AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products (NYSE: ABH) (TSX: ABH), today announced that it has taken up and accepted for payment 4,762,192 additional shares of Fibrek Inc. (TSX: FBK) deposited to its offer as of the close of business today. Together with the shares the Company acquired up to and including May 14, Resolute holds approximately 74.56% of the currently outstanding Fibrek shares. As aggregate consideration for the shares taken up today, Resolute will distribute approximately 135,000 newly-issued shares of its common stock and CAD$2.6 million in cash through RFP Acquisition Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary.

The Resolute offer expired at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on May 17, 2012. As further described in the offer circular and other ancillary documentation related to the offer (as amended), Resolute intends to carry out a second step transaction to acquire the Fibrek shares not deposited in the offer. With more than 66 2/3% of the Fibrek shares having been deposited to and taken up by Resolute under its offer, Resolute is in a position to cause a second step transaction to be approved by Fibrek's shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders to be convened and held for such purpose.

Apprenticeships and regulated occupations are vital to the continuing health and long-term success of the Canadian forest products sector, says a new report from the Forest Products Sector Council.

The report, Linking Innovation with Skills: Apprenticeship, regulated occupations and workforce development in Canada's forest products sector, suggests current apprenticeship and training practices need to change to keep up with a coming skilled worker shortage.

Employers and workers both agree on the benefits of apprenticeship -- a higher quality of work, safer work environments, higher wages and higher productivity, and increased employee satisfaction.

At the professional level, the report highlights the declining enrollment in university forestry programs leading to a professional forestry designation and suggests key human resource shortages will exist if this trend continues.

The reports notes: “With collective will -- and through determined collaboration with stakeholders such as educators and governments -- apprenticeship training and regulated occupations can continue as strong contributors to the success of Canada's forest products sector."

The study concludes that the two training models have the flexibility necessary to adapt and supply the sector with the consistent workforce development required to effectively counter economic uncertainty. It is available on the Council's website at www.fpsc-cspf.ca.

The Forest Products Sector Council (FPSC-CSPF) is an independent, not-for-profit organization, funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program.

source: http://www.pulpandpapercanada.com

Sessions include a presentation of a market survey on the supply and demand of paper and board products in China, a report on the technical and market development trends of printing/writing papers as well as the presentation of a papermaking raw materials survey. The China Paper Technical Conference will be held on September 11, 2012, in conjunction with the China Paper Shanghai 2012 exhibition.

Apart from essential updates and news regarding the Chinese market and industry, the technical part of the conference provides delegates with valuable information on best available technologies, environmental issues and new innovations. Speakers include representatives from top industry players such as Pöyry (China Operations division), Kemira, Omya and Andritz.

- We are very proud to announce this year’s extensive programme, says Patrik Löwstedt, Vice President of Adforum, organisers of the China Paper exhibition and conference.

- A high-quality, value for money conference programme means a lot for the China Paper event as a whole, and this year’s agenda looks better than ever, continues Löwstedt.

- The conference covers the latest topics on both the economic and technical sides of the industry, says Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen, CEO of PI, who has put together the programme together with CTAPI. - In my opinion it is especially important to give delegates the opportunity to learn about China's twelfth five-year plan on the pulp and paper industry, continues Molkentin-Matilainen.

Please click here to see the full programme

International Paper released its 2011 Sustainability Report that showcases the company's new suite of 12 voluntary sustainability goals. The company expects to reach a number of goals by 2020, which include:

• 15% improvement of energy efficiency in purchased energy use
• 20% absolute reduction in global GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) associated with the production of products
• 15% global increase in third party certified fiber volume

In addition to these goals, International Paper set a host of other goals addressing issues such as fiber certification, philanthropy, safety and water use. 

"At International Paper, sustainability is more than a business practice," said Chairman and CEO John Faraci. "Environmental, social and economic performance  has been at the core of our company for more than 110 years.  Stewardship of the forestland and surrounding habitat is ingrained in our company's DNA."

