Food Engineering's annual construction survey shows that tax cuts have encouraged construction and renovations, but the labor shortage is affecting those projects as well.

Food Engineering's 41st annual Plant Construction Survey reveals that the ratio of the number of plant renovations and expansions versus new, greenfield projects has again risen from last year, indicating several owners and operators are trying to stay put.

Renovating and expanding older facilities beats building new by a factor of 5 to 2.

We thought we hit a peak when 2014’s total reportable food and beverage plant construction projects numbered 635. But, the number of construction projects recorded in 2015 is 9.29 percent greater and is the highest number in the last 10 years.

No question about it, the numbers of reportable food and beverage projects in 2014 hit a nine-year high—a total of 635 compared to 555 in 2013, according to Food Engineering’s 38th Annual Plant Construction Survey.

As FSMA gels, processors are concerned about safe food and plants while stepping up product output with the same energy inputs.

FSMA, energy reductions and efficiency are changing the way plants operate, and some older sites may need more than a facelift.

Projects surge slightly as processors find value to be gained in upgrading existing facilities.