Displaying items by tag: voith

Various factors support more sustainable paper production. Fabrics and roll covers, for example, can contribute to improved resource efficiency by directly optimizing production efficiency and because they are themselves sustainably manufactured. Based on many years of experience, Voith offers specific solutions for sustainable paper production, the advantages of which are proven by many positive customer references. A German graphic papers manufacturer, for example, reported that Voith's SolarPress roll covers have enabled energy savings due to a 1.5 percentage point higher dry content after the press section. Efficiency add-ons for press fabrics are another example. In particular, +Peak technology, a specially developed elastomer material, optimizes nip dewatering and increases the service life of a press fabric. For one paper producer, +Peak resulted in higher dry content in the tandem press and reduced the average amount of steam by 11 percent, from 1.6 t/ton to 1.43 t/ton. In addition to energy savings, significant water savings are also enabled. For example, customers worldwide benefit from HydroSeal, the modern version of sealing strips for suction rolls. At a board mill in the USA, HydroSeal reduced water usage by 80 percent and saved the papermaker more than $30,000 per year in sealing strip lubrication.

  • Positive feedback from many customers confirms more sustainable production thanks to wear parts from Voith
  • Research and development team is working on bio-based materials for the production of wear parts
  • Voith focuses on the entire life cycle of wear parts, from production and use in operation to material recycling

"In addition to production that conserves resources as much as possible, it is important that the products themselves are also manufactured sustainably," emphasizes Lidia Loskan, R&D Project Manager Sustainability at Voith Paper. Here, it is important to be able to offer the same product properties as with petroleum-based roll covers and fabrics.

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To further optimize the product portfolio in terms of sustainability, Voith's R&D team is working on new possibilities with the help of life cycle analyses (LCAs). As an example, Dr. Robert Hilbing, Senior Vice President R&D FRS at Voith Paper, mentions the newly launched roll cover AiroGuide Tune Green. The innovative roll cover is certified according to the international DIN CERTCO standard for bio-based products. The fiber composite roll cover is manufactured with bio-based raw materials and was specially developed for the wet-end section. It also has improved corrosion properties and a long service life. This makes AiroGuide Tune Green the first DIN CERTCO-certified sustainable roll cover on the market with the same performance data as the petroleum-based alternatives.

Furthermore, Voith is increasingly focused on the entire manufacturing process of wear parts. The company has already been systematically measuring its own energy, water and waste volumes since 2012 and reducing them in a targeted manner. Measures include the use of renewable energies and the establishment of material recycling processes at Voith locations. For example, the unavoidable waste produced during the surface treatment of QualiFlex press sleeves is recycled. For this purpose, the Voith team, together with partners, implements a special thermal treatment process for polyurethanes. Subsequently, the production waste is used again in the manufacture of other products and reduces the company’s carbon footprint.

"As part of Voith Paper's sustainability program Papermaking for Life, Voith is working intensively on sustainable solutions to strengthen the circular economy and reduce its carbon footprint," summarizes Dr. Hilbing. "Our goal is to offer our customers an optimal portfolio of fabrics and roll covers that increases performance and sustainability while reducing operating costs."

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Sustainability program Papermaking for Life
As part of the innovation and development offensive "Papermaking for Life," Voith Paper presents versatile technologies and initiatives that lead to more efficient and sustainable processes in papermaking. The emphasis is on the topics of water, energy and fiber savings as well as digitalization, innovations and partnerships as levers for more sustainable production. Another focus is on Voith's own activities at its locations worldwide. Learn more about Voith Paper's innovations in the area of sustainability: voith.com/papermaking-for-life

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 21,000 employees, sales of € 4.9 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers integrated solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in European News

Voith introduces an integrated service offering to increase winder performance in all applications, along with FastFormat, a new solution for automatic format changes.

  • Voith increases winder performance for paper, board and packaging machines
  • Integrated service offering results in higher machine availability
  • Automatic format change with FastFormat provides greater safety

The performance of the winder is crucial for the efficiency of the paper machine, because winder operation that is not optimal can lead to capacity bottlenecks across the entire paper production process. To avoid this, Voith now offers an integrated technology service for higher winder availability. FastFormat, a new product for automatic format changes, also increases winder performance and ensures greater safety for operators.

Service offering with outstanding know-how
Voith's extensive winder service enables quick identification of bottlenecks and increases capacity, paper quality and safety. Customers benefit from comprehensive technology service to improve winder availability, increase productivity and cut costs.

The scope and content of the service offering are individually adapted to the respective requirements of each customer. As a result, key production figures, such as set change time and acceleration, can be demonstrably improved. An important part of the service offering is a 24/7 hotline support that provides customers with rapid assistance and solutions to problems.

At its PM 1 in Munksund, Sweden, forest industry company SCA already relies on Voith's winder technology service. “The biggest benefit of our winder service partnership with Voith is the fact that it can’t be simply narrowed down to a single advantage,” says Urban Marklund, Production Technician at SCA Munksund AB in Sweden. “It’s the complete package that makes it so valuable to us. It’s everything from Voith’s unrivaled expertise in the areas of automation and technology to the annual on-site visits and 24/7 hotline support. All this adds up to a deal that is very useful and important to us.”

