designed to be very easy to clean, with no hidden spots.” James says that credit for the machine startup success should go to the cooperation between Valmet and the mill support team who made corrections and adjustments during the course of the project. “Valmet did an excellent job on this machine and all the functions around it. Also, I give credit to the great mill support team.” Valmet continues remote monitoring services 24/7 through the Valmet DNA distributed control system. It is used on a regular basis according to mill staff. The machine is also equipped with a Valmet IQ quality control system which assists in the grade changes. A NEW PARADIGM? As for the future, von Drehle staff recognise the promising potential for textured grades as demonstrated on the Valmet pilot machine and produced at other mills. Pankratz sees that the training and experience of the operating crews on the traditional grades will pay off allowing this transition to happen smoothly. “Once we start using the textured belt, we probably will run all textured grades.” He sees the NTT technology as a step change in tissue making: “When crescent formers became available, how could you possibly do without it.? Today, I feel the same way about NTT.” Perhaps it will be a new paradigm. “When crescent formers became available, how could you possibly do without it.? Today, I feel the same way about NTT.” Figure 8. Machine operators in front of the first reel, March 31, 2016 Figure 7. Von Drehle dry end Photos supplied with the permission of Tissue 360 Magazine WORLD PULP&PAPER 73