Sappi Italia srl, Sappi Europe’s Italian sales organisation, signed an agreement on December 23rd 2014 to acquire Corexim, Sappi’s agent for Release Paper in Italy since 1979.

Pablo Grounauer (71), CEO and owner of Corexim took the decision to sell his business to Sappi. He will gradually cease activities within the company, handing over to Mrs Iris Scharloo, Business Unit Manager Release Paper Sappi Europe, who will replace him on the operational side. Corexim employed 4 people who will continue in their current jobs, now working for Sappi Europe.

Business will continue as usual following the acquisition, with no impact on customers since the people, location and contact information remain unchanged.

“We thank Mr Grounauer for his fantastic work and the successful management of the agency over the years. He has a great understanding of the market, thorough knowledge of the products he sells and an eye for good designs, developing many successful Sappi patterns that are sold all over the world. Sappi and Corexim have established a strong relationship over the years. On this basis, Sappi is very excited about the acquisition,” says Roberto Guerrera, managing director Sappi Italia.

Mr Gronauer adds ”I’m happy that Corexim is in the good hands of Sappi Europe. I’m confident that it is a good fit and that the acquisition will benefit us all. I am especially pleased that the Corexim team will remain in place, reflecting their commitment, passion and professionalism – values that I have worked hard to establish within the company.”

About Sappi Warren Release Paper

Release paper is used as a mould to put texture on other surfaces, ranging from manmade wood and leather to engineered films and rubber. The textures are developed and produced in Sappi’s Westbrook Mill in America and are sold to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa by our teams based in Belgium and Italy. Release paper is used to manufacture products that surround us in our everyday lives from sports gear, shoes and handbags, sofas and chairs, laminate flooring, work surfaces and waterproof clothing, to aircraft and car interiors.

About Sappi

Sappi Europe SA is the leading European producer of coated fine paper used in premium magazines, catalogues, books and high-end print advertising. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Sappi Europe is recognised for innovation and quality. Its graphic paper brands include Magno™, Quatro™, Vantage™, Royal™, Galerie™, GalerieArt™ and Jaz™ ranges. Algro®, Fusion®, Leine® and Parade® are the brands for speciality labelling, topliner, packaging papers and boards.

Sappi papers are produced in mills accredited with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification and EMAS registration for all our mills in the EU. Sappi European mills hold chain-of-custody certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) and/or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC™) schemes.

Sappi Europe SA is a division of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 13,500 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries, sales offices in 50 countries, and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at www.sappi.com.

Resolute 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.

Catalyst Paper Corporation (TSX:CYT) has announced the appointment of Greg Maule as Senior Vice-President, US Operations and Linda McClinchy as Vice-President, US Supply Chain.

Mr. Maule has held a progression of positions with increasing responsibility in paper operations leading to the role of mill manager at several large pulp and paper facilities in the Midwest. Most recently, he was Vice-President, Manufacturing Operations at NewPage Corporation. Mr. Maule brings with him more than 25 years of experience to oversee the optimization of productivity, quality and efficiency of Catalyst's mills in Biron, Wisconsin and Rumford, Maine. Mr. Maule holds a Master of Science, Pulp and Paper Engineering from the Institute of Paper Science and Technology.

Ms. McClinchy, who will lead the customer supply chain for Catalyst's US operations, most recently held the position of Vice-President, Customer Service at NewPage Corporation. She brings more than 30 years of experience in customer service, planning and scheduling, and logistics to this new role. Ms. McClinchy holds a Master of Business Administration from Lake Superior State University.

"I'm excited about the expertise and industry knowledge that Mr. Maule and Ms. McClinchy will bring to our Company, and I'm confident in their ability to achieve our US business objectives, while enabling the effective alignment of our North American operations," says Joe Nemeth, President and Chief Executive Officer.

About Catalyst Paper Corporation
Catalyst manufactures diverse specialty mechanical printing papers, newsprint and pulp. Its customers include retailers, publishers and commercial printers in North America, Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Europe. With five mills across North America, Catalyst has annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes. Catalyst is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada and is ranked by Corporate Knights magazine as one of the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada.

SOURCE Catalyst Paper Corporation

For further information:

For investor inquiries: Brian Baarda, Vice-President, Finance & CFO, 604-329-5370, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., For media inquiries: Eduarda Hodgins, Director, Organization Development & Communications, 604-290-3547, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This information is being distributed to you by / Cette information vous est transmise par : Catalyst Paper Corporation

2nd Floor, 3600 Lysander Lane, Richmond, BC, V7B 1C3, Canada
www.catalystpaper.com

Combined Verso Better Positioned to Deliver Long-Term Value for Stakeholders in Increasingly Competitive Industry

Verso Corporation (NYSE: VRS), a leading North American producer of printing and specialty papers and pulp, has announced the completion of its acquisition of NewPage Holdings Inc. The transaction, valued at approximately $1.4 billion, originally was announced on January 6, 2014. With the completion of the NewPage acquisition, Verso will have approximately $3.5 billion in annual sales and approximately 5,800 employees in eight mills across six states.

"The combination of Verso and NewPage creates a stronger, more stable company with an effective strategy to weather industry headwinds and reduce operating costs, while ensuring our customers continue to benefit from the distinctive quality and service that they have come to expect from us," said David J. Paterson, Verso's president and chief executive officer. "We continue to face increased competition from electronic substitution for print and from international producers, but as a larger, more efficient organization with a sustainable capital structure, we are better positioned to deliver solid results despite the industry's continuing challenges."

The combination is expected to result in substantial cost synergies over the next 18 months. "With the complementary asset base and shared strategic focus on coated paper manufacturing, this acquisition represents a relatively low integration risk, so we remain confident that we can deliver the synergies within the expected timeframe," Paterson said.

"This combination and the related financial transactions have created value for the securities holders of both companies," said Mark Angelson, chairman of NewPage. "Our customers, our employees and the communities in which they live and work will be in able hands with the new Verso team as they navigate the turbulent waters of this challenging industry. I thank our directors and management for a job well done in safely landing our ship, and wish the Verso team well going forward."

Divestiture of Biron and Rumford Mills

In a related transaction, immediately prior to Verso's acquisition of NewPage, NewPage completed the divestiture of its paper mill in Biron, Wisconsin, and its pulp and paper mill in Rumford, Maine, to Catalyst Paper Operations Inc., a subsidiary of Catalyst Paper Corporation. The divestiture, originally announced on October 30, 2014, was undertaken pursuant to a settlement with the United States Department of Justice that enabled the NewPage acquisition to proceed.

Name Change

Promptly after the NewPage acquisition was completed, Verso changed its name from Verso Paper Corp. to Verso Corporation. The name change symbolizes Verso's intention to broaden its business platform and seek alternative revenue streams to augment its core printing papers, specialty papers and pulp segments. Verso's ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: VRS) will remain the same. Verso's website address has been changed to www.versoco.com.

Leadership and Governance

As previously announced, Verso's existing senior leadership team will continue to lead the organization, with Paterson continuing as president and CEO. The rest of Verso's senior leadership team consists of the following persons, each of whom currently is an executive of Verso:

• Lyle J. Fellows, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Energy, is responsible for the mill and converting network, forest resources, manufacturing technology and energy.
• Robert P. Mundy, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has responsibility for all financial areas, including financial planning and analysis, tax, corporate finance and treasury functions, accounting and audit functions, and investor relations.
• Michael A. Weinhold, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Development, is responsible for sales, marketing, e-commerce, new business development, planning, logistics, customer service, field technical sales, product development and pricing management.
• Peter H. Kesser, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, has responsibility for all legal matters, including governance and compliance.
• Kenneth D. Sawyer, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Communications, is responsible for all human resources and people systems, including talent management and development, labor relations, performance management, compensation and benefits, as well as communications and public affairs.
• Benjamin Hinchman, IV, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, has responsibility for the planning, development and operation of all information technology systems.
• Joseph C. Duffy, Vice President of Integrated Planning and Control, is responsible for the integration of the two companies and other business coordination and planning activities.

In addition, following the NewPage acquisition, Verso's board of directors increased its size from 9 to 10 directors and elected Robert M. Amen, formerly a director of NewPage, to serve as a director of Verso. Mr. Amen will serve as a Class I director whose term expires at Verso's 2015 annual meeting of stockholders. It is anticipated that Mr. Amen will be nominated for election by Verso's stockholders at such meeting to serve for a term of three years.

Adjustment of Debt Securities

Adjustable Second Lien Notes

As a result of the consummation of the NewPage acquisition, and effective as of its closing date, the provisions of the Adjustable Second Lien Notes issued by Verso Paper Holdings LLC and Verso Paper Inc. were adjusted as follows: (1) the principal amount of the notes has been adjusted such that a holder of $1,000 principal amount of notes immediately prior to the acquisition now will hold $593.75 principal amount of notes (any adjusted notes that do not bear an authorized denomination will be rounded down); (2) the maturity date of the notes has been extended from February 1, 2019, to August 1, 2020; (3) the interest rate has been adjusted such that the notes bear interest from and after the NewPage acquisition date at a rate of 10% per annum payable entirely in cash plus 3% per annum payable entirely by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding notes or by issuing additional notes; (4) the optional redemption provisions have been adjusted as provided in the indenture governing the notes; and (5) certain other terms and conditions of the notes have been modified as set forth in the indenture governing the notes. As a result of the principal adjustment, the outstanding principal amount of the Adjustable Second Lien Notes was reduced by approximately $121.6 million from about $299.4 million before the NewPage closing date to approximately $177.7 million afterwards.

Adjustable Subordinated Notes

As a result of the consummation of the NewPage acquisition, and effective as of its closing date, the provisions of the Adjustable Subordinated Notes issued by Verso Paper Holdings LLC and Verso Paper Inc. were adjusted as follows: (1) the principal amount of the notes has been adjusted such that a holder of $1,000 principal amount of notes immediately prior to the acquisition now will hold $620 principal amount of notes (any adjusted notes that do not bear an authorized denomination will be rounded down); (2) the maturity date of the notes has been extended from August 1, 2016, to August 1, 2020; (3) the interest rate has been adjusted such that the notes bear interest from and after the NewPage acquisition date at a rate of 11% per annum payable entirely in cash plus 5% per annum payable entirely by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding notes or by issuing additional notes; (4) the optional redemption provisions have been adjusted as provided in the indenture governing the notes; and (5) certain other terms and conditions of the notes have been modified as set forth in the indenture governing the notes. As a result of the principal adjustment, the outstanding principal amount of the Adjustable Subordinated Notes was reduced by approximately $38.8 million from about $102.0 million before the NewPage closing date to approximately $63.2 million afterwards.

Conversion of Warrants

As a result of the consummation of the NewPage acquisition, and effective as of its closing date, a total of 14,701,832 warrants were mandatorily converted into a like number of shares of Verso common stock, without the payment of consideration. Verso originally issued the warrants on August 1, 2014, as part of the debt exchange offers in which the Adjustable Second Lien Notes and the Adjustable Subordinated Notes were issued.

Transaction Advisors

In connection with the NewPage acquisition and related financing transactions, Evercore, Barclays and Credit Suisse served as Verso's M&A advisors, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP provided legal services to Verso. Goldman, Sachs & Co. served as NewPage's M&A advisor, and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal services to NewPage.

Investor Webcast

Verso will host a webcast for investors and analysts on Thursday, January 8, 2015, starting at 10 a.m., Eastern Standard Time. Analysts and investors may access the live conference call by dialing 719-325-2320 or, within the U.S. and Canada only, 888-208-1812, access code 6031982. To register, please dial in 10 minutes before the conference call begins. The conference call and presentation materials can be accessed through Verso's website at investor.versopaper.com by navigating to the Events page, or at http://investor.versopaper.com/eventdetail.cfm?EventID=154368. A telephonic replay of the conference call can be accessed by dialing 719-457-0820 or, within the U.S. and Canada only, 888-203-1112, access code 6031982. This replay will be available starting January 8, 2015, at 1 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, and will remain available for 14 days.

