Mission

For more than 80 years, the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA) has been the leading trade association representing North American reconditioners, manufacturers and distributors of reusable industrial packaging. RIPA represents over 90% of the industrial packaging reconditioning industry in North America, as well as many of the world’s leading manufacturers of steel, plastic and fiber drums, as well as intermediate bulk containers. The term “industrial packaging” includes steel, plastic and fiber drums, as well as intermediate bulk containers. The RIPA membership also includes many of the leading suppliers of packaging parts and accessories.

As a condition of membership, all RIPA members agree to conform to a Code of Operating Practice, which sets forth specific guiding principles for operations, packaging reuse and recycling. These guidelines are intended to improve the industry’s performance in the areas of regulatory compliance, environmental management, waste reduction and recycling.

RIPA is the industry’s information clearinghouse. The association sponsors workshops and meetings that provide information about issues of importance to the entire industrial packaging business, helping to guarantee its continued success. The group’s Annual Conference, Technical Conference and compliance workshops help ensure that members understand key issues affecting their businesses, and can learn about technical and business developments. The association publishes an industry newsletter, “Reusable Packaging Today,” and distributes Special Bulletins on issues of immediate concern to members.

RIPA is a founding member of the International Confederation of Container Reconditioners (ICCR), which represents the global reconditioning industry in regulatory and standards-setting forums throughout the world.

History

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.