Mr. Jatia and Mr. Arun Jatia

Pudumjee uses recycled paper in innovative way. It uses 100% recycled tissue paper as the base for a host of hygiene products made under the brand name, Greenlime, its flagship brand. Taking its eco-friendly philosophy forward, the company has set up a futuristic waste-paper ‘de-inking and pulping’ facility.

The tissue paper industry, globally, is faced with two major challenges. The first is the holistic challenge of educating consumers to use disposable and biodegradable products.

The second is the ecological challenge that involves shattering set myths and convincing longstanding users of non-tissue based cleaning products to switch over to tissue made from 100% recycled paper. Hygiene and sanitation are not, indeed should not, be the privilege of a few but should be easily accessible to India’s teeming millions. With that as their aim and with their efforts to understand the diverse consumer needs, through Greenlime brand, they have devised a 360-degree line-up of world class hygiene solutions, that include futuristic tissue and handwash dispensers, paper towels, facial tissues and napkins, toilet rolls, wet wipes, disposable bed covers, antibacterial and biodegradable liquid and foam handwash, hand-sanitizer, automatic odor neutralizers and adding to the range consistently. These cater to diverse enterprises such as offices, hospitals, airlines and high-volume food processing industry and service facilities.

Since Consumer satisfaction is their primary goal, they have gone that extra mile to prepare base sheets for each category of products to suit not only their type but also their disposal methods.

Special initiatives like the ‘washroom etiquette kit’ to help those who hail from small towns to use modern washrooms best reflect Pudumjee’s philosophy of promoting a hygienic lifestyle. They have also encouraged consumers to know more about tissue products and test the tissue quality by printing testing method instructions on the tissue packs.

Pudumjee Hygiene has made a mark in the tissue paper industry simply because as a company it stresses complete hygiene solutions rather than isolated off-the-shelf products that lack insight. By embossing its brand name on tissue sheets and branding the inner core of toilet rolls, Pudumjee products promise consistency of quality. And consistent attention to these details has made it the only tissue company in India with 3 ISO certifications for Quality management, Environmental management and Food Safety Management Systems; to its credit.

Further, aimed at specific needs of user groups, Pudumjee offers customised products in various shapes, colours and sizes. The Management considers the quality assurance that comes with it, “priceless”.

Century Pulp and Paper (CPP), under the dynamic chairmanship of Mr. B. K. Birla, has entered the tissue business in a big way through the installation of India’s largest and most modern tissue machine. In January this year the company, which is part of the B. K. Birla Group, completed a INR 1.75 billion investment project which includes a new 100 ton per day DCT tissue machine and stock prep lines from Metso, as well as rewinders from A. Celli. PM5 marks CPP’s ambitious foray into the Indian tissue business; it will be capable of making 36,000 tons per year of high quality soft tissue based on 100% virgin fiber.

Established in the year 1984 at Lalkua, a township near the foothills of Himalayas in the state of Uttrakhand, the company after expansion and modernization, presently operates five production lines at the following installed capacities:

Product Array

CPP range of products includes finest varieties of writing and printing, industrial papers, specialty papers, security papers, copy paper and soft tissue from diversified range of raw materials. CPP also manufactures Rayon grade pulp; raw material for viscose filament yarn/staple fiber and bleached hardwood paper grade pulp.

The company has established a strong Brand image in the domestic and overseas market with excellent Quality of it’s products and services and caters to diversified sectors like Note Books, Diaries, Continuous Stationary, Copier, Envelopes, Offset Printing, Security Papers, Industrial papers and Viscose Filament Yarn & Cellophane Paper. CPP is currently focusing on establishing its tissue market by selling jumbo reels, before entering into the tissue products segment under the brand name of Century. It will be sold through distribution and retail networks to end-consumers and institutional clients, such as hotels, airlines, F&B industry etc. This will include setting up a conversion plant in North India, for which the company has already got machinery from Taiwan. This will be followed by plants all over India.

Marketing & Branding

A strong marketing and branding plan is already in place. CPP intend to develop the market in a very positive manner through creative marketing and promotion. With this new tissue machine, the company will be able to feed its brand for finished products, while also displacing some of the jumbo roll imports in to the country.

Growing Tissue Culture

In India there is huge potential of tissue consumption as the culture of tissue usage will slowly come about. It will happen, particularly when international events like Commonwealth Games will be held. Secondly, quality soft tissue is not made in India, and everything is imported. The initiative was to provide high quality tissue made indigenously. CPP maintains bulk between 6 and 8 while in India bulk is usually between 3-4.Moreover with the increased awareness about hygiene the demand for soft tissue demand is expected to grow at much faster pace.

