KBC Kbc Adv.Tech.

RNS Number:9483V
KBC Advanced Technologies PLC
18 December 2000

                               
                 KBC Advanced Technologies plc
                    ("KBC" or "the Group")
                               
   Trading Update, Corporate Developments and Proposed Board
                            Change
                               
KBC  Advanced Technologies plc, a leading independent provider
of  specialised consultancy and support services  to  the  oil
refining  industry,  announces an update on  trading  for  the
year,  recent  corporate developments  and  a  proposed  Board
change.

Highlights

* Group  operating profits for the year ended 31  December
  2000 expected to be in line with current market expectations

* KBC  announces  it  has secured its largest  multi-year,
  multi-refinery Profit Improvement Program (PIP) contract  to
  date,  worth over US$10 million over 3 years, from  a  major
  South American oil company

* KBC announces it has acquired the assets of Houston based
  Risk  Solutions, a consultancy business with an  established
  market position in quantitative risk analysis in the upstream
  oil and gas sector

* Iain  McIntosh, Group Finance Director, is to leave  KBC
  during the first quarter of 2001 to take up the position  of
  Chief Financial Officer with a large unlisted company

Trading Update

During   the  course  of  the  year  the  Group  has  seen   a
continuation of the improvement in market conditions  outlined
in the Interim Results statement.  As a result, it is expected
that  Group  operating profits for the year ended 31  December
2000 will be in line with current market expectations.

The  Group will announce its preliminary results for the  year
ended 31 December during the first week of March 2001.

Corporate Developments

1.   Major New Orders

The  Group's  current  order book is in  a  healthy  position,
helped  by  the award in recent weeks of KBC's largest  multi-
refinery,  multi-year PIP contract to  date.   The  Group  has
signed a contract with a major South American oil company  for
multi-year programs for four of the company's refineries. Work
is  expected to commence at the start of 2001.  The  contract,
which contains both fixed and performance based elements, will
have a value of in excess of US$10 million.

2.   Acquisition of Risk Solutions

KBC has acquired the assets of Houston-based Risk Solutions, a
consultancy  business with an established market  position  in
quantitative risk analysis in the upstream oil and gas sector.
In  addition  to  providing KBC with  specific  skill  in  the
expanding  market  for quantitative risk assessment,  it  also
broadens  KBC's coverage into the upstream sector.  The  value
of the net assets to be acquired is less than #1 million.

Proposed Board Change

Iain McIntosh has informed the Board of his intention to leave
during  the first quarter of 2001, to take up the position  of
Chief  Financial Officer with a large unlisted company.   Iain
joined  KBC  in March 1999 from McKinsey and has  strengthened
the  Group's finance and control functions and built a  strong
team  in  the  finance  department.   A  search  is  currently
underway to find a new Finance Director for the Group.

Michael Press, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"The  new  contract in South America and the other  activities
reported today represent important steps in ensuring that  KBC
remains  positioned  for future growth.   The  Risk  Solutions
acquisition complements the alliance with Clockwork  Solutions
announced  earlier  this year and we believe  that  there  are
opportunities to continue the expansion of our Reliability and
Maintenance practice.

Over  the  last  two years Iain has done much to  rebuild  and
consolidate the finance function at KBC which will ensure that
the transition can be managed seamlessly."

                               
Enquiries:

KBC Advanced Technologies plc                     01932 856 622
Michael Press, Chief Executive Officer
Iain McIntosh, Finance Director

Square Mile Communications                        020 7601 1000
Tim Jackaman or Kirsty Hall             kirsty.hall@sq-mile.com

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