IMechE Process Community Hub News
Latest IMechE Process Industries Recordings
Process Industries Community Email Distribution List
There has been an issue with the synchronisation of some email addresses to Dotdigital, which may be affecting delivery. We have prepared some steps that outlines a solution to resolve this.
Steps for members to follow to receive our community emails
- Login to the website:https://www.imeche.org/my-account/sign-in
- This takes you to the ‘My Account’ section
- Select ‘Your Profile’
- Select the ‘Email and Password’ tab
- Review and update which email address has been selected as the ‘preferred’ email address
- Click on 'Change username/primary email' (your login email must match your preferred email to receive our emails)
- Add the email address that has been set as the ‘preferred’ email address (see step 5)
- Request a verification code
- Check your email inbox for the code and verify
- Select ‘continue’
- The username and preferred email address will now be matching and you should start receiving IMechE emails according to your mailing preferences
- Adjust your Profile Industry and make sure 'Process Industries' is ticked.
- Adjust your Profile Interests and make sure all relevant headings are ticked.
- Adjust your Mailing Preferences and make sure 'Industry updates' as well as 'Events and updates from your local networks' are both ticked.
If you still encounter issues, please contact Digital Helpdesk: digitalhelpdesk@imeche.org
Call for Operations Thought Leaders
Are you an experienced professional in Process Operations with a passion for shaping the future of the industry? The IMechE Process Industries Division board is seeking dynamic and visionary thought leaders to join our esteemed committee as members.
Why Join Us?
The Process Industries Division plays a pivotal role in advancing engineering excellence and knowledge within sectors such as chemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, food & drink, water, and more. As a board member, you will have the unique opportunity to: - Influence Industry Direction: Contribute to the strategic direction of the process industries, addressing key challenges and seizing emerging opportunities.
- Drive Innovation: Shape technical policies, guide research, and promote best practices in operational excellence.
- Expand Your Network: Collaborate with a diverse group of senior professionals, academics, and industry experts.
- Share Your Expertise: Mentor the next generation of engineers and lead discussions on critical topics.
- Shape the Future: Help identify and drive forward the most pressing topics for our working groups.
Who We Are Looking For
We are specifically looking for individuals with significant experience and a proven track record in Operations within the process industries. This includes roles such as: - Operations Managers
- Plant Managers
- Production Directors
- Heads of Operations
- Process Operations Engineers (senior level)
- Consultants specialising in operational excellence
We value diverse perspectives and encourage applications from individuals who are passionate about sharing their insights, driving change, and actively participating in a collaborative environment. (https://www.imeche.org/about-us/governance/council/committees-and-boards/diversity-and-inclusion-committee/) Your Commitment
Board members typically attend quarterly meetings in the afternoon, either virtually or in One Birdcage Walk, London. They contribute to discussions, and may lead or participate in specific initiatives and working groups. This is a voluntary role, offering unparalleled opportunities for professional development and industry impact. Ready to Make a Difference?
If you are ready to lend your expertise and become a key voice in the future of the process industries, we want to hear from you. To express your interest, please complete the short survey below. This will help us understand your areas of expertise and how you might contribute to our division and working groups.
Process Industries Division Operations Thought Leader Survey
Thank you for your interest in becoming a thought leader for the IMechE Process Industries Division board. This survey will help us understand your background, interests, and how you envision contributing to our work.
Process Industries Division Speaker Invitation
Are you looking for an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your company's innovations, share your technical expertise, and connect with a vast network of engineering professionals? The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Process Industries Division invites you and your colleagues to deliver a technical talk at one of our upcoming events.
Our events typically follow this structure:
2-3 minutes: Introduction by a Host
35-45 minutes: Speaker 16x9 Presentation (Please avoid animations and slide transitions for optimal viewing. We will provide our Front and Back cover slides)
10-20 minutes: Q&A Session
1-2 minutes: Closure Speech by a Host
This form will give you an introduction to our activities, and invite you to share the below details.
1.
Event Title ( < 75 characters):
2.
