Document:

First Consent to Exhibit 4.1

 Exhibit 4.2 
  

FIRST CONSENT 
 TO 
 CREDIT AGREEMENT 
  
 Consent (this “Consent”), dated as of March 31, 2004, among
U.S. Concrete, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Borrower”), the guarantors listed as such on the signature pages hereof (each a “Guarantor” and, collectively, the “Guarantors”), the Lenders party
hereto, the Issuers and Citicorp North America, Inc., as Administrative Agent, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2004 (the “Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the Lenders and Issuers from time to time party thereto
and Citicorp North America, Inc., as agent for such Lenders and Issuers (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”). Capitalized terms used herein but not defined herein are used as defined in the Credit Agreement. 
  
 W I T N E
S S E T H: 
  
 WHEREAS, Borrower, the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent are party to the Credit Agreement; 
  
 WHEREAS, Borrower has requested the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to permit Borrower to (a) incur, convert and continue Loans as
Eurodollar Rate Loans and (b) to maintain up to $5,000,000 in its concentration account at BofA, in each case, notwithstanding the provisions of the Credit Agreement to the contrary; and 
  
 WHEREAS, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers have agreed, subject to the limitations and
conditions set forth herein, to consent to the matters requested by the Borrower. 
  
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and obligations contained herein the parties hereto agree as follows: 
  
 Section 1. Consent 
  
 Effective as of the Consent Effective Date (as defined below) and subject to
the satisfaction (or due waiver) of the conditions set forth in Section 2 (Conditions Precedent to the Effectiveness of this Consent) hereof, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers hereby agree that: 
  
 (a) Eurodollar Borrowings. Notwithstanding anything in Section
2.11(b) (Conversion/Continuation Option) to the contrary, the Borrower may, from and after the Consent Effective Date, incur, convert and continue Loans as Eurodollar Rate Loans; provided that if the Borrower elects to incur, convert or
continue any Loan as a Eurodollar Rate Loan prior to the Syndication Completion Date, the Borrower shall cause the Interest Period for such Loan to (i) not exceed one month and (ii) be terminated at the request of the Administrative Agent in order
to permit a new Lender to become party to the Credit Agreement and the Borrower shall be liable for any breakage costs associated therewith. 
  
 (b) BofA Concentration Account. Notwithstanding anything in Section 7.12(a) (Control Accounts; Approved Deposit Accounts) to the contrary,
the Borrower may, from 

 FIRST CONSENT TO 
 CREDIT AGREEMENT 
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC. 
  
 and after the
Consent Effective Date until the earlier to occur of (i) the date specified in clause (f) of Section 7.12 of the Credit Agreement or (ii) the occurrence and continuance of a Default or Event of Default, maintain an amount not to exceed
$5,000,000 at any time in account number 001390027679 at BofA to cover net disbursements made on behalf of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business. 
  
 Section 2. Conditions Precedent to the Effectiveness of this Consent 
  
 This Consent shall become effective when, and only when, each of the
following conditions precedent shall have been satisfied (the “Consent Effective Date”) or waived by the Administrative Agent: 
  
 (a) Certain Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received this Consent, duly executed by each Borrower, each Guarantor, the
Administrative Agent and Lenders constituting Requisite Lenders; 
  
 (b) Corporate and Other Proceedings. All corporate and other proceedings, and all documents, instruments and other legal matters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Consent shall be satisfactory in all respects
to the Administrative Agent and each Lender; 
  
 (c) No Default
or Event of Default. After giving effect to this Consent, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, either on the date hereof or on the Consent Effective Date; 
  
 (d) No Litigation. No litigation shall have been commenced against any
Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, either on the date hereof or the Consent Effective Date, seeking to restraint or enjoin (whether temporarily, preliminarily or permanently) the performance of any action by any Loan Party required or
contemplated by this Consent or the Credit Agreement or any Loan Document, in either case as amended hereby; and 
  
 (e) Fees and Expenses Paid. Each Borrower shall have paid all Obligations due, after giving effect to this Consent, on or before the later of the
date hereof and the Consent Effective Date including, without limitation, the fees set forth in Section 4 (Fees and Expenses) hereof and all costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, reproduction,
execution and delivery of this Consent and all other Loan Documents entered into in connection herewith (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent with respect thereto and
all other Loan Documents) and all other costs, expenses and fees due under any Loan Document. 
  
 Section 3. Representations and Warranties 
  
 On and as of the date hereof and as of the Consent Effective Date, after giving effect to this Consent, Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and each Lender as follows:

  
 (a) this Consent has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by Borrower and each Guarantor and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Borrower and each Guarantor, enforceable against Borrower and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms and the Credit Agreement, as amended by this
Consent, constitutes the legal, valid and 
  

 -2- 

 FIRST CONSENT TO 
 CREDIT AGREEMENT 
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC. 
  
 binding obligation
of Borrower and each Guarantor, enforceable against Borrower and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms; 
  
 (b) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and 
  
 (c) no litigation has been commenced against any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries seeking to restrain or enjoin
(whether temporarily, preliminarily or permanently) the performance of any action by any Loan Party required or contemplated by this Consent, the Credit Agreement or any Loan Document, in each case as amended hereby (if applicable). 
  
 Section 4. Fees and Expenses 
  
 Each Borrower and each other Loan Party agrees to pay on demand in
accordance with the terms of Section 11.3 (Costs and Expenses) of the Credit Agreement all costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, reproduction, execution and delivery of this Consent and all other
Loan Documents entered into in connection herewith (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent with respect thereto and all other Loan Documents). 
  
 Section 5. Reference to the Effect on the Loan Documents

  
 (a) As of the Consent Effective Date, each reference
in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof,” “herein,” or words of like import, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to the Credit Agreement
(including, without limitation, by means of words like “thereunder”, “thereof” and words of like import), shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement as modified hereby, and this Consent and the Credit
Agreement shall be read together and construed as a single instrument. Each of the table of contents and lists of Exhibits and Schedules of the Credit Agreement shall be amended to reflect the changes made in this Consent as of the Consent Effective
Date. 
  
 (b) Except as expressly amended hereby, all of the terms
and provisions of the Credit Agreement and all other Loan Documents are and shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed. 
  
 (c) The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Consent shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or
remedy of the Lenders, Issuers or Agents under any of the Loan Documents, nor constitute a waiver or amendment of any other provision of any of the Loan Documents or for any purpose except as expressly set forth herein. 
  
 (d) This Consent is a Loan Document. 
  
 Section 6. Consent of Guarantors 
  
 Each Guarantor hereby consents to the provisions hereof and agrees that the
terms hereof shall not affect in any way its obligations and liabilities under the Loan Documents (as amended and otherwise expressly modified hereby), all of which obligations and liabilities shall remain in full force and effect and each of which
is hereby reaffirmed (as amended and otherwise expressly modified hereby). 
  

 -3- 

 FIRST CONSENT TO 
 CREDIT AGREEMENT 
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC. 
  
