In international trade, wooden pallets, crates and other timber packaging are regulated to stop pests and organisms spreading between countries. The standard is ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15), and customs authorities in much of the world require compliance with it.
Heat Treatment and the IPPC Stamp
ISPM-15 requires that timber packaging used for export be heat-treated: the wood is held at a set temperature for a set time so that any pests inside are destroyed. The treated timber is then marked with an official stamp — the IPPC logo — identifying the standard applied and the facility that applied it.
What Happens Without the Stamp
Wooden packaging shipped without that stamp can be refused at the border in many countries, delaying the shipment or adding cost. For high-value exports — machinery, automotive parts, medical devices — compliance is what keeps a shipment moving.
Heat Treatment or Fumigation?
ISPM-15 permits two treatments: heat treatment (HT) and methyl bromide fumigation (MB). In practice only one is realistic. Methyl bromide has been phased down for its effect on the ozone layer, and many countries — the EU among them — no longer accept packaging treated with it. Confirming that the stamp reads HT when you order a crate is the simplest guarantee that it will not be questioned on arrival.
Heat treatment means holding the core of the timber at a set temperature for a set time. It is not the same as drying: kiln-dried timber is not automatically ISPM-15 compliant. What counts is that the treatment was carried out at an accredited facility and stamped.
Where the Stamp Must Appear
The mark has to appear on at least two opposite faces of the packaging, permanently and legibly. Hand-written marks and stick-on labels do not count. It carries the country code, the facility number and the treatment applied — and it is never printed in red or orange, because those colours are reserved for dangerous-goods marking.
The most useful pre-shipment check is simply to look: a stamp that has been painted over, covered by a label or wrapped under stretch film can be treated as absent because customs cannot read it.
The Common Mistakes
The most frequent one is a compliant crate holding non-compliant dunnage. ISPM-15 covers every piece of solid timber used to secure the load, so an untreated block thrown in at the last moment puts the whole shipment at risk.
The second is treated and untreated timber sharing a warehouse: an unstamped pallet under a stamped crate makes the shipment non-compliant again. The third is assuming a destination's requirements rather than checking them, since the rules do change — verify for each new market.
What Else to Check Beyond ISPM-15
ISPM-15 is a plant-health standard. It says nothing about whether the crate can carry the load. Stacking strength, lifting points and internal restraint are separate questions, and for heavy equipment the base construction and forklift openings follow the product's centre of gravity.
The interior is its own design job: die-cut EVA, XPE or PE foam cavities stop the product moving inside the crate. A crate with a flawless stamp and an empty interior clears customs and still delivers a damaged product.
Exporters should require ISPM-15 certified production from their crate and pallet suppliers, and check that the stamping is correct before the shipment leaves.
Frequently asked questions
- Which countries require ISPM-15?
- More than 180 countries — including the EU, USA, Canada, China, Russia and Australia — require ISPM-15 compliant timber packaging. Confirm the destination country's current customs requirements before shipping.
- What does the IPPC stamp show?
- It shows the country code, the producer or treatment facility number, and the treatment applied (HT for heat treatment). It is the official evidence that the timber meets ISPM-15.
- Do plywood and processed wood need ISPM-15?
- Generally no. Plywood, MDF and OSB are made with heat, pressure and adhesive, which usually places them outside the standard. ISPM-15 applies to solid, unprocessed timber.
- Does the dunnage inside the crate need stamping too?
- Yes. ISPM-15 covers every piece of solid timber used to secure a load. A compliant crate with untreated blocking or wedges inside it is a non-compliant shipment.
- Is fumigated (MB) packaging still accepted?
- Less and less. Methyl bromide has been phased down and many countries, the EU included, no longer accept it. Look for HT — heat treatment — on the stamp.
- What if the stamp gets damaged?
- An illegible, painted-over or label-covered stamp can be treated as absent. Check before shipping that it is readable on at least two opposite faces.
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