Acquisition

Molins PLC
23 December 2002


For Immediate Release
                                  23 December 2002


                     MOLINS EXTENDS ITS ANALYTICAL SERVICES


Molins PLC, the international specialist engineering company, has acquired the
smoke constituent analytical business of LGC Limited for a cash consideration of
£930,000.  The acquired business is now named Arista Laboratories Europe.

Molins entered the field of smoke constituent testing through its acquisition of
Arista Laboratories, Inc. in February this year.  Arista, located in Richmond,
Virginia is designed to meet the regulatory-driven demand for the
characterisation of tobacco smoke.  It specialises in providing routine and
non-routine determinations of the full range of smoke constituents to the well
defined quality standards of ISO 17025.  Independent of the tobacco industry and
regulators, it provides high quality, impartial analytical services and advice
to customers worldwide.  The acquisition enables Arista to provide these
services more effectively to European tobacco industry customers and regulatory
bodies.

Arista Laboratories Europe will occupy LGC's laboratory premises in Teddington,
Middlesex for up to 12 months whilst alternative premises are established.  It
is accredited by UKAS, operating to ISO 17025, and is the UK government's chosen
provider of tobacco smoke analysis services.  Its turnover in 2001 was £0.5
million.

LGC, the UK's leading independent analytical laboratory, provides a wide range
of specialist analytical and diagnostic services to the public and private
sectors, in markets as diverse as foods, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology,
environment, chemicals and petroleum.

Molins values its continuing association with LGC, which is entering into an
agreement to provide specialist technical services to Arista Laboratories
Europe.



Enquiries:

David Cowen, Group Finance Director, Molins PLC           01908 219000

Margaret George, Citigate Dewe Rogerson                   020 7282 2836


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange