Brand-Rex Cable Businesses to be Sold for £145m

BICC PLC
6 March 2000


                   BICC TO SELL BRAND-REX CABLE BUSINESSES
                            FOR £145 MILLION CASH
                                      

BICC,   the  international  engineering,  construction  and  services  group,
announces  today  that  it  has  agreed to  sell  its  datacommunication  and
speciality  cable  businesses, Brand-Rex, to Caradon  plc.   The  total  cash
consideration is £145 million based on net assets as at 31 December  1999  of
£64 million.

Circulars  will  shortly  be posted to shareholders  convening  extraordinary
general  meetings,  at which approval will be sought for  the  disposal,  for
changing  the  name  of the Company to Balfour Beatty plc and  to  repurchase
ordinary and convertible preference shares.

The  Brand-Rex  businesses  manufacture and supply  datacommunications  cable
systems,  comprising  cables,  components  and  accessories  for  local  area
networks,  and  speciality  cable  for  niche  markets  principally  in   the
transportation  sector.  For the financial year ended 31 December  1999,  the
Brand-Rex  businesses had sales of £135 million and pre-exceptional operating
profits of £9.2 million.

The  Board  believes that the Brand-Rex businesses have a  greater  value  to
Caradon  than as part of the BICC Group and has concluded that it is  in  the
best  interests  of shareholders to realise this additional  strategic  value
through the disposal.

The  net  cash proceeds received on completion of approximately £137 million,
after  expenses, will initially be held on deposit and will in due course  be
used in two ways.

Firstly,  a  number  of  potential acquisitions  and  investments  have  been
identified  which would strengthen the Group's position in its chosen  growth
areas, particularly in rail and privately financed projects.  Discussions are
currently ongoing in relation to potential transactions in both North America
and  continental Europe.  A substantial proportion of the net proceeds of the
disposal are expected to be deployed in this way.

Secondly,  it  is  intended  that, subject to market  conditions  and  future
circumstances,  not  less than £40 million will be utilised  in  buying  back
ordinary  and  convertible preference shares.  Authority to  purchase  shares
will  be  sought at an extraordinary general meeting and at a separate  class
meeting   of   convertible  preference  shareholders.   In  exercising   such
authority,  the  Group would ensure that the interests of both  ordinary  and
convertible preference shareholders are equitably addressed.

BICC Chief Executive, Mike Welton, commenting today, said:

'Following  the  radical restructuring of the Group in 1999,  our  activities
have  become  largely focused on the engineering, construction  and  services
activities of Balfour Beatty.

'Our  priorities for 2000 are to further refine the business mix,  invest  in
our   growth  businesses  and  to  continue  managing  the  improvement   and
development strategies in each of our four principal business streams.

'We  believe  that  the disposal of Brand-Rex at a strategic  value  and  the
proposed   use  of  the  proceeds  will  over  time  significantly   increase
shareholder value.'

Following  the  disposal  and proposed change of name,  Balfour  Beatty  will
concentrate  on  four  main  activities: Building,  Building  Management  and
Services; Civil and Specialist Engineering and Services; Rail Engineering and
Services; and Investments and Developments such as PFI and similar projects.

The  Board believes that each of these sectors offers good opportunities  for
sustained  growth.  Their prospects will be reviewed in more  detail  in  the
announcement  to be made this Wednesday, 8 March, in respect of  the  Group's
preliminary results for 1999.

                  _________________________________________
                                      
For further information, please contact:

BICC plc
Lord Weir, Chairman                                         020 7629 6622
Mike Welton, Chief Executive
Ian Tyler, Finance Director
Tim Sharp, Head of Corporate Communications                 www.bicc.com


Schroders
James Bardrick                                              020 7658 6000
Jan Skarbek


FURTHER INFORMATION AND NOTES TO EDITORS

Background to and reasons for the proposed disposal
During  the course of 1999, BICC was radically refocused through the disposal
of  its  Telecommunication  Cable businesses  and  Energy  Cable  businesses.
Following  these disposals, BICC's activities have been dominated by  Balfour
Beatty, a leading international engineering, construction and services group.
BICC   was  reclassified  by  the  London  Stock  Exchange  Limited  in   the
Construction  Sector and has announced its intention to change  its  name  to
Balfour Beatty plc.

In these circumstances, the Board concluded that the Brand-Rex businesses may
have  greater value to third parties than as part of the BICC Group and  that
it was, therefore, in the interests of shareholders to realise this strategic
value through the proposed disposal.

Financial effects of the proposed disposal
The  book  value of assets to be sold on a debt and cash free basis  was  £64
million  as  at  31  December 1999.  The gain on disposal  after  transaction
costs,  but  before writeback of goodwill and tax, is £73 million.   Goodwill
previously written off to reserves of £53 million will be charged through the
profit  and  loss  account  and accordingly the Board  anticipates  that  the
disposal  will result in an exceptional profit of approximately  £20  million
and an increase in shareholders' funds of £73 million.

The disposal is not expected to result in a significant tax charge.

Information on the Brand-Rex businesses
The  Brand-Rex  businesses  manufacture and  supply  datacommunication  cable
systems, comprising copper and optical cables, components and accessories for
local  area  networks  and  speciality cables for  niche  markets,  including
automotive, mass transit, telecommunications and aerospace.

The  Brand-Rex businesses are headquartered in Glenrothes near  Edinburgh  in
Scotland  and  employ  approximately  1,240  people  worldwide.   They   have
manufacturing  facilities in the UK and the Philippines and an  international
network of sales offices and distributors servicing Europe, Australia,  Asia-
Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

In  the  financial  year  ended 31 December 1999,  the  Brand-Rex  businesses
achieved  turnover  of  £135.2  million  (1998:  £125.5  million)  and   pre-
exceptional operating profits of £9.2 million (1998: £7.7 million) after non-
recurring costs of £1.5 million in 1999.  As at 31 December 1999, the  Brand-
Rex businesses had net assets of £48 million.

Information on Balfour Beatty plc
Following  the disposal and the proposed change of name, Balfour  Beatty  plc
will be focused on four divisions:

Building, Building Management and Services
Balfour  Beatty  is an international specialist in the design,  construction,
equipping,  maintaining and management of buildings and selected  aspects  of
their internal environment.

Civil and Specialist Engineering and Services
Balfour   Beatty  is  a  leading  provider  of  civil  and  other  specialist
engineering,  design and management skills, principally in the transport  and
energy sectors of the international infrastructure market, and including  the
United States.

Rail Engineering and Services
Balfour  Beatty  is  an  international leader in  the  design,  construction,
equipping, maintenance and management of rail assets and systems.

Investments and Developments
Balfour  Beatty  promotes  and  invests in  privately  funded  infrastructure
projects and developments in selected sectors in the UK and overseas.



J.  Henry  Schroder & Co. Limited, which is regulated by The  Securities  and
Futures Authority Limited, is acting for BICC and for no one else in relation
to  the  proposed disposal and will not be responsible to anyone  other  than
BICC  for  providing the protections afforded to its customers or for  giving
advice in relation to the proposed disposal.