updated common vision and roadmap for formulated products ... · key market growth opportunities...

D3.3

Updated Common Vision and

Roadmap for Formulated Products

D3.4

Updated Recommendations for

the Implementation and

realisation of the Roadmap

AceForm4.0 Activating Value Chains for EU leadership in FORMulation Manufacturing 4.0 2

Document

D3.3 Updated Common Vision and Roadmap for Formulated Products D3.4 Updated Recommendations for the Implementation and realisation of

the Roadmap

Lead contractor for this deliverable CPI

Date 25 September 2018

Version 1

Dissemination Level Contact No. CO / 723045

Website formulation-network.eu

Document Version Control and Management

# Version No. Change Description and Notes Date

1 Version 1 First release to EC 25/09/2018

2

3

4

5


Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary................................................................................................................................ 5

2. Key Recommendations for Implementation .......................................................................................... 9

3. Overview and Guidance for Use .......................................................................................................... 10

4. Introduction – Background, Objectives and Approach ........................................................................ 12

5. The Formulation Opportunity .............................................................................................................. 14

5.1. Importance of Formulated Products to the European Economy ...................................................... 14

5.2. What is formulation? ........................................................................................................................ 16

5.3. Formulating Sectors .......................................................................................................................... 20

6. Common Vision for Europe.................................................................................................................. 23

7. Key Market Growth Opportunities ...................................................................................................... 24

7.1. Key Market Growth Opportunities - Summary table .................................................................... 24

7.2. Wider trends/drivers and growth opportunities .............................................................................. 25

8. Value Chain and Cycle Collaboration – Systems-based solutions for Complex Challenges ................. 29

9. Formulation & Circular Economy – Unlocking Value through Systems-based Sustainable Solutions.. 33

9.1. Understanding the Relevance ........................................................................................................... 34

9.2. Enabling disruptive companies and business models ....................................................................... 38

9.3. Modelling Impact .............................................................................................................................. 40

10. Industry 4.0: The Toolkit for Radical Product and Process Design .................................................... 42

10.1. What is Industry 4.0?................................................................................................................. 42

10.2. Enabling Radical Product and Process Design................................................................................. 46

10.3. Formulation Specific Technical Challenges ..................................................................................... 49

11. Digital Formulation Capability Benchmarking and Roadmapping..................................................... 52

11.1. The Case for Benchmarking and Roadmapping......................................................................... 52

11.2. Proposed Approach ................................................................................................................... 53

11.3. Worked Examples – An average of the Formulating Industries ................................................ 54

Appendix A – Call text for H2020 NMBP-30-2016 competition ................................................................... 63

Appendix B – Sector Specific Value Cycles ................................................................................................... 64

Appendix C – Draft Call Texts ....................................................................................................................... 70


1. Executive Summary

1.1. Introduction

Complex formulated products such as pharmaceuticals, medicines, cosmetic creams and gels, detergent powders,

processed foods, paints, adhesives, lubricants and pesticides are ubiquitous in everyday life. The design and

manufacture of formulated products is a highly significant value-adding step, with a value multiplier ranging from

around 3 to 100. There is an estimated emerging global market of around € 1400 bn. The EU has a strong,

competitive advantage in formulation and within the EU there are many significant centres for the industrial

manufacture and R&D of formulated products. The diagram below provides an overview of the Formulating

Industries (figure 1) and the underpinning base of supply chain and knowledge partners.

Figure 1: Overview of the Formulating Industries

AceForm4.0 (Activating Value Chain for EU Leadership in Formulation Manufacturing 4.0) was an EC funded project (a Coordination Support Action) funded via Horizon 2020 with two main aims:

- To develop an industry-led, strategic roadmap for sustainable growth across the EU Formulating Industries

- To catalyse a strategic partnership across the Formulating Industries and the EC.

This document provides the primary output from this project, compiling a Common Vision, Roadmap and

Recommendations for Action across EC policy makers / funders, Formulating Industries, formulation value chains,

and associated networks and communities.


1.2. Roadmap Overview

The schematic below (figure 2) provides an overview of the key themes identified within the AceForm4.0

Roadmap. This forms the basis for the structure of this report and also enables effective grouping of the Key

Recommendations.

Figure 2: Overview of Roadmap key themes

1.3. Common Vision for Europe

The AceForm4.0 roadmap starts with the destination in mind - a unifying vision for the EU Formulating Industries

and associated stakeholders, which aligns with many key aspirations currently being developed in Horizon

Europe.

-

- Europe will lead the global path in the innovation and commercialisation of new sustainable

formulated products that deliver radical effects and high-performance to downstream industries,


end-users and consumers whilst optimising resource and energy efficiency and minimising adverse

impacts on biodiversity and the environment

1.4. Key Market Growth Opportunities

To enable this vision, the AceForm4.0 approach starts with the consumer and market opportunities. More

specifically this section of the roadmap identifies and prioritises public-private investment and collaboration on

the big, complex opportunities, intractable by current supply chains and partners , and with formulation at the

core. Incremental, short-term market opportunities are unlikely to drive the scale of growth, collaboration and

innovation targeted, and so are not in scope.

Table 1: Summary of Key Market Growth Opportunities

Trends / Drivers Key Market Growth Opportunities

Globalisation and Societal

Drive to more regional production and supply chains - need to overcome technical sensitivities to local feedstocks/ingredient base variability and commercially viable process technology options

New therapies for chronic and/or neurological diseases

Reformulation for low fat, low sugar; high nutrition

Products shifting to support preventative healthcare/wellness business models

Products as enablers for Smart Cities – e.g. sensors, self-healing, self-cleaning

Digitalisation

and Technology

(Re-)design moving from product to service offering e.g. preventative healthcare, cooling as a service, Smart farm

Supply chain environment modelling to inform product development

New materials/formulations to enable ‘Internet of Things’ technologies (e.g. adhesives, conductive inks)

Environment and Circular

Economy

Bio-based, renewable, non-toxic, natural, fewer ingredients, resource efficient processing

Circular formulation design - for long-life, recovery, recycle, remanufacture, waste valorisation

Formulation design to enable reduction in plastic pollution

Formulation enabling low water/energy in-use

Formulation enabling wider industrial decarbonisation e.g. Light-weighting, energy storage, lubricants, coolants

1.5. Value Chains & Cycle Collaboration - Systems-based Solutions for Complex Challenges

Key market growth opportunities vary by sector and company, but a unifying cross-cutting theme identified was a

need to better extend reach and collaboration along whole value chains. This thinking was then extended to

value cycles in alignment with the trend towards a Circular Economy. The biggest 21s t century challenges and


opportunities require new partnerships, formed earlier in the development process, and with better sharing of

technical expertise, data and insights, product specifications, customer understanding and partner constraints.

1.6. Circular Economy – Unlocking Value through systems-based Sustainable

Solutions

The Circular Economy (CE) is well understood by the Formulating Industries, but progress has been slow in terms

of translating this to strategic action and commercial exploitation. The AceForm4.0 roadmap makes a start at

removing barriers to ‘Understanding the Relevance’ (e.g. explaining how a consumable formulation can still be

designed to CE principles) and highlights critical issues to address around ‘Enabling disruptive companies and

business models’ and ‘Modelling Impact’.

1.7. Industry 4.0 – The Toolkit for Radical Product and Process Design

The Formulating Industries are currently struggling to access and create value from the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Understanding of ‘What is Industry 4.0?’ and the implications for formulating businesses needs improving.

However, adoption of the Industry 4.0 toolkit is undoubtedly a critical requirement to unlocking value from the

opportunities highlighted above. More specifically for ‘Enabling Radical Product and Process Design’. The

AceForm4.0 roadmap prioritises investment in Industry 4.0 capabilities as a means to enable a more

collaborative, dynamic approach to formulated product and process design, breaking physical and temporal

barriers across labs, factories and real-world application.

Within this section of the roadmap, an introduction is also provided to the ‘Formulation Specific Technical

Challenges’ understood to be unique and requiring special attention to enable accelerated adoption of industry

4.0 approaches in the Formulating Industries.

1.8. Digital Formulation Capability Benchmarking and Roadmapping

Today’s formulation development toolkit will not be fit for purpose to meet the business and societal

challenges over the coming decade. To unlock the widespread strategic adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies

across the Formulating Industries, AceForm4.0 proposes that individual companies should conduct Digital

Formulation Capability Benchmarking and Roadmapping exercises. Due to the diversity of the Formulating

Industries a universal cross-sector technology roadmap would be too generic to stimulate meaningful action and

investment. However, by plotting respective ‘big picture’ journeys, companies will be better placed to make

more meaningful progress in an area which is currently perceived to be of high risk and disruptive. They will be


better enabled to i) identify practical first steps ii) identify other end-users potentially willing to share the cost and

iii) build stronger business cases for sustainable investment. In turn, public bodies can aggregate and analyse this

data to better inform investment into greater-good public R&I infrastructure. Current and well evidenced

priorities here are: open-access capabilities in High throughput, PAT (process analytical technologies) pilot

demonstration and Materials data sharing.

2. Key Recommendations for Implementation Table 2: Key Recommendations

Actions Mode

EC / Policy makers /

Funders

Formulating Industries /

value chain

Networks / Communities

Key Market Growth Opportunities

1 Prioritise collaborative R&D (CR&D) call themes aligned to ‘formulation-centred Key Market Growth Opportunities’

Fund Lead

Value Chains & Cycle Collaboration – Systems-based Solutions for Complex Challenges

2 Improve Formulation outreach • Grow EU stakeholder value chain maps; reaching

out beyond ‘business as usual’ partner networks • Develop resources to better promote the value of

formulation to non-experts

Inform Connect

Lead

3 Prioritise CR&D calls that promote extended value chain/cycle collaboration

Fund Lead

4 Promote access to a centralised system for modelling value chains/cycles

Access Lead

Circular Economy - Unlocking Value through systems-based Sustainable Solutions

5 Improve awareness of formulation-related Circular

Economy case studies

Inform Lead

6 Promote and explore innovative ways to stimulate

investment into disruptive Circular Economy businesses

Fund Lead

7 De-risk shift to Circular Economy by improving access to relevant collaborative tools to model impact

Access Lead

Industry 4.0 – The Toolkit for Radical Product and Process Design

8 Improve awareness of resources and networks that promote the value of Industry 4.0

Connect Lead

9 Prioritise CR&D calls that promote the application of i4.0 technologies to enable ‘Radical Product and Process

Design’

Fund Lead

10 Influence wider Industry4.0/digitalisation calls; maximising relevance to Formulating industries

Fund Lead

11 Raise awareness and build on projects already seeking to resolve these issues

Connect Lead

Digital Formulation Capability Benchmarking and Roadmapping

12 Develop and deploy toolkit to roadmap and benchmark digital formulation capability

Access Lead


3. Overview and Guidance for Use

This section provides an overview of the contents of the AceForm4.0 roadmap, with ‘guidance for use’ across four

core stakeholder groups.

Overview

Figure 2: Overview of Roadmap key themes

13 Influence CR&D policy and call design to better value the impacts of developing advanced underpinning formulation

capability

Fund Lead

14 Analyse company-specific capability roadmaps to identify infrastructure gaps to be supported via public investment

Fund Access

Lead

15 Prioritise calls to address current EU capability gaps in public R&I infrastructure for SMEs – High throughput, PAT pilot demonstration and Materials data sharing.

Fund Access

Lead


The schematic above (figure 2) provides an overview of the key themes identified within the

AceForm4.0 Roadmap. This forms the basis for the structure of this report and also enables effective

grouping of the Key Recommendations.

Stakeholder Groups

The AceForm4.0 roadmap is of relevance across four core stakeholder groups.

i) Formulating Industries

ii) Formulation value chains

iii) Formulation networks / communities

iv) EC/Funding Bodies/Policy Makers

Each grouping has differing levels of experience and interest of the contents and themes covered (e.g. technical,

market, public support policy/tools). It is however important to engage each grouping to enable successful

implementation of the Aceform4.0 findings.

