Displaying items by tag: newpage

NewPage Corporation, the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, announced today that its subsidiary, Rumford Paper Company, based in Rumford, Maine, has signed an agreement to sell its cogeneration energy assets to a unit of ReEnergy Holdings LLC, a company which specializes in integrated biomass waste fuel renewable energy.  The purchase price for the assets is $61,000,000.

The transaction contemplates a long-term, symbiotic relationship between Rumford and ReEnergy. Following the closing, ReEnergy will operate the acquired assets to provide energy to the Rumford mill in the form of electricity and thermal energy. In turn, Rumford's pulp and papermaking process will supply ReEnergy with the sustainable biomass fuel supply needed to operate the cogeneration assets.

"The transaction represents an opportunity for the Rumford mill to realize value from its green energy assets and to focus on its core business of making high quality paper," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer of NewPage Corporation. "We are looking forward to working closely with ReEnergy in this new endeavor," stated Gerald LeClaire, mill manager, Rumford Operations.

Larry Richardson, Chief Executive Officer of ReEnergy, said, "This exciting, new relationship with the Rumford mill is consistent with our business strategy of owning and managing solid fuel renewable energy facilities.  We look forward to providing mission-critical, cost effective electricity and thermal energy to the Rumford mill."  Tom Beck, ReEnergy's chief commercial officer added, "This partnership promises to support Maine's vital paper industry, and ReEnergy looks forward to providing green energy to both the Rumford mill and the New England region."

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in mid 2011

NewPage Corporation announced today the upload of a new "On Paper" sustainability series podcast featuring Lisa Quezada, Sustainable Development Policy Manager for MillerCoors. The focus of the podcast is on the company's water stewardship efforts and its achievements around reducing waste to landfill.

MillerCoors mission is to create America's best beer company by focusing on five key responsibilities with set goals for 2015: alcohol responsibility, environmental sustainability, people and communities, sustainable supply chain and ethics and transparency.

"Water is an essential ingredient in the brewing process – from growing barley to cleaning brew kettles to brewing beer," states Quezada.  Conserving water is a main focus for MillerCoors and the company's 2015 water goal is to reduce water usage by 15 percent across its eight breweries nationwide.  MillerCoors currently reports a water-to-beer ratio of 4.11 barrels of water to one barrel of beer, and some brewery locations are significantly below the average.

MillerCoors regularly partners with nonprofit organizations on water related issues. For example, every September the company celebrates Water Stewardship Volunteer Month where each brewery partners with a local nonprofit to host an employee volunteer event and make a difference in local watersheds. In addition, through a relationship with The Nature Conservancy, MillerCoors is working with barley farmers in Silver Creek, Idaho, to improve water efficiency and quality.

Though water stewardship continues to be the most pressing area, MillerCoors is also focused on reducing its waste sent to landfill. "We achieved our 2015 waste reduction goal ahead of schedule, and reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by more than 20 percent in 2009," shared Quezada.  MillerCoors has achieved this goal by finding innovative re-uses for their waste, such as selling leftover barley to local farmers for animal feed or using brewery by-products to fertilize on-site hay fields.

To learn more about MillerCoors sustainability efforts, download this podcast and also access more than 30 previous episodes on topics such as supply chain management, zero waste and green business strategies by visiting www.OnPaperSeries.com. To learn more about MillerCoors sustainability efforts, please visit www.GreatBeerGreatResponsibility.com and look for their 2011 Sustainable Development Report to be released later this Spring.

NewPage Wisconsin System Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of NewPage Corporation, and Niagara Development LLC jointly announced today Niagara Development LLC's acquisition of the NewPage Niagara, Wisconsin mill property and assets.

The NewPage Niagara facility permanently closed in July, 2008 due to a significant decrease in demand for coated paper. The paper machines at the Niagara mill produced approximately 250,000 tons of lightweight coated groundwood papers used in magazines and catalogs. In March, 2009, NewPage sold the NewPage hydroelectric facility in Niagara, Wisconsin to Northbrook Wisconsin, LLC.

"Since the closure of the mill in 2008, NewPage has worked with the City of Niagara to locate a viable purchaser for the mill with a positive outcome for the community," said George Bousley, mayor, City of Niagara. "We are pleased that Niagara Development LLC is purchasing the NewPage Niagara property and assets and believe this is the best possible option for the facility, the City of Niagara and its residents."

