On March 31, 2016, von Drehle Corporation began operating the very first Valmet Advantage NTT tissue machine in the USA. Located in Natchez, Mississippi, the machine was able to produce saleable products on its first day of operation. Since then, the 30,000 ton-per-annum machine has been pumping out 100% recycled fibre bathroom tissue and toweling grades at record rates, with excellent quality, high efficiency and very low drying costs. Von Drehle products are aimed at the away-from-home market; end users include institutional buildings, government facilities, hospitals, office buildings, restaurants, and hotels. Before the Advantage NTT machine’s arrival, von Drehle staff had a good operating experience with the two Valmet Advantage DCT100 machines at the Cordova mill in North Carolina; the decision to order a similar machine for Natchez was therefore straightforward. But the new, advanced NTT technology was particularly attractive as a means to make their established grades with very low drying energy, fibre furnish savings and – most importantly – the ability to shift easily to premium, high bulk and softness grades in just a few hours of operating time. The ability to make premium grades as the market develops was a key part of their thinking and planning processes. WORLD PULP&PAPER 69 Jason Gscheidmeier, Vice President Sales and Marketing, explains: “The business decision for purchasing NTT technology was primarily to introduce a new and higher quality brand which embodied a set of new high-end products. This capability increases sales potential to existing customers as well as providing an entry into new channels. We believed NTT’s textured belt technology provided us with the necessary tissue and towel physical attributes and performance to deliver these new products. Other supplementary reasons for purchasing this NTT technology include the cost advantages of more efficient water and energy usage, plus the ability to achieve better performance per pound of fibre.” HIGH DRYNESS AND BULK What gives Advantage NTT these attributes and advantages? One key is the NTT belt which allows the machine to be operated in two ways: plain and textured mode. Operating with a plain belt provides flat tissue that is similar, yet improved when compared to tissue produced in an Advantage DCT machine, as it does so whilst achieving a higher dryness and a higher bulk than with conventional tissue. It also gives a softer sheet. A coarse belt The ability to make premium grades as the market develops was a key part of their thinking and planning processes. By Mark Williamson, Journalist Engineer von Drehle Advantage NTT machine: productive present, premium-quality future Production records set for 100% recycled tissue and towel with excellent runnability and high energy efficiency. Premium, high-bulk textured grades are coming. Figure 1. Von Drehle mill entrance. NEW TISSUE TECHNOLOGY: CASE STUDY