Why the VAT-free "e-Credit" is the central pivot and anchor of PCT Online.

The e-Credit is a currency and settlement unit developed by PCT, based on blockchain technology, for purchasing, returning or replenishing ("virtual exchange") your pallet stocks. We call it Collection, Delivery and Matching.

How does the e-Credit come about?

1 e-Credit is equivalent to 1 Europallet, is VAT-free (!) within and outside Europe and is linked to the EUWID price index for pallets. The value of the e-Credit is determined as a weighted average of the lowest and the highest EUWID value in the three previous six-week periods. This value is taken as the basis for settlement or booking of the e-Credit at the time of submission or retrieval. More info on EUWID can be found here: https://www.euwid-wood-products.com.

What is the e-Credit used for?

So with the e-Credit, as a pallet user, you purchase pallets or sell surplus pallets. The fact that your international customers and/or suppliers also use e-Credits creates a system that optimizes the entire supply chain, in any industry. No more hassle with manual settlements.

Suppose you receive goods from various suppliers on "one-way" pallets and you no longer have a destination for these pallets further down the supply chain. Then you can issue a Collection Order and you will be reimbursed for these e-Credits. You can then use the balance of e-Credits yourself or make them available to suppliers to purchase Europallets, which in turn are used to transport your goods. If it is not you but your supplier who pays for the pallets, the e-Credit is the perfect way to settle this.

About the other costs, for example transportation, you make your own arrangements: for whom are these costs? And payment or settlement via e-Credits?

If you do have a destination for the pallets further down the chain, you can also use e-Credits again to make similar arrangements with your customers to buy, sell or match ("virtual swap") their pallet stock. This creates a joint balance. In PCT Online, all flows to and from your warehouses, hubs, etc. are registered. So there is always an overview of who has delivered what and you have 24/7 insight into your e-Credit balance. Even if your customer sells your pallets, the e-Credit balance can come into your account. Everything depends on what agreements you have made. The e-Credit makes it possible.

Doing business with America/Canada and Far East

VAT-free e-Credit is also the ideal tool if you do business globally. The "swapping" of Europallets and GMA pallets, necessary for doing business to and from America/Canada, is possible via the platform. Collection of Delivery orders from America/Canada to Europe and vice versa without hassle between continents. To and from the Far East the same applies with the added benefit of a shift from one-way pallets to multi-way pallets.

Why use EPAL Europallets?

To further optimize the chain, we work with the EPAL range, such as the Europallet, which can be used multiple times. The EPAL Europallet has more value than a one-time pallet. Your suppliers can therefore use your e-Credits, with or without purchased e-Credits, to further clean up their pallet stock and return old depreciated and/or damaged pallets to PCT. There are more than 2,000 EPAL depots in Europe. So there is always one nearby.
Collection, Delivery or Matching therefore always takes place via an EPAL depot nearby. Thus, even for a decentralized hub, you buy or sell the most suitable pallets locally via the VAT-free e-Credit. This avoids "dragging" pallets across Europe and is thus in many cases more cost efficient.

Why EPAL depots benefit from e-Credit?

EPAL depots/manufacturers/dealers can also use e-Credits to optimize their own pallet flows. Suppose you receive an order from a customer to deliver 500 pallets from England to a decentralized hub in Hungary. Then, of course, you can drive a truck there. But chances are that a competitor of yours has similar stock on site. Then it is much easier to enter a Delivery order via PCT Online and the e-Credit and have the pallets delivered locally. In any case, it saves CO2, often unnecessary costs and hassle with Brexit rules. But also from Amsterdam to Barcelona such an order can work out well.

In addition, as an EPAL depot/manufacturer/dealer, you may have just too much stock. Then a Collection order can be a solution. Perhaps a competitor has a need for your pallets. In that case, too, settlement takes place via e-Credits. If you are located in border regions, the exchange of pallets via e-Credit is very convenient because you do not have to take into account the local VAT rules and administration.

In short.

There are many pallet exchange systems; there is only one Pallet Control Tower Online. And with our VAT-free e-Credit, we solve the many "hick ups" of existing systems. Thanks to the e-Credit, there is unlimited exchange of Europallets without redundant transports, you go from decentralized to centralized control, you automate pallet flows to and from customers and suppliers 24/7, there is no more discussion about the quality of pallets and a more cost efficient supply chain is created. If that's not added value...