2013 Manufacturing Trends

2013 Manufacturing Trends Copyright Food Processing. Do not reprint without permission

For the coming year, please rank, 1st place through 10th place, the importance to your plant of EACH of the following manufacturing issues:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Responses

Automation 8.6%

21

8.6% 21

6.2% 15

12.8% 31

9.5% 23

8.2% 20

9.9% 24

9.1% 22

13.2% 32

14.0% 34

243

Consolidation challenges 5.8%

14

5.8% 14

7.8% 19

7.8% 19

8.6% 21

7.4% 18

10.7% 26

10.7% 26

12.8% 31

22.6% 55

243

Energy concerns 4.1%

10

11.5% 28

14.0% 34

7.8% 19

18.9% 46

9.9% 24

11.9% 29

11.1% 27

7.0% 17

3.7% 9

243

Environmental/sustainable issues

6.2% 15

10.7% 26

10.7% 26

11.9% 29

10.7% 26

11.1% 27

13.2% 32

12.3% 30

5.8% 14

7.4% 18

243

Food safety 59.3%

144

7.8% 19

6.6% 16

4.5% 11

4.1% 10

3.3% 8

2.1% 5

2.1% 5

2.9% 7

7.4% 18

243

Labor 10.7%

26

13.6% 33

15.6% 38

10.7% 26

16.0% 39

9.1% 22

7.4% 18

4.9% 12

4.1% 10

7.8% 19

243

Sourcing and materials 9.5%

23

15.6% 38

14.4% 35

14.0% 34

13.2% 32

9.9% 24

7.0% 17

4.5% 11

6.6% 16

5.3% 13

243

Cost control 26.3%

64

23.5% 57

11.9% 29

7.8% 19

4.9% 12

6.6% 16

7.4% 18

4.9% 12

4.1% 10

2.5% 6

243

Water issues 6.6%

16

7.0% 17

5.8% 14

8.2% 20

9.1% 22

9.1% 22

9.9% 24

14.8% 36

15.6% 38

14.0% 34

243

Inspections/certifications 10.3%

25

15.2% 37

11.9% 29

11.5% 28

9.5% 23

6.6% 16

4.9% 12

11.1% 27

8.2% 20

10.7% 26

243

How is your company dealing with the economy? (You may choose more than one answer)

Value Count Percent

Staff reductions and/or salary cuts 64 26.3%

Closing plants/consolidating 31 12.8%

Outsourcing to U.S. or Canadian contract manufacturers 13 5.4%

Outsourcing to overseas manufacturers 11 4.5%

No great changes 72 29.6%

We're growing slowly 115 47.3%

We're growing fast 29 11.9%

Adding headcount and/or new lines 47 19.3%

Other (please specify) 26 10.7%

Statistics

Total Responses 243

Do you anticipate your plant's production in 2013 to:

Value Count Percent

Increase 20% or more 45 18.5%

Increase 10-19% 53 21.8%

Increase 2-9% 77 31.7%

Stay about the same 49 20.2%

Decrease 2-9% 9 3.7%

Decrease 10-19% 4 1.7%

Decrease 20% or more 6 2.5%

Statistics

Total Responses 243

For 2013, is your whole company planning to:

Value Count Percent

Consolidate production/number of manufacturing plants 29 11.9%

Expand production/number of manufacturing plants 79 32.5%

Stay the same 114 46.9%

Don't know 21 8.6%

Statistics

Total Responses 243

In 2013, does your facility plan to:

Value Count Percent

Add to the workforce 88 36.8%

Maintain staffing level 98 41.0%

Passively reduce workforce (i.e. through attrition) 23 9.6%

Actively reduce workforce 12 5.0%

Don't know 18 7.5%

Statistics

Total Responses 239

In 2012, did your facility increase, decrease, or maintain salaries?

Value Count Percent

Increase 107 45.0%

Decrease 17 7.1%

Maintain 105 44.1%

Don't know 9 3.8%

Statistics

Total Responses 238

Will your facility increase, decrease, or maintain salaries in 2013?

Value Count Percent

Increase 98 41.4%

Decrease 10 4.2%

Maintain 86 36.3%

Don't know 43 18.1%

Statistics

Total Responses 237

How do you feel going into 2013?

