🌏 Happening Tomorrow: Free Webinar on Opportunities in the Malaysia Plastics Industry
🧑💼 Talent Needed—Despite Job Declines
🙌 Welcome New Member
📅 Mark Your Calendar
🏛️ Policy Win in New York
After intense advocacy efforts, PLASTICS helped stop New York's extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill—A.1749—from passing the Assembly.
Why it matters: The bill would have imposed costly, burdensome regulations on manufacturers and banned key materials and chemicals.
Our unified message resonated with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and for the second year in a row, PLASTICS helped keep this bill from becoming law.
🎤 Eric Termuende to Keynote the National Plastics Conference
We’re thrilled to announce that Eric Termuende, a leading expert on workplace culture and leadership, will deliver the opening keynote at the National Plastics Conference.
It's no secret: technology is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, a new generation with different expectations is entering the workforce, and uncertainty is the only constant. From next week's market shifts to the as-yet-undiscovered tech that will redefine your operations, predicting the future is a fool's errand.
While forecasts and trends are informative, your most powerful tools for protecting your business and navigating any disruption are resilient systems and unwavering teams. Imagine a workforce that isn't just surviving change but thriving on it—ultra-collaborative, adaptable, and even excited by what's next.
This session isn’t about forecasting the future. It’s about learning how to lead the team that’s ready for it.
For more information and to register, please click here.
🌏 Happening Tomorrow: Free Webinar on Opportunities in the Malaysian Plastics Industry
The U.S. Commercial Service is hosting a free webinar for U.S. companies interested in exploring business opportunities in Malaysia’s growing plastics manufacturing sector.
Perc Pineda, Ph.D., Chief Economist at the Plastics Industry Association, will join as a panelist during the session “Global Plastics Market Overview: Trends and Opportunities,” where he’ll deliver opening remarks on U.S. plastics trade.
and it’s clear: now is the time to prepare for a changing workforce.
Why Attend?
Malaysia’s plastics manufacturing industry:
Is a key pillar of the national economy
Generated $13.1 billion in revenue in 2023, including $3.4 billion in exports
Supports high-demand sectors like electronics, automotive, and food packaging
Is considered one of the most competitive plastics industries in Asia
This one-hour program will offer a detailed market overview and highlight opportunities for U.S. technologies and expertise in Malaysia’s dynamic plastics sector.
Who’s Eligible?
Companies must supply goods or services that are at least 51% U.S.-origin. U.S. subsidiaries of foreign firms may also qualify if they contribute U.S.-based manufacturing, R&D, or value-added services.
Unemployment in plastics and rubber manufacturing rose to 5.7% in May, marking the third straight month of job losses. That’s well above both the national average (4.2%) and the broader manufacturing rate (3.6%), and it highlights a key concern: volatility in the industry’s labor market.
But here’s the other side of the story—demand is rising for specific, skilled roles across plastics manufacturing. Over the next decade, jobs for engineers, machinists, and maintenance workers are expected to grow at double-digit rates, with strong wages and career stability.
Add to that a generational shift, with more young workers entering and tens of thousands of older workers expected to retire—and it’s clear: now is the time to prepare for a changing workforce.
With U.S. offices in Hebron, KY, Netstal is a globally recognized manufacturer of high-performance injection molding machines and system solutions. With a legacy dating back to 1857, the company has earned a reputation for precision, speed, and reliability—particularly in industries such as thin-wall packaging, PET preforms, beverage caps, and medical technology.
The company also provides comprehensive turnkey solutions, integrating mold design, automation, and smart digital controls. Recently expanding its presence with a new subsidiary in Mexico, Netstal continues to strengthen its global reach and commitment to innovation.
🚀July 24 |FLiP Development Session - 12-1 pm ET| Featuring Alden Mills—former Navy SEAL and leadership expert—who will share strategies to help rising professionals build an unstoppable mindset. Open to FLiP members and employees 40 and under at PLASTICS member companies.Register now. Feel free to share this opportunity with coworkers by email click here.
📼 July 30 | Webinar:Navigating the NPE2027 Exhibit Space Application - 1 pm ET | Looking ahead to NPE2027? Join us on this webinar to learn about important changes to the show rules, better understand the online space application process, see what exhibitor deadlines are approaching, and more. Register here.
📋 August 12 | NPE2027: The Plastics Show | Exhibit space applications open. To be notified when applications go live click here.
♻️ August 13 & 20 | Recycling Open House | Happening virtually, trade associations and organizations will share how they’re tackling recycling challenges in the plastics industry — registration opens at the end of June.
📣 September 22–25 | National Plastics Conference | Orlando, FL | The
exclusive event built by industry, for industry returns. Early Bird Rates
available until August 8.
🌐 October 15–17 | OCS CON 2025 | Indianapolis, IN | Hosted by Operation Clean Sweep®, OCS CON brings the full plastic value chain together in efforts towards eliminating the loss of plastic to the environment. Early Bird Registration now open.
🗓️ March 2–6, 2026 | NPE2027 Space Selection & Planning Event | Orlando, FL | NPE2027 exhibitors will convene to select exhibit booth space, plan for exhibit success, and explore opportunities to maximize the NPE2027 investment.
Plastics Industry Association
1425 K Street NW Suite #500 | Washington, DC, 20005 United States
+1.202.974.5200
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