Response to Cooper Industries plc

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

28 July 2011

LAIRD PLC

Response to the announcement by Cooper Industries plc ("Cooper")

Laird PLC ("Laird" or the "Company") notes the announcement from Cooper on 27 July 2011 regarding a possible offer for the entire issued share capital of Laird at 200 pence per share in cash (the "Proposal").

The Proposal remains subject to a number of preconditions including due diligence and the unanimous recommendation of the Board of Laird (the "Board"). The Board notes that Cooper has reserved its right to reduce the Proposal by Laird's proposed or declared dividends, announced yesterday in its interim results.

The Laird results announcement outlined strong performance from its core businesses for the six months to 30 June 2011 along with medium-to-long-term targets for the business. These targets are based on the same information that has been provided to Cooper.

The Board, together with its financial advisers, believes that the Proposal continues to undervalue the Company and its prospects. As Laird confirmed yesterday in its interim results, high level financial information has been provided to Cooper. Laird has also offered to make available reasonable specific information to allow Cooper to assess better the fundamental value of the Company.

The Board would like to reiterate that it remains open to a constructive dialogue. Laird's management is prepared to provide further detail underpinning its financial projections, and to discuss the synergies that Cooper could achieve.

In the event that an acceptable revised proposal is then forthcoming, Laird is prepared to engage further with Cooper, provide due diligence and seek the consent of the Takeover Panel to extend the put up or shut up deadline of 1 August to an appropriate date.

There can be no certainty that any possible offer will be made or as to the terms of any such offer, even if any preconditions are satisfied or waived.

For the purposes of Note 7 on Rule 2.4 of the Takeover Code, this announcement has not been made with the consent of Cooper.

A copy of this announcement will be available on the following website www.laird-plc.com.

The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Enquiries:

Rothschild, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for Laird PLC as financial adviser in relation to the subject matter of this announcement and is not acting for or advising any other person and accordingly will not be responsible to any person other than Laird PLC for providing the protections afforded to the clients of Rothschild or for providing advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or any offer or arrangements referred to herein. Neither Rothschild nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Rothschild in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

J.P. Morgan Limited, which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove and is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting as financial adviser to Laird and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Laird for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the matters set out in this announcement.

Evercore Partners Limited is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority and is acting as financial adviser to Laird and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Laird for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the matters set out in this announcement.