Pallet Industry Glossary

313 pallet terms defined with authoritative sources cited throughout.

This glossary defines the terms used across the pallet, packaging, warehousing and freight industries, from pallet construction and lumber grading to ISPM-15 export rules, FDA and OSHA regulations, racking and material handling equipment. Each entry gives a plain-English definition, practical guidance for buyers and operators, related terms and, where relevant, the standards body or agency behind the term.

0-9 (5 terms)

• 21 CFR Part 1: 21 CFR Part 1 is the FDA's General Enforcement Regulations, a broad part covering topics such as food facility registration, prior notice of imported food, and FSMA Sanitary Transportation in Subpart O.
• 21 CFR Part 117: 21 CFR Part 117 is the FDA rule on Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food.
• 21 CFR Part 211: FDA regulation establishing current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) for finished pharmaceuticals.
• 3PL: 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) provider operates warehousing, transportation, or both on behalf of customers.
• 48x40 GMA Pallet: The 48x40 GMA pallet is the most common US pallet footprint, named for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which popularized it for grocery and consumer goods.

A (15 terms)

• AGV: AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) is a pallet-handling robot that follows fixed paths.
• Air-Dried Lumber: Lumber dried by exposure to outdoor or ambient air, usually stacked with spacers, rather than in a kiln.
• Aisle Density: Aisle density is how much of a warehouse floor is given to storage versus travel aisles.
• Aisle Width: The clear width between rack rows or stacked loads, set mainly by the lift truck in use.
• ALSC (American Lumber Standard Committee): The American Lumber Standard Committee is a US non-profit that accredits lumber grading agencies under the American Softwood Lumber Standard and administers the US ISPM 15 wood packaging program through accredited inspection agencies.
• Amazon Pallet: Amazon FBA pallets must meet Amazon Fulfillment Center receiving specifications.
• AMR: AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) is a pallet-handling robot that navigates dynamically without fixed paths.
• ANSI MH16.1: ANSI MH16.1 is the dominant US standard for pallet rack design and load capacity.
• ASN (Advance Shipping Notice): Electronic notification sent before shipment arrival listing pallet count, SKUs, and BOL details.
• ASRS: ASRS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) is a high-density automated pallet storage system.
• ASTM D1185: ASTM D1185 is the US standard test method for pallet structural performance.
• ASTM D4169: The ASTM standard for performance testing of shipping containers and systems, including pallet-based unit loads.
• ASTM D4169 Distribution Cycle: A test sequence simulating typical distribution conditions: vibration, drops, compression, environmental conditions.
• ASTM D6055: ASTM D6055 is the ASTM standard of test methods for mechanical handling of unitized loads and large shipping cases and crates, such as handling by forklift.
• ATA: ATA (American Trucking Associations) is the US trade association for the trucking industry.

B (11 terms)

• Banding: Banding (also called strapping) secures unit loads using polypropylene, polyester, or steel straps.
• Beam Deflection: The vertical sag of a loaded rack beam under load, limited to span/180 (L/180) at rated load by ANSI MH16.1, the RMI rack specification.
• Beam End Connector: The bracket at each end of a pallet rack beam that attaches it to the upright column, most often a boltless design with hooks or rivets that seat in column slots, or a bolted connection on structural rack.
• Bill of Lading: Bill of Lading (BOL) is the legal document accompanying every freight shipment.
• Block Pallet: A block pallet uses blocks, typically nine, at the corners, edge midpoints and center to support the deck, allowing four-way fork entry.
• Block Stacking: Stacking pallets directly on top of one another without rack support, used for high-density same-SKU storage.
• Bonded Warehouse: A warehouse where imported goods are stored without paying customs duty until released for domestic consumption.
• Bottom Deck Board: The horizontal boards forming the lower surface of a double-faced pallet.
• Break Bulk: The process of dividing a large consolidated shipment, such as a full truckload or full pallet loads, into smaller quantities for distribution to multiple destinations.
• Burden Carrier: An ITA Class VI vehicle with a flatbed for carrying parts and materials in manufacturing.
• Butt Joint: A butt joint is a joint where two wood members meet end to end, or end to face, without overlapping or interlocking.

