Sizes · 48 x 45

Sell 48 x 45 plastic pallets

A 48 x 45 lot is the North American automotive pallet, matched to heavy-duty auto parts bulk containers. Send the count, the grade, any marks and the ZIP, and the desk reads it against that footprint.

Last reviewed November 12, 2026

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48 x 45 in: plan view drawn to scale

48 x 45 at a glance

Footprint: 48 x 45 in (1219 x 1143 mm)
Typical use: North American automotive; matches heavy-duty auto parts bulk containers

What a buyer reads in a 48 x 45 lot

Automotive users favor closed-loop reuse, so a 48 x 45 lot is read for ownership first. If the plant ran the loop, the pallets are its own and the lot sells. If a customer's loop owns them, it is that customer's mark you are looking for.

Because the footprint is specialised, the pool of buyers is smaller than for 48 x 40, and uniform lots matter. A mixed lot of 48 x 45 and 48 x 40 should be counted as two lots.

Who sells 48 x 45 pallets

Send this with a 48 x 45 lot

Which plant or loop the pallets belong to
Whether they match a bulk container footprint and style
Any customer name, code or RFID panel
The count, with a split of whole and cracked

Put the footprint, the count and the ZIP into the pile sorter first. It rules the lot sold, returned or scrapped, then hands the same answers to the form below.

SOLD

48 x 45 pallets that are whole, flat and unmarked.

RETURN

48 x 45 pallets with a pool name, logo or RFID tag: the owner's, not yours.

SCRAP

48 x 45 pallets with cracked, burnt or crushed decks, by weight.

Why is 48 x 45 called the auto size?

A supplier describes it as the North American automotive pallet that matches heavy-duty auto parts bulk containers. Plants buy and circulate it for that reason.

Can I sell a 48 x 45 lot that has a customer's code on it?

Not until you show the pallets are yours. A customer's code or tag points to their loop. Check the record before you send.

Words you will meet

RFID: Radio tag moulded or fixed into a pallet so it can be tracked.
HDPE: High-density polyethylene, resin code 2. The most common resin in plastic pallets; tough and moisture resistant.
Fork pocket: Opening in the pallet where the forks go.
GMA pallet: The 48 x 40 in North American standard footprint.
CP9: A chemical-industry pallet standard, 1140 x 1140 mm.
Virgin resin: New, unblended resin that has not been through a product before.
Edge rack: Resting on the rack beams by the pallet's edges only, with no support in the middle.
Runners: Bottom rails that touch the floor or rack and carry the load.
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.
2-way entry: Forks enter from two opposite sides only.
Rackable: Rated to sit on rack beams, with a stated racking load.
Pooling: Renting pallets from a company that owns, tracks and collects them instead of buying.
Captive pallet: A pallet owned and kept inside one company or loop.
Structural foam: Low-pressure moulding where a blowing agent expands the resin in the mould.
Compression moulding: Moulding by pressing resin in a closed mould; one of six processes in use.

Who asks, and what they need

Automotive plants and suppliers: 48 x 45 pallets that match bulk containers; closed-loop reuse; heavy dynamic and static loads.
Closed-loop and captive pallet users: Large uniform lots of one size and style; repair and replacement parts.
Food and beverage distributors and bottlers: Clean, odour-free, washable pallets; open or closed deck; 56 x 44 beverage and 48 x 40 sizes; often asks about food-contact paperwork.

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)
North American plastic pallets in the common sizes are about 5 to 6 in tall. (blog.containerexchanger.com)
Private employers in the US averaged 350,886 jobs across 7,786 establishments in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing (NAICS 3254) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: California (42,575), New Jersey (30,062), North Carolina (26,998), New York (25,087), Illinois (24,257). (data.bls.gov)
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)
Private employers in the US averaged 575,006 jobs across 12,344 establishments in plastics product manufacturing (NAICS 3261) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: Ohio (42,286), Texas (40,945), California (35,933), Pennsylvania (34,094), Indiana (33,122). (data.bls.gov)
Port of Los Angeles handled 9,447,731 TEUs from January through November 2025, 1 percent more than the same months of 2024; its executive director called 2025 firmly a top-three year in the port's history. (portoflosangeles.org)
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)
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 1,775,008 jobs across 42,763 establishments in food manufacturing (NAICS 311) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: California (166,660), Texas (112,088), Illinois (98,300), Pennsylvania (82,538), Wisconsin (81,993). (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 316,938 jobs across 16,316 establishments in beverage manufacturing (NAICS 3121) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: California (63,604), Texas (24,154), New York (13,802), Pennsylvania (13,207), Florida (12,661). (data.bls.gov)
Private employers in the US averaged 892,426 jobs across 25,801 establishments in chemical manufacturing (NAICS 325) in 2025 (BLS QCEW). States with the most jobs: Texas (90,310), California (75,499), Ohio (49,328), Illinois (48,745), New Jersey (47,966). (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)
Port of Long Beach moved a record 9,881,595 TEUs in 2025 (imports 4,779,559; exports 1,141,113; empties 3,960,925), per Container News reporting the port's year-end results. (container-news.com)
Counties with the most private motor vehicle parts manufacturing jobs (NAICS 3363) in 2025, BLS QCEW, counties with disclosed data only: Wayne County, Michigan (20,888), Macomb County, Michigan (20,279), Oakland County, Michigan (16,970), Kent County, Michigan (8,688), Spartanburg County, South Carolina (6,496), Cook County, Illinois (6,273). (data.bls.gov)

Nelson Company: common plastic pallet sizes

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