GOODRICH B F CO
S-3, 1996-05-08
PLASTIC MATERIALS, SYNTH RESINS & NONVULCAN ELASTOMERS
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<PAGE>   1
      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 8, 1996

                                                           Registration No. 333-
================================================================================

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  ----------

                                   FORM S-3
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                  ----------


                          THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           New York                                             34-0252680
 (State or other jurisdiction                                 (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

                                  ----------

                             3925 Embassy Parkway
                            Akron, Ohio 44333-1799
                                (330) 374-3985
        (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
           area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

                        Nicholas J. Calise, Secretary
                          The B.F.Goodrich Company
                             3925 Embassy Parkway
                            Akron, Ohio 44333-1799
                                (330) 374-3778
          (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                  including area code, of agent for service)

                                 -----------

                                  COPIES TO:

       Frank L. Schiff                               Robert H. Craft, Jr.      
        White & Case                                 Sullivan & Cromwell       
1155 Avenue of the Americas                     1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 
  New York, New York 10036                          Washington, D.C. 20006     

       APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
        From time to time after the effective date of this Registration
Statement as determined by market conditions.
                             --------------------
        IF THE ONLY SECURITIES BEING REGISTERED ON THIS FORM ARE BEING OFFERED
PURSUANT TO DIVIDEND OR INTEREST REINVESTMENT PLANS, PLEASE CHECK THE
FOLLOWING BOX. [ ]
        IF ANY OF THE SECURITIES BEING REGISTERED ON THIS FORM ARE TO BE
OFFERED ON A DELAYED OR CONTINUOUS BASIS PURSUANT TO RULE 415 UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, OTHER THAN SECURITIES OFFERED ONLY IN
CONNECTION WITH DIVIDEND OR INTEREST REINVESTMENT PLANS, CHECK THE FOLLOWING 
BOX. [X]
        IF THIS FORM IS FILED TO REGISTER ADDITIONAL SECURITIES FOR AN OFFERING
PURSUANT TO RULE 462(B) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING
BOX AND LIST THE SECURITIES ACT REGISTRATION STATEMENT NUMBER OF THE EARLIER
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SAME OFFERING. [ ]
        IF THIS FORM IS A POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT FILED PURSUANT TO RULE
462(C) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX AND LIST THE
SECURITIES ACT REGISTRATION STATEMENT NUMBER OF THE EARLIER EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SAME OFFERING. [ ]
        IF DELIVERY OF THE PROSPECTUS IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE PURSUANT TO 
RULE 434, PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX. [ ]

                                  ----------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=================================================================================================================================== 
            TITLE OF EACH CLASS                             PROPOSED MAXIMUM      PROPOSED MAXIMUM         AMOUNT OF
               OF SECURITIES            AMOUNT TO BE         OFFERING PRICE           AGGREGATE           REGISTRATION
             TO BE REGISTERED           REGISTERED(1)          PER UNIT(2)       OFFERING PRICE(1)(2)         FEE
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>                      <C>                <C>                    <C>
DEBT SECURITIES ....................    $150,000,000             100%               $150,000,000           $51,724.13
=================================================================================================================================== 
<FN>
(1)     OR, IF ANY DEBT SECURITIES ARE ISSUED AS AN ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT OR WITH A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT DENOMINATED IN A FOREIGN
        CURRENCY OR CURRENCY UNIT, SUCH PRINCIPAL AMOUNT AS SHALL RESULT IN AN AGGREGATE INITIAL OFFERING PRICE THE EQUIVALENT
        OF $150,000,000 AT THE TIME OF INITIAL OFFERING.
(2)     ESTIMATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALCULATING THE REGISTRATION FEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 457 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
                                                       --------------------
                Pursuant to Rule 429 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the prospectus which is a part of 
        this Registration Statement includes all the information currently required in a prospectus relating to the securities
        covered by Registration Statement No. 33-65658 of the Company, and such combined prospectus constitutes Post-Effective
        Amendment No. 3 to, and will be used in connection with, Registration Statement No. 33-65658.  The amount of Securities
        carried forward from Registration Statement No. 33-65658 is $151,000,000, in respect of which the Registrant has previously
        paid a filing fee of $47,187.50.
        THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS
        EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
        STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THIS 
        REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY
        DETERMINE.
====================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

                               EXPLANATORY NOTE

        The Prospectus Supplement entitled "$300,000,000 Medium-Term Notes,
Series A" included in this Registration Statement will be used in connection
with offerings registered by this Registration Statement and by the Registration
Statement that is post-effectively amended by this Registration Statement 
pursuant to Rule 429.

<PAGE>   2
 
             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO PROSPECTUS DATED MAY __, 1996
 
                                  $300,000,000
 
                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
                          MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES A
                  DUE MORE THAN NINE MONTHS FROM DATE OF ISSUE
                            ------------------------
 
    The B.F.Goodrich Company may offer from time to time its Medium-Term Notes,
Series A in an aggregate principal amount of up to $300,000,000. Each Note will
mature on a day more than nine months from its date of issue, as selected by the
purchaser and agreed to by the Company. Unless otherwise indicated herein or in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Notes will not be redeemable prior to
maturity by the Company and will not be subject to repayment prior to maturity
at the option of the holders thereof and will be issued in registered form in
denominations of $100,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Each Note will be represented either by a Global Note registered in the name of
The Depository Trust Company, as depositary, or a nominee thereof, or by a
certificate issued in definitive form, as set forth in the applicable Pricing
Supplement. Beneficial interests in Book-Entry Notes will be shown on, and
transfers thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by the
Depositary and its participants. Book-Entry Notes will not be exchangeable for
Certificated Notes except under the circumstances described under "Description
of Notes--Book-Entry System"
herein.
 
    Interest rates and interest rate formulae are subject to change by the
Company but no such change will affect any Note already issued or which the
Company has agreed to issue. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, each Note will bear interest at a fixed rate or at a
floating rate determined by reference to the CD Rate, the Commercial Paper Rate,
the Federal Funds Rate, LIBOR, the Prime Rate or the Treasury Rate, as adjusted
by the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any, applicable to such Note. Certain
Notes issued at a discount from the principal amount payable at maturity thereof
may provide that holders of such Notes will not receive periodic payments of
interest. See "Description of Notes--Original Issue Discount Notes".
 
    Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, interest on
Fixed Rate Notes will be payable each April 15 and October 15 and at maturity or
upon any earlier redemption or repayment and interest on Floating Rate Notes
will be payable on the dates indicated herein and in the applicable Pricing
Supplement. See "Description of Notes--Interest and Interest Rates".
                            ------------------------
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
    EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
       PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS
        SUPPLEMENT, ANY PRICING SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS TO WHICH
           IT RELATES. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
              CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              PRICE TO             AGENTS'                  PROCEEDS TO
                                              PUBLIC(1)         COMMISSIONS(2)             COMPANY(2)(3)
                                            -------------    --------------------    --------------------------
<S>                                         <C>              <C>                     <C>
Per Note................................        100%             .125-1.000%               99.875-99.000%
Total...................................    $300,000,000     $375,000-$3,000,000     $299,625,000-$297,000,000
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Unless otherwise indicated in a Pricing Supplement, Notes will be issued at
    100% of their principal amount.
 
(2) The Company will pay a commission to the Agents from .125% to 1.000% of the
    principal amount of any Note, depending upon its maturity, sold through such
    Agents (or sold to such Agents as principal in circumstances in which no
    other discount is agreed upon). The Company may also sell Notes to any Agent
    at a discount for resale to one or more investors or other purchasers at
    varying prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of resale or
    otherwise, as determined by such Agent. Unless otherwise indicated in an
    applicable Pricing Supplement, any Note sold to an Agent as principal shall
    be purchased by such Agent at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount
    thereof less a percentage equal to the commission applicable to any agency
    sale of a Note of identical maturity. See "Supplemental Plan of
    Distribution".
 
(3) Before deducting other expenses payable by the Company, estimated at
    $210,000.
                            ------------------------
 
    The Notes are being offered on a continuing basis by the Company through the
Agents, each of which has agreed to
use its reasonable best efforts to solicit offers to purchase the Notes. The
Company also may sell Notes to any Agent acting as principal for resale to
investors or other purchasers and may sell Notes directly to investors on its
own behalf in jurisdictions where it is authorized to do so. No commission will
be payable nor will a discount be allowed on any direct sales by the Company.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Notes will
not be listed on any securities exchange. The Company reserves the right to
withdraw, cancel or modify the offer made hereby without notice. The Company or
any Agent may reject any offer to purchase Notes, in whole or in part. See
"Supplemental Plan of Distribution".
                            ------------------------
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
           CITICORP SECURITIES, INC.
                       J.P. MORGAN & CO.
                                  MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
                                           INCORPORATED
                                            NATIONSBANC CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
                            ------------------------
 
             THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS MAY __, 1996.
<PAGE>   3
 
IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE AGENTS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE NOTES AT LEVELS
ABOVE THOSE WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH STABILIZING,
IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA HAS NOT APPROVED OR
DISAPPROVED THIS OFFERING NOR HAS THE COMMISSIONER PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR
ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT, ANY PRICING SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS
TO WHICH IT RELATES.
 
                              DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
 
     The following description of the particular terms of the Notes offered
hereby (referred to in the accompanying Prospectus as the "Debt Securities")
supplements, and to the extent inconsistent therewith replaces, the description
of the general terms and provisions of the Debt Securities set forth in the
Prospectus, to which reference is hereby made. Unless otherwise specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, the Notes will have the terms described below,
except that references to interest payments and interest-related information do
not apply to certain Original Issue Discount Notes (as defined below).
 
GENERAL
 
     The Pricing Supplement relating to a Note will describe the following
terms: (i) whether such Note is a Fixed Rate Note or a Floating Rate Note (each
as defined below); (ii) the price at which such Note will be issued (the "Issue
Price"); (iii) the date on which such Note will be issued (the "Original Issue
Date"); (iv) the date on which such Note will mature (the "Maturity Date"); (v)
if such Note is a Fixed Rate Note, the rate per annum at which such Note will
bear interest, if any; (vi) if such Note is a Floating Rate Note, the Base Rate,
the Initial Interest Rate, the Interest Payment Dates, the Index Maturity, the
Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any (each as defined below) and any other
terms relating to the particular method of calculating the interest rate for
such Note; (vii) whether such Note is an Original Issue Discount Note and
whether it has been issued with original issue discount for United States
Federal income tax purposes; (viii) whether such Note may be redeemed at the
option of the Company, or repaid at the option of the holder, prior to maturity
as described under "Optional Redemption" and "Repayment at the Noteholders'
Option; Repurchase" below and, if so, the provisions relating to such redemption
or repayment, including, in the case of any Original Issue Discount Notes, the
information necessary to determine the amount due upon redemption or repayment;
(ix) any relevant material tax consequences associated with the terms of such
Note which have not been described in "United States Tax Considerations" below;
and (x) any other terms of such Note not inconsistent with the provisions of the
Indenture.
 
     The Notes will be issued under an Indenture, dated as of May 1, 1991,
between The B.F.Goodrich Company (the "Company") and Harris Trust and Savings
Bank (the "Trustee"), as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to
time (said Indenture, as so supplemented, referred to herein as the
"Indenture"). The following summaries of certain provisions of the Indenture do
not purport to be complete, and are subject to, and are qualified in their
entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the Indenture, including the
definitions therein of certain terms. The Notes are limited to an aggregate
principal amount of $300,000,000.
 
     Each Fixed Rate Note will mature on a day more than nine months from the
date of issue, as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, as selected by
the initial purchaser and agreed to by the Company. In the event that such
maturity date of any Fixed Rate Note or any date fixed for redemption or
repayment of any Fixed Rate Note is not a Business Day (as defined below),
principal and interest payable at maturity or upon such redemption or repayment
will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same effect as if such
Business Day were the maturity date or the date fixed for redemption or
repayment and no interest shall accrue for the period from and
 
                                       S-2
<PAGE>   4
 
after the maturity date or date fixed for redemption or repayment to such next
succeeding Business Day.
 
     Each Floating Rate Note will mature on an Interest Payment Date (as defined
below) more than nine months from the date of issue as specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, as selected by the initial purchaser and agreed
to by the Company. In the event that the Maturity Date of any Floating Rate Note
or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of any Floating Rate Note is not a
Business Day, the required payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest
otherwise payable on such date need not be made on such date, but may be made on
the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on
the date such payment was due, and no interest shall accrue for the period from
and after the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) to such next
succeeding Business Day.
 
     Unless the applicable Pricing Supplement provides otherwise, the Notes will
be issuable only in registered form in denominations of $100,000 and integral
multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
 
     The Notes will be offered on a continuing basis, and each Note will be
issued initially as either a global note (a "Book-Entry Note") registered in the
name of The Depository Trust Company, as depositary (the "Depositary") or a
nominee thereof, or a certificate issued in definitive form (a "Certificated
Note").
 
     Principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be payable,
the transfer of the Notes will be registrable, and Notes will be exchangeable
for Notes bearing identical terms and provisions at the offices of the Trustee,
currently located at 77 Water Street, New York, New York. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, payment of interest, other than interest at maturity or upon
redemption or repayment, may, at the option of the Company, be made by check
mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears on the
security register at the close of business on the Regular Record Date
corresponding to the relevant Interest Payment Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Depositary, as holder of Book-Entry Notes, shall be entitled to
receive payments of interest by wire transfer of immediately available funds.
Book-Entry Notes will be exchangeable only in the manner and to the extent set
forth under "Description of Notes--Book-Entry System" herein.
 
     The principal and interest payable on each Note at maturity or upon
redemption or repayment will be paid by check mailed to the address of the
person entitled thereto against presentation of the Note at the office of the
Trustee, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
INTEREST AND INTEREST RATES
 
     Each Note will bear interest at either (a) a fixed rate (the "Fixed Rate
Notes") or (b) a floating rate determined by reference to an interest rate
formula (the "Floating Rate Notes"), which may be adjusted by a Spread and/or
Spread Multiplier (each as defined below). Any Floating Rate Note may also have
either or both of the following: (i) a maximum interest rate limitation, or
ceiling, on the rate at which interest may accrue during any interest period;
and (ii) a minimum interest rate limitation, or floor, on the rate at which
interest may accrue during any interest period. The applicable Pricing
Supplement will designate one of the following interest rate bases as applicable
to each Note: (a) a fixed rate per annum, in which case such Note will be a
"Fixed Rate Note"; (b) the CD Rate, in which case such Note will be a "CD Rate
Note"; (c) the Commercial Paper Rate, in which case such Note will be a
"Commercial Paper Rate Note"; (d) the Federal Funds Rate, in which case such
Note will be a "Federal Funds Rate Note"; (e) LIBOR, in which case such Note
will be a "LIBOR Note"; (f) the Prime Rate, in which case such Note will be a
"Prime Rate Note"; (g) the Treasury Rate, in which case such Note will be a
"Treasury Rate Note"; or (h) such other interest rate formula as is set forth in
such Pricing Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
interest rate on each Note will be equal to (a) in the case of a Fixed Rate
Note, a fixed rate; or (b) in the case of a Floating Rate Note, either (i) the
interest rate determined by reference to the specified interest rate formula (as
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement), plus or minus the Spread, if
any, and/or (ii) the
 
                                       S-3
<PAGE>   5
 
interest rate determined by reference to the specified interest rate formula,
multiplied by the Spread Multiplier, if any, plus or minus the Spread, if any.
The "Spread" is the number of basis points (one one-hundredth of a percentage
point) specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement to be added to or
subtracted from the Base Rate of such Floating Rate Note, and the "Spread
Multiplier" is the percentage specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement to
be applied to the Base Rate for such Floating Rate Note. The "Base Rate" is the
rate specified, or determined according to a formula specified, in the
applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
     Each Note will bear interest from its Original Issue Date or, except as
otherwise specified herein with respect to certain Floating Rate Notes, from the
most recent date to which interest on such Note has been paid or duly provided
for, at the annual rate, or at a rate determined pursuant to an interest rate
formula, stated therein, until the principal thereof is paid or made available
for payment. Interest will be payable on each Interest Payment Date (except for
certain Original Issue Discount Notes and except for Notes originally issued
between a Regular Record Date and an Interest Payment Date) and at maturity or
on redemption or repayment, if any.
 
     Interest will be payable to the person in whose name a Note is registered
at the close of business on the Regular Record Date next preceding the Interest
Payment Date; provided, however, that (i) if the Company fails to pay such
interest on such Interest Payment Date, such defaulted interest will be paid to
the person in whose name such Note is registered at the close of business on the
record date to be established for the payment of defaulted interest and (ii)
interest payable at maturity, redemption or repayment will be payable to the
person to whom principal shall be payable. The first payment of interest on any
Note originally issued between a Regular Record Date and an Interest Payment
Date will be made on the Interest Payment Date following the next succeeding
Regular Record Date to the registered owner on such next Regular Record Date.
Interest rates and interest rate formulae are subject to change by the Company
from time to time but no such change will affect any Note theretofore issued or
which the Company has agreed to issue. Unless otherwise indicated in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, the Interest Payment Dates and the Regular Record
Dates for Fixed Rate Notes shall be as described below under "Fixed Rate Notes".
The Interest Payment Dates for Floating Rate Notes shall be as indicated in the
applicable Pricing Supplement and in such Note, and, unless otherwise specified
in the applicable Pricing Supplement, each Regular Record Date for a Floating
Rate Note will be the fifteenth day (whether or not a Business Day) next
preceding each Interest Payment Date.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in a Pricing Supplement, all percentages
resulting from any calculation on Floating Rate Notes will be rounded, if
necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with
five one-millionths of a percentage point rounded upward (e.g., 9.876545% (or
 .09876545) being rounded to 9.87655% (or .0987655) and 9.876544% (or .09876544)
being rounded to 9.87654% (or .0987654)), and all dollar amounts used in or
resulting from such calculation on Floating Rate Notes will be rounded to the
nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upward).
 
     The interest rate on the Notes will in no event be higher than the maximum
rate permitted by New York law as the same may be modified by United States
Federal law of general application.
 
FIXED RATE NOTES
 
     Each Fixed Rate Note will bear interest at the annual rate specified
therein and in the applicable Pricing Supplement. Unless otherwise specified in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Interest Payment Dates for the Fixed Rate
Notes will be on April 15 and October 15 of each year and the Regular Record
Dates will be on the last day of March and September of each year. Unless
otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, interest on Fixed Rate
Notes will be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months. In the event that any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or
redemption or repayment date is not a Business Day (as defined below under
"Floating Rate Notes"), payment of interest, premium, if any, or principal
payable on Fixed Rate Notes will be made on the next succeeding Business Day and
no interest
 
                                       S-4
<PAGE>   6
 
shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date or the
Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) to such next succeeding
Business Day.
 
FLOATING RATE NOTES
 
     Except as provided below and unless otherwise specified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, interest on Floating Rate Notes will be payable (i) in the
case of Floating Rate Notes with a daily, weekly, or monthly Interest Reset Date
(as defined below) on (a) the third Wednesday of each month or (b) on the third
Wednesday of June and December of each year or (c) on the third Wednesday of
March, June, September and December of each year, as specified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement; (ii) in the case of Floating Rate Notes with a quarterly
Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of March, June, September and
December of each year; (iii) in the case of Floating Rate Notes with a
semi-annual Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of two months of each
year, as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement; and (iv) in the case of
Floating Rate Notes with an annual Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday
of one month of each year, as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. If
any Interest Payment Date (other than the Maturity Date or any redemption or
repayment date) for any Floating Rate Note would otherwise be a day that is not
a Business Day, the Interest Payment Date for such Floating Rate Notes shall be
postponed to the next day that is a Business Day and interest shall accrue to
such next succeeding Business Day, except that in the case of a LIBOR Note, if
such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such Interest
Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day. If the Maturity
Date or any earlier redemption or repayment date of a Floating Rate Note falls
on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment of principal, premium,
if any, or interest otherwise payable on such date need not be made on such
date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force
and effect as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest shall
accrue for the period from and after the Maturity Date (or any redemption or
repayment date) to such next succeeding Business Day.
 
     "Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday and that is
not a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or obligated by
law to close in The City of New York.
 
     An "Interest Payment Date" with respect to any Note shall be a date on
which, under the terms of such Note, regularly scheduled interest shall be
payable.
 
     "London Banking Day" means any day on which dealings in deposits in U.S.
dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.
 
     The applicable Pricing Supplement will specify the issue price, the
interest rate basis, the interest payment period, the Spread or Spread
Multiplier, if any, and the maximum or minimum interest rate limitation, if any,
applicable to each Floating Rate Note. In addition, such Pricing Supplement will
define or particularize for each Floating Rate Note the following terms, if
applicable: the period to maturity of the instrument or obligation on which the
interest rate formula is based (the "Index Maturity"), Initial Interest Rate (as
defined below), Interest Payment Dates, Regular Record Dates and Interest Reset
Dates with respect to such Note.
 
     The rate of interest on each Floating Rate Note will be reset daily,
weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually (each an "Interest Reset
Date"), as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. The Interest Reset
Date will be, in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset daily, each
Business Day; in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset weekly, the
Wednesday of each week; in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset
monthly, the third Wednesday of each month; in the case of Floating Rate Notes
which are reset quarterly, the third Wednesday of March, June, September and
December; in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset semi-annually, the
third Wednesday of two months of each year, as specified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement; and in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset
annually, the third Wednesday of one month of each year, as specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement; provided, however, that (i) the interest rate in
effect from the Original Issue Date to the first Interest Reset Date with
respect to a Floating Rate Note (the "Initial Interest Rate") will be as set
forth in the applicable
 
                                       S-5
<PAGE>   7
 
Pricing Supplement, (ii) except in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are
reset daily or weekly, the interest rate in effect for the ten calendar days
immediately prior to maturity or redemption or repayment will be that in effect
on the tenth calendar day preceding such maturity, redemption or repayment date
and (iii) in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset daily or weekly,
the interest rate in effect for the period beginning on the second Business Day
immediately prior to maturity or redemption or repayment and ending on such
maturity, redemption or repayment date will be that in effect on the second
Business Day preceding such maturity, redemption or repayment date. If the
Interest Reset Date for any Floating Rate Note would otherwise be a day that is
not a Business Day, the Interest Reset Date for such Floating Rate Note shall be
postponed to the next day that is a Business Day, except that in the case of a
LIBOR Note, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such
Interest Reset Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Interest Determination Date" pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for a CD Rate
Note (the "CD Interest Determination Date"), a Commercial Paper Rate Note (the
"Commercial Paper Interest Determination Date"), a Federal Funds Rate Note (the
"Federal Funds Interest Determination Date") or a Prime Rate Note (the "Prime
Interest Determination Date") will be the second Business Day prior to the
Interest Reset Date. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, the Interest Determination Date pertaining to an Interest Reset Date
for a LIBOR Note (the "LIBOR Interest Determination Date") will be the second
London Banking Day next preceding such Interest Reset Date. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Interest Determination Date
pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for a Treasury Rate Note will be the day of
the week in which such Interest Reset Date falls on which Treasury bills would
normally be auctioned. Treasury bills are normally sold at auction on Monday of
each week, unless that day is a legal holiday, in which case the auction is
normally held on the following Tuesday, but such auction may be held on the
preceding Friday. If, as the result of a legal holiday, an auction is so held on
the preceding Friday, such Friday will be the Interest Determination Date
pertaining to the Interest Reset Date occurring in the next succeeding week. If
an auction falls on a day that is an Interest Reset Date, such Interest Reset
Date will be the next following Business Day.
 
     Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, interest
payments on an Interest Payment Date for a Floating Rate Note will include
interest accrued from, and including, the next preceding Interest Payment Date
in respect of which interest has been paid (or from, and including, the date of
original issue if no interest has been paid with respect to such Floating Rate
Note) to, but excluding, such Interest Payment Date. However, if the Interest
Reset Dates with respect to such Note are daily or weekly, interest payable on
any Interest Payment Date, other than interest payable on any date on which the
principal of such Note is payable, will include interest accrued only from, and
excluding, the next preceding Regular Record Date to which interest has been
paid (or from, and including, the Original Issue Date if no interest has been
paid with respect to such Floating Rate Note) to, and including, the Regular
Record Date preceding the next applicable Interest Payment Date, except that the
interest payment at maturity or upon redemption or repayment will include
interest accrued to, but excluding, such Maturity Date or redemption or
repayment date, as the case may be. Accrued interest from the date of issue or
from the last date to which interest has been paid is calculated by multiplying
the face amount of a Note by an accrued interest factor. The accrued interest
factor is computed by adding together the interest factors calculated for each
day from the Original Issue Date, or from the last date to which interest has
been paid, to the date for which accrued interest is being calculated. Unless
otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the interest factor
for each such day is computed by dividing the interest rate applicable to such
day by 360, in the cases of CD Rate Notes, Commercial Paper Rate Notes, Federal
Funds Rate Notes and Prime Rate Notes or by the actual number of days in the
year, in the case of Treasury Rate Notes. The interest rate in effect on each
day will be (a) if such day is an Interest Reset Date, the interest rate with
respect to the Interest Determination Date pertaining to such Interest Reset
Date or (b) if such day is not an Interest Reset Date, the interest rate with
respect to the Interest Determination Date pertaining to the immediately
preceding Interest Reset
 
                                       S-6
<PAGE>   8
 
Date, subject in either case to any maximum or minimum interest rate limitation
referred to above and to any adjustment by a Spread or a Spread Multiplier
referred to above.
 
     Unless otherwise provided for in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Harris
Trust and Savings Bank will be the Calculation Agent (the "Calculation Agent",
which term includes any successor calculation agent appointed by the Company),
and for each Interest Reset Date will determine the interest rate as described
below. The Calculation Agent will notify the Trustee of each determination of
the interest rate applicable to any such Floating Rate Note promptly after such
determination is made. The Trustee will, upon the request of the holder of any
Floating Rate Note, provide the interest rate then in effect and, if applicable,
the interest rate which will become effective as a result of a determination
made with respect to the most recent Interest Determination Date relative to
such Note. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Calculation Date", where applicable, pertaining to any Interest Determination
Date will be the earlier of (i) the tenth calendar day after such Interest
Determination Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding
Business Day) or (ii) the Business Day immediately preceding the applicable
Interest Payment Date.
 
     Interest Rates will be determined by the Calculation Agent as follows:
 
     CD Rate Notes.  CD Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate
(calculated with reference to the CD Rate and the Spread and/or Spread
Multiplier, if any) specified in the CD Rate Notes and in the applicable Pricing
Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, "CD Rate"
means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate on such date
for negotiable certificates of deposit having the Index Maturity designated in
the applicable Pricing Supplement as published by the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System in "Statistical Release H.15(519), Selected Interest
Rates", or any successor publication of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System ("H.15(519)") under the heading "CDs (Secondary Market)", or, if
not so published by 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the CD Rate will be the rate on
such Interest Determination Date for negotiable certificates of deposit of the
Index Maturity designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement as published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in its daily statistical release "Composite
3:30 p.m. Quotations for U.S. Government Securities" (the "Composite
Quotations") under the heading "Certificates of Deposit." If such rate is not
yet published in either H.15(519) or the Composite Quotations by 3:00 p.m., New
York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest
Determination Date, the CD Rate on such Interest Determination Date will be
calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be the arithmetic mean of the
secondary market offered rates as of 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such
Interest Determination Date, for certificates of deposit in the denomination of
$5,000,000 with a remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity designated in
the Pricing Supplement of three leading nonbank dealers in negotiable U.S.
dollar certificates of deposit in The City of New York selected by the
Calculation Agent for negotiable certificates of deposit of major U.S. money
center banks of the highest credit standing in the market for negotiable
certificates of deposit; provided, however, that if the dealers selected as
aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as set forth above, the rate
of interest in effect for the applicable period will be the same as the CD Rate
for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such
Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the CD Rate Notes for
which such CD Rate is being determined shall be the Initial Interest Rate).
 
     Commercial Paper Rate Notes.  Commercial Paper Rate Notes will bear
interest at the interest rate (calculated with reference to the Commercial Paper
Rate and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any) specified in the
Commercial Paper Rate Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
"Commercial Paper Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date,
the Money Market Yield (as defined below)
 
                                       S-7
<PAGE>   9
 
of the rate on that date for commercial paper having the Index Maturity
designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, as such rate shall be published
in H.15(519), under the heading "Commercial Paper". In the event that such rate
is not published prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Calculation
Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money Market Yield of the rate
on such Interest Determination Date for commercial paper of the specified Index
Maturity as published in Composite Quotations under the heading "Commercial
Paper". If by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Calculation Date such rate
is not yet available in either H.15(519) or Composite Quotations, then the
Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money Market Yield of the arithmetic mean of
the offered rates as of 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Interest
Determination Date of three leading dealers of commercial paper in The City of
New York selected by the Calculation Agent for commercial paper of the specified
Index Maturity, placed for an industrial issuer whose bond rating is "AA", or
the equivalent, from a nationally recognized rating agency; provided, however,
that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not
quoting offered rates as mentioned in the preceding sentence, the rate of
interest in effect for the applicable period will be the same as the Commercial
Paper Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was
no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the Commercial
Paper Rate Notes for which such Commercial Paper Rate is being determined shall
be the Initial Interest Rate).
 
     "Money Market Yield" shall be a yield calculated in accordance with the
following formula:
 
<TABLE>
    <S>                    <C>             <C>
                              D X 360             
    MONEY MARKET YIELD =   --------------  X 100
                           360 -- (D X M)
</TABLE>
 
where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal, and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the Index Maturity.
 
