Tembec and Kruger are pleased to announce that their joint venture, Marathon Pulp Inc., has received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its forestry practices on the Big Pic Forest, a 650,000-hectare public sustainable forest license in Northern Ontario.

"This certification demonstrates our desire to expand Tembec's 2001 commitment to seek third-party FSC certification for all of its forest operations by working with external supply partners to further extend the forest areas under certification," said James Lopez, President and CEO of Tembec. "With 10.4 million hectares of FSC-certified forestland under our management, Tembec offers the largest range of FSC-certified products in the marketplace and is a leading supplier of FSC-certified pulp."

The Forest Stewardship Council is recognized worldwide as the Gold standard for well-managed forests for its unique regional, multi-stakeholder approach to the development of standards. "Achieving FSC certification is the culmination of months of hard word and represents a well-deserved recognition of the efforts of our team and that of partner companies," noted Marc Barrette, Vice President and COO of Marathon Pulp Inc. Marathon is committed to the continuous improvement of forest management and strengthening partnerships, notably with local First Nations".

Marathon Pulp Inc. received its certification from the Rainforest Alliance SmartWood Program, a Forest Stewardship Council accredited certifier, following an in-depth audit process that found that the Company's forest management practices comply with FSC's rigorous standards for environmentally and socially responsible forestry practices.

Founded in 1993, the Forest Stewardship Council is an international, non-governmental organization that has developed the only forest certification system recognized worldwide by native peoples, environmental groups, labour organizations and industry. The certification system requires consultations with all forest users and stakeholders, and guarantees the independent evaluation of forest management practices used by companies.

About Marathon Pulp Inc.

Marathon Pulp Inc. operates a Northern Bleached Kraft pulp mill and is equally owned by Tembec and Kruger. Tembec is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations. The mill is located on the northern shore of Lake Superior in the Town of Marathon, Ontario and employs approximately 230 people.

About Tembec

Tembec is a large, diversified and integrated forest products company which stands as the global leader in sustainable forest management practices. With operations principally located in North America and in France, the Company employs approximately 8,000 people. Tembec's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TMB and warrants under TMB.WT. Additional information on Tembec is available on its website at
www.tembec.com.

About Kruger

Founded in 1904, Kruger Inc. is a major producer of publication papers, tissue, lumber and other wood products, corrugated cartons from recycled fibers, green and renewable energy and wines and spirits. The Company is also a leader in paper and paperboard recycling in North America. Kruger operates facilities in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, in the United States and the United Kingdom and has 9,000 employees. www.kruger.com