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Newmark Security plc

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Industry Security & Protection Services
Employees 51-200
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FY2000 Annual Report · Newmark Security plc
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Annual Report
For the year ended 30 April 2000

INDEX

DIRECTORS, SECRETARY AND ADVISERS

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS

REPORT OF THE REMUNERATION COMMITTEE

REPORT OF THE AUDITORS

ACCOUNTS

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

NOTICE OF MEETING

2

3

6

10

12

13

17

17

31

Newmark Technology Group PLC

1

DIRECTORS, SECRETARY AND ADVISERS

Company registration
number:

3339998

Registered O⁄ce:

21/23 Ormside Way
Redhill
Surrey RH1 2NT

Directors:

Secretary:

Bankers:

Solicitors:

Auditors:

Nominated Adviser:

Nominated Brokers:

P R Consultants:

M Dwek (Chairman)
S Rajwan (Chief Executive)
B Beecraft FCA (Finance Director)
A Reid FCA (Non-executive Director)

B Beecraft FCA

Bank of Scotland PLC

Olswang
90 Long Acre
London WC2E 9TT

Hacker Young
St. Alphage House
2 Fore Street
London EC2Y 5DH

Williams de Broe«
1 Waterloo Street
Birmingham B2 5PG

Williams de Broe«
1 Waterloo Street
Birmingham B2 5PG

Ellis & Partners Limited
Talisman House
16 The Courtyard
East Park
Crawley
Sussex RH10 6AS

Shandwick International
Aldermary House
15 Queen Street
London EC4N 1TX

Newmark Technology Group PLC

2

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT

Overview
I stated in my report last year that the Group would build upon the solid foundations that had
been established in the previous two years, and that we would continue to grow both organically
and by acquisition. I was delighted to announce in our interim report that we had completed the
acquisition of Safetell International Limited. The Safetell Group specialises in the provision and
maintenance of physical security equipment for the protection of sta¡ at transaction counters
primarily in banking, retail and public authorities. The main customers for this product are
building societies in the UK. At the end of April, we also established Vema Belgium which,
like our existing subsidiary company Vema in Holland, operates in the area of electronic and
electromechanical locking. The company also has a distribution agreement within Belgium for
E¡E¡, the branded electronic lock.

The year to 30 April 2000 has also been one of consolidation and reorganisation. In order to
provide a clearer focus, the Group’s activities have been restructured during the year into
three operational divisions: Asset Protection, Secure Locking and Electronic, which
incorporate our subsidiary companies as follows:

Asset Protection

Secure Locking

Electronic

Ateliers Drion (Belgium)

Vema (Holland)

Newmark Technology UK

Safetell International (UK)

Vema (Belgium)

Newmark Technology (USA)

Newmark Security
Products (UK)

These divisions o¡er a comprehensive range of products and services which are aimed at
ensuring safety of personnel and security of assets. I am delighted to inform you of our
distribution arrangement for ParSec, our proprietary asset tracking system, with ADT, a
subsidiary of Tyco Inc. ADT is the leading electronic security services company in the USA
with more than 220 sales and service o⁄ces. Newmark is collaborating with ADT both in the
UK and the USA to market ParSec through ADT’s extensive branch networks and we are very
positive about the e¡ect of this arrangement on expected sales of ParSec systems.

Financial results and developments
Pro¢t before taxation was »160,000 before amortisation of goodwill compared to »218,000 in the
preceding year on a restated basis. Turnover for the year was »9.9 million (1999: »8.0 million).
The results include a two month contribution from Safetell, plus a full year’s pro¢ts from Drion
compared to two weeks in the preceding year. During the year, your Board decided to change the
accounting policy in respect of development costs. Previously expenditure had been capitalised
when incurred to be amortised later against relevant income streams from those products. The
Board has now decided to adopt what it feels is a more prudent policy of writing o¡ development
costs as incurred. The prior years ¢gures in the accounts have been restated on the same basis.
The amount of such expenditure written o¡ in the year under review was »142,000.

The results have also been a¡ected by the strength of sterling on the translation of the results of
our operations in Holland and Belgium. The pro¢t before tax for the year would have been
»85,000 greater if the exchange rates for 1998/99 had continued to apply.

Asset Protection Division
This division specialises in physical security equipment for the protection of sta¡ at transaction
counters, including pay boxes, glass security screens and doors, and safes.

As I commented in the interim report, Drion’s main customers historically have been blue chip
companies in the Belgian banking sector. However, due to the consolidation within the banking

Newmark Technology Group PLC

3

sector, activity has been lower than anticipated at the time of acquisition. There are signs of
increased activity in the current year.

I also reported at the interim that a further major contract was expected to be completed in
Algeria during the second half of the year. However, due to changes in the customer’s
requirements, a substantial proportion of the contract was not completed and shipped by the
year end. As the work involved represents short term contracts, pro¢t is not taken until the
work is completed and installed. These contracts will be completed and installed, and the
pro¢ts thereon included in the results for the current year. We are actively seeking other
export opportunities.

Safetell has traded satisfactorily in the two months since acquisition. The company has major
blue chip customers in the ¢nancial sector in the UK, and is also bene¢ting from the increased
range of products in its portfolio. The addition of Safetell, based in the UK, is already starting to
produce opportunities to sell Drion’s secure cash handling systems into UK banking clients. In
particular, we are now able to provide the alternative solutions of rising screen or ¢xed glass
security to our customers in the UK. We will also explore further the possibility of selling
rising screens to mainland Europe.

Secure Locking Division
This division supplies sophisticated electronic and electromechanical locking systems to a wide
variety of high security applications including prisons, hospitals, museums and government
o⁄ces. In addition to our distribution centres in the UK and the Netherlands, during the year
we opened a third centre in Brussels to provide improved access to the Belgian market.

Vema Holland has maintained its ability to generate substantial pro¢ts and cash, and with the
expansion into the Belgian market, we expect further growth this year.

Vema Belgium will adopt the successful model for operations used in Holland. The Board
believes that this will be a successful new venture, building upon the existing formula of Vema
Holland.

Electronic Division
This division provides integrated security management systems designed to control access of
personnel and track asset movements.

An updated version of our Omni 4 software access control has been released on the market with
substantial improvements over the previous release. We are also developing new packages of the
product targeted at di¡erent markets, and we believe that this will generate additional revenue.

Our proprietary ParSec systems are designed for innovative asset tracking solutions for the
commercial, government and industrial market places. Growth in turnover has been held back
until now due to technical and supply problems which have now been overcome. Federal
Communications Commission approval has now been obtained in the USA, and with the
distribution arrangements in place with ADT, we are expecting sales of ParSec to increase
steadily in both the UK and USA. Initial orders have been received and the potential market
for this product is very substantial.

Balance sheet and cash £ow
Intangible assets, comprising purchased goodwill, have increased by »1.3 million in the year
following the acquisition of Safetell. Purchased goodwill has been capitalised in accordance
with Financial Reporting Standard 10, and your Board has decided that this should be
amortised over 20 years.

Trade debtors have fallen signi¢cantly over the year despite the acquisition of Safetell. This
primarily re£ects the realisation of the exceptionally high level of sales in the last few months
of the previous year, as well as the success of our e¡orts in improving working capital controls
and the impact of exchange rates. The increase in borrowings represents the loan for the
¢nancing of the acquisition of Safetell.

The cash £ow statement re£ects these movements with net cash in£ow from operating activities
increasing from »0.2 million in 1999 to »0.8 million for the year just ended.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

4

The Board has decided that it would not be prudent to declare a dividend for the year ended
30 April 2000, but will review this policy during the current year.

Employees
I am pleased to welcome the sta¡ of Safetell to the Group, together with other new employees of
our subsidiaries. On behalf of the Board, I wish to congratulate all sta¡ for the progress made in
their own companies during the year and to thank them for their hard work.

