Umeco plc ("Umeco") today announces that it has received valid acceptances in respect of 13,993,079 New Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 96.8 per cent. of the total number of New Ordinary Shares offered to Shareholders, pursuant to the 4 for 9 rights issue announced by Umeco on 1 November 2005 (the "Rights Issue") which closed at 11.00 a.m. today. A total of 14,462,770 New Ordinary Shares were offered to Shareholders in the Rights Issue.

Arbuthnot Securities Limited ("Arbuthnot") will be seeking to procure subscribers for the remaining New Ordinary Shares, net of fractional entitlements, for which valid acceptances were not received. This amounts to 469,294 New Ordinary Shares. The net proceeds from the sale of these shares, after the deduction of the Rights Issue subscription price of 350 pence per New Ordinary Share and relevant costs, will be paid to Shareholders that have not taken up their entitlements pro rata to their lapsed provisional allotments, provided that individual amounts of less than £5.00 will not be paid to such persons but will be retained for the benefit of Umeco.

Clive Snowdon, Chief Executive of Umeco said:

"We are delighted by the high level of support that we have received from investors for the Rights Issue, and for their endorsement of the strategic rationale behind it. As well as funding the recently announced acquisitions of Provest and Aeromedic Innovations, the proceeds will allow us to capitalise fully on other growth projects and opportunities that we have identified, both through organic expansion and by acquisition.

"With a positive trading environment in our core markets and with the additional financial capacity provided by the Rights Issue proceeds, we can look forward to a period of sustained progress."

Words and phrases used but not defined in this announcement shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Umeco prospectus dated 1 November 2005, unless the context requires otherwise.

Enquiries:

Umeco plc
01926 331 800

Clive Snowdon
John Beaumont

Arbuthnot Securities Limited
020 7012 2000

Andrew Fullerton
Graham Swindells

The Hogarth Partnership
020 7357 9477

John Olsen
Barnaby Fry