Chair’s Message
- Eric Bernath
Greetings RIPA Members!
First off, THANK YOU to all who were able to attend the 2025 RIPA Spring Technical Conference in Indianapolis. Leading up to it, we had a distinct feeling of excitement. Attendance was expected to be strong. The location was attractive and accessible. The program and speakers were promising. And for the first time in many years there was going to be a plant tour.
As it happened, the conference exceeded all of our expectations! Nearly 100 members were in attendance, with many first-time attendees; Indianapolis proved to be a great host city; the speakers were uniformly excellent; the hotel was wonderful and the plant tour was quite impressive.
The evening receptions were FUN - as usual – allowing for great networking opportunities and time to catch up with colleagues. And the city offered a nice array of dining options at very close proximity.
The Speakers Program was timely and engaging. Topics included tips on executive management of personnel, artificial intelligence in industry applications, and a promising outlook on the U.S. economy.
The Board of Directors meeting was very positive and covered a wide range of topics, including association finances; planning for the upcoming Next Generation meeting; discussions about hosting the 2026 International Conference on Industrial Packaging, and more. The good news is that the state of the association is strong. Our finances are in great shape and regulatory concerns regarding empty drum management activities appear to have been put on hold by EPA.
Also on the regulatory front, we were happy to have as a special guest and speaker Mr. Bill Schoonover, head of the U.S. DOT office that oversees hazmat packagings and pipelines (PHMSA). Mr. Schoonover is retiring at the end of May and RIPA took this opportunity to thank him for his years of service to hazmat transportation safety and responsiveness to specific regulatory issues of concern to the reconditioning industry. We presented Mr. Schoonover with a specially engraved steel drum (produced by Skolnik Industries – thank you very much! – and pictured here).
RIPA staff provided an overview of key regulatory and compliance issues facing the industry. Additionally, C.L. Pettit presented the results of our most recent survey data on the U.S. reconditioning industry, which included estimates of production for 2023 as well as trend-lines over several years.
The group then toured the IBC production and bottling plant of RIPA member Superior Tote Solutions. The McGuire family did an excellent job preparing the plant and hosting the facility tour. Thank you very much!
I also want to thank our Supplier and Associate Members who have contributed each year to make the event special. And, THANK YOU to the Supplier Members who stepped up and individually sponsored several of the conference events, including Berger Global, CDF, NLB, KNS Companies and Drum Parts Midwest.
Next up? We have a Summer Board Meeting in late July in Chicago, followed by our inaugural Next Generation event, which is attracting a sizable crowd of young up-and-comers. Thanks to Fibre Drum Sales, Inc. for hosting a plant tour for this esteemed class of "cadets".
Enjoy your summer! The fall Annual Conference is in October in beautiful Tucson, Arizona. It will be held in conjunction with IPANA and will feature the renowned Suppliers Exposition. I look forward to seeing you all there!
RIPA Tours Superior Tote Solutions in Indiana
U.S. DOT's Bill Schoonover (L), Shane Kelly (R) &
RIPA's Tim O'Bryan, O'Bryan Barrel Co., Inc. (C)
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RIPA "Next Generation" Program - Update
Work has begun on the agenda and the content for RIPA’s “Next Generation” inaugural session July 21 – 22 in Chicago, IL. On May 27, an esteemed workgroup of RIPA “veterans” convened virtually to identify the issues most important to new leaders in the industry and the association. The association’s mission, its history, its governance and its communications were all put on the table.
RIPA is happy to report that 15 persons, either young or just new to the industry, have signed up for the program. Thanks go to Fibre Drum Sales (FDS Packaging) for hosting a tour of their facility as the sessions conclude on July 22nd. Getting to know one another’s operations and concerns is a key to getting the most from one’s membership.
The planning group will meet again virtually on June 17th. More valuable content for the young leaders will likely be offered in the fall, perhaps in tandem with the RIPA Annual Conference October 15 – 17 in Tucson Arizona.
