Side by side
| EPAL 1 | 1200 × 800 generic | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 800 × 1,200 × 144 mm | 800 × 1,200 mm |
| Weight | 25 kg | not published |
| Safe working load | 1,500 kg | not published |
| Boards / blocks / nails | 11 / 9 / 78 | n/a / n/a / n/a |
What the EPAL 1 guarantees
EPAL publishes the build: 11 boards, 9 blocks, 78 nails with two-letter heads in a fixed pattern, boards 22–24 mm thick, about 25 kg, 1,500 kg safe working load, ISPM 15 heat treated, no methyl bromide. Producers are licensed and inspected by external companies.
What a generic pallet guarantees
Only what its maker says. It may be just as strong. It may be built from thinner boards. Without EPAL marks it is outside the EPAL exchange pool, so a European receiver will not swap it one for one.
Why it matters on a US dock
Surplus euro pallets from imports are often a mix. The EPAL ones are tradable as EPAL; the generic ones are tradable as euro-footprint wood. Sorting them before you ask for quotes avoids a buyer pricing the whole load as generic. Our identifier separates them in a few questions.
For exporters
If your European customer writes "EPAL" in the order, a generic 1200 × 800 will not do. If it says "1200 × 800, ISPM 15", a generic pallet with a correct IPPC mark may be acceptable. Ask.