“Some of the racks that we used to have available for purchase, will now also be available for rental in 2022. We notice that rental is a popular option for growers and retailers, as it reduces their costs significantly,” says David Thorne, Nursery Sales Manager of EZRack. The US-based company services nationwide retailers with reusable rack solutions. The company has done this for more than 20 years, and is continuing to develop their services according to their customers’ needs. From focusing on rental to including holiday racks, much is (and will be) happening at EZRack.
The EZRack team at Cultivate’21
Focusing on rental
According to Thorne, a major goal of the company is to eliminate disposable packaging. “Our primary focus is to rent and recover racks. We also give customers the option to buy the racks, but it is much more affordable and sustainable to choose the rental option. Not only does it cost much less for growers and retailers, it also means that the rack can be reused, which is more sustainable. Therefore, we work with retailers to ensure that the whole process is circular; from renting to shipping, to collecting the racks, we take care of it all.” Because of the benefits, EZRack is noticing an increasing demand from growers and retailers to use their rental service. As a result, EZRack is expanding the amount of racks available for rental. “Our holiday racks (for wreaths and garlands etc.) and display/merchandising racks will now also be available for rental in 2022.”
EZRack being loaded
Developing new racks as solutions
According to Thorne, there was a need for a more cost-effective and sustainable solution when it comes to the holidays. “Many seasonal items get shipped on one-way disposable wooden pallets. Therefore, we provide reusable racks, especially made for the holiday products, as a solution. For example, we have racks with hooks on them, so that they are able to attractively display wreaths and garlands at the point of purchase.” In addition, the recent popularity of houseplants and succulents has resulted in a need for smaller racks. “We are now also offering a new format of our standard rack: the half rack. This is a great solution for smaller quantities of products. Moreover, it allows our customers to be smarter with their used space, in order to be more cost-efficient.”
EZRack used to display plants
What are the benefits of using EZRack?
Thorne explains that, compared to other conventional racks on the market, EZRack’s customers appreciate the cost reduction and sustainability. “As mentioned, the fact that we offer them for rental saves growers/retailers money, as they don’t have to purchase them. Our services also save labor and time, as we recover the rented racks after they are used. When using other, wooden racks, there is less flexibility available. Not only is the price of wood really high at the moment, wooden racks also typically don’t get reused. EZRack, on the other hand, is a much more sustainable option as they get broken down, rebuilt and used again. We currently have a network of over 10.000 retail locations in the US, and are looking to expand into Canada soon.”
EZRacks being stored
Upcoming projects
Besides these recent developments, EZRack is already working on several future projects. “First of all, we are working on an option to provide our own pallets and shelves as a rental solution. That way, those parts can be reused as well, and there is basically zero waste involved. We are also aiming to be a one-stop shop for our nursery partners. Therefore, we are working to provide the signage along with the rack, which is something we have never done before. And with some of our large retailers, we have been working on reversed logistics this past year. They partner with us to take the used racks back for us, making the operation even more sustainable and efficient. We are excited to expand on this in the upcoming years.”
For more information:
EZRack
www.ezrack.com