An Import Substitute

Century has installed most modern tissue machine with gas fired tissue dyers to compete with the international quality standards. The product is well accepted in the market due to inherent properties such as softness and bulk. Century has been quite successful to replace importation of Soft Tissue in the Indian market by providing superior product to the domestic consumers.

Commitment to Quality and Service

At CPP, quality is an all pervasive commitment. The company always strive to continually improve the quality of its products and services which has been affirmed in the form of ISO-9001:2000 certification for its quality management systems. The company has been responsive to the changing market requirement and has developed new quality products to care to the varying end uses.

Expansion:

The company is already moving ahead with a giant expansion set for startup in late 2009/early 2010. This includes a big new 500 tpd Board machine to make high quality coated board as well as a large ECF hardwood pulp line. The pulp line will produce 450 tpd in a batch process, while the paper machine will be making very high quality coated board for packaging applications such as foods, liquids, medical items and various consumer products.

In March 2008, Fripa started up the first Andritz PrimeLine COMPACT – a complete tissue-making line from stock preparation to the parent roll, including automation. Located in Miltenberg, in the heart of Germany, the fast-moving Fripa stays ahead of its competition by investing in ultra-modern converting lines and packaging systems to give it extreme flexibility.

Andreas Noack, MD, Fripa shakes hand with Gunter Offenbacher, Senior Manager Sales for tissue systems from Andritz

Fripa’s investment goal, according to Managing Director Andreas Noack, was to install a new line capable of producing approximately 100 t/d of high-quality tissue that was easy to install, easy to start up, easy to operate, and easy to maintain.

“The tissue industry is a dynamic business,” says Noack. “Changing consumer habits have a more direct influence on tissue than on other paper grades. This means that the technologies we employ must be flexible to meet these changing requirements. For Fripa, these requirements can be reached more efficiently with flexible, middle-sized machines, like the COMPACT design.”

First installation based on trust

 “In 1996, Andritz rebuilt our PM 5 and did a very good job,” says Andreas Liebich, Division Manager Paper Production. “The cooperation was very good and they proved their technical competence to us. They also have excellent references for delivering tissue machines with good price-performance ratios. Based upon this trust, we did not feel there would be extra risk to install the first PrimeLine COMPACT line.”

“Even in business, there is an emotional side,” Noack says. “Business is a matter of trust. You don’t build trust with a company, but with people. We have a good, stable relationship with Andritz people that have been proven over the years. Our Andritz contacts, both on the technical and commercial side have been excellent. This is important for us as a medium-sized business.”

COMPACT, but full-featured

 “Each component in the PrimeLine family has unique strengths and innovations,” says Günter Offenbacher, Andritz’s Senior Manager Sales for tissue systems. “The COMPACT production line is no exception.”

The idea behind COMPACT is to combine cost efficiency with proven quality. A special project team made up of Andritz process experts, engineers, manufacturing specialists, customers, and industry designers was created to arrive at the final design. The key to COMPACT’s cost efficiency is the level of standardization – which reduces engineering hours, manufacturing hours, installation time, and even transport costs.

“Single modules can be shipped in standard containers, with the exception of the Yankee,” Offenbacher says. The components are combined in standard arrangements to achieve the speed and production capacity required by each customer. In Fripa’s case, the new PM6 is configured for 30,000 t/a production and a machine speed up to 2000 m/min. The paper width is 2.75 m. 

The stock preparation system is an Andritz ShortFlow™ design and is sized for 120 bdt/d of bleached virgin pulps. The FibreSolve™ pulper with two conveying lines is a combined solution for hardwood and softwood fibers. The hardwood line (60 bdt/d) consists of a protection screen, a deflaker, and a TwinFlo™ refiner. The softwood line (60 bdt/d) is very similar but with two refiners.

In addition to the stock preparation, Andritz also delivered equipment for the broke line (20 bdt/d capacity) and the systems for water recirculation and fiber recovery. The approach flow system to PM6 supports a two-layer headbox. It consists of a ShortFlow™ blending system (for wire and felt layers) as well as the headbox screens and fan pumps and gives Fripa lots of flexibility for grammage and color changes.

“The two-layer headbox has a stiff lamella which allows us to optimize the purity and fiber structure of each layer by adjusting the jet velocities of each layer,” Liebich says. “From our point of view, the two-layer headbox in combination with a suction roll and high-temperature hood offers the best combination to produce high-quality toilet paper with a relatively low chemical input.” The PrimeForm Crescent Former generates a uniform paper web with the best possible formation quality. The press section consists of a single suction press for high product quality. Following the press, the PrimeDry Yankee is ribbed and optimized for a high heat flow and an even drying profile. The high-efficiency EquiDry S hood is designed for 600°C and has automated Correcta-zones which allow regulation of the moisture profile. Beginning at the creping doctors, the sheet run is equipped with threading and sheet support equipment and a dust removal system. The reel, called the Prime Reel Standard, is pneumatically controlled and includes a linear primary arm and a pivoting secondary arm.

