Unlocking the next wave of performance
The pulp and paper industry has already begun its digital journey—but true transformation lies ahead. If we're to reach the vision of the Autonomous Mill of 2040, we must do more than just automate equipment or install dashboards. We must interconnect systems, close feedback loops, and empower data-driven decisions at every level—from control rooms to the boardroom.
Let’s break it down.
DIGITALIZATION: Powering the autonomous mill
Modern pulp mills generate vast volumes of data every second. Yet much of it remains trapped in silos—disconnected between departments, technologies, and time horizons. To unlock its full potential, we must turn industrial data into operational intelligence. This means:
- Connecting data across OT and IT layers, from DCS and PLCs to cloud platforms and analytics
- Building a shared data lake that structures and contextualizes data for advanced applications
- Applying AI and predictive modeling to optimize production plans, energy use, and chemical dosing in real time
When done right, digitalization boosts agility, improves productivity, reduces variability, and helps retain critical operational knowledge in the face of workforce transitions.
AUTOMATION: Reshaping work and safety
Automation is about enhancing human capability and removing people from hazardous, repetitive, or undesirable tasks. From robotic inspections and automated lab sampling to model-based setpoint adjustments and closed-loop optimization, automation improves safety, consistency, and speed.
But many mills still operate with legacy systems and manual workarounds. The transition to intelligent automation must be strategic and human-centric—focused on the roles that benefit most from augmentation, supported by training and change management.
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY: The decarbonization and circularity imperatives
The pulp and paper industry has set bold targets—carbon neutral or even carbon negative by 2050. This aligns with global sentiment against plastics, in favor of renewable, biodegradable alternatives.
However, achieving these sustainability goals requires more than new products. It demands a comprehensive rethink of energy usage, including:
- Forecasting energy demand and adjusting production accordingly
- Optimizing heat recovery and steam balancing
- Reducing CO₂ emissions through smarter fuel choices and real-time decisions
- Improving circularity, creating new fibers and reducing material waste
The mills that lead on decarbonization will not only future-proof their operations but also build stronger reputations and open new markets.
Why transformation is still so hard
Despite all this promise, transformation often stumbles—not because of a lack of ambition, but be-cause of underestimated complexity. Digital transformation in industrial environments is like an ice-berg: visible success stories sit above the surface, but beneath lie data access challenges, legacy infra-structure, integration gaps, and unrealistic timelines. According to
Microsoft’s 2024 report, 62% of industrial companies hit unforeseen barriers in their digital journey.
To overcome this, we need a clear roadmap with three foundational steps:
- Ingest data from all sources—DCS, meters, historians, PLCs, and spreadsheets
- Transform and contextualize it using DataOps platforms, low-code tools, and information modeling
- Deliver it to applications and AI engines through robust, cost-efficient, and scalable architectures
When this foundation is in place, mills can deploy high-impact apps like OEE dashboards, energy management systems, on-line optimization solutions and AI-based assistants—and scale them across sites.