 Section 7. Execution in Counterparts 
  
 This Consent may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement. Signature pages may be detached from multiple separate counterparts and attached to a single counterpart so that all signature pages are attached to the same document. Delivery of an executed counterpart by telecopy shall be effective as
delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Consent. 
  
 Section 8. Governing Law 
  
 This Consent
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. 
  
 Section 9. Section Titles 
  
 The section titles contained in this Consent are and shall be without substantive meaning or content of any kind whatsoever and are not a part of the agreement between the parties hereto, except when used to reference
a section. Any reference to the number of a clause, sub-clause or subsection of any Loan Document immediately followed by a reference in parenthesis to the title of the section of such Loan Document containing such clause, sub-clause or subsection
is a reference to such clause, sub-clause or subsection and not to the entire section; provided, however, that, in case of direct conflict between the reference to the title and the reference to the number of such section, the
reference to the title shall govern absent manifest error. If any reference to the number of a section (but not to any clause, sub-clause or subsection thereof) of any Loan Document is followed immediately by a reference in parenthesis to the title
of a section of any Loan Document, the title reference shall govern in case of direct conflict absent manifest error. 
  
 Section 10. Severability 
  
 The fact that any term or provision of this Consent is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as to any person in any situation in any jurisdiction shall
not affect the validity, enforceability or legality of the remaining terms or provisions hereof or the validity, enforceability or legality of such offending term or provision in any other situation or jurisdiction or as applied to any person

  
 Section 11. Successors 
  
 The terms of this Consent shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the
benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. 
  
 Section 12. Release 
  
 To induce the Administrative Agent and Lenders to enter into this Consent, the Borrower and each other Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that it has no actual or potential claim or cause of action against the Administrative Agent, any
Issuer or any Lender relating to any Loan Documents or any actions or events occurring on or before the date hereof. The Borrower and each other Loan Party waives and releases any right to assert same. 
  

 -4- 

 FIRST CONSENT TO 
 CREDIT AGREEMENT 
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC. 
  
  
 Section 13. Waiver of Jury Trial 
  
 EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES
TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS
CONSENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT. 
  
 [SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW] 
  

 -5- 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto
have caused this Consent to be executed by their respective officers and general partners thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first written above. 
  

					
	 BORROWER:
  
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC.

		
	By:	 	/S/    MICHAEL W. HARLAN        
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Michael W. Harlan
	 	 	Title:	 	Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer
	
	 GUARANTORS:
  
 AFTM CORPORATION

		
	 By:
	 	/S/    CESAR MONROY
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title:	 	VP, Secretary & Treasurer
	
	 AMERICAN CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC.

	 ATLAS-TUCK CONCRETE, INC.

	 BEALL INDUSTRIES, INC.

	 BEALL MANAGEMENT, INC.

	 CENTRAL CONCRETE SUPPLY CO., INC.

	 CENTRAL PRECAST CONCRETE, INC.

	 EASTERN CONCRETE MATERIALS, INC.

	 READY MIX CONCRETE COMPANY OF
KNOXVILLE

	 SAN DIEGO PRECAST CONCRETE, INC.

	 SIERRA PRECAST, INC.

	 SMITH PRE-CAST, INC.

	 SUPERIOR MATERIALS, INC.

	 TITAN CONCRETE INDUSTRIES, INC.

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    CESAR MONROY

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President & Treasurer

  
 [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FIRST CONSENT TO U.S. CONCRETE’S CREDIT AGREEMENT] 

					
	 BUILDERS’ REDI-MIX, LLC
 BWB, INC. OF MICHIGAN
 CENTRAL CONCRETE CORP.
 SUPERIOR CONCRETE MATERIALS, INC.

		
	By:	 	/S/    DONALD C. WAYNE
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Donald C. Wayne
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer
	
	 BEALL CONCRETE ENTERPRISES, LTD.

		
	 By:
	 	 BEALL MANAGEMENT, INC., its General
 Partner

		
	By:	 	/S/    CESAR MONROY
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President & Treasurer
	
	 CONCRETE XXIX ACQUISITION, INC.
 CONCRETE XXX ACQUISITION, INC.

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    CESAR MONROY

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President
	
	 USC ATLANTIC, INC.
 USC MICHIGAN, INC.

		
	 By:
	 	/S/    MICHAEL W. HARLAN
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Michael W. Harlan
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

  
 [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FIRST CONSENT TO U.S. CONCRETE’S CREDIT AGREEMENT] 

					
	 USC GP, INC.

		
	 By:
	 	/S/    CESAR MONROY
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title:	 	President & Treasurer
	
	 USC MANAGEMENT CO., L.P.
  
 By: USC GP, INC., its General
Partner

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    CESAR MONROY

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title:	 	President & Treasurer
	
	 WYOMING CONCRETE INDUSTRIES, INC.

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    EUGENE P. MARTINEAU

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Eugene P. Martineau
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

  
 [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FIRST CONSENT TO U.S. CONCRETE’S CREDIT AGREEMENT] 

					
	 CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC.,

 as Administrative Agent, Swing Loan Lender and Lender

		
	 By:
	 	/S/    SHAPLEIGH B. SMITH
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Shapleigh B. Smith
	 	 	Title:	 	Managing Director
	
	 BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Syndication Agent and Lender

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    STEVEN W. SHARP

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Steven W. Sharp
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President
	
	 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Documentation Agent and
Lender

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    COURTNEY JEANS

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Courtney Jeans
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President

  
 [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FIRST CONSENT TO U.S. CONCRETE’S CREDIT AGREEMENT] 
  

					
	 BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST CO., as
Lender

		
	 By:
	 	/S/    STEPHEN J. WOOD
	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Stephen J. Wood
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President
	
	 HIBERNIA NATIONAL BANK, as Lender

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    MICHAEL R. GEISSLER 

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	Michael R. Geissler
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President
	
	 COMERICA BANK, as Lender

		
	 By:
	 	 /S/    WILLIAM S. ROGERS

	 	 	

	 	 	Name:	 	William Rogers
	 	 	Title:	 	Vice President

  
 [SIGNATURE PAGE TO FIRST CONSENT TO U.S. CONCRETE’S CREDIT AGREEMENT]Purchase Agreement

 Exhibit 4.3 
  
 EXECUTION COPY 
  
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC. 
  
 $200,000,000 
 8 3/8 % Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2014 
  
 Purchase Agreement 
  
 New York, New York 
 March 26, 2004 
  
 Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 
 Banc of America Securities LLC 
 As Representatives of the Initial Purchasers 
 c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 

388 Greenwich Street 
 New York, New York 10013 
  
 Ladies and Gentlemen: 
  
 U.S.
Concrete, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several parties named in Schedule I hereto (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”), for whom you
(the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives $200,000,000 principal amount of its 8 3/8 % Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2014 (the “Notes,” and together with the Guarantees (as defined below), the “Securities”)
as set forth in this purchase agreement (this “Agreement”). The Securities are to be issued under an indenture (the “Indenture”), to be dated as of the Closing Date, between the Company, the Guarantors (as defined below) and
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The holders of the Securities will have the benefit of a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), to be dated as of the Closing Date,
between the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers, pursuant to which the Company and the Guarantors have agreed to register a new series of notes (the “Exchange Notes”) and related guarantees (the “Exchange
Guarantees,” and, together with the Exchange Notes, the “Exchange Securities”) under the Act subject to the terms and conditions therein specified. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Exchange Securities will be offered
in exchange for the Securities. The Notes will be unconditionally guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) by the Company’s existing direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries set forth on the signature page hereto (the “Guarantors”).
The terms Representatives and Initial Purchasers shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. The use of the neuter in this Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate. Certain terms used herein are
defined in Section 17 hereof. 
  
 The sale of the Securities to
the Initial Purchasers will be made without registration of the Securities under the Act in reliance upon exemptions from the registration requirements of the Act. 
  
 In connection with the sale of the Securities, the Company has prepared a preliminary offering memorandum, dated March 17,
2004 (as amended or supplemented at the date thereof, the “Preliminary Memorandum”), and a final offering memorandum, dated 
  

 March 26, 2004 (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the “Final Memorandum”). Each of the
Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum sets forth certain information concerning the Company and the Securities. The Company hereby confirms that it has authorized the use of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, and any
amendment or supplement thereto, in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers as contemplated therein. 
  
 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, represent and warrant
to each Initial Purchaser as set forth below in this Section 1. 
  
 (a) The Preliminary Memorandum, at the date thereof, did not contain 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. As of the date hereof and on the Closing Date the Final Memorandum did not and will not (and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the date thereof and at the Closing Date will not) contain 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; provided, however, that the Company and the Guarantors make no
representation or warranty as to the information contained in or omitted from the Preliminary Memorandum or the Final Memorandum, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by or on behalf of any of the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. 
  
 (b) None of the Company, the Guarantors, any of their respective Affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of them (provided that the Company and
the Guarantors make no representation with respect to the actions of the Initial Purchasers or any of their Affiliates) has, directly or indirectly, made offers or sales of any security, or solicited offers to buy, any security under circumstances
that would require the registration of the Securities under the Act.  
  
 (c) None of the Company, the Guarantors, any of their respective Affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of them (provided that the Company and the Guarantors make no representation with respect to the
actions of the Initial Purchasers or any of their Affiliates) has: (i) engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with any offer or sale of the Securities or (ii) engaged in
any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S) with respect to the Securities; and each of the Company, the Guarantors, their respective Affiliates and each person acting on behalf of any of them (provided that the Company and the
Guarantors make no representation with respect to the actions of the Initial Purchasers or any of their Affiliates) has complied with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S. 
  
 (d) The Securities satisfy the eligibility requirements of Rule 144A(d)(3)
under the Act. 
  
 (e) Assuming the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Initial Purchasers made in or pursuant to this Agreement, compliance by the Initial Purchasers with the 
  

 2 

 agreements contained herein, compliance by the Initial Purchasers with the offering and transfer procedures described in
the Final Memorandum, the accuracy of the representations and warranties made in accordance with the Final Memorandum by the investors to whom the Initial Purchasers initially resell securities and receipt by the investors to whom the Initial
Purchasers initially sell securities of copies of the Final Memorandum prior to the effectiveness of such resale, no registration under the Act is required for the offer and sale of the Securities to or by the Initial Purchasers in the manner
contemplated herein and in the Final Memorandum. 
  
 (f) The
Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Final Memorandum will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company
Act, without taking account of any exemption arising out of the number of holders of the Company’s securities. 
  
 (g) The Company is subject to and in compliance in all material respects with the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange
Act. All reports that have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder complied in all material respects, when so filed, as to form with the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and when filed did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 
  
 (h) None of the Company, the Guarantors, or any of their respective Affiliates has paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting
another to purchase any securities of the Company (except as contemplated in this Agreement). 
  
 (i) None of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective Affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result,
under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities. 
  
 (j) Each of the Company and the Guarantors has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation, limited
liability company or partnership in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Final Memorandum, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction that requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the
ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”). Except as set forth on Exhibit A hereto, the Company has no subsidiaries other than the Guarantors. 
  
 (k) All the outstanding shares of capital stock or ownership interests of the Company and the Guarantors have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Final Memorandum, all outstanding 
  

 3 

 shares of capital stock or ownership interests of the Guarantors are owned by the Company either directly or through
wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance, except any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance created by or under, or relating to, that certain credit agreement, dated as of March 12, 2004,
by and among the Company, Citicorp North America, Inc., as administrative agent, and the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties thereto, including any notes, collateral documents, letters of credit and
documentation and guarantees and any appendices, exhibits, schedules to any of the preceding and except any liens with respect to the payment of taxes, assessments or governmental charges in each case (i) that are not yet due or that are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves or other appropriate provisions are being maintained to the extent required by generally accepted accounting principles or (ii) in respect of which the
aggregate liability of such entity does not exceed $250,000 at any time. 
  
 (l) The statements in the Final Memorandum under the headings “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,” “Description of Other Indebtedness,” “Description of the Notes,” and
“Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” fairly summarize the matters therein described. 
  
 (m) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors; the Indenture has been duly authorized by
the Company and each of the Guarantors and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, when executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors, will constitute a legal, valid and binding instrument
enforceable against the Company and each of the Guarantors in accordance with its terms (subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity)); the Securities and the Exchange Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and each of the Guarantors, and,
in the case of the Securities, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and in the case of the Exchange
Securities, when issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to the holders of the Securities in exchange therefor as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, such Securities and
Exchange Securities will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors and will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and each of the Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
(subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity (whether
considered in a proceeding at law or in equity)); and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and each of the Guarantors and, when executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors, will constitute
the legal, valid, binding and enforceable instrument of the Company and each of the Guarantors (subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’
rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity)), provided that no representation is made with respect to Section 6 thereof. 
  

 4 

 (n) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body
is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, in the Indenture or in the Registration Rights Agreement, except such as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in which the Securities are
offered and sold and, in the case of the Registration Rights Agreement, such as may be required by federal and state securities laws and the Trust Indenture Act with respect to the Company’s obligations thereunder. 
  
 (o) None of the execution and delivery of the Indenture, this Agreement or
the Registration Rights Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities, or the consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, or the fulfillment by the Company and each of the Guarantors
of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with or result in a breach or violation of: (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of the Guarantors; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement,
loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of the Guarantors is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Guarantors or any of their respective properties, except in the case of clauses
(ii) and (iii) above, such violations or defaults that would not have (x) a Material Adverse Effect or (y) a material adverse effect upon the transactions contemplated herein or any Initial Purchaser. 
  
 (p) The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Final Memorandum present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply
as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation S-X of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise
noted therein or in the notes thereto) and the selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” in the Final Memorandum fairly present, on the basis stated in the Final Memorandum, the information
included therein. 
  
 (q) No action, suit or proceeding by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Guarantors or their respective properties is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) would reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Registration Rights Agreement, or the consummation of any of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
 (r) Each of the Company and the Guarantors owns or leases all such properties
as are necessary to the conduct of their respective operations as presently conducted. 
  

