‘Ground-breaking’ sustainable paper making process being developed by Essity and Voith

What is being described as a ‘ground-breaking’ and ‘disruptive’ paper making concept that will be carbon neutral, and dramatically save water and energy, is being developed in a collaborative project between global hygiene and healthcare company Essity and engineering group Voith Paper.

Successful tests have been carried out on the process – which doesn’t use fossil-based fuels, reduces consumption of fresh water by 95 per cent and energy by 40 per cent – and now the results are being transferred to a pilot production line at Voith’s Heidenheim site in Germany. This new set-up will enable testing under conditions close to production in a mill.

Voith has agreed an exclusive partnership with Essity to further develop the process. This will incorporate Essity’s expertise in the tissue industry and Voith’s knowledge as a leading technology supplier.

“As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, we have set ourselves the ambitious goal of being able to realise carbondioxide-neutral paper production by 2030,” says Andreas Endters, chief executive of Voith Paper.

“The fact that we have developed this new process is an important milestone in the industry and demonstrates our high level of innovation. We are very pleased to have found a suitable partner in Essity, who shares our objective of climateneutral paper production.”