How Choosing the Right Pallet Size Ensures Efficient Shipping

June 27, 2025

Pallet shipping is an intricate process, requiring correct pallet materials and logistics techniques to ensure success. It also requires suitable pallet sizes. Improperly sized pallets can lead to various setbacks, but choosing the correct sizes can ensure efficient shipping. Learn how below.

1. Saves Space

Choosing the correct pallet size saves space in storage and shipping. However, using too small or big pallets can waste space and money. For example, you estimate fitting 10 boxes of your product into 10 pallets, but you get the wrong size pallet and can only fit 5 boxes. Instead of 10 pallets, you use 20, requiring more storage space and a larger shipping truck.

2. Improves Safety

Suitable-sized pallets hold products firmly, but improperly sized pallets leave gaps. This additional space can cause goods to move around in shipping, causing damage and safety hazards. Using the wrong pallet size can also lead to overpacking products and overexerting the structure. The right sizes offer optimal packing, better product protection, and safer logistics.

3. Reduces Shipping Costs

When pallets accurately fit your products, you can transport an optimal amount and save money on packing materials and shipping. But if your pallets are too small, you risk fitting fewer products, using more pallet boxes, or making more trips.

You can also pay more for oversized pallets. Shipping companies typically quote you on the weight and size of your packaging. If pallets are too big, you could spend more on transportation. When you use the right-size pallets, you reduce shipping costs and save money.

4. Better Compatibility

Workers use material handling equipment like forklifts and telehandlers to load and off-load packages in logistics. These tools are often designed to handle standard pallet sizes (1165 mm x 1165 mm in Australia). When your pallets are too small or irregularly sized, logistics staff can have difficulty loading and unloading them. Using the correct pallet sizes provides better compatibility with handling equipment and streamlines shipping.

5. Prevents Damage

Choosing the right sized pallets for shipping prevents various damage, including:

Sliding: The correct-sized pallets ensure your products fit snugly into your pallets and prevent them from moving or sliding around in transit.
Impact: Using suitable pallets provides optimal packing space and prevents overloading, which can lead to products falling off and breaking.
Overloading: The right size pallets lead to better packing practices instead of poor techniques that squash or crush products.
Handling errors: Optimally sized pallets work better with handling tools and minimise loading and off-loading errors.

6. Ensures Compliance

Various countries have varying sizing standards for importing and exporting pallets. Complying with them prevents delays and ensures efficient shipping.

For example, in Australia, the standardised pallet sizes are designed to fit national transport systems, and incorrect-sized pallets may not fit or be compatible. This inconsistency can cause setbacks in logistics warehouses, like slow loading or product rejections. Accurately sized pallets ensure your products meet logistics requirements and streamline loading and delivery.

7. Limits Waste

When you use pallets that accurately fit, you limit waste and practice sustainability:

You limit the number of trucks or shipments required to transport your cargo.
Minimising shipments leads to less fuel used and carbon emissions.
You require less packaging materials and produce less waste.
Products arrive in excellent condition and reduce returns and remanufacturing.

Need Suitable Pallets for Shipping?

Cooperage Pallets & Boxes is a leading pallet manufacturer and supplier in Sydney. We offer pallets, including new, used, and heat-treated options to support your goals. We also provide custom-made pallets to ensure accurate product packaging and efficient shipping.

Our team of experienced staff are experts in their craft and can help you choose the right pallets for your shipping goals.