Justifying upgrade projects in existing mills

This paper describes the various potential benefits for upgrading existing paper mill electrical and control systems beyond the usual justifications of manpower savings, production cost savings and directly measurable operating and maintenance cost savings. Using examples from upgrades of power systems, drive systems, and control instrumentation systems, the authors describe the various ways that reliability, product quality, and other sometimes intangible benefits can be expressed in dollar terms that management understands. The examples include upgrading a plant water supply electrical system justified on improved reliability and shutdown avoidance and the justification of instrument/control upgrades based on increased "on-grade" pulp production.<>