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How to check paper quality on delivery

Check every delivery against the spec you agreed, before the paper reaches your line. Ten minutes at the dock saves a stopped shift.

Part of How to buy paper in bulk

Published

A worker inspecting the edge of a delivered paper reel in a receiving bay

01 / The check

How to check a paper delivery

  1. Count against the delivery note.

    Count reels, boxes or packs before the carrier leaves.

  2. Check the packing.

    Reels should arrive wrapped and capped. Sheets should arrive strapped on pallets or boxed.

  3. Record any damage at once.

    Note the problem on the carrier copy and photograph the damage before unwrapping further.

  4. Check the grade and shade.

    Compare the paper with your approved sample in your own light.

  5. Check the GSM.

    Cut a 10 cm by 10 cm square, weigh the square, and multiply the grams by 100.

  6. Check the size.

    Measure reel width or sheet size against your specification sheet.

  7. Report and keep the evidence.

    Send the photos and readings to the supplier the same day.

Hands wrapping a steel part in kraft paper, crumpled kraft filling a carton
Kraft on the reel and in use at a packing bench.

02 / GSM

Checking GSM without a lab

A square of 10 cm by 10 cm covers one hundredth of a square metre. Weigh the square on a fine scale and multiply the grams by 100 to get the GSM.

Cut squares from more than one point: near the edge and near the middle of a reel, or from the top and bottom of a pack. Average the readings.

03 / Length

Checking roll length

You rarely unroll a reel to measure the length. Weigh the reel, subtract the core weight, and run the net weight, the GSM and the width through our roll length calculator.

Compare the result with the length on your order. A large gap points to a GSM or width problem, so check those readings again.

04 / Shade

Checking shade

Natural stock moves a little between batches, especially unbleached brown grades. We flag a batch change before the order ships, so a shade change should never be a surprise.

Keep a piece of your approved sample at receiving, and compare each delivery against the sample in the same light.

Gloved hands wrapping a box in white kraft paper beside a paper roll
A packing bench working through a reel.

05 / Claims

When something is wrong

Send the carrier note, the photos and your readings together. With us, we replace or credit the affected stock.

Keep the affected paper aside and unused until the claim is settled.

06 / Width

Checking width and size

Measure reel width across the face of the reel with a steel rule, at more than one point. Measure sheets edge to edge on both sides to catch a skewed cut.

07 / Record

Keep a delivery record

Log each delivery: date, spec reference, GSM readings, width, shade check and any damage. A record across deliveries shows drift early, before a run fails.

08 / Spec

Start from a written spec

You check a delivery only against something written down. Agree the grade, GSM, format, size and shade on a specification sheet before the first order, and keep a piece of the approved sample at receiving.

Questions

Before you specify

What if a delivery arrives short or damaged?

Note the problem on the carrier copy and photograph the damage before unwrapping further. Send the photos and we replace or credit the affected stock.

How do I check GSM at the dock?

Cut a 10 cm by 10 cm square, weigh the square on a fine scale, and multiply the grams by 100.

Who pays for damaged stock?

With us, once you send the carrier note and photos, we replace or credit the affected stock.

How do I check roll length without unrolling?

Weigh the reel, subtract the core weight, and run the net weight, GSM and width through our roll length calculator.

Keep reading

Related papers and guidance

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