2021-10-07
Voith to supply production machinery and Papermaking 4.0 solutions for world’s widest and fastest glass mat manufacturing plant
- The full-line supplier Voith receives the order for the forming, binding and drying sections of a new glass mat production line from Owens Corning.
- Owens Corning’s new 50,000-square-meter manufacturing facility will sit adjacent to their existing Fort Smith site.
- Technological highlights include the world’s largest inclined wire former, the HydroFormer, and the glass mat dryer, the FiberDry, as well as a comprehensive Papermaking 4.0 and automation package to increase efficiency, product quality and machine availability.
Highly specialized supplier for glass mat production
The centerpiece of the most powerful nonwovens machine in the world is the more-than five meters wide HydroFormer. This inclined wire former enables an outstanding homogenous formation of long glass fibers up to 40 mm with very low stock consistencies. Essential to the expansion project is the Voith FiberDry, an innovative glass mat dryer that has a flexible modular design.
For Owens Corning, sustainability and efficiency were key factors when deciding on the individual components. Following the Process Line Package (PLP) concept approach, Voith will supply two IntensaPulper machines that set industry standards in pulping with their energy-efficient technology. In addition, a comprehensive Papermaking 4.0 and automation package is designed to increase efficiency, product quality and machine availability and integrates all third-party suppliers into the Voith control and condition monitoring systems.
About the company
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its wide range of plants, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 20,000 employees and earns 4.2 billion euros in sales. It has locations in over 60 countries and is one of Europe’s larger family-owned companies.
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The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers holistic solutions from a single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and supports customers in significantly reducing their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art, digital technologies to increase the availability and efficiency of their systems in all areas of the production process.