Introduction
Now in its sixteenth edition, the CFRT Symposium has once again confirmed its position as a reference event for professionals in flow chemistry and continuous processing. The 2025 meeting, held in Prague in September, gathered experts from academia, industry, and technology providers to discuss the latest developments in reactor design, process intensification, automation, and scale-up.
Over two days, presentations showcased the transition of flow technologies from lab to plant, highlighting case studies in pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and sustainable manufacturing. The programme reflected the increasing maturity of the field, with emphasis on modular, digital, and AI-enabled solutions to enhance efficiency, flexibility, and safety across the value chain.
Day 1 – September 24
The first full conference day started with a welcome address from Gayle De Maria, Senior Editorial Manager, Tks Publisher, and the chairpersons Lana Borukhova, Head of Industrialization Projects, Sanofi, and Luke Rogers, Vice President of Innovation and Product Development, On Demand Pharmaceuticals.
Oliver Kappe – University of Graz
15 Years of Academia-Industry Collaborations in Flow Chemistry
Prof Kappe reviewed over a decade of collaborative projects between the CCFLOW team and industrial partners, illustrating how continuous flow approaches have evolved from experimental curiosity to mainstream industrial practice. Case studies demonstrated tangible benefits in safety, reproducibility, and process understanding.
Key insight: Continuous flow chemistry has matured into an essential enabler of modern chemical manufacturing, driven by collaboration between academia and industry.
Andrew Rutter – Rutter Design
Impact after 25 Years of Flow Chemistry and Continuous Manufacture in Pharma API Production
Andrew Rutter provided a retrospective assessment of two decades of continuous manufacturing in the pharmaceutical sector, identifying areas where adoption has become routine and others where barriers persist. He discussed regulatory adaptation, vendor maturity, and the evolving value drivers of advanced manufacturing.
Key insight: Despite significant progress, true industrial transformation depends on ecosystem maturity—regulation, supply chain, and vendor capability must evolve alongside technology.
Franz Strauß – Microinnova Engineering GmbH
Utilization of Liquified Gases Using Continuous Flow Technology
The presentation showcased how continuous flow systems operated under pressure can safely handle liquified gases such as ammonia, methylamine, and sulfur tetrafluoride, maintaining them in liquid phase to improve heat and mass transfer. Multiple case studies illustrated scalability and enhanced safety.
Key insight: Pressurized continuous flow enables safe and efficient use of highly reactive liquified gases, expanding chemical space while aligning with green-chemistry principles.
Ricardo Labes – Syngenta
From Flask to Field: Flow Chemistry at Syngenta and its Path to Resource Optimisation
Labes described how Syngenta integrates flow chemistry throughout R&D, from discovery to process development. The company’s miniaturised flow platform, developed with Vapourtec, allows reactions in microlitre volumes for faster optimisation and minimal material use.
Key insight: Miniaturised continuous platforms accelerate development, reduce resource consumption, and bridge discovery and manufacturing within agrochemical research.
Michael Nonnenmacher – Evonik Operations GmbH
Self-Driving Labs at Evonik Health Care
Nonnenmacher presented Evonik’s AI-assisted workflow for process and reactor development under the 3D-PROCESS initiative. The system combines simulation, additive manufacturing, and automation to design energy-efficient continuous reactors for APIs.
Key insight: Integrating AI and digital design tools into continuous manufacturing workflows delivers sustainability and efficiency gains across product lifecycles.
Hendrik Held – Ehrfeld Mikrotechnik & Thomas Kretzschmar – HiTec Zang
Flowing Together: Integrating Automation and Scale-Up in Holistic Process Design
The joint presentation introduced a unified workflow where modular automation (HiTec Zang) and modular reactor systems (Ehrfeld MMRS) operate synergistically from lab to production. Use of digital twins and data-driven optimisation minimizes experiments and resource use.
Key insight: Combining modular reactor architecture with automated control and digital twins enables faster, greener, and more predictable scale-up.
Chinmay Joglekar – AstraZeneca
Micromixing Characterisation of Reactors to Drive Efficient Scale-Up of Continuous Processes
Joglekar presented AstraZeneca’s approach to reactor micromixing characterisation using the Villermaux-Dushman protocol, generating a database to support reactor selection and scale-up decisions. PAT and data-visualisation tools enhance process understanding.
Key insight: Quantitative reactor characterisation underpins efficient and predictable scale-up of modular continuous processes.
Lara Nolan – Almac Sciences
A CDMO Journey to Scaling Continuous Processes
Nolan described how Almac integrates chemical and engineering expertise to scale continuous processes, with examples including high-pressure hydrogenations and low-temperature organometallic reactions reaching hundreds of kilograms scale.
