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The agreement defines expanded trading areas for Unisource and now includes all of their locations in the United States and Canada. In addition to NewPage supplying several of Unisource's respected and recognized private label brands, including uBRAND™ and uDIGITAL™, Unisource now has a national distribution footprint for NewPage commercial sheetfed brands and becomes an authorized reseller of coated web products.
Print consumers and corporate end-users across the United States and Canada now have access to world-class paper products and distribution services created by this agreement. "Based on their performance during a challenging market in 2008, we are excited about the opportunity to expand our relationship with Unisource," said Rick Willett, president and chief executive officer for NewPage. "Commercial printing will continue to play a vital role in driving our economy, and this relationship will increase the efficiency of our supply chain and drive long-term benefits for the print community."
Unisource has an extensive global supplier network for sourcing commercial paper, business paper, imaging supply, packaging supply and equipment, and facility supply and equipment products. "Our customers demand superior performance, excellent service and world-class environmental leadership from their coated paper supply," said Al Dragone, chief executive officer for Unisource. "We will continue to leverage our global supply sources where it makes sense, but the opportunity to convert a significant amount of our coated paper supply to a U.S. manufacturer is truly exciting and represents a breakthrough opportunity for our customers."
Separately, Jon Geenen, international vice president of the United Steelworkers (USW) commented, "We are excited to learn about this new agreement between NewPage and Unisource. For many years, US companies have been burdened with an unfair playing field with regard to trade practices in the coated paper industry. Seeing two leaders like Unisource and NewPage line up behind the strength of the American worker represents an important first step to undoing the damage to our economy that has been caused by unfair trade competition from Asian countries."
The new multi-year agreement between NewPage Corporation and Unisource Worldwide, Inc. is effective immediately and steps are already underway to jointly market and position product in Unisource locations across the United States and Canada.
About NewPage Corporation
Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation (newpagecorp.com) is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with $4.4 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2008. The company's product portfolio is the broadest in North America and includes coated freesheet, coated groundwood, supercalendered, newsprint and specialty papers. These papers are used for corporate collateral, commercial printing, magazines, catalogs, books, coupons, inserts, newspapers, packaging applications and direct mail advertising.
NewPage owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nova Scotia, Canada. These mills have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.4 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.2 million tons of coated paper, approximately 1.0 million tons of uncoated paper and approximately 200,000 tons of specialty paper.
About Unisource Worldwide, Inc.
Unisource Worldwide, Inc., (unisourcelink.com) is a leading independent marketer and distributor of commercial printing and business imaging papers, packaging systems and facility supplies and equipment in North America. Headquartered in Norcross, Ga., Unisource is one of the largest private companies in the United States and offers the most comprehensive suite of products and services in the industry. With approximately 6,000 team members – including sales, customer service and technical support specialists; approximately 85 distribution centers; and a fleet of “Big Red” trucks – Unisource can deliver what your business needs when and where you want it – locally, regionally and nationally.
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