Mills section in Analytical Cornerstone

The Mills homepage offers quick access to the mills search, saved mills, recently viewed mills and created mills.

The Mills section provides detailed data for every mill in Cornerstone, with details on paper machines/pulp dryers*, products/grades produced* as well as all of the following reports (see dropdowns below Mill Details and Reports):

Mills - Home 

• Capacity information on daily and annual capacity of the pulp & paper products produced* at the mill.
• Machines: lists the products* and respective cost benchmarks** for each of the products produced on each paper machine/pulp dryer.
• Products: annual capacity, machine numbers and respective cost benchmarks** for each product produced at the mill.

* Only products for the grades in your subscription will be shown in the table. The mill may produce additional products not in your subscription

** Cost benchmarks do not take into account possible relined mill data or active scenarios.

Mills - Machines

The machine page shows general information for each machine at the subject mill, productivity (in metric units: per finished metric tonne per day per meter (trim width), in US custom units (short): per finished short ton per day per inches (trim width)), product. For each product produced on the machine, there is a breakdown of the capacity, cost and labor productivity. 

Options and details:

• Machine: select the machine you wish to view.
• Balance Date: Select the balance date to see the machine data at different point in time. By default the most recent balance date will be selected. 
• Technical Age: machine’s age taking into account impact of rebuild investments.
• Incremental Capacity Increase: annual capacity gains by development emphasis. 
• Annual Maintenance Investment: annual capital spendings over years not covered by individual investment items.

NB: cost benchmarks do not take into account possible relined mill data or active scenarios.

Mills - Products

The product page shows general information about the products produced at the subject mill and a cash cost comparison* graph for each machine producing the selected product at this mill. 

Options:

• Balance Date: Select the balance date to see the machine data at different point in time. By default the most recent balance date will be selected.
• Product: select the product you wish to view.

NB: relined baseline data does not affect the benchmarks.

*Default comparison region is at the country level.

Mills - Mill Details - Costs

The first item on the Mill Details and the Reports dropdown contains the Cash Cost Report:

General Report Options

• Cost Date: Select the cost date you wish to see in the report.
• Balance Date: Select the balance date you wish to see in the report. 
• Machine: Select a specific machine at the mill. Selecting All will show the capacity weighted average of all the machines that produce the selected product at this mill. 
• Product: Select the product. The products list will vary depending on the machine selections.
• Delivered Cost: Select a delivery destination from the select box to include delivery costs in the report (excluding tissue paper).
• Compare Date: Select a compare date to compare values of two different dates at this mill. Note: the Trends button further down allows to compare the cost over a longer period of time, quarter by quarter.
• Region: The region option is used only for cost comparisons and for defining the mills that the machine(s) will be compared against in the benchmark. The region selected does not affect the regional unit costs or the cash costs in any way. 

Mills - Mill Details - Costs - Table

On the Cash Cost Report, the Table will show by default. 

• Cost Item: Any raw material used for the production of the selected product, including fuels plus labor attributed to the product and machine(s).
• Regional Cost*: Latest cost per cost item in the region/country or subregion
• Adjust*: In some cases, Fastmarkets' cost benchmarking engineers make adjustments for specific mills, that could depend on specific supplier contracts or location of the mill, for example. The Adjust field shows the difference to the Regional Cost in local currency.
• Mill Cost*: In some cases, Fastmarkets' cost benchmarking engineers make adjustments for specific mills, that could depend on specific supplier contracts or location of the mill, for example.
• Consumption: The consumption per Finished short/metric ton(ne) (FST or FMT).
• Total**: total amount per cost item, Total per cost category (Fiber (green color), Chemicals (yellow color), Energy (blue color), Labor (red color), Materials and Maintenance (grey color), Miscellanious (orange color), Delivery Costs (if added). We are using the same color coding throughout Analytical Cornerstone reports.
• Cost Totals: (upper righ-hand) Cash Cost shows the overall total per ton(ne). Total Cash Cost shows total including delivery cost (if added).
• Capacity: Daily and annual capacity for the grade selected in Finished metric tonnes (FMT) or Finished short ton (FST), as per user Preferences.
• Currency: Shows user's selected preferred currency and the exchange rate to the regional (local) currency at the Cost Date quarter that is selected.
• Cost Comparison: Compares this mill, with the weighted average mill of the market, as well as with the Lowest cost mill and the Highest cost mill of the market. The market refers to the Region on top of the report, shown on a pink background. By default, the region will show the continent of the mill location. This can be changed manually if required to compare with a smaller selection of mills producing the same grade as the selected mill.

* All cost items, except for Totals, are shown in regional (local) currency, with the exception of market pulp and oil, which are shown in US dollars.

