Glossary
Recycling by means other than organic recycling (NF EN 13193).
The mass that can be supported by a pallet. There are three kinds of admissible loads: nominal load, in service, nominal stacking load.
Granular material such as sand, gravel, crushed stones, crushed concrete.
Any abnormal colouration or change occurring in the consistency or chemical composition of wood, which is due to an external agent.
This refers to a product that prevents or limits the formation of static electricity.
The deformation of a horizontal piece of wood for an evenly distributed load.
Methodical, independent examination that aims to objectively highlight gaps in relation to a benchmark :
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Internal audit : audit of the organisation ordered by the organisation itself and at its own cost, in order to improve its management system. This audit is carried out by staff members who are trained in auditing.
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Client audit : an audit carried out by the client on their suppliers according to specifications.
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Third party audit : an audit carried out by an independent external organisation. This is the case of a certification audit.
A document where the results of an audit, in particular gaps in performance, are noted. The audit report may propose improvements and action plans.
A person competent to conduct an audit.
A code consisting of a succession of parallel lines and spaces distributed according to a fixed configuration, allowing for the automatic processing of the information that it represents.
The outer skin of trees, which acts as an external cover for the wood.
A reference serving as a guide for the construction and verification of a system. These are demand models.
Value by which the dimension of a saw cut is known or specified at a given level of humidity.
Short object, generally rectangular or circular in cross-section, placed under the upper deckboard or between the upper and lower deckboards, which creates a space for forklift truck tines or pallet jacks to be inserted (NF EN ISO 445). The blocks, also called spacers or cubes, can be made of hardwood or moulded wood.
Short log, whose length is usually between one and three metres, with no specific diameter.
Discolouration caused by a fungus, of varying intensity between blue and black, initially affecting the sapwood of certain species, notably coniferous trees and tropical hardwoods, which does not lead to any significant change in consistency or properties of the wood. Wood that is affected by blue stain is called “blue stained timber”.
A pallet either with or without a lid, including a superstructure made of at least three vertical panels, either solid or slatted, which can be pulled down or be taken apart, and that generally allow for stacking with or without the use of special accessories.
High density goods : wood logs, agricultural goods, energy goods, construction and extraction materials.
Large, movable industrial bags with straps, made of woven polypropylene for bulk transport, in powder or grain, of products, goods and waste of different types, from various industries including the chemical, construction and food industries, etc. The specifications of the bulkbag, including the weight of the canvas, the quality of the coating, the type of lining and the opening and closing methods, as well as other options, will depend on the end use of the bulkbag. It may not be manually handled once filled.
The French language term for this is a Grand Récipient pour Vrac Souple (GRVS), used for bulk transport of non-liquid products. Other terms: FIBC = Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container - Flexible Großpackmittel (German).
The first log from the stump of the tree.
Sawn wood whose humidity levels correspond to the end use and that includes additional machining in terms of depth and/or width, designed to give small admissible gaps, specified by agreement.
A captive pallet is a pallet whose use is limited to a single company or to a closed distribution system (NF EN ISO 445).
Procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a product, a process, a service or a company conforms to specific requirements.
Chamfer made in the upper edges of the lower deckboards of a pallet to allow pallet jack rollers to pass through.
Operation consisting of classifying different sawmill products, according to criteria predefined by regulations or specifications.
Plastic film rolled under tension around a load unit to guarantee greater stability and greater safety (NF EN ISO 445).
A pool in which the multi-use pallet circulates within a company or an organised group of companies (“closed circuit system”) (NF EN 13429).
All operations aiming at recuperating pallets from users wishing to get rid of them. Overall, there are two collection methods: either ad hoc, or in the framework of contracts established with those responsible for supply, maintenance or logistics in the companies using the pallets.
Transport of goods using several modes of transport (for example: road/rail).
The operation that consist of placing a product in a container with which it is in direct contact, in order to protect, conserve and present the object for sale and use.
Generic term used for a large box designed to transport goods and that is sufficiently solid for repeated use. Tends to be stackable and with components that facilitate transport. Containers represent an evolution of the bag and respond to a recognised need in industry and agriculture for bulk and semi-bulk packaging.
The steps aiming to integrate quality into company management methods. This depends upon establishing a permanent cycle aiming to improve quality in line with Deming’s management principles for the industrial sector, comprising four phases: Plan. Do. Check. Act.
Document setting out the specific articles established to check the product or service in question.
An action aiming to remove the cause of non-conformity or other undesirable situation that has been identified.
The total cost resulting from internal and external malfunctions (example: cost of stopping a machine, cost of returning non-compliant products, etc.).
System of continuous handling, either motorised or non-motorised, which allows for isolated logistical units (from packages to pallets) to be moved, using different techniques including belts, chains or rollers (free or mechanised).
Rigid packaging consisting of solid panels or slats, used to transport goods.
A marketing approach to generating customer loyalty taken by a company and supported by human resources (call centres, etc.), technological resources (emails, etc.) and financial resources, allowing a company to keep, update and interpret all data relating to clients or prospective clients, automating marketing tasks (direct mailing, etc.) and to manage relationships with consumers (customer clubs, loyalty cards etc.).
Need or expectation expressed, usually implicitly, or imposed. (ISO 9000)
Methodical examination of all or part of a company highlighting its strong and weak points in terms of quality.
Activity consisting of splitting the elements of a single package to different destinations. This can relate to dispatching orders to be prepared by several people, dispatching a package from a pallet to various storage places, etc.
Indicates all processes that take place in the distribution channel between producers and salespersons and up to the consumer.
An intermediate support that is placed on the upper deckboards of a pallet to separate it from its load. Dividers are often plastic films or cardboard sheets.
A flat pallet consisting of an upper and lower deckboard (NF EN ISO 445).
Reduction by evaporation of a certain quantity of water contained in wood. This process can be carried out in the open air or under cover, which is known as natural drying. Drying can also take place in an air-conditioned enclosure with shorter durations for artificial drying.
Approach aiming to reduce environmental damage caused by logistical activities throughout the logistical chain, such as, for example, choice of transport methods, filling rate, eco-design of packaging, etc.
Part of the ligneous biomass that appears when blocks are edged and which shows the remains of the rounded edge of the original surface of the tree, with or without bark.
Degree to which planned activities are realised and anticipated results are obtained. (ISO 9000)
Relationship between the result obtained and the resources used. (ISO 9000)
Treatment to be carried out as a last resort. In real terms this may refer to waste disposal, donations to individuals or burning outdoors. Only the first is recognised in a well-defined framework.
Note: In the lifecycle of packaging and packaging waste, elimination must be considered as the last operation for non-valorised packaging.
The use of combustible packaging waste to generate energy by direct incineration, with or without waste, but by recuperating the heat (Directive 94/62/EC).
An IT application integrating all information flows relating to the management of different operations of the company (accounting module, production management module, sales module, logistics module).
A widely used multiple-use pallet. Its name comes from the fact that it was designed for the major European railways to allow a better circulation of goods. The manufacture and repair of EUR pallets refers to very precise specifications.
Company decision to entrust a third party (for example a logistical services provider) with carrying out activities that were previously conducted internally. This may also mean a subsidiary company created specifically with this objective (the term “externalisation” is preferred to the term “sub-contracting”, which has the connotation of simply carrying out specifications without any additional knowledge compared to the skills of the contracting company).
FIBC (known as Grand Réservoir Vrac Souple (GRVS) in French). A container whose body is made of flexible material such as woven canvas, plastic film or paper, designed to be in contact with the contents either directly or via an internal lining, and that can be folded when empty.
Upper opening to unload materials and products by gravity into the FIBC.
Packaging that is in contact with foodstuffs must possess certain qualities in terms of inertness and hygiene. Precautions have to be taken in order to avoid any reactions, taking into account the significance of potential risks.
