Four Acquisitions in Continental Europe

Bodycote International PLC
18 November 1999

Bodycote makes four acquisitions in continental Europe

Bodycote is pleased to announce the recent acquisitions
of four specialist businesses, three of which are in the
coatings sector and one in the heat treatment sector.

Collectively, the price paid was £4.2m.  Combined sales
for the year ended 31 December 1998 were £4.7m, pre tax
profits on an ongoing basis were £0.9m and net assets
acquired were £3.1m.

Commenting on the acquisitions, John Chesworth said;

'These four acquisitions are high quality businesses and
demonstrate our continued commitment to building and
reinforcing the service network we provide for our
industrial customers so that we remain the partner of
choice for those in need of our services.

Equally important, the acquisitions expand the range of
coatings services the group can now provide to existing
heat treatment customers. The acquisition of SITI
establishes Bodycote's position as the market leader in
induction heat treatment services in France.'

Notes:

1.   Effective 1 July 1999 Brukens Thermotreat AB,
  Bodycote's Swedish subsidiary, acquired two coatings
  businesses based near Gothenburg.  These businesses
  provide zinc, nickel and other specialist coatings for
  the telecommunications and component industries.
  
2.   On 15 September 1999 HIT SA, the Group's French
  subsidiary acquired an induction treatment business, SITI
  SA, based in Billy-Berclau, France.
  
  SITI is France's leading provider of induction heat
  treatment processing to a wide range of markets.
  
3.   On 6th October 1999 HIT SA acquired Europeenne de
  Chromage.  Europeenne de Chromage is a coatings business
  based in St Dizier, France.  It carries out chromium and
  other electrolytic coatings of aluminium and other alloys
  and has been contracted to provide plating for the new
  Euro coinage.