SCA, Philadelphia, Pa., USA, a global hygiene leader and forest products company that produces the Tork® brand of Away-from-Home (AfH) professional hygiene products, will join the supply network of Premier, Charlotte, N.C., the second largest healthcare Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) in the U.S. Effective Oct. 1, 2016, SCA will provide Tork paper towels, tissues, napkins, and dispensers to Premier's network of approximately 3,600 member hospitals and 120,000 alternate site locations, including urgent care, assisted living, and medical facilities.

Healthcare is one of the largest and most sustainable growth segments for the Away-from-Home business in North America. By joining Premier's supply network, SCA ensures that its healthcare offering meets rigorous standards for quality, hygiene, and environmental considerations, which include third party certifications by Green Seal™ and ECOLOGO®, Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), as well as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®).

"We are pleased to join forces with Premier Inc. to accelerate our presence within the healthcare industry," said Joe Russo, VP, sales and marketing for SCA's Away from Home Professional Hygiene business in North America. "By joining the Premier supply network, SCA is expanding the reach of our vast global sustainability expertise and providing high quality, industry-leading solutions that improve facility-wide healthcare hygiene."

By working alongside Premier Inc., SCA extends its commitment to providing sustainable solutions in healthcare environments throughout the U.S. Through its Tork brand of AfH professional hygiene products, the company has acquired significant knowledge thanks to its long-standing dedication towards helping healthcare facilities work smarter and supporting them through day-to-day critical moments. 

SCA is a global hygiene and forest products company. The Group develops and produces sustainable personal care, tissue, and forest products. Sales are conducted in about 100 countries under many strong brands, including the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and regional brands, such as Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda, and Zewa. As Europe's largest private forest owner, SCA places considerable emphasis on sustainable forest management. The Group has about 44,000 employees. Sales in 2015 amounted to approximately $13.7 billion. SCA was founded in 1929, has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissue, soap, napkins, and industrial and kitchen wipers.

Premier Inc. is a healthcare improvement company, uniting an alliance of approximately 3,600 U.S. hospitals and 120,000 other providers to transform healthcare. With integrated data and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, and advisory and other services, Premier enables better care and outcomes at a lower cost. Premier, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry, collaborating with members to co-develop long-term innovations that reinvent and improve the way care is delivered to patients nationwide. Premier's news and investor sites are available online.