A working partnership

Like every project, this one had its challenges. “A big challenge for us was the Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz (BlmSch), the federal law for emissions protection,” Noack says. “We do not deal with that on a regular basis, so it was considerable work for us to go through the licensing procedure. Even with the support of our provincial government, it took one year to get all the permissions.”

Another challenge was the space issue. Fripa defined the place for the new machine and had to purchase some additional real estate. This impacted their existing infrastructure during the construction phase.

“But despite these challenges on our side, the project was executed in an excellent way and progressed smoothly,” Noack says.

“We chose a turnkey delivery from Andritz,” Liebich says. “Fripa contributed only some small parts of the total installation. We built the hall and provided the steam, water, and electricity for the machine.”

“We did not have a dedicated project team to work solely on the new PM6,” Noack says. “Our employees had to cope with double workloads, because they had their regular jobs to do. That is probably the situation in many small and middle-sized businesses, so we relied heavily on Andritz’s project team. What impressed me was that we were able to bring in our own ideas and know-how to the project. Andritz was flexible and encouraged a true partnership. It’s not just a commercial transaction for them, but an exchange of ideas and solutions. This has not been the case with other suppliers, especially in a turnkey delivery. ”

Full speed in two weeks

In mid-March, Fripa began the start-up of the COMPACT line on a “stop-and-go” basis with the machine running at 1000 m/min. During the whole start-up phase, only about five tonnes of off-spec paper was produced. The small amount of rejects and the fast startup were impressive accomplishments.

Within a few days, production was continuous, with the machine reaching incremental speeds of 1300 and 1500 m/min. After only two weeks, operational speeds of 1800 m/min were achieved. Also, after two weeks, the machine was operated completely by the Fripa team, without Andritz personnel on site. Andritz supported with 24-hour telephone availability for any questions or problems, but there were few occasions to use it. “We had a very good start-up and reached relatively high production of super-soft toilet paper very quickly,” Liebich says.

“Minimizing chest volumes, together with the ShortFlow blending system, has helped us optimize production,” says Helmut Hofherr, Head of Paper Production at Fripa. “Changes in the ratio of fiber input or strength properties are conveyed to the machine very quickly which results in faster grade changes and more efficient optimization work. I was particularly surprised by the Andritz automation systems, especially in the stock preparation area. The sequencing of start-ups, grade changes, and shutdowns all run perfectly.”

Energy and environmental advantages

 “The new machine is not as high as conventional machines and is engineered in a very compact, modularized design,” Liebich says. “This configuration has several advantages. Wire and felt changes can be made with minimal downtime. The machine is easier to clean than a conventional machine, as it is smaller and more open.”

One of the design goals of the COMPACT design was energy-efficiency. According to Offenbacher of Andritz, the COMPACT concept with ShortFlow™ leads to less energy consumption, and also contributes to a faster return on investment. “In the future, papermaking in Germany will not be possible without taking energy factors into consideration,” Noack explains. “Energy will become the decisive question, as it highly influences the product from the cost side. The energy input on PM6 is as low as we estimated, but our goal is to get it even lower. We have done a very good job of optimizing PM5, and I believe we can be as successful with the new machine.”

The same can be said about effluent volumes. “On PM5, we have about 1.8 l per kg of production,” Liebich says. “For the new PM6, we installed special components to further close the effluent loop. The amount of effluent is below what Andritz estimated, but we are sure there are further optimization possibilities.

“Today, the stock preparation systems and water treatment systems are already fully optimized,” Liebich continues. “We still have some adjustments to make to the machine for product optimization. I think this should be completed by the end of the year. We have very high paper quality standards and want to reach a similar quality level at significantly higher speeds as we have on our optimized PM5 right now.”

Flexibility in the market

As for Fripa’s markets, Noack is optimistic. “Before you can discuss the overall market, you always have to ask what your own position is,” he says. “There are companies that strongly focus on Europe. And, there are others that are positioned locally. We consider ourselves to be in the second category. We’re a middle-sized business with our main focus in Germany. Due to acquisitions and takeovers, the competitive situation is tough, but there are advantages as well. As a result of mergers, customers are seeking alternative suppliers. From this point of view, new and interesting relationships will be initiated.”

Firstly, to displace cheap, hard tissue (non-absorbent), which is actually poster grade. It is imperative to generate awareness about the superiority of soft crepe tissue over hard tissue (MG Poster), and thereby influence its demand.