As such, the table below provides definitions of the key stakeholder groups and guidance with weighting for how

respective readers should approach the contents.

Table 3: Guidance for use by stakeholder grouping

Section

Formulating

Industries

Formulation value chains

Formulation-related

networks / communities

EC / Funding bodies

/ Policy makers

Companies that

develop, manufacture or

market formulated products.

Companies, Research

Organisations or consumer groups that provide

expertise, technologies or services that contribute to the creation or application

of a formulation.

Organisations that

promote networking, knowledge exchange and

strategic alignment for greater-good across the Formulating Industries

European

Commission and equivalent national and regional bodies (NGOs, Innovation

Agencies, Governments).

Introduction Awareness Awareness Awareness Awareness

The Formulation Opportunity

Learn Learn

Learn Learn

Common Vision Apply (lead) Align Promote Apply (enable)

Key Growth Market Opps

Align, Promote Learn Align, Promote Learn, Apply


Value Chains / Cycle

Learn, Apply Learn, Engage Learn, Promote Learn, Apply

Circular Economy


Industry 4.0 Learn, Apply Learn, Engage Learn, Promote Learn, Apply

Digital Formulation

Capability Roadmapping / Benchmarking


4. Introduction – Background, Objectives and Approach

4.1. Background

Aceform4.0 (Activating Value Chain for EU Leadership in Formulation Manufacturing 4.0) was a Coordination

Support Action project funded by the European Commission via the Horizon 2020, NMBP Programme

(Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing). The

competition call (see Appendix A for full details) was designed to highlight and address several key

issues/opportunities within the EU formulation community.

To target value creation by stimulating more cross-sector and supply chain collaborations.

To raise industry understanding and engagement with EU strategic priorities – Industry 4.0 and Circular

Economy.

To raise engagement and access to EU Research and Innovation programmes by the formulatin g

community.

To raise the profile of a very large, but generally undervalued and underestimated segment of the EU

manufacturing industries.

Section Formulating Industries


Formulation-related communities / networks

EC/Funding bodies/Policy makers

Introduction Awareness Awareness Awareness Awareness


Figure 3: AceForm4.0 pictorial overview

4.2. Objectives

In response to this Coordination Support Action call, the AceForm4.0 consortium developed a project with five

main objectives.

Figure 4: AceForm4.0 Objectives

4.3. Approach


To achieve the primary objective (3) namely, ‘Establish a Common Vision, Roadmap for 2025 and Associated

Implementation Plan’,

several sources of data and

evidence were accessed and

analysed.

i) Systematic reviews of existing roadmaps, strategic documents, vision papers etc.

a. Including Suschem SRA, Manufutures, ProcessIT.EU, EFFRA Factories of the Future, ECSEL SRA, UK

Formulation Strategy (Technology Strategy Board – now Innovate UK)

ii) Expert knowledge from within the AceForm4.0 management and advisory board

iii) Public Consultation (phase 1 – outreach)

a. An online web-based public consultation survey – 106 responses

b. Targeted one-on-one interviews to gather deeper insight – 24 interviews

iv) Public Consultation (phase 2 – refine/validate)*

a. Regional workshops - Germany, Sweden, Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain, France

b. Targeted webinars - Sustainability, Digital, Broader EU

c. Online survey

d. Targeted one-on-one interviews

*A draft document (v1 Oct 2017) provided a synthesis of evidence gathered up to this point, forming the basis for

ongoing consultations in year 2, with this final, validated document being released at the end of the project.

5. The Formulation Opportunity

5.1. Importance of Formulated Products to the European Economy

The chemical industry is a very diverse sector, with a wide range of processes and products which are highly interlinked. The products include basic organic materials such as olefins, aromatics, biochemicals and plastics; and

basic inorganic materials such as engineered particles, inorganic chemicals, acids, gases which are produced from raw extracted materials and sustainable feedstocks.

Section Formulating

Industries Formulation

value chains

Formulation-related

networks / communities

EC/Funding

Bodies/Policy Makers

The Formulation Opportunity

Learn Learn

Learn Learn


Table 4: Examples of Formulated Products

These basic chemicals, or ingredients, are then used downstream as the building blocks for the formulation of

complex materials and substances such as speciality chemicals and consumer products.

These formulated materials and substances, also referred to as formulated products, comprise a combination of

raw materials engineered and designed to form powders, granules, tablets, creams, suspensions, foams, gels and emulsions all displaying a set of targeted properties. All these formulated products form intermediate or final products that are ubiquitous in everyday applications (see table 4) such as lubricants, fuels, paints, inks, dyes,

coatings, adhesives, detergents, cosmetics, personal care, house hold and professional care, medicines, foods, pesticides, construction materials, fuel additives and pharmaceutical products. In turn, these products are used in

a multitude of downstream products and applications. Individual ingredients used within a formulation may be incorporated to provide active functionality, enhanced delivery or as a protective and/or stabilising agent.

The design and production of formulated products is a highly value-adding step, which can add 3 to 100 times

more value compared to the value of basic building block chemicals and particles. The global emerging market for formulated products is worth in the order of €1,400 billion 1.

1 The Chemistry Innovation’s Strategy Report, 2010, Published by the UK’s Knowledge Transfer Network


It is also important to highlight that the Formulating Industries are underpinned by an enabling technology and knowledge base that is also very large and provides skilled, high value jobs. To innovate and progress capabilities in formulation, it is critical for these parties to collaborate (see figure 5).

Figure 5: Formulating Industries, Supply Chain Partners and Knowledge Partners

5.2. What is formulation?

A formulation is composed of at least two incompatible ingredients which are selected, processed and combined

in a specific way to obtain well-defined target properties, functionality and performance. The resulting chemical mixture delivers targeted synergistic effects and properties (performance, safety, cost optimisation, stability) beyond that of the individual components. It can exist as a liquid, soft solid, powder, solid or aerosol. A

formulated product has a commercial value and is either meant for direct consumer use or for downstream use in industrial applications.

The term “formulation” can be used to refer to different things:

1) Formulation = Recipe A list of ingredients (typically >10 per product) and detailed processing steps.

2) Formulation = The act of formulating something The combination of processes used for mixing and conditioning of ingredients as well the application of science, know-how and technologies to enable the optimal selection of ingredients and mixing processes.


3) Formulation = The actual blend/mixture of ingredients

Which has been processed in a particular manner to have a set of desired physical properties

Figure 6: ‘What is Formulation?’ schematic

5.2.1. More than Mixing

Formulation as a process is often oversimplified, e.g. to ‘mixing’, ‘blending’, ‘compounding’, ‘tabletting’ of

chemicals and ingredients. Whilst these physical acts are indeed critical to the production of formulations, there

is a more complex design process underpinning these that needs to be appreciated and mastered. Higher value

formulations are typically multicomponent and multiphasic mixtures where the physical form (leading to desired

properties) requires careful understanding and management of complex interactions across multiple time and

length scales. It is also important to recognise that this challenge is amplified when trying to design and balance

product properties for different stages (and in turn environments) through the product life-cycle – including

manufacture, packaging, storage, delivery and application. In turn, because many formulated products are

designed to change physical form (typically ‘breaking down’) upon application or consumption (e.g. a crunchy

biscuit), there is a complex stability challenge to manage when compared with ‘hard’ materials (e.g. a structural

composite which performs in a single solid form). See figure 7 which highlights the complex design considerations

for a well-known food formulation.


Figure 7: Mayonnaise – a simple formulation?

5.2.2. From a ‘Formulation’ to a ‘Formulated Product’ - Delivering Consumer Value at Scale

From a commercial perspective, a ‘formulation’ truly becomes a ‘formulated product’ when it can be reliably and repeatedly delivered to a target market and address a specific consumer need. As seen in figure 7, the ‘Historic

art of formulation’ has served innovators well for many decades. Indeed, there is still huge value in this approach, particularly for products that offer more incremental innovation and/or serve smaller, more local markets.

However, the big markets for formulation are looking for radical innovation and are typically global. As such

products must be robust to global variability in the ingredient supply base, manufacturing assets, supply chain

systems and environments. Unfortunately this is not a trivial set of issues and a major part of the skilled

formulator’s role is to manage and overcome these often difficult to predict sensitivities.


There is also significant variability at the consumer end - needs, tastes, expectations and understanding of the

intended product application – are often subtle, subjective and irrational, and as a formulator has limited scope to

probe individual consumer needs and in turn deliver bespoke products, a key part of the discipline is to develop a

‘best-bet’ product that serves the average of the needs of the many.

This ability to flexibly deliver products at scale is often the key differentiator in terms of formulation capability.

Figure 8 summarises capability steps within a 2030 Lighthouse Vision for formulation. Most companies that have

demonstrated the ability to repeatedly deliver consumer value at scale are typically somewhere around step 2 -

‘Robust understanding of complex systems’. Later in this document we introduce how industry 4.0 technologies

can enable progress against this 2030 vision.

Figure 8: Formulation Lighthouse Vision 2030

5.2.3. Formulation as a Business Function

Company business functions and associated development cycles are typically structured as follows:

Figure 9: Formulation Business Functions

Discovery / Chemistry

Formulation/Product Dev.

Process Dev. Manufacture Supply chain Marketing


Whilst this flow diagram is clearly oversimplified and will vary by sector, it illustrates the point that ‘Formulation’

can be perceived as an operational silo which can function independently – chemistry goes in; recipes come out.

It is perhaps more insightful to recognise that seemingly minor insights and tweaks, considering the development

life-cycle as a whole, can be enormously effective in enabling formulation innovations.

Crystal forms and particle sizes controlled at the ‘Discovery/Chemistry’ phase can enable enhanced properties of

the final formulated product – e.g. active solubility and uptake. Similarly, concurrent design of the product and

the process can enable novel structures that could enhance performance in the final product (e.g. gel structures

that minimise sedimentation) or upon manufacture (e.g. improving flowability or reducing sticking , thus enabling

simpler cleaning of process equipment).

Clearly, there are real-world barriers to this more open development system (e.g. regulatory systems for

medicines development; data access) however it is important to recognise that often the barriers are simply due

to self-imposed systems and cultures, stemming from the way we think of formulation as a business function.

5.3. Formulating Sectors

Formulation provides a set of capabilities that can be applied across multiple sectors. Specific sectors and companies will tune and focus these capabilities to the demands of their specific applications, or to the nature of the materials they are formulating. However, there is substantial evidence that there is much scope for cross-

sector translation and co-creation (See Case study 1).

In turn, the AceForm4.0 analysis has been developed in the context of 6 key sector grouping and associated sub-

sectors (Table 5). These sectors have been selected based on 2 criteria:

i) Potential for economic impact (sector size, EU footprint, potential for growth)

ii) Potential for cross sector synergies (ingredient/materials base, current capabilities, collaboration

culture).

Table 5: AceForm4.0 Priority Sectors

Sector grouping Sub-sector

1. Home, Industrial & Personal Care Personal care – cosmetics, cleaning, well-being, perfumes

Home care – cleaning, laundry, hygiene

Industrial and Institutional cleaning

2. Pharma & Health Care Pharmaceuticals – small molecule, biologics

Healthcare – hygiene, skincare, pain relief, nutrition

Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Imaging

3. AgriTech & Plant Protection Crop Protection

Agrichemicals

Seed treatments


4. Coatings and Surfaces Paints

Inks and dyes

Lubricants

Adhesives

5. Food & Drink Food – confectionary, processed foods, sauces, animal feed

Drink – alcohol, soft drinks, coffee

6. Advanced Materials Composites, polymers, ceramics

Catalysts

Paper and packaging industry

Additive manufacturing

Each of these sectors have been analysed in sufficient detail to enable us to derive cross-sector conclusions

around market and innovation needs. It was however not possible to provide detailed analysis more suitable for

sector specific reviews e.g. specific chemical replacement regulations/directives.

It is important to highlight that it is anticipated that much of what is reported will be of relevance and

transferrable to other sectors. In particular, significant interest should arise in emerging high value applications

sectors - e.g. energy storage, electronics, cell therapies – where the formulation base is less established.


