New center in Paulínia brings research and development closer to the world’s fastest-growing pulp region, strengthening customer collaboration and advancing sustainable operational performance
Solenis, a leading global provider of water treatment, process and hygiene solutions, has relocated its Pulp Center of Excellence from the U.S. to a new facility in Paulínia, Brazil, expanding the company’s global research and development capabilities and positioning innovation closer to the world’s fastest-growing pulp region.
Located alongside its existing Paulínia Technology Center, the new 500-square-meter Pulp Center of Excellence is dedicated to developing global solutions for the pulp industry. The facility is designed to connect Solenis’ scientists, application expertise, process knowledge and advanced testing capabilities to help customers address complex operational, efficiency and sustainability challenges.
The center is staffed by a dedicated team of scientists and technicians with deep expertise in pulp applications, process chemistry and customer-focused innovation.
“By placing our global pulp innovation capabilities in Brazil, we are moving closer to our customers and to one of the most dynamic pulp regions in the world,” said Christoph Adami, Vice President, Innovation. “This center strengthens our ability to collaborate directly with producers, accelerate innovation cycles and develop next-generation technologies that help pulp manufacturers worldwide improve productivity, cost position and sustainability.”
Latin America has become a global hotspot for pulp production, with regional capacity increasing significantly over the past decade and additional growth expected. Brazil continues to be a center of investment for the industry, with Mato Grosso do Sul concentrating a large share of announced pulp projects. Solenis’ Pulp Center of Excellence is strategically located in the Campinas/Paulínia technology hub, enabling faster response to customer needs and closer collaboration with key producers in the region.
“Latin America plays a pivotal role in the evolution of the global pulp industry and Brazil remains one of the sector’s most important investment destinations. The new Pulp Center of Excellence strengthens our ability to work side by side with customers, respond quickly to emerging needs and bring the best of Solenis’ global expertise to support their growth and operational success,” said José Aguirre, Vice President and General Manager, LATAM.
The Pulp Center of Excellence supports full-process coverage from wood handling through cooking, brownstock washing, bleaching, recausticizing and refining. These capabilities allow Solenis teams to simulate different stages of pulp manufacturing, evaluate treatment programs and develop solutions across the entire pulp mill.
Current development areas include a talc-free pitch control platform, pitch monitoring equipment co-developed with industry partners, a first-of-its-kind cooking additive designed to improve cooking yield and a silicone-free defoamer family already recognized in the Brazilian market. Together, these technologies reflect Solenis’ focus on helping pulp producers optimize performance, reduce operational constraints and support more sustainable production.
Solenis continues to invest in R&D capabilities that support customers globally while reinforcing its commitment to the pulp and paper industry. The center complements customer expertise and production knowledge with Solenis’ broad portfolio of chemistry, monitoring and process solutions, creating a collaborative environment for innovation and long-term value creation.
The company maintains 16 R&D centers globally, strategically located to focus on critical specialties, with some acting as Centers of Excellence. In addition, the company operates 11 Customer Application Laboratories (CALs) to help customers solve complex, real-world chemistry challenges.
