Creating a truly custom SKU—tailored weight, finish, moisture, and functional properties—requires close collaboration between distributor, mill, and end‐user. Our field visits serve as the crucible where customer requirements, mill capabilities, and real‐world observations converge, driving the co‐development of unique paper and board SKUs that precisely meet niche market needs.
1. Capturing Customer Requirements on the Floor
Detailed requirements gathering
During joint mill visits with customers, we sit down in the control room or lab to review the end‐use specifications: basis weight (e.g., 160 gsm ± 2 gsm), caliper (0.25 mm ± 0.02 mm), moisture (6 % ± 0.3 %), and special attributes (e.g., high surface energy for inkjet printing, low lint for food wraps).
Visual and tactile feedback
We bring in customer‐provided prototypes—printed samples, converted parts, or food‐contact trays—and compare them side by side with in‐process runs. Notes on surface tackiness, edge integrity, or stiffness feed directly into the SKU brief.
2. Translating Notes into Technical Parameters
Process parameter alignment
On the forming and press sections, we monitor how trial stock formulations react under existing nip loads and felts. For example, to achieve a 0.25 mm caliper with 160 gsm, we observed the need for gentler nip loads (‐10 kN/m) and a softer press felt to preserve bulk.
Chemical formulation adjustments
At the mix house, we sampled different AKD sizing levels (0.3 %–0.5 %) and retention‐aid combinations to hit both moisture targets and printability benchmarks. Inline viscometer readings and lab Cobb60 tests guided the final sizing recipe.
3. Iterative Pilot Runs and Real‐Time Corrections
Inline sensor feedback
During pilot runs on the mill’s trim‐size pilot line, β-gauges, laser calipers, and moisture sensors provide second-by-second data. We adjust headbox slice-lip settings (± 0.01 mm), dilution‐profile valves, and dryer steam flows on the fly to correct minor deviations.
Rapid sample analysis
Collected samples undergo tensile, tear, and print tests in the mill lab within 2 hours. We review these results over tea with the mill’s R&D and quality teams, then return to the machine to tweak refining energy, coating weight, or calender nip pressure.
4. Scaling to Full‐Size Production
Documenting the “golden run”
Once all parameters converge—sheet specs, pilot‐line consistency, lab results—we capture the exact DCS setpoints, roll configurations, and additive batches. This “golden run” is the blueprint for full‐scale PM production.
Operator training and SOP updates
Mill operators receive hands‐on training, guided by our field notes, to replicate the golden run on 6 m-wide machines. Updated SOPs include critical checkpoints—inline sensor ranges, sample-grab schedules, and corrective actions.
5. Launching the Custom SKU
Quality confirmation and COA issue
Finished reels are inspected under the tight tolerances defined in the custom SKU spec: basis weight ± 2 gsm, caliper ± 0.02 mm, moisture ± 0.3 %, surface energy ≥ 42 dynes/cm. COAs include a signed compliance statement from the mill QA manager.
Inventory and logistics planning
We establish dedicated reel lanes in the mill warehouse and in our distribution center to ensure FIFO rotation of the new SKU. Forecasts incorporate lead times, minimum‐order quantities, and seasonal demand patterns.
6. Post‐Launch Performance Review
Customer feedback loop
During the first 30‐ and 90‐day reviews, we compare actual performance—run lengths, defect rates, print quality—with the golden‐run benchmarks. Any drift prompts a targeted mill visit to recalibrate equipment or update recipes.
Continuous improvement
Quarterly KPI reviews with mill partners focus on yield, downtime, and quality deviation trends for the custom SKU, driving incremental optimizations.
Field visits are the foundation of custom SKU development: they enable real‐time data gathering, collaborative pilot runs, and precise translation of customer needs into mill parameters. By capturing and actioning detailed on‐floor observations, we turn unique market requirements into reliable, repeatable mill production—delivering SKUs that stand apart in performance and consistency.