 5 

 (s) Neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its
charter or bylaws; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property
is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of the Guarantors of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Guarantors or any of their respective properties, as applicable, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, such violations or defaults that would not have (x) a Material Adverse Effect or (y) a
material adverse effect upon the transactions contemplated hereby. 
  
 (t) PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to certain audited consolidated financial statements included in the
Final Memorandum, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act. 
  
 (u) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of the Guarantors exists or to the knowledge of the Company or the Guarantors, is
threatened or imminent, and none of the Company or the Guarantors is aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as
would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  

(v) The Company and the Guarantors are insured by recognized and, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, financially responsible insurers
against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are adequate and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all material existing policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company, the Guarantors or any of
their respective subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and the Guarantors are in compliance with the terms of their respective insurance policies, except
where the failure to so comply would not have a Material Adverse Effect; there are no material claims by the Company or any of the Guarantors under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending
under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for since January 1, 2003; and neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors has any reason to believe that
it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary or appropriate to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
 (w) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends, from making any other distribution on such
subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any 
  

 6 

 other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
 (x) The Company and the
Guarantors possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate U.S. federal, state or non-U.S. regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now operated by them, except where
the failure to possess such licenses, certificates, permits or other authorizations would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors has received any notice of pending proceedings relating to the revocation
or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the
Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
 (y) The Company maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures sufficient to: (i) ensure that material information relating to the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries is appropriately disclosed to the Company’s
executive officers by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which a consolidated financial report is being prepared; (ii) evaluate the effectiveness of such disclosure controls and procedures and present in such
consolidated financial report its conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by such report based on such evaluation; and (iii) disclose in such report any change in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting on a consolidated basis that occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter (or its fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting on a consolidated basis. 
  
 (z) None of the Company or the Guarantors has taken any action or omitted to take any action (such as issuing any press release relating to any Securities
without an appropriate legend) which may result in the loss by any of the Initial Purchasers of the ability to rely on any stabilization safe harbor provided by the Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the
“FSMA”). The Company and the Guarantors have been informed of the guidance relating to stabilization provided by the Financial Services Authority, in particular in Section MAR 2 Annex 2G of the Financial Services Handbook. 
  
 (aa) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of
the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply, in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated in connection
therewith (the “Sarbanes Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications. 
  
 (bb) Immediately after the consummation of the offering, the fair value and present fair saleable value of the assets of the Company and the Guarantors
will exceed the sum of their stated liabilities and identified contingent liabilities (on a combined basis). The Company and the Guarantors are not, nor will the Company and the Guarantors (on a combined basis) be, after giving effect to the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Credit Agreement and the consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, (A) left with

  

 7 

 unreasonably small capital with which to carry on their business as proposed to be conducted, (B) unable to pay their
debts (contingent or otherwise) as they mature or (C) otherwise insolvent. 
  
 (cc) The statistical and market-related data included in the Final Memorandum are based on or derived from sources that the Company and the Guarantors believe to be reliable and accurate. 
  
 (dd) The exhibits filed with the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2003 are the only material indentures, contracts, leases, mortgages, deeds of trust, note agreements, loan agreements or other agreements, obligations, conditions, covenants or instruments to which the Company and the Guarantors
are a party or bound or to which their respective properties is subject. 
  
 (ee) The only jurisdictions in which the Company and each of the Guarantors are required to be qualified to do business as a result of the conduct of their respective operations, other than the jurisdiction in which
the Company and each Guarantor are incorporated or formed, are set forth opposite the Company’s and such Guarantor’s name in Exhibit B. 
  
 Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of the Guarantors and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Initial Purchasers
in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or the Guarantors, as to matters covered thereby, to each Initial Purchaser. 
  
 2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties
herein set forth, the Company and the Guarantors agree to sell to each Initial Purchaser, and each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and the Guarantors, at a purchase price of 97.25 % of the principal
amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 31, 2004 to the Closing Date, the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Initial Purchaser’s name in Schedule I hereto. 
  
 3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities
shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on March 31, 2004, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by
agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to
the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Initial Purchasers against payment by the several Initial Purchasers through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer
payable in same-day funds to the account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct. 
  
 4. Offering by Initial Purchasers. (a) Each Initial Purchaser
acknowledges that the Securities have not been and will not be registered under the 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 
  

 8 

 pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Act. 

 
 (b) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and
warrants to and agrees with the Company and the Guarantors that: 
  
 (i) it has not offered or sold, and will not offer or sell, any Securities within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (x) as part of their distribution at any time or (y) otherwise
until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering and the Closing Date except: 
  
 (A) to those it reasonably believes to be “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Act) or

  
 (B) in accordance with Rule 903 of Regulation
S; 
  
 (ii) neither it nor any person acting on
its behalf has made or will make offers or sales of the Securities in the United States by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in the United States; 
  
 (iii) in connection with each sale pursuant to Section
4(b)(i)(A), it has taken or will take reasonable steps to ensure that the purchaser of such Securities is aware that such sale is being made in reliance on Rule 144A; 
  
 (iv) neither it, nor any of its Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf has engaged or will
engage in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S) with respect to the Securities; 
  
 (v) it has not entered and will not enter into any contractual arrangement with any distributor (within the meaning of Regulation S) with
respect to the distribution of the Securities, except with its affiliates or with the prior written consent of the Company; 
  
 (vi) it and its Affiliates have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S; 
  
 (vii) at or prior to the confirmation of sale of Securities
(other than a sale of Securities pursuant to Section 4(b)(i)(A) of this Agreement), it shall have sent to each distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases Securities from it during the
distribution compliance period (within the meaning of Regulation S) 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 “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) 
  

 9 

 otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering and the date of closing of
the offering, except in either case in accordance with Regulation S (or Rule 144A if available) under the Act. Terms used in this paragraph have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.” 
  
 (viii) it has not offered or sold and, prior to the date six
months after the Closing Date, will not offer or sell any Securities 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 as 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; 
  
 (ix) it has complied and will comply with all applicable
provisions of the FSMA) with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom; 
  
 (x) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or
inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Securities, in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company; and

  
 (xi) it is an “accredited investor”
(as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D). 
  
 5.
Agreements. The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree with each Initial Purchaser that: 
  
 (a) The Company will furnish to each Initial Purchaser and to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, without charge, during the period referred to in
paragraph (c) below, as many copies of the Final Memorandum and any amendments and supplements thereto as they may reasonably request. 
  
 (b) The Company will not amend or supplement the Final Memorandum without the prior written consent of the Representatives (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed). 
  
 (c) If at any time after
the date hereof and prior to the completion of the sale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers (as determined by the Representatives), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Memorandum, as then amended or supplemented, would 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, or if it should be necessary to amend or supplement
the Final Memorandum to comply with applicable law, the Company will promptly (i) notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) prepare an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission 
  

 10 

 or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented or amended Final Memorandum to the several Initial
Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers without charge in such quantities as they may reasonably request. 
  
