CPA held its annual Spring Meeting last week in Dana Point, CA, with more than 120 member companies in attendance. Presentations are available online, and minutes from the Committee and Board of Directors meetings will be available late next week. A few significant highlights from the meeting are included below.
Safety Award Recipients Recognized at Annual Spring Meeting
CPA presented the annual awards for Safety and Industry Innovation to member companies during the Chairman’s Dinner.
Annual Safety Awards
Safety Awards were given to participating manufacturing plants with exemplary safety records, including acknowledgments for long-term, annual, safety improvement, and safety achievement. For each award, plants were categorized by low worker hours (Class I) and high worker hours (Class II).
Arauco North America, Sault Ste. Marie, ON (Class I), and Arauco North America, Malver, AR (Class II), were awarded for the best long-term safety record over the past three years.
The annual safety awards for having the lowest incident rate in their class for 2024 were awarded to Plummer Forest Products, Post Falls, ID, Arauco North America, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, St. Stephen, NB, and, Albany, OR, for Class I plants, and Arauco North America, Malvern, AR, for Class II plants.
The two plants recognized for safety improvement were Collins Products Hardboard, Klamath Falls, OR (Class I), and Arauco North America, Malvern, AR (Class II).
Four plants were recognized for achieving an incident rate of less than 50% of the industry average over the past three years. Class I plants were Roseburg, El Dorado, AR, and Arauco North America St. Stephen, NB. The Class II plants were Arauco North America, Malvern, AR, and Grayling, MI.
CPA extends its heartfelt congratulations to the exceptional companies and personnel whose unwavering commitment to safety has earned them these prestigious awards. We recognize and appreciate your efforts. Long-term, annual safety improvement, and safety achievement plaques and banners will be sent directly to these mills later this month.
Safety Innovation Award
CPA congratulates the staff at Arauco’s St. Stephen, NB mill for successfully implementing heated walkways. The Innovation Award is given to a mill that introduces a new policy, process, or technology aimed at enhancing workplace safety. The St. Stephen mill achieved this by reducing slips and falls in its northern climate through measures that extend beyond standard practices such as plowing, salting, and sanding.
See Safety Awards. More Info: Connie Klinkam
Landry Award Recipient George Woodson Honored
CPA named George Woodson as the 2024 Brock R. Landry Industry Leadership Award recipient. Mr. Woodson was selected by composite panel industry leaders, and the award was presented during the Chairman’s Dinner at the meeting.
Brock Landry presented the award highlighting Mr. Woodson’s many notable contributions and accomplishments spanning his lengthy career in the wood products industry. Before retiring in 2008, he was the Technical Manager for Willamette Industries’ particleboard, MDF, plywood, OSB, and engineered wood facilities, and held similar positions with Weyerhaeuser and Flakeboard composite wood products divisions. Mr. Woodson was an instrumental industry presence and considered an expert in wood dust and formaldehyde compliance issues. He served as CPA Technical Committee Chairman and led several association task groups and coalitions, including the California Wood Industry Coalition, Federal Wood Industry Coalition, and the Research Advisory Committee for CPA’s Research Foundation. After retirement, George has remained active in the industry as a consultant on various wood product projects.
The Landry Award is given annually by CPA members to an industry leader in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the composite panel industry. The award was created to honor CPA counsel Brock R. Landry upon retirement after more than 50 years of significant contributions to the North American composite panel industry. More Info: Jeannie Ervin
CPA Recognizes Spring Meeting Sponsors and Exhibitors
CPA is grateful for the generous support from the following 2025 Spring Meeting sponsors, as well as for the 22 exhibiting member companies. A complete list of exhibitors is available online. We appreciate their ongoing support of the association and the industry.
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Golf Sponsor
See Annual Meetings. More Info: Anna Linehan