PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND VALUE ADDED ITEMS
QUALITY OF HANDMADE PAPER
I land made paper industry is no more a quiet, village industry
with humble moorings. It has entered new vistas catering to the rich
and die fashion conscious. With its own typical unique characteristics
and special features, it demands special attention to bring about
improvement m quality, maintaining good standard.
The subject of quality on paper is a complex issue and each and
every product is required to confirm to certain minimum specifications
as per BSI (Bureau of Standard Institute) standards. Since, there are
no separate standards for handmade paper except in case of handmade
Drawing
paper, normally the quality of different varieties of
handmade paper is considered with reference to those of the mill
products.
Some of the aspects of the quality may be summarised
below.
a) Physical and structural properties like tensile, burst, freeness,
folding endurance, density, water absorption, porosity and dimensional
stability; b) Optical qualities such as whiteness, brightness, opacity,
transparency c) Chemical properties indicating the percentage of
sulphates, chlorides, ash content, pH value and d) Other characteristics
like smoothness, finish, strength and durability.
Out of the above, the following properties are by and large
obtained in hand made paper sector in conformity with those set by
B.S.I, authorities for respective grades of paper.
Tensile, burst, tear, double fold, freeness, porosity, brightness,
whiteness, transparency durability / permanency and such other
properties. 1 lovvever, the industry falls short of the standards specified
in respect of density, uniformity in basic weight, even surface, opacity
stiffness, absence of dust and dirt and the like properties owing to the
limitations of llic processes and technology prevalent in the industry.
Nevertheless, there exists substantial scope to improve the quality of
different grades of hand made paper to an appreciable degree within
the
infrastructure effecting minor additions and alterations in
machinery / equipment, tools and process keeping in view the twin
objectives namely complaints of traders / consultants, printers and
meeting the standards outlined above.
Dust, dirt specks, synthetic materials such as elastics plastic pieces
occur due to and through : a) Substandard rawmaterials which include
printed waste paper / office records. Inadequate sorting and dusting of
iaw materials; b) Unclean wells and water tanks for water supply; c)
Improper felts and
napkins, drying stands, wires; d) galvanised
iron / zinc sheets used for glazing; and e) Sun drying method.
For avoiding this problem the following steps may be taken : a)
The Handmade Paper units should ensure procurement of selective raw
materials of cotton rags, free of synthetic materials to the extent
possible; b) Thorough sorting and dusting of the materials such as
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buttons, beedies, pins, plastics, dust and dirt; c) Periodical cleaning of
open wells and storage tanks; d)
Hand picking of non cellulosic
materials by the beater man from pulp while beating is in progress;
e) Frequent dusting / cleaning of felts, napkins; f) Use of chemicals
invariably by screening through sieve and g) Drying the wet sheets in
closed premises without exposing to open air and sun.
The above care, if taken, would considerably minimise the dirt
specks and others in the finished product.
Evenness and Uniformity
This is a very vital aspect in hand made paper process which
does not receive the attention.
It requires in most of the hand made
paper units leading to the production of a) Cloudy formation of the
sheet with fibre lumps, knots; b) Variation in the weight from sheet to
sheet and thickness within the sheet itself making the offset and other
automatic printing jobs difficult; and c) Wavy and slipped formation of
sheets.
The above defects can be rectified and paper produced within the
tolerable limits by adopting the following methods carefully.
a) Beater roll be lowered down adequately over the bed plate
while beating the rags from the beginning to prevent formation of
knots, lumps. The beaterman should frequently stir the pulp with the
help of the stirring wooden rod at the front portion of the trough while
beating to ensure thorough mixing of the materials. Care be taken to
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prevent partially beaten lumps settled near the beater roll, sand trap,
inside the hood from mixing with the stock while discharging; b) Fine
beating should be done and fibrillation be allowed to take place in the
stock to the extent desired adopting free and wet beating operations
and controlling the consistency to the desired levels; c) The units that
have installed CM Vat may put up vibrating screen and allow the stock
of low consistency say 0.2 to 0.5 per cent to pass through the screen
into the vat to remove lumps, knots and uneven fibres. In respect of
auto vats and dipping methods, however there is no immediate solution
to seperate lumps, knots in total, except that greater care can be taken
for maintaining moulds in perfect condition and periodical adjustment
of deckles' movement mechanism; d) Consistency of pulp can be
maintained in auto vats by fixing a low speed stirrer at the bottom of
the storage tub with the help of a small reduction gear box operated
with 0.5 HP motor; e) Slipping of wet sheets, occur while lifting
especially higher grammage sheets, can be minimised by making small
pads and using side supporting wads while couching; and f) The wet
sheets from lifting operation on both auto vats and CM Vats should be
weighed for every post and adjustments made to correct the substance
weight.
