Confidential side-by-side comparison of actual operating data (not estimates) following precise definitions and using validated input data from at least four similar company plants, is the current best practice for industrial benchmarking. Results are usually reported back to individual producers as a set of averages and statistical measures, compared to that producer’s own data. Such comparisons, especially when the identity of the competitors can be revealed, can provide a strong basis for key
business decisions and ongoing improvement efforts.