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.
View PMMI’s member-exclusive State of the Industry Dashboard to interact with packaging machinery forecasts and analyze shipment values by machine type and industry.
Published by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in August 2026. Based on 2025 PMMI membership and supplier surveys, 20+ supplier interviews, and secondary analysis of government and industry datasets (US Census, FRED, BLS, Interact Analysis), with data collected and analyzed through mid‑2026.
