Pira Consulting
Business Strategies
Recovered fibre and paper
Recovered fibre has been an integral part of papermaking for many years. Many papermaking operations have used this resource as the sole or major part of the papermaking furnish. It has assumed even greater importance in recent times as the world recognises the environment benefits of recycling and the use of recovered fibres in the world’s paper and board production increases. Going forward, a greater emphasis has been put on recycling and recycling control. Recovered paper is fast becoming a globally traded commodity with recovered fibre rich countries of Europe developing important export businesses around its trade.
The Far East and notably China currently, are eager recipients of the material to service rapidly expanding papermaking industries. Packaging grades, particularly mixed papers and old corrugated containers, are the largest traded materials.
Such changes in demand and requirements have highlighted issues affecting the sector that require attention from the various players in the supply chain:
- Developing new supplies of recovered paper
- Optimising mill company procurement techniques
- A better understanding of market pricing
- Worldwide specifications for recovered paper
- The development of effective collection and sorting systems
- Effective communication between all parties involved in the supply chain
At the company specific level, there are economic, technical and market related issues that require regular attention to ensure the continued economic viability of a company’s operation.
Pira International has been involved with providing technical support for companies and organisations operating in the recovered paper sector for a number of years. It has teamed up with Moore & Associates from the US to increase its offering to include economic and market related support.
Its range of consultancy services can be broadly classified as
- Technical – e.g. process and product development, product performance assessments & trouble shooting; technology watching
- Market – e.g. market analysis, price benchmarking & forecasting
- Strategic – e.g.analysis of supply options; business development support; assessment & analysis of future company direction options
Recent examples of work undertaken for clients include:
- Assessment of the export opportunities for the UK recovered paper industry
- Optimising recovered fibre usage in a corrugated mill through the development and application of in-line process monitoring and control equipment
- Examining the impact of end use changes in printed products on deinking efficiency
- Product opportunities for designated recovered fibre grades
- Assessment of the recovered fibre infrastructure and availability of designated grades within Ireland
Specific example of services that are available include:
- Recovered Paper Business Strategy and Tactical Planning
- SmartBuy SM Purchasing/Sales Benchmarking and Optimisation Analysis
- Mill Company Procurement Organisation Development and Analysis
- SmartSupply SM Recovered Paper Supply Development Planning
- BenchSmart SM Price Benchmarking
- Quality and Transportation Programme Design
- Supply Agreement Review and Assistance
- M & A Due Diligence and Financial Project Assessment
- For€Sight Recovered Paper Price Forecasting & Market Intelligence for the Recovered Paper Market. Download the current project proposal*
- Depot Acquisition and Siting Assessment
- Market/Product Research and Sales Support
- Collection Programme Design, Evaluation, and Implementation Support
- Processing Facility Business Planning and Reverse Integration Strategy
- Product Recyclability and Recycle Content Analysis
- Technology watch
- Future developments in product technology
- Market sizing and forecasting
- Process and product auditing
- Product characterisation and performance testing
New 2007 Study
For further information contact
Graham Moore
T +44 1372 802127
M +44 7725 372027
F +44 1372 802249