Wire Mesh Pallet Cages
HERMEQ pallet cages store and carry materials on construction sites and in warehouses, from loose fittings and bulk fixings to parts and boxed stock. The range covers collapsible pallet cages, rigid mesh stillages, gitterboxes and crane lift goods carrying cages. All are built to move by forklift or pallet truck, and the goods cages also lift by crane. Welded steel mesh keeps the contents in view and lets air through, so stock is quick to identify and a yard or store stays in order. Much of the range is made in our UK factory and held as permanent UK stock.
Pallet cages, mesh stillages and crane lift cages
The range divides on two questions: whether the cage folds flat when it is empty, and whether it is rated to go on a crane hook.
Collapsible pallet cages
Collapsible cages, also sold as cage pallets or folding pallet stillages, have mesh sides that fold down onto the base once the cage is emptied, so returned cages stack flat in a small part of the space they take when built. The foldable wire mesh pallet cage suits general storage and lighter bulk loads, and the heavy duty collapsible pallet cage is built for heavier components and fixings.
Stackable mesh stillages
A rigid mesh stillage has a fixed steel frame and mesh panels, with stacking feet that locate in the cage below, so loaded stillages build into a stable stack in a store or yard. The stackable mesh steel stillage is made in several footprints with a choice of front, which decides how the contents are reached once cages are stacked. For bulky site materials, the mesh stillage cage bin is a fitting bin with open mesh walls, supplied in self colour or painted.
Gitterbox mesh stillages
Gitterbox, German for lattice box, is the trade name for the mesh stillage made to the European industry standard, with a half drop front on its long side and a corrugated steel deck. Choose gitterboxes where cages circulate between your own operation, suppliers and customers who already use them, so new boxes match the fleet in circulation. The gitterbox mesh stillage has a fixed frame for permanent stock, and the folding gitterbox folds down for the empty journey back.
Crane lift goods carrying cages
Goods carrying cages, usually called goods cages, are heavy steel cages with lifting lugs or eyes rated for crane lifts and with forklift guides or pockets, and the range lifts loads of up to 3 tonnes. They are the right product for sending loose materials, tools and debris to upper floors or across a site by crane, a job too often done by slinging an ordinary stillage that has no rated lifting points. Both the crane lift goods carrying cages and the 3 tonne goods carrying cage are made in single and double sizes.
Lockable forklift and crane cage
The forklift and crane lifting cage is a lockable sheet steel crate of the kind the trade calls a tuffcrate, with crane lifting eyes. Choose it when tools and equipment have to be locked away between shifts and then lifted to where the work is, since the closed steel body keeps the contents secure and out of sight.
Collapsible or rigid pallet cages
Collapsible cages are the better choice when cages travel out loaded and come back empty, because a folded cage takes up little of its working height on the vehicle and in the yard. The same applies to seasonal stock, where cages stand idle for months between peaks, and to yards and stores that are short of space. The collapsible stillage pallet cage, with its reinforced base, brings the folding format to heavier loads.
Welded rigid stillages and gitterboxes suit permanent stock zones, where cages stay loaded and stacked for long periods and are rarely moved empty.
Moving pallet cages by forklift, pallet truck and crane
Most of the range is handled from the ground: mesh cages and stillages take forklift tines under the base or between the feet, and cages such as the mesh stillage cage bin also move on a pallet truck. The stackable folding wire cages are available in one size with forklift guards, for cages that see heavy forklift use.
Rated lifting points are found only on the goods carrying cages and the lockable crane cage, where lugs or eyes are built to take the crane hook and its slings. Before any crane lift, confirm that the cage has rated lifting points, that the load is within its safe working load and spread across the floor, and that the cage is within its inspection date.
Pallet cages for construction, warehouse and factory storage
Construction and M&E sites
On construction and M&E work, cages hold bulk fixings, brackets, loose fittings and heavy components, and keep reclaimed materials and site equipment off walkways. Mesh stillages and fitting bins suit the compound or laydown area. Further stillages and bins for site use are in the stillages, bins and cages range.
