Not that you couldn't do it yourself with help from the right in-house team, but with all you have to do, why not call in an automation system integrator to help with that next project?

Where to start? With so much at stake and so many automation system integrators out there, how should you go about finding the right firm? You're in the right place.

Welcome to the Control Engineering 2001 Automation Integrator Guide, the complete guide to 1,000 system integrators, control consultants, and engineering firms in specific areas, with the right expertise, and with alliances to your preferred automation vendors. This is our eighth edition.

Start educating yourself with articles on system integrator skills, news from the Control System Integrator Association, and a variety of applications where system integrators helped make projects come together on time, on budget, and within specifications.

These include a variety of technology applications in biotechnology, mining, wireless communications, cleaning products manufacturing, and textiles.

The directory of system integrators begins on page 22, showing contact information, and, for major firms supporting this effort, types of industries served, engineering specialties, products they've worked with, geographical areas of operation, professional affiliations, and corporate affiliations shown with logos.

The integrator identification number, for use with the index on page 85, is located in the first line of the entry.

In the index, narrow your selection by any of the listed attributes by using the appropriate three-digit identification number to refer back to the corresponding listing on pages 22-83.

These help you narrow your integrator search, showing ties to more than 70 industries, a dozen regions, 95 engineering specialties, 140 brand names, and 45 types of professional affiliations.

Check out this guide online at www.controleng.com/integrators. Also included are links to Control Engineering's System Integrator Channel's resources.

Are you part of a system integration firm or have an alliance with a system integrator not in the 2001 Automation Integrator Guide?

Go to the qualifications questionnaire located at www.controleng.com/integrators to apply for the next edition.

Vendors seeking to include their integrator partnership programs can send an e-mail to controleng@msn.com. Additional information about integrators listed in the guide can be obtained from VDI Research at 765/497-3367, extension AUTO (2886).

Special thanks go to Control Engineering's Vance VanDoren, consulting editor, Antonia McBride, assistant editor, Mary Nasiri, design editor, and Laura Zurawski, web editor, for their extra efforts putting the print and online versions together.

Coverage of system integration continues through the year with "Integrator Update" pages, articles, and news.

Please send integrator success stories to Vance VanDoren at controleng@msn.com and integrator news to Antonia McBride, amcbride@cahners.com.