RNS No 5618r
WATT BLAKE BEARNE & CO PLC
3rd April 1998

                         SUBSIDIARY BOARD APPOINTMENT
      Gerhard Hillebrand Appointed Managing Director of German Operations
                                       
Watts Blake Bearne & Co PLC, ("WBB"), one of the world's largest extractors of
high  quality ball clays, announces the appointment of Mr. Gerhard  Hillebrand
as  Managing Director of its German subsidiary, Fuchs'sche Tongruben GmbH & Co
KG (Fuchs-Ton), based in Ransbach-Baumbach, Westerwald.

Fuchs-Ton  is  Germany's largest producer of plastic clays and represents  the
Group's  second largest business after WBB Devon Clays in the  UK.   Almost  2
million tonnes per year of ceramic clays are produced from the Group's  German
operations in the Westerwald and in the former East Germany.  Its markets  are
mainly  the  German domestic market and the important Italian ceramic  market,
where the WBB Group is a major supplier from Germany, Devon and the Ukraine.

Mr.  Hillebrand, aged 46, who became Joint Managing Director of  Fuchs-Ton  in
July  1997, succeeds Mr. Eckart Groll, who retires after 34 years service with
the  Company.   It  is intended that Mr. Groll will continue his  relationship
with the Group as a business consultant.

Mr.  Hillebrand  has  spent  much of his career  in  the  industrial  minerals
industry and has managed a number of companies in the Wulfrather Group,  among
them  Martin  & Pagenstecher Rohstoffbetriebe GmbH, acquired by  Fuchs-Ton  in
1994.  WBB acquired Fuchs-Ton in 1974.

Commenting, Dr. G. B. Lawson, Chief Executive of WBB, said:
"Gerhard  Hillebrand  has  considerable  experience  and  reputation  in   the
industrial minerals industry in Germany.  I look forward to working  with  him
in further expanding our business activities in Western and Central Europe.

"On  behalf  of  the Board, I would also like to thank Eckart  Groll  for  his
outstanding service to Fuchs-Ton, and to the WBB Group,  and wish him a  happy
retirement."


Notes to Editors:
* WBB  has companies in the UK, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands,
  France, the United States, the Ukraine, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong
  Kong  and China.  The Group also supplies its minerals to North Africa,  the
  Middle East, Central America and other manufacturing countries throughout  
  the world.

* In  1996, the German Division produced nearly 33% of Group turnover  of
  #102.9m.



For further information please contact:

Dr Graham Lawson (Group Chief Executive)
Watts Blake Bearne & Co PLC
Park House, Courtney Park, Newton Abbot TQ12 4PS
Tel: 01626 332 345     Fax: 01626 332 342


or in Germany:

Herr Gerhard Hillebrand (Geschaftsfuhrer)
Fuchs'sche Tongruben GmbH & Co KG, Postfach 347, D-56223
Ransbach-Baumbach 1
Tel: 00 49 2623 830    Fax: 00 49 2623 8351

Additional  information about the WBB Group and it products  may  be  obtained
from:

Mr Steve Carreck (Publicity Manager)
Watts Blake Bearne & Co PLC
Park House, Courtney Park, Newton Abbot TQ12 4PS
Tel: 01626 332 345   Fax: 01626 332 344

or via Group's web site: www.wbb.co.uk


END


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