Manufacturing execution systems are gaining momentum in the food industry, but some formidable hurdles still need to be cleared

Bill McCarthy, manager of industry solutions for supplier Rockwell Automation, believes MES is poised for a breakthrough in the food industry, a view shared by other industry watchers. "We're getting more calls from food users about MES, while ERP calls are quieting," observes Kara Romanow, senior analyst with Boston-based AMR Research, Inc. According to supplier CIMNET, Inc., Robesonia, Pa., a spurt in MES interest last year translated into a 200 percent increase in company sales.