Bank Irel13.375 Regulatory News (BOI)

6 Oct 2006 10:55

3M UK Holdings PLC06 October 2006 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY ORINDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE AVIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS IN THAT JURISDICTION PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6 October 2006 130 PENCE CASH OFFER (THE "OFFER") FOR BIOTRACE INTERNATIONAL PLC ("BIOTRACE") BY 3M UK HOLDINGS PLC ("3M") (A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF 3M COMPANY) SHARE PURCHASES On Wednesday 4 October 2006, 3M announced the terms of an Offer to acquire theentire issued and to be issued share capital of Biotrace. Under the terms of theOffer, Biotrace Shareholders will receive, for each Biotrace Share held, 130pence in cash. 3M is pleased to announce that yesterday it purchased, from a number of BiotraceShareholders, in aggregate 3,906,489 Biotrace Shares, representing approximately9.9 per cent. of Biotrace's issue share capital. As a result of these purchases, 3M owns or has received irrevocable underakingsin respect of, in aggregate, 16,458,685 Biotrace Shares, representingapproximately 41.9 per cent. of Biotrace's issued share capital. Capitalised terms used in this announcement shall, unless defined in thisannouncement, have the meaning given to them in the offer announcement dated 4October 2006. Enquiries: 3M Bruce Jermeland (Manager of Investor Relations) Tel: +1 651 733 1807 Matt Ginter (Vice President Investor Relations & Financial Planning) Tel: +1 651 733 8206 UBS Investment Bank (Financial adviser to 3M)Aidan Clegg Tel: +44 (0)20 7568 0000Nik Morandi Financial Dynamics (PR adviser to 3M)Andrew Dowler Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 3113Anna Keeble The directors of 3M accept responsibility for the information contained in thisannouncement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of 3M,who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case, theinformation contained in this announcement for which they are responsible is inaccordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the importof such information. UBS, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FinancialServices Authority, is acting exclusively for 3M and no one else in connectionwith the Cash Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than 3M forproviding the protections afforded to its customers or for providing advice inrelation to the Cash Offer, the contents of this announcement or any transactionor arrangement referred to herein. This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form any partof, any offer to sell or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribefor any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in anyjurisdiction. Any acceptance or other response to the Cash Offer should be madeonly on the basis of the information contained or referred to in the OfferDocument and the Form of Acceptance. The laws of relevant jurisdictions mayaffect the availability of the Cash Offer to persons not resident in the UnitedKingdom. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom, or who are subjectto the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom, should informthemselves about and observe any applicable legal or regulatory requirements oftheir jurisdiction. The Offer Document will be available for public inspectionand will also be posted on 3M's website. Unless otherwise determined by 3M, the Cash Offer will not be made, directly orindirectly, in, into or from or by the use of mails of, or by any means ofinstrumentality (including, without limitation, telephonically orelectronically) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or through any facilitiesof a national securities exchange of any jurisdiction if to do so wouldconstitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction and the CashOffer, when made, should not be accepted by any such use, means, instrumentalityor facilities or from or within any such jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies ofthis announcement are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded,distributed or sent in, into or from any jurisdiction if to do so wouldconstitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction and personsreceiving this announcement (including, without limitation, custodians, nomineesand trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in, intoor from any such jurisdiction. Doing so may render invalid any purportedacceptance of the Cash Offer. In accordance with normal UK market practice, 3M or its nominees or brokers(acting as agents) may from time to time make certain purchases of, orarrangements to purchase, Biotrace Shares, other than pursuant to the CashOffer, before or during the period in which the Cash Offer remains open foracceptance. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailingprices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information aboutsuch purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK. END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange