It doesn’t really matter what you’re shipping; when you’re trying to transport products from one place to another, you need to make sure that they are as safe as possible and that they’ll make it there in the same condition as when they left you. That means that you need a crating and packing company that knows what it’s doing.
As well as making sure that the shipping cases are designed with your items in mind, ideally by using a bespoke case that fits perfectly, you also want to ensure that the case can make it through customs and has all of the compliance certifications it needs. One of these certifications is the ISPM 15 certification.
What is the ISPM15 certification?
Before you can understand why an ISPM15 certification is so important, you probably need to know what it stands for.
ISPM15 is an abbreviation for International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No.15, and if that doesn’t mean much to you, don’t worry. Simply put, this certification is designed to make sure that wooden materials thicker than 6mm used in packaging are safe.
The regulations encompass pallets, dunnages, crates, cable drums, spools, packing cases, and boxes, regardless of whether using softwood (coniferous) or hardwood (non-coniferous).
Thick wood can hide insects, fungi, and other diseases that can cause major problems when they’re introduced to non-native ecosystems. They can also interfere with the stability of the wood while in transit, making your shipping case weaker.
The requirements for ISPM15 certification
In order to get the ISPM15 certification, the shipping crate needs to fulfil a few different requirements. In our custom case design, we always bear these requirements in mind, so you know that your products will be shipped with no problem.
First, all wood packaging must have the bark removed. The bark can hide a lot of issues, so debarking the wood makes sure that there aren’t any homes for insects or hidden moisture.
After being debarked, the wood then needs to be either heat-treated or fumigated to kill any disease or pests. The order is important here, as treating and then debarking the wood allows insects to move back in during storage.
There are a few different types of treatment, but they also have to reach specific standards to be acceptable.
If the wood is heat-treated, it needs to be heated until the core of the wood reaches 56°C and maintains that temperature for at least 30 minutes. This is usually done with steady heat treatment, which doesn’t risk overheating the wood. At Tuplin, we only stock and use heat-treated timber within our factories and workshops to ensure every case we produce is fully compliant with ISPM15 standards.
If the wood is fumigated, it needs to be in an area that’s filled with methyl bromide. This is a gaseous pesticide that kills any bugs or insects. This can be achieved in a tent or a container, but the most important thing is that it’s in a sealed area filled with this pesticide for 24 hours.
Demonstrating ISPM15 compliance
Once wood packaging has been properly treated, it must be clearly marked to demonstrate compliance. The ISPM15 mark acts as proof that the material has been processed according to international standards and can legally be used for export.
Each approved manufacturer is issued a unique registration code, which appears within the mark alongside the IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) symbol. This code identifies the treatment method and the country of origin for traceability and authenticity.
Every certified crate we manufacture carries this official ISPM15 mark, confirming that it meets all international requirements. We can also provide copies of our audit certificates to support client shipments and make customs clearance smoother.
Why it matters
If you want your products to be shipped internationally, they need ISPM 15 certification to be allowed in another country, depending what materials are used for your crates. While there are a few countries that don’t participate in this scheme, they are definitely the exception instead of the rule.
So, to get through customs, you need to ensure that the shipping materials, as well as the product itself, are acceptable for the receiving country’s compliance requirements.
There are good reasons why this certification is required in so many places. If even one contaminated wooden shipping container is transported, it can affect all of the other shipping boxes, disrupt ecosystems and potentially spread disease.
As well as keeping on the right side of the law, this certification also makes sure that your bespoke case lasts for as long as possible when it’s in storage.
Exceptions to ISPM15 certification
Does this mean that all packaging material needs to have ISPM15 certification to be shipped internationally? Not necessarily.
This certification is primarily for wood materials that are over 6mm thick, although if you’re using timber as opposed to plywood, regardless of thickness, it should be debarked and treated just to be safe.
Otherwise, if your packaging material is made up of non-wooden materials, like plastic, it doesn’t need to be certified.
Other materials that are derived from wood, like corrugated wood pulp, presswood, composite wood, and plywood, also don’t need to have the ISPM15 certification.
This is because processed wood is typically exposed to high temperatures anyway, and also contains other materials like glue. If a bug can survive that, it can survive anything.
Tuplin bespoke cases
If you want to make sure that your shipping boxes, pallets, and cases comply with all the regulations, which you should, then always use a trusted manufacturer.
At Tuplin, we offer custom case manufacturing to suit your requirements as well as the requirements of any international bodies, so your products can be safely shipped anywhere in the world.
