Following yesterday's announcement regarding 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 under the 4 for 9 rights issue announced by Umeco plc ("Umeco") on 1 November 2005, Umeco now announces that Arbuthnot Securities Limited ("Arbuthnot") has procured subscribers for the remaining New Ordinary Shares, net of fractional entitlements, for which valid acceptances were not received, at a price of 450 pence per share. This amounts to 469,294 new ordinary shares.

The net proceeds, after deduction of the Rights Issue subscription price of 350 pence per New Ordinary Share and relevant costs (including the expenses of procuring subscribers and any related value added tax), 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.

Accordingly, sub-underwriters will not be required to subscribe for any New Ordinary Shares.

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