Dimensions.06:
Be an Early Bird and SAVE!
There
are only a few more weeks to register for Dimensions.06 and get the
Early-Bird discount. Sign up NOW for this world-class educational
event presented by ISTA and IoPP, to be held April 18-21, 2006, in
San Antonio.
Registering on-line is easy at www.dimensions-info.com,
and if you log in as an ISTA member, you’ll find that much of
the form is already filled out for you (if you need help signing in,
use the “forgot your login?” function). You can
also register by phone at 517-333-3437.
Please notice the “Activities and Information” section
of the registration form. This is where you sign up for the additional
social, networking, and educational events – CPLP Workshops,
golf, Welcome Reception, riverboat tour, “family thing”,
exhibitor reception, and the “About Dimensions, ISTA, &
IoPP” session. Some of these are free, some are extra charge,
some are free to Dimensions attendees but extra charge for guests
– all clearly described on the form. But even if an event
is free, you must still sign up to reserve your space. Please
help avoid problems with accommodating everyone by carefully filling
out this part of the form.
CPLP Workshops
These
workshops are a strong career-development extra event at Dimensions,
providing a fast-track approach to becoming an ISTA Certified Packaging
Laboratory Professional. The classes are on Monday April 17 (the day
before Dimensions officially starts) and the exams are on Tuesday
morning. Click
Here for complete information on these Workshops, as well as all
the additional events.
Dimensions Sponsorships and Exhibiting
Dimensions sponsorship opportunities are still available, Click
Here to see a current list of sponsors and to learn more. Or to
become an Exhibitor at this premier event for the transport packaging
industry, Click
Here.
Get the full Dimensions.06 story at www.dimensions-info.com.
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Dr.
James W. Goff, 1920-2006
The packaging community lost one of its pioneers and true visionaries
with the passing of Jim Goff on January 6. Dr. Goff was instrumental
in establishment of the School
of Packaging at Michigan State University in the 1950’s,
and was a leader, innovator, and packaging icon throughout his long
career.
Dr. Goff was the first instructor in MSU’s new packaging program
in the Department of Forest Products in 1952. In 1957 he developed
the MSU School of Packaging, the first university-level packaging
education program in the world. He was instrumental in fund raising
for the original Packaging building, served as Director of the School
of Packaging from 1966 to 1976, and continued as a professor there
until retiring in 1987.
Jim was chairman of ASTM
International’s Committee D10 on Packaging from 1962 until
1970, was inducted into the Packaging Education Hall of Fame in 1988
and the Military Packaging Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also an Honorary
Life Member of IoPP.
Most recently, he helped establish the "James W. Goff Pioneers
of Packaging Fund" at MSU to assist students and programs. Donations
may be made to this fund in his memory.
Jim Goff will be greatly missed and long remembered by thousands of
his students, colleagues, and friends throughout the packaging industry.
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ISTA
Test Procedure Revisions for 2006
ISTA
staff has been busy revising many of the Test Procedures for 2006.
These are not technical revisions (they don’t
affect the tests to be performed), but they will help to make the
Procedures more complete, clear, and easier to understand.
General revisions include a recommendation to measure the basis
weight of corrugated components, expanded suggestions for product
and package documentation, more detailed explanations in the Test
Report section, and numerous revisions to help with clarity and
interpretation. In addition, a number of Procedures have received
specific revisions as needed.
All of the 2- and 3-Series Procedures, and Procedure 7D, have been
given new 2006 designations; Procedure 1E has kept the 2005 designation.
The other Procedures were modified to a lesser extent, and so their
dates have been carried over from previous printings. From a testing
point of view, the best approach is to simply obtain a new copy
of any Procedure which is going to be used. The new Procedures will
be printed in the 2006 Resource Book (see following article), may
be downloaded at no charge by members from the “Member
Login” website section (accessed from the upper-right
corner of this page), or may be purchased by non-members from the
website “ISTA
E-Market” (also at the upper-right).
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Look
for the 2006 Resource Book Soon!
The
new 2006 ISTA Resource Book will be mailed early February, so ISTA
members should look for it in their mailboxes shortly after that.
This year’s edition is more useful and efficient than ever.
The 2006 Resource Book contains:
• Complete information on ISTA
>
Organizational structure and functions
>
Mission and Vision
>
Officers, Directors, and staff
>
Benefits of membership
>
Transit Tested Program
• Up-to-date ISTA Test Procedures and Projects
– in all, twenty-one separate
testing protocols for 2006.
• “Guidelines for Selecting and Using
ISTA Procedures and Projects”,
including not only specific guidance, but
also information about
packaged-product testing and evaluation
in general.
• An updated directory of ISTA Certified
Testing Laboratories,
with enhanced listings for easier reading
and use.
• Advertisements and information from leading
companies in the packaging industry.
Extra Resource books for members, or copies for non-members, may
be purchased from the
“ISTA
E-Market” at the upper-right corner of this page.
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Chad
Thompson Leaves UPS, Packaging for Family Business
Chad
Thompson of UPS Professional Services, and ISTA’s Vice President
of Testing and Certification, has left the packaging field to take
over his family’s business in Northern California. The industry
and ISTA will miss Chad greatly, but we certainly wish him all the
best in his new endeavor.
Chad had been with UPS for 16 years, starting when he was a college
student at Cal Poly. He says he was “very proud” to
work for UPS, and has “total respect” for the company
– and you could certainly tell that was true if you were around
him very much. He is extremely knowledgeable about UPS and its operations,
and was always willing to share that expertise. His contributions
to ISTA over the years, most recently in the development of Procedure
3A, have been invaluable.
His last day at UPS was December 23. He has now moved back to his
home town of Redding, CA and will be taking over his family’s
well-established business there. In his words, “This career
change will afford me the opportunity to be closer to my family
and be a much more involved part of my daughters’ lives, while
at the same time providing me with the professional challenge of
being a small business owner.”
Chad’s departure will necessitate changes to the ISTA Board
of Directors, and we’ll keep you informed.
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PreShipment
Testing Newsletter – Are You Receiving It?
We recently learned that
some people may not be receiving their copy of PreShipment Testing,
ISTA’s printed newsletter. Even though they are on our mailing
list, the publication might not be getting delivered.
The
PST newsletter is mailed quarterly to members and friends of ISTA.
But it seems some organizations simply discard bulk mail pieces.
So the PST is sent but never received – a waste of resources
on both ends. If you think you should be getting the newsletter
but are not, you have at least three options:
1. Check with your organization’s mail department,
and if the PST
is not being delivered to you,
make arrangements to have
it “unblocked”.
2. Contact ISTA
Headquarters to change delivery to your home address.
3. Check the “PST
Archive” section of the ISTA website (a “Quick Click”
on the home page) to access
an electronic copy.
If you’re not on the PST mailing list but would like to be,
contact ISTA
Headquarters.
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