BEL AIR, MD – The Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA), the national trade association for those who make machinery, cutting tools and supplies for the woodworking industry, was an active participant in the recent U.S. World Standards Day.

The event, put on by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) which oversees the development of standards for products, services, personnel and processes in the United States, is an annual event. It was developed as a means of emphasizing the important role standards play in stimulating trade, overcoming artificial trade barriers and helping to make companies, industries, and economies more competitive. The celebration by ANSI of U.S. World Standards Day on Thursday, Oct. 23 in Washington, DC, included a theme of “Standards Level the Playing Field.”

Fred Stringfellow, WMMA’s executive director, attended the event, which included the presentation of research papers, information on standards worldwide, and the announcement of the winner of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award, recognizing demonstrated leadership in promoting the important role of standardization in eliminating global barriers to trade.

WMMA has long been active in the promotion of standards, most recently announcing the approval by the ANSI of a new standard developed by the Accredited Standards Committee 01 (ASCO1). The standard, entitled O1.1-3 (2014) Safety Requirements for CNC Machining Centers for the Woodworking Industry, is expected to positively impact the woodworking machinery manufacturing industry, according to those within the association. WMMA serves as the Secretariat for ASCO1. WMMA also offers a volunteer Technical Standards Committee so that its membership can remain involved in issues surrounding standards.

"The world of standards continues to be a very complicated road to navigate and we all need a good road map to help us stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to standards,” said Jim Laster, WMMA’s Technical Standards Committee Chair. “The WMMA continues to stay in the lead on development of the safety standards that apply to U.S. manufacturers of industrial woodworking machinery through our leadership as secretariat of the ANSI 01.1 Standards. We are also very involved in tracking what is happening in the international area of standards that apply to WMMA members who sell internationally.”

WMMA is located at 2105 Laurel Bush Road, Suite 201, Bel Air, MD 21015. The phone number is 443-640-1052 and the fax number is 443-640-1031. It website, which contains information on the all activities relating to standards, is www.wmma.org.

Source: WMMA