This unique cross-industry collaborative project brings together expertise from across the entire paper supply chain from the mill, through transport, storage, handling and printing. Its goal is to establish a common generic best practice tool as a global reference for suppliers, transporters, converters and printers to improve their efficiency.

Paper is handled 10 to 20 times from when it leaves the paper mill to when it is put on to the press and every manipulation of rolls and pallets carries a risk of accidents and damage. Paper is a demanding cargo with a high economic unit value, requiring specialised and correctly maintained techniques, tools and facilities for handling, logistics, storage and preparation for printing.

Substrates are the highest single cost for all printing and packaging applications — any reduction in their waste and damage improves both economic and environmental performance.

“This is a truly cross industry project bringing together over 30 organisations from every part of the supply chain and from different printing processes and paper users. These associations and companies have contributed their expertise and more than 50 publications that the guide has draw content from,” comments David J. Steinhardt, President & CEO of Idealliance that facilitates their Paper Transit Damage and papiNet Working Groups.

Launch 3 continents
The guide is being launched almost simultaneously in three continents — the Word Printers Forum in India, Graph Expo in the USA and World Publishing Expo in Austria.

The heavily illustrated guide features an easy-to-read text to better understand how best practices are a tool to improve performance and trouble-shooting for everyone —  whether they are supervisors, operating staff, suppliers or supply chain managers. The 260-page guide is structured in 11 modules:
1: Paper & Cores - Wrapping & Pallets
2: Inspect, Report, Evaluate & Repair
3: Warehouse and Paper Store
4: Paper Handling Equipment
5: Roll and Pallet Handling
6: Transport — Securing & Lashing
7: Road Transport
8: Rail Transport
9: Transport . . . Containers
10: Transport . . . Maritime Shipping
11: At the Printer . . .  Paper onto Press

“We intend to continue with this open cross industry platform to extend the guide and keep it up to date. Everyone that registers to download the e-book will be able to receive updates,” adds Manfred Werfel, Deputy CEO of WAN-IFRA.  

FREE e-book
The 260-page book has a cover price of 250€ / $280 but is available as a free e-book because the participating organisations believe that price should not be a barrier to access best practices. To obtain the guide requires only a simple registration on www.ophal.info to receive the free e-book in November 2016.

‘Optimized Paper Handling & Logistics’ is a collaborative project made possible by the participation of: ABP - Axel Springer - Bolzano-Auramo – Cascade - Dalim - Earthpac Oy – ERA – FMS - Goss - Holmen – Kasturi & Sons (The Hindu) - icmPrint     - Idealliance - IF P&C – Intakt – KBA – Malayala Manorama – Mondi - NOPA – Paperdam – Sappi – SCA - Sonoco-Alcore – SpanSet - Stora Enso – tesa - ‘The Hindu’ – ‘Times of India’ – Transwaggon - UPM - WAN-IFRA

For more information please contact one of the project team leaders: Manfred Werfel manfred.werfel@wan-ifra.org, Nigel Wells, icmPrint vimw@wanadoo.fr, David Steinhardt dsteinhardt@idealliance.org.