Editor's Note: Amaze yourself

By Joyce Fassl

Do you ever consider how much you accomplish in a day, a week or a year? We do. Each year at this time, Food Engineering's editorial team begins work on a three-and-a-half month project that provides a very unique service to our industry-the Food and Beverage Plant Construction survey. In its 29th year, this research survey uncovered more than 500 plant projects of $1 million or more last year.

Do you ever consider how much you accomplish in a day, a week or a year? We do. Each year at this time, Food Engineering's editorial team begins work on a three-and-a-half month project that provides a very unique service to our industry-the Food and Beverage Plant Construction survey. In its 29th year, this research survey uncovered more than 500 plant projects of $1 million or more last year.

Over the past three decades, our editorial team has uncovered upward of 800 plant projects each year, enabling the industry to see where and when growth is happening and what it might mean to the industry's overall health. In recent years, as a result of consolidation and the push for lean manufacturing, plant projects haven't increased as steadily as they did during the building boom of the ‘90s. While greenfield projects are few and far between today, we are seeing a great resurgence in plant renovations and expansions.

A project of this size and breadth requires your help. We use many sources to compile the list of new plant projects, but your input will make the survey even more complete, provide a true service to the industry and help us uncover emerging plant and manufacturing trends.

It's simple. We need you to provide some basic information on food or beverage manufacturing plant projects of $1 million or more completed, planned or underway in North America during 2005. We require the following information:

Company name
City and state location of the plant
List of primary products made at this location
Type of project: new plant, expansion or renovation
Cost of the project (must be $1 million or more)
Number of employees at this plant
Square footage of plant project
Architects/engineering firm (if applicable)
Completion date of the project.

Please e-mail me to request an electronic version of the official Plant Construction Survey form. Forms are due back April 3 and the projects will be published in the June issue of Food Engineering. So, do it. Take five minutes, write down your 2005 plant projects, help further industry knowledge and above all-be amazed.

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Joyce Fassl has spent most of her career in magazine management. As the former editor-in-chief of Food Engineering, Fassl has directed the magazine’s editorial staff since 1986, except for a two-year stretch where she oversaw content direction for the debut of Packexpo.com. Her expertise is creating dynamic print and online content, building top-notch editorial teams and managing innovative custom publishing projects and live events. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State University. In addition to supervising all Food Engineering content, Joyce is Program Director for the Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference.