Counting returns in the newspaper industry - Mailroom and Distribution 4.12
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
SPECIAL REPORT Mailroom and Distribution 4.12 Counting returns in the newspaper industry
02 Introduction
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
Counting returns in the newspaper industry
A newspaper is a very short-lived product. Unsold Within the framework of this investigation, several
newspapers are recovered not only for the purpose of sup- such operations in Europe were visited that are well at-
plying the used paper recycling loops; they also supply tuned to the needs of these newspapers.
valuable information for both the distributor and the For the major distribution centres, it is essential to lim-
printer. it as far as possible the volumes of returns to be handled,
This Special Report examines both the routes followed as this operation represents a major cost factor that cannot
by unsold newspaper copies as well as the various control be recuperated elsewhere. But this is not a simple task due
and counting operations that are required. to the diversity of the products to be controlled. For this
The circuits followed by unsold copies are of two dif- reason, the counting systems selected by wholesalers work
ferent types: firstly, there are the major wholesalers who on the basis of optical recognition of the front page. The
are responsible for distributing different press products various problems encountered are analysed in a functional
(newspapers, magazines and similar products), and second- matrix that focuses on the functions to be carried out at
ly there are the distributors who handle only certain titles. the different stages of the control process. Moreover, the
The latter is the case for the investigated newspapers. emphasis was put on the problems that remain to be
The volumes of products to be handled by the different solved and on the adapted solutions that could be consid-
circuits vary greatly. Consequently, the solutions offered to ered.
the distributors also vary to a major degree. The facts presented in the following are based on nu-
Moreover, the data produced by this control has many merous on-site visits, the accounts of which are included
different applications. Not only does it allow verification at the end of the report.
of the accuracy of the volumes stated by the retailers and
reliable invoicing, but also a better knowledge of the read- Boris Fuchs Bénédicte Lamy
ers on the basis of events and distribution zones as well as Research Director Research Engineer
supplying precise information for sales records statistics. Deputy Managing Director (to March 1999)
Some regional daily newspapers have developed a con- (to December 1998)
trol system for unsold copies based on bar code reading.
October 1999Table of contents and imprint 03 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12 Table of contents 1. Summary and acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... 04 2. The case for installing a returns counting system ........................................................................................... 05 3. Distribution and return circuits ........................................................................................................................... 06 3.1 The situation of the regional newspapers ................................................................................................................. 06 3.2 The situation of the national distributors .................................................................................................................. 06 3.3 Consequences of these special conditions ................................................................................................................ 06 4. The case of the regional daily newspapers/The use of bar codes ................................................................ 07 4.1 Visits carried out ....................................................................................................................................................... 07 4.2 The applied method .................................................................................................................................................. 07 4.3 The different existing standards ................................................................................................................................ 08 4.4 Problems encountered and solutions applied ........................................................................................................... 08 4.5 Prospects, conclusion ................................................................................................................................................ 09 5. Distributors / magazines and camera-based machines ................................................................................. 10 5.1 Visits carried out ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 5.2 The method applied .................................................................................................................................................. 10 5.3 Problems encountered and solutions applied ........................................................................................................... 10 5.4 Prospects, conclusion ................................................................................................................................................ 10 6. The function matrix ............................................................................................................................................... 11 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 6.2 Process organisation ................................................................................................................................................. 11 6.3 Summary ................................................................................................................................................................... 12 6.4 Synoptical Table ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 7. Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 8. Annex ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15 8.1 Case study: La Voix du Nord ...................................................................................................................................... 15 8.2 Case study: La Montagne .......................................................................................................................................... 17 8.3 Case study: Evening Standard ................................................................................................................................... 19 8.4 Case study: Nice-Matin .............................................................................................................................................. 22 8.5 Case study: De Telegraaf ........................................................................................................................................... 23 8.6 Case study: SAD ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 8.7 Case study: AMP-PVD ................................................................................................................................................ 26 8.8 Case study: Presse-Vertrieb Pfalz .............................................................................................................................. 29 8.9 Case study: SPV Heinrich Brümmer KG ..................................................................................................................... 30 8.10 Case study: MLP ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 8.11 The returns system of Buhrs-Media Craft .................................................................................................................. 33 8.12 Structure and content of EAN 13 ................................................................................................................................ 35 Imprint Ifra Special Reports, research reports, technical study reports, and documents for the standardisation of newspaper production techniques. Published by: Ifra, Washingtonplatz, D-64287 Darmstadt, Telephone +49 (6151) 733-6, Fax +49 (6151) 733-800. Managing Director: Günther W. Böttcher. Director of Research and Consult: Manfred Werfel. Ifra Special Reports are for Ifra members only. Copies supplied within a company’s allocation covered by membership fee. Additional copies are charged at DM 25.– per copy. Republishing permitted with acknowledgement of origin only. Printed in Germany.
