PMMI’s quarterly How's Business report, gives members benchmarking data on new orders, quotations, and general business conditions. The report contains several indexes that give the current state of manufacturing, including the ISM Report on Business, the Consumer Price Index, and the Producer Price Index. Together, these give members our most up-to-date information on how the industry is doing right now.
November 2022 How’s Business, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines industry conditions using November 2022 survey responses from OEM members alongside macroeconomic indicators such as PMI, CPI, and recent GDP trends to provide quarter-over-quarter benchmarking. Focus areas include market demand and order activity (quotations and new orders), supply-chain resilience and lead-time management (component sourcing and delivery), and financial and operational health (cash flow, proposal activity and workforce retention). The analysis indicates persistent supply constraints and evolving demand patterns, and charts highlight comparative trends across these areas; emerging patterns show where companies tend to concentrate short-term mitigation versus longer-term investment. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
September 2022 How’s Business, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines industry activity from Q1 2022 through September 2022 using PMMI’s How’s Business survey alongside public economic indicators such as the ISM Purchasing Managers’ Index and CPI. The analysis indicates evolving pressure on lead times and cash flow, with focus areas around supply chain resilience and alternative sourcing, workforce access and retention for sales and service personnel, and digital and operational practices including maintenance documentation and remote-support tools. Charts highlight comparative trends and benchmarks across quarters and peer groups, and emerging patterns show where teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
1st Quarter 2022 PMMI Quarterly Business Indicator, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in July 2022, examines survey responses and industry indices, including PMI readings, to assess short-term shifts in packaging and processing manufacturing activity. The analysis focuses on three primary areas: demand and order flow (from new orders to quotation activity), operational pressures (lead times, cash-flow indicators, and supply-chain disruptions), and workforce and plant-access dynamics (service technicians versus sales staff), indicating patterns that tend to show easing access but persistent supply constraints. Charts highlight quarter-to-quarter comparisons and benchmark context; analysis generally shows where leaders are reallocating resources. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
How’s Business, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in August 2022, examines industry conditions from Q4 2021 through August 2022 using PMMI’s member How’s Business survey alongside macroeconomic indicators such as ISM PMI and CPI data, and indicates evolving market dynamics and operational pressures. Focus areas include market activity and backlog, including quotations and new orders; operational resilience, such as lead-time expansion, supply-chain disruptions and cash-flow pressures; and access, service delivery and workforce challenges affecting plant access and technician availability. Emerging patterns generally show firms adjusting sourcing and service models, and charts highlight comparative trends against industry benchmarks. Download the report to see where packaging and processing leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
How's Business: 4th Quarter 2017, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines manufacturing and macroeconomic indicators across Q3-Q4 2017 using PMMI surveys alongside ISM/PMI, BLS and federal data to benchmark activity. Focus areas include business conditions and order flows, workforce dynamics and recruiting challenges, pricing and inflation signals, and investment/productivity trends tied to capital goods and shipments. The analysis indicates modest softening in new orders and shipments while employment and capacity measures generally show resilience; charts highlight regional and sectoral contrasts as well as trade and sentiment context. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
PMMI How’s Business Quarterly, 3rd Quarter 2017, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines manufacturing and macroeconomic trends affecting production, demand and business confidence in the third quarter of 2017. Using government and industry sources such as ISM, BLS, the Conference Board and sector surveys, the analysis indicates evolving demand and production dynamics, labor and recruiting pressures, and pricing and trade headwinds. Focus areas include demand and shipments versus backlog and durable-goods orders; workforce strategy spanning hiring, wages and recruiting difficulty; and pricing signals and global trade shifts, with charts highlighting benchmarked quarter-to-quarter comparisons. The report reveals where manufacturing leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
PMMI How’s Business Quarterly, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines manufacturing and macroeconomic signals for the second quarter of 2017 using industry surveys, government releases and PMMI member feedback. The analysis indicates shifting demand and production dynamics, cost and inflation pressures, and workforce and productivity challenges; key focus areas include demand versus capacity (new orders, shipments, backlog), input-cost trends and pricing, and talent attraction and retention. Emerging patterns show regional and cross-sector variation when benchmarked against prior quarters and comparable indices, and charts highlight mixed signals across indicators such as ISM and employment data. Download the full report to see where leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
PMMI How's Business Quarterly 1st Quarter 2017, published by PMMI - The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines macroeconomic and manufacturing trends across late 2016 into early 2017 using public economic releases and industry surveys such as the ISM, BLS, Conference Board, NAM, and SHRM. The analysis indicates shifting demand and price pressures, trade and regulatory risk, and evolving capital-spending patterns; focus areas include macro indicators and price dynamics, manufacturing output and investment, labor and productivity pressures, and trade and confidence, illustrated through charts that highlight order, inventory, and hiring patterns. The report reveals where manufacturers are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
PMMI How’s Business Quarterly, 4th Quarter 2016, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines near-term manufacturing and packaging sector dynamics using surveys of senior executives alongside public economic series from ISM, BLS, the Conference Board and industry groups. The analysis indicates mixed business conditions relative to recent quarters and benchmarks, with focus areas on commercial activity and order flow, including new orders, shipments and quotations, workforce and recruiting pressures such as hiring, compensation and vacancy trends, and productivity, costs and trade exposure. Emerging patterns show cautious capital spending and geographic variation, and charts highlight comparative trends across quarters and regions. The report reveals where manufacturers are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
PMMI How’s Business Quarterly — 3rd Quarter 2016, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines macro and sector performance in Q2 and Q3 2016 using industry surveys, ISM and BLS releases and leading‑indicator series to benchmark activity across manufacturers. The analysis indicates mixed but cautiously improving business conditions, with focus areas on demand and supply trends such as new orders, shipments and inventory management; labor and skills dynamics including hiring, recruitment difficulty and compensation; and cost and trade pressures tied to input prices and a stronger dollar. Charts highlight comparative trajectories and benchmark shifts, and the report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