Event Date and Time Preferences (London Time):
3.
Event Summary ( < 500 characters):
4.
Speakers Full Name(s), Job Title(s) and Bio(s) ( < 300 characters):
5.
Preferred Keywords or #hashtags: [#IMechE #ProcessIndustries]
6.
Company/Organisation Logo ( > 56 pixels):
7.
Cover Image/Photo from one of the 16x9 slides for adverts ( > 215 pixels):
8.
Headshots for each speaker (Ideally
www.LinkedIn.com profile photo, > 100 pixels):
9.
Detailed Event Description (unlimited and may include images and links):
Alternatively, you can email these details to
Murat.Islam@member.imeche.org to be considered for our future events.
Here are our current
Challenges and Opportunities facing the Process Industries;
• Impulses to innovation
• Energy Transition
• Sustainability and Reducing Consumption
• Cold Chain
• Digital
• Environmental Responsibility
• New Techniques
• Materials
• Regulatory Topics
• Remote Operations
• Learning from Past Incidents/Safety/Best Practice
• Manufacturing
• General Topics Skills for the Future
• Improvements
Call for Early Career Engineers
We are also committed to nurturing the next generation of leaders within the process industries. Alongside experienced professionals, we warmly welcome early career engineers who are eager to broaden their horizons, contribute fresh perspectives, and develop their professional voice within a supportive environment.
Whether you are in the first few years of your career or progressing toward chartership, this is an exceptional opportunity to:
- Gain exposure to strategic discussions shaping the future of the process industries
- Build confidence by contributing to working groups and technical initiatives
- Connect with senior engineers, industry specialists, and fellow emerging professionals
- Develop leadership, communication, and organisational skills through active participation
- Influence topics that matter to you and your peers
If you are enthusiastic, curious, and motivated to make an impact beyond your day‑to‑day role, we encourage you to apply. Your ideas and energy are vital to ensuring our division remains forward‑looking, inclusive, and representative of the full engineering community.
We have established dedicated groups across these key areas:
🌿 Energy & Sustainability: Help us decarbonize heating, secure energy transition, and adapt to climate change.
💻 New Techniques: Dive into Industry 4.0, Digital Twins, and Condition Monitoring.
⚖️ Regulations: Navigate the future of materials, including the impact of PFAS bans.
🛡️ Safety: "Steal with pride"—help us learn lessons from past incidents to prevent future ones.
🎓 Skills & Education: Inspire the next generation and define the skills of the future.
💡 Innovation: Drive diversity in thought and value creation.
Whether you have a few hours a month or want to take a lead role, there is a place for you.
IMechE Process Industries Division Awards
Recognising and rewarding engineering achievement wherever we can, our awards are here to support you in your career.
- Filtration Prize
- IMechE Bulk Materials Handling Award for Innovation
- IMechE Bulk Solids Handling Award
- Ludwig Mond Prize
- Moss Prize
- Most Distinguished Achievement Award
- Most Distinguished Developing Career Achievement Prize
- Paul Lidgett Memorial Prize
- Thomas Lowe Gray Prize
Click here to see all industry and special interest group awards.
IMechE Bulk Materials Handling Award for Innovation
Closing date: 18 March 2026 (Apply here. left)
Presented to the author of the best paper relating to bulk materials handling technology, presented in the preceding year.
Value of award: £250 and a certificate.
Eligibility: Open to members and non-members, worldwide. Engineers, scientists, students, researchers and academic staff, are all eligible for the award.
IMechE Bulk Solids Handling Award
Closing date: 18 March 2026 (Apply here. left)
Presented for either a paper published by the Institution, or for research, design, or development work in the field of solids handling, or in recognition of an individual's professional excellence in the field of bulk solids technology.
Value of award: £250, a certificate and a plaque.
Eligibility: Open to members and non-members, worldwide.
Most Distinguished Achievement Award
Closing date: 18 March 2026 (Apply here. left)
Recognising outstanding academic and/or professional contributions to improving life through advances in mechanical process engineering.
The award, given by our Process Industries Division, aims to foster and encourage mechanical process engineering research, management and other professional activities and to recognize, in a substantial manner, the value of the contributions to the benefit of mankind.
Eligibility: Open to members and non-members, worldwide.
Most Distinguished Developing Career Achievement Prize
Closing date: 18 March 2026 (Apply here. left)
Recognising those developing engineers who have demonstrated innovative and responsible professional leadership, and the potential for future distinction and commitment to serving others.
Eligibility: Open to members and non-members worldwide. Developing engineers who have graduated from an IMechE accredited or related engineering first degree course, or MSc postgraduate course within the past 10 years.
Paul Lidgett Memorial Prize
Closing date: 18 March 2026 (Apply here. left)
Awarded to the first author of at least one full R&D paper focused on the mechanical engineering involved in an upstream or downstream oil and gas processing-related topic of popular interest to the industry and wider society.
Value of award: £2000
Eligibility: Open to IMechE members, worldwide.
2025 Speak Out for Engineering (SOfE) and networking reception with the IMechE President
Are you looking for an opportunity to develop your presentation skills? Are you a talented public speaker looking for a new challenge?
Speak Out for Engineering is a competition for young engineers designed to help develop verbal and visual communication in explaining technical mechanical engineering related subjects.
All competitors will be required to complete the Competitors’ Registration Form, returned to the regional SOfE organiser by the requested date. More details coming soon. Save the Date! 18th October 2025.
Click here for more details and to register your interest.
CHAIN Events for Young Members
The IMechE Process Industries Division is excited to announce its participation in the CHAIN event in Manchester on Saturday 15th of November 2025. This year's theme is "Sustainability," and the event's mission is to encourage collaboration among developing engineers, build a community committed to continual development, and share skills to make the world a better place.
The CHAIN event is a great opportunity for young engineers to network with peers and leading professionals from various institutions. The IMechE will be joined by other prominent professional bodies, including:
- The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
- Royal Aeronautical Society
- Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
- Institution of Diesel and Gas Turbine Engineers (IDGTE)
- Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
- Nuclear Institute
The IMechE will be represented by three key members of the Process Industries Division:
- Ian Hancock Eng Tech MIET IEng FIMechE (He/Him), Vice President of Sales and Operations at BRADLEY PULVERIZER, and Chairman of the IMechE Process Industries Board & Bulk Material Handling Technical Committee, will deliver a 20-minute keynote speech. His presentation will focus on fertilisers and bulk materials, highlighting the innovations and challenges in this crucial sector.
- Parvin Sebghati MSc AMIMechE (She/Her), a highly motivated mechanical engineer, researcher, and sustainability advocate, will give a 20-minute talk based on her own academic research. Her presentation will discuss her research contributions in driving net-zero targets and advancing renewable energy, topics that are vital for the future of the industry.
- Murat Islam EUR ING CEng IntPE(UK) FIMechE (He/Him), Vice Chair of the IMechE Process Industries Board, will host the IMechE stand. He will be available to answer questions and promote the benefits of Professional Registration and IMechE membership to attendees.
This event is a significant opportunity to connect with the next generation of engineers, promote the values and work of the IMechE Process Industries Division, and contribute to the important conversation around sustainability in engineering.
The venue, the full-day agenda and the booking details will be confirmed soon. We look forward to seeing you there!
Making Pharmaceuticals Exhibition
The Pharmaceutical Committee of the Institution of Mechanical Engineering participated in the Making Pharma 2025 Conference at the Coventry Arena, which took place on April 29th and 30th.
This annual conference, held alongside Distributing Pharma, aims to enhance the pharmaceutical sector through networking, education, and the presentation of the latest innovations. It serves as a comprehensive event for the pharmaceutical supply chain, catering to manufacturers, researchers, quality control experts, regulatory professionals, engineers, and others engaged in pharmaceutical development, manufacturing, and distribution.
