Offer Document Posted

16 Oct 2006 07:00

3M UK Holdings PLC16 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 EMBARGOED UNTIL 7.00 AM ON 16 OCTOBER 2006 16 October 2006 3M UK HOLDINGS PLC ("3M") RECOMMENDED OFFER FOR BIOTRACE INTERNATIONAL PLC ("BIOTRACE") OFFER DOCUMENT POSTED Further to the announcement made on 4 October 2006, 3M announces that the offerdocument (the "Offer Document") containing the full terms and conditions of therecommended cash Offer by 3M for Biotrace has been posted to Biotraceshareholders, together with the Form of Acceptance. If you hold Biotrace Shares in certificated form, to accept the Offer, youshould complete, sign and return the Form of Acceptance, which accompanies yourOffer Document, in accordance with the instructions thereon and set out in theOffer Document as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to be received byCapita Registrars by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 3 November 2006. If you hold Biotrace Shares in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST), toaccept the Offer you should accept the Offer electronically through CREST inaccordance with the instructions set out in the Offer Document so that the TTEInstruction settles by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 3 November 2006.If you hold Biotrace Shares as a CREST sponsored member, you should refer toyour CREST sponsor as only your CREST sponsor will be able to send the necessaryTTE Instruction to CRESTCo. Copies of the Offer Document and the Form of Acceptance are available forinspection (during normal business hours only on any weekday) at the offices ofCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, City Place House, 35 Basinghall Street,London EC2V 5EH (Ref Myoung Rhee) throughout the period during which the Offerremains open for acceptance. Terms defined in the Offer Document have the same meaning in this announcement. Enquiries: 3MBruce Jermeland (Manager of Investor Relations) Tel: +1 651 733 1807Matt 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 Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than 3M for providingthe protections afforded to its customers or for providing advice in relation tothe Offer, the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangementreferred 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 Offer should be made onlyon the basis of the information contained or referred to in the Offer Documentand the Form of Acceptance. The laws of relevant jurisdictions may affect theavailability of the Offer to persons not resident in the United Kingdom.Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom, or who are subject to thelaws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom, should inform themselvesabout and observe any applicable legal or regulatory requirements of theirjurisdiction. The Offer Document will be available for public inspection andwill also be posted on 3M's website. Unless otherwise determined by 3M, the 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 Offer,when made, should not be accepted by any such use, means, instrumentality orfacilities or from or within any such jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of thisannouncement 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 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 Offer,before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance.These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or inprivate transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchaseswill be disclosed as required in the UK. END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange