1 AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MAY 18, 2001 REGISTRATION NO. 333-_________ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 BOWATER INCORPORATED ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) DELAWARE 62-0721803 --------------------------------- ------------------------------------- (State of Incorporation) (IRS Employer Identification No.) 55 E. CAMPERDOWN WAY, P.O. BOX 1028, GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 29602 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Address of Principal Executive Offices) BOWATER INCORPORATED SALARIED EMPLOYEES' SAVINGS PLAN ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Full Title of the Plan) WENDY C. SHIBA, ESQUIRE VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL BOWATER INCORPORATED 55 E. CAMPERDOWN WAY, P.O. BOX 1028, GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 29602 (864) 271-7733 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service) CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE ===================================================================================================================== Title Of Each Class Amount To Be Proposed Proposed Amount of Of Securities To Be Registered Maximum Offering Maximum Registration Fee Registered Price Per Unit Aggregate Offering Price --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Common Stock 4,200,000 $48.09(2) $201,978,000(2) $50,494.50(2) $1.00 par value shares(1) per share ===================================================================================================================== (1) Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described herein. (2) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee, and pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum offering price per unit and the registration fee are based on the reported average of the high and low sales prices of Bowater Incorporated Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on May 11, 2001. Pursuant to Rule 457(h)(2) under the Securities Act, no separate fee is required with respect to the interests in the Plan covered by this Registration Statement. This Registration Statement shall become effective automatically upon the date of filing in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, and Rule 462 promulgated thereunder. 2 PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES Pursuant to General Instruction E of the instructions to Form S-8, Bowater Incorporated (the "Registrant") and the Bowater Incorporated Salaried Employees' Savings Plan (the "Plan") hereby incorporate by reference the contents of the previous Registration Statements filed by the Registrant and the Plan on Forms S-8 (Registration Nos. 333-00555, 333-41471 and 333-84161). The current registration of 4,200,000 shares of common stock of the Registrant will increase the total number of shares registered for issuance under the Plan to 8,100,000. ITEM 8. EXHIBITS Pursuant to General Instruction E of the instructions to Form S-8, the Registrant and the Plan hereby incorporate by reference the exhibits of the previous Registration Statements filed by the Registrant and the Plan on Forms S-8 (Registration Nos. 333-00555, 333-41471 and 333-84161). The following additional exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement. No: Exhibit: -- ------- 4.1 Amendment No. 1 to the Bowater Incorporated Salaried Employees' Savings Plan, As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 1997. 4.2 Second Amendment to the Bowater Incorporated Salaried Employees' Savings Plan, As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 1997. 4.3 Amendment No. 3 to the Bowater Incorporated Salaried Employees' Savings Plan, As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 1997. 23 Consent of Accountants. 24 Powers of Attorney. 3 SIGNATURES The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Greenville, state of South Carolina, on May 16, 2001. BOWATER INCORPORATED (Registrant) By: /s/ Arnold M. Nemirow --------------------------------- Arnold M. Nemirow Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. SIGNATURE TITLE DATE /s/ Arnold M. Nemirow -------------------------------- Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive May 16, 2001 Arnold M. Nemirow Officer (principal executive officer) /s/ David G. Maffucci -------------------------------- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer May 16, 2001 David G. Maffucci (principal financial officer) /s/ Michael F. Nocito -------------------------------- Vice President and Controller May 16, 2001 Michael F. Nocito (principal accounting officer) * Director May 16, 2001 -------------------------------- Francis J. Aguilar * Director May 16, 2001 -------------------------------- Richard Barth * Director May 16, 2001 -------------------------------- Kenneth M. Curtis * Director May 16, 2001 -------------------------------- Cinda A. Hallman 4 SIGNATURE TITLE DATE * Director May 16, 2001 ---------------------------------------- Charles J. Howard * Director May 16, 2001 ---------------------------------------- James L. Pate * Director May 16, 2001 ---------------------------------------- John A. Rolls * Director May 16, 2001 ---------------------------------------- Arthur R. Sawchuk *Wendy C. Shiba, by signing her name hereto, does sign this document on behalf of the persons indicated above pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by such persons that are filed herewith as Exhibit 24. By: /s/ Wendy C. Shiba ------------------------- Wendy C. Shiba, Attorney-in-Fact The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the trustees (or other persons who administer the Plan) have duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Greenville, state of South Carolina, on May 16, 2001. BOWATER INCORPORATED SALARIED EMPLOYEES' SAVINGS PLAN (Plan) By: /s/ Aaron Whitlock ---------------------- Aaron Whitlock, Plan Administrator