History

The first Formula Conferences were initiated and organized by the French Chemical Society (SCF). Later, Formula Conferences expanded and became larger events, with the incorporation of various European Societies, namely the Formulation Science and Technology Group of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FSTG/RSC, United Kingdom), DECHEMA - Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology e.V. (DECHEMA, Germany), SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden AB (SP, Sweden), and the Spanish Group of Colloids and Interfaces of the Royal Societies of Chemistry and Physics (GECI/RSEQ-RSEF, Spain). Moreover, several companies (Akzo Nobel, BASF, Bayer, Evonik) also joined the organization, ensuring a truly and deep dialogue between Industry and Academia.

Formula Conferences were first organized in France (Formula I, Nice, 1987, and Formula II, Toulouse, 1990). After the second edition, Formula Conferences have acquired a full European dimension with Formula III (La Grande Motte, 2001, France) and the following sessions which took place in United Kingdom (London, 2005), Germany (Berlin, 2007), Sweden (Stockholm, 2010), France (Mulhouse, 2013) and Spain (Barcelona, 2016).  Since Formula III, selected papers from oral or poster presentations have been published in special issues of international journals (Polymer International in 2003; Colloids and Surfaces A in 2006, 2008, 2014 and 2017; Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology in 2011). Finally, during Formula VII in Mulhouse and Formula VIII in Barcelona, the Formula Pierre Fillet Prize was awarded (to Gordon Tiddy and Conxita Solans, respectively), acknowledging an excellent career in and inspiring contributions to formulation, both in industry and academia.

In 2010 InForm an EU funded project involving a number of groups previously involved in the Formula Conferences with others initiated a series of continuing international conferences focusing on the unique challenges of formulation with nanomaterials, NanoFormulation.  NanoFormulation conferences were held along with Formula VI in Stockholm, Formula VIII in Barcelona, and NanoFormulation 2019 will be held with Formula X in Manchester.

In 2017, with the help of the Chinese Academy of Science, Formula IX in Beijing took the Formula confernces to a new continent and opened up a new chapter.  Formula IX highlighted recent important progress in all aspects of formula with multiple functionalities such as battery materials, printing inks, catalysts, cosmetics, food or pharmaceuticals formulations. The conference theme of Formula IX was “Multiscale Structures and Functionalities for Future Formulation”, covering multiple scales across molecules, particles, and reactors and facilities as well as plants and systems.

Formula X brings the Formula conference back to Europe, adapting to the changing direction of formulation with more emphasis on design and reflecting the growing importance of formulation in enabling sustainability.

You can learn more about the Formula conferences, from the abstract books from Formula IX and Formula VIII.