epalrecycling.comEuro pallet reference for the US and Canada

EPAL QR code and serial number

The EPAL Euro pallet QR carries an inkjet-printed QR code that holds a unique serial number, with the same 9-character alphanumeric serial printed in plain text. EPAL says these pallets are exchangeable without restriction in the open EPAL pool and that it has used inkjet marking since 2019.

Document
MRK-013
Sheet
Markings, EPAL
Last reviewed
Sources
2 cited
Inkjet-printed QR code plus a 9-character alphanumeric serial in plain textFormat
EPALScheme

Where it is

On a block of the EPAL Euro pallet QR.

What it proves

A unique identity for that pallet, which the user can link to the goods carried.

In detail

Physically the QR pallet is an EPAL 1: 800 × 1200 × 144 mm, about 25 kg, 11 boards, 9 blocks, 78 nails, 1,500 kg safe working load. The difference is the digital marking. EPAL lists it as element 2 on the QR pallet page, alongside the usual brand, IPPC, staple and licence marks.

EPAL's licensing FAQ adds that only inkjet systems and inks approved by EPAL may be used for marking, and the ink must meet EPAL's UV-light and water-resistance requirements. That is why the printed serial should stay legible through normal use.

For importers, a QR pallet is graded and handled exactly like an EPAL 1. The code does not change its value band on this site, and we do not read or store the serial.

Common misreadings

  • A QR sticker or label added by a shipper is not the EPAL QR marking.

Pallets that carry it

Sources

Last reviewed . Figures come from these publications; follow the links for the current versions.

  1. EPAL Euro pallet QR, load-carrier page, European Pallet Association e.V.
  2. EPAL licensing FAQ, European Pallet Association e.V.

What do you need to do with them?

Pick one. Each form takes about a minute and goes to one partner, not a list of dealers.

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