| Plywood boxes are excellent for export packaging | | | | (according to the EU Harmonized System) being |
| and heavy or valuable loads. With these no nail boxes | | | | exempt. Treatment of the packaging by approved |
| you put them together very fast and efficiently. The | | | | measures, which include heat treatment (HT) to a |
| main benefit of plywood boxes are that they are | | | | core temperature of 56°C for at least 30 minutes, |
| exempt from the ISPM 15 rule about wood used to | | | | for example by kiln drying (KD), provided that the |
| ship products between countries. This is because it is | | | | above-stated specifications are achieved. Chemical |
| a man made wood and therefore does not need to | | | | pressure impregnation (CPI) is approved only if the |
| go through the heat treating process that natural | | | | required HT specifications are achieved, which is not |
| wood would need to go through in order to kill | | | | generally the case. Another measure is fumigation |
| organic organisms. If you are looking at other | | | | with methyl bromide (MB) depending on |
| wooden boxes, please make sure that it is ISPM 15 | | | | concentration, duration and temperature. Permanent |
| approved or your goods may get stopped at | | | | and legible marking of the packaging must be |
| customs. | | | | provided on two opposite sides of the package. The |
| What is ISPM all about? | | | | mark is composed of the ISO 3166 two letter |
| Many countries have put quarantine regulations in | | | | country code (e.g. DE for Germany), the regional |
| place to protect their native forests from the | | | | identifier (e.g. NW for North Rhine-Westphalia) and a |
| introduction of wood pests. In order to prevent the | | | | registration number issued by the regional |
| proliferation of differing import regulations, the | | | | phytosanitary authority to the packaging container |
| International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) | | | | manufacturer, the packer or the consignor (unique |
| Secretariat, part of the Food and Agriculture | | | | number beginning with 49). The treatment method is |
| Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, has issued | | | | denoted by the abbreviation HT for heat treatment |
| ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary | | | | or MB for fumigation with methyl bromide. The |
| Measures) "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging | | | | letters DB may also be included where debarking is |
| Material in International Trade". | | | | required. |
| What are the key things I need to check for? | | | | I hope this quick guide has helped make your choice |
| IPSM 15 applies only to solid wood, with derived | | | | of which export boxes to use that bit easier. |
| timber products and solid wood thinner than 6 mm | | | | |