8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report: July 27, 2005

Date of earliest event reported: July 22, 2005

SCHWEITZER-MAUDUIT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1-13948	Delaware	62-1612879
(Commission file number)	(State or other jurisdiction of	(I.R.S. Employer
	incorporation or organization)	Identification No.)
100 North Point Center East, Suite 600
Atlanta, Georgia		30022
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip code)
1-800-514-0186
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act.  (17 CFR 230.425)

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act. (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act. (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act.  (17 CFR 240.13c-4©)

Item 8.01Other Events

On July 22, 2005, we issued a Press Release announcing our execution of an agreement to form a joint venture to produce tobacco-related papers in China.  The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.  This information shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference to such filing.

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)  Exhibits

99.1Press Release, dated July 22, 2005, of Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc., announcing its agreement to form a joint venture to produce tobacco-related papers in China.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.
	By:	/s/ PAUL C. ROBERTS
		Paul C. Roberts
		Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Dated: July 27, 2005

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SCHWEITZER-MAUDUIT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Current Report on Form 8-K

dated July 27, 2005

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated July 22, 2005, of Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc., announcing its agreement to form a joint venture to produce tobacco-related papers in China.

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:	Bill Foust	Paul Roberts
	770-569-4203	770-569-4277

SCHWEITZER-MAUDUIT ANNOUNCES JOINT VENTURE IN CHINA FOR TOBACCO-RELATED PAPERS

Alpharetta, Georgia, July 22, 2005.  Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (NYSE:SWM) today announced execution of an agreement to form a joint venture to produce tobacco-related papers in China. The joint venture would produce cigarette paper and porous plug wrap in partnership with the China National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC), which is the principal operating company under China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA).  CNTC and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schweitzer-Mauduit would each own fifty percent of the joint venture. The joint venture is subject to obtaining project financing and various governmental approvals.

The joint venture would build a new state-of-the-art paper mill, with two paper machines having total annual production capacity of approximately 18,000 metric tons.  The new mill would be located near Jiangmen, Guangdong province, with construction expected to take approximately two years following receipt of governmental approvals.  Project spending, including capital expenditures and working capital requirements, is expected to total approximately $100 million.  Papeteries de Mauduit (PDM), a French subsidiary of Schweitzer-Mauduit, would provide technical support and project management.

Schweitzer-Mauduit, through PDM, has been selling tobacco-related papers in China for approximately 20 years. The joint venture demonstrates Schweitzer-Mauduit’s increased commitment to service the Chinese cigarette market, which represents roughly 30 percent of the world’s cigarette consumption.  The new production facility would focus on high quality cigarette paper and porous plug wrap, which would support STMA’s move to lower tar delivery levels in cigarettes for the Chinese market.

Wayne H. Deitrich, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Schweitzer-Mauduit commented that, “We are very pleased and honored to embark upon this exciting opportunity with CNTC and STMA.  The new mill is expected to quickly establish its position as a premier supplier of papers to the Chinese tobacco industry.  The joint venture is also consistent with Schweitzer-Mauduit’s strategy to increase its manufacturing presence in Asia and follows the establishment of paper manufacturing operations by Schweitzer-Mauduit in Indonesia in February 2004 and in the Philippines in June 2005.”

Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. is a diversified producer of premium specialty papers and the world’s largest supplier of fine papers to the tobacco industry.  It also manufactures specialty papers for use in alkaline batteries, vacuum cleaner bags, overlay products, saturating base papers, business forms and printing and packaging applications.  Schweitzer-Mauduit and its subsidiaries

conduct business in over 90 countries and employ 3,800 people worldwide, with operations in the United States, France, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines and Canada.  For further information, please visit the Company’s Web site at
www schweitzer-mauduit.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to the safe harbor created by that Act.  Actual results may differ materially from the results suggested by these statements for a number of reasons, including 1) changes in the level of capital expenditures due to currency exchange rate changes, inflationary cost increases, unforeseen construction difficulties, or other factors and 2) changes in working capital requirements caused by variations in credit terms, inventory levels, currency exchange rate changes, values of inventory, sales levels and other factors.  For additional factors and further discussion of these factors, please see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.