Foseco Acquisition Receives US Anti-Trust Clearance

Cookson Group plc, a leading materials science company, announces that it has now obtained the necessary anti-trust clearance from the United States Department of Justice in connection with the proposed acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of Foseco plc (“Foseco”). Earlier today Cookson announced that it had obtained the necessary clearance from the European Commission.

The European Commission clearance is subject to a remedy package that requires the disposal of Foseco’s Carbon Bonded Ceramics business (“CBC”) and of Cookson’s Hi- Tech Filters business (“Hi-Tech”). These disposals will be completed after the Acquisition becomes effective. Disposal of CBC will also satisfy the conditions of the US clearance. As noted in Cookson’s Circular to its shareholders on 19 December 2007 and Foseco’s Circular to its shareholders on 22 February 2008, the current timetable has shareholder approval for the Acquisition being sought at Foseco’s EGM on 10 March and Cookson’s EGM on 11 March. The Acquisition is expected to become effective on 4 April 2008.