Industry Reports
Quantifiable outlook of specific markets or trends as it pertains to the packaging and processing industry.
Industrial Robot Opportunities in Food and Beverage Processing
Industrial Robot Opportunities in Food and Beverage Processing, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines evolving robot technologies and adoption trends across the food and beverage sector using industry market data and studies from 2015–2018. Focus areas include technology and applications—robot types, end-of-arm tooling and machine vision for quality control; operational and regulatory readiness—hygiene, wash-down design and safety for cobot collaboration; and economic and workforce implications—total cost of ownership, systems-integration constraints and reskilling strategies. The analysis indicates manufacturers tend to pilot cobots and AI-enabled vision for pick-and-place and quality tasks, while charts highlight expanding addressable use cases from secondary packaging to primary processing. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2018 Pharmaceutical Packaging & Processing Equipment
Five Factors Spur Growth in Pharmaceutical Packaging and Processing Equipment, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market and equipment drivers across industry studies and forecasts. Drawing on PMMI’s 2017 and 2018 reports and global pharmaceutical data through 2017–2021, the analysis indicates several focus areas: regulatory traceability and serialization, including supply‑chain tracking and coding requirements; market expansion in pharmerging regions and patent/R&D dynamics, such as patent expiries and new drug launches; functional, user‑centric packaging like easy‑open formats; and equipment innovation and digital‑tool adoption, including cabinet‑less machinery and decentralized controls. Emerging patterns show benchmarks and adoption tendencies, and charts highlight comparative trends. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen resilience.
Top to Top Summit 2018 Report
Top to Top Summit Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines findings from the 2018 Top to Top Summit and Vision 2025 focus groups (PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2017), synthesizing qualitative input, panel and roundtable discussions, and OpX Leadership Network work products to benchmark industry practice. Key focus areas include workforce development and retention—training, knowledge capture, and simplified HMIs; machine innovation and interoperability—automation, modular design, and remote diagnostics; and e-commerce and distribution strategies—fulfillment models and packaging adaptations. Analysis indicates common priorities and trade-offs, charts highlight comparative patterns across CPGs and OEMs, and emerging themes generally show collaboration and data-sharing as drivers. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2018 Big Data to Enhance Manufacturing Processes
How to Utilize Big Data to Enhance Manufacturing Processes, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines how manufacturers collect, process, and apply production data to improve quality, uptime, and flexibility. Drawing on a 2018 whitepaper with industry interviews and cross-sector case studies, the analysis indicates implementation choices and benchmarks that tend to influence outcomes. Key focus areas include workforce skills and change management; data strategy and infrastructure from sensors to hybrid cloud; and analytics-to-action covering user interfaces, alarm handling and asset prioritization. Applications such as predictive maintenance, machine vision sorting and recipe consistency generally show operational gains, while charts highlight trade-offs across sectors. Download the report to see where leaders prioritize investments that strengthen resilience.
This white paper starts by introducing some of the early applications of big data analytics in food and beverage processing. It then consolidates findings and best practices learned from other industry sectors, and is used to answer critical questions any potential user of big data analytics should consider prior to embarking on their own projects, including: Where is investment needed? How to deal with data? What are the challenges faced? What are the potential returns on investment (ROI)?
