Facing the challenge of finding skilled labor, David Spencer, president of Willow Creek Tool asks the question of how to educate employees and give them a future in the industry. He explains that manufacturers need to successfully integrate automation and robotics to ensure a future for the employees they do bring in. 

Spencer says that the wood products industry will change over the next decade as it follows trends based on materials, integration of automation, and responsiveness to the market. He explains how the internet has and will continue to change how companies communicate with clients and he believes human-to-human interaction is becoming increasingly important to build communication skills with clients and vendors.