Stora Enso Executive Vice President Elisabet Salander Björklund, M.Sc. (For.), has been appointed CEO of Bergvik Skog AB as of 1 September 2010. Bergvik Skog is one of the biggest forest-owning private companies in Europe and is owned by Stora Enso, Korsnäs, several institutions, pension funds and some private owners.

In Stora Enso Elisabet Salander Björklund has most recently been responsible for Wood Supply, HR and Sustainability, regionally responsible for Latin America and Country Manager for Sweden. She has been a member of the Stora Enso Group Executive Team since 2005 and the extended management team since 2003.

Bergvik has 1.9 million hectares of productive forest land in Sweden and 35 000 hectares in Latvia. Company has an annual harvesting volume of about 7 million cubic metres. Bergvik owns three nurseries with annual production of 52 million seedlings. When Bergvik Skog AB was founded, it acquired all the forest land previously owned by Stora Enso and Korsnäs in Sweden.

"Elisabet Salander Björklund has in recent years been responsible for many different areas in Stora Enso Executive Management. Among others, apart from her current duties, I would like to highlight Stora Enso Wood Products and Pulp Supply. She has been an active and valuable member in the team. However, with her education and background, the opportunity to become the CEO of Bergvik is naturally a tempting one and I understand her choice. I would like to thank her for excellent work in Stora Enso and wish her the best of luck in the new position," says Stora Enso CEO Jouko Karvinen.

Elisabet Salander Björklund's responsibilities are being divided with effect from 4 May 2010 as follows: regional responsibility for Latin America headed by President, Stora Enso Latin America Nils Grafström will be taken over by CEO Jouko Karvinen and her role as Country Manager Sweden will be taken over by Executive Vice President Mats Nordlander in addition to his current duties as Head of Packaging and Asia Pacific. The Sustainability function headed by Senior Vice President Eija Pitkänen will report to Head of Communications, Senior Vice President Lauri Peltola and the Wood Supply function headed by Senior Vice President Johan Lindman will report to EVP Mats Nordlander. Elisabet Salander Björklund will continue to lead Group HR until a new Group HR Director is appointed.

For further information, please contact:
Elisabet Salander Björklund, EVP, tel. +46 70 578 2751
Jonas Nordlund, Communications Director, Sweden, tel. +46 1046 82763

Stora Enso has launched the Global Responsibility website and Facebook page for discussing responsibility topics. One of the highlights of the website is a dialogue session between Sini Harkki from Greenpeace and Stora Enso's CEO Jouko Karvinen. The Facebook page offers an open forum for straight talk about critical responsibility topics.

"The idea of the Global Responsibility website and Facebook page is the direct contact with our stakeholders without intermediaries or censorship," says Jouko Karvinen, Stora Enso's CEO. "In today's world we have to find new ways to listen, discuss and learn. That is the only way to make tomorrow better for all of us."

"People have a lot of questions and concerns about the right to use wood and paper, the destiny of forests and human rights at plantations," Karvinen continues. "Those questions and concerns are the basis of the Global Responsibility website and Facebook page. Stora Enso wants to start a discussion on what kind of responsibility people expect from companies. What should be the role of a company and what are the roles of NGOs, consumers and governments."

The Global Responsibility website features people from a CarrotMob representative, a forest owner, a plantation specialist and a Greenpeace representative to Stora Enso's CEO, discussing various challenging topics related to responsibility. The website also offers a wealth of information for digging deeper into the issue.

Please navigate to
www.storaenso.com/globalresponsibility
www.facebook.com/globalresponsibility

For further information, please contact:
Lauri Peltola, Head of Communications, tel. +358 2046 21380 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BASF’s business continued to develop favorably in the first quarter of 2010. In conjunction with the recovery of the economy and some restocking of inventories by customers, demand has risen strongly in almost all divisions. At the same time, some chemical products were in short supply. Thanks to these improvements in the market environment, sales increased by 26% to €15.5 billion.

