Optimizing for Excellence: Balancing Cost, Quality, and Sustainability

Brooke Hill, Data Science Engineer, Pratt Industries

Derek Valentin, Data Science Engineer, Pratt Industries

Pratt Industries, the world’s largest, privately-held 100% recycled paper company, operates six of the most modern and cost-effective paper mills in the country. In the competitive landscape of paper manufacturing, minimizing costs while maintaining product integrity is imperative for maximizing profits and sustainability. Process additives that are introduced for product strength are costly, yet necessary. Over-consumption can lead to unnecessary expenditures thus conscious optimization efforts are vital in reducing costs. High variability in the process means additive requirements can fluctuate, even while producing the same product during different runs. This leads to less uniform process control, making optimization a challenge.