C (21 terms)

• Cantilever Rack: Rack with horizontal arms designed for long, awkward loads (lumber, pipe, structural steel).
• Cardboard Pallet: Cardboard pallets are single-use pallets used primarily for export or one-way shipping.
• CBA: CBA (Consumer Brands Association, formerly Grocery Manufacturers Association) is the trade association whose pallet spec became the GMA standard.
• Center Block: A pallet block placed at the center of a block pallet for additional load support.
• Chamfered Deck Board: A deck board with beveled edges, usually a bottom lead board, that lets pallet jack wheels ride over it more easily when entering and leaving the pallet.
• Chassis: The wheeled frame that supports a shipping container during over-the-road transport.
• CHEP Blue Pallet: A blue-painted block pallet owned by CHEP and rented to shippers in the worldwide pool program.
• CHEP Pallet: CHEP pallets are blue-painted block pallets owned by CHEP, part of the Brambles group, and rented to shippers through its pallet pool.
• Closed-Loop Program: Closed-loop pallet programs return pallets from end-customer to manufacturer for refurbishment and redeployment.
• Coil Nail: A pallet nail packaged in a coiled strip for pneumatic nail gun feeding.
• Column Protector: A steel or polymer guard installed at rack upright bases to absorb forklift impact.
• Container Handler: A heavy-duty lift truck designed to lift and stack shipping containers, with laden models handling loaded containers and empty models handling empties.
• Container Trailer: A trailer designed to carry shipping containers from port to inland destinations.
• Corner Block: A pallet block placed at each of the four corners of a block pallet.
• Costco Pallet: A Costco pallet is a pallet that meets Costco's supplier receiving requirements; suppliers should confirm footprint, pallet type and condition rules in Costco's current vendor documentation.
• Counter-Balanced Forklift: The most common forklift type with a counterweight at the rear for lifting loads in front.
• Cross-Border Trucking: Trucking freight across international borders, such as between the US and Mexico or the US and Canada, which requires customs clearance on both sides and carriers authorized for each leg.
• Cross-Docking: Cross-docking moves pallets from inbound to outbound dock without intermediate storage.
• Cross-Docking: Unloading inbound pallets directly to outbound trailers without long-term storage.
• Cube-Out: Cube-out is the trailer loading scenario where physical volume limits the load before weight does.
• Customs Broker: A licensed agent who prepares and files customs entries for importers, classifying goods and arranging payment of duties and fees.

D (16 terms)

• Debarked Lumber: Pallet lumber with bark removed, required for ISPM-15 compliance.
• Demurrage: Demurrage is the charge for leaving a container or rail car at the port or rail terminal beyond the allowed free time.
• Depalletizer: A machine that removes products or layers from a loaded pallet, often feeding empty containers or cases onto a production or packing line.
• Detention: Detention is the charge for holding a truck/trailer beyond contracted free time at loading or unloading.
• Diesel Forklift: A diesel-powered forklift used mainly outdoors, in yards and for heavy loads where exhaust can be safely vented.
• Distribution Center: A distribution center (DC) is a high-volume warehouse focused on rapid throughput rather than long-term storage.
• Dock Utilization: Dock utilization is the share of available dock door time that is actually spent loading or unloading trailers.
• Double Faced Pallet: A pallet with both top and bottom decks, providing better load distribution and stacking stability.
• Double Wing Pallet: A pallet with deck boards extending past the stringers on both top and bottom decks.
• Douglas Fir: Douglas Fir is a softwood pallet lumber from the Pacific Northwest.
• Drayage: Short-haul trucking moving containers between port, rail terminal, and inland destinations.
• Drive-In Rack: High-density rack where forklifts drive into the lane to deposit and retrieve pallets, typically several pallets deep.
• Drive Screw Nail: A nail with a helical (spiral) thread that rotates as it is driven, giving more withdrawal resistance than a plain shank nail.
• Drive-Thru Rack: High-density rack with FIFO access from both ends, supporting high-velocity bulk storage.
• Dry Van: A standard enclosed trailer for general freight without temperature control.
• Dynamic Compression: Dynamic compression describes how a pallet carries load while it is moving or the load is changing, such as during handling or in transit, as opposed to a static stack.

E (7 terms)

• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): Electronic exchange of business documents such as purchase orders, ASNs and invoices between trading partners in standard formats.
• Electric Forklift: A battery-powered forklift, the dominant type in modern indoor warehouses.
• EPA: EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is the US federal environmental agency.
• EPA Hierarchy: The EPA Sustainable Materials Management hierarchy prioritizes waste reduction over recycling and disposal.
• ESG Procurement: ESG procurement integrates environmental, social, and governance criteria into supplier selection.
• EUR/EPAL: EUR/EPAL pallets are the dominant European wood pallet standard.
• Export Pallet: Export pallets are pallets used in international trade, typically requiring ISPM-15 compliance.

F (26 terms)

• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization): The UN agency overseeing IPPC and the ISPM-15 standard for wood packaging.
• Fastener Pattern: The number, type and placement of nails or staples that join deck boards to stringers or blocks, set by each pallet's design or buyer specification.
• FDA: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) administers FSMA, whose sanitary transportation and preventive controls rules can apply to pallets used with food.
• Flatbed: An open trailer without sides or roof, used for oversized, heavy, or awkward loads.
• Flush Pallet: A pallet whose deck boards are flush with the outside edges of the stringers or blocks, with no overhang.
• Food-Grade Pallet: Food-grade pallets are designed for use in food manufacturing, distribution, and storage.
• Fork Entry: Fork entry refers to how a forklift can engage a pallet (two-way, partial-four-way, or four-way).
• Forklift: A forklift (also called a powered industrial truck or PIT) is the primary equipment for pallet handling.
• Forklift Attachment: An accessory mounted to a forklift's carriage or forks, such as a clamp, side shifter, fork positioner or rotator, for specialized handling.
• Forklift Mast: The vertical structure on a forklift that lifts the forks; available in 2-stage, 3-stage, or 4-stage configurations.
• Fork-Tine Test: A fork-tine test measures how a loaded pallet bends and holds up while supported on fork tines, the way it is carried by a forklift.
• Fork Truck: A general term for any forklift with fork-style load-engaging mechanism.
• Four-Way Entry: Four-way entry pallets allow forklifts to enter from all four sides.
• Four-Way Entry Pallet: A pallet that forklifts can enter from all four sides.
• Freight Broker: A freight broker arranges transportation between shippers and carriers without operating trucks directly.
• Freight Class: Freight class is the LTL pricing tier (50-500) assigned by NMFC.
• FSC: FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is the global non-profit setting forest stewardship standards.
• FSC Chain of Custody: Forest Stewardship Council certification documenting responsibly-sourced wood through every step of the supply chain.
• FSMA: FSMA is the Food Safety Modernization Act, the 2011 federal law that shifted US food safety toward prevention.
• FSMA Section 204: FSMA Section 204 directs FDA to require additional traceability records for higher-risk foods on the Food Traceability List, implemented in 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart S.
• FTL (Full Truckload): Freight shipping using an entire trailer for one shipper.
• FTZ (Foreign Trade Zone): A special area where foreign goods can be stored, processed, and re-exported with deferred customs duties.
• Fuel Surcharge: Fuel surcharge is the variable add-on to freight rates indexed to diesel fuel prices.
• Fulfillment Center: A fulfillment center (FC) is a warehouse specialized for e-commerce order picking and shipping.
• Full Case Pick: Picking full, unopened cases from pallet inventory to fill orders, a common pick type in distribution centers that ship case quantities to stores or customers.
• Full Pallet Pick: Picking entire loaded pallets, typical of cross-docking and bulk replenishment.

G (10 terms)

• GDP (Good Distribution Practice): Good Distribution Practice: guidelines, such as the EU GDP guidelines and WHO guidance, that set quality standards for storing and distributing medicines, including temperature control, handling and traceability.
• GMA Pallet: The GMA pallet is the dominant 48x40 inch US pallet specification originated by the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
• GMA Spec Pallet: A pallet built to the Grocery Manufacturers Association style specification: 48 x 40 inches, three notched stringers and partial four-way entry, widely accepted at US grocery and retail receiving.
• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice): Good Manufacturing Practice: quality rules for how products are made, enforced by FDA as current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) for drugs, food and other products; pallets are covered as equipment and materials in those facilities.
• Grade A Pallet: Grade A pallets are the top grade of recycled pallets: sound units with no broken or missing components and few or no repairs.
• Grade B Pallet: Grade B pallets are recycled pallets that have been repaired, typically with a replaced deck board or a reinforced stringer, but remain structurally sound.
• Grade C Pallet: Grade C pallets have visible defects affecting appearance but maintaining basic structural function.
• Green Lumber: Freshly sawn lumber that has not been dried, with a moisture content above 19 percent; much pallet lumber is used green rather than kiln dried.
• GS1-128 Barcode: GS1-128 is the dominant pallet barcode standard, encoding SSCC plus Application Identifiers.
• GS1 SSCC: The GS1 SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit number, usually encoded in a GS1-128 barcode, that uniquely identifies a logistic unit such as a pallet.

