But I saw an opportunity to serve a new set of readers with new information in order to promote automation and manufacturing.Our team saw a changing landscape in the way that automation was being specified and purchased. Buying teams were becoming the new norm for manufacturing companies. Certainly, engineers were a core part of the team, but the rising importance of information had cast information technology professionals into a key role as part of the team. Management had also taken a seat at the table.The magazine landscape in 2002 and 2003 featured many fine magazines that each reached a part of the team, but no one was pulling them all together. What was needed was a vehicle for reaching the entire team in a way that would give them a common language and understanding of the business benefits of automation.The target audience proved to be hungry for that information, and Automation World met all the circulation hurdles of a new publication more quickly than we ever expected. Readers still demand the sort of information that we provide and continue to support us. We certainly appreciate their support of our work.We also thank all the companies that have supported us by purchasing ads and sponsoring Webcasts and events. They recognized a new type of information, going to a new segment of engineers and management. They trusted an experienced team of media professionals to deliver on our promises.Along the way, we have attempted many innovative ways of getting the right information to our readers in ways that are appealing to them. A couple of our early Web attempts didn’t catch on, but most have resonated with both readers and advertisers.Looking to the future, the Automation World team will continue to look for new ways to use the power of the Internet and the Web to share stories of people using automation to achieve business benefits. We have used traditional Web sites, custom search, blogs, podcasts, Webcasts and video. We’ll try all the available technologies to stay on top of the use of technology for media, just as our readers are trying available technologies to make manufacturing more competitive. We will also continue to provide the best print magazine in the industry.Sincerely,David A. HarveyVice President/Publisher
