Pallet

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Not to be confused with Palate or Palette (disambiguation).

For other uses, see Pallet (disambiguation).

The classic wooden pallet, with a glove for scale.

A plastic skid with nine legs, which can be lifted from all four sides. This type of transport is commonly
called a pallet, but since it has no bottom it is technically a skid.

A metal pallet with removable beams, in this case for firewood

Automated palletizer of bread with industrial KUKA robots at a bakery in Germany

48 in × 40 in (122 cm × 102 cm) galvanized steel pallet. Galvanized steel pallets are fireproof and rust
resistant.

A pallet (also called a skid) is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion
while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or an erect crane. A
pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load, which allows handling and storage efficiencies.
Goods in shipping containers are often placed on a pallet secured with strapping, stretch wrap or
shrink wrap and shipped. Since its invention in the twentieth century, its use has dramatically
supplanted older forms of crating like the wooden box and the wooden barrel, as it works well
with modern packaging like corrugated boxes and intermodal containers commonly used for bulk
shipping. In addition, pallet collars can be used to support and protect items shipped and stored
on pallets.

While most pallets are wooden, pallets can also be made of plastic, metal, paper, and recycled
materials.

Contents

 1 Overview
 2 Standardization and regulation
o 2.1 Dimensions
 2.1.1 ISO pallets
  2.1.2 North American pallets
 2.1.3 European pallets
 2.1.4 Australian standard pallets
o 2.2 Standard-setting organizations
 2.2.1 ISO Technical Committee 51: Pallets for unit load method of materials
handling
 2.2.2 National Wood Pallet and Container Association
 2.2.3 U.S. Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems
Command
 2.2.4 European Committee for Standardization (Comité Européen de
Normalisation)
o 2.3 Phytosanitary compliance
 3 Construction
o 3.1 Materials
 3.1.1 Wooden pallets
 3.1.1.1 Types
 3.1.1.2 Manufacture
 3.1.2 Plastic pallet
 3.1.3 Paper pallet
 3.1.4 Steel pallet
 4 History
 5 Hazards
o 5.1 Fire hazards
o 5.2 Contamination risks
 6 Air Cargo Pallets
 7 Pallet boxes
 8 Alternative uses
 9 See also
 10 References
 11 Further reading

Overview
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Containerization for transport has spurred the use of pallets because shipping containers have the
smooth, level surfaces needed for easy pallet movement. Many pallets can handle a load of
1,000 kg (2,200 lb). In 2020 about half a billion pallets are made each year and about two billion
pallets are in use across the United States alone.[1]

Pallets make it easier to move heavy stacks. Loads with pallets under them can be hauled by
forklift trucks of different sizes, or even by hand-pumped and hand-drawn pallet jacks.
Movement is easy on a wide, strong, flat floor: concrete is excellent. The greatest investment
needed for economical pallet use is in the construction of commercial or industrial buildings.
Ability to pass through standard doors and buildings make handling more convenient. For this
reason, some modern pallet standards are designed to pass through standard doorways, for
example the europallet (800 mm × 1,200 mm) and the U.S. military 35 in × 45.5 in (890 mm
× 1,160 mm).

Organizations using standard pallets for loading and unloading can have much lower costs for
handling and storage, with faster material movement than businesses that do not. The exceptions
are establishments that move small items such as jewelry or large items such as cars. But even
they can be improved. For instance, the distributors of costume jewelry normally use pallets in
their warehouses and car manufacturers use pallets to move components and spare parts.

The lack of a single international standard for pallets causes substantial continuing expense in
international trade. A single standard is difficult because of the wide variety of needs a standard
pallet would have to satisfy: passing doorways, fitting in standard containers, and bringing low
labor costs. For example, organizations already handling large pallets often see no reason to pay
the higher handling cost of using smaller pallets that can fit through doors.

A truckload of used wooden pallets in California

Due to cost and a need to focus on core business, pallet pooling becomes more and more
common. Some pallet suppliers supply users with reusable pallets, sometimes with integral
tracking devices. A pallet management company can help supply, clean, repair, and reuse pallets.

Heavy-duty pallets are a form of reusable packaging and are designed to be used multiple times.
Lightweight pallets are designed for a single use. In the EU, government legislation based on the
Waste Framework Directive requires the reuse of packaging items in preference to recycling and
disposal.

Standardization and regulation

Dimensions

Wooden pallets typically consist of three or four stringers that support several deckboards, on top
of which goods are placed. In a pallet measurement, the first number is the stringer length and
the second is the deckboard length. Square or nearly square pallets help a load resist tipping.

Pallet users want pallets to easily pass through buildings, to stack and fit in racks, to be
accessible to forklifts and pallet jacks and to function in automated warehouses. To avoid
shipping air, pallets should also pack tightly inside intermodal containers and vans.
Though some major standards exist, there are no universally accepted standards for pallet
dimensions. Companies and organizations utilize hundreds of different pallet sizes around the
globe.[2] While no single dimensional standard governs pallet production, a few different sizes
are widely used.

The standard 48×40 North American pallet, or GMA pallet, has stringers of 48 inches and
deckboards of 40 inches, and was standardized by the Grocery Manufacturers Association
(GMA).

 A standard wooden pallet (48 in × 40 in × 6 in or 1,219 mm × 1,016 mm × 152 mm) with a static
load bearing capacity of 3 short tons (2.7 long tons; 2.7 t) and a 1-short-ton (0.89-long-ton;
0.91 t) dynamic capacity, will weigh approximately 33 to 48 lb (15 to 22 kg)
 GMA pallets typically weigh 37 pounds (17 kg), and are 6+1⁄2 inches (170 mm) tall. Their deck
boards measure 3+1⁄4 inches (83 mm) wide and are 5⁄16 inch (7.9 mm) thick each. Other
dimensions of pallets have different weight capacities.

Lightweight plastic pallets can weigh as little as 3 to 15 pounds (1.4 to 6.8 kg), while heavier
models may weigh up to 300 pounds (140 kg). Standard GMA pallets can hold up to 460 pounds
(210 kg).

Heavy duty International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Pallets are approximately 44
inches (1,118 mm) wide by 48 inches (1,219 mm) long, have three wood stringers that are a
nominal 4 inches (102 mm) high by 3 inches (76 mm) wide timber, and weigh about 135 pounds
(61 kg). Their deck is fully covered by 30 mm (1.18 in) plywood, and is painted in blue in
European and Russian countries.

Two-way pallets are designed to be lifted by the deckboards.

Four-way pallets, or pallets for heavy loads (or general-purpose systems that might have
heavy loads) are best lifted by their more rigid stringers. These pallets are usually heavier, bigger
and more durable than two-way pallets.

ISO pallets

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sanctions six pallet dimensions,
detailed in ISO Standard 6780:2003 Flat pallets for intercontinental materials handling —
Principal dimensions and tolerances, which was reviewed and confirmed in 2014:[3]

Dimensions Dimensions Wasted floor,

Region most used in
(W × L) mm (W × L) in
ISO container
40.00 × 3.7% (20 pallets in 40 ft
1,016 × 1,219 North America
48.00 ISO)

1,000 × 1,200 39.37 × 6.7% Europe, Asia; similar to 40" × 48". Same footprint as
 47.24 a EUR 3 pallet.

1,165 × 1,165 45.9 × 45.9 8.1% Australia

42.00 ×
1,067 × 1,067 11.5% North America, Europe, Asia
42.00

43.30 ×
1,100 × 1,100 14% Asia
43.30

31.50 × Europe; fits many doorways. Same footprint as a

800 × 1,200 15.2%
47.24 EUR 1 pallet.

North American pallets

Of the top pallets used in North America, the most commonly used by far is the Grocery
Manufacturers Association (GMA) pallet, which accounts for 30% of all new wood pallets
produced in the United States.[4] The ISO also recognizes the GMA pallet footprint as one of its
six standard sizes.