Niagara Development LLC is exploring options with the City of Niagara and others for possible uses of the property and assets going forward.
"We see this deal as a great opportunity for the towns of Niagara, Iron Mountain, Kingsford, Quinnesec and Norway, as well as the surrounding region," says Eric J. Spirtas, president of Niagara Development LLC.

Sanabe & Associates, LLC, acted as financial advisor to NewPage in the transaction.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

NewPage Corporation today announced that it will close its Whiting, Wisconsin mill at the end of February 2011. The Whiting mill currently operates two paper machines, which produce approximately 250,000 tons annually of coated paper used by the publishing and printing industry, with a primary focus on mail-order catalog, magazine and retailer end uses.

"This remains a difficult time for the paper industry, for NewPage and for many of our customers," said George Martin, NewPage president and chief executive officer.  "While we have seen modest recovery in our coated markets, we continue to monitor the supply and demand balance and make the difficult choices needed to avoid oversupplying those markets.  NewPage has the capacity and operational flexibility to produce both coated groundwood and coated freesheet on the same machines at other facilities. Therefore, we do not expect any interruptions in service to our customers while closing the Whiting mill, which is our highest cost-per-ton coated groundwood mill."

Approximately 360 employees will be affected by the shutdown of the Whiting mill.
 
Revised Guidance for Fourth Quarter 2010
NewPage also announced today that it expects Adjusted EBITDA (net income (loss) attributable to the company before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and adjusted to exclude certain items such as non-cash expenses and gains and losses on sales of assets) for the fourth quarter of 2010 to be between $125 million and $135 million and that it expects net income (loss) attributable to the company for the fourth quarter of 2010 to be between $(275) million and $(315) million compared to Adjusted EBITDA and net income (loss) attributable to the company of $88 million and $(55) million, respectively, during the fourth quarter of 2009.  Net income (loss) for the fourth quarter of 2010 includes the estimated one-time effect of asset impairments (principally Whiting) of $215 million to $240 million and other closure costs estimated at $10 million to $15 million.

Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of our performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"), is not intended to represent net income (loss) attributable to the company, and should not be used as an alternative to net income (loss) attributable to the company as an indicator of performance. Adjusted EBITDA is shown because it is a basis upon which our management assesses our performance and is a primary component of certain covenants under our revolving credit facility. The use of Adjusted EBITDA instead of net income (loss) attributable to the company has limitations as an analytic tool and should not be consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the NewPage results under U.S. GAAP. See our periodic filings for a further discussion of the limitations on the use of Adjusted EBITDA as an analytic tool as well as a reconciliation of net income (loss) attributable to the company to Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2009.

Nova Scotia Power and NewPage Port Hawkesbury are proceeding with the 60-megawatt biomass co-generation facility recently approved by the Nova Scotia Utility & Review Board.  The sale of certain mill assets is expected to close in the near term.  Project planning, engineering and procurement work have been ramped up in the past few weeks recognizing the need to have the plant in service in early 2013.  

"This development in cooperation with our largest customer provides benefits for all ratepayers," said Robin McAdam, Executive Vice President, Sustainability for NS Power.  "It creates and protects jobs in Nova Scotia, redirects spending on fuel from foreign suppliers to Nova Scotians, and helps meet our renewable energy goals.  I want to emphasize NS Power's commitment to ensuring that sustainable forestry management practices are used in the fuel supply process."

"The new biomass facility is important for NewPage, for the Port Hawkesbury Mill and for rural Nova Scotia", said Bill Stewart, Director, Woodlands and Strategic Initiatives, NewPage Port Hawkesbury.  "In addition to supporting the local economy, it helps our mill remain a model for sustainable operation."

The $208 million biomass project is expected to create an estimated 150 new jobs in Northern Nova Scotia, primarily in the forestry sector, and approximately 50 person-years of employment will also be created during the construction phase. The co-generation facility will produce about 400 gigawatt hours of energy a year – or about 3% of Nova Scotia's total electricity requirements.

NewPage is responsible for the construction and operation of the co-generation facility as well as the fuel supply. Biomass is one of Nova Scotia's options for renewable energy, as outlined in the Renewable Electricity plan. Only 'stem wood' will be used to make electricity. Tree stumps, tops and branches will not be removed from the forest floor because they're necessary to restore nutrients in the soil.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward looking information. Actual future results may differ materially.

