Acquisition

Molins PLC 23 December 2002 For Immediate Release 23 December 2002 MOLINS EXTENDS ITS ANALYTICAL SERVICES Molins PLC, the international specialist engineering company, has acquired the smoke constituent analytical business of LGC Limited for a cash consideration of £930,000. The acquired business is now named Arista Laboratories Europe. Molins entered the field of smoke constituent testing through its acquisition of Arista Laboratories, Inc. in February this year. Arista, located in Richmond, Virginia is designed to meet the regulatory-driven demand for the characterisation of tobacco smoke. It specialises in providing routine and non-routine determinations of the full range of smoke constituents to the well defined quality standards of ISO 17025. Independent of the tobacco industry and regulators, it provides high quality, impartial analytical services and advice to customers worldwide. The acquisition enables Arista to provide these services more effectively to European tobacco industry customers and regulatory bodies. Arista Laboratories Europe will occupy LGC's laboratory premises in Teddington, Middlesex for up to 12 months whilst alternative premises are established. It is accredited by UKAS, operating to ISO 17025, and is the UK government's chosen provider of tobacco smoke analysis services. Its turnover in 2001 was £0.5 million. LGC, the UK's leading independent analytical laboratory, provides a wide range of specialist analytical and diagnostic services to the public and private sectors, in markets as diverse as foods, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environment, chemicals and petroleum. Molins values its continuing association with LGC, which is entering into an agreement to provide specialist technical services to Arista Laboratories Europe. Enquiries: David Cowen, Group Finance Director, Molins PLC 01908 219000 Margaret George, Citigate Dewe Rogerson 020 7282 2836 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange