As the global tissue industry undergoes structural transformation, leading tissue paper machinery suppliers outline their strategies to TWM.
TWM/1: What opportunities and challenges do the current “BANI era” (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible) offer for you and the tissue market, and how is your business responding?
Joseph Guadagno, Vice President Tissue and Air Systems, Andritz Paper & Tissue: “If we consider the BANI framework, the tissue industry must strengthen its ability to anticipate volatility, increase flexibility, accelerate innovation, and remain agile.
“The opportunities in the tissue market are clear: stable demand driven by global hygiene trends; rising expectations for sustainable and energy efficient solutions; a growing need for automation and digitalization; and increasing adoption of tissue products in emerging markets.
“At the same time, the industry faces several challenges: fluctuations in wood pulp and fibre availability and pricing, volatility in material and energy costs, environmental pressures related to emissions and evolving regulations, and the unpredictable trade policies we have recently experienced – all of which require a robust and adaptable supply chain.
“To address these opportunities and challenges, we must take a strategic approach and set clear priorities, beginning with innovation. Through our state-of-the-art pilot tissue machine (PrimeLineTIAC), for example, we collaborate closely with customers and industry suppliers to develop new concepts that create competitive advantages for all stakeholders. We are advancing energy efficient solutions, such as a new TAD drying concept – called ATAD (Advanced TAD) – that significantly reduces energy consumption compared to conventional TAD.
“In parallel, we are strengthening our global supply chain capabilities to reduce risks related to sourcing, logistics, and shifting trade environments. And we are investing in and delivering comprehensive AI based digitalisation and automation solutions to enable mill wide, data driven decision making and faster, more agile responses, helping customers adapt their operations to dynamic market demands.”
Shinji Goda, Director and Head of Design, Kawanoe Zoki Co.: “While the BANI era presents complexity, it also reinforces the importance of trust, engineering expertise, and long-term partnerships.
“By combining Japanese craftsmanship with a flexible and forward-looking approach, Kawanoe Zoki aims to continue supporting the sustainable growth of the global tissue industry.”
Gabriele Romanini, Sales Manager, Toscotec Tissue Division: “The BANI framework describes a world of fragility and non-linearity, but at Toscotec, we see this as a call to apply the experience-driven flexibility that has been characterising our approach from day one. Our roots are in an Italian industrial system that has historically navigated uncertainty by staying adaptable. For us, this is not a new strategy; it is a long-standing business model built on a social and industrial network that prioritises rapid responses and integrated collaborations with our partners.
“Especially in the tissue industry the “standard solution” is increasingly becoming a “limitation”. We believe that the only effective way to address a non-linear market is through tailor-made technology. In fact, our flexible approach is translated into our ability of adapting solutions to the needs of clients, ensuring that every project is uniquely customised to the specific context and goals. This is how we can help our partners find stability and new opportunities in an ever-changing landscape.”
Arvid Johansson, Director Tissue Mills Technology, Valmet: “In the BANI era, the tissue industry is undergoing transformation, shifting from rigid, traditional approaches to more flexible, resilient, and insight-driven operations. To meet these changing demands, we are designing adaptable machine concepts that can switch grades, adjust parameters, and operate within broader performance windows. Our design also takes a life-cycle perspective, allowing for modular machine concepts that enable increases in capacity, rebuilds, or product flexibility without lengthy shutdowns.
“Digital tools and services must become more integrated, offering advanced analytics, process insights, and user-friendly automation platforms and interfaces. The goal is to move beyond overwhelming data volumes and instead convert raw data into practical operational guides and controls.
“Recent market fluctuations have highlighted how energy costs can change dramatically and rapidly. This creates a need for technical solutions that allow quick adaptation, such as Yankee hoods capable of operating with both gas and electricity. Additionally, machine configurations should optimise fibre use – both through hardware/software combinations and by generally reducing basis weight.”
TWM/2: What are the latest technical innovations you have made for the global toilet paper and kitchen towel markets, and what customer trends have led to these developments?
Guadagno: “In 2025-2026, Andritz has accelerated R&D and technical innovation for the global tissue markets – both toilet paper and kitchen towel – driven by clear customer trends: demand for higher softness and quality, sustainability and equipment-lifetime expectations, reduced fibre and energy consumption, and the need for flexible production technologies.
“Fields of research and technical innovations focused on:
- Alternative furnishes (including hardwood/softwood blends and regional pulp variations)
- Energy options (gas, steam, electricity) – not only focusing on single machine sections but on the entire production process from stock preparation up to the winder. This includes innovative forming fabrics, roll covers, and calculation models to map how water behaves inside the press.*
- Steam and condensate system upgrades for capacity improvements
- Water, chemical, emission‑related performance
- New tissue machine configurations for premium quality
- Idle time and downtime reduction, longer lifetime wear parts bringing longer intervals between shuts.
“For premium tissue producers, we put a strong focus on technologies and services for high bulk, high absorbency towels, and soft but strong toilet tissue in premium segments. We have further developed our TAD technology and will present – right at Tissue World Miami – for the first time ever our brand-new ATAD concept. An Advanced TAD solution that enables structured tissue production with remarkably less energy input.
“Not surprisingly, we also recognise that the industry is moving toward data-driven efficiency, with a strong focus on stable quality, fewer operators, and minimised variability. Across our installations, we therefore implement solutions such as predictive quality control, energy and water optimisation modules, and automated process monitoring.
“Customers are looking for single-source full-line suppliers and demand high automation and packaging flexibility. With the acquisition of A.Celli Paper in 2025, Andritz strengthened its ability to deliver full-line tissue concepts from stock preparation to packaging including winder.
“One could conclude core customer trends in brief:
- Premiumisation: Higher softness, more absorbency, stronger sheets (toilet paper + towels).
- Sustainability: Lower CO2, reduced energy, reduced freshwater use.
- Fibre efficiency: High pulp price volatility pushes manufacturers toward machines like PrimeLineTEX that use less fibre.
- Regional quality variations: e.g., North America’s TAD focus vs. Europe’s strength and eco‑label requirements.
- Automation and digitalisation: Higher level of autonomy and more reproducibility.
- One‑supplier solutions: Andritz’s acquisition of A.Celli Paper supports this trend.
*”Details on fabrics and rolls: Fabrics and rolls are often underestimated in terms of their potential for resource savings. While traditional models calculate nip forces, Rezolve goes deeper – mapping how water behaves inside the press. That’s the real driver of press efficiency, and it’s where most opportunities are missed. The production of press felts for tissue machines generates considerable amounts of high-grade plastic as waste material. Valuable material that we can now recycle and return to the production of new felts and forming fabrics. This improves the sustainability of our product – an advantage not only for the environment, but also for tissue producers interested in sustainability. With our Paper Machine Clothing recycling projects, we are closing the loop a little further and thus helping to reduce the CO2 emissions generated in the production of new plastics.
“We developed a Forming Fabric design enhancing initial dewatering important for fast operating tissue formers. Our latest generation of press felt designs in combination with innovative roll cover solutions or shoe press belts, are contributing to energy savings on tissue machines. The next generation of our Impulse shoe press belts is in development with the target to further enhance dewatering efficiency and to contribute to machine uptime savings.”
Goda: “At Kawanoe Zoki, we have been working to improve the quality of toilet paper by pursuing smoothness, absorbency, and softness, utilising the calendar and embossing equipment of our pilot converting machines. Similarly, for kitchen paper, research and prototyping on bulkiness and embossing patterns are actively underway to enhance absorbency beyond conventional products, with prototyping conducted using our pilot converting machines.
Data obtained from these pilot facilities is incorporated into the introduction or modification of calendar and embossing equipment for both new and existing winders, which is well received by our customers.”
Romanini: “The R&D centres at Toscotec and Voith look beyond short-term market trends or individual product categories. Our focus is on the entire tissue ecosystem, prioritising energy and resource saving. We believe true innovation must foresee needs long before they turn into a necessity for the mill.
“Our journey toward sustainability began long before and has always been part of our DNA. For example, we pioneered the Steel Yankee Dryer (TT SYD) over 25 years ago, anticipating the global shift toward drying efficiency well before it became the industry standard.
“Today, we continue to pave the way with tangible solutions like our 100% hydrogen burner. Although green hydrogen is not yet commercially available in most mills, we have already developed the technology to ensure our clients are “future-proof” and ready for the energy transition.
In addition, through Voith’s MillOne, the innovative ecosystem that empowers paper mills worldwide by integrating advanced automation and AI, human expertise and production processes are enhanced.
“Ultimately, our developments are driven by the global trend toward decarbonisation, by providing tailor-made technology – from induction drying to water-saving systems.”
Johansson: “As demonstrated in the first question, a substantial amount of information is collected throughout various processes; however, it is not yet presented in a manner that allows customers to effectively utilise this data via system interfaces and machine settings.
“In response, Valmet has introduced the Digital JumboRoll, which enhances communication between the tissue machine and converting lines, leading to improved coordination, reduced disturbances, and increased overall efficiency
“As production speeds continue to increase in TAD machines, we have identified the Yankee transfer as a key area to focus on. To address this, we developed the Advantage ViscoTransfer technology to significantly improve runnability. Our earlier work with Advantage ViscoNip technology gave us a completely new understanding of sheet transfer dynamics – insights that were not possible with previous available technologies. This knowledge has now enabled what is potentially the most important breakthrough in structured machine technology in the past 20 years.”
TWM/3: What developments have you made in terms of energy / sustainability?
Guadagno: “The developments fall into several key areas:
Fossil-free energy solutions using sources of electricity and available steam as alternatives for the tissue drying process, thereof for example
Bio‑syngas drying – delivery of the industry’s first bio-syngas-powered drying system to operate 100% on bio-syngas
Hybrid electric air heating system for Yankee hoods enabling mills to flexibly switch between electricity and natural gas
High-temperature drying with gas-heated hoods for optimised energy use (temperatures of up to 530°C possible)
- Solutions that minimise energy, fibre, water, and chemical usage
- Digital optimisation for real‑time efficiency improvements
- Energy‑efficient recycling processes
- A strong ESG framework driving sustainable innovation.”
Goda: “In the field of research and development, we are advancing research on the dehydration and sheet formation of Cellulose Nano Fibres (CNF) as part of our technological development for sustainable materials.
“Using pilot equipment installed at our Technical Centre, we have successfully produced transparent CNF sheets using chemically defibrated CNF raw materials, in addition to the already established continuous sheet formation using 100% CNF raw materials.
“Furthermore, these studies have yielded results in the dehydration and concentration enhancement of other difficult-to-dehydrate materials. We are working to establish the mechanical technology necessary for mass-producing CNF materials and difficult-to-dehydrate materials, which are highly valued as materials for a circular society.”
Romanini: “First, we maximise energy recovery through the latest innovations in Toscotec’s Energy Pack, including TT TurboDryer – developed to increase post-press dryness by using the available energy in hood exhaust; TT Swing – the hood management solution for flexible drying capacity control; TT DryingEquilibrium – a dedicated hood balancing solution to maintain well-balanced operating conditions; and TT SteamBooster – the heat recovery component for steam generation and thermal efficiency. These systems enable a multi-stage heat recovery chain, ensuring complete thermal optimisation.
“Furthermore, together with Voith, we are working on the future full-autonomous mill. With such components as MillOne, sustainability is driven forward: it helps reducing waste and lowering energy consumption, enhancing predictive maintenance and ensuring a more sustainable and cost-effective production process.
“Building on these efficient technologies, we are actively designing the paper mill of the future – by pursuing the complete electrification of the papermaking process to eliminate fossil fuels. This is a proven reality: we already have three electric paper mill references in Europe operating for almost two years.
“Finally, our breakthrough TT Induction SYD, a fully electrified Yankee dryer, provides the final step, replacing steam with renewable electricity for carbon-free production.”
Johansson: “Sustainability remains a priority in our operations, and we continuously strive to optimise energy consumption per ton for high-production machines. Our efforts focus on reducing energy levels through advanced technologies such as ViscoNip. We also emphasise flexibility in energy sources – options such as hydrogen, electricity, and green steam can be utilised for hood and Yankee drying to support sustainable tissue production. For us the full mill design is very important and how we design the mill is of outmost importance both to create an energy and water efficient systems.
“We see that when we apply our latest technology on our full range of machine concept offerings. We can design tissue mills that have the lowest water consumption on the market independently on machine concept. We also view efficiency as essential to sustainability, and the integration of technologies such as ViscoTransfer allows customers to achieve higher operational efficiency, resulting in significant energy and raw material savings.”
TWM/4: What technical trends will be key for the industry in 2026, and what role will AI play here?
Guadagno: “New drying technologies for premium, soft, high-absorbency grades, high-speed machines, expanding recycled fibre utilisation (increasing demand for resource-efficient, circular production models).
“The rise of AI/machine Learning (ML), digital twins, and autonomous control systems is clearly identified as a transformational force for the industry.
“Andritz is actively developing autonomous operations via AI and digital twin technology, with the aim to enable significant gains in operational autonomy by 2027, driven by digitalisation and advanced control solutions.”
Goda: “In paper machines and converting equipment, unexpected failures cause prolonged machine downtime and pose the greatest risk. The situation where sufficient maintenance personnel cannot be secured persists.
“As a solution to this, we have developed an equipment diagnostic system. While various products are sold by sensor manufacturers, they are not specialised for paper machinery. Consequently, some customers find it difficult to utilize them fully.
“Therefore, Kawanoe Zoki has developed a more user-friendly product based on its accumulated experience in paper machinery. By integrating AI with these diagnostic systems, it becomes possible to detect equipment-specific abnormalities. This helps prevent sudden failures and serves as a tool supporting effective preventive maintenance activities, regardless of the user’s experience level.”
Romanini: “In the coming year, the industry will focus on the dual journey of decarbonisation and digitalisation. We will continue reducing energy consumption and our environmental footprint through advanced recovery and alternative technologies and energy sources.
“For what concerns the role of AI, it will become increasingly vital as we move toward the concept of the autonomous mill.
“That being said, while AI is a key driver for process optimisation, we believe it cannot replace the human value of experience. We see AI as a tool for human empowerment, not replacement. We are actively working on these integrations to enhance control and safety, as AI tools provide operators with the means to better handle complex processes, minimise risks, and optimise efficiency.”
Johansson: “In the near-term, one of the most important technological trends will be increased data sharing – both between different parts of a single mill and across multiple mills within a group. When enhanced connectivity is combined with deeper data analytics, supported by AI, it enables entirely new possibilities for performance optimization.
“AI is becoming an essential part of manufacturing, helping companies improve industrial processes, product quality, and decision-making. It can further accelerate moving towards more autonomous operations. Analytical AI and machine learning are established technologies focusing on data processing and real-time analysis for tasks like process optimisation and quality control.
“The generative AI, on the other hand, helps to create new content and insights by learning from past and present data. Both types of AI will be relevant in the future – sometimes the best results require combining their capabilities. At Valmet, we use AI to improve our products and solutions while streamlining our operations for better service.
“Many of our existing technologies utilise analytical AI, from analysers and measurements to quality management. Take Valmet IQ Web Inspection and Machine Vision, for example, where our neural-based classification detects defects before they become problems.
“We also use intelligent mathematical models to improve mill-wide performance. While the focus here is on mathematical optimisation, these systems are powered by built-in intelligence, and we continue to develop them. While generative AI can help solve previously impossible challenges, it’s not a catch-all solution. Our first step is always to understand the specific needs and challenges when approaching a development.”
TWM/5: What geographical regions are seeing the most increases in tissue demand, and why is this happening?
Guadagno: “From a commercial and market development perspective, the strongest growth in tissue demand continues to come from the Asia Pacific region, which today represents the fastest expanding market globally. Demand is being driven by rapid urbanisation, rising disposable incomes, and the expansion of modern retail infrastructure – factors that significantly accelerate consumption of hygiene and convenience products, as highlighted in recent market analyses.
“We also see solid growth in Latin America, where similar socio-economic trends are driving increased adoption of tissue products across both household and commercial segments. In the Middle East and Africa, growth is starting from a smaller base but is steadily increasing due to the modernisation of retail, population expansion, and a consistently rising focus on hygiene products in recent years.
“Meanwhile, North America remains the largest mature market, characterised by exceptionally high per capita usage and a strong AfH sector. Although growth is more moderate, it is supported by sustainability trends and ongoing product premiumisation.
“Overall, these dynamics reflect a global shift toward higher hygiene standards and stronger consumption fundamentals. They also present clear opportunities for us to partner with customers through targeted, region-specific strategies – leveraging our comprehensive one supplier solutions and the strength of the global Andritz network.”
Goda: “The Indian market. With the world’s largest population of 1.4bn, a large youth demographic, and per capita tissue paper consumption of just 0.5 to 1 kilogram – extremely low – it possesses significant growth potential.
“Furthermore, alongside the recent expansion of the middle class, lifestyle changes driven by the penetration of the Clean India (Swachh Bharat Mission) policy are occurring rapidly. We believe tissue paper will integrate into the daily lives of ordinary citizens relatively quickly.”
Romanini: “We are seeing a dynamic landscape where different regions offer unique opportunities for high-efficiency tissue production.
“The North American market holds immense innovation potential. While the region has a long-standing history in tissue, there is a significant opportunity to modernise established assets. We are seeing a positive trend toward machine rebuilds, where we optimise existing lines to meet today’s increasingly important sustainability and efficiency goals.
“As for the LATAM region, it remains a key area for strategic expansion. Being a vibrant market, it continues to grow consistently, offering opportunities for new installations and industrial regional demand.
“The Indian market is currently experiencing extraordinary growth in tissue demand, making it one of the most exciting global regions for new industrial development and high-capacity installations.”
Johansson: “Tissue paper demand is growing fastest in China, Latin America, and AsiaPacific (about 2.5-5%) due to a combination of structural and behavioural factors. From a capacity point of view China is by far the region/country with the highest growth 0.9m tpy partly due to its population size.
“Many countries or regions in these areas have a low percapita tissue consumption but very large populations, meaning small increases in usage generate significant volume growth. Rapid urbanisation is shifting households toward modern sanitation and disposable hygiene products, while rising disposable incomes are turning tissue from an occasional purchase into a daily necessity. Postpandemic hygiene awareness has become structural rather than temporary, reinforcing higher usage across households and institutions. At the same time, strong expansion in AfH sectors – such as healthcare, hospitality industry, offices, and foodservice – is accelerating commercial tissue demand.
“Finally, the growth of modern retail and ecommerce is improving product accessibility and affordability, enabling faster market penetration than in mature Western markets.”