About Verso

Verso Corporation is a leading North American producer of printing papers, specialty papers and pulp. Our printing papers are designed primarily for commercial printing, media and marketing applications, including magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail, corporate collateral and retail inserts. Our specialty papers are used primarily for label and release liner, flexible packaging and technical paper applications. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Verso operates eight mills strategically located in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Additional information about Verso, including our recent acquisition of NewPage Holdings Inc., is available at www.versoco.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

In this press release, all statements that are not purely historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available business, economic, financial and other information and reflect management's current beliefs, expectations and views with respect to future developments and their potential effects on Verso. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties that may affect Verso and its business. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Verso's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Verso assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement made in this press release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances or actual outcomes.

For more information:

Media:

Amber Best
937-242-9093 (office)
937-344-9510 (mobile)
Email Contact

Amy Sawyer McDonald
207-213-7710
Email Contact

Investors:

Robert P. Mundy
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
901-369-4128
Email Contact

Source: Verso Corporation

Catalyst Paper Corporation (TSX: CYT) ("Catalyst") is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of the Biron paper mill located in Wisconsin and the Rumford pulp and paper mill located in Maine, USA that was previously announced on October 30, 2014 (the "Acquisition"), from NewPage Corporation, NewPage Wisconsin System Inc., and Rumford Paper Company (the "Sellers"). The cash payment made on closing was US$62.4 million, after giving effect to an adjustment under the purchase agreement based on estimated working capital at closing, and the final purchase price is subject to certain additional post-closing adjustments.

"This acquisition represents a new chapter in the history of Catalyst Paper," says Joe Nemeth, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With the addition of the Rumford and Biron mills, Catalyst becomes a larger and stronger company with five facilities across North America and an estimated production capacity of 2.1 million tons of paper and 500 thousand tons of pulp. Catalyst is now the only producer in North America with manufacturing facilities in the West, Midwest and East, and has an enhanced product suite to effectively meet global customer needs."

On closing of the Acquisition Catalyst, through its subsidiary, also acquired from the Sellers certain properties and assets used to operate the two mills. Catalyst and its subsidiaries also entered into various ancillary agreements with the Sellers providing for, among other things, the purchase and sale of certain raw materials to and from the mills, transition of certain customer orders and accounts, license or transfer of certain intellectual property rights, treatment and disposal of waste and wastewater and certain transitional services.

Catalyst will commence reporting operating and production information for the Rumford and Biron mills with its First Quarter Report.

The Acquisition was financed through advances under Catalyst's ABL Credit Facility. As previously announced, Catalyst entered into an amendment to its ABL Credit Facility to increase the maximum amount of credit available thereunder from CDN$175.0 million to CDN$225.0 million.

Catalyst has also closed today its previously announced US$25.0 million (principal amount) offering (the "Offering") of PIK Toggle Senior Secured Notes ("Offered Notes"). The Offered Notes are on substantially the same terms and form part of the same series as Catalyst's existing PIK Toggle Senior Secured Notes. The Offered Notes were issued at a 20% discount to face value with Catalyst receiving gross proceeds under the Offering of US$20 million. The proceeds of the Offering are intended to provide additional working capital and to pay down a portion of the balance under the ABL Credit Facility. As a result of the Offering, Catalyst now has US$260.5 million principal amount of outstanding PIK Toggle Senior Secured Notes.

About Catalyst Paper Corporation
Catalyst manufactures diverse specialty mechanical printing papers, newsprint and pulp. Its customers include retailers, publishers and commercial printers in North America, Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Europe. With five mills across North America, Catalyst has annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes. Catalyst is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada and is ranked by Corporate Knights magazine as one of the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements:

Statements in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements.

Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words or phrases such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "projects," "estimates," "assumes," "intends," "strategy," "goals," "objectives," "potential" or variations thereof, or statements to the effect that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms or similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things: estimated production capacity, the integration of the Rumford and Biron Mill, and Catalyst's operations and products after the closing of the Acquisition. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied, including: the ability to successfully integrate the Acquisition; the impact of general economic conditions in the countries in which Catalyst does business; conditions in the capital markets and Catalyst's ability to obtain financing and refinance existing debt; market conditions and demand for Catalyst's products (including declines in advertising and circulation); the implementation of trade restrictions in jurisdictions where Catalyst's products are marketed; fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates; raw material prices (including wood fibre, chemicals and energy); the effect of, or change in, environmental and other governmental regulations; uncertainty relating to labour relations; the availability of qualified personnel; the availability of wood fibre; legal proceedings; the effects of competition from domestic and foreign producers; the risk of natural disaster and other factors, many of which are beyond Catalyst's control, including those risks and uncertainties identified under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in Catalyst's management's discussion and analysis contained in Catalyst's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2013 available on Catalyst's website at www.catalystpaper.com/investors and at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov.

Forward-looking statements are based on what Catalyst's management considers to be reasonable assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions based on the information currently available to it. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, Catalyst's ability to successfully integrate the Biron and Rumford paper mills; Catalyst's ability to manufacture and sell new products and services that meet the needs of its customers and gain commercial acceptance; Catalyst's ability to continue to sell its products and services in the expected quantities at the expected prices and expected times; Catalyst's ability to successfully obtain cost savings from its cost reduction initiatives; Catalyst's ability to implement business strategies and pursue opportunities; expected cost of goods sold; expected component supply costs and constraints; and expected foreign exchange and tax rates. Catalyst cannot assure you that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and Catalyst does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Catalyst Paper Corporation

For further information:

For investor inquiries: Brian Baarda, Vice-President, Finance & CFO, 604-247-4710, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; For media inquiries: Eduarda Hodgins, Director, Organization Development & Communications, 604-247-4369, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mapal Green Energy, developers of the innovative floating fine bubble aeration system for wastewater treatment has announced a technology link up with Xylem Water Solutions, a leading provider of fluid handling solutions in the UK and Ireland.

With a focus on delivering energy efficient solutions, Xylem is the UK’s largest provider of water and wastewater treatment solutions. Mapal Green Energy’s Floating Fine Bubble Aeration (FFBA™) system is currently in use in some 40 locations worldwide, with applications ranging from pulp and paper mills to food processing. In the UK, it is best known for its work with water companies including Anglian Water, Thames Water and United Utilities, all of whom have committed to the FFBA™ concept.

Traditional mechanical surface aeration systems are often inefficient in terms of oxygen transfer rate and they use high volumes of energy. In addition, they are generally unreliable and have high ongoing maintenance costs.   Sub surface aeration systems offer benefits of increased efficiency and resulting lower energy costs and are extremely reliable.  However, in certain situations such as when there is a single aeration train, this type of aeration can prove to be difficult to install due to a need for an empty reactor.  This is where Mapal come in.

Mapal’s floating fine bubble aeration approaches the challenge of waste water biological oxidation ,  both municipal and industrial, by marrying the strengths of surface aeration technology – easy to install and accessible for maintenance - with the efficiency of sub surface fine bubble aeration systems. Its solutions can deliver energy savings of between 50% and 70%, when compared to existing mechanical aeration installations.

Commenting on the new tie-up, Mapal GE CEO Zeev Fisher said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Xylem – their expertise in both the municipal and industrial markets will give a huge boost to our plans to roll out our floating fine bubble aeration technology across these markets. We will work jointly on project planning and installation and supply our hardware solutions, so complementing Xylem’s expertise perfectly.”

Adam Bond, Sales Manager – Biological Treatment at Xylem Water Solutions UK adds, “We were attracted by the huge potential for energy savings which the Mapal FFBA™ system demonstrates, potential which has already been recognised by Thames Water, United Utilities and Anglian Water. Mapal’s energy saving message fits perfectly with our corporate ethos of delivering intelligent, energy efficient solutions, something that will be particularly important in the new AMP6 cycle.”

