Plastic Pallets Explained

Plastic pallets provide a durable, hygienic and reusable alternative to traditional wooden pallets and are used across a wide range of industries for storage, handling, distribution and export. Available in a variety of sizes, designs and load capacities, plastic pallets can be selected to suit everything from lightweight export shipments to demanding warehouse and racking applications. At Plastic Pallets UK, we supply a wide range of new and used plastic pallets for businesses throughout the UK.

Why Choose Plastic Pallets?

Plastic pallets offer several advantages, depending on the application. Unlike wooden pallets, they contain no nails or splinters and resist moisture, mould, and many common contaminants. Their consistent dimensions and construction can also make them particularly suitable for automated handling and warehouse environments.

Key benefits include:

• Consistent dimensions and weight

• Strong and durable construction

• Resistant to moisture and mould

• Easy to clean

• No nails or splinters

• Suitable for hygienic applications

• Reusable over multiple handling cycles

• Available in nestable and stackable designs

• Recyclable at the end of their usable life

• No ISPM 15 heat-treatment requirement for international export

Plastic Pallets for Export

Plastic pallets are particularly popular for international shipping. Unlike solid-wood packaging, plastic pallets are not subject to the ISPM 15 treatment and marking requirements that apply to regulated wood packaging used in international trade. This makes plastic pallets a convenient option for exporters shipping to multiple international destinations.

Lightweight, nestable plastic pallets can also reduce shipment weight and storage space when pallets are used primarily for one-way export.

Nestable Plastic Pallets

Nestable plastic pallets are designed so that empty pallets fit partially inside one another. This significantly reduces storage space when pallets are not in use and can also reduce space needed for return transport.

Nestable pallets are commonly used for:

• Export shipments

• Distribution

• Retail

• Warehousing

• One-way logistics

• Air freight

They come in a variety of sizes and load capacities, depending on the application.

Stackable Plastic Pallets

Stackable plastic pallets are designed to sit securely on top of one another when empty. They generally offer a more substantial construction than lightweight nestable pallets and can be suitable for repeated use in warehouses, manufacturing facilities and distribution networks. Some designs incorporate runners or skids underneath the pallet to provide additional stability and compatibility with different handling systems.

Rackable Plastic Pallets

When storing pallets in pallet racking, select a product suited to the intended racking configuration and load. Rackable plastic pallets are designed to provide greater strength and rigidity and may incorporate reinforced construction depending on the model.

Always check the stated racking load, as this can differ considerably from the pallet’s static and dynamic load capacities. Our team can help you identify a suitable pallet based on your load, racking arrangement and intended application.

Understanding Plastic Pallet Load Capacities

Plastic pallets will often have different load ratings depending on how they are being used.

Static load refers to the load a pallet can support when stationary on a flat surface.

Dynamic load refers to the load it can support while being moved using suitable handling equipment such as a forklift or pallet truck.

Racking load refers to the load the pallet can support when stored in an appropriate pallet racking system.

These figures are not interchangeable, so select a pallet based on its intended use rather than simply choosing the product with the highest stated load capacity.

Common Plastic Pallet Sizes

We supply plastic pallets in a wide range of dimensions, including two of the most commonly used UK and European sizes:

1200 x 1000mm – widely used as a UK standard-size pallet across manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.

1200 x 800mm – commonly referred to as the Euro-size format and widely used throughout European supply chains.

We also supply half pallets, quarter pallets and other non-standard sizes for more specialised applications.

New & Used Plastic Pallets

Plastic Pallets UK supplies both new and used plastic pallets. New pallets provide consistency and let customers choose a specific design and specification for their application. Used plastic pallets can provide a cost-effective alternative where appearance is less important and are particularly useful for general warehousing, distribution and one-way applications.

Availability of used pallets varies, so contact our team if you have a specific size, quantity or specification requirement.

Plastic Pallets for Hygienic Applications

Plastic pallets can be particularly suitable for environments where cleanliness and hygiene are important. Their non-absorbent surfaces resist moisture and can generally be washed and cleaned more easily than timber pallets.

Different pallet designs and materials suit different industries, so customers with specific hygiene, food-contact, pharmaceutical, or regulatory requirements should check the individual product specification before ordering.

Reusable & Recyclable

Plastic pallets can offer a long service life when used in the appropriate application. For closed-loop supply chains where pallets are returned and reused repeatedly, their durability can make them an effective alternative to disposable packaging. At the end of their usable life, many plastic pallets can also be recycled, and the material can be used to manufacture new plastic products.

Plastic Pallets UK also offers a plastic pallet collection and recycling service for suitable quantities.