The Future
Each division is now focused on organic expansion of its operations. Asset Protection and Secure
Locking are sound, cash generative businesses. The companies have a strong reputation in their
markets and a quality client base, providing a solid foundation from which to achieve good
organic growth in both existing and new geographical markets.

The Electronic division has required much e¡ort and investment to date, however I feel that in
ParSec we have now achieved the successful development of a unique and proprietary system for
asset tracking. We are very excited about the potential for ParSec and with the distribution
strength of ADT behind this product we believe that it will become an increasingly important
part of Newmark’s operations.

Overall, I am optimistic about the current year. The signi¢cant investment we have made to date
both internally in product development and externally in strategic acquisitions is starting to
reap rewards and the di⁄culties which have inhibited our progress in previous years are now
overcome. The refocusing and strengthening of our Asset Protection, Secure Locking and
Electronic divisions have positioned the Group well for the coming year. We look forward to
the future with con¢dence and anticipate strong growth and value creation.

MAURICE DWEK
Chairman

Newmark Technology Group PLC

5

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS

The Directors submit their third annual report and audited ¢nancial statements for the year
ended 30 April 2000.

Principal activities
The Group is principally engaged in the design, manufacture and supply of products and services
for the security of assets and personnel. The principal activity of the Company is that of
investment holding company.

Financial results and dividends
There was a pre-tax pro¢t in the year of »160,000 before amortisation of goodwill (1999 »218,000
on a restated basis). After amortisation of goodwill of »70,000 (1999: »Nil) pro¢ts before tax were
»90,000. The directors do not believe that it is opportune this year to recommend the payment of
a dividend. A review of the business and future prospects is given in the Chairman’s Statement
on page 3.

Future developments
The Board continues to seek to improve the pro¢tability and cash £ow of the Group from existing
activities and to acquire suitable businesses within the security business sector which satisfy the
requirements set by the Board.

Acquisitions of businesses
On 28 February 2000, the Company acquired the entire issued share capital of Safetell
International Limited (‘‘Safetell’’). Safetell has two wholly owned subsidiaries, Safetell
Security Screens Limited and Safetell Limited. The total consideration of »1.5 million, which
was payable in cash on completion, was ¢nanced by a bank loan repayable over 7 years.

Directors
The Directors who served during the year were as follows:

M Dwek
S Rajwan
B Beecraft
M Veldhoen (resigned 30 September 1999)
M David
A Reid

The Board learned with regret of the death of Myrddin David during August this year. Myrddin
had made a signi¢cant contribution to the company during his period of directorship, and his
knowledge and experience of the security industry will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are
with his family at this time.

Details of the Directors’ service contracts and their options to acquire ordinary shares of the
Company at 30 April 2000 are shown in the Remuneration Committee Report on pages 10 and 11.

Research and development

The Group is committed to on-going research and development. The strategy is based upon
market demand to meet identi¢ed security needs in conjunction with a commercial assessment
of the short to medium term pro¢tability of each project.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

6

Directors’ interests
The bene¢cial and other interests of the Directors in the shares of the Company as at 30 April
1999 (or the date of their appointment to the Board, if later) and 30 April 2000 were as follows:

M Dwek(a)
A Reid(b)

Percentage
holding at
30 April 2000

30 April
2000
13.6% 15,000,000
21.2% 23,608,238

30 April 1999
(or date of
appointment
if later)
15,000,000
19,199,138

(a) These shares are held in the name of Arbury Inc., 51 per cent of the equity share capital of which is, at the date of this

report, bene¢cially owned by M Dwek.

(b) These shares are held in the name of R.K. Harrison & Co. Limited, a company the issued equity share capital of which is, at
the date of this report, owned as to 70.7 per cent by A Reid of which 64.5 per cent is a bene¢cial holding and 6.2 per cent is a
non bene¢cial holding, and the R.K. Harrison Retirement Bene¢t Scheme in which A Reid has a bene¢cial interest.

On 27 April 1999 M. Veldhoen Beheer BV and MV Beheer BV granted to Arbury Inc, and
S Rajwan options to purchase respectively 13,447,725 and 4,409,100 ordinary shares of 5 pence
each. The options were exercisable by Arbury Inc., and Mr Rajwan in whole or in part for the
period to 1 April 2000. The price per share payable under each of the options on exercise was
7.5 pence. By an agreement dated 5 April 2000, the option to Arbury Inc., was extended to
11 May 2001. On the same date A. Reid acquired from S. Rajwan the option to purchase from
M. Veldhoen Beheer BV 4,409,100 shares. On the same date, A. Reid exercised that option.

In the period between 30 April 2000 and 23 August 2000 there were no further changes in these
shareholdings.

The interests of Directors (and related parties) in Share Option Schemes operated by the
Company at 30 April 2000 were as follows:

S Rajwan
B Beecraft

Number of
Ordinary
Shares under
the Approved
Scheme
420,000
250,000

Number of
Ordinary
Shares under
the
Unapproved
Scheme
1,680,000
250,000

The Directors had no other interests in the shares or share options of the company or its
subsidiaries.

Substantial shareholdings
Apart from the Directors’ shareholdings detailed above, the Directors have been noti¢ed of the
following additional shareholding of 3 per cent or more of the issued ordinary share capital of the
Company:

Albany Life Assurance Company Limited
M V. Beheer BV
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited
PH Nominees Limited

Percentage
of class
5.4%
12.2%
6.0%
3.2%

Number of
shares
5,900,000
13,447,725
6,666,666
3,532,000

Employee involvement
The Group keeps employees informed of matters a¡ecting them, and the employees have regular
opportunities to meet and have discussions with their managers.

Disabled persons
The Group gives sympathetic consideration to the employment of disabled people. Whilst no
special facilities are provided for training the disabled, all employees are given equal
opportunities for training and promotion, having regard to their particular aptitudes and
abilities. In the event of employees becoming disabled, every e¡ort is made to retain them in
order that their employment with the Company may continue.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

7

Share option schemes
The Company has two employee share option schemes which enable employees and Executive
Directors to be granted options to subscribe for Ordinary Shares. The Approved Scheme has
been approved by the Inland Revenue in accordance with Section 185 of, and Schedule 9 to, the
Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 (‘‘Taxes Act’’), the Unapproved Scheme not requiring
such approval. The Schemes require that exercise of options be subject to the satisfaction of
certain performance criteria.

The Remuneration Committee administers and operates each Scheme. The maximum number of
Ordinary Shares in respect of which options may be granted under each Scheme is equivalent to
5 per cent in aggregate, of the Company’s issued Ordinary share capital.

Charitable and political contributions
There were no political or charitable contributions during the year (1999: Nil).

Payment of suppliers
The Group requires its operational management to settle terms of payment with suppliers when
agreeing the terms of the transaction, to ensure that suppliers are aware of these terms and to
abide by them. Trade creditors at the period end were 47 days (1999: 56 days) of average supplies
for the period.

