AbitibiBowater Announced Closing of Sale of its 75% Interest in …

AbitibiBowater is a global leader in the forest products industry, producing a diverse range of products, including newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company owns or operates 18 pulp and paper mills and 24 wood products facilities located in the United States, Canada and South Korea.

The closing of the sale of its 75% indirect interest in ACH Limited Partnership (“ACH LP”) to a consortium formed by a major Canadian institutional investor and a private Canadian renewable energy company announced by AbitibiBowater.

Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer stated that”With the sale of our interest in ACH LP, the Company is able to pay off a considerable amount of debt and further improve our financial flexibility. We will continue to focus on reducing AbitibiBowater’s debt, and this represents an important step forward in line with our commitment.”

As previously announced, cash proceeds for AbitibiBowater’s 75% indirect interest will amount to approximately C$300 million, $185 million of which the Company intends to use to redeem a portion of outstanding 10.25% senior secured notes due 2018, while the balance of proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes. As part of the transaction, ACH LP will maintain its outstanding debt with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec with a face value of C$250 million.