Portuguese tissue manufacturer Fortissue and machinery supplier Toscotec have celebrated the start-up of the “world’s first fully electric tissue machine” at Fortissue’s Viana do Castelo production facility.
PM1 is an AHEAD 2.0 line which Toscotec said is now the first tissue machine in the world to operate entirely on electricity at 2,000m/min.
After ten years of operation, the machine has been fully upgraded to achieve the target of more sustainable tissue production.
Toscotec has installed a fully electrical air system including e-powered TT Hood with multiple stages of heat recovery.
The company said the new e-powered TT SteamBooster generates 100% of the steam necessary for the TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer by recovering the heat present in the hoods exhaust air together with high-efficiency electric steam generation.
The energy needed for PM1’s operation comes entirely from electricity. The mill has the option of getting power from the Portuguese grid or using 100% renewable energy coming from its solar and wind systems.
The associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions amount to minus 20% in case the tissue line operates from the grid, and net zero GHG emissions when it runs on renewable energy both for its electric and thermal needs.
Nuno Ribeiro, owner of Fortissue, said: “This machine upgrade represents a leap forward for the industry’s energy transition. The execution of such a ground-breaking project was extremely smooth.
“We are proud to say that with Toscotec we are breaking new ground in tissue technology, walking the pathway traced by European consumers who are asking for more sustainable products.”
Established in 2015 in Alvarães, Northern Portugal, Fortissue produces an annual production capacity of approximately 35,000 tons of paper.
It is part of the Ghost Group, which includes three companies: Suavecel, Nunex Worldwide and Fortissue.
