October 16, 2025
Brian Hoffert began his career with a degree in paper science and engineering and chemical engineering from NC State University in 2005. He then joined International Paper in the first year of the REACH program as a process engineer. In 2007, Hoffert shifted to tissue manufacturing, serving as tissue machine manager, paper mill manager, and wet end business unit manager. He now holds the position of North American sales manager at Runtech Systems, a leader in water-free, energy-efficient vacuum technology dedicated to reducing energy and water consumption.
The biggest challenge that I have seen the industry face is the rapid retirement of many knowledgeable tissue makers, engineers, and maintenance personnel, particularly during the pandemic.
In a short amount of time a vast wealth of knowledge walked out the door without being captured in a sustainable form. When this happened it forced junior workers into roles that they may not have been fully prepared or trained for. The gap in both process and management knowledge has caused many in the next generation of tissue makers to experience burnout and leave the industry entirely.
The tissue industry is responding quite well to these challenges.
I have seen a lot of companies start to implement policies that are helping to improve the work-life balance of teams on the operating floor. We have seen in many cases companies bring back talented employees to help mentor young managers and operators. Finding ways to be flexible with employees’ work and home life has never been more important than it is now.
The tissue industry is leveraging the power of new technology.
We are starting to see many companies implement data analytics and predictive technologies. These technologies allow the mill teams to identify and correct safety, process, and quality gaps before they become larger issues.
The biggest positive change that I have seen in the industry over the last decade is the conversion of many machines to steel Yankee dryers.
The steel Yankee dryers have many benefits compared to cast iron dryers in safety, thermal efficiency, reduced maintenance downtime, and sheet quality.
Dust generation continues to be a challenge for many light dry crepe machine halls.
Whether we like it or not we are in the business of colliding a dry piece of paper into a hard blade. As consumers push mills to make softer and softer products, this will continue to be a challenge for tissue makers. It is a difficult engineering task for all mills to balance dust collection versus the effect on sheet handling. The mills that we see at the highest production speeds have found a good balance of sheet handling system with associated dust collection.
The adoption of digital tools to measure and manage softness has come a long way in the last 20 years.
It is now becoming quite common to see crepe counters on QCS systems and softness analyzers in the tissue lab. These tools are allowing tissue makers to see in real time how the adjustments they make affect the final softness results.
For me the most fun times in my career have been when I was a part of a good team.
It is impossible for any person to know everything. Listening to ideas, prioritizing them and experimenting has always been fulfilling. Sometimes you learn what to do, and sometimes you learn what not to do. But the winning ideas you get to keep forever.
I think in the next 10 years we are going to continue to see decreased differentiation between branded, private label, and away-from-home products.
Many new TAD machines and crescent formers have come online over the past 10 years. The high margins associated with branded products will continue to decrease and mills are going to have to become more efficient to continue to be competitive.