Displaying items by tag: newpage

NewPageCorporation (NewPage), a leader in specialty papers for labeling and flexible packaging segments, has announced the launch of www.WherePaperWorks.com, a new website specifically designed as a comprehensive and easy-to-use on-line resource for converters, brand owners and end users of specialty papers. The new website features content on specialty paper applications, segments and innovation, including a downloadable calendar of industry events.

Created with the user experience firmly in mind, the website has been designed using the latest technology so the site is compatible with today's browsers and mobile devices. The site also includes news and social media content feeds, as well as a wide array of product information to help customers understand the complete range of specialty paper solutions at NewPage.

For more information, visit www.WherePaperWorks.com.

NewPage Holdings Inc. has announced that on February 1, 2013, Patrick Buchenroth, age 45, accepted the position of controller and chief accounting officer for NewPage Holdings Inc. and NewPage Corporation, effective February 25, 2013.

From May 2012 through January 2013, Mr. Buchenroth served as senior vice president of finance at ACCO Brands Corporation, a global supplier of branded office products, following the company's acquisition of the Consumer and Office Products Division of MeadWestvaco Corporation, a global packaging company. Prior to the acquisition, from August 2005 through April 2012, he served as chief financial officer for MeadWestvaco Corporation's Consumer and Office Products Division. In 2005, he was part of a team that orchestrated the sale of MeadWestvaco Corporation's Paper Division to form NewPage Corporation. Prior to these roles, Mr. Buchenroth was an audit partner for Deloitte & Touche, a public accounting firm.

Mr. Buchenroth is a CPA and a graduate of Wright State University with a double major in Accountancy and Finance. He is also the treasurer of the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area.

SOURCE NewPage

NewPage, the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America, announced that the launch of TrueJet^® Book, a new addition to its award-winning TrueJet^® Digital Coated Papers for production inkjet presses.

TrueJet Digital Coated Papers enable high speed, short run and variable data printing on production color inkjet equipment or related hybrid applications with offset class print quality and reduced total operating cost for the printer or publisher. Unlike conventional coated offset papers, TrueJet Digital Coated Papers are made with a combination of materials that result in improved inkjet ink dry times, improved inkjet print quality and productivity while maintaining the capability for offset printability in hybrid applications.

"The inkjet publishing segment is rapidly growing as books that were traditionally printed web offset are converted to inkjet printing," said Steven J. DeVoe, vice president, Marketing for NewPage. "TrueJet Book is designed specifically for high-speed, book publication print runs, is Forest Stewardship Council^™ (FSC^®) certified and meets NASTA (National Association of State Textbook Administrators) specifications."

"TrueJet Book is offered in a 45 lb. matte finish and delivers offset-like quality for full-color variable inkjet presses to meet the requirements of our book publishing customers," added Dennis Essary, director, Digital Papers for NewPage. "Customers who are looking for a better value proposition from an inkjet grade have a new option for the book publishing market based on the award-winning TrueJet design."

TrueJet Digital Coated Papers is a result of several years of research and development and on-press testing with some of the top manufacturers of high-speed inkjet presses. NewPage was granted U.S. Patent 7803224 for the technology, which enables coated papers to be printed via multiple processes of inkjet, offset and laser. Additional patents are pending.

TrueJet Book has been awarded Kodak's 4 Diamond Rating for use on the Kodak Prosper™ press, and has also been recognized for HP Tseries presses without the need for a bonding agent.

NewPage and its TrueJet line of coated papers were recipients of a 2011 InterTech Technology Award. Bestowed by the Printing Industries of America, the award recognizes technological innovations expected to have a major impact on the graphic communications industry.

NewPage Corporation (NewPage) has announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington has confirmed the Company's Chapter 11 Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan was accepted by the overwhelming majority of NewPage creditors entitled to vote. The Company will now proceed to close on the restructuring transactions contemplated by the Plan.

"We are pleased that the Court has confirmed our Chapter 11 Plan, clearing the way for us to officially exit bankruptcy, hopefully by the end of this year," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer for NewPage. "We will exit bankruptcy with substantially less debt and new financing at lower interest rates. NewPage will be well positioned to serve the needs of our customers and compete successfully in the North American paper industry."

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

NewPage Corporation, the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America, announced that the release of its 2011-12 Sustainable Development Report, Making a Difference.

"Because our products come from the forest, NewPage has a unique opportunity to make a difference to the world around us by managing and using resources sustainably," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer for NewPage. "At NewPage sustainability means operating in a way that meets our company's need to thrive and grow without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. We know that we need to continuously improve to meet our sustainability goals, and we have a long history of doing this in all aspects of our business."

NewPage produces an annual sustainable development report to provide its stakeholders a look at the company's performance and activities designed to improve the way we manage human, natural and financial resources. The company focuses on five key areas of sustainability:

1. Healthy, Safe and Engaged Employees
2. Responsible Sourcing of Raw Materials
3. Efficient and Sustainable Manufacturing
4. Responsible and Safe Products
5. Strong, Viable Communities

Making a Difference provides an overview of the company's performance and latest actions in these five key areas. Highlights from the report include:

• Improved safety performance with a Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) of 2.14 in 2011 compared to 2.65 in 2010.
• Increased chain-of-custody certified product sales to 28 percent of total sales (up two percent from 2010).
• Procured 48 percent of its fiber from certified and recycled sources (down one percent from 2010), and all fiber was procured from North America and in compliance with the requirements of the U.S. Lacey Act and European Union Timber Regulation for legal fiber sources. All NewPage mills also have maintained chain-of-custody systems that are third-party certified to FSC^®, PEFC and SFI standards.
• Met 95% of the pulp needs for our paper products from internal pulp production.
• Fifty-four percent of the total energy used in NewPage operations was produced from biomass fuels, a renewable energy source primarily derived from the company's manufacturing byproducts (up one percent from 2010).
• Achieved a 12 percent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels, bringing NewPage closer to the company's goal to cut total greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.
• Researched, developed and launched four new products: TrueJet^®, Sterling^® Premium, PointTrac^™ TT and OmniPoint^™ over the past two years.
• Continued to contribute time and financial resources to charitable organizations and strategic partners. Partnerships with nonprofit organizations like World Resources Institute and customers such as L.L.Bean and McGraw-Hill have been formed to help preserve and increased the amount of certified forestland and improve the recycling practices of paper products at the end of their useful life.

"Despite the challenges our company has faced, we made real progress on all fronts in 2011 and 2012. While we had to make many tough decisions, we kept our eyes on our business strategy and focus on our employees and customers.  We drove productivity using Lean Six Sigma and launched a number of important new products to position NewPage for sustainable success," said Martin.

To download a printable PDF of the report, or to learn more about NewPage Corporation, please visit www.NewPageCorp.com/sustainability.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation 

NewPage Corporation (NewPage), a leading producer of high quality supercalendered rotogravure and offset printing papers, is pleased to announce that its Supercalendered Delivery Promise. Effective with confirmed orders with a requested delivery date on or after January 1, 2013, NewPage will assure that supercalendered paper will be provided to meet each and every press date. To demonstrate our confidence, customers will be entitled to a discount on their next order of similar size should NewPage not deliver on our Supercalendered Delivery Promise. “The Duluth, Minnesota, mill has been delivering on our commitments for 25 years,” said Dawn Polaski, Customer Service manager at the NewPage Duluth mill. “We are thrilled to continue this legacy by offering the Supercalendered Delivery Promise.”

