AEA Technology plc 

6 August 2008

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA.

AEA TECHNOLOGY PLC

RIGHTS ISSUE UPDATE

AEA Technology plc (the "Company") announced on 5 August 2008 that it had received valid acceptances in respect of 82,540,080 New Ordinary Shares, representing an aggregate take-up of approximately 83.12 per cent of the New Ordinary Shares offered to Qualifying Shareholders pursuant to the 4 for 5 Rights Issue 

announced on 13 June 2008.  

In accordance with the arrangements set out in Part III of the Prospectus dated 13 June 2008, the remaining 

16,761,920 New Ordinary Shares, none of which have been sold at a premium to the Issue Price, will be taken up at the issue price of 40 pence per share by the underwriter, RBS Hoare Govett, and sub-underwriters procured by RBS Hoare Govett.

Following the Rights Issue, the Company's enlarged issued share capital will consist of 223,429,501 Ordinary Shares.

Definitions used in the Prospectus to Shareholders dated 13 June 2008 apply in this announcement unless the context otherwise requires.

Enquiries:

AEA Technology plc                                    

Andrew McCree, Group Chief Executive                        Tel: 0870 190 8137

Alice Cummings, Group Finance Director                                 

RBS Hoare Govett Limited                                                Tel: 0207 678 8000 

Lee Morton (Corporate Broking)
John MacGowan (Corporate Broking)

John Fishley (Corporate Broking)
Justin Jones (Financial Advisory)

Madano Partnership (public relations)                          Tel: 020 7593 4000

Matthew Moth

Charles Reynolds 

Graham Moonie 

RBS Hoare Govett Limited, which is authorised in the United Kingdom under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and which is regulated by the Financial Services Authority, is acting as the Company's sponsor, financial adviser, corporate broker and underwriter in connection with the Acquisition and the Rights Issue. RBS Hoare Govett Limited is acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in relation to the Acquisition and the Rights Issue and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of RBS Hoare Govett Limited or for providing advice in relation to the matters contained in this announcement or any matter concerning the Acquisition and the Rights Issue.

The Parkmead Group plc, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting as financial adviser to AEA and for no-one else in relation to the Acquisition and the Rights Issue, and will not be responsible to any other person for providing advice in connection with the Acquisition and the Rights Issue

The distribution of this announcement into jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. In particular, such documents should not be distributed, forwarded to or transmitted in or into the United States or the Excluded Territories.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand or South Africa. This announcement does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States. The Nil Paid Rights, the Fully Paid Rights, the New Ordinary Shares and the Provisional Allotment Letters have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act or under any securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, taken up, exercised, resold, renounced, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States, except pursuant to registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will be no public offer of securities in the United States.

The Nil Paid Rights, the Fully Paid Rights, the New Ordinary Shares and the Provisional Allotment Letters have not been and will not be registered under the relevant laws of any state, province or territory of the Excluded Territories and may not be offered, sold, taken up, exercised, resold, renounced, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, within an Excluded Territory except pursuant to an applicable exemption.

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