Jul 25, 2007. /Lesprom Network/. Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. and Bowater Incorporated announced on July 24, 2007 that the Canadian Competition Bureau has informed them that it will not contest their proposed combination. "We are very pleased the Bureau, after an extensive review, has decided to allow the combination to proceed without challenge," said John W. Weaver, president and chief executive officer of Abitibi-Consolidated. David J. Paterson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Bowater added: "We appreciate the way the Bureau handled this process and are very pleased to have received this critical approval for the combination." The combined company, which will be called AbitibiBowater Inc. will produce a wide-range of newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. It will be the eighth largest pulp and paper manufacturer in the world. AbitibiBowater will own or operate 32 pulp and paper facilities and 35 wood products facilities located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea. It will also be among the world's largest recyclers of newspapers and magazines, and a global leader in sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. Abitibi-Consolidated is a global leader in newsprint and commercial printing papers as well as a major producer of wood products, serving clients in some 70 countries from its 45 operating facilities. Abitibi-Consolidated is among the largest recyclers of newspapers and magazines in North America, diverting annually approximately 1.7 million tonnes of waste paper from landfills. Bowater Incorporated is a leading producer of coated and specialty papers and newsprint. In addition, the company sells bleached market pulp and lumber products. Bowater has 12 pulp and paper mills in the United States, Canada and South Korea. In North America, it also operates one converting facility and owns 10 sawmills. Bowater's operations are supported by approximately 708 000 acres of timberlands owned or leased in the United States and Canada and 28 million acres of timber cutting rights in Canada. Bowater operates six recycling plants and is one of the world's largest consumers of recycled newspapers and magazines.