In today’s competitive paper and filtration markets, choosing the right paper machine fabrics and industrial filtration partners can make or break your operations. This article profiles eight industry leaders—from China’s ISO 9001 certified polyester filter belt manufacturer, KEYLIFE, to Germany’s innovation powerhouse, Voith Paper Machine Clothing. You’ll discover each company’s core strengths, cutting-edge technologies, and global service networks. Whether you need engineered paper machine clothing for dewatering, eco-friendly paper production machinery, or turnkey process filtration and pollution control solutions, this guide will help you pinpoint the perfect supplier to boost efficiency, quality, and sustainability in your mill.
Top 7 Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers in the USA 2025 |
1. KEYLIFE
Establishment: 2010
Headquarters: Chengguan Industrial Zone, Fuyang City, Anhui Province, China
Main Products: Forming screens, press felts, drying screens, filter belts
Company Profile:
KEYLIFE is a China-based specialist in Paper Machine Clothing, offering forming fabrics, press felts, dryer fabrics and polyester filter belts to paper mills worldwide. Focused on cost-effective, ISO-9001 certified manufacturing, KEYLIFE combines practical engineering with flexible small-to-mid volume production to support mills upgrading assets or sourcing alternative suppliers. Their portfolio targets tissue, paperboard and packaging paper lines, with custom weave patterns and finishing options to tune drainage, retention and runnability. For buyers seeking competitive pricing plus technical support on installation and seam types, KEYLIFE presents a balanced option among Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers.
Advantages:
Competitive pricing for forming and dryer fabrics.
ISO 9001 certified production and export experience.
Flexible customization (permeability, weave, seam options).
Rapid lead times for regional orders.
Product List:
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model (recommended) | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSB-TripleForm-800 | Tissue forming | High drainage, good sheet support | Small tissue lines |
| PressFelt-PF-DS | Press section | High water removal, long life | Board & packaging |
| SpiralDry-SD-H | Dryer section | Spiral seam for wide widths | High-speed paper machines |
2. Albany International Corp
Establishment: 1895
Headquarters: Rochester, New Hampshire
Main Products: Felt
Company Profile:
Albany International is a long-established leader among Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers, with roots back to 1895 and a global footprint in machine clothing and engineered textiles. Their machine clothing products — from advanced forming fabrics to engineered press felts and specialty dryer fabrics — are widely used across pulp, paper, tissue and nonwovens markets. Albany is known for R&D, material science and quality control, helping mills achieve improved dryness, formation and uptime. For buyers who prioritise tested performance, lifecycle value and global service, Albany is a top choice.
Advantages:
Century-plus heritage and proven R&D capability.
Extensive global service, testing and technical support.
Wide product range optimized for performance & longevity.
Product List:
Forming fabrics (double and triple layer)
Press felts and shoe press felts
Dryer fabrics and specialty tissue fabrics
Specialty engineered textiles
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALB-Form-DLX | Forming section | Enhanced drainage + formation | Fine paper & coated grades |
| ALB-Press-Max | Press section | High dewatering & dimension stability | Newsprint & packaging |
| ALB-Dry-Pro | Dryer section | Long life, consistent shrinkage | High-speed machines |
3. AstenJohnson
Establishment: 1999
Headquarters: South Carolina, USA
Main Products: Pressing mesh, forming mesh, drying mesh
Company Profile:
AstenJohnson is a veteran supplier in the paper industry with deep historical roots and modern engineering strengths. As one of the leading Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers, AstenJohnson supplies forming fabrics, press felts and dryer fabrics complemented by service offerings and educational programs (e.g., AstenJohnson University). Their strength lies in combining traditional textile know-how with modern materials and design to improve sheet quality and reduce energy/rewets on paper machines. Mills looking for practical field support and established product lines often turn to AstenJohnson.
Advantages:
Long heritage and strong field engineering.
Training and application support (process optimization).
Broad product mix for tissue, paperboard, and paper grades.
Product List:
Forming fabrics (woven & spiral)
Press felts (various constructions)
Dryer fabrics and specialized rolls
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJ-Form-SSB | Forming | Spiral & triple weave options | Tissue & fine paper |
| AJ-Press-Pro | Press | High compaction, fast drying | Coated / board lines |
| AJ-Dry-Flex | Dryer | Dimensional stability | Wide-width machines |
4. Nextwire
Establishment: 1963
Headquarters: Star City, Arkansas
Main Products: Nonwovens, pulp, paper
Company Profile:
Nextwire specialises in woven wire cloth and belting used in forming, pressing and drying applications, serving pulp & paper, corrugator and engineered wood industries. As a US manufacturer among Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers, Nextwire emphasizes durable woven products and responsive field services (installation, emergency repair). Their proven expertise in woven wire cloth makes them a preferred supplier for mills seeking robust mechanical screening and forming solutions as well as quick on-site support.
Advantages:
Specialist in woven wire & broadloom products.
Strong field service and emergency response.
Reliable for industrial & high-wear applications.
Product List:
Woven wire cloth for forming and dewatering
Belting products for press and dryer sections
Custom screens and industrial mesh
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NW-WireForm-600 | Forming | Heavy-duty woven wire | Corrugators & pulp lines |
| NW-PressBelt-T | Press | High abrasion strength | High-throughput mills |
| NW-Screen-Flex | Specialty | Custom weave densities | Specialty products |
5. Xerium
Establishment: 1976
Headquarters: Youngsville, North Carolina
Main Products: Forming mesh, drying mesh, pressing mesh
Company Profile:
Xerium has been a recognized name for high-quality consumables in paper and tissue (felts, fabrics and roll covers). Since the acquisition by ANDRITZ in 2018, Xerium’s product lines have been integrated into a larger technology portfolio, giving mills access to global supply, engineering services and a broader R&D platform. The combined offering is particularly attractive for mills that want end-to-end papermaking solutions and consumables from a single global supplier.
Advantages:
Backed by ANDRITZ’s global service & R&D.
Strong reputation for consumables quality.
Better global logistics and integrated solutions.
Product List:
Press felts and forming fabrics
Dryer fabrics and roll covers
Consumables for pulp & paper drying lines
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| XER-Form-Elite | Forming | Durable weave, stable formation | Coated & fine papers |
| XER-Press-Endure | Press | High water removal, low fiber entrap | Tissue & board |
| XER-Dry-Plus | Dryer | Reduced energy consumption | High-speed machines |
6. Clear Edge
Establishment: First half of the 19th century
Headquarters: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Main Products: Press belt, woven mesh
Company Profile:
Clear Edge is a filtration and industrial fabric specialist with a heritage tracing back to early filtration innovators in the UK and a modern presence in North America. They supply filter fabrics, dryer fabrics and process belts across mining, pulp & paper, food, and water treatment. As Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers, Clear Edge is particularly known where filtration and separation performance intersects with papermaking processes — for mills that need both filtration expertise and tailored fabric solutions.
Advantages:
Deep filtration expertise applied to papermaking fabrics.
Global production & service network.
Useful where dewatering and filtration are critical.
Product List:
Filter belts & industrial filtration fabrics
Dryer fabrics and special process belts
Technical service for fabric selection & installation
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CE-Filter-HighDrain | Dewatering | Optimized permeability | Pulp dewatering & whitewater |
| CE-Dry-Spiral | Dryer | Spiral seam designs | Tissue & specialty grades |
| CE-ProcessBelt | Specialty | Chemical resistant finishes | Chemical/paper processes |
7. Voith
Establishment: 1867
Headquarters: 2200 N. Roemer Road, Appleton
Main Products: Forming fabrics, press fabrics, drying fabrics
Company Profile:
Voith is a global technology group with a long history in paper machines and associated consumables. Voith’s acquisition and growth strategy brought established machine clothing capabilities (including prior acquisitions such as Appleton and Scapa-related assets) into its portfolio. As one of the world’s largest suppliers to the paper industry, Voith couples machine clothing, complete paper machines and digital services, enabling mills to align clothing choice with machine design and drive systems. For customers seeking integrated equipment + consumable solutions, Voith remains a major player among Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers.
Advantages:
Complete system supplier (machines + clothing + automation).
Global R&D and service network.
Strong in large-scale projects and engineered solutions.
Product List:
Forming fabrics and clothing systems
Press felts and shoe press solutions
Dryer fabrics and integrated service offerings
Model Recommendations (examples):
| Model | Application | Key feature | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| VO-Form-System | Forming | Integrated with machine OEM specs | New paper machine builds |
| VO-PressTech | Press | Engineered for energy efficiency | High-speed board lines |
| VO-DrySolution | Dryer | Matched to heat profile | Large capacity machines |
Conclusion
When summarizing the research on the paper machine clothing manufacturers in the United States in 2025, KEYLIFE’s outstanding performance in the industry stands out. As an industry leader, KEYLIFE is not only committed to innovation and high-quality production, but also actively promotes sustainable development to ensure that its products have minimal impact on the environment while meeting customer needs. This sense of responsibility and professionalism makes KEYLIFE stand out in the fierce market competition. We have observed that the technological advancement of paper machine clothing has provided important support for the improvement of production efficiency and product quality, and KEYLIFE has become the preferred partner of many companies with its advanced manufacturing capabilities and rich industry experience.
With the arrival of 2025, KEYLIFE will continue to lead the development of the industry, provide innovative solutions, and help customers maintain a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing market. In short, KEYLIFE is not only a leader among paper machine clothing manufacturers, but also an important force to drive the entire industry forward. Looking to the future, we have reason to believe that KEYLIFE will continue to play an important role in the field of paper machine clothing and shape new standards in the industry. Have you found the answer you want after seeing this?
FAQ
Q: What are paper machine fabrics?
A: Specialty woven or nonwoven textiles used in various paper machine sections to support, drain, and form the paper sheet.
Q: Why choose ISO 9001 certified manufacturers?
A: ISO 9001 certification ensures consistent quality management, rigorous process control, and reliable product performance across production batches.
Q: How do polyester filter belts improve production?
A: They offer high tensile strength, chemical resistance, and uniform porosity, enhancing dewatering efficiency and reducing downtime.
Q: What factors affect dewatering performance?
A: Fabric weave, belt tension, machine speed, and process chemistry all influence how effectively water is removed from the sheet.
Q: How to select the right filtration partner?
A: Evaluate technical expertise, global service network, customization capabilities, and alignment with your environmental and productivity goals.
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- Woven vs. Non-Woven Filter Belts: Which Saves More Money Long-Term?
- What is Forming Fabric? Application, Type, Structure
- Comparison of Dryer Fabrics of Different Materials: Pros and Cons
- The Price of Forming Fabric in 2025: Factors Affecting Costs and Cost Control Strategies
- Top 10 Paper Machine Clothing Manufacturers in China 2025
