A vast majority (95%) of end users are struggling to find skilled operators and technicians, according to the 2025 Inside the Workforce Gap report by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the producer of the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows.
According to OEMs, workforce challenges have long been a recurring theme in conversations with CPG customers. PMMI’s Business Intelligence team finds that nearly 2 out of 3 OEMs say customers “often” or “always” discuss workforce challenges.
OEMs say the leading issue end users face is high turnover or limited retention (73%). Other challenges include a lack of internal maintenance expertise (58%), customers lack the skills needed for new machines (55%), and insufficient training (31%).
When experienced staff retire or leave, they often take undocumented “tribal knowledge” with them. This loss deepens skill and training gaps and makes it harder for new operators to succeed—especially as equipment grows more complex.
72% of CPGs report experiencing high turnover, which dramatically affects daily operations.
Impact on day-to-day operations
67% more frequent downtime
56% increase in operator or equipment errors
53% daily line operation
52% machine setup/changeovers
52% troubleshooting
SOURCE: 2025 Inside the Workforce Gap
For more insights from PMMI’s Business Intelligence team, find reports, including Inside the Workforce Gap, The New Material World: Packaging’s Path Toward Sustainability, and Food Safety and Sanitation Trends at https://www.pmmi.org/business-intelligence.
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