04 — Off specification
Pulp and paper a mill has refused on moisture, shade, basis weight, formation or transit damage. The fibre is generally sound; what failed was a tolerance. We price it against the prime grade it deviates from, and we state the defect on the offer.
What we handle
Any one of these can take a lot off a mill's prime inventory. None of them necessarily makes it unusable — which is the whole basis of this line.
| Defect | What it usually is | What it means for the buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | Content outside the contracted range, or uneven across the lot | Affects yield and handling; usually workable with an allowance |
| Shade & brightness | Off-shade against the reference, or inconsistent between reels | Fine where the end product is not colour-critical |
| Basis weight | Deviation beyond the tolerance band | Matters for converting; often acceptable as furnish |
| Formation & defects | Holes, streaks, uneven formation, edge damage | Yield loss on converting; acceptable for repulping |
| Wrapper & transit damage | Torn wrapping, crushed edges, water staining on the outer layers | Usually confined to the outer wraps; core is sound |
| Failed QC hold | Rejected against a customer specification rather than an absolute standard | Frequently prime material for a different end use |
Material that is simply surplus rather than out of specification belongs under Stock Lot. Many lots are both, and we quote them either way.
How we work this line
Off grade only works as a business if both ends of the trade know exactly what is in the container before it sails.
The offer names the defect, the grade it deviates from and the reason it was rejected. A buyer who knows what they are taking can run it deliberately. A buyer who finds out at the discharge port files a claim — and is not a buyer twice.
Tell us what actually failed. An optimistic description raises our offer and then collapses at the other end, with the claim coming back to you. We would rather quote accurately and have the shipment close cleanly.
Terms
| Basis | Priced against the prime grade it deviates from |
|---|---|
| Material | Pulp and paper, reels, sheets, bales or units |
| Documentation | Mill test data or QC report where it exists; photographs of the defect where it does not |
| Volume | One container upward. Mixed lots considered. |
| Loading | From the nearest of 14 major North American ports |
| Payment | T/T basis. Other terms negotiable. |
Off grade and stock lots are half of what we trade. The mills we sell to in Asia buy this material deliberately, which is why we can price it rather than simply decline it.
Other categories
Contact
The defect, the tonnage and where it sits. That is enough for a firm position in either direction.
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