Paperloop expands its tissue analysis product line-up with new forecast and cost benchmarking studies

BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 21, 2004 - Paperloop's Information Products group today announced new products to further strengthen its global coverage of manufacturing costs and market economics in the pulp and paper industry.

Paperloop Benchmarking Services debuts the 2004 Tissue Competitive Manufacturing Cost Benchmarking Studies. Featuring individual mill cost data on more than 100 mills throughout North America and Europe that produce retail and commercial tissue, this manufacturing cost information is used for strategic and operational decision-making by producers, industry suppliers, financial institutions and consumer products companies.

RISI, Paperloop's economic analysis arm, is also expanding tissue coverage with a new World Tissue Forecast due off-press later this year. Joining RISI's annual Tissue Capacity Report and the popular monthly Tissue Monitor, the new forecast will provide an outlook for tissue papers in all major global markets and will cover the key concepts of apparent consumption, production, capacity and trade. Like all RISI forecasts, it will provide a fully integrated analysis that is consistent across markets and geographical areas, capturing complex interactions and substitution effects across industries in response to shifts in technology, government regulations, economic growth, and consumer preferences.

"Our customers in the tissue markets are telling us that their profitability is under fire," commented Rod Young, Vice President of Paperloop Information Products. "Changes in capacity, ownership and market share combined with difficulty in securing recent price increases means that the entire supply chain--from producers, distributors and converters as well as industry suppliers and retailers--is finding it essential to better understand market dynamics as well as keep updated on new developments."

For more information on these products, visit www.paperloop.com/tissue or booth 1210 at Tissue World Americas, Sept. 21-23 2004 in Miami, FL.