The middle ground is shrinking as processors gravitate to one extreme or another in their approach to food and beverage manufacturing.
Polarization characterizes the production forecasts, capital spending plans and structural positioning taking place within America's food and beverage plants, based on the results of the 26th Annual Food Engineering State of Food Manufacturing Survey.
Outsourcing is a macro trend cutting across all types of manufacturing, and the 224 respondents to this year's survey confirm it's a growing fact of life. In fact, the trend is accelerating: 26% of respondents indicate outsourcing at their companies increased in the last year. Two years ago, only 13% indicated outsourcing was on the rise.