CASE STUDY 1: UPSForm – Thorough Understanding Physical Stability Issues of Formulations

Project partners: P&G and Allnex (industrial partners); Flamac (High-throughput and automation research centre); Nucomat (Machine builder), Funding agency/program: VLAIO Project duration: 3 years (July 2016-June-2019)

Context: For several years, companies have been decreasing their environmental footprints by reducing packaging and non-functional ingredients. In some industries, formulations have been concentrated up to 5 times by reducing water and rebalancing ingredients such as surfactants, solvents, polymers, and perfumes. Moreover, renewable chemicals are increasingly used in these formulations. Stability issues with market products have a major impact on safety, public exposure, expensive recalls and even health risks. The stability of these new dispersions and emulsions are increasingly challenging with the widening of global market conditions. However, the methods to predict product stability have not evolved at the pace of technological progress. They are largely based on visual inspection of product executions over extended time periods. These approaches are time consuming, labour intensive, require large quantities of wasted products and the obtained data are not conducive to predictive modelling of stability. In many projects, they are limiting the pace of innovation. In conclusion, there is a clear need for a better understanding of the physico-chemical interactions and the long-term evolution of the formulated products at an accelerated pace.

Project: Through its position as a research center at the crossing point of different formulation sectors such as oil and gas, paint and coating and consumer products, Flamac realised that stability questions are similar from one sector to another and could be solved with a common effort. In this scope Flamac created a cross-sector project, gathering industrial partners coming from different industries (P&G from the Consumer Goods and Allnex from the Paint and Coating industry).

The main objective was to create a unique high throughput stability testing methodology for liquid formulations by developing and integrating advanced measurement techniques in an automated platform and building modelling approaches to better predict stability. The project is structured in 3 different steps:

Identify and develop novel characterization techniques and integrate them in existing analytical methods

Integrate and accelerate the aging tests to cover up to 80% of the global stress conditions such as temperatures/humidity and physical transport

Demonstrate that data obtained can build up models to predict up to 50% of instability behaviors.

The project aims to integrate the 3 different steps in a demonstrator platform at Flamac where stability could be evaluated 2 times faster and 2 times cheaper. To maximize the output of this objective, a machine builder has been included in the consortium to lead on the design and construction of the platform.


6. Common Vision for Europe



Formulation-related communities /

networks

EC/Funding bodies/Policy

makers

Common Vision Apply (lead) Align Promote Apply (enable)

This Aceform4.0 roadmap starts with the destination in mind - a unifying vision for the EU Formulating Industries

and associated stakeholders, which aligns with many key aspirations currently being developed in Horizon

Europe.

Europe will lead the global path in the innovation and commercialisation of new

sustainable formulated products that deliver radical effects and high -performance to

downstream industries, end-users and consumers whilst optimising resource and energy

efficiency and minimising adverse impacts on biodiversity and the environment

Success Indicators

Formulation is valued as a key contributor to EU economic growth, job creation, sustainability

and well-being.

Formulating Industries make a step-change in extending reach and partnering across value

chains and value cycles.

Formulating Industries embrace, adapt and identify new ways to create value through the

Circular Economy.

Formulating Industries lead in exploiting Industry 4.0 to enable Radical Formulated Product and

Process Design

All formulating companies have a roadmap and active action plan to advance underpinning

digital formulation capabilities

Public and private uplift in R&D and innovation investment; driven by evidence of value

creation.

SMEs with high growth potential have enhanced access to advanced capabilities via open-

access facilities.

Cross sector and value chain collaborations function with minimal friction and are common

place for leading innovative companies.


7. Key Market Growth Opportunities



Formulation-related networks / communities

EC/Funding Bodies/Policy Makers

Key Growth Market

Opportunities

Align, Promote Learn Align, Promote Learn, Apply

7.1. Key Market Growth Opportunities - Summary table

Table 6: Key Market Growth Opportunities by Sector

Trends

Drivers

Key Market Growth Opportunities Home,

Industrial & Personal care

Pharma

Healthcare

AgriTech

Plant Protection

Coating

Surfaces

Food

Drink

Advanced

Materials

Glo

bal

isa

tio

n a

nd

So

ciet

al

Drive to more regional production and supply chains - need to overcome technical sensitivities to local feedstocks/ingredient base variability and

commercially viable process technology options

x

x x x x x

New therapies for chronic and/or neurological diseases

x

Reformulation for low fat, low sugar; high

nutrition

x

Products shifting to support preventative healthcare/wellness business models

x

Products as enablers for Smart Cities – e.g. sensors, self-healing, self-cleaning

x x

Dig

ital

isat

ion

an

d

Tech

no

logy

(Re-)design moving from product to service offering e.g. preventative healthcare, cooling as a

service, Smart farm

x x x x


x x x x x

New materials /formulations to enable IoT technologies (e.g. adhesives, conductive inks)

x x

Envi

ron

men

t

and

cir

cula

r

eco

no

my

Bio-based, renewable, non-toxic, natural, fewer ingredients, resource efficient processing

x x x x x x

Circular formulation design - for long-life,

recovery, recycle, remanufacture, waste valorisation

x x

Formulation design to enable reduction in plastic x x x x x x


pollution

Formulation enabling low water/energy in-use x x

Formulation enabling wider industrial

decarbonisation e.g. Light-weighting, energy storage, lubricants, coolants

x x

To enable the common vision, the AceForm4.0 approach starts with the consumer and market opportunities.

More specifically, this section of the roadmap identifies and prioritises public-private investment and

collaboration on the big, complex opportunities, intractable by current supply chains and partners , but with

formulation at the core. Incremental, short-term market opportunities are unlikely to drive the scale of growth,

collaboration and innovation required, and so are not in scope. Table 6 above summarises the key market growth

opportunities identified, highlighting alignment to sectors and trends/drivers.

Action 1: Prioritise collaborative R&D (CR&D) call themes aligned to formulation-centred Key Market Growth Opportunities (Fund)

7.2. Wider trends/drivers and growth opportunities

For reference, the following tables provide the broader data from which the ‘Key Market Challenges’ were

derived. The tables detail a broader range of trends/drivers and market opportunities of relevance to respective

sectors, but clearly not all were considered priorities in the context of the AceForm4.0 roadmap. The themes

should be reviewed on a regular basis (~2-3 years).

7.2.1. Globalisation and Societal

Table 7: Growth Opportunities by sector: Globalisation and Societal

Trends /Drivers

Home, Industrial &

Personal Care

Pharma & Healthcare

AgriTech & Plant

Protection

Coatings & Surfaces

Food & Drink Advanced Materials

Global Supply Chains

Enhanced product stability for storage, shipping and shelf-life.

Consumer/brand

security - anti-counterfeit

Consumer/brand

security – hygiene and provenance

Access to New & Developing

Markets

Drive to more regional production and supply chains - Need to overcome technical sensitivities to local feedstocks/ingredient base variability and commercially viable process technology options


Ageing Population

Product differentiation

for ageing demographic – active/sensory performance, convenience

Product differentiation for

ageing demographic – e.g. re-formulation for

elderly and pediatrics

Product differentiation for

ageing demographic –

nutrition, convenience

New therapies for chronic and/or

neurological diseases

Products shifting to support

preventative healthcare

/wellness business models

Products shifting to support

preventative healthcare

/wellness business models

Growing Middle Class

Increased product

differentiation

Increased product

differentiation

Increased product differentiation

Sedentary Lifestyles

Reformulation for low fat, low sugar;

high nutrition

Urbanisation & Smart Cities

Products as enablers for Smart Cities

– e.g. sensors, self-healing, self-

cleaning

Products as enablers for Smart Cities

– e.g. sensors, self-healing, self-

cleaning.

7.2.2. Digitalisation and Technology

Table 8: Growth opportunities by sector: Digitalisation and Technology

Trends / Drivers

Home, Industrial &

personal Care

Pharma & Healthcare

AgriTech & Plant

Protection

Coatings & Surfaces



Increasing expectation and opportunity to

engage and delight

customers via digital channels

Step-change innovation cycles and

product differentiati

on for increasingly

targetted consumer groupings

Step-change innovation cycles and

product differentiation for increasingly

targetted consumer groupings

Reduced barrier-to-

entry to grow brands

Reduced

barrier-to-entry to grow brands

Digital - Increasing ability to monitor and

manage performance

(Re-)design moving from product to service offering e.g. preventative healthcare, cooling as a service. Smart farm


Growth in Online Commerce

Need to design products robust to alternative supply

chains

Need to design products robust

to alternative supply chains

Overall growth in digitalisation and Internet of Things

Need for new materials /

formulations to enable IoT technologies

(e.g. adhesives, conductive

inks)

Need for new materials /

formulations to enable IoT technologies

(e.g. adhesives, conductive

inks)

Synthetic Biology

Promising novel ingredients and

production methods

Synthetic food

substitutes (e.g. milk, meat)

Industrial Biotechnology

Promising novel

ingredients and

production methods

Promising novel ingredients and

production methods

Promising novel

ingredients and

production methods

Promising novel

ingredients and

production methods


Biotech / DNA profiling

Enabling stratified and personalised

medicines

GM technologies

Potential for dramatic

reduction in formulation

volumes needed

Nanotech

Enabling new active

delivery systems

Enhanced

energy storage

Microelectronics / printed

electronics, additive

manufacture

Enabling novel production, devices and packaging options

7.2.3. Sustainability and Circular Economy

Table 9: Growth opportunities by sector: Sustainability and Circular Economy

Trends/Drivers Home,

Industrial & personal Care

Pharma & Healthcare

AgriTech & Plant

Protection

Coatings & Surfaces


Demand for more sustainable formulation

compositions

Bio-based, Renewable, Non-Toxic, Natural, Fewer ingredients, Resource Efficient processing

Demand for inherently

circular formulated

products

Circular formulation design - for

long-life, recovery, recycle,

remanufacture, waste

valorisation

Circular formulation design - for

long-life, recovery, recycle,

remanufacture, waste

valorisation

Demand for formulations

enabling resource efficiency

through wider product life cycle

Formulation design to enable reduction in plastic pollution

Low water / energy in use

Low water in

use


Zero-waste Zero-waste Zero-waste Zero-waste

Demands for new products to

support decarbonisation of key markets (transportation, energy, food).

From intensive livestock

farming to plant based

and synthetic foods

Formulation enabling wider

industrial decarbonisation

- Light-weighting,

energy storage, lubricants, coolants

Formulation enabling wider

industrial decarbonisation

- Light-weighting,

energy storage, lubricants, coolants

8. Value Chain and Cycle Collaboration – Systems-based solutions for

Complex Challenges





Value Chain and

Cycle

Learn,

Apply

Learn, Engage Learn, Promote Learn, Apply

8.1. Introduction to Value Chains

Key market growth opportunities vary by sector and company, but a unifying cross-cutting theme identified

through the AceForm4.0 consultation was a need to better extend reach and collaboration along whole value

chains.


Figure 10: Linear Value chain

The diagram above provides a schematic of a typical linear value chain for a formulated product. Historically,

most open collaborations along this type of value chain typically connect 2 or 3 links in the chain e.g. the chemical

supplier with the formulator, or the process equipment vendor with the formulator.

Whilst there is growing evidence of a more dynamic and ope n approach (see Case Study 2). There is still much

room for improvement, particularly towards engaging with unfamiliar stakeholders e.g. consumer groups, waste

management or utilities companies.


CASE STUDY 2: POPFREE – Promotion of Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) free alternatives

Objectives: The project aims at: o Promoting and enabling PFAS-free products o Increasing consumers and producers awareness o Reducing/eliminating diffuse emission of PFAS.

Approach: To achieve these goals the project partners work on the identification and testing of

alternative PFAS solutions as well as on communication and regulatory aspects.

Project partners: The project has 31 partners out of which 4 are RTD performers. 6 different industrial sectors are represented by the industrial partners in the project.

