Packaging & Logistics worked example

Pallet Utilization at 61% target pallet utilization: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop target pallet utilization to 61%, then walk the calculation through step by step. See how fully a pallet is used by comparing the load cube on it against the available pallet cube, with the gap to your target.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Load cube used: 50 ft³ (held at the documented default)
  • Pallet cube available: 64 ft³ (held at the documented default)
  • Target pallet utilization: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Pallet utilization = load cube used ÷ pallet cube available.
  • Pallet cube utilization works out to 78.13 % utilized at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Gap to target fill works out to -17.12 points at these inputs.
  • Load cube used works out to 50 ft³ at these inputs.
  • Pallet cube available works out to 64 ft³ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target pallet utilization sits at 85% and the headline result is 78.13 % utilized, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 78.13 % utilized.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to target pallet utilization, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. Cube utilization ignores weight limits and stackability; a pallet can be cube-efficient yet over the weight cap, or cube-full but too fragile to double-stack.

Results at a glance

  • Pallet cube utilization: 78.13 % utilized (headline result)
  • Gap to target fill: -17.12 points
  • Load cube used: 50 ft³
  • Pallet cube available: 64 ft³

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Pallet Utilization calculator, set target pallet utilization to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.