About Nova Scotia Power

Nova Scotia Power Inc. is the largest wholly-owned subsidiary of Emera Inc. (TSX-EMA), a diversified energy and services company. Nova Scotia Power provides more than 95% of the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power to 486,000 customers in the province. The company is focused on new technologies to enhance customer service and reliability, reduce emissions and add renewable energy. Nova Scotia Power has 1,900 employees and $3.5 billion in assets.

About NewPage

The NewPage Port Hawkesbury Mill islocated in Point Tupper, Richmond County, has operated in Nova Scotia since the early 1960s. Today, the Port Hawkesbury Mill has the capacity to produce 190 000 tonnes of standard and improved newsprint and 360 000 tonnes of supercalendered paper for the catalogue and magazine paper markets. The company's Woodlands Unit currently manages approximately 600,000 hectares of Crown land in the seven eastern counties and an additional 20,020 hectares of company owned land.

NewPage is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of NewPage Corporation. Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009.. NewPage owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nova Scotia

Appleton Coated LLC, NewPage Corporation, and Sappi Fine Paper North America – together with the United Steelworkers (USW) -- welcomed the U.S. International Trade Commission's (ITC) finding today that imports of coated paper from China and Indonesia are causing material injury to U.S. producers and workers.  That finding was based on a 6-0 vote by the bipartisan commission.

The ITC decision clears the way for the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of coated free sheet paper from these countries.  On Sept. 21, 2010, the agency issued its final determination citing imports from China and Indonesia as being both dumped and subsidized by significant margins.

The Commerce Dept. found that producers or exporters dumped coated paper in the United States at margins of 7.6-135.83 percent for China, and 20.13 percent for Indonesia. The agency also determined that these producers or exporters received countervailable subsidies ranging from 17.64-178.03 percent for China, and 17.94 percent for Indonesia.

Coated paper covered by the cases is used in many high-end commercial printing applications, including annual reports, coffee table books, magazines and brochures.

"NewPage is very pleased with the International Trade Commission's finding on injury," said George Martin, president and chief executive officer of NewPage.  "Today's determination underscores the effects of unfair competition on the U.S. industry, where government subsidies and dumping have suppressed prices and forced mill closures," said Martin.  "The decision will allow the Commerce Department to impose duties to offset the significant levels of dumping and government subsidies that were found to exist last month."  Martin added, "We will remain committed to this effort and it's important to remember that we are willing to compete with anyone in the world as long as we have a level playing field."

"We've waited a long time for this decision, which will help restore a competitive market," added Mark Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Sappi Fine Paper North America.  "For far too long, some of our competitors have been able to get away with unfair and illegal dumping and subsidies to sell their products.  The ITC's decision puts us one step closer to being able to compete fairly based on the quality of our products, the investments we make in our mills, equipment and people, and the sustainable manufacturing and procurement practices we implement and pursue," said Gardner.

Sandra Van Ert, president and chief executive officer of Appleton Coated LLC said, "The ITC finding of injury is testimony to what we, our workers and the communities in which we operate have been experiencing for far too long.  In this instance, our trade laws have worked and will help restore not only legal competition in the marketplace, but the faith of our employees that work hard, play by the rules and only want a fair chance to compete."

Jon Geenen, USW international vice president, declared, "Today's decision shows that these predatory trade practices by the Chinese and Indonesian exporters are unfair, illegal and injurious to our employers and their workers. We will not ignore the efforts of our foreign competitors who want to violate international trade standards to succeed at the expense of our union members' jobs -- that's a fight we'll never back away from."
 
Once the final antidumping and countervailing duty orders are published in the Federal Register, the U.S. Customs agency will begin applying duties on Chinese and Indonesian coated paper imports.
 
The companies and the USW filed unfair trade cases Sept. 23, 2009 with the Commerce Dept. and the ITC, alleging that certain coated paper from China and Indonesia had been dumped and subsidized, resulting in injury to the domestic industry and its employees.
 
The domestic industry has experienced capacity reductions and under-utilization resulting in the loss of jobs in communities all across the country.  The petitions show that unfairly traded imports from China and Indonesia are a significant contributor to that underutilization of capacity, mill closures and resultant job loss.  

The three companies employ about 6,000 production workers represented by the USW at 20 paper mills operating in seven states.

