Reel pallets: how to choose the saddle, cradle and format
In briefA reel pallet is a pallet with a shaped support, the saddle or cradle, that holds the reel with its axis horizontal so it cannot roll. To choose one, start from the reel's diameter, weight and width, then check where it will go: on the floor, in pallet racking or on a lorry heading abroad.
What a reel pallet is
A reel pallet is a pallet with a shaped deck: the reel sits in the shape and stays still without loose chocks [1]. In the warehouse you will hear it called many things: reel pallet, roll pallet, cradle pallet, saddle pallet, reel cradle. They all mean the same thing.
You need one wherever a reel is stored or shipped with its axis horizontal: plastic films, paper and tissue, aluminium strip, technical textiles. Compared with a flat pallet and two chocks, the shape is part of the pallet. There are no parts to lose, the reel goes back into the same position every time, and the outer diameter does not touch the deck.
Saddle or cradle: two names for the same support
We have found no standard that distinguishes a saddle from a cradle. Both are a concave support that holds the reel with its axis horizontal. Catalogues use the two words interchangeably too: ROLL calls its CV01 HDPE insert for flat pallets a cradle, and its CO01-W insert designed for 800×1200 wooden pallets a saddle [2].
What changes from one model to another is the profile, the way the shape is fixed, and the material.
- A V-shaped profile touches the reel on two lines. An oval cradle has a curved profile and touches the reel along an arc, so the pressure on the outer layers is spread over a larger area. This matters for thin films and papers that mark easily.
- On cradle pallets the shape is moulded into the pallet. Inserts, also called converters, sit on an 800×1200 wooden or plastic pallet without screws; take them off and the pallet carries flat loads again [2].
- Reusable pallets are made of HDPE and PP, some light saddles of EPS coated in polyurea, and supports for small reels stacked in layers of corrugated board [1][2][3].
How to choose: the data you need before asking for a quote
Outer diameter
Diameter decides the shape. All ROLL cradle pallets take reels from Ø 160 mm; the maximum ranges from 800 mm on the compact 800×600 format to 1600 mm on the 980×1420 format [1]. Reels between 150 and 580 mm in diameter are better handled with cardboard cradles, which hold 2 to 6 per layer [3].
Reel weight
Always ask for the maximum weight per reel. In the ROLL range it goes from 800 kg (RCH2L) to 2,800 kg (RM02, reinforced with four steel bars) [16][13]. If the pallet carries two or three reels, check the weight of each reel as well as the total.
Reel width
Width, meaning the length along the axis, decides the pallet format. A reel that overhangs the pallet takes knocks from the forklift and the uprights. For long reels there are 800×1480 formats and a three-module 800×2220 [13][18].
Core and inner diameter
If the outer surface must not touch anything, the reel is not rested on a support: it is suspended on its own core with two plastic flanges. ROLL flanges have core plugs for 76 mm (3-inch) and 152 mm (6-inch) cores, plus some intermediate sizes [9]. In this case you do not need a reel pallet; a flat pallet is enough.
Orientation
With the axis horizontal you need a saddle or a cradle. With the axis vertical, the reel standing on its end, you use a flat pallet with a smooth solid deck, and load capacity is read as for any other load. The guides to load capacity and pallet types explain how to read the data sheets.
Concentrated load: why the pallet's load capacity is not enough
The stated load capacities of pallets (static, dynamic and racking) apply to a uniformly distributed load. ISO 8611 explicitly excludes concentrated loads from the nominal load [5]. A reel puts all its weight on two lines or on a narrow arc.
The PP69 flat pallet offered by ROLL shows this clearly: according to the manufacturer's data sheet it carries 5,000 kg static with a distributed load and 1,500 kg with one reel resting on a ROLL cradle [4]. Same pallet, less than a third of the capacity. This is why you ask anyone selling pallets for reels for the maximum weight per reel, not the pallet's general load capacity.
Racking, stacking and handling
In pallet racking the pallet spans two beams and rests only at its ends: the deck works as a bridge and the racking load capacity applies, the lowest of the three. On a solid shelf or on the floor the pallet rests on a surface, and static load capacity (pallet at rest) and dynamic load capacity (pallet being handled) apply [5]. In racking, the runners sit at 90° to the beams: for the 1200×800 format the 800 side faces the aisle and the 1200 side runs into the depth of the rack, with about 50 mm overhang front and back [22].
