Graphic Packakaging, Grupo Orsa, StepChange Consulting confirmed to join TS18 program in UK

NEW YORK, August 4, 2009 - The International Forest Products Transport Association (IFPTA) and RISI are pleased to announce the latest additions of senior level forest products industry executives to the upcoming conference program at PPI Transport Symposium 18. The Symposium will be held in Liverpool, England, from 6-9 October 2009.

The most recent additions to the conference program include:

• Ned Williams, Corporate Manager, Warehousing & International Logistics, Graphic Packaging International
• Peter Hall, Managing Director, APL UK, Ltd.
• Jouke Schaap, Manager, Breakbulk Department, Port of Rotterdam
• Patrick Nogueira, Commercial Director, Grupo Orsa
• Wade Schuetzeberg, Managing Director, America Chung Nam B.V.
• Joachim Klein, Founder & Managing Director, StepChange Consulting

"Delegates will get perspectives from companies operating in nearly every corner of the world," said George Hudson, PPI TS18 Conference Chairman. "The topics included in this year's program cover a diverse set of opportunities and challenges - everything from what the carriers are doing to prepare for the future to the lessons learned from paper producers and how logistics companies are adapting to change to how the recovered paper market is impacting the recovery of the industry."

Paul Doiron, IFPTA President, echoed the sentiment, "To be able to include so many industry leaders from every sector of forest products logistics offers a unique opportunity for TS18 delegates to engage with them in an open dialogue that is rarely experienced at other event."

The PPI Transport Symposium 18 Conference Program, titled "Steering the right course to the future," will address the challenges and opportunities for the forest products logistics industry as it prepares to emerge from the global recession. Conference sessions include a global economic outlook, an industry-specific outlook and forecast, a distinguished panel of global paper producers, and a discussion panel on the future role of the logistics company.

For a full list of the speakers, please view the Agenda.

To register for PPI Transport Symposium, please complete the online registration form.

About Transport Symposium

PPI Transport Symposium is the leading biennial conference and exhibition for the global forest products logistics industry. It is dedicated exclusively to the worldwide transport, materials handling, and distribution of forest products. Organized by RISI and the International Forest Products Transport Association (IFPTA), PPI Transport Symposium 18, scheduled for October 6-9, 2009 in Liverpool, England, will offer a comprehensive conference program, an associated exhibition, and a tour of the Port of Liverpool. For more information, visit www.transportsymposium.com.

About RISI

RISI is the leading information provider for the global forest products industry. The company works with clients in the pulp and paper, wood products, timber, tissue, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries to help them make better decisions. Headquartered in Boston (Bedford), Massachusetts, RISI operates offices in Brussels, Belgium; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Singapore; Helsinki, Finland; and Charlottesville, Virginia. More information can be found at www.risi.com.

About IFPTA

The International Forest Products Transport Association (IFPTA) was established in 1982 as an organization for professionals within the global forest products logistics industry. The Association provides a networking framework to encourage communication and innovation among all roles and participants in the industry. The IFPTA supports the IFPTA Journal, produces various regional seminars, and organizes the biennial PPI Transport Symposium in conjunction with RISI. For more information, visit www.ifpta.org.