What is Pallet?

Pallet is a flat tray, generally made of wood, but occasionally steel or other materials, on which goods can be stacked. It is a platform with or without sides, on which a number of packages or pieces may be loaded to facilitate handling by a lift truck. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load, which allows handling and storage efficiencies. Goods or shipping containers are often placed on a pallet secured with strapping, stretch wrap or shrink wrap and shipped.

Key takeaways:

Pallet allows it to be lifted and moved by material handling equipment such as lift trucks and conveyors, as well as to be placed in appropriate storage systems and transport vehicles.

The pallet provides the base for assembling, storing, handling, and transporting materials and products.

There are various common pallet materials. The wood pallet dominates the marketplace, followed by other materials, including plastic, paper, wood composite, and metal pallets.

Wood pallets offer a great combination of weight, stiffness, durability, and cost.