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RESEARCH'~AND DEVELOPMENT, NEUCHATEL - QUARTERLY REPORT DIVISION PROCESS DEVELOPMENT SUiBJECT'TITLE . TOBACCO PROCESS QUALITY (GIOTTO) PERIOD COVERED : JULY - SEPTEMBER 1988 WRITTEN BY Frattolillo-A. (ANF), Wood-C. (CLwO) i<EYh'ORDS . tobacco, process, quality, giotto, pme OBJECTIVES - To provide tobacco quality comparisons between PME affiliates from the process point of pre-conditioning to~the ciaarette finished'product. The prog,rarfl compares Pan-European and German Marlboro tobacco processes and will show the impact of individual unit processes u o.:-,~obacco quality in terms ot sieve analysis, filling power, molsture control, and other quality pc.rameters. These results will be used to evaluate process quality via standard prccedures and commoni sampling points in a standard- ized reporting format to facilitate comparative analysis. To improve overall tobacco processing by optimizing tobacco process quality and~reducing degradation and losses, thereby optimizing cigarette quality and maximizing yield. STATUS Direct computer transmission of data to R&D from each affiliate i s under study. Visits were made to Munich (Berlin) and bergen op '~Ioom to understand the generation and management of this data locally. in the iorrg term, options are fairly clear (one to two years). G'de are still trying to find some short-term solution which will benefit all concerned. - Routine review three to:four times per year, at each affil!iate location, presenting results, trends and rel!ationships of the process parameters to finished product quality. The first iueeting, was held in Berlin ini May 198:8.

P.ESr.ARCH AND DEVELOPMENr!', NEUCHATEL - QUARTERLY REPORT At the request of EEC Area Operations, a meeting and presenta- tion was hel!d' on June 21, 1988, 'to review the extension of this program to be included into a long term program (2 - 4 years) to encompass onia regional basis overall tobacco processes, equipment, yield improvement, and final cigarette quality and cost (5). The program wasconceptuallh aiccopted with further detail and review at the affiliate locations, and! commenced in August 1988' by Process Development. A status report, presentation and' review of the GIOTTO'exten- sion programifor regional primary optimizationiwas presented to FTR Operations Management on September 21 in N!euchatel. The prog,ram was accepted as presented with further resources having been identified within FTR for support of the program and additional data to be generated beginning in October 1988. During the September 26-27 Primary Managers' Meeting in Neuchatel, the second'review of 1988 GIOTTO data was conducted. Primary quality comparisons were made between two US factories (Stockton, ri/C) versus Berlin, BOZand~Ihunich for 6 mesh,. 35 - Pan, cylinder volume and OV throughout the primaries. First quarter 1i9bfl data were used~ior these primary profile comparisons and %•;ere presented! within the same format as GIOTTO cuarterly reports (6). PLANS Based onithese studies for regional primary optimization, specific recommendations will be mude by Process Development concerning the program timetable, human resources, priorities and:program planning in October 1988. On a routine basis, evaluate process and cigarette quality results in relation to iiLodifications, to tobacco processing, equipment changes, blend changes,, capacity and flow rates, measurement methcdolog,y and process speciiications. - Dased on~ consistent tobacco process quality improvements in combination with~aual'ity audit results, make recommendations regard to process improvements, process specifications, and finished product weight and firmness objectives. - Establish the program:as ar: integral and continuous f-unction~ for lor.g-term aspects of process control and improvement of tobacco processing from tobacco receiving to the finished cigarette.

RESEARCH: DEVELOPMENT, NEUCHATEL -QUA'RTERLY REPORT' REFERENCES Tobacco:Process Quality Program . (l) - 1987 ls;onthly factory results : Munich, Berlin, BOZ, February 1'0, 1988 1987 Factory proziles : Mun., B'er., BOZ, Dlarch 8/9, - 1987 Factory comparisons : Mun., Ber., BOZ, March 8/9, 198'8 198'.8 (13) - C'IO'ITO Trip Report, March 7-10, 19!88 (4) - Tobacco Process Quality Program rleeting, Berlin, May 10, 1988, Frattoi;illo-A. & iMood C. to distribution (5)' - Regional Primary Optimization Program, May 27, Darrah-S. to distribution 1988,. (16) - Primary Prof.;~le Comparison, list Quarter 1988', PM-Richmond Pi/C and SS, PMG-Munich, PMG-Berlini, PMH'-BOZ, by 1~iood-C. , September 1988 presentationi. r':NF/ Cl,"C/cav/Gctoher 11, 1968 qr3o,('tpcan1f