STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL INC
SC 13D/A, 1999-06-11
MISC HEALTH & ALLIED SERVICES, NEC
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                                 (Rule 13d-101)

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                              (Amendment No. 1)(1)

                         SteriGenics International, Inc.
                                (Name of Issuer)

                          Common Stock, $.001 par value
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    85915R105
                                 (CUSIP Number)

     Mr. Pierre Mottet                             Ramon P. Marks, Esq.
     Ion Beam Applications S.A.                    Dorsey & Whitney LLP
     Chemin du Cyclotron, 3                        250 Park Avenue
     B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium              New York, New York  10177
     011-32-10-47-5855                             (212) 415-9200

                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

                                  June 10, 1999
             (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box
[_].

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7(g), for other
parties to whom copies are to be sent.

                         (continued on following pages)
                              (page 1 of 10 pages)

- ----------
(1) The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

<PAGE>

CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 2 of 11 Pages




1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
      I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
                  Ion Beam Applications S.A.
                  Tax I.D. Number:   N/A

2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                                 (a) [_]
                                                                 (b) [_]

3.   SEC USE ONLY

4.   SOURCE OF FUNDS
                  WC, BK

5.       CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
         TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                                       [_]

6.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  Belgium

          NUMBER OF                    7.   SOLE VOTING POWER
           SHARES
        BENEFICIALLY                        751,300 shares
          OWNED BY
            EACH                       8.   SHARED VOTING POWER
          REPORTING
         PERSON WITH                        2,494,312 shares

                                       9.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                            751,300 shares

                                       10.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                            2,494,312 shares


11.  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          3,245,612 shares

12.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

                                                                     [_]

13.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

          40.54%

14.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

          CO


<PAGE>

CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 3 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages


1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
      I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)

                  Belgabeam S.A.
                  Tax I.D. Number: N/A

2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                                 (a) [_]
                                                                 (b) [_]

3.   SEC USE ONLY

4.   SOURCE OF FUNDS

                  N/A

5.   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS
     2(d) OR 2(e)

                                                                     [_]

6.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  Belgium

           NUMBER OF                     7.   SOLE VOTING POWER
            SHARES
         BENEFICIALLY                         0 shares
           OWNED BY
            EACH                         8.   SHARED VOTING POWER
          REPORTING
         PERSON WITH                          0 shares

                                         9.   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                              0 shares

                                         10.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                              0 shares



11.  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     0 shares

12.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

                                                                     [_]


13.  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

     0%

14.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

     CO


<PAGE>


CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 4 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages


Item 1. Security and Issuer

     This statement relates to the common stock, par value $.001 ("Common
Stock") of SteriGenics International, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the
"Issuer"), a Delaware corporation whose principal executive offices are at 4020
Clipper Court, Fremont, CA 94538.

Item 2. Identity and Background

     (a) - (c) and (f) This First Amended Statement on Schedule 13D is filed on
behalf of Ion Beam Applications S.A. ("IBA") and Belgabeam S.A., the largest
single shareholder of IBA, owning approximately 35.47% of IBA ("Belgabeam," and
together with IBA, the "Reporting Persons" and each, a "Reporting Person"). More
than 75% of the equity of Belgabeam is owned by employees of IBA. The following
table sets forth the name, the State or other place or organization, the
principal business, the address of such principal business and the address of
the principal office of the Reporting Persons.

  Name:                           ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.

  Place of organization:          Belgium

  Principal business:             A Belgian public company engaged primarily
                                  in the development and marketing of particle
                                  accelerators used in medical and industrial
                                  applications

  Address of principal business:  Chemin du Cyclotron, 3
                                  B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

  Address of principal office:    Chemin du Cyclotron, 3
                                  B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium


  Name:                           BELGABEAM S.A.

  Place of organization:          Belgium

  Principal business:             Single largest shareholder of Ion Beam
                                  Applications S.A., a Belgian public company,
                                  engaged primarily in the development and
                                  marketing of particle accelerators used in
                                  medical and industrial applications

  Address of principal business:  Chemin du Cyclotron, 3

<PAGE>

CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 5 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages



                                  B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

  Address of principal office:    Chemin du Cyclotron, 3
                                  B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

     The name, citizenship, business address and present principal occupation or
employment of each executive officer and director of each of the Reporting
Persons, as well as the name, principal business and address of the corporation
or other organization in which such occupation or employment is conducted, are
set forth in Exhibit A.

     (d) - (e) During the five years prior to the date hereof, neither the
Reporting Persons nor, to the best of their knowledge, any executive officer or
director of the Reporting Persons, (i) has been convicted in a criminal
proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or (ii) has
been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of
competent jurisdiction, as a result of which such person was or is subject to a
judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting
or mandating activities subject to, Federal or state securities laws or finding
any violation with respect to such laws.

Item 3 of the Existing Schedule 13D is amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration

     Merger

     Pursuant to the Offer and Merger (as defined and more fully described in
Item 4 below), IBA Acquisition Corp. ("Acquisition"), a Delaware corporation
that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ion Beam Applications G.P. ("GP"), a
Delaware general partnership of which IBA is the controlling general partner,
will, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Merger Agreement (as
defined and more fully described in Item 4 below), acquire all of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Issuer, with the result that
following the Merger, IBA and GP will own and will ultimately control all of the
outstanding capital stock of the Issuer.

     Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, it is expected that the acquisition cost
will be approximately $214,000,000. It is anticipated that the source of the
required funds will be obtained through a combination of bank financing and
IBA's working capital.

     Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, certain stockholders of the Issuer
entered into a Stockholders' Agreement (as defined in Item 4 below), pursuant to
which IBA acquired an irrevocable proxy to vote the shares of Common Stock of
the Issuer on certain matters, including mergers, consolidations and other
similar extraordinary corporate transactions involving the Issuer, and an option
to acquire all of the shares of Common Stock of the Issuer owned by of such
stockholders under certain conditions as more fully described in Item 4 below.
None of the Reporting Persons has paid to the

<PAGE>


CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 6 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages


Principal Stockholders any funds in connection with the execution of the
Stockholders' Agreement. The Stockholders' Agreement was entered into to induce
IBA, GP and Acquisition to enter into, and in consideration for their entering
into, the Merger Agreement with the Issuer.

ITEM 4 OF THE EXISTING SCHEDULE 13D IS AMENDED IN ITS ENTIRETY TO READ AS
FOLLOWS:

Item 4. Purpose of the Transaction

     Merger Agreement

     On June 7, 1999, the Board of Directors of IBA approved a proposal to enter
into a Merger Agreement (the "Merger Agreement") with the Issuer, pursuant to
which Acquisition would, subject to certain conditions, make a tender offer (the
"Offer") for all of the outstanding shares of the Issuer not owned by IBA or any
of its subsidiaries or affiliates at a cash price of $27.00 per share, net to
the seller (the "Offer Price").

     On June 10, 1999, IBA, GP and Acquisition entered into the Merger Agreement
with the Issuer. A copy of the Merger Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit
2.01 and the summary description of the Merger Agreement set forth herein is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement. A copy of the
press release issued by IBA on June 11, 1999, announcing the execution of the
Merger Agreement, is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

     The Offer will commence within five (5) business days and will be made upon
the terms and subject to certain conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement
and to be set forth in an Offer to Purchase and a related Letter of Transmittal.
Upon completion of the Offer, Acquisition will merge with and into the Issuer
and the Issuer will continue as the surviving corporation and become a
wholly-owned subsidiary of GP (the "Merger"). Pursuant to the Merger all
remaining outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Issuer, except for shares
held by IBA or any of its subsidiaries and affiliates, and shares held by
stockholders who may exercise their rights of appraisal under Delaware law, will
be converted into the right to receive a cash payment of $27.00 per share. All
currently outstanding options held by employees of the Issuer will vest upon the
effective time of the Merger and convert into the right to receive a cash
payment equal to the difference between $27.00 and the exercise price of the
option (to the extent such exercise price is less than $27.00).

     The purpose of the Offer and Merger is for IBA to acquire control of the
Issuer and to own, through GP, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Issuer.


<PAGE>

CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 7 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages


     Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, upon consummation of the Offer IBA will
have its designees appointed to the board of directors of the Issuer such that
the designees of IBA will constitute a majority of the board of directors of the
Issuer.

     The proposed transactions would, if and when consummated, result in the
Issuer's Common Stock ceasing to be authorized for listing on the NASDAQ
Exchange and becoming eligible for termination of registration under Section
12(g)(4) of the Exchange Act.

     Stockholders' Agreement

     Beneficial ownership of certain of the Common Stock which is the subject of
this Schedule 13D may be deemed to have been acquired through the execution of a
Stockholders' Agreement (the "Stockholders' Agreement") dated as of June 10,
1999 among IBA, GP, Acquisition and certain of the stockholders of the Issuer
named on the signature pages thereto (collectively, the "Principal
Stockholders").

     Pursuant to the Stockholders' Agreement each Principal Stockholder has
agreed to vote for approval of the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement. A copy of the Stockholders' Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit
9.01 and the summary description set forth herein is qualified in its entirety
by reference to the Merger Agreement. Each Principal Stockholder also agreed to
vote during the period commencing as of the date of the Stockholders' Agreement
and continuing until the first to occur of the Closing Time (as defined in the
Merger Agreement) or 45 days after the termination of the Merger Agreement in
accordance with its terms (i) against any action or agreement intended or
reasonably expected to impede or interfere with the Offer or Merger or result in
any breach by the Issuer (or any subsidiary) of any obligation or agreement
under the Merger Agreement or a reduction in the benefits to the Issuer, and
against any alternative acquisition proposal; and except as specifically
requested in writing in advance by Parent , (ii) against the following actions
(other than the Merger and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement
and the Stockholders' Agreement): (A) any extraordinary corporate transaction,
such as a merger, consolidation or other business combination involving the
Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; (B) a sale, lease, transfer or
disposition by the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries of any assets outside the
ordinary course of business or any assets which in the aggregate are material to
the Issuer and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or a reorganization,
recapitalization, dissolution or liquidation of the Issuer or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates; (C)(1) any change in the present capitalization of
the Issuer or any amendment of the Issuer's charter or By-Laws; (2) any other
material change in the Issuer's or any of its subsidiaries' corporate structure
or business; or (3) any other action that is intended, or could reasonably be
expected, to impede, interfere with, delay, postpone or materially adversely
affect the Offer, the Merger or the transactions contemplated by the
Stockholders' Agreement or the Merger Agreement.

     Each Principal Stockholder has also granted an irrevocable proxy to
designees of IBA, which may be exercised during the period commencing as of the
date of the Stockholders Agreement and continuing until the first to occur of
the Closing Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) or 45 days after the
termination of the Merger in accordance with its terms, granting IBA the
authority to similarly vote the shares of the Common Stock owned by such
Principal Stockholder. Each Principal Stockholder has also granted to IBA an
irrevocable option (collectively, the "Options") to purchase all shares held of
record or beneficially owned by each such Principal Stockholder at a purchase
price per share equal to the higher of $27.00 or the price offered by
Acquisition in the Offer. IBA may exercise the Options following the occurrence
of certain events as described in the Stockholders' Agreement. THe Options
expire upon the earliest of (i) the closing of the Merger, (ii) 45 days after
the occurrence of an event triggering the exercisability of the Options, or
(iii) 45 days after the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with
certain of its provisions, and may be extended in certain circumstances.

     As a result of the Stockholder's Agreement, IBA has shared power to vote an
aggregate of 2,494,312 shares of the Common Stock for the limited purposes
described above,

<PAGE>


CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 8 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages


and such shares constitute approximately 31.16% of the issued and outstanding
shares of the Common Stock as of May 31, 1999. The Stockholders' Agreement
terminates upon the completion of the Merger or the termination of the Merger
Agreement, whichever occurs first.

     Except as described in this Item 4 and elsewhere in this Schedule 13D, IBA
has no present plans or proposals that relate to or would result in: (a) the
acquisition by any person of additional securities of the Issuer, or the
disposition of securities of the Issuer; (b) an extraordinary corporate
transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the
Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; (c) a sale or transfer of a material amount
of assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; (d) any change in the
present board of directors or management of the Issuer, including any plans or
proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing
vacancies on the board; (e) any material change in the present capitalization or
dividend policy of the Issuer; (f) any other material change in the Issuer's
business or corporate structure; (g) changes in the Issuer's charter, by-laws or
instruments corresponding thereto or other actions which may impede the
acquisition of control of the Issuer by any person; (h) causing a class of
securities of the Issuer to be delisted from a national securities exchange or
to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an interdealer quotation system of a
registered national securities association; (i) a class of equity securities of
the Issuer's becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to
Section 12(g)(4) of the Act, as amended; or (j) any action similar to those
enumerated above.

ITEM 5 OF THE EXISTING SCHEDULE 13D IS AMENDED IN ITS ENTIRETY TO READ AS
FOLLOWS:

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

     (a) and (b)    As of June 10, 1999, the Reporting Persons may be deemed to
                    beneficially own in the aggregate 3,245,612 shares of Common
                    Stock, representing approximately 40.54% of the outstanding
                    shares of Common Stock, as at May 31, 1999. Of the 751,300
                    shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by IBA, IBA
                    possesses the sole power to dispose of, direct the
                    disposition of and vote 751,300 shares of Common Stock, and
                    possesses the shared power (with the Principal Stockholders)
                    to dispose of, direct the disposition of and vote 2,494,312
                    shares of Common Stock. Belgabeam's beneficial ownership is
                    indirect through IBA. To the knowledge of the Reporting
                    Person, and except as otherwise disclosed in this Amendment,
                    none of the executive officers or directors of the Reporting
                    Persons is the beneficial owner of any shares of Common
                    Stock, and no transaction in the Common Stock has been
                    effected by any such individual during the past sixty (60)
                    days.


<PAGE>


CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                    Page 9 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages



     (c)  None of the  Reporting  Persons has  effected any  transaction  in the
          Issuer's stock since the filing of the Schedule 13D on March 11, 1999.
          The following  transactions effected in the Issuer's Common Stock were
          effected  in the last 60 days by  Philippe  Janssens  de  Varebeke,  a
          director of IBA:

     Date       No. of Shares      Price per Share           Where/How Effected
     ----       -------------      ---------------           ------------------
     4/12/99        2,000              $10.25              Open Market Purchase
     6/1/99         4,600            $16.1454              Open Market Purchase
     6/1/99         3,200            $16.5625              Open Market Purchase
     6/2/99         2,300            $17.6187              Open Market Purchase

     (d)  Not applicable.

     (e)  Not applicable.

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to
        Securities of the Issuer.

     The information contained in Items 3 and 4 above, and the exhibits referred
to therein, are incorporated by reference in this Item 6.


Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

     *Exhibit A. Amended and Restated Information Concerning Reporting Persons'
Officers and Directors.

     Exhibit 2.01 Merger Agreement dated as of June 10, 1999, among IBA, GP,
Acquisition and the Issuer.

     Exhibit 9.01 Stockholders' Agreement dated as of June 10, 1999, among IBA,
GP, Acquisition and the Stockholders identified therein

     Exhibit 99.1 Press Release dated as of June 10, 1999


*Filed as Exhibit A to Schedule 13D, dated March 11, 1999, and filed with the
Commission on March 11, 1999, and incorporated herein by reference.


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the knowledge and belief of
each of the undersigned, the undersigned certify that the information set forth
in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: June 11, 1999

                                            ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.


                                            By:
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Pierre Mottet, its
                                                Chief Executive Officer


                                            BELGABEAM S.A.


                                            By:
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Eric de Lamotte, its
                                                Director


<PAGE>

CUSIP No. 85915R105                    13D                   Page 11 of 11 Pages
                                     Pages


                                  Exhibit Index

*Exhibit A. Information Concerning Reporting Persons' Officers and Directors.

Exhibit 2.01 Merger Agreement dated as of June 10, 1999, among IBA, GP,
Acquisition and the Issuer

Exhibit 9.01 Stockholders' Agreement dated as of June 10, 1999, among IBA, GP,
Acquisition and the Stockholders Identified Therein

Exhibit 99.1 Press Release dated as of June 10, 1999




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


                                MERGER AGREEMENT



                            DATED AS OF JUNE 10, 1999

                                      AMONG

                           ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.

                           ION BEAM APPLICATIONS G.P.

                              IBA ACQUISITION CORP.

                                       AND

                         STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.


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


<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----

ARTICLE 1      THE OFFER......................................................1

SECTION 1.1.   THE OFFER......................................................1
SECTION 1.2.   COMPANY ACTION.................................................3
SECTION 1.3.   BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES; SECTION 14(F)..............4

ARTICLE 2      THE MERGER.....................................................5

SECTION 2.1.   THE MERGER.....................................................5
SECTION 2.2.   CLOSING OF THE MERGER..........................................5
SECTION 2.3.   EFFECTIVE TIME.................................................5
SECTION 2.4.   EFFECTS OF THE MERGER..........................................6
SECTION 2.5.   CHARTER AND BYLAWS.............................................6
SECTION 2.6.   DIRECTORS......................................................6
SECTION 2.7.   OFFICERS.......................................................6
SECTION 2.8.   CONVERSION OF SHARES...........................................6
SECTION 2.9.   PAYMENT OF CASH MERGER CONSIDERATION...........................7
SECTION 2.10.  STOCK OPTIONS; PURCHASE PLAN...................................8

ARTICLE 3      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY..................8

SECTION 3.1.   ORGANIZATION AND QUALIFICATION; SUBSIDIARIES...................9
SECTION 3.2.   CAPITALIZATION OF THE COMPANY AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES.............9
SECTION 3.3.   AUTHORITY RELATIVE TO THIS AGREEMENT; RECOMMENDATION..........10
SECTION 3.4.   SEC REPORTS; FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.............................11
SECTION 3.5.   INFORMATION SUPPLIED..........................................11
SECTION 3.6.   CONSENTS AND APPROVALS; NO VIOLATIONS.........................11
SECTION 3.7.   COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW................................12
SECTION 3.8.   NO UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES; ABSENCE OF CHANGES................12
SECTION 3.9.   LITIGATION....................................................13
SECTION 3.10.  YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE..........................................13
SECTION 3.11.  EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS, LABOR MATTERS.........................14
SECTION 3.12.  ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS............................15
SECTION 3.13.  TAXES.........................................................16
SECTION 3.14.  PROPERTIES....................................................17
SECTION 3.15.  MATERIAL CONTRACTS AND COMMITMENTS............................17
SECTION 3.16.  INTANGIBLE PROPERTY...........................................19
SECTION 3.17.  BROKERS.......................................................19
SECTION 3.18   CERTAIN BUSINESS PRACTICES....................................20
SECTION 3.19.  APPLICABILITY OF STATE TAKEOVER STATUTES......................20
SECTION 3.20   AMENDMENT TO THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.............................20
SECTION 3.21   OPINION OF FINANCIAL ADVISOR..................................20
SECTION 3.22   EMPLOYEES.....................................................20

ARTICLE 4      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION......21

SECTION 4.1.   ORGANIZATION..................................................21
SECTION 4.2.   AUTHORITY RELATIVE TO THIS AGREEMENT..........................21
SECTION 4.3.   INFORMATION SUPPLIED..........................................22
SECTION 4.4.   FINANCING.....................................................22
SECTION 4.5.   CONSENTS AND APPROVALS; NO VIOLATIONS.........................22

ARTICLE 5      COVENANT......................................................23


                                       i

<PAGE>


SECTION 5.1.   INTERIM OPERATIONS............................................23
SECTION 5.2.   STOCKHOLDERS' MEETING.........................................25
SECTION 5.3.   OTHER POTENTIAL ACQUIRERS.....................................25
SECTION 5.4.   INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.........................................27
SECTION 5.5.   ACCESS TO INFORMATION.........................................27
SECTION 5.6.   FURTHER ACTIONS...............................................27
SECTION 5.7.   HSR MATTERS...................................................28
SECTION 5.8.   PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS..........................................28
SECTION 5.9.   EMPLOYEE BENEFIT MATTERS; COMPANY STOCK OPTION................29
SECTION 5.10.  NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN MATTERS...............................29
SECTION 5.11.  GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE......................................29
SECTION 5.12.  INDEMNIFICATION, DIRECTORS' AND OFFICERS' INSURANCE...........29
SECTION 5.13.  STATE TAKEOVER LAWS...........................................30
SECTION 5.14.  EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.............................................30

ARTICLE 6      DISSENTING SHARES; EXCHANGE OF SHARES.........................30

SECTION 6.1.   DISSENTING SHARES.............................................30

ARTICLE 7      CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER.......................................30

SECTION 7.1.   CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER.......................................30

ARTICLE 8      CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER......................33

