International Packaging & Logistics Technology Standards Committees Seek New Applicants
Would you like to know the trends, concerns, and guidance that will be cast upon your industry before your competition? Have you ever read a standard and thought to yourself, “I could write something better than this?” Do you like to collaborate with your peers to benefit your industry? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then MHI has an opportunity for you.
MHI is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a developer of American National Standards, including the MH10 Committee for Unit Loads and Transport Packages. MHI is also the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) secretariat for the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee TC 122 for Packaging. Traditionally, the same committee has tended to both the ANSI MH10and the ISO TC 122 activities. However, due to the increasingly complex and broadening range of technology applications under this umbrella, and the increased specialization of industry experts in their respective fields, MHI would like to separate these into two committees, so that the positions we establish are most representative of the concerns facing U.S. industry.
This is where you come in.
Standards committees consist of industry experts who volunteer their time and expertise to help write and revise national and internationals standards. Experts have a variety of interests or perspectives, including product manufacturers, users, government, and general interest (which could include consulting, academia, labor, or virtually anything else). A typical level of involvement may include reviewing and commenting on a few standards and participating in meetings or teleconferences at varying times throughout the year. In return, industry experts gain valuable experience in gaining a deeper understanding of the issues facing their industry, expand their professional network by collaborating with peers across the industry, and can influence policies that will affect their industry for years to come.
There is no fee for membership to these committees, and you do not have to be an MHI member to join. The only requirements for membership are having expertise in the industry and a willingness to actively participate in committee activities, including ballots.
The specialty areas soliciting assistance include the following:
- • Packaging sizing and dimensions
- • Packaging definitions and terminology
- • Package testing
- • Coding and labeling of unit-loads
- • Packaging and the environment
- • Households goods shipment
- • Plastic drums
- • Returnable transportation systems
- • Accessible design for packaging
If you have expertise or interest in any or all of the following, and would like to learn more or perhaps join a particular subcommittee or working group, please reply by responding to this short survey.
If you would like more information, you can visit mhi.org/standards or iso.org. You can also contact Pat Davison, Director of Standards, at 704-676-1190 or standards@mhi.org.
