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Exhibit 10(j)

                                EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Agreement, dated as of July 24, 1997, between Lawter International, 
Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and 
John P. Jilek (hereinafter referred to as the "Employee").

                                      RECITALS

The Employee has been employed by the Company for a substantial period of 
time and currently serves as its President and Chief Operating Officer and as 
a member of its board of directors.  Because of the Employee's extensive 
experience and his familiarity with the affairs of the Company, the Company 
wishes to assure that, in the event of a "Change in Control," as hereinafter 
defined, it will continue to have the Employee available to perform duties 
substantially similar to those currently being performed by him and to 
continue to contribute to the Company's growth and success as he has in the 
past. The Employee is willing to commit to continue in the performance of 
his services for the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

                                     COVENANTS

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained and 
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which 
are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.   EMPLOYMENT.  The Company hereby agrees that, effective upon a "Change in
     Control" and provided that Employee is still serving as an employee of the
     Company at that time, it will continue to employ Employee as the President
     and Chief Operating Officer of the Company to perform the duties described
     herein, and Employee hereby accepts such employment on the terms and
     conditions stated herein.  It is understood that prior to such "Change in
     Control," this Agreement shall confer no rights of employment or other
     benefits (or obligations) whatsoever upon Employee, and that Employee shall
     remain subject to termination at will.

2.   TERM OF EMPLOYMENT.  Subject to provisions for termination set forth
     herein, the term of Employee's employment hereunder shall continence on the
     date of a "Change in Control" (if any) and shall extend until three years
     after the date of such "Change in Control." For purposes of this Agreement
     a "Change in Control" shall mean a change in control of a nature that would
     be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of
     Regulation 14A promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
     provided that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed
     to have occur-red if during any period of two consecutive years individuals
     who at the beginning of such period constitute members of the board of
     directors cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof,
     unless the nomination or election of each director who was not a director
     at the beginning of the period was approved by a vote of a majority of the
     directors still in office at the time of such nomination or election who
     were directors at the beginning of the period.

3.   DUTIES OF EMPLOYEE.  Employee shall be the President and Chief Operating
     Officer of the Company and shall perform such duties and responsibilities
     for the Company as may be assigned to him by the board of directors of the
     Company and which are not unreasonably inconsistent with the duties of the
     President and Chief Operating Officer, including such duties as are
     currently being performed by the Employee.  During the term of his
     employment, Employee shall devote substantially all of his business time,
     attention and energy, and his reasonable best efforts, to the interests and
     business of the Company and to the performance 

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     of his duties and responsibilities on behalf of the Company.  During the 
     term of Employee's employment hereunder, the Company will use its best 
     efforts to cause the Employee to be elected a director of the Company and 
     will cause the Employee to be included as a nominee for director in any 
     proxy solicitation by management.

4.   COMPENSATION.  Throughout the term of Employee's employment hereunder, the
     Company shall pay Employee, for services to be rendered by him hereunder, a
     guaranteed minimum salary at an annual rate equal to that being paid on the
     date the term of employment hereunder commences, less all applicable
     federal and state income tax withholding, FICA taxes and other payroll
     taxes.  The guaranteed minimum salary shall be reviewed by the Company on a
     yearly basis to ascertain if any upward adjustment in the annual rate is in
     order, and if any increase is made, the new annual rate shall become the
     guaranteed minimum salary under this Section 4. Such compensation shall be
     payable semi-monthly.

5.   WORKING FACILITIES AND FRINGE BENEFITS.  The Employee shall be furnished
     with office space, secretarial assistance and such other facilities and
     services as are appropriate to his position and adequate for the
     performance of his duties.  The Company also shall provide to Employee
     during the term of employment fringe benefits and perquisites at least
     equal to those provided to Employee immediately prior to the date. thereof,
     and the Company shall not discriminate against Employee with respect to any
     vacation or holiday plan, medical, hospital, life and disability insurance
     programs, pension programs and other similar welfare benefit programs from
     time to time made available to the Company's officers and key employees.

6.   EXPENSES.  The Company shall pay or reimburse Employee for all reasonable
     expenses actually incurred or paid by him in the performance of services
     rendered by him pursuant to this Agreement.  Such expenses shall be
     supported by the documentary evidence required to substantiate them as
     income tax deductions.

