Nippon Paper Chemicals to install new optical film coater at its Higashimatsuyama mill in Japan

TOKYO, Nov. 16, 2010 (Press Release) - Nippon Paper Chemicals Co., Ltd. (President: Masami Yamaki), a member of the Nippon Paper Group, has decided to install a new coater (coating machine) at its Higashimatsuyama Mill (Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture), the Company's production base for its film coating business. As a result, the plant will possess a total of four coaters for its optical films for LCDs, significantly strengthening its production capacity. Total investment is 2.2 billion yen, and the installation is expected to complete in late 2011.

Nippon Paper Group, in its Third Medium-Term Business Plan (2009-2011), undertakes specific actions to strengthen businesses other than paper, and this latest decision to invest in Nippon Paper Chemicals' Higashimatsuyama Mill is one example.

Demand for optical films for LCDs that Nippon Paper Chemicals produces at Higashimatsuyama Mill is expanding, primarily with notebook PCs. The investment in Nippon Paper Chemicals' Higashimatsuyama Mill aims to achieve supply capacity to meet future increases in demand. Nippon Paper Chemicals also plans to set up a system that increases production while eying sales expansion on new films for TV that the Company had lately developed.