Coming to TAPPICon 2023 - Tech solutions to help drive a circular economy and a fast Return-on-Investment

The demand for paper products remains significant even in the digital age, with the global pulp and paper industry expected to reach a value of roughly 373 billion U.S. dollars by 2029, according to market analyst Statista. Yet consumer preferences are also changing, with a greater focus on sustainable and socially responsible products. At the same time, manufacturers are increasingly on the lookout for new technologies to streamline production costs without negatively affecting quality.

The adoption of “smart” manufacturing technologies and techniques will be a major focal point of this year’s TAPPICon convention, which takes place in April at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA. At the event, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of testing and measuring devices, emtec Electronic, will partner with Technidyne of Industrial Physics to demonstrate a line of innovative digital products geared toward achieving product and process optimization while reducing operating costs.

These include, for example, the testing duo CAS touch! Charge Analyzing System and FPA touch! Fiber Potential Analyzer, which is able to quickly and reliably determine the cationic demand of the pulp and zeta potential of fibers in the wet end, allowing technicians to administer the correct dosage of additives and thereby reduce resource waste. The result is a higher quality product, produced using fewer resources and lower energy costs, which leads to a quick return-on-investment (ROI).

Other products on display include the TSA Tissue Softness Analyzer, which has been reviewed in TAPPI TIP (Technical Information Paper) 0808-07 and has since become an industry standard for the objective softness measurement of tissue and hygiene products. In addition, the EST Surface & Sizing Tester helps predict the gluability, printability and coatability of paper and board by measuring the converting-relevant parameters surface sizing (surface hydrophobicity) and surface pore structure. As the need for robust paper packaging increases, improvements along these parameters result in a higher quality that can quickly become a unique selling point for a particular product.

Visitors to the TAPPICon are encouraged to learn more about the benefits and measuring principles behind the emtec devices and discuss new ideas with Alexander Grüner (emtec Electronic) by visiting the emtec/Technidyne Booth No. 1020.