Corporate governance
The Company has complied throughout the year with the provisions set out in Section 1 of the
Principles of Good Governance and Code of Best Practice (‘‘the Combined Code’’) which
embraces the work of the Cadbury, Greenbury and Hempel Committees, in so far as this is
practical and appropriate for a small public limited company, with the exception of certain
matters set out below.
The Board comprised during the year an Executive Chairman, two Executive Directors and two
Non-Executive Directors. A further Executive Director resigned from the Board on 30 September
1999.
The Board meets regularly to exercise full and e¡ective control over the Group. The Board has a
number of matters reserved for its consideration, with the principal responsibilities being to
monitor performance and to ensure that there are proper internal controls in place to agree
overall strategy and acquisition policy, to approve major capital expenditure and to review
budgets. The Board will also consider reports from senior members of the management team.
There is a clear division of responsibilities between the Chairman and Chief Executive. The
Chairman takes responsibility for the conduct of the Group and overall strategy whilst the
Chief Executive is required to develop and lead day to day business strategies and actions.
Under the Company’s Articles of Association the appointment of all directors must be approved
by the shareholders in General Meeting, and additionally two directors are required to submit
themselves for re-election at each Annual General Meeting. Additionally, each director has
undertaken to submit themselves for re-election at least every three years. The appointment of
new directors is considered by the Board as a whole and a separate nomination committee is not
considered necessary.
Any Director may, in furtherance of his duties, take independent professional advice where
necessary, at the expense of the Company. All directors have access to the Company Secretary
whose appointment and removal is a matter for the Board as a whole, and who is responsible to
the Board as a whole and who is responsible to the Board for ensuring that agreed procedures
and applicable rules are observed.
The Company maintains an ongoing dialogue with its institutional shareholders. The Combined
Code requires proxy votes to be counted and announced after any vote on a show of hands and
this was agreed at the 1999 Annual General Meeting.
The Combined Code requires Directors to review, and report to shareholders on, the Group’s
system of internal control. In September 1999 guidance to this requirement was provided to
Directors by the publication of Internal Control: Guidance for Directors on the Combined Code
(‘‘The Turnbull Report’’).
The Company has adopted the transitional rules issued by the London Stock Exchange dated
27 September 1999. In respect of the year under review the Board continues to report on

Newmark Technology Group PLC

8

internal ¢nancial control in accordance with the guidance on internal control and ¢nancial
reporting that was issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in
1994. Following publication of the Turnbull Report the Directors are considering the
procedures necessary to implement the guidance.
The Directors acknowledge their responsibility for the Group’s systems of internal ¢nancial
control which are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the assets of the Group are
safeguarded and that transactions are properly authorised and recorded.
The Directors have reviewed the e¡ectiveness of the Group’s systems of internal ¢nancial
control and found no matters which indicated that the system of internal ¢nancial control
could not provide reasonable assurance that the objectives above were satis¢ed.
During the year, key controls were:
.
. Maintaining a clear organisational structure with de¢ned lines of responsibility,
Production of management information, with comparisons against budget,
.
. Maintaining the quality and integrity of personnel,
.
Each Group company is responsible for the preparation of a budget for the following year, which
is presented to and required to be agreed by the Board before the beginning of that year. The
subsidiary is required to report actual performance against that plan each month.

Board approval of all signi¢cant capital expenditure, and all acquisitions.

Day to day supervision of the business by the Executive Directors,

The Board has established the Audit Committee comprising the Non-Executive Director. The
Audit Committee is responsible for ensuring that the ¢nancial performance of the Group is
properly monitored and reported on, and reviewing any reports from the auditors regarding
accounts and internal control systems.

The report of the Remuneration Committee is set out on pages 10 and 11.

After making enquiries, the Directors believe that the Group has su⁄cient ¢nancial resources to
continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The accounts have therefore been
produced on the going concern basis.

Directors’ responsibilities
Company law requires the Directors to prepare ¢nancial statements for each ¢nancial year
which give a true and fair view of the state of a¡airs of the Company and the Group for that
period. In preparing those ¢nancial statements, the directors are required to:

(i)

select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently and make judgements and
estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed; and

(ii)
(iii) prepare the ¢nancial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to

presume that the Company will continue in business.

The Directors are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with
reasonable accuracy at any time the ¢nancial position of the Company and to enable them to
ensure that the ¢nancial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. They are also
responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for
the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Directors con¢rm that the
¢nancial statements comply with the above requirements.

Auditors
A resolution for the re-appointment of Hacker Young, Chartered Accountants, as auditors of the
Company is to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.

By order of the Board

B BEECRAFT
Secretary

18 September 2000

Newmark Technology Group PLC

9

REPORT OF THE REMUNERATION COMMITTEE

Authority
The Remuneration Committee is responsible for approving the remuneration of Executive
Directors. The remuneration of Non-Executive Directors is approved by the full Board of the
Company.

Membership
The majority membership of
the Remuneration Committee is required to comprise
Non-Executive Directors and during the year comprised only the two existing Non-Executive
Directors, Myrddin David and Alexander Reid.

Myrddin David spent 33 years in the RAF Security Branch, leaving MoD London as Director of
RAF Security, Provost-Marshall and Chief of Air Force Police in 1984 to join Royal Dutch Shell
Group. He spent ten years travelling to operating companies in the Royal Dutch Shell Group to
advise on security and asset protection. He retired as Head of Group Security in 1994 to form
MD Associates, consultants in corporate security.

Alexander Reid is executive chairman of R.K. Harrison & Company Limited (a shareholder of
the Company), a director of Yeoman II Investment Trust Plc and a number of unquoted
companies. He was formerly a director of the merchant bank Samuel Montagu & Co. Limited
and for ¢fteen years was a director of various investee and group companies within Invesco
MIM (now Amvescap).

Remuneration policy
The Group’s policy is to o¡er remuneration packages which are appropriate to the experience,
quali¢cations and level of responsibility of each Executive Director, and in line with Directors of
comparable public companies.

Service and consultancy agreements
The Company entered into a Consultancy Agreement with Arbury Inc., on 1 September 1997 for
the Company’s use of Mr Dwek. The Agreement may now be terminated by either party subject to
twenty four months’ notice being served. Arbury Inc is paid a fee in line with the level of
responsibilities of Mr Dwek who is also entitled to the provision of a car for which the
Company will meet all running expenses.

On 30 April 1997 the Company entered into a Service Agreement with Mr Rajwan which may now
be terminated by either party serving twelve months’ notice.

There was a Management Agreement between Vema B.V. and Vema Beheer B.V. for the
provision to Vema B.V. of the substantially full time services of Mr Veldhoen. This agreement
was for an initial period of two years from the date of acquisition of Vema B.V. and terminated on
30 September 1999.

The Company entered into a Service Agreement on 5 June 1998 with Mr Beecraft which may now
be terminated by either party serving six months’ notice.

Bonus scheme
The Executive Directors are entitled to receive bonuses pursuant to a bonus scheme based upon
the Group’s performance. Under the Scheme, up to 10 per cent of the consolidated net pre-tax
pro¢ts of the Company in excess of such pro¢ts as are required to generate a minimum amount
of Earnings per Share for the Company may be allocated.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

10

Directors’ emoluments
Emoluments of the directors (including pension contributions and bene¢ts in kind) of the
Company were as follows:

Consultancy/
management

Bene¢ts

agreement Salary
»000
»000

in kind Bonus
»000

»000

Fees Total
»000
»000

Pension
contri-
butions
»000

Executive Directors
M Dwek(a)
S Rajwan
M Veldhoen(b)
B Beecraft

Non-Executive Directors
M David
A Reid

1999

121
C
30
C

C
C

151

176

C
80
C
70

C
C

150

120

C
10
C
C

C
C

10

10

25
C
C
C

C
C

25

C

C
C
C
C

7
7

14

10

146
90
30
70

7
7

350

316

C
12
C
C

C
C

12

11

The directors share interests are detailed in the Report of the Directors on page 6.

(a) The Company paid a consultancy fee to Arbury Inc., which is 51 per cent owned by M Dwek,

and covers salary, pension and car bene¢ts.

(b) The Company paid a management fee to Vema Beheer B.V., which is wholly owned by

M Veldhoen.

(c) The directors’ fees in respect of A Reid were paid to R.K. Harrison & Co. Limited.

(d) The pension contributions in respect of S Rajwan were for a money purchase pension

scheme.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

11

AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF
NEWMARK TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC

We have audited the ¢nancial statements on pages 13 to 30 which have been prepared in
accordance with the historical cost convention and the accounting policies set out on pages 17
and 18.

Respective responsibilities of Directors and Auditors
As described in the directors’ report the company’s directors are responsible for the preparation
of ¢nancial statements. It is our responsibility to form an independent opinion, based on our
audit, on those statements and to report our opinion to you.