04 1. Summary and acknowledgements
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
1. Summary and acknowledgements
This report is aimed especially at newspaper specialists In addition, this project was accompanied and support-
wishing to learn about identifying and counting unsold ed by a working group comprising the following members:
newspaper copies. It sets out to: Eric André Nice-Matin, Nice, F
> present the advantages of a returns counting system; Gerd Bär Vitronic, Wiesbaden,D
> make a clear distinction between returns processing at Juan Barandiaran CVC, Loiu, E
regional newspapers and national distributors, as they Martine Juillet-Bolâtre NMPP, Paris, F
handle very different products and volumes; Pascal Bonjean La Montagne,
> define the specific requirements of each of these users Clermont-Ferrand, F
and identify the types of equipment best suited to their Ricky Carstens Thorsted Maskiner, Horsens, DK
specific needs. Alain Delannoy ADDS Concept,
Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf, F
Two types of systems were considered separately: Christian Donati Nice-Matin, Nice, F
> counting systems working with bar codes. These are Christian Eizinga Buhrs-Media Craft, Zaandam, NL
more specifically adapted to the requirements of the Jürgen Fischer Ryll, Gescher, D
regional daily newspapers; Marc Forey NMPP, Paris, F
> counting systems working with optical recognition of Bent Jahnsen Buhrs-Media Craft, Kongsberg, N
the front page, usually used at operations where large Patrick Jean Ferag, Evry, F
volumes and different products have to be handled. François Laloux La Voix du Nord, Lille, F
Francis Lugara Nice-Matin, Nice, F
For each of these cases, a description is given of the Gianni Manzini SITMA, Spilamberto, I
principle that is applied, followed by an analysis of the Ricardo Moro CVC, Loiu, SP
technical problems encountered and the solutions planned Thomas Rieß Ferag, Sulzbach, D
to resolve them. Finally, the results are summarised in the Christoph Ryll Ryll, Gescher, D
form of a functional matrix that analyses the various Gerd Schönfeld ESW, Wedel, D
stages in the process and highlights the aspects to which Hans Schwab Presse Vertrieb Pfalz,
attention should be paid. Frankenthal, D
With the support of the working group, it was possible Olivier Sigalas Le Progrès, Chassieu, F
to visit numerous operations. The reports on these visits Dieter Stüpfert ESW, Wedel, D
serve to ideally illustrate the performances of the described H. Wadle TWI, Karlsruhe, D
systems. In addition, they provide an insight into the prob- Daniel Willer AMP, Brussels, B
lems facing the users in practice.
Ifra was represented at these meetings by Boris Fuchs,
Ifra commissioned EFPG (École Française de Papeterie Manfred Werfel and Bénédicte Lamy .
et des Industries Graphiques de Grenoble) to carry out this We take this opportunity to express our special thanks
project. Vincent Fievez, within the framework of his thesis, to the following companies that provided valuable support
was given overall responsibility for managing this study, to this project by welcoming Vincent Fievez to their opera-
and he reported to Bernard Pineaux, lecturer-researcher at tions and/or agreeing to an interview:
EFPG. MLP in Angers, Evening Standard in London, Agence
et Messageries de la Presse in Brussels, SPV Heinrich
Brümmer KG in Weiterstadt, Presse Vertrieb Pfalz in
Frankenthal, La Voix du Nord in Lille, La Montagne in
Clermont-Ferrand, Nice-Matin in Nice, Société d’Agences
et de Diffusion in Grenoble, De Telegraaf in Amsterdam
Buhrs-Media Craft and SITMA.
In addition, we wish to thank the equipment suppliers
represented in this working group as well as Nouvelles
Messageries de la Presse Parisienne (NMPP) for all the
information they made available to us, as well as for the
contacts it arranged for us with the users. Last but not
least, special thanks to John Dixey, a former employee at
the Evening Standard who is now retired, for his excellent
report on the system at the Evening Standard.
The project was carried out in 1997 and brought to a
conclusion in February 1998.2. The case for installing a returns counting system 05
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
2. The case for installing a returns counting system
The companies visited did not all have exactly the The objective is, naturally, to eventually reduce the
same reasons for installing a system. But although they number of returns, as they cost the publisher the price for
listed their priorities in different orders, they all cited the their production, distribution, and their return, without
same advantages copies: bringing any benefit whatsoever. Although the sales out-
> Controlling quantities: it is necessary to count the lets do not pay for returned products, at the same time
exact numbers of sold copies in order to invoice the they only earn commission on sold copies.
retailers for them. The installation of a control system Therefore there are several points in favour of a returns
has a strong psychological impact on the distributors: counting system. Both the national distributors and the
they trust its reliability and systematic operation. regional newspapers can benefit, as they use quite similar
> Verifying that there are neither too many nor too distribution and return circuits.
few returns: too many returns indicate overproduc-
tion, whereas zero returns can be a possible indication
of missed sales opportunities. By counting return
copies, it is possible to supply each outlet with exactly
the required number of copies, the ideal situation being
to have just one return copy per outlet.
> Obtaining exact knowledge of the sold quantities:
every day, at every sales outlet, for every title and
every issue, for carrying out a sales analysis and at-
tempting to predict demand.
> Measuring the impact of a promotional campaign or
the impact of the editorial content on the sold quanti-
ties.06 3. Distribution and return circuits
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
3. Distribution and return circuits
In all the cases investigated, the same truck was used 3.1 The situation of the regional newspapers
to collect unsold returns and distribute the new issue. Even Generally speaking, regional newspaper distribute their
in plants where the newspapers are not collected every own products and at the same time collect unsold returns.
day, the distribution and return circuits are organised the Thus they pick up bundles containing only their own titles
same way: from their suppliers (“central depots”, i.e. wholesalers, or
“direct suppliers”, i.e. the sales outlets).
Despite the trend towards increasing frequency, the
usual frequency of collection continues to range from one
Internal company distribution division day to one month, depending on the geographical location
or of the depots.
outside distribution company
3.2 The situation of the national distributors
The organisation of their network is similar, but they
handle very different products: they distribute and recover
newspapers, but also magazines, sticky labels, small toys,
etc. Many of these products contain additional gadgets,
Other compact discs, cassettes, videos, etc.
Direct Collections are usually daily.
distribution
Central depot distribution
circuits
depot 3.3 Consequences of these special conditions
(mail, carrier)
Naturally, these two organisations cannot process
returns in the same way. This is why there are different
types of systems to suit the processes concerned:
> bar code-based systems,
> optical recognition systems,
Retail sales outlets > “hybrid systems” combining both of the above.