The Supercalendered Delivery Promise is available to all customers requesting shipments of supercalendered paper in the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) from the NewPage Duluth mill. “We are pleased to offer our customers the extra assurance that their paper will arrive when and where it is needed,” stated Ethan Haas, general manager, Supercalendered Papers. “Our Customer Service, Operations and Logistics teams have consistently proven that they have the focus, follow-through and longevity that are superior to many other supercalendered mills in North America. Our geographical location has always provided a logistical advantage to our customers. This program will allow us to further reduce the supply risk to our customers’ supercalendered papers purchasing programs.”

For more information about NewPage Voyager^®, Voyager^® Arbor^® and Superior Gloss^® supercalendered products, the Supercalendered Delivery Promise or any high-quality NewPage papers, please visit www.NewPageCorp.com.

NewPage Corporation (NewPage) has announced that it has increased its supply-chain preference for pulpwood procured from certified woodland owners, including those certified to the American Tree Farm System (ATFS).

NewPage, the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America, is the largest buyer of pulpwood in the Great Lakes States. In 2011, 48 percent of the fiber (wood and pulp) purchased by NewPage came from certified sources.

According to Gordy Mouw, NewPage Certification and Resource manager, the procurement preference reflects the company's commitment to forest stewardship as well as its efforts to meet the growing demand of its customers seeking paper sourced from certified timberlands. In addition to ATFS, NewPage has established preferences for wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

"Adding certified ATFS wood to our supply-chain addresses our customers' interests, our own commitment to sustainability, and helps family forest owners by expanding markets for their wood products," Mouw said. "This in turn helps them keep their forest land forested."

ATFS is a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF) and Tom Martin, President and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, applauded the action by NewPage. "Buying preferences such as the one announced by NewPage contribute to the vitality of American woodlands by encouraging family forest owners to seek certification and manage their woodlands to higher environmental standards," Martin said. "Certification thereby promotes healthy forests and with that more sustainable pulpwood markets."

Mouw explained that the supply-chain preference will be imbedded in the company's continuing process of establishing and maintaining relationships with woodland owners and pulpwood suppliers.

The relationship between NewPage and ATFS has been a long and fruitful one. Through this partnership, thousands of woodland owners have had the market support to manage their land for optimal environmental and recreational use. NewPage has provided markets, assistance to landowners in conducting responsible management and volunteers to help ATFS operate their owner education and outreach programs to woodland owners.

ATFS is a network of 89,000 certified Tree Farmers sustainably managing 27 million acres of forestland. It is the largest and oldest sustainable woodland system in America, internationally recognized, and meeting strict third-party certification standards. Learn more at www.treefarmsystem.org. 

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

NewPage Corporation (the Company) announced today that the Disclosure Statement for its Fourth Amended Chapter 11 Plan (the Plan) has been approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The Court's approval of the Disclosure Statement allows the Company to begin the Plan voting process, leading to a confirmation hearing scheduled for mid-December and the Company's expected emergence from bankruptcy before the end of the year.

The Company also was authorized to enter into a commitment letter and related fee letters for its exit financing, consisting of a $500 million term loan facility led by Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC and a $350 million revolving credit facility led by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.

"The approval of our Disclosure Statement represents a significant achievement and another important step for the Company and its stakeholders," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer of NewPage. "We look forward to implementing the Plan upon emergence later this year with the financing and liquidity needed to support our operations."

The Company filed the fourth amendment to its Plan and related Disclosure Statement on November 7, 2012. A copy of the Plan and Disclosure Statement is available at www.kccllc.net/NewPage.

Votes on the Plan must be received by the Company's voting agent, Kurtzman Carson Consultants, LLC, by December 10, 2012, unless the deadline is extended. Solicitation materials are expected to be mailed to all creditors entitled to vote on the Plan by November 15, 2012. A hearing to consider confirmation of the Plan is currently scheduled for December 13, 2012, at 12:00 noon Eastern Time.

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to accept or reject the Plan. The Disclosure Statement, along with ballots and other solicitation materials, will be distributed directly to those creditors of the Company who are entitled to vote to accept or reject the Plan pursuant to the Disclosure Statement.

NewPage Corporation (NewPage) announced today its support of the World Resources Institute (WRI) in releasing new groundbreaking web applications created to help ensure that palm oil production is pursued in a way that avoids deforestation. These two publicly available web tools–the Forest Cover Analyzer and the Suitability Mapper—are the first of their kind, designed to enable companies and governments to implement commitments to sustainable palm oil.

Since 2008, NewPage has supported WRI's Project POTICO, a project designed to divert oil palm development in Indonesia onto low-carbon, already-cleared lands and thereby avoid deforestation. Though NewPage sources fiber for its operations exclusively in North America under rigorous environmental and social criteria, NewPage believes strongly in supporting initiatives like Project POTICO that are working to improve forest product procurement practices across the globe.

Project POTICO's Forest Cover Analyzer tool allows users to identify and assess forest conditions in Indonesian Borneo, including the extent of forests, forest cover change, where oil palm and other concessions are located, and the suitability of land for sustainable palm oil development. Given the increased focus many corporations are placing on responsible procurement of forest and agricultural products, the Forest Cover Analyzer is designed to be an extremely valuable tool for corporate buyers, suppliers, and investors looking to avoid risks associated with deforestation concern and to locate plantations not associated with forest clearing.

The second tool, the Suitability Mapper, is an online mapping system designed for use by palm oil producers and spatial planners, allowing them to locate low-carbon degraded lands on Indonesian Borneo that are potentially suitable for sustainable palm oil production.

As Indonesia is one of the world's deforestation hotspots, developing tools that support responsible forest management, commodity production, and investment in this region is crucial. Now that these tools have been piloted and launched for Indonesian Borneo, WRI plans to apply this knowledge to developing similar web-based tools to inspire and enable responsible forest management on a global scale.

"These online systems bring the world another step closer to having its commodities and its forests too," stated Craig Hanson, director of WRI's People & Ecosystems Program. "And our long-term partnership with NewPage, the pioneer supporter of POTICO, helped make it happen."

"NewPage has always been committed to sustainability in its own operations, through responsible fiber sourcing, achievement of third-party certifications, running efficient manufacturing operations, and looking for ways to continually lower the environmental footprint of our products," stated David Bonistall, vice president, Environmental, Health and Safety for NewPage. "Since 2008, we have been proud to support WRI's work on global forestry issues, and congratulate them on the release of these groundbreaking forest monitoring tools. These tools will provide the necessary resources to improve sustainable oil palm production, reduce pressure on virgin rainforests and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from forest clearance and conversion."

By providing public access to up-to-date information on forestry activity in Indonesia, Project POTICO's new web tools mark a major step toward improving global forestry conditions. Information on Project POTICO, and links to access these two new web applications, are available at www.ProjectPOTICO.org.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

NewPage Corporation (NewPage) has announced that it is strengthening its commitment to the uncoated freesheet market segment and broadening its reach for its Ideal^® products.

"NewPage continues to diversify into new market segments in order to meet the evolving needs of our customers, as well as position us as a long-term, sustainable supplier," stated Kris Morrow, commercial product manager for NewPage uncoated grades.

Ideal attributes include a 92 brightness, brilliant blue-white shade, excellent ink holdout and optimal opacity. Ideal meets the exacting needs of any print application while remaining within a tight budget. It is recommended for end use such as annual reports, brochures, catalogs, coupons, direct mail, financial documents, newsletters and manuals.

Ideal provides superior versatility and is a good choice for the most demanding printing applications. It is designed to perform in heatset web, coldset web and sheetfed printing applications.

Morrow added, "Ideal is known for its top tier properties that meet rigorous printing and finishing demands. Its smooth, even surface yields a high-quality look and feel for a printed piece, and its consistency and reliability allows printers and converters to feel confident in their ability to maximize operational efficiencies."

For samples, please call our sample department, NewPage ExSamples^®, at 800-638-3313. To learn more, please visit www.NewPageCorp.com 

SOURCE NewPage