ICT and e-Business in the Pulp, Paper and Paper ... - empirica

Pulp, paper and paper products
In parallel to papiNet®, GUSI is being promoted by the consumer goods industry as a
standard for e-business with their suppliers, including the packaging industry.
ICT as a driver of improved process efficiency
The integration of digital information flows, during all phases of B2B transactions
(including ordering, invoicing and payments), with production management and logistics
has significantly facilitated business processes between P&P producers and their
suppliers and customers (see Section 4.2). Effects tend to be most significant if both
trading partners have an ERP system as the main 'hub' for automating processes.
The main effects of ICT adoption with regard to process efficiency noted from case
studies and interviews with companies are:
acceleration of processes;
increased internal transparency of processes; and
improved use of production capacity.
Deployment and implications of RFID
Manufacturers of pulp and paper increasingly use RFID for warehouse and inventory
management. Early experience of RFID implementation demonstrates that it can help
companies to link ordering, production and logistics processes, thereby streamlining their
supply chain and reducing lead times.
However, the benefits of the use of RFID over barcode technology, for the same
purposes, are not yet obvious. In particular, the total costs for RFID implementation
are still considerable. Therefore, adoption strategies differ: some P&P companies choose
to be early adopters, while others deliberately opt for a “wait-and-see” strategy.
In the converting industry, compliance with customer demand (in particular from large
retailers and the consumer goods industry) is the most important driver for RFID adoption
(see Section 4.3).
ICT impact on paper consumption
Although, in some instances, the adoption of ICT by households and businesses leads to
substitution of paper or paper-based products, the net impact of all factors that have an
influence in this respect results in a continued growth in paper demand and consumption
(see Section 4.4).
Substitution effects are most significant in the daily and weekly newspaper markets,
where a large proportion of classified advertising is already migrating to the internet.
The average volume of newspapers as well as their total circulation are decreasing.
However, a projection of figures on paper consumption in Europe since the mid 1990s
indicates a moderate growth even in advanced economies.
Overall business impact
Impact at company level
ICT and e-business have a considerable impact on work processes and on business
process efficiency in companies from the P&P industry. Companies increasingly use
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