A bright, dynamic presentation of manufacturing knowledge

Starting with the June 2017 issue of Plant Engineering, the magazine has been redesigned to provide readers with a new, clean, and better-organized magazine.

By Bob Vavra, CFE Media June 19, 2017

Click here to view the June 2017 Plant Engineering digital edition.

In the 70 years since Plant Engineering’s debut, one ideal has guided the efforts of editors and writers for this publication—plant personnel needed a credible source for great information on how to run their facilities better, safer and more efficiently.

All that really has changed in the last seven decades is that the means of delivering that great information has itself gotten better and more efficient. The place Plant Engineering enjoys in the manufacturing sector, and the loyalty we’ve engendered over those years continue to drive our efforts every day. I am grateful to our audience for their continued use of Plant Engineering’s content, regardless of its media source.

For example, our Web traffic at PlantEngineering.com is at an all-time high, and up 7% so far this year. Our online content is viewed in 191 countries each month. The need for great information about manufacturing knows no borders.

What also is true is that for our readers, the printed version of Plant Engineering remains a valuable tool. In an era of 24/7 news cycles and a constant barrage of information from a variety of sources and in a variety of formats, the simple printed page still carries weight and power for the plant manager. We know this to be true because we asked our readers about how they interact with print, both on its own, and in comparison to other media.

We asked our readers to tell us how they use the print magazine in 2017 and what types of articles they need to run their plants better. One piece of information we gained from that study: readers are 20% more engaged with our print magazine than with the digital product.

The June issue of Plant Engineering marks the start of a fresh chapter in our 70-year relationship with manufacturing professionals. Our June issue turns those reader comments into a new, clean and better-organized Plant Engineering. Each month, there will be three sections to our magazine, each created as a direct result of reader feedback and input:

Insights

A monthly look at the new trends, technologies and strategies that will change and improve manufacturing. Articles will focus on everything from the latest on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), as well as ways to improve safety and maintenance and provide better training.

A hallmark of this section will be conversations with industry professionals and thought leaders on the next big trends. We want our readers to be prepared for tomorrow by understanding what’s being discussed today.

Solutions

The industry’s top manufacturing experts will provide their knowledge on how to make every part of your plant run more effectively. Every plant system, from automation to electrical, from maintenance to mechanical, will be highlighted each month. Plant Engineering assembles industry best practices each month to focus on how to operate a world-class manufacturing plant today, and build a better plant for the future.

We are the leaders in delivering actionable solutions for plant-floor issues, and in informing plant managers on the best new strategies. We’re adding more data and access to more content online as part of this effort.

Innovations

Introducing new products to our readers has been a part of Plant Engineering since 1947. As we begin the 30th year of the industry-leading Product of the Year program, our ‘Innovations’ section will feature not only new products from the industry’s top suppliers, but also a focus on how to effectively use those product categories to improve plant operations.

New product introductions give plant managers a look at the tools they need to advance their operations, and no one has been more proactive about bringing those products and solutions to light than Plant Engineering.

We believe the future of publishing, and of manufacturing, is bright and dynamic. We hope to reflect that future in this month’s issue of Plant Engineering, and in the issues to come. As always, we welcome your comments and critiques, and your suggestions on ways we can continue to improve.

Bob Vavra, Content Manager, Plant Engineering, CFE Media.