Each of these types of systems caters especially to the
The counting systems are situated at a higher level (in- requirements of one or other of the circuits, and will
ternal company newspaper distribution service or newspa- accordingly be examined separately.
per wholesale distributor) and there is at present no direct
contact between this level and the sales outlets.
Despite this similarity in the organisation of distribu-
tion and return, a distinction must be made between
regional newspapers and national distributors because they
face different problems.4. The case of the regional daily newspapers / The use of bar codes 07
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
4. The case of the regional daily newspapers/
The use of bar codes
4.1 Visits carried out For the system to function, it is important that the bar
The following companies were visited: code should be illuminated by an outside light source,
> La Voix du Nord (Lille), equipped with three ADDS e.g. LED (light-emitting diodes) or a spotlight.
hopper feeders, This system is suitable for reading labels or for the
> La Montagne (Clermont), equipped with one ADDS manual after-processing of missed copies.
hopper feeder, > Like the hand-held CCD scanner, the laser gun is
> The Evening Standard (London), equipped with a portable, but in addition it allows remote reading. The
Thorsted Maskiner system, laser produces a narrow, non-dispersed and intense
> Nice-Matin (Nice), equipped with a SITMA system, beam that permits bar code reading both at a short or
> De Telegraaf, where a JED system is in use, long distance. This is a function allowing flexible use
> SAD (Grenoble), a subsidiary of Nouvelles Messageries of the so-called field depth (difference between the
de la Presse Parisienne (NMPP). This is an example of minimum and maximum reading distances).
an supplier (not the only one) using a bar code on > With a laser scanner, the product must be moved
magazines. through the sensor part of the fixed scanner. The bar
code is scanned by one or several beams. The light
The detailed reports of these visits are published in an- reflected on the scanning line is received by a high-
nex, starting on page 15. resolution camera and subsequently analysed. The bar
code is simple to locate, as it is an area in which there
4.2 The applied method are major and numerous contrast variations. An elec-
The method is identification by bar code is similar to tronic system then re-builds the bar code and identifies
that practised at supermarket cash desks, for example. it.
A distinction is made between the following types of > The CD camera takes a “photo” of the surface. A detai-
different bar code reading systems: led analysis of the image allows the code to be located
> the optical pen must be moved manually across the and read.
code at a consistent speed. It is little used in our con-
text; The fixed scanner system equipped with high-resolution
> the hand-held CCD scanner uniformly illuminates the camera seems to be the solution most favoured by
paper surface on to which it is placed. The image newspapers, especially regional newspapers, for identi-
reflected by the bar code is then transmitted via an fying return copies. This system is suitable above all
optical system to the CCD system for analysis. The CCD for newspaper companies, as they only receive their
array, comprising thousands of photoelectric elements, own titles, all of which have the same format. In such
is positioned in the lens system of the optical system. a case, it is simple to position a code always in the
These elements, also referred to as “pixels”, are charged same place and automate its reading.
in proportion to the quantity of light received. The
data is then scanned electronically and digitised.
CCD
Lens system
Figure 2: The operating principle of the laser scanner. The scanning speed is
a function of the number of polygon mirrors and the rotating speed of the
Figure 1: The working principle of the hand-held CCD scanner. motor.08 4. The case of the regional daily newspapers / The use of bar codes
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
4.3 The different existing standards Therefore it is suitable for products assembled in boxes
or on pallets, but not for the identification of individual
The EAN 13 code: products.
This 13-digit bar code is universally used on all regu- Accordingly, it is the EAN 13 standard, which is in
lar consumer goods. The article number does not contain widespread use throughout the world, that is usually
information on the product: it is just a key permitting selected. For newspapers, printing this code poses few
access to information recorded in an electronic data file. problems, as there is sufficient contrast. However, atten-
The design and content of the EAN 13 code are given tion must be paid to any “fattening” of the bars and to
in annex on page 35. ensure the correct positioning of the code.
Usually, the EAN (European Article Numbering organi- 4.4 Problems encountered and solutions applied
sation that is responsible for allocating codes) assigns an > Bar code generation.
identifying number to the manufacturers (or at least to the The generation of bar codes does not usually cause
brands). It is then up to the manufacturer concerned to problems; it is realised by a special software program.
generate a number for every article he wishes to identify. There is only one case in which a certain sequence of
Additional information may appear in a second code numbers caused errors in the DTP layout program.
(“add-on code”) on books, newspapers and magazines. The > Content of the bar code.
inclusion of this additional information (such as reprint, It sometimes occurs that the content of the code is
different price) on books is optional. Magazines will incorrect. It is up to the publishers to enter the correct
always bear an add-on code indicating the serial number. numbers into the codes that they print and to verify
On newspapers and weekly titles, for example, this is the them (e.g. by means of a check digit).
number of the week in the year. This add-on code is not > Position of the bar code.
read by supermarket cash desks that only use the main For the bar code to be readable without having to open
code. Such additional information is of interest only to the the newspaper, it must be positioned on the outside of
distributors and collectors. [1] the copy. In the case of broadsheet newspapers, this
Moreover, the EAN allows an alternative solution to means that the code must be located on the front page.
the “classical” method of allocating codes: the publishers In contrast, with tabloids, the publisher has the possi-
are authorised to base their bar code on the ISBN code (In- bility to print it on the last page.
ternational Book Standard Numbering) or ISSN (Interna- Some newspapers consider that positioning the bar
tional Serial Standard Numbering) of their publication. code on the front page disturbs its appearance. Others
are of the opinion that it may encroach upon the
The EAN 128 code: spaces reserved for advertising. Despite this, in most
At the second meeting of the working group, consider- cases the bar code is printed in the bottom left-hand
ation was given to using - instead of the EAN 13 code plus corner of the page, outside of the area in which infor-
its add-on - a single EAN 128 code reputed to be more mation is printed. Therefore it does not cause any spe-
compact. cial problems.
