Matthews International Corporation (MATW) Chairman and CEO to Ring the NASDAQ Stock Market Opening Bell

Company Celebrates Anniversary


MEDIA ADVISORY, July 19, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) --



 What:
 David M. Kelly, Chairman, Chairman and CEO of Matthews International
 Corporation (MATW) will preside over the opening bell to celebrate its
 12 year listing on the NASDAQ.

 Where:
 NASDAQ MarketSite - 4 Times Square - 43rd & Broadway - Broadcast Studio

 When:
 Thursday July 20th, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. EDT

 Contacts:
 Steven F. Nicola
 CFO, Secretary and Treasurer
 (412) 442-8262
 investorrelations@matw.com

 NASDAQ MarketSite:
 Stephanie Lowenthal; (646) 441-5220

Feed Information:

The opening bell is available from 9:20 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. on uplink IA-5 C-band/transponder 14. The downlink frequency is 3980 horizontal; audio: 6.2/6.8. The feed can also be found on Waterfront fiber 1623. If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Lowenthal at (646) 441-5220.

Photos:

To obtain a hi-resolution photograph of the Market Open, please go to http://www.nasdaq.com/reference/marketsite_events.stm and click on the market open of your choice.

About Matthews International Corporation (MATW):

Founded in 1850 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Matthews International Corporation is a designer, manufacturer and marketer principally of memorialization products and brand solutions. Memorialization products consist primarily of bronze memorials and memorialization products, caskets and cremation equipment for the cemetery and funeral home industries. Brand solutions include graphics imaging products and services, marking products and merchandising solutions. The Company's products and services include cast bronze memorials and other memorialization products; caskets; cast and etched architectural products; cremation equipment and cremation-related products; mausoleums; printing plates, pre-press services, and imaging systems for the corrugated and primary packaging industries; marking and coding equipment and consumables and industrial automation products for identifying, tracking and conveying various consumer and industrial products, components and containers; and merchandising display systems and marketing and design services.