Secondly, to change the current demand blueprint for tissue, by harnessing the growing upper-middle class. As suggested by Mr. Lakhotia, favorable changes in the living standards have augmented tissue consumption. Domestic purchases in tissue have been focused around institutional, AFH (Away from Home) tissue, with a 50%- 60% share in domestic purchase from tissue manufacturers.

Therefore, it is important to create to new sensibilities, such as an uncompromising nature towards hygiene, along with creating high quality, affordable soft tissue, in order to make tissue a necessity in our daily lives.

Mr. M.L. Pachisia,

MD, Orient Paper & Industries Ltd.

Traditionally, consumption of tissue products was not common in Indian society. Therefore, its demand in India was miniscule until a few years ago. With changing lifestyles and greater exposure to global trends, demand for tissue products has been increasing at a CAGR of over 15% since early 2000. We consider demand to increase at this rate over the next decade.

There is a growing realisation that use of disposable paper tissue products is hygienic and user-friendly. As a result, there has been all-round growth in demand for tissue products for both Home and Away from Home usage, such as toilet rolls, paper napkins, kitchen towels, toilet towels and facial tissues. Currently, a substantial part of the paper napkins segment demand is for MG paper, due to economy considerations. But this trend is also gradually moving towards soft tissue.

In spite of the substantial growth in consumption, India continues to be amongst one of the lowest tissue consuming markets on per capita basis, with a total tissue consumption estimated at around 40,000 tons per year.

Use of tissue products is an integral part of the lifestyle of developed countries, with 80% consumption of tissue in toilet and towel grades and 20% in napkin and other over-the-table tissue products. Consumption pattern gradually shifting towards higher % of total consumption for toilet rolls, paper towels, paper handkerchiefs and facial tissues. Some of the leading healthcare institutions have also recently started using disposable paper sheets instead of traditional cloth sheets, and this trend is likely to gain momentum.

Recently added capacities in the country will be underutilized for some time, unless a part of the production can be exported. Another change we envisage is in the area of tissue converting units. Traditionally, converting facilities in India have been dominated by small scale and unorganized industries. With increase in volumes and varieties, larger scale and more organized sector, converting facilities are expected to come up.

Mr. R.L. Lakhotia,

Sr. President, Century Pulp & Paper

There is huge potential for tissue consumption in India. The tissue industry is poised to surpass 15% growth due to many favourable changes. Industrial changes (such as growth in IT sector, Tourism, MNC’s), sociological changes (such as the growing upper-middle class), lifestyle changes, change in people’s attitudes towards hygiene, freshness and cleanliness; all this has augmented tissue consumption. Also, tissue consumption is increasing tremendously in institutions like hospitals, malls, office complexes, F&B chains etc. Besides, the Commonwealth Games shall create huge domestic demand for tissue .

Indian tissue consumption is of mainly hard non-absorbent tissue, unlike international usage. Due to growing awareness in personal hygiene, hard tissue will be replaced completely by soft and absorbent tissue in the near future.

Mr. G.G. Shenoy,

MD, Premier Tissues India Ltd.

In India, the tissue industry is at a very primitive stage. We were expecting a tremendous growth in tissue industry , which has not come about. Tissue is a hygiene product, but unfortunately Indians are unaware of modern hygiene practices. After the growth in the IT industry, the tissue consumption has grown enormously, mainly due to Indians seeing the usage of tissue after going abroad and seeing the usage of tissue . Awareness among the people will definitely give growth to the industry. So it is important for the public to know the hygienic benefits of using tissue paper.

Everybody is enthused about tissue, and planning to install a tissue plant. this will certainly be a problem and create lots of dilemmas. I think that growth will certainly be there, but supply has to commensurate with the growth.

Mr. Rajiv Jain,

Director, Swastic Sales Corporation

With increased awareness about personal hygiene, the Indian tissue market is growing. There is a growth of 40% to 50% in the soft tissue market. The recession has had a minimal impact on domestic tissue consumption, as people are uncompromising about personal hygiene. More and more tissue mills are coming up, but only mills offering good quality at economical prices will be successful.

Post-recession, the international tissue market is in a state of decline, particularly in developed countries like UK and USA with a 5-6% fall in consumption. Whereas, improvement in Indian standards of living, and increased awareness about personal hygiene is leading to an increase in soft  tissue consumption.

Mr. Sumit Khanna,

Beeta Tissues

With increase in income and international exposure, tissue consumption has to increase. The fastest growing segment will be paper napkins and minimum growth will be in toilet paper. Succinctly put, the future looks great, but globally speaking, the present seems pessimistic.

The growth has been between 10-20%, depending upon the region. However, an exponential curve is expected in the future. We foresee faster machines, fall in paper prices, increase in exports (which was not possible till recently) and increase in size of existing established players. There is a huge difference in tissue consumption and culture between India, and the rest of the world. It is not habitual for Indians to use toilet paper, resulting in very low consumption of tissue paper.