H (10 terms)

• HACCP: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a preventive food safety system that identifies hazards and controls them at critical points; pallets are considered as a possible source of contamination.
• Hardwood: Hardwood lumber comes from broadleaf, mostly deciduous trees; pallet hardwoods such as oak and hard maple are usually denser and heavier than common softwoods, though not every hardwood is.
• Hardwood Pallet: A pallet manufactured from hardwood species (oak, maple, poplar, mixed hardwood), typically heavier than a softwood pallet of the same design and very resistant to wear.
• Heat Treatment: Heat treatment kills pests in wood packaging by raising core temperature to 56C for at least 30 minutes.
• Helical Nail: A spiral-shanked nail used in pallet construction for higher withdrawal resistance than smooth nails.
• High Bay Warehouse: A warehouse built with tall storage racking served by very narrow aisle trucks, high-reach trucks or automated storage and retrieval systems; there is no single height threshold.
• Home Depot Pallet: Home Depot pallets must meet Home Depot receiving specifications.
• HPVA: HPVA (Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association), now the Decorative Hardwoods Association, is the US trade association for the hardwood plywood and decorative veneer industry.
• Hub and Spoke: A logistics network model where freight flows through central hubs before fanning out to spoke destinations.
• Hydrogen Fuel Cell Forklift: An electric forklift powered by hydrogen fuel cells, offering faster refueling than batteries for high-throughput operations.

I (15 terms)

• ICH Q10: ICH guideline describing a model pharmaceutical quality system across the product lifecycle, including oversight of outsourced activities and purchased materials such as packaging and pallets.
• ICH Q7: International Council for Harmonisation guideline on good manufacturing practice for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), covering facilities, materials management, packaging, storage and distribution.
• ICH Q9: ICH guideline for quality risk management in pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution.
• iGPS Pallet: iGPS pallets are plastic pool pallets, an alternative to wood block pallet pools.
• Inner Deck Board: Deck boards between the lead boards, typically narrower and providing primary load surface.
• Intermodal: Freight shipping using multiple modes (rail, truck, ocean, air) typically with intermodal containers.
• IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention): The International Plant Protection Convention is a multilateral treaty for protecting plants from pests.
• IPPC Stamp: The IPPC stamp is the official mark on ISPM-15-compliant wood packaging showing treatment compliance.
• ISO 13485: ISO 13485 specifies quality management system requirements for organizations involved in the design, production, storage, distribution, installation or servicing of medical devices.
• ISO 14001: The international environmental management system standard, supporting ESG procurement programs.
• ISO 18613: ISO 18613 is an international pallet standard setting minimum requirements for the repair of flat wooden pallets.
• ISO 22000: ISO 22000 is the international standard for food safety management systems, applicable to any organization in the food chain, including packaging and packaging material suppliers.
• ISO 6780: ISO 6780 defines six international flat pallet dimensions for global trade.
• ISO 9001: The international quality management system standard, sometimes required of pallet suppliers by customers in regulated industries.
• ISPM-15: ISPM-15 is the international phytosanitary standard for wood packaging in international trade.

K (3 terms)

• KD-HT (Kiln-Dried Heat-Treated): Pallet lumber that has been both kiln-dried for moisture control and heat-treated for ISPM-15 phytosanitary compliance.
• Kiln Drying: Kiln drying is the controlled drying of lumber in a heated chamber to reduce moisture content to a target level, commonly 19 percent or less for softwood dimension lumber sold as KD.
• Kroger Pallet: Kroger pallets must meet Kroger grocery distribution specifications.

L (17 terms)

• Label Applicator: A label applicator is a machine that applies printed labels to products, cases or pallet loads, often printing them on demand first.
• Lay Flat Storage: Lay flat storage generally means storing goods laid flat in horizontal layers, such as bags or sacks, often in floor stacks without racking.
• Lead Deck Board: The first deck board at each end of a stringer pallet, often wider for end-load support.
• Less-Than-Truckload: Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) is the freight category for shipments smaller than a full truck.
• Lifecycle Assessment: Lifecycle assessment evaluates total environmental impact from raw materials to disposal.
• Lift Height: Lift height is the maximum height to which a lift truck can raise its forks, set by its mast design.
• Linehaul: Long-distance trucking between LTL terminals or between major distribution hubs.
• Lithium-Ion Forklift: An electric forklift powered by lithium-ion batteries, offering longer life and faster charging than lead-acid.
• Load Center: The horizontal distance from the vertical face of the forks to the center of gravity of the load, typically 24 inches for a uniformly loaded 48 inch deep pallet.
• Lowboy: A specialized flatbed trailer with very low deck height for oversized industrial equipment.
• Lowe's Pallet: Lowe's pallets must meet Lowe's receiving specifications.
• LP Gas Forklift: A propane-powered forklift, common in indoor warehouses and outdoor industrial operations.
• LTL (Less-Than-Truckload): Freight shipping for loads smaller than full truckload, with multiple shippers sharing trailer space.
• Lumber: Lumber is the sawn wood used to construct pallets.
• Lumber Grading: Lumber grading classifies wood by defects, strength, and appearance for pallet construction.
• Lumber Mill: A lumber mill processes raw timber into dimensional lumber for pallet manufacturing.
• Lumber Species: The wood species used in pallet construction, including mixed hardwood, southern yellow pine, oak, maple, Douglas fir.