Quality of Absorbant Product
These absorbant varieties mostly manufactured under hand made
paper sector and particularly higher grammage pads and boards, lack
softness and fine fibre composition desired for filtration. The required
freeness without producing hard and stiff sheets can be maintained by
pumping small quantity of rags (than to the normal capacity of beater)
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under low consistency (say around 2 to 3 per cent consistency) to avoid
wet beating and ensure only cutting action with minimum fibrillation
and within the very limited time. Such regulated beating will help in
achieving the required porosity..
Achieving Optical Properties
There is vast scope to improve the brightness of white and
coloured paper and also opacity of many low substance weight paper
varieties as required by the printing industry by adopting the following
important, but easy, processess which have been neglected by several
hand made paper units: a) Adequate washing in beater be ensured say 1
to 2 hours for utility grades and 3 to 4 hours for high grade varieties,
irrespective of bleaching operation. In case of washing after bleaching,
it should be ensured that chlorine traces are totally removed with the
help of antichlors at the end of washing; b) Adequate loadings / fillers
such as china clay, talc, barium sulphate, calcium carbonate, titanium
dioxide, zinc oxide may be used according to the quality of end
product. They may be used for coloured papers also. These loadings
and fillers substantially improve the opacity and finish besides
eliminating the cockling, curl, characteristics demanded by the printing
industry. Retention aids may be gainfully employed to minimise back
water losses of the loadings / fillers; and c) Besides optical bleaching
and whitening agents being used, synthetic dyes may be employed for
tinoting white paper in place of ultramarine pigments.
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Advantages of Pressing
Repeated pressing of wet and dried sheets helps improving the
compactness, rattle, density and finish of paper. Overnight pressing of
both wet and dried paper will greatly benefit the finish of the end
product.
Internal and External Sizing
The external sizing process proves uneconomical due to high
cost of animal glue, labour and process wastage.
Almost all the
varieties of hand made paper barring drawing and permanent document
paper, are now a days mostly engine sized. But in number of cases, the
sizing is found to be not satisfactory and ink spreads, particularly on
lower grammage paper. Nevertheless the following measures if taken
by hand made paper units would ensure production of good sized
papers: a) Preparation of well suponified rosin soap from <W or <N'
grade rosin- b) Use of only sulphate alumina (Iron free) in place of
potash alum, as mordant, for fixing the rosin soap; c) Adding part of
a l u m t0 t h e
pulp prior to addition of rosin soap to reduce the hardness
of well / bore water; and d) Allowing 15 to 30 minutes for proper
mixing of rosin soap before addition of remaining alum to fix the rosin
sizing.
Stock should be tested with pH paper to ensure that it is acidic
(normally 5 to 7 PH) before discharge. Indication beyond 7 PH des.red
by the importers, National Archieves and others.
J
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In order to obtain the results, with neutral pH value (around 7
pi I) it would be advisable to accomplish rosin sizing with the use of
sodium aluminate and alum in appropriate proportions as adopted in
paper mills. Once the base paper is neutral, small quantity of alum used
in tub sizing would not affect the properties of end product.
li is observed that considerable dirt and dust adheres to the
surface of paper due to present conventional starch sizing process
adopted by some units. This can be remedied if hand operated roller
coating and loft drying processes are resorted.
Durability, strength and Stiffness
It lias been observed in the recent years that in order to step up
production, the raw material, particularly rags, are beaten within 3 to 5
hours by some units even to manufacture high grade paper resulting
not only m comparatively poor strength but also cloudy formation of
paper. Also several other properties are effected by such inadequate
beating, in the absence of proper fibrillation taking place, the following
indications may provide some guidance to those who are conscious
about optimum standards in quality.
