Interpal VI Coming This Summer

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada — What is Interpal VI? It is not about a quick fix to understand the global marketplace for wooden pallets. Rather it is to understand if qualified wooden pallet companies of the world can understand and generate a marketplace for global emerging issues. It is about competing in today’s global economy. It is about understanding the value stream, aligning production with demand while achieving quality, and designing ultimate flexibility for our secondary wood products. Interpal VI is designed for the wooden pallet, box, container, and packaging industry. A sketch of the program appears in Display 1.

Display 1

Interpal VI Program Outline

Tuesday, August 30

9:30 Registration

5:30 p.m. Interpal 6 – World Pallet Congress Opening Ceremonies – Includes Native People Presentation, and a private visitation to the world famous Royal BC Museum. A unique dinner will be offered throughout the walking halls of the museum which highlights the history of British Columbia and its people.

Wednesday, August 31

8:00 – 4:00 Full day Educational Congress. Agenda items include: environmental issues influencing the wooden pallet industry, including a presentation by Dr. Patrick Moore, a co-founder of Green Peace and now a champion of the forest products industry; global review of the wooden pallet/packaging industry; global report of pallet/packaging timber availability; how IPPC-ISPM 15 will influence pool pallet; and pallet standardization. Simultaneous translation in English, French, German, and Spanish.

4:00 Cocktail Reception – Evening free for dinner

Thursday, September 1

9:30 – 4:00 Interpal 6 Trade Show with presentations. One of the best opportunities in 2005 to see pallet industry machinery displayed, including the possibility of European made machinery. Refreshments and lunch included.

4:00 – 6:30 Reception, hosted by Associate Suppliers

Friday, September 2

8:00 – 4:00 Sawmill visits. Lunch included.

6:00 – 7:00 Farewell reception in Courtyard

7:00 – 8:30 Farewell Dinner and music by Chris Millington Band

Saturday, September 3

9:00 Spouses who are going on the optional Interpal Alaskan cruise can leave early with the spouse group to shop in beautiful downtown Vancouver. Arrive at the Coral Princess before 3:30 in time for orientation and welcome reception.

11:30 Remaining delegates who are going on the optional Interpal Alaskan cruise will depart and go straight to the Coral Princess.

Interpal VI Alaskan Cruise

                      Certainly one of the truly unique opportunities associated with Interpal VI is the optional Alaskan cruise on the Coral Princess. This business cruise will include optional meetings with pallet industry friends from around the world in addition to the many fun things typically associated with good cruises. They say that the Alaskan cruise is exceptionally beautiful and offers the kinds of views that are not available on many cruises that North Americans are used to taking in more southern waters such as the Caribbean.

                      The Coral Princess is a modern cruise ship that made its inaugural cruise in December 2002. Ports of call include Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Whittier (Anchorage). Cruising delights include Glacier Bay scenic cruising and College Fjord scenic cruising. Cabins range from inside to oceanview, oceanview with private balcony, and mini-suite with private balcony. Prices range from $1056 (Canadian $) to $2071 (Canadian $).

                      For cruise details contact Cruise Holidays of Metro East at (905) 426-7884 or (800) 535-9424 and ask for Lynda or Ann-Marie or e-mail to cruise_group@nexicom.net.

Registration Information

                      Interpal VI offers three outstanding hotel selections. The Fairmont Empress Hotel is connected to the Victoria Conference Center, where the meeting will be held. The Empress is an older historic hotel that has an extensive heritage. It is not air conditioned, but that is not typically a problem in Victoria which has mild weather with normal highs ranging from the mid 70’s in the day and normal lows in mid 60’s in the evening. Both the Grand Pacific Hotel and the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour are modern North American hotels with air conditioning. The Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association has arranged single/double occupancy rooms for $169 (Canadian $) per night plus taxes. The CWPCA has applied for and received a special tax consideration to refund the 7% GST tax for visitors from outside of Canada.

                      Delegates to Interpal VI can register for the entire event for an affordable $599 (Canadian $), and spouses can register for $499 (Canadian $). Delegate registration includes the opening ceremonies and dinner at the Royal BC Museum, business sessions and reception, trade show and reception, sawmill tours and transportation, lunch and refreshments all three days, and the Interpal 6 farewell reception and dinner/dance. Spouse registration covers opening ceremonies and dinner at the Royal BC Museum, Victoria city tour, visits to the renowned Butterfly Gardens and world famous Butchart Gardens, high tea at the Fairmont Empress, reception following the business session, an open invitation to the Interpal 6 trade show and reception, and the Interpal 6 farewell reception and dinner/dance.

                      Interpal attendees can reach Victoria by air. There is one direct flight daily from both Toronto and Montreal by Air Canada. Other airlines offer flights with scheduled stops in either Calgary or Vancouver. U.S. flights may schedule stops in L.A., Seattle, Calgary or Vancouver before the connecting flight to Victoria. All direct international flights land in Vancouver before boarding a short connecting flight to Victoria.

                      If you plan to rent a car and drive to Victoria, all major car rental agencies service the major airports in British Columbia. A complete ferry service connects Seattle and Vancouver with Victoria. September 3 rd is the first day of Canada’s Labor Day weekend; so consider pre-booking return ferries to avoid possible ferry problems.

                      GEMS Registration is handling the Interpal 6 registrations. You may register online by going to the CWPCA homepage and completing the registration forms. The Pallet Enterprise expects to have a complete registration package included in our April issue.

                      For additional registration and meeting information you can contact the CWPCA by calling (877) 224-3555 or (705) 887-6468 or e-mail them at cwpca@canadianpallets.com.