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10 Pallet C e nt ral • July -Aug u st 2 0 24 INSIDENWPCA NWPCA ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS NWPCA Headquarters Relocaon E xciting news for the NWPCA! In July, our headquarters will move just a few blocks away to 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 560, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Our dedicated sta is busy combing through historical and governance documents and packing oces and boxes to ensure a smooth transition. Starting in August, we'll accept mail at the new address while gradually closing operations at our current location in the fall. McClendon Parcipates in Strategic Session with the Hardwood Industry N WPCA President and CEO Brent McClendon attended an important strategic planning session in Memphis, Tennessee, with the hardwood industry that included sixty industry business leaders, association executives, and government representatives. !e primary objective of this two-day workshop was to comprehensively understand the challenges and opportunities within the US hardwood industry and then identify critical needs that can be addressed through enhanced wood utilization, product innovation, and market development. We appreciate the opportunity to participate and are excited about what will come from this meeting. Barford Presents Pallet Industry Update to HMA N WPCA's Senior Director/Business Partnerships, Mark Barford, presented to the leaders of the Hardwood Manufacturers Association (HMA) regarding the current state of the pallet industry and future demand for wood. He emphasized the importance of hardwood producers maintaining close communication with pallet producers. !is is especially critical due to shifting labor challenges, leading to adjustments in lumber sizing as the industry leans towards greater automation. NWPCA Sta Aends Expo Richmond S everal sta members attended the Expo Richmond show in April at the Meadow Event Park, a new venue outside Richmond, Virginia. !ey walked the show, visited over 20 member booths, watched machinery demos, and learned about the latest products in the wood packaging sector. According to the Virginia Forest Products Association, 5,250 attendees from 41 states and 10 countries attended the event, a 25% increase from the past two shows. !e next Expo Richmond takes place April 17–18, 2026. NWPCA Public Aairs Road Trip T he Public Aairs team traveled in May to Ohio and Pennsylvania to visit Millwood Inc. and Johnson Industries Pallets. Jason Ortega, vice president of public aairs, and Gabriella Ybarra, public aairs manager, toured Millwood in Vienna, Ohio. !ey met with Lee Evans, who shared their innovations with wood residuals. !e pallet industry is constantly evolving, and it is great to see companies like Millwood take advantage of the needs in their local area by using their wood waste to the best of the community's needs. Later, the team toured Johnson Industries in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania. !e Rupert brothers have found a way to build everything but the average 48x40 pallet. !e care and precision Johnson Industries has established for their products and their employees showed strong throughout the visit. NWPCA extends our heartfelt thanks to our members for spending time and visiting with sta. Carr Aends Interzum, Mulple Site Visits in Colombia H ilary Carr, senior director of Mexico and LATAM, continues to forge strong relationships with members across the Americas. Recently, she attended Interzum 2024 in Bogotá, Colombia, as a guest of SENCO Latin America. Headquartered in the Antioquia region, SENCO has maintained a strong presence in the area for the past 30 years and has actively participated in Capítulo meetings since its inception in 2022. As enthusiastic supporters of the NWPCA's work in Colombia and South America, SENCO arranged 16 site visits in Bogotá, Santa Marta, Medellín, and Cali, providing the NWPCA with a deeper understanding of the market dynamics. Hilary is excited to continue building new partnerships and to see NWPCA's growing role as a leader in promoting the excellence of wood packaging in Colombia.

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