Stillage Suppliers UK: How to Choose and What to Ask
The right stillage supplier does more than sell you cages. It keeps stock you can rely on, offers refurbished options to save money, repairs damaged stillages quickly and delivers wherever your sites are. The wrong one leaves you with long lead times, mismatched equipment and nowhere to turn when cages get damaged.
This guide explains what to look for in a stillage supplier in the UK, the questions to ask before you order, and how suppliers differ from stillage manufacturers.
What Does a Stillage Supplier Do?
A stillage supplier provides steel stillages and pallet cages to warehouses, manufacturers, retailers and logistics businesses. Depending on the supplier, that can include new stock, refurbished stock, custom sizes, repairs, maintenance and fleet management.
If you are new to the equipment itself, start with our guide to the difference between a stillage cage and a pallet cage, or read about pallet cage types, sizes and load capacities.
Stillage Supplier vs Stillage Manufacturer
Stillage manufacturers design and build new stillages, usually in large production runs. Stillage suppliers sell, refurbish, repair and deliver stillages, and may stock equipment from several manufacturers.
| Stillage manufacturer | Stillage supplier | |
|---|---|---|
| Main role | Designs and builds new stillages | Supplies, refurbishes and services stillages |
| Stock | New only, often made to order | New and refurbished, often in stock |
| Lead times | Longer for custom or large runs | Shorter for stocked items |
| Repairs | Rarely offered | Often offered, on site or at a repair centre |
| Best for | Large custom orders | Most day-to-day buying, top-ups and fleet upkeep |
For most businesses, a supplier who can provide new and refurbished stock and also repair it is the more practical choice.
What to Look For in a Stillage Supplier
- Stock availability. Can they supply the sizes you need now, or is everything made to order?
- New and refurbished options. Refurbished stillages can cut costs without cutting safety.
- Clear specifications. Every stillage should come with dimensions, load capacity and gate type.
- Repair and maintenance services. A supplier who repairs stillages keeps your fleet working for longer.
- Nationwide delivery and coverage. Check they can reach all your sites, not just the nearest one.
- Safety accreditations. Look for recognised schemes such as SafeContractor.
- Fleet tracking options. Engraved ID plates help stop cages going missing.
- Industry experience. Ask who they already supply in your sector.
Questions to Ask Before You Order
- What sizes and load capacities do you have in stock today?
- Do you offer refurbished stillages, and how are they inspected?
- What is the lead time for new and for custom sizes?
- Do you deliver nationwide, and how is delivery charged?
- Can you repair damaged stillages, and can you do it on site?
- Is there a minimum order quantity?
- Can you add ID plates or re-spray cages in our colours?
- Which accreditations do you hold?
New or Refurbished Stillages?
New stillages give you consistent specifications and the full rated performance. Refurbished stillages are inspected, repaired and restored to a clean, safe working condition at a lower price, and they keep good steel in use for longer. Read our full comparison: new or refurbished pallet cage.
These are the pallet cages and stillages we currently supply:
| Product | Condition | Size (W x D x H) | Load capacity | Gate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refurbished Heavy Duty Pallet Cage | Refurbished | 1200 x 1000 x 890mm | 1500kg | Half and full drop-down |
| Folding Wire Pallet Cage | New | 1200 x 1000 x 1000mm | 800kg | Half drop-down |
| Refurbished Folding Wire Pallet Cage | Refurbished | 1200 x 800 x 980mm | 500kg | Half drop-down |
Why Repairs Matter When Choosing a Supplier
Stillages take knocks every day, and replacing them all is expensive. A supplier with a repair service lets you fix damaged cages instead of buying new ones. On our pallet cage repairs page, we show repairing 50 stillages for £600 compared with £4,350 to replace them with new equipment.
Our repair options include:
- On-site repairs by mobile engineers with parts on board, often returning cages to use the same day
- Drop off and repair at our 12,000 sq ft repair centre
- Collect and repair, where we pick up damaged cages and return them repaired
- Re-spraying in your company colours in our in-house spray booth
Why Choose Distribution Maintenance as Your Stillage Supplier
Distribution Maintenance supplies new and refurbished pallet cages and stillages, repairs them, and supports customers across the UK from two depots: Harlow in Essex and Grantham in Lincolnshire. We hold SafeContractor accreditation, and our customers include major names in retail, food and logistics.
We can also add engraved ID plates to help you track your fleet. For more on how stillages support returns handling, read stillages for returns and reverse logistics.
FAQ
What does a stillage supplier do?
A stillage supplier provides new and refurbished stillages and pallet cages, and often repairs, refurbishes and delivers them as well.
What is the difference between a stillage supplier and a stillage manufacturer?
A manufacturer designs and builds new stillages. A supplier sells, refurbishes, repairs and delivers them, often from stock and with shorter lead times.
What should I ask a stillage supplier?
Ask about stock sizes and load capacities, refurbished options, lead times, delivery, repair services, minimum order quantities and accreditations.
Are refurbished stillages safe?
Yes, when they come from a reputable supplier. Refurbished stillages are inspected, repaired and restored to a clean, safe working condition before supply.
Can a stillage supplier repair damaged stillages?
Many can. We repair stillages on site, at our repair centre, or through a collect and repair service.
Do you supply stillages across the UK?
Yes. We supply and repair stillages across the UK from our depots in Harlow, Essex and Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Talk to a Stillage Supplier Who Also Repairs
Choosing a stillage supplier who stocks new and refurbished cages and repairs them saves you time and money over the life of your fleet.
Browse our new pallet cages, request a quote or contact our team today.
