<PAGE>   1
                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.10

                                CREDIT AGREEMENT



                                      Among


                       HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC.
                                  as Borrower,


                           THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
                         NAMED IN THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT
                                    as Banks,

                                       and

                           NATIONSBANK OF TEXAS, N.A.,
                             as Agent for the Banks



                                   $25,000,000



                                December 31, 1997









<PAGE>   2




                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>


<S>     <C>                                                                                             <C>
ARTICLE 1.        DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS.......................................................1
         1.1      Certain Defined Terms..................................................................1
         1.2      Computation of Time Periods...........................................................17
         1.3      Accounting Terms; Preparation of Financials...........................................17
         1.4      Types.................................................................................18
         1.5      Interpretation........................................................................18

ARTICLE 2.        CREDIT FACILITIES.....................................................................19
         2.1      Revolving Loan Facility...............................................................19
         2.2      Letter of Credit Facility.............................................................23
         2.3      Fees..................................................................................26
         2.4      Interest..............................................................................27
         2.5      Breakage Costs........................................................................30
         2.6      Increased Costs.......................................................................30
         2.7      Illegality............................................................................31
         2.8      Market Failure........................................................................31
         2.9      Payment Procedures and Computations...................................................32
         2.10     Taxes.................................................................................34

ARTICLE 3.        CONDITIONS PRECEDENT..................................................................35
         3.1      Conditions Precedent to Initial Extensions of Credit..................................35
         3.2      Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit......................................36

ARTICLE 4.        REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES........................................................36
         4.1      Organization..........................................................................36
         4.2      Authorization.........................................................................36
         4.3      Enforceability........................................................................37
         4.4      Absence of Conflicts and Approvals....................................................37
         4.5      Investment Companies..................................................................37
         4.6      Public Utilities......................................................................37
         4.7      Financial Condition...................................................................37
         4.8      Condition of Assets...................................................................38
         4.9      Litigation............................................................................38
         4.10     Subsidiaries..........................................................................38
         4.11     Laws and Regulations..................................................................38

</TABLE>


                                       -i-

<PAGE>   3


<TABLE>


<S>       <C>                                                                                           <C>
          4.12     Environmental Compliance..............................................................38
          4.13     ERISA.................................................................................39
          4.14     Taxes.................................................................................39
          4.15     Authorization and Approvals...........................................................39
          4.16     Margin Regulations....................................................................39
          4.17     True and Complete Disclosure..........................................................39
          4.18     Permits, Licenses, etc................................................................40

ARTICLE 5.         COVENANTS.............................................................................40
          5.1      Organization..........................................................................40
          5.2      Reporting.............................................................................40
          5.3      Inspection............................................................................42
          5.4      Use of Proceeds.......................................................................42
          5.5      Financial Covenants...................................................................43
          5.6      Debt..................................................................................44
          5.7      Liens.................................................................................44
          5.8      Other Obligations.....................................................................44
          5.9      Corporate Transactions................................................................44
          5.10     Distributions.........................................................................45
          5.11     Transactions with Affiliates..........................................................46
          5.12     Insurance.............................................................................46
          5.13     Investments...........................................................................46
          5.14     Lines of Business.....................................................................46
          5.15     Compliance with Laws..................................................................46
          5.16     Environmental Compliance..............................................................46
          5.17     ERISA Compliance......................................................................47
          5.18     Payment of Certain Claims.............................................................47
          5.19     Subsidiaries..........................................................................47
          5.20     Agreements Restricting Liens and Distributions........................................48
          5.21     Amendments to Senior Subordinated Notes...............................................48

ARTICLE 6.         DEFAULT AND REMEDIES..................................................................48
          6.1      Events of Default.....................................................................48
          6.2      Termination of Revolving Loan Commitments.............................................49
          6.3      Acceleration of Credit Obligations....................................................50
          6.4      Cash Collateralization of Letters of Credit...........................................50
          6.5      Default Interest......................................................................50
          6.6      Right of Setoff.......................................................................50

</TABLE>


                                      ii

<PAGE>   4


<TABLE>


<S>       <C>                                                                                           <C>
          6.7      Actions Under Credit Documents........................................................51
          6.8      Remedies Cumulative...................................................................51
          6.9      Application of Payments...............................................................51

ARTICLE 7.         THE AGENT AND THE ISSUING BANK........................................................52
          7.1      Authorization and Action..............................................................52
          7.2      Reliance, Etc.........................................................................52
          7.3      Affiliates............................................................................53
          7.4      Bank Credit Decision..................................................................53
          7.5      Expenses..............................................................................53
          7.6      Indemnification.......................................................................54
          7.7      Successor Agent and Issuing Bank......................................................54

ARTICLE 8.         MISCELLANEOUS.........................................................................55
          8.1      Expenses..............................................................................55
          8.2      Indemnification.......................................................................55
          8.3      Modifications, Waivers, and Consents..................................................56
          8.4      Survival of Agreements................................................................56
          8.5      Assignment and Participation..........................................................56
          8.6      Notice................................................................................59
          8.7      Choice of Law.........................................................................59
          8.8      Forum Selection.......................................................................59
          8.9      Service of Process....................................................................60
          8.10     Waiver of Jury Trial..................................................................60
          8.11     Counterparts..........................................................................60
          8.12     No Further Agreements.................................................................60

</TABLE>

                                      -iii-

<PAGE>   5




EXHIBITS

    Exhibit A       -      Form of Acquisition Certificate
    Exhibit B       -      Form of Assignment and Acceptance
    Exhibit C       -      Form of Borrowing Base and Compliance Certificate
    Exhibit D       -      Form of Continuation/Conversion Request
    Exhibit E       -      Form of Guaranty
    Exhibit F       -      Form of Revolving Loan Borrowing Request
    Exhibit G       -      Form of Revolving Loan Note
    Exhibit H       -      Closing Documents List
    Exhibit I       -      Form of Joinder Agreement



SCHEDULES

    Schedule I      -      Administrative Information (Borrower; Agent; Banks)
    Schedule II     -      Disclosures (Existing Debt and Existing Subsidiaries)









                                      -iv-

<PAGE>   6




                                CREDIT AGREEMENT


         This Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997, is among HydroChem
Industrial Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Borrower, the financial
institutions named herein, as Banks, and NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent
for the Banks.

         The parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1.   DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS.

         1.1 Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following
terms shall have the following meanings (unless otherwise indicated, such
meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the
terms defined):

         "Acquisition" means the direct or indirect purchase or acquisition,
whether in one or more related transactions, of any Person or group of Persons
or any related group of assets, liabilities, or securities of any Person or
group of Persons, but excluding those acquisitions that constitute capital
expenditures under GAAP.

         "Acquisition Certificate" means an acquisition certificate executed by
a Responsible Officer of the Borrower in substantially the form of Exhibit A.

         "Adjusted Prime Rate" means, for any day, the fluctuating rate per
annum of interest equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such
day or (b) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus 0.50%.

         "Affiliate" means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or
indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or
is under common control with, such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person. The
term "control" (including the terms "controlled by" or "under common control
with") means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through
ownership, by contract, or otherwise.

         "Agent" means NationsBank in its capacity as an agent pursuant to
Article 7 and any successor agent pursuant to Section 7.7.

         "Agreement" means this Credit Agreement.

         "Applicable Margin" means, with respect to interest rates and letter of
credit fees and as of any date of its determination, an amount equal to the
percentage amount per annum set forth in the table below opposite the applicable
ratio of (a) the consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower as of the end of the fiscal
quarter then most recently ended for the four fiscal quarters then most recently
ended to (b) the consolidated Interest Charges of the Borrower as of the end of
the fiscal quarter then most recently ended for the four fiscal quarters then
most recently ended, as determined below:






<PAGE>   7



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


EBITDA to Interest           Applicable Margin for      Applicable Margin for        Applicable Letter of
------------------           ---------------------      ---------------------        --------------------
Charges Ratio                LIBOR Tranches             Prime Rate Tranches          Credit Fees
-------------                --------------             -------------------          -----------
<S>                            <C>                        <C>                          <C>
<  1.75                       2.00%                      0.25%                        2.00%
-
<  2.00 but > 1.75            1.75%                      0.00%                        1.50%
-
<  2.50 but > 2.00            1.50%                      0.00%                        1.25%
-
> .50                         1.25%                      0.00%                        1.00%

</TABLE>

Beginning on the date of this Agreement, the foregoing ratio shall be deemed to
be greater than 1.75 to 1.00 and less than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00 until
receipt of the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower in accordance
with Section 5.2(b). Upon the receipt of such financial statements and
thereafter, the Agent shall periodically determine the Applicable Margin based
upon the most recent financial statements of the Borrower dated as of the end of
a fiscal quarter (including the fourth fiscal quarter) delivered to the Agent
pursuant to Section 5.2(b) (and in the case of the fourth fiscal quarter of each
fiscal year of the Borrower, subject to additional adjustment in accordance with
the following paragraph based upon audited financial statements delivered
pursuant to Section 5.2(a)).

Any such adjustments to the Applicable Margin shall become effective on the 45th
day following the last day of each fiscal quarter (including the fourth fiscal
quarter); provided that; any additional adjustments to the Applicable Margin
shall be made on the 90th day following the last day of the fourth fiscal
quarter of the Borrower; provided, further, that if such financial statements
are not delivered when required hereunder, the Applicable Margin shall increase
to the maximum percentage amount set forth in the table above from such 45th day
following the last day of the applicable quarter until such financial statements
are received by the Agent. Upon any change in the Applicable Margin, the Agent
shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Banks of the new Applicable Margin.

         "Applicable Lending Office" means, with respect to each Bank and for
any particular type of transaction, the office of such Bank set forth in
Schedule I to this Agreement (or in the applicable Assignment and Acceptance by
which such Bank joined this Agreement) as its applicable lending office for such
type of transaction or such other office of such Bank as such Bank may from time
to time specify in writing to the Borrower and the Agent for such particular
type of transaction.

         "Assignment and Acceptance" means an Assignment and Acceptance in
substantially the form of Exhibit B executed by an assignor Bank, an assignee
Bank, and the Agent, in accordance with Section 8.5.




                                       -2-

<PAGE>   8




         "Autoborrow Advance" means an advance made by NationsBank to the
Borrower pursuant to the terms of the Autoborrow Agreement and evidenced by the
Autoborrow Note.

         "Autoborrow Agreement" means the Autoborrow Service Agreement between
the Borrower and NationsBank providing for a line of credit in an amount not to
exceed $5,000,000.

         "Autoborrow Note" means the Promissory Note made by the Borrower
payable to the order of NationsBank and issued pursuant to the terms of the
Autoborrow Agreement.

         "Banks" means the lenders listed as Banks on the signature pages of
this Agreement and each Eligible Assignee that shall become a party to this
Agreement pursuant to Section 8.5(b).

         "Borrower" means HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.

         "Borrower Account" means the principal operating account of Borrower
with the Agent or any other account of Borrower with the Agent which is
designated as Borrower's "Borrower Account" in writing by the Borrower to the
Agent.

         "Borrowing Base" means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) 85% of the
Borrower's consolidated Eligible Accounts at such time plus (b) 60% of the
Borrower's consolidated Eligible Inventory at such time.

         "Borrowing Base and Compliance Certificate" means a borrowing base and
compliance certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower in
substantially the form of Exhibit C.

         "Business Day" means any Monday through Friday during which commercial
banks are open for business in Houston, Texas, Dallas, Texas, and, if the
applicable Business Day relates to any LIBOR Tranche, on which dealings are
carried on in the London interbank market.

         "Capital Expenditures" means, with respect to any Person and with
respect to any period of its determination, the consolidated expenditures of
such Person during such period that are required to be included in or are
reflected by the consolidated property, plant, or equipment accounts of such
Person, or any similar fixed asset or long term capitalized asset accounts of
such Person, on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person in conformity with
GAAP, but excluding in every instance those expenditures made in connection with
an Acquisition.



                                       -3-

<PAGE>   9


         "Capital Leases" means, with respect to any Person, any lease of any
property by such Person which would, in accordance with GAAP, be required by
GAAP to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet
of such Person.

         "Change of Control" means, with respect to the Borrower, (a) a Change
of Control as defined in the Indenture, (b) the direct or indirect acquisition
after the date hereof by any Person or related Persons constituting a group of
(i) beneficial ownership of issued and outstanding shares of Voting Securities
of the Borrower, the result of which acquisition is that such Person or such
group possesses 50% or more of the combined voting power of all then-issued and
outstanding Voting Securities of the Borrower or (ii) the power to elect,
appoint, or cause the election or appointment of at least a majority of the
members of the board of directors of the Borrower, or (c) the individuals who,
at the beginning of any period of 12 consecutive months, constitute the
Borrower's board of directors (together with any new director whose election by
the Borrower's board of directors or whose nomination for election by the
Borrower's stockholders entitled to vote thereon was approved by a vote of at
least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were directors
at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was
previously so approved) cease for any reason (other than death or disability) to
constitute a majority of the Borrower's board of directors then in office.

         "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any
successor statute.

         "Commonly Controlled Entity" means, with respect to any Person, any
other Person which is under common control with such Person within the meaning
of Section 414 of the Code.

         "Continuation/Conversion Request" means a Continuation/Conversion
Request in substantially the form of Exhibit D executed by a Responsible Officer
of the Borrower and delivered to the Agent.

         "Credit Documents" means this Agreement, the Revolving Loan Notes, the
Autoborrow Agreement, the Letter of Credit Documents, the Guaranty, the Interest
Hedge Agreements, and each other agreement, instrument, or document executed at
any time in connection with this Agreement.

         "Credit Obligations" means all principal, interest, fees,
reimbursements, indemnifications, and other amounts now or hereafter owed by the
Borrower to the Agent and the Banks (or with respect to the Interest Hedge
Agreements, any Affiliates of the Banks) under this Agreement, the Autoborrow
Agreement, the Revolving Loan Notes, the Letter of Credit Documents, and the
other Credit Documents and any increases, extensions, and rearrangements of
those obligations under any amendments, supplements, and other modifications of
the documents and agreements creating those obligations.



                                      -4-
<PAGE>   10


         "Credit Parties" means the Borrower and the Guarantors.

         "Debt" means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, (a)
indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, which under GAAP is shown on the
balance sheet as a liability (excluding reserves for deferred income taxes,
deferred pension liability, trade and other accounts payable, and other deferred
revenue, deferred expenses and reserves); (b) obligations of such Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, or other similar instruments and which
constitute liabilities under GAAP; (c) obligations of such Person to pay the
deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade debt and
normal operating liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business) and
which constitute liabilities under GAAP; (d) obligations of such Person as
lessee under Capital Leases; (e) obligations of such Person under any swap,
hedge, cap, collar or similar agreement; (f) obligations of such Person under or
relating to letters of credit, guaranties, purchase agreements, endorsements, or
other creditor assurances assuring a creditor against loss in respect of
indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (a)
through (e) of this definition (other than endorsements of negotiable
instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business and other
contractual commitments), whether direct or indirect in connection with
obligations, stock, or dividends of any Person; and (g) nonrecourse indebtedness
or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (a) through (f) of
this definition secured by any Lien on or in respect of any property of such
Person, whether or not the indebtedness or obligations secured thereby shall
have been assumed. For the purposes of determining the amount of any Debt, the
amount of any Debt described in clause (f) of the definition of Debt shall be
valued at the maximum amount of the contingent liability thereunder, and the
amount of any Debt described in clause (g) that is not covered by clause (f)
shall be valued at the lesser of the amount of the Debt secured or the book
value of the property securing such Debt.

         "Debt Service" means, for any period of its determination, the sum of
(a) scheduled principal payments on long term Debt during such period plus (b)
Interest Charges accrued during such period.

         "Default" means (a) an Event of Default or (b) any event or condition
which with notice or lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become
an Event of Default.

         "Default Rate" means, with respect to any amount due hereunder, a per
annum interest rate equal to (a) if such amount is either outstanding principal
accruing interest based upon a rate established elsewhere in this Agreement or
accrued but unpaid interest thereon, the sum of (i) the interest rate
established elsewhere in this Agreement from time to time for such principal
amount, including any applicable margin, plus (ii) 2.00% per annum or (b) in all
other cases, the Adjusted Prime Rate in effect from time to time plus the
Applicable Margin for Prime Rate Tranches in effect from time to time plus 2.00%
per annum.




                                       -5-

<PAGE>   11


         "Derivatives" means any swap, hedge, cap, collar, or similar
arrangement providing for the exchange of risks related to price changes in any
commodity, including money.

         "Dollars or $" means lawful money of the United States of America.

         "EBIT" means, with respect to any Person and for any period of its
determination, the consolidated net income of such Person for such period, plus
the consolidated interest expense, income taxes, and minus any interest income
and extraordinary gains of such Person for such period and included in the
calculation of consolidated net income.

         "EBITDA" means, with respect to any Person and for any period of its
determination, the EBIT of such Person for such period, plus the consolidated
depreciation and amortization of such Person for such period.

         "Eligible Accounts" means, with respect to any Person and as of any
date of its determination by the Agent, the accounts receivable of such Person
which are reflected on the balance sheet of such Person as of such date in
accordance with GAAP, excluding, however:

                  (a) accounts receivable which are not "accounts" as such term
is defined in the Texas Business & Commerce Code (including those represented by
any promissory note, trade acceptance, chattel paper, draft, or other
instrument);

                  (b) accounts receivable which did not arise from an
enforceable order or contract for the absolute and final sale of the inventory
or services of the Person, or accounts receivable for which the sales or
services have not been fully performed in the ordinary course of business of the
Person;

                  (c) all accounts receivable from any account debtor that has
20% or more of its accounts receivable to such Person past due more than 90 days
after the date of the invoices that generated such accounts receivable;
provided, however, that if an account debtor has multiple locations to which the
Borrower submits its invoices for payment, then, with respect to such an account
debtor, the test set forth in this clause (c) shall not be calculated with
respect to such account debtor based on the total accounts receivable due from
such account debtor but shall instead be calculated separately with respect to
the accounts receivable which shall be due from each such location that is
administratively distinctive in terms of the decision to approve invoices for
payment;

                  (d) any accounts receivable that are past due more than 90
days after the date of the invoice that generated such accounts receivable;





                                       -6-

<PAGE>   12



                  (e) accounts receivable which are subject to any contest or
offset, including contra accounts, or which have been disputed;

                  (f) accounts receivable which were not generated in an arm's
length transaction or are accounts receivable from any Affiliate of the Person;

                  (g) accounts receivable from a foreign Person which are not
supported by a letter of credit approved by the Agent in writing; and

                  (h) accounts receivable which are otherwise unacceptable as
collateral as determined by the Agent according to the policies of the Agent.

         "Eligible Inventory" means, with respect to any Person and as of any
date of its determination by the Agent, the inventory of such Person which is
reflected on the balance sheet of such Person as of such date in accordance with
GAAP, excluding, however:

                  (a) inventory of such Person out on consignment, inventory
held by such Person on consignment, and inventory which is not "inventory" as
such term is defined in the Texas Business & Commerce Code;

                  (b) inventory not produced by such Person unless purchased
from a supplier which was not an Affiliate of the Person; and

                  (c) inventory which is otherwise unacceptable as collateral as
determined by the Agent according to the policies of the Agent.

         "ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

         "Eligible Assignee" means, with respect to any assignment hereunder at
the time of such assignment, any commercial bank organized under the laws of the
United States or any of the countries parties to the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development or any political subdivision of any thereof which
has primary capital (or its equivalent) of not less than $250,000,000, is
approved by the Agent, and, so long as no Event of Default exists, is approved
by the Borrower, in either case, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld.

         "Environmental Law" means all federal, state, and local laws, rules,
regulations, ordinances, orders, decisions, agreements, and other requirements
now or hereafter in effect relating to the pollution, destruction, loss, or
injury of the environment, the presence of any contaminant in the environment,
the protection, cleanup, remediation, or restoration of the environment, the
creation, handling, transportation, use, or disposal of any waste product in the
environment, exposure of persons to any contaminant, waste, or hazardous
substance in the environment, and the health and safety of employees in relation
to their environment.



                                       -7-

<PAGE>   13


         "Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 6.1.

         "Federal Funds Rate" means, for any period, a fluctuating per annum
interest rate equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of
the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or,
if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any
day which is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for any such day on
such transactions received by the Agent from three Federal funds brokers of
recognized standing selected by it.

         "Federal Reserve Board" means the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System or any of its successors.

         "Financial Statements" means (a) the consolidated balance sheet of the
Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at December 31, 1996, and the
related consolidated statements of income, cash flow, and retained earnings of
the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended,
copies of which have been furnished to the Agent, and (b) the consolidated
balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September
30, 1997, and the related consolidated statements of income, cash flow, and
retained earnings of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the
three months and nine months then ended, copies of which have been furnished to
the Agent.

         "Funded Debt" means, with respect to any Person, without duplication,
(a) indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, which under GAAP is shown on
the balance sheet as a liability (excluding reserves for deferred income taxes,
deferred pension liability, trade and other accounts payable, and other deferred
revenues and expenses and reserves); (b) obligations of such Person evidenced by
bonds, debentures, notes, or other similar instruments and which constitute
liabilities under GAAP; (c) obligations of such Person to pay the deferred
purchase price of property or services (other than trade debt and normal
operating liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business) and which
constitute liabilities under GAAP; (d) obligations of such Person as lessee
under Capital Leases; and (e) obligations of such Person under or relating to
letters of credit, guaranties, purchase agreements, endorsements, or other
creditor assurances assuring a creditor against loss in respect of indebtedness
or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (a) through (d) of
this definition (other than endorsements of negotiable instruments for
collection in the ordinary course of business and other contractual
commitments), whether direct or indirect in connection with obligations, stock,
or dividends of any Person.




                                       -8-

<PAGE>   14



         "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting principles.

         "Governmental Authority" means any foreign governmental authority, the
United States of America, any state of the United States of America and any
subdivision of any of the foregoing, and any agency, department, commission,
board, authority, instrumentality, bureau, or court having jurisdiction over any
Bank, the Borrower, or the Borrower's Subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties.

         "Guarantors" means (a) the Subsidiaries of the Borrower that have
executed the Guaranty in connection with the execution of this Agreement and (b)
any future Subsidiaries of the Borrower that join the Guaranty pursuant to
Section 5.19.

         "Guaranty" means the Guaranty dated as of December 31, 1997, made by
the Subsidiaries of the Borrower in favor of the Agent for the benefit of the
Agent, the Banks, and the Issuing Bank, guaranteeing the Credit Obligations, in
substantially the form of Exhibit E.

         "Hazardous Materials" means any substance or material identified as a
hazardous substance pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended and as now or hereafter in
effect; any substance or material regulated as a hazardous waste pursuant to the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended and as now or
hereafter in effect; and any substance or material designated as a hazardous
substance or hazardous waste pursuant to any other Environmental Law.

         "Highest Lawful Rate" means the maximum lawful interest rate, if any,
that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, charged, or
received under the laws applicable to the relevant Bank which are presently in
effect or, to the extent allowed by law, under such applicable laws which may
hereafter be in effect and which allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest
rate than applicable laws now allow. The maximum lawful rate under this
Agreement shall be the weekly indicated rate ceiling under Article 5069-1.04 of
the Texas Revised Civil Statutes, as amended, unless any other lawful rate
ceiling exceeds the rate ceiling so determined, and then the higher rate ceiling
shall apply.

         "Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of August 1, 1997 among the
Borrower, Norwest Bank, Minnesota, N.A. as Trustee, and HydroChem International,
Inc. as guarantor.

                                      -9-
<PAGE>   15

         "Interest Charges" means, with respect to any Person and for any period
of its determination, the consolidated interest expense of such Person during
such period plus its capitalized interest during such period, but without
adjustment for its interest income during such period determined in accordance
with GAAP.

         "Interest Hedge Agreements" means any swap, hedge, cap, collar, or
similar arrangement between the Borrower and any Bank (or any Affiliate of any
Bank or such other Person that has been approved by the Agent) providing for the
exchange of risks related to price changes in the interest rate on the Senior
Subordinated Notes under the Indenture or on the Revolving Loan Advances under
this Agreement.


         "Interest Period" means, with respect to each LIBOR Tranche, the period
commencing on the date of such LIBOR Tranche and ending on the last day of the
period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration
of each such Interest Period shall be one, two, three, or six months, in each
case as the Borrower may select in the applicable Revolving Loan Borrowing
Request or Continuation/Conversion Request (unless there shall exist any Default
or Event of Default, in which case the Borrower may select only one month
Interest Periods); provided, however, that:

         (a) whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur
on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall
be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day; provided that if such
extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the next
following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on
the next preceding Business Day;

         (b) any Interest Period which begins on the last Business Day of the
calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day
in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last
Business Day of the calendar month in which it would have ended if there were a
numerically corresponding day in such calendar month; and

         (c) the Borrower may not, without the consent of the Agent and the
Banks, select an Interest Period for any LIBOR Tranche which ends after the
Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

         "Issuing Bank" means NationsBank and any successor issuing bank
pursuant to Section 7.7.

         "LIBOR" means, for any LIBOR Tranche for any Interest Period therefor,
the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%)
appearing on Telerate Page 3750 (or any successor page) as the London interbank
offered rate for deposits in Dollars at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time)
two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period for a term


                                      -10-
<PAGE>   16

comparable to such Interest Period. If for any reason such rate is not
available, the term "LIBOR" shall mean, for any LIBOR Tranche for any Interest
Period therefor, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the
nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing on Reuters Screen LIBO Page as the London
interbank offered rate for deposits in Dollars at approximately 11:00 a.m.
(London time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period
for a term comparable to such Interest Period; provided, however, if more than
one rate is specified on Reuters Screen LIBO Page, the applicable rate shall be
the arithmetic mean of all such rates.

         "LIBOR Tranche" shall mean any Tranche which bears interest based upon
the LIBOR, as determined in accordance with Section 2.4.

         "Legal Requirement" means any law, statute, ordinance, decree,
requirement, order, judgment, rule, regulation (or official interpretation of
any of the foregoing) of, and the terms of any license or permit issued by, any
Governmental Authority, including, but not limited to, Regulations G, T, U, and
X.

         "Letter of Credit" means any commercial or standby letter of credit
issued by the Issuing Bank for the account of the Borrower pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement.

         "Letter of Credit Application" means the Issuing Bank's standard form
letter of credit application for either a commercial or standby letter of
credit, as the case may be, which has been executed by a Borrower and accepted
by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of a Letter of Credit.

         "Letter of Credit Application Amendment" means the Issuing Bank's
standard form application to amend a letter of credit for either a commercial or
standby letter of credit, as the case may be, which has been executed by a
Borrower and accepted by the Issuing Bank in connection with the increase or
extension of a Letter of Credit.

         "Letter of Credit Collateral Account" means a special cash collateral
account pledged to the Agent containing cash deposited pursuant to Sections
2.2(d) or 6.4 to be maintained with the Agent in accordance with Section 2.2(g).

         "Letter of Credit Documents" means all Letters of Credit, Letter of
Credit Applications, Letter of Credit Application Amendments, and agreements,
documents, and instruments entered into in connection with or relating thereto.

         "Letter of Credit Exposure" means, as of any date of its determination,
the aggregate outstanding undrawn amount of Letters of Credit plus (without
duplication) the aggregate of the



                                      -11-
<PAGE>   17

reimbursement obligations of the Borrower under the Letter of Credit
Applications and this Agreement.

         "Letter of Credit Sublimit" means $10,000,000.

         "Lien" means any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, deed of trust,
security interest, encumbrance, or other type of preferential arrangement to
secure or provide for the payment of any obligation of any Person, whether
arising by contract, operation of law, or otherwise (including any title
retention for such purposes under any conditional sale agreement, any Capital
Lease, or any other title transfer or retention agreement).

         "Majority Banks" means, at any time, Banks holding more than 662/3% of
the then aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Revolving Loan Notes held by
the Banks and the Letter of Credit Exposure of the Banks at such time; provided
that if no such principal amount or Letter of Credit Exposure is then
outstanding, "Majority Banks" shall mean Banks having more than 662/3% of the
aggregate amount of the Revolving Loan Commitments at such time.

         "Material Adverse Change" means any material adverse change in the
business, operations, or financial condition of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

         "NationsBank" means NationsBank of Texas, N.A., in its individual
capacity.

         "Net Worth" means, with respect to any Person and as of any date of its
determination, the excess of (a) the assets of such Person on such date over (b)
the liabilities of such Person on such date determined in accordance with GAAP.

         "PBGC" means Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or its successor.

         "Permitted Debt" means all of the following Debt:

         (a) Debt in the form of the Credit Obligations;

         (b) Debt existing at the date of this Agreement as set forth on
Schedule II;

         (c) the Senior Subordinated Notes (and guaranties executed by the
Borrower's Subsidiaries with respect to such Senior Subordinated Notes);

         (d) intercompany Debt between the Borrower and (i) any of the
Guarantors or (ii) any Subsidiary that has had at least 66-2/3% of its capital
stock pledged to the Agent for the benefit of



                                      -12-
<PAGE>   18

the Banks pursuant to Section 5.19, in each case subordinated on terms
acceptable to the Agent and Majority Banks;

         (e) Debt constituting purchase money debt incurred with respect to the
purchase and construction of real property in an aggregate outstanding principal
amount not to exceed $8,500,000;

         (f) Debt constituting purchase money debt incurred with respect to the
purchase of equipment and obligations under Capital Leases in an aggregate
outstanding principal amount for all such Debt under this clause (e) not to
exceed $5,000,000; and

         (g) Debt under any Interest Hedge Agreement.

         "Permitted Investments" means all of the following investments:

         (a) investments in (i) wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower and
(ii) Persons other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower made in
connection with Acquisitions that have been approved by the Majority Banks, but
no further investments therein unless such further investments have been
approved by the Majority Banks;

         (b) current investments in the form of loans, guaranties, open
accounts, and other extensions of trade credit in the ordinary course of
business;

         (c) investments in commercial paper and bankers' acceptances maturing
in twelve months or less from the date of issuance and which, at the time of
acquisition, are rated A-2 or better by Standard & Poor's Corporation and P-2 or
better by Moody's Investors Services, Inc.;

         (d) investments in direct obligations of the United States of America,
or investments in any Person which investments are guaranteed by the full faith
and credit of the United States, in either case maturing in twelve months or
less from the date of acquisition thereof and repurchase agreements having a
term of less than one year and fully collateralized by such obligations which
are entered into with banks or trust companies described in clause (e) below or
brokerage companies having net worth in excess of $250,000,000;

         (e) investments in time deposits or certificates of deposit maturing
within one year from the date such investment is made, issued by a bank or trust
company organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state
thereof having capital, surplus, and undivided profits aggregating at least
$250,000,000 or a foreign branch thereof and whose long-term certificates of
deposit are, at the time of acquisition thereof, rated A-2 (or better) by
Standard & Poor's Corporation or P-2 (or better) by Moody's Investors Services,
Inc.;



                                      -13-
<PAGE>   19

         (f) investments in money market funds which invest solely in the types
of investments described in paragraphs (c) through (d) above; and

         (g) investments in any Person by HydroChem International, Inc.
consisting of a contribution of its assets located in Singapore and having a
fair market value at the time of contribution not in excess of $2,500,000.

In valuing any investments for the purpose of applying the limitations set forth
in this Agreement, such investments shall be taken at the original cost thereof
(but without reduction for any subsequent appreciation or depreciation thereof)
less any amount actually repaid or recovered on account of capital or principal
(but without reduction for any offsetting investments made by the investee in
the investor). For purposes of this Agreement, at any time when a Person becomes
a Subsidiary of the Borrower, all investments of such Person at the time of
acquisition shall be deemed to have been made by such Person at such time.

         "Permitted Liens" means all of the following Liens:

         (a) Liens securing the Credit Obligations;

         (b) Liens securing purchase money debt or Capital Leases permitted
under clauses (e) and (f) of the definition of Permitted Debt provided that no
such Lien is spread to cover any property not purchased or leased in connection
with the incurrence of such Debt;

         (c) Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not
incurred in connection with the borrowing of money, the obtaining of advances or
credit, or payment of legal judgments and which do not materially detract from
the value of any Restricted Entity's assets or materially interfere with any
Restricted Entity's business, including such (i) Liens for taxes, assessments,
or other governmental charges or levies; (ii) Liens in connection with worker's
compensation, unemployment insurance, or other social security, old age pension,
or public liability obligations; (iii) Liens in the form of legal or equitable
encumbrances deemed to exist by reason of negative pledge covenants and other
covenants or undertakings of like nature otherwise permitted by this Agreement;
(iv) Liens in the form of vendors', carriers', warehousemen's, repairmen's,
mechanics', workmen's, materialmen's, construction, or other like Liens arising
by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or incident to the
construction or improvement of any property; and (v) Liens in the form of zoning
restrictions, easements, licenses, and other restrictions on the use of real
property or minor irregularities in title thereto which do not materially impair
the use of such property in the operation of the business of the applicable
Restricted Entity or the value of such property; and

         (d) Liens described on Schedule II (Disclosure Schedules) attached
hereto.

                                      -14-
<PAGE>   20

         "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a
business trust), joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint
venture, or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency
thereof, or any trustee, receiver, custodian, or similar official.

         "Plan" means any (a) employee medical benefit plan under Section 3(1)
of ERISA, (b) employee pension benefit plan under Section 3(2) of ERISA, (c)
multiemployer plan under Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, and (d) employee account
benefit plan under Section 3(2) of ERISA.

         "Prime Rate" means, for any day, the fluctuating per annum interest
rate in effect on such day equal to the rate of interest publicly announced by
the Agent as its prime rate, whether or not the Borrower has notice thereof.

         "Prime Rate Tranche" means any Tranche which bears interest based upon
the Adjusted Prime Rate, as determined in accordance with Section 2.4.

         "Prohibited Transaction" means any transaction set forth in Section 406
of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

         "ratable share" or "pro rata share" means, with respect to any Bank and
as of any date of its determination, either (a) the ratio of such Bank's
Revolving Loan Commitment at such time to the aggregate Revolving Loan
Commitments at such time or (b) if the Revolving Loan Commitments have been
terminated, the ratio of such Bank's aggregate outstanding Revolving Loan
Advances and share of the Letter of Credit Exposure at such time to the
aggregate outstanding Revolving Loan Advances and Letter of Credit Exposure at
such time.

         "Regulations G, T, U, and X" means Regulations G, T, U, and X of the
Federal Reserve Board, as the same are from time to time in effect, and all
official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

         "Related Parties" means, with respect to any Person, such Person's
stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, Affiliates, successors,
and assigns, and their respective stockholders, directors, officers, employees,
and agents, and, with respect to any Person that is an individual, such Person's
family relations and heirs.

         "Reportable Event" means any of the events set forth in Section 4043 of
ERISA.

         "Responsible Officer" means, with respect to any Person, such Person's
Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of
Corporate Development, Secretary,



                                      -15-
<PAGE>   21

Treasurer, or any other officer of such Person designated by any of the
foregoing in writing from time to time.

         "Restricted Entities" means the Borrower and each Subsidiary of the
Borrower.

         "Restricted Payment" means (a) the declaration or payment by any Person
of any dividends; (b) the purchase, redemption, retirement, or other acquisition
for value of any of its capital stock (or other ownership interest) now or
hereafter outstanding, or any distribution of assets to its stockholders as
such, whether in cash, assets, or obligations of such Person; (c) any allocation
or other setting apart of any sum for the payment of any dividend or
distribution on, or purchase, redemption, or retirement of, any shares of its
capital stock (or other ownership interest); (d) any other distribution by
reduction of capital or otherwise in respect of any shares of its capital stock
(or other ownership interest); or (e) any payment, prepayment, or redemption of
any Subordinated Debt.

         "Revolving Loan" means the aggregate outstanding principal amount of
the Revolving Loan Borrowings.

         "Revolving Loan Advance" means the outstanding principal from a Bank
which represents such Bank's ratable share of a Revolving Loan Borrowing.

         "Revolving Loan Borrowing" means any aggregate amount of principal
advanced on the same day and pursuant to the same Revolving Loan Borrowing
Request under the revolving loan facility created in Section 2.1.

         "Revolving Loan Borrowing Request" means a Revolving Loan Borrowing
Request in substantially the form of Exhibit F executed by a Responsible Officer
of the Borrower and delivered to the Agent.

         "Revolving Loan Commitment" means, for any Bank, the amount set forth
below such Bank's name on the signature pages of this Agreement as its Revolving
Loan Commitment, or if such Bank has entered into any Assignment and Acceptance
since the date of this Agreement, as set forth for such Bank as its Revolving
Loan Commitment in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section
8.5(c), in each case as such amount may be terminated pursuant to Section 6.2.

         "Revolving Loan Maturity Date" means December 31, 2000.

         "Revolving Loan Note" means a promissory note of the Borrower payable
to the order of a Bank, in substantially the form of Exhibit G, evidencing the
indebtedness of the Borrower to such Bank resulting from Revolving Loan Advances
made by such Bank to the Borrower.



                                      -16-
<PAGE>   22

         "Senior Subordinated Notes" means the 103/8% Series B Senior
Subordinated Notes due August 1, 2007, issued pursuant to the Indenture.

         "Subordinated Debt" means (a) the Senior Subordinated Notes and (b) any
other Debt issued by the Borrower that (i) is debt for borrowed money, (ii) is
unsecured, (iii) has no recourse to any of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower
(whether through a guaranty executed by any such Subsidiary, a pledge of assets
by such Subsidiary or otherwise), (iv) does not amortize and has a maturity no
earlier than the Revolving Loan Maturity Date, and (v) is subordinated on terms
that are acceptable to the Agent and the Majority Banks.

         "Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person, a
majority of whose outstanding Voting Securities (other than directors'
qualifying shares) shall at any time be owned by such Person or one or more
Subsidiaries of such person.

         "Tranche" means any tranche of principal outstanding under the
Revolving Loan accruing interest on the same basis whether created in connection
with new advances of principal under the Revolving Loan pursuant to Section
2.4(a)(i) or by the continuation or conversion of existing tranches of principal
under the Revolving Loan pursuant to Section 2.4(a)(ii) and shall include any
Prime Rate Tranche or LIBOR Tranche.

         "Type" has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4.

         "Voting Securities" means (a) with respect to any corporation, any
capital stock of the corporation having general voting power under ordinary
circumstances to elect directors of such corporation, (b) with respect to any
partnership, any partnership interest having general voting power under ordinary
circumstances to elect the general partner or other management of the
partnership, and (c) with respect to any other Person, such ownership interests
in such Person having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect
the management of such Person, in each case irrespective of whether at the time
any other class of stock, partnership interests, or other ownership interest
might have special voting power or rights by reason of the happening of any
contingency.

         1.2 Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement in the computation
of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word
"from" means "from and including" and the words "to" and "until" each means "to
but excluding."

         1.3 Accounting Terms; Preparation of Financials.



                                      -17-
<PAGE>   23

                  (a) All accounting terms, definitions, ratios, and other tests
described herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP applied on a
consistent basis with those applied in the preparation of the financial
statements, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

                  (b) The Restricted Entities shall prepare their financial
statements in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis with those
applied in the preparation of the Financial Statements, unless otherwise
approved in writing by the Agent.

                  (c) The Restricted Entities shall prepare all proforma
financial statements reflecting Acquisitions in accordance with the requirements
established by the Securities and Exchange Commission for acquisition accounting
for reported acquisitions by public companies, whether or not the applicable
Acquisitions are required to be publicly reported, and applying such
requirements to make such proforma financial statements reflect the accounting
procedures used in the preparation of the regular financial statements of the
Restricted Entities unless otherwise approved in writing by the Agent.

         1.4 Types. The "Type" of a Tranche refers to the determination whether
such tranche is a LIBOR Tranche or a Prime Rate Tranche.

         1.5 Interpretation. Article, Section, Schedule, and Exhibit references
are to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All references to
instruments, documents, contracts, and agreements are references to such
instruments, documents, contracts, and agreements as the same may be amended,
supplemented, and otherwise modified from time to time, unless otherwise
specified. The word "including" shall mean "including but not limited to." The
word "or" shall mean "and/or" wherever necessary to prevent interpretation of
any provision against the Agent or the Banks. Whenever the Borrower has an
obligation under this Agreement and the Credit Documents, the expense of
complying with that obligation shall be an expense of the Borrower unless
otherwise specified. Whenever any determination is to be made by the Agent or
any Bank, such determination shall be in such Person's sole discretion unless
otherwise specified in this Agreement. If any provision in this Agreement and
the Credit Documents is held to be illegal, invalid, not binding, or
unenforceable, such provision shall be fully severable and this Agreement and
the Credit Documents shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal,
invalid, not binding, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of
this Agreement and the Credit Documents, and the remaining provisions shall
remain in full force and effect. This Agreement and the Credit Documents have
been reviewed and negotiated by sophisticated parties with access to legal
counsel and shall not be construed against the drafter. In the event of a
conflict between this Agreement and any other Credit Documents, this Agreement
shall control.



                                      -18-
<PAGE>   24

ARTICLE 2.        CREDIT FACILITIES.

         2.1      Revolving Loan Facility.

                  (a) (i) Revolving Loan Commitments. Each Bank severally
agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and for the
purposes set forth in Section 5.4, to make Revolving Loan Advances to the
Borrower as such Bank's ratable share of Revolving Loan Borrowings requested by
the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the
date of this Agreement until the Revolving Loan Maturity Date; provided that (i)
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loan Advances made by
such Bank plus such Bank's ratable share of the Letter of Credit Exposure shall
not exceed such Bank's Revolving Loan Commitment and (ii) the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loan plus the Letter of Credit
Exposure plus the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Autoborrow
Advances shall not exceed the aggregate Commitments. Revolving Loan Borrowings
must be made in an amount equal to or greater than (A) with respect to Revolving
Loan Advances bearing interest based on the Prime Rate, $100,000 and in integral
multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof and (B) with respect to Revolving Loan
Advances bearing interest based on LIBOR, $300,000 and in integral multiples of
$100,000 in excess thereof. Within the limits expressed in this Agreement, the
Borrower may from time to time borrow, prepay, and reborrow Revolving Loan
Borrowings. The indebtedness of the Borrower to the Banks resulting from the
Revolving Loan Advances made by the Banks shall be evidenced by Revolving Loan
Notes made by the Borrower.

                      (ii) Reduction of Revolving Loan Commitments The Borrower
shall have the right, upon at least 30 days' advance notice to the Agent, to
reduce ratably in part or terminate in whole the Revolving Loan Commitments.
Each such notice shall specify the amount of the termination or reduction and
shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. Partial reductions shall be in
a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and be made in integral multiples of $1,000,000.
In the event of any partial reduction, each Bank's Revolving Loan Commitment
shall be reduced pro rata. The Revolving Loan Commitments cannot be reduced
below the amount of the Revolving Loan plus the Letter of Credit Exposure plus
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Autoborrow Advances. Any
termination or reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitments pursuant to this
Section 2.1(a)(ii) shall be permanent, with no obligation of the Banks to
reinstate such reduced or terminated Revolving Loan Commitments.

                  (b) Reimbursements for Autoborrow Advances. With respect to
any Autoborrow Advance and in accordance with the related Autoborrow Agreement,
the Borrower agrees to pay to NationsBank at the times required by the
Autoborrow Agreement any amount due to NationsBank under the Autoborrow
Agreement. If the Borrower does not pay any amount when due to NationsBank, in
addition to any rights NationsBank may have under such Autoborrow Agreement,



                                      -19-
<PAGE>   25

NationsBank may upon written notice to the Agent request the satisfaction of
such obligation by the making of a Revolving Loan Borrowing. Upon such request,
the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested the making of a Revolving Loan
Borrowing in the amount of such obligation and the transfer of the proceeds
thereof to NationsBank. Such Revolving Loan Borrowing shall be comprised of a
Prime Rate Tranche. The Agent shall promptly forward notice of such Revolving
Loan Borrowing to the Borrower and the Banks, and each Bank shall, in accordance
with the procedures of Section 2.1(c), other than limitations on the size of
Revolving Loan Borrowings, and notwithstanding the failure of any conditions
precedent, make available such Bank's ratable share of such Revolving Loan
Borrowing to the Agent, and the Agent shall promptly deliver the proceeds
thereof to NationsBank for application to such Bank's share of the obligations
under such Autoborrow Advance. The Borrower hereby unconditionally and
irrevocably authorizes, empowers, and directs NationsBank to make such requests
for Revolving Loan Borrowings on behalf of the Borrower, and the Banks to make
Revolving Loan Advances to the Agent for the benefit of NationsBank in
satisfaction of such obligations. The Agent and each Bank may record and
otherwise treat the making of such Revolving Loan Borrowings as the making of
Revolving Loan Borrowings to the Borrower under this Agreement as if requested
by the Borrower. Nothing herein is intended to release the Borrower's
obligations under the Autoborrow Agreement, but only to provide an additional
method of payment therefor. The making of any Revolving Loan Borrowing under
this Section 2.1(b) shall not constitute a cure or waiver of any Default or
Event of Default caused by the Borrower's failure to comply with the provisions
of this Agreement or the Autoborrow Agreement.

                  (c)      Method of Advancing

                           (i)      Each Revolving Loan Borrowing shall be made
pursuant to a Revolving Loan Borrowing Request given by the Borrower to the
Agent in writing or by telecopy not later than the time required pursuant to
Section 2.4(a)(i) to select the interest rate basis for the Revolving Loan
Borrowing. Each Revolving Loan Borrowing Request shall be fully completed and
shall specify the information required therein, and shall be irrevocable and
binding on the Borrower. If the Revolving Loan Borrowing Request is received by
the Agent and has been correctly completed, the Agent shall promptly forward
notice of the Revolving Loan Borrowing to the Banks. Each Bank shall, before
2:00 p.m. (local time at the Applicable Lending Office of the Agent) on the date
of the requested Revolving Loan Borrowing, make available from its Applicable
Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent's Applicable Lending Office, in
immediately available funds, such Bank's ratable share of such Revolving Loan
Borrowing. Subject to the satisfaction of all applicable conditions precedent,
after receipt by the Agent of such funds, the Agent shall before close of
business on the date requested for such Revolving Loan Borrowing make such
Revolving Loan Borrowing available to the Borrower in immediately available
funds at the Borrower Account.

