A bit of info here on fuel cells. Every little item helps to promote Dysons fuel cell technology.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030519/195453_1.html

Link to Dyson web-site

http://www.dyson-group.com/home.asp

Here also is the phone number for Nick Parker the FD, 0114 263 2841

apparently a friendly and helpful chappie. Number supplied with his knowledge and agreement.

Chart follows:

Not sure about Basingstoke next week. Doubtful.

But if you can access advfn, there is an excellent thread stuffed full of information under the DYS epic on the free bulletin board. I have a feeling you could find Socs, Buyzantium and myself all over there under different names. If you can't access it let us know here and we will bring some of the highlights to you!

I'm sure you haven't missed the boat. I went to the AGM and talked to the directors and returned more convinced than ever that this is a great share to hold for at least 5 years.

They have a pipeline of money-earners, coming on stream next year and their order book is mouth-watering, whichever product you are looking at.

I do strongly urge you to speak to the-delicious-Nick Parker at DYS. He is very knowledgeable on both the tecchie and financial sides and he is very friendly. You're best getting your answers from the chap who knows them!

Good website for keeping up to date with fuel cell advances and utilisation. Knock-on effect for Dyson must be good. If nothing else, it's an interesting read.

http://www.fuelcells.org/fcnews.htm

(Perhaps one day I may remember how to post the links properly).

DYS was mentioned on p49 of this week's Shares Mag, a resume of Picks of the Week. An update.

DYS: It was once a boring supplier of refractory materials lining blast furnaces and kilns. We spotted the potential of its transformation into a high-tech materials maker and recommended the shares at 164p (21 Jun 01). they have had their ups and downs since then, but are close to their all-time high at 2.60 today and should go higher once the high-performance hard disks are released by major manufacturers.

The purchase of Millenium Materials, inventor of the Carolite substrate for the hard disks, in America for 7.8 is proving an amazing bargain. Its founder and chairman, Dr Sam Weaver was wooed by many bigger companies but decided to throw in his lot with Dyson in exchange for an 18% stake which will rise to 25% if Dyson shares top 10.

In July, we again recommended DYS at 2.28, saying it 'looks about to break out to new highs'. This advice proved correct as the shares soon rose to 2.69

Recent results were promising, though profits fell, due to the runaway success of the Ecoflex catalytic converter housing for cars which has won dozens of orders worldwide which will feed through to profits over the next few years.

(Ends)

N.B: This was written by Timon Day, one of the very few journalists who the management of DYS rate. Chances are he checked his facts etc with Nick before going to print.

DYS up 4p at the moment. Could be seller cleared at last, the press coverage on James Dyson over the weekend or the Shares update. Whatever! It's rising! Well done Little Woman! Results out 7am 4th Demeber. Should be good. Just remember not to sell, Socks!

In for the long term

up 12.5p as I type....or 4.79% on the day

and to think, I thought I may have missed the boat!

Well done ladies ..

Croc ... you smoothie. Hope you are not trying to impress them again with your BOTs :)

Bones, didn't you come to the first "meeting in the south". And if did - why didn't come to the next?

Little Woman, yes, I did come to the first one. Otherwise indisposed for the second. Sorry!

I hope to be at the Xmas do in London though.

Cheers
Bones

Shares magazine, 20th November, page 53

'Converters and discs to drive growth' - by Timon Day

This special materials company will produce a solid set of figures in early December, with sales and profits similar to the first half of last year. Profits should be just over 2m and turnover around 30m. Full year profits will be 5m rising by around 15% to 20% next year. The dividend is unlikely to be increased.

Dyson is in a transition phase, as its old refractory business supplying furnace linings to steel group, Corus and ceramics manufacturers continues to wind down. The excitement comes from the success of the Ecoflex catalytic converter where the order book is booming. The new 5m plant should open early next year.

SHARES SAYS: Super Long-term investment.

A majority of hard disc drives are likely to use Dyson's new metal matrix composite Carolite within five years; the discs allow speedier computer operation and greater reliability. Chairman, Tom Brown said at the AGM: 'The benefits of using Carolite are proving to be more widespread than anticipated with additional components within the drive becoming possible applications'.

Dyson Group PLC
04 December 2003


PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT


DYSON GROUP PLC


For immediate release 4 December 2003

INTERIM RESULTS

Dyson Group plc ('Dyson' or the 'Group'), the performance materials group,
announces its interim results for the six months to 30 September 2003.

