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The Indian pharmaceutical industry is now increasingly opting for wooden pallets for transport of pharmaceutical goods due to its availability, strength, and cost-efficiency. Specifically for pharmaceutical logistics, wooden pallets help maintain load integrity and support operational efficiency, particularly in warehouse environments with heavy volume and diverse cargo formats.
Jay Deepak Shah, MD & CEO, Jay Wood Industry noted that the challenge lies in balancing operational needs with environmental considerations and safety standards particularly when reusing wooden pallets across multiple cycles and geographies.
The widespread use of wooden pallets is supported by a global repair and reuse ecosystem, making these a practical choice in domestic and international shipping. However, when pallets are reused particularly across borders or between different product categories, regulatory and hygienic considerations come into play, he added.
To mitigate the risk of cross-border pest transmission via wood packaging, the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15: ISPM-15 outlines treatment processes for wooden pallets used in global trade. These are heat treatment (HT) and chemical fumigation, using methyl bromide (MB).
Heat treatment raises the internal core temperature of wood to 56°C for a minimum of 30 minutes and chemical-free method of pest control, aligns with growing concerns around environmental safety. Both treatment options are ISPM-15 compliant, making it essential for logistics planners to evaluate shipment routes, product categories, and regional regulations before choosing a treatment path, said Shah.
For reused wooden pallets, safety and traceability are top priorities. In pharmaceutical applications, where sterile or temperature-sensitive goods are involved, even minor exposure risks impact product integrity. This has led to documented pallet tracking, visual inspections, and integrated pallet management systems that monitor treatment history, physical condition, and hygiene status. To enhance trust and traceability, certain industry-recognised certifications: EPAL (European Pallet Association) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) provide added assurance when it comes to pallet quality and sourcing. Both certifications support quality assurance, traceability, and environmental responsibility, Shah told Pharmabiz in an email.
For pharmaceutical companies, the choice between heat-treated and chemically treated pallets is not just of cost or compliance. It is a wider balancing act involving logistics infrastructure, destination regulations, product sensitivity, and corporate sustainability commitments.
While heat-treated, certified pallets may offer an added layer of safety and environmental alignment, they can be more expensive or less readily available in certain markets. Chemical fumigation, on the other hand, remains a viable option in many global routes and continues to be used within acceptable regulatory frameworks. Each method has its own benefits and limitations, and often, companies must make treatment decisions based on product type, shipping lane, and operational feasibility, he said.
We see companies mitigating risks by implementing closed-loop pallet systems, in which pallets are circulated, repaired, and re-certified within a known network. This ensures consistency in treatment with strict quality requirements. By investing in traceable and certified pallet reuse strategies, companies can align logistics operations with safety standards and environmental goals without compromising on operational efficiency, said Shah.
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