Women in Automation: Building the Future of Packaging

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate progress and recognize the opportunity ahead especially in manufacturing and automation.

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Women make up roughly 28–30% of the manufacturing workforce in North America, yet representation in engineering, robotics, and industrial automation roles is often closer to 15–20%. As packaging lines become more advanced, driven by robotics, AI, and data, the need for diverse technical talent continues to grow.

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At the same time, research from McKinsey & Company shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability. In automation, where performance and innovation are everything, diverse teams are a competitive advantage.

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Automation as an Opportunity

Modern packaging environments rely less on physical labor and more on:

• Robotics and collaborative automation
• Controls and systems engineering
• Data-driven optimization
• Project management and integration expertise

As automation reshapes the production floor, it also creates space for broader participation and leadership.

At PLAN IT Packaging

At PLAN IT Packaging, we see firsthand how collaboration, technical expertise, and diverse perspectives strengthen our projects from system design to commissioning and long-term support.

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We are proud of the women across our organization who contribute to engineering, marketing, operations, project coordination, and customer success. As automation continues to evolve, we remain committed to fostering growth, opportunity, and leadership within our team and the industry as a whole.

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The future of automated packaging is not just about smarter machines. It is about stronger, more inclusive teams building them. Learn more about PLAN IT Packaging here.

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