• Demand increases in all regions – Asia remains growth engine
• 1st Quarter 2010: Sales + 26% (€15.5 billion) and EBIT before special items + 98% (€1.95 billion) above previous year
• Restocking of inventories among customers accelerates recovery
• Strong rise in earnings in industry business – Sustainable rise in earnings in Performance Products.
• Outlook 2010 remains positive:
  • - Significant increase in EBIT before special items
  • - Premium on cost of capital expected
  • - Negative impact from plant shutdowns in 2nd quarter
  • - Slowing recovery due to basis effect over course of year

Income from operations before special items rose by 98% to €1.95 billion, primarily as a result of higher capacity utilization. Earnings improved significantly in almost all divisions. Measures to reduce costs and increase efficiency, as well as synergies from the Ciba integration, also contributed to improved earnings. Sales and earnings increased further compared with the fourth quarter of 2009.

“We have thus almost achieved the level of the very good quarters before the crisis. Especially our industry business, that is the Chemicals, Plastics, Performance Products and Functional Solutions segments, grew substantially thanks to renewed demand from almost all customer industries, particularly from the automotive, electric and electronic industries. Regionally, we saw high demand in Asia and South America. North America is also slowly recovering. Europe is bringing up the rear,” said Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE at the presentation of figures for 2009 and the first-quarter 2010 during the Annual Meeting in Mannheim, Germany.

Sustainable increase in earnings in Performance Products

In the Chemicals segment, sales in all divisions increased considerably. This was not only due to significantly improved demand, but also to higher sales prices, for example for our cracker products in the Petrochemicals division. Earnings, too, were significantly higher than in the same quarter of 2009 thanks to significantly improved volumes, high capacity utilization and improved costs.

The business environment in the Plastics segment has been recovering steadily since the start of 2009. Sales were substantially higher in comparison with the first quarter of 2009, primarily as a result of increased volumes. Earnings also increased markedly thanks to higher demand. In the Performance Polymers division, increased raw materials prices, partially due to limited product availability, could largely be passed on to the markets.

In the Performance Products segment, demand also improved considerably in all divisions. The segment posted a clear increase in sales in the first quarter 2010, which will be the final time that the inclusion of the Ciba businesses that have now been integrated will have this effect. The main reasons for the significantly improved earnings were increased volumes and the successful realization of synergies from the Ciba integration.

Thanks to the renewed rise in demand from the automotive industry and higher prices for precious metals, sales in the Functional Solutions segment clearly exceeded the very weak level of the first quarter of 2009. In contrast, the business environment in the construction industry remained difficult. Despite the varying business trends in our customer industries, all divisions increased their earnings and made a positive contribution to the segment’s earnings.

The Agricultural Solutions segment had a generally successful start to the season, with sales at the level of the excellent first quarter of 2009. In North and South America in particular, sales volumes increased. Negative currency effects had an unfavorable impact on earnings, which were slightly below the level of the first quarter of the previous year. There was strong demand for the herbicide Kixor™, which was recently launched on the U.S. market.

Sales in the Oil & Gas segment were lower than in the first quarter of 2009. This was mainly due to significantly lower natural gas prices, which could not be offset by increased sales volumes in gas trading. The negative time-lag effect was detrimental to margins in both business areas. Overall, earnings did not match those of the same quarter of the previous year.

Other experienced significant sales growth, primarily as a result of increasing volumes in the styrenics and fertilizer businesses. Earnings improved in the Styrenics division. Overall, expenses for the BASF option program resulting from positive share price developments led to a reduction in earnings, which were lower than in the first quarter of 2009.

Special items of minus €114 million (first quarter of 2009: minus €57 million) primarily resulted from the integration of Ciba.

At €1.84 billion, EBIT increased by 98% compared with the first quarter of the previous year. EBITDA grew by €1.04 billion to €2.63 billion. The EBITDA margin rose to 17% (first quarter 2009: 13%).

The financial result was minus €80 million, an improvement of €122 million compared with the same quarter of the previous year. The earnings of OAO Severneftegazprom, which is consolidated using the equity method, improved primarily as a result of currency gains.

Income before taxes and minority interests was up €1.03 billion in the first quarter to €1.76 billion. At 34.7%, the tax rate was lower than in the first quarter of 2009. This was due to the lower contribution of the highly taxed Oil & Gas segment to earnings. Net income increased by €654 million to €1.03 billion.