     Federal Funds Rate Notes.  Federal Funds Rate Notes will bear interest at
the interest rate (calculated with reference to the Federal Funds Rate and the
Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any) specified in the Federal Funds Rate
Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Federal Funds Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the
rate on such date for Federal funds as published in H.15(519) under the heading
"Federal Funds (Effective)" or, if not so published by 9:00 a.m., New York City
time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination Date,
the Federal Funds Rate will be the rate on such Interest Determination Date as
published in Composite Quotations under the heading "Federal Funds/Effective
Rate". If such rate is not yet published in either H.15(519) or the Composite
Quotations by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining
to such Interest Determination Date, the Federal Funds Rate for such Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be the
arithmetic mean of the rates for the last transaction in overnight Federal funds
as of 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date
arranged by three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in The City of
New York selected by the Calculation Agent; provided, however, that if the
brokers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as set
forth above, the rate of interest in effect for the applicable period will be
the same as the Federal Funds Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset
Period (or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest
payable on the Federal Funds Rate Notes for which such Federal Funds Rate is
being determined shall be the Initial Interest Rate).
 
     LIBOR Notes. LIBOR Notes will bear interest at the interest rate
(calculated with reference to LIBOR and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if
any) specified in the LIBOR Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, "LIBOR"
for each Interest Reset Date will be determined by the Calculation Agent as
follows:
 
                                       S-8
<PAGE>   10
 
          (a) LIBOR will be, as specified in the applicable LIBOR Note, either
     (i) the arithmetic mean of the offered rates for deposits in the Index
     Currency (as defined below) having the Index Maturity designated in the
     applicable Pricing Supplement, commencing on the second London Business Day
     immediately following that Interest Determination Date, that appear on the
     Reuters Screen LIBO Page as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on that Interest
     Determination Date, if at least two such offered rates appear on the
     Reuters Screen LIBO Page ("LIBOR Reuters") or (ii) the rate for deposits in
     the Index Currency having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable
     Pricing Supplement, commencing on the second London Business Day
     immediately following that Interest Determination Date, that appears on the
     Telerate Page 3750, as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on that Interest
     Determination Date ("LIBOR Telerate"). "Reuters Screen LIBO Page" means the
     display designated as page "LIBO" on the Reuters Monitor Money Rates
     Service (or such other page as may replace the LIBO page on that service
     for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates of major
     banks). "Telerate Page 3750" means the display designated as page "3750" on
     the Telerate Service (or such other page as may replace the 3750 page on
     that service or such other service or services as may be nominated by the
     British Bankers' Association for the purpose of displaying London interbank
     offered rates for deposits in the Index Currency). If neither LIBOR Reuters
     nor LIBOR Telerate is specified in such LIBOR Note, LIBOR will be
     determined as if LIBOR Telerate had been specified. If fewer than two
     offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, or if no rate appears
     on the Telerate Page 3750, as applicable, LIBOR in respect of that Interest
     Determination Date will be determined as if the parties had specified the
     rate described in (b) below.
 
          (b) With respect to an Interest Determination Date on which fewer than
     two offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, as specified in
     (a)(i) above, or on which no rate appears on Telerate Page 3750, as
     specified in (a)(ii) above, as applicable, LIBOR will be determined on the
     basis of the rates at which deposits in the Index Currency having the Index
     Maturity designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement are offered at
     approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on that Interest Determination Date
     by four major banks in the London interbank market selected by the
     Calculation Agent ("LIBOR Reference Banks") to prime banks in the London
     interbank market commencing on the second London Business Day immediately
     following that Interest Determination Date and in a principal amount that
     is representative of a single transaction in such Index Currency in such
     market at such time. The Calculation Agent will request the principal
     London office of each of the LIBOR Reference Banks to provide a quotation
     of its rate. If at least two such quotations are provided, LIBOR in respect
     of that Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such
     quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, LIBOR in respect of
     that Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the rates
     quoted at approximately 11:00 a.m., or such other time specified in the
     applicable Pricing Supplement, in the applicable Principal Financial Center
     (as defined below), on that Interest Determination Date by three major
     banks in such Principal Financial Center selected by the Calculation Agent
     for loans in the Index Currency to leading European banks having the Index
     Maturity designated in the applicable pricing supplement, commencing on the
     second London Business Day immediately following that Interest
     Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to an amount that is
     representative of a single transaction in such Index Currency in such
     market at such time; provided, however, that if the banks selected as
     aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this
     sentence, LIBOR with respect to such Interest Determination Date will be
     the rate of LIBOR in effect on such date.
 
     "Index Currency" means the currency (including composite currencies)
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement as the currency for which LIBOR
shall be calculated. If no such currency is specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, the Index Currency shall be United States dollars.
 
                                       S-9
<PAGE>   11
 
     "Principal Financial Center" will generally be the capital city of the
country of the specified Index Currency, except that with respect to United
States dollars, Deutsche marks, Italian lira, Swiss francs, Dutch gilders and
ECUs, the Principal Financial Center shall be The City of New York, Frankfurt,
Milan, Zurich, Amsterdam and Luxembourg, respectively.
 
     Prime Rate Notes. Prime Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate
(calculated with reference to the Prime Rate and the Spread and/or Spread
Multiplier, if any) specified in the Prime Rate Notes and in the applicable
Pricing Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, "Prime
Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate set forth
in H.15(519) for such date opposite the caption "Bank Prime Loan." If such rate
is not yet published by 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Calculation Date,
the Prime Rate for such Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean
of the rates of interest publicly announced by each bank named on the display
designated as page "USPRIME1" on the Reuters Monitor Money Rate Service (or such
other page as may replace the USPRIME1 page on such service for the purpose of
displaying prime rates of major New York City banks (the "Reuters Screen
USPRIME1 Page")) as such bank's prime rate or base lending rate as in effect for
such Interest Determination Date as quoted on the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page
on such Interest Determination Date, or, if fewer than four such rates appear on
the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page for such Interest Determination Date, the rate
shall be the arithmetic mean of the prime rates quoted on the basis of the
actual number of days in the year divided by 360 as of the close of business on
such Interest Determination Date by at least two of the three major money center
banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent from which
quotations are requested. If fewer than two quotations are provided, the Prime
Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be determined as the
arithmetic mean on the basis of the prime rates in The City of New York by the
appropriate number of substitute banks or trust companies organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, in each case
having total equity capital of at least $500 million and being subject to
supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, selected by the
Calculation Agent to quote such rate or rates.
 
     If in any month or two consecutive months the Prime Rate is not published
in H.15(519) and the banks or trust companies selected as aforesaid are not
quoting as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the "Prime Rate" for such
Interest Reset Period will be the same as the Prime Rate for the immediately
preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period,
the rate of interest payable on the Prime Rate Notes for which the Prime Rate is
being determined shall be the Initial Interest Rate). If this failure continues
over three or more consecutive months, the Prime Rate for each succeeding
Interest Determination Date until the maturity or redemption of such Prime Rate
Notes or, if earlier, until this failure ceases, shall be LIBOR determined as if
such Prime Rate Notes were LIBOR Notes, and the Spread, if any, shall be the
number of basis points specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement as the
"Alternate Rate Event Spread".
 
     Treasury Rate Notes.  Treasury Rate Notes will bear interest at the
interest rate (calculated with reference to the Treasury Rate and the Spread
and/or Spread Multiplier, if any) specified in the Treasury Rate Notes and in
the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
     Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate
for the auction held on such date of direct obligations of the United States
("Treasury Bills") having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, as published in H.15(519) under the heading "Treasury Bills
- -- auction average (investment)" or, if not so published by 9:00 a.m., New York
City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination
Date, the auction average rate on such Interest Determination Date (expressed as
a bond equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and
applied on a daily basis) as otherwise announced by the United States Department
of the Treasury. In the event that the results of the auction of Treasury Bills
having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement are
not published or reported as
 
                                      S-10
<PAGE>   12
 
provided above by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Calculation Date or if
no such auction is held on such Interest Determination Date, then the Treasury
Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be a yield to
maturity (expressed as a bond equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366
days, as applicable, and applied on a daily basis) of the arithmetic mean of the
secondary market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30 p.m., New York City time,
on such Interest Determination Date, of three leading primary U.S. government
securities dealers selected by the Calculation Agent for the issue of Treasury
Bills with a remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity designated in the
applicable Pricing Supplement; provided, however, that if the dealers selected
as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting bid rates as mentioned in
this sentence, the Treasury Rate for such Interest Reset Date will be the same
as the Treasury Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if
there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the
Treasury Rate Notes for which the Treasury Rate is being determined shall be the
Initial Interest Rate).
 
ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT NOTES
 
     Original Issue Discount Notes are Notes issued at a discount from the
principal amount payable at maturity and which may be considered to be issued
with original issue discount which must be included in income for United States
Federal income tax purposes at a constant rate. Unless otherwise specified in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, if the principal of any Original Issue
Discount Note is declared to be due and payable immediately either (a) as
described under "Description of the Securities -- Events of Default, Waiver and
Notice" in the accompanying Prospectus, or (b) pursuant to any redemption, in
either such case the amount of principal due and payable with respect to such
Note shall be limited to the Issue Price of such Note (plus, in the case of a
redemption, the premium to par, if any, specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement), plus the original issue discount amortized with respect to such
Note from the Original Issue Date to the date of acceleration or redemption,
which amortization shall be calculated using the "constant yield method"
(computed in accordance with the rules under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the "Code"), and the regulations thereunder, in effect on the date
of acceleration or redemption) plus, in the case of a redemption, the premium,
if any, specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
OPTIONAL REDEMPTION
 
     The Pricing Supplement will indicate either that the Notes cannot be
redeemed prior to maturity or will indicate the terms on which the Notes will be
redeemable at the option of the Company. Notice of redemption shall be provided
by mailing a notice of such redemption to each holder by first class mail,
postage prepaid, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date
fixed for redemption to the respective address of each holder as that address
appears upon the books of the Company.
 
REPAYMENT AT THE NOTEHOLDERS' OPTION; REPURCHASE
 
     If applicable, the Pricing Supplement relating to each Note will indicate
that the Note will be repayable at the option of the holder on a date or dates
specified prior to its Maturity Date and, unless otherwise specified in such
Pricing Supplement, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof,
together with accrued interest to the date of repayment.
 
     In order for such a Note to be repaid, the Trustee must receive at least 30
days but not more than 60 days prior to the repayment, (i) the Note with the
form entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse of the Note duly
completed or (ii) a telegram, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member
of a national securities exchange or a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or a commercial bank or trust company in
the United States which must set forth the name of the holder of the Note, the
principal amount of the Note, the principal amount of the Note to be repaid, the
certificate number or a description of the tenor and terms of the Note, a
statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised thereby and a
guarantee that the
 
                                      S-11
<PAGE>   13
 
Note to be repaid, together with the duly completed form entitled "Option to
Elect Repayment" on the reverse of the Note, will be received by the Trustee not
later than the fifth Business Day after the date of such telegram, facsimile
transmission or letter; provided, however, that such telegram, facsimile
transmission or letter from a member of a national securities exchange or a
member of the NASD, or a commercial bank or trust company in the United States
shall only be effective in such case, if such Note and form duly completed are
received by the Trustee by such fifth Business Day. Exercise of the repayment
option by the holder of a Note will be irrevocable. The repayment option may be
exercised by the holder of a Note for less than the entire principal amount of
the Note but, in that event, the principal amount of the Note remaining
outstanding after repayment must be an authorized denomination.
 
     The Company may at any time purchase Notes at any price in the open market
or otherwise. Notes purchased by the Company may, at its discretion, be held,
resold or surrendered to the registrar for cancellation.
 
BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM
 
     As set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Notes may be issued in
the form of one or more fully registered Book-Entry Notes that will be deposited
with the Depositary or a nominee thereof. In such case, one or more Book-Entry
Notes will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the
portion of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes to be represented
by such Book-Entry Note. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part
for Notes in definitive form, a Book-Entry Note may not be transferred except as
a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the
Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the
Depositary or any such nominee to a successor of the Depositary or a nominee of
such successor.
 
     Upon the issuance of a Book-Entry Note, the Depositary will credit, on its
book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of
the Notes represented by such Book-Entry Note to the accounts of persons that
have accounts with the Depositary ("participants"). The accounts to be credited
shall be designated by any underwriters or agents participating in the
distribution of such Notes. Ownership of beneficial interests in a Book-Entry
Note will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests through
participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Book-Entry Note will be
shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through,
records maintained by the Depositary for such Book-Entry Note (with respect to
interests of participants) or by participants or persons that hold through
participants (with respect to interests of persons other than participants).
 
     So long as the Depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of such
Book-Entry Note, the Depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be
considered the sole owner or holder of the Notes represented by such Book-Entry
Note for all purposes under the Indenture. Except as set forth below, owners of
beneficial interests in a Book-Entry Note will not be entitled to have the Notes
represented by such Book-Entry Note registered in their names, will not receive
or be entitled to receive physical delivery of such Notes in definitive form and
will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the Indenture.
 
     Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on Notes represented by a
Book-Entry Note registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee will be
made to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered
owner of such Book-Entry Note. None of the Company, the Trustee or any paying
agent for such Notes will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of
the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in such Book-Entry Note or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing
any records relating to such beneficial ownership interest.
 
     The Company expects that the Depositary, with respect to any Notes
represented by a Book-Entry Note, upon receipt of any payment of principal,
premium or interest, will immediately credit participants' accounts with
payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial
 
                                      S-12
<PAGE>   14
 
interests in the principal amount of such Book-Entry Note as shown on the
records of the Depositary. The Company also expects that payments by
participants to owners of beneficial interest in such Book-Entry Note held
through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and
customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the
accounts of customers registered in "street names" and will be the
responsibility of such participants.
 
     If the Depositary is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as
Depositary and a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within
ninety days, the Company will issue Notes in definitive form in exchange for
each Book-Entry Note. In addition, the Company may at any time and in its sole
discretion determine not to have any of the Notes represented by one or more
Book-Entry Notes and, in such event, will issue Notes in definitive form in
exchange for all of the Book-Entry Notes representing such Notes.
 
     Upon issuance, all Fixed Rate Book-Entry Notes having the same Original
Issue Date, interest rate, if any, ranking and Maturity Date will be represented
by a single global Note, and all Floating Rate Book-Entry Notes having the same
Original Issue Date, Initial Interest Rate, Base Rate, Interest Period, Interest
Payment Dates, Interest Reset Dates, Index Maturity, Spread or Spread
Multiplier, if any, Minimum Interest Rate, if any, Maximum Interest Rate, if
any, and Maturity Date will be represented by a single global Note unless, in
each such case, such Notes are to be represented by a master Note. Certificated
Notes will not be exchangeable for Book-Entry Notes and, except under the
circumstances described above, Book-Entry Notes will not be exchangeable for
Certificated Notes and will not otherwise be issuable as Certificated Notes.
 
GOVERNING LAW AND JUDGMENTS
 
     The Indenture and Notes will be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York.
 
                        UNITED STATES TAX CONSIDERATIONS
 
     The following summary describes certain United States Federal income tax
consequences relevant to a holder of a Note that is a citizen or resident of the
United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created in or
organized under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision
thereof, an estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States
Federal income taxation regardless of its source or a holder that otherwise is
subject to United States Federal income taxation on a net income basis in
respect of a Note (a "United States holder"). This summary is based on laws,
regulations, rulings and decisions now in effect (or, in the case of certain
Treasury Regulations, now in proposed form), all of which are subject to change.
This summary deals only with United States holders that will hold Notes as
capital assets, and does not address tax considerations applicable to investors
that may be subject to special tax rules, such as banks, insurance companies,
tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities or currencies, persons that will
hold Notes as a position in a "straddle" or as part of a "hedging" or
"conversion" transaction for United States Federal income tax purposes, persons
that have a "functional currency" other than the U.S. dollar and persons that
are not United States holders. Moreover, this summary does not address tax
considerations applicable to Notes due more than 30 years from the Original
Issue Date, the tax consequences of which will be addressed in the applicable
Pricing Supplement.
 
     Investors should consult their own tax advisors in determining the tax
consequences to them of the acquisition, holding and sale of Notes, including
the application to their particular situation of the tax considerations
discussed below, as well as the application of state, local, foreign or other
tax laws.
 
                                      S-13
<PAGE>   15
 
PAYMENTS OF INTEREST
 
     Payments of "qualified stated interest" (as defined under "Notes with
Original Issue Discount") on a Note generally will be taxable to a United States
holder as ordinary interest income at the time that such payments are accrued or
are received (in accordance with the United States holder's method of tax
accounting). A United States holder who uses the cash method of accounting and
who holds a Note denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars (a "foreign
currency"), will be required to include in income the U.S. dollar value of the
amount of interest income received (determined as of the time that such payment
is received), regardless of whether such payment in fact is received in U.S.
dollars or converted into U.S. dollars. A United States holder that uses the
accrual method of accounting will be required to include in income the U.S.
dollar value of the amount of interest income that has accrued during an accrual
period. The U.S. dollar value of such accrued income will be determined by
translating such income at the average rate of exchange for the accrual period
or, at the United States holder's election, at the spot rate of exchange on the
last day of the accrual period. Additionally, if a payment of interest is
actually received within five business days of the last day of the accrual
period or taxable year, an electing accrual basis United States holder may
instead translate such accrued interest into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate
in effect on the day of actual receipt. The average rate of exchange for an
accrual period shall be a simple average of the spot exchange rates for each
business day of such period (or other average exchange rate for the period
reasonably derived and consistently applied by the holder). Such United States
holder will recognize foreign currency gain or loss, as the case may be, on the
receipt of an interest payment if the exchange rate in effect on the date the
payment is received differs from the rate applicable to a previous accrual of
that interest income. This foreign currency gain or loss will be treated as
ordinary income or loss.
 
PURCHASE, SALE AND RETIREMENT OF NOTES
 
     A United States holder's tax basis in a Note generally will equal the cost
of such Note to such holder, increased by any amounts includible in income by
the holder as original issue discount or market discount (if the United States
holder elects to include such market discount in income on a current basis) and
reduced by any amortized premium (each as described below) and any payments
other than qualified stated interest (as defined below) made on such Note. In
the case of a Note denominated in a foreign currency, the cost of such Note to a
United States holder will be the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency
purchase price determined on the date of purchase. In the case of a Note which
is denominated in a foreign currency and is traded on an established securities
market, a cash basis taxpayer (or, if it elects, an accrual basis taxpayer) will
determine the U.S. dollar value of the cost of such Note by translating the
amount paid at the spot rate of exchange on the settlement date of the purchase.
The amount of any subsequent adjustments to a United States holder's tax basis
in a Note in respect of foreign currency-denominated original issue discount,
market discount and premium will be determined in the manner described below for
such adjustments. The conversion of U.S. dollars to a foreign currency and the
immediate use of the currency to purchase a Note generally will not result in
taxable gain or loss for a United States holder.
 
     Upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a Note, a United States holder
generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount
realized on the sale, exchange or retirement (less any accrued interest, which
will be taxable as such) and the United States holder's tax basis in the Note.
With respect to the sale, exchange or retirement of a Note denominated in a
foreign currency, the amount realized generally will be the U.S. dollar value of
the payment received determined on (i) the date of receipt of payment in the
case of a cash basis taxpayer and (ii) the date of disposition in the case of an
accrual basis taxpayer. In the case of a Note which is denominated in a foreign
currency and is traded on an established securities market, a cash basis
taxpayer (or, if it elects, an accrual basis taxpayer) will determine the U.S.
dollar value of the amount realized by translating such amount at the spot rate
of exchange on the settlement date of the sale.
 
                                      S-14
<PAGE>   16
 
     Except as discussed below with respect to market discount, short-term OID
Notes and foreign currency gain or loss, or to the extent attributable to
accrued but unpaid interest, gain or loss recognized by a United States holder
on the sale, exchange or retirement of a Note generally will be long-term
capital gain or loss if the United States holder has held the Note for more than
one year at the time of disposition and will be short-term capital gain or loss
if held for one year or less. United States holders generally may only offset
capital losses against capital gains.
 
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain or loss recognized by a United States
holder on the sale, exchange or retirement of a Note denominated in a foreign
currency generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss to the extent that
the gain or loss is attributable to changes in exchange rates during the period
in which the holder held such Note.
 
NOTES WITH ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT
 
     Certain Notes, including Original Issue Discount Notes (collectively, "OID
Notes"), may be considered to be issued with original issue discount, as such
term is defined under the Code, and certain Treasury Regulations issued
thereunder. A Note will be considered to be issued with original issue discount
if such Note has a stated redemption price at maturity (as defined below) that
exceeds its issue price (as defined below) by at least 0.25% of its stated
redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years to the
maturity for such Note. If the stated redemption price at maturity of a Note
exceeds its issue price, but by less than this amount, such Note will be
considered to have de minimis original issue discount and will not be an OID
Note. United States holders of OID Notes generally will be subject to the
special tax accounting rules for original issue discount obligations provided by
the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder. On January 27, 1994,
the Internal Revenue Service (the "Service") issued final Treasury Regulations
regarding debt instruments issued with original issue discount (the "OID
Regulations"). On December 16, 1994, the Service issued proposed Treasury
Regulations regarding certain contingent debt instruments (the "Proposed
Contingent Debt Regulations"). The Proposed Contingent Debt Regulations (i)
provide rules regarding the taxation of debt instruments that provide for one or
more contingent payments, (ii) provide for the integration of a contingent
payment debt instrument or variable rate debt instrument with certain related
hedges and (iii) propose amendments to the OID Regulations regarding certain
variable rate debt instruments. However, the Proposed Contingent Debt
Regulations would apply to a Note only if (i) the Proposed Contingent Debt
Regulations are issued as final Treasury Regulations and (ii) such Note is
issued 60 or more days after such final Treasury Regulations are issued. United
States holders of such Notes should be aware that, as described in greater
detail below, they generally must include original issue discount in income for
United States Federal income tax purposes as it accrues, in advance of the
receipt of cash attributable to that income.
 
     In general, each United States holder of an OID Note which matures more
than one year from the issue date, whether such holder uses the cash or the
accrual method of tax accounting, will be required to include in ordinary gross
income the sum of the "daily portions" of original issue discount on that Note
calculated under a constant yield method for all days during the taxable year
that the United States holder owns the Note. In addition, a United States holder
will be required to include any "qualified stated interest" (as defined below)
on such a Note in gross income (as interest) under the holder's regular method
of tax accounting. The daily portions of original issue discount on an OID Note
are determined by allocating to each day in any accrual period (generally any
period that is elected by a holder, provided that each accrual period is no
longer than one year and that each Interest Payment Date is the first or last
day of the accrual period) a ratable portion of the original issue discount
allocable to that accrual period. In the case of an initial holder, the amount
of original issue discount on an OID Note allocable to each accrual period is
generally determined by (i) multiplying the "adjusted issue price" (as defined
below) of the Note at the beginning of the accrual period by the yield to
maturity of the Note (adjusting the yield to take into account the length of the
particular accrual period) and (ii) subtracting from that product the amount (if
any) payable as "qualified stated interest" during that accrual period. The
"adjusted issue price" of an OID Note
 
                                      S-15
<PAGE>   17
 
at the beginning of any accrual period will be the sum of its issue price and
the amount of original issue discount allocable to all prior accrual periods,
reduced by the amount of all payments other than "qualified stated interest"
payments (if any) made with respect to such Note in all prior accrual periods.
The "issue price" of a Note for this purpose is generally the first price at
which a substantial amount of the Notes included in the particular issuance is
sold to the public (excluding bond houses, brokers or similar persons or
organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or
wholesalers). "Qualified stated interest" generally is stated interest that is
unconditionally payable in cash or in property (other than debt instruments of
the issuer) at least annually at a single fixed rate. The "stated redemption
price at maturity" of a Note is the sum of all payments provided by the Note
other than qualified stated interest payments.
 
     Under the OID Regulations, interest payments on a "variable rate debt
instrument" will be considered qualified stated interest. For this purpose, a
Note is a "variable rate debt instrument" if it (x) has an issue price that does
not exceed the total noncontingent principal payments by more than an amount
equal to the lesser of (i) 0.015 multiplied by the product of such total
noncontingent principal payments and the number of complete years to maturity of
the Note and (ii) 15% of the total noncontingent principal payments and (y)
provides for stated interest (compounded or paid at least annually) at the
current value of (A) one or more qualified floating rates (as defined below);
(B) a single fixed rate followed by one or more qualified floating rates; (C) a
single objective rate (as defined below); or (D) a single fixed rate and a
single objective rate that is a qualified inverse floating rate (as defined
below). The Proposed Contingent Debt Regulations would further require that, to
qualify as a variable rate debt instrument, a Note must not provide for any
principal payments that are contingent. Under the Proposed Contingent Debt
Regulations, if a Note that provides for a variable rate of interest does not
qualify as a variable rate debt instrument, such Note will be considered a
"contingent payment debt instrument" subject to rules set forth in the Proposed
Contingent Debt Regulations. A "qualified floating rate" is a floating rate
under which variations in the rate can reasonably be expected to measure
contemporaneous variations in the cost of newly borrowed funds in the currency
in which the Note is denominated. A multiple of a qualified floating rate is not
a qualified floating rate unless the relevant multiplier is (x) fixed at a
number that is greater than zero but not more than 1.35 or (y) fixed at a number
that is greater than zero but not more than 1.35, increased or decreased by a
fixed rate. An "objective rate" is a rate (other than a qualified floating rate)
that is determined using a single fixed formula and that is based on (i) one or
more qualified floating rates; (ii) one or more rates where each rate would be a
qualified floating rate for a debt instrument denominated in a currency other
than the currency in which the Note is denominated; (iii) the yield or changes
in the price of one or more items of personal property (other than stock or debt
of the issuer or a party related thereto), each of which is "actively traded"
(within the meaning of the applicable statutory provisions); (iv) any
combination of rates described in clauses (i) through (iii) above; or (v) other
variable rates designated by the Service. A variable rate is not an objective
rate, however, if it is reasonably expected that the average value of the rate
during the first half of the Note's term will be either significantly less than
or significantly greater than the average value of the rate during the final
half of the Note's term. Under the Proposed Contingent Debt Regulations, an
"objective rate" would be defined as a rate "other than a qualified floating
rate" that is determined using a single fixed formula and that is based on
objective financial or economic information, provided, however, that an
objective rate would not include a rate based on information that is within the
control of, or unique to the circumstances of, the issuer (or related party
within the meaning of the applicable statutory provisions), such as dividends,
profits or the value of the issuer's stock. A "qualified inverse floating rate"
is an objective rate (1) that is equal to a fixed rate minus a qualified
floating rate and (2) the variations in which can reasonably be expected to
inversely reflect contemporaneous variations in the cost of newly borrowed
funds.
 
     Under the OID Regulations, stated interest on a Note that is subject to a
maximum or minimum interest rate limitation (i.e., a cap or floor), a
restriction on the amount of increase or decrease in such rate (i.e., a
governor) or other similar restrictions generally will not be treated as a
qualified floating rate. However, a restriction will not cause a variable rate
to fail to be a qualified floating rate if it is a cap, floor or governor that
is fixed throughout the term of the Note or is a cap, floor,
 
                                      S-16
<PAGE>   18
 
governor or similar restriction that is not reasonably expected on the issue
date to cause the yield on the Note to be significantly less than (in the case
of a cap), more than (in the case of a floor), or different from (in the case of
a governor), the expected yield determined without such cap, floor or governor,
as the case may be. A Note under which interest is payable pursuant to a
variable rate that fails to qualify as a qualified floating rate or an objective
rate will be considered under the OID Regulations to have been issued with
original issue discount.
 
     Generally, the rules for determining the amount and accrual of original
issue discount and qualified stated interest on a variable rate debt instrument
provide for the conversion of such debt instrument into a fixed rate debt
instrument and the application of the general rules regarding original issue
discount to such debt instrument. Certain variable rate debt instruments,
though, are subject to special rules. If such special rules apply to Notes, any
material United States Federal income tax consequences to a United States holder
of such Notes resulting therefrom will be discussed in the applicable Pricing
Supplement.
 
     While each United States holder of an OID Note which matures more than one
year from the issue date will be required to accrue original issue discount
income under a constant yield method, as described above, a taxpayer may also
elect to include in gross income all interest that accrues on a debt instrument
(including stated interest, acquisition discount, original issue discount, de
minimis original issue discount, market discount (as defined below), unstated
interest, as adjusted by any amortizable bond premium or acquisition premium (as
discussed below)) under a constant yield method.
 
     As a result of this "constant yield" method of including original issue
discount income, the amounts so includible in income by a United States holder
in respect of an OID Note denominated in U.S. dollars are lesser in the early
years and greater in the later years than the amounts that would be includible
on a straight-line basis.
 
     OID Notes which are subject to redemption prior to maturity may be subject
to rules that differ from the general rules discussed above. Holders who intend
to purchase OID Notes with such a feature should carefully examine the
applicable Pricing Supplement and should consult with their own tax advisors
with respect to such a feature since the tax consequences with respect to
original issue discount will depend, in part, on the particular terms and the
particular features of the purchased Note.
 
