The Forest to the Pulpmill and How the System is Controlled

Abstract

Operations involved in the delivery of pulpwood from the standing tree to the consuming pulpmill are considered as a subsystem of the whole papermaking system . Pulpwood may be produced by any one of four different systems, namely, shortwood, tree length, full tree and remote chipping. Control in woodlands operations is management control and is primarily a function of administration. The principle is identical to that in process control. Control is not accounting in the conventional sense, but is involved with improved planning and the conservation of resources.

Co-ordination between the production of pulpwood and the requirements of the consuming mill is essential to ensure continuity of mill operation, at the same time ensuring minimum pulpwood inventories . The pulp and paper industry, for the most part, carries its inventory in raw material rather than in the finished product. Optimum co-ordination of pulpwood deliveries is rendered difficult owing to seasonal variation in mill consumption along with seasonal constraints on pulpwood deliveries attributable principally to climatic conditions. Proper control at this point in operations can result in great savings in pulpwood inventories . With pulpwood constituting 40-50 percent of the cost of the final product and with the absolute cost of pulpwood at an all-time high value, control of pulpwood production and delivery is critical at this time.