Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/860755
8 PalletCentral • July-August 2017 palletcentral.com INSIDE NWPCA N W P C A A N N O U N C E M E N T S A N D U P C O M I N G E V E N T S NWPCA Congressional Fly-In T he NWPCA 2017 Fly-In set a record with 45 members registered for the event this past June. NWPCA members visited 9% of the U.S. Congress, House and Senate, in one day, and led 30 meetings on Capitol Hill to advocate on key issues impacting their businesses, and the wood packaging and container industry. The NWPCA, along with Lobbyit, its professional lobbying team, helped members navigate the maze of the House and Senate buildings to connect with Congress. The primary issues covered in the meetings included the Cary Institute report, which calls for a ban on solid wood packaging, working on future education programs related to the ISPM-15 program, labor, immigration, health care and tax. Two members of Congress received the "Champion of the Wood Pallet & Wood Packaging Industry" award for 2017 in recognition of their commitment to the industry: Representative Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA) and Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL). Both congressmen spoke candidly with members about issues before Congress that impact the wood packaging industry from healthcare to labor to land management. Their comments reinforced that the industry has champions on Capitol Hill who understand, value and appreciate the importance of wood pallets and packaging. Members also met with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to discuss pest management and an NWPCA/USDA partnership to further the goals of ISPM-15, as well as with the Department of Labor to discuss the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and an OSHA/NWPCA safety alliance with the pallet industry. It was a great two days of networking and meetings, while having a little fun in Washington, DC. Concluding the event, attendees participated in behind-the-scenes tours of the Capitol, with some lucky members spotting Bono of the rock band U2. Many former presidential candidates were also seen roaming the halls and shaking hands with citizens (which reaffirms the idea that you never know who you'll "run into" on Capitol Hill). Additional pictures taken during the fly-in can be viewed on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/PalletsMoveTheWorld. Fall Plant Tours: November 8-9, 2017 in Houston R egistration is open for the NWPCA Fall Plant Tours, November 8-9 in Houston! The tours and networking opportunities allow attendees to see first-hand how their peers and industry leaders are handling wood packaging production, and to learn about new innovations in manufacturing pallets. The schedule includes receptions, exhibits and tours of the following facilities: • Pasadena Skid & Pallet, Inc., a leader in pallet manufacturing • Unipal International, Ltd., a manufacturer of corrugated pallets and containers • Katoen Natie, an international logistics service provider and port operator • Wooden Pallets, Ltd., a leader in pallet and skid manufacturing. Due to the popularity of previous plant tours, and limited hotel availability, early registration is strongly recommended. Visit PalletCentral.com/Calendar to view the schedule, hotel information and to register.