AF&PA American Forest & Paper Association : Paper and Printing Products Industry Highlights Sustainable Manufacturing Leadership, Economic Contributions in Maryland

CONTACT: Barbara Riley/Chuck Fuqua
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Jay Goldscher
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WASHINGTON, DC - American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman and the Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA) Jay K. Goldscher issued the following statement regarding the Maryland Paper and Printing Products Industry Advocacy Luncheon hosted by AF&PA and PGAMA at the state Capitol in Annapolis, MD. The organizations partnered to bring legislators and forest product industry representatives together to highlight sustainability successes and discuss public policy measures that can support industry expansion and job creation.

'With 44 wood product, pulp, paper and paper packaging facilities, Maryland companies are key players in our industry,' said Harman. 'They have consistently contributed to industry sustainability successes, including a 66.8 percent paper recover rate for recycling and greenhouse gas emission reductions of 16 percent for member facilities. We applaud those efforts and welcome the opportunity to discuss industry policy needs with PGAMA officials and legislators. Our commitment remains on backing measures that will support our companies' ability to grow and all along the way utilize the sustainable manufacturing processes they are known for.'

PGAMA's Goldscher stated, 'We thank AF&PA and legislators for coming together to share ideas for what we see is a bright future for our industry in Maryland. Our companies' use of sustainable manufacturing methods enables us to produce essential products while ensuring the renewable resources used to make them are available for generations to come. That practice has been central to our success today, allowing Maryland's printing and publishing industry to employ more than 16,000 hard-working men and women and meet a payroll in excess of $1billion. So we can widen that success in the future, we will continue to make sure our policy needs are heard and addressed.'

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About AF&PA
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry's sustainability initiative -Better Practices, Better Planet 2020.The forest products industry accounts for approximately 4 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures over $200 billion in products annually, and employs approximately 900,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 45 states. Visit AF&PA online atafandpa.org or follow us on Twitter@ForestandPaper.

About PGAMA
PGAMA supports our members and industry through a variety of pursuits including common sense legislative and regulation both on a local, regional and national level. We actively engage with legislators and regulatory agencies on all levels and with the assistance of Printing Industries of America, we are a strong voice for issues that impact our members and the industry. Yearly, we visit with top national decision makers in Washington and locally we keep in contact with our legislators in Maryland and Virginia through our lobby partners. Additionally, our advocacy encompasses the promotion of our industry and the economic value and responsible and sustainable business practices that our industry has always pursued. ThroughPrint Grows Trees andChoose Print we have two online vehicles that continually advocate for the value of print.