§1Side by side
| Point | Rackable | Nestable |
|---|---|---|
| Racking | Rated for it (check span and temperature) | Usually not |
| Empty return | Full height | Nested: many more per truck |
| Price | Higher | Lower |
| Weight | Heavier, often reinforced | Lighter |
§2When full: racking decides
If loads go into selective racks, you need a rackable pallet whose rating covers your beam span, load and temperature. Ratings vary with all three; ask for the rating sheet.
§3When empty: freight decides
If empties ride back on trucks, nesting cuts the cost of each return trip. Enter it as retrieval cost per trip in the closed-loop formula and compare.
§4Test it on your numbers
The calculator opens with both options loaded. Enter your own quotes; nothing is pre-filled.
Pallet shipments per year on this flow.
| Input | ||
|---|---|---|
| Delivered price per pallet ($)From your supplier's quote, including delivery. | ||
| End-of-life salvage ($)What a retired pallet is worth (regrind, cores). | ||
| Rated tripsTrips before retirement, from the supplier's rating or your history. | ||
| Loss per trip (%)Share of pallets that don't come back each trip. Measure it. | ||
| Retrieval per trip ($)Return freight and collection cost per pallet. | ||
| Handling / sorting per trip ($)Labour to sort and stage returns. | ||
| Wash per trip ($)Washing cost for plastic pallets. | ||
| Pallet weight (lb)Weigh a sample. | ||
| Freight ($ per cwt)Your LTL rate per 100 lb, if you pay by weight. | ||
| Freight legs per tripLoaded legs that carry the pallet's weight. | ||
| Cost per trip | n/a | n/a |
| Cost per year | n/a | n/a |
| Net present cost, 3 yr at 8% | n/a | n/a |
Enter a price (or a pool's fee) in at least one scenario to compare.
How these numbers are calculated
One-way: CPT = P + D − S
Closed loop: N = min(L_trips, 1/ℓ)
CPT = (P − S_end)/N + R_c + H + ℓ·P + Rep
Pooled: CPT = F_issue + r_day·d + F_transfer + ℓ·F_lost + F_admin/trips
Plastic: closed loop + W (wash) per trip
All: + tare freight T = w × ($/cwt ÷ 100) × legs
Annual = CPT × trips per year
NPV = capital at t=0 + Σ annual / (1+i)^t, t = 1..years
Capital (owned loops) = pool size × P, pool size = trips/yr ÷ min(N, 52)
Break-even dwell d* = (CPT_owned − F_issue − F_transfer − ℓ·F_lost) / r_dayPool size assumes each pallet turns at most weekly. Results are only as good as the inputs.
§5How to decide
Rackable if loads are racked; nestable if empties travel back and loads stay on the floor.