ABB technology helps set world record for fastest facial tissue production

ABB has worked alongside Fine Hygienic Holding's Al Nakheel Paper Mill in Abu Dhabi to contribute to a new world record for the fastest production of facial tissues.

Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH), one of the world's leading wellness groups and MENA's leading manufacturer of hygienic products, serves consumers in more than 80 countries around the world. Originally established as a paper manufacturer, FHH has transformed into a wellness company dedicated to enhancing global health and wellbeing.

FHH offers a diverse array of award-winning products including sterilized facial tissues, napkins, kitchen towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, adult briefs, jumbo rolls, as well as away-from-home products to accommodate all types of private and public institutions. In addition to its long-lasting germ protection solutions, it also brings innovative nutritional supplements, Motiva, and longevity blend, eon, to the market.

The UAE producer has gained its Guinness World Record of 2,222 meters per minute (m/min) on one of its large Valmet Advantage DCT 200 paper machines while raising its potential annual outputs from 54,000 metric tons to 64000 metric tons. It has done so with 95 per cent efficiency - meaning no sheet breaks and on-specification production, an impressive feat when working with tissue rated at only 13.2 grams per square meter (GSM).

Paper Machine 5 at Al Nakheel had previously been running at lower speeds of around 1,900 m/min, but the operations and management teams believed it was capable of more. Work began to make gradual changes to the control system's protocol parameters, and the sectional drives were tuned to match. The record came into the teams' thinking when they broke 2,100 m/min and they believed it was possible to exceed the 2,211 m/min.

ABB worked closely with the mill team throughout, making checks on its components and parts to ensure the required performance. The machine ran at the record-breaking speed for an entire 24 hours, before being reconfigured to a more stable 2,200 m/min, balancing performance with production schedule demands.