Lucart invests in new Toscotec PM15 tissue line at Laval-sur-Vologne, France
Lucart announced a new investment in its Laval-sur-Vologne mill in the Vosges, France, involving a new PM15 tissue line from Toscotec. Once operational, the line will bring the mill’s total annual production capacity to 75,000 tonnes of tissue paper. The project combines increased capacity with energy efficiency and the electrification of the thermal process.
The investment forms part of Lucart’s industrial growth and decarbonisation strategy and its objective of reaching Group annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes by the end of 2027. PM15 will replace existing technology at the French mill. It is a repeat order for both Laval-sur-Vologne and the Lucart Group, extending a partnership with Toscotec that has included individual components, major rebuilds and complete production plants.
PM15: capacity, performance and electrification
The new line is based on Toscotec’s AHEAD 1.8 tissue machine, designed for speeds of up to 1,800 m/min and a basis weight range of 15–22 g/m². It will produce high-quality toilet and towel paper.
The machine incorporates TT NextPress shoe press technology, designed to improve energy efficiency and paper quality, and a TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer with high-efficiency TT e-Powered Hoods. Particular attention has been paid to heat generation and use, one of the most energy-intensive stages of tissue production.
Equipped with electric heaters and conventional gas burners, the hoods can operate in 100% electric mode, on gas or in a hybrid configuration. The TT Swing feature provides further flexibility in the use of heat in the wet-end hood. This arrangement enables a progressive transition towards low-carbon energy sources.
The Yankee dryer will be supplied with steam from a new electric steam generator. Together with the electrically powered hoods, this configuration will allow the tissue machine to operate entirely on electricity, reducing direct emissions associated with the new line. The investment supports a longer-term approach to energy efficiency, resource optimisation and lower production emissions.
Toscotec’s turnkey scope includes electrification, a new TT Brain control system and a comprehensive service package, including full erection.
“France has been a key driver of Lucart’s international growth for almost two decades. What began in 2008 with the acquisition of a single facility has evolved over time into a fully integrated industrial and logistics hub, capable of serving strategic markets for the Group,” said Francesco Pasquini, CEO of Lucart. “The installation of the new PM15 marks another significant step forward: we are investing simultaneously in production capacity, technology and energy efficiency, with the aim of making our growth increasingly consistent with the decarbonization journey we have embarked on.”
“We are proud to support Lucart’s decarbonization goals by providing an advanced solution designed to optimize performance while setting new benchmarks for energy efficiency,” said Alessandro Mennucci, CEO of Toscotec.
Eighteen years of industrial development in France
Lucart acquired the Laval-sur-Vologne site in 2008. Over the following years, it developed into one of the Group’s main European production hubs. The French subsidiary’s turnover tripled over a 15-year period, more than 100 new jobs were created and approximately 350 people now work at the site.
The development of production capacity was accompanied by a broader product offering and infrastructure. In 2011, Laval became one of the first European mills to integrate tissue production using recycled beverage cartons, contributing to the development of Fiberpack® technology.
Lucart’s expansion in France also included logistics. In 2023, the Group announced the acquisition of a logistics centre in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, which became operational in 2024. The 22,000 m² facility has storage capacity for approximately 20,000 pallets. It consolidates finished products and manages shipments to France, Germany, the Benelux countries and Northern European markets, in coordination with the Laval-sur-Vologne mill.
An integrated hub serving European markets
Laval-sur-Vologne’s location in the heart of Europe, close to Central and Northern European markets, allows Lucart to integrate production and distribution through connections with the Saint-Dié-des-Vosges logistics centre and the Group’s other production sites. The PM15 project strengthens this industrial and logistics hub while continuing the strategic partnership between Lucart and Toscotec.
“Lucart’s history in France demonstrates how an industrial investment can evolve over time alongside market needs and environmental challenges,” concluded Francesco Pasquini. “PM15 represents exactly this evolution: not simply higher capacity, but a technology that allows us to look to the next phase of our growth with an even more efficient and responsible approach.”
About the companies
Lucart manufactures tissue products, including toilet paper, kitchen towels, napkins, tablecloths and tissues, as well as airlaid products and machine-glazed papers. Its approach focuses on optimising raw material use and reducing waste by transforming it into new resources. Production activities are organised into Business to Business, Away from Home and Consumer operations. Brands include Tenderly, Tutto, Grazie EcoNatural and Smile for the Consumer market, and Lucart Professional, Fato and Velo for Away from Home customers. Lucart has participated in the United Nations Global Compact Network Italy since 2020 and has received EcoVadis’ Platinum sustainability rating over the last four years.
Founded in 1948, Toscotec designs and manufactures turnkey projects, complete machines, rebuilds and stand-alone systems for the tissue, paper and board, and nonwovens industries. Headquartered in Lucca, Italy, with subsidiaries and service centres in China and North America, it supplies customised technologies aimed at high production efficiency, low energy consumption and product value. Toscotec has been part of the Voith Group since April 2020.
