Can I produce both orthodox and CTC tea on the same rolling equipment?

Orthodox rolling machines and CTC machines are different pieces of equipment designed for different processes — they cannot be used interchangeably. Orthodox rolling produces twisted whole-leaf or broken-leaf tea grades; CTC machines produce small, granular tea particles. If you wish to produce both product types, you require separate dedicated machines for each process. Some tea factories do maintain both orthodox rollers and CTC lines, running different product lines on separate equipment. The choice of rolling technology is a fundamental product development decision that determines the tea grades and market segments you can serve.

What withering level is required before rolling?

Withering reduces the moisture content of fresh green tea leaf (typically harvested at 75–80% moisture) to approximately 62–70% before rolling. Adequate withering is essential for rolling quality — unwithered leaf (too high moisture) is hard to roll, does not twist properly, and the cell structures are too turgid to be broken by the rolling action; over-withered leaf (too dry) is brittle, tears rather than rolls, and produces excessive dust and broken particles. The withering level is monitored by weighing a tray of leaf at the start and at intervals during withering (the percentage weight loss corresponds to the moisture reduction). The target withering level varies with the tea type and the ambient conditions — confirm with your tea processing team.

Tea Rolling Machine Manufacturers

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Tea rolling machines — orthodox and CTC

Tea rolling is the process of mechanically manipulating the withered tea leaf to break and twist the leaf cells, releasing cell sap and enzymes that initiate or continue oxidation (fermentation in black tea). Rolling determines the leaf grade and structure of the finished tea. The two main rolling technologies are: orthodox rolling machines (a cylindrical rolling table with an eccentric rotating top plate presses and twists the withered leaf mass, rolling and twisting the leaf into the characteristic rolled orthodox tea shape — the rolling pressure and duration are adjusted for the type of tea; multiple rolling stages with roll-breaking (sifting to separate rolled and unrolled leaf) between stages produce different grades); and CTC machines (Cut, Tear, Curl — two counter-rotating serrated rollers process the withered or pre-rolled tea leaf, cutting, tearing, and curling it into small, uniform granules; CTC produces a tea grade suited for fast extraction in tea bags rather than the larger leaf grades of orthodox teas). For green tea, a kill-green (fixation) step — steam or pan-fixing — inactivates the oxidative enzymes before rolling, preventing fermentation and retaining the green colour.

Tea Rolling Machine Manufacturers

Tea rolling machines — orthodox and CTC

Tea Rolling Machine Manufacturers

Tea rolling machines — orthodox and CTC

Frequently asked questions

Can I produce both orthodox and CTC tea on the same rolling equipment?

What withering level is required before rolling?

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