But, after consultation with the various organisations > Bar code reading.
that comprise the EAN International association, it became Printing quality is rarely a problem: the contrast is cor-
evident that: “[the information contained in EAN 128] is rect, as printing is done in black and white, therefore
not intended [...] for the cash desks [...] in retail trade.” [2] there are seldom difficulties with doubling or dot gain.
and therefore cannot be used in this case: the EAN 128 Reading the final number of the bar code (the check
code is a symbol used in logistics that allows the addition digit) confirms the read information. Therefore there
to the product identification code of one or several “data should be no error in the content (either the code is
identifiers” and corresponding additional information readable and the information that is read is in line with
(number of the pallet or container, batch number, series what is intended, or the code is not recognised).
number, date of production, packing, storage, quantity, > Register pin holes.
weight, length, etc.). [2] The bar code may be damaged by the register pins of
In addition, “EAN 128 cannot be used to mark single the folder. This can happen if the bar code is positioned
articles destined for the customer [...] because it cannot be too close to the edge of the page due to a shift of the
read omnidirectionally like the EAN 8 or EAN 13 symbols” printed image.
[3].4. The case of the regional daily newspapers / The use of bar codes 09
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
> Plate changes brought about by the inclusion of a bar 4.5 Prospects, conclusion
code. Several manufacturers are attempting to refine their
In order to print a different bar code on every edition, machines to identify the individual sales outlets and not
the plate for printing black on the front page must be just the suppliers. The greatest obstacle is the speed at
changed. In practice, this is not considered a major which the cover sheets indicating places of origin are read:
drawback, as the printed text also changes for every emptying the hopper feeder before processing each small
edition. bundle and recording its code is not feasible when there
> Combination of editions. are several thousand such bundles.
In time-critical situations, it may be necessary to pro-
duce several editions in one print run. In this case, a Generally speaking, the technique itself is reliable and
special bar code common to several editions must be efficient. The systems inspected at the various newspapers
generated, or at least account must be taken of the or distributors produce satisfactory results. Despite this, the
combination of the usually separate newspapers at the question arises as to the machine cycles and the personnel
time of processing return copies. required to optimally operate the machine. All in all, these
> Collecting the return copies (standard bundles). machines continue to be rather sensitive; because they
To collect bundles that are suitable for machine pro- must usually be supplied with bundles, the bar code must
cessing, it is essential to request the suppliers to return be positioned in a fixed position and the copies must be
standard bundles. This means that they should not be brought before the scanning system in a predetermined
too elaborately wrapped (otherwise excessive effort position to enable reading. Although these represent obsta-
is required to remove the wrapping), not rolled nor cles that can be overcome, there still remains considerable
folded. Therefore they must be called upon to supply scope for possible improvement.
bundles that are as uniform as possible if it is intended
to automate the operation or at least make it simpler. These examples show that, despite several technical
This aspect is often considered to be vital by the users, problems, viable solutions exist to the problem of counting
because it determines the level of efficiency of the ma- the return copies of regional daily newspapers. The users
chine, and this applies especially to the machines claim that they are satisfied with the equipment they are
equipped with automatic hopper feeders. using.
> Identify the depot.
The origin of the bundles is frequently indicated on a
cover sheet which the retailer places on top of the pile
before returning it to the distributor. The number iden-
tifying the depot is recorded manually or with the
assistance of a bar code. The authentication of the
depot identification authorises the start-up of the
machine and the recording of the return copies.
This means also that the hopper feeder on many ma-
chines must be completely emptied before the process-
ing can continue.
> Data processing interface.
The users are responsible for the development of data
analysis tools. Problems are sometimes experienced in
implementing an interface between the returns record-
ing machine and the existing data processing system.
More detailed information on each of the aforemen-
tioned problems are given in the reports on the visits car-
ried out.10 5. Distributors / magazines and camera-based machines
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
5. Distributors / magazines and camera-based machines
5.1 Visits carried out All the visited companies carry out a first manual sort-
The results listed here are the outcome of visits to: ing upstream from the returns counting machine; the
> AMP-PVD (Brussels), equipped with seven ORP (op- latter then sorts the copies that are not destined for
tronic remission processing) lines manufactured by disposal.
ESW > Likewise due to these same promotional products that
> Presse Vertrieb Pfalz (Frankenthal), likewise equipped may shift, turn or shine (thus altering the appearance
with several ORP lines of the front page), optical recognition of the layout
> SPV Heinrich Brümmer KG (Darmstadt), equipped with could be hindered.
one ORP ASS 300 line from TWI
> MLP (Angers), equipped with four LINCE machines Finally, the use of an optical recognition system is the-
manufactured by CVC oretically possible for newspapers as soon as it is possible
to visually distinguish between the different editions of
See the detailed reports on these visits beginning on one and the same product (in cases where there are several
page 15. editions). However, it is clear that such a system represents
a greater investment than a system based on bar code
5.2 The method applied recognition. The image processing software must be much
The working method applied by optical recognition more consistent and the memory required to store the
machines consists of taking a photo of the front page of front pages is also a not inconsiderable cost factor. But
the magazine and comparing it with stored reference im- such an investment may result in better processing per-
ages. Therefore it is necessary to “teach” the images to the formances.
machine by entering them into its memory before starting
with the processing. At the same time this is being done, 5.4 Prospects, conclusion
the sorter devices, to which the corresponding copies The users of these systems (inspected in operation) em-
should be directed later on, are programmed. Depending ploy them only as product sorters, not for checking control
on the machines concerned, there are one or several cam- the numbers of return copies.
