Pallet Storage Ireland: Secure, Managed Storage with 32-County Distribution

Storage Integrated with Distribution: Our Competitive Advantage

We have been providing pallet storage to Irish businesses since 2005. Our facility is food licensed, operated with indoor electric forklifts, and managed with bespoke stock management software offering a real-time client portal.

• Your stock arrives at our Cavan facility and can be distributed to any county in Ireland on an overnight basis
• No need to engage a separate haulier. Inbound and outbound managed under one roof
• Same-day dispatch on outbound orders placed before the daily cutoff
• Full track-and-trace on all outbound deliveries through the Palletxpress system
• UK delivery within 48 hours with full customs clearance available
• No long-term contract required, minimum storage term is just one week

Pallet Storage Service Overview

How We Handle Your Pallets

• Electric forklift fleet Indoor electric forklifts eliminate exhaust contamination, making our facility suitable for food-grade and FMCG storage.
• Container devanning 20 ft and 40 ft containers stripped, counted, and palletised on-site, a full container can be racked and on the system within 24 hours.
• Same-day dispatch Outbound orders placed before the daily cutoff are picked, labelled, and dispatched same day via the Palletxpress Network.
• Real-time visibility A bespoke WMS with online client portal gives you live stock levels and order history 24/7, without phoning us.

Get a Pallet Storage Quote

Pallet Storage Rates

We publish indicative rates to make your planning easier. All rates are quoted in euros and exclude VAT at 23%. Minimum storage term is one week. We provide a detailed written quote for all enquiries within one business day.

Rates are indicative and exclude VAT at 23%. Minimum storage term is one week. We provide a detailed written quote for all enquiries within one business day.

Who Uses Joe McGovern Transport for Pallet Storage?

• Importers & Container Operators Businesses importing from the UK, Europe, or Asia who need container devanning, palletisation, and storage before distribution to customers or retail outlets. A full 40 ft container can be racked and on the system within 24 hours.
• E-Commerce & DTC Brands Irish online retailers who need a reliable storage and fulfilment operation without owning their own warehouse. We store, pick, pack, and ship direct to end customers via Palletxpress with full track-and-trace.
• Manufacturers with Seasonal or Batch Demand Irish manufacturing businesses that produce in batches and need buffer storage between production and sales. Flexible terms mean you can scale up when production runs and back down when stock ships.
• Food & FMCG Businesses Businesses storing food products benefit from our FSAI-compliant food licensed facility with indoor electric forklifts, handling FMCG, ambient grocery, and non-perishable food storage with the required compliance.
• UK Businesses Entering the Irish Market UK-based companies that need an Irish distribution base post-Brexit without the capital commitment of owning or leasing Irish premises. Store with us in Co. Cavan and distribute 32 counties overnight.
• 3PL & Contract Logistics Businesses looking to outsource inbound and outbound logistics under a single warehousing agreement, with storage, fulfilment, and distribution managed by one partner.

Pallet Storage Ireland: Location and Coverage

Our facility is located in Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, a strategically central location for North West Ireland, with easy access to the M3 corridor for Dublin and the North West road network for Sligo, Donegal, and the Border counties.

Outbound distribution via Palletxpress covers all 32 counties on an overnight basis. Inbound collections from customer premises across Ireland are available via our fleet of 40+ articulated and rigid lorries.

• Dublin: overnight Palletxpress delivery
• Border counties (Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan): direct Joe McGovern fleet coverage
• All 32 counties: overnight via Palletxpress Network
• UK: 48-hour delivery with customs clearance
• Europe: coordinated via Palletxpress partner networks

The Joe McGovern Transport Difference

Own Racking vs Outsourced Pallet Storage: Which Is Right for You?

If you are storing fewer than 200 pallets at a time, outsourcing to a managed 3PL facility is very likely more cost-effective than installing your own racking, once premises, staff, and distribution are all counted. Above 300 to 500 pallets in active rotation, with stable premises and your own warehouse team, own racking becomes worth exploring alongside a 3PL quote.

Owning your own racking makes most sense when:

• You have stable, predictable pallet volumes that justify a fixed asset
• You have permanent warehouse premises (owned or long-leased) with headroom for racking
• You have, or intend to hire, warehouse staff to operate the system
• You have a transport fleet or established haulage relationships for outbound distribution
• Your volume is high enough that per-pallet 3PL costs exceed your all-in facility cost

Outsourcing to a managed 3PL facility makes most sense when:

• You do not own or lease dedicated warehouse premises
• Your volumes fluctuate, and seasonal peaks make fixed assets uneconomical
• You do not have warehouse staff and do not want to hire them
• You need outbound distribution integrated with your storage (most Irish SMEs do)
• You import containers and need devanning capability without buying equipment

The Break-Even Calculation

The break-even point depends on your specific volumes, premises costs, and staff costs. As a rough guide for an Irish SME:

Own racking costs include prorated premises rent, forklift depreciation, and one warehouse operative at Irish SME wage rates. 3PL costs are based on Joe McGovern Transport indicative rates at 52 weeks. Distribution is additional in both scenarios. The break-even is typically around 200 to 300 pallets in active rotation; below that, outsourcing is nearly always more cost-effective once all inputs are counted.

The Hidden Costs of Own Racking

• Distribution Is Extra Installing your own racking solves storage but not transport. You still need a haulier for outbound distribution. With Joe McGovern Transport, 32-county next-day delivery via the Palletxpress Network is integrated with your storage, no separate haulier to manage.
• Management Time Running your own racking requires stock management, staff supervision, goods-in processing, and outbound dispatch coordination. That management time has a cost that rarely appears in the racking quote.
• Compliance and Safety Pallet racking in Ireland must comply with HSA guidelines, with regular inspections and load ratings. The compliance burden is yours when you own the system.

How to Choose a Pallet Storage Provider: 7 Questions to Ask

Finding pallet storage in Ireland is straightforward; finding the right provider is harder. Before you sign up, ask any provider these seven questions:

• Distribution: Do you handle distribution in-house, or subcontract it to a haulier I may not know?
• Forklift access: What handling equipment do you have, and are forklifts indoor and electric (needed for food-safe handling)?
• Food licensing: Is the facility licensed for food storage under FSAI requirements?
• Technology: Is there a client portal for real-time stock visibility and movement history?
• Contract terms: What is the minimum term, and is there a long-term lock-in?
• Coverage: Do you cover all 32 counties overnight, and can you deliver to the UK?
• Container devanning: Can you strip and palletise 20 ft and 40 ft containers on-site?

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much does pallet storage cost in Ireland?

  Pallet storage at Joe McGovern Transport best prices per pallet per week for racked secure storage, with volume discounts available. Goods-in handling, goods-out handling, and container devanning are quoted per your specific volumes. All rates exclude VAT at 23%.
• What is the minimum term for pallet storage?

  The minimum storage term is one week, with no long-term contract required. You can scale storage up or down as your volumes change.
• Can you handle container devanning as part of pallet storage?

  Yes. We strip and palletise both 20 ft and 40 ft shipping containers on-site at our Cavan facility. Goods are received, counted, inspected, and racked, with a full 40 ft container typically on the system within 24 hours.
• Is the pallet storage facility licensed for food products?

  Yes. Our facility is licensed for food product storage and uses indoor electric forklifts to eliminate exhaust contamination, handling FMCG, ambient grocery, and non-perishable food storage under FSAI-compliant procedures.
• How quickly can my stock be distributed after arriving at the warehouse?

  Outbound orders placed before the daily cutoff are picked, labelled, and dispatched same day via the Palletxpress Network, with next-day delivery to all 32 counties of Ireland. UK delivery is available within 48 hours with full customs clearance.
• Do I need a separate haulier for inbound and outbound freight?

  No. As a founding member of the Palletxpress Network and operator of our own fleet of 40+ articulated and rigid lorries, we manage storage, inbound handling, and 32-county outbound distribution under one roof.