Export pallets for freight leaving Memphis

BOX 01Who needs one in Memphis

The airport and the river and rail ramps put Memphis shippers on the export path to dozens of countries. A forwarder consolidating parcels near the airport, a plant loading containers for the ocean, and a food processor sending product to a neighbor all end up with the same question: does the wood carry the mark?

The airport district page covers the forwarding side. The pallet question is the same everywhere: heat-treated wood, marked, undamaged.

BOX 02What exporters ask for

• The mark. IPPC logo, country code, producer number and HT, readable on a block or stringer. See how to read it.
• The size. 48 x 40 is the most common; the 1200 x 800 mm Euro pallet is asked for by exporters shipping to Europe-style systems.
• The condition. Customs inspectors can reject a pallet with missing marks, visible bark or insect damage.
• Dryness. Treated wood that gets wet can grow mold, so storage matters; see keeping pallets dry.

BOX 03What to put in the request

Choose buy, give the size and the weekly or per-load count, tick yes for the heat-treatment stamp, and name the delivery ZIP code. If the load goes to Canada, mention it; CFIA has a different arrangement for wood packaging from the continental United States, noted on the heat-treated page.

For the standard in plain words, read ISPM 15 for exporters.

BOX 04A short list before you ship

1. Find the destination country and ask its customs or your forwarder what wood packaging it accepts.
2. Ask for pallets with the ISPM 15 mark on two opposite sides.
3. Check bark, insect holes and damp on arrival.
4. Keep the pallets dry from the point of delivery to the point of loading.

The last step is the one that fails in humid weather: wood treated at the producer can pick up mold in a trailer or on a dock before it ships. The Mid-South summer makes that a real risk.

FAQStraight answers