Government policies won’t save us; in fact many of them inhibit growth. Businesses need to step up and take the lead. In order to accomplish this, we need to rethink the way we do business. For one thing, we must be diligent in recognizing marketing opportunities and capitalizing on them. One such opportunity for woodworkers in North America is becoming green, not just in name but in substance. As with anything new, there’s a learning curve.

We need to examine every aspect of our products and our operations in terms of:

That’s a lot to consider,  and it requires a process of analyzing our operation in a manner that we may not be familiar with. So how best do we accomplish this?

 

Some aspects of becoming green require detailed training and are best learned through seminars or hands-on training sessions provided by schools or consultants. For example, getting started with waterborne finishes requires very specific know-how and techniques that are best learned in a formal setting. Other aspects require ongoing development by incorporating new ideas and techniques as they are learned over time. Trade association participation offers unique opportunities to accomplish this through several venues.

 

I had the privilege of attending the annual meeting of the Wood Products Manufacturers Association (WPMA) last month. It was the first time I attended one of their events, and I was overwhelmed by the welcoming attitude of the members. During the meeting itself, time was provided for everyone to share recent developments in their businesses. Several speakers gave presentations on specific concerns of woodworkers including one demonstration on how best to save on energy usage in the shop. We participated in tours of two different woodworking companies in the area. There’s no substitute for this type of face-to-face interaction when it comes to learning first-hand how to deal with the challenges meeting woodworkers today, including issues pertaining to adopting green practices in our daily operations.

 

Also at this meeting, I met Collin Miller, Director of Wood Products Initiatives. This program is part of Sustainable Forest Futures (SFF), which promotes a competitive and sustainable forest economy in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northern New York. Regionally focused programs such as these are key to the future of woodworking in North America. They offer realistic solutions to sustainability issues and, at the same time, address the needs of business.

 

Trade associations provide other opportunities for members as well. The value afforded is far beyond the cost of membership. One example pertaining to “green” that the WPMA offers is a discounted rate for FSC Chain-of-Custody Certification along with assistance in preparing the necessary paperwork.

 

Quite a few trade associations are available to woodworkers. Some focus on a specific segment of woodworking such as architectural woodwork (the Architectural Woodworking Institute) while others are more general in nature such as the WPMA. A list of trade associations can be found on the website http://www.woodindustryed.org/ under “Resources” on the left hand side of the home page. If you don’t currently belong to a trade association, I encourage you to look into the ones that are pertinent to your niche. If you already belong, get involved. Go to the meetings, take advantage of the opportunities, and offer your expertise and experience to help others. Although some people feel reluctant to share “trade secrets,” my experience has been that the measure you give has a lot to do with the measure you receive.

 

In order to prosper in today’s economic environment, we need to continuously improve the way we do business. Collaboration between companies helps us hone the skills necessary to achieve our goals. Trade associations are one of the best venues available for this purpose.