PSC INC
10-K, 1998-03-30
COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, NEC
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                                    FORM 10-K

                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549
 (Mark One)

 [X]      Annual report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of 
          the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

          For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 or

 [ ]      Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of 
          the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

          For the transition period from       to____

 Commission file number  0-9919

                                    PSC Inc.
              ----------------------------------------------------
              Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter

 New York                                                    16-0969362
 --------                                                    ----------
 State or other jurisdiction of                            IRS Employer ID No.
 incorporation or organization

 675 Basket Road, Webster, New York                             14580
 ----------------------------------                             -----
 Address of principal executive offices                        zip code


 Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  716-265-1600


           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
           -----------------------------------------------------------

                                      None
                                      ----

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
           -----------------------------------------------------------

                          Common Stock, $.01 par value
                          ----------------------------
                                (Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports)  and  (2)  has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                                    Yes X      No
                                       ----      ----

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation  S-K is not contained  herein,  and will not be contained,  to the
best of registrant's  knowledge,  in definitive proxy or information  statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K [X].
<PAGE>


As of March 23,  1998 the  aggregate  market  value of the voting  stock held by
non-affiliates  of  the  registrant  was  approximately   $105,126,966  (Assumes
officers, directors and any shareholder holding 5% of the outstanding shares are
affiliates.)

As of March 23, 1998, there were outstanding 11,575,894 shares of Common Stock.

Documents incorporated by reference:

     Portions  of  PSC  Inc.'s  Proxy   Statement  for  the  Annual  Meeting  of
Shareholders  to be held on May 7, 1998 are  incorporated  into Part III of this
Form 10-K.



<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                     PART I
                                                                     PAGE
Item   1:  Business................................................    4
Item   2:  Properties..............................................   17
Item   3:  Legal Proceedings.......................................   17
Item   4:  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.....   17
               Executive Officers of Registrant....................   18

                                     PART II

Item   5:  Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related
           Security Holder Matters.................................   21
Item   6:  Selected Financial Data.................................   22
Item   7:  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
           Condition and Results of Operation......................   23
Item   8:  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.............   27
Item   9:  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants
           on Accounting and Financial Disclosure..................   27

                                    PART III

Item  10:  Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant......   27
Item  11:  Executive Compensation..................................   27
Item  12:  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
           Management..............................................   27
Item  13:  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions..........   28

                                     PART IV

Item  14:  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports
           on Form 8-K.............................................   29





<PAGE>
                                     PART I

                                ITEM 1: BUSINESS

COMPANY OVERVIEW

     PSC Inc., together with its subsidiaries, (the Company) was incorporated in
the State of New York in 1969.  The Company  manufactures  the world's  broadest
line of laser based  handheld and fixed  position bar code  readers,  verifiers,
integrated  sortation and point-of-sale (POS) scanning systems for the worldwide
Automatic  Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) market. The Company's products
serve  as the  "front  end" of  terminals  or  host  computers  and are  used to
identify, capture, process and transmit data. The Company has developed products
for  AIDC at  every  stage  of the  product  supply  chain  from  raw  material,
manufacturing   and  warehousing,   to  logistics,   transportation,   inventory
management  and POS. The  Company's  products are used  throughout  the world in
food, general retail, health care and other industries, and in government.

     The Company has positioned  itself within the AIDC industry by selling both
domestically   and   internationally.    International   sales   accounted   for
approximately  46%  of  the  Company's  1997  total  sales.  The  Company  has a
diversified customer base composed of original equipment  manufacturers  (OEMs),
value-added resellers (VAR's),  distributors,  system integrators and end users.
The  Company's  distribution  relationships  have  enabled it to  introduce  its
products  (generally  under non-PSC  labels) to new vertical  markets,  and have
fostered  the   development  of  strategic   relationships   with  leading  AIDC
participants and end users.  The Company  operates within one industry  segment:
automatic identification and data capture.

     In September 1997, the Company completed a private placement of Convertible
Preferred Shares with Hydra Investissements S.A., a Luxembourg corporation.  The
net proceeds to the Company from the offering  were $10.2  million.  The Company
used the  proceeds  for working  capital  purposes and to repay a portion of its
senior revolving credit facility.

     In 1996, the Company acquired  Spectra-Physics Scanning Systems Inc., TxCOM
S.A. and related  businesses  (Spectra).  Spectra is one of the world's  leading
manufacturers  of countertop and in-counter fixed position bar code scanners for
retail POS applications.  The purchase price was approximately  $140 million and
was  accounted  for as a  purchase  and is  included  in the  1996  Consolidated
Financial Statements since the date of acquisition.

     The Company's corporate headquarters are located in the Rochester, New York
suburb of Webster.  The Company designs,  manufactures,  sells,  distributes and
services its products from world-class  manufacturing facilities in Webster, New
York and Eugene,  Oregon.  The Company has sales and service  operations  in the
Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.



<PAGE>
MARKETS

     The Company  currently  focuses on retail,  and  commercial  and industrial
applications for the AIDC market.

Retail

     The retail  segment  consists  of many  applications  of bar code  scanning
devices  used to track the flow of goods,  equipment,  employees  and  customers
throughout  the  retail  environment.  The  most  traditional  and  identifiable
application  of bar code scanners and scanning  systems is in front end checkout
applications,  such as in grocery stores, in which an employee uses a stationary
or  handheld  scanner to read  product  identifiers  encoded in a bar code.  The
retail segment has,  however,  expanded beyond this base with regard to both the
types of retail stores employing scanners and scanning systems,  and the uses to
which these  stores put the  scanners  and  scanning  systems.  Discount,  drug,
do-it-yourself,  convenience,  department  and  specialty  retail stores now use
scanners in such diverse ways as price verification,  shelf stocking,  inventory
tracking     and      replenishment,      receiving,      coupon     redemption,
promotion/merchandising and frequent shopper programs.

     The Company is currently  active in most retail  applications and sells its
countertop  and  in-counter  bar  code  scanners  to  customers  in most  retail
segments.  In  addition,  the Company has begun to target  systems-oriented  and
segment-specific  products.  One such product  currently  being  marketed by the
Company is U-Scan Express(TM),  an automated grocery store self-checkout  system
developed and licensed to the Company by Optimal  Robotics  Corporation.  U-Scan
Express(TM), which has been installed in several major supermarket chains and is
currently  being tested by several major national mass  merchandise  chains,  is
designed to permit supermarket customers to scan, bag and pay for purchases with
little or no assistance from store personnel.

Commercial and Industrial

     The  commercial   and  industrial   segment  is  comprised  of  commercial,
manufacturing,  warehousing  and  distribution  applications of bar code systems
within retail, service, manufacturing,  logistics, healthcare and transportation
businesses and  organizations.  These industries have adopted bar code standards
and  installed bar code systems in order to increase  productivity  and increase
the   reliability  of  data   transactions.   Automated   data   collection  and
communication  is now used, for example,  to track insurance forms and financial
documents,  record quality levels of manufactured items, sort parcels,  mail and
airline  baggage,  prepare  shipping  manifests  and  catalog  blood and  plasma
inventories. Automatic dimensioning of cartons allows shippers to maximize loads
and more accurately  invoice  shipping costs. The Company is currently active in
several of these applications across a variety of market segments.

COMPANY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

     The Company  offers a wide range of laser based bar code scanning  products
such as handheld, countertop, in-counter, fixed position and unattended scanners
and scan  engines  for use by  business,  industry  and  government  in multiple
application  areas. To ensure the quality of bar codes  themselves,  the Company
offers a full line of bar code  verifiers.  In addition,  the Company  markets a
full line of  accessories,  software and supplies to support its products.  This
line includes such items as cables, stands, printers, mounts, electronic article
surveillance  antennas,  AC power supplies,  product  documentation and software
configurations, carrying cases, batteries and battery chargers. An early entrant
in the AIDC industry,  the Company is committed to ongoing innovation in product
design, manufacturing, product performance and customer satisfaction.

<PAGE>

 The Company's products include:

Fixed Position Scanners:  Retail

360 Degree  Scanner  and  Scanner/Scale  (Magellan(R)).  The  Company  sells the
Magellan(R),  the industry's first 360 degree scanner and  scanner/scale and the
Company's  highest  performing  in-counter  scanner.  Magellan(R)  is capable of
simultaneously  reading the bottom and all four sides of grocery store items,  a
full 360 degrees,  thereby increasing  productivity and improving  ergonomics by
reducing  the need for  checkers  to twist,  turn or lift  items  for  scanning.
Magellan(R)  is available  with an  integrated,  30 pound  capacity  scale which
allows  retailers to combine the scanner and scale functions into a single unit.
Both the scanner and  scanner/scale  are designed for easy installation into new
and  existing   checkstands.   An  integrated  electronic  article  surveillance
deactivation antenna is also available for use in deactivating RF-based security
tags.  Magellan(R)  autodiscriminates  UPC/EAN  and up to three  industrial  bar
codes, and is available with advanced  Edge(TM)  decoding  software that enables
the scanner to read torn and disfigured  labels.  Magellan(R) also reads UPC/EAN
and Code 128 supplemental  codes, such as those found on books,  periodicals and
coupons.

Magellan SL(TM) Slim Line Scanner.  In 1997, the Company introduced the Magellan
SL(TM) SlimLine Series of 360 degree scanners and  scanner/scales.  The Magellan
SL(TM) is a  variant  of  Magellan(R),  and  offers  the same  capabilities  and
benefits as  Magellan(R).  One benefit unique to Magellan  SL(TM) is its smaller
size which  accommodates  installation  in the  narrower  checkstands  common in
Europe,  Asia and large cities  throughout  the world. A key feature of Magellan
SL(TM) is the L-shaped  All-Weighs(TM)  Platter. With the All-Weighs(TM) Platter
the scanner/scale's  vertical window and frame are an integral part of the scale
weighing platter, allowing checkers to lean oversized items against the vertical
window, intentionally or unintentionally, and get an accurate weight.

High Performance  Horizontal  Scanner (HS1250).  The Company sells the HS1250, a
compact,  high performance  horizontal scanner for grocery,  drug,  discount and
home improvement store applications. The HS1250 reads UPC/EAN and industrial bar
codes and features  advanced Edge(TM)  decoding  software.  It is also available
with  an  integrated   electronic  article   surveillance  antenna  for  use  in
deactivating RF based security tags. The scanner includes an integrated mount to
simplify  installation.  A sleep mode, which turns off the motor and laser after
periods of inactivity,  reduces power  consumption  and prolongs the life of the
scanner.

High Performance  Vertical  Scanners (VS1000 and VS1200).  The Company sells the
VS1000  and  VS1200  compact  vertical  scanners  which  include  scan  geometry
optimized  for vertical  scanning  applications  in limited  space areas such as
pharmacies,  variety and convenience stores.  These products permit bar codes to
be read  whether  the  handler  is  presenting  the bar code to the  scanner  or
sweeping  the bar code across the scanner in a continuous  movement.  The VS1000
autodiscriminates up to four bar code types and reads UPC/EAN and industrial bar
codes.  The VS1200,  in addition to the above features,  also  incorporates  the
Company's  advanced  Edge(TM) decoding  software.  The VS1200 is well suited for
performance  demanding  applications in supermarkets and hypermarkets.  Both the
VS1000 and VS1200 are available with an optional  integrated  electronic article
surveillance antenna for use in deactivating RF-based security tags.

Compact Scanners (Duet(TM) and SP*ACE(TM)).  The Duet(TM) Scanner,  announced in
1997,  is a  compact  "dual  action"  scanner  that  combines  features  of both
countertop  and handheld  scanners.  Standard  bar coded items are  presented or
swept by the  scanner's 19 line  omni-directional  scan  window.  Pick lists and
large,  bulky goods are easily processed using Duet's Targeted  Handheld Mode by
simply picking up the scanner and pointing it at a bar code.  With an innovative
scan pattern and a 9" depth of field,  Duet(TM) provides  superior  performance,
fast  throughput.  The  ergonomic  design  of  the  Duet(TM)  scanner  makes  it
exceptionally easy to use and easy on the user.
<PAGE>

SP*ACE(TM) is the Company's  smallest  fixed  position  scanner.  Because of its
compact size and multi-position  scan head, the SP*ACE(TM) scanner adapts easily
to a variety of retail and industrial  countertop or  wall-mounted  applications
where space and/or routing opportunities are limited. SP*ACE(TM) reads bar codes
up to eight inches away and  autodiscriminates  between up to four different bar
code types.

Retail Automation Systems

     The Company is currently  manufacturing and selling the U-Scan  Express(TM)
system,  a stand-alone  self-checkout  system,  to major  supermarkets  and mass
merchandisers  in the U.S.  Designed  and  licensed  to the  Company  by Optimal
Robotics  Corporation,  a Montreal  based  company,  the system is targeted  for
retail  store  express  lanes  and  incorporates  scanning,  interactive  video,
security  system and money  tendering  (cash,  credit or debit)  into a complete
stand-alone  unit.  The U-Scan  Express(TM)  is designed to permit  customers to
scan,  bag and pay for their own  purchases  with little or no  assistance  from
store personnel, thereby speeding checkout and improving store productivity.  To
date,  the U-Scan  Express(TM)  system has been  installed  in a number of major
supermarket   chains   nationwide  and   discussions  are  underway  for  future
installations with several large food and non-food retailers.

Handheld Scanners

Light  Industrial/Commercial  Scanners (5300 HP). The Company's high performance
5300 HP handheld  scanners are based on its 5301 scan engine platform.  The 5300
HP series was designed for the light  industrial,  commercial and special retail
environments  where  performance is critical.  These high  performance  scanners
provide snappy  scanning of "real world" bar code labels.  Depending on the size
and quality of bar codes, one model in the Series can read bar codes having bars
or spaces with a dimension as narrow as two  millimeters  (.002  inches).  A two
millimeter dimension bar code is common on small jewelry items or on the side of
a printed  circuit  board  which  can then be  tracked  through a  manufacturing
process.  A higher  powered laser in the 5300 HP series permits bar code reading
in bright  sunlight,  thereby allowing the operator to read through a windshield
for vehicle identification or through a glass showcase to read price tags.

Ruggedized  Industrial  Scanners (5300 IP). Like the 5300 HP, the Company's high
performance  5300 IP  handheld  scanners  are  based  on its  5301  scan  engine
platform.  The 5300 IP series scanners were designed for extreme  durability and
performance  for  jobs in  demanding  environments.  They are  ideal  for use in
warehouses,  distribution centers, automotive plants, utilities, in cold storage
warehouses and at chemical plants.  They can withstand rugged conditions such as
multiple  six-foot drops to concrete and temperatures as low as -22oF (-30oC) as
are  encountered  in walk-in  freezers.  In 1997,  the  Company  introduced  the
AutoRange(TM)  scanner which is essentially two scanners in one. This scanner is
ideally suited for warehouse and  distribution  center  applications for reading
bar code labels at long distances as well as up close.

5300 series  scanners are designed with an open slot in the scanner  handle that
accommodates  circuit  boards  with  additional  capabilities  such  as  decode,
interface   and   optional   memory,   thus   enabling   the  Company  to  offer
custom-manufactured scanners that OEMs then sell under their private labels. The
Company's  lifetime warranty on the scanning mechanism in each model of the 5300
series reflects the Company's confidence in the quality of these products.

<PAGE>

Retail,  POS Service and Commercial  Scanners  (Quick  Scan(TM) and SP400).  The
Quick  Scan(TM) is a full  feature,  full  function,  full  performance  scanner
incorporating the Company's smaller scan engine platforms. The Quick Scan GP(TM)
provides general performance scanning in lower volume POS,  point-of-service and
commercial  applications  with  consistent bar code placement and location.  The
Quick Scan HP(TM)  addresses the scanning  requirements for higher volume retail
and commercial applications where handling mixed and inconsistently marked items
requires greater  depth-of-field  and enhanced scanning  performance.  The Quick
Scan(TM) EP provides extended performance and longer range scanning applications
up to five feet.  The Quick  Scan(TM)  6000 was  designed  specifically  for the
retail POS and features an unprecedented  combination:  the superior performance
and rugged  design of a high end POS scanner,  priced  affordably.  Its advanced
ergonomic  design  was  developed  with  operator  comfort in mind -- a critical
factor that ensures prolonged operator productivity. The size and shape of Quick
Scan(TM) makes it comfortable to hold independent of handedness and hand size.

The SP400 offers  higher  performance  levels by combining a visible laser diode
light source,  patented signal processing  technology,  long  depth-of-field and
wide angle reading. The SP400 family includes a variety of models for retail and
industrial applications.  The SP400 EP (Extreme Performance) scanner is the only
handheld  scanner on the market to offer a true seal against  windblown dust and
rain. This feature,  combined with other enhancements to the housing,  gives the
SP400 EP the highest rating in the industry for ruggedness and  durability,  and
makes it ideal for outdoor use.

Specialty Handheld Scanners (538X Series). These specialty scanners offer custom
form factors and optics for unique  applications.  Included in this line are the
5380  Back-of-the-Hand   Scanner,  the  5381  Palm  Top  Scanner  and  the  5387
Scandle(TM).

The 5380  Back-of-the-Hand  Scanner  has a small  profile  and weighs only three
ounces,   making  it  particularly   suitable  for  "picking"   applications  in
distribution centers and other hands-free operations. This scanner, which allows
for  hands-free  scanning,  attaches to a comfortable  glove that can be worn on
either  hand and can be actuated  manually  with a trigger or  automatically  by
PSC's Autosense(R)  feature.  Hands-free scanning allows an operator to use both
hands to select items from shelves or racks and transmit  data  regarding  those
items to a data terminal.

The 5381 Palm Top Scanner,  compactly designed and weighing 4.8 ounces, is about
the  size of a TV  remote  control.  It can be used in  either  hand  and can be
slipped into a shirt pocket or attached to clothing with a Velcro(R)  patch when
not  in  use.  The  5381  is the  appropriate  choice  for  POS  and  industrial
applications where size, weight and accessibility are key factors.  Top and side
triggers  have been  provided to allow for ease of scanning  either  vertical or
horizontal bar codes by left or right handed operators.

The 5387 Scandle(TM) has the approximate  size,  weight and shape of a telephone
handset.  When snapped into place on a small  portable  computer,  such as those
carried by telephone  line  workers,  it functions  as the  computer's  carrying
handle.

Fixed Position Scanners:  Commercial and Industrial

Miniature Scanners.  The 9000 scanner is a compact,  versatile,  industrial line
scanner intended primarily for high-speed automated sorting or identification in
the demanding  environments of the  manufacturing and material handling markets.
Through the use of advanced digital signal processors,  this scanner can provide
scan rates of between  200 and 1500 scans per  second.  Both the scan engine and
the  decoder  may be  contained  in a single  unit.  Because  the scanner can be
programmed  either locally or from the host computer,  it provides the user with
maximum flexibility.

High-End  Line  Scanners.   The  series  8000  and  8000LX  provide  a  line  of
high-powered,  high-speed,  adjustable  rastering  line  scanners for  demanding
applications,  such as airline  baggage  handling,  overnight  package  delivery
sortation and other high-speed  sortation.  They can read bar code labels moving
at speeds of up to 500 feet per minute.  Features include auto-focusing and Time
Slice Decoding(TM) (TSD) which allows the scanner to read only
<PAGE>

a small portion of a code on each of several  successive  scans and  reconstruct
the  entire  bar code.  By  multiplexing  (interconnecting  two or more of these
scanners  having  varying  scanning  ranges),  a  system  can be  configured  to
simultaneously  read and  track bar  codes as they  move  past the  scanners  at
different distances.

Omnidirectional  Scanners.  The model 990  SureScan(R) is a high-speed  modular,
omnidirectional  scanner for use in large volume distribution centers. It may be
equipped with TSD software to read randomly  oriented bar codes as, for example,
labels on packages  tumbling down a chute at speeds up to 600 feet per minute at
a distance of 30 inches.  The model 990 can also be  configured  with up to four
multiplexed scanners.

Carton Dimensioning System. The SureCube(TM) is an automated carton dimensioning
system which measures the volume of cartons over  conveyors or in-motion  scales
for  material  handling  systems.  The  system can be  supplied  with a bar code
scanner for identifying  and  dimensioning or integrated with an in-motion scale
to provide a completely automated system for identifying,  sizing,  weighing and
sorting of cartons.  It captures  the carton data  regardless  of the  location,
orientation  or  angle  of the  carton.  This  is  especially  useful  in  large
warehouses, package delivery services and other shipping companies.

Scanning Tunnel Systems.  By using multiple  scanners oriented around a conveyor
belt, PSC offers a unique solution to solve high speed sortation  problems where
cartons may have a bar code label on any  surface of a carton,  even the bottom,
or multiple  labels on multiple sides of the carton.  With the  ScanManager(TM),
this system can track up to 16 cartons at one time at conveyor  speeds up to 300
feet per minutes.

Scan Engines

     The Company's scan engines are  self-contained  bar code reading components
which  OEMs  build  into a variety  of  products.  The  Company's  scan  engines
incorporate all of the electronic,  optical and mechanical  components  required
for laser  scanning  in a single  package  which can be easily  integrated.  The
various models  manufactured by the Company are based on either its 5301 "large"
platform,  the smaller 5303  version or the  miniaturized  Minuet(TM)  DI(TM) or
LM-500.  The 5301  platform  is about  the size of a deck of  playing  cards and
occupies a volume of 10 cubic  inches.  In response  to  industry  demands for a
smaller scanning platform,  the Company introduced the 5303 scan engine which is
about half the footprint of the 5301 and occupies 3.5 cubic inches.  The Company
introduced an even smaller scan engine,  the Minuet(TM) Direct  Illumination(TM)
bar code engine. This miniature engine has a volume of only 1.2 cubic inches. In
a Direct  Illumination(TM)  bar code  engine  system,  there  are no  reflective
optics; the laser is mechanically swept to directly illuminate the bar code. The
Minuet(TM)  DI(TM) can significantly  enhance bar code reading  performance in a
variety of OEM  products  such as  portable  data  collection  devices;  laptop,
handheld  and  palmtop  computers;  diagnostic  and test  equipment;  and ticket
issuing  machines.  The newest addition to the Minuet(TM)  scanner family is the
LM-500.  The LM-500  continues the progress toward  miniaturization  of scanning
engines.

Quick Check (R) Verifiers

     The Company's line of Quick  Check(R)  verifiers is designed to ensure that
the customer is producing,  using and receiving quality bar code symbols.  Quick
Check(R)  verifiers can display a simple  pass/fail report or provide a detailed
quality  analysis.  These verifiers are sold as handheld,  desktop,  PC based or
printer/labeler  mounted on-line models.  They analyze bar codes for traditional
print quality such as wide to narrow ratio, print contrast,  bar growth or loss,
dimensions and formats,  or analyze based upon quality  parameters  found in the
American  National  Standards   Institute  (ANSI)  and  European  Committee  for
Standardisation  (CEN)  guidelines  such  as  edge  determination,   reflectance
minimum,  symbol contrast,  modulation,  decodability and edge contrast minimum.
When mounted  on-line,  the Quick Check(R)  verifier  results can  automatically
control the user's system and cause it to pause,  reprint,  shutdown or activate
an alarm.  All Quick Check(R)  verifiers are designed and  manufactured  to meet
national,  international and industry specified standards (such as those created
by the Uniform  Code  Council and the  Automatic  Identification  Manufacturers,
Inc.) and provide  traceability  to the  National  Institute  of  Standards  and
Technology (NIST) for compliance to ISO 9000 and QS 9000 requirements.

<PAGE>
SALES AND MARKETING

     The Company sells its products  domestically and internationally  through a
diversified customer base composed of OEMs, third party resellers and end users.
International  sales increased from approximately  $19.3 million,  or 22% of net
sales,  in 1995 to  approximately  $95.2 million,  or 46% of net sales, in 1997.
Management  believes  that the  international  markets for bar code products are
less  developed  and  intends to broaden  its  international  sales and  provide
additional sales and marketing support to its international operations.

     The  Company's  OEM  customers  and third  party  resellers  serve  various
vertical markets and submarkets and a wide variety of end users.  They introduce
the Company's  products to their end users through their  established  sales and
distribution  networks,  thus  sparing the Company the expense of  supporting  a
large in-house sales force. By forming  strategic  relationships  with major OEM
customers,  the Company has been able to conduct  joint  development  and design
customer-specific  products  and  applications  and thereby  further  expand its
market presence and broaden its distribution network.

     In  addition  to its sales and  marketing  staff in  Webster,  New York and
Eugene,  Oregon,  the Company has regional sales  representatives  in the United
States  and sales  offices  throughout  Europe  and the Asia  Pacific  area that
provide sales,  service and support to the Company's  domestic and international
customers.

     Foreign sales of the Company's  products are subject to the normal risks of
foreign  operations,   such  as  currency   fluctuations,   protective  tariffs,
export/import controls and transportation delays and interruptions.  Because the
Company's  products are  manufactured in the United States,  the Company's sales
and results of operations  could be affected by fluctuations in the value of the
U.S. dollar.

     The Company's  marketing  operations  include  product  management,  market
management,  new business  development and marketing  communications.  Marketing
personnel identify new business opportunities,  develop business plans, identify
new product and market requirements, manage product positioning/introduction and
provide tactical sales support activities. They interact regularly with external
parties such as OEMs,  VARs,  distributors,  systems  integrators and end users,
technical partners and standards  committees.  The marketing  personnel also, in
conjunction  with  outside  vendors,  conduct  customer  surveys and  coordinate
advertising and public relations. This group creates advertising,  brochures and
documentation,  manages  trade show  exhibits and places  articles  highlighting
applications of the Company's products in trade and industry publications.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND SERVICE

     The Company is dedicated to providing consistently high customer service on
a national and  international  basis. The Company  maintains a highly responsive
customer support and service  organization that bridges the Company's marketing,
engineering  and  manufacturing  functions.  The  customer  support  and service
personnel receive extensive training in all of the Company's products and assist
customers with  ordering,  product  scheduling,  coordinating  service  repairs,
procuring  replacement parts and managing warranties and service contracts.  The
Company's Eugene,  Oregon customer service and support  organization has met ISO
9000 quality registration levels.

CUSTOMERS

     The  Company  sells  its  products  to OEMs,  VARs,  distributors,  systems
integrators  and end  users.  During  1997  and  1996,  no  individual  customer
accounted  for greater than 10% of net sales.  During 1995,  Telxon  Corporation
accounted for 17% of sales. No other customers were responsible for greater than
10% of net sales in 1995. The Company's  arrangements  with major  customers are
generally nonexclusive.
<PAGE>

ENGINEERING, RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

     The Company's  engineering research and product development (ER&D) programs
are aimed at  applying  its  technology  to develop  new  products,  improve its
existing   products'   reliability,   ergonomics  and   performance  and  reduce
manufacturing and related support costs.  Current programs focus on new advances
in bar code scanning,  retail applications such as retail self-checkout  systems
and new  generations  of portable  data  terminals.  The Company also carries on
significant development programs in electronics design, bar code acquisition and
decoding,  RF  communications,   optical  signal  detection,  software,  network
architectures,   advanced  mechanical  structures  and  automated  manufacturing
methods. Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing tools assist the
Company's research and development  efforts by permitting computer simulation of
proposed  products.  These tools include  electronics  circuit modeling,  optics
analysis and three-dimensional mechanical product modeling.

     Substantially all of the Company's research and development is performed by
its own staff. The Company believes its technical strengths are in the specialty
disciplines  of  lasers,  electro-optics,   video  imaging,  signal  processing,
decoding, portable/fixed computers and software development.

     The  Company's  ER&D  expenses  were  approximately  $13.0  million,  $11.1
million, and $5.0 million in 1997, 1996, and 1995, respectively. Such amounts do
not  include   expenditures  by  the  Company  for   manufacturing   engineering
activities.

MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLIERS

     The Company designs,  engineers and manufactures  substantially  all of its
scanning products at its Webster,  New York  headquarters or its Eugene,  Oregon
facility.   The  Company's  design  and  process  approach  allows   end-of-line
configuration of generic modules to meet a multitude of specific customer needs.
Statistical  methods are used throughout the factory and with critical suppliers
in order to control  important  processes.  The Company  makes  extensive use of
computer integrated systems and software for purposes of resource planning, such
as material requirements, assembly planning and scheduling and order management.

     The  Company  seeks  to  design  and  manufacture  products  that  optimize
performance,  quality,  reliability,  durability and versatility.  These designs
facilitate  cost-efficient  materials  sourcing and  assembly  methods with high
standards of  workmanship.  The Company has invested and will continue to invest
in capital  equipment such as printed  circuit board surface mount machines that
automate production,  increase capacity and reduce direct labor costs.  Computer
operated  equipment  is used for testing at all levels of  production  to assure
repeatable,  reliable performance and accurate data collection.  The Company has
designed many of its own tools, fixtures and test equipment.  The Quick Check(R)
product is manufactured by an independent  third party. The Company believes its
relationship   with  this  manufacturer  to  be  good,  and  the  loss  of  this
manufacturer would not have a material effect on the Company.

     The Company does not have long-term supply contracts with its vendors.  The
Company  currently  relies on single  suppliers,  some of whom  manufacture at a
number of  locations,  for some key  components  of its  products.  The  Company
believes that maintaining  ongoing  relationships with single suppliers who have
proven  that they are  capable of meeting the  Company's  standards  of quality,
on-time  delivery and cost  containment  has enabled it to increase the value of
its  product to its  customers.  Although  the  Company  maintains  30 to 60 day
inventories  of key  components  and  alternative  sources of key  materials are
available,  the Company  could incur  set-up  costs and delays in  manufacturing
should it  become  necessary  to  replace  key  vendors  due to work  stoppages,
shipping  delays,  financial  difficulty  or other  factors,  and under  certain
circumstances,  these costs and delays could have a material  adverse  effect on
the Company's operations.
<PAGE>

COMPETITION

     The AIDC industry is highly competitive with rapid technological change and
intellectual  property  developments being key competitive  factors. The Company
also competes on the basis of  innovative  design,  high quality  manufacturing,
technical  expertise  in scanning  and  wireless RF systems,  level of sales and
support services,  price and overall product  functionality and fitness for use.
Failure to keep pace with product and  technological  advances could  negatively
affect the Company's  competitive  position and prospects for growth. Many firms
manufacture and market bar code reading equipment utilizing laser technology. In
addition,  the Company's bar code reading  equipment  also competes with devices
which utilize  technologies  other than laser  scanners such as CCDs and optical
wands. The Company faces competitive pressures from various companies in each of
its product  categories.  Many of the Company's  competitors have  substantially
greater  financial,  manufacturing,   research  and  development  and  marketing
resources than the Company.  The Company believes its principal  competitors for
its handheld bar code scanner products are Symbol  Technologies,  Inc. (Symbol),
and  Metrologic   Instruments  Inc.   (Metrologic).   The  Company's   principal
competitors in the fixed position  scanner  market are Accu-Sort  Systems,  Inc.
(Accu-Sort) and CI/Matrix.  The Company  believes its principal  competitors for
its line of in-counter  and  on-counter  scanner  products are NCR  Corporation,
Fujitsu Ltd., Symbol,  Scantech B.V. and Metrologic.  The principal  competitors
for its line of verifiers  are Stratix  (formerly Bar Code Systems) and RJS Inc.
The Company's principal competitor for POS self-checkout systems is Productivity
Solutions, Inc.

     No  assurance  can be  given  that  the  Company  will be  able to  compete
successfully  against  current and future  competitors  or that the  competitive
factors  faced by the  Company  will not have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company's operations.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

     The Company  believes  that  certain of its products  are  proprietary  and
consequently relies on a combination of United States and foreign patent,  trade
secret,  copyright and  trademark  law to establish and protect its  proprietary
rights. The Company currently holds more than 160 United States patents and also
has certain foreign patents pertaining to various  technologies  associated with
its products.  These patents  expire on various dates between 2003 and 2016. The
Company  currently  has a number of patent  applications  pending  in the United
States and in a number of foreign  countries.  In addition,  the Company expects
that its continuing research and development efforts will result in the creation
of new proprietary rights for which it will seek patent protection.

     The Company  maintains an active  program to obtain  patents and  otherwise
protect its intellectual property.  Nevertheless,  its competitors could develop
technology or know-how or obtain patents that could limit the Company's  ability
to compete in the future. Similarly,  others could challenge the validity of the
Company's  patents or assert that the Company is infringing on their proprietary
rights. The Company believes that its patents are valid and enforceable and does
not believe that it is infringing on the proprietary rights of others. While the
Company  believes that its patents provide it with  competitive  advantages with
respect to the  products  they cover,  the  Company  relies  primarily  upon the
technical know-how, competence, innovative skills and marketing abilities of its
engineers and other employees.

     The Company currently holds certain trademarks that are registered with the
United States Patent and Trademark  Office and a number of common law trademarks
and valuable  trade  secrets.  It also has certain  foreign  trademarks  and has
numerous domestic and foreign trademark registrations pending.

EMPLOYEES

     As of  March  1,  1998,  the  Company  had  approximately  1,150  full-time
employees.  In  addition,  the Company at various  times makes use of  temporary
labor in its  manufacturing  operations.  Approximately  8% of the work force is
located outside the United States,  based in offices  throughout  Europe and the
Asia Pacific  regions.  The Company believes that its future success will depend
in part on its  ability to recruit and  maintain  highly  qualified  management,
marketing,  technical  and  administrative  personnel.  None  of  the  Company's
employees  is  represented  by a  labor  union.  Management  believes  that  its
relationship with employees is good.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION

     Certain products of the Company must comply with regulations promulgated by
the  United  States  Food and  Drug  Administration's  Center  for  Devices  and
Radiological Health (CDRH), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as well
as the Canadian Standard Association,  the European Community Standards (CE) and
TUV Rheinland  (Europe),  which are  corresponding  agencies for certain foreign
countries. The regulations are in
<PAGE>



the areas of laser light  emissions,  intentional or  non-intentional  RF energy
emissions,  standards  for weighing  instruments  and  European  electromagnetic
compatibility  (EMC)  directives.  The regulations  mandate,  among other items,
warning labels,  safety features,  and establish certain levels for laser power,
weight measuring,  voltage and electromagnetic  fields. The Company's operations
are also subject to certain federal,  state and local  requirements  relating to
environmental,  waste  management,  health  and safety  regulations.  Management
believes that the Company's  business is operated in compliance  with applicable
government,  environmental,  waste  management,  health and safety  regulations.
There can be no assurance that future  regulations  will not require the Company
to modify its  products to meet  revised  energy  output or other  requirements.
Failure to comply with future  regulations  could  result in a material  adverse
effect on the Company's results of operations.

SAFE HARBOR FOR  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS UNDER SECURITIES  LITIGATION REFORM
ACT OF 1995; CERTAIN CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

     From time to time, the Company or its representatives have made or may make
forward-looking   statements,   orally  or  in  writing.   Such  forward-looking
statements  may be  included  in,  but not  limited  to,  press  releases,  oral
statements  made with the  approval  of an  authorized  executive  officer or in
various filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The words or phases "will likely  result," "are  expected to," "will  continue,"
"is anticipated,"  "estimate,"  "project" or similar expressions are intended to
identify  "forward-looking   statements"  within  the  meaning  of  the  Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the Reform Act). The Company wishes to
ensure that such statements are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements,
so as to maximize to the fullest  extent  possible the  protections  of the safe
harbor established in the Reform Act.

     Accordingly,  such  statements are qualified in their entirety by reference
to and are accompanied by the following  discussion of certain important factors
that could cause actual results to differ  materially from such  forward-looking
statements.The risks included here are not exhaustive. Furthermore, reference is
also made to other  sections of this report  which  include  additional  factors
which could adversely impact the Company's  business and financial  performance.
Moreover,  the Company  operates  in a very  competitive  and  rapidly  changing
environment.  New risk  factors  emerge from time to time and it is not possible
for management to predict all of such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact
of all of such risk factors on the Company's business or the extent to which any
factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially
from  those   contained   in  any   forward-looking   statements.   Accordingly,
forward-looking  statements  should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual
results.

     Shareholders  should be aware that  while the  Company  does,  from time to
time,  communicate with securities analysts,  it is against the Company's policy
to  disclose to such  analysts  any  material  non-public  information  or other
confidential commercial information. Accordingly, shareholders should not assume
that the  Company  agrees  with any  statement  or report  issued by any analyst
irrespective  of the content of such  statement or report.  Accordingly,  to the
extent that  reports  issued by  securities  analysts  contain any  projections,
forecasts or opinions, such reports are not the responsibility of the Company.


Spectra Acquisition/Debt  Service. The Company incurred substantial indebtedness
($127.5 million) in connection with the acquisition of Spectra. The indebtedness
could have important  consequences,  including the following:  (i) the Company's
ability  to obtain  additional  financing  in the future  for  working  capital,
capital  expenditures,   acquisitions  or  general  corporate  purposes  may  be
impaired;  (ii) a substantial portion of the Company's cash flow from operations
must be  dedicated  to the  payment of  interest  on the  indebtedness,  thereby
reducing  the funds  available  to the  Company  for other  purposes;  (iii) the
agreements  governing  the  Company's  long-term  indebtedness  contain  certain
restrictive  financial and operating covenants;  (iv) certain indebtedness under
the senior  debt will be at  variable  rates of  interest  which would cause the
Company  to be  vulnerable  to  increases  in  interest  rates;  (v)  all of the
indebtedness  outstanding  under the senior debt is secured by substantially all
the assets of the Company; (vi) the Company is substantially more leveraged than
certain of its  competitors  which  might  place the  Company  at a  competitive
disadvantage; (vii) the Company may be hindered in its ability to

<PAGE>

adjust  rapidly  to  changing   market   conditions  and  (viii)  the  Company's
substantial  degree of leverage could make it more  vulnerable in the event of a
downturn in general economic conditions or its business.

     As a result of the indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition
of Spectra, a substantial  portion of the Company's cash flow will be devoted to
debt  service.  The  ability  of the  Company to  continue  making  payments  of
principal  and  interest  will be largely  dependent  upon its future  financial
performance.

Technological  Change. The market for the Company's products is characterized by
rapidly changing  technology,  evolving industry standards,  changes in customer
requirements  and  frequent  new product  introductions  and  enhancements.  The
Company's  future  success  will  depend on its  ability to enhance  its current
products,  to develop new products on a timely and  cost-effective  basis and to
respond  to  changing  customer  requirements  and  technological  developments.
Certain of the  Company's  competitors  spend  larger  amounts on  research  and
development  efforts than the Company.  Any failure by the Company to anticipate
or respond adequately to changes in technology and customer preferences,  or any
significant delay in product development or introduction,  could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's  financial  condition and results of operations.
There can be no assurance  that the Company will be successful in developing and
marketing,  on a timely and cost-effective  basis,  product  enhancements or new
products  that  respond to  technological  advances by others,  or that such new
products or product enhancements will achieve market acceptance.

Dependence on Intellectual  Property Rights.  The Company's success is dependent
in part on its ability to obtain patent  protection  for its products,  maintain
trade secret protection and operate without infringing the proprietary rights of
others. The Company currently owns over 160 U.S. patents having expirations from
the year 2003 to the year 2016 and also has certain foreign patents. The Company
has filed, and intends to file, applications for additional patents covering its
products.  There can be no assurance that any of these patent  applications will
be granted,  or that the  Company  will  develop  additional  products  that are
patentable  and do not infringe upon the patents of others,  or that the patents
issued to or licensed by the Company will provide the Company with a competitive
advantage or adequate protection for its products. In addition,  there can be no
assurance  that  the  Company's  competitors  will  not  develop  technology  or
know-how,  to obtain patents,  that could limit the Company's ability to compete
in the future or that  patents  issued to or licensed by the Company will not be
challenged, invalidated or circumvented by others.

Pending Litigation. The AIDC industry is characterized by substantial litigation
regarding  patent  and  other   intellectual   property   rights.   The  Company
aggressively defends its patents and other proprietary rights.

     There is  litigation  pending in the United States  District  Court for the
Western  District of New York between the Company and one of its  customers,  on
the one hand, and Symbol  Technologies,  Inc.  (Symbol) on the other,  involving
certain of Symbol's  patents.  In that  action,  the  Company  has also  alleged
violation of the  antitrust  laws and unfair  practices by Symbol and Symbol has
alleged breaches of certain license  agreements  between the Company and Symbol,
including  claims  that  royalties  have been  underpaid.  The  Company has also
assumed the responsibility of defending the action on behalf of its customer and
has provided  certain  rights of  indemnification  to its customer.  The Company
intends to defend  itself and its  customer  vigorously.  Although  the  Company
maintains that Symbol's patents are invalid,  that the Company has not infringed
the patents, or both, and that the Company has not, as was alleged, breached the
Symbol license, nor underpaid royalties,  there can be no assurance that this or
any other action will be decided or settled in the Company's favor. There can be
no assurance  that others will not assert claims against the Company that result
in  litigation.  Any  such  litigation  could  result  in  significant  expense,
adversely impact the Company's marketing,  give rise to certain indemnity rights
on the part of customers and divert the Company's  attention from other matters.
If any of the Company's  products  were found to infringe a third-party  patent,
the third party could be entitled to injunctive relief,  which would prevent the
Company  from selling any such  infringing  products.  In addition,  the Company
could be required to pay monetary  damages.  Although  the Company  could seek a
license to sell products determined to infringe a third-party patent,  there can
be no assurance  that a license  would be available on terms  acceptable  to the
Company.  The Company could also attempt to redesign any infringing  products so
as to avoid infringement,


<PAGE>

although any effort to do so could be expensive and time consuming and there can
be no assurance the effort would be  successful.  See  "Business -  Intellectual
Property."

Competition.  The AIDC industry is highly  competitive with rapid  technological
change, product improvements, new product introduction and intellectual property
developments  representing key competitive factors. The Company also competes on
the basis of innovative design, high quality manufacturing,  technical expertise
in  scanning,  level of sales and support  services,  price and overall  product
functionality  and  fitness  for use.  Failure  to keep  pace with  product  and
technological   advances  could  negatively  affect  the  Company's  competitive
position and prospects for growth.  Several of the  Company's  competitors  have
substantially greater financial,  technical,  marketing and other resources than
the  Company.  As a result,  they may be able to respond  more quickly to new or
emerging  technologies  and to changes in  customer  requirements,  or to devote
greater resources to the development, promotion and sale of their products, than
can the Company.  In addition,  other larger  corporations  could enter the AIDC
industry.  Increased  competition  is likely to result in average  selling price
reductions,  reduced operating margins or loss of market share. No assurance can
be given that the Company will be able to compete  successfully  against current
and future competitors or that the competitive factors faced by the Company will
not adversely affect its business, financial condition or results of operations.
See "Business--Competition."

Product  Transitions.  The Company is dependent upon the introduction of new and
improved  products.  The Company's  financial  performance is dependent upon the
successful introduction of these products. The success will be dependent,  among
other things, upon the ability of the Company to complete development of certain
products,  customer  acceptance of and demand for these products and the ability
of the Company to  efficiently  manufacture  these products and to meet delivery
schedules. The introduction of new and enhanced products requires the Company to
manage the  transition  from older  products in order to minimize  disruption in
customer ordering  patterns,  avoid excess levels of older material  inventories
and ensure  that  adequate  supplies of new  product  can be  delivered  to meet
customer  demand.  There can be no assurance that the Company will  successfully
manage the transition to selling new products. The failure to do so could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business and results of operations.

Dependence  on Sales by Third  Parties:  Significant  Customers.  A  significant
portion of the Company's  net sales are  dependent  upon the ability of its OEM,
value-added  reseller  (VAR),  distributor and systems  integrator  customers to
develop and sell products that  incorporate  the  Company's  scanning  products.
Factors, including economic conditions,  patent positions,  inventory positions,
the ability to sell the Company's products to end users, regulatory requirements
and other  marketing  restrictions  that adversely  affect the operations of the
Company's  OEM, VAR,  distributor  and systems  integrator  customers can have a
substantial impact upon the Company's  financial  results.  No assurances can be
given that the Company's OEM, VAR,  distributor and systems integrator customers
will not experience  financial or other difficulties that could adversely affect
their operations and, in turn, the results of operations of the Company.  During
1997 and 1996, no individual  customer accounted for more than 10% of net sales.
During 1995,  Telxon  Corporation  accounted for 17% of the Company's net sales.
See "Business--Sales and Marketing" and "--Customer Support and Services."

Risks  Associated  with  International   Operations.   The  Company's  sales  to
international  customers  increased from $19.3 million or 22% of total net sales
in 1995 to $95.2  million or 46% of net sales in 1997.  The  Company  intends to
continue  to expand its  operations  outside  of the United  States and to enter
additional  international  markets,  which will require  significant  management
attention and financial resources and which will result in a significant portion
of the  Company's net sales being  subject to the normal risks  associated  with
international  sales.  Such  risks  include  unexpected  changes  in  regulatory
requirements,  compliance  costs  associated  with  quality  control  standards,
special  standards  requirements,  longer  accounts  receivable  collections  in
certain geographic regions, tariffs and other barriers, difficulties in staffing
and  managing  international  subsidiary  operations,  potentially  adverse  tax
consequences, country-specific product requirements and political and regulatory
uncertainties.  There can be no  assurance  that these  factors will not have an
adverse   impact  on  the   Company's   ability  to  increase  or  maintain  its
international sales or results of operations. See "Management's

<PAGE>


Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition and Results of  Operations"  and
"Business--Sales and Marketing."

Exposure to Currency  Fluctuations.  Historically,  the  Company's  revenue from
international  operations  has  primarily  been  denominated  in  United  States
dollars.  During  1997,  approximately  50% of its  revenue  from  international
operations and 75% of its consolidated revenue were denominated in United States
dollars.  The Company expects that a growing  percentage of its business will be
conducted  in  currencies  other than the  United  States  dollar.  As a result,
fluctuations in the value of certain foreign  currencies could materially affect
the  Company's  business  operating  results and financial  condition.  Also, an
increase in the value of the United States dollar relative to foreign currencies
could  make  the  Company's  products  more  expensive  and,   therefore,   less
competitive  in  certain  markets.  Due  to  the  constantly  changing  currency
exposures  and the  volatility  of  currency  exchange  rates,  there  can be no
assurance  that the Company will not experience  currency  losses in the future,
nor can the Company predict the effect of exchange rate fluctuations upon future
operating  results.  The Company may  occasionally  enter into  forward  foreign
exchange contracts as a hedge against currency  fluctuations relating to foreign
sales denominated in foreign  currencies.  The forward contracts  generally have
maturities of  approximately 30 days and require the Company to exchange foreign
currencies  for United  States  dollars at  maturity,  at rates agreed to at the
inception of the  contracts.  Gains and losses on forward  contracts  are offset
against the foreign exchange gains and losses on the underlying hedged items and
are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Price. Traditionally, the selling price of the Company's products decreases over
the life of the product.  The Company endeavors to reduce manufacturing costs of
existing   products  and  to  introduce  new   products,   functions  and  other
price/performance-enhancing  features  in order to  mitigate  the effect of such
decreases. To the extent that such cost reductions, product enhancements and new
product  introductions  do not occur in a timely manner or do not achieve market
acceptance,  the  Company's  operating  results could be  materially,  adversely
affected.

Acquisitions.  The  Company  has in the  past  and  may  in the  future  acquire
businesses  or product  lines as a way of expanding  its product  offerings  and
acquiring new technology.  Failure of the Company to identify future acquisition
opportunities  and/or to integrate  effectively  businesses  that it may acquire
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's growth.

Dependence  on Key  Vendors.  The  Company's  ability  to  produce  and ship its
products on schedule is highly dependent on timely receipt of an adequate supply
of components and materials from its key vendors.  The Company  currently relies
on single suppliers, some of whom manufacture at a number of locations, for some
of the key  components  of its  products.  The Company  could incur  significant
set-up costs and experience  delays in  manufacturing  should it be necessary to
replace key vendors due to work stoppages,  shipping delays,  quality  problems,
financial  difficulties  or other factors.  There can be no assurance that these
potential  costs and  delays  would not have a  material  adverse  impact on the
Company's business or results of operations.  See  "Business--Manufacturing  and
Suppliers."

Fluctuations  in  Quarterly  Operating  Results.  Historically,  the Company has
experienced  variability  in its quarterly  results and the Company  anticipates
that such  variability  will  continue  in the future as a result of a number of
factors,  many of which are beyond the Company's control.  The factors affecting
this variability include demand for the Company's products,  the size and timing
of large customer  orders,  the entry of new competitors  and new  technological
advances  by  competitors,  changes  in  pricing  policies  by  the  Company  or
competitors, customer order deferrals in anticipation of product enhancements or
new product  offerings by the Company or its competitors,  changes in the mix of
products sold by the Company and general economic factors.

Since customers order products for delivery within 30 to 45 days, backlog is not
a reliable predictor of future results beyond the current quarter. The Company's
expense levels are based, in part, on expectations of future revenue. If revenue
levels are below expectations,  expense levels would be disproportionately  high
as a  percentage  of total  revenue and  operating  results  would be  adversely
affected.  The Company believes that quarterly  period-to-period  comparisons of
its financial  results are not  necessarily  meaningful and should not be relied
upon as an indication of future  performance.  See "Management's  Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."


<PAGE>

Government  Regulation.  The Company's  products and  operations  are subject to
regulation  by federal,  state and local  agencies in the United  States and its
products  are  subject to  regulation  in certain  foreign  countries  where the
Company's  products are sold.  While the Company  believes that its products and
operations comply with all applicable regulations,  there can be no assurance of
continued  compliance if these  regulations were to change.  Noncompliance  with
respect  to these  regulations  could  have a  material  adverse  impact  on the
Company's results of operations. See "Business--Government Regulation."

                               ITEM 2: PROPERTIES

     The Company's  principal  manufacturing,  engineering,  and  administrative
facility consists of an approximately 132,000 square foot Company-owned building
in Webster, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York. This facility,  completed
in 1995, was  custom-designed to serve the Company's  operations and to permit a
relatively rapid 45,000 square foot manufacturing  addition. An adjacent 20 acre
parcel of land owned by the Company is also available for expansion. The Company
leases  approximately  28,000  square  feet of  offsite  storage  and shop space
immediately  adjacent to its principal  facility.  This lease expires January 2,
2000.

     The  Company  also  owns a 32 acre  site in  Eugene,  Oregon.  Engineering,
marketing  and  administrative  functions  are  contained  in a sixteen year old
54,000 square foot facility.  Manufacturing  and  warehousing are contained in a
separate eleven year old 56,000 square foot building.  In addition,  the Company
leases 9,000  square feet of offsite  storage and shop space  approximately  two
miles from the manufacturing facility. This lease expires June 30, 1998.

     Domestically,  the Company  maintains  offices under short-term  leases for
individual sales and support personnel in or near Dallas,  Texas;  Dayton, Ohio;
Raleigh, North Carolina;  Denver, Colorado; Miami, Florida and Skaneateles,  New
York in order to serve North, Central and South America.

     Internationally,  the Company maintains offices in or near Tokyo,  Beijing,
Sydney, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Milan, Frankfurt, Brussels, Madrid, Malmo, and
Ontario.  These offices house from one to 20 people in 300 to 10,000 square foot
facilities under short-term leases.

     All  of the  Company's  locations  are in  good  condition  and  management
believes  that  the  Company  has  sufficient  manufacturing  capacity  for  the
foreseeable future.

                            ITEM 3: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

     There is  litigation  pending in the United States  District  court for the
Western District of New York located in Rochester,  New York between the Company
and one of its  customers,  Data  General,  on the one hand,  and  Symbol on the
other,  involving certain of Symbol's patents.  In that action,  the Company has
also alleged  violations of the antitrust  laws and unfair  practices by Symbol.
Symbol  has  alleged  patent   infringement  and  breaches  of  certain  license
agreements between the Company and Symbol,  including claims that royalties have
been  underpaid.  The Company has assumed the  responsibility  of defending  the
action on behalf of Data General.

     The  litigation  is in the early stages of  discovery.  The Court had set a
hearing  in  July,  1997  which  was  to  have  been  solely  related  to  claim
construction  of the  patent  claims  alleged  by Symbol to be  infringed.  That
hearing was taken off the Court's calendar.  More recently,  a status conference
was held on February 19, 1998 at which time the parties and the Court  discussed
the status of the suit and, in particular, whether the patent or contract issues
would be heard first.  The parties have since  proposed a schedule to the Court,
seeking a trial of the contract issues in late fall 1998.

           ITEM 4: SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

     There were no matters  submitted to a vote of security  holders  during the
fourth quarter of the period ended December 31, 1997.


<PAGE>


<TABLE>
                        EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF REGISTRANT

The  Company's  executive officers as of December 31, 1997, were as follows.
<CAPTION>
Name                      Age    Officer/Position
- ----                      ---    ----------------
<S>                       <C>   <C>                                     
Robert C. Strandberg ..   40. ..President and Chief Executive Officer

Edward J. Biernat .....   43....Vice President, Quality

Charles E. Biss .......   45....Vice President, Verification

Cecil F. Bowes ........   55....Vice President, Sales - The Americas, Asia Pacific

Nigel P. Davis ........   47....Vice President, Sales - Europe, Middle East, Africa

Scott D. Deverell .....   32....Assistant Treasurer

G. William Hartman ....   52....Vice President, Automation

Dennis T. Hopwood .....   48....Vice President, Human Resources

William L. Parnell, Jr    41....Vice President, Operations

Brad R. Reddersen .....   45....Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

Matt D. Schler ........   42....Vice President, Engineering and Product Development

Michael J. Stachura ...   42....Vice President, Finance

Roger D. Tedford ......   44....Vice President, Chief Information Officer

William J. Woodard ....   46....Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
</TABLE>



<PAGE>



     Robert C. Strandberg has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of
the Company since April 1997 and was Executive Vice President from November 1996
until April 1997. Prior to joining the Company,  Mr.  Strandberg was Chairman of
the  Board of  Directors,  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Datamax
International  Corporation  ("Datamax"),  Orlando,  Florida,  from 1991 to 1996.
Datamax designs and manufactures thermal bar code printers. Mr. Strandberg holds
a B.S. in Industrial Engineering Operations Research from Cornell University and
an M.B.A. from Harvard University.

     Edward J.  Biernat has served as Vice  President,  Quality,  since  January
1996.  Prior to joining  the  Company,  Mr.  Biernat  was the manager of Quality
Systems for Thin Film  Technology,  a division of Bausch and Lomb, Inc. based in
Rochester,  New York  (1989-1996).  Mr. Biernat holds B.S. degrees in Electrical
and Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University.

     Charles E. Biss has served as Vice President,  Verification  Products since
January 1996,  as General  Manager,  Verification  Products  (1995-1996)  and as
Product  and  technical  Support  Manager  (1985-1995).  Mr. Biss has served the
Company in a variety of technical and  production  related roles since 1973. Mr.
Biss represents the Company on a number of National and International  standards
creating committees  relating to bar codes and the automatic  identification and
data capture industry.  Mr. Biss holds a B.S. degree in Photographic Science and
Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology.

     Cecil F. Bowes has served as Vice  President,  Sales - The  Americas,  Asia
Pacific since December 1996. Prior thereto, he was Group Director, North America
for Spectra  from  November  1990 until  December  1996.  Mr. Bowes holds a B.S.
degree in Education from the University of Dayton.

     Nigel P. Davis has served as Vice President,  Sales - Europe,  Middle East,
Africa (EMEA) since July 1996. Prior thereto,  he was Group Director for Spectra
- - EMEA from March 1993 to May 1996.

     Scott D. Deverell has served as Assistant  Treasurer  since  September 1997
and was Controller  from 1990 until September  1997. Mr.  Deverell,  a certified
public  accountant,  received a B.S. in  Accounting  from SUNY at Geneseo and an
M.B.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology.

     G. William Hartman has served as Vice President, Automation since September
1997.  Prior to joining  the  Company,  he was Senior Vice  President  and Chief
Operating  Officer of Datamax  from 1991 to 1996.  Mr.  Hartman  holds a B.S. in
Mechanical  Engineering  from the  University  of Utah and an M.S. in Mechanical
Engineering from Villanova University.

     Dennis T. Hopwood has served as Vice President,  Human Resources since July
1997. Prior thereto, he was Vice President, Human Resources for Spectra from May
1985 to January 1997.  Mr. Hopwood holds a B.S. in Sociology from the University
of Idaho and an M.S. in higher education  administration  from the University of
Wisconsin.

     William L.  Parnell,  Jr. has served as Vice  President,  Operations  since
October 1996. Prior thereto,  he was Vice President - Operations of Spectra from
November 1990 until October 1996.  Mr.  Parnell  received a B.S. in Physics from
Utah State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Washington.

     Brad R. Reddersen has served as Vice President,  Chief  Technology  Officer
since December 1997, as Vice President, Engineering and Product Development from
April 1997 to November 1997 and as Vice President of New Products from July 1996
to March 1997.  Prior thereto,  he was Vice  President,  New Products of Spectra
from June 1993 until July 1996. Mr. Reddersen  received a B.S. in Physics and an
M.S. in Optical Engineering from the University of Rochester.

<PAGE>

     Matt D.  Schler  has  served as Vice  President,  Engineering  and  Product
Development  since  November  1997.  Prior  thereto,  he was Vice  President  of
Engineering at Percon Inc.,  Eugene,  Oregon, a manufacturer of bar code reading
products,  from  February  1997 to  November  1997  and  Vice  President  of New
Products, Engineering Manager of Spectra from March 1992 until January 1997. Mr.
Schler received a B.S. degree in Electrical  Engineering  from the University of
Colorado.

     Michael J. Stachura has served as Vice  President,  Finance since September
1997.  Prior thereto,  he was Vice President,  Corporate  Controller of Genencor
International,  Inc.  from  January  1991 until August  1997.  Mr.  Stachura,  a
certified public accountant, received a B.S. in Accounting from Canisius College
in Buffalo.

     Roger D. Tedford has served as Vice President,  Chief  Information  Officer
since  November  1996.  Prior  thereto,  he was Vice  President,  Treasurer  and
Secretary  of Spectra  from  November  1990 until  November  1996.  Mr.  Tedford
received a B.A. in  Accounting/Finance  and an M.B.A. from California University
at Fullerton.

     William J. Woodard has served as Vice President,  Chief  Financial  Officer
and Treasurer  since October 1996.  Prior to that, he served as Vice  President,
Finance and Treasurer from August 1994 until  September  1996.  Prior to joining
the  Company,  he was Vice  President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  Champion
Products  (1987-1994).  Mr. Woodard, a certified public  accountant,  received a
B.B.A. degree in Accounting from St. Bonaventure University.



<PAGE>




                                     PART II

       ITEM 5: MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED SECURITY
                                 HOLDER MATTERS

a) Market  Information:  The  Company's  common  shares are traded on The Nasdaq
Stock MarketSM under the symbol PSCX.  The following  table sets forth,  for the
periods indicated, the high and low sale prices for the Common Shares.

                                              High                Low
1997
    Fourth Quarter.......................     $13.50             $9.06
    Third Quarter........................     $10.13             $6.63
    Second Quarter.......................     $ 7.88             $6.13
    First Quarter........................     $ 9.00             $6.88

1996
    Fourth Quarter.......................     $ 9.63             $6.88
    Third Quarter........................     $10.00             $7.00
    Second Quarter.......................     $13.50             $7.13
    First Quarter........................     $ 9.75             $7.63


b) Holders:  As of December 31, 1997, there were approximately  1,600 holders of
record of common shares.

c) Dividends:  The Company has not paid any cash  dividends  since 1979 and does
not anticipate  paying cash dividends in the foreseeable  future.  The Company's
senior debt and subordinated term loan agreements restrict payment of dividends

<PAGE>


                         ITEM 6: SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

         The selected  consolidated  financial data presented  below for each of
the five years in the period ended  December 31, 1997 have been derived from the
Company's consolidated financial statements,  which statements have been audited
by Arthur Andersen LLP,  independent public  accountants,  as indicated in their
reports  thereon.  The selected  consolidated  financial  data should be read in
conjunction  with  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  and  Notes  thereto
included elsewhere in this report.

 <TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                            Year Ended December 31,
                                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     1997            1996            1995           1994            1993
                                                     ----            ----            ----     -     ----            ----
<S>                                                  <C>             <C>              <C>            <C>             <C>    
Statement of Operations Data:
     Net sales ..................................    $207,840        $146,051         $87,516        $60,447         $38,894
     Cost of sales ..............................     122,995 (1)      83,675          50,634         32,198          20,256
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Gross profit ............................      84,845          62,376          36,882         28,249          18,638

     Operating expenses:
        Engineering, research and development....      13,018          11,069           4,962          3,810           3,754
        Selling, general and administrative .....      44,154          37,855          23,024         16,031          11,826
        Write-off of intangible assets ..........         --              --              --             --             167
        Acquisition related restructuring and
          other costs ...........................          --          70,068 (2)          --          6,894 (3)          --
        Severance and other costs ...............       4,191 (1)          --              --             --              --
        Amortization of intangibles from
           business acquisitions ................       6,715           3,564             877            485             220
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Income/(loss) from operations ..............      16,767        (60,180)           8,019          1,029           2,671
     Interest and other income/expense ..........     (12,016)        (5,747)             676            110              45
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Income/(loss) from continuing operations
          before income tax provision/(benefit)..       4,751 (1)    (65,927) (2)       8,695          1,139 (3)       2,716
     Income tax provision/(benefit) .............       1,761        (24,393)           3,246            527             865
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Income/(loss) from continuing operations....       2,990        (41,534)           5,449            612           1,851
      Loss from discontinued operations .........       (101)         (5,446)              --             --              --
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Net income/(loss) ........................   $  2,889 (1)   $(46,980) (2)     $ 5,449        $   612 (3)     $ 1,851
                                                  ===========================================================================
      Net income/(loss) per common and common equivalent share:
       Basic:
         Continuing operations ..................       $0.27         $(3.96)           $0.58          $0.08           $0.26
         Discontinued operations ................      (0.01)          (0.52)              --             --              --
                                                  ===========================================================================
         Net income/(loss) ......................       $0.26 (1)     $(4.48) (2)       $0.58          $0.08 (3)       $0.26
                                                  ===========================================================================
       Diluted:
         Continuing operations ..................       $0.25         $(3.96)           $0.54          $0.08           $0.25
         Discontinued operations ................      (0.01)          (0.52)              --             --              --
                                                  ===========================================================================
         Net income/(loss) ......................       $0.24 (1)     $(4.48) (2)       $0.54          $0.08 (3)       $0.25
                                                  ===========================================================================
      Weighted average number of common and
         common equivalent shares outstanding:
         Basic .................................       11,197          10,490           9,329          7,319           7,202
         Diluted ...............................       11,843          10,490          10,013          7,617           7,476
</TABLE>

(1) Severance  and other costs  reduced 1997 income  before  income  taxes,  net
income,  basic EPS and  diluted EPS by $5.2  million,  $3.3  million,  $0.29 and
$0.28,  respectively.  
(2) The acquisition  related  restructuring  and other costs reduced 1996 income
before income  taxes,  net income,  basic EPS and diluted EPS by $70.1  million,
$44.2 million, $4.21 and $4.21, respectively.
(3) The acquisition  related  restructuring  and other costs reduced 1994 income
before income taxes, net income, basic EPS and diluted EPS by $6.9 million, $4.5
million, $0.61 and $0.59, respectively.

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             Year Ended December 31,
                                                ---------------------------------------------
                                                1997       1996       1995     1994      1993
                                                ----       ----       ----     ----      ----
<S>                                             <C>       <C>        <C>      <C>       <C>   
Balance Sheet Data:
  Cash and cash equivalents ..................  $2,271    $10,838    $5,538   $2,720    $9,120
  Working capital ............................  12,112     13,320    20,397    8,014    11,779
  Total assets ............................... 172,798    183,361    71,237   52,763    32,063
  Long-term debt, including current maturities 108,554    127,453       623   13,609     1,806
  Total shareholders' equity .................  29,330     15,301    53,327   22,233    21,265

</TABLE>
            ITEM 7: MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
                       CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

         The  following  discussion  should  be read  in  conjunction  with  the
Consolidated  Financial  Statements and the Notes thereto appearing elsewhere in
this report.

Results of Operations

         The  following  table  sets  forth,  for the years  indicated,  certain
consolidated financial data expressed as a percentage of net sales:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       Year Ended December 31,
                                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        1997                     1996                     1995
                                               -----------------------  -----------------------   ----------------------
                                                                        (dollars in thousands)
<S>                                              <C>           <C>        <C>           <C>         <C>          <C>   
 Net sales .................................     $207,840      100.0%     $146,051      100.0%      $87,516      100.0%
 Cost of sales .............................      122,995 (1)    59.2       83,675        57.3       50,634        57.9
                                               -----------   ---------  -----------    --------   ----------  ----------
   Gross profit ............................       84,845        40.8       62,376        42.7       36,882        42.1
 Operating expenses:
   Engineering, research and development ...       13,018         6.3       11,069         7.6        4,962         5.7
   Selling, general and administrative .....       44,154        21.2       37,855        25.9       23,024        26.3
   Severance and other costs ...............        4,191 (1)     2.0           --          --           --          --
   Acquisition related restructuring and               
     other costs ...........................           --          --       70,068 (2)    48.0           --          --
   Amortization of intangibles from business
      acquisitions .........................        6,715         3.2        3,564         2.4          877         1.0
                                               -----------   ---------  -----------    --------   ----------  ----------
 Income/(loss)  from operations ............       16,767         8.1     (60,180)      (41.2)        8,019         9.1
 Interest and other income/(expense) .......      (12,016)       (5.8)      (5,747)       (3.9)          676         0.8
                                               -----------   ---------  -----------    --------   ----------  ----------
 Income/(loss) from continuing operations
 before income tax provision/(benefit)......        4,751 (1)     2.3     (65,927) (2)  (45.1)        8,695         9.9
 Income tax provision/(benefit) ............        1,761         0.9     (24,393)      (16.7)        3,246         3.7
                                               -----------   ---------  -----------    --------   ----------  ----------
 Income/(loss) from continuing operations ..        2,990         1.4     (41,534)      (28.4)        5,449         6.2
 Loss from discontinued operations .........        (101)          --      (5,446)       (3.7)           --          --
                                               ===========   =========  ===========    ========   ==========  ==========
 Net income/(loss) .........................    $   2,889 (1)    1.4%   $ (46,980) (2) (32.1%)       $5,449        6.2%
                                               ===========   =========  ===========    ========   ==========  ==========
</TABLE>


(1)   Severance  and other costs  reduced 1997 income before income taxes and
      net income by $5.2 million and $3.3 million, respectively.
(2)   The  acquisition  related  restructuring  and other costs  reduced 1996
      income  before  income taxes and net income by $70.1  million and $44.2
      million, respectively.
<PAGE>

Overview


Nineteen  ninety-seven  was the first  full year in which the  Company  included
Spectra in its  consolidated  financial  results.  The Spectra  acquisition  was
accounted  for as a purchase  and is included in the 1996  financial  statements
since July 12, 1996, the acquisition date.

During the second half of 1997, the Company's focus was on improving operational
results. In the second half of 1997, income from continuing  operations improved
327% versus the first half of 1997.  In the fourth  quarter,  the  Company's net
income of $2.8 million was a record quarterly performance. The Company completed
a private equity  placement  with net proceeds of $10.2 million and  implemented
certain actions which are expected to reduce  annualized  operating  expenses by
$6.0  million.  The Company  expects that 1998 results will further  reflect the
benefits of these initiatives.

For the Year Ended December 31, 1997

Net sales of $207.8  million for the year ended  December 31, 1997 increased 42%
versus  1996.  The increase in net sales is  primarily  due to the  inclusion of
Spectra  product  sales for the full  year in 1997 and  increased  sales  volume
offset by lower average  selling prices.  International  net sales increased 73%
over the prior year primarily due to the Spectra acquisition and represented 46%
of sales versus 38% in 1996.

Gross profit of $84.8 million for the year ended December 31, 1997 increased 36%
versus 1996. As a percentage  of sales,  gross profit was 40.8% in 1997 compared
to 42.7% in 1996.  The increase in gross profit  dollars is primarily due to the
inclusion of Spectra for the full year,  while the decrease in gross profit as a
percentage  of sales is  primarily  due to a change in the mix of  products  and
lower selling  prices for handheld and fixed position  scanner  products and the
$1.0  million  inventory  write-off  recorded  in the  second  quarter  for  the
discontinuation of certain products to streamline the Company's product lines.

Engineering,  research and development  (ER&D) expenses of $13.0 million for the
year ended  December 31, 1997  increased  $1.9 million or 18% versus 1996.  As a
percentage of sales,  ER&D was 6.3% versus 7.6% in 1996. The dollar  increase in
1997 was primarily due to the inclusion of Spectra for the full year in 1997. As
a result of efficiencies  developed due to the integration of Spectra, ER&D as a
percentage of sales declined in 1997.

Selling,  general and  administrative  (SG&A)  expenses of $44.2 million for the
year ended  December 31, 1997  increased $6.3 million or 16.6% versus 1996. As a
percentage of sales, SG&A declined to 21.2% in 1997 from 25.9% in 1996. The 1997
dollar  increase is due to the  inclusion  of Spectra for the full year in 1997.
The  decrease  in SG&A as a  percentage  of sales is a  result  of  efficiencies
developed due to the  integration  of Spectra.  In addition,  the Company is now
operating under the  Spectra-Symbol  License Agreement which resulted in a lower
royalty expense.

During the second quarter of 1997, the Company recorded a one-time pretax charge
of  $4.2  million  for  severance   and  other  costs.   Of  the  total  charge,
approximately $2.3 million was associated with the Severance  Agreement with the
former CEO,  $1.2 million was for employee  severance  and benefit costs for the
elimination of approximately 30 positions  including several senior  executives,
and $0.7 million was for the  centralization  of the  research  and  development
efforts and relocation of manufacturing of certain product lines between its two
manufacturing  facilities.  Accrued expenses for these activities as of December
31,  1997 was  approximately  $2.9  million,  of which $1.1  million  related to
long-term  contractual  obligations.  These  costs and the  inventory  write-off
reduced 1997 income before income taxes,  net income,  basic EPS and diluted EPS
by $5.2 million, $3.3 million, $0.29 and $0.28, respectively.


<PAGE>

The Company's effective tax rate was 37.1% in 1997 versus 37.0% in 1996.

For the Year Ended December 31, 1996

Net sales of $146.1 million for the year ended December 31, 1996 increased $58.5
million or 67% versus 1995.  The increase in net sales was due to the  inclusion
of Spectra  product  sales  offset,  in part,  by the lower sales volumes of the
Company's  scan engine  products.  International  sales  increased  185% in 1996
primarily due to the Spectra acquisition and represented 38% of sales versus 22%
in 1995.

Gross profit of $62.4 million for the year ended December 31, 1996 increased 69%
versus 1995.  As a percentage  of sales,  gross profit was 42.7% in 1996 up from
42.1% in 1995.  The increase in gross profit dollars and percentage of sales was
primarily due to the inclusion of Spectra.

ER&D  expenses of $11.1 million for the year ended  December 31, 1996  increased
$6.1 million or 123% versus 1995.  As a percentage  of sales,  ER&D was 7.6%, an
increase  from 5.7% in 1995.  The 1996 dollar  increase was primarily due to the
inclusion of Spectra, as well as increased expenses related to the Company's new
product  development  activities  for its  handheld and fixed  position  scanner
products.

SG&A  expenses of $37.9 million for the year ended  December 31, 1996  increased
$14.8  million or 64% versus 1995.  As a percentage  of sales,  SG&A declined to
25.9% in 1996 from 26.3% in 1995. The 1996 dollar increase was primarily related
to the inclusion of Spectra,  start-up costs  associated  with the Company's new
subsidiary  responsible  for sales and support in South and Central  America and
increased patent related expenses.

During the third quarter of 1996, the Company recorded a one-time, pretax charge
of $10.0 million for the costs of  restructuring  its existing  operations  with
those of Spectra  which was  acquired in July 1996.  Of the total  restructuring
charge,  approximately  $5.0  million  was  associated  with the  closing of the
Company's Sanford,  Florida manufacturing  facility, $3.6 million was related to
the write-off of previously  existing  intangible  and tangible  assets and $1.4
million  was  recorded  for  employee   severance  and  benefit  costs  for  the
elimination of seven positions.  As of December 31, 1997, all positions targeted
in the restructuring program have been eliminated.  Restructuring activities are
expected to be  substantially  complete by the end of the first quarter of 1998.
The  restructuring  accrual  as of  December  31,  1997 was  approximately  $1.0
million.

In addition,  in the third quarter of 1996, the Company  allocated $60.1 million
of the Spectra  purchase price to acquired  in-process  research and development
projects,  which  represents the estimated fair values related to these projects
determined  by  an  independent  appraisal.   Proven  valuation  procedures  and
techniques were utilized in determining the fair market value of each intangible
asset. The development  technologies were evaluated to determine that there were
no alternative  future uses. Such  evaluation  consisted of a specific review of
the efforts,  including the overall  objectives of the project,  progress toward
the objectives and uniqueness of the developments  toward these  objectives.  To
bring these  projects to  fruition,  high risk  developmental  issues need to be
resolved  which  will  require   substantial   additional  effort  and  testing.
Therefore,  technological  feasibility  of these new  products  has not yet been
achieved.  As these  projects  had not  reached  technological  feasibility  and
alternative  future  use of these  developmental  technologies,  apart  from the
objectives of the individual  projects did not exist,  these costs were expensed
as of the acquisition  date. The  acquisition  related  restructuring  and other
costs reduced 1996 income before income taxes, net income, basic EPS and diluted
EPS by $70.1 million, $44.2 million, $4.21 and $4.21, respectively.


<PAGE>


The  Company's  effective  tax rate was 37.0% in 1996 versus  37.3% in 1995.  In
1996,  the Company  recognized a $24.4 million income tax benefit as a result of
the acquisition related restructuring and other costs discussed above.

Discontinued Operations

During the third quarter of 1996,  the Company  adopted a plan to dispose of its
TxCOM  subsidiary.  TxCOM was  acquired  as a part of the  Spectra  acquisition.
Results from  operations of TxCOM were a gain of $0.2 million in 1997 and a loss
of $0.2  million  in 1996.  Disposal  of TxCOM,  which  occurred  in June  1997,
resulted in the recording of losses of $ 0.3 million in 1997 and $5.2 million in
1996.  These losses include the write-down of the assets to their net realizable
value  and the costs of  disposing  of the  subsidiary,  net of  applicable  tax
benefits.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Current  assets  declined $3.2 million from  December 31, 1996  primarily due to
decreased cash balances which were utilized to reduce the outstanding balance of
the revolving credit facility, offset by increased levels of accounts receivable
from increased sales in Europe where customers have longer credit terms. Current
liabilities  declined  $2.0 million  from  December  31, 1996  primarily  due to
reduced accrued expenses and acquisition related  restructuring costs, offset by
an increase in the  current  portion of  long-term  debt.  As a result,  working
capital decreased $ 1.2 million in 1997.

In 1996,  current  assets  increased  $23.2  million  primarily due to increased
accounts  receivable  and inventory  levels due to the  acquisition  of Spectra.
Current  liabilities  increased  $30.3 million in 1996  primarily due to accrued
acquisition costs, restructuring costs and increased accounts payable to support
higher operating  levels.  As a result,  working capital  decreased $7.1 million
from 1995 to 1996.

Property plant and equipment  expenditures totaled $6.6 million in 1997 and $4.8
million in 1996. The 1997  expenditures  primarily  related to manufacturing and
research  equipment and new product  tooling.  The 1996  expenditures  primarily
related to manufacturing equipment and new product tooling.

In  September  1997,  the Company  completed a private  placement of equity with
Hydra  Investissements  S.A.,  a Luxembourg  Corporation  (the  Purchaser).  The
Company  issued and sold 110 thousand  shares of Series A Convertible  Preferred
Shares (the Preferred  Shares) which are  convertible  into 1.375 million Common
Shares.  In  connection  with the issuance of the  Preferred  Shares,  a warrant
evidencing  the right to purchase an aggregate of 180 thousand  Common Shares of
the Company was issued to the  Purchaser.  This warrant has an exercise price of
$8.00 per share and may be exercised before September 10, 2001. As a result, the
Purchaser is the beneficial owner of 1.555 million Common Shares of the Company.
The net  proceeds to the  Company  from the  offering  were $10.2  million.  The
Company used the proceeds for working capital purposes and to repay a portion of
its senior revolving credit facility.

The long-term  debt-to-capital  percentage was 76.6% at December 31, 1997 versus
88.5% at  December  31,1996  primarily  due to the private  placement  described
above.  At December 31,  1997,  liquidity  immediately  available to the Company
consisted  of cash and cash  equivalents  of  approximately  $2.3  million.  The
Company's credit  facilities  consist of senior term loans of $ 71.0 million,  a
senior revolving  credit facility of $20.0 million and a subordinated  term loan
of  $30.0  million.   The  Company  has  $104.0  million  outstanding  on  these
facilities.  The Company  believes that its cash resources and available  credit
facilities,  in addition to its operating cash flows, are sufficient to meet its
requirements for the next twelve months.

In the opinion of  management,  inflation  has not had a material  effect on the
operations of the Company.
<PAGE>


The Company  generates a portion of its sales from customers in the Asia Pacific
region. Less than 5% of consolidated accounts receivable as of December 31, 1997
were generated from these customers.  All accounts are remitted in U.S. dollars.
The Company believes it has appropriate  reserves such that the current economic
crisis and  continued  volatility  in  exchange  rates in this  region  will not
materially affect results of operations of the Company.

The Company has evaluated its information  technology  infrastructure  to ensure
that computer  systems and software will recognize and process the year 2000 and
beyond  with no  significant  effect on  customers  or  disruptions  to business
operations.  The Company does not expect the cost of modifying  its  information
technology  infrastructure  for  Year  2000  compliance  to be  material  to its
financial  condition or results of  operations.  The Company does not anticipate
any  material  disruption  in its  operations  as a result of any failure by the
Company to be in compliance.


               ITEM 8: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

     This item is submitted as a separate  section of this report.  See Exhibits
in Part IV.
              ITEM 9: CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
                     ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

         There have been no disagreements on accounting and financial disclosure
matters.

                                    PART III

           ITEM 10: DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

     The  information  required  by this item is  presented  under  the  caption
entitled "Election of Directors - Information  Concerning Nominees for Directors
and  Other  Incumbent  Members  of the  Board  of  Directors"  contained  in the
definitive  proxy  statement  issued in  connection  with the Annual  Meeting of
Shareholders  to be held  May 7,  1998 and is  incorporated  in this  report  by
reference  thereto.   The  information   regarding  Executive  Officers  of  the
Registrant is found in Part I of this report.

                         ITEM 11: EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     The  information  required  by this item is  presented  under  the  caption
entitled  "Executive  Officer  Compensation"  contained in the definitive  proxy
statement  issued in connection  with the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  to be
held May 7,  1998 and is  incorporated  in this  report  by  reference  thereto,
except,  however,  the sections entitled  "Performance Graph" and the "Report of
the  Compensation  Committee of the Board of Directors" are not  incorporated in
this report by reference.

     ITEM 12: SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

     The  information  required  by this item is  presented  under  the  caption
entitled  "Security  Ownership  of Certain  Beneficial  Owners  and  Management"
contained in the definitive proxy statement issued in connection with the Annual
Meeting  of  Shareholders  to be held May 7,  1998 and is  incorporated  in this
report by reference thereto.


             ITEM 13: CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

     The  information  required  by this item is  presented  under  the  caption
"Executive  Officer  Compensation  - Interest of  Directors  and  Management  in
Certain  Transactions"  contained in the definitive  proxy  statement  issued in
connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May 7, 1998 and is
incorporated in this report by reference thereto.


<PAGE>


                                     PART IV

     ITEM 14:  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

     (a) 1        Financial Statements                                Page

                  Report of Independent Public Accountants...............34

                  Consolidated Financial Statements......................35

                  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.............39

     (a) 2        Financial Statement Schedules:

                  Included in Part IV of this report:

                  Schedule II    Valuation and Qualifying Accounts.......58

         Other schedules are omitted because of the absence of conditions  under
     which they are required or because the required information is given in the
     consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

     (a) 3        Exhibits:

2.1  Stock Purchase  Agreement  among BTR Dunlop Inc.,  Electro  Corporation and
     LazerData Holdings, Inc. dated December 21, 1994 (incorporated by reference
     to Exhibit 2.1 of the Company's  Current  Report on Form 8-K dated December
     21, 1994).

2.2  Asset and Stock Purchase  Agreement among PSC Inc.,  Spectra-Physics,  Inc.
     and Spectra-Physics Holdings, S.A. dated May 20, 1996, as amended by letter
     dated July 12,  1996  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  2.1 of the
     Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 29, 1996 (the "1996 8-K")).

3.1  Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and amendments thereto
     (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's Quarterly Report
     on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended June 30, 1996).

3.2  Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of  Incorporation of PSC Inc. filed
     with the  Secretary  of State of the State of New York on September 5, 1997
     (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's  Current Report
     on Form 8-K dated as of September 10, 1997 (the "1997 Form 8-K")).

3.3  Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of  Incorporation of PSC Inc. filed
     with the  Secretary  of State of the State of New York on December 30, 1997
     .........................................................................59

3.4  Bylaws of the Company as currently in effect  (incorporated by reference to
     Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
     ended September 30, 1994).

4.1  Form of  Certificate  for Common  Shares of the  Company  (incorporated  by
     reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the  Company's  Registration  Statement on Form
     S-3, effective March 24, 1995 (No. 33-89178)).

4.2  Form of the 11.25% Senior Subordinated Note of SpectraScan,  Inc., due June
     30, 2006 (Notes were issued to seven Purchasers in the aggregate  principal
     amount of  $30,000,000)  (incorporated  by  reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the
     1996 8-K).

4.3  Form of Note Guarantee dated July 12, 1996 made by PSC Inc. and each of the
     domestic  subsidiaries  of PSC Inc. to each of the purchasers of the Senior
     Subordinated  Notes  (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the 1996
     8-K).
<PAGE>

4.4  Form of Warrant issued to the Purchasers  named in the Securities  Purchase
     Agreements  dated July 12, 1996 (Warrants  were issued to seven  Purchasers
     for an aggregate of 975,000 common shares of the Company)  (incorporated by
     reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the 1996 8-K).

4.5  Subordinated Installment Promissory Note of PSC Acquisition, Inc. issued to
     Spectra-Physics,  Inc.  on  July  12,  1996  in  the  principal  amount  of
     $5,000,000 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the 1996 8-K).

4.6  Note  Guarantee  dated July 12, 1996 made by PSC Inc.  to  Spectra-Physics,
     Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 of the 1996 8-K).

4.7  Form of  Certificate  for Preferred  Stock issued to Hydra  Investissements
     S.A. on September 10, 1997 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the
     1997 Form 8-K).

4.8  Form of Warrant issued to Hydra  Investissements S.A. on September 10, 1997
     (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the 1997 Form 8-K).

4.9  Form of Rights Agreement dated as of December 30, 1997 between PSC Inc. and
     ChaseMellon  Shareholder Services,  L.L.C., as Rights Agent, which includes
     as Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate;  Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to
     Purchase  Preferred Stock; and Exhibit C - Form of Certificate of Amendment
     designating the relative rights,  preferences and limitations of the Series
     B  Preferred  Shares  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  4.1 of the
     Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 30, 1997).

10.1*Severance  Agreement  between the Company and L. Michael Hone,  dated April
     30,  1997  (incorporated  by  reference  to Exhibit  10.1 of the  Company's
     Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 4, 1997).

10.2*Agreement  between  the  Company  and Robert S.  Ehrlich as of June 2, 1997
     (incorporated  by  reference  to Exhibit  10.2 of the  Company's  Quarterly
     Report on Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended July 4, 1997 (the "July 4, 1997
     Form 10-Q")).

10.3*Form of  Change-in-Control/Severance  Agreement  between  the  Company  and
     certain of its  executive  officers  (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit
     10.3 of the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
     December 31, 1996 (the "December 31,1996 Form 10-K")).

10.4*Form of third  party  severance  letter  between  Spectra-Physics  Scanning
     Systems, Inc. and certain executive officers  (incorporated by reference to
     Exhibit 10.4 of the December 31, 1996 Form 10-K).

10.5*Employment  Agreement  between the Company and Robert C. Strandberg,  as of
     June 2, 1997 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the July 4, 1997
     Form 10-Q).

10.6*Severance and Consulting  Agreement  between the Company and Jay M. Eastman
     dated as of July 15, 1997................................................64

10.7*Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its Directors and
     Officers  (incorporated  by  reference  to Exhibit  10.10 to the  Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1991).

10.8*Plan  for  Deferral  of   Directors'   Fees  dated  as  of  March  4,  1992
     (incorporated  by  reference  to Exhibit  10.2 of the  Company's  Quarterly
     Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1992).

10.9*Amended and Restated 1987 Stock Option Plan  (incorporated  by reference to
     Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
     ended June 30, 1994).

<PAGE>

10.10* 1994 Stock Option Plan  (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the
     Company's  Registration  Statement  on Form S-8  dated  June  20,  1995 No.
     33-60389).

10.11* 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan  (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit
     4.1 of the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 dated June 19, 1995
     No. 33-60343).

10.12* 1997 Management Incentive Plan.........................................74

10.13* Third  Restatement  of the  PSC  Inc.  401(K)  Plan  dated  as of July 1,
     1997.....................................................................78

10.14Credit  Agreement  dated July 12,  1996  among PSC  Acquisition,  Inc.,  as
     Borrower,  PSC Inc. and  Guarantor,  the Initial  Lenders named therein and
     Fleet Bank as Initial Issuing Bank and Administrative  Agent, together with
     Form of Term A Note,  Form of Term B Note and Form of Working  Capital Note
     (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the 1996 8-K).

10.15First  Amendment  dated as of  September  27, 1996 to the Credit  Agreement
     dated as of July 12, 1996 among PSC Scanning  Inc., as Borrower,  PSC Inc.,
     as Guarantor,  the financial  institutions  party thereto and Fleet Bank as
     initial Issuing Bank and administrative agent (incorporated by reference to
     Exhibit 10.1 of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
     ended September 27, 1996 (the "September 27, 1996 Form 10-Q")).

10.16Second  Amendment dated as of July 4, 1997 to the Credit Agreement dated as
     of July 12,  1996  among PSC  Scanning  Inc.,  as  Borrower,  PSC Inc.,  as
     Guarantor,  the  financial  institutions  party  thereto  and Fleet Bank as
     initial Issuing Bank and administrative agent (incorporated by reference to
     Exhibit 10.3 of the July 4, 1997 Form 10-Q).

10.17Amendment  Three dated as of August 13, 1997 to the Credit  Agreement dated
     as of July 12, 1996 among PSC  Scanning  Inc.,  as Borrower,  PSC Inc.,  as
     Guarantor,  the  financial  institutions  party  thereto  and Fleet Bank as
     initial Issuing Bank and administrative agent (incorporated by reference to
     Exhibit  10.5 of the  Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form  10-Q/A  for the
     quarter ended July 4, 1997 (the "July 4, 1997 Form 10-Q/A").

10.18Consent  dated as of December 8, 1997 to the Credit  Agreement  dated as of
     July 12, 1996 among PSC Scanning Inc., as Borrower, PSC Inc., as Guarantor,
     the financial  institutions party thereto and Fleet Bank as initial Issuing
     Bank and administrative agent...........................................107

10.19Securities   Purchase  Agreement  dated  July  12,  1996  among  PSC  Inc.,
     SpectraScan, Inc. and Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States
     (separate but identical  Securities  Purchase  Agreements were addressed to
     each  of  the  Other   Purchasers   of  the  Senior   Subordinated   Notes)
     (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the 1996 8-K).

10.20Amendment No. 1 dated October 10, 1996 to  Securities  Purchase  Agreements
     among PSC Inc., PSC Scanning Inc., and Equitable Life Assurance  Society of
     the United States (separate but identical amendments were addressed to each
     of the other purchasers of the Senior Subordinated Notes)  (incorporated by
     reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the September 27, 1996 10-Q).

10.21Amendment No. 2 dated July 4, 1997 to Securities  Purchase Agreements among
     PSC Inc., PSC Scanning  Inc.,  and Equitable Life Assurance  Society of the
     United States (separate but identical  amendments were addressed to each of
     the other  purchasers of the Senior  Subordinated  Notes)  (incorporated by
     reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the July 4, 1997 Form 10-Q).
<PAGE>

10.22Amendment  No. 3 dated August 18, 1997 to  Securities  Purchase  Agreements
     and Warrants among PSC Inc., PSC Scanning Inc., and the Purchasers named in
     the Securities  Purchase  Agreements  (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
     10.6 of the July 4, 1997 Form 10-Q/A).

10.23Consent  dated as of December 29, 1997 to  Securities  Purchase  Agreements
     and Warrants among PSC Inc., PSC Scanning Inc., and the Purchasers named in
     the Securities Purchase agreements......................................109

10.24Stock  and  Warrant  Purchase  Agreement  dated  September  4,  1997 by and
     between PSC Inc. and Hydra Investissements S.A.  (incorporated by reference
     to Exhibit 10.1 of the 1997 Form 8-K).

10.25Registration  and Investor Rights Agreement dated September 10, 1997 by and
     between PSC Inc. and Hydra Investissements S.A.  (incorporated by reference
     to Exhibit 10.2 of the 1997 Form 8-K).

22.1 Subsidiaries of Registrant..............................................115

24.1 Consent   of    Independent    Public    Accountant,    dated   March   25,
     1998....................................................................116

     (b):Reports on Form 8-K:

         Report on Form 8-K, dated December 30, 1997

     *   Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement



<PAGE>

 
                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  Section  13 or 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated:  March 24, 1998                     PSC Inc.

                                           /s/ Robert C. Strandberg
                                           Robert C. Strandberg
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer


     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, this
report  has  been  signed  below  by the  following  persons  on  behalf  of the
registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Date:  March 24, 1998                      Principal Executive Officer

                                           /s/ Robert C. Strandberg
                                           Robert C. Strandberg
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer





 Date:  March 24, 1998                     Chief Financial Officer

                                           /s/ William J. Woodard
                                           William J. Woodard
                                           Vice President, Chief Financial
                                           Officer and Treasurer




Date:  March 24, 1998                     Principal Accounting Officer

                                          /s/ Michael J. Stachura
                                          Michael J. Stachura
                                          Vice President, Finance



<PAGE>


Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ Jay M. Eastman
                                    ------------------
                                    Jay M. Eastman
                                    Director

Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ Robert S. Ehrlich
                                    ---------------------
                                    Robert S. Ehrlich
                                    Director, Chairman of the Board

Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ James W. Henry
                                    ------------------
                                    James W. Henry
                                    Director

Date: March 24, 1998                /s/ Donald K. Hess
                                    ------------------
                                     Donald K. Hess
                                     Director

Date: March 24, 1998                /s/ Thomas J. Morgan
                                    --------------------
                                    Thomas J. Morgan
                                    Director

Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ James C. O'Shea
                                    -------------------
                                    James C. O'Shea
                                    Director

Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ Jack E. Rosenfeld
                                    ---------------------
                                    Jack E. Rosenfeld
                                    Director

Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ Justin L. Vigdor
                                    --------------------
                                    Justin L. Vigdor
                                    Director

Date:  March 24, 1998               /s/ Romano Volta
                                    ----------------
                                    Romano Volta
                                    Director

<PAGE>


                    REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

To PSC Inc.:

We have audited the accompanying  consolidated balance sheets of PSC Inc. (a New
York  corporation)  and  subsidiaries  as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the
related  consolidated  statements of operations,  shareholders'  equity and cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended  December 31, 1997.  These
financial  statements and the schedule referred to below are the  responsibility
of the  Company's  management.  Our  responsibility  is to express an opinion on
these financial statements and the schedule based on our audits.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles  used and  significant  estimates  made by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,  the financial  statements  referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of PSC Inc. and subsidiaries as of
December 31, 1997 and 1996,  and the results of their  operations and their cash
flows for each of the three years in the period  ended  December  31,  1997,  in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

Our  audits  were  made for the  purpose  of  forming  an  opinion  on the basic
financial  statements  taken as a whole.  The schedule  listed in Item 14(a)2 is
presented  for  purposes  of  complying   with  the   Securities   and  Exchange
Commission's  rules  and is not  part of the  basic  financial  statements.  The
schedule has been subjected to the auditing  procedures  applied in the audit of
the  basic  financial  statements  and,  in our  opinion,  fairly  states in all
material  respects  the  financial  data  required  to be set forth  therein  in
relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

/s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
Rochester, New York
January 30, 1998



<PAGE>

<TABLE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)
<CAPTION>

                                     ASSETS

                                                                 December 31,
                                                       -------------------------------
                                                               1997             1996
                                                       --------------    -------------
<S>                                                             <C>        <C> 
Current Assets:    
  Cash and cash equivalents .................................   $  2,271   $ 10,838
  Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts
    of $1,169 in 1997 and $1,101 in 1996 ....................     35,094     29,501
  Inventories, net ..........................................     17,723     18,306
  Prepaid expenses and other ................................      1,569      1,244
                                                                --------   --------
     Total current assets ...................................     56,657     59,889
Property, Plant and Equipment, net ..........................     35,469     35,612
Deferred Tax Assets .........................................     23,576     24,773
Intangible and Other Assets, net ............................     57,096     63,087
                                                                ========   ========
     Total assets ...........................................   $172,798   $183,361
                                                                ========   ========

                      LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current Liabilities:
  Current portion of long-term debt ........................   $ 12,406   $  9,459
  Accounts payable .........................................     18,000     15,681
  Accrued expenses .........................................      7,405      9,911
  Accrued payroll and related employee benefits ............      5,559      7,509
  Accrued acquisition related restructuring costs...........      1,175      4,009
                                                                --------   --------
     Total current liabilities .............................     44,545     46,569
Long-Term Debt, less current maturities ....................     96,148    117,994
Other Long-Term Liabilities ................................      2,775      3,497
   Commitments and Contingencies

Shareholders' Equity:
   Preferred shares, par value $.01; 10,000 authorized,
    110 and 0 issued and outstanding at December 31,
    1997 and 1996, respectively.  
    ($11,000 aggregate liquidation value) ...................         1               --
   Common shares, par value $.01; 40,000 authorized,
    11,390 and 11,161 issued at December 31, 1997 and 1996,
    respectively ............................................        114              112
     Additional paid-in capital .............................     66,734           54,891
     Retained earnings/(Accumulated deficit) ................    (36,543)         (39,432)
     Cumulative translation adjustment ......................       (739)             (33)
     Less - 39 treasury shares, repurchased at cost .........       (237)            (237)
                                                              --------------    -------------
        Total shareholders' equity                                29,330           15,301
                                                              ==============    =============
        Total liabilities and shareholders' equity              $172,798         $183,361
                                                              ==============    =============
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.



<PAGE>

<TABLE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)
<CAPTION>


                                                                              Year Ended December 31,
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                                                       1997            1996              1995
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------

<S>                                                                  <C>              <C>               <C>    
   Net Sales ................................................        $207,840         $146,051          $87,516
   Cost of Sales ............................................         122,995           83,675           50,634
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------
        Gross profit ........................................          84,845           62,376           36,882

   Operating Expenses:
        Engineering, research and development ...............          13,018           11,069            4,962
        Selling, general and administrative .................          44,154           37,855           23,024
        Amortization of intangibles resulting from business
               acquisitions .................................           6,715            3,564              877
        Severance and other costs ...........................           4,191               --               --
        Acquisition related restructuring and other costs ...              --           70,068               --
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------
              Income/(loss) from operations .................          16,767         (60,180)            8,019

   Interest and Other Income/(Expense):
        Interest expense ....................................        (12,563)          (5,835)            (306)
        Interest income .....................................             440              568              594
        Other income/(expense) ..............................             107            (480)              388
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------
                                                                     (12,016)          (5,747)              676
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------

   Income/(Loss) from Continuing Operations Before
        Income Tax Provision/(Benefit) ......................           4,751         (65,927)            8,695
   Income Tax Provision/(Benefit) ...........................           1,761         (24,393)            3,246
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------
   Income/(Loss) from Continuing Operations .................           2,990         (41,534)            5,449

   Discontinued Operations:
        Gain/(loss)from discontinued operations, net of tax .             164            (229)               --
        Loss on disposal of discontinued operations .........           (265)          (5,217)               --
                                                                 -------------    -------------    -------------
   Total Loss from Discontinued Operations ..................           (101)          (5,446)               --
                                                                 =============    =============    =============
   Net Income/(Loss) ........................................          $2,889        $(46,980)           $5,449
                                                                 =============    =============    =============

   Net Income/(Loss) Per Common and
        Common Equivalent Share:
   Basic:
        Continuing operations ...............................           $0.27          $(3.96)            $0.58
        Discontinued operations .............................          (0.01)           (0.52)               --
                                                                 =============    =============    =============
        Net income/(loss) ...................................           $0.26          $(4.48)            $0.58
                                                                 =============    =============    =============
   Diluted:
        Continuing operations ...............................           $0.25          $(3.96)            $0.54
        Discontinued operations .............................          (0.01)           (0.52)               --
                                                                 =============    =============    =============
        Net income/(loss) ...................................           $0.24          $(4.48)            $0.54
                                                                 =============    =============    =============
   Weighted Average Number of Common
        and Common Equivalent Shares Outstanding:
        Basic ...............................................          11,197           10,490            9,329
        Diluted .............................................          11,843           10,490           10,013
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

<PAGE>




                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
                           (All amounts in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                           Year Ended December 31,
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      1997                           1996                           1995
                                           ----------------------------     ------------------------      ------------------------

                                           Shares          Amount          Shares          Amount         Shares         Amount
                                          ----------    --------------    ----------    -------------    ----------    -----------


<S>                                            <C>               <C>        <C>                 <C>          <C>             <C>
Preferred Shares
   Balance, beginning of year ..........         --               $--            --              $--            --            $--
   Issuance of preferred shares ........        110                 1            --               --            --             --
                                          ----------    --------------    ----------    -------------    ----------    -----------
    Balance, end of year ...............        110                $1            --              $--            --            $--
                                          ==========    ==============    ==========    =============    ==========    ===========

Common Shares
   Balance, beginning of year ..........     11,122              $112         9,946             $100         7,433           $ 75
   Issuance of shares pursuant to
     Employee Stock Purchase Plan ......         67                 1            26               --             9             --
   Issuance of common shares ...........         --                --           977               10         2,310             23
   Exercise of options .................        162                 1           173                2           194              2
                                          ==========    ==============    ==========    =============    ==========    ===========
   Balance, end of year ................     11,351              $114        11,122             $112         9,946           $100
                                          ==========    ==============    ==========    =============    ==========    ===========

Additional Paid-In Capital
   Balance, beginning of year ..........                      $54,891                       $ 45,881                      $20,288
   Issuance of shares pursuant to
     Employee Stock Purchase Plan ......                          390                            201                           87
   Exercise of options                                          1,150                          1,079                        1,269
   Issuance of common shares, net ......                           --                          6,990                       23,552
   Issuance of preferred shares, net ...                        9,595                             --                           --
   Issuance of warrants ................                          617                            600                           --
   Tax benefit from exercise or early
     disposition of stock options ......                           91                            140                          685
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========
   Balance, end of year ................                      $66,734                       $ 54,891                      $45,881
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========


Retained Earnings/(Accumulated
Deficit)
   Balance, beginning of year ..........                    $(39,432)                     $    7,548                       $2,099
   Net income/(loss) ...................                        2,889                       (46,980)                        5,449
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========
   Balance, end of year ................                    $(36,543)                      $(39,432)                       $7,548
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========

Cumulative Translation Adjustment
   Balance, beginning of year ..........                      $(  33)                         $   35                       $    8
   Translation adjustment ..............                        (706)                           (68)                           27
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========
   Balance, end of year ................                      $ (739)                         $( 33)                        $  35
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========

Treasury Shares
   Balance, beginning of year ..........                       $(237)                         $(237)                       $(237)
   Shares repurchased ..................                           --                             --                           --
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========
   Balance, end of year ................                       $(237)                         $(237)                       $(237)
                                                        ==============                  =============                  ===========
</TABLE>



       See accompanying notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

<PAGE>

<TABLE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                           (All amounts in thousands)
<CAPTION>

                                                                             Year Ended December 31,
                                                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                                          1997        1996              1995
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------
<S>                                                                      <C>         <C>               <C>   
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income/(loss) ................................................       $2,889      ($46,980)         $5,449
Adjustments to reconcile net income/(loss) to
  net cash provided by operating activities:
      Depreciation and amortization ..............................       13,735          9,169          2,784
      (Gain)/loss on disposition of assets .......................          109          3,860          (161)
      Acquired research and development write-off ................           --         60,100             --
      Loss on disposal of discontinued operations ................          265          5,217             --
      Deferred tax assets ........................................        1,197       (23,033)            668
      (Increase) decrease in assets:
         Accounts receivable, net ................................      (6,705)          1,760        (2,669)
         Inventories .............................................          581        (1,199)        (4,031)
         Prepaid expenses and other ..............................           80          (147)            301
      Increase (decrease) in liabilities:
         Accounts payable ........................................        2,467          1,461            699
         Accrued expenses ........................................      (3,190)        (5,535)          1,297
         Accrued payroll and related employee benefits ...........      (1,855)          6,272          (333)
         Accrued acquisition related restructuring costs .........      (3,830)          4,278        (1,107)
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------
           Net cash provided by operating activities .............        5,743         15,223          2,897
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures .............................................      (6,557)        (4,843)        (7,418)
Cash paid for acquisition of business ............................           --       (10,124)             --
Additions to intangible and other assets .........................        (343)        (1,238)        (4,443)
Issuance of notes for stock option activity ......................           --          (382)          (593)
Repayment of notes for stock option activity .....................          278             --             --
Proceeds from sale of marketable securities ......................           --          4,167             --
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------
           Net cash used in investing activities .................      (6,622)       (12,420)       (12,454)
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to long-term debt ......................................        5,000            ---          1,046
Additions to other long-term liabilities .........................        1,398            648            230
Principal repayments of long-term debt ...........................     (23,899)          (105)       (14,126)
Payment of other long-term liabilities ...........................        (655)             --          (420)
Exercise of options and the issuance of common shares and warrants        1,542          1,882         24,933
Issuance of preferred shares and warrants, net ...................       10,213             --             --
Tax benefit from exercise or early disposition of stock options ..           91            140            685
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------
           Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities ...      (6,310)          2,565         12,348
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------
Foreign currency translation .....................................      (1,378)           (68)             27
                                                                     -----------   ------------    -----------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents .............      (8,567)          5,300          2,818

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
                Beginning of year ................................       10,838          5,538          2,720
                                                                     ===========   ============    ===========
                End of year ......................................      $ 2,271        $10,838         $5,538
                                                                     ===========   ============    ===========
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
  Interest paid ..................................................      $13,804         $3,994        $   306
  Income taxes paid ..............................................      $   438         $  833        $ 3,009
  Capital leases .................................................      $    --         $   35        $   131
</TABLE>
                                                                            
See accompanying notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.


<PAGE>



                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

1.  DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

         PSC Inc.  (the  Company)  manufactures  the  world's  broadest  line of
handheld and fixed position bar code readers,  verifiers,  integrated  sortation
and  point-of-sale  scanning  systems.  The Company has  developed  products for
automatic  data  collection at every stage of the product  supply chain from raw
material, manufacturing and warehousing, to logistics, transportation, inventory
management and  point-of-sale.  These products are used  throughout the world in
food, general retail, health care and other industries, and in government.

         The Company's corporate headquarters are located in the Rochester,  New
York suburb of Webster. The Company designs,  manufactures,  sells,  distributes
and services its products from world-class  manufacturing facilities in Webster,
New York and Eugene,  Oregon. These products are sold through original equipment
manufacturers,  value-added resellers,  distributors,  systems integrators and a
professional sales force worldwide. The Company has sales and service operations
in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.

2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation

         The  consolidated   financial   statements   include  the  accounts
of PSC Inc. and its  wholly-owned  subsidiaries.  All  significant  intercompany
accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

         Cash and cash  equivalents are highly liquid  investments with original
maturities  of  three  months  or  less.  The  cost  of  the  cash   equivalents
approximates fair market value.

Inventories

         Inventories  are  stated  at the  lower  of cost or  market  using  the
first-in, first-out method.

Property, Plant and Equipment

         Property,  plant and equipment is recorded at cost and includes certain
capitalized  leases.  For  financial   reporting   purposes,   depreciation  and
amortization  are computed  using the  straight-line  method over the  following
estimated useful lives:

        Building and improvements                        10-40 years
        Office furniture and equipment                     3-7 years
        Production equipment                               3-8 years
        Leasehold improvements                            3-15 years

         Equipment under capital leases and leasehold improvements are amortized
using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of
the assets or the lease term.





<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Intangibles Resulting from Business Acquisitions

Intangibles resulting from business  acquisitions  represent the excess purchase
price over the fair value of net assets  acquired  and are  amortized  using the
straight-line  method over five to ten years,  their  current  estimated  useful
lives.

Other Intangibles

         Other intangibles,  which consist of technology and license agreements,
patents and  trademarks,  are recorded at cost.  Amortization is calculated on a
straight-line  basis over periods ranging from two to five years,  their current
estimated useful lives.

         The  Company   reviews  its  long-lived   assets,   including   certain
intangibles and goodwill,  in accordance with Statement of Financial  Accounting
Standards No. 121,  "Accounting  for the  Impairment  of  Long-lived  Assets and
Long-lived  Assets to be Disposed of" for impairment  whenever events or changes
in  circumstances  indicate  that the  carrying  amount  of an asset  may not be
recoverable.  If such events or changes in circumstances are present,  a loss is
recognized to the extent the carrying value of the asset is in excess of the sum
of the undiscounted  cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and
its eventual disposition.

Income Taxes

         Income  taxes  are  accounted  for  in  accordance  with  Statement  of
Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 109 (SFAS No. 109)  "Accounting  for Income
Taxes." SFAS No. 109 requires an asset and liability  method of  accounting  for
income  taxes.  Under the asset and  liability  method,  deferred tax assets and
liabilities are recognized for temporary differences between financial statement
and  income  tax  bases of assets  and  liabilities.  Deferred  tax  assets  and
liabilities  are measured using tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in
the years  that the  temporary  differences  are  expected  to be  realized.  In
addition,  the  amount of any  future tax  benefits  is  reduced by a  valuation
allowance until it is more likely than not that such benefits will be realized.

Net Income per Common and Common Equivalent Share

         In February  1997,  Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards  No. 
128 (SFAS No.  128),  "Earnings  Per Share" was  issued.  SFAS No. 128  replaces
Accounting  Principles  Board  Opinion  No. 15.  SFAS No. 128  replaces  primary
Earnings  Per Share  (EPS) with basic EPS.  Basic EPS is  computed  by  dividing
reported  earnings  available to common  shareholders  by the  weighted  average
shares  outstanding during the year. No dilution for common share equivalents is
included.  Fully  diluted  EPS, now called  diluted EPS,  also is required to be
presented.  The  Company  adopted  SFAS No. 128  retroactively  for all  periods
presented.  Accordingly,  the Company has restated its previously  presented EPS
amounts.

Foreign Currency Translation

         The  financial  statements of foreign  operations  are translated  into
U.S. dollars in accordance with Statement of Financial  Accounting Standards No.
52 "Foreign Currency Translation." Accordingly, all
<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

assets and liabilities are translated at year-end  exchange rates. The gains and
losses  that result from this  process are shown in the  cumulative  translation
adjustment  account in the  shareholders'  equity  section of the balance sheet.
Operating  transactions  are  translated at weighted  average  rates  prevailing
during the year.  Transaction gains and losses are  reflected in net  income and
were not material.

Derivatives

         The Company monitors its exposure to interest rate and foreign currency
exchange risk. The Company has limited  involvement  with  derivative  financial
instruments  and does  not use  them for  trading  purposes.  The  Company  uses
derivative instruments solely to reduce the financial impact of these risks.

Interest Rate Risk:

         The  Company's  exposure  to  interest  rate  changes  relates  to  its
long-term  debt. The Company has entered into interest rate swap agreements with
its senior  lending  banks in  accordance  with the terms of the  senior  credit
agreement.  The Company uses these  interest rate swap  agreements to reduce its
exposure to interest  rate  changes.  The  differentials  to be received or paid
under these  interest  rate swap  agreements  are  recognized  as a component of
interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk:

         The Company's  exposure to foreign  currency  exchange  changes relates
primarily to its  international  subsidiaries.  Sales to certain  countries  are
denominated in their local  currency.  The Company may  occasionally  enter into
forward  foreign  exchange  contracts as a hedge against  currency  fluctuations
relating to these foreign  transactions  and commitments  denominated in foreign
currencies.   The  foreign  exchange  contracts  generally  have  maturities  of
approximately 30 days and require the Company to exchange foreign currencies for
U.S. dollars at maturity,  at rates agreed to at the inception of the contracts.
Gains and losses on forward  contracts are offset  against the foreign  exchange
gains  and  losses  on the  underlying  hedged  items  and are  recorded  in the
Consolidated Statements of Operations.  There were no foreign exchange contracts
outstanding at December 31, 1997.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

         The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents,  trade  receivables,
other current assets, accounts payable, and amounts included in accruals meeting
the definition of a financial instrument,  approximate fair value because of the
short-term  maturity  of these  instruments.  The  carrying  value  and  related
estimated fair values for the Company's remaining  financial  instruments are as
follows:

 <TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                    1997                     1996
                                            ----------------------    -----------------------
                                            Carrying       Fair        Carrying       Fair
                                             Amount        Value        Amount        Value
                                            --------    ----------    ---------    ----------
<S>                                         <C>           <C>         <C>          <C>
Interest rate swap agreements               $     --      $  451      $     --      $     --
Long-term debt, including current portion   $108,554      $108,554    $127,453      $127,453
</TABLE>

     Based on borrowing rates currently  available to the Company for loans with
similar terms and average  maturities,  the fair value of its debt  approximates
its recorded  value.  Interest rate swap  agreements  are estimated by obtaining
quotes from brokers and reflecting the cost to terminate the agreements.

<PAGE>



                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Product Warranty

         The  Company's  products  have a  warranty  period of 12 to 30  months.
Estimated warranty costs are provided at the time of sale. The Company maintains
an accrual for warranty  claims and adjusts this accrual  periodically  based on
historical experience and known warranty claims.

Research and Development Costs

         All research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Revenue Recognition

         Revenue from sales of the  Company's  scanning  products is  recognized
upon  shipment.  In  conjunction  with these sales,  field  service  maintenance
agreements  are entered  into for certain  products.  Maintenance  revenues  are
deferred and recognized ratably over the term of the related maintenance period,
which is  typically  one to three  years.  Revenue  from sales of the  Company's
self-checkout  systems is recognized upon  installation  and acceptance from the
customer.

Use of Estimates

         The  preparation of financial  statements in conformity  with generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions  that  affect the  reported  amounts of assets and  liabilities  and
disclosure of  contingent  assets and  liabilities  at the date of the financial
statements  and the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and  expenses  during  the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassification

         Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform to the
1997 presentation.

3.  ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

         On July 12, 1996,  the Company  completed its purchase  agreement  with
Spectra-Physics AB of Sweden to acquire Spectra-Physics  Scanning Systems, Inc.,
TxCOM S.A. and related businesses (Spectra).  Spectra, which is headquartered in
Eugene,  Oregon,  is one of the world's leading  manufacturers of countertop and
in-counter   fixed   position  bar  code   scanners  for  retail   point-of-sale
applications.  The purchase price was approximately $140.0 million. The purchase
was funded by $125.0  million in cash,  $10.0  million in the  Company's  common
shares less a $3.0 million  discount as the shares were  unregistered and a $5.0
million subordinated promissory note. The $125.0 million cash portion was funded
by a  combination  of the  Company's  cash,  senior  debt of $92.5  million  and
subordinated  debt of $30.0  million.  The  acquisition  was  accounted for as a
purchase and is included in the 1996 Consolidated Financial
<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)



Statements since the date of acquisition. The Company allocated $60.1 million of
the purchase price to acquired  in-process  research and development as required
by generally accepted accounting  principles,  resulting in a one-time charge to
the Company's earnings in the third quarter of 1996. The remaining excess of the
purchase  price  over the fair value of net assets  acquired  was  approximately
$58.0 million and is being amortized on a straight-line basis over 10 years.

         The  following  table sets  forth the  unaudited  pro forma  results of
operations  of the Company for the years ended  December 31, 1996 and 1995.  The
unaudited  pro forma  results of  operations  assume that the  operations of the
Company were  combined with those of Spectra as if the  acquisition  occurred on
January 1, 1995.  The unaudited  pro forma  results of operations  are presented
after giving effect to certain  adjustments  for  depreciation,  amortization of
goodwill,  interest expense on the acquisition  financing and related income tax
effects. The unaudited pro forma results of operations were based upon currently
available  information and upon certain  assumptions  that the Company  believes
were reasonable. The unaudited pro forma results do not purport to be indicative
of the  results  that  actually  would have been  achieved  during  the  periods
indicated and are not intended to be indicative of future  results.

                                                          Pro Forma
                                                      Twelve Months Ended
                                                      -------------------
                                                   12/31/96           12/31/95
                                                   ----------         ---------
Net sales ......................................   $210,961           $189,143
Income/(loss) from operations ..................   (51,800)             15,444
Income/(loss) from continuing operations .......   (40,148)              1,931
Total loss from discontinued operations ........    (5,446)                 --
Net income/(loss) ..............................   (45,594)              1,931
Net income/(loss) per common and common
   equivalent share:
Basic:
   Continuing operations ....................... $   (3.83)         $     0.21
   Discontinued operations .....................     (0.52)                 --
                                                     ------         -----------
   Net income/(loss) ........................... $   (4.35)         $     0.21
                                                 ==========         ==========
Diluted:
   Continuing operations ....................... $   (3.65)         $     0.17
   Discontinued operations .....................     (0.49)                 --
                                                     ------         ----------- 
   Net income/(loss) ........................... $   (4.14)         $     0.17
                                                 ==========         ==========
Weighted average shares outstanding:
   Basic .......................................     10,490              9,329
   Diluted .....................................     11,008             11,216
<PAGE>
                                                                      


                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

         In connection with the acquisition,  liabilities  assumed and cash paid
were as follows:

         Fair value assets acquired ............ $161,162
         Liabilities assumed ...................   17,138
           Total consideration paid ............  144,024
         Less issuance of stock ................    7,000
         Less amounts borrowed .................  126,900
                                                  -------
           Net cash paid for acquisition .......$  10,124
                                                =========

         In April 1995, the Company  completed the sale of substantially  all of
the assets  related to its image products  business.  This resulted in a gain of
approximately $161 which was included in other income in 1995.

