Fundamentals of Finance for Non-Finance Professionals in the Pulp, Paper & Packaging Industry

Wed 20th April, 2022 - Wed 1st June, 2022

FIT Virtual Classroom combines e-learning with virtual facilitated workshops that are designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

  • Learning is delivered in ‘bite size units’ with clear learning objectives.
  • Access to e-learning modules and resources prior to commencement of each topics.
    Interactive facilitated workshops delivered by our subject matter expert/s that designed on scenario and problem-based training models
  • Participate from your home or office
  • Participants receive a certification on completion of the course.



Registration is now closed

Course Overview

  • Multi-week Course
  • Online Modules: 8 - 10 hours
  • Virtual Facilitated Workshops: 4 - 6 hours

Everyone in the industry is expected to have an understanding of the financials that drive the results of the business. Everyone can influence the results; so how do we do that in the most targeted way?

The training will provide an understanding of how production efficiency delivers financial outcomes and how marketing/sales initiatives can add to the bottom line. Production and marketing/sales objectives have to be harmonised to get the maximum result for an organisation.

Understand how to recognise where your business can derive the biggest financial returns so that you can make the most from the limited resources that are available to you.
At the end of the course your priorities will be clear in your mind.

The course consists of 6 modules, precourse induction session and 3 real time workshops.

Each module contains 4-6, 20 - 30 minute e-learning videos designed to give a background into financial concepts and processes.

At the end of each 2-module block, a workshop will be conducted to consolidate learnings, ask questions and undertake some basic exercises.

You can view the online modules any time prior to each workshop.

Course Presenter

Peter Williams, Management Consultant

Who Should Attend

This course will be valuable for those non-finance professionals who need a broad understanding of financial decision-making processes and how to improve financial performance.

What You Will Learn

This course will provide basic understanding of 

  •  Some key finance principles and financial reports
  •  How products costs are determined and the impact of changes to production inputs
  •  How to determine the profitability of a product
  •  Key criteria for making investment decisions
  •  Key drivers in improving financial performance

WilliamsPeter 

Peter Williams, Management Consultant
Former CFO and COO of Australian Paper

Peter holds an undergraduate degree in Business for Monash University and and MBA from Melbourne University.

Peter started at APM in Gippsland as a graduate accountant and has worked in in variety of roles covering pulp and paper manufacture, forestry, recyling and corporate finance.
With over 30 years experience in the pulp and paper industry in both fianance and general management roles he has an in depth knowlenge of the financial decision making principles and processes and how they relate directly to the pulp and paper industry.

Most recently he was instrumental in the acquisition of the Orora fibre based packaging assets by Australian Paper / NPI and the establishment of the Opal Group.

 

COURSE TOPICS

 

MODULE

TOPIC

OUTCOME- Understanding of

1

Financial Report

Difference between profit and loss, balance sheet and cashflow statements.

Basic metrics for calculating performance

2

Cash is King

Difference between cash transactions and financial transactions

EBITDA and valuation multiples

(1 & 2)

Workshop 1

Review Q&A from modules Transactional allocation to financial reports

Calculation of basic metrics of performance

Separation between cash and accrual transactions

Valuation of business

3

Product Cost and Productivity

Fixed v Variable costs
Costing methods
Marginal costing
Productivity impacts on cost structures

4

Product Profitability

Gross margin
Sales and distribution costs
Profitability measures
Sales v production

(3 & 4)

Workshop 2

Review Q&A from modules Allocate costs between fixed and variable.

Calculate cost of manufacture including productivity increase.

Select between production v sales investment

5

Investment Decisions

Capital and associated costs
Return calculations.
Hurdle rates
Financial risks

6

Improving Results

Linkage to strategy
Key cost drivers
Cash generation
Capex

(5 & 6)

Workshop 3

Review Q&A from modules Calculate returns on project.
Select from list of potential projects

COURSE SCHEDULE

Fundamentals of Finance for nonfinance Professionals virtual course will commence on the Wed 20th April and concludes on the - Wed 1st June, 2022.

Course requirements:

Participants will be required to review online modules prior to attending each workshop by:

  • Accessing the modules on the Appita website – via your course login.

MODULE

TOPIC

MODE

DATE

TIME

APPROX.

DURATION

  Course Induction  Live Wed 20 April 10:30 am AEST to 11:00 am AEST/12:30 pm NZST to 1:00 pm NZST  30 min

1

Financial Report

Online Prework

 

 Self paced.

 

2

Cash is King

(1 & 2)

Workshop 1

Live

Wed 4 May

10:30 am AEST to 12:30 pm AEST/12:30 pm NZST to 2:30 pm NZST

120 min

3

Product Cost & Productivity

 

Online Prework

 

Self paced.

4

Product Profitability

(3 & 4)

Workshop 2

 

Wed 18 May

10:30 am AEST to 12:30 pm AEST/12:30 pm NZST to 2:30 pm NZST

120 min

5

Investment
Decisions

 

Online Prework

  

 Self paced.

 

6

Improving results

(5 & 6)

Workshop 3

Live

Wed 1 June

10:30 am AEST to 12:30 pm AEST/12:30 pm NZST to 2:30 pm NZST

120 min

 

FINANCE FOR NON-FINANCE PROFESSIONALS IN THE PULP, PAPER AND PACKAGING INDUSTRY

Videos Slide Decks (PDF) Time (min)
Module 1: Financial Report  
Session 1 - Basic Principles M1 Slide Deck (PDF)  14
Session 2 - Income Statement (Profit and Loss)  17
Session 3 - Balance Sheet  16
Session 4 - Cashflow Statement  13
Session 5 - Some Key Metrics and Ratios  20
Module 2: Cash is King  
Session 1 – Why is cashflow important

M2 Slide Deck (PDF)



 13
Session 2 – Difference between profit and cashflow  14
Session 3 – Levers for improving cashflows  12
Session 4 – EBITDA v cashflow  19
Session 5 - Valuations based on cashflows  16
Module 1 & Module 2 Review Questions
Module 3 - Product Cost and Productivity  
Session 1 - Fixed v variable costs   M3 Slide Deck (PDF)  11
Session 2 - Costing methods  17
Session 3 - Financial impact of increased production  16
Session 4 - The dangers of marginal costing  16
Module 4 - Product Profitability  
Session 1 - Gross Margin M4 Slide Deck (PDF)  15
Session 2 - Sales and distribution costs  14
Session 3 - Profit measure $/t v $/hr  8
Session 4 – Drivers of product profitability  12
Session 5 – Sales V Production  11
Module 3 & Module 4 Review Questions
Module 5 - Investment Decisions  
Session 1 - Capital and other investment costs  M5 Slide Deck (PDF)  18
Session 2 - Return measurements  19
Session 3 - Risk weighted returns  13
Session 4 - Hurdle rates  10
Module 6 – Improving Results  
Session 1 – Understanding strategy   M6 Slide Deck (PDF)  14
Session 2 – Improving operating performance  17
Session 3 - Increasing sales and improving mix  16
Session 4 - Releasing Cash  17
Session 5 - Investment decisions  11
 Module 5 & Module 6 Review Questions
 WORKSHOP 4 RECORDING