     Under the OID Regulations, no payment of interest on a Note that matures
one year or less from the date of its issuance would be considered to be
qualified stated interest. Therefore, any such Note would be considered to be
issued with original issue discount. In general, a United States holder who uses
the cash method of tax accounting and who holds an OID Note that matures one
year or less from the date of its issuance (a "short-term OID Note") is not
required to accrue original issue discount for United States Federal income tax
purposes unless such holder elects to do so. United States holders who utilize
the accrual method of accounting and certain other holders, including banks and
dealers in securities, are required to include original issue discount (or
alternatively, acquisition discount) on such short-term OID Notes on a
straight-line basis, unless an election is made to accrue the original issue
discount according to a constant yield method based on daily compounding. In the
case of a United States holder who is not required, and does not elect, to
include original issue discount in income currently, any gain recognized on the
sale, exchange or retirement of a short-term OID Note will be ordinary income to
the extent of the original issue discount accrued on a straight-line basis (or
alternatively under the constant yield method) through the date of sale,
exchange or retirement. In addition, such non-electing United States holders who
are not subject to the current inclusion requirement described in the fourth
sentence of this paragraph will be required to defer the deduction of all or a
portion of any interest paid on indebtedness incurred to purchase short-term OID
Notes until such original issue discount is included in such holder's income.
 
     In the case of an OID Note denominated in a foreign currency, a United
States holder should determine the U.S. dollar amount includible in income as
original issue discount for each accrual
 
                                      S-17
<PAGE>   19
 
period by (i) calculating the amount of original issue discount allocable to
each accrual period in the foreign currency using the constant yield method
described above, and (ii) translating the foreign currency amount so derived at
the average exchange rate in effect during that accrual period or, at the United
States holder's election, at the spot rate of exchange on the last day of the
accrual period. Because exchange rates may fluctuate, a United States holder of
an OID Note denominated in a foreign currency may recognize a different amount
of original issue discount income in each accrual period than would the holder
of a similar OID Note denominated in U.S. dollars.
 
     A subsequent United States holder of an OID Note that purchases the Note at
a cost less than its remaining redemption amount also generally will be required
to include in gross income the daily portions of original issue discount,
calculated as described above. The remaining redemption amount is the total
amount of all future payments due under such Note other than qualified stated
interest. However, if the subsequent United States holder acquires the OID Note
at a lower yield to maturity than the yield of the Note for original issue
discount purposes with respect to the initial holder of the Note, the subsequent
United States holder may reduce its periodic inclusions of original issue
discount income to reflect the lower yield to maturity of the Note or elect to
compute original issue discount accruals by treating the purchase as a purchase
at original issue and applying the mechanics of the constant yield method.
 
PREMIUM AND MARKET DISCOUNT
 
     A United States holder of a Note that purchases the Note at a cost greater
than its principal amount will be considered to have purchased the Note at a
premium, and may make an election, applicable to all notes purchased at a
premium and held by such holder, to amortize such premium, using a constant
yield method, over the remaining term of such notes. In the case of a Note
denominated in a foreign currency purchased at a premium, a United States holder
should calculate the amortization of the premium in the relevant foreign
currency and should reduce interest income by the amortizable bond premium in
units of such foreign currency. Exchange gain or loss is realized with respect
to such amortizable premium by treating such premium as a return of principal.
 
     If a United States holder of a Note purchases the Note at a price that
produces a yield to maturity higher than the yield to maturity at which such
Note first was issued, the Note generally will be considered to bear "market
discount" in the hands of such United States holder. In such case, gain realized
by the United States holder on the sale, exchange or retirement of the Note
generally will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the market
discount that accrued on the Note while held by such holder and such holder
could be required to defer the deduction of a portion of the interest paid on
any indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry the Note (unless the
holder elects to include such market discount in income as it accrues). In
general terms, market discount on a Note will be treated as accruing ratably
over the term of such Note, or, at the election of the holder, under a constant
yield method. With respect to Notes which are denominated in a foreign currency,
the amount of market discount which accrues during any accrual period will be
determined in the foreign currency and translated into U.S. dollars (i) at the
spot rate of exchange on the date the Note is disposed of, or (ii), if the
holder elects to include such market discount in income as it accrues, at the
average exchange rate for the accrual period. A United States holder will
recognize foreign currency gain or loss, as the case may be, to the extent that
the spot rate on the date the Note is disposed of differs from the rate used to
accrue such market discount.
 
NOTES WITH CONTINGENT PAYMENTS
 
     The tax consequences to United States holders of Notes with contingent
payments will depend on factors including the specific index or indices used to
determine payments on such Notes and the amount and timing of any noncontingent
payments on such Notes. A description of any material United States Federal
income tax considerations relevant to United States holders of such Notes will
be set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
 
                                      S-18
<PAGE>   20
 
BACKUP WITHHOLDING AND INFORMATION REPORTING
 
     A 31% backup withholding tax and information reporting requirements apply
in the case of certain noncorporate United States holders to certain payments of
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on an obligation, and to the
proceeds of the sale or redemption of an obligation before maturity. The payor
will be required to withhold from any payment that is subject to backup
withholding a tax equal to 31% of such payment if the United States holder fails
to furnish his correct taxpayer identification number (social security number or
employer identification number), to certify that such holder is not subject to
backup withholding, or to otherwise comply with the applicable requirements of
the backup withholding rules. Certain holders (including, among others,
corporations and persons who are not United States persons (if such a holder
certifies as to its non-United States status and the payor does not have actual
knowledge that such certificate is false)) are not subject to the backup
withholding tax and information reporting requirements.
 
     These backup withholding tax and information reporting rules currently are
under review by the United States Treasury Department and proposed Treasury
Regulations issued on April 15, 1996 would modify certain of such rules
generally with respect to payments made after December 31, 1997. Accordingly,
the application of such rules to the Notes could be changed.
 
                       SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
     Under the terms of the Distribution Agreement dated as of May  ___ , 1996
(the "Distribution Agreement"), the Notes are being offered on a continuing
basis by the Company through Goldman, Sachs & Co., Citicorp Securities, Inc.,
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and NationsBanc
Capital Markets, Inc. (the "Agents"), each of which has agreed to use its
reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases of the Notes. The Company will pay
each Agent a commission ranging (except as otherwise provided in a Pricing
Supplement with respect to certain Original Issue Discount Notes) from 0.125% to
1.000% of the principal amount of each Note, depending on its maturity, sold
through such Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept offers to
purchase Notes and may reject any such offer, in whole or in part. Each Agent
shall have the right, in its discretion reasonably exercised, to reject any
offer to purchase Notes received by it, in whole or in part.
 
     The Company also may sell Notes to any Agent, acting as principal, for
resale to one or more investors or other purchasers at varying prices related to
prevailing market prices at the time of such resale or otherwise, as determined
by such Agent. The Agents may sell Notes to any dealer at a discount and, unless
otherwise indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, such discount allowed
to any dealer may include all or part of the discount to be received from the
Company. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, any
Note sold to an Agent as principal will be purchased by such Agent at a price
equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof less a percentage equal to the
commission applicable to any agency sale of a Note of identical maturity. After
the initial public offering of Notes to be resold to investors and other
purchasers on a fixed public offering price basis, the public offering price,
concession and discount may be changed.
 
     The Notes may also be sold by the Company directly to investors (other than
broker-dealers) in those jurisdictions in which the Company is permitted to do
so. No commission will be paid on Notes sold directly by the Company.
 
     The Company reserves the right to withdraw, cancel or modify the offer made
hereby without notice.
 
     The Agents may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"). The Company has agreed to
indemnify the Agents against certain liabilities, including liabilities under
the Act. The Company has agreed to reimburse the Agents for certain expenses.
 
                                      S-19
<PAGE>   21
 
     The Notes may also be sold at the price to the public set forth herein to
dealers who may resell to investors. Such dealers may be deemed to be
"underwriters" within the meaning of the Act.
 
     Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, payment of
the purchase price of the Notes will be required to be made in immediately
available funds.
 
     Each of the Agents may from time to time purchase and sell Notes in the
secondary market, but is not obligated to do so, and there can be no assurance
that there will be a secondary market for the Notes or liquidity in the
secondary market if one develops.
 
     The Agents do not intend to confirm sales to accounts over which they
exercise discretionary authority.
 
     Goldman, Sachs & Co. has rendered financial advisory services to the
Company from time to time and has received customary fees for its services. From
time to time the other Agents and certain of their affiliates have engaged, and
may in the future engage, in transactions with, and perform services for, the
Company and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
 
                             VALIDITY OF THE NOTES
 
     The validity of the Notes offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Nicholas J. Calise, Vice President, Associate General Counsel and
Secretary of the Company, and for the Agents by Sullivan & Cromwell, New York,
New York. The opinions of Mr. Calise and Sullivan & Cromwell will be conditioned
upon, and subject to certain assumptions regarding, future action required to be
taken by the Company and the Trustee in connection with the issuance and sale of
a particular Note, the specific terms of Notes and other matters which may
affect the validity of Notes but which cannot be ascertained on the dates of
such opinions. As of April 25, 1996, Mr. Calise owned approximately 8,590 shares
of the Company's Common Stock; held 4,000 Restricted Shares and 12,200
Performance Shares under the Company's Stock Option Plan, all of which are
subject to forfeiture; held options to purchase 76,000 shares of Common Stock;
and had credited to his account in the Company's Retirement Plus Savings Plan
approximately 4,023 shares of Common Stock.
 
                                      S-20
<PAGE>   22
[B.F.GOODRICH LOGO] 


                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
 
                                DEBT SECURITIES
                            ------------------------
 
     The B.F.Goodrich Company may from time to time offer Debt Securities
consisting of debentures, notes and/or other unsecured evidences of indebtedness
in one or more series. The Debt Securities may be offered as separate series in
amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of sale. The
accompanying Prospectus Supplement sets forth with regard to the series of Debt
Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered the title,
aggregate principal amount, denominations (which may be in United States
dollars, in any other currency or in a composite currency), maturity, rate
(which may be fixed or variable), if any, and time of payment of any interest,
any terms for redemption at the option of the Company or the holder, any terms
for sinking fund payments, any listing on a securities exchange and the initial
public offering price, any intent of any underwriter or agent to make a market
in the Debt Securities and any other terms in connection with the offering and
sale of such Debt Securities.
 
     The Company may sell Debt Securities to or through underwriters, and also
may sell Debt Securities directly to other purchasers or through agents. See
"Plan of Distribution". Such underwriters may include Goldman, Sachs & Co., or
may be a group of underwriters represented by firms including Goldman, Sachs &
Co. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and such other firms may also act as agents. The
accompanying Prospectus Supplement sets forth the names of any underwriters or
agents involved in the sale of the Debt Securities in respect of which this
Prospectus is being delivered, the principal amounts, if any, to be purchased by
underwriters and the compensation, if any, of such underwriters or agents.
 
                            ------------------------
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
  AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS
     THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
      PASSED  UPON  THE  ACCURACY  OR  ADEQUACY  OF  THIS  PROSPECTUS.
            ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                  The date of this Prospectus is May __, 1996.
<PAGE>   23
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
     The B.F.Goodrich Company (including its subsidiaries unless the context
otherwise requires, the "Company" or "BFGoodrich") is subject to the
informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission"). Such reports, proxy statements and other information filed
by the Company may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's Regional Offices located at Citicorp Center,
500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661; and 7 World Trade
Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such materials can be
obtained by mail from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. In addition,
such material may also be inspected and copied at the offices of the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, on which
certain of the Company's securities are listed.
 
     The Company has filed with the Commission registration statements on Form
S-3 (herein, together with all amendments and exhibits, collectively referred to
as the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Act"). This Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth
in the Registration Statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the Commission. For further information,
reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
     The following documents filed with the Commission (File No. 1-892) pursuant
to the Exchange Act are incorporated herein by reference:
 
          1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
     December 31, 1995; and
 
          2. The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
     March 31, 1996.
 
     All other documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and
prior to the termination of this offering of Debt Securities shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from
the respective dates of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained
herein or in a document all or a portion of which is incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein
or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
     The Company will provide without charge to each person, including a
beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this Prospectus has been delivered, upon the
written or oral request of any such person, a copy of any and all of the
documents which are incorporated herein by reference, other than exhibits to
such information (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by
reference into such documents). Requests for such copies should be directed to
The B.F.Goodrich Company, 3925 Embassy Parkway, Akron, Ohio 44333-1799,
Attention: Secretary, telephone: (330) 374-3985.
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   24
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
     BFGoodrich participates in two principal business segments: BFGoodrich
Aerospace ("Aerospace") and BFGoodrich Specialty Chemicals ("Specialty
Chemicals"). Aerospace includes the Landing Systems Group, which manufactures
aircraft wheels and brakes and aircraft landing gear; the Sensors and Integrated
Systems Group, which manufactures sensors and related equipment, fuel and
integrated utility measurement and management systems, and engine ignition
systems; the Safety Systems Group, which manufactures aircraft evacuation slides
and rafts, ice protection systems, navigation, traffic alert and collision
avoidance systems, weather detection systems, and airport and aircraft lighting
components; and the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Group, which repairs and
overhauls commercial airframes, components, wheels and brakes, landing gear,
instruments and avionics for commercial, regional, business and general aviation
customers. Specialty Chemicals includes the Specialty Plastics Group, which
manufactures thermoplastic polyurethanes, low combustibility/high temperature
plastics, static-dissipating polymers and reaction-injection molding resins; the
Specialty Additives Group, which manufactures synthetic thickeners and
emulsifiers, control release and suspension agents, polymer emulsions, rubber
and lubricant additives, and plastic and adhesive additives and modifiers; and
the Sealants and Coatings Group, which manufactures insulating glass sealants,
construction sealants and waterproof coatings, commercial glazing products and
roofing products. In addition, the Company has Other Operations which include
the manufacture of chlorine, caustic soda, ethylene, and various by-products and
co-products.
 
     BFGoodrich maintains its principal executive offices at 3925 Embassy
Parkway, Akron, Ohio 44333-1799 (telephone: (330) 374-3985). The Company was
incorporated under the laws of the State of New York in 1912 as a successor to a
business founded in 1870.
 
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,                    THREE MONTHS
                             --------------------------------------------------         ENDED
                              1991       1992       1993       1994       1995      MARCH 31, 1996
                             ------     ------     ------     ------     ------     --------------
<S>                          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
                               1.83       1.20       1.19       2.64       3.70           2.70
</TABLE>
 
     For the purpose of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges,
"earnings" represent income from continuing operations before income taxes,
fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest and distributions on quarterly
income preferred securities), amortization of previously capitalized interest
and undistributed earnings (losses) of affiliated companies which are accounted
for on the equity method. "Fixed charges" consist of interest expense (including
capitalized interest and interest costs on company-owned life insurance
policies), amortization of debt discount or premium, the portion of rental
expense representative of an interest factor and distributions on quarterly
income preferred securities.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
     Except as may be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement accompanying this
Prospectus, the Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the
Debt Securities for general corporate purposes.
 
                           DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
 
GENERAL
 
     The Debt Securities offered hereby will be issuable in one or more series
under an Indenture, dated as of May 1, 1991 (the "Indenture"), between the
Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee"). The
following statements are subject to the detailed provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended ("TIA"), and the Indenture, which is filed as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part.
Wherever references are made to particular provisions of the Indenture or terms
defined therein are referred to, such provisions or definitions are incorporated
by reference as a part of the statements made and such statements are qualified
in their entirety by such references.
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   25
 
     The Debt Securities to be offered by this Prospectus are limited to
$300,000,000 in aggregate principal amount. The aggregate principal amount of
Debt Securities which can be issued under the Indenture is unlimited. Except as
otherwise provided in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular series
of Debt Securities, the Indenture does not limit the amount of other debt,
secured or unsecured, which may be issued by the Company. The Debt Securities
may be issued in one or more series, as may be authorized from time to time by
the Company. (Section 2.5)
 
     Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to the particular
series of Debt Securities offered hereby (the "Offered Debt Securities") for the
following terms, where applicable, of the Offered Debt Securities: (1) the
designation, the aggregate principal amount and the authorized denominations of
the Offered Debt Securities; (2) the percentage of principal amount at which the
Offered Debt Securities will be issued; (3) the currency or currencies in which
the principal of and interest, if any, on the Offered Debt Securities will be
payable; (4) the date or dates on which the Offered Debt Securities will mature;
(5) the rate or rates at which the Offered Debt Securities will bear interest,
if any, or the method by which such rate or rates will be determined; (6) the
dates on which and places at which such interest, if any, will be payable; (7)
the terms of any mandatory or optional repayment or redemption (including any
sinking fund); and (8) any other terms of the Offered Debt Securities. The
Indenture provides that Debt Securities of a single series may be issued at
various times, with different maturity dates and redemption and repayment
provisions (if any) and may bear interest at different rates. (Section 2.5)
Interest, if any, on the Offered Debt Securities is to be payable to the
persons, and in the manner, specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to
such Offered Debt Securities.
 
     The Debt Securities will be unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness of the
Company and will rank on a parity with all other unsecured and unsubordinated
indebtedness of the Company.
 
     The Debt Securities will be issued in fully registered form, and, with
regard to each series of Debt Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is
being delivered, in the denominations set forth in the Prospectus Supplement
relating to such series. The Company will maintain in the place specified in the
Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular series of Debt Securities, an
office or agency where the Debt Securities of such series may be presented for
payment and may be transferred or exchanged. (Section 3.2) No service charge
will be made for any transfer or exchange of the Debt Securities, but the
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection therewith. (Section 2.10)
 
     Some of the Debt Securities may be issued as discounted Debt Securities
(bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is
below market rates) to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated
principal amount. Federal income tax consequences and other special
considerations applicable to any such discounted Debt Securities will be
described in the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto.
 
GLOBAL NOTE, DELIVERY AND FORM
 
     Except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus Supplement accompanying
this Prospectus, the Debt Securities will be issued in the form of one or more
fully registered Global Notes (collectively, the "Global Note") that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New
York (the "Depository") and registered in the name of the Depository's nominee.
The Depository currently limits the maximum denomination of any single Global
Note to $150,000,000. Therefore, for purposes of this Prospectus, "Global Note"
refers to the Global Note or Global Notes representing an entire issue of Debt
Securities.
 
     Except as set forth below, the Global Note may be transferred, in whole and
not in part, only to another nominee of the Depository or to a successor of the
Depository or its nominee.
 
     The Depository has advised as follows: it is a limited-purpose trust
company which was created to hold securities for its participating organizations
(the "Participants") and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of
securities transactions in such securities between Participants through
electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. Participants
include securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies, clearing
corporations and certain other organizations.
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   26
 
Access to the Depository's system is also available to others such as banks,
brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial
relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly ("indirect
participants"). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities
held by the Depository only through Participants or indirect participants.
 
     The Depository advises that pursuant to procedures established by it (i)
upon issuance of the Global Note by the Company in connection with the sale
thereof to an underwriter or underwriters, the Depository will credit the
accounts of Participants designated by such underwriter or underwriters with the
principal amount of the Notes purchased by such underwriter or underwriters and
(ii) ownership of beneficial interests in the Global Note will be shown on, and
the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained
by the Depository (with respect to Participants), by the Participants (with
respect to indirect participants and certain beneficial owners) and by indirect
participants (with respect to all other beneficial owners). The laws of some
states require that certain persons take physical delivery in definitive form of
securities which they own. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial
interests in the Global Note is limited to such extent.
 
     So long as a nominee of the Depository is the registered owner of the
Global Note, such nominee for all purposes will be considered the sole owner or
holder of such Debt Securities under the Indenture. Except as provided below,
owners of beneficial interests in the Global Note will not be entitled to have
Debt Securities registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to
receive physical delivery of Debt Securities in definitive form, and will not be
considered the owners or holders thereof under the Indenture.
 
     Neither the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent nor any registrar of the
Debt Securities will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the
records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in the Global Note, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any
records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
 
     Principal and interest payments on the Debt Securities registered in the
name of the Depository's nominee will be made in immediately available funds to
the Depository's nominee as the registered owner of the Global Note. Under the
terms of the Indenture, the Company and the Trustee will treat the persons in
whose names the Debt Securities are registered as the owners of such Debt
Securities for the purpose of receiving payment of principal and interest on
such Debt Securities and for all other purposes whatsoever. Therefore, neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any paying agent has any direct responsibility or
liability for the payment of principal or interest on the Debt Securities to
owners of beneficial interests in the Global Note. The Depository has advised
the Company and the Trustee that its current practice is, upon receipt of any
payment of principal or interest, to immediately credit the accounts of the
Participants with such payment in amounts proportionate to their respective
holdings in principal amount of beneficial interests in the Global Note as shown
in the records of the Depository. The Depository's current practice is to credit
such accounts, as to interest, in next-day funds and, as to principal, in
same-day funds. Payments by Participants and indirect participants to owners of
beneficial interests in the Global Note will be governed by standing
instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held
for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in "street name", and
will be the responsibility of the Participants or indirect participants.
 
     If the Depository is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as
depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90
days, the Company will issue Debt Securities in definitive form in exchange for
the Global Note. In addition, the Company may at any time determine not to have
the Debt Securities represented by a Global Note and, in such event, will issue
Debt Securities in definitive form in exchange for the Global Note. In either
instance, an owner of a beneficial interest in the Global Note will be entitled
to have Debt Securities equal in principal amount to such beneficial interest
registered in its name and will be entitled to physical delivery of such Debt
Securities in definitive form. Debt Securities so issued in definitive form will
be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof and will be
issued in registered form only, without coupons.
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   27
 
CERTAIN COVENANTS
 
     Limitation on Liens.  For the benefit of each series of Debt Securities
issued under the Indenture, the Company will not, nor will it permit any
Restricted Subsidiary to, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for
money borrowed or any other indebtedness evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures
or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed (hereinafter
called "Debt") other than guarantees arising in connection with the sale,
discount, guarantee or pledge of notes, chattel mortgages, leases, accounts
receivable, trade acceptances and other paper arising, in the ordinary course of
business, out of installment or conditional sales to or by, or transactions
involving title retention with, distributors, dealers or other customers, of
merchandise, equipment or services, secured by pledge of, or mortgage, deed of
trust or other lien on, any Principal Property owned by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary, or any shares of stock or Debt of any Restricted
Subsidiary (such pledges, mortgages, deeds of trust and other liens being
hereinafter called "Mortgage" or "Mortgages"), except with respect to each
series of Debt Securities any Debt so secured on the date of issuance of such
series, without effectively providing that the Debt Securities of all series
(together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other Debt of the Company
or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not
subordinate to the Debt Securities) shall be secured equally and ratably with
(or prior to) such secured Debt, so long as such secured Debt shall be so
secured, unless, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of
all such secured Debt which would otherwise be prohibited, plus all Attributable
Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of sale and
leaseback transactions (as defined below) which would otherwise be prohibited by
the covenant limiting sale and leaseback transactions described below would not
exceed the sum of 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; provided, however,
that these restrictions shall not apply to, and there shall be excluded from
secured Debt in any computation under these restrictions, Debt secured by: (i)
Mortgages on property of, or on any shares of stock or Debt of, any corporation
existing at the time such corporation becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; (ii)
Mortgages to secure indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or
to another Restricted Subsidiary; (iii) Mortgages for taxes, assessments or
governmental charges or levies in each case (a) not then due and delinquent or
(b) the validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, and materialmen's, mechanics', carriers', workmen's, repairmen's,
landlord's or other like Mortgages, or deposits to obtain the release of such
Mortgages; (iv) Mortgages arising under an order of attachment or distraint or
similar legal process so long as the execution or enforcement thereof is
effectively stayed and the claims secured thereby are being contested in good
faith; (v) Mortgages to secure public or statutory obligations or to secure
payment of workmen's compensation or to secure performance in connection with
tenders, leases of real property, bids or contracts or to secure (or in lieu of)
surety or appeal bonds and Mortgages made in the ordinary course of business for
similar purposes; (vi) Mortgages in favor of the United States of America or any
State thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political
subdivision of the United States of America or any State thereof, or in favor of
any other country, or any political subdivision thereof, to secure partial,
progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute
(including Debt of the Pollution Control or Industrial Revenue Bond type) or to
secure any indebtedness incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of
the purchase price or the cost of construction of the property subject to such
Mortgages; (vii) Mortgages on property (including any lease which should be
capitalized on the lessee's balance sheet in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles), shares of stock or Debt existing at the time of
acquisition thereof (including acquisition through merger or consolidation or
through purchase or transfer of the properties of a corporation as an entirety
or substantially as an entirety) or to secure the payment of all or any part of
the purchase price or construction cost or improvement cost thereof or to secure
any Debt incurred prior to, at the time of, or within one year after, the
acquisition of such property or shares or Debt or the completion of any such
construction (including any improvements on an existing property) or the
commencement of commercial operation of such property, whichever is later, for
the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or construction
cost thereof; (viii) Mortgages existing at the date of the Indenture; and (ix)
any extension, renewal or
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   28
 
replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), as a whole or
in part, of any Mortgage referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (viii),
inclusive; provided, however, that (a) such extension, renewal or replacement
Mortgage shall be limited to all or a part of the same property, shares of stock
or Debt that secured the Mortgage extended, renewed or replaced (plus
improvements on such property) and (b) the Debt secured by such Mortgage at such
time is not increased. (Section 3.4)
 
     Limitation on Sales and Leasebacks.  For the benefit of each series of Debt
Securities issued under the Indenture, the Company will not, nor will it permit
any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement with any bank,
insurance company or other lender or investor (not including the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary) or to which any such lender or investor is a party,
providing for the leasing by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary for a
period, including renewals in excess of three years, of any Principal Property
owned by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary which has been or is to be
sold or transferred more than one year after the acquisition thereof or after
the completion of construction and commencement of full operation thereof, by
the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary to such lender or investor or to
any person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such lender or
investor on the security of such Principal Property (herein referred to as a
"sale and leaseback transaction") unless either: (i) the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary could create Debt secured by a Mortgage on the Principal
Property to be leased back in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with
respect to such sale and leaseback transaction without equally and ratably
securing the Debt Securities of all series pursuant to the provisions of the
covenant on limitation on liens described above (which provisions include the
exceptions set forth in clauses (i) through (ix) of such covenant) or (ii) the
Company within 270 days after the sale or transfer shall have been made by the
Company or by any such Restricted Subsidiary, applies an amount equal to the
greater of (a) the net proceeds of the sale of the Principal Property sold and
leased back pursuant to such arrangement or (b) the fair market value of the
Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such
arrangement (as determined by any two of the following: the chairman of the
Board of Directors of the Company, its president, any vice president, its
treasurer and its controller) to (x) the purchase of property, facilities or
equipment (other than the property, facilities or equipment involved in such
sale) having a value at least equal to the net proceeds of such sale or (y) the
retirement of Funded Debt of the Company (and any retirement of Debt Securities
of any series pursuant to this provision shall not be deemed to constitute a
refunding operation or anticipated refunding operation for the purposes of any
provision restricting any refunding operations with moneys borrowed having an
interest cost to the Company in excess of a certain amount with respect to the
Debt Securities of such series); provided, however, that the amount to be
applied to the retirement of Funded Debt of the Company shall be reduced by (a)
the principal amount of any Debt Securities of any series (or, if the Debt
Securities of any series are original issue discount Debt Securities, such
portion of the principal amount as may be due and payable with respect to such
series pursuant to a declaration in accordance with Section 5.1 of the
Indenture) delivered within 270 days after such sale to the Trustee for
retirement and cancellation and (b) the principal amount of Funded Debt, other
than the Debt Securities of any series, voluntarily retired by the Company
within 270 days after such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no retirement
referred to in this clause (ii) may be effected by payment at maturity or
pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund payment or any mandatory prepayment
provision. (Section 3.5)
 
     Absence of Other Restrictions.  The Indenture does not contain (i) any
restrictions on the declaration of dividends; (ii) any requirements concerning
the maintenance of any asset ratio; or (iii) any requirement for the creation or
maintenance of reserves.
 
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE
 
     The Indenture permits the Company to consolidate or merge with or into any
other entity or entities, or to sell, convey or lease all or substantially all
of its property to any other entity authorized to acquire and operate the same;
provided, however, (i) that the Person (if other than the
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   29
 
Company) formed by such consolidation, or into which the Company is merged or
which acquires or leases substantially all of the property of the Company,
expressly assumes the Company's obligations on the Debt Securities and under the
Indenture, (ii) that the Company or such successor entity shall not immediately
after such consolidation or merger, or such sale, conveyance or lease, be in
default in the performance of any covenant or condition of the Indenture and
(iii) that certain other conditions are met. (Article Eight)
 
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS APPLICABLE TO COVENANTS
 
     "Attributable Debt" shall mean, as to any particular lease under which the
Company is at the time liable, at any date as of which the amount thereof is to
be determined, the lesser of (i) the fair value of the property subject to such
lease (as determined by certain officers of the Company as set forth in the
Indenture) or (ii) the total net amount of rent required to be paid by the
Company under such lease during the remaining term thereof, discounted from the
respective due dates thereof to such date at the rate of interest per annum
implicit in the terms of such lease, as determined by certain officers of the
Company as set forth in the Indenture, compounded semiannually. The net amount
of rent required to be paid under any such lease for any such period shall be
the amount of the rent payable by the lessee with respect to such period, after
excluding amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs,
insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates and similar charges. In the case of
any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty, such
net amount shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be
considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date
upon which it may be so terminated.
 
     "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" shall mean the aggregate amount of
assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) after
deducting therefrom (i) all current liabilities (excluding any thereof which are
by their terms extendible or renewable at the option of the obligor thereon to a
time more than 12 months after the time as of which the amount thereof is being
computed and excluding current maturities of long-term indebtedness and capital
lease obligations) and (ii) all goodwill, all as shown in the audited
consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries contained in the
Company's then most recent annual report to stockholders.
 
     "Funded Debt" shall mean all indebtedness for money borrowed having a
maturity of more than
12 months from the date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined or
having a maturity of less than 12 months but by its terms being renewable or
extendible beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower.
 
     "Principal Property" shall mean any building, structure or other facility,
together with the land upon which it is erected and fixtures comprising a part
thereof, used primarily for manufacturing and located in the United States of
America, in each case the net book value of which on the date as of which the
determination is being made exceeds 3% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets;
provided, however, that Principal Property shall not include (i) any building,
structure or facility which, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the
Company, is not of material importance to the total business conducted by the
Company and its Subsidiaries as an entirety or (ii) any portion of a particular
building, structure or facility which, in the opinion of the Company, is not of
material importance to the use or operation of such building, structure or
facility.
 
     "Restricted Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary (i) substantially all of
the property of which is located, or substantially all of the business of which
is carried on, within the United States of America and (ii) which owns a
Principal Property; provided, however, that Restricted Subsidiary shall not
include any Subsidiary the primary business of which consists of financing
operations in connection with leasing and conditional sales transactions on
behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and/or purchasing accounts
receivable and/or making loans secured by accounts receivable or inventory, or
which is otherwise primarily engaged in the business of a finance company. As of
the date of this Prospectus, the only Restricted Subsidiary is TRAMCO, INC.
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   30
 
     "Subsidiary" shall mean any corporation of which at least a majority of the
outstanding stock having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power for the
election of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the
time stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might
have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time
directly or indirectly owned by the Company, or by one or more other
Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries. (Section
1.1)
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT, WAIVER AND NOTICE
 
     As to any series of Debt Securities, an Event of Default is defined in the
Indenture as (a) default in the payment of any installment of interest, if any,
on the Debt Securities of such series and the continuance of such default for a
period of 10 days; (b) default in the payment of the principal of (and premium,
if any, on) any of the Debt Securities of such series when due, whether at
maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise; (c) default in the
payment of a sinking fund installment, if any, on the Debt Securities of such
series; (d) default by the Company in the performance of any other covenant or
agreement contained in the Indenture for the benefit of such series and the
continuance of such default for a period of 90 days after written notice as
provided in the Indenture; (e) acceleration of any indebtedness for money
borrowed by the Company in excess of $50,000,000 under the terms of the
instrument under or by which such indebtedness is issued, evidenced or secured
if such acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within 10 days after written
notice as provided in the Indenture; (f) certain events of bankruptcy,
insolvency and reorganization of the Company; and (g) any other Event of Default
established with respect to Debt Securities of that series. (Sections 2.5 and
4.1)
 
     The Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with
respect to Debt Securities of any series, give all holders of Debt Securities of
such series then outstanding notice of all uncured defaults known to it (the
term default to mean the events specified above without grace periods); provided
that, except in the case of a default in the payment of principal (and premium,
if any) or interest, if any, on any Debt Security of any series, or in the
payment of any sinking fund installment with respect to Debt Securities of any
series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if it in good
faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of all
holders of Debt Securities of such series then outstanding. (TIA)
 
     The Indenture provides that if an Event of Default with respect to Debt
Securities of any series at the time outstanding shall occur and be continuing,
either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount
(calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the Debt Securities of such series
then outstanding may declare the principal (or, in the case of original issue
discount Debt Securities, the portion thereof as may be specified in the
Prospectus Supplement relating to such series) of the Debt Securities of such
series and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable
immediately. (Section 4.1)
 
     Upon certain conditions such declarations may be annulled and past defaults
(except for defaults in the payment of principal (or premium, if any) or
interest, if any, on such Debt Securities not theretofore cured) may be waived
by the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount
(calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the Debt Securities of such series
then outstanding. (Section 4.9)
 
     The TIA requires that the Company file with the Trustee annually a written
statement as to the presence or absence of certain defaults under the terms of
the Indenture. (TIA)
 
     The Indenture provides that, if a default or an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
principal amount (calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the Debt
Securities of such affected series then outstanding (with each such series
voting separately as a class) shall have the right to direct the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding or remedy available to the Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee by the Indenture with
respect to Debt Securities of such series. (Section 4.8)
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   31
 
     The Indenture provides that the Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by the Indenture at the
direction of the holders of Debt Securities unless such holders shall have
offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against expenses and
liabilities. (Section 5.1(d))
 
DEFEASANCE
 
     Defeasance and Discharge.  The Indenture provides that the Company will be
discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the Debt Securities of any
series (except for certain obligations to register the transfer or exchange of
Debt Securities of such series, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated Debt
Securities of such series, to maintain paying agencies and to hold monies for
payment in trust), upon the deposit with the Trustee, in trust, of money and/or
U.S. Government Obligations (as defined in the Indenture) which through the
payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their
terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and
each installment of interest on the Debt Securities of such series on the stated
maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the
Debt Securities of such series. (Section 12.2) Such a trust may only be
established if, among other things, the Company delivers to the Trustee an
opinion of counsel (who may be counsel to the Company) stating that either (i)
the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal
Revenue Service a ruling or (ii) since the date of the Indenture there has been
a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, to the effect that holders of
the Debt Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for
Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and
discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in
the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such
deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred. (Section 12.4)
 
     Defeasance of Certain Covenants and Certain Events of Default.  The
Indenture provides that the Company may omit to comply with certain restrictive
covenants in Sections 3.4 and 3.5, and Section 4.1(d) (described in clause (d)
under the caption "Events of Default" above), which noncompliance shall not be
deemed to be an Event of Default under the Indenture and the Debt Securities of
a series, upon the deposit with the Trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S.
Government Obligations (as defined in the Indenture) which through the payment
of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will
provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and each
installment of interest on the Debt Securities of such series on the stated
maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the
Debt Securities of such series. The obligations of the Company under the
Indenture and the Debt Securities of such series, other than with respect to the
covenants referred to above, and the Events of Default, other than the Event of
Default referred to above, shall remain in full force and effect. (Section 12.3)
Such a trust may only be established if, among other things, the Company has
delivered to the Trustee an opinion of counsel (who may be counsel to the
Company) to the effect that the holders of the Debt Securities of such series
will not recognize income, gain, or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a
result of such deposit and defeasance of certain covenants and Events of Default
and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same
manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and
defeasance had not occurred. (Section 12.4)
 
     In the event the Company exercises its option to omit compliance with
certain covenants of the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of a
series as described in the preceding paragraph and the Debt Securities of such
series are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of
Default other than an Event of Default described in clause (d) under the caption
"Events of Default" above, the amount of money and U.S. Government Obligations
on deposit with the Trustee will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the Debt
Securities of such series at the time of their stated maturity but may not be
sufficient to pay amounts due on the Debt Securities of such series at the time
of the acceleration resulting from such Event of Default.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   32
 
MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE
 
     The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee,
with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
principal amount (calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the outstanding
Debt Securities of all series affected by such modification (all such series
voting as a single class), to modify the Indenture or any supplemental indenture
or the rights of the holders of the Debt Securities; provided that no such
modification shall (i) extend the fixed maturity of any Debt Security, or reduce
the principal or premium amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time
of payment of interest thereon, or make the principal amount thereof or interest
or premium thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in
the Debt Security, or reduce the portion of the principal amount of an original
issue discount Debt Security due and payable upon acceleration of the maturity
thereof or the portion of the principal amount thereof provable in bankruptcy,
or reduce any amount payable upon redemption of any Debt Security, or reduce the
overdue rate thereof, or impair, if the Debt Securities provide therefor, any
right of repayment at the option of the holder of a Debt Security, without the
consent of the holder of each Debt Security so affected or (ii) reduce the
aforesaid percentage of Debt Securities the consent of the holders of which is
required for any such modification, without the consent of the holder of each
Debt Security so affected. (Section 7.2)
 
     The Indenture also permits the Company and the Trustee to amend the
Indenture in certain circumstances without the consent of the holders of any
Debt Securities to evidence the merger of the Company or the replacement of the
Trustee and for certain other purposes. (Section 7.1)
 
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
 
     The Trustee is also the trustee under an Indenture of Trust and Pledge,
dated as of December 1, 1981, under which the Company has guaranteed the payment
of $27 million aggregate principal amount of Port Facilities Bonds due 2001 and
2011, an Indenture of Trust and Pledge, dated as of December 1, 1981, under
which the Company has guaranteed the payment of $19.5 million aggregate
principal amount of Pollution Control Revenue Bonds due 2001 and 2011, and an
Indenture of Trust and Pledge, dated as of March 1, 1982, under which the
Company has guaranteed the payment of $1 million aggregate principal amount of
Industrial Revenue Bonds due 2001. In addition, the Company maintains deposit
accounts and conducts other banking transactions with the Trustee in the
ordinary course of the Company's business.
 
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
     The Company may sell Debt Securities to or through underwriters and also
may sell Debt Securities directly to other purchasers or through agents. Such
underwriters may include Goldman, Sachs & Co. or a group of underwriters
represented by firms including Goldman, Sachs & Co. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and
such other firms may also act as agents.
 
     The distribution of the Debt Securities may be effected from time to time
in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or
at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
 
     In connection with the sale of Debt Securities, underwriters may receive
compensation from the Company or from purchasers of Debt Securities for whom
they may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell Debt Securities to or through dealers and such dealers may
receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from
the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as
agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of
Debt Securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts, concessions
or commissions received by them from the Company and any profit on the resale of
Debt Securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and
commissions, under the Act. Any such underwriter or agent will be
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   33
 
identified, and any such compensation received from the Company will be
described, in the Prospectus Supplement accompanying this Prospectus.
 
     Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, underwriters and
agents who participate in the distribution of Debt Securities may be entitled to
indemnification by the Company against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Act.
 
     The Debt Securities, when first issued, will have no established trading
market. Any underwriters or agents to or through whom Debt Securities are sold
by the Company for public offering and sale may make a market in such Debt
Securities, but such underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and
may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can
be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for any Debt Securities.
 
     If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement accompanying this Prospectus,
the Company will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as the Company's
agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase Debt Securities
from the Company pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a
future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include
commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment
companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases
such institutions must be approved by the Company. The obligations of any
purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the
purchase of the offered Debt Securities shall not at the time of delivery be
prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is
subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility
in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
 
     Goldman, Sachs & Co. has rendered financial advisory services to the
Company from time to time and has received customary fees for its services.
 
                          VALIDITY OF DEBT SECURITIES
 
     The validity of the Debt Securities offered hereby will be passed upon for
the Company by Nicholas J. Calise, Vice President, Associate General Counsel and
Secretary of the Company, and for the underwriters or agents, as the case may
be, by Sullivan & Cromwell, New York, New York. As of April 25, 1996, Mr. Calise
owned approximately 8,590 shares of the Company's Common Stock; held 4,000
Restricted Shares and 12,200 Performance Shares under the Company's Stock Option
Plan, all of which are subject to forfeiture; held options to purchase 76,000
shares of Common Stock; and had credited to his account in the Company's
Retirement Plus Savings Plan approximately 4,023 shares of Common Stock.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements of The B.F.Goodrich Company
incorporated by reference in The B.F.Goodrich Company's Annual Report (Form
10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1995, have been audited by Ernst & Young
LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon included therein
and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given upon the
authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   34
 
- ------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------
 
  NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, AND, IF GIVEN OR
MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES OTHER THAN THE SECURITIES TO
WHICH IT RELATES OR ANY OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY
SUCH SECURITIES IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS
UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER
SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO
CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO ITS DATE.
                               ------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT          PAGE
                                       ----
<S>                                    <C>
Description of Notes.................. S-2
United States Tax Considerations...... S-13
Supplemental Plan of Distribution..... S-19
Validity of the Notes................. S-20
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              PROSPECTUS
<S>                                    <C>
Available Information.................   2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference...........................   2
The Company...........................   3
Use of Proceeds.......................   3
Description of Securities.............   3
Plan of Distribution..................  11
Validity of Debt Securities...........  12
Experts...............................  12
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------
 
- ------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------
 
                                  $300,000,000
 
                                THE B.F.GOODRICH
                                    COMPANY
 
                               MEDIUM-TERM NOTES,
                                    SERIES A
 
                       ---------------------------------
                       ---------------------------------
 
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
                           CITICORP SECURITIES, INC.
                               J.P. MORGAN & CO.
                              MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
                        INCORPORATED
                       NATIONSBANC CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
- ------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>   35
                                   PART II

                    INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS


ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.*

SEC filing fee...................................................$ 51,724.13
Printing and engraving expenses..................................  10,000.00
Rating agency fees...............................................  70,000.00
Trustee's fees...................................................  10,000.00
Legal fees.......................................................  20,000.00
Accounting expenses..............................................  15,000.00
Blue Sky fees and expenses.......................................  10,000.00
Other............................................................  23,275.87
                                                                   ---------
Total............................................................$210,000.00
____________________

*All estimates except for filing fee.

ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                Under the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation no
member of the Board of Directors shall have any personal liability to the
Company or its shareholders for damages for any breach of duty in such
capacity, provided that such liability shall not be limited if a judgment or
other final adjudication adverse to the Director establishes that his or
her acts or omissions were in bad faith or involved intentional misconduct or
a knowing violation of law or that the Director personally gained in fact a
financial profit or other advantage to which he or she was not legally entitled
or that the Director's acts violated section 719 of the New York Business
Corporation Law ("B.C.L.") (generally relating to the improper declaration of
dividends, improper purchases of shares, improper distribution of assets after
dissolution, or making any improper loans to directors contrary to specified
statutory provisions).  Reference is made to Article TWELFTH of the Company's
Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 3(a) to the Company's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1988.

                Under the Company's By-Laws, any person made, or threatened to
be made, a party to an action or proceeding by reason of the fact that he, his
testator or intestate is or was a director or officer of the Company or served
any other corporation in any capacity at the request of the Company shall be
indemnified by the Company to the extent and in a manner permissible under the
laws of the State of New York.

                In addition, the Company's By-Laws provide indemnification for
directors and officers where they are acting on behalf of the Company where the
final judgment does not establish that the director or officer acted in bad
faith or was deliberately dishonest, or gained a financial profit or other
advantage to which he was not legally entitled.  The By-Laws provide that the
indemnification rights shall be deemed to be "contract rights" and continue 
after a person ceases to be a director or officer or after rescission or
modification of the By-Laws with respect to prior occurring events.  They also
provide directors and officers with the benefit of any additional
indemnification which may be permitted by later amendment to the B.C.L.   The
By-Laws further provide for advancement of expenses and specify procedures in
seeking and obtaining indemnification.  Reference is made to Article VI of the
Company's By-Laws filed as Exhibit 3(b) to the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1990.
        
                The Company has insurance to indemnify its directors and
officers, within the limits of the Company's insurance policies, for those
liabilities in respect of which such indemnification insurance is permitted
under the laws of the State of New York.

                Reference is made to Sections 721-726 of the B.C.L., which are
summarized below.



                                     II-1

<PAGE>   36
               Section 721 of the B.C.L. provides that indemnification pursuant
to the B.C.L. shall not be deemed exclusive of other indemnification rights to
which a director or officer may be entitled, provided that no indemnification
may be made if a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the director
or officer establishes that (i) his acts were committed in bad faith or were
the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, and, in either case, were
material to the cause of action so adjudicated, or (ii) he personally gained in
fact a financial profit or other advantage to which he was not legally
entitled.

               Section 722(a) of the B.C.L. provides that a corporation may
indemnify a director or officer made, or threatened to be made, a party to any
civil or criminal action, other than a derivative action, against judgments,    
fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including attorneys'
fees actually and necessarily incurred as a result of such action or
proceeding, or any appeal therein, if such director or officer acted in good
faith, for a purpose which he reasonably believed to be in the best interests
of the corporation and, in criminal actions or proceedings, in addition, had no
reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.  With respect to
derivative actions, Section 722(c) of the B.C.L. provides that a director or
officer may be indemnified only against amounts paid in settlement and
reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, actually and necessarily
incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, or any
appeal therein, if such director or officer acted in good faith, for a purpose
which he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the corporation and
that no indemnification shall be made in respect of (1) a threatened action, or
a pending action which is settled or otherwise disposed of, or (2) any claim,
issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable
to the corporation unless and to the extent an appropriate court determines
that the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to partial or full
indemnification.

               Section 723 of the B.C.L. specifies the manner in which payment
of such indemnification may be authorized by the corporation.  It provides that
indemnification by a corporation is mandatory in any case in which the director
or officer has been successful, whether on the merits or otherwise, in
defending an action.  In the event that the director or officer has not been
successful or the action is settled, indemnification may be made by the
corporation only if authorized by any of the corporate actions set forth in
such Section 723 (unless the corporation has provided for indemnification in
some other manner as otherwise permitted by Section 721 of the B.C.L.)

               Section 724 of the B.C.L. provides that upon proper application
by a director or officer, indemnification shall be awarded by a court to the
extent authorized under Sections 722 and 723 of the B.C.L.  Section 725 of the
B.C.L. contains certain other miscellaneous provisions affecting the
indemnification of directors and officers, including provision for the return
of amounts paid as indemnification if any such person is ultimately found not to
be entitled thereto.

               Section 726 of the B.C.L. authorizes the purchase and
maintenance of insurance to indemnify (1) a corporation for any obligation
which it incurs as a result of the indemnification of directors and officers
under the above sections, (2) directors and officers in instances in which they
may be indemnified by a corporation under such sections, and (3) directors and
officers in instances in which they may not otherwise be indemnified by a
corporation under such sections, provided the contract of insurance covering
such directors and officers provides, in a manner acceptable to the New York
State Superintendent of Insurance, for a retention amount and for co-insurance.

ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENTS
- -------                         ------------------------

*1      -       Form of Underwriting Agreement.

 1(a)   -       Form of Distribution Agreement.

*4.     -       Indenture dated as of May 1, 1991 between the Company and the
                Trustee.

 4(a)   -       Form of Fixed Rate Note.

 4(b)   -       Form of Floating Rate Note.


                                    II-2

<PAGE>   37
5.      -       Opinion re validity of Debt Securities of Nicholas J. Calise,
                Esq., Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Secretary 
                (including consent).

12.     -       Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

23(a)   -       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.

23(b)   -       Consent of Nicholas J. Calise, Esq. (contained in his opinion
                filed as Exhibit 5).

24.     -       Power of Attorney.

25.     -       Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of the
                Trustee.

____________
*  Previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant's Registration
   Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-65658).


ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.

                The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                (1)     to file, during any period in which offers or sales are
         being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                    (i)    to include any prospectus required by Section
                  10(a)(3) of the Act;

                    (ii)   to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                  arising after the effective date of the registration
                  statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
                  thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
                  fundamental change in the information set forth in the
                  registration statement; and

                    (iii)  to include any material information with respect to
                  the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                  registration statement or any material change to such
                  information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
1934 Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement;

                (2)     that, for the purpose of determining any liability
         under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment
         shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
         securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at
         that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
         thereof;

                (3)     to remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering;

                (4)     that, for purposes of determining any liability under 
         the Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to
         Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act that is incorporated by
         reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new
         registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
         the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
         initial bona fide offering thereof; and

                (5)     that, for purposes of determining any liability under
         the Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as
         part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and
         contained in a form of prospectus, filed by the Registrant pursuant to
         Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) under the Act shall be deemed to be part of this
         registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.


                                    II-3

<PAGE>   38

               Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised
that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit
or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                    II-4
<PAGE>   39

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the 
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets 
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this 
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto 
duly authorized, in the Township of Bath, State of Ohio, on May 8, 1996.

                                       THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY

                                       
                                       By /s/ Nicholas J. Calise
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Nicholas J. Calise
                                         Vice President, Associate General
                                         Counsel and Secretary

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this 
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the 
capacities indicated, on May 8, 1996.

<TABLE>
<S>                                          <C>
John D. Ong*                                 Thomas H. O'Leary*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(John D. Ong)                                (Thomas H. O'Leary)
Chairman and Chief Executive                 Director
Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)


David L. Burner*                             Joseph A. Pichler*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(David L. Burner)                            (Joseph A. Pichler)
President and Director                       Director


D. Lee Tobler*                               Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(D. Lee Tobler)                              (Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.)
Executive Vice President and                 Director
Chief Financial Officer and Director
(Principal Financial Officer)


Steven G. Rolls*                             Ian M. Ross*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(Steven G. Rolls)                            (Ian M. Ross)
Vice President and Controller                Director
(Principal Accounting Officer)

                                              
Jeanette Grasselli Brown*                    William L. Wallace*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(Jeanette Grasselli Brown)                   (William L. Wallace)
Director                                     Director


George A. Davidson, Jr.*                     Richard de J. Osborne*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(George A. Davidson, Jr.)                    (Richard de J. Osborne)
Director                                     Director


James J. Glasser*                            A. Thomas Young*
- --------------------------------------       --------------------------------------
(James J. Glasser)                           (A. Thomas Young)
Director                                     Director

</TABLE>

                                      II-5
















<PAGE>   40
*The undersigned, as attorney-in-fact, does hereby sign this Registration 
Statement on behalf of each of the officers and directors indicated above.



/s/ Nicholas J. Calise
- -------------------------------
Nicholas J. Calise




                                      II-6
<PAGE>   41
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PAGINATION
                                                                                            BY
                                                                                        SEQUENTIAL
EXHIBIT                           EXHIBIT                                               NUMBERING
NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION                                              SYSTEM
- -------                         -----------                                             ----------
<S>             <C>                                                                     <C>
*1      -       Form of Underwriting Agreement.

 1(a)   -       Form of Distribution Agreement.

*4.     -       Indenture dated as of May 1, 1991 between the Company and the
                Trustee.

 4(a)   -       Form of Fixed Rate Note.

 4(b)   -       Form of Floating Rate Note.

 5.      -      Opinion re validity of Debt Securities of Nicholas J. Calise,    
                Esq., Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Secretary    
                (including consent).                                             
                                                                                  
 12.     -      Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.               
                                                                                  
 23(a)   -      Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors.              
                                                                                  
 23(b)   -      Consent of Nicholas J. Calise, Esq. (contained in his opinion    
                filed as Exhibit 5).                                             
                                                                                  
 24.     -      Power of Attorney.                                               
                                                                                  
 25.     -      Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of the       
                Trustee.                                                         
                                                                                  
____________
*  Previously filed as an exhibit to the Registrant's Registration
   Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-65658).

</TABLE>


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 1(a)

                                                            Draft of May 7, 1996







                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY

                                  $300,000,000

                           Medium-Term Notes, Series A

                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------

                                                                __________, 1996


Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
  85 Broad Street,
    New York, New York 10004.

Citicorp Securities, Inc.,
  399 Park Avenue,
    New York, New York 10043.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.,
  60 Wall Street,
    New York, New York 10260.

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
  1585 Broadway,
    New York, New York 10036.

NationsBanc Capital Markets, Inc.,
  NationsBank Corporate Center,
    Charlotte, North Carolina 28255.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  The B.F.Goodrich Company, a New York corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell from time to time its Medium-Term Notes,
Series A (the "Securities") in an aggregate amount up to $300,000,000 and agrees
with each of you (individually, an "Agent", and collectively, the "Agents") as
set forth in this Agreement.

                  Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and to the
reservation by the Company of the right to sell Securities directly on its own
behalf, the Company hereby (i) appoints each Agent as an agent of the Company
for the purpose of soliciting and receiving offers to purchase Securities from
the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof and (ii) agrees that, except as
otherwise contemplated herein, whenever it determines to sell Securities
directly to any Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement
(each a "Terms Agreement"), substantially in the form of




<PAGE>   2



Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof.
This Distribution Agreement shall not be construed to create either an
obligation on the part of the Company to sell any Securities or an obligation of
any of the Agents to purchase any Securities as principal.

                  The Securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of
May 1, 1991 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings
Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee"). The Securities shall have the maturity ranges,
interest rates, if any, redemption provisions and other terms set forth in the
Prospectus referred to below as it may be amended or supplemented from time to
time. The Securities will be issued, and the terms and rights thereof
established, from time to time by the Company in accordance with the Indenture.

                  1.  The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with,
each Agent that:

                  (a) Two registration statements on Form S-3 (File Nos.
         33-65658 and 333-_____) in respect of debt securities of the Company,
         including the Securities, have been filed with the Securities and
         Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); such registration statements
         and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore
         delivered or to be delivered to such Agent, excluding exhibits to such
         registration statements, but including all documents incorporated by
         reference in the prospectus included in the latest registration
         statement, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form;
         no other document with respect to such registration statements or
         document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or
         transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than the prospectuses
         filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the
         Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),
         each in the form heretofore delivered to the Agents); and no stop order
         suspending the effectiveness of any such registration statements has
         been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or
         threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in
         such registration statements or filed with the Commission pursuant to
         Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
         Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various
         parts of such registration statements, including all exhibits thereto
         and the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained
         in the registration statements at the time such part of the
         registration statements became effective but excluding Form T-1, each
         as amended at the time such part of the registration statements became
         effective, is hereinafter collectively called the "Registration
         Statement"; the prospectus (including, if applicable, any prospectus
         supplement) relating to the Securities, in the form in which it has
         most recently been filed, or transmitted for filing, with the
         Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter
         called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any Preliminary
         Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
         the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
         applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such


                                       -2-



<PAGE>   3



         Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference
         to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the
         Prospectus, including any supplement to the Prospectus that sets forth
         only the terms of a particular issue of the Securities (a "Pricing
         Supplement"), shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents
         filed after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
         the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
         (the "Exchange Act"), and incorporated therein by reference; any
         reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be
         deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed
         pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the
         effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by
         reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference to the
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to and
         include the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including by the
         applicable Pricing Supplement filed in accordance with Section 4(a)
         hereof) in relation to Securities sold pursuant to this Agreement, in
         the form filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission pursuant
         to Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a)
         hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of
         the date of such filing);

                  (b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
         when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the
         case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of
         the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and
         regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents
         contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
         material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
         statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed
         and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, or any amendment or
         supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed
         with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material
         respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as
         applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
         and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
         state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
         make the statements therein not misleading;

                  (c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and
         any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
         the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects, to the
         requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
         (the "Trust Indenture Act"), and the rules and regulations of the
         Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable
         effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment
         thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and
         any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
         material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
         therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
         PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this representation and warranty shall not
         apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
         conformity with information furnished


                                      -3-


<PAGE>   4



         in writing to the Company by any Agent expressly for use in the
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate to a particular
         issuance of Securities;

                  (d) The Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole
         have not sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
         statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any
         material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
         flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
         any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree,
         otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and,
         since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any
         change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and its
         subsidiaries considered as a whole or any material adverse change, or
         any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
         affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
         stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
         subsidiaries considered as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or
         contemplated in the Prospectus;

                  (e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
         of New York and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for
         the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of
         each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or
         conducts any business in an amount that is material to the business of
         the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries considered as a whole so
         as to require such qualification; each Material Subsidiary (as defined
         below) of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
         jurisdiction of incorporation and is duly qualified as a foreign
         corporation for the transaction of business and in good standing under
         the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases
         properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such
         qualification (as used in this agreement, the term "Material
         Subsidiary" means a subsidiary of the Company which is a significant
         subsidiary under Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X of the Commission);

                  (f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
         in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
         Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully
         paid and non-assessable;

                  (g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when
         executed, authenticated, issued and delivered pursuant to this
         Agreement and any Terms Agreement, will have been duly executed,
         authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and
         legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits
         provided by the Indenture, which will be substantially in the form
         filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the Indenture has
         been duly authorized and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
         and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in
         accordance with its terms,


                                       -4-



<PAGE>   5



         subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
         and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
         creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture
         conforms, and the Securities of any particular issuance of Securities
         will conform, in all material respects, to the descriptions thereof in
         the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate to such issuance of
         Securities;

                  (h) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by
         the Company with the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this
         Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and the consummation of the
         transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
         result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of,
         or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
         loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or
         any of its Material Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or
         any of its Material Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the
         property or assets of the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries
         is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the
         provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or the
         By-Laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation
         of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
         the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries or any of their
         properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order,
         registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental
         agency or body is required for the solicitation of offers to purchase
         Securities, the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by
         the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
         any Terms Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will
         have been prior to the Commencement Date (as defined in Section 3
         hereof), obtained under the Act or the Trust Indenture Act and such
         consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as
         may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection
         with the solicitation by the Agents of offers to purchase Securities
         from the Company and with purchases of Securities by any Agent as
         principal, as the case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated
         hereby;

                  (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Material Subsidiaries
         is in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws or in
         default in the performance or observance of any material obligation,
         covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
         trust, loan agreement, material lease or other material agreement or
         instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
         properties may be bound;

                  (j) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
         caption "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes",
         insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
         Securities, and under the caption "Plan of Distribution", insofar as
         they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents
         referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair, and the
         statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "United States
         Tax Considerations", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of
         the


                                       -5-



<PAGE>   6



         laws referred to therein, are both accurate and complete in all
         material respects;


                  (k) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no
         legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any
         of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company
         or any of its subsidiaries is subject, other than litigation which, in
         the opinion of the Company, will not individually or in the aggregate
         have a material adverse effect on the current or future consolidated
         financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of
         the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, and, to the
         best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
         contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

                  (l) The Company is not and, after giving effect to each
         offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment
         company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as such
         terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
         (the "Investment Company Act");

                  (m) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does
         business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate
         located in Cuba within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida
         Statutes;

                  (n) Immediately after any sale of Securities by the Company
         hereunder or under any Terms Agreement, the aggregate amount of
         Securities which shall have been issued and sold by the Company
         hereunder or under any Terms Agreement and of any debt securities of
         the Company (other than such Securities) that shall have been issued
         and sold pursuant to the Registration Statement will not exceed the
         amount of debt securities registered under the Registration Statement;
         and

                  (o) Ernst & Young, who have certified certain financial
         statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are, to the best
         knowledge of the Company, independent public accountants as required by
         the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commissions thereunder.

                  2. (a) On the basis of the representations and warranties, and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each of the Agents hereby
severally and not jointly agrees, as agent of the Company, to use its reasonable
best efforts to solicit and receive offers to purchase the Securities from the
Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented from time to time. So long as this Agreement shall remain in effect
with respect to any Agent, the Company shall not, without the consent of such
Agent, solicit or accept offers to purchase, or sell, any debt securities with a
maturity at the time of original issuance of more than 9 months except pursuant
to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement or except pursuant to a private placement
not constituting a public offering under the Act or except in connection with a
firm commitment underwriting pursuant to an


                                       -6-



<PAGE>   7



underwriting agreement that does not provide for a continuous offering of
medium-term debt securities. However, the Company reserves the right to sell,
and may solicit and accept offers to purchase, Securities directly on its own
behalf in transactions with persons other than broker-dealers, and, in the case
of any such sale not resulting from a solicitation made by any Agent, no
commission will be payable with respect to such sale. These provisions shall not
limit Section 4(f) hereof or any similar provision included in any Terms
Agreement.

                  Procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of
Securities, the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities and the payment in
each case therefor shall be as set forth in the Administrative Procedure
attached hereto as Annex II as it may be amended from time to time by written
agreement between the Agents and the Company (the "Administrative Procedure").
The provisions of the Administrative Procedure shall apply to all transactions
contemplated hereunder other than those made pursuant to a Terms Agreement. Each
Agent and the Company agree to perform the respective duties and obligations
specifically provided to be performed by each of them in the Administrative
Procedure. The Company will furnish to the Trustee a copy of the Administrative
Procedure as from time to time in effect.

                  The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
instruct the Agents to suspend at any time, for any period of time or
permanently, the solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities. As soon as
practical, but in any event not later than one business day in New York City,
after receipt of notice from the Company, the Agents will suspend solicitation
of offers to purchase Securities from the Company until such time as the Company
has advised the Agents that such solicitation may be resumed. During such
period, the Company shall not be required to comply with the provisions of
Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k). Upon advising the Agents that such
solicitation may be resumed, however, the Company shall simultaneously provide
the documents required to be delivered by Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k),
and the Agents shall have no obligation to solicit offers to purchase the
Securities until such documents have been received by the Agents. In addition,
any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations hereunder, including
without limitation its obligations to deliver the documents required by Sections
4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k), shall automatically terminate the Agents' obligations
hereunder, including without limitation their obligations to solicit offers to
purchase the Securities hereunder as agent or to purchase Securities hereunder
as principal.

                  The Company may authorize any other firm (an "Additional
Agent") to act as its agent to solicit offers for the purchase of Securities
upon 24 hours' prior notice to such Agents as are at the time parties to this
Agreement. Each Additional Agent shall execute a copy of this Agreement and
become a party hereto. From and after the time such Additional Agent shall have
executed a copy of this Agreement, the term "Agent" as used in this Agreement
shall mean the Agent and Additional Agent.

                  The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, at the time
of settlement of any sale of a Security by the Company as a result of a
solicitation made


                                       -7-



<PAGE>   8



by such Agent, in an amount equal to the following applicable percentage of the
principal amount of such Security sold:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     Commission
                                                                                   (percentage of
                                                                                     aggregate
                                                                                  principal amount
        Range of Maturities                                                      of Securities sold)
        -------------------                                                      -------------------

<S>                                                                                   <C>  
From 9 months to less than 1 year                                                      .125%
From 1 year to less than 18 months                                                     .150%
From 18 months to less than 2 years                                                    .200%
From 2 years to less than 3 years                                                      .250%
From 3 years to less than 4 years                                                      .350%
From 4 years to less than 5 years                                                      .450%
From 5 years to less than 6 years                                                      .500%
From 6 years to less than 7 years                                                      .550%
From 7 years to less than 10 years                                                     .600%
From 10 years to less than 15 years                                                    .625%
From 15 years to less than 20 years                                                    .675%
From 20 years to 30 years                                                              .750%
From more than 30 years to less than 50 years                                          .875%
50 years and more                                                                     1.000%
</TABLE>

                  (b) Each sale of Securities to any Agent as principal shall be
made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (unless the Company and
such Agent shall otherwise agree) a Terms Agreement which will provide for the
sale of such Securities to, and the purchase thereof by, such Agent; a Terms
Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such
Securities by such Agent; the commitment of any Agent to purchase Securities as
principal, whether pursuant to any Terms Agreement or otherwise, shall be deemed
to have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties of the
Company herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth; each Terms Agreement shall specify the principal amount of Securities
to be purchased by any Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the
Company for such Securities, any provisions relating to rights of, and default
by, underwriters acting together with such Agent in the reoffering of the
Securities and the time and date and place of delivery of and payment for such
Securities; and such Terms Agreement shall also specify any requirements for
opinions of counsel, accountants' letters and officers' certificates pursuant to
Section 4 hereof. Each Agent proposes to offer the Securities purchased by it as
principal for sale at prevailing market prices or prices related thereto at the
time of sale, which may be equal to, greater than or less than the price at
which such Securities are purchased by such Agent from the Company.

                  For each sale of Securities to an Agent as principal that is
not made pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the procedural details relating to the
issue and


                                       -8-


<PAGE>   9



delivery of such Securities and payment therefor shall be as set forth in the
Administrative Procedure. For each such sale of Securities to an Agent as
principal that is not made pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company agrees to
pay such Agent a commission (or grant an equivalent discount) as provided in
Section 2(a) hereof and in accordance with the schedule set forth therein.

                  Each time and date of delivery of and payment for Securities
to be purchased by an Agent as principal, whether set forth in a Terms Agreement
or in accordance with the Administrative Procedure, is referred to herein as a
"Time of Delivery".

                  3. The documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section
6 hereof on the Commencement Date (as defined below) shall be delivered to the
Agents at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell, 1701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.,
Washington, D.C., at 11:00 a.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this
Agreement, which date and time of such delivery may be postponed by agreement
between the Agents and the Company but in no event shall be later than the day
prior to the date on which solicitation of offers to purchase Securities is
commenced or on which any Terms Agreement is executed (such time and date being
referred to herein as the "Commencement Date").

                  4.  The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent:

                  (a) (i) To make no amendment or supplement to the Registration
         Statement or the Prospectus (A) prior to the Commencement Date which
         shall be disapproved by any Agent promptly after reasonable notice
         thereof or (B) after the date of any Terms Agreement or other agreement
         by an Agent to purchase Securities as principal and prior to the
         related Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by any Agent party
         to such Terms Agreement or so purchasing as principal promptly after
         reasonable notice thereof; (ii) to prepare, with respect to any
         Securities to be sold through or to such Agent pursuant to this
         Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect to such Securities in a
         form previously approved by such Agent and to file such Pricing
         Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Act not later than the
         close of business of the Commission on the fifth business day after the
         date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used; (iii) to make no
         amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus,
         other than any Pricing Supplement and other than any prospectus
         supplement relating solely to securities other than the Securities, at
         any time prior to having afforded each Agent a reasonable opportunity
         to review and comment thereon; (iv) to file promptly all reports and
         any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by
         the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
         15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus
         is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities,
         and during such same period to advise such Agent, promptly after the
         Company receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the
         Registration Statement has been filed or has become effective or any
         supplement to the Prospectus or


                                       -9-



<PAGE>   10



         any amended Prospectus (other than any Pricing Supplement that relates
         to Securities not purchased through or by such Agent and other than any
         prospectus supplement relating solely to securities other than the
         Securities) has been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the
         Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending
         the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities, of the suspension
         of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
         jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
         any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amendment
         or supplement of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
         additional information; and (v) in the event of the issuance of any
         such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use
         of any such prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use
         promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;

                  (b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as such
         Agent reasonably may request to qualify the Securities for offering and
         sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions in the United
         States as such Agent may request and to comply with such laws so as to
         permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein for as long as may
         be necessary to complete the distribution or sale of the Securities;
         PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in connection therewith the Company shall not
         be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
         consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;

                  (c) To furnish such Agent with copies of the Registration
         Statement and each amendment thereto, with copies of the Prospectus as
         each time amended or supplemented, other than any Pricing Supplement
         (except as provided in the Administrative Procedure), in the form in
         which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the
         Act, and with copies of the documents incorporated by reference
         therein, all in such quantities as such Agent may reasonably request
         from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at
         any time in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities
         (including Securities purchased from the Company by such Agent as
         principal) and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a
         result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
         include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
         material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
         light of the circumstances under which they were made when such
         Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it
         shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the
         Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated
         by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the
         Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify such Agent and
         request such Agent, in its capacity as agent of the Company, to suspend
         solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company (and, if
         so notified, such Agent shall cease such solicitations as soon as
         practicable, but in any event not later than one business later); and
         if the Company shall decide to amend or supplement the Registration
         Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to so
         advise such Agent promptly by telephone (with confirma-


                                      -10-



<PAGE>   11



         tion in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the
         Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
         the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such
         statement or omission or effect such compliance; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
         that if during such same period such Agent continues to own Securities
         purchased from the Company by such Agent as principal or such Agent is
         otherwise required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions
         in the Securities, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the
         Commission such an amendment or supplement;

                  (d) To make generally available to its security holders as
         soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months
         after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in
         Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earning statement of the Company and its
         consolidated subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with
         Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the
         Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule
         158);

                  (e) So long as Securities are outstanding, to furnish to such
         Agent copies of all reports or other communications (financial or
         other) furnished to stockholders, and deliver to such Agent (i) as soon
         as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements
         furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
         exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and
         (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial
         condition of the Company as such Agent may from time to time reasonably
         request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the
         extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are
         consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to
         the Commission);

                  (f) That, from the date of any Terms Agreement with such Agent
         or other agreement by such Agent to purchase Securities as principal
         and continuing to and including the earlier of (i) the termination of
         the trading restrictions for the Securities purchased thereunder, as
         notified to the Company by such Agent and (ii) the related Time of
         Delivery, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of
         any debt securities of the Company which both mature more than 9 months
         after such Time of Delivery and are substantially similar to the
         Securities, without the prior consent of such Agent;

                  (g) That each acceptance by the Company of an offer to
         purchase Securities hereunder (including any purchase by such Agent as
         principal not pursuant to a Terms Agreement), and each execution and
         delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement with such Agent, shall be
         deemed to be an affirmation to such Agent that the representations and
         warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this
         Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such acceptance or of
         such Terms Agreement, as the case may be, as though made at and as of
         such date, and an undertaking that such


                                      -11-



<PAGE>   12



         representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the
         settlement date for the Securities relating to such acceptance or as of
         the Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, as
         though made at and as of such date (except that such representations
         and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement
         and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such
         Securities);

                  (h) That reasonably in advance of each time the Registration
         Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other
         than by a Pricing Supplement or by an amendment or supplement which
         relates exclusively to an offering of debt securities other than the
         Securities) and each time a document filed under the Act or the
         Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus and each
         time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant
         to a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of
         an opinion or opinions by Sullivan & Cromwell, counsel to the Agents,
         as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms
         Agreement, the Company shall furnish to such counsel such papers and
         information as they may reasonably request to enable them to furnish to
         such Agent the opinion or opinions referred to in Section 6(b) hereof;

                  (i) That each time the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing
         Supplement or by an amendment or supplement which relates exclusively
         to an offering of debt securities other than the Securities), each time
         a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by
         reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells
         Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and
         such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion under this
         Section 4(i) as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to
         such Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish or cause to be
         furnished forthwith to such Agent the written opinion of Nicholas J.
         Calise, counsel for the Company, or other counsel for the Company
         satisfactory to such Agent, dated the date of such amendment,
         supplement, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as
         the case may be, covering the matters referred to in Section 6(c)(I)
         and Section 6(c)(II) hereof, provided, that in each case, the opinion
         shall be modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date or, in lieu of such
         opinion, such counsel may furnish an opinion to the effect that such
         Agent may rely on the opinion of such counsel covering the matters
         referred to in Section 6(c)(I) and 6(c)(II) hereof, which was last
         furnished to such Agent to the same extent as though it were dated the
         date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that the statements in
         such last opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
         Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date);
         provided however, if specified in the applicable Terms Agreement as a
         condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms
         Agreement, the opinion as set forth in Section 6(c)(II) hereof, shall
         be given by White & Case, or other outside counsel for the Company
         satisfactory to such Agent;



                                      -12-



<PAGE>   13



                  (j) That each time the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (i) to set forth amended or
         supplemental financial information consisting of financial information
         as of and for a fiscal quarter or year ("Regular Financial
         Information") contained in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual
         Report on Form 10-K, respectively, or by the incorporation by reference
         in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus of such Regular
         Financial Information, or (ii) to set forth amended or supplemental
         financial statements, other than Regular Financial Information, which
         in the judgment of an Agent is material to the offer and sale of the
         Securities ("Extraordinary Financial Information"), or by the
         incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectus of such Extraordinary Financial Information and, in the case
         of this subparagraph (ii), upon request of such Agent, and each time
         the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to a
         Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of a
         letter under this Section 4(j) as a condition to the purchase of
         Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall cause
         the independent certified public accountants who have certified the
         financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or
         incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement to furnish such
         Agent a letter as soon as practicable and in no event later than ten
         days following such amendment, supplement or incorporation, or on such
         Time of Delivery, as the case may be, dated the date of such amendment,
         supplement, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as
         the case may be, in form satisfactory to such Agent, of the same tenor
         as the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof but modified to relate
         to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or
         supplemented to the date of such letter, with such changes as may be
         necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements and other
         information derived from the accounting records of the Company, to the
         extent such financial statements and other information are available as
         of a date not more than five business days prior to the date of such
         letter; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, with respect to any financial
         information or other matter, such letter may reconfirm as true and
         correct at such date as though made at and as of such date, rather than
         repeat, statements with respect to such financial information or other
         matter made in the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof which was
         last furnished to such Agent;

                  (k) That each time the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing
         Supplement or by an amendment or supplement which relates exclusively
         to an offering of debt securities other than the Securities), each time
         a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by
         reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells
         Securities to such Agent as principal and the applicable Terms
         Agreement specifies the delivery of a certificate under this Section
         4(k) as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such
         Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished
         forthwith to such Agent a certificate, dated the date of such
         supplement, amendment, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to
         such sale, as the case may be, in such form and executed by such
         officers of the Company as shall be reasonably satisfactory


                                      -13-



<PAGE>   14



         to such Agent, to the effect that the statements contained in the
         certificate referred to in Section 6(h) hereof which was last furnished
         to such Agent are true and correct at such date as though made at and
         as of such date (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate
         to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and
         supplemented to such date), or, in lieu of such certificate,
         certificates of the same tenor as the certificates referred to in said
         Section 6(h) but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and
         the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date; and

                  (l) To offer to any person who has agreed to purchase
         Securities from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase
         solicited by such Agent the right to refuse to purchase and pay for
         such Securities if, on the related settlement date fixed pursuant to
         the Administrative Procedure, any condition set forth in Section 6(a),
         6(e), 6(f) or 6(g) hereof shall not have been satisfied (it being
         understood that the judgment of such person with respect to the
         impracticability or inadvisability of such purchase of Securities shall
         be substituted, for purposes of this Section 4(l), for the respective
         judgments of an Agent with respect to certain matters referred to in
         such Sections 6(e) and 6(g), and that such Agent shall have no duty or
         obligation whatsoever to exercise the judgment permitted under such
         Sections 6(e) and 6(g) on behalf of any such person).

                  5. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that the
Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements
and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the
registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in
connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any
Pricing Supplements and all other amendments and supplements thereto and the
mailing and delivering of copies thereof to such Agent; (ii) the reasonable
fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Agents in connection with
the establishment of the program contemplated hereby, any opinions to be
rendered by such counsel hereunder and under any Terms Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereunder and under any Terms Agreement; (iii) the
cost of printing, producing or reproducing this Agreement, any Terms Agreement,
any Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents
(including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with
the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iv) all expenses
in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale
under state securities laws as provided in Section 4(b) hereof, including
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with
such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and legal investment
surveys; (v) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the
Securities; (vi) any filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with, any required review
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale
of the Securities; (vii) the cost of preparing the Securities; (viii) the fees
and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and any transfer or
paying agent of the


                                      -14-


<PAGE>   15



Company and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any Trustee or
such agent in connection with any Indenture and the Securities; (ix) any
advertising expenses connected with the solicitation of offers to purchase and
the sale of Securities so long as such advertising expenses have been approved
by the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance
by the Company of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. Except as provided in Sections 7 and 8 hereof,
each Agent shall pay all other expenses it incurs.

                  6. The obligation of any Agent, as agent of the Company, at
any time ("Solicitation Time") to solicit offers to purchase the Securities and
the obligation of any Agent to purchase Securities as principal, pursuant to any
Terms Agreement or otherwise, shall in each case be subject, in such Agent's
discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other
statements of the Company herein (and, in the case of an obligation of an Agent
under a Terms Agreement, in or incorporated by reference in such Terms
Agreement) are true and correct at and as of the Commencement Date and any
applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is prior to such
Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, and at and as of such
Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the condition that
prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the
Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be
performed, and the following additional conditions:

                  (a) (i) With respect to any Securities sold at or prior to
         such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing
         Supplement) with respect to such Securities shall have been filed with
         the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the
         applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and
         regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof;
         (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
         Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
         shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iii)
         all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission
         shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of such
         Agent;

                  (b) Sullivan & Cromwell, counsel to the Agents, shall have
         furnished to such Agent (i) such opinion or opinions, dated the
         Commencement Date, with respect to the incorporation of the Company,
         the validity of the Indenture, the Securities, the Registration
         Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and other related
         matters as such Agent may reasonably request, and (ii) if and to the
         extent reasonably requested by such Agent, with respect to each
         applicable date referred to in Section 4(h) hereof that is on or prior
         to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, an
         opinion or opinions, dated such applicable date, to the effect that
         such Agent may rely on the opinion or opinions which were last
         furnished to such Agent pursuant to this Section 6(b) to the same
         extent as though it or they were dated the date of such letter
         authorizing reliance (except that the statements in such last


                                      -15-



<PAGE>   16



         opinion or opinions shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
         Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date)
         or, in any case, in lieu of such an opinion or opinions, an opinion or
         opinions of the same tenor as the opinion or opinions referred to in
         clause (i) but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date; and in each case
         such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they
         may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

                  (c)(I) Nicholas J. Calise, Vice President, Associate General
         Counsel and Secretary of the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to
         such Agent, shall have furnished to such Agent his (or their) written
         opinions (i) dated the Commencement Date to the effect set forth below
         and (ii) dated each applicable date referred to in Section 4(i) hereof
         that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as
         the case may be, to the effect set forth below and as set forth in
         Section 6(c)(II) hereof, in each case in form and substance
         satisfactory to such Agent. Such counsel shall opine that:

                           (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
                  validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
                  laws of the State of New York, with corporate power and
                  authority to own its properties and conduct its business as
                  described in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;

                           (ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as
                  set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and all
                  of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been
                  duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
                  non-assessable;

                           (iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a
                  foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in
                  good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in the
                  United States other than New York in which it owns or leases
                  plants or other major real property (such counsel being
                  entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon
                  opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact
                  upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that
                  such counsel shall state that he believes that both you and he
                  are justified in relying on such opinions and certificates);

                           (iv) Each Material Subsidiary of the Company has been
                  duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
                  good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
                  incorporation; all of the issued shares of capital stock of
                  each such Material Subsidiary have been duly and validly
                  authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and
                  (except for directors' qualifying shares and as otherwise set
                  forth in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K)
                  are owned directly


                                      -16-



<PAGE>   17



                  or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, 
                  encumbrances, equities or claims;

                           (v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there
                  are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
                  Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any
                  property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
                  subject, other than as set forth in the Prospectus and other
                  than litigation which in the aggregate is not material to the
                  Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole; and, to
                  the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are
                  threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
                  threatened by others;

                           (vi) This Agreement and any applicable Terms 
                  Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered 
                  by the Company;

                           (vii) The Securities have been duly authorized and,
                  when duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company and
                  authenticated by the Trustee, will constitute valid and
                  legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the
                  benefits provided by the Indenture; and the Indenture conforms
                  and the Securities will conform in all material respects to
                  the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or
                  supplemented;

                           (viii) The Indenture has been duly authorized,
                  executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due
                  authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee,
                  constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument,
                  enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
                  enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and
                  other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
                  creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and the
                  Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture
                  Act;

                           (ix) The issue and sale of the Securities and the
                  compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the
                  Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and any applicable
                  Terms Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
                  herein and therein contemplated will not in any material
                  respect conflict with or result in a breach or violation of
                  any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
                  under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement
                  or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to
                  which the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries is a
                  party or by which the Company or any of its Material
                  Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or
                  assets of the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries is
                  subject, nor will such actions result in any violation of the
                  provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or
                  By-laws or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known
                  to such counsel of any court or


                                      -17-



<PAGE>   18



                  governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the 
                  Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries or any of their 
                  properties;

                           (x) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
                  registration or qualification of or with any such court or
                  governmental agency or body is required for the solicitation
                  of offers to purchase Securities, the issue and sale of the
                  Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other
                  transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any applicable
                  Terms Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been
                  obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such
                  consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
                  qualifications as may be required under state securities or
                  Blue Sky laws in connection with the solicitation by the
                  Agents of offers to purchase Securities from the Company and
                  with purchases of Securities by an Agent as principal, as the
                  case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated hereby;

                           (xi) Neither the Company nor any of its Material
                  Subsidiaries is in violation of its Certificate of
                  Incorporation of By-laws or in default in the performance or
                  observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition
                  contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
                  agreement, material lease or other material agreement or
                  instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
                  properties may be bound;

                           (xii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus
                  under the caption "Description of Debt Securities" and
                  "Description of Notes", insofar as they purport to constitute
                  a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the
                  caption "Plan of Distribution", insofar as they purport to
                  describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to
                  therein, are accurate and fair, and complete in all material
                  respects;

                           (xiii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to
                  each offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an
                  "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an
                  "investment company", as such terms are defined in the
                  Investment Company Act; and

                           (xiv) The documents incorporated by reference in the
                  Prospectus as amended or supplemented (other than the
                  financial statements and related schedules and other financial
                  data therein, as to which such counsel need express no
                  opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the
                  Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all
                  material respects with the requirements of the Act or the
                  Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of
                  the Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to
                  believe that any of such documents, when they became effective
                  or were so filed, as the case may be, contained, in the case
                  of a registration statement which became effective under the
                  Act, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
                  state a material fact required to be stated therein or


                                      -18-



<PAGE>   19



                  necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or,
                  in the case of other documents which were filed under the Act
                  or the Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement
                  of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
                  necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
                  light of the circumstances under which they were made when
                  such documents were so filed, not misleading;

                  In rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that his
         opinion is limited to the laws of the States of Ohio and New York and
         the federal laws of the United States;

                  (c)(II) White & Case, or other counsel for the Company
         satisfactory to such Agent, shall have furnished to such Agent their
         written opinion, dated the Commencement Date and, if specified in a
         Terms Agreement, dated the Time of Delivery with respect to such Terms
         Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent, to the
         effect that:

                           (i) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under
                  the caption "United States Tax Considerations", insofar as
                  they purport to constitute a summary of the laws referred to
                  therein, are both accurate and complete in all material
                  respects; and

                           (ii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
                  amended or supplemented and any further amendments and
                  supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the date of
                  such opinion (other than the financial statements and related
                  schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated
                  by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no
                  opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the
                  requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the
                  rules and regulations thereunder; although they do not assume
                  any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness
                  of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or
                  the Prospectus, they have no reason to believe that, as of its
                  effective date, the Registration Statement or any further
                  amendment thereto made by the Company prior to the date of
                  such opinion (other than the financial statements and related
                  schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated
                  by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no
                  opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
                  omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
                  or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or
                  that, as of the date of such opinion, the Prospectus as
                  amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement
                  thereto made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion
                  (other than the financial statements and related schedules and
                  other financial data contained or incorporated by reference
                  therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
                  contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
                  state a material fact necessary to make the statements
                  therein, in light of the


                                      -19-



<PAGE>   20



                  circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
                  such counsel does not know of any amendment to the
                  Registration Statement required to be filed or any contracts
                  or other documents of a character required to be filed as an
                  exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be
                  incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as amended or
                  supplemented or required to be described in the Registration
                  Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented which
                  are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as
                  required;

                  (d) Not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
         Commencement Date and with respect to each applicable date referred to
         in Section 4(j) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or
         Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the independent certified public
         accountants who have certified the financial statements of the Company
         and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the
         Registration Statement shall have furnished to such Agent a letter,
         dated the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may
         be, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect set
         forth in Annex III hereto;

                  (e) (i) The Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole
         shall not have sustained since the date of the latest financial
         statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as
         amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement
         relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of
         Delivery any loss or interference with its business from fire,
         explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by
         insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
         order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing
         Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant
         Time of Delivery and (ii) since the respective dates as of which
         information is given in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior
         to the date of the Pricing Supplement relating to the Securities to be
         delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery there shall not have been
         any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and
         its subsidiaries considered as a whole or any change, or any
         development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general
         affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or
         results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as
         a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus
         as amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement
         relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of
         Delivery, the effect of which, in any such case described in Clause (i)
         or (ii), is in the judgment of such Agent so material and adverse as to
         make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation
         by such Agent of offers to purchase Securities from the Company or the
         purchase by such Agent of Securities from the Company as principal, as
         the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing
         Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant
         Time of Delivery;


                                      -20-



<PAGE>   21




                  (f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have
         occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any
         "nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term
         is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the
         Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that
         it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative
         implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities;

                  (g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred
         any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in
         trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a
         suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's
         securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium
         on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal
         or New York State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of
         hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the
         United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such
         event specified in this clause (iv) in the judgment of such Agent makes
         it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation of
         offers to purchase Securities or the purchase of the Securities from
         the Company as principal pursuant to the applicable Terms Agreement or
         otherwise, as the case may be, on the terms contemplated in the
         Prospectus; and

                  (h) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished
         to such Agent certificates of officers of the Company dated the
         Commencement Date and each applicable date referred to in Section 4(k)
         hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of
         Delivery, as the case may be, in such form and executed by such
         officers of the Company as shall be satisfactory to such Agent, as to
         the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company
         herein at and as of the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as
         the case may be, as to the performance by the Company of all of its
         obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Commencement
         Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, as to matters set
         forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section 6, and as to such
         other matters as such Agent may reasonably request.

                  7. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Agent
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Agent may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any
other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse such Agent for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred;


                                      -21-



<PAGE>   22



PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus
relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Agent expressly for use therein.

                  (b) Each Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus
relating to the Securities or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus
relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Agent expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.

                  (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such
action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not,
except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying
party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall
not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal
expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other
than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without
giving prior written notice to the indemnified party, effect the settlement or
compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any
pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which


                                      -22-



<PAGE>   23



indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the
indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim)
unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional
release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action
or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault,
culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

                  (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Agent on the
other from the offering of the Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or
liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under
subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and each Agent on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and each Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of Securities (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions or
discounts received by such Agent in respect thereof. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading relates to information supplied by the Company
on the one hand or by any Agent on the other and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The Company and each Agent agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were
determined by per capita allocation (even if all Agents were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result
of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), an Agent shall not be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total public offering price at
which the Securities purchased by or through it were sold exceeds the amount of
any damages which such Agent has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person


                                      -23-



<PAGE>   24



guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of each of the Agents under
this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to the respective
purchases made by or through it to which such loss, claim, damage or liability
(or action in respect thereof) relates and are not joint.

                  (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls
any Agent within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of each Agent under
this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which such Agent may
otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each
officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act.

                  8. Each Agent, in soliciting offers to purchase Securities
from the Company and in performing the other obligations of such Agent hereunder
(other than in respect to any purchase by an Agent as principal, pursuant to a
Terms Agreement or otherwise), is acting solely as agent for the Company and not
as principal. Each Agent will make reasonable efforts to assist the Company in
obtaining performance by each purchaser whose offer to purchase Securities from
the Company was solicited by such Agent and has been accepted by the Company,
but such Agent shall not have any liability to the Company in the event such
purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the Company shall default on its
obligation to deliver Securities to a purchaser whose offer it has accepted, the
Company shall (i) hold each Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage
arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii)
notwithstanding such default, pay to the Agent that solicited such offer any
commission to which it would be entitled in connection with such sale.

                  9. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations,
warranties and other statements by any Agent and the Company set forth in or
made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless
of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on
behalf of any Agent or any controlling person of any Agent, or the Company, or
any officer or director or any controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive each delivery of and payment for any of the Securities.

