Trading Statement

Vp PLC
10 April 2002


                            Vp plc Trading Statement

                                10th April 2002



Vp, the equipment rental specialist, issues the following Trading Statement in
advance of its preliminary results for the year ended 31 March 2002, which are
scheduled for announcement on 11 June 2002.

In our interim report dated November 2001, we indicated that the Group was well
placed and looked forward to a satisfactory result for the year. We are pleased
to report that trading in the second half of the year has supported that
expectation, and we remain comfortable with market expectations for the year.

The major re-shaping of the Group completed last year has created a structure to
deliver improvements in the key measures of return on capital employed, earnings
per share and the relative market position of each business. We have made
significant progress in all of these areas over the last twelve months.

Services Division

UK Forks has continued to consolidate its position as one of the market leaders
in the hiring of rough terrain forklifts in the UK, securing longer term
commitments from customers, particularly in the buoyant residential construction
sector.

The shoring activity of Mechplant was acquired in October 2001 and has
subsequently been successfully integrated into Groundforce. Since the Autumn of
last year we have seen, on a regional basis, the start of the water industry's
AMP 3 capital investment programme. We believe that Groundforce is well placed
to benefit from the increased workload this programme will generate.

Our Airpac offshore business continues to expand its product offering into the
overseas oil and gas exploration sector.Whilst the onshore market remains
difficult, we have recently won an important five year sole supply contract to a
major UK dockyard.

Safeforce made solid progress both in its core safety equipment hire and sales
business and in developing its asset management contracts with key customers.

Its subsidiary training business, UK Training was successfully launched during
the period.

Hire Station

The Hire Station tool hire business continues to progress and has undertaken
some important relocations of key branches to enhance the strength and retail
profile of the Hire Station brand in the second half of the year. The formation
of a national accounts team in the period has already produced a positive
customer response, as we commence the leveraging of the Hire Station branch
network on a national basis.

Torrent Trackside

The demand for Torrent services is strong despite the placing of Railtrack into
Railways Administration in the second half of the year, an event which appears
to have had no adverse impact on activity levels. We believe the prospects for
Torrent remain positive.

Outlook

The Groups' financial position remains sound.

We continue to retain significant capacity to expand in all areas of our
businesses, both organically and by acquisition, as the opportunities arise, and
look forward to progressing the business from this solid financial and
operational platform in the coming year.


For further information, please contact:

Jeremy Pilkington - Chairman & Chief Executive       telephone [phone]

Neil Stothard -      Group Finance Director            telephone [phone].



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