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Picnic: A Sturdier, Stackable Cargo Carrier for Rapid Growth
Picnic Case
Picnic built a unique, highly efficient supply chain—largely developed in-house. For the next step, they turned to Van Vliet & Newwen: design a load carrier suitable for automated fulfillment and capable of withstanding the rigors of daily use.
Growing Alongside a Lightning-Fast Delivery Network
Picnic is growing rapidly: over 2,500 small electric delivery vans, deliveries in 120 cities, 70 hubs, and 15+ fulfillment centers in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. The existing racks (100% aluminum with V-bracing, from another partner) lacked the stability required by this scale and level of automation.
Picnic posed two questions to Van Vliet & Newwen: Can you design a rack suitable for automated warehouse processes? And how can we ensure strength and durability?
Designed using simulations, built for real-world use
Comprehensive R&D Process
Together with Picnic, we went through an extensive development process, including FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis and simulation models to predict how the frame would respond to real-world forces.
The Design
Steel and aluminum racks with centered, weighted support points at the corners.
Just as strong and durable as the previous diagonal design—but more stable.
Stackable, to save space in logistics operations.
Suitable for automated warehouse processes.
“Newwen is a truly hands-on partner that worked effectively with us throughout our R&D process.”
Michiel Muller, CEO Picnic
Greater Productivity, Across Three Countries
2.500+
electric delivery vans equipped with
120
cities served from 70 hubs
3
Countries: the Netherlands, France, and Germany
The smart, reusable design boosts the productivity of employees, vehicles, hubs, and fulfillment centers. The pallets are stackable and poolable—a closed-loop system that saves space and reduces waste. Van Vliet & Newwen now supplies these solutions in three countries and serves as Picnic’s collaboration, development, and innovation partner.
Reuse as the default
Poolable, reusable load carriers in a closed-loop system are exactly the model that the PPWR promotes to meet the reuse targets for transport packaging (40% by 2030, 70% by 2040). Those who operate this way are already building a PPWR-compliant supply chain.
