The GMA pallet is the dominant 48x40 inch US pallet specification originated by the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
Detailed Definition
A GMA pallet is a 48 x 40 inch stringer pallet with the 48 inch dimension running along the stringers. It typically has three notched stringers that make it partial four-way entry, seven top deck boards and five bottom deck boards, built from hardwood or softwood. The Grocery Manufacturers Association, now the Consumer Brands Association, popularized the design for grocery distribution. Large retailers each publish their own pallet requirements in vendor guides, so a shipper should check the receiving customer's current rules rather than assume GMA is always required.
What makes a pallet GMA style
The term is used loosely in the trade. Most buyers mean a 48 x 40 in. three-stringer pallet with full openings between the stringers on the two 40 inch ends for forklifts and pallet jacks, and notches cut in the stringers so forklift tines can also enter from the 48 inch sides. Deck board thickness, lumber species, fastener type and the number of boards vary between suppliers, so two pallets both called GMA can differ in weight and strength.
New, recycled and remanufactured pallets are all sold as GMA size. Recycled units are usually sorted into trade grades such as Grade A and Grade B, which are supplier terms rather than a national standard.
How to specify one on a purchase order
- Footprint and stringer length: 48 x 40 in., stringer 48 in.
- Entry: partial four-way with notched stringers.
- New or recycled, and the grade if recycled.
- Deck board count, thickness and lumber species if they matter for your load.
- Heat treatment and ISPM-15 mark if any pallets will cross a border.
- Any customer-specific rules on pallet color, markings or pool pallets.
Writing these out avoids the common problem of receiving a lighter pallet than the one your load was designed around.
Authoritative Sources
- Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA) (CBA): the trade association whose 48x40 inch pallet standard (the "GMA pallet") became the dominant US pallet specification.
- National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA): the US trade association representing wood pallet manufacturers, recyclers, and component producers, founded in 1947.
- Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA): the trade association representing large US retailers; individual retailers, not RILA, publish the pallet requirements in their own vendor guides.
Related Glossary Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an official GMA pallet standard I can buy?
The GMA design grew out of grocery industry work rather than a formal national standard that is kept current today, and the association is now the Consumer Brands Association. In practice, buyers define the pallet in their own specification, often referring to GMA as shorthand for a 48 x 40 in. three-stringer, partial four-way pallet. For load capacity, pallets are designed with tools such as the NWPCA Pallet Design System and tested with methods such as ASTM D1185.
Do all big retailers require GMA pallets?
Not necessarily. Many US retailers accept 48 x 40 in. pallets, but each sets its own rules in a vendor manual or routing guide, and some require or prefer pool pallets such as CHEP for certain suppliers or programs. Requirements also change over time. Before shipping to a retail distribution center, read the current supplier guide or ask your buyer contact which pallet types are accepted.