7.   COVENANT RESTRICTING COMPETITION; NONDISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

       a) Employee acknowledges that his services are special and unique, and of
          an unusual and extraordinary character which gives them peculiar
          value, the loss of which cannot adequately be compensated in damages. 
          Therefore, Employee agrees that he will not, except with the written
          consent of the Company, for a continuous period of eighteen (18)
          months commencing immediately following termination of Employee's
          employment hereunder, directly or indirectly engage or become
          interested in, as a partner, director, officer, principal, agent or
          employee, any business which competes with products produced, marketed
          or in development by the Company at the time of such termination.

       b) Employee acknowledges that in his employment he is or will be making
          use of, acquiring or adding to, confidential information of the
          Company, and is or will be familiar with the Company's business,
          activities, employees, customers and suppliers.  Therefore, in order
          to protect the Company's confidential information and to protect other
          employees who depend upon the Company for regular employment, Employee
          agrees that, except in connection with his employment by the Company,
          or with the consent of the Company, he will not during or after the
          term of his employment hereunder in any way utilize any of said
          confidential information and he will not copy, reproduce, or take with
          him the original or any copies of said confidential information and
          will not disclose any of said confidential information to anyone.

In the event of a breach of the covenants contained in this Section 7, the 
Company shall be entitled to an injunction restraining such breach in 
addition to any other remedies provided by law.

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If any provision of this Section 7 is adjudged by a court to be invalid or 
unenforceable, the same will in no way affect any other provision of this 
Section 7 or any other part of this Agreement, the application of such 
provision in any other circumstances or the 'validity or enforceability of 
this Agreement. If any such provision, or any part thereof, is held to be 
unenforceable because of the duration of such provision or the area covered 
thereby, the parties agree that the court making such determination will have 
the power to reduce the duration and/or area of such provision, and/or to 
delete specific words or phrases, and in its reduced form such provision will 
then be enforceable and will be enforced.

8.   TERMINATION BY COMPANY.

       a) DISABILITY. The Company may terminate the active employment of the
          Employee if, in the reasonable judgment of the board of directors of
          the Company, he becomes unable to satisfactorily perform his duties
          and responsibilities hereunder during the term of his employment
          because of mental or physical disability.  Upon such termination, the
          Employee shall be relieved of all further obligations hereunder except
          obligations pursuant to Section 7. In the event of such termination,
          the Company shall continue to pay to the Employee, until the end of
          the term of his employment hereunder, a salary at a rate equal to the
          annual rate in effect on the date of such termination (as set forth in
          Section 4).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the amounts so payable
          shall be reduced by any amounts payable to the Employee during the
          term of his employment hereunder pursuant to any disability benefit or
          wage continuation plan of the Company in effect.

       b) DEATH.  In the event of the death of the Employee during the term, the
          Company shall make, until the end of the term of employment hereunder,
          payments at a rate equal to the annual rate in effect on the date of
          death.  The payments to be made under this Section 8(b) shall not be
          reduced by reason of any insurance proceeds payable directly to the
          Employee's beneficiaries or estate pursuant to insurance carried or
          provided by the Company, and shall be made to such beneficiary as the
          Employee may designate for that purpose by written notice given to the
          Secretary of the Company prior to his death, or if the Employee has
          not so designated, then to the personal representative of his Estate.

       c) TERMINATION FOR CAUSE.  In the event fraud, defalcation, or other
          similar dishonesty of the Employee involving the operations, funds or
          other assets of the Company is established, or Employee is convicted
          of a crime involving moral turpitude, or Employee breaches the terms
          of this Agreement in any material respect, then the Company may
          terminate this Agreement upon giving written notice to the Employee
          and thereafter, neither the Employee, his surviving spouse or his
          estate shall be entitled to any further salary or compensation from
          the Company pursuant to this Agreement, but the Employee's obligations
          under Section 7 shall remain in effect.  The parties agree that the
          provisions of this Section 8(c) shall not be utilized in any manner by
          the Company to avoid, negate or frustrate application of the
          provisions of Section 9 of this Agreement.

9.   TERMINATION BY EMPLOYEE.

       a) IF LOCATION OF OFFICE CHANGES.  In the event that, at. any time during
          the term of employment, the Company, without Employee's consent,
          changes the location of the Company's offices at which Employee works
          to a city more than 150 miles from its present location, the Employee
          may 

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          terminate his employment with the Company by giving to the
          Secretary of the Company notice in writing within three, months after
          this right to termination arises.

       b) IF POSITION CHANGES.  It is the intention of the parties that the
          Employee will be the President and Chief Operating Officer of the
          Company during the entire term of employment hereunder.  In the event
          that, at any time during the term hereunder, Employee, without his
          consent, does not hold the position of President and Chief Operating
          Officer of the Company and have the duties and responsibilities that
          would normally be expected of the President and Chief Operating
          Officer of the Company (except by reason of termination under Section
          8), Employee may terminate his employment with the Company hereunder
          by giving to the Secretary of the Company written notice of such
          termination within three months after this right to terminate arises.

       c) FOLLOWING CHANGE IN CONTROL.  Employee may terminate his employment
          under this Agreement in the event of a Change in Control, as defined
          in Section 2 hereof, by giving written notice of such termination to
          the Secretary of the Company not less than six months nor more than
          twelve months following such Change in Control.  Without limiting the
          generality of the definition of Change in Control as set forth in
          Section 2, the failure of the Employee to be reelected a director of
          the Company shall be deemed a Change in Control unless such failure is
          due to the Employee's voluntary act or the Employee's employment has
          been terminated by the Company for Cause.

       d) LUMP SUM PAYMENT.  In the event of termination pursuant to subsection
          (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 9, the Company shall pay to the
          Employee, in a lump sum and within 30 days of such termination, an
          amount equal to the aggregate balance (based on the annual rate in
          effect at the time of such termination) which would have been payable
          to the Employee during the remaining portion of the term hereunder had
          such termination not occurred, including any benefits payable to
          Employee.

       e) REIMBURSEMENT.  If a tax is imposed pursuant to Section 4999 of the
          Internal Revenue Code, or successor provision of like import, upon
          payments due under this Agreement or upon other payments to the
          Employee by the Company, the Employee shall be paid an additional
          amount calculated so as to provide the Employee, after he has paid the
          tax (including any related interest and/or penalty) imposed by Section
          4999 of the Code, with the same compensation he, would have received
          had no tax (including any related interest and/or penalty) been
          imposed by Section 4999.  For purposes of this subsection (e), the
          term "Company" shall include any parent, subsidiary, affiliate,
          assignee, or successor in interest of the Company or of such assignee
          or successor in interest.

10.  ASSIGNMENT.  This Agreement is binding upon and shall be for the benefit of
     the successors and assigns of the Company, including any corporation or any
     other form of business organization with which the Company may merge or
     consolidate, or to which it may transfer substantially all of its assets. 
     Employee shall not assign his interest in this Agreement or any part
     thereof.

11.  CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.  Any act, request, approval, consent or opinion of
     the Company under this Agreement must be in writing and may be authorized,
     given or expressed only by resolution of the board of directors of the
     Company, or by such other person as the board of directors of the Company
     may designate.

12.  NOTICES.  Any notice required hereunder to be given shall be in writing and
     if-

       a) by the Company to Employee shall be directed to him at his address set
          forth below, or to such other address as he shall have furnished in
          writing to the Company; or

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       b) by Employee to the Company shall be directed to Lawter International,
          Inc., 990 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, Illinois 60062, Attn: Secretary,
          or to such designee or other address as the board of directors shall
          name and have furnished in writing to Employee.

13.  GOVERNING LAW.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
     accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois applicable to contracts
     made and to be performed therein.

14.  ENFORCEMENT EXPENSES AND ARTITRATION. The Company agrees to reimburse the
     Employee for all costs and expenses incurred by him (including the
     reasonable fees of his counsel) in successfully enforcing any of his rights
     under this Agreement or any claim arising out of the breach thereof.  In
     addition, the parties acknowledge the relative economic power of the
     Company versus the Employee, and the ability of the.  Company to resist the
     conclusion of litigation should the Employee institute legal proceedings to
     enforce this Agreement or to recover damages for the breach thereof.  In
     recognition of this, any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to
     this Agreement, including any dispute over or interpretation of the
     occurrence of a "Change in Control," as previously defined, shall be
     settled by arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules
     of the American Arbitration Association, at the sole election of the
     Employee; provided, however, that an action by the Company to enforce its
     rights under Section 7 hereof shall be excluded from the arbitration
     provisions of this Section.
     
15.  Any such election by Employee shall be made by written notice given to the
     Company any time after such controversy or claim arises, and in the event
     Employee IS served with process relating to any court proceeding concerning
     any such claim or controversy commenced by the Company, such election, to
     be effective, shall be made by written notice within 15 days of the time
     Employee is served with such process.  Commencement of court proceedings by
     Employee shall be deemed. an election not to arbitrate.  In the event the
     Company commences court proceedings (other than an action by the Company
     solely to enforce its rights under Section 7 hereof) and is given notice of
     the election to arbitrate by the Employee within the time period set forth
     above, the Company agrees to promptly dismiss such court proceedings and
     submit to arbitration.  In the event of such arbitration, judgment upon the
     award rendered by the arbitrators may be entered in any court having
     jurisdiction thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the 
date first above written.

               LAWTER INTERNATIONAL, INC.



               By:  /s/  John O'Mahoney
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               Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


               /s/ John P. Jilek
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                             John P. Jilek