Funding agency/program: Vinnova, Sweden´s innovation agency, through the programme:

“Challenge Driven Innovation”, a programme created to fund projects of international eminence and develop sustainable solutions to tackle key societal challenges

Project duration: 2 years (start/end: Nov 2017/Jan 2020)

Coordinator: RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN

Coordinator: RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN


8.2. Value Cycles

The value chain thinking can be extended further towards value cycles, in alignment with (but not exclusively

driven by) the trend towards a Circular Economy.

Figure 11: Generic Value Cycle

Figure 11 shows how the loop can be closed on a value chain, where end-of-life (re-use/recycling) reconnects with

raw materials. The diagram also highlights generic stakeholders (i.e. potential collaborators) at each stage of the

life-cycle.

The major driver for this approach is that the biggest challenges and opportunities of the 21s t century require new

partnerships, formed earlier in the development process, to enable better sharing of:

i) Technical expertise, data and insights

Much of which extends beyond formulation

e.g. chemical production, devices, packaging, environmental remediation, process engineering

ii) Product specifications and customer understanding

Including extending reach beyond tradition routes to consumers and consumer groups.

iii) Partner constraints.

E.g. Cost base, supply base, regulations (which sometimes conflict across sectors).


There is significant potential to extend the utility of this thinking by creating a practical tool to map stakeholders

(by type or specific organisations) and enable a deeper dialogue earlier on in the development process, to better

understand respective goals, capabilities and challenges.

To start this process the AceForm4.0 team have developed further value cycles, specific to the 6 priority sectors.

These are available in Appendix B.

Action 2: Improve Formulation outreach (Inform, Connect)

• Grow EU stakeholder value chain maps; reaching beyond ‘business as usual’ partner networks • Develop resources to better promote the value of formulation to non-experts.

Action 3: Prioritise CR&D calls that promote extended value chain / cycle collaboration (Fund)

Action 4: Promote access to a centralised system for modelling value chains/cycles (Connect, Access)

9. Formulation and Circular Economy – Unlocking Value through

Systems-based Sustainable Solutions.

Section Formulating

Industries

Formulation

value chains

Formulation-related

communities / networks

EC/Funding

bodies/Policy makers

Circular Economy Learn, Apply


The ‘Key Market Opportunities’ highlighted in section 7.1 raise the importance and potential of the Circular

Economy for the Formulating Industries. The Circular Economy will drive business growth, enabling new value

creation for consumers and environmental benefits. In turn, the importance of the Circular Economy, further

exemplifies the case for better ‘Value Cycle Collaborations’ as covered in section 8.2.

As such, in this section, the Circular Economy is explored in more detail, in particular from the perspective of the

formulation community. The guiding principles of the Circular Economy are well understood by the Formulating

Industries, however progress has been slow to translate this awareness to strategic action and commercial

exploitation. As such, this section highlights, and makes a start at removing, barriers for the Formulating

Industries across three main topics i) ‘Understanding the Relevance’, ii) ‘Enabling disruptive companies and

business models’ and iii) ‘Modelling Impact’.


9.1. Understanding the Relevance

9.1.1. What is the Circular Economy?

The widely accepted description and diagram below come from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation website:

‘Looking beyond the current "take, make and dispose” extractive industrial model, the circular economy is

restorative and regenerative by design. Relying on system-wide innovation, it aims to redefine products and

services to design waste out, while minimising negative impacts as well as energy consumption. Underpinned

by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural and social capital.’

Figure 12: Outline of a Circular Economy (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)


9.1.2. The Circular Economy – the Formulating Industries perspective

Survey results

From the early phases of the Aceform4.0 stakeholder consultation it was clear that the formulation community

had a good appreciation of the Circular Economy and how it might be relevant to them. There was a high level of

familiarity with the term “Circular Economy” - 67% Yes (Figure 12)

Figure 12: Survey results – Circular Economy (1)

There was also a good appreciation of the breadth and balance of technical themes where the Circular Economy

was relevant (Figure 13).



However, beyond this awareness, the evidence suggests that the practical application of Circular Economy

principles is more limited. Firstly, it is important to note that on closer analysis, the technical themes highlighted

by individual parties had a strong correlation with their respective organisational functions and/or stages of the

product life-cycle. The most common one of all was the sourcing of raw materials from sustainable sources. This

indicates that there is probably an absence in assessing and approaching challenges from a holistic, whole-life

cycle approach that is required for adherence to circular economy principles.

Furthermore, only 14% of survey respondents provided a clear ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Does your organisat ion have

a defined strategy for addressing one or several aspects related to Circular Economy?’ (Figure 13). Again, the

relatively low level of organisational strategy strengthens the case that the full value of Circular Economy

opportunities is being missed.


9.1.3. Circular Economy and Consumables

The Circular Economy as applied to consumable products was a theme of recurring debate and confusion through

the AceForm4.0 process.

By value, most formulated products are designed to be consumed. That is, in the process of delivering effects (or

‘doing its job’) the formulation’s constituent ingredients return to biological cycles. For example, shower gel goes

down the drain, mayonnaise is eaten, agrichemicals are sprayed onto a field, skin cream is absorbed. Therefore,

building technical cycles that maximise intrinsic material value is counter-intuitive. It is therefore the perception

of large parts of the formulating community, that the Circular Economy may be less relevant to them.

However, Circular Economy principles can reasonably be applied to consumable formulations. It is important to

highlight that a broader life cycle consideration should be taken and this will create many in-direct opportunities

for value creation, where new formulations are needed.


Within home and personal care, for shower gels and washing powders, one major opportunity to reduce impact

on natural resources is to drive down the use of energy to heat water. As such, this presents a potential

opportunity for re-formulation e.g. biological formulations for laundry that are active at even lower temperatures.

For the food sector, a topical issue at the moment is excess packaging waste and pollution, in particular leading to

micro-plastics accumulating in the oceans and wider natural ecosystem. Whilst not a formulation challenge per

se, this does open up an opportunity and need to reformulate products to enable more efficient use of packaging

materials e.g. longer life, more stable food formulations reducing the need for complex barrier materials.

For the medicines sector, a similar issues arises where complex devices, engineered to deliver therapies, create

highly complicated waste streams. Concurrent development of the product and the devices, can lead to better

devices that are easier to recover, reuse or recycle.

For non-consumable formulations, it is much clearer to see how Circular Economy thinking can be applied. Due

to the nature of their applications, the potential to create value through reduction, recover, recycling and

remanufacture is more obvious e.g. decorative paints can be formulated to enable better recycling, or lubricants

can be designed for improved recovery and re-use within wind turbines.

Non-consumable formulated products are also often a technology/component within a bigger system and so can

enable bigger, indirect circular economy benefits e.g. selectively active adhesives that could enable effective

disassembly and remanufacturing of consumer electronics.

Action 5: Improve awareness of formulation related CE case studies (Inform)

CASE STUDY 3: New Life from Old Paint

Since 1993, Dulux has sponsored “Community Repaint”, a UK network of local paint reuse schemes

that give leftover reusable paint to individuals, families, communities and charities in need.

However, though this is effective, it doesn’t capture all unused paint across the country. Newlife

Paints (Based in Ford, Sussex) have developed technologies and formulation understanding to

reprocess waste water-based paint and turn it back into a premium grade emulsion.


9.2. Enabling disruptive companies and business models

For companies to fully realise the value of the Circular Economy, circularity must be at the core of their values.

These companies and their shareholders must be patient, highly collaborative and take a longer term outlook on

growth. This full transition will be a slow and disruptive journey for most companies. Particularly larger, less agile

ones) with incumbent cultures and systems designed to maximise short term economic value via the traditional

take-make-dispose model.

So far, this transition is being played out via two main streams.

9.2.1. Large company - in limited markets and applications

There are already many excellent examples of companies applying circular approaches. E.g. HP Ink (Case study 4),

JCR remanufacturing. However, the trend is to do this where it already makes clear economic sense to do so. The

challenge for these companies is to translate these approaches to markets and applications where the short-term

economic imperative for change is weaker.

Case Study 4 – hp instant ink – circular business model (www.instantink.hpconnected.com)


9.2.2. Smaller companies – to smaller markets

There are also many excellent examples of disruptor companies that have been created with circularity at the

heart of the business e.g. Splosh (Case study 5).

As new entrants with sustainability

and circularity embedded in their

values and business models, these

companies don’t experience the

same levels of conflicting agendas

as seen in larger companies.

However, resources are limited. As

such, their challenges are to remain

economically viable over the longer

term and to ultimately grow these

operations to enable a positive

environmental impact at a global

scale.

From our analysis there are no

straightforward solutions to these

challenges. It is clear however that

this is an issue that requires

intervention in the way companies

are formed and achieve

investment. This goes beyond the

primary AceForm4.0 focus on

research and technology. Potential

interventions could include closer

relationships between large and

small companies, state-enabled

patient capital funds and open-

access R&D assets to enable lean

SMEs. However, deeper analysis is

required and it is assumed this

should be done in conjunction with

other non-formulating industries.

Action 6: Promote and explore innovative wa ys to stimulate investment in disruptive CE businesses (Fund)

CASE STUDY 5: Splosh! Circular business model (www.splosh.com)

http://www.splosh.com/


9.3. Modelling Impact

Through the AceForm4.0 consultation, one of main barriers identified towards the implementation of the Circular

Economy was a lack of access to relevant collaborative tools for modelling impact. In the previous section it has

already been highlighted that the shift to the circular economy will often bring a high-level of risk and disruption

for companies, as such they need access to data and information to de-risk action.

9.3.1. Four main categories of tools

Four main categories of tools have been identified.

i) Value Chains/Cycles modelling – identification of value cycle partners and associated material flows

required to achieve circularity.

ii) Environmental Impact – Life Cycle Analysis tools needed to ensure that target environmental impacts

can be quantified and optimised across the whole value cycle; enabling simplified decision making

and communications when trading-off conflicting criteria.

iii) Societal Impact – to ensure that new circular products/processes/services do not come at an

unintended cost to people – e.g. political instability, health and well-being.

iv) Business Models – to ensure that value cycle partners have a shared vision of where new value will

be created and for whom; improving chances of equitable win:win:win partnerships, balancing

respective inputs and outputs (e.g. revenues, IP, market access).

It is important to highlight that many tools that meet these descriptions do exist. As such, in the first instance,

much progress should be made simply through better awareness and sharing of available tools. It should

however also be noted that there is still an expectation that future development work will be required. In

particular, to address issues including: making tools cost effective, making tools user-friendly for non-experts,

enabling clear communication on trade-offs made, enabling multi-partner collaboration and data-sharing.

Action 7: De-risk shift to CE by improving access to relevant collaborative tools to model impact (Access)


9.3.2. Examples of Impact Modelling tools

Figure 14: Impact Modelling Tool

Environmental Impact Analyser (AkzoNobel proprietary tool)

Figure 15: Impact Modelling Tool

CcalC Carbon Footprinting in Industrial Activities www.ccalc.org.uk

Figure 16: Impact Modelling Tools Circular Business Model Toolkit

www.forumforthefuture.org/project/circular-economy-business-model-toolkit/overview

Figure 17: Impact Modelling Tools Doughnut Economics Model

www.kateraworth.com

http://www.ccalc.org.uk/

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/project/circular-economy-business-model-toolkit/overview

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/project/circular-economy-business-model-toolkit/overview

http://www.kateraworth.com/


10. Industry 4.0: The Toolkit for Radical Product and Process

Design





Industry 4.0 Learn, Apply Learn, Engage Learn, Promote Learn, Apply

The Formulating Industries are struggling to access and create value from the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Understanding of ‘What is Industry 4.0?’ and the implications for formulating businesses needs improving.

However, adoption of the Industry 4.0 toolkit is undoubtedly a critical requirement to unlocking value from the

opportunities highlighted above. More specifically for ‘Enabling Radical Product and Process Design’. The

AceForm4.0 roadmap prioritises investment in Industry 4.0 capabilities as a means to enable a more

collaborative, dynamic approach to formulated product and process design, breaking physical and temporal

barriers across labs, factories and real-world application. Within this section of the roadmap, an introduction is

also provided to the ‘Formulation Specific Technical Challenges’ understood to be unique and requiring special

attention to enable accelerated adoption of industry 4.0 approaches in the Formulating Industries.

