Document:

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                                                                     Exhibit 4.3

                                                                     ANNEX III
                                                                         TO
                                                                   NOTE PURCHASE
                                                                     AGREEMENT

No. CW-                               Right to Purchase                Shares of
                                                        --------------
                                      Common Stock of Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

                           AXYS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

                          COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

               AXYS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a Delaware corporation, hereby
certifies that, for value received, ____________ or registered assigns (the
"Holder"), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to purchase from
the Company at any time or from time to time before 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on the Expiration Date (such capitalized term and all other capitalized
terms used herein having the respective meanings provided herein), fully paid
and nonassessable shares of Common Stock at a purchase price per share equal to
the Purchase Price. The number of such shares of Common Stock and the Purchase
Price are subject to adjustment as provided in this Warrant.

               As used herein the following capitalized terms, unless the
context otherwise requires, have the following respective meanings:

               "Aggregate Purchase Price" means at any time an amount equal to
        the product obtained by multiplying (x) the Purchase Price times (y) the
        number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant may be exercised
        at such time.

               "AMEX" means the American Stock Exchange, Inc.

               "Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
        other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are
        authorized or required by law to remain closed.

               "Common Stock" includes the Company's Common Stock, par value
        $.001 per share, and the related Preferred Share Purchase Rights (and
        any similar rights issued with respect to the Common Stock) as
        authorized on the date hereof, and any other securities into which or
        for which the Common

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        Stock or the related Preferred Share Purchase Rights (and any similar
        rights issued with respect to the Common Stock) may be converted or
        exchanged pursuant to a plan of recapitalization, reorganization,
        merger, sale of assets or otherwise and any stock (other than Common
        Stock) and other securities of the Company or any other Person which the
        Holder at any time shall be entitled to receive, or shall have received,
        on the exercise of this Warrant, in lieu of or in addition to Common
        Stock.

               "Common Stock Equivalents" means any warrant, option,
        subscription or purchase right with respect to shares of Common Stock,
        any security convertible into, exchangeable for, or otherwise entitling
        the holder thereof to acquire, shares of Common Stock or any warrant,
        option, subscription or purchase right with respect to any such
        convertible, exchangeable or other security.

               "Common Stock Purchase Agreement" means the Common Stock Purchase
        Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2000, between the Company and Acqua
        Wellington North American Equities Fund, Ltd., as in effect on the
        earliest date of first issuance of any of the Notes.

               "Company" shall include Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware
        corporation, and any corporation that shall succeed to or assume the
        obligations of Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. hereunder in accordance with
        the terms hereof.

               "Current Fair Market Value" means when used with respect to the
        Common Stock as of a specified date with respect to each share of Common
        Stock, the average of the closing prices of the Common Stock sold on all
        securities exchanges (including the Nasdaq and the Nasdaq SmallCap) on
        which the Common Stock may at the time be listed, or, if there have been
        no sales on any such exchange on such day, the average of the highest
        bid and lowest asked prices on all such exchanges at the end of such
        day, or, if on such day the Common Stock is not so listed, the average
        of the representative bid and asked prices quoted in the NASDAQ System
        as of 4:00 p.m., New York City time, or, if on such day the Common Stock
        is not quoted in the NASDAQ System, the average of the highest bid and
        lowest asked price on such day in the domestic over-the-counter market
        as reported by the National Quotation Bureau, Incorporated, or any
        similar successor organization, in each such case averaged over a period
        of ten Trading Days consisting of the day as of which the Current Fair
        Market Value of Common Stock is being determined (or if such day is not
        a Trading Day, the Trading Day next preceding such day) and the nine
        consecutive Trading Days prior to such day. If on the date for which
        Current Fair Market Value is to be determined the Common Stock is not
        listed on any securities exchange or quoted in the

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        NASDAQ System or the over-the-counter market, the Current Fair Market
        Value of Common Stock shall be the highest price per share which the
        Company could then obtain from a willing buyer (not an employee or
        director of the Company at the time of determination) in an arms'-length
        transaction for shares of Common Stock sold by the Company, from
        authorized but unissued shares, as determined in good faith by the Board
        of Directors.

               "Expiration Date" means __________, 2004.

               "Issuance Date" means the date of original issuance of this
        Warrant.

               "Market Price" means with respect to any security on any day the
        closing bid price of such security on such day on the Nasdaq, the Nasdaq
        SmallCap, the NYSE, or the AMEX, as applicable, or, if such security is
        not listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq, the NYSE or the AMEX,
        on the principal national securities exchange or quotation system on
        which such security is quoted or listed or admitted to trading, in any
        such case as reported by Bloomberg, L.P.

               "Nasdaq" means the Nasdaq National Market.

               "Nasdaq SmallCap" means the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

               "1934 Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

               "1933 Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

               "Note Purchase Agreement" means the Note Purchase Agreement,
        dated as of September __, 2000, by and between the Company and the
        original Holder of this Warrant.

               "Notes" means any of the 8% Senior Secured Convertible Notes due
        2004 issued by the Company pursuant to the Supplemental Indenture, the
        Note Purchase Agreement or any Other Note Purchase Agreements.

               "NYSE" means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

               "Other Note Purchase Agreements" means the several Note Purchase
        Agreements, dated as of the date of the Note Purchase Agreement, by and
        between the Company and the several buyers named therein.

               "Other Securities" means any stock (other than Common Stock) and
        other securities of the Company or any other Person which the Holder at
        any time shall be entitled to receive, or shall have received, on the
        exercise of this

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        Warrant, in lieu of or in addition to Common Stock, or which at any time
        shall be issuable or shall have been issued in exchange for or in
        replacement of Common Stock or Other Securities pursuant to Section 4.

               "Other Warrants" means the Common Stock Purchase Warrants (other
        than this Warrant) issued or issuable by the Company pursuant to the
        Note Purchase Agreement and the Other Note Purchase Agreements.

               "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited
        liability company, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government
        or a governmental agency or political subdivision.

               "Preferred Share Purchase Rights" means the Preferred Share
        Purchase Rights issued or issuable pursuant to the Rights Agreement (or
        any similar rights hereafter issued by the Company with respect to the
        Common Stock).

               "Purchase Price" means $___, subject to adjustment as provided in
        this Warrant.

               "Registration Statement" shall have the meaning provided in the
        Note Purchase Agreement.

               "Reorganization Event" means the occurrence of any one or more of
        the following events:

               (i) any consolidation, merger or similar transaction of the
        Company or any Subsidiary with or into another entity (other than a
        merger or consolidation or similar transaction of a Subsidiary into the
        Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary); or the sale or transfer of all or
        substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries in a
        single transaction or a series of related transactions; or

               (ii) the occurrence of any transaction or event in connection
        with which all or substantially all the Common Stock shall be exchanged
        for, converted into, acquired for or constitute the right to receive
        securities of any other Person (whether by means of an exchange offer,
        liquidation, tender offer, consolidation, merger, share exchange,
        combination, reclassification, recapitalization, or otherwise); or

               (iii) the acquisition by a Person or group of Persons acting in
        concert as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or group, as a
        result of a tender or exchange offer, open market purchases, privately
        negotiated purchases or otherwise, of beneficial ownership of securities
        of the Company

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        representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding
        voting securities of the Company ordinarily (and apart from rights
        accruing in special circumstances) having the right to vote in the
        election of directors.

               "Repurchase Event" shall have the meaning to be provided or
        provided in the Supplemental Indenture.

               "Restricted Securities" means securities that are not eligible
        for resale pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the 1933 Act (or any successor
        provision).

               "Rights Agreement" means the Rights Agreement, dated as of
        October 8, 1998, between the Company and Harris Trust Company of
        California, as Rights Agent.

               "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

               "SEC Effective Date" shall have the meaning provided in the Note
        Purchase Agreement.

               "Subsidiary" means any corporation or other entity of which a
        majority of the capital stock or other ownership interests having
        ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or
        other persons performing similar functions are at the time directly or
        indirectly owned by the Company.

               "Supplemental Indenture" means the First Supplemental Indenture,
        dated as of September   , 2000, between the Company and U. S. Bank Trust
                              --
        National Association, as Trustee.

               "Tender Offer" means a tender offer, exchange offer or other
        offer by the Company to repurchase outstanding shares of its capital
        stock.

               "Trading Day" means a day on which the national securities
        exchange, the Nasdaq or the Nasdaq SmallCap which then constitutes the
        principal securities market for the Common Stock is open for general
        trading.

               1.     EXERCISE OF WARRANT.

               (a) EXERCISE. This Warrant may be exercised by the Holder in full
at any time or in part from time to time on or before the Expiration Date by (x)
surrendering this Warrant to the Company, (y) giving a subscription form in the
form of EXHIBIT 1 to this Warrant (duly executed by the Holder) to the Company,
and (z) making payment, in cash or by certified or official bank check payable
to the order of the Company, or by wire transfer of funds to the account of the
Company,

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in any such case, in the amount obtained by multiplying (a) the number of shares
of Common Stock designated by the Holder in the subscription form by (b) the
Purchase Price then in effect. On any partial exercise the Company will
forthwith issue and deliver to or upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant or
Warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Holder or as the Holder (upon payment
by the Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may request, providing in the
aggregate on the face or faces thereof for the purchase of the number of shares
of Common Stock for which such Warrant or Warrants may still be exercised. The
subscription form may be surrendered by telephone line facsimile transmission to
such telephone number for the Company as shall have been specified in writing to
the Holder by the Company; provided, however, that if the subscription form is
given to the Company by telephone line facsimile transmission the Holder shall
send an original of such subscription form to the Company within ten Business
Days after such subscription form is so given to the Company; provided further,
however, that any failure or delay on the part of the Holder in giving such
original of any subscription form shall not affect the validity or the date on
which such subscription form is so given by telephone line facsimile
transmission. In connection with any exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall
also furnish to the Company such other documentation as required by applicable
law and reasonably requested by the Company in writing; provided, however, that
any failure or delay on the part of the Holder in furnishing such documentation
shall not affect the validity of the exercise of this Warrant or the date on
which this Warrant shall have been exercised.

               (b) NET EXERCISE. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in Section 1(a), the Holder may elect to exercise this Warrant, in
whole or in part, by receiving shares of Common Stock equal to the net issuance
value (as determined below) of this Warrant, or any part hereof, upon surrender
of the subscription form annexed hereto (duly executed by the Holder) to the
Company (followed by surrender of this Warrant to the Company within three
Trading Days after surrender of such subscription form), in which event the
Company shall issue to the Holder a number of shares of Common Stock computed
using the following formula:

                               X = Y x (A - B)
                                   -----------
                                        A

where,

               X =    the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the
                      Holder

               Y =    the number of shares of Common Stock as to which this
                      Warrant is to be exercised

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               A =    the Current Fair Market Value of one share of Common
                      Stock calculated as of the last Trading Day immediately
                      preceding the exercise of this Warrant

               B =    the Purchase Price

               2. DELIVERY OF STOCK CERTIFICATES, ETC., ON EXERCISE. As soon as
practicable after the exercise of this Warrant and in any event within three
Trading Days thereafter, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this
Warrant, the Company at its expense (including the payment by it of any
applicable issue or stamp taxes) will cause to be issued in the name of and
delivered to the Holder, or as the Holder (upon payment by the Holder of any
applicable transfer taxes) may direct, a certificate or certificates for the
number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (or Other
Securities) to which the Holder shall be entitled on such exercise, in such
denominations as may be requested by the Holder, plus, in lieu of any fractional
share to which the Holder would otherwise be entitled, cash equal to such
fraction multiplied by the then Current Fair Market Value of one full share,
together with any other stock or other securities or any property (including
cash, where applicable) to which the Holder is entitled upon such exercise
pursuant to Section 1 or otherwise. The Company shall pay any taxes and other
governmental charges that may be imposed under the laws of the United States of
America or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in
respect of the issue or delivery of shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities)
or payment of cash upon exercise of this Warrant (other than income taxes
imposed on the Holder). The Company shall not be required, however, to pay any
tax or other charge imposed in connection with any transfer involved in the
issue of any certificate for shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities)
issuable upon exercise of this Warrant or payment of cash to any Person other
than the Holder, and in case of such transfer or payment the Company shall not
be required to deliver any certificate for shares of Common Stock (or Other
Securities) upon such exercise or pay any cash until such tax or charge has been
paid or it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no
such tax or charge is due. Upon exercise of this Warrant as provided herein, the
Company's obligation to issue and deliver the certificates for Common Stock
shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the absence of any action
by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any
provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action
to enforce the same, any failure or delay in the enforcement of any other
obligation of the Company to the Holder, or any setoff, counterclaim,
recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the
Holder or any other Person of any obligation to the Company or any violation or
alleged violation of law by the Holder or any other Person, and irrespective of
any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the
Company to the Holder in connection with such exercise. If the Company fails to
issue and deliver the certificates for the Common Stock to the Holder

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pursuant to the first sentence of this paragraph as and when required to do so,
in addition to any other liabilities the Company may have hereunder and under
applicable law, the Company shall pay or reimburse the Holder on demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses including, without limitation, fees and expenses of legal
counsel incurred by the Holder as a result of such failure.

               3. ADJUSTMENT FOR DIVIDENDS IN OTHER STOCK, PROPERTY, ETC.;
RECLASSIFICATION, ETC. In case at any time or from time to time on or after the
Issuance Date, all the holders of Common Stock (or Other Securities) shall have
received, or (on or after the record date fixed for the determination of
stockholders eligible to receive) shall have become entitled to receive, without
payment therefor,

               (a) other or additional stock or other securities or property
        (other than cash) by way of dividend, or

               (b) any cash (excluding cash dividends payable solely out of
        earnings or earned surplus of the Company), or

               (c) other or additional stock or other securities or property
        (including cash) by way of spin-off, split-up, reclassification,
        recapitalization, combination of shares or similar corporate
        rearrangement,

other than (i) additional shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities) issued as
a stock dividend or in a stock-split (adjustments in respect of which are
provided for in Section 5) and (ii) rights or warrants to subscribe for Common
Stock at less than the Current Fair Market Value (adjustments in respect of
which are provided in Section 6), then and in each such case the Holder, on the
exercise hereof as provided in Section 1, shall be entitled to receive the
amount of stock and other securities and property (including cash in the cases
referred to in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this Section 3) which the Holder
would hold on the date of such exercise if on the date thereof the Holder had
been the holder of record of the number of shares of Common Stock called for on
the face of this Warrant and had thereafter, during the period from the date
thereof to and including the date of such exercise, retained such shares and all
such other or additional stock and other securities and property (including cash
in the case referred to in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this Section 3)
receivable by the Holder as aforesaid during such period, giving effect to all
adjustments called for during such period by Section 4.

               4. EXERCISE UPON A REORGANIZATION EVENT. In case of any
Reorganization Event the Company shall, as a condition precedent to the
consummation of the transactions constituting, or announced as, such
Reorganization Event, cause effective provisions to be made so that the Holder
shall have the right thereafter, by exercising this Warrant (in lieu of the
shares of Common Stock of the Company and Other Securities or property
purchasable and

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receivable upon exercise of the rights represented hereby immediately prior to
such transaction) to purchase the kind and amount of shares of stock and other
securities and property (including cash) receivable upon such Reorganization
Event by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock that might have been
received upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such Reorganization
Event. Any such provision shall include provisions for adjustments in respect of
such shares of stock and other securities and property that shall be as nearly
equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this
Warrant. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply to successive
Reorganization Events.

               5. ADJUSTMENT FOR CERTAIN EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS. In the event that
on or after the Issuance Date the Company shall (i) issue additional shares of
the Common Stock as a dividend or other distribution on outstanding Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide or reclassify its outstanding shares of Common Stock, or
(iii) combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares of Common Stock, then, in each such event, the Purchase Price shall,
simultaneously with the happening of such event, be adjusted by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the
product so obtained shall thereafter be the Purchase Price then in effect. The
Purchase Price, as so adjusted, shall be readjusted in the same manner upon the
happening of any successive event or events described herein in this Section 5.
The Holder shall thereafter, on the exercise hereof as provided in Section 1, be
entitled to receive that number of shares of Common Stock determined by
multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable on such
exercise immediately prior to such issuance by a fraction of which (i) the
numerator is the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such issuance and
(ii) the denominator is the Purchase Price in effect on the date of such
exercise.

               6. ISSUANCE OF RIGHTS OR WARRANTS TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS AT LESS
THAN CURRENT FAIR MARKET VALUE. In case the Company shall on or after the
Issuance Date issue rights or warrants to all holders of its outstanding shares
of Common Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common
Stock at a price per share less than the Current Fair Market Value on the record
date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights
or warrants, then

               (a) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted so that the same shall
        equal the price determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
        at the opening of business on the day after such record date by a
        fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common
        Stock outstanding at the close of business on such record date plus the
        number of shares which

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        the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares so offered
        would purchase at such Current Fair Market Value, and the denominator
        shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the close
        of business on such record date plus the total number of additional
        shares of Common Stock so offered for subscription or purchase; and

               (b) the number of shares of Common Stock which the Holder may
        thereafter purchase upon exercise of this Warrant at the opening of
        business on the day after such record date shall be increased to a
        number equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the Aggregate
        Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment in the
        Purchase Price pursuant to clause (a) of this Section 6 by (y) the
        Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment in the
        Purchase Price pursuant to clause (a) of this Section 6.

Such adjustment shall become effective immediately after the opening of business
on the day following the record date fixed for determination of stockholders
entitled to receive such rights or warrants. To the extent that shares of Common
Stock are not delivered pursuant to such rights or warrants, upon the expiration
or termination of such rights or warrants, the Purchase Price shall be
readjusted to the Purchase Price which would then be in effect had the
adjustments made upon the issuance of such rights or warrants been made on the
basis of delivery of only the number of shares of Common Stock actually
delivered and the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant may
thereafter be exercised shall be readjusted (subject to proportionate adjustment
for any intervening exercises of this Warrant) to the number which would then be
in effect had the adjustments made upon the issuance of such rights or warrants
been made on the basis of delivery of only the number of shares of Common Stock
actually delivered. In the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued,
the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed and the number of
shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant may thereafter be exercised shall
again be adjusted (subject to proportionate adjustment for any intervening
exercises of this Warrant) to be the number which would then be in effect if
such record date had not been fixed. In determining whether any rights or
warrants entitle the holder to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock
at less than such Current Fair Market Value, and in determining the aggregate
offering price of such shares of Common Stock, there shall be taken into account
any consideration received for such rights or warrants, the value of such
consideration, if other than cash, to be determined by the Board of Directors.

