Pallet Glossary
The frequently used terms of the palletising world, defined briefly and clearly.
- 4-Way Entry
- The ability of a forklift or pallet truck to enter the pallet from all four sides. Speeds up handling and adds flexibility in tight spaces.
- ASRS (Automated Storage)
- Automated Storage and Retrieval System; a warehouse where robots pick and place. Requires consistent pallet size and a flat surface.
- Big Bag (FIBC)
- A large flexible package (jumbo bag) carrying 500–1500 kg of bulk product. Safely handled with a wide-base pallet (100×120 / 120×120). Details »
- Capacitainer
- A pallet box with a foldable body on a pressed-wood base. Lightweight for air freight and export; 104–1000 litres. Details »
- Carbon Footprint
- The total greenhouse-gas emissions caused by a product or activity. A light, recycled and long-life pallet can reduce this footprint. Details »
- Composite Pallet
- A pallet made by pressing wood fibre with resin in one piece under high heat and pressure. Light, hygienic, 100% recyclable and ISPM-15 exempt. Details »
- Container Internal Dimensions
- A 20’ container is ~5.90×2.35 m and a 40’ is ~12.03×2.35 m. How the pallet size fits this width sets the fill rate. Details »
- Dimensional Stability
- A pallet keeping its size through moisture and temperature change. Critical for automated lines and racking; composite pallets do not swell.
- Dynamic Load
- The maximum load a pallet can safely carry while being moved by forklift or pallet truck. About 1,500 kg for a standard composite pallet.
- EPAL
- European Pallet Association; sets and stamps the size and strength standard of wooden Euro pallets. Stamped pallets are used in European exchange pools.
- Euro Pallet
- The standard pallet with a 1200×800 mm (80×120 cm) footprint. The common language of European logistics; racking and vehicle plans are built around it. Details »
- Fumigation
- Treating wood packaging with gas (usually methyl bromide) to eliminate pests. Not required for composite pallets.
- Half Pallet
- The 60×80 cm pallet, half the Euro footprint. Economical for in-store display and small-volume e-commerce shipping. Details »
- Heat Treatment (HT)
- An ISPM-15-compliant treatment raising the wood core temperature to at least 56 °C for 30 minutes. Not separately needed for composite pallets as they are made with high heat.
- IPPC Mark
- The wheat-ear mark that ISPM-15-scope wood packaging must carry; it shows the country code, facility number and treatment method (HT/MB).
- ISPM-15
- A plant-health standard requiring untreated wood packaging in international trade to be heat treated or fumigated to stop pests. Composite pallets are out of scope as processed products. Details »
- KLT Box
- A standard stackable plastic tote used in the automotive industry. Stacked neatly on the pallet; requires a consistent pallet size.
- Nestable
- Empty pallets nesting into each other to take up less space. Lowers empty-return and storage cost; a hallmark of composite pallets.
- One-Way Export
- A shipment where the pallet goes to the buyer with the product and does not return. A light, ISPM-15-free pallet gives a cost advantage here. Details »
- Pallet Collar
- A hinged wooden frame that turns a pallet into a foldable box. Stackable and reusable. Details »
- Presswood Pallet
- The international name for the composite pallet. From “pressed wood”; the same product as chipboard (sunta) and composite pallet. Details »
- Returnable (Closed-Loop) Logistics
- A system where the pallet returns and is reused many times instead of being one-way. Requires a durable, long-life pallet.
- Static Load
- The maximum load a pallet can bear while stationary (stacked). About 3,500 kg for a standard composite pallet.
- Sunta (Chipboard) Pallet
- The colloquial name for the composite pallet. Sunta = chipboard; the same product as presswood and composite pallet. Details »
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