The report highlights International Paper's sustainability commitment in every aspect of the business.  "At every point of the International Paper supply chain – from the design of our paper and packaging, to the people and manufacturing processes, to end-use recycling and other beneficial uses, International Paper strives for a sustainable product life cycle," added Faraci.

Sustainability highlights from 2011 include the following:

• Awarded a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leadership Award
• Met 71 percent of global paper mill energy requirements with renewable biomass
• Named "Most Admired Forest and Paper Products Company®" by Fortune Magazine for Nine of last 10 years.
• Named one of Ethisphere Institute's "World's Most Ethical Companies" for the sixth consecutive year    
• Total Safety Incident Rate decreased to its lowest rate ever
• Donated more than $11 million worldwide to charitable organizations.

David Kiser, International Paper's Vice President of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability, said: "While our focus as a forest products company is by necessity on the environmental aspects of our operations, the coverage of our new goals is broad and includes both social and environmental dimensions of sustainability."

This report, available in print and online achieves a B-level application of the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) guidelines.  This represents an ongoing commitment to best practice transparent reporting.  To view the report or request a printed copy, please visit www.ipsustainability.com

SOURCE International Paper

To help celebrate 25 years of the Rainforest Alliance's achievements, Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) today announced it will co-sponsor the sustainability organization's 25^th anniversary gala on May 16 in New York City.

The annual dinner and award ceremony will commemorate some of the Rainforest Alliance's biggest triumphs since pioneering the concept of responsible forestry certification. Those include:

• Conserving more than 170 million acres of forest and farmlands in over 100 countries;
• Improving the lives of more than 9.5 million people worldwide, including farmers, forest managers, workers and their families;
• Engaging with more than 490,000 agriculture, forestry and tourism operations; and
• Introducing countless consumers to Rainforest Alliance Certified™ products. That includes extensive work with Domtar, whose papers have set the industry standard for displaying the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC^®) label and the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal.

Domtar has worked with the Rainforest Alliance to ensure that 28 of the company's pulp and paper mills and converting and distribution facilities now meet FSC standards. Nearly 20 percent of Domtar's paper products have been FSC-certified while, across America, the FSC estimates that only 4 to 6 percent of paper products earn that distinction.

"After all our hard work over the past 25 years, it's important for us to recognize companies for their demonstrated commitments to sustainability, and that list includes Domtar" said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. "We've worked with Domtar for more than a decade, and we're proud of how they have raised the bar for the paper industry and set an example for encouraging environmental responsibility."

Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Rainforest Alliance's comprehensive sustainability initiatives, which help ensure sustainable livelihoods and conserve biodiversity. This marks the seventh year Domtar has sponsored the gala, one of the ways Domtar has teamed up with the Rainforest Alliance to encourage responsible paper production and fiber sourcing.

"We're proud to be at the forefront of the responsible production and use of forest products, and we're excited for both the gala, as well as a workshop beforehand that will bring together leaders in sustainable business," said Lewis Fix, Domtar Vice-President of Sustainable Business and Brand Management. "We're looking forward to saluting some of this year's remarkable achievements, and we also salute the Rainforest Alliance for 25 years of accomplishments."

SOURCE DOMTAR CORPORATION

After several years of consultation, EU Member States have now adopted criteria for an EU Ecolabel on newsprint paper. UPM has been a key player in negotiations to ensure that the EU Ecolabel could be made available also to its newsprint customers.

“The newsprint criteria give us an excellent opportunity to expand further our already impressive range of EU ecolabelled products. Almost all UPM newsprint papers are expected to fulfill the strict criteria", says Päivi Rissanen, Environmental Director of UPM's Paper Business Group.

The new criteria includes production-related emissions to water and air, the use of energy and chemicals, as well as the requirement for newsprint paper to be composed of a minimum of 70% recycled material and the remaining virgin fibre covered by valid sustainable forest management and chain of custody certificates issued by e.g. FSC or PEFC.

