Plastics Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Plastics M&A continued its strong start to the year, recording 36 deals in March which was up from 31 transactions recorded in February. Transaction activity through the first quarter has been driven by active strategic buyers which have accounted for 51% of the deal volume through the first three months of the year. Overall, plastics M&A has matched the elevated level of activity seen in the first quarter of 2021 despite some uncertainty in the market.
- For the second month in a row, strategic buyers exceeded 20 transactions with public companies accounting for 7 deals in the month
- Private equity transactions increased by 4 deals month-over-month as financial buyers returned to the market in March after a slow month in February
- Specialty transactions including machinery, distribution, foam, and profile extrusion deals posted 11 deals in the month and have recorded 39 deals through the beginning of the year
- Resin and Color & Compounding deals accounted for 14% of the transaction volume in March and have matched 2021 levels on a year-to-date basis
- Medical transactions have accounted for 15 deals through the first quarter of the year which is an increase of 4 deals year-over-year
Global Plastics M&A concluded the first quarter of 2022 by notching over 30 transactions in each of the first three months. Elevated transaction volumes confirm the favorable M&A market conditions experienced throughout 2021 in plastics. The transaction activity for the full year 2021 will be tough to replicate, but 2022 is currently on track. If you are a plastics company considering a merger, acquisition, sale or recapitalization in the short or longer term, please consider leveraging PMCF’s transaction planning and execution expertise to best position your company in a transaction.
Plastics M&A By Subsector
Total Plastics M&A By End Market
Plastics Transactions By Buyer Type
Notable M&A Activity
Public Entity Performance
Major News
- Resin Prices on the Rise (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/resin-prices-rise-supply-chain-ukraine-and-production-all-blame - Numbers That Matter: Interest Rates, Energy Costs, Uncertainty All on the Rise (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/interest-rates-energy-costs-uncertainty-all-rise - U.S. March Jobs Report Shows Strong Hiring Momentum (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/march-jobs-report-unemployment-rate-2022-11648766857 - Some Plastics Firms Leave Russia Over Ukraine Crisis (Plastics News)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/sec-to-float-mandatory-disclosure-of-climate-change-risks-emissions-11647874814 - SEC Floats Mandatory Disclosure of Climate-Change Risks, Emissions (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/sec-to-float-mandatory-disclosure-of-climate-change-risks-emissions-11647874814
Download Plastics M&A Update – March 2022
2021 Year in Review Plastics & Packaging Industry Reports
Packaging M&A Update – May 2026
Global Packaging M&A activity slowed slightly in May, with 27 deals announced. While this reflected only a one-deal decrease compared to April, activity rebounded meaningfully from May 2025, with ten more transactions announced.
Plastics M&A Update – May 2026
Global Plastics M&A recorded 36 transactions in May, increasing by five deals from April and seven from May 2025, bringing year-to-date volume to 188 transactions.
Packaging M&A Update – April 2026
Global Packaging M&A activity remained stable in April, with 28 deals announced, one fewer than April 2025 and slightly above March levels. Through the first four months of 2026, 105 deals have been announced, a 27-deal decrease from the prior-year period.
Plastics M&A Update – April 2026
Global Plastics M&A recorded 31 transactions in April, moderating from March levels but bringing year-to-date volume to 152 deals, up 12 transactions from the prior-year period and 29 deals above the trailing three-year average through April.
Plastics M&A Update – March 2026
Global Plastics M&A experienced recorded 38 transactions in March, representing an uptick of seven deals from the prior month and five deals from last March.