RISI has announced the finalists for the PPI Awards 2010 program. The PPI Awards are the only global awards dedicated to recognizing the achievements of companies, mills and individuals in the pulp and paper sector.

The winners will be presented with their trophies at the PPI Awards 2010 ceremony to be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, at Le Plaza Hotel in Brussels, Belgium. HP and ColorLok have signed on as the headline sponsor for this year's awards program, while other leading companies are sponsoring specific categories.

The PPI Awards 2010 are being held in conjunction with CEPI European Paper Week. For more information, please visit the CEPI website: www.cepi.org RISI will also be organizing a half-day seminar on the afternoon of November 16 at Le Plaza Hotel. Several RISI experts and industry figures have confirmed their participation on the seminar program. For more information, please visit: www.risiinfo.com/events/ppi_awards/seminar.html

Mark Rushton, Editor of PPI magazine and chairman of the jury for the PPI Awards 2010, commented, "This is the second year we have organized the PPI Awards and we're very pleased again with the quality and quantity of the entries. We've received more entries from all parts of the globe this year. Making the finalists list is a great achievement for all the companies involved, but we would also like to thank all the people who took the time to enter this year. I look forward to seeing the finalists in Brussels in November."

Industry renowned names such as Teresa Presas (CEPI), Duncan Pollard (WWF), Rod Young (RISI), Roger Warwick (Association of Print and Paper Technicians) and Jim Keller (ICCA) were involved in the judging, along with other experts in different fields. RISI will be publishing more information on the finalists in the October issue of PPI magazine as well as on the RISI and PPI Awards websites.

To book your tickets to the industry event of the year, please visit: http://www.risiinfo.com/events/ppi_awards/tickets.html or call Eleanor Spreckley on +44 207 955 3751.

For more information on sponsoring the PPI Awards, please visit: http://www.risiinfo.com/events/ppi_awards/sponsoropps.html.

The finalists for the PPI Awards 2010 are listed below in alphabetical order:

COMPANY AWARDS

Promotional Campaign of the Year - Sponsored by HP and ColorLok

• Finch Paper - Finch is in the House!
• Grupo Portucel Soporcel - Navigator iPhone Promotion
• Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper - Green Range
• Neenah Paper - Do You Love Linen?
• Papelera Nacional (Ecuador) - Banana Box Campaign
• SCA Containerboard - SCA Presentation Liners
• SCA Packaging - Design Challenge
• Sodra Cell – PulpLabs

Environmental Strategy of the Year - Sponsored by Metso

• Cascades Tissue Group, USA
• Celulose Irani, Brazil
• ITC, India
• JK Paper, India
• Mondi Group, Austria
• Suzano Papel e Celulose, Brazil

The Green Energy and Biofuels Award - Sponsored by Andritz

• Celuosa Arauco y Constitucion (ARAUCO), Chile
• Grupo Portucel Soporcel, Portugal
• Klingele Papierwerke, Germany
• Kruger Products, Canada
• Pratt Industries, USA

Innovative Product of the Year - Sponsored by BTG

• Arjowiggins Graphic - Cocoon
• Cascades Tissue Group - The intelligent™ antibacterial paper hand towel
• Neenah Paper - Think Ink: Color Unleashed Website
• Packages - Base Art Paper & Stiffener
• Propal - REPROGRAF Copy Paper
• Strathcona Paper - GreenChoice 100
• Sappi - Triple Green text
• Ziegler Papier - Z-Evolution

Managing Risk and Safety - Company of the Year - Sponsored by FM Global

• Ahlstrom
• Eska Graphic Board
• Finch Paper
• Klingele Papierwerke
• Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging

Business Strategy of the Year

• Celuosa Arauco y Constitucion (ARAUCO), Chile
• Domtar, Canada
• Empresas CMPC, Chile
• Sodra Cell, Sweden
• Suzano Papel e Celulose, Brazil

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Global CEO of the Year - Sponsored by StepChange Consulting

• Antonio Maciel Neto, CEO, Suzano
• Gary McGann, CEO, Smurfit Kappa
• John D. Williams, President and CEO, Domtar
• Jouko Karvinen, CEO, Stora Enso
• Li Hongxin, Chairman, Shandong Sun Paper

Mill Manager of the Year - Sponsored by ABB

• Dennis Askew, Domtar, Plymouth Mill, USA
• I.N. Guha, BILT Graphic Paper Products (Ballarpur), Bhigwan Unit, India
• Luis Henao, Pratt Industries, Shreveport Mill, USA
• Jonathan Hermanus, Sappi Cape Kraft Mill, South Africa
• Maciej Kunda, Mondi Swiecie Mill, Poland
• Randy Nebel, Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, USA

Research Achievement of the Year - Sponsored by HP and ColorLok

• Kari Edelmann and Jussi Manninen, VTT
• Naila Yaqoob, Lahore College for Women University
• Andreas Kornherr, Mondi Uncoated Fine & Kraft Paper

MILL AWARDS

The Water Efficiency Award - Sponsored by Kemira

• ArjoWiggins Graphic, Dalum Papir, Denmark
• Bio-PAPPEL International, Prewitt Mill (formerly McKinley Paper), USA
• Cascades Fine Papers Group, Breakey Fibre Unit, Canada
• Holmen Paper Madrid, Spain
• Lwarcel Celulose, Lencois Paulista Mill, Brazil

Environmental Strategy of the Year - Sponsored by Cargill

• Holmen Paper Madrid, Spain
• Mondi SCP, Ruzomberok, Slovakia
• Smurfit Kappa Kraftliner, Pitea Mill, Sweden
• Sodra Cell, Varo Mill, Sweden
• Strathcona Paper, Napanee, Ontario, Canada

Efficiency Improvements of the Year

• BILT Graphic Paper Products (Ballarpur), Bhigwan Unit, India
• Domtar, Kingsport Mill, Tennessee, USA
• Klabin, Monte Alegre Mill, Brazil
• Middle East Paper Company - (MEPCO) - Jeddah Mill, Saudi Arabia
• Mondi, Syktyvkar Mill, Russia

The list is available online at: www.risiinfo.com/events/ppi_awards/2010_finalists.html

About the PPI Awards
Organized by RISI, the leading information provider to the global forest products industry, the PPI Awards program honors leadership, vision, innovation and strategic accomplishments within the pulp and paper industry. The PPI Awards are the only global awards dedicated to recognizing the achievements of companies, mills and individuals in the pulp and paper sector.

About RISI
RISI is the leading information provider for the global forest products industry. The company works with clients in the pulp and paper, wood products, timber, biomass, tissue, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries to help them make better decisions.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, RISI operates additional offices throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. More information can be found at www.risi.com .

SOURCE RISI