In last year’s February issue, I wrote about how I was trying to overcome the depressing sight of snow and ice on the ground by thinking ahead to April and our annual Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference in Miami. The more things change …

We all have those days when a bunch of little stuff is getting under our skin. But then we have those other days, where we don't joke or complain about having "one of those days" because something has gone seriously wrong.

The coronavirus pandemic we’re dealing with has created a situation that is beyond anyone’s control. That means we adapt, adjust and make the best of it.

Day-to-day operations are still the highest priority, even as food and beverage processors work to protect employees and contractors from coronavirus.

Beginning with our July issue, Food Engineering will be a 100% digital publication.

When I was an electrical engineer building emergency wireless communications networks, I learned about the importance of having backups—sometimes the hard way, with a 3 a.m. phone call reporting a system is down and the backup system didn’t kick in.

Having honest and direct communication about what is and isn’t working is the difference between success and failure.

We've all had our lives turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that's going to continue for at least a little while longer.

One of the most common causes of allergen recalls is the use of the wrong package or wrong label on a container. It is imperative that food processors make sure that the correct label is placed on each and every product, especially for foods with allergens.

The COVID-19 pandemic has kicked food and beverage production into overdrive. A lot of us are feeling more worn out than ever.

Food and beverage industry leaders join the Food Engineering Editorial Advisory Board to provide insights that inform coverage decisions.

Food and beverage manufacturers must keep looking for new ways to improve sustainability with water, energy and waste.

It was a challenging year for all of us, but there are still things to be proud of as 2020 comes to an end.

Food Engineering has revamped its schedule of most prominent annual features. Casey Laughman shares some of those changes as we kick off 2021.

There are many different foreign materials that could and actually have ended up in foods. The most insidious of these and the one most feared is glass.

Any fundamental shift in how you produce your product is a scary thing, and it requires buy-in and cooperation across multiple departments to ensure it’s done properly.

Recent events show just how important it is to be truly prepared.

Aquacycl used bacteria to clean up a wastewater stream and generate enough electricity to run the system and produce clean water.

It is imperative that food processors understand that innovation is an imperative, and a failure to innovate can mean that they will begin to fall behind their competitors.

Food and beverage processors look for new ways to improve operations while facing the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There’s a helicopter on Mars.

It’s still pretty amazing to be able to type those words. 

We had a minor snag with one of the feature stories for this issue.

What Keurig Dr Pepper and Cuisine Solutions—and the other submissions we received for this year's Engineering Plant of the Year and Sustainable Plant of the Year award—do have in common is the level of innovation and creative solutions present throughout the plants.

Hello! I’m Michael Costa, the new editor-in-chief at FOOD ENGINEERING.

A long list of concerns continues to keep businesses in the food processing industry on their toes. Inflation. Supply chain issues. Hiring challenges. The pandemic. However, a connective thread runs through these four: automation.

The Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) held its fall membership meeting October 28-30 at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida, drawing approximately 120 industry representatives. The gathering featured an impressive lineup of expert speakers addressing economic trends, regulatory matters, and market analysis.

AFS Group, the nation's fifth-largest independent flooring retailer based in Columbus, Ohio, has acquired Flooring Solutions, a Memphis, Tennessee-based flooring and tile retailer reporting more than $10 million in annual sales.

Vendor partners at the National Floorcovering Alliance fall meeting in Washington, D.C., offered products and solutions designed to help these top dealers sell more floors in 2025. 

This November and December, designers and flooring professionals come together for a fun, festive competition where they create themed Christmas trees based on ideas appropriate for kids in J+J Flooring’s 8th annual Helping Hands initiative. 

Mohawk Industries has announced key leadership changes as Chris Wellborn prepares to retire from his position as President and Chief Operating Officer in February 2024. Paul De Cock, currently serving as President of Flooring North America, will succeed Wellborn in the role. Ken Walma, an experienced manufacturing executive from Madison Air, will join Mohawk this month and take over De Cock's position as head of Flooring North America on February 1.

Moisture management can make or break a flooring installation. But with countless moisture meters on the market, how do you choose the right tool for your projects? Floor Trends & Installation has published a comprehensive guide that cuts through the confusion, helping flooring professionals select the ideal moisture meter for their specific needs.

MAPEI Corporation's advanced sports-flooring products transformed the center court of the 2024 Red Bull Half Court tournament into a work of art designed by Carolina De La Cruz Rodriguez.

Mohawk, in collaboration with Women in the Flooring Industry (WIFI), announces plans to celebrate the impactful women in the flooring industry at Edge Summit 2025. 

The 11th Annual Installation Awards celebrates skilled flooring installers in residential and commercial settings. This year’s winners showcased unique projects and challenges, and we welcomed several new faces to this year’s contest. 

Confidence in the market for new multifamily housing showed mixed results year-over-year in the third quarter, according to results from the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Approximately 90% of metro markets (196 out of 226, or 87%) registered home price gains in the third quarter of 2024, as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate ranged from 6.08% to 6.95%, according to the National Association of Realtors’ latest quarterly report.

Global flooring leader Tarkett secured six prestigious MarCom Awards, including three Platinum awards for their 2023 Design Days campaigns and website redesign, plus three Gold awards for their "Made Right Means Johnsonite" campaign.

Following recent management changes, Bella Flooring Group reaffirms its market presence under new leadership, with plans for significant investment and product expansion in 2025. 

The Dodge Construction Network reports that nonresidential building projects decreased 4.2% in September.

New possibilities for projects where weight is a concern.

Big D Floor Covering Supplies in Phoenix, Arizona hosted the fourth and final 2025 TISE Regional Installation Competition. Cesar Haro-Pena with Mike's Custom Flooring won the luxury vinyl plank category, and Hugo Gutierrez with Golden State Contract Flooring won the carpet category.

Flooring choice is integral in defining a space, but what about open-concept spaces? Here, Anthony Espinoza, co-owner of Music City Improvements, shares a few tips to assist designers in preserving the flow of open-concept spaces.

The Home Depot reported higher overall sales but declining comparable store performance in its third quarter, as the home improvement giant continues to navigate challenging macroeconomic conditions while benefiting from hurricane-related demand.

Emmy-winning sportscaster Bob Costas will deliver the keynote address at the CCA Global Partners Retail Group's annual ConneXtion convention in January 2025.

The technology, marketed as "P-SPC" (PET-based Solid Polymer Composite), offers manufacturers a PVC-free alternative that maintains the familiar characteristics of traditional SPC (Solid Polymer Composite) flooring products.

Sherwin-Williams High-Performance Flooring seamless flooring systems offers up durable, chemical resistant systems that cover a range of commercial applications, ranging from moderate to heavy use.

SpreadStone pre-mixed stone coating from Daich Coatings presents the appealing look of natural stone or ceramic tile and is a 100-percent real stone.

Riva Max, a new engineered hardwood collection from Riva Spain, comes in two grades, Select and Character. 

Engineered to fight moisture, Zephyr can also be used as a primer, or even an encapsulator, eliminating the need to remove existing or cutback adhesive residue.

ECB Classic and ECB 75 are self-adhering, sheet-applied elastomeric membranes designed for use under floor surfaces that require protection from structural movement.