Holding in Company

Arc International PLC
29 November 2000

Letter to Company Announcements Office


NOTIFICATION OF INTEREST(S) IN SHARES UNDER SECTION 198 COMPANIES ACT 1985 ('THE
ACT')

We were advised on 28 November 2000 by AXA Investment Managers UK Ltd that AXA
S.A. of 40 rue du Colisee, 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 9,158,804 ordinary shares of 0.1p in
the 272,572,761 share capital immediately after the time when the obligation of
disclosure arose pursuant to section 198 of the Act.  These share represent a
material interest of 8,376,864 shares (3.07%).

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 23/11/00 is
per the Appendix below.

This notification of change is due to an increase in the material holdings from
2.43% to 3.07%.

Letter from ARC International plc

               DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
   APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
            ARC International plc. ord 0.001p shares


Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

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

AXA Sun Life UK      100,726        Trustees of AXA Sun      HSBC Global
Investment Co ICVC                  Life UK Investment       Custody Nominees
UK Growth Fund                      Co ICVC UK Growth        (UK) Limited
(Non Material)                      Fund                     a/c 845005

Pan Euro UK Secure     8,239        Pan Euro UK Secure       Barclays Nominees
Growth                              Growth                   Ltd
(Non Material)                                               a/c 6000BQ

Sun Life Global        3,636        Trustees of the Sun      Bank Generate
Management Ltd                      Life Global              Luxembourg
UK Growth                           Management UK Growth     a/c 750749
(Non Material)

Sun Life Global        2,060        Trustees of the Sun      Bank Generale
Management Ltd                      Life Global              Luxembourg
Distribution                        Management Distribution  a/c 750749
(Non Material)
                DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
    APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
              ARC International plc   ord 0.001p shares

Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

AXA World Funds       17,557        (Registration details
British Equities                    available upon request)
Fund
(Non Material)

AXA World Funds          247        (Registration details
UK Balanced                         available upon request)
(Non Material)

Sun Life Nominees      2,587        Trustees of the Abb      HSBC Global
Ltd A/c 10                         Kent Pension Scheme      Custody Nominee
(Non Material)                                               (UK) Limited
                                                             a/c 777043

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

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

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

                 DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
    APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
             ARC International plc  ord 0.001p shares

Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

Sun Life Nominees        198        Trustees of the Princes  HSBC Global 
Ltd A/c 31                          (1977) Pension Scheme    Custody Nominee
(Non Material)                      Princes Foods Ltd        (UK) Limited
                                                             a/c 785078

Sun Life Nominees
Ltd A/c 32               857        Eldridge Pope Pension    HSBC Global 
(Non Material)                      Fund                     Custody
                                                             Nominee (UK)
                                                             Limited
                                                             a/c 873426

Sun Life Pensions     20,499        Sun Life Pensions        HSBC Global
Management Ltd                      Management Ltd           Custody Nominee
(Material)                                                   (UK) Limited
                                                             a/c 867815

Sun Life Pensions     31,358        Sun Life Pensions        HSBC Global
Management Ltd                      Management Ltd           Custody Nominee
A/c X                                                        (UK) Limited
(Material)                                                   a/c 867396

Sun Life Pensions     53,239        Sun Life Pensions       HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd                      Management Ltd          Nominee (UK)
A/c X                                                       Limited
(Material)                                                  a/c 867530


                DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
     APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
            ARC International plc   ord 0.001p shares

Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

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

Sun Life Assurance   2,995,354      Sun Life Assurance       HSBC Global
Society Plc                         Society Plc              Custody Nominees 
(Material)                                                   (UK) Limited
                                                             a/c 776934

Sun Life Unit           48,239      Sun Life Unit            HSBC Global
Assurance Ltd                       Assurance Ltd            Custody Nominee
A/c X                                                        (UK) Limited
(Material)                                                   a/c 867268

Sun Life Pensions       40,595      Sun Life Pensions        RBSTB Nominees
Management Ltd                      Management Ltd           designation Sunpen
(Material)

Sun Life                 8,239      Sun Life International   Sun Life
International                       (IOM) Ltd                International
(IOM) Ltd                                                    Isle of Man
(Material)                                                   Limited a/c
                                                             a/c SL1 11

AXA France             435,000      (Registration details
(Non Material)                      available upon request)

              DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
    APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
            ARC International plc   ord 0.001p shares

Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

AXA Royale Belge        32,000      (Registration details
(Non Material)                      available upon request)

AXA Levens               9,000      (Registration details
(Non Material)                      available upon request)

AXA Luxembourg         100,000      (Registration details
(Non Material)                      available upon request)

AXA Equity & Law     5,079,431      Axa Equity & Law Life    Axa Equity & Law
Life Assurance                      Assurance Society plc    Life Assurance
Society plc                                                  Society plc
(Material)                                                   as AELLAS plc

AXA Equity & Law         8,733      HSBC Global Custody      HSBC Global
Unit Trust                          Nominee (UK) Limited     Custody
(Non Material)                      as Trustees of the       Nominee (UK)
                                    Trust                    Limited
                                                             a/c 880868

NM Master Trust            143      National Mutual Life     State Street
Superannuation                      Association of           Nominees Ltd
(fmly NMZ EFG                       Australia                a/c U828
International Sector                (New Zealand)
Fund)
(Material)

              DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
    APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
           ARC International plc   ord 0.001p shares


Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

NMLA Statutory          950         National Mutual Life     State Street
Funds                               Association of           Nominees Ltd
(Material)                          Australia                a/c U827
                                                             767 Statutory 
                                                                 Fund No 2
                                                             112 Statutory
                                                                 Fund No 4
                                                              71 Statutory
                                                                 Fund No 5

NMNZ Life Fund          294          National Mutual         State Street
(Material)                           Life Association        Nominees Ltd 
                                     of Australia            A/C U828
                                     (New Zealand)

NMLA Smaller            264          National Mutual         State Street
Companies                            Life Association of     Nominees Ltd 
(Material)                           Australia               A/C UE08


NMFM International      199          Trustees of the         State Street
Fund                                 NMFM International      Nominees Ltd
(Non Material)                       Fund                    A/C UE20

NM Global Fund          130          Trustees of the NM      State Street
(Non Material)                       Global Fund             Nominees Ltd
                                                             A/C UE26

Guardian Royal       50,324          Guardian Royal          Chase Nominees
Exchange Staff                       Exchange Staff          Ltd a/c 00994
Pension Trustees                     Pension
Corporation
(Non Material)


                 DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
     APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
              ARC International plc   ord 0.001p shares

Total number of shares held as at 23/11/00 was 9,158,804 the breakdown of which
is set out below:

Name of the          Number of      Particulars of           Registered as
Company/Fund         Shares         Beneficial owners

                                       Holding as % of Issued Capital

      Total Material    8,376,864                 3.09

  Total Non-Material      781,940                 0.29

               Total    9,158,804                 3.38%

AELLAS plc - AXA Equity & Law Life Assurance Society plc (previously named as
Equity & Law Life Assurance Society plc)