Selling a retired pallet footprint

Why uniform lots read well

A buyer prefers a consistent size and style to a mixed pile. A retired footprint is exactly that: one size, one style, often one maker. A uniform lot is simple to inspect, and it fills a truck without sorting.

What to gather

• The footprint and the style, with the maker's model mark.
• The purchase record, which proves the pallets are yours.
• The count, by stack.
• A note on how long they were in use, in rough terms.
• Photos from above, from the side and of one full stack.

Footprints that get retired

Where the plant's other pallets stand

If the plant also holds other footprints, keep them in separate lots. The retired size is the sale; the others are not part of it unless you say so.

The form fields this guide fills

• Pallet size
• Quantity
• Supply (one lot)

How this guide ends

Words you will meet

Resin identification code

Number on a plastic part for the resin, which does not itself say whether it is recyclable.

FM 4996

FM Approvals standard that rates a pallet as equal to wood in fire tests.

CP9

A chemical-industry pallet standard, 1140 x 1140 mm.

Regrind

Plastic ground from used or scrap parts into flakes for moulding again.

Cruciform base

Bottom with a cross-shaped member as well as a perimeter, for strength and automated handling.

4-way entry

Forks or a jack can enter from all four sides.

Nest ratio

How many empty pallets fit in the height of one.

Stackable

Loaded pallets can sit on top of each other, up to the static rating.

Fork pocket

Opening in the pallet where the forks go.

ISPM 15

The international standard for treating wood packaging against pests. Plastic pallets are outside it.

Heat treated (HT)

ISPM 15 treatment for wood: core at 56 C for 30 minutes. Not needed for plastic.

One-way pallet

A cheaper pallet shipped with the load and not expected back.

Multi-trip pallet

A pallet designed to be returned and reused many times.

RFID

Radio tag moulded or fixed into a pallet so it can be tracked.

Injection moulding

Pallet made by forcing molten resin into a mould at high pressure.

Rotational moulding

Resin heated in a rotating mould to make a hollow jointless part.

Who asks, and what they need

Chemical and drum shippers

48 x 48 and 45 x 45 pallets for drums and bags; chemical resistance.

Plants changing packaging or pallet size

Retire a whole stock of one footprint at once; want it sold or ground up, not landfilled.

Automotive plants and suppliers

48 x 45 pallets that match bulk containers; closed-loop reuse; heavy dynamic and static loads.

What the sources say

• 48 x 48 plastic pallets hold four 55-gallon drums without overhang; 48 x 45 matches North American auto parts bulk containers. (nelsoncompany.com)
• USDA APHIS lists plastic pallets among products not subject to APHIS regulation, as an alternative to wood packaging material. (aphis.usda.gov)
• That Nelson model lists about 60 pallets per stack and 1,800 per truck. (nelsoncompany.com)
• 43 x 43 in pallets are designed for bulk bags; 45 x 45 in is the CP9 chemical standard. (nelsoncompany.com)
• Private employers in the US averaged 521,212 jobs across 6,414 establishments in motor vehicle parts manufacturing (NAICS 3363) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: Michigan (111,465), Ohio (62,025), Indiana (52,146), Tennessee (38,791), Kentucky (32,261). (data.bls.gov)
• The Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle and Tacoma) handled 3,156,598 TEUs of international and domestic containers in 2025, down 5.5 percent from 2024, with full imports down 10.3 percent and full exports down 4.9 percent. (nwseaportalliance.com)
• Wood packaging material entering the US must be treated and certified per ISPM 15. (aphis.usda.gov)
• ISO 6780 lists 1016 x 1219 mm for North America, 1000 x 1200 mm for Europe and Asia and 800 x 1200 mm for Europe. (en.wikipedia.org)
• In April 2017, HDPE HMW regrind from drums and IBCs was 24 to 27 cents per pound picked up in the US South (historical, not current). (resource-recycling.com)
• North American plastic pallets in the common sizes are about 5 to 6 in tall. (blog.containerexchanger.com)
• Private employers in the US averaged 73,136 jobs across 1,811 establishments in refrigerated warehousing (NAICS 49312) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: California (9,969), Texas (6,638), New Jersey (5,388), Georgia (4,453), Pennsylvania (4,102). (data.bls.gov)
• Private employers in the US averaged 556,647 jobs across 4,689 establishments in meat and poultry processing (NAICS 3116) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: Texas (44,780), Georgia (42,030), North Carolina (35,715), Arkansas (34,773), Iowa (33,386). (data.bls.gov)
• Private employers in the US averaged 168,222 jobs across 2,809 establishments in dairy product manufacturing (NAICS 3115) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: Wisconsin (28,840), California (18,374), New York (11,603), Ohio (8,963), Texas (7,529). (data.bls.gov)
• Private employers in the US averaged 173,844 jobs across 2,936 establishments in fruit and vegetable preserving (NAICS 3114) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: California (27,518), Wisconsin (11,014), Washington (10,988), Ohio (10,327), Texas (9,194). (data.bls.gov)
• Private employers in the US averaged 288,633 jobs across 934 establishments in motor vehicle manufacturing (NAICS 3361) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: Michigan (44,870), Texas (28,069), California (27,690), Kentucky (23,308), Alabama (22,311). (data.bls.gov)
• Private employers in the US averaged 829,364 jobs across 49,933 establishments in grocery and related product wholesale (NAICS 4244) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: California (109,827), Texas (75,474), Florida (63,967), New York (50,594), Illinois (48,629). (data.bls.gov)

• Nelson Company: common plastic pallet sizes
• Custom Packaging Products: used plastic pallets

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