Soft processing: no compromises

“Soft processing” aims to process each tobacco variety individually in order to open up its full potential. Hauni is consulting its customers on the most effective ways to implement this concept.

The current buzzword “soft processing” conceals a simple proposition: processes should take account of the differing requirements of raw materials and work flexibly to obtain the best possible results. When each tobacco grade is processed using techniques that bring out its positive qualities, the resulting processes are gentler and deliver higher quality at lower cost. In its customer consultations, Hauni focuses on the whole process rather than on individual plant components.

“We sit down with our clients, identify areas with optimization potential and work out how we can tap into these most effectively,” explains Dr. Peter Funke, head of research & development at Hauni Primary GmbH.

Over recent years, many companies have adopted simplified processing methods which treat the tobacco as a uniform commodity rather than as separate varieties. Consequently, cigarette manufacturers often choose a middle road for their production lines that is more a compromise than the golden mean. It simultaneously impairs the flavor of high quality, sensitive and expensive tobaccos while failing to maximize the filling performance potential of lower quality, lower cost but more robust varieties.

Soft processing takes a different approach. Many tobacco grades are used as filling material and to ensure the optimum tobacco density in a cigarette. These are processed at high temperatures, high humidity and with a comparatively high level of added flavors. The opposite is true of the majority of high quality tobaccos which are responsible for the flavor of the cigarette. These require gentle handling at low heat, low temperature, and no additives.

Tailoring processes in the primary to the exact requirements of the tobacco has many advantages. If the high quality tobaccos are allowed to express themselves fully, the cigarette requires fewer flavorings and additives. As less tobacco is damaged during expansion, less dust is produced – making the process more cost-effective and reducing cleaning and maintenance. Last but not least, it increases the filling performance of lower quality tobacco, which can be expanded more effectively – resulting in further significant cost savings.

A single cigarette can contain up to 40 grades of tobacco. In soft processing, these are grouped into “pools”. Each pool contains several grades with very similar processing requirements. Hauni’s specialists use their proven expertise in primary processes to analyze the customer’s equipment and determine whether it is flexible enough to process these pools differently. Sometimes, they only have to find a way to use existing reserve capacity and components in the production plant more effectively. If a more extensive solution is needed, Hauni can show customers the options for optimizing specific pieces of plant and equipment. Sometimes the ideal solution is to replace a number of components or invest in additional equipment. If this is not enough, a completely new additional production line can be the most effective answer. Whatever route the customer chooses, flexible processes and plants (see below) deliver measurable advantages in cigarette production.

TOBCON: Gentle loosening

The TOBCON drum concept developed by Hauni can be used as the basis for all areas of tobacco conditioning – from conditioning and casing to flavoring. The recently developed “FLEX” option allows the conditioning temperature to be reduced to 50°C. Despite these low process air temperatures, TOBCON achieves excellent loosening results while handling the tobacco even more gently. It is therefore suitable for handling all tobacco grades.

KT3: Razor sharp cutting

The KT 3 tobacco cutter can cut a very wide spectrum of tobacco varieties – from leaf to sensitive semi-oriental or recon. The knife advance and grinder unit can be adjusted to match the specific requirements of each tobacco grade. The razor sharp knives are sharpened according to their rate of wear and therefore have a longer service life. They ensure an extremely accurate cutting width, require less pressure and can even cut tobacco varieties with a high moisture content.

KLS: Two-zone drying

The flexible KLS rotary dryer guarantees gentle drying of tobacco due to its 2Z option featuring two independently operated temperature zones. These enable the customer to select the optimum drying characteristic for each tobacco variety and brand. This is reflected in better flavor and filling performance. It also offers advantages in terms of sustainability. An intelligent process management concept reduces energy consumption by up to eight percent and cuts the amount of waste heat escaping into the environment.