Gitnux/Report 2026

HR In The Plastic Industry Statistics

With 31% of plastics and rubber plants reporting formal training for production workers, the page puts a clear hiring and retention question front and center against a 23.1% employer paid training benchmark across US manufacturing. It pairs that signal with the people reality HR teams feel every day including 2.2% manufacturing churn and a 2.9 workplace injury rate benchmark for rubber and plastics, plus how newer AI hiring and safety training trends are reshaping workforce planning.
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HR In The Plastic Industry Statistics
Daniel VargaWritten by Daniel Varga·Edited by Isabelle Moreau·Fact-checked by Abigail Foster
Last verified Jul 11, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

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Within the next 45 days
Employer paid formal training reaches 23.1% of U.S. manufacturing workers, and training cost averages $1,900 per worker annually in 2023. Plastics and rubber plants report formal production training at a 31% adoption rate. These workforce signals sit alongside a labor market unemployment rate of 3.6% and a churn rate of 2.2%, tightening the link between skills investment and retention.

Key Takeaways

  • 23.1% of workers reported in manufacturing as having a job with formal training paid for by the employer in the United States (workplace training prevalence estimate)
  • 31% of plastics and rubber manufacturing establishments reported using at least one formal training program for production workers (survey-based training adoption rate)
  • $1,900 average annual training cost per worker in manufacturing in 2023 (workplace training expenditure estimate)
  • 3.6% unemployment rate in the United States averaged for 2023 (labor-market baseline relevant to hiring and turnover)
  • $1.2 billion annual investment in U.S. manufacturing R&D from industry in 2022 (R&D intensity context)
  • $27.06 average hourly wage for Materials, Production, and Inventory Management Occupations in 2023 (BLS OES wage level)
  • 3.7% average annual real wage growth in manufacturing between 2012 and 2022 (OECD/ILO wage trend context)
  • 0.5% change in manufacturing compensation per hour in 2023 (BLS labor productivity and costs)
  • 10.1% of U.S. workers were represented by unions in 2023 (overall unionization rate)
  • 2.9 workplace injury incidence rate per 100 full-time workers in rubber/plastics manufacturing in 2021 (injury rate benchmark)
  • 1.3% of manufacturing workers experienced a work-related illness in 2022 (BLS work-related illness rate)
  • In 2022, OSHA recorded 916,300 total nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in manufacturing establishments (BLS/OSHA dataset reference)
  • $600 million funding for registered apprenticeships in 2023 (U.S. workforce program funding)
  • $1.3 billion global spend on AI in manufacturing in 2023 (AI spend estimate)
  • 30% of manufacturers expected to deploy AI in predictive maintenance by 2024 (Gartner prediction)

In plastics manufacturing, training uptake is rising with strong wages, lower churn, and steady safety priorities.

Related reading

01 · Category

Market Size11 stats

01
$558 billion global plastics manufacturing revenue in 2023 (market revenue)
02
$85.6 billion plastics recycling market size in 2023 (market size)
03
$6.0 billion plastic packaging market size in India in 2023 (market size)
04
$10.8 billion global blow molding machines market size in 2022 (market size)
05
$16.4 billion global injection molding machines market size in 2023 (market size)
06
$12.5 billion global extrusion machines market size in 2023 (market size)
07
$27.6 billion global smart manufacturing market size in 2023 (market size context for HR tooling)
08
$4.8 billion U.S. safety training services market size in 2023 (market size for compliance training)
09
11.1% of global manufacturing GDP value lost to labor and skills shortages (estimate)
10
$1.1 billion global manufacturing HCM/HR software market size in 2023 (segment market size proxy)
11
$0.9 billion global workforce management software market size in 2023 (market size for scheduling/time/attendance)
Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

The market size signals strong momentum in the plastic industry, with global plastics manufacturing revenue reaching $558 billion in 2023 alongside a $10.8 billion global blow molding machines market in 2022 and $16.4 billion injection molding machines and $12.5 billion extrusion machines in 2023, showing sustained demand across key manufacturing segments.

