Pallet
A pallet is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion while they are lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, or stacker. The two most common standards are the 48×40 inch GMA pallet (North America) and the 1200×800 mm EUR-pallet (Europe).
The GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) 48×40 inch pallet is the de facto U.S. standard. About a third of new pallets made in North America follow this spec. It fits a standard 53-foot trailer two-wide for 26 pallets per trailer.
The EUR-pallet (1200×800 mm) is the European equivalent — wooden, four-way entry, standardised under EPAL. EUR-pallets are pooled across the EU and exchange between users in many supply chains.
Pallet construction varies: stringer pallets (boards across a longitudinal stringer, supports two-way fork entry on most pallets) and block pallets (with corner blocks, supports four-way fork entry). GMA pallets are usually stringer; EUR-pallets are block.
Wood pallets used for international shipping must be heat-treated to ISPM-15 standards and marked accordingly. Plastic and metal pallets are exempt from ISPM-15 because they don't carry pests.
Related terms
- LTL vs. FTL (less than truckload vs. full truckload)FTL means a shipper has booked an entire truck for their cargo. LTL means the cargo shares a truck with other shippers' cargo, picked up and dropped off via terminal hubs. LTL is the trucking analogue of LCL.
- SkidA skid is a flat platform similar to a pallet but without the bottom deck — only the top surface and the support runners. It cannot be lifted by a pallet jack as cleanly as a pallet but is lighter and cheaper.
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