Earnings per share were €1.12 in the first quarter compared with €0.41 in the same period of 2009. Adjusted for special items and amortization of intangible assets, this amounted to €1.32 (first quarter of 2009: €0.55).

Double-digit growth in all regions

Sales in Europe were 12% higher than in the same period of the previous year. EBIT before special items rose by €452 million to €1.25 billion. Against the backdrop of the economic recovery, product demand rose compared with the first quarter of 2009, also due to restocking by customers. This was reflected, in particular, by substantial sales and earnings growth in the Chemicals, Plastics, Performance Products and Functional Solutions segments. Oil & Gas recorded a decrease in sales and earnings due to the sharp decline in natural gas prices. Synergies resulting from the Ciba integration made a positive contribution to the region’s earnings.

Sales in North America grew by 55% in U.S. dollars and 47% in euro terms. Earnings rose by €259 million to €329 million. For Chemicals, Plastics, Performance Products and Functional Solutions, sales and earnings improved considerably as a result of increasing demand, which led to noticeably higher capacity utilization at our plants. Margins were also higher in some areas, in particular in the Petrochemicals division. In the Agricultural Solutions segment, we had a successful start to the new growing season: Following a strong first quarter of 2009, we were able to increase sales volumes once again.

Sales in the Asia Pacific region rose by 77% in local currency terms, and by 73% in euro. At €310 million, earnings grew by €258 million. Demand for our products continued to increase in the region. Nearly all business sectors were able to increase sales and earnings significantly year-on-year. The Chemicals and Plastics segments, in particular, posted substantial rises in earnings; in the Petrochemicals division, this was primarily a result of higher prices for cracker products. In the Polyurethanes division, rising volumes was one reason for the strong increase in earnings.

Sales in South America, Africa, Middle East were up year-on-year by 26% in local currency terms and by 33% in euro. In the Agricultural Solutions segment, sales in South America grew, due in part to weather-related, high disease pressure. However, as a result of negative currency effects, higher sales level did not lead to increased earnings; At €64 million, earnings were at the level of the previous year. Thanks to good business with architectural coatings, the Coatings division achieved higher earnings.

Outlook full year 2010: Premium on cost of capital expected

BASF’s Chairman overall sees the further development of 2010 positively. However, he points out that “the recovery remains shaky.” Risks result mainly from the continuing financial and debt crisis, which is intensifying in some areas, the winding down of national stimulus programs, volatile raw materials markets, excess capacities, growing geopolitical tensions, and protectionism.

Despite the global economic upturn in the first quarter of 2010, Hambrecht expects the economic recovery over the course of the year to become slower and increasingly uneven. “This is primarily due to the basis effect through the comparison with the previous year,” he explained.

At BASF, scheduled plant shutdowns for maintenance will have a negative impact on sales and earnings in the second quarter of 2010. For example, in the second quarter the entire Nanjing site will be shut down for a general overhaul and expansion.

In April 2010, the structural integration of the businesses acquired from Ciba was completed as planned. The costs for the Ciba integration will thus decrease sharply over the current year. By the end of 2010, the combined businesses are expected to generate synergies of €350 million, which should increase to over €450 million a year by the end of 2012.

“We expect our sales to grow again in 2010 and outpace global chemical production. We anticipate that the income from operations before special items will improve considerably and that we will again earn a premium on our cost of capital,” said Hambrecht.

CEO Per Lindberg comments on the development during Q1 2010:

“With an operating profit of SEK 234 million for the first quarter of 2010 we now have two consecutive quarters behind us when we have achieved our target of an operating margin in excess of 10%. This, combined with continued stable demand, is a sign that the recovery is now standing on increasingly firm ground.

The favourable demand means that work to restore price levels is well set to continue. Since we are forced to adapt the pace of these price increases to our customers’ market situation, these increases are being implemented in stages as their business improves. In parallel the work of developing our products is also under way. We continuously see the result in terms of new customers, new applications and commercial successes. It is satisfactory to see what we have achieved in terms of new ideas and innovations, even though a lot remains to be done.