Key insight: Collaborative integration of chemistry and engineering disciplines is vital to achieve robust, scalable continuous manufacturing in CDMO operations.
Arne Vancleef – InnoSyn
Aerobic Alcohol Oxidations from Lab-Scale to Industrial Implementation: Batch or Flow?
Comparative studies of batch and flow aerobic oxidations using TEMPO and keto-ABNO catalysts revealed distinct performance advantages: flow offered higher productivity for primary alcohols, while batch better managed catalyst stability for secondary alcohols.
Key insight: Flow and batch can be complementary—process choice should align with catalyst behaviour and productivity demands.
Thomas Biellmann – Qfluidics
Magnetically Confined Liquid-Walled Flow Reactors for Solid-Tolerant Continuous Processes
Biellmann introduced a new class of magnetically confined, liquid-walled reactors capable of handling slurries and solid-forming reactions without clogging. Demonstrated applications include formylation of aryl bromides under uninterrupted operation.
Key insight: Liquid-walled reactor technology removes a major barrier to continuous processing of heterogeneous and solid-forming systems.
Andrea Adamo – Zaiput Flow Technologies
A New Stacked, Continuous, Scalable, High-Performance Crystallizer
Adamo presented a multi-stage stacked MSMPR crystallizer with diaphragm-driven slurry transfer, eliminating transfer-line clogging and achieving ideal mixing and controlled residence-time distribution for lab-scale continuous crystallisation.
Key insight: Innovative crystallizer architectures can deliver plug-flow behaviour and reliable solids handling in compact continuous systems.
Niels Klement – Flowid
Scaling Up Controlled Precipitations in Flow
Klement discussed the challenges and solutions for performing large-scale precipitation processes in flow. Dynamic reactors with strong agitation prevent clogging and ensure uniform particle size distribution, facilitating scale-up and in-line solid separation.
Key insight: Controlled precipitation in dynamic flow reactors enables continuous production of solids with narrow particle distribution and reduced fouling.
The event continued with a unique networking event which combined history, culture, and great food. We toured Prague aboard a charming vintage tram passing by the city’s most iconic landmarks, discovered Czech brewing with an Exclusive Pilsner Urquell Tour and concluded the evening with a warm and authentic Czech dinner — the perfect setting to connect with fellow professionals in a relaxed and memorable atmosphere.
Day 2 – September 25
Gareth Alford – AstraZeneca
Continuous API as a Platform Technology for Agile, Sustainable Manufacturing of API
Alford discussed AstraZeneca’s modular platform approach for continuous API manufacturing, designed to enhance agility and sustainability in response to complex product pipelines and external pressures. The presentation outlined the need for harmonized standards, regulatory collaboration, and digital plant design to ensure readiness across the supply chain.
Key insight: Modular continuous API platforms can deliver agility and sustainability, but widespread adoption requires coordinated industrial and regulatory alignment.
Lana Borukhova – Sanofi
Hybrid Manufacturing: Reshaping the Pharmaceutical Landscape with Continuous Flow and Automated Batch Integration
Borukhova presented Sanofi’s hybrid manufacturing concept, integrating continuous flow reactors with automated batch systems to balance flexibility and process intensification.
The talk detailed current implementation readiness and remaining hurdles for broad industrial application.
Key insight: Hybrid architectures combining flow and automated batch technologies represent the next evolution toward fully agile pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Simon Coleman – DEC Group / Alconbury Weston Ltd
The ‘New World’ Continuous: Designing a Continuous Processing Plant Using DEC’s Advanced Configurable Process Plant (ACPP)
Coleman showcased DEC Group’s modular ACPP concept based on MTP (Modular Type Package) standards, allowing flexible connection of unit operation modules. Case studies included multi-API processing with enzymatic and filtration trials.
Key insight: Modular and reconfigurable plant architectures simplify implementation of continuous and hybrid manufacturing while reducing compliance complexity.
Mike Gordon – ReelReactor
ReelReactor™: A Peristaltic Micro-Batch Approach to Flow Chemistry Reactions
Gordon introduced the ReelReactor™ system, which replaces continuous flow with peristaltic micro-batches traveling at uniform residence times. The system supports sterile, single-use operation and was validated in DNA–lipid complex formation for gene therapy applications.
Key insight: The micro-batch ReelReactor™ merges the control of batch processing with the efficiency of continuous flow, enabling new biological and pharmaceutical applications.
Luke Rogers – On Demand Pharmaceuticals
Set It and Forget It? The Myths and Realities of Push-Button Chemistry
Rogers examined the limits of fully autonomous “push-button” chemistry through a midazolam synthesis case study. Reactor and process design iterations demonstrated that human expertise remains critical for impurity control and system robustness.
