Telecoms Businesses Sold for $153m

Cookson Group PLC
4 May 2000

  COOKSON SELLS TELECOMS BUSINESSES FOR $153 MILLION

Cookson   Group  plc  ('Cookson'),  the  international
materials  technology company, announces that  it  has
disposed  of the businesses constituting its  Telecoms
sector for $153 million (£98 million). NEPTCO has been
sold   to   a  venture  capital  consortium   led   by
Cornerstone  Equity Investors and agreement  has  been
reached  to sell the assets of FOCAS to Alcoa Fujikura
Limited.   NEPTCO manufactures tapes,  composites  and
fibre   optic  cable  strength  elements   and   FOCAS
manufactures aerial fibre optic cable.

The sale of FOCAS does not include its investment in a
revenue sharing venture with Electric Lightwave,  Inc.
('ELI')  in respect of a fibre optic cable network  in
the  USA.  This investment will be retained by Cookson
and  revenue  will  begin to be  generated  from  this
venture during 2000.  The net tangible asset value  of
Cookson's  investment in the ELI project  amounted  to
£28 million at 31 December 1999.

For the 12 months ended 31 December 1999, the Telecoms
sector, excluding the ELI venture, had sales  of £101  
million  and operating profit of  £9.4  million.   The
net tangible asset value of these businesses at 31
December  1999  was  £55  million,  and  the  goodwill
previously   written-off   on   original   acquisition
amounted to £36 million.

Consideration  is  payable in  cash  upon  completion.
Completion  of  NEPTCO has now  taken  place  and  the
proceeds  have  been used to reduce Group  borrowings.
The  completion of FOCAS is expected to take place  at
the end of this month.

Commenting  on the sale, Stephen Howard,  Group  Chief
Executive of Cookson said:

'The  disposals  of  NEPTCO  and  FOCAS  represent   a
substantial  part of our programme to divest  non-core
activities.   This enables Cookson  to  focus  on  its
three   core  markets  -  electronics,  ceramics   and
precious   metals   -   where  we  have   demonstrable
leadership  positions and clear prospects for  growth.
The  combined value of the proceeds from the disposals
of  NEPTCO  and  FOCAS and the retention  of  the  ELI
investment   make   these  transactions   particularly
attractive for Cookson.

The company will issue a trading statement after the 
Annual General Meeting, to be held today at 11.30am'


For further information, please contact:

Stephen Howard           Dennis Millard
Group Chief Executive         Group Finance Director
Cookson Group plc             Cookson Group plc
London WC2N 6HJ               London WC2N 6HJ
Tel:  [phone]           Tel:  [phone]
Fax: [phone]            Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]    e-mail: [e-mail]