This is a fuel obtained by burning or shredding all or part of the ligneous plants in forests and plantations that have not undergone transformation (directly after exploitation). Due to its origin, forest woodchip may contain elements of wood, bark, leaves or needles. Crushing or shredding can take place in the forest, at the edge of a plantation, in the warehouse, in the storage unit or directly at the entrance to the boiler room and/or transformation unit.
Wooded areas providing forestry resources that constitute the source of renewable raw materials for sawmills. Managed forests belong to local groups and to the state and are managed by the Office National des Forêts (ONF). Private forests belong to private owners and constitute the largest resource potential (at least three-quarters).
This is a third party that is mandated by the sender or the receiver of a product having to undergo several successive journeys. The forwarding agent’s mission is to co-ordinate different transporters and to thus ensure continuity of transport.
A pallet that allows the fork tines of the handling machine to enter from the four opposing sides (NF EN ISO 445).
When a delivery is “franco”, the sender covers the postage costs. This type of delivery is also called "free delivery".
Refers to all goods whose transport is managed by a transporter, according to conditions set out in an agreement with the sender.
A box-pallet intended for the transportation of fruit and vegetables.
Treating wood by heating the heartwood to 56° for 30 minutes.
General direction of wood fibres.
Deciduous, broadleaved trees such as oak or beech, as opposed to coniferous trees (pines, fir trees, etc.) whose needle-shaped leaves usually remain on the branches for several years.
High Density PolyEthylene. This is a thermoplastic polymer, which means recycling is possible. Derived from hydrocarbons, HDPE presents a low risk to the environment and is 100% recyclable (and not 100% recycled).
Quantification of an event (by sampling, calculation, observation, measure, etc.) that enables the effectiveness of an established device to be measured (example: number of breakdowns, number of complaints, number of orders). Indicators are specific to each organisation and are defined in terms of the policies and objectives of the said organisation.
A material should be inert in relation to foodstuffs; in other words any transfer of elements to the foodstuffs must not exceed quantities that are liable to present a danger to animal or human health, nor lead to any modification in the composition of these foodstuffs, nor alter the organoleptic characteristics of the foodstuffs.
Programmable and re-recordable label, read without contact using radio-frequency identification (RFID).
International rules designed to interpret commercial terms, setting the international market obligations of the seller and the buyer, depending on the nature of the contract concluded between them.
A "demand-pull management model according to which the quantities produced correspond as closely as possible to the demands of the market. Just-in-time management is a model of extreme demand-pull management.
A local structural anomaly, necessary consequence of the existence of branches. This is the mark made by a branch on the trunk during growth in diameter.
Laminated material that is impermeable to air. Laminating consists of sticking a polyethylene film a few microns thick onto a piece of material to render it waterproof. Laminating also has the advantage of reducing the stretch of polypropylene material.
Low Density PolyEthylene. This is particularly used in the manufacture of bags, films, soft bottles, tubes, pipes, etc. This is a thermoplastic polymer, which means recycling is possible.
The longest dimension of a pallet deckboard.
A multipurpose machine for handling logistical units, often equipped with forks or more sophisticated accessories (quadrant arms, claws, etc.) for specific types of handling. These machines can be automated (wire guided, optical guided) and thus move without the intervention of the lift operator.
Characterises a certain category of pallets made of thin components. By definition, these pallets cannot support loads that are too heavy, nor can they be used several times.
A person or body entrusted with transporting the goods to a transporter on someone else’s behalf. This is the proprietor of the transported goods.
A round portion of wood, either with or without bark.
The trunk of a tree that has been felled, debranched and recovered either with or without its bark, and destined to be transported for transformation and valorisation, mainly by sawmills.
A road vehicle used for the transportation of logs and, more generally, long pieces of wood.
All independent companies (considered as different links in the chain) who coordinate with one another to carry out activities (supplying, producing, distributing) ensuring the distribution of products or services from the design stage to the end of their lives.
Logistics, a transverse company management skill, is involved with improving the performance and reactivity of organisations from the management of circulation of flows and services: physical flow of goods, associated information flows, financial flows, etc.
Synonym for “limited use” and “single use” pallets.
Flat horizontal surface consisting of a deckboard or joined or slatted boards upon which the load rests (NF EN ISO 445).
