One of the leading paper exporters has announced that it has introduced inspections of bales to check for excessive moisture.
Mark Lyndon Paper Enterprises said that over the past three years, it has seen an unprecedented increase in the amount of moisture being recorded in UK material, with last winter being particularly bad following consistent heavy rain.
With material often stored uncovered, this has led to higher moisture levels than received by the Chinese-owned company from other territories it operates in worldwide.
Mark Lyndon Paper Enterprises managing director Paul Briggs told Resource Efficient Business: “Our new moisture testing procedure is only a further development as China becomes less dependent on western materials. UK and European mills have been deducting moisture for many years without hesitation and this has been widely accepted by suppliers to these domestic mills.
“The UK will always be a valuable supplier to our mills in China, but we do need to be paying just for fibre, and not moisture. This move levels the playing field with EU/UK mills and our China mills.
“The issue of moisture had to follow on from the quality issues and the days of China accepting substandard material should be considered a thing of the past. This can only be a good thing for the professional supply companies.”
During the drier load months of May to September, Mark Lyndon Paper Enterprises will allow moisture levels of up to 16 per cent, which is higher than the recognised international standard of 12 per cent.
Between 16 and 18 per cent moisture, the company will make a claim for additional moisture before loading, and anything above 18 per cent will be cancelled.
Between October and April, claims will be made on moisture levels between 16 and 20 per cent, and anything above that will see loads being cancelled.
The new moisture checks will be conducted by the company’s own quality inspectors.
The new regime will apply to both OCC and mixed paper loads bought by Mark Lyndon Paper Enterprises from its suppliers.
Chinese paper company Lee & Man is the parent firm of Mark Lyndon Paper Enterprises.