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BuSineSS 30 The Economy Built Momentum Last Year 2018 is shaping up to be a great year for the pallet industry. Demand growth should be very strong. The focus will shift to managing costs, such as wage rates, credit, energy and material inputs. By Lynn Michaelis inSuRAnCe 34 State of the Commercial Insurance Market, Looking Ahead As we move into 2018, it's anticipated that commercial insurers will continue to seek rates increase. An insurance expert takes a quick look back on the 2017 market, and provides insight for this coming year. By Bradley Van Swol, AAI, CPIA BLog 38 Wood Pallets are USDA Certified Biobased Products A milestone for the wood packaging sector came about when over 430 companies, making pallets designed with the Pallet Design System™ software, began using the certified USDA Biobased label. Learn more about the USDA BioPreferred® program and the opportunities it presents for manufacturers. Blog By Annie Montey 18 Wood and Cardboard - Mainstream and Niches Both wooden pallets and corrugated cardboard pallets have roles to play in shipping goods. How should the two products be compared, especially when it comes to safety and durability in this multi-billion dollar supply chain logistics system? By Esme Neely Smith V O L . 1 8 | N O . 1 Departments President's Message ..........................................................6 Inside NWPCA ......................................................................8 Capitol Hill Corner ............................................................14 Advertisers ........................................................................40 ALC PReview 10 Manufacturing in a Time of Mayhem As automation, labor and the workforce in manufacturing industries continue to make national headlines, and at your business, the association is tackling these two issues head-on during the upcoming NWPCA Annual Leadership Conference (ALC). Learn more about these, and other topics to be highlighted at ALC, along with our exhibitor showcase (pages 12-13). FiRe Code SAFety 16 Make Fire Code Compliance your New Year's Resolution Whether you believe in making New Year's resolutions or not, the beginning of a new year is the best time to start fresh. The newly released "NWPCA Fire Code Compliance Manual for the Outdoor Storage of Wood Pallets" will help your facility comply with the revised ICC and NFPA codes, while fulfilling your 2018 resolution for fire code safety. SAFety 24 OSHA: New DOT Drug Testing Rules Now in Effect The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule amending drug testing requirements for commercial drivers and other transportation-sector workers took effect on January 1, 2018. Safety expert and attorney explains more about the rule and what it means for employers. By Adele L. Abrams, Esq., CMSP Published six times annually by the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association, 1421 Prince Street, Suite 340, Alexandria, VA 22314. Tel: 703-519-6104; info@palletcentral.com. Subscriptions to PalletCentral are complimentary, however you need to subscribe: PalletCentral.com>>Subscribe. Changes and Renewals: Current subscribers may sign-in at PalletCentral.com>>Edit Bio (look for "Additional Information" to manage your subscription and edit your mailing address. Or fax changes to: 703-519-4720.The NWPCA does not sell our mailing list; data collected from PalletCentral subscribers is solely used for tracking our readership. Stay Connected FEATURES Pallet Central 4 PalletCentral • January-February 2018 palletcentral.com I N S I D E Cover Image: iStockphoto.com/lovro77 TOC Image: iStockphoto.com/endopack iStockphoto.com/endopack