Science & Tech · AI · 5 hrs ago
US launches AI research initiative to modernize pulp and paper mills
The US Department of Energy has launched a national initiative to modernize pulp, paper and packaging.
Led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, CRAFT will bring together national laboratories, universities and industry partners.
The US industry supports thousands of manufacturing jobs, including in rural communities, but many mills rely on aging equipment.
Researchers plan to use AI and digital tools to improve existing mills, finding bottlenecks, reducing downtime and cutting costs rather than focusing on building new mills.
The work will also explore more efficient pulping, chemical recovery, dewatering and drying, which are energy-intensive parts of production.
In its first phase, CRAFT will work with manufacturers to choose technologies for pilot testing before possible commercial use.
The initiative aims to speed the move from research to factory use and help US producers stay competitive.
The U.S. Department of Energy has launched CRAFT, an initiative led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory to modernize the pulp, paper and packaging industry.
The center will use artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing and advanced materials science to improve existing mills rather than focus on building new ones.
Researchers aim to identify bottlenecks, reduce downtime and production costs, and improve yields.
CRAFT will also study energy-intensive processes including pulping, chemical recovery, dewatering and drying.
The initiative will bring together national laboratories, universities and industry partners to support domestic manufacturing and rural jobs.
- Who
- The U.S. Department of Energy launched CRAFT, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- What
- The initiative will develop technologies to modernize the pulp, paper and packaging industry, including AI-driven process improvements.
- When
- The initiative was newly launched; the article was published on October 23, 2026.
- Where
- The initiative is led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States.
- Why
- It aims to improve mill efficiency, strengthen the competitiveness of domestic producers and help sustain industrial jobs in rural communities.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Interesting Engineering reported that CRAFT had been newly launched.
CRAFT will work with manufacturers to identify operational issues and choose pilot-scale technologies for testing before commercial rollout.
- Initiative
- Center for Research and Advancement of Forest Product Technologies (CRAFT)
- Lead laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Funder
- Industrial Technologies Office within DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation
- Supporting laboratories
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and National Laboratory of the Rockies
- Research areas
- Pulping, chemical recovery, dewatering and drying
What people are saying
The U.S. pulp and paper industry is critical to thousands of rural communities, like the one where I grew up in Maine, but much of the existing infrastructure is decades old.