Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 4.17

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                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                          DATED AS OF NOVEMBER 4, 2003

                                     BETWEEN

                      FISHER SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL INC.

                                       AND

                          DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.

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                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

          This Registration Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and
entered into this 4th day of November, 2003, among Fisher Scientific
International Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Deutsche Bank
Securities Inc. (the "Initial Purchaser").

          This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated
October 21, 2003, between the Company and the Initial Purchaser (the "Purchase
Agreement"), which provides for, among other things, the sale by the Company to
the Initial Purchaser of an aggregate of $150 million principal amount of the
Company's 8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 (the "Securities"). In order to
induce the Initial Purchaser to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company
has agreed to provide to the Initial Purchaser and its direct and indirect
transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution
of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

          In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as
follows:

          1. Definitions.

          As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms
     shall have the following meanings:

          "1933 Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time
     to time.

          "1934 Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of l934, as amended
     from time to time.

          "Affiliated Market Maker" shall mean the Initial Purchaser who is
     required to by applicable law to deliver a prospectus in connection with
     sales or market making activities with respect to the Exchange Securities.

          "Closing Date" shall mean the Closing Time as defined in the Purchase
     Agreement.

          "Company" see the preamble hereto and shall also include the Company's
     successors.

          "Depositary" shall mean The Depository Trust Company, or any other
     depositary appointed by the Company, provided, however, that such
     depositary must have an address in the Borough of Manhattan, in The City of
     New York.

          "Effectiveness Period" see Section 2.2(b).

          "Exchange Offer" shall mean the exchange offer by the Company of
     Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.1
     hereof.

          "Exchange Offer Registration" shall mean a registration under the 1933
     Act effected pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof.

          "Exchange Offer Registration Statement" shall mean an exchange offer
     registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another
     appropriate form), and all amendments and supplements to such registration
     statement, including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto
     and all documents incorporated by reference therein.

          "Exchange Period" see Section 2.1 hereof.
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          "Exchange Securities" shall mean the 8% Senior Subordinated Notes due
     2013 to be issued by the Company under the Indenture containing terms
     identical to the Securities in all material respects (except that (i)
     interest thereon shall accrue from the last date on which interest was paid
     on the Securities or, if no such interest has been paid, from the Closing
     Date and (ii) the transfer restrictions thereon shall be eliminated), to be
     offered to Holders of Securities in exchange for Registrable Securities
     pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

          "Holder" shall mean the Initial Purchaser, for so long as it owns any
     Registrable Securities, and each of its successors, assigns and direct and
     indirect transferees who become registered owners of Registrable Securities
     under the Indenture and each Participating Broker-Dealer that holds
     Exchange Securities for so long as such Participating Broker-Dealer is
     required to deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the 1933 Act
     in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

          "Indenture" shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities, dated
     as of August 20, 2003, between the Company and J. P. Morgan Trust Company,
     National Association, as trustee, as the same may be amended, supplemented,
     waived or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms
     thereof.

          "Initial Purchaser" see the preamble hereto.

          "Majority Holders" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the
     aggregate principal amount of outstanding (as defined in the Indenture)
     Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of
     Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required
     hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company and other obligors on
     the Securities or any Affiliate (as defined in the Indenture) of the
     Company shall be disregarded in determining whether such consent or
     approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage amount.

          "Participating Broker-Dealer" shall mean Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
     and any other broker-dealer that holds Registrable Securities acquired for
     its own account as a result of market making activities in the Securities
     and that will be the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
     1934 Act) of Exchange Securities to be received by such broker-dealer in
     the Exchange Offer.

          "Person" shall mean an individual, partnership (general or limited),
     corporation, limited liability company, trust or unincorporated
     organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

          "Private Exchange" see Section 2.1 hereof.

          "Private Exchange Securities" see Section 2.1 hereof.

          "Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in a Registration
     Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as
     amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including any such
     prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any
     portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration
     Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to a prospectus,
     including post-effective amendments, and in each case including all
     material incorporated by reference therein.

          "Purchase Agreement" see the preamble hereto.

          "Registration Default" see Section 2.5.

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          "Registrable Securities" shall mean the Securities and, if issued, the
     Private Exchange Securities; provided, however, the Securities and, if
     issued, the Private Exchange Securities shall cease to be Registrable
     Securities when (i) a Registration Statement with respect to such
     Securities or Private Exchange Securities for the exchange or resale
     thereof, as the case may be, shall have been declared effective under the
     1933 Act and such Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case
     may be, shall have been disposed of pursuant to such Registration
     Statement, (ii) such Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case
     may be, have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule l44 (or any similar
     provision then in force, but not Rule 144A) under the 1933 Act, (iii) such
     Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall have
     ceased to be Outstanding (as defined in the Indenture) or (iv) with respect
     to the Securities, the Exchange Offer is consummated (except in the case of
     Securities purchased from the Company and continued to be held by the
     Initial Purchaser and except with respect to any Securities as to which
     clause (iv) of Section 2.2 is applicable).

          "Registration Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses incident to
     performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including
     without limitation: (i) all SEC or National Association of Securities
     Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") registration and filing fees, including, if
     applicable, the reasonable fees and expenses of any "qualified independent
     underwriter" (and its counsel) that is required to be retained by any
     holder of Registrable Securities in accordance with the rules and
     regulations of the NASD, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection
     with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws and compliance with
     the rules of the NASD (including reasonable fees and disbursements of
     counsel for any underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky
     qualification of any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities
     and any filings with the NASD), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in
     preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and
     distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or
     supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales
     agreements and other documents relating to the performance of and
     compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all fees and expenses incurred in
     connection with the listing, if any, of any of the Registrable Securities
     on any securities exchange or exchanges, (v) all rating agency fees, (vi)
     the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of the
     independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of
     any special audits or "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to
     such performance and compliance, (vii) the fees and expenses of the
     Trustee, and any exchange agent or custodian, (viii) the reasonable fees
     and expenses of the Initial Purchaser in connection with the Exchange
     Offer, except for legal expenses which are separately provided for in
     clause (ix) hereof, (ix) the reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of
     Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP (or such other counsel in lieu thereof
     reasonably satisfactory to the Majority Holders and the Company) as special
     counsel to the Initial Purchaser in the Exchange Offer and as special
     counsel representing the Holders of Registrable Securities and (x) any fees
     and disbursements of the underwriters customarily required to be paid by
     issuers or sellers of securities and the reasonable fees and expenses of
     any special experts retained by the Company in connection with any
     Registration Statement, but excluding underwriting discounts and
     commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition
     of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

          "Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement of the
     Company which covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable
     Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, and all amendments
     and supplements to any such Registration Statement, including
     post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained
     therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference
     therein.

          "SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any
     successor agency or government body performing the functions currently
     performed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

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          "Securities" see the preamble hereto.

          "Shelf Registration" shall mean a registration effected pursuant to
     Section 2.2 hereof.

          "Shelf Registration Event" see Section 2.2 hereof.

          "Shelf Registration Event Date" see Section 2.2 hereof.

          "Shelf Registration Statement" shall mean a "shelf" registration
     statement of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2 of this
     Agreement which covers all of the Registrable Securities or all of the
     Private Exchange Securities on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the
     1933 Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all
     amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including
     post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained
     therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference
     therein.

          "TIA" shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time
     to time.

          "Trustee" shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under
     the Indenture.

          2. Registration Under the 1933 Act.

          2.1. Exchange Offer. To the extent not prohibited by any applicable
law or interpretation of the staff of the SEC, the Company shall, for the
benefit of the Holders, at the Company's cost, use its best efforts to (A)
prepare and, as soon as practicable but not later than 120 days following the
Closing Date, file with the SEC an Exchange Offer Registration Statement on an
appropriate form under the 1933 Act with respect to a proposed Exchange Offer
and the issuance and delivery to the Holders, in exchange for the Registrable
Securities, a like principal amount of Exchange Securities (other than Private
Exchange Securities), (B) cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be
declared effective under the 1933 Act within 240 days of the Closing Date, (C)
keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective until the closing of
the Exchange Offer and (D) cause the Exchange Offer to be consummated not later
than 270 days following the Closing Date. Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Exchange
Offer, it being the objective of such Exchange Offer to enable each Holder
eligible and electing to exchange Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities
(assuming that such Holder (a) is not an affiliate of the Company within the
meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, (b) is not a broker-dealer tendering
Registrable Securities acquired directly from the Company for its own account,
(c) acquired the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's
business and (d) has no arrangements or understandings with any person to
participate in the Exchange Offer for the purpose of distributing the Exchange
Securities) to transfer such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt
without any limitations or restrictions under the 1933 Act and under state
securities or blue sky laws.

