Consumer goods company Essity has unveiled the world’s first tissue machine that operates purely on geothermal steam for drying at their paper mill facility in Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand.

The commissioning team at the Kawerau paper mill facility of Essity in New Zealand

Essity is the only tissue manufacturer in New Zealand that makes its paper on site and converts it to finished products. The facility manufactures products for brands such as Sorbent, Tork, Purex, and Handee.

With the conversion to geothermal steam, the carbon footprint of the Kawerau mill has been reduced since 2009, with another 25% reduction because of the recent technology upgrade. According to Sid Takla, Australasia Managing Director of Essity, this is equivalent to “removing 2200 cars from the road annually.”

We had first reported on the initiative of Essity to convert to geothermal steam back in 2021. Takla added that the company had invested $20 million to upgrade its paper machine. Geothermal steam is being supplied by the company’s partner and supplier Ngati Tuwharetoa Geothermal.

“The geothermal reservoir and the infrastructure in place through Ng?ti T?wharetoa Geothermal are unique to Kawerau, and we are so pleased to invest more into this smart, natural solution. Beyond the positive environmental impact, the project also delivers socio-economic benefits to the local economy with the partnership helping to fund local marae, housing, and education initiatives,” said Takla.

“By replacing fossil fuels with geothermal steam, this project demonstrates how New Zealand businesses can achieve energy security while significantly reducing carbon emissions,” commented Kennie Tsui of the New Zealand Geothermal Association.