Quote for retail & distribution
Pre-fill the service and grade and we will route it to the right person.
Four requirements that keep recurring.
- Automation-safe A-grade
- Half & quarter display bases
- Consistent deck coverage
- Reverse logistics recovery
Premium A 48×40, tight tolerance, no protruding fasteners, optional display collars.
A starting point, not a prescription. We would rather see a photo of your load and change our mind than ship the sector default and have you discover a problem at the dock.
Send us your loadThree pages worth your time for this sector.
Which grade you actually need
Most buyers in this sector over-specify. Here is what each repair technique really does.
Read CapacityStatic, dynamic and racking
Three numbers that differ by a factor of ten. Make sure you are quoting the right one.
Read ProgramClosing the loop
Supply and recovery in one agreement, with diversion reporting for your audit file.
ReadCities on our map with retail & distribution work.
Every one of these has its own page with distance, drive time, cadence and the local order profile.
The tables behind that recommendation.
Footprint, grade, support condition and lead time. Four tables that together answer most of what a sector spec sheet has to leave out.
| Footprint | Inches | Millimetres | Construction | Top / btm boards | Weight lb | Dynamic load | Racked load | Board feet | Positions per 53′ van |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40 GMA | 48 × 40 | 1219 × 1016 | 3-stringer, notched | 7 / 5 | 33–48 | 2,100–2,800 lb | 1,500–2,500 lb | 37 | 30 |
| 48 × 40 heavy | 48 × 40 | 1219 × 1016 | 3-stringer, thicker | 7 / 7 | 46–58 | 3,000–4,000 lb | 2,200–3,000 lb | 44 | 30 |
| 48 × 40 economy | 48 × 40 | 1219 × 1016 | 3-stringer | 5 / 3 | 28–34 | 1,200–1,800 lb | Not recommended | 27 | 30 |
| 48 × 48 | 48 × 48 | 1219 × 1219 | 4-stringer or block | 7 / 5 + perimeter | 52–68 | 3,000–4,500 lb | 2,000–3,000 lb | 46 | 26 |
| 42 × 42 | 42 × 42 | 1067 × 1067 | 3-stringer, notched | 7 / 5 | 32–44 | 2,000–2,600 lb | 1,400–2,200 lb | 34 | 30 |
| 40 × 48 | 40 × 48 | 1016 × 1219 | 3-stringer, notched | 7 / 5 | 33–48 | 2,100–2,800 lb | 1,400–2,300 lb | 37 | 30 |
| 48 × 42 | 48 × 42 | 1219 × 1067 | 3-stringer, notched | 7 / 5 | 35–50 | 2,200–2,900 lb | 1,500–2,500 lb | 39 | 30 |
| 40 × 40 | 40 × 40 | 1016 × 1016 | 3-stringer, notched | 6 / 4 | 28–40 | 1,800–2,400 lb | 1,200–2,000 lb | 31 | 30 |
| 48 × 36 | 48 × 36 | 1219 × 914 | 3-stringer, notched | 7 / 5 | 30–42 | 1,900–2,500 lb | 1,300–2,100 lb | 33 | 34 |
| Euro / EPAL 1 | 47.2 × 31.5 | 1200 × 800 | 9-block | 11 + 3 bearers | 50–57 | 3,300 lb nominal | 2,200 lb nominal | 33 | 40 |
| Euro 2 / industrial | 47.2 × 39.4 | 1200 × 1000 | 9-block | 11 + 3 bearers | 60–70 | 3,300 lb nominal | 2,200 lb nominal | 41 | 30 |
| Euro 3 / half | 31.5 × 23.6 | 800 × 600 | Block | Varies | 20–26 | 1,100 lb | Not rated | 17 | 80 |
| Quarter / display | 23.6 × 15.7 | 600 × 400 | Block or moulded | Varies | 9–14 | 550 lb | Not rated | 9 | 160 |
| Asia standard | 43.3 × 43.3 | 1100 × 1100 | 9-block | Varies | 48–60 | 2,200 lb nominal | 1,800 lb nominal | 36 | 28 |
| Australia standard | 45.9 × 45.9 | 1165 × 1165 | Block | Varies | 55–66 | 2,200 lb nominal | 1,800 lb nominal | 40 | 26 |
Capacities are indicative ranges for recycled stock, not certifications — see load capacity for how the three ratings differ. Trailer positions assume the better of the two orientations on a 630″ × 98″ floor. Usable floor of a 53-foot dry van. Reefers and curtainsides run shorter and narrower.
| Criterion | Grade A / #1 | Grade B / #2 | Combo | Core / as-is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plugs permitted | No | Yes | In the B portion | N/A — unsorted |
| Companion boards | No | Yes | In the B portion | N/A |
| Stringer repair | No | Yes, plug or plate | In the B portion | N/A |
| Missing boards | None | None | None | Possible |
| Weathering | Light | Visible | Mixed | As received |
| Dimensional tolerance | ±⅜ in | ±½ in | ±½ in | Unchecked |
| Protruding fasteners | None | None | None | Possible |
| Rated load | Full | Full | Full | Unknown |
| Indicative price index | 100 | 62–70 | 75–85 | 30–45 |
| Re-stamped with passport | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Price index is relative, with A-grade set at 100, and moves with the market. Note that rated load is full on A, B and Combo alike — grade is a cosmetic and repair-history statement, not a strength one. Grades explained in full.
