Export packing · Ha Hoa, Vietnam
Plywood export packing that arrives flat, dry and counted
In short
Minh Thanh Plywood packs every export order the same way: a plywood pallet on bearers, cover boards and kraft cardboard over both faces, plastic film, corner guards, steel or PET straps and a label on every pack. The panel stack is about 1,000 mm high, so an 18 mm pack holds 55 sheets. Every pack is photographed before the container is sealed.
Watch the film
Plywood export packing: how one pack is built, layer by layer
The film follows export pack assembly with factory clips of sheet handling and close-up photographs of guards, straps and labels. It explains the packing layers, sheets per pack and how core weight limits a 40HC load.
The opening sections show face checks, stacked sheets and pack protection. The calculations use a 1,000 mm panel stack and our standard plan of up to 28,000 kg of panels per 40HC, checked against your booking. The final section shows finished packs and the photographs supplied before sealing.
Tested packaging
Packaging documentation for your shipment.
SGS, September 2026: lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium not detected in all four packaging materials under Regulation (EU) 2025/40. Report VNHL2609025135HG.
What is plywood export packing?
Plywood packing layers: what each one stops.
A standard pack has nine layers from the floor up, and each one stops one kind of transit damage. This is the build for a 1220 × 2440 mm order.
In shortPlywood export packing is how finished panels are stacked, covered and secured for sea freight: a pallet or bearers underneath, boards and cardboard over the faces, film against moisture, corner guards, straps and labels. A good pack keeps panels flat, dry, clean and countable from the factory to the buyer's warehouse.
| Layer | Material | What it prevents |
|---|---|---|
| Pallet base | Plywood deck on laminated plywood bearers, or bearers only | Floor moisture, forklift damage, sagging |
| Bottom cover board | Thin plywood board, full sheet size | Scuffed and dented bottom faces |
| Bottom cardboard | Kraft corrugated cardboard | Scratches between board and face |
| Panels | 1,000 mm stack, sheets counted and squared | Overhang, miscounts, uneven loads |
| Top cardboard and cover board | Kraft cardboard, then a thin plywood board | Strap marks and dents on the top face |
| Plastic film | Wrapped round the pack or as a top sheet | Rain, condensation drips, dust |
| Corner guards | Cardboard or plywood angles under every strap | Crushed edges and corners |
| Straps | Steel or PET, across the width and along the length | Sheets shifting at sea and in handling |
| Labels and marks | Product label, shipping marks, your private label on request | Wrong pack at the wrong door, lost traceability |
Need a different build, such as a full cardboard box, plywood crate sides or floor-loaded packs without a pallet? Name it with the order and we price it.
Packing options
Plywood pallet, bearers or floor loading: options by order.
Most orders take the standard export pack. Long voyages, retail brands and cut-to-size orders add layers, and every option keeps each specification in its own labelled pack.
| Item | Standard export pack | Humid routes and long voyages | Your own brand | Cut-to-size orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Plywood pallet or bearers | Plywood pallet on bearers | Plywood pallet on bearers | Plywood pallet on bearers |
| Faces | Cover boards and kraft cardboard | Cover boards and kraft cardboard | Cover boards and kraft cardboard | Cardboard between piece stacks |
| Moisture | Plastic film | Full film wrap, desiccant bags in the container on request | Plastic film | Plastic film |
| Edges | Corner guards under every strap | Corner guards under every strap | Corner guards under every strap | Corner guards under every strap |
| Straps | Steel or PET | Steel or PET | Steel or PET | Steel or PET, more lengthwise |
| Labels | Product label and shipping marks | Product label and shipping marks | Your private label; edge printing on order | Label per piece size |
| Typical use | Furniture makers, distributors | Long sea routes, rainy-season loading | Retail and private-label programmes | Italy and other European markets |
Cut-to-size means one 1220 × 2440 mm panel cut into 4, 6 or 8 pieces; each piece size gets its own pack and label. Floor loading without pallets fits more panels per container but needs hand or clamp unloading.
How we pack plywood for export
Eight steps from finished panels to a sealed export pack.
Packing starts after the last grading check. Each step adds one layer of protection, and every step below is photographed in our own packing area.
A face checked again before the sheet joins a pack. 01Final face check
Panels reach the packing area only after grading. A worker stands each top sheet up and checks the face once more, and any sheet below the ordered grade goes back.
- Face grade matched to the order
- Panels at 8–12 % moisture at dispatch
- Size and thickness as on the packing list
Bearers separate and support strapped natural plywood packs. 02Plywood pallet on bearers
Every pack starts on a plywood pallet or on laminated plywood bearers. They lift the panels off the floor, carry the full width of the stack and leave room for forklift tines.