          In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company shall:

          (a) mail as promptly as practicable to each Holder a copy of the
     Prospectus forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
     together with an appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;

          (b) keep the Exchange Offer open for acceptance for a period of not
     less than 30 calendar days after the date notice thereof is mailed to the
     Holders (or longer if required by applicable law) (such period referred to
     herein as the "Exchange Period");

          (c) utilize the services of the Depositary for the Exchange Offer;

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          (d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Registrable Securities at any
     time prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City Time), on the last business day of
     the Exchange Period, by sending to the institution specified in the notice,
     a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name
     of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered
     for exchange, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election
     to have such Securities exchanged;

          (e) notify each Holder that any Registrable Security not tendered will
     remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest, but will not retain any
     rights under this Agreement (except in the case of the Initial Purchaser
     and Participating Broker-Dealers as provided herein); and

          (f) otherwise comply in all respects with all applicable laws relating
     to the Exchange Offer.

          If the Initial Purchaser determines upon the advice of its outside
counsel that it is not eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer with
respect to the exchange of Securities constituting any portion of an unsold
allotment in the initial distribution, as soon as practicable upon receipt by
the Company of a written request from the Initial Purchaser, the Company shall,
simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Securities in the Exchange
Offer, issue and deliver to the Initial Purchaser in exchange (the "Private
Exchange") for the Securities held by the Initial Purchaser, a like principal
amount of debt securities of the Company on a senior subordinated basis, that
are identical (except that such securities shall bear appropriate transfer
restrictions) to the Exchange Securities (the "Private Exchange Securities").

          The Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities shall be
issued under (i) the Indenture or (ii) an indenture identical in all material
respects to the Indenture and which, in either case, has been qualified under
the TIA, or is exempt from such qualification and shall provide that the
Exchange Securities shall not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth
in the Indenture but that the Private Exchange Securities shall be subject to
such transfer restrictions. The Indenture or such indenture shall provide that
the Exchange Securities, the Private Exchange Securities and the Securities
shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that none of the
Exchange Securities, the Private Exchange Securities or the Securities will have
the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter. The Private
Exchange Securities shall be of the same series as and the Company will seek to
cause the CUSIP Service Bureau to issue the same CUSIP numbers for the Private
Exchange Securities as for the Exchange Securities issued pursuant to the
Exchange Offer.

          As soon as practicable after the close of the Exchange Offer, the
Company shall:

               (i) accept for exchange all Registrable Securities duly tendered
          and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer or the
          Private Exchange;

               (ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for
          cancellation all Registrable Securities so accepted for exchange by
          the Company; and

               (iii) issue, and cause the Trustee promptly to authenticate and
          deliver Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the
          case may be, to each Holder of Registrable Securities so accepted for
          exchange in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the
          Registrable Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.

          Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange Security will
accrue from the last date on which interest was paid on the Registrable
Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on
the Registrable Securities, from the date of original issuance. The Exchange
Offer and the Private Exchange shall not be subject to any conditions, other
than (i) that the Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange, or the making of any
exchange by a Holder, does not violate applicable

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law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC, (ii) the due
tendering of Registrable Securities in accordance with the Exchange Offer and
the Private Exchange, (iii) that each Holder of Registrable Securities exchanged
in the Exchange Offer shall have represented that it is not an affiliate of the
Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act or, if it is an
affiliate, that such holder will comply with the registration and prospectus
delivery requirements of the 1933 Act to the extent applicable, that all
Exchange Securities to be received by it shall be acquired in the ordinary
course of its business and that at the time of the consummation of the Exchange
Offer it shall have no arrangement or understanding with any person to
participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) of the
Exchange Securities and shall have made such other representations as may be
customary or reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or
interpretations to render the use of Form S-4 or other appropriate form under
the 1933 Act available and (iv) that no action or proceeding shall have been
instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency
with respect to the Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange which, in the
Company's judgment, would reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the
Company to proceed with the Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange. The Company
shall inform the Initial Purchaser of the names and addresses of the Holders to
whom the Exchange Offer is made, and the Initial Purchaser shall have the right
to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of Registrable
Securities in the Exchange Offer.

          Upon consummation of the Exchange Offer in accordance with this
Section 2.1, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply, modified
as necessary, solely with respect to Registrable Securities that are Private
Exchange Securities, Registrable Securities of the type described in clause (iv)
of Section 2.2 and Exchange Securities held by Participating Broker-Dealers, and
the Company shall have no further obligation to register Registrable Securities
(other than Private Exchange Securities and Securities of the type described in
clause (iv) of Section 2.2) pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Agreement.

          2.2. Shelf Registration. In the event that (i) because of any changes
in law, SEC rules or regulations or applicable interpretations thereof by the
staff of the SEC, the Company reasonably determines that it is not permitted to
effect the Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 2.1 hereof, (ii) the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared effective within 240 days
following the original issue of the Registrable Securities or the Exchange Offer
is not consummated within 270 days after the original issue of the Registrable
Securities, (iii) upon the request of the Initial Purchaser with respect to any
Registrable Securities which it acquired directly from the Company and, with
respect to other Registrable Securities held by it, if the Initial Purchaser is
not permitted, in the opinion of counsel to the Initial Purchaser, pursuant to
applicable law or applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC, to
participate in the Exchange Offer and thereby receive securities that are freely
tradeable without restriction under the 1933 Act and applicable blue sky or
state securities laws or (iv) if a Holder is not permitted by applicable law to
participate in the Exchange Offer based upon advice of counsel to the effect
that such Holder may not be legally able to participate in the Exchange Offer or
does not receive fully tradeable Exchange Securities pursuant to the Exchange
Offer (any of the events specified in (i)-(iv) being a "Shelf Registration
Event" and the date of occurrence thereof, the "Shelf Registration Event Date"),
then the Company shall, at its cost:

          (a) Cause to be filed as promptly as practicable after the occurrence
     of such Shelf Registration Event Date, and thereafter shall use its best
     efforts to cause to be declared effective as promptly as practicable but no
     later than 240 days after the original issue of the Registrable Securities
     (or, in the case of a request by the Initial Purchaser, within 30 days of
     such request, which shall be no earlier than 120 days after the Closing
     Date), a Shelf Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of the
     Registrable Securities by the Holders from time to time in accordance with
     the methods of distribution elected by the Majority Holders participating
     in the Shelf Registration and set forth in such Shelf Registration
     Statement.

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<PAGE>
          (b) Use its best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement
     continuously effective in order to permit the Prospectus forming part
     thereof to be usable by Holders for a period of two years (or one year in
     the case of a request solely by the Initial Purchaser) from the date the
     Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, or for such
     shorter period that will terminate when all Registrable Securities covered
     by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf
     Registration Statement or cease to be outstanding or otherwise to be
     Registrable Securities (the "Effectiveness Period"); provided, however,
     that the Effectiveness Period in respect of the Shelf Registration
     Statement shall be extended to the extent required to permit dealers to
     comply with the applicable prospectus delivery requirements of Rule 174
     under the 1933 Act and as otherwise provided herein.

          (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, use its best efforts
     to ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment
     thereto and any Prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto
     complies in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the rules and
     regulations thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement and any
     amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
     be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
     misleading and (iii) any Prospectus forming part of any Shelf Registration
     Statement, and any supplement to such Prospectus (as amended or
     supplemented from time to time), does not include an untrue statement of a
     material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
     the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
     made, not misleading.

          The Company shall not permit any securities other than Registrable
Securities to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement. The Company
further agrees, if necessary, to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration
Statement, as required by Section 3(b) below, and to furnish to the Holders of
Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after
its being used or filed with the SEC.

          2.3. Expenses. The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in
connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2.1 or 2.2. Each Holder
shall pay all expenses of its counsel (other than to the extent a Registration
Expense), underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any,
relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

          2.4. Effectiveness. An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant
to Section 2.1 hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.2
hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared
effective by the SEC; provided, however, that if, after it has been declared
effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf
Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other
order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such
Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the
period of such interference, until the offering of Registrable Securities
pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally resume.

          2.5. Liquidated Damages. In the event that (a) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the 120th
calendar day following the date of original issue of the Securities, (b) the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement has not been declared effective on or
prior to the 240th calendar day following the date of original issue of the
Securities or (c) the Exchange Offer is not consummated on or prior to the 270th
calendar day following the date of original issue of the Securities or a Shelf
Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 240th
calendar day following the date of original issue of the Securities (or, if a
Shelf Registration Statement is required to be filed because of the request of
the Initial Purchaser, 30 days following the request by the Initial Purchaser
that the Company file the Shelf Registration Statement) (each such event
referred to in

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clauses (a) through (c) above, a "Registration Default"), the Company will pay
liquidated damages to each Holder of Registrable Securities as to which such
Registration Default applies, during the period of such Registration Default, in
an amount equal to $0.192 per week per $1,000 amount of such Registrable
Securities held by such Holder until the applicable Registration Statement is
filed or declared effective, the Exchange Offer is consummated or the Shelf
Registration Statement again becomes effective, as the case may be. All accrued
liquidated damages shall be paid to Holders in the same manner as interest
payments on the Securities on semi-annual payment dates which correspond to
interest payment dates for the Securities. Following the cure of all
Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease.

          3. Registration Procedures.

          In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect to
Registration Statements pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof, the Company
shall:

          (a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement, within the
     relevant time period specified in Section 2, on the appropriate form under
     the 1933 Act, which form (i) shall be selected by the Company, (ii) shall,
     in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the
     Registrable Securities by the selling Holders named therein and by any
     Affiliated Market Maker, (iii) shall comply as to form in all material
     respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include or
     incorporate by reference all financial statements required by the SEC to be
     filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein, and (iv) shall comply
     in all respects with the requirements of Regulation S-T under the 1933 Act,
     and use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become
     effective and remain effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

          (b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective
     amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary under
     applicable law to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
     applicable period; and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented if so
     determined by the Company or requested by the SEC, by any required
     prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule
     424 (or any similar provision then in force) under the 1933 Act and comply
     with the provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules and
     regulations thereunder applicable to them with respect to the disposition
     of all securities covered by each Registration Statement during the
     applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of
     distribution by the selling Holders thereof described in this Agreement
     (including sales by any Participating Broker-Dealer);

          (c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, (i) notify each Holder of
     Registrable Securities and each Affiliate Market Maker, at least five
     business days prior to filing, that a Shelf Registration Statement with
     respect to the Registrable Securities is being filed and advising such
     Holders that the distribution of Registrable Securities will be made in
     accordance with the method selected by the Majority Holders participating
     in the Shelf Registration; (ii) furnish to each Holder of Registrable
     Securities and each Affiliated Market Maker and to each underwriter of an
     underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as
     many copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, and
     any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Holder
     or Affiliated Market Maker or underwriter may reasonably request, including
     financial statements and schedules and, if so requested, all exhibits in
     order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable
     Securities; and (iii) hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus or any
     amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of
     Registrable Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the
     Registrable Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or
     supplement thereto and by each Affiliated Market Maker in connection with
     sales or market making activities;

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<PAGE>
          (d) in the case of a Shelf Registration, to register or qualify the
     Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or "blue sky"
     laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered
     by a Registration Statement and each underwriter of an underwritten
     offering of Registrable Securities shall reasonably request by the time the
     applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, and do
     any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or
     advisable to enable each such Holder and underwriter to consummate the
     disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable Securities owned
     by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required
     to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
     jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for
     this Section 3(d), or (ii) take any action which would subject it to
     general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is
     not then so subject;

          (e) notify promptly each Holder of Registrable Securities under a
     Shelf Registration, each Affiliated Market Maker and any Participating
     Broker-Dealer who has notified the Company that it is utilizing the
     Exchange Offer Registration Statement as provided in paragraph (f) below
     and, if requested by such Holder or Affiliated Market Maker or
     Participating Broker-Dealer, confirm such advice in writing promptly (i)
     when a Registration Statement has become effective and when any
     post-effective amendments and supplements thereto become effective, (ii) of
     any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for post-effective
     amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement and Prospectus or
     for additional information after the Registration Statement has become
     effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities
     authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration
     Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) in
     the case of a Shelf Registration, if, between the effective date of a
     Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable
     Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the
     Company contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement
     or other similar agreement, if any, relating to the offering cease to be
     true and correct in all material respects, (v) of the happening of any
     event or the discovery of any facts during the period a Shelf Registration
     Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such Registration
     Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which
     requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or
     Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (vi) of
     the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the
     suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities or the
     Exchange Securities, as the case may be, for sale in any jurisdiction or
     the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and (vii)
     of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to such
     Registration Statement would be appropriate;

          (f) (A) the case of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (i)
     include in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement a section entitled
     "Plan of Distribution" which section shall be reasonably acceptable to
     Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. on behalf of the Participating
     Broker-Dealers, and which shall contain a summary statement of the
     positions taken or policies made by the staff of the SEC with respect to
     the potential "underwriter" status of any broker-dealer that holds
     Registrable Securities acquired for its own account as a result of
     market-making activities or other trading activities and that will be the
     beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of
     Exchange Securities to be received by such broker-dealer in the Exchange
     Offer, whether such positions or policies have been publicly disseminated
     by the staff of the SEC or such positions or policies, in the reasonable
     judgment of the Initial Purchaser and its counsel, represent the prevailing
     views of the staff of the SEC, including a statement that any such
     broker-dealer who receives Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities
     pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be deemed a statutory underwriter and
     must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the 1933 Act in
     connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities, (ii) furnish to
     each Participating Broker-Dealer who has delivered to the Company the
     notice referred to in Section 3(e), without charge, as many copies of each
     Prospectus included in the Exchange Offer Reg-

                                       -9-
<PAGE>
     istration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any
     amendment or supplement thereto, as such Participating Broker-Dealer may
     reasonably request, (iii) hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus
     forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or any amendment
     or supplement thereto, by any person subject to the prospectus delivery
     requirements of the SEC, including all Participating Broker-Dealers, in
     connection with the sale or transfer of the Exchange Securities covered by
     the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, for a period not to
     exceed 180 days, and (iv) include in the transmittal letter or similar
     documentation to be executed by an exchange offeree in order to participate
     in the Exchange Offer (x) the following provision:

     "If the exchange offeree is a broker-dealer holding Registrable Securities
     acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or
     other trading activities, it will deliver a prospectus meeting the
     requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with any resale of
     Exchange Securities received in respect of such Registrable Securities
     pursuant to the Exchange Offer;" and

     (y) a statement to the effect that by a broker-dealer making the
     acknowledgment described in clause (x) and by delivering a Prospectus in
     connection with the exchange of Registrable Securities, the broker-dealer
     will not be deemed to admit that it is an underwriter within the meaning of
     the 1933 Act; and

          (B) in the case of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the
     Company agrees, if requested by the Initial Purchaser, to deliver to the
     Initial Purchaser on behalf of the Participating Broker-Dealers upon
     consummation of the Exchange Offer (i) an opinion of counsel or opinions of
     counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial
     Purchaser covering the matters customarily covered in underwritten
     offerings and such other matters as may be reasonably requested (it being
     agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion may be subject to
     customary qualifications and exceptions), (ii) an officers' certificate
     containing certifications substantially similar to those set forth in
     Section 5(c) of the Purchase Agreement and such other certifications as are
     customarily delivered in a public offering of debt securities and (iii) as
     well as upon effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a
     comfort letter or comfort letters, in customary form if permitted by
     Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72 of the American Institute of
     Certified Public Accountants (or if such a comfort letter is not permitted,
     an agreed upon procedures letter in customary form) from the Company's
     independent certified public accountants (and, if necessary, any other
     independent certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the Company
     or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements
     are, or are required to be, included in the Registration Statement);

          (g) (i) in the case of an Exchange Offer, furnish counsel for the
     Initial Purchaser and (ii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish
     counsel for the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any comment
     letters received from the SEC or any other request by the SEC or any state
     securities authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration
     Statement and Prospectus or for additional information;

          (h) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of any order
     suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at the earliest
     possible moment;