“With our comprehensive service offering, we support our customers even better in continuously improving the performance of their winder,” adds Sven Franke, Senior Automation Engineer at Voith Paper. “Through regular service visits to our customers’ sites, the winders are continuously optimized and adapted to changing influences and needs. Another important aspect is our availability as a reliable partner in case of malfunctions. This is exactly what we have implemented with our 24/7 hotline support.”

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FastFormat for quick and safe format changes
With FastFormat, Voith is presenting its first product for fast and safe format changes. FastFormat has a return on investment of only a few months and particularly helps paper manufacturers avoid capacity losses due to frequent format changes.

FastFormat allows the winder’s engaging edge slitters to be moved at crawl speed and the web width to be changed, enabling automated format changes without operator intervention. This not only increases safety for the operator but also boosts winder production.

“Approximately one minute can be saved per format change, which really makes a difference, especially for customers with frequent format changes,” says Fabian Köberle, Global Product Manager at Voith Paper. “In addition, FastFormat eliminates the need for operator intervention previously required on a regular basis.”   

The solution is already being used successfully at DS Smith Paper in the German town of Witzenhausen. “FastFormat offers us enormous productivity and safety benefits and is an important step towards a fully automated process,” confirms Ulf Heiligtag, Head of Technology at DS Smith Paper.

“The installation process went smoothly, and the solution runs as expected – we are extremely satisfied,” adds Stephan Siebold, Project Director at DS Smith Paper.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 21,000 employees, sales of € 4.9 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers integrated solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in European News
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Monday, 19 December 2022 10:19

Voith remains on a sustainable growth path

The Voith Group performed satisfactorily in the 2021/22 fiscal year (ending on September 30) and is proving to be in a robust condition with regard to its operations and finances. The Group’s orders received have further increased in comparison to the already high previous-year level. Sales rose perceptibly and both the operating result and the net income grew appreciably. The Company’s broad sectoral and geographical diversification and the solid market position of the three Group Divisions contributed to this development, as did regional supply chains. Voith is furthermore profiting from a sound financial strength that enables the Company to make substantial investments in the development of innovative technologies and in acquisitions to exploit strategic growth areas, even in a difficult economic environment.

  • Further increase in orders received starting from the very high previous-year level, orders on hand reached record high
  • Increase in Group sales of 15% in 2021/22 fiscal year;
    appreciable increase in EBIT and net income
  • CEO Dr. Toralf Haag: “Our focus on sustainable technologies is paying off, the resilience of our business model has been proven once again.”
  • Outlook 2022/23: Increase in sales and earnings expected once again despite further deterioration in the economic environment

President and CEO Dr. Toralf Haag said, explaining the situation in the 2021/22 fiscal year: “Voith saw profitable growth under demanding conditions. With this, we not only demonstrated that our clear strategic focus on sustainable technologies is paying off. We have also proven once again the resilience of our business model. For this reason, we are in a good position, even in an economic environment that is likely to remain difficult over the short term, to continue our sustainable growth path and to emerge stronger from these crisis-ridden times.”     

2021/22 financial performance indicators: Profitability improved
The Voith Group’s key performance indicators improved over the 2021/22 fiscal year, also benefiting from recent acquisitions and currency effects. All three Group Divisions contributed to this development.

Orders received exceeded expectations at € 5.16 billion, having risen by 3% in comparison to the previous year’s very high level. At € 7.03 billion, orders on hand broke through the € 7 billion threshold for the first time; thus, the level seen at the reporting date was more than 12% higher than one year previously. With a rise of 15% to € 4.88 billion, Group sales likewise exceeded expectations. In particular, this effect came from the high level of orders received in previous years as the Covid restrictions that were phased out in large areas of the world allowed for better processing of backlog. With a rise of 21%, the operating result (EBIT) grew at a faster rate than sales to reach € 200 million – even though the earnings situation in Germany remains unsatisfactory. The return on sales increased slightly to 4.1% (previous year 3.9%), the return on capital employed (ROCE) reached a double-digit figure of 10.5% (previous year: 9.6%). The Voith Group’s net income, which had been only slightly positive at € 1 million in the previous year, rose to € 30 million.

Once again in the past fiscal year, Voith invested substantially in its future business performance. Expenditure on research and development (R&D) increased by 11% to € 213 million. The Group is in a good financial position to keep its future R&D expenditure at a high level. At the reporting date, the equity ratio was once again sound at 24.1%. The cash flow from operating activities was clearly positive once again at € 93 million. Net debt remains at a very low level. Dr. Toralf Haag: “Even after the substantial acquisitions made in the recent past, we still have the necessary financial leeway to invest in growth along our strategic focus areas.”

Group strategy consistently driven forward
Voith continued to drive forward its Group strategy aligned with the megatrends of decarbonization and digitalization over the past year. In both the expansion of the core business and in the opening up of new business segments and markets, the specific focus is on sustainable technologies. In this way, Voith is positioning itself as a pioneer for industry in the post-carbon age – being itself net climate neutral at all locations worldwide since the beginning of this year.

One important objective for Voith is to also use its expertise in the areas of hydropower, paper making, mobility, and industrial applications beyond the current product portfolio. In this respect, Voith has identified hydrogen technology, electrical drive systems, cargo rail, and energy storage as growth areas.

In all fields, Voith made progress on the way to the market maturity of innovative solutions over the past year. For example, using contributions from all Group Divisions, Voith is developing, a complete hydrogen tank system that will be easy to integrate into vehicles. This is an area where Voith can apply its experience gained over many years with the processing of carbon. Great importance is also attached to the ongoing development of electrical drives for means of transportation such as buses, trucks and ships, as well as for industrial applications. In order to contribute to the automation of rail freight transport, Voith has developed an automatic freight coupler including digital solutions. In the growth area of energy storage, Voith is currently focusing on the development of a redox flow battery that enables performance peaks of, for example, solar or wind farms to be stabilized.

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In addition, further targeted acquisitions contributed to extending the Company’s portfolio of offerings also in the past fiscal year. In this context, Voith has entered the promising off-highway market with the acquisition of the majority of shares in Argo-Hytos. Argo-Hytos develops and produces hydraulic components and system solutions with a focus on agricultural machinery, construction equipment and vehicles.

Voith also signed an agreement in the reporting year to purchase IGW Rail that came into effect as of October 4, 2022, once all official approvals had been granted. IGW Rail is a globally operating, high-tech company that specializes in customized gear unit and coupling solutions for the rail vehicle industry. The acquisition perfectly complements Voith’s existing activities.

One important milestone in its strategy of strengthening the core business in the field of sustainable technologies was the acquisition of the remaining 35% shares in Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG from the previous joint venture partner, Siemens Energy, that was completed March 1, 2022. The transaction makes Voith the sole owner of the Group Division Hydro and therefore of this business that is important for the energy transition.

Looking back at 2021/22 in the Group Divisions: Increase in sales and good level of orders received at Hydro, Paper and Turbo
The Group Division Hydro increased its orders received and sales in the 2021/22 fiscal year in a market environment that had recovered slightly after the pandemic. However, the operating result fell short of expectations. EBIT declined as a result of sharp increases in materials and transport costs and the processing of orders posted in weak market phases under high price pressure.

The Group Division Paper was once again the strongest sales and earnings driver for Voith. In light of ongoing strong investment activity in the paper machine market, orders received nearly reached the high level of the previous-year, and orders on hand rose to an all-time high. Sales grew by just under a quarter, and EBIT increased perceptibly despite a massive rise in material prices and transport costs. Voith Paper’s contribution of € 131 million made up two thirds of the Group’s EBIT.

Driven by the recovery in the Industry division, among other factors, the Group Division Turbo saw robust development in the reporting year increasing its orders received and sales. Voith Turbo’s EBIT was appreciably higher than previous year’s level but fell short of expectations in light of the unforeseen steep rise in materials and transport costs, and a changed sales mix.

Outlook 2022/23 fiscal year: Slight decline in high level of orders received expected, further increases in sales and earnings anticipated
The outlook for the current 2022/23 fiscal year is subject to great uncertainties. These include but are not limited to: the war in Ukraine and its consequences; extraordinarily high inflation rates worldwide – potentially with further significant price increases for materials, personnel and energy – and the associated restrictive monetary policy on the part of most central banks; the Covid-19 pandemic that has not yet been overcome; and ongoing disruptions to supply chains. The growth prospects for the global economy are continuing to deteriorate. All regions relevant to Voith are affected by at least some of these factors.

However, Voith has proven its resilience over past years. In this context, Voith made a conscious decision to continue investing even in times of crisis: in research and development, business acquisitions, training and in the ongoing strategic and organizational development of the Company. By doing so, Voith has put itself into a good starting position to continue to generate sustainable and profitable growth in the future.

For 2022/23, Voith expects the Group’s orders received to be at a good level but slightly down from the high level of the reporting year. The high level of orders on hand will be reflected gradually in increasing sales over the coming years. In the 2022/23 fiscal year, Voith anticipates a slight increase in Group sales. Despite the implications of inflation, the Company intends to further improve its profitability, with efficiency gains from structural measures taken in previous years becoming increasingly apparent. For 2022/23, a perceptible further increase in EBIT is planned. All three Group Divisions are expected to contribute to this. The ROCE is expected to rise, in line with the development of the operating result.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 21,000 employees, sales of € 4.9 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers integrated solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in European News
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CertainTeed Roofing in Oxford, North Carolina, broke ground in November on the construction of a new state-of-the-art glass mat plant. The facility will be used for the highly efficient production of glass mat, a key component in the manufacture of roofing shingles. With a total investment of $167 million, this is CertainTeed Roofing's largest investment to date in a U.S. site. The company has contracted Voith to supply the production machine as well as automation and digitalization solutions from Voith´s Papermaking 4.0 portfolio. The plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2024.