Dimensions Dimensions Production

Industries using
(W × L) mm (W × L) in rank

1,016 × 1,219 40 × 48 1 Grocery, many others

1,067 ×1,067 42 × 42 2 Telecommunications, paint

1219 × 1219 48 × 48 3 Drums

1,219 × 1,016[further explanation needed] 48 × 40 4 Military,[5] cement

1,219 × 1,067 48 × 42 5 Chemical, beverage

1,016 × 1,016 40 × 40 6 Dairy

1,219 × 1,143 48 × 45 7 Automotive

1,118 × 1,118 44 × 44 8 Drums, chemical

914 × 914 36 × 36 9 Beverage

1,219 × 914 48 × 36 10 Beverage, shingles, packaged paper

Military 1⁄2 ISO container, fits 36" standard

889 × 1,156 35 × 45.5 Unknown
doors[6]
2,240 × 2,740 88 ×108 Unknown Military air cargo (463L system)

1,219 × 508 48 × 20 Unknown Retail

European pallets
Main article: EUR-pallet

EuroPallet

EURO
Dimensions (L × W × H) ISO pallet alternative
pallet type

ISO1, same size as EUR.

EUR 800 mm × 1,200 mm × 144 mm
The pallet weight is 20 – 25 kg.
EUR 1 31.50 in × 47.24 in × 5.67 in
Weight of a load: 2490 kg.

1,200 mm × 1,000 mm × 144 mm ISO2. The pallet weight is 33 kg.

EUR 2
47.24 in × 39.37 in × 5.67 in Weight of a load: 1470 kg.

1,000 mm × 1,200 mm × 144 mm The pallet weight is 29 kg.

EUR 3
39.37 in × 47.24 in × 5.67 in Weight of a load of 1920 kg.

ISO0, half the size of EUR.

800 mm × 600 mm × 144 mm
EUR 6 The pallet weight is 9.5 kg.
31.50 in × 23.62 in × 5.67 in
Weight of the safe load: 500 kg.

600 mm × 400 mm
quarter the size of EUR
23.62 in × 15.75 in

400 mm × 300 mm
one-eighth the size of EUR
15.75 in × 11.81 in

Australian standard pallets

Main article: Australia standard pallets
The Australian standard pallet is a pallet size commonly found in Australia but rarely found
elsewhere. It is a square pallet originally made of hardwood 1,165 mm × 1,165 mm (45.87 in
× 45.87 in) in size which fits perfectly in the RACE container of the Australian Railway. They
are ill-suited for the standard 20 feet (6.1 m) and 40 feet (12 m) ISO shipping containers used
around the globe. Australian standard pallets are usually manufactured in hardwood, but 1165 ×
1165 mm pallets can also be manufactured using lighter timber suitable for use as disposable
pallets using 16 millimeter boards. Extensively used in storage and warehousing, they are
popular pallets for racking, with the right shape and size to be removed from transport and
directly onto warehouse racking for storage.

The Australian Standard Pallet dates back to World War II, while ISO containers date to the late
1950s. Although the pallet's dimensions pre-date the ISO containers, it requires less dunnage, is
square, and leaves less wasted space than other pallets, including the GMA pallet. In 2010,
Australia adopted the globally accepted ISPM 15 wood packaging material regulations (before
this time it was hardwood and more expensive).[7]

Standard-setting organizations

A number of different organizations and associations around the world work towards
establishing and promulgating standards for pallets. Some strive to develop universal standards
for pallet dimensions, types of material used in construction, performance standards, and testing
procedures. Other organizations choose to focus on pallet standards for a specific industry (such
as groceries) or type of material (such as wood).

ISO Technical Committee 51: Pallets for unit load method of materials handling

ISO TC 51 states its scope of work entailing the "standardization of pallets in general use in the
form of platforms or trays on which goods may be packed to form unit loads for handling by
mechanical devices".[8] The Technical Committee works in conjunction with other Technical
Committees focused on transportation infrastructure to develop interrelated standards. TC 51 is
responsible for developing ISO Standard 6780: Flat pallets for intercontinental materials
handling—Principal dimensions and tolerances as well as sixteen other standards related to
pallet construction and testing.