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Stiffness is found to improve substantially by blending long
cotton fiber pulp with short agro fibre pulp like jute, straws, grasses,
cotton and harhar sticks. This issue is dealt with in the subsequent
paras.
Calendering, Cutting and Packing
Although it is not possible to obtain surface finish / smoothness
like mill paper, fairly satisfactory results can be obtained in
calendering the hand made paper if adequate checks are exercised in
beating, lifting, pressing and other
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processes preceding the same,
under light to moderate presures, since heavy pressure glazing leaves
crushing and blackening impressions on finished paper besides
reducing the bulk, a characteristic very much desirable for the printing
industry.
Seperate galvanised iron / zinc sheets posts may be maintained
for higher and lower graminage paper for ideal calendering.
The following precautions are to be taken for ensuring right
angle trimming of paper:
a) Back supporting plate may be kept
perpendicular to vertical lines over the machine by adjusting the
bottom screw mechanism periodically; b) Adequate pressing may be
applied over the paper post before cutting; and c) Cutting knife may be
got sharpened on standared grinding wheels (by the skilled operators)
at regular intervals to maintain uniform sharp cutting edge without
high spots. Trimmed paper be stored duly packed to prevent absorption
of moisture through the cut edges from the atmosphere.
Conversion and Value Addition
Dealers in hand made paper like Vakils and sons, M/s.
Chimanlal Paper and Company in Bombay in particular have, besides
helping the industry in marketing, benefited themselves a great deal in
the past. Further, experience in the industry so far shows that the units
which have marketed products duly converted into value added items
such as letter pads, envelopes, bags, deluxe stationery, file covers have
improved their lot with higher profits compared with those units that
sold paper mostly in sheets as produced. As concrete examples, the
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units namely hand made paper department, Aurobindo Ashram,
Pondichcrry, Handmade Paper Institute, Poona, hand made paper
industries at Jaipur, Mappur, some filter paper units in Kalpi andNasik
may be cited. In contrast, the profitability of good old units like
handmade paper units at Radour, Ansa, departmental units of Tamil
Nadu State Board which manufacture and supply paper in sheets does
not appear to be very encouraging.
1 iowever, it would not be practicable for many hand made paper
units to market the paper without conversion as value added products
for several reasons. Hence if the hand made paper federation takes up
conversion of hand made paper in a big way into several value added
products including specialised packaging items by establishing a few
conversion units, such a step would serve the cause of all the member
units. The margin earned can be shared by all the units in die shape of
dividends to improve their economic viability.
Scope for llpgnulation of Technology
Technology upgradation is essential even in small scale and
village industries from time to time to achieve higher productivity,
improved quality and ensure better earnings to the workers as a socioeconomic necessity in the face of growing living standards of citizens
m a developing country like India. Viewed from this background, the
technology in hand made paper sector which remained static during the
last three decades excepting for adoption of CM Vat in the recent years
and minor improvements in certain processes, demands for a major
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thrust m its technology upgradation in the context of massive plan
targets and export objectives set before the industry.
Some of the areas having bright scope for the upgradation of
technology are therefore highlighted in the following paras.
Use of alternate raw materials
The industry at present utilised mainly cotton rags and waste
paper of different grades. Notwithstanding the several properties such
as higher tensile burst, folding strength and consequent durability
obtained with use of rags, the paper suffers from the low bulk and poor
stiffness compared with mill products of similar grades. While the
greater bulk of mill products is attributed to the intrinsic characterstics
of wood, bamboo, grasses and agro fibres besides the mercerising
treatment they receive in digestion process, the poor stiffness of rag
paper is due to absorption of moisture from atmosphere on account of
its hygroscopic nature. It is said that hemicellulose present in these
agro fibres acts as cementing force in the cavities in between the fibres.
Therefore, on the basis of experiments conducted at Science and
Technology project, Dehradun and elsewhere it is felt that admixtures
of agro fibres/including jute fibre pulp with rags would bring about the
desired results in the matter of bulk stiffness and finish. Besides the
above properties, such use of rural based fibres would reduce the
dependence of the industry on the present urban based raw material
namely rags and waste paper to some extent.
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Therefore, a scheme to establish a one to two TPD (Tonnes per
day) mother pulping units, one in each state, appropriating mill
technology has to be evolved to feed the HMP units with bleached /
unbleached agro fibre pulp. Such small pulping units adopting mostly
mechno problem since they would be highly dispersed in rural areas.
