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Smedic's premium chemical agents deliver superior retention performance, reducing fiber loss and improving sheet formation in papermaking processes.
In modern papermaking, retention aids are chemical agents — primarily coagulants and flocculants — applied to the wet end of the paper machine to improve the retention of fine fibers, fillers, and other solid particles on the forming wire. Without effective retention chemistry, a significant portion of raw materials would be lost through the white water system, dramatically reducing efficiency and increasing operating costs.
Coagulants such as Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC) and cationic polymers neutralize the negative surface charges of cellulose fibers and filler particles, enabling them to aggregate. Flocculants — including Anionic Polyacrylamide (APAM) and Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM) — then bridge these aggregates into larger flocs that are efficiently retained on the wire and in the sheet.
Together, they form a dual-component or multi-component retention system that is the backbone of efficient, sustainable paper production.
💡 Optimized retention chemistry can reduce fiber loss by up to 40%, cut fresh water consumption, and significantly lower effluent treatment costs in paper mills.
Coagulants rapidly neutralize surface charges on fibers and fillers, enabling initial aggregation.
High-MW flocculants bridge micro-flocs into robust aggregates retained on the forming wire.
Optimized floc structure improves water drainage rates, boosting machine speed and energy efficiency.
Maximizes filler retention (calcium carbonate, kaolin), reducing raw material costs significantly.
The global paper retention chemicals market is undergoing rapid transformation driven by sustainability mandates, resource efficiency imperatives, and advances in polymer chemistry.
The global paper retention chemicals market exceeded USD 3.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% through 2030, driven by rising demand for packaging grades, tissue, and specialty papers.
Stricter environmental regulations in Europe, North America, and China are pushing mills toward low-AOX, phosphorus-free, and biodegradable retention chemistry systems, reshaping procurement strategies.
Leading mills are integrating real-time zeta potential monitoring and AI-driven dosage control systems with retention chemical programs, enabling dynamic optimization and waste reduction.
The shift toward OCC and mixed waste recycled furnishes has intensified demand for robust coagulant-flocculant systems capable of handling highly contaminated, variable-charge fiber slurries.
China, India, and Southeast Asia account for over 55% of global paper chemical consumption growth, with China alone operating more than 2,500 paper mills requiring advanced retention solutions.
Rapid growth in food-grade packaging, medical papers, and high-brightness printing grades demands ultra-pure, low-impurity retention chemicals with consistent molecular weight distribution.
Next-generation micro-particle systems combining cationic starch or CPAM with colloidal silica or bentonite are delivering first-pass retention rates exceeding 90% in high-speed tissue and fine paper machines. Nano-silica particles (5–20 nm) offer dramatically increased surface area for superior floc formation even at ultra-low dosages, reducing chemical costs while improving formation uniformity.
Smedic's independently developed inorganic-organic covalent bond flocculant technology — recognized with the 22nd China Patent Award — represents a paradigm shift. By covalently linking inorganic coagulant moieties with organic polymer chains, these hybrid molecules achieve simultaneous charge neutralization and bridging in a single-component system, simplifying dosing while delivering superior performance in variable-charge papermaking environments.
Driven by circular economy principles and eco-label requirements (FSC, Nordic Swan), the industry is accelerating development of bio-derived retention aids based on modified cellulose nanofibers, chitosan derivatives, and fermentation-produced biopolymers. These materials offer comparable retention performance with significantly reduced ecological footprint and improved compatibility with food-contact paper grades.
Integration of online turbidity sensors, streaming current detectors (SCD), and machine learning algorithms enables real-time adjustment of coagulant and flocculant dosages in response to furnish variability. This closed-loop approach reduces chemical overconsumption by 15–25%, minimizes sheet defects, and provides invaluable process data for continuous improvement programs.
Modern mills are moving toward fully closed white water circuits to eliminate effluent discharge and recover valuable fibers and fillers. This demands retention chemicals with high tolerance to elevated conductivity, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and anionic trash — driving demand for specifically formulated, high-charge-density coagulants and ultra-high-MW flocculants.
Coagulant and flocculant retention chemicals serve critical functions across diverse paper grades and mill configurations. Understanding the specific chemistry requirements of each scenario is key to maximizing performance.
OCC-based furnishes carry high anionic trash loads from recycled fibers and coatings. High-charge-density PAC coagulants are applied first to neutralize anionic trash, followed by CPAM flocculants for robust fiber and filler retention. This two-component system is critical for maintaining machine runnability at speeds above 1,000 m/min.
Tissue machines demand exceptional formation uniformity alongside high retention. Micro-particle systems using CPAM combined with colloidal silica or bentonite are preferred. The challenge is achieving retention without over-flocculating, which would harm the soft, uniform formation essential for premium tissue grades.
Alkaline fine paper furnishes contain 20–30% precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) filler. APAM-based retention systems with cationic fixatives maximize PCC retention (target >85%), directly reducing raw material costs. Precise charge management is essential as PCC surfaces are highly sensitive to pH and ionic strength variations.