- Bearers under the full pack width
- Forklift gap on the long side
- Plywood bearers are processed wood, outside ISPM 15
Two workers square a stack before it is covered. 03Counting and squaring
Sheets go on one by one to about 1,000 mm and are counted against the packing list. Two workers square the stack, so no edge overhangs and the straps pull evenly.
- Sheets per pack = 1,000 ÷ thickness, rounded down
- Count matched to the packing list
- Edges squared on all four sides
The top of a natural-face stack before protective covering. 04Cover boards top and bottom
A thin plywood board of full sheet size goes under the first sheet and over the last. Straps press on the board instead of your face veneer, so the outer sheets arrive without dents.
- Full-size board top and bottom
- Board laid flat, no overhang
- Straps rest on the board, not on the face
A pack wrapped in kraft cardboard and strapped. 05Kraft cardboard and film
Kraft cardboard wraps the top and sides, and plastic film goes under it or round the whole pack. Together they keep out rain at the port, dust and condensation drips in the container.
- Cardboard over the top face and sides
- Film wrap or top sheet as agreed
- Packs stored indoors until loading
A corner guard on the edge of a pack. 06Corner guards
Guards go on every edge a strap crosses. They spread the strap tension, so the outer sheets keep sharp edges and the strap cannot cut through the film.
- A guard under every strap crossing
- Cardboard or plywood angles
- Top and bottom corners
Metal seals join the steel straps over the pack protection. 07Steel or PET straps
Straps run across the width and along the length. Steel straps are pulled tight with a hand tensioner and locked with metal seals; PET straps are tensioned and sealed with the matching strapping tool.
- Straps across the width and along the length
- Seal on every strap
- Steel or PET, as you prefer
A pack label on the end of a strapped pack. 08Labels and the photo record
Each pack carries a label with product, size, thickness, sheet count and pack number, plus your shipping marks. The pack is photographed, and the count is checked again when it goes into the container.
- Label matched to the packing list
- Your private label or edge printing on order
- Every pack photographed before loading
Real packing footage
Watch plywood packs being built.
Three unedited clips and three photos from the packing floor: sheets stacked, squared and checked, then finished packs moved to loading.
Transit damage we prevent
What goes wrong in transit, and how the pack stops it.
Plywood spends days to weeks at sea between Hai Phong and your port, depending on the destination. Each common transit problem has one layer of the pack that answers it.
| Risk | Usual cause | How the pack prevents it | Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mould and stains | Wet panels, rain at the port, condensation | Panels at 8–12 % moisture; film; dry indoor storage | 05 · 08 |
| Warped panels | Uneven support, moisture | Bearers under the full width; flat 1,000 mm stack; film | 02 · 05 |
| Crushed edges and corners | Strap tension, handling | Corner guards under every strap | 06 |
| Strap marks and dents on faces | Straps on bare panels | Cover boards and cardboard top and bottom | 04 |
| Shifting sheets | Loose or weak straps | Steel or PET straps across and along, sealed | 07 |
| Broken bearers | Packs too heavy or stacked too high | 1,000 mm packs; container load capped by weight | 02 · 03 |
| Wrong pack or count | Missing or vague labels | Labels with sheet count and pack number, matched to the packing list | 03 · 08 |
| Forklift damage | Tines under the sheets | Forklift gap between the bearers | 02 |
On arrival, lift each pack by its bearers, keep it closed and dry until use, and match labels to the packing list. Photograph any damaged corner before the pack is opened.
Pack specification
Plywood export packing specification at a glance.
These are the pack numbers buyers ask for before planning a container. Pack weight depends on the core, so the core always stands next to it.
| Pack height | About 1,000 mm of panels |
|---|---|
| Sheets per pack | 1,000 ÷ thickness, rounded down: 55 of 18 mm, 83 of 12 mm, 166 of 6 mm |
| Panel volume per pack | About 3 m³ for 1220 × 2440 mm sheets |
| Core density | Styrax 500 kg/m³; Eucalyptus 650–750 kg/m³ |
| Panel weight per pack | About 1.5 t Styrax, 1.9–2.2 t Eucalyptus, plus pallet and packaging |
| 40HC planning load | 28,000 kg of panels, checked against your booking; sheet counts in the table below |
| Pallet | Plywood deck on laminated plywood bearers, or bearers only |
| Protection | Cover boards, kraft cardboard, plastic film, corner guards |
| Straps | Steel or PET, across the width and along the length, sealed |
| Moisture content | 8–12 % at dispatch |
| Labels | Product, size, thickness, sheet count, pack number; private label on order |
| ISPM 15 | Plywood is processed wood and outside ISPM 15; any solid-wood pallet or dunnage is heat-treated and marked |
The packing list states sheets, net and gross weight for every pack of your order.
Sources: ISPM 15, regulation of wood packaging material (IPPC) · Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (EUR-Lex)
Sheets and weight per pack
How many plywood sheets are in a pack, and what it weighs.
A standard pack holds about 1,000 mm of panels, so the sheet count follows the thickness and the weight follows the core.
Divide 1,000 by the panel thickness and round down. An 18 mm pack holds 55 sheets, a 12 mm pack 83 and a 9 mm pack 111. Thin panels run to hundreds of sheets: 166 of 6 mm and 333 of 3 mm.
Weight is volume times density. One 1220 × 2440 mm sheet covers 2.98 m², so a full pack holds close to 3 m³ of plywood. A Styrax-core pack at 500 kg/m³ weighs about 1.5 t. A Eucalyptus-core pack at 650–750 kg/m³ weighs 1.9–2.2 t.
A 40HC is planned by weight as well as space. We plan up to 28,000 kg of panels per container, and the payload check uses your booking. At 18 mm that is 990 Styrax-core sheets (about 53 m³) or 795 Eucalyptus-core sheets (about 43 m³).
Container space sets a separate ceiling: up to 18 standard packs, with 16 laid flat and 2 standing at the door. Core density determines how many packs fit within the weight plan: 18 Styrax, 16 Acacia or 15 Eucalyptus, and dense-core packs can contain fewer sheets.
That is why many European furniture buyers choose Styrax core: a lighter sheet, a clean white core and more cubic metres per container. The packing calculator works out your own mix, and the container loading page shows how the packs go in.
How to calculate sheets and weight per plywood pack
You need the sheet size, thickness and core.
- Find the sheets per pack. Divide 1,000 mm by the thickness and round down: 1,000 ÷ 18 = 55 sheets.
- Work out the pack volume. Multiply length × width × thickness × sheets: 1.22 × 2.44 × 0.018 × 55 = 2.95 m³.
- Apply the core density. Multiply the volume by the density: 2.95 m³ × 500 kg/m³ = about 1,470 kg for Styrax core.
- Add pallet and packaging. Add the pallet, cover boards, cardboard and straps to get the gross pack weight on the packing list.
- Check the container. Keep the panels of all packs within 28,000 kg per 40HC, or within your booking limit less the packaging when it is lower.
| Thickness | Sheets per pack | Panel volume | Styrax pack (500 kg/m³) | Eucalyptus full-height pack (650–750 kg/m³) | Styrax sheets per 40HC | Eucalyptus sheets per 40HC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 333 | 2.97 m³ | ≈ 1,490 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,230 kg | 5,994 | 4,815 |
| 4 mm | 250 | 2.98 m³ | ≈ 1,490 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,230 kg | 4,500 | 3,615 |
| 6 mm | 166 | 2.96 m³ | ≈ 1,480 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,220 kg | 2,988 | 2,400 |
| 9 mm | 111 | 2.97 m³ | ≈ 1,490 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,230 kg | 1,998 | 1,605 |
| 12 mm | 83 | 2.96 m³ | ≈ 1,480 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,220 kg | 1,494 | 1,200 |
| 15 mm | 66 | 2.95 m³ | ≈ 1,470 kg | ≈ 1,920–2,210 kg | 1,188 | 960 |
| 18 mm | 55 | 2.95 m³ | ≈ 1,470 kg | ≈ 1,920–2,210 kg | 990 | 795 |
| 21 mm | 47 | 2.94 m³ | ≈ 1,470 kg | ≈ 1,910–2,200 kg | 846 | 675 |
| 25 mm | 40 | 2.98 m³ | ≈ 1,490 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,230 kg | 720 | 570 |
| 30 mm | 33 | 2.95 m³ | ≈ 1,470 kg | ≈ 1,920–2,210 kg | 594 | 480 |
| 40 mm | 25 | 2.98 m³ | ≈ 1,490 kg | ≈ 1,930–2,230 kg | 450 | 360 |
Before sealing
Plywood packing proof: every pack photographed.
Export packing ends with a record you can check. Before the container is sealed you receive photos of every pack and of the loading by email or WhatsApp, matched to the packing list.
- Every pack: cover boards, corners, straps and label
- Sheet count and pack numbers against the packing list
- Pallets and bearers under each pack
- Packs in the container during loading and fully loaded
- Your own inspector or a third-party agency is welcome before loading
Have your own packing or labelling instructions? Send them with the order and we pack to them.
Documents with every shipment
Packing records and export documents you receive.
Packing records go to you before the container is sealed; draft shipping documents follow after loading, for your approval.
Packing list
Pack by pack: pack number, sheet count, thickness, size, volume, net and gross weight, matched to the pack labels.
Pack and loading photos
Every pack with its label and straps, and the container during and after loading, sent before sealing.
