01
Shipping 48x40 into a Euro-pallet receiver
Physically possible, commercially often refused — their racking, conveyors and exchange accounting are built around 1200x800.
FixConfirm with the consignee in writing before the first load.
01The specification, which is unusually strict
Most pallet specifications are recommendations. The Euro pallet's is a licence. EPAL — the European Pallet Association — controls production, inspects licensees, and can withdraw the right to produce. That is why a genuine EUR-1 is consistent in a way North American pallets simply are not.
| Component | Quantity | Dimensions (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Top deck boards | 5 (3 wide, 2 narrow) | 1200 x 145 x 22 and 1200 x 100 x 22 |
| Bottom deck boards | 3 | 1200 x 100 x 22 and 1200 x 145 x 22 |
| Cross boards (top) | — | 800 x 145 x 22 |
| Blocks | 9 | 145 x 100 x 78 and 100 x 100 x 78 |
| Overall height | — | 144 mm |
| Nails | 78 | Specified pattern and type |
| Weight | — | 22–25 kg |
02Euro pallet vs GMA: the practical differences
| Measure | Euro EUR-1 | 48x40 GMA |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 1200 x 800 mm | 1219 x 1016 mm |
| Area | 0.96 m² | 1.24 m² |
| Construction | Block, full 4-way | Stringer, partial 4-way |
| Weight | 22–25 kg (48–55 lb) | 15–22 kg (33–48 lb) |
| Static load | 4,000 kg | 2,700–3,400 kg |
| Dynamic load | 1,500 kg | 1,270–1,360 kg |
| Exchange pool | Formal, licence-controlled | Informal, no central authority |
| Truck fit | 2 across a 2,400 mm trailer | 2 across a 100 in trailer |
The Euro pallet carries more and is built better; the GMA pallet carries a bigger footprint for less money. Neither is superior in the abstract — they are optimised for different vehicles and different exchange economics.
03What US exporters actually need to know
- Your European customer may require EUR-1. Many German, Austrian and Nordic receivers will not accept a non-Euro footprint at the dock. Ask before the first shipment, not after.
- Exchange is a real financial system. In a proper exchange, the receiver returns an equivalent pallet. If yours are not exchangeable, you are effectively donating a pallet per load.
- ISPM-15 still applies. A Euro pallet leaving the US must be heat treated and marked like any other solid wood packaging.
- Buying EPAL in the US is possible but not cheap. Licensed production in North America is limited, so most US-sourced EUR-1 pallets are imported or built under licence at a premium.
- A 1200x800 block pallet without EPAL marks is often the pragmatic answer for one-way shipments where nothing comes back.
We supply both: genuine licensed EUR-1 where exchange matters, and unlicensed 1200x800 block pallets where it does not. Tell us which situation you are in and we will not sell you the expensive one unnecessarily.
By the numbers
The figures worth remembering
Four numbers that decide most of what follows on this page.
- Overall height, tightly specified
- 144 mmOverall height, tightly specified
- Nails, in a specified pattern
- 78Nails, in a specified pattern
- Weight — heavier than a GMA pallet
- 22–25 kgWeight — heavier than a GMA pallet
- Static load rating
- 4,000 kgStatic load rating
Rules of thumb
Carry these in your head
- 01The specification is a licence, not a guideline. That is why quality is consistent.
- 02Branding is burned in, never printed.
- 03Two fit across a 2,400 mm European trailer — the same logic that made 48x40 win in America.
- 04EUR-2 is 1200 x 1000 mm; ISO 6780 recognises the dimension but not the licensed build.
Before you order
The decisions we will ask you to make
A quote turnaround is limited by how many follow-up questions we have to ask. Working through this list removes nearly all of them.
- 01
Does the receiver require EUR-1?
Many German, Austrian and Nordic docks will not accept a non-Euro footprint. Ask before the first shipment.
- 02
Exchange or one-way?
