Disposal of Cycles Division

Reece PLC 14 April 2000 DISPOSAL OF CYCLES DIVISION The Company is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Service (Engineers) PLC ('Service (Engineers)') has today entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement for the disposal of the Cycles Division to GW 112 Limited, a company which is wholly owned by Mike Norris and his wife. Because of the relative size of the disposal and the fact that GW 112 Limited is controlled by the Company's Managing Director, the agreement is conditional, inter alia, upon the approval of ordinary shareholders. A circular convening the necessary Extraordinary General Meeting will be sent to shareholders in due course. The consideration payable under the agreement amounts to £860,000 of which £510,000 is payable in cash on completion (subject to subsequent adjustment by reference to the net asset value on completion as detailed below) with the balance of £350,000 payable in cash as to £100,000 six months after the completion date, £125,000 on the first anniversary of the completion date and as to £125,000 eighteen months after the completion date. A cash sum, currently estimated to amount to £60,000, equal to 75 per cent of the value of non-current trade debtors is also payable on completion which is expected to occur on 5 May 2000. The consideration is subject to adjustment depending on the net asset value on completion. To the extent that the value of the net assets being disposed of less the sum of £200,000 differs from the sum of £860,000 the consideration will be adjusted by an amount equal to the difference. As a result of this, the transaction is expected to result in a loss on disposal of some £300,000, excluding any loss relating to goodwill. The Cycles Division is involved in the distribution of cycles and cycle accessories, under the 'Probike' and 'Univega' brands, which are sold principally to independent cycle dealers in the United Kingdom and Eire. The majority of products are imported from the Far East. The Cycles Division operates from three leasehold warehouses in the West Midlands and has a team of salesmen who visit customers on a regular basis. During the year ended 31 December 1998 the Cycles Division made operating losses of £143,000 (after management charges and exceptional administrative expenses of £230,000) on turnover of £5.97 million. At that date it had net liabilities of £138,000. In the half year to 30 June 1999, the division reported unaudited operating losses of £72,000 on turnover of £2.35 million. The net sale proceeds will be applied in reducing the Group's indebtedness. On completion of the proposed Disposal, Mike Norris will resign from the Board without compensation. The Company's remaining businesses, Service (Engineers) and APP, will continue to be run by their existing management teams. Discussions continue on the sale of a further division of the Group and an announcement will be made when appropriate. The Directors are seeking to diversify the Group's activities into other areas. Any such diversification is likely to involve a substantial acquisition and shareholders will be informed of any significant developments.

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