Displaying items by tag: Resolute Forest Products

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) has been awarded The New Economy Magazine's Clean Tech Award in the Best Forest and Paper Solutions category for 2014.

Now in their sixth year, The New Economy's Clean Tech Awards honor and recognize companies around the world whose ideas, achievements, projects and solutions reflect innovation, long-term vision and leadership. Elements considered include research and development initiatives, overall strategy, and sustainability approach and achievements.

"The increased recognition of Resolute's achievements and leadership through designations like Clean50 and Corporate Knights' Best 50, and now The New Economy's Clean Tech Awards, demonstrates our continued and meaningful progress on our sustainability objectives," said Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer.

The magazine's winter issue announcing the full slate of awards and recipients will be shared with subscribers in North America, Europe and Asia, and distributed at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland) in late January. Detailed information will also be published on the London-based media company's website.

"Receiving such international recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of all employees at Resolute. We will continue our focus on the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic. Our commitment to sustainability and our achievements over the past several years provide Resolute with a competitive advantage in the marketplace," added Garneau. 

About Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company owns or operates nearly 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada. Marketing its products in close to 90 countries, Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to at least one of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are partners in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to identify solutions to conservation issues that meet the goal of balancing equally the three pillars of sustainability linked to human activities: environmental, social and economic.

Resolute is proud to be ranked by Corporate Knights as one of Canada's Best 50 Corporate Citizens for 2014. Corporate Knights is an organization recognized globally for its transparent and objective approach to measuring corporate sustainability performance. Resolute Forest Products and Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer, have also been named to Canada's Clean50, recognizing leaders who have made the greatest contributions to sustainable development or clean capitalism in Canada.

SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc.

For further information: Investors : Rémi G. Lalonde, Vice President and Treasurer, 514 394-2345, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Media and Others : Seth Kursman, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Government Affairs, 514 394-2398, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Canadian News

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) recently learned from a Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Canada press release that FSC has requested that the Rainforest Alliance certification body extend the temporary suspension of one of Resolute's two certificates in Quebec's Lac-Saint-Jean region for six months, until July 2, 2015.

"I am quite surprised by FSC Canada's last-minute intervention, which to my knowledge is unprecedented," said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer of Resolute. "I note that FSC Canada has indicated that it has identified possible solutions to avoid 'unfairly penalizing' Resolute, according to its president, François Dufresne, quoted in the December 21, 2014 edition of the newspaper Le Progrès Dimanche. We are eager to meet with Mr. Dufresne and discuss solutions for reinstating our FSC certificates."

The extension of the temporary suspension is intended to give the Quebec government time to settle its dispute with the Cree First Nation, which dates back to 2002, and to resolve issues with its caribou conservation plan, the two issues that led to the temporary suspension of Resolute's certificates in the Lac-Saint-Jean area.

"Naturally, we would prefer to have our certificates reinstated, but it is clear that Resolute cannot resolve the two major stumbling blocks, and in view of the auditors' interpretations that led to these temporary suspensions, we question whether it is possible for the government to fully address the concerns without major socio-economic impacts on employment and the well-being of communities," added Garneau.

It is also interesting to note that only the Lac-Saint-Jean certificate has been extended, while the Mistassini-Péribonka certificate, which expired on December 3, 2014, is not treated with the same measure of flexibility even though it was alleged to suffer the same defect related to the caribou conservation plan.

"We look forward to clear proposals from FSC Canada for resolving the two issues that are responsible for the temporary suspension of the two certificates, while maintaining the viability of our company and the communities in which we operate," said Richard Garneau. "We are also asking FSC Canada to reconcile the regional and provincial caribou conservation action plans, and on implementation of Motion 65, introduced by Greenpeace and adopted at the FSC's last General Assembly, held in September in Seville, Spain. The motion, which calls for preservation of 80% of intact forest landscapes, is scheduled to come into effect at the end of 2016."

In light of recent events, Resolute believes it is important for FSC Canada to establish an independent comparative analysis of all the audits conducted in recent years in Quebec and Ontario, according to the FSC boreal standard, in order to compare auditors' interpretations and requirements, as well as the efforts made by certificate holders to meet these requirements. FSC Canada should proceed with this exercise for the sake of fairness and transparency for all certificate holders; this goes to the credibility of the standard itself.

