A focus of Andritz's recent developments is the need to reduce the environmental impact of peat harvesting – a widely used, yet ecologically damaging, practice in the horticulture industry. "Peatlands store enormous amounts of CO₂, even more than forests. Harvesting peat not only damages these ecosystems but also releases large volumes of CO₂ into the atmosphere," Enrico Fuser, Senior Sales Manager at Andritz, shares.
In response, the company has focused on wood fibre as a sustainable alternative for growing media. "Wood fibre is not a new idea, but demand is increasing rapidly. It's structurally similar to peat, provides excellent aeration, and can be produced from wood residues, byproducts, or even non-wood plants like Miscanthus or hemp," he adds.
Christoph Leitner and Enrico Fuser this year at Greentech Amsterdam. Founded in 1852 as a modest foundry, Andritz AG has grown into a global industrial company. The Austrian-based company, with headquarters in Graz and a major office in Vienna, now boasts over 280 locations across more than 80 countries, employing around 30,000 people worldwide.
Tailored technology: Substrate Refiner and Substrate Pressafiner
Recognizing the diversity of substrate needs, Andritz developed two specialized machines: the Substrate Refiner and the Substrate Pressafiner.
"From my knowledge, we are the only supplier offering both machine types – two different technologies – to meet all the demands of the substrate industry," Enrico states. "No compromises."
The Substrate Refiner is a high-speed machine (1,500 RPM) ideal for producing very fine fibres. "It's perfect when the raw material is clean. With its rotating rotor and adjustable gap between rotor and stator, you can precisely control fibre geometry – crucial for crops like lettuce or cucumber. It's dynamic, customizable, and built with safety features to protect against impurities."
Meanwhile, the Substrate Pressafiner operates at a slower speed and is built for raw materials that may include impurities like small stones. "It uses shear forces between wood chips to create medium-coarse fibres. The machine is robust, easy to maintain, and highly adaptable," he says. "We've designed both machines to be compact, user-friendly, and easy to maintain – even for smaller and medium-sized producers."
Andritz Pressafiner
A holistic approach to substrate engineering
Both machines allow producers to engineer the fibre output. "Plants of different types and sizes need different fibre structures for water retention and aeration, and several aspects need to be considered for the plants´ growth. Our machines let you customize fibre length, structure, and quality depending on what the grower needs."
Andritz's approach is not just about hardware. "We're not just selling machines. We support our customers with workshops, maintenance, setup customization, and process development," he emphasizes. "The machines come with adjustable process components like fiberizing rings and refining segments. Everything can be tailored."
Andritz Refiner
Field-tested, grower-approved
While Andritz targets substrate producers rather than growers directly, growers indirectly benefit from these innovations. "We've conducted plant growth trials using fibres from both machines – and they've shown excellent results. It's important that the substrate supplier knows exactly how to mix the fibres for different crops. Our job is to ensure they have the right tools."
"With the correct handling of wood fibre substrates, mainly in finding the right setup for watering and fertilizing, growers can benefit of new, high-quality and more sustainable substrates."
The machines also help ensure product safety. "Wood fibres need to be sanitized. Our process reaches temperatures up to 100°C, making them immediately usable without additional screening or sanitizing steps," he adds.
"Both machines are well received in the industry. We've sold traditional refiners in the past, and now our new compact models are gaining traction. We're currently manufacturing units for testing and demonstration to add them to the commercial portfolio."
For more information:
Andritz
Enrico Fuser
[email protected]
Christoph Leitner
[email protected]
www.andritz.com