Toscotec will take part in the 9^th edition of the Paper & Tissue One Show, the premier international paper exhibition in the MENA region, organized from 16 to 18 April 2024 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. 

In recent years, Toscotec has strengthened its presence in the Middle Eastern market where a clear shift towards advanced technology is recognizing the added value of Toscotec’s energy-efficient, high-performance AHEAD line and their ability to successfully deliver turnkey projects. 

Contacts to book an appointment at Toscotec’s booth G04: 
Marco Dalle Piagge, Sales Director, Tissue division Toscotec, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fabio Bargiacchi, Sales Manager, Tissue division Toscotec, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Enrico Fazio, Sales Director, Paper & Board division Toscotec, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Simone Toniolo, Sales Manager, Paper & Board division Toscotec, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

International technology group ANDRITZ is responding to the pulp and paper producers’ need to meet their process efficiency and environmental sustainability targets by launching a portfolio of intelligent instruments called the Smart Series at the Pulp & Beyond exhibition in Helsinki on April 11.

The portfolio includes a comprehensive range of measurements, analyzers, machine vision systems, condition monitoring solutions as well as robotics and mechatronics. They provide customers with an intelligent instrumentation foundation, paving the way for advanced process optimization.

“With the introduction of the Smart Series, we are laying a solid foundation for an autonomous future, enabling our customers to significantly improve their process efficiency, reliability, safety and environmental sustainability – and ensuring these improvements are sustained over time," says Johanna Newcomb, Vice President, ANDRITZ Automation and Digitalization – Smart Solutions.

The Smart Series: Valuable Data - Predictive Maintenance - Enhanced Safety with Robotics

Emission and gas analyzers, process measurement and vision systems complement pulp and paper plants by providing a deeper understanding of the process and machine condition than possible before. With condition monitoring solutions for a wide range of process equipment and process areas, the Smart Series helps manufacturers move toward predictive maintenance, reducing unplanned downtime and extending the lifetime of equipment and components. Integrated robotics and mechatronics applications reduce the need of human intervention in hazardous areas of pulp and paper mills, reschedule regular tasks and contribute to optimizing maintenance.

The Smart Series complements and is integrated with Metris, ANDRITZ's digitalization platform that leverages the latest IIoT technologies to improve plant efficiency and profitability.

The use cases at the Pulp & Beyond exhibition include the autonomous log yard and robots for the recovery boiler area. More information will be shared at our booth A48 in exhibition room B6-3.

ANDRITZ GROUP

International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydropower and Environment & Energy. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 30,000 employees and over 280 locations in more than 80 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER

ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.

The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.

The AI application developed by Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch for detecting insect damage won the international Innovation of Innovations prize. Metsä Fibre’s Future Sawmill concept was recognised in the Business innovations category.

The international Quality Innovation Award (QIA) 2023 competition rewards the most notable innovations of the year. The award-winning application from Metsä Group and CollectiveCrunch detects insect damage in forests such as damage caused by spruce bark beetles before it is visible to the human eye. The application is based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and open data. The AI application shared the first prize with a technology innovation in the field of medicine.

“Global warming is increasing the risks to the health of forests. This real-time method for detecting insect damage helps us preserve forest health and carbon sinks in a changing climate,” says Olli Leino, SVP, Development from Metsä Group’s Wood Supply and Forest Services. 

Metsä Group’s wood supply personnel has been using the application since June 2023. The application can be used to both pinpoint damage and schedule wood trade and harvesting to reduce the risk of damage spreading. 

The map material of risk sites produced by the application is visible in the Metsäverkko mobile application used by Metsä Group’s owner-members. If they wish, forest owners can use this material to visit the sites in person to check the risk areas and plan forestry work.

The Future Sawmill concept developed by Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, was recognised in the Business Innovations (large companies) category. The concept improves the efficiency of sawn timber production, safety at work, the production operating model and product quality management.

“We’re happy to have received this international recognition. We aim to develop the mechanical forest industry with industrial efficiency in mind. We wanted to create a concept for our sawmill, which is the most modern in the world, a forerunner in its technology, operating model and efficiency, and a global trendsetter in the field. This resulted in the Future Sawmill concept, which we used at our Rauma pine sawmill that came online in 2022,” says Ismo Nousiainen, Metsä Fibre’s CEO.

The Quality Innovation Award was now organised for the 17th time. This year, the competition received 562 entries from eight countries/areas, and the best 24 of them were rewarded. The winners of national quality contests can enter the international competition. National quality associations selected the winners in a tight vote. The China Association for Quality hosted the traditional award ceremony in April 2024. 

Video presentation of the application on Youtube.

Metsä Group
www.metsagroup.com

Metsä Group’s Wood Supply and Forest Services provides and develops services for the members of Metsä Group’s parent company, Metsäliitto Cooperative. The company procures all the wood used by Metsä Group’s production units. The cooperative consists of more than 90,000 forest owners, who own about half of Finland’s privately owned forests. We are committed to regenerative forestry that measurably strengthens the forest ecosystem. We promote a culture of diversity, equality and inclusion.  

Valmet renews its sustainability reporting practices. Since 2013 the company has published an annual sustainability report in line with the international GRI framework and reported to several leading sustainability ratings.

In the current renewal, Valmet will focus on comprehensive reporting according to the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), invest in the development of sustainability data and information systems required by this extensive reporting framework, and streamline participation in different sustainability ratings. As part of the renewal, Valmet has decided not to pursue inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) anymore. The company has been included in the index for ten consecutive years.

”Valmet has since 2013 been among the leaders in sustainability reporting and has proactively incorporated new elements into its reporting. Sustainability reporting is undergoing major changes and requires more resources from companies than before. At Valmet, we want to support this continuous improvement in transparency, while ensuring that we focus our resources as efficiently as possible on the things that best help the company to move forward and meet the expectations of our stakeholders. We are very proud that Valmet has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2014. Over the years, the DJSI has encouraged us to continuously improve our sustainability performance and highlighted new areas for improvement. I would like to warmly thank the large number of Valmet employees who have contributed to this great work every year,” says Anu Salonsaari-Posti, SVP, Marketing, communications, sustainability and corporate relations at Valmet.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our more than 19,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. Valmet’s net sales in 2023 were approximately EUR 5.5 billion.

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland. 

Follow us on valmet.com

ABB’s control room environment, power distribution and robotics have been a part of Metsä Fibre’s technologically advanced sawmill’s pioneering levels of productivity and efficiency. The customer’s Rauma mill is Finland’s largest ever sawmill investment at €260 million and uses machine vision, artificial intelligence (AI) and integrated information systems for consistent quality and cost efficiency.

• Rauma sawmill in Finland has been designed to reach productivity levels that are three times higher than typical outputs in Europe
• Metsä Fibre’s €260 million project represents the country’s largest ever sawmill investment
• The sawmill turns out a maximum of 40 logs per minute on a 130-meter sawline, reaching speeds up to 250 meters per minute

Building on a long-term relationship with parent company Metsä Group, ABB provided Extended Operator Workplace (EOW) tables for maximum ergonomics, visualization and communication, as well as electrical power distribution, transformers and robots. Since the technologies were commissioned a year ago the sawmill has turned out 40 logs per minute on a 130-meter sawline with a maximum sawing speed of 250 meters per minute, all managed from an ABB-designed central control room. The sawn pine timber is exported worldwide and can be used in construction – including windows, doors and general joinery, woodworking, furniture and packaging.

“With the support of partners, including ABB, we are achieving productivity that is at least three times higher than what is possible across the rest of Europe,” said Jaakko Vierola, Technical Director of the Rauma sawmill project, Metsä Fibre. “The durability of components and the service ABB provides exactly when we need it are crucial.”