eras (conventional or CCD) that either take a photograph of At the time of this study, no system was found that
the entire page or scan its surface. In most cases, the infor- could simultaneously process a mix of newspapers and
mation is analysed by grey level measurement. The analy- magazines. The complexity of the problem explains this
sis does not necessarily cover the complete page surface. state of affairs: in 1997, it seemed that no machine was
In practice, the copies file past in a stream and enter an capable of processing all the press products sold at retail
insulated box one after the other. The interior of this box outlets!
is illuminated by high-intensity light sources. Several hun- The development of new systems,, such as the hybrid
dred images are digitised per second and, when the pres- machines, is aimed at eliminating the shortcomings of the
ence of a copy is detected at the correct place, the image is existing systems. These machines are equipped with a
stored and analysed. If it corresponds to the master image, camera-based recognition system to which is added a bar
its identity is authenticated; if not, it is rejected for manu- code reader to process non-recognised copies. The bar code
al after-processing. reader can be used also to reduce the number of copies to
be identified by the camera, as a copy identified by its bar
5.3 Problems encountered and solutions applied code need no longer by recorded by the camera.
The two main problems that are experienced are the
recognition of promotional products attached to the mag-
azine covers, and the supply of the machines.
> Recognition is very difficult due to the promotional
products attached to the covers.
Because these products are very numerous and have
very variable formats, it is difficult to find a “univer-
sal” hopper feeder that can process magazines and
catalogues, newspapers, or products equipped with
cassettes, diskettes, compact disks, etc.6. The function matrix 11
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
6. The function matrixs
6.1 Introduction In addition, it is recommended to use pallets to collect
In the two preceding chapters, the problems and solu- the products and transport them in large quantities in
tions adopted for newspapers and magazines have been re- a single transport operation. Thus the products should
viewed. In the following, it will be attempted to create a only be handled individually once in the collecting
synthesis of the theoretical and practical information gath- vehicle and again for supplying the returns counting
ered during this project and analyse the individual steps of machine.
the process. We consider the pallet solution superior to the use of
boxes, as they are simpler to handle (access to the con-
6.2 Process organisation tent is less troublesome for the operator if he uses an
The comments and advice contained in 2), 5) and 6) ergonomic pallet lift that allows him always to work at
are the result of observations made at the various opera- an optimal height).
tions visited. The recommendations given are especially However, pallets offers a less effective protection of the
suitable for large distribution centres and are not necessar- printed products during transport.
ily applicable to regional newspapers. In all cases, these
are the most problematical aspects for which wholly satis- 4) Opening the bundles.
factory solutions have not yet been found. If the bundles are well tied and transported, opening
them should not cause any major problems: it should
1) Distinguishing the publications. suffice to cut the band. However, it seems to be diffi-
Where a bar code is used, it should be ensured that it is cult to completely automate this operation.
generated in accordance with the established rules (in
terms of content, printing quality, positioning, etc.). 5) Pre-sorting.
In the case of magazines, any mobile objects that may Once the bundles are open, it is necessary to sort the
be included, e.g. CDs, should be positioned in a loca- non-standard copies that will not run through the ma-
tion where they do not hinder recognition. A simple chine, either because the hopper feeder cannot process
solution would be to attach such objects to the back of them or because they cannot be recognised correctly.
the magazine, but that would limit their promotional The operator carries out a visual check in order to de-
character and therefore make this approach seem un- tect damaged copies that cannot be run through the
likely. machine or that should not be counted (newspapers
opened and read at the point of sale).
2) Tasks carried out at the sales outlets.
In order to obtain uniform bundles, the retailers must 6) Copy separation and alignment.
be called on to assemble the returns in perfectly The copies must be arranged so that they all have the
aligned, stable piles. It is essential also to correctly fold on the same side. In the case of newspapers, this is
wrap these bundles, i.e. avoid using too much a precondition for the hopper feeder to reliably take
boxboard, plastic, or straps that are difficult to open. A the copies one by one. With magazines, this ensures
simple string would suffice to keep the bundle together that the image to be identified (usually the front page)
and would be simpler to remove. It should therefore be will always face in the same direction.
completely effective (except in cases where the news- It is also necessary to separate the copies from one an-
papers are stored outside and run the risk of being wet other, for example with the aid of a feeder that blows
by rain or subject to damage). By regularly tracking air between the copies, in order to prevent two copies
the received bundles, it is possible to obtain bundles from entering the machine simultaneously (thereby
from the sales outlets that are uniform and can be fed counting two copies as one). Finally, the hopper feeder
directly to the machines (the newspapers La Montagne must be suited to the type of products to be managed.
and Evening Standard have succeeded in this).
7) Identification of suppliers.
3) Returning copies. If there are many outlets, it is recommended to give the
In order to optimise machine utilisation and avoid bundles a self-adhesive label or a top sheet that in-
non-productive and costly storage, it is recommended cludes a bar code. This code can be read by a hand-
to draw up a planning schedule for the returns to allow held scanner to identify the supplier much faster and
staggered processing. with less risk of error than keying-in a long sequence
Moreover, it is much easier for the distributor to ask of numbers.
for the publications he wishes to have returned than to Identification of the outlets can be done also by using
allow the retailer decide what he returns. a second bar code affixed by the supplier alongside the
first one and read simultaneously.12 6. The function matrix
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
8) Feeding the machine. A double control is realised by recording the number
In all the cases examined, it was evident that any loss- of pick-ups by the hopper feeder or by the number of
es in productivity of the counting are due to inconsis- reads carried out by the camera or the scanner.
tent product supply. Therefore it is essential, as far as
possible, to ensure a continual copy supply and avoid 13) Personnel requirements.
interruptions. This will be the case when the work of This is an important factor to be considered when
pre-sorting and preparation is sufficiently fast (the op- making the final machine selection. There is no “best”
erators succeed in “keeping up” with the machine). solution, but it is useful to know the required machine
Consequently, the streamed supply to the machine manning level in order to obtain acceptable machine
must be organised perfectly to enable it to work opti- performances.
mally. For the future, it is possible also to consider sys-
tems offering a greater feeding “flexibility”. 14) Utilisation of the data.
