Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1194984
20 PalletCentral • November-December 2019 palletcentral.com appreciation of current employees helps attract new ones, but more importantly, we retain our workers. I even wonder, when I'm thinking really far ahead, if someday we'll see trade schools for the pallet industry. That would really be awesome! Regardless, it is sure to be a very interesting and exciting future for our industry. Tom Andrew VICE PRESIDENT Henry Poor Lumber Company Lafayette, Indiana n Lumber Supply & Trends: Price trends will remain seasonally cyclical and still be easily influenced by mills and railroads. Spruce will prominently come from Canada. We will see more Canadian companies pro- ducing SYP in the states. I predict softwood will increase its market share in the wood packaging industry. Lumber, either hardwood or softwood, will improve its standing as the original and best sustainable material for wood packaging. n Labor Market: We have partnered with learning institutions to help with labor. We provide a classroom on site where students can complete their state diploma. They split half day in class and half day in the shop. We have also relied on temporary employ- ment agencies during spikes in demand. n Looking Back in 2025, Top 2 Differences: We expect to see more women in the work force. There will be more automation in warehousing that will require tighter specifications on wood packaging material. Suppliers will be located closer to the customers. LEADERSHIP We expect to see more women in the work force. There will be more automation in warehousing that will require tighter specifications on wood packaging material. Suppliers will be located closer to the customers. –Tom Andrew