Last Friday, Kelheim Fibres hosted the district group meeting for the Bavarian branches of Zellcheming and VPM (Paper Association Munich).

This year’s meeting was all about speciality papers: the presentations by members concentrated on different aspects of that topic - and Dr. Frank Miletzky, chairman of Papiertechnische Stiftung, ventured a look at the future of paper. New materials or combinations of materials, new production techniques and last but not least new, demanding applications are considered to be the future challenges for the paper industry - as well as its future opportunities.

The day’s highlight for the more than 30 visitors was the plant tour of Kelheim’s viscose fibre production and in particular the demonstration of the in-house paper competence centre. Kelheim Fibres, manufacturer of viscose speciality fibres for - amongst others - paper applications, operates a pilot plant with inclined wire technology.

This plant serves Kelheim’s R&D team, yet at the same time it offers a unique service for Kelheim’s customers from the paper industry. Here, smaller amounts of new papers can be produced and tested, without disturbing the customer’s regular production flow.

As Walter Roggenstein, head of Kelheim’s R&D, together with his team presented the pilot plant in action, the advantages of viscose fibers in papers became clear: viscose fibres enhance the physical properties of papers, such as a paper’s strength, and can lend the paper product additional functionalities.