Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1436421
8 PalletCentral • November-December 2021 palletcentral.com INSIDENWPCA NWPCA Announcements and Upcoming Events PDS Users Guide in Spanish and French T he User's Guide in the Pallet Design System™ (PDS) software is available in Spanish and French as part of PDS Version 6.4 release in November. e addition of these two languages in the User's Guide complements the existing software interface already being used in eight languages and further expands our global accessibility in pallet design. Over 300 pages were updated; 100+ illustrations and figures were all revamped and modernized as part of this new release, led by George Scharps, PDS Associate Engineer and John McLeod, PDS Advisor to the President. anks to the Softwood Export Council (SEC) for their strong support of this project. NWPCA ALC Registration Opens P lan to attend the NWPCA Annual Leadership Conference (ALC) from March 9-11, 2022, at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California (near San Diego). The staff is busy with program details. Watch your email for conference updates. Visit www.palletcentral.com/ nwpcaannualconference for registration and hotel infor- mation. Get an early start on exhibiting, and contact Mark Barford, Sr. Director, Business Partnerships at 703/519-0186 or mbarford@palletcentral.com for space availability and information on booth reservations. O ver 250 people attended NWPCA's Fall Plant Tours in Alabama this year to see the facilities that our hosts C&L Wood Products and McVantage Packaging were showcasing. From the sawmill to pallet production to an impressive mulch operation, C&L Wood Products demonstrates the unique life cycle and environmental attributes of the wood pallet industry. At McVantage Packaging, people saw the sawmill, pallet manufacturing, robotic dismantler, and complete pallet recycling and grinding operations. e custom shop clearly shows how pallets move the world in any shape and size imaginable, along with the hard-working staff dedicated to building these unique pallets by hand. Kudos to the great teams at C&L Wood Products and McVantage Packaging for the fantastic tours, especially to our past board- chair Joe McKinney, Eddie Daniel, Henry Bowman, Frank Janek and all the volunteers involved who enabled our members to enjoy their experience at their facilities. Receptions with our tabletop exhibitors were lively and productive. Special thanks to our sponsors for their continued support: Automated Machine Systems, HUB Industrial, Viking Engineering & Development, and United Lumber & Reman for sponsoring lunch at e Witt House. Mike Hachtman with Henry Bowman and Frank Janek from C&L Wood Products. Mike Hachtman with Eddie Daniel and Joe McKinney from McVantage Packaging. High Attendance at NWPCA's Alabama Fall Plant Tours