Plastics Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Plastics M&A increased in April, recording 26 deals, which was up four from March levels but below last year by one transaction. The month-over-month increase can be attributed to an uptick in strategic buyer activity while financial buyers posted a decline due to platform transactions struggling to gain traction in 2024. Despite the uptick in strategic buyer activity, both buyer types remain below the average monthly deal volume seen in 2023. Overall, three of the first four months of this year have reported Global Plastics M&A transaction volume below the 2023 monthly average of 32 deals, but the activity is still slightly above last year on a year-to-date basis.
- Strategic buyers were responsible for 16 deals, or 62% of the monthly deal volume, which marked the highest percentage of overall mix attributable to strategic buyers in the month since October 2023
- Financial buyers recorded 10 deals in April, which was two fewer than in March. The pullback in financial buyer activity was due to platform acquisitions, which declined by two deals month-over-month. In addition, platform activity posted its lowest monthly output since October 2022 and led to the least active month in 2024 for financial buyers
- From a deal volume standpoint, each end market aside from the Industrial end market increased in April. The Food & Beverage end market posted the largest month-over-month increase, recording four additional deals in the month
- Foreign deals drove transaction activity in the month, accounting for 50% of the deal volume in April
- The Injection Molding subsector recorded nine deals in April and was the second most active sector behind Specialty from a deal volume standpoint. Notably, the subsector had the largest month-over-month increase in deal activity, posting five additional deals
Sources: S&P Capital IQ, Company Websites, Pitchbook, Company Reports, PMCF
Major News
- Polypropylene Prices Reverse Course, Fall 10 Cents in April (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/resin-pricing/pp-resin-prices-drop-10-cents-pound-april - North American Debut for Milacron’s M-Series Injection Molding Machines (Plastics Today)
https://www.plasticstoday.com/injection-molding/north-american-debut-for-milacron-s-m-series-injection-molding-machines - A $90 Fee Per Tonne of Resin Could Support Plastics Treaty Goals, Report Says (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/plastics-treaty-goals-aided-90-tonne-fee-report-says - Slower Hiring Boosts Hopes of a Late-Summer Rate Cut (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/jobs-report-april-unemployment-a8a1ac1a - Berry Buys F&S as it Expands its Global Tooling Capabilities (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/berry-buys-fs-it-builds-its-global-tooling-capabilities
Download Plastics M&A Update – April 2024
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.