The Core of the Problem
by Nancy Lowther
Sometimes the small, often overlooked details can save the most money. Take the cores in newsprint rolls, for example.
Newspapers can do little to lower the cost of newsprint, so they have turned their attention to reducing waste. One of the ways they have done so is to ask press manufacturers to develop presses and reel stands that can handle larger rolls. This would help reduce roll changes and therefore costs.
Offsetting these savings would be an increase in the cost of each roll, since price is based on total roll weight. This weight includes the core, which must be stronger and thicker due to the heavier pressure of the additional stock.
The paper mills, on the other hand, must keep track of what type of core each of their customers requires--and each customer may have several different presses requiring different cores. John Kalkowski, director of technical services at Stone Consolidated Corp. (which is merging with Abitibi-Price Co.), says Stone has no fewer than 76 different types of cores. "Some only have minor differences, just a couple of millimeters. A lot of the differences are to do with the metal ends and notches. But a small difference from what the customer ordered means it doesn't perform as expected. We and our customers are always checking to make sure it's right."
As for those bigger rolls, Kalkowski says, "There are very different needs in strength. We used to be concerned with crush but now have torque and lateral beam strength to consider. We are concerned with how it runs on press but now have the additional challenge of how we can wind this much paper without wrinkles. And we believe that the press manufacturers are working on even larger-diameter rolls."
 |
The Greensleeves heavy-plastic newsprint-core insert |
One possible solution to the problems of larger rolls and multiple core types is a new core insert called Greensleeves, sold by Newark Paperboard Products Co. The product, a reusable sleeve, is made of heavy plastic. According to inventor Dan Kewin, "This works better during winding and unwinding. With the larger rolls of paper, as the paper is used during the run, its weight decreases and imperfections in the core-chuck fit start showing. The roll may start to bounce and vibrate. This often means operators must leave up to three-eighths of an inch of paper on the core as waste or spend time trying to insert shims. Our plastic gives better core-chuck surface contact, and it also means larger-diameter, lighter-wall cores can be used." In addition, the vendor claims, the Greensleeve insert fits all 3-inch chucks, thereby reducing the mills' need to maintain inventories for all of those various core combinations.
Kalkowski believes the recently formed NAA/CPPA/AF&PA Technical Newsprint Steering Group can address these challenges from the different perspectives of the newspaper and newsprint industries. Such collaboration could help produce additional core solutions that would save time and money for both industries.
 |
 |
Nancy Lowther is president of Lowther Training and Development in Scarborough, Ontario. Phone is (416) 282-1890.