As investment in packaging machinery accelerates, manufacturers are prioritizing flexible equipment, workforce-focused AI, and technologies that support evolving packaging materials.

Tung oil plasticizers upgrade PVC elongation and durability. Manufacturers cut reliance on toxic phthalates while boosting industrial mechanicals.

Thermally conductive polymers reduce weight, support complex designs, and improve heat management in EVs and electronics.

Researchers developed a superhydrophilic membrane for nanoplastic and oil removal, achieving high separation efficiency while reducing membrane fouling.

PMMI insights from PACK EXPO 2026 show how changing materials and sustainability goals are pushing packaging equipment toward greater flexibility.

Generation Alpha is influencing packaging with softer visuals, collectible systems, and designs that work across shelves and screens.

Cavity pressure feedback helps control variation, monitor part quality, and support increasingly autonomous injection molding processes.

Natural pigments can color PLA and PBS, but thermal stability and lightfastness remain key challenges during processing and use.