The critical information needed for pricing wooden pallets
When looking for wooden pallet price, please consider the following details. It helps us at Fox Valley Wood Products provide you with the most accurate quote for your requested product.
- Quantity
- Entry
- Orientation and specs
- Estimated weight load
- Delivery
- And more
Here is an example of a common quote request we get:
“Hey Jeff, please get me a price for a 40×48 pallet”
Try a quote request like this instead:
“Hey Jeff, I’m looking for the price on 150, 2-way entry 48×40 pallets. This is for a local delivery and is expected to only double stack on the pallets. Thank you.”
Key Differences Overview
Quantity: How many do you need to order?
Wooden pallets are typically known to be a low margin commodity. While that assumption can be true, it is highly dependent on the order quantity. When requesting a quote, please include the approximate number of pallets you plan to order. The more volume, the lower the price. Most pallet suppliers will deploy automation for orders that exceed 80 pallets. If under 80, pallets might need to be built manually, requiring more labor. This can cost up to 50% more than an automated pallet.
Note: In some cases, Fox Valley Wood Products offers volume pricing when a customer orders a size, we currently stock for another customer. When ordering, please inquire about stock sizes.
Entry: Which ways do you need to access the wooden pallet from a forklift?
Always indicate whether the pallet needs to be 2 way or 4-way entry. 2 way means you can only fork handle from the front or back. 4–way means you can fork from all four sides.
Orientation: What are the dimensions of the desired pallet?
The length of the pallet is always the first dimension in the sequence. The first dimension also always relates to the stringer. The stringer is the component that connects the top deck boards to the bottom deck boards. The second dimension relates to the top and bottom deck boards. A 40×48 pallet would have 40” stringers and 48” top and bottom deck boards. While this size exists, the most common pallet footprint is 48×40 which includes 48” stringers and 40” top and bottom deck boards.
Specs: Which pallet are you reviewing?
The largest factor determining pallet pricing directly relates to the amount of lumber used to build it. If you are asking us to provide a competitive quote for an existing pallet, please have your incumbent provide a list of materials that goes into the pallet, or at a minimum email a photo of the pallet you are reviewing. In most cases it is our preference to schedule a customer visit to confirm physical pallet matches the specification. Often, pallet specs are changed at the plant level and not communicated to your engineering team. Fox Valley Wood Products provides specification verification and pallet prints at no extra charge.
Estimated weight load: Is there a plan to double or triple stack loads on the pallets?
Indicate the weight and type of product going on the pallet if you can. Also include if the weight will be evenly distributed and whether you plan to double or triple stack unit loads of pallets.
Heat Treat: Is this a local or international order?
If the pallets destination is another country, please indicate the pallet will need to be heat treated. Learn more about why heat treatment is necessary in this blog.
Pickup or Delivery?
FOB – assumes the customer will pick up at our location. Delivered assumes we will ship via our truck or schedule the freight. Please indicate the delivery location address.
Getting Your Quote
Now that you have all the details in good order, there are few more things you may want to consider that we think about at Fox Valley Wood Products. What lumber species? (dense hardwood, aspen or softwood SPF), green lumber or kiln dried, do you need more than three stringers? Is what you need actually a skid, with no bottom boards? Not sure, give us a call. We’re here to help.
