After a three-year downturn in grassroot plant construction activity in the U.S., manufacturers made a comeback in 2005, as the industry's grassroot plant numbers are once again in line with those posted at the beginning of the new millennium. According to Industrial Information Resources ( www.industrialinfo.com ), in 2005, around 240 grassroot plants opened their doors in the U.S. IIR defines “grassroot” plants as those built from the ground-up, as opposed to renovation or maintenance projects.
The previous three years had shown a downturn in grassroot plant activity with an average of only 161 new plants per year. The years 2000 and 2001 had boasted an average per year of 263 plants.