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The Kempen-based family business behind Tec7 is systematically transitioning its internal logistics to a circular alternative, thereby staying four years ahead of European packaging legislation.
Novatech International, the Belgian family-owned company behind brands such as Tec7 and Novatio, is switching from disposable stretch film to ELVIS—the reusable pallet wrap from Ghent-based return2sender—for the internal shuttle flow between its production site in Olen and its distribution center in Herentals. The company purchased 100 wraps. This is not a pilot project, but a structural transition of an entire logistics flow. This makes Novatech one of the first established industrial companies in Flanders to use reusable transport packaging as standard.
Stretch film has been the standard for securing pallets for decades. But this taken-for-granted practice comes at a cost. Each wrapped pallet releases more than 2.5 kilograms of CO₂. In the Benelux and France, this amounts to more than 500 million kilograms of CO₂ annually—just from wrapping loads. Added to that is the waste problem: the film is thrown away after a single use. And starting in 2030, the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will require companies to use reusable transport packaging. Anyone who’s still waiting is actually waiting too long.
ELVIS is a reusable pallet wrap that lasts for hundreds of uses. One person can apply it in less than a minute. Two tugs, and the load is secured. No wrapping machine needed, no power cord, no maintenance. The wrap can be draped over the pallet anywhere in the warehouse or production area. The result: up to 95% less CO₂ emissions and packaging waste compared to stretch film.
At Novatech, this specifically involves the pallets that are produced and packaged in Olen and then shipped to the distribution center in Herentals, where they are further distributed via piece- or box-picking. With 20 pallets per week traveling a short distance between two of the company’s own sites, the disposable plastic wrap had long been a pain point—and this is precisely the type of workflow where ELVIS makes a difference.
“We were looking for a way to make wrapping easier and more ergonomic for our people. The fact that it’s also better for the environment makes the choice obvious. No more wrapping machine, no more plastic wrap waste. Just wrap it around the pallet and you’re done,” said Ben Vanden Berghen, Operations Director at Novatech International.
This transition is part of a broader sustainability strategy. Novatech is ISO 14001-certified and was recognized by VOKA as a “Sustainability Leader” in the Mechelen-Kempen region.
“As a company, we want to be consistent. We invest in more sustainable products, in ISO certifications, and in our people. Our logistics must keep pace with these efforts. This step saves us 208 kg of plastic film waste annually and brings us closer to full PPWR compliance—four years ahead of the deadline,” says Ken Wright, Sustainability Manager at Novatech International.
Novatech first tested ELVIS in a real-world setting. Once the product delivered on its promises, the decision was made to permanently switch over the entire shuttle flow. This wasn’t a non-binding pilot project destined to be shelved, but a deliberate operational choice made after concrete validation on the shop floor. For a family-owned business with 140 employees and revenue of approximately 50 million euros, that speaks volumes. And it doesn’t stop at Olen-Herentals: in the long term, Novatech is also looking at the distribution flow to Denmark.
“When a company like Novatech doesn’t just test but actually makes the switch, it shows that reusable shipping packaging is ready for everyday use. This is the kind of collaboration that can convince other companies to make the switch,” says Willem Walravens, CEO and co-founder of return2sender.
