May 26 2006
BASF is one of the partners involved in the new Paper Technology Center (PTC) launched by Voith Paper in Heidenheim (Germany). The state of the art pilot plant's startup took place recently. As a partner on the project, BASF is in charge of chemicals management, contributing dosing technology and measuring and monitoring equipment in the lab. BASF employees will also be available for expert consultation in the area of paper chemicals at the pilot plant in Heidenheim.
"I'd like first of all to congratulate Voith most sincerely in the name of BASF on having launched this major project," says Eckhard Hilgemann, head of BASF's Business Unit Paper Industry Europe. "The PTC opens up new opportunities for the paper industry, including the field of paper chemicals. As a partner on the PTC project, we want to help our customers in the global paper industry to be even more successful." Voith and BASF have a long history of collaboration on numerous projects for customers in the paper industry. A cooperation was forged in 2003 to systematically promote new projects such as curtain coater technology.
In the new PTC, paper chemicals technology is an elementary part of the overall process right from the start. Depending on the desired type of paper and raw material, BASF can rapidly assemble a coordinated system of chemicals put together to meet a specific customer's requirements. Dosing technology facilitates precise and flexible addition of the right chemicals. Wet-end systems comprise retention (Polymin®, Microfloc®), fixation (Catiofast®), defoamers and deaerators (Afranil®), sizing (Basoplast®), dyeing (Basazol®, Fastusol®) and optical bleaching agents. Other elements are pigment and starch applications in conjunction with fiber modification.
The man in charge of chemicals management at the PTC in Heidenheim is Dr. Hubert Meixner, a BASF expert in paper chemicals applications technology. Meixner is a chemist and has 10 years of experience working for the paper industry. His is project manager providing startup support for new paper machines operating with BASF chemicals.
Coating trials take place using the modern coating machine 2 (SM2) at the BASF Paper Technical Center in Ludwigshafen, explains Dieter Meck, head of BASF's global applications technology services: "This kind of collaboration has a successful history. The papers manufactured by Voith are coated by us in accordance with customer specifications. Printing trials usually follow, either here or with the input of another partner. The main thing is that customers get to see their new paper before their planned paper machine is up and running." This sneak preview allows customers to estimate the future market prospects of the respective paper with a high degree of accuracy. The customer benefits from greater predictability and a more solid basis for planning ahead. "It's a crucial advantage when you consider than a new machine costs hundreds of millions of euros in capital investment up front," Meck adds.
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