Valmet's Fabrics business unit published its sustainability action plan in 2021.
“Since then, we have strived to reduce the climate impact of our products. We have improved material efficiency and developed recycling practices for used paper machine fabrics. In addition, we have spent hundreds of hours looking for opportunities to use bio-based or recycled materials in our production. The first press felt with a lower carbon footprint is an excellent result of the work done,” says Valmet’s Product Development Manager Katriina Markkula.
“Developing a more sustainable press felt has not been an easy ride in the fast lane. On the contrary – it has been a long journey. And in fact, the introduction of Valmet Press Felt EMX M Bioneer is just the first step on this journey.”
Valmet Press Felt EMX M Bioneer
“Valmet Press Felt EMX M Bioneer is the same product as its predecessor, Valmet Press Felt EMX M, a reliably functioning press felt with good water treatment capacity and a long service life. It only has a smaller carbon footprint. In Valmet Press Felt EMX M Bioneer, part of the fossil-based raw material is replaced with a bio-based alternative using the mass balance method,” says Katriina Markkula.
According to Valmet, raw materials, such as forest industry residues and used cooking oil, are broken down into monomers, i.e. basic organic chemicals, which have the same properties as fossil monomers. When they are processed into polymers and further into yarns and fibers, their properties remain the same. It is therefore impossible to distinguish bio- and fossil-based materials from each other in the final product.
“The mass balance method is based on accurate accounting, and the entire supply chain must be certified to ensure that no emissions are generated at any point. Valmet's press felt production in Tampere has received ISCC PLUS certification,” says Satu Hagfors, Project Manager, Research and Development at Valmet.
Excellent and consistent quality
“The test results show that the quality of this yarn is as good as our traditional yarn. We have also produced test felts, and there have been no deviations in the production process. Customer tests on paper machines also show that press felts made from this yarn perform as well as those made from traditional yarn. Valmet Press Felt EMX M Bioneer is an excellent product,” says Kati Mikkonen, Valmet's product development engineer and project manager of the Bioneer project.
What? Valmet has developed the Valmet Press Felt EMX M Bioneer press felt with a smaller carbon footprint than before, in which part of the fossil-based raw material is replaced with a bio-based alternative.
Why? Valmet's Fabrics business unit has been working for several years to reduce the climate impact of its products. Both material efficiency and recycling practices for used paper machine fabrics have been continuously improved.
