The thing under the box, which decides whether the box survives
A box hanging one inch over a pallet edge loses roughly 20% of its stacking strength, because the corners lose their support. Pallets are not an afterthought line item — they are half of the structural system.
Ask about pallets
Tell us what you have or what you need. A real person in Houston reads every one of these — usually within a couple of hours during dock time.
At a glance
- GMA Grade A
- 48" × 40", no repairs, stringers intact
- GMA Grade B
- One or two repaired stringers, fully serviceable
- Heat treated
- ISPM-15 stamped for international shipment
- Plastic
- Nestable and rackable, for wash-down and closed loops
- Square sizes
- 48" × 48" for square boxes — do not improvise this
- We also buy
- Yes, per pallet by grade, usually on the same truck
Overhang is the failure mode nobody plans for
Published box compression ratings assume the box is fully supported and stacked corner to corner. Hang the box over the pallet edge and the corners — which carry 60–70% of the load — are supported by air. One inch of overhang costs roughly 20% of stacking strength. Two inches and you are into the range where a bottom box in a three-high stack is genuinely unsafe.
Grades
| Grade | Condition | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| GMA A | No repairs, all stringers and boards intact | Outbound loads, racking, customer-facing |
| GMA B | One or two repaired stringers, serviceable | Internal transfer, collection, storage |
| Heat treated | ISPM-15 stamped | Export — required for most international shipments |
| Plastic | Moulded HDPE, nestable or rackable | Wash-down, food, closed loops |
Wood versus plastic
Wood is cheaper, repairable, recyclable and heavier. Plastic is more expensive up front, washable, dimensionally consistent (which robots appreciate) and lasts far longer in a closed loop. The break-even is similar to the box question: high-cycle short loops favour plastic, one-way and variable-volume favours wood.
Buying and selling on the same truck
Pallets accumulate the same way empty boxes do, and they have the same problem: they eat dock space and eventually somebody pays to remove them. We buy them by the grade, usually on the truck that is already coming to you with boxes. It is the least glamorous efficiency in this business and one of the most reliable.
Pallets — common questions
Do I need heat-treated pallets?
Only for international shipments — ISPM-15 is a phytosanitary requirement for solid wood packaging crossing most borders. Domestic freight does not require it.
Can you deliver pallets without boxes?
Yes, though the freight math works considerably better if they ride along with a box order.
Do you buy broken pallets?
Yes, for repair or for grinding. The rate is lower but it beats paying to dispose of them.
What pallet does a standard gaylord box need?
A 48×40 GMA. That footprint is precisely why the standard gaylord box is 48×40 in the first place.