The year 2026 is dense for process engineers and Raman spectroscopy specialists — between PITTCON in San Antonio, IFPAC in Bethesda, ICORS in Istanbul, and SCIX in Sparks/Reno, there are more opportunities to see where process analytics is heading than in a typical year. At Gekko Photonics, we design and manufacture process Raman analyzers in Poland — in inline, laboratory, and portable variants — and we ourselves track the programs of these events to verify which direction the PAT market is moving, which probes and chemometrics dominate, and what is worth addressing in our own roadmap. Below, we have compiled a calendar of the most important 2026 conferences, program themes, and what, in our opinion, is truly changing the landscape of inline measurements in industry.
What is already behind us: PITTCON 2026 and IFPAC 2026
PITTCON 2026 took place March 7–11, 2026, at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The technical program was spread over a full five days, with the accompanying exhibition running March 9–11. From a process perspective, the most prominent sessions revolved around the integration of spectroscopy with generative AI — language tools and vision models are beginning to enter the analyst's laboratory, aiding spectrum interpretation and reporting automation. From a Raman standpoint, presentations on near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (NieRS) and the integration of machine learning with spectral classification for biomedical and forensic applications were of interest.
IFPAC 2026 took place March 1–4, 2026, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center near Washington, D.C. This remains the central gathering of the PAT — Process Analytical Technology — community, with a strong focus on pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, and continuous manufacturing. In 2026, the organizers arranged over forty sessions across five tracks: QbD/PAT/RtRT, Continuous Manufacturing & Risk Management, Industry 4.0, Control Strategy & Implementation, and Process Monitoring. One of the key themes was artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical manufacturing — regulatory harmonization, supply chain integrity, process digitalization — and the pre-conference workshop on the first day was dedicated precisely to the regulatory aspects of AI in pharmaceutical and biotechnological manufacturing.
For process chemistry teams that do not yet monitor reactors inline, the two March events sent a clear signal: PAT is no longer a narrow pharmaceutical niche. The QbD and continuous manufacturing tracks are now a realistic benchmark also for specialty chemistry, polymers, cosmetics,, fertilizers — everywhere we would want laboratory-equivalent data in real-time, on the line.
ICORS 2026 — the most important gathering of the Raman community
29th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy (ICORS 2026) will take place August 23–28, 2026, in Istanbul, at the ITU Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center. ICORS is the flagship conference of the Raman community — every two years it brings together academic scientists, instrument manufacturers, and industrial users around all variants of the technique: spontaneous Raman, SERS, TERS, CARS, SRS, resonance Raman, and near-infrared Raman. From a process perspective, the application sessions (chemistry, polymers, pharmacy, materials) and instrumental sessions are particularly relevant — because that is typically where one sees the direction of CCD detectors, single-mode lasers, and fiber optics for immersion probes.
Traditionally, ICORS is associated with a dedicated issue of the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, to which presenters can submit full manuscripts — meaning that conference presentations often have solid peer-reviewed backing and are worth treating as reference material.
For us, as a manufacturer of measurement equipment, ICORS is the place where we verify the state of knowledge regarding the detection limits of specific bands, mutual fluorescence masking, calibration schemes for process chemometrics — all the physics that underpins the real limits of inline measurements.
SCIX 2026 — a broad cross-section of analytics
SciX 2026 — Scientific eXchange, the annual meeting of the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS), will take place October 4–9, 2026, at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks near Reno, Nevada. SciX gathers nearly the entire cross-section of analytics — from Raman, infrared, NIR, and fluorescence spectroscopy, through chromatography, mass spectrometry, chemometrics, to imaging techniques — and is a good place to see how Raman fits into the broader set of measurement tools available today for analytical teams.
From a process perspective, the most interesting sessions are those dedicated to chemometrics (PLS, CNN, model transfer between devices, model drift over time), process instrumentation, and applications in pharmacy, polymers, and biotechnology. SciX short courses can be a good investment for younger application engineers — they teach craftsmanship not acquired at university.
ACHEMA — context for long-term planning
A calendar misunderstanding sometimes arises around ACHEMA, so it is worth briefly clarifying. The main ACHEMA in Frankfurt takes place every three years, and the next edition, ACHEMA 2027 , is scheduled for June 14–18, 2027, at Messe Frankfurt. This year's event under the ACHEMA brand is ACHEMA Middle East, the inaugural regional edition on October 26–28, 2026, in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), organized by Messe Frankfurt as an extension of the brand into the Middle East region.
In other words: if someone planned to see the complete cross-section of the European process industry in 2026 — that will not happen this year. The main ACHEMA is only in 2027, and it is worth adding it to the roadmap now.
What to expect programmatically
Regardless of the event, several themes recur in 2026 across virtually all PAT and Raman conferences:
- AI and advanced chemometrics. Convolutional networks (CNN) and transformers are entering spectral classification and process parameter prediction, alongside classical PLS. Presentations appear on model transfer between devices and on measuring model drift in production.
- Portable Raman in the field. Adoption of portable Raman is growing — rapid raw material identification at the warehouse gate, audits on the production line, verification of recyclates, control of explosives and hazardous materials.
- SERS and trace levels. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy is expanding its application area beyond trace analysis toward bioanalysis and environmental sensors.
- Continuous manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Integration of the Raman signal with DCS/MES, with digital twin models, with continuous process control.
- Regulations and harmonization. Especially in pharmacy — ICH Q13 (Continuous Manufacturing) requirements, regulatory expectations regarding the validation of chemometric models in PAT.
- March — already behind us: IFPAC and PITTCON. If someone missed them, most conference materials are available in streams and press reports.
- August — ICORS 2026 Istanbul: if one is interested in Raman physics, the latest probes, lasers, detectors — this is where the richest technical session of the entire year will be found.
- October — SciX 2026 Sparks (USA) and ACHEMA Middle East Riyadh: broad overviews of analytics and process, a good place for networking conversations and initial contacts with equipment suppliers.
- June 2027 — ACHEMA Frankfurt: a key European event, planning begins now.
- Spectrally X1 INLINE — a process Raman analyzer with an immersion probe mounted directly in the reactor or pipeline. It operates continuously, 24/7, without sample extraction. Communication via PROFIBUS, PROFINET, or GSM, with up to 100 m of fiber optics between the analyzer and the measurement point. For challenging media, we offer the Retractex self-cleaning probe module, which eliminates the typical problem of product deposition on the optical window.
- Spectrally X1 LAB — a benchtop analyzer with a carousel for up to 25 samples, for the QC laboratory, validation of chemometric models before inline deployment, and raw material verification. Through-package analysis via transparent vials, cuvettes, and glass packaging — without opening the sample.
- Spectrally X1 PORTABLE — a portable analyzer in a suitcase, IP54, with a built-in touchscreen. Used for mobile raw material verification at the warehouse gate, audits on the production floor, and PASS/FAIL decisions in the field.
- Spectrally OS — a software platform common to the entire family. Chemometric models including CNN, PLS, and PCA, a library of approximately 28,000 reference spectra, integration with DCS/MES, and model drift monitoring over time. This is where the threads of AI and chemometrics converge, which will be the guiding theme of ICORS and SciX 2026.
The Raman spectroscopy market — according to industry analyses — exceeded a value of USD 2.35 billion in 2026 and is growing at a rate of over ten percent annually, with growth driven primarily by pharmaceutical PAT applications and inline use in the chemical industry. From our observation of plants we speak with in Central Europe, this trend is also confirmed outside pharmacy — more and more factories in specialty chemistry, polymers, cosmetics, and fertilizers are planning implementations of continuous measurements in reactors.
