Pallet Facts - Part One!

Here at Machine Depot, we sell and distribute Pramac pallet trucks on daily basis, to national and international customers. We stock a wide-range of equipment, from special width pallet trucks to heavy duty pallet trucks, both manual and electric as well as providing both manual and electric stackers and a wide selection of diesel and petrol generators.

The pallet industry sees transportation as its main mode of use, enabling all manners of consumer goods to be exported ranging from cars to chemicals to food.

Did you know that in Europe, there are over four billion wooden pallets in circulation? Did you know that the average lifespan of a wooden pallet is approximately 5-7 years? Here’s a few more interesting facts about pallets.

• In Europe, pallets and packaging amount to c.25 million cubic metres of timber each year with about half a billion pallets made each year.

• There are approximately two billion in use in America alone.

• Pallets can easily carry loads of up to 1,000kg.

• Most European pallets are constructed allowing them to pass through doors, a standard that was passed in the US military.

• The UK government legislation requires the reuse of pallets, where possible to contribute towards its recycling legislations.

• Approximately $9 billion dollars worth of pallets are used per year in the world with Mexico leading the demand with an increase of 12% per year.

• There are no universally accepted dimensions - there are hundreds of different pallet sizes around the world.

• Pallet dimensions are based on the first number which is the ‘stringer length’ with the second number being the ‘deck board length’.

• 95% of the world’s pallets are manufactured using wood. The rest are made of plastic (2%), wood composite (2%) or cardboard/corrugated (less than 1%).