York, Pennsylvania, USA, 19 January 2010 --  Glatfelter (NYSE: GLT), a global manufacturer of specialty papers and engineered paper products, today announced that it recently opened a new sales and distribution center in Russia.

Located in Moscow, the new office will serve Glatfelter’s Composite Fibers Business Unit (CFBU) customers in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Belarus. These areas were previously served through agents and traders. In conjunction with the establishment of this operation, Glatfelter acquired certain customer relationships and an existing sales platform from distributors of metallized products.

The new center provides a local focus for all CFBU products and services, with a concentration on the food and beverage and metallized products market sectors. With a staff of local and experienced people, the center will provide responsive local support and carry paper stocks that reflect local market demand.
 
“This opportunity to expand our global footprint better positions us to serve an important growing market and supports our vision to become the global supplier of choice in specialty papers and engineered products,” commented Martin Rapp, vice president and general manager of Glatfelter CFBU. “It further demonstrates our commitment to provide excellent customer service as a strong local presence in these markets will allow us to work closely with our strategic customer partners to strengthen and grow their businesses.”
 
A major innovator with worldwide customer support in 80 countries, CFBU uses specialized fibers to create highly specific papers for a multitude of end-use applications in the food and beverage, metallized products, technical specialties, and composite laminates market sectors. From food infusion to medical diagnostics, from composite structures to thermal barrier materials, leading marketers and industrial specialists use Glatfelter paper to meet their challenging and unique requirements.