               7. ISSUANCE AT LESS THAN CURRENT FAIR MARKET VALUE. (a) In case
at any time on or after the Issuance Date the Company shall issue shares of its
Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (collectively, the "Newly Issued

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Shares"), other than an issuance pro rata to all holders of its outstanding
Common Stock, at a price below the Current Fair Market Value of the Common Stock
at the time of such issuance, then following such issuance of Newly Issued
Shares the Purchase Price shall be reduced as provided in clause (b) of this
Section 7 and the number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon
exercise of this Warrant shall be increased as provided in clause (c) of this
Section 7.

               (b) The reduction in the Purchase Price following any such
adjustment shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price immediately
prior to such adjustment by a fraction, of which the numerator shall be the sum
of (1) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
issuance of the Newly Issued Shares (calculated on a fully-diluted basis
assuming the exercise or conversion of all options, warrants, purchase rights or
convertible securities which are exercisable or convertible at the time of the
issuance of the Newly Issued Shares) plus (2) the number of shares of Common
Stock which the aggregate consideration, if any, received by the Company for the
number of Newly Issued Shares would purchase at a price equal to the Current
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time of such issuance, and the
denominator shall be the sum of (X) the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the issuance of the Newly Issued Shares
(calculated on a fully-diluted basis assuming the exercise or conversion of all
options, warrants, purchase rights or convertible securities which are
exercisable or convertible at the time of the issuance of the Newly Issued
Shares) plus (Y) the number of Newly Issued Shares. The adjustment provided for
in this Section 7(b) may be expressed as the following mathematical formula:

                                  ( O +(C / FMV))      x PP
                                -------------------
                  NPP     =          ( O + N )

where,

        C      =      aggregate consideration received by the Company for the
                      Newly Issued Shares

        N      =      number of Newly Issued Shares

        O      =      number of shares of Common Stock outstanding (on a fully
                      diluted basis, as described above) immediately prior
                      to the issuance of the Newly Issued Shares

        FMV    =      Current Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time
                      of issuance of the Newly Issued Shares

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        PP     =      Purchase Price immediately prior to the issuance of the
                      Newly Issued Shares

        NPP    =      Purchase Price immediately after the issuance of the
                      Newly Issued Shares

               (c) If the Purchase Price is reduced in connection with the
issuance of Newly Issued Shares as provided in Section 7(b), then the number of
shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant may thereafter be exercised shall
be increased at the time of such reduction in the Purchase Price to a number
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the Aggregate Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such issuance of Newly Issued Shares by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such issuance of Newly Issued Shares
after giving effect to such reduction in the Purchase Price pursuant to Section
7(b).

               (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustment shall be made
under this Section 7 by reason of:

               (1) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock pro
rata to all holders of the Common Stock so long as (i) any adjustment required
by Section 5 is made and (ii) the Company shall have given notice thereof to the
Holder pursuant to Section 13;

               (2) the issuance by the Company of Newly Issued Shares in an
offering for cash for the account of the Company that is underwritten on a firm
commitment basis and (A) is registered under the 1933 Act or (B) sold in an
offering to "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in, and in a transaction
under, Rule 144A under the 1933 Act;

               (3) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon
conversion of the Notes in accordance with the Supplemental Indenture or upon
exercise of this Warrant or the Other Warrants in accordance with the terms
hereof and thereof;

               (4) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock in
payment of interest on the Notes in accordance with the terms thereof and the
Supplemental Indenture;

               (5) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to exercise of options, warrants or other rights outstanding as of the
first date of issuance of any of the Notes in accordance with their terms in
effect on the first date of issuance of any of the Notes; and

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               (6) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to the Common Stock Purchase Agreement.

               8. EFFECT OF RECLASSIFICATION, CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE. (a)
If any of the following events occur, namely (i) any reclassification or change
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (other than a change in par value, or
from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value, or as a
result of a subdivision or combination), (ii) any consolidation, merger or
combination of the Company with another corporation as a result of which holders
of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities or other property
or assets (including cash) with respect to or in exchange for such Common Stock,
or (iii) any sale or conveyance of the properties and assets of the Company as,
or substantially as, an entirety to any other Person as a result of which
holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities or other
property or assets (including cash) with respect to or in exchange for such
Common Stock, then the Company or the successor or purchasing Person, as the
case may be, shall execute with the Holder a written agreement providing that
(x) this Warrant shall thereafter entitle the Holder to purchase the kind and
amount of shares of stock and other securities or property or assets (including
cash) receivable upon such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger,
combination, sale or conveyance by the holder of a number of shares of Common
Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (assuming, for such purposes, a
sufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock available to exercise
this Warrant) immediately prior to such reclassification, change, consolidation,
merger, combination, sale or conveyance assuming such holder of Common Stock did
not exercise such holder's rights of election, if any, as to the kind or amount
of securities, cash or other property receivable upon such consolidation,
merger, statutory exchange, sale or conveyance (provided that, if the kind or
amount of securities, cash or other property receivable upon such consolidation,
merger, statutory exchange, sale or conveyance is not the same for each share of
Common Stock in respect of which such rights of election shall not have been
exercised ("non-electing share"), then for the purposes of this Section 8 the
kind and amount of securities, cash or other property receivable upon such
consolidation, merger, statutory exchange, sale or conveyance for each
non-electing share shall be deemed to be the kind and amount so receivable per
share by a plurality of the non-electing shares), (y) in the case of any such
successor or purchasing Person, upon such consolidation, merger, combination,
sale or conveyance such successor or purchasing Person shall be jointly and
severally liable with the Company for the performance of all of the Company's
obligations under this Warrant and this Note Purchase Agreement and (z) if
registration or qualification is required under the 1933 Act or applicable state
law for this Warrant or the issuance to the Holder of the shares of such shares
of stock and other securities so issuable upon exercise of this Warrant, such
registration or qualification shall be completed prior to such reclassification,
change, consolidation, merger, combination or sale. Such written agreement shall
provide for adjustments which shall be as nearly equivalent as may

                                       13
<PAGE>   14

be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Warrant. If, in the case
of any such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, combination, sale
or conveyance, the stock or other securities and assets receivable thereupon by
a holder of shares of Common Stock includes shares of stock or other securities
and assets of a corporation other than the successor or purchasing corporation,
as the case may be, in such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger,
combination, sale or conveyance, then such written agreement shall also be
executed by such other corporation and shall contain such additional provisions
to protect the interests of the Holder as the Board of Directors shall
reasonably consider necessary by reason of the foregoing.

        (b) The above provisions of this Section 8 shall similarly apply to
successive reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, combinations,
sales and conveyances.

        (c) If this Section 8 applies to any event or occurrence, Section 4
shall not apply to such event or occurrence.

               9. TAX ADJUSTMENTS. The Company may make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those required by Sections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, as
the Board of Directors considers to be advisable to avoid or diminish any income
tax to holders of Common Stock or rights to purchase Common Stock resulting from
any dividend or distribution of stock (or rights to acquire stock) or from any
event treated as such for income tax purposes.

               10. MINIMUM ADJUSTMENT. (a) No adjustment in the Purchase Price
(and no related adjustment in the number of shares of Common Stock which may
thereafter be purchased upon exercise of this Warrant) shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 10 are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All such calculations under this Warrant
shall be made by the Company and shall be made to the nearest cent or to the
nearest one hundredth of a share, as the case may be.

               (b) No adjustment need be made for a change in the par value of
the Common Stock or from par value to no par value or from no par value to par
value.

               11. NOTICE OF ADJUSTMENTS. Whenever the Purchase Price is
adjusted as herein provided, the Company shall promptly, but in no event later
than five Trading Days thereafter, give a notice to the Holder setting forth the
Purchase Price and number of shares of Common Stock which may be purchased upon
exercise of this Warrant after such adjustment and setting forth a brief
statement of the facts requiring such adjustment but which such statement shall

                                       14
<PAGE>   15

not include any information which would be material non-public information for
purposes of the 1934 Act. Failure to deliver such notice shall not affect the
legality or validity of any such adjustment.

               12. FURTHER ASSURANCES. The Company will take all action that may
be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of stock, free from all taxes, liens
and charges with respect to the issue thereof, on the exercise of all or any
portion of this Warrant from time to time outstanding.

               13. NOTICE TO HOLDER PRIOR TO CERTAIN ACTIONS. In case on or
after the Issuance Date:

               (a) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other
distribution) on its Common Stock (other than in cash out of retained earnings);
or

               (b) the Company shall authorize the granting to the holders of
its Common Stock of rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any share of
any class or any other rights or warrants; or

               (c) the Board of Directors shall authorize any reclassification
of the Common Stock (other than a subdivision or combination of its outstanding
Common Stock, or a change in par value, or from par value to no par value, or
from no par value to par value), or any consolidation or merger or other
business combination transaction to which the Company is a party and for which
approval of any stockholders of the Company is required, or the sale or transfer
of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or

               (d) there shall be pending the voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company;

the Company shall give the Holder, as promptly as possible but in any event at
least ten Trading Days prior to the applicable date hereinafter specified, a
notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of
such dividend, distribution or rights or warrants, or, if a record is not to be
taken, the date as of which the holders of Common Stock of record to be entitled
to such dividend, distribution or rights are to be determined, or (y) the date
on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, other business
combination transaction, sale, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up
is expected to become effective or occur, and the date as of which it is
expected that holders of Common Stock of record who shall be entitled to
exchange their Common Stock for securities or other property deliverable upon
such reclassification, consolidation, merger, other business combination
transaction, sale, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up shall be
determined. Such notice shall not include any information which would

                                       15
<PAGE>   16

be material non-public information for purposes of the 1934 Act. Failure to give
such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
such dividend, distribution, reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up. In the case of any such action
of which the Company gives such notice to the Holder or is required to give such
notice to the Holder, the Holder shall be entitled to give a subscription form
to exercise this Warrant in whole or in part that is contingent on the
completion of such action.

               14. RESERVATION OF STOCK, ETC., ISSUABLE ON EXERCISE OF WARRANTS.
The Company will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized
but unissued shares of capital stock, solely for issuance and delivery on the
exercise of this Warrant, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock (or
Other Securities) to effect the full exercise of this Warrant and the exercise,
conversion or exchange of any other warrant or security of the Company
exercisable for, convertible into, exchangeable for or otherwise entitling the
holder to acquire shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities), and if at any
time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock (or Other
Securities) shall not be sufficient to effect such exercise, conversion or
exchange, the Company shall take such action as may be necessary to increase its
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities) to such
number as shall be sufficient for such purposes.

               15. TRANSFER OF WARRANT. This Warrant shall inure to the benefit
of the successors to and assigns of the Holder. This Warrant and all rights
hereunder, in whole or in part, are registrable at the office or agency of the
Company referred to below by the Holder in Person or by his duly authorized
attorney, upon surrender of this Warrant properly endorsed accompanied by an
assignment form in the form attached to this Warrant, or other customary form,
duly executed by the transferring Holder.

               16. REGISTER OF WARRANTS. The Company shall maintain, at the
principal office of the Company (or such other office as it may designate by
notice to the Holder), a register in which the Company shall record the name and
address of the Person in whose name this Warrant has been issued, as well as the
name and address of each successor and prior owner of such Warrant. The Company
shall be entitled to treat the Person in whose name this Warrant is so
registered as the sole and absolute owner of this Warrant for all purposes.

               17. EXCHANGE OF WARRANT. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the
surrender hereof by the Holder at the office or agency of the Company referred
to in Section 15, for one or more new Warrants of like tenor representing in the
aggregate the right to subscribe for and purchase the number of shares of Common
Stock which may be subscribed for and purchased hereunder, each of such new

                                       16
<PAGE>   17

Warrants to represent the right to subscribe for and purchase such number of
shares as shall be designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.

               18. REPLACEMENT OF WARRANT. On receipt by the Company of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to it of the ownership of and the loss, theft,
destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and (a) in the case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity from the Holder reasonably satisfactory in form to the
Company (and without the requirement to post any bond or other security), or (b)
in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the
Company will execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant of like tenor
without charge to the Holder.

               19. WARRANT AGENT. The Company may, by written notice to the
Holder, appoint the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock as the
Company's agent for the purpose of issuing Common Stock (or Other Securities) on
the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to Section 1, and the Company may, by
written notice to the Holder, appoint an agent having an office in the United
States of America for the purpose of exchanging this Warrant pursuant to Section
17, and replacing this Warrant pursuant to Section 18, or any of the foregoing,
and thereafter any such exchange or replacement, as the case may be, shall be
made at such office by such agent.

               20. REMEDIES. The Company stipulates that the remedies at law of
the Holder in the event of any default or threatened default by the Company in
the performance of or compliance with any of the terms of this Warrant are not
and will not be adequate, and that such terms may be specifically enforced by a
decree for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or by an
injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or otherwise.

               21. NO RIGHTS OR LIABILITIES AS A STOCKHOLDER. This Warrant shall
not entitle the Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a stockholder of
the Company. Nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as conferring
upon Holder hereof the right to vote or to consent or to receive notice as a
stockholder of the Company on any matters or with respect to any rights
whatsoever as a stockholder of the Company. No dividends or interest shall be
payable or accrued in respect of this Warrant or the interest represented hereby
or the Common Stock (or Other Securities) purchasable hereunder until, and only
to the extent that, this Warrant shall have been exercised in accordance with
its terms.

               22. NOTICES, ETC. All notices and other communications from the
Company to the Holder shall be mailed by first class certified mail, postage
prepaid, at such address as may have been furnished to the Company in writing by
the

                                       17
<PAGE>   18

Holder or at the address shown for the Holder on the register of Warrants
referred to in Section 16.

               23. AMENDMENT; WAIVER. This Warrant and any terms hereof may be
changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in writing
signed by the party against which enforcement of such change, waiver, discharge
or termination is sought.

               24. MISCELLANEOUS. This Warrant shall be construed and enforced
in accordance with and governed by the internal laws of the State of New York.
The headings, captions and footers in this Warrant are for purposes of reference
only, and shall not limit or otherwise affect any of the terms hereof. The
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall in no way affect
the validity or enforceability of any other provision.

               25. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In any litigation, arbitration or court
proceeding between the Company and Holder relating hereto, the prevailing party
shall be entitled to attorneys' fees and expenses and all costs of proceedings
incurred in enforcing this Warrant.

                                       18
<PAGE>   19

               IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be
duly executed on its behalf by one of its officers thereunto duly authorized.

Dated:                             , 2000   AXYS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
       ----------------------------

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

<PAGE>   20

                                   ASSIGNMENT

               For value received _________________________ hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto _________________________ (Please insert social
security or other Taxpayer Identification Number of assignee:
______________________________) the attached original, executed Warrant to
purchase share of Common Stock of Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints
_________________________ attorney to transfer the Warrant on the books of the
Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

               Capitalized terms used in this Assignment and not defined in this
Assignment shall have the respective meanings provided in the Warrant.

Dated:                                      NAME:
       ------------------------------

                                            ------------------------------------
                                                         Signature(s)

<PAGE>   21

                                                                       EXHIBIT 1

                              FORM OF SUBSCRIPTION

                           AXYS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

                   (To be signed only on exercise of Warrant)

TO:     Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
        180 Kimball Way
        South San Francisco, California 94080

        Attention:  Chief Financial Officer

        Facsimile No.: (650) 829-1067

        1. The undersigned Holder of the attached original, executed Warrant
hereby elects to exercise its purchase right under such Warrant with respect to
______________ shares (the "Exercise Shares") of Common Stock, as defined in the
Warrant, of Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company").

        2.     The undersigned Holder (check one):

        o      (a) elects to pay the aggregate purchase price for such shares of
               Common Stock (i) in lawful money of the United States or by the
               enclosed certified or official bank check payable in United
               States dollars to the order of the Company in the amount of
               $___________, or (ii) by wire transfer of United States funds to
               the account of the Company in the amount of $____________, which
               transfer has been made before or simultaneously with the delivery
               of this Form of Subscription pursuant to the instructions of the
               Company;

               or

        o      (b) elects to receive shares of Common Stock having a value equal
               to the value of the Warrant calculated in accordance with Section
               1(b) of the Warrant.

        3. Please issue a stock certificate or certificates representing the
appropriate number of shares of Common Stock in the name of the undersigned or
in such other name(s) as is specified below:

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

<PAGE>   22

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

        Social Security or Tax Identification Number (if any):

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

Dated:
      ---------------------------           ------------------------------------
                                             (Signature must conform to name of
                                              Holder as specified on the face of
                                                         the Warrant)

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

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

(Address)<PAGE>   1
                                                                  Exhibit 10.1

================================================================================

                                CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                   dated as of

                                August 11, 2000,

                                      among

                            SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.,

                            The Lenders Party Hereto,

                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                             as Administrative Agent
                              and Collateral Agent

                          KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
                              as Syndication Agent

                                       and

                               BANK ONE, MICHIGAN,
                             as Documentation Agent

                                   ----------

                             CHASE SECURITIES INC.,
                        as Lead Arranger and Book Manager

================================================================================
<PAGE>   2

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
                                    ARTICLE I

                                   Definitions
                                   -----------

SECTION 1.01.  Defined Terms ...............................................   1
SECTION 1.02.  Classification of Loans and Borrowings ......................  19
SECTION 1.03.  Interpretation; Terms Generally .............................  19
SECTION 1.04.  Accounting Terms; GAAP ......................................  19

                                   ARTICLE II

                                   The Credits
                                   -----------

SECTION 2.01.  Commitments .................................................  20
SECTION 2.02.  Loans and Borrowings ........................................  20
SECTION 2.03.  Requests for Borrowings .....................................  20
SECTION 2.04.  Swingline Loans .............................................  21
SECTION 2.05.  Letters of Credit ...........................................  22
SECTION 2.06.  Funding of Borrowings .......................................  26
SECTION 2.07.  Interest Elections ..........................................  27
SECTION 2.08.  Termination and Reduction of Commitments ....................  28
SECTION 2.09.  Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt ........................  29
SECTION 2.10.  Prepayment of Loans .........................................  29
SECTION 2.11.  Fees ........................................................  30
SECTION 2.12.  Interest ....................................................  31
SECTION 2.13.  Alternate Rate of Interest ..................................  32
SECTION 2.14.  Increased Costs .............................................  32
SECTION 2.15.  Break Funding Payments ......................................  33
SECTION 2.16.  Taxes .......................................................  34
SECTION 2.17.  Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs ..  35
SECTION 2.18.  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders ..............  36
SECTION 2.19.  Extension of Maturity Date ..................................  37

                                   ARTICLE III

                        Representations and Warranties
                        ------------------------------

SECTION 3.01.  Organization; Powers ........................................  37
SECTION 3.02.  Authorization; Enforceability ...............................  37
SECTION 3.03.  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts ........................  38
SECTION 3.04.  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .............  38
SECTION 3.05.  Properties ..................................................  39
SECTION 3.06.  Litigation and Environmental Matters ........................  39
SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Laws and Agreements .........................  39

