A buyer searching for industrial storage equipment runs into four different names for what often looks like the same steel box: stillage, pallet cage, roll container and wire mesh container. Suppliers use the terms loosely, and that looseness is expensive — it is how warehouses end up with a cage that cannot be lifted safely, or a trolley that cannot be stacked.
This guide separates the four properly, shows what each one is structurally good at, and gives you four questions that decide the choice in under five minutes.
What each term actually means
Stillage (post pallet, stillage cage)
A stillage is a rigid steel frame with a solid or open deck and four fixed posts or feet that carry the load down to the floor or onto the unit below. The load path runs through the posts, not through the deck. That is why galvanized post pallet stillages are the choice for heavy, dense loads — the deck is not asked to span the weight on its own.
The word comes from brewing and distilling, where a stillage was originally the wooden frame a cask rested on. In warehousing it survived as the name for any post-supported pallet.
Pallet cage (wire mesh container)
A pallet cage is a welded wire mesh box built on a pallet-type base with forklift entry. The four walls fold or hinge, the base is usually a mesh or sheet deck, and the unit is designed to be stacked — see our wire mesh container pallet cages — mesh cages typically carry stacking feet or corner brackets that drop into the unit below.
“Wire mesh container” and “pallet cage” are largely the same product. Buyers who say container usually mean the foldable warehouse unit; buyers who say cage usually mean the same thing with security in mind.
Roll container (roll cage, cage trolley)
A roll container is a mesh or panelled container on four swivel casters, pushed by hand rather than lifted by a forklift. Its job is short-distance internal movement — the role our trolleys and roll containers are built for: picking, order assembly, moving goods between zones, loading onto a dock.
The structural consequence matters: casters and a forklift pocket rarely coexist well on the same base, and a caster-mounted unit should not be treated as a stackable one.
Side-by-side comparison
| Property | Stillage | Pallet cage | Roll container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load path | Through posts and feet | Through base frame | Through casters |
| Handling | Forklift, pallet truck | Forklift, pallet truck | Pushed by hand |
| Stacking when loaded | Yes, posts take the load | Yes, with stacking feet | No, not as a rule |
| Best load type | Heavy, dense, awkward shapes | Loose parts, mixed cartons | Picked orders, in-process goods |
| Return freight | Rigid, bulky | Folds flat | Often nests or collapses |
| Typical job | Storage, oven and coating loads | Warehouse storage and transport | Picking and line feeding |
Four questions that decide it
1. Does it travel on casters or on a forklift?
If the unit has to be pushed by an operator between aisles, it is a roll container and the caster rating becomes the governing number. If it leaves the building on a truck, it needs forklift entry — a stillage or a pallet cage. Trying to get both usually means compromising the one that matters more.
2. Does the load sit on a frame or on mesh?
Concentrated point loads — a machine part, a die, a coil — will deform a mesh deck over time. A stillage with a sheet or channel deck handles them. Mesh flooring is for goods that spread their weight: cartons, bagged material, small parts in bins.
3. Will the unit come back empty?
This is where return freight decides the specification. A rigid stillage shipped overseas and returned empty is paying to move air. A folding storage container or a detachable container with an EPAL wood pallet base — one where the panels separate from the base — cuts the return volume substantially. If your flow is one-way, rigidity is cheap; if it is a loop, folding pays for itself quickly.
4. Does it need to be locked or covered?
Cages used for high-value or controlled stock usually need a hinged lid, a lockable door, or a sheet panel instead of mesh. Those options are cheap at the point of manufacture and awkward to retrofit, so specify them up front.
Where buyers get it wrong
- Buying a mesh cage for a point load. The mesh floor is the first thing to fail, and it fails slowly — usually after the goods are already stored in it.
- Ignoring return freight. Two units that cost the same ex-works can differ by a large margin once empty return shipping is counted.
- Assuming casters can be added later. Adding casters to a fixed base changes the load path. It is a design decision, not an accessory.
- Mismatching footprints. The common European footprint is the EUR pallet at 1200 × 800 mm; 1200 × 1000 mm is the other widely used size. A container that does not match your racking or truck deck wastes the space it was bought to save.
- Ordering a standard size for a non-standard load. Most of these units are welded to order. If the load is awkward, the container should be built around it rather than the other way round.
Frequently asked questions
Is a stillage the same as a pallet cage?
No. Both are steel containers with forklift entry, but a stillage carries its load on fixed posts and feet, while a pallet cage carries it on a base frame inside mesh walls. Stillages suit heavier, denser loads; pallet cages suit loose goods that need containing.
Can pallet cages be stacked when loaded?
Yes, provided the units are designed with stacking feet or corner brackets and are used within their rated load. Stacking strength comes from the corner posts meeting, so mixing brands or base types in the same stack is where failures start.
Foldable or fixed?
Foldable if the units make a return trip, if storage space between cycles is tight, or if volumes fluctuate. Fixed if the unit stays loaded permanently, or if the load is heavy enough that hinges become a weak point.
Can these be made to a custom size?
Yes — this is normal for this product category rather than a special order. Size, mesh opening, deck type, finish (galvanized or powder coated), caster type and lock options are all specified at manufacture. Our minimum order for custom builds is 20 pieces.
Choosing in practice
Most warehouses end up needing more than one type. A common arrangement is stillages for heavy static storage, pallet cages for transport and stacking, and roll containers for picking — with a shared footprint so all three work in the same racking and on the same truck.
If you are replacing an existing unit, the fastest route is to send us the dimensions, the load weight and a photo of what went wrong with the last one. Custom steel storage cages, stillages, pallet boxes and roll containers — heavy duty steel pallets and roll containers included — are what we build — in galvanized or powder-coated steel, sized to your load, from our factory in Foshan.
Post time: 2026-11-12