Today, PAAE resins are used in practically all types of wet strength papers, including household products such as paper towels, napkins and tissue; packaging materials as liquid and food packaging, corrugated boxes and paper bags; and specialties as industrial filters, decorative laminates and label papers.

Though the chlorine bleaching process mainly contributes to the AOX pollution of paper mills effluents, PAAE resins with a high level of DCP (1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol) and MCPD (3- monochloropropane-1,2-diol) are also AOX contributors. Therefore considerable efforts have been performed, in order to develop environmentally friendly wet strength resins with a reduced level of DCP and MCPD.

Over 20 years at the edge of the wet strength research, BK Giulini offers a wide variety of PAAE resins. GILUTON wet strength agents comply with the high quality requirements of papermakers for tissue, laminates, wall and filter paper production.

Formaldehyde resins

Urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine-formaldehyde were the first synthetic polymers which reached commercial success in wet-strength paper application (graph 1). Both resins had been developed in order to fit the traditionally acidic conditions in the papermaking industry. However, in the mid 1980s the usage of these polymers has declined significantly due to the need for applications in neutral medium and environmental concerns about formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde emission from urea-formaldehyde resins, during manufacture of wet strength paper upon curing in the dryer section as well as from the finished paper products, contributes to formaldehyde exposure at the workplace. The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) decided therefore to regulate formaldehyde concentrations at the workplace and in the products sold to consumers.

Due to the concerns on the use of urea- and melamineformaldehyde polymers and the advantages of papermaking under alkaline conditions, another type of wet strength agents with different monomers has been developed.

PAAE resins

The first alkaline-curing wet-strength resins to become commercially available were the polyamidoamineepichlorohydrine (PAAE) resins. These gained immediate acceptance and rapidly started to replace urea-formaldehyde resins in many applications. PAAE resins offer numerous advantages, as the possibility to use less expensive fillers such as calcium carbonate, reduced machine corrosion and the compatibility with alkaline sizes.

PAAE resins are cationic and are thermosetting at near neutral and alkaline pH conditions. The development of wet strength in paper by using PAAE resins can be explained with two mechanisms. The first is referred as homo-crosslinking mechanism where the water-soluble PAAE resin is adsorbed by the cellulose and forms a crosslinked network when the paper is dried. When the paper next comes into contact with water, rehydratation and swelling of the cellulose is restricted by the resin network. The second mechanism imparts on the cocrosslinking of the PAAE resin with the fibres upon covalent bonds, which provides permanent wet strength.

The PAAE resins are produced by the reaction between adipic acid and diethylene triamine, and subsequent derivatization of the resulting pre-polymer (polyamidoamine) with epichlorohydrine. Graph 2 shows the condensation reaction of diethylene triamine with adipic acid during the synthesis of polyamidoamine. The reaction with epichlorohydrine creates highly reactive azetidinium groups along the polymer chain. The supposed intermediate structure of these highly reactive groups is shown on graph 3. These cationic azetidinium groups play the major part in the homo- and co-crosslinking mechanisms, which confer wet strength to paper.

Environmental concerns

Due to the high reactivity of epichlorohydrine, the reaction between polyamidamine and epichlorohydrine does not take place quantitatively. The synthesis of the PAAE resins gives also rise to a small amount of side products such as DCP (1,3- dichloropropane-2-ol) and MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,2- diol).

DCP an MCPD are generated upon hydrolysis of epichlorhydrine (graph 4). DCP and MCPD are products of low molecular weight, also classified as AOXs (adsorbable organic halides). The AOX level is measurable in accordance with various standards (DIN 38409, SCAN-W9:89, ISO 9562). As DCP is recognized to be genotoxic and carcinogenic, its presence in pulp and paper effluents had to be limited due to the concerns of the regulatory authorities.

The legal framework for water management in Germany is stipulated by the Federal Water Act which regulates waste water generated by various industrial processes. In these Act, the minimum requirements concerning waste water treatment, requirements concerning techniques of analysis and monitoring as well as limits for the content of specific substances are laid down for different industries. Therefore the paper industry has to respect different treshold values in order to conform to the german law. The actual treshold values for the AOX concentration is 100 g/l and the annual authorized freight is limited to 10 kg.

In the mid 1980s the neutral curing wet strength agents were drawn into the general discussion concerning the effects of AOX pollution to the environment. Their concentration in the waste waters of the paper mills had to be limited. All wet strength agents with a DCP content of more than 1000 ppm had to be labelled as “potentially carcinogenic” from then on. The pressure from the lawmakers led to the market introduction of the 2nd generation of neutral wet strength agents, whose content of residual epichlorohydrine and its hydrolysable products DCP and MCPD was greatly reduced. The graph 5 shows the development of DCP and MCPD in wet strength resins from the 1st to the 3rd generation.

