we.CONECT presents the Process Industry Conferences MES & Process Minds & the European Pharma M2R Minds, which will highlight the challenges that the process industry faces and will discuss specific topics in focused and interactive sessions to demonstrate practical solutions. br br The process industry is a technologically sophisticated industry that depends on innovations. External constraints and significant cost pressures push new developments that require particular legal regulations regarding the environment. Also price development, availability of raw materials, rising energy prices, technological developments, new materials and fabrics as well as considerable competitive pressure from emerging countries (especially from BRIC) have to be taken into account. This on the one hand requires (relatively) long planning horizons and investment cycles but on the other hand the consumer markets are cyclical and volatile.