The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) announced today that it has entered into
a new pulpwood supply agreement with Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation.
Under the agreement, which is effective immediately, St. Joe will sell
3.9 million tons of pulpwood to Smurfit-Stone’s pulp and paper mill in
Panama City, Florida over the next seven years. The new agreement
replaces an agreement that the two companies entered into in July 2000
and that was scheduled to expire in June 2012.
"We are pleased to extend our relationship with Smurfit-Stone and to
continue our long-standing, mutually beneficial partnership,” said Britt
Greene, President and CEO of St. Joe.
The new agreement includes more favorable pricing terms for St. Joe and
guarantees steady demand for much of the Company’s pulpwood harvest. In
addition, the agreement removes certain restrictions on St. Joe’s
timberlands contained in the previous agreement, allowing for greater
flexibility related to St. Joe’s rural land sales activities. For
Smurfit-Stone, the agreement ensures the steady supply of a significant
portion of its fiber needs.
"This is a win-win outcome for both St. Joe and Smurfit-Stone,” said
Will Sonnenfeld, Senior Vice President Forestry and Land Sales at St.
Joe. "Smurfit-Stone is an outstanding customer and the largest buyer of
pulpwood in our region. The new agreement strengthens an important
relationship with a key customer while advancing our efforts to optimize
our timberland management and enhance the earnings of our forestry
segment.”
More information regarding the new pulpwood supply agreement will be
available in the 8-K to be filed today with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission.
About St. Joe
The St. Joe Company, a publicly held company currently based in
WaterSound, is one of Florida's largest real estate development
companies and Northwest Florida's largest private landowner. St. Joe is
primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant
interests in timber. More information about the Company can be found on
its website at www.joe.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are
"forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about our
beliefs, plans, goals, expectations and intentions. Forward-looking
statements involve risk and uncertainty, and there can be no assurance
that the results described in such statements will be realized. Such
statements are based on our current expectations and we undertake no
obligation to publicly update or reissue any forward-looking statements.
Risk factors that may cause the actual results to differ are described
in this press release and in various documents we have filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and our Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q.
© 2010, The St. Joe Company. "St. Joe” and the "Taking Flight” design
are service marks of The St. Joe Company.