 (d) The Company and the Guarantors will arrange, if reasonably necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale by the Initial Purchasers under
the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the sale of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company or the Guarantors be obligated
to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where they are not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject them to the imposition of any tax or to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of
the Securities, in any jurisdiction where they are not now so subject. The Company and the Guarantors will promptly advise the Representatives of the receipt by the Company or the Guarantors of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. 
  
 (e) For a period of two years after the Closing Date, the Company and the Guarantors will not, and will not permit any of their respective Affiliates to,
resell any Securities that constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 144 that have been acquired by any of them. 
  
 (f) None of the Company, the Guarantors, any of their Affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of them will, directly or indirectly, make offers
or sales of any security, or solicit offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would require the registration of the Securities under the Act. 
  
 (g) None of the Company, the Guarantors, any of their Affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of them will engage in any form of general
solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with any offer or sale of the Securities in the United States and none of the Company, the Guarantors or their Affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any
of them will engage in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities, and each of them will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S. To the extent applicable, terms used in this paragraph have the meanings
given to them by Regulation S. 
  
 (h) So long as any of the
Securities are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Act, the Company and the Guarantors will, during any period in which it is not subject to and in compliance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
provide to each holder of such restricted securities and to each prospective purchaser (as designated by such holder) of such restricted securities, upon the request of such holder or prospective purchaser, any information required to be provided by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act. This covenant is intended to be for the benefit of the holders, and the prospective purchasers designated by such holders, from time to time of such restricted securities. 
  
 (i) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives and use its best
efforts to permit the Securities and the Exchange Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company. 
  

 11 

 (j) None of the Company, the Guarantors, or any of their respective subsidiaries will, for a period of 90
days following the Execution Time, without the prior written consent of Citigroup, offer, sell or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by any of them (other than the Securities, the Exchange Securities,
or the Company’s 12% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2010). 
  
 (k) None of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective Affiliates will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange
Act or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities. 
  
 (l) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the Company’s costs in connection with the preparation of
the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement, the issuance of the Securities and the Exchange Securities and the fees of the Trustee; (ii) the preparation, printing or reproduction of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum and
each amendment or supplement to either of them; (iii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum,
and all amendments or supplements to either of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iv) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of
certificates for the Securities; (v) any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (vi) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement and all other agreements or documents printed
(or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities; (vii) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states and
any other jurisdictions specified pursuant to Section 5(d) (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Initial Purchasers relating to such registration and qualification); (viii) admitting the Securities for
trading in the PORTAL Market; (ix) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (x) the fees and expenses of the
Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their respective
obligations hereunder. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this section and in Section 8, each Initial Purchaser will pay all of its costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of its counsel and transfer taxes payable on
resale of any of the Securities by it. 
  
 (m) The Company will,
for a period of twelve months following the Execution Time, furnish to the Representatives (i) all reports or other communications (financial or other) generally made available to stockholders, and deliver such reports and communications to the
Representatives as soon as they are available, unless such documents are furnished to or filed with the Commission or any securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed and generally made available to the public and
(ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request (such statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent 
  

 12 

 the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to stockholders). 
  
 (n) The Company and the Guarantors will not take any action or omit to take
any action (such as issuing any press release relating to any Securities without an appropriate legend) which may result in the loss by any of the Initial Purchasers of the ability to rely on any stabilization safe harbor provided by the Financial
Services Authority under the FSMA. 
  
 (o) The Company and the
Guarantors will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder substantially in accordance with the description set forth in the Final Memorandum under the caption “Use of Proceeds.” 
  
 6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Initial Purchasers. The
obligations of the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Guarantors contained herein at the Execution Time and the Closing Date (except
to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such earlier date)), to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and the
Guarantors made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions: 
  
 (a) Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Company and the Guarantors, shall
have furnished to the Representatives its opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that: 
  
 (i) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Final Memorandum; 
  
 (ii) the Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Final
Memorandum; 
  
 (iii) the Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (except
as that enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing); the Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the
provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company and (subject to the assumptions
stated in such opinion) each of the 
  

 13 

 Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (except as that enforceability may be subject to
applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding
in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing); the Exchange Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and
delivered to the holders of the Securities in exchange therefor as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, will constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company and (subject to the assumptions stated in such
opinion) each of the Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (except as that enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from
time to time in effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing); the Registration Rights Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Initial Purchasers, constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable instrument of the Company (except as that
enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing) provided that no opinion is expressed with respect to Sections 6 and 8 thereof; and the statements set forth under the
headings “Description of the Notes” and “Exchange Offer; Registration Rights” in the Final Memorandum, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and the Registration
Rights Agreement, provide a fair summary in all material respects of such provisions; 
  
 (iv) such counsel does not know of (a) any pending or threatened legal or governmental proceedings with respect to the Company that, in
such counsel’s judgment, are of a character that would be required to be disclosed in a prospectus if the Company were to file a Form S-1 registration statement under the Act and that are not disclosed in the Final Memorandum (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) or (b) any agreement, contract, indenture, lease or other instrument that, in such counsel’s judgment, are of a character that would be required to be described or referred to in a prospectus if the Company were to file a
Form S-1 registration statement under the Act and that are not disclosed in the Final Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto); 
  
 (v) the statements in the Final Memorandum under the headings “Description of Other Indebtedness,” and “Certain United
States Federal Income Tax Considerations” fairly summarize the matters therein described; 
  

 14 

 (vi) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

  
 (vii) no consent, approval, or authorization
of, or filing with, any United States, Texas, Delaware or New York court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, in the Indenture or in the Registration Rights Agreement, except such as may
be required under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction in which the Securities are offered or sold (as to which such counsel need express no opinion beyond that set forth in paragraph (ix) below), and except such as may be required by
federal and state securities laws with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained; and to the knowledge of such counsel, no order of any
United States, Texas, Delaware or New York court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, in the Indenture or in the Registration Rights Agreement, except such as may be required under the
blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction in which the Securities are offered or sold (as to which such counsel need express no opinion beyond that set forth in paragraph (ix) below), and except such as may be required by federal and state
securities laws with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained; 
  
 (viii) neither the execution and delivery of the Indenture, this Agreement or the Registration Rights
Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities, nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with or result in a
breach or violation: (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the
Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject and which has been filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003; (iii) any statute, law, rule or regulation
applicable to the Company of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; or (iv) any judgment, order or decree, of which such counsel is aware, applicable to the Company of any governmental
body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; except in the case of clause (iii) or (iv), for any such breach or violation as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; 
  
 (ix) assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties made in or pursuant to this Agreement and compliance by the Company and each Initial Purchaser with the agreements contained herein (without regard to the representation of the Company set forth in Section 1(e)), compliance by each
Initial Purchaser with the offering and transfer procedures described in the Final Memorandum, the accuracy of the representations and warranties made in 
  

 15 

 accordance with the Final Memorandum by the investors to whom you initially resell securities and receipt
by the investors to whom you initially sell securities of copies of the Final Memorandum prior to the effectiveness of such resale, no registration under the Act, and no qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, is required for
the sale and delivery of the Securities by the Company and the Guarantors to the Initial Purchasers or the offer and sale by the Initial Purchasers of the Securities in the manner contemplated herein and in the Final Memorandum, it being understood
that no opinion is expressed in this paragraph as to any subsequent resale of any security or as to the Exchange Securities; and 
  
 (x) the Company and the Guarantors are not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the
proceeds thereof as described in the Final Memorandum, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act, without taking account of any exemption arising out of the number of holders of the Company’s or the
Guarantors’ securities. 
  
