Washington, D.C. — The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) Chief Economist, Dr. Perc Pineda, has released a new economic analysis examining the key production, trade, employment, pricing, and capacity trends that shaped the U.S. plastics industry in 2025. Using seven core indicators, the analysis highlights how the industry navigated cyclical volatility, uneven tariff impacts, and shifting demand conditions while demonstrating both resilience and vulnerability amid a changing macroeconomic environment.
Dr. Pineda writes, “In 2025, the U.S. plastics industry navigated a year of pronounced cyclical volatility, shaped by shifts in production, shipments, employment, trade, and prices, all against the backdrop of higher tariffs. Plastics production and employment experienced uneven fluctuations, reflecting supply-side constraints and demand–supply adjustments, while shipments continued to expand modestly, supported by underlying macroeconomic growth. Trade in molds and machinery showed mixed signals, with export values buoyed by higher tariffs and import patterns reflecting both price and quantity adjustments across equipment types.
At the same time, plastics material and resin prices eased as inventories remained elevated, and capacity utilization diverged between conversion and resin manufacturing. Collectively, these trends illustrate an industry responding to tariff pressures, cyclical demand shifts, and cost dynamics, highlighting both resilience and vulnerability in 2025,” concluded Pineda.
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.
