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4 Pallet C e nt ral May -Ju ne 2 0 24 PALLETCENTRAL, Volume 24 No. 3 PalletCentral ® is a bi-monthly publica on of the Na onal Wooden Pallet & Container Associa on™ © 2024 Na onal Wooden Pallet & Container Associa on. All rights reserved. Inside NWPCA photography credit: Jeff Westco Photography. NWPCA 1421 Prince Street, Suite 340 Alexandria, VA 22314 703-519-6104 info@palletcentral.com Adver sing: To adver se in PalletCentral, contact Mark Barford at 703-519-0186 or mbarford@palletcentral.com. Publishing Partner: Tulip Media Group Subscrip ons to PalletCentral ® are complimentary, however you need to subscribe: PalletCentral.com/pallet-subscrip on >>Subscribe Subscribe to ensure you receive the latest edi on of PalletCentral ® and to make sure we have your correct mailing address and/or email address for digital edi ons. Please note that NWPCA does not sell our mailing lists. We only collect certain data to track our readership demographics. ©2024 NWPCA. All rights reserved. The views expressed in all ar cles, editorials and adver sements appearing in PalletCentral are solely those of the author and adver ser, respec vely, and do not necessarily represent the views of NWPCA. IN THIS ISSUE 18 | How To Make Automa on And Robo cs Advancements In Wooden Pallet Manufacturing Discover how automa on is revolu onizing the wooden pallet manufacturing industry, from cobots to oddball pallet sor ng, as industry experts weigh in on the challenges, benefits, and essen al strategies for successful implementa on. BY JERICA KINGSBURY 33 | Eleva ng Sustainability: Wooden Pallet Industry Leads With 95% Recycle Rate Dive into the groundbreaking strides of the wooden pallet industry towards sustainability, spotligh ng its pivotal role in reducing waste, advancing circular economy principles, and exceeding recycling milestones, all while shaping a greener future for global supply chains. BY DAN ROZANSKY DEPARTMENTS 8 Le er From Our Board Chair 10 Inside NWPCA 14 Policy At Play 24 NWPCA Adver sers 25 | Adop ng Lean Manufacturing Principles: Improving Efficiency & Reducing Waste In Wooden Pallet Produc on Explore the enduring impact of Toyota's lean manufacturing principles on the wooden pallet manufacturing industry, unveiling how the adop on of lean methodologies can drive efficiency, quality, and flexibility while naviga ng poten al challenges towards a more streamlined future. BY GREG BOWEN 44 | Ready To See The Benefits Of Automa on? Start With These 5 Tools Exploring the transforma ve power of automa on in wooden pallet manufacturing, this ar cle highlights five essen al tools reshaping opera onal efficiency. 18 38 Na onal Wooden Pallet & Container Associa on May - June 2024 • Volume 24 No. 3 38 | Whatever The Weather, Safety First! Delving into employer obliga ons in weather hazard protec on, this ar cle navigates through heat illness preven on regula ons, compliance challenges across states, and the importance of comprehensive safety programs. With emphasis on acclima za on, training, and emergency readiness, it underscores the pivotal role of employers in safeguarding workers amidst evolving weather threats BY ADELE L. ABRAMS, ESQ., ASP, CMSP