NELMA Convention Held March 29-31 in Boston
(More news)NELMA Convention Held March 29-31 in Boston
The 74th annual convention of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA) was held March 29-31 at the Boston Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel with more than 275 members and guests representing 112 companies attending the 3-day event. Chairman Luke Brochu welcomed attendees to the Convention at the Opening Session, where highlights of recent Association activities were presented by Jeff Easterling, President of NELMA, in addition to the election of officers for 2007-2009 effective April 1, 2007. Tom Jenkins of Old Town Lumber – Old Town, Maine was elected Chairman of the Association; Jeff Desjardins of Moose River Lumber – Jackman, Maine, 1st Vice-Chairman; Peter Buckley of Mill River Lumber – North Clarendon, Vermont, 2nd Vice-Chairman; and Randy Caron of Caron Consulting – Garfield Plantation, Maine was elected Treasurer. Elected to the NELMA Board of Directors for 3-year terms was Jason Brochu of Pleasant River Lumber, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine and Terry Walters of Lavalley Lumber, Sanford, Maine.
A full set of Committee and Subcommittee meetings were held during the Convention beginning with the NELMA Marketing Committee. John Rooks of Dwell Creative, the Association’s advertising and PR agency, presented a detailed review of the Association’s marketing program since its full start-up in August of 2006 and a preview of activities scheduled for the upcoming year. Specifics regarding further expansion of outreach programs to lumber retailers and builders/contractors were developed by the group for the 2008 program. Members of the Pine Subcommittee met to talk about a couple of grading rule issues, including a discussion led by Marc Moore, NELMA’s Director of Inspection Services, concerning knot formulas and unsound wood interpretations. This group also approved three new combination patterns for Eastern White Pine (EWP 4 & 4, EWP 18 & 4, and EWP E&CB & 4) to be added to NELMA’s Standard Pattern Chart. In addition, they approved funding of a research project proposed by the University of Maine on Weevil Resistant Eastern White Pine.
NELMA’s Dimension Species Subcommittee’s meeting included a detailed discussion on the progress of obtaining ALSC approval of the Eastern Spruce-Balsam Fir species grouping and lumber testing results. Day 1 of the convention concluded in the famous Fairmont Oval Room with the “Industry Solutions Exhibits”, a two-hour session that allowed attendees to connect with the latest technology and services being offered by 18 exhibitors.
It was all about information exchange on Day 2 at the Convention, beginning with the “Industry Issues, Opportunities, and Safety Awards” morning session. Four presentations touched on a variety of timely topics for the industry, beginning with “OSHA Regulations on Forklift Operator Training”, given by Jim Linsley of Hyster New England. “Profit from Electrical Demand Response” was next on the list, presented by Tyler Gill of EnerNOC. Philip Ruck of CES Inc. next provided “Critical Updates on Stormwater and Oil Spill Regulations”. The final presentation was given by Kerry McGrath of Acadia Insurance regarding the impending first-year dividends expected in the coming weeks as a result of the “NELMA Insurance Safety Group Program”. The session ended with the presentation of the NELMA and NSLB Mill Safety Awards, given by Chairman Luke Brochu and 1st Vice Chairman, Tom Jenkins. The following 1st Place winners were recognized for Combined Sawmill and Planer Operations: Division 1- Record Lumber of Oxford, Maine; Division 2 - Hammond Lumber of Belgrade, Maine; Division 3 - Old Town Lumber of Kenduskeag, Maine; Division 4 - King Forest Industries of Wentworth, New Hampshire, and Division 5 - Robbins Lumber of Searsmont, Maine. For NSLB, the top award went to Potlatch Corporation of Bemidji, Minnesota. The final award went to Hancock Lumber of Pittsfield, Maine for Most Improved Safety Performance, 2006 over 2005.
Friday’s Industry Luncheon featured the recognition of outgoing NELMA Chairman, Luke Brochu for his years of leadership and service to the organization, followed by a much needed bit of comic respite with Paul D’Angelo as the entertainment guest. It was back to work in the afternoon session, beginning with the Grading Committee meeting, at which time the team winners of the Grader’s Competition were recognized by Committee Chairman Jim Robbins and presented with the “Bronze Hammer Trophy”. Winning the Dimension Graders competition for the second consecutive year was Fontaine Inc. of Woburn, Quebec, with Hancock Lumber’s Pittsfield, Maine facility winning the competition for Eastern White Pine sawmills. Day two’s business session concluded with a timely and well-received presentation by Eric Kingsley on “The Latest in Wood Based Bio-Fuel & Bio-Product Technology and its Potential Impact on the Forest Products Industry”.
Saturday morning’s NELMA Board of Directors Meeting offered the final meeting of the Convention, as the officers and directors reviewed and approved the work of the various Association committees along with the Association’s finances. Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, was the featured guest of the Directors, who presented the latest information regarding the Softwood Lumber Agreement ’06.
NELMA and its members would like to extend a warm and sincere thank you to the sponsors of the 2007 Annual Convention for their generous contributions. The fall Board of Directors meeting and golf event will be held September 20-21 at the York Harbor Inn and The Ledges Golf Course in York, Maine.
The year 2008 will mark a major milestone for the Association, as NELMA will meet for its 75th Anniversary Convention in New York City on April 10-12, 2008 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, a return to NELMA’s origins.
