Economic Reports

Guidance in an Uncertain Economy: Gauging the Risks Going Forward 2023–2024, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines macroeconomic and industry-specific risks across 2023–2024 using ITR Economics forecasts, government data, and PMMI market indicators. The analysis indicates key focus areas—labor and workforce strategy, including development and retention and knowledge capture; operational resilience through automation and digital-tool adoption, such as version control and data governance; and financial and supply-chain health, including cash management and material-cost trends. Emerging patterns show disinflationary pressures, interest-rate sensitivity, and sectoral divergence from food to durable goods, and charts highlight leading-indicator signals versus historical benchmarks. Download the full report to see where manufacturers are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

How’s Business (May 2023), published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines monthly industry conditions using PMMI member survey responses alongside public economic indicators and benchmark indices from the same quarter. The analysis focuses on demand and order trends, including new orders, quotations, and shipments; operational pressures and cash flow, such as lead times, backlog, and late payments; and macroeconomic benchmarks like PMI, CPI, and PPI to provide comparative context. Emerging patterns indicate pockets of contraction amid selective expansion across equipment types, and charts highlight persistent supply‑chain frictions that tend to influence delivery and payment dynamics. The report reveals where packaging and processing leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

Packaging Machinery Quarterly Update – Q2 2023, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in June 2023, examines recent market dynamics using Interact Analysis’ Manufacturing Industry Output tracker, US Census shipment series, and member interviews across 2007–2027 historic and forecast windows. The analysis focuses on three strategic areas: supply chain and lead-time management linked to backlog evolution, workforce development including technician recruitment and retention, and automation coupled with industry consolidation as firms pursue full-line solutions. Emerging patterns indicate cyclical recovery pressures and financing risks that tend to influence capital spending; charts highlight comparative sector trends and forecast contours. 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 April 2023, examines recent survey responses and public economic indicators to assess near-term trends in the packaging and processing equipment sector. Drawing on quarterly member surveys, industry indices and benchmark comparisons against the midpoint index, the analysis indicates shifting order flows and capacity pressures, liquidity and receivables dynamics, and evolving supply‑chain resilience and fulfillment priorities. Focus areas cluster around order flow and capacity planning (new orders, lead times, backlog), cash‑flow and payments (quotations, late payments), and supply‑chain disruption and shipments; charts highlight month‑over‑month shifts and relative benchmarks. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

How’s Business: March 2023, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines month-over-month industry conditions using member survey data alongside public economic indicators such as the ISM PMI, CPI and PPI. The analysis frames three focus areas: demand and order health, including new orders, quotations and backlog; operational constraints and cash flow, such as lead times, supply-chain disruption and late payments; and macroeconomic benchmarking, showing patterns that generally indicate modest expansion in some segments while constraints persist in others. Charts highlight comparative trends versus historical midpoints and the analysis indicates where firms are prioritizing resilience investments and operational adjustments. 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 April 2023, examines industry operating conditions across February 2023 and recent months using PMMI member survey data alongside public indicators such as the ISM PMI, CPI and PPI and forward-looking outlooks. Focus areas include market activity and order flow (new orders and quotations), operational constraints and lead times, financial pressures including late payments and backlog, and supply-chain disruption and resilience. The analysis indicates activity generally hovers near expansion midpoints, emerging patterns show easing lead times but persistent segment-level disruption, and charts highlight cross‑segment divergence. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

How’s Business: January 2023, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines industry trends using member survey responses and public indicators such as the ISM Manufacturing PMI and Consumer Price Index across recent quarters and quarter-over-quarter benchmarks. The analysis focuses on market activity and demand signals (new orders and quotations/proposal activity), operational pressures (lead times, supply chain disruptions and delivery performance), and financial and workforce dynamics (cash flow and labor shortages), and generally indicates persistent disruptions that tend to compress lead times and influence quoting behavior. Charts highlight comparative indexes and emerging patterns across segments. The report reveals where manufacturing and engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

How’s Business: December 2022, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines late‑2022 manufacturing and packaging trends using PMMI member survey responses alongside ISM PMI, CPI measures, and macro outlooks to benchmark sector performance. Focus areas include supply‑chain disruptions and resiliency, demand and cash‑flow dynamics (including new orders, lead times and cash flow), and workforce and operational continuity with companion themes of digital‑tool adoption and nearshoring to support knowledge capture and version control. The analysis indicates firms tend to prioritize buffer strategies and selective technology investment, while charts highlight comparative trends across cohorts; emerging patterns show incremental recovery signals. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