"We remain convinced that such an analysis would clearly demonstrate to our employees, communities, governments and customers, that Resolute is a leader in sustainable forest management and would underscore our ongoing commitment to balancing the three sustainability pillars: environmental, social and economic," added Garneau.

Resolute remains committed to the voluntary certification of 100% of the forests it manages to one or more of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards used in Canada and recognized world-wide, namely, Sustainable Forest Initiative® (SFI®), FSC and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). In addition, the company continues to be one of the largest holders of FSC sustainable forest management certificates in Canada and recently successfully renewed its certificates in the Mauricie, Abitibi and North Shore regions of Quebec.

About Resolute Forest Products
Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company owns or operates nearly 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada. Marketing its products in close to 90 countries, Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to at least one of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are partners in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to identify solutions to conservation issues that meet the goal of balancing equally the three pillars of sustainability linked to human activities:  environmental, social and economic.

Resolute is proud to be ranked by Corporate Knights as one of Canada's Best 50 Corporate Citizens for 2014. Corporate Knights is an organization recognized globally for its transparent and objective approach to measuring corporate sustainability performance. Resolute Forest Products and Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer, have also been named to Canada's Clean50, recognizing leaders who have made the greatest contributions to sustainable development or clean capitalism in Canada.

SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc.

For further information: Investors: Rémi G. Lalonde, Vice President and Treasurer, 514 394-2345, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Media and Others: Karl Blackburn, Director, Canadian Public Affairs and Government Relations,514 250-4364, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Canadian News

Iroquois Falls (Ontario) Mill and Two Paper Machines in Quebec to be Permanently Closed

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) has announced the permanent closure of 465,000 metric tons of newsprint production capacity in Canada. This capacity reduction will be achieved with the permanent closure of the Iroquois Falls (Ontario) newsprint mill, as well as paper machine #1 at Baie-Comeau (Quebec) and paper machine #4 at Clermont (Quebec).

Resolute's decision to reduce newsprint capacity is a result of the ongoing weakness in the global newsprint business, exacerbated by fiber-related issues, including both availability and costs, as well as transportation challenges. In Quebec, power costs played a role in these decisions, as well as the spruce budworm infestation.

"Market conditions have had a major impact on our newsprint operations in both Ontario and Quebec, and the cost position of these operations has made them vulnerable to the structural decline in newsprint," said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer.

"There is another issue that cannot be ignored in these decisions: the ill-founded attacks of environmental activist groups. Their inaccurate and deceptive campaigning, which misrepresents the company's forest management practices, was also a factor. These campaigns are based on malicious falsehoods regarding Resolute's overall compliance with the Crown Forest Sustainability Act in Ontario and the Loi sur l'aménagement durable du territoire forestier in Quebec, and overall sustainability leadership. The provinces of Ontario and Quebec have forest management regimes that are among the very best in the world, and both governments are ensuring compliance. These systems deserve to be respected and defended, and we call upon those provinces to stand up for their standards and to refute these unjustified and unwarranted attacks," said Garneau.

The Iroquois Falls mill employs approximately 180 people and has an annual production capacity of 210,000 metric tons of newsprint. It will permanently close on December 22, 2014, with closure-related activities running into January 2015. The currently idled paper machine #1 at Baie-Comeau will be permanently closed as of today, and paper machine #4 in Clermont will be permanently closed on or about January 30, 2015. The closures at Baie-Comeau and Clermont will result in the loss of approximately 120 positions and the permanent removal of approximately 255,000 metric tons of newsprint capacity. All statutory notice provisions of the two provinces will be respected.

Resolute understands the impact these decisions will have on employees, their families and local communities. The company will work with union representatives and government officials to respond to the needs of those affected. Local management will also ensure that employees receive support, that the relevant conditions in the collective agreements are respected, and that as many employees as possible are transferred to other company facilities.

"The decision to rationalize our newsprint capacity was difficult, as we are mindful of the impact it will have on affected employees," added Richard Garneau. "Resolute remains committed to customer service and to the delivery of high-quality products and will work closely with customers to continue to meet their needs."

About Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. The company owns or operates nearly 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada. Marketing its products in close to 90 countries, Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to at least one of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are partners in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to identify solutions to conservation issues that meet the goal of balancing equally the three pillars of sustainability linked to human activities:  environmental, social and economic.

Resolute is proud to be ranked by Corporate Knights as one of Canada's Best 50 Corporate Citizens for 2014. Corporate Knights is an organization recognized globally for its transparent and objective approach to measuring corporate sustainability performance. Resolute Forest Products and Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer, have also been named to Canada's Clean50, recognizing leaders who have made the greatest contributions to sustainable development or clean capitalism in Canada.

SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc.

For further information: Contacts: Investors: Rémi G. Lalonde, Vice-President, Investor Relations, 514 394-2345, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Media and Others: Seth Kursman, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Government Affairs, 514 394-2398, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Canadian News
  • Q3 adjusted EBITDA of $112 million / net income of $0.18 per share, excluding special items
  • Strong performances once again for wood products and pulp
  • Thunder Bay pellet plant ramping up; Ignace sawmill about to start
  • Closure costs and impairment contribute to GAAP net loss of $116 million / $1.23 per share

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) has reported net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2014, excluding special items, of $17 million, or $0.18 per share, down from net income, excluding special items, of $29 million, or $0.31 per share, in the third quarter of 2013.  Sales were $1.1 billion in the quarter, down $34 million, or 3%, from the third quarter of 2013.

GAAP net loss was $116 million, or $1.23 per share, compared to a net loss of $588 million, or $6.22 per share, in the third quarter of 2013 as last year's results were significantly affected by a $619 million non-recurring, non-cash income tax charge.

"Our adjusted EBITDA improved sequentially thanks to the best lumber quarter in recent history and continued strength of market pulp," said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer.  "We're building momentum in the wood products business: the Thunder Bay pellet plant is starting its ramp-up, our Ignace sawmill is about to begin its own ramp-up, and we're on schedule with the construction of our Atikokan sawmill.  Year-to-date shipments of newsprint and specialty papers outperformed industry trends, demonstrating the strength of our position, but we took some newsprint downtime in the quarter to reduce finished goods inventory.  More broadly, we met our commitment to reduce finished goods inventory levels in a disciplined manner across all segments, especially pulp."

Non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjustments for special items and adjusted EBITDA, are explained and reconciled below.

Segment Operating Income Variance Against Prior Quarter

Market Pulp

Operating income in the market pulp segment was $21 million, $3 million less than the second quarter. The average transaction price slipped by $24 per metric ton, or 3%, to $701, mostly because of lower average prices for hardwood grades, as the market absorbs major new eucalyptus capacity.  Overall shipments significantly improved from the disappointing levels of the first two quarters, up by 29,000 metric tons, or 9%, compared to the second quarter.  Finished goods inventory fell by 21,000 metric tons, or 18%. The operating cost per unit (the "delivered cost") dropped by $7 per metric ton, or 1%, despite higher maintenance costs.

Wood Products

The wood products segment generated operating income of $24 million in the quarter, a $9 million improvement over the second quarter, reaching its highest level since the 2007 start of the U.S. housing downturn.  Shipments were unchanged, reflecting sustained demand despite the slow recovery in U.S. housing starts.  Further to a 13% reduction in the second quarter, the company reduced finished goods inventory by an additional 19% this quarter. The average transaction price was $10 per thousand board feet higher, or 3%, reflecting an increase in market prices for both stud and random length lumber grades.  The delivered cost fell by 4%, or $13 per thousand board feet, mostly because the company recognized additional tax credits in connection with infrastructure investments.

The company started the ramp-up process at its new wood pellet plant in Thunder Bay in October.  The facility will produce 45,000 metric tons annually under a ten-year agreement to supply Ontario Power Generation's Atikokan Generating Station, the largest capacity, 100% biomass-fueled, power plant in North America.

