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International Seminar

From Sample to Value: Building future-ready, smart laboratories to extract the highest value from every milk sample.

Over 40 Years of Innovation for the Dairy sector

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Bentley Instruments’ French subsidiary is pleased to invite you to join us from October 12 to 14, 2026, to celebrate its 25th anniversary and its international seminar

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bentley Instruments France, Bentley Instruments is pleased to host its International Seminar 2026 in Arras, France. This event will bring together customers, partners, central milk testing laboratories, dairies, milk payment organizations, and industry experts to discuss the future of milk analysis, laboratory automation, and data-driven dairy performance.

Under the theme “From Sample to Value”, the seminar will focus on how cutting-edge analytical technologies and smart automation can help the dairy sector extract more value from every milk sample. Milk is a complex biological system and a unique fingerprint of the dairy ecosystem, reflecting quality, animal health, nutrition, farm practices, and environmental factors. By transforming analytical data into actionable insights, laboratories can play a key role in supporting milk quality, food safety, traceability, productivity, and sustainability across the dairy chain.

The program will present the latest developments in Bentley Instruments’ analytical solutions, including updates on Combi FTS and BactoCount IBC 3.0, and new applications currently under review. Particular attention will be given to analytical performance, international methods harmonization, regulatory requirements, and global analytical equivalence.

Analytical Data as a Driver of Sustainable Dairy Performance

A key focus will also be placed on the link between analytical data and sustainability. Reliable milk data can support more sustainable decision-making by helping stakeholders optimize feeding strategies, monitor animal health indicators, improve process efficiency, early detection of mastitis and metabolic disorders, and develop new environmental indicators related to nitrogen, phosphorus, methane prediction, and resource efficiency. In this context, every data point extracted from milk can become a source of value for laboratories, dairies, farmers, and the wider dairy sector.

Smart Automation for Future-Ready Dairy Laboratories

Bentley Instruments will also present its latest advances in automation and smart laboratory design, including the new ILAS 3200, automated workflows associated with Combi and BactoCount systems, high-capacity aliquoting, sample sorting, plating, and sample preparation robots developed with Motion Design. These solutions are designed to standardize and optimize the entire analytical chain at sample level, from identification, heating, mixing, and uncapping to analysis, sorting, LIMS integration, and data flow.

By combining multiplex analytical methods, standardized sample preparation, automation, data integration, and potentially AI-assisted models, Bentley Instruments aims to support the development of future-ready laboratories: more automated, more connected, more harmonized, and more efficient. The objective is clear: transform each milk sample into reliable data, and transform each data point into measurable value for the dairy sector.

Dedicated Dairy Sessions, Live Demonstrations, and 25th Anniversary Celebration

Dedicated sessions for dairies will also address rapid quality control, process monitoring, and production safety, with presentations including the new BactoCount IBCM 3.0 and its rapid 2-minute test, DairySpec FT, aliquoting robot for sterility testing, and solutions for the antibiotic residues detection.

The seminar will include technical presentations, practical demonstrations, opportunities for discussion, and a visit to Oxygen DHIA laboratory, providing participants with a real-world view of modern analytical workflows. An official welcome reception at the Belfry of Arras City Hall with the participation of the Communauté Urbaine d’Arras representatives will mark the 25th anniversary of Bentley Instruments France and celebrate 25 years of innovation, collaboration, and commitment to the dairy sector.

Through this international event, Bentley Instruments wishes to thank its customers and partners for their trust, strengthen exchanges across the dairy sector, and share its vision of the laboratory of tomorrow: a smart laboratory platform where analytical excellence, automation, standardization, and data valorization work together to build a more efficient and sustainable dairy industry.

General information

Arras

Arras is a city of history, elegance, and hospitality. Renowned for its magnificent Flemish-Baroque squares, UNESCO-listed belfry, and rich cultural heritage, the city combines architectural beauty with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Ideally located in northern France, Arras offers a unique setting for international meetings and events, with historic venues, high-quality services, and easy access from major European cities.

The Communauté Urbaine d'Arras

The Arras Urban Community brings together 46 urban and rural municipalities around the historic city of Arras, in the heart of the Hauts-de-France region. With around 110,000 inhabitants, the territory combines a rich cultural heritage, a strong quality of life, and a strategic position between Paris, Lille and Northern Europe. It is a dynamic area where history, agriculture, industry and innovation coexist, supported by a strong local identity and an ambitious approach to economic and territorial development. We would also like to warmly thank the Arras Urban Community for its valuable support and assistance in the organization of our seminar.

The Hauts de France, A resilient and high-performing dairy region at the heart of Europe

The Hauts-de-France region is today the 4th largest dairy basin in France, with production of approximately 2.5 billion litres of milk per year, supported by nearly 4,300 dairy farms and 307,000 dairy cows. The sector also benefits from a strong industrial base, representing around 5,100 industrial jobs, with major players such as Danone, Lactalis, Nestlé Ultra Frais, Ingredia and Häagen-Dazs operating in the region. Hauts-de-France offers significant historical and strategic advantages: a long-standing agri-food tradition, a privileged logistics position at the heart of Europe, a strong industrial culture and clear European ambitions. Since 1970, the regional dairy landscape has changed profoundly: the number of farms has fallen from around 45,000 to 4,300, while the dairy herd has decreased from 631,000 to 307,000 cows. Despite this sharp decline in the number of farms and animals, production levels have been maintained, demonstrating a considerable improvement in productivity and technical performance on farms.

Accommodation

A selection of hotels is available in Arras for participants attending the Bentley Instruments International Seminar. Preferential rates have been arranged with recommended hotels located close to the city centre and event venues, including HĂ´tel Les Trois Luppars and HĂ´tel ibis Styles Arras Centre. Participants are kindly asked to make their own reservation directly with the hotel of their choice, mentioning the "Bentley Instruments" group code when booking. Please note that rooms are subject to availability and that booking and payment conditions may vary depending on the hotel.

Accommodation options
Hotel Price per night (breakfast included)
Single room Twin room Triple room
Les Trois Luppars 89€ 98€ 147€
Ibis Styles Arras Centre 110€ 125€ /
Mercure Arras Centre Gare on request on request on request
Holiday Inn Express Arras on request on request on request

Transport & Airports

Arras is conveniently located between two major international airports: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Brussels Airport (BRU). Paris Charles de Gaulle is the most direct option, with high-speed train connections to Arras taking as little as 50 minutes. Brussels Airport is also a convenient gateway, with rail connections to Arras via Brussels-Midi and/or Lille, depending on the selected itinerary.

We recommend booking your train tickets in advance through SNCF Connect for journeys within France, or through SNCB International / Belgian Train for connections from Belgium. Tickets can also be purchased at station counters or ticket machines, depending on the route. Please note that seat reservations are required for most high-speed TGV services, while regional trains generally do not require a reserved seat.

Climate

In mid-October, the weather in Arras is usually cool and autumnal, with average daily temperatures ranging from around 8 to 16°C. Visitors can expect a mix of sunny spells, cloudy periods, and occasional showers. Rainfall is moderate for this time of year, with an average of around 6 cm spread over approximately 8 to 9 rainy days during the month. We recommend bringing a light jacket and suitable clothing for changeable weather.

Electricity

France's standard plug norms are type E (2-pin grounded) and type C (2-pin ungrounded). The electrical system is 230V at 50 Hz. A travel adapter may be necessary depending on your device's plug type. Two-pin European plugs are compatible.

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    Type of organization

    Customize your stay

    Choose your accommodation:

    Each participant is responsible for booking their hotel directly and quoting the group code “Bentley Instruments”.

    Choose your program:
    Day 1 (October 12):

    Day 2 (October 13):

    Day 3 (October 14):

    Restauration and transportation during the seminar will be taken in charge by Bentley Instruments.


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