Kraft, Hormel and General Mills are fueling growth at Decagon Devices, a Pullman company that broke ground Monday for an expansion.

A 27,000-square-foot addition at its present location in the Pullman Industrial Park will nearly double the space of the business, said Scott Campbell, president of Decagon Devices in Pullman.

It's hired 55 employees since 2005 when it had a staff of 45, Campbell said.

The building is expected to be completed in about a year and house operations similar to those in Decagon's original headquarters, such as research and development, marketing and production, Campbell said.

Decagon Devices makes scientific instruments that measure water activity in food and moisture in soil.

Both markets have been strong in recent years, Campbell said.

Water activity predicts how quickly food will spoil, helping manufacturers set expiration dates, Campbell said.

Demand has risen in that area as consumers spend more at the grocery store, trading down from restaurant meals in the recession, Campbell said.

At the same time, commodity prices have increased, so processors are more carefully monitoring product ingredients, Campbell said.

University researchers are the primary customers for the soil equipment scientists use in a variety of experiments, including ones involving irrigation, Campell said. "Water as a resource has become much, much more dear."

The project at Decagon Devices is another indication of the relative strength of the high-tech sector on the Palouse.

Its neighbor, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, just succeeded Clearwater Paper as the largest private-sector employer in the region.

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Williams may be contacted at

ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.