Navigator : again among the exhibitors at Paperworld Middle East

Press Release - February 2018

Aiming to boost the Company's growth in the Middle East

The Navigator Company again among the exhibitors at Paperworld Middle East

The Navigator Company, Europe's leading producer of uncoated woodfree printing and writing paper, will for the sixth year running be one of the exhibitors at Paperworld Middle East, in Dubai, from 27th February to 1st March, aiming to boost its position in the region and to deepen further its long-standing commercial ties in this part of the world.

In recent years, the Navigator Company has shown clear capacity for growth in the Middle East, helping to cement its position as Portugal's third leading exporter and the exporter that generates the most value added for the Portuguese economy. This region today is second only to Europe and the United States in importance to the Company, and Navigator has established itself especially in higher value added segments and in mill brands, accounting for around 30% of European exports of UWF printing and writing paper to the region.

"Over five years The Navigator Company has been building up a stronger presence for its paper brands at Paperworld Middle East, and this is reflected in growing demand and interest in our products and brands in emerging markets with vast potential, like those of the Middle East, as well as Africa and Asia," explained António Quirino Soares, The Navigator Company's marketing manager, adding that this business strategy will be carried over to this year's edition.

For this year's event the organisers expect 6,400 participants from 93 different countries, with more than 313 exhibitors from 42 countries. The Navigator Company will be represented at the trade fair by a stand displaying the Company's main office paper brands, such as: Inacopia, Discovery, Pioneer and Soporset, but with pride of place going to

Navigator, the global leader in the premium segment - a brand celebrating its 25thanniversary. A special limited edition of the Navigator ream has been launched to commemorate this milestone.

The Navigator Company's plans for 2018 also involve expanding its range available to Middle East markets to include the premium products offered by its brands (such as Inacopia, Pioneer and Navigator) with FSC® and Ecolabel certification.

In 2017, the Discovery brand launched a European competition for walking, running and cycling enthusiasts, helping to build a closer connection between the brand and the concepts of sustainability and eco-efficiency. The competition attracted a total of 1,139 participants, who together travelled 200,075 km, resulting in the planting of 2000 trees. Alongside this, the Navigator paper brand ran the third edition of its travel writing competition, "Around the World in 80 pages", inspiring travellers from around the globe to share their adventures. The competition attracted 2,161 entries from 77 countries.

Capping this success, the Navigator paper brand is currently running the largest promotional campaign in its history. Until 30 June 2018, consumers can enter a prize draw for 200 iPhones X. For each ream of paper, consumers have a code they can use and submit to the websitewww.navigator-paper.com.

Navigator paper is sold to more than 110 countries and is associated with values which continue to be fundamental in communicating the brand, such as excellent performance in all office equipment, thickness and opacity allowing for printing both sides, excellent printing quality in laser and inkjet printers and a guarantee of being 99.99% jam-free. This performance has been certified by the Buyers Laboratory INC (BLI), the leading independent laboratory for testing office equipment and consumer protection body.

About The Navigator Company

The Navigator Company is the new face of the former Portucel Soporcel group, after its rebranding in 2016.

The Navigator Company is Portugal's third leading exporter, and the exporter generating the highest level of national value added. The Group accounts for approximately 1% of Portugal's GDP, around 3% of the country's total exports of goods, close to 8% of all containerized cargo and 7% of all containerized and conventional cargo exported through Portuguese ports.

In 2016, the Company set a new all-time record for paper output, with an annual turnover of approximately 1.6 billion euros.

Having consolidated its position as the leading European manufacturer, and the fourth largest in the world, of uncoated woodfree (UWF) printing and writing paper, The Navigator Company is also Europe's top producer of BEKP (Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft Pulp), the fifth largest in the world, and has entered the tissue market, where it expects to become of key players in the continent.

The Navigator Company has successfully pursued a strategy of innovation and development of its own brands, which today account for 62% of sales of manufactured products. Special mention should be made of the Navigator brand, the world's best-selling product in the premium office paper segment.

The Navigator Company sells its products to 130 countries over five continents, with a special focus on Europe and the US, giving it the broadest export base of any Portuguese company.

As a vertically integrated forestry Company with its own forestry research institute RAIZ, it manages vast tracts of forest in Portugal certified under the FSC® and PEFC™ systems (FSC license C010852 and PEFC license 13-23-001), and boasts annual production capacity for 1.6 million tons of paper, 1.4 million tons of pulp (of which 1.1 million is integrated into paper) and power generation of 2.5 TWh, adding up to annual turnover of approximately 1.6 billion euros.

The Navigator Company operates one of Europe's largest nurseries for forestry plants, with annual production capacity of approximately 12 million certified plants of various species, destined for use in renewing Portugal's woodlands.

www.thenavigatorcompany.com

For further press information, please contact:

Lift Consulting - + 351 21 466 65 00

Raquel Campos -raquel.campos@lift.com.pt / +351 91 865 49 31

Joana Branquinho -joana.branquinho@lift.com.pt / +351 91 318 43 02