Statement re Subsidiary

Avon Rubber PLC
9 May 2002


                XM50 JOINT SERVICE GENERAL PURPOSE MASK (JSGPM)


Avon Rubber & Plastics Inc., a fully owned subsidiary of Avon Rubber p.l.c., has
been awarded the option of  the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD)
phase of the XM50 JSGPM programme under Contract DAAD13-00-C-0021.


The XM50 is the next generation US military chemical-biological protective mask.
The mask is planned for initial fielding in 2006 and will replace all ground
and shipboard masks used by the US Joint Services.

Avon recently successfully completed the initial two year phase of the XM50
JSGPM programme on schedule, with its customer at Soldier Biological Chemical
Command (SBCCOM) expressing a high level of satisfaction with Avon's performance
on the program.

Avon Rubber and Plastics Inc. will have prime contractual responsibilities for
the three year, US$15 million EMD phase which will require the production of
5,000  masks for testing and user evaluation.  Prime subcontractors are SAIC of
Abingdon, Maryland and Guild Associates of Columbus, Ohio.


Production requirements from 2006 onwards are expected to be of the order of 3
million units.


                                   -  Ends -



Enquiries to:


Avon Rubber p.l.c.
Jayne Hunt, Public Relations Officer              Tel: [phone] 


Weber Shandwick Square Mile
Richard Hews and Trish Featherstone               Tel:  [phone]



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