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) published therefore recommendations for the assessment of the health risks of paper and paperboards that come into contact with food products. According to the XXXVI recommendation, papers that come into contact with food are to be produced in compliance with good manufacturing practice in such a way that, under normal or foreseeable conditions of use, they do not transfer their constituents to foods in quantities which could endanger human health.

Development of DCP and MCPD concentrations in PAAE wet strength resins

In order to respect this recommendation, DCP may not be detectable in the paper aqueous extract. The DCP concentration should therefore not exceed 2 g/l. Concerning MCPD; it should be as little present in the aqueous extract as technically possible. On 17th October 2002, the BfR published an upper limit for MCPD of 12 g/l in water extract of paper products.

The GILUTON wet strength agents are high efficient PAAE resins, which comply with the requirements of papermakers in terms of quality and environmental issues. Graph 6 presents the properties of three different GILUTON resins, from the 2nd to the 3rd generation. Wet strength resins of 3rd generation as GILUTON 1100/37 N are particularly valuable for the manufacture of paper for medical, cosmetic, or food contact uses.

There are clear differences between the GILUTON resins and products of 1st generation from local producers. For example, one competitor product which is currently widespread on the Indian market has been compared to GILUTON resins in terms of DCP and MCPD values. Though the competitor product has the same dry content as GILUTON 1100/28 N, it contains about 17 times more DCP than GILUTON 1100/28 N!

Contrary to competitor products, the chemical composition of all GILUTON wet strength resins corresponds to recommendation XXXVI of the BfR (www.bfr.bund.de) and complies with the requirements of the RAL environmental mark for paper(www.blauer-engel.de), the Nordic Swan Label (www.svanen.nu) and with the requirements of the FDA regulations 21 CFR §§ 176.170 and 176.180 (www.fda.gov).

Conclusions:

Today polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrine resins (PAAE) of 2nd and 3rd generations constitute the State of the Art in order to comply with the requirements of papermakers in terms of high quality and environmental issues. The conformity of the products to FDA and BfR represent a real guarantee for the customers, as these products can be used for production of paper or tissue with food contact. Moreover the conformity of wet strength resins to the RAL and Nordic Swan labels permit the production of papers which will obtain ecolabelling.

Beeta believes that business is not about profits, but about making an impact. An organization is not only about products but also about people. At Beeta, excellence is a fundamental principle, the pursuit of which originates from technically qualified promoters imbued with vision to steer it as the leader in manufacturing quality tissue paper products. Their international exposure, aspiration to contribute to the industry and managerial education has ensured commitment to three core values: Caring about customers, using teamwork to achieve goals, and continuous improvement and innovation. Beeta has always taken pride in being the industry’s trend-setters, by steadfastly innovating upon its merchandise.

Beeta’s product range includes paper napkins with 3 colours printing, toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, facial tissues, party packs and kitchen roll dispensers. The designs incorporated are trendy and smart, and utmost care is taken to ensure world-standard packaging. The product range is utilitarian yet extremely appealing, reflecting the passion with which they are designed.

Beeta’s prestigious clientele includes Spenser Retail Limited, Maruti Service Masters, Barista, Apollo Pharma, SAK CRS Retail Ltd, Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Big Apple, and Sabka Bazaar.

Tools for reaching energy targets

At Metso, Best Available Technology (BAT) and Best Operational Practices (BOP) are ongoing processes for helping tissue makers clearly define their product range and for assisting them in designing optimal, energy efficient production systems.

BAT models are important tools for determining the potential of energy reduction in the various process areas in a tissue line. At Metso such a model involves a state-of-the-art high-speed Advantage DCT 200 tissue machine, running at 2000 m/min. The target for this machine concept, when running at 100% energy efficiency, is to operate below 2000 kWh/ton or at about 30 to 35% less than most machines operates today.

Energy reductions since the Tissue World Conference 2007

By using new process solutions and energy efficient equipment described below, Metso has reduced the total energy consumption in tissue lines by 20% from 2 850 kWh/ton to 2 280 kWh/ton.

Smart design in stock preparation, an optimized layout of the building and an alternate process solution with reduced number of pumps plus reduction of chest sizes have cut energy consumption. Eliminating gear boxes for refiners and a new type of refiner segment also contribute to energy reduction in this area.

The elimination of secondary screening and an improved headbox design are the main reasons for reduced energy consumption in short circulation. Increasing of after press dryness, Yankee head insulation and increased exhaust humidity has trimmed energy consumption in drying.

