In this issue, we tap the expertise of contributors in three important, and growing fields: biotechnology, medical manufacturing and agriculture/food processing. In our feature on biotech, one of the important areas we focus on is access to a qualified workforce in this high-growth field. While site location is, of course, important, so is a skilled workforce that’s capable of keeping pace with advances in the industry, ensuring continued innovation and success.
For medical manufacturing, there are many options to consider when it comes to site selection. The medtech field is expected to see continued growth and expansion—and location changes are expected to be part of the strategic choices facing decision-makers. Food manufacturing executives know that proper location of their facilities can have a dramatic impact on a number of operational and cost-related variables—which can go well beyond the initial cost for the real estate itself.
Our Sites & Programs topic this issue also deals with food and agriculture production and how processing facilities are keeping state and local economies satisfied by turning raw agricultural products into consumables, often supporting entire supply chains. We’re pleased to also present Industry Outlook stories by Pat Walsh of the Food Marketing Institute, who keys on the transportation challenges facing today’s grocery industry, and Scott Cedarquist of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, who updates us on standards in the field, among other topics.
Innovations in health, energy and agriculture are healing, fueling and feeding Americans from coast to coast. Today, the life science industry in the U.S. has reached $2 trillion in annual economic impact and accounts for 1.74 million direct jobs. The expansive growth of the life science industry over the last decade is expected to continue well into the future. more....