Basis of opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with Auditing Standards issued by the Auditing
Practices Board. An audit includes examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the
amounts and disclosures in the ¢nancial statements. It also includes an assessment of the
signi¢cant estimates and judgements made by the directors in the preparation of the ¢nancial
statements, and of whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the company’s
circumstances, consistently applied and adequately disclosed.

We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which
we considered necessary in order to provide us with su⁄cient evidence to give reasonable
assurance that the ¢nancial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused
by fraud or other irregularity or error. In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall
adequacy of the presentation of information in the ¢nancial statements.

Opinion
In our opinion the ¢nancial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the a¡airs of the
Company and of the Group at 30 April 2000, and of the loss of the Group for the year ended
30 April 2000 and have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985.

HACKER YOUNG
Chartered Accountants
Registered Auditors
London

18 September 2000

Newmark Technology Group PLC

12

CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
For the year ended 30 April 2000

Turnover
Continuing operations
Acquisitions

Cost of sales

Gross pro¢t

Administrative expenses pre amortisation
Amortisation of goodwill

Administrative expenses ^ total

Operating pro¢t

Continuing operations
Acquisitions

Interest payable

Pro¢t on ordinary activities before taxation
Tax on ordinary activities

Amount withdrawn from reserves

Earnings per share

2000

»000

1999
(Restated)
»000

9,303
560

9,863
(5,548)

7,729
276

8,005
(4,931)

4,315

3,074

(4,044)
(70)

(2,760)
$

(4,114)

(2,760)

201

157
44

(111)

90
(320)

(230)

314

243
71

(96)

218
(282)

(64)

pence

(0.2p)

pence

(0.1p)

Notes

2

4

5

7

18

8

There is no di¡erence between the pro¢t on ordinary activities before taxation and the retained
pro¢t for the period stated above and their historical cost equivalents.

The notes on pages 17 to 30 form part of these ¢nancial statements.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

13

BALANCE SHEETS
As at 30 April 2000

Fixed Assets
Intangible assets
Tangible assets
Investments

Current Assets
Stocks
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand

Creditors: amounts falling

due within one year

Notes

9
10
11

12
13

Group

2000
»000

2,480
1,244
$

3,724

1,260
2,628
759

4,647

Group
(Restated)
1999
»000

1,152
1,300
$

2,452

1,316
3,417
912

5,645

Company Company

2000
»000

$
$
9,355

9,355

$
3,243
$

3,243

1999
»000

$
$
7,652

7,652

$
3,449
$

3,449

14

(3,186)

(3,519)

(242)

(44)

Net current assets

1,461

2,126

3,001

3,405

Total assets less current

liabilities

Creditors: amounts falling

due after more than one year

Provisions for liabilities and

charges

Net assets

Capital and reserves
Called up share capital
Share premium
Pro¢t and loss reserve

5,185

4,578

12,356

11,057

(2,544)

(1,825)

(1,286)

(419)

(143)

$

$

$

2,222

2,610

11,070

11,057

5,510
5,051
(8,339)

5,510
5,051
(7,951)

5,510
5,051
509

5,510
5,051
496

15

16

17
18
18

Equity shareholders’ funds

2,222

2,610

11,070

11,057

The ¢nancial statements on pages 13 to 30 were approved by the Board of Directors on
18 September 2000 and were signed on its behalf by:

M DWEK
Chairman

B BEECRAFT
Finance Director

The notes on pages 17 to 30 form part of these ¢nancial statements.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

14

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
For the year ended 30 April 2000

Net cash in£ow from operating activities

Returns on investments and servicing of ¢nance
Interest paid

Net cash out£ow from returns on investments and

servicing of ¢nance

Taxation

Capital expenditure and ¢nancial investment
Purchase of tangible ¢xed assets

Net cash out£ow from capital expenditure and

¢nancial investment

Acquisitions
Purchase of subsidiary undertakings
Costs related to prior year acquisitions
Net cash acquired on purchase of subsidiary undertakings

Net cash out£ow from acquisitions

Financing
Loan to partly ¢nance acquisition of subsidiary

undertakings

Repayment of secured loans

Issue of shares
Expenses paid in connection with share issues

Net cash in£ow from ¢nancing

Increase in cash

2000

»000
818

1999
(Restated)
»000
195

Notes
19

(111)

(96)

(111)

(309)

(96)

(729)

(180)

(143)

(180)

(143)

(1,718)
(80)
518

(1,280)

1,500
(253)

1,247
$
$

1,247

185

(1,746)
(77)
900

(923)

583
(34)

549
1,850
(97)

2,302

606

23

21

Newmark Technology Group PLC

15

STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES
For the year ended 30 April 2000

(Loss)/pro¢t for the ¢nancial year
Currency translation di¡erences

on foreign currency net
investments

Total recognised gains and losses

relating to the year

2000

»000

1999
(Restated)
»000

1999
(Adjust-
ment)
»000

1999
(Reported)
»000

(230)

(64)

(284)

(158)

18

$

(388)

(46)

(284)

220

18

238

RECONCILIATION OF MOVEMENTS IN SHAREHOLDERS’ FUNDS
For the year ended 30 April 2000

(Loss)/pro¢t for the ¢nancial year
New share capital subscribed (net

of issue costs)

Goodwill charged to reserves
Currency translation di¡erences

on foreign currency net
investments

Net addition to shareholders’ funds
Opening shareholders’ funds

Closing shareholders’ funds

2000

»000

1999
(Restated)
»000

1999
(Adjust-
ment)
»000

1999
(Reported)
»000

(230)

(64)

(284)

220

$
$

2,353
(115)

(158)

(388)
2,610

2,222

18

2,192
418

2,610

$
$

$

(284)
(257)

(541)

2,353
(115)

18

2,476
675

3,151

Newmark Technology Group PLC

16

Notes to the ¢nancial statements
for the year ended 30 April 2000
1. Accounting policies
The ¢nancial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting
standards in the United Kingdom and under the historical cost convention. The consolidated
¢nancial statements include the results of subsidiaries since the date of acquisition. The
principal accounting policies which the directors have adopted are set out below.

Turnover
Turnover represents the invoiced value of goods sold and services rendered as principal
excluding value added tax and trade discounts.

Goodwill
In accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 10, goodwill arising on the acquisition of
subsidiaries in the year is capitalised as an intangible asset and amortised over its useful
economic life of 20 years. The Board consider that the activities of the subsidiaries acquired
will be ongoing, and they will contribute to the Group’s earnings for over 20 years.

Goodwill arising on the acquisition of subsidiaries in previous years was written o¡ immediately
against reserves. The Group has adopted the transitional arrangement allowed by FRS10 in that
this goodwill remains eliminated against reserves and will be charged to the pro¢t and loss
account on the subsequent disposal of the businesses to which it relates. Goodwill represents
the di¡erence between the costs of acquisition and the fair value of the net tangible assets
acquired.

Intellectual property rights and development costs
Intellectual property rights and development costs are written o¡ to the pro¢t and loss account
as incurred. In previous years their costs were capitalised and depreciated/amortised over the
useful life of those costs. This change of accounting policy has been accounted for as a prior year
adjustment, and the results for the previous year have been restated accordingly. The impact of
this change of policy is set out in note 9 to the ¢nancial statements.

Tangible ¢xed assets
The Group’s tangible ¢xed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Provision for depreciation
is made in equal annual instalments to write o¡ the cost less estimated residual value of each
asset over its estimated useful life as follows:

Freehold land
Freehold buildings
Plant and machinery
Fixtures and ¢ttings
Motor vehicles
Computer equipment

Nil

5% per annum
20% per annum
10% per annum
25% per annum
25% per annum

Leased assets and obligations
Where the Company retains substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of an asset
subject to a lease, the lease is treated as a ¢nance lease. Other leases are treated as operating
leases.

Payments under operating leases are charged to the pro¢t and loss account, as incurred, over the
lease term.

Fixed asset investments
Fixed asset investments are recorded at cost less any provision for impairments.