These agro fibre pulps can be utilised for almost all varieties having
white paper.
The difference in the cost of pulping on account of
scaling down
the size of the plant is marginalised by the several
benefits derived by hand made paper units with the agro pulp besides
higher productivity they would achieve with ready pulp.
De-inking of office and printed waste paper
Technology is already available for small de-inking plants which
if established would greatly improve the quality of products
manufactured with admixture of such pulp in contrast with the present
day use of waste paper without the removal of ink. A three tonnes per
day plant can be considered to feed units in a cluster.
Printing properties of handmade paper
It is generally stated that the hand made paper is not useful for
printing books, magazines and others for the following reasons : a)
Uneven ink receptivity, b) Uneven surface, c) Inadequate smoothness,
d) Lack of opacity and e) Being expensive due to low bulk.
The above reasons are valid to a considerable extent since the
industry has not so far patd attention to the printing characteristics of
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hand made paper with the seriousness it demanded. This was chiefly
due to the old concept of making hand made paper known for its
strength and durability regardless of the end uses of particular product.
For example, paper for greetings, invitations, calendars, pamphlets and
a host of such varieties expected to last only limited period need not be
strong. What is required for these items is an opaque, smooth and
other sophisticated and sensitive printing machines developed in the
recent past.
It may however be mentioned that all but one (even surface) of
the above properties can be achieved to an appreciable degree with a)
the use of agio fibre / deinked waste paper pulp in varying proportions
with rags and b) use of sufficient quantity of loadings and fillers such
as china-clay, calcium carbonate, barium sulphate, titanium / zinc
oxide, beater additions retention aids and sizing agents. As regards
obtaining even surface, the para on sheet making provides some
suggestions.
Sheet formation
Increasing the productivity in sheet making is essential to help in
overall cost reduction. Secondly drudgery should also be minimised to
attract younger generation for paper lifting-While the CM Vat recently
adopted meets on the whole, the above requirements with effective
generation for paper lifting. While the CM quality controls for higher
grammage paper, for thinner varieties like writing printing duplicating
bond, tissue and such others a better substitute for dipping and auto
vats is yet to be found to boost up the production and improve even
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.sheet formation.
A
sheet forming apparatus developed already by
Science and Technology project, Dehradum on the principal of lab
sheet former may prove an answer to this problem with further
improvements in the same since highly uniform sheets production is
possible by such mechanism. Further, such small substitute device is
the imperative need for small and tiny hand made paper units which
cannot afford enhancing their production by setting up CM Vats.
Screening and Refining
Small vibrating screens may also be considered to separate
knots, lumps to help in uniform formation, alongwith sheet formers.
Also small refiners would help a great deal in obtaining printable and
other properties in the context of agio fibres proposed..
Small Driers for Thin Paper Drying
The small stainless steel plate drier like the one working in
decorative paper unit, Dehradun can be gainfully adopted at a cost of
Rs.5000 to Rs.600() for all low grammage paper once screened pulp is
supplied for sheet making. Smoothness and stiffness required for
printing can be then substantially improved.
Drier for large units production of higher grammage paper
Machine glazed type felt conveyor sheet driers using steam of
blowing hot air from low cost paddy husk / saw dust furnace with heat
exchanger for big units or Central servicing units feeding a cluster or
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small units around would be another area to improve the finish,
evenness, stiffness of the end products besides reducing the capital
investment or drying sheds. This process is quite capital intensive and
therefore ideal to be adopted by large and central servicing units.
Chilled roll calendering machine
Introduction of chilled roll calendering machine for large units
would greatly benefit in obtaining uniform and improved finish for
thick paper and speciality boards by direct glazing.
Tub sizing
Present conventional method of starch sizing by hand process
which is the cause for adhering considerable dirt on the surface sized
paper may be replaced by introduction of felt conveyor tub-sizing
equipment which may be utilised for starch / glue and other coating /
sizing process.
Parchmentisation process
It is gathered that specialities like electrical insulating paper,
map
drawing
paper
have
been
manufactured
abroad
by
parchmentisation vulcanisation process after sheets are produced. One
such suitable device may be developed for pilot trials to finally
diversify the production for these specialities.