<PAGE>   3

                                                                               2

SECTION 3.08.  Investment and Holding Company Status .......................  40
SECTION 3.09.  Taxes .......................................................  40
SECTION 3.10.  ERISA .......................................................  40
SECTION 3.11.  Disclosure ..................................................  40
SECTION 3.12.  Subsidiaries ................................................  40
SECTION 3.13.  Insurance ...................................................  41
SECTION 3.14.  Labor Matters ...............................................  41
SECTION 3.15.  Solvency ....................................................  41
SECTION 3.16.  Senior Indebtedness .........................................  41
SECTION 3.17.  Security Documents ..........................................  41
SECTION 3.18.  Federal Reserve Regulations .................................  42

                                   ARTICLE IV

                                   Conditions
                                   ----------

SECTION 4.01.  Closing Date ................................................  42
SECTION 4.02.  Each Credit Event ...........................................  45

                                    ARTICLE V

                              Affirmative Covenants
                              ---------------------

SECTION 5.01.  Financial Statements and Other Information ..................  45
SECTION 5.02.  Notices of Material Events ..................................  47
SECTION 5.03.  Information Regarding Collateral ............................  47
SECTION 5.04.  Existence; Conduct of Business ..............................  48
SECTION 5.05.  Payment of Obligations ......................................  48
SECTION 5.06.  Maintenance of Properties ...................................  48
SECTION 5.07.  Insurance ...................................................  48
SECTION 5.08.  Casualty and Condemnation ...................................  49
SECTION 5.09.  Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights ..............  49
SECTION 5.10.  Compliance with Law .........................................  49
SECTION 5.11.  Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit .......................  49
SECTION 5.12.  Additional Subsidiaries .....................................  49
SECTION 5.13.  Further Assurances ..........................................  49
SECTION 5.14.  Future Pledge ...............................................  50

                                   ARTICLE VI

                               Negative Covenants
                               ------------------

SECTION 6.01.  Indebtedness; Certain Equity Securities .....................  51
SECTION 6.02.  Liens .......................................................  52
SECTION 6.03.  Fundamental Changes .........................................  52
SECTION 6.04.  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions ...  53
SECTION 6.05.  Asset Sales .................................................  54
SECTION 6.06.  Sale and Leaseback Transactions .............................  55
<PAGE>   4

                                                                               3

SECTION 6.07.  Hedging Agreements ..........................................  56
SECTION 6.08.  Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness .......  56
SECTION 6.09.  Transactions with Affiliates ................................  57
SECTION 6.10.  Restrictive Agreements ......................................  57
SECTION 6.11.  Amendment of Material Documents .............................  57
SECTION 6.12.  Total Leverage Ratio ........................................  58
SECTION 6.13.  Minimum Coverage Ratio ......................................  58
SECTION 6.14.  Senior Leverage Ratio .......................................  58
SECTION 6.15.  Consolidated Tangible Net Worth .............................  58
SECTION 6.16.  Capital Expenditures ........................................  59
SECTION 6.17.  Designated Senior Indebtedness ..............................  59

                                   ARTICLE VII

                                Events of Default
                                -----------------

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                            The Administrative Agent
                            ------------------------

                                   ARTICLE IX

                                  Miscellaneous
                                  -------------

SECTION 9.01.  Notices .....................................................  64
SECTION 9.02.  Waivers; Amendments .........................................  65
SECTION 9.03.  Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver ..........................  66
SECTION 9.04.  Successors and Assigns ......................................  67
SECTION 9.05.  Survival ....................................................  70
SECTION 9.06.  Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness ....................  70
SECTION 9.07.  Severability ................................................  70
SECTION 9.08.  Right of Setoff .............................................  70
SECTION 9.09.  GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO
                      SERVICE OF PROCESS ...................................  71
SECTION 9.10.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL ........................................  71
SECTION 9.11.  Headings ....................................................  72
SECTION 9.12.  Confidentiality .............................................  72
SECTION 9.13.  Interest Rate Limitation ....................................  72

SCHEDULES:
----------

Schedule 1.01(a)  -- Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 1.01(b)  -- Mortgaged Properties
Schedule 2.01     -- Lenders and Commitments
Schedule 3.05     -- Owned and Leased Real Property
Schedule 3.06     -- Disclosed Matters
Schedule 3.12     -- Subsidiaries

<PAGE>   5

                                                                               4

Schedule 3.13          -- Insurance Policies
Schedule 6.01          -- Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02          -- Existing Liens
Schedule 6.04          -- Existing Investments
Schedule 6.10          -- Existing Restrictions

EXHIBITS:
---------

Exhibit A     --       Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit B     --       Form of Opinion of Wegman, Hessler, Vanderburg & O'Toole
Exhibit C     --       Form of Guarantee Agreement
Exhibit D     --       Form of Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement
Exhibit E     --       Form of Security Agreement

<PAGE>   6

                              CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of August 11, 2000,

                      among SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
                      "BORROWER"), the LENDERS party hereto, THE CHASE MANHATTAN
                      BANK, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent,
                      KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent and
                      BANK ONE, MICHIGAN, as Documentation Agent.

               The Borrower has requested that (a) the Lenders extend credit to
the Borrower in the form of Loans (such term and each other capitalized term
used but not defined herein having the meaning given to it in Article I) and (b)
the Issuing Bank extend credit to the Borrower in the form of Letters of Credit
issued for the account of the Borrower, in each case upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth herein.

               The parties hereto agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

                                   Definitions
                                   -----------

               SECTION 1.01. DEFINED TERMS. As used in this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings specified below:

               "ABR", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to
whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest
at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

               "Adjusted LIBO Rate" means, with respect to any Eurodollar
Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards,
if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such
Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

               "Administrative Agent" means The Chase Manhattan Bank, in its
capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

               "Administrative Questionnaire" means an Administrative
Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

               "Affiliate" means, with respect to a specified Person, another
Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls
or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

               "AG Simpson" means AG Simpson (Tennessee) Inc.

               "Alternate Base Rate" means, for any day, a rate per annum equal
to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal
Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in the
Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds
Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such
change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

<PAGE>   7

                                                                               2

               "Applicable Percentage" means, with respect to any Lender, the
percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender's Commitment. If
the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be
determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to
any assignments.

               "Applicable Rate" means, for any day with respect to any ABR Loan
or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as
the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption
"ABR Spread", "Eurodollar Spread" or "Commitment Fee Rate", as the case may be,
based upon the Total Leverage Ratio as of the Borrower's most recently completed
fiscal quarter, PROVIDED that until the delivery to the Administrative Agent,
pursuant to Section 5.01(b) of the Borrower's consolidated financial statements
for the Borrower's first full fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2001, the
"Applicable Rate" shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth in Category
3.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

=====================================================================================================
                                                 ABR              Eurodollar        Commitment Fee
                                                 ---              ----------        --------------
          Total Leverage Ratio:                 Spread               Spread              Rate
          ---------------------                 ------               ------              ----

<S>                                              <C>                  <C>                   <C>
                 Category 1
                 ----------
  Total Leverage Ratio of greater than           1.50%                2.50%                 0.50%
          or equal to 4.00 to 1.0

                 Category 2
                 ----------
 Total Leverage Ratio of less than 4.00          1.25%                2.25%                 0.50%
    to 1.0 but greater than or equal to
                 3.50 to 1.0

                 Category 3
                 ----------
 Total Leverage Ratio of less than 3.50          1.00%                2.00%                0.375%
    to 1.0 but greater than or equal to
                 2.75 to 1.0

                 Category 4
                 ----------
 Total Leverage Ratio of less than 2.75          0.75%                1.75%                0.375%
    to 1.0 but greater than or equal to
                 2.25 to 1.0

                 Category 5
                 ----------
 Total Leverage Ratio of less than 2.25          0.50%                1.50%                 0.25%
                   to 1.0
=====================================================================================================
</TABLE>

               For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the Total Leverage Ratio shall
be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower's fiscal year
based upon the Borrower's consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant
to Section 5.01(a) or (b) and (b) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting
from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period
commencing on and including the third day after the date of delivery to the
Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such
change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the
next such change, PROVIDED that the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be
in Category 1 (i) at any time that an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing or (ii) if the Borrower fails to deliver the consolidated financial
statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b),
during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until
such consolidated financial statements are delivered.

<PAGE>   8

                                                                               3

               "Assignment and Acceptance" means an assignment and acceptance
entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose
consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent,
in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

               "Availability Period" means the period from and including the
Closing Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of
termination of the Commitments.

               "Bankruptcy Code" means Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code.

               "Board" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System of the United States of America.

               "Borrower" shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the
introductory statement hereto.

               "Borrowing" means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made,
converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as
to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (b) a Swingline Loan.

               "Borrowing Request" means a request by the Borrower for a
Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

               "Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or
other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required
by law to remain closed, provided that, when used in connection with a
Eurodollar Loan, the term "Business Day" shall also exclude any day on which
banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank
market.

               "Capital Expenditures" means, for any period, without
duplication, (a) the additions to property, plant and equipment and other
capital expenditures of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries that are
(or would be) set forth in a consolidated statement of cash flows of the
Borrower for such period prepared in accordance with GAAP and (b) Capital Lease
Obligations incurred by the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries during
such period.

               "Capital Lease Obligations" of any Person means the obligations
of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other
arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a
combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and
accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP,
and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof
determined in accordance with GAAP.

               "Change in Control" means (a) the acquisition of ownership,
directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group
(within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof),
other than MTD, of Equity Interests representing more than 20% of either the
aggregate ordinary voting power or the aggregate equity value represented by the
issued and outstanding Equity Interests in

<PAGE>   9

                                                                               4

the Borrower; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant
seats) on the Board of Directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i)
members of the Board of Directors as of the date hereof or nominated by the
current Board of Directors nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; (c) the
acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or
group, other than MTD; or (d) the occurrence of a change in control (or similar
event, however denominated) with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary under
any agreement or instrument in respect of Material Indebtedness.

               "Change in Law" means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or
regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or
regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental
Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or
the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.14(b), by any lending office of
such Lender or by such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company, if any)
with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of
law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this
Agreement.

               "Class" when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers
to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing are Revolving Loans
or Swingline Loans.

               "Closing Date" means the date on which the conditions specified
in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

               "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from
time to time.

               "Collateral" means any and all "Collateral", as defined in any
applicable Security Document.

               "Collateral Agent" means The Chase Manhattan Bank, in its
capacity as collateral agent for the Lenders hereunder.

               "Collateral and Guarantee Requirement" means the requirement
that:

               (a) the Administrative Agent shall have received either (i) a
       counterpart from each Loan Party party thereto of each of (A) the
       Guarantee Agreement, (B) the Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution
       Agreement and (C) the Security Agreement duly executed and delivered on
       behalf of such Loan Party or (ii) in the case of any Person that becomes
       a Loan Party after the Closing Date, a supplement from such Person to
       each of the Guarantee Agreement, the Indemnity, Subrogation and
       Contribution Agreement and the Security Agreement, in each case in the
       form specified therein, duly executed and delivered on behalf of such
       Loan Party;

               (b) all documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial
       Code financing statements, required by law or reasonably requested by the
       Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded to create the
       Liens intended to be created by the Security Agreement and perfect such
       Liens to the extent required by, and with the priority required by, the
       Security Agreement,

<PAGE>   10

                                                                               5

       shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the
       Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording; and

               (c) each Loan Party shall have obtained all consents and
       approvals required to be obtained by it in connection with the execution
       and delivery of all Security Documents to which it is a party, the
       performance of its obligations thereunder and the granting by it of the
       Liens thereunder.

               "Commitment" means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment,
if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in
Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount
representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender's Exposure hereunder,
as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08
and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to
such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender's
Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.
The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders' Commitments is $300,000,000.

               "Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any period, the
interest expense both expensed and capitalized (including imputed interest
expense in respect of Capital Lease Obligations and interest under "synthetic"
leases) accrued by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries during such period,
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

               "Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any period, Consolidated Net
Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted
in determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (i) consolidated
interest expense for such period, (ii) consolidated income tax expense for such
period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization for such
period, (iv) any extraordinary or unusual noncash charges for such period and
(v) any Excluded Charges for such period, and minus (b) without duplication and
to the extent included in determining such Consolidated Net Income, any
extraordinary gains for such period all determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP. If the Borrower or any Subsidiary has made any Permitted
Acquisition or any sale, transfer, lease or other disposition of assets outside
of the ordinary course of business permitted by Section 6.05 during the relevant
period for determining Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated EBITDA, for purposes of
Section 6.12 and Section 6.14, for the relevant period shall be calculated after
giving pro forma effect thereto, as if such Permitted Acquisition or sale,
transfer, lease or other disposition of assets (and any related incurrence,
repayment or assumption of Indebtedness) had occurred on the first day of the
relevant period for determining Consolidated EBITDA. Any such pro forma
calculations may include operating and other expense reductions and other
synergistic benefits for such period resulting from any Permitted Acquisition
that is being given pro forma effect to the extent that such operating and other
expense reductions and other synergistic benefits would be permitted pursuant to
Article XI of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933.

               "Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, the net income
or loss of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries for such period determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, PROVIDED that

<PAGE>   11

                                                                               6

               (a) the net income (or loss) of any non-wholly owned Subsidiary
shall only be included in the determination of Consolidated Net Income to the
extent that it is attributable to the Borrower based upon the percentage of the
Borrower's Equity Interest, direct or indirect, in such non-wholly owned
Subsidiary and (b) there shall be excluded from the determination of
Consolidated Net Income (i) the income of any Person (other than the Borrower or
any Subsidiary) in which any other Person (other than the Borrower or any
Subsidiary or any director holding qualifying shares in compliance with
applicable law) owns an Equity Interest, except to the extent of the amount of
dividends or other distributions actually paid to the Borrower or any of the
Subsidiaries during such period, and (ii) the income or loss of any Person
accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or
consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or the date that such Person's
assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

               "Consolidated Tangible Net Worth" shall mean, at any date, the
excess of total assets over total liabilities of the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries as of such date determined on a consolidated basis in accordance
with GAAP, excluding, however, from the determination of total assets (i)
goodwill, organizational expenses, research and development expenses,
trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent applications, licenses and
rights if any in respect thereof, and other similar intangibles and (ii) any
items not included in clause (i) above which are treated as intangibles in
conformity with GAAP.

               "Control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a
Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or
otherwise. The terms "Controlling" and "Controlled" have meanings correlative
thereto.

               "Default" means any event or condition that constitutes an Event
of Default or that upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or
waived, become an Event of Default.

               "Dickson Acquisition" means the acquisition by the Borrower of
the Dickson Facility pursuant to the terms of the Dickson Asset Purchase
Agreement in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Dickson Purchase Price.

               "Dickson Asset Purchase Agreement" means the Asset Purchase
Agreement dated as of July 18, 2000, between Shiloh Industries, Inc. Dickson
Manufacturing Division (a Subsidiary of the Borrower) and AG Simpson.

               "Dickson Facility" means the facility of AG Simpson located at
One Simpson Boulevard, Dickson, Tennessee 37055.

               "Dickson Purchase Price " means an aggregate cash amount of
$47,919,500 (subject to certain purchase price adjustments in accordance with
the Dickson Asset Purchase Agreement).

               "Disclosed Matters" means the actions, suits and proceedings and
the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

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

<PAGE>   12

                                                                               7

               "Environmental Laws" means all laws, rules, regulations, codes,
ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding
agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by or with any Governmental
Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation
of natural resources, the presence, management, Release or threatened Release of
any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.

               "Environmental Liability" means any liabilities, obligations,
damages, losses, claims, actions, suits, judgements or orders, contingent or
otherwise (including any costs of environmental investigation and remediation,
costs of administrative oversight, fines, natural resource damages, penalties or
indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting
from or relating to (a) the compliance or non-compliance with any Environmental
Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) any actual or alleged exposure to any
Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous
Materials or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement
pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.

               "Equity Interests" means shares of capital stock, partnership
interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial
interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person and any
options, warrants or other rights to acquire such Equity Interests.

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

               "ERISA Affiliate" means any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer
under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302
of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under
Section 414 of the Code.

               "ERISA Event" means (a) any "reportable event", as defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a
Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the
existence with respect to any Plan of an "accumulated funding deficiency" (as
defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not
waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d)
of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with
respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA
Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the
termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
from the PBGC or a plan administrator appointed by the PBGC of any notice
relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee
to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA
Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal
from any Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the
receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by
any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice,
concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a
Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization,
within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

<PAGE>   13

                                                                               8

               "Eurodollar", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing,
refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

               "Event of Default" has the meaning assigned to such term in
Article VII.

               "Excluded Charges" means (a) the non-recurring charges incurred
in respect of the acquisition of MTD's automotive group on November 1, 1999,
provided that such charges shall not exceed $1,100,000 and (b) the non-recurring
charges incurred in respect of the Dickson Acquisition, PROVIDED that such
charges shall not exceed $1,200,000.

               "Excluded Taxes" means, with respect to the Administrative Agent,
any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by
or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or
franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States
of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is
organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any
Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch
profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed
by any other jurisdiction described in clause (a) above and (c) in the case of a
Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower
under Section 2.18(b)), any withholding tax that (i) is in effect and would
apply to amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender
becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), other
than any withholding tax imposed on any payment by the Borrower to the extent
that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, as the case may be) was entitled, at
the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment, as the case may
be), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to any
withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.16(a), or (ii) is attributable to such
Foreign Lender's failure to comply with Section 2.16(e).

               "Existing Credit Agreement" means the Credit Agreement dated as
of September 13, 1999, among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and the
agent banks party thereto.

               "Existing Credit Agreement Indebtedness" means all principal,
interest, fees and other amounts outstanding under the Existing Credit
Agreement.

               "Existing Letters of Credit" means the letters of credit issued
under the Existing Credit Agreement and outstanding as of the Closing Date,
which are listed on Schedule 1.01(a).

               "Exposure" means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum
of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender's Revolving Loans and its LC
Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

               "Federal Funds Effective Rate" means, for any day, the weighted
average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on
overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System
arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business
Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so
published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of

<PAGE>   14

                                                                               9

the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative
Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

               "Financial Officer" means the chief financial officer, principal
accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.

               "Foreign Lender" means any Lender that is organized under the
laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For
purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof
and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single
jurisdiction.

               "Foreign Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that is organized under
the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States of America or any State
thereof or the District of Columbia.

               "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States of America.

               "Governmental Authority" means the government of the United
States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof,
whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory
body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or
pertaining to government.

               "Guarantee" of or by any Person (the "guarantor") means any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the
economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any
other Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect,
(a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment
of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to
purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring
the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c)
to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party
in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such
Indebtedness or obligation, PROVIDED that the term "Guarantee" shall not include
endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

               "Guarantee Agreement" means the Guarantee Agreement,
substantially in the form of Exhibit C, made by the Subsidiary Loan Parties in
favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

               "Hazardous Materials" means all explosive, radioactive, hazardous
or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or
petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials,
polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other
substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

<PAGE>   15

                                                                              10

               "Hedging Agreement" means any derivative or similar agreement or
arrangement, including any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency
exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest or
currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging arrangement.

               "Indebtedness" of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or
advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or similar instruments (other than performance, surety and
appeal bonds arising in the ordinary course of business), (c) all obligations of
such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all
obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention
agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of
such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services
(excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of
business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of
such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured
by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the
Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person
of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i)
all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in
respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers' acceptances.
The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other
entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner)
to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person's
ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the
extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable
therefor.

               "Indemnified Taxes" means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

               "Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement" means the
Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement, substantially in the form of
Exhibit D, among the Borrower, the Subsidiary Loan Parties and the
Administrative Agent.

               "Information Memorandum" means the Confidential Information
Memorandum dated July, 2000, relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.

               "Interest Election Request" means a request by the Borrower to
convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07.

               "Interest Payment Date" means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan
(other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and
December, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest
Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case
of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months'
duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at
intervals of three months' duration after the first day of such Interest Period,
and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required
to be repaid.

               "Interest Period" means, with respect to any Eurodollar
Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the
numerically

<PAGE>   16

                                                                              11

corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months
thereafter, as the Borrower may elect, PROVIDED, that (a) if any Interest Period
would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be
extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding
Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest
Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period
that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for
which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of
such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar
month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing
initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall
be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such
Borrowing.

               "Issuing Bank" means The Chase Manhattan Bank, in its capacity as
the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity
as provided in Section 2.05(i). The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange
for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing
Bank, in which case the term "Issuing Bank" shall include any such Affiliate
with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate. In the event that
there is more than one Issuing Bank at any time, references herein and in the
other Loan Documents to the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to refer to the Issuing
Bank in respect of the applicable Letter of Credit or to all Issuing Banks, as
the context requires. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each institution listed in
Schedule 1.01(a) shall be deemed to be an Issuing Bank with respect to the
Existing Letters of Credit issued by it.

               "Joint Venture" means any corporation, partnership or other legal
entity or arrangement in which the Borrower has any direct or indirect equity
interest and that is not a Subsidiary.

               "LC Disbursement" means a payment made by the Issuing Bank
pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

               "LC Exposure" means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate
undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the
aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or
on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any
time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

               "Lender Affiliate" means, (a) with respect to any Lender, (i) an
Affiliate of such Lender or (ii) any entity (whether a corporation, partnership,
trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise
investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course
of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or an Affiliate of
such Lender and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in
bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank
loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment
advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.

               "Lenders" means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other
Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and
Acceptance, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant
to an Assignment and Acceptance. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term
"Lenders" includes the Swingline Lender.

<PAGE>   17

                                                                              12

               "Letter of Credit" means any letter of credit issued pursuant to
this Agreement. Each Existing Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a
Letter of Credit issued hereunder on the Closing Date for all purposes of the
Loan Documents.

               "LIBO Rate" means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for
any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Dow Jones Market
Service (or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any
successor to or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations
comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Service, as
determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of
providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in Dollars in the
London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business
Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for deposits
in Dollars with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that
such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the "LIBO Rate"
with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the
rate at which deposits in Dollars of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to
such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the
Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank
market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period.

               "Lien" means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed
of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest
in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any
conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any
financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the
foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any
purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such
securities.

               "Loan Documents" means this Agreement, the Guarantee Agreement,
the Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement and the other Security
Documents.

               "Loan Parties" means the Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan
Parties.

               "Loans" means the Revolving Loans or the Swingline Loans, as the
context requires.

               "Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on (a)
the business, operations, properties, assets, financial condition, contingent
liabilities, prospects or material agreements of the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform any
of its obligations under any Loan Document or (c) the rights of or benefits
available to the Lenders under any Loan Document.

               "Material Indebtedness" means Indebtedness (other than the Loans
and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging
Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an
aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining
Material Indebtedness, the "principal amount" of the obligations of the Borrower
or any Subsidiary in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the
maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the
Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement
were terminated at such time.

<PAGE>   18

                                                                              13

               "Maturity Date" means August 11, 2005, or, if such day is not a
Business Day, the first Business Day thereafter, PROVIDED that the Borrower may,
on each anniversary of the Closing Date, request a one year extension of the
Maturity Date. Any extension is subject to written consent of each Lender.

               "Minimum Coverage Ratio" means, on any date, the ratio of (a)
Consolidated EBITDA to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense.

               "Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

               "Mortgage" means a mortgage, deed of trust, assignment of leases
and rents, leasehold mortgage or other security document granting a Lien on any
Mortgaged Property to secure the Obligations. Each Mortgage shall be
satisfactory in form and substance to the Collateral Agent.

               "Mortgaged Property" means, initially, each parcel of real
property and the improvements thereto owned by a Loan Party and identified on
Schedule 1.01(b), and includes each other parcel of real property and
improvements thereto with respect to which a Mortgage is granted pursuant to
Section 5.12 or 5.13.

               "MTD" means MTD Products Inc.

               "Multiemployer Plan" means a multiemployer plan as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA as to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has
any obligation or liability (contingent or otherwise).

               "Obligations" has the meaning assigned to such term in the
Security Agreement.

               "Other Taxes" means any and all present or future recording,
stamp, documentary, excise, transfer, sales, property or similar taxes,
charges or levies arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from
the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any
Loan Document.

               "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to
and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

               "Perfection Certificate" means a certificate in the form of Annex
I to the Security Agreement or any other form approved by the Collateral Agent.

               "Permitted Acquisition" means any acquisition by the Borrower or
a Subsidiary of all or substantially all the assets of, or all the shares of
capital stock of or other equity interests in, a Person or a division, line of
business or other business unit of a Person so long as (a) such acquisition
shall not have been preceded by an unsolicited tender offer and (b) immediately
after giving effect thereto, (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing or
would result therefrom, (ii) the aggregate amount of consideration for all such
acquisitions does not exceed $65,000,000 during any twelve month period and
$200,000,000 during the term of this Agreement, (iii) all transactions related
thereto are consummated in all material respects in accordance with applicable
laws, (iv) all the capital stock of each Subsidiary formed for the purpose of or
resulting from such acquisition shall be owned directly by the Borrower or a
Subsidiary and all actions

<PAGE>   19

                                                                              14

required to be taken with respect to such acquired or newly formed Subsidiary
under Sections 5.12 and 5.13 have been taken, (v) the Borrower and its
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, 6.14 and 6.15
recomputed as at the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the
Borrower for which financial statements are available, as if such acquisition
(and any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, with any new
Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in
accordance with its terms, and assuming that any Revolving Loans borrowed in
connection with such acquisition are repaid with excess cash balances when
available) had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing
such compliance (PROVIDED that any acquisition that occurs prior to the first
testing period under such Sections shall be deemed to have occurred during such
testing period) and (vi) the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent
an officers' certificate to the effect set forth in clauses (a) and (b) (i)
through (vi) above, together with all relevant financial information for the
Person or assets to be acquired.

               "Permitted Encumbrances" means:

               (a) Liens imposed by law for taxes or other governmental charges
       that are not yet due and payable or are being contested in compliance
       with Section 5.05;

               (b) carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's,
       repairmen's and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary
       course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more
       than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.05;

               (c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business
       in compliance with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and
       other social security laws or regulations;

               (d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts,
       leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds
       and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary
       course of business;

               (e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute
       an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII; and

               (f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar
       encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary
       course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not
       materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere
       with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

PROVIDED that the term "Permitted Encumbrances" shall not include any Lien
securing Indebtedness.

<PAGE>   20

                                                                              15

               "Permitted Investments" means:

               (a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and
       interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of
       America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are
       backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in
       each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

               (b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from
       the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition,
       the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody's;

               (c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker's acceptances
       and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition
       thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit
       accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank
       organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State
       thereof that has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of
       not less than $500,000,000;

               (d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not
       more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and
       entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria
       described in clause (c) above; and

               (e) investments in money market funds substantially all the
       assets of which are comprised of securities of the type described in
       clauses (a) through (d) above.

               "Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited liability
company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.

               "Plan" means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a
Multi-employer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section
412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or
any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section
4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an "employer" as defined in Section 3(5) of
ERISA.

               "Pledge Agreement" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.14.

               "Prime Rate" means the rate of interest per annum publicly
announced from time to time by The Chase Manhattan Bank as its prime rate in
effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate
shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced
as being effective.

               "Register" has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).

               "Related Parties" means, with respect to any specified Person,
such Person's Affiliates and, if applicable, Lender Affiliate and the respective
directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such
Person's Affiliates.

<PAGE>   21

                                                                              16

               "Release" means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping,
injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or
migration into or through the environment (including ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or within any building,
structure, facility or fixture.

               "Required Lenders" means, at any time, Lenders having Exposures
and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total
Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.

               "Restricted Payment" means any dividend or other distribution
(whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity
Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash,
securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on
account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancelation or
termination of any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any
option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the
Borrower or any Subsidiary.

               "Revolving Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.

               "S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Service.

               "Secured Parties" has the meaning assigned to such term in the
Security Agreement.

               "Security Agreement" means the Security Agreement, substantially
in the form of Exhibit E, among the Borrower, the Subsidiary Loan Parties and
the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

               "Security Documents" means the Security Agreement, the Mortgages,
the Guarantee Agreement, the Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement,
and each other security agreement or other instrument or document executed and
delivered pursuant to Section 5.12 or 5.13 to secure any of the Obligations.

               "Senior Indebtedness" means, with respect to the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at any time (without duplication), Total
Indebtedness at such time minus the sum of the aggregate principal amount of the
Subordinated Debt outstanding at such time.

               "Senior Leverage Ratio" means, on any date, the ratio of (a)
Senior Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of
four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended on such date (or, if such
date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the
fiscal quarter of the Borrower most recently ended prior to such date).

               "Senior Subordinated Notes" means the senior subordinated notes
in an aggregate principal amount of up to $200,000,000 to be issued by the
Borrower pursuant to the Subordinated Debt Documents.

               "Specified Asset Sale Amount" means (a) prior to Shiloh of
Michigan, L.L.C. becoming a wholly owned Subsidiary and a Subsidiary Loan Party,
the aggregate amount of consideration received in respect of the Specified Asset
Sales ("Specified

<PAGE>   22

                                                                              17

Consideration") and (b) after Shiloh of Michigan, L.L.C. becomes a wholly owned
Subsidiary and a Subsidiary Loan Party, the greater of (x) the Specified
Consideration less the Specified Michigan Value and (y) zero.

               "Specified Asset Sales" means sales or other dispositions by the
Borrower of all of the assets or stock of the following Subsidiaries: (a) Valley
City Steel Company, (b) Greenfield Die & Manufacturing Corp. (Tooling Division)
and (c) C&H Design Company.

               "Specified Michigan Value" means the fair value of the assets of
Shiloh of Michigan, L.L.C. as determined in good faith by the board of directors
of the Borrower at the time Shiloh of Michigan, L.L.C. becomes a Subsidiary Loan
Party.

               "Statutory Reserve Rate" means a fraction (expressed as a
decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which
is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages
(including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed
as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is
subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding
(currently referred to as "Eurocurrency Liabilities" in Regulation D of the
Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such
Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency
funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or
credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to
time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The
Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the
effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

               "Subordinated Debt" means the Senior Subordinated Notes, the
related Guarantees thereunder and the Indebtedness represented thereby, PROVIDED
that (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at
the time of the issuance of such Subordinated Debt and after giving effect
thereto, (ii) the terms and conditions of the Subordinated Debt (including but
not limited to, as applicable, terms and conditions relating to the fees,
amortization, maturity, redemption, subordination, covenants, events of default
and remedies) shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the
Administrative Agent and (iii) the net proceeds from the issuance of the
Subordinated Notes shall be applied as specified in Section 2.10(c).

               "Subordinated Debt Documents" means the indenture under which the
Subordinated Debt is to be issued and all other instruments, agreements and
other documents evidencing or governing the Subordinated Debt or providing for
any Guarantee or other right in respect thereof.

               "subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person (the "parent") at
any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association
or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the
parent in the parent's consolidated financial statements if such financial
statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any
other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or
other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing
more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in
the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests
are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such
date, otherwise

<PAGE>   23

                                                                              18

Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the
parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

               "Subsidiary" means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

               "Subsidiary Loan Party" means any Subsidiary that is not a
Foreign Subsidiary, except Shiloh of Michigan, L.L.C. until it becomes a wholly
owned Subsidiary.

               "Swingline Exposure" means, at any time, the aggregate principal
amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure
of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total
Swingline Exposure at such time.

               "Swingline Lender" means The Chase Manhattan Bank, in its
capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

               "Swingline Loan" means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.

               "Taxes" means any and all present or future taxes, levies,
imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority.

               "Test Period" means, for any determination made on a specific
date, the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower most
recently ended as of such date (taken as one accounting period).

               "Total Indebtedness" means , as of any date of determination,
without duplication, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries outstanding as of such date, determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (other than the Indebtedness of the
type referred to in clause (i) of the definition of the term "Indebtedness",
except to the extent of any unreimbursed drawings thereunder).

               "Total Leverage Ratio" means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Total
Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four
consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended on such date (or, if such date
is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal
quarter of the Borrower most recently ended prior to such date).

               "Transactions" means the execution, delivery and performance by
each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is to be a party, the
borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters
of Credit hereunder.

               "Type", when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers
to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such
Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate
Base Rate.

               "Withdrawal Liability" means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as
a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as
such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

<PAGE>   24

                                                                              19

               SECTION 1.02. CLASSIFICATION OF LOANS AND BORROWINGS. For
purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class
(e.g., a "Revolving Loan") or by Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Loan") or by Class
and Type (e.g., an "ABR " Revolving Loan). Borrowings also may be classified and
referred to by Class (e.g., a "Revolving Borrowing") or by Type (e.g., a
"Eurodollar Borrowing") or by Class and Type (e.g., an "ABR Revolving
Borrowing").

               SECTION 1.03. INTERPRETATION; TERMS GENERALLY. The definitions of
terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the
corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words "include",
"includes" and "including" shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase "without
limitation". The word "will" shall be construed to have the same meaning and
effect as the word "shall". Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any
definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein
shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document
as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any
restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein),
(b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such
Person's successors and assigns, (c) the words "herein", "hereof" and
"hereunder", and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all
references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be
construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to,
this Agreement, (e) any transaction entered into by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary, the purpose of which is to reduce state, county or local taxes,
pursuant to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) purchases bonds from a
state, county or local Governmental Authority, (ii) sells title to real property
to such Governmental Authority for consideration equal to the aggregate
principal amount of such bonds and (iii) leases such real property from such
Governmental Authority, with the lease payments thereunder being no more than
the amounts owed by such Governmental Authority to the Borrower or any
Subsidiary under such bonds, shall be deemed to not have occurred for purposes
of this Agreement and (f) the words "asset" and "property" shall be construed to
have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and
intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and
contract rights.

               SECTION 1.04. ACCOUNTING TERMS; GAAP. Except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall
be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time, PROVIDED
that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower
requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any
change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on
the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the
Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof
for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or
after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision
shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately
before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been
withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

<PAGE>   25

                                                                              20

                                   ARTICLE II

                                   The Credits
                                   -----------

               SECTION 2.01. COMMITMENTS. Subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans in Dollars to the
Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate
principal amount that will not result in such Lender's Exposure exceeding such
Lender's Commitment. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow
Revolving Loans.

               SECTION 2.02. LOANS AND BORROWINGS. (a) Each Loan (other than a
Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the
same Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective
Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by
it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder, PROVIDED
that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be
responsible for any other Lender's failure to make Loans as required.

               (b) Subject to Section 2.13, each Revolving Borrowing shall be
comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request
in accordance herewith, PROVIDED that, notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, during the first 90 days following the Closing Date, only ABR
Borrowings and Eurodollar Borrowings with an Interest Period of one month will
be made. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each Lender at its option may
make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate
of such Lender to make such Loan, PROVIDED that any exercise of such option
shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement.

               (c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any
Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. At the time that
each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate
amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000,
PROVIDED that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is
equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required
to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section
2.05(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple
of $100,000 and not less than $100,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and
Class may be outstanding at the same time, PROVIDED that there shall not at any
time be more than a total of ten Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

               (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue,
any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end
after the Maturity Date.

               SECTION 2.03. REQUESTS FOR BORROWINGS. To request a Revolving
Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by
telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon,
New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed
Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New
York City time,

<PAGE>   26

                                                                              21

one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing, PROVIDED that any
such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC
Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e) may be given not later than
10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such
telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed
promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written
Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by
the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify
the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

             (i)  the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;

            (ii)  the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

           (iii)  whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
        Eurodollar Borrowing;

            (iv)  in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest
        Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by
        the definition of the term "Interest Period"; and

             (v)  the location and number of the Borrower's account to which
        funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of
        Section 2.06.

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested
Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with
respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed
to have selected an Interest Period of one month's duration. Promptly following
receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the
amount of such Lender's Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

               SECTION 2.04. SWINGLINE LOANS. (a) Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans
to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period (other than on
the Closing Date), in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that
will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline
Loans exceeding $15,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total Exposures exceeding the
total Commitments, PROVIDED that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to
make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the
foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the
Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

               (b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not
later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline
Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date
(which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The
Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such
notice received from the Borrower. The Swingline Lender shall make each
Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general
deposit account of the Borrower with the

<PAGE>   27

                                                                              22

Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the
reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e), by
remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
requested date of such Swingline Loan.

               (c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the
Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on any
Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day
in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall
specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will
participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will
give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender's
Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans. Each Lender
hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided
above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline
Lender, such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline
Loans. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire
participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and
unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever,
including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or
termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without
any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall
comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately
available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to
Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, MUTATIS MUTANDIS, to
the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall
promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the
Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any
participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and
thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the
Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by
the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the
Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender
of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted
to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative
Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that
shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline
Lender, as their interests may appear. The purchase of participations in a
Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any
default in the payment thereof.