The data can be used by the commercial department
9) Recognition (by camera, by bar code). (knowledge of the market), the sales department (sales
In order to avoid problems in the machine, it is neces- statistics and forecasts), or the invoicing division,
sary to sort the copies that are difficult to recognise. It which at some stage may even be able to use the data
is recommended to limit the number of stored images directly to issue invoices.
or to increase the available memory. It is important The counting machines usually supply tables indicat-
also to calibrate the installations (light and camera) ing the titles that have been recognised. It is up to the
and maintain them regularly (remove dust, etc.). user to utilise this data by tracing curves or sorting out
the „irregular“ cases for analysis.
10) After-processing non-recognised copies.
The main problem here is to re-assign non-read copies 15) Data processing systems.
to the correct supplier. But this operation should not It is essential to check that the machine is compatible
cause longer machine stops. with the existing systems and that it will be possible to
One solution is to put the ejected copies on top of the fully utilise the data.
pile in the feeder; sometimes reading is carried out
without difficulty during the second pass through the 16) Other problems touched on by the working group.
machine. It is possible also to use a hand-held scanner The following problems were raised by the members of
to read the bar code. This is considered to be the faster the working group. However, it did not prove possible
solution as it involves fewer handling processes. to observe them in practice during the visits carried
The most efficient solution seems to be to label the out:
copy in order to indicate its origin and to process all > very thick newspapers with resulting “round” folds: the
the labelled copies at the end of the day. Thus it would 128-page feeder works as required.
not be necessary to stop the machine for any length of > inserts: if there are not too many, there is less risk of
time between two suppliers. them slipping and falling out.
Moreover, it is of interest to count the number of “bad” > curling
bar code reads at the time of the first pass through the > absence of rigidity: this problem is experienced only if
machine in order to determine their causes. it is desired to process magazines and newspapers
simultaneously, as the rigidity of newspapers is a great
11) Processing read copies. deal less (i.e. insufficient) than that of magazines
This step does not cause any special difficulties; in > folding and tearing: by positioning the bar code in the
most cases, it is already well managed. The products lower left-hand corner, it is possible to protect it from
are sorted where necessary, or put into the skip directly. undesired folds and the risk of tearing.
In order to ensure that copies already counted do not
re-enter the machine, sometimes they are destroyed (by 6.3 Summary
destroying the bar code or applying blue paint). At present, it can be stated that checking returns con-
tinues to be a largely manual operation.
12) Counting precision.
It is not necessary in every case to exactly count the However, technical solutions exist today that are well
total number of copies; that depends on the use to suited to regional newspapers carrying out their own dis-
which it is intended to put the data. Thus, the Evening tribution. In such a case, the homogeneity of the products
Standard (see annex page …) considers that 98 % allows a reliable and efficient counting by a machine that
“good” bar code reads are sufficient for establishing reads the bar codes. The only aspect to be taken into
reliable statistics and that the extra costs for achieving account is, perhaps, the machine cycles.
a higher level of precision cannot be justified.6. The function matrix 13
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
As opposed to this, these solutions are no longer suit-
able for the universal mix of magazines, newspapers, and
other products.
A general standardisation of bar codes (contents, posi-
tion, etc.) would undoubtedly be an advantage for a more
industrialised processing. Moreover, the installations will
also become more flexible, both with regard to the posi-
tioning of the bar code as well as the positioning of the
returns before processing.
Finally, this study has effectively highlighted the im-
portance of the organisation of the company and the man-
agement of the material flow for the efficiency of counting
returns. Moreover, the applications of such a system vary
greatly (see case studies in annex), which can have numer-
ous advantages.
Many manufacturers are currently developing products
to satisfy the expectations of their customers.
6.4 Synoptical Table
Functions Required Properties
Newspapers Magazines
Returns – separate newspapers and magazines
and return them separately
– pallets
– top sheet, label
(at present under development)
– recall the products, stagger the returns operation
Pre-sorting – read newspapers, – non-standard
supplements... and unreadable
– fold from the same side – image orientation
– pre-sorting by format
Homogeneity – bar code conformity – positioning of
– perfect alignment the objects
of the copies – indifferent rigidity
– simple strap for
returned bundles
Non-read – entry to memory of non-recognised image
copies – sorting by the hour
– labelling
Data – synergy between the services
processing – graphics, neural network, data base
The above table does not include the factors of invest-
ment, operating costs (personnel) and productivity, all of
which it is vitally important to take into account when
deciding in favour of the investment.14 7. Bibliography
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
7. Bibliography
Source
[1] “EAN un standard pour les livres, journaux,
magazines”
Brochure of the Institut de Codification des Distrib-
uteurs et des Fabricants (ICODIF)
(responsible for the EAN code in Belgium)
6 pages
[2] “Le standard EAN des identifiants de données”
ICODIF brochure
6 pages
[3] “Application Identifiers and EAN 128”
Brochure of the Article Number Association (ANA)
(responsible for the EAN code in the U.K.)
