Six leading converting machinery companies weigh their progress and options for their near – and long-term development. A TWM report.
TWM/1: What events in 2024 have had the biggest impact on your business and how are you dealing with them?
Cristian Giuliani, Vice President Global Hygiene Engineering, BW Converting: “Several scenarios have impacted the economic context of our market, companies, and customers: record-high interest rates, rising energy costs, and growing geopolitical tensions. The European Union’s economy has been hit by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with increasing energy prices straining businesses.
“Additionally, uncertainty from the Hamas-Israel conflict and potential new fronts has slowed growth in the MENA region, particularly in neighbouring states. The US election campaign is also adding market uncertainty. Despite these challenges, our group’s solid foundation, long-term growth strategy, and focus on people enable us to invest in technology, people, and growth.
“To meet evolving market demands, it is crucial for our companies to diversify and expand product offerings, creating innovative, efficient solutions tailored to customer needs.”
Sergio Tonarelli, Chief Sales Officer, Futura: “It will come as no surprise that conflict and related energy price spikes have created uncertainty in the market. The cost of borrowing has soared and the run up to the US election is usually a quiet time for decision-making too. But the market continues to grow at up to 3% per year and that calls for greater capacity. Yes, companies are holding back on projects, particularly when relying on external capital, but the demand is there to justify investment.
“There is evidence of a switch from super premium to lower grades because while consumers will continue to buy tissue and towel they need, they will find cheaper solutions when their household budgets are squeezed.”
Nicola Romagnani, Marketing & Product Manager, Gambini: “High energy cost prices and decarbonisation are increasingly affecting paper production in Italy. The importance of investing across European borders has been even more obvious in this situation. Already operating in the United States since 2017, we have taken a big step to consolidate our presence in Latin America, as well.
“Our purpose is to spread technologies that can lower production costs and the use of resources, with even better results in terms of quality and performance of the finished products, while offering at the same time a closer assistance to our local customers. It was a big bet but we are now ready to start with a new production facility in Joinville, Brazil.”
Vladimir Tchernichov, Area Sales Manager, Maflex: “Working globally, various macroeconomic and industry-specific factors have impacted our business. Recently, on one hand we have seen rising costs in raw materials, logistics, and travel in general, which have affected Maflex globally. We responded by optimising our supply chain, selecting strategic suppliers, and implementing more agile logistics solutions. High-value partnerships, such as the one with Rockwell Automation – we recently became a Gold OEM Partner – ensure the constant availability of key components for Maflex systems which guarantee continuity.
“On the other hand, we have noticed some slight investment apprehension in the American markets, likely tied to the upcoming US presidential elections. While we wait for the political landscape to become clearer, we continue to support our clients through joint analyses and future project planning. Our approach remains proactive, tackling challenges with flexibility and a strong customer focus.”
Marco Calcagni, Sales & Marketing Director, Omet: “2024 has been a year marked by several global challenges and market dynamics that have had a significant impact on the tissue industry, and consequently, on our business at OMET.
“Rising borrowing costs, inflation, and raw material price hikes—especially in pulp and energy—have increased operational pressures. To support our customers, we’ve focused on optimizing our machines for greater efficiency, helping them reduce waste and energy consumption.
“The demand for sustainability is another significant trend. We’ve prioritised R&D to deliver eco-friendly technologies that minimize environmental impact. Despite market uncertainties, including conflicts in the Middle East and in Ukraine and political elections, OMET continues to diversify its presence and offer innovative solutions to help clients navigate these volatile times.”
Simone Barsanti, Strategy and M&A Director, Valmet, Tissue Converting business unit: “Following the acquisition by the Valmet Group, the Tissue Converting and Tissue Making Business Units have initiated a process of exchanging expertise, focusing on end-to-end projects aimed at improving the flow of information from paper making to converting, and vice versa, in order to enhance process performance and the quality of the final product.”
TWM/2: What forecasts do you have for advancements in the converting sector using AI in the next few years?
Giuliani: “In general, generative and predictive AI will rapidly accelerate their presence as indispensable tools for efficiency. Predictive AI advancements are making significant strides in uncovering hidden operational challenges and opportunities. These tools can analyse vast amounts of data from multiple sources across the production line and identify patterns and anomalies that would be impossible for human operators to detect in real-time.
“Generative AI is advancing at a rapid pace and can augment operations by transforming human-machine interactions. For example, generative AI will certainly be utilised to create intuitive, conversational interfaces that allow operators to interact with machinery using natural language. These interactions will include real-time, context-aware instructions, troubleshooting guides, and even predictive maintenance schedules.
“BW Converting has strategically positioned itself at the forefront of this AI revolution. The SmartTouch platform is set to evolve into a comprehensive AI-driven system, seamlessly blending predictive analytics, generative AI, and our advanced model-based and adaptive control systems.”
