NewPage Changes the Premium Paper Value Equation

MIAMISBURG, Ohio, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NewPage Corporation today announced that it has created a shift in the premium paper value equation with the introduction of Sterling® Premium, Sterling® Premium Digital™ and Sterling® Premium Digital™ for HP Indigo.

The company's legendary Sterling brand has been reengineered to provide enhanced optics, an extremely smooth surface and premium shade – all at a No. 2 price.

"This is an exciting day as we mark the next chapter for our flagship Sterling brand," said Tanya Pipo, commercial product manager, premium sheet and C1S grades. "We have been listening to our customers and found that they want a premium product at a price that reflects today's reality. Sterling Premium delivers all the features customers look for in a premium grade – premium optics, print performance and an elevated level of service – all at an affordable price."

With the introduction of the new product line, NewPage will be retiring Centura® sheets and web, Productolith® sheets and web and Sterling® Ultra sheets. Sterling Ultra web products will remain.

Seeing is Believing

The new Sterling Premium draws on decades of papermaking experience and technology. The result is a world-class surface with superior on-press performance. "When agencies, marketers or printers are looking to upgrade their printed materials, Sterling Premium delivers a game-changing solution," said Steven DeVoe, vice president, Marketing and Customer Service for NewPage. "Feedback from our customers has been that this product out-performs premium sheets in the market and it delivers all of these qualities without the premium price tag. We are incredibly excited about the potential Sterling Premium offers to our customers."

Beyond budget-friendly pricing, the new Sterling Premium offers strong value propositions for all stakeholders in the supply chain. Designers, marketers and corporate end users get a brand-building premium paper that delivers worry-free consistency. Printers get a superior substrate to showcase their work combined with the runnability they've come to expect from Sterling. A streamlined offering allows NewPage to stock more deeply, ensuring that merchants, printers and end users have what they need, when they need it, including press-ready mini skids and quick turn custom cut sheets. 

NewPage will continue to offer matching digital products – Sterling Premium Digital and Sterling Premium Digital for HP Indigo. The new product lines replace the current Sterling® Ultra Digital™ and Sterling® Ultra Digital™ for HP Indigo offering with improved optics and print surface while maintaining the great runnability and press performance the market has come to know and expect from Sterling. Both product lines will include a new 120 lb. gloss and dull cover offering.

Both the sheetfed and digital line ups are earth friendly; carrying three chain-of-custody certifications and containing 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber and 100 percent of our products are made in the USA by NewPage, an American-operated manufacturer.

To learn more about Sterling Premium, visit www.NewPageCorp.com.

About NewPage

NewPage is the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America with $3.5 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2011. 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 product portfolio is the broadest in North America and includes coated, specialty, supercalendered and uncoated 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.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120730/CL48381LOGO) 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110217/CL49746LOGO)

SOURCE NewPage Corporation