                  10. The provisions of this Agreement relating to the
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company may be suspended
or terminated at any time by the Company as to any Agent or by any Agent as to
such Agent upon the giving of written notice of such suspension or termination
to such Agent or the Company, as the case may be. In the event of such
suspension or termination with respect to any Agent, (x) this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect with respect to any Agent as to which such
suspension or termination has not occurred, (y) this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect with respect to the rights and obligations of any party
which have previously accrued or which relate to Securities which are already
issued, agreed to be issued or the subject of a pending offer at the


                                      -24-



<PAGE>   25



time of such suspension or termination and (z) in any event, this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect insofar as the fifth paragraph of Section
2(a), and Sections 4(d), 4(e), 5, 7, 8 and 9 hereof are concerned.

                  11. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in the
Administrative Procedure, all statements, requests, notices and advises
hereunder shall be in writing, or by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing,
and (i) if to Goldman, Sachs & Co. shall be sufficient in all respects when
delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or registered mail to 85 Broad
Street, New York, New York 10004, Facsimile Transmission No. (212) 363-7609,
Attention: Credit Department, (ii) if to Citicorp Securities, Inc., shall be
sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or
registered mail to 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10043, Facsimile
Transmission No. (212) 291-3910, Attention: Capital Markets, (iii) if to J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc., shall be sufficient in all respects when delivered or
sent by facsimile transmission or registered mail to 60 Wall Street, New York,
New York 10260, Facsimile Transmission No. (212) 648-5907, Attention: Medium
Term Note Desk, (iv) if to Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, shall be
sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or
registered mail to Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 1585 Broadway, New York,
New York 10036, Facsimile Transmission No. (212) 761-0780, Attention: Manager -
Continuously Offered Products, with a copy to Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Facsimile Transmission No. (212)
761-0260, Attention: Peter Cooper, Investment Banking Information Center, (v) if
to NationsBanc Capital Markets, Inc., shall be sufficient in all respects when
delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or registered mail to NationsBank
Corporate Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255-0120, Facsimile Transmission
No. (704) 388-9212, Attention: Tom Mooney, Syndicate Operations, and (vi) if to
the Company shall be sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by
facsimile transmission or registered mail to 3925 Embassy Parkway, Akron, Ohio
44333-1799, Facsimile Transmission No. (330) 374-3456, Attention: Secretary and
Facsimile Transmission No. (330) 374-4087, Attention: Treasurer.

                  12. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be binding
upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, each Agent and the Company, and to the
extent provided in Sections 7, 8 and 9 hereof, the officers and directors of the
Company and any person who controls any Agent or the Company, and their
respective personal representatives, successors and assigns, and no other person
shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement or any
Terms Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities through or from any Agent
hereunder shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such
purchase.

                  13.  Time shall be of the essence in this Agreement and any 
Terms Agreement. As used herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when
the Commission's office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

                  14. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED
BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


                                      -25-


<PAGE>   26



                  15. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be executed by
any one or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be an original, but all of such respective counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

                  If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding,
please sign and return to us eight counterparts hereof, whereupon this letter
and the acceptance by each of you thereof shall constitute a binding agreement
between the Company and each of you in accordance with its terms.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY



                                            By:___________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:


Accepted in New York, New York, 
    as of the date hereof:



- -------------------------------
  (Goldman, Sachs & Co.)


CITICORP SECURITIES, INC.



By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:


J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.



By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:



                                      -26-



<PAGE>   27




MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED



By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:


NATIONSBANC CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.



By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:


                                      -27-



<PAGE>   28





                                                                         ANNEX I







                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY

                               [TITLE OF SECURITY]

                                 TERMS AGREEMENT
                                 ---------------

                                                                __________, 19__


[Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
  85 Broad Street,
    New York, New York 10004.]

[Citicorp Securities, Inc.,
  399 Park Avenue,
    New York, New York 10043.]

[J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.,
  60 Wall Street,
    New York, New York 10260.]

[Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
  1585 Broadway,
    New York, New York 10036.]

[NationsBanc Capital Markets, Inc.,
  NationsBank Corporate Center,
    Charlotte, North Carolina 28255.]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         The B.F.Goodrich Company (the "Company"), proposes, subject to the
terms and conditions stated herein and in the Distribution Agreement, dated
_____, 1996 (the "Distribution Agreement), between the Company on the one hand
and Goldman, Sachs & Co., Citicorp Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and NationsBanc Capital Markets, Inc.
(the "Agents") on the other, to issue and sell to [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)] the
securities specified in Schedule hereto (the "Purchased Securities"). Each of
the provisions of the Distribution Agreement not specifically related to the
solicitation by the Agents, as agents of the Company, of offers to purchase
Securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be
deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such
provisions had been set forth in full herein. Nothing contained herein or in the
Distribution Agreement shall make any party hereto an agent of the Company or
make such party subject to the provisions therein relating to the solicitation
of offers to purchase Securities from the Company, solely by virtue of its
execution of this Terms Agreement. Each of the representations and warranties
set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of
this Terms Agreement, except that each representation and warranty in Section 1
of the Distribution Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus shall be
deemed to be a representation and


<PAGE>   29



warranty as of the date of the Distribution Agreement in relation to the
Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and warranty as of
the date of this Terms Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.

         An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.

         Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)] and [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)] agree to
purchase from the Company the Purchased Securities, at the time and place, in
the principal amount and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.

         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us ____ counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you
this letter and such acceptance hereof, including those provisions of the
Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a
binding agreement between you and the Company.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY


                                        By:___________________________
                                           Name:
                                           Title:

Accepted:


[
 -------------------------------
     (Goldman, Sachs & Co.) ]


[CITICORP SECURITIES, INC.


By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:]



                                      -I-2-

<PAGE>   30



[J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.


By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:]


[MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED


By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:]


[NATIONSBANC CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.


By:____________________________
   Name:
   Title:]


                                      -I-3-

<PAGE>   31



                                                             SCHEDULE TO ANNEX I


Title of Purchased Securities:

         [  %] Medium-Term Notes, Series A

Aggregate Principal Amount:

         [$----------]

[Price to Public:]

Purchase Price by [NAME(S) OF AGENT(S)]:

           % of the principal amount of the Purchased Securities [, PLUS ACCRUED
INTEREST FROM _____ TO _____] [AND ACCRUED AMORTIZATION, IF ANY, FROM ______ TO
______]

Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:

         [BY CERTIFIED OR OFFICIAL BANK CHECK OR CHECKS, PAYABLE TO THE ORDER 
OF THE COMPANY, IN IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FUNDS]

         [BY WIRE TRANSFER TO A BANK ACCOUNT SPECIFIED BY THE COMPANY IN 
IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FUNDS]

Indenture:

         Indenture, dated as of May 1, 1991, between the Company and Harris
Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee

Time of Delivery:

Closing Location for Delivery of Securities:

Maturity:

Interest Rate:

         [  %]

Interest Payment Dates:

         [MONTHS AND DATES]


                                      -I-4-

<PAGE>   32



Documents to be Delivered:

         The following documents referred to in the Distribution Agreement shall
be delivered as a condition to the Closing:
         [(1)  THE OPINION OR OPINIONS OF COUNSEL TO THE AGENTS REFERRED TO IN 
SECTION 4(h).]

         [(2)  THE OPINION OF [INSIDE] COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY [AND OUTSIDE 
COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY] REFERRED TO IN SECTION 4(i).]

         [(3)  THE ACCOUNTANTS' LETTER REFERRED TO IN SECTION 4(j).]

         [(4)  THE OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE REFERRED TO IN SECTION 4(k).]

Other Provisions (including Syndicate Provisions, if applicable):


                                      -I-5-

<PAGE>   33





                                                                        ANNEX II



                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY


                            Administrative Procedure
                            ------------------------



                  This Administrative Procedure relates to the Securities
defined in the Distribution Agreement, dated ______, 1996 (the "Distribution
Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
Citicorp Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated and NationsBanc Capital Markets, Inc. (together, the "Agents"), to
which this Administrative Procedure is attached as Annex II. Defined terms used
herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given such terms in the
Distribution Agreement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or the
Indenture.

                  The procedures to be followed with respect to the settlement
of sales of Securities directly by the Company to purchasers solicited by an
Agent, as agent, are set forth below. The terms and settlement details related
to a purchase of Securities by an Agent, as principal, from the Company will be
set forth in a Terms Agreement pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, unless
the Company and such Agent otherwise agree as provided in Section 2(b) of the
Distribution Agreement, in which case the procedures to be followed in respect
of the settlement of such sale will be as set forth below. An Agent, in relation
to a purchase of a Security by a purchaser solicited by such Agent, is referred
to herein as the "Selling Agent" and, in relation to a purchase of a Security by
such Agent as principal other than pursuant to a Terms Agreement, as the
"Purchasing Agent".

                  The Company will advise each Agent in writing of those persons
with whom such Agent is to communicate regarding offers to purchase Securities
and the related settlement details.

                  Each Security will be issued only in fully registered form and
will be represented by either a global security (a "Global Security") delivered
to the Trustee, as agent for The Depository Trust Company (the "Depositary") and
recorded in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary (a "Book-Entry
Security") or a certificate issued in definitive form (a "Certificated
Security") delivered to a person designated by an Agent, as set forth in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. An owner of a Book-Entry Security will not be
entitled to receive a certificate representing such Security, except as provided
in the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities.

                  Book-Entry Securities will be issued in accordance with the
Administrative Procedure set forth in Part I hereof, and Certificated Securities
will be issued in accordance with the Administrative Procedure set forth in Part
II hereof.



<PAGE>   34



PART I:  ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR BOOK-ENTRY SECURITIES
         --------------------------------------------------

                  In connection with the qualification of the Book-Entry
Securities for eligibility in the book-entry system maintained by the
Depositary, the Trustee will perform the custodial, document control and
administrative functions described below, in accordance with its respective
obligations under a Letter of Representation from the Company and the Trustee to
the Depositary, dated the date hereof, and a Medium-Term Note Certificate
Agreement between the Trustee and the Depositary (the "Certificate Agreement"),
and the Trustee's obligations as a participant in the Depositary, including the
Depositary's Same-Day Funds Settlement System ("SDFS").

Posting Rates by the Company:
- -----------------------------

                  The Company and the Agents will discuss from time to time the
rates of interest per annum to be borne by and the maturity of Book-Entry
Securities that may be sold as a result of the solicitation of offers by an
Agent. The Company may establish a fixed set of interest rates and maturities
for an offering period ("posting"). If the Company decides to change already
posted rates, it will promptly advise the Agents to suspend solicitation of
offers until the new posted rates have been established with the Agents.

Acceptance of Offers by the Company:
- ------------------------------------

                  Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or
other appropriate means of all reasonable offers to purchase Book-Entry
Securities, other than those rejected by such Agent. Each Agent may, in its
discretion reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in
part. Each Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Book-Entry
Securities as a Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept
offers to purchase Book-Entry Securities and may reject any such offer in whole
or in part.

                  The Company will promptly notify the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of its acceptance or rejection of an offer
to purchase Book-Entry Securities. If the Company accepts an offer to purchase
Book-Entry Securities, it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the Selling
Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.

Communication of Sale Information to the Company by Selling Agent and Settlement
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Procedures:
- -----------

                  A. After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, will communicate promptly
but in no event later than the time set forth under "Settlement Procedure
Timetable" below, the following details of the terms of such offer (the "Sale
Information") to the Company by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile
transmission or other acceptable written means:

                  (1)      Principal amount of Book-Entry Securities to be 
                           purchased;

                                     -II-2-

<PAGE>   35




                  (2)      If a Fixed Rate Book-Entry Security, the interest 
                           rate and initial interest payment date;

                  (3)      Trade Date;

                  (4)      Settlement Date;

                  (5)      Maturity Date;

                  (6)      Issue Price;

                  (7)      Selling Agent's commission or Purchasing Agent's 
                           discount or commission, as the case may be;

                  (8)      Net Proceeds to the Company;

                  (9)      If a redeemable Book-Entry Security, such of the 
                           following are as applicable:

                                  (i)       Redemption Commencement Date,

                                 (ii)       Initial Redemption Price (% of par),
                                            and

                                (iii)       Amount (% of par) that the
                                            Redemption Price shall decline (but
                                            not below par) on each anniversary
                                            of the Redemption Commencement Date;

                  (10)     If a Floating Rate Book-Entry Security, such of the 
                           following as are applicable:

                                  (i)       Interest Rate Basis,

                                 (ii)       Index Maturity,

                                (iii)       Spread or Spread Multiplier,

                                 (iv)       Maximum Rate,

                                  (v)       Minimum Rate,

                                 (vi)       Initial Interest Rate,

                                (vii)       Interest Reset Dates,

                               (viii)       Calculation Dates,

                                 (ix)       Interest Determination Dates,


                                     -II-3-

<PAGE>   36



                                  (x)       Interest Payment Dates,

                                 (xi)       Regular Record Dates, and

                                (xii)       Calculation Agent;

                  (11)     Name, address and taxpayer identification number of 
                           the registered owner(s);

                  (12)     Denomination of certificates to be delivered at 
                           settlement;

                  (13)     Book-Entry Security or Certificated Security; and

                  (14)     Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent.

                  B.       After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling
Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, the Company will communicate such
Sale Information to the Trustee by facsimile transmission or other acceptable
written means. The Trustee will assign a CUSIP number to the Global Security
from a list of CUSIP numbers previously delivered to the Trustee by the Company
representing such Book-Entry Security and then advise the Company and the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of such CUSIP number.

                  C.       The Trustee will enter a pending deposit message
through the Depositary's Participant Terminal System, providing the following
settlement information to the Depositary, and the Depositary shall forward such
information to such Agent and Standard & Poor's Corporation:

                  (1)      The applicable Sale Information;

                  (2)      CUSIP number of the Global Security representing 
                           such Book-Entry Security;

                  (3)      Whether such Global Security will represent any 
                           other Book-Entry Security (to the extent known at 
                           such time);

                  (4)      Number of the participant account maintained by the 
                           Depositary on behalf of the Selling Agent or 
                           Purchasing Agent, as the case may be;

                  (5)      The interest payment period; and

                  (6)      Initial Interest Payment Date for such Book-Entry
                           Security, number of days by which such date succeeds
                           the record date for the Depositary's purposes (which,
                           in the case of Floating Rate Securities which reset
                           weekly shall be the date five calendar days
                           immediately preceding the applicable interest Payment
                           Date and in the case of all other Book-Entry
                           Securities shall be the

                                     -II-4-

<PAGE>   37



                           Regular Record Date as defined in the Security) and,
                           if calculable at that time, the amount of interest
                           payable on such Initial Interest Payment Date.

                  D.       The Trustee will complete and authenticate the 
Global Security previously delivered by the Company representing such Book-Entry
Security.

                  E.       The Depositary will credit such Book-Entry Security 
to the Trustee's participant account at the Depositary.

                  F.       The Trustee will enter an SDFS deliver order through
the Depositary's Participant Terminal System instructing the Depositary to (i)
debit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's participant account and credit
such Book-Entry Security to such Agent's participant account and (ii) debit such
Agent's settlement account and credit the Trustee's settlement account for an
amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security less such Agent's
commission. The entry of such a deliver order shall constitute a representation
and warranty by the Trustee to the Depositary that (a) the Global Security
representing such Book-Entry Security has been issued and authenticated and (b)
the Trustee is holding such Global Security pursuant to the Certificate
Agreement.

                  G.       Such Agent will enter an SDFS deliver order through
the Depositary's Participant Terminal System instructing the Depositary (i) to
debit such Book-Entry Security to such Agent's participant account and credit
such Book-Entry Security to the participant accounts of the Participants with
respect to such Book-Entry Security and (ii) to debit the settlement accounts of
such Participants and credit the settlement account of such Agent for an amount
equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security.

                  H.       Transfers of funds in accordance with SDFS deliver
orders described in Settlement Procedures "F" and "G" will be settled in
accordance with SDFS operating procedures in effect on the settlement date.

                  I.       Upon confirmation of receipt of funds, the Trustee
will transfer, to the account of the Company previously specified by the Company
to the Trustee, funds available for immediate use in the amount transferred to
the Trustee in accordance with Settlement Procedure "F".

                  J.       Upon request, the Trustee will send to the Company a
statement setting forth the principal amount of Book-Entry Securities
outstanding as of that date under the Indenture.

                  K.       Such Agent will confirm the purchase of such
Book-Entry Security to the purchaser either by transmitting to the Participants
with respect to such Book- Entry Security a confirmation order or orders through
the Depositary's institutional delivery system or by mailing a written
confirmation to such purchaser.


                                     -II-5-

<PAGE>   38



                  L. The Depositary will, at any time, upon request of the
Company or the Trustee, promptly furnish to the Company or the Trustee a list of
the names and addresses of the participants for whom the Depositary has credited
Book-Entry Securities.

Preparation of Pricing Supplement:
- ----------------------------------

                  If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Book-Entry
Security, it will prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting the terms of such
Book-Entry Security and arrange to have delivered to the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing
Supplement, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day
following the Trade Date (as defined below), or if the Company and the purchaser
agree to settlement on the Business Day following the date of acceptance, not
later than noon, New York City time, on such date of settlement. The Company
will arrange to have ten Pricing Supplements filed with the Commission not later
than the close of business of the Commission on the fifth Business Day following
the date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used.

Delivery of Confirmation and Prospectus to Purchaser by Selling Agent:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                  The Selling Agent will deliver to the purchaser of a
Book-Entry Security a written confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment
instructions. In addition, the Selling Agent will deliver to such purchaser or
its agent the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing
Supplement) in relation to such Book-Entry Security prior to or together with
the earlier of the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the
confirmation of sale or (b) the Book-Entry Security.

Date of Settlement:
- -------------------

                  The receipt by the Company of immediately available funds in
payment for a Book-Entry Security and the authentication and issuance of the
Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security shall constitute
"settlement" with respect to such Book-Entry Security. All orders of Book-Entry
Securities solicited by a Selling Agent or made by a Purchasing Agent and
accepted by the Company on a particular date (the "Trade Date") will be settled
on a date (the "Settlement Date") which is the third Business Day after the
Trade Date pursuant to the "Settlement Procedure Timetable" set forth below,
unless the Company and the purchaser agree to settlement on another day which
shall be no earlier than the next Business Day after the Trade Date.

Settlement Procedure Timetable:
- -------------------------------

                  For orders of Book-Entry Securities solicited by a Selling
Agent and accepted by the Company for settlement on the third Business Day after
the Trade Date, Settlement Procedures "A" through "I" set forth above shall be
completed as soon as possible but not later than the respective times (New York
City time) set forth below:


                                     -II-6-

<PAGE>   39



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Settlement
         Procedure                          Time
         ---------                          ----
<S>               <C>        <C>            <C>
                  A           5:00 p.m.     on the Business Day following the Trade Date or
                                            10:00 a.m. on the Business Day prior to the
                                            Settlement Date, whichever is earlier

                  B          12:00 noon     on the second Business Day immediately
                                            preceding the Settlement Date

                  C           2:00 p.m.     on the second Business Day immediately
                                            preceding the Settlement Date

                  D           9:00 a.m.     on the Settlement Date

                  E          10:00 a.m.     on the Settlement Date

                  F-G         2:00 p.m.     on the Settlement Date

                  H           4:45 p.m.     on the Settlement Date

                  I           5:00 p.m.     on the Settlement Date

</TABLE>
                  If the initial interest rate for a Floating Rate Book-Entry
Security has not been determined at the time that Settlement Procedure "A" is
completed, Settlement Procedures "B" and "C" shall be completed as soon as such
rate has been determined but no later than 2:00 p.m. on the second Business Day
immediately preceding the Settlement Date. Settlement Procedure "H" is subject
to extension in accordance with any extension of Fedwire closing deadlines and
in the other events specified in the SDFS operating procedures in effect on the
Settlement Date.

                  If settlement of a Book-Entry Security is rescheduled or
canceled, the Trustee, upon obtaining knowledge thereof, will deliver to the
Depositary, through the Depositary's Participant Terminal System, a cancellation
message to such effect by no later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day
immediately preceding the scheduled Settlement Date.

Failure to Settle:
- ------------------

                  If the Trustee fails to enter an SDFS deliver order with
respect to a Book- Entry Security pursuant to Settlement Procedure "F", the
Trustee may deliver to the Depositary, through the Depositary's Participant
Terminal System, as soon as practicable a withdrawal message instructing the
Depositary to debit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's participant
account, provided that the Trustee's participant account contains a principal
amount of the Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security that is at
least equal to the principal amount to be debited. If a withdrawal message is
processed with respect to all the Book-Entry Securities represented by a Global
Security, the Trustee will mark such Global Security

                                     -II-7-

<PAGE>   40



"canceled", make appropriate entries in the Trustee's records and send such
canceled Global Security to the Company. The CUSIP number assigned to such
Global Security shall, in accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau procedures, be
canceled and not immediately reassigned. If a withdrawal message is processed
with respect to one or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Securities
represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will exchange such Global Security
for two Global Securities, one of which shall represent such Book-Entry Security
or Securities and shall be canceled immediately after issuance and the other of
which shall represent the remaining Book- Entry Securities previously
represented by the surrendered Global Security and shall bear the CUSIP number
of the surrendered Global Security.

                  If the purchase price for any Book-Entry Security is not
timely paid to the participants with respect to such Book-Entry Security by the
beneficial purchaser thereof (or a person, including an indirect participant in
the Depositary, acting on behalf of such purchaser), such participants and, in
turn, the Agent for such Book-Entry Security may enter deliver orders through
the Depositary's Participant Terminal System debiting such Book-Entry Security
to such participant's account and crediting such Book-Entry Security to such
Agent's account and then debiting such Book-Entry Security to such Agent's
participant account and crediting such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's
participant account and shall notify the Company and the Trustee thereof.
Thereafter, the Trustee will (i) immediately notify the Company of such order
and the Company shall transfer to such Agent funds available for immediate use
in an amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security which was credited
to the account of the Company maintained at the Trustee in accordance with
Settlement Procedure "I" and (ii) deliver the withdrawal message and take the
related actions described in the preceding paragraph. If such failure shall have
occurred for any reason other than default by the applicable Agent to perform
its obligations hereunder or under the Distribution Agreement, the Company will
reimburse such Agent on an equitable basis for the loss of its use of funds
during the period when the funds were credited to the account of the Company.

                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any failure to settle with
respect to a Book-Entry Security, the Depositary may take any actions in
accordance with its SDFS operating procedures then in effect. In the event of a
failure to settle with respect to one or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry
Securities to have been represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will
provide, in accordance with Settlement Procedure "D", for the authentication and
issuance of a Global Security representing the other Book-Entry Securities to
have been represented by such Global Security and will make appropriate entries
in its records. The Company will, from time to time, furnish the Trustee with a
sufficient quantity of Securities.


PART II: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR CERTIFICATED SECURITIES
         ----------------------------------------------------

Posting Rates by Company:
- -------------------------

                  The Company and the Agents will discuss from time to time the
rates of interest per annum to be borne by and the maturity of Certificated
Securities that

                                     -II-8-

<PAGE>   41



may be sold as a result of the solicitation of offers by an Agent. The Company
may establish a fixed set of interest rates and maturities for an offering
period ("posting"). If the Company decides to change already posted rates, it
will promptly advise the Agents to suspend solicitation of offers until the new
posted rates have been established with the Agents.

Acceptance of Offers by Company:
- --------------------------------

                  Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or
other appropriate means of all reasonable offers to purchase Certificated
Securities, other than those rejected by such Agent. Each Agent may, in its
discretion reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in
part. Each Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Certificated
Securities as a Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept
offers to purchase Certificated Securities and may reject any such offer in
whole or in part.

                  The Company will promptly notify the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of its acceptance or rejection of an offer
to purchase Certificated Securities. If the Company accepts an offer to purchase
Certificated Securities, it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.

Communication of Sale Information to Company by Selling Agent:
- --------------------------------------------------------------

                  After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling
Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, will communicate promptly the
following details of the terms of such offer (the "Sale Information") to the
Company by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or
other acceptable written means:

                  (1)      Principal amount of Certificated Securities to be 
                           purchased;

                  (2)      If a Fixed Rate Certificated Security, the interest 
                           rate and the initial interest payment date;

                  (3)      Trade Date;

                  (4)      Settlement Date;

                  (5)      Maturity Date;

                  (6)      Issue Price;

                  (7)      Selling Agent's commission or Purchasing Agent's 
                           discount, as the case may be;

                  (8)      Net Proceeds to the Company;


                                     -II-9-

<PAGE>   42



                  (9)      If a redeemable Certificated Security, such of the 
                           following as are applicable:

                                  (i)       Redemption Commencement Date,

                                 (ii)       Initial Redemption Price (% of par),
                                            and

                                (iii)       Amount (% of par) that the
                                            Redemption Price shall decline (but
                                            not below par) on each anniversary
                                            of the Redemption Commencement Date;

                  (10)     If a Floating Rate Certificated Security, such of the
                           following as are applicable:


                                  (i)       Interest Rate Basis,

                                 (ii)       Index Maturity,

                                (iii)       Spread or Spread Multiplier,

                                 (iv)       Maximum Rate,

                                  (v)       Minimum Rate,

                                 (vi)       Initial Interest Rate,

                                (vii)       Interest Reset Dates,

                               (viii)       Calculation Dates,

                                 (ix)       Interest Determination Dates,

                                  (x)       Interest Payment Dates,

                                 (xi)       Regular Record Dates, and

                                (xii)       Calculation Agent;

                  (11)     Name, address and taxpayer identification number of
                           the registered owner(s);

                  (12)     Denomination of certificates to be delivered at 
                           settlement;

                  (13)     Book-Entry Security or Certificated Security; and

                  (14)     Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent.


                                     -II-10-

<PAGE>   43




Preparation of Pricing Supplement by Company:
- ---------------------------------------------

                  If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Certificated
Security, it will prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting the terms of such
Certificated Security and arrange to have delivered to the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing
Supplement, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day
following the Trade Date, or if the Company and the purchaser agree to
settlement on the date of acceptance of such offer, not later than noon, New
York City time, on such date. The Company will arrange to have ten Pricing
Supplements filed with the Commission not later than the close of business of
the Commission on the fifth Business Day following the date on which such
Pricing Supplement is first used.

Delivery of Confirmation and Prospectus to Purchaser by Selling Agent:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                  The Selling Agent will deliver to the purchaser of a
Certificated Security a written confirmation of the sale and delivery and
payment instructions. In addition, the Selling Agent will deliver to such
purchaser or its agent the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the
Pricing Supplement) in relation to such Certificated Security prior to or
together with the earlier of the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a)
the confirmation of sale or (b) the Certificated Security.

Date of Settlement:
- -------------------

                  All offers of Certificated Securities solicited by a Selling
Agent or made by a Purchasing Agent and accepted by the Company will be settled
on a date (the "Settlement Date") which is the third Business Day after the date
of acceptance of such offer, unless the Company and the purchaser agree to
settlement (a) on any other Business Day after the date of acceptance of such
offer or (b) with respect to an offer accepted by the Company prior to 10:00
a.m., New York City time, on the date of such acceptance.

Instruction from Company to Trustee for Preparation of Certificated Securities:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, the Company will communicate such Sale
Information to the Trustee by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile
transmission or other acceptable written means.

                  The Company will instruct the Trustee by facsimile
transmission or other acceptable written means to authenticate and deliver the
Certificated Securities no later than 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the
Settlement Date. Such instruction will be given by the Company prior to 3:00
p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the
Settlement Date unless the Settlement Date is the date of acceptance by the
Company of the offer to purchase Certificated Securities in which case such
instruction will be given by the Company by 11:00 a.m., New York City time.


                                     -II-11-

<PAGE>   44



Preparation and Delivery of Certificated Securities by Trustee and Receipt of
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payment Therefor:
- -----------------

                  The Trustee will prepare each Certificated Security and
appropriate receipts that will serve as the documentary control of the
transaction.

                  In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a
purchaser solicited by a Selling Agent, the Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York
City time, on the Settlement Date, deliver the Certificated Securities to the
Selling Agent for the benefit of the purchaser of such Certificated Securities
against delivery by the Selling Agent of a receipt therefor. On the Settlement
Date, the Selling Agent will deliver payment for such Certificated Securities in
immediately available funds to the Company in an amount equal to the issue price
of the Certificated Securities less the Selling Agent's commission; provided
that the Selling Agent reserves the right to withhold payment for which it has
not received funds from the purchaser. The Company shall not use any proceeds
advanced by a Selling Agent to acquire securities.

                  In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a
Purchasing Agent, the Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the
Settlement Date, deliver the Certificated Securities to the Purchasing Agent
against delivery of payment for such Certificated Securities in immediately
available funds to the Company in an amount equal to the issue price of the
Certificated Securities less the Purchasing Agent's discount.

Failure of Purchaser to Pay Selling Agent:
- ------------------------------------------

                  If a purchaser (other than a Purchasing Agent) fails to make
payment to the Selling Agent for a Certificated Security, the Selling Agent will
promptly notify the Trustee and the Company thereof by telephone (confirmed in
writing) or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written means. The
Selling Agent will immediately return the Certificated Security to the Trustee.
Immediately upon receipt of such Certificated Security by the Trustee, the
Company will return to the Selling Agent an amount equal to the amount
previously paid to the Company in respect of such Certificated Security. The
Company will reimburse the Selling Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of
the use of funds during the period when they were credited to the account of the
Company.

                  The Trustee will cancel the Certificated Security in respect
of which the failure occurred, make appropriate entries in its records and,
unless otherwise instructed by the Company, destroy the Certificated Security.