10.1. What is Industry 4.0?

Figure 18: Industry 4.0 Overview (Siemens)

Industry 4.0 is the promise of a 4th Industrial Revolution, in which the integration of various digitalisation

technologies (existing and emerging) will enable advanced capabilities to connect, model and automate design,

manufacturing and supply chains systems. Thereby delivering products, processes and services – faster, more

efficiently and more flexibility. The digitalisation technologies of concern vary slightly by source, but the

schematic above from Siemens provides a typical representation.


10.1.1. Overview on Digitalisation Technologies and Formulation

The table below provides an overview of the potential benefits of digitalisation technologies as applied to

formulation. The aim here is to aid the reader’s understanding through more tangible examples of what these

enabling technologies are and how they might apply to specific formulation use cases. However, it is important to

emphasise that one of the key messages within this roadmap is that digitalisation technologies should be

approached holistically to enabled step-change product and process design (see section 10.2).

Table 10: Digitalisation Technologies and Perceived Benefits in Formulation

Perceived Benefits in Formulation

Additive Manufacturing

Potential for late stage differentiation and local smaller batch products e.g. tablets in medicines; confectionery

Robotics Automation for high throughput laboratory experimentation. Automation for future

manufacturing platforms (flexible, adaptive)

Internet of Things (IoT) and

Cloud

Cloud and IoT will enable data capture and sharing to unlock systems approach to learning through the product development life-cycle.

E.g. Enables learning and real time optimisation of desired properties of engine oils E.g. In-service ship coatings monitoring and data capture -> new business models

Data Analytics Existing data analytics technologies can be more widely applied in lab and plant to gain insights and make better decisions to optimise processes.

Autonomous systems

Potential to embedded intelligence to automate routine decisions e.g. process optimisation.

Longer term, potential to apply advanced AI to resolve complex design problems.

Virtual and

Augmented Reality (VR/AR)

Can be used to provide training and support maintenance activities as well as make

standard/routine work more fun (in order to raise the quality of work and avoid forgetting things due to boredom).

Simulation /modelling

Physical material modelling and statistical performance/process data is key to accelerating product and process development. Formulation design can then be more predictive.


10.1.2. Formulation community perspective

From the early phases of the Aceform4.0 stakeholder consultation it was clear that the formulation community

had a rather limited appreciation of industry 4.0 and how it might be relevant to them. 41% of survey

respondents answered ‘No’ when asked if they were ‘familiar with the term Industry 4.0’? (Figure 19)

Figure 19: Survey Results – Industry 4.0 (1)

However, upon closer examination it was clear that most of the underpinning digitalisation technologies were of

active interest (see figure 20). This discrepancy suggests that technologies are being applied in silos with very

specific application and benefits in mind, and in turn the bigger-picture benefits of industry 4.0 are being missed.

Figure 20: Survey Results – Industry 4.0 (2)


10.1.3. Strategic Implementation of Industry 4.0 – Big Picture Benefits

A commonly accepted implementation strategy of industry 4.0, is well illustrated by the Airbus digital factory

implementation strategy (see figure 21). In essence, the factory is the starting point and digitalisation

technologies enable and exploit ‘vertical integration’ i.e. all levels of the factory operation are connected,

interoperable etc.

Figure 21: Digital Factory – Implementation Strategy (Airbus)

In this respect, there is nothing unique with regard to manufacturing in the Formulating Industries, and so most

opportunities, challenges and guidance for action are best captured elsewhere (e.g. Manufutures or ProcessIT

roadmaps).

‘Horizontal integration’ then introduces the principle that connection, data sharing and automation can extend

beyond the factory. By considering and managing the product offering through the whole-life cycle, much more

value can be derived. However, this case study and many others like it, is built around the development of

aircrafts and associated highly sophisticated bespoke factories and so doesn’t translate particularly well to

formulating industries. So where Airbus talk about upstream ‘engineering’ a better theme here might be

‘feedstocks’, ‘ingredients’, ‘discovery’ or ‘product design’, but in essence a shared principle applies in that

Industry 4.0 presents the opportunity for insights and connections across these traditionally separate

development phases to feed each other. Similarly, downstream ‘in-service’ (which would probably work better

for th Formulation Industries as ‘consumer experience’ and/or ‘supply chain’) presents a much underexploited

opportunity to connect, model and automate the whole product life cycle to inform design, development,

manufacture and delivery.

It is important to emphasise that the industry 4.0 approaches, enabling horizontal and vertical integration, to

inform and manage production, can also be applied to other commercial functions e.g. marketing and logistics.

Again, the issues and opportunities presented here are not unique to the Formulating Industries and so will not

be explored in more detail in this report.


Action 8 – Improve awareness of resources & networks that promote the value of Industry 4.0 (Inform, Connect)

10.2. Enabling Radical Product and Process Design

Compared with aircrafts or cars, formulated products are typically produced in very large volumes, have fast

innovation cycles (often months) with high levels of product differentiation. They generally do their job by

deforming (changing structure) at just the right time, under just the right conditions (e.g. chocolate melting on a

tongue; paint spreading on a wall). They are also produced from chemical feedstocks that can be highly variable

in their composition from batch to batch. As such, formulated products are generally designed and delivered to

an average user case and environment, and with limitations on access to relevant data to inform design decisions.

Therefore innovations are often constrained and scenarios where product quality will be compromised can be

unpredictable (e.g. regional differences in water hardness can reduce detergent performance, or an unseasonable

rainstorm can wash away and negate the performance of a fungicide on a farmer’s field).

However, the promise of industry 4.0, and in particular horizontal integration, presents a radical opportunity for

formulated product design, development, manufacture and delivery to be a fully integrated, data-rich and

autonomous process, connecting all parts of the product life-cycle.

By harnessing Industry 4.0 technologies, designers will deliver better effects, predictable performance and

resource efficient processes by levering more insights and value from data, knowledge and know-how relating

materials science/chemistry/physical processes to final product applications and associated target physical

attributes.

The 2030 Lighthouse Vision set out below (figure 22) highlights five stages of formulation maturity. As a whole,

the Formulating Industries is currently stuck at stage 2 ‘Robust understanding of complex systems’. Industry 4.0

introduces tools and extra sources of data and intelligence that will enable significant progression beyond stage 2.

Action 9 – Prioritise CR&D calls that promote the application of i4.0 technologies for ‘Enabling ‘Radical Product and Process Design’ (Fund)


Figure 22: Formulation Lighthouse Vision


CASE STUDY 6: The Smart Farm - Industry 4.0 Enabling Radical Formulation Design in Crop

Protection

Taking the industry 4.0 concept to its logical conclusion, the future of crop protection could see

local micro ‘factories’ preparing bespoke formulation for more targeted application regimes,

specified to intelligent analysis of various data sources - weather conditions, land topography, crop

condition, availability of ingredient intermediates. Applications would then be made by

autonomous drone (or land based robot), minimising waste and spray drift through precision

application. This drone would concurrently be collating data to inform future designs and

applications e.g. data showing that a particular batch of ingredients correlated with increased

levels of spray nozzle blockages, could be fed back to ingredient suppliers or formulation designers

to resolve. Data and learning generated from around the world, can then be processed to inform

bigger picture future developments e.g. trends in resistance.

Similar concepts can be applied in other sectors however the overarching opportunity is for

industry 4.0 and formulation is to break-down the walls between lab, factory and field, or along

the development supply chain, to take a systems based approach to product design, production

and delivery.


10.3. Formulation Specific Technical Challenges

To accelerate the adoption of industry 4.0 in the Formulating Industries, it is important to highlight current

technical barriers to adoption. It is anticipated that the insights in this section would be applied to enable a more

targeted approach when scoping calls and projects.

10.3.1. Universal Technical Challenges

The following challenges are relevant, but not exclusive, to the Formulating Industries.

Data-sharing – A step-change is required for greater access to, and sharing of, data which is currently segmented

across a risk-averse supply chain.

Integration – There are many digital tools and systems currently being developed and applied by multiple

separate vendors. Also, solutions tend to be specified by clients from individual business functions, and so

systems deployed often aren’t optimised for needs or tasks elsewhere across the whole business. Furthermore,

the imperative of manufacturers to maximise the useful life of costly capital assets, means integration will be

needed across a wide range of legacy assets with highly variably levels of transferability and interoperability.

Future digital integration will require more flexible software architectures because today’s legacy systems, which

in many cases follow the ISA-95 pyramid, are hard to change or adapt without extensive effort and costs. The

future digital flexibility will require new thinking and architectures/frameworks such as e.g. RAMI4.0 as well as

increasing use of cloud technologies or similar.

Digital skills – To realise the full benefits of industry 4.0, a large and integrated programme of reskilling and

training will be required. Tomorrows designers, scientists and engineers will deploy new tools and techniques to

deliver ‘more from less’. With the new and extended capacity to access more data, codify knowledge and

prototype more quickly, it is highly likely that they will require a different and rapidly evolving skill set.

10.3.2. Formulation Specific Technical Challenges

Digital Twins – Whilst the concept is appealing, digital twinning of formulations will be very difficult to deliver.

The approach works well elsewhere e.g. for the optimisation of 3-D structures or statistical processes. But

formulations are optimised via complex compositions to deliver a variety of dynamic chemical and physical

attributes. In general, performance and failure mechanisms are highly complex, rooted in subtle multiscale

phenomena (typically evolving at the nano/microscale) which are not sufficiently well understood to enable

effective digital twinning.

Formulations are inherently unstable – In formulation, ‘good’ is only a point in time. A quality check can show a

product to be within specification at the point of manufacture, but then post-factory, the products age and

evolve, often unpredictably and undesirably. This creates a challenge (and opportunity) in formulation in that


there will be a limit to the gains that can be assured through industry 4.0 enabled manufacturing approaches,

unless the tools extend beyond the factory gates.

Standards – There are no standards for describing formulations or structuring formulation-related data. This

limits the ability to apply novel data approaches and codify knowledge. Widespread coordination and

cooperation would be needed to deliver this. Even then, due to the complex hierarchy of structures and

ingredients found in formulations, there remains a significant technical challenge to develop an effective

ontology.

Target properties – The target properties in formulations are generally difficult to reduce to discrete measures or

physical attributes. For example, ice cream delivers a multifaceted and subjective sensory experience, which is a

delivered via a complex combination of rheology, melt profile, flavour/aroma etc. As such, i4.0 may create the

capacity to generate more data and pull more levers, but this will be of limited value, without the necessary

underpinning mechanistic understanding and insights as to how and when to use them.

Action 10 - Influence wider Industry4.0/digitalisation calls; maximising relevance to Formulating Industries (Fund)

Action 11 – Raise awareness and build on projects already seeking to resolve these issues (Inform, Connect)


CASE STUDY 8: ADDOPT: Advanced Digital Design of Pharmaceutical Therapeutics

To secure the UK’s position at the forefront of pharmaceutical development and manufacture, the

ADDOPT project aims to create virtual medicine manufacturing systems as a means to ensuring

they are effective and efficient before creating them in the real world. Development and

integration of data analysis and first principle models will enable more sophisticated definition,

design and control of optimised pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. In turn, delivering

medicines to patients more effectively. The project connects the whole value chain from primes

(AZ, BMS, GSK, Pfizer), SMEs (PSE Systems, Perceptive Engineering, Britest) and Research

Organisations (Cambridge, Leeds, Strathclyde, Hartree).


11. Digital Formulation Capability Benchmarking and Roadmapping

Section Formulating

Industries

Formulation

value chains

Formulation-related

communities / networks

EC/Funding

bodies/Policy makers

Digital capability benchmarking &

roadmapping

Learn, Apply


11.1. The Case for Benchmarking and Roadmapping

In previous sections of this document it has been proposed that to access highlighted ‘Key Market Growth

Opportunities’, the Formulating Industries require innovation through an industry 4.0 enabled approach to

‘Radical Product and Process Design’. This insight plays to a broader and more general industry need, in that:

1. Product development cycles are expected to continue to accelerate

2. More radical innovation is required

3. Increased variability of product inputs and outputs is required

As such there is a cross-cutting industrial issue that today’s formulation development toolkit will not be fit for

purpose to meet the business and societal challenges over the coming decade. To unlock the widespread

strategic adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies across the Formulating Industries, AceForm4.0 proposes that

individual companies should conduct Digital Formulation Capability Benchmarking and Roadmapping exercises.

