Anyone working with pallets or shipping containers, whether a seasoned pro or a newbie, should know the significance of the three letters GMA. The Grocery Manufacturers Association, now known as the Consumer Brands Association, was instrumental in establishing many of the criteria used in the shipping of consumer products across the United States.
Standardizing the best standard size pallets at 48 inches by 40 inches (or 48 x 40) was a significant part of the GMA's original pallet guidelines. Manufacturing, distribution, and retail are all streamlined when everyone uses the same standard pallet. Equipment and automated processes can easily swap between pallets from different manufacturers because of the high degree of standardization in pallet dimensions. As a result of its widespread use in the USA, the 48 x 40 is a popular choice in many other countries.
The now-renamed Consumer Brands Association (formerly known as the Grocery Manufacturers Association) was responsible for the widespread adoption of the 48 x 40-inch pallet. The common pallet was developed so that items sent across the United States may be transferred from one distributor to another with minimal effort. Having a universally accepted size will simplify the shipping and distribution processes for both wholesalers and retailers. A common pallet size reduces storage space requirements while facilitating the movement of forklifts and pallet jacks. Because of this, it is widely used as a grocery pallet.
Supply networks must account for factors such as pallet size. The United States and other countries employ a variety of pallet sizes. There may be both informal and statutory standards for pallet size, and they may differ between nations and sectors. Typical dimensions for various uses in the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia are provided below. The sizes are shown in both inches and centimeters for your convenience.
In reality, pallet dimensions are rarely considered by supply chain specialists. Many supply chains have them in place and take them for granted unless there is a need to change them. When adapting to a new consumer, retail format, or to maximize the efficiency of recently implemented warehouse automation, it may be necessary to switch to a different pallet size. Some businesses are reevaluating their pallet size strategy in light of the operational and sales benefits given by, say, half pallets or quarter pallets.
The sequence in which pallet measurements are provided is often confusing to those who need to utilize them. The dimensions of the pallets are first mentioned, followed by their lengths. When discussing the dimensions of a pallet, it is customary to refer to the stringers, in the case of a stringer pallet, or the stringer boards, in the case of a block pallet, to determine the overall length. Both stringer and block pallets used in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chains in North America are 4840. Learn more
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