Size library
The Euro pallet, 1200 × 800 mm: block construction, and a stamp that means something.
Ask about 1200 × 800 mm pallets
Give the quantity, the size and the ZIP code. We pass your request to a partner supplier, who follows up.
- Buy, sell, recycle or remove: tell us which way it flows
- Add the size, grade and quantity if you know them
- A partner supplier follows up
- Availability depends on partner suppliers
Staged
Clean pallets stacked and staged for loading.
Drawn to scale
1200 × 800 mm — 1200 × 800 mm
8,800 lb
Typical static load
3,300 lb
Typical dynamic load
2,200 lb
Typical racked load
55 lb
Typical unit weight
5.7″
Overall height
5/3
Deck boards, top / bottom
1200 × 800 mm · 5 top boards · 3 stringers
Blocks, not stringers
Why the construction difference matters more than the dimensions
An American stringer pallet is strong along the stringers and weak across them. A European block pallet has nine feet and three bottom runners, which means it is genuinely four-way — a forklift or a pallet jack can enter from any side with the same result.
That is a real operational advantage, and it is why block pallets dominate in Europe and are increasingly common in North American automotive and pharmaceutical supply chains. It also makes them more expensive to build and considerably more expensive to repair, because a damaged block is a bigger job than a damaged deck board.
For a full comparison of the two constructions, see pallet grades and the load capacity guide.
Identifying a genuine EPAL
Four marks to check before you accept a load
- 01The EPAL oval on the corner blockBranded, not printed. The right-hand corner block carries the EPAL oval; a EUR-in-oval mark indicates the older UIC scheme, which is related but not identical.
- 02The licence numberA country code and licence number branded into the centre block, identifying the manufacturer or repairer. No number, no certification.
- 03The IPPC / ISPM-15 markRequired for international movement. See ISPM-15 explained for how to read it.
- 04The repair nailEPAL-certified repairs are marked with a specific control staple or nail in a defined position. A repaired unit without it is no longer certified, whatever it looks like.
Questions
Euro pallet questions
Do I need EPAL certification, or just the size?
Depends entirely on the consignee. Many European receivers operate a physical exchange system and will only take certified units. Others simply need the footprint. Ask before you buy — certified stock costs meaningfully more.
Does a Euro pallet fit an American trailer?
Yes, and better than its reputation. Turned, two 1200 mm lengths take about 94.5 inches of a 98-inch trailer, and about 40 fit on the floor of a 53-foot van. The mismatch is usually in racking and handling set up for 48×40 stringer pallets, not in the trailer.
Can Euro pallets be repaired?
They can be repaired structurally, but EPAL certification can only be restored by a licensed repairer within the scheme. Ask which one you are getting.
Identification
Telling a genuine EPAL from a lookalike
| Mark | Where | What it means | If missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAL oval | Right-hand corner block | Branded, not printed, into the block | Not a certified EPAL unit |
| EUR in oval | Corner block | Older UIC scheme — related, not identical | Check acceptance with the consignee |
| Licence number | Centre block | Country code and manufacturer or repairer number | No number means no certification |
| IPPC / ISPM-15 mark | Corner block | Heat treatment for international movement | Not accepted on most international lanes |
| Control staple or nail | Defined position | Marks a certified repair | A repair outside the scheme decertifies it |
| Block dimensions | Nine blocks | 145 × 100 mm outer, 145 × 145 mm centre | Non-standard blocks suggest a copy |
Block construction
Why this is a different pallet, not a metric GMA
An American stringer pallet is strong along the stringers and weak across them. Fork access from the sides requires notching those stringers, which weakens them exactly where they are working hardest.
A Euro pallet has nine wooden blocks and three bottom runners. There are no continuous stringers to notch, so entry from all four sides is genuinely equivalent — a real operational advantage that stringer pallets only approximate.
Blocks also set the geometry. Overall height depends on machined block dimensions rather than on the sum of three variable board thicknesses, which is why block pallets hold tolerance better and why automated systems increasingly specify them.
The costs are build price and repairability. A cracked block is a considerably bigger job than a broken deck board, and the North American repair infrastructure is built entirely around stringer construction.
Questions
More Euro pallet questions
Do I need certified EPAL or just the footprint?
It depends entirely on the consignee. Many European receivers operate physical exchange and will only take certified units; others simply need the dimensions. Ask before you buy — certification carries a real premium.
Can a Euro pallet be repaired?
Structurally, yes. EPAL certification can only be restored by a licensed repairer inside the scheme, so ask which you are getting.
How does it load an American trailer?
Better than its reputation. Turned, two 1200 mm lengths take about 94.5 inches of a 98-inch trailer, and about 40 fit on the floor of a 53-foot van. The mismatch is usually in racking and handling set up for 48×40 stringer pallets.
What is EUR 2 or the industrial Euro?
1200 × 1000 mm, close to a GMA in metric clothing and common in chemical and industrial export. Same block construction, larger footprint.
Are Euro pallets available recycled in North America?
In batches. They arrive through import container destuffing rather than through domestic circulation, so supply follows port activity rather than local demand.
Trailer maths
How many of these fit where.
53′ dry van
40
on the floor
≈ 80 stacked two high
48′ dry van
36
on the floor
≈ 72 stacked two high
40′ container
20
on the floor
≈ 40 stacked two high
20′ container
8
on the floor
≈ 16 stacked two high
Questions
1200 × 800 mm pallets, answered.
What are the exact dimensions of a 1200 × 800 mm pallet?
47.24" × 31.5" (1200 × 800 mm), standing about 5.7″ tall. A recycled unit weighs roughly 55 lb, built on 3 stringers with 5 top and 3 bottom deck boards.
How much weight can a 1200 × 800 mm pallet carry?
Around 8,800 lb static, 3,300 lb dynamic and 2,200 lb racked. Racked capacity is the number that matters if the pallet is going into beam storage unsupported, and it is always the lowest of the three.
What is a 1200 × 800 mm pallet typically used for?
European export, automotive, pharmaceutical. Block construction with nine feet, not stringers. Marked EPAL or EUR in the corner blocks when it is genuinely certified.
Can I ask for 1200 × 800 mm in recycled as well as new?
Yes. Choose the size and the condition on the form, and a partner supplier follows up. Recycled Grade A usually costs less than new; see pallet grades for what the letters mean before you ask.