Pioneer Announces the Filing of a Shelf Registration Statement HOUSTON, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pioneer Companies, Inc. (OTC:PONR) (BULLETIN BOARD: PONR) announced that on September 9, 2004, it filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The registration statement, when effective, will allow Pioneer to issue common stock, preferred stock, warrants, senior debt and subordinated debt up to an aggregate amount of $100 million from time to time. Gary L. Pittman, Pioneer's Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, stated, "We do not have any immediate plans to offer securities under the registration statement that we have filed, and in any event no offering can occur until the registration statement is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. However, our Board of Directors and management believe that enhancing our flexibility to benefit from favorable market conditions is prudent as we work to reduce our overall leverage and strengthen our balance sheet. Unless a prospectus supplement that we provide in connection with any offering indicates otherwise, the net proceeds that we would realize from any sale of securities will be used for general corporate purposes, including, without limitation, repayment of debt and redemptions or repurchases of debt securities." Pioneer, based in Houston, manufactures chlorine, caustic soda, bleach, hydrochloric acid and related products used in a variety of applications, including water treatment, plastics, pulp and paper, detergents, agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical disinfectants. Pioneer owns and operates four chlor-alkali plants and several downstream manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such State. At the time any of the securities covered by the registration statement are offered for sale, a prospectus supplement will be prepared and filed containing specific information about the terms of any such offering. When available, such a written prospectus may be obtained by contacting the underwriters which are named in any such prospectus supplement or by contacting Pioneer Companies, Inc., 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 4300, Houston, Texas 77002, Attn: Kent R. Stephenson, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements and assumptions by Pioneer that involve risks and uncertainties, including the anticipated effectiveness of the shelf registration statement or benefits to be obtained by Pioneer from the use of such shelf registration. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and Pioneer assumes no obligation to update this information. In addition, the events described in these forward-looking statements may not actually arise or may occur in a different manner than anticipated as a result of various factors, including market conditions, as well as other factors described from time to time in Pioneer's filings with SEC, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year-end December 31, 2003. DATASOURCE: Pioneer Companies, Inc. CONTACT: Gary Pittman of Pioneer Companies, Inc., +1-713-570-3200 Web site: http://www.piona.com/

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