New drive systems and reduced drag load have diminished consumption in drives. Replacing conventional water-ring pumps with turbo blowers has reduced consumption in the vacuum system.

In spite of these advances, Metso continues to develop and implement new technology to move beyond these current energy consumption reductions.

New forefront technologies

NTT press technology designed to improve solids content to as much as 47%, which gives an additional 12-14% reduction in drying energy consumption. A turbine positioned in the forming section can reduce electric power consumption by about 10%, when at least 50% of the energy from the slice jet flow is recovered to produce electricity. Positioning a steam generator directly after the hood, but before the air/air heat exchanger enhances the overall efficiency of the heat recovery system.

“At Metso our target is to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing productivity or quality,” says Borje Sandgren, Product Manager Energy, Tissue Business Line.

• Tissues grows by 11% in value terms to reach sales of Rs 694 million in 2007.
• Modern retailing helps boost the visibility and sales of tissues.
• Boxed facial tissues registers the fastest growth, at 12% in 2007.
• Average unit prices are kept in check due to growing competition.

TRENDS

• An increase in the number of supermarkets/ hypermarkets and convenience stores carrying a range of brands of tissues, including private label, helped boost sales of tissues in India in 2007. A wide display area dedicated to tissue products helped consumers become more familiar with these products, and their wide visibility on retail shelves, coupled with frequent promotions, helped boost consumer trials. Moreover, evolving consumer lifestyles, leading to greater time spent travelling and outside of the home led busy consumers to opt for the convenience of disposable tissues over cloth versions which have to be washed.

• The growth rate of tissues in 2007 at 11% was able to keep pace with the review period current value growth rate. Tissues exhibited impressive double-digit growth during 2007, spurred by an increase in the number of modern retail stores, such as supermarkets/ hypermarkets and convenience stores, stocking tissues. A corresponding increase in car ownership and increased time spent outside of the home also helped sustain the high growth rate of tissues.

• Boxed facial tissues grew faster than pocket handkerchiefs in 2007, as growing disposable incomes and improving lifestyles led to a high ownership of cars in India. As people spend more time commuting and travelling outside of the home, they have started keeping boxed facial tissues in their cars. Boxed facial tissues serve as a convenient and economical option compared with carrying around pocket handkerchiefs whilst travelling, leading to the faster growth of boxed facial tissues in 2007.

• Average unit prices were kept in check during 2007, as the market for tissues is becoming more competitive, with the entry of new players in the form of Kimberly-Clark Lever Ltd with its Kleenex brand, as well as a host of regional players. Given the price conscious nature of consumers, manufacturers refrained from increasing prices in 2007, for fear of turning away consumers.

• The usage of boxed facial tissues in India is higher outside of the home than inside. The main reason for this is the growing trend of keeping boxed facial tissues in cars. As the climate in India tends to be hot and humid, with long summers, the usage of boxed facial tissues increases during the summer months when people commute. Packaging remains an important factor in the sale of boxed facial tissues, and vibrant colours are becoming an increasingly important factor in purchasing decisions as competition increases in the market, giving appearance more importance, as most boxes are kept on display in cars or homes.

• Pocket handkerchiefs are mainly marketed towards households and individuals for daily usage. Many consumers prefer to use cloth handkerchiefs in India out of habit, and consider the feel of cloth to be superior to paper. However, with growing mobility, long summers and a humid climate, urban female consumers are increasingly opting for disposable pocket handkerchiefs.

• The usage culture of tissues has recently emerged in India due to the increase of such products in the AFH channel and better lifestyles of consumers. The price barrier still remains a major deterrent for many consumers, and cloth handkerchiefs are the traditional option in lieu of tissues, as they are more affordable, reusable and handy.

However with modernisation and westernisation, the use of disposable tissues has increased.

PROPECTS:

• The key factor for growth in tissues will be rising disposable incomes and more time spent outside of the home. West and South India are expected to be the biggest regions for the consumption of tissues, due to the high influx of foreign tourists who are already existing users of tissues. Both the regions also have a relatively similar hot and humid climate which causes perspiration, making disposable tissues a basic requirement. Apart from this, both the regions have a higher number of cities and more corporate offices, which will not only boost institutional sales but also promote the culture of tissue usage.

• The growth rates of tissues are expected to rise in the coming period, as the current low penetration and usage of tissues provides much room for growth. A higher number of brands being carried in supermarkets/ hypermarkets, along with further innovation in terms of packaging and quality, are likely to help drive forecast growth.

• A potential threat to growth in tissues could be that consumers continue to use cloth handkerchiefs instead of disposable tissues. Price-conscious consumers are likely to stick with cloth handkerchiefs, as these are reusable and are a value-for-money proposition.

