Here is an example of the ISPM 15 stamp, providing the country of origin (France), the registration number and the wood cutting method. The IPPC logo is present on the left (International Plant Protection Convention).
3.3.1) Which material is better for pallets, wood or plastic?
Above, are displayed the different types of wooden and plastic pallets
You’re certainly asking yourself what is the between a wooden and a plastic pallet. The answer is completely depending on your situation. That said, we will compare advantages and drawbacks of both solutions in the following table, to help you choose.
| Wooden pallets | Plastic pallets |
| Advantages | |
| A lot cheaper than plastic | Very resisting, you can keep a pallet for ten years at least |
| Easily repairable because it’s easy to replace a broken plank | 30% lighter than wood, so the price of shipping is reduced |
| Wooden pallets can be reused for different purposes. Reused wood can also be transformed into a pallet | Can be handled without risks, no splinters… |
| Wood is reusable and recyclable | Resisting to acid or alkaline chemicals, which means that it can be easily washed against bacteria and others… |
| Wooden pallets can be easily bought, found and replaced | They can be washed chemically, with steam or hot water. |
| Because wood is a very adherent material, the risk of sliding is more reduced than for plastic | Depending on the plastic used, they can be recycled |
| Drawbacks | |
| Wood is easily deformed and breached, because it is an organic material | More expensive than wooden pallets, it is their main drawback |
| There is a bigger risk of injury caused by splinters | Hardly reparable, it’s easier to buy another |
| It is hardly washable | Less adherent than wooden pallet, the sliding risk is more important |
| When the wood is wet, bacteria and fungus are easily developing | They are requiring a attention when bought, because a poor plastic will easily break |
| They must be treated regularly to avoid the propagation of invasive species and plant diseases | |
| A lot heavier than plastic | |
3.4) Bags for bulk products
Raw products’ packing is often made with flexible woven plastic bags.
For example, strong and resistant polypropylene bags. It is an ideal packing material for bulk products. Depending on their dimensions, these bags can bear 1 or 2 tonnes of products and are easily loadable and unloadable.
Here is a picture of a woven polypropylene bag, containing bulk products
4) Our advices for a great packing
For voluminous objects like furniture, it is advised to wrap them first into several layers of bubble wrap. Ensure that the wrapping is strengthened on the fragile parts. After the bubble wrap, polystyrene must be placed at least on the angles and on the sensitive parts. Then, put the objects into cartons or wooden crates, and ensure that your objects cannot move inside of them. Palletize them and cinch the carton or crate, with nylon or metal cinch.
For small and fragile objects or materials like glass, china or ceramic, wrap them one by one in bubble wrap. After, put them in a doubled carton box, with a height and width difference of 5 cm between the two cartons. You can palletize it if necessary.
5) How to mark your shipment
As said previously, it is the exporter duty to inform the forwarder and the carrier of the handling conditions of its shipment, to avoid any damage. To communicate it, the last layer of packaging can be marked. So, each person in charge of the goods will know how to handle them.
There are about 20 marking icons. Each one is signifying something very precise that is internationally recognised. Here are the main icons and their signification:
Clamp here: It indicates on a shipment or a carton, where the lifting accessories should be placed during the handling phases.
Don’t clamp here: It indicates the places on a carton or a shipment where the lifting accessories shouldn’t be putted.
Do not stack: It indicates that the shipment cannot be vertically stacked.
Stacking weight limit in kgs: It indicates that the parcel can’t bear more than XX kgs above it.
Stacking limit in numbers: It indicates that the parcel cannot bear more than a precise number of parcels above it.
Do not transport with a dolly: It indicates that the parcel can’t be transported by a dolly or manual means of handling.
Don’t handle with a forklift: It indicates that the shipment cannot be handled by a forklift or all similar engines.
Fragile: It indicates that what is contained by the parcel is fragile and must be handled with care.
Centre of gravity: It indicates the centre of gravity of the parcel.
Protect from solar radiations: It indicates that the parcel shouldn’t be exposed to sun.
Protect from heat and radioactive sources: It indicates that the parcel must be protected from heat and ionizing radiation.
Protect from radioactive sources: It indicates that the shipment must be protected from ionising radiations.
Keep dry : It indicates that the parcel must be kept away from water.
Sling here: It indicates where the lifting slings must be placed.
Temperature limits: Indicates the maximum and minimum temperatures at which the package is to be stored and transported.
Do not use hook: Indicates that lifting hooks should not be used as a manutention tool on the shipment.
Vertical: It indicates the vertical position of the parcel, so it can be properly arranged.
6) The labelling requirements of products imported from Vietnam
Your product’s labelling should absolutely provide certain information to your consumer:
- Information about the product composition and what it is containing
- Information and address of the supplier
Each country is possessing its own standards in terms of labelling. As an example, the standards applied in Germany are the same as the standards applied in Italy, and so on in each country of the European Union.
Furthermore, precise norms may also exist depending on the product you’re trying to import.
Do not hesitate to contact us for further information on labelling, or you can consult the ISO packing norms website and the IAPRI’s (International association of packaging research institutes) website.
For all goods’ packing in Vietnam, without regarding if they are personal effects or commercial goods, do not hesitate to ask for our packing services. Highly trained, our staff can pack every kind of goods, no matter their size, their weight or their form. If you’re planning an international move from Vietnam, or if your supplier isn’t proficient enough to ensure a satisfying packing of your goods, our teams will be pleased to handle it. Contact us!
