pallets Archives - Global Wood Packaging Forum

NWPCA hosts first-ever Mexico Chapter conference

September 15, 2022/in News /by Hallie Fuchs

MONTERREY, NUEVO LEON, MEXICO September 9, 2022 – The inaugural conference of the Mexico Chapter of the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) took place from September 7-8 in Monterrey, Mexico. The Conferencia de la Industria Mexicana del Embalaje de Madera brought together more than 130 international business leaders from five countries.

“The formation of the Mexico Chapter (Capítulo) in March 2022 has been a member-based initiative,” said Brent McClendon, president/CEO of NWPCA. “We’re excited to continue to support our Mexican members and become an industry thought leader in Latin America.”

“The Mexican pallet market, valued at over USD 3 billion, is growing with many new business opportunities,” added Hilary Carr, senior director, Mexico & Latin America. “We were thrilled to bring an exciting program to enhance networking and have expert presentations on topics like sustainability, automation or investment opportunities, and the economy.”

Some of the conference speakers included:

José Luis Burnes, business development manager, American Industries Group
Natalya Calleja, vice president, Marketing & Communications, 48forty Solutions
Brad Gething, PhD, vice president, Science & Technology, NWPCA
Jocelyn Moreno Piña, director general, Cámara Nacional de la Industria Maderera
Jeff Williams, president, PRS Group

The Mexico charter was made official during a signing ceremony at the event. Fernando López Bello, Losifra, serves as president of the Capítulo and is an international director of the NWPCA Board, and María José Martínez, El Martillo, is vice president of the Capítulo.

“It’s an honor to serve as the Capítulo President and represent Mexico on the Board of Directors,” added Fernando. “Over the past year, we’ve worked hard to expand our network and connect with wooden packaging manufacturers across Mexico. María José and I will continue to ensure that the Chapter highlights the dynamic nature of our industry by providing the highest level of professional service.”

The Capítulo leadership and staff are full steam ahead with next year’s conference planned for Guadalajara.

Thank you to sponsors: Softwood Export Council, Deacero (Mid-Continent Steel), Freedom Sourcing, GoFast Manufacturing, PRS Group, Southern Mississippi Trading, and Wood-Mizer.

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL WOODEN PALLET & CONTAINER ASSOCIATION (MEXICO CHAPTER)

The Capítulo Mexicana was created in March 2022 by NWPCA members in Mexico. The goal is to promote using wooden pallets and packaging as a sustainable and high-value supply chain resource in the Mexican market.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL WOODEN PALLET & CONTAINER ASSOCIATION

The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) is the world’s largest organization of wood packaging professionals. NWPCA has over 700 companies that manufacture, repair, and distribute pallets and wood packaging in unit-load solutions or supply products and services to the industry. For more information on NWPCA, visit www.palletcentral.com.

FEFPEB president calls for packing industry action to attract staff

August 17, 2022/in News /by Hallie Fuchs

President of the European Federation of Wooden Pallet & Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB), Rob van Hoesel, has called on the wooden pallet and packaging sector to update its businesses and communication to ensure it can attract and retain high quality staff for the future.

The head of the organisation said the industry must adapt its operations to provide rewarding careers and personal development, and communicate its strong ethical characteristics to potential employees, to give it an advantage in an increasingly competition jobs environment for companies. Large numbers of staff have left positions across many sectors since Covid, while younger people coming into the market have new priorities to cater for, he added.

“Similar to those in many other industries, pallets and packaging businesses are facing a recruitment challenge, which we only expect to increase in the years ahead,” said Mr van Hoesel. “People are no longer just looking for financial rewards, they are looking to work for businesses that give them flexibility and opportunities to learn and develop, which have ethically sound operations and make a positive difference to society. We need to make sure we tick all these boxes in order to attract the highest calibre staff.”

He added that the wooden pallets and packaging industry already had many of the ethical credentials today’s employees were looking for.

“The wooden pallets and packaging business is inherently ethical, based on a raw material that is endlessly renewable, and manufactures, repairs and reuses its products until they are recycled at the end of their useful life. With a majority of wood from managed, sustainable sources, the industry encourages tree planting, which helps remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It has care for the environment at its heart and, as illustrated during the pandemic is an industry that is essential to the smooth running of the global economy,” he said. “These are just some of the attributes which make it an exciting place to work and attractive to the younger generation, and we need to make sure we communicate this well to potential employees.”

He added that companies in the industry needed to keep up to date with technological developments, to help them attract staff and compete well into the future.

The subject of attracting and retaining staff will be one of those addressed at the 70^th FEFPEB congress, which will be held on September 28-30 in Florence, Italy. Other topics will include sustainability, reforestation and the future of the pallets and packaging sector. The event will include a one-day tour around some of Italy’s leading pallet and packaging businesses.

Source: Timber Trades Journal Online, August 17, 2022 – https://www.ttjonline.com/news/fefpeb-president-calls-for-packing-industry-action-to-attract-staff-9934351/

The Supply Chain’s Unsung Hero: The Wooden Pallet

January 5, 2021/in News /by Annette Ferri

The impact that wooden pallets and containers have on the supply chain as an important and sustainable stakeholder, especially how it impacts up the chain of supply and demand for the industry’s customer base, is a message that cuts across the cluttered decision making process that companies are faced with when choosing their distribution packaging.

Pallet Manufacturing is an “Essential Service” and “Critical Infrastructure” for Supply Chain Continuity and COVID-19 Recovery Efforts

March 25, 2020/in News /by Annette Ferri

Statement from the Global Wood Packaging Forum

As our global leaders across the world put in place emergency measures to protect the world’s population from the spread of COVID-19, we respectfully urge that policies being developed and implemented safeguard the ability of essential businesses to continue operations. We need to avoid an inadvertent mistake that has a global negative impact.

Wooden pallets and containers are essential services and critical infrastructure. We are the ‘blood cells’ of the body of the world; moving food, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, beverages, and essential paper products. There are 2 billion pallets in circulation in the United States alone and over 4 billion in Europe. Businesses that manufacture, repair wooden pallets, offer pallet pooling services, and provide wood containers and wood packaging that are essential to maintaining critical operations and the flow of commerce. Community members providing critical care, and services should be assured they will receive their shipments in a timely manner and in good condition. This will be crucial beyond the current crisis, when we turn to recovering from this pandemic.

We are appealing to all Governments to support pallet and packaging manufacturers, pallet pools, reconditioned pallet businesses, and the logistics industry; and also ensure that global sawmilling and material support operations are able to continue providing timber and essential equipment and supplies to our operations. Many pallet manufacturing businesses affected are family owned and support their local economy. The industry does this through purchases of lumber, nails, machinery, and related goods. Most importantly, wooden pallets and containers are a critical piece of global supply chain logistics, as no other ‘essential’ goods make it through the supply chain without pallets.

This is an unprecedented situation and we will be working with the industry and with the Government to ensure these businesses can carry on operating to ensure continuity of supply of these essential products.

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The Global Wood Packaging Forum is a collaboration of associated wood packaging organizations and representatives from around the world that meets to discuss global issues that affect the industry.

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