                                     -II-12-

<PAGE>   45






                                                                       ANNEX III




                               Accountants' Letter


                  Pursuant to Section 4(j) and Section 6(d), as the case may be,
of the Distribution Agreement, the Company's independent certified public
accountants shall furnish letters to the effect that:

                         (i) They are independent certified public accountants
         with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of
         the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;

                        (ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
         supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable,
         prospective financial statements and/or pro forma financial
         information) examined by them and included or incorporated by reference
         in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in
         all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of
         the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published
         rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a
         review in accordance with standards established by the American
         Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim
         financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
         information and/or condensed financial statement derived from audited
         financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in such
         letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have
         been separately furnished to the Agents;

                       (iii) They have made a review in accordance with
         standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public
         Accountants of the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
         income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash
         flows included in the Prospectus and/or included in the Company's
         quarterly report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference into the
         Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon copies of which have
         been separately furnished to the Agents; and on the basis of specified
         procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who have
         responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether
         the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statement referred to in
         paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects
         with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange
         Act and the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to
         their attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited
         condensed consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in
         all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of
         the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published rules and
         regulations;

                        (iv) The unaudited selected financial information with
         respect to the consolidated results of operations and financial
         position of the Company for the


<PAGE>   46



         five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and included
         or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's Annual Report
         on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the
         corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the
         audited consolidated financial statements for the five such fiscal
         years which were included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
         Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;

                         (v) They have compared the information in the
         Prospectus under the selected captions with the disclosure requirements
         of Regulation S-K and on the basis of limited procedures specified in
         such letter nothing came to their attention as a result of the
         foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that this information
         does not conform in all material respects with the disclosure
         requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d), respectively, of
         Regulation S-K;

                        (vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not
         constituting an examination in accordance with generally accepted
         auditing standards, consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial
         statements and other information referred to below, a reading of the
         latest available interim financial statements of the Company and its
         subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and its
         subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited financial statements
         included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of
         officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial
         and accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may
         be specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that
         caused them to believe that:

                           (A)(i) the unaudited condensed consolidated
                  statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and
                  consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
                  Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by reference in the
                  Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by
                  reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all
                  material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
                  of the Exchange Act and the related published rules and
                  regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made
                  to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
                  consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
                  cash flows included in the Prospectus or included in the
                  Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by
                  reference in the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with
                  generally accepted accounting principles;

                           (B) any other unaudited income statement data and
                  balance sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree
                  with the corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated
                  financial statements from which such data and items were
                  derived, and any such unaudited data and items were not
                  determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis
                  for the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated
                  financial statements included or incorporated by reference

                                     -III-2-

<PAGE>   47



                  in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most 
                  recent fiscal year;

                           (C) the unaudited financial statements which were not
                  included in the Prospectus but from which were derived the
                  unaudited condensed financial statements referred to in Clause
                  (A) and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
                  items included in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B)
                  were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with
                  the basis for the audited financial statements included or
                  incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on
                  Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;

                           (D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed
                  financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
                  the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
                  respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
                  Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the
                  pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the
                  historical amounts in the compilation of those statements;

                           (E) as of a specified date not more than five days
                  prior to the date of such letter, there have been any changes
                  in the consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of
                  capital stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation
                  rights, upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon
                  conversions of convertible securities, in each case which were
                  outstanding on the date of the latest balance sheet included
                  or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) or any
                  increases in consolidated long-term debt of the Company and
                  its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net current
                  assets or net assets or other items specified by the Agents,
                  or any increases in any items specified by the Agents, in each
                  case as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance
                  sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
                  except in each case for changes, increases or decreases which
                  the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which
                  are described in such letter; and

                           (F) for the period from the date of the latest
                  financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
                  the Prospectus to the specified date referred to in Clause (E)
                  there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or
                  operating profit or the total or per share amounts of
                  consolidated net income or other items specified by the
                  Agents, or any increases in any items specified by the Agents,
                  in each case as compared with the comparable period of the
                  preceding year and with any other period of corresponding
                  length specified by the Agents, except in each case for
                  increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
                  occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
                  and


                                     -III-3-

<PAGE>   48


                  (vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s)
         included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
         procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures
         referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (iv) above, they have carried out
         certain specified procedures, not constituting an examination in
         accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to
         certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the
         Agents which are derived from the general accounting records of the
         Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus (excluding
         documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits
         and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Agents or
         in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by
         the Agents, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and
         financial information with the accounting records of the Company and
         its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.

                  All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) as defined in the Distribution Agreement as of the
Commencement Date referred to in Section 6(d) thereof and to the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by reference
therein) as of the date of the amendment, supplement, incorporation or the Time
of Delivery relating to the Terms Agreement requiring the delivery of such
letter under Section 4(j) thereof.



                                     -III-4-


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 4(a)
                            [Form of Fixed Rate Note]

REGISTERED                                                  REGISTERED
No. FXR-                                                    [PRINCIPAL AMOUNT]

                                                            CUSIP:


                  Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New
York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or
payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or
such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository
Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR
OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since
the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.*


                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
                           MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                                  (Fixed Rate)

ORIGINAL ISSUE                 INITIAL                   APPLICABILITY OF  
DATE:                          REDEMPTION                MODIFIED PAYMENT  
                               PERCENTAGE:               UPON              
MATURITY DATE:                                           ACCELERATION:If   
                               INTEREST PAYMENT          yes, state Issue  
INTEREST RATE:                 PERIOD:                   Price:            
                                                                           
INTEREST PAYMENT               APPLICABILITY OF          APPLICABILITY OF  
DATE(S):                       ANNUAL                    ANNUAL REDEMPTION 
                               REDEMPTION                PERCENTAGE        
OPTIONAL                       PERCENTAGE                INCREASE:         
REPAYMENT                      REDUCTION:                
DATE(S):                                         
                               If yes, state             If yes, state each 
INTEREST ACCRUAL               Annual                    redemption date 
DATE:                          Percentage                and redemption 
                               Reduction:                price:
INITIAL                        
REDEMPTION DATE:


                  The B.F.Goodrich Company, a New York corporation (together
with its successors and assigns, the "Company"), for value received, hereby
promises to pay to ______________________, or registered assignee, the principal
sum of ____________________ on the Maturity Date specified above (except to the
extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest
thereon at the Interest Rate per annum specified above from the Original Issue
Date specified above until the principal hereof is paid or duly made available
for payment (except as provided below), in arrears monthly, quarterly,
semiannually, or

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

*  Applies only if this Note is a Registered Global Security.


<PAGE>   2
annually as specified above as the Interest Payment Period on each Interest
Payment Date (as specified above), commencing with the first Interest Payment
Date next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified above, and on the
Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date); provided, however, that if
the Original Issue Date occurs between a Record Date, as defined below, and the
next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments will commence on the
second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Original Issue Date to the
registered holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to such second
Interest Payment Date.

                  Payment of the principal of this Note, any premium and the
interest due at the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) will be
made in immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or
agency of the Trustee or such other paying agent as the Company may determine
maintained for that purpose (a "Paying Agent"), or at the office or agency of
such other Paying Agent as the Company may determine.

                  Interest on this Note will accrue from the most recent
Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for or,
if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from the Original Issue Date,
until the principal hereof has been paid or duly made available for payment
(except as provided below). The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, will, subject to certain exceptions
described herein, be paid to the person in whose name this Note (or one or more
predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the date 15 days
prior to an Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day) (each such
date a "Record Date"); provided, however, that interest payable on the Maturity
Date (or any redemption or repayment date) will be payable to the person to whom
the principal hereof shall be payable.

                  Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest
on this Note will be made in such coin or currency of the United States as at
the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

                  Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this
Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all
purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

                  Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been
executed by the Trustee, as defined on the reverse hereof, by manual signature,
this Note shall not be entitled to any



                                       -2-

<PAGE>   3
benefit under the Indenture, as defined on the reverse hereof, or
be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be
duly executed under a facsimile of its corporate seal.

DATED:                                       THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY


[SEAL]                                       By:
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Title:


Attest:

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

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities issued under the within-mentioned Indenture.

HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK, as Trustee



By:
   -------------------------------
           Authorized Officer



                                       -3-

<PAGE>   4
                            [FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
                           MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A


                  This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Medium-Term
Notes, Series A, having maturities of more than nine months from the date of
issue (the "Notes") of the Company, limited in aggregate principal amount to
_________. The Notes are issuable under an indenture, dated as of May 1, 1991
between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank (the "Trustee"), as the
same may be amended and supplemented from time to time (as so amended and
supplemented, referred to herein as the "Indenture"), to which Indenture
reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations
of rights, duties and immunities of the Company, the Trustee and holders of the
Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and
delivered. The terms of individual Notes may vary with respect to interest
rates, interest rate formulas, issue dates, maturity dates, or otherwise, all as
provided in the Indenture. To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of
the Indenture are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

                  This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless
otherwise provided on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the
following two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or subject to repayment at the
option of the holder prior to maturity.

                  Unless otherwise indicated on the face of this Note, this Note
may not be redeemed prior to the Maturity Date. If the face of this Note
indicates that this Note is subject to (i) "Annual Redemption Percentage
Reduction" or (ii) "Annual Redemption Percentage Increase", then this Note may
be redeemed in whole or in part at the option of the Company on or after the
Initial Redemption Date specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth on
the face hereof, together with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of
redemption (except as provided below). If this Note is subject to "Annual
Redemption Percentage Reduction", the Initial Redemption Percentage indicated on
the face hereof will be reduced on each anniversary of the Initial Redemption
Date specified above by the Annual Percentage Reduction specified on the face
hereof until the redemption price of this Note is 100% of the principal amount
hereof. If this Note is subject to "Annual Redemption Percentage Increase", the
redemption prices of this Note from time to time shall be as set forth on the
face hereof. Notice of redemption shall be mailed to the registered holders of
the Notes designated for redemption at their addresses as the same shall appear
on the Note register



                                       -4-

<PAGE>   5
not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date of redemption,
subject to all the conditions and provisions of the Indenture. In the event of
redemption of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes for the amount of the
unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the holder hereof upon
the presentation and cancellation hereof.

                  Unless otherwise indicated on the face of this Note, this Note
shall not be subject to repayment at the option of the holder prior to the
Maturity Date. If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note may be
subject to repayment at the option of the holder on the Optional Repayment Date
or Dates specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth herein. On any
Optional Repayment Date, this Note will be repayable in whole or in part in
increments of $1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof shall
not be less than the minimum authorized denomination hereof) at the option of
the holder hereof at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid,
together with interest hereon payable to the date of repayment. For this Note to
be repaid in whole or in part at the option of the holder hereof, the Company
must receive at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, at least 30 days but
not more than 60 days prior to the repayment, (i) this Note with the form
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse hereof duly completed or
(ii) a telegram, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national
securities exchange or a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or a commercial bank or trust company in the United
States which must set forth the name of the holder of this Note, the principal
amount of this Note, the principal amount of this Note to be repaid, the
certificate number or a description of the tenor and terms of this Note, a
statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised thereby and a
guarantee that this Note to be repaid, together with the duly completed form
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse hereof, will be received by
the Trustee not later than the fifth Business Day after the date of such
telegram, facsimile transmission or letter; provided, that such telegram,
facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities
exchange or a member of the NASD or a commercial bank or trust company in the
United States shall only be effective if in such case, this Note and form duly
completed are received by the Company by such fifth Business Day. Exercise of
such repayment option by the holder hereof shall be irrevocable. In the event of
repayment of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes for the amount of the
unpaid portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the holder hereof upon
cancellation hereof.

                  Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued
to but excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the



                                       -5-

<PAGE>   6
Maturity Date (or earlier redemption or repayment date), as the case may be.
Interest payments for this Note will be computed and paid on the basis of a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

                  In the case where the Interest Payment Date or the Maturity
Date (or any redemption or repayment date) does not fall on a Business Day,
payment of interest, premium, if any, or principal otherwise payable on such
date need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding
Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment
Date or on the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date), and no
interest shall accrue for the period from and after the Interest Payment Date or
the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) to such next succeeding
Business Day.

                  This Note is unsecured and ranks PARI PASSU with all other
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company.

                  This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or
exchange hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of $100,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

                  In case an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall
have occurred and be continuing, the principal hereof may be declared, and upon
such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect
and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

                  If the face hereof indicates that this Note is subject to
"Modified Payment upon Acceleration," then (i) if the principal hereof is
declared to be due and payable as described in the preceding paragraph, the
amount of principal due and payable with respect to this Note shall be limited
to the sum of the Issue Price specified on the face hereof plus the Amortized
Amount, (ii) for the purpose of any vote of securityholders taken pursuant to
the Indenture prior to the acceleration of payment of this Note, the principal
amount hereof shall equal the amount that would be due and payable hereon,
calculated as set forth in clause (i) above, if this Note were declared to be
due and payable on the date of any such vote and (iii) for the purpose of any
vote of securityholders taken pursuant to the Indenture following the
acceleration of payment of this Note, the principal amount hereof shall equal
the amount of principal due and payable with respect to this Note, calculated as
set forth in clause (i) above.

                  The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein
provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and
obligations of the Company and the rights of the


                                       -6-

<PAGE>   7
holders of the Securities of any series under the Indenture at any time by the
Company with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series to be affected (all such
holders voting as a single class). The Indenture also contains provisions
permitting the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the holders of all Securities
of such series, by written consent to waive compliance by the Company with
certain provisions of the Indenture with respect to such series and certain past
defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series and their consequences.
Any such consent or waiver by the holder of this Note shall be conclusive and
binding upon such holder and upon all future holders of this Note and of any
Note issued upon the transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof
whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

                  No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this
Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company,
which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on
this Note at the times, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein
prescribed.

                  In the event of the merger or consolidation of the obligor on
this Note into, or of the sale or transfer of all or substantially all its
assets to, a successor corporation, such successor corporation shall be fully
substituted for the predecessor corporation as obligor hereon; and in the event
of any such sale or transfer, such predecessor corporation shall be discharged
from all liability on this Note, and may be dissolved and liquidated, all as
more fully set forth in the Indenture.

                  As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain
limitations therein set forth, this Note is transferable by the holder hereof on
the Note Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Note for registration
of transfer at any office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose
as provided in Section 1102 of the Indenture, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Note
Registrar duly executed, by the holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in
writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of authorized denominations and for
the same aggregate principal amount will be issued to the designated transferee
or transferees. No service charge shall be made for any such transfer, but the
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

                  Prior to due presentment of this Note, the Company, the
Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the



                                       -7-

<PAGE>   8
Person in whose name this Note is registered as the absolute owner hereof for
the purpose of receiving payment hereof, or on account hereof and, subject to
the provisions on the face hereof, interest hereon and for all other purposes
whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor
any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

                  This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

                  As used herein:

                  (a) the term "Amortized Amount" is equal to the original issue
discount amortized from the Original Issue Date to the date of redemption or
declaration, as the case may be, which amortization shall be calculated using
the "constant yield method" (computed in accordance with the rules under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder, in
effect on the date of redemption or declaration, as the case may be);

                  (b) the term "Business Day" means a day that is not a Saturday
or Sunday and that is not a day on which banking institutions are generally
authorized or obligated by law to close in the City of New York;

                  (c) the term "United States" means the United States of
America (including the States and the District of Columbia), its territories and
its possessions; and

                  (d) all other terms used in this Note which are defined in the
Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to
them in the Indenture.


                                       -8-

<PAGE>   9
                                  ABBREVIATIONS

                  The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on
the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

                  TEN COM-as tenants in common
                  TEN ENT-as tenants by the entireties
                  JT TEN-as Joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as
                    tenants in common

                  UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-..........Custodian............
                                     (Cust)              (Minor)

                  Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act................
                                                        (State)

                  Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the
above list.
                              ---------------------

                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
  IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]

- ---------------------------------------------!
                                             !
- ---------------------------------------------!

- ---------------------------------------------------------
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OR
ASSIGNEE]

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
irrevocably constituting and appointing such person attorney

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
to transfer such Note on the books of the Company, with

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:
      --------------------------

NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
         written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without
         alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.


                                       -9-

<PAGE>   10
                            OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT


The undersigned hereby irrevocably request(s) the Company to repay the within
Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms at a price equal
to the principal amount thereof, together with interest to the Optional
Repayment Date, to the undersigned, at


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print or typewrite name and address of the undersigned)

If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be repaid,
specify the portion thereof (which shall be increments of $1,000) which the
holder elects to have repaid:_________________; and specify the denomination or
denominations (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination)
of the Notes to be issued to the holder for the portion of the within Note not
being repaid (in the absence of any such specification, one such Note will be
issued for the portion not being repaid):

- ----------------------------                                            .
Dated:
      ----------------------                         --------------------------
                                                     NOTICE: The signature on
                                                     this Option to Elect
                                                     Repayment must correspond
                                                     with the name as written
                                                     upon the face of the within
                                                     instrument in every
                                                     particular without
                                                     alteration or enlargement.





                                      -10-



<PAGE>   1
                          [Form of Floating Rate Note]
                                                                    Exhibit 4(b)

REGISTERED                                                 REGISTERED
No.  FLR-                                                  [PRINCIPAL AMOUNT]

                                                           CUSIP:

                  Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New
York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or
payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or
such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository
Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR
OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since
the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.*

                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
                           MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                                 (Floating Rate)

ORIGINAL           ALTERNATIVE         APPLICABILI-          MINIMUM       
ISSUE DATE:        RATE EVENT          TY OF ANNUAL          INTEREST      
                   SPREAD:             REDEMPTION            RATE:         
MATURITY                               PERCENTAGE                          
DATE:              SPREAD              REDUCTION:            INTEREST      
                   MULTIPLIER:                               RESET DATES:  
INDEX                                  If yes,                             
CURRENCY:          INTEREST            state Annual          INTEREST RE-  
                   PAYMENT             Percentage            SET PERIOD:   
INTEREST           PERIOD:             Reduction:                          
PAYMENT                                                      APPLICABILI-  
DATE(S):           INITIAL             APPLICABILI-          TY OF MODI-   
                   REDEMPTION          TY OF ANNUAL          FIED PAYMENT  
INITIAL            DATE:               REDEMPTION            UPON ACCELE-  
INTEREST                               PERCENTAGE            RATION:       
RATE:              INITIAL             INCREASE:                           
                   REDEMPTION                                If yes,       
INTEREST           PERCENTAGE:         If yes,               state Issue   
ACCRUAL                                state Annual          Price:        
DATE:              BASE RATE:          Percentage                          
                                       Increase:             OPTIONAL      
MAXIMUM            INDEX                                     REPAYMENT     
INTEREST           MATURITY:                                 DATE(S):      
RATE:                                                        

SPREAD (PLUS
OR MINUS):


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

*  Applies only if this Note is a Registered Global Security.



                                       -1-
<PAGE>   2
                  The B.F.Goodrich Company, a New York corporation (together
with its successors and assigns, the "Company"), for value received, hereby
promises to pay to _____________________, or registered assignees, the principal
sum of ____________________ on the Maturity Date specified above (except to the
extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest
thereon, from the Original Issue Date specified above at a rate per annum equal
to the Initial Interest Rate specified above until the first Interest Reset Date
next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified above, and thereafter at a
rate per annum determined in accordance with the provisions specified on the
reverse hereof until the principal hereof is paid or duly made available for
payment. The Company will pay interest in arrears monthly, quarterly,
semiannually or annually as specified above as the Interest Payment Period on
each Interest Payment Date (as specified above), commencing with the first
Interest Payment Date next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified above,
and on the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date); PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the Original Issue Date occurs between a Record Date, as
defined below, and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments
will commence on the second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Original Issue
Date to the registered holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to
such second Interest Payment Date; and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that if an Interest
Payment Date or the Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date would fall on
a day that is not a Business Day (this and certain other capitalized terms used
herein are defined on the reverse of this Note), the required payment of
principal, premium, if any, or interest otherwise payable on such date need not
be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and
no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment
Date, Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date to such next succeeding
Business Day.

                  Payment of the principal of this Note, any premium and the
interest due at the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) will be
made in immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or
agency of the Trustee, or of such other paying agent as the Company may
determine maintained for that purpose (a "Paying Agent"), or at the office or
agency of such other Paying Agent as the Company may determine.

                  Interest on this Note will accrue from the most recent
Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for or,
if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from the Original Issue Date,
until the principal hereof has been paid or duly made available for payment
(except as provided below). The interest so payable,



                                       -2-
<PAGE>   3
and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, will,
subject to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to the person in whose
name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of
business on the date 15 days prior to an Interest Payment Date (whether or not a
Business Day) (the "Record Date"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that interest payable on
the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) will be payable to the
person to whom the principal hereof shall be payable.

                  Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest
on this Note will be made in such coin or currency of the United States as at
the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

                  Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this
Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all
purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

                  Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been
executed by the Trustee, as defined on the reverse hereof, by manual signature,
this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, as defined
on the reverse hereof, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be
duly executed under a facsimile of its corporate seal.

DATED:                                        THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY


[SEAL]                                        By
                                                -------------------------------
                                                 Title:


Attest:

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





                                       -3-
<PAGE>   4
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities issued under the within-mentioned Indenture.

HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK, as Trustee



By:
   --------------------------------
           Authorized Officer



                                       -4-
<PAGE>   5
                            [FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
                           MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A


                  This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Medium-Term
Notes, Series A, having maturities of more than nine months from the date of
issue (the "Notes") of the Company, limited in aggregate principal amount to
__________. The Notes are issuable under an indenture, dated as of May 1, 1991
between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank (the "Trustee"), as the
same may be amended and supplemented from time to time (as so amended and
supplemented, referred to herein as the "Indenture"), to which Indenture
reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations
of rights, duties and immunities of the Company, the Trustee and holders of the
Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and
delivered. Harris Trust and Savings Bank has also been appointed Calculation
Agent (the "Calculation Agent", which term includes any successor calculation
agent) with respect to the Notes. The terms of individual Notes may vary with
respect to interest rates, interest rate formulas, issue dates, maturity dates,
or otherwise, all as provided in the Indenture. To the extent not inconsistent
herewith, the terms of the Indenture are hereby incorporated by reference
herein.

                  This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless
otherwise provided on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the
following two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or subject to repayment at the
option of the holder prior to maturity.

                  Unless otherwise indicated on the face of this Note, this Note
may not be redeemed prior to the Maturity Date. If the face of this Note
indicates that this Note is subject to (i) "Annual Redemption Percentage
Reduction" or (ii) "Annual Redemption Percentage Increase", then this Note may
be redeemed in whole or in part at the option of the Company on or after the
Initial Redemption Date specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth on
the face hereof, together with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of
redemption (except as provided below). If this Note is subject to "Annual
Redemption Percentage Reduction", the Initial Redemption Percentage indicated on
the face hereof will be reduced on each anniversary of the Initial Redemption
Date specified above by the Annual Percentage Reduction specified on the face
hereof until the redemption price of this Note is 100% of the principal amount
hereof. If this Note is subject to "Annual Redemption Percentage Increase",



                                       -5-

<PAGE>   6
the redemption prices of this Note from time to time shall be as set forth on
the face hereof. Notice of redemption shall be mailed to the registered holders
of the Notes designated for redemption at their addresses as the same shall
appear on the Note register not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to
the date or redemption, subject to all the conditions and provisions of the
Indenture. In the event of redemption of this Note in part only, a new Note or
Notes for the amount of the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the
name of the holder hereof upon the presentation and cancellation hereof.

                  Unless otherwise indicated on the face of this Note, this Note
shall not be subject to repayment at the option of the holder prior to the
Maturity Date. If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note may be
subject to repayment at the option of the holder on the Optional Repayment Date
or Dates specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth herein. On any
Optional Repayment Date, this Note will be repayable in whole or in part in
increments of $1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof shall
not be less than the minimum authorized denomination hereof) at the option of
the holder hereof at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid,
together with interest hereon payable to the date of repayment. For this Note to
be repaid in whole or in part at the option of the holder hereof, the Company
must receive at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, at least 30 days but
not more than 60 days prior to the repayment, (i) this Note with the form
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse hereof duly completed or
(ii) a telegram, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national
securities exchange or a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or a commercial bank or trust company in the United
States which must set forth the name of the holder of this Note, the principal
amount of this Note, the principal amount of this Note to be repaid, the
certificate number or a description of the tenor and terms of this Note, a
statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised thereby and a
guarantee that this Note to be repaid, together with the duly completed form
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse hereof, will be received by
the Trustee not later than the fifth Business Day after the date of such
telegram, facsimile transmission or letter; PROVIDED, that such telegram,
facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities
exchange or a member of the NASD or a commercial bank or trust company in the
United States shall only be effective if in such case, this Note and form duly
completed are received by the Company by such fifth Business Day. Exercise of
such repayment option by the holder hereof shall be irrevocable. In the event of
repayment of this Note



                                       -6-
<PAGE>   7
in part only, a new Note or Notes for the amount of the unpaid portion hereof
shall be issued in the name of the holder hereof upon cancellation hereof.

                  This Note will bear interest at the rate determined in
accordance with the applicable provisions below by reference to the Base Rate
shown on the face hereof based on the Index Maturity, if any, shown on the face
hereof (i) plus or minus the Spread, if any, and/or (ii) multiplied by the
Spread Multiplier, if any, specified on the face hereof. Commencing with the
first Interest Reset Date next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified on
the face hereof, the rate at which interest on this Note is payable shall be
reset as of each Interest Reset Date. The Interest Reset Dates will be the
Interest Reset Dates specified on the face hereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i)
the interest rate in effect for the period from the Original Issue Date to the
first Interest Reset Date next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified on
the face hereof will be the Initial Interest Rate, (ii) except in the case of
Floating Rate Notes which are reset daily or weekly, the interest rate in effect
hereon for the ten calendar days immediately prior to the Maturity Date hereof
(or, with respect to any principal amount to be redeemed or repaid, any
redemption or repayment date) shall be that in effect on the tenth calendar day
preceding the Maturity Date hereof or such date of redemption or repayment, as
the case may be and (iii) in the case of Floating Rate Notes which are reset
daily or weekly, the interest rate in effect for the period beginning on the
second Business Day immediately prior to the Maturity Date or the date of
redemption or repayment and ending on such Maturity Date or date of redemption
or repayment, as the case may be, will be that in effect on the second Business
Day preceding such Maturity Date or date of redemption or repayment, as the case
may be. If any Interest Reset Date would otherwise be a day that is not a
Business Day, such Interest Reset Date shall be postponed to the next succeeding
day that is a Business Day.

                  The Interest Determination Date pertaining to an Interest
Reset Date for Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to the CD Rate,
Commercial Paper Rate, Federal Funds Rate and Prime Rate will be the second
Business Day next preceding such Interest Reset Date. The Interest Determination
Date pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for Notes bearing interest calculated
by reference to LIBOR shall be the second London Banking Day preceding such
Interest Reset Date. The Interest Determination Date pertaining to an Interest
Reset Date for Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to the Treasury
Rate shall be the day of the week in which such Interest Reset Date falls on
which Treasury bills normally would be auctioned; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if



                                                 -7-
<PAGE>   8
as a result of a legal holiday an auction is held on the Friday of the week
preceding such Interest Reset Date, the related Interest Determination Date
shall be such preceding Friday; and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that if an auction shall
fall on any Interest Reset Date, then the Interest Reset Date shall instead be
the first Business Day following the date of such auction.

                  The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any Interest
Determination Date will be the earlier of (i) the tenth calendar day after such
Interest Determination Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next
succeeding Business Day) or (ii) the Business Day immediately preceding the
applicable Interest Payment Date.

                  DETERMINATION OF CD RATE. If the Base Rate specified on the
face hereof is the CD Rate, the CD Rate with respect to this Note shall be
determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate on such
date for negotiable certificates of deposit having the Index Maturity specified
on the face hereof as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System in "Statistical Release H.15(519), Selected Interest Rates," or any
successor publication of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
("H.15(519)"), under the heading "CDs (Secondary Market)," or, if not so
published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining
to such Interest Determination Date, the CD Rate will be the rate on such
Interest Determination Date for negotiable certificates of deposit of the Index
Maturity specified on the face hereof as published by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York in its daily statistical release "Composite 3:30 P.M. Quotations for
U.S. Government Securities" ("Composite Quotations") under the heading
"Certificates of Deposit." If neither of such rates is published by 3:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such Calculation Date, then the CD Rate on such Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent referred to on
the face hereof and will be the arithmetic mean of the secondary market offered
rates as of 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date,
for certificates of deposit in the denomination of $5,000,000 with a remaining
maturity closest to the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof of three
leading non-bank dealers in negotiable U.S. dollar certificates of deposit in
The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for negotiable
certificates of deposit of major United States money center banks of the highest
credit standing in the market for negotiable certificates of deposit; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are
not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the rate of interest in effect for
the applicable period will be the same as the CD Rate for



                                       -8-
<PAGE>   9
the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such
Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial
Interest Rate).