The Pharma Committee has consistently supported this event, viewing it as a vital opportunity in promoting the role of Mechanical Engineering in the Pharmaceutical Industry, raising awareness of the exciting and rewarding career prospects for aspiring mechanical engineers, and facilitating the exchange of information, ideas, and best engineering practices.
We extend our gratitude to our committee members who managed the IMechE stand, effectively encouraging both current and prospective engineering talent within the industry.
We also appreciate our members who judged awards and participated in the workshop on Sustainability in Pharmaceuticals, conducted in collaboration with the IChemE and ISPE sister Pharma committees.
Additionally, we thank our team who chaired panels and delivered presentations during our various speaking engagements. This year's discussions covered a range of topics, including adapting our industry to rising temperatures, strategies for engineers to enhance equipment performance for high-quality products, engineering opportunities to mitigate non-conformances, lessons in facilities management outsourcing, managing critical assets, and the importance of both user specifications and engineering specifications in equipment selection, among many others.
Thank you to
Victoria Cavalier-Hirth, Bob Hayes, Roy Fincham, Dan Levett, Chris Hurst, Richard Coe, Karen Stevenson, Siegfried Schmitt, Mark Birse, Charlotte Brownsword, Taz Khatun, Claire Edwards, Adrian La Porta, Adam Hawthorne who either contributed to the preparation or both took part in the event.
We would like to thank Claire Edwards, Chair of the IMechE Pharmaceutical Committee, for producing this report.
Click here to visit IMechE at Making Pharma website
CHEMUK Expo
The UK’s largest expo supporting the chemicals, process engineering, and formulated product industries.
We’ll be exhibiting at CHEMUK 2026, the UK’s largest B2B trade show for the chemicals, process engineering, and formulated product industries.
Download our programme:
CHEMUK_2026_IMechE_PublicProgramme_v03
With 600+ exhibitors and 100+ expert speaker sessions across five focused show zones, the event attracts manufacturers, engineers, and decision-makers from across the full value chain.
Join us in Birmingham on 20 & 21 May 2026 to see our latest solutions, discuss your challenges, and explore how we can support your projects.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Process Industries Division (ProID) played a central role at the CHEMUK 2025 exhibition and conference, held at the NEC Birmingham on 21–22 May 2025. With over 5,200 visitors and 550 exhibitors, CHEMUK continues to stand out as the UK’s flagship gathering for the chemical and process industries. The total participation, including exhibitors, reached 7,561.
The majority of registrants were from the United Kingdom (93.80%), with a diverse international contingent also present. Analysis of company types shows a broad representation, including industry/technical service providers (22%), chemical manufacturers (19%), and formulated product manufacturers (15%). This diverse attendance validates CHEMUK as a key event for the industry.
Our dedicated stand (C14 in Hall 5), strategically positioned alongside IChemE and Cogent Skills, created a vibrant hub for industry discussion, professional networking, and knowledge-sharing. The event provided an invaluable opportunity to engage with engineers at every career stage, from students to senior industry leaders.
Click here to download CHEMUK 2025 IMechE Public Summary - v04
Interview with Claire Edwards, Pharmaceutical Committee Chair, IMechE at CHEMUK 2025
Alan D'Ambrogio, Chair of IMechE North Eastern Region interview at CHEMUK 2024
Stand Engagement & Industry Collaboration
The ProID stand welcomed a steady stream of visitors, generating vibrant discussions around:
- Process safety leadership
- Professional development and recognition
- Opportunities for collaboration, particularly with IChemE and Cogent Skills
New connections were made across industry, academia, and regulatory spheres. Notably, several early-career professionals expressed keen interest in IMechE membership and pursuing Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration, with follow-up mentoring sessions already underway.
Key Insights & Feedback
- Industry Pulse: Feedback revealed a mixed economic outlook, but a strong appetite for knowledge sharing, upskilling, and leadership in process safety.
- Volunteer Reflections: Positive volunteer feedback praised the event’s organisation and networking value. Suggestions for growth included a dedicated membership representative, more branded materials, and increased engagement from large manufacturers and operators.
