PALLET VN · A SANCOPACK ecosystem brand

Selecting wood pallets and export crates: a buyer checklist | PalletVN

A suitable pallet starts with how the cargo rests, moves and travels. A clear brief helps suppliers assess the support structure before materials and quantities are agreed.

Published: 2026-10-31 · Updated: 2026-10-31

Describe the load, not just its total weight

Provide photographs of the complete cargo and its contact points. Small machine feet, an offset centre of gravity and projecting components create different support requirements from evenly distributed cartons. Explain where restraints may attach and which surfaces must remain untouched.

Prepare the specification

• Cargo dimensions and maximum packed dimensions, with units.
• Actual mass, support points and any known centre of gravity.
• Forklift, pallet truck or crane handling; access direction and clearance.
• Floor storage, stacking or rack support, plus expected reuse.
• Transport route, storage time and possible moisture exposure.
• Destination requirements, quantity, delivery location and target date.

Choose the support and enclosure together

A pallet provides a handling base. A machinery skid may need tailored support and attachment points. A crate adds an enclosure but still needs a load-bearing base, movement restraint and an unpacking plan. Moisture-sensitive cargo needs a separate preservation assessment; wooden walls alone do not control humidity.

Check export requirements separately

ISPM 15 addresses phytosanitary risks from wood packaging in international trade. Confirm current destination requirements and treatment or marking arrangements with an authorised provider. A phytosanitary mark does not verify a pallet’s load capacity.

Approve a sample and handover checklist

• Check actual dimensions and cargo fit.
• Inspect protruding fasteners and contact points that could damage protective wrapping.
• Review safe handling with the intended equipment under an approved plan.
• Agree restraints, identification, inspection records and handover photographs.

Request an assessment

Share your cargo brief, drawings if available and collection or delivery location. PalletVN can assess the request before confirming scope, timing or price. Where information is incomplete, arrange a survey or sample rather than treating a generic pallet size as a finished engineering specification.