Voith Paper in Austria

The history of Voith in Frankenmarkt dates back to 1982, when the company was founded as a foreign subsidiary of the Heidenheim-based company Oberndorfer Siebtechnik. In 1993 the company was acquired by the internationally active Scapa Group. The acquisition by Voith took place in 1999. Today, the plant in Frankenmarkt is one of the world's largest locations for the production of forming fabrics.

In Frankenmarkt, production facilities and offices are united on a campus, where forming fabrics for a wide range of applications are manufactured and delivered to customers all over the world. These include paper machines for graphic paper, board, packaging paper and tissue. In the production process, state-of-the-art machines are used for the development and testing of different forming fabric designs. 

The plant in Laakirchen was founded in 1990 as a subsidiary of the headquarters in Wimpassing. Since then there has been constant investment in the plant. The last expansion stage was completed in 2019. By combining roll covers and roll service, the location offers a complete portfolio for the paper industry. 

The product range currently includes the production of thermal coatings with numerous roll service options for all roll types used in paper machines, regardless of the manufacturer. New rolls of every type are manufactured in Laakirchen, and the complete assembly of new suction rolls is carried out in a special area. Since April 2017, the Voith EvoStretch spreader roll has been also manufactured in Laarkirchen. A special feature of the plant's machinery is one of the world's most modern roll test rigs. At present, rolls with a length of up to 16 meters, a diameter of 2.5 meters and a unit weight of 120 tons can be tested.

Voith has been developing and producing doctor blades since 2006. In 2016, Voith combined the entire development and production of doctor technology at its Theresienfeld location, thereby fundamentally expanding its product portfolio. Voith Theresienfeld supplies customized doctor systems and specializes in their maintenance and repair at the customer's site. Voith experts work on customer-specific complete solutions for doctor systems and cleaning blades and coordinate the products optimally with roll covers and fabrics. As a full-line supplier, all variables relating to the interaction of paper machine clothing, roll covers and doctor system are taken into account.

In the production area, high-performance fiber composites are produced on advanced equipment and processed into finished products. The products are developed and tested at the site under conditions close to production on state-of-the-art test rigs, so that the optimum doctor blade can be offered for every application. In addition, the customer can take advantage of numerous services. The Voith service team analyzes the specific situation at the customer's site and develops solution proposals for increasing paper machine efficiency. One of the latest developments in service is the SensorBlade measuring technology, which is used to analyze the doctor contact pressure profile. 

The history of Voith in Wimpassing has its origin in 1984, when the company was founded under the name Semperit Kern. In 1986 the company was taken over by the internationally active Scapa Group and operated under the name Scapa Kern. The company acquired by Voith in 1998.

In Wimpassing, roll covers made of rubber, polyurethane and composites are manufactured. Additionally, the rubber, polyurethane and composite compounds used are also produced and numerous additional services are provided. These include certified crack inspection, ultrasonic testing, coating thickness measurements and bearing seat measurements. The facility also accommodates the global rolls research and development center. Materials specialists, chemists and process engineers work with state-of-the-art research and analysis equipment in the laboratory and on the roll test rig, where future products are tested in a simulated environment. The site also provides technical support for service centers around the world.