4 pages – October 1996
Reference Literature
> „Manuel de codification des articles „
manual of GENCOD (responsible for the EAN code
in France),
page 13, 7th edition, January 1997
> EAN Application Identifiers and the UCC/EAN 128
Symbology
brochure EAN International, 4 pages
> EAN Identification for retail / trade items
brochure EAN International, 4 pages
> Le code à barres
Guidelines for publishing customers of the NMPP
> Special Report 4.4: The us of bar codes in newspa-
pers and in mailroom/distribution operations
Ifra, January 1988
> A guide to bar coding
1988, Bar code Systems inc.
> The fundamentals of Bar Code Systems
brochure Datalogic Ltd
> Gencod, Symbolisation EAN
Manual for the practical implementation of the
EAN code
1st edition – April 19958. Annexes 15
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
8. Annexes
The visits have been organised in accordance with the The returns counting project
topics concerned; they are not listed in chronological order. The project was initiated in 1986. The objectives of this
project were as follows:
8.1 Case study: La Voix du Nord > to count unsold copies. Up to then, the sole source of
8.2 Case study: La Montagne information were the statements of the sales outlets
8.3 Case study: Evening Standard recorded on a computer installed at a location 7 km
8.4 Case study: Nice-Matin from the assembly point for return copies. The physical
8.5 Case study: De Telegraaf checking of returns by weighing under these condi-
8.6 Case study: SAD tions was almost impossible;
8.7 Case study: AMP-PVD > to make a distinction between the different editions.
8.8 Case study: Presse-Vertrieb Pfalz The aim was to obtain an exact count for each edition
8.9 Case study: SPV Heinrich Brümmer and no longer just a total figure. At that time, it was
8.10 Case study: MLP impossible to have more precise figures than the sales
8.11 The returns counting system of Buhrs-Media Craft figures per distribution zone (usually a district) as all
8.12 Structure an contents of EAN 13 the editions of a title were counted together;
> to speed-up the information feedback by collections no
8.1 Case study: Visit to La Voix du Nord longer carried out every month but every week, and
even every day. Today, the suppliers can use the Mini-
Situation tel system to determine their sales of the day before;
La Voix du Nord is the regional daily newspaper of > to reduce the many handling processes required for re-
northern France. It has its headquarters in Lille, but the turn copies. This was achieved by using pallets instead
visited site is located in an industrial zone on the outskirts of the bulk transporting of bundles: the bundles are
of the city. It is at this site that printing, distribution, and gathered on pallets that are easier to manage (better
management of returns is centralised. “La Pilaterie”, as it is process organisation, less losses of time and energy).
called, has been in operation since 1992.
First solutions
Distribution and return of the newspaper copies Ten years ago, bar codes began to be used on con-
La Voix du Nord is distributed to 50 suppliers (“whole- sumer products, though newspapers were of the opinion
saler” depots for 5000 to 35,000 copies) that distribute the that they were too inefficient, too slow, and of an anaes-
newspaper to 1300 carriers (home delivery: 70 % of the thetic appearance.
volume) and to 3300 retail outlets (tobacco kiosks, bakery It is difficult to work with character recognition on a
shops: 25 % of the volume). The remaining 5 % are dis- daily newspaper because it demands a high degree of pre-
tributed by post. cision and the front pages differs little from one edition to
La Voix du Nord has 25 local editions. The rotary the next.
presses installed at La Pilaterie are used also to print La
Voix des Sports and Nord Littoral. Several editions are La Voix du Nord therefore decided in favour of a
available at many sales outlets (and even all the editions colour code system. These symbols that are printed in the
simultaneously in Lille or at coastal resorts during the hol- margin of the front page and used for video recognition
iday period!). proved satisfactory, but gave rise to some problems:
Collection of unsold copies is managed also via the > the camera was damaged after 4 or 5 years by the per-
suppliers. La Voix du Nord reimburses the retailers for un- manent intensive lighting that is required;
sold newspaper copies at cost price. Therefore the suppliers > the unreadable copies had to be manually decoded
are independent: they generate their revenues from the (complicated colour code);
margin earned on the sold products. The publisher alone > the equipment became obsolete after 5 years in use;
bears the costs of returned copies, as it he who has to pay > a certain fading was observed during the course of the
for the distribution and collection. print run, thereby causing problems of readability by
The suppliers gather the newspapers into piles of 80 the end of the run (especially yellow became too pale
to 100 copies, which they alternate with batches of 25 in and could no longer be detected).
order to prevent unstable piles. For these reasons, La Voix du Nord availed of the occa-
In case of a greater demand, the suppliers may call for sion of a re-organisation of its departments and its move
re-supplies, which are assembled from manually sorted to a new site to adopt a new bar code-based system.
unsold copies or stored copies printed in excess.16 8. Annexes
Ifra Special Report 4.12 © 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt
The present system and bar codes The speed of the machine is limited in order to protect
the mechanical components, reading is not the limiting
The applied process factor.