Mechanical pulp (TMP, CTMP) furnishes have high fines content and complex charge characteristics. Dual-polymer systems combining low-MW cationic coagulants with high-MW APAM deliver the best balance of retention, drainage, and formation for newsprint and directory paper grades.
Food contact papers (greaseproof, baking parchment, coffee filter papers) require retention chemicals meeting FDA/EU food safety standards. Ultra-pure, low-residual-monomer PAC and polyacrylamide grades with strict regulatory compliance are mandatory, alongside rigorous quality control documentation.
Beyond the wet end, coagulant-flocculant systems are deployed in dissolved air flotation (DAF) units and saveall clarifiers to recover fibers and fillers from white water. Optimized chemistry here directly reduces raw material losses and minimizes the BOD/COD load of paper mill effluent, supporting zero-liquid-discharge goals.
Smedic Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2011 as a comprehensive solution provider specialized in environmental protection agents, integrating R&D, production, sales, and engineering-related technical services. We are dedicated to providing customers with customized chemical products, technical solutions, and services.
Smedic produces environmental protection agents covering multiple sectors such as municipal sewage, industrial wastewater, and tap water treatment, as well as mineral processing agents, and oilfield chemicals. We offer more than 80 different environmental protection products, with an annual production capacity exceeding 1 million tons.
The company was established in 2011.
The company offers over 80 types of environmental protection agent products.
The company's annual production capacity exceeds one million tons.
Our corporate headquarters is located in Beijing. We have multiple wholly-owned production bases in Hebei, Guizhou, Shanxi, and other regions, and have set up more than ten OEM partner factories and regional warehousing and logistics bases in Shandong, Shanxi, Anhui, Guangxi, and Sichuan provinces, among others. Our business and service network covers over 20 provinces across China.
Our projects involve more than 600 urban sewage treatment plants and over 1,000 end customers in industrial wastewater treatment, mineral processing, and oilfield chemicals. The total sewage treatment capacity involved in the projects exceeds 20 million tons per day. We are a leading company in the Chinese market within the high-end segment of environmental protection chemicals for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment.
We have obtained qualifications such as National High-tech Enterprise, National Specialized, Refined, Unique and Innovative "Little Giant" Enterprise, National Key-Supported Specialized, Refined, Unique and Innovative "Little Giant" Enterprise, Hebei Province Specialized, Refined, Unique and Innovative "Little Giant" Demonstration Enterprise, Hebei Province Green Factory, Hebei Province Science and Technology-based Small and Medium-sized Enterprise, and China's Science and Technology-based Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprise.
We have a core technical team composed of academicians, experts, professors, and senior engineers, and have established an R&D system and a technology commercialization platform centered around one academy, three research institutes, and five bases. We have established the Hebei Provincial Enterprise Technology Center, the Hebei Provincial Advanced Water Treatment Chemicals Technology Innovation Center, and the Cangzhou Water Treatment Engineering Technology Research Center, and have been recognized as a Class A R&D institution in Hebei Province.
We have established an expert workstation with Tsinghua University Association of Senior Scientists and Technicians, and have set up joint R&D laboratories with Shandong University and Beijing University of Technology. Additionally, we also serve as a commercialization partner for the industry–academia–research achievements of institutions such as Peking University and Tianjin University.
The patented technologies and products we have independently developed, such as the bio-enhanced denitrification carbon source and the deep multi-nuclear phosphorus removal agent, have passed the scientific and technological achievement evaluation conducted by the Science and Technology Department of Hebei Province. These achievements have been appraised as "internationally advanced" and have filled a domestic gap in this product category.
Our "Active Oxygen Compound Disinfectant" has been recognized as a National Construction Industry Scientific and Technological Achievement Promotion Project by the Science and Technology Development Promotion Center of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
Our independently developed "Inorganic-Organic Covalent Bond Flocculant and Its Advanced Water Purification Technology" has won multiple awards, including the 22nd China Patent Award, the First Prize for Technological Invention from the China Petrochemical Industry Association, the Hebei Province Science and Technology Progress Award, and recognition as a Belt and Road SME Recommended Project.
We have been recognized as the "Leading Brand of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Chemicals" and the "Most Valuable Water Treatment Chemicals Brand" by China Water Network and the E20 Environmental Platform for four consecutive years.
We have established long-term strategic partnerships with dozens of major water groups, including Shouchuang Ecological and Environmental Group, Yangtze River Ecological and Environmental Group, Beijing Enterprises Water Group, OriginWater, and China Water Environment Group, and have been included in their centralized procurement supplier lists.
We have been granted over sixty Chinese patents, including more than forty invention patents and over twenty utility model patents. We have led the drafting of more than ten national and industry standards, including those for composite carbon sources, composite coagulants, sodium acetate, and nitrifying and denitrifying bacterial agents.
Partner with Smedic Technology to access industry-leading coagulant and flocculant solutions, backed by over a decade of R&D excellence and proven performance across 1,000+ industrial customers worldwide.
Explore Our Retention Aid ProductsExplore Smedic's comprehensive portfolio of coagulant, flocculant, and process chemical solutions for papermaking and industrial water treatment applications.