          (i) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of
     Registrable Securities and each Affiliated Market Maker included within the
     coverage of such Shelf Registration Statement, and each underwriter, if
     any, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration
     Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
     statements

                                      -10-
<PAGE>
     and schedules (without documents incorporated therein by reference and all
     exhibits thereto, unless requested);

          (j) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the selling
     Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and
     delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and
     not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Registrable Securities
     to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the
     Indenture) and registered in such names as the selling Holders or the
     underwriters, if any, may reasonably request at least two business days
     prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such
     Shelf Registration Statement;

          (k) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any
     circumstance contemplated by Sections 3(e)(v) and 3(e)(vi) hereof as
     promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such event, use its best
     efforts to prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the
     Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document
     incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so
     that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable
     Securities or Participating Broker-Dealers or Affiliated Market Makers,
     such Prospectus will not contain at the time of such delivery any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
     make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
     were made, not misleading or will remain so qualified. At such time as such
     public disclosure is otherwise made or the Company determines that such
     disclosure is not necessary, in each case, to correct any misstatement of a
     material fact or to include any omitted material fact, the Company agrees
     promptly to notify each Holder of such determination and to furnish each
     Holder such number of copies of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented,
     as such Holder may reasonably request;

          (l) in the case of a Shelf Registration, a reasonable time prior to
     the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to
     a Registration Statement or supplement to a Prospectus or any document
     which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or
     Prospectus after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies
     of such document to the Initial Purchaser on behalf of such Holders and to
     each Affiliated Market Maker; and make representatives of the Company as
     shall be reasonably requested by the Holders of Registrable Securities, or
     the Initial Purchaser on behalf of such Holders, or Affiliated Market
     Makers available for discussion of such document;

          (m) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities, Private
     Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not
     later than the effective date of a Registration Statement, and provide the
     Trustee with printed certificates for the Exchange Securities, Private
     Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, in a
     form eligible for deposit with the Depositary; the Company will use
     commercially reasonable best efforts (including, without limitation, if
     necessary, delaying the consummation of the Exchange Offer to a date later
     than March 1, 2004) to cause the Exchange Securities to have the same CUSIP
     number as the Company's outstanding $150 million 8% Senior Subordinated
     Notes due 2013 originally issued under the Indenture;

          (n) (i) cause the Indenture or an indenture to be qualified under the
     TIA in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or
     Registrable Securities, as the case may be, (ii) cooperate with the Trustee
     and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required
     for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the
     TIA and (iii) execute, and use its best efforts to cause the Trustee to
     execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes, and all
     other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the
     Indenture or an indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

                                  -11-
<PAGE>
          (o) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into agreements
     (including underwriting agreements) and take all other customary and
     appropriate actions as are reasonably requested in order to expedite or
     facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities, and in such
     connection whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and
     whether or not the registration is an underwritten registration, if
     requested by (x) the Initial Purchaser, in the case where the Initial
     Purchaser holds Securities acquired by it as part of its initial
     distribution and (y) other Holders of Securities covered thereby:

               (i) make such representations and warranties to the Holders of
          such Registrable Securities and the underwriters, if any, as are
          customarily made by issuers to underwriters in similar underwritten
          offerings;

               (ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and updates
          thereof (which counsel and opinions (in form, scope and substance)
          shall be reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriters, if any,
          and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable
          Securities being sold) addressed to each selling Holder and the
          underwriters, if any, covering the matters customarily covered in
          opinions requested in sales of securities or underwritten offerings
          and such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Holders
          and underwriters (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by
          such opinion may be subject to customary qualifications and
          exceptions);

               (iii) obtain "cold comfort" letters and updates thereof from the
          Company's independent certified public accountants (and, if necessary,
          any other independent certified public accountants of any subsidiary
          of the Company or of any business acquired by the Company for which
          financial statements are, or are required to be, included in the
          Registration Statement) addressed to the underwriters, with copies to
          each of the selling Holders of Registrable Securities, such letters to
          be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily
          covered in "cold comfort" letters to underwriters in connection with
          similar underwritten offerings in accordance with Statement on
          Auditing Standards No. 72 of the American Institute of Certified
          Public Accountants;

               (iv) enter into a securities sales agreement with the Holders and
          an agent of the Holders providing for, among other things, the
          appointment of such agent for the selling Holders for the purpose of
          soliciting purchases of Registrable Securities, which agreement shall
          be in form, substance and scope customary for similar offerings;

               (v) if an underwriting agreement is entered into, cause the same
          to set forth indemnification provisions and procedures substantially
          equivalent to the indemnification provisions and procedures set forth
          in Section 4 hereof with respect to the underwriters and all other
          parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section or, at the request
          of any underwriters, in the form customarily provided to such
          underwriters in similar types of transactions; and

               (vi) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably
          requested and as are customarily delivered in similar offerings to the
          Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable
          Securities being sold and the managing underwriters, if any.

     The above shall be done at each closing under any underwriting or similar
     agreement or as and to the extent required thereunder.

          (p) in the case of a Shelf Registration or if a Prospectus is required
     to be delivered by any Participating Broker-Dealer in the case of an
     Exchange Offer, make reasonably available for

                                      -12-
<PAGE>
     inspection by representatives of the Holders of the Registrable Securities,
     any underwriters participating in any disposition pursuant to a Shelf
     Registration Statement, any Participating Broker-Dealer and any counsel or
     accountant retained by any of the foregoing (collectively, the
     "Inspectors"), at the offices where normally kept, during reasonable
     business hours, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate
     documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the "Records")
     reasonably necessary to enable such persons to exercise any applicable due
     diligence responsibilities, and cause the respective officers, directors,
     employees, and any other agents of the Company to supply all information
     reasonably requested by any such representative, underwriter, special
     counsel or accountant in connection with a Registration Statement, and make
     such representatives of the Company available for discussion of such
     documents as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchaser;
     provided, however, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering
     shall be coordinated on behalf of the parties other than the Initial
     Purchaser, by one counsel designated by the holders of a Majority of the
     Registrable Securities. Records which the Company determines, in good
     faith, to be confidential and any records which it notifies the Inspectors
     are confidential shall not be disclosed by the Inspectors unless (i) the
     disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a material
     misstatement or omission in such Registration Statement or is otherwise
     required by law, (ii) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a
     subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction or is
     necessary in connection with any action, suit or proceeding or (iii) the
     information in such Records has been made generally available to the
     public. Each selling Holder of such Registrable Securities and each such
     Participating Broker-Dealer will be required to agree in writing that
     information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall be deemed
     confidential and shall not be used by it as the basis for any market
     transactions in the securities of the Company unless and until such is made
     generally available to the public. Each selling Holder of such Registrable
     Securities and each such Participating Broker-Dealer will be required to
     further agree in writing that it will, upon learning that disclosure of
     such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, give notice to
     the Company and allow the Company at its expense to undertake appropriate
     action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed confidential;

          (q) (i) in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement a
     reasonable time prior to the filing of any Exchange Offer Registration
     Statement, any Prospectus forming a part thereof, any amendment to an
     Exchange Offer Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to such
     Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchaser or
     counsel to the Holders of Registrable Securities and make such changes in
     any such document prior to the filing thereof as the Initial Purchaser to
     counsel to the Holders of Registrable Securities and may reasonably request
     and, except as otherwise required by applicable law, nor file any such
     document in a form to which the Initial Purchaser on behalf of the Holders
     of Registrable Securities and counsel to Holders of Registrable Securities
     shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy of or to which
     the Initial Purchaser on behalf of the Holders of Registrable Securities
     shall reasonably object and make the representatives of the Company
     available for discussion of such documents as shall be reasonably requested
     by the Initial Purchaser, and

               (ii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, a reasonable time prior
     to filing any Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus forming a part
     thereof, any amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement or amendment or
     supplement to such Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the
     Holders of Registrable Securities, to the Initial Purchaser, to counsel on
     behalf of the Holders and to the underwriter or underwriters of an
     underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any, make such changes
     in any such document prior to the filing thereof as the Initial Purchaser,
     the counsel to the Holders or the underwriter or underwriters reasonably
     request and not file any such document in a form to which the Majority
     Holders, the Initial Purchaser on behalf of the Holders of the Registrable
     Securities, counsel to the Holders of Registrable Securities or any
     underwriter shall reasonably object, and make the representatives of the
     Company avail-