| Support condition | What governs | Share of static rating | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor, full contact | Crushing | 1.00 | The largest published figure and the least useful one. |
| Fork tines, in motion | Bending + dynamic shock | 0.35–0.45 | The dynamic rating. What matters for nearly every operation. |
| Racked across stringers | Stringer bending | 0.30–0.40 | Stringers span the beams. The stronger racking orientation. |
| Racked along stringers | Deck board bending | 0.15–0.25 | Deck boards span unsupported. Frequently halves usable capacity. |
| Racked, sustained months | Creep | 0.12–0.20 | Progressive, non-recovering deflection. Floor storage never reveals this. |
| Double stacked | Lower platform crushing | Static rating of lower unit | Do not apply a dynamic rating to a platform carrying another platform. |
Factors are indicative multipliers against the floor-supported static figure, for a standard recycled 48 × 40 GMA stringer platform. Racking orientation alone can halve the usable number.
| Tier | Stock release | Repaired stock | New build | Heat treated | Surplus pickup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | 24–48 hours | 3–5 business days | 7–12 business days | Same day on held stock | 48 hours, full trailer |
| Regular | 3–5 business days | 5–8 business days | 10–15 business days | 48 hours | Next scheduled run |
| On demand | Next paired run | 8–12 business days | 12–18 business days | 72 hours | Full trailers, scheduled |
Working days from a confirmed order against an agreed specification. Standing-release customers run shorter than these because we hold buffer stock sorted to their spec.
What gets checked in this sector.
Anything crossing a border falls under ISPM-15 in full — platforms, crates, cleats and loose dunnage alike. Audited programmes add prior-use, segregation and moisture questions on top, and all of those have documentary answers rather than verbal ones.
- Every component debarked — a single strip on one bottom board voids the unit
- Core temperature 56 °C held for 30 continuous minutes, probed in the thickest member
- IPPC wheat mark with country code, registered facility number and HT treatment code
- Mark applied on at least two opposite faces, legibly and permanently
- Loose dunnage, blocking and bracing treated and marked independently
- Any post-treatment repair made with treated material, and the unit re-marked
- Batch record retained, tied to your shipment reference, issued with the packing list
- Methyl bromide (MB) avoided — phased out in most destinations and refused by several
| Document | When | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Certified weigh ticket | Every inbound and outbound movement | The evidentiary basis of any diversion claim |
| Count sheet by grade | Every purchase of your surplus | You get the sheet, not a summary |
| ISPM-15 batch record | Any heat-treated consignment | Turns a port query into an email |
| Pallet Passport record | Any remanufactured platform | Origin, repair history, treatment batch, running ledger |
| Quarterly diversion report | Programme customers | Measured tonnage for ESG reporting, not an industry average |
| Feedstock segregation attestation | Mulch and bedding buyers | Written statement of what the wood was |
| Certificate of insurance | On request | Named-insured endorsements for on-site crews |
| Grading criteria statement | On request | The written standard our graders work to |
Ask for any of these before an audit rather than during one. Assembling the pack takes us an afternoon and converts verbal questions into documents.
When this sector competes for the same pool.
Harvest, the retail peak build and the construction push before winter all pull on one recovered pool inside roughly eight weeks. If your volume is predictable, buying outside that window is the easiest saving available.
Relative demand pressure on the Mid-Atlantic recycled pool across a year, indexed to the October peak. Harvest, retail peak build and the construction push before winter overlap in roughly eight weeks. Hover or tap a month for what is happening in it.
Asked by this sector.
What grade should retail & distribution actually specify?
Our starting point is: Premium A 48×40, tight tolerance, no protruding fasteners, optional display collars. That said, most buyers in every sector over-specify grade, because the letters sound like strength when they mostly describe appearance and repair history. The rated load is full on A, B and Combo alike — the grading matrix above has the row. Describe the lane rather than picking a letter and we will usually recommend something cheaper than you asked for.
What goes wrong most often in this sector?
Automation-safe A-grade is where the specification usually starts, and reverse logistics recovery is where it usually fails — because it gets agreed verbally and never written into the purchase order. Put the full fourteen-line specification behind a part number and re-order against the number rather than the conversation.
Can you supply documentation for our audits?
Yes, and we would rather assemble it before an audit than during one. Grading criteria, feedstock segregation attestation, treatment batch records, Pallet Passport numbers for your pool, certified weigh tickets, quarterly diversion tonnage and certificates of insurance. It takes us an afternoon and converts verbal questions into documents.
Do you deliver to our part of the country?
Six states from the Richmond yard — Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, North Carolina, Delaware and eastern West Virginia — across 58 cities, each with its own page. Beyond that we quote common carrier at cost or, for recurring volume, tell you honestly to find a yard nearer to you.
Is recycled stock appropriate here at all?
Almost always, and we will say plainly when it is not. Programmes that specify no prior use in writing — infant formula, certain pharmaceutical packaging, allergen-critical lines, cleanroom work — need new lumber, and selling you something that will fail an audit is a poor way to keep a customer. Everywhere else, a correctly specified recycled platform does identical work at roughly a third of the cost.