Due to the diversity of the Formulating Industries a universal cross-sector technology roadmap would be too

generic to stimulate meaningful action and investment. However, by plotting respective ‘big picture’ journeys,

companies will be better placed to make more meaningful progress in an area which is currently perceived to be

highly risky and disruptive. They will then be better enabled to:

i) Identify practical first steps

ii) Identify other end-users potentially willing to share the cost

iii) Build stronger business cases for sustainable investment.

In turn, public bodies can aggregate and analyse this data to better inform investment into greater-good public

R&I infrastructure. Current and well evidenced priorities here are: open-access capabilities in: High throughput,

PAT (process analytical technologies) pilot demonstration and Materials data sharing.

Action 12 – Develop and deploy toolkit to roadmap and benchmark digital formulation capability (Connect, Access). Action 13 – Influence CR&D policy and call design to better value the impacts of developing advanced

underpinning formulation capability (Fund) Action 14 – Analyse company-specific capability roadmaps to identify infrastructure gaps to be supported via

public investment (Fund, Access) Action 15 - Prioritise calls to address current EU capability gaps in public R&I infrastructure for SMEs – High throughput, PAT pilot demonstration and Materials data sharing.


11.2. Proposed Approach

Looking across all formulating sectors there are four common high-level capability themes (closely aligned to

industry 4.0 principles) against which companies can chart status and progression of respective capabilities.

1. Quantification -all aspects of the formulation life-cycle should be reduced to numbers or numerical

models.

2. Connection – useful data should be generated through all stages of the formulation life-cycle and

captured centrally. Associated integrated control capabilities should also be in place.

3. Embed multiscale modelling – truly predictive design capabilities will only be realised by bridging

material/structure-property relationship models across time/length-scales and across the formulation

life-cycle.

4. Embed intelligence – systems should be developed to codify ‘expert’ human intelligence so as to

automate routine decision making; and then to apply artificial intelligence to enable better resolution of

intractable design problems (advanced empiricism).

Benchmarking and roadmapping should also be conducted holistically across six stages in the formulation life-

cycle.

1. Ingredients

2. Mixture (often viewed at the formulation)

3. Process

4. Delivery - Storage/transportation/device e.g. pack, lorry, shelf, injection, spray

5. Application e.g. wetting, delivery, heat transfer

6. Subject e.g. skin, leaf, engine

As covered elsewhere in this document, all stages of the product life-cycle are inter-related and have an often

underappreciated impact on final product and performance. Through a more systems-based approach to

formulation development and production, significant step-change advances will be possible in formulation

capabilities and innovation.


11.3. Worked Examples – An average of the Formulating Industries

Further work would be needed to develop the tools and expertise to conduct the proposed benchmarking and

roadmapping. However, to better illustrate the proposed approach, below are materials representative of an

average of the EU Formulating Industries. It is anticipated that readers would recognise and identify with many of

the themes captured, however a more personalised review would have to follow.

11.3.1. Current Capability Benchmarking

Table 11: Worked Example – Current Capability Benchmarking

Ingredients Mixture Process Delivery Application Subject

Qu

anti

fica

tio

n Ingredients are

largely described using i) word models (name and promised effect e.g. thickener) ii) intrinsic properties iii) key basic molecular structures. These provides useful starting point for ingredient selection and handling/process strategies; however they do not account for subtle variability in composition and structure often relating to local feedstocks and production. A more structure focussed and standardised QC approach is needed to differentiate/ qualify ingredients.

Common practice is to describe formulations by word models (bulk and micro structure) and a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic physical and chemical properties. This approach is constrained by local variance in how they are derived and interpreted. A further challenge is that there is even less consistency around how to move to a quantitative description of intermediate and dynamic microstructure

Significant advances have been made in recent years in the ability to describe processes quantitatively. Specifically, this is concerned with modelling process hardware operations and associated physical environments created (temp, pressure, shear), However, this capability is not widely deployed and is of limited value without equivalent advances in characterising the mixture which is sensitive to process environments.

Capabilities exist to enable quantification of delivery environments – e.g. sensors for temp, pressure, humidity, or robust physics based models. They are however not deployed widely, and usually provide an average.

Decades of sector specific industrial experience has generally led to representative quantification of application scenarios. However, these operate typically to an average and so miss subtle differences in application scenarios. Also, there remains scope for a more sophisticated /scientific approach to enable accelerated/less labour intensive screening. Particularly for sensorial effects.

Subjects range from the very simple e.g. a metal surface to be coated; to the very complex e.g. human digestive system (food, medicines). In general, there are limits to our ability to quantify the very complex, however there is still scope to better lever available ‘best-bet’ data to inform formulation design.

AceForm4.0 Activating Value Chains for EU leadership in FORMulation Manufacturing 4.0 55 C

onn

ecti

on

Availability and connectivity of data relating to ingredients, formulation and process is sporadic. Multiple data sets (theoretical, experimental, plant, QC, commercial) are held across multiple sites and systems; with sharing constrained by commercial/proprietary boundaries, a lack of data standards and gaps in placement of sensors. This will require a greater flexibility of all software systems that are integrated in the future as many of today’s production/automation systems software are too stale integration-wise and hard to change without a great effort and cost.

Similar issues arise for access to key downstream life-cycle data to support product/process development. In addition, existing data sources (e.g. storage environments) require better integration; and systems for smart monitoring of condition/performance (ideally in real time) need to be created.

Emb

ed

mu

ltis

cale

mo

dell

ing

The ability to conduct truly predictive design can only come from mechanistic formulation/materials structure-property understanding. Pockets of leading modelling expertise are accessible for different scales – through atomistic, molecular, microscopic, mesoscale and macroscale – but very little progress has been made to connect learning across scales. There are also limitations where models are built around oversimplified/ideal ised systems as they are typically applied on ad-hoc basis for business critical trouble-shooting or driven by academic curiosity (not that this is a bad thing!). Where more robust industry-relevant models have been developed, these tends to have drawn on many years of learning around a core product family/ingredient set (e.g. tablets, well-known ice-cream, paint brands). In turn, there is limited industrial capability to systematically enhance modelling capability, e.g. using real -world/and day to day development data for validation; and dissemination (via practical user-friendly tools) across the product development life-cycle.

Emb

ed

Inte

llige

nce

Aside from basic use of lab-based expert systems and limited use of process control software to red light when processes are moving out of specification, there is very little use of advanced software to direct product / process design and management. Emerging opportunities around artificial intelligence are nowhere to be seen as we don’t have the data structured or clarity on what questions to throw at it.


11.3.2. Digital Formulation Capability Roadmap

5 Year Plan Table 12: Worked Example – 5 Year Plan

Activity Support Mechanisms*

Qua

nti

fica

tio

n Start to build a universal ontology for describing industrial formulation architectures

from molecules to macrostructures. RI

Pilot an open-access materials database to support formulation design from

structure-property relationships.

RI

Pilot an open-access standard for formulation design/development operations. RI

Increase research to translate between target performance effect and quantifiable

attributes. De-risk by initially focussing on simpler systems

RI

Develop better science-based performance application screens based on research

above. De-risk by initially focussing on applications where outputs could be usefully applied to multiple products.

CR&D

IC

Co

nn

ecti

on

Move to paperless management systems for lab, pilot facilities and manufacturing systems.

IC

Pilot/develop capability to integrate data management systems across environments

De-risk by starting internal – e.g. connecting labs with pilot facilities at same site; or labs across site And/or de-risk by providing case studies and proving capability at open-access

innovation centres.

IC

Engage all formulation life-cycle stakeholders, to develop trust and start to map data sharing guiding principles (review data types, needs, constraints).

Networks IC

Identify, develop and prove quick wins to access in-process data and in-use (e.g. existing soft sensors or in-line QC) to aid product development.

CR&D IC RI

Integrate and prove value of best-bet novel process sensors at pilot scale. De-risk by providing case studies and proving capability at open-access innovation centres.

CR&D IC

Demonstrate enhanced design/experimental capability through digital connection across 2-3 environments.

CR&D IC

Increase research toward novel sensors for wide deployment (process and in-use) –

cost effective, non-disruptive, energy efficient.

RI

CR&D IC

Re-focus development of novel measurement capability towards measurement systems that translate and create complementary insights/data across learning

environments and control systems.

CR&D IC

Maintain development of novel process ‘make’ capabilities (e.g. -> continuous) but re-

direct more effort to create associated Process Analytical Technologies toolkit development, prioritising areas of multi-party application.

CR&D

IC


De-risk uptake of available characterisation and automation (experimental)

capabilities through open-access centres.

CR&D

IC Outreach

Fill gaps in automated (HT) experimental capabilities – e.g. Solids, small volumes RI

CR&D IC

Embe

d m

ult

isca

le m

ode

llin

g Improve access to existing material modelling tools; grow case studies of useful

industrial applications.

Networks

IC Outreach

Grow investment in underpinning materials/mechanistic understanding, with

increased focus to prioritise complex industrially relevant systems, with material phenomena/failure modes likely to be transferrable across multiple products and

sectors.

RI

Increase research and capability development to support material modelling across time and length scales for real world products in industrial environments.

RI

Develop methodologies for translating academic models for industrial applications. RI

IC

Develop advanced experimental tools to enhance capability to validate models (e.g. v. high throughput, precision environmental control)

RI IC CR&D

Develop and prove multiscale modelling-enabled predictive design capability De-risk with focus on well-known systems or common application (e.g. stability).

RI IC CR&D

Emb

ed

Inte

llige

nce

De-risk access to available process control tools. Networks outreach

IC

Codify ‘expert’ human intelligence through expert systems / standard protocols etc. Prove on limited systems e.g. single product range.

Educate on the concept and explore value of artificial intelligence. Networks

IC Outreach

Trial knowledge creation through AI approaches on low risk robust offline data-sets RI

*RI = Research Institutions; CR&D = Collaborative R&D; IC = Innovation Centre

Benefits and Impact

Early case studies prove potential to introduce step-change capability to support future market demands

(including personalisation, local/distributed production and radical reformulation) and digital flexibility.

Proves ability to accelerate product development through investment in capability that:

o Enables predictive design by levering mechanistic understanding

o Enable learning and experimentation across multiple locations / environments

Lowers risk for future R&T investment by proving value across multiple products and sectors

Strengthens collaborative culture and establish foundations/boundaries for data sharing eco-system.

Democratises access to foundational formulation capabilities



Activity Support Mechanisms

Qua

nti

fica

tio

n Extend scope and complexity of universal ontology for describing industrial

formulation architectures from molecules to macrostructures. RI

Extend scope of open-access materials database to support formulation design from structure-property relationships.

RI

Extend scope of open-access standard for formulation design/development operations.

RI

Continue research to translate between target performance effect and quantifiable attributes.

Increased complexity of simpler systems

RI

Continue to develop better science-based performance application screens based on research above.

Start to internalise best options as standard development capabilities.

CR&D IC

Co

nn

ecti

on

Complete transition to paperless management systems for lab, pilot facilities and manufacturing systems.

IC

Extend and prove capability to integrate data management systems across multiple

environments Multiple functions; multi-locations; internal and external

IC

Develop case studies to access post-factory data – storage, in application CR&D

IC

Extend engagement on data sharing with all formulation life-cycle stakeholders Prove ability to securely share data for win:win value creation.

Develop thinking on new value sharing models.

Networks IC

CR&D

Prove ability for enhanced real-time process characterisation through multiplexing of measures (across soft sensors, in-line QC, advanced metrology).

CR&D IC

RI

Adopt novel process sensors to support routine development across pilot scale and full scale manufacture

CR&D IC

Demonstrate enhanced design/experimental capability through digital connection

across 4+ environments.