 Such counsel shall state that
they have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company, your representatives and your counsel at which conferences the contents of the Final
Memorandum and related matters were discussed, and although they did not independently verify the information in the Final Memorandum and are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Final Memorandum (except to the extent set forth in paragraphs (iii) and (v) above), such counsel shall advise you that, on the basis of the foregoing (relying as to materiality to a large extent upon officers and other
representatives of the Company), no facts have come to such counsel’s attention which lead such counsel to believe that the Final Memorandum, as of the date hereof or as of the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements, the notes thereto
and the auditors’ report thereon, and the other accounting and financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion). 
  
 In giving the foregoing opinions, such counsel may rely on certificates of representatives of the Company and the Guarantors
and of public officials, as well as the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, with respect to the accuracy of the factual matters contained therein, and may state that the opinions assume the genuineness of all signatures, the
conformity to authentic, original documents of all documents submitted to such counsel as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of all documents submitted to such counsel as originals. 
  
 In the opinions set forth above, such counsel may state that with respect to
paragraphs (iv), (vii) and (viii), phrases such as “to the knowledge of such counsel,” “known to such counsel,” “of which such counsel is aware” and those with equivalent wording refer to the conscious awareness of
information by the lawyers of such counsel’s law firm who have 
  

 16 

 prepared the opinion, signed the letter or been actively involved in assisting and advising the Company in connection
with the preparation of the Final Memorandum and the execution and delivery of this Agreement without any independent investigation. 
  
 In giving the foregoing opinions, such counsel may further state that, except where otherwise expressly stated, the opinions expressed are based on and
are limited to the laws of the State of Texas, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and the laws of the State of New York, in each case as currently in effect. References to the Final Memorandum in this Section 6(a) include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the Closing Date. 
  
 (b) The
Company shall have requested and caused the Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company to furnish to the Representatives his opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

  
 (i) each of Guarantors has been duly
incorporated or formed and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company or partnership in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized, with full power and authority to own or lease, as
the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Final Memorandum, and each of the Company and the Guarantors is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdictions set
forth opposite the Company’s and such Guarantor’s name in Exhibit B; 
  
 (ii) all the outstanding shares of capital stock or ownership interests of the Company and each of the Guarantors have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the Final Memorandum, all outstanding shares of capital stock or ownership interests of the Guarantors are owned by the Company either directly
or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interest and, to the knowledge of such counsel, any other security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance, except any security interests, claims, liens and encumbrances
created by or under, or relating to, that certain credit agreement, dated as of March 12, 2004, by and among the Company, Citicorp North America, Inc., as Administrative Agent, and the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from
time to time thereto and except any liens with respect to the payment of taxes, assessments or governmental charges in each case (i) that are not yet due or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which
adequate reserves or other appropriate provisions are being maintained to the extent required by generally accepted accounting principles or (ii) in respect of which the aggregate liability of such entity does not exceed $250,000 at any time;

  
 (iii) the Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by each of the Guarantors and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument enforceable against each of the Guarantors in accordance with its
terms (except as that enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, 
  

 17 

 insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in
effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing); the Securities have been duly authorized by each of the
Guarantors and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will constitute legal, valid, binding and
enforceable obligations of each of the Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (except as that enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally from time to time in effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing); the Exchange Securities have
been duly authorized by each of the Guarantors and, when issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to the holders of the Securities in exchange therefor as contemplated by the Registration
Rights Agreement, will constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of each of the Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (except as that enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization,
insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, general principles of equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied
covenants of good faith and fair dealing); and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Guarantors and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Initial Purchasers,
constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable instrument of each of the Guarantors (except as that enforceability may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and any implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing) provided that no
opinion is expressed with respect to Sections 6 and 8 thereof; 
  
 (iv) to the knowledge of such counsel, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of
the Guarantors or its or their property that is not adequately disclosed in the Final Memorandum, except in each case for such proceedings that would not singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and 
  
 (v) such counsel does not know of (a) any pending or
threatened legal or governmental proceedings with respect to any of the Guarantors that would be required to be disclosed in a prospectus if the Company were to file a Form S-1 registration statement under the Act and that are not disclosed in the
Final Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (b) any agreement, contract, indenture, lease or other instrument of a character that would be required 
  

 18 

 to be described or referred to in a prospectus if the Company were to file a Form S-1 registration
statement under the Act and that are not disclosed in the Final Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto); 
  
 (vi) the statements in the Final Memorandum under the heading “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” fairly summarize
the matters therein described; 
  
 (vii) this
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Guarantors; and 
  
 (viii) neither the execution and delivery of the Indenture, this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement, the issuance and sale of
the Securities or the Exchange Securities, nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with or result in a breach or violation: (i) the
charter or by-laws of the any of the Guarantors; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which any of the
Guarantors is a party or bound or to which any of their property is subject and which has been filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003; (iii) any statute, law, rule or
regulation applicable to any of the Guarantors of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over any of the Guarantors or any of their properties; or (iv) any judgment, order or decree, of which such counsel is aware, applicable to
any of the Guarantors of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over any of the Guarantors or any of their properties; except in the case of clause (ii), (iii) or (iv), for any such breach or violation as would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; 
  
 Such counsel shall state that he has
participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company, your representatives and your counsel at which conferences the contents of the Final
Memorandum and related matters were discussed, and although he did not independently verify the information in the Final Memorandum and is not passing upon, and does not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Final Memorandum, no facts have come to such counsel’s attention which lead such counsel to believe that the Final Memorandum, as of the date hereof or as of the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements,
the notes thereto and the auditors’ report thereon, and financial schedules and other accounting and financial data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion). 
  
 In the opinions set forth above, such counsel may state that with respect to
paragraphs (ii), (iv), (v) and (viii), phrases such as “to the knowledge of such counsel,” “known 
  

 19 

 to such counsel,” “of which such counsel is aware” and those with equivalent wording refer to the
conscious awareness of information by such counsel without any independent investigation. 
  
 In giving the foregoing opinions, such counsel may rely on certificates of representatives of the Company and the Guarantors and of public officials, as well as the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, with respect to the accuracy of the factual matters contained therein, and may state that the opinions assume the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to authentic, original documents of all documents submitted to such counsel as
certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of all documents submitted to such counsel as originals. 
  
