Asten and Sitos join AstenJohnson, offers expanded product line

Subject: Asten and Sitos join AstenJohnson, offers expanded product line

Contact: Rebecca Harper, Communications Manager

Date: October 29, 2007

Asten and Sitos, both manufacturers of paper machine clothing and filtration fabrics in Europe, are now operating under the AstenJohnson global brand name, announces AstenJohnson's President and CEO Daniel D. Cappell.

Asten and Sitos have been valued suppliers in the paper industry since 1885 and 1919, respectively. While Sitos joined the company in 2005 and Asten in 2000, both have been operating under their respective brand names. This change gives European customers access to an expanded product line, to global research and development efforts as well as to global expertise.

Henry Johnson, vice president – Europe, is leading the European operations. "We have made extensive investments in our European operations over the years to enable us to offer only the highest quality products and services to our customers. As we expand our presence in Europe, we remain committed to continuing to invest more resources to serve the European paper industry."

Jeff Landry, vice president of marketing – Europe, says, "The expanded product line will include AstenJohnson's well known InTegra family of forming fabrics, specialty fabrics and drainage equipment from JohnsonFoils, also an AstenJohnson company."

"Asten has been a long-time innovation leader for dryer fabrics," Cappell says. "This will continue to be a strong focus for us. Our research and development efforts will continue from the Eupen, Belgium, facility in addition to the work being done in our North American facility in Ottawa, Ontario."

Gerschon Stoppelman, European Sales Director – PMC, says, "This change will only enhance our offerings to our customers. They will still work with the same sales representatives and will still receive the same high quality of service and products they are accustomed to getting from our company."

AstenJohnson has 1800 employees globally. In addition to the Belgium and Czech Republic facilities, manufacturing locations include the United States, Canada and China. The company's corporate office is in Charleston, South Carolina. Sales and marketing offices are in Singapore, Charleston and Ottawa, Ontario.