Pallet: Meaning, Types and Uses in Logistics

A pallet is a standardised flat platform used to bundle, store and move goods. It can be lifted with a forklift or pallet truck and is the basic handling unit in road freight. For dispatchers, it is also the unit that determines how much floor space, weight and loading metres a shipment takes up.

On This Page

1. Pallet types at a glance
2. Pallet dimensions and weight
3. Pallets and loading metres (LDM)
4. Pallets in transport planning

Pallet types at a glance

Not every pallet is the same. The most common types in European road freight are:

• Euro pallet (EPAL / EUR): the European load-carrier standard, normed and reusable within the open exchange pool.
• Industrial pallet: a larger footprint for heavy or bulky loads, common in industry and chemicals.
• One-way pallet: a low-cost pallet for single-use shipments, with no exchange.
• Reusable (pooled) pallet: built for repeated use and exchange, sturdier and longer-lasting.
• Half (Düsseldorf) pallet: a half-size Euro format for retail and compact shipments.

Pallet dimensions and weight

Dimensions decide how many pallets fit in a truck and how much floor space they take up. The key standard formats at a glance:

The standard height of a Euro pallet is 144 mm. When loading, the pallet's own weight counts towards the total shipment weight, a detail that decides the permissible payload on fully loaded tours.

Pallets and loading metres (LDM)

In transport, what counts is not the number of pallets but the loading metres (LDM) they occupy: one metre of floor across the full width of the truck. A Euro pallet takes up roughly 0.4 loading metres depending on orientation. From the pallet count and orientation you get the space a shipment needs, and with it a key part of the freight price.

For the full formula and an interactive calculator, see our guide What is LDM? Loading metre meaning and calculator.

Pallets in transport planning

In day-to-day dispatching, the pallet drives the load space, weight and cost of a tour. In the Planner Module from IMPARGO, loading units such as pallets can be entered per stop, so loading metres, weight and route cost are visible before the truck rolls.