M (13 terms)

• Manual Pallet Jack: A hand-pumped hydraulic pallet jack used for short-distance pallet movement on warehouse floors.
• Maple Pallet: A maple pallet is a hardwood pallet built mostly or entirely from maple lumber.
• Material Handling: Material handling encompasses all equipment and processes for moving, storing, and protecting goods, including pallets.
• Metal Pallet: Metal pallets (steel or aluminum) serve heavy-duty industrial applications.
• Methyl Bromide Fumigation: Methyl bromide fumigation is an alternative ISPM-15 treatment, increasingly restricted due to environmental impact.
• Mezzanine: An intermediate floor in a warehouse, often supported by pallet rack uprights, increasing usable cube.
• MHI: MHI (Material Handling Institute) is the largest US trade association for material handling and supply chain technologies.
• Mid Block: A pallet block placed at midpoint between corner blocks on a block pallet.
• Mill Certificate: A mill certificate, often called a mill test report or MTR, is a document from the producing mill that certifies a material's grade, chemistry or mechanical properties for a specific heat or lot.
• Mixed Hardwood: Mixed hardwood is the standard hardwood lumber blend used in US pallet manufacturing.
• Mixed Hardwood Pallet: A pallet manufactured from a blend of hardwood species, a common construction for new 48x40 stringer pallets, especially in the eastern US.
• Moisture Barrier: A moisture barrier is a film, sheet or coating placed between a load and a source of moisture, such as a wood pallet, a wet floor or condensation in a container.
• Moisture Content (MC): The weight of water in pallet lumber expressed as a percentage of the wood's oven-dry weight, affecting durability, weight, mold risk and performance in cold-chain or food applications.

N (12 terms)

• Nail Stress Grade: The strength grade of nails used in pallet construction, from low-grade common nails to high-grade hardened pallet nails.
• Narrow Aisle Truck: Narrow aisle trucks are lift trucks built to work in aisles narrower than a standard counterbalanced forklift needs, with very narrow aisle models such as turret trucks working in the tightest aisles.
• New Pallet: A new pallet is a pallet manufactured from virgin lumber, never used in supply chain.
• NIOSH: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) provides scientific research supporting OSHA standards.
• NIOSH Lifting Equation: The NIOSH Lifting Equation is the science-based framework for evaluating manual lifting tasks including pallet handling.
• NMFC: NMFC (National Motor Freight Classification) is the LTL freight pricing classification system.
• No. 2 Lumber: No.
• No. 3 Lumber: No.
• Non-Reversible Pallet: A pallet with distinct top and bottom decks, where only one side is intended for loading.
• Notched Stringer: A stringer with cutouts (typically 9 inches) allowing forklift entry from the side, creating partial 4-way entry.
• NWPCA: NWPCA (National Wooden Pallet & Container Association) is the US trade association for the wood pallet industry.
• NWPCA Uniform Standard: The NWPCA Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets is a voluntary industry document describing terminology, materials and construction practice for wood pallets.

O (5 terms)

• Oak: Oak is a hardwood pallet lumber, especially common in heavy-duty pallet applications.
• Order Fulfillment: The end-to-end process of receiving an order, picking pallets/items, packing, and shipping to the customer.
• Order Picker: An ITA Class II forklift where the operator rides in a platform that elevates with the forks for case-level picking.
• OSHA: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is the US federal agency that sets and enforces workplace safety standards, including those covering pallet handling, storage and forklifts.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910: OSHA 29 CFR 1910 is the set of federal general industry safety standards, which include the rules that apply to pallet handling, storage and forklift operation.

P (53 terms)