Packaging Machinery Quarterly Update – Q4 2022, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines U.S. packaging machinery markets across a 2019–2027 forecast horizon using industry forecasts and market data from sources such as Omdia to benchmark sector performance. The analysis indicates macroeconomic and supply-chain pressures are shaping investment priorities; focus areas include market segmentation and demand variability, from food and beverage shifts to pharmaceuticals resilience; sustainability and materials-driven equipment choices such as plant-based packaging and recyclable substrates; and operational efficiency paired with digital-tool adoption for version control and uptime. Charts highlight quarterly variance and comparative benchmarks that generally show evolving opportunity spaces. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

How’s Business: October 2022 Monthly Report, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines industry conditions through a member survey conducted in Q3–Q4 2022 alongside public economic indicators to assess manufacturing momentum. The analysis highlights three focus areas: demand and order activity, supply-chain disruptions and lead times, and workforce access and retention, with complementary emphasis on cash flow and purchasing-manager benchmarks; examples include quotation activity, plant access for sales staff and service technicians, and PMI/CPI comparisons. Emerging patterns indicate persistent supply interruptions and mixed demand signals, and charts highlight variance across subsegments. The report reveals where manufacturing leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

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.

Packaging Machinery Quarterly Update – Q3 2022, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines US packaging machinery market dynamics and forecasts drawing on Omdia shipment and industry data across a 2019–2027 horizon. The analysis focuses on three core areas: market forecasts and variance analysis that benchmark sector performance, cost and financing pressures including interest rates and material pricing, and technology-driven responses such as automation, sustainability and operational resilience. Emerging patterns indicate short-term demand softness amid cost containment while mid- to long-term investment in automation tends to support growth; charts highlight sector comparisons including beverages, food and pharmaceuticals. 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.

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.

1st Quarter 2022 PMMI Quarterly Business Indicator, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines Q1 2022 survey results alongside national economic indices to assess near‑term trends in packaging and processing. Timely survey responses and benchmark sources such as ISM, PPI and ITR frame focus areas around supply‑chain resilience and lead‑time dynamics, investment and scheduled‑project activity across end markets, and plant access and workforce/service continuity. The analysis indicates respondents generally prioritize capacity planning, SKU and project execution, with charts highlighting cross‑industry variation and comparative benchmarks that tend to shift investment priorities. The report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

Packaging Machinery Quarterly Update – Q1 2022, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market dynamics and near-term forecasts across 2019–2026 using industry shipment data and Omdia-sourced estimates to benchmark recent performance against prior editions. The analysis indicates that supply-chain disruption, labor constraints, and rising input costs are accelerating automation adoption and SKU rationalization; focus areas include operational resilience and workforce development (from automation and robotics to remote monitoring), sustainability-driven design such as recyclable materials and energy-efficient motors, and segmentation shifts favoring chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Charts highlight revised forecasts and variance analysis, and emerging patterns tend to favor investment in factory automation. The report reveals where packaging leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

2021 Packaging Machinery Quarterly Update – Q4 2021, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines US packaging machinery market performance and forecasts across 2019–2026 using industry shipment and revenue data issued January 2022 from Omdia. The analysis frames major focus areas—market and sector forecasts including food, beverages and chemicals and pharmaceuticals; operational resilience encompassing supply-chain disruptions, raw-material and labor pressures; and technology adoption such as factory automation, robotics and cybersecurity—and indicates that 2020–2021 growth tended to outpace historical norms while 2022 generally shows moderation. Charts highlight variance analyses and benchmark comparisons across editions, and emerging patterns show how suppliers are adapting; the report reveals where engineering teams are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.

2021 Guidance in an Uncertain Economy — Consumers, CPGs, Economy, and Growth 2022–2025, published by PMMI – The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, examines market and macroeconomic trajectories from late‑2021 through 2025 using ITR Economics and public leading indicators. Analysis indicates decelerating demand growth and easing commodity pressure, while charts highlight sector-level resilience across segments including paperboard and plastics, and regional variation from North America to Europe. Key focus areas group workforce development, knowledge capture and digital-tool adoption; supply-chain resilience, commodity and paperboard price dynamics; and capital allocation, interest-rate and rates-of-change planning. Emerging patterns show firms tend to accelerate automation and prioritize predictive maintenance. The report reveals where packaging and processing leaders are prioritizing investments to strengthen operational resilience.