Holding(s) in Company

Arc International PLC
16 April 2002

Letter to:  RNS
 
NOTIFICATION OF INTEREST(S) IN SHARES UNDER SECTION 198 COMPANIES ACT 1985 
("THE ACT")

We have been advised on 15th April 2002 by AXA Investment Managers UK Ltd that 
AXA S.A. of 25 Avenue Matignon, 75008 Paris and its subsidiaries are deemed to 
have an interest in our shares as follows:

AXA S.A. knows that they were interested in 33,368,378 ordinary shares of 0.1 p 
in the 289,564,389 share capital immediately after the time when the obligation 
of disclosure arose pursuant to section 198 of the Act. These shares represent a 
beneficial interest of 28,963,381 shares (10.00%).

The identity of each registered holder of the shares to which this notice 
relates as far as is known to AXA Investment Managers UK Ltd as at 11/04/02 is 
per the Appendix below.

This notification is due to an increase in the beneficial interest holding from 
7.53% to 10,00%. Resulting from transfers of stock between internal funds.

From: ARC INTERNATIONAL PLC
 
                     DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
        APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985 
                     Arc International plc Ord GBP0.001


     Total number or shares held as at 11/04/02 was 33,368,378 the breakdown of
     which is set out below
 
Name of the                Number of    Particulars of                         Registered as
Company/Fund                Shares      Beneficial owners
 

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    4,629     Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
UK Tracker Fund                        UK Tracker Fund                        a/c 845315
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    7,250     Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
Distribution Fund                      Distribution Fund                      a/c 845029
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  148,700     Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
UK Growth Fund                         UK Growth Fund                         a/c 845005
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC 2,610,000    Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  HSBC Global Custody Nominees (UK)Limited
UK Smaller Companies Fund              UK Smaller Companies Fund              a/c 844359
(Non-Beneficial)

Pan Euro UK Secure Growth   800,000    Pan Euro UK Secure Growth              Barclays Nominees Ltd
(Non-Beneficial)                                                              a/c 6000BQ

Sun Life Global Management    5,602    Trustees of the Sun Life               Bank Generale Luxembourg
Ltd. UK Growth                         Global Management UK Growth            Midland Bank
(Non-Beneficial)                                                              a/c 750749

Sun Life Global Management  150,000    Trustees of the Sun Life               Bank Generale Luxembourg
Ltd. Distribution                      Global Management UK Growth            Midland Bank
(Non-Beneficial)                                                              a/c 750749

AXA World Funds              24,240    (Registration details available upon request) 
British Equities Fund 
(Non-Beneficial)

Sun Life Nominees Ltd         1,269    Trustees of the WABCO Automotive       HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
A/c 18                                 UK Pensions Scheme                     a/c 777086
(Non-Beneficial)

Sun Life Nominees Ltd           544    Trustees of the Princes Pension        HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
A/c 20                                 Scheme                                 a/c 777094
(Non-Beneficial)                       Princes Foods Ltd.

Sun Life Nominees Ltd         1,384    Trustees of the Cobham Pension Plan    HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
A/c 29                                                                        a/c 777167
(Non-Beneficial)                                                              

Sun Life Nominees Ltd           198    Trustees of the Princes (1977)         HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
A/c 31                                 Pension Scheme                         a/c 785078
(Non-Beneficial)                       Prnces Foods Ltd
                                       
Sun Life Nominees Ltd           857    Eldridge Pope Pension Fund             HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
A/c 32                                                                        A/c 873426
(Non-Beneficial)      

Sun Life Pensions            31,368    Sun Life Pensions                      HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
Management Ltd                         Management Ltd                         A/c 867396
A/c X
(Beneficial)

Sun Life Pensions         1,000,000    Sun Life Pensions                      HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
Management Ltd                         Management Ltd.                        A/c 867530
A/c X
(Beneficial)

Sun Life Pensions            98,259    Sun Life Pensions                      HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
Management Ltd                         Management Ltd                         a/c 867372
A/c X
(Beneficial)  

Sun Life Assurance        10,847,879   Sun Life Assurance Society Plc         HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
Society Plc                                                                   A/c 776934
(Beneficial)

Sun Life Pensions             21,000   Sun Life Pensions Management Ltd       RBSTB nominees designation Sunpen  
Management Ltd                       
(Beneficial)
                                
Sun Life International     1,000,000   Sun Life International (IOM) Ltd       Sun Life International
(IOM) Ltd                                                                     a/c  SLI 11 
(Beneficial)

AXA Belgium                  400,000   (Registration details available upon request)
(Beneficial)    

AXA Sun Life plc          15,115,085   AXA Sun Life plc                       AXA Sun Life plc   
(fmly AXA Equity & Law                 (fmly AXA Equity & Law Life Assurance                     
Life Assurance Society plc)            Society plc)
(Beneficial)   
                                
AXA General Unit Trust       800,000   HSBC Global Custody Nominee            HSBC Global Custody Nominee(UK) Limited   
(Non-Beneficial)                       (UK) Limited                           a/c 880868            
                                       as Trustees of the Trust

AXA Re UK                    450,000   AXA Re-Insurance (UK) Ltd              AXA Equity & Law Nominees Ltd.
(Beneficial)                                                                  a/c AXARE
                                                       
AXA UK Group Pension          50,324   AXA UK Group Pension Scheme            Chase Nominees Ltd              
Scheme                                                                        A/c 00994  
(Non Beneficial)


                                                  Holding as % of Issued Capital            
Total Beneficial Interest         28,963,381                 10.00
Total Non-Beneficial Interest      4,404,997                  1.52 

Total                             33,368,378                 11.52 % 



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