RE: ISPM 15 for Dummies: Meeting wood packaging material standardsfor crating and shipping artwork

["bryan cooke" <bryan@cookescrating.com>]

Hello,  Wooden crates need to be "Bug Stamped" to avoid being seized at
entry ports.  Craters who export crates to foreign countries must pay
monthly fees for the license to use a bug stamp. Each company is issued a
stamp with an individual certification number that identifies that company
as the crate manufacturer. You can have the crates heat treated (or
fumigated) and have the heat treating company issue you a certificate to
send along with your export documents. However, my understanding is that
some countries will no longer accept certificates in place of having a bug
stamp on the crates.  Also, fumigated crates have a limited time period
before their certificates expire. Although it is costly and wasteful, the
only safe way to ensure your crates will not be seized is to make new ones
and bug stamp them.  Best regards, Bryan Cooke  

-----Original Message-----
From: pacinlist-bounces@pacin.org [mailto:pacinlist-bounces@pacin.org] On
Behalf Of witcraft@highstream.net
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 11:31 AM
To: PACIN ListServ
Subject: Re: ISPM 15 for Dummies: Meeting wood packaging material
standardsfor crating and shipping artwork

Wayne,
 There are places that heat treat, we use one in Oregon .
We sent our first batch of crates with samples of all the types of
cushioning material in one of the crates the only thing that was distorted
or harmed was very thin polyethylene
(shrunk)
the certificate marks must be visible , if they are painted over my guess is
the crates are no longer legal. ?
most of our crates were painted and the heat treatment didn't affect it .
other materials, if you read the ispm it would seem you can use plastic wood
or any wood that is processed using heat such as plywood or osb or waferwood
etc. we found this to not be exactly true , we were told that even by using
those materials without being a "certified shop" the crates still needed to
be treated perhaps Brian Cooke will chime in here ?
We also considered methyl bromide.....a little research and I think you will
not view methyl bromide as an option at all.
Daryl Witcraft

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Kawamoto" <waynek@hawaii.edu>
To: "PACIN ListServe" <pacinlist@pacin.org>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 10:34 AM
Subject: ISPM 15 for Dummies: Meeting wood packaging material standards for
crating and shipping artwork


> Hello,
>
> Does anyone have information about preparing wooden crates for  
> shipment that conforms to the ISPM 15? We will be sending a traveling  
> exhibition to various states within the U.S. before it goes to  
> Taiwan. I know that solid wood parts need to be heat treated or  
> methyl bromide fumigated. We have been reusing crates that contain  
> foam inserts for cushioning individual works in separate compartments
within the crate.
>
> Some of the questions that I am initially concerned with:
>
> Is there some place that heat treats completed crates?
>
> Do ethafoam and other cushioning material need to be removed prior to 
> heat treatment?
>
> What happens to a crate that is painted and certificate marks are 
> covered?
>
> What other materials are available to replace the 1" pine battens and  
> fir 2x4s typically used in construction?
>
> Thank you for any help,
>
> Wayne Kawamoto
> Exhibit Designer
> University of Hawaii Art Gallery
>
>
>