Partnering in the Processing and Packaging Equipment Industry

By Jan-Oliver Sestak, Francesco Campagna, Rebecca Marciniak, Steffen Oder and Lisa Staedtler

In a post-COVID market shaped by shifting customer expectations, processing and packaging (P&P) equipment providers are under increasing pressure to deliver integrated, one-stop-shop solutions. Smaller players face particular challenges due to limited scale and resources. Partnering emerges as a powerful strategy to expand portfolios, access new markets, and stay competitive in a fast-evolving industry.

Key Trends in the P&P Industry

After the post-COVID surge that saw order behavior spike and lead times triple, the P&P industry is now returning to more stable demand patterns. However, customer expectations have fundamentally shifted, with a clear trend towards integrated, one-stop solutions that cover digitalization, technology, and process chain needs. This shift is pushing suppliers—especially smaller ones—to adapt their portfolios, partnerships, and innovation strategies to stay competitive.

How Partnering Can Help

By forming strategic alliances, P&P companies can enhance innovation, broaden service offerings, and strengthen market positioning. The right partnership bridges capability gaps and opens access to new client segments.

Our analysis of over 120 partnerships reveals clear patterns by company size and focus. Smaller players often prioritize process partnerships to broaden their offerings, while medium and large players focus on technology and digitalization collaborations. The most successful partnerships are purpose-driven, well-matched, and deliver tangible value to both sides.

Get detailed insights, case studies, and our step-by-step guide to forming successful partnerships in the P&P industry. Fill in the form below to access the full report.