PECO Pallet in Yonkers, NY, “offers complete pallet pooling solutions for watermelon growers and shippers” throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada, according to a written statement furnished by the company to The Produce News Jan. 25. “Over the last few years, more and more watermelon growers have partnered with PECO Pallet because of the company’s ongoing commitment to quality, service and safety.”

PECO has built its reputation “by consistently supplying high-quality pallets” and by its responsive service, according to the statement.

Among the produce companies using PECO Pallets in its watermelon program is Demitri Gardikas Produce Co. in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Gary Cooper, controller at Gardikas, was quoted in the statement as saying, “We are very happy with the quality and service that PECO has provided. They have been able to respond rapidly to our requests for additional pallets. This is very important to us because of the daily dynamics of our business. With PECO we have had no rejections related to pallet quality, no pallets that had to be sorted through and returned to the vendor, and to top it off, the price has been better” than that of the competition.

“Over the last few years, our company has worked hard to build strong relationships with watermelon growers, packers and shippers,” Adrian Potgieter, PECO’s vice president of sales, said in the statement. “We have learned a lot about the specific needs of the produce industry and have helped our customers reduce costs and improve efficiency throughout the supply chain.”

PECO Pallet, which is incorporated in both Mexico and Canada, has established full-service operations networks in both countries for the manufacture, recover, repair and issue of pallets, according to the statement. “This enables PECO Pallet’s customers to easily transport goods on PECO pallets across the U.S. border to and from Mexico and Canada.”

PECO “understands the critical importance of food safety in the produce industry, and the company’s rigorous pallet inspection standards comply with the requirements of Good Agricultural Practices,” the statement said.

The pallets are regularly cleaned and carefully inspected for contamination each time they are cycled through a depot. No chemical treatments or hazardous materials are ever used on the pallets, and the pallets are used exclusively in the consumer goods industry. “They are never used to transport industrial products or hazardous materials,” according to the statement.

PECO Pallet is an active member of the National Watermelon Association and will be actively participating in and exhibiting at this year’s NWA convention in San Antonio, TX.