                                      -13-
<PAGE>
     able for discussion of such document as shall be reasonably requested by
     the Holders of Registrable Securities, the Initial Purchaser on behalf of
     such Holders, or any underwriter;

          (r) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its best efforts to cause
     all Registrable Securities to be listed on any securities exchange on which
     similar debt securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested
     by the Majority Holders, or if requested by the underwriter or underwriters
     of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any;

          (s) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its best efforts to cause
     the Registrable Securities to be rerated by the appropriate rating
     agencies, if so requested by the Majority Holders, or if requested by the
     underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering of Registrable
     Securities, if any;

          (t) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC so
     long as any provision of this Agreement shall be applicable and make
     available to its security holders an earning statement satisfying the
     provisions of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any
     similar rule promulgated under the 1933 Act) no later than the end of any
     12-month period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such
     period is a fiscal year) (i) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in
     which Registrable Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment
     or best efforts underwritten offering and (ii) if not sold to underwriters
     in such an offering, commencing on the first day of the first fiscal
     quarter of the Company after the effective date of a Registration
     Statement, which statement shall cover said 12-month periods;

          (u) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the
     NASD and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, in the performance of any
     due diligence investigation by any underwriter and its counsel (including
     any "qualified independent underwriter" that is required to be retained in
     accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD); and

          (v) upon consummation of an Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange, if
     requested by the Trustee, obtain a customary opinion of counsel to the
     Company addressed to the Trustee for the benefit of all Holders of
     Registrable Securities participating in the Exchange Offer or Private
     Exchange, and which includes an opinion that (i) the Company has duly
     authorized, executed and delivered the Exchange Securities and/or Private
     Exchange Securities, as applicable and the related indenture, and (ii) each
     of the Exchange Securities and related indenture constitute a legal, valid
     and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
     accordance with its respective terms (in each case with customary
     exceptions).

          The Company may (as a condition to such Holder's participation in the
Shelf Registration) require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to
the Company such information regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution
by such Holder of such Registrable Securities for inclusion in any Shelf
Registration Statement or Prospectus included therein as the Company may from
time to time reasonably request in writing. The Company shall have no obligation
to register under the 1933 Act the Registrable Securities of a seller who so
fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such
request. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration is being effected agrees
to furnish to the Company all information with respect to such Holder necessary
to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not
materially misleading.

          In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder and each
Affiliated Market Maker agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company
of the occurrence of a circumstance contemplated by Sections 3(e)(v) and
3(e)(vi) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of
Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement until such Person's
receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by
Section 3(k) hereof, and, if so directed by the

                                      -14-
<PAGE>
Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in
such Person's possession of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities
current at the time of receipt of such notice.

          If any of the Registrable Securities covered by any Shelf Registration
Statement are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the underwriter or
underwriters and manager or managers that will manage such offering will be
selected by the Majority Holders of such Registrable Securities included in such
offering and shall be acceptable to the Company. No Holder of Registrable
Securities may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless
such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder's Registrable Securities on the basis
provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled
hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all
questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and
other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

          4. Indemnification; Contribution.

          (a) In connection with any Registration Statement, the Company agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless the Initial Purchaser, each Holder, each
Participating Broker-Dealer, each person who participates as an underwriter (any
such person being an "Underwriter") and each Person, if any, who controls any
Holder or Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

               (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
     expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
     alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration
     Statement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) pursuant to which
     Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities were registered under the
     1933 Act, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, or the
     omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be
     stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
     or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
     material fact contained in any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
     thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
     necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
     circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

               (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
     expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid
     in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
     governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
     whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
     alleged untrue statement or omission; provided, that (subject to Section
     4(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the
     Company; and

               (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
     (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by any indemnified
     party), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
     against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
     governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
     whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
     alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense
     is not paid under subparagraph (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that the indemnity agreement of this Section 4 shall not
apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out
of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Holder or Underwriter expressly for use in a Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto); provided, further, that the Company shall not be liable to
any such Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer or controlling person, with re-

                                      -15-
<PAGE>
spect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission in any preliminary Prospectus to the extent that any such loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense of any Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer
or controlling person results from the fact that such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer sold Securities to a person to whom there was not sent or given,
at or prior to the written confirmation of such sale, a copy of the final
Prospectus as then amended or supplemented if the Company had previously
furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer and the
loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Holder, Participating
Broker-Dealer or controlling person results from an untrue statement or omission
of a material fact contained in the preliminary Prospectus which was corrected
in the final Prospectus. Any amounts advanced by the Company to an indemnified
party pursuant to this Section 4 as a result of such losses shall be returned to
the Company if it shall be finally determined by such a court in a judgment not
subject to appeal or final review that such indemnified party was not entitled
to indemnification by the Company.

          (b) Each Holder severally, but not jointly, agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, the Initial Purchaser, each Underwriter and the other
selling Holders, and each of their respective directors and officers, and each
Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Initial Purchaser, each
Underwriter or any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 4(a)
hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or
alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Shelf Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus included therein (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information with respect to such Holder furnished to the Company by such Holder
expressly for use in the Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto)
or such Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); provided, however,
that no such Holder shall be liable for any claims hereunder in excess of the
amount of net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable
Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.

          (c) Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably
practicable to each indemnifying party of any action or proceeding commenced
against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure so
to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from
any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a
result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement of this Section 4.
An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of such
action. If an indemnifying party so elects within a reasonable time after
receipt of such notice, an indemnifying party, severally or jointly with any
other indemnifying parties receiving such notice, may assume the defense of such
action with counsel chosen by it and reasonably acceptable to the indemnified
parties defendant (or target of) in such action, provided, however, that if (i)
representation of such indemnified party by the same counsel would present a
conflict of interest or (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets
of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying
party and any such indemnified party reasonably determines that there may be
legal defenses available to such indemnified party which are different from or
in addition to those available to such indemnifying party, then in the case of
clauses (i) or (ii) of this Section 4(c) such indemnifying party and counsel for
each indemnifying party or parties shall not be entitled to assume such defense.
If an indemnifying party is not entitled to assume the defense of such action as
a result of the proviso to the preceding sentence, counsel for each indemnified
party or parties shall be entitled to conduct the defense of such indemnified
party or parties. If an indemnifying party assumes the defense of such action,
in accordance with and as permitted by the provisions of this paragraph, such
indemnifying parties shall not be liable for any fees and expenses of counsel
for the indemnified parties incurred thereafter in connection with such action.
In no event shall the indemnifying party or parties be liable for the fees and
expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate
from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one
action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying
party shall, without the prior writ-

                                      -16-
<PAGE>
ten consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be
sought under this Section 4 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i)
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does
not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure
to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

          (d) If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an
indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of
counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 4(a)(ii) effected without its
written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after
receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such
indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at
least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if at any time an
indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, an indemnifying party shall
not be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 4(a)(ii)
effected without its consent if such indemnifying party (i) reimburses such
indemnified party in accordance with such request to the extent it considers
such request to be reasonable and (ii) provides written notice to the
indemnified party substantiating the unpaid balance as unreasonable, in each
case prior to the date of such settlement.

          (e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 4 is for any
reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in
respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount
of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand, and the Holders
and the Initial Purchaser on the other hand, in connection with the statements
or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

          The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders and
the Initial Purchaser on the other hand shall be determined by reference to,
among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates
to information supplied by the Company, the Holders or the Initial Purchaser and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

          The Company, the Holders and the Initial Purchaser agree that it would
not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4 were
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which
does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
Section 4(e). The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and
expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section
4(e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

          Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4(e), the Initial
Purchaser shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Securities

                                      -17-
<PAGE>
sold by it were offered exceeds the amount of any damages which the Initial
Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

          No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

          For purposes of this Section 4(e), each Person, if any, who controls
the Initial Purchaser or a Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as
the Initial Purchaser or Holder, and each director of the Company and each
Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.

          5. Additional Agreements with Respect to Affiliated Market Makers.

          5.1. From and after the effectiveness of any Registration Statement,
the Company shall, for so long as any Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities are outstanding and any Affiliated Market Maker is required
by applicable law in the judgment of counsel to the Initial Purchaser, after
consultation with counsel to the Company to deliver a prospectus in connection
with sales or market making activities, periodically amend each Registration
Statement or amend each Prospectus covering Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities to reflect the occurrence of any fact or information
becoming known to the Company that should be set forth in an amendment to any
such Registration Statement or in a supplement to any such Prospectus so that
each such Prospectus, when delivered by an Affiliated Market Maker to a
purchaser in connection with sales or market marking activities of such
Affiliated Market Maker, will comply with applicable law.

