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New York, NY - April 22, 2008 - Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, has announced the completion of the first phase of its strategy to expand into Latin America. Its newest manufacturing facility - Shorewood de Mexico, located in Aguascalientes, Mexico - was established to provide high-end packaging solutions for multinational companies in Latin America. "The creation of Shorewood de Mexico aligns with our business strategy to grow where our customers are growing, enabling us to meet their needs for value-added packaging in different parts of the world," said Patricia Marques, director of business development for Shorewood Packaging. This new operation is the result of Shorewood's joint venture with Corporativo Cartograf S.A. de C.V., a leading packaging manufacturer in Mexico. Shorewood de Mexico is operating out of Cartograf's Aguascalientes facility in central Mexico. This state-of-the-art, ISO 9002-certified facility is equipped with offset lithographic and rotogravure presses as well as finishing equipment. It has a skilled and motivated workforce ready to provide world-class quality and service. "We are excited to have Shorewood Packaging as our partner in the Latin American market," said Juan Jose Paramo Riestra, president, Corporativo Cartograf. "Our combined expertise in packaging technology and the increased breadth of our product line will appeal to many manufacturers in this region. We look forward to many years of growth." The Aguascalientes facility has been qualified and approved by several of Shorewood's multinational customers and is already manufacturing folding cartons for customers in several market segments including tobacco, hair care, confectionery and healthcare. The facility was recently expanded and rotogravure presses were installed, increasing plant capacity significantly. According to Jaime Gomez, vice president, Shorewood de Mexico, "The start-up of the new equipment was the smoothest I have ever witnessed in my 40 years in manufacturing! Our thanks go to every individual on the Shorewood support team and the Cartograf Aguascalientes production team who made this transition possible. I look forward to the great results we all anticipate from Shorewood de Mexico!" Shorewood de Mexico is located in the city and state of Aguascalientes, 156 miles (251 km) northest of Guadalajara; 313 miles (504 km) northwest of Mexico City; and 729 miles (1 173 km) from El Paso, Texas. The facility is a 30-minute drive from Aguascalientes International Airport (AGU), which has daily direct flights to/from Houston, Dallas and Los Angeles.
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