Maximizing Trailer Space: The Science of Ti-Hi Pallet Patterns

Warehouse efficiency is often won or lost in the first six inches of a pallet. In the logistics industry, Ti-Hi (Tier and High) is the fundamental language of load planning. If your warehouse team doesn't have a standardized Ti-Hi strategy, you're likely losing thousands of dollars in damaged goods and underutilized trailer space.

Breaking Down the Ti-Hi Logic

TI (Tier) refers to the number of cartons in a single layer on the pallet. HI (High) refers to the total number of layers. A pallet with a Ti-Hi of 10x5 contains exactly 50 cartons.

The Overhang Disaster

The standard GMA pallet in North America is 48x40 inches. The most common mistake in warehouse operations is allowing boxes to hang over the edge of the pallet (overhang). Just one inch of overhang reduces the pallet's structural integrity by up to 30%, making it highly likely to collapse in transit. Furthermore, major retailers like Amazon and Walmart will outright reject any pallet that exhibits overhang, resulting in expensive "chargebacks" and return freight costs.

Column Stacking vs. Interlocking

• Column Stacking: Stacking boxes directly on top of each other. This provides the highest vertical strength because the corners of the boxes (the strongest part) are aligned. This is ideal for very heavy items.
• Interlocking: Rotating the pattern of boxes on every other layer (like bricks). This creates a much more stable pallet that won't "lean" or fall apart, but it sacrifices about 15% of the vertical stacking strength.

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