National Wood Pallet and Container Association

The National Wood Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) is a trade organization based in
the United States representing the interests of wood pallet and container manufacturers.[9]

U.S. Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command

This organization maintains MIL-STD-1660, the standard description of palletized unit loads for
the U.S. Military and some allies.[10]

DOD Unit loads generally use 40 in × 48 in (1,016 mm × 1,219 mm) pallets, are less than
4,000 lb (1,814 kg), weatherproof, and stack 16 ft (4.88 m) high. They often use steel pallets,
steel straps with notched seals, outdoor plywood, and plastic film. The standard describes tests
for stacking, transport, sling, forklift and pallet jack, impact, drop tests, tip, water-retention, and
disassembly.

European Committee for Standardization (Comité Européen de Normalisation)

In addition to the other standards it publishes, the European Committee for Standardization, also
known as the Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN), produces standards for pallets. While
the standards are voluntary in nature, many companies and organizations involved in
transportation have adopted them. The major standard for pallets produced by CEN is ICS:
55.180.20 General purpose pallets[11]

Phytosanitary compliance

IPPC marks on a pallet from Germany (DE)

IPPC marks on a pallet from Germany (DE)

Due to the International Plant Protection Convention (abbreviated IPPC), most pallets shipped
across national borders must be made of materials that are incapable of being a carrier of
invasive species of insects and plant diseases. The standards for these pallets are specified in
ISPM 15.

Pallets made of raw, untreated wood are not compliant with ISPM 15. To be compliant the
pallets (or other wood packaging material) must meet debarked standards,[12] and must be treated
by either of the following means under the supervision of an approved agency:

 Heat treatment The wood must be heated to achieve a minimum core temperature of 56 °C
(132.8 °F) for at least 30 minutes. Pallets treated using this method bear the initials HT near the
IPPC logo.
 Chemical fumigation The wood must be fumigated with methyl bromide. Pallets treated using
this method bear the initials MB near the IPPC logo. From 19 March 2010 the use of methyl
bromide as a treatment according to ISPM15 has been banned within all EU member states. [13]
This is due to causing potential harm to the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer.
Treated wood pallets must be stamped on two opposite sides, indicating either HT for heat
treated or MB for methyl bromide treatment.

Pallets made of non-wood materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, or engineered wood
products, such as plywood, oriented strand board, or corrugated fiberboard do not need IPPC
approval, and are considered to be exempt from ISPM 15 regulations.

Construction
Materials

Wooden pallets

Wooden pallet being dismantled

The production of pallets accounts for 43% of hardwood and 15% of softwood usage in the U.S.
[14]

The cheapest pallets are made of softwood and are often considered expendable, to be discarded
as trash along with other wrapping elements, at the end of the trip. These pallets are simple
stringer pallets, and able to be lifted from two sides.

Slightly more complex, hardwood block pallets, plastic pallets and metal pallets can be lifted
from all four sides. These costlier pallets usually require a deposit and are returned to the sender
or resold as used. Many "four way" pallets are color-coded according to the loads they can bear,
and other attributes. Wood pallets can pose serious bio-hazard risks as they are susceptible to
bacterial and chemical contamination, such as E. coli problems in food and produce
transportation,[citation needed] and even insect infestation, and thus the need for ISPM 15.

Wooden pallet construction specifications can depend on the pallet's intended use: general, FDA,
storage, chemical, export; the expected load weight; type of wood desired: recycled, hard, soft,
kiln dried or combo (new & recycle); and even the type of fasteners desired to hold the pallet
together: staples or nails.

The price of wooden pallets reached a record high during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to
increases in the prices of supplies and labor.[15]

Types

Although pallets come in all sizes and configurations, all pallets fall into two very broad
categories: "stringer" and "block" pallets. Various software packages exist to assist the pallet
maker in designing an appropriate pallet for a specific load and evaluating wood options to
reduce costs. Stringer pallet

Stringer pallets are one of the original models of wooden pallets. They use a frame of three or
more parallel pieces of timber (called stringers). The top deckboards are then affixed to the
stringers to create the pallet structure. Stringer pallets can have a notch cut into them allowing
"four-way" entry. Forklifts can lift a stringer pallet from all four directions, though lifting by the
stringers is more secure. Stringer pallets can be made of both wood and plastic.

Block pallet

Block pallets utilize both parallel and perpendicular stringers to better facilitate efficient
handling. A block pallet is also known as a "four-way" pallet, since a pallet-jack may be used
from any side to move it.