For details of Mapal Green Energy’s floating fine bubble aeration technology, please visit http://www.mapal-ge.com

Mapal Green Energy pioneered the concept of floating fine bubble aeration (FFBA)as a more efficient means of treating waste water for both utility companies and industry applications.

Floating fine bubble aeration approaches the challenge of waste water biological aeration by marrying the strengths of surface aeration technology – easy to install and accessible for maintenance - with the efficiency which is derived from sub surface fine bubble aeration systems. With no moving parts generating friction and driving high energy consumption, a key benefit for users of Mapal Green Energy’s floating fine bubble aeration system is its dramatically reduced energy bill.

Tests around the world have shown that in some cases, compared to surface aeration, a plant’s energy consumption can be reduced by up to 70% using the Mapal system,

With over 35 installations worldwide, Mapal's floating fine bubble aeration technology has been proved to meet and exceed stringent effluent quality parameters including the reduction of : BOD5, TSS, COD, Tkn and Ammonia.

In the UK, the system is being used by Anglian Water, Thames Water and United Utilities.

Mapal’s innovative equipment floats on the surface, so wet and live installation is the norm, which makes for a very fast changeover of plant and a minimal downtime. The units are made from robust stainless steel, so have a long life and as a modular system, the installation can be added to or reduced quickly and easily. Thus far, their largest UK installation is designed to handle a flow rate of up to 10,450m3/day in wet weather.

The Mapal technology can be adapted for aggressive and hazardous liquids and is therefore suitable for application across a wide range of industry sectors where a solution based on aeration is required. Liquid waste from the paper, food and beverages, petro chemicals and other industries can all be treated.

Following the successful SYMOP 2013 Paper Seminar in Jakarta and Surabaya, the French SYMOP Paper group is pleased to be back in Indonesia at ASIAN PAPER JAKARTA 2015 to reinforce relationships with the influential and important players in Indonesia. 

France is in the European Economic Community, and is an important exporter of machinery for paper and board industries. The French Machinery Manufacturers for paper and board industries have established a firm foothold in international markets for many years. More than one hundred countries have chosen them as their partner to whom they export 80 percent of their national production.

They are a dynamic group of companies, whose aim is the promotion of French machines and French companies. Created years ago as a private professional Association SYMOP (French Association for manufacturing), it gathers 250 companies in 12 groups, including one on manufacturers of machinery and equipment for the paper and board industry. SYMOP nurtures the dynamism, professionalism, competence and creativity of the French member companies. 

French companies have established and will continue to ensure a leadership position in the international paper and board industry. They are expanding in the paper and board markets with extremely targeted products and for industries requiring integrated manufacturing processes.

Employing more than 2,000 people with a continuously growing turnover, and backed by specialized research centres, the French manufacturers have dominant positions in their specialties. Most of them now hold significant share in world markets, due to the simultaneous implementation of technologically advanced machinery, and reliability and the services required in large-scale exporting and automation. Their success in these areas guarantees a productive future, and gives French machinery an advantage over the competition.

The specialized sectors of the French paper and board machinery industries are:

- Equipment for stock preparation, paper/board

- Board and paper machines and sections of machines

- Paper machine parts and elements for paper machines and ancillary circuits

- Drying

- Engineering

- Laboratory equipment

- Training

In the context of strong international competition, French manufacturers have not gained this leading position in the market by chance: innovation, skills, machine quality, excellent customer service provided throughout the entire sales process, and a worldwide presence grants them the strong reputation and professionalism required to resolve market problems and meet market requirements.

The French machinery manufacturers for paper and board industries and their Association SYMOP are present in all the major events of the paper and board machinery industries. They also take part in the major specialised machinery exhibitions all over the world.

The active and regular presence in the foreign markets is clear proof of their strong commitment for the development of partnerships.

"We are excited by the many possibilities that Jakarta has to offer," said Mr. Gilles Gaubert, SYMOP, Trade Group and International Manager.

In January 2005, Cyclone Gudrun swept over Götaland in southern Sweden, felling about 200 million trees, or 75 million cubic metres of wood, in the process. Now, 10 years later, the forest's balance has been restored. "Replanting has continued apace and forest regeneration of the storm clearings has been satisfactory," explained Göran Örlander, Head of Forest Management at Södra.