A management-led formal evaluation of the state and adequacy of an organisations management system in relation to its policies and objectives.
A company that manufactures objects and products with a view to selling them. The manufacturer makes the pallet or box-pallet.
Represented by an acronym, a reference, a colour, etc., this allows the manufacturer, the packaging reconditioner, or the owner (where it belongs to a pool) to be identified, and may specify the type of pallet.
Product made up of fine particles of wood compressed and stuck together with resin. Some spacers and some pallets are made out of moulded wood.
A multiple-use pallet or a reusable pallet is a pallet whose technical characteristics (whether regulated or not) and lifespan allow it to be used several times. It may also be called a heavy pallet in professional terminology.
Note: Reusable pallet (NF EN ISO 445) or multiple-use pallet: pallet designed for several cycles of use.
Straight fixation element, consisting of a round or square stem, usually including a point and a head, and designed to be hammered (NF EN ISO 445).
Gap observed between the quality aimed for and the quality actually obtained.
Non-satisfaction of a specific request (gap, absence, etc.). Highlighting non-conformities leads to developing corrective actions
A flat pallet with two deckboards, only one of which can take the load (NF EN ISO 445).
A technical specification established through co-operation and with the general approval of all interested parties. It is based on the combined results of science, technology and experience. It aims to satisfy the whole community and must be approved by a normative organisation.
Small bits of ligneous biomass produced when the ends of logs or blocks of wood either with or without bark, are sawn.
A pool in which multi–use pallets circulate between unspecified companies (“open loop system”) (NF EN 13429).
Opening made in the lower deckboard of a double deck pallet to allow pallet jack rollers to remain in contact with the ground (NF EN ISO 445).
All customer orders that have been received but not yet delivered.
All installations and staff with responsibilities, powers and relationships. Example: company, firm, enterprise, institution, charity, independent worker, association or parties or a combination of these.
All circumstances, geographical situations and environmental factors (soil, climate, population) that affect the life of a wood-producing tree.
Object designed to temporarily enclose or contain a product or group of products during handling, storage or presentation with a view to protecting the product or to facilitate these operations. In a general sense, this word also means the means and methods used to carry out these operations.
To carry out initial packaging with a view to integration into a transport unit.
Any packaging or packaging material covered by the definition of waste given in Directive 75/442/EC, excluding production waste (Directive 94/62/EC). A used pallet, free of its load and abandoned by its holder is considered as Banal Industrial Waste (BIW).
A horizontal rigid platform, of a minimum height that is compatible with handling using pallet jacks and/or forklift trucks or other appropriate equipment, used as a support for assembling, stacking, storing, handling or transporting of goods and loads. This may be constructed or equipped with a superstructure (NF EN ISO 445).
A handling device enabling pallets to be transported. Pallet jacks can be manual (for occasional handling or over short distances), equipped with electrical weighing devices, or have an on-board driver.
The deckboard that makes up the lower deck of a pallet. These are elements that are in direct contact with the surface upon which the pallet rests. Also called the “skid” or “foot”.
Group of packages on a pallet with a view to being transported and stored. The packages can be kept on the pallet by using a thermo-retractable cover, a plastic film, strips and ties, or a net.
A pallet with a banded lower board, in which the outer elements of the lower board form a complete surround and that includes one or two central elements (NF EN ISO 445).
Operation that consists of sampling different elements (pallets, packages or consumer sales units) of an order from their place in the stock.
Originally an adjective (plastic material), the term “plastic” is now used to refer to all objects made of plastic material. There are more than 50 kinds of plastic material, the most widely used of which in the packaging industry are PET and HDPE. These plastic materials are macromolecules, organic polymers or co-polymers, which demonstrate plasticity when worked, allowing them to be transformed by injection, extrusion, calendering, etc.
Polyethylene is one of the most widely used thermoplastic resins in the world. It has excellent resistance to chemical agents and shocks. After undergoing the process of polymerisation, polyethylenes can be called “low density” (LDPE) or “high density" (HDPE).
