News UK case-study: Optimising paper and energy
Paper and energy form a critical part and consumable in the production of the newspaper. Paper alone contributes to 50% of the production cost. Benedicte Gercke, category director – paper and energy, News UK and Ireland presented a case-study on optimising paper and energy at the UK plant.
02 Sep 2015 | 2340 Views | By Priya Raju
The challenges faced in paper procurement are affordability and security in terms of supply along with quality and performance of the paper. Since the capacity of the newspaper, production has reduced which has disturbed the demand and supply of the newspaper. Add to this, the high volatility of 45gsm newsprint prices which is true for India too.
Gercke said, “To combat these issues, News UK established a well-defined paper specification for procurement and also a zero tolerance policy towards paper defects and wastes.” The firm has adopted policies such as ‘splicing the reel right the first time’. This has resulted in the reduction in the number of press stoppage and hence cost and time.
“The way paper waste is collected and sold is very important,” informs Gercke. “The waste can fetch a higher value if it is stored properly and sold,” added Gercke.
Speaking about the energy optimisation, Gercke said, “Ensuring security and supply of electricity, sustainability and finally to reduce cost and under control is of key importance.” To mitigate the cost related to energy and electricity consumption, the firm has adopted policies such as replacing conventional lights with energy efficient LED light and switching off the electricity supply when not required.
Gercke said, “Another solution for cost mitigation would be to generate your own electricity. But this project is capital intensive with medium to long-term returns.”
By adopting such initiatives, the News UK has reduced 20% carbon production and reduction of the water usage by 43%. The firm has bagged prestigious awards like the Shingo Prize and The Carbon Trust Print Award.