IFCO Systems announced that its McAllen, Tex. location has received certification for heat treatment of pallets against pine nematodes, a microscopic eelworm that could cause mortality in European pine forests. The certification means IFCO can provide customers with wooden packaging during the transition to the new European Union regulations that are scheduled to go into effect Oct. 1.
According to Dan Helmick, IFCO Systems senior vice president of operations, the company has been working proactively for months with government officials to be certain it has a complete understanding of the compliance measures. “IFCO has successfully worked with the regulatory agencies,” he said, “since the regulation was adopted earlier this year to clarify exact specifications for compliance, which has allowed us to educate our product team, sales staff and customers. We also have been able to get clarification on the rulings on unique shipping circumstances faced by our customers that were not anticipated or specifically defined in the regulations.”
“We are rapidly bringing our other pallet operations into compliance in time for the EU regulation deadline,” Dan added. “The success in McAllen is an important benchmark and a valuable ‘best practice’ that has been communicated broadly within the company.”
