Andritz has announced the start-up of its new PrimeLineTIAC tissue innovation and applications centre in Austria.
It was officially opened on 1 September and the supplier said it is the only plant in the world to offer eight different machine configurations for the production of conventional, structured, and premium tissue.
Thomas Scherb, director of sales, tissue pilot plant, said: “The PrimeLineTIAC started with a vision. Not only to be the world’s most modern pilot plant, but also to become a sophisticated space for the tissue community to collaborate and implement the tissue solutions of tomorrow.”
The company has built-in process flexibility from stock preparation to tissue on the reel.
It has also designed what it said is the world’s “most flexible pilot machine with its eight possible configurations, five of which are totally new to the tissue industry”.
Scherb said the pilot plant’s flexibility means customer trials can be configured in any direction the customer needs: exploring new technologies, improving product quality, lowering manufacturing costs, saving energy, or training operators in a focused setting.
Dry-creped tissue can be produced on a vertical CrescentFormer with either a suction roll or shoe press, while textured tissue can be produced by a new, patented press arrangement.
The centre also houses two labs to analyse the chemical and physical processes in use.
Andritz collaborated on the pilot plant with several partners including Albany International Corp, Danfoss Drives, Fibria, IBS Paper Performance Group, Nash, Södra and Solenis.