2018 Snack Foods Packaging and Processing Market Assessment and Trends
2018 Snack Foods – Packaging and Processing Market Assessment and Trends, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market dynamics and equipment implications across North America and select global markets using market data through 2017 and interviews with industry stakeholders. The analysis indicates two primary focus areas: operational resilience—machine flexibility and faster changeovers paired with sanitary design and enhanced detection systems—and market response—flexible-pack formats, SKU proliferation and e-commerce that favor contract manufacturers and automation. Emerging patterns show investments tend to favor adaptable pouch and case equipment, including stand‑up pouches, flow wrappers and vertical FFS, and charts highlight regional benchmarks and trade-offs. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2018 Global Trends Food and Beverage Processing
2018 Food & Beverage Processing Machinery Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines trends in the U.S. market using 2016 base-year sales and production data and forecasts through 2021, drawing on IHS Markit, U.S. government statistics and industry sources. Analysis indicates three focus areas: modernization and automation—modular designs, robotics, and IIoT-enabled controls—that tend to improve flexibility and reduce labor; food-safety and traceability—sterilized processing, CIP, and serialization—that generally drive investment in hygienic design and software integration; and workforce, outsourcing and remote service models that tend to reshape capital and aftermarket strategies. Charts highlight cross-sector comparisons and trade context. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2018 Beverage Trends in Packaging and Processing
Beverage Trends in Packaging and Processing Operations, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines evolving packaging, processing and supply-chain dynamics across North America and projects implications through 2028 based on 2018 industry interviews, supplier input and market forecasts. The analysis highlights three focus areas: packaging innovation and materials (notably aluminum, PET and glass innovations), manufacturing and supply chain resilience (labor, co-packer capacity and logistics) and automation and equipment strategies that speed changeovers and enable predictive maintenance. Emerging patterns indicate consumer-driven premiumization and convenience trends—such as slim cans and resealable closures—and charts highlight shifting material and equipment demand. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
The premium and ultra-premium segments of just about every beverage category have experienced very strong growth in recent years. Mid-tier brands, particularly in the spirits industry, have been refreshing their packaging to present a more premium image through enhanced labels, more sophisticated closures, and eye-catching, shelf ready packaging. Consumers’ increasing desire for natural and organic products has driven the increased use of glass bottles and cartons – two containers with a healthier and environmentally friendly image among most consumers. PMMI's 2018 Beverage Trends report features robust information on consumer trends, retail trends regulations and manufacturing and supply chain and should serve as your guide to today's Beverage Industry.
Global Trends Impacting The Market for Packaging Machinery 2018
2018 Global Trends Impacting the Market for Packaging Machinery, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market drivers, regional shifts, and technology implications for packaging machinery across a multi-year (2016–2021) forecast using IHS Markit data and industry interviews. The analysis groups focus areas around sustainability and material innovation (recycled content and packaging minimization), flexible-packaging adoption and machine adaptation (pouches versus rigid formats), operational economics and CapEx–OpEx tradeoffs, and workforce development, knowledge capture and documentation, and digital-tool adoption and version control such as serialization and traceability systems. Emerging patterns indicate regional variation and adoption trends; charts highlight comparative benchmarks and scenario outcomes. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2017 Vision 2025 Pack EXPO Las Vegas
Vision 2025 Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in 2017, examines trends gathered from Vision 2025 focus groups at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and related industry engagements to benchmark near‑term CPG manufacturing and supplier practices. The analysis indicates three clustered focus areas—workforce development and retention with knowledge capture and documentation; equipment and process innovation for flexible, quick changeovers; and digital adoption and data‑integrity initiatives such as Industry 4.0, remote diagnostics, and e‑commerce fulfillment—where emerging patterns show tradeoffs among speed, cost and compliance; charts highlight cross‑company comparisons and implementation pathways. The report reveals where manufacturing leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2017 Cannabis Industry White Paper
Here to Stay or Up in Smoke? A Look at the U.S. Cannabis Market, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines the evolving U.S. cannabis sector across recent five-year trends and emerging regulatory shifts using state regulatory data, market channel reports, and industry interviews. Focus areas include regulatory and financial constraints—federal–state tensions and banking reluctance; packaging and processing requirements—child‑resistant and format-specific needs as products move from flower to edibles; and operational resilience—testing, track‑and‑trace, automation, and workforce evolution. Analysis indicates regional variability and innovation opportunities, and charts highlight comparative adoption patterns across markets. The report reveals where industry leaders are prioritizing investments to balance compliance and scale operations.
Most people involved with the cannabis industry are aware of the risks, especially in terms of legal status, but believe the potential rewards out-weigh them. Overall, there is a belief that cannabis will become a main-stream, but heavily regulated, product in the U.S. in the next 10 years, like alcohol and tobacco. Large food and beverage companies are eying the market and positioning themselves to be ready to move once the federal threat is removed. In the meantime, because processing, packaging and retail must be state-specific, suppliers to the cannabis industry must have local teams that understand the regulations and peculiarities of each market. Cannabis manufacturers are actively looking for equipment and technology OEMs to aid them with implementing new processes and technologies, especially in automation. Many opportunities exist to form strong and lasting relationships with these manufacturers – especially for the OEMs that offer technical guidance and are willing to take on a bit of risk.