About Appleton Coated

Appleton Coated, headquartered in Combined Locks, Wisconsin, provides focused market leadership in premium coated and specialty paper products. The Appleton Coated product portfolio includes a range of commercial printing and book publishing papers marketed under the Utopia® brand as well as specialty and private label products. Known for their performance, aesthetics, and environmental attributes, Appleton Coated manufactures their products in a state-of-the-art facility in Combined Locks, Wisconsin, hosting the newest papermaking machine of its type in North America.  For more information please visit our website at www.appletoncoated.com/.

About NewPage Corporation

Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009. 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 have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.4 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.2 million tons of coated paper, approximately 1.0 million tons of uncoated paper and approximately 200,000 tons of specialty paper.  For more information, visit www.NewPageCorp.com.
 
About Sappi Fine Paper North America

Sappi Fine Paper North America (SFPNA) is a leading North American producer of coated fine paper used in premium magazines, catalogues, books and high-end print advertising. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi Fine Paper North America is known for innovation and quality. Its brand names, including McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are some of the industry's most widely recognized and specified. SFPNA is a division of Sappi Limited (NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with manufacturing operations on four continents in 10 countries, sales offices in 50 countries, and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi Fine Paper North America at: www.sappi.com/na/.

About the United Steelworkers

The United Steelworkers (USW) is a North American union headquartered in Pittsburgh. The union negotiates labor agreements representing 850,000 active workers employed in a variety of major industries that include metals, mining, pulp, paper, timber, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto parts, oil, and energy renewables. The USW also represents service and professional sector workers to include healthcare, municipalities and pharmaceuticals. For more information: www.usw.org/.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

NewPage Corporation announced today that it will release its third quarter 2010 financial results on Thursday, November 4, 2010, before the market opens. The news release will be available on the NewPage Web site at www.NewPageCorp.com.

The company will broadcast its third quarter 2010 analyst conference call on Thursday, November 4, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. (ET) with access available through the Internet and telephone.  The teleconference is expected to last one hour.  

The live conference call and presentation slides may be accessed on the NewPage Web site at www.NewPageCorp.com.  Click on the link to the Conference Call and Webcast and follow the instructions to access the Webcast in listen and view mode.  Please go to the Web site at least one hour prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

The call will be available live and stored on the Web site for five weeks.  

Analysts and investors may access the call by dialing (866) 244-4629 (toll-free domestic) or (703) 639-1176 (international), conference ID 1413361.  A replay of the call can be accessed via telephone (888) 266-2081 (toll-free domestic) or (703) 925-2533 (international), access code 1413361.  The replay will be available starting at 2 p.m. (ET) on November 4, 2010, and will remain available until midnight (ET) on December 9, 2010.

About NewPage Corporation

Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009. 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 have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.4 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.2 million tons of coated paper, approximately 1.0 million tons of uncoated paper and approximately 200,000 tons of specialty paper.

For additional information, please visit the company's Web site at www.NewPageCorp.com.

SOURCE NewPage Corporation

Appleton Coated LLC, NewPage Corporation and Sappi Fine Paper North America – commended the Economic Policy Institute for its study, No Paper Tiger, Subsidies to China’s Paper Industry From 2002-09, authored by Professor Dr. Usha C.V. Haley.

The Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) report highlights the continuing efforts of the Chinese government to promote the development of its paper producers at almost any expense. The academic study identified roughly $33 billion in subsidies provided to China’s paper producers in a variety of forms that have stimulated enormous capacity increases and jeopardized production and jobs in the U.S.

This study backs up the facts that underlie the trade case that was filed by our companies and the United Steelworkers (USW) union last September. That case alleged that Chinese and Indonesian paper producers benefitted from subsidies and were dumping their products in the U.S. market. At each stage of the government’s review of the cases, the concerns were validated and relief has been authorized.

