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Reusable Packaging News
Interpal 2018: Networking, Tours and Educational Sessions Provide a Memorable Experience
Interpal, the leading international conference held every four years for the global wood pallet and packaging industry, took place September 18-20, in Minneapolis. Over 620 people came from six continents to network, to tour wood packaging facilities, and engage in the education sessions. It was co-hosted by NWPCA and CWPCA. The power of partnering was a recurring theme at the event.
Educational sessions covered ISPM 15 issues, the lumber market, Nature's Packaging, and more. Reports from European (FEFPEB) and Canadian (CWPCA) associations as well as participation by international participants in panel sessions provided a global perspective. The keynote speaker was author and subject matter expert Todd Snelgrove, whose presentation was entitled Value Selling in Competitive Times, a Total Profit Added Approach.
While value-based or total cost of ownership concepts have been discussed before at pallet industry sessions as a way to decommoditize pallet pricing, they still have not been widely embraced in many industries, including the pallet sector. Snelgrove offered many useful insights and practical approaches towards value selling. One key thought was that "Price is only ever an issue in the absence of quantified value." In other words, if customers, are really stuck on price, have you done a good enough job of demonstrating the value you bring?
Scott Geffros, General Manager of CWPCA, shared statistics and insights from Canada. The Canadian pallet sector achieved $1 billion in sales for the first time in 2017. And in case you were wondering, the leading US destination for Canadian wood packaging is California. It is the only western state in the top 10 destinations.
Fons Ceelaert, Secretary General of FEFPEB, provided an overview of trends and topics in Europe. Much of the European focus is on