Product Developments:

Saffil(R) fibre capacity: Increase in production and sales of 30%
ensures growth in customer demand is met and profit growth achieved.


Ecoflex(R) order outlook: Additional capacity and a growing order book
give the Board increasing confidence that Ecoflex(R) will contribute
significantly to expected growth in future years.



Carolite hard disk drive substrates: Progress continues and it appears
that expectations will be met in terms of potential profitability.
Specification on a disk drive is anticipated in 2004 with a positive
contribution to profit in 2005.


Thermal Technologies division: Successful margin improvement programme
continues.


Financial Highlights:

Underlying profit before tax ahead of market expectations 1.91m (2002:
1.55m) - up 23%


Underlying earnings per ordinary share of 4.57p (2002: 3.87p) - up 18%


Interim dividend maintained at 1.00p per Ordinary share



Tom Brown, Chairman of Dyson, said: 'The Saffil(R) chemical fibre business,
together with the Ecoflex(R) product, is delivering excellent results. The
Carolite metal matrix composite is showing all the indications that it too will
deliver on its potential. In parallel, our gradual exit from low margin
activities means that the group will be left with a portfolio of products that
have the capability of delivering high margins and good growth and thereby
achieve our aim of increasing shareholder value.'

/More...
'Against this background, we view the remainder of the current year with
confidence and anticipate further good progress thereafter.'

...Ends...

For further information, please contact:

Dyson Group plc Today: 01756 770 376
Tom Brown, Chairman Thereafter: 07831 679 466
Mike O'Brien, Group Chief Executive 0114 263 2805
Nick Parker, Group Finance Director 0114 263 2841

Rawlings Financial PR Limited 01756 770 376
Catriona Valentine


CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT


OVERVIEW

Once again it is pleasing to report record half year results which are above
market expectations. The results reflect growth in sales and profit in the new
product areas of the group, as well as continuing progress in our programme of
margin improvement in the group's traditional businesses. This profit growth has
been achieved despite a significant increase in expenditure on commercially
focused product development.

Overall, group sales rose by five per cent in the six months to 30 September
2003, although this figure masks sales growth of 16 per cent in the Performance
Materials division. Underlying profit before tax increased by 23 per cent to
1.91 million (2002: 1.55 million). In addition, underlying earnings per share
improved by 18 per cent. Exceptional closure costs and goodwill amortisation in
the first half were 3.0 million, resulting in an FRS3 loss before tax of 1.1
million.

We propose to pay a maintained interim dividend of 1.00p per Ordinary share
(2002: 1.00p) on 23 January 2004 to shareholders on the register on 12 December
2003. The Board believes that maintaining the dividend during this period of
rapid change and high capital investment is an appropriate policy and that in
due course as the dividend cover increases a more progressive policy will be
adopted.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS

Saffil(R) fibre capacity

The major capital investment programme in our Saffil(R) business, which produces
chemical fibre for a variety of applications, including our Ecoflex(R) catalytic
converter product, continues on schedule and within budget. This programme
comprises a new chemical fibre production facility and we continue to anticipate
that first beneficial production from the new fibre line will be delivered in
the first half of the 2004 calendar year. An appropriate announcement will be
made when this important milestone has been reached.

The necessity for this increased production capacity is clearly demonstrated by
the continuing growth of the Saffil(R) business with significant volume
increases being driven by requirements for the new automotive catalytic
converter applications. Demand from the Far Eastern automotive industry has been
some 20 per cent ahead of our customers' initial forecasts and, as previously
reported, this has put substantial strain on our existing manufacturing
capacity. Once again there is considerable credit to be given to the operational
management team at the Saffil(R) business, which has risen to the challenge of
delivering increased volumes on schedule.

Ecoflex(R) catalytic converter components

In addition to the growth in demand in the Far East, the anticipated growth in
both Europe and America for the Ecoflex(R) product is being developed in
accordance with expectations. As new high efficiency catalytic converters are
being adopted by the global automotive industry, we are seeing growth in our
future production schedules in line with the market share targets that we have
set for ourselves. By the nature of the automotive industry, many of these new
products are for vehicles due to commence production in 2005 and 2006. This
gives us confidence that a substantial part of the expected growth of the group
in forthcoming years will be Ecoflex(R) driven. In anticipation of this growth,
Ecoflex(R) facilities to convert the fibre into the final product have been or
will be installed in the UK, Japan, South Africa and the USA. Again, this
investment programme is on schedule and within budget.

