Polythene pallet covers, made to your pallet size and load height

What is a pallet cover and what does it do?

A pallet cover is a polythene bag, open at the bottom and gusseted at the sides, that drops over a loaded pallet from above. It keeps dust, dirt, rain and condensation off the goods while the pallet is in a yard, in an unheated warehouse, on the back of a curtainsider or waiting on a loading bay. Because the cover reaches down the sides of the load, it protects the outer cases as well as the top layer.

A pallet cover is not there to hold the load together. That job belongs to stretch or shrink wrapping, which grips the cases and ties them to the pallet. Plenty of operations use both: the wrap for stability, the cover for contamination and weather. If you only need one, decide which risk you are actually managing.

What size pallet cover do I need?

A pallet cover is specified by three measurements: the layflat width across the front of the pallet, the gusset that opens out to cover the depth, and the drop, which is how far down the sides the cover reaches from the top of the load. Standard UK and Euro pallet footprints are the usual starting point, but the load height on top of them varies enormously between operations, so the drop is the figure most people get wrong.

The practical method is to measure the pallet footprint, measure the height of the load from the pallet deck, then decide how far down you want the cover to come. Some operations cover only the top third to shed water, others take the cover to the deck for full protection. Send us those three figures and we will work out the layflat width, gusset and drop and quote against them.

What gauge should a pallet cover be?

We manufacture pallet covers from 75 to 200 micron. Lighter covers in that range suit indoor use, short storage periods and single-trip despatch where the cover is pulled off at the far end and recycled. Heavier covers suit outdoor yards, long storage, exposed transport, loads with sharp corners that would puncture a thin film, and any cover you intend to reuse.

Strength is not only about thickness. We can tune strength, elasticity, stiffness and slip in the film, so a well-specified cover at a moderate gauge often outperforms a thicker one made from the wrong grade. Tell us where the pallets stand, for how long, and what the load looks like, and we will recommend a gauge rather than selling you the heaviest option by default.

How are pallet covers supplied and applied?

Pallet covers are supplied folded flat in cases, or on a roll where that suits the way your packing line works. Folded covers are picked up one at a time and shaken open over the load, which is how most hand-applied operations run. A roll format works well where covers are pulled off at a fixed station and you want to keep the packing bench tidy.

We can print pallet covers to your artwork, which is worth doing where covers are shared between sites or where you need handling wording, a product grade or a customer name visible from the aisle. Colour works the same way: clear film lets pickers read case labels through the cover, black film blocks light and hides the contents, and a specified colour lets you separate grades at a glance.

Common applications for pallet covers

• Food and drink distribution
• Third-party logistics and contract warehousing
• Builders merchants and outdoor stock yards
• Chemical, paint and industrial goods distribution
• Export loads and container shipments
• Contract manufacturing despatch bays
• Retail and wholesale supply chains
• Agricultural and horticultural produce handling

Questions

Pallet covers FAQs

How do I measure for a pallet cover?

Take three measurements: the pallet footprint (width and depth), the height of the load from the pallet deck, and how far down the sides you want the cover to reach. Those figures give the layflat width, the gusset and the drop. Send them to us and we will convert them into a finished cover size and quote it, so you do not need to work out the gusset maths yourself.

Do I still need stretch or shrink wrap if I use a pallet cover?

Usually yes, because they do different jobs. A pallet cover keeps dust, damp and dirt off the load, but it does not grip the cases or stop the stack shifting in transit. Stretch and shrink wrapping stabilise the load. Many operations wrap first for stability, then drop a cover over the top for protection.

What is the difference between a pallet cover and a pallet liner?

A pallet cover goes over the outside of a loaded pallet and hangs down the sides to shield it from dust and weather. A pallet liner sits inside a box, cage or stillage before it is filled, keeping the contents away from the container walls and containing any spillage. We manufacture both, so tell us which way round the film sits and we will quote the right one.

Are pallet covers suitable for storing loads outdoors?

Pallet covers will keep rain, wind-blown dirt and dust off a load standing outside, and heavier gauges in our 75 to 200 micron range hold up better to wind and handling. Standard polythene is intended for temporary outdoor cover rather than permanent exposure, and a load that goes under a cover wet will stay wet. Tell us how long pallets stand outside and we will recommend a gauge for that period.