This Technical Information Paper is the result of the work of several working groups over the years, organized through TAPPI. The working group's efforts have been focused on refining a paper and paperboard roll numbering system, commonly known as the "TAPPI Roll Number," which was initially developed for the North American paper industry in the full of 1967 and then expanded in the fall of 1988 with the creation of this TAPPI TIP 1004-01. This is the second revision. See the Appendix for more details on the history.

This TIP applies to paper and paperboard rolls manufactured in the United States, Canada, and Mexico and is intended to provide guidelines to the manufacturers of paper and paperboard rolls for the identification of such paper and paperboard rolls. This numbering system, often referred to as the North American roll identifier, is based upon the last TAPPI roll number system with one field eliminated which enhances the usefulness of this new number system. Additionally we have added the use of the 128 bar code and recommend converting to its use.

IDEAlliance came to TAPPI in October 2004 to work with their working group to review a Global Unit Identification Standard Development dated November 4, 2002. The Global Unit Identifier is 15 characters, with the first 4 being mill code, a 1-character item type and a 10-character core item identifier. A working group was formed and options developed to include meaningful manufacturing information in the 10-character core identifier. The final version was presented at the April 2005 TAPPI Shipping, Receiving, and Warehousing Committee meeting. The only comment received was that the proposed identifier is too long. If anything, the current North American Roll Identifier (NARI) should be shortened. This is what this new Roll Number accomplishes, eliminating one position while maintaining meaningful manufacturing information.