Acquisition

Intertek Group PLC
14 May 2004





                               Intertek Group plc


               Intertek outsourcing contract from Avecia Limited

Intertek Group plc (Intertek), the global testing, inspection and certification
company, announces the award by Avecia Limited to Intertek Caleb Brett of the
outsourcing of its expert analytical testing requirements for an initial two
year period with sales of approximately £3.6m per annum. This agreement involves
the purchase of the net assets of Avecia's Analytical Sciences Group (ASG),
including equipment with a net book value of £2.4m.

ASG, based in Blackley, Manchester, has 53 staff and is a world-class laboratory
for the analysis and characterisation of chemicals and has developed strong
expertise in the practical resolution of manufacturing problems.

Chief Executive Officer, Richard Nelson commented, 'This agreement provides
Caleb Brett with a wide range of testing capabilities in specialty and fine
chemicals for chemical and pharmaceutical companies and will significantly
enhance Caleb Brett's outsourcing opportunities'.

For further information, please contact

     Aston Swift, Treasurer and Investor Relations
     Telephone: [phone]                [e-mail]

     Katie Macdonald-Smith, Tulchan Communications
     Telephone: [phone]                [e-mail]

     Corporate website:                             www.intertek.com

High resolution images of Intertek Group plc businesses are available to
download, free of charge from www.vismedia.co.uk.

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading international testing, inspection and certification
organisation which assesses customers' products and commodities against a wide
range of safety, regulatory, quality and performance standards and in some
cases, certifies the management systems of customers. Intertek has over 270
laboratories with more than 11,000 people around the world and is increasingly
undertaking outsourced testing work for its customers.



                      This information is provided by RNS
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