<b>ForestExpress Reports Growth in Usage</b>

ForestExpress announced that customers have conducted more than 100 transactions across its e-commerce platform achieving a strategic company milestone.

ForestExpress' Recycling marketplace launched its pilot program this week while ForestExpress' Building Materials, Timber and Paper marketplaces have been in pilot phase and conducting transactions since late last year.

The first transaction on the recycling section was conducted Tuesday, Feb. 20, between a recycling plant and a mill. Products transacting are all grades of recovered paper, starting with OCC/DLK and expanding to include ONP, pulp-subs, de-ink, and other grades.

The first transaction in the timber market was conducted last November in North Carolina between a mill and a supplier. The Timber pilot supports real-time commercial transactions with capabilities including forward and reverse auctions. Timber has registered over 130 participants that include haulers, loggers, dealers and mills in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Alabama. The pilot program will continue to be rolled out regionally from Virginia to Texas.

The first transaction in the paper market was conducted on December 21, 2000, between a mill and a converter. The initial focus of the pilot ForestExpress Paper is on supporting catalog transactions between mills and paper distributors. Over the next several weeks, the pilot will expand to include mills (coated; uncoated; text and cover), merchants (national and independent) and printers (medium to large). The marketplace will expand to include transactions between merchants and their customers.

The first transaction on the building materials section was conducted late January between a mill and a manufacturer. New residential construction customers are current pilot participants. Products transacting are building materials including OSB, plywood, lumber and web stock. The site functionality provides catalog functionality and SKUs for approximately 100 products.