Ready but not prepared: metal packaging’s 2028 reality check
What global experts reveal about the future of can making and filling
The metal packaging industry knows what’s coming. The question is whether it’s moving fast enough to meet it.
That’s the central finding of our new report, which we developed to better understand how can makers and fillers around the world are preparing for the challenges ahead. We surveyed 200 metal packaging professionals across the UK, US, India, and Germany – and what they told us is an industry at a crossroads.
Three priorities, one story
When we asked respondents about their highest priorities for the next three years, three closely linked concerns came to the top: structural integrity and dent resistance (33%), cost control amid raw material volatility (31%), and sustainability and recyclability targets (30%). These aren’t isolated challenges – they’re interconnected pressures driven by tightening global regulations and the relentless demand for lighter, more sustainable packaging.
“These three priorities tell one story,” says Stefan Welker, our Strategic Segment Manager for Rigid Packaging. “The industry is grappling with an unprecedented technical challenge.”
A quality detection gap hiding in plain sight
Perhaps the most striking finding concerns how – and when – quality issues are identified. A significant 86% of respondents cited quality problems being detected too late in production as the top technical risk facing the industry.
The path forward is clear. Manual processes introduce operator variability and inconsistency, and human-dependent testing simply can’t keep pace with modern production speeds. More automated, more frequent, and more repeatable measurement is the answer – reducing reliance on the operator and ensuring quality data keeps pace with production.
“The technology exists. It’s proven,” Stefan emphasizes. “What’s missing is willingness to invest.”
The automation paradox
The research reinforces this tension. A total of 92% of respondents agree that they struggle to achieve consistent, repeatable measurements across shifts, operators, or sites – a figure that raises an important question: would greater automation change this? And 81% acknowledge their testing is too dependent on manual or operator-led processes. Yet adoption of automated, line-fed measurement remains limited.
“Many organizations know their current approach is inadequate,” Stefan observes, “but they view automation as cost-prohibitive rather than cost-saving.”
Regional confidence – and its limits
Overall, 88% of respondents express confidence in meeting key metal packaging challenges by 2028. But confidence varies sharply by geography. India leads at 96%, followed by Germany (92%), the US (84%), and the UK (78%). Behind these numbers lie distinct regional realities – from post-Brexit supply chain complexity in the UK to trade tariff uncertainty in the US.
The gap between knowing and doing
The full report, featuring expert commentary from Stefan throughout, explores each of these themes in depth – from the recyclability dilemma and the automation investment gap, to what regional divergence tells us about global readiness.
“The industry is prepared in terms of awareness – everyone sees what’s coming,” Stefan reflects. “Knowledge isn’t the limitation; investment velocity is.”
