At a time when many industry events are shrinking, eChem Expo continues to grow, delivering more sessions, more exhibitors, and more opportunities to connect. By aligning content with real purchasing needs, the conference ensures attendees walk away with actionable strategies and the right contacts to move their organizations forward. 

Returning April 8–9, 2026, to the Meadowview Convention Center in Kingsport, TN, this biannual event combines a two-day PDH-accredited conference with a one-day expo floor, bringing together the people, technologies, and ideas shaping the industry’s future.

The Conference Experience

Expert-Led Sessions

  • Two days of expert-led sessions and panels
  • PDH-accredited content to support professional growth
  • Focus areas driven by real purchasing needs and stakeholder interviews

Panels & Keynotes

  • Engaging, interactive discussions on top-of-mind topics: sustainability, decarbonization, AI, workforce development, safety, and operational excellence. Keynotes from leaders across the industry set the tone with big-picture insights.

Workforce Development & PDH Credits

  • Professional growth is central to the event. Attendees earn professional development hours while gaining practical skills to advance their careers and strengthen their organizations.

Focus Areas That Matter

  • Our eleven focus areas are built around real purchasing needs and plant-level challenges identified through stakeholder interviews. From energy efficiency to supply chain resilience, content is grounded in real-world decision-making.

 

Community & Collaboration

  • More than just an Expo, eChem Expo creates a community environment where plant managers, engineers, and decision-makers can collaborate, share challenges, and find solutions together.

Innovation Exchange

  • Rapid-fire panels and interactive discussions allow attendees to hear directly from innovators and peers about the latest technologies, strategies, and lessons learned.

Safety at the Core

  • Safety is consistently ranked as the top priority and is woven throughout every panel, session, and exhibitor demonstration.

 

View our past conference program:

2024 CONFERENCE PROGRAM

2026 Conference Program will be available Winter 2026.

Educational Content - Focus Areas Include:

Explore our eleven educational focus areas, shaped by real industry needs, that highlight the innovations, technologies, and strategies driving the future of chemical processing and manufacturing.

Safety

Sustainability

Agility / Rapid Execution

Artificial Intelligence

Asset Integrity & Management

Energy & Efficiency

Capital Effectiveness

Operational Excellence

Workforce Development

Supply Chain Resilience

2024 Conference Highlights:

  • Industry Leaders Share Insights on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Impacts: A panel moderated by Holli Alexander highlighted the importance of sustainability and corporate responsibility in the chemical processing sector. Jayme Leita from Eastman Chemical Company discussed their ambitious goal to decrease emissions to zero by 2050. “Sustainability means a lot for Eastman. By 2030, we’re going to cut emissions by a third.” — Jayme Leita
  • Navigating the Future of Decarbonization: The first day kicked off with pivotal panels on decarbonization and asset integrity. Lisa Lambert from Eastman emphasized the collaborative nature of these efforts, while panelists discussed various strategies for improving decarbonization and asset integrity. “Industrial companies are all on these pathways, and we are all trying to figure out how to get there.” — Lisa Lambert
  • Transformative Impact of AI on Workforce Dynamics: Moderated by Bryan Shackelford, this panel explored the impact of AI on the workforce, with insights from AVEVA, IndexAR, Valmet, and Eastman leaders on leveraging AI for business operations and workforce development.“AI should be something that interacts, and you start to see your workforce grow and develop at a faster rate from those interactions with AI.” — Jeff Fain
  • Rapid-Fire Panel on Current Trends: A rapid-fire panel featuring nine innovation leaders discussed trends from AI to sustainability. Representatives from Honeywell, Siemens, AVEVA, and others shared insights on the evolving landscape of the chemical and process industries. “It’s changing from being largely a linear value chain to a circular value chain.” — Tathagata Basu
  • Connecting People, Processes, and Technology for Operational Excellence: Moderated by Jan Shumate, this panel highlighted the integration of people, processes, and technology to achieve operational excellence. Speakers from Trackonomy Systems, AVEVA, and Siemens emphasized the importance of building a culture of performance and leveraging smart technologies. “Collaboration, which is increasingly a social thing, is how you connect the people together.” — Keith Chambers
  • Keynote Insights into Change and Sustainability: Keynote speakers Al Onley and Scott Brandenburg addressed the audience on the topics of change, sustainability, and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new technologies and creating a culture of capability and safety in the chemical industry. “The core value of innovation is change.” — Al Onley