                                      -20-
<PAGE>   26

                           (ii) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from
a Bank before the date of any Revolving Loan Borrowing that such Bank shall not
make available to the Agent such Bank's ratable share of such Revolving Loan
Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Bank has made its ratable share of
such Revolving Loan Borrowing available to the Agent on the date of such
Revolving Loan Borrowing in accordance with paragraph (i) above and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such
date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Bank shall not have
so made its ratable share of such Revolving Loan Borrowing available to the
Agent, such Bank agrees that it shall pay interest on such amount for each day
from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower by the Agent until
the date such amount is paid to the Agent by such Bank at the Federal Funds Rate
in effect from time to time, provided that with respect to such Bank if such
amount is not paid by such Bank by the end of the second day after the Agent
makes such amount available to the Borrower, the interest rates specified above
shall be increased by a per annum amount equal to 2.00% on the third day and
shall remain at such increased rate thereafter. Interest on such amount shall be
due and payable by such Bank upon demand by the Agent. If such Bank shall pay to
the Agent such amount and interest as provided above, such amount so paid shall
constitute such Bank's Revolving Loan Advance as part of such Revolving Loan
Borrowing for all purposes of this Agreement even though not made on the same
day as the other Revolving Loan Advances comprising such Revolving Loan
Borrowing. In the event that such Bank has not repaid such amount by the end of
the fifth day after such amount was made available to the Borrower, the Borrower
agrees to repay to the Agent on demand such amount, together with interest on
such amount for each day from the date such amount was made available to the
Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Agent at the interest rate
charged to the Borrower for such Revolving Loan Borrowing under the terms of
this Agreement.

                           (iii) The failure of any Bank to make available its
ratable share of any Revolving Loan Borrowing shall not relieve any other Bank
of its obligation, if any, to make available its ratable share of such Revolving
Loan Borrowing. No Bank shall be responsible for the failure of any other Bank
to honor such other Bank's obligations hereunder, including any failure to make
available any funds as part of any Revolving Loan Borrowing.

                  (d)      Prepayment.

                           (i)   The Borrower may prepay the outstanding
principal amount of the Revolving Loan pursuant to written notice given by the
Borrower to the Agent in writing or by telecopy not later than (A) 2:00 p.m.
(local time at the Applicable Lending Office of the Agent) on the third Business
Day before the date of the proposed prepayment, in the case of the prepayment of
any portion of the Revolving Loan which is comprised of LIBOR Tranches, or (B)
12:00 noon (local time at the Applicable Lending Office of the Agent) on the
same Business Day of the proposed prepayment, in the case of the prepayment of
any portion of the Revolving Loan comprised solely

                                      -21-
<PAGE>   27

of Prime Rate Tranches. Each such notice shall specify the principal amount and
Tranches of the Revolving Loan which shall be prepaid, the date of the
prepayment, and shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. Prepayments of
the Revolving Loan shall be made in an amount equal to (I) with respect to
Revolving Loan Advances bearing interest based upon the Prime Rate, $100,000 and
in integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof and (II) with respect to
Revolving Loan Advances bearing interest based upon LIBOR, $300,000 and in
integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof. If the prepayment would cause
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of any LIBOR Tranche comprising all
or any part of the Revolving Loan to be less than $300,000, or the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of all Prime Rate Tranches comprising all or any
part of the Revolving Loan to be less than $100,000, the prepayment must be in
an amount equal to the entire outstanding principal amount of such LIBOR Tranche
under the Revolving Loan or the entire outstanding principal amount of all Prime
Rate Tranches under the Revolving Loan, as the case may be. Upon receipt of any
notice of prepayment, the Agent shall give prompt notice of the intended
prepayment to the Banks. For each such notice given by the Borrower, the
Borrower shall prepay the Revolving Loan in the specified amount on the
specified date as set forth in such notice. The Borrower shall have no right to
prepay any principal amount of the Revolving Loan except as provided in this
Section 2.1(d)(i).

                           (ii)  If the aggregate outstanding principal
amount of the Revolving Loan plus the Letter of Credit Exposure plus the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Autoborrow Advances exceeds either
(A) the aggregate Commitments or (B) the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall
prepay the Revolving Loan in an amount equal to such excess; provided that, if
the Revolving Loan shall have been paid in full, the Borrower shall prepay the
Autoborrow Advances until such Autoborrow Advances are paid in full and then, if
any excess shall still exist, the Borrower shall deposit cash collateral with
the Agent to secure the Letter of Credit Exposure in an amount equal to such
remaining excess.

                           (iii) Each prepayment of principal of any LIBOR
Tranche under the Revolving Loan pursuant to this Section 2.1(c) shall be
accompanied by payment of all accrued but unpaid interest on the principal
amount prepaid and any amounts required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.5 (and
specified by the Agent as owing) as a result of such prepayment.

                  (e) Repayment. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the
ratable benefit of the Banks the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the
Revolving Loan on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

                                      -22-
<PAGE>   28

         2.2      Letter of Credit Facility.

                  (a) Commitment for Letters of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall,
on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and for the purposes set
forth in Section 5.4, issue, increase, and extend Letters of Credit at the
request of the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period
from the date of this Agreement until the Revolving Loan Maturity Date provided
that (i) the Letter of Credit Exposure shall not exceed the Letter of Credit
Sublimit and (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loan
Borrowings plus the Letter of Credit Exposure plus the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of Autoborrow Advances shall not exceed the lesser of (A) the
aggregate amount of the Revolving Loan Commitments and (B) the Borrowing Base.
No Letter of Credit may have an expiration date later than 12 months after its
issuance date, and each Letter of Credit which is self-extending beyond its
expiration date must be cancelable upon at least 30 days notice given by the
Issuing Bank to the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit. No Letter of Credit
may have an expiration date later than the Revolving Loan Maturity Date unless
approved by the Issuing Bank, the Agent, and the Banks. Each Letter of Credit
must be in form and substance acceptable to the Issuing Bank. The indebtedness
of the Borrower to the Issuing Bank resulting from Letters of Credit requested
by the Borrower shall be evidenced by the Letter of Credit Applications made by
the Borrower.

                  (b) Requesting Letters of Credit. Each Letter of Credit shall
be issued, increased, or extended pursuant to a Letter of Credit Application or
Letter of Credit Application Amendment, as applicable, given by the Borrower to
the Issuing Bank in writing or by telecopy promptly confirmed in writing, such
Letter of Credit Application or Letter of Credit Application Amendment being
given not later than 2:00 p.m. (local time at the Applicable Lending Office of
the Agent) on the third Business Day before the date of the proposed issuance,
increase, or extension of the Letter of Credit. Each Letter of Credit
Application or Letter of Credit Application Amendment shall be fully completed
and shall specify the information required therein (including the proposed form
of the Letter of Credit or change thereto), and shall be irrevocable and binding
on the Borrower. If the Issuing Bank accepts the Letter of Credit Application or
Letter of Credit Application Amendment, the Issuing Bank shall give prompt
notice thereof to the Agent, and the Agent shall promptly inform the Banks of
the proposed Letter of Credit or change thereto. Subject to the satisfaction of
all applicable conditions precedent, the Issuing Bank shall before close of
business on the date requested by the Borrower for the issuance, increase, or
extension of such Letter of Credit issue, increase, or extend such Letter of
Credit to the specified beneficiary. Upon the date of the issuance, increase, or
extension of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have sold
to each other Bank and each other Bank shall be deemed to have purchased from
the Issuing Bank a ratable participation in the related Letter of Credit or
change thereto. The Issuing Bank shall notify the Agent of each Letter of Credit
issued, increased, or extended and the date and amount of each Bank's
participation in such Letter of Credit, and the Agent shall in turn notify the
Banks.




                                      -23-
<PAGE>   29





                  (c) Reimbursements for Letters of Credit. With respect to any
Letter of Credit and in accordance with the related Letter of Credit
Application, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Issuing Bank on demand of the
Issuing Bank any amount due to the Issuing Bank under such Letter of Credit
Application (provided that fees due with respect to such Letter of Credit shall
be payable as specified in Section 2.3(c)). If the Borrower does not pay upon
demand of the Issuing Bank any amount due to the Issuing Bank under any Letter
of Credit Application, in addition to any rights the Issuing Bank may have under
such Letter of Credit Application, the Issuing Bank may upon written notice to
the Agent request the satisfaction of such obligation by the making of a
Revolving Loan Borrowing. Upon such request, the Borrower shall be deemed to
have requested the making of a Revolving Loan Borrowing in the amount of such
obligation and the transfer of the proceeds thereof to the Issuing Bank. Such
Revolving Loan Borrowing shall be comprised of a Prime Rate Tranche. The Agent
shall promptly forward notice of such Revolving Loan Borrowing to the Borrower
and the Banks, and each Bank shall, in accordance with the procedures of Section
2.1(c), other than limitations on the size of Revolving Loan Borrowings, and
notwithstanding the failure of any conditions precedent, make available such
Bank's ratable share of such Revolving Loan Borrowing to the Agent, and the
Agent shall promptly deliver the proceeds thereof to the Issuing Bank for
application to such Bank's share of the obligations under such Letter of Credit.
The Borrower hereby unconditionally and irrevocably authorizes, empowers, and
directs the Issuing Bank to make such requests for Revolving Loan Borrowings on
behalf of the Borrower, and the Banks to make Revolving Loan Advances to the
Agent for the benefit of the Issuing Bank in satisfaction of such obligations.
The Agent and each Bank may record and otherwise treat the making of such
Revolving Loan Borrowings as the making of Revolving Loan Borrowings to the
Borrower under this Agreement as if requested by the Borrower. Nothing herein is
intended to release the Borrower's obligations under any Letter of Credit
Application, but only to provide an additional method of payment therefor. The
making of any Revolving Loan Borrowing under this Section 2.2(c) shall not
constitute a cure or waiver of any Default or Event of Default caused by the
Borrower's failure to comply with the provisions of this Agreement or any Letter
of Credit Application.

                  (d) Prepayments of Letters of Credit. In the event that any
Letters of Credit shall be outstanding or shall be drawn and not reimbursed
after the Revolving Loan Maturity Date, the Borrower shall pay to the Agent an
amount equal to the Letter of Credit Exposure allocable to such Letters of
Credit to be held in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account and applied in
accordance with paragraph (g) below.

                  (e) Obligations Unconditional. The obligations of the Borrower
and each Bank under this Agreement and the Letter of Credit Applications to make
payments as required to reimburse the Issuing Bank for draws under Letters of
Credit and to make other payments due in respect of Letters of Credit shall be
unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement and the Letter of Credit Applications under all



                                      -24-
<PAGE>   30

circumstances, including: (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any
Letter of Credit Document; (ii) any amendment, waiver, or consent to departure
from any Letter of Credit Document; (iii) the existence of any claim, set-off,
defense, or other right which the Borrower or any Bank may have at any time
against any beneficiary or transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Persons
for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the Issuing
Bank, or any other person or entity, whether in connection with the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement or any unrelated transaction; (iv) any statement
or any other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be
forged, fraudulent, invalid, or insufficient in any respect or any statement
therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or (v) payment by the Issuing
Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate
which does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; provided,
however, that nothing contained in this paragraph (e) shall be deemed to
constitute a waiver of any remedies of the Borrower or any Bank in connection
with the Letters of Credit or the Borrower's or such Bank's rights under
paragraph (f) below.

                  (f)      Liability of Issuing Bank. The Issuing Bank shall
not be liable or responsible for: (i) the use which may be made of any Letter of
Credit or any acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee in connection
therewith; (ii) the validity, sufficiency, or genuineness of documents related
to Letters of Credit, or of any endorsement thereon, even if such documents
should prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, fraudulent, or
forged; (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank against presentation of documents
which do not strictly comply with the terms of a Letter of Credit, including
failure of any documents to bear any reference or adequate reference to the
relevant Letter of Credit; or (iv) any other circumstances whatsoever in making
or failing to make payment under any Letter of Credit (INCLUDING THE ISSUING
BANK'S OWN NEGLIGENCE); except that the Issuing Bank shall be liable to the
Borrower or any Bank to the extent of any direct, as opposed to consequential,
damages suffered by the Borrower or such Bank which the Borrower or such Bank
proves were caused by (A) the Issuing Bank's gross negligence or willful
misconduct in determining whether documents presented under a Letter of Credit
comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (B) the Issuing Bank's willful
failure to make or delay in making lawful payment under any Letter of Credit
after the presentation to it of documentation strictly complying with the terms
and conditions of such Letter of Credit.

                  (g)      Letter of Credit Collateral Account.

                           (i)      If the Borrower is required to deposit
funds in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account pursuant to Sections 2.2(d) or
6.4, then the Borrower and the Agent shall establish the Letter of Credit
Collateral Account and the Borrower shall execute any documents and agreements,
including the Agent's standard form assignment of deposit accounts, that the
Agent requests in connection therewith to establish the Letter of Credit
Collateral Account and grant the Agent a first priority security interest in
such account and the funds therein. The Borrower hereby

                                      -25-
<PAGE>   31

pledges to the Agent and grants the Agent a security interest in the Letter of
Credit Collateral Account, whenever established, all funds held in the Letter of
Credit Collateral Account from time to time, and all proceeds thereof as
security for the payment of the Credit Obligations.

                           (ii) Funds held in the Letter of Credit Collateral
Account shall be held as cash collateral for obligations with respect to Letters
of Credit and promptly applied by the Agent at the request of the Issuing Bank
to any reimbursement or other obligations under Letters of Credit that exist or
occur. To the extent that any surplus funds are held in the Letter of Credit
Collateral Account above the Letter of Credit Exposure, during the existence of
an Event of Default the Agent may (A) hold such surplus funds in the Letter of
Credit Collateral Account as cash collateral for the Credit Obligations or (B)
apply such surplus funds to any Credit Obligations in accordance with Section
6.9. If no Default exists, the Agent shall release to the Borrower at the
Borrower's written request any funds held in the Letter of Credit Collateral
Account above the amounts required by Section 2.2(d).

                           (iii) Funds held in the Letter of Credit Collateral
Account shall be invested in Cash Equivalents (as defined in the Indenture)
maintained with, and under the sole dominion and control of, the Agent or in
another investment if mutually agreed upon by the Borrower and the Agent
(provided such investment is permitted by the Indenture), but the Agent shall
have no other obligation to make any other investment of the funds therein. The
Agent shall exercise reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any
funds held in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account and shall be deemed to
have exercised such care if such funds are accorded treatment substantially
equivalent to that which the Agent accords its own property, it being understood
that the Agent shall not have any responsibility for taking any necessary steps
to preserve rights against any parties with respect to any such funds.

         2.3      Fees.

                  (a) Facility Fee. The Borrower shall pay the Agent for the
ratable benefit of the Banks a facility fee in an amount equal to .30%
multiplied by the aggregate Revolving Loan Commitments on the date of this
Agreement less any deposit made in respect of such facility fee before the date
of this Agreement. Such facility fee shall be due and payable within 90 days
after the date of this Agreement.

                  (b) Unused Revolving Loan Commitment Fees. The Borrower shall
pay to the Agent for the ratable benefit of the Banks an unused commitment fee
in an amount equal to .25% per annum multiplied by the average daily amount by
which (i) the aggregate amount of the Revolving Loan Commitments exceeds (ii)
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loan plus the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Autoborrow Advances plus

                                      -26-
<PAGE>   32

the Letter of Credit Exposure. The unused commitment fee shall commence to
accrue upon the date of this Agreement and shall be due and payable in arrears
on the last day of each calendar quarter and on the Revolving Loan Maturity
Date.


                  (c) Fees for Letters of Credit. For each Letter of Credit
issued by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the ratable
benefit of the Banks a letter of credit fee equal to the Applicable Margin for
letter of credit fees per annum on the face amount of such Letter of Credit for
the stated term of such Letter of Credit. In addition, for each Letter of Credit
issued by the Issuing Bank and outstanding when any Person other than the Agent
is a Bank, the Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the benefit of the Issuing
Bank a fronting fee of 0.125% per annum on the face amount of such Letter of
Credit for the stated term of such Letter of Credit. The Borrower shall pay such
letter of credit fees for each Letter of Credit quarterly in arrears on the last
day of each calendar quarter.

                  (d) Administrative Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent a
non-refundable administrative fee of $75,000, $15,000 of which has previously
been paid prior to the date of this Agreement and the $60,000 balance of which
is due and payable in immediately available funds on March 31, 1998.

         2.4      Interest.

                  (a) Election of Interest Rate Basis. The Borrower may select
the interest rate basis for the Revolving Loan in accordance with the terms of
this Section 2.4(a):

                           (i)      Under the Revolving Loan Borrowing Request
provided to the Agent in connection with the making of each Revolving Loan
Borrowing, the Borrower shall select the amount and the Type of the Tranches,
and for each LIBOR Tranche selected, any permitted Interest Period for each such
LIBOR Tranche, which will comprise such Revolving Loan Borrowing,
provided that (A) at no time shall there be more than four separate LIBOR
Tranches outstanding and (B) each Tranche must be in a principal amount equal to
or greater than (I) in the case of LIBOR Tranches, $300,000 and (II) in the case
of Prime Rate Tranches, $100,000, and in each case, shall be made in multiples
of $100,000 in excess thereof. Such interest rate elections must be provided to
the Agent in writing or by telecopy not later than 1:00 p.m. (local time at the
Applicable Lending Office of the Agent) on the third Business Day before the
date of any proposed Revolving Loan Borrowing comprised of a LIBOR Tranche or
11:00 a.m. (local time at the Applicable Lending Office of the Agent) on the
same day of any proposed Revolving Loan Borrowing comprised solely of a Prime
Rate Tranche. The Agent shall promptly forward copies of such interest rate
elections to the Banks. In the case of any Revolving Loan Borrowing comprised of
a LIBOR Tranche, upon



                                      -27-
<PAGE>   33

determination by the Agent, the Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the
Banks of the applicable interest rate for such Tranche.

                           (ii)     With respect to any Tranche, the Borrower
may continue or convert any portion of any LIBOR Tranche or Prime Rate Tranche
to form new LIBOR Tranches or Prime Rate Tranches in accordance with this
paragraph. Each such continuation or conversion shall be deemed to create a new
Tranche for all purposes of this Agreement. Each such continuation or conversion
shall be made pursuant to a Continuation/Conversion Request given by the
Borrower to the Agent in writing or by telecopy not later than 2:00 p.m. (local
time at the Applicable Lending Office of the Agent) on the third Business Day
before the date of the proposed continuation or conversion. Each
Continuation/Conversion Request shall be fully completed and shall specify the
information required therein, and shall be irrevocable and binding on the
Borrower. The Agent shall promptly forward notice of the continuation or
conversion to the Banks. In the case of any continuation or conversion into
LIBOR Tranches, upon determination by the Agent, the Agent shall notify the
Borrower and the Banks of the applicable interest rate. Continuations and
conversions of Tranches shall be made in a minimum amount of $300,000 and in
integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof. No continuation or conversion
shall be permitted if such continuation or conversion would cause the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of any LIBOR Tranche which would remain outstanding
to be less than $300,000 or the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all
Prime Rate Tranches which would remain outstanding to be less than $100,000. At
no time shall there be more than four separate LIBOR Tranches outstanding. Any
conversion of an existing LIBOR Tranche is subject to Section 2.5. Subject to
the satisfaction of all applicable conditions precedent, the Agent and the Banks
shall before close of business on the date requested by the Borrower for the
continuation or conversion, make such continuation or conversion.

                           (iii) At the end of the Interest Period for any LIBOR
Tranche if the Borrower has not continued or converted such LIBOR Tranche into
new Tranches as provided for in paragraph (ii) above, the Borrower shall be
deemed to have converted such LIBOR Tranche to a Prime Rate Tranche. Each Prime
Rate Tranche shall continue as a Prime Rate Tranche unless the Borrower converts
such Prime Rate Tranche as provided for in paragraph (ii) above.

                  (b) LIBOR Tranches. Each LIBOR Tranche shall bear interest
during its Interest Period at a per annum interest rate equal to the sum of the
LIBOR for such Tranche plus the Applicable Margin for LIBOR Tranches in effect
from time to time. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the ratable benefit
of the Banks all accrued but unpaid interest on each LIBOR Tranche on the last
day of the applicable Interest Period for such LIBOR Tranche (and with respect
to LIBOR Tranches with Interest Periods of greater than three months, on the
date which is three months after the first date of the Interest Period for such
LIBOR Tranche), when required upon prepayment as

                                      -28-
<PAGE>   34

specified elsewhere in this Agreement, on any date when such LIBOR Tranche is
prepaid in full, and on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

                  (c) Prime Rate Tranches. Each Prime Rate Tranche shall bear
interest at a per annum interest rate equal to the Adjusted Prime Rate in effect
from time to time plus the Applicable Margin for Prime Rate Tranches in effect
from time to time. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the ratable benefit
of the Banks all accrued but unpaid interest on outstanding Prime Rate Tranches
on the last day of each calendar quarter, when required upon prepayment as
specified elsewhere in this Agreement, on any date all Prime Rate Tranches are
prepaid in full, and on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

                  (d)      Usury Protection.

                           (i)      If, with respect to any Bank and the
Borrower, the effective rate of interest contracted for by such Bank with the
Borrower under the Credit Documents, including the stated rates of interest
contracted for hereunder and any other amounts contracted for under the Credit
Documents which are deemed to be interest, at any time exceeds the Highest
Lawful Rate, then the outstanding principal amount of the loans made by such
Bank to the Borrower hereunder shall bear interest at a rate which would make
the effective rate of interest on the loans made by such Bank to the Borrower
under the Credit Documents equal the Highest Lawful Rate until the difference
between the amounts which would have been due by the Borrower to such Bank at
the stated rates and the amounts which were due by the Borrower to such Bank at
the Highest Lawful Rate (the "Lost Interest") has been recaptured by such Bank.
If, when the loans made hereunder are repaid in full, the Lost Interest has not
been fully recaptured by such Bank pursuant to the preceding paragraph, then, to
the extent permitted by law, the interest rates charged by such Bank to the
Borrower hereunder shall be retroactively increased such that the effective rate
of interest on the loans made by such Bank to the Borrower under the Credit
Documents was at the Highest Lawful Rate since the effectiveness of this
Agreement to the extent necessary to recapture the Lost Interest not recaptured
pursuant to the preceding sentence and, to the extent allowed by law, the
Borrower shall pay to such Bank the amount of the Lost Interest remaining to be
recaptured by such Bank.

                           (ii)     In calculating all sums paid or agreed to

be paid to any Bank by the
Borrower for the use, forbearance, or detention of money under the Credit
Documents, such amounts shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be
amortized, prorated, allocated, and spread in equal parts throughout the term of
the Credit Documents.

                           (iii)    NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING OR ANY OTHER
TERM IN THIS AGREEMENT AND THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS TO THE CONTRARY, it is
the intention of each Bank and the Borrower to conform strictly to any
applicable usury laws.


                                      -29-
<PAGE>   35

Accordingly, if any Bank contracts for, charges, or receives any consideration
from the Borrower which constitutes interest in excess of the Highest Lawful
Rate, then any such excess shall be canceled automatically and, if previously
paid, shall at such Bank's option be applied to the outstanding amount of the
loans made hereunder by such Bank to the Borrower or be refunded to the
Borrower.

