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20 PalletCentral • November-December 2022 palletcentral.com Marshell Norris SALES ASSOCIATE COOPER MACHINE Some parts of the industry show signs of slowing down, but overall equipment and part sales are still strong. ere could be a slight downturn in 2023, but that could help with some of the current issues we are running into, such as getting parts in a timely manner. For example, we currently have an optimized edger and gang saw mechanically completed, but we are waiting on drives to finish testing. e extended parts delivery times we are seeing are affecting production schedules. We see inflationary pressures on wages for several reasons. First, wages went up because everyone had to be able to feed their family with inflation. But also, wages are going up because if you want to retain qualified, skilled employees, you have to pay for it. We hope to see some respite from the supply chain disruptions, and a little downturn (note I did not say recession) will help companies catch up a bit. But I believe there will still be some disruptions from all the external factors, such as container shipping from China with China's zero COVID policy, and the war between Ukraine and Russia, etc. Also, the U.S. needs to do more to train younger drivers. Finding workers is challenging because it's a mixed bag. Yes, we can find more workers. But the question is more so, can we find qualified workers that are needed? Cooper Machine has taken a different approach. Instead of trying to find more qualified people in little 'ole Wadley, GA, we are working with other vetted manufacturers that were originally producing other types of equipment. ey are now working with us to build parts and pieces that come back to our plant for final assembly, testing, and quality control, so you're still getting the quality equipment we are known for, but in a faster We hope to see some respite from the supply chain disruptions. – Marshell Norris, Sales Associate, Cooper Machine

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