  • As the leading full-line supplier for glass mat plants, Voith supplies the stock preparation, approach flow system, HydroFormer, binder section and the FiberDry drying concept
  • Automation and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio are installed in the plant to increase machine availability, production efficiency and sustainability
  • CertainTeed Roofing uses the line to produce glass mat for the manufacture of asphalt roofing shingles

"Building this plant in Oxford is an important step in continuing to provide industry-leading service to our customers," says Carmen Bodden, Vice President of CertainTeed Roofing. "Our goal with this plant is to set new industry standards – utilizing state-of-the-art energy and water conservation technologies and innovative automation technology."  

"We are very pleased to take this important corporate step together with Voith," emphasizes Pedro Romero, General Manager Glass Mat at CertainTeed Roofing. "Voith's long-standing expertise and experience in glass mat machines will be the foundation for achieving our corporate goals with the new glass mat plant in North Carolina. Voith offers the most comprehensive full-line portfolio on the market with highly efficient cutting edge technologies and records excellent references in both the paper and nonwovens industries."

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As the leading full-line supplier, Voith supplies not only the stock preparation, but also the approach flow system and HydroFormer, as well as the binder section including binder preparation. The FiberDry from Voith is used for drying and curing the glass mat web impregnated in resin. To reduce primary energy demand, Voith implements a heat recovery system that enables energy savings of up to 10 percent. For the most efficient production possible, CertainTeed Roofing will also rely on the automation and digitalization solutions of Voith's Papermaking 4.0 portfolio. The Voith IIoT platform dataPARC cloud serves as the basis. The quality control system (QCS) OnQuality provides complete control over production processes and product quality by giving operators full transparency. In addition, the condition monitoring system OnCare.Health continuously analyzes machine data to reduce planned and unplanned downtime.

New Voith Paper Nonwovens business unit
Voith Paper is further expanding its activities in the nonwovens sector with a new business unit established in April. The business unit combines product management, sales, project management and design for the nonwovens business. "In the business unit, we are bundling our competencies in the area of wetlaid nonwovens to be an even stronger partner for our nonwovens customers in the future," explains Dr. Linus Friedrich, Head of Business Unit Nonwovens. He continues: "Our customer CertainTeed Roofing will benefit from a state-of-the-art solution and Voith Paper's many years of experience in the area of glass mat machines."

About CertainTeed  
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, has helped shape the building products industry for more than 115 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm’s slogan “Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed,” inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is a leading North American brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, solar, fence, railing, trim, insulation, drywall and ceilings. www.certainteed.com

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in North American News
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At the beginning of November, Voith successfully started up the world's largest kraftliner machine for SCA, the Swedish forest industry company, at its Obbola site. The state-of-the-art machine features a design speed of 1,400 meters per minute and a wire width of 10,200 mm. The Voith XcelLine paper machine will produce 725,000 tons of high-quality kraftliner per year with basis weights between 100 and 200 gsm. Compared to the old line, the new machine increases SCA´s production capacity by 270,000 tons.

  • As the leading full-line supplier, Voith delivers the entire production line, including a comprehensive service, spare and wear parts package, as well as automation and digitalization solutions
  • With a design speed of 1,400 meters per minute, the high-performance machine will produce 725,000 tons of kraftliner per year sustainably and efficiently
  • Thanks to the very good cooperation between Voith and SCA, the start-up of the plant took place ahead of schedule despite challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic

"Thanks to the excellent cooperation with Voith, the start-up of the most modern kraftliner machine took place ahead of schedule," says Per Strand, Project Director at SCA. "With this high-tech plant, we are setting new standards in the market. We are very pleased to have chosen Voith as our full-line supplier. The highly efficient solutions reduce our resource consumption and enable maximum productivity with the lowest overall production costs."

As the leading full-line supplier to the paper industry, Voith supplied the complete line, the heart of which is a highly efficient XcelLine paper machine. In addition, Voith is responsible for all relevant auxiliary systems, from hall ventilation to roll transport, and together with Meri for a highly efficient water and wastewater management system. The XcelLine paper machine will be supplemented by a new BlueLine stock preparation system, which is scheduled to replace the existing system next year. Voith has supported the SCA team throughout the start-up with a comprehensive training program. In addition, SCA relies on a long-term service and efficiency partnership with Voith, resulting in maximum productivity of the line.

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Strong focus on sustainability
For the production of paper, SCA obtains the fresh fiber portion from its own forest stands. In total, SCA's forest area is 2.6 million hectares - enough to capture 10.5 percent of Sweden's total carbon dioxide emissions each year. In addition, the new OCC plant has a special focus on sustainable production. Voith's BlueLine stock preparation plant will save up to 40 kWh per ton produced compared to conventional plants. In addition, the fresh water requirement is around 30 percent lower than the previous production. Upon completion of the project, SCA will take a big step towards a fossil free industrial process.

