Anti-Slip Rubber

What Is Anti-Slip Rubber Sheet?

Anti-slip rubber sheet is a rubber-based cargo securing accessory placed under pallets or between load layers to increase friction between surfaces. Also known as container anti-slip mat, these products are used to prevent palletized cargo with flat, slippery surfaces from shifting position during transport.

Where Is It Used?

Pallet anti-slip rubber is used to stop a pallet from sliding on the container floor or on the pallet stacked beneath it. Cargo anti-slip sheet and separation sheet, on the other hand, are placed between layers in multi-tier stacking where different load groups sit on top of one another — preventing slippage while also adding a layer of protection between the loads.

Container anti-slip mat is not limited to placement under pallets: in containers carrying mixed cargo types — for example, cardboard cartons stacked on top of a metal load — where surfaces with different friction coefficients meet, it is also used as an interlayer.

Why Is It Necessary?

Standard wooden pallets and most carton/cardboard surfaces cannot provide sufficient friction on their own, especially as cargo gets heavier or vibration increases during transport. When heavy cargo anti-slip rubber is used together with strapping and lashing systems, it prevents both lateral shifting of the load and the stack from breaking apart, improving overall cargo securing performance.

Why Isn't Friction Alone Enough?

In cargo securing engineering, whether a group of palletized cargo will slide during transport is determined by the frictional resistance between the load and the floor. The natural friction between a flat wooden pallet base and a container's metal floor may not be enough to hold the load in place, particularly on wet, oily or dusty surfaces, or under sudden braking or acceleration forces. Anti-slip rubber sheet, placed between the two surfaces, significantly increases this natural friction; however, how much friction it adds depends on the weight of the load, the thickness of the sheet and the surface pattern, so stating a precise coefficient without supplier test data would be misleading.

Choosing the Right Sheet

Choosing the right anti-slip sheet requires taking into account the weight of the load, the pallet surface material (wood, plastic, metal), and the humidity and temperature conditions it will be exposed to during transport. Pallet anti-slip sheet for load securing is typically supplied in rolls or as cut sheets; for high-volume loading operations, it can be cut from the roll and sized to fit. Sheets can have a flat or patterned (textured) surface — patterned surfaces generally provide higher friction, though they can also carry a higher risk of marking more delicate underlying surfaces.

Thickness and Placement

As sheet thickness increases, so does impact-absorption capacity, but overly thick sheets can add unnecessary height to the stack. The sheet should be placed to cover the areas where the load's centre of gravity sits, rather than the entire pallet surface — placing small pieces only at the corners of the pallet may not provide sufficient friction in the middle.

Why Does Material Quality Matter?

The quality of the rubber compound determines how long the sheet retains its performance through repeated loading and unloading cycles. Low-quality rubber, or rubber with an excessive recycled content, can harden over time and lose its flexibility — and with it, its friction performance. Exposure to oil, diesel or chemicals, commonly encountered in warehouse and port yards, can also weaken certain rubber compounds, so choosing a material suited to the operating environment is important.

Use Alongside Other Cargo Securing Products

Anti-slip rubber sheet does not replace other cargo securing methods such as strapping, lashing or dunnage bags — it complements them. Placing an anti-slip sheet under a pallet group that has already been secured with strapping, specifically to stop it sliding on the container floor, is a common safety practice in export loading operations.

Reuse and Inspection

Thick rubber sheets can be reused across multiple shipments as long as they remain undamaged. Before each use, checking the surface for cracks, cuts or excessive flattening (deformation) is important for confirming that the sheet still provides sufficient friction. Sheets that show visible wear or have hardened should be replaced.

Common Mistakes

• Partial coverage: Placing the sheet on only part of the pallet base can allow the load to slide from the uncovered side.
• Choosing the wrong thickness: Choosing a sheet that is too thin for heavy loads can cause it to compress over time and lose its effectiveness.
• Relying on it alone: Using anti-slip sheet on its own, in place of strapping or lashing, does not provide adequate securing against tipping or severe acceleration forces.