Pallet lingo

Pallets, the base of most modern materials handling systems, do more than carry loads. Applied correctly, they can also protect their loads—as well as the supply chains through which they travel.

By Corinne Kator, Associate Editor -- Modern Materials Handling, 5/1/2008

Skid: a pallet that has no bottom boards (also known as a “single deck” pallet)

Non-reversible: a pallet that cannot be used when turned upside down, either because it has no bottom boards or has a limited number of bottom boards

Reversible: a pallet that has deck boards spaced identically on the top and bottom, permitting the pallet to be reversed

One-way: an expendable pallet made of low-quality materials intended to be shipped once and then disposed

Two-way: a pallet that permits forklift entry in the two opposite pallet ends only

Four-way: a pallet that permits forklift entry in all four sides

Eight-way: a pallet that permits forklift entry on all four sides as well as diagonally at each corner

Blue pallet: a pallet with its sides painted blue, indicating it’s owned by the pallet rental company CHEP

Orange pallet: a pallet with its sides painted orange, indicating it’s part of the Canadian Pallet Council pallet pool

White pallet: pallets not painted or otherwise marked to indicate their ownership