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International Conference ** October 2026 ** Las Vegas, Nevada
 SAVE THE DATES! October 11 -15, 2026 for the International Conference on Industrial Packaging. This event happens only once every 9 years in North America. In typical years (those without public health matters), the International Conference rotates every 3 years to Europe, Japan and North America.
In 2026, RIPA and the U.S. and North American industry will be the official hosts once again. In recent years, RIPA and its colleagues hosted the event in San Francisco, CA (2006) and Vancouver, Canada (2015). Both were amazing.
Next year, 2026, the international conference will be in “Las Vegas,..Baby.”
RIPA has already assembled a team of industry leaders, together with RIPA staff, to map-out all the events, program content and a Suppliers Exposition. Of course, input from our overseas friends and colleagues is part of the process.
You don’t want to miss this. It will include some sessions that comprise a RIPA Annual Conference for RIPA members, as is traditional and necessary.
More news is coming soon.
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RIPA Releases its Latest Biennial Survey of U.S. Reconditioning - 2023
RIPA released in April its latest Biennial Survey of the U.S. Reconditioning Industry. The survey includes estimates of reconditioning steel drums, plastic drums and composite IBCs. The survey also includes trend-lines going back over two decades.
A total of 80 U.S. reconditioning facilities reported data for the survey. In addition to production data, facilities reported data (anonymously) on reconditioning methods, regulatory compliance, trucking fleets and employee training.
Generally speaking, production rebounded somewhat in 2023 over the pandemic year of 2021. Supply chains improved and consumer confidence largely returned. Composite IBCs continued to grow in numbers, totaling an estimated 4.6 million units reprocessed in 2023.
Interestingly, the percentage of packagings used for shipping hazmats breaks down this way: 60% of steel drums, 70% of plastic drums, and 64% of composite IBCs.
See a copy of the full Biennial Report HERE.
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Special Election Underway to Fill a Vacated Board Seat
Elected to the RIPA Board of Directors in January 2025, Ms. Kathy Lodico has since set course towards a new opportunity, resigning her seat on the Board and leaving the employ of RIPA Member The Cary Company. In recent years, Kathy was an energized and very involved attendee at RIPA conferences and other events. She was very helpful with a number of RIPA projects and offerings. RIPA thanks Kathy and wishes her all the best in every new endeavor.
A special election is currently underway to fill the open seat. RIPA members have been asked to submit nominations by May 30, 2025. Once final ballots are cast, the new Board Member will be announced to all RIPA members by Special Bulletin.
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Fenix Specialty Coatings and National Coatings Inc. Join Forces
Minnetonka, MN – May 15, 2025 Fenix Specialty Coatings, a manufacturer of industrial paints and concrete coatings, is proud to announce that National Coatings Inc., a well-established supplier of high-performance coatings in the general industrial and packaging markets is officially joining the Fenix family.
This strategic alignment strengthens both Fenix’s and National’s ability to deliver robust and higher levels of customer support, backed by increased production capacity, deeper technical resources, and expanded geographic coverage. By integrating National Coatings’ proven expertise, advanced quality planning systems, and specialized capabilities, Fenix enhances its ability to serve a broader range of industrial and specialty applications with greater responsiveness, reliability and a higher level of redundancy.
“We are very excited to welcome National Coatings Inc. (National Coatings) to the Fenix family,” said Todd Schroeder, CEO of Fenix Specialty Coatings. “National Coatings has a reputation for providing superior performance, quality and service. They have been a trusted partner for a strong base of customers in the general industrial and packaging markets for the last forty-five years. The addition of National Coatings bolsters the strong reputation and presence of Fenix (Sierra Coatings and TCI Coatings) in the general industrial coatings market as well as adding new technology for packaging.
For media inquiries or more information, contact: Mr. Bob Madura, Vice President Sales – Industrial Division, Fenix Specialty Coatings
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Contact RIPA at 301-577-3786 or admin@ripaus.com
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