A block pallet production line is a chain of linked machines that cuts blocks, nails bottom (stringer) boards to the blocks, nails the top deck, finishes the edges and corners, brands the pallet and stacks it automatically. Complete lines from European builders such as Storti, Corali and Karolex Drew-Bet are documented at roughly 200 to 600 pallets per hour of nominal capacity, run by two to four operators, with real output set by the slowest station and by how often the pallet size changes.
What a block pallet line has to build
A block pallet stands on blocks rather than continuous stringers, which gives true four-way entry for forklifts and pallet trucks (see stringer vs block pallets). The reference product for most European lines is the EPAL Euro pallet, built to EN 13698-1 and the EPAL technical regulations.
According to EPAL, an EPAL 1 Euro pallet measures 1200 × 800 × 144 mm (47.2 × 31.5 × 5.7 in), weighs about 25 kg (55 lb) and consists of 11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 nails. Board thickness is 22–24 mm, the three stringer boards may not have wane, and the bottom boards must be chamfered along the upper edge of both long sides. Since 1 January 2010 every new EPAL pallet must be heat treated to ISPM 15 and carry the IPPC mark on the two middle blocks of the long sides.
| Component (EPAL 1) | Quantity | Line station that handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks (solid or chipwood) | 9 | Block saw / block feeder |
| Bottom boards | 3 | Lower board feeder, first nailer |
| Stringer (transverse) boards | 3 | Board feeder, first nailer |
| Top deck boards | 5 | Top board feeder, second nailer |
| Nails | 78 | Nail feeders on both nailers |
| Chamfers on bottom boards | 2 long edges per outer board | Chamfering unit or pre-chamfered boards |
Every one of these features must be produced within tight tolerances, which is why licensed EPAL producers typically use dedicated lines rather than general-purpose nailing tables.
Line structure: station by station
The exact layout varies by builder, but most automatic block pallet lines follow the same sequence. A Storti line built around GSI 190 M TA and GSI 290 M TA hydraulic nailers, as listed by a used machinery dealer, is a good example of the classic configuration.
1. Block preparation
Blocks are cut from long block stock (solid timber or chipwood beams) by a multi-head cross-cut saw. The Storti line uses a block saw with three cutting heads, while Corali lines described in 2005 also included integrated block cutting. Plants that buy finished chipwood or solid wood blocks replace this saw with a block magazine and feeder.
2. Board feeding
Separate hoppers or semi-automatic feeders supply bottom boards, transverse (stringer) boards and top boards. Some lines, such as the Polish Karolex Drew-Bet line, accept boards in uncut lengths and trim them inside the line, which saves a separate cross-cutting step upstream.
3. First nailing: blocks to bottom and stringer boards
The blocks are positioned in a jig and the first hydraulic or pneumatic nailer drives nails through the bottom and stringer boards into the blocks. This creates the "bottom frame" or "mat with feet". Clinching (bending protruding nail tips) may happen here, depending on the design.
4. Turning
A turntable rotates the half-built pallet, usually by 180 degrees, so the top deck boards can be placed across the stringer boards in the correct orientation.
5. Second nailing: top deck
A second nailer fixes the top deck boards to the stringer boards and blocks. Splitting the work between two nailers keeps cycle times short, because each machine fires only part of the 78 nails.
6. Finishing: chamfering, corner cutting and branding
A finishing station cuts the corners, chamfers board edges where the specification requires it and applies hot or ink brands. Corner and edge chamfering plus stamping form a single unit on the Storti line, while the Karolex line uses separate longitudinal milling and corner trimming machines. See chamfering machines for detail.
7. Stacking and discharge
A turntable (90 and 180 degrees) orients the finished pallet, and a stacker builds stacks for forklift pickup, often with a stack magazine or conveyor buffer. More on this step in pallet stackers and destackers.