On the night between 8-9 January 2005, Cyclone Gudrun swept across southern Sweden. Wind speeds of up to 33 m/s were registered in Småland, causing enormous damage to Södra members' forest estates. At the storm's peak, 415,000 households were without electricity and several communities were cut off.

"It was only after we had spent a few days performing an inventory that we fully understood the extent of the damage to our members' forests. Many of us were shocked to discover the huge losses sustained by the forest in the storm and, at Södra, this entailed an entirely new way of working to help our members recover," remarked Örlander.

Following intensive and large-scale efforts to process the trees felled by the cyclone, Södra simultaneously stored more than 10 million cubic metres of storm-felled timber at terminals and mills and on roadways. The last of the terminal stocks of storm-felled timber were collected from the Asige terminal in Halland in late November 2009. And two days before Christmas Eve in 2009, the last of the logs that were felled in the storm were sawn at Södra's Värö sawmill.

"In hindsight, we can conclude that the damage was not as bad as we first feared," added Örlander. "We were enormously lucky in terms of the weather. It was also significant that insect populations were low in early 2005, which meant that the felled trees were not damaged. We can also see that the young forests are growing well in the clearings that we have replanted."

Among Södra's members, an estimated 40 million cubic metres of timber were blown over, which was equivalent to about four annual harvests at the time.

To find out more, please contact:
Göran Örlander, Head of Forest Management
Tel: +46 470 89 362

Catalyst Paper Corporation (TSX: CYT) ("Catalyst") has announced that an important milestone has been achieved in the previously announced acquisition by Catalyst of the Biron paper mill in Wisconsin and the Rumford pulp and paper mill in Maine, USA from NewPage Corporation, NewPage Wisconsin System Inc. and Rumford Paper Company (the "Acquisition").

This step forward was made possible by the announcement by the United States Department of Justice that it had filed a Proposed Final Judgment and a Hold Separate Stipulation and Order with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, embodying a consent settlement in connection with the proposed acquisition by Verso Paper Corp. of NewPage Holdings Inc. (the "Verso Transaction"). Subject to the Verso Transaction being completed and certain other closing conditions being met, Catalyst will be able to proceed with the Acquisition and anticipates a closing date on or about January 7, 2015.

"This Acquisition enhances our long-term competitiveness and is expected to make Catalyst a stronger company more effectively positioned for the future," says Joe Nemeth, President and CEO. "With the addition of the Biron and Rumford mills, Catalyst will be able to offer its new and existing customers a more diversified and higher-value product suite, complemented by our commitment to quality service focused on understanding and meeting our customers' needs."

As previously disclosed, Catalyst anticipates that the $50.0 million increase in the maximum amount of credit available under Catalyst's asset-based credit facility and US$25.0 million (principal amount) offering (the "Offering") of additional PIK toggle senior secured notes will close concurrently with the Acquisition, subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") in case of the Offering.

As described in more detail in Catalyst's November 28, 2014 news release, pursuant to TSX rules, closing of the Offering is subject to shareholder approval, excluding shares held by two insiders of Catalyst that would be eligible to acquire notes under the Offering. Catalyst has obtained written consents of shareholders sufficient to satisfy such TSX requirement.

