Euro Pallets: Why European Importers Ask For Them

European importers often ask American suppliers to ship their products on europallets.

American companies usually have not heard of the euro pallet type and do not know that europallets are the most common industrial pallet standard in the European Union. Below are six different advantages that the euro pallet type delivers to companies in the European supply chain.

First the euro pallet type has a value in Europe even if it is used. Local pallet recyclers will buy back used euro pallets from companies who no longer have a use for them, because the pallet is designed for reuse.

The euro pallet type is also the most widely used type that moves through European supply chains which are typically highly automated. Manufacturers of medical equipment, drugs, automobile parts and chemicals almost always process their products in automated material handling systems that only use europallets. In contrast to the euro pallet type, managers of automated warehouses in Europe face higher costs and significant delays when they have to move goods imported from America off American pallet types and on to europallets.

American stringer type pallets are often subject to expensive disposal taxes where as europallets are not. Under the European Union's Packaging Waste Reduction Laws, Germany and other EU nations levy significant disposal taxes on pallets that cannot be reused.

Euro pallets are strictly regulated. The non-profit European Pallet Association (EPAL) regulates the construction and repair of Euro pallets worldwide, ensuring uniform quality standards for long-term, safe reuse.

The euro pallet is also one of only six types in the entire world recognized by the highly respected International Organization for Standardization, making it truly a global platform.

Finally, genuine Euro pallets can be traced by their markings, giving users a quick way to identify the manufacturer which thereby improves quality in the marketplace. Customs officials and other authorities in the European Union often aggressively prosecute companies that attempt to build or use fake euro pallets.