Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1325722
10 / January 2021 powderbulk.com PBE PUBLISHER'S NOTE I think we can all agree that the arrival of 2021 brings with it all kinds of strange baggage from 2020. Like many others across the globe, our staff, industry, and country have been greatly affected by COVID-19, cultural chaos, and our nation's presidential election. However, I don't want to dwell on this reality. Rather, I'd like to focus on celebrating the good that was experi- enced here at Powder and Bulk Engineering magazine and the good that was reported within our industry in 2020. When faced with this year's challenges, we didn't stand idly by or at-footed. We were able to add a digital strategist to our team who has helped us under- stand PBE's online analytics and worked with us to create several new digital products amidst the literal chaos and heartbreaking events that unfolded last year. (Our home of ce is located in a Minneapolis suburb.) In early 2020, even before COVID-19 arrived, we had coined a new mantra, "to deliver PBE's award- winning content at any time, to anyone, on any device." How necessary this would prove to be during a year plagued by a pandemic! Considering the setbacks many businesses encountered this past year, PBE is incredibly grateful for and humbled by the fact that our online and social media platforms saw signi cant engagement in 2020. Regarding the powder and bulk solids industry, our publishing business typically re ects the health of the bulk solids manufacturers and service providers. If industry business is good, marketing budgets are robust; if business is poor, marketing budgets are often cut. This past year we didn't see signi cant marketing budget cuts or cancelations, which tells us that this industry wasn't hit as hard as others. Also, if what I've heard in the past 6 months from those in the indus- try is any indication of how this year will go, I think we're okay to be cautiously optimistic for 2021. Very few industry segments are reporting poor 2020 results, and some segments, like food and pharmaceuticals, are reporting an uptick in production. In de ning the new normal, we have to ask our- selves about the trade shows we've all come to enjoy — are virtual trade shows the new norm? Will they be as effective as in-person events? There's much to learn here. At PBE, online video calls have become a wonderful platform to stay connected with each other as well as with others in the industry. As previously mentioned, our digital platforms are thriving since the shift from in-person to online interactions, and PBE's e-newsletter, website, and LinkedIn page are seeing tremendous activity. If you've yet to check us out on social media or our other digital platforms, please do so and let us know what you think. As 2021 gets underway, we'll continue to strive to deliver original digital content and reach new and younger industry folks. We'll always look for ways to improve our magazine as the industry has long embraced our content. Most importantly, we'll appreciate the good and learn from the bad that we experienced in 2020 and look on 2021 with hope and enthusiasm. I hope you'll join us. Lee Hetherington, president/publisher, lhetherington@cscpub.com The good, the bad, and a new year www.powderbulk.com PBE-News LinkedIn