• Boxed facial tissues is expected to grow faster than pocket handkerchiefs, as increasing disposable incomes and improved standards of living lead more consumers to purchase cars. It is becoming almost standard to keep boxed facial tissues in cars, as consumers value the convenience of disposable tissues whilst travelling. On the other hand, consumers find it easy to substitute pocket handkerchiefs with cloth handkerchiefs, because of the latter’s reusability and economical advantage, restricting its growth rate to below that of boxed facial tissues.

• The unit prices of tissues are expected to fall in the, as current high prices of tissues pose as a hindrance to regular usage. As consumers can easily substitute tissues with cloth handkerchiefs, and the category is in its early stages of development, manufacturers are unlikely to increase prices. Moreover, with the entry of new players the market is expected to become even more competitive, and this is expected to prevent manufacturers from increasing prices.

• Manufacturers are expected to focus on below-the-line pricing and trade promotions in order to increase sales.

SECTOR DATA:

Source: Official statistics, trade associations, trade press, company research, trade interviews, Euromonitor International estimates

Mr. Mekan Gala, MD and Chairman, 'SPL'

‘SPL’ is the flagship company of 350 crore `Reliable group of industries`. Under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Mekan Gala (Nemchand) – Chairman and Managing Director, `SPL` output stretches across a broad range of product lines including specialty grade of Light Grammage Paper, Crepe Tissue Paper (Bathroom / Napkin / Towel Grade), MG Tissue Paper, Uncoated Carbonizing Base Tissue Paper (One Time Carbon Base Paper), MG Poster Paper, MG Sulphite Paper, Electrical Grade Kraft Paper, Insulation Grade Kraft Paper, Absorbent Kraft Paper, Packaging MF Tissue Paper, Gift Wrapping Paper in the GSM range of 17 to 120. The company enjoys good reputation in the paper business not only in India but also in the international market.

The management believes in elongated reputation & strong business association and enjoys the buoyancy of all their customer, ensuring quality products and good customer service, backed by highly efficient & experienced technical & marketing professional. Nearly 35 % of sales is generated through the export and contribute to the extent of 40% of all Indian market requirements.

For future growth, Specialty is expanding manufacturing capacity by adding up paper machine and modifying & modernizing existing paper machine, to amplify product range and continue competitive in the market. Company is installing power plant to become selfreliant on power as well as planning to install de-inking plant to improve product quality & product service.

Going against the trend of global pessimism, the giant Tissue World 2009 show which was held during 24-26 March in Nice, France was a big success. Tissue makers and converters, as well as suppliers and exhibitors, all indicated that business is generally holding up quite well, in sharp contrast to many other industries and sectors.

Around 1500 tissue makers and converters were on hand from 83 countries worldwide to visit the trade show. In addition the Tissue World Conference drew a crowd of 240 delegates. The general mood was very positive at the event, with most tissue makers saying they are continuing to be profitable. In addition, trade show exhibitors were all very pleased with the quantity and quality of inquiries they were getting about new projects and investments.

The Keynote address, held by Jan Johansson, CEO of the global hygiene products supplier SCA, got the meeting off to a good start. Focusing on challenges facing tissue Johansson analyzed the current situation and encouraged out of the box thinking with suggestions about ‘How to innovate in a commodity market’. “Differentiation,” he stated, “will ultimately be the key to pricing power and the route to long term profitability.”

Following this, tissue market expert Esko Uutela of RISI presented his outlook for the tissue business. Being relatively insensitive to economic cycles, he said, tissue consumption on a global basis is expected to grow at a respectable pace of about 2.8% in 2009, down from an estimated 3.3% in 2008, and popping up to 4.5% in 2010. The long-term trend over the past 20 years is about 4% per annum.

Keith Redway, from University of Westminster, London UK, presented research results from an extremely interesting study on Drying Efficiency and Hygiene of Paper Towels with Electric Hand Dryers. The speech had a big impact on the audience, with hundreds of delegates discussing it afterward. The visual impact of the spread of bacteria, including e.coli, by jet-air hand dryers throughout restrooms was repulsive. Paper hand towels, Redway said, offered a much better combination drying efficiency and bacteria containment, than either traditional hand dryers or the new jet-air dryers.

In total, the Tissue World conference included approximately 50 interesting and informative presentations on management, market, technical and operational issues impacting the business. Participants at the conference included a wide range of positions, from presidents and vice presidents of many of the world’s tissue companies to key operating people from tissue making and converting operations around the globe.

Overall, the tissue industry managers seemed very pleased to be in sunny Nice and to be in such a relatively good economic position, considering the current world situation. Plans are already underway for the next Tissue World event in Nice, which will take place on 28-31 March 2011 at the same venue.