By Lindsey Munson, editor, Plastics Business As the plastics industry approaches the end of 2025, it stands at a crossroads – balancing innovation and technological advancements with ongoing supply chain disruptions, regulatory pressures, shifting market demands and more. In this article, three industry veterans share their insights and perspectives on what lies ahead in … [Read more...] about Plastics Manufacturing in 2026: What Industry Leaders are Expecting
Articles
Navigating the Economic Shifts
By Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence In my misspent youth, I engaged in activities that probably were ill-advised, such as white-water canoe trips when my skill level was not up to the challenge. There is nothing quite so disorienting as hurtling down a raging river with only minimal knowledge of what is ahead. This is how it feels when trying to … [Read more...] about Navigating the Economic Shifts
Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference: Authentic Influence
The Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference will bring together hundreds of plastics professionals to Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 1-3, 2025, to educate and empower them with practical strategies, real-world case studies and actionable insights. With a conference set up to explore the forefront of manufacturing technology and its impact on plastics manufacturing … [Read more...] about Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference: Authentic Influence
Top 5 Thoughts on Implementing AI in Manufacturing
By Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Business Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, again. The discipline began in the 1950s but fell out of favor in the 1970s. In the 1980s, AI became popular again, with expert systems that contained comprehensive knowledge in fields like law and medicine. Once more, however, AI fell out of favor. Now in its third incarnation, begun in the … [Read more...] about Top 5 Thoughts on Implementing AI in Manufacturing
Manufacturers See Wage Uptick Despite Lower Yearly Inflation: 2025 Wage and Salary Report
By Andrew Carlsgaard, analytics director, MAPP The 2025 MAPP Wage and Salary Report continues to reflect the impact of heightened inflation on wages and salaries across the US workforce. The survey results of 196 manufacturing organizations representing approximately 28,000 employees show an increasingly prevalent upward trend: 65 of the 73 industry job categories (89%) … [Read more...] about Manufacturers See Wage Uptick Despite Lower Yearly Inflation: 2025 Wage and Salary Report