What is worth planning for in 2026: a priority calendar
For R&D managers, production directors, and PAT specialists planning participation or delegations, we suggest the following hierarchy:
From the perspective of process chemistry teams in Poland, a sensible minimum agenda is ICORS 2026 (with a Polish ticket via Istanbul) plus preparation for ACHEMA 2027 — because the latter defines process technologies for the next three years.
Gekko Photonics solutions for inline measurements in challenging processes
At Gekko Photonics, we design and manufacture a family of Raman analyzers tailored to specific points in a plant's measurement chain. If you are following the programs of the conferences listed above and wondering how to translate their conclusions into a real measurement in your factory — these are our products:
We design the hardware and software stack as a single cohesive whole — this simplifies implementation, validation, and service. A full overview of the product family can be found on the page of our analyzers, and the application context for various process industries — in the section industries and, for example, in the article Inline monitoring of SLES and glycerin in cosmetics (if you are planning implementation in detergents or cosmetics).
FAQ — most frequent questions about 2026 conferences
Is it worth attending PITTCON if I work in a Polish chemical process plant? PITTCON is very broad thematically and American in its focus — teams involved in broad-spectrum laboratory analytics (chromatography, MS, NIR, Raman) gain the most from it. For those focused on process Raman and the Polish/European market, ICORS in Istanbul and ACHEMA 2027 in Frankfurt will provide a better return on time.
What distinguishes IFPAC from ICORS and SciX? IFPAC is most strongly oriented toward PAT and continuous manufacturing in pharmaceuticals — QbD pathways, control strategy, regulatory harmonization. ICORS focuses on the physics and chemistry of Raman — probes, lasers, chemometrics, applications. SciX is the broadest — all spectroscopic and chromatographic analytics together. For a PAT team in pharma, the minimum coverage is IFPAC. For a Raman team in industry — ICORS.
Will Gekko Photonics be at any of these conferences in 2026? We ourselves participate in industry programs in Europe and analyze the agenda for trends worth translating into our product roadmap. Current plans regarding our presence at specific events are best confirmed through direct contact — we respond within a weekly cycle and are happy to arrange a meeting on the occasion of a conference.
What can be expected from ACHEMA 2027? The Frankfurt ACHEMA is the largest European process industry event — the 2024 edition registered nearly 2,842 exhibitors from 56 countries and over 106,000 participants from more than 140 nations. From a process analytics perspective, PAT tracks, digital twin, process digitalization, automation, AI in production, and application presentations in chemistry and polymers always appear there. On our side, we are already blocking resources for this date and suggest that teams planning analytics implementations for 2027–2030 do the same.
How to most quickly apply conference knowledge in a real factory? The simplest path is a feasibility study on samples from a specific process — this is literally a few weeks of work in our laboratory and provides a hard answer on whether Raman spectroscopy will work in that chemistry. After feasibility, a pilot on the line follows (typically 2–4 months), and then a standard inline implementation. The full cycle from the first conversation to a functioning measurement typically closes in our projects within 3–5.5 months.
Let’s talk about your process
If any of the conference trends — AI in chemometrics, model transfer, drift monitoring, continuous manufacturing, inline in difficult media — resonates with your process roadmap, at Gekko Photonics we select the configuration (probe, wavelength, chemometric model, DCS integration) for the specific process; we do not sell a „universal analyzer.” The standard first step is a 30-minute conversation with our application engineer — we gather information about the chemistry, process dynamics, and installation environment. The second step is a test measurement on client samples within approximately 2 weeks from confirmation of the brief. The third step, if feasibility is positive, is a proposal for a pilot on the line.
Schedule the first conversation via the contact form — we respond within a weekly cycle and prepare a proposed agenda in advance. If your process concerns a specific industry, we also recommend checking the section chemicals and polymers — there you will find our approach to applications in polymerization, resin condensation, and copolymer control.
Sources of substantive information: official conference websites for PITTCON 2026, IFPAC 2026, ICORS 2026, and SCIX 2026; market updates from European Pharmaceutical Review and Spectroscopy Online (2026). Dates and locations verified as of 2026-05-11.