All users of one or several models of shared pallets. These are multi-use pallets that are interchangeable between members of the pool. By means of example, the EUR pallet users are a pool.
An action aiming to remove the cause of a potential non-conformity or other undesirable situation that has been identified.
Document that describes and formalises the tasks to be carried out to implement a process. It is a supporting document that communicates the key processes of the organisation to everyone within it. In the form of a list, diagram, graph, etc., this document describes who does what, when and where, and how it should be done. The description of a procedure must be precise, concise and complete to guarantee that it can be repeated.
Sawmill products are also called “output” and “sawings”. The main products are sought after for their commercial value. Secondary products unintentionally result from the process of transformation. Related products result from the waste products (bark, sawdust, off-cuts) for which paying outlets exist.
This includes the following: bark, sawdust, wood chips, slabs, edgings, offcuts, and various elements from production and manufacture, etc.
All properties and characteristics of a product or service that enable it to meet expressed and/or implicit needs.
All rules and procedures, both technical and operational, which together guarantee a companys conformity at different stages of the operation to ensure results. The whole process is managed by a Quality Assurance system.
All planning, management and control activities that aim to establish or maintain the quality of production, taking into account customer expectations and their development.
A document setting out an organisation’s quality policy and quality system. The degree of detail and the format of a quality manual vary depending on the size and complexity of the individual organisation.
Management system that sets a policy and objectives that allow an organisation to direct and control its quality. (ISO 9000)
Storage shelves consisting of ladders, cords and identification and safety accessories.
Combined rail and road transport.
The reconditioner receives, sorts, repairs and distributes reconditioning products, and valorises or entrusts the product to a valorisation company. The role of the reconditioner is wider than that of the repairer, in the sense that it includes, among other things, repair.
Procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a product, a process, a service or a company conforms to specific requirements.
Action of giving greater economic value to used pallets or pallets at the end of their lives. Recovery of used pallets can include their repair. Pallets at the end of their lives can be recycled after shredding, notably in the manufacture of fibreboard, or used for energy as a fuel for large boiler rooms.
The operator who directly reintroduces waste into the cycle from which it originated. Recycling is the transformation of waste into secondary products which constitute the raw materials for the new user.
Reprocessing of waste with the aim of reusing either it in line with its initial function or to other ends, including organic recycling.
System allowing users to have access, in exchange for payment for the service, to pallets that they do not own and in the management of which they are not involved.
After sorting a batch of pallets, the operator carries out the repair by replacing missing or broken elements on the pallets to be repaired.
Note: In current language, the title of “recycler”, which is much too restrictive in terms of the very precise definition of recycling, is still too often used to refer to a repairer.
Natural plant substance originating from various trees and plants, and in particular conifers.
A flat pallet with two deckboards that are identical and either of which can take the load (NF EN ISO 445).
Technology allowing data to be remotely collected and stored. The system consists of: markers (tags or labels) comprising an antenna and an electronic chip in a container (capsules, etc.), and a reader: a broadcasting/receiving device that activates the markers at a short distance. RFID applications in logistics use UHF markers (Ultra High Frequency).
The cycle of reusable packaging, from one load to another. A rotation always contains a trip (NF EN 13429).
Waste resulting from building (construction, demolition) and excavation works. Because of their volume and weight, standard household waste collections do not accept rubble.
A plan to prevent accidents linked to loading or unloading of road vehicles is compulsory under employment legislation, for all transporters (public or private) who must carry out such operations both on the part of the sending and receiving establishment.
Layers of imperfect wood to be found between the bark and the wood and that still include living cells.
A survey that aims to evaluate how well client needs have been met.
Fine particles of wood resulting from the movement of the teeth of the saw against the material.
A generic word for both the output operation and the products generated by it. Sawings are also known as outputs.
A company that manages packaging flow for a third party. Their missions include logistical studies, supply of pallets, establishing rental systems for pallets, controlling and maintaining stock, or even choosing IT systems.
A flat pallet consisting of a single deckboard (NF EN ISO 445).