Newsprint

Operating income was $5 million in the newsprint segment this quarter, $13 million less than the second quarter.  Shipments fell by 27,000 metric tons, or 4%, mostly because of market downtime and wood shortages in domestic-focused mills.  Accordingly, domestic shipments represented 58% of total shipment volume, compared to 60% in the previous quarter.  The average transaction price slipped by less than 1% as a result of continued price deterioration in certain export markets.  The delivered cost increased by $14 per metric ton, or 2%, from the second quarter, due primarily to lower contribution from the Thunder Bay cogeneration facility as a result of a longer than expected annual outage, as well as turbine damage and lost production caused by multiple power transmission disruptions to the mill.  This was partially offset by the recognition of an energy savings incentive in the U.S. southeast.  Finished goods inventory fell by 19,000 metric tons, or 13%.

Specialty Papers

The specialty papers segment generated operating income of $6 million, a $9 million improvement over the second quarter.  The average transaction price slipped less than 1%, which is largely due to erosion in higher-end white papers.  Shipments rose by 2%, or 11,000 short tons, in this seasonally stronger quarter, especially on the higher end of the grade spectrum.  The delivered cost in the quarter was $700 per short ton, down by $23 per ton, or 3%, from the previous quarter, mostly because of maintenance timing.  Finished goods inventory closed the quarter up by 7% to meet the expected continuation in seasonal demand.  The closure of the Laurentide mill in Shawinigan, Québec, as of mid-October will reduce annual production capacity for supercalender grades by 210,000 short tons.

Consolidated Quarterly Operating Income Variance Against Year-Ago Period

The company recorded an operating loss of $40 million in the third quarter, compared to operating income of $36 million in the year-ago period.  Overall pricing was higher as a result of a 13% increase in the average transaction price for wood products and 4% for market pulp, offset in part by 4% lower average pricing for specialty papers and 3% for newsprint.  Shipments were 1% higher in both wood products and specialty papers, but they were 9% lower in market pulp, largely because of greater internal consumption of hardwood kraft pulp and market downtime in recycled bleach kraft pulp.  Shipments were also 5% lower in newsprint, which reflects lower export volumes compared to the same period last year.

Overall manufacturing costs were essentially unchanged, due mainly to lower pension and other postretirement benefit expenses and the recognition of an energy savings incentive in the U.S. southeast, offset by higher natural gas prices, the write-off of stores in connection with the permanent closure of the Laurentide mill, higher wood costs and lower contribution from cogeneration facilities.  The weaker Canadian dollar had a $15 million favorable effect on operating income.

The company incurred $85 million of accelerated depreciation and other closure-related costs, almost all of which are related to the Laurentide mill.  It also recorded a $50 million write-down to the investment in Ponderay Newsprint Company, an unconsolidated partnership in which the company owns a 40% interest and acts as managing partner.  Selling, general and administrative expenses were $3 million higher in the quarter, primarily because of allowances for doubtful accounts.

Outlook

Mr. Garneau added: "We expect our Ignace sawmill to begin ramp-up before year-end, to build its production and inventory gradually in the first quarter and to continue to improve production efficiency over the course of the year.  The high capacity planer mill at our new Atikokan sawmill will start to dress Ignace's lumber in the first quarter, with the ramp-up of its own sawline scheduled to begin in the second quarter.  We expect these sawmills to start generating positive earnings as early as the third quarter of next year.  This is a great time to be building momentum in the wood products business, where we've seen sustained demand support in the market despite the slow recovery in U.S. housing starts. 

The pulp market continues to adjust to major hardwood pulp capacity increases, but our outlook has turned to cautious optimism, based on the market's resilience this year.  Turning to paper, the pace of price declines in coated mechanical and supercalender grades is leveling off; we're hopeful that recent industry capacity rationalization announcements will help to ease some of the pressure the industry experienced this year as a result of lower operating rates.  In newsprint, recent demand trends are forcing us to respond with targeted market downtime initiatives, particularly at some of our Québec mills struggling with high wood costs and wood availability issues resulting from the implementation of the new forest tenure system.  We remain confident that our operating platform has the scale, financial strength and cost advantage to withstand market challenges."  

About Resolute Forest Products
Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company owns or operates nearly 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada. Marketing its products in close to 90 countries, Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to at least one of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are partners in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to identify solutions to conservation issues that meet the goal of balancing equally the three pillars of sustainability linked to human activities: environmental, social and economic.

