Combo pallet
Also called: combination pallet, remanufactured/combo, hybrid new-recycled pallet
A combo pallet is a wood pallet built from a mix of new and recycled components, commonly new stringers with reclaimed deckboards or the reverse. It sits between new and fully recycled pallets in cost and consistency.
In depth: New vs recycled pallets: cost, quality and when to use each
Combo pallets let a builder put new lumber where strength or appearance matters most and reclaimed lumber elsewhere. PDS calls this manufacture class "Remanufactured/Combo".
Common combinations
| New | Reclaimed | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stringers | Deckboards | Stringers carry the rack load and hold the notches |
| Top deck | Bottom deck and stringers | Clean top surface for the product |
| Lead boards | Interior boards | Lead boards take fork impacts |
Trade-offs
| Factor | Combo compared with new |
|---|---|
| Price | Usually lower |
| Consistency | Lower; reclaimed parts vary |
| Appearance | Mixed |
| Performance | Depends on which parts are reclaimed and their grade |
ISPM 15
A combo pallet is treated as remanufactured for ISPM 15: old marks must be obliterated, and the pallet re-treated and marked before export.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
State which components must be new and which may be reclaimed, the minimum thickness and grade of reclaimed parts, and whether mixed species are acceptable. Without this, "combo" can mean almost any mix.
Common confusions
A repaired pallet with a few replacement boards is not usually sold as combo. Combo means the pallet was built from mixed parts from the start.
Related
- GlossaryRemanufactured palletA remanufactured pallet is a pallet assembled from components reclaimed from dismantled used pallets, sometimes to a different size or design from the originals. Under ISPM 15, a pallet with more than about one third of its components replaced counts as remanufactured and must be re-treated and re-marked.
- GlossaryRecycled palletA recycled pallet is a used pallet that has been collected, sorted, repaired if needed and put back into service, or a pallet rebuilt from reclaimed components. In the US it is usually a 48 × 40 in GMA-style stringer pallet sold by grade, such as grade A or grade B.
- ComparisonsNew vs recycled pallets: cost, quality and when to use eachChoose recycled (used) pallets for standard 48 × 40 in sizes when price matters and your customers accept Grade A or B. Choose new pallets for custom sizes, automated systems, exports, food and pharma, retailer programs that require new, or when you need a documented, consistent spec.
- TypesRecycled pallets: grades, remanufacturing, cost and how to buy themA recycled pallet is a used wooden pallet that has been sorted, repaired or rebuilt and resold. Used 48 × 40 in pallets are sold as Grade A (few or no repairs) or Grade B (repaired). They cost less than new, but grade definitions vary by supplier and any repair voids an existing ISPM 15 mark.
- GlossaryWhat is ISPM 15?ISPM 15 is the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) standard for wood packaging material in international trade. It requires pallets, crates and dunnage made of solid wood to be debarked, treated by an approved method such as heat treatment (56 °C core for 30 minutes), and marked with the IPPC mark.
More in Commercial and lifecycle
- GlossaryClosed loopA closed loop is a supply chain in which pallets travel between a fixed set of sites and are returned to the owner for reuse, for example between a parts supplier and an assembly plant. Because the pallets come back, higher-cost custom, plastic or metal pallets can pay for themselves.
- GlossaryCore palletA core is a used pallet, usually a standard 48 × 40 in stringer pallet, that a pallet recycler buys or collects as raw material to sort, repair and resell. Cores that cannot be repaired are dismantled for parts or ground.
- GlossaryGrade B palletA grade B (#2) pallet is a used pallet, usually a 48 × 40 in GMA-style stringer pallet, that has been repaired more than a grade A: it may have companion stringers, metal plates or replaced deckboards. It is functional but less uniform, and definitions vary by supplier.
- GlossaryMOQ (minimum order quantity)MOQ (minimum order quantity) is the smallest quantity a supplier will produce or sell in one order. For pallets it depends on the material and process: wood pallets need little setup, while custom molded plastic pallets need a mold and very large runs.
- GlossaryOne-way palletA one-way pallet is a pallet designed to make one trip and not come back, such as export pallets or shipments to customers who keep or discard the pallet. It is usually built lighter and from lower-grade material than a reusable pallet.
- GlossaryPallet exchangePallet exchange is an arrangement where a receiver hands back an equal number of empty pallets of the same type and quality for the loaded pallets it receives, so the shipper does not lose pallets with each delivery.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 217 words.