www.pulpandpaper-technology.com Pressreleases

'European Patent Office Confirms Sonoco Alcore's M-Series Core Patent for Paper Industry'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

Sonoco Alcore S.a.r.l., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, announced that the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office again upheld the European patent EP 1 071 556 on the use of wide-ply board technology in the production of cores for the paper industry M-Series Cores. The decision can be appealed.

The combination of the wide-ply in-house manufactured coreboard and Sonoco Alcore's proprietary manufacturing technique give the M-Series Cores increased performance characteristics to meet the higher demands of today's paper industry.

"The wide-ply board and our unique M-Line technology give us the ability to manufacture a core that has superior dynamic strength capabilities. Additionally, this also provides a higher critical speed than any other core in the market. Combined, this means the M-Core is not just a high performer but also has a higher safety margin for machine operators," said Adam Wood, Sonoco Alcore's sales and marketing director, Europe.

"New generation presses in the printing industry are faster and wider than the old machines. The increases in reel weight, width and printing speed mean there are additional factors to consider for core design. When a machine is running faster there is a risk of increased vibration for the core. When a machine is made wider it means the weight of paper on a core increases. The industry needs cores that run safely on these faster, wider and more demanding machines and the M-Series Cores meets those requirements," said Matti Mykkanen, Sonoco Alcore's technology director, Europe.

The M-Series Cores are now available throughout Europe and can bring benefits to other industries as well as the paper industry. For more information please contact Gary Morgan at +32 2 711 0906 or gary.morgan@sonoco.com.

About Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l.

Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l. operates 30 tube and core plants and six paper mills on the European continent and in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.0 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit our Web site at http://www.sonoco.com/.

CONTACT: Sonoco
Roger Schrum, 843-339-6018
roger.schrum@sonoco.com

'NewPage To Take 150,000 Tons Of Downtime In First Quarter Of 2009'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

NewPage Corporation today announced that it plans to take approximately 150,000 tons of market-related downtime during the first quarter of 2009. Specific operating and curtailment plans as well as timing will be developed across NewPage mills to best satisfy customer commitments.

“We continue to operate in a very challenging economy and marketplace. In 2009, we will maintain our strong commitment to run our operations in the most efficient way possible as we balance our production to consumption,” said Rick Willett, president and chief operating officer for NewPage. “Based on our estimates of market demand and inventory levels, this downtime is needed to help maintain that balance. Fortunately, our flexible system enables us to fully service our customers’ needs during periods of curtailment."

To learn more about NewPage Corporation, visit www.NewPageCorp.com.

About NewPage Corporation

Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with $4.7 billion in pro forma net sales for the year ended December 31, 2007. The company’s product portfolio is the broadest in North America and includes coated freesheet, coated groundwood, supercalendered, newsprint and specialty papers. These papers are used for corporate collateral, commercial printing, magazines, catalogs, books, coupons, inserts, newspapers, packaging applications and direct mail advertising.

NewPage owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nova Scotia, Canada. These mills currently have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.5 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.3 million tons of coated paper, approximately 900,000 tons of uncoated paper and approximately 300,000 tons of specialty paper.

Media Contact:
Shawn Hall
NewPage
937-242-9373

'Metso continues to strengthen its service business in China: Guangzhou Service Center inaugurated'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

'Metso has celebrated the inauguration of its new service center in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, on January 8th. The new greenfield service center has been operational since November 2008. It provides advanced services to the pulp and paper industry in Southern China.
Metso's Guangzhou Service Center has a fully-equipped roll service workshop capable of supplying rolls, roll covers and mechanical roll maintenance services for all makes and sizes of pulp and paper machinery. The center also offers a comprehensive range of spare parts and mill site services.

Strengthening local service operations is a vital part of Metso's continuing commitment and support to the Chinese pulp and paper industry. In line with this commitment, Metso has steadily been increasing its local presence in China. Metso opened its first Service Center in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province in 2001. The Wuxi Service Center has recently doubled its roll service capacity by opening an extension in October 2007. A third service center for the Chinese pulp and paper industry is currently being built in Zibo, Shandong province. The stone laying for the new Zibo center was celebrated in November 2008.