          5.2. Prior to filing any amendment to any such Registration Statement
or any supplement to any such Prospectus, the Company shall furnish a reasonable
period of time prior to the proposed filing thereof to each Affiliated Market
Maker and their counsel copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which
documents shall be subject to review. The Company shall provide to each
Affiliated Market Maker and such counsel such reasonable number of copies of
each filed amendment or supplement as shall be requested and hereby consents to
the use of such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each
Affiliated Market Maker in connection with sales or market making activities
with respect to the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
Securities.

          5.3. In connection with any such sales or market making activities as
contemplated by this Section 5, the Company agrees to indemnify each Affiliated
Market Maker, and if applicable to contribute to such Affiliated Market Maker
and such Affiliated Market Maker agrees to indemnify the Company, and if
applicable to contribute to the Company, in each case in a manner substantially
identical to that specified in Section 4 hereof.

          5.4. In the case of a Registration Statement, each Affiliated Market
Maker agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the occurrence
of a circumstance contemplated by the following:

               (i) the happening of any event or the discovery of any facts
     during the period a Registration Statement is effective which makes any
     statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus
     untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any changes
     in such Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the
     statements therein not misleading; or

                                      -18-
<PAGE>
               (ii) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect
     to the suspension of the qualification of the Exchange Securities, for sale
     in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
     such purpose, such Affiliated Market Maker will forthwith discontinue
     disposition of such Exchange Securities, pursuant to a Registration
     Statement until such Person's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
     amended Prospectus in accordance with the following:

               (iii) that as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of an
     event contemplated by (i) and (ii) of this Section 5.4, the Company shall
     use its best efforts to prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to
     the Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document
     incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so
     that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Exchange Securities,
     such Prospectus will not contain at the time of such delivery any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
     make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
     are made, not misleading or will remain so qualified.

          Further, if so directed by the Company, such Affiliated Market Maker
will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in such Person's
possession of the Prospectus covering such Exchange Securities current at the
time of receipt of such notice.

          6. Miscellaneous.

          6.1. Rule 144 and Rule 144A. For so long as the Company is subject to
the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15 of the 1934 Act and any
Registrable Securities remain outstanding, the Company will file the reports
required to be filed by it under the 1933 Act and Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
1934 Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder. If the
Company ceases to be so required to file such reports, the Company covenants
that it will upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities (a) make
publicly available such information as is necessary to permit sales pursuant to
Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, (b) deliver such information to a prospective
purchaser as is necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933
Act and it will take such further action as any Holder of Registrable Securities
may reasonably request, and (c) take such further action that is reasonable in
the circumstances, in each case, to the extent required from time to time to
enable such Holder to sell its Registrable Securities without registration under
the 1933 Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (i) Rule 144
under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, (ii) Rule
144A under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or (iii)
any similar rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the SEC. Upon the request
of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company will deliver to such Holder
a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

          6.2. No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered into and
the Company will not after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement
which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable
Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with the
rights granted to the holders of the Company's other issued and outstanding
securities under any such agreements.

          6.3. Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders
of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement,
waiver or departure.

                                      -19-
<PAGE>
          6.4. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, registered
first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight
delivery (a) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to
the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 6.4, which address initially shall be the address set forth in Section
12 of the Purchase Agreement with respect to the Initial Purchaser; and (b) if
to the Company, initially at the Company's address set forth in Section 12 of
the Purchase Agreement, and thereafter at such other address of which notice is
given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.4.

          All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when
answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on
the next business day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery.

          Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the person giving the same to the Trustee under the
Indenture, at the address specified in such Indenture.

          6.5. Successor and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the
parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express
assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to
permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities
in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any
transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner,
whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be
held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding
such Registrable Securities such person shall be conclusively deemed to have
agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this
Agreement, including the restrictions on resale set forth in this Agreement and,
if applicable, the Purchase Agreement, and such person shall be entitled to
receive the benefits hereof.

          6.6. Third Party Beneficiaries. The Initial Purchaser (even if the
Initial Purchaser is not a Holder of Registrable Securities) shall be a third
party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the
one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent they deem such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders
hereunder. Each Holder of Registrable Securities shall be a third party
beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand and the Initial Purchaser on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect its rights hereunder.

          6.7. Specific Enforcement. Without limiting the remedies available to
the Initial Purchaser and the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure
by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 2.1 through 2.4
hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchaser or the
Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it would not be
possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event
of any such failure, the Initial Purchaser or any Holder may obtain such relief
as may be required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under
Section 2.1 through 2.4 hereof.

          6.8. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto 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.

                                      -20-
<PAGE>
          6.9. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

          6.10. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS THEREOF.

          6.11. Severability. In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

                                      -21-
<PAGE>
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.

                                   FISHER SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL INC.

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

Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:

DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.

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

By:
    ----------------------------------------------
    Name:
    Title:<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10.12

                      FISHER SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL INC.

            SECOND AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

         This SECOND AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this
"AMENDMENT") is dated as of February 25, 2004, and entered into by and among
FISHER SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL INC. ("COMPANY"), FISHER SCIENTIFIC COMPANY
L.L.C. ("FSCLLC"; Company and FSCLLC are each individually referred to herein as
a "BORROWER" and collectively as "BORROWERS"), THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS LISTED
ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HEREOF, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NEW YORK BRANCH (in its
capacity as administrative agent, the "ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT" or "DEUTSCHE
BANK"), DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC., as Joint Lead-Arranger, BANC OF AMERICA
SECURITIES LLC, as Joint Lead-Arranger and CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, acting
through its Cayman Islands Branch, and BANK OF AMERICA N.A., as Syndication
Agents, and solely for purpose of Section 2 hereof, the Credit Support Parties
(as defined in Section 2 hereof), and is made with reference to that certain
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2003, as
amended (the "CREDIT AGREEMENT"), by and among Borrowers, Lenders and the
predecessor Administrative Agent. Capitalized terms used herein without
definition shall have the same meanings herein as set forth in the Credit
Agreement.

                                    RECITALS

         WHEREAS, Borrowers desire to make certain amendments to the Credit
Agreement as set forth below;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the agreements,
provisions and covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         SECTION 1. AMENDMENTS TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

         1.1 AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 1.01: DEFINED TERMS.

            A. Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended as
follows:

                (i) The definition of "Consolidated EBITDA" is amended by
restating clause (a)(xii) thereof to read in its entirety as follows:

                  "(xii) cash fees and expenses paid or incurred in connection
         with Perbio Transaction Investments and the Oxoid Transaction
         Investments;".

                (ii) The definition of "Consolidated EBITDA" is amended by
restating the third sentence thereof to read in its entirety as follows:

                  "If the allocation of the purchase price for the Perbio
         Acquisition or the Oxoid Acquisition results in a write-up in the book
         value of any inventory owned by
<PAGE>
         Perbio and its subsidiaries or Oxoid and its subsidiaries, then (except
         for purposes of calculating the Total Leverage Ratio to determine the
         Applicable Rate) Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated as though such
         write-up had not occurred.".

                (iii) The definition of "Net Investment Amount" is amended as
follows:

                  A. Clause (v) of clause (a) is restated to read in its
entirety as follows:

                  "(v) Perbio Transaction Investments and Oxoid Transaction

         Investments".

                  B. The second parenthetical in clause (b) is amended to read
in its entirety as follows:

                  "(excluding (A) any such dividends, distributions or payments
by a Subsidiary the investments in which were made in reliance on clause (l) of
Section 6.04, or by an Excluded Subsidiary or a Receivables Subsidiary or in
respect of any Subordinated Receivables Transfer Debt, any Perbio Transaction
Investments or any Oxoid Transaction Investments, (B) any such Net Proceeds from
the sale or disposition of investments in Subsidiaries made in reliance on
clause (l) of Section 6.04, the sale or disposition of an Excluded Subsidiary,
the sale or disposition of investments in a Receivables Subsidiary or any
Subordinated Receivables Transfer Debt, any Perbio Transaction Investments or
any Oxoid Transaction Investments and (C) Special Notes)".

