Consumables-Paper - Offset

Not everyone is happy with the U.S. Commerce Department’s decision to charge penalty tariffs on glossy paper imported from China. Michael Makin, president and CEO of Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF), had this to say: “PIA is disappointed to learn of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s affirmative preliminary determinations in the ongoing antidumping duty investigations on Coated Free Sheet (CFS) paper imported from China, Indonesia, and Korea. Following the March announcement of affirmative preliminary determinations of tariffs in the concurrent Countervailing Duties investigation, this is yet one more blow to domestic printers sure to be impacted by pricing and supply dynamics of the

Domtar Inc. has completed its merger with Weyerhaeuser’s Fine Paper business. The new company, Domtar Corp., is reportedly the largest manufacturer and marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America, and a leading manufacturer of market pulp. The company’s head office is in Montreal, Quebec, and its operations center is in Fort Mill, S.C. Domtar Corp., with nearly 14,000 employees, has six uncoated freesheet mills that provide two-thirds of its nearly five million tons of annual capacity. The company plans to expand its environmentally and socially responsible papers such as the Domtar EarthChoice product line.

WWF-Canada, a leading conservation organization, and Domtar have inked an ambitious agreement that solidifies their joint commitment to ensuring the long-term conservation of the Canadian boreal forest. Through this agreement, WWF-Canada will work with Domtar on the following areas: • To pursue FSC certification, the highest forest certification standard globally, for all Domtar-managed forest land in Canada • To identify important areas for protection on Domtar-managed lands • To promote FSC-certified environmentally responsible papers, such as Domtar’s EarthChoice line. Domtar has been working with WWF-Canada since November 2003 when it became the first Canadian-based fine papers company to pledge to certify all of its forests and mills to

WESTMONT, IL—04/26/07—MAN Roland is taking the lead in informing the graphic arts industry that environmentally sound practices are not only good for the planet, but are good for business as well. In a new educational campaign that is driven by advertising, public relations, direct mail, and a how-to guide, MAN Roland is providing printers with an action plan that they can use to improve the environmental sustainability of their operations, while winning new customers. “Whatever your thoughts are on climate change, one fact is certain: The less resources and energy we waste, the more our economy will expand,” says Vince Lapinski, CEO of MAN Roland Inc.

Penalty tariffs ranging from 10.9 percent to 20.4 percent will now be levied on imports of glossy paper from China, the U.S. Commerce Department announced. The tariffs result from a case filed by NewPage of Dayton, Ohio, which accused sources in China, Indonesia and South Korea of dumping coated freesheet imports in the United States. Chinese suppliers, NewPage contended, had been receiving improper subsidies from the Chinese government, according to the Associated Press. The tariffs take place on a preliminary basis and will become final after the Commerce Department’s review is completed in June, the AP reported.

Neenah Paper has decided to permanently close one of the fine paper plants acquired in the purchase of Fox River Paper. Operations will cease at the Housatonic mill in Great Barrington, MA, at the end of the second quarter. The Housatonic mill, the smallest of the facilities acquired from Fox River Paper, had annual production capacity of about 15,000 tons. Ongoing annual savings of approximately $5 million are expected from the elimination of fixed costs and increased manufacturing facilities.

Grade Finders has released its third edition “Competitive Grade Finder-European Edition.” The Competitive Grade Finder section carries more than 6,500 paper and board entries, including commercial-quality technical information to assist comparative selection and bid setting. The brands of papers and boards are placed in 664 classifications, governed by type of material and principle use. Nearly 350 mills and suppliers are listed, along with more than 800 subsidiaries and branches, including addresses, phone, fax, e-mail and other contact information. Printing estimators and purchasers will save time researching brands, their equivalents, and sources. Printing salespeople will add another source to their knowledge base for answering

Domtar’s Woodland mill will be idling a paper machine during the entire month of March, a move that could impact as many as 90 employees, according to the Bangor Daily News. Company officials told the paper that the action is being prompted by market-related conditions. The machine is slated to be refired on March 29, according to the Daily News.

Neenah Paper signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Fox Valley Corp., owner of Fox River Paper, a leading U.S. producer of premium fine papers. Its brands include STARWHITE, SUNDANCE, ESSE, and OXFORD. “The purchase of Fox River provides a unique opportunity to strengthen our existing Fine Paper business with added scale in the marketplace, better prospects for growth, and the ability to offer a broader array of premium branded products and better service to our customers,” said Sean Erwin, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. “We also expect to be able to create real value as we optimize our combined operations and

PALO ALTO, CA—February 14, 2007—In response to Domtar’s research with its designer customer base, the company has launched a dedicated website which aims to meet designer’s needs for an inspirational and informative online resource. The Domtar Designer Corner (www.domtardesignercorner.com) has been created by designers for designers, and offers industry news and events, designer profiles, eco-smart design options, and tips for selecting the best paper to bring designs to life. PaperSpecs, an on-line provider of paper knowledge to the design and print industries, and providers of a database that features more than 4,200 papers from over 65 mills and manufacturers, will support the site with