Document:

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.20

                    AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT

     THIS Amendment No. 1 (this "Amendment"), dated _____________, 2002 to the
VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") made the 17th day of December 1999, by
and among Allied Healthcare Group Limited (formerly known as Transworld Holdings
(UK) Limited), a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered
number 3370146 ("UK Parent"), Transworld Healthcare (UK) Limited, a company
incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 3370146 ("TW UK"),
Transworld Healthcare, Inc., a New York corporation ("US Parent"), Triumph
Partners III, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("Triumph"), and Richard
Green (hereinafter sometimes referred to, together with his successor in trust,
as the "Trustee"). UK Parent and US Parent are hereinafter referred to
collectively as the "Initial Shareholders." US Parent, UK Parent and TW UK are
hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Corporate Group."

                               W I T N E S S E T H
                               - - - - - - - - - -

     WHEREAS, on December 17, 1999, the parties entered into the Agreement to
provide a mechanism for exercising the voting rights attributable to the
outstanding ordinary shares of TW UK and UK Parent owned by the Initial
Shareholders so as to give effect to the commercial understanding between the
Purchasers (as defined in that certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the
"Purchase Agreement"), dated as of December 17, 1999, as amended, among UK
Parent, TW UK, the Purchasers and US Parent), on the one hand, and the Initial
Shareholders, on the other hand, with respect to the exercise of control over
the business and policies of TW UK and UK Parent and other matters of corporate
governance as between majority and minority shareholders;

     WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, the US Parent has approved the
reorganization of the Corporate Group, pursuant to which TW UK shall become a
wholly-owned subsidiary of UK Parent, which is and shall remain a wholly-owned
subsidiary of US Parent (the "Reorganization") in accordance with that certain
Master Reorganization Agreement, dated as of April 24, 2002 by an among the
Corporate Group and the Investors named therein (the "Reorganization
Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, in connection with the Reorganization, Triumph shall acquire
shares of US Parent Preferred Stock and it is the intention of the parties that
for so long as such Preferred Stock (or any US Parent Common Stock issuable upon
conversion thereof) remains outstanding, Triumph is to be afforded certain
amended voting rights as fully described herein.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained
and for other good, valuable and sufficient consideration, the receipt of which
is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto promise, covenant, undertake and
agree as follows:

     1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used in the Agreement and not otherwise
defined shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Certificate of Amendment
to the Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of
the US Parent (the "Preferred Stock Certificate"), rather than the Purchase
Agreement.

<PAGE>

     2. Transfer of Securities. Effective hereby, the following shall be
substituted in its entirety for clause (iii) of the second paragraph of Section
3 of the Agreement: Intentionally Omitted.

     3. Withdrawal of Shares from Voting Trust.

         (a) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for paragraph (a) of Section 4 of the Agreement:

         "at any time after the fifteenth anniversary of the date hereof,
     provided that all obligations of US Parent, UK Parent and TW UK arising
     from (i) a conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) the exercise of
     the Holders' Redemption with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock, (iii)
     the Mirror Preferred Stock, (iv) the Mirror Notes or (v) the Mirror PIK
     Notes, shall have been duly and fully satisfied."

         (b) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for paragraph (b) of Section 4 of the Agreement: Intentionally Omitted.

     4. Rights, Powers and Duties of the Trustee; Obligations of Initial
Shareholders. Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for paragraph (f) of Section 5 of the Agreement:

         "Subject to the requirements of Applicable Law, each of the Initial
     Shareholders shall instruct the Trustee to vote their Shares (whether at a
     general or extraordinary meeting of shareholders or by consent in lieu of a
     meeting of shareholders) and where appropriate to give effect to such
     matters, shall convene any necessary shareholders meeting for the purpose
     of passing (and, unless pursuant to an amending resolution required for the
     purpose of authorizing and giving effect to the Holders' Redemption of
     Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to the Preferred Stock Certificate and
     Article VIII of the Purchase Agreement, not revoking) such resolutions as
     may be required by Applicable Law to approve or authorize any purchase of
     securities pursuant to Article VIII of the Purchase Agreement, including
     without limitation, any special resolutions required under Sections 165
     and/or 171 of the Companies Act 1985."

     5. Voting by the Trustee.

         (a) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for paragraph (a)(iii) of Section 6 of the Agreement: Intentionally
Omitted.

         (b) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for paragraph (a)(vi) of Section 6 of the Agreement:

         (vi) If a Put Breach shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee
         (A) shall vote, sell and transfer the Shares strictly in accordance
         with the instructions of Triumph without any requirement as to action
         by the Board of Directors of UK Parent or TW UK and (B) shall execute
         and deliver as the registered holder of the

                                        2
<PAGE>

         Shares such agreements, documents or instruments as may be reasonably
         required by Triumph to carry out the same consistently with the
         Purchase Agreement and the TW UK Charter. The Trustee shall be required
         to accept as evidence of the occurrence of a Put Breach and of the
         instructions of Triumph a letter or notice duly signed by an authorized
         representative of Triumph stating that a Put Breach has occurred and
         setting forth any other actions to which such instructions shall apply.
         The Trustee shall not be allowed or bound to call for further evidence
         nor to verify the accuracy of the contents of such letter or notice nor
         be responsible for any losses, liabilities, costs, damages, actions,
         demand or expenses or for any breach of any of the provisions of this
         Agreement that may be occasioned by accepting, acting or relying on
         such letter or notice.

            If US Parent disputes the determination of Triumph that a Put Breach
         has occurred, it shall have the right to take such action as it may
         determine, including seeking injunctive relief, instituting an action
         for damages or an appropriate judicial declaration. Pending resolution
         of any dispute or legal proceeding initiated by US Parent, the Trustee
         shall be required to act in accordance with the instructions of Triumph
         except in the case that an injunction to the contrary is issued by a
         court of competent jurisdiction. Triumph shall respond promptly to any
         request by US Parent for a statement of the grounds upon which Triumph
         based its determination that a Put Breach has occurred and shall afford
         US Parent an opportunity to address Triumph and illustrate any
         obligations or other matters relevant to such determination.

         (c)  Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for paragraph (a)(vii) of Section 6 of the Agreement:

         (vii) If any resolutions are required to be passed by the shareholders
         to approve or authorize any purchase of Securities pursuant to Article
         VIII of the Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, any
         special resolutions required under Sections 164, 165 and/or 171 of the
         Companies Act 1985 (whether out of distributable profits or out of the
         proceeds of any new issuance of shares or otherwise), then, subject to
         the requirements of Applicable Laws, the Trustee shall vote the Shares
         strictly in accordance with the instructions of Triumph. The Trustee
         shall be required to accept as evidence of the instructions of Triumph
         a letter or notice duly signed by an authorized representative of
         Triumph stating that a resolution is required and setting forth any
         other actions to which such instructions shall apply. The Trustee shall
         not be allowed or bound to call for further evidence nor to verify the
         accuracy of the contents of such letter or notice nor be responsible
         for any losses, liabilities, costs, damages, actions, demand or
         expenses or for any breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement
         that may be occasioned by accepting, acting or relying on such letter
         or notice.

         (d) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for the definition of "Put Breach" in paragraph (b) of Section 6 the
Agreement:

                                        3
<PAGE>

     "Put Breach" means, with respect to any of (i) a Holders' Redemption of
Series A Preferred Stock , (ii) a redemption or repayment of Mirror Preferred
Stock or (iii) a redemption or repayment of Mirror Notes and/or Mirror PIK Notes
(each a "Put"), the failure of US Parent, UK Parent and/or TW UK to fulfill
their respective obligations in all material respects in the manner and at the
time provided in the Preferred Stock Certificate, the charter of UK Parent
(including the terms of the Mirror Preferred Stock) or the Purchase Agreement,
provided that a failure by UK Parent so to fulfill its obligations shall not be
deemed to be a Put Breach unless TW UK shall also have failed to fulfill its
obligations on the corresponding Put.

