Raw material optimization

Thermal drying is an energy-intensive step in paper production. By using natural minerals as fillers to replace water-retaining fibers, we can increase the microporosity of the paper sheet. This improves the evaporation rate of water from the paper web, thereby reducing overall energy consumption.

Fines and colloidal material present during paper production can slow down water removal. Our functional minerals help flocculate these materials, thus enhancing dehydration. Moreover, our non-water retaining mineral fillers replace fibers, which accelerates dewatering and allows a faster production speed.

The supply of costly virgin pulp and waste paper can be unpredictable and influenced by market factors. The use of Imerys’ mineral fillers in line with strength and bulk requirements helps to optimize costs and productivity, particularly during times of uncertain fiber supply.

In multilayer boards, white or grey fiber layers are often included to mask any dull lower layers. Using our high-opacity coating or filler solutions not only increases both whiteness and opacity, but also reduces the need for scarce white or recycled fibers, thus reducing costs.

Our mineral solutions can effectively reduce the deposits of stickies which tend to build up on machines, resulting in cleaner equipment with fewer web breaks and decreased downtime. Our Powerate range is specifically designed to optimize machine runnability.