Pallet types and sizes: EUR, ISO, CHEP, CP, H1 and DHP

Common pallet sizes run from the 1200 × 800 mm euro pallet, through the 1200 × 1000 mm industrial base, to the American 1219 × 1016 mm and 800 × 600 mm half-pallets. Not every name maps to one dimension, though: EUR and CP describe precise bases, ISO is a family of standardised formats, and CHEP is a rental system in which several different carriers circulate. With the less specific labels, pin down the exact variant before you order or plan a shipment.

The short answer: which formats you need to know

For day-to-day work a handful of formats is enough, plus the awareness that EUR, ISO, CHEP, CP, H1 and DHP do not all work the same way. Some labels refer to a dimension, others to a system of use or an industry. So when comparing pallets, identify the standard first and only then establish size, height and application. It is simpler than memorising the abbreviations and safer when shipping abroad.

EUR pallets and half-pallets

These differences are not academic. The same goods tile quite differently on 1200 × 800 than on 1200 × 1000 mm, and on export it also matters how the pallet fits the rhythm of the warehouse, the trailer and the container. Full parameters for the most common format are in euro pallet dimensions, and the 1200 × 1000 mm carriers are covered in the industrial pallet.

ISO, CHEP, CP, H1 and DHP

The CP family also runs to CP6-CP9, repeating the bases above in stronger constructions. The 1219 × 1016 mm entry in the ISO group is the American pallet (48 × 40 in). If a document says only "ISO pallet" or "CHEP pallet" with no dimension, treat it as a prompt to establish the variant, not as an answer.

Reading the labels without slipping up

Recognise the system, judge its application, then establish dimension and height. That order avoids the situation where a format looks familiar but does not actually fit the process - which happens most often when comparing a domestic supply chain against an export one.

A good habit is to record the full dimension in paperwork instead of the abbreviation. "CP3, 1140 × 1140 mm" settles the question immediately, where "CP" alone needs a follow-up call. That small change between sales, warehouse and transport removes a large share of booking errors.

Choosing a pallet for the load, the warehouse and the market

Start with three questions: what are the carton dimensions, how do you plan to stack, and how much space do you actually have in transport. Only from there does it become clear whether a format makes operational sense. The pallet name will not tell you how many layers fit, whether the load stays stable or whether the whole thing uses the space well.

If your business handles several packaging types, don't compare them by name. Compare by carton dimension, layout pattern and the space left at the sides and above the load - those decide whether a format is practical rather than merely compliant.

The most common mistakes

Treating every pallet name as one closed dimension. Comparing formats without establishing height, load capacity and stacking method. And confusing the American 1219 × 1016 mm pallet with the industrial 1200 × 1000 mm - a gap of under two centimetres that is quite capable of breaking a row pattern in a container.

Avoid reducing the decision to whether a pallet "fits". What matters is whether it fits well - with room for stability, a sensible layer pattern and no wasted space where further units have to go later.

A practical example

Say you have to ship 400 × 300 mm cartons and choose between a EUR / EPAL 1 and a 1200 × 1000 mm base. On the euro pallet the layer closes at 8 pieces (4 × 300 mm along, 2 × 400 mm across), covering the whole base. On 1200 × 1000 mm the same carton gives 10 per layer: the 1000 mm depth splits into three bands (400 + 300 + 300 mm), with four cartons in the first and three in each of the others. The unit gets heavier, though, and needs different space in the vehicle. Neither format is universally better - the layer pattern, the weight and the onward transport decide.