Spare and wear parts package and Papermaking 4.0 solutions for further efficiency improvements
To ensure high production line availability, SCA also ordered a spare and wear parts package from Voith and its subsidiary Meri that was perfectly matched to the system. This was delivered in due time before start-up. "It was very good that we started the spare parts process so early," says Per Asplund, Project Manager at SCA. "Everything went smoothly and efficiently. In addition, the good documentation from the technical teams helped us a lot. Now we have a perfectly matched package that also meets the highest standards in terms of safety."

Intelligent automation and digitalization solutions also ensure an optimal and thus more sustainable process. As the most modern kraftliner machine in the world, a range of applications from the Voith Papermaking 4.0 portfolio are used along the entire paper machine. These include solutions from the OnEfficiency family that significantly increase line efficiency and stabilize product and process quality. SCA also uses applications from the OnCare family to monitor productivity and enable optimization measures to be taken quickly. Machine availability is also increased by digital services such as the OnCall.Video remote maintenance service. The Voith Paper Webshop enables fast ordering of spare and wear parts as well as services. The digital portfolio is integrated on the Voith IIoT platform dataPARC cloud, which features the highest security standards.

"We are very proud to have successfully set up this major project with SCA," sums up Dr. Michael Trefz, President Projects at Voith Paper. "The plant sets new standards in terms of resource efficiency, productivity, safety and quality. We were only able to achieve this through our joint commitment, the very good cooperation and the highest demands on both sides. PM 2 shows how the latest technologies in combination with innovative automation and digitalization solutions can lead to significant efficiency advantages."

About SCA
SCA is Europe’s largest private forest owner. Around this unique resource, SCA has built a well-developed value chain based on renewable raw material from its own and others’ forests. SCA offers packaging paper, pulp, wood products, renewable energy, services for forest owners and efficient transport solutions. 2021 the forest products company SCA had approximately 4,000 employees and sales amounted to approximately SEK 18.8 bn. SCA was founded in 1929 and has its headquarters in Sundsvall, Sweden.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

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For the 16th time, the jury of the German Sustainability Award (DNP) has nominated outstanding innovations in the field of sustainability. Out of more than 1,000 applicants, Voith's XcelLine paper machine is a finalist in the "Design" competition in the "Vision" category. With eight competitions, the high number of applicants and more than 2,000 guests at the award’s closing events, the DNP is the most comprehensive award of its kind in Europe. The award is based on the goals of the 2030 Agenda and thus on the key transformation fields such as climate, biodiversity, resources, supply chain and society.

  • The XcelLine paper machine has been nominated for the German Sustainability Award (DNP) in the Design competition, Vision category
  • Decisive for the jury was the optimized design, measurable resource efficiency and innovative strength of the XcelLine
  • The DNP is one of the most important sustainability awards in Europe

"Making it to the finals makes us very proud and confirms our ambition as a leading full-line supplier to provide our customers with the most sustainable and efficient paper production," says Dr. Michael Trefz, President Projects Voith Paper. "In addition to technical performance, the development of the XcelLine paper machine also focused on resource efficiency, which is made possible by an optimized design. Compared to conventional systems, the XcelLine paper machine features reduced energy consumption, optimal fiber utilization and lower water consumption."

Thanks to the modular design of the XcelLine, highly individualized production lines can be put together for almost any application. All individual components are perfectly coordinated to achieve outstanding results over the decades-long life cycle of the paper machine. The XcelLine portfolio today covers machine widths of up to 11 meters. Depending on the grade, speeds of up to 2,000 m/min can be achieved. The increasing production width and speed of the lines optimize productivity and thus reduce specific consumption data.

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Award-winning excellence of the XcelLine in design, performance and sustainability
Voith's future and design study "Papermaking Vision" contributed significantly to the DNP nomination in the Design competition, Vision category. Dr. Christoph Lapp, Senior Vice President Product Management at Voith Paper, comments: "The jury evaluated both the current status and our innovative strength and research and development work. With our Papermaking Vision last year, we presented a long-term, visionary concept that goes far beyond the current state of the art."

In the overall concept, Voith takes into account all aspects of paper production. Maintenance and operation of the system are simplified, efficiency and safety are increased, interfaces are reduced through a higher degree of networking, and an attractive design ensures a uniform appearance. Another focus of the Papermaking Vision is the implementation of the "Clean Design" concept throughout the line. By increasing cleanliness, the risk of unplanned downtime is reduced. This improves operational reliability and machine efficiency and ensures a trouble-free production process. Aspects of this vision are being successively integrated into equipment that is already being delivered to customers today.

The optimized design of XcelLine paper machines also leads significantly to improved resource efficiency. "Our ‘Papermaking for Life’ sustainability program goes hand in hand with our Papermaking Vision design study," confirms Dr. Michael Weiß, CTO at Voith Paper. "For this, we invest around 100 million euros per year in the development of sustainable and efficient solutions." As part of its sustainability program, Voith aims to achieve completely CO2-neutral paper production by 2030 through the use of energy-optimized products, digital solutions and renewable energies. In recent years, the implementation of various individual measures has already helped to reduce thermal and electrical energy requirements by 5 to 15 percent, depending on the paper grade. In addition to energy, water is another precious resource. As part of the XcelLine product family, Voith has developed the first completely closed water cycle in paper production together with Meri.

