MANAGEMENT Tips
By Belinda Remley
The importance of industry involvement here is nothing more empowering than being able to impact your industry, your company, and yourself. Every day, treaters, sawmills, preservative manufacturers, forest land owners and more have the opportunity to do just that as they engage in the numerous organizations that both govern and support the wood industry. “Through involvement, both the company and individual become part of the process and support mechanism for wood products,” explains Tim Carey, industrial specialist for Arxada. “My former colleague used to say ‘It’s important to give back to where you make your living.’ And our organizations collectively provide opportunities for us to individually and collectively contribute to the betterment of our industry.” These organizations are varied in what they offer the industry, but all strive to create solidarity and to affect wood use in a positive way. “Arxada is involved in about 70 different organizations,” explains Grady Brafford, industrial sales director for Arxada. Grady, a 40-year veteran of the wood
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ARXADA Wood Protection industrial specialist Tim Carey speaks during the recent AWPA annual meeting. Building-Products.com
industry is active with many of those organizations including the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA), Treated Wood Council (TWC), and Southern Pressure Treaters Association (SPTA). “Each organization plays an important role in helping further the wood industry’s agenda,” Grady says. Tim, who is involved with nearly a dozen groups, explains that these associations’ main purpose is to aid the wood industry through creating standards, lobbying, and promotion as well as advocating the benefits of wood over its competitors such as concrete and steel. “These organizations help build expectation and regulatory guidelines for the wood treating industry as well as develop or provide an educational resource for contractors and building industry members,” says Mike Wiechec, national sales manager for Arxada. “As members, we understand the value they offer the industry as a whole. Being a member of an association that supports wood means connectivity to not only our customers but also to the entire wood business. We can understand regulations and expectations for the treated wood industry and provide a voice or a seat at the table where we have the opportunity to positively impact our industry.” All of the associations serve different roles in their support of the wood industry. For example, AWPA, American National Standards Institute, Railway Tie Association, American Railway Engineering & Manufacturers Association, and International Council on Large Electric Systems are national/ international standards writing groups for wood products. “By providing standards, our products can be easily purchased for the intended application,” Tim says. “And, many of those standards are set by the wood industry for the wood industry.” AWPA is made up of more than 500 individual members who work together to provide a foundation for the quality and performance of treated wood products for residential, commercial, military, and industrial uses. According to Colin McCown, executive director for AWPA, “Being involved in the standards development process gives each member an opportunity to shape and improve upon those standards. Because AWPA’s membership includes many people from outside the treated wood industry, involvement allows participants with different perspectives to come together November 2021
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The Merchant Magazine n
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