What is TI-HI?

TI-HI (tie and high) describes how a product is stacked on a pallet with two numbers: TI is the number of cartons in one layer, HI is the number of layers. TI × HI is the cartons per pallet. A 40 × 30 × 25 cm carton on a Euro pallet under a 1.80 m cap is TI 8, HI 6: 48 cartons. The term is most used in North American retail supply, where retailers ask suppliers for a TI-HI per item and check delivered pallets against it.

TI depends on the pattern, not only on the sizes. Laid lengthwise in columns, 6 of those 40 × 30 cm cartons fit on a 120 × 80 cm pallet; turned the other way, 8; a layer that mixes the two directions, 7. Dividing the pallet area by the carton area also gives 8 here, but only because this carton tiles the pallet exactly. For other cartons it gives a number no layer can reach, which is the usual error in quick TI calculations.

HI is the lowest of three limits: the height cap minus the pallet’s own height, divided by the carton height; the weight limit minus the pallet’s weight, divided by the weight of one layer; and the stacking strength of the bottom cartons. Pallet build works out the first two and says which one decides. The third, box strength, it leaves to the packaging data.

Pallet build is a metric TI-HI calculator: it draws each layer, tries every pattern and turns the cartons over if they are not “this way up”. For common sizes, see how many cartons fit on a pallet. Related: What is pallet overhang?, Euro vs standard pallet: which carries more of your cartons?

Sources

• SPS Commerce, What is TI-HI? Read 2026-11-06.
• Cartons per layer and layers: the Pallet build engine, Euro pallet 1200 × 800 × 144 mm, 1.80 m cap, no overhang.