GALILEO CORP
8-K, 1999-07-12
OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS & LENSES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 30, 1999

                               Galileo Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                    Delaware
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

         000-11309                                     04-2526583
  (Commission File Number)                 (IRS Employer Identification No.)


           Galileo Park, P.O. Box 550, Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (508) 347-9191
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


<PAGE>



Item 2.       Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

              On July 1,  1999,  the  Registrant  sold its  Scientific  Detector
Products  Business to Burle  Industries,  Inc. of Lancaster,  Pennsylvania for a
sales price of approximately $7.1 million.  Also on July 1, 1999, the Registrant
sold certain manufacturing assets relating to a previously discontinued business
to IPG Photonics  Corporation of Sturbridge,  Massachusetts for a sales price of
approximately $1.5 million.  The sales price for each transaction was determined
in  good  faith,   arms-length  negotiations  between  the  Registrant  and  the
respective  purchaser.  The  Registrant  has applied the proceeds from these two
transactions  to  the  repayment  of the  Registrant's  indebtedness  under  its
revolving credit agreement, reducing the outstanding balance thereunder to below
$6.0 million as required by the terms of such agreement.

              For a more  complete  description  of the terms of these two sales
transactions, reference is made to the Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of July
1, 1999 between Burle Industries, Inc. and the Registrant and the Asset Purchase
and Sale  Agreement  dated as of May 24,  1999  between the  Registrant  and IPG
Photonics  Corporation,  both of which are  incorporated  herein by reference as
Exhibits  2.1 and  2.2,  respectively,  to this  Current  Report  on Form 8-K as
indicated  in Item 7 below.  The press  release  issued by the  Registrant  with
respect  to these two  transactions  is filed as  Exhibit  99.1 to this  Current
Report on Form 8-K as indicated in Item 7 below.

Item 5.       Other Events.

              On June 30, 1999, the Registrant  announced that the  Registrant's
revolving  credit  agreement  had been amended to extend until July 14, 1999 the
applicable  dates  of  certain  covenants  in the  revolving  credit  agreement,
including  the  Registrant's   obligation  to  reduce  the  maximum   borrowings
thereunder to below $6.0 million. On July 6, 1999, the Registrant announced that
Gerhard R. Andlinger,  Chairman of the Board of the Registrant,  had assumed the
additional  titles of President and Chief Executive  Officer,  succeeding W. Kip
Speyer  who  had  resigned  from  those  positions  and  as a  Director  of  the
Registrant.  The  Registrant  also  announced that John D. Barlow had been named
President and Chief Executive  Officer of the Registrant's  Leissegang  Medical,
Inc.  subsidiary,  succeeding  Mr. Speyer who resigned  from these  positions as
well. The press release issued by the Registrant  with respect to the additional
titles  assumed by Mr.  Adlinger and the  appointment  of Mr. Barlow is filed as
Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K as indicated in Item 7 below.

Item 7.      Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

(a)              Not applicable
(b)              Not applicable


<PAGE>



(c)              Exhibits:

Exhibit Number
                                  Exhibit Title

      2.1        Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of July 1, 1999 between Burle
                 Industries,  Inc., as Buyer and Galileo Corporation,  as Seller
                 (see  table  of  contents  for  list of  omitted  exhibits  and
                 schedules)

                 The Registrant  hereby agrees to provide the  Commission,  upon
                 request,  with  copies of any  omitted  exhibits  or  schedules
                 required by Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K.

      2.2        Asset  Purchase  and Sale  Agreement  dated as of May 24,  1999
                 between  Galileo  Corporation  and IPG  Photonics  Corporation,
                 including a list of omitted exhibits and schedules

                 The Registrant  hereby agrees to provide the  Commission,  upon
                 request,  with  copies of any  omitted  exhibits  or  schedules
                 required by Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K.

     99.1        Press Release dated July 1, 1999

     99.2        Press Release dated July 6, 1999


<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                             Galileo Corporation

                                             By: /s/ Josef W. Rokus
                                                 ----------------------
                                                    Josef W. Rokus
                                                    Vice President and Secretary

Dated:  July 12, 1999



                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.1




                                                                  Execution Copy














             SCIENTIFIC DETECTOR AND SPECTROSCOPY PRODUCTS BUSINESS
                             OF GALILEO CORPORATION


                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                     BETWEEN

                        BURLE INDUSTRIES, INC., AS BUYER

                                       AND

                         GALILEO CORPORATION, AS SELLER


                            Dated as of July 1, 1999








<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page



ARTICLE1 DEFINITIONS...........................................................1
         Definitions...........................................................1
         Certain Interpretive Matters..........................................8


ARTICLE 2  PURCHASE AND SALE...................................................8
         Sale of Assets........................................................8
         Excluded Assets......................................................10
         Assumed Liabilities and Obligations..................................11
         Excluded Liabilities.................................................11


ARTICLE 3  THE CLOSING........................................................13
         Closing  13
         Purchase Price.......................................................13
         Adjustment to Purchase Price and Cash Payment........................13
         Allocation of Purchase Price.........................................15
         Prorations...........................................................15
         Deliveries by Seller.................................................15
         Deliveries by Buyer..................................................16


ARTICLE 4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER............................17
         Organization; Qualification..........................................17
         Authority Relative to this Agreement.................................17
         Consents and Approvals; No Violation.................................18
         Financial Statements.................................................18
         Undisclosed Liabilities..............................................18
         Absence of Certain Changes or Events.................................18
         Title    19
         Inventory............................................................19
         Accounts Receivable..................................................19
         Insurance............................................................19
         Environmental Matters................................................19
         Employees............................................................21
         Overtime, Back Wage, Vacation, Discrimination and
           Occupational Safety Claims.........................................21
         Benefit Plans........................................................21
         Tangible Personal Property...........................................23
         Contracts and Arrangements...........................................23
         Litigation and Claims................................................23
         Permits  23
         Taxes    ............................................................24
         Year 2000 Qualification..............................................24
         Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights...................................24
         Transactions with Affiliates.........................................24
         Purchased Assets.....................................................25
         Completeness and Accuracy............................................25


ARTICLE 5 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER.............................25
         Organization.........................................................25
         Authority Relative to this Agreement.................................25
         Consents and Approvals; No Violation.................................26
         Availability of Funds................................................26


ARTICLE 6  COVENATNS OF THE PARTIES...........................................26
         Conduct of Business Relating to the Purchased Assets.................26
         Access to Information................................................27
         Expenses 28
         Further Assurances; Cooperation......................................28
         Public Statements....................................................29
         Consents and Approvals...............................................29
         Fees and Commissions.................................................29
         Tax Matters..........................................................30
         Notification of Changes..............................................30
         Employees............................................................30
         Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation...................................31
         Compliance with Environmental Corrective Action Program and Lead
                  Decontamination Protocol....................................32
         SEM Microscope.......................................................32


ARTICLE 7 CONDITIONS..........................................................32
         Conditions to Obligations of Buyer...................................32
         Conditions to Obligations of Seller..................................34


ARTICLE 8 INDEMNIFICATION.....................................................35
         Indemnification......................................................35
         Defense of Claims....................................................36
         Indemnification Limits...............................................37
         Survival of Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Obligations...37


ARTICLE 9 TERMINATION.........................................................38
         Termination..........................................................38
         Procedure and Effect of Termination..................................39


ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS...........................................39
         Amendment and Modification...........................................39
         Waiver of Compliance; Consents.......................................39
         Notices  39
         Assignment...........................................................40
         No Third Party Beneficiary...........................................40
         Governing Law........................................................41
         Venue; Consent to Jurisdiction.......................................41
         Counterparts.........................................................41
         Severability.........................................................41
         Interpretation.......................................................41
         Schedules and Exhibits...............................................41
         Entire Agreement.....................................................41



<PAGE>


                                LIST OF SCHEDULES

Schedule 1        Business Product Lines
Schedule 2.1(c)   Tangible Personal Property
Schedule 2.1(d)   Seller's Agreements
Schedule 2.1(e)   Transferable Permits
Schedule 2.1(h)   Intellectual Property
Schedule 2.1(l)   Shared Assets
Schedule 3.3      Accounting Methodology
Schedule 3.4      Allocation of Purchase Price
Schedule 4.3      Consents and Approvals; Seller's Required Regulatory Approvals
Schedule 4.4      Financial Statements
Schedule 4.5      Undisclosed Liabilities
Schedule 4.6      Absence of Certain Changes or Events
Schedule 4.7      Title
Schedule 4.8      Inventory
Schedule 4.9      Accounts Receivable
Schedule 4.10     Insurance
Schedule 4.11     Environmental Matters
Schedule 4.12     Employees
Schedule 4.13     Labor Matters
Schedule 4.15     Benefit Plans
Schedule 4.16     Tangible Personal Property Exceptions
Schedule 4.17     Contracts and Arrangements
Schedule 4.18     Litigation and Claims
Schedule 4.19     Permits
Schedule 4.20     Taxes
Schedule 4.21     Year 2000 Compliance
Schedule 4.22     Expired and Abandoned Patents
Schedule 4.24     Transaction with Affiliates
Schedule 5.3      Consents and Approvals
Schedule 6.10     Employees



<PAGE>


                                LIST OF EXHIBITS


Exhibit A         Form of Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement
Exhibit B         Form of Sturbridge Property Lease
Exhibit C         Form of Transition Services Agreement
Exhibit D         Form of License Agreement
Exhibit E         Form of Opinion of Seller's Counsel
Exhibit F         Form of Opinion of Buyer's Counsel



<PAGE>




                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT


         THIS ASSET  PURCHASE  AGREEMENT,  dated as of July 1, 1999,  is between
BURLE  INDUSTRIES,  INC.,  a  Pennsylvania  corporation  ("Buyer"),  and GALILEO
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation ("Seller"). Seller and Buyer are referred to
individually as a "Party," and collectively as the "Parties."

                               W I T N E S S E T H

         WHEREAS,  Seller is engaged through its Scientific  Detector and Remote
Spectroscopy   Products  business  in  the  production  of  (i)  components  for
scientific and analytical  instrumentation  and image  intensifiers  (scientific
detector  products),  (ii) products  used in remote  process  monitoring,  (iii)
custom glass and (iv)  glass-coated  wire,  including  but not limited to single
channel  detectors,   microchannel  plates,  detector  assemblies  and  systems,
flexible fiber optics, remote spectroscopy products, office products and related
products,  as more  fully  set forth in  Schedule  1 hereto  (collectively,  the
"Business");

         WHEREAS,  Buyer  desires to  purchase,  and Seller  desires to sell and
assign,  the  assets  of the  Business,  including  without  limitation  (i) the
accounts  receivable,  inventory,  machinery,  equipment  and other fixed assets
(other than the Sturbridge Property, as herein defined) and (ii) all trademarks,
trade  names,  patents,  know-how  and  other  intellectual  property,  and,  in
connection  therewith,  Buyer has agreed to assume  certain  liabilities  of the
Business, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth in this Agreement.

         NOW,   THEREFORE,   in   consideration   of   the   mutual   covenants,
representations,  warranties and agreements hereinafter set forth, and intending
to be legally bound hereby, the Parties agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE 1

                                   DEFINITIONS

          Definitions.  As used in this Agreement,  the following terms have the
meanings specified in this Section 1.1.

         "Accounts  Payable"  as of any date  means the trade  accounts  payable
associated  with the Business as of such date  determined in accordance with the
methodology  set forth in  Schedule  3.3,  except any trade  account  payable to
Seller or an Affiliate of Seller.

         "Accounts   Receivable"  means  as  of  any  date  the  trade  accounts
receivable  of the  Business  as of such  date,  excluding  any  trade  accounts
receivable from Seller or any Affiliate of Seller.

         "Accounts  Receivable  Value" means as of any date the aggregate dollar
value of the Accounts Receivable,  determined in accordance with the methodology
set forth in Schedule 3.3.

         "Affiliate"  has the  meaning  set forth in Rule  12b-2 of the  General
Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

         "Agreement"  means  this Asset  Purchase  Agreement  together  with the
Schedules and Exhibits hereto, as the same may be from time to time amended.

         "Assumed Accrued  Expenses" means accrued expenses or reserves as would
appear  on a balance  sheet of the  Business  prepared  in  accordance  with the
methodology  set forth on Schedule 3.3 for (i) unused vacation and personal time
for the New Employees, (ii) sales commissions, (iii) product warranty claims and
(iv) customer deposits.

