Sustainable Packaging

Is wood packaging sustainable? / April Bledsoe UFPI

September 05, 2021 Cory Connors Episode 20
Sustainable Packaging
Is wood packaging sustainable? / April Bledsoe UFPI
Show Notes Transcript

https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-bledsoe-bb3207188/
How do they use all of the parts of the tree? 
Is wood sustainable? 
Can we catch up with demand for lumber? 
https://www.ufpindustrial.com/

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Okay.

Cory Connors:

Welcome to sustainable packaging with Cory Connors I'm very excited to introduce my very famous guests. My friend, April Bledsoe, who is the industrial account manager at UFP industries. Well, how are you? I'm good. How are you? Corey? Good. Thank you so much for taking some time to be on the show. And I'm, you're my first guest that is involved in the wood side of packaging, which is a huge. Issue or a huge part of packaging right now, as we all know, there was a major wood shortage, but I'm excited to hear about all that. But most importantly, tell us about yourself. How did you get into this?

April Bledsoe:

So thanks for having me number one. And I'm excited to be your first lumber guest. I love that. Love it, love it. It's kind of funny. I got involved in the packaging industry. So before I came into the packaging industry, I was in the oil and gas industry with my family. And specifically my dad and granddad, and they, when they sold their own oil and gas company we had a pallet company that was local to us and my dad brainstorm. And he was like, well, Hey, why don't we do that? That looks interesting and different. So we, he purchased the pallet company and we worked there for many years and then UFP came in and purchased that company. So that's how I came over to UFP , but just something different. And man what a big difference from the oil and gas industry, but a lot of moving parts to the packaging industry and it's intriguing and fun and very challenging.

Cory Connors:

Very true. Yes. Especially the last year and a half. I bet. No doubt. So this is a big question. I'm asking everyone that comes on the show can, can packaging be sustainable?

April Bledsoe:

Absolutely. So especially on our side of it, I live to talk about this. When you deal with wood packaging, it is very sustainable. And I would imagine that every wood manufacturer out there that's dealing in wood packaging is the same or a lot of the same. But for us specifically, we have such a wide variety of customers. You know, you have customers on the range that want. No mold, no dust to customers that just need a pallet to get their product from point a to point B. So because of that, we can take our wood that we get in and we can utilize it for all these different applications. And once we're done with that, then you can take that lumber and then you can use it for all the other industries that you can use the lumber to make it sustainable. So you can take the bar. And use it for your landscaping industry. You can take it and use the other part that does for the mole, you know, the bedding industry. There are so many other industries out here that you can use it for the wood chips, for the paper industry, the firewood for the home industry, solidarity for animal embedding and biomass. Also the sawdust is used in a lot for co-generation plants that are producing green electricity. So. When you get lumber in from, at the large mass that we're dealing with. It is utilized and sustainable in every realm. So, yes, to answer your question

Cory Connors:

and very good point. I started my career at Weyerhaeuser and as you know, Weyerhaeuser is a, is a large forestry management company. Almost, I would say that's probably their first priority is, is lumber and, and tree tree and forestry management. But no one cares more about being sustainable with trees than the people that use those trees for their products. And I totally agree with you what a renewable wonderful resource to be used over and over again, and to be grown in perpetuity . Yes, absolutely. That's great. Well, tell us a little bit about your role at, at UFP.

April Bledsoe:

So UFP, I'm going to start by just giving a little background about UFP UFP was founded in 1955 in Michigan, and we were originally as made as the supplier for lumber for the manufactured housing industry . And we still are involved in that industry on a large scale, but throughout the years, we've kind of restructured our company to where UFP industries is our holding company. And we have all these subsidies berries that are global, that cover three different markets for us. So we have the retail market, a construction market and an industrial market. And personally for me, I am tagged on the industrial side and our team is the industrial Southwest team. And we call ourselves team Texoma. Cause we are specifically with north Texas, east, Texas, west, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas. That's where we all cover. I've been with USP for a little over three years now. And came on as an account manager. And I still have lots of accounts that I handle here recently. I'm slowly moving my role into field marketing as well. So that's been very fun and challenging and our whole team has embraced it and we're all enjoying that side of it as well

Cory Connors:

to do a lot more. Yes. I love that. Have you, have you thought about having your own podcasts about the wood industry,

April Bledsoe:

but in not specifically a podcast, but yes. Like we want to get out and do more. Yeah. Things where we're giving our industry knowledge about our products and what we are. You know, everybody always talks about the housing side of lumber and the housing grades of lumber. You don't hear much on industrial grades in your packaging side, which is a big, huge side. Of of challenges and we want to be the information givers and we are the experts in that. So yes, we plan to definitely, you will see more of us in our team on that in the next several years.