Tonarelli: “AI is integrated in our strategy. There are some areas where humans are fallible, such as prioritising and interpreting large data sets, and AI simply ensures more efficient outcomes. While we will increasingly use AI to analyse the market, our main application of the technology is via machine learning (ML).
“We are already using data generated by our machines to enable automatic setting. It is also important that we do not treat processes as islands but as integrated parts of a value chain. So data from upstream – the tissue machine or even the pulp mill – can be used to optimise the performance of the converting line. Anticipation of moisture levels is a perfect example.
“We need to consider everything which can influence the process. Core lamination is significantly affected by temperature and humidity, for example, and ML takes the guesswork out of setting the glue parameters.
“We also apply ML to ensure that maintenance is predictive and therefore preventative. We can even use it to make fundamental design changes to our machines. If there is something, revealed by ML, that can be improved by going back to the drawing board we will be the first to do it.
“Thanks to ML/AI we are already making machines which are more efficient and for which the operator’s role is being redefined. We think of it as social sustainability in an age in which the baby-boomers are retiring, and recruitment and retention is a challenge.
“We started this journey when we introduced Andromeda in 2015 to eliminate unnecessary manual work. The next step is a “lights-off” facility where operators supervise from a control room outside the machine hall while key variables are tracked and controlled via intelligent cameras.
“Our vision is based on the fact that the capital expenditure (capex) aspect of investing in a machine lasting 20 to 25 years is less significant than the operational expenditure (opex). If the technology specified requires a workforce two or three times larger due to its lack of automation, this is still going to be killing margins 10 years down the line when the capex is diminished in its impact.”
Romagnani: “AI is developing differently for each industry, and we should understand the direct impact on our own. We believe in innovation, which is already clearly visible inside our converting lines and all our systems. We can assume that AI will mainly integrate into the technology department and, under human supervision, bring further innovation and performance.
“We hope it will help waste fewer resources, optimise processes and ease us in the testing phases, especially to have more reliable data in less time. We do not believe it would take work away from anyone: optimising a procedure, for us, means having more time to think about the next innovation.”
Tchernichov: “The use of AI in the industrial and machinery sectors is rapidly growing and opening up new opportunities. Predictions point to advancements in three main areas: production optimisation, predictive maintenance, and automation and line flexibility.
“With our ever-evolving PEGASO supervision system, we are improving the collection and analysis of production data to identify inefficiencies in real-time, thereby increasing operational efficiency. The implementation of AI will also play a key role in predictive maintenance, allowing us to anticipate failures and optimise equipment lifespan.
“Finally, AI-based solutions will enable machinery to quickly adapt to production needs, offering greater flexibility and speed in configuration changes.”
Calcagni: “OMET has already embarked on an innovation journey by integrating artificial intelligence into its solutions, as demonstrated by the implementation of our SFERA platform. This advanced technology not only enables predictive machine maintenance but also extracts and converts production data in real-time, directly integrating it into customers’ IoT systems.
“Looking ahead, we foresee AI playing an increasingly central role in the development of the converting sector. Our customers are increasingly demanding smarter and more autonomous machines, minimising the need for highly specialised operators. This trend will be a key driver for the evolution of our technologies in the coming years.”
Barsanti: “At Valmet Tissue Converting, the use of artificial intelligence is already an established part of internal processes. Building on the experience gained, we are working to implement this technology in our converting, packaging, and folding lines to support operators in every phase of their activities and to increase the OEE of production facilities.
“Thanks to the recent integration of FactoryPal, a joint venture by Valmet and Körber – fully consolidated to Valmet – we will further strengthen Valmet’s offering of advanced Industrial Internet solutions and digital services to support customers in the tissue industry. “FactoryPal, in particular, is making a significant impact in the manufacturing sector with its AI-driven digital product, optimising production processes, improving efficiency, and driving sustainable growth. FactoryPal’s software empowers tissue mill teams to operate seamlessly by generating and leveraging high-quality data, combined with a state-of-the-art user experience and advanced artificial intelligence.
“Acting as a trusted AI co-pilot on the shop floor, FactoryPal’s mission is to help factories run smarter by providing real-time insights and predictive analytics for data-driven decision-making.”
TWM/3: What technical innovations have you recently introduced into the marketplace, and what trends were shaping this demand?
Giuliani: “In response to evolving market demands, the BW Converting tissue equipment line-up includes several key innovations, all driven by the growing need for sustainable operations and enhanced efficiency.
“The CS Centre Driven Unwind stands out as an industry-leading unwind solution. It significantly reduces energy consumption while improving web handling. One of its key features is the highly automated roll change process, which minimises the need for operator intervention, thereby increasing overall operational efficiency.
“The Omnia Embosser Laminator allows for simple steel pattern roll changes and eliminates the need for hydraulics, making it both more user-friendly and energy efficient. It also supports water lamination processes eliminating the need for lamination adhesive. SmartStore technology allows for seamless automated roll changes.
“The Paragon Rewinder is another key innovation. This advanced rewinder is designed to maximise the intrinsic sheet characteristics. These include softness, strength, and bulk. It achieves this while maintaining high operational speeds, increasing both product quality and production efficiency while enabling a larger operational window.
“BW Converting patented Invisible O coreless technology, now available with higher cycle rate, is the only platform available on the market to produce coreless consumer rolls of high quality, reducing waste and supporting our customers’ sustainability goals.
“These technologies position converters to meet the dual challenges of environmental responsibility and market competitiveness. By focusing on energy and fibre efficiency, automation, and product quality and diversification, we’re helping converters adapt to a marketplace that increasingly values sustainability alongside traditional metrics of product performance and cost-effectiveness.”
Tonarelli: “Since the inception of Futura we have been working to eliminate unnecessary processes and this continues to be our approach. As an example, we realised we could remove the separate tail sealer and achieve its function during winding. Then we found a way to eliminate trim from the logsaw and achieved further simplification.
“Today we are doing the same in packaging and palletising through our group company Plusline. By combining the bundler with the layer former, a line can produce bundles or display-ready pallets without any module on the line resting idle for large parts of the day. The need for both bundled products and display-ready pallets is the reality, so this is a smart way to make it work efficiently. And when the packaging and palletising process is fully integrated with converting in a seamless process from a single supplier source, that is what we call seamless efficiency: we with Plusline are already there.”
Romagnani: “We have introduced Wet Embossing, which is a truly revolutionary innovation. This kind of embossing keeps finding new applications, the latest one being the C-TAD Punta-calda.
“As its Italian name suggests, it is a textured product with a considerable thickness, greater than that obtained with a common point-to-point system, achieved also through heat and reachable at the speed of 600m/min. With this new application of AirMill, we are therefore able to cover all the Latin American market with a technology as flexible as the one they need, but one which can help save money and be more sustainable.”
Tchernichov: “‘Meeting Your Needs at Every Turn’ reflects Maflex’s commitment to addressing specific needs. In a global context where demands are increasingly diverse, we see a constant: the need to quickly adapt to market dynamics. This is why the work we are doing on the PEGASO intelligent supervision system is crucial for our customers. The ability to collect a vast amount of production data will provide valuable insights to maximise performance and make the best use of the most important resource: time.”
Calcagni: “There have been significant developments with the new XV Line for napkin production, a machine that is revolutionising the market. This solution boasts extremely high production capacity and exceptional efficiency, thanks to its innovative and unique concept within the industry.
“The trends that have influenced this innovation are primarily linked to the growing demand for advanced automation, energy efficiency, and production flexibility, which are increasingly required by customers to reduce operating costs and enhance the sustainability of their operations.”
Barsanti: “For Valmet, sustainability is one of the core values guiding the development of Tissue Converting products. Following the launch of solutions such as Solid and glue-less products in the early 2000s, our portfolio has recently been enhanced with cutting-edge technologies, including the Bio Pack Plus system for paper packaging and the ECOre system for producing coreless rolls that can be integrated into brownfield operations. This range of solutions enables our customers to enter the market with sustainable products.”
TWM/4: What areas of R&D, innovation, and environmental efforts are next?
Giuliani: “BW Converting continues to build on a solid foundation of equipment. We are continuing to focus on enabling value creation and sustainability by optimising product fibre and energy efficiency. Energy efficient bulk generating techniques will allow converters to meet the challenges that are presented to them driven by market cost, consumer demands, and environmental commitments.
“The continued evolution of the “smart machine” is also at the top of our innovation roadmap, with some of these technologies hitting the market very soon to delight our customers.
“Another important area BW Converting is focused, is the study of the new combinations of sustainable pulp fibres (including the plant-based ones) in the tissue paper and the effect that those have on the converting line performance and component life and on the finished product itself.”
Tonarelli: “We stick to the principle that innovation never stops and there is always another horizon to reach. Is it possible to replace knives? They are a source of contamination and a safety challenge. As we move forward new technologies are made available to the industry. So we should always dream what is apparently impossible and leave no stone unturned in the quest for doing things better. Safety is our top priority and will be at the core of everything we strive to achieve.”
Romagnani: “We are constantly working on the Research & Development side. We have an entire plant dedicated to this, with a full-width pilot line of 2,850mm. At the TissueHub we keep investigating Wet Embosser AirMill and its possible applications.
“Water is something innovative that was never used before at this stage of the process. Therefore, we are still finding out all its benefits. So far, they have proven to meet key requirements of environmental care and energy saving. We are continuously trying to exploit the never-ending possibilities of the Wet Embosser, to help increase results, while lowering our industry footprint on the planet.”