Resolute is proud to be ranked by Corporate Knights as one of Canada's Best 50 Corporate Citizens for 2014. Corporate Knights is an organization recognized globally for its transparent and objective approach to measuring corporate sustainability performance. Resolute Forest Products and Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer, have also been named to Canada's Clean50, recognizing leaders who have made the greatest contributions to sustainable development or clean capitalism in Canada.

SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc.

For further information:

Investors        
Rémi G. Lalonde
Vice President, Investor Relations
514 394-2345
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Financial News

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. has announced the permanent closure of its Laurentide paper mill in Shawinigan, Quebec. The restart of a competitor's mill at the end of 2012, the high cost of fiber, as well as higher transportation and fuel costs, have affected the mill's competitiveness.

"We made every effort to find a way to improve the Laurentide mill's performance. Unfortunately, due to its cost structure and challenging market conditions, there is no economically viable option for the mill," stated Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer.

In operation for over 126 years, the Laurentide mill employs 275, with an annual production capacity of 191,000 metric tons of commercial printing papers. The permanent closure will take effect on or about October 15, 2014.

The Company understands the impact this decision will have on employees, their families and the local community. Resolute will work with union representatives and government officials to respond to the needs of affected employees and encourage a smooth transition. Management will also ensure that each employee receives support, that the relevant conditions in the collective agreements are respected, and that as many employees as possible are transferred to other Company facilities.

"We will do our utmost to ensure employee safety during the transition. We will also work closely with our customers to continue to meet their needs," added Garneau.

SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc.

Published in Canadian News

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. has announced the launch of a new research and development joint venture, Performance BioFilaments Inc. Jointly owned with Mercer International Inc., Performance BioFilaments will work to develop commercial applications for cellulose filaments, a new source of sustainable biomaterial made from wood fiber that can improve the strength and durability of many commercial and consumer products found on the market today.

"Today's launch highlights our ongoing effort to drive innovation in the forest products industry," said Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Resolute will provide funding and expertise to Performance BioFilaments, supporting the venture's research and development capabilities that aim to bring sustainable products to a broad spectrum of industries."

Cellulose filaments are made from wood fiber, one of nature's most abundant materials, and are used to add strength, stability, flexibility and longevity to a variety of materials, including cement, composites and coatings.


Related Story : Mercer International Inc. Announces Joint Venture With Resolute Forest Products Inc.


"The strength of cellulose filaments can be compared to that of synthetic reinforcement fibers made from non-renewable petroleum inputs," said Gurminder Minhas, Managing Director of Performance BioFilaments. "The difference is that cellulose filaments are entirely renewable, with a very low carbon footprint. We're thrilled to debut this company with the launch of this kind of revolutionary product."

Cellulose filaments are adaptable for use in the aviation, marine, aerospace, electronics, manufacturing and construction sectors, as well as in paint and consumer products. Their unique, ribbon-like composition has the potential to improve the quality of various materials, and the product is considered to have significant cost advantages compared to alternatives.

FPInnovations Inc., one of Canada's leading scientific organizations working in forest products research and development, will produce the material. Performance BioFilaments will have access to all current and future cellulose filament research being advanced at a third-party mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec - the world's first five-metric-ton-per-day cellulose filament demonstration plant that started up earlier this year.

For more information, please visit www.performancebiofilaments.com.

Published in Canadian News

mercer logoMercer International Inc. ("Mercer" or "the Company") has announced the launch of a new joint venture company called Performance BioFilaments Inc. ("Performance BioFilaments") established to commercialize an innovative biomaterial derived from wood fiber called cellulose filaments. The joint venture will be equally owned with Resolute Forest Products Inc. ("Resolute"), a leader in the forest products business.

Cellulose filaments are derived from wood pulp which has been processed using innovative technology licensed from FPInnovations Inc. ("FPInnovations"), one of the world's leading forest products research organizations. The cellulose filaments' exceptional strength and high aspect ratio make it a unique cellulose-based biomaterial. We believe it has the potential to make a wide array of consumer and industrial products stronger, lighter, more flexible and more durable, while leveraging a sustainable and renewable resource with a low carbon footprint.

