THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
Jacques A. Beauchemin, AFT President and CEOEveryone saw the rush for toilet paper and assumed that the tissue market was strong and resilient. But it had to adjust its raw material sources due to a shortage in the recycled fiber typically used. These supply shortages came from the dramatic reduction in printing and writing or graphic grades called Mixed Office Waste (MOW). With online learning, working from home, and large venues canceled, there was less demand for printing paper - and therefore less MOW available to recycle. Many graphic paper plants idled their production at first, but many now are closing - with estimates of permanently lost production ranging between 20-50 percent. Conversely, the packaging sector is going strong as a result of increased online shopping, and the recycling of used boxes is growing.
Over the past year, AFT’s global manufacturing locations have adjusted to health and safety regulations in order to continue operating during the pandemic with minimum disruptions. They have invested in ways to improve manufacturing capacity and capability, as well as in developing new products and enhancing features in their existing product portfolio.
With fiber processing expertise in pulp screening, cleaning and refining operations, AFT is responsible for all the critical steps that lead up to the paper machine to ensure that the tissue produced is soft, cardboard boxes are strong, and milk cartons are both clean and leak-free. To this end, the company works with many sources of virgin and recycled fibers and supplies equipment that transforms raw material into clean, usable fiber. “Fiber processing is our primary business so we strive to do it the best way possible through customized solutions - because a bale of recycled material can vary a lot from city to city, country to country,” mentions Beauchemin.
We offer solutions to customers that help them produce more while using less energy, water and chemicals. Our solutions are tailored to the customer’s furnish, their application and the end product being produced in order to optimize their return on investment
Furthermore, AFT focuses on sustainability by continuously striving to reduce energy and water consumption. The company has led the industry in reducing energy with low consistency refining technology that cuts energy use by typically 15-30 percent. Their latest innovation, the Gladiator rotor, has demonstrated great success in processing fiber streams with less water. They are industry leaders in paper machine wet end systems with POM® technology: a system that reduces and reuses water while providing uniform stock mixing and air removal for better paper quality. “We offer solutions to customers that help them produce more while using less energy, water and chemicals. Our solutions are tailored to the customer’s furnish, their application and the end product being produced in order to optimize their return on investment.”
Having carved a unique niche in the industry, the road ahead is simple for AFT: focus on what they are best at and continue to improve on it. “We have five manufacturing plants globally. We have invested significantly in our engineering support of larger conversion projects over the past few years. Now, we are investing more in our service business, with a new AFT Service Center opening in Europe. As we prepare for a new year full of possibilities, we must push forward with the same optimism and dedication that has served AFT so well for over 117 years. We are composed of very talented and dedicated individuals that have even more potential as a focused team. The AFT Team will thrive and grow, together”, concludes Beauchemin.
|
Share this Article:
Tweet
|
Company
AFT
Headquarters
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Management
Jacques A. Beauchemin, AFT President and CEO
Description
AFT is a global supplier serving customers in many key markets (pulp and paper, food, mineral) with advanced components, capital equipment and system optimization services
