palletcentral

8 Pallet C e nt ral • S e ptem be r- O ctobe r 2 0 25 S erving as your Board Chair has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my business career. As someone who runs a multi-generational family business, I know the challenges many of you face—rising costs, labor shortages, shifting customer demands. But I also know this: our industry is changing fast, and NWPCA is changing with it. We're seeing increased consolidation. Automation is accelerating. Large customers are standardizing across regions and expecting suppliers to keep up. Whether you serve a local, regional, or national market, your customers are influenced by global logistics trends. And that means our association must have a seat at the global table. at's why your Board of Directors and staff have been exploring how to position NWPCA for a more global future. is includes a potential name change, one that reflects not just where the association has been but where it's headed. is isn't about abandoning our proud American reputation for excellence in wood packaging design and standards. It's about extending that reputation to the global stage so we can bring home knowledge, anticipate industry shifts, and protect your business from emerging challenges. To guide this effort, we adopted a new strategic plan centered on four key priorities: • PDS Global Growth – Delivering a Pallet Design System™ (PDS) to better serve global markets. A new software package with enhanced features for unit load and crate design is coming in Spring 2026. • Public Affairs & Advocacy – Expanding our voice beyond Washington, DC, and into Canada, Mexico, and Europe. • Member Engagement & Education – Offering more PDS training sessions, in more places, reaching more people, achieving greater impact. • Global Positioning – Representing our members and industry globally so you don't have to go it alone. As the only organization uniquely positioned to represent wood transport packaging on the international stage, it's time we claim that role. is isn't about chasing trends, it's about preparing for what's already here. Customers are demanding more reusable, sustainable pallets. ey want specs that match automated global systems. ey want partners who can move fast, across borders. During our recent working trip to Europe for the association, I had the opportunity to spend a few extra days in Scotland with my friend and colleague, Scott Vipond from Girard Wood Products. One of the highlights was checking off a long-time item on my bucket list: fly-fishing on the River Tay. Scott and I were fortunate to experience this together, and I quickly discovered that fly-fishing in Scotland presents a unique challenge compared to our traditional American approach. e technique commonly used there is called Spey fishing, which is specifically designed for rivers with high banks and wide waters. It was a learning experience, and a memorable one at that! Below is a photo from our trip, capturing a moment I won't soon forget. ank you for being part of this effort. Let's keep building forward, together. Signed TPS (as my friends call me the Traveling Pallet Salesman), Hinton Howell Hinton Lumber Products, NWPCA Board Chair Building A More Global Future Together A MESSAGE FROM YOUR BOARD CHAIR

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