Document:

Exhibit 4(a)(2)

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                        THOMAS INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

                             THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.

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

                                 FIRST AMENDMENT

                            Dated as of July 30, 2002

                                       To

                                 NOTE AGREEMENT

                   Amended and Restated as of November 6, 1998

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

                          $85,000,000 Principal Amount
                               9.36% Senior Notes
                              Due January 31, 2005

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

<PAGE>

                        FIRST AMENDMENT TO NOTE AGREEMENT

         This First Amendment dated as of July 30, 2002 to the Note Agreement,
amended and restated as of November 6, 1998 (this "Amendment"), is among Thomas
Industries Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Holdings"), Thomas
Industries Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company", and together with
Holdings collectively referred to as the "Issuers") and the institutions listed
on the signature pages hereto (collectively, the "Noteholders").

                                    RECITALS:

         A. The Company, Holdings and the Noteholders have heretofore entered
into that certain Note Agreement amended and restated as of November 6, 1998
(the "Note Agreement"). The Company has heretofore issued its $85,000,000 9.36%
Senior Notes, due January 31, 2005 (the "Notes") pursuant to the Note Agreement.
The Noteholders are the holders more than 2/3 of the principal amount of the
Notes presently outstanding.

         B. The Company and Holdings and the Noteholders now desire to amend
certain provisions of the Note Agreement as of July 30, 2002 (the "Effective
Date") in the respects, but only in the respects, hereinafter set forth.

         C. All requirements of law have been fully complied with and all other
acts and things necessary to make this Amendment a valid, legal and binding
instrument according to its terms for the purposes herein expressed have been
done or performed.

         NOW, THEREFORE, upon the full and complete satisfaction of the
conditions precedent to the effectiveness of this Amendment set forth in Section
5 hereof, the Issuers and the Noteholders, for good and valuable consideration
the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, do hereby agree as
follows:

     SECTION 1 Definitions; References. Unless otherwise specifically defined
herein, each term used herein which is defined in the Note Agreement shall have
the meaning assigned to such term in the Note Agreement. Each reference to
"hereof", "hereunder", "herein" and "hereby" and each other similar reference
and each reference to "this Agreement" and each other similar reference
contained in the Note Agreement shall from and after the date hereof refer to
the Note Agreement as amended hereby.

     SECTION 2 Amendment of Section 8.3 of the Note Agreement. The introductory
paragraph of Section 8.3 of the Note Agreement is amended by inserting after the
words "any Lien on its properties or assets, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired" and before the comma following immediately thereafter the
parenthetical phrase "(unless, concurrently with the incurrence, assumption or
creation of such Lien, the Company makes, or causes to be made, effective
provision whereby the Notes are equally and ratably secured by a Lien on the
same property or assets)".

     SECTION 3 Amendment of Section 8.4 of the Note Agreement. The first
sentence of Section 8.4(b) of the Note Agreement is amended in its entirety to
read as follows:

<PAGE>

                  "The Company will not permit at any time Debt of its
                  Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Debt owed to the Company
                  or another Restricted Subsidiary) and Secured Debt (together
                  "Priority Debt") to be incurred unless either (A) after giving
                  effect thereto, (i) such Priority Debt would be permitted to
                  be outstanding under paragraph (a) of this Section 8.4, and
                  (ii) the aggregate amount of such Priority Debt at any time
                  outstanding would not exceed the sum of $10,000,000 plus 15%
                  of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or (B) both (i) such
                  Priority Debt consists of guarantees by all or a portion of
                  the Restricted Subsidiaries of Debt of the Company or Holdings
                  (which Debt of the Company or Holdings is permitted under
                  paragraph (a) of this Section 8.4) and (ii) the Restricted
                  Subsidiaries which provide such guarantees provide guarantees
                  of the Notes on an equal and ratable basis."

     SECTION 4 Representations and Warranties of the Issuers. Each Issuer
represents and warrants that as of the Effective Date and after giving effect to
the transactions contemplated by this Amendment:

     (a) no Event Default has occurred and is continuing;

     (b) no event which, but for the giving of notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute an Event of Default (any such event being referred to as a
"Default") has occurred and is continuing;

     (c) since March 31, 2002, there has been no change in the condition,
financial or otherwise, of the Issuers as shown on the consolidated balance
sheet as of such date except changes in the ordinary course of business, none of
which individually or in the aggregate has had, or reasonably could be expected
to have, a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and

     (d) each representation and warranty of such Issuer set forth in the Note
Agreement is true and correct as though made on and as of such date.

