AGM Statement

Electrocomponents PLC
20 July 2001

                                          Embargoed to 12.00 noon 20 July 2001

ELECTROCOMPONENTS PLC

STATEMENT MADE AT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 20 JULY 2001


TRADING UPDATE

As indicated in our Preliminary Announcement at the end of May, trading
conditions have become more difficult in the first quarter with the cyclical
decline in electronics being compounded by weakening growth in the major world
economies.

In the United States, Allied's significant sales decline in the first quarter
against its very strong prior year reflected the electronics cycle, whilst
further weakness in UK manufacturing has depressed our UK sales. While the
performance of the rest of the Group has largely offset the US and UK, overall
sales in the first quarter were slightly lower. Our attention to service,
however, has been rewarded by higher gross margins on these sales. Although
the sales outlook for the rest of the year remains difficult, continuing
actions taken to improve our gross margins and costs will provide offsetting
benefits as the year progresses.

Despite these trading conditions, we have maintained our strategic investments
and we believe the Group will emerge from this cycle in a stronger position to
realise its potential.


BOARD CHANGES

The following Board changes will take effect from today:

Bob Lawson will retire as Group Chief Executive to become Chairman Designate.
He will succeed Roy Cotterill as non-executive Chairman when Roy retires in
November 2001. Bob Lawson joined the Company as Group Managing Director in
1991 and was appointed Group Chief Executive in 1992.

Ian Mason, currently an executive Director and Chief Operating Officer will
become Group Chief Executive.  Ian Mason joined the Company in 1995 from The
Boston Consulting Group and was appointed to the Board in July 2000.

Contacts:

Bob Lawson      Chairman Designate                            01865 204000
Ian Mason       Group Chief Executive                         01865 204000
Jeff Hewitt     Deputy Chairman / Finance Director            01865 204000
Diana Soltmann  Flagship Consulting                           0207 2991500