Size library
The 48″ × 45″ automotive pallet: written into the supplier manual, and nowhere else.
Price 48" × 45" stock
Give us the quantity, the size and the ZIP. You'll get a written quote with the grade, the freight and the pickup window — not a sales call.
- Written quotes, usually inside one business day
- Loads from 100 pallets to full 53' trailers
- We buy as readily as we sell — tell us which way it flows
The last four per cent
Everything the sort deck rejected, on its way to the grinder. It leaves as mulch, bedding and boiler fibre — not as landfill.
Drawn to scale
48" × 45" — 1219 × 1143 mm
6,500 lb
Static load
3,200 lb
Dynamic load
2,200 lb
Racked load
50 lb
Unit weight
5.5″
Overall height
7/4
Deck boards, top / bottom
48" × 45" · 7 top boards · 3 stringers
The supply problem
Why this size is harder to buy than it should be
Liquidity in the used pallet market comes from circulation. A 48×40 GMA circulates through every industry in the country, so cores turn up everywhere. A 48×45 circulates inside a closed automotive network, which means the only place used ones appear is when a tier supplier changes a line or closes a plant.
The practical effect is that recycled 48×45 stock comes in batches, not in a steady stream. When we have it, we have several hundred; when we do not, the honest lead time is a week or more, or a new build.
If your programme allows any flexibility on footprint, this is the one size where switching to a GMA saves real money and real waiting. If the supplier manual says 48×45, it says 48×45, and we will source it.
Questions
48 × 45 questions
Why four bottom boards instead of three?
Automotive parts are dense and often concentrated — castings, gearsets, brake components. The fourth bottom board spreads the load across a rack beam and reduces deflection under a concentrated centre load.
Can I substitute a 48×48?
Physically it will hold the load, but three extra inches of width can foul a rack bay or a conveyor guide designed for 45. Check the receiving end before assuming.
Do you build these new?
Yes, from 250 units, with heat treatment if the parts are going abroad. See custom builds.
Why four bottom boards
The construction difference, and what it buys
| Element | GMA 48×40 | Automotive 48×45 | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom deck boards | 3 | 4 | Better beam contact, less deflection |
| Bottom deck coverage | ≈ 40% | ≈ 50% | Higher racked capacity |
| Top deck boards | 7 | 7 | Similar top coverage |
| Footprint | 48″ × 40″ | 48″ × 45″ | Five inches more width |
| Racked capacity | ≈ 2,100 lb | ≈ 2,200 lb | Concentrated automotive loads |
| Unit weight | 45 – 55 lb | 48 – 56 lb | The extra bottom board |
| Core availability | Excellent | Batch only | Circulates inside a closed network |
Sourcing reality
Why this footprint is hard to buy and easy to inherit
Liquidity in the used pallet market comes from circulation. A 48×40 moves through every industry in the country, so cores surface everywhere. A 48×45 circulates inside a closed automotive network, so the only time used ones appear in volume is when a tier supplier changes a line or a plant closes.
The practical effect is batch availability. When we have this footprint we have several hundred; when we do not, the honest lead time is a week or more, or a new build from 250 units.
If your programme has any flexibility on footprint, this is the one size where switching to a GMA saves real money and real waiting. If the supplier manual says 48×45, it says 48×45, and we will source or build it — but it is worth confirming that the requirement is current rather than inherited.
Questions
More 48 × 45 questions
Can I substitute a 48×48?
It will hold the load. Three extra inches of width can foul a rack bay or a conveyor guide designed for 45, so check the receiving end before assuming.
Do you build these new?
Yes, from 250 units, with heat treatment if the parts are going abroad. Lead time is about two weeks for a first run and days for repeats against a held specification.
Why do automotive loads need more bottom coverage?
Automotive parts are dense and concentrated — castings, gearsets, brake components. The fourth bottom board spreads that across a rack beam and reduces deflection under a centre load.
Can we run a returnable programme on this footprint?
Yes, and most operations using it do. Fleet management and repair loops are where we add most value on this size, precisely because replacement stock is hard to buy at short notice.
Trailer maths
How many of these fit where.
53′ dry van
28
on the floor
≈ 56 stacked two high
48′ dry van
24
on the floor
≈ 48 stacked two high
40′ container
18
on the floor
≈ 36 stacked two high
20′ container
8
on the floor
≈ 16 stacked two high