CHEP is a world leader in the materials handling equipment industry namely through the use of their well known CHEP branded blue wooden pallets for the distribution of a wide range of consumer goods.
Due to the high quality of their products, they have become a target of misuse driven by the need for people to use their equipment to trade with other businesses that hire CHEP equipment from them.
A common problem they come up against is that truck drivers are not returning to pick up their customers pallets hence the business owner assumes control over the equipment and continues to use CHEP’s pallets for their own purposes, i.e. storage or distribution. It should be noted that one cannot assume title or ownership of CHEP equipment simply because the equipment was not collected by those who delivered it in the first instance. CHEP never abandons ownership in its hire assets.
They are aware that there are some businesses which are using CHEP equipment to store and distribute their goods but do not operate a hire account with CHEP. Should you wish to utilise their equipment in your business you will be afforded the opportunity to open a hire account with CHEP, however should you not wish to operate a hire account CHEP may take action, including recourse to the Courts, to recover its hire equipment.
It should be remembered that the only people legally entitled to use CHEP equipment are its hiring customers and their respective agents. CHEP equipment cannot be bought, sold, modified, thrown away or exchanged for non-CHEP equipment.
If you have any information that would assist them in recovering our assets please contact the CHEP Asset Management Team on ph. 0800 652 437 or email nz.assetmanagement@chep.com.