** Totals are shown in the user's preferred/selected currency (as per Preferences)

Mills - Mill Details - Costs - Cost Benchmark

The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quartile means that the capacity of the chosen market is split into four quartiles, so for example if it is a 5 million tonne market, each quartile would be equivalent of 1.25 million tonnes. Based on each mill/machine’s cost section, it would then be positioned in one of these quartiles.

Cost Comparison: Compares this mill, with the weighted average mill of the market, as well as with the Lowest cost mill and the Highest cost mill of the market. The market refers to the Region on top of the report, shown on a pink background. By default, the region will show the continent of the mill location. This can be changed manually if required to compare with a smaller selection of mills producing the same grade as the selected mill.

Cost Distribution: number of mills in this market that have a specific average cash cost. 

Mills - Mill Details - Costs - Trends

On the Cash Cost Report, clicking on Trends, it will allow you to view the evolution of the cash cost at this mill over a period of time, quarter by quarter.

• From Date: Select the start date (goes back to 2013 - Q1).
• To Date: Select the end date.
• Fiber Breakout: Select check box to see fiber cost breakdown.

• View and analyse historical cash cost data per cost category.
• Visualise trends in both charts and tables.
• Export quarterly details directly to Excel. Note: Due to large volume of market level data, export files will be emailed once ready.

Mills - Mill Details - Summary

The summary page provides an overview of the infrastructure of the subject mill.

The page displays information for the following seven categories: 

• Ownership
• Process description
• Furnish
• Energy
• Manning
• Miscellaneous
• Strengths & Weaknesses

Mills - Mill Details - Flowsheet

The flowsheet page provides a simplified view of the selected facility’s process. This flowsheet is a representation of a facility’s major process equipment and the results of the mass and energy balance performed for that facility. For help in understanding the flowsheet, please see the Glossary of symbols and the Mill Asset Database Glossary for Abbreviations, Conversions and terminology used. 

NB: The summary box in the lower left corner of the flowsheet displays the unit consumptions calculated by product for that specific facility flowsheet. Consumptions are per tonne/ton and per mill, and might be different if several machines produce the same product. 

Mills - Mill Details - Mill Investment Summary

The Mill Investment Summary page outlines all of the major capital expenditures for the subject mill. For each project, Fastmarkets RISI tracks the year, pulp and/or paper capacity, CapEx* and the allocation by machine. 

*Capital cost can be adjusted via the Scenario tool.

Mills - Mill Details - Consumption

The consumption report shows all of the consumables used or other cost factors needed for the production of a product on a specific machine and balance date.

Options

To update the report, select the appropriate values and click View Consumption. 

• Machine: The select box includes all of the mill’s machines. The first machine is selected by default. 
• Product: The products will update based on the selected machine. The first product alphabetically produced by the machine will be selected by default.
• Balance Date: select a balance date to see the consumption* for different dates. current Quarter is the default value.

*Consumption can be adjusted via the Scenario tool or via the Reline Baseline option.

Mills - Mill Details - Furnish

The furnish report shows the fiber furnish of the product/machine combinations. 

Options

To update the report, select the appropriate values and click View Report. 

• Machine: Select the machine from the select box. 
• Product: When a machine is selected, the product select box will update accordingly. 
• Balance Date: Select a balance date to see the furnish for different dates.

*Fiber furnish can be adjusted via the Scenario tool. (via Consumption, select Furnish):

Mills - Mill Details - Unit Costs

The unit cost report shows the regional unit cost and the mill unit cost for the mill for a single cost date. Regional unit costs represent averages for larger industrial users like pulp and paper mills. Adjustments are made to regional rates when more specific information is available. If a particular mill has an energy contract with a supplier that differs from average market prices or producers have plantations or a satellite chemical plant, then an adjustment can be made in the cost detail for the products manufactured at that mill. Additionally, the unit cost for credited energy may differ from purchase prices. For example, sold electricity has often a premium “green energy” price, but on the other hand, the tax part of the purchased electricity cost is not applicable for sold electricity. These situations are also evaluated.

Options

To update the report, select the appropriate values and click Update Report.

• Cost date — select a cost date to see the unit costs for different dates. Latest quarter is the default value.

*Unit cost can be adjusted via the Scenario tool or via the Reline Baseline option.

Mills - Mill Details - Delivered Costs

The Delivered costs report shows the delivery cost from the mill to a select group of destinations (except for tissue).

Options

To update the report, select the appropriate values and click View Report.

• Cost Date: select a cost date to see the delivery costs* for different dates. Latest Quarter is the default value.

*Delivery cost can be adjusted via the Scenario tool or via the Reline Baseline option on the right-hand side. The popup window below ill open where you can Edit the delivery cost.

Mills - Mill Reports - Cash Cost

This Report is identical to the Cash Cost report under Mill Details, see that section above.

Mills - Mill Reports - Cost Curve

The mill Cost Curve report is the mill version of the Custom Market Cost Curve report and allows you to run a cost curve for the current mill. It is practically identical to the Cash Cost Curve under Custom Markets, but it has some default settings that may be changed:

• Region: by default it shows the continent where the mill is based
• Grade/Product: by default is shows the grades (grade level) produced at the mill, providing the grades are part of the user's subscription package.
• Highlight/Label: Shows the mill name by default. 

You may define the market you wish to compare the mill against, by defining grade and region select one of the default markets on the right-hand side. Selecting one of the default markets will set the values in the market editor bar for the grade and region. Once you have defined the grade and region you wish to compare the mill against, click View Report. for more information on using the cash cost curve, please read the Custom Market report — Cash Cost Curve section.

Note: This report’s market definition is limited to the mill’s region and the grades produced at the mill. If you need additional filters for your analysis, please use Custom Markets.

Data and Trend reports are as explained under Custom Markets.

Mills - Mill Reports - Capital Charge

The Capital Charge Report details the direct costs estimate for the mill or machine

General Report Options

● Machine — Select the machine or select All to show the averages of all of the machines that produce the selected product at the mill. 

● Cost Date — Select the cost date from the available dates.

Mills - Mill Reports - Profitability

The profitability report simulates an income statement for the asset by mill or machine. Total cost is the sum of cash cost, capital cost and SG&A. Cash cost is the cost of fiber, chemicals, energy, labor and maintenance. Capital cost are costs incurred on the purchase of land, buildings, construction and equipment to be used in the production of goods. SG&A stands for “sales, general and administrative” expenses. These are basically “overhead” (i.e., not directly related to the production/delivery of the company’s products). Examples are operating expenses, taxes and current assets cost. 

The Profitability Report can be considered a simulation of an income statement. Given there are a multitude of variables and practices associated with this area, it was developed in a way that a user can change the inputs. 

See separate help article about the Profitability Report.

Mill Reports — Total Cost Curve 

The Mill Total Cost Curve Report is the mill version of the Custom Market Total Cost Curve Report.

This report’s market definition defaults to the mill’s (world) region and the grades produced at the mill, but you can customize it:

Refine the market you wish to compare the mill against. You may define a grade and region in the gray bar or select one of your default markets (top right-hand corner). Selecting one of the default markets will also set its values in the market editor bar for the grade and region. Once you have defined the grade and region you wish to compare the mill against, click View Report.

Mill Reports — Energy 

The Energy Report shows the energy, fuel and emission data for this mill.

General Report Options 

● Machine: keep all for Mill details per grade, or select the individual machine number

● Product: select the desired grade

● Balance Date — Select the dates for the consumption values for all of the machines/mills in the report. 

The Energy report shows Produced Fuels - fuels like biogas or hog produced at the mill. Some may be sold on the market, if they cannot be used at the mill. Purchased Fuels are purchased in order to produce energy (steam or electricity) at the mill. Purchased steam and purchased electricity will show the indirect (Scope 2) fossil CO2 emissions that occurred at their generation (at third party plants).

The three different graphs show heat value, fossil CO2 emissions and net electricity balance in values per ton(ne) produced (on the left of each graph) and in percentage (on the right of each graph).

Mill Reports — Consumption

The Consumption Report shows the consumption for this mill by product and by consumption type, in ton(ne)s per day, per year and per ton(ne) produced.

General Report Options

● Balance Date — Select a specific balance date from the date box to access the consumption data for that time frame. 

● Product — Select a single product or select All to see the consumption for the whole mill. 

● Consumption Type — Select the type of consumable you wish to see by selecting a value from the consumption type select box.

Mill Reports — Machine Productivity

The Mill Machine Productivity Report is the mill version of the Custom Market Machine Productivity Report.

This report’s market definition is limited to the mill’s (world) region and the grades produced at the mill, but you can customize it. 

To view the report, select the machine and then define the market you wish to compare the mill against. Select one of the machines from the Machine select box. You may define the market by selecting a grade and region in the grey bar or select one of the default markets. Once you have defined the grade and region you wish to compare the mill against, click View Report.

Clicking on Data, a report will show you the most important data of the machines on your selection that influence their : machine age, capacities, trim width and speed. The machine productivity is shown in finished metric tonne per day per meter of machine trim width for metric units, and in finished short ton per day per inches of machine width for US custom units:

Mill Reports — Labor Productivity 

The Mill Labor Productivity Report is the mill version of the Custom Market Report — Labor Productivity.

Note: This report’s market definition is limited to the mill’s (world) region and the grades produced at the mill, but you can customize it. 

To view the report, define the market you wish to compare the mill against. You may define the market by selecting a grade and region in the grey bar. The current world region for the mill is selected by default. Once you have defined the grade and region you wish to compare the mill against, click View Report.

Clicking on Data, a report will show you the most important labor data of your selection. Man hours/FMT or FST are the estimated number of hours required per labor category to produce one ton(ne) of pulp or paper.