Capital Markets Event and Pre-Close Update

22 March 2012

Umeco plc

Capital Markets Event and pre-close update

'Delivering innovation and real advantage'

Umeco plc ('Umeco' or 'the Company'), the global provider of advanced composite materials, is today hosting a Capital Markets Event in London for investors and analysts to set out its strategy for growth by delivering innovation and real advantage to its strategic partners.

Presentations will be given by Umeco's senior management team led by Andrew Moss (Chief Executive) and Steve Bowers (Finance Director) setting out the Company's :-

·; Exposure to the fundamental drivers of demand for advanced composites including regulation, rising fuel costs and increasing affordability;

·; Differentiated technology, knowhow and service that deliver competitive advantage; and

·; Focus on higher growth market segments including its developing emerging markets footprint.

Umeco is pleased that Peter Chivers, Chief Executive of the National Composites Centre, will also be in attendance and will present an overview of the composites industry and his views on the future growth of the advanced composites market.

Andrew Moss, Chief Executive, said: "Today we will be setting out in depth our strategy and capabilities to deliver for customers and shareholders from our strong market positions in higher growth segments of the rapidly developing global advanced composites market. We have good momentum as we deliver innovation and real advantage to many of the world's leading manufacturers."

Pre-close update

In the Interim Management Statement issued on 17 February 2012, the Company said that it had delivered a robust performance overall in the four months to 31 January 2012. Since that date, trading has continued to be in line with the Board's expectations. There are early indications of the anticipated recovery in the Chinese wind market which represents a major strategic opportunity and, overall, our markets continue to evidence the structural growth drivers that are generating increasing demand for our advanced composite materials.

The Company confirms that it remains on track to deliver a full year result in line with the Board's expectations, with no material changes since the Interim Management Statement issued on 17 February 2012.

China

At the Capital Markets Event today, Umeco will detail plans to establish a Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise in China during 2012. The operation will be a sales and distribution hub, based in Shanghai, offering local technical and sales support to Umeco's extensive network of distributors and agents in the fast growing Asian market as well as providing a more direct channel to customers in the region across its entire product range. This important development involves minimal recruitment and other costs at this stage.

Expansion of production capacity

Umeco will announce at the Capital Markets Event plans to install an additional manufacturing line at its Structural Materials site in the UK. This £3.1m investment will add capacity to our existing product range, as well as providing additional functionality to meet and exceed our customers' requirements. The line is expected to be installed during autumn 2012.

For further details of the Capital Markets Event or to notify attendance, please contact Sarah Hughes at Hudson Sandler on +44 (0) 20 7796 4133.

Copies of today's presentations will be available on the Company's website http://www.umeco.com/ later today.

For further information please contact:

Umeco plc Tel: +44 (0) 1926 331 800

Andrew Moss, Chief Executive

Steve Bowers, Finance Director

www.umeco.com

Hudson Sandler Tel: +44 (0) 20 7796 4133

Andrew Hayes

Andrew Leach

Further information on Umeco plc

Umeco plc ('Umeco') is a global provider of advanced composite materials primarily to the aerospace & defence, wind energy, recreation and automotive industries. Revenue from continuing operations to 31 March 2011 was £207.4 million and these operations had 863 employees in manufacturing and distribution operations in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Umeco is managed through two continuing business streams:

Structural Materials - development, manufacture and supply of advanced composite materials; and

Process Materials - development, manufacture and supply of vacuum bagging materials.