SECTION 8.1.   CONDITIONS TO EACH PARTY'S OBLIGATIONS TO EFFECT THE MERGER...33

ARTICLE 9      TERMINATION; AMENDMENT; WAIVER................................34

SECTION 9.1.   TERMINATION...................................................34
SECTION 9.2.   PROCEDURE AND EFFECT OF TERMINATION...........................36
SECTION 9.3.   FEES AND EXPENSES.............................................36
SECTION 9.4.   AMENDMENT.....................................................37
SECTION 9.5.   WAIVER........................................................37

ARTICLE 10     MISCELLANEOUS.................................................37

SECTION 10.1.  NONSURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.................37
SECTION 10.2.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT; ASSIGNMENT..................................37
SECTION 10.3.  VALIDITY......................................................37
SECTION 10.4.  NOTICES.......................................................37
SECTION 10.5.  GOVERNING LAW.................................................38
SECTION 10.6.  DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS..........................................38
SECTION 10.7.  PARTIES IN INTEREST...........................................39
SECTION 10.8.  CERTAIN DEFINITIONS...........................................39
SECTION 10.9.  PERSONAL LIABILITY............................................39
SECTION 10.10. SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE..........................................39
SECTION 10.11. COUNTERPARTS..................................................39


                                       ii

<PAGE>

                             TABLE OF DEFINED TERMS


Term                                                                        Page
- ----                                                                        ----

Acquiring Person ..........................................................   19
Acquisition ...............................................................    1
Acquisition Proposal ......................................................   24
Affiliate .................................................................   37
Agreement .................................................................    1
Blue Sky Laws .............................................................   11
Board .....................................................................    1
Break-Up Fee ..............................................................   34
Business Day ..............................................................   37
Cash Merger Consideration .................................................    6
Certificates ..............................................................    7
Closing Time ..............................................................    5
Company ...................................................................    1
Company Disclosure Schedule ...............................................    8
Company Employee Plan .....................................................   13
Company Employee Plans ....................................................   13
Company Option Plan .......................................................    8
Company Option Plans ......................................................    8
Company Personnel .........................................................   13
Company Real Assets .......................................................   16
Company SEC Reports .......................................................   10
Company Securities ........................................................    9
Company Stock Option ......................................................    8
Company Stock Options .....................................................    8
Confidentiality Agreement .................................................   26
Continuing Directors ......................................................    5
Contracts .................................................................   17
Cure Time .................................................................   32
DGCL ......................................................................    3
Disclosure Statement ......................................................   11
Dissenting Shares .........................................................   29
Distribution Date .........................................................    3
Effective Time ............................................................    5
Environmental Claim .......................................................   15
Environmental Laws ........................................................   14
ERISA .....................................................................   13
Exchange Act ..............................................................    1
Expiration Date ...........................................................   19
Governmental Entity .......................................................   11
GP ........................................................................    1
HSR Act ...................................................................   11
Indemnified Parties .......................................................   28
Intangible Property .......................................................   19
Knowledge .................................................................   12
Lien ......................................................................    9
Material Adverse Effect ...................................................    9
Material Change ...........................................................   29
Merger ....................................................................    5
Merger Certificate ........................................................    5
Merger Fund ...............................................................    7

                                       iii

<PAGE>



Minimum Stock Condition ...................................................    2
Offer .....................................................................    1
Offer Documents ...........................................................    2
Parent ....................................................................    1
Parent Material Adverse Effect ............................................   20
Payment Agent .............................................................    6
Per Share Amount ..........................................................    1
Permitted Liens ...........................................................   16
Person ....................................................................   37
Right .....................................................................    6
Rights ....................................................................    6
Rights Agreement ..........................................................    6
Schedule 14D-9 ............................................................    3
SEC .......................................................................    2
Section 203 Approval ......................................................    3
Securities Act ............................................................   10
Share .....................................................................    1
Shares ....................................................................    1
Stock .....................................................................   37
Stockholders Agreement ....................................................    5
Stockholders' Meeting .....................................................   24
Subsidiaries ..............................................................   37
Subsidiary ................................................................   37
Superior Proposal .........................................................   25
Surviving Corporation .....................................................    5
Tax .......................................................................   15
Tax Return ................................................................   15
Taxes .....................................................................   15
Tender Offer Purchase Time ................................................    4


                                       iv

<PAGE>

                                MERGER AGREEMENT

     THIS MERGER  AGREEMENT  (this  "Agreement")  dated as of June 10, 1999,  is
among STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL,  INC., a Delaware corporation ("Company"),  ION
BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A., a Belgian corporation ("Parent"),  ION BEAM APPLICATIONS
G.P.  a  general  partnership  organized  under  the laws of  Delaware  which is
controlled by Parent ("GP") and IBA  ACQUISITION  CORP., a Delaware  corporation
which is wholly-owned by GP ("Acquisition").

     WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has, in light
of and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) determined that
each of the  Offer and the  Merger  (each as  defined  below)  is  advisable  on
substantially  the terms and  conditions  set  forth  herein  and is fair to the
stockholders of the Company and in the best interests of such  stockholders  and
(ii)  approved  and adopted this  Agreement  and the  transactions  contemplated
hereby and resolved, subject to the terms hereof, to recommend acceptance of the
Offer  and  approval  and  adoption  by  the  stockholders  of the  Company,  if
necessary, of this Agreement; and

     WHEREAS,  in furtherance  thereof,  it is proposed that Acquisition  shall,
within five (5) business days after the public announcement  hereof,  commence a
tender offer (the "Offer") to acquire all of the issued and  outstanding  Shares
(defined herein) together with the associated  Rights (defined herein) which are
not owned by Parent, GP, or Acquisition or any affiliate thereof,  at a price of
$27.00 per Share  (subject to  adjustment  for stock  splits,  stock  dividends,
combinations,  recapitalizations  or the like) (such amount,  being  hereinafter
referred  to as the "Per Share  Amount"),  net to the  seller in cash,  less any
required  withholding of taxes,  in accordance with the terms and subject to the
conditions provided herein;

     NOW THEREFORE,  in consideration  of the premises and the  representations,
warranties,  covenants  and  agreements  herein  contained  and  intending to be
legally bound hereby,  the Company,  Parent, GP, and Acquisition hereby agree as
follows:

                                    ARTICLE 1

                                    THE OFFER

     SECTION 1.1. The Offer.  (a) Provided  that this  Agreement  shall not have
been  terminated in accordance  with Section 9.1, as promptly as possible but in
no event later than five (5) business days after the public  announcement of the
execution  hereof by the  parties,  Parent  and GP shall  cause  Acquisition  to
commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 under the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),  the Offer;  and to cause  Acquisition to
use its best efforts to consummate  the Offer,  including,  without  limitation,
engaging an information agent in connection therewith.  Acquisition shall accept
for payment issued and outstanding  shares of common stock,  $0.001 par value of
the Company  (individually a "Share" and  collectively,  the "Shares")  together
with the  associated  Rights which have been validly  tendered and not withdrawn
pursuant to the Offer at the earliest  time  following  expiration  of the Offer
that all  conditions  to the  Offer  shall  have  been  satisfied  or  waived by
Acquisition. The

<PAGE>


obligation  of  Acquisition  to accept for payment,  purchase and pay for Shares
tendered pursuant to the Offer shall be subject to the condition that the number
of Shares  validly  tendered and not  withdrawn  prior to the  expiration of the
Offer,  combined with the Shares already owned by Parent, GP, Acquisition or any
of their  affiliates,  constitutes  at least a majority of the then  outstanding
Shares on a fully-diluted  basis (including for purposes of such calculation all
Shares  issuable upon  exercise of all vested and unvested  stock  options,  and
conversion  of  convertible  securities  or other  rights to purchase or acquire
Shares) at the expiration of the Offer (the "Minimum Stock  Condition")  and the
other  conditions  set forth in Article 7.  Acquisition  expressly  reserves the
right to waive any such condition, to increase the Per Share Amount, and to make
any other changes in the terms and conditions of the Offer;  provided,  however,
that  Parent,  GP and  Acquisition  agree that no change may be made without the
written  consent of the Company  which  decreases  the Per Share  Amount,  which
changes the form of  consideration  to be paid in the Offer,  which  reduces the
maximum number of shares to be purchased in the Offer, which reduces the Minimum
Stock  Condition  to below a  majority  of the  then  outstanding  shares  (on a
fully-diluted  basis),  which otherwise modifies or amends the conditions to the
Offer or any other term of the Offer in a manner that is  materially  adverse to
the holders of the Shares,  which imposes conditions to the Offer in addition to
those set forth in Article 7 or which extends the  expiration  date of the Offer
beyond  September 30, 1999 (except that  Acquisition  may extend the  expiration
date of the Offer beyond September 30, 1999 as required to comply with any rule,
regulation or  interpretation  of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission or to
provide the time necessary to satisfy the conditions set forth in Article 7). It
is agreed that the conditions set forth in Article 7 are for the sole benefit of
Acquisition and may be asserted by Acquisition  regardless of the  circumstances
giving  rise  to any  such  condition  (including  any  action  or  inaction  by
Acquisition)  or may be waived by  Acquisition,  in whole or in part at any time
and from time to time, in its sole discretion. The failure by Acquisition at any
time to exercise any of the foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any
such right and each such right  shall be deemed an  ongoing  right  which may be
asserted at any time and from time to time.  The Per Share  Amount shall be paid
net to the seller in cash,  less any  required  withholding  of taxes,  upon the
terms and subject to such  conditions of the Offer.  The Company  agrees that no
Shares  held by the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  will be tendered in the
Offer.

     (b)  As  soon  as  practicable  after  the  date  hereof,  Parent,  GP  and
Acquisition agree that Parent, GP and Acquisition shall file with the Securities
and Exchange  Commission  (the "SEC") a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1
with respect to the Offer,  which shall include an offer to purchase and form of
transmittal letter (together with any amendments thereof or supplements thereto,
collectively the "Offer Documents").  The Company and its counsel shall be given
a reasonable  opportunity to review and comment on the Offer  Documents prior to
their filing with the SEC or  dissemination  to the stockholders of the Company.
Parent and  Acquisition  agree to provide the  Company and its counsel  with any
comments which Parent,  Acquisition or their counsel may receive from the SEC or
the staff of the SEC with  respect  to such  documents  promptly  after  receipt
thereof.  The Offer  Documents  will comply in all  material  respects  with the
provisions of applicable federal  securities laws. The information  provided and
to be  provided by Parent,  GP and  Acquisition  for use in the Offer  Documents
shall not,  on the date filed  with the SEC and on the date first  published  or
sent or given to the  Company's  stockholders,  as the case may be,  contain any
untrue statement of a material fact nor omit to state any material fact required
to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make the statements  therein,  in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided,
however, that no representation or warranty is made by Parent, GP or Acquisition
with respect to information  supplied by the Company or any of its  stockholders
for  inclusion  in the Offer  Documents.  The Company  agrees  that  information
provided  by  the  Company  or  any  of  its   subsidiaries   for  inclusion  or



                                       2
<PAGE>


incorporation  in the Offer  Documents shall not, on the date filed with the SEC
and on the date first published or sent or given to the Company's  stockholders,
as the case may be, contain any untrue  statement of a material fact nor omit to
state any material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made,  not  misleading.  Parent,  GP,  Acquisition  and the  Company  each agree
promptly  to  correct  any  information  provided  by it for  use  in the  Offer
Documents if and to the extent that such information  shall have become false or
misleading in any material respect and Parent, GP and Acquisition  further agree
to take all steps  necessary to cause the Offer  Documents as so corrected to be
filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to holders of Shares,  in each case as
and to the extent required by applicable federal securities laws.

     SECTION  1.2.  Company  Action.  (a) The  Company  hereby  approves  of and
consents to the Offer and the Merger and  represents  and warrants  that (i) the
Board has,  subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein,  adopted final
and binding  resolutions,  which have not been amended or repealed,  pursuant to
which  the Board  (A)  determined  that  this  Agreement,  and the  transactions
contemplated  hereby and thereby,  including the Offer and the Merger,  are fair
to, and in the best interests of, the stockholders of the Company,  (B) approved
and adopted this Agreement,  and the Stockholders Agreement (defined herein) and
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby,  including without limitation,
the Merger and the  acquisition of Shares by Parent or  Acquisition  pursuant to
the options granted by the Stockholders  under the Stockholders  Agreement,  and
such  approval  (the  "Section 203  Approval")  constitutes  the approval of the
foregoing  for the purposes of Section 203 of the Delaware  General  Corporation
Law  ("DGCL"),  (C) taken all  necessary  action  to avoid the  occurrence  of a
"Distribution  Date" (as defined in the Rights Agreement  referred to in Section
2.8) with respect to the Rights,  and (D) recommended  that the  stockholders of
the Company accept the Offer, tender their Shares thereunder to Acquisition and,
if required by law,  approve and adopt this Agreement and the Merger  (provided,
however,  that subject to the provisions of Section 5.3 such  recommendation may
be  withdrawn,  modified or amended in connection  with a Superior  Proposal (as
defined in Section 5.3)) and (ii) PaineWebber  Incorporated and TM Capital Corp.
have each delivered to the Board a written opinion to the effect that, as of the
date of such  opinion,  the  consideration  to be received by the holders of the
Shares (other than the Parent, GP, Acquisition and their affiliates) pursuant to
the Offer and Merger is fair to such  holders  from a  financial  point of view.
Subject only to the  provisions of Section 5.3, the Company  hereby  consents to
the  inclusion  in the  Offer  Documents  of  the  recommendation  of the  Board
described in the immediately preceding sentence.

     (b) The Company  hereby agrees to file with the SEC as soon as  practicable
after the date hereof a Solicitation/Recommendation  Statement on Schedule 14D-9
pertaining to the Offer  (together  with any  amendments  thereof or supplements
thereto,  the  "Schedule  14D-9")  containing  the  recommendation  described in
Section  1.2(a) and to promptly mail the Schedule 14D-9 to the  stockholders  of
the Company.  The Company  represents  and warrants that the Schedule 14D-9 will
comply in all  material  respects  with the  provisions  of  applicable  federal
securities  laws  and,  on the date  filed  with  the SEC and on the date  first
published or sent or given to the  Company's  stockholders,  as the case may be,
shall not contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state any
material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make the
statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances  under which they were made,
not  misleading,  except  that no  representation  is made by the  Company  with
respect to  information  supplied by Parent,  GP or  Acquisition  in writing for
inclusion in the Schedule 14D-9.  The Company,  Parent,  GP and Acquisition each
agrees  promptly  to  correct  any  information  provided  by it for  use in the
Schedule  14D-9 if and to the extent  that such  information  shall have  become


                                       3
<PAGE>


false or misleading in any material  respect and the Company  further  agrees to
take all steps necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-9 as so corrected to be filed
with the SEC and  disseminated to the holders of Shares,  in each case as and to
the extent required by applicable federal securities laws.

     (c) In connection with the Offer,  the Company will promptly furnish Parent
and  Acquisition  with  mailing  labels,  security  position  listings  and  any
available  listing or computer  files  containing the names and addresses of the
record  holders of the Shares as of a recent date and shall furnish  Acquisition
with such additional information and assistance (including,  without limitation,
updated lists of stockholders, mailing labels and lists of securities positions)
as Acquisition or its agents may reasonably  request in communicating  the Offer
to the record and beneficial  holders of Shares.  Subject to the requirements of
applicable  law, and except for such steps as are necessary to  disseminate  the
Offer  Documents and any other  documents  necessary to  consummate  the Merger,
Parent,  GP, Acquisition and their affiliates,  associates,  agents and advisors
shall hold in  confidence  the  information  contained in any of such labels and
lists, and use the information contained in any such labels,  listings and files
only in connection  with the Offer and the Merger,  and, if this Agreement shall
be terminated,  will deliver to the Company all copies of such  information then
in their possession.

     SECTION  1.3.  Boards of  Directors  and  Committees;  Section  14(f).  (a)
Promptly upon the purchase by  Acquisition  of Shares  following the  expiration
date (as such date may be extended)  of, and pursuant to, the Offer (the "Tender
Offer Purchase Time") and from time to time thereafter,  and subject to the last
sentence of this  Section  1.3(a),  Acquisition  shall be entitled to  designate
directors of the Company  constituting a majority of the Board,  and the Company
shall use its best efforts to, upon  request by  Acquisition,  promptly,  at the
Company's  election,  either  increase  the  size  of the  Board  to the  extent
permitted by its Certificate of  Incorporation or secure the resignation of such
number of  directors as is  necessary  to enable  Acquisition's  designees to be
elected to the Board and to cause  Acquisition's  designees to be so elected and
to  constitute  at all times after the Tender Offer  Purchase Time a majority of
the Board.  At such  times,  and subject to the last  sentence  of this  Section
1.3(a),  the Company will use its best efforts to cause  persons  designated  by
Acquisition  to  constitute  the same  percentage as is on the Board of (i) each
committee of the Board (other than any  committee  of the Board  established  to
take  action  under  this  Agreement),  (ii)  each  board of  directors  of each
subsidiary  of the  Company  and  (iii)  each  committee  of  each  such  board.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  the Company  shall use  reasonable  efforts to
encourage  James F. Clouser and Fred  Ruegsegger to remain  members of the Board
until the Effective Time (as determined herein).

     (b) The  Company's  obligation  to appoint  designees to the Board shall be
subject  to  Section  14(f)  of the  Exchange  Act and  Rule  14f-1  promulgated
thereunder. The Company shall promptly take all action required pursuant to such
Section and Rule in order to fulfill its obligations  under this Section 1.3 and
shall include in the Schedule 14D-9 such information with respect to the Company
and its  officers and  directors  as is required  under such Section and Rule in
order to fulfill its obligations under this Section 1.3. Acquisition will supply
to the Company in writing and be solely  responsible  for any  information  with
respect to itself and its nominees,  officers, directors and affiliates required
by such Section and Rule.

     (c)  Following  the  election or  appointment  of  Acquisition's  designees
pursuant to this Section 1.3 and prior to the Effective  Time,  any amendment or
termination  of this  Agreement,  extension of the  performance or waiver of the
obligations



                                       4
<PAGE>


or other acts of Parent,  GP or  Acquisition  or waiver of the Company's  rights
hereunder,  shall  require  the  concurrence  of a  majority  of  the  Company's
directors (or the  concurrence of the director,  if there is only one remaining)
then in office who are  directors on the date hereof,  or are  directors  (other
than directors  designated by  Acquisition in accordance  with this Section 1.3)
designated by such persons to fill any vacancy (the "Continuing Directors").

     SECTION 1.4.  Stockholders  Agreement.  In order to induce  Parent,  GP and
Acquisition  to enter  into this  Agreement  and to  perform  their  obligations
hereunder and as a condition  thereof,  Parent,  GP and Acquisition  shall enter
into the  stockholders  agreement  (the  "Stockholders  Agreement") on even date
hereof in the form  attached  hereto as Exhibit A  stockholders  of the  Company
listed in Schedule A to the Stockholders Agreement.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                                   THE MERGER

     SECTION 2.1. The Merger.  At the Effective Time (as defined below) and upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with
the DGCL,  Acquisition shall be merged with and into the Company (the "Merger").
Following the Merger,  the Company shall  continue as the surviving  corporation
(the  "Surviving   Corporation")  and  the  separate   corporate   existence  of
Acquisition  shall cease.  GP, as the sole  stockholder of  Acquisition,  hereby
approves  this  Agreement,  the Merger and the other  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

     SECTION  2.2.  Closing of the  Merger.  The closing of the Merger will take
place  at a time  (the  "Closing  Time")  and on a date to be  specified  by the
parties, which shall be no later than the second business day after satisfaction
of the latest to occur of the  conditions  set forth in Article 8 at the offices
of Dorsey & Whitney  LLP,  250 Park  Avenue,  New York,  New York 10177,  unless
another time, date or place is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto.

     SECTION 2.3.  Effective Time. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
in this Agreement,  a certificate of merger (the "Merger  Certificate") shall be
duly executed and  acknowledged  by  Acquisition  and the Company and thereafter
delivered at the Closing Time to the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
for filing pursuant to the DGCL. The Merger shall become  effective at such time
as a properly  executed and  certified  copy of the Merger  Certificate  is duly
accepted  for  record by the  Secretary  of State of the State of  Delaware  for
filing  pursuant to the DGCL, or such later time as Acquisition  and the Company
may agree upon and set forth in the Merger  Certificate  (not  exceeding 30 days
after the Merger Certificate is accepted for record; the time the Merger becomes
effective being referred to herein as the "Effective Time").

     SECTION 2.4.  Effects of the Merger.  The Merger shall have the effects set
forth in the DGCL.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and subject
thereto at the Effective Time, all the properties,  rights,  privileges,  powers
and  franchises  of the  Company  and  Acquisition  shall vest in the  Surviving
Corporation and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and Acquisition
shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.

