Pick the pallet size by destination port/region + inland handling equipment, not by supplier habit. A container-optimized pallet that fails the last mile into a European retail backroom is still the wrong pallet.

Wrong size can trigger destination pallet exchange, unloading issues at a customer warehouse, or simply poor container fill. Those costs usually exceed the small price difference between pallet models.

The square 1100×1100mm pallet is widely used across East Asian supply chains. Its symmetry helps with four-way forklift entry and automated handling where pallets may rotate on conveyors or move through compact warehouse layouts. In standard containers, this footprint can produce stable side-by-side loading patterns with minimal wasted side gap.

Typical cargo: electronics, precision components, industrial parts, and Korea/Japan chemical or manufacturing flows.

The 1200×1000mm pallet is one of the most internationally compatible footprints. It aligns well with broad warehouse infrastructure and is close to the North American 48×40 inch handling ecosystem, making it practical for shipments that continue onto 53-foot trailers or mixed regional distribution networks.

Typical cargo: FMCG, pharmaceuticals, packaged food, export consolidation, and multi-country distribution.

The 1200×800mm Euro footprint matters when cargo must move beyond the port into European retail or city distribution. Its narrower 800mm width helps with office/service doors, supermarket aisles, and truck loading patterns common in Europe, where three pallets across a trailer width is often the operational target.

Typical cargo: retail replenishment, supermarket distribution, apparel, and e-commerce sorting.

1. Where is the destination port / country?

2. Does cargo stop at a regional DC, or go straight into retail / production?

3. What is the narrowest downstream constraint — truck width, warehouse aisle, conveyor, or customer pallet policy?

Answer those first; pallet size usually becomes obvious.

Plastic pallets avoid the phytosanitary fumigation issues associated with wood packaging, which can simplify export handling and reduce customs friction.

Compared with many wooden pallets, plastic pallets are lighter and more dimensionally consistent, helping with freight calculations and automated handling reliability.

Plastic pallets are reusable and recyclable, supporting lower replacement frequency and better alignment with ESG and circular-packaging goals.

Use 1100×1100mm for Japan/Korea-oriented automated and manufacturing flows, 1200×1000mm for the broadest global compatibility, and 1200×800mm when the European retail last mile matters. The right pallet is the one that fits container, port, truck, warehouse, and customer door in one uninterrupted chain.