Ask for a pallet in Rotterdam and you get 1200 x 800. Ask in Singapore, Dubai or a Gulf distribution centre and 1300 x 1100 comes up just as often. The footprint is not arbitrary — it grew out of what the region was shipping, and specifying it without understanding that origin is how buyers end up with pallets that fit their racking but waste their container.
Where 1300 x 1100 sits among the common footprints
| Footprint (mm) | Associated with | Typical use | 40HC fit (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200 x 800 | Europe (Euro pallet) | Retail distribution, European racking | ~66 stacked / ~33 in pairs |
| 1200 x 1000 | Europe, global export | General freight, ISO container friendly | ~60 stacked |
| 1300 x 1100 | Asia, Middle East | Chemical, resin, bagged goods, regional DC | Fewer per layer, more volume per pallet |
| 1140 x 1140 | Australia (CHEP) | Grocery pooling | Varies by pool |
| 1165 x 1165 | Australia ( ISO marine) | Export to Australia | Varies |
The trade-off is visible in that table. The larger footprint carries a bigger load per unit, so you need fewer pallets to move the same tonnage — but each layer in a container fits fewer of them. Whether 1300 x 1100 wins depends on whether your cost driver is pallets or container space.
Why the region adopted it
Two practical reasons. First, the bagged and boxed goods that move through Asian and Gulf ports — resin, chemicals, rice, cement, fertiliser — are dense and heavy, and a larger deck spreads that load better. Second, much of the regional warehouse infrastructure was built for a wider footprint than Euro racking, so the 1300 side aligns with beam spans that were never going to suit a 800 mm deep Euro pallet.
What to specify when you order the size
Footprint alone is not a specification. A 1300 x 1100 order needs five things nailed down:
- Deck type. Open deck (grid/ventilated) for airflow and wash-down; closed deck for small parts, bags and anything that would sag through a grid.
- Entry. Two-way or four-way. Four-way costs more to tool but halves the manoeuvring in a tight DC.
- Load ratings, stated separately. Static (stacked), dynamic (in motion) and racking (supported on beams only) are three different numbers. See our pallet sizes and load guide for how they are tested.
- Resin. HDPE for cold chain and impact; PP where stiffness and heat resistance matter more. In a -25°C freezer the choice is not cosmetic.
- Height and lip. Deck height drives how many fit a container; a retaining lip matters for bagged goods that shift.
The container arithmetic nobody does until it is too late
A 40HC has roughly 76 cubic metres of usable volume and around 26-28 tonnes of practical payload depending on the trade lane. Heavy goods hit the weight limit long before they hit the volume limit; light goods do the reverse. Running the numbers before tooling means knowing which limit binds, because the answer decides whether a taller deck or a lighter grid is worth paying for.
Sourcing the size
1300 x 1100 is a regional standard, so stock tooling exists — but a specific combination of deck, entry, rating and resin usually means either adapting an existing tool or cutting a new one. FOSHAN LSY Plastic runs injection machines from 180T to 2500T with an in-house mould workshop, so both routes are available. Export orders ship full container load; samples are charged at cost; domestic Chinese orders have no minimum quantity.
FAQ
Is 1300 x 1100 a standard pallet size?
It is a regional standard widely used across Asia and the Middle East, rather than one of the ISO-recognised international footprints. It is common enough that stock tooling exists, but it is not interchangeable with the 1200 x 800 European standard in European racking.
How many 1300 x 1100 pallets fit in a 40ft high cube?
Fewer per layer than a 1200 x 800 because the footprint is larger. The exact count depends on deck height and whether pallets are nested or stacked — run it against the actual unit height rather than assuming a figure, and check whether weight or volume binds first.
Can I use 1300 x 1100 pallets on European racking?
Usually not safely. European pallet racking is built around the 1200 x 800 or 1200 x 1000 footprint; a 1300 mm wide pallet on beams cut for 1200 mm leaves load unsupported at the ends. If your goods go to Europe, specify the European footprint.
Is a plastic 1300 x 1100 pallet exempt from ISPM-15?
Yes. ISPM-15 applies to wood packing material. An injection-moulded plastic pallet carries no wood pest risk, so no heat treatment or fumigation certificate is required for export.
