Contracts Won with Iveco and B&Q - 200 New Jobs

Hays PLC
6 December 1999



                 Hays Distribution wins major contracts with Iveco and B&Q
                              200 new jobs to be created

Hays Distribution has won a five-year, £200m contract with Iveco, part of the
Fiat Group.  In addition, the company has been awarded a further contract with
B&Q, an existing customer, to set up and manage a distribution centre handling
all of B&Q's imported goods.

Iveco

Iveco is one of the worlds leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. Under the
terms of the contract, Hays European Logistics Division will handle Iveco's
entire European parts and accessories distribution, making this one of the
largest distribution agreements of its kind in Europe. Hays will manage the
supply chain logistics of Iveco's warehouses across Europe.  The transfer of
the activities from Iveco to Hays will be phased over the next year beginning
in January 2000.


B&Q

Hays Distribution, which has operated six Regional Consolidation Centres
(RCCs) for B&Q since July, will manage an additional 650,000 ft2 warehouse in
Doncaster to store and distribute imported goods to B&Q outlets.  This new
contract will increase the volume of products handled through the RCCs by 65%.
A further 200 jobs will be created, bringing the total number of people
employed by Hays to service B&Q's distribution needs to 650.

B&Q took the decision to develop RCCs in 1998 to streamline supplier
deliveries in to stores. Hays Distribution was awarded the contract to operate
these RCCs in March 1999.

Commenting, Ronnie Frost, Chairman of Hays said:

'I am delighted with these new relationships, which again demonstrates the
quality of our logistics operations.

With regard to Iveco, Hays Logistics Europe already has a blue-chip client
list across both the retail and industrial supply chain and the strength of
our European coverage has enabled us to win this prestigious contract as it
will fully utilise our cross-border expertise.

Winning this contract with B&Q demonstrates our ability to develop
relationships with our existing customers by offering a flexible, high-quality
service tailor-made to meet their needs.'


For further information, please contact:

Ronnie Frost         Chairman, Hays plc   01483 302 203
                                          
Andrew Grant         Brunswick            0171 404 5959
Corinne Daniels

Note to editors

B&Q's/Hays' RCCs are located in Birmingham, Wakefield and Warrington, as well
as existing Hays operations at Dagenham, Chepstow and Glasgow.  A seventh
centre at Southampton is to open today.