Sofidel modernizes French tissue mill with PM1 rebuild to increase efficiency
This investment advances the company’s decarbonization goals.
FRANCE – Sofidel, an Italian hygiene paper manufacturer, has completed a major rebuild of its PM1 tissue machine at the Roanne mill in France, enhancing production efficiency while cutting annual CO₂ emissions by about 1,200 tons.
The rebuild features a TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer combined with a TT NextPress shoe press to optimize dewatering, boost post-press dryness, and maintain paper bulk for superior product quality.
Additional dry-section enhancements include new hoods, a steam and condensate system, and a TT Swing System air setup for flexible burner operation and energy savings.
Wet-end improvements added a TT Headbox for better softness in the twin-wire setup. At the same time, the reel section now uses a TT Reel L hydraulic pope reel, supported by the TT Brain control system for automated performance optimization.
This €14 million (USD 16.23 million) project aligns with Sofidel’s decarbonization goals, reducing the plant’s environmental footprint through advanced energy-efficient technologies.
The upgrades support sustained operations at the 1985-era facility, originally acquired in 2010, with plans for photovoltaic panels and a potential biomass boiler to approach carbon neutrality.
Production now targets consumer and away-from-home tissue lines like Regina, Sopalin, and Papernet, integrating seamlessly with existing mill functions.
Sofidel, a global tissue leader with 2024 net sales of €3.225 billion(USD 3.74 billion), operates the Roanne site within its French network and pursues net-zero emissions by 2050.
Toscotec executed the rebuild, building on prior collaborations like 2020 U.S. plants, with executives praising the on-schedule startup.
Meanwhile, Sofidel previously acquired an ST Paper tissue mill in Duluth, Minnesota, enabling the company to “immediately meet the ongoing increase in demand in the country.
The acquired facility boasts a robust production capacity of 65 thousand metric tonnes per year and employs 80 personnel.
Significantly, the plant is equipped with cutting-edge technology, featuring an operational Andritz machine since January of the previous year.
This move comes at a time when the tissue paper market in France is valued at USD 373.3 million in 2025, with a projected CAGR of 2.7% through 2030, reaching volumes of 115.5 million kg by 2030, according to Statista.
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