Norske Skog wins contract

A long-term contract with Australia's major newsprint users is the first move with local flavour from Norske Skog, the new owners of Fletcher Paper.

Australasian regional president Dr David Kirk said yesterday that the 10-year deal to supply newsprint to News Ltd, John Fairfax and West Australian Newspapers would also encompass New Zealand's Tasman mill for the first time.

He said that while Tasman had supplied the Australian giants before, the deals had been for only one or two years.

Neither party would reveal the value of the contract.