Saint Paul, MN — Nalco Water, a division of Ecolab, has formed a strategic partnership with the international technology group ANDRITZ aimed at enhancing innovation and accelerating product development at the PrimeLineTIAC Tissue Innovation and Application Center (TIAC) in Graz, Austria.
Innovation plays a crucial role in the future of the tissue and towel industry, as it aims to meet the growing consumer demand for softness, strength, and sustainability, while also enabling manufacturers to optimize their production processes.
As the demand for eco-friendly, high-performance products increases, innovation provides smarter solutions that minimize water, fiber, and energy consumption, boost operational efficiency, and support long-term environmental sustainability goals.
As part of this collaboration, Nalco Water will act as a strategic partner for ANDRITZ, utilizing their cutting-edge pilot tissue machine at TIAC. This partnership will allow Nalco Water to test and validate its advanced chemistries, as well as digital and automation solutions, in a controlled, large-scale environment. The increased access to the machine will accelerate the innovation cycles and facilitate quicker market entry for new tissue solutions.
“This partnership with ANDRITZ allows us to bring our solutions to life in a real-world setting, accelerating development timelines and enabling our customers to trial programs before implementation on their own machines,” said Ravi Raghavapudi, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Global Nalco Water Paper. “It is a significant milestone for Nalco Water and our tissue customers.”
The TIAC facility features a fully-equipped tissue production line with flexible configurations, including conventional, textured, and structured (TAD) tissue formats, complemented by advanced automation and monitoring systems. The collaboration will also present opportunities for joint development with leading global tissue producers and access to TIAC’s Metris digital innovation platform, which enhances process optimization.
Nalco Water’s involvement in this partnership was confirmed through a competitive evaluation process, where its chemistries showcased superior performance.
This alliance marks a significant step forward in tissue innovation, driving the industry toward more sustainable practices and enhanced product quality.