Mục lục
- Acacia - The dominant species in Vietnamese pallet production
- Pine pallets - When is the premium price justified?
- Rubber wood - The premium southern option
- Plywood - Fumigation-exempt and optimised for one-way export
- Comparison table: 4 wood species for pallets
- How to choose wood species by application: 5 practical rules
- 3 common mistakes when choosing pallet wood
- Getting low-cost pallet wood without sacrificing quality
- Related articles
- Frequently asked questions about wood species for pallets
- Contact ICD Vietnam
Choosing the right wood species for pallets directly affects 60-70% of the unit cost, service life and load-bearing capacity. In Vietnam, four species dominate production: acacia, pine, rubber wood and plywood (engineered wood). Each has distinct physical properties, price points and suitable applications. This guide analyses each species from a manufacturer’s perspective to help businesses pick the right material for storage, transport and export.
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Quick summary:
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- 4 most common wood species for pallets in Vietnam: acacia, pine, rubber wood and plywood
- Acacia holds 90% of the domestic wooden pallet market thanks to low cost and abundant supply
- Pine is the lightest and suits air-freight exports - but carries the highest price
- Choosing the wrong species can double pallet costs without any gain in quality
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Acacia - The dominant species in Vietnamese pallet production
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Acacia accounts for roughly 90% of all wooden pallets produced in Vietnam. That dominance is no accident: it comes from the combination of low cost, stable domestic supply and physical properties that meet the needs of most businesses. Acacia is the most widely planted forestry crop in northern and central Vietnam, with a harvest cycle of just 5-7 years. Fast growth means abundant raw material and low input prices. Technically, acacia has a density of 550-650 kg/m3, placing it in the medium-hardwood range with good load-bearing performance when kiln-dried correctly. Boards dry quickly and resist mould under normal storage conditions.
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![\"Acacia](\"https://icdvietnam.com.vn/app/uploads/2025/08/quote-cac-loai-go-keo-tren-the-gioi-2-1024x683.webp\")
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Acacia’s known drawback is frequent knots. Manufacturers manage this by grading boards at the saw - low-knot boards go into pallets, high-knot boards are sold to the paper industry. Nothing is wasted, and the sorted boards keep pallet quality consistent. Because even low-grade boards have a ready buyer, manufacturers can price acacia pallets more competitively than any other species. Acacia pallets are the best match for domestic warehousing, factory floor use, sea-freight export (after ISPM 15 heat treatment) and any application requiring large volumes on a tight budget. Reference prices: VND 50,000-180,000 per pallet depending on size and design.
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Pine is the dominant pallet wood in Europe and North America. In Vietnam it is not a native pallet species - most pine pallets on the local market are imported with goods from abroad, or built from imported pine lumber. Domestically grown pine (mainly in Lam Dong and Nghe An) tends to be small-diameter, crooked and knotty, making it unsuitable for industrial-scale pallet production.
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![\"Wood](\"https://icdvietnam.com.vn/app/uploads/2025/08/he-thong-phan-loai-go--1024x683.webp\")
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Pine’s main advantage is low weight - density 400-550 kg/m3, significantly lighter than acacia (550-650 kg/m3). A 1200×1000 mm pine pallet weighs roughly 15-18 kg versus 20-25 kg for the same size in acacia. A 5-7 kg difference per pallet may sound small, but multiplied across 20 pallets in a container that is 100-140 kg saved. For air freight, where rates run USD 3-5 per kg, the saving becomes very significant.
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Pine also looks better - lighter colour, cleaner grain, fewer knots. Natural resin gives it moderate moisture resistance after kiln drying. The biggest drawback for pine pallets in Vietnam is price: 30-50% more expensive than acacia because supply depends on imports. Pine boards are also softer than acacia, so load capacity is lower at the same board thickness.
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When to choose pine: exporting light goods by air, or when overseas buyers specifically require pine (many EU and US customers are accustomed to pine pallets). Reference prices: VND 180,000-350,000 per new pallet.
