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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 (Date of earliest event reported):
September 16, 1998
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Pennsylvania 0-9115 and 0-24494 25-0644320
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(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
of incorporation) File Numbers) Identification No.)
Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (412) 442-8200
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
On September 16, 1998, Matthews International Corporation ("Matthews")
announced that it signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Gibraltar
Mausoleum Construction Company, Inc. ("Gibraltar"), a subsidiary of Service
Corporation International. The purchase price for the acquisition is
$10.0 million cash. Gibraltar, with annual sales of approximately
$16 million, is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and is a leading
builder of mausoleums in the United States. The acquisition of Gibraltar is
intended to expand Matthews' products and services in the growing memorial
industry segment of mausoleum entombment.
On September 28, 1998, Matthews announced the purchase of a fifty percent
interest in S&T Gesellschaft fur Reprotechnik mbH ("S&T GmbH"), a German
graphics and flexographic printing plate manufacturer. The other fifty
percent of S&T GmbH will continue to be owned by its general manager. The
combination of Matthews and S&T GmbH is an important part of the Matthews
strategy to become a worldwide leader in the graphics industry and serve
existing multinational customers on a global basis. S&T GmbH, with annual
sales of approximately $6 million, is headquartered in Julich, Germany.
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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 thereunto duly authorized.
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
(Registrant)
By Edward J. Boyle
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Edward J. Boyle
Vice President, Accounting &
Finance, Treasurer and Secretary
Date: September 28, 1998
