Side by side
| EPAL 1 | 48 × 40 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 800 × 1,200 × 144 mm | 1,219 × 1,016 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 |
Size, in numbers
The EPAL 1's 1200 mm side is 47.24 in, three quarters of an inch shorter than 48 in. Its 800 mm side is 31.50 in, 8.5 in less than 40 in. Floor area is 0.96 m² against 1.24 m², so a euro pallet uses about 77% of the floor a 48 × 40 does.
In a trailer or container
Our engine computes the best floor layout for both footprints in the same deck. The comparison pages under Load show each case. In a 53 ft domestic container (CN spec, 52 ft 4 in × 98 in) the 48 × 40 fits 30 positions, which matches CN's own published figure, while EPAL 1 fits 39, three across, with or without our handling clearance. See the side-by-side layout.
In racking
If your selective racking is laid out for 48 × 40 loads with the 40 in side running front to back across two beams, a euro pallet turned so its 800 mm side spans the beams leaves 8.5 in less bearing depth; turned the other way its 1200 mm side is far too deep for a 40 in frame. Ask your racking supplier about pallet supports or wire decking before storing euros in 48 × 40 bays.
Which to use
If the goods stay in North America, the 48 × 40 fits the equipment around it. If the customer is in Europe and specifies EPAL, ship EPAL. Repalletising at the dock costs labour and creates exactly the surplus euro pallets this site helps people sell or recycle.