Carolite hard disk drive components

Progress on the development of Carolite hard disk drive components continues and
it appears that our expectations will be met in terms of potential
profitability. Regarding timing, it is anticipated that our material will be
specified on a disk drive in the forthcoming year with a positive contribution
to profit in the 2005 calendar year.

There are now two major applications being considered for the Carolite material,
both of which are designed to overcome the issue of Track Mis-Registration (TMR)
within the hard disk drive. The well documented problem of the instability of
the existing aluminium substrate at high rotational speed continues to be a
major issue that the Carolite material has been proven to overcome. Another
solution to a part of the TMR issue would be to use the Carolite material to
replace all or part of the aluminium actuator arm (which holds and positions the
read/write head above the disk).

Whilst it is not yet clear which of these solutions will be incorporated into a
drive programme first, either would provide similar financial benefits to Dyson.
Furthermore, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive and, in the event of
either or both being adopted, we anticipate they could rapidly become industry
standards on high performance drives.

Our potential customers, who are the world's leading and most advanced hard disk
drive manufacturers, have continued to show determination in assisting us to
deliver on the potential of the Carolite material. They have continued to share
valuable production know-how and technical expertise with us to help ensure that
their internal performance and cost targets are achieved and we believe that
this is a very positive indication for the prospects of Carolite.

Other new products

We continue our involvement in the automotive metal matrix composite programmes
with five separate product developments being pursued with different customers.
The most advanced of these is with a major Japanese car manufacturer and it is
providing a small but growing stream of income, as an increasing number of
prototypes are being built.

These programmes are focused upon developing our metal matrix composite
technology for commercial applications, whereby metals such as aluminium,
magnesium or titanium can be reinforced using either chemical fibre or
particulates to deliver a component with improved performance characteristics,
particularly strength to weight ratio, modulus of elasticity and wear
resistance. The potential of these programmes is significant but, as with many
of our other materials technologies, we do not expect a major contribution from
these activities in the near future.

One of Saffil's customers, Siemens Westinghouse, has made public its use of our
Saffil(R) material as one of the key components in its prototype stationary fuel
cells. We are aware that its build programmes have been successful and that they
are being developed further. However, at this early stage, we are very conscious
that the timing and possible volumes of commercial sales into this application
are extremely tentative. Even so, it is encouraging that the Saffil(R) team
continues to find new possible applications for this high performance material.

Great results. Full financials in the RNS issued at 7.30 this morning

Yes

- I'm really please with this share, pity they didn't raise the div a tiny bit even though the underlying earnings per share was up 18%

Hi, LW! There is a carrot for the future though......


"We propose to pay a maintained interim dividend of 1.00p per Ordinary share
(2002: 1.00p) on 23 January 2004 to shareholders on the register on 12 December
2003. The Board believes that maintaining the dividend during this period of
rapid change and high capital investment is an appropriate policy and that in
due course as the dividend cover increases a more progressive policy will be
adopted"

Thanks vasey - also for the ex div & pay dates!

I'm looking forward to meeting you again tommorrow at the MoneyAm Christmas Lunch.

There is certainly a lot of great information and clues for the future in the statements issued today, LW. I can't remember whether or not you spoke to the-delicious-Nick (Parker) at DYS to get the two most recent broker notes. They are a mine of juicy info, but Nick is 'doing the rounds' today in London. Maybe that will result in another broker issuing a detailed 'think piece' and some decent media coverage.

Certainly the company has great growth potential, low gearing and a management that can communicate in plain English. A rare beast!

Did you find time to cast a beady eye over the DYS thread on ADVFN? Even more tecchie analysis of all types on there.

Christmas Lunch tomorrow......yippeeeeeeeeeee!!! C'mon Socs! The ball and chain will let you out for lunch and the eye, surely?

Not been over to ADFN for months!

My holding is a long term investment - so I must admit unless the share price drops heavily (!) I don't do much in the way of research. (Just depend on the BB for quick updates!)

Must remember to organise my sleeping space for tommorrow!!!!

http://www.advfn.com/cmn/fbb/thread.php3?id=1313099

To save you some time, LW!