BRITISH CERAMIC CONFEDERATION

Federation House, Station Road, Stoke-On-Trent, ST4 2SA

Tel: 01782 744631 Fax: 01782 744102 email bcc@ceramfed.co.uk

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 29th July, 2008 For immediate release

CERAMICS INDUSTRY CHIEF WELCOMES ENERGY REPORT

The British Ceramic Confederation has welcomed the publication of the DBERR Select Committee report on energy markets. Kevin Farrell, BCC’s Chief Executive, met with the Select Committee chairman Peter Luff on Monday (28 July), the day of the report’s publication, to thank and congratulate the Committee on declaring its support for the case which the ceramics industry has been making consistently and forcefully for the government to take action to reform the energy markets.

As Kevin Farrell commented, “The Select Committee has unreservedly underlined the industry’s case for action in expressing publicly its concerns that energy markets are not functioning correctly in the UK. It has now called on the government to take specific regulatory measures to address these concerns, and work towards the liberalisation of European markets and break the links both with continental gas contract prices and crude oil prices, to put the UK on an equal footing. Peter Luff and his committee recognise that industrial consumers have been struggling with prices far in excess of European levels, affecting the competitiveness of the the economy and putting jobs in manufacturing at risk. The ceramics industry is a major user of energy and fuel bills can typically represent up to 20 to 30% of production costs. In recent years, due solely to the price of gas, many BCC member companies have been forced to rationalise production to remain viable, to the detriment of local employment prospects. High energy prices have further opened the door to cheap imports and the loss of UK manufacturing capacity. With the publication of this report we can now be more hopeful of seeing some positive steps to improve matters”.

---ENDS---

Note for Editors:

The British Ceramic Confederation is the lead body for the UK ceramic manufacturing industry, representing the common and collective interests of all sectors of the industry. Its 150 member companies cover the full spectrum of ceramic manufacture, including the supply of materials, and plant and machinery, and comprise over 90% of the industry’s manufacturing capacity.

A list of the members of the BCC Golden Jubilee Presentation Committee is attached.

A full list of members of the British Ceramic Confederation is available on request / attached.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Kevin Farrell, Chief Executive, British Ceramic Confederation, Federation House, Station Road, Stoke-on-Trent. ST4 2SA.

Tel: 01782 744631. Fax: 01782 744102. E-mail: kevinf@ceramfed.co.uk.