To date almost all UPM copy and graphic papers produced in Europe have been awarded the EU Ecolabel and the company is a clear industry leader with almost 200 paper grades from 15 paper mills approved under the EU Ecolabel scheme. All in all about 8 million tonnes of UPM paper will be able to carry the EU Ecolabel award by end of 2012.

Printed paper products to get their own label

EU Ecolabel criteria for Printed Paper Products were approved in March this year and the final adaptation is expected in the autumn.

“The development of criteria for Printed Products now makes it possible for our customers to fully utilise the logo in their own marketing. They can print the “EU flower” on products such as magazines, books and newspapers which have been printed on EU Ecolabel awarded paper”, explains Rissanen.

The criteria aim to promote the environmental efficiency of de-inkability and recyclability for printed paper products as well as prevention of risks to the environment and to human health related to the use of hazardous substances in printing.

The criteria have been set at levels which ensure that recognition is only given to printed paper products which have a low environmental impact.

Nalco, an Ecolab company (NYSE: ECL), was named the 2012 Water Technology Company of the Year by Global Water Intelligence, the leading publisher and provider of water industry news and information. The award, given for Nalco's contributions in the field of water technology, was presented during the 2012 Global Water Awards ceremony in Rome.

The Global Water Awards recognize the most important achievements in the water industry. Recipients are selected by subscribers of Global Water Intelligence and Water Desalination Report, as well as members of the International Desalination Association.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by our peers for our contributions to advance this vital industry," said David Flitman, executive vice president and president, Global Water and Process Services, Ecolab. "We work hard to provide customers with effective technology and services to conserve water use and create more sustainable operations. This recognition is a testament to our commitment and the effectiveness of our solutions."

Nalco was recognized for its integrated water technology solutions platform and the automation and control capabilities it offers customers, including:

• 3D TRASAR technology, which utilizes unique real-time monitoring, patented actives-based control technology, proprietary stress-resistant chemistry and 24/7 information management capabilities to detect, determine and deliver improved scale, corrosion and microbiological performance in cooling and boiler water systems, membranes and other applications. In 2011, use of 3D TRASAR for cooling water operations resulted in annual water savings of nearly 93 billion gallons.
• Nalco 360 Service, which provides expert monitoring of customer water systems and identifies potential causes of system variability and abnormal operating conditions. Through this service, appropriate corrective recommendations are applied to save water and energy, and keep systems healthy and in balance. 

AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products (NYSE: ABH) (TSX: ABH), today announced that it has taken up and accepted for payment 9,894,933 additional shares of Fibrek Inc. (TSX: FBK) deposited to its offer as of the close of business today.  Together with the shares the Company acquired up to and including May 4, Resolute holds approximately 70.9% of the currently outstanding Fibrek shares. As aggregate consideration for the shares taken up today, Resolute will distribute approximately 280,000 newly-issued shares of its common stock and CAD$5.4 million in cash through RFP Acquisition Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Resolute reminds Fibrek's shareholders that, as previously announced, the offer will NOT be further extended and will expire definitively at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on May 17, 2012. As further described in the offer circular and other ancillary documentation related to the offer (as amended), Resolute intends to carry out a second step transaction to acquire the Fibrek shares not deposited in the offer. With more than 66 2/3% of the Fibrek shares having been deposited to and taken up by Resolute under its offer, Resolute is in a position to cause a second step amalgamation or arrangement transaction to be approved by Fibrek's shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders to be convened and held for such purpose. By tendering before the final expiry time, remaining Fibrek shareholders will avoid the risks associated with a potentially illiquid market until Resolute can complete the second step transaction for the remaining Fibrek shares.

The offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fibrek made by Resolute, together with RFP Acquisition Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, is more fully described in the offer circular and other ancillary documentation that Resolute filed on December 15, 2011, on the "SEDAR" website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators, as varied and extended. The offer expires at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on May 17, 2012.