Used export and one-way plastic pallets

Used export and one-way plastic pallets are built to leave with the load and not come back, so they are light, cheap and short-lived by design. Plastic is exempt from ISPM 15, which is why they are used for export at all.

Request a lot All styles

Built for: Not expected back
Trade-off: Lower price, shorter lifespan
Material example: Advanced composite, 100% recycled polyolefins
Racking: Generally not rated

What one-way means for a used buyer

A one-way pallet is a cheaper pallet shipped with the load and not expected back. Makers say nestable and lighter export designs are generally not rated for racking, and that there is no single export size. Cabka's nestable export range includes extra-lightweight and air-freight versions. A used one-way pallet was probably meant to make one trip and may have made more.

One-way, multi-trip and what each is for

Type	Designed for	Used buyer
One-way	A single shipment, not returned	Exporters sending goods that will not come back
Multi-trip	Many returns and reuses	Closed loops and pools
Captive	Owned and kept inside one company or loop	Not for open sale

Used one-way lots

One-way pallets reused for export suit a buyer who ships goods abroad and does not need the pallet back, since plastic skips ISPM 15 treatment. The lot description tells you how many have cracked decks or crushed legs, which is the first thing that goes on a light pallet.

Check legs for crush
Check decks for flex
Do not rack
Keep within the stated dynamic rating

One-way means a decision

A one-way export pallet is bought with the expectation that it will not come back. That changes the grade you need: scuffs and colour matter less than footprint, weight and cleanliness. Ask the consignee what footprint they use and whether they want the pallets or would rather not receive them, and check weight against the freight plan, since many one-way pallets are light because they were designed to be.

Weight is cost

Freight is often charged by weight and volume, so a lighter pallet saves on every shipment. Ask for a weight per pallet from a sample and multiply by the count to compare against your freight plan. A pallet that is too light for the load, however, risks a collapse in transit, so match the weight to the goods, not just the budget.

Yard storage and weather

Rain does little harm to plastic, but standing water in the ribs adds weight and breeds odours.
Freezing weather makes some resins brittle, so avoid dropping or hard-forking cold pallets.
Hot sun softens decks under load, which is how a stack ends up bowed.
Wind can topple tall unstrapped stacks, so strap them or keep them short.
Mud and grit on runners wear floors and conveyors, so brush them off before indoor use.

Labelling stacks

Put a card on each stack with footprint, grade and the date it was sorted.
Use one colour of tape for repaired pallets and another for held ones.
Keep labels at fork-truck eye level, not on the lowest pallet.
Update the card when a pallet is removed, so the count stays true.
Retire old cards instead of writing over them.

Walk-around checklist

The same four stops for every lot, in order. Tick each as you go.

1Deck: flex checked by hand
2Corners: corner chips counted
3Runners: runners checked if the style has them
4Fork pockets: pockets undamaged
Dynamic rating confirmed

Words used on this page

Captive pallet: A pallet owned and kept inside one company or loop.
Dynamic load: Weight a pallet carries while moving on a forklift, pallet jack or conveyor.
Nestable: Empty pallets stack inside one another, cutting empty storage space by up to 75 percent.
One-way pallet: A cheaper pallet shipped with the load and not expected back.
Fork pocket: Opening in the pallet where the forks go.

What the sources say

USDA APHIS lists plastic pallets among products not subject to APHIS regulation, as an alternative to wood packaging material. aphis.usda.gov
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
Static capacity is the highest of the three ratings; racking is often the lowest; dynamic is always lower than static. 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

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 one-way the same as export?

Often. Export pallets are usually one-way, but nothing stops a buyer reusing them.

Is plastic accepted for export without treatment?

USDA APHIS lists plastic pallets among alternatives not subject to its wood packaging regulation.