The Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA) was founded in 1942 as one of the first trade associations to represent the industrial packaging business in North America. RIPA was originally known as the National Barrel and Drum Association (NABADA), and for a time was also known as the Association of Container Reconditioners (ACR). Today, the group represents all parts of the industrial packaging industry, including reconditioners, manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and packagers. No other association serves the industry as fully or represents it as broadly, which makes RIPA the logical home for companies in the industrial packaging business.

RIPA serves as a focal point for the industry’s collective action on legislative and regulatory issues, standards and legal matters at the international, national and state levels. RIPA promotes Responsible Packaging Management, which is the industry’s commitment to the public to continuously improve its health, safety and environmental performance.

RIPA has created an innovative and inclusive organizational approach through the creation of Product Groups. Each Product Group represents an industry sector (e.g., steel drums, plastic drums, intermediate bulk containers), thereby encouraging manufacturers, reconditioners and distributors to work together to identify and solve common problems.

Reconditioning is at the vanguard of the “green” industry movement. RIPA members ensure the reuse of millions of industrial packagings every year, thereby reducing air, land and water pollution by hundreds of millions of pounds as compared to newly manufactured packages. Reuse significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, reconditioners provide thousands of green jobs to men and women throughout North America.

As a co-founder and Board member of the International Confederation of Container Reconditioners (ICCR), RIPA works with partner associations in Japan, Europe, and Australasia to represent the industrial packaging industry in various international forums, including the UN Committee of Experts and the International Standards Organization. In this way, RIPA promotes and protects the industry’s interests in the global marketplace.

For a fascinating look at RIPA’s past and future, read “The Reconditioning Industry: Past, Present and Future“.