               SECTION 2.05. LETTERS OF CREDIT. (a) GENERAL. Subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of
Letters of Credit for its own account, in a form reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time
during the Availability Period and prior to the date that is five Business Days
prior to the Maturity Date. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms
and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of
letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or
entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of
Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

               (b) NOTICE OF ISSUANCE, AMENDMENT, RENEWAL, EXTENSION; CERTAIN
CONDITIONS. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment,
renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall
hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if
arrangements for doing so have been

<PAGE>   28

                                                                              23

approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent
(reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or
extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or
identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and
specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be
a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which
shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of
Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other
information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter
of Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a
letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank's standard form in connection
with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued,
amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or
extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and
warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or
extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed $15,000,000 and (ii) the total
Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments.

               (c) EXPIRATION DATE. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or
prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the
date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit or, in the case of any renewal or
extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension and (ii) the date
that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date, unless such Letter of
Credit expires by its terms on an earlier date. Each Letter of Credit may, upon
the request of the Borrower, include a provision whereby such Letter of Credit
shall be renewed automatically for additional consecutive periods of 12 months
or less (but not beyond the date that is five Business Days prior to the
Maturity Date) unless the Issuing Bank notifies the beneficiary thereof at least
30 days prior to the then-applicable expiration date that such Letter of Credit
will not be renewed.

               (d) PARTICIPATIONS. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an
amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any
further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank
hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing
Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender's Applicable
Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of
Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby
absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for
the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender's Applicable Percentage of each LC
Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the
date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement
payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender
acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant
to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional
and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any
amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and
continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and
that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding
or reduction whatsoever. All payments with respect to an LC Disbursement made
pursuant to this paragraph shall be made in Dollars.

               (e) REIMBURSEMENT. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC
Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such
LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC
Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date that
such LC Disbursement is made, if

<PAGE>   29

                                                                              24

the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00
a.m., New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received
by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon,
New York City time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such
notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on
the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that
the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such
time on the day of receipt, PROVIDED that the Borrower may, subject to the
conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section
2.03 or 2.04 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or
Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the
Borrower's obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by
the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Borrower fails
to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender
of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in
respect thereof and such Lender's Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly
following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative
Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in
the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such
Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, MUTATIS MUTANDIS, to the payment
obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to
the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly
following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower
pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such
payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders
and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement
(other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as
contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the
Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement. All payments with
respect to an LC Disbursement made pursuant to this paragraph shall be made in
Dollars.

               (f) OBLIGATIONS ABSOLUTE. The Borrower's obligation to reimburse
LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute,
unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and
irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of
Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or
other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged,
fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or
inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of
Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply
with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (iv) any other event or circumstance
whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for
the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or
provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower's obligations hereunder. Neither
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their
Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in
connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment
or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the
circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission,
interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or
other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any
document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of
technical

<PAGE>   30

                                                                              25

terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing
Bank, PROVIDED that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing
Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as
opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived
by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the
Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank's failure to exercise care when
determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of
Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that,
in the absence of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of the
Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the
Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.
In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the
parties agree that, with respect to documents presented that appear on their
face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the
Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon
such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of
any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment
upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the
terms of such Letter of Credit.

               (g) DISBURSEMENT PROCEDURES. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly
following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a
demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly
notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by
telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or
will make an LC Disbursement thereunder, PROVIDED that any failure to give or
delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to
reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders with respect to any such LC
Disbursement.

               (h) INTERIM INTEREST. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC
Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in
full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall
bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is
made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC
Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans,
PROVIDED that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due
pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.12(c) shall apply.
Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the
Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by
any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing
Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

               (i) REPLACEMENT OF THE ISSUING BANK. The Issuing Bank may be
replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative
Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the
Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the
Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced
Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.11(b). From and after the effective date of
any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights
and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters
of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term
"Issuing Bank" shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous
Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the
context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the
replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a

<PAGE>   31

                                                                              26

party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an
Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it
prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters
of Credit.

               (j) CASH COLLATERALIZATION. If any Event of Default shall occur
and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from
the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the
Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than
50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant
to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the
Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the
benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such
date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, PROVIDED that the obligation
to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such
deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice
of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the
Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. Each such deposit
pursuant to this paragraph or Section 2.10(b) shall be held by the
Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the
obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall
have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of
withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment
of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole
discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower's risk and expense,
such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such
investments shall accumulate in such account and shall be the Borrower's
property held by the Collateral Agent for the satisfaction of the reimbursement
obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity
of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC
Exposures representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), shall be
applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.
Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse
the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and,
to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the
reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or,
if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of
Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC
Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this
Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral
hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount plus
any accrued interest or realized profits on account of such amount (to the
extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three
Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived. If the
Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant
to Section 2.10(b), such amount plus any accrued interest or realized profits on
account of such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be
returned to the Borrower as and to the extent that, after giving effect to such
return, the Borrower would remain in compliance with Section 2.10(b) and no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

               SECTION 2.06. FUNDING OF BORROWINGS. (a) Each Lender shall make
each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire
transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., New York City time, to the
account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such
purpose by notice to the Lenders, PROVIDED that Swingline Loans shall be made as
provided in Section 2.04. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans
available to the Borrower by promptly

<PAGE>   32

                                                                              27

crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower
maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the
Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request, PROVIDED that ABR Revolving Loans
made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section
2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

               (b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will
not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender's share of such
Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such
share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section
and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a
corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share
of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the
applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative
Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for
each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the
Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at
(i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate
and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking
industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower,
the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to
the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender's Loan
included in such Borrowing.

               SECTION 2.07. INTEREST ELECTIONS. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing
initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request
and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest
Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may
elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such
Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods
therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different
options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which
case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the
Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion
shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to
Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

               (b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time
that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower
were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election
to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest
Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand
delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election
Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the
Borrower.

               (c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall
specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02 and paragraph
(f) of this Section:

             (i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies
       and, if different options are being elected with respect to different
       portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting
       Borrowing (in which case the

<PAGE>   33

                                                                              28

       information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below
       shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

            (ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such
       Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

           (iii)  whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
       Eurodollar Borrowing; and

           (iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the
       Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such
       election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the
       term "Interest Period".

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does
not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have
selected an Interest Period of one month's duration.

               (d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request,
the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of
such Lender's portion of each resulting Borrowing.

               (e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election
Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest
Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided
herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to
an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the
request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an
Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to
or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar
Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest
Period applicable thereto.

               SECTION 2.08. TERMINATION AND REDUCTION OF COMMITMENTS. (a)
Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity
Date.

               (b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time
reduce, the Commitments, PROVIDED that (i) each reduction of the Commitments
shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less
than $5,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the
Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in
accordance with Section 2.10, the sum of the Exposures would exceed the total
Commitments.

               (c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any
election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this
Section, or any required reduction of the Commitments under paragraph (d) of
this Section, at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such
termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date
thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent
shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the
Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable, PROVIDED that a notice
of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such

<PAGE>   34

                                                                              29

notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in
which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the
Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such
condition is not satisfied.

               (d) Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be
permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the
Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.

               SECTION 2.09. REPAYMENT OF LOANS; EVIDENCE OF DEBT. (a) The
Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent
for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan of
such Lender on the Maturity Date and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then
unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the Maturity Date, PROVIDED
that (A) on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made and (B) if requested by
the Swingline Lender, on the last day of March, June, September and December of
each year, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.

               (b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to
such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts
of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time
hereunder.

               (c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it
shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type
thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any
principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the
Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by
the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each
Lender's share thereof.

               (d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to
paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be PRIMA FACIE evidence of the
existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein, PROVIDED that the
failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or
any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower
to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

               (e) Any Lender may request that Loans of any Class made by it be
evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare,
execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of
such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered
assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the
Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times
(including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or
more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named
therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its
registered assigns).

               SECTION 2.10. PREPAYMENT OF LOANS. (a) The Borrower shall have
the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or
in part, without penalty, subject to the requirements of this Section and
Section 2.15.

<PAGE>   35

                                                                              30

               (b) In the event that and on each occasion on which the total
Exposure exceeds the total Commitments, the Borrower shall prepay Revolving
Borrowings or Swingline Borrowings (or, if no such Borrowings are outstanding,
deposit cash collateral in an account with the Administrative Agent pursuant to
Section 2.05(j)) in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.

               (c) In the event that and on the occasion on which the Borrower
issues or incurs Subordinated Debt, the Borrower shall, upon such issuance or
incurrence, prepay Loans in an aggregate amount equal to the net proceeds of
such Subordinated Debt.

               (d) Prior to any optional or mandatory prepayment of Borrowings
hereunder, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings to be prepaid
and shall specify such selection in the notice of such prepayment pursuant to
paragraph (d) of this Section.

               (e) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in
the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone
(confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of
prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City
time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of
prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time,
one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of
prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time,
on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall
specify the prepayment date, the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion
thereof to be prepaid and, in the case of a mandatory prepayment, a reasonably
detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment, PROVIDED that, if a
notice of optional prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice
of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.08, then such
notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in
accordance with Section 2.08. Promptly following receipt of any such notice
(other than a notice relating solely to Swingline Loans), the Administrative
Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment
of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an
advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02, except as
necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each
prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the
prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the
extent required by Section 2.12.

               SECTION 2.11. FEES. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which
shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily unused amount of the
Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the date hereof
to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates. Accrued
commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June,
September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments
terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All
commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall
be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day). For purposes of computing commitment fees, a Commitment
of a Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent of the outstanding
Revolving Loans and LC Exposure of such Lender (and the Swingline Exposure of
such Lender shall be disregarded for such purpose).

<PAGE>   36

                                                                              31

               (b) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent
for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its
participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable
Rate as interest on Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of
such Lender's LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to
unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Closing
Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender's Commitment
terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and
(ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.25%
per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion
thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from
and including the Closing Date to but excluding the later of the date of
termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC
Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank's standard fees with respect to the
issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing
of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and
including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall
be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the
first such date to occur after the Closing Date, PROVIDED that all such fees
shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such
fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable
on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph
shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and
fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be
payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day).

               (c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for
its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed
upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

               (d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in
immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing
Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of
commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders entitled thereto. Fees
paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

               SECTION 2.12. INTEREST. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR
Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate
Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

               (b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear
interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such
Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

               (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or
interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower
hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or
otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before
judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of
any Loan, 2.00% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in
the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other
amount, 2.00% plus the rate applicable to ABR Revolving Loans as provided in
paragraph (a) of this Section.

<PAGE>   37

                                                                              32

               (d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on
each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and upon termination of the
Commitments, PROVIDED that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of
this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or
prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the end
of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or
prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii)
in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the
current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable
on the effective date of such conversion.

               (e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate
Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall
be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and
in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including
the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate or
Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such
determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

               SECTION 2.13. ALTERNATE RATE OF INTEREST. If prior to the
commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

               (a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination
       shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable
       means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such
       Interest Period; or

               (b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders
       that the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately
       and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining
       their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the
Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and,
until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the
circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest
Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or
continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective
and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such
Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

               SECTION 2.14. INCREASED COSTS. (a) If any Change in Law shall:

               (i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special
       deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for
       the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such
       reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing
       Bank; or

             (ii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London
       interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or
       Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or
       participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such
Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its
obligation to make any

<PAGE>   38

                                                                              33

such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Bank of
participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the
amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank
hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will
pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional
amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the
case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

               (b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change
in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing
the rate of return on such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's capital or on the
capital of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company, if any, as a
consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters
of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing
Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such
Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company could have achieved but for such
Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's
policies and the policies of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company
with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay
to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount
or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender's
or the Issuing Bank's holding company for any such reduction suffered.

               (c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth
the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or
its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of
this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent
manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the
case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days
after receipt thereof.

               (d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing
Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a
waiver of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's right to demand such compensation,
PROVIDED that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the
Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions
incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing
Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise
to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's
intention to claim compensation therefor; PROVIDED FURTHER that, if the Change
in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then
the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of
retroactive effect thereof.

               SECTION 2.15. BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS. In the event of (a) the
payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an
Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of
Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day
of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert,
continue or prepay any Revolving Loan on the date specified in any notice
delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked
under Section 2.10(d) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the
assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest
Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to
Section 2.18, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender
for the

<PAGE>   39

                                                                              34

loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar
Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an
amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of
interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such
event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to
such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the
then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow,
convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for
such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest that would accrue on such principal
amount for such period at the interest rate that such Lender would bid were it
to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable
amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of
any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to
receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be
conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount
shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

               SECTION 2.16. TAXES. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of
any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall
be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or
Other Taxes, PROVIDED that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable
shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions
(including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section)
the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives
an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been
made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall
pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in
accordance with applicable law.

               (b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the
relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

               (c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each
Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for
the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the
Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or
with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower
hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this
Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom
or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental
Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered
to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent
on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, shall be
conclusive absent manifest error.

               (d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes
or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall
deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a
receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of
the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

<PAGE>   40
                                                                              35

               (e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or
reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the
Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with
respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a
copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable
law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable
law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be
made without withholding or at a reduced rate, provided that such Foreign Lender
has received written notice from the Borrower advising it of the availability of
such exemption or reduction and supplying all applicable documentation.

               SECTION 2.17. PAYMENTS GENERALLY; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF
SETOFFS. (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it
hereunder or under any other Loan Document (whether of principal, interest, fees
or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.14,
2.15 or 2.16, or otherwise) prior to the time expressly required hereunder or
under such other Loan Document for such payment (or, if no such time is
expressly required, prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time), on the date when
due, in immediately available funds, without setoff or counterclaim. Any amounts
received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the
Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding
Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments
shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New
York, New York, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or
Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant
to Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons
entitled thereto and payments pursuant to other Loan Documents shall be made to
the Persons specified therein. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any
such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the
appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment under
any Loan Document shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for
payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case
of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the
period of such extension. All payments under each Loan Document shall be made in
Dollars.

               (b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and
available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal,
unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds
shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due
hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the
amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards
payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder,
ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of
principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

               (c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or
counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or
interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or
Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater
proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in
LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the
proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater
proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the
Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and

<PAGE>   41

                                                                              36

Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of
all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the
aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective
Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans,
PROVIDED that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any
portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations
shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such
recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not
be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in
accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a
Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any
of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or
participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof
(as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower
consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so
under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the
foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and
counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were
a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

               (d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice
from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank
hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent
may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance
herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or
the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the
Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the
Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the
Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such
Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including
the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment
to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate
and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking
industry rules on interbank compensation.

               (e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be
made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), 2.05(d) or (e), 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or
9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding
any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the
Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender's
obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully
paid.

               SECTION 2.18. MITIGATION OBLIGATIONS; REPLACEMENT OF LENDERS. (a)
If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if the Borrower is
required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, then such
Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for
funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations
hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment
of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce
amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.14 or 2.16, as the case may be, in the
future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or
expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower
hereby agrees to

<PAGE>   42

                                                                              37

pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with
any such designation or assignment.

               (b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if
the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any
Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16,
or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the
Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the
Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without
recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in
Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to
an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another
Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), PROVIDED that (i) the Borrower
shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender, which consent shall not unreasonably be
withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the
outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and
Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts
payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding
principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all
other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a
claim for compensation under Section 2.14 or payments required to be made
pursuant to Section 2.16, such assignment will result in a material reduction in
such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such
assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such
Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such
assignment and delegation cease to apply.

               SECTION 2.19. EXTENSION OF MATURITY DATE. The Borrower may, by
notice to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders given not less than 30 and
not more than 60 days prior to the Maturity Date, request that the Lenders
extend the Maturity Date for an additional one year period. Each Lender shall,
by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent given not later than the
10th Business Day after the date of receipt of the Borrower's notice, advise the
Borrower whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and any Lender
that does not so advise the Borrower on or before such day shall be deemed to
have advised the Borrower that it will not agree to such extension). Any
extension is subject to written consent of each Lender.

                                   ARTICLE III

                         Representations and Warranties
                         ------------------------------

               The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders and the
Issuing Bank that:

               SECTION 3.01. ORGANIZATION; POWERS. Each of the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and
authority to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be
conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every
jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

<PAGE>   43

                                                                              38

               SECTION 3.02. AUTHORIZATION; ENFORCEABILITY. The Transactions to
be entered into by each Loan Party are within such Loan Party's corporate powers
and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required,
stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Borrower and constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party
is to be a party, when executed and delivered by such Loan Party, will
constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower or such Loan
Party (as the case may be), enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and subject to general principles of
equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

               SECTION 3.03. GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS; No Conflicts. The
Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or any other action by or before, 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 or the terms of the charter,
by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of the
Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or
result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding
upon the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their assets, or give
rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or
any of the Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition
of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, except
Liens created under the Loan Documents.

               SECTION 3.04. FINANCIAL CONDITION; NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE.
(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated
balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows (i)
as of and for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1999, reported on by independent
public accountants, (ii) as of and for each fiscal quarter after October 31,
1999, and ended 30 days before the Closing Date, certified by its chief
financial officer and (iii) each fiscal month after the most recent 2000 fiscal
quarter for which financial statements were received by the Lenders as described
above and ended 30 days before the Closing Date, certified by its chief
financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the
Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods
in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence
of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii)
above.

               (b) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its pro
forma consolidated balance sheet as of the Closing Date, prepared giving effect
to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred on such date. Such pro
forma consolidated balance sheet (i) has been prepared in good faith based on
the same assumptions used to prepare the pro forma financial statements included
in the Information Memorandum (which assumptions are believed by the Borrower to
be reasonable), (ii) is based on the best information available to the Borrower
after due inquiry, (iii) accurately reflects all adjustments necessary to give
effect to the Transactions and (iv) presents fairly, in all material respects,
the pro forma financial position of the Borrower and its consolidated
subsidiaries as of the Closing Date, as if the Transactions had occurred on such
date (it being understood that such pro forma consolidated balance sheet does
not constitute a guarantee of performance).

<PAGE>   44

                                                                              39

               (c) Except as disclosed in the financial statements referred to
above or the notes thereto or in the Information Memorandum and except for the
Disclosed Matters, after giving effect to the Transactions, none of the Borrower
or the Subsidiaries has, as of the Closing Date, any material contingent
liabilities, unusual long-term commitments or material unrealized losses.

               (d) There has been no material adverse change in the business,
operations, properties, assets, financial condition, contingent liabilities,
prospects or material agreements of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole since October 31, 1999.

               SECTION 3.05. PROPERTIES. (a) Each of the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real
and personal property material to its business (including its Mortgaged
Properties), except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its
ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such
properties for their intended purposes.

               (b) Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries owns, or is
licensed to use, all trademarks, trade names, copyrights, patents and other
intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other
Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.

