FPA publishes US flexible packaging industry report

The US flexible packaging industry is estimated to be USD 39 billion in sales for 2021, up from USD 34.8 billion in 2020, and industry volume is estimated to be 27 billion pounds of shipments in 2021, says the latest report by FTA.

The report focuses on the industry segment that adds significant value to flexible materials, usually by performing multiple processes, such as printing, laminating, coating, extrusion, and bag/pouch manufacturing. This industry segment is estimated to be USD 29.5 billion in 2021 and does not include retail shopping bags, consumer storage bags, or trash bags.

The FPA bases its annual report on data from converter and supplier members, along with several US Census components, and the survey results were tabulated in mid-2022. Much of the data is for 2021, along with some projections for 2022.

According to the report, flexible packaging represents approximately 20 percent of the total USD 184.65 billion US packaging industry and is the second largest packaging segment behind the corrugated paper. Films and resins account for the largest input spend for converters, with those two categories accounting for over two-thirds of material purchases. 2021 saw a record merger and acquisition activity with 62 transactions recorded.

FTA says that imports and exports jumped an estimated 18 percent, and its members ranked labor and talent as the industry’s most significant issues for 2022.

This definitive source of data and information also examines several other aspects of the US flexible packaging industry, including performance, materials and processes, end-uses, structure and consolidation, ​imports and exports and industry vision, challenges, and critical issues.

FPA gathers the information contained in the report through several reliable industry sources, including the FPA members' State of the US Flexible Packaging Industry Survey; the FPA non-members' Industry-Wide Converter Survey; the Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM), published by the US Census Bureau; the US Department of Labor; the US Department of Commerce; industry analysts; and investment banking reports. 

The FPA 2022 State of the US Flexible Packaging Industry Report is available in the members section of www.flexpack.org and for purchase for non-members of FPA.