The State of the Industry provides are liable base of machinery shipment statistics that are incorporated into an in-depth report on the packaging machinery industry. The report contains the most up-to-date statistics, estimates, and analyses available on the U.S. packaging machinery industries. Most importantly, the project is structured to define the size of the total market by machinery category.
2026 Packaging State of the Industry Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in August 2026, examines market size, 2025 benchmarks, and 2026–2031 forecasts using supplier surveys, executive interviews, and public trade and government data. The analysis indicates cross-cutting focus areas—workforce development and retention, knowledge capture and documentation, and digital-tool adoption with version control—alongside retrofit and asset-preservation strategies and end-of-line automation such as robotic palletizers and AMRs. Emerging patterns show tariff-driven trade shifts, material-reduction and EPR pressures, and stronger parts‑and‑services demand; charts highlight sector comparisons and machine‑type benchmarks. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2026 Processing State of the Industry Report, published by PMMI and FPSA, examines recent US food and beverage processing machinery trends using primary member surveys, supplier interviews, and historical industry datasets to provide a directional forecast through 2030. The analysis indicates several focus areas—workforce development and retention paired with aftermarket and knowledge-capture strategies, sanitation and hygienic design linked to inspection and quality controls, and digital-tool adoption including AI-assisted inspection and HMI knowledge-transfer—alongside sustainability-driven efficiency in water, energy, and waste. Charts highlight comparative sector performance and emerging patterns that tend to favor turnkey, integration-focused solutions. Download the full report to see where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
View PMMI’s member-exclusive Processing State of the Industry Dashboard to interact with packaging machinery forecasts and analyze shipment values by machine type and industry.
VIEW the webinar here for quick highlights.
The State of the Industry Report, formerly the U.S. Packaging Machinery Shipments Study, published by PMMI, establishes and maintains a reliable machinery shipment statistics that are incorporated into an in-depth report on the packaging machinery industry. This in-depth report on the status of the packaging machinery industry contains the most up-to-date statistics, estimates, and analysis available on the U.S. and Canadian packaging machinery industries. This year’s edition also introduces forecasts for parts and services, along with a comprehensive view of 2024 imports and exports.
PMMI has also released a Forecast Update to the 2025 State of the Industry, offering revised shipment data and updated growth projections based on economic developments since August. We encourage you to view the State of the Industry 2025 - Forecast Update Report.
2024 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI - The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines 2023–2028 market sizing, sub‑machine taxonomy changes and forward-looking forecasts using PMMI surveys, 30+ supplier interviews and public macroeconomic data. The analysis identifies four focus areas—workforce and aftermarket services, automation and digital tools, sustainable materials and regulatory alignment, and quality and sanitation—where emerging patterns indicate suppliers and users tend to prioritize flexibility and lifecycle support. Charts highlight sector benchmarks and comparative performance across food, beverage and pharmaceuticals, and examples include end-of-line automation, predictive maintenance, and cartoning shifts. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
The State of the Industry Report, formerly the U.S. Packaging Machinery Shipments Study, establishes and maintains a reliable base of machinery shipment statistics that are incorporated into an in-depth report on the packaging machinery industry. The report contains the most up-to-date statistics, estimates, and analysis available on the U.S. packaging machinery industries. Most importantly, the project is structured to define the size of the total market by machinery category.
2023 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines US packaging shipments and a 2023–2027 forecast using supplier surveys, Interact Analysis modeling, US Census manufacturing data and Federal Reserve (FRED) macrodatasets. The analysis indicates that inflation and higher interest rates are moderating demand and backlog dynamics, and highlights three focus areas: supply‑chain resilience and component lead times (notably drives and controllers) and sourcing strategies; workforce and aftermarket readiness, including service‑technician retention and predictive‑maintenance adoption; and end‑of‑line automation and sustainability‑driven machine design, from robotic palletizers to adaptive end‑effectors. Charts highlight shifting sector priorities and emerging warehouse‑automation opportunities. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen resilience.
The State of the Industry Report, formerly the U.S. Packaging Machinery Shipments Study, establishes and maintains a reliable base of machinery shipment statistics that are incorporated into an in-depth report on the packaging machinery industry. The report contains the most up-to-date statistics, estimates, and analysis available on the U.S. packaging machinery industries. Most importantly, the project is structured to define the size of the total market by machinery category.
