August 13, 2026
IMFA Launches Industry-Built Education Hub as Molded Fiber Manufacturers Prepare for Growth
New technical resource brings together design and manufacturing guides, video overviews and a shared glossary covering the industry’s three primary production methods
The International Molded Fiber Association (IMFA) recently launched its Education Hub, an industry-built online resource designed to make the technical foundations of molded fiber easier to learn, understand and apply.
The launch comes at a time of strong growth and investment across the molded fiber industry, and IMFA is expanding its resources in direct response. According to IMFA’s inaugural Global Benchmarking Reports, nearly 79% of participating manufacturers expect production to increase in 2026, while 74% plan to invest in additional production capacity within the next 24 months. As the industry scales, IMFA is developing the data, tools, and resources members need to navigate that growth, make informed business decisions, and respond to an increasingly complex global marketplace.
For much of the industry’s history, knowledge about forming techniques, tooling, materials and manufacturing processes has largely remained within the companies and production teams that developed it. That has created a steep learning curve for people entering the field and limited opportunities to establish a common technical foundation across companies and regions.
“Molded fiber is growing, but much of the technical knowledge behind it has historically remained within the companies and production teams that developed it,” said Gary Visser, IMFA Executive Chairman. “The Education Hub begins turning that experience into a shared foundation; one that can help businesses develop talent, support universities and give more people an entryway into the industry.”
Developed by experts on IMFA’s Education Committee, the Education Hub brings together resources covering Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 molded fiber.
At launch, the Education Hub includes:
- Six design and manufacturing guides covering Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 molded fiber, including dimensions, tooling, materials, product performance and production processes
- Three video overviews explaining how each manufacturing method works and what distinguishes it from the others
- A growing industry glossary defining common terminology across materials, design, manufacturing, equipment and sustainability
Together, the resources follow molded fiber across three production methods: from thick-wall Type 1 packaging designed to protect heavy and bulky goods, to transfer-molded Type 2 products such as cartons and trays, to thermoformed Type 3 parts that provide the smooth finish and dimensional stability required for applications where precision and performance matter.
The design and manufacturing guides were developed by members of the Education Committee and reviewed by IMFA’s Industry Affairs Committee to help keep the information clear, current and aligned with the issues shaping the industry. IMFA acknowledges the individuals across both committees whose expertise and collaboration made the resource possible.
“The committee designed the Hub around the questions people commonly encounter when they begin working with molded fiber: How do the manufacturing methods differ? How do design decisions affect tooling and production? What does the industry’s terminology mean?” said Max Gehl, CEO of Keiding and Chair of IMFA Education Committee. “These resources provide a starting point for people entering the field and a framework that universities and students can use as they prepare for the 2027 Molded Fiber Student Innovators Competition. This is only the beginning.”
IMFA will continue expanding the Education Hub with additional technical and educational resources. The association also invites practitioners to help develop a common language for the global molded fiber industry by submitting glossary terms for consideration at education@imfa.org.
The Education Hub is available now at: https://www.imfa.org/education-hub/
To learn more about IMFA and its work advancing the global molded fiber industry, visit https://www.imfa.org/.