From the editor: Celebrating 30 years of service

Oct. 11, 2016 – 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of Manufacturing AUTOMATION as the leading publication of the Canadian industrial automation market, reaching manufacturers and engineers from the shop floor to the top floor.

As the only true Canadian publication reporting on the world of industrial automation, we at Manufacturing AUTOMATION take our job very seriously. We work hard to keep you, our readers, informed in as many ways as possible, so you can get the latest manufacturing trends, news and application stories whether you are in the office or on the road. However, success at the publication isn’t just a result of our efforts, but yours as well. We are able to do our jobs thanks to the help we receive from you in the industry — whether it’s by informing us of business shakeups and technological developments, inviting us into your workplace for one-on-one visits, or continued financial support through client advertising. Starting out three decades ago as a humble magazine, Manufacturing AUTOMATION has grown to include digital products, exclusive videos, webinars and event coverage, a social media presence and much more. Our success is not only a team success, but an industry achievement — a product of the long-standing friendship Manufacturing AUTOMATION has developed with so many of you over the years.

It’s important to celebrate milestones — they serve as a reminder of the challenges and obstacles we have come across in our journey, and offer the opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made. Flipping through our archives, it’s easy to see how the magazine’s transformation mirrors the evolution of the automation industry; pages of black and white articles on newsprint slowly evolved to modern illustrations and stylish layouts on glossy paper as large, bulk machines got smaller, lighter and more agile. (Check out the infographic on page 20 to read more about the evolution of the magazine.)

What a blast from the past it was revisiting some of the industry’s major milestones. The face of manufacturing seems to evolve faster and faster, as the need for maximum efficiency has propelled the industry into a snowball of disruptive technology. I can’t help but wonder where this journey will take us, but one thing is for sure — I’m hanging on tight and I can’t wait to see where we go.

Happy 30th, Manufacturing AUTOMATION! Here’s to many more birthdays!

This profile was originally published in the September 2016 issue of Manufacturing AUTOMATION.