         "Assumed  Liabilities  and  Obligations"  has the  meaning set forth in
Section 2.3.

         "Benefit Plans" means (i) any pension plan, 401(k) plan, profit-sharing
plan,  health or welfare plan, and any other  employee  benefit plan (within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is  maintained  or sponsored by Seller or
to which Seller  contributes  or for which Seller  otherwise has or may have any
liability,  contingent or otherwise,  either directly or as a result of an ERISA
Affiliate,  and (ii) any other  benefit  arrangement,  obligation,  or practice,
whether or not legally enforceable,  to provide benefits,  other than salary, as
compensation for services rendered,  to one or more present or former employees,
directors,  agents, or independent contractors,  that is maintained or sponsored
by Seller or to which Seller  contributes  or for which Seller  otherwise has or
may have any liability,  contingent or otherwise, either directly or as a result
of an ERISA Affiliate,  including,  without limitation,  employment  agreements,
severance policies or agreements, executive compensation arrangements, incentive
arrangements, sick leave, vacation pay, salary continuation, consulting or other
compensation  arrangements,  workers'  compensation,  bonus plans, stock option,
stock grant or stock purchase plans, medical insurance, life insurance,  tuition
reimbursement programs or scholarship programs, any plans subject to Section 125
of the Code,  and any plans  providing  benefits  or  payments in the event of a
change of ownership or control.

         "Bill of Sale,  Assignment and Assumption  Agreement" means the Bill of
Sale,  Assignment and  Assumption  Agreement  between  Seller and Buyer,  or its
designee, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

         "Burle  Retiree  Medical  Plan" has the  meaning  set forth in  Section
6.10(f).

         "Burle Retiree Medical Plan Liability  Accrual" means the aggregate pro
forma amount of the accrual  liability  for the Burle  Retiree  Medical Plan for
each of the New Employees. Assuming all the employees set forth on Schedule 6.10
accept  employment  with Buyer,  the amount of the Burle  Retiree  Medical  Plan
Liability Accrual shall be $55,000.

         "Business" has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

         "Business Day" shall mean any day other than  Saturday,  Sunday and any
day on which banking  institutions in the  Commonwealth of  Massachusetts or the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are authorized by law or other governmental  action
to close.

         "Buyer Indemnitee" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(b).

         "CERCLA"  means  the  Federal  Comprehensive   Environmental  Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended.

         "Closing" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

         "Closing Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

         "Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet"  has the  meaning  set forth in Section
3.3(c).

         "COBRA" means the  Consolidated  Omnibus Budget  Reconciliation  Act of
1985, as amended.

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

         "Commercially  Reasonable  Efforts" means efforts which are designed to
enable  a  Party  to  satisfy  a  condition  to,  or  otherwise  assist  in  the
consummation  of, the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement and which do
not require the  performing  Party to expend funds or assume  liabilities  other
than  expenditures and liabilities  which are reasonable in nature and amount in
the context of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         "Direct Claim" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(c).

         "Encumbrances" means any mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests,
conditional  and  installment  sale  agreements,  activity and use  limitations,
conservation easements, deed restrictions,  easements,  encumbrances and charges
of any kind.

         "Environment"  means  all  air,  surface  water,  groundwater  or land,
including land surface or subsurface,  including all fish,  wildlife,  biota and
all other natural resources.`

         "Environmental  Claim"  means  any and all  pending  and/or  threatened
administrative or judicial  actions,  suits,  orders,  claims,  liens,  notices,
notices of  violation,  investigations,  complaints,  requests for  information,
proceedings, or other oral or written communication,  whether criminal or civil,
pursuant  to or  relating  to any  applicable  Environmental  Law by any  Person
(including,  but not limited to, any Governmental Authority,  private person and
citizens'  group)  based upon,  alleging,  asserting,  or claiming any actual or
potential  (i)  violation  of, or liability  under any  Environmental  Law, (ii)
violation of any  Environmental  Permit,  or (iii)  liability for  investigatory
costs,  cleanup costs,  removal costs,  remedial costs,  response costs, natural
resource damages,  property damage, personal injury, fines, or penalties arising
out of,  based on,  resulting  from,  or related to the  presence,  Release,  or
threatened  Release into the  Environment  of any  Hazardous  Substances  at any
location including, but not limited to, any off-site location to which Hazardous
Substances,  or  materials  containing  Hazardous  Substances,   were  sent  for
handling, storage, treatment, or disposal.

         "Environmental  Laws"  means  any and all  federal,  state  and  local,
provincial and foreign, civil and criminal laws, regulations, rules, ordinances,
codes,  decrees,  judgments,  directives,  or judicial or administrative  orders
relating  to  pollution  or  protection  of  health,  the  environment,  natural
resources or worker  health and safety,  and/or  governing  the  handling,  use,
generation,  storage,  transportation,   disposal,  manufacture,   distribution,
formulation, packaging, labeling or Releases or threatened Releases of Hazardous
Substances  (including,  without  limitation,  Releases to ambient air,  surface
water, groundwater,  land, surface and subsurface strata).  "Environmental Laws"
include,  without  limitation,  CERCLA,  the  Massachusetts  Oil  and  Hazardous
Material  Release  Prevention  and Response Act (M.G.L.  Ch.21E),  the Hazardous
Materials  Transportation  Act (49  U.S.C.  ss.ss.1801  et seq.),  the  Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. ss.ss. 6901 et seq.), the Federal Water
Pollution  Control Act (33 U.S.C.  ss.ss.  1251 et seq.),  the Clean Air Act (42
U.S. C. ss.ss. 7401 et seq.), the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. ss.ss.
2601 et seq.),  the Oil  Pollution  Act (33  U.S.C.  ss.ss.  2701 et seq.),  the
Emergency  Planning and Community  Right-to-Know Act (42 U.S.C.  ss.ss. 11001 et
seq.),  the Occupational  Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C.  ss.ss. 651 et seq.),
the Federal  Insecticide,  Fungicide and  Rodenticide  Act (7 U.S.C.  ss. 136 et
seq.) and the state analogies thereto.

         "Environmental Permits" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.11(a).

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

         "ERISA  Affiliate" means any Person that,  together with Seller,  is or
was at any time treated as a single  employer  under  Section 414 of the Code or
Section  4001 of ERISA,  and any general  partnership  of which Seller is or has
been a general partner.

         "Excluded Assets" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.

         "Excluded Liabilities" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.

         "Financial Statements" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

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

         "Governmental  Authority"  means  any  federal,  state,  local or other
governmental,  regulatory  or  administrative  agency,  commission,  department,
board, or other governmental subdivision,  court, tribunal,  arbitrating body or
other governmental authority.

         "Hazardous Substances" means (i) any petrochemical,  petroleum products
or any  byproducts  or fractions  thereof,  any form of natural gas, oil or coal
ash,  radioactive   materials,   radon  gas,  asbestos  or   asbestos-containing
materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation,  lead or lead-containing materials
and  transformers  or other  equipment that contain  dielectric  fluid which may
contain  levels  of  polychlorinated  biphenyls  ("PCBs");  (ii) any  chemicals,
materials or substances  defined as or included in the  definition of "hazardous
substances,"    "hazardous    wastes,"   "hazardous    materials,"    "hazardous
constituents,"    "restricted   hazardous   materials,"   "extremely   hazardous
substances,"   "toxic   substances,"   "contaminants,"    "pollutants,"   "toxic
pollutants"  or words  of  similar  meaning  and  regulatory  effect  under  any
applicable  Environmental  Law;  and  (iii)  any  other  chemical,  material  or
substance,  exposure  to  which  is  prohibited,  limited  or  regulated  by any
applicable Environmental Law.

         "Indemnifiable Loss" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(a).

         "Indemnification Threshold" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.3.

         "Indemnifying Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(d).

         "Indemnitee" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(d).

         "Independent    Accounting   Firm"   means   the   Boston   office   of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, or such other firm as the Buyer and Seller may agree
upon.

         "Intellectual Property" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(h).

         "Inventory"  means  the  inventory  of  the  Business,   including  raw
materials, supplies, work-in-process and finished goods.

         "Inventory  Value" means the aggregate  dollar value of the  Inventory,
determined in accordance with the methodology set forth in Schedule 3.3.

         "IRS" means the United States Internal Revenue Service or any successor
agency thereto.

         "Knowledge"  means the actual  knowledge of the  corporate  officers or
managerial  representatives of the specified Person charged with  responsibility
for the  particular  function,  after  reasonable  inquiry  by them of  selected
employees  of such Person whom they  believe,  in good faith,  to be the persons
responsible for the subject matter of the inquiry.

         "Lease  Guaranty" has the meaning set forth in the Sturbridge  Property
Lease.

         "Lessee" means Burle Electro-Optics, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

         "License  Agreement"  means the agreement  between Seller and Buyer, or
Lessee, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.

         "March 31 Balance Sheet" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

         "Material  Adverse Effect" means any change (or changes taken together)
in, or effect  on,  the  Purchased  Assets or the  Business  that is  materially
adverse to the operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Purchased
Assets or the Business, taken as a whole.

         "New Employees" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(a).

         "Party"  (and the  corresponding  term  "Parties")  has the meaning set
forth in the preamble.

         "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation  established by
ERISA.

         "Permits" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.19.

         "Permitted  Encumbrances" means: (i) statutory liens for Taxes or other
governmental  charges or assessments  not yet due; (ii)  mechanics',  carriers',
workers', repairers' and other similar liens arising or incurred in the ordinary
course  of  business   relating  to  obligations  not  yet  due;  (iii)  zoning,
entitlement,  conservation  restriction  and  other  land use and  environmental
regulations by Governmental Authorities that do not materially,  individually or
in the  aggregate,  detract from the value of the Purchased  Assets as currently
used or  interfere  with  the  present  use of the  Purchased  Assets;  and (iv)
Encumbrances,  which have  previously  been disclosed to Buyer,  with respect to
property that is the subject of the Precious Metal Lease.

         "Person" means any individual,  partnership, limited liability company,
joint venture, corporation,  trust, unincorporated organization, or governmental
entity or any department or agency thereof.

         "Precious  Metal Lease" means that certain Master  Precious Metal Lease
Agreement No. 166 between  Seller and Johnson  Matthey Inc.  dated  September 2,
1998.

         "Proprietary  Information" means any non-public  information  regarding
the Business or the Purchased Assets.

         "Purchased Assets" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

         "Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

         "Release"  means any spilling,  leaking,  pumping,  pouring,  emitting,
emptying,  discharging,  injecting,  escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing of
Hazardous Substances into the Environment.

         "Remediation" means action of any kind to address a Release, the threat
of a Release or the  presence of Hazardous  Substances  at a site or an off-site
location including,  without limitation,  any or all of the following activities
to the extent they relate to or arise from the presence of a Hazardous Substance
at a site or an off-site location:  (i) monitoring,  investigation,  assessment,
treatment,  cleanup, containment,  removal, mitigation,  response or restoration
work; (ii) obtaining any permits,  consents,  approvals or authorizations of any
Governmental  Authority necessary to conduct any such activity;  (iii) preparing
and  implementing  any plans or studies for any such activity;  (iv) obtaining a
written notice from a Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over a site or an
off-site location under  Environmental Laws that no material  additional work is
required  by  such  Governmental   Authority;   (v)  the  use,   implementation,
application, installation, operation or maintenance of removal actions on a site
or an  off-site  location,  remedial  technologies  applied  to the  surface  or
subsurface  soils,  excavation  and  off-site  treatment  or  disposal of soils,
systems for long term  treatment of surface water or ground  water,  engineering
controls or institutional controls; and (vi) any other activities required under
Environmental Laws to address the presence or Release of Hazardous Substances at
a site or an off-site location.

         "Representatives"  of a  Party  means  the  Party  and  its  directors,
officers,  employees,  agents,  and  advisors  (including,  without  limitation,
accountants,  counsel,  environmental consultants,  financial advisors and other
authorized representatives).

         "Seller" has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

         "Seller's Agreements" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d).

         "Seller Indemnitee" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(a).

         "Seller's Required  Regulatory  Approvals" has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.3.