About Catalyst Paper Corporation
Catalyst manufactures diverse specialty mechanical printing papers, newsprint and pulp. Its customers include retailers, publishers and commercial printers in North America, Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Europe. With three mills in British Columbia, Catalyst has annual production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes. Catalyst is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada and is ranked by Corporate Knights magazine as one of the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements:
Statements in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words or phrases such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "projects," "estimates," "assumes," "intends," "strategy," "goals," "objectives," "potential" or variations thereof, or statements to the effect that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms or similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things: the closing and the timing of the closing of the Verso Transaction, the increase in the asset-based credit facility, the Offering, the Acquisition and Catalyst's operations and products after the closing. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied, including: the ability to successfully integrate the Acquisition; the impact of general economic conditions in the countries in which Catalyst does business; conditions in the capital markets and Catalyst's ability to obtain financing and refinance existing debt; market conditions and demand for Catalyst's products (including declines in advertising and circulation); the implementation of trade restrictions in jurisdictions where Catalyst's products are marketed; fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates; raw material prices (including wood fibre, chemicals and energy); the effect of, or change in, environmental and other governmental regulations; uncertainty relating to labour relations; the availability of qualified personnel; the availability of wood fibre; legal proceedings; the effects of competition from domestic and foreign producers; the risk of natural disaster and other factors, many of which are beyond Catalyst's control, including those risks and uncertainties identified under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in Catalyst's management's discussion and analysis contained in Catalyst's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2013 available on Catalyst's website at www.catalystpaper.com/investors and at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov.

Forward-looking statements are based on what Catalyst's management considers to be reasonable assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions based on the information currently available to it. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, closing of the Verso Transaction, Catalyst's ability to successfully integrate the Biron and Rumford paper mills; Catalyst's ability to manufacture and sell new products and services that meet the needs of its customers and gain commercial acceptance; Catalyst's ability to continue to sell its products and services in the expected quantities at the expected prices and expected times; Catalyst's ability to successfully obtain cost savings from its cost reduction initiatives; Catalyst's ability to implement business strategies and pursue opportunities; expected cost of goods sold; expected component supply costs and constraints; and expected foreign exchange and tax rates. Catalyst cannot assure you that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and Catalyst does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Catalyst Paper Corporation

For further information:

For investor inquiries: Brian Baarda, Vice-President, Finance and CFO, 604-329-5370, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; For media inquiries: Eduarda Hodgins, Director, Organization Development & Communications, 604-290-3547, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This information is being distributed to you by / Cette information vous est transmise par : Catalyst Paper Corporation

2nd Floor, 3600 Lysander Lane, Richmond, BC, V7B 1C3, Canada
www.catalystpaper.com

Overseas shipments account for about 70% of global wood chip trade, with pulp mills in Japan and China being the major destinations, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. This trade is handled by specialty made wood chip carriers predominantly built in Japan and China. Many of the older and smaller vessels are likely to be scrapped in the next few years, and with new and larger ships being ordered, the average chip vessel is becoming larger.

International trade of wood chips has steadily increased over the past decade and will likely reach a record high of approximately 36 million tons in 2014, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). This has occurred because pulp and wood panel production capacity has increased in regions with a lack of sufficient supply of domestic wood fiber at competitive costs, and between neighboring countries when opportunities exist for pulp mills to cross country borders in search of marginal wood fiber volumes. This type of inter-continental trade flow can be seen between the US and Canada, Russia and Finland, and the Baltic States with the Nordic countries.

However, as much as 70% of the global chip trade is overseas with the major consuming countries being in Asia. This trade, valued at over 4.5 billion dollars, is handled by vessels that are specially built for carrying wood chips. There are currently 145 of these specialty ships circling the globe with a majority of them either sailing towards or en route from ports in Japan or China.

The oldest chip vessels are from the 1980’s, but it is expected that within a few years the world’s entire woodchip fleet will be less than 20 years old, according to the wood chip ship-brokering firm Arc Chartering. Looking ahead towards 2017, the chip vessel fleet will not only be younger, but will also contain fewer ships, and the average ship will be bigger than in 2014.

Between 10-15 smaller older ships are likely to be scrapped in the next few years, while roughly 5-10 new larger vessels may be built during 2015-17. With a declining number of chip vessels traveling the seas, there are currently fewer spot shipments and a high utilization of the existing fleet.

Historically, wood chip carriers have been built in Japan for Japanese trading houses and forest companies. However, in recent years Chinese shipyards have also built large vessels for Chinese customers. Japanese companies currently own approximately 75% of the world’s chip vessels, while Chinese companies own about 14% of the fleet, while other countries such as South Korea, Turkey, Thailand and Indonesia account for the remaining 11%. The share of non-Japanese owned chip carriers is likely to increase in the coming years.