4.  INVENTORY

         Inventory consists of the following at December 31:

                                    1997             1996
                                -----------      ------------
           Raw materials ......    $10,979           $10,688
           Work-in-process ....      3,727             3,547
           Finished goods .....      3,017
                                                       4,071
                                ===========      ============
                                   $17,723           $18,306
                                ===========      ============


5.  PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

     Property,  plant  and  equipment,  at cost,  consist  of the  following  at
December 31:
                                                         1997           1996
                                                    ------------   ------------
Land                                                    $ 2,312        $ 2,304
Building and improvements                                17,782         17,592
Office furniture and equipment                           11,169          9,583
Production equipment                                     16,529         13,849
Leasehold improvements                                      701            509
                                                    ------------   ------------
                                                         48,493         43,837
  Less:  accumulated depreciation and amortization       13,024          8,225
                                                    ============   ============
                                                        $35,469        $35,612
                                                    ============   ============

Depreciation  expense for 1997,  1996 and 1995  amounted  to $6,478,  $4,947 and
$1,673,  respectively.  Amortization  of capital  lease  assets is  included  in
depreciation expense.
<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

6.  INTANGIBLE AND OTHER ASSETS
Intangible and other assets consist of the following at December 31:

                                                        1997           1996
                                                     ------------  ------------
Intangibles resulting from business acquisitions         $66,846        $65,750

Other intangibles                                          2,565          2,234

Other assets                                                 691          1,341
                                                     -------------  ------------
                                                          70,102         69,325
   Less:  accumulated amortization                        13,006          6,238
                                                     ------------   ------------
                                                         $57,096         $63,087
                                                     ============   ============

         Amortization expense for 1997, 1996 and 1995 amounted to $7,257, $4,222
and $1,111, respectively.

SCHEDULE 7.                ACCRUED EXPENSES

Accrued expenses consist of the following at December 31:

                                        1997               1996
                                    -----------        -----------
       Accrued warranty ..........      $1,818             $1,641
       Accrued royalty ...........         862              1,261
       Accrued interest ..........         105              1,687
       Accrued relocation ........         939              1,185
       Deferred revenue ..........         758                714
       Other expenses ............       2,923              3,423
                                    ===========        ===========
                                        $7,405             $9,911
                                    ===========        ===========
 
8.  LONG-TERM DEBT

         Long-term debt consists of the following at December 31:

                                               1997              1996
                                        ----------------    -------------
  Senior term loan A .................         $ 47,000        $  55,000
  Senior term loan B .................           24,000           25,000
  Senior revolving credit ............            3,000           12,500
  Subordinated term loan .............           29,488           29,428
  Subordinated promissory note .......            4,688            5,000
  Other ..............................              378              525
                                        ----------------    -------------
                                                108,554          127,453
    Less:  current maturities ........           12,406            9,459
                                        ----------------    -------------
                                               $ 96,148         $117,994
                                        ================    =============

         During  1996,  the Company  negotiated a series of debt  agreements  in
connection  with the funding of its  acquisition  of  Spectra.  Term loan A is a
senior loan with five lenders, having a final maturity in June

<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

2001,  at a current  floating  interest rate of 8.7% and a swapped fixed rate of
9.4%. Term loan B is a senior loan with four lenders, having a final maturity in
December 2002, at a current  floating  interest rate of 9.2% and a swapped fixed
rate of 9.9%. The swaps for both loans expire on September 30, 1998.

         The revolving credit is with the term loan lenders, matures in 2001 and
has a  current  floating  interest  rate of 9.0%.  The  total  revolving  credit
facility is $20.0 million,  of which $3.0 million is outstanding at December 31,
1997.  The  unused  portion of the  revolving  credit  facility  is subject to a
commitment  fee of between  0.375% and 0.5%.  The senior  debt  facilities  have
collateral in all of the assets of the Company.

         The  subordinated  term loan is from five  lenders,  at a fixed rate of
11.25%,  with principal  payments  starting in June 2003 and a final maturity in
June 2006.  This debt has an associated  unamortized  discount of $512 which has
been netted against the total outstanding balance of $30.0 million.

         The  subordinated  promissory  note  matures  in 2001 and has a current
floating  interest rate of 9.5%. The subordinated  term loan and promissory note
are unsecured.

         The other debt is principally composed of capital lease obligations.

         The senior debt and subordinated term loan agreements  restrict payment
of dividends,  limit stock  repurchases  and require the  maintenance of certain
financial ratios.  The Company was in compliance with all of these covenants and
ratios as of December 31, 1997.

Long-term debt maturities are as follows for years ending December 31:


                                   1998                      $  12,406
                                   1999                         14,402
                                   2000                         16,281
                                   2001                         25,449
                                   2002                         10,507
                                   Thereafter                   29,509
                                                       ----------------
                                                              $108,554
                                                       ================

         The Company is a guarantor under a mortgage  agreement through February
2001 relating to its former principal manufacturing facility up to $500.


<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

9. INCOME TAXES

          The  provision  for  (benefit  from)  income  taxes  consisted  of the
following for the years ended December 31:

                                       1997             1996           1995
                                 ------------     -------------    -----------
Current:
  Federal ....................        $  244        $  (1,589)         $1,686
  State ......................            59                65            341
  Foreign ....................           261               164            551
Deferred:
  Federal ....................         1,658          (21,176)            585
  State ......................         (461)           (1,857)             83
                                 ============     =============    ===========
      Total ..................        $1,761         $(24,393)         $3,246
                                 ============     =============    ===========

         A reconciliation between the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate and
the Company's effective tax rate is as follows for the years ended December 31:

                                   1997          1996           1995
                                -----------    ----------    -----------
Computed "expected" tax expense   34.0%          34.0%         34.0%
Change in valuation reserve         --           2.3%          (4.7%)
State income taxes, net of
  federal income tax benefit       4.2%          1.8%           3.2%
Goodwill amortization              2.7%          0.2%           1.4%
FSC benefit                       (3.7%)        (0.1%)         (1.0%)
Meals and entertainment            2.1%          0.3%           0.7%
Miscellaneous items, net          (2.2%)        (1.5%)          3.7%
                                -----------    ----------    -----------
                                  37.1%          37.0%         37.3%
                                ===========    ==========    ===========

The deferred tax assets/(liabilities) are comprised of the following at December
31:

                                                         1997          1996
                                                    ------------   ------------
Acquired in-process research and development costs .    $21,703        $23,305
Intangibles resulting from business acquisitions ...    (2,869)        (1,079)
Tax credit carryforward ............................      1,271             --
Warranty reserve ...................................      1,170          1,175
Severance accrual ..................................      1,072             --
Inventory reserve ..................................      1,018          1,405
Acquisition related restructuring and other costs ..        494          1,828
Other, net .........................................      1,283            275
                                                    ------------   ------------
                                                         25,142         26,909
Less:  valuation allowance .........................    (1,566)        (2,136)
                                                    ============   ============
Net deferred tax asset .............................    $23,576        $24,773
                                                    ============   ============
<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)


         In  assessing  the  realizability  of deferred  tax assets,  management
considers  whether it is more  likely  than not that some  portion or all of the
deferred  tax assets  will not be  realized.  Management  considers  among other
things,  the scheduled  reversal of deferred tax  liabilities,  projected future
taxable  income,   tax  planning   strategies  and  positions  taken  by  taxing
authorities on various issues related to the  deductibility  of certain costs in
making  this  assessment.  The Company has  recorded a  valuation  allowance  to
reflect the estimated  realizable amount of deferred tax assets and it primarily
relates to state tax benefits. The deferred tax asset related to the acquisition
of Spectra has been adjusted along with the related valuation allowance.

10.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Lease Agreements

         Certain  equipment  and  properties  are  rented  under   noncancelable
operating leases that expire at various dates through 2002. Total rental expense
under operating leases was approximately  $2,214, $1,214 and $786, for the years
ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments required under these agreements are as follows for
 the years ending December 31:

                           1998     $2,232
                           1999      1,709
                           2000      1,080
                           2001        878
                           2002        233
                                       ---
                                    $6,132

Royalty Agreements

         The  Company  currently  has  cross-license   agreements  with  certain
industry competitors. Under these agreements,  royalties are paid by the Company
on sales of certain  licensed  products.  Royalty expense under these agreements
was included in selling,  general and  administrative  expense in 1997, 1996 and
1995.

Legal Matters

         The automatic identification and data capture industry is characterized
by  substantial  litigation  regarding  patent and other  intellectual  property
rights.  There is litigation pending in the United States District Court for the
Western  District of New York between the Company and one of its  customers,  on
the one hand, and Symbol  Technologies,  Inc.  (Symbol) on the other,  involving
certain of Symbol's  patents.  In that  action,  the  Company  has also  alleged
violation of the  antitrust  laws and unfair  practices by Symbol and Symbol has
alleged breaches of certain license  agreements  between the Company and Symbol,
including  claims  that  royalties  have been  underpaid.  The  Company has also
assumed the responsibility of defending the action on behalf of its customer and
has provided certain rights of indemnification to its
<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

customer.  The Company  intends to defend  itself and its  customer  vigorously.
Although the Company  maintains  that  Symbol's  patents are  invalid,  that the
Company has not infringed the patents, or both, and that the Company has not, as
was alleged, breached the Symbol license, nor underpaid royalties,  there can be
no  assurance  that this or any other  action  will be decided or settled in the
Company's  favor.  There can be no assurance  that others will not assert claims
against the Company that result in litigation.  Any such litigation could result
in significant expense,  adversely impact the Company's marketing,  give rise to
certain  indemnity  rights on the part of  customers  and divert  the  Company's
attention  from other  matters.  If any of the Company's  products were found to
infringe a third-party  patent,  the third party could be entitled to injunctive
relief,  which  would  prevent  the Company  from  selling  any such  infringing
products.  In addition,  the Company could be required to pay monetary  damages.
Although  the  Company  could  seek a license  to sell  products  determined  to
infringe a third-party patent, there can be no assurance that a license would be
available on terms acceptable to the Company.  The Company could also attempt to
redesign  any  infringing  products so as to avoid  infringement,  although  any
effort  to do so  could  be  costly  and  time-consuming,  and  there  can be no
assurance the effort would be successful.

11. SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

         In September 1997, the Company  completed a private placement of equity
with Hydra Investissements S.A., a Luxembourg  Corporation (the Purchaser).  The
Company  issued  110  shares  of  Series A  Convertible  Preferred  Shares  (the
Preferred  Shares) which are convertible  into 1.375 million Common Shares.  The
Preferred  Shares are  convertible  at anytime at the option of the holders into
Common Shares of the Company.  The conversion price is $8.00 per Common Share or
one Preferred  Share for 12.5 Common Shares.  In connection with the issuance of
Preferred Shares, a warrant evidencing the right to purchase an aggregate of 180
Common  Shares of the Company was issued to the  Purchaser.  This warrant has an
exercise  price of $8.00 per  share and may be  exercised  at  anytime  prior to
September 10, 2001. As a result,  the Purchaser  beneficially owns 1.555 million
Common Shares of the Company.  The net proceeds to the Company from the offering
were $10.2 million.  The Company used the proceeds for working capital  purposes
and to repay a portion of its senior revolving credit facility.

         In March 1995, the Company  completed a secondary stock  offering.  The
Company sold  approximately  2.3 million  shares at a price of $11.00 per share.
The net  proceeds to the Company  from the  offering  were  approximately  $23.6
million.  The Company used  approximately  $7.2 million of the net proceeds from
the offering to repay in full the outstanding  indebtedness  under the Company's
construction  loan  used to  finance  its new  headquarters,  manufacturing  and
engineering  facility.  The Company also used  approximately $6.8 million of the
net  proceeds  from the offering to repay in full the  outstanding  indebtedness
under  the  Company's  term  loan  that was used to  finance  a  portion  of its
acquisition of LazerData Corporation in December 1994.

Shareholder Rights Plan

         In December  1997,  the Company  adopted a  Shareholder  Rights Plan in
which one  Preferred  Share  Purchase  Right (the  Right) was  granted  for each
outstanding  Common Share.  The Rights are exercisable only if a person or group
acquires or tenders an offer that would  result in the  beneficial  ownership of
20% or more of the then  outstanding  Common  Shares of the Company.  Each Right
entitles the holder to
<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

purchase  one  one-thousandth  of a share of the  Company's  Series B  Preferred
Shares at a purchase price of $45. Under certain  circumstances,  the Rights are
redeemable  at a price of $0.01 per Right and,  unless  redeemed  earlier,  will
expire in December 2007. There were no issued or outstanding  Series B Preferred
Shares at December 31, 1997.

Stock Option Plans

         Options under the Company's Stock Option Plans (the SOP) may be granted
to  employees,  consultants,  directors  and  officers and may vest over time or
based upon the performance of the Company's stock, or both, at the discretion of
the Board of  Directors.  Options  must be issued at an exercise  price not less
than fair  market  value on date of grant and expire five to ten years from date
of grant unless employment is terminated or death occurs earlier.

         In  accordance  with the  provisions  of the SOP,  the Company may make
loans to  participants  to finance the exercise  price and related  income taxes
upon  the  exercise  of an  option.  During  1997,  the  Company  received  loan
repayments from participants totaling $278. During 1996, the Company granted two
loans to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, totaling $382. Each loan is a
five-year  loan at an  interest  rate of  9.50%  and is  secured  by the  shares
purchased with the proceeds of the loan. During 1995, the Company granted a loan
to the Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer and a loan to a member of the Board
of Directors of the Company,  totaling $593. Each loan is a five-year loan at an
interest rate of 7.34% and is secured by the shares  purchased with the proceeds
of the loan.

The Company  accounts for its SOP and  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan under APB
Opinion  No. 25,  "Accounting  for Stock  Issued to  Employees,"  under which no
compensation  cost was  recognized.  In October  1995,  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting  Standards  No.  123  (SFAS No.  123),  "Accounting  for  Stock-Based
Compensation,"  was issued.  This  statement  encourages,  but does not require,
companies to use the fair value based method to measure compensation cost, which
is then  recognized over the service period  (usually the vesting  period).  The
Company continues to measure  compensation cost using the intrinsic value method
as prescribed by APB Opinion No. 25. Had compensation  cost for these plans been
determined based on the fair value at the grant dates for awards consistent with
SFAS No. 123, the  Company's  pro forma  amounts for net income and earnings per
share would have been as follows:

                                             1997        1996        1995
                                             ----        ----        ----
Net income/(loss) as reported ............  $2,889    $(46,980)     $5,449
Net income/(loss) pro forma ..............  $2,175    $(48,501)     $5,325
Net income/(loss) per common and common
    equivalent share as reported:
    Basic ................................   $0.26     $(4.48)      $0.58
    Diluted ..............................   $0.24     $(4.48)      $0.54
Net income/(loss) per common and
    common equivalent share pro forma:
    Basic ................................   $0.19     $(4.62)      $0.57
    Diluted ..............................   $0.18     $(4.62)      $0.53
<PAGE>



                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)


         SFAS No.  123 has only been  applied to options  granted  and  Employee
Stock Purchase Plan purchases after January 1, 1995. As a result,  the pro forma
compensation  expense may not be representative of that to be expected in future
years.

         The fair value of each option  grant is  estimated on the date of grant
using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average
assumptions used for grants in 1997, 1996 and 1995:

                              1997              1996              1995
                              ----              ----              ----
Risk free interest rate       6.19%            5.95%              6.66%
Expected dividend yield        0%                  0%              0%
Expected lives               4 years          4 years            4 years
Expected volatility            45%              45%                45%
Fair value of options granted $2.89            $3.31              $5.45

The  following is a summary of the activity in the  Company's  SOP for the years
ended December 31:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                        1997                        1996                       1995
                                               ------------------------    -----------------------    ------------------------
                                                            Weighted                    Weighted                   Weighted
                                                            Average                     Average                    Average
                                                Shares       Price          Shares       Price         Shares       Price
                                               ----------   --------       ----------   ---------     ----------   --------
<S>                                                <C>       <C>               <C>       <C>              <C>       <C>  
Options outstanding at beginning of 
   period ..................................       2,818     $8.33             2,138     $8.41            2,299     $8.02
Options granted ............................       1,094      6.98               953     7.78               105     12.54
Options exercised ..........................       (162)      7.51             (173)     6.27             (200)      6.52
Options forfeited/canceled .................       (704)      9.00             (100)     8.06              (66)      6.84
                                               ----------                  ----------
                                                                                                      ==========
Options outstanding at end of period .......       3,046     $7.76             2,818     $8.33            2,138     $8.41
                                               ==========                  ==========                 ==========
Number of options at end of period:
   Exercisable .............................       1,884                       1,630                      1,575
   Available for grant .....................         394                         784                      1,637

</TABLE>

         The Company was able to realize an income tax benefit in 1997, 1996 and
1995 from the exercise or early  disposition  of stock  options.  For  financial
reporting purposes,  this benefit resulted in a decrease in current income taxes
payable and an increase in additional paid-in capital.

Warrants

         In  connection  with  the  issuance  of  Preferred  Shares,  a  warrant
evidencing  rights to purchase an aggregate of 180 Common  Shares of the Company
were issued and sold to the Purchaser of the Preferred Shares.  This warrant has
an exercise price of $8.00 per share and may be exercised prior to September 10,
2001.

<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

The acquisition of Spectra was financed, in part, by the subordinated term loan.
In connection with the subordinated  term loan,  warrants  evidencing  rights to
purchase an aggregate  of 975 Common  Shares of the Company were issued and sold
to the purchasers of the subordinated term loan. These warrants have an exercise
price of $8.00 per share and may be exercised at anytime prior to July 12, 2006.

         The  holders  of  these  warrants  have  certain  rights   relating  to
registration and to the repurchase by the Company of the warrants and the shares
issued upon the exercise of the warrants under certain circumstances.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

         The Company has an Employee  Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan) under which
250 Common Shares can be issued. Under the terms of the Plan, eligible employees
may purchase the Company's Common Shares semi-annually on approximately  January
1 and July 1 through payroll deductions.  The purchase price is the lower of 85%
of the fair  market  value of the  shares  on the  first or last day of each six
month offering period. Employees purchased approximately 67 shares at an average
price of $5.81 per share, 26 shares at an average price of $7.82 per share and 9
shares  at an  average  price of $9.16  per share  during  1997,  1996 and 1995,
respectively. The Plan expires on December 31, 2000.

         The fair value of the purchase  rights is estimated on the first day of
the  offering  period  using the  Black-Scholes  option  pricing  model with the
following weighted average assumptions for grants in 1997, 1996 and 1995:

                                         1997      1996        1995
                                         ----      ----        ----
Risk free interest rate                  5.12%     5.89%       6.10%
Expected dividend yield                     0%        0%        0%
Expected lives                          6 mos.    6 mos.      6 mos.
Expected volatility                        45%        45%       45%
Fair value of purchase rights granted    $2.06     $2.54       $3.78

12. NET INCOME PER COMMON AND COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                       Year Ended December 31, 1997
                                       --------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Income               Shares               Per-Share
                                            (Numerator)         (Denominator)            Amount
                                       ----------------    ------------------     ----------------
<S>                                           <C>                  <C>                    <C> 
Basic EPS
Income available to 
  common shareholders                         $2,889               11,197                 $0.26
                                                                                     ================
Effect of dilutive securities:
   Options                                      --                      29
   Warrants                                     --                     422
   Preferred shares                             --                     195
                                          ----------------    ------------------
Diluted EPS
Income available to common
  shareholders and assumed conversions        $2,889               11,843                 $0.24
                                          ================    ==================     ================

</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                               Year Ended December 31, 1996
                                               --------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Income                Shares              Per-Share
                                                    (Numerator)         (Denominator)             Amount
                                                  ----------------    -------------------     ---------------
 
<S>                                                  <C>                    <C>                  <C>    
Basic EPS
 Income available to
   common shareholders ......................        $(46,980)              10,490               $(4.48)
                                                  ================    ===================     ===============
 Diluted EPS
 Income available to common
   shareholders and assumed conversions .....        $(46,980)              10,490               $(4.48)
                                                  ================    ===================     ===============


                                                              Year Ended December 31, 1995
                                              --------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Income                Shares              Per-Share
                                                   (Numerator)          (Denominator)            Amount
                                                 ----------------     ------------------     ---------------
Basic EPS
Income available to
  common shareholders .......................        $5,449                 9,329                $0.58
                                                                                             ===============
Effect of dilutive securities:
   Options ..................................          --                     684
                                                 ----------------     ------------------
Diluted EPS
Income available to common
  shareholders and assumed conversions ......        $5,449                10,013                $0.54
                                                 ================     ==================     ===============
</TABLE>


         Basic EPS were  computed by dividing  reported  earnings  available  to
common  shareholders  by weighted  average shares  outstanding  during the year.
Diluted  EPS for the  years  1997  and 1996  were  determined  on the  following
assumptions:  1) warrants  issued in  connection  with the private  placement of
equity were converted upon issuance on September 10, 1997, 2) warrants issued in
connection  with the  acquisition of Spectra were converted on July 12, 1996 and
January 1, 1997 and 3) Preferred Shares were converted on September 10, 1997.

         Options to purchase 1,148,  2,495,  and 151 Common Shares at an average
price of $9.52, $9.70 and $12.72 per share were outstanding for the years ending
December 31, 1997,  1996, and 1995,  respectively,  but were not included in the
computation  of diluted EPS since the options'  exercise  price was greater than
the average market price of Common Shares.

         The  Company is required  to adopt SFAS No. 128  retroactively  for all
periods presented.  The effect of this accounting change on previously  reported
EPS data was as follows:

                                            1996                 1995
                                       ----------------     ----------------
Primary EPS as reported                    $(4.48)               $0.54
Effect of SFAS No. 128 ............             --                0.04
                                       ----------------     ----------------
Basic EPS as restated .............        $(4.48)               $0.58
                                       ================     ================


<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

13.  401(K) PLANS

         During  1997,  the  former  Spectra  401(k)  plan was  merged  into the
Company's 401(k) plan. The plan is available to U.S.  employees  meeting certain
service  and  eligibility  requirements.  The  Company  pays a monthly  matching
contribution equal to 50% of the employees'  contributions up to a maximum of 6%
of their eligible  compensation.  Plan expense was $717, $377 and $193 for 1997,
1996 and 1995, respectively.

14.   SEVERANCE AND OTHER COSTS

         During the  second  quarter of 1997,  the  Company  recorded a one-time
pretax  charge of $5.2  million  for  severance  and other  costs.  Of the total
charge,  approximately $2.3 million was associated with the Severance  Agreement
with the former CEO,  $1.2 million was for employee  severance and benefit costs
for the  elimination  of  approximately  30 positions  including  several senior
executives,  a $1.0  million  inventory  write-off  for the  discontinuation  of
certain  products,  and $0.7  million for the  centralization  of  research  and
development efforts and the relocation of manufacturing of certain product lines
between its two manufacturing facilities.

15. ACQUISITION RELATED RESTRUCTURING AND OTHER COSTS

         During the third  quarter of 1996,  the  Company  recorded a  one-time,
pretax  charge  of $10.0  million  for the cost of  restructuring  its  existing
operations  with those of Spectra  which was acquired in July 1996. Of the total
restructuring charge, approximately $5.0 million was associated with the closing
of the Company's Sanford,  Florida  manufacturing  facility and relocating those
operations to its Webster,  New York  facility,  $3.6 million was related to the
write-off of previously existing intangible and tangible assets and $1.4 million
was recorded for employee  severance  and benefit costs for the  elimination  of
seven  positions.  As of  December  31,  1997,  all  positions  targeted  in the
restructuring program were eliminated.  Restructuring actions are expected to be
completed by the end of 1998. The Company  recorded  charges against the accrual
of  $3.7  million  and  $5.3  million  in  1997  and  1996,  respectively.   The
restructuring  accrual as of December  31, 1997 was  approximately  $1.0 million
which  relates  to  current   contractual   obligations.   There  have  been  no
reallocations or reestimates to date.

         In addition,  in the third quarter of 1996, the Company allocated $60.1
million of the  Spectra  purchase  price to  acquired  in-process  research  and
development  projects,  which  represents  the estimated  fair values related to
these  projects  determined  by  an  independent  appraisal.   Proven  valuation
procedures and techniques  were utilized in determining the fair market value of
each intangible asset. The development  technologies were evaluated to determine
that there were no  alternative  future  uses.  Such  evaluation  consisted of a
specific review of the efforts, including the overall objectives of the project,
progress  toward the  objectives  and  uniqueness of  developments  toward these
objectives.  To bring these projects to fruition, high risk developmental issues
need to be  resolved  which  will  require  substantial  additional  effort  and
testing. Therefore,  technological feasibility of these new products has not yet
been achieved. As these projects have not reached technological  feasibility and
alternative  future  use of these  developmental  technologies,  apart  from the
objectives of the individual projects, does not exist, these costs were expensed
as of the acquisition  date. The  acquisition  related  restructuring  and other
costs reduced 1996 income before income taxes, net income, basic EPS and diluted
EPS by $70.1 million, $44.2 million, $4.21 and $4.21, respectively.



<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

16.  DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

         In June 1997, the Company disposed of its TxCOM  subsidiary,  which was
acquired  as part of the  Spectra  acquisition.  For 1997 and 1996,  results  of
operations  were  reported  as  discontinued   operations  in  the  Consolidated
Statements  of  Operations.  The Company  recognized a net gain on operations of
$164 in 1997 and a net loss on  operations  of $229 in 1996.  Disposal of TxCOM,
which  occurred in June 1997,  resulted in the  recording  of losses of $265 and
$5,217 in 1997 and 1996,  respectively.  These losses  include the write-down of
the  assets to their net  realizable  value  and the costs of  disposing  of the
subsidiary, net of applicable tax benefits.

17.  SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMER INFORMATION

         The  Company  sells its  products  principally  to  original  equipment
manufacturers,  value-added  resellers,  distributors  and systems  integrators.
During 1997 and 1996, no individual  customer  accounted for greater than 10% of
net sales.  During 1995, net sales to the Company's  largest customer  accounted
for approximately  17%. No other customers were responsible for greater than 10%
of net sales in 1995.  The  Company's  arrangements  with  major  customers  are
generally nonexclusive.


<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data


18.  SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA:  (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             First        Second         Third         Fourth
                                                            Quarter       Quarter       Quarter        Quarter
                                                           ----------    ----------    -----------   ------------
Year Ended December 31, 1997
- ----------------------------
<S>                                                          <C>           <C>            <C>            <C>    
Net sales .............................................      $54,236       $47,301        $53,191        $53,112
Gross profit ..........................................       22,701        17,913         22,167         22,064
Income (loss) from continuing
    operations ........................................          886       (3,246)          2,542          2,808
Loss from discontinued operations .....................         (16)          (85)             --             --
Net income (loss) .....................................          870       (3,331)          2,542          2,808

Net  income (loss) per common 
    and common equivalent share:
Basic:
   Continuing operations ..............................        $0.08       $(0.29)          $0.23          $0.25
   Discontinued operations ............................           --        (0.01)             --             --
                                                           ----------    ----------    -----------   ------------
   Net income (loss) ..................................        $0.08       $(0.30)          $0.23          $0.25
                                                           ==========    ==========    ===========   ============
Diluted:
   Continuing operations ..............................        $0.08       $(0.29)          $0.22          $0.20
   Discontinued operations ............................           --        (0.01)             --             --
                                                           ==========    ==========    ===========   ============
   Net income (loss) ..................................        $0.08       $(0.30)          $0.22          $0.20
                                                           ==========    ==========    ===========   ============

Year Ended December 31, 1996
- ----------------------------
Net sales .............................................      $21,499       $22,052        $46,486        $56,014
Gross profit ..........................................        9,156         8,564         20,283         24,373
Income (loss) from continuing
    operations ........................................          435           211       (43,444)          1,264
Loss from discontinued operations .....................           --            --        (5,331)          (115)
Net income (loss) .....................................          435           211       (48,775)          1,149

Net  income (loss) per common
   and common equivalent share:
Basic:
   Continuing operations ..............................        $0.04         $0.02        $(3.99)         $0.11
   Discontinued operations ............................           --            --         (0.49)         (0.01)
                                                           ----------    ----------    -----------   ------------
   Net income (loss) ..................................        $0.04         $0.02        $(4.48)         $0.10
                                                           ==========    ==========    ===========   ============
Diluted:
   Continuing operations ..............................        $0.04         $0.02        $(3.99)          $0.11
   Discontinued operations ............................           --            --         (0.49)         (0.01)
                                                           ==========    ==========    ===========   ============
   Net income (loss) ..................................        $0.04         $0.02        $(4.48)          $0.10
                                                           ==========    ==========    ===========   ============

</TABLE>


<PAGE>


                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                DECEMBER 31, 1997
                (All amounts in thousands, except per share data)

19.  OPERATIONS BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA

         The  Company is  engaged  in one  industry,  specifically  the  design,
manufacture  and  marketing  of handheld and fixed  position  bar code  readers,
verifiers,  integrated sortation and point-of-sale scanning systems.  Operations
in this business  segment are summarized below by geographic area. The Company's
operations  in  Europe  and the Rest of the World  (ROW)  primarily  consist  of
selling and  performing  field  service  maintenance  on products  designed  and
manufactured in the United States.

         In  determining  earnings  before  provision  for income taxes for each
geographic  area,  sales and purchases  between areas have been accounted for on
the basis of internal transfer prices set by the Company. Certain U.S. operating
expenses are allocated  between  geographic  areas based upon the  percentage of
geographic area revenue to total revenue.

         Identifiable  assets are those tangible and  intangible  assets used in
operations in each geographic area.


 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

   Year Ended December 31, 1997             North
                                           America             Europe              ROW           Eliminations           Total
                                        ---------------    ---------------    --------------    ----------------    ---------------
<S>                                           <C>                 <C>               <C>                       <C>                 
    Sales to unaffiliated
       customers .....................        $120,606            $57,518           $29,716                   $           $207,840
                                                                                                             --
    Transfers between
       geographic areas ..............          39,820                157                --            (39,977)                 --
                                        ---------------    ---------------    --------------    ----------------    ---------------
    Total net sales ..................         160,426             57,675            29,716            (39,977)            207,840
                                        ===============    ===============    ==============    ================    ===============
    Earnings before provision
       for income taxes ..............           2,333              1,284             1,134                  --              4,751
                                        ===============    ===============    ==============    ================    ===============
    Identifiable assets ..............        $187,943            $17,996           $ 3,730           $(36,871)           $172,798
                                        ===============    ===============    ==============    ================    ===============


Year Ended December 31, 1996                  North
                                             America            Europe              ROW           Eliminations           Total
                                          ---------------    --------------    --------------    ----------------    --------------
Sales to unaffiliated
   customers .........................          $ 96,321           $31,968           $17,762       $          --          $146,051
Transfers between
   geographic areas ..................            18,165                --                --            (18,165)                --
                                          ---------------    --------------    --------------    ----------------    --------------
Total net sales ......................           114,486            31,968            17,762            (18,165)           146,051
                                          ===============    ==============    ==============    ================    ==============
Earnings before provision
   for income taxes ..................          (49,843)           (3,102)          (12,982)                  --          (65,927)
                                          ===============    ==============    ==============    ================    ==============
Identifiable assets ..................          $204,414           $12,962           $ 4,196           $(38,211)          $183,361
                                          ===============    ==============    ==============    ================    ==============


Year Ended December 31, 1995                  North
                                             America           Europe              ROW            Eliminations          Total
                                          --------------    --------------    ---------------    ---------------    ---------------
Sales to unaffiliated
   customers .........................          $70,189           $10,996             $6,331        $        --            $87,516
Transfers between
    geographic areas .................            1,861                --                 --            (1,861)                 --
                                          --------------    --------------    ---------------    ---------------    ---------------
Total net sales ......................           72,050            10,996              6,331            (1,861)             87,516
                                          ==============    ==============    ===============    ===============    ===============
Earnings before provision
   for income taxes ..................            5,837             2,295                563                 --              8,695
                                          ==============    ==============    ===============    ===============    ===============
Identifiable assets ..................          $69,006           $ 2,231           $      -         $       --            $71,237
                                          ==============    ==============    ===============    ===============    ===============
</TABLE>
<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE II

                            PSC INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                        VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

              FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997, 1996 AND 1995

                           (All amounts in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                            1997                 1996                 1995
                                       ----------------     ----------------     ----------------
<S>                                        <C>                   <C>                  <C> 
Accounts Receivable Reserve-
BALANCE, at beginning of year              $1,101                $387                 $576
  Provision for doubtful accounts            346                  168                 (134)
  Write-offs of doubtful accounts,
     net of recoveries                      (278)                (200)                (55)
  Other                                      --                 746 (1)                --
                                       ================     ================     ================
BALANCE, at end of year                    $1,169               $1,101                $387
                                       ================     ================     ================

</TABLE>

(1) Amount represents the reserve recorded in connection with the acquisition of
Spectra.


                                                                     Exhibit 3.1
                                           Restated Certificate of Incorporation


                            CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
                                       OF
                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                                    PSC INC.

                         Pursuant to Section 805 of the
                           Business Corporation Law of
                              the State of New York


     We, being the President and  Secretary of PSC Inc. (the  "Corporation"),  a
corporation  organized and existing  under the Business  Corporation  Law of the
State of New York (the NYBCL"), in accordance with the provisions of Section 805
thereof, do hereby certify and set forth:

     FIRST:  The name of the  Corporation  is PSC Inc.  The name under which the
Corporation was formed was Photographic Sciences Corporation.

     SECOND:  The Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Corporation was filed by
the Department of State on December 8, 1969.

     THIRD:  The Certificate of  Incorporation is hereby amended by the addition
of a provision to Paragraph 4 thereof stating the number, designation,  relative
rights, preferences and limitations of the Series B Preferred Shares as fixed by
the Board of Directors of the  Corporation  and to set forth in full the text of
such  provision.  To effect the  foregoing,  Paragraph 4 of the  Certificate  of
Incorporation is amended in the following respects:

     (a) Paragraph 4.(a) is hereby amended to read as follows:

     "4. (a) Statement of Authorized Stock. The aggregate number of shares which
the Corporation shall have the authority to issue is Fifty Million  (50,000,000)
shares of capital stock of the following classes in the following amounts:

         (i) Forty Million (40,000,000) shares shall be Common Shares,  having a
par value of $.01 per share ("Common Shares");
         (ii) One  Hundred  Ten  Thousand  (110,000)  shares  shall be  Series A
Convertible  Preferred  Shares,  having a par value of $.01 per share ("Series A
Convertible Preferred Shares");
         (iii) One  Hundred  Seventy-five  Thousand  (175,000)  shares  shall be
Series B  Preferred  Shares,  having a par  value of $.01 per share  ("Series  B
Preferred Shares"); and
         (iv) Nine Million Seven Hundred  Fifteen  Thousand  (9,715,000)  shares
shall  be  Preferred  Shares,  having  a  par  value  of  $.01  per  share  (the
"Undesignated  Preferred Stock"),  which shares of Undesignated  Preferred Stock
may be issued  from time to time in or one or more  series,  each of which shall
have  such  distinctive  designation  or title as shall be fixed by the Board of
Directors  prior to the  issuance  of any shares  thereof.  Each such  series of
Undesignated  Preferred Stock shall have such voting powers, full or limited, or
no voting power, and have such preferences and relative participating,  optional
or other special rights and such  qualifications,  limitations  or  restrictions
thereof, as shall be stated in such resolution or resolutions  providing for the
issue of such class or series of Undesignated  Preferred Stock as may be adopted
from time to time by the Board of Directors  prior to the issuance of any shares
thereof  pursuant  to the  authority  hereby  expressly  vested  in  it,  all in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
<PAGE>

     (b) A new paragraph 4.(c) is hereby added as follows:

     (4. (c) Statement of Rights and  Preferences of Series B Preferred  Shares.
The respective  powers,  designations,  preferences and relative  participating,
optional and other  special  rights,  and the  qualifications,  limitations  and
restrictions of, the Series B Preferred Shares are as follows:

         Section 1.  Designation and Amount.  The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series B Preferred Shares" and the number of shares  constituting
such series shall be One Hundred  Seventy-five  Thousand (175,000) shares.  Such
number of shares may be increased or  decreased  by  resolution  of the Board of
Directors'  provided,  that no  decrease  shall  reduce  the number of shares of
Series B  Preferred  Shares  to a number  less than the  number  of shares  then
outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of
outstanding  options,   rights  or  warrants  or  upon  the  conversion  of  any
outstanding  securities  issued by the  Corporation  convertible  into  Series B
Preferred Shares.

         Section 2.  Dividends and  Distributions.  (A) Subject to the rights of
the holders of any shares of any series of  Preferred  Stock of the  Corporation
(the "Preferred Stock") (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the
Series B  Preferred  Shares  with  respect  to  dividends,  each  holder  of one
one-thousandth of a share (a "Unit") of Series B Preferred Shares, in preference
to the  holders of Common  Shares,  par value $.01 per share of the  Corporation
(the "Common  Shares") and of any other stock of the Corporation  ranking junior
to the Series B Preferred Shares, shall be entitled to receive,  when, as and if
declared  by the  Board of  Directors  out of funds  legally  available  for the
purpose, dividends payable in cash in an amount per Unit (rounded to the nearest
cent)  equal to the per share  amount of cash  dividends  declared on the Common
Shares.  In the event the Corporation  shall at any time after December 30, 1997
(the "Rights  Declaration Date"), (i) declare any dividend on outstanding Common
Shares,  payable in Common Shares, (ii) subdivide  outstanding Common Shares, or
(iii) combine outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the  amount to which the  holder of a Unit of Series B  Preferred
Shares was entitled  immediately  prior to such event  pursuant to the preceding
sentence  shall be  adjusted  by  multiplying  such  amount by a  fraction,  the
numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding  immediately after
such event and the  denominator  of which is the number of Common  Shares,  that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

         (B) The  Corporation  shall declare a dividend or  distribution  on the
Units of Series B Preferred  Shares as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
immediately  after it declares a dividend or  distribution  on the Common Shares
(other than a dividend payable in Common Shares).

     Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of Units of Series B Preferred Shares
shall have the following voting rights:
<PAGE>

         (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment  hereinafter  set forth and
except as otherwise  provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or required by
law, each Unit of Series B Preferred  Shares shall entitle the holder thereof to
one vote on all  matters  upon which the  holders  of the  Common  Shares of the
Corporation are entitled to vote. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on outstanding Common
Shares,  payable in Common Shares, (ii) subdivide  outstanding Common Shares, or
(iii) combine outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the number of votes per Unit to which  holders of Units of Series
B  Preferred  Shares  were  entitled  immediately  prior to such event  shall be
adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number  of  Common  Shares  outstanding  immediately  after  such  event and the
denominator  of which is the  number of  Common  Shares  that  were  outstanding
immediately prior to such event.

         (B)  Except  as  otherwise  provided  herein,  in  the  Certificate  of
Incorporation or in any other Amendment  creating a series of Preferred Stock or
any similar stock, and except as otherwise required by law, the holders of Units
of Series B  Preferred  Shares and the  holders  of Common  Shares and any other
capital  stock of the  Corporation  having  general  voting  rights  shall  vote
together as one class on all matters  submitted to a vote of shareholders of the
Corporation.

         (C)  Except as set  forth  herein,  or as  otherwise  provided  by law,
holders of Units of Series B  Preferred  Shares  shall  have no  special  voting
rights and their consents  shall not be required  (except to the extent they are
entitled to vote with holders of Common  Shares as set forth  herein) for taking
any corporate action.