         (e) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for clause (iv) of paragraph (c) of Section 6 of the Agreement:

         "(iv) Up to four additional persons who (except as provided below) are
     neither partners, directors, agents, Affiliates, officers or employees of
     any of US Parent, Triumph or their Affiliates, nor officers or employees of
     UK Parent or TW UK or any of its Subsidiaries (the "Independent
     Directors"), who will be nominated with the affirmative vote of a majority
     of the directors then in office following the nomination procedure set
     forth below; provided, however, that "independent" directors of US Parent
     who are neither officers or employees of US Parent, UK Parent or TW UK nor
     Affiliates of Hyperion Partners II, L.P., Hyperion TW Fund, L.P., Hyperion
     TWH Fund LLC, Hyperion TWH Fund II LLC or Triumph will be eligible to be
     nominated as Independent Directors pursuant to this Section 6(c);"

         (f) Effective hereby, the following shall be added as clause (v) of
paragraph (c) of Section 6 of the Agreement:

         "(v) the chief operating officer of TW UK (the "TW UK Director" and,
also a "Management Director"), provided that the initial TW UK Director shall be
Sarah Eames;

         (g) Effective hereby, the following shall be substituted in its
entirety for the second subparagraph of paragraph (c) of Section 6 of the
Agreement:

         "If at any time, (i) any of Triumph or the registered holders of the
Voting Trust Certificates shall notify the Trustee and the other parties hereto
of its desire to remove, with or without cause (as defined below), any director
of TW UK or UK Parent previously designated by it pursuant to this Section 6(c),
(ii) either Management Director ceases to be employed as the chief executive
officer or the chief operating officer, as the case may be, of TW UK, or (iii)
the directors (other than the director who is proposed to be removed) then in
office unanimously agree to request the removal of an Independent Director, then
the Trustee agrees to vote all of the Shares so as to remove such director. If
at any time, any of the Investor Director, the Parent Director or the TW UK
Director ceases to serve on the Board of Directors of TW UK or UK Parent
(whether by reason of death, resignation, removal or otherwise), the party who
designated such director shall be entitled to designate a successor director to
fill the vacancy created thereby on the terms and subject to the conditions of
this Section 6(c) and the Trustee shall vote all of the Shares so as to elect
any such director. If at any time an Independent Director ceases to serve on the
Board of Directors of TW UK or UK Parent (whether by reason of death,
resignation,

                                       4
<PAGE>

removal or otherwise), a successor director shall be designated and elected on
the terms and subject to the conditions provided in this Section 6(c)."

                                       5

<PAGE>

                    AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT
                             COMPANY SIGNATURE PAGE

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment No. 1 to
Voting Trust Agreement as a deed as of the date first above written.

                                   COMPANIES:

                                   Signed as a deed for and on behalf of
                                   TRANSWORLD HEALTHCARE (UK) LIMITED

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

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

                                      S-1

<PAGE>

                    AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT
                            UK PARENT SIGNATURE PAGE

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment No. 1 to
Voting Trust Agreement as a deed as of the date first above written.

                                   Signed as a deed for and on behalf of
                                   ALLIED HEALTHCARE GROUP LIMITED
                                   (formerly: TRANSWORLD HOLDINGS (UK)
                                   LIMITED) acting by its duly
                                   authorized attorney:

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

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

                                      S-2
<PAGE>

                    AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT
                             TRUSTEE' SIGNATURE PAGE

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment No. 1 to
Voting Trust Agreement as a deed as of the date first above written.

                                      RICHARD GREEN

                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Name:

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

                                      Telephone:
                                                --------------------------------

                                      In the presence of:

                                      Name:
                                           -------------------------------------

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

                                      Occupation:
                                                 -------------------------------

                                      S-3

<PAGE>

                    AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT
                             TRIUMPH SIGNATURE PAGE

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment No. 1 to
Voting Trust Agreement as a deed as of the date first above written.

                                   Signed as a deed for and on behalf of

                                   TRIUMPH PARTNERS III, L.P.

                                   By: Triumph III Advisors, L.P.,
                                       its general partner

                                   By: Triumph III Advisors, Inc.,
                                       its general partner

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

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

                                   Address:   Triumph Capital Group, Inc.
                                              28 State Street, 37th Floor
                                              Boston, MA 02109
                                              Attn: Frederick S. Moseley, IV
                                   Telephone: (617) 557-6000

                                      S-4
<PAGE>

                    AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT
                            US PARENT SIGNATURE PAGE

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment No. 1 to
Voting Trust Agreement as of the date first above written.

                                   Signed as a DEED by

                                   TRANSWORLD HEALTHCARE, INC.

                                   acting by its duly authorized attorney:

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

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

                                      S-5<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.3

                                  $120,000,000

                              WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.

                          10 1/2% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2009

                               PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                                                  March 22, 2002

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION,
  As Representative of the Several Purchasers,
    Eleven Madison Avenue,
      New York, N.Y. 10010-3629

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      1. Introductory. Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to
issue and sell to the several initial purchasers named in Schedule A hereto (the
"PURCHASERS") U.S.$120,000,000 principal amount of its 10 1/2% Senior Notes Due
2009 (the "NOTES"). The Notes will be unconditionally guaranteed (each, a
"GUARANTEE") on a senior unsecured basis by TF Investor, Inc., Tube Forming,
L.P., Wolverine Finance Company, Wolverine China Investments, LLC, STPC Holding,
Inc., Small Tube Manufacturing Corporation and Wolverine Joining Technologies,
Inc. and each other subsidiary of the Company that executes the Indenture (as
defined below) as a guarantor on the Closing Date (as defined below) and each
other subsidiary of the Company that thereafter guarantees the Notes pursuant to
the terms of the Indenture (the "GUARANTORS"). The Notes will be issued under an
indenture, dated as of March 27, 2002 (the "INDENTURE"), among the Company, the
Guarantors and First Union National Bank ("Wachovia"), as Trustee. The Notes and
the Guaranties are together referred to as the "OFFERED SECURITIES". The United
States Securities Act of 1933 is herein referred to as the "SECURITIES ACT."

      Holders (including subsequent transferees) of the Offered Securities will
have the registration rights set forth in the registration rights agreement (the
"REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), to be dated the date hereof, in substantially
the form of Exhibit I hereto, for so long as such Offered Securities constitute
"TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES" (as defined in the Registration Rights
Agreement). Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company and the
Guarantors will agree to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"COMMISSION") under the circumstances set forth therein, (i) a registration
statement under the Securities Act (the "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT")
relating to the Company's 10 1/2% Senior Notes in a like aggregate principal
amount as the Company issued under the Indenture, identical in all material
respects to the Initial Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights
Agreement) and registered under the Securities Act (the "EXCHANGE SECURITIES"),
to be offered in exchange for the Offered Securities (such offer to exchange
being referred to as the "REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER") and (ii) under the
circumstances set forth therein, a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule
415 under the Securities Act (the "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" and, together
with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the "REGISTRATION STATEMENTS")
relating to the resale by certain holders of the Offered Securities and to use
its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statements to be declared
and remain effective and usable for the periods specified in the Registration
Rights Agreement and to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer. The Offered
Securities and the Exchange Securities are referred to collectively as the
"SECURITIES".

      The following transactions (collectively, the "Transactions") will occur
concurrently with the consummation of the issue and sale of the Offered
Securities as set forth herein: (i) the Company will obtain a U.S.$37,500,000
senior secured revolving credit facility (the "SENIOR CREDIT FACILITY"), under a
credit agreement and related documentation among the Company, the lenders party
thereto and Wachovia, as administrative agent (the "CREDIT AGREEMENT"), and (ii)
the Company will use the net proceeds of the Offered Securities, together with
its borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility, if any, to (A) repay the
outstanding indebtedness under and to terminate the Company's existing revolving
credit facility and (B) pay transaction costs relating to the issue and sale of
the Offered Securities and the Senior Credit Facility.
<PAGE>

                                                                               2

      The Company and the Guarantors jointly and severally hereby agree with the
several Purchasers as follows:

      2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company and the
Guarantors jointly and severally represent and warrant to, and agree with, the
several Purchasers that:

            (a) A preliminary offering circular and an offering circular
      relating to the Offered Securities to be offered by the Purchasers have
      been prepared by the Company. Such preliminary offering circulars (the
      "PRELIMINARY OFFERING CIRCULARS") and offering circulars (the "OFFERING
      CIRCULARS"), as supplemented as of the date of this Agreement, together
      with the documents, if any, listed in Schedule C hereto and any other
      document approved by the Company for use in connection with the
      contemplated resale of the Offered Securities are hereinafter collectively
      referred to as the "OFFERING DOCUMENT". On the date of this Agreement, the
      Offering Document does not include any untrue statement of a material fact
      or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
      necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
      circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding
      sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Offering
      Document based upon written information furnished to the Company by any
      Purchaser through Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation ("CSFBC")
      specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only
      such information is that described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. Except
      as disclosed in the Offering Document, on the date of this Agreement, the
      Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K most recently filed with the
      Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") and all subsequent
      reports (collectively, the "EXCHANGE ACT REPORTS") which have been filed
      by the Company with the Commission or sent to stock holders pursuant to
      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "EXCHANGE ACT") do not include
      any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
      necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
      circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Such documents,
      when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material
      respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and
      regulations of the Commission thereunder.

