The reference vocabulary of roll and reel handling — each term defined, with its equivalent in Italian, French, German and Spanish. For converters, buyers and anyone specifying roll storage, packaging and transport.
Use this glossary to specify the right product and to read technical documents across markets. Terms are grouped from the load itself to the equipment, hygiene and regulations.
| Term (EN) | IT | FR | DE | ES | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roll / reel | rotolo / bobina | rouleau / bobine | Rolle / Bobine | rollo / bobina | A cylindrical wound load — film, paper, foil, textile or laminate — wound on a core. |
| Core | anima | mandrin | Kern / Hülse | mandril | The central tube on which the material is wound. |
| Master roll | rotolo madre | rouleau mère | Mutterrolle | rollo madre | A large parent roll, before slitting into smaller rolls. |
| Pallet | pallet | palette | Palette | palé | A flat transport base designed for forklift and pallet-truck handling. |
| Roll cradle pallet | pallet portabobine | palette à rouleaux | Rollenpalette | palé para rollos | A pallet with an integrated cradle/saddle profile that holds rolls for storage and transport. |
| Cradle | culla | berceau | Wiege | cuna | A curved base that supports medium and small rolls. |
| Saddle | sella | selle | Sattel | silla | A curved base for large, heavy rolls needing fuller support. |
| Wedge / chock | cuneo | cale | Keil | cuña | A block that immobilises a roll on a flat pallet without lifting it. |
| Flange / end wall | flangia | bride | Flansch | brida | A disc applied to a roll face to protect it and enable suspended, stackable packaging. |
| Core plug | tappo per anima | bouchon de mandrin | Kernstopfen | tapón de mandril | A plug inserted into the roll core, part of suspended-flange systems. |
| Cardboard cradle | culla in cartone | berceau carton | Kartonwiege | cuna de cartón | A disposable fibre cradle used to stack rolls on a pallet. |
| Interlayer | intercalare | intercalaire | Zwischenlage | intercalario | A separating layer placed between stacked roll levels. |
| Metal stillage | gabbia metallica | caisse métallique | Metallpalette | palé-jaula metálico | A foldable steel cage for heavy or oversized rolls. |
| H1 pallet | pallet H1 | palette H1 | H1-Palette | palé H1 | A hygienic plastic pallet format with closed, washable surfaces. |
| EPAL / Euro pallet | EPAL / Europallet | EPAL / palette Europe | EPAL / Europalette | EPAL / palé europeo | The standardised, exchangeable 800×1200 mm pallet. |
| Reusable (multi-cycle) | riutilizzabile | réutilisable | wiederverwendbar | reutilizable | Designed for years of repeated service, not single use. |
| Hygienic | igienico | hygiénique | hygienisch | higiénico | Having closed, washable surfaces suitable for food, pharma and clean-room use. |
| HACCP | HACCP | HACCP | HACCP | HACCP | A food-safety management standard that favours washable, contamination-free surfaces. |
| ISPM-15 | ISPM-15 | ISPM-15 | ISPM-15 | ISPM-15 | International standard requiring heat treatment of wood packaging for export. |
| PPWR | PPWR | PPWR | PPWR | PPWR | EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, with reuse obligations from 12 Aug 2026. |
| Rack storage | stoccaggio a rack | stockage sur rayonnage | Regallagerung | almacenamiento en rack | Storing rolls on beam racks; requires rack-compatible, reinforced bases. |
See also the pillar guide: Roll & Reel Handling and Storage — The Complete Guide, and the decision guide Cradle vs Wedge vs Flange.