Smurfit Kappa has announced that its Townsend Hook paper mill in the UK has introduced a new drying process innovation, to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
The packaging leader noted that, traditionally, paper-drying is one of the most energy-intensive aspects of the manufacturing process.
The innovative new processes implemented have resulted in a 6% reduction in steam energy consumption, and a 5% reduction in total CO2 emissions from the Kent-based paper mill.
Commenting on the innovation, David Upton, managing director of the Smurfit Kappa UK paper division, said, “The advanced new drying process has helped us to significantly reduce our energy consumption at the mill. With energy costs continuing to rise and market volatility, this technology will help us to reduce costs and take a further step in achieving our net-zero target.
“We have been trialling this method in other areas of the manufacturing process and hope to see similar positive results over time.”
‘Twin Technology’
A ‘digital twin’ approach was used in the project, to create a virtual representation of the drying system, to simulate how it would perform.
An early example of digital twin technology usage was during the rescue mission of the Apollo 13 spacecraft in 1970, when computer models were used to determine flight characteristics far from earth, the company explained.
Smurfit Kappa noted that it has the goal of achieving a 55% intensity reduction in fossil CO2 emissions by 2030, and at least net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
The company highlighted that it has also had its 2030 emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative as being in line with the Paris agreement.
© 2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more packaging stories, click here. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
