More than 130 delegates representing nearly 20 countries already were registered by the end of June to attend the sixth Interpal-World Pallet Congress in Canada this summer. The event, which is being organized and hosted by the Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association (CWPCA-ACMPC), will be held Aug. 30-Sept. 2 in Victoria, British Columbia.
Interpal, held only every four years, will feature educational sessions and a program for spouses, a trade show, and plant tours. An optional seven-day Alaskan cruise was offered following the conference, and it has been sold out.
The Interpal 6 educational program will be held Aug. 30 and will feature remarks by individual speakers in a number of fields as well as two panel discussions. Simultaneous translations will be made available in English, French, German and Spanish.
The educational program is designed to help owners and managers of pallet and container businesses to understand the global marketplace and the issues and opportunities it presents for their companies. It will help
them to deal with emerging global issues and to compete in the global economy. They will gain understanding about the value stream, aligning production with demand, achieving quality in products and services and flexibility in operations.
"Knowledge is paramount to the success of any company," said Gordon Hughes, executive general manager of the Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association. "You must keep abreast of all information pertaining to your industry. Many wood pallet and wood packaging manufacturers can attest that the last two years have been two of the most active in our history. Our world grows smaller, and we can all attest to this fact as we produce certified heat-treated wood pallets and packaging, governed by the United Nations, for all offshore markets."
Delegates to Interpal 6 will have an opportunity to suggest changes to ISPM 15, the global rule that requires treatment of wood pallets and packaging to prevent the migration of wood-eating insects. "We must recognize that this document was written by government, not industry," noted "Gordon. "We must have the International Plant Protection Convention ISPM 15 committee consider the meaning of repair, reuse, remanufacture and recycle. To allow our worldwide pallet repair and recycling industry to service their customers, we must clarify these terms and have them added or amended in the ISPM 15 document." Delegates also will have the opportunity to offer their input on related issues, such as the minimum and maximum size for the ISPM 15 stamp, the information contained in the stamp, and more.
Starting off the educational program as the keynote speaker will be Roslyn Kunin, an economist and forecaster speaking on the topic, ‘The Advantage of a Global Marketplace and Economy.’ Currently serving as executive director of the Laurier Institution, she also writes a weekly column and is active as a consulting economist. Roslyn has worked in the private sector, taught at several Canadian universities, and been a regional government economist as well as chairman of the Vancouver Stock Exchange.
Patrick Moore will deliver an address on environmental issues influencing the wood pallet and packaging industry. Patrick is chairman and chief scientist of Greenspirit Strategies, a consultancy focusing on environmental policy, and authors a regular column called ‘The Sensible Environmentalist,’ which appears in Pallet Enterprise and TimberLine. He co-founded Greenpeace and was president of the organization’s Canadian group and director of Greenpeace International.
Seven speakers will provide a global review of the wooden pallet and packaging industry in a panel discussion format. They are Fons Ceelart, Bruce Scholnick, Stan Bowes, Gill Covey, Jae Eom, Gunilla Beyer and Gordon Hughes.
Fons is the executive director of the European Federation of Wooden Pallets and Packaging Manufacturers, and Bruce is president of the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association. Stan is president of EPAL, and Gill is president of the European Federation of Wooden Pallets and Packaging Manufacturers. Jae is associate professor at MyongJi College in Seoul, South Korea, Gunilla is a representative of the Sweden Packaging Association, and Gordon Hughes is executive general manager of the Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association.
A global report on pallet and packaging timber availability will be given by Doug Parsonson and Jordana Peruchi. Doug is a principal with JP Management Consulting and Jordana owns a pallet and sawmill business in Brazil.
Brian Beattie of CHEP will speak on how the International Plant Protection Convention requirement for treating wood pallets and packaging will influence pool pallets, and Shane Sela of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will discuss the debate over whether to require debarked wood to be used in pallets and packaging for global transit.
A second panel discussion will be on the topic of the pros and cons of pallet standardization. The discussion will feature Bruce, Jae, and John Mead, a British consultant to the pallet and logistics industries.
Victor Cheng, president and CEO of iLogic, will give a presentation on the wood pallet and packaging industry and technology.
The panel discussions will be moderated by Dr. Ed Brindley, publisher of Pallet Enterprise magazine, and he will also provide a summary of the educational program.
Sept. 1 will be devoted to the Interpal 6 trade show, featuring both North American and European suppliers; refreshments and lunch are included.
Sept. 2 will be devoted to tours of forest products industry plants in the region.
Interpal 6 also will include a full slate of social events. The opening ceremonies Aug. 30 will feature a presentation by native Canadians and a private visit and dinner at the Royal British Columbia Museum, which highlights the history of British Columbia and its people. A cocktail reception will be held Aug. 31 and another reception, hosted by associate suppliers, is scheduled Sept. 1. A farewell reception followed by a dinner-dance is planned Sept. 2.
Registration for spouses covers opening ceremonies and the visit and dinner at the Royal British Columbia Museum, a tour of Victoria, visits to the renowned Butterfly Gardens and world famous Butchart Gardens, high tea at the Fairmont Empress, the reception following the business session, the trade show and reception, and the farewell reception and dinner-dance.
For more information on Interpal, including registration and hotel reservations, contact the CWPCA-ACMPC at (705) 887-6468, e-mail cwpca@canadianpallets.com, or visit the Web site at www.canadianpallets.com.