         "Shared  Assets"  means those  assets of Seller,  which are used in the
Business and which are listed on Schedule 2.1(l).

         "Sturbridge  Property"  means the real  property  of Seller  located in
Sturbridge, Massachusetts, used by the Business, the possession and use of which
is granted to Buyer, or Lessee, pursuant to the Sturbridge Property Lease.

         "Sturbridge  Property Lease" means the Lease  Agreement  between Seller
and Buyer, or Lessee,  in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B to
be executed at the Closing.

         "Tangible  Personal  Property"  has the  meaning  set forth in  Section
2.1(c).

         "Taxes"  means all taxes,  charges,  fees,  levies,  penalties or other
assessments imposed by any federal,  state or local or foreign taxing authority,
including, but not limited to, income, excise, real or personal property, sales,
transfer,  franchise,  payroll,  withholding,  social security,  gross receipts,
license, stamp,  occupation,  employment or other taxes, including any interest,
penalties or additions attributable thereto.

         "Tax Return" means any return, report, information return, declaration,
claim for  refund or other  document  (including  any  schedule  or  related  or
supporting  information)  required to be supplied to any taxing  authority  with
respect to Taxes.

         "Termination Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(b).

         "Third Party Claim" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(a).

         "Transferable Permits" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(e).

         "Transition  Services Agreement" means the agreement between Seller and
Buyer, or its designee,  in substantially  the form attached hereto as Exhibit C
to be executed at Closing.

         "Working  Capital  Adjustment"  has the  meaning  set forth in  Section
3.3(a).

         "Working  Capital Amount" means, as of the Closing Date, (i) the sum of
Accounts  Receivable  Value plus Inventory Value plus prepaid items and unbilled
costs and fees,  if any,  minus (ii) the sum of Assumed  Accrued  Expenses  plus
Accounts Payable, plus the Burle Retiree Medical Plan Liability Accrual.

         "Working  Capital  Statement"  has the  meaning  set  forth in  Section
3.3(c).

         "Year 2000 Compliant," "Year 2000 Qualified" and "Year 2000 Ready" have
the meanings set forth in Section 4.21. "Year 2000  Qualification" has a meaning
correlative to Year 2000 Qualified.

         Certain  Interpretive  Matters.  In this Agreement,  unless the context
otherwise  requires,  the singular shall include the plural, the masculine shall
include  the  feminine  and  neuter,  and vice  versa.  The term  "includes"  or
"including" shall mean "including without limitation."  References to a Section,
Article, Exhibit or Schedule shall mean a Section,  Article, Exhibit or Schedule
of this Agreement,  and reference to a given agreement or instrument  shall be a
reference to that agreement or instrument as modified, amended, supplemented and
restated through the date as of which such reference is made.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                                PURCHASE AND SALE

         2.1. Sale of Assets.  Upon the terms and subject to the satisfaction of
the conditions  contained in this Agreement and except as otherwise  provided in
Section 2.2, at the Closing Seller will grant,  sell, assign,  convey,  transfer
and deliver to Buyer, and Buyer will purchase and acquire from Seller,  free and
clear of all Encumbrances (except Permitted Encumbrances) all of Seller's right,
title and  interest  in and to all of the assets  (other than  Excluded  Assets)
constituting or used in the Business,  including those assets  described  below,
each as in existence on the Closing Date (collectively, "Purchased Assets"):

                  (a) the  business  and  operations  of the Business as a going
concern and all of Seller's goodwill related to the Business, including, without
limitation,  all customer and supplier  lists,  all sales,  marketing  and other
records,  technical  information and all files and  correspondence,  in whatever
form, of the Business;

                  (b) all Accounts Receivable and Inventory;

                  (c) all machinery,  equipment  (including  computer  hardware,
software and telephones and other communications  equipment),  vehicles,  tools,
dies,  fixtures,  spare parts,  furniture  and  furnishings  and other  personal
property,  wherever  located,  used in the  operation of the  Business,  whether
currently in use or idle,  including the items of personal  property included in
Schedule 2.1(c) (collectively, "Tangible Personal Property");

                  (d)  subject  to  the  provisions  of  Section   6.4(c),   all
contracts,  agreements,  sales  orders,  purchase  orders,  licenses  and leases
relating to the  Business  (collectively,  "Seller's  Agreements")  set forth in
Schedule 2.1(d) and other purchase and sales orders and other agreements entered
into in the  ordinary  course of business of the Business and not required to be
listed on Schedule 2.1(d);

                  (e)  all  Permits  and  Environmental   Permits  that  may  be
transferred  to Buyer without a filing with,  notice to,  consent or approval of
any  Governmental  Authority,  including those set forth on Schedule 2.1(e) (the
"Transferable Permits");

                  (f)  all  books,  operating  records,  operating,  safety  and
maintenance manuals,  inspection reports,  engineering design plans,  documents,
blueprints,  specifications,  procedures  and similar items of Seller,  wherever
located,  relating primarily to the Business or the Purchased Assets (and copies
of such other documents related to the Business or the Purchased Assets that are
reasonably requested by Buyer, including, to the extent not otherwise prohibited
by law,  copies  of all  confidential  employment  records  and files of the New
Employees, which are hereby requested);

                  (g) all express and implied  warranties  and  guarantees  from
third  parties with respect to any property  constituting  part of the Purchased
Assets;

                  (h) all rights  under any  patent,  trademark,  service  mark,
logo,  tradename,  copyright  or  invention,  technology,  method,  formulation,
know-how  and other  intellectual  property  owned by Seller (i) now,  or at any
prior date, used in the Business and (ii) to the extent Seller presently has any
rights therein, whether registered or unregistered, and all pending applications
for  registrations  therefor,  including  those as set forth in Schedule  2.1(h)
(collectively, the "Intellectual Property").

                  (i) rights of Seller under any  liability  insurance  policies
now or  heretofore  in effect to the extent any claim is made against Buyer with
respect  to  liabilities   and  obligations  of  Seller  that  are  not  Assumed
Liabilities and Obligations  (subject to such required consents as may be listed
on Schedule 4.3);

                  (j) all  rights  or choses in  action  against  third  parties
relating to the Business;

         (k) the GALHRIS,  Dell Poweredge 4100, GALSQL1, Dell Poweredge 6100 and
GALWORK, Dell Poweredge 4200 servers; and

         (l)  those  Shared   Assets   listed  in  Schedule   2.1(1)  which  are
specifically designated as part of the Purchased Assets.

         2.2. Excluded Assets.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement,  nothing  in  this  Agreement  will  constitute  or be  construed  as
conferring on Buyer, and Buyer is not acquiring, any right, title or interest in
or to, the following specific assets which are associated with the Business (the
"Excluded Assets"):

                  (a) cash on hand and on deposit in bank accounts;

                  (b) any interest in the Sturbridge  Property or any other real
property  of Seller,  except to the extent  granted by the  Sturbridge  Property
Lease;

                  (c) any rights that accrue or will accrue to Seller under this
Agreement;

                  (d) any rights of Seller with regard to Taxes or Tax refunds;

                  (e) the originals of all confidential  employment  records and
files of the New Employees,  as well as the corporate seal, minute books,  stock
books and other records relating to the corporate organization of Seller and the
general ledger and other original accounting records of Seller;

                  (f) the name  "Galileo" and any  trademark or tradename  using
the name "Galileo" except as provided in the License Agreement;

                  (g) the other  tangible  and  intangible  property  of Seller,
wherever located, not used in the operation of the Business;

                  (h) those Shared  Assets  listed in Schedule  2.1(1) which are
specifically designated as excluded from the Purchased Assets.

         2.3. Assumed Liabilities and Obligations.  At Closing,  pursuant to the
Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement,  Buyer, or its designee shall
assume only the following liabilities and obligations of Seller as they exist on
the Closing Date (collectively, "Assumed Liabilities and Obligations"):

                  (a) the Assumed Accrued Expenses;

                  (b) the Accounts Payable;

                  (c) all  liabilities  and  obligations of Seller arising on or
after the Closing Date under Seller's Agreements and the Transferable Permits in
accordance  with the terms  thereof,  except to the extent such  liabilities  or
obligations  arise or have  arisen out of any claim  asserted  by another  party
thereto related to breach of contract,  warranty  (except as provided in Section
2.3(c)), tort, infringement or other default or alleged default by Seller; and

                  (d) service  obligations and express  warranty  obligations of
Seller to correct services rendered,  or to repair or replace defective products
of the  Business  shipped,  prior to Closing  Date,  but only to the extent that
Buyer's costs associated therewith do not exceed the reserve therefor,  included
in Assumed Accrued Expenses (provided,  however, that: (i) to the extent Buyer's
costs associated  therewith do exceed the reserve therefor,  Buyer shall perform
the service  obligation or express warranty work during the life of the warranty
and invoice Seller at Buyer's full absorption cost for such  correction,  repair
or replacement;  and (ii) to the extent Buyer's costs associated with any single
claim exceeds $10,000,  Buyer shall seek the approval of Seller,  which approval
shall not be unreasonably  withheld,  to honor the service obligation or express
warranty at issue).

         2.4.  Excluded  Liabilities.  Except as expressly  set forth in Section
2.3,  Buyer  shall not  assume or be  obligated  to pay,  perform  or  otherwise
discharge any liabilities or obligations of Seller, including the following (the
"Excluded Liabilities"):

                  (a)  Any  liabilities  or  obligations  in  respect  of  Taxes
attributable to the ownership,  operation or use of Purchased Assets for taxable
periods, or portions thereof, ending before the Closing Date;

                  (b) Any  liabilities or  obligations of Seller  accruing under
any of Seller's Agreements prior to the Closing Date;

                  (c) Except as provided in Section  2.3(d),  any liabilities or
obligations in respect of any claim, regardless of when made or asserted,  which
arises out of or is based upon  negligence,  strict  liability or any express or
implied  representation,  warranty,  agreement or guarantee  made by Seller,  or
alleged to have been made by  Seller,  or which is  imposed  or  asserted  to be
imposed by  operation  of law, in  connection  with any product of the  Business
shipped or installed by or on behalf of Seller prior, or alleged to be prior to,
the Closing Date or for any service  performed by or on behalf of Seller  prior,
or alleged to be prior to, the Closing Date,  including  without  limitation any
claim  relating to the repair or  replacement  of any such product and any claim
seeking  recovery for property  damage,  consequential  damage,  lost revenue or
income or personal injury;

                  (d)  Any  and  all  asserted  or  unasserted   liabilities  or
obligations to third parties (including  employees) for personal injury or tort,
or similar  causes of action  arising out of the  ownership  or operation of the
Purchased Assets prior to the Closing Date;

                  (e) Any fines,  penalties or costs  imposed by a  Governmental
Authority  with respect to the  Purchased  Assets  arising out of, or alleged to
have arisen out of, any conduct of Seller;

                  (f) Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 2.3, any
payment  obligations of Seller for goods delivered or services rendered prior to
the Closing Date;

                  (g) Any  liability,  obligation  or  responsibility  under  or
related  to  Environmental  Laws or the  common  law,  whether  such  liability,
obligation or responsibility is known or unknown, contingent or accrued (whether
or not  arising  or made  manifest  before the  Closing  Date or on or after the
Closing  Date),  arising  as a result  of or in  connection  with the  disposal,
storage,  transportation,  discharge,  Release,  or recycling by Seller,  or any
agent  or  contractor  of  Seller,  of  Hazardous  Substances  at any  location,
including but not limited to, any off-site location, or the arrangement for such
activities,  prior to the Closing  Date,  in  connection  with the  ownership or
operation of the Business by Seller, or any agent or contractor of Seller;

                  (h)  Any  liabilities  or  obligations  relating  to  personal
injury,  discrimination,  wrongful  discharge,  unfair labor practice or similar
claim  or  cause  of  action   filed  with  or  pending   before  any  court  or
administrative  agency on the Closing  Date with  respect to the  ownership  and
operation of the Business or the  Purchased  Assets or where the facts forming a
basis for such claim or cause of action occurred prior to the Closing Date;

