EPAL is an open pooling system for logistics carriers founded in 1991, that grants licenses to carefully checked producers and repairers around the globe. It currently has more than 1,500 licensed production and repair operations in over 30 countries. JD Logistics has set a high target for the expansion of its JD Cloud Box division, planning to drive the operation to become "the world's leading open trading platform for exchangeable logistics containers." Going forward, JD Cloud Box will use EPAL products as the standard logistics carriers throughout the supply chain system, including cross-border logistics. "Our new partnership with EPAL brings us one step closer to making China's logistics industry the global 'smart' leader," Jie Ji, head of JD Cloud Box at JD Logistics, said in a statement. "Reliable access to high-quality pallets on an as-needed basis is crucial to ensuring a highly efficient supply chain ecosystem.