     SECTION 2.5.  Charter and Bylaws.  The Certificate of  Incorporation of the
Company  in  effect  at  the  Effective   Time  shall  be  the   Certificate  of
Incorporation of the


                                       5
<PAGE>


Surviving  Corporation  until amended in  accordance  with  applicable  law. The
Bylaws of the Company in effect at the Effective Time shall be the Bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation until amended in accordance with applicable law.

     SECTION 2.6. Directors.  The directors of Acquisition at the Effective Time
shall be the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation, each to hold office
in accordance with the charter and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until the
next annual meeting of stockholders and until each such director's  successor is
duly elected or appointed and qualified.

     SECTION 2.7.  Officers.  The officers of  Acquisition at the Effective Time
shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation,  each to hold office
in  accordance  with the charter and Bylaws of the Surviving  Corporation  until
such officer's successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified.

     SECTION 2.8. Conversion of Shares.

     (a) At the Effective Time,  each Share issued and  outstanding  immediately
prior to the  Effective  Time,  together with the  associated  right to purchase
shares of Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock, par value $0.001 per
share  (individually,  the  "Right"  and  collectively,  the  "Rights"),  issued
pursuant to the Rights  Agreement dated as of March 31, 1999 between the Company
and US Stock  Transfer  Corporation,  as Rights  Agent (the  "Rights  Agreement"
(other than (i) Shares  together with any  associated  Rights held by any of the
Company's subsidiaries,  (ii) Shares together with any associated Rights held by
Parent,  GP,  Acquisition or any other subsidiary of Parent and (iii) Dissenting
Shares  (defined  herein)) shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action
on the part of Acquisition, the Company or the holder thereof, be converted into
and shall  become the right to  receive  the Per Share  Amount in cash,  without
interest (the "Cash Merger  Consideration").  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  if
between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, the Shares shall have
been changed into a different number of shares or a different class by reason of
any stock  dividend,  subdivision,  reclassification,  recapitalization,  split,
combination  or  exchange  of  shares,   then  the  Cash  Merger   Consideration
contemplated  by the Merger  shall be  correspondingly  adjusted to reflect such
stock  dividend,   subdivision,   reclassification,   recapitalization,   split,
combination or exchange of shares.

     (b) At the Effective Time, each Share,  together with any associated Right,
then owned by Parent,  GP,  Acquisition,  the  Company or any direct or indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent, GP or Acquisition or of the Company shall, by
virtue  of the  Merger  and  without  any  action  on the  part of  Parent,  GP,
Acquisition, the Company or the holder thereof, be canceled and retired and will
cease to exist and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.

     (c) At the Effective Time, each share of common stock of Acquisition issued
and outstanding  immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into
and exchanged for one fully-paid and  non-assessable  share of common stock, par
value $0.001 per share of the Surviving Corporation.

     SECTION 2.9. Payment of Cash Merger Consideration.

     (a) As of the Effective Time,  Acquisition shall deposit with such agent or
agents as may be appointed by Parent and Acquisition  (the "Payment  Agent") for
the benefit of the holders of Shares in cash the aggregate  amount  necessary to
pay the Cash


                                       6
<PAGE>


Merger Consideration (such cash is hereinafter referred to as the "Merger Fund")
payable pursuant to Section 2.8 in exchange for outstanding Shares.

     (b) As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, the Payment
Agent shall mail to each holder of record of a certificate or certificates which
immediately  prior to the Effective  Time  represented  outstanding  Shares (the
"Certificates")  whose shares were  converted into the right to receive the Cash
Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.8: (i) a letter of transmittal (which
shall specify that delivery  shall be effected and risk of loss and title to the
Certificates  shall pass only upon delivery of the  Certificates  to the Payment
Agent and shall be in such form and have such other provisions as Parent and the
Company may reasonably  specify) and (ii)  instructions  on how to surrender the
Certificates  in exchange for the Cash Merger  Consideration.  Upon surrender to
the Payment Agent of a Certificate for  cancellation,  together with such letter
of transmittal duly executed,  the holder of such Certificate  shall be entitled
to  receive  in  exchange   therefor  a  check   representing  the  Cash  Merger
Consideration  which  such  holder  has the  right to  receive  pursuant  to the
provisions of this Article 2 and the Certificate so surrendered  shall forthwith
be  canceled.  In the event of a transfer of  ownership  of Shares  which is not
registered  in the transfer  records of the Company,  payment of the Cash Merger
Consideration  may be made to a transferee if the Certificate  representing such
Shares is presented to the Payment Agent  accompanied by all documents  required
to evidence and effect such transfer and by evidence that any  applicable  stock
transfer taxes have been paid. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section
2.9, each  Certificate  shall be deemed at any time after the Effective  Time to
represent  only  the  right to  receive  upon  such  surrender  the Cash  Merger
Consideration as contemplated by this Section 2.9.

     (c) In the event  that any  Certificate  shall  have been  lost,  stolen or
destroyed,  the Payment Agent shall issue in exchange therefor,  upon the making
of  an  affidavit  of  that  fact  by  the  holder  thereof,  such  Cash  Merger
Consideration as may be required pursuant to this Agreement;  provided, however,
that  Acquisition  or its  Payment  Agent may,  in its  discretion,  require the
delivery of a suitable bond or indemnity.

     (d) All Cash Merger  Consideration  paid upon the surrender for exchange of
Shares in accordance  with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been paid in
full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Shares; subject,  however, to
the  Surviving  Corporation's  obligation to pay any dividends or make any other
distributions with a record date prior to the Effective Time which may have been
declared or made by the Company on such Shares in  accordance  with the terms of
this  Agreement,  or prior to the date  hereof  and which  remain  unpaid at the
Effective  Time, and there shall be no further  registration of transfers on the
stock  transfer  books of the  Surviving  Corporation  of the Shares  which were
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. If after the Effective Time
Certificates  are  presented to the  Surviving  Corporation  for any reason they
shall be canceled and exchanged as provided in this Article 2.

     (e) Any  portion of the  Merger  Fund which  remains  undistributed  to the
stockholders  of the Company for six months  after the  Effective  Time shall be
delivered to Parent upon demand and any stockholders of the Company who have not
theretofore  complied with this Article 2 shall  thereafter  look only to Parent
for payment of their claim for the Cash Merger Consideration.

     (f) Neither  Acquisition  nor the Company  shall be liable to any holder of
Shares for cash from the Merger Fund delivered to a public official  pursuant to
any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law.


                                       7
<PAGE>


     SECTION 2.10. Stock Options; Purchase Plan.

     (a) At the Effective  Time, each  outstanding  option to purchase Shares (a
"Company Stock Option" or collectively  "Company Stock Options") issued pursuant
to the Company's 1997 Equity  Incentive Plan and its Second Amended and Restated
1986 Stock Option Plan (a "Company Option Plan" or collectively  "Company Option
Plans") shall vest in full and the Surviving Corporation shall pay to the holder
of each outstanding  Company Stock Option an amount equal to the excess, if any,
of the Per Share Amount over the exercise  price per Share of such Company Stock
Option,  less the amount of Taxes (defined  below) required to be withheld under
Federal,  state or local laws and regulations multiplied by the number of Shares
subject to such Company  Stock Option.  To the extent  required the Company will
take all reasonable steps to effectuate the foregoing provisions of this Section
2.10.

     (b) Except as provided herein or as otherwise  agreed to by the parties and
to the extent  permitted by the Company  Option Plan,  the Company  Option Plans
shall  terminate as of the  Effective  Time and any rights under any  provisions
under  the  Company  Option  Plans and any  awards  issued  thereunder  shall be
canceled as of the Effective Time.

     (c) The  Company  shall  amend the 1997  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan to
provide for (A) the  suspension  of  participation  during the offering  periods
commencing  subsequent  to the date of the  Agreement  for the  pendency  of the
Merger and  subject  to the  successful  consummation  of the Merger and (B) the
termination of such Plan as of the Effective Time.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

     Except as set forth on the Disclosure Schedule previously  delivered by the
Company to Parent  (the  "Company  Disclosure  Schedule"),  the  Company  hereby
represents and warrants to each of Parent, GP and Acquisition as follows:

     SECTION 3.1. Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.

     (a)  Section  3.1  of  the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  identifies  each
subsidiary of the Company as of the date hereof and its respective  jurisdiction
of incorporation  or  organization,  as the case may be. The Company and each of
its subsidiaries is duly organized,  validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the  jurisdiction of its  incorporation or organization as set forth
in Section 3.1 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule and has all requisite  power
and  authority  to own  lease and  operate  its  properties  and to carry on its
businesses as now being conducted, except where such failure to so qualify would
not have a Material Adverse Effect (defined herein) on the Company.  The Company
has heretofore  provided  Parent with access to accurate and complete  copies of
the charter and Bylaws (or similar governing documents), as currently in effect,
of the Company and its subsidiaries.

     (b)  Except  as  disclosed  in  Section  3.1(b) of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule, each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed
and in good standing to do business in each  jurisdiction  in which the property
owned,  leased or operated by it or the nature of the  business  conducted by it
makes such  qualification or licensing  necessary,  except in such jurisdictions
where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good standing would
not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.



                                       8
<PAGE>


When used in connection with the Company or its subsidiaries, the term "Material
Adverse Effect" means any change or effect (i) that is materially adverse to the
business,  properties,  financial  condition  or  results of  operations  of the
Company  and its  subsidiaries,  taken as whole,  or (ii) that would  materially
impair the ability of the Company to consummate  the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

     SECTION 3.2. Capitalization of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

     (a) As of the date hereof,  the authorized stock of the Company consists of
15,000,000  Shares,  of which, as of May 31, 1999,  8,005,802 Shares were issued
and  outstanding,  and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per
share, no shares of which are  outstanding.  All of the outstanding  Shares have
been validly  issued and are fully paid,  nonassessable  and free of  preemptive
rights.  As of May 31, 1999,  approximately  1,182,210  Shares were reserved for
issuance  and issuable  upon or otherwise  deliverable  in  connection  with the
exercise of  outstanding  Company Stock Options  issued  pursuant to the Company
Option  Plans  referred  to in Section  2.10.  Between May 31, 1999 and the date
hereof, no shares of the Company's stock have been issued other than pursuant to
Company  Stock  Options,  and  between May 31, 1999 and the date hereof no stock
options have been  granted.  Except as set forth above and in Section  3.2(a) of
the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  as of the date  hereof,  there are  issued,
reserved for  issuance,  or  outstanding  (i) no shares of stock or other voting
securities of the Company, (ii) no securities of the Company or its subsidiaries
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of stock or voting securities of the
Company,  (iii) no options or other  rights to acquire  from the  Company or its
subsidiaries  and,  except as  described  in the Company  SEC  Reports  (defined
herein),  no obligations of the Company or its  subsidiaries to issue any stock,
voting  securities or securities  convertible  into or exchangeable for stock or
voting  securities  of the Company,  (iv) no bonds,  debentures,  notes or other
indebtedness or obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries  entitling
the holders thereof to have the right to vote (or which are convertible into, or
exercisable or  exchangeable  for,  securities  entitling the holders thereof to
have the  right to vote)  with the  stockholders  of the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries on any matter, (v) no equity equivalent  interests in the ownership
or earnings of the Company or its subsidiaries or other similar rights, and (vi)
the Rights (collectively "Company Securities"). As of the date hereof, there are
no  outstanding  obligations  of  the  Company  or its  subsidiaries  (absolute,
contingent or otherwise) to repurchase,  redeem or otherwise acquire any Company
Securities.  There are no Shares outstanding  subject to rights of first refusal
of the Company, nor are there any pre-emptive rights with respect to any Shares.
Other than this Agreement, there are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or
other agreements or  understandings  to which the Company is a party or by which
it is bound relating to the voting or registration of any shares of stock of the
Company.

     (b)  Except  as  disclosed  in  Section  3.2(b) of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule, all of the outstanding stock of the Company's subsidiaries is owned by
the Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of any Lien (defined herein)
or any other  limitation or restriction  (including any restriction on the right
to vote or sell the same except as may be  provided  as a matter of law).  There
are no  securities  of the  Company  or its  subsidiaries  convertible  into  or
exchangeable  for, no options or other rights to acquire from the Company or its
subsidiaries  and no other  contract,  understanding,  arrangement or obligation
(whether or not  contingent)  providing  for, the issuance or sale,  directly or
indirectly,  of any  stock  or  other  ownership  interests  in,  or  any  other
securities  of  any  subsidiary  of,  the  Company.  There  are  no  outstanding
contractual obligations of the Company or its subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem
or otherwise acquire any outstanding  shares of capital stock or other ownership
interests  in any  subsidiary  of the Company.  For purposes of this  Agreement,
"Lien"  means,  with  respect to any asset  (including  without



                                       9
<PAGE>

limitation any security),  any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest
or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.

     (c) The  Shares  and the  Rights  constitute  the only  classes  of  equity
securities  of the  Company or its  subsidiaries  registered  or  required to be
registered under the Exchange Act.

     SECTION 3.3. Authority Relative to this Agreement; Recommendation.

     The Company has all necessary  corporate power and authority to execute and
deliver this Agreement and, if required by law, subject to stockholder  approval
of the Merger, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution
and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby have been duly and validly  authorized  by the Board and no
other  corporate  proceedings  on the  part  of the  Company  are  necessary  to
authorize this Agreement or to consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby
except,  if required by law, the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the
Merger by the holders of the  outstanding  Shares.  This Agreement has been duly
and  validly  executed  and  delivered  by the  Company  and  assuming  the  due
authorization, execution and delivery by Parent, GP and Acquisition, constitutes
a valid,  legal and binding  agreement  of the Company  enforceable  against the
Company in  accordance  with its  terms,  except as such  enforceability  may be
limited by any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,  moratorium or
other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, and
except  as  the  availability  of  equitable  remedies  may  be  limited  by the
application  of  general  principles  of  equity  (regardless  of  whether  such
equitable principle is applied in a proceeding at law or in equity).

     The Board has duly and validly  approved,  and taken all corporate  actions
required  to be taken by the Board for the  consummation  of,  the  transactions
contemplated  hereby,  including  the Offer and the  acquisition  of the  Shares
pursuant thereto and the Merger.  The Board has taken all appropriate  action so
that none of  Parent,  GP or  Acquisition  will be an  "interested  stockholder"
within  the  meaning  of  Section  203 of the  DGCL by  virtue  of  Parent,  GP,
Acquisition and the Company  entering into this Agreement,  or the  Stockholders
Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or thereby and consummating
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

     SECTION 3.4. SEC Reports; Financial Statements.

     (a) The  Company  has filed  all  required  forms,  reports  and  documents
("Company SEC Reports") with the SEC since its initial public offering on August
13,  1997,  each of  which  has  complied  in all  material  respects  with  all
applicable  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  as  amended  (the
"Securities  Act"),  and the Exchange  Act,  each as in effect on the dates such
forms,  reports and  documents  were filed.  None of such  Company SEC  Reports,
including, without limitation, any financial statements or schedules included or
incorporated by reference therein,  contained when filed any untrue statement of
a material  fact or omitted to state a material  fact  required  to be stated or
incorporated  by reference  therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein,  in  light  of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not
misleading.  The  audited  consolidated  financial  statements  of  the  Company
included  in the  Company SEC Reports  fairly  present in  conformity  with GAAP
(except as may be  indicated  in the notes  thereto or, in the case of unaudited
consolidated  quarterly  statements,  as  permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) the
consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries
as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations and changes
in financial position for the periods then ended.


                                       10
<PAGE>


     (b) The  Company  has  heretofore  made  available  or  promptly  will make
available to Acquisition or Parent a complete and correct copy of any amendments
or  modifications  which are  required to be filed with the SEC but have not yet
been filed with the SEC to  agreements,  documents  or other  instruments  which
previously  had been filed by the Company  with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange
Act.

     SECTION 3.5.  Information  Supplied.  Neither the Schedule 14D-9 nor any of
the  information  supplied or to be supplied  by the  Company for  inclusion  or
incorporation  by reference in the Offer  Documents,  Schedule 14D-9,  any other
tender  offer  materials,  Schedule  14A or  14C,  or  the  proxy  statement  or
information  statement  ("Proxy  Statement")  relating  to  any  meeting  of the
Company's  stockholders  to be held in  connection  with the Merger  (all of the
foregoing  documents,  collectively,  the "Disclosure  Statements") will, at the
date  each and any of the  Disclosure  Statements  is filed  with the SEC or are
first published,  mailed to stockholders of the Company,  and at the time of the
meeting of stockholders  of the Company to be held, if necessary,  in connection
with the Merger  (the  "Stockholders'  Meeting"  (defined  herein))  contain any
untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make the statements  therein,  in
light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;  provided,
however,  that no representation or warranty is made by the Company with respect
to  information  supplied by Parent,  Acquisition  or GP, for  inclusion  in the
Disclosure  Statements.  The Disclosure Statements will comply as to form in all
material respects with all provisions of applicable law.

     SECTION 3.6.  Consents and Approvals;  No  Violations.  Except for filings,
permits,  authorizations,  consents and approvals as may be required under,  and
other applicable requirements of, the Exchange Act, state securities laws ("Blue
Sky Laws"), the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended
(the "HSR Act"),  and the securities or antitrust  laws of any foreign  country,
and  the  filing  and  recordation  and  acceptance  for  record  of the  Merger
Certificate as required by the DGCL,  respectively,  no filing with or notice to
and no permit,  authorization,  consent or approval of any court or tribunal, or
administrative   governmental  or  regulatory  body,   agency  or  authority  (a
"Governmental  Entity")  is  necessary  for the  execution  and  delivery by the
Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated   hereby,   except  where  the  failure  to  obtain  such  permits,
authorizations,  consents  or  approvals  or to make such  filings  or give such
notice would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the execution, delivery
and  performance  of this Agreement by the Company nor the  consummation  by the
Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) conflict with or result
in any breach of any provision of the  respective  charter or Bylaws (or similar
governing documents) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) result in a
violation  or breach of or  constitute  (with or without  due notice or lapse of
time or both) a default  (or give rise to any right of  termination,  amendment,
cancellation  or  acceleration  or Lien) under any of the terms,  conditions  or
provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,  indenture,  lease,  license,  contract,
agreement or other  instrument  or obligation to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries  is a party  or by  which  any of them or any of  their  respective
properties  or assets may be bound or (iii)  conflict with or violate any order,
writ,  injunction,  decree, law, statute,  rule or regulation  applicable to the
Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  properties  or
assets  except,  in the  case of (ii) or  (iii),  for  violations,  breaches  or
defaults which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     SECTION 3.7. Compliance with Applicable Law. Neither the Company nor any of
its  subsidiaries  is in conflict  with,  or in default or  violation of (a) its
respective charter or certificate of incorporation,  bylaws, or other charter or
organization  documents,  (b) to the Company's  Knowledge (defined herein),  any
law, statute,  rule,  regulation,  order,


                                       11
<PAGE>


judgment,  writ,  injunction  or decree  applicable to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their respective  properties or assets,  or (c) any note,
bond,  mortgage,   indenture,   contract,  agreement,  lease,  license,  permit,
franchise or other  instrument  or obligation to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries  is a party or by which the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or
any property or asset of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries may be bound or
affected,  in the case of (b) or (c), the effect of which  conflict,  default or
violation,  either individually or in the aggregate,  would be reasonably likely
to be a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company's Knowledge, the Company and its
subsidiaries  hold  all  material   licenses,   permits,   approvals  and  other
authorizations of Governmental  Entities, and are in substantial compliance with
all  applicable  laws and  governmental  regulations  in  connection  with their
businesses as now being conducted  (except where such  non-compliance  would not
have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Company).  For the purposes  hereof,  the
term  "Knowledge"  with respect to the Company means the actual knowledge of the
officers  and  directors  of the  Company  including  knowledge  obtained in the
ordinary  course  of the  operation  of the  business  of the  Company  from the
managers of the facilities of the Company.

