BREWER, Maine--July 14, 2003-- Eastern Paper's Coated Products Division, maker of specialty papers used for industrial and consumer products applications, today announced that it has received ISO 9001:2000 certification for the manufacture of silicone coated release liners. Significantly, the division passed the ISO audit with zero "non-conformances" in its manufacturing process. In a separate development, the Eastern Paper division also has been honored for its product and process quality by a division of Avery Dennison Corporation, a global leader in pressure sensitive technology for consumer products and label materials. The Preferred Supplier Award given to Eastern Paper earlier this year was the second such award ever handed out by that Avery division. "Manufacturers of technical products today must enforce a zero-tolerance standard for product defects," said John Forster, General Manager of Eastern Paper's Coated Products Division. "Our new ISO certification, the fact that we had zero non-conformances in our manufacturing process, and the special recognition by a large, respected manufacturer like Avery Dennison are all significant achievements." The ISO 9001 standard, 2000 edition, is an internationally recognized standard for quality management systems. ISO 9001:2000 covers five areas: documentation, management responsibility, resource management, product realization and measurement, analysis and improvement. The newer 2000 standard requires more focus on customer feedback and service. In Spring 2003, the European Journal of Operational Research reported on an Australian study of manufacturers, which confirms the importance of ISO certification. "Findings show that there is a significant and positive relationship between (a) manager's motives for adopting ISO 9000 certification and business performance," the publication reported. "Those organizations that pursue certification willingly and positively across a broad spread of objectives are more likely to report improved organizational performance. The individual element found to contribute most to business performance was customer focus." Eastern Pulp & Paper Corp.'s Coated Products Division has more than 100 employees and develops custom silicone coated release liners used by the U.S. Postal Service, Ford Motor Co., Whirlpool Corp. and Toro, among many others. Eastern Paper, one of the nation's largest private, fully integrated pulp and paper manufacturers, has other operations in premium specialty printing papers and fine tissues. It is headquartered in Amherst, Mass. with operations in Brewer and Lincoln, Maine.