Voith Paper’s XcelLine paper machines won the third German Sustainability Award (DNP), presented last Thursday in Düsseldorf, in the Design competition, Vision category.
The German Sustainability Award is the most comprehensive award of its kind in Europe, with eight competitions, a high number of applicants and more than 2,000 guests at the various closing events. The award is presented by the Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V. (German Sustainability Award Foundation) in cooperation with the German government, leading municipal associations, business associations, civil society organizations and research institutions.
The decisive factor for the DNP jury was the contribution to achieving the climate targets of the 2030 Agenda. The XcelLine paper machines convinced across the board with their highly efficient design and the resulting resource savings: From material selection and product design to optimal production operation and product durability, the modular paper machines set industry standards. The award in the Vision category is also based on the design study “Papermaking Vision,” which Voith presented in 2021 and which shows the future of the papermaking process. The visionary concept is already being integrated step by step in customer projects and optimizes performance as well as design, safety, ease of operation and maintenance, and quality.
The design study also plays into the goals of Voith Paper’s Papermaking for Life sustainability program.
By 2030, the sustainability program aims to achieve 100% CO2-neutral paper production, reduce fresh water consumption by 90% and increase the paper recycling rate to 90%. To achieve this, Voith is relying on energy-optimized products, highly efficient solutions and disruptive innovations. Digitalization and automation solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio are further levers for optimal production. Sustainability is also deeply anchored in the company’s own activities: Voith operates in a CO2-neutral manner at all its locations worldwide and was once again awarded a prime status of B- by the independent rating agency ISS ESG. This rating places Voith among the top three companies worldwide in the area of sustainability compared to 176 other plant and mechanical engineering companies.
The jury of the German Sustainability Award was convinced by Voith’s holistic approach to playing a pioneering role in the paper industry, both today and in the future. Voith therefore “quite rightly” won the German Sustainability Award, said Prof. Michael Baumgart, founder of the Cradle to Cradle concept, at the award ceremony in Düsseldorf.
Further information on the XcelLine can be found here and on the Papermaking Vision design concept here.