Altra Holdings, Inc. Named to Globe 100

BRAINTREE, Mass., May 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altra Holdings, Inc.
(Nasdaq:AIMC) has been named to the "Globe 100" list of top performing public
companies in Massachusetts, The Boston Globe announced today.

Based on a composite score derived from financial data for the four quarters
ending December 31, 2008, Altra was ranked 67th among Massachusetts-based
companies whose stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange or
American Stock Exchange. It is the second consecutive year that Altra has been
included in the Globe 100.

"These companies represent the resiliency of Massachusetts business, navigating
difficult waters and surviving the ebbs and flows of an unstable economy and
stock market," said Shirley Leung, business editor of the Boston Globe.

To qualify for the Globe 100, a company must have been public for the entire
2008 calendar year and have reported a positive net income for both 2007 and
2008.

Now in its 21st year, The Globe 100 ranks Massachusetts-based public companies
based on financial data from the four quarters ending closest to December 31,
2008, and for corresponding quarters a year earlier.

About Altra

Altra Holdings, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary Altra Industrial
Motion, Inc., is a leading multinational designer, producer and marketer of a
wide range of mechanical power transmission products. The company brings
together strong brands covering over 40 product lines with production facilities
in eight countries and sales coverage in over 70 countries. Our leading brands
include Boston Gear, Warner Electric, TB Wood's, Formsprag Clutch, Ameridrives
Couplings, Industrial Clutch, Kilian Manufacturing, Marland Clutch, Nuttall
Gear, Stieber Clutch, Wichita Clutch, Twiflex Limited, Bibby Transmissions,
Matrix International, Inertia Dynamics, Huco Dynatork and Warner Linear.

The Altra Holdings, Inc. logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4038

About the Globe 100 ranking methodology

The Globe 100 ranks Massachusetts-based public companies based on financial data
from the four quarters ending closest to December 31, 2008, and for
corresponding quarters a year earlier. To be eligible, the company must be
traded publicly for the entire 2008 calendar year on the New York Stock
Exchange, the NASDAQ or the American Stock Exchange and report revenue and
profit for both 2007 and 2008. Companies are ranked on four criteria: return on
average equity, one-year percentage change in revenue, one-year percentage
change in profit margin and 2008 revenue.

About The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe is wholly owned by The New York Times Company, a leading media
company with 2008 revenues of $2.9 billion, which includes The New York Times,
the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers,
WQXR-FM and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and
About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating,
collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this
release are forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on financial
data, market assumptions and business plans available only as of the time the
statements are made, which may become out of date or incomplete. Forward-looking
statements are inherently uncertain, and investors must recognize that events
could differ significantly from our expectations.

In addition to the risks and uncertainties noted in this release, there are
certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated by some of the statements made. These include: (1) competitive
pressures, (2) changes in economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad and the
cyclical nature of our markets, (3) loss of distributors, (4) the ability to
develop new products and respond to customer needs, (5) risks associated with
international operations, including currency risks, (6) accuracy of estimated
forecasts of OEM customers and the impact of the current global economic
environment on our customers, (7) fluctuations in the costs of raw materials
used in our products, (8) product liability claims, (9) work stoppages and other
labor issues, (10) changes in employment, environmental, tax and other laws and
changes in the enforcement of laws, (11) loss of key management and other
personnel, (12) changes in pension and retirement liabilities, (13) the ability
to achieve business plans, including with respect to an uncertain economic
environment, (14) the ability to successfully execute, manage and integrate key
acquisitions and mergers, (15) failure to obtain or protect intellectual
property rights, (16) risks associated with impairment of goodwill or
intangibles assets, (17) failure of operating equipment or information
technology infrastructure, (18) risks associated with our debt leverage and
operating covenants under our debt instruments, (19) risks associated with the
global recession and volatility and disruption in the global financial markets,
(20) our ability to complete cost reduction actions and risks associated with
such actions, and (21) other risks, uncertainties and other factors described in
the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K and
in the Company's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) or in materials incorporated therein by reference. Altra Holdings, Inc. is
under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or
alter its forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. AIMC-E

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CONTACT: Altra Holdings, Inc.
Christian Storch, Chief Financial Officer
(781) 917-0541
christian.storch@altramotion.com