EUR-pallet
The EUR-pallet, also known as Euro-pallet or EPAL-pallet, is the standard European pallet as specified by the European Pallet Association (EPAL). Pallets conforming to the standardization are eligible for the European Pallet Pool (EPP), the system which allows for an exchange as "pallet for pallet". The EUR/EPAL-pallet is ; it is a four-way pallet made of wood that is nailed with 78 special nails in a prescribed pattern. The weight of a EUR/EPAL-pallet (EPAL 1) is approx. 25 kg. Around 450-500 million EUR-pallets are in circulation. The safe working  load of a EUR/EPAL-pallet is 1,500 kg. The maximum additional load can be up to 4,000 kg when stacking. The EUR/EPAL-pallet may weigh up to . (1.5 metric tonnes) when equally loaded, otherwise the limit is . History. The Euro-pallet dates back to the wooden pallets used in railway transport. In 1961 the European railways commissioned the standardization of a common pallet type under the auspices of the UIC. The inventors were the Svensson brothers of Gyllsjö, Skåne, Sweden. Using the Euro-pallet, it was possible to load railroad cars in just 10% of the time of  earlier loading processes. In 1968 the association also specified a standard lattice box along with a standard lattice box pallet. Following the standardization most of the European industry switched over to use Euro-pallets with trucks, forklifts and high-rack warehouses optimized for their size. National associations developed framework agreements for pallet exchange in that freight would be delivered on Euro-pallets and be given the same number of Euro-pallets in return ("pallet for pallet"). The Euro-pallets are controlled by the association and the association takes care of repairing or removing old pallets from the pool. With the  ongoing European integration, the European Pallet Pool allowed for pallet exchange even in cross-border dealings. With the success of the Euro-pallets, a number of replicas entered the market that used low-quality wood which splintered easily and were prone to mold. So the European railways, which own the trademarks for EUR/EPAL, created a separate standardization body. The European Pallet Association was founded in 1991, and the EUR and EPAL logo may only be used by licensees of that organization. Globalization has made for a decline of the EUR/EPAL system since the EUR-pallets do not fit  well into ISO containers. It is still the most widespread pallet type in the world, with an estimate of 350 to 500 million EUR-pallets being in circulation. One of the advantages is that the width fits through normal doors (the most common DIN door type is ). Derivatives of the EUR-pallet have been developed for specific uses. The EUR-pallet - also EUR-1-pallet - was followed by the EUR-2-pallet and EUR-3-pallet, which are both , which is close to the standard American pallet type of . For use in retail stores, the EUR-6-pallet is half the size of the  EUR-pallet, . ISO standards have also been published for these Euro-pallet types. To accommodate EUR-pallets, there are derivative intermodal containers that are about wider — these are commonly known as "pallet-wide" containers. These containers feature an internal width of for easy loading of two long pallets side by side - many sea shipping providers in Europe allow these, as overhangs on standard containers are sufficient to fit them in the usual interlock spaces. Especially the pallet-wide high-cube shortsea container has gained wide acceptance, as these containers can replace the A-Behälter swap bodies with a length of  that are common for truck transport in Europe. The EU has started a standardization for pallet-wide containerization in the EILU (European Intermodal Loading Unit) initiative. Specification. The EUR-pallet's dimensions are defined in the following standards: Materials and identification. The EUR-pallet must use at least 78 nails of a specific type that are subject to a prescribed nailing pattern. The final pallet weighs . Only dry wood may be used, to reduce the risk of mold. Each EUR-pallet bears a number of quality marks: Common types. The four common sizes of EUR-pallets (alongside ISO alternative sizes ) are: