Holding in Company

Arc International PLC
6 August 2001

RNS Number:0648I
Arc International PLC
6 August 2001


Letter to Company Announcements Office

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

We have been advised today by AXA Investment Managers UK Ltd that AXA S.A. of
25 Avenue Matignon, 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 27,762,689 ordinary shares of 0.1p
in the 276,554,755 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 19,195,402 shares (6.94%) and a non-material interest of
8,567,287 shares (3,10%).

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 2/8/01 is per
the Appendix shown below.

This notification of change is due to an increase in the total holdings to
10.04%.


From
 
Charles Rendell 
Company Secretary


                        DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IM SHARES OF
            APPENDIX- NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985 
                         ARC INTERNATIONAL ORD GBPO.001

Total number of shares held as at 02/08/01 was 27,762,683 the breakdown of which
is set out below:
 
Name of the               Number of          Particulars of       Registered as
Company/Fund               Shares              Beneficial 
                                                owners   

 
AXA UK Investment Co ICVC       2,210       Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global
UK Tracker Fund                             Investment Co ICVC    Custody
(Non-Beneficial)                            UK Tracer Fund        Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC       7,250       Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global
Distribution Fund                           Investment Co ICVC    Custody
(Non-Beneficial)                            Distribution Fund     Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC     148,700       Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global
UK Growth Fund                              Investment Co ICVC    Custody
(Non-Beneficial)                            UK Growth Fund        Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  7,040,650       Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global
UK Smaller Companies Fund                   Investment Co ICVC    Custody
(Non-Beneficial)                            UK Smaller Companies  Nominee (UK)
                                            Fund                  Limited

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC      59,350       Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global
UK Opportunities Fund                       Investment Co ICVC    Custody
(Non-Beneficial)                            UK Opportunities      Nominee (UK)
                                            Fund                  Limited

Pan Euro UK Secure Growth     500,000       Pan Euro UK Secure    Barclays  
(Non-Beneficial)                            Growth                Nominees Ltd

Sun Life Global Management Ltd  5,602       Trustees of the Sun   Bank Generale
UK Growth                                   Global Management     Luxembourg
(Non-Beneficial)                            UK Growth             Midland Bank

Sun Life Global Management Ltd 75,000       Trustees of the Sun   Bank Generale
Distribution                                Global Management     Luxembourg
(Non-Beneficial)                            Distribution          Midland Bank

AXA World Funds                25,901       (Registration details
British Equities Fund                        available upon request)
(Non-Beneficial)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sun Life Nominees Ltd A/c 32      857       Eldridge Pope Pension HSBC Global
(Non-Beneficial)                            Fund                  Custody
                                                                  Nominees (UK)
                                                                  Limited

Sun Life Pensions              20,499       Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global
 Management Ltd                             Management Ltd        Custody
(Beneficial)                                                      Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

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


Sun Life Pensions             700,000       Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global
 Management Ltd A/c X                       Management Ltd        Custody
(Beneficial)                                                      Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

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

Sun Life Assurance          7,258,584       Sun Life Assurance    HSBC Global
 Society Plc                                Society Plc           Custody
(Beneficial)                                                      Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

Sun Life Unit Assurance       300,000       Sun Life Unit         HSBC Global
Ltd A/c X (Beneficial)                      Assurance Ltd         Custody
                                                                  Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

Sun Life Pensions              21,000       Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global
 Management Ltd                             Management Ltd        Custody
(Beneficial)                                                      Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

Sun Life International        750,000       Sun Life International HSBC Global
 (IOM) Ltd                                  (IOM)Ltd              Custody
(Beneficial)                                                      Nominee (UK)
                                                                  Limited

AXA France                   147,500       (Registered details available
(Non-Beneficial)                                         upon request)

AXA Royale Belge             417,000       (Registered details available
(Non-Beneficial)                                         upon request)

AXA Sun Life plc           9,921,051       AXA Sun Life plc       AXA Sun 
(fmly Axa Equity &                         (fmly Axa Equity       Life plc
Law Life Assurance Society                 & Law Life Assurance
 plc)                                      Society plc)

AXA General Unit Trust        80,405       HSBC Global Custody   HSBC Global
 (Non-Beneficial)                          Nominee (UK)Limited   Custody
(Beneficial)                               as Trustees of the    Nominee (UK)
                                           Trust                 Limited

AXA Re UK                     93,000       AXA-Re Insurance(UK) Axa Equity &
(Beneficial)                                Ltd                 Law Nominees Ltd

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

NMLA Statutory Funds             950      National Mutual Life  State Street
(Beneficial)                              Association of        Nominees Ltd
                                          Australia             A/C U827  

NMNZ Life Funds                  294      National Mutual Life  State Street
(Beneficial)                              Association of        Nominees Ltd
                                          (New Zealand)         A/C U828

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

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

NM Global Fund                   110      Trustees of the NM    State Street
(Non-Beneficial)                          Global Fund           Nominees Ltd
                                                                A/C UE26

AXA UK Group Pension Scheme   50,324      AXA UK Group Pension  Chase Nominees
(Non-Beneficial)                          Scheme                Ltd
                                                                a/c 00994

                                         Holding as % of issued Capital
     Total Beneficial interest 19,195,402                6.94

Total Non-Beneficial interest   8,567,287                3.10

                   Total       27,762,889               10.04%