The U.S. packaging machinery market reached an estimated $11.7 billion in shipment value in 2025, with food accounting for approximately 44% of the total, according to PMMI’s 2026 Packaging State of the Industry Report.
The report also finds Canadian domestic packaging machinery shipments reached approximately $1.2 billion in 2025, up 3.6% from 2024, underscoring continued opportunities across the North American packaging machinery market.
“Packaging and processing companies are being asked to do more SKUs, more formats and more automation; all while maintaining productivity and making every capital investment count,” says Jorge Izquierdo, VP, market development, PMMI. “The Packaging State of the Industry Report provides the data and market intelligence companies need to understand where the industry is headed and where the strongest opportunities are emerging.”
Key takeaways:
- Food remained the largest U.S. end market at approximately 44% of the total, with food machinery shipments estimated at $5.1 billion in 2025 and projected to reach approximately $7.1 billion by 2031.
- The United States was Canada’s largest source of packaging machinery imports in 2025, accounting for 30%, while 91% of Canadian packaging machinery exports were destined for the United States.
- SKU proliferation, emerging AI applications, workforce constraints, sustainability and regulatory requirements, and rising input costs are among the forces influencing equipment decisions.
- Canada imported approximately $504 million in packaging machinery in 2025, with the United States representing its largest source at 30% of imports. Canada exported approximately $550 million in machinery, with 91% of those exports destined for the United States.
- Early use cases of AI include capturing institutional knowledge from retiring employees, developing specifications using previous projects, assisting with real-time troubleshooting, and generating content.
