By Arvin Ramjee, Account Manager, ABB Pulp and Paper, South Africa
THE South African pulp and paper industry is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting from traditional manual processes to automated, digitally enhanced operations. This evolution is improving efficiency, sustainability, and product quality across the sector.
Digital technologies are now seamlessly integrated into traditional automation systems, pushing the industry toward autonomous operations. Automation spans the entire production chain, from raw material preparation to final product delivery, ensuring precision and consistency at each step.
With reduced demand for newsprint and graphic paper, the industry has pivoted toward renewable packaging, tissue products, and kraft paper – solutions aligned with sustainability trends. The pulp and paper sector is already highly automated compared to other industries, and is now exploring digitalisation to enhance productivity and extract further value from existing systems.
Improving both repeatability and runnability
Paper manufacturing is among the most complex industrial processes today. Visibility into product properties is crucial for minimising rejects and improving both repeatability and runnability. Modern Quality Control Systems (QCS) enable automatic controls that optimise production, reduce variability, and lower energy consumption – all while ensuring the final product meets stringent standards.
South Africa’s pulp and paper sector is also investing in renewable energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. These efforts focus on energy, water, chemical, and carbon management. Innovative automation technologies support these goals by optimising energy use, adjusting operations in real time to meet fluctuating demand, and reducing emissions and waste.
ABB, with decades of global expertise, continues to lead this transformation through a comprehensive suite of automation and digital solutions for the pulp and paper value chain. ABB’s portfolio includes power distribution, electrification, paper machine drives, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), QCS, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations—leveraging the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for smarter decision-making.
On-spec production at lower cost
With ABB Ability™ QMS, paper mills can reduce rejects by keeping product properties within optimal ranges throughout the process. Combined with ABB Ability™ Expert Optimiser for Pulp, operators can further enhance efficiency and reduce raw material usage, ensuring on-spec production at lower cost.
Advanced Process Control (APC) and Model Predictive Control (MPC) systems adjust multiple variables simultaneously to optimise operations. These solutions reduce energy and fibre consumption while improving end-product quality. In refining, one of the most energy-intensive processes, APC contributes to significant cost savings and enhanced paper sheet properties. ABB’s latest innovations include a tailored MES for pulp and paper, enabling full visibility from the shop floor to the enterprise level. This facilitates the shift from conventional connectivity to autonomous, smart manufacturing. Updated QCS products now offer higher-resolution measurements that directly impact product quality.
Make data-driven decisions
The ABB Ability™ Energy Management System (EMS) integrates forecasting and optimisation to improve sustainability and reduce energy costs. By auditing, monitoring, and optimising energy use, EMS empowers companies to make data-driven decisions balancing environmental, operational, and financial goals, all while advancing carbon neutrality. To address the industry-wide shortage of skilled resources, ABB provides 24/7 global support through its ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations platform. This digital solution gives customers access to a global pool of experts who can assist with operations and critical commissioning remotely.
ABB has also introduced Visual Remote Support, using augmented reality to connect customers with engineering support worldwide. This helps resolve issues quickly and enables the commissioning of key projects even in remote or resource-limited environments.
AI to improve productivity and performance
In the realm of AI and analytics, ABB Ability™ Genix combines industrial analytics and artificial intelligence in a powerful digital platform. It contextualises data using IIoT, unlocking actionable insights to improve productivity and operational performance across pulp and paper operations.
By bringing together AI algorithms, machine learning, and advanced analytics, Genix transforms massive volumes of industrial data into real-time decision support for manufacturers, enabling them to optimise operations and cut costs.
ABB supports the pulp and paper industry from start to finish, covering the entire value chain from the woodyard to shipment, and mill to the enterprise. With its deep industry knowledge and integrated product portfolio, ABB delivers end-to-end solutions that enhance productivity and sustainability.
ABB is a global leader in electrification and automation, committed to enabling a more resource-efficient future. With over 140 years of history and 105,000 employees, ABB helps industries operate more sustainably and efficiently. The company’s Process Automation business, with approximately 20,000 employees, focuses on automating and digitalising industrial operations to support critical global needs.
