All way entry pallet - The construction of the pallet allows entry from all sides and ends by a fork truck.

Base Pallet - 1)Utilized to form the base for a larger group of pallets or a larger structure.2) A randomly selected pallet utilized to determine the strength or durability of a group of pallets.

Bin pallet - A four-sided superstructure that is mounted on a pallet base, with or without a cover.  Also known as a box or container bin pallet.

Block Pallet - A pallet designed with blocks of material between the pallet decks or beneath the top deck that serve as strengtheners and posts. (a.k.a. Manoj Pallets)

CAD - Computer aided design.  A computer software system that allows the user to "draw" and design objects "on a screen" as opposed to the traditional method of drafting and prototyping.

Captive pallet - A pallet which is designed and dedicated to a given process, system or location/facility.  Not intended to be exchanged.

Contained load - A pallet load of items or cartons (either identical or mixed in terms of size or contents).

Crate - A box used to protect materials during shipping and storage.

Deflection - The amount of deformation or bending in a pallet or pallet component under load.

Double deck pallet - A pallet constructed of both a top and bottom deck or deckboards.

Double wing pallet - A pallet constructed in such a way as to have the top deck extending out from opposite sides.

Dunnage - Materials or devices used in the securing and/or bracing of products during shipments.

Empty pallet stacker - A transporter or device used to distribute, move and store empty pallets.

Euro-Pallet - The standard pallet in Europe. It is 1200 mm by 800 mm in dimension and has a wood block design between the top and bottom permitting four-way or four-sided entrance by lifting forks. Although other sizes exist in Europe, they are not nearly as prominent as the Euro-pallet.

Exchange pallet - Refers to a pallet that is used by several shippers whose ownership is transferred when the ownership of the unit load is transferred.

Expendable pallet - A pallet utilized for a single transaction and is not expected to be returned.

Fiberboard pallet - A pallet which is constructed from fiberboard material

Fixed-wall pallet container - Container that features an integrated pallet and has fixed side walls.

Flush pallet - A pallet constructed in such a manner that there are no overhangs and the decks, both top and bottom, fit "flush" with the stringers on all sides.

Fork entry - The opening between decks of a pallet, beneath the top deck or beneath the stringer notch, to admit forks.

Four-Way Block Pallet - A pallet which, by its design and construction, is accessible to a pallet jack from all four sides; a full four-way entry pallet.

Four way pallet - A pallet which, by its construction, allows forks of a lift to enter the pallet from both sides and ends.

Four-Way Stringer Pallet - A pallet which utilizes stringers in its construction with these stringers being notched to allow four way insertion of forks.

Four-way entry pallet - Openings on all four sides of a pallet or the base of a pallet or container, which allow fork truck handling from all four sides.

Four-way fork entry - Openings on all four sides of a pallet or the base of a pallet container, which allow fork truck handling.

Full perimeter pallet - A pallet which utilizes a block design and incorporates the use of deckboards and stringer configured in the same plane.  Such a configuration results in the formation of a complete framework on both ends and both sides.

GMA pallet - A pallet whose dimensions are  48"x40", is made of hardwood, and is forkliftable from all four sides.  Manufactured to GMA requirements.

GMA - Grocery Manufacturers of America

Grab-a-block pallet - A pallet used in distribution operations wherein the center stringer or block is grabbed by a center clamp to steady the pallet enabling goods to be stacked on it at an elevated height.  These types of pallets may be made of wood or plastic.

Just-in-time - The practice of timing inbound material flows so that they can arrive just in time before they are required. This results in smaller inventories. A JIT system requires close links among forecasting, production, scheduling, and purchasing groups as well as suppliers and carriers.

Logistics - The organization, integration and utilization of the resources and transportation infrastructure needed to achieve the efficient flow of materials and information over the entire supply chain, or within selected subsystems.  See also, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Material Handling, and Third Party Logistics. Note that all of referenced terms are highly interrelated and their definitions are frequently intermingled.

Multiple trip pallet - A pallet designed and built for use in multiple trips and transports.

Nonreversible pallet - A pallet designed and constructed to utilize only the top deckbaord and does not incorporate a bottom deckboard.

