May 13, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. NewPage Corporation has posted a net loss of $109 million on sales of $722 million in the 1Q 2009, as ForestTalk informed Lesprom Network. “The 1Q continued to reflect the unprecedented decline in spending for advertising, particularly for those customers using print media. Demand for coated paper has declined more than 30% compared to last year and our customers – mostly printers, magazine and book publishers, and catalogers – continue to face similar pressures in their businesses,” said Mark A. Suwyn, NewPage executive chairman. “These challenges have been further exacerbated by our customers managing their cash flow by reducing their inventory levels. To balance supply with demand, we will take at least 300 thousand tons of market-related downtime in the first half of 2009. This is in addition to the 1.1 million tons of capacity we shut down last year.” In April 2009 NewPage received approval for the U.S. alternative fuel (black-liquor based) tax credit and has received payments of $45 million during the 2Q 2009 for alternative fuel used in the 1Q 2009. The financial effects of this credit are not reflected in the 1Q results. NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America. The company's product portfolio includes coated freesheet, coated groundwood, supercalendered, newsprint and specialty papers.