What will the process industry look like in 2025? More flexible, more integrated, more biological, experts say. Three focal topics bring “Flexible Production”, “Chemical and pharma logistics” and “Biotech for Chemistry” to the forefront at ACHEMA 2018.
Whether for the energy turnaround, novel antibiotics, water treatment and innovative materials, to name but a few – chemistry and process engineering present solutions for practically all sectors. The range of topics will thus be large when the world of the process industries meets at ACHEMA 2018 from June 11-15 in Frankfurt. About 3,800 exhibitors are expected and will show the latest technologies for the chemical, pharma and food industry from the lab via the world-scale plant to the packaging line.
Particularly in pharmaceutical technology and automation the demand for space exceeded supply, and an additional hall has been opened. Moreover, the “classical” ACHEMA exhibition groups, such as pumps, process engineering and the laboratory sector, have also shown a keen interest.
Given the immense interest of exhibitors, the organisers anticipate a corresponding rush of visitors. More than167,000 participants are needed to exceed the figure for the last event in 2015 which for one week made Frankfurt am Main the epicentre of the global process industries.
Hence, ACHEMA 2018 is once again set to live up to its reputation of being not only the market place of the present, but also the innovation exchange of the future. Challenges such as energy efficiency, shorter product cycles or novel materials for applications spanning vehicles to power stations, impact this sector worldwide, making ACHEMA the place where global trends are launched.
Three topics in focus
Megatrends affect whole industries from equipment to processes to business models. Consequently, they cannot be covered within one exhibition group. ACHEMA answers to this by defining three focal topics that draw attention to developments affecting all stakeholders in the process industry, from lab supplier to pump developer to plant engineer and operator. Thus, aided by markings at the stand to dedicated topical magazines, visitors can get an overview on where the process industry is headed.
ACHEMA 2018 focusses on three trends:
“Biotech for Chemistry” illustrates the drive towards merging chemical and biotechnological processes as exemplified in the use of renewable resources as a substitute for oil or the development of novel active pharmaceutical ingredients.
“Flexible Production” focuses on how technology and automation providers are reacting to the need for ever more specialised products in ever smaller batches and with ever shorter time-to-market; digitisation and modular plants provide the basis for the increasing integration of the value chains.
Finally, the Focal Topic “Chemical and Pharmaceutical Logistics” highlights the benefits of digitisation which facilitates integrated solutions for the logistics chain – from parameter determination for personalised medicine through to end-to-end product traceability throughout the value chain.
Discussion in the Congress and PRAXISforums
The ACHEMA-Congress comprises the complete spectrum of chemical and process engineering as well as biotechnology themes. The topics range from analytics, energy supply, process design, reaction technology through to safety. Focal topics include: Biotech for Chemistry – chemical and biotechnological processes are gradually merging; Flexible Production – digital integration of the value chain makes this possible; Chemical and Pharmaceutical Logistics – the digitalisation of the logistics chain opens up new paths in supply chein management and distribution.
The ACHEMA PRAXISforums focus on industrial applications, trends, new products and services in chemical engineering, biotechnology and the process industry. Market- and practice-oriented topics are presented in a concise format. The ACHEMA PRAXISforums are held in the immediate vicinity of the respective exhibition group.
To download a PDF of the ACHEMA 2018 Showguide, please click here