The technique could allow the chemical industry to manufacture chemicals, for example agrochemical actives, far more efficiently than they do now.

Traditionally, chemicals are produced in batches by placing the ingredients, reagents, into vessels known as batch reactors. Some time is allowed to complete the reaction, before the product is extracted. The whole process can be very slow, as extra time is needed for the reactor to be unloaded and cleaned in between batches. The productivity is limited by the volume of the reactors, how long the reaction takes, and how efficient the mixing is.

In contrast, in flow chemistry, chemicals are produced continuously by pumping reagents through the reactor, a process that is easier to control and produces more consistent results.