Wausau Paper to Invest USD 31 Million in Towel Machine Rebuild

Mosinee, Wisconsin, USA, 19 December 2007 --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wausau Paper (NYSE:WPP) today announced that its board of directors approved a USD 31 million capital investment that will increase toweling capacity at its Middletown, Ohio, mill by 16,000 tons annually. The rebuild, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2009, will substantially improve manufacturing capabilities and capacity, support future product introductions, and reduce manufacturing costs.

"We continue to be very pleased with the operating margins generated by our Towel and Tissue segment and this project reflects our commitment to reinvest in the business to drive profitable growth," stated Thomas J. Howatt, Wausau Paper president and chief executive officer. "The capacity and product capabilities of this rebuild directly support our expectations for continued growth of our higher-margin value-added products, such as our highly successful Green Seal(R)-certified EcoSoft(R) line of environmentally preferable products, and at the same time provide returns well in excess of our target return rate for major capital projects."

About Wausau Paper

Wausau Paper, with record revenues of USD 1.2 billion in fiscal 2006, produces and markets fine printing and writing papers, technical specialty papers, and "away-from-home" towel and tissue products. To learn more about Wausau Paper visit www.wausaupaper.com.