01Working backwards
The standard approach is to pick a pallet and then work out how many fit. The better approach is to start with the internal dimension you are paying for and derive the pallet from it.
- Internal width of your container or trailer. A 40-foot ocean container is about 92.5 in; a 53-foot domestic trailer is 98–100 in.
- Subtract clearance. Two to three inches total for wrap, tolerance and the fact that nothing loads perfectly.
- Divide by pallets per row. Usually two, occasionally three for narrow footprints.
- That is your maximum width. For a 40-foot container: (92.5 − 2.5) ÷ 2 = 45 in.
- Then set the depth from the product tile and the door height, not from tradition.
| Vehicle | Internal width | Max pallet width, 2 across |
|---|---|---|
| 20 ft container | 92.5 in | 45 in |
| 40 ft container | 92.5 in | 45 in |
| 40 ft high cube | 92.5 in | 45 in (extra height, same width) |
| 45 ft container | 95.0 in | 46 in |
| 53 ft domestic trailer | 98–100 in | 48 in |
| European trailer | 2,400 mm | 1,200 mm long-side, or 800 mm short-side x3 |
02What the cube is worth
This is a container cost question, not a pallet cost question, and containers cost far more than pallets. That asymmetry is why the arithmetic usually favours the change.
Two hundred containers a year, 10% more product in each: you now need 182 containers. At $2,800 all-in that is roughly $50,000 saved annually. The pallet premium — say $6 a unit on 8,000 pallets — is $48,000 in year one and substantially less thereafter, because the premium on a tooled spec falls to around 10%.
- Typical cube gain from a matched footprint
- 8–15%Typical cube gain from a matched footprint
- Containers saved per 200 at a 10% gain
- 18Containers saved per 200 at a 10% gain
- Pallet premium on repeat runs of a tooled spec
- ~10%Pallet premium on repeat runs of a tooled spec
03The checks before you commit
- Can the receiver handle it? Their racking, dock plates and jacks were built around something. A footprint that saves you a container and creates a handling problem at their end will come back to you.
- Does it rack at your end? A 45-inch depth on beams spaced for 40 inches overhangs by five inches.
- Is the load stable at the new tile? Changing the footprint changes the case pattern, and a new pattern needs testing.
- What is the end-of-life value? Odd footprints have almost no resale market — that is a real cost and it belongs in the model.
- Can you commit to 500 units? That is the minimum economical run for a new footprint.
04The drawing stage
Nothing gets cut on a verbal specification. A custom build starts with a dimensioned drawing produced within 24 hours of a complete spec, and you sign it before any lumber moves.
The drawing forces the conversation that matters: board thickness, stringer count, entry type, deck coverage, fastener, treatment. Those are the decisions that determine whether the pallet works, and they are the ones most likely to be skipped when a footprint is agreed in an email. The process is described on the custom pallets page.