Billerud now stands strong both as a business and financially and we are looking forward with confidence to the continued recovery.”

Solna, 29 April 2010
Billerud AB (publ)

Per Lindberg
President and CEO

For further information please contact:
Per Lindberg, president and CEO, +46 8 553 335 01 or +46 70 248 15 17
Bertil Carlsén, CFO, +46 8 553 335 07 or +46 73 021 10 92

Billerud’s business concept is to offer demanding customers packaging materials and solutions that promote and protect their products – packaging that is attractive, strong and based on renewable materials. Billerud has a world-leading position within several product segments including paper for consumer packaging and industrial applications. Production takes place at three integrated pulp and paper mills in Sweden and at one paper mill in the UK.

January-March 2010 compared with the same period in 2009
• Net sales amounted to SEK 2 190 million (1 900).
• Profit for the period amounted to SEK 156 million (-39).
• Earnings per share amounted to SEK 1.52 (-0.53).
• Operating profit amounted to SEK 234 million (-37), which corresponded to a margin of 11% (-2).

January-March 2010 compared with October-December 2009
• Net sales amounted to SEK 2 190 million (2 060).
• Profit for the period amounted to SEK 156 million (160).
• Operating profit amounted to SEK 234 million (231), an improvement of SEK 3 million, mainly due to improved prices in local currency which were offset by higher variable costs.
• The strong order bookings continued in the first quarter.
• Continued strong cash flow.

Outlook for the full-year 2010
• The second quarter of 2010 started with continued good demand within all segments.
• Price increases have been implemented for all products and further price increases have been announced in order to gradually restore prices to sustainable levels in the long term.
• Strike action during the second quarter will have a negative effect on total deliveries for the full year.

Billerud’s CEO Per Lindberg and CFO Bertil Carlsén will present the interim report at a press conference on Thursday, 29 April at. 13.00 CET. Venue: Spårvagnshallarna, Birger Jarlsgatan 57 A, Stockholm.

Comments by Billerud’s CEO Per Lindberg:

Second consecutive quarter with an operating margin above 10%

“With an operating profit of SEK 234 million for the first quarter of 2010 we now have two consecutive quarters behind us when we have achieved our target of an operating margin in excess of 10%. This, combined with continued stable demand, is a sign that the recovery is now standing on increasingly firm ground.

The favourable demand means that work to restore price levels is well set to continue. Since we are forced to adapt the pace of these price increases to our customers’ market situation, these increases are being implemented in stages as their business improves. In parallel the work of developing our products is also under way. We continuously see the result in terms of new customers, new applications and commercial successes. It is satisfactory to see what we have achieved in terms of new ideas and innovations, even though a lot remains to be done.

“Billerud now stands strong both as a business and financially and we are looking forward with confidence to the continued recovery.”

For further information in connection with this report, please contact Per Lindberg, President and CEO, +46 8 553 335 00 or +46 70 248 15 17 and Bertil Carlsén, CFO, +46 8 553 335 00 or +46 730 211 092

This information is such that Billerud AB is required to disclose under the Securities Market Act.

Billerud is a packaging paper company. The business concept is to offer customers packaging material and solutions that promote and protect their products – packaging that is attractive, strong and made of renewable material. Billerud has a world-leading position within several product segments, both within paper for consumer packaging and for industrial applications. Production takes place at the Group’s three integrated pulp and paper mills in Sweden, and at a paper mill in the UK.
www.billerud.se

 KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS), a leading North American producer of unbleached kraft paper products and linerboard, will release its 2010 first quarter earnings on Wednesday, May 5, 2010, after the market closes.

The Company will host a conference call on May 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. CT) to review the results for the quarter. All interested parties are invited to listen and may do so by either accessing a simultaneous broadcast webcast on KapStone's website, http://www.kapstonepaper.com, or for those unable to access the webcast, the following dial-in numbers are available:

                             Domestic: 866.271.0675
                           International: 617.213.8892
                         Participant Passcode: 45990908

A presentation to be viewed in conjunction with the call will also be available on our website, http://www.kapstonepaper.com, in the "Investors" section.