            (b) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing
      corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
      power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and
      conduct its business as described in the Offering Document; and the
      Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good
      standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of
      property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification.

            (c) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is
      an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the
      jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and
      other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the
      Offering Document; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to
      do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other
      jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct
      of its business requires such qualification; except where the failure to
      be so qualified and in good standing would not have a Material Adverse
      Effect (as defined below) all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
      of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly
      issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock of each
      subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is
      owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects.

            (d) The entities listed on Schedule D hereto are the only
      subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company.

            (e) The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company; each
      Guarantee has been duly authorized by each respective Guarantor; the
      Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and each Guarantor; and
      when the Indenture is executed and delivered by Wachovia and when the
      Offered Securities are delivered and paid for pursuant to this Agreement
      on the Closing Date (as defined below), the Indenture will have been duly
      executed and delivered, such Offered Securities will have been duly
      executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will conform in all
      material respects to the description thereof contained in the Offering
      Document under the caption "Description of the Notes", and the Indenture
      and such Offered Securities will constitute valid and legally binding
      obligations of the Company and each Guarantor, as applicable, enforceable
      in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
      fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of
      general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
      general equity principles.
<PAGE>
                                                                               3

            (f) On the Closing Date (as defined below), the Exchange Securities
      will have been duly authorized by the Company; and when the Exchange
      Securities are issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the
      terms of the Exchange Offer and the Indenture, the Exchange Securities
      will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be the valid
      and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance
      with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
      reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability
      relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity
      principles.

            (g) On the Closing Date (as defined below) the Guarantee to be
      endorsed on the Exchange Securities by each Guarantor will have been duly
      authorized by such Guarantor; and, when issued, will have been duly
      executed and delivered by each such Guarantor and will conform in all
      material respects to the description thereof contained in the Offering
      Document. When the Exchange Securities have been issued, executed and
      authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer and the
      Indenture, the Guarantee of each Guarantor endorsed thereon will
      constitute valid and legally binding obligations of such Guarantor,
      enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,
      insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar
      laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights
      and to general equity principles.

            (h) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by
      the Company and each of the Guarantors and, on the Closing Date (as
      defined below) when the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly
      executed and delivered by the Purchasers and the Offered Securities have
      been delivered and paid for pursuant to the Indenture and this Agreement,
      the Registration Rights Agreement will have been duly executed and
      delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors. When the Registration
      Rights Agreement has been duly executed and delivered, the Registration
      Rights Agreement will be a valid and binding agreement of the Company and
      each of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Company and each Guarantor
      in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
      fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of
      general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
      general equity principles. On the Closing Date (as defined below), the
      Registration Rights Agreement will conform as to legal matters in all
      material respects to the description thereof in the Offering Document
      under the caption "Description of the Notes".

            (i) Except as disclosed or reflected in the fees and expenses set
      forth in the Offering Document, there are no contracts, agreements or
      understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to
      a valid claim against the Company or any Purchaser for a brokerage
      commission, finder's fee or other like payment.

            (j) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing
      with, any governmental agency or body or any court is required to be
      obtained or made by the Company under any applicable law for the
      consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the
      Registration Rights Agreement in connection with the issuance and sale of
      the Notes by the Company or for the issuance of the Guaranties by the
      Guarantors or the Credit Agreement; except for (i) the order of the
      Commission declaring the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the
      Shelf Registration Statement (each as defined in the Registration Rights
      Agreement) effective, or (ii) as may be required under state or foreign
      securities laws or (iii) those as to which the failure to obtain would
      not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on
      the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

            (k) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
      Company or any Guarantor and any person granting such person the right to
      require the Company or such Guarantor to file a registration statement
      under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or
      such Guarantor or to require the Company or such Guarantor to include such
      securities with the Securities and Guaranties registered pursuant to any
      Registration Statement.

            (l) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any agent
      thereof acting on the behalf of them has taken, and none of them will
      take, any action that might cause this Agreement or the issuance or sale
      of the Offered Securities to violate Regulation T, Regulation U or
      Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

            (m) No "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" as
      such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities
      Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company or any Guarantor that it
      is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the
      Company's or any Guarantor's retaining any rating assigned to the Company
      or any Guarantor, any
<PAGE>
                                                                               4

      securities of the Company or any Guarantor or (ii) has indicated to the
      Company or any Guarantor that it is considering (a) the downgrading,
      suspension, or withdrawal of, or any review for a possible change that
      does not indicate the direction of the possible change in, any rating so
      assigned or (b) any change in the outlook for any rating of the Company,
      any Guarantor or any securities of the Company or any Guarantor.

            (n) The sale of the Offered Securities pursuant to Regulation S is
      not part of a plan or scheme by the Company to evade the registration
      provisions of the Securities Act.

            (o) The execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Agreement,
      the Indenture, this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the
      Company and each of the Guarantors (to the extent each is a party thereto)
      and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company and
      each of the Guarantors, as the case may be, and compliance by each of them
      with the terms and provisions thereof, as applicable, will not result in a
      breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
      default under, (i) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any
      governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having
      jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any of
      their properties, or (ii) any material agreement or instrument to which
      the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or
      any such subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of the
      Company or any such subsidiary is subject, or (iii) the charter or by-laws
      of the Company or any such subsidiary, and the Company has full power and
      authority to authorize, issue and sell the Offered Securities as
      contemplated by this Agreement except in the case of clause (i) for such
      breaches, violations and defaults as would not, individually or in the
      aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
      other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and
      its subsidiaries taken as a whole ("Material Adverse Effect").

            (p) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
      by the Company and each Guarantor.

            (q) Except as disclosed in the Offering Document, the Company and
      its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and
      all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from
      liens, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value
      thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by
      them; and except as disclosed in the Offering Document, the Company and
      its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and
      enforceable leases with no exceptions that would materially interfere with
      the use made or to be made thereof by them.

            (r) The Company and its subsidiaries (A) possess all material
      certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental
      agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them,
      and (B) have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the
      revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit
      that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
      would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

            (s) Except as disclosed in the Offering Document, no labor dispute
      with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the
      knowledge of the Company, is imminent that might have a Material Adverse
      Effect.

            (t) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on
      reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to
      inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and
      other intellectual property (collectively, "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS")
      necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently
      employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of or
      conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual
      property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
      subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material
      Adverse Effect.

            (u) Except as disclosed in the Offering Document, neither the
      Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any
      rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or
      any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release
      of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or
      restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic
      substances (collectively, "ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), owns or operates any real
      property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any
      environmental laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination
      pursuant to any environmental laws, or, to the Company's
<PAGE>
                                                                               5

      knowledge, is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws,
      which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or
      in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not
      aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.

            (v) Except as disclosed in the Offering Document, there are no
      pending actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting the Company,
      any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if
      determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would
      individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would
      materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its
      obligations under the Credit Agreement, the Indenture, this Agreement or
      the Registration Rights Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the
      context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and no such actions, suits
      or proceedings are, to the Company's knowledge, threatened or
      contemplated.

            (w) The financial statements included in the Offering Document
      present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated
      subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and
      cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been
      prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles
      in the United States applied on a consistent basis.

            (x) Except as disclosed in the Offering Document, since the date of
      the latest audited financial statements included in the Offering Document
      there has been no material adverse change, nor to the knowledge of the
      Company any development or event involving a prospective material adverse
      change, in the condition (financial or other), business, properties or
      results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
      whole, and, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Offering
      Document, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
      paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

            (y) The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either
      Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the United States Securities Exchange Act
      of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and files reports with the Commission on the
      Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system.

            (z) None of the Company or any Guarantor is an open-end investment
      company, unit investment trust or face-amount certificate company that is
      or is required to be registered under Section 8 of the United States
      Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT"); and none of
      the Company or any Guarantor is or, after giving effect to the offering
      and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds
      thereof as described in the Offering Document, will be, an "investment
      company" as defined in the Investment Company Act.

            (aa) No securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries of the
      same class (within the meaning of Rule 144A(d)(3) under the Securities
      Act) as the Offered Securities are listed on any national securities
      exchange registered under Section 6 of the EXCHANGE ACT or quoted in a
      U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system.