The Chinese pulp and paper industry has made substantial investments in new machinery and technology over the past ten years. Metso has been involved in many of these projects and is currently the industry's leading technology supplier.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have over 28,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

For more information, please contact:
Xie Daorong, General Manager, Service, Metso Paper (China) Co., Ltd.
Tel. +86 510 8522 5939
Mobile +86 139 515 80902
daorong.xie@metso.com '

'UPM ANNOUNCES NEW LONG-TERM FINANCIAL TARGETS AND DIVIDEND POLICY'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

'UPM has reviewed the financial targets for its businesses to correspond with the company's new business structure effective from 1 December 2008. The company's long-term target is an operating profit margin that exceeds 10 percent. The return on equity target is at least five percentage points above the yield of a 10 year risk-free investment. The gearing ratio is to be kept below 90 percent.

In line with new financial targets, also the dividend policy has been reviewed. UPM intends to pay as an annual dividend at least one third of net cash flow from operating activities less operational capital expenditure. To promote stability in dividends, net cash flow will be calculated as an average over a three year period. Remaining funds are to be allocated between growth capital expenditure and debt reduction.

UPM's new financial targets emphasise the importance of cash flow in steering the business. In order to secure financial flexibility, the company has raised the priority of debt reduction. This emphasises the company's aim to meet the requirements of capital markets for an investment grade borrower.

The minimum dividend for 2007 calculated according the new dividend policy would have been EUR 0.42, whereas the actual dividend for 2007 was EUR 0.75. The Board's dividend proposal for 2008 will be published in the Financial Review on 5 February 2009.

For further information, please contact:
Mr Olavi Kauppila, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, tel. +358 204 15 0658
Mr Jyrki Salo, Executive Vice President and CFO, tel. +358 204 15 0011

UPM, Corporate Communications
Media Desk, tel. +358 40 588 3284
communications@upm-kymmene.com

'Portucel Soporcel announce their support for the NAPM’s ‘Two Sides’ initiative'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

'“We’re delighted to support ’Two Sides’” said António Redondo, Executive Director. “This Initiative perfectly supports Portucel Soporcel Group’s business which is based on a cycle of sustainable development. All our products come from forests managed with the strictest respect for the environment, with all the wood coming from controlled sources, and are manufactured using natural, renewable energies. The environmental performance of our mills reflects large-scale, permanent investments in the best available environmental techniques. Between 2000 and 2007, the Group’s investment in environment protection projects amounted to some 270 million euros”.
“Within the Company´s sustainable solutions we should highlight our paper with certified virgin fibre, eco-efficient options of lower basis weights and the options which combine new and recycled fibre. Our corporate responsibility is therefore present in our products and paper brands”, he added.
Commenting on this latest support for ‘Two Sides’, Alistair Gough, NAPM President, said that “Portucel Soporcel is a leading European manufacturer of uncoated fine paper and their participation completes the list of major European Groups which have joined the Initiative. Clearly ‘Two Sides’ is gathering momentum” says Gough.
Martyn Eustace, heading ‘Two Sides’, has announced that the first meeting of the ‘Print and Paper Sustainability Group’, who will take responsibility for the management of ‘Two Sides’ in the new year, will take place in January. “We’ve got a great bunch of experienced people drawn from all sectors of our industry”, said Eustace, “and I’m sure we can quickly demonstrate the sustainability of the sector and tell people about the tremendous efforts the industry is taking to further reduce its environmental impact”.
We look forward to our cooperation with ‘Two Sides’”, said António Redondo of Portucel Soporcel, and believe this is an industry wide initiative which is completely necessary”.

About Two Sides

‘Two Sides’ is an initiative by companies from the Graphic Communications supply chain including Forestry, Pulp, Paper, Inks and Chemicals, Pre Press, Press, Publishing and Printing. ‘Two Sides’ seeks to dispel common environmental misconceptions surrounding Print and Paper whilst encouraging its responsible use; also providing paper users with factual information enabling Print and Paper to remain the preferred, environmentally sustainable, communications medium.

For further information please visit www.twosides.info or contact info@twosides.info.'

'KRUGER TO REDUCE NEWSPRINT PRODUCTION IN 2009'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

'Kruger Inc. announced today its intention to reduce its newsprint production by 25,000 tonnes in the first half of 2009. This curtailment will allow the company to re-balance its order book to capacity. The downtime will be spread throughout the Company’s three Canadian mills.
Founded in 1904, Kruger Inc. is a major producer of publication papers, tissue, lumber
and other wood products, corrugated cartons from recycled fibers, green and renewable
energy and wines and spirits. The Company is also a leader in paper and paperboard
recycling in North America. Kruger operates facilities in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta,
British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, in the United States and the United
Kingdom and has 9,000 employees.

