Data Storage Acquisitions in Italy and Switzerland

Synstar PLC 30 March 2000 SYNSTAR BOOSTS E-COMMERCE AND DATA STORAGE CAPABILITY WITH ACQUISITIONS IN ITALY AND SWITZERLAND Reminder: Analyst Briefing on Computer Services Division Guest Speaker: Sandra Ford, GKN Westland Synstar Plc, the pan-European IT services group which boasts some of Europe's most prominent household names as clients, has made two infill acquisitions to boost enhance its current capabilities in Continental Europe. ITALY Synstar has acquired Milan-based SET Telecommunicazioni S.p.A (SET), a multi-service networking company specialising in the provision of total network solutions, comprising voice and data in LAN / WAN environments. It also offers Internet-Intranet installation and maintenance services. The acquisition is important as it boosts Synstar's existing e-commerce capabilities and complements the existing services in France and the UK. The consideration is £324,000 and Synstar will assume debt of £324,000. Turnover for the year ended December 1999 was £2.2m. Synstar will pay a further £454,000 in January 2001 if SET achieves aggressive growth objectives. Luigi Brunello, Managing Director of SET, will remain with the company. His team of 20 people will be relocated to Synstar's Italian headquarters, also in Milan. SWITZERLAND Synstar has acquired CT Consulting AG (CTC), a small data storage and management company based in Meilen, Zurich. Founded in 1989, the company addresses the needs of private industry and government institutions for an improved systematic means of storing and managing large volumes of data. In these areas, there is a direct synergy with SIS - the European Data Management Company acquired by Synstar in 1998 - where consultancy, hardware and software solutions are provided from some of the same manufacturers. The consideration is £960,000 on completion, with a deferred payment of £120,000 payable over five years. CTC's turnover for the year ended December 1999 was £1.24m. Peter Ruzicka, Managing Director of CTC, will remain with the company. The team will eventually be incorporated into Synstar's existing European Data Management division, to service the Swiss market, operating out of Zurich. ANALYST BRIEFING Synstar will hold its regular divisional seminar today. The focus in on the Computer Services division and guest client is Sandra Ford from GKN Westland will explain her company's global IT strategy and buying criteria. The seminar will be held at 11am at the City Conference Centre, 80 Coleman Street, London EC2. It will be followed by an informal buffet lunch. To register, please call Katherine Harris at GCI Focus on 020 398 0800. For Further Information: GCI Focus Group Limited Susy Streeter 070 500 47198 SYNSTAR PLC 01344 622 700 Richard Ferre Chief Executive Stephen Gleadle Finance Director Joanne King Investor Relations Manager www.synstar.com