Why reusable load carriers cut your total cost of ownership

Procurement compares load carriers by purchase price. Operations pays for them every single day — in tied-up capital, storage, cleaning, repairs and return logistics. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is the honest number.

What total cost of ownership actually includes

TCO is the sum of every cost a load carrier causes across its working life, not just the sticker price. For reusable transport packaging the largest items are rarely the purchase: capital tied up in a pool you own, the warehouse space it occupies, washing and inspection, repairs, and the cost of moving empties back.

The costs that stay hidden

Damaged goods from poor-fitting packaging, write-offs for lost units, and the administrative effort of tracking who has what — these rarely appear on a purchasing spreadsheet, yet they recur month after month.

Why pooling lowers the real number

In a pooling model you pay a predictable fee per use instead of owning the asset. RECALO provides clean, inspected carriers, collects them, reconditions them and keeps the inventory transparent through SAM and RFID. Capital stays in your core business, and the hidden cost lines shrink because someone is accountable for the whole loop.

How to compare offers honestly

Ask for the all-in cost per trip, including cleaning, repair, replacement and return transport — then compare that against the fully loaded cost of running your own pool. The gap is usually larger than expected.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the questions we hear most on this topic.

What is total cost of ownership for a load carrier?

The sum of every cost it causes over its working life — purchase, capital, storage, cleaning, inspection, repair, return transport and the cost of damage or loss.

Does pooling really cost less than owning?

In most reuse-heavy supply chains, yes. You avoid tied-up capital and the overhead of cleaning, tracking and repair, and pay a predictable fee per use instead.