If pallets are exchanged, unlicensed lookalikes are excluded and you are donating a pallet per load.
- 03
Check the corner blocks
Genuine EUR-1 carries the EPAL oval branded — not printed — into the blocks on both sides.
- 04
ISPM-15 still applies
A Euro pallet leaving the US must be heat treated and marked like any other solid wood packaging.
- 05
Budget for the premium
Licensed production in North America is limited, so US-sourced EUR-1 carries a real premium.
What goes wrong
Expensive mistakes, and the fix for each
Every one of these turns up in ordinary purchase orders. All of them cost multiples of whatever they appeared to save.
02
Buying an unmarked 1200x800 and calling it a Euro pallet
It is a 1200x800 block pallet. Usable, not exchangeable, and worth substantially less.
FixBuy licensed EUR-1 where exchange matters and generic where it does not — but know which you have.
Side by side
Euro against GMA
| Measure | Euro EUR-1 | 48x40 GMA |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 1200 x 800 mm | 1219 x 1016 mm |
| Area | 0.96 m² | 1.24 m² |
| Construction | Block, full 4-way | Stringer, partial 4-way |
| Weight | 22–25 kg | 15–22 kg |
| Static load | 4,000 kg | 2,700–3,400 kg |
| Exchange pool | Formal, licence-controlled | Informal, no authority |
Against our interest
When this is the wrong answer
We would rather lose the order than sell you the wrong thing. These are the situations where this page is not what you need.
- 01
Domestic US freight
It is narrower, heavier and considerably more expensive than a 48x40, with no offsetting benefit on a domestic lane. There is no reason to buy one unless the destination requires it.
- 02
One-way export where nothing returns
The licensed premium buys exchangeability. If the pallet never comes back, an unmarked 1200x800 block pallet does the same job for much less.
- 03
Loads sized for a 48x40
The footprint is 0.96 m² against 1.24 m². Product tiled for a GMA pallet will overhang badly on a Euro pallet.
What moves the price
Cost drivers, and roughly how much each one is worth
A quote is not a list price with a discount applied. It is these variables added up, which is why two quotes for nominally the same thing can differ so widely.
| Driver | What it is | Rough effect |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed or generic | EPAL branding means licensed production, inspection and exchange eligibility. | Licensed carries a substantial premium |
| US availability | Licensed production in North America is limited, so most US-sourced EUR-1 is imported or built under licence. | $26–$44 delivered |
| Condition grade | The exchange pool grades on a different basis than US recycled grading. | Significant between A and B pool grades |
| Treatment | A Euro pallet leaving the US still needs heat treatment and an IPPC mark. | +$1.10–1.90 |
Due diligence
Questions to ask any supplier
Us included. The answers tell you a great deal, and so does how quickly they arrive — a yard that has these documents ready is a yard that has thought about them.
- 01
“Is this a licensed EPAL pallet, and is the branding burned into the corner blocks?”
- 02
“Will my consignee accept a non-Euro footprint, in writing?”
- 03
“Is the pallet exchange-eligible in its current condition?”
- 04
“Does the price include heat treatment and marking for export?”
- 05
“What is the difference in landed cost against an unmarked 1200x800 block pallet?”
The rulebook
Standards and authorities that actually apply
Plenty of pallet marketing invokes standards loosely. These are the real documents behind this subject, and what each one does and does not cover.
- EPAL / UIC 435-2
The licensed Euro pallet specification: board layout, block dimensions, nail count and pattern, tolerances and marking. Production is inspected and the licence can be withdrawn.
This is a licence, not a guideline — which is why quality is consistent.
- ISO 6780
Recognises 1200x800 mm and 1200x1000 mm as principal international footprints.
- ISPM-15
Applies to any Euro pallet leaving the country, exactly as for a domestic footprint.
- ISO 8611
The test basis for the 4,000 kg static and 1,500 kg dynamic figures.
Vocabulary
The terms used on this page
Defined the way the trade uses them, not the way a dictionary would.
