Packaging Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Packaging M&A had a relatively strong start to the year, recording 30 deals in January, which represented a month-over-month increase of 11 deals. January is typically a more active month from a transaction volume perspective, as deals slated to close at the end of 2023 are carried over to the start of the new year. Despite the month-over-month increase in activity levels, January only surpassed average monthly deal volumes from H2 2023 by two deals. Overall, M&A activity in the packaging space has been far from consistent over the last eighteen months. The second half of 2023 exhibited moderately higher levels of deal activity, which was an encouraging sign for Packaging M&A going into 2024.
- Strategic buyers accounted for 57% of total deal volume in January, recording eight more deals than in December. January marks a continuation of elevated activity for strategic buyers, representing the fifth time in the last six months that the buyer type has recorded 12 or more deals
- Financial buyers recorded 13 deals in January, increasing three deals from the prior month. Despite the month-over-month increase in financial buyer activity, add-on acquisitions matched average monthly transaction volume from 2023
- In January, each packaging subsector generated deal volumes nearly in line with or above the monthly average for 2023. the Machinery & Distribution subsector displayed the largest increase over the prior year’s average monthly volume, recording 10 deals, which represented an uptick of eight deals when compared to the subsector’s deal volume in January of 2023
- The Food & Beverage end market recorded 12 deals in January and accounted for 40% of the total deal activity. In January, the Food & Beverage end market provided its second-highest percentage of the overall deal mix since May 2023
Sources: S&P Capital IQ, Company Websites, Pitchbook, Company Reports, PMCF
Major News
- Rising Packaging and Tissue Markets Lift Fiber Prices (Resource Recycling)
https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2024/01/29/rising-packaging-and-tissue-markets-lift-fiber-prices/ - Packaging vs. Climate Change: Industry’s Fiber, AI and End-of-Life Management Plans for 2024 (Packaging Insights)
https://www.packaginginsights.com/news/packaging-vs-climate-change-industrys-fiber-ai-and-end-of-life-management-plans-for-2024.html - Biden Administration Seeks Cuts in Single-Use Plastics Purchases (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/public-policy/biden-wants-federal-agencies-cut-back-single-use-plastics - Cooler Inflation Keeps Door Open for Rate Cuts This Year (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/what-to-watch-in-fridays-spending-report-a-last-look-at-inflation-before-the-fed-meeting-353665d9 - The Economy Just Keeps Going (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/the-economy-just-keeps-going-1878d9a3
Download Packaging M&A Update – January 2024
Packaging M&A Update – June 2026
Global Packaging M&A held steady in June with 27 transactions, in line with May and three deals above June 2025.
Plastics M&A Update – June 2026
Global Plastics M&A accelerated in June, with 46 transactions announced, an increase of 10 from May and eight from June 2025.
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.