The packing machinery industry has gone through a transformation over the past few decades. Although the economic downturn affected numerous industries, including packaging machinery, demand is growing again and is expected to inch upwards 4.6 percent each year through to 2017, according to a new study by the Freedonia Group.

With municipal governments having to tighten their belts, officials are honing in on their annual operating budgets and seeking out efficiencies. Many cities across the globe are turning to technology to complete simple jobs that were usually performed by three- to four-person crews, which costs the city a lot of money and diverts resources from elsewhere. One of the latest trends that are being employed by city governments is filling machines to fix potholes.

Old Man Winter has already made his way into some states, while others are bracing for it. Aside from heading down south for the next six months, it’s pretty much difficult to escape the wrath of snowstorms and freezing temperatures. This is especially true for households that own a nice swimming pool.