         Section 4. Reacquired  Shares.  Any Units of Series B Preferred  Shares
purchased  or otherwise  acquired by the  Corporation  in any manner  whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition  thereof. All such
Units shall,  upon their  cancellation,  become authorized but unissued Units of
Preferred  Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred  Stock
to be created by resolution of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions
and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.

         Section  5.  Liquidation,  Dissolution  or  Winding  Up.  (A)  Upon any
voluntary  or  involuntary  liquidation,   dissolution  or  winding  up  of  the
Corporation,  no  distribution  shall be made (i) to the  holders  of  shares of
junior stock unless the holders of Units of Series B Preferred Shares shall have
received,  subject to adjustment as  hereinafter  provided in paragraph (B), the
greater of either (a) $1.00 per Unit or (b) the  amount  equal to the  aggregate
per share amount to be distributed  to holders of Common Shares,  or (ii) to the
holders of shares of parity stock, unless simultaneously therewith distributions
are made  ratably on Units of Series B Preferred  Shares and all other shares of
such parity  stock in  proportion  to the total  amounts to which the holders of
Units of Series B Preferred  Shares are  entitled  under  clause  (i)(a) of this
sentence and to which the holders of shares of such parity  stock are  entitled,
in each case upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

         (B) In the event the  Corporation  shall at any time  after the  Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on outstanding Common Shares,  payable
in Common Shares,  (ii) subdivide  outstanding  Common Shares,  or (iii) combine
outstanding  Common  Shares into a smaller  number of shares,  then in each such
case the aggregate amount to which holders of Units of Series B Preferred Shares
were  entitled  immediately  prior to such event  pursuant  to clause  (i)(b) of
paragraph (A) of this Section 5 shall be adjusted by multiplying  such amount by
a fraction the  numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares that are
outstanding  immediately  after such event and the denominator of which shall be
the number of Common  Shares  that were  outstanding  immediately  prior to such
event.
<PAGE>

         Section 6.  Consolidation,  Merger,  Etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation,  merger, combination or other transaction in which
the Common Shares are converted into,  exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities,  cash and/or any other  property,  then in any such case Units of
Series B Preferred  Shares shall at the same time be similarly  converted  into,
exchanged for or changed into an amount per Unit (subject to the  provisions for
adjustment  hereinafter  set  forth)  equal to the  aggregate  amount  of stock,
securities,  cash and/or any other property  (payable in kind),  as the case may
be,  into  which or for which  each  Common  Share is  converted,  exchanged  or
converted.  In the  event the  Corporation  shall at any time  after the  Rights
Declaration  Date (i) declare any dividend on outstanding  Common Shares payable
in Common Shares,  (ii) subdivide  outstanding  Common Shares,  or (iii) combine
outstanding Common Shares into a small number of shares,  then in each such case
the amount set forth in the immediately  preceding  sentence with respect to the
exchange or conversion  of Units of Series B Preferred  Shares shall be adjusted
by  multiplying  such amount by a fraction  the  numerator of which shall be the
number of common Shares that are  outstanding  immediately  after such event and
the  denominator  of which  shall be the  number  of  Common  Shares  that  were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

         Section 7.  No Redemption. The Units of Series B Preferred Shares shall
not be redeemable from any holder.

         Section 8. Rank.  The Units of Series B  Preferred  Shares  shall rank,
with respect to the payment of  dividends  and the  distribution  of assets upon
liquidation,  dissolution or winding up of the Corporation,  junior to all other
series of  Preferred  Stock  unless the terms of any such series  shall  provide
otherwise and senior to the Common Shares.

         Section 9. Amendment.  If any proposed  amendment to the Certificate of
Incorporation would alter,  change, or repeal any of the preferences,  powers or
special rights given to the Series B Preferred Shares so as to affect the Series
B Preferred Shares adversely,  then the holders of the Series B Preferred Shares
shall be entitled to vote  separately  as a class upon such  amendment,  and the
affirmative  vote of a  majority  of the  outstanding  shares  of the  Series  B
Preferred  Shares,  voting  separately  as a class,  shall be necessary  for the
adoption  thereof,  in  addition  to such other vote as may be  required  by the
Business Corporation Law of the State of New York."

         Section 10.  Fractional  Shares.  The Series B Preferred  Shares may be
issued in Units,  which Units shall  entitle the holder,  in  proportion to such
holder's  fractional  shares,  to exercise  voting  rights,  receive  dividends,
participate  in  distributions  and to have the  benefit of all other  rights of
holders of Series B Preferred Shares.

         Section 11.  Certain Definitions.  As used herein with  respect  to the
Series B  Preferred  Shares,  the  following  terms  shall  have  the  following
meanings:

         (A) The term "Common  Shares" shall mean the class of stock  designated
as the common shares,  par value $.01 per share,  of the Corporation at the date
hereof  or any  other  class of  stock  resulting  from  successive  changes  or
reclassification of such common stock.

         (B) The term "Junior  Stock",  as used in Section 5 hereof,  shall mean
the  Common  Shares  and any  other  class or  series  of  capital  stock of the
Corporation  over which the Series B Preferred Shares has preference or priority
in the distribution of assets on any  liquidation,  dissolution or winding up of
the Corporation.
<PAGE>

         (C) The term "Parity  Stock",  as used in Section 5 hereof,  shall mean
any class of series of  capital  stock  ranking  pari  passu  with the  Series B
Preferred Shares in the  distribution of assets or any liquidation,  dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation.

         FOURTH:  The  Amendment  was  authorized   pursuant  to  the  authority
conferred  upon the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Corporation  by the  Restated
Certificate of Incorporation  of the Corporation,  as the same has been amended,
pursuant to a resolution  adopted by the  shareholders  of the  Corporation at a
meeting of the shareholders.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  we have executed and subscribed this  Certificate
and do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this 30th day
of December, 1997.




                         Name:  Robert C. Strandberg
                         Title:     President and CEO



                         Name:  Martin S. Weingarten
                         Title:     Secretary




                                                                    Exhibit 10.6
                                              Severance and Consulting Agreement


                       SEVERANCE AND CONSULTING AGREEMENT


THIS SEVERANCE AND CONSULTING AGREEMENT ("Agreement"), dated as of July 15, 1997
sets  forth the terms of the  agreement  between  Jay M.  Eastman  ("Employee"),
residing at 70 VanVoorhis Road,  Pittsford,  NY 14534, and PSC Inc. ("Company"),
located at 675 Basket Road, Webster,  New York 14580,  relating to the cessation
of  Employee's  employment  with  Company  and the  engagement  of Employee as a
consultant.  WHEREAS,  Employee  has been  associated  with the Company for many
years and has contributed to its successful growth. WHEREAS, the parties wish to
enter into this Agreement for the purpose of addressing  all issues  relating to
Employee's  termination  of  employment  with the Company.  NOW,  THEREFORE,  in
consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter  described,  and the Severance
Payment  and other good and  valuable  consideration  to which  Employee  is not
otherwise entitled, Company and Employee agree as follows:

1.   Cessation of Employment.  The parties agree that Employee's  employment and
     all positions and offices with the Company,  except that as a member of the
     Company's   Board  of  Directors,   will  terminate  on  October  15,  1997
     ("Employment Termination Date").

2.   Severance Payment and Other Consideration.  The Company will pay or provide
     to Employee  the  following  amounts and benefits in  consideration  of the
     agreements contained in Sections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of this Agreement.

(a)  The Company shall pay Employee  severance payments  ("Severance  Payments")
     for a period of six (6) months from the  Employment  Termination  Date (the
     "Severance Payment Period"), less applicable deductions for Federal and New
     York State  income tax  withholdings,  FICA,  and Medicare  Tax.  Severance
     payments  shall be made on the normal  payroll  dates for the Company.  The
     Company will include the above sum in the Form W-2 Wage and Tax  Statements
     which it will issue to Employee for the 1997 and 1998 calendar  years.  The
     aggregate  amount  of  Employee's  Severance  Payments  shall  be  equal to
     Employee's current semi-annual salary ($62,500).

(b)  Except as specifically  provided in this Agreement,  all employee  benefits
     shall be discontinued as of the Employment  Termination Date and, except as
     specifically provided in this Agreement,  Employee shall not be entitled to
     any other  compensation  bonuses or perquisites  from the Company.  Nothing
     contained in this Agreement shall affect Employee's entitlement to benefits
     under the Company's 401(k) plan (the "Plan") based upon Employee's  accrued
     service with the Company. For purposes of the Plan, Severance Payments will
     not be included in determining Employee's benefits under the Plan.
<PAGE>

(c)  Employee  heretofore  has been  granted  stock  options as set forth on the
     attached Exhibit A (the "Options"),  which by their terms will expire three
     months after the Employment  Termination Date. Some of the Options have not
     fully  vested.   In  consideration  of  Employee's   agreement  to  provide
     consulting  services as  described  in Section 3, to release the Company as
     described  in  Section  4,  not to  disclose  confidential  information  as
     described  in Section 5 and not to compete as  described  in Section 6, the
     Board of  Directors  of the  Company  will  cause all  unvested  Options to
     immediately  vest, and shall extend the  expiration  date on the Options to
     allow  Employee  to  exercise  any or all such  Options at their set option
     prices anytime on or before the last day of the Non-Competition  Period (as
     hereinafter  defined),  except,  however,  that no Option may be  exercised
     after  the  expiration  of ten  (10)  years  from the Date of Grant of such
     Option.  However,  as the result of extending the period in which  Employee
     may  exercise  the  options,  Employee  acknowledges  that the  Company has
     advised him that the  incentive  stock  options  will become  non-qualified
     stock options.  There is no income recognition on the exercise of incentive
     stock  options  but,  on the  exercise  of a  non-qualified  stock  option,
     Employee  would have to recognize as taxable income in the year of exercise
     an amount equal to the difference  between the fair market value of Company
     stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price Employee pays.

3.   Consulting Services.  From the Employment Termination date through the last
     day of the Non-Competition Period (as hereinafter defined) (the "Consulting
     Period") the Company engages Employee as an independent contractor, and not
     as an  employee,  to  render  consulting  services  to the  Company,  on an
     "as-needed" basis, in such matters as the Company's  litigation/arbitration
     with Symbol  Technologies,  Inc.,  patent  applications,  and in such other
     related  matters  as may be  requested  from  time  to  time  by the  Chief
     Executive  Officer of the Company,  and Employee  accepts such  engagement.
     Employee  shall  not have any  authority  to bind or act on  behalf  of the
     Company during the Consulting  Period.  During the Consulting  Period,  the
     Company shall pay Employee at Employee's  current  hourly rate ($60.10) for
     each hour of service  actually worked except that Employee will not be paid
     for time spent testifying in court or at an arbitration hearing. During the
     Consulting Period,  Employee,  shall not be entitled to any other benefits,
     bonuses or  perquisites  from the  Company.  The  Company  shall  reimburse
     Employee  for all  reasonable  expenses  incurred  by him in the  course of
     performing  his duties as a consultant to the Company under this  Agreement
     which are  consistent  with the  Company's  policies in effect from time to
     time with respect to travel,  entertainment  and other  business  expenses,
     subject  to the  Company's  requirements  with  respect  to  reporting  and
     documentation of such expenses.  Within ten (10) days after the end of each
     month,  Employee  shall submit to the Company an invoice,  with  supporting
     documentation, requesting payment for consulting services and reimbursement
     of business-related  expenses for the prior month.  Employee shall file all
     tax returns and reports required to be filed by him on the basis that he is
     an independent contractor,  rather than an employee, as defined in Treasury
     Regulation ss.31.3121(d)-1(c)(2),  and Employee shall indemnify the Company
     for the amount of any employment taxes paid by the Company as the result of
     Employee  not  withholding  employment  taxes from any  amount  paid to him
     hereunder.
<PAGE>

4.   Release.  (a) Employee agrees that the terms set forth in his Agreement are
     in full  satisfaction  of all obligations the Company has to Employee known
     and unknown.  Employee does hereby irrevocably and unconditionally  release
     the  Company,  its  affiliates,  officers,  directors,  employees,  agents,
     representatives, successors and assigns from any and all claims demands and
     liabilities whatsoever, including but not limited to any claims in contract
     or tort and any claims in connection  with  Employee's  employment with the
     Company,  the termination of that  employment,  or pursuant to any federal,
     state or local  employment  laws,  regulations,  executive  orders or other
     requirements,  as well as the common law,  including the Age Discrimination
     in Employment  Act. In exchange for the benefits being accorded to Employee
     under this Agreement, it is Employee's intent to provide to the Company the
     broadest  release of claims and  liabilities  that may be  provided by law.
     This  Agreement  shall not be construed as an admission by the Company that
     it has acted wrongfully with respect to the Employee.

(b)  The Company does hereby irrevocably and  unconditionally  release Employee,
     his heirs,  executors,  administrators and assigns from any and all claims,
     demands, or liabilities whatsoever which the Company had or may now have in
     any way related to or arising out of his  employment  and its  termination,
     provided,  however,  that Company does not release any claim of any conduct
     now unknown to the Company that may have been undertaken in bad faith.

5.   Non-disclosure  of Confidential  and Proprietary  Information and Return of
     Company Property.

(a)  Employee  acknowledges  that  Employee's work as an employee of the Company
     has exposed him to Confidential  Information of the Company.  "Confidential
     Information" includes, but is not limited to, matters which are not readily
     available to the public which are:

              (i) Of a technical  nature,  such as, but not limited to, methods,
                  know-how,  formulae,   compositions,   drawings,   blueprints,
                  compounds,  processes,   discoveries,   machines,  inventions,
                  computer programs and similar items;

              (ii)Of a business nature, such as, but not limited to, information
                  about sales or lists of customers,  prices, costs, purchasing,
                  profits,  markets,   strengths  and  weaknesses  of  products,
                  business   processes,   business  and   marketing   plans  and
                  activities, and information about employees personnel records,
                  salary and benefits data, and personnel practices;

              (iii) Pertaining to future developments,  such as, but not limited
                  to,   research   and   development,    future   marketing   or
                  merchandising plans or ideas.
<PAGE>

(b)  Employee  represents  and agrees that he has not,  and for a period of five
     years  after the  Employment  Termination  Date,  or for so long as he is a
     director  of the  Company,  whichever  period is longer,  that he will not,
     directly or indirectly,  except to the extent  required by law: (1) reveal,
     divulge, make known, sell, exchange, give away, or otherwise dispose of, to
     any person,  firm, or  corporation,  any  Confidential  Information  of the
     Company or its business,  whether the same shall or may have been designed,
     developed,  or  originated  by the  Employee or  otherwise;  or (2) reveal,
     divulge, or make known to any person, firm or corporation,  the name of the
     Company's  customers.  This obligation shall not apply to information which
     (i)  is  acquired  from a  third  party  who,  to the  best  of  Employee's
     knowledge, is not in default of any obligation to the Company in disclosing
     such  information,  or (ii) is  already  in the  public  domain or known to
     Company's  competitors or the public generally or that becomes available to
     the public generally or the Company's competitors other than as a result of
     Employee's  breach of this Agreement.  All records (whether in hard copy or
     digital form),  books and computer discs relating in any manner  whatsoever
     to the Company shall be the exclusive property of the Company regardless of
     who actually prepared the original record or book. Employee represents that
     he did not copy or cause to have copied any such records or books except in
     the ordinary course of business.

(c)  Employee agrees to return within ten (10) days after Employment Termination
     Date, any keys,  computers,  equipment,  cellular phones,  pagers,  Company
     credit  cards  and  any  other  Company  property  in  his  possession  not
     previously  returned,  any  confidential or proprietary data or information
     concerning  the  business  and  activities  of the  Company,  its manner of
     operation,  plans,  processes,  or methods  of  obtaining  business  and/or
     customers or any other data or information,  including personnel and salary
     information  and  personnel  practices,   manuals,  handbooks,   documents,
     records,  monies,  and  securities  belonging  to the  Company,  and  other
     confidential and proprietary articles and material, which Employee acquired
     or has used in the course of, or as incident  to, his  employment  with the
     Company. Employee agrees that any charges to the cellular phones or Company
     credit  cards which are not  authorized  Company  business  expenses may be
     deducted  by the  Company  from  any  amounts  due to  Employee  hereunder.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing,  Company agrees that Employee may retain the
     Macintosh  laptop  computer which he has been using and the Company further
     agrees that all of Employee's notebooks,  when returned,  will be preserved
     until such time as in the opinion of Company's  outside patent counsel they
     are no longer needed.  When necessary to assist Employee in the performance
     of his consulting duties described in Section 3, he will be afforded access
     to the said notebooks with the said patent counsel.
<PAGE>

6.   Noncompetition/Non-Solicitation.  As further consideration for the benefits
     provided in this Agreement and in light of the special and unique  services
     that have been and will be furnished  to the Company by  Employee,  and the
     Confidential Information that has been disclosed to Employee by the Company
     during Employee's relationship with the Company, Employee agrees that for a
     period of eighteen (18) months from the Employment Termination Date, or for
     so long  as he is a  member  of the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company,
     whichever period is longer,  (the  "Non-Competition  Period") Employee will
     not,  without the written  consent of the Company,  directly or indirectly,
     whether as a principal,  agent, officer,  director,  consultant,  employee,
     partner,  stockholder, or owner of or in any capacity with any corporation,
     partnership,  business,  firm,  individual,  company, or any entity located
     anywhere in the world,  engage in, or assist another to engage in, any work
     or activity  in any way  competitive  with the  Business of the Company (as
     hereinafter defined).  However,  nothing herein shall prevent Employee from
     owning not more than five percent (5%) of the  outstanding  publicly traded
     shares of common stock of a corporation,  as to which corporation  Employee
     has no relationship other than stockholder. Company acknowledges that Lucid
     Technologies  Inc.  ("Lucid")  has not to date  been  competitive  with the
     Business of the Company as  hereinafter  defined.  In addition,  during the
     Non-Competition  Period,  Employee will not,  directly or  indirectly,  (a)
     induce or attempt to induce any officer or employee of the Company to leave
     the employ of the Company,  or in any way interfere  with the  relationship
     between the  Company and any  officer,  employee,  director or  stockholder
     thereof,  or (b) hire directly or through another entity any person who was
     an employee  of the  Company on the  Employment  Termination  Date,  or (c)
     induce or attempt to induce any customer,  dealer,  supplier or licensee to
     cease doing  business with the Company,  or in any way  interfere  with the
     relationship  between any such customer,  dealer,  supplier or licensee and
     the Company.

     Employee  specifically  agrees that because of Employee's special expertise
and the  special  and  unique  services  that  Employee  has  been  and  will be
furnishing the Company,  and because the Confidential  Information that has been
acquired by Employee or has been  disclosed  to Employee  during the  Employee's
employment,  the above  stated  geographic  areas and time period  during  which
Employee will not compete are reasonable in scope and duration and are necessary
to afford the Company  just and  adequate  protection  against  the  irreparable
damage which would result to the Company from any activities  prohibited by this
section.
<PAGE>

     For  purposes  of  this  section,  the  "Business  of the  Company"  is the
development, manufacturing, and marketing of technologies, products and services
for the automatic  identification and keyless data entry industry, and includes,
but  is  not  limited  to,  products,  services,   applications,   systems,  and
technologies  relating to bar coded data,  magnetic  strip encoded  data,  radio
frequency  communications  of bar  coded  or  related  data,  optical  character
recognition, machine vision as applied to the recognition of bar coded data, and
electronic  interchange  of bar coded or related data.  The Company  agrees that
Lucid's  ballot  reading  technology  is not  to be  deemed  "optical  character
recognition" within the meaning of the preceding  sentence.  The Business of the
Company shall also include any business in which the Company is actually engaged
or as to  which it is doing  research  and  development  during  the  Employee's
employment with the Company.

7.   Statements to Third Parties.

Employee agrees not to criticize, denigrate, or disparage Company, its officers,
directors,  managers,  supervisors,  or  employees,  or otherwise  engage in any
conduct  which  directly or  indirectly  impugns or reflects  negatively  on the
reputation or integrity of the Company, or any of such individuals,  or tends to
expose  the  Company,  or any of  such  individuals,  to  hatred,  ridicule,  or
contempt,  and Employee represents that he has not done so.  Notwithstanding the
foregoing  and for so long as  Employee  is a director of the Company he may, in
communications  with other  directors,  criticize  the  Company's  personnel  or
activities as may be appropriate in fulfilling his responsibilities.

8.   Continued  Cooperation.  Employee  agrees to  cooperate  with  Company with
     respect  to  matters  that  arose  during  or  related  to his  employment,
     including but not limited to, cooperation in connection with any litigation
     or governmental  investigation  or regulatory or other proceeding which may
     have arisen or which may arise  following the execution of this  Agreement.
     As part  of the  cooperation  agreed  to  herein,  Employee  shall  provide
     complete and truthful  information to the Company and their  attorneys with
     respect to any matter arising  during or related to Employee's  employment.
     Specifically, Employee shall make himself reasonably available to meet with
     Company  personnel  and  attorneys  and shall  provide to Company and their
     attorneys any and all documentary or other physical  evidence  pertinent to
     such matter.  Employee agrees to execute and deliver to the Company any and
     all agreements,  instruments and other documents  necessary or desirable to
     accomplish or to carry out the  provisions of this Severance and Consulting
     Agreement,  including without limitation,  the assignment and transfer,  to
     perfect the title,  and/or to obtain and promote the right to the Company's
     exclusive enjoyment of any improvements, inventions, ideas, suggestions and
     discoveries  made or  developed  by  Employee  while in the  employ  of the
     Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the Company  acknowledges that it
     has no claim to the  patent  applications  described  on  Exhibit B to this
     Agreement  despite the fact that they were discoveries made or developed by
     Employee  while  in  the  employ  of  the  Company.  Employee  agrees  when
     reasonably requested by the Company, to testify in any legal proceedings on
     behalf of the  Company  and to sign all lawful  papers and execute and sign
     any original,  additional,  provisional or reissue applications for letters
     patent with respect to such improvements,  inventions,  ideas,  suggestions
     and  discoveries  which may be necessary or  desirable  to  accomplish  the
     foregoing,  and to do all  lawful  acts to aid the  Company  to obtain  and
     enforce protection of their improvements,  inventions,  ideas,  suggestions
     and  discoveries in any and all countries.  If requested to do so, Employee
     will be provided  reasonable out of pocket  expenses  incurred in providing
     such testimony or assistance.  Finally,  Employee shall promptly notify the
     Company, within three business days, of his receipt from any third party or
     governmental entity of a request for testimony and/or documents, whether by
     legal  process  or  otherwise,  relating  to any matter  arising  during or
     relating to Employee's  employment.  Employee  agrees that his  cooperation
     hereunder is an integral part of this Severance Agreement.
<PAGE>

9.   Arbitration of Claims.  Any controversy or claim arising out of relating to
     this  Agreement,  or the  breach  thereof,  shall be  settled  by final and
     binding arbitration  initiated by either party in accordance with the Rules
     of the  American  Arbitration  Association,  and  judgment  upon the  award
     rendered by the arbitration may be entered in any court with  jurisdiction.
     Either party may apply to any court with  jurisdiction  to seek  injunctive
     relief to  maintain  the  status quo until the  matter is  resolved  by the
     arbitrator. The arbitration shall be conducted in Rochester, New York by an
     arbitrator selected from a panel of arbitrators of the American Arbitration
     Association. All fees and expenses of the arbitration shall be borne by the
     parties  equally,  and each  party  shall  bear the  expense  of their  own
     counsel,  experts,  witnesses and the preparation and presentation of proof
     in any  arbitration.  In view of the nature of Employee's  employment,  the
     Confidential  Information  which Employee received during the course of his
     employment, and his position with the Company, Employee agrees that Company
     would be  irreparably  harmed by any violation or  threatened  violation of
     this Agreement,  or any of the terms thereof, and therefore, in addition to
     any other  remedies which may be available to it, Company shall be entitled
     to any  injunction,  without the  necessity  of posting  bond,  prohibiting
     Employee from  committing  any  violation or  threatened  violation of this
     Agreement in a proceeding  in either the Supreme  Court of the State of New
     York sitting in Monroe County or in the U.S. District Court for the Western
     District of New York and Employee  hereby  consents to the  jurisdiction of
     said tribunals.

10.  Notices, Consents, Requests or Other Communications. All notices, consents,
     requests or other  communications to the Company under this Agreement shall
     be in writing and delivered by first class mail,  postage  prepaid,  to the
     Company at the above  address to the  attention  of the Vice  President  of
     Human  Resources  or at such other  address of or to the  attention of such
     other  officer or individual at the Company as may be designated in writing
     by the  Company  from time to time.  All  notices  to  Employee  under this
     Agreement  shall be in writing and  delivered by first class mail,  postage
     prepaid,  to Employee at the address set forth above or such other  address
     as may be designated in writing by Employee from time to time.
<PAGE>
 
11.  Construction, Severability and Applicable Law.

              (a)  All  understandings  and  agreements  previously  made by and
              between the parties are merged in this Agreement,  which fully and
              completely expresses the agreement of the parties.  This Agreement
              may not be changed or terminated and none of its provisions may be
              modified or waived,  except in writing  signed by both  parties to
              this Agreement.

              (b) If any covenant or provision or part thereof contained in this
              Agreement is determined to be void or unenforceable in whole or in
              part,  it shall not be deemed to affect or impair the  validity of
              any other covenant or part thereof or provision of this Agreement.
              To the extent any provision is held invalid or  unenforceable  for
              being too broad or  extensive,  it is the intention of the parties
              that the court  enforce  such  provision  to the  limits of proper
              scope or  breadth.  Each of the  provisions  contained  herein  is
              hereby declared to be a separate and distinct  covenant  severable
              one from the other,  and Company shall be entitled to enforce each
              such covenant to the fullest extent permitted by law, in equity or
              otherwise,  notwithstanding  that  any  other  or  others  of such
              covenants may not be enforceable,  and in all other respects, this
              Agreement shall remain in fully force and effect.

              (c) This  Agreement  shall be governed and construed in accordance
              with the laws of New York State.
<PAGE>

12.  Review and Revocation Periods. Employee acknowledges and agrees that he has
     been  advised to seek the advice of legal  counsel  before  executing  this
     Agreement,  that he fully understands the terms of this Agreement,  that he
     has entered into this Agreement knowingly,  voluntarily, and without threat
     or duress, that he has received this Agreement on October 24, 1997, and has
     had  twenty-one  (21) days to  consider  its terms prior to signing it, and
     that he may revoke this Agreement in writing within seven (7) days from the
     date that he signs it.

13.  Miscellaneous. The following provisions shall apply to this Agreement:

              (a) The section  headings  contained in this  Agreement  have been
              prepared for  convenience of reference only and shall not control,
              affect  the  meaning,  or be  taken  as an  interpretation  of any
              provision of this Agreement.

              (b)  Several  copies  of this  Agreement  may be  executed  by the
              parties,  each of  which  shall  be  deemed  an  original  for all
              purposes,  and all of which together shall  constitute but one and
              the same instrument.

              (c) If in one or more instances  either party fails to insist that
              the other party perform any of the terms of this  Agreement,  this
              failure  shall not be  construed  as a waiver by such party of any
              past, present,  or future right granted under this Agreement,  and
              the  obligations  of  both  parties  under  this  Agreement  shall
              continue in fully force and effect.
<PAGE>

13.  Binding Effect.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and will inure to the
     benefit of the parties, their heirs,  distributees,  legal representatives,
     transferees, successors, and assigns.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed this Agreement.

         PSC Inc.



        Robert C. Strandberg                                     Jay M. Eastman
        President and CEO


<PAGE>


                                    EXHIBIT A

                                 Jay M. Eastman
                                 Option Schedule


Date of Grant  No. of Shares Vesting Dates  Exercise Price Expiration Date*
- -------------  ------------- -------------  -------------- ----------------

2/27/89          25,000        2/27/89      $1.00            4/15/99
9/1/92           10,000        9/1/95       $11.00           4/15/99
4/28/93          20,000       10/28/96      $6.25            4/15/99
1/7/94           16,000        1/7/97       $5.75            4/15/99
5/3/95           46,453        7/13/95      $8.88            4/15/99
1/12/96           4,375        1/12/97      $7.875           4/15/99
1/12/96           4,375        1/12/98      $7.875           4/15/99
1/12/96           4,375        1/12/99      $7.875           4/15/99
                -------

TOTAL           130,578





*BUT NO LATER THAN TEN (10) YEARS FROM DATE OF GRANT


                                                                  Exhibit 10.12
                                                  1997 Management Incentive Plan

                                    PSC INC.
                            MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE PLAN


Section 1.        Purpose

         The purpose of the PSC Inc. Management Incentive Plan is to promote the
interests  of PSC Inc.  and its  shareholders  by  providing  certain of its key
executives  with an annual  incentive  whereby  a  significant  portion  of such
executive's  compensation  is  tied to the  achievement  of  preestablished  and
objective  performance  goals.  The Plan is designed to  attract,  motivate  and
retain  such  key  executives  on  a  competitive  basis  in  which  total  cash
compensation  levels are closely linked with the attainment of the Corporation's
financial and strategic objectives.

Section 2.        Definitions

         The following definitions are applicable to the Plan:

         2.1      "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

         2.2 "Code"  means the Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended from
time to time  and  the  regulations  promulgated  thereunder,  or any  successor
statute.

         2.3 "Committee"  means the Compensation  Committee of the Board or such
other  committee  as may be designed by the Board to  administer  the Plan,  and
shall  consist  only of  members  of the  Board  who are  not  employees  of the
Corporation  or any  affiliate  thereof and who  qualify as "outside  directors"
under Section 162(m) of the Code.

         2.4 "Corporation"  means PSC Inc., a corporation  established under the
laws of the State of New York, and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

         2.5 "Covered  Employee"  means a Participant who as of the close of the
Plan Year is the Chief  Executive  Officer of the  Corporation or among the four
highest  compensated  officers of the  Corporation for the Plan Year (other than
the chief  executive  officer) or who is otherwise  deemed a "covered  employee"
under Section 162(m) of the Code.

         2.6 "Eligible  Employee" means any executive  officer or manager of the
Corporation and its subsidiaries.

         2.7      "Incentive Award" means an award granted pursuant to Section 5
of this Plan.

         2.8  "Participant"  means any Eligible  Employee of the Corporation and
its  subsidiaries  who has been selected by the Committee to  participate in the
Plan during a Plan Year.

         2.9      "Plan" means the PSC Inc. Management Incentive Plan, as may be
amended and restated from time to time.

         2.10     "Plan Year" means the Corporation's fiscal year, or such other
period as designated by the Committee.
<PAGE>

Section 3.        Administration of the Plan

         The Plan shall be  administered  by the Committee.  The Committee shall
have full  authority to  interpret  the terms of the Plan,  to adopt,  amend and
rescind rules and guidelines for the  administration of the Plan and for its own
acts and proceedings,  to select Participants,  to grant annual Incentive Awards
thereto and to decide all  questions and settle all  controversies  and disputes
which may arise in  connection  with the Plan.  The  Committee  shall report any
action taken by it to the meeting of the Board next following  such action.  The
decision  of the  Committee  on any  matter as to which the  Committee  is given
authority shall be final and binding on all persons concerned.  No member of the
Committee  shall be liable  for any action or  determination  made in good faith
with respect to the Plan.

Section 4.        Eligibility and Participation

         Within the first 90 days of each Plan Year, the Committee  shall select
the Participants in the Plan for such year from among the Eligible  Employees of
the  Corporation  and its  subsidiaries.  Directors who are full-time  executive
officers of the Corporation shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.

         Additional  Participants  may be approved by the  Committee  during the
Plan Year only in the event of  unusual  circumstances,  such as a new hire or a
promotion.

         Each  Participant will be notified in writing at the time of his or her
selection as a Participant,  of the amount and terms of his or her target annual
Incentive Award as determined in Section 5 below.

Section 5.        Annual Incentive Awards

         5.1 Individual  Awards.  Each Participant in the Plan shall be eligible
to receive  such annual  Incentive  Award,  if any, for each Plan Year as may be
payable  pursuant to the  performance  criteria  described in Section 5.2 below.
Except as provided in Section 7 below,  the Committee shall, on an annual basis,
establish a "target  annual  Incentive  Award" for each  Participant  equal to a
percentage of such Participant's base salary for such Plan Year, and the maximum
amount of a target annual  Incentive  Award that may be awarded to a Participant
for a Plan Year shall be 60% thereof.  An  individual  who becomes a Participant
after the  beginning  of a Plan Year shall be  entitled  to an annual  Incentive
Award  prorated to reflect  such  Participant's  number of months  participating
during the Plan Year.


<PAGE>


<PAGE>

         5.2  Performance  Criteria  and  Goals.  Participants  shall have their
annual  Incentive  Awards,  if any,  determined  on the  basis of the  degree of
achievement of performance  goals which shall be established by the Committee in
writing  within  the first 90 days of each Plan  Year and which  goals  shall be
stated in terms of the attainment of specified  levels of or percentage  changes
(as compared to a prior measurement  period) in any one or more of the following
measurements:  the Corporation's  revenue,  sales growth,  earnings per share of
Common Stock, net income, return on equity,  return on capital employed,  return
on assets,  total stockholder  return or cash flow, or any combination  thereof.
The Committee shall, for each Plan Year, establish the performance goal or goals
from among the  foregoing to apply to each  Participant  and a formula or matrix
prescribing the extent to which such Participant's  annual Incentive Award shall
be earned  based  upon the degree of  achievement  of such  performance  goal or
goals.  The Committee may determine that the annual  Incentive  Award payable to
any  Participant  shall  be based  upon  the  attainment  of  performance  goals
comparable  to those  specified  above  but in whole or in part  applied  to the
results of a subsidiary,  division or sector of the  Corporation  for which such
Participant has substantial responsibility.

         5.3 Change in Target Annual  Incentive  Award. A  Participant's  target
annual  Incentive  Award or  performance  goals may be changed by the  Committee
during the Plan Year to reflect a change in responsibilities;  provided that any
such change  shall be made in a manner  consistent  with  Section  162(m) of the
Code.

         5.4 Ability to Reduce or Increase  Awards.  The  Committee  may, in its
sole and absolute  discretion,  decrease the amount of, or eliminate,  an annual
Incentive  Award  otherwise  payable  to a  Participant  even  though  earned in
accordance with the performance goals established pursuant to this Section 5, if
the Committee deems such action warranted based on other circumstances  relating
to the performance of the Corporation or the Participant. Except with respect to
annual Incentive Awards payable to Covered Employees,  and  notwithstanding  the
failure to satisfy the applicable  performance  goals,  the Committee shall also
have the sole  discretion  to increase  the amount of any  Participant's  annual
Incentive Award to reflect individual  performance and/or unanticipated factors.
In no event,  however,  shall the Committee  have the discretion to increase the
amount of an annual Incentive Award to a Covered Employee.

         5.5 Performance Goal  Certification.  With respect to each Participant,
no annual  Incentive  Award  shall be  payable  hereunder  except  upon  written
certification by the Committee that the performance goals have been satisfied to
a particular  extent and that any other material terms and conditions  precedent
to  payment  of an  annual  Incentive  Award  pursuant  to the  Plan  have  been
satisfied.
<PAGE>

         5.6      Maximum Award Payable.  The  maximum  annual Incentive  Award 
payable to any Participant for any Plan Year shall be $700,000.

Section 6.        Payment of Annual Incentive Award

         Subject  to  Section  5.5,  payment  of  any  amount  to be  paid  to a
Participant  based upon the degree of attainment of the  applicable  performance
goals shall be made as promptly as practicable after the end of the Plan Year.

Section 7.        Termination of Employment; Change-in-Control

         7.1 A Participant whose employment  terminates during the Plan Year for
any reason  (whether as the result of death,  retirement,  disability,  leave of
absence or otherwise) and who is not an employee of the  Corporation on the last
day of the Plan Year shall not be entitled to the payment of an Incentive  Award
for that Plan Year, except as the Committee may otherwise  determine in its sole
discretion.  Notwithstanding  the above, if as a result of a Change-in-Control a
Participant  retires, is assigned to a different position,  is placed on a leave
of absence of if the  Participant's  employment is terminated  before the end of
the Plan Year (except for cause), he or she shall receive a full Incentive Award
for that Plan Year.

         7.2      For purposes of the Plan, "Change-in-Control" means

                  (a) any "person" as such term is used in Section  13(d) of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  (the "Exchange  Act") (other than
the Corporation) is or becomes the "beneficial  owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3
under  the  Exchange  Act),  directly  or  indirectly,   of  securities  of  the
Corporation  representing  30% or  more  of the  combined  voting  power  of the
Corporation's then outstanding securities;

                  (b) during any period of two  consecutive  years,  individuals
who at the beginning of such period  constitute the Board,  and any new director
whose election by the Board was approved by a vote of at least  two-thirds (2/3)
of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning
of the period or whose  election was previously so approved cease for any reason
to constitute at least a majority thereof;

                  (c) the  shareholders of the  Corporation  approve a merger or
consolidation of the Corporation with any other company, other than (1) a merger
or consolidation  which would result in the voting securities of the Corporation
outstanding  immediately  prior  thereto  continuing  to  represent  (either  by
remaining  outstanding  or by being  converted  into  voting  securities  of the
surviving  entity)  more than 50% of the  combined  voting  power of the  voting
securities of the Corporation or such surviving entity  outstanding  immediately
after such merger or consolidation or (2) a merger or consolidation  effected to
implement a  recapitalization  of the  Corporation  (or similar  transaction) in
which  no  "person"  (as  hereinabove  defined)  acquires  more  than 50% of the
combined voting power of the Corporation's then outstanding securities;

                  (d) the  shareholders  of the  Corporation  approve  a plan of
complete  liquidation  of the  Corporation  or an  agreement  for  the  sale  or
disposition by the Corporation of all or substantially  all of the Corporation's
assets.

Section 8.        Participant's Interests

         A Participant's  interest in any annual Incentive Award hereunder shall
at all times be reflected on the Corporation's  books as a general unsecured and
unfunded  obligation of the  Corporation  subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan.  The Plan shall not give any person any right or security  interest in
the income or in any asset of the  Corporation.  Neither  the  Corporation,  the
Board,  nor the Committee  shall be responsible  for the adequacy of the general
assets of the Corporation to discharge the payment of its obligations  hereunder
nor shall the Corporation be required to reserve or set aside funds therefor.

Section 9.        Non-Alienation of Benefits; Beneficiary Designation

         All rights and benefits under the Plan are personal to the  Participant
and neither the Plan nor any right or  interest  of a  Participant  or any other
person arising under the Plan is subject to voluntary or involuntary alienation,
sale, transfer, or assignment without the Corporation's consent.  Subject to the
foregoing, the Corporation shall establish such procedures as it deems necessary
for a  Participant  to designate  one or more  beneficiaries  to whom any annual
Incentive Award payment the Committee determines to make would be payable in the
event of the Participant's death.

Section 10.       Withholding for Taxes

         Notwithstanding  any other provisions of this Plan, the Corporation may
withhold from any annual  Incentive Award payment made by it under the Plan such
amount or amounts as may be required for purposes of complying with any federal,
state and local tax or withholding requirements.
<PAGE>




Section 11.       Rights of Employees

         Nothing in the Plan shall  interfere with or limit in any way the right
of the  Corporation  or any of its  subsidiaries  or  affiliates  to terminate a
Participant's  employment at any time, or confer upon any  Participant any right
to continued  employment  with the  Corporation  or any of its  subsidiaries  or
affiliates.

Section 12.       Adjustment of Awards

         The Committee shall be authorized to make  adjustments in the method of
calculating  attainment  of  performance  goals in  recognition  of  unusual  or
nonrecurring  events  affecting the  Corporation or its financial  statements or
changes in applicable  laws,  regulations  or accounting  principles;  provided,
however,  that no such  adjustment  shall  impair the rights of any  Participant
without  his or her  consent  and that any  such  adjustment  shall be made in a
manner consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee may correct any
defect,  supply any omission or reconcile any  inconsistency  in the Plan or any
annual  Incentive  Award in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable
to carry it into effect.

Section 13.       Amendment or Termination

         The Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion,  amend, suspend
or  terminate  the  Plan  at  any  time,  with  or  without  advance  notice  to
Participants.  No  such  amendment,  suspension  or  termination  shall  alter a
Participant's  right to receive the payment of an annual  Incentive  Award for a
Plan Year already ended.

         The Committee  may, from time to time,  amend the Plan in any manner if
the Committee  determines  that such  amendment may be made without  shareholder
approval and without  jeopardizing  qualification of the annual Incentive Awards
as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.

Section 14.       Effective Date

         The Plan shall become effective as of January 1, 1997.

Section 15.       Applicable Law

         The Plan and all rights  thereunder  shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.




                              PSC INC. 401(k) PLAN

                                THIRD RESTATEMENT
                             EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 1997





         Prepared By: BOYLAN, BROWN, CODE, FOWLER, VIGDOR & WILSON, LLP



<PAGE>


TABLE OF CONTENTS


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 1. - PRELIMINARY MATTERS    1
         1.1      Establishment of Plan
         1.2      Purpose of Plan
         1.3      Mistake of Fact
         1.4      Mistake of Law
         1.5      Return of Employer Contribution

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 2. - DEFINITIONS   3
         2.1      Accrued Benefit
         2.2      Actual Contribution Percentage
         2.3      Actual Deferral Percentage
         2.4      Anniversary Date
         2.5      Annual Additions
         2.6      Annuity Starting Date
         2.7      Beneficiary
         2.8      Board
         2.9      Calendar Year
         2.10     Compensation
         2.11     Determination Date
         2.12     Effective Date
         2.13     Eligibility Computation Period
         2.14     Employee
         2.15     Employer
         2.16     ERISA
         2.17     Fiscal Year
         2.18     Five Percent Owner
         2.19     Former Key Employee
         2.20     Fund
         2.21     Highly Compensated Participant
         2.22     Hour of Service
         2.23     Internal Revenue Code
         2.24     Key Employee
         2.25     Key Officer
         2.26     Key Owner
         2.27     Labor Agreement
         2.28     Leased Employee
         2.29     Limitation Year
         2.30     Minimum Allocation
         2.31     Non-Key Employee
         2.32     Normal Retirement Date
         2.33     One Percent Owner
         2.34     Participant
         2.35     Participating Employer
         2.36     Permissive Aggregation Group
         2.37     Plan
         2.38     Plan Year
         2.39     Qualified Matching Contribution
         2.40     Qualified Non-Elective Contribution
         2.41     Required Aggregation Group
         2.42     Retirement Committee
         2.43     Salary Reduction Agreement
         2.44     Spouse
         2.45     Super Top Heavy
         2.46     Top Heavy
         2.47     Top Heavy Ratio
         2.48     Trust Agreement

<PAGE>

         2.49     Trustee
         2.50     Valuation Date
         2.51     Valuation Period
         2.52     Vesting Computation Period
         2.53     Year of Service

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 3. - PARTICIPATION 18
         3.1      Eligibility Requirements
         3.2      Entry Date
         3.3      Exclusion for Collective Bargaining Employees
         3.4      Other Exclusions
         3.5      Special Participation Provisions
         3.6      Continued Participation

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 4. - CONTRIBUTIONS 20
         4.1      Employee Contributions
         4.2      Employer Contributions
         4.3      Time of Contribution
         4.4      Deferral Percentage Test
         4.5      Contribution Percentage Test
         4.6      Dollar Limit on Elective Deferrals
         4.7      Rollover Contributions
         4.8      Irrevocability of Contributions
         4.9      Contribution Records
         4.10     Administrative Expenses

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

Article 5. - CREDITS TO PARTICIPANTS        25
         5.1      Maintenance of Accounts
         5.2      Allocation of Employer Contributions
         5.3      Annual Additions
         5.4      Allocation of Excess Contributions
         5.5      Valuation of Accounts
         5.6      Limitation

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 6. - VESTING OF BENEFITS    27
         6.1      Employee Contributions
         6.2      Employer Contributions

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 7. - DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS       28
         7.1      Application
         7.2      Normal and Late Retirement
         7.3      Death Benefit
         7.4      Other Termination of Employment
         7.5      After-Tax and Rollover Contributions
         7.6      In-Service Distributions
         7.7      Hardship Withdrawals
         7.8      Consent to Distribution
         7.9      Facility of Payment
         7.10     Limitation

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 8. - REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS 32
         8.1      Delay of Distributions By Employer
         8.2      Delay of Distributions By Participants
         8.3      Minimum Distributions
         8.4      Distributions Upon Death

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

<PAGE>

Article 9. - FORM OF DISTRIBUTION   34
         9.1      Optional Forms of Distribution
         9.2      Designation of Beneficiaries
         9.3      Notice of Requirements
         9.4      Eligible Rollover Distribution

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 10. - TOP HEAVY REQUIREMENTS        36
         10.1     Minimum Allocations

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 11. - ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN    37
         11.1     Appointment of Retirement Committee
         11.2     Named Fiduciaries
         11.3     Responsibilities of Retirement Committee
         11.4     Delegation of Responsibilities
         11.5     Third Party Contracts
         11.6     Meetings
         11.7     Expenses
         11.8     Reports
         11.9     Plan Administrator
         11.10    Indemnification

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 12. - AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN  40
         12.1     Amendment
         12.2     Termination
         12.3     Satisfaction of Liabilities

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 13. - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRUST    42
         13.1     Trust Agreement
         13.2     Duties of the Trustee
         13.3     Direction of Investment by Participants
         13.4     Loans to Participants

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 14. - GENERAL PROVISIONS    44
         14.1     Employment Status
         14.2     Nonalienation of Benefits
         14.3     Impossibility of Performance
         14.4     Construction
         14.5     Termination of Trust
         14.6     Governing Law
         14.7     Mergers and Transfers
         14.8     Participating Employers
         14.9     Claims Procedure
         14.10    Appeal Procedure
         14.11    Counterparts


<PAGE>


1.    PRELIMINARY MATTERS

1.1.     Establishment of Plan
The Plan  evidenced  by this  instrument  shall be known as the PSC Inc.  401(k)
Plan.  The Plan was adopted by the Employer  effective July 1, 1985 and has been
amended as follows:

        AMENDMENT                                                 EFFECTIVE DATE

        Amendment 1   (amended and restated)                     January 1, 1989
        Amendment 2   (amended and restated)                     October 1, 1995
        Amendment 3   (this amendment and restatement)              July 1, 1997

1.2.     Purpose of Plan
The Plan is  established  for the purpose of providing  retirement  benefits for
eligible  Employees  of the  Employer.  Except as  provided  in this Plan and as
permitted by law, under no circumstances  shall any part of the corpus or income
of the Fund be used for or diverted to purposes other than the exclusive benefit
of the Employees of the Employer and their Beneficiaries.

1.3.     Mistake of Fact
If all or part of a  contribution  is made by the Employer as a result of a good
faith mistake of fact,  an amount equal to the excess of the amount  contributed
over the amount which would have been  contributed  had the mistake not occurred
may be  returned  to the  Employer  within  one  year  after  it was paid to the
Trustees.

1.4.     Mistake of Law
If a contribution is conditioned  upon its  deductibility  by the Employer under
Section  404  of the  Internal  Revenue  Code  and if  the  Employer  makes  the
contribution   as  a  result  of  a  good  faith  mistake  in  determining   its
deductibility,  upon  disallowance  of the  deduction  by the  Internal  Revenue
Service,  the  contribution  may be  returned  to the  Employer  to the extent a
deduction was not allowed, within one year after the disallowance becomes final.

1.5.     Return of Employer Contribution
In  determining  the amount to be  returned  to the  Employer  in the event of a
mistaken contribution the following rules shall apply. 
(1) Earnings  attributable to the excess  contribution  shall not be returned to
the Employer.
(2) Losses attributable to the excess contribution shall reduce the amount to be
returned to the Employer.
(3) If the withdrawal of the amount  attributable  to the mistaken  contribution
would  cause the  balance of the  individual  account of any  Participant  to be
reduced to less than the  balance  which  would have been in the account had the
mistaken amount not been  contributed,  then the amount returned to the Employer
shall be limited to the extent necessary to avoid the reduction.
<PAGE>

DEFINITIONS

1.6.     Accrued Benefit
"Accrued  Benefit"  means the value of a  Participant's  Accounts  determined in
accordance with Article 5.

1.7.     Actual Contribution Percentage
"Actual  Contribution  Percentage"  means the average of the ratios,  calculated
separately for each Participant in the group, of the matching contributions made
to this  Plan on  behalf  of each  Participant  (including  any  forfeitures  of
matching  contributions  and  forfeitures  of  contributions  in  excess  of the
contribution  percentage  limits  specified  in Section  4.5 of the Plan) to the
Compensation of the Participant.

(1) At the discretion of the Employer,  the  calculation of Actual  Contribution
Percentages   also  may  include  the  amount  of  any   elective  or  Qualified
Non-Elective  Contributions made to the Plan on behalf of each Participant.  The
amount of any elective contributions,  matching  contributions,  or non-elective
contributions used to satisfy the Deferral Percentage Test of Section 4.4 of the
Plan shall not be used in the calculation of Actual Contribution Percentages. In
addition,  the calculation of Actual Contribution  Percentages shall not include
the amount of any matching  contributions  that are  forfeited  because (i) they
exceed the  contribution  limits stated in Section 4.5 of the Plan, or (ii) they
relate to contributions in excess of the deferral limit stated in Section 4.4 of
the Plan or the dollar limit stated in Section 4.6 of the Plan.

(2) The Actual  Contribution  Percentage for any Highly Compensated  Participant
for the Plan Year who is eligible to participate in two or more qualified  plans
maintained by the Employer shall be determined as if all matching  contributions
were made to a single plan. If a Highly Compensated Participant  participates in
two or more qualified  plans that have  different  Plan Years,  all plans ending
with or within the same Calendar Year shall be treated as a single plan.
<PAGE>

(3) In the event that the Plan satisfies the  requirements  of Sections  401(k),
401(a)(4), or 410(b) of the Internal Revenue Code only if aggregated with one or
more other plans, or if one or more other plans satisfy those  requirements only
if aggregated  with this Plan,  then the Actual  Contribution  Percentage of all
Participants  shall be  determined  as if all of these plans were a single plan.
For Plan Years  beginning  after  December 31, 1989,  plans may be aggregated in
order to satisfy  Section 401(m) of the Internal  Revenue Code only if they have
the same Plan Year.  (4) The  Employer  shall  maintain  records  sufficient  to
demonstrate  satisfaction  of the Actual  Contribution  Percentage  test and the
amount of any matching or non-elective contributions used in the test.

1.8.     Actual Deferral Percentage
"Actual  Deferral  Percentage"  means  the  average  of the  ratios,  calculated
separately for each Participant in the group, of the elective  contribution made
to  this  Plan  on  behalf  of  each  Participant  to the  Compensation  of that
Participant.  For  purposes  of this  calculation,  an  Employee  who would be a
Participant but for the failure to make elective contributions to the Plan shall
be treated as a Participant who makes no elective  contribution to the Plan. (1)
At  the  discretion  of  the  Employer,   the  calculation  of  Actual  Deferral
Percentages also may include the amount of any Qualified Matching  Contributions
or  Qualified  Non-Elective  Contributions  made to the Plan on  behalf  of each
Participant.  The amount of any excess  elective  contributions  distributed  to
Participants  on or before April 15 of the following  Calendar Year shall not be
used in the calculation of Actual Deferral Percentages.  (2) The Actual Deferral
Percentage  for any  Highly  Compensated  Participant  for the Plan  Year who is
eligible to participate  in two or more Section  401(k) plans  maintained by the
Employer  shall  be  determined  as  if  all  elective  contributions  (and,  if
applicable,  any matching contributions or non-elective  contributions described
in  Section  (1)  above)  were made to a single  plan.  If a Highly  Compensated
Participant  participates  in two or more 401(k) plans that have  different Plan
Years,  all plans ending with or within the same  Calendar Year shall be treated
as a single plan. (3) In the event that the Plan satisfies the  requirements  of
Sections  401(k),  401(a)(4),  or 410(b) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code only if
aggregated  with one or more other plans,  or if one or more other plans satisfy
those  requirements  only if aggregated with this Plan, then the Actual Deferral
Percentage of all Participants shall be determined as if all of these plans were
a single plan. For Plan Years  beginning  after December 31, 1989,  plans may be
aggregated in order to satisfy Section 401(k) of the Internal  Revenue Code only
if they  have the same  Plan  Year.  (4) The  Employer  shall  maintain  records
sufficient to demonstrate  satisfaction of the Actual  Deferral  Percentage test
and the amount of any matching or non-elective contributions used in the test.

1.9.    Anniversary Date
"Anniversary  Date"  means the last day falling  within any Plan Year.  When the
context  requires that a computation be made on an Anniversary Date which is not
a  business  day,  the  computation  shall be made as of the last  business  day
preceding the Anniversary Date.
<PAGE>

1.9.1    Annual Additions
"Annual  Additions" means amounts credited to the accounts of Participants under
the Plan, any other defined  contribution  plan maintained by the Employer,  and
certain  welfare  funds  maintained  by the  Employer as follows:  (i)  Employer
contributions; (ii) Participant contributions; (iii) allocations of forfeitures;
(iv)  contributions in excess of the deferral  percentage limits or contribution
percentage  limits  specified in Sections  4.4 and 4.5 of the Plan;  (v) amounts
allocated, after March 31, 1984, to an individual medical account, as defined in
Section  415(l)(2) of the Internal  Revenue Code,  which is part of a pension or
annuity  plan  maintained  by  the  Employer;  and  (vi)  amounts  derived  from
contributions  paid or accrued  prior to December  31,  1985,  in taxable  years
ending  after that  date,  which are  attributable  to  post-retirement  medical
benefits  allocated  to the separate  account of a Key Employee  under a welfare
benefit  fund,  as defined  in  Section  419(e) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code,
maintained  by the  Employer.  Rollover  contributions  shall not be  treated as
Annual  Additions.  Elective  contributions in excess of the limits specified in
Section 4.6 shall be treated as Annual  Additions  unless the excess amounts are
distributed  to the  Participants  no later than April 15 of the  Calendar  Year
following the end of the taxable year in which the excess contribution occurred.
For purposes of this definition,  Employer includes any organization required to
be  aggregated  with the  Employer  under  Section  414(b),  (c),  or (m) of the
Internal Revenue Code.

1.10.    Annuity Starting Date
"Annuity  Starting  Date"  means the first day of the first  period for which an
amount is payable as an annuity, or any other form.

1.11.    Beneficiary
"Beneficiary"  means a person who is so designated  by a Participant  to receive
any death benefits payable under this Plan.

1.12.    Board
"Board" means the Board of Directors of the Employer.
<PAGE>

1.13.    Calendar Year
"Calendar Year" means the calendar year ending with or within the Plan Year.

1.14.    Compensation
"Compensation" is determined in different ways for different purposes under the
Plan.
(1) For purposes of determining  contributions  and allocations under Articles 4
and 5, Compensation means regular wages, overtime, premium pay, and commissions,
and excludes bonuses,  profit-sharing payouts, car allowances, and other special
benefits  paid to  Participants  during the Plan Year.  Compensation  also shall
include  elective  contributions  made by the Employer on behalf of Participants
that are not includable in gross income under Section 125 and Section  402(e)(3)
of the  Internal  Revenue  Code.  Compensation  shall be measured on a Plan Year
basis for all  Participants  regardless of their entry date. 
(2) For purposes of calculating  annual additions under Section 5.4 of the Plan,
Compensation  means a  Participant's  wages,  salary,  earned  income,  fees for
professional  services,  and any other  amounts  received for personal  services
actually rendered in the course of employment with the Employer (including,  but
not limited to, commissions, premiums, tips, bonuses, fringe benefits includable
in the gross income of the Participant, and the value of any non-qualified stock
option includable in gross income of the Participant for the year of the grant).
For purposes of this definition, Compensation shall exclude the following:

          (i)   Contributions to a plan of deferred  compensation  which are not
                includable in the  Employee's  gross income for the taxable year
                in which contributed,  contributions under a simplified employee
                pensions plan to the extent such contributions are deductible by
                the  Employer,  or any  distributions  from a plan  of  deferred
                compensation;


          (ii)  Amounts  realized  from the  exercise of a  non-qualified  stock
                option,  or amounts realized when restricted stock (or property)
                held by the Employee either becomes freely transferable or is no
                longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture;


          (iii) Amounts realized from the sale,  exchange,  or other disposition
                of stock acquired under a qualified stock option; and


          (iv)  Other  fringe  benefits  excludable  from  gross  income  of the
                Participant,  or  contributions  made by the  Employer,  under a
                salary reduction agreement or otherwise, towards the purchase of
                an annuity  described in Section 403(b) of the Internal  Revenue
                Code  (whether or not the amounts are actually  excludable  from
                the gross income of the employee).
<PAGE>

For purposes of applying the restrictions of this subsection, Compensation for a
Limitation  Year is the  Compensation  actually paid or included in gross income
during  the  Limitation  Year.  (3) For  purposes  of the  definition  of Highly
Compensated   Participant,   Compensation  means  the  amount  determined  under
subsection  (2) above,  but adjusted to include the amount of any  contributions
made by the Employer on behalf of Participants  that are not includable in gross
income under Section 125 or Section  402(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. (4)
For  purposes  of the  definition  of  Actual  Deferral  Percentage  and  Actual
Contribution   Percentage,   Compensation  means  the  amount  determined  under
subsection (3) above  calculated from the date the Participant  enters the Plan.
(5) For purposes of the definitions of Key Officer,  Key Owner,  and One Percent
Owner,  Compensation  has the same meaning as set forth in subsection (3) above.
For purposes of determining  the minimum Top Heavy benefit under Section 10.1 of
the Plan,  Compensation  has the same  meaning  as set forth in  subsection  (2)
above.  Alternatively,  the Employer  may elect to use the income  stated on the
Participant's  Form W-2 for the Calendar  Year that ends with or within the Plan
Year to determine the minimum top heavy benefit.  (6) For all purposes under the
Plan, the Compensation  taken into account for each Participant  during any Plan
Year beginning prior to January 1, 1994 shall not exceed $200,000.00 (subject to
annual  cost-of-living  adjustments  under  Section  401(a)(17)  of the Internal
Revenue  Code),  and the  Compensation  taken into account for each  Participant
during  any Plan Year  beginning  on or after  January  1, 1994 shall not exceed
$150,000 (subject to adjustments in $10,000 increments).

1.15.    Determination Date
"Determination  Date"  means the last day of the Plan Year with  respect  to the
first Plan Year of the Plan,  and the last day of the  preceding  Plan Year with
respect to any Plan Year after the first.

1.16.    Effective Date
"Effective  Date" with respect to the  Employer  means July 1, 1985,  and,  with
respect to any  Participating  Employer that adopts the Plan, the date set forth
in Appendix A opposite the Participating Employer's name.

1.17.    Eligibility Computation Period
"Eligibility  Computation Period" means the twelve month period beginning on the
date the  Employee  first  performs  an Hour of  Service  for the  Employer  and
succeeding   consecutive   twelve-month   periods   commencing  with  the  first
anniversary of the Employee's commencement date.
<PAGE>

1.18.    Employee
"Employee"  means  any  person  (but not  including  a person  acting  only as a
director)  who  performs an Hour of Service for the  Employer,  and who receives
Compensation  for  his  Service  other  than a  pension,  retirement  allowance,
retainer,  or fee under contract.  The term "Employee"  shall not include Leased
Employees, nor shall it include individuals who provide services to the Employer
but receive compensation for their services from other sources.

1.19.    Employer
"Employer" means PSC Inc.

1.20.    ERISA
"ERISA"  means the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security Act of 1974, as it has
been and may be amended, and corresponding provisions of future laws.

1.21.    Fiscal Year
"Fiscal Year" means the fiscal year of the Employer.

1.22.    Five Percent Owner
"Five  Percent  Owner"  means any  person who during the Plan Year or any of the
preceding four Plan Years owned or  constructively  owned more than five percent
of the outstanding stock,  capital, or profit interest of the Employer, or stock
possessing  more than five  percent of the total  combined  voting  power of all
stock of the Employer.

1.23.    Former Key Employee
"Former Key  Employee"  means an Employee who is not a Key Employee for the Plan
Year or any of the four  preceding  Plan Years but who was a Key Employee at any
time  preceding this period.  The  Beneficiary of a Former Key Employee shall be
considered a Former Key Employee.

1.25.    Fund
"Fund" means all moneys and property  paid or delivered to, and accepted by, the
Trustees  pursuant to the Trust Agreement and the Plan, and all investments made
therewith and proceeds  thereof and all earnings and profits  thereon,  less the
payments made by the Trustees as authorized in the Trust Agreement.

1.26.    Highly Compensated Participant
"Highly  Compensated  Participant"  means,  for Plan Years beginning on or after
January 1, 1997, any  Participant  who: (1) Owned or  constructively  owned more
than a five  percent  interest in the Employer at any time during the current or
preceding Plan Year, or (2) Received Compensation from the Employer in excess of
$80,000 (or any other  amount  prescribed  by Treasury  Regulations)  during the
preceding Plan Year. The Retirement  Committee may, in its discretion,  elect to
limit the number of Participants  that must be recognized as Highly  Compensated
under this  Subsection  (2) to those  Participants  in the top twenty percent of
Employees ranked by Compensation in the prior Plan Year, provided that the group
of  Employees  constituting  the top twenty  percent by pay shall be  determined
without regard to those Employees who:

          (i)     Have not completed six months of Service;

          (ii)    Normally work less than 17 1/2 hours per week;

          (iii)   Normally work during not more than six months in any Plan Year

          (iv)    Have not attained age 21;

          (v)     Are  included in a unit of  Employees  covered by a collective
                  bargaining  agreement  between the Employer and a union (if at
                  least  ninety  percent  of all  Employees  are  covered  under
                  collective   bargaining   agreements  and  the  Plan  excludes
                  collective bargaining employees); or

          (vi) Are non-resident aliens with no earned income from sources within
the United States.
For Plan  Years  prior to January  1,  1997,  the  status of Highly  Compensated
Participants  shall be  determined  under the  provisions  of the Plan in effect
during the applicable Plan Year.
<PAGE>

1.26.    Hour of Service
"Hour of Service" means:
(1) Each hour for which an  Employee  is  directly  or  indirectly  paid,  or is
entitled  to be paid,  by the  Employer  for the  performance  of duties for the
Employer.

(2) Each hour for which an  Employee  is paid or is  entitled  to be paid by the
Employer  on account of a period of time  during  which no duties are  performed
(irrespective  of whether the employment  relationship  has  terminated)  due to
vacation,  holiday,  illness,  incapacity (including  Disability),  layoff, jury
duty,  military  duty,  or  leave  of  absence.  Notwithstanding  the  preceding
sentence:


          (i)   No more than 501 Hours of Service  shall be credited  under this
                paragraph (2) to an Employee on account of any single continuous
                period during which the Employee  performs no duties (whether or
                not such  period  occurs in a single  computation  period).  For
                purposes  of this  subsection,  the  number of Hours of  Service
                credited  and the  computation  periods  to which  they  will be
                credited will be determined  in  accordance  with  Department of
                Labor Regulations 2530.200b-2(b) and (c).


          (ii)  An hour for which an Employee is directly or indirectly paid, or
                is entitled to payment,  on account of a period  during which no
                duties are  performed  shall not be credited to the  Employee if
                such payment is made or due under a plan  maintained  solely for
                the purpose of complying with applicable workers'  compensation,
                unemployment compensation or disability insurance laws.


          (iii) Hours of  Service  shall not be  credited  for a  payment  which
                solely  reimburses an Employee for medical or medically  related
                expenses incurred by the Employee. These hours shall be credited
                to the Employee for the  computation  period or periods in which
                the period during which no duties were performed occurs.


(3) Each hour for which back pay,  irrespective  of mitigation  of damages,  has
been  either  awarded  or agreed to by the  Employer.  The same Hours of Service
shall not be credited both under  paragraphs  (1) or (2) of this  subsection and
under this paragraph. These hours will be credited for the computation period or
periods to which the award or  agreement  pertains  rather than the  computation
period in which the award, agreement, or payment is made.


(4) Each hour for which an Employee is absent due to pregnancy of the  Employee,
birth or adoption  of the  Employee's  child,  or care of the  Employee's  child
immediately following birth or adoption. No more than eight Hours of Service per
day up to 501 Hours of Service during the relevant  computation  period shall be
credited  under  this  paragraph  (4) to an  Employee  on  account of any single
continuous  period during which the Employee  performs no duties (whether or not
such period occurs in a single  computation  period).  Hours of Service shall be
credited  under this paragraph to the Plan Year in which the absence begins only
if credit is needed to prevent the Participant from incurring a Break in Service
for that year; in any other case,  the Hours of Service shall be credited to the
following Plan Year.

Hours of Service  will be  credited  for  employment  with other  members of the
Employer's  (i)  affiliated  service group under  Internal  Revenue Code Section
414(m);  (ii)  controlled  group of  corporations  under  Internal  Revenue Code
Section 414(b);  (iii) group of trades or businesses  under common control under
Internal  Revenue Code Section  414(c);  or (iv) any other entity required to be
aggregated  with the Employer  pursuant to Internal  Revenue Code Section 414(o)
and the regulations thereunder.

1.27.    Internal Revenue Code
"Internal  Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and
corresponding provisions of future laws, as amended.

1.27.1   Key Employee
"Key Employee" means a Key Officer,  Key Owner,  Five Percent Owner, One Percent
Owner, or Beneficiary of a Key Employee,  as defined in this Plan and as further
described in Section  416(i)(1) of the Internal  Revenue Code and  corresponding
Treasury Regulations.
<PAGE>

1.28.    Key Officer
"Key  Officer"  means an officer  whose  Compensation  from the Employer and all
aggregated  organizations during the Plan Year or any of the four preceding Plan
Years exceeded  fifty percent of the dollar  limitation in effect under Internal
Revenue  Code Section  415(b)(1)(A)  for any such Plan Year,  provided  that for
purposes of this  definition,  no more than fifty  Employees,  or, if less,  the
greater of (i) three,  or (ii) ten percent of the  Employees of the Employer (or
any  organization  required to be aggregated  with the Employer  under  Sections
414(b) (c) or (m) of the Internal  Revenue Code) shall be  considered  officers.
For purposes of this definition, "officer" means an administrative executive who
was employed by the Employer (or by any  organization  required to be aggregated
with the Employer under  Sections  414(b),  (c), or (m) of the Internal  Revenue
Code) regularly and  continuously for any period of time during the Plan Year or
the four preceding Plan Years. The term includes  individuals who are designated
officers  of a  corporation  under  state law unless  their  offices  are merely
titular or are held solely for  convenience.  For  purposes of this  definition,
Compensation shall have the meaning described in Section 2.12(5) of the Plan.

1.29.    Key Owner
"Key Owner" means an Employee  who during the Plan Year or any of the  preceding
four Plan Years owned (or constructively owned under Section 318 of the Internal
Revenue  Code)  one  of the  ten  largest  interests  in the  Employer  and  all
organizations required to be aggregated with the Employer under Sections 414(b),
(c),  or (m) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code,  and whose  Compensation  from the
Employer and all aggregated  organizations exceeded $30,000 or such other amount
prescribed  under  Section  415(c)(1)(A)  of the Internal  Revenue  Code. If two
Employees  have the same  interest  in the  Employer,  the  Employee  having the
greater Compensation shall be treated as having a larger interest.  For purposes
of this  definition,  Compensation  shall have the meaning  described in Section
2.12(5) of the Plan.

1.30.    Labor Agreement
"Labor Agreement" means a collective  bargaining  agreement between the Employer
and a collective  bargaining  agent  representing  a class of employees  covered
under this Plan.

1.30.1   Leased Employee
"Leased  Employee"  means an individual  who is not employed by the Employer but
who provides  service to the Employer (or any related persons  determined  under
Internal Revenue Code Section 414(n)(6)):
         (i)  Pursuant  to an  agreement  between  the  Employer  and a  leasing
         organization,  (ii) On a substantially  full-time basis for a period of
         at least one year, and (iii) Under the primary  direction or control of
         the Employer.
For  purposes  of this  definition,  an  individual  will be deemed  to  perform
services  on a  substantially  full-time  basis  for one  year  if,  during  any
consecutive twelve-month period, (i) the individual performs at least 1500 Hours
of  Service  for the  Employer,  or (ii) the Hours of Service  performed  by the
individual equal or exceed  seventy-five  percent of the average number of hours
customarily performed by Employees in that position.

1.31.    Limitation Year
"Limitation Year" means the Plan Year.

1.32.    Minimum Allocation
"Minimum  Allocation"  means the lesser of (i) three percent of a  Participant's
Compensation,  or (ii) the largest  percentage  of  Compensation  (as limited by
Section  2.12 of the  Plan)  allocated  under  the Plan to any Key  Employee  on
account of the Plan Year,  including  the amount of any  elective  contributions
made by Key Employees.  The amount of any elective contributions made by Non-Key
Employees  and matching  contributions  made by the Employer  shall not count in
determining  their  Minimum  Allocations,  but the  amount  of any  non-elective
contributions  made by the  Employer  on behalf of  Non-Key  Employees  shall be
counted in this determination.

1.33.    Non-Key Employee
"Non-Key Employee" is an Employee who does not meet the definition of Key
Employee.

1.34.    Normal Retirement Date
"Normal Retirement Date" means the attainment of age 59 1/2.

1.35.    One Percent Owner
"One  Percent  Owner" means a person who during the Plan Year or any of the four
preceding Plan Years owned or constructively  owned more than one percent of the
outstanding  stock,  capital,  or  profit  interest  of the  Employer,  or stock
possessing more than one percent of the total combined voting power of all stock
of the Employer,  and who had annual Compensation in excess of $150,000 from the
Employer and any organization  required to be aggregated with the Employer under
Sections 414(b), (c), and (m) of the Internal Revenue Code. For purposes of this
definition,  Compensation shall have the meaning described in Section 2.12(5) of
the Plan.
<PAGE>

1.36.    Participant
"Participant" means any person included in the Plan as provided in this
instrument.

1.37.    Participating Employer
"Participating  Employer" means any corporation who, along with the Employer, is
a member of an affiliated  group of  corporations  as defined in Section 1504 of
the Code and a member of a commonly  controlled group of corporations as defined
in Section 414(b) of the Code, and who, with the consent of the Employer, adopts
this  Plan  for  the  benefit  of its  employees.  A list  of all  Participating
Employers and the Effective Date of their participation is set forth in Schedule
A to the Plan.

1.38.    Permissive Aggregation Group
"Permissive  Aggregation Group" means the Required Aggregation Group plus one or
more plans of the  Employer  which are not members of the  Required  Aggregation
Group but which satisfy the minimum participation  standards of Sections 410 and
401(a)(1)  (4) of the Internal  Revenue Code when  considered  together with the
Required Aggregation Group.

1.39.    Plan
"Plan" means PSC Inc. 401(k) Plan as set forth in this document or as amended
 from time to time.

1.40.    Plan Year
"Plan Year" means any 12 consecutive calendar months commencing on January 1.

1.41.    Qualified Matching Contributions
"Qualified Matching  Contributions"  means matching  contributions  described in
Section 4.2 of the Plan which are (i) fully and immediately vested; (ii) subject
to the distribution  limitations of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iii) not contingent on the performance of Service after the Plan Year; and (iv)
paid to the Trust within twelve months following the end of the Plan Year.

1.42.    Qualified Non-Elective Contributions
"Qualified Non-Elective Contributions" means non-elective Employer contributions
described in Section 4.2 of the Plan which are (i) fully and immediately vested;
(ii) not  available  to  Participants  until  distributed  from the Plan;  (iii)
subject  to the  distribution  limitations  of  Section  401(k) of the  Internal
Revenue Code;  (iv) not contingent on the  performance of Service after the Plan
Year;  and (v) paid to the Trust within twelve  months  following the end of the
Plan Year.

1.43.    Required Aggregation Group
"Required  Aggregation  Group" means a group of plans maintained by the Employer
or any organization  aggregated with the Employer under Sections 414(b), (c), or
(m) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code that  includes  each plan (i) in which a Key
Employee  participates  or  participated  at any time  during the  determination
period, and (ii) which enables any plan in which a Key Employee  participates to
meet the minimum  participation  standards  of Sections  401(a)(1) or 410 of the
Internal Revenue Code.  Plans  terminated  within the five-year period ending on
the Determination Date must be included in determining the Required  Aggregation
Group.

1.44.    Retirement Committee
"Retirement  Committee"  means the committee  appointed by the Board pursuant to
Article 11 of the Plan to control and manage its operation.

1.45.    Salary Reduction Agreement
"Salary  Reduction  Agreement"  means an  agreement  entered  into  between  the
Employer and a Participant under which the Participant agrees to forego a salary
increase or to reduce his  Compensation  to enable the Employer to contribute on
his behalf to the Plan.

1.46.    Spouse
"Spouse" means a wife or husband who has been  continually and lawfully  married
to a Participant on the Annuity  Starting Date, or, if the  Participant  did not
begin  receiving  distributions  prior to death,  who has been  continually  and
lawfully  married to the  Participant  on the date of the  Participant's  death.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provision,  a former Spouse will be treated as the
Spouse  and a current  Spouse  will not be  treated  as the Spouse to the extent
provided  under a qualified  domestic  relations  order as  described in Section
414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code.
<PAGE>


1.47.    Super Top Heavy
The Plan will be  considered  "Super Top Heavy" for a Plan Year if the Top Heavy
Ratio for the Plan (or if  applicable,  for the Required  Aggregation  Group) is
more than ninety percent.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Plan will
not be considered Super Top Heavy if, after  aggregation of the Plan with one or
more plans of the  Permissive  Aggregation  Group,  the Top Heavy Ratio does not
exceed ninety percent.

1.48.    Top Heavy
The Plan will be  considered  "Top Heavy" for a Plan Year if the Top Heavy Ratio
for the Plan (or, if  applicable,  for the Required  Aggregation  Group) is more
than sixty percent. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Plan will not be
considered Top Heavy if, after aggregation of the Plan with one or more plans of
the  Permissive  Aggregation  Group,  the Top Heavy Ratio does not exceed  sixty
percent.

1.49.    Top Heavy Ratio
(1) For Employers  maintaining one or more defined contribution plans (including
any  simplified  employee  pension  plan) who have not  maintained  any  defined
benefit plan which during the five-year period ending on the Determination  Date
has or has had accrued benefits, Top Heavy Ratio, for this plan alone or for the
Required or Permissive  Aggregation Group as appropriate,  means a fraction, the
numerator of which is the sum of the Accrued Benefits of all Key Employees as of
the Determination Date (including any part of any Accrued Benefit distributed in
the five-year period ending on the  Determination  Date), and the denominator of
which is the sum of all  Accrued  Benefits  (including  any part of any  Accrued
Benefit  distributed in the five-year period ending on the Determination  Date),
both  computed in accordance  with Section 416 of the Internal  Revenue Code and
corresponding  regulations.  Both the numerator and denominator of the Top Heavy
Ratio are  increased to reflect any  contribution  not  actually  made as of the
Determination  Date, but which is required to be taken into account on that date
under  Section  416  of  the  Internal   Revenue  Code  and  the   corresponding
regulations.  (2) For  Employers  maintaining  one or more defined  contribution
plans  (including  any  simplified  employee  pension plan) who maintain or have
maintained one or more defined  benefit plans which during the five-year  period
ending on the Determination  Date has or has had any Accrued  Benefits,  the Top
Heavy Ratio for any  Required or  Permissive  Aggregation  Group as  appropriate
means a fraction,  the numerator of which is the sum of Accrued  Benefits  under
the  aggregated  defined  contribution  plan or  plans  for  all Key  Employees,
determined  in  accordance  with (a)  above,  and the  present  value of Accrued
Benefits  under  the  aggregated  defined  benefit  plan  or  plans  for all Key
Employees as of the Determination  Date, and the denominator of which is the sum
of the Accrued Benefits under the aggregated defined  contribution plan or plans
for all  participants,  determined in accordance with (a) above, and the present
value of  Accrued  Benefits  under  the  defined  benefit  plan or plans for all
participants  as of the  Determination  Date, all determined in accordance  with
Section 416 of the Internal Revenue Code and the corresponding regulations.  The
Accrued  Benefits  under a defined  Determination  Date.  Present value shall be
based only on the interest and mortality  rates specified in the defined benefit
plan.  (3) For purposes of Subsections  (1) and (2) above,  the value of Accrued
Benefits and the present value of Accrued Benefits shall be determined as of the
most recent Valuation Date ending on or before the Determination Date, except as
provided  in  Section  416  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Code  and  corresponding
regulations for the first two Plan Years of a defined benefit plan. In addition,
the following rules shall apply in calculating the Top Heavy Ratio.
         (i)    Distributions  made  after the  Valuation  Date but  before  the
                Determination  Date  shall  not be  counted  if the value of the
                distribution is reflected in the  Participant's  Accrued Benefit
                as of the Valuation Date.
         (ii)   The  Accrued  Benefits  of any  Former  Key  Employees  and  any
                Participants  who have not  performed  services for the Employer
                during the  five-year  period ending on the  Determination  Date
                shall be disregarded.

         (iii)  Rollovers  initiated by the  Participant and received from plans
                of  employers  not required to be  aggregated  with the Employer
                under Sections 414(b),  (c), or (m) of the Internal Revenue Code
                shall not be counted; all other rollovers and transfers shall be
                included in the calculation.

         (iv) Deductible employee contributions shall not be counted.
         (v)    When  aggregating  plans,  the value of Accrued  Benefit and the
                present  value of  Accrued  Benefits  shall be  calculated  with
                reference to the  Determination  Dates that fall within the same
                Calendar Year.
         (vi)   The Accrued  Benefit of a Participant  other than a Key Employee
                shall be determined  under the method,  if any,  that  uniformly
                applies for accrual  purposes  under all defined  benefit  plans
                maintained by the Employer,  or, if there is no uniform  method,
                as if the  benefit  accrued  not more  rapidly  than the slowest
                accrual  rate  permitted  under the  fractional  rule of Section
                411(b)(1)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code.
<PAGE>

1.50.    Trust Agreement
"Trust Agreement" means the document  evidencing  agreement between the Employer
and the Trustee for the administration of the Fund and any and all amendments to
that agreement. If the Employer maintains more than one employee pension benefit
plan  within  the  definition  of  ERISA,  the  assets  of this Plan may be held
together  under one Trust  Agreement  with the  assets of any other  plan of the
Employer  which  meets the  requirements  of  Sections  401(a) and 501(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code.

1.51.    Trustee
"Trustee" means the trustee or trustees of the Fund.

1.52.    Valuation Date
"Valuation  Date"  means  the date on which  the Fund  was  valued  or  revalued
pursuant to the Plan.  Valuation  Dates  shall  occur at least  annually on each
Anniversary  Date and at any other  time  determined  in the  discretion  of the
Retirement Committee.

1.53.    Valuation Period
"Valuation  Period" means any period ending on a Valuation Date and beginning on
the first day after the preceding Valuation Date.

1.54.    Vesting Computation Period
"Vesting Computation Period" means the Plan Year.

1.55.    Year of Service
"Service"  shall be measured in years. An Employee shall be credited with a Year
of Service for each Vesting  Computation Period during which he is credited with
1,000 Hours of Service.

2.       PARTICIPATION

2.1.     Eligibility Requirements
Effective July 1, 1997,  Employees  shall be eligible to become  Participants in
the Plan after  attainment  of age 21 and  completion of at least 1,000 Hours of
Service during an Eligibility Computation Period.

2.2.     Entry Date
Effective July 1, 1997,  Employees shall become  Participants in the Plan on the
first day of the month following the date they meet eligibility  requirements of
Section 3.1. Each  Participant  must sign a Salary  Reduction  Agreement to make
elective  deferral  contributions  to the Plan.  Once  made,  the  Participant's
Agreement shall remain in effect until modified or terminated.  Participants may
modify,  suspend or terminate  their  elections on a monthly  basis,  and on any
additional dates determined in the Retirement Committee's sole discretion.

2.3.     Exclusion for Collective Bargaining Employees
No Employee shall be eligible to participate in the Plan while he is a member of
a unit of employees  covered by a collective  bargaining  agreement  between the
Employer  (or the  Employer  and  one or  more  other  employers)  and a  union,
association, or other employee representative group if:
         (i)    The employee  representative  group has  established an employee
                pension benefit plan to which the Employer contributes on behalf
                of the individual, or
         (ii)   The  Employer  does not  contribute  to such a plan and there is
                other  evidence  that  retirement  benefits  were proposed to be
                funded by the Employer on behalf of the  individual and were the
                subject  of  good  faith   bargaining   between   the   employee
                representative group and the Employer or other employers.
This Section shall not be construed to limit  participation by an individual who
is not an  "employee"  within the meaning of the National  Labor  Relations  Act
solely because the individual maintains membership in a union.

2.4.     Other Exclusions
In the event that an Employee  who is excluded  from the  category of  Employees
eligible  to  participate  in the Plan  satisfies  the  minimum  age and service
requirements  and later  becomes an eligible  Employee,  he shall be entitled to
immediate participation in the Plan.


2.5.     Special Participation Provisions
Any  participant in the PSC Scanning,  Inc.  Savings Plus 401(k) Plan on July 1,
1997 will automatically be eligible to participate in this Plan as of that date.
Any employee of PSC Scanning,  Inc. who is not a participant in the PSC Scanning
Plan on that date will be eligible to enter this Plan after  meeting the age and
service  requirements  outlined in Section 3.1 above. Hours of Service completed
with PSC Scanning,  Inc. prior to July 1, 1997, will be counted toward the 1,000
Hour of Service requirement.

2.6.     Continued Participation
An Employee shall continue as a Participant in the Plan so long as he remains an
eligible  Employee.  A  Participant  who  becomes  ineligible  to  continue as a
Participant in the Plan shall be entitled to immediate participation in the Plan
if  he  again  becomes  an  eligible  Employee.  A  Participant  who  terminates
employment and is subsequently rehired by the Employer also shall be entitled to
immediate participation in the Plan.


<PAGE>


3.       CONTRIBUTIONS

3.1.     Employee Contributions
Each  year  the  Employer  shall  contribute  to the  Plan  on  behalf  of  each
Participant the amount of the reduced or foregone salary set forth in the Salary
Reduction  Agreement with that Participant.  Each Participant may elect to defer
between  one and  fifteen  percent  of his  Compensation  to the Plan.  Elective
contributions must be made in whole percentages.

3.2.     Employer Contributions
The Employer shall make a discretionary  matching  contribution to the Plan each
year in an amount  determined by the Board.  The Employer shall make no matching
contributions   for  elective   contributions   in  excess  of  six  percent  of
Compensation.  In addition,  the Employer  may make  discretionary  non-elective
contributions,  Qualified  Matching  Contributions,  and Qualified  Non-Elective
Contributions to the Plan.

3.3.     Time of Contribution
(1) Elective  contributions shall be paid to the Plan on a current basis, and in
no event later than the fifteenth  business day of the month following the month
in which these amounts  otherwise  would have been payable to the Participant in
cash. (2) Matching and  non-elective  Employer  contributions,  if any, shall be
made in cash not later than the time prescribed by law,  including any extension
of time,  for filing the  Employer's  United  States  income tax or  information
return for the year with respect to which the contributions are made.

3.4.     Deferral Percentage Test
(1) For any Plan Year the elective  contributions  made on behalf of each Highly
Compensated  Participant must satisfy one of the following tests,  provided that
the test  described in subsection  (ii) below shall not be used to meet both the
Deferral  Percentage Test and the Contribution  Percentage Test in the same Plan
Year.
         (i)    The  Actual   Deferral   Percentage   for   Highly   Compensated
                Participants  must not exceed  1.25  times the  Actual  Deferral
                Percentage of the remaining  Participants  determined at the end
                of the prior Plan Year; or
         (ii)   The  Actual   Deferral   Percentage   for   Highly   Compensated
                Participants  must not  exceed  2.0  times the  Actual  Deferral
                Percentage of the remaining  Participants  determined at the end
                of the prior Plan Year,  and the Actual  Deferral  Percentage of
                the Highly  Compensated  Participants must not exceed the Actual
                Deferral  Percentage of all other  Participants by more than two
                percentage points.
(2) For any  Plan  Year in which  the  Actual  Deferral  Percentage  for  Highly
Compensated  Participants exceeds the foregoing limits, the Retirement Committee
shall  return  the  salary  reduction  contributions  made on  behalf  of Highly
Compensated Participants in descending order of their deferral amounts until one
of the foregoing tests has been met.

(3) The return of excess  contributions  shall include the amounts of any income
allocable to the contributions  through the date of distribution,  calculated as
the  sum  of  (i)  income  or  loss  allocable  to  the  Participant's  Elective
Contribution  Account (and, if  applicable,  Matching  Contribution  Account and
Employer Contribution  Account) for the Plan Year multiplied by a fraction,  the
numerator of which is the Participant's  excess contributions for the Plan Year,
and the  denominator  of  which is the  balance  of the  Participant's  Accounts
attributable  to  elective   contributions  and  any  matching  or  non-elective
contributions used in the Deferral  Percentage Test without regard to any income
or loss  during the Plan Year,  plus (ii) ten  percent of the amount  determined
under (i) above  multiplied by the number of whole  calendar  months between the
end of the  Plan  Year  and the  date of  distribution,  counting  the  month of
distribution  if  distribution  occurs  after the  fifteenth  day of the  month.
Alternatively,  (i) the calculation of income allocable to excess  contributions
may be based  upon any  reasonable  method  used to  allocate  income or loss to
Participants'   accounts  if  this  method  is   consistently   applied  to  all
Participants and to all corrective distributions for the Plan Year, and (ii) the
period  between  the end of the Plan  Year and the date of  distribution  may be
disregarded in determining income or loss.

(4) The  return  of excess  contributions  and  income  shall be  completed,  if
possible,  within 2 1/2  months  after  the end of the Plan  Year for  which the
excess amount was  contributed to the Plan in order to avoid the imposition of a
ten percent  excise tax on the Employer.  In no event shall the return of excess
contributions be completed more than 12 months after the end of the Plan Year.

(5) Excess  Contributions  shall be distributed from the Participant's  Elective
Contribution  Account  and  Matching  Contribution  Account (if  applicable)  in
proportion   to  the   Participant's   elective   contributions   and   matching
contributions  used in the Deferral  Percentage  test for the Plan Year.  Excess
contributions shall be distributed from the Participant's  Employer Contribution
Account only to the extent that the excess  contributions  exceed the balance in
the  Participant's  Elective  Contribution  Account  and  Matching  Contribution
Account.
<PAGE>

3.5.     Contribution Percentage Test

(1) For any Plan Year the matching  contributions  made on behalf of each Highly
Compensated  Participant must satisfy one of the following tests,  provided that
the test  described in  subsection  (ii) below shall not be used to satisfy both
the  Contribution  Percentage Test and the Deferral  Percentage Test in the same
Plan Year.
         (i)    The  Actual  Contribution   Percentage  for  Highly  Compensated
                Participants must not exceed 1.25 times the Actual  Contribution
                Percentage of the remaining  Participants  determined at the end
                of the prior Plan Year; or
         (ii)   The  Actual  Contribution   Percentage  for  Highly  Compensated
                Participants  must not exceed 2.0 times the Actual  Contribution
                Percentage of the remaining  Participants  determined at the end
                of the prior Plan Year, and the Actual  Contribution  Percentage
                of the  Highly  Compensated  Participants  must not  exceed  the
                Actual Contribution Percentage of all other Participants by more
                than two percentage points.

(2) For any Plan Year in which the  Actual  Contribution  Percentage  for Highly
Compensated  Participants exceeds the foregoing limits, the Retirement Committee
shall forfeit the  non-vested  portion of any matching  contributions  and shall
return the vested  portion of any matching  contributions  (including  Qualified
Matching  Contributions)  made on behalf of Highly  Compensated  Participants in
descending order of their contribution  amounts until one of the foregoing tests
has been met. (3) The return of  contributions  shall include the amounts of any
income  allocable  to  the  contributions  through  the  date  of  distribution,
calculated  as the sum of (i)  income  or loss  allocable  to the  Participant's
Matching Contribution Account (and, if applicable, Elective Contribution Account
and Employer  Contribution  Account) for the Plan Year multiplied by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the  Participant's  excess  contributions for the Plan
Year, and the denominator of which is the balance of the Participant's  Accounts
attributable  to  matching   contributions  and  any  elective  or  non-elective
contributions used in the Deferral  Percentage Test without regard to any income
or loss  during the Plan Year,  plus (ii) ten  percent of the amount  determined
under (i) above  multiplied by the number of whole  calendar  months between the
end of the  Plan  Year  and the  date of  distribution,  counting  the  month of
distribution  if  distribution  occurs  after the  fifteenth  day of the  month.
Alternatively,  (i) the calculation of income allocable to excess  contributions
may be based  upon any  reasonable  method  used to  allocate  income or loss to
Participants'   accounts  if  this  method  is   consistently   applied  to  all
Participants and to all corrective distributions for the Plan Year, and (ii) the
period  between  the end of the Plan  Year and the date of  distribution  may be
disregarded   in   determining   income  or  loss.  (4)  The  return  of  excess
contributions  and income shall be completed,  if possible,  within 2 1/2 months
after the end of the Plan Year for which the excess  amount was  contributed  to
the Plan in order to avoid the  imposition  of a ten  percent  excise tax on the
Employer. In no event shall the return of excess contributions be completed more
than 12 months  after the end of the Plan  Year.  (5)  After  forfeiture  of any
non-vested  amounts,   excess   contributions  shall  be  distributed  from  the
Participant's  Matching  Contribution  Account,  and,  if  applicable,  Elective
Contribution  Account,  and Employer  Contribution  Account in proportion to the
respective  contributions used in the contribution  percentage test for the Plan
Year.

3.6.     Dollar Limit on Elective Deferrals
(1) Elective  contributions  made on behalf of any Participant  shall not exceed
$9,500 per Calendar  Year or any other amount  prescribed by  regulations  under
Section  402(g)(1) (5) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Elective  contributions in
excess of this amount shall be returned to the  Participant  no later than April
15 of the following Calendar Year, provided that the Participant files a written
notice with the  Retirement  Committee on or before March 1 of that year. If the
excess elective  contributions arise solely from elective  contributions made by
the Participant to this Plan or any other plan  maintained by the Employer,  the
Retirement  Committee  may  return  the excess  elective  contributions  without
written notice from the Participant.  (2) The notice described in Subsection (1)
shall be in the form prescribed by the Retirement  Committee,  shall specify the
amount of salary reduction contributions to be returned to the Participant,  and
shall  certify that return of these  amounts is needed to comply with the limits
on deferral  contributions  imposed by the Internal  Revenue Code. The return of
excess elective  contributions  shall include the amount of any income allocable
to the contributions through the date of distribution,  calculated as the sum of
(i) income or loss allocable to the Participant's  Elective Contribution Account
for the taxable year  multiplied  by a fraction,  the  numerator of which is the
Participant's  excess  elective  contributions  for the  taxable  year,  and the
denominator of which is the balance of the Participant's  Elective  Contribution
Account  without regard to any income or loss during the taxable year, plus (ii)
ten percent of the amount determined under (i) above multiplied by the number of
whole calendar months between the end of the Participant's  taxable year and the
date of distribution,  counting the month of distribution if distribution occurs
after the  fifteenth day of the month.  Alternatively,  (i) the  calculation  of
income  allocable  to  excess  elective  contributions  may be  based  upon  any
reasonable  method used to allocate income or loss to Participants'  accounts if
this method is consistently  applied to all  Participants  and to all corrective
distributions for the Plan Year, and (ii) the period between the end of the Plan
Year and the date of  distribution  may be disregarded in determining  income or
loss.  (3)  With  respect  to  any  taxable  year,  the  Participant's  elective
contributions  shall mean the sum of Employer  contributions made under a salary
reduction  agreement to the following  plans:  (i) a qualified  cash or deferred
arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) a simplified
employee pension plan described in Section  402(h)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue
Code;  (iii) an eligible  deferred  compensation  plan under  Section 457 of the
Internal  Revenue Code; (iv) any plan described under Section  501(c)(18) of the
Internal  Revenue Code; and (v) a plan for the purchase of an annuity  described
in Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

<PAGE>


3.6.1     Rollover Contributions
With the consent of the Retirement Committee,  an Employee may contribute to the
Plan any amount  received by him from another  qualified  plan provided that the
contribution must qualify as a rollover  contribution under the Internal Revenue
Code. The  Retirement  Committee may make rules for the  administration  of this
Section and may require  Participants to certify material facts before accepting
the rollover contribution. In addition to accepting rollover contributions,  the
Retirement  Committee may, in its sole  discretion,  accept a direct transfer of
assets from the trustee of another qualified plan.

3.7.     Irrevocability of Contributions
All  contributions  by the Employer shall be  irrevocable  except as provided in
Article 1.

3.8.     Contribution Records
The  Employer's  records  shall be  determinative  on all  matters  relating  to
contributions.

3.9.    Administrative Expenses
(1) The administrative expenses of the Plan and Fund shall be paid either by the
Employer or from the Fund.  The Employer  shall notify the Trustee in writing if
the entity  paying the  administrative  expenses  is  changed.  In the event the
Employer is responsible  for payment of expenses but does not make full payment,
they  shall be paid  from  the  Fund to the  extent  permitted  by law.  (2) All
transactional  costs or charges  imposed or  incurred  (if any) for  Participant
directed assets shall be charged to the
     Account of the directing  Participant or Beneficiary.  Transactional  costs
     and charges  shall  include,  but shall not be limited to,  charges for the
     acquisition or sale or exchange of Participant  directed assets,  brokerage
     commissions, service charges, and professional fees.

3.9.1.CREDITS TO PARTICIPANTS

3.10.    Maintenance of Accounts
(1) The Retirement  Committee shall keep individual accounts in the name of each
Participant  showing his interest in the Fund.  Each  Participant  shall have an
Elective  Contribution  Account  showing  the amount  attributable  to  elective
contributions  made on his behalf.  If applicable,  each  Participant also shall
have a Matching Contribution Account showing the amount attributable to matching
contributions made on his behalf, and an Employer  Contribution  Account showing
the amount  attributable  to  non-elective  Employer  contributions  made on his
behalf.  (2) Rollovers  from other  qualified  plans  accepted by the Retirement
Committee shall be segregated in a separate Rollover  Account.  Direct transfers
from  other  qualified  plans  accepted  by the  Retirement  Committee  shall be
segregated in a separate Transfer Account. After-tax contributions made prior to
July 1, 1997 shall be segregated in a separate After-Tax Account.

3.11.    Allocation of Employer Contributions
(1) Any matching  contributions  made by the Employer for the Plan Year shall be
allocated  Participants'  Matching  Contribution Accounts in accordance with the
terms and conditions under Section 4.2 of the Plan. The foregoing  contributions
shall be allocated to  Participants'  Accounts  regardless  of their  employment
status on the Anniversary Date or the Hours of Service completed during the Plan
Year. (2) Any non-elective  contributions made by the Employer for the Plan Year
shall be allocated among the Employer  Contribution Accounts of all Participants
who, as of the Anniversary Date, are employed by the Employer and have completed
1,000 Hours of Service during the Plan Year. The allocation shall be made in the
proportion that each Participant's  Compensation bears to the total Compensation
of all Participants.

3.12.    Annual Additions
Annual  Additions shall not during any Limitation Year exceed the lesser of: (i)
the defined  contribution dollar limitation;  or (ii) twenty-five percent of the
Participant's  Compensation  for the Plan Year. For the purpose of this Section,
the  defined   contribution   dollar  limitation  is  $30,000  or,  if  greater,
twenty-five  percent  of the  defined  benefit  dollar  limitation  set forth in
Section  415(b)(1) of the Internal  Revenue Code as in effect for the Limitation
Year. If a short Limitation Year is created because of an amendment changing the
Limitation  Year to a different  consecutive  twelve-month  period,  the maximum
permissible  amount will not exceed the defined  contribution  dollar limitation
multiplied by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number of months in the
short Limitation Year, and the denominator of which is twelve.
<PAGE>

3.13.    Allocation of Excess Contributions
If the contribution for any Participant  exceeds the limits specified in Section
5.3 for any Plan Year by reason of the allocation of  forfeitures,  a reasonable
error in estimating the  Participant's  Compensation,  or a reasonable  error in
estimating  the  Participant's  elective  deferrals,  the portion  exceeding the
limits shall, at the discretion of the Retirement  Committee,  be reallocated in
accordance  with one of the  four  methods  specified  in  Treasury  Regulations
Section 1.415-6(b)(6).

3.14.    Valuation of Accounts
A Participant's  Accounts shall be valued at fair market value on each Valuation
Date. With respect to Participant directed  investments,  the earnings,  losses,
and expenses (including  transactional expenses pursuant to Section 4.10) of the
Participant's  directed  investments  shall be  allocated  to the Account of the
Participant  or  Beneficiary  having  authority to direct the  investment of the
assets in the Account. The Valuation Date with respect to any distributions from
any Account shall be the date as of which the distribution is made.

3.15.    Limitation
No allocation or credit to any  Participant's  Account shall operate to vest any
right,  title or interest in the Trust Fund in a Participant  except at the time
or times, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in this Plan.

4.    VESTING OF BENEFITS

4.1.     Employee Contributions
Participants  shall be fully  vested in their  Elective  Contribution  Accounts,
After-Tax  Contribution  Accounts,  and  Rollover  Contribution  Accounts at all
times.

4.2.     Employer Contributions
(1)  Participants  who are credited with an Hour of Service on or after December
31,  1996 shall be fully  vested in their  Matching  Contribution  Accounts  and
Employer  Contribution  Accounts  at all times.  Vesting  for  Participants  who
terminated  employment  prior to January 1, 1997 shall be  determined  under the
vesting schedule in effect at that time. (2) Participants  who, prior to July 1,
1997, were participants in the PSC Scanning, Inc. Savings Plus 401(k) Plan shall
be  fully  vested  in  their   Matching   Contribution   Accounts  and  Employer
Contribution Account whether or not they are credited with an Hour of Service on
or after December 31, 1996.

5. DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS

5.1.     Application
The  value  of a  Participant's  Accrued  Benefit  shall  be  paid to him or his
Beneficiaries  only at the time,  to the extent,  and in the manner  provided in
this Article and in Article 8 and Article 9.

5.2.     Normal and Late Retirement
A Participant who separates from Service on or after his Normal  Retirement Date
shall be eligible to receive a  distribution  from the Plan.  The  Participant's
Accrued  Benefit  as  of  the  next  quarterly   Valuation  Date  following  his
termination of employment  shall be paid to him or commence to be paid to him as
soon as practical after that date.

5.3.     Death Benefit
If a Participant  dies prior to the Annuity  Starting  Date, his Spouse or other
Beneficiary  shall be  eligible  to receive a  distribution  from the Plan.  The
Participant's  Accrued Benefit as of the next quarterly Valuation Date following
the date of death  shall be paid or  commence  to be paid to his Spouse or other
Beneficiary  as soon as  practical  after  that  date.  If there is no Spouse or
designated  Beneficiary,  the  benefits  payable  under  this  Article  shall be
distributed to the executor or administrator of the Participant's  estate. If no
executor  or  administrator  is  appointed  within six  months  after his death,
distribution  shall be made to one or more of his relatives by blood or marriage
as the Retirement Committee in its sole discretion shall direct.

5.4.     Other Termination of Employment
A Participant who separates from Service for any reason other than retirement or
death  shall  be  eligible  to  receive  a  distribution   from  the  Plan.  The
Participant's  Accrued Benefit as of the next quarterly Valuation Date following
his termination of employment shall be paid to him or commence to be paid to him
as soon as practical after that date.

5.5.     After-Tax and Rollover Contributions
A  Participant  may  withdraw all or part of his  After-Tax  Account or Rollover
Account  at any  time.  The  Retirement  Committee  shall  establish  rules  and
procedures with respect to these withdrawals, including the timing and the order
of Accounts from which Participants may request distributions.



<PAGE>



5.6.     In-Service Distributions
A  Participant  who has  attained age 59 1/2 may withdraw all or part of his (i)
Elective  Contribution  Account;  (ii) Matching  Contribution Account; and (iii)
Employer  Contribution  Account.  The Retirement Committee shall establish rules
and procedures with respect to these  withdrawals,  including the timing and the
order of Accounts from which Participants may request distributions.

5.7.     Hardship Withdrawals
A Participant  who incurs a hardship shall be eligible to receive a distribution
from the Plan of up to 100 percent of his  elective  contributions  and matching
contributions to the Plan (other than earnings accrued after December 31, 1988).
All hardship distributions shall comply with the following terms and conditions.
(1) A Participant who desires to receive a hardship  distribution  from the Plan
must  provide  evidence  to the  Retirement  Committee  of an event  creating an
immediate  and  heavy  financial  need.   These  events  may  include,   without
limitation:
         (i)    Amounts  incurred or necessary  for medical  care, as defined in
                Section   213(d)  of  the  Internal   Revenue   Code,   for  the
                Participant, the Participant's spouse, or any of his dependents;
         (ii)   Purchase of a principal residence for the Participant;
         (iii)  Payment of tuition  and  related  educational  fees for the next
                twelve months of  post-secondary  education for the Participant,
                his Spouse, or any dependents; and
         (iv)   Payments  needed to prevent  eviction of a Participant  from his
                principal   residence  or  foreclosure  of  a  mortgage  on  his
                principal residence.
(2) In order to  certify  that  the  financial  need  cannot  be met from  other
resources reasonably available to the Participant, the Retirement Committee must
base hardship distributions in accordance with the following conditions:
         (i)    The  distribution  must not exceed the amount of  immediate  and
                heavy financial need, which may include any amounts necessary to
                pay any  federal,  state,  or local  income  taxes or  penalties
                reasonably anticipated to result from the distribution;
         (ii)   The  Participant  must  obtain  all  distributions,  other  than
                hardship  distributions,  and all  non-taxable  loans  currently
                available under all plans maintained by the Employer;
         (iii)  The Participant must suspend elective  contributions to the Plan
                (and any other plans  maintained  by the  Employer) for at least
                twelve months after receipt of the distribution; and
         (iv)   For the Calendar Year immediately following the Calendar Year of
                the  distribution,  the  amount  of the  Participant's  elective
                contributions  to the Plan must not  exceed  the  dollar  amount
                determined  under  Section 4.6 of the Plan reduced by the amount
                of the Participant's  elective contributions during the Calendar
                Year of the distribution.


5.8.     Consent to Distribution
The following  provisions shall control the consents  required for distributions
from the Plan.
(1) If the value of a  Participant's  Accrued  Benefit derived from Employer and
Employee  contributions  exceeds  (or at the  time  of  any  prior  distribution
exceeded)  $3,500,  and the Accrued  Benefit is immediately  distributable,  the
Participant  must  consent  to any  distribution  of the  Accrued  Benefit.  The
Retirement  Committee  shall  notify the  Participant  of the right to defer any
distribution  until the Participant's  Accrued Benefit is no longer  immediately
distributable,   and  shall  obtain  the  consent  of  the  Participant  to  the
distribution in writing within the 90-day period ending on the Annuity  Starting
Date.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions,  the consent of the Participant
shall not be required to the extent that a  distribution  is required to satisfy
Section  401(a)(9) or Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code. (2) If the value
of  a   Participant's   Accrued  Benefit  derived  from  Employer  and  Employee
contributions  does  not  exceed  (nor  at any  time of any  prior  distribution
exceeded)  $3,500,  and the Accrued  Benefit is immediately  distributable,  the
Retirement  Committee  shall  distribute  the  Accrued  Benefit  in one lump sum
payment  without  the  Participant's  consent at any time after the  Participant
terminates  employment.  (3) For purposes of Subsections  (1) and (2) above,  an
Accrued Benefit is immediately  distributable if any part of the Accrued Benefit
could  be  distributed  to  the  Participant  or  surviving  Spouse  before  the
Participant attains (or would have attained) age 62.

5.9.     Facility of Payment
If the Retirement  Committee receives evidence  satisfactory to it that a person
entitled  to  payments  under the Plan is  incompetent  by reason of physical or
mental Disability, the Retirement Committee shall have the power, subject to the
requirements  for  spousal  consent  set  forth in this  document,  to cause the
payments becoming due under the Plan to such person to be made to another person
for his  benefit  without  responsibility  of the  Retirement  Committee  or the
Trustees to see to the application of such funds.  Payments made pursuant to the
power herein conferred upon the Retirement Committee shall operate as a complete
discharge of the Trustees and the Retirement Committee.
<PAGE>

5.10.    Limitation
Benefits  under this Plan shall be payable only out of the Fund. No person shall
have any rights under the Plan with respect to the Fund,  or against the Trustee
or the Employer, except as specifically provided for in this instrument.

5.10.1   REQUIRED DISTRIBUTIONS

5.11.    Delay of Distributions By Employer
Unless  otherwise  elected by the  Participant,  no distribution  shall commence
later than sixty days after the end of the Plan Year in which  occurs the latest
of the following  events:  (i) the attainment of age 65 by the  Participant  (or
Normal  Retirement Date, if earlier);  (ii) the tenth anniversary of the year in
which the Participant  commenced  participation  pursuant to Article 3; or (iii)
termination  of the  Participant's  Service with the Employer.  The failure of a
Participant  or Spouse to  consent  to a  distribution  shall be deemed to be an
election to defer  commencement of payment of any benefit  sufficient to satisfy
the requirements of this Section.

5.12.    Delay of Distributions By Participants
Distributions to Participants shall be paid or commence to be paid by April 1 of
the Calendar Year following the Calendar Year in which the  Participant  attains
age 70 1/2 regardless of his continued employment. Distributions to Participants
in subsequent Calendar Years, including the Calendar Year containing the April 1
commencement  date,  must  be  made  on or  before  December  31 of  each  year.
Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, a Participant who attained age 70 1/2
prior to January 1, 1988 and who is not a Five Percent  Owner may defer  payment
of any  distribution  to April 1 of the Calendar Year  following his  separation
from Service.  A  Participant  who is not a Five Percent Owner at age 70 1/2 but
who becomes a Five Percent Owner in a subsequent  year shall commence  receiving
distributions  on April 1 of the Calendar  Year  following  the Calendar Year in
which he becomes a Five Percent Owner.

5.13.    Minimum Distributions
Distributions  in any form  other  than a lump sum must be paid over a period no
longer  than  the  life  expectancies  of the  Participant  and  any  designated
Beneficiary.  The amount  distributed each year must be equal to or greater than
the quotient  obtained by dividing the  Participant's  vested Accrued Benefit by
the  life  expectancy  of  the  Participant,  or the  joint  and  last  survivor
expectancy of the Participant and the designated Beneficiary, as computed by use
of the return  multiples  in Section  1.72-9 of the  Treasury  Regulations.  For
purposes of this  calculation,  the life expectancy of a Beneficiary  other than
the Participant's  Spouse shall be calculated only once, but the life expectancy
of  the  Participant  and  Spouse  shall  be  recalculated   annually.   If  the
Participant's  Spouse  is  not  the  designated   Beneficiary,   the  method  of
distribution  selected  must assure  that at least fifty  percent of the Accrued
Benefit is paid within the life expectancy of the Participant.

5.14.    Distributions Upon Death
Upon the death of a  Participant,  the  following  provisions  shall control the
payment of benefits from the Plan. (1) If  distributions to the Participant have
commenced prior to death,  but the Participant  dies before the  distribution is
complete, any remaining balance must be distributed under a method no less rapid
than the  method in effect at the time of  death.  (2) If  distributions  to the
Participant   have  not  commenced  prior  to  death  and  any  portion  of  the
Participant's Accrued Benefit is payable to a designated  Beneficiary other than
the Participant's Spouse, all benefits must be distributed by December 31 of the
fifth  Calendar  Year  following  the  Participant's  death unless the following
conditions  are met: (i) payments  are made for the life of the  Beneficiary  or
over a period not extending beyond the Beneficiary's  life expectancy,  and (ii)
payments  commence on or before  December 31 of the  Calendar  Year  immediately
following the Calendar Year in which the Participant died. If the Beneficiary is
the Participant's Spouse, all benefits must be distributed by December 31 of the
fifth  Calendar Year following the  Participant's  death unless (i) payments are
made for the  life of the  Spouse  or over a period  not  extending  beyond  the
Spouse's life expectancy, and (ii) payments need not commence until the later of
(a) December 31 of the Calendar Year immediately  following the Calendar Year in
which the Participant died, or (b) December 31 of the Calendar Year in which the
Participant  would  have  attained  age 70 1/2.  If the Spouse  dies  before the
payments  begin,  the  provisions of this Section 8.4 shall be applied as if the
Spouse  had  been  the  Participant.  For  purposes  of  this  Subsection,  life
expectancies  shall be  calculated  by use of the  return  multiples  of Section

<PAGE>

1.72-9 of the Treasury  Regulations.  The life expectancy of a Beneficiary other
than  the  Participant's  Spouse  may be  calculated  only  once,  and the  life
expectancy of the  Participant and Spouse may be recalculated no more frequently
than annually.  (3) If the Participant has not made an election pursuant to this
Section by the time of his death, the Participant's  designated Beneficiary must
elect the  method of  distribution  by the  earlier  of (i)  December  31 of the
Calendar  Year in which the  distribution  would be required  to begin,  or (ii)
December 31 of the fifth Calendar Year following the Participant's death. If the
Participant has no designated Beneficiary,  or if the Beneficiary does not elect
a method of distribution, distribution of the Participant's entire interest must
be  completed  by  December  31  of  the  fifth   Calendar  Year  following  the
Participant's  death.  (4) For purposes of Subsection  (2) above,  if the Spouse
dies  after the  Participant  but  before  payments  to the  Spouse  begin,  the
provisions  of  Subsection  (2)  shall  apply  as if the  Spouse  had  been  the
Participant,   except  that  the  Spouse's   Beneficiary  must  begin  receiving
distributions  on  or  before  December  31 of  the  Calendar  Year  immediately
following the Calendar Year in which the Spouse died. 6. FORM OF DISTRIBUTION

6.1.     Optional Forms of Distribution
A Participant may elect to receive payment of his distribution in the form of:
         (i)      A lump sum; or
         (ii)     Periodic  installments  of at least one hundred  dollars for a
                  period  certain,  not extending  beyond the life expectancy of
                  the  Participant,  or,  if  he  designates  a  Beneficiary  to
                  continue  receiving the installments after his death, the life
                  expectancy of the Participant and his Beneficiary.

6.2.     Designation of Beneficiaries
Designation  of  Beneficiaries  shall be in a  written  form  prescribed  by the
Retirement  Committee,  which shall include the name, address,  sex, and date of
birth of the Beneficiary.  No designation  shall be effective unless it is filed
with  the  Retirement  Committee  prior  to  the  death  of the  Participant.  A
Participant may change Beneficiary  designations at any time, and the consent of
the Beneficiary shall not be required in the event of any change. Designation of
a Beneficiary other than the Participant's  Spouse shall not be effective unless
made in accordance with the following provisions. (1) A married Participant may,
with the consent of his Spouse, designate a Beneficiary other than his Spouse to
receive payment of the pre-retirement death benefit provided in Section 7.4. The
waiver shall be made in the form prescribed by the Retirement  Committee,  shall
contain the  written  consent of the  Participant  and Spouse  together  with an
acknowledgment of its effect,  and shall be witnessed by a notary public. If the
Participant has no Spouse or the Spouse cannot be located,  the Participant must
certify these facts in the waiver.  (2) Any waiver made pursuant to this Section
may be revoked by filing a written  revocation with the Retirement  Committee at
least 15 days prior to the Participant's  Annuity Starting Date. (3) Any consent
required  by this  Section  shall be valid  only with  respect to the Spouse who
signs the  consent.  A  participant  who  obtains the consent of his Spouse to a
waiver  under  this  Section  must  obtain  spousal  consent  to any  subsequent
election.

6.3.     Notice Requirements
The  Retirement   Committee  shall  provide  each  Participant  with  a  written
explanation  of the forms of  distribution  available  under  Section 9.1.  Each
Participant  shall  receive  the notice no more than 90 days and no less than 30
days before the Annuity  Starting  Date.  Distributions  may commence  less than
thirty days after this notice has been given to the  Participant,  provided that
(i)  the  Retirement   Committee   clearly  informs  the  Participant  that  the
Participant  has the right to a period of at least 30 days after  receiving  the
notice to decide whether or not to elect a distribution  (and, if applicable,  a
particular  option),  and (ii) the  Participant,  after  receiving  the  notice,
affirmatively elects a distribution.

6.4.     Eligible Rollover Distribution
This  Section  applies  to  distributions  made on or  after  January  1,  1993.
Notwithstanding  any provision of the Plan to the contrary that would  otherwise
limit a Distributee's  election under this Section,  a Distributee may elect, at
the time and in the manner prescribed by the Retirement  Committee,  to have any
portion  of an  Eligible  Rollover  Distribution  paid in the  form of a  direct
rollover  to an Eligible  Retirement  Plan  specified  by the  Distributee.  The
Retirement Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, prescribe uniform
and  nondiscrimination  standards  for payouts of Direct  Rollovers,  including,
without  limitation,  a requirement that Direct Rollovers be made in amounts not
less than five hundred dollars. (1) Eligible Rollover Distribution:  An Eligible
Rollover  Distribution is any  distribution of all or any portion of the balance
to the credit of the Distributee,  except that an Eligible Rollover Distribution
does not include:  (i) any distribution that is one of a series of substantially
equal periodic  payments (not less  frequently  than annually) made for the life
(or life  expectancy)  of the  Distributee  or the joint  lives  (or joint  life
expectancies) of the Distributee and Distributee's  designated  beneficiary,  or
for a specified period of ten years or more; (ii) any distribution to the extent
such distribution is required under Section 401(a)(9) of the Code; and (iii) the
portion of any distribution  that is not includable in gross income  (determined
without regard to the exclusion for net unrealized  appreciation with respect to
employer securities).  (2) Eligible Retirement Plan: An Eligible Retirement Plan
is an individual  retirement account described in Section 408(a) of the Code, an
individual  retirement  annuity  described  in  Section  408(b) of the Code,  an
annuity  plan  described  in Section  403(a) of the Code,  or a qualified  trust
described in Section 401(a) of the Code, that accepts the Distributee's Eligible
Rollover  Distribution.  In the case of an Eligible Rollover Distribution to the
surviving  spouse,  however,  an  Eligible  Retirement  Plan  is  an  individual
retirement  account  or  individual  retirement  annuity.  (3)  Distributee:   A
Distributee includes an Employee or former Employee. In addition, the Employee's
or former  Employee's  surviving Spouse and the Employee's or former  Employee's
Spouse or former  Spouse who is the alternate  payee under a qualified  domestic
relations order, as defined in Section 414(p) of the Code, are Distributees with
regard to the interest of the Spouse or former Spouse.  (4) Direct  Rollover:  A
Direct  Rollover  is a  payment  by the  Plan to the  Eligible  Retirement  Plan
specified by the Distributee.


