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A letter has been sent to a large number of mills and topmakers around the world, together with the TOPMARK brochure inviting them to participate in TOPMARK.

Processing Prediction and TEAM-3

It is well recognised that the prediction of processing performance is important since it allows individual mills to optimise raw wool inputs to meet desired outcomes in the top and it provides mills with a useful quality management tool. The Trials Evaluating Additional Measurement (TEAM) commenced in the 1984 and together with the TEAM-2 trial (1988) provided industry benchmark formulae for the prediction of Hauteur, Coefficient of Variation of Hauteur, and Romaine. In March 2001 AWTA Ltd commenced a three year, AUD$500,000 trial aimed at updating the TEAM prediction formulae. This trial showed that the original TEAM variables of Staple Length, Staple Strength, Fibre Diameter, Mid Breaks and Vegetable Matter were still applicable to processing prediction. However, the trial found that the addition of Coefficient of Variation of Length and Coefficient of Variation of Diameter provided small but significant improvements to the processing prediction model.

Commercial Implications of TEAM-3

Following extensive consultation with industry, the April 2005 IWTO Congress in Hobart agreed that the TEAM-3 equations should replace the TEAM-2 equations in the IWTO Staple Test Regulations. It was decided that this change will take effect on the 1st of July 2006. The Staple Test Regulations determine what a Test House such as AWTA Ltd can place on its Test Certificates. Currently the regulations allow the TEAM-2 equations to be displayed on the Staple Test Certificate. Although the TEAM-3 equations will replace TEAM-2 in the Regulations, it is expected that the change will not impact significantly on greasy wool buying decisions. Most greasy wool purchases are based on limits for the raw wool characteristics (Diameter, Staple Length & Strength etc) rather than on Hauteur, CVH and Romaine.

Although the implementation of TEAM-3 in the Staple Test Regulations does not occur until 2006, some mills have already started using TEAM-3 for their internal mill quality control.

TEAM-3 and Benchmarking

TEAM-3 was in essence a benchmarking service for the 34 mills from 12 countries that participated in the trial. These mills all received confidential reports which benchmarked the performance of their individual mill against other TEAM-3 participants. Such was the mill enthusiasm generated by this benchmarking information that AWTA Ltd has created a new, free service available to mills called TOPMARK – Global Benchmarking for Topmakers. Benchmarking is the collection of performance information that allows comparisons to be made between organisations. It is typically designed to answer the question: “What are the most important performance yardsticks and where do we rank, compared with others in our industry?”

It is generally recognised that, when used appropriately, benchmarking is one of the most effective tools for bringing about improvements in performance. Some of the typical benefits are as follows:

• Allows a wide range of performance indicators to be studied.
• Protects confidentiality of all partners.
• Allows comparisons with competitors to be made and allows identification of best practice.
• Allows performance shortfalls to be clearly seen and assists in identifying priorities for improvement
• Encourages participants to seek fresh approaches to bring about improvements in performance.

What is TOPMARK?

TOPMARK is a free benchmarking service for processing mills and topmakers around the world. Participation is very simple, with mills providing AWTA Ltd with greasy wool test information as well as their own processing data (Hauteur, CVH, Romaine, Fibre Diameter etc). AWTA Ltd will then combine the data from all participating mills to determine ‘benchmarks’ for these different processing factors. On a regular basis, AWTA Ltd will provide feedback to each mill to show how they compare to the benchmarks.

Participation in TOPMARK

Participation in TOPMARK is free of charge. To join TOPMARK, all a mill or Topmaker needs to do is contact AWTA Ltd and agree to provide greasy wool and top test results on processing batches. These results will be entered into a confidential database by AWTA Ltd from which the processing performance of each mill can be compared. A standard form has been created to assist mills in submitting the required data to AWTA Ltd. Unlike TEAM-3, participating mills do not need to send top samples to AWTA Ltd for measurement. For the purposes of the benchmarking service, the top measurement results from the individual mill’s laboratory will be used.

Confidential mill reports will summarise the characteristics of the consignments submitted by the mill and benchmark their processing performance against other participating mills. It is envisaged that detailed reports will be presented to mills at least every 6 months. Some of the key characteristics that will be benchmarked include: Hauteur, CV Hauteur, Romaine, Top & Noil Yield, and Core/Comb Fibre Diameter.

To request further information click here. To contact the TOPMARK administrators directly click here.