               (c) Schedule 3.05 sets forth the address of each real property
that is owned or leased by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries as of the
Closing Date after giving effect to the Transactions that occur on the Closing
Date.

               (d) As of the Closing Date, neither the Borrower or any of the
Subsidiaries has received notice of, or has knowledge of, any pending or
contemplated condemnation proceeding affecting any Mortgaged Property or any
sale or disposition thereof in lieu of condemnation. Neither any Mortgaged
Property nor any interest therein is subject to any right of first refusal,
option or other contractual right to purchase such Mortgaged Property or
interest therein.

               SECTION 3.06. LITIGATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. (a) There are
no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental
Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened
against or affecting the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries (i) as to which
there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if
adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the
aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed
Matters) or (ii) that involve any of the Loan Documents or the Transactions.

               (b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to
any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any
of the Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to
obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required
under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental
Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any
Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental
Liability.

<PAGE>   45

                                                                              40

               (c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in
the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has
resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse
Effect.

               SECTION 3.07. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND AGREEMENTS. Each of the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and
orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all
indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property,
except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has
occurred and is continuing.

               SECTION 3.08. INVESTMENT AND HOLDING COMPANY STATUS. Neither the
Borrower nor any of the Subsidiaries is (a) an "investment company" as defined
in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a
"holding company" as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

               SECTION 3.09. TAXES. Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to
have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have
been paid by it, except (a) any Taxes that are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as
applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent
that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.

               SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for
which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated
benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes
of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date
of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more
than $5,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the
present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans
(based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial
statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $5,000,000 the fair
market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.

               SECTION 3.11. DISCLOSURE. The Borrower has disclosed to the
Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which
the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known
to any of them, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information
Memorandum, any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or
other information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the
Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or thereunder (as
modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any
material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, PROVIDED that, with respect to projected financial
information, the Borrower represents

<PAGE>   46

                                                                              41

only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions
believed to be reasonable at the time.

               SECTION 3.12. SUBSIDIARIES. Schedule 3.12 sets forth the name of,
and the ownership interest of the Borrower in, each Subsidiary and identifies
each Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Loan Party, in each case as of the Closing
Date. The ownership interests so indicated on Schedule 3.12 are fully paid and
non-assessable and are owned, as of the Closing Date, by the Borrower.

               SECTION 3.13. INSURANCE. Schedule 3.13 sets forth a description
of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
as of the Closing Date. As of the Closing Date, all premiums in respect of such
insurance have been paid. The Borrower believes that the insurance maintained by
or on behalf of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries is adequate.

               SECTION 3.14. LABOR MATTERS. As of the Closing Date, there are no
strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any Subsidiary pending
or, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, threatened. The hours
worked by and payments made to employees of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
have not been in violation in any material respect of the Fair Labor Standards
Act or any other applicable Federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with
such matters. All payments due from the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or for which
any claim may be made against the Borrower or any Subsidiary, on account of
wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been
paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or such Subsidiary.
The consummation of the Transactions will not give rise to any right of
termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any
collective bargaining agreement to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is
bound.

               SECTION 3.15. SOLVENCY. Immediately after the consummation of the
Transactions to occur on the Closing Date, (a) the fair value of the assets of
each Loan Party, at a fair valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities,
subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (b) the present fair saleable value of
the property of each Loan Party will be greater than the amount that will be
required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities,
subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities
become absolute and matured; (c) each Loan Party will be able to pay its debts
and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and
liabilities become absolute and matured; and (d) each Loan Party will not have
unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is
engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted
following the Closing Date.

               SECTION 3.16. SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS. To the extent any Subordinated
Debt is outstanding, the Obligations constitute "Senior Indebtedness" under and
as defined in the Subordinated Debt Documents.

               SECTION 3.17. SECURITY DOCUMENTS. (a) The Borrower is in
compliance with Section 5.14, and to the extent any Pledge Agreement has been
entered into, it is effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable
security interest in the Collateral (as defined in such Pledge Agreement) and,
when such Collateral is delivered to the Collateral Agent, such Pledge Agreement
shall constitute a fully perfected first priority

<PAGE>   47

                                                                              42

Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the pledgor
thereunder in such Collateral, in each case prior and superior in right to any
other Person.

               (b) The Security Agreement is effective to create in favor of the
Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid
and enforceable security interest in the Collateral (as defined in the Security
Agreement) and, when financing statements in appropriate form are filed in the
offices specified on Schedule 6 to the Perfection Certificate, the Security
Agreement shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in,
all right, title and interest of the grantors thereunder in such Collateral
(other than the Intellectual Property (as defined in the Security Agreement)),
in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person, other than with
respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02.

               (c) When the Security Agreement (or a summary thereof) is filed
in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright
Office, the Security Agreement shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and
security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in the
Intellectual Property (as defined in the Security Agreement) in which a security
interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registering a security
agreement, financing statement or analogous document in the United States Patent
and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, as applicable, in
each case prior and superior in right to any other Person (it being understood
that subsequent recordings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and
the United States Copyright Office may be necessary to perfect a lien on
registered trademarks, trademark applications and copyrights acquired by the
Loan Parties after the Closing Date), other than with respect to Liens permitted
by Section 6.02.

               (d) The Mortgages are effective to create, subject to the
exceptions listed in each title insurance policy covering such Mortgage, in
favor of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a
legal, valid and enforceable Lien on all of the Loan Parties' right, title and
interest in and to the Mortgaged Properties thereunder and the proceeds thereof,
and when the Mortgages are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 1.01(b),
the Mortgages shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest
in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Mortgaged
Properties and the proceeds thereof, in each case prior and superior in right to
any other Person, other than with respect to the rights of Persons pursuant to
Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02.

               SECTION 3.18. FEDERAL RESERVE REGULATIONS. (a) Neither the
Borrower nor any of the Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its
important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of
buying or carrying Margin Stock.

               (b) No part of the proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit
will be used, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately,
incidentally or ultimately, for any purpose that entails a violation of the
provisions of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulation G, U or X.

<PAGE>   48

                                                                              43

                                   ARTICLE IV

                                   Conditions
                                   ----------

               SECTION 4.01. CLOSING DATE. The obligations of the Lenders to
make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall
not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is
satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

               (a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received
       from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed
       on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the
       Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed
       signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a
       counterpart of this Agreement.

               (b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable
       written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
       and dated the Closing Date) of (i) Wegman, Hessler, Vanderburg & O'Toole,
       counsel for the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit B and (ii)
       local counsel for the Borrower in each jurisdiction where a Mortgaged
       Property is located in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
       Administrative Agent, and, in the case of each such opinion required by
       this paragraph, covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties,
       the Loan Documents or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent or the
       Required Lenders shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests
       such counsel to deliver such opinions.

               (c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents
       and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may
       reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good
       standing of each Loan Party, the authorization of the Transactions that
       occur on the Closing Date and any other legal matters relating to the
       Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions that occur on the
       Closing Date, all in form and substance satisfactory to the
       Administrative Agent and its counsel.

               (d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate,
       dated the Closing Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a
       Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the
       conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.

               (e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and
       other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Closing Date, including,
       to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket
       expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) required
       to be reimbursed or paid by any Loan Party hereunder or under any other
       Loan Document.

               (f) The Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been
       satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have received a completed
       Perfection Certificate dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive
       officer or Financial Officer of the Borrower, together with all
       attachments contemplated thereby, including the results of a search of
       the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent) filings made with respect to
       the Loan Parties in the jurisdictions contemplated by

<PAGE>   49

                                                                              44

       the Perfection Certificate and copies of the financing statements (or
       similar documents) disclosed by such search and evidence reasonably
       satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Liens indicated by such
       financing statements (or similar documents) are permitted by Section 6.02
       or have been released.

               (g) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that
       the insurance required by Section 5.07 and the Security Documents is in
       effect.

               (h) There shall be no action, actual or threatened, before any
       governmental body, court or arbitrator (including any consent decree)
       that (a) has a reasonable likelihood of restraining, preventing or
       imposing burdensome conditions on the Transactions that occur on the
       Closing Date, or the other transactions contemplated hereby, or on the
       ability of the parties to give effect to the Transactions that occur on
       the Closing Date or (b) if adversely determined could reasonably be
       expected to have a material adverse effect on (i) the business, assets,
       operations, condition (financial or otherwise), liabilities (including
       contingent liabilities), prospects or material agreements of the Borrower
       and the Subsidiaries after giving effect to the transactions contemplated
       hereby, taken as a whole, or (ii) the Lenders.

               (i) The Lenders shall have received prior to the Closing Date (i)
       audited consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income,
       stockholders' equity and cash flows for the Borrower for the 1998 and
       1999 fiscal years and (ii) the other financial statements referred to in
       Section 3.04(a) and (b), which financial statements shall not be
       materially inconsistent with the financial statements or forecasts
       previously provided to the Lenders.

               (j) The Lenders shall be reasonably satisfied as to the amount
       and nature of any environmental and employee health and safety exposures
       to which the Borrower and the Subsidiaries may be subject after giving
       effect to the Transactions, and with the plans of the Borrower with
       respect thereto, and, to the extent requested by the Administrative
       Agent, the Lenders shall have received environmental assessments
       (including, if applicable, Phase I reports) satisfactory to the
       Administrative Agent from an environmental consulting firm satisfactory
       to the Administrative Agent.

               (k) All requisite material governmental authorities and third
       parties shall have approved or consented to the Transactions that occur
       on the Closing Date and the other transactions contemplated hereby to the
       extent required, all applicable appeal periods shall have expired and
       there shall be no governmental or judicial action, actual or threatened,
       that could reasonably be expected to restrain, prevent or impose
       burdensome conditions on such Transactions or the other transactions
       contemplated hereby.

               (l) All amounts outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement
       shall have been repaid, and the Existing Credit Agreement and all related
       security, guarantees and similar agreements and documents shall have been
       terminated in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

               (m) After giving effect to the Transactions that occur on the
       Closing Date, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries shall have outstanding no
       indebtedness or

<PAGE>   50

                                                                              45

       preferred stock or other preferred equity interests, other than (i) the
       Obligations and (ii) Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(c).

               (n) The Lenders shall have received a certificate from the
       Borrower's Chief Financial Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to
       the Administrative Agent, confirming that the Borrower and the
       Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are solvent and will be solvent
       after giving effect to the Transactions that occur on the Closing Date
       and that the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, will
       be able to pay their debts and liabilities as they become due and will
       not be left with unreasonably small capital with which to engage in its
       business.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the
Closing Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing
Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each
of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at
or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 15, 2000 (and, in the
event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall
terminate at such time).

               SECTION 4.02. EACH CREDIT EVENT. The obligation of each Lender to
make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue,
amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to receipt of the
request therefor in accordance herewith and to the satisfaction of the following
conditions:

               (a) The representations and warranties of each Loan Party set
       forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the
       date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or
       extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable except to the extent a
       representation or warranty relates to a specific earlier date, in which
       case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all
       material respects on such date.

               (b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such
       Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter
       of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be
       continuing.

Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of
Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the
Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section.

                                    ARTICLE V

                              Affirmative Covenants
                              ---------------------

               Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the
principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have
been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and
all LC Disbursements shall

<PAGE>   51

                                                                              46

have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders and the
Issuing Bank that:

               SECTION 5.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION. The
Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

               (a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
       Borrower, its audited consolidated and consolidating balance sheet and
       related statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows as
       of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in
       comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported
       on by independent public accountants of recognized national standing
       (without a "going concern" or like qualification or exception and without
       any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the
       effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all
       material respects the financial condition and results of operations of
       the Borrower and its consolidated subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in
       accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

               (b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three
       fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated and
       consolidating balance sheet and related statements of operations,
       stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal
       quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in
       each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or
       periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the
       previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as
       presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and
       results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated subsidiaries
       on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied,
       subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of
       footnotes;

               (c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under
       clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the
       Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a
       Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken
       or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth
       reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Sections
       6.12, 6.13, 6.14, 6.15 and 6.16 and (iii) stating whether any change in
       GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the
       Borrower's audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and,
       if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on
       the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

               (d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under
       clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on
       such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during
       the course of their examination of such financial statements of any
       Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by
       accounting rules or guidelines);

               (e) at least 30 days prior to the commencement of each fiscal
        year thereafter, a detailed consolidated budget for such fiscal year
        (including a projected consolidated balance sheet and related statements
        of projected operations and cash flows as of the end of and for such
        fiscal year and setting

<PAGE>   52

                                                                              47

       forth the assumptions used for purposes of preparing such budget) and,
       promptly when available, any significant revisions of such budget;

               (f) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of
       all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials
       filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange
       Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the
       functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange,
       as the case may be; and

               (g) promptly following any request therefor, such other
       information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial
       condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms
       of any Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may
       reasonably request.

               SECTION 5.02. NOTICES OF MATERIAL EVENTS. The Borrower will
furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the
following:

               (a) the occurrence of any Default;

               (b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding
       by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or
       affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely
       determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
       Effect;

               (c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together
       with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be
       expected to result in liability of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in
       an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000,000; and

               (d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be
       expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of
a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the
details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken
or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

               SECTION 5.03. INFORMATION REGARDING COLLATERAL. (a) The Borrower
will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any change (i)
in any Loan Party's corporate name or in any trade name used to identify it in
the conduct of its business or in the ownership of its properties, (ii) in the
location of any Loan Party's chief executive office, its principal place of
business, any office in which it maintains books or records relating to
Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it
is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility),
(iii) in any Loan Party's identity or corporate structure or (iv) in any Loan
Party's Federal Taxpayer Identification Number. The Borrower agrees not to
effect or permit any change referred to in the preceding sentence unless all
filings have been made under the Uniform Commercial Code or otherwise that are
required in order for the Administrative Agent to continue at all times
following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected security interest in
all the Collateral for the benefit of the Secured

<PAGE>   53

                                                                              48

Parties. The Borrower also agrees promptly to notify the Administrative Agent if
any material portion of the Collateral is damaged or destroyed.

               (b) Each year, at the time of delivery of annual financial
statements with respect to the preceding fiscal year pursuant to clause (a) of
Section 5.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a
certificate of a Financial Officer and the chief legal officer of the Borrower
(i) setting forth the information required pursuant to the Perfection
Certificate or confirming that there has been no change in such information
since the date of the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Closing Date or
the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section and
(ii) certifying that all Uniform Commercial Code financing statements (including
fixture filings, as applicable) or other appropriate filings, recordings or
registrations, including all refilings, rerecordings and reregistrations,
containing a description of the Collateral have been filed of record in each
governmental, municipal or other appropriate office in each jurisdiction
identified pursuant to clause (i) above to the extent necessary to protect and
perfect the security interests under the Security Agreement for a period of not
less than 18 months after the date of such certificate (except as noted therein
with respect to any continuation statements to be filed within such period).

               SECTION 5.04. EXISTENCE; CONDUCT OF BUSINESS. The Borrower will,
and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things
necessary to preserve, renew or replace and keep in full force and effect its
legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises,
patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its
business, PROVIDED that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger,
consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

               SECTION 5.05. PAYMENT OF OBLIGATIONS. The Borrower will, and will
cause each of the Subsidiaries to, pay its Indebtedness and other obligations,
including Tax liabilities, before the same shall become delinquent or in
default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has
set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with
GAAP, (c) such contest effectively suspends collection of the contested
obligation and the enforcement of any Lien securing such obligation and (d) the
failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.

               SECTION 5.06. MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES. The Borrower will, and
will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, keep and maintain all property material
to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary
wear and tear excepted.

               SECTION 5.07. INSURANCE. The Borrower will, and will cause each
of the Subsidiaries to, maintain insurance with respect to its material
properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured
against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in
such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such
other Persons. Such insurance shall be maintained with financially sound and
reputable insurers, except that a portion of such insurance program (not to
exceed that which is customary in the case of companies engaged in the same or
similar business or having similar properties similarly situated) may be
effected through self-insurance, provided adequate reserves therefor, in
accordance with GAAP, are maintained. All insurance policies or certificates (or

<PAGE>   54

                                                                              49

certified copies thereof) with respect to such insurance (A) shall be endorsed
to the Collateral Agent's reasonable satisfaction for the benefit of the Lenders
(including, without limitation, by naming the Collateral Agent as loss payee or
additional insured, as appropriate); and (B) shall state that such insurance
policy shall not be canceled or revised without thirty days' prior written
notice thereof by the insurer to the Administrative Agent and (iii) furnish to
the Administrative Agent, on the Closing Date and on the date of delivery of
each annual financial statement, full information as to the insurance carried.
At any time that insurance at levels described in Schedule 3.13 is not being
maintained by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, the
Borrower will notify the Lenders in writing within two Business Days thereof
and, if thereafter notified by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders
to do so, the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, as the case may be, shall obtain
insurance at such levels at least equal to those set forth on Schedule 3.13,
PROVIDED that such insurance can be obtained at commercially reasonable rates.

               SECTION 5.08. CASUALTY AND CONDEMNATION. The Borrower (a) will
furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders prompt written notice of any
casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of any Collateral or
the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any Collateral or
any part thereof or interest therein under power of eminent domain or by
condemnation or similar proceeding and (b) will ensure that the net proceeds of
any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds, condemnation awards
or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Security Documents.

               SECTION 5.09. BOOKS AND RECORDS; INSPECTION AND AUDIT RIGHTS. The
Borrower will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of
record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all
dealings and trans- actions in relation to its business and activities. The
Borrower will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, permit any
representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon
reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and
make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances
and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such
reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.

               SECTION 5.10. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. The Borrower will, and will
cause each of the Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and
orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, except
where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

               SECTION 5.11. USE OF PROCEEDS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT. (a) The
proceeds of Loans will be used by the Borrower (i) if and when the Dickson
Acquisition is consummated, to pay the Dickson Purchase Price, (ii) on the
Closing Date to repay the Existing Credit Agreement Indebtedness and (iii) to
pay fees and expenses of the Borrower or any Subsidiary. The balance of Loans
not used as described above will be used by the Borrower for general corporate
purposes.

               (b) Letters of Credit will be used by the Borrower for ordinary
course purposes.

<PAGE>   55

                                                                              50

               (c) No part of the proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit
will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a
violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations G, U and
X.

               SECTION 5.12. ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIARIES. If any additional wholly
owned Subsidiary is formed or acquired or if any non wholly owned Subsidiary or
Joint Venture that is not a Subsidiary Loan Party becomes a wholly owned
Subsidiary after the Closing Date, the Borrower will, within three Business Days
after such Subsidiary is formed or acquired or such non-wholly owned Subsidiary
or Joint Venture becomes a wholly owned Subsidiary, notify the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders thereof and cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement
to be satisfied with respect to such Subsidiary and with respect to any Equity
Interest in or Indebtedness of such Subsidiary owned by or on behalf of any Loan
Party.

               SECTION 5.13. FURTHER ASSURANCES. (a) The Borrower will, and will
cause each Subsidiary Loan Party to, execute any and all further documents,
financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further
actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements and other
documents), that may be required under any applicable law, or that the
Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, to cause
the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be and remain satisfied, all at the
expense of the Loan Parties. The Borrower also agrees to provide to the
Administrative Agent, from time to time upon request, evidence reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the perfection and priority of
the Liens created or intended to be created by the Security Documents.

               (b) If any material assets are acquired by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary Loan Party after the Closing Date (other than (i) real property and
(ii) assets constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement that become
subject to the Lien of the Security Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the
Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof, and, if
requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, the Borrower will
cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Obligations and will
take, and cause the Subsidiary Loan Parties to take, such actions as shall be
necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and
perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (a) of this
Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.

               (c) Within 90 days following the Closing Date, the Administrative
Agent shall have received (i) counterparts of a Mortgage with respect to each
Mortgaged Property duly executed and delivered by the record owner of such
Mortgaged Property, (ii) a policy or policies of title insurance issued by a
nationally recognized title insurance company insuring the Lien of each such
Mortgage as a valid first Lien on the Mortgaged Property described therein, free
of any other Liens except as expressly permitted by Section 6.02, together with
such endorsements, coinsurance and reinsurance as the Administrative Agent or
the Required Lenders may reasonably request, and (iii) such abstracts,
appraisals, legal opinions and other documents as the Administrative Agent or
the Required Lenders may reasonably request with respect to any such Mortgage or
Mortgaged Property.

               SECTION 5.14. FUTURE PLEDGE. Within 30 days following the date,
if ever, on which the aggregate principal of all loans and other extensions of
credit by the Borrower and any of the Subsidiaries to all Foreign Subsidiaries,
plus the aggregate

<PAGE>   56

                                                                              51

amount of all contributions by the Borrower and any of the Subsidiaries to the
capital of, or other equity investment in, all Foreign Subsidiaries exceed
$15,000,000 in the aggregate, any Loan Party owning Equity Interests in the
Foreign Subsidiaries shall pledge to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of
the Secured Parties (to the extent no adverse tax consequences to the Borrower
would result therefrom) 65% of the outstanding voting Equity Interest of such
Foreign Subsidiary pursuant to a pledge and security agreement in form and
substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent (each a "PLEDGE AGREEMENT") and
shall deliver to the Collateral Agent the certificates representing such capital
stock and such blank powers as the Collateral Agent shall require.

                                   ARTICLE VI

                               Negative Covenants
                               ------------------

               Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the
principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been
paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC
Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with
the Lenders and the Issuing Bank that:

               SECTION 6.01. INDEBTEDNESS; CERTAIN EQUITY SECURITIES. The
Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume
or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

            (a) Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;

            (b) the Subordinated Debt;

            (c) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in
       Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such
       Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
       thereof or result in an earlier maturity date or decreased weighted
       average life thereof;

            (d) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any
       Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, PROVIDED that
       Indebtedness permitted by this clause shall be subject to Section 6.04;

            (e) Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and
       by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other
       Subsidiary, PROVIDED that Guarantees permitted by this clause shall be
       subject to Section 6.04;

            (f) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to
       finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or
       capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness
       assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured
       by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, PROVIDED
       that such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such
       acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, and
       extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do
       not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof or

<PAGE>   57

                                                                              52

       result in an earlier maturity date or decreased weighted average life
       thereof; PROVIDED FURTHER that the aggregate principal amount of
       Indebtedness permitted by this clause (f) shall not at any time
       outstanding exceed $10,000,000 (less the aggregate amount of
       consideration received by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries pursuant to
       sales or transfers of assets effected pursuant to Section 6.06);

            (g) Hedging Agreements permitted under Section 6.07; and

            (h) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount
       not exceeding $10,000,000 at any time outstanding, PROVIDED that the
       aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Subsidiaries permitted
       by this clause (h) shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding.

               SECTION 6.02. LIENS. The Borrower will not, and will not permit
any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any
property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any
income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any
thereof, except:

            (a) Liens created under the Loan Documents;

            (b) Permitted Encumbrances;

            (c) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any
       Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02,
       PROVIDED that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or
       asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure
       only those obligations that it secures on the date hereof and extensions,
       renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding
       principal amount thereof;

            (d) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the
       acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any
       property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date
       hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary, PROVIDED that
       (A) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with
       such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may
       be, (B) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the
       Borrower or any Subsidiary and (C) such Lien shall secure only those
       obligations that it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date
       such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions,
       renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding
       principal amount thereof; and

            (f) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or
       improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, PROVIDED that (A) such
       security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(f), (B)
       such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred
       prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of
       such construction or improvement, (C) the Indebtedness secured thereby
       does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such
       fixed or capital assets and (D) such security interests shall not apply
       to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

<PAGE>   58

                                                                              53

               SECTION 6.03. FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES. (a) The Borrower will not, and
will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other
Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or
liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after
giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any
Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is
the surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into any Subsidiary in
a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary and (if any party to
such merger is a Subsidiary Loan Party) is a Subsidiary Loan Party and (iii) any
Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Loan Party) may liquidate or dissolve if the
Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the
best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the
Lenders, PROVIDED that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly
owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless
also permitted by Sections 6.04 and 6.09.

               (b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the
Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than
businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower on the date of execution of
this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.

               SECTION 6.04. INVESTMENTS, LOANS, ADVANCES, GUARANTEES AND
ACQUISITIONS. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries
to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person
that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any Equity
Interests in or evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any
option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or
permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make
or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or
purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of trans- actions)
any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:

               (a) Permitted Investments;

               (b) investments existing on the date hereof and set forth on
       Schedule 6.04;

               (c) investments by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in Equity
       Interests in their respective wholly owned Subsidiaries that are Loan
       Parties immediately prior to such investment;

               (d) loans or advances made by the Borrower to any wholly owned
       Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and made by any such Subsidiary to the
       Borrower or any wholly owned Subsidiary that is a Loan Party;

               (e) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section
       6.01, PROVIDED that (i) no Subsidiary shall Guarantee the Subordinated
       Debt unless (A) such Subsidiary also has Guaranteed the Obligations
       pursuant to the applicable Guarantee Agreement, (B) such Guarantee of the
       Subordinated Debt is subordinated to such Guarantee of the Obligations on
       terms no less favorable to the Lenders than the subordination provisions
       of the Subordinated Debt and (C) such Guarantee of the Subordinated Debt
       provides for the release and termination thereof, without action by any
       party, upon the sale (including through merger or consolidation) of the
       Equity Interests, or all or substantially all the

<PAGE>   59

                                                                              54

       assets, of the Loan Party granting such Guarantee if such sale is made
       in compliance with the terms of the Subordinated Debt Documents, and
       (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of Subsidiaries
       that are not Loan Parties that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party shall
       be subject to the limitation set forth in clause (h) below;

               (f) Permitted Acquisitions;

               (g) the Dickson Acquisition, PROVIDED that (i) no Default shall
       have occurred and be continuing, (ii) such acquisition shall have been
       consummated in accordance with applicable law and the Dickson Acquisition
       Agreement for aggregate consideration not in excess of the Dickson
       Purchase Price (without giving effect to any amendment, waiver or other
       modification thereto not approved by the Required Lenders), (iii) the
       Lenders shall have received a pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the
       Borrower after giving effect to the Dickson Acquisition, which balance
       sheet shall not be materially inconsistent with the forecasts previously
       provided to the Lenders, (iv) the Lenders shall be reasonably satisfied
       as to the amount and nature of any environmental and employee health and
       safety exposures to which the Borrower and the Subsidiaries may be
       subject after giving effect to the Dickson Acquisition, and with the
       plans of the Borrower with respect thereto, and, to the extent requested
       by the Administrative Agent, the Lenders shall have received
       environmental assessments (including, if applicable, Phase I reports)
       satisfactory to the Administrative Agent from an environmental consulting
       firm satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (v) the Lenders shall have
       received a certificate from the Borrower's Chief Financial Officer, in
       form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, confirming
       (x) that the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are
       solvent and will be solvent after giving effect to the Dickson
       Acquisition and that the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, on a consolidated
       basis, will be able to pay their debts and liabilities as they become due
       and will not be left with unreasonably small capital with which to engage
       in its business and (y) compliance with this proviso and (vi) delivery of
       any information requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the
       Dickson Acquisition (other than audited financial statements);

               (h) investments in and loans and advances to non-wholly owned
       Subsidiaries (other than Foreign Subsidiaries) and Joint Ventures in an
       aggregate amount, on a cumulative basis, subsequent to the Closing Date,
       not exceeding $15,000,000;

               (i) investments constituting Capital Expenditures permitted by
       Section 6.16; PROVIDED that investments permitted by this clause (i) to
       Foreign Subsidiaries or investments otherwise made in countries other
       than the United States shall be permitted only if (x) such investment is
       to a Canadian Foreign Subsidiary or is otherwise made in Canada in an
       aggregate amount, on a cumulative basis, subsequent to the Closing Date,
       not exceeding $35,000,000 or (y) such investment is to a Mexican Foreign
       Subsidiary or is otherwise made in Mexico in an aggregate amount, on a
       cumulative basis, subsequent to the Closing Date, not exceeding
       $30,000,000;

<PAGE>   60

                                                                              55

               (j) other loans, advances and investments, not to exceed
       $10,000,000 at any time outstanding; and

               (k) Hedging Agreements permitted under Section 6.07.

               SECTION 6.05. ASSET SALES. The Borrower will not, and will not
permit any of the Subsidiaries to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of
any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will the Borrower
permit any of the Subsidiaries to issue any additional Equity Interest in such
Subsidiary, except:

               (a) sales of inventory, used or surplus equipment and Permitted
       Investments in the ordinary course of business;

               (b) sales, transfers and dispositions to the Borrower or a
       Subsidiary, PROVIDED that any such sales, transfers or dispositions
       involving a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be made in
       compliance with Section 6.09;

               (c) Specified Asset Sales, PROVIDED that (i) the Borrower shall
       reduce the Commitments in accordance with Section 2.08 by the Specific
       Asset Sale Amount and (ii) if after giving effect to any reduction in
       Commitments pursuant to clause (i) hereof, the sum of the Exposures would
       exceed the total Commitments, the Borrower shall prepay Loans in
       accordance with Section 2.10 in an amount equal to such excess;

               (d) sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets that are
       not permitted by any other clause of this Section, PROVIDED that the
       aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise
       disposed of in reliance upon this clause (d) shall not exceed $10,000,000
       (less the fair market value of any assets sold pursuant to Section
       6.06(a)) during the term of this Agreement;

               (e) sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets that are
       not permitted by any other clause of this Section, PROVIDED that (i) the
       aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise
       disposed of in reliance upon this clause (e) shall not exceed $50,000,000
       (less the fair market value of any assets sold pursuant to Section
       6.06(b)) during the term of this Agreement, (ii) the Borrower shall
       reduce the Commitments in accordance with Section 2.08 by an amount equal
       to the aggregate amount of consideration received in respect of such
       sale, transfer or other disposition of assets and (iii) if after giving
       effect to any reduction in Commitments pursuant to clause (ii) hereof,
       the sum of the Exposures would exceed the total Commitments, the Borrower
       shall prepay Loans in accordance with Section 2.10 in an amount equal to
       such excess; and

               (f) any sale and leaseback transaction permitted by Section 6.06
       may be effected.

PROVIDED that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted
hereby (other than those permitted by clause (b) above) shall be made for fair
value and at least a sufficient portion of the purchase price thereof is in cash
to permit the prepayment of Loans hereunder to the extent required by this
Agreement.

<PAGE>   61

                                                                              56

               SECTION 6.06. SALE AND LEASEBACK TRANSACTIONS. The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement,
directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or
personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereinafter
acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it
intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property
sold or transferred, except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets
that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the cost of such
fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after the Borrower or
such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital
asset, PROVIDED that such transactions shall be permitted if:

               (a) the aggregate consideration received by the Borrower and the
       Subsidiaries pursuant to sales and transfers effected pursuant to this
       clause (a) shall not exceed $10,000,000 (less the fair market value of
       any assets sold pursuant to Section 6.05(c)); and

                (b) to the extent not permitted by clause (a) above, (i) the
       aggregate consideration received by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
       pursuant to sales and transfers effected pursuant to this clause (b)
       shall not exceed $50,000,000 (less the fair market value of assets sold
       pursuant to Section 6.05(d)), (ii) the Borrower shall reduce the
       Commitments in accordance with Section 2.08 by an amount equal to the
       aggregate consideration received in respect of such sale or transfer
       effected pursuant to this clause (b) and (iii) if after giving effect to
       any reduction in Commitments pursuant to clause (ii) hereof, the sum of
       the Exposures would exceed the total Commitments, the Borrower shall
       prepay Loans in accordance with Section 2.10 in an amount equal to such
       excess.

               SECTION 6.07. HEDGING AGREEMENTS. The Borrower will not, and will
not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, enter into any Hedging Agreement, other
than Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge
or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is exposed in the
conduct of its business or the management of its liabilities. Solely for the
avoidance of doubt, the Borrower acknowledges that a Hedging Agreement entered
into for speculative purposes or of a speculative nature (which shall be deemed
to include any Hedging Agreement under which the Borrower or any of the
Subsidiaries is or may become obligated to make any payment (a) in connection
with the purchase by any third party of any capital stock or any Indebtedness or
(b) as a result of changes in the market value of any capital stock or any
Indebtedness) is not a Hedging Agreement entered into in the ordinary course of
business to hedge or mitigate risks.

               SECTION 6.08. RESTRICTED PAYMENTS; CERTAIN PAYMENTS OF
INDEBTEDNESS. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to,
declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted
Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i)
the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its capital stock
payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (ii) Subsidiaries may
declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their capital stock and (iii)
the Borrower may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $1,000,000 during any
fiscal year, pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other
benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries.

<PAGE>   62

                                                                              57

               (b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to,
make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other
distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of
principal of or interest on any Indebtedness, or any payment or other
distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any
sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption,
retirement, acquisition, cancelation or termination of any Indebtedness, except:

            (i)  payment of Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;

            (ii) payment of regularly scheduled interest (including any
       additional interest arising pursuant to any registration rights agreement
       related thereto) and principal payments as and when due in respect of any
       Indebtedness other than payments in respect of the Subordinated Debt
       prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof;

            (iii) refinancings of Indebtedness to the extent permitted by
       Section 6.01; and

            (iv) payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of
       the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such
       Indebtedness (including the purchase of any asset subject to a capital
       lease obligation pursuant to a purchase option) permitted by this
       Agreement.

               SECTION 6.09. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES. The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer
any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property
or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its
Affiliates, except (a) transactions in the ordinary course of business at prices
and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such
Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm's-length basis from unrelated third
parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan
Parties not involving any other Affiliate, and (c) any Restricted Payment
permitted by Section 6.08.

               SECTION 6.10. RESTRICTIVE AGREEMENTS. The Borrower will not, and
will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or
permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or
imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to
create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets or
(b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with
respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances
to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the
Borrower or any other Subsidiary, PROVIDED that (i) the foregoing shall not
apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document,
(ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on
the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or
renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such
restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary
restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a
Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply
only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder,
(iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to (x) restrictions or
conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted
by this

<PAGE>   63

                                                                              58

Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or
assets securing such Indebtedness and (y) the Subordinated Debt Document and (v)
clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases
and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

               SECTION 6.11. AMENDMENT OF MATERIAL DOCUMENTS. The Borrower will
not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its
rights under (a) any Subordinated Debt Document, (b) its certificate of
incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents or (c) its material
agreements, in each case in such a manner that could reasonably be expected to
be adverse to the Lenders or otherwise result in a Material Adverse Effect.

               SECTION 6.12. TOTAL LEVERAGE RATIO. (a) During any period set
forth below in which no Subordinated Debt is outstanding, the Borrower will not
permit the Total Leverage Ratio as of any day during any such period to exceed
the ratio set forth opposite such period:

================================================================================
                           Period                             Ratio
                           ------                             -----

         October 31, 2000, to April 29, 2001               4.00 to 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         April 30, 2001, to October 30, 2001               3.75 to 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         October 31, 2001, and thereafter                  3.50 to 1.00
================================================================================

               (b) During any period set forth below in which Subordinated Debt
is outstanding, the Borrower will not permit the Total Leverage Ratio as of any
day during any such period to exceed the ratio set forth opposite such period:

================================================================================
                           Period                             Ratio
                           ------                             -----
         October 31, 2000, to April 29, 2001               4.25 to 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         April 30, 2001, to October 30, 2001               4.00 to 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         October 31, 2001, and thereafter                  3.75 to 1.00
================================================================================

               SECTION 6.13. MINIMUM COVERAGE RATIO. The Borrower will not
permit the Minimum Coverage Ratio for any period of four consecutive fiscal
quarters ending during any period set forth below to be less than the ratio set
forth opposite such period:

================================================================================
                          Period                             Ratio
                          ------                             -----
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         October 31, 2000, to April 29, 2001               3.00 to 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>   64

                                                                              59

================================================================================
                          Period                             Ratio
                          ------                             -----
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         April 30, 2001, to October 30, 2001               3.25 to 1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         October 31, 2001, and thereafter                  3.50 to 1.00
================================================================================

               SECTION 6.14. SENIOR LEVERAGE RATIO. During any period in which
Subordinated Debt is outstanding, the Borrower will not permit the Senior
Leverage Ratio as of any day after October 31, 2000, to exceed 3.00 to 1.00.

               SECTION 6.15. CONSOLIDATED TANGIBLE NET WORTH. The Borrower will
not permit the Consolidated Tangible Net Worth at any time to be less than the
sum of (a) $170,000,000, (b) 50% of Consolidated Net Income (if positive) for
the period (taken as a single accounting period) from the Closing Date and
ending on the last date of the quarter as to which compliance with this Section
6.15 is being determined and (c) the amount of any increase in Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth attributable to the issuance by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary of its capital stock, or any capital contribution to the Borrower,
after the Closing Date.

