Holding(s) in Company

Arc International PLC
26 April 2002

Letter to: RNS
                                                      Dated 25th April 2002


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

We have been advised on 25th April 2002 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 34,811,128 ordinary shares of 0.1p
in the 289,564,389 share capital immediately after the time when the obligation
of disclosure arose pursuant to section 198 of the Act. These shares represent a
beneficial interest of 28,963,381 shares (10.00%), and a non-beneficial interest
of 5,847,747 shares (2.02%).

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 23/04/02 is
per the Appendix below.

This notification is due to an increase in the total holding from 11.93% to
12.02%.

Letter from: ARC International plc

                     DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
   APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
                        Arc International Ord 1p

   Total number of shares held as at 23/04/02 was 34,811,128 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     4,629  Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
UK Tracker Fund                      UK Tracker Fund                          a/c 845315
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC   750,000  Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited  
Distribution Fund                    Distribution Fund                        a/c 845029
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC   148,700  Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
UK Growth Fund                       UK Growth Fund                           a/c 845005
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC 2,610,000  Trustees of AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
UK Smaller Companies Fund            UK Smaller Companies Fund                a/c 844359
(Non-Beneficial)

Pan Euro UK Secure Growth   600,000  Pan Euro UK Secure Growth                Barclays Nominees Ltd
(Non-Beneficial)                                                              a/c 8000BQ


                     DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
   APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
                        Arc International Ord 1p

   Total number of shares held as at 23/04/02 was 34,811,128 the breakdown of
                            which is set out below:

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


Sun Life Global Management    5,602  Trustees of the Sun Life                 Bank Generale Luxembourg
Ltd                                  Global Management UK Growth              a/c 750749
UK Growth
(Non-Beneficial)

Sun Life Global Management  150,000  Trustees of the Sun Life                 Bank Generale Luxembourg
Ltd                                  Global Management Distribution           a/c 750749
Distribution
(Non-Beneficial)

AXA World Funds              24,240  (Registration details available 
British Equities Fund                upon request)
(Non-Beneficial)


Sun Life Nominees Ltd
A/c 10                        1,269  Trustees of the Abb Kent Pension        HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                     Scheme                                  a/c 777043

Sun Life Nominees Ltd           544  Trustees of the WABCO Automotive        HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
A/c 18                               UK Pensions Scheme                      a/c 777086
(Non-Beneficial)

                     DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
   APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
                        Arc International Ord 1p

   Total number of shares held as at 23/04/02 was 34,811,128 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 Ltd         1,384  Trustees of the Princes Pension Scheme   HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
A/c 20                                                                        a/c 777084
(Non-Beneficial)

Sun Life Nominees Ltd           198  Trustees of the Cobham Pension Plan      HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
A/c 29                                                                        a/c 777167
(Non-Beneficial)

Sun Life Nominees Ltd           857  Trustees of the Princes (1977) Pension   HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
A/c 31                               Scheme                                   a/c 785078
(Non-Beneficial)

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

Sun Life Pensions         1,000,000  Sun Life Pensions Management Ltd         HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
Management Ltd A/c X                                                          a/c 867530
(Beneficial)

                     DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
   APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
                        Arc International Ord 1p

   Total number of shares held as at 23/04/02 was 34,811,128 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            98,258  Sun Life Pensions Management Ltd         HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
Management Ltd A/c X                                                          a/c 867372
(Beneficial)

Sun Life Assurance       10,847,679  Sun Life Assurance Society Plc           HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
Society Plc                                                                   a/c 776934
(Beneficial)

Sun Life Pensions            21,000  Sun Life Pensions Management Ltd         RBSTB nominee designation Sunpen
Management Ltd
(Beneficial)

Sun Life International    1,000,000  Sun Life International (IOM) Ltd         Sun Life International
(IOM) Ltd                                                                     a/c SLI 11
(Beneficial)

AXA Belgium                 400,000  (Registration details available
(Beneficial)                         upon request)

AXA Sun Life plc         15,115,085  AXA Sun Life plc                         Axa Sun Life plc
(fmly Axa Equity & Law               (fmly Axa Equity & Law Life
Life Assurance Society               Assurance Society plc)
plc)
(Beneficial)


   Total number of shares held as at 23/04/02 was 34,811,128 the breakdown of
                            which is set out below:

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

AXA General Unit Trust     1,500,000 HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited HSBC Global Custody Nominees (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                     as Trustees of the Trust                 a/c 860868

AXA Re UK                    450,000 AXA-Re Insurance (UK) Ltd                Axa Equity & Law Nominees Ltd
(Beneficial)                                                                  a/c AXARE

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

                                       Holding as % of Issued Capital

Total Beneficial Interest  28,963,381            10.00
Total Non-Beneficial
Interest                    5,847,747             2.02

Total                      34,811,128            12.02%




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