Paper Machine Clothing
Albany International's primary business is supplying the expanding global paper industry with consumable, technologically sophisticated products called paper machine clothing. Paper machine clothing is used to produce all grades of paper from lightweight sanitary tissue to heavyweight container board. These custom-designed engineered fabrics, essential to the paper making process, are manufactured from monofilament and synthetic fiber materials. This basic technology is also utilized for other industrial process applications.
Forming
A sheet of paper begins in the forming section, where a mixture of 99% water and 1% cellulose fiber flows between two large, fine mesh, porous belts called forming fabrics. It is here that the paper sheet is formed and the initial water removal occurs.
Pressing
Additional water is removed from the newly formed sheet in the press section, where, under high pressure, water is squeezed from the sheet into a press fabric.
Drying
In the dryer section, the balance of the water is removed by evaporation as the sheet is held in close contact with large diameter, heated cylinders by dryer fabrics.
Belting
Today, various coated belts are desirable on many modern paper machines. Tomorrow, they will be required. Most widely used today is the shoe press belt, developed by Albany International, for the most efficient shoe press concept. Today, these presses are manufactured by three of the world's largest paper machine manufacturers and their licensees. The shoe press concept lowers paper manufacturers' costs by allowing more water to be removed in the press section, as well as improving sheet characteristics, while using less costly raw materials.
Another emerging belting product, the Transbelt ®, overcomes the problem of sheet breaks between sections of the paper machine and will be required at tomorrow's higher speeds to provide the continuous sheet support needed for high operating speeds.
Additional new belt products such as the GlossBelt™ for shoe press calenders are being developed in conjunction with machinery manufacturers to improve technology for the papermaker and produce better sheet surface characteristics.
For more detailed information, please see Process Belts.
Customer Service
Albany International's service is second to none, with hundreds of service engineers around the globe working to help you. From start-up to cleanings and machine audits to training seminars for managers and crews, Albany International's service engineers are knowledgeable, experienced, and local. Please see our Service Overview
Global Operations
Being Global Makes Us Local
Albany International is closely linked to its global customers with world-class manufacturing plants strategically located in 14 countries, able to deliver forming, press, and dryer fabrics for all types of papermaking. The Company has made major manufacturing investments around the world, installing state-of-the-art equipment, implementing the most sophisticated processes, and employing highly skilled workers. Our global network assures that we will meet the needs of our customers, wherever they do business.