Production

Paper production
Van Houtum has two paper machines: PM3 for paper towels and PM4 for high quality tissue paper. both paper machines have their own dedicated stock preparation where waste paper is transformed into clean pulp.

The waste paper is thoroughly mixed with water in pulper. Next, the resulting paper pulp is cleaned in a multi-stage process. Cyclone filters separate out heavier contaminants like staples and sand particles. Then rotation screens are used to remove larger but lighter contaminants like pieces of plastic. In the following stage, printing inks are removed in the de-inking cells.
The clean pulp/water solution is applied to the paper machine wire. The water is removed from the pulp at this point, resulting in a new, clean sheet of paper. The paper web passes on to a steam-heated cylinder where drying takes place. A gas hood above the cylinder supplies hot air. Finally, the dry paper web is rolled into parent rolls of up to 2.60 metres wide.

 
Processing
All the parent rolls are transported to the converting site where they are processed into paper towels, wipes and toilet paper. The parent rolls are unwound and transported through rollers that emboss a pattern into the paper web. Next, the paper is slit or perforated, following which it is either folded or wound onto a roll. The stacks or rolls of paper are then packaged using a paper wrapper or plastic foil. Finally, they are packed in a box or shrink-filmed to form a standard unit of sale. The standard units of sale are palletised in a fully automated process and transported to our logistics services provider. The logistics company warehouses the products and transports them to the customer.