By Andrew Carlsgaard, analytics director, MAPP The fourth quarter of any year is a critical time for businesses. It’s a time when companies can either build on their successes, giving themselves momentum going into the new year or fall behind their competitors. MAPP’s 24th annual State of the Plastics Industry Report aims to explore the status of fourth-quarter momentum in … [Read more...] about State of the Plastics Industry 2024: Processors Again Report Slower Than Desired Q4, Cautious on Expectations for 2024
Benchmarking
Organized Labor Activities Cause Concern for Plastics Processors
By Andrew Carlsgaard, business relations manager/analytics director, MAPP According to feedback from 101 processing executives in MAPP’s 2023 Third Quarter Pulse Report, the near-term outlook for the US plastics industry going into the fourth quarter of 2023 is lukewarm; however, it is slightly higher than it was going into the third. The Pulse Report, conducted … [Read more...] about Organized Labor Activities Cause Concern for Plastics Processors
Changing Industry Dynamics Crunching Plastics Processors for Higher Wages
By Andrew Carlsgaard, business relations manager/analytics director, MAPP The changing dynamics between employers and the US workforce over the last few years have affected wages and salaries for nearly every job in the manufacturing industry. While wages and salaries in the US plastics manufacturing industry can vary depending on several factors, including job role, skill … [Read more...] about Changing Industry Dynamics Crunching Plastics Processors for Higher Wages
A Collision of the Global Supply Chain: Politics, Inflation and Alternative Sources
By Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence Not that manufacturing has avoided talking about international issues in the past, but there have been new developments that have been pushing these issues to the forefront – especially for the plastics industry. There is an old adage that asserts, “When elephants fight it is the mice that suffer.” The US and … [Read more...] about A Collision of the Global Supply Chain: Politics, Inflation and Alternative Sources
Plastics Executives Report Encouraging Outlook for Automation
By Andrew Carlsgaard, business relations manager/analytics director, MAPP Based on feedback from 86 processing executives, MAPP’s 2023 Automation Report outlook for automation in the US plastics industry generally is positive, with increasing interest in adopting automation technologies to improve productivity, efficiency and competitiveness. Like many other manufacturing … [Read more...] about Plastics Executives Report Encouraging Outlook for Automation