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This initiative uses innovative recycling approaches to return used fabrics and felts made from synthetic polymers to the circular economy. This avoids thermal disposal and its associated emissions while reducing the demand for fossil-based raw materials.
Paper machine clothing supplied by ANDRITZ and other suppliers that has reached the end of its life is collected at UPM paper mills. The collection is coordinated by HolyPoly, a German recycling company and key partner in this initiative. HolyPoly ensures proper recycling of press felts made from different polyamides (PA) and of forming fabrics mainly composed of PA and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in compliance with all relevant regulations.
Heiner Schütte, Senior Sourcing Manager at UPM, comments,"We at UPM are delighted to collaborate with ANDRITZ and HolyPoly to recycle our used paper machine clothing. With this initiative, we are moving the utilization of used paper machine clothing higher up the waste hierarchy, from energy recovery to material recycling.“
Material recycling instead of incineration
The recycled material from UPM mills (upm.com) is currently used to produce injection-molded parts for the automotive and furniture industries, replacing virgin polymers. The demand for such material is high, and the recycling process is already fully scalable. In addition to substituting virgin polymers, each ton of recycled paper machine clothing prevents approximately 3 tons of CO₂ emissions by avoiding incineration. Around 7,000 tons of paper machine clothing are discarded from paper machines in Europe each year. Most of this waste is currently incinerated or, in some cases, landfilled.
In parallel, ANDRITZ is working to further optimize granulate quality and specifications to also enable the use of the recycled material in the demanding manufacturing of new paper machine clothing.
With this pioneering initiative, ANDRITZ aims to fulfill its responsibility as a manufacturer and exceed the extended producer responsibility requirements (EPR) planned by the EU. The project was made possible through the strong commitment and support of UPM from the outset.
Several mills participating
The program was launched on an industrial scale in January 2025 by ANDRITZ together with HolyPoly and UPM. UPM has been actively involved in the development process, providing materials. Several UPM mills in Finland and Germany are already participating in the program.
About ANDRITZ GROUP
International technology group ANDRITZ provides advanced plants, equipment, services, and digital solutions for a wide range of industries, including pulp and paper, metals, hydropower, environmental, and others. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in Austria, the publicly listed group employs about 30,000 people at 280 locations in over 80 countries.
As a global leader in technology and innovation, ANDRITZ is committed to fostering progress that benefits customers, partners, employees, society, and the environment. The company’s growth is driven by sustainable solutions enabling the green transition, advanced digitalization for highest industrial performance, and comprehensive services that maximize the value of customers’ plants over their entire life cycle. ANDRITZ. FOR GROWTH THAT MATTERS.
About ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER
ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.
The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.
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