     SECTION 5 Effectiveness. This Amendment shall become effective as of the
Effective Date when the following conditions precedent shall have been
satisfied:

     (a) receipt by the Noteholders of certificates dated the Effective Date,
signed on behalf of Holdings by an authorized officer of Holdings and on behalf
of the Company by an authorized officer of the Company, the truth and accuracy
of which shall be a condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Amendment
to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of the Company and
Holdings set forth herein are true and correct on and as of the Effective Date
and (ii) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and

     (b) receipt by the Noteholders of duly executed counterparts hereof signed
by Holdings and the Company.

<PAGE>

     SECTION 6 Effect of Amendment. Except as expressly set forth herein, the
amendment contained herein shall not constitute a waiver or amendment of any
term or condition of the Note Agreement, and all such terms and conditions shall
remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed in all
respects.

     SECTION 7 Counterparts. This Amendment may be signed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

     SECTION 8 Governing Law. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

<PAGE>

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

                                       THOMAS INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

                                       By:  /s/ Ronald D. Wiseman
                                           -------------------------------------
                                       Name:    Ronald D. Wiseman
                                             -----------------------------------
                                       Title:   Treasurer
                                              ----------------------------------

                                       THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.

                                       By:  /s/ Phillip J. Stuecker
                                           -------------------------------------
                                       Name:    Phillip J. Stuecker
                                             -----------------------------------
                                       Title:   Vice-President, CFO and
                                                Secretary
                                              ----------------------------------

                    [SIGNATURE PAGES FOR NOTEHOLDERS FOLLOW]

<PAGE>

                                 ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 By:  /s/ Robert B. Bodett
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Robert B. Bodett
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Authorized Signatory
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 By:  /s/ Ronald A. Mendel
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Ronald A. Mendel
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Authorized Signatory
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $4,822,729

<PAGE>

                                 MINNESOTA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                 By:  Advantus Capital Management, Inc.

                                 By:  /s/ Frederick Feuerherm
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Frederick Feuerherm
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Vice President
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $2,724,709.27
                                                                  $1,035,387.58

<PAGE>

                                 THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS
                                 formely known as Aid Association for Lutherans)

                                 By:  /s/ Glen Vanic
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Glen Vanic
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Portfolio Manager
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $2,179,768.48

<PAGE>

                                 AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
                                 formely known as Aid Association for Lutherans)

                                 By:  /s/ Phillip Hannifan
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Phillip Hannifan
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Investment Director
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $1,362,352.96

<PAGE>

                                 NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 By:  /s/ R. Scott Higgins
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    R. Scott Higgins
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Vice President
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $1,925,000

<PAGE>

                                 THE FRANKLIN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY,

                                 THE AMERICAN FRANKLIN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                 and

                                 AMERICAN GENERAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW
                                 YORK

                                 By:  AIG Global Investment Corp., investment
                                      adviser

                                 By:  /s/ Douglas H. Allen
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                          Doughlas H. Allen
                                          Vice President

                                 The Franklin Life Insurance Company
                                 Principal amount of note held:  $1,416,847.09

                                 The American Franklin Life Insurance Company
                                 Principal amount of note held:  $81,741.27

                                 American General Life Insurance Company of New
                                 York
                                 Principal amount of note held:  $136,234.71

<PAGE>

                                 AMERICAN UNITED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 By:  /s/ Christoper D. Pahlke
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Christoper D. Pahlke
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Vice President
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $1,360,000.00

<PAGE>

                                 MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA

                                 By:  /s/ Michael E. Dau
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Michael E. Dau
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Manager, Securities Division
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $544,941.90

<PAGE>

                                 WOODMEN ACCIDENT AND LIFE COMPANY

                                 By:  /s/ Joseph J. Mick
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Joseph J. Mick
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Senior Securities Analayst and
                                          Assistant Treasurer
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $817,408.00

<PAGE>

                                 JEFFERSON PILOT FINANCIAL INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 By:  /s/ Robert E. Whalen, II
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Robert E. Whalen, II
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Vice President
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $681,176.30

<PAGE>

                                 PAN-AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE CO.