The models declared rackable are RCV69, RCV49, RCV49b, RP01, RC69-1, RC69-2, RC69-3L, LO02 and LO02C; suitability for specific racking must be checked case by case [1]. The RCV49 data sheet specifies beam pallet racking and advises against drive-in racking [11]; the RP01 data sheet states it is compatible with 600 kg racking [19]. The other models are designed for the floor or a solid shelf.
A pallet with a reel on it cannot carry a second loaded pallet, and the data sheets for ROLL cradle pallets do not state stackability. To store reels on several levels without racking, stackable steel racks are used: the ROLL HA160-110 rack carries 1,000 kg suspended, stacks up to 4 levels high and folds flat for the empty return [8].
Almost all models have four-way entry. According to ROLL, four-way entry and flat closed runners are generally compatible with AGV shuttles, but the configuration must be checked case by case [10].
Export: plastic is outside ISPM 15
ISPM 15 regulates wood packaging in international trade. A plastic pallet is not wood, so it is outside the scope of the standard and needs neither treatment nor marking [6]. Wooden accessories remain subject to ISPM 15: chocks, retaining boards, and the wooden pallet on which a removable saddle is fitted. More in export pallets and ISPM 15 and roll chocks.
Hygiene for food-grade films and papers
Reels of film for food packaging go into areas where Regulation (EC) 852/2004 requires containers that are clean and designed to be cleaned and disinfected [7]. What counts is closed surfaces, no cavities and no splinters.
ROLL gives its pallets an internal hygiene rating from 1 to 5. LO01, SO01, RM01 and RM02 are rated 5/5, RCV28 and RP02 3/5 [10][15][14][13][21][17]. SO01 and RM01 are made of virgin HDPE, RP01 and RP02 of recycled HDPE [15][14][19][17]. If the pallet goes into areas in direct contact with food, ask for the declaration of compliance: the guide to hygienic and food-grade pallets explains what it must contain; for cleaning cycles and temperatures see plastic pallet washing.
Which configuration for which reel
Values taken from ROLL product data sheets: check the latest data sheet before you order. Minimum diameter for all cradle pallets: 160 mm.
| Reel | Where it goes | Configuration | Data sheet figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ø 150-580 mm, light reels in layers | shipping to the customer | cardboard cradles, base plus layer pads (PC series) | 2 to 6 reels per layer; PC06-160B: 50 kg per reel [3] |
| up to Ø 800 mm, up to 800 kg | floor, tight spaces | compact 800×600 pallet (RCH2L) | 10.7 kg tare [16] |
| up to Ø 1000 mm, up to 2,000 kg | floor | four-way 670×1000 pallet (RP02) | recycled HDPE, 19.5 kg [17] |
| up to Ø 1100 mm, up to 1,200 kg, 1-2 reels | racking (on beams) | reinforced 800×1200 pallet (RCV49) | 22.5 kg, four-way [11] |
| up to Ø 1200 mm, up to 1,800 kg, 1-3 reels | floor | one-piece 800×1200 pallet (LO01) | HDPE, 15 kg, hygiene 5/5 [10] |
| up to Ø 1400 mm, up to 1,200 kg | racking (on beams) | 800×1200 pallet with steel bars (RCV69) | 28 kg, four-way [12] |
| up to Ø 1400 mm, up to 2,000 kg | floor, small footprint | 740×800 pallet (RM01) | virgin HDPE, 11 kg [14] |
| up to Ø 1400 mm, up to 2,800 kg | floor, heavy reels | 800×1480 pallet with 4 steel bars (RM02) | 34 kg [13] |
| up to Ø 1400 mm, up to 2,500 kg, long reels | floor | three-module 800×2220 pallet (RM03) | 52 kg [18] |
| up to Ø 1600 mm, up to 1,800 kg | floor | XL 980×1420 pallet (SO01) | virgin HDPE, 22.5 kg [15] |
| up to Ø 1100 mm, up to 1,500 kg | on an existing euro pallet | CV01 cradle insert on a flat 800×1200 pallet | virgin HDPE, 7 kg [2] |
The full catalogue, with current availability and prices, is in the ROLL cradle pallets collection. Some data sheets give different values in the main table and in the summary: before you order, ask for confirmation of the maximum diameter and suitability for racking.