                (iv) Clause (f) of the definition of "Permitted Acquisition" is
restated to read in its entirety as follows:

                "(f) the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a
pro forma basis after giving effect to such acquisition, with the covenants
contained in Sections 6.12, 6.13 and 6.14 recomputed as of the last day of the
most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Company for which financial statements
are available as if such acquisition had occurred on the first day of each
relevant period for testing compliance (but measuring Total Indebtedness for
purposes of Section 6.13 and Senior Indebtedness for purposes of Section 6.14 as
of the date of such acquisition, giving effect to incurrences and prepayments of
Indebtedness since such last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter),".

                (v) The following defined terms are added to Section 1.01 of the
Credit Agreement in their appropriate alphabetical position:

                ""Oxoid" means Oxoid Group Holdings Limited.

                "Oxoid Acquisition" means the acquisition by a wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Company of all or substantially all of the outstanding Equity
Interests of Oxoid, pursuant to the Oxoid Acquisition Agreement.

                                       2
<PAGE>
                "Oxoid Acquisition Agreement" means that certain Share Sale
Agreement relating to the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of
Oxoid, to be entered into among the vendors listed therein, the Company, and PPM
Ventures Limited, in the form of the draft that was delivered to the
Administrative Agent on February 9, 2004, with such amendments and other
modifications and related documents as the Administrative Agent, in its
reasonable discretion, determines are not materially adverse to the
Administrative Agent or the Lenders.

                "Oxoid Acquisition Debt" means up to $350,000,000 in aggregate
principal amount of Indebtedness incurred within 60 days of the closing of the
Oxoid Acquisition (a) which satisfies the requirements of Senior Debt and (b)
all of the net proceeds of which are used to finance or refinance a portion or
all of the Oxoid Transaction Investments.

                "Oxoid Transaction Investments" means an aggregate amount of up
to $400,000,000 of investments, consisting of (a) the acquisition of Equity
Interests from time to time in Oxoid pursuant to the Oxoid Acquisition, (b)
additional investments in Oxoid to the extent necessary to repay Indebtedness of
Oxoid and its subsidiaries outstanding at the time that the outstanding Equity
Interests of Oxoid are acquired pursuant to the Oxoid Acquisition, (c) any cash
loans and advances to, or other cash investments in, Foreign Subsidiaries made
by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, to the extent that the proceeds
thereof are used directly or indirectly to make investments described in clause
(a) or (b) above or to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
Oxoid Acquisition, and (d) Equity Interests in the Company to the extent used
directly or indirectly to make investments described in clauses (a) or (b)
above; provided that if the aggregate amount of investments described in clauses
(a) through (d) above exceeds $400,000,000, such excess investments shall not
constitute Oxoid Transaction Investments, but may nonetheless be permitted under
this Agreement so long as such investments otherwise comply with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement.".

         1.2 AMENDMENT TO SECTION 2.20.

            Section 2.20 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting
clause (a)(ii) and restating it to read as follows:

                  "(ii) the aggregate principal amount of Senior Debt issued
         after the Effective Date in excess of the sum of (x) the outstanding
         amount of Oxoid Acquisition Debt plus (y) $400,000,000 (if the Senior
         Leverage Ratio is greater than or equal to 3.50 to 1.00 at the time
         such Incremental Term Loan is incurred (after giving pro forma effect
         to the Incremental Term Loan to be incurred)), $525,000,000 (if the
         Senior Leverage Ratio is less than 3.50 to 1.00 but greater than or
         equal to 3.00 to 1.00 at the time such Incremental Term Loan is
         incurred (after giving pro forma effect to the Incremental Term Loan to
         be incurred)) or $650,000,000 (if the Senior Leverage Ratio is less
         than 3.00 to 1.00 at the time such Incremental Term Loan is incurred
         (after giving pro forma effect to the Incremental Term Loan to be
         incurred)),".

                                       3
<PAGE>
         1.3 AMENDMENT TO SECTION 6.01.

            Section 6.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting
clause (xi) of Section 6.01(a) and restating it to read as follows:

                  "(xi) Senior Debt; provided that (A) the aggregate principal
         amount of Senior Debt incurred after the Effective Date and outstanding
         at any time in reliance on this clause (xi) shall not exceed the sum of
         (x) the outstanding amount of Oxoid Acquisition Debt plus (y) either
         (1) if the Senior Leverage Ratio is equal to or greater than 3.50 to
         1.00 at the time such Senior Debt is incurred (after giving pro forma
         effect to the Senior Debt to be incurred), $400,000,000, plus, if at
         the time Senior Debt is issued in excess of $400,000,000 there remains
         any unutilized amount of the maximum principal amount of Incremental
         Term Loans allowed to be incurred under Section 2.20, such unutilized
         amount, or in the alternative (2) if the Senior Leverage Ratio is less
         than 3.50 to 1.00 but greater than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00 at the time
         such Senior Debt is incurred (after giving pro forma effect to the
         Senior Debt to be incurred), $525,000,000, plus, if at the time Senior
         Debt is issued in excess of $525,000,000 there remains any unutilized
         amount of the maximum principal amount of Incremental Term Loans
         allowed to be incurred under Section 2.20, such unutilized amount, or
         in the alternative (3) if the Senior Leverage Ratio is less than 3.00
         to 1.00 at the time such Senior Debt is incurred (after giving pro
         forma effect to the Senior Debt to be incurred), $650,000,000, plus, if
         at the time Senior Debt is issued in excess of $650,000,000 there
         remains any unutilized amount of the maximum principal amount of
         Incremental Term Loans allowed to be incurred under Section 2.20, such
         unutilized amount, and (B) the Net Proceeds of all Senior Debt shall be
         used to finance Permitted Acquisitions or to refinance Term Loans or
         outstanding Senior Debt;".

         1.4 AMENDMENT TO SECTION 6.04.

            Section 6.04 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting
the proviso in clause (a) thereof and restating it to read as follows:

                  "provided that, at the time of and after giving effect to each
         Perbio Transaction Investment, each Oxoid Transaction Investment and,
         in each case, any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith, the
         sum of (i) the amount of cash and Permitted Investments, in each case,
         that are owned by the Company or a Domestic Subsidiary and that are not
         subject to any Lien (other than a Lien under the Security Documents),
         plus (ii) the unused Revolving Commitments plus (iii) the cash proceeds
         available under the Permitted Receivables Financing, shall not be less
         than $100,000,000;".

         1.5 AMENDMENT TO SECTION 6.07.

            Section 6.07 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting
the parenthetical clause in clause (iii)(y) of Section 6.07(c) and restating it
to read as follows:

            "(adjusted to exclude (1) cash fees and expenses paid or incurred in
connection with Perbio Transaction Investments or Oxoid Transaction Investments,
(2) charges and expenses of up to $50,000,000 in the aggregate in respect of the
Redemption and the

                                       4
<PAGE>
establishment of the Company's current Permitted Receivables Financing and the
credit facilities established under this Agreement, (3) noncash expenses
attributable to grants of stock, restricted stock or stock options and other
noncash stock-based awards (including but not limited to performance units,
stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units or dividend equivalents
payable solely in shares of stock) and (4) the effects of any write-up in the
book value of any inventory owned by Perbio and its subsidiaries or Oxoid and
its subsidiaries resulting from the allocation of the purchase price for the
Perbio Acquisition or the Oxoid Acquisition, as the case may be)".

         SECTION 2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONSENT

            A. Each of the Initial Borrower and each other Subsidiary Guarantor
(each individually a "CREDIT SUPPORT PARTY" and collectively, the "CREDIT
SUPPORT PARTIES") has read this Amendment and consents to the terms hereof and
further hereby confirms and agrees that, notwithstanding the effectiveness of
this Amendment, the obligations of such Credit Support Party under each of the
Loan Documents to which such Credit Support Party is a party shall not be
impaired and each of the Loan Documents to which such Credit Support Party is a
party is, and after the Second Amendment Effective Date shall continue to be, in
full force and effect and are hereby confirmed and ratified in all respects.

            B. Each Subsidiary Guarantor (other than Initial Borrower)
acknowledges and agrees that (i) notwithstanding the conditions to effectiveness
set forth in this Amendment, such Credit Support Party is not required by the
terms of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document to consent to the
amendments to the Credit Agreement effected pursuant to this Amendment and (ii)
nothing in the Credit Agreement, this Amendment or any other Loan Document shall
be deemed to require the consent of such Credit Support Party to any future
amendments to the Credit Agreement.