Stock and work in progress
Stocks and work in progress are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is
determined on an average cost basis. The cost of work in progress and ¢nished goods comprises

Newmark Technology Group PLC

17

materials, direct labour and attributable production overheads. Net realisable value is based on
estimated selling price less further costs expected to be incurred to completion and disposal.

Deferred taxation
Provision is made for deferred tax using the liability method in respect of timing di¡erences to
the extent that it is probable that the liability will crystallise in the foreseeable future.

Foreign currencies
The assets and liabilities of overseas subsidiary undertakings are translated into sterling at the
rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Foreign exchange di¡erences arising on the
translation of the opening net assets of those subsidiaries are taken directly to reserves.

Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate of
exchange ruling at the balance sheet date, trading results are translated at the average exchange
rate for the ¢nancial period. Gains or losses arising from trading operations are dealt with in the
pro¢t and loss account.

Pensions
Vema operates an optional non-contributory ¢nal salary pension scheme for sta¡ aged 25 years
with more than one year’s service. Safetell operates a fully insured money purchase scheme open
to all employees and more than half are members. The scheme is funded and its assets are held by
an insurance company in a separate trustee administered fund. Both the company and employees
make contributions to the fund.

In addition to this and the contributions paid in respect of S Rajwan, the other employees of the
Group contribute to state schemes. Contributions are charged to the pro¢t and loss account
when paid.

2. Analysis by geographical area
The analysis by geographical area of the group’s turnover, pro¢t before taxation and net assets is
set out below:

Turnover

UK
Europe
Rest of the World

Total

Pro¢t before tax and net assets

UK
Europe

2000
By
origin
»000
2,970
6,893
?

9,863

1999
By
origin
»000
2,618
5,387
?

8,005

2000
By
destination
»000
2,127
6,519
1,217

1999
By
destination
»000
1,556
5,492
957

9,863

8,005

2000

Pro¢t
before tax
»000
(989)
1,079

1999
(Restated)
Pro¢t
before tax
»000
(813)
1,031

2000

Net
assets
»000
(252)
2,474

1999
(Restated)
Net
assets
»000
(148)
2,758

90

218

2,222

2,610

Newmark Technology Group PLC

18

3.

Cost of sales and other operating income and expenses

Turnover
Cost of sales

Continuing
»000
9,303
(5,185)

Year ended 30 April 2000
Acquisitions
»000
560
(363)

Gross pro¢t
Administrative expenses

Operating pro¢t

4,118
(3,961)

157

197
(153)

44

4. Operating pro¢t
Operating pro¢t is arrived at after charging the following:
Group

Depreciation of tangible ¢xed assets
Amortisation of goodwill
Research and development
Auditors’ remuneration
Parent company auditors

Audit fees
Other auditors
Audit fees
Non audit services
Operating lease rentals

Motor vehicles and computer equipment
Property

Interest

5.
Interest payable and similar charges
Bank loans, overdrafts and other short term ¢nance

1999
(Restated)
Total
»000
8,005
(4,931)

3,074
(2,760)

314

Total
»000
9,863
(5,548)

4,315
(4,114)

201

2000
»000
194
70
142

49

23
5

103
76

111

1999
»000
100
?
284

35

8
15

86
58

96

6. Employees and directors
The average numbers employed by the Group (including Executive Directors) within the
following categories were:
Number Number
51
Management, sales and administration
7
Production

56
43

The costs incurred in respect of these employees were:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs

99

58

»000
1,942
354
42

2,338

»000
1,291
143
25

1,459

Details of directors’ emoluments are disclosed in the Report of the Remuneration Committee on
page 10.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

19

Taxation

7.
Taxation is based on the results for the year and comprises:

UK Corporation taxation
Overseas taxation (35/40%)
Overseas taxation prior year

Taxation charge

2000
»000
?
320
?

320

1999
»000
?
290
(8)

282

The tax charge for the year is disproportionate to the result for the year due to the non
availability of tax relief on the losses incurred in the UK for the year.

8. Earnings per share
The calculation of earnings per ordinary share is based on a loss of »230,000 (1999: »64,000) and
the weighted average number of shares in issue during the year of 110,208,952 (1999: 78,624,067).
The options in issue have no dilutive e¡ect.

9.

Intangible ¢xed assets

Group

Cost
At 1 May 1999 (as originally

reported)

Prior year adjustment

At 1 May 1999 (restated)
Additions

At 30 April 2000

Amortisation
At 1 May 1999
Charge for the year

At 30 April 2000

Net book value
At 30 April 2000

At 30 April 1999 (as previously

reported)

Goodwill
»000

Development
Costs
»000

Intellectual
Property
Rights
»000

Total
»000

1,693
(541)

1,152
1,398

2,550

?
(70)

(70)

2,480

322
(322)

219
(219)

?
?

?

?
?

?

?

?
?

?

?
?

?

?

322

219

1,693

1,152
?

1,152
1,398

2,550

?
(70)

(70)

2,480

1,152

Intellectual property rights and development costs are now written o¡ to the pro¢t and loss
account as incurred. In previous years, these costs were capitalised to be depreciated/
amortised over the useful life of these costs. This change of accounting policy has been
accounted for as a prior year adjustment, and the results for the previous year have been
restated accordingly. If there had been no change of accounting policy in the year, the pro¢t
before tax would have increased by »92,000, »142,000 capitalised less »50,000 amortisation
(1999: »284,000, »284,000 capitalised less »Nil amortisation). It is not practical to determine
the costs which would otherwise have been deemed to be irrecoverable.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

20

Freehold
land and
buildings
»000

Plant,
machinery
& motor
vehicles
»000

Computers,
¢xtures &
¢ttings
»000

1,211
37
70
?
(157)
(163)

998

206
22
70
?
(157)
(30)

111

887

1,005

867
57
257
(24)
(8)
(119)

1,030

769
57
214
(24)
(8)
(104)

904

126

98

416
86
184
?
(5)
(39)

642

219
115
109
?
(5)
(27)

411

231

197

10. Tangible ¢xed assets

Group

Cost
At 1 May 1999
Additions
Acquisitions of businesses
Disposals
Transfer to depreciation (see below)
Exchange adjustment

At 30 April 2000

Depreciation
At 1 May 1999
Charge for the year
Acquisitions of businesses
Disposals
Transfer to cost (see above)
Exchange adjustment

At 30 April 2000

Net book value
At 30 April 2000

At 30 April 1999

11. Fixed asset investments
Company

Investment in subsidiary companies

Cost
At 1 May 1999
Acquisitions in the year

At 30 April 2000

Provision for impairment
At 1 May 1999
Impairment
Reversal of impairment

At 30 April 2000

Total
»000

2,494
180
511
(24)
(170)
(321)

2,670

1,194
194
393
(24)
(170)
(161)

1,426

1,244

1,300

»000
7,652
1,703

9,355

?
389
(389)

?

The impairment in value arises because the actual cash£ows for the year were less than those
forecast at the time the 30 April 1999 accounts were prepared to the extent that they would have
resulted in an impairment being recognised when the impairment review was carried out at that
time. A current calculation of value in use, based on the most up to date information available,
shows that this impairment has now reversed. The discount rate used in the 30 April 2000 value
in use calculation was 12.4 per cent (1999: 13.33 per cent).

Newmark Technology Group PLC

21

The details of the Company’s subsidiary undertakings (which are all wholly owned) and involved
in the supply of access control and other security products, are as follows:

Name
Newmark Technology Limited
Newmark Security Products Limited
Newmark Technology

(C-Cure Division) Limited

Vema B.V.
Newmark Technology S.A.
Ateliers Drion S.A.(2)
Safetell International Limited

Safetell Limited(1)
Safetell Security Screens Limited(1)
Newmark Onroerend Goed B.V.(2)
Vema Belgie B.V.(3)

Country of
incorporation
England & Wales
England & Wales

Description
of shares held
Ordinary
Ordinary

England & Wales
The Netherlands
Belgium
Belgium
England & Wales

England & Wales
England & Wales
Belgium
Belgium

Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary and
Redeemable
Preference
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary

The investments in subsidiary companies are held directly by the Company apart from the
following:

(1) Owned by Safetell International Limited

(2) Owned by Newmark Technology S.A.