               SECTION 6.16. CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. (a) The Borrower will not
permit the aggregate amount of Capital Expenditures (i) in respect of the twelve
month period ending October 31, 2000, to exceed $95,000,000, and (ii) in respect
of any fiscal year ending on a date set forth below to exceed the amount set
forth in the table below opposite such date:

 Date of Fiscal Year End                                      Amount
 -----------------------                                      ------

 October 31, 2001                                          $60,000,000
 October 31, 2002                                          $40,000,000
 October 31, 2003, and thereafter                          $35,000,000

               (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may in respect of
the fiscal year ending on October 31, 2002, and each fiscal year thereafter,
increase the amount of Capital Expenditures permitted to be made during such
fiscal year pursuant to Section 6.16(a) by an amount equal to the total unused
amount of permitted Capital Expenditures for the immediately preceding fiscal
year (without giving effect to the amount of any unused permitted Capital
Expenditures that were carried forward to such preceding fiscal year).

               SECTION 6.17 DESIGNATED SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS. The Borrower shall
not designate any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under the Loan
Documents) as "Designated Senior Indebtedness" for purposes of and as defined in
the Subordinated Debt Documents.

<PAGE>   65

                                                                              60

                              ARTICLE VII

                            Events of Default
                            -----------------

       If any of the following events ("EVENTS OF DEFAULT") shall occur:

               (a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or
       any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when
       and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date
       thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

               (b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or
       any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause
       (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan
       Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such
       failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;

               (c) any representation or warranty that is qualified as to
       materiality and made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or
       any Subsidiary in or in connection with any Loan Document or any
       amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any
       report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished
       pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or
       modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been
       incorrect when made or deemed made or any such representation or
       warranty that is not qualified as to materiality shall prove to have
       been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

               (d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant,
       condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.04 (with respect to
       the existence of the Borrower), 5.11 or 5.14 or in Article VI;

               (e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant,
       condition or agreement contained in any Loan Document (other than those
       specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure
       shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof
       from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be
       given at the request of any Lender);

               (f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment
       (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect
       of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and
       payable;

               (g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material
       Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that
       enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of
       time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness (or any
       portion of the principal amount thereof) or any trustee or agent on its
       or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to
       require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof (or
       any portion of the principal amount thereof), or to require any offer to
       be made to prepay, repurchase, redeem or defease any Material
       Indebtedness or any portion of the principal amount thereof) prior to
       its scheduled maturity, PROVIDED that this clause (g) shall not apply to
       secured Indebtedness that becomes

<PAGE>   66

                                                                              61
       due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or
       assets securing such Indebtedness;

               (h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an
       involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation,
       reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any
       Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under
       any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or
       similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a
       receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar
       official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of
       its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall
       continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or
       ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

               (i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily
       commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation,
       reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign
       bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in
       effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a
       timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in
       clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the
       appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator
       or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a
       substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the
       material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such
       proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors
       or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the
       foregoing;

               (j) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit
        in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they
        become due;

               (k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an
       aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 shall be rendered against the
       Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall
       remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which
       execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be
       legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets
       of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

               (l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the reasonable
       opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other
       ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result
       in liability of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount
       exceeding (i) $2,500,000 in any year or (ii) $5,000,000 for all periods;

               (m) (i) any Lien purported to be created under any Security
       Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not
       to be, a valid and perfected Lien on any Collateral having a value in
       excess of $250,000, with the priority required by the applicable
       Security Document, except as a result of the sale or other disposition
       of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan
       Documents or (ii) the Obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary
       pursuant to a Guarantee Agreement, shall cease to, or shall be asserted
       not to be, senior indebtedness under the subordination provisions of any
       document or instrument evidencing any permitted subordinated
       Indebtedness or

<PAGE>   67

                                                                              62

       such subordination provisions shall be invalidated or otherwise cease to
       be, or shall be asserted not to be, legal, valid and binding obligations
       of the parties thereto, enforceable in accordance with their terms; or

               (n) a Change in Control shall occur;

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower
described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter
during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the
request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or
both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the
Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii)
declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part,
in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter
be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so
declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all
fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due
and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of
any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any
event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this
Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the
Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and
other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become
due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                            The Administrative Agent
                            ------------------------

               Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably
appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative
Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are
delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents,
together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. For
purposes of this Article VIII and for the purposes of Article IX, all references
to the Administrative Agent are deemed to include the Collateral Agent.

               The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have
the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and
may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such
bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally
engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any
Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

               The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations
except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject
to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has
occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty
to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except
discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents
that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing

<PAGE>   68

                                                                              63

by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as
shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c)
except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent
shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to
disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries
that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent
or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be
liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the
request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the
Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section
9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or wilful misconduct. The
Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless
and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the
Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for
or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or
representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the
contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in
connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the
covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan
Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any
Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the
satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan
Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be
delivered to the Administrative Agent.

               The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and
shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request,
certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed
by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The
Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by
telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not
incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult
with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent
accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any
action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such
counsel, accountants or experts.

               The Administrative Agent may perform any of and all its duties
and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents
appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such
sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers
through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the
preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related
Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to
their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit
facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

               Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor
Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may
resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower.
Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in
consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall
have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such
appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice
of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the
Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent that
shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any
such

<PAGE>   69

                                                                              64

bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder
by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the
rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and
the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and
obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor
Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor
unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the
Administrative Agent's resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and
Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring
Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in
respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was
acting as Administrative Agent.

               Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without
reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also
acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the
Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and
information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its
own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement,
any other Loan Document or related agreement or any document furnished hereunder
or thereunder.

               The Lenders identified in this Agreement as the Documentation
Agent and the Syndication Agent shall not have any right, power, obligation,
liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those
applicable to all Lenders. Without limiting the foregoing, neither the
Documentation Agent nor the Syndication Agent shall have or be deemed to have a
fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender hereby makes the same
acknowledgments with respect to the Documentation Agent and the Syndication
Agent as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender
in this Article VIII.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                                  Miscellaneous
                                  -------------

               SECTION 9.01. NOTICES. Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and
other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be
delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or
registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

               (a) if to the Borrower, to it at 5389 West 130 St., Cleveland,
       Ohio 44130, Attention of Craig A. Stacy (Telecopy No. (216) 265-4244),
       with a copy to Wegman, Hessler, Vanderburg & O'Toole at 6055 Rockside
       Woods Boulevard, Suite 200, Cleveland, Ohio 44131, Attention of Steven E.
       Pryatel (Telecopy No. (216) 642-8826)

               (b) if to the Administrative Agent, to The Chase Manhattan Bank,
       Loan and Agency Services Group, One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 8th Floor, New
       York, New York 10081, Attention of Jesus Sang (Telecopy No. (212)
       552-5650), with a

<PAGE>   70

                                                                              65

       copy to The Chase Manhattan Bank,  270 Park Avenue, New York,
       New York 10017, Attention of Julie Long (Telecopy No. (212) 270-5127);

               (c) if to the Issuing Bank, to Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A.,
       Letter of Credit Department; 8th Floor, 1201 Market Street, Wilmington,
       Delaware 19801, Attention of Mike Handago (Telecopy No. (302) 428-3390);

               (d) if to the Swingline Lender, to The Chase Manhattan Bank, Loan
       and Agency Services Group, One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 8th Floor, New
       York, New York 10081, Attention of Jesus Sang (Telecopy No. (212)
       552-5650); and

               (e) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy
       number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other
communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and
other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions
of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

               SECTION 9.02. WAIVERS; AMENDMENTS. (a) No failure or delay by the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or
power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver
thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or
any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power,
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative
and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.
No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by
any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall
be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent
shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which
given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or
issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any
Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the
Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

               (b) Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any
provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except, in the
case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing
entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or, in the case of any
other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered
into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are
parties thereto, in each case with the consent of the Required Lenders, PROVIDED
that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without
the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan
or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees
payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby,
(iii) postpone the maturity of any Loan, or the required date of reimbursement
of any LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest or fees
payable hereunder, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any
Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv)
change Section 2.17(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing
of payments

<PAGE>   71

                                                                              66

required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) increase the
aggregate amount of the Lenders Commitments or incur any Indebtedness that is
secured by a Lien on any assets or property subject to the Security Documents,
in each case without the written consent of Lenders having Exposures and unused
Commitments representing at least 66b% of the sum of the total Exposures and
unused Commitments at such time, (vi) change any of the provisions of this
Section or the percentage set forth in the definition of the term "Required
Lenders" or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or
percentage of Lenders or Lenders of any Class required to waive, amend or modify
any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder,
without the written consent of each Lender, (vii) release any material
Subsidiary Loan Party from its Guarantee under the Guarantee Agreement, or limit
its liability in respect of such Guarantee, without the written consent of each
Lender or (viii) release a substantial portion of the Collateral from the Liens
of the Security Documents, without the written consent of each Lender (except as
expressly provided in such Security Documents); PROVIDED, FURTHER that (A) no
such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of
the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender without the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the
Swingline Lender, as the case may be.

               SECTION 9.03. EXPENSES; INDEMNITY; DAMAGE WAIVER. (a) The
Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the
Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent and their
respective Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements
of counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent and the
Documentation Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities
provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents or
any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions thereof (whether or
not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii)
all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection
with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or
any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred
by the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, the
Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any
counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation
Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or
protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its
rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of
Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred
during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or
Letters of Credit.

               (b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the
Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender,
and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being
called an "INDEMNITEE") against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and
all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the
reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee,
incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection
with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of any Loan Document or
any other agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the
parties to the Loan Documents of their respective obligations thereunder or the
consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby,
(ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom
(including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment

<PAGE>   72

                                                                              67

under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such
demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii)
any actual or alleged presence, Release or threatened Release of Hazardous
Materials on or from any Mortgaged Property or any other property currently or
formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, or any
Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of the
Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation
or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort
or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto,
PROVIDED that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to
the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses
are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable
judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of such
Indemnitee.

               (c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount
required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent,
the Documentation Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, the
Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender's pro rata
share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or
indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, PROVIDED that the
unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related
expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the
Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, the
Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such. For purposes
hereof, a Lender's "pro rata share" shall be determined based upon its share of
the sum of the total Exposures and unused Commitments at the time.

               (d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall
not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory
of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as
opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a
result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby,
the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds
thereof. In addition, no Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from
the use by others of information or other materials obtained through electronic,
telecommunications or other information transmission systems.

               (e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later
than five days after written demand therefor.

               SECTION 9.04. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. (a) The provisions of this
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any
Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that the
Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted
assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and
void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to
confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective
successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing
Bank that issues any Letter of Credit) and, to the extent expressly contemplated
hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Bank and the

<PAGE>   73

                                                                              68

Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of
this Agreement.

               (b) Any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a
portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it), PROVIDED that
(i) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or Lender Affiliate, each of
the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline
Lender must give their prior written consent to such assignment (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld), (ii) except in the case of an assignment to
a Lender or Lender Affiliate or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of
the assigning Lender's Commitment or Loans, the amount of the Commitment or
Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of
the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is
delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless
each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, (iii) each
partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all
the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, (iv) the
parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent
an Assignment and Acceptance, together with a processing and recordation fee of
$3,500, and (v) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; and PROVIDED FURTHER that
any consent of the Borrower otherwise required under this paragraph shall not be
required if a Default has occurred and is continuing. Subject to acceptance and
recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section, from and after the
effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance the assignee
thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned
by such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender
under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent
of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and
Acceptance covering all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under
this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue
to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03). Any
assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement
that does not comply with this paragraph shall be treated for purposes of this
Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and
obligations in accordance with paragraph (e) of this Section.

               (c) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent
of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in The City of New York a
copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for the
recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of,
and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender
pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the "REGISTER"). The entries in
the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent,
the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in
the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes
of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be
available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at
any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

               (d) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and
Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee's
completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a
Lender hereunder),

<PAGE>   74

                                                                              69

the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section
and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this
Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Acceptance
and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment
shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in
the Register as provided in this paragraph.

               (e) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell
participations to one or more banks or other entities (a "PARTICIPANT") in all
or a portion of such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it),
PROVIDED that (i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain
unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties
hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the
Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to
deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's
rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument
pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such
Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce the Loan Documents and to approve
any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents,
PROVIDED that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will
not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment,
modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that
affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (f) of this Section, the Borrower
agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14,
2.15 and 2.16 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its
interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent
permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of
Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be
subject to Section 2.17(c) as though it were a Lender.

               (f) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater
payment under Section 2.14 or 2.16 than the applicable Lender would have been
entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant,
unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the
Borrower's prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender
if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.16 unless
the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such
Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section
2.16(e) as though it were a Lender.

               (g) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security
interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure
obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure
obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any
such pledge or assignment of a security interest, PROVIDED that no such pledge
or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender
as a party hereto.

               (h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
any Lender (a "GRANTING LENDER") may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle
(an "SPV"), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting
Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to
the Borrower all or any

<PAGE>   75

                                                                              70

part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make
to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, PROVIDED that (i) nothing herein
shall constitute a commitment by any SPV to make any Loan and (ii) if an SPV
elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part
of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant
to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPV hereunder shall utilize the
Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were
made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall
be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement
(all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). In furtherance
of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive
the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and
one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other
senior indebtedness of any SPV, it will not institute against, or join any other
person in instituting against, such SPV any bankruptcy, reorganization,
arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United
States or any State thereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Section 9.04, any SPV may (i) with notice to, but without the
prior written consent of, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without
paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in
any Loans to the Granting Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to
by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) providing liquidity and/or credit
support to or for the account of such SPV to support the funding or maintenance
of Loans and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information
relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider
of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPV. As this
Section 9.04(h) applies to any particular SPV, this Section may not be amended
without the written consent of such SPV.

               SECTION 9.05. SURVIVAL. All covenants, agreements,
representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents
and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or
pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to
have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the
execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and
issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any
such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative
Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any
Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is
extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the
principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount
payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit
is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.
The provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall
survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration
or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination
of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

               SECTION 9.06. COUNTERPARTS; INTEGRATION; EFFECTIVENESS. This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement,
the other Loan Documents, the commitment letter and fee letter heretofore
entered into with the Administrative Agent relating to the facilities
contemplated by this Agreement and any separate letter

<PAGE>   76

                                                                              71

agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute
the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and
supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written,
relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this
Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the
Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received
counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of
the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by
telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of
this Agreement.

               SECTION 9.07. SEVERABILITY. Any provision of this Agreement held
to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such
jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in
a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.

               SECTION 9.08. RIGHT OF SETOFF. If an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby
authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or
demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time
owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the
Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter
existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or
not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although
such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section
are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff)
which such Lender may have.

               SECTION 9.09. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF
PROCESS. (A) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED
BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

               (b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits,
for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United
States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate
court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating
to any Loan Document, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and
each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that
all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and
determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such
Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any
such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that
the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to
bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan
Document against the Borrower or their properties in the courts of any
jurisdiction.

<PAGE>   77

                                                                              72

               (c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives,
to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which
it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan
Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the
parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or
proceeding in any such court.

               (d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service
of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this
Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this
Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

               SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY
WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE
TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF
OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH
PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY
OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD
NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B)
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER
INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

               SECTION 9.11. HEADINGS. Article and Section headings and the
Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not
part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken
into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

               SECTION 9.12. CONFIDENTIALITY. Each of the Administrative Agent,
the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders
agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below),
except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates'
directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel
and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure
is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and
instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested
by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or
regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party
to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder
or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan
Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an
agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section,
to any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or
Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (g) with
the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes
publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii)
becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the
Documentation Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential

<PAGE>   78

                                                                              73

basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section,
the term "INFORMATION" means all information received from the Borrower relating
to the Borrower or its businesses, other than any such information that is
available to the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation
Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to
disclosure by the Borrower, PROVIDED that, in the case of information received
from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified
at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the
confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered
to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the
same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such
Person would accord to its own confidential information.

               SECTION 9.13. INTEREST RATE LIMITATION. Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan,
together with all fees, charges and other amounts that are treated as interest
on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the "CHARGES"), shall exceed the
maximum lawful rate (the "MAXIMUM RATE") that may be contracted for, charged,
taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with
applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder,
together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the
Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have
been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the
operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges
payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased
(but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together
with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of
repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

<PAGE>   79

                                                                              74

               IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and
year first above written.

                                   SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.,

                                      by /s/ Craig A. Stacy
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Craig A. Stacy
                                         Title: Chief Financial Officer

                                   THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                                   individually and as Administrative Agent
                                   and Collateral Agent,

                                      by /s/ Bruce Borden
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Bruce Borden
                                         Title: Vice President

                                   KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
                                   individually and as Syndication Agent,

                                      by /s/ Brendan A. Lawler
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Brendan A. Lawler
                                         Title: Vice President

                                   BANK ONE, MICHIGAN,
                                   individually and as Documentation Agent,

                                      by /s/ Paul Flynn
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Paul Flynn
                                         Title: First Vice President

<PAGE>   80

                                                                              75

                                   THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,

                                      by /s/ A. S. Norsworthy
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name:  A. S. Norsworthy
                                         Title: Sr. Team Leader Loan Operations

<PAGE>   81

                                                                              76

                                   COMERICA BANK,

                                      by /s/ Steven J. McComack
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Steven J. McComack
                                         Title: Assistant Vice President
                                         For:

<PAGE>   82

                                                               77

                                   FIRSTAR BANK NATIONAL
                                   ASSOCIATION,

                                      by /s/ David J. Dannemiller
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: David J. Dannemiller
                                         Title: Vice President
<PAGE>   83
                                                               78

                                   LASALLE BANK NATIONAL
                                   ASSOCIATION,

                                      by /s/ Robert M. Walker
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Robert M. Walker
                                         Title: Commercial Banking Officer

<PAGE>   84

                                                                          79

                                   PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

                                      by /s/ David J. Wheaton
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: David J. Wheaton
                                         Title: Vice President
<PAGE>   85

                                                                              80

                                   MELLON BANK, N.A.,

                                      by /s/ Christopher S. Ragheb
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Christopher S. Ragheb
                                         Title: Vice President
<PAGE>   86

                                                                              81

                                   THE MITSUBISHI TRUST AND
                                   BANKING CORPORATION,

                                      by /s/ Toshihiro Hayashi
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Toshihiro Hayashi
                                         Title: Senior Vice President

<PAGE>   87

                                                                              82

                                   NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA,

                                      by /s/ Timothy V. Coleman
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Timothy V. Coleman
                                         Title: Vice President

<PAGE>   88

                                                                              83

                                    NATIONAL CITY BANK,

                                      by /s/ Robert S. Coleman
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: /s/ Robert S. Coleman
                                         Title: Vice President/Senior Lending
                                                Officer
<PAGE>   89

                                                                              84

                                   REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION,

                                      by /s/ Sam Prudhomme
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: Sam Prudhomme
                                         Title: National Division Representative

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