                                 By:  /s/ Luis I. Ingles, Jr.
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Name:    Luis I. Ingles, Jr.
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                 Title:   Senior Vice President - Investments
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                 Principal amount of notes held:  $544,941.32
                                                               (current balance)SERVICE AGREEMENT

Between

TIWR HOLDING GMBH & CO. KG

- hereinafter called "Company" -

a n d

DIETER RIETSCHLE

- hereinafter called "General Manager" -

1.       SCOPE OF DUTIES

1.1      The Company hereby employs the General Manager as its general manager.
         The General Manager shall represent the Company and conduct any Company
         business pursuant to applicable laws, the provisions of the Company's
         Articles of Association, any rules of procedure applicable to
         Management, and instructions given by the Shareholders.

1.2      The Company may appoint further general managers. In any such event,
         the General Manager shall represent the Company with another general
         manager and/or a Prokurist. The Company may grant any individual
         general manager sole power of representation.

1.3      It shall be incumbent upon the Shareholder Meeting to determine, from
         time to time, the allocation of business among the various general
         managers.

<PAGE>

2.       TERM

2.1      The Employment of the General Manager shall commence on August 30,
          2002.

2.2      This Service Agreement shall be concluded until December 31, 2004. This
         Service Agreement shall be automatically extended by successive one
         years' periods unless it is terminated 6 months prior to its
         expiration.

2.3      Any notice of termination shall be given in writing.

2.4      In the event of a termination of this Service Agreement by either party
         the Company may release the General Manager from his services until the
         end of the termination period and subject to continuing payments
         attributable to him under this Service Agreement.

2.5      This Service Agreement shall terminate without requiring any further
         notice at the end of the month during which the General Manager attains
         the age of 65.

3.       TRANSACTIONS SUBJECT TO CONSENT

         Any business transactions beyond the normal scope of business shall be
         subject to the prior consent of the Shareholder Meeting. This shall
         include but not be limited to:

<PAGE>

-        purchase, disposal and mortgaging of real property and rights
         equivalent to real property;

-        taking up new, abandoning existing, Company businesses;

-        formation and discontinuance of branch offices and branch operations;

-        purchase and disposal of operations and permanent holdings;

-        conclusion, amendment and revocation of contracts for the lease of
         running concerns, profit-and-loss assumption agreements as well as
         other corporate agreements;

-        taking out and repayment of loans;

-        agreeing upon credit lines for current account and acceptance credits,
         as well as amending any such agreement;

-        granting loans;

-        providing collateral for any third party, including but not limited to
         standing surety and providing warranties;

-        conclusion, amendment and termination of license agreements regarding
         industrial property rights and know how;

-        realization of investments (including leasing) if the purchase or
         production costs exceed EUR 150,000 in a business year or EUR 100,000
         in a single case;

<PAGE>

-        conclusion, amendment and termination of rent, lease and licence
         agreements as well as any other agreeement with a term or notice period
         of more than five years or an annual rent or lease of more than EUR
         100,000;

-        granting and withdrawing powers of commercial representation or agency;

-        conclusion, amendment and termination of contracts for the service of
         managers holding commercial powers of representation, commercial powers
         of agency or of employees performing similar functions;

-        pension agreements, profit sharing agreements and any other allowances
         granted by the Company to the staff except for the usual Christmas
         allowance and holiday allowance;

-        execution of voting rights in holding companies if the legal
         transaction to be resolved is a legal transaction or act which requires
         consent within the meaning of this contract or if the shareholders'
         meeting would be responsible;

-        agreements with shareholders or persons associated with them.

4.       REMUNERATION

4.1      The General Manager shall be entitled to an annual salary of EUR
         232.000,00 gross, payable in 12 equal monthly instalments, statutory
         deductions being retained.

<PAGE>

         The Company shall reimburse the General Manager 50% of his social
         security contributions (pension, health, unemployment, health care) up
         to a maximum amount under the German social security system.

4.2      The Managing Director is entitled to receive a director's bonus. The
         director's bonus is calculated as follows:

         Calculation basis is the profit of the group (referring to the Company
         as parent company of the group) before the reduction of trade tax. The
         following graduation is hereby applicable:

         -        up to EUR 100,000 group profit - 0,
         -        up to EUR 150,000 group profit - 2.5 %,
         -        up to EUR 200,000 group profit - 5 %,
         -        up to EUR 300,000 group profit - 7.5 %,
         -        above EUR 300,000 group profit - 10 %.

         The director's bonus can only amount to a maximum of 30 % of the
         current salary.