                  (i) Any  liabilities  or  obligations  relating to any Benefit
Plans, including any multi-employer plan contributed to at any time by Seller or
any ERISA  Affiliate,  or any  multi-employer  plan to which Seller or any ERISA
Affiliate  is or was  obligated  at any time to  contribute,  including  but not
limited to any  liability  (i)  relating to benefits  payable  under any Benefit
Plans,  (ii) relating to the PBGC under Title IV of ERISA,  (iii)  relating to a
multi-employer  plan,  (iv) with respect to  non-compliance  with the notice and
benefit   continuation   requirements   of  COBRA,   (v)  with  respect  to  any
noncompliance  with ERISA or any other  applicable laws, or (vi) with respect to
any suit,  proceeding or claim which is brought against Buyer, any Benefit Plan,
any fiduciary or former fiduciary of any such Benefit Plan;

                  (j) Any liabilities or obligations  relating to the employment
or termination  of employment,  including  discrimination,  wrongful  discharge,
unfair labor practices, or constructive  termination by Seller of any individual
with respect to the Business, attributable to any actions or inactions by Seller
prior to the Closing Date;

                  (k) Any obligations for salary,  wages,  overtime,  employment
taxes,  severance pay, transition payments in respect of compensation or similar
benefits  accruing  or  arising  prior to the  Closing  Date  under  any term or
provision of any contract,  plan, instrument or agreement relating to any of the
Purchased Assets; and

                  (l)  Any  other   liability  or   obligation   of  Seller  not
specifically assumed hereunder.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                                   THE CLOSING

         3.1  Closing.  Upon the terms and  subject to the  satisfaction  of the
conditions  contained  in  Article 7 of this  Agreement,  the sale,  assignment,
conveyance,  transfer and delivery of the Purchased Assets to Buyer, the payment
of the Purchase Price to Seller,  and the  consummation of the other  respective
obligations of the Parties  contemplated by this Agreement shall take place at a
closing (the  "Closing"),  to be held at the offices of Morgan,  Lewis & Bockius
LLP, 1701 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 10:00 a.m. local time, or
another  mutually  acceptable time and location,  on July 1, 1999, or such other
date as the  Parties  may  mutually  agree.  The date of Closing is  hereinafter
called the "Closing Date." The Closing shall be effective for all purposes as of
12:01 a.m. local time on the Closing Date.

         3.2  Purchase  Price.  The  purchase  price  payable  by Buyer  for the
Purchased   Assets  pursuant  to  this  Agreement  (the  "Purchase   Price")  is
$7,655,000,  which  amount is  intended  to be paid in part in cash,  in part by
assumption of the Assumed  Accrued  Expenses and the Accounts  Payable as of the
Closing Date, and in part by establishment by Buyer of the Burle Retiree Medical
Plan. The Purchase Price is subject to adjustment as provided herein. Buyer will
pay or cause to be paid to Seller the following:

                  (a) at Closing,  Seven  Million One Hundred  Thousand  Dollars
($7,100,000) in cash by wire transfer of immediately  available funds or by such
other means as are agreed upon by Seller and Buyer; and

                  (b) upon completion of the adjustment  process provided for in
Section 3.3, any unpaid balance of the Purchase Price that is payable in cash.

         3.3      Adjustment to Purchase Price and Cash Payment.

                  (a) Purchase  Price  Adjustment.  The Purchase  Price shall be
increased or decreased,  as the case may be, by the amount (the "Working Capital
Adjustment")  by which the  Working  Capital  Amount as of the  Closing  Date is
greater than or less than, as the case may be, $2,923,000.

                  (b) Physical Inventory. As provided in Schedule 3.3, Buyer and
Seller will take a physical inventory to determine the Inventory of the Business
as of the Closing Date.  Buyer and Seller will each appoint a supervisor to plan
and direct the taking of the  physical  inventory  and will notify each other of
the respective names of each such supervisor. If the supervisors determine it to
be appropriate,  several physical inventory teams may be appointed.  A team will
consist  of at least  one  representative  of Buyer  and one  representative  of
Seller.  The two  supervisors  will  mutually  agree  upon the  number  of teams
required  to  accomplish  the  physical  inventory  in such a manner  as to keep
interference with the operation of the Business at a minimum.  In the absence of
manifest  error,  such  inventory  shall be conclusive and accepted as the final
inventory for that location.

                  (c)  Statement of  Adjustments.  Within thirty (30) days after
the Closing Date, Seller, with Buyer's assistance,  shall compute and deliver to
Buyer a proposed  balance  sheet of the  Business  (the  "Closing  Date  Balance
Sheet"),  prepared in accordance  with the principles set forth on Schedule 3.3,
and  a  proposed  statement  (the  "Working  Capital  Statement")   prepared  in
accordance  with  the  procedures  set  forth on  Schedule  3.3,  setting  forth
calculations  provided for in Schedule 3.3, including the Working Capital Amount
as of the Closing Date and the adjustments to the Purchase Price provided for in
Sections  3.3(a)  and  (b),  together  with  a  reasonably  detailed  basis  for
establishing  such amounts.  Upon Buyer's request,  Seller shall also deliver to
Buyer  copies of all  documents,  schedules,  working  papers and other  factual
material used by Seller and its  accountants in connection  with the preparation
of the Closing Date Balance Sheet and the Working Capital Statement.

                  (d)  Within  thirty  (30) days  following  its  receipt of the
Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet and the  Working  Capital  Statement,  Buyer shall
present  Seller  with  a  written   statement  setting  forth  Buyer's  proposed
adjustments  thereto, if any, together with a reasonably detailed explanation of
the reason for each such proposed  adjustment.  Buyer and Seller shall negotiate
in  good  faith  to  resolve  any   disagreement   regarding   Buyer's  proposed
adjustments.  If they are  unable to do so  within  ninety  (90) days  after the
Closing  Date,  either  Party  shall have the right to refer the  dispute to the
Independent Accounting Firm for resolution. The determination by the Independent
Accounting Firm with respect to the correctness of each item in dispute shall be
conclusive  and  binding on the  Parties.  All fees and  expenses  billed by the
Independent  Accountant in connection with the resolution of disputes under this
Section 3.3(c) shall be borne one-half by Seller and one-half by Buyer.

                  (e) Payment of Adjustment.  Any unpaid portion of the Purchase
Price payable by Buyer,  together with required interest,  if any, in accordance
with this Section,  shall be paid in cash in immediately  available funds within
five (5)  Business  Days after the  determination  thereof  pursuant  to Section
3.3(c).  Any  refund by Seller of any excess  paid by Buyer  shall be taken as a
deduction from the rental payments  otherwise due under the Sturbridge  Property
Lease.  Any unpaid  portion of the Purchase  Price owed by Buyer,  or any refund
thereof owed by Seller, shall begin to accrue interest at a rate of 7% per annum
beginning 45 days after the Closing  Date, to the extent it has not been paid by
such time.

                  (f) Allocation of Purchase  Price.  The Parties agree that the
Purchase  Price shall be allocated  as set forth in Schedule  3.4 hereto,  which
allocation  is based upon the fair  market  values of the  Purchased  Assets and
conforms with the  requirements  of Section 1060 of the Code.  Each Party agrees
not to  assert,  in  connection  with  any tax  return,  tax  audit  or  similar
proceeding,  any  allocation  of  the  Purchase  Price  that  differs  from  any
allocation agreed upon pursuant to this Schedule 3.4 hereto.

         3.4      Prorations.

                  (a) Buyer and Seller agree that amounts,  if any,  relating to
the  Business  that cover  periods  both prior to and after the Closing Date and
that are normally prorated shall be prorated as of the Closing Date, with Seller
liable to the extent such items  relate to any time period  prior to the Closing
Date,  and Buyer  liable to the extent such items  relate to periods  commencing
with the Closing  Date  (measured  in the same units used to compute the item in
question, otherwise measured by calendar days).

                  (b) In  connection  with  the  prorations  referred  to in (a)
above,  in the event that actual  figures are not available at the Closing Date,
the  proration  shall be based upon the actual  Taxes or other  amounts  accrued
through the Closing Date or paid for the most recent year (or other  appropriate
period)  for  which  actual  Taxes or other  amounts  paid are  available.  Such
prorated Taxes or other amounts shall be re-prorated and paid to the appropriate
Party within sixty (60) days of the date that the previously  unavailable actual
figures become available. The prorations shall be based on the number of days in
a year or  other  appropriate  period  (i)  before  the  Closing  Date  and (ii)
including  and after the Closing  Date.  Seller and Buyer agree to furnish  each
other with such  documents and other  records as may be reasonably  requested in
order to confirm all adjustment and proration calculations made pursuant to this
Section 3.5.

         3.5 Deliveries by Seller. At the Closing, Seller will deliver, or cause
to be delivered, the following to Buyer:

                  (a) The Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement, the
Transition Services Agreement, the License Agreement and the Sturbridge Property
Lease, duly executed by Seller;

                  (b) Copies of any and all  governmental  and other third party
consents,  waivers or approvals  obtained by Seller with respect to the transfer
of the Purchased Assets or the consummation of the transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement;

                  (c)  The   opinion  of  counsel  and   officer's   certificate
contemplated by Section 7.1;

                  (d) Copies,  certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary
of  Seller,  of the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and  Bylaws of  Seller  and
resolutions  adopted  by the  Board  of  Directors  of  Seller  authorizing  the
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  all  of the  agreements  and
instruments  to be executed and delivered by Seller in  connection  herewith and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby;

                  (e) A certificate  of the Secretary or Assistant  Secretary of
Seller identifying the name and title and bearing the signatures of the officers
of Seller  authorized  to  execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  and the other
agreements and instruments contemplated hereby;

                  (f) A  certificate  of good  standing  with respect to Seller,
issued by the Secretaries of State of the State of Delaware and the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, respectively;

                  (g) The originals of all Seller's  Agreements and Transferable
Permits or, if originals are not available, true and correct copies thereof;

                  (h) All such other  instruments  of  assignment,  transfer  or
conveyance  as shall,  in the  reasonable  opinion of Buyer and its counsel,  be
necessary or desirable to transfer to Buyer the  Purchased  Assets in accordance
with this Agreement;

                  (i) Such  affidavits or other  documents in customary  form as
Buyer's title insurance company may require in order to insure Buyer's leasehold
interest in the Sturbridge Property; and

                  (j) Such other agreements, documents, instruments and writings
as are  required  to be  delivered  by  Seller at or prior to the  Closing  Date
pursuant to this  Agreement  or  otherwise  reasonably  required  in  connection
herewith.

         3.6 Deliveries by Buyer. At the Closing,  Buyer will deliver,  or cause
to be delivered, the following to Seller:

                  (a) The amount payable by Buyer at Closing pursuant to Section
3.2(a);

                  (b) The Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement, the
Transition  Services  Agreement,  License Agreement and the Sturbridge  Property
Lease, duly executed by Buyer, or Buyer's designee;

                  (c)  The   opinion  of  counsel  and   officer's   certificate
contemplated by Section 7.2;

                  (d) Copies,  certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary
of Buyer,  of the Articles of  Incorporation  and Bylaws of Buyer and Lessee and
resolutions  adopted by the Board of Directors  of Buyer and Lessee  authorizing
the execution and delivery of this Agreement,  the Lease, the Lease Guaranty and
all of the agreements  and  instruments to be executed and delivered by Buyer in
connection  herewith,  and the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated
hereby and under the Lease and the Lease Guaranty (as applicable);

                  (e)  Certificates  of the Secretary or Assistant  Secretary of
Buyer and Lessee  identifying  the name and title and bearing the  signatures of
the  officers  of Buyer and  Lessee  authorized  to  execute  and  deliver  this
Agreement, and the other agreements contemplated hereby;

                  (f) Certificates of good standing with respect to Buyer issued
by the Secretary of State of the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  and the Lessee
issued by the  Secretary  of State of  Delaware  and  Secretary  of State of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

                  (g) All such other  instruments of assumption as shall, in the
reasonable  opinion of Seller and its counsel,  be necessary for Buyer to assume
the Assumed Liabilities and Obligations and Permitted Encumbrances in accordance
with this Agreement; and

                  (h) Such other agreements, documents, instruments and writings
as are  required  to be  delivered  by Buyer at or  prior  to the  Closing  Date
pursuant to this  Agreement  or  otherwise  reasonably  required  in  connection
herewith.