The webcast is also being distributed through the Thomson StreetEvents Network. Individual investors can listen to the call at http://earnings.com, Thomson's individual investor portal, powered by StreetEvents. Institutional investors can access the call via Thomson StreetEvents (http://www.streetevents.com) a password-protected event management site. A replay of the webcast will also be on the Web site beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m. ET the same day.

About the Company

Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation is a leading North American producer of unbleached kraft paper products and linerboard. The Company is the parent company of KapStone Kraft Paper Corporation which includes paper mills in Roanoke Rapids, NC and North Charleston, SC, a lumber mill in Summerville, SC, and five chipping mills in South Carolina. The business employs approximately 1,600 people.

SOURCE KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation

UPM has signed a preliminary contract for selling the real estate of its former further processing mill in Parkano, Finland. The premises are to be taken over by a wood processing company to be established by the mill's former local management.

UPM's Timber Business decided in January to centralise its further processing operations to the Aureskoski mill. At the same time the company announced the closure of the Parkano mill locating about 20 kilometres from Aureskoski.

UPM has transferred production from Parkano and Kaukas further processing mills to Aureskoski mill which has become one of the most significant distribution centres in Finland due to the widening product range.

Agreements of relocation to Aureskoski mill have been made with 12 Parkano employees to work in production and engineering duties. Manufacturing in production lines transferred from Parkano will begin in May.

From-job-to-job -programme proceeds in Parkano, Heinola and Lappeenranta

At the same time UPM announced the significant restructuring of the Plywood and Timber business the company started the From-job-to-job programme to alleviate the impacts of the mill closures. The programme includes, in cooperation with authorities and partner companies, active measures to find new jobs and retraining for the employees. UPM has reserved 1.5 million euros to support the participation in retraining and related material and 1 million euros support starting up new enterprises.

Within three months about 310 people from the 650 who were unemployed have found a new job, study place or entered a pension scheme. The new company that will start to operate in the mill premises aims to employ as many as possible of the former UPM employees given notice.

Only two new enterprises have been established within the From-job-to-job programme what is less than expected. UPM is encouraging employees to establish new enterprises by offering start-up support. The support can be applied for until the end of 2011, and the maximum support for an enterprise 20,000 euros. In addition, UPM supports re-employment training of employees who have been given notice.

UPM continues the work to find new business to the former mill premises. There have been over 250 connections to potential companies in the Heinola and Lappenranta regions. Negotiations concerning either renting or selling the mill premises have continued in both places. Any decisions haven't been made yet and negations continue.


For more information, please contact after 12.45 Finnish time:
Mr Tuomo Visanko, Senior Vice President, UPM, Forest and Timber Business Area,
tel. +358 20 415 6300
Mr Arto Halonen, Senior Vice President, UPM, Timber, tel. +358 40 823 2877
Mr Tapio Laine, Manager, HR, UPM, tel. +358 40 565 8472

UPM, Corporate Communications
Media Desk, tel. +358 40 588 3284
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes to editors
Aureskoski further processing mill employs around 70 persons and the annual capacity is 130,000 m³ of interior and structural products for construction.

UPM Timber produces sawn timber and further processed timber products to building and construction industry and joinery. The annual production capacity is 2,3 million cubic metres of timber products. UPM Timber has 12 production units in Austria, Finland, France and Russia. In Finland, UPM's sawmills are located in Lappeenranta, Kajaani, Pietarsaari, Korkeakoski and Pori. UPM Timber employs around 1,200 people, of which 800 in Finland.

UPM leads the integration of bio and forest industries into a new, sustainable and innovation-driven future. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and pulp, Paper, and Engineered materials. The Group employs around 23,000 people and it has production facilities in 15 countries. In 2009, UPM's sales amounted to EUR 7.7 billion. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki stock exchange. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upmbiofore.com and www.upm.com.

Catalyst Paper (TSX:CTL) has recorded a net loss attributable to the company of $44.1 million ($0.12 per common share) on sales of $273.3 million for the first quarter of 2010. The net loss increased from $35.8 million in the preceding quarter ($0.09 per common share), due to declining specialty printing paper prices and additional production curtailment. Higher restructuring, input and maintenance costs further impacted Q1 results.