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Improved bleaching
Process for bleaching with hydrogen peroxide to obtain perfect
whiteness / brightness for certain specialities like letter head paper,
card slice! for greeting, visiting cards may be developed.
Standardisation of machinery
There is an urgent need to arrive at common specifications for
all the machinery since, despite existence of the industry for the last
four decades the quality and price structure of the machines vary
substantially from one manufacturer to another. With the result quality
of products, also considerably differs from unit to unit. A Committee
may be constituted by KVIC and the work may be entrusted with this
important assignment to work out details and standard specifications
for all the machines.
Cost reduction
This would be possible to some extent only a) by maintaining
basis weight on par with the similar mill sector products using agro
fibre pulp also, to improve bulk , b) increasing productivity in lifting
process, c) by running the units atleast in two shifts and thus reducing
the incidence of overheads per unit of production and consequent
achievement of low B.E.P.(Break Even Point).
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Low cost practical consultancies
Services of retired employees and other experienced technicians
in the industry may be ensured at reasonable costs to the new units as
well as old ones not only to instal the machinery but also for periodical
supervision /guidance in adopting the improved technology
It may be pertinent to conclude that the process / equipment
outlined above can be considered for adoption by hand made paper
units in Tamil Nadu as the results of pilot trials at UNDP project being
established at Sanganer, Jaipur is quite encouraging for the overall
benefit of the industry.
USE OF NEW EQUIPMENTS
The industry which started with primitive equipment like hand
knives, Denki for pulping, pumie stone for hand glazing in its early
days has gradually been equipped with modern power operated
equipment such as rag, chopper, hollander beater, hydraulic press,
calendering machine, cutting machine and machinery for conversion of
value added products of handmade paper. Besides, paddle operated
uni vat in place of dipping method for sheet lifting.
With the
introduction of these machines it has become possible to diversify
production by the use of cotton rags, agro fibres.
Presently there are about 15 machinery manufacturers who have
been supplying handmade paper machinery to the handmade paper
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units prospective entrepreneurs although these are not specifically
recognized by K VIC.
All the machines supplied by these manufactures have
specifications in workmanship resulting in variation in prices too.
Efforts arc made by KV1C to work out common specifications. All
machinery manufacturers have to accept these specifications for
standardization of machinery and to provide uniform supply to new
units durum the next five years.
NEF.D FOR Nl'AV TK( SINOLOGY
In order to meet the challenges of growing demand for ecofnendly non-woody handmade paper and paper products.
The
technoloL'v upi'radation is a must to consider for improvement in the
field of handmade paper industry. The use of alternative raw materials
should be considered in the field of handmade paper industry to cope
with the competition from other uses of the conventional raw material
up to some extent. The use of different fibres with the use of retention
aids. Use of cco-l'riendly or azo free dyes in the industry for stock
dye in;.',.
Adoption of new equipments like fibre cutter, digester, blotter
(vibratnm screen)., low cost sheet former for better fibre dispersion to
maintain uniformity. Banana, sun hemp, jute and other agro based
fibres besides bast fibres available in the regions and hill areas. Use of
electric / steam heated dryers for existing and new units to avoid
capital investment on drying sheds.
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Adoption of various pulping
processes developed by KNHPI. To meet the demand of handmade
paper in domestic market to increase the productivity and reduce the
drudgery of the workers a few years back KVIC has approved
introduction of power operated sheet making machine namely cylinder
mould vat up to 36" face size as a part of adopting intermediate
technology. Adoption of 40" CMV which has agreed by KVIC is still
awaiting clearance by government.
The experience so far with the
CMV is that high GSM paper (over 150 GSM) are only possible to
produce with good finish on this machine which is not a real substitute
to handmade paper made by hand lifting or on auto vats. It is therefore
necessary to explore possibilities of devising better but simplified
mechanism to improve the sheet lifting process.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
It is pertinent to ask as to why new products are needed? Why
should a company which already has a range of good selling Mines'
spend time, money and effort on innovation and thereby run the risk of
an expensive adventure? The answer is that new product development
is one of the most important functions of the marketing. New product
ideas do not just "happen". They are the result of research of well coordinate thoughts. Innovation must be engineered. One cannot lay
down a formula, which will guarantee the success of a new product.