                  DETERMINATION OF COMMERCIAL PAPER RATE. If the Base Rate
specified on the face hereof is the Commercial Paper Rate, the Commercial Paper
Rate with respect to this Note shall be determined on each Interest
Determination Date and shall be the Money Market Yield (as defined herein) of
the rate on such date for commercial paper having the Index Maturity specified
on the face hereof, as such rate shall be published in H.15(519) under the
heading "Commercial Paper," or if not so published prior to 9:00 A.M., New York
City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination
Date, the Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money Market yield of the rate on
such Interest Determination Date for commercial paper of the Index Maturity
specified on the face hereof as published in Composite Quotations under the
heading "Commercial Paper." If neither of such rates is published by 3:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such Calculation Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate
shall be the Money Market Yield of the arithmetic mean of the offered rates as
of 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date of three
leading dealers in commercial paper in The City of New York selected by the
Calculation Agent for commercial paper of the Index Maturity specified on the
face hereof, placed for an industrial issuer whose bond rating is "AA," or the
equivalent, from a nationally recognized rating agency: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
if the dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as
mentioned in this sentence, the rate of interest in effect for the applicable
period will be the same as the Commercial Paper Rate for the immediately
preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period,
the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial Interest Rate).

                  "Money Market Yield" shall be the yield calculated in
accordance with the following formula:


                                       D x 360
              Money Market Yield = --------------- X 100
                                   360 - (D X M)


where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the interest period for which interest is being calculated.




                                                 -9-
<PAGE>   10
                  DETERMINATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS RATE. If the Base Rate
specified on the face hereof is the Federal Funds Rate, the Federal Funds Rate
with respect to this Note shall be determined on each Interest Determination
Date and shall be the rate on such date for Federal Funds as published in
H.15(519) under the heading "Federal Funds (Effective)," or, if not so published
by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such
Interest Determination Date, the Federal Funds Rate will be the rate on such
Interest Determination Date as published in Composite Quotations under the
heading "Federal Funds/Effective Rate." If neither of such rates is published by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation Date, the Federal Funds Rate
for such Interest Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent
and will be the arithmetic mean of the rates for the last transaction in
overnight Federal funds as of 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest
Determination Date arranged by three leading brokers in Federal funds
transactions in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the brokers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation
Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the rate of interest in
effect for the applicable period will be the same as the Federal Funds Rate for
the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such
Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial
Interest Rate).

                  DETERMINATION OF LIBOR. If the Base Rate specified on the face
hereof is LIBOR, LIBOR with respect to this Note shall be determined on each
Interest Determination Date as follows:

                  (a) LIBOR will be, as specified on the face of this Note,
         either (i) the arithmetic mean of the offered rates for deposits in the
         Index Currency (as defined below) having the Index Maturity designated
         on the face of this Note, commencing on the second London Business Day
         immediately following that Interest Determination Date, that appear on
         the Reuters Screen LIBO Page as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on that
         Interest Determination Date, if at least two such offered rates appear
         on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page ("LIBOR Reuters") or (ii) the rate for
         deposits in the Index Currency having the Index Maturity designated on
         the face of this Note, commencing on the second London Business Day
         immediately following that Interest Determination Date, that appears on
         the Telerate Page 3750 as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on that Interest
         Determination Date ("LIBOR Telerate"). "Reuters Screen LIBO Page" means
         the display designated as page "LIBO" on the Reuters Monitor Money
         Rates Service (or such other page as may replace the LIBO page



                                      -10-

<PAGE>   11
         on that service for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered
         rates of major banks). "Telerate Page 3750" means the display
         designated as page "3750" on the Telerate Service (or such other page
         as may replace the 3750 page on that service or such other service or
         services as may be nominated by the British Bankers' Association for
         the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates for deposits
         in the Index Currency). If neither LIBOR Reuters nor LIBOR Telerate is
         specified on the face of this Note, LIBOR will be determined as if
         LIBOR Telerate had been specified. If fewer than two offered rates
         appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, or if no rate appears on the
         Telerate Page 3750, as applicable, LIBOR in respect of that Interest
         Determination Date will be determined as if the parties had specified
         the rate described in (b) below.

                  (b) With respect to an Interest Determination Date on which
         fewer than two offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, as
         specified in (a)(i) above, or on which no rate appears on Telerate Page
         3750, as specified in (a)(ii) above, as applicable, LIBOR will be
         determined on the basis of the rates at which deposits in the Index
         Currency having the Index Maturity designated on the face of this Note
         are offered at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on that Interest
         Determination Date by four major banks in the London interbank market
         selected by the Calculation Agent (the "LIBOR Reference Banks") to
         prime banks in the London interbank market commencing on the second
         London Business Day immediately following that Interest Determination
         Date and in a principal amount that is representative of a single
         transaction in such Index Currency in such market at such time. The
         Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of
         the LIBOR Reference Banks to provide a quotation of its rate. If at
         least two such quotations are provided, LIBOR in respect of that
         Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such
         quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, LIBOR in respect
         of that Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the
         rates quoted at approximately 11:00 a.m., or such other time specified
         in the Pricing Supplement for this Note, in the applicable Principal
         Financial Center (as defined below), on that Interest Determination
         Date by three major banks in such Principal Financial Center selected
         by the Calculation Agent for loans in the Index Currency to leading
         European banks having the Index Maturity designated on the face of this
         Note, commencing on the second London Business Day immediately
         following that Interest Determination Date and in a principal amount
         equal to an



                                      -11-
<PAGE>   12
         amount that is representative of a single transaction in such Index
         Currency in such market at such time; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
         banks selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as
         mentioned in this sentence, LIBOR with respect to such Interest
         Determination Date will be the rate of LIBOR in effect on such date.

                  "Index Currency" means the currency (including composite
currencies) specified on the face of this Note as the currency for which LIBOR
shall be calculated. If no such currency is specified on the face of this Note,
the Index Currency shall be United States dollars.

                  "Principal Financial Center" will generally be the capital
city of the country of the specified Index Currency, except that with respect to
United States dollars, Deutsche marks, Italian lira, Swiss francs, Dutch gilders
and ECUs, the Principal Financial Center shall be The City of New York,
Frankfurt, Milan, Zurich, Amsterdam and Luxembourg, respectively.

                  DETERMINATION OF PRIME RATE. If the Base Rate specified on the
face hereof is the Prime Rate, the Prime Rate with respect to this Note shall be
determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate set forth
in H.15(519) for such date opposite the caption "Bank Prime Loan." If such rate
is not yet published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date,
the Prime Rate for such Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean
of the rates of interest publicly announced by each bank named on the display
designated as page "USPRIME1" on the Reuters Monitor Money Rate Service (or such
other page as may replace the USPRIME1 page on such service for the purpose of
displaying the prime rate or base lending rate of major New York City banks)
(the "Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page") as such bank's prime rate or base lending
rate as in effect for such Interest Determination Date as quoted on the Reuters
Screen USPRIME1 Page on such Interest Determination Date, or, if fewer than four
such rates appear on the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page for such Interest
Determination Date, the rate shall be the arithmetic mean of the prime rates
quoted on the basis of the actual number of days in the year divided by 360 as
of the close of business on such Interest Determination Date by at least two of
the three major money center banks in The City of New York selected by the
Calculation Agent from which quotations are requested. If fewer than two
quotations are provided, the Prime Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation
Agent and shall be determined as the arithmetic mean on the basis of the prime
rates in The City of New York by the appropriate number of substitute banks or
trust companies organized and doing business under the laws of the



                                      -12-

<PAGE>   13
United States, or any State thereof, in each case having total equity capital of
at least U.S.$500 million and being subject to supervision or examination by
Federal or State authority, selected by the Calculation Agent to quote such rate
or rates.

                  If in any month or two consecutive months the Prime Rate is
not published in H.15(519) and the banks or trust companies selected as
aforesaid are not quoting as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the "Prime
Rate" for such Interest Reset Period will be the same as the Prime Rate for the
immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such Interest
Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial Interest
Rate). If this failure continues over three or more consecutive months, the
Prime Rate for each succeeding Interest Determination Date until the maturity or
redemption of this Note or, if earlier, until this failure ceases, shall be
LIBOR determined as if the Base Rate specified on the face hereof were LIBOR,
and the Spread, if any, shall be the number of basis points specified on the
face hereof as the "Alternate Rate Event Spread."

                  DETERMINATION OF TREASURY RATE. If the Base Rate specified on
the face hereof is the Treasury Rate, the Treasury Rate with respect to this
Note shall be determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the
rate for the auction held on such date of direct obligations of the United
States ("Treasury Bills") having the Index Maturity specified on the face
hereof, as published in H.15(519) under the heading "Treasury Bills--auction
average (investment)," or if not so published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time,
on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the
auction average rate on such Interest Determination Date (expressed as a bond
equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and
applied on a daily basis) as otherwise announced by the United States Department
of the Treasury. In the event that the results of the auction of Treasury Bills
having the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof are not published or
reported as provided above by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation
Date or if no such auction is held on such Interest Determination Date, then the
Treasury Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be a yield
to maturity (expressed as a bond equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or
366 days, as applicable, and applied on a daily basis) of the arithmetic mean of
the secondary market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City
time, on such Interest Determination Date, of three leading primary United
States government securities dealers selected by the Calculation Agent for the
issue of Treasury Bills with a remaining maturity closest to the Index



                                      -13-

<PAGE>   14
Maturity specified on the face hereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the dealers
selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in
this sentence, the Treasury Rate for such Interest Reset Date will be the same
as the Treasury Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if
there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon
shall be the Initial Interest Rate).

                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest rate hereon shall
not be greater than the Maximum Interest Rate, if any, or less than the Minimum
Interest Rate, if any, specified on the face hereof. The Calculation Agent shall
calculate the interest rate hereon in accordance with the foregoing on or before
each Calculation Date. The interest rate on this Note will in no event be higher
than the maximum rate permitted by New York law, as the same may be modified by
United States Federal law of general application.

                  At the request of the holder hereof, the Calculation Agent
will provide to the holder hereof the interest rate hereon then in effect and,
if determined, the interest rate that will become effective as of the next
Interest Reset Date.

                  Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued
to but excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the Maturity Date (or earlier
redemption or repayment date), as the case may be; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if
the Interest Reset Period with respect to this Note is daily or weekly, interest
payable on any Interest Payment Date, other than interest payable on any date on
which principal hereof is payable, will include interest accrued through and
including the Record Date next preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date.
Accrued interest hereon shall be an amount calculated by multiplying the face
amount hereof by an accrued interest factor. Such accrued interest factor shall
be computed by adding the interest factor calculated for each day in the period
for which interest is being paid. The interest factor for each such date shall
be computed by dividing the interest rate applicable to such day by 360 if the
Base Rate is the CD Rate, Commercial Paper Rate, Federal Funds Rate, Prime Rate
or LIBOR, as specified on the face hereof, or by the actual number of days in
the year if the Base Rate is the Treasury Rate, as specified on the face hereof.
All percentages resulting from any calculation of the rate of interest on this
Note will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a
percentage point (.0000001), with five one-millionths of a percentage point
rounded upward, and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such
calculation on this Note will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent
rounded



                                      -14-

<PAGE>   15
upward). The interest rate in effect on any Interest Reset Date will be the
applicable rate as reset on such date. The interest rate applicable to any other
day is the interest rate from the immediately preceding Interest Reset Date (or,
if none, the Initial Interest Rate).

                  This Note is unsecured and ranks PARI PASSU with all other
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company.

                  This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or
exchange hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of $100,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

                  In case an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall
have occurred and be continuing, the principal hereof may be declared, and upon
such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect
and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

                  If the face hereof indicates that this Note is subject to
"Modified Payment upon Acceleration," then (i) if the principal hereof is
declared to be due and payable as described in the preceding paragraph, the
amount of principal due and payable with respect to this Note shall be limited
to the sum of the Issue Price specified on the face hereof plus the Amortized
Amount, (ii) for the purpose of any vote of securityholders taken pursuant to
the Indenture prior to the acceleration of payment of this Note, the principal
amount hereof shall equal the amount that would be due and payable hereon,
calculated as set forth in clause (i) above, if this Note were declared to be
due and payable on the date of any such vote and (iii) for the purpose of any
vote of securityholders taken pursuant to the Indenture following the
acceleration of payment of this Note, the principal amount hereof shall equal
the amount of principal due and payable with respect to this Note, calculated as
set forth in clause (i) above.

                  The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein
provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and
obligations of the Company and the rights of the holders of the Securities of
any series under the Indenture at any time by the Company with the consent of
the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of each series to be affected (all such holders voting as a single
class). The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any
series on behalf of the holders of all Securities of such



                                      -15-
<PAGE>   16
series, by written consent to waive compliance by the Company with certain
provisions of the Indenture with respect to such series and certain past
defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series and their consequences.
Any such consent or waiver by the holder of this Note shall be conclusive and
binding upon such holder and upon all future holders of this Note and of any
Note issued upon the transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof
whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

                  No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this
Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company,
which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on
this Note at the times, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein
prescribed.

                  In the event of the merger or consolidation of the obligor on
this Note into, or of the sale or transfer of all or substantially all its
assets to, a successor corporation, such successor corporation shall be fully
substituted for the predecessor corporation as obligor hereon; and in the event
of any such sale or transfer, such predecessor corporation shall be discharged
from all liability on this Note, and may be dissolved and liquidated, all as
more fully set forth in the Indenture.

                  As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain
limitations therein set forth, this Note is transferable by the holder hereof on
the Note register of the Company, upon surrender of this Note for registration
of transfer at any office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose
as provided in Section 1102 of the Indenture, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Note
registrar duly executed, by the holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in
writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of authorized denominations and for
the same aggregate principal amount will be issued to the designated transferee
or transferees. No service charge shall be made for any such transfer, but the
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

                  Prior to due presentment of this Note, the Company, the
Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in
whose name this Note is registered as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose
of receiving payment hereof, or on account hereof and, subject to the provisions
on the face hereof, interest hereon and for all other purposes whether or not
this Note be overdue, and neither the



                                      -16-
<PAGE>   17
Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

                  This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

                  As used herein:

                  (a) the term "Amortized Amount" is equal to the original issue
discount amortized from the Original Issue Date to the date of redemption or
declaration, as the case may be, which amortization shall be calculated using
the "constant yield method" (computed in accordance with the rules under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder, in
effect on the date of redemption or declaration, as the case may be);

                  (b) the term "Business Day" means a day that is not a Saturday
or Sunday and that is not a day on which banking institutions are generally
authorized or obligated by law to close in the City of New York;

                  (c) the term "London Banking Day" means any day on which
dealings in deposits U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market;

                  (d) the term "United States" means the United States of
America (including the States and the District of Columbia), its territories and
its possessions; and

                  (e) all other terms used in this Note which are defined in the
Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to
them in the Indenture.




                                      -17-
<PAGE>   18
                                  ABBREVIATIONS

                  The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on
the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

                  TEN COM-as tenants in common
                  TEN ENT-as tenants by the entireties
                  JT TEN-as Joint tenants with right of
                    survivorship and not as tenants in common

                  UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-..........Custodian............
                                      (Cust)              (Minor)

                  Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act................
                                                       (State)

                  Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the
above list.
                              ---------------------

                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
  IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]

- -----------------------------------------!
                                         !
- -----------------------------------------!

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OR
ASSIGNEE]

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
irrevocably constituting and appointing such person attorney

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
to transfer such Note on the books of the Company, with

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:
      ---------------------------

NOTICE:    The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
           written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without
           alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.




                                      -18-

<PAGE>   19
                            OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT


The undersigned hereby irrevocably request(s) the Company to repay the within
Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms at a price equal
to the principal amount thereof, together with interest to the Optional
Repayment Date, to the undersigned, at


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print or typewrite name and address of the undersigned)

If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be repaid,
specify the portion thereof (which shall be increments of $1,000) which the
holder elects to have repaid: ________________________; and specify the
denomination or denominations (which shall not be less than the minimum
authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued to the holder for the portion
of the within Note not being repaid (in the absence of any such specification,
one such Note will be issued for the portion not being repaid):

- ------------------------------                                            .
Dated: _______________________                       __________________________
                                                     NOTICE: The signature on
                                                     this Option to Elect
                                                     Repayment must correspond
                                                     with the name as written
                                                     upon the face of the within
                                                     instrument in every
                                                     particular without
                                                     alteration or enlargement.



                                      -19-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                       Exhibit 5

The B.F.Goodrich Company                         Nicholas J. Calise
3925 Embassy Parkway                             Vice President
Akron, Ohio 44333-1799                           Associate General Counsel
330-374-3778                                     and Secretary

Facsimile:
330-374-3456
                                  May 8, 1996


The B.F.Goodrich Company
3925 Embassy Parkway
Akron, Ohio 44333-1799

Dear Sirs:

I have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 being filed by The
B.F.Goodrich Company (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the registration
of $150,000,000 principal amount of the Company's debt securities (the "Debt
Securities") to be issued under an indenture (the "Indenture"), dated as of May
1, 1991, between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank.

In my opinion, the Indenture under which the Debt Securities are to be issued
has been duly authorized, executed and delivered, and when the issuance of the
Debt Securities and approval of the final terms thereof have been duly
authorized by appropriate corporate action and the Debt Securities have been
duly executed, authenticated and delivered against payment therefor, the Debt
Securities will be valid and legally binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, except as the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws
affecting the enforcement of the rights of creditors generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a
proceeding in equity or at law).

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to myself under the captions
"Validity of Debt Securities" and "Validity of the Notes" in the Registration 
Statement.

                                       Very truly yours,


                                       /s/ Nicholas J. Calise
                                       Nicholas J. Calise
NJC/cb

<PAGE>   1





                                                                      EXHIBIT 12


                            THE B.F.GOODRICH COMPANY
               COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                        (In millions, except for ratios)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   THREE
                                                   MONTHS            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                   ENDED        -------------------------------------
                                               March 31, 1996   1995     1994    1993    1992    1991
                                               --------------   ----     ----    ----    ----    ----
<S>                                                <C>          <C>     <C>      <C>     <C>     <C>
COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS:
    Income from continuing operations
      before income taxes and cumulative
      effect of change in accounting method        $35.6        $198.3  $108.6   $15.3   $14.4   $44.1
    Add (Deduct):                                            
      Interest expense, net of capitalized                   
        interest                                    13.3          55.6    58.0    48.9    48.2    42.3
      Amortization of interest previously                    
        capitalized                                  0.3           0.9     0.8     0.5     0.5     0.3
      Portion of rent expense representative                 
        of an interest factor                        1.8           8.1     8.3     7.6     8.0     7.6
      Equity of (earnings) losses of affiliates              
        accounted for on the equity method           0.3           1.3     0.8     0.9     0.9     0.7
                                                   -----        ------  ------   -----   -----   -----
    EARNINGS                                       $51.3        $264.2  $176.5   $73.2   $72.0   $95.0
                                                   =====        ======  ======   =====   =====   =====
                                                             
COMPUTATION OF FIXED CHARGES:                                
      Interest expense, net of capitalized                   
        interest                                   $13.3         $55.6   $58.0   $48.9   $48.2   $42.3
      Distributions on quarterly income                      
        preferred securities                         2.6           5.1      --      --      --      --
      Portion of rent expense representative                 
        of an interest factor                        1.8           8.1     8.3     7.6     8.0     7.6
      Capitalized interest                           1.3           2.7     0.6     5.0     3.8     2.1
                                                   -----        ------  ------   -----   -----   -----
    FIXED CHARGES                                  $19.0         $71.5   $66.9   $61.5   $60.0   $52.0
                                                   =====        ======  ======   =====   =====   =====
                                                             
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                  2.70          3.70    2.64    1.19    1.20    1.83
                                                   =====        ======  ======   =====   =====   =====
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(a)


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the      
Registration Statement (Form S-3) and in Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the
Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 33-65658) and related Prospectus of The
B.F.Goodrich Company for the registration of debt securities and to the
incorporation by reference therein of our report dated February 2, 1996, with
respect to the consolidated financial statements of The B.F.Goodrich Company
incorporated by reference in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended
December 31, 1995, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                                        /s/ Ernst & Young LLP
                                        ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Cleveland, Ohio
May 6, 1996

<PAGE>   1
                                                                  Exhibit 24

                              POWER OF ATTORNEY
                              -----------------

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints D. Lee Tobler, Jon V. Heider and Nicholas J.
Calise, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution and revocation, in his or her name and
on his or her behalf, to do any and all acts and things and to execute any and
all instruments which they may deem necessary or advisable to enable The
B.F.Goodrich Company (the "Company") to comply with the Securities Act of 1933
(the "Act") and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration
under the Act of Debt Securities including Medium Term Notes in an aggregate
principal amount not to exceed $150 million, including power and authority to
sign his or her name in any and all capacities (including his or her capacity
as a Director and/or Officer of the Company) to one or more registration
statements on Form S-3, or such other available form as may be approved by
officers of the Company, and to any and all amendments, including
post-effective amendments, to such registration statements, and in connection
with Registration Statement Number 33-65658 and to any and all instruments or
documents filed as part of or in connection with such registration statements
or any amendments thereto; and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all
that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have subscribed these presents this
15th day of April, 1996.


  /s/ Jeanette Grasselli Brown                  /s/ David L. Burner
- -----------------------------------    --------------------------------------
     (Jeanette Grasselli Brown)                    (David L. Burner)
               Director                         President and Director


   /s/ George A. Davidson, Jr.                  /s/ James J. Glasser
- -----------------------------------    --------------------------------------
      (George A. Davidson, Jr.)                    (James J. Glasser)
             Director                                   Director


     /s/ Thomas H. O'Leary                        /s/ John D. Ong     
- -----------------------------------    --------------------------------------
        (Thomas H. O'Leary)                          (John D. Ong)    
             Director                         Chairman of the Board, Chief
                                             Executive Officer and Director
                                              (Principal Executive Officer)

<PAGE>   2
   /s/ Richard de J. Osborne                    /s/ Joseph A. Pichler
- ---------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
      (Richard de J. Osborne)                      (Joseph A. Pichler)
             Director                                   Director


   /s/ Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.                    /s/ Steven G. Rolls
- ---------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
      (Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.)                      (Steven G. Rolls)
             Director                        Vice President and Controller
                                             (Principal Accounting Officer)

   /s/ Ian M. Ross                              /s/ D. Lee Tobler 
- ---------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
      (Ian M. Ross)                                (D. Lee Tobler)
       Director                               Executive Vice President
                                                   and Director
                                            (Principal Financial Officer)


   /s/ William L. Wallace                      /s/ A. Thomas Young
- ---------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
      (William L. Wallace)                        (A. Thomas Young)
          Director                                   Director


<PAGE>   1



                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM T-1


                            Statement of Eligibility
                      Under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939
                      of a Corporation Designated to Act as
                                     Trustee


                      Check if an Application to Determine
                  Eligibility of a Trustee Pursuant to Section
                            305(b)(2) _______________


                          HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
                                (Name of Trustee)

        Illinois                                      36-1194448
(State of Incorporation)                 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                 111 West Monroe Street; Chicago, Illinois 60603
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                Daryl L. Pomykala; Harris Trust and Savings Bank;
                311 West Monroe Street; Chicago, Illinois, 60606
                                  312/461-7458
           (Name, address and telephone number for agent for service)


                            The B.F.Goodrich Company
                                (Name of obligor)

                                    New York
                            (State of Incorporation)

                                   34-0252680
                     (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

         3925 Embassy Parkway Akron, Ohio 44333-1799, (330) 374-3985
                    (Address of principal executive offices)



                                 Debt Securities
                         (Title of Indenture Securities)



<PAGE>   2

 1.      GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the
         Trustee:

         (a)  Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to
              which it is subject.

                  Commissioner of Banks and Trust Companies, State of Illinois,
                  Springfield, Illinois; Chicago Clearing House Association, 164
                  West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois; Federal Deposit
                  Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.; The Board of
                  Governors of the Federal Reserve System,Washington, D.C.

         (b)  Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

                  Harris Trust and Savings Bank is authorized to exercise
                  corporate trust powers.

 2.      AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR. If the Obligor is an affiliate of the
         Trustee, describe each such affiliation.

                  The Obligor is not an affiliate of the Trustee.

 3. thru 15.

                  NO RESPONSE NECESSARY

16.      LIST OF EXHIBITS.

         1.   A copy of the articles of association of the Trustee is now in
              effect which includes the authority of the trustee to commence
              business and to exercise corporate trust powers.

              A copy of the Certificate of Merger dated April 1, 1972 between
              Harris Trust and Savings Bank, HTS Bank and Harris Bankcorp, Inc.
              which constitutes the articles of association of the Trustee as
              now in effect and includes the authority of the Trustee to
              commence business and to exercise corporate trust powers was filed
              in connection with the Registration Statement of Louisville Gas
              and Electric Company, File No. 2-44295, and is incorporated herein
              by reference.

         2.   A copy of the existing by-laws of the Trustee.

                  A copy of the existing by-laws of the Trustee was filed in
              connection with the Registration Statement of C-Cube Microsystems,
              Inc.; File No. 33-97166, and is incorporated herein by reference.

         3.   The consents of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.

                  (included as Exhibit A on page 2 of this statement)

         4.   A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published
              pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or
              examining authority.

                  (included as Exhibit B on page 3 of this statement)


                                       1
<PAGE>   3

                                    SIGNATURE


Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the Trustee,
HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK, a corporation organized and existing under the
laws of the State of Illinois, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in
the City of Chicago, and State of Illinois, on the 8th day of May, 1996.

HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK


By: /S/ Daryl L. Pomykala
   ------------------------------
        Daryl L. Pomykala
        Trust Officer


EXHIBIT A

The consents of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.

Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as the Trustee herein named, hereby consents that
reports of examinations of said trustee by Federal and State authorities may be
furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon
request therefor.

HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK


By: /S/ Daryl L. Pomykala
   ------------------------------
        Daryl L. Pomykala
        Trust Officer


May  8, 1996


                                       2
<PAGE>   4


                                                                       EXHIBIT B

Attached is a true and correct copy of the statement of condition of Harris
Trust and Savings Bank as of December 31, 1995, as published in accordance with
a call made by the State Banking Authority and by the Federal Reserve Bank of
the Seventh Reserve District.

                          [LOGO] HARRIS BANK

                          Harris Trust and Savings Bank
                             111 West Monroe Street
                             Chicago, Illinois 60603

of Chicago, Illinois, And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries, at the close of
business on December 31, 1995, a state banking institution organized and
operating under the banking laws of this State and a member of the Federal
Reserve System. Published in accordance with a call made by the Commissioner of
Banks and Trust Companies of the State of Illinois and by the Federal Reserve
Bank of this District.

                         Bank's Transit Number 71000288

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               THOUSANDS
                              ASSETS                                                           OF DOLLARS
<S>                                                                            <C>            <C>        
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
         Non-interest bearing balances and currency and coin ................                 $ 1,409,760
         Interest bearing balances ..........................................                 $   457,700
Securities: .................................................................
a.  Held-to-maturity securities                                                               $         0
b.  Available-for-sale securities                                                             $ 2,036,329
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell in
     domestic offices of the bank and of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries,
     and in IBF's:
         Federal funds sold .................................................                 $    84,600
         Securities purchased under agreements to resell ....................                 $    79,345
Loans and lease financing receivables:
         Loans and leases, net of unearned income ...........................  $ 7,472,020
         LESS:  Allowance for loan and lease losses .........................  $    94,153
                                                                               -----------

         Loans and leases, net of unearned income, allowance, and reserve
         (item 4.a minus 4.b) ...............................................                 $ 7,377,867
Assets held in trading accounts .............................................                 $   143,738
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases) ....................                 $   137,261
Other real estate owned .....................................................                 $       608
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies .........                 $       200
Customer's liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding ................                 $    95,326
Intangible assets ...........................................................                 $    18,881
Other assets ................................................................                 $   405,945
                                                                               --------------------------

TOTAL ASSETS                                                                                  $12,247,560
                                                                               ==========================
</TABLE>






                                       3
<PAGE>   5


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          LIABILITIES
<S>                                                                                             <C>            <C>        
Deposits:
     In domestic offices .....................................................................                 $ 4,902,609
         Non-interest bearing ................................................................  $ 2,685,798
         Interest bearing ....................................................................  $ 2,216,811
     In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBF's ..........................                 $ 2,392,853
         Non-interest bearing ................................................................  $    41,003
         Interest bearing ....................................................................  $ 2,351,850
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase in domestic offices
of the bank and of its Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and in IBF's:
     Federal funds purchased .................................................................                 $   826,480
     Securities sold under agreements to repurchase ..........................................                 $ 1,277,657
Trading Liabilities                                                                                            $    45,100
Other borrowed money: ........................................................................                    
a.  With original maturity of one year or less                                                                 $ 1,318,063
b.  With original maturity of more than one year                                                               $    12,162
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding                                                       $    95,326
Subordinated notes and debentures ............................................................                 $   295,000
Other liabilities ............................................................................                 $   245,069
                                                                                                --------------------------

TOTAL LIABILITIES                                                                                              $11,410,319
                                                                                                ==========================

                                         EQUITY CAPITAL
Common stock .................................................................................                 $   100,000
Surplus ......................................................................................                 $   275,000
a.  Undivided profits and capital reserves ...................................................                 $   445,119
b.  Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities                                     $    17,122
                                                                                                --------------------------

TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL                                                                                           $   837,241
                                                                                                ==========================

Total liabilities, limited-life preferred stock, and equity capital ..........................                 $12,247,560
                                                                                                ==========================
</TABLE>

         I, Steve Neudecker, Vice President of the above-named bank, do hereby
declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the
instructions issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and
is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

                                 STEVE NEUDECKER
                                     1/30/96

         We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report
of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and, to the best of our
knowledge and belief, has been prepared in conformance with the instructions
issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the
Commissioner of Banks and Trust Companies of the State of Illinois and is true
and correct.

                  JAMES J. GLASSER,
                  ALAN G. McNALLY,
                  MARIBETH S. RAHE

                                                                Directors.
                                       4


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