The share capital is stored here.

Even if staff are unharmed during a fire, repairs to premises and machinery cost time and money. Production is often halted entirely. Fire protection is therefore not just a precautionary measure, but an investment in the company's core assets.

Paper mills contain large quantities of wood chips and discarded cardboard, which, along with various types of flammable chemicals used in the pulp production process, create a high fire load. Paper machines also have up to 200 electric motors with kilometers of high-voltage cables. Such conditions are a breeding ground for fires, and once a fire starts, it can spread rapidly.

The paper mill is a fire hazard.

The raw materials used to make paper are highly flammable, as are the chemicals used in many production processes. Humid production environments and high ceilings make conventional fire alarms unreliable at best. Unfortunately, paper mills and warehouses require high ceilings, where conventional fire alarms are often located. In the event of a fire, it can literally take minutes for the smoke to even reach the detectors. Add to that the enormous amounts of water vapor and dust generated by the paper machines, and conventional fire alarms might not register the alarm at all. Or they might register it only after the fire is already out of control.

Paper scraps are particularly vulnerable.

Outdoor storage areas are almost entirely unprotected, as implementing conventional fire alarms in an open space is virtually impossible. Smoke can easily escape from a partially covered structure without triggering an alarm, and conventional systems are not even designed for outdoor use. Storing bales and rolls directly outside a paper mill, for example, poses a particular risk. These materials are highly flammable but are often stored outside the coverage area of ​​a conventional fire protection system. Due to their proximity to the building, a fire that starts outdoors can quickly spread throughout the entire facility, while the alarm system's response time is delayed.

AI analyzes video recordings.

Bosch offers video-based fire detection to quickly identify smoke and fire at the source and alert safety teams before the fire can spread. Camera systems like Aviotec analyze live video and evaluate it in real time. The cameras can then be configured to focus on vulnerable machinery or materials to detect fires as quickly as possible. With new artificial intelligence, the manufacturer says, they can also be relatively easily synchronized with existing hardware and video management systems.

Aviotec uses an approach combined with "hand-crafted algorithms" that simultaneously transmit data on smoke density, air turbulence, color, and movement. According to the manufacturer, these can also be combined with infrared lighting to detect smoke and flames without visible light – particularly helpful in large warehouses with high ceilings, high-rise racking, and narrow aisles.

Mountains of paper several meters high need to be protected. Photos: Bosch

In 2018, one of the world's largest publishers wanted to see for themselves what Aviotec could do. "Bertelsmann has been working with Bosch for over 35 years for good reason," says Jörg Naumann, head of the fire department at Mohn Media in Gütersloh. Most recently, the system was updated with video-based fire detection to protect the eight-meter-high waste paper storage facilities, each containing approximately 300 tons of paper.

In Ecuador, Industria Cartonera Palmar wanted to improve fire and safety standards at its corrugated board factory in Machala. In a three-phase integration, Bosch IncarPalm supported the development and enhancement of a camera system to protect raw materials, machinery, and finished products from fire, even in outdoor storage areas.

www.boschbuildingtechnologies.com