APPLETON, Wis., July 30  -- Appleton will conduct a dedication ceremony to mark the completion of a $125-million expansion of the company's thermal paper production capacity at its mill in West Carrollton, Ohio. The dedication will be held Wednesday, August 6 at 4:30 p.m. ET in the mill's activities room at 1030 Alex-Bell Road in West Carrollton.

Ohio's Third District U.S. Congressman Michael Turner and Appleton's Chief Executive Officer Mark Richards will address the dedication audience and participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony. While the ceremony is not open to the public, media representatives are welcome. Mill staff will conduct tours of the new complex following the dedication ceremony. Media representatives may participate, but the use of cameras of any kind will not be allowed during the tours.

The expansion program will add 35 new jobs to the mill's 400-person workforce. The capital investments include the installation of a state-of-the-art coater to produce thermal paper and construction of related facilities as well as enhancements to the mill's No. 92 paper machine. Appleton is the largest North American producer of thermal paper and with the completed expansion, the West Carrollton mill is the only U.S. manufacturing facility that both produces thermal base stock and coats it to make thermal paper.

Long-term commitment to market leadership

In announcing the expansion project in January 2007, Richards said the state-of-the-art coater will strengthen the company's market leadership position. "The expansion will improve our capability to meet customer needs for enhanced product design and quality as well as increase capacity to satisfy projected demand for thermal products from our domestic and international customers," said Richards. "This significant expansion demonstrates our long-term commitment to serving our customers worldwide."

Technology and innovation leadership

Appleton helped introduce direct thermal technology in the 1960s and continues to be the market leader for thermal media. Appleton's thermal products are routinely used for: point-of-sale (POS) receipts and coupons; label products for shipping, warehousing, medical and clean-room applications; tag and ticket products for airline and baggage applications, event and transportation tickets; and lottery and gaming applications.