Dear Members:    

RPA: A Great Insurance Policy

During our recent Spring Board meeting we spent some reflective time discussing the ongoing viability of our trade association and whether or not the industry was really ready to sustain a "stand-alone" group. It was a very frank and good discussion. I am happy to report the consensus opinion was yes that the RPA was needed if for no other reason than it provides a type of insurance policy against unforeseen challenges that our member companies might face in the future that can't otherwise be found.

Board members felt that there wasn't a clear way to express the particular value equation of the RPA being an insurance policy, but they could clearly envision what would happen if we didn't have a strong industry association to turn to in the event of a wide-spread industry threat. Founding members recall that when the precursor to the RPA was a part of the MHIA there was no mechanism in that group to address a financial issue on taxes impacting the reusable industry.  Those members had to create a structure and bear the cost of coming up with a viable solution on their own. The lesson learned was having a strong industry apparatus like the RPA would enable the industry to quickly develop a response and laser-focused approach to deal with any situation that might adversely impact member companies.

Another member pointed to the Reusable Packaging Pavilion at PACK EXPO as an additional strength. He noted it probably would have been very difficult for the industry to pull together an industry-focused pavilion at a major trade event like PACK EXPO, without the strong hand of the industry association. Today, that original concept, which started out with 12 members in a 3,000 square foot space, has mushroomed into a 30-plus member, 12,000 square foot showcase of reusable products and services. The Pavilion has enabled the RPA to create an industry presence unlike any other industry at the show. The RPA Pavilion is an impressive showcase of our members and their products and services, it also meets one of our core value propositions - to promote reusables in the marketplace.

We talked about the need to do more. We can't just be an insurance policy or a trade show pavilion organizer.  We must look for new ways to deliver more programming and services, and we must look for ways to generate non-dues income from the work that we do. A good part of the meeting was spent discussing how we might accomplish that goal. We also recognized that if we are to be successful, we must figure out ways to get our end users more involved and vested in the RPA.

The first step identified is to make sure that the Pavilion at PACK EXPO Las Vegas is a major success. In that vein, we are launching a new Learning Center as part of the Pavilion. to help bring practical solutions and experiences to our attendees. The Learning Center will draw more attention to the pavilion and to all the solution providers who exhibit there. It serves to promote the reusable industry and is also one of the strongest membership recruitment tools we have to strengthen the association and add members and end users to the mix. If we have a strong PACK EXPO event, we create even more credibility and presence for our industry association.

The second step is to have a good plan going into 2014 to bring online some new ideas. We need to review our current tools to see if they are still relevant and hopefully identify new information that can be made available to end users to help them to implement a reusable packaging solution in their operations. We need to identify new trade show opportunities where the RPA can build an industry presence in a new market area. We also need to build a strong stand alone conference program designed for end users and members to come together to share ideas and look for new ways to promote the switch to reusable packaging.

And finally, we need to restructure and reenergize our committee structure. Committees and their members are the lifeblood of any member organization. Committees generate new ideas, and they help share the responsibilities for creating new programs and events that drive value for the organization. Committees enable more member company employees to get involved and become engaged in our efforts. They are also a proving ground for new industry leaders. If we don't open the opportunity for fresh blood to become involved in the RPA, the organization will truly suffer. We have two new Chairpersons who are eager to take up this challenge - Lisa Knight, Marketing Director at CAPS, and Samantha Goetz, Marketing Communications Manager at ORBIS Corporation, are two great examples of the kind of people we need to engage in the future.

All-in-all, I think we had a very successful and productive Board meeting. I feel confident that the pieces are in place for us to move forward in the years ahead and add more value and reasons for being a member of this great industry trade group. I look forward to our next Board meeting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and bringing ideas and plans together for implementation in 2014.