Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/536121
P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E N A T I O N A L W O O D E N P A L L E T & C O N T A I N E R A S S O C I A T I O N NWPCA STAFF President/CEO Brent J. McClendon, CAE, brent@palletcentral.com @NWPCA Vice President, Advocacy and External Affairs Patrick S. Atagi, patagi@palletcentral.com @NWPCA_Policy PDS and Membership Services Manager Susan Cheney, scheney@palletcentral.com Communication and Education Director Annette Ferri, aferri@palletcentral.com @PalletCentral Technical and PDS Manager Brad Gething, PhD, bgething@palletcentral.com @NWPCATech Sales Director Joni Leonardo, jleonardo@palletcentral.com @NWPCA_Sales Director of The Pallet Design System™ John A. McLeod III, jmcleod@palletcentral.com Vice President of Operations and Events Isabel ("Mimi") Sullivan, msullivan@palletcentral.com PDS Software Engineer Curtis Wilkes, cwilkes@palletcentral.com Advertising: To advertise in PalletCentral, contact Joni Leonardo at 703-519-6104 or jleonardo@palletcentral.com Address changes and subscriptions: To update your mailing address or to subscribe to PalletCentral, call 703-519-6104 or email info@palletcentral.com. Reprints and back issues: To order article reprints or request reprint permission, please e-mail info@palletcentral.com. Order back issues by calling 703-519-6104. PALLETCENTRAL, Volume 15, Number 4. © Copyright 2015 by NWPCA. All rights reserved. The views expressed in all articles, editorials and advertisements appearing in PalletCentral are solely those of the author and advertiser, respectively, and do not necessarily represent the views of NWPCA. NWPCA and recycled pallet manufacturing facilities. Impressive automation from some large scale operations offers attendees a chance to learn from their peers and leaders in the wood packaging industry. These exclusive tours showcase operational excellence and allow attendees to examine the processes that keep these leaders innovative. The tours and networking opportunities will immerse attendees into forward thinking and offer ideas that can be applied to other manufacturing plants. Attendees will tour four facilities over two days that include the following: • Edwards Wood Products, Inc. • Jordan Lumber and Supply, Inc. • PalletOne, Inc. • Pallet Resource of NC, Inc. Due to the popularity of previous plants tours with record attendance, early registration is strongly recommended. More information about the NWPCA/AHMI plant tour hosts with other details can be found on page 52, and at PalletCentral.com. L aunch of "The Advocate" NWPCA unveiled the new information service, "The Advocate." This electronically- delivered NWPCA government affairs news bulletin is filled with updates to provide NWPCA members with the latest information on what's happening with the public policy issues and government affairs meetings that have the potential to impact you, or are impacting the day-to-day tasks and operations of you, the pallet industry. These government affairs updates strive to give you tailored, direct, and concise wooden pallet and container industry news so that you can focus on your business. Look for "The Advocate" to arrive at the beginning of each month, and be sure to approve emails from palletcentral.com to ensure timely delivery into your inbox. NWPCA Congressional Mill Tour Program Jimmy Wilson, founder and president of Bay Wood Products of Robertsdale, Alabama, hosted Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1st) at his facility in Baldwin County. "I really appreciate the opportunity to be here," Byrne noted. "I can do my job better in Washington every day if I have a better understanding of what you are doing here." A poignant quote as it really helps the people who make decisions about our businesses, and lives, understand what we actually do and produce. At press time, United States Representative Jeff Denham (CA-10th) visits Carolyn Beech-Skinner, current board chair of the Western Pallet Association (WPA) at her facility, Westside Pallet, Inc. These visits help NWPCA cast a wider 'web' of influence, but it also benefits the wooden pallet and container businesses by showing their customers that they are a valued and important part of the community. PC palletcentral.com PalletCentral • July-August 2015 9