"Commercializing cellulose filaments represents a compelling business opportunity developed through our focus on collaborative innovation and takes one of our initiatives to the next level," says Jimmy S.H. Lee, President and Chairman of Mercer. "We are excited to be working jointly with Resolute, which allows us to leverage our respective global research knowledge and resources to implement the commercialization process for this high potential material."

Performance BioFilaments will seek joint development partners from a range of industries – from automotive and manufacturing, to construction and high-end consumer products – to develop new commercial product applications for cellulose filaments. While we are optimistic about the potential for commercialization of this product, we recognize that, as with the development of all novel product applications, the process can be lengthy and without assurances.

Performance BioFilaments will build upon the significant investment made by FPInnovations in technology development and production through its current C$43.1 million cellulose filaments project. All of the know-how gained from their project, as well as commercial development quantities of cellulose filaments, will be available to Performance BioFilaments for its commercialization efforts.

About Performance BioFilaments Inc.

Performance BioFilaments Inc., a joint venture between Mercer International Inc. and Resolute Forest Products Inc., is focused on the development of commercial applications for cellulose filaments, one of the world's most exciting new biomaterials. Cellulose filaments can be used to enhance the performance characteristics of a wide variety of products. Derived from wood fiber – a renewable and natural resource – cellulose filaments optimize the strength, stability, flexibility and longevity of a variety of materials including composites, coatings and consumer products. For more information, please visit www.performancebiofilaments.com.

About Mercer International Inc.

Mercer International Inc. is the world's largest producer of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft ("NBSK") market pulp and has become a leader among forest products companies in embracing the bio-economy and maximizing value derived from residual forest resources. Mercer has three modern, large-scale pulp mills located in Germany (Rosenthal and Stendal), as well as BC, Canada (Celgar). The Company's total NBSK pulp production capacity is 1.54 million tonnes per year.

The mills utilize all parts of the wood they process to create not only pulp, but also valuable by-products. These by-products often provide renewable alternatives to traditionally petrochemical-based materials. For example, Mercer's mills have a combined green energy generation capacity of 305 MW. All of the mills are net exporters of energy, meaning they produce more energy than they consume. Biochemicals have become an increasingly important by-product of Mercer's pulping process, as well.

The Company's shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market (MERC) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MRI.U). For more information, please visit www.mercerint.com.

About Resolute Forest Products Inc.

Resolute Forest Products Inc. is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. Resolute owns or operates nearly 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada. The shares of Resolute trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.resolutefp.com.

Published in North American News

High cancer rates in Thunder Bay, Ont. has both past and present mill workers concerned that there might be a connection to their paper plant.

As a result, they have enlisted an occupational health clinic to determine whether workers contracted cancer from the chemicals or processes at the northern Ontario paper mill. A joint committee was formed between management and labour representatives from the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) to address the health and safety concerns of workers, who have shown a high risk of cancer.

Bob Hoffman, CEP’s representative on the health and safety committee, said he has been approached by both workers who fear that conditions at the mill contributed and could still be contributing to their cancer development.

“We noticed a high rate of cancer, especially around different processes at the mill,” explained Hoffman, who is also the local CEP chapter’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) co-ordinator. “[Workers] were concerned that some of the chemicals on that machine may have contributed to cancer … One chemical might be safe, but when you combine it with another chemical, what happens to that? We don’t know.”

Hoffman said that they have circulated a survey to begin to determine whether there is a connection. The survey asks past and present workers whether they had cancer, what type of cancer and if they can provide medical history. Hoffman added that in recent decades, the five major paper mills in Thunder Bay have cleaned up their processes.

“We’re trying to determine if there’s a correlation,” he went on to say. “Through this survey, if we do determine this has done anything wrong, or we do determine they are cancerous, we want those eliminated too. We could do an inventory of the possible carcinogens in the mill and get rid of them.”

After the preliminary data is collected from former and current employees, it will be sent to the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), where it will remain confidential.

Donna Campbell is the executive director at OHCOW’s Thunder Bay and Sudbury clinics. She said that they are in the very beginning stages of their data collection, but the latency period of cancer means many forms of the disease can take years to manifest in the body. Therefore, some of the processes at the mill may have already been cleaned up — but if not, that would need to be corrected.

