Russian Delegation Tours Plymouth Paper Facility.

Business Editors

PLYMOUTH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2000

A group of paper makers from Russia, the Ukraine and other republics of the former Soviet Union toured Weyerhaeuser's (NYSE:WY) Plymouth Pulp, Paper and Packaging facility on August 19.

The group, sponsored by the US Department of Commerce, is visiting pulp and paper mills around the country to learn about new environmental technologies and best practices used by the paper industry in the United States.

Eighteen industry managers, trade association representatives and academics are participating in a six-week exchange as part of the Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT) program. After a two-week orientation in Washington, DC on the US paper industry and environmental laws and regulations, the group departed on a month-long bus tour that will take them to manufacturing facilities in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Wisconsin.

At Weyerhaeuser's Plymouth facility, the group was particularly interested in seeing and learning more about the mill's wood handling and preparation; pulping, oxygen delignification and bleaching systems; chemical recovery; the use of recycled materials to make containerboard; and the mill's effluent treatment system. John Pritchard, Technical and Quality Assurance manager for the mill, hosted the group and was pleased that the delegation wanted to visit Plymouth Paper facility.

"We are very proud of the environmental technology and processes that we use at Weyerhaeuser," says Pritchard. "At Plymouth, we have an outstanding record of environmental performance and innovation, which we're very happy to share with our new friends from Russia and its neighbors."

SABIT was created by the US Department of Commerce in 1990 to open markets for US products in the "Newly Independent States" (NIS) of the former Soviet Union, and to assist the economic restructuring of those countries. To accomplish the second goal SABIT organizes tours of US facilities to give NIS managers, engineers and officials a hands-on experience at actual manufacturing sites.

Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE:WY), one of the world's largest integrated forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 1999, sales were $12.3 billion. It has offices and operations in 13 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities. Weyerhaeuser came to North Carolina in 1957 and now operates 16 facilities in ten communities across the state. The company is one of North Carolina's largest private landowners, managing over 565,000 acres, primarily for the commercial production of southern yellow pine. Additional information about Weyerhaeuser's businesses, products and practices is available at www.weyerhaeuser.com.

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