(3) Owned by Vema B.V.

12. Stocks

Raw materials
Work in progress
Finished goods

13. Debtors

Amounts falling due within one year:
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings
Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
Other debtors

2000
Group
»000
461
140
659

1999
Group
»000
286
42
988

2000
Company
»000
?
?
?

1999
Company
»000
?
?
?

1,260

1,316

?

?

2000
Group
»000

1999
Group
»000

2000
Company
»000

1999
Company
»000

?
2,198
301
129

2,628

?
2,994
169
254

3,417

3,164
?
7
72

3,243

3,412
?
17
20

3,449

Newmark Technology Group PLC

22

14. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Bank loans and overdrafts
Trade creditors
Accruals
Other taxation and social security
Other creditors
Corporation tax payable

2000
Group
»000
385
1,089
487
211
796
218

1999
Group
»000
454
1,184
160
56
1,343
322

2000
Company
»000
214
?
20
?
8
?

1999
Company
»000
?
?
?
?
44
?

3,186

3,519

242

44

Other creditors within the Group includes an amount of »79,835 (1999: »610,338) in respect of a
factoring company which is secured on trade debtors of a subsidiary company.

Bank overdrafts of »46,000 (1999: »Nil) are secured by a £oating charge on the assets (excluding
trade debtors) of a subsidiary company, whilst further overdrafts of »12,000 (1999: »310,000) are
secured by a £oating charge on the assets (excluding freehold property) of another subsidiary.

15. Creditors: amounts falling due after more than year

Bank loans and overdrafts
Other creditors(f)

Group
2000
»000
1,830
714

Group Company Company
1999
»000
?
?

2000
»000
1,286
?

1999
»000
883
942

2,544

1,825

1,286

?

Company
The terms of repayment, interest and security for the loan to the Company are set out as loan (e)
in the analysis of Group Loans.

Group

Loans are repayable as follows:
Within one year
Bank loans(a)
Bank loans(b)
Bank overdrafts
Bank loan(d)
Bank loan(e)

Total within one year

After one and within two years
Bank loans(b)
Shareholder’s loan(c)
Bank loan(d)
Bank loan(e)

2000
Unsecured
»000

2000
Secured
»000

1999
Unsecured
»000

1999
Secured
»000

?
?
?
100
?

100

?
?
101
?

101

?
13
58
?
214

285

13
?
?
214

227

?
?
?
117
?

117

?
?
117
?

117

12
15
310
?
?

337

15
153
?
?

168

Newmark Technology Group PLC

23

2000
Unsecured
»000

2000
Secured
»000

1999
Unsecured
»000

1999
Secured
»100

Between two and ¢ve years
Bank loans(b)
Bank loan(d)
Bank loan(e)

After ¢ve years
Bank loans(b)
Bank loan(d)
Bank loan(e)

?
226
?

226

?
?
?

?

39
?
642

681

165
?
430

595

?
349
?

349

?
?
?

?

Total after more than one year

327

1,503

466

45
?
?

45

204
?
?

204

417

(a) The bank loan was repayable in monthly instalments of »1,667. Interest is charged at 3 per cent over base rate. The loan
was secured by a ¢xed and £oating charge over the assets of Newmark Security Products Limited a wholly owned
subsidiary company, and was repaid in full during the year.

(b) The bank loan is repayable in quarterly instalments over 20 years. Interest is charged at 6.125 per cent over the ¢rst 5 years

and the loan is secured on the freehold property of Vema B.V..

(c) The shareholder’s loan (which has been interest free) was secured by a debenture over the assets of Newmark Technology
Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary company. Interest was charged on the loan from 1 May 1999 at 2 per cent over base
rate. The loan which was by R K Harrison & Co. Limited, the company in which A Reid has a controlling interest, was
repaid in full during the year.

(d) The bank loan is repayable in quarterly instalments over 5 years. Interest is charged at 5.25 per cent per annum.
(e) The bank loan is repayable in quarterly instalments over 7 years and is secured by a composite debenture and cross
guarantee by the Company and Newmark Technology, incorporating a ¢xed and £oating charge over all the assets and
undertaking of these companies. There is also a ¢rst ¢xed charge over the Company’s shares in Safetell International
Limited and all monies guarantees from Safetell supported by debentures over their assets and undertakings. Interest is
payable at 2% over LIBOR.

(f) Other creditors comprises »Nil (1999: »125,000) deferred consideration on the acquisition of Drion which is payable by
equal monthly instalments after one and within two years, and a further »714,000 (1999: »817,000) deferred consideration
which is payable between two and ¢ve years from the balance sheet dates.

16. Provisions for liabilities and charges

Group

At 1 May 1999
Exchange adjustments
Transfer from current taxation
On businesses acquired in year

Rental
provision
»000
?
?
?
200

Deferred
taxation
»000
143
(20)
11
?

Other
»000
?
?
?
85

Total
»000
143
(20)
11
285

At 30 April 2000

200

134

85

419

The rental provision relates to the excess of Safetell’s contractual legal obligation over the
current market rental, and will be reversed over the remaining twelve years of the lease and
was provided as a fair value adjustment as the obligation existed prior to the date of acquisition.

Deferred taxation provided in the ¢nancial statements is as follows:

Tax e¡ect on revaluation of ¢xed assets
Other timing di¡erences

Full provision for deferred taxation has been made for potential liabilities.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

24

2000
»000
180
(46)

134

1999
»000
205
(62)

143

17. Share capital
Authorised:
200,000,000 (1999: 150,000,000) Ordinary shares of 5p each

»10,000,000 »7,500,000

Allotted, called up and fully paid:
110,208,952 (1999: 110,208,952) Ordinary shares of 5p each

»5,510,450 »5,510,450

The total number of share options granted under the Approved and Unapproved Share Option
Schemes were 3,328,000 (1999: 2,056,000) and 2,068,000 (1999: 3,288,000) respectively. The
subscription price payable upon the exercise of the 1,484,000 (1999: 1,484,000) and 2,716,000
(1999: 2,716,000) Approved and Unapproved Share Options respectively granted in October
1997 is 14.5 pence per share. The exercise price for the other 572,000 options granted under both
the Approved and Unapproved Schemes, granted in January 1999, is 8.25 pence per share. 250,000
Approved and Unapproved Share Options were granted on 28 October 1999 with an exercise
price of 7p. The options may be exercised within 10 years from the date of issue.

18. Share premium and reserves

Group

Accumulated reserves at 1 May 1999 (as originally reported)
Prior year adjustment

Accumulated reserves at 1 May 1999 (restated)
Retained loss for the year
Exchange adjustments

Accumulated reserves at 30 April 2000

Share
premium
account
»000
5,051
?

Pro¢t
and loss
account
(Restated)
»000
(7,410)
(541)

5,051
?
?

5,051

(7,951)
(230)
(158)

(8,339)

The cumulative amount of goodwill eliminated against reserves is »7,539,000. This goodwill will
be charged in the pro¢t and loss account on any eventual disposal of the businesses to which it
related.

Company

Accumulated reserves at 1 May 1999
Retained pro¢t for the year

Accumulated reserves at 30 April 2000

Share
premium
account
»000
5,051
?

Pro¢t
and loss
account
»000
496
13

5,051

509

Pro¢t attributable to the members of the parent company
As permitted by section 230 of the Companies Act 1985, the parent company has not presented its
own pro¢t and loss account. The pro¢t on ordinary activities after tax dealt with in the ¢nancial
statements of the parent company for the year was »13,000 (1999: »221,000).

