Acquisition

Filtronic PLC
23 August 2000

               FILTRONIC PLC: $US 20M ACQUISITION OF SIGTEK INC.
         Purchase of US Digital Signal Processing ('DSP') software group
                Innovative earn-out based on engineering skills


Filtronic  plc,  a  leading global player supplying the mobile  infrastructure
markets,  whose  customers  include Nokia,  Motorola,  Ericsson,  Philips  and
Lucent, announces the acquisition of Sigtek Inc, based in Maryland, USA for  a
maximum consideration of $20m.  Sigtek is a leader in the field of high  speed
digital  signal  processing  ('DSP')  software  development,  and  of  its  30
employees, 23 are professional engineers.  The consideration, payable over a 4
year  period is to be satisfied by the issue of up to 1,140,901 new  Filtronic
shares  with an initial payment of 267,427 new shares at 1177p per share.   In
an innovative agreement, the deferred consideration element is subject to
earn-out  criteria  dependent  upon both the number and quality  of  the 
engineers retained by Sigtek over a four year period.

High  speed  DSP  is integral to the development of software  radio  which  is
applicable  to  most of the business areas currently addressed  by  Filtronic.
The  technology has only recently been developed in response to  the  need  to
progress  high  frequency  signals in real  time  which  has  been  driven  by
requirements  for  third  generation ('3G') mobile phones  and  optical  fibre
networks.

Several projects will be established during the coming months to utilise  this
additional  DSP  capability, and it is applicable both  in  base  station  and
mobile   phone   applications.    In  base   stations   the   high   frequency
transmit/receiver  modules  are  likely to  include  up  and  down  conversion
capability  and  inevitably  interface with the remainder  of  the  system  at
digital  level.  For high performance 3G handsets, digital techniques will  be
developed  to minimise distortion and maximise radiation in the most efficient
manner  whilst  providing enhanced receive capability with dynamic  diversity.
Both  of  the  above  will be necessary to utilise the  2MBs  high  data  rate
standard and can only be accomplished using high speed  DSP.

Initially,  Sigtek  Inc will form part of Filtronic's Broadband  Access  group
with immediate applications within the broadband two-way cable systems in  the
USA, where digital/radio frequency converters are necessary to provide the  70
million  subscribers with high speed services.  These products are  customised
for installation in OEM platforms and the Filtronic/Sigtek combination is well
positioned to develop these products with their current US OEM customer  base.
Higher  bandwidth wireless systems will use complex digital modulation schemes
and  again  the Filtronic/Sigtek combination will provide the total  expertise
necessary to address this rapidly expanding market.

Commenting  on the acquisition, Professor David Rhodes, Chairman of Filtronic,
said:  'Sigtek brings to Filtronic the expertise to develop real-time software
for  high  frequency DSP.  This acquisition, together with  the  new  compound
semiconductor  products  to be produced at our Newton Aycliffe  facility  will
place  Filtronic in a strong position to meet the challenges  in  our  rapidly
expanding markets.'

Enquiries:

Professor David Rhodes
Professor Chris Snowden
Chris Schofield
Filtronic plc                              Tel: [phone]

Paul Vann
Binns & Co                                 Tel: [phone]