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Rubber wood is characteristic of the south-eastern provinces and Central Highlands of Vietnam. When rubber trees finish their latex cycle (typically after 25-30 years), the trunks are harvested for furniture and pallets. This is an important distinction: rubber wood used in pallets is essentially by-product timber after the tree has completed its primary economic function of latex production, so supply depends on the replanting schedule of rubber plantations.
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![\"Rubber](\"https://icdvietnam.com.vn/app/uploads/2026/02/pallet-go-cao-su-2-1024x683.webp\")
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Technically, rubber wood has a density of 600-700 kg/m3 - the highest of the four species. That translates to superior load-bearing performance. The surface is smooth with far fewer knots than acacia, uniform colour and mild grain. Because of these qualities rubber wood is normally prioritised for furniture (higher value), and rubber wood used in pallets is typically material that does not meet furniture grade - but still excellent for industrial use.
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Rubber wood pallets are highly regarded in food, pharmaceutical and electronics sectors for their smooth, splinter-free surface that is easy to clean. One drawback to note: rubber wood is susceptible to termites if not properly heat treated (HT) or vacuum-pressure impregnated. Reference prices: VND 150,000-350,000 per pallet, roughly 50-80% more than acacia, but service life can be double with proper care.
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Plywood - Fumigation-exempt and optimised for one-way export
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Unlike the three solid-wood species above, presswood and plywood are engineered materials made from wood chips or thin wood veneers bonded under heat and pressure. The biggest advantage of plywood pallets is that they are completely exempt from fumigation on export - because the raw material has already undergone heat treatment during manufacturing, IPPC classifies it as “processed wood” and no phytosanitary inspection is required.
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![\"Comparison](\"https://icdvietnam.com.vn/app/uploads/2024/11/so-sanh-pallet-go-ep-voi-pallet-go-da-1024x580.webp\")
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Plywood pallets weigh 50-60% less than solid wood pallets, cost 30-50% less, and can be nested when not in use to save warehouse space. The drawbacks are equally clear: poor moisture resistance (prone to swelling when wet), lower load capacity than solid timber, and short service life (only 3-8 reuses). Plywood pallets are best suited for one-way light-goods exports where low pallet cost and saved fumigation time are the top priorities.
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Comparison table: 4 wood species for pallets
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The table below is compiled from ICD Vietnam’s production data and real-world testing accumulated over many years - not theoretical textbook figures.
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| Criterion | Acacia | Pine | Rubber wood | Plywood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density (kg/m3) | 550-650 | 400-550 | 600-700 | 500-600 |
| Pallet weight 1100×1100 mm (kg) | 20-25 | 15-18 | 22-28 | 8-12 |
| Dynamic load capacity (kg) | 1,500-2,500 | 1,000-2,000 | 2,000-3,000 | 1,000-1,500 |
| Reference price (VND/pallet) | 50,000-180,000 | 180,000-350,000 | 150,000-350,000 | 80,000-200,000 |
| Fumigation required for export? | Yes (ISPM 15) | Yes (ISPM 15) | Yes (ISPM 15) | No |
| Service life (years, warehouse) | 2-4 | 3-5 | 5-8 | 1-2 |
| Supply availability in Vietnam | Very abundant (North + Central) | Limited (imported) | Abundant (South) | Abundant |
| Moisture resistance | Moderate | Fair | Poor (needs treatment) | Poor |
| Surface | Frequent knots | Smooth, clean grain | Smooth, few knots | Flat, uniform |
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How to choose wood species by application: 5 practical rules
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- Rule 1 - Domestic warehousing, loads over 1 tonne per pallet: choose acacia. Best price-to-performance ratio. Acacia carries heavy loads, costs the least and supply is stable year-round. Frequent knots are irrelevant - warehouse pallets prioritise function, not appearance.
- Rule 2 - Sea-freight export, heavy goods: choose acacia or rubber wood, then fumigate to ISPM 15 standard. Fumigation adds only VND 15,000-25,000 per pallet - negligible against the value of the shipment.
- Rule 3 - One-way export of light goods (under 1 tonne): choose plywood. Eliminates fumigation cost, reduces weight and removes the need to recover pallets.
