Thermoforming Report

Manufacturing Insights for 2026

Yes, it’s that time of year. Across manufacturing – and just about every other sector – predictions for the year ahead are everywhere. Trend lists, outlooks, forecasts. Some insightful. Some speculative. All competing for attention.

Industry heavyweights like Deloitte, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review invest significant time and resources analyzing what’s next for manufacturing… for good reason. The pace of change continues to accelerate, and leaders are under constant pressure to make decisions today that will hold up tomorrow.

For our first Thermoforming Report of the year, we set out to do something slightly different. Rather than add another standalone prediction, we focused on separating signal from noise – reading, comparing, and distilling the collective thinking from the most credible sources – layering in our own observations from inside the thermoforming and broader manufacturing world.

The goal isn’t to predict the future with a crystal ball. It’s to clear some of the fog, highlight the signals that matter most, and offer practical perspective on how these trends are likely to show up on the manufacturing floor and inside your organization in 2026. 

Baseline

In reviewing multiple industry articles and publications, Deloitte’s 2026 Manufacturing Industry Outlook consistently stands out as the gold standard. Using Covey’s second habit, Begin with the End in Mind, Deloitte frames the year ahead like this:

“US manufacturers should prioritize a renewed strategic focus and targeted technology investments in the year ahead to maintain a competitive edge, continue to drive innovation, and achieve sustainable growth regardless of economic conditions. As operations and global supply chains grow increasingly complex, manufacturers can leverage advanced technologies to optimize costs, enhance decision-making, improve customer experience, and create new solutions to longstanding challenges. The AI-fueled data center boom, investments in semiconductor manufacturing, and supportive policies could present new growth opportunities. However, maintaining a focus on developing a skilled workforce while also prioritizing agility could be essential to supporting growth in the coming year and beyond.” Deloitte

2025 was chaotic, to say the least – especially with tariffs. The uncertainty created by the ongoing White House negotiations slowed investments and disrupted the supply chains, both domestically and globally.

Now that some of the turbulence has settled, HBR, Manufacturing Dive, and Deloitte all note that the cost impacts of those tariffs will hit in earnest in the coming year. Flexibility and proactive adjustments will be critical for manufacturers looking to absorb costs, maintain efficiency, and keep operations running smoothly.

Technology

Technology is an oldie but a goodie. It’s a familiar topic in manufacturing, but it feels different this time. 

Blue-line, incremental changes are still the norm and red-line step changes are fairly uncommon, especially when implementing new tech or applying existing tools in novel ways on the manufacturing floor. That said, we can all agree that the speed in which AI in all its forms is making in-roads and impacts across so many platforms is truly remarkable!

Manufacturers who can harness those tools will gain a meaningful competitive edge in challenging markets. But this isn’t a switch that can just be flipped. The old adage, ‘garbage in, garbage out’ applies to AI. It consumes copious amounts of data to generate its conclusions and recommendations – and poor quality data only yields faster inaccurate output. Forbes underscores this: “AI can’t do anything to fix poor-quality or insufficient data; it will just give you an inaccurate output faster than you could do manually.” 

So, how do manufacturers work through this challenge and get ahead? The first step is investing in upfront infrastructure to capture and organize the right data. 

The second step – and just as critical – is talent. Candidly, I don’t believe that many organizations even have a role identified or defined yet to meet this critical need! 

It isn’t just about MES systems or data storage – it’s about ensuring data integrity and having someone who can integrate, connect, and “synthesize and contextualize manufacturing data”. Done right, this provides leaders and teams “not only the insights they need to better understand operations, but also the building blocks for overall data proficiency and maturity.” (from the same Forbes article, “Manufacturing In 2026: How Businesses Can Prepare For What’s Next”). 

This leads directly to one of 2026’s hottest talent needs. Some of the newest engineering roles emerging in manufacturing include:

• Manufacturing Data Integration Engineer
• AI/Machine Learning Engineer
• Data Engineer
• Real-Time Analytics Engineer
• Industrial AI Implementation Engineer

Adding this type of expertise will be critical for organizations looking to truly leverage AI and advanced analytics in their operations.

Talent Struggles

Technology is only a part of the equation for success in 2026. Organizations also face a critical skills gap – both in terms of missing roles and upskilling existing team members. This drum is well-worn – training Floor Associates is no longer optional; it’s essential! 

Manufacturing Dive’s 2026 Trends highlights this as “Workforce Transformation to Support Smart Manufacturing”. And as we reported in our September Thermoforming Report, “The Great Hand-Off – Managing Generational Turnover”, the outlook is not good. Significant unfilled roles are growing, the manufacturing workforce is shifting generationally, and finding, attracting, and retaining talent remains a constant challenge. At the same time, “high-tech, high-wage manufacturing has gained ground, and the trend is likely to continue.” This divergence can strain even the most capable teams!

Interestingly, AI technologies can and will help mitigate these workplace pressures – but only if deployed strategically.

The question is how and how much. 

Another Forbes article (“6 Defining Manufacturing Trends Of 2026”) and Deloitte emphasize that AI should “augment” – not replace – human capability. Properly applied, it amplifies the skills of your existing team, making fewer employees more productive without losing the human insights that drive smart decision-making.  Deloitte sums this up well in their last paragraph below.

The takeaway for 2026 is clear: manufacturers must invest in training, upskilling, and strategic hiring, particularly for new roles in AI and data integration, to ensure technology investments deliver their full potential. Waiting – or underestimating the talent challenge – risks leaving both people and technology underutilized.

Clearing the Fog

So, how do we clear the mist inside that crystal ball? Synthesizing the insights from the above articles – and our own observations – offers a practical framework for 2026. The challenge is not identifying trends; it’s deciding how to apply them best to the unique dynamics of your organization, both as individual contributors and as leaders. 

Believe it or not, change is accelerating. Leaders who take time to assess implications, make informed decisions, and act decisively will position their teams and companies ahead of the curve. This involves more than technology – it’s people, processes, and priorities all moving together.

Expect to bring on new talent in emerging roles, train and upskill existing employees, and ensure your data and AI initiatives are built on a foundation of integrity and actionable insight. Those who take an integrated approach will not only navigate 2026 successfully but also position their organizations for long-term competitiveness.

In short: the crystal ball may be cloudy, but the path forward is clear. Invest in your people, harness technology wisely, and make decisions with conviction. That’s how manufacturing leaders turn trends into advantage.

As your Thermoforming Talent Partner, we represent clients AND candidates! We’re here to help in any and every way possible! We provide hiring strategies, priority candidate searches, job searches, client & candidate introductions, interview tips, résumé facelifts, resignation strategies, and much much more. LET’S STRENGTHEN YOUR SEARCH!