Manufacturers in the pulp and paper industry continue to face mounting pressure to improve machine efficiency, reduce waste and maintain consistent product quality while operating in an increasingly competitive market.

AstenJohnson approaches those challenges through a combination of material science expertise, application knowledge and close collaboration with customers across industrial fabric and filament applications.

“The biggest differentiator is the depth and breadth of AstenJohnson’s knowledge and expertise,” says Elaine Reed, digital marketing manager.

This expertise has been built over decades across equipment design, fabric manufacturing, materials engineering and machine performance. Many of the company’s leaders and technical teams have more than thirty years of experience working across paper machine applications and industrial markets. Customers often rely on AstenJohnson not only for products, but also for guidance on selecting the right fabric design for specific operating conditions.

It also maintains direct control over much of its filament production process. By manufacturing many of the monofilaments used in its own products, AstenJohnson can integrate feedback between resin development, yarn production and fabric design in real time. That level of coordination allows development teams to respond more quickly to customer requirements while improving consistency across manufacturing and performance outcomes.

Designing around Machine Performance

Papermakers today are balancing multiple priorities at once, including machine productivity, energy efficiency, water reduction and sustainability goals. Fabric performance directly affects many of those outcomes, particularly on high-speed machines where downtime, sheet breaks and inconsistent formation can significantly impact production costs.

AstenJohnson addresses those challenges through an engineered, application-specific approach. Rather than relying on standardized fabric configurations, the company works directly with customers to evaluate machine conditions, operating goals and areas where performance improvements are needed. Each fabric is then designed around the requirements of a specific machine position and production environment.

That collaborative process also accelerates development cycles because customer feedback is integrated into product design from the beginning. Material science, manufacturing considerations and operating objectives are evaluated together rather than separately. It supplements that approach with continuous testing and quality control reviews intended to reduce variation throughout manufacturing processes and final product performance.

  • The biggest differentiator is the depth and breadth of AstenJohnson’s knowledge and expertise.


Sustainability has also become a growing priority for mills dealing with landfill limitations and waste management challenges associated with used fabrics containing mixed materials and contaminants. AstenJohnson invested in recycling equipment including pelletizers that allow portions of production waste to be shredded and reused. It continues working with customers and industry organizations to identify more sustainable manufacturing approaches across the sector.

Responding Quickly to Customer Challenges

Several customer projects demonstrate how the company applies its engineering and manufacturing capabilities in practice. One mill experiencing sheet handling problems and productivity losses in the press section required a replacement fabric on an accelerated timeline. AstenJohnson designed and delivered the fabric within two weeks ahead of the customer’s planned outage, and the machine later achieved a production record using the new design.

Another customer operating a new machine in the Southeast struggled with dryer fabric hydrolysis that forced multiple fabric changes during outages. AstenJohnson developed a dryer fabric design intended to resist hydrolysis, reducing installation demands and improving operational flexibility for the mill’s crews.

It also worked with a high-speed machine experiencing inconsistent sheet formation, poor runnability and short fabric life. After evaluating machine conditions and existing performance, AstenJohnson recommended machine adjustments alongside a forming fabric design using modified weave structures and proprietary yarns. The changes improved operational consistency, extended fabric life and reduced interruptions and operating costs.

Looking ahead, AstenJohnson sees longer service life, cleaner running machines and sustainability as the trends shaping future industrial fabric development. It continues investing in monofilament innovation, recycled material applications and education initiatives such as AstenJohnson University to support technical knowledge transfer across the paper industry.