Where it is
Central block of the long side, next to the IPPC mark and the licence number with year and month.
What it proves
That the production lot passed EPAL's external quality inspection. EPAL lists it as mandatory.
In detail
EPAL's licensing FAQ explains how the staple works. A newly licensed producer does not start with its own staples. After producing the number of pallets set in the EPAL Technical Regulations, it asks for an inspection of that lot. If the lot passes, the inspection company hands over black control staples matching the number of pallets inspected. After six months of compliant production, the producer can apply for Level 2 approval (self-monitoring) and from then on orders yellow staples from EPAL.
EPAL says its pool is inspected by external companies, naming Bureau Veritas, China Certification & Inspection Group and Timber Products Inspection, and reports more than 25,000 unannounced inspections a year. The staple is the visible end of that system.
For a buyer in North America, the staple is the quickest test of whether a branded pallet came through a licensed production run. The EPAL 1 page lists it as item 7, and the 2023 poster shows it next to the IPPC mark on the centre block.
Common misreadings
- An ordinary fastener or stray staple is not a control staple; it should sit in the centre block beside the licence and IPPC marks.
- A repaired pallet proves its repair with a repair marking nail, not a second staple.