Cleanzone 2022 focuses on energy efficiency, robust supply chains, and smart automation

The strategy commission of Cleanzone and the Cleanzone Conference jury, together with Messe Frankfurt, have identified three key themes for Cleanzone 2022. Anja Diete, Show Director Cleanzone, explains: "It was wonderful to hear that order books across all applications of cleanroom technology are full. Nevertheless, current political and economic developments are presenting the industry with new challenges. Therefore, Cleanzone comes at just the right time to discuss energy efficiency, automation, digitalization, and solutions for stable and sustainable supply chains, both at the Cleanzone Conference and at the exhibitors' booths."

Sustainability: energy-efficient and minimal

Due to climate change and rising energy prices, energy efficiency and sustainability are top priorities in the cleanroom industry. Industry investment in energy-efficient measures has increased significantly. Operating cleanrooms, especially climate and ventilation technology, is energy-intensive. The trend is therefore towards optimizing energy consumption and reducing the cleanroom footprint to only the truly critical areas. Cleanzone exhibitors are focusing on mini-environments, isolators, or highly efficient filter fan units.

Cleanroom supply chain: integrity, compliance, and sustainability

How can cleanroom supply chains be protected in our new normal and post-COVID-19 times, even during turbulent periods? Global supply chains are heavily disrupted, and critical infrastructure elements such as raw materials, components, equipment, consumables, and services in pharma, biopharma, medical devices, and healthcare must find new and improved ways to protect product quality, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote sustainability. This challenge is particularly relevant for GMP cleanrooms, especially with the upcoming publication of the long-awaited and updated EU GMP Annex 1. Risk assessment across the entire manufacturing process (QRM) and a coherent and comprehensive contamination control strategy (CCS) as a response are firmly embedded in the new Annex 1. It is expected to be published at Cleanzone 2022, and both understanding the new requirements and how to meet them will be central topics at the conference.

Automation: smart and digital

Automation, digitalization, and robotics are in full swing in the pharmaceutical industry and microtechnology to optimize processes and minimize human contamination risk in the cleanroom. How can data collected during production be intelligently networked and generate new business models? The convergence of IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology) offers many advantages and is a prerequisite for "Pharma 4.0" and the "Data Driven Enterprise" — but only if IT security is guaranteed. Using "Predictive Quality" and "Predictive Maintenance," potential rejects or production failures can be detected and prevented early through intelligent image recognition and processing. Participants at Cleanzone can learn about new technologies for smart automation from leading companies in purity technology on November 23 + 24 in Frankfurt am Main.