- Rule 4 - Air-freight export or buyer-specified pine: choose pine. The weight saving offsets the higher pallet price through lower freight charges.
- Rule 5 - Food, pharmaceutical or electronics requiring a clean surface: choose rubber wood or plywood. Smooth, low-splinter surfaces that are easy to clean and meet HACCP/GMP requirements.
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3 common mistakes when choosing pallet wood
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Mistake 1 - Using imported pine for long-term warehouse pallets. Pine costs twice as much as acacia yet carries a lower load at the same board thickness. The only reason to choose pine is light weight - but when a pallet sits still in a rack, lighter weight provides no benefit at all. Businesses end up paying 80-100% more for an advantage they never use.
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Mistake 2 - Using mixed-timber (unidentified species) for export pallets. Mixed timber is very cheap but inconsistent in quality - some boards are hard, others soft - so the finished pallet does not reach its designed load rating. More seriously, mixed timber may include protected species subject to timber-trade regulations, creating legal problems during forestry inspections.
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Mistake 3 - Choosing plywood for pallets that need many reuses. Plywood is designed for only 3-8 trips before deteriorating rapidly. If a business needs pallets to cycle internally 20-30 times, investing in acacia from the start costs 40-50% less in total cost of ownership than continuously replacing plywood pallets.
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Getting low-cost pallet wood without sacrificing quality
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When searching for low-cost pallet wood, many businesses focus only on the unit price per pallet and forget to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO). A mixed-timber pallet at VND 50,000 that lasts 6 months works out to VND 8,333 per month. An acacia Grade A pallet at VND 120,000 that lasts 3 years costs only VND 3,333 per month - 60% cheaper per month despite the initial purchase price being 2.4 times higher.
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Three ways to achieve genuinely low pallet wood cost:
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- Order in volume (from 500 pallets) to receive manufacturer discounts of 8-15%.
- Use acacia Grade B boards (boards with a few knots but still structurally sound) instead of Grade A - saves 15-20% with almost no reduction in load capacity.
- Consider good-condition second-hand pallets at 30-50% of new pallet price, suitable for short-term warehousing.
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Related articles
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| Wooden pallet guide - all articles | What is ISPM 15? Wood pallet fumigation standard | Wooden pallet price list - updated 2026 |
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Frequently asked questions about wood species for pallets
\n\n1. Which wood makes the most durable pallet?\n
Rubber wood has the longest service life (5-8 years in warehouse use) and the highest dynamic load capacity (up to 3,000 kg). However, most durable does not mean best for every case: if a pallet is used only once for export, plywood costs 60% less and still meets the requirement. The right choice depends on intended use, not absolute durability.
\n\n2. Is pine a good wood for pallets?\n
Pine works well in specific situations: air-freight export of light goods (thanks to low weight), pallets where appearance matters (clean grain), or when overseas buyers specify pine. Outside those cases, acacia is generally the better choice in the Vietnamese market - 30-50% cheaper and with superior load capacity.
\n\n3. Why does acacia hold 90% of the pallet market in Vietnam?\n
Three reasons: lowest raw-material cost (abundant plantation supply), load capacity that satisfies the majority of needs, and by-product boards (high-knot timber) that can be sold to the paper industry rather than wasted. The combination of these three factors means no other species can match acacia on price-to-performance for large-volume pallet production.
\n\n4. Are presswood and plywood the same thing?\n
Both are engineered wood products but differ in raw material and construction. Presswood is made from finely ground wood chips compacted in a mould, with a smooth surface and no visible grain. Plywood is made from thin cross-laminated veneers, retains natural grain and is stronger. Both are exempt from fumigation on export.
\n\n5. Does ICD Vietnam produce pallets from all four wood species?\n
Yes. ICD Vietnam manufactures and supplies pallets from acacia, pine, rubber wood and plywood, covering every need from domestic warehousing to international export. The technical team will advise the most suitable species based on intended use, load, quantity and budget.
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Contact ICD Vietnam
Hotline: 0983 797 186 / 090 345 9186 / 090 5859 186
Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn | Zalo: Chat Zalo
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