The new company – to be named NorCell Incorporated – will be based in Southport, Connecticut.

"Norske Skog and CellMark's goal in this cooperation is to offer customers a broader range of solutions for their publishing needs while maximizing efficiency and minimizing cost in the supply chain,” says Norske Skog chief executive Sven Ombudstvedt. 

The share sale and the start of the NorCell business are expected to take place towards the end of the second quarter of 2011, with Mark Cassidy becoming president and chief executive of the NorCell organisation.

Norske Skog is the world's fourth largest producer of publication paper, with 14 wholly- and partly-owned mills in 11 countries. Norske Skog has a six per cent share of the global market for newsprint and magazine paper.

Established in 1984, CellMark Group has become a leading provider of supply chain services to the pulp and paper industry. It has four product divisions – for pulp, paper, packaging and recycling – and subdivisions for energy and machinery.

A global network of 46 offices in 20 countries is complemented by agents in other markets, representing and supporting the product divisions. Annual sales volume is in excess of f million tonnes.