     SECTION 3.8. No Undisclosed Liabilities;  Absence of Changes. Except to the
extent  publicly  disclosed  in the  Company's  SEC  Reports  or in the  Company
Disclosure Schedule,  as of December 31, 1998, none of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries had any material liabilities or obligations of any nature,  whether
or not accrued,  contingent or  otherwise,  that would be required by GAAP to be
reflected on a  consolidated  balance sheet of the Company and its  subsidiaries
(including the notes  thereto) or which would have a Material  Adverse Effect on
the Company and since such date,  the Company has incurred no such  liability or
obligation.  Since  December  31,  1998,  except as disclosed in the Company SEC
Reports,  (a) the Company and its  subsidiaries  have conducted their respective
businesses  only in the  ordinary  course and in a manner  consistent  with past
practice  and (b)  there  has not  been (i) any  change,  event,  occurrence  or
circumstance in the business,  operations,  properties,  financial  condition or
results  of  operations  of  the  Company  or any  of  its  subsidiaries  which,
individually or in the aggregate,  has a Material  Adverse Effect on the Company
(except for changes,  events,  occurrences or circumstances  (A) with respect to
general  economic  conditions  or (B)  arising  as a result of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby), (ii) any material change by the Company in its accounting
methods, principles or practices, (iii) any authorization,  declaration, setting
aside or payment of any dividend or distribution or capital return in respect of
any  stock  of,  or  other  equity  interest  in,  the  Company  or  any  of its
subsidiaries,  (iv) any material revaluation for financial statement purposes by
the  Company  or any of  its  subsidiaries  of  any  asset  (including,  without
limitation,  any writing down of the value of any property,  investment or asset
or writing  off of notes or  accounts  receivable),  (v) other  than  payment of
compensation for services  rendered to the Company or any of its subsidiaries in
the ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past practice or the grant of
Company Stock Options as described in (and in amounts  consistent  with) Section
3.2, any material  transactions  between the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
on the one hand,  and any (A)  officer or  director of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, (B) record or beneficial owner of five percent (5%) or more of the
voting securities of the Company, or (C) affiliate of any such officer, director
or beneficial owner, on the other hand, or (vi) other than pursuant to the terms
of the plans, programs or arrangements  specifically referred to in Section 3.11
or Section 3.11 of the Company Disclosure  Schedule or in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice,  any increase in or establishment of any
bonus,   insurance,   welfare,   severance,   deferred  compensation,   pension,
retirement,  profit sharing,  stock option (including,  without limitation,  the
granting of stock options,  stock  appreciation  rights,  performance  awards or
restricted stock awards),  stock purchase or other employee benefit plan, or any
other  increase  in  the  compensation  payable  or to  become  payable  to  any
employees,  officers,  directors  or  consultants  of the  Company or


                                       12
<PAGE>


any of its subsidiaries, which increase or establishment, individually or in the
aggregate, will result in a material liability.

     SECTION 3.9.  Litigation.  Except as publicly  disclosed in the Company SEC
Reports,  there is no suit, claim, action,  proceeding or investigation  pending
or, to the  Company's  Knowledge,  threatened  against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries  or any  of  their  respective  properties  or  assets  before  any
Governmental  Entity which  individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or could reasonably be
expected to prevent or delay the consummation of the  transactions  contemplated
by this  Agreement.  Except as publicly  disclosed by the Company in the Company
SEC Reports,  none of the Company or its  subsidiaries nor any property or asset
of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries is subject to any outstanding  order,
writ,  injunction or decree which  insofar as can be reasonably  foreseen in the
future could  reasonably  be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the
Company or could  reasonably be expected to prevent or delay the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby.

     SECTION  3.10.  Year  2000  Compliance.  To the  Company's  Knowledge,  the
disclosure  contained  in the  Company's  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended  December 31, 1998 does not contain any material  misstatement  or
omission regarding the status of the Company's Year 2000 readiness.

     SECTION 3.11. Employee Benefit Plans; Labor Matters

     (a) Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth each plan
which is subject to the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act of 1974,  as
amended ("ERISA"), and each other material agreement,  arrangement or commitment
which  is  an  employment  or  consulting  agreement,   executive  or  incentive
compensation  plan,  bonus  plan,  deferred  compensation  agreement,   employee
pension,  profit sharing,  savings or retirement plan,  employee stock option or
stock purchase plan, group life, health, or accident insurance or other employee
benefit  plan,  agreement,   arrangement  or  commitment,   including,   without
limitation,  severance,  vacation,  holiday  or  other  bonus  plans,  currently
maintained  by the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  for the  benefit of any
present or former employees,  officers or directors of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries  ("Company  Personnel") or with respect to which the Company or any
of its  subsidiaries  has  liability  or  makes  or has an  obligation  to  make
contributions (each such plan, agreement, arrangement or commitment set forth in
Section 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule being hereinafter referred to
as a "Company Employee Plan").

     (b) With respect to each Company Employee Plan maintained or contributed to
by the Company or any trade or business  which is under common  control with the
Company  within the  meaning of Section 414 of the Code (the  "Company  Employee
Plans"),  the Company has made  available to Parent a true and complete copy of,
to the extent  applicable,  (i) such Company Employee Plan, (ii) the most recent
annual report (Form 5500),  (iii) each trust  agreement  related to such Company
Employee Plan,  (iv) the most recent summary plan  description  for each Company
Employee  Plan for which such a  description  is  required,  (v) the most recent
actuarial  report  relating to any Company  Employee Plan subject to Title IV of
ERISA and (vi) the most recent IRS  determination  letter issued with respect to
any Company  Employee Plan that is intended to qualify  under Section  401(a) of
the Code.

     (c) Each  Company  Employee  Plan which is intended to be  qualified  under
Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable  determination  from the IRS
covering the  provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 stating that such Company

                                       13
<PAGE>


Employee  Plan is so qualified  and nothing has occurred  since the date of such
letter that could  reasonably be expected to affect the qualified status of such
plan. Each Company  Employee Plan has been operated in all material  respects in
accordance  with its terms and the  requirements  of  applicable  law (except as
would not have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the Company).  Neither the Company
nor any ERISA Affiliate of the Company has incurred or is reasonably expected to
incur any  liability  under  Title IV of ERISA in  connection  with any  Company
Employee Plan (except as would not have a material effect on the Company).

     (d) To the  Company's  Knowledge,  no employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries (i) is in violation of any term of any employment contract,  patent
disclosure agreement, noncompetition agreement, or any restrictive covenant with
a former  employer  relating to the right of any such employee to be employed by
the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  because of the nature of the  business
conducted  or  presently  proposed to be  conducted by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or to the use of trade secrets or proprietary information of others
and (ii) has given  notice to the Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  that any
employee  intends to terminate his or her employment with the Company except for
terminations of a nature and number that are consistent with the Company's prior
experience.  Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  is a party to any
collective  bargaining  agreement or other labor union  contract  applicable  to
Company  Personnel.  To the  Company's  Knowledge,  there are no  activities  or
proceedings  of any labor union to organize any  employees of the Company or any
of its  subsidiaries  and there are no  strikes,  or  material  slowdowns,  work
stoppages or lockouts, or threats thereof by or with respect to any employees of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries are and
have been in compliance with all applicable laws regarding employment practices,
terms and  conditions of  employment,  and wages and hours  (including,  without
limitation,  OSHA,  ERISA,  WARN or any similar  state or local law)  (except as
would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company).

     (e) Except as  disclosed  in  Section  3.11(e)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  (either alone or
together  with any other  transaction(s)  or event(s))  will not (i) entitle any
Company  Personnel to severance pay or other similar  payments under any Company
Employee  Plan,  (ii)  accelerate the time of payment or vesting or increase the
amount of benefits due under any Company  Employee Plan or  compensation  to any
Company Personnel,  (iii) result in any payments (including  parachute payments)
under any Company Employee Plan becoming due to any Company  Personnel,  or (iv)
terminate  or modify or give a third  party a right to  terminate  or modify the
provisions or terms of any Company Employee Plan.

     SECTION 3.12. Environmental Laws and Regulations.

     (a)  Except as  publicly  disclosed  in the  Company  SEC  Reports,  to the
Company's  Knowledge,  (i) the properties,  assets and operations of the Company
and its  subsidiaries  are in material  compliance with all applicable  federal,
state,  local and foreign  laws and  regulations,  orders,  decrees,  judgments,
permits and licenses  relating to public and worker health and safety and to the
protection  and  clean-up  of  the  natural  environment   (including,   without
limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface
strata) and  activities  or  conditions  relating  thereto,  including,  without
limitation, those relating to the generation, handling, disposal, transportation
or release of hazardous materials  (collectively  "Environmental  Laws"), except
for  non-compliance  that  would  not  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect,  which
compliance includes but is not limited to, the possession by the Company and its
subsidiaries  of all  material  permits  and other  governmental  authorizations
required under applicable  Environmental  Laws and compliance with the terms and
conditions  thereof;  (ii) none of the Company or its


                                       14
<PAGE>


subsidiaries has received written notice of or, to the Company's  Knowledge,  is
the subject of any Environmental  Claim (defined below) that could reasonably be
expected  to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the  Company;  and (iii) to the
Company's  Knowledge,  there are no circumstances  that are reasonably likely to
prevent or interfere with such material compliance in the future.

     (b) Except as  disclosed  in the Company SEC  Reports,  there is no action,
cause of action, claim, investigation,  demand or notice by any person or entity
alleging  liability  under  or  non-compliance  with any  Environmental  Law (an
"Environmental  Claim")  which could  reasonably  be expected to have a Material
Adverse  Effect  that is  pending  or, to the  Company's  Knowledge,  threatened
against the Company or its subsidiaries or, to the Company's Knowledge,  against
any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental  Claim the Company or
any of its subsidiaries has or may have retained or assumed either contractually
or by operation of law.

     SECTION 3.13. Taxes

     (a) For purposes of this  Agreement:  (i) "Tax" or "Taxes" means any taxes,
charges,  fees,  levies,  or other  assessments  imposed by any U.S.  or foreign
governmental entity,  whether national,  state, county, local or other political
subdivision,  including, without limitation, all net income, gross income, sales
and use, rent and occupancy,  value added, ad valorem, transfer, gains, profits,
excise,  franchise,  real and personal property,  gross receipt,  capital stock,
business and occupation, disability, employment, payroll, license, estimated, or
withholding  taxes or charges imposed by any governmental  entity,  and includes
any interest and penalties on or additions to any such taxes (and includes taxes
for which the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries, as the case may be, may be
liable in its own right,  or as the transferee of the assets of, or as successor
to, any other corporation,  association,  partnership,  joint venture,  or other
entity, or under Treasury  Regulation  Section 1.1502-6 or any similar provision
of foreign, state or local law); and (ii) "Tax Return" means a report, return or
other information  required to be supplied to a governmental entity with respect
to Taxes including, where permitted or required, group, combined or consolidated
returns  for any group of  entities  that  includes  the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries.

     (b)  Except as set  forth in  Section  3.13(b)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  the  Company  and each of its  subsidiaries,  and any  affiliated  or
combined  group of which  the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  is or was a
member for  applicable  Tax purposes,  have (i) filed all federal income and all
other Tax Returns  required to be filed by  applicable  law and all such federal
income and other Tax Returns (A) reflect the  liability for Taxes of the Company
and each of its  subsidiaries  except to the extent  that a reserve for Taxes is
reflected on the balance sheet or the notes thereto including in the most recent
consolidated  financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries contained
in the Company SEC Reports, and (B) were filed on a timely basis and (ii) within
the time and in the manner  prescribed  by law, paid (and until the Closing Time
will pay  within the time and in the  manner  prescribed  by law) all Taxes that
were or are due and payable as set forth in such Tax Returns.

     (c) Each of the Company and, where applicable,  the Company's  subsidiaries
has  established  (and  until  the  Closing  Time  will  maintain  on at least a
quarterly basis) on its books and records reserves  adequate to pay all Taxes of
the Company or such  respective  subsidiary,  as the case may be, in  accordance
with  GAAP,  which  are  reflected  in the most  recent  consolidated  financial
statements  of the Company  and its  subsidiaries  contained  in the Company SEC
Reports, as applicable, to the extent required by GAAP.


                                       15
<PAGE>


     (d) Except as  disclosed  in  Section  3.13(d)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  neither the  Company nor any  subsidiary  thereof has  requested  any
extension  of time  within  which to file any  income,  franchise  or other  Tax
Return, which Tax Return has not been filed as of the date hereof.

     (e) Except as  disclosed  in  Section  3.13(e)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  neither the  Company nor any  subsidiary  thereof  has  executed  any
outstanding  waivers or comparable  consents  regarding the  application  of the
statute of limitations  with respect to any income,  franchise or other Taxes or
Tax Returns.

     (f) Except as  disclosed  in  Section  3.13(f)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  no deficiency  for any Tax which,  alone or in the aggregate with any
other  deficiency or deficiencies,  would exceed $250,000,  has been proposed in
writing,  asserted in  writing,  or  assessed  against  the  Company  and/or any
subsidiary  thereof  that has not been  resolved  and paid in full or  otherwise
settled, no audits or other administrative proceedings are presently in progress
or, to the Company's Knowledge, pending, or threatened in writing with regard to
any Taxes or Tax Returns of the Company  and/or any subsidiary  thereof,  and no
written claim is currently  being made by any authority in a jurisdiction  where
any of the Company or any subsidiary  thereof, as the case may be, does not file
Tax Returns that it is or may be subject to Tax in that jurisdiction.


     (g) Except as  disclosed  on  Section  3.13(g)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  neither  the Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  is a party to any
agreement relating to allocating or sharing of the payment of, or liability for,
Taxes except an agreement between or among solely the Company and one or more of
such subsidiaries or between such subsidiaries.

     (h) The  Company  does not  constitute  and for the past five years has not
constituted  a "United  States real  property  holding  corporation"  within the
meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code.

     SECTION 3.14.  Properties.  Section 3.14 of the Company Disclosure Schedule
contains a true and complete list (identifying the relevant owners,  lessors and
lessees) of all real properties owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Each of the Company and its  subsidiaries  has good and marketable  title to all
properties,  assets and rights of any kind whatsoever (whether real, personal or
mixed,  and  whether  tangible or  intangible)  owned by it  (collectively,  the
"Company Real  Assets"),  in each case free and clear of any material  mortgage,
security interest,  deed of trust, claim,  charge, title defect or other lien or
encumbrance,  except  (a) as  shown  on the  consolidated  balance  sheet of the
Company and its subsidiaries dated December 31, 1998 and the notes thereto,  (b)
for any mortgage,  security interest, deed of trust, claim, charge, title defect
or other lien or  encumbrance  arising by reason of (i)  taxes,  assessments  or
governmental  charges not yet  delinquent  or which are being  contested in good
faith, (ii) deposits to secure public or statutory obligations in lieu of surety
or appeal bonds entered into in the ordinary course of business, (iii) operation
of law in favor of carriers,  warehousemen,  landlords, mechanics,  materialmen,
laborers,  employees or suppliers,  incurred in the ordinary  course of business
for sums which are not yet  delinquent  or are being  contested in good faith by
negotiations or by appropriate  proceedings which suspend the collection thereof
and (iv) matters of public  record not having a material  adverse  effect in the
use or marketability of the Company Real Assets ("Permitted  Liens"),  or (c) as
set forth on  Section  3.14 of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule.  There are no
pending or, to the  Company's  Knowledge,  threatened  condemnation  proceedings
against or affecting any material Company Real Assets,  and none of the material
Company Real



                                       16
<PAGE>


Assets is subject to any commitment or other arrangement for its sale to a third
party outside the ordinary course of business.

     SECTION 3.15. Material Contracts and Commitments.

     (a) Section  3.15 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule  contains a true and
complete list of all of the following  contracts,  agreements  and  commitments,
whether  oral or  written  ("Contracts"),  to which  the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their material Company
Real Assets is bound, as each such contract or commitment may have been amended,
modified or supplemented:

     (i) all Contracts pursuant to which the Company or its subsidiaries holds a
     leasehold  interest in or  otherwise  has an economic  interest in any real
     property,  other than  property  described  in Section  3.14 of the Company
     Disclosure Schedule;

     (ii) all Contracts  granting or obtaining a franchise or license to utilize
     a brand name or other rights of a system providing  sterilization services,
     or granting or obtaining a license or sublicense of any material trademark,
     trade name, copyright, patent, service mark, or trade secret, or any rights
     therein  or  application  therefor  other  than for  contracts  related  to
     packaged software for the Company's internal use;

     (iii) all partnership or joint venture Contracts;

     (iv) all loan  agreements,  notes,  bonds,  debentures,  debt  instruments,
     evidences of indebtedness,  debt securities, or other Contracts relating to
     any  indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in an amount in
     excess of  $250,000,  or  involving  the  direct or  indirect  guaranty  or
     suretyship by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any indebtedness in
     an amount in excess of $250,000;

     (v) all Contracts that, after the date hereof,  obligate the Company or any
     of its  subsidiaries to pay,  pledge,  or encumber or restrict assets in an
     aggregate  amount  in excess  of  $250,000,  except  with  respect  to such
     Contracts  entered  into in  connection  with  facilities  currently  under
     construction in which case such excess amount shall be $1,000,000;

     (vi) all  Contracts by which the Company has  committed to extend credit to
     third  parties  other than  Contracts  entered  into with  customers in the
     ordinary course of business;

     (vii) all  Contracts  with the 25  largest  (based on  revenue  paid to the
     Company)  customers  of the Company  during the fiscal year ended March 31,
     1999; and

     (viii) all  Contracts  that limit or restrict the ability of the Company or
     any of its  subsidiaries to compete or otherwise to conduct business in any
     material manner or place.

     (b) The  Company  has  heretofore  made  available  to the Parent  true and
complete copies of all of the Contracts required to be set forth in Section 3.15
of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule except those required by Section  3.15(vii)
which  will be  provided  to  Parent  as soon as is  practicable  after the date
hereof.  Each such Contract is


                                       17
<PAGE>


valid and binding in accordance with its terms,  and is in full force and effect
(except  as set  forth in  Section  3.15 of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule),
provided  that  foregoing  representation  is to the  Company's  Knowledge  with
respect to the other parties to such  Contracts.  Neither the Company nor any of
its  subsidiaries is in default in any material respect with respect to any such
Contract, nor does any condition exist that with notice or lapse of time or both
would  constitute such a material  default  thereunder or permit any other party
thereto to terminate such Contract.  To the Company's Knowledge,  no other party
to any such  Contract is in default in any material  respect with respect to any
such  Contract.  No party has given any  written  notice (i) of  termination  or
cancellation  of any such Contract or (ii) that it intends to assert a breach of
any such Contract,  whether as a result of the transactions  contemplated hereby
or otherwise. Each Contract identified in Section 3.15 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule  in  response  to any item  under  this  Section  3.15  shall be deemed
incorporated by reference to all other items in this Section 3.15.

     SECTION 3.16. Intangible Property.

     (a) The Company has made  available to the Parent a list of the  Intangible
Property  (as  defined   below)  which  is  material  to  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has an interest.

     (b) Except as set forth on Section 3.16 of the Company Disclosure Schedule:

     (i) the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  own or have the right to use,  all
     material  Intangible  Property  used in the  conduct of their  business  as
     presently conducted;

     (ii)  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries   have  performed  all  material
     obligations  required to be performed by them, and are not in default under
     any material  contract or arrangement  relating to any material  Intangible
     Property;

     (iii) the  execution,  delivery and  performance  of this Agreement and the
     consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  will not  breach,
     violate or conflict with any agreement  related to any material  Intangible
     Property,  will not cause the  forfeiture or  termination or give rise to a
     right of  forfeiture or  termination  of, or in any material way impair the
     right of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  to use, sell,  license or
     dispose  of or to bring any action for the  infringement  of, any  material
     Intangible Property or material portion thereof;

     (iv) there are no royalties,  honoraria,  fees or other payments payable by
     the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  to any  person  by reason of the
     ownership,  use,  license,  sale or disposition of any material  Intangible
     Property;

     (v) the conduct of the  business by the Company and its  subsidiaries  does
     not violate any material license or agreement with any third party; and

     (vi)  neither the  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has  received  any
     notice to the effect (or is otherwise  aware) that any material  Intangible
     Property  or the use  thereof  by the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries
     conflicts with any rights of any person.

                                       18
<PAGE>


     (c)  As  used  herein  "Intangible  Property"  means  all  patents,  patent
applications (pending or otherwise), material internally developed (including by
third parties)  computer  software,  registered  copyrights,  and currently used
brand names,  service marks,  trademarks,  tradenames,  and all registrations or
applications for registration of any of the foregoing.

     SECTION 3.17. Brokers.  No broker,  finder or investment banker (other than
PaineWebber Incorporated,  TM Capital Corp. and SG Cowen Securities Corporation,
the  Company's  financial  advisers,  a true and  correct  copy of whose  entire
engagement  agreements  have  been  provided  to  Parent)  is  entitled  to  any
brokerage,   finder's  or  other  fee  or  commission  in  connection  with  the
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement based upon  arrangements made by or
on behalf of the Company.

     SECTION 3.18. Certain Business Practices.  None of the Company,  any of its
subsidiaries  or  any  directors  or  officers  of  the  Company  or  any of its
subsidiaries  (provided  that as to the  directors and officers of the Company's
Thailand subsidiary such representation is made to the Company's Knowledge), nor
to the  Company's  Knowledge,  agents or  employees of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries,  has  (a)  used  any  funds  for  unlawful  contributions,  gifts,
entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to political activity, (b) made
any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or
to foreign or domestic  political parties or campaigns or violated any provision
of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended,  or (c) made any other
unlawful payment.

