DARTMOUTH, NS, Aug. 12 -- Gary Johnson, President of Maritime Paper Products Limited is pleased to announce the commencement of a new capital project. The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia manufacturing facility will undergo an $18,000,000 expansion and modernization. The core component of the project is the installation of a new high-speed BHS corrugator manufactured in Germany. This state of the art machine is capable of producing high performance, lightweight boards with multiple flute profiles at world-class quality levels. Complementing this machine will be new printing and converting equipment designed to expand the Company's offering of value added packaging. The facility will also be expanded to handle the additional machinery. The first phase of the project is planned for completion early in 2005, providing Maritime Paper Products Limited the most modern and up to date corrugator in North America. "This project does not stand alone, but is part of an ongoing strategy of growth through efficiency improvement, new technology, and new product offerings," said Mr. Johnson. "We will continue to focus on lean manufacturing and low cost packaging solutions for our customers." Over the past decade Maritime Paper Products has installed two new multi-color flexo folder gluers with inline die cutting, two new 5-color high graphics flexo die cutters, one new specialty folder gluer, and most recently, a fully automatic wax cascader.