, contributing to constant employee wellbeing
• Setting the benchmark for sustainability and waste management as our sawmill reuses the sawdust by-products to power its boiler
• A 10% employee shareholding in the Weatherboard sawmill provides a sense of ownership, career progression and motivation
• 60% of the employees at the sawmill are women, providing a unique opportunity to develop fulfilling livelihoods and a diverse workforce
• Staff at the Weatherboard sawmill have access to medication for various diseases at the on-site medical clinic. This clinic provides testing and treatment for various conditions including high blood pressure, HIV, tuberculosis and diabetes.