- EPAL
- European Pallet Association — the licensing body for the Euro pallet. Genuine EUR-1 pallets carry an EPAL brand on the corner blocks.
- Block pallet
- A pallet using nine solid blocks instead of stringers, giving genuine four-way access for both forklifts and pallet jacks. Stronger and more durable than a stringer pallet, and 15–25% dearer.
- Four-way entryalso: Partial four-way
- Access from all four sides. True four-way requires block construction; a notched stringer pallet is only four-way for forklifts, not for pallet jacks.
- ISPM-15
- International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, governing treatment of solid wood packaging crossing international borders.
- IPPC mark
- The stamp showing compliance with ISPM-15: wheat symbol, country code, facility number and treatment code. Missing any element invalidates it.
- Pooling
- A rental model where a third party owns the pallets and charges per trip. CHEP, PECO and iGPS are the major North American pools.
From the journal
Longer reading on this subject
Written by the people who grade, repair and haul the wood — including the articles that argue against buying from us.
Compliance5 min readPriya Raghunathan
Dunnage: the wood that stops containers
The pallets were compliant. The crate was compliant. The two lengths of untreated 2x4 wedged against the load were not, and they were the first thing the inspector saw.
Read
- ISPM-15
- dunnage
- export
Compliance6 min readPriya Raghunathan
Methyl bromide is finished. What that means for your export packaging.
MB is still a valid treatment code under ISPM-15. That is not the same as it being a good idea, and the gap between those two facts is where shipments get held.
Read
- ISPM-15
- methyl bromide
- export
Compliance6 min readPriya Raghunathan
Reading an IPPC stamp: a field guide
The mark has four required elements. I have seen shipments held because one of them was missing and nobody at either end knew what they were looking at.
Read
- ISPM-15
- export
- compliance
Reference
Full specification
The numbers our own graders and builders work to. Print it, or paste it into a purchase order.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 1200 x 800 mm (47.24 x 31.5 in) |
| Height | 144 mm (5.67 in) |
| Weight | 22–25 kg (48–55 lb) |
| Construction | 9-block, full 4-way entry |
| Static load | 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) |
| Dynamic load | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
| Racked load | 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) |
| Marking | EPAL or UIC brand on corner blocks + IPPC mark |
| Variants | EUR-2 1200x1000, EUR-3 1000x1200, EUR-6 800x600 |
Questions
Answers to what buyers actually ask
Straight answers, including the ones that cost us the sale.
Can I use a 48x40 pallet to ship to Europe?
Physically yes, commercially often not. Many European receivers only accept the Euro footprint because their racking, conveyors and exchange accounting are built around it. Confirm with the consignee before the first load — a rejected pallet at a European dock is an expensive lesson.
How do I tell a real EPAL pallet from a copy?
Look at the corner blocks. A genuine EUR-1 has the EPAL oval branded into the block on both sides, alongside the IPPC mark and a production identifier. Check that the branding is burned in, not printed, and that the nail heads match the specified pattern.
What is the Euro pallet exchange system?
A formal arrangement where the receiver returns an equivalent-condition Euro pallet for each one delivered, so pallets circulate without changing ownership. It only works because the specification is licence-controlled and quality is consistent — which is exactly why unmarked lookalikes are excluded.
Is EUR-2 the same as the ISO 1200x1000?
Functionally close. EUR-2 is 1200 x 1000 mm, and ISO 6780 recognises a 1200 x 1000 mm footprint. The EPAL EUR-2 has its own licensed construction spec; a generic ISO 1200x1000 block pallet does not.
Do Euro pallets fit standard US racking?
At 1200 x 800 mm — about 47.2 x 31.5 inches — a Euro pallet is narrower in one direction than a 48x40. It can span beams set for GMA stock, but leaves an unsupported gap depending on orientation. Check beam spacing and the loading direction before racking, rather than trusting the capacity label.