RNS Number:3542M
Avon Rubber PLC
23 January 2008

Embargoed for 10.30 a.m.                                        23 January 2008

                               Avon Rubber p.l.c.
                                 ("the Group")

                                 AGM Statement

At the Annual General Meeting to be held today the Chairman, The Rt. Hon. Sir
Richard Needham, will make the following statement to shareholders:

"At the time of our preliminary statement at the end of November 2007, we said
that the Group had reached a number of significant milestones. We had announced
that the full rate production decision had been made on our new military
respirator and that we had received NFPA certification for our new
self-contained breathing apparatus product, manufactured at ISI in Georgia.

The growth in our Protection and Defence business has been slower than we
anticipated. However, we are now agreeing the detail of the multi-year contract
for the new military respirator, which will commence with an annual rate of
100,000 units, and expect this order to be confirmed in the very near future. We
anticipate that this will quickly be followed by a requirements order to cover
additional demand for the US military.

We have also received a funded development contract from the US Department of
Homeland Security for the new EH15 emergency hood which we believe has
significant long-term potential.

At Avon-ISI, whilst enquiries have remained at a high level, the conversion of
these to firm orders is taking longer than we anticipated. We are confident that
this is a timing issue and would expect to see growth at this business in the
second quarter continuing into the second half of the year.

Sales of our dairy products in North America continue at a consistently high
level. We expect this to remain the case and we have also seen a continuation of
the growth in sales in our European operations.

Avon Engineered Fabrications is in the process of confirming some long-term
contracts for supply of fluid storage tanks and we believe this will give a
strong base for growth in this business over the next few years.

Overall the Group performance in our first quarter of the financial year has
been below expectations. Net debt increased by �2.3million to �12.7million at 31
December 2007, with increased inventory relating to the delayed deliveries to
the DoD and a seasonal reduction in payables.

We also said in November that we were committed to the sale of our UK Mixing
facility at the earliest opportunity or, if a solution could not be reached, we
would close it. In the absence of any sale of this operation being concluded, we
are now starting the process of closure.

Whilst the growth in our respiratory protection business has been delayed in the
first quarter, the levels of enquiries and expected orders give us confidence
that in the next few months we will see the expected enhanced performance for
the Group. The Board remains confident that the work already carried out,
together with continued investment in new product development, will lead to a
period of sustainable and profitable growth for the Group."

                                     -Ends-

For further enquiries please contact:

Avon Rubber p.l.c.
Terry Stead, Chief Executive
Peter Slabbert, Group Finance Director                              01225 896870
Fiona Stewart, Corporate Communications Executive                   01225 896871

Weber Shandwick Financial
Richard Hews, Rachel Martin, Hannah Marwood                        020 7067 0700

Arden Partners plc
Chris Hardie                                                       020 7398 1600


NOTES TO EDITORS:
Avon Rubber p.l.c. is an international polymer engineering group adding value
through material, manufacturing and industry sector expertise. The Group is
currently capitalised at approximately �42 million.



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

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