Pallet supply and delivery service

Warehouses, manufacturers, wholesalers, logistics firms and small businesses that ship goods.

You earn the gap between your buying price and selling price per pallet, plus a delivery charge. Regular weekly orders from a few customers give steady income.

• Negotiating with suppliers and customers
• Route planning and reliable delivery
• Knowing pallet sizes and grades
• Basic bookkeeping

• Public liability insurance, plus goods in transit and motor cover for business use (check what your policy covers)
• Storing pallets can bring fire risk and planning or lease limits, so check with your landlord, council and insurer
• If you carry waste or unwanted pallets for others, check whether you need waste carrier registration
• Heavy lifting and manual handling, so use proper equipment and safe stacking
• Quality and standards, as customers may need pallets that meet specific grades or heat treatment marks for export

Startup costs are typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on your storage space, transport and how many pallets you buy upfront. These are estimates, so check quotes for yard space and insurance.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on pallet volumes, the grades you supply and how many regular customers you have. These are estimates, and you would usually need at least around 15 hours a week.

Check public liability, goods in transit and motor insurance for business use. Also check whether you need waste carrier registration if you carry unwanted pallets, and fire risk and planning or lease limits on storing pallets.