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Another important lever for increasing sustainability is the optimization of paper quality. Reducing process fluctuations enables more efficient use of the fiber material. In this way, fibers can be saved and resources conserved. At the same time, the integration of automation and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio enables further increases in the efficiency of the XcelLine. The applications, such as intelligent process controls, are often implemented quickly and pay for themselves in less than a year. The digital solutions are expected to be able to save up to 15 percent of production costs in the future.

Sustainability also plays a key role for Voith in its own activities. For example, Voith pays attention to the durability of components, avoids critical substances when selecting materials, and promotes the recyclability of its own products as part of its circular economy concept. In addition, active supplier management ensures efficient sourcing strategies. As a measure, for example, transport routes for components have been significantly reduced and supplier chains improved.

Further information on the XcelLine can be found here: https://voith.com/corp-en/components-papermaking/xcelline.html and on the Papermaking Vision design concept here: https://voith.com/corp-en/industry-solutions/papermaking/papermaking-vision.html.

German Sustainability Award (DNP)
2022 11 15 111317Since 2008, the German Sustainability Award Foundation has been awarding the DNP in cooperation with, among others, the German government, civil society organizations and research institutions, thus honoring companies that promote sustainability as part of their business model. The winners of the DNP will be announced on December 2 at the awards ceremony in Düsseldorf, which will also be attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. More information about the DNP can be found here: https://www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de/en/.

Papermaking for Life sustainability program
As part of the "Papermaking for Life" innovation and development offensive, Voith Paper is presenting versatile technologies and initiatives that lead to more efficient and sustainable processes in papermaking. The focus is on water, energy and fiber savings as well as digitalization, innovations and partnerships as levers for more sustainable production. Another focus is on Voith's own activities at its locations worldwide. Learn more about Voith Paper's innovations in the area of sustainability: www.voith.com/papermaking-for-life/innovation.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in European News

Sustainable production in stock preparation is not a vision for the future but already a reality today. Many existing plants benefit from solutions from Voith's leading BlueLine stock preparation portfolio. In the last five years, Voith experts have commissioned more than 30 plants with a total production capacity of 12.8 million tons per year. Voith has also launched more than 20 new innovative machines in recent years. Based on its experience, Voith is characterized by in-depth know-how and reliable, optimized process standards. In addition, the development of new solutions is part of Voith's sustainability program “Papermaking for Life.” Every year, the technology company invests around 100 million euros in research and development of impetus-giving innovations that are intended to further increase sustainability and efficiency.

  • Based on profound know-how and many years of experience, Voith offers the most sustainable and efficient solutions for stock preparation
  • Already today, optimized solutions can achieve efficiency increases of between 20 and 30 percent
  • Sustainability and efficiency lead to significant cost savings and maximized output

"As the leading full-line supplier, we not only focus on the individual machine components but also on the entire stock preparation process," confirms Andreas Heilig, Vice President Products Fiber Systems at Voith Paper. "Our BlueLine stock preparation portfolio is used in new plants worldwide. But upgrading existing plants to our solutions also pays off – both economically and in terms of sustainability and efficiency."

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Falk Albrecht, Head of Process Technology Fiber Systems at Voith Paper, mentions, among other things, pump energy, which accounts for up to 50 percent of the energy consumption of a stock preparation system. There is great potential for optimization here, especially with existing, older systems. In order to minimize energy consumption, Voith solutions strive for the highest possible consistency level of the achievable quality parameters with the same technological performance. Savings of between 20 and 30 percent are already possible through this measure. At the same time, great attention is given to low pressure levels. Another product example for increasing energy efficiency is Voith's LowEnergyFlotation technology (LEF). Through its use, energy savings of up to 50 percent can be achieved in the flotation pumps, without negatively affecting the technological result. 

Customers also benefit from significantly lower water and energy consumption with the AquaLine water and wastewater management system, which is well thought-out in all aspects. The system, developed and optimized by Voith and Meri over many years, treats the process water biologically and thus reduces the COD and calcium content in the water. This saves fresh water and reduces the consumption of additive materials on the paper machine. The AquaLine Flex system variant enables fresh water consumption to be reduced to less than 5 liters per kg of paper produced. With the very technologically advanced AquaLine Zero solution, fresh water consumption is reduced to 1.5 liters per kg of paper produced. The use of the biogas produced as a substitute fuel for fossil fuels also led to a CO2 reduction of around 10 percent in one German installation.

In addition to water management, high-performance process components are important in stock preparation. Modern disc filters produce excellent filtrate qualities that can be fed directly to biological treatment. Additional primary clarification is no longer required, which has a very positive effect on yield, investment costs and the environment. Significant energy savings can also be achieved with the new InduraClean heavy-weight cleaning system compared with conventional solutions. As part of the BlueLine stock preparation family, Voith presented the system, which consists of an improved cleaner bank, the new InduraClean IDC-4 and the optimized InduraClean IDC-5. Depending on requirements, the modular cleaning technology can be configured for significantly increased production, a high specific energy reduction of up to 50 percent, or significantly improved separation efficiency.

The OnView.MassBalance digitalization solution is another example of how sustainability and efficiency are combined in Voith's product portfolio. The innovative digital tool displays losses in stock preparation in real time, allowing the operator to identify optimization opportunities in specific areas at a glance and initiate appropriate countermeasures. In this way, high losses can be avoided, which is why the solution pays for itself after less than a year. In the future, stock preparation will become even more digitalized and autonomous. Voith experts are working on 24/7 real-time analysis of complex system interactions, which will allow automatic adaptation of process parameters to individual situations. At the same time, the need for manual intervention is reduced to a minimum. In addition, Voith is developing self-optimizing control systems that enable an optimal balance between production volume, efficiency and quality while maintaining the highest reliability based on daily updated cost models.

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Sustainability program Papermaking for Life
As part of the innovation and development offensive "Papermaking for Life," Voith Paper presents versatile technologies and initiatives that lead to more efficient and sustainable processes in papermaking. The emphasis is on the topics of water, energy and fiber savings as well as digitalization, innovations and partnerships as levers for more sustainable production. Another focus is on Voith's own activities at its locations worldwide. Learn more about Voith Paper's innovations in the area of sustainability: voith.com/papermaking-for-life/innovation

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in European News

Voith and Koehler Paper have built a successful business relationship over many years. As family-owned companies, both companies pursue long-term objectives and innovative drive. As a result, many projects have been successfully implemented, such as the pioneering production line 8 in Kehl. Now, next steps in the development partnership are planned with a focus on decarbonization. A key initiative will be to further optimize the energy efficiency of the Koehler plants. Under this partnership, the Voith-Koehler team will validate alternative energy sources that can serve as future heat sources. Among other things, the focus is on replacing fossil fuels with sustainable CO2-neutral alternatives and retrofitting the production lines accordingly. In this context, contactless drying can be electric or hydrogen-based. Furthermore, an electrified dryer section and heat pumps offer further possibilities for efficiency increase and energy recovery. Biogas obtained from anaerobic wastewater post-treatment can also contribute to the decarbonization of the papermaking process.

  • Voith and Koehler Paper are working together on new solutions for decarbonizing production lines
  • The two family-owned companies are linked by a successful partnership of many years
  • Development of new innovations is part of Voith’s "Papermaking for Life" sustainability program

According to Lada Bemert, Vice President New Business & Research at Voith Paper, "In addition to the many future measures, Voith and Koehler are already working closely together to quickly implement short-term decarbonization measures. To this end, we are developing and installing highly efficient solutions to further reduce CO2 emissions."

"The three dimensions of sustainability – environmental, social and economic – shape our decisions throughout the Koehler Group," says Dr. Stefan Karrer, Chief Technology Officer at Koehler. "We are very pleased to have Voith as the right partner at our side to successfully pursue our sustainability goals over the long term. The decarbonization development partnership with Voith shows exciting ways of what the paper production of the future will look like."

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Focus on sustainability at production line 8
Resource efficiency was at the heart of the project for production line 8 from the very beginning, as Thomas Kuchinke, Application Manager Coating and Reeling at Voith Paper, confirms. "Koehler Paper is sending a strong signal with the production of sustainable barrier paper,” says Kuchinke. “We are proud to have developed and implemented this state-of-the-art paper machine together with Koehler Paper. Sustainability was a priority throughout the project.” Since the successful delivery of the Voith line in 2019, the 150-meter-long line has been producing sustainable packaging paper at a design speed of 1,500 meters per minute. The heart of the line is a Yankee cylinder with a diameter of over 7.3 meters, the largest of its kind in the world. The coating machine specifically uses a non-contact, gentle drying process with simultaneous high thermal efficiency, which is achieved by a heat recovery system. In addition, Voith experts implemented a sustainable water management system on the paper machine that significantly reduces fresh water consumption compared to conventional systems. Production line 8 already uses exclusively green electricity from the Schluchsee hydroelectric power plant, enabling Koehler Paper to save 45,000 tons of CO2 every year.

The successful steps in sustainability, production line 8 and the development partnership will be presented by Michael Weiß, CTO at Voith Paper, and Markus Wildberger, Corporate Director Technology, Koehler Innovation & Technology, at this year's KONGRESS BW in Karlsruhe, Germany (19.10.). The participation is also possible digitally. More information about the sustainability congress can be found here: https://www.kongress-bw.de/.

Papermaking for Life sustainability program
As part of the "Papermaking for Life" innovation and development offensive, Voith Paper is presenting versatile technologies and initiatives that lead to more efficient and sustainable processes in papermaking. The focus is on water, energy and fiber savings as well as digitalization, innovations and partnerships as levers for more sustainable production. Another focus is on Voith's own activities at its locations worldwide. Learn more about Voith Paper's innovations in the area of sustainability: www.voith.com/papermaking-for-life/innovation

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in European News
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In August, the Chinese paper manufacturer Shanying Suzhou Paper commissioned Voith to supply two XcelLine paper machines with comprehensive digitalization and automation solutions as well as services and spare parts packages for its new site in in Zhongying, Anhui Province, in eastern China. As the leading full-line supplier to the paper industry, Voith will supply the entire lines. With a design speed of 1,300 m/min and a wire width of 9,300 mm, the two PM 71 and PM 72 will produce corrugating medium with basis weights between 50 and 120 gsm. The total production capacity of the corrugating medium machines is 812,000 tons per year.

  • Voith will deliver two production lines with a wire width of 9,300 mm and a design speed of 1,300 m/min for the production of 812,000 tons of corrugating medium annually
  • As the leading full-line supplier, Voith supplies entire high-performance machines, including an automation and digitalization package, a wide range of spare parts and long-term services
  • Decisive for the order award were leading technologies, an optimized overall concept with significant resource savings and an excellent partnership

"The Voith-supplied PM 22 is running very stably since its start-up at Shanying Huazhong. The product quality is superior, the consumption of water and energy are far lower than the industry standard, and the production exceeds design capacity," says Wu Ming Wu, Chairman and CEO of Shanying International. "At the same time, the BlueLine stock preparation lines for PM 21 and PM 22 at Huazhong reached the design capacity shortly after start-up, and the energy consumption is lower than the conventional lines. We are very satisfied with our cooperation with Voith. For the Suzhou project, we are pursuing further deeper partnership with Voith. We are building these two wide packaging machines into new benchmarks and cooperation models in the industry."

"Shanying Paper is an important customer for Voith. The orders from Shanying Suzhou Paper will strengthen our leading position in APAC and confirm our full-line offering," says Kurt Yu, President Voith Paper Asia. "Our solutions save significant amount of energy and raw materials while optimizing production output. With our optimized XcelLine performance and reference management experience, we will ensure a great success of this project.”

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Technologically leading solutions for the most sustainable and efficient operation
Designed as one of the world's most efficient paper machines for ultra-lightweight corrugating medium, the scope of supply includes the entire line from MasterJet Pro headbox to MasterReel pope reel. Voith supplies resource-saving headboxes without recirculation and a DuoFormer D II forming section for best paper quality. A DuoCentri NipcoFlex press ensures optimal runnability and highest dryness. The reliable and robust SpeedSizer AT is used for the necessary starch application. In addition, Shanying Suzhou Paper relies on a comprehensive automation package with MCS, DCS and QCS. The digital solution OnCare.Health helps to further increase the efficiency of the plants. Basic engineering, erection and commissioning monitoring are also included in the scope of supply. Furthermore, Shanying Suzhou Paper ordered roll covers, a comprehensive spare and wear parts package, training and long-term service.

About Shanying Suzhou Paper
Shanying Paper founded in 1957 is part of Shanying International Holding. Shanying Suzhou Paper is an established subsidiary of Shanying Paper at Suzhou site. The company has several production bases for packaging paper and newspaper including high-strength fluting paper, coated white top testliner and other products. The production lines use domestic and foreign recycled fibers.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 20,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its leading automation products and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Published in Asian News

Voith and Toscotec will participate in the 54th ABTCP International Pulp and Paper Exhibition, to be held on October 4-6 at the Transamerica Expo Center, in São Paulo.

The Voith Group’s booth will be showcasing the company’s innovative solutions to the paper industry and will include the broad portfolio of its subsidiaries Toscotec and BTG.

At 10:30 am on October 6, Sales Director of Toscotec Brazil, Marcos Scheil, will give the lecture “Solution to Decarbonize the Drying Process in Tissue Manufacturing”.

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Also, Wellington Vieira, Tissue Sales and Applications Manager at Voith Paper South America, will present the poster “New Measurement Technologies Providing In-Depth Analyses of Tissue Pressing Section”.

Focused on the topic “Pulp and Paper, Environment, Society, Governance and Automation”, the ABTCP International Pulp and Paper Exhibition is an opportunity for exchanging best practices that can help all industry players increase their productivity and efficiency.

For more information on schedules, registration fees and how to participate, visit: abtcp2022.org.br/programacao/.

Services:
54th International Pulp and Paper Exhibition
Date: October 4-6, 2022
Venue: Transamérica Expo Center
Address: Av. Dr. Mário Vilas Boas Rodrigues, 387 - Santo Amaro, São Paulo - SP

About Toscotec 
Since its foundation in 1948, Toscotec specializes in the design and manufacture of turnkey projects, complete machines, plant rebuilds and single equipment for the tissue and paper & board industries.
Headquartered in Lucca, with affiliates and service centres in China and North America, Toscotec provides state-of-the-art technology and customized solutions to leading paper producers around the world. From 30th April 2020, Toscotec is part of the Voith Group.

Published in South American News
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