POWTECH TECHNOPHARM promotes pharmaceutical excellence
4/5/2024 Insights Article

POWTECH TECHNOPHARM promotes pharmaceutical excellence

POWTECH TECHNOPHARM delivers everything for processes in industries as diverse as chemicals, food, batteries, and recycling. Visitors benefit from a mix of technologies for processing, conveying, and analysing solid and liquid products. The new addition TECHNOPHARM makes it clear that the trade fair organisers are going the extra mile for visitors from the pharmaceutical industry.

Three men on a trade fair stand look at a display attached to a device. Visitors talk shop at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM. Everyone benefits from the exchange of experts across industry boundaries.

Cough syrups, painkillers, antipyretics - everyone is happy when the pharmacist round the corner has them in stock. Seriously ill patients and children in particular suffer from shortages. In Europe, the aim is therefore to improve security of supply. One way of achieving this is by setting up additional production sites. A productive pharmaceutical industry can also boost the economic future of many European countries and create attractive jobs.

A lot is in motion. The industry is investing. In Germany, for example, around 20,000 euros per employee are invested annually in plant and machinery for new and existing factories. Pharmaceutical producers are demanding. Only the best technology is good enough. Innovative equipment, sensors, analytic equipment and automation technology ensure excellence in production and thus competitiveness. POWTECH has long been one of the know-how platforms where technology experts from the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries and their plant manufacturers can talk shop and gain inspiration. The list of visitors to POWTECH 2023 includes both global players and smaller, specialised pharmaceutical manufacturers.

TECHNOPHARM part for European pharmaceutical production

The trade fair is now recognising this with the double name POWTECH TECHNOPHARM. And it makes it clear that technology for the GxP-compliant production of pharmaceuticals and other life science products is also part of the exhibitors' offering. This is becoming increasingly important, especially in the centre of Europe.

A man sticks his arm into an opening of a cleanroom technology device at a trade fair stand GxP-compliant technology, as required by pharmaceutical manufacturers, will not only be found at the Process Operations trade fair from 2025.
In any case, the crème de la crème of pharmaceutical and biotech plant manufacturers are based here, including turnkey suppliers as well as specialised machine designers. Ronny Sonnenschein is currently talking to them very intensively. He recently took over responsibility at NürnbergMesse for setting up TECHNOPHARM and expanding the range of products and services for the pharmaceutical industry. The Exhibitions Manager realises: "As soon as I say 'pharmaceuticals', my contacts prick up their ears." And that doesn't just apply to companies that specialise in pharmaceutical technology. "I'm surprised at how many technology providers are targeting the pharmaceutical industry: from conveyor belt manufacturers who realize hygienic transport, to suppliers of mixers for 'sensitive' products, to broad-based sealing technology partners who can fulfill the highest quality requirements."

Cross-industry exchange promotes innovation

The planned concept of distributing the exhibition stands of suppliers with a pharmaceutical target group across the exhibition halls at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2025 is generally well received. This is no different to the programme for the food industry, the chemical industry, plastics and ceramics producers or representatives from the construction, rocks and minerals sector. The fact that different sectors of the process industry can exchange ideas and learn from each other in Nuremberg is one of the big plus points. From 2025, visitors will also be guided by a digital exhibition guide. "In future discussions, however, we will repeatedly question whether this also makes sense for highly specialised pharmaceutical equipment, such as cleanroom technology, or whether it would be better to concentrate it in a specific area."

Portrait von Ronny Sonnenschein Ronny Sonnenschein, Exhibition Manager POWTECH TECHNOPHARM: "Many exhibitors are targeting the pharmaceutical industry: from conveyor belt manufacturers who realise hygienic transport, to suppliers of mixers for 'sensitive' products, to broad-based sealing technology partners."
Visitors from the pharmaceutical world and all other sectors will continue to be able to discover the entire spectrum of process engineering, analytics and automation technology at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM. The range also includes the processing of liquid and viscous products, which are often used to process powders into the end product. Ronny Sonnenschein comments: "None of my contacts think that our exhibitors only offer technologies for powder processing. Of course, the pharmaceutical industry also needs freeze dryers, separation systems such as centrifuges, granulators, dosing systems and much more. A tablet press alone is not enough."

From solid to liquid, from product feed to filling

It is the breadth of processes used that characterises all the industries from which visitors to the Process Operations exhibition come. It is of secondary importance whether the end product is solid, liquid or a mixture of the two. The technologies range from raw material preparation and dosing to the actual manufacturing process with reactors, mixers and dryers, transport and storage through to filling and packaging. Process control and digitalisation, supported by measurement technology, guarantee efficient processes.

A woman tries out VR glasses at a trade fair stand Mastering the transformation with digitalisation and AI: The latest technologies have just as much a place at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM as process engineering.
The complete equipment for a professional production environment, for temperature control, for containment and system cleaning, for maximum safety and environmental protection can also be found at the trade fair. Quality management is ensured by analytics and testing technology. The exhibitors at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM also offer what is needed for development in the laboratory. A wide variety of services are becoming increasingly important - from research tasks to plant planning, process optimisation and contract manufacturing. Because even if the name has changed - the claim remains the same: POWTECH TECHNOPHARM as the trade fair for process operations is the meeting place for experts from the process industries. Interdisciplinary, inspiring, diverse and yet focussed on the essentials: the professional exchange of innovative process engineering solutions from which all visitors benefit.

Author

Ulla Reutner

Dr. Ulla Reutner

Chemist and freelance specialised journalist