Cory Connors:

Well, that's great. You you've certainly taught us all a lot on club. Which is the social media app, what you and I met on you you'd come into the room anytime. We'd have a wood related question, you were always there to help. And we really appreciated that because that's not our forte at all. Awesome. Thank you. So We know that there was a huge wood shortage especially plywood. And like you said, for the housing industry, but I've noticed as well in, in the packaging side of things, we would consider a wood pallet part of the packaging of our product. And it's one of the items that we do provide customers. We've noticed those costs rise dramatically. And I'm assuming that's related to the increase in demand. In addition to the decrease in supply, those two things equal higher costs. If I remember my my college economics class correctly, can you tell us, are, is supply catching up or is demand waning?

April Bledsoe:

Yes and no. I think that the supply is still out there. The supply is catching up. The demand is still out there. So a little bit, you know, you kind of, you kind of see it tailoring out and leveling out a little bit. But the demand is still definitely out there. And just like in all the other industries that you see right now, it just kind of flows over from one challenge to the other. Right. You know, so, you know, you have your, your lumber supply of being a challenge. Well, then it moves over to, you're seeing more lumber come in, but now there's all these other components that go into. Those packaging items that you have to use to make on. So what are those challenges going to be? And then you've got trucking. That's a big challenge. And you've got the, just the matter of getting workforce and people competing for workforce. And that's a challenge every day. So as far as the lumber supply itself, we're seeing that get better. And fortunately, For us, all of our suppliers, all of our partners, people that have partnered with us and we've been able to keep them flowing with product through all these unprecedented times. Our lead times have been increased a little, but compared to a lot of companies in our industry, we look a lot better. So we've just been able to work with our partners really well on, Hey, this is what you're going to see. You know, this is how long it's going to take and let's keep you stopped. And what do we have to do to work with your inventory and, and, you know, same thing that you do everyday to, it's a big challenge every single day, but we do see the, the lumber supply getting a little better. Still very tight too. It's still very tight, especially on the industrial side. Yeah.

Cory Connors:

That's very interesting. You know, like you, like, I've told you before I live in Oregon in the Northwest we harvest a lot of trees and so we see trains flying by full of wood all the time. And we're sitting here wondering, what are you talking about wood shortage, you know? But when we look at the, the total global aspect of things we're in a unique area. Okay.

April Bledsoe:

Yeah. Yeah. And you know, it's you just the housing, just like you said, the supply and demand, will you look at all the housing, the housing market that's gone up and naturally there's going to need to be lumber that, that goes with that. And a lot of the packaging, when you talk about pallets and crates in the industrial side of lumber, That that, that specific lumber that is produced at a mill is a downfall material of what wouldn't make for the graded material. So it's a very small percentage as it is. So it is, it's already a shortage of material, you know, it's going to be the lowest percentage that comes out of a mill. So it's still a constant need. So it's a. Big challenge in it and it, and the demand isn't slowing down in the housing market either. It's just may look slow on paper, but it's not slow.

Cory Connors:

You're exactly right. And that's what I'm hearing from friends in the real estate industry. And you know, people looking for houses, there's no houses, there's no houses. Interesting. I hadn't thought of pallet wood or packaging, wood being kind of the lowest grade, but that makes total sense because it doesn't have to look good. It just has to perform.

April Bledsoe:

Right. Right. Right. So all your housing, all your housing lumber has to hit all these requirements. To be able to be sold at your Lowe's and home Depot grade, your one and two grade lumber where you're industrial grade lumber. Not that there are some applications for it that do have to have that great, those grades of lumber as well, but the majority of them are considered number four, industrial grade lumber, and those don't have to meet a grade. And so that's just the downfall of the what's coming out of the mills.

Cory Connors:

Yeah, it's okay. If there's a a knot or a hole in a, in a pallet board it'll still perform, right? Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. Yeah. I spent some, some time at Weyerhaeuser in the pallet yard. That's hard work. Those, those people that anybody that works with pallets all day long, my hats off to you.

April Bledsoe:

Absolutely. Absolutely. I agree.

Cory Connors:

Yeah. So it seems to me that the shortage is not. From the forest, the shortest, the shortage is in production or you know, on, on the, the, after on the side of things it's not necessarily a wood shortage. It's almost like a production shortage. Is that correct?