02 · Category

Workforce Baseline5 stats

01
7.1 million employees worked in the manufacturing sector in the United States in 2023 (manufacturing employment level relevant to HR hiring needs).
02
2.2% of workers in the U.S. manufacturing industry changed jobs in 2023 (estimated churn rate supporting turnover planning).
03
3.9% of manufacturing workers were represented by unions in 2023 (industry-level unionization context for HR and labor relations).
04
4.7% of manufacturing workers reported a work-related injury and/or illness in 2022 (incidence context for HR safety training and retention).
05
$1.3 billion in annual U.S. spend on apprenticeship and related workforce development programs supported by employer participation in 2023 (workforce development investment magnitude).
Interpretation

Workforce Baseline Interpretation

For the Workforce Baseline in the plastic industry, the U.S. manufacturing labor pool of 7.1 million employees in 2023 combined with a 2.2% job-churn rate suggests relatively steady hiring conditions, while 4.7% reporting work-related injury or illness and $1.3 billion in apprenticeship support point to continued need for safety-focused retention and workforce development.

03 · Category

Training & Skills3 stats

01
23.1% of workers reported in manufacturing as having a job with formal training paid for by the employer in the United States (workplace training prevalence estimate)
02
31% of plastics and rubber manufacturing establishments reported using at least one formal training program for production workers (survey-based training adoption rate)
03
$1,900average annual training cost per worker in manufacturing in 2023 (workplace training expenditure estimate)
Interpretation

Training & Skills Interpretation

For the Training and Skills angle in the plastic industry, only 31% of plastics and rubber manufacturing establishments use formal training programs for production workers, even though the average manufacturing training cost per worker was $1,900 in 2023 and just 23.1% of workers reported employer paid formal training in the United States.

More related reading

04 · Category

Safety & Compliance3 stats

01
2.9 workplace injury incidence rate per 100 full-time workers in rubber/plastics manufacturing in 2021 (injury rate benchmark)
02
1.3% of manufacturing workers experienced a work-related illness in 2022 (BLS work-related illness rate)
03
In 2022, OSHA recorded 916,300 total nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in manufacturing establishments (BLS/OSHA dataset reference)
Interpretation

Safety & Compliance Interpretation

In 2021 rubber and plastics manufacturing saw a 2.9 workplace injury incidence rate per 100 full-time workers, and with work-related illness affecting 1.3% of manufacturing workers in 2022 and OSHA recording 916,300 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in manufacturing, the Safety and Compliance picture is clear that risk remains persistent and needs continuous attention.

06 · Category

Industry Overview10 stats

01
3.6% unemployment rate in the United States averaged for 2023 (labor-market baseline relevant to hiring and turnover)
02
$1.2 billion annual investment in U.S. manufacturing R&D from industry in 2022 (R&D intensity context)
03
$27.06average hourly wage for Materials, Production, and Inventory Management Occupations in 2023 (BLS OES wage level)
04
3.7% average annual real wage growth in manufacturing between 2012 and 2022 (OECD/ILO wage trend context)
05
0.5% change in manufacturing compensation per hour in 2023 (BLS labor productivity and costs)
06
10.1% of U.S. workers were represented by unions in 2023 (overall unionization rate)
07
$600 million funding for registered apprenticeships in 2023 (U.S. workforce program funding)
08
48% of manufacturing HR leaders report that training and development are top priorities for talent retention (retention driver).
09
45% of employers use AI-enabled screening or matching for candidates in 2024 (HR tech adoption signal).
10
64% of manufacturers use safety training programs at onboarding (risk-management HR process).
Interpretation

Industry Overview Interpretation

With the United States seeing a low 3.6% unemployment rate in 2023 and only 10.1% of workers unionized, HR in the plastic industry is operating in a tight yet competitive labor market, where manufacturing wages are still rising steadily, including 3.7% average real wage growth from 2012 to 2022.
report visual · Key figures

Talent pressure in manufacturing: skills shortages and ongoing labor issues

Labor and skills shortages are a major drain on manufacturing value, alongside measurable churn and injury/illness rates that make retention, training, and safety a continuing HR priority.

11.1%
11.1% of global manufacturing GDP value lost to labor and skills shortages (estimate)
2.2%
2.2% of workers in the U.S. manufacturing industry changed jobs in 2023 (estimated churn rate supporting turnover planni
4.7%
4.7% of manufacturing workers reported a work-related injury and/or illness in 2022 (incidence context for HR safety tra
source-verifiedweforum.org · bls.gov2023
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). HR In The Plastic Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-plastic-industry-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "HR In The Plastic Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-plastic-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "HR In The Plastic Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-plastic-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

35 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

bls.govoecd.orgdol.govmarketsandmarkets.comgartner.comprecedenceresearch.comfortunebusinessinsights.comalliedmarketresearch.comibisworld.comweforum.orggminsights.comiea.orgncses.nsf.govwww2.staffingindustry.comrand.orgacf.hhs.govnsc.org

+18 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)