CR&D

IC

Industrialise best-bet/greater good toolkit for novel sensors for wide deployment (process and in-use) – cost effective, non-disruptive, energy efficient.

RI CR&D

IC

Prove value of novel measurement systems that translate and create complementary insights/data across learning environments and control systems.

CR&D IC

Continue to develop novel process ‘make’ capabilities (e.g. -> continuous) but re-direct more effort to create associated Process Analytical Technologies toolkit development, prioritising areas of multi-party application.

CR&D IC

Continue to de-risk uptake of available characterisation and automation (experimental) capabilities through open-access centres.

CR&D ICs Outreach

Continue to fill gaps in automated (HT) experimental capabilities – e.g. Solids, small

volumes

RI

CR&D IC


Emb

ed m

ult

isca

le m

od

ellin

g

Maintain access to existing material modelling tools; grow case studies of useful industrial applications.

Networks IC Outreach

On-going investment in underpinning materials/mechanistic understanding, with increased focus to prioritise complex industrially relevant systems, with material phenomena/failure modes likely to be transferrable across multiple products and

sectors. Industry increasingly bearing cost as research becomes more targeted to specific needs.

RI

Maintain research and capability development to support material modelling across

time and length scales for real world products in industrial environments.

RI

Mainstream methodologies for translating academic models for industrial applications.

RI IC

Continue to develop, and begin to mainstream, advanced experimental tools to

enhance capability to validate models (e.g. v. high throughput, precision environmental control)

RI

IC CR&D

Continue to develop, and begin to mainstream, multiscale modelling-enabled

predictive design capability Extend scope to less well-known systems and niche application.

RI

IC CR&D

Emb

ed In

telli

gen

ce Mainstream application of available process control tools for key operations. CR&D IC

Continue codification of ‘expert’ human intelligence through expert systems /

standard protocols etc. Extend scope (e.g. multiple products, formulation types).

Develop system to plug AI capability into established internal formulation development life-cycle. Focus on case studies to provide insights on highly complex

problems, intractable through 1s t principles.

RI CR&D

IC

Continue to trial knowledge creation through AI approaches on offline data-sets (increasingly structured; complex and business critical).

RI CR&D

IC

Benefits and Impact

Broad industry application of step-change capabilities enhances ability to meet future market demands

(including personalisation, local/distributed production and radical reformulation).

Improved digital flexibility and integration through large parts of value chains.

Accelerated product development through investment in capability that:


o Enable learning and experimentation across multiple locations / environments (mainly still across

research and manufacturing environments)

o Enables enhanced knowledge capture (‘all activity -> learning’)

o Enables formulation to an end-point (not just a recipe)

Uplift in R&T investment based on strong business cases linked to tangible benefits.

New value chains and business models forming, founded on enhanced collaborative culture and data

sharing eco-system.

Strengthening of SME pipeline through democratised access to foundational formulation capabilities



Activity Support Mechanisms

Qua

nti

fica

tio

n Complete universal ontology for describing industrial formulation architectures from

molecules to macrostructures. RI

Mainstream open-access materials database to support formulation design from

structure-property relationships.

RI

Mainstream open-access standard for formulation design/development operations. RI

Continue research to translate between target performance effect and quantifiable attributes. Standard practice for all new applications.

RI

Continue to develop better science-based performance application screens based on research above.

Internalise suite of screens as standard development capabilities.

Generic/transferrable learnings starting to become open-access.

CR&D IC

Co

nn

ecti

on

Continued maintenance and upgrades to paperless management systems for lab, pilot facilities and manufacturing systems.

IC

Digital flexibility and integration within whole value chains.

Complete integration of data management systems across multiple environments Multiple functions; multi-locations; internal and external

IC

Mainstream capability to access post-factory data – storage, in application

Consolidate terms of engagement on data sharing with all formulation life-cycle stakeholders

Routinely share data securely for win:win:win value creation.

Networks IC CR&D

Mainstream ability for enhanced real-time process characterisation through multiplexing of measures (across soft sensors, in-line QC, advanced metrology).

CR&D IC RI

Mainstream novel process sensors to support routine development across pilot scale and full scale manufacture

CR&D IC

Routinely demonstrate enhanced design/experimental capability through digital

connection across 4+ environments.

CR&D

IC

Mainstream industrial deployment of toolkit for novel sensors for wide deployment (process and in-use) – cost effective, non-disruptive, energy efficient.

RI CR&D

IC

Routine demonstration of value of novel measurement systems that translate and create complementary insights/data across learning environments and control systems.

CR&D IC

Continue to develop novel process ‘make’ capabilities (e.g. -> continuous) but re-direct more effort to create associated Process Analytical Technologies toolkit development, prioritising areas of multi-party application.

CR&D IC

Continue to de-risk uptake of available characterisation and automation (experimental) capabilities through open-access centres. Industry bearing more of the cost as de-risked.

CR&D IC Outreach

Continue to fill gaps in automated (HT) experimental capabilities – tbc. RI CR&D IC

E m b e d m u l t i s c a l e m o d e l l i n g

Material modelling tools broadly internalised in routine formulation development Networks


cycle. IC

Outreach

On-going investment in underpinning materials / mechanistic understanding, with increased focus to prioritise complex industrially relevant systems, with material

phenomena/failure modes likely to be transferrable across multiple products and sectors. Industry increasingly bearing cost and research becomes more targeted to specific needs.

RI

Maintain research and capability development to support material modelling across time and length scales for real world products in industrial environments.

RI

Mainstream methodologies for translating academic models for industrial

applications.

RI

IC

Mainstream advanced experimental tools to enhance capability to validate models (e.g. v. high throughput, precision environmental control)

RI IC

CR&D

Mainstream multiscale modelling-enabled predictive design capability into routine development cycles.

RI IC

CR&D

Emb

ed

Inte

llige

nce

Mainstream application of available process control tools for all new operations. CR&D IC

Complete codification of ‘expert’ human intelligence through expert systems /

standard protocols etc. (all products, formulation types).

Extend scope of system to plug AI capability into established internal formulation development life-cycle. Focus on case studies to provide insights on highly complex

problems, intractable through 1s t principles.

RI CR&D

IC

Continue to demonstrate knowledge creation through AI approaches on offline data-sets (increasingly structured; complex and business critical).

RI CR&D

IC

Benefits and Impact

Industrial application of step-change capabilities now starting to be democratised across all parts of the

Formulating Industries; proven ability to meet future market demands (including personalisation,

local/distributed production and radical reformulation).

Flexibility to integrate production and automation systems through whole value chains.

Further acceleration of product development through investment in capability that:


o Enable learning and experimentation across multiple locations / environments (now Research,

Manufacturing, Delivery, Storage and Application)

o Enables enhanced knowledge capture (‘all activity -> learning’)

o Enables formulation to an end-point (not just a recipe)

o Enables AI to automate and help resolve highly complex problems.

o Minimal experimentation and scale-up; potential for full in-silico design from 1s t principles.

Uplift in R&T investment based on strong business cases linked to tangible benefits.

New value chains and business models become mainstream, founded on enhanced collaborative culture

and data sharing eco-system.

Rebalanced SME pipeline through democratised access to formulation capabilities


11.3.3. Advances Required in Enabling Technologies

In the previous section, the worked examples serve to illustrate that the emphasis of the proposed benchmarking

and roadmapping action should be about integration and validation of knowledge, technologies and sys tems. It is

however important to highlight that there is an intrinsically linked need for advancements to the specific

underpinning technologies that make up the formulation toolkit. The continued investment and expertise

required to make the necessary advancements will be largely led by the associated vendors. There is however an

increased need for earlier supply chain collaboration to de-risk development and improve chances of adoption.

Needs, interests, innovation capacity and timescales vary significantly by sector and company, but there are 4 key

themes under which common advances can be prioritised – Material, Make, Measure and Model. It is difficult to

put a timescale on advancement against these themes, but in general , proportionate progress should be targeted

in line with the 15 year timeframe set out in the previous section.

Table 15: Enabling Technologies needs

Material technologies

The development of novel ingredients or materials structures to deliver specific functionalities or attributes.

Smart and multifunctional

Sustainable ingredients (including bio-based, bio-derived, biodegradable).

Nano/micro structured delivery technologies (e.g. microcapsules, nanoparticles).

Make technologies

The ability to engineer formulation structures at experimental and manufacturing scales.

Smaller, faster, continuous – particularly for HT experimental platforms or mixers/reactors for more

flexible / localised manufacture.

Resource efficient – developing new ways to generate and put energy into a system (e.g. ultrasonics).

Precision process environments – i.e. better control over key processing parameters (geometry,

pressure, dosage, temperature, shear) to enable better physical simulation, flexible processing and

novel formulation structures (e.g. nano).

Simplification for integration into automated platforms.

Measure technologies

The ability to characterise a formulation, ingredients and intermediate structures.

Inline, at-line, online – cost effective, non-disruptive, real-time, robust, integrated (IoT).

Multiplexing – to resolve highly complex, often opaque, dynamic systems.

Nanostructures – greater resolution needed

Simplification for integration into automated platforms.

Model technologies

The ability to codify and extrapolate i) material structure-property relationships and ii) statistical input/output relationships (recipes, processes and application tests).

Simplification for interoperability.

Advances in data assimilation and visualisation

Simplification of user interfaces for non-experts


Appendix A – Call text for H2020 NMBP-30-2016 competition

NMBP-30-2016: Facilitating knowledge management, networking and coordination in the field of formulated

products

Specific Challenge: Complex formulated products such as pharmaceuticals, medicines, cosmetic creams and gels,

detergent powders, processed foods, paints, adhesives, lubricants and pesticides are ubiquitous in everyday life. The

design and manufacture of formulated products is a highly significant value-adding step, with a value multiplier ranging

from around 3 – 100. There is an estimated emerging global market of around € 1400 bn. The EU has a strong,

competitive advantage in formulation and within the EU there are many significant centres for the industrial

manufacture and R&D of formulated products.

In order for Europe to avail this opportunity, there is a need to share in a targeted manner, the diverse skills and

expertise from different sectors and how this shared complementary expertise can enrich each of the partners’ innovative

capabilities through cross-learning and research at the precompetitive level.

Scope: Proposals should focus on and facilitate the exchange of non-competitive “know-how” in formulation

technologies which will benefit the innovative potential and capabilities of diverse industrial sectors, relevant in both

SMEs and large corporations in the following domains:

Technologies for better delivery of active ingredients in products through innovative design of combined formulation and high

throughput technologies to achieve an optimal use of ingredients;

State-of-the-art modelling and high throughput metrology methods to better predict, measure, control and at an early stage,

optimize the stability of formulated products, leading to higher sustainability, better regulatory compliance, better supply

chain management, improved shelf-life properties and an exact correlation between lab-scale and production-scale

properties;

Intensification methodologies for better process design that utilize formulation technologies via a scalable and industrially

relevant integrated digital platform in order to reduce the number of steps and use less energy than what is currently

employed.

Activities may include the identification of the common scientific and industrial cross sectorial research and innovation

challenges through the development of a shared vision and common roadmap.

Priority will be given to proposals involving at least three sectors, such as Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Agrochemical,

Food Science and Medical Technology, etc.

Involvement from at least three internationally recognized research establishments within the European Union is

encouraged.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 300 000 to 500 000

would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and

selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:

Rational development of sustainable developed products and processes;

Structuring and integration of value chains in the field of design and manufacturing of formulated products as a significant value

added step leading to reduction of costs and time to market;

Mobilisation of European industries to achieve global leadership in delivering innovatively formulated products within the

context of Industry 4.0 and the Circular Economy.

