Case study of plastic pallet in the automotive industry
How Continental Modernized Tire Storage With a Custom Recycled-Plastic Pallet
Company Overview
Continental is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers, with over 150 years of history and operations across 54 countries. Its Tires division serves passenger cars, trucks, buses, and specialty vehicles, with a growing focus on making its supply chain smarter and more sustainable. Its manufacturing plant in Otrokovice, Czech Republic, is a key production hub in Europe.
The Challenge
As Continental upgraded its Otrokovice facility with a fully automated high-bay racking system, a critical gap emerged: no standard pallet on the market was fit for the job.
The new system required a pallet large enough to handle tires of varying sizes, structurally sound enough for automated handling, and safe enough to meet fire protection regulations — all while aligning with Continental's sustainability commitments. Off-the-shelf options simply didn't exist at the required 1600 × 1600 mm dimensions, and wooden pallets offered neither the durability nor the eco credentials the project demanded.
The Solution
Continental partnered with Cabka, a specialist in reusable load carriers made from recycled plastic, to design a pallet from the ground up. Cabka's engineering team, based at its Innovation Center in Valencia, developed a custom 1600 × 1600 mm pallet made from 90% recycled HDPE. Key design decisions included:
- Steel reinforcements to minimize deflection and ensure smooth automated transport
- A 65% open surface to allow adequate water penetration for fire suppression
- Rounded edges to prevent tire scratching or surface marking during storage
- Maximum load capacity of 500 kg to accommodate a wide range of tire sizes
- Nestable feet that allow 30% more pallets per truck during transportation from Cabka's production facility in Thuringia, Germany, to the Czech Republic plant
The result was a pallet tailored precisely to the demands of a high-speed, automated logistics environment — without compromising on materials or safety standards.
The Results
The custom pallet delivered measurable improvements across both operations and sustainability:
- 30% more pallets per truck shipment — the nestable design directly reduces transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions
- Improved space utilization — the oversized format maximizes storage density within the high-bay system, accelerating both inbound and outbound processes
- Reduced CO₂ footprint — 90% recycled HDPE content and transport efficiency gains combined to meaningfully improve Continental's environmental impact at the facility
- Operational reliability — steel-reinforced construction ensures consistent performance in a fully automated environment, reducing handling errors and downtime risks
Key Takeaways
- Custom beats off-the-shelf: When standard solutions fall short, a co-developed approach can solve operational and sustainability goals simultaneously.
- Recycled materials don't mean compromised performance: A 90% recycled HDPE pallet met rigorous durability, load, and fire safety standards.
- Sustainable design can also cut costs: The nestable transport feature reduced shipping volume by 30%, proving that eco-friendly choices can have a direct bottom-line impact.
- Automation readiness requires purpose-built components: As warehouses become more automated, the physical infrastructure — including pallets — must be engineered to match.
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