ISPM 15 Pallets And Crates


Specializing in ISPM 15 pallets and crates, custom pallets and crates, and export packaging, our Michigan packaging company has more than seven decades of experience. We are known in the industry not only for our in depth knowledge of international standards and the transport and storage of custom wood packaging, but also for pioneering the way by the application of innovative equipment and techniques.

ispm 15 pallets

What Is an ISPM 15 Pallet?

ISPM 15 stands for International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15. This standard was developed to address concerns about transporting wood materials internationally, specifically concerns regarding the spread of disease or insects from one country to another.

Introducing a foreign species to a new ecosystem can have a range of negative effects. When you consider how many wood pallets and boxes are shipped on a daily basis, the risk of ecosystem disruption is obviously very significant.

When internationally-shipped wood pallets are thicker than 6 millimeters, they must be debarked and either fumigated with a nonflammable gas called bromomethane or heat treated to kill possible pests and diseases. Once treatment has occurred, the pallet is then stamped with a seal of compliance. This seal is often referred to as a wheat stamp, and it will list what type of sanitizing method was used on wood.

What Are the Requirements for ISPM 15 Pallets and Export Packaging?

When dealing with export packaging, all wood packaging materials, including pallets, bracing, crates, etc., must adhere to ISPM 15 requirements. Exemptions include items made from plywood, paper, and metal, as well as items being shipped within a country.

If heat treatment is use on wood pallets, it must reach 133˚F and sustain that temperature for at least 30 minutes. When bromomethane is used for fumigation, there are two common options.

The pallet can be placed within a container, which will then be filled with gas. The gas will be left to fumigate the wood for a 24-hour period, at which point the container is ventilated. Tent fumigation is another option, in which the wood is placed with a sealed tent filled with bromomethane gas and left for 24 hours.

What Are ISPM 15 Crates?

ISPM 15 wooden crates are crates that meet the criteria of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) and are fully compliant with the regulation standards. The standards were put into place to prevent the transmission of plant based diseases and pests via packaging materials sent from country to country.

ISPM wooden crating, ISPM 15 palletsexport crating and custom crates are a few of the crating services our Michigan-based crating company offers.

ISPM 15 Wood Crating Options

Some of the common ISPM 15 certified wood crating options at our metro Detroit area company include:

Custom Wood Crating

Your crating and ISPM wood packaging needs will differ greatly from your competitors. Custom crating ensures that size, dimension, and weight variations are all addressed efficiently. For extremely heavy crates, we can also implement important safety features. For instance, a hinged lid provides access to the contents of the crate without it needing to be lifted. Crates are also reusable, which saves you money on packing materials.

Military Grade Crating

Military standards for packaging materials are pretty strict, so compliance is a must. We’re capable of meeting a wide range of military specs, including NAICS 488991, ASTM, MIL-STD-2073-1, PPP-B-636, and many others.

Aerospace Crating

Aerospace components must be handled with care to ensure they arrive at their destination in one piece. Our company is International Traffic in Arms Regulations-registered and capable of handling custom requests. Our meticulous process greatly reduces risks when shipping and preserves your working relationship with clients and associates.

Automotive Crating

Automotive components can be extremely heavy, as well as being oddly sized. We understand these challenges and use our expansive expertise to develop custom packaging to suit your needs. We can ship engines, tires, axles, hydraulic pumps, equipment for CNC machines, and more. In addition to automotive packaging and crating we also specialize in aftermarket packaging and service parts packaging.

Are Heat Treated Pallets Fumigated?

custom pallets

Pallets are either heat treated or fumigated, but not both. Heat treatment is often the preferred method of sanitizing pallets, since it’s associated with no ill-effects to the environment or the health of those coming in contact with gas. The use of gas to fumigate pallets has raised concerns about toxicity. As a result, this process is banned within the United Kingdom.

Heat treatment can be performed using a variety of methods. Pallets can be placed in a chamber or kiln and subject to a steady flow of heat. Heating chambers can also be installed in trucks, which allows mobile heat treatment. Other types of portable chambers are made from thermal plastic, which allow for greater mobility than even heating chambers within trucks.

When you have questions about custom ISPM 15 pallet creation, we’re more than happy to provide answers. This is just one of many services we provide, as we also offer warehousing, kitting, assembly, help with distribution, custom crating, design, and more. We offer a wide range of services because we’re proud to serve as a one-stop-shop when it comes to our clients’ logistics and packaging needs.

Are There Different Types of ISPM 15 Heat Treatment?

While there are several internationally accepted methods of heat treating packaging materials, the following are most common:

  • Heat Treatment: Heat treatment requires a crate’s core temperature to reach 56 degrees Celsius via heat exposure for at least 30 minutes. Different methods of heat treating can be used. The standard method involves exposing materials to a steady supply of heat within a chamber. Chambers can be mobile, with some portable versions made from thermal cloth for added convenience. There’s also kiln-dried heat treatment, which has an additional moisture standard along with a required core temperature.
  • Methyl Bromide: Another common method involves exposing the wood crate to a pesticide called methyl bromide, which kills a variety of diseases and insects. The crate can be placed within a container, which is flooded with pesticides and left to sit for 24 hours before being aerated. Tent fumigation is another option, which also carries a 24-hour quarantine period.

Custom Pallets and Crates in Michigan

When transporting goods and products across international borders, you must remain compliant with certain codes and regulations. You must also rest assured that your wooden shipping containers are rugged and dependable. To ensure optimum performance and function, creation of custom pallets and crates is a must. Here at Export Corporation, we put our all into everything we do. This includes custom creation of ISPM 15 pallets and crates for a variety of applications.

With more than seven decades of experience in Michigan, serving Detroit, Ann Arbor, Novi, Farmington Hills, Oakland County, Macomb County, Clinton Township and more, our clients can rely on our knowledge and expertise when it comes to custom pallets.

From there, our skilled construction team will set about assembling your pallets in bulk to the exact specifications. That way there are no surprises when it comes to the finished product. We’ve put together this guide to go over the most important factors in custom pallet and crate creation.