ASPI and its predecessor associations date back to 1933. At that time, a few privately owned, domestic process machinery company executives met for lunch at the Paper Week event in New York City. The purpose of these informal, annual luncheons was to discuss non-competitive issues of common interest, such as manufacturing methods and export opportunities. Early member companies of the group (which at the time was called the Pulp and Paper Machinery Manufacturers Association, or PPMMA) included Beloit Corporation, Black Clawson, Bird Machinery, Bauer Brothers, Johnson Corporation and Improved Machinery Company.

Through the significant growth of the paper industry in North America during the 1950s and 1960s, PPMMA grew, but became more and more focused on machinery manufacturing. The luncheons evolved into formal meetings (held in Washington, D.C.) with planned programs. An association management company was hired to administer PPMMA.

The Association continued to grow, but remained a rather intimate organization. As paper industry globalization continued into the 1990s and foreign suppliers continued to penetrate the North American marketplace, the name of the Association was changed to the American Paper Machinery Association (APMA).

In addition to focusing on a common marketplace, APMA attempted to develop major initiatives to help member companies manage the evolving challenge of product liability. APMA also established the schedule of two member meetings each year.

In the early 2000s, APMA faced several sobering realities:

• The full globalization of paper industry suppliers
  
• The consolidation of paper industry suppliers
  
• The need for member benefits to become more relevant
  
• Overall contracting membership

During this time frame, APMA leadership developed a new strategic plan that helped it become the group it is today-including the name change to the Association of Suppliers to the Paper Industry (ASPI). This change clearly reflects ASPI's move away from a nationalistic focus and emphasis on machinery producers to a more benefits-oriented, market focused, global association.

Today, the common ground of ASPI members and prospective members is the strong desire to seek benefits that support their efforts to supply a distressed pulp and paper industry customer. This refocus has created a new, rejuvenated ASPI at a time when associations are being increasingly scrutinized and challenged.