• Pallet Block: A short spacer, usually solid wood, composite wood or plastic, used in block pallet construction to support the deck and allow 4-way entry.
• Pallet Build: The process of stacking products onto a pallet according to a specified pattern.
• Pallet Buy-Back: Pallet buy-back programs purchase used pallets from end users for recycling or refurbishment.
• Pallet Carbon Footprint: Pallet carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with pallet lifecycle.
• Pallet Coating: A pallet coating is any paint, sealer or surface treatment applied to a pallet after it is built.
• Pallet Cores: Pallet cores are used pallets in salvageable condition awaiting repair or resale.
• Pallet Design System: The Pallet Design System (PDS) is the NWPCA-developed software for engineering pallet specifications.
• Pallet Dispenser: A pallet dispenser, also called a pallet magazine or destacker, holds a stack of empty pallets and releases them one at a time onto a conveyor, usually to feed a palletizer or wrapping line.
• Pallet Display: Pallet displays are pre-built retail displays shipped on pallets ready for store floor placement.
• Pallet Enterprise: Pallet Enterprise is a trade magazine covering the wood pallet and container industry.
• Pallet Flow: Pallet flow describes the movement of pallets through supply chain stages.
• Pallet Flow Rack: High-density rack with inclined roller tracks allowing pallets to flow forward by gravity, automatic FIFO.
• Pallet Inverter: A pallet inverter is a machine that clamps a palletized load and rotates it, typically 180 degrees, so the original pallet can be removed and replaced.
• Palletizer: An automated machine that builds loaded pallets from incoming products at end-of-line.
• Pallet Jack: A pallet jack (also called a pump truck) is the simplest powered or manual pallet handling device.
• Pallet Load Capacity: Pallet load capacity is the maximum weight a pallet can safely support.
• Pallet Mill: A pallet mill is a facility focused on new pallet manufacturing from raw lumber.
• Pallet Mover: Pallet mover is a generic term for any equipment used to move pallets, including jacks, forklifts, and AGVs.
• Pallet Pool Program: Pallet pool programs operate large fleets of standardized pallets rented per-use to multiple shippers.
• Pallet Procurement: Pallet procurement is the process of sourcing, purchasing, and managing pallet supply.
• Pallet Rack: A pallet rack is the warehouse structure for storing pallets at multiple vertical levels.
• Pallet Recycling: Pallet recycling recovers used pallets for sortation, repair, and resale or material recovery.
• Pallet Repair: Pallet repair restores damaged pallets to functional service, often as Grade B.
• Pallet RFQ: A pallet RFQ (Request for Quote) is the document soliciting bids from pallet suppliers.
• Pallet Skid: A skid is a load platform made of a top deck fastened to runners or stringers, with no bottom deck.
• Pallet Spacing: Pallet spacing is the horizontal clearance left between adjacent pallet loads, and between loads and rack uprights, in a rack bay.
• Pallet Staple: A double-pointed wire fastener used in some pallet construction for deck-to-stringer attachment.
• Pallet Stencil: A pallet stencil is a painted or sprayed mark applied through a cut template, used to put a company name, ownership notice, handling instruction or compliance mark onto pallets.
• Pallet Strip: The process of removing products from a pallet, typically at receiving.
• Pallet TCO: Pallet TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) accounts for unit price, freight, documentation, and lifecycle.
• Pallet Trade Show: A pallet trade show is an industry event where pallet manufacturers, recyclers and suppliers of pallet equipment and services exhibit.
• Pallet Truck Scale: A pallet truck scale is a manual or powered pallet jack fitted with load cells and a display, so a load can be weighed while it is lifted and moved.
• Pallet Turn: A pallet turn is one complete trip of a pallet through its loop: issued, loaded, shipped, emptied and returned for reuse.
• Pallet Velocity: Pallet velocity is how often pallet loads of an item move through a warehouse, usually measured as pallets received, picked or shipped per day or week for each SKU.
• Pallet Weight: Pallet weight is the tare weight of an empty pallet.
• Pallet Yard: A pallet yard is a facility focused on pallet recycling, sortation, and refurbishment.
• Partial Four-Way Entry: Partial four-way entry pallets accept forklift tines from all four sides, through notches cut in the stringers on two sides, but pallet jacks can usually enter only from the two stringer ends.
• Partial Four-Way Pallet: A stringer pallet with notches cut into the stringers to allow forklift entry from all four sides.
• Partial Truckload: Freight larger than a typical LTL shipment but not needing a full trailer, carried on a shared trailer with few stops and usually without terminal transfers.
• PECO Pallet: PECO pallets are red-painted block pallets in a US pool program.
• PECO Red Pallet: A red-painted block pallet owned by PECO Pallet and rented to shippers in their US pool program.
• PEFC: PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is the largest forest certification system globally.
• Phytosanitary Certificate: A phytosanitary certificate documents that a shipment meets the importing country's plant health requirements.
• Pickup and Delivery (P&D): Local trucking moving freight between LTL terminals and shipper/consignee facilities.
• Plastic Pallet: Plastic pallets are non-wood pallets typically used in food, pharmaceutical, and pool applications.
• PLB Pallet: A PLB pallet is a pallet marked with the PLB name, a branding associated with US pallet rental pooling.
• PLIB (Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau): PLIB (Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau) is a lumber grading and inspection agency based in the Pacific Northwest and accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee.
• Pool Pallet: Pool pallets are owned by a third party and rented to shippers on a per-use basis.
• Pool vs Buy: Pool vs buy compares pallet pool program economics versus pallet ownership.
• PO (Purchase Order): The formal document a buyer issues to a supplier authorizing pallet purchase at agreed terms.
• Presswood Pallet: Presswood pallets are compressed wood-fiber pallets, ISPM-15 exempt for export.
• Publix Pallet: Publix pallets must meet Publix grocery distribution specifications.
• Push-Back Rack: High-density rack where each newly loaded pallet pushes the pallets already in the lane toward the back; lanes are several pallets deep and work last in, first out (LIFO).