Newmark Technology Group PLC

25

19. Reconciliation of operating pro¢t to operating cash£ow

Operating pro¢t
Expenditure in year ¢nanced by share issues
Depreciation and amortisation
Increase in stocks
Increase in debtors
Increase in creditors

Operating cash £ow

20. Reconciliation of net cash £ows to movement in net debt

2000

»000
201
?
261
125
1,016
(785)

818

1999
(Restated)
»000
314
100
100
(52)
(1,012)
745

195

2000
»000
99
(1,130)

(1,031)

1999
»000
607
(554)

53

Increase in cash in the year
Increase in debt in the year

Increase in (net debt)/cash

21. Analysis of net debt

Cash at bank and in hand
Overdrafts

Debt due after one year
Debt due within one year

April 1999
»000
912
(310)

Cash £ow
»000
(28)
213

Exchange
movements
»000
(125)
39

April 2000
»000
759
(58)

602

(883)
(144)

(1,027)

(425)

185

(1,045)
(202)

(1,247)

(1,062)

(86)

98
19

117

31

701

(1,830)
(327)

(2,157)

(1,456)

22. Financial instruments
The Group’s ¢nancial instruments comprise borrowings, cash resources, and various items, such
as trade debtors, trade creditors, etc, that arise directly from its operations. The main purpose of
these ¢nancials instruments is to raise ¢nance for the Group’s operations.

It is, and has been throughout the year, the Group’s policy that no trading in ¢nancial
instruments shall be undertaken.

The main risks arising from the Group’s ¢nancial instruments are interest rate risk, liquidity
risk and foreign currency risk. The Board reviews and agrees policies for managing each of
these risks. These policies have remained unchanged during the year and are summarised below.

Interest rate risk
The Group ¢nances its operations through a mixture of retained pro¢ts and bank borrowings.
The Group borrows at ¢xed rates of interest on long term loans to secure the Group’s exposure
to interest rate £uctuations. At the year end, 30% (1999: 65%) of the Group’s borrowings were at
¢xed rates with Nil% (1999: 11%) of these borrowings comprising liabilities on which no interest
is paid.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

26

Liquidity risks
Short-term £exibility in borrowings is achieved by overdraft facilities in the UK and Holland,
and by discounting trade debtors in the UK.

A long term loan existed in Holland at the date of acquisition of Vema, secured on the freehold
property. An unsecured loan of BEF 35m has partly ¢nanced the acquisition of Drion in Belgium
during the current year. A secured loan of »1.5 million has ¢nanced the acquisition of Safetell
International Limited in the year.

At the year end, 37 per cent (1999: 12 per cent) of the Group’s borrowings were due to mature in
more than ¢ve years.

Foreign currency risk
The Group has two signi¢cant overseas subsidiaries operating in Holland and Belgium, and the
Belgian acquisition has been partly ¢nanced by a loan in Belgian francs. The sales of the UK
companies are predominantly priced and invoiced in sterling, whilst the Dutch and Belgian
companies invoice their customers exclusively in their respective national currencies.

Interest rate risk of ¢nancial assets and ¢nancial liabilities
The interest rate pro¢le of the Group’s ¢nancial assets at 30 April 2000 was:

Sterling
Dutch guilders
Belgian francs

Floating
rate
¢nancial
assets
»000
364
?
384

Fixed rate
¢nancial
assets
»000
?
?
?

Financial
assets on
which no
interest is
received
»000
?
11
?

748

?

11

Total
»000
364
11
384

759

The interest rate pro¢le of the Group’s ¢nancial liabilities at 30 April 2000 was:
Currency

Sterling
Dutch guilders
Belgian francs

Total
»000
1,546
242
427

2,215

Floating
rate
¢nancial
liabilities
»000
1,546
12
?

Fixed rate
¢nancial
liabilities
»000
?
230
427

Financial
liabilities on
which no
interest has
been paid
»000
?
?
?

1,558

657

?

The £oating interest rates are detailed in note 15 to the accounts.

Currency

Dutch guilders
Belgian francs

Total

Fixed rate ¢nancial liabilities
Weighted average
period for which
rate is ¢xed
Years
2.5
4.0

Weighted average
interest rate
%
6.125
5.250

5.556

3.5

>

Currency exposures
Gains and losses from the Group’s net investment overseas are recognised in the statement of
total recognised gains and losses.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

27

The table below shows the Group’s currency exposures that give rise to the net currency gains
and losses recognised in the pro¢t and loss account. Such exposures comprise the monetary
assets and monetary liabilities of the Group that are not denominated in the operating
currency of the operating unit involved. As at 30 April 2000, these exposures were as follows:

Functional currency of Group operation

Sterling
Dutch guilders

Total

Net foreign currency monetary
assets (liabilities) in »000

US
dollars
(81)
(22)

(103)

Other

Total

(4)
?

(4)

(85)
(22)

(107)

Maturity of ¢nancial liabilities
The maturity of pro¢le of the Group’s ¢nancial liabilities at 30 April 2000 were as follows:

In one year or less or on demand
In more than one year but not more than two years
In more than one year but not more than ¢ve years
In more than ¢ve years

»000
338
281
765
831

2,215

Borrowing facilities
The Group has various undrawn committed borrowing facilities. The facilities available at
30 April 2000 in respect of which all conditions precedent had been met were as follows:

Expiring in one year or less

»000
371

Fair values of ¢nancial liabilities
Set out below is a comparison by category of book values and fair values of the Group’s ¢nancial
liabilities as at 30 April 2000.

Short-term ¢nancial liabilities and current portion of long-term

liabilities

Long term borrowings

Book
values
»000

386
1,827

Fair
values
»000

371
1,212

The fair values shown above have been calculated by discounting cash £ows at prevailing
interest rates. The fair values of all other monetary assets and liabilities is equal to their book
values.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

28

23. Acquisitions
On 28 February 2000, the Company acquired the entire share capital of Safetell International
Limited (‘‘Safetell’’) for a consideration of »1.5 million payable on completion.

The assets and liabilities of Safetell which have been accounted for under acquisition
accounting rules were as follows:

Book value
»000

Revaluation
to fair value
»000

Provisional
fair value
»000

Fixed assets
Tangible
Current assets
Stocks
Debtors
Bank and cash

Total assets

Creditors
Creditors
Provisions

Total liabilities

Net assets
Purchased goodwill

Total purchase consideration

Comprises:
Cash
Costs

118

202
525
518

1,363

674
89

763

600
1,103

1,703

1,500
203

1,703

?

?
?
?

?

?
200

200

(200)
200

?

?
?

?

118

202
525
518

1,363

674
289

963

400
1,303

1,703

1,500
203

1,703

The trading results of Safetell for the eleven months of that company’s statutory accounts for the
thirteen months to 30 April 2000, that were earned in the period prior to acquisition and
therefore not included in the Group results, were as follows:

Turnover

Pro¢t before tax
Taxation

Pro¢t after tax

»000
2,983

210
(56)

154

The pro¢t after tax of Safetell for the previous twelve month statutory accounts was »138,000.

In addition to the goodwill arising in respect of Safetell above, there was a further »80,000
goodwill adjustment in respect of Ateliers Drion formed in the previous ¢nancial year and
»15,000 in respect of other new subsidiary companies.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

29

24. Other ¢nancial commitments
At 30 April 2000 the Company had annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases
as follows:

Plant and equipment
Expiring within 1 year
Expiring between 1 and 5 years inclusive
Expiring in over 5 years

2000
»000

2
94
?

1999
»000

51
109
?

25. Related party transactions
(a) A Reid is a director of the company, and has a controlling interest in R K Harrison & Co.
Limited which, as stated in note 15, had a loan of »153,225 to Newmark Technology Limited,
a wholly owned subsidiary, and was repaid in the year. Interest was charged on the loan
from 1 May 1999 at 2% over base rate. R K Harrison & Co. Limited received directors’ fees
of »7,500 during the year (1999: »5,000) in respect of Mr. Reid.

