Toscotec and Essity have announced the completion of the ‘world’s first’ tissue machine running solely on geothermal steam at their Kawerau site in New Zealand, seeking to enable the tissue industry’s transition from fossil-based to renewable energy.
The rebuilt tissue machine (PM3) has apparently achieved a significant reduction in carbon emissions associated with its production, due to replacing natural gas burners with a geothermal drying system. The upgrade also delivered a production increase and improved the machine’s formation and product range capability.
PM3 underwent a major rebuild supplied by Toscotec in collaboration with Essity. The supply included a complete TT SAF Short Approach Flow system, a new TT Headbox and modifications to the forming and press sections, as well as a new drying section.
In the drying area, both Toscotec’s new TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer and the steam-heated TT Hood use geothermal steam tapped from the ground. The air system also features Toscotec’s TT Swing, said to switch seamlessly from a parallel to hybrid configuration (with heated air only in the wet-end hood) based on the production requirements. The full-on supply of the rebuild is completed by new doctor blades and the tail-threading system in the post-dryer section of the machine.
Last year, Srisangdao Rice revealed it had crafted a die-formed box from the chaff byproduct of its rice production process, with the empty pack intended for reuse as a tissue box. The lot number and other data is printed directly onto the rice sack, which is placed inside the box.
In April, JUNG invested in HP’s Indigo 200K digital printing press, claiming to save on time and setup costs for short-run, customizable collections of its branded tissue paper and gift wrap for luxury applications. The press reportedly supports faster lead times, enabling a quick response to new product launches and market trends and sparing customers from the commitment of large production volumes.
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