R (19 terms)

• Rack Anchor Bolt: The expansion or wedge bolt securing a rack base plate to the concrete warehouse floor.
• Rack Base Plate: The flat steel plate at the bottom of a rack upright, anchored to the warehouse floor.
• Racking Test: The racking test measures pallet performance when supported only at the ends, simulating selective rack storage.
• Rack Load Application: The pattern of pallet loading on a rack, distinguishing point loads, distributed loads, and asymmetric loading.
• Rack Utilization: Rack utilization is the percentage of available pallet rack positions that are occupied at a given time.
• Rail Shipping: Rail shipping moves freight by train, either in boxcars as carload freight or in containers and trailers as part of intermodal service.
• Reach Truck: An ITA Class II forklift designed for narrow aisles with extending forks.
• Recycled Pallet: A recycled pallet is a previously used wood pallet sorted, repaired if needed, and resold.
• Reefer (Refrigerated Trailer): A temperature-controlled trailer for cold-chain shipping of frozen and refrigerated goods.
• Retail Pallet: Retail pallets are pallets used in retail distribution to stores.
• Reverse Logistics: The flow of returned products and pallets from customer back to manufacturer or recycler.
• Reversible Pallet: A double-faced pallet with identical top and bottom decks, allowing either side to be loaded.
• RFQ (Request for Quotation): A formal request for pallet pricing from suppliers, typically specifying quantity, dimensions, treatment, and documentation.
• Rider Stacker: An ITA Class III electric stacker with operator platform for longer travel distances.
• RILA: RILA (Retail Industry Leaders Association) is a US trade association for large retailers.
• RMI: RMI (Rack Manufacturers Institute) is a trade association of rack manufacturers, affiliated with MHI, that develops the ANSI MH16.1 pallet rack standard.
• Robotic Palletizer: A robotic arm system that picks and places products onto pallets, common in modern food/beverage manufacturing.
• Rough Terrain Forklift: An ITA Class VII forklift with pneumatic tires designed for outdoor and uneven surfaces.
• Row Stacking: Stacking pallets in rows on the warehouse floor without rack, common for low-velocity inventory.

S (25 terms)

• Sanitary Pallet: A sanitary pallet is a clean, dry, undamaged pallet suitable for carrying food, in line with the FSMA Sanitary Transportation rule's requirement that transportation equipment be kept in sanitary condition.
• Scrap Pallet: Scrap pallets are unrepairable wood pallets sent for chip processing or biomass fuel.
• Seismic Rack: A pallet rack system engineered to resist earthquake forces, typically with larger base plates, more or heavier anchors and stronger bracing, where the local building code requires seismic design.
• Selective Rack: The most common rack type allowing access to every pallet via standard forklift; lower density but full selectivity.
• SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative): An alternative forest certification scheme to FSC, recognized for sustainable wood sourcing.
• Shrink Wrap: Shrink wrap is heat-shrinkable polyethylene film used for retail-ready unit loads.
• Side Loader: A forklift that loads from the side rather than the front, used for long loads like lumber or pipe.
• Single Faced Pallet: A pallet with only a top deck and no bottom deck, also called a skid.
• Single Wing Pallet: A pallet whose top deck boards extend beyond the outer stringers or blocks, while the bottom deck stays flush with them.
• SKU (Stock Keeping Unit): A unique identifier for a specific product or pallet type in inventory.
• Softwood: Softwood lumber comes from coniferous trees (pine, fir, spruce, hemlock) and is generally lighter than the hardwoods commonly used in pallets.
• Softwood Pallet: A pallet manufactured from softwood species (southern yellow pine, Douglas fir, hemlock), typically lighter than a comparable hardwood pallet, with cost depending on regional lumber markets.
• Sortation System: An automated conveyor system that identifies cases, totes or parcels and diverts each one to the right lane, chute or dock door, used in distribution and parcel centers.
• Southern Yellow Pine: Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) is one of the most widely used pallet lumbers in the US Southeast.
• SPIB (Southern Pine Inspection Bureau): The Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, which writes the grading rules for southern pine lumber and is an ALSC-accredited inspection agency, including for ISPM 15 wood packaging programs.
• Split Case Pick: Picking individual items from a case rather than full case, requiring smaller-package handling.
• Static Compression: Static compression measures the maximum load a pallet can support when stacked without movement.
• Step Deck: A flatbed trailer with a lower deck section to accommodate taller loads.
• Straddle Truck: A lift truck with base legs spaced wide enough to straddle a pallet, so the forks can lower the load to the floor between the legs; the leg spacing limits the widest pallet it can handle.
• Strapping Tool: A strapping tool is a hand-held device that tensions strapping around a load and seals the ends, either with a metal seal or by friction welding plastic strap.
• Stretch Wrap: Stretch wrap is the polyethylene film used to secure unit loads on pallets.
• Stretch Wrap Machine: A stretch wrap machine applies stretch film around a pallet load under controlled tension, so loads are wrapped consistently and with less film than hand wrapping.
• Stringer: A long, parallel beam of wood (typically 48 inches for GMA pallets) running the length of a stringer pallet to support the deck.
• Stringer Pallet: A stringer pallet uses long parallel boards (stringers), usually three, running the length of the pallet to support the deck.
• Sustainable Forest Management: Sustainable forest management ensures long-term forest health while supporting commercial harvest.

T (15 terms)

• Takt Time: Takt time is the pace at which units must be completed to meet customer demand.
• TAPPI: TAPPI, the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, is a US-based technical association for the pulp, paper, packaging and converting industries.
• Target Pallet: A pallet that meets Target's vendor shipping and receiving requirements; suppliers should confirm footprint, pallet type and condition rules in Target's current vendor documentation.
• Telehandler: An ITA Class VII forklift with a telescoping boom for elevated reach, common in construction.
• Throughput: Throughput is the amount of work a system actually completes in a period, such as pallets received per hour, orders shipped per day or pallets built per shift.
• TIA: TIA (Transportation Intermediaries Association) is the US trade association for 3PLs and freight intermediaries.
• Top Deck Board: The horizontal boards forming the upper surface of a pallet on which products are placed.
• Tow Tractor: An ITA Class VI vehicle that pulls cart trains, common in JIT manufacturing and airport baggage operations.
• Trailer Loading: Trailer loading is the process of placing pallets in a truck trailer for shipping.
• Truckload: Truckload (TL) shipping uses a single trailer for one shipper end-to-end.
• Truck-Rail: Truck-rail combines truck and rail in a single shipping move.
• Truck-Rail Modal: Truck-rail modal shipping combines truck pickup, rail line haul, and truck delivery.
• Turret Truck: An ITA Class II VNA forklift with rotating forks allowing operation in 5-6 ft aisles.
• Two-Way Entry: Two-way entry pallets allow forklifts and pallet jacks to enter from only two opposite sides, typically the stringer ends of a stringer pallet with unnotched stringers.
• Two-Way Entry Pallet: A pallet that can be entered by forklift or pallet jack from only two opposite sides, common in stringer-only construction.

U (5 terms)

• Unit Load: A unit load is a single shipping unit, typically a pallet with multiple cases or items secured for shipment.
• UPC (Universal Product Code): The standard 12-digit barcode identifying retail products, supplemented by GS1 SSCC for pallet-level identity.
• Upright Frame: The vertical structural component of a pallet rack consisting of two columns and bracing.
• USDA-APHIS: USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) administers ISPM-15 in the United States.
• USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service): The USDA agency administering ISPM-15 in the United States.

V (2 terms)

• VNA (Very Narrow Aisle): A rack and truck layout with very narrow aisles, often about 5 to 6 feet wide, served by specialized trucks such as turret trucks or man-up order pickers to maximize storage density.
• Volume Tier Discount: Volume tier discounts reduce per-pallet pricing as monthly purchase volume increases.

W (8 terms)

• Walkie: A walkie is a powered pallet jack operated by an operator walking alongside the equipment.
• Walkie Pallet Jack: An ITA Class III pedestrian-operated electric pallet jack, the workhorse of food retail and 3PL operations.
• Walkie Stacker: An ITA Class III pedestrian-operated electric lift truck with a mast that raises pallets for stacking and low to medium rack levels; rated capacity varies by model and lift height.
• Walmart Pallet: Walmart pallets must meet Walmart receiving specifications, typically GMA 48x40.
• Warehousing: Warehousing is the storage of pallets and inventory in dedicated facilities.
• Weigh-Out: Weigh-out is the trailer loading scenario where weight limit is reached before physical volume.
• Wood Pallet: Wood pallets are pallets built from lumber and wood components, and they are the most widely used pallet type in the United States.
• WWPA (Western Wood Products Association): This entry covers the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA), a trade association of western US softwood lumber manufacturers and an ALSC-accredited lumber grading agency.