Paper, Nonwoven and Film News for June 29, 2026

Valmet introduced a fully non-contact, nuclear-free tissue quality control system that measures dry weight, basis weight, moisture, softness and creping behavior in real time. The system is designed for dusty tissue environments and aims to reduce sheet contact, web-break risk and manual intervention.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: More consistent basis weight, moisture and softness upstream can reduce winding variation, but converters still need recipe-based tension and inspection data to preserve that quality through embossing, perforation and rewinding.

Source: Valmet on its tissue quality control system

Valmet added a Bioneer dryer fabric that can reduce the product's overall carbon footprint by up to 30%. The design uses certified lower-emission feedstocks while retaining the installation, runnability and durability characteristics of the established fabric platform.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Lower-impact process consumables are useful only if reel quality stays stable; buyers should compare sustainability claims together with moisture profile, sheet flatness and finished-roll waste.

Source: Valmet on the Bioneer dryer fabric addition

Voith launched EcoCal HiBulk after production trials showed that cooling, surface heating and humidification before the calender nip can improve smoothness while preserving more bulk and bending stiffness. The system is available for new board lines and rebuilds.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Lighter board with maintained stiffness changes caliper and compression behavior, so sheeting, slitting, scoring and winding equipment should be validated against the actual grade rather than nominal basis weight alone.

Source: Voith on EcoCal HiBulk production trials

SCGP will invest 748 million baht in a new corrugated-container production base in southern Vietnam. Commercial start-up is planned for September 2027, extending the group's integrated packaging platform around its existing regional paper and packaging operations.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Regional box growth increases demand for reliable liner and fluting supply, while upstream roll producers must plan slitting, rewinding and roll handling capacity that can support faster corrugator schedules.

Source: SCGP on its Vietnam fiber-packaging expansion

Valmet will supply a hard nip sizer to a European board producer, with start-up scheduled for spring 2027. The high-pressure application is designed to push starch into the web more effectively, supporting lighter grades and lower fiber and starch consumption without sacrificing strength.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Lightweight board can save material but may be less tolerant of poor tension or nip settings, making controlled web handling and repeatable slit and rewind quality central to downstream acceptance.

Source: Valmet on the European hard nip sizing project

INDA's World of Wipes conference runs June 29-July 2 in Nashville under the theme "Smart. Sustainable. Scalable." The program covers substrate evaluation, formulation, household and baby wipes, sustainable packaging, standards and regulation across the wipes value chain.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: New substrates and formulations should be translated into machine trials covering wet strength, folding, perforation, lotion loading, sealing and line speed before commercial capacity is committed.

Source: INDA on the World of Wipes 2026 program

Lenzing highlighted ready-for-market regenerated-cellulose nonwoven solutions after receiving an INDEX 26 award for DualWipe. The company is positioning its nonwoven technology platform for wipes, absorbent hygiene and technical applications as alternatives to fossil-based materials.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Cellulosic webs can behave differently from PP or PET blends under tension and moisture, requiring validation of slit cleanliness, dust extraction, rewind density and wet converting performance.

Source: Lenzing on scalable bio-based nonwoven solutions

Neumag will present meltblown and bicomponent spunbond technology at FILTECH from June 30 to July 2. Its platform processes polymers from PP and PE through PET, PLA and specialty plastics; the company reports over 99.99% filtration efficiency at around 35 gsm with its hydrocharging approach.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: A wider polymer and basis-weight window increases roll-to-roll variation, so filter-media converters need accurate low-tension handling, clean slitting and inspection suited to fine, easily damaged webs.

Source: Barmag on Neumag technology for FILTECH 2026

IMA presented an integrated wipes platform spanning high-speed cross-fold converting, flow wrapping, labeling and end-of-line automation. Its flow-wrapper specification reaches 170 packs per minute on traditional laminates and 130 packs per minute on fully recyclable materials.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: The speed gap between packaging materials shows why a line should be sized around the slowest qualified substrate, with buffers, changeover time and scrap included in the capacity calculation.

Source: IMA on its tissue and nonwoven converting platform

Lenzing began producing nonwoven-grade lyocell at its 100,000-tonne-per-year Prachinburi plant, its first such production in Asia. The move targets baby wipes, facial masks and personal-hygiene applications with shorter regional lead times.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Regional fiber supply can accelerate new roll-good formulations, so converters benefit from flexible tension recipes, quick knife setup and documented trials across basis weights and fiber blends.

Source: Lenzing on nonwoven-grade lyocell production in Thailand

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste published a technical and economic blueprint for a 50,000-tonne-per-year advanced mechanical recycling plant. It concludes that household flexibles can supply recyclate for more than 30% use in shrink film, labels and pouches when sorting, washing and double-melt filtration are tightly controlled.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Premium PCR still brings variability, so slitters and rewinders need recipe traceability, tension isolation, defect inspection and consistent roll hardness to keep recycled-content film commercially usable.

Source: Alliance to End Plastic Waste release on the Quest for Quality report

The International Dairy Foods Association asked California's packaging advisory board to support temporary SB 54 exemptions for common rigid and flexible dairy packaging. It cited unresolved food-safety, quality and recycling-infrastructure constraints against near-term recycling and source-reduction goals.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Compliance delays do not remove the development need; dairy converters should run controlled trials on recyclable lidding and pouch structures before regulation forces rushed material and machinery changes.

Source: IDFA on SB 54 dairy packaging exemptions

Toyobo developed a biaxially oriented polyethylene furanoate film made from plant-derived feedstock and began sample supply in June. The company reports 60% higher rigidity and ten times the oxygen barrier of petroleum-derived PET for industrial film applications.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Higher stiffness and barrier performance can change slit behavior, static, roll build and downstream lamination, so buyers should qualify PEF with actual thickness, speed and finished-roll specifications.

Source: Toyobo on plant-based biaxially oriented PEF film

BASF expanded its ecovio portfolio with home-compostable grades for extrusion coating, film or sheet extrusion and lamination. The material toolbox offers adjustable grease, liquid, oxygen and moisture barriers for food, personal-care and healthcare packaging.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Compostable resins can have different heat, friction and stretch behavior from PE or PP, making controlled unwind, low-damage slitting and repeatable lamination tension essential during qualification.

Source: BASF on its expanded ecovio flexible-packaging portfolio

Amcor said its combination with Berry created the largest North American PE overwrap platform, spanning recycle-ready, lightweight and PCR-content shrink films and labels. The company plans further capacity and capability investment over the next three years.

Why it matters for converters and machine buyers: Broad shrink-film portfolios increase SKU and gauge complexity, rewarding fast changeovers, accurate edge guiding and winding recipes that prevent wrinkles, blocking and telescoping.

Source: Amcor on its expanded PE shrink film platform