Bringing together the mechanical pulping industry at IMPC 2026 in Nanjing, China
The 34th International Mechanical Pulping Conference (IMPC 2026) was held in Nanjing from October 8 to 11. As a global leader in pulp and paper technology, Valmet took deep engagement in the conference with a team of international and Chinese experts who participated in a range of conference activities. For example; the welcome address at Valmet Night, a plenary keynote presentation, and a real operational case were shared.
Bringing together more than 200 global delegates, industry experts and value-chain partners from the pulp and paper sector, the conference featured a full programme of high-level academic and industrial exchanges under the theme “Low-Carbon Mechanical Pulp and High-Value-Added Fibre Materials”. This was the second time IMPC was held in China.
Xiaowei Ma, welcomes everyone to The Night of Valmet welcome banquet.
Opening Night – Valmet Night
On the evening of October 8, the opening night of the conference, at the Valmet night welcome banquet, Xiaowei Ma, Director of Sales and Services, Pulp, Energy and Circularity Business, Valmet, extended sincere greetings to guests travelling from home and abroad on behalf of the Valmet team. Ma Xiaowei stated:
“Valmet’s ties with IMPC date back to 1979. More than an ordinary conference, IMPC serves as a vital bridge connecting the global industry, linking global vision, industrial practice and innovative thinking. Drawing on over 225 years of industrial heritage and our global strategy Lead the Way – Transforming industries towards a regenerative tomorrow, Valmet’s vision for industrial transition aligns closely with the spirit of this conference”.
Faced with shared opportunities and challenges across the sector, he issued an industry-wide invitation: to learn from one another, jointly develop forward-looking solutions tailored to the Chinese market, turn industrial challenges into collective breakthroughs, and march toward a new future of green and sustainable industry.
Xiaowei Ma, Director of Sales and Services, Pulp, Energy and Circularity Business at Valmet.
Exploring pathways for high-quality pulp and paper development
The official congress started in the morning of October 9. At the IMPC plenary session, Ma Xiaowei delivered the keynote presentation Latest Developments in Valmet’s Pulp Mill Technologies and Operations. He pointed out that pulp-paper integration remains the primary development direction for China’s pulp and paper industry. Enterprises should uphold long-termism, adopt forward-looking technology selection, and attach importance to the comprehensive utilization of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin (the three wood constituents).
His presentation also shared Valmet’s localization achievements in China since 2020, highlighting core technologies including HT-CTMP, TwinRoll presses, high-consistency refining and screening, alongside lifecycle services. He emphasized that automation hardware and advanced process control systems will be key enablers for the development of China’s pulp and paper industry over the next three to five years. Valmet aims to act as customers’ lifecycle partner and pursue collaborative innovation with the industry.
Guirong Yan, Senior Manager of Pulp Mills, Pulp, Energy and Circularity Business at Valmet, presented the "Application of Valmet HT-CTMP Technology at Liansheng".
Valmet HT‑CTMP delivers proven results at Liansheng
Guirong Yan, Senior Manager of Pulp Mills, Pulp, Energy and Circularity Business at Valmet, presented the Application of Valmet HT‑CTMP Technology at Liansheng.
Valmet HT‑CTMP (High-Temperature Chemi-ThermoMechanical Pulp) technology enables pressurized wood chip impregnation and preheating. It features high process flexibility, lower energy consumption and broad raw material adaptability, with distinctive advantages for high-bulk fluff pulp production.
Since 2018, more than 20 production lines based on this technology have been commissioned worldwide. The presentation took the Zhangzhou site of Fujian Liansheng as a benchmark case. Its four HT‑CTMP lines have lifted stable actual operating capacity to 1,500 ADMT/d exceeding the designed capacity of 1,200 ADMT/d. After commissioning, the project achieved rapid ramp-up to target capacity, delivering high production output, low energy use and excellent pulp quality. The report also reviewed multiple commercial HT‑CTMP projects across China, verifying the mature application of this technology in FBB (Folding Box Board) coated white board and high-grade fine paper. It provides practical reference cases for technological upgrading of domestic CTMP projects.
The Valmet team at IMPC 2026.
The closing of IMPC 2026 marks not only a showcase of cutting-edge global mechanical pulp achievements but also a new starting point for aligning Valmet’s mechanical pulping technology portfolio with the needs of China’s pulp and paper industry. Valmet will continue to leverage R&D to drive efficient utilization of diverse raw materials and localized delivery, deepen lifecycle services, and work with value-chain partners to build a safe, and efficient future for sustainable pulping.