PMM's Annual Machinery Investment Survey 2025

Welcome to the seventh annual Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing machinery buying survey. We’re seeking your feedback to gain an understanding of machinery markets during tumultuous 2025 and clues about what’s coming in 2026.

Please take five minutes to complete this confidential survey. Results will be published in our January issue, online and in an eBook.

In appreciation of your time, you will be entered in a drawing upon completion for a $100 VISA gift card to be awarded on Nov. 23.

Question Title

* 1. Please indicate the manufacturing processes used by your company. Select all that apply.

Additive manufacturing / 3-D printing

Blow molding

Compounding

Film or sheet extrusion

Pipe, profile or tube extrusion

Injection molding

Mold or tool making / Repair

Recycling

Rotomolding

Thermoforming

Other

Question Title

* 2. Please indicate the annual sales revenue for your company

Under $5,000,000

$5,000,001 - $25,000,000

$25,000,001 - $100,000,000

Over $100,000,000

Question Title

* 3. Do you plan to buy primary processing equipment in 2026?

Yes

Question Title

* 4. What are your reasons for the planned investment? Select all that apply.

Replacement of existing equipment

Expansion of manufacturing capacity

Addition of new processing capabilities (i.e. adding 3-D printing to your manufacturing activity)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. How will your primary equipment investment compare to 2025?

Investment will increase

Investment will decrease

Investment will be about the same

Question Title

* 6. What will be the range of your primary equipment investment in 2026?

Less than $1 million

$1.01 million to $3 million

$3.01 million to $5 million

$5.01 million to $10 million

More than $10 million

Question Title

* 7. How has each of the following issues affected your business in 2025?

	Positive Effect	Negative Effect	Mixed	No Effect	Unknown
U.S. trade policy	U.S. trade policy Positive Effect	U.S. trade policy Negative Effect	U.S. trade policy Mixed	U.S. trade policy No Effect	U.S. trade policy Unknown
Resin shortages/price hikes	Resin shortages/price hikes Positive Effect	Resin shortages/price hikes Negative Effect	Resin shortages/price hikes Mixed	Resin shortages/price hikes No Effect	Resin shortages/price hikes Unknown
Supply chain issues	Supply chain issues Positive Effect	Supply chain issues Negative Effect	Supply chain issues Mixed	Supply chain issues No Effect	Supply chain issues Unknown
State of the economy/interest rates	State of the economy/interest rates Positive Effect	State of the economy/interest rates Negative Effect	State of the economy/interest rates Mixed	State of the economy/interest rates No Effect	State of the economy/interest rates Unknown
Labor shortage	Labor shortage Positive Effect	Labor shortage Negative Effect	Labor shortage Mixed	Labor shortage No Effect	Labor shortage Unknown

Please specify any other major contributing factors.

Question Title

* 8. How will each of the following issues influence your machinery buying plans for 2026?

	Spend More	Spend Less	Mixed	No Effect	Unknown
U.S. trade policy	U.S. trade policy Spend More	U.S. trade policy Spend Less	U.S. trade policy Mixed	U.S. trade policy No Effect	U.S. trade policy Unknown
Resin shortages/price hikes	Resin shortages/price hikes Spend More	Resin shortages/price hikes Spend Less	Resin shortages/price hikes Mixed	Resin shortages/price hikes No Effect	Resin shortages/price hikes Unknown
Supply chain issues	Supply chain issues Spend More	Supply chain issues Spend Less	Supply chain issues Mixed	Supply chain issues No Effect	Supply chain issues Unknown
State of the economy/interest rates	State of the economy/interest rates Spend More	State of the economy/interest rates Spend Less	State of the economy/interest rates Mixed	State of the economy/interest rates No Effect	State of the economy/interest rates Unknown
Labor shortage	Labor shortage Spend More	Labor shortage Spend Less	Labor shortage Mixed	Labor shortage No Effect	Labor shortage Unknown

Please specify any other major contributing factors.

Question Title

* 9. What is your forecast for the overall health of your business in 2026?

Better than 2025

Worse than 2025

About the same as 2025