The electrical distribution system with medium voltage and distribution transformers was designed and delivered by ABB. ABB’s robots, motors and drives were connected to other equipment, with 1,000 variable speed drives considered to be crucial to automation optimization. The overall speed of the process is also due to a group of six robots equipped with machine vision. 

Metsä Fibre and ABB specialists have worked together to maximize automated data collection through a third-party automation system. The strategy has been to use high levels of monitoring for quality and performance, minimize wood waste through sawing and sizing optimization and eliminate manual handling through robots and automatic loading at the 24/7 mill. The sawmill’s by-products such as wood chips, sawdust and bark are used to produce pulp and bioenergy.

“The Rauma sawmill operates much like a process industry plant, where equipment cannot be maintained at night or on weekends, but electrical devices must always be reliable,” said Esa Kivioja, Industry Segment Manager for ABB in Finland. “Here, we implemented the sawmill's power distribution with the same quality standards as we did in Metsä Fibre's bioproduct mills in Äänekoski and Kemi. This is a whole new concept in mechanical forest industry facilities.”

“The energy efficiency of motors and other electrical equipment also plays a role. The impact of ABB's deliveries is even more evident in the fact that production can continue without disruptions, and there is no idle time for the equipment.”

To support the Metsä Fibre team and the installed technologies on site, ABB also offers its spare parts and spare equipment services, as well as technical support.

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. go.abb/processautomation

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on over 140 years of excellence, ABB’s more than 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com

With long traditions as a trusted process equipment supplier, Sulzer is also actively involved in developing and scaling up processes for new bio-based products. The development work aims at turning wood, lignin, straws, textiles, and various forms of waste biomass into sustainable end products.

The use of non-fossil and recycled materials is driven by ecological concerns and regulatory incentives to reduce waste and improve recycling. Due to the fibrous nature of the bio-based feedstock, equipment used in pulp, paper, and board processes can be utilized and adapted. The development work is conducted in a strong network of industry-leading customers, academics as well as research and development institutes.

Foam applications

In foam applications, pulp is turned into foam and processed into end products and components. The resulting foam can be used for a range of end products with cellulose and textile fiber basis, such as packaging and building materials, as well as every-day consumables.

Separation applications

Sulzer is actively involved in the development of separation applications, where lignin, pulp, and hemi-cellulose are extracted from biomass and utilized in further refining. These substances offer vast possibilities for industrial value streams, and they can be found in wood, straws, seaweed, and other sources of biomass.

Textile applications

The textile applications revolve around recycling textiles from post-consumer waste and producing textiles from bio-based virgin sources. The development holds a promising direction for the textile and clothing industries as well as the nonwovens category.

Micro-fibrillated cellulose

Micro-fibrillated cellulose can be used as an alternative to fossil-based materials and components. Due to its versatile nature, cost-efficient industrial processes and new use cases for further refining are constantly being researched.

In addition to numerous successful breakthroughs, Sulzer continues to develop advanced technologies for processing these bio-based products. “Our partners want us involved in the early stages of process development due to our expertise, wide portfolio, and the curiosity to be part of future developments. Contributing to their industrialization and commercialization is one way in which Sulzer supports the green transition,” says Sirpa Välimaa, Head of Pulp, Paper and Board Industries at Sulzer.

Image 1: Sulzer is actively involved in developing and scaling up processes for new bio-based products.

Read more Sulzer articles on the DMA News Portal

About Sulzer

Sulzer is a global leader in fluid engineering and chemical processing applications. We specialize in energy-efficient pumping, agitation, mixing, separation, purification, crystallization, and polymerization technologies for fluids of all types. Our solutions enable carbon emission reductions, development of polymers from biological sources, recycling of plastic waste and textiles, and efficient power storage. Our customers benefit from our commitment to innovation, performance, and quality and from our responsive network of 180 world-class manufacturing facilities and service centers across the globe. Sulzer has been headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, since 1834. In 2022, our 12’900 employees delivered revenues of CHF 3.2 billion. Our shares are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: SUN). www.sulzer.com

International technology group ANDRITZ has received a turn-key order from Northwood Tissue Ltd. to supply a new PrimeDry Hood and an air system for a tissue machine rebuild at the mill in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. Start-up is planned for the third quarter of 2024.