         SECTION 3. CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS

            This Amendment shall become effective only upon the satisfaction of
all of the conditions precedent (the date of satisfaction of all such conditions
precedent being referred to herein as the "SECOND AMENDMENT EFFECTIVE DATE") set
forth in this Section 3.

            A. CORPORATE DOCUMENTS. On or before the Second Amendment Effective
Date, each Borrower shall, and shall cause each other Credit Support Party to,
deliver to Lenders (or to Administrative Agent for Lenders with sufficient
originally executed copies, where appropriate, for each Lender and its counsel)
the following, each, unless otherwise noted, dated the Second Amendment
Effective Date:

                  (i) A good standing certificate from the Secretary of State of
         each Borrower's and each Credit Support Party's jurisdiction of
         organization, dated a recent date prior to the Second Amendment
         Effective Date.

                  (ii) Certified copies of the Certificate or Articles of
         Incorporation or the certificate of formation, as the case may be, of
         each Borrower dated a recent date prior to the Second Amendment
         Effective Date.

                                       5
<PAGE>
                  (iii) Resolutions of the Board of Directors or managing
         member, as the case may be, of each Borrower approving and authorizing
         the execution, delivery, and performance of this Amendment, certified
         as of the Second Amendment Effective Date by its corporate secretary or
         an assistant secretary as being in full force and effect without
         modification or amendment.

                  (iv) Signature and incumbency certificates of the officers or
         managing members of each Borrower and each Credit Support Party
         executing this Amendment.

            B. AMENDMENT. Administrative Agent shall have signed a counterpart
of this Amendment and Administrative Agent or its counsel shall have received
from the Borrowers, the Credit Support Parties and the Required Lenders (i) a
counterpart of this Amendment signed on behalf of each such party or (ii)
written evidence satisfactory to Administrative Agent (which may include
electronic mail or telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this
Amendment) that each such party has signed a counterpart of this Amendment.

            C. PAYMENT OF FEES AND EXPENSES. (i) On or before the Second
Amendment Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received from the
Borrowers for the benefit of each Lender that shall have signed and delivered a
counterpart to this Amendment to the Administrative Agent (including, without
limitation, delivery via facsimile or electronic mail) on or before 5:00 p.m.
(New York time) on February 25, 2004, an amendment fee equal to 0.05% of the sum
as of such date of (a) such Lender's Revolving Commitment (without regard to
availability or utilization at such time) and (b) the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of Term Loans held by such Lender.

            (ii) The Company shall have paid or caused to be paid to
Administrative Agent all amounts owing to Administrative Agent or any of its
Affiliates on or prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date, including,
without limitation, all of Administrative Agent's reasonable out-of-pocket costs
and expenses as described in Section 10.03 of the Credit Agreement incurred by
Administrative Agent (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and
disbursements of O'Melveny & Myers LLP) in connection with this Amendment and
the documents and transactions related hereto.

            D. COMPLETION OF PROCEEDINGS. On or before the Second Amendment
Effective Date, all corporate and other proceedings taken or to be taken in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all documents
incidental thereto not previously found acceptable by Administrative Agent,
acting on behalf of Lenders, and its counsel shall be satisfactory in form and
substance to Administrative Agent and its counsel, and Administrative Agent and
such counsel shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified
copies of such documents as Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

         SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

            In order to induce Lenders and Administrative Agent to enter into
this Amendment and to amend the Credit Agreement in the manner provided herein,
the Company represents and warrants to Administrative Agent and each Lender that
the following statements are true, correct and complete:

                                       6
<PAGE>
            A. AUTHORIZATION; ENFORCEABILITY. Each Borrower has all requisite
corporate or limited liability company power and authority to enter into this
Amendment. The execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate or limited liability company action
by each Borrower. This Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each
Borrower and constitutes when executed and delivered, the legally valid and
binding obligation of such Borrower, enforceable against such Borrower in
accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting or
limiting creditors' rights generally and by equitable principles relating to
enforceability, regardless of whether considered as a proceeding in equity or at
law.

            B. GOVERNMENT APPROVALS; NO CONFLICT. The execution and delivery by
each Borrower of this Amendment (a) do not require any consent or approval of,
registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority,
except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and
except filings necessary to perfect Liens created under the Loan Documents, (b)
will not violate any applicable law or regulation in any material respect or the
charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Borrower or any order
of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate in any material respect or
result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding
upon any Borrower or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require
any payment to be made by any Borrower, and (d) will not result in the creation
or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Borrower, except Liens created
under the Loan Documents.

            C. INCORPORATION OF REPRESENTATIONS. The representations and
warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents are true and
correct in all material respects on and as of the Second Amendment Effective
Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate
to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have
been true and correct as of such earlier date.

            D. ABSENCE OF DEFAULT. No event has occurred and is continuing or
would result from the execution, delivery or performance of this Amendment that
constitutes or would constitute an Event of Default or a Default after giving
effect to this Amendment.

            E. PERMITTED ACQUISITION. The Oxoid Acquisition, when consummated,
will constitute a Permitted Acquisition under the Credit Agreement, as amended
by this Amendment.

         SECTION 5. MISCELLANEOUS

            A. REFERENCE TO AND EFFECT ON THE CREDIT AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER
LOAN DOCUMENTS.

                  (i) On and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, each
         reference in the Credit Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder",
         "hereof", "herein" or words of like import referring to the Credit
         Agreement, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to the
         "Credit Agreement", "thereunder", "thereof" or words of like import
         referring to the Credit Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the
         Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment.

                                       7
<PAGE>
                  (ii) Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the
         Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain in full
         force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed.

                  (iii) The execution, delivery and performance of this
         Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, constitute a
         waiver of any provision of, or operate as a waiver of any right, power
         or remedy of Administrative Agent, or any Lender under, the Credit
         Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.

            B. FEES AND EXPENSES. Loan Parties acknowledge that all costs, fees
and expenses as described in Section 10.03 of the Credit Agreement incurred by
the Administrative Agent and its counsel with respect to this Amendment and the
documents and transactions contemplated hereby shall be for the account of Loan
Parties.

            C. HEADINGS. Section and Section headings in this Amendment are
included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a
part of this Amendment for any other purpose or be given any substantive effect.

            D. APPLICABLE LAW. THIS AMENDMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF
THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

            E. COUNTERPARTS. This Amendment may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed an original, but all such
counterparts together shall constitute but one and the same instrument;
signature pages may be detached from multiple separate counterparts and attached
to a single counterpart so that all signature pages are physically attached to
the same document.

                 [Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

                                       8
<PAGE>
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed and delivered by their respective officers thereunto duly
authorized as of the date first written above.

BORROWERS:

                                 FISHER SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL INC.,

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                 FISHER SCIENTIFIC COMPANY L.L.C.,

                                 By: Fisher Scientific International Inc.,
                                         manager and sole member

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

CREDIT SUPPORT PARTIES:
(FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 2)

                                 COLE-PARMER INSTRUMENT COMPANY,

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                 FISHER CLINICAL SERVICES INC.,

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:
<PAGE>
                                 FISHER HAMILTON L.L.C.,

                                 By: Fisher Scientific International Inc.,
                                         manager and sole member

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                 FISHER SCIENTIFIC WORLDWIDE INC.,

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                 FSWH COMPANY LLC

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                 HYCLONE LABORATORIES, INC.

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                       Title:

                                 PIERCE MILWAUKEE, INC.

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                       Title:

                                 PIERCE BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.

                                 By:  _______________________________________
                                      Name:
                                       Title:
<PAGE>
LENDERS:

                                 DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NEW YORK BRANCH,
                                 as Administrative Agent and Lender

                                 By: _________________________________________
                                     Name:
                                     Title:

                                 and

                                 By: _________________________________________
                                     Name:
                                     Title:
<PAGE>
                                 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, ACTING THROUGH ITS
                                 CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, as Syndication Agent and
                                 Lender

                                 By: _________________________________________
                                     Name:
                                     Title:

                                        and

                                 By: _________________________________________
                                     Name:
                                     Title:
<PAGE>
                                 BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
                                 as Syndication Agent and Lender

                                 By: _________________________________________
                                     Name:
                                     Title:

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