Washington, D.C. — The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) Chief Economist, Dr. Perc Pineda, today released a new economic analysis on private construction spending, showing a mixed but cautiously positive outlook in early 2026, with emerging opportunities for plastics manufacturers despite near-term cooling.
Dr. Pineda writes, “Overall, early 2026 shows a mixed but cautiously positive picture for private construction. While traditional manufacturing and commercial construction have softened, growth in office and data center construction highlights emerging opportunities for plastics demand—particularly in high-tech applications, cabling, cooling, and safety systems. Monitoring these spending trends alongside industrial production and capacity utilization provides plastics manufacturers with a clearer view of market timing, product application opportunities, and potential areas for growth in an evolving construction landscape.”
Click here to read the full analysis on the PLASTICS blog.
About the Plastics Industry Association
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) supports the entire plastics supply chain, including Equipment Suppliers, Material Suppliers, Processors, and Recyclers, representing over one million workers in our $551 billion U.S. industry. PLASTICS advances the priorities of our members who are dedicated to investing in technologies that improve capabilities and advances in recycling and sustainability and providing essential products that allow for the protection and safety of our lives. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members, and the eighth largest U.S. manufacturing industry, more globally competitive while supporting circularity through educational initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, convening opportunities and policy advocacy, including the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show.