            (bb) The offer and sale of the Offered Securities to the Purchasers
      and initial resale by the Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this
      Agreement will be exempt from the registration requirements of the
      Securities Act by reason of Section 4(2) thereof, Regulation D and
      Regulation S thereunder; and it is not necessary to qualify an indenture
      in respect of the Offered Securities under the United States Trust
      Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TRUST INDENTURE ACT") assuming the
      accuracy of the Purchasers' representations, warranties and their
      compliance with the agreements set forth in Section 4 hereof.

            (cc) None of the Company, the Guarantors and any of their
      affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf (except with
      respect to the Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation)
      (i) have, within the six-month period prior to the date hereof, offered or
      sold in the United States or to any U.S. person (as such terms are defined
      in Regulation S under the Securities Act) the Offered Securities or any
      security of the same class or series as the Offered Securities or (ii)
      have offered or will offer or sell the Offered Securities (A) in the
      United States by means of any form of general solicitation or general
      advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act or
      (B) with respect to any such securities sold in reliance on Rule 903 of
      Regulation S ("REGULATION S") under the Securities Act, by means of any
      directed selling efforts within the meaning of Rule 902(c) of Regulation
      S. The Company, the Guarantors, their affiliates and any person acting
<PAGE>
                                                                               6

      on its or their behalf (except with respect to the Purchasers, as to whom
      the Company makes no representation) have complied and will comply with
      the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S. None of the Company
      and the Guarantors have entered, and none will enter, into any contractual
      arrangement with respect to the distribution of the Offered Securities
      except for this Agreement.

      3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Guarantors agree to
sell to the Purchasers, and the Purchasers agree, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company and the Guarantors, at a purchase price of 96.288% of
the principal amount thereof at maturity plus accrued interest from March 22,
2002 to the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), the respective principal
amounts of Offered Securities set forth opposite the names of the several
Purchasers in Schedule A hereto.

      The Company will deliver against payment of the purchase price the Offered
Securities to be offered and sold by the Purchasers in reliance on Regulation S
(the "REGULATION S SECURITIES") in the form of one or more permanent global
Securities in registered form without interest coupons (the "OFFERED REGULATION
S GLOBAL SECURITIES") which will be deposited with Wachovia as custodian for The
Depository Trust Company ("DTC") for the respective accounts of the DTC
participants for Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels office, as
operator of the Euroclear System ("EUROCLEAR"), and Clearstream Banking, societe
anonyme ("CLEARSTREAM, LUXEMBOURG") and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as
nominee for DTC. The Company will deliver against payment of the purchase price
the Offered Securities to be purchased by each Purchaser hereunder and to be
offered and sold by each Purchaser in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities
Act (the "144A SECURITIES") in the form of one permanent global security in
definitive form without interest coupons (the "RESTRICTED GLOBAL SECURITIES")
deposited with Wachovia as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of Cede
& Co., as nominee for DTC. The Regulation S Global Securities and the Restricted
Global Securities shall be assigned separate CUSIP numbers. The Restricted
Global Securities shall include the legend regarding restrictions on transfer
set forth under "Transfer Restrictions" in the Offering Document. Until the
termination of the restricted period (as defined in Regulation S) with respect
to the offering of the Offered Securities, interests in the Regulation S Global
Securities may only be held by the DTC participants for Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg. Interests in any permanent global Securities will be
held only in book- entry form through Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or DTC,
as the case may be, except in the limited circumstances described in the
Offering Document.

      Payment for the Regulation S Securities and the 144A Securities shall be
made by the Purchasers in Federal (same day) funds by official check or checks
or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to CSFBC drawn to the order
of the Company at the office of Cravath, Swaine & Moore at 10:00 A.M., (New York
time), on March 27, 2002, or at such other time not later than seven full
business days thereafter as CSFBC and the Company determine, such time being
herein referred to as the "Closing Date", against delivery to Wachovia as
custodian for DTC of (i) the Regulation S Global Securities representing all of
the Regulation S Securities for the respective accounts of the DTC participants
for Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and (ii) the Restricted Global
Securities representing all of the Offered 144A Securities. The Regulation S
Global Securities and the Restricted Global Securities will be made available
for checking at the above office of Cravath, Swaine & Moore at least 24 hours
prior to the Closing Date.

      4. Representations by Purchasers; Resale by Purchasers. (a) Each Purchaser
severally represents and warrants to the Company that it is an "accredited
investor" within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act.

            (b) Each Purchaser severally acknowledges that the Offered
      Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not
      be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or
      benefit of, U.S. persons except in accordance with Regulation S or
      pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the
      Securities Act. Each Purchaser severally represents and agrees that it has
      offered and sold the Offered Securities, and will offer and sell the
      Offered Securities (i) as part of its distribution at any time and (ii)
      otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the
      offering and the Closing Date, only in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule
      144A under the Securities Act ("RULE 144A"). Accordingly, neither such
      Purchaser nor its affiliates, nor any persons acting on its or their
      behalf, have engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts with
      respect to the Offered Securities, and such Purchaser, its affiliates and
      all persons acting on its or their behalf have complied and will comply
      with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S. Each Purchaser
      severally agrees that, at or prior to confirmation of sale of the Offered
      Securities other than a sale pursuant to Rule 144A, such Purchaser will
      have sent to each distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling
      concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases
<PAGE>
                                                                               7

      the Offered Securities from it during the restricted period a confirmation
      or notice to substantially the following effect:

            "The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the
            U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and may not be
            offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account
            or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part of their distribution at any
            time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the date of
            the commencement of the offering and the closing date, except in
            either case in accordance with Regulation S (or Rule 144A if
            available) under the Securities Act. Terms used above have the
            meanings given to them by Regulation S."

      Terms used in this subsection (b) have the meanings given to them by
      Regulation S.

            (c) Each Purchaser severally agrees that it and each of its
      affiliates has not entered and will not enter into any contractual
      arrangement with respect to the distribution of the Offered Securities
      except for any such arrangements with the other Purchasers or affiliates
      of the other Purchasers or with the prior written consent of the Company.

            (d) Each Purchaser severally agrees that it and each of its
      affiliates will not offer or sell the Offered Securities in the United
      States by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising
      within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act, including, but
      not limited to (i) any advertisement, article, notice or other
      communication published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or
      broadcast over television or radio, or (ii) any seminar or meeting whose
      attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general
      advertising. Each Purchaser severally agrees, with respect to resales made
      in reliance on Rule 144A of any of the Offered Securities, to deliver
      either with the confirmation of such resale or otherwise prior to
      settlement of such resale a notice to the effect that the resale of such
      Offered Securities has been made in reliance upon the exemption from the
      registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A.

            (e) Each of the Purchasers severally represents and agrees that (i)
      it has not offered or sold and prior to the expiry of a period of six
      months from the closing date, will not offer or sell any notes to persons
      in the United Kingdom except to persons whose ordinary activities involve
      them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as
      principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or otherwise in
      circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to
      the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public Offers
      of Securities Regulations 1995; (ii) it has only communicated or caused to
      be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment
      activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and
      Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA")) received by it in connection with the issue
      or sale of any notes in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA
      does not apply to Wolverine or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors; and (iii)
      it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA
      with respect to anything done by it in relation to the notes in, from or
      otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

      5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and
the Guarantors agree with the several Purchasers that:

            (a) The Company will advise CSFBC promptly of any proposal to amend
      or supplement the Offering Document and will not effect such amendment or
      supplementation without CSFBC's consent which shall not be unreasonably
      withheld. If, at any time prior to the completion of the resale of the
      Offered Securities by the Purchasers, any event occurs as a result of
      which the Offering Document as then amended or supplemented would include
      an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
      necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
      circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is
      necessary at any such time to amend or supplement the Offering Document to
      comply with any applicable law, the Company promptly will notify CSFBC of
      such event and promptly will prepare, at its own expense, an amendment or
      supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
      compliance. Neither CSFBC's consent to, nor the Purchasers' delivery to
      offerees or investors of, any such amendment or supplement shall
      constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.
<PAGE>
                                                                               8

            (b) The Company will promptly furnish to CSFBC copies of any
      preliminary offering circular, the Offering Document and all amendments
      and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and
      in such quantities as CSFBC requests, and the Company will furnish to
      CSFBC on the date hereof three copies of the Offering Document signed by a
      duly authorized officer of the Company, one of which will include the
      independent accountants' reports therein manually signed by such
      independent accountants. At any time while any of the Securities remain
      outstanding when the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
      Exchange Act, the Company will promptly furnish or cause to be furnished
      to CSFBC (and, upon request, to each of the other Purchasers) and, upon
      request of holders and prospective purchasers of the Offered Securities,
      to such holders and purchasers, copies of the information required to be
      delivered to holders and prospective purchasers of the Offered Securities
      pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act (or any successor
      provision thereto) in order to permit compliance with Rule 144A in
      connection with resales by such holders of the Offered Securities. The
      Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the
      Purchasers all such documents.

