Trading Update

Avon Rubber PLC
22 March 2001



                     Avon Rubber p.l.c
                      Trading Update

At  the Annual General Meeting on January 17th 2001 we reported
that  the production of cars and other light vehicles in  North
America had slowed significantly during December 2000 and early
January 2001. High stocks of unsold vehicles at our major North
American  customers, Ford, General Motors and Daimler Chrysler,
have  resulted  in  reduced vehicle builds  continuing  through
February  and into March at a level some 15-20% lower than  the
same  period last year. The pattern of trading means  that  our
own   inventory  reduction  programmes,  like  those   of   our
customers, will take longer than anticipated. Lower sales  have
led  us  to  reduce  production and we have continued  to  take
actions  to cut costs wherever possible, including the lay  off
of employees in Mexico and the United States.

At  the  time  of  the preliminary results  statement  on  30th
November  2000, we announced actions to reduce annual  overhead
costs  for  the Group by £5 million. These measures,  including
the  transfer  of production from the former Cow Polymers  U.K.
plant  to  France and the Czech Republic, have been implemented
and  will  help  to  mitigate the impact of  cost  and  pricing
pressures  and  lower  volumes.  Trading  conditions,  however,
continue  to  be  challenging  for  the  remaining  U.K.  based
manufacturing units.

We  have  concluded  that more radical rationalisation  of  our
production  activities  is necessary  to  make  better  use  of
installed  capacity globally. This will reduce the  requirement
for  future  capital investment. We continue to focus  on  core
activities  and will take the appropriate actions for  non-core
parts  of the business including the review of carrying  values
to identify any necessary provisions for impairment.

Approximately half of the Group's business takes place in North
America  and  the  impact  of  the  slowdown  has  resulted  in
operating profits from the region in the first 5 months of  the
financial year being substantially below those of the  previous
year.

At  this  stage it is difficult to forecast volumes  for  North
American  Automotive for the second half.  In  the  expectation
that  car  and light commercial vehicle production levels  will
stabilise  following  a  period  of  inventory  reduction,   we
currently  expect that Group pre-exceptional operating  profits
will  improve during the second half but are unlikely to exceed
those for the equivalent period last year.

The Group will report its interim results in May when there will
be  an  opportunity to provide a more detailed  review  of  the
current trading and business outlook.


Enquires to:

Avon Rubber p.l.c.
Steve Willcox, Chief Executive             Tel:  [phone]
Terry Stead, Group Finance Director


Golin/Harris Ludgate
Richard Hews                              Tel:  [phone]
Rachel Child