Frequently asked questions

Italimballi is a company based in Castelseprio (Varese, Italy) that has been manufacturing wooden pallets and wooden packaging since the 1970s. The range includes standard pallets (including EPAL pallets, which it is licensed to produce, and CP pallets for the chemical industry), custom pallets built to drawing, and packaging such as crates, cages and pallet collars. The company also provides ISPM 15 heat treatment (HT), kiln drying, design, custom marking, warehousing and delivery with its own trucks.

Italimballi produces all standard market sizes: 800x1200 mm, 1000x1200 mm, 600x800 mm, 400x600 mm, 1015x1220 mm (40x48 inches) for the United States, and CP (Chemical Pallet) pallets. More than 80 models are ready in stock, and every size can be supplied with heat treatment, kiln drying and custom marking.

Yes, more than 90% of production uses pressed wood blocks made from processing residues or recycled wood. These blocks make the pallet more resistant to nail pull-out, with fewer cracks, lower moisture and consistent dimensions.

Italimballi sells more than 1.5 million pallets a year. The 25,000 m² site, of which over 10,000 m² is covered, has 6 nailing lines and 9 industrial robots. A covered warehouse of over 6,000 m² and more than 80 models in stock make it possible to respond quickly even to urgent orders, and deliveries are made with the company's own trucks. Exact lead times depend on model, quantity and treatments, and can be specified in the quote request.

EPAL (European Pallet Association) is the association that sets the specification for the Euro pallet: dimensions, wood quality, number of nails and quality controls. This is why EPAL pallets are exchangeable, repairable and reusable. Italimballi is a licensed EPAL manufacturer and produces the 800x1200 mm (EPAL 1) and 1000x1200 mm (EPAL 3) sizes, as well as the EPAL chemical pallets CP1 (1000x1200 mm), CP2 (800x1200 mm), CP3 (1140x1140 mm) and CP4 (1100x1300 mm), all heat treated to ISPM 15.

According to the official EPAL specifications, the 800x1200 mm Euro pallet has a safe working load of 1,500 kg. When loaded pallets are stacked on a solid, level surface, the bottom pallet can bear up to 5,500 kg. The EPAL 3 (1000x1200 mm) also has a safe working load of 1,500 kg, with a maximum of 4,500 kg for the bottom pallet in a stack.

An EPAL pallet follows a single, controlled specification, carries the EPAL and IPPC marks and is accepted in pallet exchange pools. A non-EPAL 800x1200 mm pallet has the same outer dimensions but is built with boards of a different cross-section. Italimballi offers many types of 800x1200 mm pallets, with different weights depending on the load and the type of shipment.

CP (Chemical Pallet) pallets are standardised pallets for the chemical and plastics industries, where consistent dimensions and high strength are needed for bags, drums and big bags. The range runs from CP1 to CP9. Italimballi produces every type of CP pallet and is among the first companies in Italy to have extended its EPAL licence to EPAL-branded CP1, CP2, CP3 and CP4 pallets: pallets produced and inspected to specification, reusable and repairable.

ISPM 15 is the international IPPC/FAO standard for wood packaging, designed to stop the spread of insects and organisms harmful to forests. In heat treatment (HT) the wood is heated until its core reaches at least 56 °C for at least 30 consecutive minutes. Italimballi carries out the treatment in-house in 5 dedicated chambers and runs more than 500 heat treatment cycles a year; after treatment each pallet receives the IPPC mark and a treatment certificate is issued.

ISPM 15 treatment is mandatory for solid wood pallets and packaging used to ship goods to countries that have adopted the standard, which includes most non-EU countries, such as the United States, Canada, China, Australia and the United Kingdom. It is not normally required for shipments within the European Union, apart from specific cases. EPAL pallets have also had to carry the IPPC mark since 1 January 2010. If in doubt, order HT pallets, which can be used for any destination.

The IPPC mark (the wheat-ear symbol) certifies that the pallet has been treated in accordance with ISPM 15. In Italy the scheme is managed by the Conlegno consortium under the FITOK mark, supervised by the National Plant Protection Service. The mark shows the country code (IT), the region code, the registration number of the authorised company and the type of treatment, usually HT. Italimballi is FITOK certified, so its treated pallets can be exported in compliance with the standard.

They are two different treatments. Heat treatment (HT) is phytosanitary: it eliminates harmful organisms and is required for export under ISPM 15, but it does not ensure that the wood stays dry. Kiln drying reduces the natural moisture of the wood to prevent mould, and is recommended for the food and pharmaceutical sectors, long container shipments and extended storage. Italimballi offers HT, kiln drying or both combined (HT + drying), to be specified in the quote request.

The North American standard is the 40x48 inch pallet, equal to 1015x1220 mm. Italimballi produces it as a 4-way pallet, already heat treated (HT) and kiln dried to meet US phytosanitary requirements, in two versions: with blocks and with notched fork entries. Both can be customised and marked with the customer's logo or code.

"Way" refers to how many sides the forks of a forklift or pallet truck can enter from. A 4-way pallet can be picked up from all four sides and is more practical in warehouses and during loading; a 2-way pallet can only be picked up from two opposite sides and suits fixed routes or specific uses, such as the 40x60 display pallet for retail. Italimballi produces both types, in standard versions and customised in size and boards.

Yes. Italimballi has a department dedicated to non-standard pallets and a line for small batches. Size, height, type and number of boards can all be customised: 4-way or 2-way pallets, solid-deck (closed) pallets, perimeter-base pallets, recessed pallets or reversible pallets. The technical office supports the customer from the request and design stage to choosing the pallet best suited to the load, handling system and destination.

Yes. On request, Italimballi marks pallets with the customer's logo or code. Depending on the type of production, marking is done by branding iron or ink. It helps customers recognise their own pallets in return loops, track them and display their brand along the supply chain.

Italimballi supplies crates and cages to customer specification, in solid wood, plywood or OSB, and pallet collars in 600x800, 800x1200 and 1000x1200 mm sizes, 200 mm high. Pallet collars are folding frames that, stacked on a pallet, form a modular, reusable container closed with a wooden or OSB/plywood lid. The range is completed by boards, battens, wedges and plywood or chipboard panels, drilled on request.

Fill in the online form on the Quote page, specifying the pallet or packaging format (from 600x800 and 800x1200 to EPAL, CP and custom sizes) and the treatment required: HT, kiln drying, both or none. The quote is free. You can also contact Italimballi at Via Gallarà 327, 21050 Castelseprio (VA), Italy, by phone on +39 0331 820408 or by email at italimballi@italimballisrl.com.