In 1975, Brambles decided to enter the overseas market through CHEP by joining forces with British industrial powerhouse Guest Keen & Nettlefold (GKN) to launch pallet pooling to the UK. The move saw the trade press cheer: “At last!”

But the timing was anything but easy. The UK was reeling from an economic recession, triggered by the oil crisis, rising wages, high inflation and widespread financial uncertainty. Businesses were eager to explore pallet pooling but were naturally cautious. While intrigued by the promise of pallet pooling. They needed proof that the pooling system would offer tangible benefits and deliver real value for their operations.

CHEP and GKN knew trust would be their most valuable currency. Luckily for them, there was early support from retail giants like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Safeway but they needed suppliers on board.

The breakthrough came with a challenge from Tate & Lyle – the country’s largest sugar refiner. The company agreed to a six-month trial at its smallest refinery, and it paid off.

The pilot expanded to Liverpool, then London and soon Tate & Lyle became one of the pool’s earliest advocates, bringing other manufacturers on board.

At the heart of this was Austalian-born Oliver Richter, known best for championing the pallet pooling system. He knew the system’s benefits - lowers costs, less waste - had only just begun to be tapped. A fan of a good letter and a ‘working lunch’, Richter sent letters to countless companies across the UK.

As Richter put it, it was “not a difficult decision.” Over a year later, the CHEP UK pallet pool was serving 165 customers. By mid-1990s, the grocery sector had become CHEP UK’s key market accounting for 80% of revenue.

Today, CHEP’s blue pallets are a familiar sight across the UK – not just in grocery aisles but moving everything from pharmaceuticals and chemicals to automotive parts and retail goods. What began as a bold experiment in a turbulent economy has become a cornerstone of British supply chains, keeping supply chains moving and essentials flowing.