3 min read
In pulp and especially recycled paper production, the mill yard plays a decisive role in operational performance. It is where raw materials are received, stored, and fed into the process, and where even minor inefficiencies can affect quality, throughput, and cost.
Yet, many mills continue to rely on a mix of manual workflows and fragmented systems that make it difficult to maintain an accurate, real-time picture of material flow. The result is unplanned downtime, inconsistent pulp mixes, and reduced confidence in inventory data. As production volumes rise and sustainability reporting becomes more demanding, these weaknesses become harder to ignore.
Below are five of the most persistent risks in mill yard operations, and how connected yard management technology can help address them with reliable data and process visibility.
1. Manual Tracking and Inventory Inaccuracy
The Challenge:
In many mill yards, operators still log bale movements using paper tickets or spreadsheets that are updated only at the end of a shift. Each manual handoff introduces the possibility of error; a load recorded twice, a location entered incorrectly, a missing timestamp etc. Over time, these inaccuracies distort inventory levels and make it difficult to reconcile what was received, stored, or consumed.
When production depends on a specific grade of recycled fiber, even small miscounts can lead to costly delays. Supervisors often spend hours verifying stock by walking the yard or cross-checking driver notes, reducing time for higher-value work like optimizing material flow or quality control.
A Better Way:
YardManager, a supply chain solution by ConiferSoft, replaces manual tracking with automatic data collection. Each forklift is equipped with GPS and load sensors, recording every lift, drop, and movement in real time. Stock balances update continuously, giving supervisors immediate visibility into the exact quantity and location of each bale. Inventory reports are based on verified forklift events rather than handwritten entries, reducing reconciliation time and improving confidence in production planning.
2. Fragmented Systems and Disconnected Information
The Challenge:
Mills frequently operate multiple systems; a mill gate system for inbound deliveries, a separate database for bale quality, and a production planning system. Because these systems rarely share data, managers must rely on manual exports or spreadsheets to combine information. The lack of integration slows communication between logistics, procurement, and production, and makes it difficult to identify where material bottlenecks or inconsistencies occur.
Without unified data, planning teams cannot easily track how incoming materials translate into production output. It also becomes harder to trace the cause of recurring quality issues.
A Better Way:
YardManager serves as an operational layer that links these systems together. It integrates with mill gate system, ERP, production, and quality systems, and is the master system for operational mill yard inventories and consumption data. Planners can see the full path of materials, from delivery to storage to consumption, without switching between programs. This connected view helps synchronize procurement, logistics, and operations, ensuring that each team works from current information.
For mills exploring a yard management software, YardManager complements those systems by capturing live activity data directly from the mill yard.
3. Inconsistent Material Feed and Production Variability
The Challenge:
Maintaining a consistent mix of recycled paper grades is essential for stable production. In practice, many mill yards struggle to achieve this consistency. Forklift drivers may not have immediate access to production order details, or the mill yard layout may change faster than information is updated. As a result, the wrong grades or aging materials can enter the production line, leading to fluctuations in fiber quality and increased process adjustment.
A Better Way:
With YardManager, production orders are displayed directly for forklift drivers in Vehicle Application. Drivers can view real-time maps showing bale grades, quality characteristics, and storage times, to see that the correct materials are selected for each conveyor line. Supervisors can monitor actual versus target mix through live dashboards, allowing them to intervene early if the composition begins to drift. Consistency in feed translates to fewer process interruptions and more predictable product quality.
4. Reactive Decision-Making and Lack of Visibility
The Challenge:
When mill yard information is updated only after shifts or manually entered, decision-making becomes reactive. Managers discover issues, such as misplaced bales or even loads or delayed unloading, only after they’ve affected production. These delays create unnecessary downtime and disrupt scheduling.
A Better Way:
YardManager’s Map View provides a live, visual representation of the mill yard. Supervisors can see which stock areas are nearing capacity, and whether production orders are being followed as planned. This situational awareness allows faster adjustments, such as redirecting vehicles or balancing material flows, before problems escalate.
Building a Reliable, Data-Driven Yard with YardManager
The challenges of scale, accuracy, and compliance in mill yard operations all stem from a common cause: limited real-time information. When inventory data, vehicle activity, and quality records exist in separate silos, it becomes difficult to manage efficiently or prove compliance with confidence.
YardManager provides pulp mills and especially recycled paper mills with a connected, position-based management system that transforms daily yard activity into actionable data. By automating tracking, integrating with existing mill systems, and providing real-time visibility across teams, it helps operations leaders reduce risk, maintain quality, and achieve measurable gains in efficiency.
YardManager by ConiferSoft gives pulp and recycled paper mills the visibility and control needed to manage inventory, traceability, and compliance with precision.