INFORMATION:
Jean Majeau
Vice President, Corporate Affairs
Tel.: (514) 343-3213
E-mail: jmajeau@kruger.com
Web site: www.kruger.com
'

'Williamson to Succeed Rogel as Weyerhaeuser Chairman'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) today announced that the board of directors has elected Charles R. Williamson, 60, to become non-executive chairman following the planned retirement of Steven R. Rogel, 66, on April 15.

Williamson joined Weyerhaeuser’s board in 2004, serving as the lead director since 2006. He currently chairs the executive committee and serves on the compensation and finance committees.

“Since joining our board, Chuck has played an essential role in the development of the significant strategic decisions we’ve made to position Weyerhaeuser for future growth,” Rogel said. “I am pleased that the Board has chosen a successor whose leadership and expertise will complement the diversity of backgrounds and skills of our board and senior management team. I’m confident that both the board and our leadership team will benefit from the guidance and counsel Chuck will provide.”

“I am honored to succeed Steve as chairman,” Williamson said. “For more than a decade, Steve has guided Weyerhaeuser through a unique period of change as its CEO and chairman. We are indebted to his vision and commitment to make Weyerhaeuser a stronger company. Along with the rest of the board, I look forward to working closely with Dan Fulton and his team as we continue to position Weyerhaeuser for the future and enhance the value of our shareholders’ investment.”

Williamson was the executive vice president of Chevron Texaco Corporation when he retired in December 2005. Previously, he had served as chairman and chief executive officer of Unocal Corporation until its acquisition by Chevron Texaco. He also is a director of Talisman Energy Inc. and PACCAR Inc.

Rogel has served as Weyerhaeuser’s chairman since 1999. He joined Weyerhaeuser in 1997 as president and chief executive officer after serving as president and chief executive officer of Willamette Industries, Inc. from 1995 to 1997 and its president and chief operating officer from 1991 to 1995. He is a director of the Kroger Company and Union Pacific Corporation.

Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 2007, sales were $16.3 billion. It has offices or operations in 13 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities. Additional information about Weyerhaeuser's businesses, products and practices is available at http://www.weyerhaeuser.com.

For more information, please contact:

Media - Bruce Amundson, bruce.amundson@weyerhaeuser.com

Phone: (253) 924-3047

Analysts - Kathryn McAuley, Kathryn.McAuley@weyerhaeuser.com

Phone: (253) 924-2058

'UTEK Corporation and the Indian Innovators Association Announce Alliance'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

UTEK Corporation (AMEX:UTK) (LSE-AIM:UTK), an innovation services company, and the Indian Innovators Association (IIA), today announced an alliance which will bring together UTEK’s TekScout service and the IIA’s broad network of India-based innovators and inventors.

TekScout is an online open innovation network, which brings together independent scientists and engineers from across the world to solve R&D challenges focused in the areas of, Life Science, Chemistry, Physics/Applied Physics, Engineering and Design, Math and Computer Science, and Renewable Energy and Sustainable Product Design.

Research & Development challenges are posted on TekScout’s on-line exchange by corporations who seek outside expertise. Through this open innovation process, we believe that companies will be able to drive product development faster, less expensively, and more effectively than they could do using only internal resources. IIA scientists who solve these challenges have the opportunity to receive payments and industry recognition.

“Our alliance with IIA provides access to a new group of experts for our TekScout clients,” stated Edward Weisberg, Vice President of UTEK and General Manager of TekScout. “Expanding our expert group beyond the United States and Europe brings fresh new solutions to technical challenges.”

“Part of the IIA’s mission is to help our members develop their inventions and innovative solutions,” said Dr A.S. Rao, Honorary President of the Indian Innovation Association. “TekScout provides an additional and relevant forum for our members to achieve these goals.”

To view TekScout’s current R&D Challenges and their associated success fees please visit www.TekScout.com/Opportunities.aspx.

About UTEK Corporation

UTEK® is a leading innovation services company. UTEK’s services enable clients to become stronger innovators, rapidly source externally developed technologies and create value from their intellectual property. UTEK is a business development company with operations in the United States and the United Kingdom. For more information about UTEK, please visit its website at www.utekcorp.com. TekScout™ is a service of UTEK, and can be viewed at www.tekscout.com.

About the Indian Innovation Association

The Indian Innovation Association’s mission is to provide a forum for information and education, and to provide opportunities for growth to inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs and practical thinkers of all ages and specialties, who are seeking to organize, develop, protect, produce, and/or commercialize their ideas. For more information about IIA, please visit its website at www.indianinnovatorsforum.org.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words, such as UTEK or IIA "expects," "should," "believes," "anticipates" or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe UTEK's or IIA’s future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including the financial performance of UTEK or IIA, as appropriate, and the valuation of UTEK's investment portfolio, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. Although UTEK and IIA believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it cannot give any assurance that its expectations will be attained. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating any forward-looking statements. Certain factors could cause results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements, and some of these factors are discussed below. These factors are not exhaustive. New factors, risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time that may affect the forward-looking statements made herein. These forward-looking statements are only made as of the date of this press release and UTEK or IIA do not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

UTEK's operating results could fluctuate significantly due to a number of factors. These factors include the small number of transactions that are completed each quarter, the value of individual transactions, the timing of the recognition and the magnitude of unrealized and realized gains and losses of companies in its portfolio, UTEK's dependence on the performance of companies in its portfolio, the possibility that advances in technology could render the technologies it has transferred obsolete, the loss of technology licenses by companies in its portfolio, the degree to which it encounters competition in its markets, the volatility of the stock market and the volatility of the valuations of the companies it has invested in as it relates to its realized and unrealized gains and losses, the concentration of investments in a small number of companies, as well as other general economic conditions. As a result of these and other factors, current results may not be indicative of UTEK's future performance. For more information on UTEK and for a more complete discussion of the risks pertaining to an investment in UTEK, please refer to UTEK's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

UTEK Corporation
USA:
BPC Financial Marketing
John Baldissera, 800-368-1217
or
UK:
Bankside Consultants
Steve Liebmann or Simon Bloomfield, + 44 (0) 20-7367-8883
or
Indian Innovation Association
Dr. A.S. Rao, +91 129 4128748

'Details Receives Additional Cradle-to-Cradle Certifications'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

Eco-friendly binder holders from the Organizational Worktool Products by Details, a Steelcase company.

Details, a Steelcase company, recently received Cradle-to-Cradle Certification from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) for six of its organizational worktool
products. Details newest certified Cradle-to-Cradle products include:

    -- Slatwall Extrusion
    -- Freestanding SlatRail Stanchions
    -- SlatRail
    -- A binder holder
    -- Three letter trays
    -- And, a pencil cup

Based in Charlottesville, Va., MBDC is a consulting firm dedicated to promoting the "Next Industrial Revolution" by helping clients develop eco-friendly products and services that contribute to economic, social, and environmental prosperity.

What is cradle-to-cradle design?

Since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, most manufacturers have assumed a cradle-to-grave life cycle -- that is, you use a product until it wears out and then bury it. Instead, MBDC promotes a cradle-to-cradle approach, which assumes that a product eventually will be recycled rather than disposed of.

About the products

All the components used in the manufacturing of these organizational worktool products are made from materials that were scrutinized for their impact on the environment. Recycled materials were used in the construction of the products, providing a closed material loop which pulled very little virgin raw material from the environment and will send very little back to it. Last fall, the Details keyboard assembly also gained the Cradle-to-Cradle Certification.

"We continually seek ways to design products that have a positive impact not only in the office, but also on the environment," says Jeff Charon, product category manager for Details. "The recent Cradle-to-Cradle Certification for these six products validates our work in this area. The certification is important to us and is part of our design process."

The certified products are available through the Details network of dealers. These are some of the first products in these categories within the office furniture industry to earn these credentials.

About Details

Details, a Steelcase subsidiary based in Grand Rapids, Mich., provides innovative worktool solutions compatible with most furniture systems. Details worktools are sold through a network of 450 dealers and are featured in 20 Steelcase showrooms throughout North America. For more information about Details, visit http://www.details-worktools.com.

'Temple-Inland Acquires Caraustar's Interest in Premier Boxboard Limited Joint Venture'

2008-07-03T16:24:40Z

Temple-Inland Inc. (NYSE:TIN) announced today that it has acquired the remaining fifty percent interest in Premier Boxboard Limited LLC (PBL) from Caraustar Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSAR).