 In giving the foregoing opinions, such counsel may further state that he is licensed to practice law only in the State of Texas, that with respect to any
jurisdiction other than Texas or Delaware, such counsel assumes that the laws of such jurisdiction are the same as the laws of Texas, and that such counsel’s opinion is provided in his capacity as General Counsel of the Company and not in his
individual capacity as an attorney. References to the Final Memorandum in this Section 6(b) include any amendment or supplement thereto at the Closing Date. 
  
 (c) The Representatives shall have received from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the
Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Final Memorandum (as amended or supplemented at the Closing
Date) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. 
  
 (d) The Company and each Guarantor shall have furnished to the
Representatives (i) a certificate of the Company signed by (x) the Chairman of the Board or the President and (y) the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, and (ii) a certificate of each Guarantor signed by a duly authorized
officer of such Guarantor, each dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Final Memorandum, any amendment or supplement to the Final Memorandum and this Agreement and that: 
  
 (i) the representations and warranties in this Agreement of
the entity as to which such signatory is certifying are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date (except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date
(in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such earlier date), and that entity has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or
prior to the Closing Date; and 
  
 (ii) since the
date of the most recent financial statements included in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or 
  

 20 

 otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, the Guarantors and their
respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
 (e) At the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, the Company shall have
requested and caused PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to furnish to the Representatives letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, (i) confirming
that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) stating, as of the date thereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the
respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Final Memorandum, as of a date not more than five days prior to the date thereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and
other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings. All references in this Section 6(e) to the Final Memorandum include any amendment or supplement thereto
at the date of the applicable letter. 
  
 (f) Subsequent to the
Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive
of any amendment or supplement thereto), the effect of which, in any case referred to above, is, in the sole judgment of the Initial Purchasers, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or
delivery of the Securities as contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
 (g) The Securities shall have been designated as PORTAL-eligible securities in accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD and the Securities
shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company. 
  
 (h) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined
for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change. 
  
 (i) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the
Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request. 
  
 If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and
certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance 
  

 21 

 to the Representatives and counsel for the Initial Purchasers, this Agreement and all obligations of the Initial
Purchasers hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing. 
  
 The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 will be delivered at
the office of counsel for the Company, Baker Botts L.L.P., 910 Louisiana, Houston, Texas 77002, on the Closing Date. 
  
 7. Reimbursement of Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the
Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company or any Guarantor to perform any agreement herein
or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Initial Purchasers, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers severally through Citigroup on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been reasonably incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. 
  
 8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial
Purchaser, the directors, officers, employees, Affiliates and agents of each Initial Purchaser and each person who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and
all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other U.S. federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law 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 a material fact contained in the Preliminary Memorandum, the Final Memorandum or in any
amendment or supplement thereto 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 to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action; 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 any such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Preliminary Memorandum, the Final Memorandum or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of any Initial Purchaser through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein; provided, further, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any Preliminary Memorandum shall not inure to the benefit of
any Initial Purchaser from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Securities, or any person controlling such Initial Purchaser, if a copy of the Final Memorandum (as then amended or supplemented if the
Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Initial Purchaser to such person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Securities to such person, and if the Final
Memorandum (as so amended or supplemented) would have 
  

 22 

 cured the defect giving rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, unless such failure is the result of
noncompliance by the Company with Sections 5(a) and 5(c) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company and the Guarantors may otherwise have. 
  
 (b) Each Initial Purchaser severally, and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors,
each of their respective directors and officers, and each person who controls the Company or any Guarantor within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the
Company and the Guarantors to each Initial Purchaser, but only with reference to written information relating to such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company and the Guarantors by or on behalf of such Initial Purchaser specifically for inclusion
in the Preliminary Memorandum, the Final Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that any Initial Purchaser may otherwise have. The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge
that (i) the statements set forth in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and (ii) under the heading “Plan of Distribution” (A) the third paragraph, (B) the 5th sentence of the tenth paragraph relating
to market-making activities, and (C) the eleventh paragraph related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum constitute the only information furnished in writing by or
on behalf of the Initial Purchasers for inclusion in the Preliminary Memorandum, the Final Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto. 
  
 (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 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 this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from
liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event,
relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel (including local counsel) of
the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees
and expenses of any separate counsel, other than local counsel if not appointed by the indemnifying party, retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel (including local counsel) to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to
employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party
would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party to 
  

 23 

 represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action; or (iv) the
indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party; provided, however, that it is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in respect of the
legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified
parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action)
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding. 
  
 (d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to
hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company or any Guarantor and one or more of the Initial Purchasers may be subject in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and by the Initial Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall any
Initial Purchaser be responsible for any amount in excess of the purchase discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Initial Purchaser hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is
unavailable for any reason, the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the
Guarantors on the one hand and of the Initial Purchasers on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company and the
Guarantors shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Initial Purchasers shall be deemed to be equal to the total purchase discounts and
commissions. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by
the Company or a Guarantor on the one hand or by the Initial Purchasers on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company,
the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to
above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Initial Purchasers’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint. For 
  

 24 

 purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Initial Purchaser within the meaning of either Section 15 of the
Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, Affiliate and agent of an Initial Purchaser shall have the same rights to contribution as such Initial Purchaser, and each person who controls the Company or a Guarantor
within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each officer and director of the Company and any Guarantor shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company and the Guarantors, subject in each case to
the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d). 
  
 9.
Default by an Initial Purchaser. If any one or more Initial Purchasers shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Initial Purchaser hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default
in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Initial Purchasers shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite
their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Initial Purchasers) the Securities which the defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but
failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Initial Purchasers shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Initial
Purchasers do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Initial Purchaser or the Company or the Guarantors. In the event of a default by any Initial Purchaser as set forth in this Section
9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Final Memorandum or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Initial Purchaser of its liability, if any, to the Company, the Guarantors or any nondefaulting Initial Purchaser for damages occasioned by its default hereunder. 
  
 10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the
absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company’s common stock shall have been suspended by the
Commission or the Nasdaq National Market or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on either of such exchange or
the Nasdaq National Market; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by U.S. federal or New York State authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a
national emergency or war or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities
as contemplated in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 
  
  
 11. Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, indemnities and other covenants of the Company, the Guarantors
or their respective officers and of the Initial 
  

 25 

 Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, the Company, the Guarantors or any of the indemnified persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7
and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement. 
  
 12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the Citigroup General Counsel (fax no.:
(212) 816-7912) and confirmed to Citigroup at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel; or, if sent to the Company or any Guarantor, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to (713) 499-6205 and confirmed to it at
2925 Briarpark, Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77042, attention of the Legal Department with a copy, which shall not constitute notice hereunder, to Baker Botts L.L.P., attention: Ted Paris, 910 Louisiana, Suite 3000, Houston, Texas 77002, telefax (713)
229-7738. 
  
 13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to
the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the indemnified persons referred to in Section 8 hereof and their respective successors, and, except as expressly set forth in Section 5(h) hereof, no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder. 
  
 14.
Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York. The parties hereto each hereby waive any
right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim arising out of or relating to this Agreement. 
  
 15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together
shall constitute one and the same agreement. 
  
 16.
Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. 
  
 17. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated. 
  