2017 Evolution of Automation Report
2017 The Evolution of Automation, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines automation advancements across food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal care sectors using industry interviews and multi‑year market data while benchmarking adoption and integration patterns. The analysis indicates three focus areas: workforce and knowledge capture—training, documentation, and intuitive HMIs; digital transformation—data acquisition, IIoT/edge-to-cloud analytics, cybersecurity, and evolving standards; and machine integration and design—retrofits versus new purchases, modular flexible equipment, and robotics-enabled changeover. Emerging patterns show gradual, uneven adoption across company size and legacy assets, and charts highlight gaps in data utilization. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
The PMMI 2017 Evolution of Automation Report presents the automation challenges, opportunities, advantages and solutions from interviews with end users, OEMs and technology suppliers. Their collective voice provides insight into powerful resources such as real-time data collection, edge computing and cloud analytics that are now all possible through the expansion of automation technology. Download the Executive Summary today.
2017 Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industries
The Top 5 Forces Shaping the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industries in 2017 and Beyond, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines industry shifts since 2016 using survey and interview-based data to benchmark trends across pharmaceutical, medical device, and contract manufacturers. The analysis indicates five focus areas—regulatory compliance and traceability paired with automation, production flexibility and personalization, contract services and modular capacity, and cross-industry convergence driving product innovation—that tend to shape equipment and integration decisions. Charts highlight comparative patterns and emerging operational priorities, and findings generally show manufacturers moving toward integrated digital systems and flexible machine designs. Discover where manufacturers are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
Top to Top Summit 2017 Report
PMMI Top to Top Summit Report 2017, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines production operations challenges and CPG–OEM collaboration using breakout-session findings from the April 23–25, 2017 summit, participant workshop notes and OpX Leadership Network work products. The analysis indicates evolving pressures from e-commerce and SKU proliferation, organized into focus areas such as channel-driven packaging and distribution, workforce development and knowledge capture, and innovation adoption including automation, IIoT and remote access, with benchmarks and cross-company comparisons providing context. Charts highlight recurring operational trade-offs and early adopter patterns, and the report reveals where engineering and operations teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2017 Vision 2025: ProFood Tech
Vision 2025 Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines insights from April 2017 ProFood Tech focus groups and interviews with nearly thirty CPG operations leaders to benchmark how manufacturers and OEMs are navigating changing consumer demands. The analysis indicates focus areas including planning and process such as front‑end loading, stage‑gate planning and consumer focus groups; equipment and supplier relations such as modular, flexible lines and supplier performance agreements; and organizational effectiveness and workforce development including cross‑functional platforms and skills capture, plus regulatory pressures such as FSMA and audit intensity. Charts highlight emerging patterns and comparative trends across company sizes and supply‑chain roles. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen resilience.
2017 Trends Shaping Meat - Poultry - Seafood
2017 Trends Shaping Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Market Segment Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines operational and equipment priorities across fresh, frozen, deli and ready-to-eat categories using dozens of industry interviews and public industry data through 2016. The analysis indicates four focus areas: automation and equipment modernization such as robotics and end-of-line systems; sanitation and hygienic design including IP69K washdown and improved clean-in-place practices; packaging and shelf-life technology such as MAP, vacuum and emerging HPP; and performance strategies including OEE/TCO, predictive maintenance and remote diagnostics. Charts highlight market shifts and capital-spending benchmarks that frame near-term decisions. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
The PMMI 2017 Trends Shaping Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Market Segment Report focuses on the operational changes and future equipment needs in the processing and packaging of meat, poultry, and seafood products.
Categories represented include fresh, frozen, canned, deli, ready- to-eat (RTE), individual quick frozen (IQF), and preserved.
The report analyzes intelligence from the experiences and opinions of professionals in manufacturing, operations, engineering, maintenance, processing, packaging, senior management, and procurement.
