Around 300 international customers and 50 high-level speakers gathered in Heidenheim at the global Voith Paper Customer Event 2024 for a unique three-day experience and inspiring papermaking insights

The Voith Paper Customer Event 2024, under the motto “Source of Success”, is one to remember. Among the standout moments of this year’s three-day event from October 14-16, was seeing valued customers from around the world take the stage to share their successful strategies, best practices and key partnerships in papermaking. Their personal contributions brought real-world insights that resonated with the audience. Notably, every region was represented on stage.

The unique format of the event was designed to be flexible, interactive and highly relevant. It was an opportunity to showcase the close partnerships that are crucial to driving the industry forward in terms of sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness. For this reason, Voith's customers were the focus of attention.

Three focus areas: Innovation, Digitalization, Sustainability
The plenary sessions on the three focus topics “Innovation”, “Sustainability” and “Digitalization” took place on the main stage. Each session showcased a case study or project that was presented by a customer together with a Voith expert.

In “Source of Innovation”, the focus was on the latest innovation highlights and the power of partnerships to push boundaries in papermaking, drive efficiency and achieve record-breaking milestones. The sessions were led by Matthew Szymanski, Vice President of Mill Operations at Green Bay Packaging, Armin Vetter, Managing Director at Schoellershammer, Luiz Francisco Almeida, Engineering and Maintenance Planning Manager at Klabin, and Ying Guangdong, Vice General Manager and Chief Engineer at Sun Paper.

In “Source of Sustainability”, the spotlight turned to future-oriented, long-term partnerships that have committed to decarbonizing papermaking. Thought-provoking sessions were led by Dr. Stefan Karrer, COO at Koehler Group, and Dr. Thomas Pfitzner, Project Director Innovation Projects at Stora Enso. Elena Viviani, Technology Area Director Papermaking and Disruptive Innovation at Essity, spoke about the company’s joint mission with Voith to disrupt the status quo with dry, carbon-neutral papermaking.

Finally, in “Source of Digitalization”, the focus was on ground-breaking digital solutions and the future of mill operations. Dr. Thomas Welt, CEO at Laakirchen Papier AG, Fernando Carroquino, Industrial Director at SAICA Paper, and Lars Mallasch, Group Technical & Sustainability Director at Mondi, shared real-world experiences, practical solutions and personal predictions.

Panel discussions with industry leaders
In total, there were three panel discussions during the event, which provided a platform for leading papermakers to openly explore the key trends and challenges in papermaking today. The first focused on the crucial next steps along the road to decarbonizing papermaking, while the second critically assessed the potential of autonomous operations. Finally, the CEO Panel saw industry leaders debate economic developments and the future of papermaking.

A diverse program tailored to customer interests
Participants used a dedicated event app to tailor the diverse program to suit their specific interests and goals. 12 Expert Talk sessions offered deep dives into the technologies of paper production – from quality control to modern cyber-security, innovations along the paper machine and performance-boosting remote support through OnPerformance.Lab.
On tour and up close with papermaking experts and customers
One highly anticipated slot was the behind-the-scenes tour of the Voith Paper Innovation Hub. This was an opportunity for customers to see Voith R&D activities up close and attend presentations on the latest Voith innovations. The experts involved in the product development and real-world implementation were available to answer questions. Throughout the three-day event, an interactive exhibition showcasing digital innovations and booths from Toscotec, BTG, Meri and Yangi were a constant hive of activity and interest. Further networking opportunities were provided during breaks and lunches, and, most entertainingly, at the gala dinner and show.