(b) M Dwek is a director of the company, and owns 51% of the share capital of Arbury Inc.,
which received consultancy fees from the company of »121,000 (1999: »99,000) in the year.

(c) M Veldhoen is a director of the company, and owns the entire share capital of Vema Beheer
B.V., which received management fees from the group of »30,000 (1999: »77,000) in the year.

(d) Amounts totalling »4,842 (1999: »19,250) were paid on an arm’s length basis during the year
to a company of which B Beecraft is a director, in respect of consultancy and other
accountancy services.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

30

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Newmark Technology Group PLC
will be held at 21/23 Ormside Way, Redhill, Surrey RH1 2NT on 26 October 2000 at 11.30 a.m.
for the purposes of considering and, if thought ¢t, passing the following resolutions which will
be proposed as Ordinary Resolutions and Special Resolutions as speci¢ed:

ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS
1.

To receive, consider and adopt the report of the Directors, and the annual accounts for the
period ended 30 April 2000 and the auditors’ report thereon.

2.

3.

4.

5.

To re-appoint M Dwek, as a director of the company.

To re-appoint S Rajwan, as a director of the company.

To re-appoint Hacker Young as auditors and to authorise the directors to determine their
remuneration.

To increase the authorised share capital of the Company from »10,000,000 to »12,500,000 by
the creation of 50 million new ordinary shares of 5 pence each ranking pari passu in all
respects as one class of shares with the existing ordinary shares in the capital of the
Company.

6. Directors’ authority to allot shares

That the Directors be, and they are hereby, generally and unconditionally authorised
pursuant to section 80 of the Companies Act 1985 (the ‘‘Act’’), in substitution for any
existing authorities conferred upon the Directors pursuant to that section, to exercise all
the powers of the Company to allot relevant securities of the Company (as de¢ned in that
section) to such persons at such times and on such terms as they think proper up to an
aggregate nominal amount equal to one third in nominal value of the ordinary share
capital of the Company in issue, such authority to expire upon the earlier of the
conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company or the date (if any) on
which the said authority is revoked, varied or renewed, save that the Company may, prior
to the expiry of such period, make any o¡er or agreement which would or might require
relevant securities to be allotted after the expiry of such period and the Directors may
allot relevant securities in pursuance of such o¡er or agreement notwithstanding such
expiry; and

SPECIAL RESOLUTION
7.

Partial exclusion of pre-emption rights
That, subject to the passing of resolution 6 above, the Directors be and they are hereby
empowered pursuant to section 95(1) of the Act to allot equity securities (as de¢ned in
Section 94(2) of the Act) of the Company for cash pursuant to the general authority of the
Directors under section 80 of the Act conferred by resolution 6 above as if the provisions of
section 89(1) of the Act did not apply to such allotment provided that the power conferred by
this Resolution shall be limited to the allotment:

(a) of equity securities in connection with an o¡er of such securities by way of rights to holders
of ordinary shares in proportion (as nearly as may be practical) to their respective holdings
of such shares but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may
deem necessary or expedient in relation to fractional entitlements or any legal or practical
problems under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or
stock exchange; and

(b) otherwise than pursuant to paragraph (a) above, of equity securities (to the extent that they
are relevant shares within the meaning of Section 94 of the Act or to the extent that they are
other equity securities giving the right to subscribe for or convert into relevant shares) up
to an aggregate nominal amount not exceeding ten per cent in nominal value of the issued
ordinary share capital of the Company, such power to expire at the earlier of the conclusion

Newmark Technology Group PLC

31

of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company or ¢fteen months from the date of this
resolution whichever is the earlier, save that the Company may, prior to the expiry of such
period, make any o¡er or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be
allotted after the expiry of such period and the Directors may allot equity securities in
pursuance of such o¡er or agreement notwithstanding such expiry.

By order of the Board
B G Beecraft

18 September 2000

Registered O⁄ce
21/23 Ormside Way
Redhill
Surrey RH1 2NT

Notes:
1. A member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting may appoint one or more proxies to attend and, on a poll, to vote

2.

3.

instead of him. A proxy need not be a member of the company.
In relation to uncerti¢cated shares, only those persons who are registered on the relevant register 48 hours before the time
of the meeting shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.
The following documents are available for inspection at the company’s registered o⁄ce during normal business hours on
any weekday (excluding Saturdays) until 25 October 2000 and will also be available for inspection at the place of the
annual general meeting for at least 15 minutes prior to and until the conclusion of the meeting:
(a) a register in which are recorded details of all transactions in the shares of the company in respect of all Directors and

their families;

(b) a copy of every service contract between the company and any Director of the company.

4. Valid forms of proxy, duly signed, together with the Power of Attorney or authority (if any) under which they are signed
(or a certi¢ed copy of such power or authority) must be lodged with the Company Secretary at the Registered O⁄ce by no
later than 11.30 a.m. on 25 October 2000. Completion of a form of proxy will not a¡ect the right of a member to attend and
vote at the meeting.

5. Directors authority to allot shares:

6.

Under Section 80 of the Companies Act 1985, the Directors may not exercise any powers of the Company to allot relevant
securities (as de¢ned in that section) unless authorised to do so by the Company in general meeting or by its articles.
Resolution 6 authorises allotment of up to one third of the issued share capital of the Company for the period to the
conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in 2001 or until such time as the authority is revoked, whichever is earlier. It
replaces all previous authorities and is in line with the institutional guidelines followed by other publicly listed
companies.
Partial exclusion of pre-emption rights:
Section 89 of the Companies Act 1985 requires that a public company allotting shares for cash must ¢rst o¡er them to
existing shareholders following a statutory procedure which is both costly and cumbersome. Resolution 7 enables the
Directors to allot shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of ten per cent of the ordinary share capital of the
Company in issue. It replaces all previous such powers.
The taking of powers of this sort is reasonably standard practice for public companies and the Directors believe that the
limited powers provided by this resolution will maintain a desirable degree of £exibility. Unless previously revoked or
varied the disapplication will expire on the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company or 14 months
from the date of the passing of this resolution whichever is earlier.

Newmark Technology Group PLC

32

NEWMARK TECHNOLOGY GROUP PLC

Form of Proxy

Annual General Meeting

I/We (name(s) in full)............................................................................................................................

of ............................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................

being (a) holder/holders of Ordinary Shares of the above-named Company and entitled to vote at
general meetings thereof hereby appoint the Chairman of the meeting or

................................................................................................................................................................

as my/our proxy to vote for me/us on my/our behalf at the Annual General Meeting of the holders
of Ordinary Shares of the Company to be held at 11.30 a.m. on 26 October 2000, and at any
adjournments thereof, and direct the proxy to vote for/against the resolutions to be proposed
thereat as detailed below.

Note:
If it is desired to appoint any other person, please insert his/her name and address above and delete the words ‘‘the Chairman of
the meeting or’’.

Signed ....................................................................................................................................................

Date .......................................................................................................................................................

Please indicate with an ‘‘X’’ in the appropriate box below how you wish your vote to be cast. If
the form is returned without any indication as to how the proxy shall vote on any particular
matter, the proxy will vote or may abstain as he/she thinks ¢t.

For

Against

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

To receive the report of the Directors and the annual
accounts for the period ended 30 April 2000 and the
auditors report thereon

To re-appoint M Dwek as a director of the Company

To re-appoint S Rajwan as a director of the Company

To re-appoint Hacker Young as auditors and to authorise
the directors to determine their remuneration

To increase the authorised share capital of the
company to »12,500,000 by the creation of 50 million
new ordinary shares of 5p each

To generally and unconditionally authorise the Directors
to allot securities pursuant to section 80 of the Companies
Act 1985

To partially disapply the statutory pre-emption rights
pursuant to section 95(1) of the Companies Act 1985

Printed by greenaways, a member of the ormolu group
London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo. 127400