     SECTION 3.19  Applicability  of State  Takeover  Statutes.  The Section 203
Approval is valid and in full force and effect. Section 203 of the DGCL will not
apply  to  this  Agreement,   the  Stockholders  Agreement,  the  Offer  or  the
acquisition of shares pursuant to the Offer or the Stockholders Agreement or the
Merger. No other state takeover statute or similar statute or regulation applies
or purports to apply to this Agreement,  the Stockholders Agreement,  the Offer,
Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

     SECTION 3.20  Amendment to the Rights  Agreement.  The  Company's  Board of
Directors has taken all necessary action (including any amendment thereof) under
the Rights  Agreement  so that (x) none of the  execution  or  delivery  of this
Agreement, or the Stockholders  Agreement,  consummation of the Offer, or any of
the other transactions  contemplated hereby or thereby will cause (i) the Rights
to become exercisable under the Rights Agreement, (ii) Parent, GP or Acquisition
to be deemed an  "Acquiring  Person"  (as defined in the Rights  Agreement),  or
(iii) the "Distribution Date" (as defined in the Rights Agreement) to occur upon
any  such  event  and  (y) the  "Expiration  Date"  (as  defined  in the  Rights
Agreement) of the Rights shall occur immediately prior to the Effective Time.

     SECTION  3.21 Opinion of  Financial  Advisor.  The Company has received the
opinion of PaineWebber  Incorporated and TM Capital Corp. to the effect that, as
of the date of this Agreement, the consideration to be received in the Offer and
the Merger by the Company's  stockholders is fair to the Company's  stockholders
from a financial  point of view,  and a complete and correct signed copy of such
opinion has been, or promptly upon receipt thereof will be, delivered to Parent.
The Company has been authorized by PaineWebber Incorporated and TM Capital Corp.
to permit the  inclusion of such opinion in its entirety in the Offer  Documents
and the Schedule 14D-9 and the Proxy Statement,  so long as such inclusion is in
form and substance  reasonably  satisfactory to PaineWebber  Incorporated and TM
Capital Corp. and its counsel.


                                       19
<PAGE>

     SECTION 3.22  Employees.  Section 3.22 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule
sets forth the  following  information  concerning  each employee of the Company
whose base annual salary is in excess of $50,000:  (a) name;  (b) position;  (c)
current base salary;  and (d) whether such employee has an employment  agreement
and, if so, its expiration date.


                                    ARTICLE 4

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
                            OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION

     Parent and  Acquisition  hereby  represent  and  warrant to the  Company as
follows:

     SECTION 4.1. Organization.

     (a) Parent is a corporation  duly organized,  validly  existing and in good
standing under the laws of the Kingdom of Belgium,  GP is a general  partnership
duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the
State of Delaware and  Acquisition  is a  corporation  duly  organized,  validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware,  and each
has all requisite  power and authority to own,  lease and operate its properties
and to carry on its  businesses  as now  being  conducted.  Each of  Parent  and
Acquisition has heretofore delivered to the Company accurate and complete copies
of its Certificates of Incorporation and Bylaws as currently in effect.

     (b) Each of Parent, GP and Acquisition is duly qualified or licensed and in
good standing to do business in each  jurisdiction  in which the property owned,
leased or operated  by it or the nature of the  business  conducted  by it makes
such qualification or licensing  necessary,  except in such jurisdictions  where
the failure to be so duly  qualified or licensed and in good standing  would not
have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. The term "Parent Material Adverse Effect"
means any  change or effect  that is (i)  materially  adverse  to the  business,
results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of Parent
and its subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, other than any change or effect arising
out of  general  economic  conditions  or (ii) that may  impair  the  ability of
Parent,  GP and/or  Acquisition  to  consummate  the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

     SECTION 4.2. Authority  Relative to this Agreement.  Each of Parent, GP and
Acquisition  has all  necessary  corporate  power and  authority  to execute and
deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby.
The  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement  and the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly and validly  authorized by the
boards of directors of Parent and  Acquisition  and the partners of GP and by GP
as the sole stockholder of Acquisition and no other corporate proceedings on the
part of Parent,  GP or Acquisition  are necessary to authorize this Agreement or
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly
and validly  executed and delivered by each of Parent,  GP and  Acquisition  and
constitutes  a valid,  legal and  binding  agreement  of each of Parent,  GP and
Acquisition enforceable against each of Parent, GP and Acquisition in accordance
with its terms,  except as such  enforceability may be limited by any applicable
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,   moratorium  or  other  similar  laws
affecting the  enforcement  of creditors'  rights  generally,  and except as the
availability of equitable  remedies may be limited by the application of general
principles  of equity  (regardless  of whether  such  equitable  principles  are
applied in a proceeding at law or in equity).


                                       20
<PAGE>


     SECTION 4.3. Information  Supplied.  Neither the Schedule 14D-1, nor any of
the  information  supplied or to be supplied by Parent,  GP or  Acquisition  for
inclusion  or  incorporation  by  reference  in  any  of  the  other  Disclosure
Statements will, at the respective times that the Proxy Statement (if necessary)
and the Schedule  14D-9 and any amendments  thereof or  supplements  thereto are
filed  with the SEC and are  first  published  or sent or given  to  holders  of
Shares, and in the case of any required Proxy Statement,  at the time that it or
any  amendment  thereof  or  supplement  thereto  is  mailed  to  the  Company's
stockholders or, at the time of the Stockholders'  Meeting, if such is required,
contain any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein,  in  light  of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not
misleading.

     SECTION 4.4.  Financing.  Parent has or has  available to it, and will make
available  to  Acquisition,  all funds  necessary to satisfy all of Parent's and
Acquisition's  obligations  under  this  Agreement  and in  connection  with the
transactions contemplated hereby including without limitation,  sufficient funds
available to purchase all of the Shares that Parent agrees, subject to the terms
and  conditions  hereof,  to purchase  hereunder and to pay all related fees and
expenses.

     SECTION 4.5.  Consents and Approvals;  No  Violations.  Except for filings,
permits,  authorizations,  consents and approvals as may be required under,  and
other applicable requirements of, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, Blue Sky
Laws, the HSR Act and the securities or antitrust laws of any country other than
the  United  States,  and the  filing  and  acceptance  for record of the Merger
Certificate as required by the DGCL, respectively,  no filing with or notice to,
and no permit, authorization, consent or approval of, any Governmental Entity is
necessary for the execution and delivery by Parent,  GP or  Acquisition  of this
Agreement or the  consummation by Parent,  GP or Acquisition of the transactions
contemplated   hereby,   except  where  the  failure  to  obtain  such  permits,
authorizations,  consents  or  approvals  or to make such  filings  or give such
notice would not have a Parent Material  Adverse Effect.  Neither the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by Parent,  GP or Acquisition nor the
consummation  by Parent,  GP or  Acquisition  of the  transactions  contemplated
hereby will (i)  conflict  with or result in any breach of any  provision of the
respective  Certificates  of  Incorporation  or  Bylaws  (or  similar  governing
documents) of Parent or  Acquisition  or the  partnership  agreement of GP, (ii)
result in a violation or breach of or constitute  (with or without due notice or
lapse of time or both) a  default  (or give  rise to any  right of  termination,
amendment,  cancellation  or  acceleration  or  Lien)  under  any of the  terms,
conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease, license,
contract,  agreement or other  instrument or  obligation to which Parent,  GP or
Acquisition or any of Parent's other  subsidiaries is a party or by which any of
them or any of  their  respective  properties  or  assets  may be bound or (iii)
violate any order, writ,  injunction,  decree, law, statute,  rule or regulation
applicable to Parent, GP or Acquisition or any of Parent's other subsidiaries or
any of their  respective  properties  or assets  except,  in the case of (ii) or
(iii),  for  violations,  breaches  or  defaults  which  would not have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                                    COVENANTS

     SECTION 5.1. Interim Operations.  From the date of this Agreement until the
Closing  Time,  except as set forth in  Section  5.1 of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule or as expressly  contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement,
unless the Parent


                                       21
<PAGE>


has consented in writing thereto, the Company shall, and shall cause each of its
subsidiaries to:

     (a) conduct its business  and  operations  only in the  ordinary  course of
     business consistent with past practice;

     (b) use reasonable  efforts to preserve intact the business,  organization,
     goodwill,  rights, licenses,  permits and franchises of the Company and its
     subsidiaries  and maintain their  existing  relationships  with  customers,
     suppliers and other persons having business dealings with them, the loss of
     any of which  would be  reasonably  likely to result in a Material  Adverse
     Effect on the Company;

     (c) use  reasonable  efforts  to keep in full  force  and  effect  adequate
     insurance  coverage and maintain and keep its properties and assets in good
     repair, working order and condition, normal wear and tear excepted;

     (d)  not  amend  or  modify  its  respective   charter  or  certificate  of
     incorporation, by-laws, or other charter or organization documents;

     (e) not authorize for issuance,  issue,  sell,  grant,  deliver,  pledge or
     encumber  or agree or commit  to issue,  sell,  grant,  deliver,  pledge or
     encumber any shares of any class or series of capital  stock of the Company
     or any of its subsidiaries or any other equity or voting security or equity
     or  voting  interest  in  the  Company  or any  of  its  subsidiaries,  any
     securities  convertible  into or exercisable or  exchangeable  for any such
     shares,   securities  or  interests,  or  any  options,   warrants,  calls,
     commitments,  subscriptions  or  rights to  purchase  or  acquire  any such
     shares,  securities  or  interests  (other  than  issuances  of Shares upon
     exercise  of  Company  Stock  Options  granted  prior  to the  date of this
     Agreement  and disclosed  pursuant to Section 3.2 to  directors,  officers,
     employees and  consultants  of the Company in  accordance  with the Company
     Option Plans as currently in effect);

     (f) not (i) split,  combine or reclassify  any shares of its stock or issue
     or authorize or propose the issuance of any other securities in respect of,
     in lieu of, or in substitution for, shares of its stock, (ii) in solely the
     case of the Company,  declare,  set aside or pay any  dividends on, or make
     other  distributions  in respect of, any of the Company's  stock,  or (iii)
     repurchase,  redeem or otherwise acquire, or agree or commit to repurchase,
     redeem or  otherwise  acquire,  any shares of stock or other equity or debt
     securities or equity interests of the Company or any of its subsidiaries;

     (g) not amend or otherwise modify the terms of any Company Stock Options or
     the Company  Option Plans,  the effect of which shall be to make such terms
     more favorable to the holders thereof or persons eligible for participation
     therein;

     (h) other than  regularly  scheduled  seniority  increases  in the ordinary
     course  of  business  consistent  with  past  practice,  not  increase  the
     compensation  payable or to become  payable to any  directors,  officers or
     employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or grant any severance
     or termination pay to, or enter into any employment or severance  agreement
     with any director or officer of the Company or any of its


                                       22
<PAGE>


     subsidiaries,  or  establish,  adopt,  enter into or amend in any  material
     respect or take action to accelerate any material  rights or benefits under
     any collective  bargaining,  bonus, profit sharing,  thrift,  compensation,
     stock option, restricted stock, pension, retirement, deferred compensation,
     employment,  termination,  severance or other plan, agreement, trust, fund,
     policy or arrangement for the benefit of any director,  officer or employee
     of the Company of any of its subsidiaries;

     (i) not  acquire or agree to acquire  (including,  without  limitation,  by
     merger,  consolidation,  or  acquisition  of stock,  equity  securities  or
     interests,  or  assets)  any  corporation,   partnership,   joint  venture,
     association or other business organization or division thereof or otherwise
     acquire or agree to  acquire  any assets of any other  person  outside  the
     ordinary  course of business  consistent with past practice or any interest
     in any real properties (whether or not in the ordinary course of business);

     (j) not incur,  assume or guarantee  any  indebtedness  for borrowed  money
     (including  draw-downs  on letters or lines of credit) or issue or sell any
     notes, bonds,  debentures,  debt instruments,  evidences of indebtedness or
     other debt  securities  of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or any
     options,  warrants or rights to purchase or acquire any of the same, except
     for (i)  renewals of existing  bonds and letters of credit in the  ordinary
     course of business  not to exceed  $1,000,000  in the  aggregate;  and (ii)
     advances,  loans or other  indebtedness  in the ordinary course of business
     consistent  with  past  practice  in an  aggregate  amount  not  to  exceed
     $1,000,000;

     (k) not sell, lease, license, encumber or otherwise dispose of, or agree to
     sell,  lease,  license,  encumber or  otherwise  dispose  of, any  material
     properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;

     (l) not authorize or make any capital expenditures  (including by lease) in
     excess  of  $1,000,000  in the  aggregate  for the  Company  and all of its
     subsidiaries;

     (m) not make any  material  change in any of its  accounting  or  financial
     reporting  (including tax accounting and reporting) methods,  principles or
     practices, except as may be required by GAAP or applicable tax laws;

     (n) not make any material tax election or settle or compromise any material
     United States or foreign tax liability;

     (o)  except  in the  ordinary  course  of  business  consistent  with  past
     practice, not amend, modify or terminate any Contract required to be listed
     in Section  3.15 of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule or waive,  release or
     assign any material rights or claims thereunder;

     (p) not  adopt a plan of  complete  or  partial  liquidation,  dissolution,
     merger,   consolidation,    restructuring,    recapitalization   or   other
     reorganization of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and

     (q) except as to  subsections  (a),  (b) and (c) of this  Section  5.1, not
     agree or commit in writing or otherwise to do any of the foregoing.


                                       23
<PAGE>


     SECTION 5.2. Stockholders' Meeting.

     (a) The  Company,  acting  through the Board,  shall,  if required  for the
Merger under the DGCL:

          (i) duly  call,  give  notice  of,  convene  and hold a meeting of its
     stockholders  (the  "Stockholders'   Meeting"),  to  be  held  as  soon  as
     practicable  after  the  Tender  Offer  Purchase  Time for the  purpose  of
     considering and taking action upon this Agreement;

          (ii) except as otherwise  permitted under Section 5.3,  include in the
     Proxy Statement (A) the  recommendation  of the Board that  stockholders of
     the Company vote in favor of the  approval and adoption of this  Agreement,
     the  Merger  and the  other  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  and (B) a
     statement that the Board believes that the  consideration to be received by
     the  stockholders  of the  Company  pursuant  to the Merger is fair to such
     stockholders;

          (iii) except as otherwise  permitted under Section 5.3, use reasonable
     efforts (A) to obtain and furnish the  information  required to be included
     by it in the Disclosure  Statements and, after consultation with Parent and
     providing  Parent with a reasonable  opportunity to review and comment upon
     the  Proxy  Statement,  cause  the  Proxy  Statement  to be  mailed  to its
     stockholders  at the earliest  practicable  time following the Tender Offer
     Purchase  Time,   and  (B)  to  obtain  the  necessary   approvals  by  its
     stockholders of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. At
     such  meeting,  Parent,  GP and  Acquisition  will,  and will  cause  their
     affiliates  to,  vote all  Shares  owned by them in favor of  approval  and
     adoption of this Agreement,  the Merger and the  transactions  contemplated
     hereby.

     SECTION 5.3. Other Potential Acquirers.

     (a) From and after the date of this  Agreement  until  the  earlier  of the
Effective  Time or  termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant to its terms,  the
Company and its  subsidiaries  shall not,  and will  instruct  their  respective
directors, officers, employees, representatives,  investment bankers, agents and
affiliates not to, directly or indirectly,  (i) solicit or encourage  submission
of, any  inquiries,  proposals  or offers by any person,  entity or group (other
than Parent and its affiliates, agents and representatives), or (ii) participate
in any discussions or negotiations with, or disclose any non-public  information
concerning  the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  to, or afford any access to
the properties,  books or records of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries to,
or otherwise  assist or  facilitate,  or enter into or resolve to enter into any
agreement or understanding with, any person,  entity or group (other than Parent
and  its  affiliates,  agents  and  representatives),  in  connection  with  any
Acquisition  Proposal  with  respect to the  Company.  For the  purposes of this
Agreement,  an  "Acquisition  Proposal"  with  respect  to an  entity  means any
proposal or offer relating to (i) any merger, consolidation, sale of substantial
assets or similar  transactions  involving the entity or any subsidiaries of the
entity  (other  than  sales of assets or  inventory  in the  ordinary  course of
business  or  as  permitted  under  the  terms  of  this  Agreement),  (ii)  the
acquisition  by any  person  of  beneficial  ownership  or a  right  to  acquire
beneficial  ownership  of, or the  formation  of any "group"  (as defined  under
Section  13(d) of the  Exchange  Act and the rules and


                                       24
<PAGE>


regulations  thereunder)  which  beneficially  owns, or has the right to acquire
beneficial  ownership of, 10% or more of the then outstanding  shares of capital
stock of the entity (except for  acquisitions  for passive  investment  purposes
only in  circumstances  where  the  person  or group  qualifies  for and files a
Schedule 13G with respect  thereto);  (iii) the adoption by the entity of a plan
of liquidation or the declaration or payment of an extraordinary  dividend; (iv)
the  repurchase  by the  entity  of more than 20% of its  outstanding  shares of
voting stock; (v) the acquisition by the entity of direct or indirect  ownership
of a business where annual revenue,  net income or assets is greater than 20% of
the entity; or (vi) any public announcement of a proposal,  plan or intention to
do any of the foregoing or any agreement to engage in any of the foregoing.  The
Company will, and will cause its subsidiaries  and their  respective  directors,
officers,  employees,  representatives  and agents, to immediately cease any and
all existing activities,  discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted
heretofore  with  respect to any of the  foregoing.  The Company will (i) notify
Parent as  promptly  as  practicable  if any  inquiry or proposal is made or any
information or access is requested in connection with an Acquisition Proposal or
potential Acquisition Proposal and (ii) as promptly as practicable notify Parent
of the terms and  conditions  of any such  Acquisition  Proposal.  In  addition,
subject to the other provisions of this Section 5.3(a),  from and after the date
of this  Agreement  until the earlier of the Effective  Time and  termination of
this Agreement pursuant to its terms, the Company and its subsidiaries will not,
and   will   instruct   their   respective   directors,   officers,   employees,
representatives,  investment bankers,  agents and affiliates not to, directly or
indirectly,   make  or  authorize  any  public   statement,   recommendation  or
solicitation in support of any Acquisition  Proposal made by any person,  entity
or group (other than Parent or  Acquisition);  provided,  however,  that nothing
herein  shall  prohibit  the  Company's  Board  of  Directors  from  taking  and
disclosing  to the  Company's  stockholders  a position with respect to a tender
offer pursuant to Rules 14d-9 and 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

     (b) Except as allowed under Section 5.3(b),  the Board will not withdraw or
modify in a manner adverse to Parent or Acquisition  its  recommendation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  or  approve  or  recommend  any  Acquisition
Proposal.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  paragraph  (a) above,  prior to
consummation of the Offer, the Company may, to the extent the Board of Directors
of the Company determines,  in good faith, after consultation with outside legal
counsel, that the Board's fiduciary duties under applicable law require it to do
so,  participate  in  discussions  or  negotiations  with,  and,  subject to the
requirements of paragraph (c), below, furnish information to any person,  entity
or group  after such  person,  entity or group has  delivered  to the Company in
writing,  an  unsolicited  bona  fide  Acquisition  Proposal  which the Board of
Directors of the Company in its good faith reasonable judgment determines, after
consultation  with  its  independent  financial  advisors,  would  result  in  a
transaction  more favorable than the Offer and the Merger to the stockholders of
the  Company  from a  financial  point of view and for which  financing,  to the
extent  required,  is then  committed  or which,  in the good  faith  reasonable
judgement  of the Board of  Directors  of the Company  (based upon the advice of
independent  financial advisors) is reasonably capable of being financed by such
person,  entity or group and which is  likely  to be  consummated  (a  "Superior
Proposal").  In the event the  Company  receives  a  Superior  Proposal  nothing
contained in this  Agreement  (but subject to the terms hereof) will prevent the
Board of Directors of the Company from  recommending  such Superior  Proposal to
the  Company's  stockholders,  if the Board  determines,  in good  faith,  after
consultation  with outside  legal  counsel,  that such action is required by its
fiduciary duties under applicable law, provided, however, that the Company shall
not recommend to its  stockholders a Superior  Proposal for a period of not less
than 72 hours after Parent's  receipt of a copy of such Superior  Proposal (or a
description of the terms and conditions thereof, if not in writing).


                                       25
<PAGE>


     (c)  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary herein, the Company will not
provide  any  nonpublic  information  to a third party  unless:  (x) the Company
provides such nonpublic  information pursuant to a nondisclosure  agreement with
terms  regarding  the  protection  of  confidential   information  at  least  as
restrictive as such terms in the  Confidentiality  Agreement (as defined below);
and (y) such nonpublic information has been previously delivered to Parent.

     SECTION 5.4 [Intentionally Omitted].