Value Count Percent

Optimistic 146 60.1%

Pessimistic 36 14.8%

Neutral/I'm not sure 61 25.1%

Statistics

Total Responses 243

What portion of your plant has been automated? (Please check all that apply.)

Value Count Percent

All or most of the plant 42 17.4%

Entire production line 22 9.1%

Production sections 117 48.6%

Packaging sections 84 34.9%

Warehousing 25 10.4%

Maintenance, repair & operations 12 5.0%

None 38 15.8%

Other (please specify; multiple answers OK) 12 5.0%

Statistics

Total Responses 241

Did you implement new food safety measures in 2012?

Value Count Percent

Yes 168 71.5%

No 53 22.6%

Don't know 14 6.0%

Statistics

Total Responses 235

Will you implement new food safety measures in 2013?

Value Count Percent

Yes 168 69.1%

No 34 14.0%

Don't know 41 16.9%

Statistics

Total Responses 243

What are the specific practices your facility has implemented in 2012, or will implement in 2013, for better sanitation and food safety? (Please check all that apply.)

Value Count Percent

Third-party certification 112 46.9%

Employee training 163 68.2%

HACCP plan 90 37.7%

Improved pest control program 60 25.1%

More/improved sanitary equipment 78 32.6%

Rapid microbial detection system 45 18.8%

Improved sanitary design of equipment 65 27.2%

Outside consulting services 47 19.7%

None 17 7.1%


Statistics

Total Responses 239

Speaking of third-party certifications, are you pursuing any of these programs (please check all that apply):

Value Count Percent

Safe Quality Food (SQF) 96 48.5%

British Retail Consortium (BRC) 43 21.7%

Dutch HACCP 7 3.5%

International Food Standard (IFS) 31 15.7%

Global Aquaculture Alliance BAP 3 1.5%

Global Red Meat Std. 1 0.5%

FSSC 22000 19 9.6%

Synergy 22000 2 1.0%

AIB 32 16.2%


Statistics

Total Responses 198

Compared to last year at this time, how concerned are you about E. coli, Salmonella, listeria or other pathogens?

Value Count Percent

More concerned--I think more incidents are coming 46 19.4%

Less concerned--I think we have things under control now 38 16.0%

Same level of concern--These worries never go away 153 64.6%

Statistics

Total Responses 237

Do you currently have an ingredient / food tracking or tracing program in place?

Value Count Percent

Yes 194 81.9%

No 20 8.4%

Don't know/does not apply 23 9.7%

Statistics

Total Responses 237

If you know your company's capital spending budget for 2013, compared to 2012 is it...

Value Count Percent

Up more than 10 percent 37 16.0%

Up 5 to 10 percent 30 13.0%

Up less than 5 percent 13 5.6%

About the same 63 27.3%

Down less than 5 percent 6 2.6%

Down 5 to 10 percent 7 3.0%

Down more than 10 percent 12 5.2%

Don't know 63 27.3%

Statistics

Total Responses 231

Because of the economy, did your plant defer capital projects from 2012?

Value Count Percent

Yes 83 35.5%

No 113 48.3%

Not sure 38 16.2%

Statistics

Total Responses 234

How are you approaching energy management?

Value Count Percent

Not a burning issue right now 68 28.6%

Taking steps in energy conservation 129 54.2%

Recycling energy (i.e. through redirection systems) 52 21.9%

Conducting energy audits 63 26.5%

Looking to energy management consultants 27 11.3%

Seeking alternate energy sources 24 10.1%

Looking at co-generation 13 5.5%

Negotiating with energy providers 29 12.2%

Installing solar panels 10 4.2%


Statistics

Total Responses 238

Given the state of the economy, are your company or plant's "green" initiatives for 2013...

Value Count Percent

Becoming more important than they were in 2012 70 29.8%

Becoming less important 16 6.8%

This is not important to us 24 10.2%

About the same in importance 125 53.2%

Statistics

Total Responses 235

How many employees at your facility?

Value Count Percent

10 or fewer 29 12.1%

11 to 50 40 16.7%

51 to 100 35 14.6%

101 to 500 84 35.2%

501 to 1000 29 12.1%

1001 to 2500 8 3.4%

2501 to 5000 3 1.3%

More than 5000 11 4.6%

2013 Manufacturing Trends

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