So, a few ideas end up as winners that it is usually necessary to
generate a large number from which a limited selection may be made.
It is due to no single product can maintain its position in the market
indefinitely and that product innovation is essential. The life cycle of
the product is to be carefully studied. If one takes an existing product
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and examines it carefully it is often possible to think of improvements
or adaptations which might increase its utility or enhance its
appearance. A study of the use to which an existing product put in use
may result in the discovery of hitherto undetected consumer needs not
fully met by other products on the market. Thus an old product in a
novel guise may be introduced to a newly found market.
The theory of the product life cycle is that from the time it is
launched on the market until it is finally withdrawn, a product passes
through four main stages. The first stage covers the period of
introduction of the market, passing to the second stage, one can
probably find that sales are now growing rapidly in a market to which
there is possibility of competition.
By the third stage,
the fully
established product will undoubtedly be faced with competition from
other competitors for a share in the market.
Finally, as more
competitions, attracted by the profits which are being made decided to
enter the market, a stage is reached when the supply of goods outtroop
demand. Competition becomes increasingly fierce. Prices are further
reduced and both sales and profit levels enter a decline.
General Observations
Most of the units are interested to sell their substandard products
without quality paper produced under unhealthy condition in captive
market without cleanliness and maintenance in entire operation. Strict
quality control on each operation is almost essential. Use of right
quantity alternative raw materials, chemicals, colours in proportion for
better quality is essential. It is suggested that use of light and bright
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colours of standard companies can attracts more customers and there
will be no shade variation in varieties like bond papers, card sheets and
others. There is need to diversify new products suitable to non captive
market like greeting cards, sweet boxes, file covers, flaps, advocate
folders, hotel stationery letter heads, visiting cards, folders, invitation
cards. Work plan for specific production and sales is essential in each
unit. Use of available infrastructure for value added and conversion
items can be possible.
Most of the HMP units can convert their
products into value added items. Some units are not aware of value
added and conversion items and for concept of marketing and
publicity. TNKVIB and other hand made paper units, traders All India
HMP I association should make arrangements from time to time for
publicity of new products. Some units can be run in two shifts to
increase productivity of as well as level of production and
communication, co-ordination of each unit with the TNKVIB is
essential. For export oriented products production units should use
services of senior artist to visualise new products innovation like time
tables, certificate papers, shopping bags, visiting / invitation / wedding
/ greeting cards, cover paper for books. Planned lay out of the unit is
necessary for increased productivity. As mottle paper, fancy and
decorative papers of different varieties have very good demand in
Hyderabad area, common people have pleasure to use handmade paper
products like greeting cards, visiting cards, mottle and decorative
papers of different varieties are to be produced. Quality products can
be sold at higher prices to earn money by using better raw materials
power, labour machines for better output. In each unit and in trading
houses services of technical persons are trained from Pune / Jaipur and
desirable to advise on the complaints of customers. Standardisation in
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hand made paper machinery like beater, press, chopping machine and
others is essential to avoid sickness of units. The handmade paper is
not available as per samples in the godown or outlets of KVIB, which
results into negative publicity. Dust is a major problem leading to bad
appearance in paper. Public / consumer problem availability of the
paper and paper products are not assured quality, shade and weight are
not maintained. Therefore, reluctance to patronise hand made paper is
prevailing. Problem of dimensional stability; and retail outlets to be
identified for purchasing hand made paper products arise.
Based on the above observations following conclusion and
recommendation is made. Awareness and publicity of the handmade
paper and handmade paper products are required for the promotion of
this industry among the general masses and therefore this industry
needs good publicity media for which handmade paper manufacturers,
entrepreneurs should come forward and contribute 0.5 per cent sales of
each unit so that joint publicity should be done in a planned manner.
Generally the stock of the paper is never available in the sales outlets
with the result the industry is also getting negative publicity. It is
recommended that hand made paper manufacturers to produce as an
eco-friendly products.
Substandard of handmade paper machinery
like beater, hydraulic press, chopping machine cause break down, loss
of production and low
quality of hand made paper . For the
manufacture of thicker grammage of paper and boards adoption of
CMV is very much essential in TNKVIB units as it gives much better
finish and sheets compactness is increased. Quality production of 100
GSM and below on CMV should be stopped and only conventional
method of lifting on auto vat or dipping method vat should be adopted.
