Directorate Change

Avon Rubber PLC
14 May 2002



                                BOARD STRUCTURE

Avon Rubber p.l.c. is pleased to announce that with effect from 14 May 2002 Mr.
Brian Duckworth has been appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director and
Mr. Detlev Bartels has been appointed to the Board as an Executive Director with
responsibility for European Automotive operations.

Mr. Duckworth is Managing Director of Severn Trent Water Limited and a Director
of Severn Trent Plc.  He is also a Non-Executive Director of Aquafin N.V. in
Belgium.  Aged 53, Mr. Duckworth has been with Severn Trent since 1974.

An accountant, Mr. Duckworth's experience has also covered asset management,
customer relations, engineering, sales, marketing and communications, health and
safety and quality and environmental services.

Mr. Bartels joined the Avon Group as Director of Automotive Europe on 1
September 2001.  He joined Avon from Dura Automotive Systems, where he was
responsible for the global business operations for the gear shift division.
Aged 47, Mr. Bartels holds a Bachelors Degree in Electronics and an Engineering
Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration.  He will be based
in Hannover.

There is no information to disclose in relation to either Mr. Duckworth or Mr.
Bartels in respect of paragraph 6.F.2(b) to (g) of the Listing Rules.

Mr. Roger Hunt, who was appointed to the Board in September 1997, and is
presently responsible for Corporate Development, primarily in the areas of
acquisitions and divestments, will be retiring at the end of November 2002.


Trevor Bonner, Chairman of Avon Rubber, comments:-

'We are very pleased to strengthen the Board by the appointments of Brian
Duckworth and Detlev Bartels, both of whom will contribute knowledge and
extensive experience to the activities of the Board and the development of the
business.

Roger Hunt has been a valued member of the Board since 1997 and he has
contributed to our affairs in a very positive and constructive way.  We look
forward to his continuing contribution leading up to his retirement and wish him
well for the future.'



                                    - ends -


Enquiries to:


Avon Rubber p.l.c.     
Jayne Hunt, Public Relations Officer                         Tel: [phone]



Weber Shandwick Square Mile
Richard Hews and Trish Featherstone                         Tel:  [phone]





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