     SECTION 5.5 Access to  Information.  From the date of this Agreement  until
the Closing Time,  upon  reasonable  prior notice,  the Company shall (and shall
cause  each of its  subsidiaries  to) give the  Parent  and its  representatives
(including  lenders to and financing  sources for such party) full access to the
officers, employees, agents, books, records, contracts, commitments, properties,
offices  and other  facilities  of it and its  subsidiaries,  and shall  furnish
promptly to the Parent and its representatives such financial and operating data
and  other  information   concerning  the  business,   operations,   properties,
contracts,  records and  personnel  of the Company and its  subsidiaries  as the
Parent may from time to time reasonably  request.  Parent and  Acquisition  will
make all reasonable  efforts to minimize any disruption to the businesses of the
Company and its subsidiaries  which may result from the access to properties and
employees and for data and information  hereunder.  All information  obtained by
the Parent pursuant to this Section 5.5 shall be kept confidential in accordance
with the  confidentiality  provisions of the  Non-Disclosure  Agreement  between
Parent and the Company dated May 17, 1999 (the "Confidentiality  Agreement"). No
representations  and warranties or conditions to the  consummation of the Merger
contained  herein or in any  certificate  or instrument  delivered in connection
herewith shall be deemed waived or otherwise  affected by any investigation made
by the parties or their respective representatives.

     SECTION 5.6. Further Actions.

     (a) Each of the parties hereto shall use its best efforts to take, or cause
to be taken, all actions,  and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary,
proper or advisable under applicable laws and regulations, and consult and fully
cooperate with and provide reasonable  assistance to each other party hereto and
their respective  representatives in order, to consummate and make effective the
transactions   contemplated   by  this  Agreement  as  promptly  as  practicable
hereafter,  including,  without limitation, (i) using reasonable efforts to make
all filings, applications, notifications, reports, submissions and registrations
with,  and to obtain all  consents,  approvals,  authorizations  or permits  of,
Governmental  Entities or other  persons or entities  as are  necessary  for the
consummation  of the  Merger  and the  other  transactions  contemplated  hereby
(including, without limitation, pursuant to the HSR Act, the Securities Act, the
Exchange  Act,  Blue  Sky  Laws,  Delaware  law and  other  applicable  laws and
regulations in effect in the United States,  Belgium or any other jurisdiction),
and (ii) taking such actions and doing such things as any other party hereto may
reasonably request in order to cause any of the conditions to such other party's
obligation to consummate  the Merger as specified in Article 8 of this Agreement
to be fully  satisfied.  Prior to making any  application  to or filing with any
Governmental Entity or other person or entity in connection with this Agreement,
the Company,  on the one hand, and the Parent,  on the other hand, shall provide
the other with drafts  thereof and afford the other a reasonable  opportunity to
comment on such drafts.

     (b) Without  limiting the generality of the  foregoing,  each of the Parent
and the Company  agree to cooperate  and use  reasonable  efforts to  vigorously
contest and resist any action,  suit,  proceeding or claim, and to have vacated,
lifted,  reversed  or


                                       26
<PAGE>


overturned  any  injunction,  order,  judgment  or  decree  (whether  temporary,
preliminary  or  permanent),  that delays,  prevents or otherwise  restricts the
consummation  of the  Merger  or any  other  transaction  contemplated  by  this
Agreement, and to take any and all actions (including,  without limitation,  the
disposition of assets,  divestiture of businesses,  or the withdrawal from doing
business  in  particular  jurisdictions)  as may  be  required  by  Governmental
Entities as a condition  to the granting of any such  necessary  approvals or as
may be required to avoid,  vacate,  lift,  reverse or overturn  any  injunction,
order,  judgment,  decree or regulatory action;  provided,  however,  that in no
event shall any party hereto take, or be required to take, any action that could
reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Company or that
individually or in the aggregate  could  reasonably be expected to have a Parent
Material Effect.

     SECTION  5.7. HSR  Matters.  Each party  hereto  shall make an  appropriate
filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to
the transactions  contemplated  hereby as promptly as practicable after the date
hereof.  Each such filing shall request early termination of the waiting periods
imposed by the HSR Act.  Each party  hereby  agrees to use its  reasonable  best
efforts to cause a termination  of the waiting  period under the HSR Act without
the  entry by a court  of  competent  jurisdiction  of an  order  enjoining  the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  at as  early a date as
possible.  Each  party  also  agrees to respond  promptly  to all  investigatory
requests  as may be made by the  government.  In the event  that a  Request  for
Additional Information is issued under the HSR Act, each party agrees to furnish
all information  required and to comply  substantially with such request as soon
as is practicable  after its receipt  thereof so that any additional  applicable
waiting  period under the HSR Act may  commence.  Each party will keep the other
party  apprised  of the  status  of any  inquiries  made  of such  party  by the
Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission or any other governmental agency
or  authority  or  members  of their  respective  staffs  with  respect  to this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

     SECTION 5.8. Public Announcements.  Parent, Acquisition and the Company, as
the case may be, will consult with one another  before issuing any press release
or  otherwise  making any public  statements  with  respect to the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement,  including,  without limitation, the Merger, and
shall not issue any such press release or make any such public  statement  prior
to  such  consultation  except  to the  extent  that  such  consultation  may be
prohibited  by  applicable  law or such a  disclosure  or release is required by
obligations  pursuant to any listing  agreement with the Brussels Stock Exchange
or Nasdaq as determined by Parent or the Company, as the case may be.

     SECTION 5.9. Employee Benefit Matters;  Company Stock Options.  The Company
shall, or shall cause one of its  subsidiaries to, take such action effective as
of the Effective Time with respect to any Company  Employee Plan as Parent shall
reasonably  request,  including  termination of any such plan. The Company shall
(a) cooperate  with Parent and  Acquisition  in obtaining  waivers,  in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to Parent and Acquisition, of all terms of the
Company Option Plans and all terms of outstanding  Company Stock Options,  which
terms could prevent,  restrict or impair the ability of Parent,  Acquisition and
the Company to effectuate  fully the  provisions  of Section  2.10,  and (b) use
reasonable efforts to cause its Compensation  Committee to interpret the Company
Option Plan,  to the extent  possible,  so as to enable the Company,  Parent and
Acquisition to effectuate fully the provisions of Section 2.10.

     SECTION  5.10.  Notification  of Certain  Matters.  The Company  shall give
prompt notice to Parent and Parent shall give prompt  notice to the Company,  of
(i) the occurrence or nonoccurrence of any event the occurrence or nonoccurrence
of


                                       27
<PAGE>



which would be likely to cause (A) any  representation or warranty  contained in
this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect at or prior to
the Effective Time or (B) any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this
Agreement not to be complied with or satisfied in all material respects and (ii)
any material failure of the Company, Parent, GP or Acquisition,  as the case may
be, to comply  with or  satisfy  any  covenant,  condition  or  agreement  to be
complied with or satisfied by it hereunder; provided, however, that the delivery
of any  notice  pursuant  to this  Section  5.10  shall not cure such  breach or
non-compliance or limit or otherwise affect the remedies available  hereunder to
the party receiving such notice.

     SECTION 5.11.  Guarantee  of  Performance.  Parent  hereby  guarantees  the
performance by Acquisition and GP of their obligations under this Agreement.

     SECTION 5.12 Indemnification; Directors' and Officers' Insurance.

     (a) Parent and  Acquisition  agree that all rights to  indemnification  for
acts or omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time now existing in favor of
the current or former directors or officers (the  "Indemnified  Parties") of the
Company and its  subsidiaries  as provided in their  respective  certificates of
incorporation  or bylaws  (or  similar  organizational  documents)  or  existing
indemnification  contracts  shall survive the Merger and shall  continue in full
force and effect in accordance with their terms.

     (b) For six years from the Effective Time,  Parent shall maintain in effect
the Company's current directors' and officers'  liability insurance or insurance
policies with substantially  equivalent  coverage covering those persons who are
currently covered by the Company's  directors' and officers' liability insurance
policy (a copy of which has been heretofore delivered to Parent).

     (c) This Section 5.12 shall survive the  consummation  of the Merger at the
Effective Time, is intended to benefit the Company,  Parent, the Acquisition and
the Indemnified  Parties,  and shall be binding on all successors and assigns of
Parent and the Acquisition.

     SECTION 5.13 State Takeover Laws.  Notwithstanding  any other  provision of
this Agreement, in no event shall the Section 203 Approval be withdrawn, revoked
or modified by the Board.  If any state takeover  statute other than Section 203
of the DGCL  becomes  or is  deemed  to  become  applicable  to the  Offer,  the
acquisition of the Shares pursuant to the Offer or the Stockholders Agreement or
the Merger,  the Company shall take all action  necessary to render such statute
inapplicable to all of the foregoing.

     SECTION 5.14 Employee Benefits. Following the Effective Time, the Surviving
Corporation will provide the persons employed by the Company  immediately  prior
to the  Effective  Time,  for so long as such  persons  remain  employed  by the
Surviving  Corporation with benefits (other than stock options) in the aggregate
which are  substantially  comparable  to those  provided to such  persons by the
Company immediately prior to the Effective Time.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                      DISSENTING SHARES; EXCHANGE OF SHARES

     SECTION 6.1 Dissenting Shares.  Notwithstanding  anything in this Agreement
to the  contrary,  in  the  event  that  dissenters'  rights  are  available  in
connection with the Merger pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL,  Shares that are
issued and


                                       28
<PAGE>


outstanding  immediately  prior  to the  Effective  Time  and  that  are held by
stockholders  who did not vote in favor of the Merger and who comply with all of
the relevant  provisions  of Section 262 of the DGCL (the  "Dissenting  Shares")
shall not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive the Cash
Merger  Consideration,  but instead shall be converted into the right to receive
such consideration as may be determined to be due to such stockholders  pursuant
to Section 262 of the DGCL,  unless and until such holders  shall have failed to
perfect or shall have  effectively  withdrawn  or lost their rights to appraisal
under the DGCL.  If any such  holder  shall have failed to perfect or shall have
effectively  withdrawn or lost such right,  such holder's Shares shall thereupon
be deemed to have been  converted into and to have become  exchangeable  for the
right to  receive,  as of the  Effective  Time,  the Cash  Merger  Consideration
without any interest thereon. The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of
any written demands for appraisal of Shares received by the Company and (ii) the
opportunity to participate in all  negotiations  and proceedings with respect to
any such demands.  The Company shall not,  without the prior written  consent of
Parent,  voluntarily  make any  payment  with  respect to, or settle or offer to
settle, any such demands.

                                    ARTICLE 7

                             CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER

     SECTION  7.1.  Conditions  to the  Offer.  (a)  Notwithstanding  any  other
provisions of the Offer, Acquisition shall not be required to accept for payment
or, subject to any applicable  rules and regulations of the SEC,  including Rule
14e-l(c) under the Exchange Act (relating to Acquisition's obligation to pay for
or return  tendered  Shares  promptly  after  termination  or  withdrawal of the
Offer),  pay for, and may delay the acceptance for payment of or, subject to the
restrictions  referred to above, the payment for, any tendered  Shares,  and may
amend the Offer consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including extending
the  deadline  for  tendering  Shares,  or  terminate  the Offer,  if any of the
following events shall occur:

     (i) from the date of this  Agreement  until the Tender Offer Purchase Time,
     there shall have occurred any change,  event,  occurrence  or  circumstance
     which,  individually or in the aggregate, has a Material Change (as defined
     below)  on  the  Company  (except  for  changes,  events,   occurrences  or
     circumstances  with  respect to  general  economic  conditions).  "Material
     Change"  means any  change  or effect  that is  materially  adverse  to the
     business,  properties  or financial  condition  of the  Company;  provided,
     however, that (x) the commencement of any litigation against the Company or
     its subsidiaries  after the date of this Agreement which is related to this
     Agreement or the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or any adverse change,
     event or  effect  that is  proximately  caused by such  litigation  that is
     initiated  or  threatened  after  the date of this  Agreement  against  the
     Company or any of its  subsidiaries  and (y) any adverse  change  resulting
     from any action  taken by the Company  that was  approved  by Parent  under
     Section 5.1 of this Agreement shall not be a Material Change;  and provided
     further,  however, that if the Offer is consummated after July 31, 1999 the
     following shall not be taken into account in determining  whether there has
     been or would be a  Material  Change  with  respect  to the  Company to the
     extent such events occur subsequent to July 31, 1999:


                                       29
<PAGE>


          (a) a reduction of up to 25% of the (i) average  monthly  consolidated
          revenue and net profit of the Company  compared to the average monthly
          consolidated  revenue  and net  profit of the  Company  during  the 12
          months  immediately  preceding the date of this  Agreement or (ii) the
          net worth of the Company  compared to the  December  31, 1998  balance
          sheet;

          (b) any  change  in the  assets  of the  Company  in  connection  with
          obtaining required regulatory approvals; or

          (c) any  voluntary  termination  after the date of this  Agreement  of
          officers or other key employees of the Company;

     (ii) from the date of this Agreement  until the Tender Offer Purchase Time,
     any  Governmental  Entity or court of  competent  jurisdiction  shall  have
     enacted,  issued,  promulgated,  enforced  or entered  any  statute,  rule,
     regulation,  executive  order,  decree,  injunction  or other order (and if
     temporary or preliminary,  not vacated within five (5) business days of its
     entry),  except with regard to HSR Act approval  which shall be governed by
     Section  7.1(a)(vii),  which is in effect at the Tender Offer Purchase Time
     and which (1) makes the acceptance for payment of, or the payment for, some
     or  all  of  the  Shares  illegal  or  otherwise   prohibits  or  restricts
     consummation  of the  Offer,  the  Merger or any of the other  transactions
     contemplated  hereby,  (2) imposes  material  limitations on the ability of
     Parent,  GP or  Acquisition to acquire or hold or to exercise any rights of
     ownership of the Shares,  or  effectively  to manage or control the Company
     and its business,  assets and  properties or (3) would result in a Material
     Change  to the  Company;  provided,  however,  that the  parties  shall use
     reasonable  efforts (subject to the proviso in Section 5.6(b)) to cause any
     such decree,  judgment or other order to be vacated or lifted as soon as is
     practicable;

     (iii) the  representations  and warranties of the Company set forth in this
     Agreement  shall not (A) have been true and correct in one or more material
     respects  on  the  date  hereof  or  (B)  (except   with   respect  to  the
     representations  and warranties set forth in Sections 3.8, 3.9, 3.14, 3.15,
     3.22, 3.13(c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) and 3.16(a),  (b)(i), (ii), (iv),
     (v) and (vi)) be true and  correct in one or more  material  respects as of
     the scheduled  expiration  date (as such date may be extended) of the Offer
     as though made on and as of such date or the Company shall have breached or
     failed in any  respect to perform or comply with any  material  obligation,
     agreement  or  covenant  required  by this  Agreement  to be  performed  or
     complied with by it (including without limitation the provisions of Section
     5.3)  except,  in each case  with  respect  to  clause  B, (1) for  changes
     specifically   permitted   by  the   Agreement   and   (2)(x)   for   those
     representations and warranties that address matters only as of a particular
     date which are true and correct as of such date or (y) where the failure of
     representations    and   warranties    (without   regard   to   materiality
     qualifications   therein  contained)  to  be  true  and  correct,   or  the
     performance or compliance with such obligations,  agreements, or covenants,
     would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Change to
     the Company;


                                       30
<PAGE>


     (iv) from the date of this Agreement  until the Tender Offer Purchase Time,
     this Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms;

     (v) from the date of this  Agreement  until the Tender Offer  Purchase Time
     the Board of Directors of the Company or any  committee  thereof shall have
     (1) withdrawn or modified  (including without  limitation,  by amendment of
     the Company's  Schedule 14D-9) in a manner adverse to Parent or Acquisition
     its approval or  recommendation  of the Offer, the Merger or the Agreement,
     (2) approved or recommended any Acquisition Proposal by a third party other
     than the Offer and the Merger, (3) resolved to do any of the foregoing,  or
     (4) upon a request to reaffirm the Company's  approval or recommendation of
     the Offer,  the  Agreement  or the Merger,  the Board of  Directors  of the
     Company  shall fail to do so within two business days after such request is
     made;

     (vi) from the date of this Agreement  until the Tender Offer Purchase Time,
     any of the consents, approvals, authorizations,  orders or permits required
     to be  obtained  by  the  Company,  Parent,  GP or  Acquisition,  or  their
     respective subsidiaries in connection with the Offer or the Merger from, or
     filings or  registrations  required  to be made by any of the same prior to
     the Tender Offer Purchase Time with, any Governmental  Entity in connection
     with the execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement  (including
     without  limitation the termination or expiration of any applicable waiting
     period or the receipt of any  required  clearance  under the HSR Act) shall
     not have been  obtained or made or shall have been obtained or made subject
     to conditions or  requirements,  which (A) make the  acceptance for payment
     of, or the  payment  for the  Shares  illegal  or  otherwise  prohibits  or
     restricts the  consummation of the Offer or the Merger or (B) have a Parent
     Material  Adverse  Effect or result in a Material  Change to the Company or
     (C) impose material limitations on the ability of Parent, GP or Acquisition
     effectively to manage or control the Company;

     (vii) from the date of this Agreement until the Tender Offer Purchase Time,
     in the  case of HSR Act  approval,  any  Governmental  Entity  or  court of
     competent  jurisdiction  shall have entered a final,  non-appealable  order
     enjoining the consummation of the Merger;

     (viii)  from the date of this  Agreement  until the Tender  Offer  Purchase
     Time, there shall have occurred (A) the declaration of a banking moratorium
     or any  suspension  of payments in respect of banks in the United States or
     in Belgium or (B) the commencement of a war or armed hostilities  involving
     the United  States or Belgium  and  resulting  in a Material  Change to the
     Company or having a Parent Material Adverse Effect or materially  adversely
     affecting (or materially delaying) the consummation of the Offer.

     (b) The  conditions set forth in Section 7.1(a) are for the sole benefit of
Parent,  GP and  Acquisition  and may be  asserted by Parent  regardless  of any
circumstances giving rise to any condition and may be waived by Parent, in whole
or in part, at any time and from time to time, in the sole discretion of Parent.
The failure by Parent (or any  affiliate  of Parent) at any time to exercise any
of the foregoing  rights will not be deemed a waiver of any right and each right
will be deemed an ongoing  right which may be asserted at any time and from time
to time.


                                       31
<PAGE>


     (c)  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  if within the "Cure  Time"  (defined
below) the Company  has cured one or more  conditions  set forth in  subsections
(a)(i),  (ii),  or (iii) of Section 7.1, and  following  such cure, no condition
enumerated  in Section  7.1(a)  continues to exist,  then this Article shall not
relieve Parent, GP and Acquisition of their  obligations  hereunder with respect
to the Offer. For purposes hereof,  "Cure Time" means the earlier of (A) two (2)
full business days before the  scheduled  expiration  date of the Offer (as such
period may be extended) or (B) ten (10) full business days  following  notice to
the Company of the existence of such condition.

                                    ARTICLE 8

                    CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER

     SECTION 8.1.  Conditions to Each Party's  Obligations to Effect the Merger.
The respective obligations of each party hereto to effect the Merger are subject
to the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Time of the following conditions:

     (a) this  Agreement,  the  Merger and the other  transactions  contemplated
hereby  shall  have  been  approved  by all  necessary  corporate  action of the
Company,  including,  if necessary,  adoption by vote of the stockholders of the
Company;

     (b) no Governmental  Entity or court of competent  jurisdiction  shall have
enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any statute, rule, regulation,
executive  order,  decree,  injunction  or  other  order  (and if  temporary  or
preliminary,  not vacated  within five  business  days of its entry) which is in
effect and which (1) makes the payment of the Cash Merger Consideration  illegal
or otherwise  prohibits or  restricts  consummation  of the Merger or any of the
other  applicable  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  or (2) imposes  material
limitations on the ability of Parent, GP or Acquisition to acquire or hold or to
exercise any rights of ownership of the Surviving Corporation, or effectively to
manage or  control  the  Surviving  Corporation  and its  business,  assets  and
properties;

     (c) any waiting  period  applicable  to the Merger  under the HSR Act shall
have terminated or expired and any other  governmental or regulatory  notices or
approvals  required with respect to the transactions  contemplated  hereby shall
have been either filed or received; and

     (d) Acquisition shall have purchased Shares pursuant to the Offer.

