Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1390499
14 PalletCentral • July-August 2021 palletcentral.com Member Commentary T he member commentary on the following pages tells a fascinating story about the current state of the pallet industry, one which is dependent on relationships. Amid the persistent themes of lumber and labor availability, our members also talk about increased communications with their customers to better understand their everyday challenges. Supply shortages are visible in all commodities, but a close working relationship between buyers and sellers can provide a blueprint for your company's success. Members were asked to answer the following questions. • What are you are seeing during these extraordinary times? • What is your business doing in response to the shortages? • What are you telling your customers? • How long do you think current market conditions will continue? Here are their responses. Matthew Haddock National Sales Executive Ongweoweh Corp. In the past 15 months, our industry has been turned upside down. Between the lumber market, labor market, nails and freight, this has been an extremely challenging time for not only Ongweoweh, but for our customers as well. To navigate during these unprecedented times, we have used our nationwide scope to secure pallets from different regions, shipped further than ever, and relied on our expertise in packaging to provide alternative solutions to our customers. Our message has been clear: Situations like this are exactly what we are built for, and pallet supply is our number one priority. Our customers are always asking, and rightfully so, "When is this going to end?" It's hard to predict, and the outlook varies from region to region and producer to producer. We have heard that this will likely last into 2022, but that lumber may not be the longest lasting contributor to the volatility in pallet supply. More and more, producers are reporting that their top challenge is consistent, reliable labor. It is a daily struggle to find people to show up to work, and perform at the level our producers, and ultimately our customers all demand. One thing is for sure, pallet demand isn't going to be slowing down anytime soon, and pallets are finally getting the long overdue attention that they deserve. Jeff Van Zeeland Partner/Customer Service Fox Valley Wood Products The combined impact of market shortages of used pallets, rental pallets, labor, and lumber has translated to unprec- edented new business inquiries. While we maintain adequate supply to support existing customers, we are not taking on any new accounts at this time. We are beginning to hear examples of pallet companies putting customers on order allocation, or having run out of supply. We are continuing to foster partnerships with our raw material suppliers and employees. Strong Working Through to Solutions Resourceful pallet companies and suppliers seek positive outcomes to challenges impacting the industry. NWPCA members share the measures they are taking with their customers.