Where to buy used plastic pallets
Used plastic pallets are sold by makers that carry used stock, by marketplaces that list lots, by local recyclers and by desks like this one that match a request to a lot. Each channel has a gap, and the gap is what to check.
- Channels
- Makers, marketplaces, recyclers, desks
- Common gap
- Grade left undefined
- Always ask
- Footprint, rating, marks
- Written by
- Us, from public listings
Four places to buy and what each leaves out
| Channel | What it offers | What it leaves out |
|---|---|---|
| A maker with used stock | Its own pallets, with its own ratings. One maker says a rep can match new or used stock from the closest warehouse | A grade or inspection rating on the used pages |
| A marketplace | State-by-state listings of lots, with grades A and B | A definition of the grade, and often a verified quantity |
| A local recycler | Mostly wood, with plastic as a side line | Sizing and rating detail for plastic |
| A desk that matches | A written lot built from your footprint and use | A shelf you can browse |
What the listings actually say
One marketplace listing for used 43.3 x 43.3 x 5.9 in R11 pallets describes the grade as "Good as New, Barely Used and No Cracks", shows a maker's logo, and says the available quantity needs to be verified before sale. Its Grade B twin does not define the grade at all.
A maker's used 48 x 40 x 6.3 in six-runner HDPE listing shows the pallet as in stock, condition "Used", colour "Varies", and no grade or inspection rating. Both are honest listings. Neither tells you what a buyer needs to know about wear.
How to buy safely from any channel
The same questions work everywhere. Ask for the measured footprint, the resin, the rating on the deck plate and the wear in words. Ask whether any pallet carries an owner's name, logo or tag, because those pallets may belong to a pool operator.
- Measure, do not trust a name
- Ask what the grade means in the seller's words
- Ask for a count by style
- Ask about marks and tags
- Ask how the lot reaches you
The places a used lot can come from
Used plastic pallets reach the market from a few directions: distribution centres that retire a footprint, plants that change a product line, recyclers who sort the whole ones from the broken ones, and brokers who gather lots from all of them. Each source has a different level of knowledge about the wear. A recycler knows the resin, a plant knows the history, and a broker knows neither unless they walked the lot. Ask the seller which kind they are.
Judging a seller
Judge a seller by what they can show and say. A yard visit, a written lot description, a stated footprint and a plain answer about marks all count. A seller who is vague on all four is a seller to avoid, however low the quoted number. Good sellers welcome questions.
A kit for the walk-around
- A steel tape that reads both inches and millimetres.
- A torch for the underside, where hairline cracks hide in shadow.
- A straight edge about a metre long to test decks for bow and dishing.
- Gloves, because burrs and weld beads cut skin.
- A phone, a pen and a numbered sheet so every pallet checked gets a mark.
Sorting a lot into piles
- Pile one: whole pallets with flat decks, square corners and no repairs.
- Pile two: whole pallets with a repair or a mismatched piece, kept separate and counted.
- Pile three: pallets with a crack through a load path, set aside for repair or scrap.
- Pile four: marked pallets that may belong to someone else, held until the owner is known.
- Write the pile count on a board by the stacks, and photograph it each morning.
Walk-around checklist
The same four stops for every lot, in order. Tick each as you go.
- 1Deck described in words and not just a grade letter
- 2Corner wear described
- 3Runner wear described
- 4Fork pocket entries confirmed
- Rating on the deck plate or from the maker
- Marks and tags confirmed
Words used on this page
- Welding repair
- Plastic is hard to glue, so cracked parts are normally welded.
- Runners
- Bottom rails that touch the floor or rack and carry the load.
- Fork pocket
- Opening in the pallet where the forks go.
- HDPE
- High-density polyethylene, resin code 2. The most common resin in plastic pallets; tough and moisture resistant.
What the sources say
- Static capacity is the highest of the three ratings; racking is often the lowest; dynamic is always lower than static. nelsoncompany.com
- That Nelson model is under 5 in tall, which the page says suits air freight, and works with automation and most roller conveyors. nelsoncompany.com
- Steel, aluminum, plastic and engineered-wood pallets are exempt from ISPM 15; wood must reach a core temperature of 56 C for at least 30 minutes for heat treatment. en.wikipedia.org
- A used Nelson 48 x 40 x 6.3 in HDPE one-piece pallet weighs 49 lb with 30,000 lb static, 5,000 lb dynamic and 2,200 lb racking ratings. nelsoncompany.com
How a request works
- Pick the footprint, then the grade you can live with.
- Say what the pallets will carry and how many you need.
- Read the written lot description that comes back.
- Agree the lot before anything moves.
The four grades, in a line each
- Like new. A few trips only. Clean, no cracks, no missing parts, deck and runners flat.
- Used and clean. Many trips, scuffs and colour variation, but whole and usable for general-purpose or closed-loop work.
- Repaired. A cracked or chipped part welded or swapped. Some designs use snap-lock parts for repair.
- Mixed lot. Mixed makers, colours and sizes sold by the truckload, sorted by footprint.
Questions people ask
Is a marketplace listing reliable?
It is a starting point. One listing here says plainly that the quantity needs to be verified before sale, so verify it.
Why does a grade letter not tell me enough?
Because suppliers use their own words. Grade A at one seller can be Grade B at another.
Where do I find a rating?
On the deck plate or the maker's product page, not in a grade.
Ask for a lot
Pick a footprint and a grade. The reply describes a matched lot in writing.