Joe Boomgaard and John Wiegand, in a recent article published in MiBiz, discuss the growing craft beer industry and its demand for material handling products. While the craft beer industry has reached almost 20 billion, the number of manufactures that cater to the industry remains small. Reasoning for this is the learning curve for the equipment and the long outstanding relationships that brewers have already established with their out-of-state suppliers. Many brewers, however, aim to use local suppliers whenever possible.
The article goes on to state the challenges for manufacturers in catering to the brewery market, such as order volume, quality perception, and strict standards of equipment.