With ISPM 15 regulations drastically affecting shipping, and as a result trade, between the United Kingdom and European Union members, the shortage of pallets in compliance with the standard has the potential for extreme negative results for cross-border trading businesses.
ISPM 15
The purpose of the ISPM 15 policy is to limit the spreading of contamination and disease through treating wooden packaging such as pallets by debarking, heat treating and marking them with marks of compliance.
To comply, the pallets need to be baked for a minimum of thirty minutes at 56 degrees Celsius to prevent the spreading of pests and diseases internationally.
Read here to discover more about ISPM15
Pallet crisis
As EU members are exempt from this policy, the UK has previously benefited from using uncomplying panels resulting in last year a suggestion that under a third of panels are suitable for UK-EU trading.
It has been suggested that around 100 million pallets move between the UK and EU each year, meaning less than 33 million pallets were feasible last year for trade. It means unless companies make huge investments, UK-EU trade will be significantly challenged in the upcoming year.
The quickly approaching 31st of December deadline has caused experts to suggest UK businesses will not be ready for new trade procedures. On top of this, COVID-19 and the adverse impacts on production lines it has caused means that despite already made progress, the industry is still very far behind.
With the UK and EU governments suggesting that they will be policing these standards in both import and exports, a pallet crisis is quickly emerging for cross-border trade businesses who may need to take quick action.
CRS’ Solution
CRS’ hot box solution provides the capabilities needed for businesses to transform their pallets into complying storage equipment for shipping between ISPM 15 regulated countries.
The temperature-controlled solution provides a heated environment reaching +60 degrees Celsius complying with the policy. The included alarm systems provide operators with the safe knowledge that the pallets will remain at the desired temperature allowing for total conformity to standards.
Get in contact with CRS today to receive recommendations for how our solution can get your pallets to international standards and maintain your supply chain.
