Greener packaging, K show trends: PMM's Top Stories in November
Sustainability was a major theme in November for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing (PMM), as we covered the move toward greener packaging, the failure of the Global Plastics Treaty talks and a podcast on advanced recycling. It was also one of the hottest topics at the K show, with OEMs touting energy-efficient and all-electric machines.
Conair has a new president, the SPE Blow Molding Division honored an innovator and PLASTICS released its latest machinery shipment figures.
Did you miss any of our top stories this month? Here's a rundown.
The ‘green premium’ : Companies, consumers pay the price for more sustainable packaging
Everyone thinks packaging needs to be made more sustainably — consumers, brands, the plastics industry. The question is: Who’s going to pay for it? We took a deep look at where we stand in the journey to greener packaging, the obstacles that remain (especially the cost) and the steps that need to be taken next, including regulatory and infrastructure expansion.
Cheaper injection molding machines (IMMs), artificial intelligence, service were hot topics at K 2025
Editor Ron Shinn had his ear to the ground and his notebook at the ready, searching for trends on the show floor. Economic concerns and ongoing labor shortages are among the factors pushing plastics processors to find ways to run their operations efficiently.
Plastics treaty failure is a setback for recyclers
Talks to establish a global protocol for solving the plastics pollution problem ended with no agreement. Achieving circularity is still possible, and recyclers are ready, but collection infrastructure is shaky and buyers are unwilling to commit.
Podcast: What is advanced recycling?
On this episode of PMM Insight, Shinn and senior staff reporter Karen Hanna discussed the technologies, major players and what's ahead for the industry. Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform.
Arburg’s Tobias Baur on leadership, innovation and the future of plastics
The injection molding machine maker's sales chief and new Euromap president was the focus of this month’s “In Other Words” Q&A, talking about sustainability, growth and family business values.
Shipments of plastics processing equipment rise in Q3 2025
The increase was driven by a jump in injection molding shipments, while both single- and twin-screw extruders fell, according to PLASTICS’ Committee on Equipment Statistics. The committee also surveyed manufacturers’ level of optimism for the future.
PiovanGroup North America CEO John Erkert adds role with Conair Group
He takes over the presidency of the manufacturer of auxiliary equipment. Conair's extensive product lineup ranges from drying systems, blenders and temperature control units to solutions for extrusion and recycling.
Russ LaBelle, founder of Wilmington Machinery, dies at 86
He moved to North Carolina in 1972 with $10,000 and an idea to build IMMs to serve the furniture industry. His company, which he sold in January, specialized in structural foam injection molding and rotary blow molding.
Harald Feuerherm's inventions optimized extrusion blow molding
The innovations — Partial Wall Thickness Distribution, Static Flexible Deformable Ring and Wall Thickness Position Control technologies — earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Blow Molding Division's ABC 2025.
Scenes from the AMI Plastics World Expos 2025
PMM staffers walked the floor Nov. 12 to check out the extrusion, recycling and other equipment on display in Cleveland, as well as a vintage car, miniature shredders and a claw machine dispensing toy balls.
About the Author
Lynne Sherwin
Managing Editor
Managing editor Lynne Sherwin handles day-to-day operations and coordinates production of Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing’s print magazine, website and social media presence, as well as Plastics Recycling and The Journal of Blow Molding. She also writes features, including the annual machinery buying survey. She has more than 30 years of experience in daily and magazine journalism.