LabWare’s 2026 North America Customer Education Conference: Reconnecting in Palm Springs

By Katie Kersher

LabWare’s return to Palm Springs, California for the 2026 North America Customer Education Conference (CEC) marked a memorable milestone—our first time back since 1999. Nearly 500 attendees gathered beneath the city’s iconic mountains and palm tree-lined skies, creating an energizing environment for learning, collaboration, and community building.

With representatives from 133 organizations across North America, this year’s conference brought together an impressive mix of first‑time attendees and LabWare users with more than three decades of experience. The result was a week filled with diverse perspectives, deep expertise, and meaningful conversations across industries ranging from environmental services to pharmaceuticals, mining, manufacturing, and more.

Customer Journeys: Innovation Across Industries

One of the most impactful elements of the conference was the wide range of customer stories shared—each demonstrating how LabWare solutions are being used to solve complex challenges and modernize laboratory operations.

Attendees heard from organizations such as:

• A regional river authority responsible for wastewater treatment for more than 2.5 million residents
• A multinational biopharmaceutical innovator advancing the discovery and manufacturing of life-changing medicines
• A leading manufacturer of thermoplastic corrugated pipe supporting sustainable stormwater and wastewater management
• A major family-owned winery committed to sustainable agriculture and high-quality production
• A global provider of calcium-based industrial solutions supporting essential industries for over 75 years
• A premier life science tools and filtration provider relied upon in research and pharmaceutical manufacturing
• A federal regulatory agency dedicated to ensuring safe and healthful working conditions
• A global mining leader supplying materials essential for electrification, clean energy, and AI infrastructure
• A pioneer in vaccine discovery and manufacturing producing vaccines for 10 CDC‑recommended infectious diseases
  

Across these sessions, customers showcased real-world applications of LabWare LIMS, ELN, LEM, and other platform capabilities. Their stories highlighted how LabWare supports everything from environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance to high-throughput manufacturing, scientific research, and digital transformation.

A Community Built on Engagement and Continuous Evolution

LabWare team members emphasized our commitment to customer engagement, global reach, and ongoing product innovation. Through continuous evolution of our platform and the introduction of new customer care initiatives, we remain focused on delivering industry-specific solutions that create long-term value.

This year’s conference also underscored LabWare’s dedication to:

• Leveraging strategic alliances
• Ensuring long-term product viability
• Engaging and empowering the user community
• Maintaining a product-first approach that drives customer success

These principles continue to strengthen LabWare’s position as the world’s leading LIMS provider.

Innovation Zone: Where Technology Meets Community

The Innovation Zone at CEC Central was where energy never stopped. Attendees went hands-on with some of the most exciting complementary technologies in the industry. From Mettler Toledo's precision lab weighing solutions and Nymi's cutting-edge identity authentication to Phizzle's data management innovations, Shimadzu's Lab Solutions, Simplica's specialized web offerings, and Thermo Fisher Scientific's Chromeleon chromatography platform. Every booth was a chance to discover new ways to extend and enhance LabWare environments.

All Together: Moving Forward as One Community

At its core, the North America Customer Education Conference is about partnership. LabWare takes pride in being a dependable, innovative, and community-driven organization—one that empowers customers to manage their systems, shape their futures, and thrive amid evolving technological landscapes.

Through open dialogue, shared expertise, and a two-way investment approach, we continue to build a strong, engaged user community. Every customer is a priority, and we are honored to support your success year after year.

We look forward to seeing you at the next CEC, where we’ll continue learning, growing, and innovating together.

Ready to be a part of the LabWare community? Schedule a personalized demo today!

About the Author

Katie Kershner is a Marketing Specialist at LabWare, where she develops impactful digital content and drives customer engagement initiatives that fuel business growth and strengthen client relationships. With a background in fashion, retail management, and customer service, she brings a customer-centric mindset and a strong focus on delivering meaningful value to LabWare’s global audience.

A Wilmington, Delaware native and University of Richmond graduate, Katie leverages a diverse professional journey across the United States to shape her strategic approach to marketing and storytelling at LabWare.