- Cross-Institute Collaboration: Collaboration with IChemE and other professional bodies was a highlight—setting the stage for future joint initiatives and events, particularly for young members.
- Growing Competence Gap: A recurring theme was the urgency to address the skills and competence gaps caused by industry fragmentation and retirements of experienced engineers.
Outcomes & Next Steps
- Strengthened partnerships with IChemE and Cogent Skills
- Increased visibility of IMechE’s process safety and professional development mission
- Concrete new relationships (attendance certificates issued; mentees seeking CEng sponsorship)
- Plans to expand engagement to other industry events, including PPMA Show and ADIPEC, and to introduce digital networking tools and branded resources
About the IMechE Process Industries Division
The Process Industries Division champions mechanical engineering excellence across sectors such as food, beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy, and more. We’re dedicated to promoting best practices, supporting professional development, and representing our industry at home and abroad.
Keep up to date and join our community:
Thank You & Looking Ahead
CHEMUK 2025 was a resounding success in reinforcing IMechE's commitment to a safe, skilled, and sustainable process industries sector. We thank all our speakers, panellists, stand volunteers, and attendees for energizing our discussions and strengthening our shared drive for excellence.
We look forward to building on this momentum at future industry events—see you in 2026!
PPMA Show
The UK's Biggest Processing and Packaging Machinery Exhibition
Total Show 2025
The IMechE Process Industries Division have been in attendance at the largest Process Machinery exhibition in the UK. The PPMA Organisers provided the IMechE with a Complimentary stand at the NEC and we gratefully took full advantage of the opportunity.
Running from Tuesday 23rd through to Thursday 25th September 2025, Martyn Ralph, Roy Fincham, Farah Baksh and Charlotte Broadsword were in attendance, offering guidance to prospective members and former members on all matters IMechE.
By far the largest proportion of attendees at the stand were Students and recent graduates, looking forward to a career in Mechanical Engineering and requiring advice on their path to chartership.
The visitors ranged from undergraduates and apprentices on IMechE accredited courses, through to overseas-trained Masters graduates investigating the level of skills and experience required by the Institution. These Young Members were also keen to find Mentors and Sponsors for their applications.
We have given them the information they need to become Incorporated or Chartered Engineers.
Another section of visitors consisted of IMechE members and Former members who were unaware of the Institutions involvement in Process Industries. Roy from the Pharma and Chemicals TAC, and Martyn from the Food and Drink Engineering TAC, were on hand to talk about how the IMechE Process Industries Division (PROID), can offer membership and CPD support along with a range of webinars and seminars to provide essential information to members.
PPMA Show 2026
Mr. Laurie Barnes, Chief Technical Officer of Automate, the owners of the PPMA show, visited the stand. We were able to discuss our future involvement with the PPMA show.
Mr Barnes was very pleased to allocate the IMechE a booth and will do so next year, the actual location of the booth being dependant on the exhibitor’s bookings.
We spoke about the opportunity for the IMechE to present, either a talk on a relevant topic or a workshop on Process Safety. Mr Barnes mentioned that they have two member organisations who offer similar workshops at present. However, as they despite the fact they currently have a policy to reduce the number of speaking slots in favour of practical demonstrations and the like, Mr Barnes would be pleased to receive suggestions from the IMechE. We are looking for a potential product demonstration by IMechE members.
Mr Barnes also spoke about the role of “Automate”. The parent of PPMA are looking to give back to Industry. They offer Bursaries to Apprentices and run consultation groups for members.
They are offering a range of memberships and suggested that the IMechE might wish to sign up as “Academic Members” alongside Universities and Charities, a category of membership with no joining fee or membership charge.
IMechE Process Industries Division will be hosting a stand at the Packaging Expo: PPMA Show 2026 at Birmingham NEC. We would like to thank Martyn Ralph for writing up this report.
Click here to find us at the PPMA Show
Updated by Murat Islam on the 30th September 2025