A pallet that the user does not intend to reuse for their own purposes, often called a single-use or “lost” pallet. In practice, these pallets often remain in good condition after their first use, and are often reused.
Note : Experience shows that the use of the term “limited use pallet” is more appropriate than “single use pallet”.
Synonym for limited use and lost.
A “lost” pallet is a pallet that is intended to be disposed of after a single cycle of use (NF EN ISO 445).
Parts of the ligneous biomass produced when logs are sawn into planks, one side of which presents, entirely or partially, the rounded surface of the original tree, with or without bark.
Written document linked to the commercial contract specifying the obligations (legal, administrative, technical, safety, etc.) of parties to the contract (a company and its logistical services provider, for example). In the case of pallets, the specifications set the various acceptable characteristics (dimensions, component materials, humidity, etc.) as well as the expected mechanical performances. This is the contractual document between the customer and the supplier.
Sawing that only leaves sharp edges.
Number of pallets in a pile, including that on the ground (NF EN ISO 445).
An automatic handling machine used particularly for loading, storing and/or distributing empty pallets without manual intervention.
Operation consisting of piling logistical units (packages, pallets, containers, etc.)
An action aiming to normalise, standardise and simplify pallet models and their use.
All pallets with identical characteristics, belonging to one or several owners (users, renters).
All maintenance operations and work flow organisation enabling the required quantities of pallets to be available at a given place and time. Stock management can be carried out within a company in the context of providing specific services, or in a rental system.
A wide band of cloth that constitutes the grip handle of a bulkbag.
The element formed by the spacing blocks between the two decks of a pallet. Their positioning creates a space allowing for the forks of a forklift truck to be inserted. The stringers can be runners for double-entry pallets or blocks for four-entry pallets.
The horizontal part of a block pallet that supports the upper deck.
Company policy consisting of an organisation (giving the order) entrusting certain activities (transport, etc.) to a third party (the sub-contractor, for example a logistical service provider).
This is the global management of a logistical chain. For several years, organisations have evolved towards a global overview of the company, integrating several levels of operations, including in particular : planning operations, supply, manufacture, orders and delivery. At each stage of the supply chain, physical, financial and information flows have to be managed between a company, its suppliers and its customers.
Plastic sheet that reduces in size when heated, to cover a load unit in order to ensure greater stability and greater load security (NF EN ISO 445).
Plastic material that softens under heat and hardens when cooled in a reversible manner. Most plastics used in packaging are thermoplastics, which mean they can be recycled.
Sylvicultural operation consisting of reducing the density of a forest population to the advantage of selected trees.
Wood intended for sawing, slicing, rotary cutting (diameter greater than 130mm).
Ability to trace the history, the beginning or position of the item being examined. (ISO 9000). In the case of a product, this may be linked to the origin of the material and its components, the history of its creation, or the distribution and product location after delivery.
A company that organises the transport of goods or products via a carrier company.
A pallet that only allows the fork tines of the handling machine to enter from the two opposing sides (NF EN ISO 445).
Flat horizontal surface consisting of a deckboard or joined or slatted boards upon which the load rests (NF EN ISO 445).
Method that allows product quality to be improved without increasing cost, or that allows costs to be reduced without reducing quality. We thus aim to get the best possible relationship between satisfying customer needs and the cost of manufacturing the product.
Reinforced material that has had some threads deliberately removed to ensure better ventilation. This type of material is mainly used in agricultural bulkbags.
A name given to a piece of wood that is not perfectly squared and whose edges are not sharp.
Place where products are received, stored and prepared before being delivered to clients.
Dimension of a deckboard that is perpendicular to its length.
Trees that have been broken or uprooted by bad weather.
The part of the deckboard(s) that overhangs the stringers or spacers, intended for lifting with cranes (NF EN ISO 445).
Generic term used both for the raw material provided by trees and the industrial material resulting from sawing.
Ligneous biomass cut into pieces with a defined granulometry produced by mechanical transformation with the help of cutting tools such as knives.
Result of an operation aiming to transform a manufactured product, in this case a pallet, into a collection of smaller sized elements.