Jiangsu Zingwell Seiko Technology Co., Ltd. specializes in the research, development, manufacturing, and sales of vacuum rolls and shoe press series products for papermaking machines.
PaperDesk : What was the driving vision behind starting your company, and how has it grown over time?
Chris li : The driving vision behind Jiangsu Zingwell Seiko Technology Co., Ltd. was to break the longstanding foreign monopoly in high-end papermaking vacuum roll technology and to build a worldclass Chinese brand in the pulp and paper machinery sector. Founded in 2010, the company set out with a clear mission: to deliver Seiko-engineered vacuum rolls that could match — and ultimately surpass — the performance of imported equipment, while offering superior costeffectiveness and responsive local service to paper mills across China and beyond.
Over the past 14+ years, this vision has grown from a focused R&D startup into a globally recognized manufacturer. We began by tackling the most challenging pain point in papermaking — highspeed dewatering — and gradually expanded our portfolio to cover the entire dewateringforming-press process chain. Today, Zingwell operates a 20,000 m² modern production facility, serves over 500 paper mills in 30 countries, and has achieved an annual production capacity of more than 260 vacuum rolls. Our evolution from a domestic substitute brand to a global technology exporter is a testament to the original vision taking root and flourishing.
PD : What key milestones have shaped your journey into a globally recognized packaging equipment manufacturer?
CL : Several key milestones have defined our journey:
• 2010 — Company founded; pioneered deep-hole gun drilling and dynamic balancing technology for paper machine rolls in China.
• 2013 — First successful delivery of a high-speed vacuum couch roll (1,200 m/min), breaking import dependency for domestic mills.
• 2015 — Launch of the shoe press R&D program, expanding from vacuum rolls into press-section technology.
• 2018 — Established ISO 9001 Quality Management System; expanded export operations to Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East.
• 2020 • Commissioned the new 20,000 m² intelligent manufacturing facility in Jianhu, Yancheng, Jiangsu.
• 2022 — Recognized as a National “Little Giant” Enterprise (Specialized, Sophisticated, Distinctive & Innovative SME).
• 2023 — Achieved 2,000 m/min high-speed roll manufacturing capability; supplied vacuum rolls for crescent tissue machines at 2,200 m/min.
• 2024 — Reached the milestone of 500+ paper mill customers across 30 countries; introduced AI-assisted predictive maintenance features in 新一代 smart rolls.
PD : How do your core values continue to influence your long-term business strategy?
CL : Zingwell’s core values — Seiko, Innovation, Reliability, and Sustainability — are deeply embedded in every strategic decision. Seiko drives our investment in advanced CNC deep-hole drilling and 3D virtual design capabilities. Innovation compels us to allocate significant R&D resources to next-generation shoe press and smart roll technologies. Reliability is reflected in our ISO 9001-certified quality system and our commitment to 24/7 after-sales support. Sustainability shapes our focus on energy-efficient dewatering solutions that help paper mills reduce steam consumption and carbon footprint. Together, these values ensure that our long-term strategy remains customer-centric, technology-driven, and globally competitive.
PD : What distinguishes your packaging machinery from other solutions available in the global market?
CL : What sets Zingwell’s packaging and papermaking machinery apart is our specialization in highspeed vacuum roll technology — a niche where few global players can match our depth of expertise. Our key differentiators include:
• Proprietary deep-hole gun drilling with micron-level tolerance, ensuring uniform vacuum distribution and superior dewatering efficiency.
• Advanced dynamic balancing technology that enables stable operation at speeds up to 2,000 m/min — a benchmark rarely achieved by competitors.
• 3D virtual design and FEA simulation that optimize roll shell thickness, hole pattern, and structural integrity before manufacturing.
• A full-range product portfolio covering vacuum couch rolls, suction press rolls, vacuum transfer rolls, vacuum guide rolls, and shoe press units — providing one-stop solutions for the entire forming and press section.
• Shorter lead times and significantly lower lifecycle costs compared to European and Japanese alternatives, without compromising on quality.
PD : How does your engineering team develop smarter, more efficient, and energy-saving packaging technologies?
CL : Our engineering team follows a systematic, three-pillar approach to developing smarter, more efficient, and energy-saving technologies: First, we use 3D virtual design and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to simulate the dewatering process inside the roll, allowing us to optimize hole patterns, shell thickness, and vacuum chamber geometry before a single cut is made. This dramatically reduces trial-and-error and ensures peak performance from day one. Second, we continuously refine our deep-hole drilling processes and tooling to achieve tighter tolerances and smoother internal surfaces, which directly translates into lower energy consumption, reduced noise, and longer service life. Third, we integrate variable-frequency drive (VFD) technology and intelligent control systems into our rolls, enabling mills to fine-tune vacuum levels in real time based on paper grade, speed, and moisture profile — resulting in measurable energy savings of 10–20% in the press section.
PD : How are changing customer requirements influencing your product innovation strategy?
CL : Customer requirements are evolving rapidly — paper mills today demand higher speeds, lower energy consumption, greater uptime, and more flexible production. These shifting needs directly shape our innovation roadmap. For example, as tissue mills push toward 2,200+ m/min production speeds, we developed high-rigidity vacuum suction rolls with optimized hole patterns specifically for crescent tissue machines.
As packaging paper producers seek to reduce drying energy, we engineered our shoe press technology to significantly increase press dryness, directly cutting steam consumption in the dryer section. Every product improvement starts with a customer challenge and ends with a measurable performance gain.
PD : What role does digitalization play in enhancing packaging efficiency and operational performance?
CL : Digitalization is at the heart of our next-generation roll technology. We are embedding intelligent sensors directly into roll structures to capture real-time operational data — including vibration signatures, bearing temperatures, vacuum levels, and dewatering efficiency. This data is transmitted via industrial IoT gateways to our cloud-based monitoring platform, where AI analytics identify anomalies, predict failures, and recommend optimization actions. The result is a step-change in operational performance: unplanned downtime is reduced by up to 40%, maintenance costs drop significantly, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) improves. Digitalization also enables remote commissioning and troubleshooting, allowing our engineers to support global customers without travel delays.
PD : How do you identify new market opportunities while maintaining technological leadership?
CL : We identify new market opportunities through a combination of three strategies: First, close customer engagement — our sales and engineering teams maintain ongoing dialogue with paper mills to understand emerging pain points. Second, macro-trend analysis — we track global packaging demand, e-commerce growth, sustainability regulations, and fiber-based packaging substitution trends. Third, technology scouting — we continuously monitor advances in materials science, automation, and digital technologies that can be adapted to paper machinery. To maintain technological leadership, we reinvest a substantial portion of revenue into R&D and maintain a dedicated innovation lab for roll testing and prototyping.
PD : What business strategies have contributed most to your international growth and customer trust?
CL : Several business strategies have been instrumental to our international growth and the trust we have earned from global customers:
• Technology-first positioning: We compete on engineering excellence rather than price alone, establishing credibility with demanding customers.
• Quality certification: Our ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications provide international customers with confidence in our quality and environmental standards.
• Localized service: We have built a responsive after-sales network with rapid spare parts supply and remote technical support capabilities.
• Strategic partnerships: Collaborations with leading paper machine builders (such as Shandong Xinhe, Andritz licensees, and others) have expanded our reach.
• Proven track record: With 500+ mills served and 260+ rolls produced annually, our references speak for themselves.
PD : How do you balance customized solutions with large-scale manufacturing efficiency?
CL : Balancing customization with scale is one of our core competencies. We achieve this through a modular design philosophy: key roll components (such as shell sections, bearing housings, and vacuum chambers) are standardized into configurable modules, while critical dimensions and hole patterns are customized per customer specifications. This approach allows us to maintain high-volume production efficiency on common components while delivering tailor-made solutions for each mill. Our 3D virtual design system further accelerates customization by automating much of the design variation work, reducing engineering lead time by 50% compared to traditional methods.
PD : What industries currently represent your strongest growth opportunities worldwide?
CL : Our strongest global growth opportunities lie in three segments: (1) Packaging paper and board —driven by the global shift from plastic to fiber-based packaging; (2) Tissue and hygiene paper — especially in emerging markets where per-capita consumption is rising rapidly; and (3) Specialty papers including food-grade, medical, and industrial papers. Geographically, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and South America represent the highest growth potential due to their expanding paper industries and increasing demand for high-speed, energy-efficient equipment.
PD : Which global technological advancements do you believe will redefine the future of intelligent packaging equipment?
CL : Several global technological advancements will redefine intelligent packaging equipment: (1) AIpowered predictive maintenance that anticipates failures before they occur; (2) Digital twin technology enabling virtual commissioning and real-time performance optimization; (3) Smart sensor networks providing 360-degree equipment health visibility; (4) Advanced automation and robotics in roll handling and changeover; (5) Energy-recovery systems that capture and reuse dewatering energy. These technologies are converging to create “self-optimizing” paper machines that continuously adapt to changing
conditions with minimal human intervention.
PD : How is your company leveraging AI, IoT, and smart automation to enhance packaging productivity and reliability?
CL : Zingwell is actively deploying AI, IoT, and smart automation across our product line. Our smart vacuum rolls are equipped with embedded vibration and temperature sensors that stream data to our cloud analytics platform. Machine learning algorithms analyze this data to detect early signs of bearing wear, shell fatigue, or vacuum leakage — often weeks before traditional methods would identify the issue. Our IoT-enabled remote monitoring system allows customers to track roll performance from anywhere, while our smart automation features enable auto-adjustment of vacuum levels based on real-time paper machine conditions. This trifecta of AI + IoT + automation has improved roll reliability by over 35% and reduced unplanned downtime for our customers.
PD : How do international industry trends influence your product development roadmap?
CL : International industry trends directly inform our product development roadmap. As global paper mills prioritize decarbonization, we are accelerating R&D into ultra-high-dewatering-efficiency rolls and shoe press systems that minimize dryer section energy use. As labor shortages drive automation demand, we are integrating more smart sensors and self-diagnostic capabilities into our equipment. As the circular economy gains traction, we are exploring remanufacturing and refurbishment programs for end-of-life rolls. Our roadmap is essentially a “translation” of global mega-trends into concrete engineering projects with clear milestones.
PD : What major trends do you expect to drive the global packaging machinery industry over the next decade?
CL : Over the next decade, five major trends will drive the global packaging machinery industry:
(1) Sustainability — stricter environmental regulations and customer demand for eco-friendly packaging will push mills toward energy-efficient, low-waste equipment;
(2) Digitalization — smart factories with connected equipment, AI-driven optimization, and paperless operations will become the norm;
(3) Speed and efficiency — paper machines will continue pushing speed boundaries, requiring ever more advanced roll technology;
(4) Fiber substitution — the global shift from plastic to paper-based packaging will create massive new demand for packaging grades;
(5) Emerging market expansion — rapid industrialization in Asia, Africa, and Latin America will fuel new paper machine investments.
PD : Which emerging markets offer the greatest opportunities for future expansion?
CL : The emerging markets offering the greatest expansion opportunities include:
(1) Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand) — rapidly growing paper consumption driven by e-commerce and packaging demand.
(2) India — massive domestic paper market with increasing mechanization and quality 升级.
(3) South America (Brazil, Chile) — strong pulp and paper base seeking efficiency upgrades.
(4) Africa (Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt) — nascent but fast-growing paper industries with significant import substitution potential.
(5) Central Asia and the Middle East — new investments in tissue and packaging paper capacity.
PD : How is your organization preparing for the next generation of sustainable and intelligent manufacturing?
CL : Zingwell is preparing for the next generation of sustainable and intelligent manufacturing through a multi-pronged strategy:
(1) Investing in green manufacturing processes, including energyefficient CNC equipment and waste-minimizing machining methods.
(2) Developing nextgeneration eco-rolls that maximize dewatering efficiency and minimize energy use for our customers.
(3) Building a digital factory with MES (Manufacturing Execution System) integration for full production traceability.
(4) Establishing a global service network to support the full lifecycle of our equipment.
(5) Fostering an innovation culture that encourages continuous improvement and agile response to market changes.
PD : How do you promote employee development, workplace safety, and community engagement across your operations?
CL : Employee development, workplace safety, and community engagement are pillars of our corporate culture. We provide continuous technical training and career development paths for all employees, partnering with vocational schools and universities to cultivate the next generation of Seiko machining talent. Workplace safety is ensured through rigorous safety protocols, regular drills, and a zero-incident policy — our facility is equipped with modern safety systems and ergonomic workstations. For community engagement, we actively participate in local education initiatives, sponsor vocational training programs, and support environmental awareness campaigns in Jianhu County and beyond.
PD : What role does energy-efficient equipment play in supporting your environmental commitments?
CL : Energy-efficient equipment is central to our environmental commitments. Every vacuum roll and shoe press we manufacture is engineered to minimize energy consumption in the customer’s papermaking process. By improving dewatering efficiency in the forming and press sections, our equipment directly reduces the energy required in the drying section — often the largest energy consumer in a paper mill. Our R&D roadmap prioritizes “energy per ton of paper” as a key design metric. Internally, our own factory utilizes energy-efficient machinery, LED lighting, and smart power management to minimize our carbon footprint. We believe that manufacturing better equipment is one of the most impactful ways we can contribute to a greener planet.