Nobody wants to receive a notice of a non-compliance audit, but occasionally these situations happen. When they do, the way your team responds can make all the difference. Here are steps to guide your company through the process:

1. Stay Calm
   Mistakes happen, even in the best-run organizations. At Lee Global, we understand that your team works hard to succeed. We’re here to help you address non-compliance quickly and effectively. Together, we’ll resolve the issue so it doesn’t become a recurring concern.

2. Take Action
   Gather your team to review what occurred and identify corrective steps. You know your business best, and often small issues can be solved internally before they escalate. Taking swift action helps prevent further complications.

3. Be Part of the Solution
   Lee Global takes a holistic approach to non-compliance. When needed, we collaborate with your team, our auditors, and our program managers to uncover the root cause and create lasting solutions. Because we believe teamwork truly makes the dream work.

Non-compliance doesn’t have to be a setback, it can be an opportunity to strengthen processes, improve communication, and build resilience. At Lee Global, we’re committed to guiding you through every step toward compliance and success.

If you’re considering heat-treating raw lumber or pallets on-site, you’ll need a proper kiln to carry out heat treatment cycles on wood packaging material. While kilns can be purchased directly from manufacturers, often including setup and service, some operations choose to build their own homemade heating units. This is acceptable under ISPM-15 guidelines, as long as all requirements are met.

Whether you’re purchasing a kiln or building your own, here’s what you need to know to remain compliant:

Kilns must be airtight and sealed.

Working wood probes are commonly used to monitor internal core temperatures during the heating cycle. To meet compliance, the wood must reach 140°F (60°C) for 30 consecutive minutes. There is no set number of probes required, but the number used should be appropriate for the size of your kiln. If multiple probes are used, they must be evenly distributed throughout the kiln to detect any cold spots. All probes must be fully functional for every charge.

If using air temperature monitoring instead of wood probes, a recording device must capture and log the air temperature throughout the cycle. In this case, the requirement is 160°F (71°C) for 4 consecutive hours.

You must maintain detailed records, either printed or electronic, showing startup temperatures and tracking data throughout the heat treatment cycle. This documentation is essential for regulatory agencies to review and confirm compliance.

If you have any questions about kiln requirements or the heat treatment process, don’t hesitate to contact our team of experts. We’re here to help you stay compliant and operate with confidence.

As International trade has increased over the years, so has the spread of pests associated with wood products. Infestations of foreign insects, blights, and other organisms have destroyed timber resources in this country and others. Our native chestnut and its relatives are essentially gone, and elm populations have also been devastated by imported killers. Currently, ash trees and other hardwoods in some US states are being destroyed by beetles from other parts of the world, and millions of dollars are being spent to eradicate these foreign threats.

Similar destructive agents are hurting the native species in many other nations. Sterilization of wood products which enter international trade is the best-known way to prevent the spread of many of these destructive hitchhikers. Heat treating is the most economical method of sterilization for most wood products. An International heat-treating standard has been agreed upon by most nations involved in trade with other countries.

How do heat treating programs work?

Producers who wish to participate in the programs enter a contract with an agency like Lee Global which has been accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC). The ALSC monitors agency and producer activities to make sure heat-treated material is produced in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Guidelines For Regulating Wood Packaging Material In International Trade.

Each agency is responsible for making sure all producers under contract meet the same IPPC and ALSC requirements. Each producer is responsible for making sure that every unit of product meets these standards and is then permitted to use the official agency stamp which indicates compliance of the material marked. The agency is required to inspect the facility and records of each producer at least 12 times per year, and an ALSC representative may visit the producer and/or the agency at any time to determine ongoing compliance with the standards and other requirements.

ISPM-15, formally known as the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures, Number 15, is a program developed by the International Plant Protection Committee (IPPC). These measures were first adopted in March of 2002, and since, have been executed in many countries worldwide. The purpose of this initiative is to prevent the spread of harmful microscopic organisms in wood packaging material (WPM), such as pallets, crates, or wooden boxes between nations of trade. Without the protective measures of the ISPM-15, nations of trade were experiencing catastrophic damages to natural resources.

Each country of origin that participates in the ISPM-15 program has an oversight agency. In the United States, the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS), a sub-department of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is the ultimate legal authority in issues pertaining to ISPM-15; however, the USDA has elected the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) to carry out the day-to-day dealings of ISPM-15.

Lee Global, Inc., is accredited through ALSC to provide ISPM-15 services to manufacturers and producers nationwide. This accreditation allows Lee Global to qualify clients in the ISPM-15 program, allowing company-specific IPPC marking of wood packaging material. Our services include qualification and training for the ISPM-15 program, monthly inspection services as required by the ISPM-15, and one-time stamping services for producers who export very low volumes of material.

Currently, over one hundred and eighty countries participate in the ISPM-15 program. Without ISPM-15 compliance, manufacturers and producers are prohibited from exporting their wood packaging material into the worldwide marketplace. Held shipments at ports of entry can cause costly and timely delays. Don’t let your shipments be held up- contact Lee Global today to find out how we can partner with your company to ensure export shipping success!

For more information on the IPPC, or ISPM-15 measures, please visit https://www.ippc.int/en

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