Composite Panel Association
Membership, Their Products & the Association All Benefit from New Site’s Capabilities
The Composite Panel Association (CPA), represents the North American composite panel industry on technical, regulatory, quality assurance, and product acceptance issues. CPA members include 30 of the leading manufacturers of particleboard, medium density fiberboard, and hardboard. Together, they represent more than 92% of the total manufacturing capacity in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Challenges
As a vital resource for both producers and users of industry products, CPA needed to prioritize updates to their website and content management system (CMS). Their existing solution had grown old, outdated, and provided the association with very limited database integration. The website was a custom CMS solution that was also acting as their association management system (AMS). CPA employees could do very little with the existing site without engaging a third-party developer. The association desired a scalable, internally managed, single sign-on AMS that could successfully promote their members and products.
Solutions
To enhance its overall website experience, CPA sought Americaneagle.com’s expertise. A thorough and detailed discovery phase led to the recommendation of a WordPress site that would capably integrate data from the proposed AMS, MemberClicks. The site was built to serve two primary audiences, the association members and those who seek the association’s products.
To provide a successful member-focused experience, Americaneagle.com worked collaboratively with CPA and MemberClicks to identify custom solutions to the association’s complex data relationships. The build-out required data mapping configured for parent companies and their multiple locations as well as a number of individual brand and member profiles. The new site was designed to deliver gated content across tiered access levels for each member type.
Now, members are able to regularly access the redeveloped site for detailed industry reports. WordPress functionality allows the CPA team to easily share content, both gated and public, on topics such as safety or economic shifts. The news section of site integrates and repurposes features that the team develops for the monthly email newsletter.
For site traffic outside of the member base, the primary objective was to ensure the revamped product finder successfully served customers. Many of the CPA site users are large retailers, product designers and corporate purchasers who are searching for product solutions. They are expecting to find the best composite panel products for their specific need. The site’s product finder must unfailingly point users to the right association members and their uniquely appropriate products.
To amplify the industry’s strong reputation, as well as each participating member’s business success, the CPA certifies its members in select environmental, quality and efficiency categories. These certifications are highlighted throughout the site and provide consistent affirmation of the quality represented by the association’s members and their products.
Since partnering with Americaneagle.com on the new website solution, CPA has been able to internally manage membership, content, the product finder and industry promotion with consistent success. Membership has appreciated a website that mirrors the elegance and sophistication of their products.