Industries that use reel pallets
In flexible packaging, reels of film of every size circulate, from the mother reels coming off the extruder to the slit reels for the packing lines. Paper and tissue have large reels with delicate edges. Aluminium carries high weights on modest diameters, so the maximum weight per reel matters most. In technical textiles, width and a clean surface matter.
Plastic or wood for reels too
A wooden pallet costs less per unit. ROLL states that with reels it lasts 1-3 cycles before it is damaged or damages the reel edges [10]: this is a figure from a plastic pallet manufacturer and should be read as such. On the environmental side, a peer-reviewed study (Anil et al. 2020) gives wood a carbon footprint per trip 71.8-80.3% lower, and over 100,000 trips the difference grows [20]: the details are in pallet carbon footprint. The economics depend on how many rounds your pallet makes: we explain this in plastic vs wooden pallets.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a reel saddle and a reel cradle?
Saddle and cradle are the same thing: a concave support that holds the reel with its axis horizontal. No known standard distinguishes them, and catalogues use the two names interchangeably. The differences that matter are the profile (V-shaped or curved, also called an oval cradle), the material, and whether the shape is built into the pallet or is an insert placed on a flat pallet.
How much weight can a plastic reel pallet carry?
On ROLL cradle pallets, the maximum weight per reel ranges from 800 kg (compact 800×600 format) to 2,800 kg (800×1480 format with four steel bars). The figure to ask for is the weight per reel, not the pallet's general load capacity: the PP69 flat pallet offered by ROLL carries 5,000 kg distributed but 1,500 kg with one reel on a cradle, because the load is concentrated.
Can plastic reel pallets go into pallet racking?
Yes, but only models with a stated racking load capacity, usually reinforced with steel bars. In the ROLL range these include RCV69, RCV49, RP01 and LO02, for beam pallet racking; the data sheets advise against drive-in racking. In racking the pallet spans two beams, with the runners at 90° to the beams: check your specific racking with the supplier. The other models are designed for the floor or a solid shelf.
Do I need ISPM 15 treatment to ship reels on plastic pallets?
No. ISPM 15 regulates wood packaging, and a plastic pallet is not wood, so it is outside the scope of the standard. Wooden accessories used with the pallet, such as chocks, boards or a wooden pallet under a saddle insert, remain subject to ISPM 15.
Can I convert a euro pallet into a reel pallet?
Yes, with a cradle or saddle insert placed on the flat 800×1200 pallet, with no screws or modifications. Take the insert off and the pallet carries flat loads again. It makes sense if you already have a fleet of standard pallets and a dedicated line of cradle pallets would not pay for itself.
Sources
- ROLL, cradle pallets for rolls collection (model table, weight and diameter filters)
- ROLL, pallet converters collection (CV01, CV02, CO01-W, SB01 inserts)
- ROLL, cardboard cradles and stackers collection (PC series)
- ROLL PP69, reinforced 800×1200 plastic pallet (distributed load capacity and with a reel on a cradle)
- Virginia Tech Center for Unit Load Design, Load carrying capacity of pallets (ISO 8611)
- IPPC/FAO, ISPM 15 Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (rev. 2018)
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Annex II
- ROLL HA160-110, foldable 1600×1100 reel rack
- ROLL, plastic flanges and core plugs collection
- ROLL LO01, 800×1200 reel pallet for 1-3 reels (data sheet and FAQ)
- ROLL RCV49, rackable 800×1200 reel pallet (data sheet)
- ROLL RCV69, rackable reel pallet up to Ø 1400 mm (data sheet)
- ROLL RM02, 800×1480 reel pallet with 4 steel bars (data sheet)
- ROLL RM01, 740×800 reel pallet (data sheet)
- ROLL SO01, 980×1420 reel pallet up to Ø 1600 mm (data sheet)
- ROLL RCH2L, compact 800×600 reel pallet (data sheet)
- ROLL RP02, 670×1000 reel pallet (data sheet)
- ROLL RM03, three-module 800×2220 reel pallet (data sheet)
- ROLL RP01, 800×1200 reel pallet with support chocks (data sheet)
- Anil S. et al. (2020), Life cycle assessment comparison of wooden and plastic pallets, Journal of Industrial Ecology 24:871-886
- ROLL RCV28, four-way 800×1200 reel pallet up to Ø 1400 mm (data sheet)
- SEMA, Is this your problem? Euro pallet orientation in pallet racking (Warehouse News)
Tell us the diameter, weight and destination, and we will point you to the right solution.
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