THE LAIRD GROUP PLC COMPLETES THE ACQUISITION OF CENTURION WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Lincoln, NE - October 5, 2004 – Centurion Wireless Technologies, Inc., a portfolio company of Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC, today announced that it has been acquired by UK-based Laird Group PLC for approximately $217 million. Centurion is the leading global designer and manufacturer of antennas for wireless handsets, and is the leading supplier of antennas for land mobile radios. The Company also produces a range of antennas for data services and networks for the emerging telematics, wireless data and WI-FI markets, and is a specialist supplier of power product assemblies.

The consideration comprises the payment of $115 million in cash along with the issuance of 14.3 million new Ordinary Shares, representing 9.99% of Laird’s issued share capital, to Centurion’s shareholders. Using Laird’s five day average closing price of 343.75p prior to October 5, 2004, the transaction value is approximately $217 million.

Through its subsidiary, Laird Technologies, Laird has established and grown its business in electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shielding to become the global market leader. The Company’s position has been enhanced substantially by establishing and expanding its low-cost manufacturing activities in China and the Czech Republic and through a number of add-on acquisitions, enabling it to supply a complete range of EMI products and solutions to its customers. Laird has also developed a substantial and growing position in thermal interface solutions, a complementary market to EMI shielding.

By combining Centurion into Laird Technologies, the enlarged business is expected to benefit from its broader product market offering and enhanced technical capabilities, as well as its ability to exploit the convergence of EMI shielding, thermal management and antenna technologies into growing wireless markets. Peter Hill, CEO of Laird said: “Centurion has a highly complementary product line, customer and geographic fit with our own businesses, and it will enhance substantially Laird Technologies’ position as a leading international supplier to the global electronics industry.”

Gary Kuck, CEO and Founder of Centurion, stated: “We are being asked by our customers to provide a wider range of higher technology products, just in time, anywhere in the world. Laird Technologies and Centurion are strong businesses in their own right and will be even stronger together. I am confident that Centurion will continue to grow and prosper under Laird’s ownership.”

“Centurion and Laird Technologies have complementary product lines, engineering vision and operating philosophies,” said Robert Getz, Managing Director of Cornerstone Equity Investors. “We are excited about the combination of these two market leaders and are pleased to have a continuing interest in their combined future successes.”

About Centurion Wireless Technologies, Inc.
Centurion Wireless Technologies, Inc. is a global designer and manufacturer of innovative wireless antenna and power products. The company holds multiple U.S. and international patents and is an ISO 9001 and QS9000 registered company. The Company supplies mobile wireless device manufacturers including Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson, Dell Computer and Cisco among others. Founded in 1978 by Gary and Susan Kuck, and backed and advised by Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC of New York, Centurion employs over 2,000 people globally and is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska with additional facilities in Akersberga, Sweden; Beijing, P.R.C; Shanghai, P.R.C.; Seoul, S. Korea; and Penang, Malaysia. For more information, please visit www.centurion.com.

About The Laird Group PLC
The Laird Group PLC is a leading electronics and security systems and distribution group with operations in North America, Europe and across Asia. Laird is headquartered in London and is listed on the London Stock exchange. Further information on The Laird Group is available from its website, www.laird-plc.com.

Laird Technologies is the global market leader in EMI shielding, providing the full range of shielding products and solutions for the computer, telecommunications, aerospace, defense, general electronics, medical equipment and automotive industries. It operates from facilities, which include design and engineering capabilities as well as sales and manufacturing, in the U.S., Czech Republic, France, Germany, UK, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. Laird Technologies is building a complementary business in thermal products, to provide global OEM electronics companies with comprehensive EMI and thermal management solutions.

About Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC
Cornerstone Equity Investors, LLC is one of the largest and most experienced private equity firms in the United States. Since 1984, the professionals of Cornerstone have raised over $1.2 billion in committed capital. Cornerstone focuses on lower middle market leveraged buyouts of corporate divisions, closely held private companies and micro and small capitalization public companies in the business services, consumer, healthcare and technology manufacturing industries. For more information, please visit www.cornerstone-equity.com.