“If there is no issue, then there is no point looking into anything right now. If it happens to be that we find there are cancers that are believed to be work-related, then we, through that joint committee, would work with them,” Campbell said. “Have the exposures been rectified? If not, then let’s look at what’s causing the cancer and let’s eliminate it at the source.”

The Thunder Bay paper mill is owned by Resolute Forest Products Inc., who is also a part of the joint-health and safety committee. Though a spokesperson from Resolute Forest Products could not be reached for a comment, Campbell said it is encouraging to see a company willingly pursue an investigative health and safety initiative.

“What this is all about is prevention. There may be that there could be some WSIB claims, but the goal is that those do not happen in the future and we work in a manner in order to ensure that this is done,” she said.

The surveys are due back to OHCOW on May 3.

Published in Canadian News

Resolute Forest Products has issued its 2012 Annual Report, which includes an overview of the Company's 2012 sustainability performance. While Resolute will continue to produce its Annual Sustainability Report using Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, the Company is now also integrating sustainability performance information into its annual financial disclosure.

"Resolute recognizes that focusing on sustainability is good business. Our decision to produce a report combining financial and sustainability performance demonstrates our commitment to balancing environmental, social and economic priorities," said Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We work hard to integrate sustainability into the way we do business because we believe this approach brings value to our customers, our shareholders, our employees and the communities where we live and work."

In 2012, Resolute made important progress on several of its key sustainability commitments, including:

Carbon Management - As part of its membership in the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program, Resolute committed to achieving a reduction in absolute greenhouse gas emissions of 65% below 2000 levels by 2015. In 2012, Resolute achieved a reduction of over 62% and is on track to meet its WWF commitment.

Fiber Sourcing - The Company obtained chain of custody certification at all of its North American pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities, to either Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)®, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) standards.

Forest Certification - Resolute is at the forefront of fiber certification, with 100% of the woodlands managed by the Company certified to internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. Resolute is progressing toward its commitment to add FSC certification to 80% of its managed woodlands by 2015, and as of press time for the report, the Company had reached 65% certification. In 2012, Resolute achieved the distinction of being the largest manager of FSC-certified forests in the world. Taken all together, the Company's FSC-certified forests cover an area larger than Greece.

Product Stewardship - The Company launched its AlignTM brand of eco-efficient, budget-friendly, high-performance papers, which are made using 50% less fiber and fewer chemicals than competitive papers. Depending on the grade, the carbon footprint for Align papers is 35% to 86% lower than for competitive papers.

First Nations - Resolute developed and published a formal policy on First Nations relations.

Health and Safety - The Company achieved a world-class Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) incident rate of 1.13, meeting Resolute's goal of 1.2 or below. For 2013, the Company is committed to further reducing the number of workplace injuries and has set an OSHA target of 1.0 or below.

While the 2012 Annual Report is Resolute's first report combining financial and sustainability performance, this is the Company's fourth year publishing sustainability-related performance data. More comprehensive data and details related to the Company's sustainability performance for 2012 will be included in its GRI-compliant Annual Sustainability Report to be released online later this year. 

SOURCE: Resolute Forest Products Inc.

Published in Canadian News

abiti122011Resolute Forest Products Inc. has announced the indefinite idling of a newsprint machine at its Calhoun mill in Tennessee. The idling comes as a result of a decrease in demand for newsprint, coupled with high operating costs for the machine, which produced 215,000 metric tons per year. The decision follows Resolute's March 11 acquisition of the 49% interest in Calhoun Newsprint Company ("CNC") owned by The Herald Publishing Company, LLC, its joint-venture partner.

The Calhoun mill, which presently employs 610 workers, will continue to operate the two specialty paper machines and the pulp dryer. The announcement will affect approximately 150 positions at the mill.

The Company recognizes the impacts this decision will have on the employees concerned and their families. Severance will be provided to affected employees according to the local labor agreement or the corporate policy for salaried employees.  Outplacement assistance will be made available through government agencies. 

SOURCE: Resolute Forest Products Inc.

Published in North American News
Page 5 of 10