BOI Bank Irel13.375

RNS Number:3219M
3M UK Holdings PLC
20 November 2006

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A
VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS IN THAT JURISDICTION

20 November 2006

                             RECOMMENDED CASH OFFER

                                      FOR

                           BIOTRACE INTERNATIONAL PLC

                                       BY

                               3M UK HOLDINGS PLC

                         ADVISED BY UBS INVESTMENT BANK



           Total of Offer Acceptances and Holdings at 84.49 per cent.

                               Extension of Offer



1.      Level of acceptances

3M UK Holdings PLC ("3M") announces that as at 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 17
November 2006, the second closing date of the Offer, valid acceptances had been
received in respect of a total of 29,309,268 Biotrace Shares, representing
approximately 74.55 per cent. of Biotrace's issued share capital.  None of these
acceptances was received from persons acting in concert with 3M.

As disclosed in the offer document dated 13 October 2006 (the "Offer Document"),
at the time of the Offer, 3M received irrevocable undertakings in respect of, in
aggregate, 12,552,196 Biotrace Shares, representing approximately 31.93 per
cent. of Biotrace's issued share capital.  Valid acceptances have been received
in respect of all of these Biotrace Shares.

In addition, as disclosed in the Offer Document, 3M had acquired 3,906,489
Biotrace Shares representing 9.94 per cent. of Biotrace's issued share capital,

Accordingly, as at 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 17 November 2006, 3M owned or had
received valid acceptances in respect of a total of 33,215,757 Biotrace Shares
representing approximately 84.49 per cent. of Biotrace's issued share capital.

2.      Extension of the Offer

The Offer, which remains subject to the terms and conditions set out in the
Offer Document, is being extended and will remain open for acceptance until the
next closing date which will be 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 24 November 2006.
Any further extensions of the Offer will be publicly announced by 8.00 a.m. on
the Business Day following the day on which the Offer was otherwise due to
expire, or at such later time or date as the Panel may agree.

Biotrace Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer and who hold Biotrace
Shares in certificated form are urged to complete, sign and return the Form of
Acceptance as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to be received by Capita
Registrars by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 24 November 2006.

If you hold Biotrace Shares in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST), you are
urged to accept the Offer by TTE instructions as soon as possible and, in any
event, so as to be settled by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 24
November 2006.  If you hold Biotrace Shares as a CREST sponsored member, you
should refer to your CREST sponsor as only your CREST sponsor will be able to
send the necessary TTE instruction to CREST.

Copies of the Offer Document are available from Capita Registrars, The Registry,
34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TU.

Terms defined in the Offer Document shall have the same meanings in this
announcement.

ENQUIRIES

Capita Registrars                   Tel:  0870 162 3121
                                          (from within the United Kingdom)

                                    Tel:  +44 20 8639 2157
                                          (from outside the United Kingdom)

UBS Investment Bank

Aidan Clegg                         Tel:  020 7567 8100
Nik Morandi


UBS, which is authorised and regulated by the FSA, is acting exclusively for 3M
and no one else in connection with this announcement and will not be responsible
to anyone other than 3M for providing the protections afforded to clients of UBS
or for providing advice in connection with this announcement or any other
matters referred to herein.

Numis, which is authorised and regulated by the FSA, is acting exclusively for
Biotrace and no one else in connection with this announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Biotrace for providing the protections afforded
to clients of Numis or for providing advice in connection with this announcement
or any other matters referred to herein.

This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, any offer for, or any
solicitation of any offer for, securities.  Any acceptance or other response to
the Offer should be made only on the basis of information referred to in the
Offer Document.

The availability of the Offer to persons who are not resident in the United
Kingdom may be affected by the laws of their relevant jurisdiction.  Such
persons should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable legal or
regulatory requirements of their jurisdiction.  Further details in relation to
Overseas Shareholders are contained in the Offer Document.

Unless otherwise determined by 3M, the Offer is not being, and will not be,
made, directly or indirectly, in or into or by the use of the mails of, or by
any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, telephonically or
electronically) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or through any facilities
of a national securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction if to do so
would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction, and the
Offer should not be accepted by any such use, means, instrumentality or
facilities or from or within the a Restricted Jurisdiction.  Accordingly, copies
of this announcement are not being, and must not be mailed or otherwise
forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction and
all persons receiving this announcement (including nominees, trustees and
custodians) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in, into
or from a Restricted Jurisdiction.  Doing so may render invalid any purported
acceptance of the Offer.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, 3M will retain the
right to permit the Offer to be accepted and any sale of securities pursuant to
the Offer to be completed if, in its sole discretion, it is satisfied that the
transaction in question can be undertaken in compliance with applicable law and
regulation.



END


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