<![CDATA[LEE GLOBAL - Blog]]>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 20:10:14 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Celebrating Mark Allen: A Legacy of Service and Friendship]]>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:41:23 GMThttps://www.leeglobal.net/blog/celebrating-mark-allen-a-legacy-of-service-and-friendship
After years of dedication, professionalism, and building lasting relationships, we are proud to celebrate the retirement of Mark Allen. While we're excited for the adventures that lie ahead for him, his presence will certainly be missed throughout the Lee Global family.
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Mark's journey with Lee Inspection began long before he joined the team. His company, Mark Products, became a Lee Inspection customer in 2006, making them customer stamp #144. Experiencing firsthand the value of the inspection program inspired Mark to take the next step in his journey, and in July 2008, he officially joined Lee Inspection as an auditor.
Over the years, Mark proudly served as our Midwest auditor, working with customers across seven Midwestern states. Throughout his career, he became known not only for his knowledge and professionalism but also for the genuine relationships he built with customers and coworkers alike.

When asked what he enjoyed most about his career, Mark's answer was simple: the people.

"The people that I deal with, both customers and my Lee Global family."

It's also what he'll miss the most.

"Sadly, it is going to be what I will miss the most too, especially my Lee Global family."

Those words speak volumes about the culture we've built together, and the impact Mark has had on everyone fortunate enough to work alongside him. His kindness, dedication, and willingness to help others have left a lasting impression on our customers and our entire team.

As Mark begins this exciting new chapter, he has plenty to look forward to. Retirement plans include spending more time golfing, fishing, and traveling!

Mark, thank you for your years of service, your commitment to excellence, and the friendships you've built along the way. Your journey from valued customer to trusted auditor is a testament to the relationships that make Lee Global special.
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From everyone at Lee Global, we wish you a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement. Enjoy every moment. You've certainly earned it!
]]><![CDATA[What is ISPM-15]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:17:41 GMThttps://www.leeglobal.net/blog/what-is-ispm-15
​What is ISPM-15?
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ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15) is a global standard established under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Its purpose is to regulate wood packaging materials used in international shipping to help prevent the spread of pests and plant diseases across borders.
This standard applies to all solid wood packaging materials (WPM), including pallets, crates, dunnage, skids, and wooden boxes used in international trade. Any raw wood thicker than 6mm must be treated and properly marked before it can be shipped internationally.

Why ISPM-15 Exists
The goal of ISPM-15 is to protect forests and ecosystems from invasive insects and diseases that can be transported through untreated wood packaging. By requiring treatment and certification, it helps reduce environmental risks while supporting safe and consistent global trade.

ISPM-15 and Your Business
For exporters, ISPM-15 compliance is required by most countries. Non-compliant shipments can be delayed, rejected, or require rework, which can increase costs and disrupt supply chains.

Lee Global helps businesses stay compliant through inspection, certification support, and guidance, making the process more efficient and reliable.
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ISPM-15 plays an important role in protecting ecosystems while keeping global trade moving smoothly. Understanding and following these requirements helps ensure your shipments stay compliant and avoid unnecessary delays.
]]><![CDATA[What Customer Service Means to Us]]>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:03:05 GMThttps://www.leeglobal.net/blog/what-customer-service-means-to-usPicture
At Lee Global, customer service is more than answering questions or completing inspections. It’s about building trust, creating lasting relationships, and being a dependable partner for every customer we work with.

In the world of export compliance and ISPM-15 certification, timing matters. Businesses rely on accurate inspections, fast communication, and dependable service to keep shipments moving and operations running smoothly. We understand how important that responsibility is, and we take pride in helping our customers navigate the process with confidence.

To us, great customer service means being responsive, knowledgeable, and accessible. Whether a customer is shipping internationally for the first time or managing ongoing export operations, our goal is to make the process as clear and efficient as possible. We believe every customer deserves honest communication, attention to detail, and a team that genuinely cares about helping them succeed.

Customer service also means treating people with respect. Every business we work with has unique needs, deadlines, and challenges. We take the time to listen, answer questions, and provide solutions that help customers stay compliant while minimizing delays and stress.

At Lee Global, we know that strong relationships are built through consistency and reliability. That’s why we remain committed to delivering professional service, industry expertise, and support our customers can count on long after the job is complete.

As regulations and global shipping requirements continue to evolve, our commitment remains the same: to provide dependable service with integrity, professionalism, and a customer-first approach in everything we do.
]]><![CDATA[Why are Monthly Records so Important?]]>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.leeglobal.net/blog/why-are-monthly-records-so-importantIn November 2025, the ALSC committee made an editorial change to section 4.1.1.2 of the WPM Enforcement Regulations, which prompted a policy change within our organization. Previously, Lee Global allowed clients three business days to provide their monthly activity records to their auditor after an audit was completed; however, given the ALSC change, Lee Global updated that policy to reduce the number of allowable days down to one business day.
Given all the recent attention to section 4.1.1.2, why are monthly activity records so important? Monthly activity records for your ISPM-15 program involvement help track your activities within the program. Our auditors are trained to look at both a client’s processes and their products. Incomplete or inaccurate records do not allow our auditors, nor the ALSC, an accurate look at your processes.
In the unlikely event of a pest infestation that is tied back to a producer, monthly activity records become even more important. Those records can help verify the accuracy of HT material used by a producer and help clear that producer of any wrongdoing or fraud. Without the traceability of accurate and on-time records, a producer is left with little to combat accusations of wrongdoing or fraud.
What is the best way to keep my records updated?
  1. Track activity as it happens. It is always easier to write down an incoming shipment, a heat-treating charge, or a finished product shipment as it occurs rather than after the fact.
  2. Designate one individual that’s in charge of maintaining the records rather than leaving it to a team to accomplish. While we’re a big fan of teamwork here at Lee Global, when it comes to records, sometimes using a teamwork approach lends itself to items being missed or delayed.
  3. Take the guesswork out and use an online tool for calculating board footage.
  4. Talk to your auditor about client-specific ways to stay compliant! 
]]><![CDATA[Updates to the WPM Enforcement Regulations]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.leeglobal.net/blog/updates-to-the-wpm-enforcement-regulations​In November 2025, the American Lumber Standard Committee had a full committee meeting and voted on some changes to the WPM Enforcement Regulations. Lee Global wants to keep you up to date on those changes, so we break them down for you here. As always, if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask your auditor, or call our office for more information!
  1. The removal of Section 4.1.1.1.1, which stated:
For material to be considered as HT when received by a facility under section 6.2.3 of the Lumber Enforcement Regulations, the material shall meet all conditions of 6.2.3 of the Lumber Enforcement Regulations, and in addition the following requirements must be met for this material to be considered as heat treated:

• The material must be rough.
• No further processing of the material shall occur.
• The shipment must be direct and must remain intact from the producing mill to the purchasing user.
• Invoices or other appropriate records indicating size, volume, and number of units must verify traceability from the producing mill to the end user.
• All units shipped shall be marked with a legible stencil that indicate the ALSC accredited agency trademark, the words “WPM USE”, and the mill number or name. The stencil shall be applied to the lower corner of each unit.
• This stencil shall not be applied to any bundles that are not being properly monitored through acceptable 6.2.3 procedures. Wood Packaging Material Enforcement Regulations American Lumber Standard Committee, Incorporated® November 1, 2024
• Once received by the purchaser, the material cannot be transferred to another facility for use as HT material. If the material is transferred, the stencil shall be removed. If the material is being transferred to be used as HT the stencil shall be removed, and an HT stamp must be applied by the original purchaser to the individual pieces of material.
• When multiple accredited agencies audit the different mill, facility, or kiln operation, each auditing agency shall be permitted access to review the quality control records of both treating and processing operation to verify compliance.
• Only the agency of the supplying mill and the agency of the receiving facility are allowed to complete the 4.1.1.1.1 agreement. (4.1.1.1.1 added Nov. 4, 2022,modified Nov 1, 2024)

  1. An editorial change to Section 4.1.1.2, which now states:
The volumes of HT or KD HT wood being purchased from agency certified HT or KD HT facilities are adequate based upon documentation to produce the quantities of wood packaging pallets, crating, boxes, dunnage, etc. that are being labeled. An accredited agency shall have an ongoing practice of confirming quantities of wood purchased and volumes of WPM produced, generally monthly.
This change will affect the internal company policies of Lee Global, Inc. Clients will now have one business day from the date of their routine audit to provide Lee Global, Inc. with activity figures if they cannot be provided at the time of audit. If activity figures are not provided within 24 hours, the audit will be considered non-compliant. As always, customers should strive to have monthly activity records completed by the 1st business day of each month to prevent non-compliance issues from occurring. We sincerely thank you for your cooperation in this matter!
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Additionally, the ALSC committee made an editorial change to the ALSC Ratified Responses as it pertains to confusing or deceptive mill stamps. Previously, the practice was that products were permitted to be stamped with marketing and other language, provided that such other information was at least six inches from the grade-stamp and such other information was not confusingly or deceptively similar to the grademarks of an ALSC accredited agencies. Now, this six-inch rule has been removed. It is requested that information still not be confusingly or deceptively similar to the grademarks of an ALSC accredited agency, but information is permitted to be labeled within six inches of the grademark.]]><![CDATA[What You Need to Know About Kilns for Heat-Treating Wood Packaging Material]]>Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.leeglobal.net/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-kilns-for-heat-treating-wood-packaging-material
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.
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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.
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