Exhibit 10.8 (a)
 Date
    
    23 April 2003Mr.
    
    Division/dept.
    
    Human ResourcesManuel Brocke-Benz
    
    Person in charge
    
    A.HilbtVWR International Inc.
    
    Phone +49 (0)89/
    
    99 65 48-585Fax +49 (0)89/
    
    99 65 48-597e-mail
    
    agatha.hilbt.@de.vwr.com
  Employment Agreement
  § 1
Function, General Rights and Obligations
 
    
    As of 01 August 2003 and by decision of the meeting of shareholders of VWR International
GmbH, you are appointed Managing Director of VWR International GmbH, Hilpertstraße 20A, 64295
Darmstadt / Germany and employed as a Regional Manager Core Europe in the Company.
 
    
    You undertake to devote your full efforts exclusively to VWR International GmbH and to
perform the business matters assigned to you with the care of a prudent and conscientious
businessman.
 
    
    You shall report regularly to the General Manager Europe and coordinate with the latter
regarding all business activities to the required degree.
 
    
    You shall represent the corporation before and out of court in accordance with your right to
represent as registered in the commercial register.
 
    
    Your rights and obligations are governed by the shareholders agreement of VWR International
GmbH, by the present Employment Agreement, and by law.




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
    
    You shall be liable for your activities as defined in Section 43, Paragraph 1 of the Limited
Liability Company Act (GmbHG) with the care of a prudent businessman. VWR International GmbH
shall indemnify you against personal third-party liability insofar as you do not act
deliberately or grossly negligent.
 § 2
Work Results, Records, Inventions
 
    
    Work results
  
    
    Records
  
    
    Inventions




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§ 3
Confidentiality
  §4
Second Occupation
  § 5
Assignment of Other Tasks, Activity in Associations and Organizations




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§6
Agreement Restricting Competition
  § 7
Publications, Lectures
  §8
Salary, Ex Gratia Payment, Bonus
 
    
    Salary
 




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
    
    Ex Gratia Payment
  
    
    Bonus
     § 9
Assignment, Pledging
  §10
Benefits in Case of Inability of Performance
 
    
    In case of an inability of performance that is not due to your fault, you are entitled to
continued payment of your salary for a maximum period of 26 weeks, but not beyond the end of
employment.




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
    
    Notwithstanding Section 10, Paragraph 1, the salary payment shall be continued for a period
of 6 weeks if the inability of performance has been caused by an admitted accident at work.
After these 6 weeks, the Company shall pay a grant for the period of another 40 weeks but not
beyond the end of employment. This grant is calculated from the difference of the net salary
and the injury benefit paid by the professional association.
 §11
Assignment of Claims for Damages
   §12
Refund of Expenses in Case of Business Trips
 [Reisekostenordnung]




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§13
Vacation, Vacation Allowance
       §14
Periods of Notice




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§15
Old Age Pension
  §16
Written Form of the Contract, Ancillary Provisions
   § 17
Cut-off Periods




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§ 18
Applicable Law, Place of Jurisdiction
  VWR International GmbH
 /s/ Karl-Heinz SielingKarl-Heinz Sieling
   /s/ Manuel Brocke-BenzManuel Brocke-Benz