- 08/07/2026
- Article
- Insights
Where the future takes shape: expert knowledge and networking at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM
AI, containment, recycling, explosion protection, and strategies to tackle the industry crisis – at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, visitors will meet experts, users and decision-makers who will demonstrate how current challenges can be turned into opportunities. Specialist forums, best-practice presentations, and networking events will provide concrete inspiration for production, process engineering, and corporate strategy.
Written by Dr. Ulla Reutner
A varied programme covering pharmaceutical processing, smart industry, plant engineering & process engineering, and safety & security characterises this year’s EXPERT FORUM at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM in Hall 7, Stand 7-489. Technical presentations focusing on the specific requirements of containment production run like a common thread throughout all three days.
Visitors will learn a great deal about the possibilities of artificial intelligence, partly with a focus on pharmaceutical production, for example in the context of maintenance. The benefits for the diagnostics of rotating equipment, powder characterisation and raw material supply are likely to be of interest to audiences from many other sectors. As the reliability of AI forms the basis for all of this, one session is dedicated specifically to this topic: Florian Kiel from TÜV Rheinland will demonstrate how users can manage the new risks arising from the use of AI.
Safety, smart production, sustainability – the expert forum covers a wide range of topics
Renowned experts will also address explosion and fire protection, as well as the specific requirements of modern drying processes – from grinding and drying through spray drying to thin-film drying. Several presentations will also focus on food processing, such as the handling of heat-sensitive formulations. Further presentations will concentrate on techniques that can be used for compacting and shaping powdered bulk materials across various industries. These improve flowability, for example.
A special two-hour panel discussion is scheduled for Wednesday from 11.00 am. How can machinery and plant manufacturers remain competitive despite high energy costs, reluctance to invest and geopolitical uncertainties? The panel will be opened by Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim, the new Managing Director of the VDMA’s Process Plant and Equipment Association. Following this, executives from leading machinery and plant engineering companies will use concrete examples to demonstrate which strategies are effective today – and will then discuss them with the audience.
Guided Tours for Young Professionals on Student Day
On Thursday, students will get hands-on experience of process engineering. Guided tours will take them directly to innovative exhibitors. The free admission to the trade fair makes Student Day an ideal opportunity to make contacts for work placements, final-year projects or a first job. From 1 pm to 2 pm, young professionals are invited to a special session at the Forum. In two presentations, two representatives from the VAA (Association of Salaried Academics and Senior Executives in the Chemical Industry) will offer tips on starting your career and your first employment contract.
Young professionals who are already a step further along and have founded their own start-ups will also be showcasing their work at the Young Innovators joint stand in Hall 9.
Network meeting for women in the process community
The WOMEN4PROCESSING network brings together specialists and executives from industry, research, and academia. Following last year’s successful launch, the community continues to grow steadily and offers a space for professional exchange, career discussions and new collaborations – on the Wednesday of the trade fair from 3.30 pm. Newcomers are advised to join the LinkedIn group in advance to receive all the details about the live meet-up at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM.
In-depth discussion on pharmaceutical process engineering, recycling, and other specialist topics
Anyone wishing to find out more about specific future-oriented topics will find a wealth of expertise gathered in one place at the themed pavilions. The Pharma-in-Focus pavilion in Hall 9 is making a comeback after 2025, supported by the APV (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e. V.). The same hall is home to the new Recycling-in-Focus pavilion, which addresses the upcoming requirements of the circular economy. In another pavilion in Hall 7, numerous members of the DSIV are presenting their ‘Process Solutions’. The association is also inviting visitors and exhibitors to the meeting of the International Bulk Materials Associations on the Tuesday of the fair from 10 am to 11 am. There, representatives from the British, Spanish, Japanese and Dutch associations will answer questions and provide insights into their specific markets.
Explosion protection: International expert meeting and live demonstrations for all
As in previous years, the IND EX® Explosion Safety Forum will once again facilitate in-depth international exchange among explosion protection experts. It will take place on Thursday morning, 1 October 2026, from 9.30 am and will offer an informative programme of presentations on new scientific findings and practical explosion protection. The live demonstrations of dust explosions, held twice daily on the exhibition grounds, have an even longer tradition. Visitors can gain an insight into the destructive power of explosions and the possibilities for protection against them, without prior registration and from a safe distance.
Whether it is the expert forum, themed pavilions, international association meetings, or live demonstrations: POWTECH TECHNOPHARM offers far more than a traditional trade fair. It is the meeting place for the process community – for everyone who wants to discover innovations, exchange experiences, and forge new business contacts.
Interested in this topic? Then come to POWTECH TECHNOPHARM and experience this and many other topics live at the trade fair. Secure your ticket here using the following code: PTTP26Insights
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