Acquisition of Raw Material Manufacturing Business

Victrex PLC
17 November 1999

              Acquisition of Raw Material Manufacturing Business
                                 from Laporte

Victrex plc today announces that it has agreed to purchase the DFDPM
manufacturing business of Laporte plc for cash for a price of £17.6 million
plus stocks estimated at £2.3 million.  The transaction is a key strategic
move for Victrex to secure its raw material supplies and will underpin future
growth and provide financial benefits in the medium term.

This business is the principal commercial source in the world of DFDPM, the
primary step in the two stage process for the production of BDF, the raw
material from which PEEKT is manufactured.  The secondary step in the
production of BDF is the oxidation of DFDPM, which will be provided by Laporte
as part of a 50/50 joint venture for the overall supply of BDF.

The joint venture agreement will start on 1st January 2000 and will run for a
minimum of 7 years.  The purchase of the DFDPM business and the new agreement
will supersede the current arrangements which would have expired at the end of
2001.

Details of proposed transaction

Under the terms of the agreement, Victrex will purchase the fixed assets of
the DFDPM business of £6 million, comprising plant and machinery at Laporte's
Rotherham site.  In addition it will purchase know-how along with goodwill for
£11.6 million.  Victrex will also purchase raw materials, work-in-progress and
stock relating to the DFDPM business at completion at cost for an amount
currently estimated at £2.3 million.

The consideration will be funded from increased bank borrowings.

The current plant capacity at Rotherham should be sufficient, with limited
additional investment, to supply the predicted capacity requirements of
Victrex's existing PEEKT plant.

The 50/50 joint venture company will be established by Victrex and Laporte for
procuring manufacture of BDF and both shareholders will have equal Board
representation.  Profits from the manufacture of BDF will be shared equally
between the joint venture shareholders following some initial transitional
arrangements.  The joint venture will receive DFDPM from Victrex, procure the
oxidation from Laporte and sell the finished BDF on to Victrex.  In addition
Laporte will also enter into a 7 year agreement with Victrex for the supply of
all fluoroboric acid needed for the production of DFDPM.

Financial effects

Victrex  expects  earnings per share, after amortisation of  goodwill,  to  be
marginally reduced in the current financial year and neutral in the  following
year.   Thereafter,  as  sales  volumes grow, the  deal  becomes  increasingly
earnings enhancing.  Victrex has always pursued a core strategy of growing its
development pipeline for PEEKT applications.  As the results of this  strategy
are   realised,  the  financial  benefits  of  this  transaction  will  become
increasingly significant.

The assets of the Rotherham business, including know-how and goodwill, will be
consolidated  on  Victrex's  balance sheet at completion.   Victrex  plans  to
account  for  the  joint  venture  in  its  consolidated  accounts  using  the
proportional consolidation accounting method as outlined in FRS 9.

Victrex's  preliminary  results for the year to 30th September  1999  will  be
announced on Wednesday 8th December 1999.

David Hummel, Chief Executive of Victrex plc, commented:

'The  transaction  is  a  crucial  strategic  step  for  Victrex  in  securing
competitive  long  term  supply  of the key raw  material  for  PEEKT  and  in
supporting the future growth prospects of our business.'

                                                                         
For further information, please contact:

Victrex plc                                 
David Hummel             17th Nov 1999:     0171 357 9477
Chief Executive                             
David Tilston            Thereafter:         01253 897700
Finance Director

Hogarth Partnership                         0171 357 9477
Nick Denton / John Olsen

Notes to Editors

1.  Victrex  is the UK based international high performance
    materials  group  quoted on the London Stock  Exchange.
    It  is  the  sole  manufacturer of  the  PEEKT  polymer
    brand,  a  unique high performance plastic, with  major
    markets in USA, Europe and Asia Pacific.
    
2.  PEEKT  has  a  unique combination of  properties,  with
    exceptional  chemical, wear, electrical and temperature
    resistance,   as   well   as   dimensional   stability,
    biocompatibility  and mouldability.   These  properties
    enable engineers to produce cost-effective designs  for
    critical  applications in such diverse markets  as  the
    industrial,  transportation,  electronics,   food   and
    medical sectors.
    
3.  DFDPM   is   the  key  intermediate  product   in   the
    production   of   BDF.   Currently,  Laporte   supplies
    fluoroboric   acid   to  its  Rotherham   plant   which
    manufactures  DFDPM.  It then converts DFDPM  into  BDF
    by  further  processing  at its  site  at  Seal  Sands,
    Cleveland.   Victrex  then  purchases  the   BDF   from
    Laporte and uses it in the production of PEEK.