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Most of the thinner varieties are found to be less rattleness and ink
smudjing, they are to be sized well. This may be due to improper
preparation of rosin soap with inadequate quantity of aluminium
sulphate besides hard water of any particular unit. It is, therefore,
necessary to have handmade paper units for well sized papers and to
ensure that ink does not smudge on the finished product except in case
of filter, blotting and such other absorbent varieties. Recently it is
observed that envelopes made out of some white variety on which
gum / paste does not adhere. It is found that traces of chlorine remain
in the paper. It is therefore, necessary that any bleaching is done it
should be perfectly washed out and some anti-colour is also used. The
production units should also ensure that thorough washing say 2 to 3
hours for white and coloured varieties. Colour matching is another
area requiring more attention., HMP units should avoid production of
papers totally of different shades than what was required. The variety
produced in some units of the same State was not of satisfactory
quality.
Avoid sun drying for preventing colour fading. The units
should take special care in matching, the shade by maintaining shade
cards of the variety produced by them periodically. In this respect also
guidance from the technical persons to the needy units will be of
considerable important.
Now a days customer
is more quality
couscous and the printing industry requires opaque paper for which
addition of fillers / loading like titanium dioxide, talc, china-clay,
barium sulphate and others is a must for different varieties. Use of
different grades of waste paper to blend with long cotton fibres is
encouraging for many cultural grades but the units should be advised
and guided practically in the use of good quality guar gum or CMC and
the like to ensure required folding strength and other properties m the
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finished product.
Final sorting of papers is one more aspect needs
special attention.
Many a time the units are despatching the paper
without proper sorting with the result the substance weight per ream of
paper vary even in a single lot. Therefore, the technical persons would
do well to educate the units on the methods of final sorting and packing
to avoid such discrepancies and customers' complaints. At least one
trained personal should be employed in every unit. Regionwise / sites
survey should be conducted to know right choice of the customers of
different types of handmade paper and products. Hotel industry and
Textile industry should be first tapped as they can be one of the major
buyers for eco-friendly products. Since there is good scope for HMP,
carrier counseling should be given at the college level and motivation
to entrepreneurs, financial institutions and banks to come forward to
start HMP units. Certainly there are products through which we can
make good publicity, good business and make the industry popular,
Such products like table calendars, greeting cards, visiting cards,
school time tables, carry bags, stationery items (including hotels) gift
envelops, conference folders, wedding cards, shirt boxes and others
should be developed and introduced in the market.
The above mentioned observations and recommendations are
worth considering because without which product development
remains weak. We can have a good product development but if the
marketing is poor, awareness is not there, quality is not maintained the
efforts put in for product development will go as seer waste.
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Future Planning
Greeting cards, visiting cards, carry bags, conference folders,
gifts envelops, writing pads, packing boxes, letter head with folders,
hotel stationery, wedding anniversary cards are some non-captive
products for which new products will be introduced in the market.
After discussion with number of persons in the industry at different
places new products are selected.
Certain changes are required to
modify existing products like variety of carry bags should be made not
only in different sizes, different types of handles, different grammage
of papers. h\ the first phase new product like eco-friendly greeting
cards, visiting cards, carry bags envelops, letter heads can be
introduced for better marketability. Through meetings at different
places awareness is created about value added products and product
development of handmade paper, their uses, present market demand.
For test marketing it is observed that mottle and decorative papers of
different varieties with conversion of items like greeting cards, visiting
cards have very good demand in south and north regions.
Plan of action
To develop attractive design in single colour, double colour and
four colour for greeting cards, wedding cards, anniversary cards to be
printed on white card sheet and fancy papers. Designs for letter pads,
gift envelopes on different varieties of paper. Educational materials
like ABC charts,
time table, special paper for certificates (to be
standardised). Table calenders with good theme, variety of shopping
bags, carry bags, hotel stationery items,
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shirt boxes,
variety of
conference
folders.
Manufacturing of fancy paper with different
combination of raw materials and colour scheme for various products.