The newspaper uses a standard EAN 13 bar code. This
code, used on all regular consumer products, is very simi- Problems experienced with the present system
lar to that of the NMPP. Its size has been minimised (legi- La Voix du Nord claims that it is satisfied with its sys-
bility test) and it contains details of date, title, and edition. tem. It appear to attain the originally set objectives. How-
The price is not included at present, but this would be sim- ever, some limitations do exist:
ple to integrate. > the holes from the fold perforation interfere with the
La Voix du Nord is equipped with the counting ma- bar code and prevent its reading if the print image is
chine developed by ADDS Concept, the follow-on version poorly positioned;
of the system working with colour symbol recognition. > the production of the bar codes, usually a simple mat-
Three workstations are linked to a central computer via a ter, causes problems when certain numerical sequences
data processing network. Three persons work at the system are used. The page make-up software used by the com-
from 6 a.m. to midday or 1 p.m. They check the total num- pany interprets the bar code as a check character and
ber of returns, or about 40,000 to 60,000 copies per day, triggers an error. The code-generating program and
corresponding to 10-13 % of the average 389,000 copies the desktop publishing page make-up program are
distributed (500,000 copies are printed on Sunday; the per- therefore incompatible in cases where this numerical
centage of unsold copies peaks at a maximum of 40 % on sequence occurs;
weekends in May, due to the many public holidays in that > the newspapers read at the sales outlets but returned
month). are usually soiled and out of shape: they do not pass
The newspapers are introduced into the feeder in piles. smoothly through the machine;
The feeder separates the copies (thus preventing two-copy > in individual cases, problems are caused by printing
pick-up) and reads their bar code that is positioned on the faults such as (doubling, dot gain, etc.);
bottom left-hand side of the front page. In order to be > when two editions are gathered together, a single code
taken correctly by the grippers, the copies are all put fac- must be generated for both;
ing the same direction: with the fold leading and the top > recognition of the supplier is manual, therefore entail-
of the page trailing. The newspaper format is always the ing the risk of error. In order to increase the reliability
same (the three titles likely to be processed later on as of the system, it is planned to replace manual record-
returns are printed on similar presses). Copies that are un- ing by bar code reading (a photocopied top sheet will
readable or too old are ejected for manual processing, be placed on the box to identify it).
while the others are transported directly to the compacting As opposed to this, changing the black-printing plate
unit and the skip. Boxes that are returned full are also in- for the front page when changing edition does not repre-
troduced into the machine, as the manual recording of the sent a problem because the masthead already includes the
number of copies takes just as long as machine processing. local titles (no additional plate change).
The suppliers are manually identified (selection on an
attached list). The project within the company – implications for
the other departments
The installation of a system of returns checking has
had implications not only for the department responsible
for unsold copies: it has also had a major impact on all
departments within the company.
First and foremost, the sales department receives a
more detailed analysis and no longer just a total volume
covering all editions. This can help suppliers to adjust the
size of their daily order accordingly.
The supplied data also assisted the editorial and adver-
tising departments to adapt the content of the newspaper
and advertising to the target audience. Though hesitant in
the beginning, the editorial department did not discover
any technical obstacles to the use of a bar code (it is posi-
tioned outside the type area on the page and does not af-
fect the content) and its introduction even went unnoticed!
The project has motivated everyone today within the
company to become interested in a tool that is comparable
to the system used to evaluate TV audiences .
Figure 3: Processing returns at La Voix du Nord.8. Annexes 17
© 1999 Ifra, Darmstadt Ifra Special Report 4.12
8.2 Case study: Visit to La Montagne Invoicing
The distributors are remunerated by a commission on
Situation the sold copies. The central suppliers are naturally better
La Montagne is a regional daily newspaper for the remunerated than the distributors. The minimum level of
Massif Central area. It is based in Clermont Ferrand. remuneration is stipulated by law.
The Centre France publishing group, to which it be- Invoicing is done on a monthly basis. It is calculated
longs, publishes 4 different titles. on the basis of the total price of all the copies supplied
during the month, less the credit from the month’s unsold
Distribution and return of the newspaper copies copies (or from the previous month if the figures are not
La Montagne is distributed to its subscribers by mail or available quickly enough).
carrier. Naturally, these distribution circuits do not gener- At present, the returns counting machine is not con-
ate unsold copies. The retail-sale copies (51 % of the circu- nected to the newspaper’s central management system (as
lation) are distributed by 1800 direct distributors and by of 1997), but it is planned to remedy this situation in the
54 central distributors (i.e. wholesalers) who divide the near future, thereby permitting direct invoicing (elimina-
newspapers among 1700 sellers. These central distributors tion of double recording). Nevertheless, the physical record
manage 50 % of the copies sold as retail copies. will undoubtedly not be eliminated, as this written track
Altogether, some 3500 sales outlets receive La Mon- will continue to be necessary.
tagne. These are news agents, though also supermarkets,
shops, bakeries, petrol stations, etc. Advantages of the returns counting system
The system is just one element in a much larger stra-
La Montagne is published with about 13 local editions tegy. La Montagne wants to get to know its market better,
weekly. During the night production run there is never any i.e. the profiles of its customers and their expectations. The
need to combine several editions, as the circulation is not aims of the system are therefore:
very high and the system is flexible. On Sunday, the news- > to obtain commercial information: sales history and
paper (“Centre France”) is published with a TV programme supply adjustments (neither surplus nor shortfall),
supplement and in 17 different editions. Naturally, it is > to invoice as soon as possible by automating the pro-
more expensive (FF 750 instead of FF 4.80). The format is cessing task,
identical for all editions. Of the total 255,000 copies print- > to quantify the impact of the editorial content on sales
ed, the rate of returns is at present 14-15 %. The company in order to become aware of the readers’ expectations
aims to reduce this share significantly. (knowledge of the market).
There are three main types of collection: Moreover, the environment in which the machine was
> daily (in the cities of Clermont-Ferrand and Limoges), installed is also very important:
> weekly (for the greater part), > the entire management of returns was reorganised
> monthly (small quantities from the geographically (collection, more efficient sales database, etc.).
remote sales outlets).
Normally, the collection is done by the company driv- All these tools permit the newspaper publishing com-
ers. In some regions, however, private transporters look pany to obtain:
after supply and collection where this is considered a more > more accurate statistics on a regular basis;
viable solution. The unsold copies are collected by the de- > sales promotion via the content;
livery vehicles. > closer cooperation between the sales and editorial
departments: a representative of the commercial
department now participates in the editorial confer-
ences to plan the volumes to be distributed in relation
to the content;
> a more efficient control of copy supplies (no shortfall,
no returns).You can also read