2022 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines 2021 base-year performance and 2021–2027 forecasts using supplier-reported data, Omdia analysis and US Census trade series to benchmark market and backlog trends. The study’s focus areas include market dynamics and segmentation (industry-sector and customer-type comparisons), technology and digital adoption (robotics, IIoT platforms, machine vision and associated cybersecurity concerns), and sustainability and materials innovation (flexible pouches to recyclable board and evolving e-commerce packaging). Analysis indicates manufacturers tend to prioritize modular automation, data integration and resilient supply‑chain practices; charts highlight sectoral shifts and comparative benchmarks. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2021 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines U.S. packaging and converting machinery performance using 2015–2020 base-year data and supplier and public sources (including Omdia and US Census Bureau) and provides forecasts to 2026. The analysis identifies three focus areas—operational resilience (order backlogs and supply‑chain dynamics), technology adoption (automation, robotics and IIoT with wireless connectivity and machine vision), and sustainability & materials innovation (flexible packaging and recyclable substrates)—and explores workforce and compliance pressures, from workforce skills and knowledge capture to labeling/serialization requirements. Charts highlight comparative trends and benchmark performance across sectors and machinery categories. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2020 State of the Industry — US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines 2019 base‑year performance and 2020–2025 forecasts using supplier questionnaires, US Census trade data and Omdia analysis. The study’s focus areas include automation and robotics adoption, including cobots and AMRs, and digital integration and cybersecurity; aftermarket and service models alongside parts and technician training; and sustainability plus material innovation, highlighting shifts from rigid to flexible formats such as PET and pouches. Comparative sector and backlog benchmarks and charts highlight emerging patterns that tend to favor flexible, traceable and service‑oriented business models. The report reveals where industry leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2019 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines U.S. production, shipments and market segmentation using 2014–2018 base‑year data, IHS Markit and U.S. Census inputs and projects trends to 2024. The analysis centers on market segmentation and benchmark growth; machinery categories and technology adoption, including labeling and coding, form‑fill‑seal and inspection systems; regulatory traceability and serialization alongside sustainability; and operational resilience through modular lines, automation and workforce capability. Emerging patterns indicate increasing demand for flexibility, thinner materials and higher automation, and charts highlight cross‑sector shifts and customer‑type mix. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2018 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market size and trajectories using a 2017 base year and supplier questionnaires and IHS Markit and US Census Bureau data to project trends through 2023. The analysis indicates focus areas: market sizing and machinery-category performance, including the rise of multi‑function form‑fill‑seal systems; sector and regulation‑driven demand such as labeling/serialization and pressures in food and pharmaceuticals; and operational priorities around automation, flexibility and sustainability, from robotics to recyclable materials. Charts highlight order backlog, import/export and customer-mix patterns, and emerging patterns show where investment priorities tend to fall. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen resilience.
2017 State of the Industry: US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market dynamics and technology adoption across the US packaging machinery sector using 2016 baseline data, supplier questionnaires and public trade statistics to benchmark performance through a 2016–2022 forecast. Focus areas include market segmentation and demand drivers such as machinery groups, customer mix and import/export/backlog trends; operational resilience and workforce imperatives including aging talent, knowledge capture and hygienic cleaning (CIP) practices; and technology and compliance, from serialization and traceability to smart‑manufacturing and interoperability standards. The analysis indicates trade‑offs between CapEx and OpEx and emerging patterns in investment priorities. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2016 State of the Industry — US Packaging Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines 2015 base-year shipments and forecasts to 2020 using supplier questionnaires, IHS economic models and US Census Bureau trade data. The analysis indicates market segmentation across 28 machinery categories with focus areas on demand drivers and sector mix such as food, beverage and pharmaceuticals, technology and automation adoption including form-fill-seal, robotics and machine vision, and operational resilience covering order backlogs, supply-chain flexibility and sustainability. Charts highlight shifting ASP and unit trends, and findings generally show labeling and flexible packaging tending to outpace some traditional categories. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