Warehousing and logistics
In a warehouse, rigid stackable stillages build stable block stacks on the floor, and cages move between goods in, storage and dispatch on the same forklifts and pallet trucks as pallets.
Manufacturing and industrial plants
Factories use cages for parts and non-palletised stock moving between goods in, production cells and dispatch. Drop front stillages let operators take parts from a cage at the line, and the corrugated steel deck of a gitterbox holds small, heavy parts that would drop through a mesh base.
Retail distribution
In retail distribution, cages carry seasonal lines and recurring shipments between distribution centres and stores, and the fully collapsible stackable pallet cage suits these runs.
Mesh pallet cage sizes, loads and finishes
Footprint and pallet size
Cage footprints follow standard pallet sizes, from the 1200 x 800mm Euro footprint up to 1200 x 1000mm, with smaller cages for part loads. Match the footprint to the pallet trucks, racking bays and vehicle beds already in use, so cages move through the same system as pallets and load onto a vehicle without wasted floor.
Safe working load
The safe working load is the maximum load a cage is rated to carry in use, and across the range it runs from 600kg to 3 tonnes. Ratings assume the load is spread evenly over the base, which is what a UDL (uniformly distributed load) rating states outright, so a single heavy item on one corner puts more strain on the cage than its weight alone suggests. Choose the cage for the heaviest load it will carry.
Drop front or full sides
A half drop front lowers the top half of one side and a full panel drop opens the whole side, so either lets you pick from a cage while another sits on top of it. Full sided cages suit bulk loads that are filled and emptied from above, and cages used singly or at the top of a stack. The stackable mesh steel stillage is made with all three, and the stackable folding wire cages have a full panel drop.
Zinc plated, painted or powder coated
Zinc plated cages have a bright coating that resists corrosion in yards and on open sites, and self colour is bare steel for covered stores. Painted and powder coated finishes add colour: the mesh stillage cage bin is made in self colour and five painted colours, gitterboxes in grey or blue, and the goods carrying cages in HERMEQ Grey. Colour works as a stock control tool, with one colour for each trade, stock line or customer. HERMEQ powder coats in-house.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a pallet cage and a stillage?
The trade uses the two terms loosely and often for the same thing. A stillage is any steel container or frame with feet for forklift handling, whether its sides are solid, mesh or open posts, while a pallet cage is normally a mesh stillage built on a standard pallet footprint.
How high can pallet cages be stacked?
Stackable models such as the stackable mesh steel stillage, the heavy duty collapsible pallet cage and the mesh stillage cage bin are rated to stack up to four high. Stack like on like, on level and firm ground, with every cage loaded within its safe working load and its feet located in the cage below.
Can wire mesh pallet cages be stored in pallet racking?
Yes, with the right support. Cages stand on feet instead of a flat pallet base, so on beam racking they need decking or stillage supports fitted across the beams. The cage footprint and the bay's rated load also have to suit each other.
How should pallet cages be checked before use?
Look for bent or broken mesh, cracked welds, damaged feet or stacking points, and drop fronts or folding sides that do not latch. On goods carrying cages, also inspect the lifting lugs or eyes for wear or distortion.
Can a pallet cage carry temporary fencing panels?
Temporary fence panels are stored and moved in fencing stillages, which are built around the shape of the panels and the way they stack. Pallet cages are built for loose and boxed materials such as fixings, fittings, parts and tools. HERMEQ supplies fencing stillages in its temporary fencing range.
Are HERMEQ pallet cages made in the UK?
HERMEQ manufactures in the UK with in-house steel processing, and the collapsible pallet cages, mesh stillage cage bin, crane lift goods carrying cages and lockable crane cage are made here. The gitterbox models are built to the European industry standard for mesh stillages.