What does tomorrow hold for manufacturing in the process industries?
About
Process Manufacturing makes up a significant proportion of manufacturing activity in the UK and beyond. This sector includes food & drink, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, paper, cosmetics...to name just a few. This webinar will give attendees an overview of two key areas of the process industries - food & drink and bioengineering for petrochemicals - and delve into the technologies that are making an impact in this sector. Experts in the field will also present case study examples on how technology introduction has had a significant impact for companies and research areas.
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Continuing Professional Development
This event can contribute towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as part of the IET's CPD monitoring scheme.
19 Jun 2025
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Organiser
- Manufacturing TN
Registration information
Speakers
Andrew Martin
Head of Food, Drink, and Agri-tech - Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru
Andrew Martin is the head of food, drink, and agri-tech at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru. With over two decades of experience, Andrew's expertise lies in leveraging new technologies to enhance productivity whilst driving forward a net zero industry.
As a key leader at AMRC Cymru, part of the University of Sheffield, Andrew has been
instrumental in developing and delivering innovative solutions that improve efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability for businesses and supply chains across Wales’ food and drink industries. He is passionate about fostering a thriving business ecosystem that not only drives economic growth but also prioritises talent development.
Beyond his role at AMRC Cymru, Andrew is actively involved in shaping the future of the
food and agri-tech industries through research, development and policy. As Chair of the UK Catapult community of practice in food and drink, he shares his expertise and insights on digital innovation, sustainability, and cluster partnership with industry leaders and stakeholders. Additionally, he is committed to addressing social and ethical issues, serving as a Senior Judge of Leading on Diversity Awards in Wales.
Dr Jen Vanderhoven
COO, BBIA and Founder - FREY
Jen graduated from The University of Sheffield, with a first-class Masters of Biological Sciences in 2004 and a PhD in Biochemistry in 2007. With a 20-plus year progressive career in biotechnology, spanning both higher education and the commercial sector, Jen has held roles in research and development, sales and marketing, business development, and business change and transformation. Jen is currently the COO of the BBIA, and runs her own successful sustainable biomanufacturing consultancy, FREY, which provides expert advice in business development, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships, policy development, marketing & communications, and project management for the biotech sector. Jen also co-authored the Industrial Biotechnology Industry Forum ‘National Vision for Industrial Biotechnology to 2030’ and the Innovate UK ‘Sustainable Carbon for the UK Chemicals Industry’ Report (2024). Jen is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a member of the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Forum, BBSRC Follow-on-Fund, Government led Chemicals Innovation Forum, SCHEMA Industry Advisory Board, and is a co-founder of the UK Alliance for Sustainable Chemicals and Materials.
Reasons to attend
Industry experts
CPD
Programme
Dr Jen Vanderhoven, COO, BBIA and Founder, FREY.
Title: Back to the Biofuture - Lessons from the past, for the biomanufacturing industry of the future
Great Scott! The future of biomanufacturing is arriving fast—but to build it wisely, we might need to hit 88 mph and take a trip to the past. In this talk, we’ll channel a little Back to the Future energy as we explore how the biomanufacturing industry can learn from its own history to engineer a more sustainable, scalable, and resilient future. From the “Doc Brown” inventiveness of early fermentation pioneers to the “flux capacitor” moments that sparked the synthetic biology revolution, the past is full of insights that can help us navigate today’s challenges—whether it's de-risking scale-up, designing circular bioeconomies, or managing regulatory timelines that feel stuck in another decade.
Just like Marty McFly had to understand the past to fix the future, today’s bio-innovators must revisit the industry’s foundational breakthroughs—and missteps—to avoid repeating them. Back to the Biofuture is a roadmap for making sure our future biofactories are not only cutting-edge but built on lessons we can’t afford to forget.