MONROE, NY, February 5, 2007 – Raymond J. Heuchling, a respected paper and pulp sales and marketing executive with 35 years of experience in the industry, today announced the launch of Heuchling Group Inc., a new organization dedicated to providing a broad range of consulting services for growth-focused companies within the pulp and paper industry. Mr. Heuchling brings to the consultancy the experience garnered in his 30 years as an executive with New Brunswick, Canada-based Irving Forest Products. He played a major role in establishing the company’s first sales office in the United States. As Senior Vice President of Pulp and Paper Sales, he was responsible for Irving’s sales and marketing across the U.S., as well as the company’s business development activity. He also interfaced with many of the company’s European customers. Heuchling Group has begun operations with three charter clients. Irving Forest Products has entered into a long-term agreement with the consultancy, enabling the paper company to continue its successful operating relationship with Mr. Heuchling. Heuchling Group now has responsibility for Irving Forest Products’ parent roll tissue sales and certain other marketing functions. Mapleroc Industries of Portland, Maine is also a charter client. Heuchling Group has assumed responsibility for sales and marketing of the company’s high-speed production roll-sizing system. Other charter clients include George W. Wurtz Co. of Atlanta, Georgia, a leading specialist in paper industry mergers and acquisitions. In announcing the formation of his company, Mr. Heuchling noted, “The decision to establish an independent consultancy is the result of a great deal of intensive research and numerous supportive meetings with the Irving family. Forming Heuchling Group enables me to continue serving the sales and marketing interests of Irving Forest Products, and provides a platform for growth through wider utilization of my industry experience and capabilities in support of other clients.” Robert Irving, president of Irving Tissue, commented, “Ray is deeply committed to the advancement of the paper industry and is sincerely interested in its future. We were very pleased to structure an arrangement that allows him to broaden his involvement with other clients, but still enables us to retain his excellent skills and services at Irving Tissue.” Throughout his business career, Mr. Heuchling has been an active member of industry associations. A past president of the Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA), he currently serves on its board of directors, and is chairman of the PIMA Foundation. Dedicated to education and training to advance the industry, Mr. Heuchling currently is on the board of directors of the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation, where for 20 years, he has helped to organize speakers forums for the University’s Paper Days seminars. He has also organized forums for special events such as “Paper Days in the Paper Valley” in Wisconsin. For the past three years, Mr. Heuchling has served on the Board of Executives of the Sloane Foundation Center for Paper Business Industry Studies (CPBIS) at Georgia Tech University, and currently is chairman of the foundation’s Industry Advisory Board. He also is on the board of directors of the Education and Training Committee of TAPPI, as well as a member of TAPPI’s Bio-Refining Committee. Mr. Heuchling is past president, and now serves on the board of directors of the Association of American Wood Pulp Importers. He also is on the board of the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame. Outside of his business activities, Mr. Heuchling is a member of the Knights of Malta and a Eucharistic Minister. He is founder and chairman of the Monroe-Woodbury Foundation, a civic organization dedicated to raising funds and initiating community programs for charitable and educational functions. A native of New York City, Mr. Heuchling earned a B.A. degree at the City University of New York (CCNY) and did graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario and Columbia University. He and his wife, Margaret, are the parents of two grown children, Anna Grote and Raymond Heuchling, Jr. Heuchling Group is headquartered in the New York City suburb of Monroe, New York. The company’s address is: 162 Conklin Road, Monroe, NY 10590. Phone: 845-782-4771; Cell: 914-656-5624. E-mail: [email protected].