Manufacturing excellence for Indian pulp and paper industry

Seeking to reinforce its innovation and scientific base, UNIDO project “Firm-level demonstration of technologies and productivity enhancement for the pulp and paper industry”, as implemented in India, has generated a game-changing know-how that represents a viable paper waste disinfectant alternative to standard industrial odor-control and treatment solutions.

Trials conducted at a recycled fibre-based mill show that application of chlorine dioxide (ClO2 I), which, to date, has harbored a largely unexplored potential in terms of improving final product characteristics, can produce direct impact on the overall productivity and competitiveness of paper mills in India. The research and demonstration was conducted in close cooperation with the paper industry associations, Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute (CPPRI) and Veltech Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai, that provided their expertise in identifying this quality-enhancing solution, thereby fostering innovation in the Indian paper industry.

On 29 April, a dissemination workshop introducing the ClO2-based practice was conducted in Chennai gathering more than 100 paper industry representatives from all over the country. Following a successful trial at Vamshadhara Paper Mill, the mill staff have shown readiness to adopt this practice, which will be a significant step on its path towards manufacturing excellence. Due to the growing interest and trust of the industry professionals, including those representing major paper industry associations, this scientifically sound solution can have a broader application potential: many of them have expressed readiness to conduct more local on-site trials and adopt it in other paper clusters across the country, most notably, in the West (Gujarat) and the North (Punjab/Western UP) clusters, also supported by the UNIDO project.

For further information contact Farrukh Alimdjanov (F.Alimdjanov [at] unido.org (F[dot]Alimdjanov[at]unido[dot]org))