Before specific items, Catalyst posted a net loss attributable to the company of $37.6 million ($0.10 per common share), in contrast to $21.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2009 ($0.06 per common share). Specific items after-tax included restructuring costs of $10.1 million and bond exchange-related costs of $5.9 million, offset by a foreign exchange gain on long-term debt of $11.7 million.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the first quarter were negative $16.2 million, compared with positive EBITDA of $14.1 million in the preceding quarter. Before specific items, EBITDA deteriorated to negative $2.1 million from positive $15.5 million in the prior quarter. The Q1 operating loss of $48.9 million, compared to a $41.1 million loss in Q4, reflected lower EBITDA.

“We saw some recovery in print advertising from the very low levels of a year ago and as a consequence, paper demand is up slightly,” said President and CEO Richard Garneau. “Pulp strengthened as various events combined to drive price recovery and we could see a more extended pulp up-cycle. Markets for all products going forward will be influenced by industry re-start decisions and operating rates.”

Paper demand remained well below pre-recession levels, and benchmark prices dropped further for coated, uncoated and directory grades. North American newsprint consumption continued to decline, and although offshore exports helped boost the benchmark price over the preceding quarter, it remained well below the level of a year ago. Continued pulp price recovery was driven in part by production interruptions in Chile and other regions, and in late March the company announced it would restart the second pulp line at Crofton in the second quarter.

In light of weak paper markets, the three paper machines at the Elk Falls division remained indefinitely curtailed. The No. 1 newsprint machine at Crofton, seasonally curtailed in December, was indefinitely idled in January, and as a result, the Paper Recycling division, which supplied de-inked pulp to Crofton, was curtailed in February. Total first-quarter production curtailments represented 14 per cent of specialty paper capacity, 52 per cent of newsprint capacity, and 36 per cent of market pulp capacity.
Restructuring costs during the quarter increased due to severance of some 300 employees who became eligible for and elected this option. Most had been laid off as a result of the Elk Falls curtailment. In light of some progress in tax-related discussions with Campbell River, Catalyst put forward a proposed restart plan for two specialty machines at Elk Falls to the hourly workforce based, in part, on achieving competitive labour costs at that mill.

Changes to post-retirement and benefit plans for salaried employees and retirees were implemented in the quarter, with expected annualized savings of $8 million.

Milestones reached in the company’s ongoing drive for more equitable and sustainable municipal tax treatment included an agreement in principle with the City of Powell River signed subsequent to quarter-end. The agreement entailed reduced taxation and pursuit of joint arrangements to meet municipal infrastructure needs that, when implemented, will bring the Powell River mill’s annual property tax cost down to $1.5 million. Catalyst is also seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, following the April 22nd dismissal of its appeal concerning the North Cowichan 2009 tax bylaw by the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. In its decision, the court declined to strike down the tax bylaw, calling the “extreme imbalance” perpetuated by the District of North Cowichan a political problem requiring a policy decision by elected officials. The company accrued for this eventuality and has paid $15 million in outstanding 2009 property taxes, penalties and interest owing to the four municipalities where its mills are located.

“This appeal court decision, while disappointing, simply reinforces that solving the problem of unsustainable Class 4 tax rates rests with governments in BC. Until corrective steps are taken, major industry jobs and capital investments in this province will continue to be at risk,” said Mr. Garneau.

Catalyst completed the exchange of US$318.7 million of its 8.625 per cent senior notes due June 2011, for US$280.4 million of new 11 per cent senior secured notes due December 2016. As of quarter-end, US$35.5 million of the 2011 notes remained outstanding. Catalyst received credit-rating downgrades during the quarter from Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s.

Slow improvement in North American print advertising is expected over the balance of 2010, with minor recovery in coated and uncoated demand and pricing. Price increases to take effect April 1, May 15 and June 1, 2010 have been announced for coated, soft-calendared and high bright uncoated products. Price increases for pulp and newsprint have also been announced for Q2. Demand for directory is likely to contract though pricing is expected to be steady.

