Omya And NewPage Escanaba Enter Into Agreement To Build PCC Plant

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Jul 10, 2013, 10:00 ET

ESCANABA, Mich., July 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- NewPage Corporation (NewPage) and Omya have entered into a long-term supply agreement to build a Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) plant, located at the NewPage Escanaba paper mill site. The plant will create seven new jobs.

PCC is an essential raw material used in the papermaking process. It lends to key properties such as bulk, opacity, brightness and whiteness. PCC is manufactured using lime and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

The Escanaba mill currently purchases PCC from another supplier. With the PCC plant on-site, the mill will save on transportation costs. Lime needed for the PCC manufacturing process will be purchased from the Upper Peninsula.

The environment also benefits from the on-site plant. Currently, the CO₂ produced by the mill is emitted into the air and considered waste. The on-site plant will use CO₂ generated by the Escanaba mill in the process, reducing the environmental impact.

"We're very pleased to announce the creation of this PCC plant at the Escanaba mill," said NewPage Senior Vice President of Operations Mark Lukacs. "This plant is a step toward helping us achieve our long-term vision. The creation of this plant deepens our relationship with our strategic partner, Omya."

Escanaba Mill Manager Roger Rouleau said, "By locating the plant here at the Escanaba mill, it's not only mutually beneficial for Omya and NewPage, the improved economics and job creation help support the local economy."

Tony Colak, CEO for Omya Region Americas said, "We are very excited to build and operate this new PCC plant for NewPage Escanaba. Most importantly, we are pleased to be a strategic supplier and partner with NewPage. The close collaboration between Omya and NewPage has resulted in this long-term commitment."

About NewPage
NewPage is a leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2012. NewPage is headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, and owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. These mills have a total annual production capacity of approximately 3.5 million tons of paper.

The company's portfolio of paper products includes coated, supercalendered and specialty papers. These papers are used in commercial printing to create corporate collateral, magazines, catalogs, books, coupons, inserts and direct mail as well as in specialty paper applications including beverage bottle labels, food and medical packaging, pressure-sensitive labels and release liners. To learn more, visit www.NewPageCorp.com.

About Omya
Omya is a leading global producer of industrial minerals, mainly fillers and pigments derived from calcium carbonate and dolomite, and worldwide distributor of chemical products. The company's major markets are paper, polymers, building materials (paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives and construction) as well as life sciences (food, feed, pharma, cosmetics, environment and agriculture). Founded in 1884 in Switzerland, Omya has a global presence, extending to more than 100 locations in over 50 countries with 7,000 employees. To learn more, visit www.omya.com.

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SOURCE NewPage Corporation