<PAGE>


7.  TOP HEAVY REQUIREMENTS

7.1.     Minimum Allocations
Notwithstanding the allocation formula contained in Article 5, for any Plan Year
in which the Plan is Top  Heavy  the  Employer  contributions  allocated  to the
Employer  Contribution Account of any Participant who is not a Key Employee must
not be less than the Minimum  Allocation.  In the event that Minimum Allocations
would  not   otherwise   be  provided  to  these   Participants,   the  Employer
contributions shall be allocated first to the Employer  Contribution Accounts of
these  Participants in amounts sufficient to fund the Minimum  Allocations,  and
the balance shall be allocated to all other  Participants  under the  allocation
formula set forth in Article 5. A Non-Key  Employee who meets the  participation
requirements  of the Plan and who is  employed  on the last day of the Plan Year
shall receive his Minimum Allocation without regard to his level of Compensation
or to his  failure  to  complete  the  Hours of  Service  needed to  receive  an
allocation of Employer Contributions for the Plan Year. Minimum Allocations also
shall be provided to any Key Employees who would not otherwise receive them. The
provisions  of this Section 10.1 shall not apply to  Participants  covered under
any other  qualified  retirement plan maintained by the Employer if the Employer
has elected to provide minimum contributions or benefits under another plan.

8.ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

8.1.     Appointment of Retirement Committee
The Employer  shall  appoint a Retirement  Committee  consisting  of one or more
persons as determined by the Employer.  Each person appointed as a member of the
Retirement   Committee   shall  signify  his  acceptance  by  filing  a  written
acknowledgment  with the Employer.  Any member of the  Retirement  Committee may
resign by delivering his written resignation to the Employer.

8.2.     Named Fiduciaries
The  Retirement  Committee and its members are the named  fiduciaries  with full
authority   and   responsibility   to  control  and  manage  the  operation  and
administration of the Plan.

8.3.     Responsibilities of Retirement Committee
The Retirement  Committee  shall have the exclusive  right to interpret the Plan
(but not to  modify or amend  the  Plan)  and to  decide  any and all  questions
arising in the administration,  interpretation, and application of the Plan. The
Retirement  Committee shall establish  whatever rules it finds necessary for the
operation and administration of the Plan and shall endeavor to apply these rules
in its decisions so as not to discriminate in favor of any person. The decisions
of the  Retirement  Committee  or its action  with  respect to the Plan shall be
conclusive  and binding upon the Employer and all persons  having or claiming to
have any right or interest in or under the Plan.

8.4.     Delegation of Responsibilities
The members of the Retirement  Committee may elect from their number a chairman,
who need not be a  Participant,  and may appoint a secretary,  who need not be a
Participant  nor a member of the  Retirement  Committee.  They may appoint  from
their number such committees with such powers as they shall determine.  They may
allocate  fiduciary  responsibility  among  themselves  or delegate any of their
duties or  responsibilities  to other persons,  including the Employer or any of
its  officers or  employees.  Any such  allocation  or  delegation  of fiduciary
responsibilities   shall  be  by  an  instrument   in  writing,   setting  forth
specifically  the  delegated  duties,  signed by or on behalf of the  Retirement
Committee  and the  delegated  fiduciary  and shall be exercised in a reasonable
manner  taking  into  account the  discretionary  or  ministerial  nature of the
responsibility  allocated or delegated  and the  capabilities  of such person or
persons to whom the responsibility is allocated or delegated.


8.5.     Third Party Contracts
The  Retirement  Committee  or any  person  or  persons  to whom the  Retirement
Committee has delegated fiduciary responsibilities may employ, with the approval
of the Retirement Committee, one or more accountants,  actuaries,  legal counsel
or other  persons as shall be deemed  necessary  for the  effective  control and
management of the operation and  administration  of the Plan. The members of the
Retirement  Committee,  the Employer and its  officers  and  directors,  and any
person to whom any duty or  responsibility  has been delegated by the Retirement
Committee shall be entitled to rely upon all tables,  valuations,  certificates,
opinions and reports furnished by any duly appointed accountant,  actuary, legal
counsel or other  person and shall be fully  protected  in respect of any action
taken or  permitted  by them in good  faith in  reliance  upon any such  tables,
valuations, certificates, reports or opinions.
<PAGE>

8.6.     Meetings
The Retirement  Committee shall hold meetings upon such notice, at such place or
places,  and at such  time or times as they may  determine.  A  majority  of the
members  of  the  Retirement   Committee  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the
transaction  of  business.  All  resolutions  or  other  actions  taken  by  the
Retirement  Committee  shall  be by vote of a  majority  of those  present  at a
meeting of the  Retirement  Committee  at which a quorum shall be present or, if
they act  without a meeting,  in writing  by all the  members of the  Retirement
Committee.  The Retirement Committee may designate one or more of its members to
sign  and to send  and  receive  communications  and  documents  to and from the
Trustees or any person.

8.7.     Expenses
No member of the Retirement  Committee  shall receive any  compensation  for his
services,  but the Employer may reimburse any member for any necessary  expenses
incurred.

8.8.     Reports
The Retirement Committee shall maintain accounts showing the fiscal transactions
of the Plan, and shall keep in convenient form such data as may be necessary for
actuarial  valuations,  if required,  of the assets and liabilities of the Plan.
The  Retirement  Committee  shall  have a report  prepared  annually  showing in
reasonable  detail  the assets  and  liabilities  of the Plan and giving a brief
account of the  operation of the Plan for the past year.  Such reports  shall be
submitted to the Employer.

8.9.     Plan Administrator
The Employer may appoint a person or persons to act as Plan Administrator within
the  meaning of Section  3(16)(A)  of ERISA.  The  Employer  may remove the Plan
Administrator  from office at any time. Any such appointment or removal shall be
in writing. If more than one Plan Administrator is appointed, the duties of Plan
Administrator may be allocated among them in the instruments of appointment;  if
this is done, no Plan  Administrator  shall be responsible for performing duties
that have been allocated to another Plan  Administrator.  If no such appointment
is made, the Employer shall be the Plan  Administrator.  The Plan  Administrator
shall file such documents as are required of him and shall have such  additional
duties as are required by ERISA and  applicable  law, and as may be delegated to
him in the instrument of appointment or in an instrument of delegation  executed
by the Retirement Committee pursuant to Section 11.4.

8.10.    Indemnification
Each person who is or has been a member of the Retirement  Committee or the Plan
Administrator  shall be indemnified by the Employer against expenses  (including
amounts  paid in  settlement  with  the  approval  of the  Employer)  reasonably
incurred by him in  connection  with any action,  suit or proceeding to which he
may be a party or with which he shall be threatened  by reason of his being,  or
having been, a member of the Retirement Committee or Plan Administrator,  except
in relation to matters as to which he shall be adjudged in such action,  suit or
proceeding to be liable for a breach of fiduciary  responsibility due to willful
misconduct  in  the   performance  of  his  duties.   The  foregoing   right  of
indemnification  shall be in addition to any other rights to which any member of
the Retirement  Committee or Plan  Administrator  may be entitled as a matter of
law.

9.AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN

9.1.     Amendment
(1) The  Employer,  by action of the Board,  may  authorize the amendment of the
Plan at any time or from time to time by an instrument in writing, provided that
no amendment shall:
         (i)    Deprive any Participant or Beneficiary of any Accrued Benefit;
         (ii)   Reduce  the  vested  percentage  of the  Accrued  Benefit of any
                Employee who is a  Participant  as of the later of the date such
                amendment is adopted or the date it becomes effective;
         (iii)  Eliminate  an optional  form of benefit with respect to benefits
         attributable  to service before the amendment;  or (iv) Provide for the
         use of funds or assets held under the Plan other than for the exclusive
         benefit of Participants and
                their Beneficiaries.
(2) If any amendment  modifies the vesting schedule of the Plan each Participant
who has at least three Years of Service on the latter of the date such amendment
is adopted or is effective may elect to have the existing vesting schedule apply
to him rather than the new vesting schedule, provided that such election is made
within 60 days after the later of the date the  amendment  is adopted,  the date
the amendment becomes effective, or the date the Participant is issued notice of
the plan amendment by the Employer or the Retirement Committee. For Participants
who do not have at least one Hour of  Service in any Plan Year  beginning  after
December 31, 1988,  five Years of Service should be substituted  for three Years
of Service in the preceding sentence.

9.2.     Termination
The Plan is intended by the Employer to be a long-term program for the provision
of retirement benefits for its Employees. The Employer nevertheless reserves the
right to  terminate  the Plan at any time and for any  reason.  The  termination
shall be authorized by the Board and effected by a written instrument.  (1) Upon
termination  or  partial  termination  of the Plan by formal  written  notice or
actual operation or upon a complete  discontinuance  of contributions  under the
Plan,  the rights of all affected  Participants  to the amounts  credited to the
Employees'   Accounts   shall  become  fully  vested  and   nonforfeitable   and
distribution  shall  commence  forthwith in accordance  with the Plan. The Trust
shall remain in existence until all funds held thereunder are distributed.

(2) Upon termination of the Plan without establishment or maintenance of another
defined  contribution  plan  (other  than an employee  stock  ownership  plan as
defined in Section  4975(e) or a simplified  employee plan as defined in Section
408(h) of the Internal Revenue Code), the Retirement  Committee shall distribute
all benefits to Participants in the form of a lump sum.

9.3.     Satisfaction of Liabilities
The Plan  may be  discontinued  by the  Employer  at any  time,  subject  to the
applicable  restrictions of the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
or any similar law and upon the condition  that it shall be  impossible,  at any
time prior to the  satisfaction of all liabilities  with respect to Participants
and  Beneficiaries,  for any part of the corpus of the Fund or income thereon to
be used for or diverted to purposes other than for the  administrative  expenses
of  the  Plan  and  Fund  and  the  exclusive   benefit  of   Participants   and
Beneficiaries.

10.ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRUST

10.1.    Trust Agreement
(1) The Board shall establish a trust to hold the Fund. Within a reasonable time
after each Valuation Date, the Trustee shall deliver to the Committee a detailed
accounting  of its  administration  of the Fund  during  the  period  since  the
preceding  Valuation  Date,  including an inventory of the assets of the Fund at
their fair market value as of the Valuation Date. The rights and other duties of
the Trustee shall be set forth in a Trust Agreement to be adopted by the Trustee
and the Board.  More than one Trustee may serve  concurrently,  and there may be
more than one Trust  Agreement  and more than one Fund,  in which case the words
"Trustee,"  "Trust  Agreement," and "Fund" in this instrument shall be deemed to
refer  to all  Trustees,  Trust  Agreements,  and  Funds  collectively.  (2) The
adoption  and  amendment  of the Trust  Agreement,  the review of the  Trustee's
performance,  and the  appointment  and  removal  of the  Trustee  shall  be the
responsibility  of the Board and not that of the  Committee or any other person,
and the  Board  shall be a "named  fiduciary"  within  the  meaning  of  Section
402(a)(2)  of ERISA with  respect to these  activities.  (3) If permitted by the
Trust  Agreement,  the Board may  appoint  an  investment  manager  other than a
Trustee to manage the  investment  of all or part of the Fund.  Such  investment
manager shall  acknowledge in writing that it is a fiduciary with respect to the
Plan and shall be and  continue  to be (a)  registered  in good  standing  as an
investment  advisor under the  Investment  Advisors Act of 1940,  (b) a bank, as
defined in that Act, or (c) an insurance company qualified to perform investment
management  services under the laws of more than one state of the United States.
The terms of such  appointment  shall permit the Board to remove the  investment
manager at any time and without cause.

10.2.    Duties of the Trustee
It shall be the duty of the Trustee (i) to hold,  invest and  reinvest the Fund,
(ii) to pay moneys  from the Fund to persons  entitled  thereto  pursuant to the
written orders of the Retirement Committee,  and (iii) to perform any other acts
or duties required of it by the terms of the Trust Agreement.

10.3.    Direction of Investment by Participants
Each  Participant  shall be permitted to exercise control over the assets in his
Elective  Contribution  Account,   After-Tax   Contribution  Account,   Matching
Contribution   Account,   Rollover  Account,   Transfer  Account,  and  Employer
Contribution  Account.  The  Employer  shall  provide  a variety  of  investment
alternatives to  Participants  in accordance with its funding policy,  and shall
select one or more dates during the Plan Year when  Participants  can direct the
investment of their Accounts or change a prior investment election. The Employer
may,  in  its  discretion,   delegate   responsibility   for  administration  of
Participant-directed investments to the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee.

10.4.    Loans to Participants
Any Participant  may file a written  application  with the Retirement  Committee
requesting a loan from the Fund. The Retirement  Committee shall investigate the
application and approve or disapprove the loan in its sole discretion. All loans
shall  comply  with the rules and  requirements  outlined  in the Summary of the
Participant  Loan  Program  attached  to this  document,  which  the  Retirement
Committee may amend from time to time in its sole discretion.
<PAGE>

10.4.1   GENERAL PROVISIONS

10.5.    Employment Status
The adoption  and  maintenance  of the Plan shall not be deemed to  constitute a
contract between the Employer and any Employee or to be a consideration  for, or
an inducement to or condition of, the  employment of any person.  Nothing herein
contained  shall be deemed to: (i) give to any Employee the right to be retained
in the employ of the Employer,  (ii) interfere with the right of the Employer to
discharge  any  Employee at any time,  (iii) give to the  Employer  the right to
require  any  Employee  to  remain in its  employ,  or (iv)  interfere  with any
Employee's right to terminate his employment with the Employer at any time.

10.6.    Nonalienation of Benefits

Except to the extent that this  provision  may be contrary to law, the rights of
Participants  and  Beneficiaries   under  the  Plan  shall  not  be  subject  to
assignment,  attachment,  garnishment,  or alienation in any form, provided that
nothing in this Article  shall  preclude  the payment of benefits  pursuant to a
Qualified  Domestic Relations Order as defined in Section 414(p) of the Internal
Revenue Code, or any domestic relations order entered before January 1, 1985. If
a Qualified  Domestic  Relations Order provides for distribution to an alternate
payee (within the meaning of Section 414(e) of the Internal Revenue Code) of the
total benefit payable to the alternate payee from the Plan in a single sum, then
the  distribution  shall  be  made  pursuant  to the  order  whether  or not the
Participant  would otherwise be entitled to receive a distribution from the Plan
at the time of the distribution to the alternate payee.

10.7.    Impossibility of Performance
In the event that it becomes  impossible  for the  Employer  to perform  any act
under  the  Plan,  that act  shall be  performed  which in the  judgment  of the
Employer will most nearly carry out the intent and purposes of the Plan.

10.8.    Construction
In the  event  that  there  should  be any  question  as to the  meaning  of any
provision of the Plan,  the  interpretation  that governs  shall,  to the extent
allowable by law, be the one which complies with the Employee  Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 and which  maintains  the status of the Plan as a qualified
employee pension benefit plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.


10.9.   Termination of Trust
If the continued  existence of the Trust beyond a certain  period would cause it
to fail by operation of law, it shall continue for the maximum period  permitted
and shall then terminate with distribution of assets as provided in the Plan.

10.10.   Governing Law
All legal  questions  pertaining  to the Plan shall be  determined in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York except when those laws are  preempted  by
the laws of the United States.

10.11.   Mergers and Transfers
In the case of any  merger  or  consolidation  with or  transfer  of  assets  or
liabilities of this Plan to any other plan,  each  Participant in the Plan shall
be  entitled to receive a benefit  which he would have been  entitled to receive
had this plan been terminated  immediately after the merger,  consolidation,  or
transfer at least  equal to the  benefit he would have been  eligible to receive
prior to the merger, consolidation, or transfer.

10.12.   Participating Employers
(1) With the consent of the Employer,  any corporation which, with the Employer,
is a member of an affiliated group of corporations as defined in Section 1504 of
the Code and a member of a commonly  controlled group of corporations as defined
in  Section  414(b) of the  Code,  may adopt  this Plan for the  benefit  of its
employees and  participate  herein by resolution of its board of directors.  Any
corporation that adopts this Plan shall be known as a "Participating  Employer."
A  list  of  all  Participating  Employers  and  the  Effective  Date  for  each
Participating  Employer  is set forth in  Appendix  A, which is attached to this
Plan. Unless the context indicates to the contrary,  the term "Employer" as used
throughout the other Articles of this Plan and the term "Participating Employer"
as used in  Subsections  (3),  (4), (5) and (6) of this  Section  shall mean the
Employer and each Participating Employer. 

     (2)  The Trustee, Retirement Committee members, and other Plan fiduciaries,
          agents, and employees  appointed or hired by the Employer shall act in
          their  respective  capacities  with  respect  to the Plan and Trust as
          adopted by any Participating  Employer.  Each  Participating  Employer
          shall be deemed to have  granted  the  Employer  the power of appoint,
          hire,  retain,  direct,  deal with, remove or discharge any fiduciary,
          agent  or  employee  of the  Plan,  and,  when the  Employer  deems it
          advisable,  to amend or terminate the Plan. The  Retirement  Committee
          shall have  authority to make any and all  policies and rules  binding
          upon the Employer,  all Participating  Employers and all Participants,
          to effectuate the purposes of this Article.
<PAGE>

     (3)  The  Trustee  shall  commingle,  hold  and  invest  in a  single  Fund
          contributions made by all Participating  Employers,  together with the
          income and profits thereon. Any expenses of the trust not borne by the
          Fund shall be paid by the Participating Employers.

     (4)  If an Employee is transferred between  Participating  Employers (or an
          Employee's  service with one Participating  Employer is terminated and
          he later commences  service with another  Participating  Employer) all
          service with the transferor (or the previous  Participating  Employer)
          shall  be  considered  service  with  the  transferee  (or  subsequent
          Participating  Employer) for all purposes under this Plan and shall be
          taken into account in accordance  with the provisions of this Plan. No
          direct  transfer by an  Employee  from one  Participating  Employer to
          another shall be  considered a termination  of employment or by itself
          result in a Break in Service.  (5) All contributions  made pursuant to
          Section  4.2,  as  agreed  to among  the  Employer  and  Participating
          Employers,  shall be allocated among the Accounts of all  Participants
          of all Participating  Employers,  in accordance with the provisions of
          the Plan. Any forfeiture from the Account of any Participants shall be
          allocated among the Accounts of all Participants of all  Participating
          Employers,  in accordance  with the  provisions  of the Plan.  (6) Any
          Participating  Employer may discontinue its  participation in the Plan
          at any time by properly executing a document  evidencing its intent to
          do so and delivering the same to the Trustee and Retirement  Committee
          with  notification  and  evidence  satisfactory  to  the  Trustee  and
          Retirement  Committee of the  establishment  of any new plan and trust
          and appointment of, and acceptance by, a successor trustee. As soon as
          practicable  after the receipt of such  documents  and  evidence,  the
          Trustee shall  transfer and deliver all assets and  liabilities of the
          Fund allocable to the Participants (or their beneficiaries)  currently
          or most  recently  employed  by  such  Participating  Employer  to the
          successor trustee. If no separate plan and trust is established by the
          Participating  Employer,  or no person or  entity is  appointed  to or
          accepts the position of  successor  trustee,  then the  discontinuance
          shall be considered a partial  termination of the Plan with respect to
          the  Participating  Employer,  and each  Participant  affected thereby
          shall  immediately  become fully  vested in his Matching  Contribution
          Account and Employer  Contribution Account. In this event, the Trustee
          shall retain all assets and  liabilities  allocable to the Accounts of
          the affected Participants (or their beneficiaries).  In no event shall
          the  assets  of  the  Fund  (including  profits  and  income  thereon)
          allocable  to  the  Participants  (or  their   beneficiaries)  of  the
          Participating Employer be used or diverted for purposes other than the
          exclusive benefit of these persons.
<PAGE>

10.13.   Claims Procedure
Any person whose claim for benefits under this Plan is denied will be advised of
the denial  and the  specific  reasons  therefor  in  writing by the  Retirement
Committee and afforded an opportunity to meet with the Retirement  Committee for
a full and fair review of both the claim and the  decision  rendered.  Any claim
for a  benefit  shall  be  made  by  submitting  a  written  application  to the
Retirement  Committee at least 60 days before the intended  retirement  date. In
the case of a disability retirement or upon the death of a Participant,  a claim
shall be made within 90 days following the separation from service. Upon receipt
of a claim,  the  Retirement  Committee  shall  notify the  claimant of the time
periods within which a decision will be made by the Retirement Committee and the
time within which he must appeal a decision of the Retirement Committee.  Within
90 days after  receipt  of the  claim,  the  Retirement  Committee  will reach a
decision and notify the claimant.  Any person whose claim for benefits under the
Plan is denied  will be advised in writing by the  Retirement  Committee  of the
denial  and  the  reasons  therefore  including   references  to  specific  Plan
provisions.  If any additional  information or material is required to perfect a
claim, the claimant will be so advised. The time for processing the claim may be
extended for an additional 90 days by the Retirement Committee providing written
notice of such extension to the claimant. If the claimant is not notified of the
decision  of the  Retirement  Committee  within  90  days  (or  180  days if the
determination period is extended) the claim shall be deemed denied. In the event
that a claim is denied in whole or in part,  the  claimant  shall be informed of
the procedures to be followed to appeal the decision. 

10.14.  Appeal  Procedure
Any person whose claim for  benefits  has been denied may file a written  appeal
with the  Retirement  Committee  within 90 days after receipt by the claimant of
written  notification  of the denial or within 90 days after the claim is deemed
denied.  The claimant or his authorized  representative may review any pertinent
documents  and submit any issues or comments to the  Retirement  Committee.  The
claimant and/or his authorized  representative  shall be afforded an opportunity
to meet with the  Retirement  Committee  for a full and fair review of the claim
and  the  Retirement  Committee's  decision.  The  decision  of  the  Retirement
Committee  on appeal  will  normally  be made within 60 days of its receipt of a
written  appeal.  The time for  rendering  a  decision  may be  extended  for an
additional 60 days because of special circumstances, by the Retirement Committee
providing  written notice of such extension to the claimant.  The claimant shall
be  notified  in writing of the  decision of the  Retirement  Committee  and the
reasons  therefore  including  references  to specific Plan  provisions.  If the
claimant is not notified of the decisions within 60 days (120 days under special
circumstances)  then  the  claim  shall  be  deemed  denied  on  appeal.  

10.15.
Counterparts  The Plan may be  executed in any number of  counterparts,  each of
which shall be  considered an original.  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF PSC Inc. has caused
this instrument to be executed this ____ day of ___________, 19___.


                             By: _____________________________




<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE A
                             PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS

Participating Employer                                         Effective Date
PSC Scanning, Inc.                                              July 1, 1997
PSC Automation, Inc.                                            July 1, 1997



                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.19

                     Consent and Waiver to Credit Agreement
                             As of December 8, 1997

         Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of July 12, 1996 and
as amended  and in effect  immediately  prior to the date  hereof  (the  "Credit
Agreement")  by and among PSC SCANNING,  INC., a Delaware  corporation  formerly
known as  SpectraScan,  Inc.,  which is successor by merger to PSC  Acquisition,
Inc., (the "Borrower"),  PSC INC. ("PSC"),  the financial  institutions party to
the Credit Agreement (the "Lender Parties"),  FLEET BANK as the "Initial Issuing
Bank",  and FLEET BANK, as  administrative  agent (the  "Administrative  Agent")
under the Credit Agreement.

         Reference  is also made to the Summary of Rights to Purchase  Preferred
Stock annexed hereto as "Exhibit B" (the "Summary").

         All definitions  contained in the Credit  Agreement and the Summary are
incorporated herein by reference and all such defined terms are used herein with
the same meanings.

         The undersigned  Lender Parties hereby:  (1) consent to the declaration
of the dividend of the Rights described in the Summary and the actions which may
be taken by PSC  pursuant  to the Rights  Agreement,  and (2) waive the right to
deem such  dividend or such action to be a violation  of Section  5.02(g) of the
Credit Agreement or a Default or Event of Default under the Credit Agreement.

         Except as specifically  waived above, the Credit Agreement shall remain
in full force and effect.

         This  Consent and Waiver may be executed in any number of  counterparts
and by the  different  parties  hereto on separate  counterparts,  each of which
shall be  deemed  to be an  original,  and all of  which  taken  together  shall
constitute one and the same Consent and Waiver, regardless of whether or not the
execution by all parties shall appear on any single counterpart.  Delivery of an
executed  counterpart  of a  signature  page  to  this  Consent  and  Waiver  by
telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed  counterpart of
this  Agreement.  This  Consent  and  Waiver  will  become  effective  when  the
Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Consent and Waiver
which, when taken together, bear the signatures of the Required Lenders.


<PAGE>



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Administrative Agent and the undersigned Lender
Parties have caused a counterpart  of this Consent and Waiver to be executed and
delivered by their respective  representatives  thereunto duly authorized, as of
the date first above written.


FLEET BANK, as Administrative Agent FLEET BANK, as Initial Issuing Bank

By:                                                           By:
Title:                                               Title:


FLEET BANK                                           CORESTATES BANK, N.A.

By:                                                           By:
Title:                                               Title:


MANUFACTURERS & TRADERS                             KEY BANK NATIONAL
TRUST COMPANY                                       ASSOCIATION

By:                                                           By:
Title:                                               Title:



                                                   PILGRIM AMERICA PRIME RATE
SUMITOMO BANK                                      TRUST

By:                                                           By:
Title:                                               Title:




                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.23



                                    PSC INC.
                               PSC SCANNING, INC.
                                 675 Basket Road
                             Webster, New York 14580



                                                               December 29, 1997


JOHN HANCOCK MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
200 Clarendon Street
Boston, Massachusetts  02117

THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
LINCOLN NATIONAL INCOME FUND, INC.
c/o Lincoln Investment Management, Inc.
200 East Berry Street
Renaissance Square
Ft. Wayne, Indiana  46802

SECURITY-CONNECTICUT CORPORATION
SECURITY-CONNECTICUT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
20 Security Drive
Avon, Connecticut  06001

THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
c/o Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 37th Floor
New York, New York  10105

Re:      Consent and Waiver Under Securities Purchase Agreements and Warrants

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         PSC INC.,  a New York  corporation  (the  "Holding  Company"),  and PSC
SCANNING, INC., a Delaware corporation (formerly named SpectraScan,  Inc.) and a
Wholly-Owned  Subsidiary of the Holding Company (the  "Operating  Company") (the
Holding Company and the Operating Company are sometimes collectively referred to
herein as the "Companies" and each as a "Company"),  jointly and severally agree
with you as follows:

         1.  Definitions.  Reference is hereby made to those certain  Securities
Purchase  Agreements  dated July 12,  1996,  as amended  by  Amendment  No. 1 to
Securities  Purchase  Agreements  dated  October 10, 1996,  Amendment  No. 2 and
Waivers  Under  Securities  Purchase  Agreements  dated  as of July 4,  1997 and
Amendment No. 3 to Securities  Purchase Agreements and Warrants dated August 18,
1997 (as the same may be amended,  modified or  supplemented  from time to time,
the "Securities Purchase Agreements"),  among the Holding Company, the Operating
Company and each of you.  Capitalized terms used herein without  definition have
the meanings ascribed to them in the Securities Purchase Agreements.
<PAGE>

         2. Consent to Rights Plan.

                  (a)  Reference  is  hereby  made to the  Summary  of Rights to
         Purchase Preferred Stock, a true, correct and complete copy of which is
         attached  hereto as Exhibit A (the  "Summary"),  the  Rights  Agreement
         referred to in the Summary,  a true, correct and complete copy of which
         is  attached  hereto as  Exhibit B (the  "Rights  Agreement"),  and the
         Certificate of Amendment  referred to in the Summary,  a true,  correct
         and  complete  copy of which  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  C (the
         "Certificate of Amendment").

                  (b) Each of you hereby (i) consents to the  declaration of the
         dividend of the Rights (as defined in the Summary) in  accordance  with
         the Summary and Rights  Agreement and to the amendment of the Company's
         Organizational  Documents as provided in the  Certificate  of Amendment
         and (ii) waives any breach of section  14.6 or 14.16 of the  Securities
         Purchase  Agreements  arising solely on account thereof;  provided that
         nothing  herein  shall  be  deemed  to be (x) a  consent  to any  other
         transaction,  including,  without  limitation,  any other  issuance  of
         securities by the Holding  Company in connection with or related to the
         Rights or otherwise,  or (y) a waiver of any right of any holder of any
         Warrant  to any  adjustment  to the  Exercise  Price or the  number  of
         Warrant  Shares  issuable  upon  exercise of the Warrants  which may be
         required  under the terms of the Warrants on account of the issuance of
         the Rights or the Units  (each as defined in the  Summary) or any other
         related transaction or event.

                  (c) The  Holding  Company  agrees  that (i) the holders of the
         Warrants will be entitled to such adjustments as are provided for under
         the terms of the Warrants  upon the issuance of the Rights  and/or upon
         the  exercise  of  the  Rights,  (ii)  all  such  adjustments  will  be
         satisfactory  to the  Required  Holders  of the  Warrants  at the  time
         outstanding  and (iii) the Warrants and the Warrant Shares shall not be
         included  in  any  determination  of  whether  any  Person  or  Persons
         constitute an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Summary).


         3.   No Default, Representations and Warranties, etc.

                  (a) The  Companies  represent  and  warrant  that,  except  as
         otherwise  modified by (i) the documents referred to in section 5(a)(i)
         of Amendment No. 3 to Securities Purchase Agreements and Warrants dated
         August 18, 1997, (ii) the projections referred to on Exhibit B attached
         to Amendment No. 2 and Waivers  under  Securities  Purchase  Agreements
         dated  as of July 4,  1997,  (iii)  the  information  delivered  to the
         Purchasers  on June 11, 1997,  which is attached to Amendment No. 2 and
         Waivers Under Securities  Purchase  Agreements dated as of July 4, 1997
         as Exhibit C, and (iv) the  following  documents  filed by the  Holding
         Company with the  Commission  under the Exchange Act: (A) Form 10-Q for
         the  quarters  ended July 4, 1997 and  October 3, 1997 and (B) Form 8-K
         filed  on  September  24,  1997,  the  representations  and  warranties
         contained in the Securities Purchase Agreements and the other Operative
         Documents  are in all material  respects  correct on and as of the date
         hereof as if made on such date  (except to the extent  affected  by the
         consummation  of  transactions  permitted  by the  Securities  Purchase
         Agreements).  The Companies  further  represent and warrant that, after
         giving effect to the provisions of this Letter Agreement, no Default or
         Event of Default exists.

                  (b) The  Companies  each  ratify and  confirm  the  Securities
         Purchase  Agreements and each of the other Operative Documents to which
         each is a party  and  agree  that each  such  agreement,  document  and
         instrument is in full force and effect, that its obligations thereunder
         and under  this  Letter  Agreement  are its  legal,  valid and  binding
         obligations enforceable against it in accordance with the terms thereof
         and  hereof and that it has no  defense,  whether  legal or  equitable,
         setoff  or   counterclaim  to  the  payment  and  performance  of  such
         obligations.
<PAGE>

                  (c) The Companies  agree that (i) if any default shall be made
         in  the  performance  or  observance  of  any  covenant,  agreement  or
         condition  contained  in this  Letter  Agreement  or in any  agreement,
         document  or  instrument  executed in  connection  herewith or pursuant
         hereto or (ii) if any  representation or warranty made by the Companies
         herein or therein  shall prove to have been false or  incorrect  on the
         date as of which made,  the same shall  constitute  an Event of Default
         under  the  Securities  Purchase  Agreements  and the  other  Operative
         Documents  and, in such event,  you and each other holder of any of the
         Notes  shall  have all  rights  and  remedies  provided  by law  and/or
         provided or referred to in the Securities  Purchase  Agreements and the
         other Operative Documents. The Companies further agree that this Letter
         Agreement is an Operative  Document and all  references  thereto in the
         Securities  Purchase Agreements and in any other of the other Operative
         Documents shall include this Letter Agreement.

         4. Payment of Transaction Costs. The Companies shall pay all reasonable
fees  and  disbursements  incurred  by you in  connection  herewith,  including,
without  limitation,  the reasonable  fees,  expenses and  disbursements of your
special counsel.

         5. Governing Law. This Letter Agreement,  including the validity hereof
and the rights and obligations of the parties  hereunder,  shall be construed in
accordance  with and governed by the domestic  substantive  laws of the State of
New  York  without  giving  effect  to any  choice  of law or  conflicts  of law
provision or rule that would cause the  application of the domestic  substantive
laws of any other jurisdiction.

         6.  Miscellaneous.  The  headings  in  this  Letter  Agreement  are for
purposes of reference  only and shall not limit or otherwise  affect the meaning
hereof.  This Letter Agreement  embodies the entire agreement and  understanding
among the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and  understandings
relating to the subject  matter  hereof.  In case any  provision  in this Letter
Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability  of the remaining  provisions shall not in any way be affected or
impaired  thereby.  This  Letter  Agreement  may be  executed  in any  number of
counterparts  and by the parties  hereto on separate  counterparts  but all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.



            [The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]


<PAGE>


         If you are in  agreement  with the  foregoing,  please sign the form of
agreement  on  the  accompanying   counterpart  hereof,  whereupon  this  Letter
Agreement shall become a binding  agreement under seal among the parties hereto.
Please then return one of such counterparts to the Companies.

                                Very truly yours,

                                 PSC INC.



                                 By: _____________________________
                                                         (Title)

                               PSC SCANNING, INC.



                                 By: _____________________________
                                                         (Title)


         Each of the undersigned (a)  acknowledges  and assents to the terms and
provisions of the foregoing  Letter Agreement and (b) ratifies and confirms each
of the  Operative  Documents  to which it is a party and  agrees  that each such
Operative Document is in full force and effect, that its obligations  thereunder
are  its  legal,  valid  and  binding  obligations  enforceable  against  it  in
accordance  with the terms thereof and that it has no defense,  whether legal or
equitable,  setoff or  counterclaim,  to the  payment  and  performance  of such
obligations.

                              INSTAREAD CORPORATION



                                 By: _____________________________
                                                           (Title)


                              PSC AUTOMATION, INC.
                              (formerly named Laserdata Corporation)



                                 By: _____________________________
                                                           (Title)


<PAGE>


                            LASERDATA HOLDINGS, INC.



                                By: _____________________________
                                                           (Title)


                            PSC S.A., INC.



                                By: _____________________________
                                                           (Title)


                           PSC SCANNING SYSTEMS, INC.



                                By: _____________________________
                                                          (Title)



The foregoing is hereby accepted and agreed to:

JOHN HANCOCK MUTUAL LIFE
   INSURANCE COMPANY



By:  _____________________________
                                            (Title)


JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE LIFE
   INSURANCE COMPANY



By:  _______________________________
                                            (Title)


<PAGE>


THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE
   INSURANCE COMPANY

By:    Lincoln Investment Management, Inc.
       Its Attorney-in-Fact



       By:  ___________________________
                                            (Title)


LINCOLN NATIONAL INCOME FUND, INC.



By:  _______________________________
                                            (Title)


RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP., as successor
   to Security-Connecticut Corporation



By:  _______________________________
                                            (Title)


SECURITY-CONNECTICUT LIFE
   INSURANCE COMPANY



By:  _______________________________
                                            (Title)


THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE
   SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES



By:  _______________________________
                                            (Title)





                                                     
                                  EXHIBIT 22.1

                           SUBSIDIARIES OF REGISTRANT


                       PSC GmbH (100% owned by the Company
                          and incorporated in Germany)

                 PSC Bar Code Limited (100% owned by the Company
                     and incorporated in the United Kingdom)

            PSC Foreign Sales Corporation (100% owned by the Company
                  and incorporated in the U.S. Virgin Islands)

                 PSC Automation, Inc. (100% owned by the Company
                          and incorporated in Florida)

            Instaread Corporation (100% owned by PSC Automation, Inc.
                          and incorporated in Florida)

                  PSC Scanning, Inc. (100% owned by the Company
                          and incorporated in Delaware)

            PSC Asia Pacific Pty. Limited (100% owned by the Company
                         and incorporated in Australia)

                     PSC S.A.R.L. (100% owned by the Company
                           and incorporated in France)

                       PSC SRL (100% owned by the Company
                           and incorporated in Italy)

                    PSC Japan K.K. (100% owned by the Company
                           and incorporated in Japan)

                  PSC Belgium, Inc. (100% owned by the Company
                          and incorporated in Delaware)

                            PSC Scandanavia AB (100%
                           owned by PSC Bar Code Ltd.
                           and incorporated in Sweden)

                             Spectra Scan Pty. Ltd.
                        (100% owned by PSC Scanning, Inc.
                         and incorporated in Australia)










                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


       As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation
       of our report included in this Form 10-K,  into the Company's  previously
       filed Registration  Statements on Form S-8 File Nos. 33-30249,  33-38201,
       33-45610,  33-45614,  33-80084,  33-60343,  33-60389 and on Form S-3 File
       Nos. 33-31409, 33-44769, 33-89178, 333-13859 and 333-34715


                                                       /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP


       Rochester, New York,
          March 26, 1998


<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
                              FDS For 10-K
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         319379
<NAME>                        PSC Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                  1000
<CURRENCY>                       0
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                    DEC-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                           1
<CASH>                                2,271
<SECURITIES>                              0 
<RECEIVABLES>                        35,094
<ALLOWANCES>                          1,169
<INVENTORY>                          17,723
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                     56,657
<PP&E>                               35,469
<DEPRECIATION>                       13,024
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                      172,798
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                44,545
<BONDS>                                   0
                     0
                               1
<COMMON>                                114
<OTHER-SE>                           29,215
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>        172,798
<SALES>                             207,840
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                    207,840
<CGS>                               122,995
<TOTAL-COSTS>                        68,078
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                       (107)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                          0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   12,563
<INCOME-PRETAX>                       4,751
<INCOME-TAX>                          1,761
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                   2,990
<DISCONTINUED>                         (101)
<EXTRAORDINARY>                           0
<CHANGES>                                 0
<NET-INCOME>                          2,889
<EPS-PRIMARY>                          0.26
<EPS-DILUTED>                          0.24
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
                             Revised FDS for 1995
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                           319379
<NAME>                          PSC Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                    1,000
<CURRENCY>                          0
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                    DEC-31-1995
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                      1
<CASH>                           5,538
<SECURITIES>                     4,204
<RECEIVABLES>                   15,897
<ALLOWANCES>                       387
<INVENTORY>                     10,440
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                36,702
<PP&E>                          22,157
<DEPRECIATION>                   4,112
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                  71,237
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>           16,305
<BONDS>                              0
                0
                          0
<COMMON>                           100
<OTHER-SE>                      53,227
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>    71,237
<SALES>                         87,516
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                87,516
<CGS>                           50,634
<TOTAL-COSTS>                   28,863
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                  (388)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                 306
<INCOME-PRETAX>                  8,695
<INCOME-TAX>                     3,246
<INCOME-CONTINUING>              5,449
<DISCONTINUED>                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                      0
<CHANGES>                            0
<NET-INCOME>                     5,449
<EPS-PRIMARY>                     0.58
<EPS-DILUTED>                     0.54
        


</TABLE>


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