Catalyst expects to maintain capital spending, which was $3.2 million in the first quarter, at basic maintenance levels throughout 2010. However, $18 million in available Canadian federal government Green Transformation Program credits will be applied toward development of two capital-project proposals that deliver energy-efficiency and cost-reduction benefits.

Selected Financial Highlights

• 1 Effective January 1, 2010, the Company changed its policy with respect to certain of its derivative financial instruments and translation of foreign currency-denominated working capital balances. The new policies are considered preferable as they increase transparency of the economic hedging activity. Prior period comparative information has been restated to reflect this change of policy. Refer to the Company’s interim consolidated financial statements for the three month period ended March 31, 2010, Note 3, “significant accounting policies” for further details.
• 2 EBITDA, EBITDA before specific items, EBITDA margin, EBITDA margin before specific items, net earnings (loss) attributable to the Company before specific items, and net earnings (loss) per share attributable to the Company’s common shareholders before specific items are non-GAAP measures. EBITDA margin and EBITDA margin before specific items are defined as EBITDA and EBITDA before specific items as a percentage of sales and adjusted sales, respectively. Refer to the Q1, 2010 Management Discussion and Analysis – Section 8, “Non-GAAP Measures” for further details.

The search for a successor to President and CEO Richard Garneau, whose term will conclude at the end of May, 2010, remains underway.

Further Quarterly Results Materials

This release, a summary slide presentation, and full quarterly report (MD&A, financial statements and accompanying notes) are available on our web site at www.catalystpaper.com/Investors. The full quarterly report is also filed with SEDAR in Canada and EDGAR in the United States.

Catalyst Paper 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 six facilities located in British Columbia and Arizona, Catalyst has a combined annual production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The company is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada and its common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CTL. Catalyst is listed on the Jantzi Social Index® and is ranked by Corporate Knights magazine as one of the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada.

Richard Garneau, president and CEO and Brian Baarda, vice-president, finance and CFO will hold a conference call on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 11 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. PT to present the company’s first quarter results. Financial analysts and institutional investors are invited to dial 1-888-231-8191 (North America) or 1-647-427-7450 (Toronto / International) reservation number 69114814. Media and other interested people may join the live webcast by clicking here.

Forward-Looking Statement

Certain matters in this news release, including statements with respect to general economic and market conditions, demand for products, pricing expectations, anticipated cost savings and capital expenditures, are forward looking.  These forward-looking statements reflect management’s current views and are based on certain assumptions including assumptions as to future economic conditions, demand for products, levels of advertising, product pricing, ability to achieve operating and labour cost reductions, currency fluctuations, production flexibility and related courses of action, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in these statements, including those risks and uncertainties identified under the heading “Risks and uncertainties” in Catalyst’s management’s discussion and analysis in the interim report for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and available at www.sedar.com.

Investors:
Brian Baarda
Vice-President, Finance & CFO
604-247-4710

Peter Staiger
Vice-President & Treasurer
604-247-4372

Media:
Lyn Brown
Vice-President, Corporate Relations
604-247-4713

Newsprint producer AbitibiBowater is asking the bankruptcy court for approval to sell four closed mills and their machinery to Montreal-based American Iron & Metal, according to a Canadian Press news report on April 19.

The scrap metal company would buy to assets for $8.7 million. The deal includes the mills at Beaupre, Que., Donnacona, Que., Thunder Bay, Ont., and Dalhousie, N.B. CP reports that American Iron would also pay AbitibiBowater 40% of the money raised from the sale of the paper machines. Even if they are sold for scrap, American Iron would pay at least $5 million.

The metals company would assume all environmental liabilities associated with the closed mills. The company has said it's open to ideas to reuse the vacant mills, but one condition set by AbitibiBowater is that the locations not be used to produce paper.

American Iron's owner Herbert Black told CP the buildings may be scrapped for their metal value, and some of the paper machines may suffer the same fate.

AbitibiBowater is also looking to sell three closed mills in Quebec. The mills in Roberval, Saint-Fulgence and Lebel-sur-Quevillon have been closed since last year.

North America's largest newsprint producer hopes to exit court protection from creditors in Canada and the United States by autumn.