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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000063296-03-000011.txt : 20030425
<SEC-HEADER>0000063296-03-000011.hdr.sgml : 20030425
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030425154014
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000063296-03-000011
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030425
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other events
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030425

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000063296
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NONFERROUS FOUNDRIES (CASTINGS) [3360]
		IRS NUMBER:				250644320
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			PA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-09115
		FILM NUMBER:		03664717

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER
		CITY:			PITTSBURGH
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			15212-5851
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4124428200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER
		CITY:			PITTSBURGH
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			15212-5851

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MATTHEWS JAMES H & CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19780823
</SEC-HEADER>
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<PAGE> 1
               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 (Date of earliest event reported):
                             April 25, 2003



                      MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
            ------------------------------------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



           Pennsylvania             0-9115 and 0-24494         25-0644320
   ----------------------------     ------------------        ------------
   (State or other jurisdiction        (Commission           (IRS Employer
        of incorporation)              File Numbers)       Identification No.)



   Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, PA                       15212-5851
  ----------------------------------------                     ----------
  (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)



  Registrant's telephone number, including area code:       (412) 442-8200
                                                            --------------



<PAGE> 2

Item 5.  Other Events

On April 25, 2003, Matthews International Corporation issued a press release
announcing that Glenn R. Mahone was elected to the Matthews Board of
Directors.  A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.


<PAGE> 3


                                 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.


                                           MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
                                                      (Registrant)


                                       By  Edward J. Boyle
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Edward J. Boyle
                                           Chief Financial Officer,
                                            Secretary and Treasurer




Date: April 25, 2003







































<PAGE> 4

              MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                   EXHIBITS
                                    INDEX
                                  ----------


The following Exhibit to this report is filed herewith.



     Exhibit
       No.        Description
     -------      -----------
      99.1        Press release, dated April 25, 2003, issued by
      Matthews International Corporation.














































</TEXT>
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<PAGE> 1
                                                                 Exhibit 99.1


       April 25, 2003
Edward J. Boyle
                                                      Chief Financial Officer,
                                                      Secretary & Treasurer
                                                      412:442-8244




                            MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL
                            ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR


PITTSBURGH, PA, April 25, 2003 -- Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ
NNM: MATW) announced today that Glenn R. Mahone, a partner in the Pittsburgh
office of the law firm of Reed Smith, L.L.P. since 1991, was elected to the
Matthews Board of Directors.

Mr. Mahone is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University.  He also received a
Juris Doctorate degree from the Duquesne University School of Law and a
Masters of Laws degree from Yale University.

Prior to joining Reed Smith, Mr. Mahone spent ten years in the radio broadcast
industry.  He is also active in community affairs, a Vietnam veteran, and
Chairman of the Board of the Allegheny County Airport Authority and the Urban
League of Pittsburgh.

Matthews International Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
is a designer, manufacturer and marketer principally of memorialization
products and caskets for the cemetery and funeral home industries, and custom
made products which are used to identify people, place, products and events.
The Company's products include cast bronze memorials and other memorialization
products; caskets; bronze and aluminum architectural products; cremators and
cremation-related products; mausoleums, printing plates, pre-press services,
and imaging systems for the corrugated and flexible packaging industries; and
marking equipment and consumables for identifying various consumer and
industrial products and containers.


</TEXT>
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