An astonishing five billion pallets are in use around the world. Freight forwarders collect, carry and deliver all kinds of goods on them every day, and a single pallet may travel from Birmingham to Bora Bora – and back again – during its life cycle. As a business, you need to know how to get your goods from A to B (or Z) as safely, quickly and economically as possible.
Find out all you need to know about how to prepare, book and send palletised freight in our comprehensive guide.
Article contents
- Pallet collection prices
- Pallet collection dates and times
- Countries we deliver pallets to
- How to book a pallet collection service
- A guide to pallet sizes
- Preparing a pallet for collection
- How pallet delivery works
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Book a pallet collection
Pallet collection prices
Palletised freight rates vary according to the size and weight of the shipment, where it is being collected from and going to, and your chosen delivery option. Prices start from around £49.80 exc VAT for a full pallet.
The more flexible you are on pallet delivery times, the lower the freight rates will be. Groupage transport is often the most cost-effective option, for example. This is where part-loads from multiple customers are consolidated into a single shipment and loaded onto trailers that leave regularly to different destinations. Groupage offers customers flexible, cheap and practical pallet delivery within the UK and when shipping to Europe.
Find out more: Benefits of groupage transport – and how it works
The fastest way to get a pallet collection price is to call for a spot quote on +44 (0)1675 434690 or by emailing enquiries@internationalforwarding.co.uk. If we can’t answer you right away, we’ll respond within 30 mins during office hours.
Pallet collection dates and times
Timings generally depend on whether delivery speed or budget is your key priority. You can easily set your preferred pallet collection date and time when you book.
At IFL, we usually deliver UK-bound pallets within 24 hours depending on location (express/premium service) or within 48-hour for the economy option (allow more time for Scottish Highlands and offshore islands). For pallets to and from Europe, services range from 48 hours express to five working days economy, depending on location.
We normally make pallet collections in the afternoon, ideally by 4pm. Morning collections and cut-offs later than 4pm need to be arranged in advance.
For UK freight, we also offer a two-hour ETA on pallet delivery, notified by SMS / email. This lets you can plan more effectively and means you or your customers aren’t waiting around all day for delivery.
Countries we deliver pallets to
IFL delivers to all markets and destinations safely and securely – and has been doing so for more than 30 years. We’ve built a strong word-of-mouth reputation as a highly reliable freight forwarder and a trusted transport partner for many UK businesses. (You can read what our customers think about us here.)
We deliver pallets to and from Europe both through the Palletways network and our own selected transport partners. Wherever you need to ship to, we can help.
How to book a pallet collection service
Our customers send their products all around the UK, Europe and around the world. Booking is easy – simply:
- click on ‘Request a quote’
- call +44 (0)1675 434690
- or email enquiries@internationalforwarding.co.uk
Follow our checklist of information to help you get the best quote:
- How many pallets are you sending?
- What size and weight is your palletised freight?
- What type of product?
- Where are they going to?
- Do your require premium or economy delivery? Or both.
- Which pallet delivery suits your needs (express delivery, groupage)?
Once the job is booked, we’ll arrange to collect and deliver your palletised freight.
Some pallet collections can be more complex than others. If that’s the case, you may need a more bespoke solution. For example, extra logistical support in areas such as: warehousing logistics, cargo handling services, 3PL supply chain management or customs clearance services. Just get in touch to discuss what you need.
>> Find out more: Pallet transport through IFL and Palletways
A guide to pallet sizes
Customers often ask: what pallet size do I need? Answer: it depends on the goods you want to send.
Pallet sizes vary and so do the weight restrictions. The UK standard pallet size is 1m x 1.2m and can take up to 1,200kg. But there are actually six options to suit different needs and price your palletised goods more effectively.
- Full pallet – 1.2m x 1m base x 2.2m high (max weight 1,200kg)
- Light pallet – 1.2m x 1m base x 2.2m high (max weight 750kg)
- Euro half pallet – 1.2m x 0.8m base x 2.2m high (max weight 500kg)
- UK half pallet – 1.2m x 1m base x 1.2m high (max weight 500kg)
- Quarter pallet – 1.2m x 1m base x 0.8m high (max weight 250kg)
- Mini quarter pallet – 1.2m x 1m base x 0.6m high (max weight 150kg)
These can also be combined to allow for non-standard or oversized freight.
Preparing a pallet for collection
On average, the Palletways network – of which IFL is a member – handles your pallet 6-8 times during each journey. So you need to use good quality pallets that are correctly loaded. Cheaper pallets and poor loading risk damage in transit, and mean that your goods may not be collected and delivered in perfect condition, as you’d expect.
You must supply your own pallet and wrapping, and make sure that your pallet is suitable and stable for transportation.
Check how to load your items on to a pallet and how to secure them safely in the short video.
>>Read more: 10 short tips on how to prepare a pallet for shipping.
How pallet delivery works
Once freight has been palletised ready for transport, you can book to arrange a pallet collection – see below.
Your freight forwarder will either carry out the job themselves or via a pallet network with network members collecting and delivering to postcodes in their area. A pallet network makes pallet collection and delivery more efficient and opens up a larger network of destinations for customers. For example, IFL is a platinum member of Palletways – Europe’s largest palletised freight network – which offers a UK-wide overnight delivery service as well as 450 depots across Europe with 20 hubs delivering to 24 countries.
What happens next? There are three steps to getting your pallets delivered.
1 Pallet collection
You need to prepare your goods and book a collection slot. Depending on your location either International Forwarding (IFL), or one of our fellow Palletways network members, will collect your pallet.
2 Hub and processing
Once your pallet is safely secured and loaded, we either deliver direct or take it to our nearest Palletways hub – at Fradley in Lichfield, Staffordshire – to be processed and assigned to the local network member.
3 Delivery
Your pallet is then dispatched for delivery. You can track your pallet and get proof of delivery in real-time.
Frequently asked questions – quick FAQs
IFL doesn’t handle personal effects as this involves different shipping terms, insurances and exclusions from commercial freight. We can refer these enquiries on to a specialist company.
The size of pallet you need will depend on the dimensions of your shipment but also its weight. See the pallet size and weight restrictions section above. If the width or length of the shipment goes over pallet size, this will often trigger an oversized pallet cost.
Usually by 12pm.
You can specify AM or PM. Through our Palletways membership, you can also get a two-hour estimated delivery time– with notifications providing we receive an email or mobile number.
When you book with us you will have access to Palletways award-winning online portal, where you can book collections and track your shipments. Simply enter your tracking number and you’ll be able to see live tracking information throughout the delivery.
Book a pallet collection
To book a pallet collection, here’s how to contact us:
