European Advanced Process Control and Manufacturing Conference 2026
Silicon Saxony—an industry association of which Electron Mec is also a member—has selected Catania, Italy, as the venue for the renowned European Advanced Process Control and Manufacturing Conference (https://www.apcm-europe.eu) . From April 28 to 30, approximately 200 international participants from industry and research organizations will gather to discuss the latest developments and challenges in advanced process control and production efficiency.
The three-day event, held in Sicily, will feature extensive exhibition areas, networking and matchmaking sessions, keynote presentations, expert talks, and evening events with leading specialists from the semiconductor industry.
“The Catania conference is particularly significant because, following last year’s event in Prague, it is only the second time that Silicon Saxony—one of the most important European associations focused on semiconductor manufacturing—has organized this event outside Dresden,” explained Luigi Calligarich. “This year’s meeting will place a strong emphasis on automation in semiconductor production. As an Italian-based partner company, we see this as a key opportunity for discussion, collaboration, and growth, and we will certainly take part.”
Why Catania?
“Much like Saxony, the eastern coast of Sicily—and especially the Etna Valley—is emerging as a strategic hub for the semiconductor sector, with several new plants and high-tech facilities currently under development. Our company is already closely connected to this ecosystem. Catania represents an important milestone in a broader, Europe-wide innovation journey, with a strong focus on the growing demand for automation.”
Is automation the near future of the industry?
“Current trends clearly show that major semiconductor players are increasingly investing in automation to scale production rapidly and efficiently. Asia has long been well positioned in this area, and Europe now needs to accelerate its efforts to remain competitive. Larger substrates—both wafers and panels—and the need for higher production volumes make automation indispensable. At Electron Mec, we have been preparing for this shift for some time and are actively testing new solutions to enhance automation.”
What specific needs must automation address in today’s production processes?
“The objective today is smart, targeted automation. It is no longer just about automated mechanics, but about integrating sensors, vision systems, data processing, and artificial intelligence directly into production lines. This represents a new generation of automation, one that relies on distributed intelligence rather than purely centralized control systems.”
What do you mean by distributed intelligence?
“From self-driving cars to many other technologies that will soon become part of everyday life, a major challenge is the massive volume of data generated by external sensors and sent to central processing units. To avoid digital overload—and even physical size constraints in semiconductor devices—the future lies in upstream automation. Sensors will increasingly process data locally, improving reaction times, system reliability, and overall efficiency.”
Semiconductor manufacturing is also increasingly shifting toward panels larger than 500 × 500 millimeters. Handling components of this size across multiple process steps is becoming more complex and demanding. As a result, automation is essential—not only to reduce risk, but also to ensure safer and more precise operations while simultaneously lowering overall production costs.