                                    ARTICLE 4

                    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER

         Seller hereby represents and warrants to Buyer as follows:

         4.1   Organization;   Qualification.   Seller  is  a  corporation  duly
incorporated,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware and has all requisite  corporate  power and authority to own, lease,
and  operate  its  properties  and to carry on its  business  as it is now being
conducted.  Seller,  with  respect to the  Business,  is in good  standing,  and
qualified to do business, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

         4.2 Authority  Relative to this  Agreement.  Seller has full  corporate
power and authority to execute and deliver this  Agreement and to consummate the
transactions  contemplated  hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby have been duly and
validly  authorized by all necessary  corporate  action  required on the part of
Seller,  and no other corporate  proceedings on the part of Seller are necessary
to authorize  this  Agreement or to  consummate  the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.  This  Agreement  has been duly and validly  executed  and  delivered by
Seller,  and,  assuming  that this  Agreement  constitutes  a valid and  binding
agreement  of Buyer,  constitutes  the legal,  valid and  binding  agreement  of
Seller,  enforceable  against Seller in accordance  with its terms,  except that
such  enforceability  may  be  limited  by  applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
reorganization,   fraudulent  conveyance,   moratorium  or  other  similar  laws
affecting  or relating to the  enforcement  of  creditors  rights  generally  or
general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in
a proceeding at law or in equity).

         4.3      Consents and Approvals; No Violation.

                  Except as set forth in Schedule 4.3, neither the execution and
delivery of this Agreement by Seller nor the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby will (i) conflict with or result in the breach or violation
of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation  or Bylaws of Seller,  (ii)
require any  consent,  approval,  authorization  or permit of, or filing with or
notification  or declaration to, any  governmental or regulatory  authority (the
filings and approvals  referred to in Schedule 4.3 are collectively  referred to
as  "Seller's  Required  Regulatory  Approvals"),  (iii)  require  any  consent,
approval or waiver under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note,
bond, mortgage,  indenture, license, agreement or other instrument or obligation
to which Seller is a party or by which Seller,  or any of the  Purchased  Assets
may be bound,  except for such  consents,  approvals  or waivers  that have been
obtained, or (iv) violate any order, writ, injunction,  decree, statute, rule or
regulation  applicable  to Seller or any of its assets,  including the Purchased
Assets.

         4.4 Financial Statements.  Schedule 4.4 sets forth complete and correct
copies of (i) the unaudited  balance sheet of the Business at March 31, 1999 and
the related  statements of income,  retained earnings and cash flows for the six
months  then ended (the "March 31 Balance  Sheet")  and all notes and  schedules
that are a part thereof and (ii) the unaudited balance sheets of the Business at
September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 and the related statements of income, retained
earnings  and cash flows for the  fiscal  years  then  ended,  and all notes and
schedules that are a part thereof  (collectively,  the "Financial  Statements").
All such Financial  Statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP,  except as
specified in the  footnotes to the  Financial  Statements,  and,  subject to the
matters contained in such footnotes, present fairly and accurately the financial
condition and results of operations  and cash flows of the Business at March 31,
1999 and for the period covered.

         4.5  Undisclosed  Liabilities.  Except as  disclosed  in Schedule  4.5,
Seller,  with  respect to the  Business,  is not  liable for or subject  to, and
Seller does not have any  Knowledge of any basis for  assertion  against it with
respect to the Business of, any liabilities  that are not adequately  reflected,
reserved  against or given  effect to in the  Financial  Statements,  except (a)
customary  expenses and Accounts Payable that have arisen in the ordinary course
of business  consistent with past practice since March 31, 1999, (b) liabilities
for  obligations  which are not  required  to have been  performed  prior to the
Closing  under  Seller's  Agreements  and (c) matters not required by GAAP to be
disclosed as  liabilities  on the  Financial  Statements of Seller which include
information concerning the Business.

         4.6 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. With respect to the Business,
since March 31, 1999,  except as set forth in Schedule 4.6,  there has not been:
(a) any Material Adverse Effect,  (b) any damage,  destruction or casualty loss,
whether  or  not  covered  by  insurance,  (c)  any  agreement,   commitment  or
transaction  entered  into  by  Seller  that is  material  to the  ownership  or
operation of the Purchased Assets,  and (d) any sale or disposition of any fixed
assets  except  normal  disposition  of worn out or  obsolete  equipment  in the
ordinary course of business.

         4.7 Title.  Except for Permitted  Encumbrances  and items  disclosed in
Schedule 4.7, Seller has good and marketable  title to the Sturbridge  Property,
free and clear of all Encumbrances.  The Sturbridge Property  constitutes all of
the real property  used in the  operation of the Business.  Except for Permitted
Encumbrances  and matters  disclosed on Schedule  4.7,  Seller has good title to
each of the Purchased Assets free and clear of all Encumbrances.

         4.8  Inventory.  Except as set forth in Schedule 3.3 and Schedule  4.8,
the  Inventory (a) was acquired and has been  maintained in accordance  with the
regular business  practices of Seller with respect to the Business,  (b) subject
to the  reserves  on the books of the  Business,  which have been  disclosed  to
Buyer,  consists of new and unused  items of a quality and  quantity  useable or
saleable in the ordinary course of business  consistent with past practice,  (c)
is owned by Seller  free and clear of all  Encumbrances,  other  than  Permitted
Encumbrances,  (d) subject to the reserves on the books of the  Business,  which
have been  disclosed to Buyer,  is valued using the  methodology as set forth in
Schedule 3.3, and (e) subject to the reserves on the books of the  Business,  is
not  obsolete,  unusable,  damaged,  slow moving or  unsaleable  in the ordinary
course of business.

         4.9 Accounts  Receivable.  Schedule 4.9 contains a list,  including the
aging  of,  the  Accounts  Receivable  at May 31,  1999.  Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.3, all such Accounts Receivable,  and any Accounts Receivable arising
after the date hereof and prior to Closing, (a) are valid and genuine, (b) arise
out of bona fide sales and deliveries of goods, performance of services or other
transactions in connection  with the Business,  (c) are not subject to defenses,
setoffs or counterclaims,  and (d) are collectible in full (less any reserve for
bad debts set forth in  Schedule  3.3)  without  resort to  litigation  or other
extraordinary collection efforts within 180 days of their due date.

         4.10 Insurance. All policies of fire, liability,  workers' compensation
and other forms of insurance  owned or held by Seller and insuring the Purchased
Assets or the Business are in full force and effect,  all premiums  with respect
thereto  covering all periods up to and including the date hereof,  if due, have
been paid in full and no notice of cancellation or termination has been received
with respect to any such policy.  Except as described in Schedule  4.10,  Seller
has not been refused any insurance  with respect to the Purchased  Assets or the
Business since April 1, 1996, nor has its coverage been denied or limited by any
insurance  carrier to which  Seller has applied for any such  insurance  or with
which it has carried  insurance since April 1, 1996.  Schedule 4.10 sets forth a
true and correct  summary of all insurance  policies  presently in effect and of
all insurance claims made since April 1, 1994.

         4.11     Environmental Matters.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 4.11:

                  Seller  holds and is,  and has been,  in  compliance  with all
permits,  certificates,   licenses  and  governmental  approvals,  consents  and
authorizations  required under applicable  Environmental  Laws for Seller to own
and operate the Purchased Assets and the Business ("Environmental Permits");

                  (a) Seller and the Sturbridge  Property are in compliance with
applicable Environmental Laws;

                  (b) Seller has not been notified by any Governmental Authority
or third party of any pending or threatened  Environmental  Claim against Seller
in connection with the Business and has no Knowledge of any event,  condition or
circumstance which could give rise to such Environmental Claim;

                  (c) Seller has not been notified by any Governmental Authority
or any  third  party  that  Seller  in  connection  with the  Business  may be a
potentially responsible party for environmental  contamination or any Release or
Remediation of Hazardous Substances and has no Knowledge of any event, condition
or circumstance which could give rise to such potential responsibility;

                  (d) Seller has not in  connection  with the  Business  entered
into or agreed to any settlement agreement, consent decree or order with respect
to or affecting  the  Sturbridge  Property or the Purchased  Assets  relating to
compliance  with  any  Environmental  Law or to  investigation,  Remediation  or
cleanup of Hazardous Substances under any Environmental Law;

                  (e) there are no  aboveground  or  underground  storage tanks,
lagoons,  pits or surface  impoundments  located on, in or under any  properties
currently or formerly owned, operated or leased by Seller in connection with the
Business or any  predecessor  of the Business or Seller in  connection  with the
Business;

                  (f) no Releases of  Hazardous  Substances  have  occurred  at,
from, in, on, to or under any property currently or formerly owned,  operated or
leased by Seller in connection with the Business or any predecessor of Seller in
connection with the Business,  and no Hazardous Substances are present in, on or
about or are  migrating to or from any such  property that could give rise to an
Environmental  Claim by a  Governmental  Authority  or third  party  against the
Business or Seller;

                  (g) Seller has not in connection with the Business nor has any
predecessor of Seller transported,  treated,  stored, handled or disposed of nor
arranged for the treatment, storage, handling, disposal or transportation of any
Hazardous  Substance to any location that could result in an Environmental Claim
against or liability to the Business or Seller;

                  (h) there is no amount of asbestos, ureaformaldehyde material,
polychlorinated  biphenyl  containing  equipment  or  lead  or  lead  containing
materials  in, at or on any  property  owned,  leased or  operated  by Seller in
connection with the Business; and

                  (i) there have been no environmental investigations,  studies,
audits or tests  conducted  by, on behalf of or which are in the  possession  of
Seller with  respect to any  property  currently  or formerly  owned,  leased or
operated by Seller in connection with the Business which have not been delivered
to Buyer prior to execution of this Agreement.

         4.12  Employees.  Schedule  4.12 lists all of the present  employees of
Seller engaged for  substantially  all of their working time in the Business and
each such employee's position,  location,  social security number, date of hire,
current annual salary rate or hourly wage and date of last salary increase.

         4.13 Labor Matters.  Seller is not a party to any collective bargaining
agreement which relates to the Purchased Assets or the Business. With respect to
the  ownership  or operation  of the  Business,  except as set forth in Schedule
4.13,  (a) Seller is in compliance in all material  respects with all applicable
laws  respecting  employment and employment  practices,  terms and conditions of
employment and wages and hours, (b) Seller has not received notice of any unfair
labor practice  complaint pending before the National Labor Relations Board, (c)
there is no labor strike, slowdown or stoppage actually pending or threatened by
any authorized  representative of any union or other representative of employees
against  or  affecting  Seller,  (d)  Seller has not  received  notice  that any
representation  petition  respecting the employees of Seller has been filed with
the National  Labor  Relations  Board,  and (e) Seller has not  experienced  any
primary work stoppage within the last five years.

         4.14 Overtime,  Back Wage,  Vacation,  Discrimination  and Occupational
Safety Claims. With respect to the Business,  there are no claims pending or, to
the  Knowledge  of Seller,  threatened  against  Seller by any present or former
employee of Seller or any Governmental Authority, including, but not limited to,
claims for or on account of (a) wages,  salary,  severance or overtime  pay, (b)
vacation  pay or pay in lieu of vacation  time off, or (c) any  violation of any
regulation  relating  to  minimum  wages or  maximum  hours of work.  No  person
(including  any  Governmental  Authority)  has asserted or, to the  Knowledge of
Seller, threatened a claim against Seller under or arising out of, and Seller is
not  subject to any,  judgment,  order or inquiry  relating  to, any  regulation
relating to  discrimination,  occupational  safety in  employment  or employment
practices.

              4.15  Benefit Plans.

                  (a) Schedule 4.15 contains a complete and accurate list of all
Benefit Plans. True, correct, and complete copies of all the following documents
with respect to each Benefit Plan, to the extent applicable, have been delivered
to Buyer:  (i) all documents  constituting  the Benefit Plan,  including but not
limited to, trust agreements, insurance policies, service agreements, and formal
and informal  amendments  thereto;  (ii) all IRS  determination  letters for the
Benefit Plan;  (iii) the most recent summary plan description and any amendments
or modifications thereof; (iv) all memoranda,  minutes,  resolutions and similar
documents  describing  the  manner  in  which  the  Benefit  Plan is or has been
administered or describing  corrections to the administration of a Benefit Plan;
and (v) all  employee  manuals or  handbooks  containing  personnel  or employee
relations policies.

