Choosing the right plastic pallet defines the entire logistics operation: warehouse throughput, cost per export shipment, compliance with sanitary audits, and the pallet's service life in circulation. Cargobo offers seven configurations in technical plastic (PP, HDPE, or recycled material depending on the model), designed for very different use cases: from the disposable export pallet to the spill-containment box for chemical drums. This comparison guide helps you decide which one fits your operation in under a minute.
🎯 Choose in 10 seconds
- If you store oil drums, chemicals, or liquids with spill risk: go to Spill-containment pallet
- If you handle agricultural bulk goods, assembly parts, or liquids with modular accessories: go to Box pallet
- If you operate reverse logistics with return of empty containers: go to Collapsible box pallet
- If you work with intensive stacking, cold rooms, or bags on pallets: go to Reversible pallet
- If you export without return and need a lightweight pallet exempt from ISPM-15: go to One-way pallet
- If you operate a HACCP, GMP, or pharmaceutical certified facility with audits: go to Hygienic pallet
- If you store in selective racking with longitudinal beams: go to 3-runner pallet
What to consider before choosing
Before purchasing the pallet, evaluate these five criteria. They determine whether the pallet will fulfill its operational purpose for years or end up replaced after only a few cycles.
- Load and storage mode: selective rack storage requires a 3-runner pallet (stringers) that rests on longitudinal beams. Block stacking accommodates flat or reversible pallets. Hazardous liquid loads require a spill-containment tray with a calibrated sump.
- Operation type: closed loop or export: closed circuits (cold rooms, high-turnover warehouses) justify reversible pallets or lidded boxes for multiple cycles. One-way export requires a lightweight pallet that minimizes freight cost and is exempt from ISPM-15.
- Sanitary and regulatory requirements: facilities with HACCP, GMP, or ISO 22000 certifications require a hygienic virgin polypropylene (PP) pallet that is washable and has a surface with no corners that trap residue. Wood is a contamination risk that disqualifies audits.
- Need for modularity or accessories: operations handling agricultural bulk goods, assembly parts, or liquids with a valve require a pallet box with accessories (lid, wheels, drain valve) purchased separately according to the operation.
- Empty pallet storage space: collapsible box pallets reduce their volume to 25% when folded, a decisive advantage for reverse logistics where the empty container returns to origin and truck space is costly.
Spill-containment plastic pallet: retention tray for chemicals and drums
- Calibrated retention sump to capture drips and leaks
- Removable top grating that supports full industrial drums
- HDPE resistant to oils, hydrocarbons, and common chemicals
- Bottom drain for controlled emptying of contained liquid
- Single dimension (130×130×30 cm) for storage station use
- Verify specific chemical compatibility with your product
130×130×30 cm (51×51×12 in) injection-molded HDPE platform with a collection sump base and removable top grating. Designed for mechanical workshops, industrial plants, chemical warehouses, and environments where spill containment is a regulatory requirement. The bottom drain allows liquid to be evacuated to the appropriate waste container without removing the drums.
Box plastic pallet: modular bin for agricultural and industrial bulk goods
- Structural polypropylene (PP) with continuous solid walls
- Modular system: lid, 5-wheel set, and drain valve (optional accessories)
- 4-way pallet base for forklifts and pallet jacks
- Continuous surface hygiene for the food industry
- Accessories purchased separately depending on the operation
- Single American format (120×100×76 cm) for defined circuits
120×100×76 cm (48×40×30 in) grey pallet box, American format, in structural polypropylene (PP). The base is purchased as a standard pallet and accessories are added depending on the operation: lid for stacking, 5-wheel set for manual mobility, drain valve for controlled emptying of non-hazardous liquids. Designed for agricultural harvesting, assembly lines, and modular bulk logistics.
Collapsible plastic box pallet: optimized reverse logistics
- Folds to 25% of rigid volume when empty
- Structural polypropylene (PP) with sturdy walls
- Quick manual locking system, no tools required
- Optional lid for stable stacking of full boxes
- Side locking mechanism requires periodic maintenance
- Only American format available (120×100×76 cm)
120×100×76 cm (48×40×30 in) collapsible box in green and grey, American format. The walls fold inward after releasing the locks, multiplying the number of return units per truck in reverse logistics. Designed for e-commerce with packaging returns, agricultural harvest transport to processing plants, grouping of bulk goods, and export of fragmented goods protected by a complete structure.
Reversible plastic pallet: double-sided for intensive circuits
- Identical double face for interchangeable use
- Dual anti-slip system (edges and surface texture)
- Calibrated drainage holes (leakage holes)
- Virgin polypropylene (PP) suitable for cold rooms with repeated cycles
- No stringer geometry: not suitable for selective racking
- Only American dimension (120×100 cm) available in blue
Reversible pallet 120×100 cm (48×40 in) in blue, American format. Both surfaces perform identically, eliminating the need to orient the pallet during fast operations and distributing wear evenly to extend actual service life. The textured flat base stacks on bags (sugar, flour, fertilizer, cement) without deforming them, a decisive advantage over block-base pallets.
One-way plastic pallet: lightweight export without return
- Weight-optimized to reduce freight cost
- Exempt from ISPM-15 standard with no phytosanitary processing required
- Unit cost significantly lower than returnable pallets
- Available in American (120×100) and European (120×80) formats
- Not designed for reuse in heavy-duty circuits
- Load capacity lower than structural pallets
Export pallet in black, available in American (120×100 cm) and European (120×80 cm) formats. Being 100% plastic, it falls outside ISPM-15 regulation: it eliminates fumigation, IPPC marking, and phytosanitary certificates, avoiding customs delays common with uncertified wooden pallets. Designed for one-way shipments, high-volume e-commerce, projects where the pallet stays at the destination, and humanitarian projects.
Hygienic plastic pallet: food-grade for sanitary audits
- Food-grade virgin polypropylene (PP) with no migratable compounds
- Closed surface or controlled grating for easy washing
- Resists pressure washing, steam at 80–90 °C, and industrial disinfectants
- Constant tare weight for traceability and precise weighing
- Unit cost higher than standard plastic pallet
- Justifiable only where sanitary auditing is a requirement
Sanitary pallet in blue, available in American (120×100 cm) and European (120×80 cm) formats. The virgin polypropylene (PP) is formulated with inert resins that comply with FDA, CE, and equivalent standards for indirect food contact. Designed for food and beverage processors, pharmaceutical laboratories, clean rooms, cold rooms, and export of food products to markets with strict sanitary auditing.
3-runner plastic pallet: stringers for racking systems
- Three calibrated parallel runners for support on rack beams
- Monoblock polypropylene (PP) with no joints, nails, or loose parts
- Non-porous surface hygiene: pressure-washable
- ISPM-15 exempt for international export
- Non-reversible geometry: one usable face
- Higher cost than the one-way export pallet
3-runner pallet in blue, available in American (120×100 cm) and European (120×80 cm) formats. The continuous stringer geometry distributes weight over the rack's longitudinal beams — a condition that block pallets cannot guarantee and that is critical for elevated storage without lateral tip risk. Designed for professional logistics operations with selective and push-back racking, food and pharmaceutical industries, USA/Europe export, and cold rooms.
Comparison table
| Characteristic | Spill-containment | Caja | Collapsible | Reversible | One way | Hygienic | 3-runner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal use | Chemical drums | Modular bulk | Reverse logistics | Cold room/bags | Export | HACCP/GMP audit | Selective racking |
| Material | Virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) | 100% virgin polypropylene (PP) | 100% virgin polypropylene (PP) | 100% virgin polypropylene (PP) | 100% recycled plastic | 100% virgin polypropylene (PP) | 100% virgin polypropylene (PP) |
| Available format | 130×130×30 cm | 120×100×76 cm (US) | 120×100×76 cm (US) | 120×100 cm (US) | 120×100 (US) y 120×80 (EU) | 120×100 (US) y 120×80 (EU) | 120×100 (US) y 120×80 (EU) |
| Color | — | Grey | Green and grey | Blue | Black | Blue | Blue |
| Nestable stackable | Yes (without grating) | Yes (with lid) | Yes (folded to 25%) | — | — | — | — |
| Suitable for selective racking | — | Yes | Yes | Not suitable | Not suitable | Yes | Yes — designed for it |
| Food-grade suitable | — | Limited | — | — | — | Yes — auditable | Yes |
| ISPM-15 exempt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Modular accessories | Grating, drain | Lid, wheels, valve | Lid | — | — | — | — |
Use case matrix → recommended product
| If your case is... | Recommended product |
|---|---|
| Storing oil drums or chemicals in a mechanical workshop | → Spill-containment |
| Agricultural harvest with transport to processing plant | → Box |
| Reverse logistics of empty containers in e-commerce | → Collapsible |
| Stacking bags in a sugar or flour mill | → Reversible |
| Export to USA with pallet remaining at destination | → One way |
| Operation in a certified food processing plant | → Hygienic |
| Warehouse with selective racking shelving | → 3-runner |
| Cold room with continuous cold chain | → Reversible |
| Pharmaceutical distribution with GMP audit | → Hygienic |
| Industrial assembly line with modular handling | → Box |
Before purchasing the pallet, define three data points: the format (American 120×100 or European 120×80) required by your racking or export truck, the load type (hazardous liquids, agricultural bulk, bags, drums, boxes) that determines the correct geometry, and the operating cycle (single trip, closed return, intensive rack storage). Combining the wrong format with the wrong operation type is the most common cause of pallets that end up stacked unused in the yard.
Do not use a reversible pallet or box pallet in selective racking where support is only on longitudinal beams. A base without stringers does not distribute weight correctly on the beam and may give way, causing lateral load collapse with serious risk to the operator. For racking, always use a 3-runner pallet (stringers) or a pallet with geometry designed for that type of storage.
All compared products
Does your case not quite fit the profiles described?
If you need to validate the choice for a specific operation or have a combination that this comparison does not cover exactly, you can ask here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the real difference between the American and European format?
The American format measures 120×100 cm (48×40 in) and is the logistics standard for the United States, Mexico, and much of the Caribbean. The European format measures 120×80 cm (48×32 in) and is the standard for Europe. Choose the format based on the destination of the goods or the racking system installed in your warehouse; mixing them creates space inefficiency in both trucks and racks.
What does 'ISPM-15 exempt' mean and why does it matter?
ISPM-15 is the international phytosanitary standard that requires heat treatment or fumigation of wooden packaging for export, as well as certified IPPC marking. Plastic pallets, being non-wood, are automatically exempt: they require no treatment or certificate, eliminating routine customs holds and fumigation costs.
Can I use the box pallet to store hazardous liquids?
No. The standard pallet box has no retention sump: any spill would fall to the floor and violate environmental and safety regulations. For hazardous liquids, chemicals, or oils use the spill-containment pallet with calibrated retention tray, which captures drips and leaks before they reach the ground.