Business and Management

Types of Pallets and Uses

A pallet is a support or platform for boards to stack the load. They are rigid frames on which the goods are placed, distributed in a homogeneous way at height and on the pallet surface. The pallets, and consequently the load, will be transported from one side of the racking or the warehouse to the other by means of forklifts or pallet trucks.

You can also buy second hand wooden & timber pallets from Wooden Box & Crate Co.

europallet-warehouse-rack

Types of pallet

There are different kinds of pallets, depending on their size, their composition, etc. We list below the main existing pallets and their characteristics.

1) Pallets according to their dimensions:

Europallet:

It is a support whose measurements are 1200×800 mm. It is currently the most widespread in Europe. This type of pallet is regulated by EPAL (European Pallet Association) and as its website indicates, “around 500 million are currently in circulation”.

In addition, it is one of the types of pallets standardized by ISO (International Organization for Standardization). European industry and logistics therefore use the europallet as the main support to facilitate the flow of goods and their grouping in the transport and storage process.

The measurements of the europallet are determined by the width of the truck wagons, containers and trailers, which are usually 2400 mm, which allows them to be placed in a way that takes full advantage of the load space.

Main characteristics:

  • Measurements: length 800 mm, with 1200 mm.
  • Materials: 11 wooden boards, 9 blocks, 78 nails.
  • Approximate weight: 25 kg.
  • Safe workload on the move: 1500 kg.
  • Static load: when stacking loaded pallets on a solid and even surface, the lowest pallet should not exceed a load of more than 5500 kg.
  • They contain various markings for identification, such as the licence number and the treatment method. However, the most visible is the acronym EPAL.