National Beef Packing Company, LLC has signed an agreement with Rehrig Penn Logistics (RPL), the services and logistics division of Rehrig Pacific Co., whereby RPL will provide National Beef’s Dodge City, KS, processing facility with pooling services for a new reusable, plastic Combo Bin.

The Combo Bins are used to store and move meat trim and grind product, both inside the plant and outbound to customers. RPL’s Combo Bin measures 40 x 48 x 47 in., holds up to 2,600 pounds of product, and is fully collapsible when empty.

The 100% plastic Combo Bins enable National Beef to eliminate the use of wood pallets and corrugated gaylords during processing. This reduces the potential for contamination from wood pallets and helps eliminate product damage that can occur when corrugated gaylords get too wet to hold their shape. Because the Combo Bins are reusable and completely recyclable, they also help National Beef achieve their goals for using more environmentally sustainable transport packaging. The Combo Bin project is expected to bring National Beef significant savings in packaging costs and reduced product damage as well.

To serve National Beef’s fleet, RPL has set up a 15,000-sq-ft service facility in Liberal, KS. In addition to managing freight and washing and repairing Combo Bins, RPL will employ radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. This technology will track the movement of every bin and will provide real-time reporting for inventory management and supply-chain analysis using the RFID data collected in its proprietary P.A.R.T.S. Web-based asset recovery and tracking system.

RPL notes that the Liberal site was chosen for its strategic location and its long-term expansion opportunities. RPL will use the site to provide asset recovery and management services to other regional meat processors, retailers, and manufacturers.