Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/579895
This PalletCentral embodies wh y an association e xists. Please take a few minutes and review the Table of Contents. Read an article or two. What jumps out to you? Whether it is new approaches to marketing a commodity or pro-active steps you can take related to your fire insurance, or industry advocacy, you'll leave with ideas you can immediately implement to improve your business. The Internal Revenue Service gives non-profit status to associations like NWPCA to expand the use of best practices, broaden safety standards and provide a supporting role to the industries that drive this country. NWPCA has spent a good amount of time thinking about best practices lately in our strategic planning process. What does it mean to you? How do you get new ideas? Our recent article on "Best Safety Practices for Dismantlers" was our most frequently downloaded article of the last issue, also receiving numerous Twitter "re-tweets." So it's clear that a lot of you go to the website or look at magazines, or browse online for this information. However, we don't just write articles about best practices because many of you are looking to get this information in other forums. NWPCA's meetings and events, for example, like the always popular and frequently "sold-out" Fall Plant Tours, provide venues for us to show the latest automation, new business operations and innovative approaches to long-vexing challenges. Our Annual Leadership Conference educational programming also focuses on best practices or continuous improvement topics. What always stands out to me is the sharing that occurs in our industry related to best practices. What I realize is this sharing is based on trust, and usually flows from the relationships that have been generated from our events. Being active, putting yourself out there in all forums, online and in-person, fast-forwards the networking and relationship-building process. We'll keep experimenting with new ways to get best practices in your hands. Our latest experiment is a #palletchat (see page 42 for more info) to provide an online venue for our industry to share experiences, pain points and trade ideas on solutions. We'll take this input for future PalletCentral articles, ALC educational programs and Fall Plant Tour locations. In the meantime, enjoy this issue and share with me the nugget or two you found most helpful. Sincerely, 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 BOARD OFFICERS Chairman James Schwab, Pallet Logistics of America Chairman-Elect Steven Mazza, Bettaway Pallet Systems Past Chair Steven Yelland, J.F. Rohrbaugh Co., Inc. Secretary/Treasurer Shane Thompson, WestWind Logistics, LLC Director at Large Frank Shean, Valley Pallet Incorporated President/CEO Brent J. McClendon, CAE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Peter Berry, Berry Industrial Group, Inc. Clint Binley, Pallets Incorporated Hamlet Fort, Edwards Wood Products Keith Geiges, Treen Box & Pallet Corporation Frederic Haman, Tampa Pallet Company Lloyd Harper, Conner Industries, Inc. Larry Konz, Konz Wood Products Jeff Lewis, Atlanta Pallets & Services Terry Rodino, Recycled/New Pallets Bill Schneider, Remmey—The Pallet Company John Swenby, Paltech Group—Paltech Enterprises, Inc. Matthew Yancey, Dominion Pallet Company, Inc. International Director John Dye, Scott Pallets Associate's Representative Scott Harrington, Rotochopper, Inc. International Director Emeritus Jan Fredell, Fredells Travaru AB 2015 SEASON SPONSORS Brewer Machine & Parts, LLC tel: 800-345-6516 | brewerinc.com Kiln-Direct.com tel: 910-259-9794 | kiln-direct.com Mid Continent Nail Corporation tel: 800-867-6245 | magnumfasteners.com Pallet Machinery Group tel: 540-644-9220 | palletmachinery.com Pendu Manufacturing, Inc. tel: 717-354-4348 | pendu.com Profile Technology, Inc. tel: 800-369-4242 | profiletech.com Smart Products tel: 800-401-0099 | smartproductsinc.com Viking Engineering & Development tel: 800-328-2403 | vikingeng.com NWPCA PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Advancing Best Practices 6 PalletCentral • September-October 2015 palletcentral.com Brent J. McClendon, CAE NWPCA President/CEO