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What Are Heat Treated Pallets & Why Do You Need Them?

Have you heard about heat treated pallets but aren’t sure if your company needs them?

If you’re in the export business, you need to know about heat treated wooden pallets.


There are multiple types of treatments for pallets, including:


• Chemical Treatments

• Fungicides

• Pressure Treated Pallets

• Heat Treated Pallets (HT)


What Is the Process for Heat Treated Pallets?


The Heat Treatment method sterilizes wood pallets to remove all hazardous materials from the pallet’s wood. This makes it safer for shipment. The pallet must be heated to a minimum core temperature of 132.8 F for at least 30 minutes during the process.

Since 2012, Heat Treated pallets have been regulated by the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15). These standards require the wood from wooden pallets to be debarked and heated to meet compliance standards.


Ensuring that your custom wooden pallets meet all regulation standards is crucial when exporting your products. Wood packaging is unique because it is easily contaminated.


Not having wooden pallets heat treated or if done incorrectly can create a rough shipping process. To avoid this nightmare scenario, you need to partner with an expert company that offers hassle-free wooden pallets.


The Importance of the Heat Treatment Process


International exporting is a complicated process where regulations and requirements change frequently. That’s why it’s so important to have an expert team in your corner.

One of the reasons why Heat Treatment (HT) is used on wooden pallets is because of local contaminates. Wood is an organic material that naturally carries with it contaminates.


The trees used to create wooden pallets grow in soil laced with bacteria and insects. Exporting wooden pallets carries the risk that those contaminates will be transferred to other parts of the world.


The heat treatment process reduces contaminates and ensures that your pallets meet international standards for safety. Heat Treatment destroys larvae, reduces moisture, and makes pallet handling easier.


What Constitutes Heat Treated Wood?


Some business owners are confused over what is considered Heat Treated (HT) wood and what isn’t. There are various answers to this question.


For example, pallets made of composite blocks and plywood are automatically approved for international shipment because they are heat treated during manufacturing.


Do your research before you invest in any types of bulk pallet purchases.


How Long Do Heat Treated Pallets Last?


The answer is simple heat treated wooden pallets last a pallet’s lifetime. Once a pallet has been heat treated to the standards of the ISPM, it is safe to use for a lifetime. No need to come in and redo the Heat Treatment process again. come back in to refresh the HT. It’s a one-time procedure that keeps your pallets free of contamination for their entire lifecycle.


Contact Us for Heat Treated Pallets in Houston


Turn to the experts at Packaging One for high-quality heat-treated custom wooden pallets. We’ll help you meet international standards and get the coveted stamp of approval for your shipment.


You can contact our team today to learn more about our Heat Treatment process.

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