ESOP Purchase of Shares

ALBEMARLE & BOND HOLDINGS PLC

("the Company")

Purchase of Shares by the Albemarle & Bond Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("the ESOP")

Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC was notified on 13 December 2012 by the Trustee of the Company ESOP, that, on 12 December 2012, the ESOP purchased 25,000 shares of 4p each in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 216p per Ordinary Share and on 13 December 2012 the ESOP purchased 50,000 Ordinary Shares at a price of 214.5p per Ordinary Share.

Following this purchase, the Trust holds 639,226 Ordinary Shares representing 1.15 per cent. of the Company's voting share capital, being 55,532,891 Ordinary Shares.

Enquiries

Albemarle & Bond Holdings plc 0118 955 8100

Barry Stevenson - CEO

Paula Watts - Company Secretary

Canaccord Genuity Limited 020 7523 8350

Piers Coombs / Lucy Tilley

Cardew Group 020 7930 0777

Tim Robertson / Shan Shan Willenbrock

END