Key insight: Automation enhances consistency, but human insight remains essential—true autonomy in pharmaceutical synthesis requires embedding chemical intuition into automation frameworks.
Michael Crockett – Cambrex Snapdragon Chemistry
A Continuous Manufacturing Approach to the Preparation of GPhos
Crockett described a two-step continuous process for producing the ligand GPhos, achieving a 60–80% cost reduction on kilogram scale. Key challenges included managing organometallic intermediates and preventing clogging in cryogenic steps.
Key insight: Automated plug-flow optimisation and careful control of organometallic intermediates enable reliable, scalable ligand production in continuous mode.
David Thompson – Purdue University
Telescoped Synthesis of Lorazepam in Flow
Professor Thompson reported a five-step continuous synthesis of lorazepam developed through route scouting and high-throughput experimentation. The telescoped process achieved higher yields and drastically reduced total reaction time compared to batch.
Key insight: Telescoping multiple reaction steps in flow drastically improves process efficiency and sustainability for API manufacturing.
Hannes Gemoets – Halen Technologies
Photochemistry at Scale: Safe Explosion-Proof Photoreactor Technologies Enabling Pharma Applications
Gemoets presented explosion-proof photoreactor technologies co-developed with Peschl Ultraviolet, designed for ATEX and NEC 500 compliance. Case studies illustrated industrial photooxygenations, photobrominations, and photoredox couplings using advanced LED-based flow reactors.
Key insight: Explosion-proof photoreactors with tailored geometries and high-performance LEDs make large-scale photochemistry safe, efficient, and GMP-ready.
Jialuo Han – CSIRO
Overcoming Limitations in LOHC Dehydrogenation Using a CSM-Integrated Membrane Flow Reactor
Han introduced a membrane-integrated flow reactor combining 3D-printed catalytic static mixers with palladium membranes for in-situ hydrogen separation. The system achieved conversions beyond thermodynamic limits by shifting equilibrium through hydrogen removal.
Key insight: Integrating catalysis, heat management, and membrane separation in one flow reactor enables breakthrough efficiency in hydrogen carrier dehydrogenation and related processes.
Lars Gössl – Fraunhofer IMM
Organometallics in Flow: Innovative Reactor Technology for Efficient Production of Reactive Organometallic
Compounds Using Mg, Zn, and Li Metal
Gössl presented Fraunhofer IMM’s continuous systems for safe formation of organometallic reagents directly from metallic precursors. The reactors operate under high metal excess and ensure enhanced selectivity, safety, and scalability.
Key insight: Continuous synthesis of organometallic reagents enhances control, safety, and scalability—extending flow chemistry to highly reactive systems.
Concluding Remarks
The 16th CFRT Symposium in Prague highlighted the steady progression of flow chemistry from pioneering research toward industrial standardisation and integration. Across both days, common themes emerged:
• Scalability and modularity as essential design principles for efficient process transfer from lab to plant.
• Digitalisation, automation, and AI as transformative enablers of faster, data-rich process development.
• Hybrid and flexible manufacturing models bridging the gap between batch legacy systems and fully continuous operations.
• Safety and sustainability remaining at the core of reactor and process innovation, particularly in photochemistry, hydrogenation, and handling of reactive intermediates.
The event concluded with reflections from the chairpersons and the TKS Publisher staff, underscoring that the true driver for expanding flow chemistry is collaboration. The growing CFRT community plays a fundamental role in this progress: each member contributes unique value, and together we demonstrate that union is strength.
Insights from a pre-event survey further highlighted this collective need. While organizations are motivated by reduced production costs, greater flexibility and scalability, and improved product quality, they continue to face major barriers such as high initial investment, technical complexity, and limited operational expertise. Respondents also pointed to critical capability gaps — from difficulty recruiting CM-skilled talent to insufficient training opportunities and missing analytical or PAT tools.
Importantly, the strategies most cited to overcome these challenges aligned perfectly with CFRT’s mission: help the collaboration between technology providers, academia, and partners, and why not the upskilling of existing staff. These findings reinforced CFRT’s role as not only a platform for knowledge exchange but also a catalyst for building the shared competence the industry urgently needs.
CFRT thus reaffirmed its position as a premier platform for continuous flow reactor technologies — demonstrating that success in continuous manufacturing depends not only on technology, but on people: skills, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. This is exactly what CFRT is about: building a community that learns and grows together, uniting experts to foster innovation and accelerate sustainable, efficient advancements in chemical manufacturing.
So to keep the flow going, stay tuned for our 17th event in 2026.
More information coming soon
https://www.cfrt-tks.com/
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