Labor challenges, predictive maintenance, and sustainability remain central themes
Herndon, Virginia — Automated changeovers, servo-driven systems, and versatile machinery capable of handling both legacy and emerging formats are driving packaging innovation in 2025, according to PMMI’s newly released Packaging State of the Industry infographic.
The U.S. packaging machinery market reached $11.3 billion in 2024, with growth forecast to slow to 2.2 percent in 2025. In Canada, sales reached $1.2 billion last year, with 2025 growth projected at just 0.8 percent. While the U.S. market continues to expand, Canada’s stable base reflects its more modest trajectory.
Labor and Workforce Development, Predictive and Preventive Maintenance
Hiring and retention remain major hurdles for original equipment manufacturers and end users. Although artificial intelligence, automation, and data collection offer efficiency gains, many companies are concentrating on practical applications to ease immediate pain points on the plant floor. Increased corporate investment in workforce development programs is emerging as one solution to offset persistent labor shortages.
Meanwhile, predictive maintenance continues to attract attention, but adoption has been slower than expected. Cost concerns and the disruption of established preventative routines are key barriers. Some OEMs report positive results when predictive alerts are integrated into human-machine interfaces with simple, actionable outputs. Preventative maintenance remains widely used because it better aligns with established workflows and gives end users more confidence in controlling timing and expenses.
Sustainability and Policy Pressures
Sustainability continues to be a critical priority, though many companies are recalibrating expectations to balance environmental goals with operational realities. Tariffs and evolving U.S. government policies are also contributing to market volatility, complicating planning cycles for packaging stakeholders.
“End-user customers are also increasingly challenged by high SKU counts, innovative packaging formats, and the need to minimize downtime,” said Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market development at PMMI. “Solutions for all the pressing challenges identified in the 2025 State of the Industry report can be found at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.”
PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025 Celebrates 30 Years
This year marks the 30th anniversary of PACK EXPO Las Vegas, taking place September 29 to October 1 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event is expected to attract 35,000 industry professionals across more than 40 vertical markets. Attendees will have access to over 100 free educational sessions and opportunities to engage with state-of-the-art packaging and processing technologies.
Registration is now open at packexpolasvegas.com, where visitors can secure access to the latest innovations shaping the packaging industry in 2025.
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