PBL was a joint venture between Temple-Inland and Caraustar. The purchase price for Caraustar's interest was $62 million in cash and assumption of $25 million of debt associated with the purchased interest.

PBL produces lightweight gypsum facing paper and containerboard at a 308,000 tons per year mill in Newport, Indiana. Temple-Inland will continue to produce lightweight gypsum facing paper and containerboard at the mill. The lightweight gypsum facing paper will serve the needs of both Temple-Inland's building products operations and external customers. Containerboard produced at the mill will be primarily used by Temple-Inland's corrugated packaging operations.

For the last three years, PBL's average annual EBITDA was $23 million. PBL's EBITDA for first quarter 2008 was $7 million. Caraustar has been the managing partner of PBL since its formation in 1999. Effective today, Temple-Inland terminated the marketing and management agreements by and between PBL and Caraustar. Marketing and management fees paid by PBL to Caraustar under these agreements have been approximately $4 million annually. Adjusting to eliminate these fees would add $4 million annually to PBL's EBITDA.

In addition to eliminating the marketing and management fees paid to Caraustar, Temple-Inland expects to realize synergies of approximately $10 million from reducing cost, improving productivity and optimizing the mix of product as the mill is fully integrated into the Temple-Inland mill system.

Temple-Inland will fund the cash portion of the purchase price through borrowings under its existing credit facilities.

In announcing the transaction, Doyle R. Simons, chairman and chief executive officer of Temple-Inland said, 'The acquisition of Caraustar's interest in PBL is consistent with Temple-Inland's key objectives of maximizing ROI and profitably growing our business.

'The Newport mill is a high-quality, well-invested facility that obtains its process steam pursuant to a long-term contract with an adjacent coal-fired power plant. We are confident in our ability to successfully integrate the mill into our system and improve its financial performance. This transaction will be immediately accretive to Temple-Inland's earnings, returns and cash flow. We look forward to the PBL employees being a part of the Temple-Inland team.'

Temple-Inland Inc. is a manufacturing company focused on corrugated packaging and building products. The fully integrated corrugated packaging operation consists of 7 mills and 64 converting facilities. The building products operation manufactures a diverse line of building products for new home construction, commercial and repair and remodeling markets. Temple-Inland's address on the World Wide Web is www.templeinland.com.

This release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements reflect management's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risk and uncertainties. We note that a variety of factors and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors and uncertainties that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: general economic, market, or business conditions; the opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to us and that we may pursue; fluctuations in costs and expenses including the costs of raw materials, purchased energy, and freight; changes in interest rates; demand for new housing; accuracy of accounting assumptions related to impaired assets, pension and postretirement costs and contingency reserves; competitive actions by other companies; changes in laws or regulations; our ability to execute certain strategic and business improvement initiatives; the accuracy of certain judgments and estimates concerning the integration of PBL into our operations; and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

This release includes non-GAAP financial measures. The required reconciliations to GAAP financial measures are set forth below.

Temple-Inland Inc.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In evaluating acquisitions, one of the factors we consider is EBITDA, which we define as earnings (net income) before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. As defined in Regulation G, 'Conditions for Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures,' a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's historical or future performance, financial position, or cash flow that excludes (includes) amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of excluding (including) amounts, that are included (excluded) in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

This non-GAAP financial measure should not be relied upon to the exclusion of GAAP financial measures. This non-GAAP financial measure reflects an additional way of viewing aspects of our operations that, when viewed with our GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures, may provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business. Despite its importance to us, we strongly encourage investors to review our consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety and to not rely on any single financial measure. Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies' non-GAAP financial measures having the same or similar names.

EBITDA of PBL
	First Quarter
	2008 (Million $)	2007	2006	2005

Net Income	4	4	11	17
Interest	1	4	4	4
Taxes	-	-	-	-
Depreciation and amortization	2	8	8	8
EBITDA	7	16	23	29

Average EBITDA for 2005 - 2007 $ 23

Sie lesen Finanznachrichten und Wirtschaftsmeldungen auf ad-hoc-news.de, ein Presseportal der trading-house.net AG. Weitere Börsennachrichten finden Sie unter www.ad-hoc-news.de & http://www.trading-house.net.