Output: what real lines achieve
Manufacturers quote theoretical maximums, but published plant reports give a more useful picture. The figures below come from named sources, not from estimates.
| Line / plant | Documented output | Crew | Source and year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storti GSI 190 M / 290 M TA line | Max. 10 pallets per minute (line efficiency limited by slowest device) | Not stated | Teknika Group listing |
| Storti Flex line at CasollaLegno, Italy | About 1,500 pallets per 8-hour shift with 60–70 size changes | 2 workers | Pallet Enterprise, 2015 |
| Corali line at Francepal, France | Up to 350 pallets per hour depending on type; changeover about 30 minutes | 4 workers | Pallet Enterprise, 2005 |
| Karolex Drew-Bet EUR/EPAL line (2013) | Up to about 200 pallets per hour | 3 operators | Exapro listing |
Several patterns stand out. Nominal speed matters less than changeover time when a plant makes many sizes: the CasollaLegno example shows a line achieving high daily volume despite dozens of size changes. The Corali figure covered four-way pallets from 800 × 800 mm up to 1200 × 1400 mm, so the 350-per-hour figure applies to the simplest formats.
European and global builders
Block pallet lines are a specialist niche, and Italian companies have long dominated it.
- Storti (Motta Baluffi, Italy): founded in 1960 by Giuseppe Storti, builds complete lines from log sawing to pallet stacking, including the Flex 51M and Flex 61 nailing lines; the company reported an in-house team of 20 engineers in 2015.
- Corali (Italy): automatic nailing systems combining block cutting, block and board placement, nailing, corner cutting, branding, nesting and stacking.
- Karolex Drew-Bet (Poland): EUR/EPAL lines with through-feed nailing, trimming and stacking.
- Viking Engineering (Blaine, Minnesota, USA): best known for stringer machines, it also sells the "Viking by Delta" range of hydraulic nailers for large pallets that can be integrated into lines with automatic stackers.
Buyers comparing builders usually look at the same handful of factors, summarized below.
| Selection factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Size range and changeover time | Determines whether one line can serve EUR, 1200 × 1000 mm and custom sizes |
| Block and board feeding automation | Board hoppers and automatic block feeders cut labour per pallet |
| Nailing technology (hydraulic vs pneumatic) | Affects nail placement accuracy, noise and air demand |
| Integrated finishing | Inline chamfering, corner cutting and branding avoid rehandling |
| Service and spare parts in the region | Downtime costs more than most purchase-price differences |
Planning a block pallet line
Line capacity has to be matched with upstream timber supply and downstream heat treatment kilns, because EPAL and export pallets must be ISPM 15 treated. A line that can produce 1,500 pallets per shift needs board cutting, block supply and kiln capacity of the same order.
Key planning questions include:
- Product mix: one standard (EPAL 1) or many sizes? Frequent changes favour lines with recipe storage and quick-change jigs.
- Board preparation: buy cut-to-size boards or run your own multi-rip and cross-cut saws?
- Licensing: EPAL production requires an EPAL licence and regular third-party inspection, so the line must reliably hold dimensional and nailing tolerances.
- Floor space and material flow: lines are long; allow space for board buffers before the line and stack accumulation after it.
Frequently asked questions
How many pallets per hour can a block pallet line produce?
Documented examples range from about 200 pallets per hour (a Polish Karolex Drew-Bet line) to up to 350 per hour (a Corali line on simple formats). In practice, output depends on the slowest station, the number of size changes and the crew.
Why does a block pallet line use two nailing machines?
The first nailer joins the blocks to the bottom and stringer boards, and the second fixes the top deck after the half-built pallet is turned. Splitting the nailing shortens each cycle and lets the line work on two pallets at once.
Can a block pallet line also make 1200 × 1000 mm pallets?
Most modern lines are adjustable and store settings for several sizes. The Corali line reported at Francepal handled four-way pallets from 800 × 800 mm to 1200 × 1400 mm, with changeovers of about 30 minutes.
Are chamfers on EUR pallets cut on the line?
They can be. EPAL requires the bottom boards to be chamfered on the upper edge of both long sides, and lines either include a chamfering unit or are fed with boards that were chamfered beforehand.
Sources
- EPAL Euro Pallet (EPAL 1) — European Pallet Association
- Pallet nailing line Storti GSI 190M / 290M TA — Teknika Group
- High Tech Innovation: Storti Innovates Lines from Logs to Pallets — Pallet Enterprise
- French Pallet Maker Committed To Excellence and Improvement: Corali Nailing Machine Is Workhorse of Assembly Operations — Pallet Enterprise
- EUR EPAL pallet production line Karolex Drew-Bet Kulig — Exapro
- Viking by Delta Master Line — Viking Engineering