Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1266845
22 PalletCentral • May-June 2020 palletcentral.com overall economy and how many businesses will come back. • Reopening too soon could expose us to a new wave of the virus, and to an even harder economic situation. Not too Distant Future What will the future bring and how long will it take to get back to normal? It is hard to forecast with all these moving parts. "My biggest concern is the impact 6-12 months from now. However, my crystal ball is very foggy right now," says one respondent, and others. "Some markets are likely never to return to what they have been," says another. "The general public will reduce their purchases of all non-essential goods for years to come to try and get themselves out of their personal debt situations." With time, the economy will settle and with it will come much opportunity. With this pandemic, the consumer has not stopped spending. They are spending in different ways, and the goods they purchase are moved on pallets. NWPCA will continue to monitor conditions and bring the insight and expertise needed to help navigate through these uncertain times, and advocate on our members behalf. "Regardless of the trajectory of business, we're incredibly proud of our members' ability to respond in such a rapid and calculated manner in a time of crisis," says Brent McClendon, President/CEO of NWPCA. "Resiliency efforts continue to this day thanks to the tremendous efforts of the pallet workforce. Not only were we able to work to keep grocery shelves stocked against unprecedented consumer demand, but we continue to get products to the frontline when it matters most." "We've been working with our members to ensure they're putting the proper measures in place to create a safe environment for their workers. Sanitization has always been a priority, and we're increasing emphasis on that both in terms of plant workers and the pallets they produce," he continued. With "the unknown as the biggest concern," possibly, let us consider that being comfortable in the uncomfortable could bring a keen eye to spy open doors of potential in the new normal brought to us by COVID-19. Caryn Smith is CEO of Driven By Design LLC, a communications agency specializing in association publications for over 20 years. She is a freelance writer and editor of trade publications and also serves as the art director of PalletCentral for the last 8 years.