Notched stringer - The stringer on a pallet that possesses identical notches which are spaced such as to allow forks to enter pallet.

One way pallet - A pallet that is designed and constructed so as to allow fork entry from only the back or front. Also, a pallet which is considered expendable.

Pallet - Generally constructed of plastic, metal or wood, a pallet is a piece of transportation/movement equipment utilized in the movement of unit loads. Usually "fork-liftable" in that it is designed to accept forks between the top and bottom platforms of the unit.

A portable, horizontal, rigid platform used as a base for assembling, storing, stacking, handling and transporting goods as a unit load, often equipped with a superstructure.

Pallet dimensions - Measurement points to determine a pallet's dimensions:
- Length=distance between pallet ends (inclusive of overhang) and parallel to the stringer(s).
- Width=distance between pallet sides at right angles to the pallet length inclusive of any overhang
- Height=distance from the outer edges of the bottom deckboards to the outer edges of the top deckboard.
Pallet dimensions are generally shown in inches.

Pallet dispenser - A pallet feeder is a device used for feeding empty pallets.    It is often known as a pallet dispenser.

Pallet double wing - A pallet constructed in such a way as to have the top deck extending out from opposite sides.

Pallet Exchange Program - A program agreed upon by several shippers and receivers with each party assuming responsibility for the total inventory of pallets.  These parties exchange pallets on a one-for-one basis with each transaction recorded and documented.  Program provides cost savings in off loading time and time pressures on warehousing personnel.

Pallet  Length - The first dimension stated in categorizing or describing a pallet

Pallet life - The usable life of a pallet and is expressed in time in use or in the number of trips that the pallet has been in service.

Pallet pattern - The  layer- by- layer arrangement or pattern of boxes/cartons as they are placed on a pallet.

Pallet performance - The performance of a pallet as expressed in terms of durability, stability (lateral), degree of stiffness or rigidity, and strength.

Picker pallet - A pallet used in distribution operations wherein the center stringer or block is grabbed by a center clamp to steady the pallet enabling goods to be stacked on it at an elevated height.

Rental pallet - pallet owned by a third party, different from the actual user.

Return on Investment - A management tool that calculates the income of a material handling investment or project and divides this income by the cost of the assets devoted to the investment or project.

Returnable/reusable pallet - A pallet designed to be used for more than one trip.

Reversible pallet - A pallet designed and constructed to use both the top and bottom deckboards as load bearing members.  This pallet has identical top and bottom decks.

Single deck pallet - A pallet possessing one load bearing deck.

Skid - pallet that does not utilize a bottom deck.  Generally supports the top deck by means of blocks and stringers.

Slave pallet - A pallet used in an automated rack system

Solid Deck Pallet - A pallet constructed with no spacing along the deck(s).

Solid Side Pallet - A pallet constructed such that the stringer sides are not notched.

Stacking Pallet - A pallet constructed in such a manner as to allow one pallet complete with load to be placed on another without damage to the lower unit load.  This is generally achieved by utilizing a superstructure within the pallet.

Stringer - The support beams of a pallet which generally are placed at right angles to the deckboards and designated as edge stringers or center stringers.

Stringer board - A component of a pallet that is a solid board placed between the deckboard and the block and extending the full length of a block pallet.

Stringer chord - Generally refers to the upper edge of a notched stringer.

Stringer foot - Generally refers to the bottom or lower edge of a notched stringer.

Tier - Generally refers to one layer of a unitized pallet load.  Also, may refer to layers of storage which are of the same height.

Two-way pallet - A pallet constructed with stringers that do not have notches, so that fork tines can be inserted only from the two open ends.

Type I pallet- Single-faced, non-reversible pallet.

Type II pallet - Double-faced, flush-stringer or block, non-reversible pallet.

Type III pallet - Double-faced, flush-stringer or block, reversible pallet.

Type IV Pallet - Double-faced, single-wing, non-reversible pallet.

Type V pallet - Single-faced, single-wing, non-reversible pallet.

Type VI pallet - Double-faced, double-wing, reversible pallet.

Uniformly distributed load - The per square inch weight of the pallet load does not vary from one point to another on the pallet.  Indicates that the load on a pallet is evenly distributed.