Phytosanitary and fumigation papers
Phytosanitary and fumigation certificates issued for every shipment.
Packaging test report
Supplied with the shipment documents.
Commercial documents
Commercial invoice, B/L, origin document (EUR.1 for the EU) and insurance on CIF terms.
EUDR dossier
Origin records and geolocation files for the timber in your panels, supplied with the order.
Need a specific mark or document? Name it in your enquiry.
Capacity
Export packs for 50,000+ m³ of plywood a year.
The same pack build runs on every container, from a single 40HC to a regular programme. Mixed loads are packed and labelled per specification, usually one or two per container and up to six by agreement, so each pack is easy to find at your warehouse.
About the factoryBefore you order
Packing instructions to send with your order.
Six lines give us everything we need to pack your order the way your warehouse and your customers want it.
- 01
Pack size
Standard 1,000 mm packs, or a maximum sheet count or pack weight for your forklifts.
- 02
Base
Pallet on bearers, plywood bearers only, or floor-loaded packs.
- 03
Protection
Standard film and cardboard, full film wrap, or desiccant bags for humid routes.
- 04
Straps
Steel or PET, and any strap count your customer asks for.
- 05
Labels and marks
Shipping marks, your private label, barcode text or edge printing.
- 06
Destination rules
Port, unloading method, and any phytosanitary, fumigation or marking rules at destination.
Questions buyers ask
Plywood export packing FAQ.
Pack counts, forklift weights, labels and moisture protection are settled with the order specification.
How do you pack plywood for export?
On a plywood pallet or bearers, with cover boards and kraft cardboard over both faces, plastic film, corner guards and steel or PET straps across and along the pack. Each pack carries a label with product, size, thickness, sheet count and pack number.
How many plywood sheets are in one pack?
Packs stand about 1,000 mm high, so sheets per pack = 1,000 ÷ thickness, rounded down: 55 sheets of 18 mm, 83 of 12 mm, 111 of 9 mm and 166 of 6 mm. Smaller packs are made on request for light forklifts.
How much does a plywood pack weigh?
A full 1220 × 2440 mm pack holds about 3 m³ of panels: about 1.5 t with Styrax core at 500 kg/m³, and 1.9–2.2 t with Eucalyptus core at 650–750 kg/m³, plus pallet and packaging.
How many plywood sheets fit in a 40HC?
We plan up to 28,000 kg of panels per 40HC, checked against your booking. At 18 mm and 1220 × 2440 mm that is 990 Styrax-core sheets (about 53 m³) or 795 Eucalyptus-core sheets (about 43 m³).
Why not load more packs into the container?
For dense cores, weight is the limit before space. A 40HC has room for 18 packs; 18 full Styrax-core packs of 18 mm carry about 26,500 kg of panels, inside our 28,000 kg plan, but 18 full Eucalyptus packs would pass it, so Eucalyptus ships in 15 packs of 53. Overloaded packs crack their bearers and have to be unloaded by hand.
Do plywood pallets need ISPM 15?
Plywood and laminated plywood bearers are processed wood and fall outside ISPM 15. When a pallet or dunnage uses solid wood, it is heat-treated to 56 °C at the core for 30 min and marked.
Does plywood need fumigation?
Plywood is processed wood and falls outside the treatment requirement for solid-wood packaging. We issue phytosanitary and fumigation certificates for every shipment.
Steel straps or PET straps?
Both are available. Steel suits heavy packs and long voyages; PET does not rust, does not mark the cover board and is easier to cut at your warehouse.
How do you protect plywood from moisture in the container?
Panels leave at 8–12 % moisture, go under plastic film and kraft cardboard, and are stored indoors until loading. For humid routes we add a full film wrap and desiccant bags in the container on request.
Can you put our own label or brand on the packs?
Yes. Private labels, your shipping marks and barcode text are applied on order, and panel edge printing is available too.
Can you supply a packaging test report for EU orders?
Yes. The packaging test report is supplied with your shipment documents.
Will I see the packs before shipment?
Yes. Every pack is photographed, and you receive the photos and the loading record by email or WhatsApp before the container is sealed.
How are cut-to-size pieces packed?
Each piece size is packed on its own pallet with cardboard between stacks and a label per size, so pieces cut 4, 6 or 8 from a full panel are easy to count.
Can you mix products in one container?
Yes. A 40HC usually carries one or two specifications, and up to six by agreement. Each specification is packed and labelled separately.
Get a quotation
Send your specification and packing instructions.
Tell us the panels, quantity and port, plus your packing needs: pack size, strap type, labels and destination rules. Lisa replies within hours by email or WhatsApp with sheets per pack, pack weight and the container plan. Free samples.
contact@minhthanhplywood.com