What plastics processors and OEMs are telling us about 2026

This episode is a discussion about the annual PMM Machinery Buying Survey, with editor Ron Shinn, managing editor Lynne Sherwin and senior staff reporter Karen Hanna.

Here are some key points: 

• Survey respondents were surprisingly positive, with 73 percent saying they plan to buy primary processing equipment in 2026. Some machinery OEMs and analysts aren't quite so optimistic.

• Tariffs are having a mixed effect and are still causing confusion. 

• Manufacturing wages across the board are rising, and processors are going to have to pay more for workers, even as the lack of skilled labor is driving more automation.

• The trend to keep machinery running longer is continuing, and machinery OEMs are responding by beefing up their service departments.