4.3      Travel and other expenses shall be reimbursed to the Managing Director
         in accordance with the Company's expense policy and within the scope of
         the amounts permissable under the tax regulations.

4.4      The General Manager shall be entitled to a upper class Company car
         which may be also used for private use. The Company shall bear all

<PAGE>

         current expenses pertaining to the car, except fuel expenses on
         vacation trips. Any income tax payable for the monetary value inherent
         in the benefit of said private use shall be borne by the General
         Manager.

4.5      The General Manager is entitled to the remuneration received from
         Rietschle S.p.a., Rietschle U.K. Ltd., Rietschle B.V. and Rietschle
         S.A.S.

5.       INABILITY TO WORK

         In the event of any temporary inability to work due to illness the
         General Manager's remuneration pursuant to the provision preceding
         shall be payable for a twelve-month period, but in no event longer than
         up to the termination of this Service Agreement, the amount
         corresponding to the sickness benefits paid by the health insurance of
         the General Manager being deducted.

6.       VACATION

6.1      The General Manager shall be entitled to 30 holidays.

6.2      When scheduling any such vacations, the General Manager shall take due
         account of Company business, such business taking precedence in any
         specific case.

6.3      In the event the General Manager may not be in a position to totally or
         partially go on vacation due to the requirements of the Company the
         Parties will negotiate in good faith about a transfer of the vacation
         into the next calendar year.

<PAGE>

7.       INSURANCE

7.1      The Company insures the General Manager appropriately at its own
         expense against the risk of industrial accidents, especially while
         travelling or during business travels - including on the way between
         home and Company'>s office - also against death, invalidity, personal
         injury and material damage as well as against loss of earnings.

7.2      The claims resulting out of the insurance are immediately due to the
         General Manager or to the person stated in the insurance policy after
         death of the General Manager, respectively.

8.       SECRECY

         The General Manager undertakes at all times during the term of this
         Service Agreement and thereafter to hold in strictest confidence any
         trade secrets of the Company or its associated companies.

9.       NON-COMPETITION COVENANT

         For the duration of this Agreement, the General Manager shall refrain
         from acting - in a self-employed, employed, or any other capacity
         whatsoever - for any other firm or company irrespective of its legal
         form, or to form or purchase any such firm or company, or any interest
         therein, in direct or indirect competition with the Company.

<PAGE>

10.      SIDE-LINE ACTIVITIES

10.1     The General Manager shall dedicate his entire working capacity and all
         his technical know-how and experience at the Company's exclusive
         disposal.

10.2     During the continuance of this Service Agreement, the General Manager
         shall refrain from performing any side-line activities, whether paid or
         unpaid, for himself or any third party. Exemt herefrom are his
         activities as managing director of Werner Rietschle Verwaltungs GmbH as
         well as honorary positions in the political, cultural and social field
         are permitted insofar as they can be performed without affecting the
         duties of the General Manager under this contract.

10.3     Any publications and papers relating to activities of the Company, or
         its affiliates, as well as the acceptance of functions on the boards of
         other companies as well as honorary positions on behalf of any
         organization shall be subject to the Company's prior written consent.
         Any such consent may be revoked at any time.

11.      SURRENDER OF DOCUMENTS

         Upon termination of this Agreement or in the event of dismissal, the
         General Manager shall immediately return any objects and documents

<PAGE>

         including all notes and copies as well as the car to the Company, and
         certify the completeness, correctness and proper function of any object
         so surrendered. Any right of retention shall be expressly excluded.

12.      MODIFICATION AND
         AMENDMENTS

         Any amendments or modifications to this Service Agreement shall only be
         valid in writing. This shall also apply to any modification of this
         Clause.

13.      FINAL PROVISIONS

13.1     This Service Agreement shall only be subject to German Law.

13.2     The Parties shall sign this Agreement in a German an an
         English-language version. It is understood and agreed between the
         Parties that in the event of any discrepancies between the two versions
         the German version shall prevail.

13.3     Should any provision of this Agreement be or become ineffective wholly
         or in part, or should any loophole requiring amendment appear, the
         remaining provisions of this Agreement shall continue in full force and
         effect. The Parties agree to replace any such provision so found

<PAGE>

         ineffective by such other provision as comes nearest to the legal and
         economic intent of said provision found ineffective. In the same
         manner, the Parties shall close any loophole requiring amendment that
         might be encountered.

Munchen, den          20.9.02

/s/ Dieter Rietschle
...........................................................

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