PrimeDry Hood HT manufacturing at ANDRITZ Novimpianti. Photo "Andritz"Installation of the new ANDRITZ gas-heated PrimeDry Hood HT (High-Temperature) will increase the drying capacity thanks to an impingement temperature of up to 530°C. It will also enable a higher heat transfer rate, resulting in considerable energy optimization per ton of tissue produced.

ANDRITZ’s scope of supply includes installation work, supervision of mechanical installation, commissioning, and start-up. Guido Lenzi, Area Sales Manager at ANDRITZ Novimpianti, says, “The new drying equipment will support our customer on its path towards more sustainable and cost-efficient tissue production. This is the second order of that kind that Northwood Tissue has placed with us, and we are looking forward to continuing our partnership.”

David Harries, Director at Northwood Tissue adds, “This investment is another milestone in improving carbon footprint and operational efficiencies. ANDRITZ is a reliable partner for projects of this kind, and I look forward to the successful completion.”

Northwood Tissue (Chesterfield) Ltd. is a member of the Northwood Group, with over 50 years’ experience in the tissue and paper business. At its mills in Chesterfield, Disley and Lancaster, England, the company produces high-quality tissue grades for Consumer and Away from Home applications. The group has paper making capability in excess of 100,000 t/a in the UK and Spain, which it all processes through internal converting plants. Northwood’s business has a high focus on sustainability throughout its vertically integrated supply chain, with a long proud history in the recycled paper sector. 

ANDRITZ GROUP

International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydropower and Environment & Energy. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 30,000 employees and over 280 locations in more than 80 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER

ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.

The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.

Valmet has decided to invest in filter fabric manufacturing in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in order to better respond to the growing demand of high-performing filter fabrics in both the mining and pulp and paper industries in South America. The value of the new investment will not be disclosed.

“The investment includes the relocation of the current office and manufacturing facility in Belo Horizonte, new machinery, and improvements in the operations’ energy efficiency and emission reduction. It gives us the necessary assets to further develop sustainable services close to customers,” says Jarkko Syrjälä, Director, Filtration at Valmet.

The new facility will be in operation during the first half of 2025.

“Improved delivery times will strengthen our position in the South American market. The investment will also ensure our capacity for the coming years to deliver filter fabrics that respond to customer needs and provide maximized reliability and optimized performance for their filtration process,” says Felipe Floriani, Services Director, South America, Valmet.

Valmet is one of the leading suppliers of filter fabrics and industrial textiles globally. Valmet’s filtration offering covers filter fabrics and felts for the mining and chemical, pulp and paper, and laundry industries, as well as for the variety of dry filtration applications.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our more than 19,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. Valmet’s net sales in 2023 were approximately EUR 5.5 billion.

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.    

Follow us on valmet.com

73 industry leaders spanning almost 20 industrial sectors presented ‘the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal’ to Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo and Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. The declaration underlines the commitment of industry to Europe and its transformation and outlines urgent industry needs to make Europe competitive, resilient, and sustainable in the face of dire economic conditions.

During a European Industry Summit held on the site of BASF in Antwerp, leaders from basic industry sectors, representing 7.8 million workers in Europe - including Cepi Chair and vice-Chair, Marco Eikelenboom  and Ilkka Hämälä, as well as the Chair COBELPA Pierre Macharis, joined forces with European trade unions and European leaders to address pressing concerns regarding Europe's industrial landscape. The ‘Antwerp Declaration’, supported by a wide range of sectors, emphasises the critical importance of clarity, predictability, and confidence in Europe's industrial policy.

The declaration outlines 10 concrete actions, including integrating the EU Industrial Deal into the broader European Strategic Agenda, streamlining legislation, and simplifying the State Aid framework. It calls to transform Europe into a global leader in providing abundant and affordable low-carbon energy through strategic partnerships and robust infrastructure, alongside a stronger support for EU projects. It emphasises the need to ensure raw material self-sufficiency, foster demand for sustainable products, and nurture innovation. Europe’s Single Market is also highlighted as an asset to be leveraged and revived, along with establishing a new spirit of law-making that incentivises investments and a cohesive internal structure for effective policy implementation.

Signatories of the Declaration include representatives from diverse sectors ranging from chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paper, steel, mining, aluminium, glass, zinc, metals, textiles, refineries, cement, lime, fertilisers, ceramics, industrial gases and biotech.

‘The Antwerp Declaration’ is an urgent call to revitalise Europe's industrial landscape, strengthening basic industry sectors, ensuring their competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience amid shifting geopolitics. And it underlines industry’s willingness to contribute to a stronger Europe. Only with a strong industrial fabric and a strengthened social dialogue in Europe can we ensure that the green transition is a just transition. The Declaration signifies a collaborative effort to tackle challenges and lays the groundwork for a reboot of industrial investment in Europe, marking the onset of the implementation of the European Green Deal.

Read the full Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal www.antwerp-declaration.eu 

About Cepi :
Cepi is the European association representing the paper industry. We offer a wide range of renewable and recyclable wood-based fibre solutions to EU citizens: from packaging to textile, hygiene and tissue products, printing and graphic papers as well as speciality papers, but also bio-chemicals for food and pharmaceuticals, bio-composites and bioenergy. We are a responsible industry: 85% of our raw materials are sourced from within the European Union, 92% of the water we use is returned in good condition to the environment. We are the world champion in recycling at the rate of 71.4%. At the forefront of the decarbonisation and industrial transformation of our economy, we embrace digitalisation and bring 25 billion value addition to the European economy and €5 billion investments annually. Through its 19 national associations, Cepi gathers 500 companies operating 895 mills across Europe and directly employing more than 180,000 people.

Valmet will supply consistency measurements to DS Smith Paper Italia S.r.l’s site in Lucca, Italy to complement the wide automation package to be delivered with the new container board making line (PM3).

The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the fourth quarter 2023. The measurements will be delivered during the fourth quarter 2024. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

The customer chose Valmet because of the company’s extended experience and relevant references in advanced applications for recycled fibers with microwave and optical measurement technologies, and solid blade technology.

“We have agreed with DS Smith to develop a wide range of collaborations with Valmet’s measurements solutions, and this project is one part of the collaboration. This is also one of the largest projects for Valmet’s measurements in Italy in the last 10 years,” says Luigi Caggiano, Country Manager, Automations Systems business line, Valmet.

Technical information about the delivery

Valmet’s delivery includes seven Valmet Microwave Consistency Measurements (Valmet MCA), six Valmet Blade Consistency Measurements (Valmet SP) and six Valmet Optical Consistency Measurements (Valmet OCR and OC2R) from the latest generation to measure total consistency as well as ash content.

Measuring total consistency in the process, the Valmet MCA and Valmet OCR enable better control for more efficient production, improved quality and economic savings with fewer process upsets, and Valmet OC2R allows total and ash consistency measurements for advanced process optimizations. This will help the mill to reach its high-performance targets.

This order is furtherly integrating the Valmet’s automation systems solutions under delivery for the PM3, an 8,600 mm wide (wire) container board machine. The PM3 will produce recycled liner grades with a basis weight range of 70–135 g/m2 at production speed of 1,500 m/min and mechanical design speed of 1,700 m/min. The annual capacity is approximately 450,000 tons.

About the customer

Located in the Tuscany region in Italy, DS Smith Paper Italia S.r.l is part of a world leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services worldwide. Today DS Smith operates in more than 30 different countries employing over 30,000 people.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our more than 19,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day. 

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. Valmet’s net sales in 2023 were approximately EUR 5.5 billion.

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.     

Follow us on valmet.com