Vision 2020 Report 2016
Vision 2020 Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines industry trends collected from PACK EXPO International focus groups held November 6–9, 2016 and benchmarks them against the 2015 baseline to map short‑term shifts and emerging priorities. The analysis identifies core focus areas—workforce development and retention, knowledge capture and training; digital adoption and data integrity (from IIoT and serialization to analytics); and collaboration with OEMs for flexible, rapid‑changeover equipment and distribution resilience—which charts highlight across CPG, contract and pharmaceutical segments. Emerging patterns indicate tradeoffs between internal capacity and external partnerships and generally show greater investment interest in automation and sustainability. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2017 Trends in Food Processing Operations
2017 Trends in Food Processing Operations, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines evolving operational priorities across food processing by synthesizing interviews and public data sources from the 2012–2016 period and industry benchmarks. The analysis indicates converging focus areas — workforce development and retention, knowledge capture and documentation, and digital-tool adoption and IIoT-enabled process control — alongside equipment modernization and sanitary design. Emerging patterns show companies tending toward integrated procurement, modular equipment, and greater automation to improve uptime and changeover flexibility; charts highlight comparative segment dynamics and regulatory readiness. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
The next fifteen years might bring significant changes to food manufacturing and sourcing, such as shorter supply chains because of transportation expense, growth of local production, stronger competition for land use as food, fuel and fiber battle for space and benefits of microtechnology and nanotechnology for more sustainable production of food and improved taste. Many of these changes can be attributed to a changing consumer landscape, for example a growing middle class – expected to double by 2030, with Asia as a significant consumer of value-added nutritional food, changing consumer habits, such as on-the-go eating and clean labels, with 37% of U.S. consumers finding it important to understand ingredients on food labels.
Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices: Trends and Opportunities
2016 Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices: Trends and Opportunities in Packaging Operations, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market dynamics and operational priorities across pharmaceutical, medical device and contract service sectors using interviews and public industry data through late 2016. The analysis indicates regulatory compliance and traceability, equipment modernization and automation, contract services and reshoring, and packaging innovation tied to patient compliance are primary focus areas; workforce development and retention pair with knowledge capture and digital-tool adoption as cross-cutting concerns. Emerging patterns show firms favor modular, IIoT-ready equipment and layered anti-counterfeit approaches, and charts highlight shifts in sourcing and capital priorities. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
Faced with the regulatory challenges of Serialization and Unique Device Identification (UDI) and pressure to produce at low cost, healthcare manufacturers are looking at new equipment to replace outdated production lines. Nearly half of healthcare manufacturers interviewed continue to replace legacy equipment and buy new equipment while two-thirds of participating companies predict spending more on capital equipment in the next 12–24 months. In this latest Business Intelligence report, sixty industry professionals from pharmaceutical, medical devices and contract service companies share their experiences in complying with tracking regulations, operational challenges and their future equipment needs.
Brand Protection and Product Traceability 2016
Brand Protection and Product Traceability Market Research Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in August 2016, examines evolving track-and-trace strategies across food, beverage and pharmaceutical supply chains based on industry interviews and secondary research with a five-year outlook. Focus areas include marking and coding technologies such as barcodes, inkjet and laser plus RFID and smart labels; supply-chain integrity from incoming ingredients to pallet transport and distribution centers; and data standards like serialization and GS1-aligned, centralized repositories. The analysis indicates manufacturers tend to layer overt and covert measures and charts highlight growing adoption of vision systems and cloud-enabled integration. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.
2016 Food Safety and Modernization Act Update Report
2016 Food Safety Modernization Act Update Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in August 2016, examines industry readiness and the evolving impact of FSMA based on interviews with 47 food‑industry professionals. The analysis indicates implementation is varied and likely to evolve, with focus areas on regulatory readiness and documentation; equipment sanitation and maintainability including easy‑disassemble designs and sanitary surfaces; data, diagnostics and reporting such as real‑time sensors and machine‑downtime archives; and advisory needs spanning training, supplier verification and OEM consulting. Charts highlight comparative context against standards and compliance timelines, while emerging patterns show where risk reduction and service opportunities converge. The report reveals where food companies and OEMs are prioritizing investments to strengthen resilience.
