Statement re Scanoptic

Acal PLC 01 November 2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1 November 2002 ACAL plc (Leading pan-European, value added distributor providing specialist design-in, sales and marketing services for international suppliers) PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF SCANOPTIC GmbH On 14th August 2002 Acal plc announced the proposed acquisition of Scanoptic GmbH ("Scanoptic"). It has not been possible to complete the acquisition as planned. A competitive higher offer was made by a third party. In the light of the trading performance of Scanoptic over recent months and certain risks, Acal plc did not consider it appropriate to match the terms being offered by the third party offeror. Acal plc remain committed to the development and growth of its Headway document imaging and management business, and will continue to serve the needs of its customers and suppliers. For further information:- John Curry - Chairman Tel: 01483 544500 Jim Virdee - Finance Director Tel: 01483 544500 Brian Coleman-Smith / Amanda Sheehy Beattie Financial Tel: 020 7398 3300 Notes to Editors: 1 The Acal Group is a leading European, value-added distributor providing specialist design-in, sales and marketing services for international suppliers in the fields of Electronic Components, Information Technology Products, IT Parts Services and Industrial Controls. Its value-added philosophy and geographic coverage enables Acal to provide specialist knowledge and support to customers on a pan-European basis. 2 Headway Technology is focused as a specialist distributor in the document management and imaging market. Established in 1986, Headway has become a leading supplier of document management technologies being the first European distributor to enter this market. By entering the market at the time when document technologies on a PC platform were conceived, Headway has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience and is acknowledged by the industry's major suppliers as a leader in its field. Sourcing only the 'Best of Breed' products that meet the demanding requirements of mission critical applications, Headway provides a single source for all specialist requirements at competitive prices. All products are supplied with extensive pre and post sales support. As part of the Acal Group, Headway provides wide coverage throughout Europe and sustains competitive advantage by being at the forefront of technologies. 3 Acal has operating companies in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Scandinavia and the USA. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange