papiNet Announces Release of Six New Messages Designed to Enhance Electronic Business Communications in the Paper Industry

papiNet, the global electronic standards initiative for paper and forest products industry, announces the release of six additional business documents. The new documents, or messages, enable companies to coordinate product information and to communicate information related to procurement, demand, and usage.

Alexandria, Virginia USA and Brussels, Belgium (September 6, 2002) - The members and sponsoring organizations of papiNet - the global electronic standards initiative of the paper and forest products industry - announce the release of six additional business documents in version 2.0. The messages are:

• Product Attributes
• Usage
• Information Request
• Inventory Status
• Order Status
• Inventory Change

The six new messages join the existing ten-message suite that provides the ability for the paper industry and its customers to electronically communicate business transactions involved in the procurement, order fulfillment, and inventory management processes. In addition, version 2.0 is enhanced by moving from a DTD to schema structure.

The papiNet standard facilitates electronic commerce between the paper and forest products industry and its customers by providing messages that standardize the transmission of business information between trading partners. The standards development process will continue with new messages being designed to support business processes in transportation, manufacturing, and quality reporting for release in early 2003.

In addition to the message schemas, complete documentation for the published messages is available on the papiNet web site. An implementation guide and data coordination tools are also available. Visit www.papinet.org for further information.

About papiNet

The purpose of papiNet is to develop, maintain, and support the implementation of global electronic business transaction standards for parties engaged in the buying, selling and distribution of forest and paper products. The aim is to improve the reach and richness of communication throughout the supply chain, increase efficiencies in transactions, and to support interoperability among trading partners. The papiNet standards are open and freely available. Critical mass is achieved by involving key players globally and across the supply chain.

Nearly 50 customers, producers, and technology firms from Europe and North America are involved in the initiative with industry association partners - American Forest and Paper Association, Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), and International Digital Enterprise Alliance (IDEAlliance). Visit www.papinet.org for further information.

Contacts:

Bengt Roslund
papiNet Europe
Bengt.Roslund@sca.com
+32 27 154 807

David Steinhardt
papiNet North America
dsteinhardt@idealliance.org
703.837.1066