RNS Number:8949W
Amer Group PLC
9 January 2001


WILSON TO MOVE TENNIS BALL PRODUCTION TO THAILAND

Wilson  Sporting  Goods, a subsidiary  of  Amer  Group  Plc,  is
closing  its  tennis ball manufacturing plant in  Fountain  Inn,
South Carolina, and moving its production to Thailand, effective
today.  Some additional minor costs will be incurred due to this 
closure.

The  reasons  behind  the  decision  to  outsource  tennis  ball
manufacturing  are the rise of raw material and labor  costs  in
the US as well as prevailing market conditions. As a result, all
Wilson  tennis  balls will now be manufactured in  Thailand  and
Indonesia, from where Wilson  has  already  been  sourcing  some 
tennis ball production.

The  Thai supplier's new, state-of-the-art facility with its all
new equipment, is able to produce better quality at lower prices
than  the Fountain Inn factory. Wilson has already been shipping
tennis  balls  from  the  new factory,  which  is  located  near
Bangkok, since the fourth quarter of 1999. This supplier already
manufactures products for Wilson's Team Sports Division.

Wilson  employed approximately 300 full and part time  staff  at
Fountain  Inn,  all  of whom will be assisted  in  securing  new
employment through regional employment programs.


AMER GROUP PLC
Communications Dept.



Marja-Leena Simola
Vice President, Communications
Tel. +358 9 7257 8306
Fax +358 9 791 385
E-mail: marja-leena.simola@amer.fi


For further information, please contact:
Mr Roger Talermo, President & CEO, tel. +358 9 7257 8210
Mr Pekka Paalanne, Senior Vice President & CFO,
Tel. +358 9 7257 8212