            (c) The Company and the Guarantors will arrange for the
      qualification of the Offered Securities for sale and the determination of
      their eligibility for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions in
      the United States and Canada as CSFBC designates and will continue such
      qualifications in effect so long as required for the resale of the Offered
      Securities by the Purchasers, provided that the Company will not be
      required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent
      to service of process in any such state.

            (d) During the period of two years after the Closing Date, the
      Company will, upon request, furnish to CSFBC, each of the other Purchasers
      and any holder of Offered Securities a copy of the restrictions on
      transfer applicable to the Offered Securities.

            (e) During the period of two years after the Closing Date, the
      Company and each Guarantor will not, and will not permit any of its
      affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to, resell
      any of the Offered Securities that have been reacquired by any of them.

            (f) During the period of two years after the Closing Date, neither
      the Company nor any Guarantor will be or become, an open-end investment
      company, unit investment trust or face-amount certificate company that is
      or is required to be registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company
      Act.

            (g) The Company will pay all expenses incidental to the performance
      of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the
      Registration Rights Agreement, including (i) the fees and expenses of
      Wachovia and its professional advisers; (ii) all expenses in connection
      with the execution, issue, authentication, packaging and initial delivery
      of the Offered Securities and, as applicable, the Exchange Securities (as
      defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), the preparation and
      printing of this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Offered
      Securities, the Indenture, the Offering Document and amendments and
      supplements thereto, and any other document relating to the issuance,
      offer, sale and delivery of the Offered Securities and as applicable, the
      Exchange Securities; (iii) the cost of listing the Offered Securities and
      qualifying the Offered Securities for trading in The Portal(SM) Market
      ("PORTAL") and any expenses incidental thereto; (iv) the cost of any
      advertising approved by the Company in connection with the issue of the
      Offered Securities; (v) for any expenses (including fees and disbursements
      of counsel) incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered
      Securities or the Exchange Securities for sale under the laws of such
      jurisdictions in the United States and Canada as CSFBC designates and the
      printing of memoranda relating thereto, (vi) for any fees charged by
      investment rating agencies for the rating of the Securities or the
      Exchange Securities, and (vii) for expenses incurred in distributing
      preliminary offering circulars and the Offering Document (including any
      amendments and supplements thereto) to the Purchasers. The Company will
      also pay or reimburse the Purchasers (to the extent incurred by them) for
      all travel expenses of the Purchasers and the Company's officers and
      employees and any other expenses of the Purchasers and the Company in
      connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers
      of the Offered Securities from the Purchasers. Such amount may be deducted
      from the purchase price for the Offered Securities set forth in Section 3
      hereof.

            (h) In connection with the offering, until CSFBC shall have notified
      the Company and the other Purchasers of the completion of the resale of
      the Offered Securities, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has
      or will, either alone or with one or more other persons, bid for or
      purchase for any account in which it or any of its affiliates has a
      beneficial interest any Offered Securities or attempt
<PAGE>
                                                                               9

      to induce any person to purchase any Offered Securities; and neither it
      nor any of its affiliates will make bids or purchases for the purpose of
      creating actual, or apparent, active trading in, or of raising the price
      of, the Offered Securities.

            (i) For a period of 180 days after the date of the initial offering
      of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers, without the prior written
      consent of the Purchasers, the Company or any Guarantor will not offer,
      sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or
      indirectly, any United States dollar-denominated debt securities issued or
      guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor and having a maturity of more
      than one year from the date of issue except issuances of Offered
      Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or
      exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options, in each
      case outstanding on the date hereof. None of the Company, the Guarantors
      and any of their respective affiliates will at any time offer, sell,
      contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly,
      any securities under circumstances where such offer, sale, pledge,
      contract or disposition would cause the exemption afforded by Section 4(2)
      of the Securities Act or the safe harbor of Regulation S thereunder to
      cease to be applicable to the offer and sale of the Offered Securities.

      6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Purchasers. The obligations of the
several Purchasers to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be
subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the
Company herein, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company and
the Guarantors made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Company and the Guarantors of its obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions precedent:

            (a) The Purchasers shall have received a letter, dated the date of
      this Agreement, of Ernst & Young in agreed form confirming that they are
      independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act
      and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder ("RULES AND
      REGULATIONS") and to the effect that:

                  (i) in their opinion the financial statements examined by them
            and included in the Offering Document and in the Exchange Act
            Reports comply as to form in all material respects with the
            applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the
            related published Rules and Regulations;

                  (ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest available interim
            financial statements of the Company, inquiries of officials of the
            Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters
            and other specified procedures, nothing came to their attention that
            caused them to believe that:

                        (A) at the date of the latest available balance sheet
                  read by such accountants, or at a subsequent specified date
                  not more than three business days prior to the date of this
                  Agreement, there was any change in the capital stock or any
                  increase in short-term indebtedness or long-term debt of the
                  Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or, at the date of
                  the latest available balance sheet read by such accountants,
                  there was any decrease in consolidated net assets, as compared
                  with amounts shown on the latest balance sheet included in the
                  Offering Document; or

                        (B) for the period from the closing date of the latest
                  income statement included in the Offering Document to the
                  closing date of the latest available income statement read by
                  such accountants there were any decreases, as compared with
                  the corresponding period of the previous year and with the
                  period of corresponding length ended the date of the latest
                  income statement included in the Offering Document, in
                  consolidated net sales, net operating income, consolidated
                  income from continuing operations, net income, or in the ratio
                  of earnings to fixed charges; except in all cases set forth in
                  clauses (B) and (C) above for changes, increases or decreases
                  which the Offering Document disclose have occurred or may
                  occur or which are described in such letter; and

                  (iii) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or
            percentages derived from such dollar amounts) and other financial
            information contained in the Offering Document and the Exchange Act
            Reports (in each case to the extent that such dollar amounts,
            percentages and other financial information are derived from the
            general accounting records of the Company
<PAGE>
                                                                              10

            and its subsidiaries subject to the internal controls of the
            Company's accounting system or are derived directly from such
            records by analysis or computation) with the results obtained from
            inquiries, a reading of such general accounting records and other
            procedures specified in such letter and have found such dollar
            amounts, percentages and other financial information to be in
            agreement with such results, except as otherwise specified in such
            letter.

            (b) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement until
      the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any
      development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition
      (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the
      Company and its subsidiaries taken as one enterprise which, in the
      judgment of a majority in interest of the Purchasers including CSFBC, is
      material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed
      with completion of the offering or the sale of and payment for the Offered
      Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of
      the Company by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization"
      (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Securities Act), or any
      public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or
      review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an
      announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no
      implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating) or any announcement
      that the Company has been placed on negative outlook; (iii) any change in
      U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or
      currency exchange rates or exchange controls as would, in the judgment of
      a majority in interest of the Purchasers including CSFBC, be likely to
      prejudice materially the success of the proposed issue, sale or
      distribution of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or
      in respect of dealings in the secondary market, (iv) any material
      suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on
      the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum prices for trading
      on such exchange, or any suspension of trading of any securities of the
      Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking
      moratorium declared by U.S. Federal or New York authorities; (vi) any
      major disruption of settlements of securities or clearance services in the
      United States or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of
      hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any
      declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international
      calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of a majority in interest of the
      Purchasers including CSFBC, the effect of any such attack, outbreak,
      escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency makes it impractical
      or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the offering or sale of and
      payment for the Offered Securities.

            (c) Concurrently with or prior to the issuance and sale of the
      Offered Securities by the Company, the transactions contemplated by the
      Credit Agreement shall have occurred; and there shall exist at and as of
      the Closing Date (after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by
      this Agreement and the Credit Agreement) no condition that would
      constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time, or
      both, would constitute a default) under the Credit Agreement.

            (d) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing
      Date, of Dewey Ballantine LLP, special counsel for the Company and the
      Guarantors, to the effect that:

                  (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing
            corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
            Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties
            and conduct its business as described in the Offering Circular; and
            the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
            corporation in the states identified in Schedule B-1.

                  (ii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
            delivered by the Company and each Guarantor organized under the laws
            of the State of Delaware (each, a "Delaware Guarantor"); the Notes
            have been duly authorized and executed by the Company. When the
            Registration Rights Agreement and the Indenture have been duly
            executed and delivered by Wachovia and the parties other than the
            Company and the Delaware Guarantors, and the Offered Securities have
            been issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the
            Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Purchasers in
            accordance with this Agreement, the Indenture, the Notes and the
            Registration Rights Agreement will constitute valid and legally
            binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with
            their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
            conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to
            or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and to
            general equity principles regardless of whether enforcement is
            sought in law or equity.
<PAGE>
                                                                              11

                  (iii) The Exchange Securities have been duly authorized by the
            Company and each Delaware Guarantor; and when the Exchange
            Securities are issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with
            the terms of the Exchange Offer and the Indenture, the Exchange
            Securities will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and
            will be the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company and
            the Delaware Guarantors, enforceable in accordance with their terms,
            subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
            reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability
            relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity
            principles regardless of whether enforcement is sought in law or
            equity.

                  (iv) The Guarantee to be endorsed on the Offered Securities by
            each Delaware Guarantor has been duly authorized by each such
            Guarantor. When the Offered Securities have been issued, executed
            and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to
            and paid for by the Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this
            Agreement, the Guarantee of each Delaware Guarantor endorsed thereon
            will be a valid and legally binding obligation of such Guarantor,
            enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,
            insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and
            similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors'
            rights generally and to general equity principles regardless of
            whether enforcement is sought in law or equity.

                  (v) The Guarantee to be endorsed on the Exchange Securities by
            each Delaware Guarantor has been duly authorized by each such
            Guarantor. When the Exchange Securities have been issued, executed,
            authenticated and delivered in accordance with the terms of the
            Exchange Offer and the Indenture, the Guarantee of each Delaware
            Guarantor endorsed thereon will be a valid and legally binding
            obligation of such Guarantor, enforceable in accordance with its
            terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
            reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting
            the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and to general equity
            principles regardless of whether enforcement is sought in law or
            equity.

                  (vi) Neither the Company nor any Guarantor is and, after
            giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and
            the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Offering
            Circular, none of them will be an "investment company" as defined in
            the Investment Company Act.

                  (vii) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or
            filing with, any U.S. Federal, New York or Delaware governmental
            agency or body or court is required by the Company or the Delaware
            Guarantors (or, with respect to U.S. Federal governmental agencies,
            bodies or courts only, Wolverine Finance Company), for the
            consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
            the Registration Rights Agreement in connection with the issuance or
            sale of the Offered Securities by the Company, except (a) such as
            may be required under state securities laws (with respect to which
            counsel need express no opinion); (b) in connection with the
            registration of the Exchange Securities, or the filing and
            effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and the
            Shelf Registration Statement, all pursuant to the Registration
            Rights Agreement, (c) for the qualification of the Indenture under
            the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in connection with the
            Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement and (d) for such
            consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, or filings the failure
            to so make or obtain as would not have a Material Adverse Effect and
            would not materially adversely effect on the consummation of the
            transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the
            Registration Rights Agreement.

                  (viii) The execution, delivery and performance of the
            Indenture, this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and
            the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and compliance with
            the terms and provisions thereof will not result in (i) a breach or
            violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
            default under, any U.S. Federal or New York statute, rule or
            regulation, the Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware Limited
            Liability Company Act or Delaware Revised Uniform Limited
            Partnership Act or, to the extent known to such counsel, order of
            any U.S. Federal, New York or Delaware governmental agency or body
            or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any Delaware
            Guarantor or any of the Company's other Delaware subsidiaries or any
            of their properties except for such breaches, violations and
            defaults as would not, individually or in the
<PAGE>
                                                                              12

            aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and
            adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated
            by this Agreement or the Transactions; (ii) a material breach or
            violation of any of the terms of, or constitute a material default
            under any material agreement or instrument to which the Company, any
            Delaware Guarantor or any such subsidiary is a party or by which the
            Company, any Delaware Guarantor or any such subsidiary is bound or
            to which any of the properties of the Company, any Delaware
            Guarantor or any such subsidiary is subject which agreement or
            instrument is filed as an exhibit to the Company's Annual Report on
            Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001 or to any subsequent
            report filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act (except for
            breaches, violations or defaults under any financial covenants,
            ratios or tests, as to which such counsel need express no opinion);
            or (iii) a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of
            the charter or by-laws of the Company, any Delaware Guarantor or any
            such subsidiary.

                  (ix) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
            delivered by the Company.

                  (x) The Indenture conforms in all material respects to the
            requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the
            "TIA" or "TRUST INDENTURE ACT"), and the rules and regulations of
            the Commission applicable to an indenture which is qualified
            thereunder.

                  (xi) Assuming the representations of the Purchasers set forth
            in Section 4 of this Agreement are true, complete and correct and
            assuming compliance by the Purchasers with the covenants set forth
            in this Agreement and with applicable U.S. Federal and state
            securities laws in connection with the initial resale of the Offered
            Securities, it is not necessary in connection with (i) the offer,
            sale and delivery of the Offered Securities by the Company and the
            Guarantors to the several Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement or
            (ii) the initial resales of the Offered Securities by the several
            Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the
            Offering Circular, to register the Offered Securities under the
            Securities Act or to qualify an indenture in respect thereof under
            the Trust Indenture Act.

                  (xii) The information set forth under the caption "Description
            of the Notes" in the Offering Circular, insofar as it constitutes
            summaries of the terms of contracts and other documents including,
            without limitation, the Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees and the
            Exchange Securities, summarizes in all material respects the terms
            of such contracts and documents.

In addition, such counsel shall state that it has participated in conferences
with representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent
certified public accountants for the Company and your representatives, at which
the contents of the Offering Document and related matters were discussed and,
although it has not undertaken to determine independently, nor does such counsel
pass upon or assume any responsibility, explicitly or implicitly, for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Offering
Document, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Exchange Act Report
incorporated by reference therein, on the basis of and subject to the foregoing,
no facts have come to such counsel's attention that cause such counsel to
believe that the Offering Circular, or any amendment or supplement thereto prior
to the date of such opinion, or any Exchange Act Report incorporated by
reference therein as of its date and the date of this letter, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, except
as to the financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other
financial and statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel shall express no view).

            (e) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing
      Date, of Balch & Bingham LLP, counsel for the Company and the Delaware
      Guarantors, to the effect that: Each Delaware Guarantor is a corporation,
      limited liability company or limited partnership validly existing and in
      good standing under the laws of its state of incorporation or
      organization, with the requisite power and authority to own its properties
      and conduct its business as described in the Offering Document; and each
      Delaware Guarantor is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity in
      good standing in the respective states identified in Schedule B-3 hereto.
      All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests
      of each of the Delaware Guarantors has been duly authorized and validly
      issued, is fully paid and nonassessable and is owned of record, directly
      or through subsidiaries, by the Company.
<PAGE>
                                                                              13

In addition, such counsel shall state that it has participated in conferences
with representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent
certified public accountants for the Company and your representatives, at which
the contents of the Offering Document and related matters were discussed and,
although it has not undertaken to determine independently, nor does such counsel
pass upon or assume any responsibility, explicitly or implicitly, for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Offering
Document, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Exchange Act Report
incorporated by reference therein, on the basis of and subject to the foregoing,
no facts have come to such counsel's attention that cause such counsel to
believe that the Offering Circular or any amendment or supplement thereto prior
to the date of such opinion, or any Exchange Act Report incorporated by
reference therein, as of its date and the date of this letter, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, except
as to the financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other
financial and statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel shall express no view).

            (f) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion of Johann R.
      Manning, Jr., General Counsel of the Company, to the effect that:

                  (i) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
            delivered by Wolverine Finance Company, a Tennessee corporation
            ("Wolverine Finance").

                  (ii) The Guarantee to be endorsed on the Offered Securities by
            Wolverine Finance has been duly authorized by Wolverine Finance, and
            has been duly executed and delivered by Wolverine Finance. When the
            Offered Securities have been issued, executed, authenticated and
            delivered in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and paid
            for by the Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this
            Agreement, the Guarantee of Wolverine Finance endorsed thereon will
            be a valid and legally binding obligation of Wolverine Finance,
            enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,
            insolvency, fraudulent conveyances, reorganization, moratorium and
            similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
            creditors rights and to general equity principles regardless of
            whether enforcement is sought in law or in equity.

                  (iii) The Guarantee to be endorsed on the Exchange Securities
            by Wolverine Finance has been duly authorized by Wolverine Finance,
            and has been duly executed and delivered by Wolverine Finance. When
            the Exchange Securities have been issued, executed, authenticated
            and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer and
            the Indenture, the Guarantee of Wolverine Finance endorsed thereon
            will be a valid and legally binding obligation of Wolverine Finance,
            enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,
            insolvency, fraudulent conveyances, reorganization, moratorium and
            similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
            creditors rights and to general equity principles regardless of
            whether enforcement is sought in law or in equity.

                  (iv) The execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture,
            this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the
            Issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and compliance with the
            terms and provisions thereof will not result in a breach or
            violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
            default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company or
            any Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any Guarantor is
            bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any
            Guarantor is subject except for such breaches, violations and
            defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
            Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the
            consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (v) The execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture,
            this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and compliance
            with the terms and provisions thereof by Wolverine Finance will not
            result in (i) a breach or violation of any of the terms and
            provisions of, or constitute a default under, any U.S. Federal
            statute, rule or regulation or, to the extent known to such counsel,
            order of any U.S. Federal government agency or body or court having
            jurisdiction over Wolverine Finance or any of its properties, except
            for such breaches, violations and defaults as would not,
            individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or
            materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions
            contemplated by this Agreement or the Transactions; or (ii) a breach
            or violation of any of the terms and provisions of the charter or
            by-laws of Wolverine Finance.
<PAGE>
                                                                              14

                  (vi) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings
            between the Company or any Guarantor and any person granting such
            person the right to require the Company or such Guarantor to file a
            registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
            securities of the Company or such Guarantor or to require the
            Company or such Guarantor to include such securities with the
            Securities and Guaranties registered pursuant to any Registration
            Statement;

                  (vii) The Company is duly qualified to do business as a
            foreign entity in good standing in the states in which its ownership
            or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such
            qualification (which jurisdiction are set forth on Schedule B-2)
            except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually
            or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Guarantor
            is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity in good
            standing in the states in which its ownership or lease of property
            or the conduct of its business requires such qualification (which
            jurisdictions are set forth in Schedule B-3) except where the
            failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the
            aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and

                  (viii) There are no pending actions, suits or proceedings
            against or affecting the Company or any Guarantor, any of the
            Company's subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that,
            if determined adversely to the Company or any Guarantor or any of
            the Company's other subsidiaries, would individually or in the
            aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and
            adversely affect the ability of the Company or any Guarantor to
            perform its obligations under the Indenture, this Agreement or the
            Registration Rights Agreement, or which are otherwise material in
            the context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and no such
            actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or, to such counsel's
            knowledge, contemplated except as disclosed in the Offering
            Document.

            (g) The Purchasers shall have received from Cravath, Swaine & Moore,
      counsel for the Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing
      Date, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of
      the Offered Securities, the Offering, the exemption from registration for
      the offer and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company and the
      Guarantors to the several Purchasers and the resales by the several
      Purchasers as contemplated hereby and other related matters as CSFBC may
      require, and the Company and each of the Guarantors shall have furnished
      to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling
      them to pass upon such matters.

            (h) The Purchasers shall have received a certificate, dated the
      Closing Date, of the President or any Vice President and a principal
      financial or accounting officer of the Company and each of the Guarantors
      in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable
      investigation, shall state that the representations and warranties of the
      Company and each of the Guarantors in this Agreement are true and correct,
      that the Company and each of the Guarantors have complied with all
      agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or
      satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and that, subsequent
      to the respective dates of the most recent financial statements in the
      Offering Document or Exchange Act Reports there has been no material
      adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective
      material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), business,
      properties or results of operations of the Company, the Guarantors and
      each of the Company's other subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set
      forth in or contemplated by the Offering Document or Exchange Act Reports
      or as described in such certificate.

            (i) The Purchasers shall have received a letter, dated the Closing
      Date, of Ernst & Young which meets the requirements of subsection (a) of
      this Section, except that the specified date referred to in such
      subsection will be a date not more than three days prior to the Closing
      Date for the purposes of this subsection.

            (j) Concurrently with or prior to the issuance and sale of the
      Offered Securities by the Company, the initial borrowings under the Credit
      Agreement, if any, shall have occurred. There shall exist at and as of the
      Closing Date (after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this
      Agreement and the Transactions) no condition that would constitute a
      default under the Credit Agreement or any related document thereto.

            (k) The Purchasers shall be satisfied that a Report of Independent
      Auditors on the Company's audited consolidated financial statements as of
      December 31, 2001, dated March 11, 2002 and the Closing Date, of Ernst &
      Young will be reissued and delivered concurrently with the issuance
<PAGE>
                                                                              15

      and sale of the Offered Securities and the Transactions on the Closing
      Date, which shall replace the fifth paragraph in Ernst & Young's Report of
      Independent Auditors dated March 11, 2002 (which report is contained in
      each of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the Offering Circular) with
      a paragraph substantially identical to the following:

            "Since the date of completion of our audit of the accompanying
            financial statements and initial issuance of our report thereon
            dated March 11, 2002, which report contained an explanatory
            paragraph regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going
            concern, the Company, as discussed in Note X, has completed the sale
            of $120 million in Senior Notes and has obtained a new $37.5 million
            secured revolving credit facility. Therefore, the conditions that
            raised substantial doubt about whether the Company will continue as
            a going concern no longer exist."

      The Company will furnish the Purchasers with such conformed copies of such
opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Purchasers reasonably
request. CSFBC may in its sole discretion waive on behalf of the Purchasers
compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Purchasers hereunder.

      7. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company and the Guarantors,
jointly and severally will indemnify and hold harmless each Purchaser, its
partners, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such
Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Purchaser may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Offering Document, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or any related preliminary offering circular or
the Exchange Act Reports, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, including any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the Company's
failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a) of this Agreement, and
will reimburse each Purchaser for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such Purchaser in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred;
provided, however, that the Company and the Guarantors will not be liable in any
such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises
out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or
omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Purchaser
through CSFBC specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that
the only such information consists of the information described as such in
subsection (b) below and provided, further, that with respect to any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from
any preliminary offering circular, the indemnity agreement contained in this
subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Purchaser that sold the
Offered Securities concerned to the person asserting any such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, to the extent that such sale was an initial resale by
such Purchaser and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Purchaser
results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or
prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Offered Securities to such
person, a copy of the Offering Document, if the Company had previously
furnished, in a reasonably prompt manner, copies thereof to such Purchaser.

            (b) Each Purchaser will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Offering Document, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or any related preliminary offering circular,
or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent,
that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Purchaser through CSFBC specifically for use
therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred, it being understood
and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Purchaser consists of
(i) the following information in the Offering Document furnished on behalf of
each Purchaser: under the caption "Plan of Distribution" paragraphs three and
ten, the names of the purchasers set forth in paragraph one, the second sentence
of paragraph four, the third sentence
<PAGE>
                                                                              16

of paragraph nine and the penultimate sentence and the last sentence of
paragraph eleven; and (ii) the following information in the Offering Document
furnished on behalf of First Union Securities, Inc.: under the caption "Plan of
Distribution", paragraph twelve; provided, however, that the Purchasers shall
not be liable for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or
based upon the Company's failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a)
of this Agreement.

            (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof. If an indemnified party shall fail so to notify the
indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall be relieved from any liability
which it may have to such indemnified party under subsections (a) or (b) above
to the extent it was materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice;
but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under
subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any
indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to
the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified
party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the
defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified
party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the
prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or
could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release
of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject
matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an
admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any
indemnified party.

            (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Purchasers on the other
from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided
by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one
hand and the Purchasers on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received
by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Purchasers on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the
Guarantors bear to the total discounts and commissions received by the
Purchasers from the Company under this Agreement. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or any Guarantor
or the Purchasers and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or
omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this
subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending
any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding
the provisions of this subsection (d), no Purchaser shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discounts, fees
and commissions received by such Purchaser exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The Purchasers'
obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to
their respective purchase obligations and not joint.

            (e) The obligations of the Company and each of the Guarantors under
this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and each of
the Guarantors may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Purchaser within the
meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act; and the obligations of the
Purchasers under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the
respective Purchasers may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms
and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the Company or any
Guarantor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
<PAGE>
                                                                              17

      8. Default of Purchasers. If any Purchaser or Purchasers default in their
obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder and the aggregate principal
amount of Offered Securities that such defaulting Purchaser or Purchasers agreed
but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total principal amount of
Offered Securities, the non-defaulting Purchaser may make arrangements
satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other
persons, including any of the Purchasers, but if no such arrangements are made
by the Closing Date, the non-defaulting Purchasers shall be obligated severally,
in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered
Securities that such defaulting Purchasers agreed but failed to purchase. If any
Purchaser or Purchasers so default and the aggregate principal amount of Offered
Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of
the total principal amount of Offered Securities and arrangements satisfactory
to the non-defaulting Purchaser and the Company for the purchase of such Offered
Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default,
this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Purchaser or the Company, except as provided in Section 9. As
used in this Agreement, the term "Purchaser" includes any person substituted for
a Purchaser under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting
Purchaser from liability for its default.

      9. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective
indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the
Company and each Guarantor or each of its respective officers and of the several
Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full
force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the
results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Purchaser, the Company, the
Guarantors and each of their respective representatives, officers or directors
or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the
Offered Securities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8 or if
for any reason the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers is not
consummated, the Company shall remain responsible for the expenses to be paid or
reimbursed by it pursuant to Section 5 and the respective obligations of the
Company, the Guarantors and the Purchasers pursuant to Section 7 shall remain in
effect. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers is not
consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 8 or the occurrence of any event specified in
clause, (iv), (v), or (vii) of Section 6(b), the Company will reimburse the
Purchasers for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of
counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the
Offered Securities.

      10. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent
to the Purchasers will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the
Purchasers, c/o Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, Eleven Madison Avenue,
New York, N.Y. 10010-3629, Attention: Transactions Advisory Group, or, if sent
to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at
200 Clinton Avenue West, Suite 1000, Huntsville, AL 35801, Attention: Chief
Financial Officer; provided, however, that any notice to a Purchaser pursuant to
Section 7 will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to such
Purchaser.

      11. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the controlling
persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder, except that holders of Offered Securities shall be
entitled to enforce the agreements for their benefit contained in the second and
third sentences of Section 5(b) hereof against the Company as if such holders
were parties thereto.

      12. Representation of Purchasers. You will act for the several Purchasers
in connection with this purchase, and any action under this Agreement taken by
you will be binding upon all the Purchasers.

      13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

      14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles
of conflicts of laws.

      15. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company hereby submits to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of
Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
<PAGE>

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
kindly sign and return to us one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will
become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Purchasers in
accordance with its terms.

                             Very truly yours,

                             WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name:  James E. Deason
                                Title: Executive Vice President, Chief
                                       Financial Officer and Secretary

                             TF INVESTORS, INC.

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title: Vice President and Treasurer

                             TUBE FORMING, L.P.

                             By: Wolverine Tube, Inc., as General Partner.
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name:
                                Title:

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title: Executive Vice President, Chief
                                       Financial Officer and Secretary

                             WOLVERINE FINANCE COMPANY, INC.

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title: Vice President and Treasurer

                             WOLVERINE CHINA INVESTMENTS, LLC

                             By: Wolverine Tube, Inc., as Managing Member
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name:
                                Title:

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title: Executive Vice President, Chief
                                       Financial Officer and Secretary

                             STPC HOLDING, INC.

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

<PAGE>

                             SMALL TUBE MANUFACTURING CORP.

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

                             WOLVERINE JOINING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

                             By: /s/ James E. Deason
                                ------------------------------------------------
                                Name: James E. Deason
                                Title:  Vice President and Treasurer

The foregoing Purchase Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON
CORPORATION

By: /s/ Colleen A. Burke
   -------------------------------------
   Name: Colleen A. Burke
   Title: Managing Director

   Acting on behalf of itself and as the
   Representative of the several Purchasers

<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE A

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               Principal Amount of
           Manager                                                              Offered Securities
           -------
<S>                                                                            <C>
           Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation............................      $ 102,000,000
           First Union Securities, Inc.......................................      $  18,000,000

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

                                        Total................................      $ 120,000,000
                                                                                   =============
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                  SCHEDULE B-1

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     STATE OF
                                     INCORPORATION/                       FOREIGN
ENTITY                               ORGANIZATION                         QUALIFICATIONS
<S>                                  <C>                                  <C>
WOLVERINE TUBE,                      Delaware                             Mississippi, North
INC.                                                                      Carolina, Oklahoma,
                                                                          Texas
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                  SCHEDULE B-2

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     STATE OF
                                     INCORPORATION/                       FOREIGN
ENTITY                               ORGANIZATION                         JURISDICTIONS
<S>                                  <C>                                  <C>
WOLVERINE TUBE,                      Delaware                             Alabama, Mississippi,
INC.                                                                      North Carolina,
                                                                          Oklahoma, Tennessee,
                                                                          Texas
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                  SCHEDULE B-3

                              WOLVERINE TUBE, INC.

                                U.S. SUBSIDIARIES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     STATE OF
                                     INCORPORATION/                       FOREIGN
ENTITY                               ORGANIZATION                         QUALIFICATIONS
<S>                                  <C>                                  <C>
TF INVESTOR, INC.                    Delaware                             --

TUBE FORMING, L.P.                   Delaware                             Texas

WOLVERINE                            Tennessee                            --
FINANCE
COMPANY

WOLVERINE CHINA                      Delaware                             --
INVESTMENTS, LLC

STPC HOLDING,                        Delaware                             --
INC.

SMALL TUBE                           Delaware                             Mississippi
MANUFACTURING                                                             Pennsylvania
CORPORATION

WOLVERINE                            Delaware                             California
JOINING                                                                   New Jersey
TECHNOLOGIES,                                                             Rhode Island
INC.                                                                      Texas
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE C

                        List of Documents Delivered with

                                Offering Circular

                                      NONE
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE D

                                  Subsidiaries

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         DIRECT/INDIRECT
                                        OWNERSHIP INTEREST
                                        OF WOLVERINE TUBE,    JURISDICTION OF    ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING CAPITAL
             SUBSIDIARY                        INC.             ORGANIZATION                 STOCK
             ----------                 ------------------    ---------------    ------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>                   <C>                <C>
TF Investor, Inc.                              100%               Delaware       100 shares common stock

Tube Forming, LP                               100%               Delaware       99% limited partnership int.
                                                                                 1% general partnership int.

1105836 Ontario, Inc.                          100%                Ontario       1063 common shares

1158909 Ontario, Inc.                          100%                Ontario       10,500,001 common shares

Wolverine Tube (Canada) Inc.                   100%                Ontario       50,000 common shares
                                                                                 18,700 Class A Pref. Shares
Wolverine Finance Company                      100%               Tennessee      1000 shares common stock

STPC Holding, Inc.                             100%               Delaware       100 shares common stock

Small Tube Manufacturing Corp.                 100%               Delaware       100 shares common stock

Small Tube Europe, N.V.                        74%               Netherlands     75,000 cumulative pref.
                                                                                 52,500 common

Small Tube Poland, Inc.                        100%                Poland        Not ascertainable, but 100% is
                                                                                 owned indirectly by Wolverine
                                                                                 Tube, Inc.
Wolverine Europe (EURL)                        100%                French        Not applicable

Wolverine Tube Asia, LTD                       100%               Hong Kong      10,000 Ordinary Shares

Wolverine Tube International LTD               100%               U.S.V.I.       F16

Wolverine Joining Technologies, Inc.
                                               100%               Delaware       1000 shares common stock
Wolverine Joining Technologies
(Canada) Inc.                                  100%                Canada        1,000 Class A common shares

1263143 Ontario, Inc.                          100%                Ontario       7,800,001 common shares

Wolverine Tube BV                              100%                 Dutch        200 common shares
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         DIRECT/INDIRECT
                                        OWNERSHIP INTEREST
                                        OF WOLVERINE TUBE,    JURISDICTION OF    ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING CAPITAL
             SUBSIDIARY                        INC.             ORGANIZATION                 STOCK
             ----------                 ------------------    ---------------    ------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>                   <C>                <C>
Wolverine China Investments, LLC               100%               Delaware       99% interests Wolverine Tube
                                                                                 (Canada) Inc.
                                                                                 1% interests Wolverine Tube, Inc.

Wolverine Tube (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.            100%                Chinese       Not applicable

Wolverine European Holdings BV                 100%                 Dutch        18,200 shares

Wolverine Scholte Metalen BV                   100%                 Dutch        18,200 shares

Wolverine Ratcliffs, Inc.                     85.9%                Canada        745 common shares

Ratcliffs Copper and Brass Sales,             85.9%                  UK          Two 1(pound) ordinary shares
Ltd.

Wolverine Tubagem  (Portugal) LDA              100%               Portugal       499900 euro Wolverine Tube BV

                                                                                 100 euro Wolverine European
                                                                                 Holdings BV
</TABLE>

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00039-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00039-of-00352.parquet"}]]