PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL Driving decarbonization in modern papermaking. Oliver Six, Sales Manager Paper Industries, Everllence

PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL Driving decarbonization in modern papermaking. How advanced vacuum technology is helping Magnera slash energy use, cut emissions, and modernize papermaking. Oliver Six, Sales Manager Paper Industries, Everllence
INTRODUCTION:
In the German town of Gernsbach, papermaking is more than an industry — it is part of the town’s identity. For more than 140
years, paper has been produced here, with generations of workers shaping a tradition that helped turn the region into one of Germany’s
recognized centers for papermaking expertise. But today, inside the historic mill operated by Magnera, another transformation is underway:
the push toward decarbonization.
Image 1: Nearly 150 years ago, industrial paper
production began in Gernsbach, helping shape the
town’s development. Today, innovation is helping
reduce energy consumption. ©Raphael Zubler /
Everllence
A major source of that energy demand comes
from vacuum systems used during the dewatering
stage of paper production. Traditionally, paper mills rely
on water-ring pumps to create the vacuum needed to
remove moisture from the paper web. These systems
consume large amounts of water and electricity while
also generating heat that must later be cooled before
discharge.
Recognizing the inef昀椀ciency, Magnera began
searching for a more sustainable solution.
Faced with rising energy costs, mounting environmental
pressures, and the need to modernize operations, Magnera recently
retro昀椀tted two of its paper machines with advanced TURBAIR®
vacuum blowers from Everllence. The results have been dramatic
— electricity consumption has been cut in half, while water and gas
usage have fallen signi昀椀cantly as well.
“We’ve long placed great importance on energy
saving,” says Paul Stangenberg, Project Manager
at Magnera. “But in recent years, especially with
increasing electricity and gas prices, the urgency has
grown even more.”
A High-Energy Industry Under Pressure
Papermaking is one of the world’s most energyintensive industrial processes. Producing specialty
papers such as tea bags, coffee 昀椀lters, automotive
papers, and technical grades requires vast amounts of
electricity, heat, and water.
At the Gernsbach mill, the scale of consumption
is immense. According to Stangenberg, the site is
among the largest industrial gas consumers in BadenWürttemberg, while its electricity demand rivals that of
a small city.
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Image 2: By replacing water-ring pumps, the twin TURBAIR®
units help reduce energy, water, and maintenance needs.
©Andrin Winteler / Everllence

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