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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.30

                                   MTL INC.
                              3108 Central Drive
                           Plant City, Florida 33567

                                                            As of June 23, 1998

Michael Grimm
MTL Inc.
3108 Central Drive
Plant City, Florida 33567

Dear Mr. Grimm:

MTL Inc. (the "Company") desires to employ you, and you hereby accept such
employment, as the Executive Vice President - Sales and Marketing of Montgomery
Tank Lines (the "Employee") upon the following terms and conditions
(capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to
them in the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of the date hereof (the
"Merger Agreement") between Chemical Leaman Corporation ("CLC"), its
shareholders and Palestra Acquisition Corp.):

         1.       Your employment by the Company will commence as of the
                  Effective Time and continue until the second anniversary of
                  the date hereof and year to year thereafter, unless either
                  party provides written notice at least 90 days prior to the
                  end of the term or the applicable renewal year. If the
                  Company provides such notice, you shall be entitled to
                  receive your then current base salary for one year after the
                  end of the term and you shall be entitled during such time to
                  the continuation of health, medical and other benefits.

         2.       You will receive a base salary of $154,063 per annum, which
                  shall be subject to annual review by the Board of Directors
                  of the Company or a committee thereof (the "Board"), but may
                  not be reduced as a result of such review. In addition, you
                  will receive health, medical and other benefits under the
                  Company's benefits plans on a basis comparable to the
                  Company's other similarly situated employees.

         3.       You shall be entitled to bonuses on the terms set forth on
                  Exhibits B and C. For purposes of such exhibits, your "Target
                  Bonus Percentage" shall be 20% of your base salary in effect
                  at the time of payment.

         4.       Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Company reserves
                  the right to terminate your employment at any time with or
                  without "cause" (as defined below) and you reserve the right
                  to terminate your employment with "good reason" (as defined
                  below), provided that if the Company terminates your
                  employment without "cause" or you terminate your employment
                  with "good
<PAGE>
         reason" the Company will pay you your then current base salary for one
         year after such termination and you will be entitled during such time
         to the continuation of health, medical and other benefits. If the
         Company terminates your employment for "cause" or you terminate your
         employment other than for "good reason" you shall not be entitled to
         any further payments (except for any accrued but unpaid amounts due) or
         benefits, effective immediately upon such termination.

5.       The Company will cause to be granted to you, at or within 45 days of
         the Effective Time, options to acquire 5,500 shares of its common stock
         (the "MTL Stock") at a per share price equal to the price in the merger
         of Sombrero Acquisition Corp. and the Company. The options will be
         subject to the Company's option plan.

6.       You agree to purchase and the Company agrees to sell to you 5,500
         shares of MTL Stock at a price of $220,000. The Company agrees to lend
         to you up to 50% of the amount of the purchase price set forth in the
         immediately preceding sentence, on terms mutually agreeable to the
         Company and the Employee.

7.       If your employment is terminated without cause or you terminate your
         employment with good reason, subject to any limitations on the
         Company's ability to purchase the MTL Stock, (a) you shall have the
         right to cause the Company to purchase MTL Stock at the fair market
         value thereof and (b) the Company shall have the right to cause you to
         sell to it your MTL Stock at the fair market value thereof. Otherwise,
         upon any termination of your employment (x) by the Company for "cause,"
         the Company shall have the right to cause you to sell to it the MTL
         Stock for the lower of the purchase price you paid therefor and the
         fair market value thereof or (y) by you without "good reason," the
         Company shall have the right to cause you to sell it to the MTL Stock
         for the purchase price you paid therefor, and you shall have no right
         to cause the Company to purchase such MTL Stock for the price you paid
         therefor. Upon your death, your successors shall succeed to your rights
         under such stock, and, for the purpose of this paragraph 7, your
         successors and the Company shall have the same rights as if your
         employment was terminated without cause. In connection with the MTL
         Stock, you shall (i) receive customary "tag-along" rights, (ii) grant
         the shareholders of the Company customary "bring-along" rights, (iii)
         be prescribed from transferring 30 days prior to and 180 days after the
         consummation of any public offering by the Company and (iv) grant
         affiliates of Apollo Management, L.P. or the Company customary rights
         of "first refusal." At the Effective Time, you agree to enter into a
         shareholders agreement with Company including, but not limited to, the
         rights and obligations with respect to MTL Stock set forth in this
         paragraph 7.

8.       The Company will provide you with a monthly car allowance of $450.

9.       You agree to be bound by the Restrictive Covenant Agreement set forth
         on Exhibit F, which is incorporated by reference herein.

10.      You agree to be bound by the Non-Compete Covenant set forth on Exhibit
         A, which is incorporated by reference herein.
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     11.   For purposes of this letter agreement "cause" means (i) a good faith
           finding by the board of directors of the Company (or a committee
           thereof) of your failure to satisfactorily perform your assigned
           duties for the Company as a result of your material dishonesty,
           gross negligence or intentional misconduct or (ii) your conviction
           of, or the entry of a pleading of guilty or nolo contendere by you
           to, any crime involving moral turpitude or any felony. For purposes
           of this letter agreement "good reason" means a material diminution
           in your duties and responsibilities caused by the Company, a material
           breach by the Company of its compensation and benefit obligations
           under this letter agreement, or an involuntary relocation by more
           than 50 miles of your principal place of business as it exists
           immediately following the Effective Date.

     12.   This agreement shall terminate automatically upon your death or
           long-term disability. Any termination hereof by reason of your death
           or disability shall terminate your right to receive further payments
           hereunder (excluding your rights under paragraph 7 hereof), except
           for any accrued but unpaid amounts due. Nothing in this paragraph
           shall, however, limit or eliminate any right you may have under
           any life insurance, disability or other benefits provided to you
           during your employment.

This letter agreement embodies the entire understanding between the parties with
respect to periods of time from and after the Effective Time, and at the
Effective Time shall supersede all prior understandings and agreements with
respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, that if the Merger Agreement
shall be terminated, this letter agreement shall automatically terminate and all
such superseded understandings and agreements shall remain effective. The
parties agree that this letter agreement shall be governed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York and the exclusive jurisdiction for enforcing
such agreement shall be the federal courts of the United States located in New
York (unless such choice of forum would deny an aggrieved party a forum for
enforcing such party's rights, in which case the state courts of New York shall
have jurisdiction).

<PAGE>

Michael Grimm
June 23, 1998
Page 4

     If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please execute this letter
agreement below and cause it to be delivered to the Company at the address
set forth above.

                                       MTL INC.



                                       By: /s/
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Name:
                                          Title:

Acknowledged and agreed as of
the date first above written:


/s/
----------------------------------------
Name:

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                                                                       EXHIBIT A



                              NON-COMPETE COVENANT


         In consideration of the terms set forth in the letter agreement (the
"Letter Agreement") to which this Non-Compete Covenant is attached and in
connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the
Employee agrees that no Competition Event (as defined below) shall occur prior
to the date that the Employee ceases to receive salary or severance payments
from the Company (including, without limitation, any subsidiary thereof) (the
"Non-Compete Expiration"); provided that if Employee is terminated for "cause"
or terminates his employment without "good reason," no such event shall occur
for two years from such termination; provided, further, that the Company shall
have the right upon 90 days notice to extend the Non-Compete Expiration for one
year by paying the Employee his salary, providing health and medical benefits
during such addition year.

         For purposes of this letter agreement, a "Competition Event" shall
occur if the Employee directly or indirectly (i) engages in the bulk trucking
business, the bulk tank cleaning business or any other business in which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries are engaged as of the date hereof or the
date of termination of the Employee's employment with the Company
(collectively, the "Company Business") within the United States; (ii) competes
or participates as agent, employee, consultant, advisor, representative or
otherwise in any enterprise which has any material operations engaged in the
Company Business within the United States; or (iii) competes or participates as
a stockholder, partner, member or joint venture, or has any direct or indirect
financial interest, in any enterprise which has any material operations engaged
in the Company Business with the Untied States; provided, however, that nothing
contained herein shall prohibit the Employee from (A) owning, operating or
managing any business, or acting upon any business opportunity, after obtaining
approval of a majority of the board and a majority of the independent members
of the Board (if any), (B) owning no more than five percent (5%) of the equity
of any publicly traded entity with respect to which the Employee does not serve
as an officer, director, employee, consultant or in any other capacity other
than as an investor or (C) being employed by a business that engages in the
Company Business but whose principal business is not the Company Business, if
the Employee's involvement is limited to those operations that are not the
Company Business.

         The Employee acknowledges that irreparable damage would occur in the
event of a breach of the provisions of this Non-Compete Covenant by the
Employee. It is accordingly agreed that, in addition to any other remedy to
which it is entitled at law or in equity, the Company shall be entitled to an
injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of the provisions of this
Non-Compete covenant and to enforce specifically the terms of such provisions.

         If any provision of this Non-Compete Covenant shall be adjudged by any
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason,
such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of this
covenant. Furthermore, if the scope of any restriction or requirement contained
in this Covenant is too broad to permit enforcement of such restriction or
requirement to its full extent, then such restriction or requirement shall be
enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law, and you consent and agree that
any court of competent jurisdiction may so modify such scope in any proceeding
brought to enforce such restriction or requirement.

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                                                                       EXHIBIT B

                               ANNUAL BONUS PLAN

         In addition to and consistent with all other incentive plans of the
Company, commencing on January 1, 1999 and for each calendar year thereafter
during the term of his employment, the Employee shall be eligible to receive
the Target Bonus Percentage of his salary in effect om December 31 of the
applicable year if the Company and the Employee achieve certain operating
and/or financial or other goals to be established by the Board or a
compensation committee thereof in its sole discretion. The bonus plan, having
provisions consistent with those granted to similarly situated employees of the
Company, shall be adopted and administered by the Board or a compensation
committee thereof.
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                                                                       EXHIBIT C

                                1998 BONUS PLAN

         The Board of directors of the Company (or a committee thereof) shall,
within a reasonable time after the Effective Time, approve a 1998 Bonus Plan.

<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT F

                         RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AGREEMENT

                                   ARTICLE I
                                CONFIDENTIALITY

         In consideration of the terms set forth in the letter agreement to
which this Restrictive Covenant Agreement is attached and in connection with the
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, and in view of the fact that
the Employee has been in close contact with many confidential affairs of the
Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Confidential and
Proprietary Information and other matters of a business nature, such as
information about customers (including pricing information), costs, profits,
markets, sales, strategic plans for future development, and any other
information not readily available to the public, the Employee hereby agrees for
five years from the Effective Time to keep confidential all Confidential and
Proprietary Information and other matters of or relating to the Company and its
subsidiaries and affiliates learned prior to or after the Effective Time, and
not to disclose them to anyone, or to use them, in each case, either prior to or
after the Effective Time (except as required by law or for the Employee to
perform the duties of his employment). The Employee further agrees to deliver
promptly to the Company, upon the request of the Company, all memoranda, notes,
records, reports and other documents (and all copies thereof) relating to the
Company's and its subsidiaries' and affiliates' business which the Employee may
then possess or have under the Employee's control.

                                   ARTICLE II
                                NON-SOLICITATION

2.1      The Employee agrees that he will not, until the later of (a) three
         years from the Effective Time and (b) such time as the Employee ceases
         to receive salary and severance payments from the Company (the
         "non-Solicitation Expiration"), solicit or make any other contact with,
         directly or indirectly, any customer of the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries as of the Effective Time with respect to the provision of
         any service to any such customer that is the same or substantially
         similar to any service provided to such customer by the Company or any
         of its subsidiaries.

2.2      The Employee agrees that he will not, prior to the Non-Solicitation
         Expiration, solicit or make any other contact regarding the Company or
         any of its subsidiaries with any union or similar organization which
         has a collective bargaining agreement, union contract or similar
         agreement with the Company or any Subsidiary or affiliate or which is
         seeking to organize employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, with
         respect to any employee of the Company or such union's or similar
         organization's relationship or arrangements with the Company or any
         Subsidiary.

2.3      The Employee agrees that he will not, prior to the Non-Solicitation
         Expiration, solicit or make any other contact with, directly or
         indirectly, any employee or independent contractor (including, without
         limitation, any of the Company's truck drivers) of the Company or any
         of its subsidiaries or affiliates as of the Effective Time (or any
         person who was employed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
         affiliates at any time during the three-month period prior to the
         Effective Time) with respect to any employment, services or other
         business relationships.
<PAGE>

2.4      The Employee agrees that the Company shall have the right,
         upon 90 days notice, to extend the Non-Solicitation Expiration by one
         additional year if it continues to pay the Employee the Employee's then
         current salary, providing health and medical benefits during such
         additional year (payment of such sums, and provision of such benefits,
         the extend the term of the covenant under Exhibit A shall also satisfy
         the obligation under this Exhibit F).


                                  ARTICLE III
                               NON-DISPARAGEMENT

         The Employee agrees not to make or publish, or cause to be made or
published, any statement or information that disparages, defames or in any way
impugns the reputation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates,
or any employees or representatives thereof, except if necessary in connection
with a termination without "good reason."

         The Company agrees not to make or publish, or cause to be made or
published, any statement or information that disparages, defames or in any way
impugns the reputation of the Employee, except if necessary in connection with
a termination for "cause."

                                   ARTICLE IV
                                 MISCELLANEOUS

4.1      Remedies.

         The parties acknowledge that irreparable damage would occur in the
event of a breach of any of the provisions of this Restrictive Covenant
Agreement. It is accordingly agreed that, in addition to any other remedy to
which they are entitled at law or in equity, the parties shall be entitled to
an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of such sections of this
Restrictive Covenant Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and
provisions of such sections.

4.2      Jurisdiction and Governing Law.

         The parties agree that this letter agreement shall be governed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the exclusive
jurisdiction for enforcing such agreement shall be the federal courts of the
United States located in New York (unless such choice of forum would deny an
aggrieved party a forum for enforcing such party's rights, in which case the
state courts of New York shall have jurisdiction).

4.3      Severability.

         If any provision of this Agreement shall be adjudged by any court
of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, shall
not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of this Agreement. Furthermore,
if the scope of any restriction or requirement contained in this Agreement is
too broad to permit enforcement of such restriction or requirement to its full
extent, then such restriction or requirement shall be enforced to the maximum
extent permitted by law,and the Employee consents and agrees that any court of
competent jurisdiction may so modify such scope in any proceedings brought to
enforce such restriction or requirement.

4.4      Amendments.

<PAGE>

         No changes, alteration or modification hereof may be made except in a
writing, signed by each of the parties hereto.

4.5      Interpretation

         The headings in this Agreement are for convenience and reference only
and shall not be construed as part of this Agreement or to limit or otherwise
affect the meaning hereof. This Agreement contains all of the terms and
conditions agreed upon by the parties and no other agreements, oral or
otherwise, exist or shall be binding upon the parties as to the subject matter
hereof.