                  (b) Except as set forth in Schedule 4.15, Seller and the ERISA
Affiliates have fulfilled their respective obligations under the minimum funding
requirements of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code with respect to
each  Benefit  Plan which is an "employee  pension  benefit  plan" as defined in
Section 3(2) of ERISA and to which Section 302 of ERISA  applies,  and each such
plan is in  compliance in all material  respects  with the presently  applicable
provisions of ERISA and the Code. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.15,  neither
Seller nor any ERISA  Affiliate has incurred any material  liability under Title
IV of ERISA to the PBGC (other than premiums not yet due) in connection with any
Benefit Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA, and no condition exists that
could reasonably be expected to result in Seller or an ERISA Affiliate incurring
such material  liability nor is there or has there been any reportable event (as
defined in Section  4043 of ERISA),  which has not been  waived by the PBGC with
respect to any Benefit  Plan.  Each of the Benefit  Plans that is intended to be
qualified  under Section 401(a) of the Code has been determined by the IRS to be
so qualified and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Code, and each such
determination  remains  in effect and has not been  revoked.  Copies of the most
recent IRS determination  letters,  if any, applicable to the Benefit Plans have
been delivered to Buyer.  To the Knowledge of Seller,  nothing has occurred with
respect to the design or  operation of any  Qualified  Plan that could cause the
loss of such  qualification  or exemption or the  imposition  of any  liability,
lien, penalty, or tax under ERISA or the Code.

                  (c) Seller does not contribute  to, and has never  contributed
to or had any other liability with respect to, a  multiemployer  plan as defined
in Section 3(37) of ERISA.

                  (d)  Seller  has no  material  liability  with  respect to any
benefit plan or arrangement other than the Benefit Plans.

                  (e) With respect to each Benefit  Plan,  there has occurred no
non-exempt  "prohibited  transaction" (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the
Code or  Section  406 of ERISA) or breach of any  fiduciary  duty  described  in
Section  404 of ERISA that could  result in any  material  liability,  direct or
indirect, for Seller.

                  (f) Seller has not  incurred any  material  liability  for any
excise, income or other taxes or penalties with respect to any Benefit Plan, and
no event has occurred and no circumstance  exists or has existed that could give
rise to any such material liability. There are no pending or to the Knowledge of
Seller threatened material claims by or on behalf of any Benefit Plans, or by or
on behalf of any  participants  or  beneficiaries  of any Benefit Plans or other
persons  (other  than  routine  claims  for  benefits),  alleging  any breach of
fiduciary  duty on the  part of  Seller  or any of its  officers,  directors  or
employees under ERISA or any applicable law, or claiming  benefit payments other
than those made in the ordinary operation of such plans, nor to the Knowledge of
Seller is there any basis for any such claim. No Benefit Plan is presently under
audit or  examination  (nor has notice been  received  of a  potential  audit or
examination)  by the IRS, the  Department  of Labor,  or any other  governmental
entity.

                  (g) No Benefit Plan  contains  any  provision or is subject to
any law that would prohibit the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement or
that would give rise to any  vesting of  benefits,  severance,  termination,  or
other payments or liabilities as a result of the  transactions  contemplated  by
this  Agreement,  and no payments or  benefits  under any Benefit  Plan or other
agreement of Seller will be considered "excess parachute payments" under Section
280G of the Code.  Seller has not  declared  or paid any bonus  compensation  in
contemplation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         4.16 Tangible Personal Property.  Schedule 2.1(c) contains a listing of
all of the material Tangible  Personal Property  comprising the Purchased Assets
as of the date  hereof.  Except  as set forth in  Schedule  4.16,  all  Tangible
Personal  Property is in good operating  condition and repair (ordinary wear and
tear excepted) in all material respects and is useable in the ordinary course of
the Business  consistent  with past practice.  Except for items leased to Seller
under leases  disclosed in Schedule  4.17,  and items subject to the  Sturbridge
Property Lease or the Transition  Services  Agreement and the License Agreement,
no person  other than Seller owns any  equipment or other  property  used in the
operation of the Business.

         4.17     Contracts and Arrangements.

                  (a) Listed in Schedule  2.1(d) are all contracts,  agreements,
leases,  commitments,  understandings  or instruments to which Seller is a party
with  respect to the  Business,  except for  purchase  and sale orders and other
non-material  agreements  entered  into  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business
involving amounts less than $10,000.  Other than contracts described pursuant to
the  preceding  sentence,  Seller is not with respect to the Business a party to
any written contract, agreement, lease, commitment,  understanding or instrument
which is material to the ownership or operation of the Purchased Assets,  and no
third party has any  contract,  agreement or other legal or  equitable  right to
acquire any of the Purchased Assets or any interest therein.  True,  correct and
complete copies of Seller's Agreements have been delivered to Buyer.

                  (b) Except as  disclosed  in Schedule  4.17,  each of Seller's
Agreements (i)  constitutes the legal,  valid and binding  obligation of Seller,
and  constitutes  the legal,  valid and binding  obligation of the other parties
thereto,  (ii) is in full  force and  effect,  and (iii) may be  transferred  or
assigned  to Buyer at the  Closing  without  consent  or  approval  of the other
parties thereto, and will continue in full force and effect thereafter,  in each
case without  breaching  the terms  thereof or resulting  in the  forfeiture  or
impairment of any material rights thereunder.

                  (c) Except as set forth in Schedule 4.17,  there is not, under
any of Seller's Agreements,  any material default or event which, with notice or
lapse of time or both,  would constitute a default on the part of any of Seller,
or to the  Knowledge of Seller,  any other party,  except such events of default
and other events as to which requisite waivers or consents have been obtained.

         4.18  Litigation  and Claims.  Schedule  4.18 contains a list and brief
description  of any and all  litigation,  including any settlement  thereof,  to
which  Seller has been a party with  respect to the  Business  or the  Purchased
Assets since April 1, 1994.  Except as disclosed on Schedule  4.18,  there is no
claim,  action,  proceeding  or  investigation  pending or, to the  Knowledge of
Seller,  threatened  against  Seller with  respect to the  Business,  and to the
Knowledge of Seller,  no event has occurred that provides a reasonable basis for
a material  claim,  action,  proceeding  or  investigation  against  Seller with
respect to the Business.

         4.19     Permits.

                  (a) Seller has all  permits,  licenses,  franchises  and other
governmental  authorizations,  consents and approvals (collectively,  "Permits")
used in or necessary for the  ownership  and operation of the Purchased  Assets.
Except as set forth in  Schedule  4.19,  since  April 1,  1994,  Seller  has not
received  any  written  notification  that  it is in  violation  of any of  such
Permits, or any law, statute, order, rule, regulation,  ordinance or judgment of
any governmental or regulatory body or authority  applicable to it. Seller is in
compliance in all material respects with all Permits,  laws,  statutes,  orders,
rules,  regulations,  ordinances, or judgments of any governmental or regulatory
body or authority applicable to the Purchased Assets or the Business.

                  (b)  Schedule  4.19 sets  forth a listing of all  Permits  and
Environmental Permits other than Transferable Permits.

         4.20 Taxes.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.20, Seller has filed all
Tax Returns and paid all Taxes that could  become an  Encumbrance  on any of the
Purchased Assets.

         4.21 Year 2000 Qualification. Except as listed in Schedule 4.21, all of
the   hardware,    software   and   firmware   products    (including   embedded
microcontrollors in non-computer  equipment) which are included in the Purchased
Assets  or which  constitute  a part of the  Sturbridge  Property  are Year 2000
Qualified. For purposes of this Agreement, "Year 2000 Qualified" shall mean that
all constituent  software,  controllers,  central  processing  units,  and other
computer equipment, including all components,  applications and modules thereof,
are either  "Year 2000  Compliant"  or "Year 2000 Ready." As used herein (a) the
term  "Year  2000  Compliant"  means  computer  systems  or  applications   that
accurately  process  date/time data  (including but not limited to  calculating,
comparing,   and  sequencing)   from,   into,  and  between  the  twentieth  and
twenty-first centuries,  the years 1999 and 2000, and leap-year calculations and
(b) the term "Year 2000 Ready" means a computer  system or application  that has
been  determined to be suitable for continued use into the year 2000 even though
the computer system or application is not fully Year 2000 Compliant.

         4.22 Patents,  Trademarks and Copyrights.  Except as listed on Schedule
2.1(h),  Seller, with respect to the Business,  does not hold or utilize any (a)
patents,  (b)  registered  or  unregistered  trademarks  or service marks or (c)
registered  copyrights,  and there are no  pending  applications  for any of the
foregoing.  Except as set forth in Schedule 4.22, the Business does not conflict
with or infringe upon any such patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks or
applications  that are owned or claimed by any third party.  Except as set forth
in Schedule 4.22, Seller lawfully owns or possesses the right to use all patents
or proprietary  information  used in the conduct of the Business,  and Seller is
not required to pay any royalty,  license fee or similar type of compensation in
connection with the conduct of the Business.

         4.23  Transactions  with  Affiliates.  Except as  disclosed in Schedule
4.23, none of the directors or officers of Seller,  directly or indirectly,  has
business  arrangements or  relationships of any kind with Seller with respect to
the Business.  Except as set forth in Schedule  4.23, any such  arrangement  and
relationship has been on substantially  the same terms and conditions as similar
transactions between Seller and non-affiliated parties and are properly recorded
on the books and records of Seller.

         4.24  Purchased  Assets.  Except with  respect to certain of the Shared
Assets set forth on Schedule 2.1(l), to Seller's  Knowledge,  there are no other
assets, other than the Purchased Assets, used by the Business.

         4.25  Completeness  and Accuracy.  (a) All information set forth on any
Schedule  hereto is true,  correct and  complete in all  material  respects.  No
representation  or  warranty of Seller  contained  in this  Agreement  or in any
certificate  delivered  pursuant  hereto  contains  or will  contain  an  untrue
statement of material  fact,  or omits or will omit to state any  material  fact
necessary to make the  statements  made therein not  misleading.  All contracts,
permits and other documents and instruments furnished or made available to Buyer
by Seller are or will be true,  complete  and  accurate  originals  or copies of
originals and include all  amendments,  supplements,  waivers and  modifications
thereto.  There is no fact,  development  or threatened  development  (excluding
general  economic  factors  affecting  business in general)  that Seller has not
disclosed to Buyer in writing that  materially  adversely  affects or, so far as
Seller can now foresee,  may materially  adversely  affect,  the Business or the
Purchased Assets

                  (b) The information provided in the Schedules, which have been
numbered in accordance  with the sections of the Agreement to which they relate,
shall be deemed to supplement and be part of the  representations and warranties
of the Seller  contained  in the  Agreement.  All  information  provided  in the
Schedules shall be construed as exceptions to the representations and warranties
contained in the Agreement, unless otherwise indicated by the context.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                     REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

         Buyer represents and warrants to Seller as follows:

         5.1  Organization.  Buyer is a corporation duly  incorporated,  validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and has all  requisite  power  and  authority  to own,  lease  and  operate  its
properties and to carry on its business as is now being conducted.

         5.2  Authority  Relative  to this  Agreement.  Buyer has full power and
authority  to  execute  and  deliver  this   Agreement  and  to  consummate  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby have been duly and
validly  authorized by all necessary action required on the part of Buyer and no
other proceedings on the part of Buyer are necessary to authorize this Agreement
or to consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby. This Agreement has been
duly and  validly  executed  and  delivered  by Buyer,  and  assuming  that this
Agreement  constitutes  a valid and binding  agreement of Seller,  constitutes a
valid and binding  agreement of Buyer,  enforceable  against Buyer in accordance
with its terms,  except that such  enforceability  may be limited by  applicable
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  fraudulent conveyance,  moratorium or
other similar laws  affecting or relating to  enforcement  of creditors'  rights
generally or general principles of equity.

         5.3      Consents and Approvals; No Violation.

                  Except as set forth in Schedule 5.3, neither the execution and
delivery of this  Agreement by Buyer nor the purchase by Buyer of the  Purchased
Assets pursuant to this Agreement will (i) conflict with or result in any breach
of any  provision  of the  Articles of  Incorporation  or Bylaws of Buyer,  (ii)
require any  consent,  approval,  authorization  or permit of, or filing with or
notification to, any Governmental Authority, (iii) require any consent, approval
or waiver under any of the terms,  conditions or  provisions of any note,  bond,
mortgage, indenture, agreement, lease or other instrument or obligation to which
Buyer is a party or by which any of its  assets  may be bound,  except  for such
consents,  approvals  or waivers  that have been  obtained,  or (iv) violate any
order,  writ,  injunction,  decree,  statute,  rule or regulation  applicable to
Buyer.

