... the entirely automated papiNet message switching system - in conjunction with the online RFID (radio frequency identification) reading of reel wrapping at the mills - is 99.8 percent reliable (based on a test involving 4000 reels), which would allow in the future to consideration to optimise stock management platforms, automate invoicing and the possibility to track damaged reels that are returned to the mill.

Thanks to the papiNet business framework, and in particular the adoption of the advance delivery and invoice messages, our goods receipt and payment approval processes have been hugely simplified and the number and potential for errors greatly reduced. All required data is increasingly captured automatically.

Stora Enso Fine Paper promotes e-Business solutions

challenge: how can we help customers to save on administrative costs?
solution: transfer routine work to the e-Business system.

Stora Enso Fine Paper is actively promoting the e-Business solutions for its largest customers. This helps to achieve savings throughout the value chain, especially when it comes to administrative costs.

"I don't know how many thousands of phone calls used to start with 'I sent you a call-off, can you confirm it?' Our mission was to create a process which would simplify the purchase-order process, and to automate routines by using the supply integration standard papiNet designed for the paper industry," says Wolfgang Streith, e-Business Manager, Stora Enso Fine Paper.

Stora Enso's persistence to develop the e-Business has transformed significantly since the beginning. Now Fine Paper is not just selling paper just via the traditional channels, but is consulting customers more and more by means of its e-Business architecture, and, together with the customers, creates solutions for more effective administration routines with the help of the supply chain integration. One example of this is the cooperation with Xerox Europe.

"Today, the entire purchasing process between Xerox UK and Stora Enso is handled electronically. We have managed to attain savings in administrative costs by the use of papiNet e-document purchase orders, order confirmations, call-offs, business acknowledgments, business acceptances, delivery messages and invoices. Both partners are saving time and money by cutting back on costs for routine work," states Wolfgang Streith.

Lower administrative costs for both of the trading partners are achieved through a reduction in transaction times and a decrease in administrative work by fewer phone and fax contacts and less paperwork. Stora Enso and Xerox started within the UK market in September 2008. This will be followed later this year and in the beginning of 2010 by a rollout in the Nordic markets, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Participation in papiNet is open to all players in the forest, pulp and paper business. Members can influence the development of new messages, exchange information on e-Invoicing and RFID developments, and learn from each other about best implementation practices.

papiNet business process descriptions, implementation guideline documents and technical specifications provide a halfway house to business integration. The 35 papiNet messages, and the secure message envelope options, present a necessary and welcome broad communication environment which enables any company to introduce internet based trading from scratch or in tandem with previous EDI and other business framework implementations.

Since June 2008, an innovative web browser client for creating and communicating fully compliant papiNet messages has irrevocably lowered the cost and simplified the other challenges faced by SMEs in conducting online business with Stora Enso and one another. papiNet's adherence to the XML standard has enabled our technical partner to develop and capitalise on reusable web browser components that have broad applicability within and across many sectors.

Our adoption and use of papiNet collaborative messages, combined where relevant with our own and our customer ERP systems, has enabled us to achieve major improvements in our overall supply chain integration strategy. papiNet has been most useful and efficient when managing many transactions, when an interface or service provider automatically handles the messages, and when data is captured, e.g. as part of a valid bar code scan.

Improved information flow, achieved through papiNet adoption, has enabled simultaneous improvement of customer service, enhanced process efficiencies and better internal data integration for all. Our customers have a less-error-prone goods receiving procedure, as they know when and what items will arrive and can update the advance delivery information already provided by simply scanning the SSCC codes. The customer invoice handling process has also been greatly simplified as purchase order, order confirmation, delivery, invoice data are in their system: when everything matches, the invoice can be approved for payment. 

Our mutual implementation with customers and suppliers, of papiNet‘s agreed technical and business processes, has significantly increased the level of system integration, automatic data capture, and overall ease with which business is being conducted.