#process innovation

Modular production — from skid-based unit operations to standardised plant modules (Process Equipment Assemblies) and modular automation following the Module Type Package (MTP) approach — is redefining how process plants are designed, deployed, and adapted. Pressure to respond to shifting feedstocks, variable demand, and faster time-to-market makes modular architectures increasingly attractive for capital efficiency and operational flexibility. Contributions are sought on engineering frameworks, integration standards, automation interfaces, scale-up experience, and industrial deployment cases across the chemical and life science industries.

• Modular production
• Modular automation concepts
• Module Type Package (MTP)
• Skid-based processes
• Process plant flexibility
• Capital efficiency
• Integration standards

To keep existing plant assets safe, efficient, and competitive, continuous improvements in plant design and maintenance practices are essential. In the chemical and life sciences process industries, an aging infrastructure, evolving regulatory requirements, and the integration of new process equipment into existing facilities are transforming lifecycle management. We invite submissions on condition monitoring, inspection technologies, corrosion management, plant modernization, reliability engineering, and maintenance strategies that extend plant service life or improve operational performance.

• Asset lifecycle management
• Plant revamping
• Condition monitoring
• Corrosion management
• Reliability engineering
• Inspection technologies
• Maintenance strategies

The selection of materials and the corresponding processing technology are central to the performance, safety, and competitiveness of chemical, pharmaceutical and life science production processes and process engineering. Improved structural and functional materials, active ingredients, surface treatment, corrosion-resistant alloys, polymers, and ceramics each can help to overcome specific challenges to each process, especially in aggressive process environments. Submissions are welcome, focussing on materials for synthesis, characterization, forming and joining techniques and its engineering, coating processes, and the qualification of materials for new or retrofitted plants as well as repairing scenarios— with an emphasis on high performance under industrial operating conditions and transformation processes.

• Materials for high temperature
• Corrosion-resistant materials
• Surface treatment & coatings
• Polymers and ceramics in process equipment
• Material characterization and qualification
• Forming and joining techniques

Process engineering forms the foundation for the design, optimization, and scaling of production systems in the chemical industry and the life sciences. As existing plants face pressure to accommodate new feedstocks, stricter efficiency targets, and evolving regulatory standards, advances in reactor design, separation technology, heat and mass transfer, and process intensification are becoming increasingly urgent for the industry. We invite submissions on the topics of unit operations, reaction engineering, process simulation, and scale-up studies that address the performance and adaptability of current and future production facilities.

• Unit operations
• Reactor design
• Separation technology
• Process intensification
• Heat and mass transfer
• Process simulation
• Scale-up

As demand for biologically derived compounds grows and new facilities come on stream, optimising bioreactor design, upstream and downstream processing, and scale-up methodology is increasingly critical. Submissions are invited on fermentation technology, bioseparation, process analytical technology, and strategies to improve yield, robustness, and reproducibility in industrial bioprocesses. 
Contributions from the biopharmaceutical sector may fit the topics #pharma.

• Bioreactor design and technology
• Upstream and downstream processing
• Bioseparations
• Process analytical technology (PAT), ML/AI
• Scale-up 

Food processing and technology sits at the intersection of well-established unit operations and evolving process engineering demands. As requirements for product safety, resource efficiency, and manufacturing flexibility intensify globally, the sector is updating its installed asset base through improved thermal and non-thermal processing methods, continuous manufacturing approaches, and advances in hygienic equipment design. Contributions are invited on process scale-up, equipment integration, operational efficiency, and the industrial deployment of novel processing technologies.

• Thermal and non-thermal processing
• Hygienic equipment design
• Continuous manufacturing
• Process scale-up
• Manufacturing flexibility
• Food safety and regulatory compliance

Keeping existing assets competitive while deploying next-generation unit operations demands rigorous engineering and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Contributions are sought on continuous manufacturing, process intensification, facility design, and technology transfer across the biotechnology sectors.
Contributions from the biopharmaceutical sector may fit the topics #pharma.

• Continuous bioprocessing
• Process intensification
• Quality by design
• Technology transfer
• Facility design

Mixing and separation operations are at the very heart of chemical, pharmaceutical, and life science plants worldwide. As the installed equipment ideally performs at benchmark efficiency, innovations in mixing-, separation-, and hybrid process configurations help to preserve and push forward what is technically and economically achievable. Contributions are welcome on novel unit operation designs, scale-up of advanced separation concepts, intensified mixing strategies, and integration of new equipment into existing plant infrastructure.

• Treatment, mixing and separation of liquids, solids and gases
• Separation and filtration technologies
• Mechanical processes
• Thermal processes
• Hybrid separation processes
• AI-guided mixing and separation processes

Pumps, valves, seals, and piping systems form the infrastructure of every process plant. Their reliability is critical to operational continuity. As plants face increasing pressure to maximize performance, advancements in sealing technology, pump design, and valve technology are transforming maintenance strategies and lifecycle cost-effectiveness. We invite submissions on the topics of plant innovation, sealing technology, condition monitoring, materials development, and the integration of fluid handling systems into demanding process environments.

• Pump technology
• Valve engineering
• Sealing solutions
• Condition monitoring
• Asset reliability
• Hygienic design
• Piping systems

Safety and security are non-negotiable foundations of every process plant, and requirements grow more demanding as plant configurations evolve and the threat landscapes broaden. From functional safety and process hazard analysis to plant security and the protection of critical infrastructure, the discipline spans engineering, regulation, and operational practice. Contributions are invited on risk assessment methodologies, inherently safer design, learning from incidents, as well as process safety and security across the full plant lifecycle.

• Process hazard analysis (PHA)
• Risk management
• Functional safety
• Safety instrumented systems (SIS)
• Safe and sustainable by design
• Plant and process security