If any part of your crate, pallet, or bracing timber is solid wood thicker than 6 mm, it falls under ISPM-15, the international standard for wood packaging material. The wood must be debarked, then heat-treated or fumigated by a registered provider, then stamped with the IPPC mark: the wheat-ear symbol, country code (ID for Indonesia), the provider’s registration number, and a treatment code such as HT or MB. No stamp, no entry — quarantine officers order re-treatment, re-export, or destruction, and your furniture waits in a bonded yard while it happens.
ISPM-15 governs the packaging only, not the furniture inside it, though strict destinations like Australia and New Zealand may also inspect the timber goods. A properly built door-to-door quote treats compliant crating as part of packing, not an add-on. Here is what the standard requires, how Indonesia administers it, what it costs, and where shipments go wrong.
What ISPM-15 Requires
Adopted in 2002 under the International Plant Protection Convention (an FAO treaty), ISPM-15 is enforced by nearly every trading nation, including Indonesia, the EU, the US, and Australia. Raw wood can carry timber pests, and one infested pallet can cost a country’s forestry sector billions. The standard targets the packaging, not the cargo, and applies to any solid-wood component over 6 mm:
- Debarking. The wood must be bark-free before treatment, with only small tolerated remnants.
- Approved treatment. Heat treatment (HT: 56°C at the core for at least 30 minutes, usually in a kiln) or methyl bromide fumigation (MB: concentration and exposure set by schedule, typically 24 hours). DH and SF are also recognised; HT and MB dominate in Indonesia.
- The mark. Applied after treatment: permanent, legible, on at least two opposite sides, never in red or orange (reserved for dangerous-goods labels).
How to Read the IPPC Stamp
Every valid mark carries the same four elements, and a customs officer reads them in seconds:
| Element | What it tells the inspector |
|---|---|
| IPPC symbol | The wheat-ear logo; the mark is invalid without it. |
| Country code | ISO code of the treatment country. Crates treated in Indonesia carry ID. |
| Producer number | The treatment provider’s registration number, tracing it to a licensed facility. |
| Treatment code | HT, MB, DH, or SF: which treatment was applied. |
Two details trip up first-time exporters: the stamp belongs to the treated wood, not the shipment, so a crate repaired with untreated timber after stamping is non-compliant again; and a fumigation certificate supports the stamp but does not replace it, so keep it with the shipping documents.
Exemptions, and Why Plywood Crates Win
Processed wood is outside ISPM-15’s scope because manufacturing (heat, glue, pressure) kills timber pests. Plywood, particle board, OSB, MDF, and veneer need no treatment or stamp, and neither do solid-wood pieces 6 mm or less. This is why most Bali packing operations build plywood panels on a frame of solid-wood battens: only the battens, skids, and dunnage need treatment, and the closed skin also protects furniture better than open slat crates on a long sea leg. Crate design and loading are covered in our guide to packing and loading furniture containers.
How ISPM-15 Works in Indonesia
Badan Karantina Indonesia, the national plant-quarantine authority, registers and audits providers allowed to treat wood packaging and issue the ID-coded mark; each provider’s number appears in the stamp. For Australia-bound shipments, biosecurity only accepts fumigation from providers accredited under the Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS), which operates in Indonesia; skipping an accredited fumigator means re-treatment on arrival at Australian rates, plus waiting time.
Compliance is a small line item: stamped crate timber adds little to packing cost, and whole-container fumigation at origin typically runs USD 40 to 120 for a 20 ft container, cheap insurance against destination fumigation, demurrage, or forced re-export.
Where Shipments Go Wrong
- Untreated pallets and dunnage. ISPM-15 covers pallets and loose dunnage too; one unstamped pallet added last-minute can hold the whole container.
- Illegible or partial stamps. Marks burned faintly, applied on one side, or missing the treatment code are treated as absent.
- Repairs after treatment. A crate patched with fresh, untreated wood is non-compliant again, even if most of it still carries a valid stamp.
- Shared containers with mixed compliance. In a groupage box, one non-compliant crate holds up everyone’s cargo, since quarantine inspects the container as a unit. Our guide to LCL furniture consolidation covers how shared-container shipments are packed so no crate puts the load at risk.
How Compliant Crating Fits Your Door-to-Door Quote
Compliant crating should never be an afterthought bolted on after a rejection. We arrange crating, treatment, and fumigation for Bali and Jepara furniture shipments through a network of licensed, registered treatment providers; we do not run the kilns ourselves. Your quote already includes ISPM-15 compliant crate construction (plywood on treated, stamped battens as standard), treated pallets and dunnage where needed, whole-container fumigation when required, and the fumigation certificate filed with your bill of lading and packing list. Every solid-wood mark is checked and photographed before loading, so you have evidence of compliance before the container leaves the yard.
Planning a furniture order from Bali or Jepara and want compliance handled from the first quote? Message us on WhatsApp at +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com with your destination country and order size for a door-to-door plan covering crating, treatment, and documentation.