Used 48 x 32 Euro plastic pallets
Used 48 x 32 Euro plastic pallets are the 1200 x 800 mm footprint, the second most popular plastic pallet size worldwide. Many are light one-way models, and some are stackers rated for 15,000 lb at rest.
- Footprint
- 48 x 32 in (1200 x 800 mm), Euro
- Metric
- 1199 x 800 mm
- Deck area
- 10.3 sq ft
- Typical use
- Often required for shipments into Europe; many lightweight versions for one-way export
What Euro 1200 x 800 is for
The Euro pallet is 1200 by 800 mm, close to 47.2 by 31.5 inches, and a US shipper meets it when sending goods into Europe, where it is often required. A heavier stackable example, STK 783 in the PHS list, is rated 3,500 lb dynamic and 15,000 lb static. The lighter one-way models are rated far lower and are meant to stay with the load.
Because the range is wide, the label Euro tells a buyer the footprint and nothing else. A lot of used Euro pallets can mix a light export model with a stacker. Ask for each model's rating, or ask us to say that it is unknown, and weigh a sample so the mix is visible.
Where it fits
| Use | Why it fits | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Shipments into Europe | Often required | Ask what the consignee wants |
| Lightweight one-way export | Many versions exist | Do not expect to rack them |
| Stacked in transit | A stacker has a static rating | Read the plate on the bottom pallet |
Deck area against the common footprints
Worked out in inches, Euro 1200 x 800 is 1199 by 800 mm and 10.3 square feet of deck.
| Footprint | Deck area | Compared with GMA |
|---|---|---|
| Euro 1200 x 800 (this page) | 10.3 sq ft | 77% of a 48 x 40 |
| 48 x 40 | 13.3 sq ft | 100% of a 48 x 40 |
| 48 x 48 | 16.0 sq ft | 120% of a 48 x 40 |
| 45 x 45 | 14.1 sq ft | 105% of a 48 x 40 |
| 43 x 43 | 12.8 sq ft | 96% of a 48 x 40 |
| 42 x 42 | 12.3 sq ft | 92% of a 48 x 40 |
What to watch in a used lot
A request for this footprint is answered with a written lot description. This site states no price and no stock list.
- Measure both sides in millimetres, not inches
- Weigh three pallets to separate light models from stackers
- Check the pockets: which sides open matters to the equipment at the other end
Euro pallets in US hands
A Euro plastic pallet in a US warehouse is usually there because someone shipped goods from Europe or intends to. Light one-way versions are common, and a buyer who treats them as general-purpose will be disappointed on the first racked load. Weigh a sample to tell light models from heavier stackers, ask which sides open for forks, and check the plate. Where there is no plate, the maker's page is the only source for a rating, and a rating from a different model is not one to rely on.
Measuring in millimetres
Because this pallet is defined in millimetres, measure it that way. A reading of 1200 by 800 confirms the Euro footprint; a reading of 1219 by 813 suggests a US-made 48 x 32, which is a different pallet in a different system. Write the readings on the order, and tell the desk if a stack contains both.
What to write down about a lot
- Footprint in both units, with the readings you took rather than the label.
- Number of stacks, pallets per stack and any odd stacks left over.
- Makers and model numbers seen on plates or moulded into the ribs.
- Count of repaired, mismatched or cracked pieces, and where each sits.
- Marks, colours and any smell, with a note on who confirmed each.
When something looks wrong
- Stop unloading and photograph the fault before anything moves.
- Count how many pallets show the same fault, to see if it is a lot problem or a one-off.
- Tell the desk or the seller in writing the same day, with the photographs attached.
- Hold the affected stacks apart until you hear back.
- Keep one sample pallet unused, so the maker or an inspector can examine it.
Walk-around checklist
The same four stops for every lot, in order. Tick each as you go.
- 1Deck: flat, no rocking on the floor
- 2Corners: surface gouges only
- 3Runners: whole along their length
- 4Fork pockets: open on the sides the footprint is used with
- Footprint measured: 1199 x 800 mm
Words used on this page
- Fork pocket
- Opening in the pallet where the forks go.
- Static load
- Weight a pallet carries at rest, or the bottom pallet carries when stacked. The highest of the three ratings.
- Stackable
- Loaded pallets can sit on top of each other, up to the static rating.
- Rackable
- Rated to sit on rack beams, with a stated racking load.
- One-way pallet
- A cheaper pallet shipped with the load and not expected back.
What the sources say
- The 800 x 1200 mm Euro footprint is the second most popular plastic pallet size worldwide. blog.containerexchanger.com
- Static capacity is the highest of the three ratings; racking is often the lowest; dynamic is always lower than static. nelsoncompany.com
- Rehrig Pacific's 40 x 48 rackable pallet weighs 44.2 lb with a dynamic rating of 4,000 lb, static 10,000 lb and edge rack 2,000 lb. rehrigpacific.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
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 the Euro pallet 48 x 32?
It rounds to that, but the true size is 1200 x 800 mm.
Are Euro plastic pallets rackable?
Some are, most light one-way models are not. Ask for the plate.
Do I need ISPM 15?
Not for plastic.
Ask for a lot
Pick a footprint and a grade. The reply describes a matched lot in writing.