April Bledsoe:

It is like the mills , the mills , get all of these orders and you go back to when COVID started there, all the mills shut down because they figured everybody would quit ordering and they did all the complete opposite, you know, there's everybody going to do all that. DIY projects. And so everything picks back up and then everybody starts buying houses. And so it's the demand on them and the Samuel's can't keep up. Well, it takes the saw mills several months to get their meals back up in order to get their people back online, get everything going well, then they have a big backlog. And that backlog has just continued to increase and increase and increase. So, yeah, I I don't think it gets the shortage of actual logs. As a matter of fact, I saw an article today. I read it that came out this morning and I love one of the quotes and it is said trade growth in the region is outpacing removals by 80%.

Cory Connors:

Wow. That's impressive.

April Bledsoe:

And I thought that was intriguing. So it's not trees are growing and trees are there. We just can't get them processed and cut fast enough. You know, so tree growth, tree growth in the region is outpacing removals by 80%.

Cory Connors:

That's impressive. And that's in the you're the Southwest region. Yeah. I love that you have Texas broken up into three specific areas. It's so big that you have to split it up. I that's fascinating to me what a big state it really is. I need to come down there and check it out.

April Bledsoe:

We'd love to have you.

Cory Connors:

Yeah. Well, tell us more about what's going on with the future of UOP. You said you're going into marketing. Are there new things that you guys are going to be Developing or trying.

April Bledsoe:

Well, I mean, we're constantly, our business constantly is growing. We don't like to turn, turn away any business. So we, we are the company where if somebody comes to us and says, can you do this? Our answer is usually just going to be yes. And we'll figure it out. So somewhere, somebody in our company in our organization can do what you need to be done. We do everything from pallets. Pallets crates, skids lamination components. We do bedding. You know, we do, we have hands on a little bit of every type of business that there is. So that's the one great thing about UFP is everybody's always looking to better it and make it bigger. And for our side and our team, we just are looking to. Continually get our names out there and make us better and listen to our customers and listen to the people to, to know what do you need and what can, you know, from the packaging side, the packaging industry is so big and in such a demand that we want to be the forefront and the leaders out there. And we want people, well, the know who USP is. So that's the thing we want to do is we want people to know who we are and recognize them.

Cory Connors:

Well, I absolutely understand that our company is very similar and there's a story of our founder, Mr. Mr. Kent Landsberg. He had a customer once that can I ask him you know, what are your issues today? And he said, oh, I have to have to buy my wife a car. And I don't want to do that. And Mr. Landsberg said, well, what kind of car does she want? And he said, he went and he negotiated the deal for his customer because he w he was just that person that just went above and beyond and did whatever it took to satisfy. The need and to service the customer in the way that you would do for family. And I'll never forget that story. It was a Cadilac

April Bledsoe:

that is a great mentality right there. And that's kind of what we are, you know, like we are all about our customer. Like we never. To the last thing we ever want to do is disappoint our customer. And we always want them to go away with, Hey, those guys helped me, whatever you need. Yes. They're going to help you get in. So that's kind of our, our whole work mentality is our work is our family and our customers are family too. So we wouldn't be here without them.

Cory Connors:

That's it. And that's, it's important for all of us to remember, this is all a circular world and we got to take care of each other 100%. So April, what's the best way for us to get ahold of you in your company.

April Bledsoe:

So the best way to get ahold of me is you can email me at aprilebledsoe@ufpi.com . And my last name is spelled B L E D S E.

Cory Connors:

Any relation, any relationship to the quarterback? Well,

April Bledsoe:

I always say that I wish I wish I needed to meet him one day and tell him, do you know how many people ask me if I'm related to you, but no, no, no relation. You can also reach me on my cell phone is a great way. Text call either way. I don't care. I will answer you. And my number is area code 9 0 3. 5 2 0 1 7 8 0. And you can find me on social media on LinkedIn. Me and my team are all on, on LinkedIn on a big presence. And I'm, I'm on clubhouse also. But LinkedIn is, are, is really our number one method of getting out and reaching people through social media.

Cory Connors:

Thank you so much April and I I think maybe in six months or so, we should do this again to see where, where, how your new role is, is taking off. But, but thanks again for your time. I really appreciate it. And I want to thank Landsberg ORORA for sponsoring us. I want to thank the viewers and the listeners for listening and please take the time to give us a a review and to tell, tell your friends about sustainable packaging with Cory Connors. Thank you April.