Ascot Plc operates within three areas: specialist engineering (wholesaler of commercial refrigeration, manufacturer of heat exchange products, work holding components, high speed steel wire, precision cold extrusion products and manual transmissions); chemical engineering (manufacturer of petrochemicals, insecticides and fine chemicals) and properties. The Group has now decided to concentrate on it's chemicals sector and has divested itself of it's smaller engineering businesses, namely Floform, WDS, Peter Stubbs and Mitchell Cotts Transmissions. During 1999 the group acquired the remaining 70% shareholding in its associate company Chirotech Technology Limited. Chemical engineering accounted for 61% of 1999 revenues; specialist engineering, 37% and properties, 2%.