Among the study’s findings:

* “Since 2000, China has tripled its paper production...”
* “China’s rapid rise in the global paper industry has been fueled by over $33.1 billion in government subsidies from 2002 to 2009.”
* “China has no natural competitive advantage in papermaking, and lacks the natural resources to fuel the industry... Despite global overcapacity, China’s paper industry has added on average 26% of new capacity every year from 2004... (E)xports have led the development of China’s paper industry with detrimental effects on the United States and global economies.”
* “The U.S. trade deficit with China on paper has been increasing exponentially since 2002. Imports from China are rising faster than those from any other country for this industry. In February 2010, the annualized growth rate of Chinese paper and paper-product imports into the United States approximated 22%.”
* “China has no inherent cost advantage in the capital-intensive paper industry. Indeed, labor makes up about 4% of the costs in this industry; in contrast, imported recycled paper and pulp comprise over 35% of the costs. Raw materials, which make up three-fourths of the costs of producing paper, as well as electricity, coal, and transportation, have nearly doubled in price over the last decade. Yet, Chinese paper sells at a substantial discount compared to U.S. or European paper.”

“This study shows that Chinese subsidies are pervasive and have fueled the development of their industry. Their policies have damaged production here in the U.S., and cost jobs. Our case seeks to address only a portion of their subsidies that have affected the coated paper sector. But, something must be done to address China’s overall subsidies so that other sectors, producers and workers do not become victims as well,” said Sandra Van Ert, president and chief executive officer of Appleton Coated LLC.

“EPI’s study strengthens our case and shows that China’s actions are part of a larger strategy to grow their industry regardless of the cost to others. China is a non-market economy that simply doesn’t play by the rules. All we’re seeking is the restoration of a level playing field where we’re allowed to compete and continue to invest in plant, equipment and people,” stated Mike Marziale, senior vice president, marketing, strategy and general management of NewPage Corporation.

Mark Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Sappi Fine Paper North America said, “This study clearly demonstrates the need for a competitive market in coated paper. Our trade case is meant to restore a level playing field. Until something is done about China’s overall predatory policies, we and other industries will continue to have to pursue such trade cases.”

The companies and the United Steelworkers filed unfair trade cases on September 23, 2009 with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the U.S. International Trade Commission alleging that certain coated paper from China and Indonesia had been dumped and subsidized resulting in injury to the domestic industry and its employees. The paper products covered by the petitions include coated paper in sheet form used in high-quality writing, printing and other graphic applications, with a GE brightness rating of 80 or higher and weighing up to 340 grams per square meter.

The domestic industry has experienced capacity reductions and under-utilization resulting in the loss of jobs in communities all across the country. The petitions show that unfairly traded imports from China and Indonesia are a significant contributor to that underutilization of capacity, mill closures and resultant job loss.

The three companies employ about 6,000 production workers represented by the USW at 20 paper mills operating in seven states.

About Appleton Coated
Appleton Coated, headquartered in Kimberly, Wisconsin, provides focused market leadership in premium coated and specialty paper products. The Appleton Coated product portfolio includes a range of commercial printing and book publishing papers marketed under the Utopia® brand as well as specialty and private label products. Known for their performance, aesthetics, and environmental attributes, Appleton Coated manufactures their products in a state-of-the-art facility in Combined Locks, Wisconsin, hosting the newest papermaking machine of its type in North America. For more information please visit our website at www.appletoncoated.com/.

About NewPage Corporation
Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009. 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 have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.4 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.2 million tons of coated paper, approximately 1.0 million tons of uncoated paper and approximately 200,000 tons of specialty paper. For more information, visit www.NewPageCorp.com.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America (SFPNA) is a leading North American producer of coated fine paper used in premium magazines, catalogues, books and high-end print advertising. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi Fine Paper North America is known for innovation and quality. Its brand names, including McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are some of the industry’s most widely recognized and specified. SFPNA is a division of Sappi Limited (NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with manufacturing operations on four continents in 10 countries, sales offices in 50 countries, and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi Fine Paper North America at: www.sappi.com/na/.

Media Contacts:
Ann Whalen, Appleton Coated LLC, 920-968-3809, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Shawn Hall, NewPage Corporation, 937-242-9373, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amy Olson, Sappi Fine Paper North America, 617-423-5409, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NewPage Corporation announced today that E. Thomas Curley has resigned as president and chief executive officer and as a director of NewPage and its affiliates. In addition, NewPage announced that the Boards of Directors of NewPage and its affiliates have accepted the resignations of Mark A. Suwyn as chairman and a director of the companies, and the resignation of Michael Edicola as vice president, human resources.

NewPage also announced the appointment of Robert L. Nardelli as a director and non-executive chairman of the Board of Directors of NewPage and its affiliates. Mr. Nardelli is currently the chief executive officer of Cerberus Operating and Advisory Company, an affiliate of the controlling stockholder of NewPage, a role that Mr. Nardelli will continue while acting as non-executive chairman of NewPage and its affiliates.

Mr. Nardelli stated "We thank Mark, Tom, and Mike for their accomplishments at NewPage, and wish them well in their future endeavors. I will be involved on an ongoing basis as NewPage undergoes this transition to new leadership."

The NewPage Board of Directors has formed an executive search committee to identify, interview and recommend to the Board a chief executive officer. The committee will consider both internal and external candidates for the position. The company will broadcast an investor and analyst conference call regarding these leadership changes today, June 15, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. (ET) with access available through the Internet and telephone. The teleconference is expected to last approximately one hour and will be hosted by Robert L. Nardelli, director and non-executive chairman of the Board of Directors of NewPage and its affiliates. Investors and analyst may access the call by dialing (866) 793-1343 (toll-free domestic) or (703) 639-1314 (international), conference ID 1464734. There will not be a replay of the call made available.

The live conference call and presentation slides may be accessed on the NewPage Web site at www.NewPageCorp.com. Click on the link to the Conference Call and Webcast and follow the instructions to access the Webcast in listen and view mode. Please go to the Web site at least one hour prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. After the live Webcast, the presentation may be found on company's Web site in the Investors Relations section.

NewPage Corporation announced today a new On Paper podcast series episode featuring Maria Rodale, chairman and CEO of Rodale Inc., the world's leading multimedia company with a focus on health, wellness and the environment. As the author of four books, including the recently released Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe, Rodale has won numerous awards for her leadership in ensuring a healthy environment for future generations.

In this On Paper episode, available for download at OnPaperSeries.com, Rodale shares her extensive research and family business's documented history as an organic pioneer, to illustrate why chemical-free farm systems are important to healthy environments and strong economies.

“We're not deciding for ourselves about the chemicals in our environment and in our bodies, unless we're choosing organic,” Rodale states.

Discussing recent trends in organic including small company start-ups, younger female farmers entering the field, and big businesses developing organic product lines, Rodale notes that organic is ready for the big time, adding “It's where the action is.”

While organic may be where the action is today, for Rodale Inc., understanding the relationship between the health of earth's soil and people's health is a part of the company's rich history. Almost thirty years ago, Rodale's father started a side-by-side comparison of organic versus chemical agriculture, entitled the Farming Systems Trial, the results of which garnered attention from scientists around the globe.

With On Paper, Rodale shares, “Organic farming is more productive, more profitable, more fuel efficient. And the surprise finding {from the Farming Systems Trial} was that organically farmed soil actually sequesters huge amounts of carbon, which means that it actually is one of the primary solutions to global warming.”

Rodale Inc.'s commitment to studying and responsibly cultivating earth's resources continues today in two new programs that NewPage Corporation is proud to partner, entitled “Tree as a Crop” and “eco4 the planet TM ”. The “Tree as a Crop” partnership is designed to educate farmers and small forest landowners about the environmental, social and economic rewards of properly growing and harvesting trees as a crop. “eco4 the planet TM ” is a demonstration project on a working farm designed to implement “Tree as a Crop”, by teaching communities to plant organically grow trees, to promote new sources of local economic and environmental sustainability.

In addition to OnPaperSeries.com, this new episode is available for download at iTunes.com and Zune.net by searching for “NewPage Corporation”. To receive notification of new On Paper series releases, subscribe free of charge at OnPaperSeries.com. Sponsored by NewPage Corporation, On Paper is now in its third season.

About On Paper Podcast Series

The On Paper Podcast Series, presented by NewPage Corporation, is an ongoing solutions-based dialogue that provides a platform for professionals to share how their organizations implement sustainable practices. With dozens of episodes featuring representatives from the most innovative of corporate America, across a variety of industries, On Paper has garnered more than one million downloads. Visit www.onpaperseries.com to listen to individual episodes and subscribe to receive notices of new episode releases.

About NewPage Corporation

Headquartered in Miamisburg , Ohio , NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America , based on production capacity, with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009 . 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 have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.4 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.2 million tons of coated paper, approximately 1.0 million tons of uncoated paper and approximately 200,000 tons of specialty paper. To learn more, visit www.NewPageCorp.com

Media Contact:
Shannon K Semmerling
NewPage
001-715-422-4023