         5.4  Availability  of Funds.  Buyer has available  sufficient  funds or
commitments  of lenders to enable Buyer to pay the portion of the Purchase Price
due on the  Closing  Date and to  enable  Buyer  timely  to  perform  all of its
obligations under this Agreement.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                            COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES

         6.1 Conduct of Business Relating to the Purchased Assets. Except to the
extent Buyer otherwise  consents in writing,  during the period from the date of
this  Agreement to the Closing  Date,  Seller shall  operate the Business in the
ordinary course consistent with past practice, shall use Commercially Reasonable
Efforts to preserve  intact the  Purchased  Assets and preserve the goodwill and
relationships  with customers,  employees,  suppliers and others having business
dealings with it with respect  thereto,  shall  maintain the insurance  coverage
described in Section 4.10, and shall comply with all applicable  laws, rules and
regulations relating to the Purchased Assets, including without limitation,  all
Environmental  Laws.  Without  limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  and,
except as contemplated in this Agreement, or as required under applicable law or
by any  Governmental  Authority,  prior to the Closing  Date,  without the prior
written  consent of Buyer,  Seller will not with  respect to the Business or the
Purchased Assets:

                  (a)  sell,  lease (as  lessor),  pledge,  encumber,  restrict,
transfer or otherwise dispose of, or grant any right with respect to, any of the
Purchased Assets,  other than Inventory sold, used,  consumed or replaced in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

                  (b)  modify,  amend  or  voluntarily  terminate  prior  to the
expiration  date thereof any of Seller's  Agreements  or any material  Permit or
Environmental  Permits or waive any material  default by, or release,  settle or
compromise  any  claim  against,  any other  party  thereto,  other  than in the
ordinary course of business;

                  (c) enter into any  commitment or contract for the purchase or
sale of goods or services  that will be delivered or provided  after the Closing
Date except  purchase and sale orders  entered  into in the  ordinary  course of
business consistent with past practice in amounts not exceeding $10,000;

                  (d) hire any new employees, terminate or transfer any existing
full-time   employees  of  the  Business,   except  terminations  for  cause  or
termination  of employees  not to be offered  employment  by Buyer or change the
salaries, wages or benefits of any employees to be offered employment Buyer; or

                  (e)  enter  into  any  written  or oral  contract,  agreement,
commitment  or  arrangement  with respect to any of the matters set forth in the
foregoing paragraphs (a) through (d).

         6.2      Access to Information.

                  (a) Between the date of this  Agreement  and the Closing Date,
Seller will,  during ordinary business hours and upon reasonable notice (i) give
Buyer and its representatives  reasonable access to all books, records,  plants,
offices and other facilities and properties  constituting the Purchased  Assets,
(ii)  permit  Buyer to make such  reasonable  inspections  thereof  as Buyer may
reasonably  request,  (iii) furnish Buyer with such financial and operating data
and other  information  available to Seller with respect to the Business and the
Purchased  Assets  as Buyer may from time to time  reasonably  request  and (iv)
furnish Buyer a copy of each material  report,  schedule or other document filed
or received by Seller with respect to the Purchased Assets with any Governmental
Authority having jurisdiction over the Purchased Assets; provided, however, that
any such  investigation  shall be conducted in such a manner as not to interfere
unreasonably with the operation of the Purchased Assets.

                  (b) Seller  agrees (i) not to release  any Person  (other than
Buyer) from any  confidentiality  agreement  now  existing  with  respect to the
Purchased Assets or the Business,  or waive or amend any provision thereof,  and
(ii) to assign any rights arising under any such  confidentiality  agreement (to
the extent assignable) to Buyer.

                  (c) Except as required by law, unless  otherwise  agreed to in
writing by Buyer, Seller shall (i) keep all Proprietary Information confidential
and not disclose or reveal any Proprietary  Information to any Person,  and (ii)
not use  Proprietary  Information for any purpose other than consistent with the
terms  of  this  Agreement.  Seller  shall  continue  to  hold  all  Proprietary
Information according to the same internal security procedures and with the same
degree of care regarding its secrecy and confidentiality as currently applicable
thereto.  Seller  shall  notify Buyer of any  unauthorized  disclosure  to third
parties  that it  discovers,  and shall  endeavor to prevent  any  further  such
disclosures.

                  (d) After  the  Closing  Date,  in the  event  that  Seller is
requested  pursuant to, or required by, applicable law or regulation or by legal
process to  disclose  any  Proprietary  Information,  Seller  shall use its best
efforts to provide  Buyer with prompt notice of such request or  requirement  in
order to enable Buyer to seek an appropriate  protective  order or other remedy,
to consult  with  Seller  with  respect to taking  steps to resist or narrow the
scope of such request or legal process,  or to waive compliance,  in whole or in
part,  with the terms of this Section  6.2(d).  Seller  agrees not to oppose any
action by Buyer to obtain a protective order or other  appropriate  remedy after
the Closing Date. In the event that no such protective  order or other remedy is
obtained,  or Buyer waives  compliance  with the terms of this  Section  6.2(d),
Seller  shall  furnish only that portion of the  Proprietary  Information  which
Seller is advised by counsel is  legally  required.  In any such  event,  Seller
shall use its Commercially Reasonable Efforts, but at Buyer's expense, to ensure
that  all  Proprietary  Information  that  is  so  disclosed  will  be  accorded
confidential treatment.

         6.3  Expenses.  Except  to the  extent  specifically  provided  herein,
whether or not the transactions  contemplated hereby are consummated,  all costs
and expenses  incurred in connection  with this  Agreement and the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  shall be borne  by the  Party  incurring  such  costs  and
expenses.

         6.4      Further Assurances; Cooperation.

                  (a)  Subject to the terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement,
each of the Parties hereto will use Commercially  Reasonable Efforts to take, or
cause to be  taken,  all  action,  and to do,  or cause to be done,  all  things
necessary,  proper  or  advisable  under  applicable  laws  and  regulations  to
consummate and make effective the sale of the Purchased  Assets pursuant to this
Agreement, including without limitation using Commercially Reasonable Efforts to
ensure  satisfaction  of the  conditions  precedent to each Party's  obligations
hereunder.  Neither of the  Parties  hereto will take or fail to take any action
which would  reasonably be expected to prevent or materially  impede,  interfere
with or delay the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (b) From time to time after the Closing Date,  without further
consideration,  Seller will,  at Buyer's  expense,  execute and deliver to Buyer
such  documents  as Buyer may  reasonably  request in order to more  effectively
consummate the sale and purchase of the Purchased  Assets or to more effectively
vest in Buyer good and marketable  title to the Purchased  Assets subject to the
Permitted  Encumbrances.  From time to time  after  the  Closing  Date,  without
further consideration,  Buyer will, at Seller's expense,  execute and deliver to
Seller  such  documents  as Seller may  reasonably  request in order to evidence
Buyer's assumption of the Assumed Liabilities and Obligations.

                  (c) To the extent  that  Seller's  rights  under any  Seller's
Agreement  may not be  assigned  without  the  consent of another  Person  which
consent has not been obtained,  this Agreement shall not constitute an agreement
to assign the same if an attempted  assignment would constitute a breach thereof
or be unlawful,  and Seller, at its expense,  shall use Commercially  Reasonable
Efforts to obtain any such required consent as promptly as possible.  Seller and
Buyer agree that if any consent to an assignment of any Seller's Agreement shall
not be obtained or if any attempted  assignment  would be  ineffective  or would
impair Buyer's rights and obligations under the applicable Seller's Agreement so
that  Buyer  would not in effect  acquire  the  benefit  of all such  rights and
obligations,  Seller,  to the maximum extent  permitted by law and such Seller's
Agreement,  shall after the Closing appoint Buyer to be Seller's  representative
and agent with respect to such  Seller's  Agreement,  and Seller  shall,  to the
maximum  extent  permitted by law and such Seller's  Agreement,  enter into such
reasonable  arrangements  with Buyer as are  necessary to provide Buyer with the
benefits and  obligations  of such  Seller's  Agreement.  Seller and Buyer shall
cooperate and shall each use Commercially  Reasonable  Efforts after the Closing
to obtain an assignment of such Seller's Agreement to Buyer.

         6.5 Public Statements.  Except as required by law or any stock exchange
rules,  the Parties  shall  consult  with each other  before  issuing any public
announcement,  statement or other  disclosure  with respect to this Agreement or
the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  and shall  not  issue  any such  public
announcement,  statement  or other  disclosure  prior to such  consultation  and
agreement on the contents thereof.

         6.6      Consents and Approvals.

                  (a) Seller and Buyer shall  cooperate  with each other and (i)
promptly prepare and file all necessary documentation, (ii) effect all necessary
applications,  notices,  petitions  and filings and execute all  agreements  and
documents,  (iii) use Commercially  Reasonable Efforts to obtain the transfer or
reissuance to Buyer of all necessary Transferable Permits,  consents,  approvals
and  authorizations  of all  Governmental  Authority  and (iv) use  Commercially
Reasonable   Efforts   to  obtain  all   necessary   consents,   approvals   and
authorizations  of all other  parties,  necessary or advisable to consummate the
transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  or  required by the terms of any
note, bond, mortgage,  indenture,  deed of trust,  license,  franchise,  permit,
concession,  contract,  lease or other  instrument to which Seller or Buyer is a
party or by which any of them is bound.

                  (b)  Seller  and Buyer  shall  cooperate  with each  other and
promptly prepare and file  notifications  with, and request Tax clearances from,
state and local taxing  authorities in  jurisdictions  in which a portion of the
Purchase Price may be required to be withheld or in which Buyer would  otherwise
be liable for any Tax liabilities of Seller pursuant to such state and local Tax
law.

                  (c) Buyer shall have the primary  responsibility  for securing
the transfer, reissuance or procurement of the Permits and Environmental Permits
(other than  Transferable  Permits)  effective  as of the Closing  Date,  to the
extent such Permits and Environmental  Permits are capable of being transferred.
Seller shall  cooperate  with  Buyer's  efforts in this regard and assist in any
transfer or reissuance of a Permit or Environmental Permit held by Seller or the
procurement  of any other  Permit or  Environmental  Permit when so requested by
Buyer.

         6.7 Fees and  Commissions.  Seller and Buyer each represent and warrant
to the other that no broker, finder or other Person is entitled to any brokerage
fees,   commissions  or  finder's  fees  in  connection   with  the  transaction
contemplated  hereby by  reason of any  action  taken by the Party  making  such
representation.  Seller and Buyer will pay to the other or otherwise  discharge,
and will  indemnify and hold the other  harmless  from and against,  any and all
claims or  liabilities  for all brokerage  fees,  commissions  and finder's fees
incurred by reason of any action taken by the indemnifying party.

         6.8      Tax Matters.

                  (a) All transfer and sales taxes  incurred in connection  with
this Agreement and the transactions  contemplated  hereby shall be borne equally
by Buyer and Seller.  The Parties will  cooperate in the filing of all necessary
Tax Returns and other  documentation  with respect to all such transfer or sales
taxes.

                  (b)  Buyer and  Seller  shall  provide  each  other  with such
assistance as may reasonably be requested by the other Party in connection  with
the preparation of any Tax Return,  any audit or other examination by any taxing
authority,  or any judicial or administrative  proceedings relating to liability
for  Taxes,  and each will  retain and  provide  the  requesting  Party with any
records  or  information  which  may  be  relevant  to  such  return,  audit  or
examination, proceedings or determination.

         6.9 Notification of Changes. Prior to the Closing Date, each Party will
promptly  advise the other in writing with respect to any matter  arising  after
execution of this Agreement  which, if existing or occurring at the date of this
Agreement, would have been required to be set forth in this Agreement, including
any of the Schedules  hereto.  Nothing  contained herein shall relieve Seller or
Buyer of any breach of representation, warranty or covenant under this Agreement
existing  as of the  date  hereof  or  any  subsequent  date  as of  which  such
representation, warranty or covenant shall have been made.

