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Fire protection in the hygiene industry

Process‑integrated solutions for controlling sparks, smouldering nests and thermal overloads in airlaid processes.

Home Industrial Fire Protection Industries Hygiene industry

Why airlaid and cellulose processes are particularly prone to fire

The production of hygiene products such as nappies, feminine hygiene products or incontinence items is often based on airlaid material, which is processed from cellulose and binders in a dry state. The preparation of cellulose using hammer mills, the air‑supported forming process and the subsequent drying and extraction steps generate fine, highly reactive fibre structures.

During size reduction, easily ignitable dust‑air mixtures are created, while mechanical wear, foreign objects or high process temperatures can generate sparks or glowing particles at any time. Pneumatic conveying lines transport these ignition sources further into filters, silos and bunkers – often unnoticed and within seconds.
The combination of combustible fibre materials, intense airflow and high process energy makes airlaid production an area with an increased fire risk.

Airlaid processes create sensitive ignition behaviour due to their dry, dust‑rich environment. A preventive, process‑integrated protection concept is essential to detect ignition sources at an early stage and prevent them from spreading to downstream plant components.GreCon Engineering

A worrying trend that underlines the importance of fire prevention – extinguish fires before they spread!

The most effective method of minimising fire and explosion risks is to use powerful spark detection and extinguishing systems in combination with tailor-made fire protection concepts for machines and critical areas – developed and implemented by Fagus-GreCon.

> 1400

Fires recorded since 2014 – in Germany alone!

> 2200

Factory fires recorded worldwide in 2024.

> 2 bn €

per year is the amount of damage for German businesses.

GreCon PROTECTOR HYGIENE – our protection concept for the hygiene industry

The hygiene industry requires a protection system designed for high production speeds, airborne fibre flows and the sensitivity of cellulose dust.

The GreCon PROTECTOR is modular, process‑integrated and scalable – suitable for all airlaid applications as well as related cellulose and fibre processes.

The GreCon PROTECTOR provides a comprehensive safety concept:

  • Detection of sparks, glowing particles and thermal hotspots within milliseconds
  • Protection of key process steps: hammer mill, fibre opening, forming process, drying, cutting and extraction technology
  • Protection of the entire extraction and conveying chain: pneumatic conveying, ductwork, filters, cyclones, silos and bunkers
  • Automatic diversion or precise low‑pressure extinguishing – process‑appropriate and without unnecessary intervention
  • Alternative extinguishing strategies such as gas extinguishing or mechanical removal for sensitive materials
  • Decentralised control logic for complex line structures
  • Detailed, millisecond‑accurate documentation for identifying ignition patterns
  • Scalable design – from single units to complete cross‑plant solutions

How GreCon PROTECTOR works

  1. Detect – sensors detect sparks, hot particles or embers
  2. Decide – the system evaluates the risk in real time
  3. Extinguish – automatically, precisely and without interrupting production
  4. Analyse – the event data helps to eliminate causes in a targeted manner
Worker in blue GreCon outfit with clipboard and helmet

The fu­ture of pre­ven­ti­ve in­dus­tri­al fire pro­tec­tion

For over 50 years, we have been developing tailor-made industrial fire protection concepts for every individual challenge in industrial fire protection – reliable, practical and precisely tailored to your processes.

Trust in over 50 years of experience in more than 100 industries

Benefit from 75,000 individually tailored protection concepts and experience gained from over 200,000 protected production areas. With Fagus-GreCon, you can effectively protect your company from the devastating consequences of a fire.

Consequences of a fire – more than just damage

Fires in airlaid and hygiene production facilities occur particularly often in areas with fine cellulose fibres and intense pneumatic conveying. Extraction systems, filters, cyclones or silos can turn into sources of fire or explosions within a very short time.

Economic, operational and strategic consequences:

  • Injuries and loss of life
  • Damage to machinery, conveying and extraction systems
  • Production interruptions and delivery delays
  • Loss of revenue and market share
  • High repair and replacement costs
  • Loss of customer orders and reputational risks

The cost of doing nothing is high. Effective fire protection is not only a safety measure, but a strategic necessity.

Ge­fah­ren in der Pelletproduktion

Dangers in the hygiene industry

The hygiene industry is particularly vulnerable because airborne, dry cellulose fibres react easily to sparks or glowing particles. The processes are fast, energy‑intensive and often fully pneumatically interconnected – allowing ignition sources to spread extremely efficiently.

Typical technical risk factors:

  • Spark generation caused by foreign objects or tool wear in hammer mills
  • Smouldering particles from fibre‑opening units
  • Overheating during the forming and drying process
  • Dust‑air mixtures with low ignition energy
  • Transfer of ignition sources through long pneumatic conveying routes
  • Filter systems acting as collection points for combustible deposits
  • Undetected smouldering nests in silos and bunkers
  • Lack of separation of fast‑moving fibre streams in high‑throughput systems

The result? An ideal environment for fires and explosions.

These risks are not theoretical – they are real, recurring and costly. That is why effective fire protection is not an option but a necessity.
And this is exactly where Fagus‑GreCon comes into play.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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