Pallets

Pallets are flat, rigid platforms that can be used to store, transport or export goods.

They can be made of different materials, including wood, plastic, metal and corrugated cardboard. The most common type of pallet material is usually heat-treated timber, which makes popular wooden pallets.

The size of a pallet directly impacts its overall capacity and compatibility with different transportation systems.

There are many different pallet sizes uses worldwide. Here are some of the most popular:

UK standard size pallets

In the UK, the dimensions of a standard pallet are 1200m x 1000mm. Pallets this size allow them to be used seamlessly with most UK warehouse racking and forklifts, plus they’re well optimised for transport.

UK standard pallet are 20% larger than Euro pallets. This pallet size is also commonly used throughout Asia.

Euro pallet sizes

Typical Euro pallet size dimensions are 1200mm x 800mm. This is the standard pallet size as specified by the European Pallet Association and can be identified by the abbreviation EPAL or EUR on the pallet.

Pallets that meet European pallet size specifications qualify for the aforementioned European Pallet Pool.

Other pallet sizes

Some other globally recognised pallet sizes include:

Full, half and quarter pallets

The height of a pallet’s load will dictate if it is a full, half or quarter pallet. A full pallet has a maximum height of 2200mm, a half pallet has a height of 1200mm, and a quarter pallet has a height of 800mm. These heights apply to both Euro and UK pallet sizes.

So, in the UK:

Presswood pallets are pallets that are manufactured from natural wood fibres combined with man-made resin. They’re moulded at a high temperature to provide a smooth, sold base. The manufacturing process also provides heat-treatment protection.

At Macfarlane, our presswood pallets are made from 100% recycled content, are ISPM-15 compliant and can be stacked for easy storage.

Presswood pallets cannot be recycled in standard household collections. However, they can be reused and can be recycled in industrial recycling streams.

It’s estimated that plastic pallets can last from 8 to 10 years. This is twice as long as traditional wooden pallets!

Plastic pallets are incredibly durable and long lasting. They’re washable too. This means they’re great for closed loop and clean environment supply chains, where pallets need to be reused and/or washed.

Yes, plastic pallets can be reused. They’re long-lasting and can be washed. This makes them an ideal pallet solution for clean room environments and closed loop supply chains.