Tchernichov: “Our Research & Development department is constantly pursuing improvement at all levels of our technologies. This is a cross-cutting effort that goes beyond specific projects. The team is particularly focused on all the electrical components of our lines to optimise energy efficiency.
“Our goal is to reduce energy consumption without compromising performance by using high-efficiency motors and energy recovery systems. We aim to continuously raise the standards of our lines, proactively and sustainably addressing environmental challenges.”
Calcagni: “The new XV Line has been developed with a strong focus on environmental impact. This machine not only delivers high performance but also achieves exceptional energy savings: it consumes only one-fifth of the energy compared to traditional machines that produce around 50% of its output. Our future Research and Development efforts will continue to focus on technologies that combine production efficiency with environmental sustainability, aiming to further reduce resource consumption and improve the ecological performance of our solutions.”
Barsanti: “Continuing the historical trend of innovation in our roll, fold, and packaging segments, our R&D departments are also focusing on differentiating the characteristics of the finished product while ensuring the same quality and performance. This approach involves a more efficient use of raw materials and a focus on reducing energy consumption.”
TWM/5: What is the key issue your customers are facing in 2024-2025 and how are you supporting them?
Giuliani: “One of the most prominent trends we’re observing is the continued growth in private label branding. This shift has created an ever-increasing need for product differentiation, particularly in embossing patterns and other distinctive characteristics. Converters are under pressure to create unique, eye-catching products that stand out on shelves while maintaining cost-effectiveness. The Omnia Embosser Laminator armed with SmartStore directly addresses this need. Its design allows for quick and simple steel pattern roll changes, enabling converters to change patterns with minimal downtime and word class safety. This flexibility is crucial in an environment where product diversity is key to market success.
“The ongoing difficulty in finding and retaining skilled operators continues to be a significant hurdle for many in the industry. Our approach to this challenge is twofold: we’re designing equipment that requires less manual intervention and developing intelligent systems that can support less experienced operators. We are also continuing to build on the SmartTouch platform to provide contextual, real-time guidance to operators, effectively flattening the learning curve and reducing the reliance on extensive experience. This technology will make complex operations more accessible and reduce the impact of staff turnover.
“The expectation for world class support is also recognised. BWCS is actively evolving our global customer service model with our Accelerate team. This dedicated group of experts provides unparalleled support and driving to a “follow the sun” 24/7/365 model, ensuring that no matter where our customers are located or when issues arise, expert assistance is always available. The Accelerate team leverages a powerful combination of seasoned technician experience and an increasing arsenal cutting-edge AI technology. This synergy allows for rapid issue resolution to minimise downtime.”
Tonarelli: “The tissue industry faces a potential skills gap for demographic and attitudinal reasons. We see our role as being the partner that can support customers, not only through the Futura Academy to help educate the next generation of operators, but we can be more embedded with our customers to monitor machine condition, leveraging ML/AI to the full, and intervene when appropriate to maximise operational efficiency not only on day one, but for the lifetime of the line.
“We also need to constantly revisit the perceived “limits” of production on behalf of customers. If the 600m/min status quo became 900/1000m/min at the same level of efficiency, this means 20 – 30% more product from the same number of operators in the same timeframe.”
Romagnani: “Climate change is bringing increasing attention to everything related to sustainability, and this is reflected in the needs of our customers and their respective clients. Both in terms of the finished product and in terms of production processes.
“Thanks to the PatternLab, inside TissueHub, we are able to search how we can help our customers address the specific needs they have and test together what results to achieve and how, always focusing on improving the way we affect the environment.”
Tchernichov: “In the past two or three years, we haven’t encountered specific issues or individual challenges, but rather noticed a shared trend among our customers: a growing focus on maximum production flexibility and the reliability of production lines. This trend is well established and will continue to drive and influence the market. Customers need to adapt their plants to meet increasing demands, optimising production times and maximum flexibility.”
Calcagni: “One of the main challenges our customers will face in 2024-2025 is optimising operational efficiency in an increasingly complex production environment. We are supporting our clients by developing advanced solutions for machine control and production management, simplifying all the necessary operations involved in using our machines.
“This approach addresses the growing need for automation, allowing companies to maintain high productivity levels with more streamlined processes and reduced dependence on highly specialized operators.”
Barsanti: “Valmet Tissue Converting has customers worldwide, each with different realities and needs depending on their geographic area and market segment. However, the rising costs of energy and raw materials, coupled with the challenge of retaining skilled labour, are the main challenges our customers face on a daily basis.
“We are focusing on solutions that reduce the use of raw materials and energy consumption by enabling tests on pilot lines for paper making and converting. Additionally, we are developing new digital solutions that simplify operator activities through data exchange across the entire process, allowing for the automatic setting of the line based on the received information.”
