Case study of Custom Plastic Pallet
Repsol and Cabka's Recycled Polypropylene Pallets
Company Overview
Repsol is a global multi-energy company advancing an integrated decarbonization strategy toward zero net emissions by 2050. Present across the entire energy value chain, it employs 24,000 people worldwide and serves close to 24 million customers in nearly 90 countries.
Within its Chemicals division, Repsol has pursued greater circularity in industrial processes since 2016, targeting recycled content equal to 20% of its polyolefin production by 2030 — a commitment that made durable, high-performing recycled plastic pallets a strategic priority for the sector.
The Challenge
As industries across the board look to shrink their carbon footprint, logistics operators are turning to recycled plastic pallets — since pallets count directly toward the footprint of every shipment they carry. But recycled material has traditionally come at a cost to mechanical performance.
Cabka needed a recycled polypropylene compound for its Endur i7 (CP1) pallet — a core product across its chemical-industry portfolio — that could still deliver the load capacity, rigidity, and deformation resistance the sector demands, without falling back on virgin plastic.
The Solution
Repsol and Cabka's technical experts jointly developed a new recycled-polypropylene compound, Repsol Reciclex®, purpose-built for the Endur i7 (CP1) pallet. Cabka's engineering team, based at its Innovation Center in Valencia, worked alongside Repsol's Technology Lab to validate the new material. Key elements of the development included:
- Repsol Impacto® reinforcement — high-impact polypropylene incorporated into the recycled compound to boost toughness
- Extraordinary load capacity — sized for the demanding loads typical of chemical-industry logistics
- High flexural rigidity — resists bending under sustained and repeated loading
- Excellent dimensional stability — consistent tolerances for automated handling and robotic palletizing
- High mechanical deformation resistance — the main improvement over the previous generation of recycled pallets
- The result is a customizable recycled pallet platform, open to further joint development for logistics companies with specific operational needs.
The Results
The new compound delivered measurable improvements across performance and sustainability:
- Automation-ready precision — compatible with automated handling and robotic palletizing across warehouse environments
- Chemical-industry fit — meets the mechanical demands of Cabka's broad chemical-sector pallet portfolio
- Fully circular material — built on recycled plastic waste rather than virgin polypropylene
- A platform for growth — customizable for future developments as logistics companies' needs evolve
Key Takeaways
- Recycled no longer means compromised: Joint material engineering closed the performance gap between recycled and virgin polypropylene.
- Co-development is the model: Repsol's material science and Cabka's pallet engineering advanced together, not in sequence.
- Sustainability and performance can align: The Endur i7 (CP1) pallet meets demanding mechanical standards while cutting reliance on virgin plastic.
- Built to be extended: The Reciclex® platform is open to further custom development for specific customer needs.
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