 “Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. 
  
 “Affiliate” shall have the meaning specified in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D. 
  
 “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies
are authorized or obligated by law to close in The City of New York. 
  
 “Citigroup” shall mean Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 
  
 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 
  

 26 

 “Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission. 
  
 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. 
  
 “Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto. 
  
 “Investment Company Act” shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder. 
  
 “NASD” shall mean the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. 
  
 “PORTAL”
shall mean the Private Offerings, Resales and Trading through Automated Linkages system of the NASD. 
  
 “Regulation D” shall mean Regulation D under the Act. 
  

“Regulation S” shall mean Regulation S under the Act. 
  
 “Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission promulgated thereunder. 
  

 27 

 If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us
the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement between the Company and the several Initial Purchasers. 
  

			
	 Very truly yours,
  
 U.S. CONCRETE, INC.

		
	By:	 	/s/    Michael W. Harlan         
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Michael W. Harlan
	 	 	 Title: Executive Vice President,
           Chief Operating Officer and
           Chief Financial Officer

	 	 	 

  

			
	 GUARANTORS:
  
 AFTM CORPORATION

		
	By:	 	/s/    Cesar Monroy         
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title: VP, Secretary & Treasurer
		
	 	 	 
	 AMERICAN CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC. ATLAS-TUCK CONCRETE, INC.
 BEALL INDUSTRIES, INC.
 BEALL MANAGEMENT, INC.
 CENTRAL CONCRETE SUPPLY CO., INC. CENTRAL PRECAST CONCRETE, INC. EASTERN CONCRETE MATERIALS, INC. READY MIX CONCRETE COMPANY OF
         KNOXVILLE
 SAN DIEGO PRECAST CONCRETE, INC. SIERRA PRECAST, INC.
 SMITH PRE-CAST, INC.
 SUPERIOR MATERIALS, INC.
 TITAN CONCRETE INDUSTRIES, INC.

			
		
	By:	 	/s/    Cesar Monroy         
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title: VP, Secretary & Treasurer
	 	 	 
	 BUILDERS’ REDI-MIX, LLC
 B.W.B., INC. OF
MICHIGAN
 CENTRAL CONCRETE CORP.
 SUPERIOR CONCRETE MATERIALS,
INC.

  

			
		
	By:	 	/s/    Donald C. Wayne         
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Donald C. Wayne
	 	 	Title: Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

  

 SIGNATURE PAGE TO PURCHASE AGREEMENT 

					
	 BEALL CONCRETE ENTERPRISES, LTD.
  

		
	By:	 	 BEALL MANAGEMENT, INC., its
 General
Partner        

			
	 	 	By:	 	/s/    Cesar Monroy        
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	Name: Cesar Monroy
	 	 	 	 	Title: Vice President & Treasurer

  

			
	 CONCRETE XXIX ACQUISITION, INC.
 CONCRETE XXX
ACQUISITION, INC.
  

		
	By:	 	/s/    Cesar Monroy        
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title: Vice President & Treasurer

  

			
	 USC ATLANTIC, INC.
 USC MICHIGAN,
INC.
  

		
	By:	 	/s/    Michael W. Harlan        
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Michael W. Harlan
	 	 	Title: Vice President

  

			
	 USC GP, INC.
  

		
	By:	 	/s/    Cesar Monroy        
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Cesar Monroy
	 	 	Title: President & Treasurer

  

					
	 USC MANAGEMENT CO., L.P.
  

		
	By:	 	USC GP, INC., its General Partner        
			
	 	 	By:	 	/s/    Cesar Monroy        
	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	Name: Cesar Monroy
	 	 	 	 	Title: Vice President & Treasurer

  

			
	 WYOMING CONCRETE INDUSTRIES, INC.
  

		
	By:	 	/s/    Eugene P. Martineau        
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Eugene P. Martineau
	 	 	Title: Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

  

 SIGNATURE PAGE TO PURCHASE AGREEMENT 

 The foregoing Agreement is hereby 
 confirmed and accepted as of the 
 date first above written. 
  
 Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 
 Banc of America Securities LLC 
  
 By: Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 
  

			
		
	By:	 	/s/    Whitner Marshall        
	 	 	

	 	 	Name: Whitner Marshall
	 	 	Title: Director

  
 For
themselves and the other several 
 Initial Purchasers named in Schedule I 
 to the foregoing Agreement. 
  

 SIGNATURE PAGE TO PURCHASE AGREEMENT 

 SCHEDULE I 
  

				
	 Initial Purchasers

	  	 Principal Amount of
Securities
 to be Purchased

		
	 Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
	  	$	120,000,000
		
	 Banc of America Securities LLC.
	  	$	34,000,000
		
	 J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
	  	$	30,000,000
		
	 BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott and Stringfellow, Inc.
	  	$	10,000,000
		
	 Comerica Securities, Inc.
	  	$	3,000,000
		
	 Hibernia Southcoast Capital, Inc.
	  	$	3,000,000
		
	 Total
	  	$	200,000,000

  

 EXHIBIT A 
  

Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries 
  
 USC LP, Inc. 
  
 Beall Investment Corporation, Inc. 

 EXHIBIT B 
  

Foreign Qualifications of the Company and Guarantors 
  

			
	 U.S. CONCRETE, INC.
	    	Texas
	 AFTM CORPORATION
	    	None
	 AMERICAN CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC.
	    	None
	 ATLAS-TUCK CONCRETE, INC.
	    	None
	 BEALL INDUSTRIES, INC.
	    	None
	 BEALL MANAGEMENT, INC.
	    	None
	 CENTRAL CONCRETE SUPPLY CO., INC.
	    	None
	 CENTRAL PRECAST CONCRETE, INC.
	    	None
	 EASTERN CONCRETE MATERIALS, INC.
	    	New York
	 READY MIX CONCRETE COMPANY OF KNOXVILLE
	    	Tennessee
	 SAN DIEGO PRECAST CONCRETE, INC.
	    	California
	 SIERRA PRECAST, INC.
	    	None
	 SMITH PRE-CAST, INC.
	    	Arizona
	 SUPERIOR MATERIALS, INC.
	    	None
	 TITAN CONCRETE INDUSTRIES, INC.
	    	Tennessee, Mississippi
	 BUILDERS’ REDI-MIX, LLC
	    	Michigan
	 BWB, INC. OF MICHIGAN
	    	Michigan
	 CENTRAL CONCRETE CORP.
	    	New Jersey
	 SUPERIOR CONCRETE MATERIALS, INC.
	    	Virginia, Maryland, Delaware
	 BEALL CONCRETE ENTERPRISES, LTD.
	    	None
	 CONCRETE XXIX ACQUISITION, INC.
	    	None
	 CONCRETE XXX ACQUISITION, INC.
	    	None
	 USC ATLANTIC, INC.
	    	New Jersey
	 USC MICHIGAN, INC.
	    	Michigan
	 USC GP, INC.
	    	Texas
	 USC MANAGEMENT CO., L.P.
	    	None
	 WYOMING CONCRETE INDUSTRIES, INC.
	    	Maryland

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