The 11th colloquium on Process Analytics was held in the historical dome hall of TU Vienna under this motto. The nearly 200 participants were unanimous: process analytics must come out of the ivory tower and finally shed the perception of complexity. How is this to happen? How will the much admired trialogue between device manufacturers, science and industrial users be wrapped up finally?

With the growing demand for filters across the globe, Metso Outotec has plans to expand its filter assembly plant in Suzhou, China. The expansion will enable the firm to double its local capacity as well as provide additional space for the assembly of flotation drive mechanisms and mill reline equipment.

BASF has partnered with Advent Technologies to establish a supply chain for fuel cell systems in Europe. With this move, BASF aims to expand its hydrogen related portfolio by scaling up the production of its Celtec Membrane Electrode Assembly technology for fuel cells while Advent will produce fuel cell systems at its manufacturing facility in Greece.

Biopharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim, together with Evotec and Bio Mérieux, announced the creation of a joint venture. Aurobac will develop the next generation of antimicrobial agents and diagnostics to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Sulzer has modernized its Kotka pump factory in Finland by inaugurating a highly automated and digitized pump production line which will help to reduce the production throughput time by 93 %. The firm has also launched a new logistics center at the site.

With the establishment of the 50:50 joint venture, Sasol and Topsoe aim to develop, build, own, and operate sustainable aviation fuel plants as well as market sustainable aviation fuels on a global scale.

BP has appointed KBR as its project management contractor for its global hydrogen projects. Under this role, KBR’s scope of work will include the joint contribution to front-end, optimization and execution project phases as well as management support through construction, commissioning and startup.

The Hope project aims to build an offshore hydrogen production plant with a capacity to produce up to four tons a day of green hydrogen. Plug Power will be designing and delivering a 10 MW PEM electrolyzer system for this project which has received a 21.8-million-dollar grant from the European Commission.

ETW Energietechnik has developed a new biomethane plant in Rittershoffen, Alsace, France. With a processing capacity of about 700 normal cubic meters of raw biogas per hour, the plant also consumes less energy.

Specialty chemicals company Lanxess is taking on a mammoth task and digitalizing all its process engineering, electrical engineering and automation documentation — including lifecycle management. Uniform plant and project documentation and comprehensive data management will increase quality and efficiency in production and maintenance operations going forward.