Pallets by industry
Each industry settles on a few footprints and a few rules. These pages collect the sizes, construction notes and buyer requirements for each one. 14 pages.
Industries
- Pallets for the grocery industryThe grocery industry runs on the 48 x 40 in (1219 x 1016 mm) pallet, either a GMA-style stringer pallet (3 notched stringers, 7 top and 5 bottom deckboards, 4.75 in tall) or a pooled 48 x…
- Pallets for the beverage industryBeverage pallets carry dense, heavy loads of bottles and cans, so they are built with thicker decks, tighter gaps and often 4 stringers. Besides the 48 x 40 in grocery footprint, the sizes…
- Pallets for the chemical industryChemical pallets are sized to drums, bags and IBCs: 48 x 48 in (1219 x 1219 mm) carries four 55-gallon drums, and 48 x 42 and 44 x 44 in are also common in North America. In Europe the…
- Pallets for paint and coatingsThe paint and coatings industry commonly uses the 42 x 42 in (1067 x 1067 mm) square pallet, a size listed in both ISO 6780 and ANSI MH1, plus 48 x 48 in for drums. Paint loads are cases…
- Pallets for the automotive industryThe footprint most associated with automotive parts is 48 x 45 in (1219 x 1143 mm), a size also used under bulk bins and gaylords; 48 x 40 in is used for aftermarket and retail shipments.…
- Pallets for the dairy industryThe footprint most associated with dairy is the 40 x 40 in (1016 x 1016 mm) square pallet, with 48 x 40 in used for shipments into grocery distribution. Dairy pallets live in coolers and…
- Pallets for building materialsBuilding materials use heavy-duty pallets sized to the product: 40 x 48 in (1016 x 1219 mm) is associated with bagged cement, 48 x 36 in with shingles, and long pallets such as 96 x 48 in…
- Pallets for paper and printingPaper is dense, heavy and sensitive to moisture, so paper and printing pallets need high deck coverage and dry lumber. The footprint commonly listed for paper is 48 x 36 in (1219 x 914…
- Pallets for the telecom industryThe footprint most associated with telecom is the 42 x 42 in (1067 x 1067 mm) square pallet, one of the six sizes in ISO 6780. Telecom loads are boxed equipment, cabinets and components,…
- Pallets and skids for machinery and equipmentMachinery and equipment usually ship on custom skids rather than standard pallets: a thick top deck on heavy runners (such as 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in or larger), sized to the machine base, with…
- Pallets for retail distributionRetail distribution centers are built around the 48 x 40 in (1219 x 1016 mm) pallet, in GMA-style stringer or pooled block construction. Large retailers publish pallet rules: Costco…
- Pallets for export shippingA wood pallet used in international shipping must meet ISPM 15: debarked, treated (usually heat treated to a 56 °C core temperature for 30 minutes) and marked with the IPPC stamp. Size it…
- Pallets for military and government shipmentsThe footprint most associated with military shipments is 40 x 48 in (1016 x 1219 mm), with stringers running the 40 in direction. Military and government pallets are usually built to a…
- Pallets for the pharmaceutical industryPharmaceutical shipments use the standard footprints of each market (48 x 40 in in North America, 1200 x 1000 and 1200 x 800 mm in Europe), but they demand cleaner pallets: kiln-dried,…