A Renewed Expoquimia to Connect Chemistry with Productive Industry in 2026

Aiming to strengthen the role of chemistry as a transformative driver of manufacturing industries, Expoquimia is already preparing for its next edition, which will take place from 2 to 5 June 2026 at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue. The exhibition, which seeks to establish itself as a leading trade fair in the Mediterranean region, will expand its representation, offerings, international reach, and attendees, showcasing solutions to make industrial processes more efficient and sustainable.

Under the slogan “Transforming the Industry, Shaping the Future,” Expoquimia 2026 proposes a new way of integrating the chemical industry with other sectors. The fair will prioritise business opportunities, knowledge sharing, and corporate collaboration for a more sustainable future. The Barcelona-based event, featuring the market’s leading companies, is expected to host 400 exhibitors in Hall 2 of the Gran Via venue.

Carles Navarro, President of the new Expoquimia Organising Committee and Managing Director of BASF Española, stated: “Our fair will not only stimulate the market but also serve as an excellent platform to showcase the chemical industry’s innovation and its ability to positively impact the sustainability and efficiency of any production process. Without chemistry, there will be no decarbonisation, circularity, or energy transition to tackle the challenges posed by climate change for industries and society.”

A Showcase of Advanced Solutions

With its repositioning, Expoquimia is diversifying and expanding the demand sectors that will attend the fair in 2026. These range from the detergent and consumer chemical industries to pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and perfumery, and emerging sectors like renewable energy and water treatment, as well as agrochemicals, food production, automotive, and plastics, among others. For all these industries, Expoquimia will serve as a key meeting point to enhance their production processes with innovative chemical solutions.

Exhibiting companies will present products and services across these areas: basic and raw material chemicals; laboratory materials and analytical instrumentation; machinery and industrial equipment; Pharma Process; pumps, valves, and measurement systems; thermal processing; engineering and automation; industrial and workplace safety; environmental technology and waste management; R&D centres and tech transfer; and chemical industry associations and entities.

Xavier Pascual, Director of Expoquimia, explained: “We are designing a fair with and for the chemical sector, in close collaboration with its key companies and organisations, focusing entirely on meeting the innovation needs of demand markets. After the turning point of the 2023 edition, we are doubling down to make Expoquimia stronger and more effective, increasing the representation and international scope of the exhibition while diversifying visitor profiles to create real business opportunities and sectoral collaboration spaces.”

High-Level Knowledge and Networking

In addition to its commercial offerings, Expoquimia will feature a programme of activities with conferences, workshops, and networking spaces designed to facilitate learning through experience and foster professional collaboration. Highlights include the Industry Showcase, where sessions will present success stories from user industries related to energy transition, sustainable water resource management, innovation in materials and ingredients for a circular economy, and digital transformation.

New in 2026, the Engineers Day will celebrate the critical role of engineering professionals in the chemical sector and industrial processes. An International Programme will also debut, offering business matchmaking for international visitors, alongside sessions on best practices for applying exhibitor-provided solutions and exploring business opportunities in selected markets.

Expoquimia will also host major industry events, such as Smart Chemistry, Smart Future, a forum led by FEIQUE, focusing in this edition on the Green Industry Deal. Chemical innovation is essential for developing solutions and processes for decarbonisation and for bolstering the industry’s competitiveness, contributing to the European Green Deal goals and enhancing strategic autonomy.

Additionally, the 16th Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering (MECCE) will highlight the contributions of this field to achieving global sustainability targets. Further sessions and activities will be organised by associations and entities linked to the sector.

Another highlight will be the Gala Dinner, an exclusive event bringing together top executives and leaders from the chemical industry, as well as representatives from institutional, economic, and social sectors, to underscore the importance of a sector that underpins 98% of production processes and plays a vital role in sustainable development. During the dinner, the Best in Class awards will be presented to the most transformative projects showcased at the fair’s Industry Showcase.

Coinciding with Equiplast

In 2026, Expoquimia will run simultaneously with Equiplast, the International Meeting for Plastics and Rubber, which will present innovative and sustainable solutions to reduce the environmental impact of plastics within the circular economy. Together, these events, featuring over 800 exhibitors and nearly 21,000 professional visitors, will create a powerful trade fair platform that strengthens synergies between the chemical and plastics industries.

Barcelona, December 2024

Photographs (2023 edition) here

Maria Dolores Herranz
Press Officer Fira Barcelona
Tel. +34932332541
mdherranz@firabarcelona.com