Mesirow Financial Advises Graphic Packaging on Sale of Two of Its CRB Mills

CHICAGO, September 22, 2008 — Mesirow Financial's Corporate Investment Banking department acted as exclusive financial advisor to Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) in the sale of two of its coated-recycled board mills ("Mills") to PaperWorks Industries, Inc., an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners ("Sun"). The sale was mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice pursuant to the Consent Decree governing the combination of Graphic Packaging International, Inc. and Altivity Packaging, LLC in March 2008.

The Mills are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Wabash, Indiana.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, is a leading provider of paperboard packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer products companies. The company is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and holds a leading market position in coated-recycled boxboard and specialty bag packaging. The company's customers include some of the most widely recognized companies in the world. Additional information about Graphic Packaging Holding Company, its business and its products is available on the company's Web site at www.graphicpkg.com.

Paper Works Industries, Inc., a newly formed company, is an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. Sun is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, equity, debt and other investments in market-leading companies that can benefit from its in-house operating professionals and experience. Sun affiliates have invested in and managed more than 195 companies worldwide with combined sales in excess of $40.0 billion since Sun Capital's inception in 1995. Sun has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles and New York as well as affiliates with offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Shenzhen. For more information, please visit www.SunCapPart.com.

Mesirow Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1937, it is an independent, employee-owned firm with $32.2 billion in assets under management and more than 1,100 employees in locations across the country and in London. With expertise in Investment Management, Investment Services, Insurance Services, Investment Banking, Consulting and Real Estate, Mesirow Financial strives to meet the financial needs of institutions, public sector entities, corporations and individuals and was named one of Chicago's Best Places to Work by Crain's Chicago Business in 2008. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the firm posted $490 million in revenue, with more than $245 million in capital. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at www.mesirowfinancial.com.

For more information, contact: Lauren Berkowitz, Mesirow Financial, 312.595.6261.

 

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