Kick off 2026 with a competitive edge at PACK EXPO East. Register now!
Get a jump on your 2026 goals at PACK EXPO East. Put projects in motion, accelerate timelines and solve challenges—all in one trip to Philadelphia.

State of the packaging machinery industry

Packaging machinery sales, both from U.S. and European OEMs, show consistent growth through 2022.

U.S. Packaging Machinery Shipments by Machine Type, 2016 (Revenues $M).
U.S. Packaging Machinery Shipments by Machine Type, 2016 (Revenues $M).

Packaging machinery sales in the U.S. grew 4.8% in 2016, totaling $9.8 billion, according to a new study from PMMI Business Intelligence. Domestic OEMs accounted for $7.7 billion and grew 2.9% from 2015. Imports of packaging machinery from foreign manufacturers grew 12.7%, accounting for just a little over $2 billion in sales.

Most of these machines come from Germany, Italy, and Canada (top 3) with China in 4th place. A favorable exchange rate and aggressive marketing were cited as reasons for the healthy increase.

Sales of machinery into food plants accounted for 36.5% ($2.8 billion) of the U.S. market, and are predicted to grow with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.3% through 2022.

Beverage plants purchased $1.7 billion worth of packaging machinery, accounting for the next biggest piece of the pie—22% of all U.S. packaging machinery sales.

Pharmaceutical plants purchased $6.19 billion of packaging machinery, accounting for 8% of U.S. machinery sales. This market sector promises the most robust CAGR through 2022 with a forecast of 3.2%.

The entire study, State of the Industry—Packaging Machinery 2017, is available at www.pmmi.org/business-intelligence. The report contains extremely detailed breakout by machinery types, etc.

Conveyor setup secrets from top CPG manufacturers
7 proven steps to eliminate downtime and boost packaging line efficiency. Free expert playbook reveals maintenance, sequencing, and handling strategies.
Read More
Conveyor setup secrets from top CPG manufacturers
The AI revolution in packaging robotics is here
Robots that see variations, adjust grip pressure automatically, accept plain-English commands, and predict their own maintenance. Discover how AI is transforming packaging operations.
Read More
The AI revolution in packaging robotics is here