Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1488820
6 PalletCentral • November-December 2022 palletcentral.com 2022 SEASON SPONSORS Kiln-Direct.com 910-259-9794 | kiln-direct.com Mid Continent Steel and Wire 800-867-6245 | magnumfasteners.com Pallet Machinery Group 540-644-9220 | palletmachinery.com Pendu Manufacturing 717-354-4348 | pendu.com Profile Technology 800-369-4242 | profiletech.com PRS Group 217-291-0009 | prsgroupinc.com Rotochopper 320-548-3586 | rotochopper.com Smart Products 800-401-0099 | smartproductsinc.com Smith Sawmill Service 800-598-6344 | smithsawmillservice.com Vecoplan 812-923-4992 | vecoplan.com Viking Engineering & Development 800-328-2403 | vikingeng.com Board Officers Chairman Carolyn Beach, Westside Pallet Chairman-Elect Nick Wenner, Pallet Service Corp Past Chair Mike Hachtman, 48forty Solutions Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Lewis, Atlanta Pallet & Services. Director at Large Hinton Howell, Cottondale Wood Products President/CEO Brent J. McClendon, CAE Board of Directors Michelle Blizzard, Pallet Central Enterprises Henry Bowman, C&L Wood Products LeRoi Cochran, 48forty Solutions Dominick Davi, Greenway Products & Services Kathleen Dietrich, Commercial Lumber & Pallet Justin Hegsted, Challenger Pallet & Supply Alex Jimenez, Jimenez Pallets Bernie Kamps, Kamps, Inc. Bryan Kesting, Madison County Wood Products Kate Matz, Allegheny Recycled Products Steve Mazza, S&B Pallet Lindsey Shean-Snowden, Pallet Logistics of America Beatrice Vasquez, Oxnard Pallet International Director Fernando López Bello, Losifra Mike Vrugteveen, Niagara Pallet & Recyclers Associate's Representative Bruce Kennedy, Mid Continent Steel and Wire I truly enjoy these end-of-year PalletCentral issues, and our members' forecasts are always interesting. As we celebrate another year in this fantastic industry (and I reflect on my last ten years with NWPCA), several areas jump out to me. e Pallet Foundation and its meteoric growth. Ten years ago, we were funding $20k a year in projects. Today, we have grown to a budget of nearly $700k for 2023. e research is globally impactful and wouldn't exist without the Pallet Foundation. e projects have determined that wood pallets are the most recovered/recycled packaging product, with a climate-positive carbon footprint that supports 173,000 families in the USA alone each year! at's a success story worth celebrating. e advocacy program and launch of PalletPAC. ere have been numerous advocacy successes over the years. Our industry earned an "essential" critical designation during the COVID pandemic. We stopped an Oregon bill that would have set a nationwide precedent for an alternative pallet material in public procurement. And NWPCA advanced a creative and safe solution to a fire code proposal that could have eliminated 50% of our outdoor pallet storage space. Our volunteer leaders made a difference on the ground, leading us to launch PalletPAC – the only wood packaging PAC in the U.S. PalletPAC has already achieved a record $60k in personal contributions in 2022 and has big goals for the future. Unification of our global wood packaging community. Our membership has grown to 710+ companies in 35 countries. e newly formed Mexico Chapter (Capítulo) welcomed 150 people during their first meeting in September. Exclusive PDS marketing agreements continue with Canada, Sweden and the Netherlands. For 2023, meetings are already planned in Mexico and Canada (Interpal with CWPCA), while a PDS booth at Ligna in Germany further extends our global brand. I'm also proud of our leadership role to unite wood packaging leaders worldwide through the Global Wood Packaging Forum. e power of pallet design. Since 2013, I have been in awe with each biannual release of the Pallet Design System™. PDS is the global standard and international language of pallet design, primarily due to an amazing staff and the proprietary R&D investments and commitments from our Board of Directors and Pallet Foundation Trustees. Our latest release, PDS v6.6, takes the power of pallet design to the next level with unit load analysis of drums and pails, robust ERP integration, and a carbon impact assessment. We share our members' pride regarding the association's accomplishments over the years. Together, NWPCA and our global partners are incredibly excited about what lies ahead for our industry sector as we build a better future. Sincerely, Brent J. McClendon, CAE NWPCA President/CEO FROM THE PRESIDENT Celebrating the Past With a Big Eye Toward 2023