Product Development Cell
It is recommended to have all possible different varieties of hand
made paper and value added items displayed properly with
specifications in the units / sales outlets along with the samples of the
raw materials (varieties of cotton waste and agro waste) for the
visitors, entrepreneurs to know the types of different verities we can
produce from HMP. It would also propose
a guide book to be
published with standard specifications and samples of the product as a
reference book. A Product Development Cell in the State with the
following different sections are to be constituted namely screen
printing and conversion section.
The explorative study on product development in the sample
units depicts the following. At Arappakkani PIMP unit a few sample
pieces of moulded
alphabatical board
was attempted with due
inscription of alphabats meant for school children with a novel idea,
by using mill boards. When successful trials and product development
was on the super-m-tendent was promoted and transferred to district
level office and the product under development was left in lurch. His
successor could not take-up the work and no new product was made
out of mill boards.
At Senbagapudur HMP unit during the regime of a technical
superintendent, selected from Aurobindo Ashram and posted as
superintendent, attempted various types of value added conversion
item on HMP such as matching colour envelopes and letter pads,
marbling sheets, good number varieties of greeting cards with designs
printing ensured over that, telephone diaries, fancy carry bags, table
calenders, visiting cards, gift envelopes, conference folders, wedding
cards, shirt boxes on attractive colour and marbled cards and so on
which he gained from Pondicherry Aurobindo Ashram.
Though these
varieties were appreciated by many higher-ups of TNKV1 Board,
absence of encouragement eroded the interest of the technical superin-tendent and after a lapse of 5 years, he got promoted and posted in
district office. With due added problem of labour unrest for minimum
wages, the atmosphere of the value added conversion works strandard
and the unit constrained to stop conversion activities.
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Little conversion works are attended at Aruppukottai HMP unit,
Mahendramangalam HMP unit of TNKVIB. Others are
continuing
with their traditional processes and with that of the same old
impression paper/ board making and awaiting for directions from their
central office for the disposal of the same.
The
registered institution Gandhi Ashram at Thiruchengodu
converts all the file boards produced in CMV into attractive file covers
by fixing eye-let, clips and pasting paper and boards suiting to the
requirement of conferences and seminars. This unit is functioning on
realistic basis, knowing the need of the buyer, taste of them and so on.
Accordingly it designs and develops converted stationery items such as
file covers, file pads, writing pads, clip files and so on.
Importance of value added Items
From the manufacturers point of view, value addition on plain
sheets, enriches the sheet / paper / cards with elegance and fetch more
price from customer out of their satisfaction. Conversion augment the
stock to move fastly and cash comes into the unit as sale proceed.
Unnecessary stock accumulation and capital block-up will not be there.
It paves more profit margin compared to that of plain sheets / papers /
cards selling. Even small piece of paper boards can be converted into
customer satisfaction oriented value added goods. Thus wastage of
paper / boards are reduced much and in turn profit maximisation is
possible. Ready market will be available to the manufactures. From
the consumers' point
of view, the customer is having better
satisfaction, as the conversion is ensured against his taste and order.
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Consumer can have more varieties from that of sterio-type mill
varieties paper and board. Something as a special, customer can have
paper and board articles from HMP sector. Customer is left with the
choice of hot cake, when paper and boards are converted into value
added ready to use product.
Durable, elegant paper plates with a
difference, jewellary box made out of handmade paper calender cover,
cocoon made out of marbled hand
made paper will definitely attract
the customer and will tempt him / her to purchase the same without
any hesitation. Emelcified water-proof sheets and carry bags made
out of these papers will definitely receive the appeal of customer.
Finally, for ensuring conversion on hand made paper and board
no sophisticated machinery and equipments are required. With much
less capital investment one can carryout conversion activities; with the
result of conversion, unsold sheets / papers can be enriched with value
added products, which can move into the market within no time. For
this one should have the foresightedness about the customers need,
changing fashion, taste of the customer, utility that is what for the
product is necessary to customer? If not a sort of
urge is to be
created so as to purchase the same from the manufacturers. And thus
maximisation of profit can be ensured by value addition of paper and
board by ensuring convesion activities.
The above concept is not
properly understood by the authorities of TNKV1B and the units under
review could not harvest the benefit of the same.
Ofcourse, the
registered unit at Thiruchengodu is in the earnest right direction and is
keeping its business on,
by converting most of its file boards
manufactured into file covers.
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