Cost benchmarking

Also known as Analytical Cornerstone, our cost benchmarking tool provides accurate estimates of comparative mill and machine competitiveness in the forest products industry.

For nearly two decades, forest products industry professionals have turned to Fastmarkets’ (formerly known as RISI) cost benchmarking data for the most accurate estimates of comparative mill and machine competitiveness. Fastmarkets’ unmatched, global network of engineers, analysts, economists and editors use their firsthand knowledge of the industry to collect detailed mill data covering all major grades and regions.

This data, when combined with a completely transparent methodology and our intuitive online platform makes Fastmarkets’ cost benchmarking service the most powerful available.

Our cost benchmarking tool, also known as Analytical Cornerstone, provides the ability to easily manipulate data and create custom reports based on your specific needs. You can simply choose to use Fastmarkets RISI’s benchmarking data alone or combine it with your own data to quickly and easily generate complex financial reports and graphs, including:

• “What if” Scenarios: build customized reports, cost curves and graphs by changing Fastmarkets RISI’s market data to reflect market changes you provide, allowing you to measure how potential market or mill-level changes will have an impact on your bottom line.

• Cash Cost Reports: compare manufacturing costs across machines and mills in regional markets. Analyze which mills are low-cost producers and which are at the highest risk of closure due to cost structure vulnerabilities.

• Capital Charge Reports: view capacity values, capital expenditure figures and book values for individual machines at specific mills. Better understand how capital investments impact the profitability of mills in regional markets.

• Financial Simulations: work with all cost variables, as well as the price of finished products, to gain a more complete understanding of mill and machine profitability. Quickly and easily understand the cost drivers of specific mills and machines and their relative success in the marketplace.

• Total Cost Reports: create reports that include all mill costs, i.e. Capital Cost, SG&A Cost, and Cash Cost. Produce a total cost picture that illustrates how mills and machines compare with others producing the same products. Use these reports to determine the profitability of specific mills and machines in regional markets.

• EBITDA Reports: analyze cash earnings of mills in regional markets and/or producing specific products; use this information to understand the operating cash flow of each mill compared with its competitors.

• Carbon Emissions Benchmarking: energy consumption estimates that analyzes energy use. Useful for those who are looking to respond to cost volatility and are under renewed pressure to reduce their carbon footprint.

• Mill Investment Summary: view nearly all capital investments made within the last 20 years by various mills operating around the globe.