Type of Action: Coordination and support action


Appendix B – Sector Specific Value Cycles

Home, Industrial and Personal Care


Pharma and Healthcare


Coatings and Surfaces


Food and Drink


AgriTech and Plant Protection


Advanced Materials


Appendix C – Draft Call Texts

NMBP-xx-20xx: Promoting alternatives to problematic chemicals used in formulated products

Main AceForm4.0 Recommendations addressed:

1: Prioritise CR&D call themes aligned to ‘formulation-centred Key Market Growth Opportunities’

6: Promote and explore innovative ways to stimulate investment into disruptive Circular Economy businesses

Specific Challenge:

Complex formulated products such as pharmaceuticals, medicines, cosmetic creams and gels, detergent powders, processed

foods, paints, adhesives, lubricants and pesticides are ubiquitous in everyday life. The design and manufacture of formulated

products is a highly significant value-adding step, with a value multiplier ranging from around 3 to 100. There is an estimated

emerging global market of around € 1400 bn.

The formulation industries span across a variety of industrial sectors. Despite each of these sectors have their own specific

market growth opportunities, their gradual shift towards a more Circular Economy is, in the short term perspective, collectively

and effectively driven by regulations and the banning of the use of problematic chemicals. Typically consisting of at least 10

ingredients, inherently unstable and designed to balance properties through different stages of its life -cycle, formulated

products are very challenging when it comes to substitution of specific ingredients. Joining efforts across industrial sectors to

identify and test alternative chemicals will not only enable time and cost savings, but will help bild stronger cases an enable a

smoother transition towards products with a more “circular” profiles.

Scope:

Proposals should focus on the reduction or elimination of the use of problematic chemicals in formulated products.

Problematic chemicals or ingredients may include those that are on their way of being banned by e.g. REACH normatives.

Appart from the identification and screening of alternative chemicals, the proposals should also promote and enable the use of

formulated products free of problematic chemicals by actively engaging regulatory bodies as well as increasing consumer

producer awareness.

Expected Impact:

Earlier, smoother and more cost effective transition to alternative, non-problematic ingredients in formulations.

Shorter product development cycle for formulated products with a more “Circular” profile.

Mobilisation of European industries to achieve global leadership in producing formulated products within the context

of Circular Economy.

Type of Action: Innovation

Alignment to Horizon Europe (draft themes):

Natural Resources – Resource efficient and circular systems with zero pollution


NMBP-XX-20XX: Industry 4.0 for Radical Formulated Product Design


9: Prioritise CR&D calls that promote the application of i4.0 technologies to enable Radical Product & Process

Design

Specific Challenge:

Formulated products are typically produced in very large volumes, have very fast innovation cycles (often months) with high

levels of product differentiation, and generally do their job by deforming (changing structure) at just the right time, under just

the right conditions e.g. chocolate melting on your tongue; paint spreading on a wall. They are also produced from chemical

feedstocks that can be highly variable in their composition from batch to batch. As such, formulated products are generally

designed and delivered to an average user case and environment, and with limitations on access to relevant data to inform

design decisions. Therefore innovations are often constrained and scenarios where product quality is compromised can be

unpredictable e.g. regional differences in water hardness can effective detergent performance, or an unseasonable rainstorm

can wash away and negate the effect of a fungicide on a farmer’s field. However, the promise of industry 4.0 and in particular

horizontal integration, presents a radical opportunity for formulated product design, development, manufacture and delivery to

be a fully integrated, data-rich and autonomous process, connecting all parts of the product life-cycle. By harnessing Industry

4.0 technologies, product and process designers can deliver better effects, predictable performance and resource efficient

processes by levering more insights and value from data, knowledge and know-how relating materials science / chemistry /

physical processes to final product applications and associated target physical attributes.

Scope:

Proposals should focus on the development and integration of industry 4.0 technologies to enable radical approaches to

formulated product design, moving beyond ‘business as usual’.

Proposals must address applications in the Formulating Industries; advanced materials are in scope where the focus is on the

mastery of an intermediate formulation step.

Research to understand underpinning mechanistic behaviour is in scope; but applicants must demonstrate how this activity will

be additive to the primary objectives.

The commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EC between € 4 and 10m would allow this specific

challenge to be addressed appropriately.

There is no prescribed number of partners, but the commission would typically expect broad invol vement from across the

relevant value chains / cycles.

Expected Impact:

Demonstration of technologies in near real-world context.

Radical acceleration of development cycles. >50% faster.



Health – Data-driven digital transformation of Health and care

Digitising and Transforming Industry and Services



NMBP-xx-20xx: Value Chain Digitalisation for Complex Formulated Products: From Concept to Market


3: Prioritise CR&D calls that promote extended value chain/cycle collaboration


Design

Specific Challenge:

Nowadays, the world is in full digital transformation. The implementation of Industry 4.0 technology is growing. Fast moving

and attractive market like finance and security already implemented advanced technology such as smart sensor, artificial

intelligence or big data models. Formulated product industry is still a step behind. Along the value chain, the connectivity and

information collection is not sufficient to accelerate and improve the performance of the product. However, almost all

technologies are now available (sensors/smart packaging/automation/AI/big data) and could be apply to connect the formulated

product value chain.

Scope:

Proposals should focus on initiatives implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in the formulated product value chain.

Collaboration from partners with “know-how” in formulation technologies and/or Industry4.0 technologies will benefit the

innovative potential and capabilities of diverse industrial sectors, relevant in both SMEs and large corporations in the

following domains:

Extensive data collection on product development along the value chain to accelerate product design and improve

robustness and performances of formulated product.

Connection of value chain actors through digital technologies to optimize formulated product value chain and

minimize ecological impact of product design, scale-up and supply chain.

Application of Industry4.0 technologies on value chain to generate case studies and attract I4.0 actors on the

formulated products market.

The consortium should be at least composed by one internationally known research center, two SME’s and two companies

producing formulated products coming from a different sectors.


challenges and propose and implement direct solution coming the combination of partners know-how.

Priority will be given to proposals involving at least three sectors, such as Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Agrochemical, Food

Science and Medical Technology, consumer goods etc.

Involvement from at least three internationally recognized research establishments within the European Union is encouraged.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EC between EUR 500 000 to 1 000 000 would

allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of

proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:



Structuring and integration of value chains in the field of design and manufacturing of formulated products as a

significant value added step leading to reduction of costs and time to market;

Increase the interest of European I4.0 actors for formulated product market, and facilitate the access to technology to

formulated product companies.

Type of Action: Research and Innovation



ICT-xx-20xx: Zero-defect production in the field of formulated products



Design

10: Influence wider Industry 4.0/digitalisation calls; maximising relevance to Formulation industries.

Specific Challenge:

Complex formulated products such as pharmaceuticals, medicines, cosmetic creams and gels, detergent powders, processed

foods, paints, adhesives, lubricants and pesticides are ubiquitous in everyday life. The design and manufacture of formulated

products is a highly significant value-adding step, with a value multiplier ranging from around 3 – 100. There is an estimated

emerging global market of around € 1400 bn and currently EU has a strong and competitive advantage in formulation.

In order for Europe to maintain a global leader, there is a need to further improve the production, based on the progress within

digitalisation and Industry4.0, and move towards zero-defect production. Zero-defect production means that no output or

products outside of specifications will reach customers or the next step in the value chain. Thus, the production process and

equipment need to be monitored, the input to as well as output from production process steps should be measured, and process

parameters monitored. This continuous quality control and process monitoring is in contrast to batch quality control, and will

detect out of specification output almost immediately instead of at the end of the production process where quality control

commonly is enacted.

Scope:

Proposals should focus on and facilitate zero-defect production in the context of formulated products:

Technologies for zero-defect production in terms of software, hardware, and sensors (i.e. various types of cyber-physical

systems combined with scalable software solutions). Cybersecurity is an important aspect of the technologies and should

be part of the design to not open up the production process for cyberattacks as being further digitalised;

Approaches, methods and best practices to improve the production processes and enable new enhancing technology to be

implemented and adopted;

Integration of production- and product information along the value-chain. Information from previous production steps in a

value-chain should be collected and made available together with the output and made available for the next step in the

values chain. Scalable and secure cloud services and block-chain technologies should be considered for management of

the information.



challenges through the development of a shared vision and common roadmap.

Priority will be given to proposals involving a value-chain from one the three sectors, such as Chemical, Pharmaceutical,

Agrochemical, Food, Pulp & Paper, Packaging, etc.

Involvement from at least three internationally recognized research establishments within the European Union is encouraged.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EC between EUR 4-6 million would allow this

specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals

requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:


Energy savings of at least 10%;

Less wasted raw materials of at least 10%

Structuring and integration of output related information along value chains in the field of production of formulated

products

Mobilisation of European industries to achieve global leadership in producing formulated products within the context

of Industry 4.0 and the Circular Economy.

Type of Action:

RIA (TRL 3-5) or IA (TRL 5-7)



NMP-xx-20xx: De-risking shift of Formulation Industries to Circular Economy through the use of tools to

model the impact in case studies.

Recommendations addressed:


7: De-risk shift to Circular Economy by improving access to relevant collaborative tools to model impact

Specific Challenge:

Complex formulated products are ubiquitous in everyday life. The design and manufacture of formulated products is a highly

significant value-adding step, with a value multiplier ranging from around 3 to 100. There is an estimated emerging global

market of around € 1400 bn. The formulation industries span across a variety of industrial sectors. The formulation community

had a good appreciation of the Circular Economy and how it might be relevant to them. However, beyond this awareness, the

evidence suggests that the practical application of Circular Economy principles is more limited. Overall, there is an absence in

assessing and approaching challenges from a holistic, whole-life cycle approach that is true to circular economy principles.


One of main barriers identified towards the implementation of the Circular Economy is the lack of access to relevant

collaborative tools for modelling different types of impacts, namely i) Value Chains/Cycles modelling, ii) Environmental

Impact, iii) Societal Impact and iv) Business Models. Many of the tools that meet these descriptions do exist. As such, in the

first instance, much progress should be made simply through better awareness and sharing of available tools. It should

however also be noted that there is still an expectation that future development work will be required. In particular, to address

issues including: making tools cost effective, making tools user-friendly for non-experts, enabling clear communication on

trade-offs made, enabling multi-partner collaboration and data-sharing.

Scope:

Proposals should focus on bridging the gap between formulators and sustainability/Circular Economy experts by involving the

latter in the project consortium.

Proposals should address the selection of case studies generic enough to be of relevance to at least three industrial sectors .

The proposals should include the devising of a communication strategy aiming at the dissemination of project results (open

access database for formulators)

Expected Impact:

Mobilisation of European industries to achieve global leadership in producing formulated products within the context of

Circular Economy.




NMP-xx-20xx: Development and/or reformulation of products to enhance sustainability and help drive

Europe towards a Circular Economy.

Recommendations addressed:

1: Prioritise CR&D call themes aligned to ‘formulation-centred Key Market Growth Opportunities’


7: De-risk shift to Circular Economy by improving access to relevant collaborative tools to model impact

Specific Challenge:

Complex formulated products are ubiquitous in everyday life. The design and manufacture of formulated products is a highly

significant value-adding step, with a value multiplier ranging from around 3 to 100. There is an estimated emerging global

market of around € 1400 bn. The formulation industries span across a variety of industrial sectors. There are growing number

of businesses in Europe focusing on the development of formulated products that are increasingly more sustainable. These

businesses can face significant challenges in attracting investment for new product development and further challenges in

adoption of the products by downstream industrial users and consumers.

As such there is a need to encourage innovation and adoption in this space by in particular by small medium –sized enterprises

and mid-cap enterprises for the development and commercialisation of highly sustainable products, in particular in application

areas where ingredients can readily find their way into the environment and compromise the ecosystem, biodiversity and/or

human health such as personal care products, detergents and coatings.


Scope:

Proposals should focus on new formulated product development along aside detailed economic viability and sustainability

analysis. This may include the development of new sustainable and/or bio-degradable ingredients, address issues related to

packaging, development of new product fomats that will aid sustainability of the product and address issues relating to the

adoption of the product by downstream industrial users and/or consumers.

Expected Impact:

Mobilisation of European industries to achieve global leadership in producing formulated products within the context of

Circular Economy.

Development of sustainable formulated products and their manufacturing processes

Type of Action: Research, Development and nnovation



updated common vision and roadmap for formulated products ... · key market growth opportunities...

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