Document:

<PAGE>   1
                                                                  Exhibit 10(ah)

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 9
                          Dated as of February 7, 2000

                  THIS AMENDMENT NO. 9 ("Amendment") is entered into as of
February 7, 2000 by and among THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO., an Ohio corporation
(the "Borrower"), GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, a New York corporation
("GE Capital"), as the sole "Lender" (as defined in the Loan Agreement referred
to below) and GE Capital as agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the
"Agent").

                              PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

                  A. The Borrower, the Lender and the Agent are parties to that
certain Loan Agreement dated as of February 13, 1992, as amended and restated as
of July 14, 1995 (as amended from time to time, the "Loan Agreement").
Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Loan Agreement.

                  B. The Borrower, the Lender and the Agent have agreed to amend
the Loan Agreement on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

                  NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth
above, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, the Borrower, the Lender and the Agent hereby
agree as follows:

                  SECTION 1. AMENDMENT TO THE LOAN AGREEMENT. Effective as of
the date hereof, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set
forth in SECTION 2 below, the Loan Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

                  1.01. The definition of "Commitment Termination Date" in
SECTION 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by deleting "December 31, 2000" in
clause (i) and substituting "June 30, 2001" therefor.

                  1.02. SECTION 2.2(b) of the Loan Agreement is amended and
restated in its entirety as follows:

                  (b) The aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan shall be
                  payable in six (6) quarterly installments, on the last
                  Business Day of each calendar quarter, commencing on March 31,
                  2000 and with a final payment on June 30, 2001. The first five
                  (5) installments shall be in the amount of $750,000 each, and
                  the final installment shall be in the amount of $4,500,000;
                  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any event the full unpaid principal
                  amount of the Term Loan, together with all accrued interest
                  thereof, shall be due and payable on the Commitment
                  Termination Date.

<PAGE>   2

                  SECTION 2. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT. This Amendment shall become
effective and be deemed effective as of the date first above written upon the
Agent's having received the following:

                  (i) four (4) copies of this Amendment duly executed by the
         Borrower, the Lender and the Agent;

                  (ii) Reaffirmation of Guaranty and Security Agreement in
         substantially the form of EXHIBIT A attached hereto, duly executed by
         Carlon Chimes Co.;

                  (iii) Reaffirmation of Guaranty and Security Agreement in
         substantially the form of EXHIBIT B attached hereto, duly executed by
         Dimango Products Corporation; and

                  (iv) a fee of $50,000 for the benefit of the Lender in
         consideration for the execution of this Amendment, of which $25,000
         shall be applied to the closing fees owed by the Borrower upon the
         closing of the amendment and restatement of the Loan Agreement,
         provided that GE Capital is the agent and the lender thereunder.

                  SECTION 3. COVENANTS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE
BORROWER.

                  3.1 Except to the extent that any representation or warranty
expressly is made only with respect to an earlier date, upon the effectiveness
of this Amendment, the Borrower hereby reaffirms all covenants, representations
and warranties made by it in the Loan Agreement to the extent the same are not
amended hereby and agrees that all such covenants, representations and
warranties shall be deemed to have been re-made as of the effective date of this
Amendment.

                  3.2 The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that this
Amendment constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower
enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally and general principles of equity which may limit the availability of
equitable remedies.

                  SECTION 4.  REFERENCE TO AND EFFECT ON THE LOAN AGREEMENT.

                  4.1 Upon the effectiveness of this Amendment, each reference
in the Loan Agreement to "this Agreement," "hereunder," "hereof," "herein,"
"hereby" or words of like import shall mean and be a reference to the Loan
Agreement as amended hereby, and each reference to the Loan Agreement in any
other document, instrument or agreement executed and/or delivered in connection
with the Loan Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Loan Agreement as
amended hereby.

                  4.2 Except as specifically amended hereby, the Loan Agreement
and other documents, instruments and agreements executed and/or delivered in
connection therewith shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby
ratified and confirmed.

                  4.3 The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this
Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any
Lender or the Agent under the Loan Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents,
nor constitute a waiver of any provision contained therein, except as
specifically set forth herein.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

                  SECTION 5. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS (AS OPPOSED TO THE CONFLICTS
OF LAW PROVISIONS) AND DECISIONS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

                  SECTION 6. EXECUTION IN COUNTERPARTS. This Amendment may be
executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in
separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be
deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute but
one and the same instrument.

                  SECTION 7. HEADINGS. Section headings in this Amendment are
included herein for convenience or reference only and shall not constitute a
part of this Amendment for any other purpose.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed
by their respective officers thereto duly authorized as of the date first
written above.

                              THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO.

                              By: /s/ James J. Abel
                                 --------------------
                                 Name:  James J. Abel
                                 Title: Executive Vice President and
                                        Chief Financial Officer

                              GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, as the Agent
                              and as the sole Lender

                                             By: /s/ Geoffrey K. Hall
                                                -----------------------
                                                Name:  Geoffrey K. Hall
                                                Title: Duly Authorized
                                                       Signature

                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

                                    EXHIBIT A
                                       to
                                    Amendment

                      Form of Reaffirmation of Guaranty and
                    SECURITY AGREEMENT FOR CARLON CHIMES CO.

                                   (Attached.)

                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

                REAFFIRMATION OF GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

                  The undersigned hereby (i) acknowledges receipt of that
certain Amendment No. 9 of even date herewith (the "Amendment") to the Loan
Agreement dated as of February 13, 1992, as amended and restated as of July 14,
1995 (as amended from time to time prior to the date hereof, the "Loan
Agreement") among THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO. (the "Borrower"), GENERAL ELECTRIC
CAPITAL CORPORATION ("GE Capital"), as a "Lender" (as defined in the Loan
Agreement) and GE Capital, as agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the
"Agent"), (ii) reaffirms all of its obligations under that certain Guaranty and
Security Agreement dated as of February 13, 1992, as amended from time to time,
("Guaranty and Security Agreement"), made by the undersigned in favor of the
Lenders, and (iii) acknowledges and agrees that such Guaranty and Security
Agreement remains in full force and effect notwithstanding the Amendment, and
that such Guaranty and Security Agreement is hereby ratified and confirmed.

Date:  February 7, 2000

                                              CARLON CHIMES CO.

                                              By: /s/ James J. Abel
                                                 ------------------
                                                  Name:  James J. Abel
                                                  Title: Vice President,
                                                         Secretary and
                                                         Treasurer

<PAGE>   6

                                    EXHIBIT B
                                       to
                                    Amendment

                        Form of Reaffirmation of Guaranty
             AND SECURITY AGREEMENT FOR DIMANGO PRODUCTS CORPORATION

                                   (Attached.)

<PAGE>   7

                REAFFIRMATION OF GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

                  The undersigned hereby (i) acknowledges receipt of that
certain Amendment No. 9 of even date herewith (the "Amendment") to the Loan
Agreement dated as of February 13, 1992, as amended and restated as of July 14,
1995 (as amended from time to time prior to the date hereof, the "Loan
Agreement") among THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO. (the "Borrower"), GENERAL ELECTRIC
CAPITAL CORPORATION ("GE Capital"), as a "Lender" (as defined in the Loan
Agreement) and GE Capital, as agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the
"Agent"), (ii) reaffirms all of its obligations under that certain Guaranty and
Security Agreement dated as of October 25, 1996, as amended from time to time,
("Guaranty and Security Agreement"), made by the undersigned in favor of the
Lenders, and (iii) acknowledges and agrees that such Guaranty and Security
Agreement remains in full force and effect notwithstanding the Amendment, and
that such Guaranty and Security Agreement is hereby ratified and confirmed.

Date:  February 7, 2000

                                           DIMANGO PRODUCTS CORPORATION

                                           By: /s/ James J. Abel
                                              -------------------
                                               Name:  James J. Abel
                                               Title: Secretary<PAGE>   1

                                                                    Exhibit (ak)

                  FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO.
             AMENDED AND RESTATED SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT AGREEMENT

                  This First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Supplemental
Retirement Agreement (this "Amendment"), effective as of January 1, 2000 is made
by THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), in order to
amend the Amended and Restated Supplemental Retirement Agreement, dated as of
March 20, 1990 (the "Agreement").

                  NOW THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby amends the Agreement as
follows:

                  1. Section 1.1 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated
to read in its entirety as follows:

           "1.1 A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if any of
           the following events shall occur:

                             (a) The acquisition by any individual, entity or
                             group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
                             14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
                             amended (the "Exchange Act")) (a "Person") of
                             beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule
                             13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 15% or
                             more of either: (A) the then-outstanding shares of
                             common stock of the Company (the "Company Common
                             Stock") or (B) the combined voting power of the
                             then-outstanding voting securities of the Company
                             entitled to vote generally in the election of
                             directors ("Voting Stock"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
                             for purposes of this subsection (a), the following
                             acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in
                             Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the
                             Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii)
                             any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or
                             related trust) sponsored or maintained by the
                             Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv)
                             any acquisition by any Person pursuant to a
                             transaction which complies with clauses (i), (ii)
                             and (iii) of subsection (c) of this Section 1.2; or

                             (b) Individuals who, as of the date hereof,
                             constitute the Board of Directors of the Company
                             (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason (other
                             than death or disability) to constitute at least a
                             majority of the Board of Directors of the Company;
                             PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any individual becoming a
                             director subsequent to the date hereof whose
                             election, or nomination for election by the
                             Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of
                             at least a majority of the directors then
                             comprising the Incumbent Board (either by a
                             specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement
                             of the Company in which such person is named as a
                             nominee for director, without objection to such
                             nomination) shall be considered as though such
                             individual were a member of the Incumbent Board,
                             but excluding for this purpose, any such individual
                             whose initial assumption of office occurs as a
                             result of an actual or threatened election contest
                             (within the meaning of Rule 14a-11 of the Exchange
                             Act) with respect to the election or

<PAGE>   2

                             removal of directors or other actual or threatened
                             solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf
                             of a Person other than the Board of Directors of
                             the Company; or

                             (c) Consummation of a reorganization, merger or
                             consolidation or sale or other disposition of all
                             or substantially all of the assets of the Company
                             (a "Business Combination"), in each case, unless,
                             following such Business Combination, (i) all or
                             substantially all of the individuals and entities
                             who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of
                             the Company Common Stock and Voting Stock
                             immediately prior to such Business Combination
                             beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than
                             50% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares
                             of common stock and the combined voting power of
                             the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to
                             vote generally in the election of directors, as the
                             case may be, of the entity resulting from such
                             Business Combination (including, without
                             limitation, an entity which as a result of such
                             transaction owns the Company or all or
                             substantially all of the Company's assets either
                             directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in
                             substantially the same proportions relative to each
                             other as their ownership, immediately prior to such
                             Business Combination, of the Company Common Stock
                             and Voting Stock of the Company, as the case may
                             be, (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting
                             from such Business Combination or any employee
                             benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or
                             maintained by the Company or such entity resulting
                             from such Business Combination) beneficially owns,
                             directly or indirectly, 15% or more of,
                             respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common
                             stock of the entity resulting from such Business
                             Combination, or the combined voting power of the
                             then-outstanding voting securities of such
                             corporation except to the extent that such
                             ownership existed prior to the Business Combination
                             and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the
                             board of directors of the corporation resulting
                             from such Business Combination were members of the
                             Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the
                             initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of
                             Directors of the Company, providing for such
                             Business Combination; or

                            (d) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a
                            complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company."

                  2. Section 1.5 of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated
to read in its entirety as follows:

           "1.5 Termination "For Cause" shall mean prior to any termination of
           employment by the Company, Executive shall have committed:

                           (a) an intentional act of fraud, embezzlement or
                           theft in connection with his duties or in the course
                           of his employment with the Company;

                                       2
<PAGE>   3

                           (b) intentional wrongful damage to property of the
                           Company; or

                           (c) intentional wrongful disclosure of secret
                           processes or confidential information of the Company;

and any such act shall have been materially harmful to the Company. For purposes
of this Agreement, no act, or failure to act, on the part of Executive shall be
deemed "intentional" if it was due primarily to an error in judgment or
negligence, but shall be deemed "intentional" only if done, or omitted to be
done, by Executive not in good faith and without reasonable belief that his
action or omission was in the best interest of the Company. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Executive shall not be deemed to have been terminated for "Cause"
hereunder unless and until there shall have been delivered to Executive a copy
of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than
three-quarters of the Board of Directors of the Company then in office at a
meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company called and held for such
purpose (after reasonable notice to Executive and an opportunity for Executive,
together with his counsel, to be heard before the Board of Directors of the
Company), finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors of
the Company, Executive had committed an act set forth above in this Section 1.5
and specifying the particulars thereof in detail. Nothing herein shall limit the
right of Executive or his beneficiaries to contest the validity or propriety of
any such determination."

                  3. Section 7.9 of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its
entirety and shall be of no further force or effect. Section 7.10 of the
Agreement shall be renumbered to Section 7.9 to reflect this deletion of Section
7.9.

                  4. This Amendment is effective when it is executed by the
Company.

                  5. Except as expressly set forth in this Amendment, the
Agreement remains unchanged and continues in full force and effect.

                  6. The undersigned Executive hereby consents to the adoption
of this Amendment.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this
Amendment as of the date first above written.

                                    THE LAMSON & SESSIONS CO.

                                    By:_________________________________
                                           Senior Executive Officer

                                       ___________________________________
                                                 Executive

                                       3

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00002-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00002-of-00352.parquet"}]]