         2.5 Breakage Costs. If (i) any payment of principal on or any
conversion of any LIBOR Tranche is made on any date other than the last day of
the Interest Period for such LIBOR Tranche, whether as a result of any voluntary
or mandatory prepayment, any acceleration of maturity, or any other cause, (ii)
any payment of principal on any LIBOR Tranche is not made when due, or (iii) any
LIBOR Tranche is not borrowed, converted, or prepaid in accordance with the
respective notice thereof provided by the Borrower to the Agent, whether as a
result of any failure to meet any applicable conditions precedent for borrowing,
conversion, or prepayment, the permitted cancellation of any request for
borrowing, conversion, or prepayment, the failure of the Borrower to provide the
respective notice of borrowing, conversion, or prepayment, or any other cause
not specified above which is created by the Borrower, then the Borrower shall
pay to each Bank upon demand any amounts required to compensate such Bank for
any losses, costs, or expenses, including lost profits and administrative
expenses, which are reasonably allocable to such action, including losses,
costs, and expenses related to the liquidation or redeployment of funds acquired
or designated by such Bank to fund or maintain such Bank's ratable share of such
LIBOR Tranche or related to the reacquisition or redesignation of funds by such
Bank to fund or maintain such Bank's ratable share of such LIBOR Tranche
following any liquidation or redeployment of such funds caused by such action.
Such Bank need not prove matched funding of any particular funds, and a
certificate as to the amount of such loss, cost, or expense detailing the
calculation thereof and certifying that such Bank customarily charges such
amounts to its other customers in similar circumstances submitted by such Bank
to the Borrower shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent
manifest error.

         2.6      Increased Costs.

                  (a) Cost of Funds. If due to either (i) any introduction of,
change in, or change in the interpretation of any law or regulation after the
date of this Agreement or (ii) compliance with any guideline or request from any
central bank or other Governmental Authority having appropriate jurisdiction
(whether or not having the force of law) given after the date of this Agreement,
there shall be any increase in the costs of any Bank allocable to (x) committing
to make any Revolving Loan Advance or obtaining funds for the making, funding,
or maintaining of such Bank's ratable share of any LIBOR Tranche in the relevant
interbank market or (y) committing to make Letters of Credit or issuing,
funding, or maintaining Letters of Credit (including any increase in any
applicable reserve requirement specified by the Federal Reserve Board, including
those for emergency, marginal, supplemental, or other reserves), then the
Borrower shall pay to such Bank upon demand


                                      -30-
<PAGE>   36

any amounts required to compensate such Bank for such increased costs, such
amounts being due and payable upon demand by such Bank. A certificate as to the
cause and amount of such increased cost detailing the calculation of such cost
and certifying that such Bank customarily charges such amounts to its other
customers in similar circumstances submitted by such Bank to the Borrower shall
be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

                  (b) Capital Adequacy. If, due to either (i) any introduction
of, change in, or change in the interpretation of any law or regulation after
the date of this Agreement or (ii) compliance with any guideline or request from
any central bank or other Governmental Authority having appropriate jurisdiction
(whether or not having the force of law) given after the date of this Agreement,
there shall be any increase in the capital requirements of any Bank or its
parent or holding company allocable to (x) committing to make Revolving Loan
Advances or making, funding, or maintaining Revolving Loan Advances or (y)
committing to make Letters of Credit or issuing, funding, or maintaining Letters
of Credit, as such capital requirements are allocated by such Bank, then the
Borrower shall pay to such Bank upon demand any amounts required to compensate
such Bank or its parent or holding company for such increase in costs (including
an amount equal to any reduction in the rate of return on assets or equity of
such Bank or its parent or holding company), such amounts being due and payable
upon demand by such Bank. A certificate as to the cause and amounts detailing
the calculation of such amounts and certifying that such Bank customarily
charges such amounts to its other customers in similar circumstances submitted
by such Bank to the Borrower shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes,
absent manifest error.

         2.7 Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement,
if it becomes unlawful for any Bank to obtain deposits or other funds for making
or funding such Bank's ratable share of any LIBOR Tranche in the relevant
interbank market, such Bank shall so notify the Borrower and the Agent and such
Bank's commitment to create LIBOR Tranches shall be suspended until such
condition has passed, all LIBOR Tranches applicable to such Bank shall be
converted to Prime Rate Tranches as of the end of each applicable Interest
Period (or earlier if required pursuant to, or in connection with, any Legal
Requirement), and all subsequent requests for LIBOR Tranches shall be deemed to
be requests for Prime Rate Tranches with respect to such Bank.

         2.8 Market Failure. Notwithstanding any other provision in this
Agreement, if the Agent determines that: (a) quotations of interest rates for
the relevant deposits referred to in the definition of "LIBOR" are not being
provided in the relevant amounts, or maturities for purposes of determining the
rate of interest referred to in the definition of "LIBOR" or (b) the relevant
rates of interest referred to in the definition of "LIBOR" which are used as the
basis to determine the rate of interest for LIBOR Tranches are not likely to
adequately cover the cost to any Bank of making or maintaining such Bank's
ratable share of any LIBOR Tranche, then if the Agent so notifies the Borrower,
the Agent and the Banks' commitment to create LIBOR Tranches shall be suspended
until


                                      -31-
<PAGE>   37

such condition has passed, all LIBOR Tranches shall be converted to Prime
Rate Tranches as of the end of each applicable Interest Period (or earlier if
required pursuant to, or in connection with, any Legal Requirement) and all
subsequent requests for LIBOR Tranches shall be deemed to be requests for Prime
Rate Tranches.

         2.9      Payment Procedures and Computations.

                  (a) Payment Procedures. Time is of the essence in this
Agreement and the Credit Documents. All payment hereunder shall be made in
Dollars. The Borrower shall make each payment under this Agreement and under the
Revolving Loan Notes not later than 12:00 noon (local time at the Applicable
Lending Office of the Agent) on the day when due to the Agent at the Agent's
Applicable Lending Office in immediately available funds. All payments by the
Borrower hereunder shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding, or
reduction. Upon receipt of payment from the Borrower of any principal, interest,
or fees due to the Banks, the Agent shall promptly after receipt thereof
distribute to the Banks their ratable share of such payments for the account of
their respective Applicable Lending Offices. Interest on such amount shall be
due and payable by the Agent upon demand by such Bank. Upon receipt of other
amounts due solely to the Agent, the Issuing Bank, or a specific Bank, the Agent
shall distribute such amounts to the appropriate party to be applied in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

                  (b) Agent Reliance. Unless the Agent shall have received
written notice from the Borrower prior to any date on which any payment is due
to the Banks that the Borrower shall not make such payment in full, the Agent
may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such
date and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be
distributed to each Bank on such date an amount equal to the amount then due
such Bank. If and to the extent the Borrower shall not have so made such payment
in full to the Agent, each Bank shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand
such amount distributed to such Bank, together with interest thereon from the
date such amount is distributed to such Bank until the date such Bank repays
such amount to the Agent, at an interest rate equal to, the Federal Funds Rate
in effect from time to time, provided that with respect to such Bank, if such
amount is not repaid by such Bank by the end of the second day after the date of
the Agent's demand, the interest rates specified above shall be increased
by a per annum amount equal to 2.00% on the third day after the date of the
Agent's demand and shall remain at such increased rate thereafter.

                  (c) Sharing of Payments. Each Bank agrees that if it should
receive any payment (whether by voluntary payment, by realization upon security,
by the exercise of the right of setoff or banker's lien, by counterclaim or
cross action, by the enforcement of any right under the Credit Documents, or
otherwise) in respect of any obligation of the Borrower to pay principal,
interest, fees, or any other obligation incurred under the Credit Documents in a
proportion greater than the total


                                      -32-
<PAGE>   38

amount of such principal, interest, fees, or other obligations then owed and due
by the Borrower to such Bank bears to the total amount of principal, interest,
fees, or other obligations then owed and due by the Borrower to all of the Banks
immediately prior to such receipt, then such Bank receiving such excess payment
shall purchase for cash without recourse from the other Banks an interest in the
obligations of the Borrower to such Banks in such amount as shall result in a
participation by all of the Banks, in proportion with the Banks' respective pro
rata shares, in the aggregate unpaid amount of principal, interest, fees, or any
such other obligation, as the case may be, owed by the Borrower to all of the
Banks; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter
recovered from such Bank, such purchase shall be rescinded and the purchase
price restored to the extent of such recovery, in proportion with the Banks'
respective pro rata shares, but without interest.

                  (d) Authority to Charge Accounts. The Agent, if and to the
extent payment owed to the Agent or any Bank is not made when due, may charge
from time to time against any account of the Borrower with the Agent any amount
so due. The Agent agrees promptly to notify the Borrower after any such charge
and application made by the Agent provided that the failure to give such notice
shall not affect the validity of such charge and application.

                  (e) Interest and Fees. Unless expressly provided for in this
Agreement, (i) all computations of interest based on the Prime Rate (including
the Adjusted Prime Rate, when applicable) shall be made on the basis of a
365/366 day year, as the case may be, (ii) all computations of interest based on
the Federal Funds Rate (including the Adjusted Prime Rate, when applicable)
shall be made on the basis of a 360 day year, (iii) all computations of interest
based upon the LIBOR shall be made on the basis of a 360 day year, and (iv) all
computations of fees shall be made on the basis of a 360 day year, in each case
for the actual number of days (including the first day, but excluding the last
day) occurring in the period for which such interest or fees are payable. Each
determination by the Agent of an interest rate or fee shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

                  (f) Payment Dates. Whenever any payment shall be stated to be
due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next
succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be
included in the computation of payment of interest or fees, as the case may be.
If the time for payment for an amount payable is not specified in this
Agreement or in any other Credit Document, the payment shall be due and payable
on demand by the Agent or the applicable Bank.



                                      -33-
<PAGE>   39

         2.10     Taxes.

                  (a) No Deduction for Certain Taxes. Any and all payments by
the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any and
all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, or
withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto, other than taxes imposed
on the income and franchise taxes imposed on the Agent, any Bank, or the
Applicable Lending Office thereof by any jurisdiction in which any such entity
is a citizen or resident or any political subdivision of such jurisdiction (all
such nonexcluded taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings, and
liabilities being hereinafter referred to as "Taxes"). If the Borrower shall be
required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable to the
Agent, any Bank, or the Applicable Lending Office thereof, (i) the sum payable
shall be increased as may be necessary so that, after making all required
deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under
this Section 2.10), such Person receives an amount equal to the sum it would
have received had no such deductions been made; (ii) the Borrower shall make
such deductions; and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to
the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable
law.

                  (b) Other Taxes. The Borrower agrees to pay any present or
future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes,
charges, or similar levies which arise from any payment made or from the
execution, delivery, or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, this
Agreement or the other Credit Documents (other than those which become due as a
result of any Bank joining this Agreement as a result of any Assignment and
Acceptance, which shall be paid by the Bank which becomes a Bank hereunder as a
result of such Assignment and Acceptance).

                  (c) Foreign Bank Withholding Exemption. Each Bank and Issuing
Bank that is not incorporated under the laws of the United States of America or
a state thereof agrees that it shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent (i)
two duly completed copies of United States Internal Revenue Service Form 1001 or
4224 or successor applicable form, as the case may be, certifying in each case
that such Bank is entitled to receive payments under this Agreement and the
Revolving Loan Notes payable to it, without deduction or withholding of any
United States federal income taxes, (ii) if applicable, an Internal Revenue
Service Form W-8 or W-9 or successor applicable form, as the case may be, to
establish an exemption from United States backup withholding tax, and (iii) any
other governmental forms which are necessary or required under an applicable tax
treaty or otherwise by law to reduce or eliminate any withholding tax, which
have been reasonably requested by the Borrower. Each Bank which delivers to the
Borrower and the Agent a Form 1001 or 4224 and Form W-8 or W-9 pursuant to the
next preceding sentence further undertakes to deliver to the Borrower and the
Agent two further copies of the said letter and Form 1001 or 4224 and Form W-8
or W-9, or successor applicable forms, or other manner of certification, as the
case may be, on or before the date that any such letter or form expires or
becomes obsolete or after the


                                      -34-
<PAGE>   40
occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent letter and form
previously delivered by it to the Borrower and the Agent, and such extensions or
renewals thereof as may reasonably be requested by the Borrower and the Agent
certifying in the case of a Form 1001 or 4224 that such Bank is entitled to
receive payments under this Agreement without deduction or withholding of any
United States federal income taxes. If an event (including without limitation
any change in treaty, law or regulation) has occurred prior to the date on which
any delivery required by the preceding sentence would otherwise be required
which renders all such forms inapplicable or which would prevent any Bank from
duly completing and delivering any such letter or form with respect to it and
such Bank advises the Borrower and the Agent that it is not capable of receiving
payments without any deduction or withholding of United States federal income
tax, and in the case of a Form W-8 or W-9, establishing an exemption from United
States backup withholding tax, such Bank shall not be required to deliver such
letter or forms. The Borrower shall withhold tax at the rate and in the manner
required by the laws of the United States with respect to payments made to a
Bank failing to provide the requisite Internal Revenue Service forms in a timely
manner. Each Bank which fails to provide to the Borrower in a timely manner such
forms shall reimburse the Borrower upon demand for any penalties paid by the
Borrower as a result of any failure of the Borrower to withhold the required
amounts that are caused by such Bank's failure to provide the required forms in
a timely manner.

ARTICLE 3.        CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.

         3.1 Conditions Precedent to Initial Extensions of Credit. The
obligation of each Bank to make the initial extension of credit under this
Agreement, including the making of the initial Revolving Loan Advances, the
making of the initial Autoborrow Advances, and the issuance of the initial
Letters of Credit, shall be subject to the following conditions precedent:

                  (a) Documents. The Borrower shall have delivered or caused to
be delivered the documents and other items listed on Exhibit H, together with
any other documents reasonably requested by the Agent to document the agreements
and intent of the Credit Documents, each in form and with substance satisfactory
to the Agent and its counsel.

                  (b) Due Diligence. The Agent shall have completed and be
satisfied with due diligence with respect to the Restricted Parties, including
due diligence regarding the individual executives and directors of the
Restricted Parties and all litigation, tax, accounting, labor, insurance, and
pension liabilities, actual or contingent, with respect to the Restricted
Parties, all real estate leases, debt agreements, and property ownership of the
Restricted Parties, and such other matters as the Agent deems appropriate; and





                                      -35-
<PAGE>   41

                  (c) Material Adverse Change. No Material Adverse Change shall
have occurred since December 31, 1996.

         3.2 Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit. The obligation of
each Bank to make any extension of credit under this Agreement or any extension
under the Autoborrow Agreement, including the making of any Revolving Loan
Advances, the making of the Autoborrow Advances, and the issuance, increase, or
extension of any Letters of Credit, shall be subject to the further conditions
precedent that on the date of such extension of credit:

                  (a) Representations and Warranties. As of the date of the
making of any extension of credit hereunder or under the Autoborrow Agreement,
the representations and warranties contained in each Credit Document shall be
true and correct in all material respects as of such date (and the Borrower's
request for the making of any extension of credit hereunder shall be deemed to
be a restatement, representation, and additional warranty of the representations
and warranties contained in each Credit Document as of such date); and

                  (b) Default. As of the date of the making of any extension of
credit hereunder or under the Autoborrow Agreement, there shall exist no Default
or Event of Default, and the making of the extension of credit would not cause
or be reasonably expected to cause a Default or Event of Default.

ARTICLE 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The Borrower represents and warrants
to the Agent and each Bank, and with each request for any extension of credit
hereunder or under the Autoborrow Agreement, including the making of any
Revolving Loan Advances, the making of any Autoborrow Advances, and the
issuance, increase, or extension of any Letters of Credit, again represents and
warrants to the Agent and each Bank, as follows:

         4.1 Organization. As of the date of this Agreement, each Restricted
Entity (a) is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the
laws of such Person's respective jurisdiction of organization and (b) is duly
licensed, qualified to do business, and in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which such Person is organized, owns property, or conducts operations to the
extent that any failure to be so licensed, qualified, or in good standing in
accordance with this clause (b) could reasonably be expected to cause a Material
Adverse Change.

         4.2 Authorization. The execution, delivery, and performance by each
Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which such Credit Party is a party and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (a) do not contravene
the organizational documents of such Credit Party, (b) have been duly authorized
by all necessary corporate action of each Credit Party, and (c) are within each
Credit Party's corporate powers.




                                      -36-
<PAGE>   42
         4.3 Enforceability. Each Credit Document to which any Credit Party is a
party has been duly executed and delivered by each Credit Party which is a party
to such Credit Document and constitutes the legal, valid, and binding obligation
of each such Credit Party, enforceable against each such Credit Party in
accordance with such Credit Document's terms, except as limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws at the time
in effect affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to the
availability of equitable remedies.

         4.4 Absence of Conflicts and Approvals. The execution, delivery, and
performance by each Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which such Credit
Party is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby,
(a) do not result in any violation or breach of any provisions of, or constitute
a default under, any note, indenture, credit agreement, security agreement,
credit support agreement, or other similar agreement to which such Credit Party
is a party or any other material contract or agreement to which such Credit
Party is a party, (b) do not violate any law or regulation binding on or
affecting such Credit Party, (c) do not require any authorization, approval, or
other action by, or any notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority,
and (d) do not result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien
prohibited by this Agreement.

         4.5 Investment Companies. No Restricted Entity or Affiliate thereof is
an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an "investment company"
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

         4.6 Public Utilities. No Restricted Entity or Affiliate thereof is a
"holding company," or a "subsidiary company" of a "holding company," or an
"affiliate" of a "holding company" or of a "subsidiary company" of a "holding
company," within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935,
as amended. No Restricted Entity or Affiliate thereof is a regulated public
utility.

         4.7      Financial Condition.

                  (a) The Borrower has delivered to the Agent the Financial
Statements, and the Financial Statements are accurate and complete in all
material respects and present fairly the financial condition of Borrower as of
their respective dates and for their respective periods in accordance with GAAP.

                  (b) As of the date of the Financial Statements, there were no
material contingent obligations, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or
long-term commitments, or unrealized or anticipated losses of the Borrower or
any of the Borrower's Subsidiaries, except as disclosed therein and adequate
reserves for such items have been made in accordance with GAAP. No Material
Adverse Change has occurred since the date of the Financial Statements. No
Default exists.


                                      -37-
<PAGE>   43

         4.8 Condition of Assets. Each Restricted Entity has good and
indefeasible title to substantially all of its owned property and valid
leasehold rights in all of its leased property, as reflected in the financial
statements most recently provided to the Agent, free and clear of all Liens
except Permitted Liens. Each Restricted Entity possesses and has properly
approved, recorded, and filed, where applicable, all permits, licenses, patents,
patent rights or licenses, trademarks, trademark rights, trade name rights, and
copyrights which are useful in the conduct of its business and which the failure
to possess could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. The
material properties used or to be used in the continuing operations of each
Restricted Entity are in good repair, working order, and condition, normal wear
and tear excepted. The properties of each Restricted Entity have not been
adversely affected as a result of any fire, explosion, earthquake, flood,
drought, windstorm, accident, strike or other labor disturbance, embargo,
requisition or taking of property or cancellation of contracts, permits, or
concessions by a Governmental Authority, riot, activities of armed forces, or
acts of God or of any public enemy in any manner which (after giving effect to
any insurance proceeds) could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse
Change.

         4.9 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, or proceedings pending or,
to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against any Restricted Entity at
law, in equity, or in admiralty, or by or before any Governmental Authority, or
any arbitrator which could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse
Change.

         4.10 Subsidiaries. As of the date of this Agreement, the Borrower has
no Subsidiaries except as disclosed in Schedule II. The Borrower has no
Subsidiaries which have not been disclosed in writing to the Agent.

         4.11 Laws and Regulations. Each Restricted Entity has been and is in
compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations which are
applicable to the operations and property of such Person where the failure to
comply with the same could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse
Change.

         4.12 Environmental Compliance. Each Restricted Entity has been and is
in compliance with all Environmental Laws and has obtained and is in compliance
with all related permits necessary for the ownership and operation of any such
Person's properties where the failure to be in compliance with the same could
reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. Each Restricted
Entity has not received notice of and has not been investigated for any
violation or alleged violation of any Environmental Law in connection with any
such Person's presently or previously owned properties which currently threaten
action or suggest liabilities which could reasonably be expected to cause a
Material Adverse Change. Each Restricted Entity does not and has not created,
handled, transported, used, or disposed of any Hazardous Materials on or about
any such Person's properties (nor has any such Person's properties been used for
those purposes); has never been



                                      -38-
<PAGE>   44

responsible for the release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment in
connection with any such Person's operations and has not contaminated any
properties with Hazardous Materials; and does not and has not owned any
properties contaminated by any Hazardous Materials, in each case in any manner
which could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

         4.13 ERISA. Each Restricted Entity and each of its Commonly Controlled
Entities are in compliance with all provisions of ERISA to the extent that the
failure to be in compliance could reasonably be expected to cause a Material
Adverse Change. No Restricted Entity nor its Commonly Controlled Entities
participates in or during the past five years has participated in any employee
pension benefit plan covered by Title IV of ERISA or any multiemployer plan
under Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA. With respect to the Plans of the Restricted
Entities, no Material Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction has occurred
and exists that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

         4.14 Taxes. Each Restricted Entity has filed all United States federal,
state, and local income tax returns and all other domestic and foreign tax
returns which are required to be filed by such Person and has paid, or provided
for the payment before the same became delinquent of, all taxes due pursuant to
such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by such Person except for
tax payments being contested in good faith for which adequate reserves have been
established and reported in accordance with GAAP which could not reasonably be
expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. The charges, accruals, and reserves
on the books of the Restricted Entities in respect of taxes are adequate in
accordance with GAAP.

         4.15 Authorization and Approvals. No authorization or approval or other
action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority or other
third party is required for the due execution, delivery, and performance by the
Restricted Entities of the Credit Documents to which each is a party, or for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby. At the time of each
Revolving Loan Borrowing and the issuance, amendment, or increase of each Letter
of Credit, no further authorization or approval or other action by, and no
notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority or other third party will
be required for such Revolving Loan Borrowing or the use of the proceeds of such
Revolving Loan Borrowing.

         4.16 Margin Regulations. Each Restricted Entity is in compliance with
Regulations G, T, U, and X.

         4.17 True and Complete Disclosure. All factual information furnished by
or on behalf of any Credit Party in writing to the Agent or any Bank in
connection with the Credit Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby
is true and accurate in all material respects on the date as of which such
information was dated or certified and does not contain any untrue statement of
material


                                      -39-
<PAGE>   45
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements
contained therein not misleading. All projections, estimates, and pro forma
financial information furnished by any Credit Party were prepared on the basis
of assumptions, data, information, tests, or conditions believed to be
reasonable at the time such projections, estimates, and pro forma financial
information were furnished.

         4.18 Permits, Licenses, etc. The Borrower and the Restricted Entities
possess all permits, licenses, patents, patent rights or licenses, trademarks,
trademark rights, trade name rights, and copyrights which are necessary and
material to the conduct of their business. The Borrower and the Restricted
Entities manage and operate their business in all material respects in
accordance with all applicable Legal Requirements and standard industry
practices.

ARTICLE 5. COVENANTS. Until the Agent and the Banks receive irrevocable payment
of the Credit Obligations and have terminated this Agreement and each other
Credit Document, the Borrower shall comply with and cause compliance with the
following covenants:

         5.1 Organization. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Entity to
(a) maintain itself as an entity duly organized, validly existing, and in good
standing under the laws of such Person's respective jurisdiction of organization
and (b) be duly licensed, qualified to do business, and in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such Person is organized, owns property, or conducts
operations and which requires such licensing or qualification where failure to
be so licensed, qualified, or in good standing as required by this clause (b)
could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change; provided,
however, that nothing in this Section 5.1 shall be interpreted to be violated as
a result of a transaction permitted by Section 5.9.

         5.2 Reporting. The Borrower shall furnish to the Agent all of the
following:

                  (a) Annual Reports. As soon as available and in any event not
later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, (i) a copy
of the annual audit report for such fiscal year for the Borrower, including
therein the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as of the end of such
fiscal year and the consolidated statements of income, stockholders' equity, and
cash flows for the Borrower for such fiscal year, setting forth the consolidated
financial position and results of the Borrower for such fiscal year and
certified, without any qualification or limit of the scope of the examination of
matters relevant to the financial statements, by a nationally recognized
certified public accounting firm, and (ii) a completed Borrowing Base and
Compliance Certificate duly certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

                  (b) Quarterly Reports. As soon as available and in any event
not later than 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) a copy of the
internally prepared consolidated financial


                                      -40-
<PAGE>   46

statements of the Borrower for such fiscal quarter and for the fiscal year to
date period ending on the last day of such fiscal quarter, including therein the
consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as of the end of such fiscal quarter
and the consolidated statements of income, and cash flows for such year to date
period and, except with respect to the statement of cash flows, for such fiscal
quarter, setting forth the consolidated financial position and results of the
Borrower for such fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date period, all in
reasonable detail and duly certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as
having been prepared in accordance with GAAP, including those applicable to
interim financial reports which permit normal year end adjustments and do not
require complete financial notes, (ii) a copy of the internally prepared
consolidating financial schedules of the Borrower from which the consolidated
financial statements of Borrower provided to Agent pursuant to clause (i) were
prepared, and (iii) a completed Borrowing Base and Compliance Certificate duly
certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

                  (c) Borrowing Base Reports. As soon as available and in any
event within 45 days of each calendar month, a certificate of a Responsible
Officer of the Borrower calculating the Borrowing Base then in effect as of the
end of such calendar month;

                  (d) Acquisition Information. As soon as available prior to the
closing of any Acquisition but in any event 10 Business Days prior to the
closing of the Acquisition, a completed Acquisition Certificate duly certified
by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, which the Agent shall forward to the
Banks for any Acquisition requiring approval of the Majority Banks pursuant to
Section 5.5(b) or Section 5.9(c)(ii) (and prior to the consummation of the
Acquisition, the Borrower shall make available at its offices in Houston, Texas,
the acquisition documents regarding the acquired assets, including schedules
reflecting litigation liabilities, environmental liabilities, and other assumed
liabilities, and any other information regarding the acquired assets as the
Agent may reasonably request);

                  (e) SEC Filings. As soon as available and in any event not
later than thirty days after the filing or delivery thereof, copies of all
financial statements, reports, and proxy statements which the Borrower shall
have sent to its stockholders generally and copies of all regular and periodic
reports, if any, which any Restricted Entity shall have filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission;

                  (f) Defaults. Promptly, but in any event within five Business
Days after the discovery thereof, a notice of any facts known to any Restricted
Entity which constitute a Default, together with a statement of a Responsible
Officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of such facts and the actions
which the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto (and the
Agent shall, promptly upon receipt from the Borrower of a notice pursuant to
this Section 5.2(f), forward a copy of such notice to each Bank);



                                      -41-
<PAGE>   47

                  (g) Litigation. Promptly, but in any event within 10 Business
Days after the Borrower receives notice thereof (whether constructive or actual
notice), notice of all actions, suits, and proceedings before any Governmental
Authority affecting any Restricted Entity which, if determined adversely, could
reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change;

                  (h) Material Contingent Liabilities. Promptly, but in any
event within 10 Business Days after acquiring knowledge thereof, notice of any
material contingent liabilities that could reasonably be expected to cause a
Material Adverse Change;

                  (i) Material Agreement Default. Promptly, but in any event
within 10 Business Days after obtaining knowledge thereof, notice of any breach
by any Restricted Entity of any contract or agreement which breach could
reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change;

                  (j)      Material Changes.  Prompt written notice of any
other condition or event of which any Restricted Entity has knowledge, which
condition or event has resulted or could reasonably be expected to cause a
Material Adverse Change; and

                  (k) Other Information. Such other information respecting the
business operations or property of any Restricted Entity, financial or
otherwise, as the Agent or the Majority Banks may from time to time reasonably
request.

         5.3 Inspection. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Entity to
permit the Agent and the Banks to visit and inspect any of the properties of
such Restricted Entity, to examine all of such Person's books of account,
records, reports, and other papers, to make copies and extracts therefrom, and
to discuss their respective affairs, finances, and accounts with their
respective officers, employees, and independent public accountants all at such
reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably requested provided that the
Borrower is given at least one Business Day advance notice thereof and
reasonable opportunity to be present when independent public accountants or
other third parties are contacted.

         5.4 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Revolving Loan Borrowings
shall be used by the Borrower for Acquisitions which are permitted under this
Agreement, working capital needs, Capital Expenditures, and other lawful
corporate purposes. The Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, use any part
of such proceeds for any purpose which violates or is inconsistent with
Regulations G, T, U, or X.




                                      -42-
<PAGE>   48
         5.5 Financial Covenants. The Agent shall determine compliance with the
following financial covenants based upon the most recent financial statements
dated as of the end of a fiscal quarter delivered to the Agent pursuant to
Section 5.2(b) (subject to revisions on subsequent testing dates based upon
audited financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.2(a)) or, if any
Acquisitions have occurred that are not reflected in such financial statements
and the inclusion of the financial effects of such Acquisitions are expressly
stated to be included in the financial covenants below, based upon historical
proforma financial statements for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such
date and for the appropriate period that are prepared by the Borrower in
accordance with Section 1.3(c) and presented to the Agent in accordance with
Section 5.2(c).

                  (a) Net Worth. The Borrower shall not permit the consolidated
Net Worth of the Borrower as of the last day of each fiscal quarter to be less
than the sum of (i) $15,000,000, plus (ii) 50% of the cumulative quarterly
consolidated net income of the Borrower since September 30, 1997 for each fiscal
quarter ending after that date during which the Borrower has positive
consolidated net income plus (iii) 80% of the net proceeds resulting from any
sale or issuance of any stock of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries since
September 30, 1997.

                  (b) Maximum Funded Debt to Proforma EBITDA Ratio. As of the
last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, the Borrower shall not permit
the ratio of (i) the consolidated Funded Debt of the Borrower as of the end of
such fiscal quarter to (ii) the consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for the
preceding four fiscal quarters then ended, to be greater than the minimum ratio
set forth in the table below for the applicable period set forth in the table
below (provided that in calculating the foregoing, the financial results and
balance sheet effects of any Acquisitions may, if requested by the Borrower and
approved by the Majority Banks (including approval of any pro forma financial
statements), be included in such calculations on a proforma basis for the full
period and on the relevant dates.

                           Period                             Maximum Ratio
                           ------                             -------------
                           Prior to and including
                           December 31, 1998                  6.00 to 1.00
                           Thereafter                         5.50 to 1.00

                  (c) Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. As of the last day of
each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, the Borrower shall not permit the ratio of
(i) the consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for the preceding four fiscal
quarters then ended, less consolidated cash taxes paid and Capital Expenditures
made by the Borrower during such period, to (ii) Debt Service, plus any cash
dividends made by the Borrower during the preceding four fiscal quarters then
ended, to be less than 1.00 to 1.00.






                                      -43-
<PAGE>   49
             (d) Minimum Interest Charge Coverage Ratio. As of the last day of
each fiscal quarter, the Borrower shall not permit the ratio of (i) the
consolidated EBIT of the Borrower for the preceding four fiscal quarters then
ended to (ii) Interest Charges for the preceding four fiscal quarters then ended
to be less than the minimum ratio set forth in the table below for the
applicable period set forth in the table below.

                           Period                             Minimum Ratio
                           ------                             -------------
                           Prior to and including
                           December 31, 1998                  1.00 to 1.00
                           Thereafter                         1.15 to 1.00

         5.6 Debt. The Borrower shall not permit any Restricted Entity to
create, assume, incur, suffer to exist, or in any manner become liable,
directly, indirectly, or contingently in respect of, any Debt other than
Permitted Debt.

         5.7 Liens. The Borrower shall not permit any Restricted Entity to
create, assume, incur, or suffer to exist any Lien on any of its real or
personal property whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign any right
to receive its income, except for Permitted Liens.

         5.8 Other Obligations.

             (a) The Borrower shall not permit any Restricted Entity to create,
incur, assume, or suffer to exist any obligations in respect of unfunded vested
benefits under any pension Plan or deferred compensation agreement.

             (b) The Borrower shall not permit any Restricted Entity to create,
incur, assume, or suffer to exist any obligations in respect of Derivatives,
except that nothing in this clause (b) shall be construed to prohibit the
execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower of any Interest Hedge
Agreement .

         5.9 Corporate Transactions. The Borrower shall not, without the
Majority Banks' consent, permit any Restricted Entity to (a) merge, consolidate,
or amalgamate with another Person, or liquidate, wind up, or dissolve itself (or
take any action towards any of the foregoing), (b) convey, sell, lease, assign,
transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of its property, businesses, or other
assets outside of the ordinary course of business, or (c) make any Acquisition
except that:

             (i) Any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge, consolidate, or
amalgamate into any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or convey, sell,
lease, assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of its assets to any
wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower (and


                                      -44-
<PAGE>   50

         if such disposition transfers all or substantially all of the assets of
         transferring Subsidiary, such subsidiary may then liquidate, wind up,
         or dissolve itself); provided that the wholly-owned Subsidiary is the
         surviving or acquiring Subsidiary;

                  (ii) the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower may make
         any Acquisition (by purchase or merger) provided that (A) the Borrower
         or the Subsidiary of the Borrower is the acquiring or surviving entity;
         (B) the aggregate non-equity consideration paid by the Restricted
         Entities in connection with all Acquisitions up to and including such
         Acquisition does not exceed $25,000,000 or, if so, the Agent and the
         Majority Banks have granted prior approval for such Acquisition if the
         aggregate non-equity consideration paid by the Restricted Entities in
         connection with such Acquisition exceeds $10,000,000; (C) no Default or
         Event of Default exists and the Acquisition would not reasonably be
         expected to cause a Default or Event of Default (including any default
         under Section 5.5 with respect to historical and future proforma
         financial status and results); (D) the transaction is not hostile, as
         reasonably determined by the Agent; and (E) if the aggregate non-equity
         consideration to be paid by the Restricted Entities in connection with
         such Acquisition exceeds $5,000,000, then the Borrower has provided to
         the Agent the following information at least 10 Business Days prior to
         the closing of such Acquisition: (1) financial statements for the
         Person to be acquired which include at least 2 full years of income and
         cash flow information prepared by an independent certified public
         accountant acceptable to the Agent; (2) the consolidated income and
         cash flow information of the Person to be acquired for the preceding
         four fiscal quarters then ended and the projected income and cash flow
         information of the Person to be acquired for the succeeding four fiscal
         quarters, adjusted for known changes; and (3) a Compliance Certificate
         evidencing proforma compliance with this Agreement; and

                  (iii) HydroChem International, Inc. may contribute to any
         Person, in exchange for an equity ownership percentage in such Person,
         all or a portion of its assets located in Singapore; provided that the
         fair market value of such assets at the time they are contributed may
         not exceed $2,500,000.

         5.10 Distributions. No Restricted Entity shall make any Restricted
Payment, except that (i) any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may make
Restricted Payments to the Borrower or to any Guarantor [or to any Subsidiary
that has had at least 66-/23% of its capital stock pledged to the Agent for the
benefit of the Banks pursuant to Section 5.19], and (ii) the Borrower may, if no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing, (A) make
scheduled payments of interest on the Senior Subordinated Notes and (B) prepay
the Senior Subordinated Notes with the net proceeds received from any offering
by the Borrower of shares of its capital stock.

                                      -45-
<PAGE>   51

         5.11 Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower shall not permit any
Restricted Entity to enter into any transaction directly or indirectly with or
for the benefit of an Affiliate except transactions with an Affiliate for the
leasing of property, the rendering or receipt of services, or the purchase or
sale of inventory or other assets in the ordinary course of business if the
monetary or business consideration arising from such a transaction would be
substantially as advantageous to such Restricted Entity as the monetary or
business consideration which such Restricted Entity would obtain in a comparable
arm's length transaction.

         5.12 Insurance. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Entity to
maintain insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or
associations reasonably acceptable to the Agent in such amounts and covering
such risks as are usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and
owning similar properties in the same general areas in which such Persons
operate. The Borrower shall deliver to the Agent certificates evidencing such
policies or copies of such policies at the Agent's request following a
reasonable period to obtain such certificates taking into account the
jurisdiction where the insurance is maintained.

         5.13 Investments. The Borrower shall not permit any Restricted Entity
to make or hold any direct or indirect investment in any Person, including
capital contributions to the Person, investments in the debt or equity
securities of the Person, and loans, guaranties, trade credit, or other
extensions of credit to the Person, except for Permitted Investments.

         5.14 Lines of Business. The Borrower shall not permit the Restricted
Entities to change the character of their business as conducted on the date of
this Agreement, or engage in any type of business not reasonably related to such
business as presently and normally conducted.

         5.15 Compliance with Laws. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted
Entity to comply with all Legal Requirements which are applicable to the
operations and property of such Persons where the failure to comply could
reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

         5.16 Environmental Compliance. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted
Entity to comply with all Environmental Laws and obtain and comply with all
related permits necessary for the ownership and operation of any such Person's
properties where the failure to comply could reasonably be expected to cause a
Material Adverse Change. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Entity to
promptly disclose to the Agent any notice to or investigation of such Persons
for any violation or alleged violation of any Environmental Law in connection
with any such Person's presently or previously owned properties which represent
liabilities which could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse
Change. The Borrower shall not permit any Restricted Entity to create, handle,
transport, use, or dispose of any Hazardous Materials on or about any such
Person's properties; release any Hazardous Materials into the environment in
connection with any


                                      -46-
<PAGE>   52

such Person's operations or contaminate any properties with Hazardous Materials;
or own properties contaminated by any Hazardous Materials, in each case except
in compliance with all Environmental Laws and related permits and in such a
manner that such actions could not reasonably be expected to cause a Material
Adverse Change.

         5.17 ERISA Compliance. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Entity
to (i) comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA
and prevent the occurrence of any Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction
with respect to, or the termination of, any of their respective Plans where the
failure to do so could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change
and (ii) not create or participate in any employee pension benefit plan covered
by Title IV of ERISA or any multiemployer plan under Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA.

         5.18 Payment of Certain Claims. The Borrower shall cause each
Restricted Entity to pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent,
(a) all taxes, assessments, levies, and like charges imposed upon any such
Person or upon any such Person's income, profits, or property by authorities
having competent jurisdiction prior to the date on which penalties attach
thereto except for tax payments being contested in good faith for which adequate
reserves have been established and reported in accordance with GAAP which could
not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change and (b) all trade
payables and current operating liabilities, unless the same are less than 90
days past due or are being contested in good faith, have adequate reserves
established and reported in accordance with GAAP, and could not reasonably be
expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

         5.19 Subsidiaries. Upon the formation or acquisition of any new
Subsidiary, the Borrower shall and shall cause such Subsidiary to promptly, but
in any event within 45 days after the formation or acquisition of such new
Subsidiary, execute and deliver to the Agent such guaranties, amendment
agreements, and other documents and agreements as the Agent requests so that
such Subsidiary guarantees and secures the Credit Obligations on the same terms
as the existing Guarantors (including the execution and delivery of a Joinder
Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit I for the purpose of joining such
Subsidiary as a party to the Guaranty or the execution of such new guaranties as
the Agent determines are necessary to have the same effect in different
jurisdictions). Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, no Subsidiary of the
Borrower that is organized outside of the jurisdiction of the United States
shall be required to execute a Joinder Agreement or otherwise guarantee the
Credit Obligations but instead shall be required to cause at least 662/3% of the
capital stock of such Subsidiary to be pledged to the Agent for the benefit of
the Banks on terms satisfactory to the Agent and the Majority Banks. In
connection with the preceding requirements and within 45 days after the
formation or acquisition of such new Subsidiary, the Borrower shall provide
corporate documentation and opinion letters reasonably satisfactory to the Agent
reflecting the corporate status of such new Subsidiary of the Borrower and the
enforceability of such agreements.



                                      -47-
<PAGE>   53

         5.20 Agreements Restricting Liens and Distributions. The Borrower will
not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any agreement
(other than a Credit Document) which (a) except with respect to specific
property encumbered to secure payment of Debt related to such property, imposes
restrictions upon the creation or assumption of any Lien upon its properties,
revenues or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or (b) limits
Restricted Payments to or any advance by any of the Borrower's Subsidiaries to
the Borrower.

         5.21 Amendments to Senior Subordinated Notes. The Borrower shall not,
without the consent of the Agent and the Majority Banks, amend, modify,
supplement, terminate, waive or otherwise consent to modify any provisions
relating to the Senior Subordinated Notes (or the Indenture and other documents
evidencing such Senior Subordinated Notes).

ARTICLE 6.        DEFAULT AND REMEDIES.

         6.1 Events of Default. Each of the following shall be an "Event of
Default" for the purposes of this Agreement and for each of the Credit
Documents:

                  (a) Payment Failure. The Borrower (i) fails to pay when due
any principal amounts due under this Agreement or any other Credit Document or
(ii) fails to pay when due any interest, fees, reimbursements, indemnifications,
or other amounts due under this Agreement or any other Credit Document and such
failure has not been cured within five Business Days;

                  (b) False Representation. Any written representation or
warranty made by any Credit Party or any Responsible Officer thereof in this
Agreement or in any other Credit Document proves to have been false or erroneous
in any material respect at the time it was made or deemed made;

                  (c) Breach of Covenant. (i) Any breach by the Borrower of any
of the covenants contained in Sections 5.1(a) (with respect to the Borrower),
5.2(e), 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 5.13 or 5.19 or (ii) any breach
by any Credit Party of any other covenants contained in this Agreement or any
other Credit Document and such breach is not cured within 30 days following the
earlier of knowledge of such breach by such Credit Party or the receipt of
written notice thereof from the Agent;

                  (d) Guaranty. (i) The Guaranty shall at any time and for any
reason cease to be in full force and effect with respect to any Guarantor
(except as permitted under Section 5.9 hereof) or shall be contested by any
Guarantor, or any Guarantor shall deny it has any further liability or



                                      -48-
<PAGE>   54

obligation thereunder, or (ii) any breach by any Guarantor of any of the
covenants contained in Section 4.1 of the Guaranty;

                  (e) Material Debt Default. (i) Any principal, interest, fees,
or other amounts due on any Debt of any Restricted Entity (other than the Credit
Obligations) is not paid when due, whether by scheduled maturity, required
prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, and such failure is not cured
within the earlier of 30 days and the applicable grace period, if any, and the
aggregate amount of all Debt of such Persons so in default exceeds $1,000,000;
(ii) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or
instrument relating to any Debt of any such Person (other than the Credit
Obligations) the effect of which is to accelerate or to permit the acceleration
of the maturity of any such Debt, whether or not any such Debt is actually
accelerated, and such event or condition shall not be cured within the earlier
of 30 days and the applicable grace period, if any, and the aggregate amount of
all Debt of such Persons so in default exceeds $1,000,000; or (iii) any Debt of
any such Person shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be
prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled prepayment) prior to the stated
maturity thereof, and the aggregate amount of all Debt of such Persons so
accelerated exceeds $1,000,000.

                  (f) Bankruptcy and Insolvency. (i) There shall have been filed
against any Restricted Entity or any such Person's properties, without such
Person's consent, any petition or other request for relief seeking an
arrangement, receivership, reorganization, liquidation, or similar relief under
bankruptcy or other laws for the relief of debtors and such request for relief
(A) remains in effect for 60 or more days, whether or not consecutive, or (B) is
approved by a final nonappealable order, or (ii) any such Person consents to or
files any petition or other request for relief of the type described in clause
(i) above seeking relief from creditors, makes any assignment for the benefit of
creditors or other arrangement with creditors, or admits in writing such
Person's inability to pay such Person's debts as they become due (the occurrence
of any Event of Default under clause (i) or (ii) of this paragraph being a
"Bankruptcy Event of Default");

                  (g) Adverse Judgment. The aggregate outstanding amount of
judgments against the Restricted Entities not discharged or stayed pending
appeal or other court action within 30 days following entry is greater than an
amount equal to 30% of the Restricted Entities' consolidated Net Worth as of the
last day of the Borrower's most recent fiscal quarter or otherwise causes a
Material Adverse Change; or

                  (h) Change of Control. There shall occur any Change of Control
not approved in writing by the Majority Banks.

         6.2 Termination of Revolving Loan Commitments. Upon the occurrence of
any Bankruptcy Event of Default, all of the commitments of the Agent and the
Banks hereunder shall



                                      -49-
<PAGE>   55

terminate. During the existence of any Event of Default other than a Bankruptcy
Event of Default, the Agent shall at the request of the Majority Banks declare
by written notice to the Borrower all of the commitments of the Agent and the
Banks hereunder terminated, whereupon the same shall immediately terminate.

         6.3 Acceleration of Credit Obligations. Upon the occurrence of any
Bankruptcy Event of Default, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all
loans made hereunder, all accrued interest thereon, and all other Credit
Obligations shall immediately and automatically become due and payable. During
the existence of any Event of Default other than a Bankruptcy Event of Default,
the Agent shall at the request of the Majority Banks declare by written notice
to the Borrower the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all loans made
hereunder, all accrued interest thereon, and all other Credit Obligations to be
immediately due and payable, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and
payable. In connection with the foregoing, except for the notice provided for
above, the Borrower waives notice of any Default or Event of Default, grace,
notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration, presentment, demand,
notice of nonpayment, protest, and all other notices.

         6.4 Cash Collateralization of Letters of Credit. Upon the occurrence of
any Bankruptcy Event of Default, the Borrower shall pay to the Agent an amount
equal to the Letter of Credit Exposure allocable to the Letters of Credit
requested by the Borrower to be held in the Letter of Credit Collateral Account
for disposition in accordance with Section 2.2(g). During the existence of any
Event of Default other than a Bankruptcy Event of Default, the Agent shall at
the request of the Majority Banks require by written notice to the Borrower that
the Borrower pay to the Agent an amount equal to the Letter of Credit Exposure
allocable to the Letters of Credit requested by the Borrower to be held in the
Letter of Credit Collateral Account for disposition in accordance with Section
2.2(g), whereupon the Borrower shall pay to the Agent such amount for such
purpose.

         6.5 Default Interest. If any Event of Default exists, the Agent shall
at the request of the Majority Banks declare by written notice to the Borrower
that the Credit Obligations specified in such notice shall bear interest
beginning on the date specified in such notice until paid in full at the
applicable Default Rate for such Credit Obligations, whereupon the Borrower
shall pay such interest to the Agent for the benefit of the Agent and the Banks,
as applicable, upon demand by the Agent.

         6.6 Right of Setoff. During the existence of an Event of Default, the
Agent and each Bank is hereby authorized at any time, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, to set off and apply any indebtedness owed by the Agent or
such Bank to the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower
under this Agreement and the Credit Documents, irrespective of whether or not
the Agent or such Bank shall have made any demand under this Agreement or the
Credit Documents and although such obligations may be contingent and unmatured.
The Agent and each Bank, as the case


                                      -50-
<PAGE>   56

may be, agrees promptly to notify the Borrower after any such setoff and
application made by such party provided that the failure to give such notice
shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

         6.7 Actions Under Credit Documents. Following an Event of Default, the
Agent shall at the request of the Majority Banks take any and all actions
permitted under the other Credit Documents, including the Guaranty.

         6.8 Remedies Cumulative. No right, power, or remedy conferred to the
Agent or the Banks in this Agreement and the Credit Documents, or now or
hereafter existing at law, in equity, by statute, or otherwise, shall be
exclusive, and each such right, power, or remedy shall to the full extent
permitted by law be cumulative and in addition to every other such right, power,
or remedy. No course of dealing and no delay in exercising any right, power, or
remedy conferred to the Agent or the Banks in this Agreement and the Credit
Documents, or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity, by statute, or
otherwise, shall operate as a waiver of or otherwise prejudice any such right,
power, or remedy.

         6.9 Application of Payments. Prior to the Revolving Loan Maturity Date
or any acceleration of the Credit Obligations, all payments made hereunder shall
be applied to the Credit Obligations as directed by the Borrower, subject to the
rules regarding the application of payments to certain Credit Obligations
provided for hereunder and in the Credit Documents. Following the Revolving Loan
Maturity Date or any acceleration of the Credit Obligations, all payments and
collections shall be applied to the Credit Obligations in the following order:

             First, to the payment of the costs, expenses, reimbursements (other
             than reimbursement obligations with respect to draws under Letters
             of Credit), and indemnifications of the Agent that are due and
             payable under the Credit Documents;

             Second, ratably to the payment of the costs, expenses,
             reimbursements (other than reimbursement obligations with respect
             to draws under Letters of Credit), and indemnifications of the
             Banks that are due and payable under the Credit Documents;

             Third, ratably to the payment of all accrued but unpaid interest
             and fees and obligations under Interest Hedge Agreements due and
             payable under the Credit Documents;

             Fourth, ratably to the payment of all outstanding principal and
             reimbursement obligations for draws under Letters of Credit due and
             payable under the Credit Documents;

                                      -51-
<PAGE>   57
            Fifth, ratably to the payment of any other amounts due and owing
            with respect to the Credit Obligations; and

            Finally, any surplus held by the Agent and remaining after payment
            in full of all the Credit Obligations and reserve for Credit
            Obligations not yet due and payable shall be promptly paid over to
            the Borrower or to whomever may be lawfully entitled to receive such
            surplus. All applications shall be distributed in accordance with
            Section 2.9(a).

ARTICLE 7.  THE AGENT AND THE ISSUING BANK

         7.1 Authorization and Action. Each Bank hereby appoints and authorizes
the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers
under this Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof and of
the other Credit Documents, together with such powers as are reasonably
incidental thereto. Statements under the Credit Documents that the Agent may
take certain actions, without further qualification, means that the Agent may
take such actions with or without the consent of the Banks or the Majority
Banks, but where the Credit Documents expressly require the determination of the
Banks or the Majority Banks, the Agent shall not take any such action without
the prior written consent thereof. As to any matters not expressly provided for
by this Agreement or any other Credit Document (including, without limitation,
enforcement or collection of the Revolving Loan Notes), the Agent shall not be
required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to
act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or
refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Majority Banks, and
such instructions shall be binding upon all Banks and all holders of Revolving
Loan Notes; provided, however, that the Agent shall not be required to take any
action which exposes the Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to
this Agreement, any other Credit Document, or applicable law.

         7.2 Reliance, Etc. Neither the Agent, the Issuing Bank, nor any of
their respective Related Parties (for the purposes of this Section 7.2,
collectively, the "Indemnified Parties") shall be liable for any action taken or
omitted to be taken by any Indemnified Party under or in connection with this
Agreement or the other Credit Documents, INCLUDING ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY'S OWN
NEGLIGENCE, except for any Indemnified Party's gross negligence or willful
misconduct. Without limitation of the generality of the foregoing, the Agent and
the Issuing Bank: (a) may treat the payee of any Revolving Loan Note as the
holder thereof until the Agent receives written notice of the assignment or
transfer thereof signed by such payee and in form satisfactory to the Agent; (b)
may consult with legal counsel (including counsel for the Borrower), independent
public accountants, and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable for
any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with
the advice of such counsel, accountants, or experts; (c) make no warranty or
representation to any Bank and shall not be responsible to any



                                      -52-
<PAGE>   58

Bank for any statements, warranties, or representations made in or in connection
with this Agreement or the other Credit Documents; (d) shall not have any duty
to ascertain or to inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the
terms, covenants, or conditions of this Agreement or any other Credit Document
on the part of the Credit Parties or to inspect the property (including the
books and records) of the Credit Parties; (e) shall not be responsible to any
Bank for the due execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness,
sufficiency, or value of this Agreement or any other Credit Document; and (f)
shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other
Credit Document by acting upon any notice, consent, certificate, or other
instrument or writing (which may be by telecopier or telex) reasonably believed
by it to be genuine and signed or sent by the proper party or parties.

         7.3 Affiliates. With respect to its Revolving Loan Commitments, the
Revolving Loan Advances made by it, its interests in the Letters of Credit, and
the Revolving Loan Notes issued to it, the Agent and the Issuing Bank shall have
the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Bank and may
exercise the same as though it were not the Agent. The term "Bank" or "Banks"
shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated, include the banks serving as Agent
and the Issuing Bank in their individual capacity; provided that, if any bank
acting as the Agent or the Issuing Bank is not also a "Bank" for purposes of
this Agreement, such bank will only have the rights and obligations of the Agent
or the Issuing Bank, as applicable, and shall not have the rights and
obligations of a "Bank" hereunder. The Agent, the Issuing Bank, and their
respective Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as trustee
under indentures of, and generally engage in any kind of business with, any
Credit Party, and any Person who may do business with or own securities of any
Credit Party, all as if the Agent were not an agent hereunder and the Issuing
Bank were not the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and without any duty to
account therefor to the Banks.

         7.4 Bank Credit Decision. Each Bank acknowledges that it has,
independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Bank and based on
the Financial Statements and such other documents and information as it has
deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this
Agreement. Each Bank also acknowledges that it shall, independently and without
reliance upon the Agent or any other Bank and based on such documents and
information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own
credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement.

         7.5 Expenses. To the extent not paid by the Borrower, each Bank
severally agrees to pay to the Agent and the Issuing Bank on demand such Bank's
ratable share of the following: (a) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and
expenses of the Agent and the Issuing Bank in connection with the preparation,
due diligence, execution, delivery, syndication, administration, modification,
and amendment of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, including the
reasonable fees and


                                      -53-
<PAGE>   59

expenses of outside counsel for the Agent and the Issuing Bank with respect to
advising the Agent and the Issuing Bank as to their respective rights and
responsibilities under this Agreement and the Credit Documents, and (b) all
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Agent and the Issuing Bank in connection
with the preservation or enforcement of the rights of the Agent, the Issuing
Bank, and the Banks under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, whether
through negotiations, legal proceedings, or otherwise, including fees and
expenses of counsel for the Agent and the Issuing Bank. The provisions of this
paragraph shall survive the repayment and termination of the credit provided for
under this Agreement and any purported termination of this Agreement which does
not expressly refer to this paragraph and shall apply whether or not an initial
extension of credit is made.

         7.6 Indemnification. To the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower, each
Bank severally agrees to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the
Agent, the Issuing Bank, and each of their respective Related Parties (for the
purposes of this Section 7.6, collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties"), from and against all demands, claims, actions, suits, damages,
judgments, fines, penalties, liabilities, and out-of-pocket costs and expenses,
including reasonable costs of attorneys and related costs of experts such as
accountants (collectively, the "Indemnified Liabilities"), actually incurred by
any Indemnified Party which are related to any litigation or proceeding relating
to this Agreement, the Credit Documents, or the transactions contemplated
thereunder, INCLUDING ANY INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES CAUSED BY ANY INDEMNIFIED
PARTY'S OWN NEGLIGENCE, but not Indemnified Liabilities which are a result of
any Indemnified Party's gross negligence or willful misconduct. The provisions
of this paragraph shall survive the repayment and termination of the credit
provided for under this Agreement and any purported termination of this
Agreement which does not expressly refer to this paragraph.

         7.7 Successor Agent and Issuing Bank. The Agent or the Issuing Bank may
resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Banks and the
Borrower and may be removed at any time with or without cause by the Majority
Banks upon receipt of written notice from the Majority Banks to such effect.
Upon receipt of notice of any such resignation or removal, the Majority Banks
shall have the right to appoint a successor Agent or Issuing Bank with the
consent of the Borrower, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. If no
successor Agent or Issuing Bank shall have been so appointed by the Majority
Banks with the consent of the Borrower, and shall have accepted such
appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Agent's or Issuing Bank's giving
of notice of resignation or the Majority Banks' removal of the retiring Agent or
Issuing Bank, then the retiring Agent or Issuing Bank may, on behalf of the
Banks and the Borrower, appoint a successor Agent or Issuing Bank, which shall
be, in the case of a successor agent, a commercial bank organized under the laws
of the United States of America or of any State thereof and having a combined
capital and surplus of at least $500,000,000 and, in the case of the Issuing
Bank, a Bank. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Agent or Issuing Bank by
a successor Agent or Issuing Bank, such successor Agent or Issuing Bank shall
thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers,



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<PAGE>   60

privileges, and duties of the retiring Agent or Issuing Bank, and the retiring
Agent or Issuing Bank shall be discharged from any duties and obligations under
this Agreement and the other Credit Documents after such acceptance, except that
the retiring Issuing Bank shall remain the Issuing Bank with respect to any
Letters of Credit outstanding on the effective date of its resignation or
removal and the provisions affecting the Issuing Bank with respect to such
Letters of Credit shall inure to the benefit of the retiring Issuing Bank until
the termination of all such Letters of Credit. After any Agent's or Issuing
Bank's resignation or removal hereunder as Agent or Issuing Bank, the provisions
of this Article 7 shall inure to such Person's benefit as to any actions taken
or omitted to be taken by such Person while such Person was Agent or Issuing
Bank under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.

ARTICLE 8.        MISCELLANEOUS.

         8.1 Expenses. The Borrower shall pay on demand of the applicable party
specified herein (a) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the
Agent and the Issuing Bank in connection with the preparation, due diligence,
execution, delivery, syndication, administration, modification, and amendment of
this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, including the reasonable fees and
expenses of outside counsel for the Agent and the Issuing Bank, and (b) all
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Agent, the Issuing Bank, and each Bank
in connection with the preservation or enforcement of their respective rights
under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, whether through
negotiations, legal proceedings, or otherwise, including fees and expenses of
counsel for the Agent, the Issuing Bank, and each Bank. The provisions of this
paragraph shall survive the repayment and termination of the credit provided for
under this Agreement and any purported termination of this Agreement which does
not expressly refer to this paragraph and shall apply whether or not an initial
extension of credit is made.

         8.2 Indemnification. The Borrower agrees to protect, defend, indemnify,
and hold harmless the Agent, the Issuing Bank, each Bank, and each of their
respective Related Parties (for the purposes of this Section 8.2, collectively,
the "Indemnified Parties"), from and against all demands, claims, actions,
suits, damages, judgments, fines, penalties, liabilities, and out-of-pocket
costs and expenses, including reasonable costs of attorneys and related costs of
experts such as accountants (collectively, the "Indemnified Liabilities"),
actually incurred by any Indemnified Party which are related to any litigation
or proceeding relating to this Agreement, the Credit Documents, or the
transactions contemplated thereunder, INCLUDING ANY INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES
CAUSED BY ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY'S OWN NEGLIGENCE, but not Indemnified
Liabilities which are a result of any Indemnified Party's gross negligence or
willful misconduct. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive the repayment
and termination of the credit provided for under this Agreement and any
purported termination of this Agreement which does not expressly refer to this
paragraph.



                                      -55-
<PAGE>   61

         8.3 Modifications, Waivers, and Consents. No modification or waiver of
any provision of this Agreement, the Revolving Loan Notes or any other Credit
Document (other than the Autoborrow Agreement), nor any consent required under
this Agreement, the Revolving Loan Notes, or any other Credit Document (other
than the Autoborrow Agreement) shall be effective unless the same shall be in
writing and signed by the Agent and Majority Banks and the Borrower, and then
such modification, waiver, or consent shall be effective only in the specific
instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that
no modification, waiver, or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the
Agent, all the Banks, and the Borrower do any of the following: (a) waive any of
the conditions specified in Section 3.1 or 3.2, (b) increase the Revolving Loan
Commitments of the Banks, (c) forgive or reduce the amount or rate of any
principal, interest, or fees payable under the Credit Documents, or postpone or
extend the time for payment thereof, (d) release any Guarantor from its guaranty
obligations (except as otherwise permitted or required herein), or (e) change
the percentage of Banks required to take any action under this Agreement or the
Revolving Loan Notes, including any amendment of the definition of "Majority
Banks" or this Section 8.3. No modification, waiver, or consent shall, unless in
writing and signed by the Agent or the Issuing Bank affect the rights or
obligations of the Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, under the
Credit Documents. The Agent shall not modify or waive or grant any consent under
any other Credit Document if such action would be prohibited under this Section
8.3 with respect to the Credit Agreement or the Revolving Loan Notes. The
Autoborrow Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented nor may any
waiver be granted thereunder without the express written consent of the Borrower
and NationsBank.

         8.4 Survival of Agreements. All representations, warranties, and
covenants of the Borrower in this Agreement and the Credit Documents shall
survive the execution of this Agreement and the Credit Documents and any other
document or agreement.

         8.5 Assignment and Participation. This Agreement and the Credit
Documents shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Borrower and its respective
successors and assigns and the Agent and the Banks and their respective
successors and assigns. The Borrower may not assign its rights or delegate its
duties under this Agreement or any Credit Document.

                  (a) Assignments. Any Bank may assign to one or more banks or
other entities all or any portion of its rights and obligations under this
Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Revolving Loan
Commitments, the Revolving Loan Advances owing to it, the Revolving Loan Notes
held by it, and the participation interest in the Letters of Credit owned by
it); provided, however, that (i) each such assignment shall be of a constant,
and not a varying, percentage of all of such Bank's rights and obligations under
this Agreement, (ii) assignments of Revolving Loan Commitments shall be made in
minimum amounts of $5,000,000 and be made in integral multiples of $1,000,000 in
excess thereof and the assigning Bank, if it retains any Revolving Loan



                                      -56-
<PAGE>   62

Commitments, shall maintain at least $5,000,000 in Revolving Loan Commitments,
(iii) each such assignment shall be to an Eligible Assignee, (iv) the parties to
each such assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent, for its acceptance
and recording in the Register, an Assignment and Acceptance, together with the
Revolving Loan Notes subject to such assignment, and (v) each Eligible Assignee
(other than the Eligible Assignee of the Agent) shall pay to the Agent a $5,000
administrative fee. Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance, and recording,
from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance,
which effective date shall be at least three Business Days after the execution
thereof, (A) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto for all purposes
and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to
it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations
of a Bank hereunder and (B) such Bank thereunder shall, to the extent that
rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such
Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and
Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of such Bank's rights and
obligations under this Agreement, such Bank shall cease to be a party hereto).

                  (b) Term of Assignments. By executing and delivering an
Assignment and Acceptance, the Bank thereunder and the assignee thereunder
confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows:
(i) other than as provided in such Assignment and Acceptance, such Bank makes no
representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any
statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this
Agreement or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness,
sufficiency of value of this Agreement or any other instrument or document
furnished pursuant hereto; (ii) such Bank makes no representation or warranty
and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any
Credit Party or the performance or observance by any Credit Party of any of its
obligations under this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished
pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of
this Agreement, together with copies of the Financial Statements and such other
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such
assignee shall, independently and without reliance upon the Agent, such Bank or
any other Bank and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking action under this Agreement; (v) such assignee appoints and
authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise
such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms
hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vi)
such assignee agrees that it shall perform in accordance with their terms all of
the obligations which by the terms of this Agreement are required to be
performed by it as a Bank.



                                      -57-
<PAGE>   63

                  (c) The Register. The Agent shall maintain at its address
referred to in Section 8.6 a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to
and accepted by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses
of the Banks and the Revolving Loan Commitments of each Bank from time to time
(the "Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding
for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agent, the
Issuing Bank, and the Banks may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the
Register as a Bank hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register
shall be available for inspection by the Borrower or any Bank at any reasonable
time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

                  (d) Procedures. Upon its receipt of an Assignment and
Acceptance executed by a Bank and an Eligible Assignee, together with the
Revolving Loan Notes subject to such assignment, the Agent shall, if such
Assignment and Acceptance has been completed in the appropriate form, (i) accept
such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) record the information contained therein in
the Register, and (iii) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower. Within five
Business Days after its receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall execute and
deliver to the Agent in exchange for the surrendered Revolving Loan Notes a new
Revolving Loan Note to the order of such Eligible Assignee in an amount equal to
the Revolving Loan Commitment assumed by it pursuant to such Assignment and
Acceptance and, if such Bank has retained any Revolving Loan Commitment
hereunder, a new Revolving Loan Note to the order of such Bank in an amount
equal to the Revolving Loan Commitment retained by it hereunder. Such new
Revolving Loan Notes shall be dated the effective date of such Assignment and
Acceptance and shall be in the appropriate form.

                  (e) Participation. Each Bank may sell participation to one or
more banks or other entities in or to all or a portion of its rights and
obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a
portion of its Revolving Loan Commitments, the Revolving Loan Advances owing to
it, its participation interest in the Letters of Credit, and the Revolving Loan
Notes held by it); provided, however, that (i) such Bank's obligations under
this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Revolving Loan Commitments to
the Borrower hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Bank shall remain
solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such
obligations, (iii) such Bank shall remain the holder of any such Revolving Loan
Notes for all purposes of this Agreement, (iv) the Borrower, the Agent, and the
Issuing Bank and the other Banks shall continue to deal solely and directly with
such Bank in connection with such Bank's rights and obligations under this
Agreement, and (v) such Bank shall not require the participant's consent to any
matter under this Agreement, except for change in the principal amount of the
Revolving Loan Notes, reductions in fees or interest, extending the applicable
maturity date, or releasing any collateral or guarantor (except to the extent
otherwise permitted herein or in any of the other Credit Documents). The
Borrower hereby agrees that participants shall have the same rights under
Sections 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, and 8.2 as a Bank to the extent of their
respective participation.



                                      -58-
<PAGE>   64

                  (f) Assignments or Pledges to Federal Reserve Banks. In
addition to the foregoing rights of assignment and participation, any Bank may
assign or pledge any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including the
Revolving Loan Advances owed to such Bank) to any Federal Reserve Bank in
accordance with applicable law without notice to or the consent of the Borrower
or the Agent, provided that (i) such Bank shall not be relieved of its
obligations under this Agreement as a result thereof and (ii) in no event shall
the Federal Reserve Bank be entitled to direct the actions of the pledging or
assigning Bank under this Agreement.

         8.6 Notice. All notices and other communications under this Agreement
and the Revolving Loan Notes shall be in writing and mailed by certified mail
(return receipt requested), telecopied, telexed, hand delivered, or delivered by
a nationally recognized overnight courier, to the address for the appropriate
party specified in Schedule I or at such other address as shall be designated by
such party in a written notice to the other parties. Mailed notices shall be
effective when received. Telecopied or telexed notices shall be effective when
transmission is completed or confirmed by telex answerback. Delivered notices
shall be effective when delivered by messenger or courier. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, notices and communications to the Agent pursuant to Article 2 or 7
shall not be effective until received by the Agent.

         8.7 Choice of Law. This Agreement and the Revolving Loan Notes have
been prepared, are being executed and delivered, and are intended to be
performed in the State of Texas, and the substantive laws of the State of Texas
and the applicable federal laws of the United States shall govern the validity,
construction, enforcement, and interpretation of this Agreement and the
Revolving Loan Notes; provided however, Chapter 15 of the Texas Credit Code does
not apply to this Agreement or the Revolving Loan Notes. Each Letter of Credit
shall be governed by the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits,
International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 500 (1993 version).

         8.8 Forum Selection. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE
JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND OF ANY FEDERAL COURT
LOCATED IN SUCH STATE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF
OR RELATING TO THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS OR ANY TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO. THE
BORROWER AGREES AND SHALL NOT CONTEST THAT PROPER FORUM AND VENUE FOR ANY ACTION
OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS OR ANY
TRANSACTIONS RELATING THERETO ARE IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS IN HARRIS
COUNTY, TEXAS, AND THE FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS. THE
BORROWER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO
THE FOREGOING BASED UPON CLAIMS THAT THE FOREGOING COURTS ARE AN INCONVENIENT
FORUM.


                                      -59-
<PAGE>   65

         8.9 Service of Process. IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATING TO THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS OR ANY TRANSACTIONS RELATING THERETO, THE
BORROWER WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY SUMMONS, COMPLAINT, OR OTHER PROCESS OR
NOTICE AND AGREES THAT SERVICE BY FIRST CLASS MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, TO
THE BORROWER AT ITS ADDRESS FOR NOTICES HEREUNDER, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF SERVICE
PROVIDED FOR IN THE TEXAS CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES THEN IN EFFECT SHALL
CONSTITUTE GOOD AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE UPON THE BORROWER.

         8.10 Waiver of Jury Trial. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO
TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE CREDIT
DOCUMENTS OR ANY TRANSACTIONS RELATING THERETO.

         8.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple
counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

         8.12 No Further Agreements.  THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE CREDIT
DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY
NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR
SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.



<PAGE>   66

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

         EXECUTED as of the date first above written.


                                       BORROWER:

                                       HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC.


                                       By: /s/ SELBY F. LITTLE, III.
                                          -------------------------------
                                          Name:    Selby F. Little, III
                                          Title:   Executive Vice President &
                                                   Chief Financial Officer





<PAGE>   67




                                       AGENT:

                                       NATIONSBANK OF TEXAS, N.A., as Agent


                                       By: /s/ WILLIAM T. GRIFFIN, JR.
                                          -------------------------------
                                          William T. Griffin, Jr.
                                          Vice President




<PAGE>   68



                                     BANKS:

                                     NATIONSBANK OF TEXAS, N.A.


                                     By: /s/William T. Griffin, Jr.
                                        -------------------------------
                                        William T. Griffin, Jr.
                                        Vice President

                                        Revolving Loan Commitment:  $25,000,000
<PAGE>   69
                                                                     Exhibit A

                               FORM OF ACQUISITION
                                   CERTIFICATE


                                     [date]


NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent
   for the financial institutions parties to the
   Credit Agreement referred to below
700 Louisiana, 7th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002

Attention:  Mr. William T. Griffin, Jr.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned refers to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997 (as
amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time, the "Credit Agreement",
the defined terms of which are used herein unless otherwise defined herein),
among HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the financial
institutions parties thereto, and NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent for such
financial institutions ("Agent").

The Borrower intends to make an Acquisition (the "Proposed Acquisition"), and in
connection therewith hereby certifies the following to the Agent and the Banks:

         1. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a summary of the Proposed
Acquisition, including a description of the business operations and assets to be
acquired and the consideration to be paid (including assumed indebtedness and
liabilities and Debt issued in connection therewith), and such summary fairly
presents the contemplated transaction.

         2. Attached hereto as Exhibit B are historical financial statements
regarding the operations to be acquired in the Proposed Acquisition covering the
period of the most

<PAGE>   70




recently completed four fiscal quarters of the Borrower, the Borrower's proposed
adjustments to the historical financial statements reflecting nonrecurring
expenses and income, and historical proforma financial statements for the
operations to be acquired in the Proposed Acquisition giving effect to such
adjustments. The Borrower's proposed adjustments to the historical financial
statements and the historical proforma financial statements have been prepared
in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement, including Section
1.3 of the Credit Agreement.

         3. Attached hereto as Exhibit C are consolidated historical proforma
financial statements for the Borrower for the most recently completed four
fiscal quarters of the Borrower giving effect to the Proposed Acquisition as set
forth in the historical proforma financial statements described in paragraph 2
above. The consolidated historical proforma financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement, including
Section 1.3 of the Credit Agreement.

         [4. Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a completed Borrowing Base and
Compliance Certificate duly certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower,
demonstrating the Borrower's compliance with the covenants contained in Section
5.5 of the Credit Agreement on a proforma basis after giving effect to the
Proposed Acquisition in accordance with the consolidated historical proforma
financial statements described in paragraph 3 above.]1

The Borrower represents and warrants that there are no contingent liabilities,
including environmental liabilities, litigation liabilities, and assumed
contractual liabilities, associated with the Proposed Acquisition that could
reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

[The Borrower hereby requests the Agent's approval as required by Section
[5.5(b)] [5.9(c)(iii)] of the Credit Agreement.]2

[The Borrower hereby further requests the following waivers and consents in
connection with the Proposed Acquisition:]3

--------------------------
         1  Include if Acquisition requires approval under Section 5.5(b) or
            Section 5.9(c)(ii).
         2  Include if Acquisition requires approval under Section 5.5(b) or
            Section 5.9(c)(ii).
         3  Include if applicable.

                                      -2-

<PAGE>   71




                                                      Very truly yours,

                                            HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC.

                                                       By:
                                                          ---------------------
                                                       Name:
                                                            -------------------
                                                       Title:
                                                             ------------------





















                                      -3-
<PAGE>   72
                                                                   Exhibit B



                                     FORM OF
                            ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE


                                     [date]


         Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997
(as the same may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time,
"Credit Agreement"), among HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("Borrower"), the financial institutions parties thereto ("Banks"),
and NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as agent for the Banks ("Agent"). Capitalized
terms used herein but not defined herein shall have the meanings specified by
the Credit Agreement.

         Pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, [ ] ("Assignor"), wishes
to assign and delegate to [ ] ("Assignee"), [ ]%1 of its rights and obligations
under the Credit Agreement. Therefore, Assignor, Assignee, and Agent agree as
follows:

                  i.       The Assignor hereby sells and assigns and delegates
                  to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby purchases and assumes
                  from the Assignor, without recourse to the Assignor and
                  without representation or warranty except for the
                  representations and warranties specifically set forth in
                  clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of this Assignment and
                  Acceptance, a [ ]% interest in and to all of the Assignor's
                  rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement and the
                  other Credit Documents as of the Effective Date (as defined
                  below), including such percentage interest in the Assignor's
                  Revolving Loan Commitment, the Revolving Loan Advances owing
                  to the Assignor, the Assignor's ratable participation interest
                  in the Letters of Credit, and the Revolving Loan Note[s] held
                  by the Assignor.


--------
(1) Specify percentage to 4 decimal points.

<PAGE>   73
                  ii.   The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that, prior to
                  executing this Assignment and Acceptance, its Revolving Loan
                  Commitment is $[ ], the aggregate outstanding principal amount
                  of Revolving Loan Advances owed by the Borrower to the
                  Assignor is $[ ], and its ratable share of the Letter of
                  Credit Exposure is $[ ]; (b) represents and warrants that it
                  is the legal and beneficial owner of the interest being
                  assigned by it hereunder and that such interest is free and
                  clear of any adverse claim; (c) makes no representation or
                  warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any
                  statements, warranties, or representations made in or in
                  connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Credit
                  Document or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability,
                  genuineness, sufficiency, or value of the Credit Agreement or
                  any other Credit Document or any other instrument or document
                  furnished pursuant thereto; (d) makes no representation or
                  warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the
                  financial condition of the Borrower or any Guarantor or the
                  performance or observance by the Borrower or any Guarantor of
                  any of its obligations under the Credit Agreement or any other
                  Credit Document or any other instrument or document furnished
                  pursuant thereto; and (e) attaches the Revolving Loan Note[s]
                  referred to in clause (i) above and requests that the Agent
                  exchange such Revolving Loan Note[s] for a new Revolving Loan
                  Note dated [ ] made by [ ], in the principal amount of $[ ]
                  payable to the order of the Assignee[, and a new Revolving
                  Loan Note dated [ ], in the principal amount of $[ ] payable
                  to the order of Assignor].

                  iii.     The Assignee (a) confirms that it has received a copy
                  of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the Financial
                  Statements referred to in Section 4.7 thereof, and such other
                  documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make
                  its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this
                  Assignment and Acceptance; (b) agrees that it will,
                  independently and without reliance upon the Agent, the
                  Assignor, or any other Bank, and based on such documents and
                  information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue
                  to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking
                  action under the Credit Agreement or any other Credit
                  Document; (c) appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such
                  action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers
                  under the Credit Agreement and any other Credit Document as
                  are delegated to the Agent by the terms thereof, together with
                  such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; (d) agrees
                  that it will perform all of the obligations which by the terms
                  of the Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document it is
                  required to perform as a Bank; (e) specifies as its Applicable
                  Lending Office and address for notices the offices set forth
                  beneath its name on the signature pages hereof; (f) attaches
                  the forms prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service of the


                                      -2-

<PAGE>   74

                           United States certifying as to the Assignee's status
                           for purposes of determining exemption from United
                           States withholding taxes and back-up withholding
                           taxes with respect to all payments to be made to the
                           Assignee under the Credit Agreement and the Revolving
                           Loan Notes or such other documents as are necessary
                           to indicate that all such payments are subject to
                           such rates at a rate reduced by an applicable tax
                           treaty(2); and (g) represents that it is an Eligible
                           Assignee.

                  iv.      The effective date for this Assignment and Acceptance
                  shall be [ ] ("Effective Date")(3), and following the
                  execution of this Assignment and Acceptance, the Agent will
                  record it in the register.

                  v.       Upon such recording, and as of the Effective Date,
                  (i) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement for
                  all purposes and, to the extent provided in this Assignment
                  and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Bank
                  thereunder and (ii) the Assignor shall, to the extent provided
                  in this Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights
                  (other than rights against the Borrowers pursuant to Section
                  8.1 and 8.2 of the Credit Agreement, which shall survive this
                  Assignment and Acceptance) and be released from its
                  obligations (other than obligations to the Agent pursuant to
                  Section 7.5 and 7.6 of the Credit Agreement, which shall
                  survive this Assignment and Acceptance) under the Credit
                  Agreement.

                  vi.      Upon such recording, from and after the Effective
                  Date, the Agent shall make all payments under the Credit
                  Agreement and the Revolving Loan Notes in respect of the
                  interest assigned hereby (including all payments of principal,
                  interest, and fees) to the Assignee. The Assignor and Assignee
                  shall make all appropriate adjustments for amounts earned
                  under the Credit Agreement and the Revolving Loan Notes for
                  periods prior to the Effective Date directly between
                  themselves.

                  vii.     This Assignment and Acceptance shall be governed by,
                  and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the
                  State of Texas.

--------
(2) If the Assignee is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the
    United States.

(3) See Section 8.5 of the Credit Agreement. Such date shall be at least three
    Business Days after the execution of this Assignment and Acceptance.

                                       -3-

<PAGE>   75




         The parties hereto have caused this Assignment and Acceptance to be
duly executed as of the date first above written.

                                       ASSIGNOR:

                                       [ASSIGNOR]



                                       By:
                                          -------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                            -----------------------------
                                       Title:
                                             ----------------------------


                                       ASSIGNEE:

                                       [ASSIGNEE]



                                       By:
                                          -------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                            -----------------------------
                                       Title:
                                             ----------------------------

                                       Notice Address:

                                       Address:
                                               --------------------------

                                       ----------------------------------

                                       ----------------------------------

                                       Attention:
                                                 ------------------------
                                       Telephone:
                                                 ------------------------
                                       Telecopy:
                                                 ------------------------


                                       -4-

<PAGE>   76




                                       Applicable Lending Office:

                                       Address:
                                               -------------------------

                                               -------------------------

                                               -------------------------
                                       Attention:
                                                  ----------------------
                                       Telephone:
                                                  ----------------------
                                       Telecopy:
                                                  ----------------------

                                       AGENT:

                                       NATIONSBANK OF TEXAS, N.A.,
                                                as Agent



                                       By:
                                          ------------------------------
                                          William T. Griffin, Jr.
                                          Vice President



                                       -5-

<PAGE>   77



[ACKNOWLEDGED
this _____ day of _________________, ____.


BORROWER:

HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC.



By:
   -----------------------------------------------
Name:
     ---------------------------------------------
Title:                                               ]4
      --------------------------------------------


------------
(4) The Borrower's acknowledgement of this Assignment and Acceptance is not
required after the occurrence and continuance of a Default.




                                      -6-
<PAGE>   78
                                                                     Exhibit C


                                     FORM OF
                    BORROWING BASE AND COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

                                     [date]



NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent
   for the financial institutions parties to the
   Credit Agreement referred to below
700 Louisiana, 7th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002

Attention:  Mr. William T. Griffin, Jr.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I refer to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997 (as the same may
be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time, the "Credit Agreement",
the defined terms of which are used herein unless otherwise defined herein)
among HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the financial
institutions parties thereto, and NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent for such
financial institutions.

I hereby certify that I have no knowledge of any Defaults by the Borrower in the
observance of any of the provisions in the Credit Agreement which existed as of
[_______________] or which exist as of the date of this letter.

I also certify that the accompanying consolidated Financial Statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial condition of the
Borrower as of [_______________], and the related results of operations for the
[_______________] then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.

The following sets forth the information and computations to demonstrate the
calculation of the Borrowing Base as of [______________] and to demonstrate
compliance with the requirements of Section 5.5 of the Credit Agreement as of
[_______________]:


                                        1

<PAGE>   79


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


I.       Borrowing Base

<S>                                                                                   <C>
         A.       Eligible Accounts                                                   $
                                                                                      --------------------
         B.       .85                                                                                  .85
                                                                                      --------------------

         C.       Eligible Inventory                                                  $
                                                                                      --------------------

         D.       .60                                                                                  .60

         E.       Borrowing Base                                                      $
                  (AxB) + (CxD)                                                       --------------------


II.      Compliance Certificate

         A.       Section 5.5(a) Net Worth

                  1.       $15,000,000                                                $         15,000,000
                                                                                      --------------------
                  2.       50% of cumulative quarterly consolidated
                           net income of Borrower since September 30, 1997 for
                           each fiscal quarter ending after that date during
                           which Borrower has positive consolidated net income        $
                                                                                      --------------------
                  3.       80% of net proceeds resulting from any sale or
                           issuance of any stock of Borrower or its
                           Subsidiaries since September 30, 1997                     $
                                                                                      --------------------
                  4.       Minimum Net Worth requirement =
                           A.1 + A.2 + A.3                                           $
                                                                                      --------------------

                  5.       Actual Net Worth                                          $
                                                                                      --------------------

         B.       Section 5.5(b) Maximum Funded Debt to Proforma EBITDA Ratio

                  1.       consolidated Funded Debt as of fiscal quarter
                           then ended                                                 $
                                                                                      --------------------
                  2.       consolidated EBITDA for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      --------------------
                  3.       ratio B.1 / B.2                                                   to 1.00
                                                                                      ---------------
                  4.       maximum permitted
                           a.       prior to and including 12/31/98                     6.00 to 1.00
                           b.       thereafter                                          5.50 to 1.00

         C.       Section 5.5(c) Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

                  1.       consolidated EBITDA for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      --------------------

</TABLE>

                                        2

<PAGE>   80

<TABLE>

<S>                                                                                   <C>

                  2.       consolidated cash taxes paid for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  3.       Capital Expenditures for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  4.       consolidated interest expense for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  5.       capitalized interest for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  6.       consolidated scheduled principal payments on
                           long term debt (INCLUDING CAPITAL LEASES) for
                           preceding four fiscal quarters                             $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  7.       cash dividends made in preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  8.       ratio = (C.1 - C.2 - C.3) / (C.4 + C.5 + C.6 + C.7)                to 1.00
                                                                                       ------
                  9.       minimum required:                                             1.00 to 1.00

         D.       Section 5.5(d) Minimum Interest Charge Coverage Ratio

                  1.       consolidated EBIT for
                           preceding four fiscal quarters                             $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  2.       consolidated interest expense for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  3.       capitalized interest for preceding
                           four fiscal quarters                                       $
                                                                                      ---------------
                  4.       ratio = (D.1)/(D.2 + D.3)                                          to 1.00
                                                                                       ------
                  5.       minimum required:
                           to and including December 31, 1998                            1.00 to 1.00
                           thereafter                                                    1.15 to 1.00

</TABLE>
                                     Very truly yours,


                                     -----------------------------------
                                     Name:
                                           -----------------------------
                                     Title:
                                           -----------------------------




                                       3
<PAGE>   81
                                                                     Exhibit D


                                     FORM OF
                         CONTINUATION/CONVERSION REQUEST


                                     [date]


NationsBank of Texas, N.A.,
  as Agent
Attn:    William T. Griffin, Jr.
700 Louisiana, 7th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Telephone:        713-247-7756
Telecopy:         713-247-7748

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Borrower"), refers to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997
(as the same may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time, the
"Credit Agreement," the defined terms of which are used in this
Continuation/Conversion Request unless otherwise defined in this
Continuation/Conversion Request), among the Borrower, the financial institutions
parties thereto ("Banks"), and NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as agent for the
Banks ("Agent"), and hereby gives you irrevocable notice pursuant to Section
2.4(a)(ii) of the Credit Agreement that the undersigned hereby requests a
[conversion][continuation] of [outstanding Revolving Loan Borrowings][an
outstanding Revolving Loan Borrowing] into a new Revolving Loan Borrowing (the
"Proposed Borrowing") on the terms set forth below:




<PAGE>   82




         Outstanding Revolving Loan Borrowing #1
         Date of Revolving Loan Borrowing:
         Type of Tranche:
         Aggregate Amount(1)
           for Continuation/
           Conversion:
         Interest Period:

         [Outstanding Revolving Loan Borrowing #2
         Date of Revolving Loan Borrowing:
         Type of Tranche            :
         Aggregate Amount(1)
           for Continuation/
           Conversion               :
         Interest Period            :]

--------
     (1) The Aggregate Amount for Conversion with respect to Tranches must be in
an amount at least equal to $300,000 or in integral multiples of $100,000 in
excess thereof. No continuation or conversion may be made if such continuation
or conversion would cause the aggregate amount of any LIBOR Tranche to be less
than $300,000 or all Prime Rate Tranches to be less than $100,000.


                                       -2-


<PAGE>   83




         Proposed Borrowing
         Date of Continuation
             or Conversion(2)                 :
         Type of Tranche(3)                   :
         Aggregate Amount(4)                  :
         Interest Period(5)                   :

The undersigned hereby certifies that the following statements are true on the
date hereof and will be true on the date of the Proposed Borrowing:

         (a) the representations and warranties contained in the Credit
Agreement are correct in all material respects, before and after giving effect
to the Proposed Borrowing and the application of the proceeds therefrom, as
though made on the date of the Proposed Borrowing; and

--------
     (2) The date of the proposed continuation or conversion must be a Business
Day. The Borrower must give three Business Days' advance notice for conversions
into or continuations of Revolving Loan Borrowings comprised of LIBOR Tranches.

     (3) The Type of Tranches comprising a Proposed Borrowing may be Prime Rate
Tranches or LIBOR Tranches.

     (4) The Aggregate Amount of the Proposed Borrowing must be in an amount
at least equal to $300,000 or in integral multiples of $100,000 in
excess thereof in the case of LIBOR Tranches and must be in an amount
at least equal to $100,000 or in integral multiples of $100,000 in
excess thereof. No continuation or conversion may be made if such
continuation or conversion would cause the aggregate amount of any
LIBOR Tranche to be less than $300,000 or all Prime Rate Tranches to be
less than $100,000.

     (5) The Interest Period applies only to Revolving Loan Borrowings
comprised of LIBOR Tranches and may be one, two, three, or six months.
Insert "N/A" for Revolving Loan Borrowings comprised of Prime Rate
Tranches.


                                       -3-

<PAGE>   84



         (b) no Default has occurred and remains uncured, nor would result from
the Proposed Borrowing.


                                       Very truly yours,

                                       HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL
                                       SERVICES, INC.


                                       By:
                                           --------------------------
                                       Name:
                                            -------------------------
                                       Title:
                                             ------------------------


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   85
                                                                     Exhibit E

                                FORM OF GUARANTY


         This Guaranty dated as of December 31, 1997 ("Agreement"), is made by
the undersigned subsidiaries of HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, (each a "Guarantor") in favor of NationsBank of Texas, N.A., in its
capacity as agent ("Agent") for certain financial institutions which are or may
become parties to the Credit Agreement described below.

                                  INTRODUCTION

         This Agreement is given in connection with the Credit Agreement dated
as of December 31, 1997 (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time,
the "Credit Agreement", the defined terms of which are used herein unless
otherwise defined herein) among HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("Borrower"), certain financial institutions which are or may become
parties thereto ("Banks"), and the Agent. Each Guarantor is a Subsidiary of the
Borrower. Because each Guarantor receives and, as a result of its ownership by
the Borrower, expects to continue to receive financial and management support
from the Borrower, each Guarantor will obtain substantial benefit from the
extensions of credit expected to be made to the Borrower under the Credit
Agreement.

         Therefore, to induce the Agent and the Banks to enter into the Credit
Agreement, the Guarantors jointly and severally agree with the Agent as follows:

Section 1.      Guaranty. The Guarantors irrevocably and jointly and severally
guarantee to the Agent the full payment when due of (a) all principal, interest,
fees, reimbursements, indemnifications, and other amounts now or hereafter owed
by the Borrower to the Agent and the Banks (and with respect to the Interest
Hedge Agreements, the Banks and their Affiliates) under the terms of the Credit
Agreement, the Autoborrow Agreement and the other Credit Documents, including
amounts owed under the terms of the Credit Agreement and the other Credit
Documents for which the Borrower has obtained relief under bankruptcy or other
laws providing for relief from creditors, and (b) any increases, extensions, and
rearrangements of the foregoing obligations under any amendments, supplements,
and other modifications of the documents and agreements creating the foregoing
obligations



<PAGE>   86
(collectively, the "Guaranteed Obligations"). This is a guaranty of payment and
not merely a guaranty of collection, and each Guarantor is liable as a primary
obligor. If any of the Guaranteed Obligations are not punctually paid when due,
whether by maturity, acceleration, or otherwise, and the Agent shall notify any
Guarantor of such default and make demand for payment hereunder, such Guarantor
shall immediately pay to the Agent the full amount of the Guaranteed Obligations
which are due and payable. Each Guarantor shall make each payment to the Agent
in U.S. Dollars in immediately available funds as directed by the Agent. The
Agent is hereby authorized at any time following any demand for payment
hereunder to set off and apply any indebtedness owed by the Agent to any
Guarantor against any and all of the obligations of such Guarantor under this
Agreement. The Agent agrees to promptly notify such Guarantor after any such
setoff and application, but the failure to give such notice shall not affect the
validity of such setoff and application.

Section 2.        Guaranty Absolute.

         2.1 This Agreement shall be deemed accepted by the Agent for the
benefit of itself and the Banks upon receipt, and the obligations of the
Guarantors under this Agreement are effective immediately and are continuing and
cover all Guaranteed Obligations arising prior to and after the date hereof.
This Agreement may not be revoked by any Guarantor and shall continue to be
effective with respect to Guaranteed Obligations arising or created after any
attempted revocation by any Guarantor.

         2.2 Each Guarantor guarantees that the Guaranteed Obligations will be
paid strictly in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement and the other
Credit Documents, regardless of any law, regulation, or order now or hereafter
in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of the
Agent or the Banks with respect thereto. Each Guarantor agrees that such
Guarantor's obligations under this Agreement shall not be released, diminished,
or impaired by, and waives any rights which such Guarantor might otherwise have
which relate to:

                  (a) Any lack of validity or enforceability of the Guaranteed
Obligations, any Credit Document, or any other agreement or instrument relating
thereto; any increase, reduction, extension, or rearrangement of the Guaranteed
Obligations; any amendment, supplement, or other modification of the Credit
Documents; any waiver or consent granted under the Credit Documents, including
waivers of the payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations; or any
sale, assignment, delegation, or other transfer of the Guaranteed Obligations or
the Credit Documents;

                                       -2-

<PAGE>   87


                  (b) Any grant of any security or support for the Guaranteed
Obligations or any impairment of any security or support for the Guaranteed
Obligations, including any full or partial release of the Borrower, any
Guarantor, or any other Person liable for the payment or performance of the
Guaranteed Obligations; any change in the organization or structure of the
Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person liable for the payment or
performance of the Guaranteed Obligations; or the insolvency, bankruptcy,
liquidation, or dissolution of the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person
liable for the payment or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations;

                  (c) The manner of applying payments on the Guaranteed
Obligations or the proceeds of any security or support for the Guaranteed
Obligations against the Guaranteed Obligations;

                  (d) The failure to give notice of the occurrence of any of the
events or actions referred to in this Section 2.2, notice of any default or
event of default, however denominated, under the Credit Documents, notice of
intent to demand, notice of demand, notice of presentment for payment, notice of
nonpayment, notice of intent to protest, notice of protest, notice of grace,
notice of dishonor, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration,
notice of bringing of action to enforce the payment or performance of the
Guaranteed Obligations, notice of any sale or foreclosure of any collateral for
the Guaranteed Obligations, notice of any transfer of the Guaranteed
Obligations, notice of the financial condition of or other circumstances
regarding the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person liable for the
Guaranteed Obligations, or any other notice of any kind relating to the
Guaranteed Obligations (and the parties intend that no Guarantor shall be
considered a "Debtor" as defined in Section 9.105 of the Texas Business and
Commerce Code for the purpose of notices required to be given to a Debtor
thereunder); or

                  (e) Any other action taken or omitted which affects the
Guaranteed Obligations, whether or not such action or omission prejudices any
Guarantor or increases the likelihood that any Guarantor will be required to pay
the Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to the terms hereof--it is the unambiguous
and unequivocal intention of each Guarantor that such Guarantor shall be
obligated to pay the Guaranteed Obligations when due, notwithstanding any
occurrence, circumstance, event, action, or omission whatsoever, whether
contemplated or uncontemplated, and whether or not particularly described
herein.

         2.3 This Agreement shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as
the case may be, if any payment on the Guaranteed Obligations must be refunded
for any reason including any bankruptcy proceeding. In the event that the Agent
or any Bank must refund any

                                       -3-

<PAGE>   88

payment received against the Guaranteed Obligations, any prior release from the
terms of this Agreement given to any Guarantor by the Agent shall be without
effect, and this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect. It is
the intention of each Guarantor that such Guarantor's obligations hereunder
shall not be discharged except by final payment of the Guaranteed Obligations.

         2.4 (a) Each Guarantor is a Subsidiary of the Borrower and receives
and, because of its ownership by the Borrower, expects to continue to receive
business opportunities, financial support, and management support from the
Borrower. Each Guarantor has agreed to enter into this Agreement so that the
Borrower can receive the benefits of the Guaranteed Obligations and continue to
provide these services to such Guarantor.

                  (b) In consummating the transactions contemplated by the
Credit Documents, no Guarantor intends to disturb, delay, hinder, or defraud
either present or future creditors of such Guarantor. Each Guarantor is familiar
with, and has independently reviewed books and records regarding, the financial
condition of the Borrower and is familiar with the value of the security and
support for the payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations. Based
upon such examination, and taking into account the fairly discounted value of
such Guarantor's contingent obligations under this Agreement and the value of
the subrogation and contribution claims such Guarantor could make in connection
with this Agreement, and assuming each of the transactions contemplated by the
Credit Documents is consummated and the Borrower makes full use of the credit
facilities thereunder, the present realizable fair market value of the assets of
such Guarantor exceeds the total obligations of such Guarantor, and such
Guarantor is able to realize upon its assets and pay its obligations as such
obligations mature in the normal course of business.

                  (c) If notwithstanding the foregoing it is judicially
determined with respect to any Guarantor that entering into this Agreement would
violate Section 548 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable
provisions of any state law, then such Guarantor shall be liable under this
Guaranty only for amounts aggregating up to the largest amount that would not
render such Guarantor's obligations hereunder subject to avoidance under Section
548 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provisions of any
state law.

                  (d) Each Guarantor agrees that each Guarantor shall have
rights of contribution and subrogation against each other Guarantor with respect
to any payments made in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations.

                                       -4-

<PAGE>   89

Section 3.        Unimpaired Collection.

         3.1 There are no conditions precedent to the enforcement of this
Agreement, except as expressly contained herein. It shall not be necessary for
the Agent, in order to enforce payment by any Guarantor under this Agreement, to
show any proof of the Borrower's default, to exhaust the Agent's remedies
against the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person liable for the payment
or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, to enforce any security or support
for the payment or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, or to enforce any
other means of obtaining payment or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations.
Each Guarantor waives any rights under Chapter 34 of the Texas Business and
Commerce Code, Section 17.001 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and
Rule 31 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure related to the foregoing. Neither
the Agent nor the Banks shall be required to mitigate damages or take any other
action to reduce, collect, or enforce the Guaranteed Obligations.

         3.2 With respect to each Guarantor, all Subordinated Obligations of
such Guarantor (as defined below) shall be subordinate and junior in right of
payment and collection to the payment and collection in full of all Guaranteed
Obligations as described below:

                  (a) As used herein, the term "Subordinated Obligations" for
such Guarantor means: (i) all present and future indebtedness, liabilities, and
obligations of any kind owed by the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person
liable for the payment or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations to such
Guarantor, including debt obligations, equity obligations, and other contractual
obligations requiring payments of any kind to be made to such Guarantor and
including any right of subrogation (including any statutory rights of
subrogation under Section 509 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. ss. 509, or
under Chapter 34 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code), contribution,
indemnification, reimbursement, exoneration, or any right to participate in any
claim or remedy of the Agent against the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any Person
liable for the payment or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any
collateral which the Agent now has or may acquire, and (ii) any increases,
extensions, and rearrangements of the foregoing obligations under any
amendments, supplements, and other modifications of the documents and agreements
creating the foregoing obligations.

                  (b) Until all Guaranteed Obligations have been irrevocably
paid in full (and therefore the payment thereof is no longer subject to being
set aside or returned under the law), such Guarantor agrees not to take any
action to enforce payment of the
                                       -5-

<PAGE>   90

Subordinated Obligations of such Guarantor, but this standstill is not intended
as a permanent waiver of the subrogation, contribution, indemnification,
reimbursement, exoneration, participation, or other rights of such Guarantor.

                  (c) Upon any receivership, insolvency proceeding, bankruptcy
proceeding, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement
with creditors, sale of assets for creditors, dissolution, liquidation, or
marshaling of the assets of the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person
liable for the payment or performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, all amounts
due with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations shall be paid in full before such
Guarantor shall be entitled to collect or receive any payment with respect to
the Subordinated Obligations of such Guarantor, and all payments to which such
Guarantor would be entitled to collect or receive on the Subordinated
Obligations of such Guarantor shall be paid over to the Agent for application to
the Guaranteed Obligations.

                  (d) Following notice from the Agent to the Borrower that an
Event of Default exists and that no further payments shall be made on the
Subordinated Obligations of such Guarantor, all amounts due with respect to the
Guaranteed Obligations shall be paid in full before such Guarantor shall be
entitled to collect or receive any payment with respect to the Subordinated
Obligations of such Guarantor.

                  (e) Any lien, security interest, or assignment securing the
repayment of the Subordinated Obligations of such Guarantor shall be fully
subordinate to any lien, security interest, or assignment in favor of the Agent
which secures the Guaranteed Obligations. At the request of the Agent, such
Guarantor will take any and all steps necessary to fully evidence the
subordination granted hereunder, including amending or terminating financing
statements and executing and recording subordinations of liens.

                  (f) This is an absolute and irrevocable agreement of
subordination and the Agent may, without notice to such Guarantor, take any
action described in Section 2.2 without impairing or releasing the obligations
of such Guarantor hereunder.

                  (g) Such Guarantor shall not assign or otherwise transfer to
any other Person any interest in the Subordinated Obligations of such Guarantor
without the prior written permission of the Agent and unless such Guarantor
causes the assignee or other transferee to execute and deliver to the Agent a
subordination agreement in substantially the form of the subordination
provisions in this Agreement.

                                       -6-

<PAGE>   91

                  (h) If any amount shall be paid to such Guarantor in violation
of this Section 3.2, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of the
Agent and immediately turned over to the Agent, with any necessary endorsement,
to be applied to the Guaranteed Obligations.

Section 4.        Miscellaneous.

         4.1 Each Guarantor hereby affirms and shall comply with the
representations, warranties, and covenants made by the Borrower in the Credit
Agreement to the extent that such representations, warranties, and covenants are
applicable to such Guarantor, including all of the covenants in Section 5 of the
Credit Agreement.

         4.2 Each Guarantor shall pay to the Agent on demand (without
duplication) (a) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Agent in
connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration,
modification, and amendment of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to
which such Guarantor is a party, including the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket
expenses of outside counsel for the Agent with respect to advising the Agent as
to its rights and responsibilities under this Agreement and the Credit Documents
to which such Guarantor is a party, and (b) all costs and expenses of the Agent
and the Banks in connection with the preservation or enforcement of the Agent's
rights under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which such
Guarantor is a party, whether through negotiations, legal proceedings, or
otherwise, including fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent. The provisions
of this paragraph shall survive any purported termination of this Agreement and
the Credit Documents that does not expressly reference this paragraph.

         4.3 Each Guarantor agrees to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold
harmless the Agent, each Bank, and each of their respective Related Parties
(collectively, the "Indemnified Parties"), from and against all demands, claims,
actions, suits, damages, judgments, fines, penalties, liabilities, and costs and
expenses (without duplication), including reasonable costs of attorneys and
related costs of experts such as accountants (collectively, the "Indemnified
Liabilities"), actually incurred by the Indemnified Parties which are related to
any litigation or proceeding relating to this Agreement, the Credit Documents,
or the transactions contemplated thereunder, INCLUDING INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES
CAUSED BY ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY'S OWN NEGLIGENCE, but not Indemnified
Liabilities which are a result of any Indemnified Party's gross negligence or
willful misconduct. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive any purported
termination of this Agreement and the Credit Documents that does not expressly
reference this paragraph.

                                       -7-

<PAGE>   92

         4.4 Each Guarantor agrees that this Agreement shall be governed by the
laws of the State of Texas. If any provision in this Agreement is held to be
unenforceable, such provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions
shall remain in full force and effect. All representations, warranties, and
covenants of any Guarantor in this Agreement shall survive the execution of this
Agreement and any other contract or agreement. If a due date for an amount
payable is not specified in this Agreement, the due date shall be the date on
which the Agent demands payment therefor. The Agent's remedies under this
Agreement and the Credit Documents to which any Guarantor is a party shall be
cumulative, and no delay in enforcing this Agreement and the Credit Documents to
which such Guarantor is a party shall act as a waiver of the Agent's rights
thereunder. The provisions of this Agreement may be waived or amended only in a
writing signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought. This Agreement
shall bind and inure to the benefit of each Guarantor and the Agent, the Banks
and their respective successors and assigns. Each Guarantor may not assign its
rights or delegate its duties under this Agreement. The Agent may assign its
rights and delegate its duties under this Agreement in accordance with the terms
of the Credit Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts
each of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. Unless otherwise
specified, all notices and other communications between such Guarantor and the
Agent provided for in this Agreement and the Credit Documents to which such
Guarantor is a party shall be in writing, including telecopy, and delivered or
transmitted to the addresses set forth below, or to such other address as shall
be designated by such Guarantor or the Agent in written notice to the other
party. All such notices shall be effective at the times provided for in Section
8.6 of the Credit Agreement.

If to any Guarantor:

         [Guarantor]
         c/o HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc.
         6210 Rothway
         Houston, Texas  77040
         Attn:  Chief Financial Officer
         telephone:  (713) 462-2130
         telecopier:  (713) 329-2440



<PAGE>   93

If to the Agent:

         NationsBank of Texas, N.A.,
         700 Louisiana, 7th Floor
         Houston, Texas 77002
         Attn:  Mr. William T. Griffin, Jr., Vice President
         telephone:  713-247-7457
         telecopier:  713-247-7748

         4.5 Any present or future Subsidiary of the Borrower may become a
Guarantor under and a party to this Agreement by executing and delivering to the
Agent a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 5.19 of the Credit
Agreement or by otherwise assuming in writing in favor of the Agent the
liabilities of a Guarantor under this Agreement. Upon execution and delivery of
a Joinder Agreement or otherwise assuming the liabilities of a Guarantor under
this Agreement such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be a Guarantor under this
Agreement and a party to this Agreement for all purposes hereunder.

         4.6      WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH GUARANTOR IRREVOCABLY
WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING
OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS OR ANY TRANSACTIONS
RELATING THERETO.



               [the remainder of this page is intentionally blank]


                                       -9-

<PAGE>   94



THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT
AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR,
CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

         EXECUTED as of the date first above written.


                                       [SUBSIDIARIES]


                                       By:
                                          --------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                            ------------------------------
                                       Title:
                                             -----------------------------















                                      -10-
<PAGE>   95
                                                                       EXHIBIT F

                                    FORM OF
                        REVOLVING LOAN BORROWING REQUEST

                                     [date]


NationsBank of Texas, N.A.,
  as Agent
Attn: Mr. William T. Griffin, Jr.
700 Louisiana, 7th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Telephone:  713-247-7756
Telecopy:   713-247-7748

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc. a Delaware corporation
("Borrower"), refers to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997 (as
the same may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time, the
"Credit Agreement," the defined terms of which are used in this Borrowing
Request unless otherwise defined in this Borrowing Request) among the Borrower,
the financial institutions parties thereto ("Banks"), and NationsBank of Texas,
N.A., as agent for the Banks ("Agent"), and hereby gives you irrevocable notice
pursuant to Section 2.1(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement that the undersigned
hereby requests a Revolving Loan Borrowing (the "Proposed Borrowing") on the
terms set forth below:

          Date of Revolving Loan Borrowing(1)          :
          Type of Tranche(2)                           :
          Aggregate Amount(3)                          :
          Interest Period (4)                          :



--------------------------

     (1) The Date of Revolving Loan Borrowing for the Proposed Borrowing must be
a Business Day. The Borrower must give three Business Days' advance notice for
Revolving Loan Borrowings including LIBOR Tranches or same day notice for
Revolving Loan Borrowings including only Prime Rate Tranches.

     (2) The Type of Tranches comprising the Proposed Borrowing may be Prime
Rate Tranches or LIBOR Tranches subject to the provisions of Section 2.4(a)(i).

     (3) The Aggregate Amount of the Proposed Borrowing must be in a minimum
amount of (a) in the case of LIBOR Tranches, $300,000 and in multiples of
$100,000 in excess thereof and (b) in the case of Prime Rate Tranches, $100,000
and in integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof.

     (4) The Interest Period applies only to Revolving Loan Borrowings including
LIBOR Tranches and may be one, two, three, or six months. Insert "N/A" for
Revolving Loan Borrowings including any Prime Rate Tranches.
<PAGE>   96
The undersigned hereby certifies that the following statements are true on the
date hereof, and will be true on the date of the Proposed Borrowing:

          (a)  the representations and warranties contained in the Credit
Agreement are correct in all material respects, before and after giving effect
to the Proposed Borrowing and the application of the proceeds therefrom, as
though made on the Proposed Borrowing;

          (b)  no Default has occurred and remains uncured, nor would any
Default result from the Proposed Borrowing or from the application of the
proceeds therefrom; and

          (c)  following the making of the proposed Revolving Loan Borrowing
and all other Revolving Loan Borrowings to be made on the same day to the
Borrower, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loan plus
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Autoborrow Advances plus the
Letter of Credit Exposure shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the Revolving
Loan Commitments.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL
                                        SERVICES, INC.

                                        By:
                                           ------------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                             ----------------------------------
                                        Title:
                                              ---------------------------------



                                      -2-
<PAGE>   97
                                                                     Exhibit G


                                     FORM OF
                               REVOLVING LOAN NOTE
                                  ([Bank Name])


$[Amount]                        Houston, Texas                          [date]


         For value received, the undersigned HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES,
INC., a Delaware corporation ("Borrower"), hereby promises to pay to the order
of [Bank Name] ("Bank"), the principal amount of [Amount] ($[ ]) or, if less,
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Loan Advances (as
defined in the Credit Agreement referred to below) made by the Bank to the
Borrower, together with accrued but unpaid interest on the principal amount of
each such Revolving Loan Advance from the date of such Revolving Loan Advance
until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates, and at such
times, as are specified in the Credit Agreement.

         This Revolving Loan Note is one of the Revolving Loan Notes referred to
in, and is entitled to the benefits of, and is subject to the terms of, the
Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997 (as the same may be amended,
modified, or supplemented from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among the
Borrower, the financial institutions parties thereto ("Banks"), and NationsBank
of Texas, N.A., as agent for the Banks ("Agent"). Capitalized terms used herein
but not defined herein shall have the meanings specified by the Credit
Agreement. The Credit Agreement (a) provides for, among other things, the making
of Revolving Loan Advances by the Bank to the Borrower from time to time, the
indebtedness of the Borrower resulting from each such Revolving Loan Advance
being evidenced by this Revolving Loan Note, and (b) contains provisions for,
among other things, acceleration of the maturity of this Revolving Loan Note
upon the happening of certain events stated in the Credit Agreement and for
prepayments of principal prior to the maturity of this Revolving Loan Note upon
the terms and conditions specified in the Credit Agreement.

         Both principal and interest are payable to the Agent in the currency,
at the times, in the locations, and in the manner specified in the Credit
Agreement. The Bank shall record all Revolving



<PAGE>   98


Loan Advances and payments of principal made under this Revolving Loan Note, but
no failure of the Bank to make such recordings shall affect the Borrower's
repayment obligations under this Revolving Loan Note.

         It is contemplated that because of prepayments there may be times when
no indebtedness is owed under this Revolving Loan Note. Notwithstanding such
prepayments, this Revolving Loan Note shall remain valid and shall be in force
as to Revolving Loan Advances made pursuant to the Credit Agreement after such
prepayments.

         It is the intention of the Bank and the Borrower to conform strictly to
any applicable usury laws. Accordingly, the terms of the Credit Agreement
relating to the prevention of usury will be strictly followed.

         EXECUTED as of the date first above written.


                                            HYDROCHEM INDUSTRIAL
                                            SERVICES, INC.



                                            By:
                                                -----------------------------
                                            Name:
                                                  ---------------------------
                                            Title:
                                                   --------------------------


<PAGE>   99
                                                                    Exhibit H

                                CLOSING DOCUMENTS

                               Credit Provided by
                 NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent and Bank,
                     for HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc.


                                        [effective date]

         Agent             =       NationsBank of Texas, N.A.
         Banks             =       NationsBank of Texas, N.A.
         Borrower          =       HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc.
         B&P               =       Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


         Responsible
           Party                              Credit Documents
           -----                              ----------------

<S>      <C>                        <S>
1.       B&P                        Credit Agreement dated as of December
                                    31, 1997, among the Borrower, the Banks, and
                                    the Agent providing for a $25,000,000 senior
                                    revolving credit facility.

         B&P                        Exhibit A    -    Form of Acquisition Certificate
         B&P                        Exhibit B    -    Form of Assignment and Acceptance
         B&P                        Exhibit C    -    Form of Borrowing Base and Compliance
                                                      Certificate
         B&P                        Exhibit D    -    Form of Continuation/Conversion Request
         B&P                        Exhibit E    -    Form of Guaranty
         B&P                        Exhibit F    -    Form of Revolving Loan Borrowing Request
         B&P                        Exhibit G    -    Form of Revolving Loan Note
         B&P                        Exhibit H    -    Closing Document List
         B&P                        Exhibit I    -    Form of Joinder Agreement
         B&P                        Schedule I   -    Administrative Information (Borrower and
                                                      Bank)

         Borrower                   Schedule II  -    Disclosures (Existing Other Debt and Existing
                                                      Subsidiaries)
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   100


<TABLE>


<S>                                 <C>
2.       B&P                        Promissory Note, dated as of December
                                    31, 1997, made by the Borrower and payable
                                    to the order of Bank in the original
                                    principal amount of $25,000,000.

3.       Agent                      Autoborrow Service Agreement dated as
                                    of December 31, 1997, between the Borrower
                                    and NationsBank.

4.       B&P                        Guaranty Agreement dated as of December
                                    31, 1997, among the Subsidiaries of the
                                    Borrower and the Agent.


                                                Corporate Documents


5.       Borrower                   Opinion of Cassell & Stone, L.L.P. regarding
                                    the existence and good standing of the
                                    Borrower and its Subsidiaries the
                                    authorization of the Credit Documents by the
                                    Borrower and its Subsidiaries the
                                    enforceability of the Credit Documents, the
                                    absence of conflicting agreements, the
                                    absence of litigation, and certain other
                                    matters as described therein.


6.       Borrower                   Certificate of Assistant Secretary of the
                                    Borrower certifying such corporation's
                                    articles, bylaws, and resolutions and such
                                    corporation's existence and good standing in
                                    its state of incorporation and qualification
                                    and good standing in material jurisdictions
                                    where it conducts business.

                                    Exhibit A -  Articles/Certificates of Incorporation
                                    Exhibit B -  Bylaws
                                    Exhibit C -  Resolutions
                                    Exhibit D -  Certificates of Existence and Good Standing;
                                                 Qualification and Good Standing


7.       Borrower                   Certificate of Assistant Secretary of each
                                    of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower
                                    certifying each such corporation's articles,
                                    bylaws, and resolutions and each such
                                    corporation's existence and good standing in
                                    its state of incorporation and qualification
                                    and good standing in material jurisdictions
                                    where it conducts business.

                                    Exhibit A -  Articles/Certificates of Incorporation

</TABLE>

                                       -2-

<PAGE>   101



<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>


                                    Exhibit B -   Bylaws
                                    Exhibit C -   Resolutions
                                    Exhibit D -   Certificates of Existence and Good Standing;
                                                  Qualification and Good Standing

8.       Borrower                   Lien Releases


                                                     Indenture


9.       Borrower                   Certified copy of the Indenture dated as of
                                    August 1, 1997 among the Borrower, HydroChem
                                    International, Inc., as Guarantor, and
                                    Norwest Bank, Minnesota, N.A., as Trustee,
                                    governing the 103/8 Series B Senior
                                    Subordinated Notes due August 1, 2007,
                                    together with a certified copy of all
                                    amendments or modifications of such
                                    Indenture.



</TABLE>



                                   -3-
<PAGE>   102
                                                                   Exhibit I


                                     FORM OF
                                JOINDER AGREEMENT
                                 ([Subsidiary])


         [Subsidiary], a [         ] corporation (the "Subsidiary"), hereby
agrees with (a) NationsBank of Texas, N.A., as Agent (the "Agent"), under the
Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 1997 among HydroChem Industrial
Services, Inc. a Delaware corporation, the financial institutions parties
thereto, as Banks, and the Agent (as amended, modified, or supplemented from
time to time, the "Credit Agreement," the capitalized terms of which are used
herein unless otherwise defined herein), and (b) the other parties to the
Guaranty dated as of December 31, 1997 executed in connection with the Credit
Agreement, as follows:

         In accordance with Section 5.19 of the Credit Agreement, the Subsidiary
hereby (a) joins the Guaranty as a party thereto and assumes all the obligations
of a Guarantor (as defined in the Guaranty) under the Guaranty, (b) agrees to be
bound by the provisions of the Guaranty as if the Subsidiary had been an
original party to the Guaranty, and (c) confirms that, after joining the
Guaranty as set forth above, the representations and warranties set forth in the
Credit Agreement and the Guaranty with respect to the Subsidiary are true and
correct in all material respects as of the date of this Joinder Agreement.

         For purposes of notices under the Guaranty, the notice address for the
Subsidiary is as follows:

                  --------------------------
                  --------------------------
                  --------------------------
                  Attention: ---------------
                  Telephone: (   )----------
                  Telecopy:  (   )----------



<PAGE>   103



         THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE CREDIT DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE
FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY
EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS
OF THE PARTIES.

THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Joinder Agreement is executed and delivered as
of the ___ day of ________, 19__.

                                       [SUBSIDIARY]



                                       By:
                                          -----------------------------
                                       Name:
                                            ---------------------------
                                       Title:
                                             --------------------------





                                      -2-