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4 Pallet C e nt ral • No vem be r-D e cem be r 2 0 25 PALLETCENTRAL, Volume 25 No. 6 PalletCentral ® is a bi-monthly publica on of the Na onal Wooden Pallet & Container Associa on™ © 2025 Na onal Wooden Pallet & Container Associa on. All rights reserved. NWPCA 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 560 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. ©2025 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 DEPARTMENTS 8 Le er From Our President 10 Inside NWPCA 14 Policy At Play 22 NWPCA Adver sers 18 38 Na onal Wooden Pallet & Container Associa on November – December 2025 • Volume 25 No. 6 42 | A Tale Of Two (OSHA) Complaints When OSHA comes knocking, it o en starts with a complaint. But not all complaints are the same — and how your company responds can make a big difference. From workplace hazard allega ons to retalia on claims, understanding the two main types of OSHA complaints can help you stay compliant, protect your team, and avoid costly penal es. BY ADELE L. ABRAMS, ESQ., ASP, CMSP 24 | Nature's Packaging ® La n America: Sparking A Revolu on In Wood Pallet Awareness Cross-cultural connec on meets sustainability innova on in Nature's Packaging ® La n America. Led by the NWPCA with USDA support, this ini a ve is more than a marke ng effort—it's a movement. By blending regional insight, smart technology, and a unifying message, it's se ng a new benchmark for how global industries promote renewable materials in an interconnected world. BY PAOLA BELTRAN MADRID 38 | The Bo om Line On AI Farming and forestry have already proven it—AI turns data into dollars. Now it's the pallet industry's turn. Smarter inspec on, fewer wasted repairs, and real- me insights mean stronger margins and ghter quality control. The companies that act first will own the data and the compe ve edge. BY CLAY WELLS 32 | PalletCentral 2026 Industry Outlook: Op mism And Opportunity The year ahead brings both promise and pressure. PalletCentral's 2026 Outlook Survey captures a candid snapshot of the wooden packaging industry—where digital innova on meets economic uncertainty, and sustainability shapes every decision. Here's what members across North America and beyond expect in the year ahead. BY NWPCA MEMBERS 18 | What's New In PDS 6.11 — And What's Coming Next In Wood Packaging Design With PDS 6.11, pallet design takes another major leap forward—and the upcoming Crate Design System promises to extend that innova on across the wood packaging world. From advanced fastener modeling to next-genera on simula on tools, these releases mark a new chapter in how engineers build stronger, smarter, and more sustainable wood packaging. BY JERICA KINGSBURY

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