                                    ARTICLE 9

                         TERMINATION; AMENDMENT; WAIVER


     SECTION 9.1.  Termination.  This Agreement may be  terminated,  at any time
prior  to  the  Effective  Time,   whether  before  or  after  approval  by  the
stockholders of the Company:

     (a) by mutual  written  agreement  of the Boards of Directors of Parent and
the Company;

     (b) by either Parent or the Company;


                                       32
<PAGE>


          (i) if the  Offer (as may be  extended  in  accordance  with the terms
     hereof)  shall be  terminated  or expire  without  any Shares  having  been
     purchased pursuant to the Offer; provided,  however, that a party shall not
     be entitled to terminate this Agreement  pursuant to this Section 9.l(b)(i)
     if it  is  in  material  breach  of  its  representations  and  warranties,
     covenants or other obligations under this Agreement; and provided, further,
     however,  that if the Offer is not  consummated  due to a failure to obtain
     clearance  under the HSR Act, Parent may not terminate this Agreement until
     December 31, 1999 and the Company may not terminate  this  Agreement  until
     April 1, 2000; or

          (ii) if any court of competent  jurisdiction  in the United  States or
     other United States governmental body shall have issued an order, decree or
     ruling  or taken any  other  action  restraining,  enjoining  or  otherwise
     prohibiting the Offer or the Merger and such order, decree, ruling or other
     action shall have become final and nonappealable;

     (c) by Parent:

          (i) if the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee  thereof
     shall have approved, or recommended that stockholders of the Company accept
     or  approve,  an  Acquisition  Proposal  by a third  party,  or shall  have
     resolved to do any of the foregoing;

          (ii) if the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof
     shall have  withdrawn or modified its approval of, or  recommendation  that
     the stockholders of the Company accept or approve (as the case may be), the
     Offer,  this Agreement and the Merger,  or shall have resolved to do any of
     the foregoing;

          (iii) if the  Company  shall have  failed to  include in the  Schedule
     14D-9 the  recommendation of the Board of Directors of the Company that the
     stockholders of the Company accept the Offer;

          (iv) prior to the purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Offer, if the
     Company is in material breach of any of its covenants or obligations  under
     this Agreement,  or any representation or warranty of the Company contained
     in this Agreement shall have been incorrect,  in any material respect, when
     made;

          (v) prior to the  purchase  of Shares  pursuant  to the Offer,  in the
     event that the  conditions  to the Offer set forth in Section 7.1 shall not
     be satisfied, provided, that Parent may not terminate this Agreement due to
     a failure to obtain clearance under the HSR Act until December 31, 1999; or

          (vi) after  purchase  of the  Shares  pursuant  to the  Offer,  if the
     Company is in violation or breach of Section 1.3.

     (d) by the Company:

          (i) if the Offer  shall not have been  commenced  in  accordance  with
     Section 1.1, or Parent or Acquisition shall have failed to purchase validly
     tendered  Shares in violation of the terms of the Offer within ten business
     days after the expiration of the Offer; provided, however, that the



                                       33
<PAGE>


     Company shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement  pursuant to this
     Section  9.1(d)(i) if it is in material breach of its  representations  and
     warranties, covenants or other obligations under this Agreement;

          (ii) if the Board of  Directors of the Company has resolved to, and in
     fact does,  recommend  to the  Company's  Stockholders  that they  accept a
     Superior  Proposal,  provided  that all the  provisions of Section 5.3 have
     been fully  complied  with and the  Break-up Fee has been paid to Parent in
     accordance with Section 9.3(b);

          (iii) prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer, if Parent
     or Acquisition is in material breach of any of its covenants or obligations
     under  this  Agreement,  or any  representation  or  warranty  of Parent or
     Purchaser  contained in this Agreement  shall have been  incorrect,  in any
     material respect, when made; or

          (iv) at any  time  after  March  31,  2000 if the  Offer  has not been
     consummated  due to a  failure  to  obtain  clearance  under  the HSR  Act;
     provided, however, that the Company shall not be entitled to terminate this
     Agreement  pursuant to this Section  9.1(d)(iv) if it is in material breach
     of its representations and warranties, covenants or other obligations under
     this Agreement.

     SECTION  9.2.  Procedure  and  Effect of  Termination.  In the event of the
termination  of this Agreement by the Company or Parent or both of them pursuant
to Section 9.1,  the  terminating  party shall  provide  written  notice of such
termination to the other party and this Agreement  shall  forthwith  become void
and there shall be no liability on the part of Parent, Purchaser or the Company,
except that the confidentiality provisions of Section 5.5, the first sentence of
Section  5.13,  and Sections 9.2 and 9.3 shall survive the  termination  of this
Agreement.  The foregoing  shall not relieve any party for liability for damages
actually incurred as a result of any breach of this Agreement.

     SECTION 9.3. Fees and Expenses.

     (a) Except as otherwise  provided in this  Agreement and whether or not the
transactions  contemplated by the Offer and this Agreement are consummated,  all
costs and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions  contemplated by
the Offer and this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses.

     (b) The Company  shall pay to Parent,  an amount equal to  $7,500,000  (the
"Break-Up Fee"), if any of the following shall occur:

     (i)  if the Board of  Directors  of the  Company or any  committee  thereof
          shall have approved,  or recommended that  stockholders of the Company
          accept or approve, an Acquisition  Proposal by a third party, or shall
          have resolved to do any of the foregoing;

     (ii) if the Board of  Directors  of the  Company or any  committee  thereof
          shall have  withdrawn or modified  its approval of, or  recommendation
          that the  stockholders  of the Company  accept or approve (as the case
          may be),  the Offer,  this  Agreement  and the  Merger,  or shall have
          resolved to do any of the foregoing; or


                                       34
<PAGE>


    (iii) if the Company shall have failed to include in the Schedule  14D-9 the
          recommendation  of the  Board of  Directors  of the  Company  that the
          stockholders of the Company accept the Offer.

     Such Break-up Fee shall be payable within 30 days of such event.

     (c) Parent shall pay to the Company the sum of  $8,000,000 if the Offer has
not been consummated, and (i) Parent terminates this Agreement during the period
from  December  31, 1999  through  February  15, 2000 due to a failure to obtain
clearance under the HSR Act and (ii) Parent shall have refused to consent to any
divestiture by the Company required for clearance under the HSR Act.

     (d) Parent shall pay to the Company the sum of $15,000,000 if the Offer has
not been consummated,  and (i) Parent terminates the Agreement at any time after
February  15,  2000 due to a failure to obtain  clearance  under the HSR Act and
(ii)  Parent  shall have  refused to consent to any  divestiture  by the Company
required for clearance under the HSR Act.

     (e) Parent shall pay to the Company the sum of  $15,000,000  if the Company
terminates  the Agreement  pursuant to Section  9.1(d)(iv) and Parent shall have
refused to consent to any  divestiture  by the Company  required  for  clearance
under the HSR Act.

     SECTION  9.4.  Amendment.  This  Agreement  may be  amended  by each of the
parties by action taken by or on behalf of their respective  Boards of Directors
at any time  prior  to the  Effective  Time;  provided,  however,  that (i) such
amendment  shall  be in  writing  signed  by all of the  parties,  (ii) any such
waiver, amendment or supplement by the Company shall be effective as against the
Company  only if approved by a majority of the  Continuing  Directors  and (iii)
after  adoption  of this  Agreement  and the Merger by the  stockholders  of the
Company,  no  amendment  may  be  made  without  the  further  approval  of  the
stockholders  of the Company which reduces the Merger  Consideration  or changes
the form thereof or changes any other terms and  conditions of this Agreement if
the changes,  alone or in the aggregate,  would materially  adversely affect the
stockholders of the Company.

     SECTION  9.5.  Waiver.  At any time prior to the  Effective  Time,  whether
before or after the Company's  Stockholders Meeting, any party hereto, by action
taken by its Board of Directors,  may (i) extend the time for the performance of
any of the  obligations  or other acts of any other party hereto or (ii) subject
to the provisions of Section 9.4, waive compliance with any of the agreements of
any other party or with any conditions to its own obligations.  Any agreement on
the part of a party  hereto to any such  extension or waiver shall be valid only
if set forth in an  instrument  in  writing  signed on behalf of such party by a
duly authorized  officer of such party.  Notwithstanding  the above,  any waiver
given shall not apply to any subsequent failure of compliance with agreements of
the other party or conditions to its own obligations.

                                   ARTICLE 10

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     SECTION  10.1.   Nonsurvival  of   Representations   and  Warranties.   The
representations  and warranties  made herein shall not survive beyond the Tender
Offer Purchase Time or a termination of this Agreement;  provided, however, that
this  Section


                                       35
<PAGE>


10.1 shall not limit any covenant or  agreement  of the parties  hereto which by
its terms requires  performance  after the Tender Offer Purchase Time including,
without limitation, the covenants and agreements set forth in Article 5.

     SECTION 10.2. Entire Agreement;  Assignment. This Agreement (a) constitutes
the entire  agreement  between  the parties  hereto with  respect to the subject
matter hereof and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings  both
written and oral between the parties with respect to the subject  matter  hereof
and (b) shall not be assigned by operation of law or otherwise.

     SECTION  10.3.  Validity.  If  any  provision  of  this  Agreement  or  the
application   thereof  to  any  person  or   circumstance  is  held  invalid  or
unenforceable  the  remainder  of this  Agreement  and the  application  of such
provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and to
such end the provisions of this Agreement are agreed to be severable.

     SECTION 10.4. Notices.  All notices,  requests,  claims,  demands and other
communications  hereunder  shall be in writing  and shall be given (and shall be
deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by facsimile
or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid,  return receipt  requested)
to each other party as follows:

      if to Parent, GP or Acquisition:    ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.
                                          Chemin du Cyclotron, 3
                                          B-1348 Lourain-la-Neuve
                                          Belgium
                                          Telecopier: 011-32-10-47-5810
                                          Attention: Pierre Mottet

      with a copy to:                     Dorsey & Whitney LLP
                                          250 Park Avenue
                                          New York, New York 10177
                                          Telecopier:  (212) 953-7201
                                          Attention: Ramon P. Marks, Esq.
                                                     Kevin T. Collins, Esq.

       if to the Company to:              STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL,
                                          INC.
                                          4020 Clipper Court
                                          Fremont, California  94538
                                          Telecopier:
                                          Attention: James F. Clouser, President
                                                     and Chief Executive Officer


      with a copy to:                     Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve
                                          Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
                                          155 Constitution Drive
                                          Menlo Park, California 94025
                                          Telecopier: (650) 321-2800
                                          Attention: Carla S. Newell, Esq.
                                                     Jay K. Hachigian, Esq.


                                       36
<PAGE>


or to such  other  address  as the  person  to whom  notice  is  given  may have
previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.

     SECTION  10.5.  Governing  Law.  This  Agreement  shall be  governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to
the  principles  of  conflicts  of  law  thereof.  Each  of the  parties  hereto
irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state or federal court
within Delaware, in connection with any matter based upon or arising out of this
Agreement or the matters  contemplated  herein,  other than issues involving the
corporate  governance of any of the parties  hereto,  agrees that process may be
served upon them in any manner  authorized  by the laws of the State of Delaware
for such persons and waives and  covenants  not to assert or plead any objection
which they might otherwise have to such jurisdiction and such process.

     SECTION 10.6.  Descriptive  Headings.  The descriptive  headings herein are
inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or
to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

     SECTION 10.7. Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure  solely  to the  benefit  of each  party  hereto  and its  successors  and
permitted  assigns and nothing in this Agreement  express or implied is intended
to or shall confer upon any other person any rights, benefits or remedies of any
nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

     SECTION 10.8. Certain  Definitions.  For the purposes of this Agreement the
term:

     (a) "affiliate" means a person that, directly or indirectly, through one or
more intermediaries  controls,  is controlled by or is under common control with
the first-mentioned person;

     (b)  "business  day"  means any day other  than a day on which  there is no
trading on Nasdaq;

     (c) "stock" means common stock,  preferred  stock,  partnership  interests,
limited liability company interests or other ownership  interests  entitling the
holder thereof to vote with respect to matters involving the issuer thereof;

     (d)  "person"  means  an  individual,  corporation,   partnership,  limited
liability  company,  association,  trust,  unincorporated  organization or other
legal entity; and

     (e) "subsidiary" or  "subsidiaries" of the Company,  Parent,  the Surviving
Corporation  or any other person  means any  corporation,  partnership,  limited
liability company, association, trust, unincorporated association or other legal
entity of which the Company, Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any such other
person,  as the case may be, (either alone or through or together with any other
subsidiary) owns,  directly or indirectly,  50% or more of the capital stock the
holders of which are generally entitled to vote for the election of the board of
directors or other governing body of such corporation or other legal entity.

     SECTION 10.9.  Personal  Liability.  This Agreement  shall not create or be
deemed to create or permit any personal  liability or  obligation on the part of
any direct or  indirect  stockholder  of the  Company or Parent or any  officer,
director, employee, agent, representative or investor of any party hereto.


                                       37
<PAGE>


     SECTION 10.10.  Specific  Performance.  The parties hereby  acknowledge and
agree that the  failure of any party to perform  its  agreements  and  covenants
hereunder,  including  its failure to take all actions as are  necessary  on its
part to the  consummation of the Merger,  will cause  irreparable  injury to the
other  parties,  for which damages,  even if available,  will not be an adequate
remedy.  Accordingly,  each party hereby  consents to the issuance of injunctive
relief by any court of  competent  jurisdiction  to compel  performance  of such
party's  obligations  and to the granting by any court of the remedy of specific
performance of its obligations  hereunder;  provided,  however,  that if a party
hereto is  entitled to receive the  Termination  Fee  pursuant to Section 9.3 it
shall not also be entitled to specific performance to compel the consummation of
the Merger.

     SECTION 10.11. Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to be an original  but all of which
shall constitute one and the same agreement.



<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each of the parties has caused this  Agreement  to be
duly executed on its behalf as of the day and year first above written.


                                           ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.

                                           By: /s/ Pierre Mottet
                                              ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Pierre Mottet
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer

                                           ION BEAM APPLICATIONS G.P.
                                             ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.
                                             Its General Partner

                                           By: /s/ Pierre Mottet
                                              ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Pierre Mottet
                                           Title:


                                           IBA ACQUISITION CORP.

                                           By:    /s/ Pierre Mottet
                                              ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Pierre Mottet
                                           Title:


                                           STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

                                           By:    /s/ James F. Clouser
                                              ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  James F. Clouser
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer



                             STOCKHOLDERS' AGREEMENT

     THIS STOCKHOLDERS' AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is dated as of June 10,
1999, by and among Ion Beam Applications S.A. ("Parent"), a corporation
organized under the laws of the Kingdom of Belgium, Ion Beam Applications G.P.
("GP"), a Delaware general partnership which is controlled by Parent, and IBA
Acquisition Corporation ("Acquisition"), a Delaware corporation which is
wholly-owned by GP, and the stockholders listed on Schedule I hereto (each, a
"Stockholder," and collectively, the "Stockholders") of SteriGenics
International, Inc. (the "Company"), a Delaware corporation. Capitalized terms
used and not defined herein have the respective meanings assigned to them in the
Merger Agreement (defined herein).

     WHEREAS, concurrently herewith, Parent, GP, Acquisition and the Company are
entering into a Merger Agreement, the form of which is appended hereto as
Exhibit A (as such agreement may hereafter be amended from time to time, the
"Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which the Offer will be made by Acquisition for
the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company, and Acquisition will be merged
with and into the Company (the "Merger");

     WHEREAS, each Stockholder Beneficially Owns (defined herein) the number of
shares, par value $0.01 per share, of common stock (the "Common Stock") of the
Company (the "Shares") set forth opposite each Stockholder's name on Schedule I
hereto;

     WHEREAS, as an inducement and a condition to entering into the Merger
Agreement, Parent and Acquisition have required that each Stockholder agree, and
each Stockholder has agreed, to enter into this Agreement.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual premises,
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, the
parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Agreement to Vote; Irrevocable Proxy.

     (a) Each Stockholder hereby agrees that during the period commencing as of
the date of this Agreement and continuing until the first to occur of the
Closing Time or 45 days after the termination of the Merger Agreement in
accordance with its terms, at any meeting of the holders of the Shares, however
called, or in connection with any written consent of the holders of Shares, each
Stockholder shall vote (or cause to be voted) the Shares held of record or
Beneficially Owned (as defined herein) by each Stockholder, whether owned on the
date hereof or hereafter acquired, (i) in favor of approval of the Merger
Agreement, all transactions contemplated thereby, and any actions required in
furtherance thereof and hereof (including election of such directors of the
Company as Parent is entitled to designate pursuant to the Merger Agreement);
(ii) against any action or agreement that is intended, or could reasonably be
expected, to impede, interfere with, or prevent the Offer or the Merger or
result in a breach in any

<PAGE>

respect of any covenant, representation or warranty or any other obligation or
agreement of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under the Merger Agreement
or this Agreement; and (iii) except as specifically requested in writing in
advance by Parent, against the following actions (other than the Merger and the
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and this Agreement): (A) any
extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, consolidation or other
business combination involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates; (B) a sale, lease, transfer or disposition by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries of any assets outside the ordinary course of business or any
assets which in the aggregate are material to the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole, or a reorganization, recapitalization, dissolution or
liquidation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates; (C)(1) any
change in the present capitalization of the Company or any amendment of the
Company's charter or By-Laws; (2) any other material change in the Company's or
any of its subsidiaries' corporate structure or business; or (3) any other
action that, in the case of each of the matters referred to in clauses (C)(1),
(2) or (3), is intended, or could reasonably be expected, to impede, interfere
with, delay, postpone or materially adversely affect the Offer, the Merger or
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Merger Agreement. None of
the Stockholders shall enter into any agreement or understanding with any Person
(as defined herein) the effect of which would be inconsistent with or violative
of the provisions and agreements contained in Section 1 or 2 hereof.

     (b) By his execution hereof and in order to secure his obligations
hereunder, each Stockholder hereby grants to, and appoints Pierre Mottet and
Yves Jongen, in their respective capacities as officers of Parent, and any
individual who shall hereafter succeed to any such office of Parent, and any
other designee of Parent, and each of them individually, each Stockholder's true
and lawful irrevocable (until the earlier of the Closing Time or 45 days after
the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms (the
"Termination Date")) proxy and attorney-in-fact (with full power of
substitution) to vote the Shares, or grant a consent or approval in respect of
such Shares, as indicated in Section 1(a) above; effective immediately upon the
execution of this Agreement. Each Stockholder intends this proxy to be
irrevocable (from the date of this Agreement until the Termination Date) and
coupled with an interest and will take such further action and execute such
other instruments as may be necessary to effectuate the intent of this proxy and
hereby represents that any proxy heretofore given in respect of his Shares is
not irrevocable, and hereby revokes any proxy previously granted by each
Stockholder with respect to the Shares. Each Stockholder understands and
acknowledges that Parent and Acquisition are entering into the Merger Agreement
in reliance on such Stockholder's execution and delivery of this irrevocable
proxy. Each Stockholder hereby affirms that this irrevocable proxy is given in
connection with the execution of this Agreement and the Merger Agreement, and
further affirms that this irrevocable proxy is coupled with an interest in this
Agreement for the term stated herein and may under no circumstances be revoked.
Each Stockholder hereby ratifies and confirms all that this irrevocable proxy
may



                                       2
<PAGE>


lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This proxy is executed and
intended to be irrevocable in accordance with the provisions of Section 212(e)
of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This proxy shall terminate
automatically on the Termination Date.

Section 2. Other Covenants, Representations and Warranties.

     Each Stockholder hereby represents, warrants and covenants to Parent and
Acquisition as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Time as follows:

     (a) Ownership of Shares. Each Stockholder is the record and Beneficial
Owner of the number of Shares set forth opposite each Stockholder's name on
Schedule I hereto. On the date hereof, the Shares set forth opposite each
Stockholder's name on Schedule I hereto constitute all of the Shares owned of
record or Beneficially Owned by each Stockholder. Each Stockholder owns such
Shares free and clear of all liens, claims, charges, security interests,
mortgages or other encumbrances, and such Shares are subject to no rights of
first refusal, put rights, other rights to purchase or encumber such Shares, or
to any agreements other than this Agreement as to the encumbrance or disposition
of such Shares. Such Shares are duly and validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable. Each Stockholder has sole voting power and sole power to issue
instructions with respect to the matters set forth in Section 1 hereof, sole
power of disposition, sole power of conversion, sole power to demand appraisal
rights and sole power to agree to all of the matters set forth in this
Agreement, in each case with respect to all of the Shares set forth opposite
each Stockholder's name on Schedule I hereto, with no limitations,
qualifications or restrictions on such rights.

     (b) Power; Binding Agreement. Each Stockholder has the legal capacity,
power and authority to enter into and perform all of such Stockholder's
obligations under this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement by each Stockholder will not violate any other agreement to which
each Stockholder is a party including, without limitation, any voting agreement,
shareholder agreement or voting trust. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by each Stockholder and constitutes a valid and binding
agreement of each Stockholder, enforceable against each Stockholder in
accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, and except as the
availability of equitable remedies may be limited by the application of general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such equitable principles are
applied in a proceeding at law or in equity). There is no beneficiary or holder
of a voting trust certificate or other interest of any trust of which each
Stockholder is trustee who is not a party to this Agreement and whose consent is
required for the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation by
each Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby. If any Stockholder is
married and such Stockholder's Shares constitute community property, this
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and constitutes a
valid and binding



                                       3
<PAGE>


agreement of, such Stockholder's spouse, enforceable against such person in
accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, and except as the
availability of equitable remedies may be limited by the application of general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such equitable principles are
applied in a proceeding at law or in equity).

     (c) No Conflicts. (i) Except for filings, permits, authorizations, consents
and approvals as may be required under and other applicable requirements of the
HSR Act, no filing with, and no permit, authorization, consent or approval of,
any state or federal public body or authority is necessary for the execution of
this Agreement by each Stockholder and the consummation by each Stockholder of
the transactions contemplated hereby and (ii) none of the execution or delivery
of this Agreement by each Stockholder, the consummation by each Stockholder of
the transactions contemplated hereby or compliance by each Stockholder with any
of the provisions hereof shall (A) result in a violation or breach of, or
constitute (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give
rise to any third party right of termination, cancellation, material
modification or acceleration) under any of the terms, conditions or provisions
of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, license, contract, commitment,
arrangement, understanding, agreement or other instrument or obligation of any
kind to which each Stockholder is a party or by which each Stockholder or any of
such Stockholder's properties or assets may be bound, or (B) violate any order,
writ, injunction, decree, judgment, order, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to each Stockholder or any of each Stockholder's properties or
assets. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements to which each Stockholder
is a party with respect to such Stockholder's Shares.

     (d) No Finder's Fees. No broker, investment banker, financial adviser or
other person is entitled to any broker's, finder's, financial adviser's or other
similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by
the Merger Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of any
Stockholder.

     (e) Other Potential Acquirers. Each Stockholder (i) shall immediately cease
any existing discussions or negotiations, if any, with any parties conducted
heretofore with respect to any acquisition of all or any material portion of the
assets of, or any equity interest in, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
any business combination with the Company or any of its subsidiaries, in his or
her capacity as such, and (ii) from and after the date hereof until termination
of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms, shall not, in its or his
capacity as a stockholder of the Company, directly or indirectly, initiate,
solicit or knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing non-public
information or assistance), or take any other action to facilitate knowingly,
any inquiries or the making of any proposal that constitutes, or may reasonably
be expected to lead to, any such transaction or acquisition, or agree to or
endorse any such transaction or acquisition, or authorize or permit any of each
Stockholder's agents to do so, and each Stockholder shall promptly notify Parent
of any



                                       4
<PAGE>


proposal and shall provide a copy of any such written proposal and a summary of
any oral proposal to Parent immediately after receipt thereof (and shall specify
the material terms and conditions of such proposal and identify the person
making such proposal) and thereafter keep Parent advised of any development with
respect thereto.

     (f) Tender of Shares; Restriction on Transfer, Proxies and
Non-Interference. Each of the Stockholders shall tender his or its Shares in the
Offer (as defined in the Merger Agreement) and shall not withdraw such Shares
therefrom unless and until the Merger Agreement is terminated in accordance with
its terms without such Shares being purchased by Acquisition pursuant to the
Offer. None of the Stockholders shall, directly or indirectly: (i) tender his or
its Shares in any other tender offer or exchange offer for the Shares; (ii)
except as contemplated by this Agreement or the Merger Agreement, otherwise
offer for sale, sell, transfer, tender, pledge, encumber, assign or otherwise
dispose of, or enter into any contract, option or other arrangement or
understanding with respect to or consent to the offer for sale, sale, transfer,
tender, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or other disposition of, any or all of
any such Stockholder's Shares or any interest therein; (iii) grant any proxies
or powers of attorney, deposit any Shares into a voting trust or enter into a
voting agreement with respect to any Shares; or (iv) take any action that would
make any representation or warranty of any such Stockholder contained herein
untrue or incorrect or have the effect of preventing or disabling such
Stockholder from performing such Stockholder's obligations under this Agreement.

     (g) Reliance by Parent and Acquisition. Each Stockholder understands and
acknowledges that Parent and Acquisition are relying upon the foregoing
representations, warranties and covenants by such Stockholder, and on each
Stockholder's execution and delivery of this Agreement in entering into the
Merger Agreement.

Section 3. Further Assurances; Merger Agreement Compliance.

     From time to time, at Parent's request and without further consideration,
each Stockholder agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and
take all such further lawful action as may be necessary or desirable to
consummate and make effective, and to cause the Company to consummate and make
effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 4. Stop Transfer; Form of Legend.

     (a) Each Stockholder agrees with, and covenants to, Parent that each
Stockholder shall not request that the Company register the transfer (book-entry
or otherwise) of any certificate or uncertificated interest representing any of
each Stockholder's Shares, without the consent of the Parent. In the event of a
stock dividend or distribution, or any change in the Shares by reason of any
stock dividend, split-up, recapitalization, combination, exchange of shares or
the like, the term "Shares"


                                       5
<PAGE>


shall be deemed to refer to and include the Shares as well as all such stock
dividends and distributions and any shares into which or for which any or all of
the Shares may be changed or exchanged.

     (b) If reasonably requested by Parent, all certificates representing any of
each Stockholder's Shares shall contain the following legend:

          "The securities represented by this certificate
     are subject to certain restrictions on transfer and
     other terms of a Stockholders Agreement, dated as of
     June 10, 1999, among Ion Beam Applications S.A., Ion
     Beam Applications G.P., IBA Acquisition Corporation,
     and the parties listed on the signatures pages thereto,
     a copy of which is on file in the principal office of
     Ion Beam Applications S.A."

Section 5. The Options.

     Each Stockholder hereby agrees as follows:

     (a) Grant of Options. Subject to the terms of this Section 5, each
Stockholder hereby grants to Parent (or its designee), effective upon the
execution hereof, an irrevocable option (each, an "Option") to purchase all
Shares held of record or Beneficially Owned by each such Stockholder at a
purchase price per Share equal to the greater of $27 or such higher price as may
be offered by Acquisition in the Offer (the "Option Price").

     (b) Exercise of Options. Parent may exercise the Options, in whole or in
part, at any time and from time to time, following the occurrence of a Purchase
Event (as defined below); provided that any Options not theretofore exercised
shall expire and be of no further force and effect upon the earliest to occur
(the "Expiration Date") of (i) the Closing Time; (ii) forty-five days after the
first occurrence of a Purchase Event; or (iii) forty-five days after the
termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with Section 9.1(c)(i), (ii)
or (iii) of the Merger Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of clauses
(ii) and (iii) above, the Expiration Date shall be extended for a period not to
extend beyond March 31, 2000 in the event that clearance under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act")
is required by Parent to acquire the Shares; provided, further that Parent is
using all reasonable efforts to obtain such clearance.

     As used herein, a "Purchase Event" shall mean any of the following events
that occurs after the date hereof:

          (i) Beneficial Ownership of more than 20% of the outstanding capital
     stock of the Company (or rights to acquire such capital stock of the

                                       6
<PAGE>


     Company) shall have been acquired by any Person or "group" other than
     Parent, Acquisition, or any affiliate of any of them;

          (ii) the Company shall have entered into a definitive agreement or
     approved or recommended any proposal which provides for the acquisition of
     20% or more of the outstanding capital stock of the Company or
     substantially all of the assets of the Company by any Person or group other
     than Parent, Acquisition, or an affiliate of any of them;

          (iii) (A) the failure of the Company's stockholders to approve the
     Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby at a meeting
     called to consider such Merger Agreement, if such meeting shall have been
     preceded by (x) the public announcement by any Person or group (other than
     Parent, Acquisition or an affiliate of any of them) of an offer or proposal
     to acquire, merge or consolidate with the Company, or (y) the Board of
     Directors of the Company publicly withdrawing or modifying, or publicly
     announcing its intent to withdraw or modify, its recommendation that the
     stockholders of the Company approve the transactions contemplated by the
     Merger Agreement or (B) the acceptance by the Company' Board of Directors
     of, or the public recommendation by the Company's Board of Directors that
     the stockholders of the Company accept, an offer or proposal from any
     Person or group (other than Parent, Acquisition or an affiliate of any of
     them), to acquire 20% or more of the outstanding capital stock of the
     Company or for a merger or consolidation or any similar transaction
     involving the Company;

          (iv) the making of an Acquisition Proposal as described in Section 5.3
     of the Merger Agreement which would entitle Parent or the Company to
     terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1 of the Merger
     Agreement; or

          (v) any breach by the Stockholder of this Agreement.

     (c) Notice of Exercise. To exercise an Option, Parent shall, prior to the
Expiration Date, give written notice to each Stockholder specifying the location
in Palo Alto, California and time for the closing (the "Option Closing") of such
purchase. The Option Closing shall be held on the date that is no later than
three business days after the date on which each of the conditions set forth in
Section 5(d) below has been satisfied or waived by Parent.

     (d) Conditions to Option Closing Following Exercise of Options. The
occurrence of the Option Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction of each of
the following conditions:


                                       7
<PAGE>


          (i) to the extent necessary, any applicable waiting periods (and any
     extension thereof) under the HSR Act with respect to the purchase of the
     Shares following the exercise of an Option shall have expired or been
     terminated; and

          (ii) no preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or
     ruling issued by any court of governmental or regulatory authority,
     domestic or foreign, of competent jurisdiction prohibiting the exercise of
     an Option or the delivery of Shares shall be in effect.

     The foregoing conditions may be waived solely by Parent, provided that no
Stockholder would incur any material liability as a result of such waiver.

     (e) Transferability of Options. Parent may sell or transfer the Options and
any Shares acquired upon exercise of an Option at any time, without the written
consent of each Stockholder, to any affiliate or affiliates of Parent,
Acquisition or an affiliate of any of them.

     (f) Payment for and Delivery of Certificates. At the Option Closing, (i)
Parent (or its designee) shall pay, by check, an amount equal to the product of
(x) the Option Price and (y) the number of Shares owned by each Stockholder; and
(ii) each Stockholder shall deliver or shall cause to be delivered to Parent a
certificate or certificates evidencing each Stockholder's Shares, and each
Stockholder agrees that such Shares shall be transferred free and clear of all
liens. All such certificates representing Shares shall be duly endorsed in
blank, or with appropriate stock powers, duly executed in blank, attached
thereto, in proper form for transfer, with the signature of each Stockholder
thereon guaranteed, and with all applicable taxes paid or provided for.

Section 6. Termination.

     Except as otherwise provided herein, the covenants and agreements contained
herein with respect to the Shares shall terminate upon the earliest of (a)
termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms, or (b) the
Effective Time.

Section 7. Stockholder Capacity.

     No person executing this Agreement who is or becomes during the term hereof
a director or executive officer of the Company makes any agreement or
understanding herein in his or her capacity as such director or executive
officer. Each Stockholder signs solely in his capacity as the record and/or
beneficial owner of each Stockholder's Shares.

Section 8. Waiver of Appraisal and Dissenter's Rights.

     Each Stockholder hereby irrevocably waives any rights of appraisal or
rights to dissent from the Merger that each Stockholder may have.


                                       8
<PAGE>


Section 9. Miscellaneous.

     (a) Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following
capitalized terms shall have the following meanings:

          (i) "Beneficially Own" or "Beneficial Ownership" with respect to any
     securities shall mean having "beneficial ownership" of such securities (as
     determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), including
     pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in
     writing. Without duplicative counting of the same securities by the same
     holder, securities Beneficially Owned by a Person shall include securities
     Beneficially Owned by all other Persons with whom such Person would
     constitute a "group" as within the meanings of Section 13(d)(3) of the
     Exchange Act.

          (ii) "Misstatement" means an untrue statement of a material fact or an
     omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a publicly-filed
     document necessary to make the statements in such a document not
     misleading.

          (iii) "Person" shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership,
     joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization or other
     entity.

          (iv) "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a
     registration effected by preparing and filing with the SEC a registration
     statement in compliance with the Securities Act and the declaration or
     ordering by the SEC of effectiveness of such registration statement.

          (v) "subsidiary" or "subsidiaries" of Parent, Acquisition, the Company
     or any other person means any corporation, partnership, limited liability
     company, association, trust, unincorporated association or other legal
     entity of which the Parent, Acquisition, the Company or any such other
     person, as the case may be, (either alone or through or together with any
     other subsidiary) owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the capital
     stock the holders of which are generally entitled to vote for the election
     of the board of directors or other governing body of such corporation or
     other legal entity.

     (b) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Merger Agreement constitute
the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter
hereof and supersede all other prior agreements and understandings, both written
and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

     (c) Certain Events. Each Stockholder agrees that this Agreement and the
obligations hereunder shall attach to each Stockholder's Shares and shall be
binding upon any person or entity to which legal or beneficial ownership of such
Shares shall pass, whether by operation of law or otherwise, including, without
limitation, each


                                       9
<PAGE>


Stockholder's heirs, guardians, administrators or successors. Notwithstanding
any transfer of Shares, the transferor shall remain liable for the performance
of all obligations under this Agreement of the transferor.

     (d) Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by any Stockholder
without the consent of Parent. Parent may assign, in its sole discretion, its
rights and obligations hereunder to any direct or indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of Parent, but no such assignment shall relieve Parent of its
obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations.

     (e) Amendments, Waivers, Etc. This Agreement may not be amended, changed,
supplemented, waived or otherwise modified or terminated, with respect to each
Stockholder, except upon the execution and delivery of a written agreement
executed by the relevant parties hereto; provided that Schedule I hereto may be
supplemented by Parent by adding the name and other relevant information
concerning any stockholder of the Company who agrees to be bound by the terms of
this Agreement (by executing a counterpart signature page hereof) without the
agreement of any other party hereto, and thereafter such added stockholder shall
be treated as a "Stockholder" for all purposes of this Agreement.

     (f) Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be
deemed to have been duly received if so given) by hand delivery, telegram, telex
or telecopy, or by mail (registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return
receipt requested) or by any courier service, such as Federal Express, providing
proof of delivery. All communications hereunder shall be addressed to the
respective parties at the following addresses:

     If to each Stockholder:            At the address set forth on Schedule I
                                        hereto.

     If to Parent or Acquisition:       Ion Beam Applications S.A.
                                        Chemin du Cyclotron, 3
                                        B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
                                        Telephone: 011-32-10-47-5855
                                        Telecopier: 011-32-10-47-5810
                                        Attention: Mr. Pierre Mottet, Chief
                                        Executive Officer

     with a copy to:                    Dorsey & Whitney LLP
                                        250 Park Avenue
                                        New York, NY  10177
                                        Telephone: (212) 415-9200
                                        Telecopier: (212) 953-7201
                                        Attention: Ramon P. Marks, Esq.


                                       10
<PAGE>


or to such other address as the person to whom notice is given may have
previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.

     (g) Severability. Whenever possible, each provision or portion of any
provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be
effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision or portion of any
provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in
any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision
or portion of any provision in such jurisdiction, and this Agreement will be
reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid,
illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any provision had never been
contained herein.

     (h) Specific Performance. Each of the parties hereto recognizes and
acknowledges that a breach by it of any covenants or agreements contained in
this Agreement will cause the other party to sustain damages for which it would
not have an adequate remedy at law for money damages, and therefore each of the
parties hereto agrees that in the event of any such breach the aggrieved party
shall be entitled to the remedy of specific performance of such covenants and
agreements and injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other
remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity.

     (i) Remedies Cumulative. All rights, powers and remedies provided under
this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in equity
shall be cumulative and not alternative, and the exercise of any thereof by any
party shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise of any other such
right, power or remedy by such party.

     (j) No Waiver. The failure of any party hereto to exercise any right, power
or remedy provided under this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof
at law or in equity, or to insist upon compliance by any other party hereto with
its obligations hereunder, and any custom or practice of the parties at variance
with the terms hereof, shall not constitute a waiver by such party of its right
to exercise any such or other right, power or remedy or to demand such
compliance.

     (k) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is not intended to be for
the benefit of, and shall not be enforceable by, any person or entity who or
which is not a party hereto.

     (l) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the
principles of conflicts of laws thereof.


                                       11
<PAGE>

     (m) Descriptive Headings. The descriptive headings used herein are inserted
for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or to
affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

     (n) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which, taken together, shall
constitute one and the same Agreement.


                                       12
<PAGE>


     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent and Acquisition have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, and each Stockholder has duly executed this Agreement, as of the
day and year first above written.

                                          ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.


                                          By:     /s/ Pierre Mottet
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                  Pierre Mottet
                                                  Chief Executive Officer



                                          ION BEAM APPLICATIONS G.P.

                                          By:  ION BEAM APPLICATIONS S.A.,
                                               Its Partner


                                          By:     /s/ Pierre Mottet
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                  Pierre Mottet
                                                  Chief Executive Officer



                                          IBA ACQUISITION CORP.


                                          By:     /s/ Pierre Mottet
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                  Pierre Mottet



<PAGE>




STOCKHOLDERS:


















<PAGE>


                                   Schedule I

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               Number of
     Name of Stockholder                               Address                                Shares Owned
     -------------------                               -------                                ------------

<S>                                          <C>                                                   <C>
The Charles W. King, Jr. Revocable           405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                              20,962
Trust Dated December 17, 1986                Los Gatos, California 95032

The Charles W. King, III Trust               405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                              81,050
Dated April 15, 1983                         Los Gatos, California 95032

The Michael James King Trust                 405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                              81,050
Dated April 15, 1983                         Los Gatos, California 95032

The Patricia M. King Trust                   405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                              81,050
Dated April 15, 1983                         Los Gatos, California 95032

KFFP II, L.P., a California                  405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                              400,000
Limited Partnership                          Los Gatos, California 95032

KFFP III, L.P., a California                 405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                             1,800,000
Limited Partnership                          Los Gatos, California 95032

The King Family Trust                        405 Alberto Way, Suite 5                              30,200
Dated December 16, 1997                      Los Gatos, California 95032
</TABLE>





<PAGE>


                                                                       EXHIBIT A



                                MERGER AGREEMENT



                                   TRANSLATION


ION BEAM APPLICATIONS SA


                                  PRESS RELEASE



                            MAJOR NEW ACQUISITION FOR
                       IBA IN THE US STERILIZATION MARKET


Louvain-la-Neuve, 11 June 1999

Ion Beam  Applications  S.A.  (IBA),  has just concluded an agreement to acquire
SteriGenics International, Inc. (NASDAQ:STER).

SteriGenics,  which is based in Fremont, California, has developed a position of
leadership  in the area of  sterilization  services of medical  devices and food
products and for polymer modification by using gamma radiation.  The acquisition
cost is  approximately  US$ 214 million.  Under the terms of the agreement,  the
shareholders  of SteriGenics  will receive US$ 27 per share in cash. IBA expects
to  commence  a tender  offer  within the next 5  business  days.  The Boards of
Directors of both companies have approved the transaction.

IBA, which first developed as an equipment  manufacturer,  made its entry in the
services  industry  through  the  acquisition  in May  1999  of  Griffith  Micro
Sciences,  a leader  in Eto  (Ethylene  oxide)  sterilization  services,  and is
present in almost a dozen countries, and whose HQ is in Chicago.

The  acquisition  of  SteriGenics  will allow IBA further to expand the range of
technologies  it offers its customers.  According to Pierre Mottet,  CEO of IBA:
"The  acquisition  of  SteriGenics  will  allow us to offer  our  customers  the
complete  choice of technology  which they need,  including Eto,  electron beam,
X-ray and Gamma.  It will also allow us to open the door of new  markets and new
clients".  James F. Clouser, CEO of SteriGenics,  added: "The combination of IBA
and  SteriGenics  will contribute  efficiently to the increasing  demands of our
customers for 'one-stop  shopping' for the medical  device  sterilization,  food
pasteurization and polymer modification industries".

The closing of the offer is expected to occur in July 1999, subject to necessary
applicable  regulatory  approvals.  This acquisition fits particularly well with
IBA's growth  strategy by expanding its range of  technologies in order to cover
more applications in the markets where it is active.

IBA is principally active in 4 areas:  cancer  radio-therapy,  the production of
radio-isotopes  for medical  imagery,  sterilization of medical devices and food
products and the improvement of



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materials through  radiation.  With this acquisition,  the group should comprise
1,100 people and should have a turnover of more than 150 million in 1999.

SteriGenics,  which is located at 15 sites in the USA,  had a  turnover,  in its
last  financial  year which  ended 31 March  1999,  of US$ 55 million  and a net
profit, after tax, of US$ 7.8 million.

You can find further  information on IBA at  "www.IBA.be"  and on SteriGenics at
"www.sterigenics.com".


For more information contact:

Eric de Lamotte
Chief Financial Officer
IBA
Tel: +32 10 475 807
E-mail: [email protected]





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