Custom wooden pallets: When do you need bespoke sizes?

Standard pallets are designed to suit regular shipping and storage requirements, but not every product is standard. You might have oversized machinery or unusually shaped goods, which don’t suit conventional pallets.

If your business handles products that don’t fit the usual dimensions, you’re likely to need bespoke wooden pallets that give you the stable base required for storing and transporting your products.

What are custom wooden pallets?

Custom wooden pallets are manufactured to meet your requirements if your needs fall outside the standard pallet specifications. Rather than selecting an existing pallet size and adapting your goods to fit, the pallet is designed around the product and its intended use.

This could mean increasing the load-bearing capacity or modifying the deck configuration, for example.

When should you consider custom size pallets?

A bespoke pallet isn’t necessary for every shipment. If your goods fit comfortably on a standard pallet and can be handled and transported safely, a standard option will often be the simplest choice.

However, non-standard pallet sizes may be appropriate in the following circumstances.

1. Your product is oversized

One of the most common reasons businesses request bespoke pallets is because their products are too large for standard dimensions.

If a product extends beyond the edge of a pallet, it can be more difficult to secure and support the load properly. A pallet designed around the product’s footprint can provide a more suitable base.

This can be particularly important for large industrial components, such as heavy machinery.

2. You’re transporting irregularly shaped goods

Machinery, engineering components, pipes, mouldings and other specialist products may have unusual shapes or protruding sections. Trying to accommodate these on a standard pallet can mean that some areas are unsupported.

Pallets for irregular loads can be designed to provide support exactly where the product needs it.

3. Your load is particularly heavy

A standard pallet may not be suitable for a very heavy load, particularly where the weight is concentrated in a relatively small area. In these situations, we can design custom heavy-duty pallets with the intended load requirements in mind.

We take into account how the weight is distributed and how the pallet will be lifted when we prepare the design.

4. Your warehouse or handling equipment has specific requirements

Your pallet may need to fit a particular conveyor, production line, or storage area. If standard pallet dimensions don’t work with your existing setup, custom size pallets may be more practical.

The advantages of custom shipping pallets

Depending on the application, a bespoke pallet can offer:

• A footprint matched to the dimensions of the product
• Improved support for oversized or irregular loads
• Greater stability for heavy products
• Better compatibility with handling equipment
• Flexibility around specific storage requirements
• A pallet design suited to the intended transportation method

For specialist products, the pallet is an important part of the overall packaging and logistics system.

What information do you need to provide for a bespoke pallet?

If you want to request made-to-order wooden pallets, please provide us with as much information as possible to help us understand what you need.

Useful details include:

Product dimensions
Provide the length, width and height of the product that you want to transport. Please tell us about any parts that extend beyond the main body of the item.

Weight
What is the total weight of the load? If possible, please let us know if the weight is evenly distributed or concentrated in particular areas.

Quantity
How many products do you want to transport?

Handling
Please explain how the pallet will be moved. For example, will it be handled by forklift or pallet truck? Will it be lifted from particular sides?

Storage
If the pallet needs to fit a specific racking system, warehouse space or conveyor, provide those requirements.

Transportation
Tell us how the goods will be transported and whether there are any particular vehicle or shipping requirements.

If you have photos or technical drawings, those will also be helpful for us.

Talk to us about custom wooden pallets

At Robinsons Pallets, we work with businesses that need pallet solutions outside standard specifications. We provide new bespoke pallets in minimum quantities of approximately 500 pallets, whether you need unusual dimensions, additional strength or a design suited to an irregular load.

If you’re unsure whether a standard or bespoke pallet is right for your products, speak to our team about your requirements and we’ll help you find the right solution.