Plastics Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Plastics M&A slowed in April 2022, recording 26 deals in the month which was down from 36 transactions in March. While April marks the first time since February of 2021 that plastic transaction volumes fell below 30, deal activity remains elevated through the first four months of 2022. This level of deal activity is more in line with transaction volumes witnessed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, Global Plastics M&A has exceeded 2021 levels through the first four months of the year and remains robust.
- Public strategic buyers accounted for 39% of the deal volume in April 2022 which was up from 19% in March and 15% in 2021
- Private equity add-on acquisitions remained strong with 9 deals in the month which was only down 1 transaction from March 2022 levels
- Specialty transactions including machinery, distribution, foam, and profile extrusion deals led the way in April with 11 transactions in the month; through the first four months of the year, the Specialty subsector averaged 13 transactions
- The Injection Molding subsector recorded its lowest level of activity since May 2020; Injection Molding M&A activity has slowed in 2022, posting 17 fewer transactions in 2022 compared to 2021 year-to-date
- Consumer and Food & Beverage transactions accounted for 35% of the transactions in April which is up from 2022 year-to-date levels of 24%
Global Plastics M&A cooled in April 2022 with transaction volumes falling closer to pre-pandemic levels; monthly M&A activity averaged 28 transactions from 2017 – 2019. While it remains to be seen if April is the new normal level of transaction activity, plastics M&A as a whole has remained strong through the first four months of the year. 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
- Inflation Pressures Weigh on Plastics Supply Chain (Plastics Today)
https://www.plasticstoday.com/resin-pricing/inflation-pressures-weigh-plastics-supply-chain - Interest-Rate Surge Ripples Through Economy, From Homes to Car Loans (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/interest-rate-surge-ripples-through-economy-from-homes-to-car-loans-11649426081 - Blame feedstocks, Supply Chain Issues as Resin Prices Climb (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/resin-prices-still-climbing-blame-feedstocks-and-supply-chain-issues - U.S. Economy Grows Modestly Amid High Inflation, Ukraine Invasion (Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-economy-grows-moderately-amid-high-inflation-ukraine-invasion-11650480025 - Global Shipping Snarls Likely to Last for Some Time (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/global-shipping-problems-likely-last-some-time
Download Plastics M&A Update – April 2022
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.
Packaging M&A Update – March 2026
Global Packaging M&A activity improved in March, with 27 deals announced.
Plastics M&A Pulse – 2025 Year In Review
Global Plastics M&A recorded its fourth consecutive year of deal volume growth with 420 transactions, highlighting a steady rebound following the record-setting activity of 2021.
Packaging M&A Pulse – 2025 Year In Review
The Global Packaging M&A market achieved its third consecutive year of growth in 2025 with 344 transactions, up 22 deals from 2024.
Packaging M&A Update – February 2026
Global Packaging M&A tapered in February as 20 deals were announced in the sector, down more than 30% from prior month and prior year levels.