Newsroom

UNIBOARD COMPLIANCE WITH CARB PHASE 1 EMISSIONS

Laval, Québec (September 29, 2008) - The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will begin regulating the formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products (particleboard, MDF, HDF and Plywood) sold or used to make finished goods offered for sale in the state of California effective January 1, 2009. All products containing composite wood products must comply with the new regulation.

The new regulation affects products that are manufactured from composite panels such as cabinets, store fixtures, flooring, etc.

With regards to this regulation, Uniboard mills manufacturing particleboard, (Sayabec, Val d'Or and Moncure) are now certified by the Composite Panel Association (CPA) to produce CARB ATCM 93120 compliant particleboard and will convert 100% of its standard product offer to CARB Phase I as of November 1^st, 2008.

Uniboard`s  Moncure plant converted 100% of it's particleboard production to CARB Phase I as of the first of August 2008.

Uniboard`s particleboard products are also certified to Environmentally Preferable ProducT (EPP) CPA 3-08. These limits are equal to those stated in CARB Phase 1 effective January 1^st, 2009.

Uniboard`s Mt. Laurier facility which produces MDF and HDF products meets theEnvironmentally Preferable ProducT (EPP) CPA 3-08 standards. CARB Phase 1 certification is being reviewed at the moment by Air Resources Board (ARB) officials. We expect to have certification to meet the January 1, 2009 deadline.

Formaldehyde Standard for Composite panels
(Maximum test values based on ASTM E1333 large chamber test method)

About Uniboard (a subsidiary of Pfleiderer AG)
Uniboard is a leading North American manufacturer of engineered wood products, with installed capacity of over 900 million square feet of raw particleboard, high density and medium density fiber board, of which over 50% is converted into value added melamine and laminated flooring products. Uniboard is the the only producer of laminated flooring products in Canada. Its annual sales exceed $550 million and it employs close to 1,400 employees. Its products are sold to retailers, distributors and finished goods manufacturers, which cater to the kitchen cabinet industry, the furniture industry, the renovation and construction industries, as well as to the floor covering industry. Uniboard is the largest supplier of thermofused melamine panels in North America.