         6.10     Employees.

                  Effective  on the  Closing  Date,  Buyer  shall have  extended
offers of employment to those employees of Seller listed on Schedule 6.10. (Such
employees who accept offers of employment by Buyer are  hereinafter  referred to
as "New  Employees".)  Seller shall have  terminated  the  employment of all New
Employees immediately prior to the Closing Date.

                  (a) As of the Closing Date,  the New Employees  shall commence
participation  in welfare  benefit plans  maintained by Buyer or its Affiliates.
Buyer shall waive all  limitations as to pre-existing  condition  exclusions and
waiting  periods with respect to the New  Employees  under the health  insurance
plans,  other than  limitations  or  waiting  periods  that were in effect  with
respect to such New Employees  under the health  insurance  plans  maintained by
Seller that have not been satisfied as of the Closing Date.

                  (b) The New  Employees  shall be given  credit for all service
with Seller for purposes of eligibility  and vesting for Buyer's 401(k) plan, as
well as for Buyer's vacation policies, sick days and similar plans and policies.

                  (c) Seller shall retain any  obligation  to make any severance
payments  to which  any  employee  of  Seller  who is not  hired by Buyer may be
entitled and shall provide health care insurance  continuation  for such persons
as required by COBRA.

                  (d) To the extent  permitted by  applicable  law, all employee
records for the New Employees shall be delivered promptly after the Closing Date
to Buyer.

                   (e) Buyer shall  establish a retiree medical plan (the "Burle
Retiree Medical Plan"),  comparable to that currently  maintained by Seller, for
the New Employees.

         6.11     Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation.

                  (a)  Noncompetition.  From the  Closing  Date  until the fifth
(5th) anniversary thereof (the "Noncompete  Period"),  except with Buyer's prior
written consent,  Seller will not, and will cause its controlled  Affiliates not
to, directly or indirectly  own,  manage,  operate,  join,  control,  finance or
otherwise  participate  in the  ownership,  management,  operation,  control  or
financing  of, or be connected  as an officer,  director,  employee,  principal,
agent,  representative,  consultant,  investor,  owner, partner,  manager, joint
venturer or otherwise  with, or permit their name to be used by or in connection
with,  any  business or  enterprise  engaged in the  business of  manufacturing,
marketing,  selling or  distributing  of  scientific  detector and  spectroscopy
products within the United States of America.

                  (b) Nonsolicitation. During the Noncompete Period, Seller will
not, and will cause its  controlled  Affiliates  not to,  directly or indirectly
call on or  solicit  for the  purpose of  diverting  or take away from Buyer the
business of (including,  without  limitation,  by divulging to any competitor or
potential  competitor  of Buyer the name of) any person,  firm,  corporation  or
other entity who or which on the Closing Date was, or at any time during the two
years  preceding  the Closing Date had been, a customer of the Business or whose
identity  was  Known to  Seller  on the  Closing  Date as one whom or which  the
Business  intended to solicit within the succeeding year.  Nothing  contained in
this  Section  6.11(b)  shall be deemed to limit or  impair,  or be  limited  or
impaired by, the provisions of Section 6.11(a).

                  (c)  Hiring  of  Seller's  Employees.  During  the  Noncompete
Period,  Seller  will not,  and will  cause its  controlled  Affiliates  not to,
directly or indirectly  hire or offer  employment to, or induce any other person
to hire or offer  employment to, any employee of the Business who is employed by
Buyer after the Closing Date,  unless Buyer first  terminates  the employment of
such employee,  nor will Seller induce any such employee to terminate his or her
employment with Buyer.

                  (d)  Remedies  for Breach.  Seller  acknowledges  that (i) the
provisions  of this Section  6.11 are  reasonable  and  necessary to protect the
legitimate  interests  of Buyer,  that any  violation  of this Section 6.11 will
result  in  irreparable  injury to Buyer  and that  damages  at law would not be
reasonable  or adequate  compensation  to Buyer for a violation  of this Section
6.11,  and (ii) Buyer shall be entitled to have the  provisions  of this Section
6.11  specifically  enforced by  preliminary  and  permanent  injunctive  relief
without the  necessity  of proving  actual  damages and without  posting bond or
other  security,  as well as to have an equitable  accounting  of all  earnings,
profits and other benefits arising out of any violation of this Section 6.11. If
the  provisions  of this  Section 6.11 should ever be deemed to exceed the time,
geographic,  product or other limitations permitted by applicable law, then such
provisions shall be deemed reformed to the maximum time, geographic,  product or
other limitations permitted by law. If a breach of this Section 6.11 occurs, the
running  of the  Noncompete  Period  shall  be  tolled  during  the time of such
violation and shall not continue to run until such  violation has been fully and
finally cured.

         6.12 Compliance with  Environmental  Corrective Action Program and Lead
Decontamination  Protocol.  Seller shall at its own cost and expense  diligently
complete: (i) from and after the Closing Date, the Remediation of the Sturbridge
Property in compliance with  applicable  Environmental  Laws,  including but not
limited to the remedial  approvals and corrective  Action  Program  described in
Schedule  4.11 and  timely  complete  all work and file all  reports  prescribed
thereon  with the  appropriate  regulatory  authorities;  and  (ii) the  further
cleaning  (with  additional  confirmatory  wipe  sampling)  necessary  to reduce
residual levels of lead to a concentration of less than 100 micrograms/100cm2 in
all the areas  described  in the  document  prepared by  Spectrum  Environmental
Services,  Inc.  labeled  "Surface  Wipes for Lead  Contamination  Post-Cleaning
Sample  Results  dated June 3, 1999," such further  cleaning to be completed not
later than ten Business  Days after the Closing  Date.  Seller shall  furnish to
Buyer at its request copies of all test results,  reports, requests for approval
and other correspondence to or from the United States  Environmental  Protection
Agency,  the Massachusetts  Department of Environmental  Protection or any other
local governmental body in connection with the foregoing.

         6.13 SEM  Microscope.  Buyer  shall  provide  IPG  Phonics  Corporation
("IPG") with the opportunity to use the SEM  Microscope,  which is a part of the
Purchased  Assets,  when  reasonably  convenient for Buyer,  up to two hours per
week, for a reasonable  price and on such other  reasonable terms and conditions
as IPG and Buyer may agree upon.

                                    ARTICLE 7

                                   CONDITIONS

         7.1  Conditions to  Obligations  of Buyer.  The  obligation of Buyer to
purchase  the  Purchased  Assets  and  to  consummate  the  other   transactions
contemplated  by this Agreement  shall be subject to the fulfillment at or prior
to the Closing Date of the following conditions:

                  (a) No preliminary  or permanent  injunction or other order or
decree by any federal or state court or  Governmental  Authority  which prevents
the consummation of the sale of the Purchased Assets  contemplated  herein shall
have been  issued  and  remain in effect  and no  proceeding  therefor  shall be
pending or threatened;

                  (b) Seller shall have  performed  and complied in all material
respects with the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement which are
required to be performed  and complied with by Seller on or prior to the Closing
Date;

                  (c) The  representations and warranties of Seller set forth in
this Agreement  that are qualified by  materiality  shall be true and correct in
all  respects  as of  the  Closing  Date,  and  all  other  representations  and
warranties shall be true and correct in all material  respects as of the Closing
Date, in each case as though made at and as of the Closing Date;

                  (d) Buyer shall have received a  certificate  of Seller signed
by an  authorized  officer of Seller,  dated the Closing Date, to the effect set
forth in Section 7.1(b) and (c);

                  (e) All consents and  approvals  for the  consummation  of the
sale of the Purchased Assets contemplated hereby required under the terms of any
note,  bond,  mortgage,  indenture,  material  agreement or other  instrument or
obligation to which Seller is party or by which Seller,  or any of the Purchased
Assets,  may be bound,  shall have been obtained,  other than those which if not
obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, create a Material Adverse
Effect;

                  (f) Buyer  shall  have  received  an  opinion  from  Edwards &
Angell,   LLP,  Seller's   counsel,   dated  the  Closing  Date  and  reasonably
satisfactory  in form and substance to Buyer and its counsel,  as to the matters
set forth in Exhibit E hereto;

                  (g) Seller shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to
Buyer at the Closing, Seller's closing deliveries described in Section 3.6;

                  (h) Seller shall have executed and  delivered  the  Sturbridge
Property Lease and a memorandum thereof for recording;

                  (i) BankBoston N.A. and its Affiliates shall have delivered to
Buyer  a  release  or  releases  of all  liens  on the  Purchased  Assets  and a
nondisturbance  agreement satisfactory to Buyer with respect to Buyer's lease of
the Sturbridge Property;

                  (j) Buyer shall have received from a title  insurance  company
selected by Buyer a title insurance policy insuring Buyer's  leasehold  interest
created by the Sturbridge Property Lease, subject only to Permitted Encumbrances
and other matters set forth on Schedule 4.7;

                  (k) Substantially all of the employees,  as well as all of the
key managers,  of the Business to whom Buyer has offered employment  pursuant to
Section 6.10 shall have accepted such offers by Buyer;

                  (l)  Since the date of this  Agreement,  no  Material  Adverse
Effect shall have occurred;

                  (m) Seller shall have executed and  delivered  the  Transition
Services Agreement and the License Agreement; and

                  (n) Seller shall have executed and  delivered  such patent and
trademark  assignments and other documents  necessary to vest in Buyer ownership
of the Intellectual Property.

                  (o)  Johnson  Matthey,  Inc.  shall  have  entered  into a new
precious  metals  lease  with  Buyer,  which  shall  be in  form  and  substance
satisfactory to Buyer.

         7.2 Conditions to  Obligations  of Seller.  The obligation of Seller to
sell the Purchased Assets and to consummate the other transactions  contemplated
by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing
Date of the following conditions:

                  (a) No preliminary  or permanent  injunction or other order or
decree by any federal or state court which prevents the consummation of the sale
of the Purchased Assets contemplated herein shall have been issued and remain in
effect and no proceeding therefor shall be pending or threatened;

                  (b)  Buyer  shall  have  performed  and  complied  with in all
material respects the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement which
are  required  to be  performed  and  complied  with by Buyer on or prior to the
Closing Date;

                  (c) The  representations  and warranties of Buyer set forth in
this Agreement  that are qualified by  materiality  shall be true and correct in
all respects as of the Closing Date and all other representations and warranties
shall be true and correct in all material  respects as of the Closing  Date,  in
each case as though made at and as of the Closing Date;

                  (d) Seller shall have received a  certificate  of Buyer signed
by an  authorized  officer of Buyer,  dated the Closing  Date, to the effect set
forth in Sections 7.2(b) and (c);

                  (e) Seller shall have received an opinion from Morgan, Lewis &
Bockius LLP, Buyer's counsel, dated the Closing Date and reasonably satisfactory
in form and substance to Seller and its counsel,  as to the matters set forth in
Exhibit F hereto;

                  (f) Buyer shall have delivered,  or caused to be delivered, to
Seller at the Closing, Buyer's closing deliveries described in Section 3.7; and

                  (g) Buyer shall have  executed and  delivered  the  Transition
Services Agreement and the License Agreement.

                  (h) The Precious Metal Lease shall have been  terminated  with
respect to the platinum  that is the subject of the lease  referenced in Section
7.1(o).

                                    ARTICLE 8

                                 INDEMNIFICATION

         8.1      Indemnification.

                  (a) Buyer shall  indemnify,  defend and hold harmless  Seller,
its officers, directors, employees, shareholders, Affiliates and agents (each, a
"Seller  Indemnitee")  from and  against  any and all  claims,  demands,  suits,
losses,  liabilities,   damages,  obligations,   payments,  costs  and  expenses
(including,  without limitation,  the costs and expenses of any and all actions,
suits, proceedings, assessments, judgments, settlements and compromises relating
thereto  and  reasonable   attorneys'  fees  and  reasonable   disbursements  in
connection  therewith)  (each, an  "Indemnifiable  Loss"),  asserted  against or
suffered by any Seller Indemnitee  relating to, resulting from or arising out of
(i)  any  breach  by  Buyer  of any  representations,  warranties  or  covenants
contained  in  this  Agreement,   (ii)  any  of  the  Assumed   Liabilities  and
Obligations,  (iii) any Third Party Claims against a Seller  Indemnitee  arising
out of or in connection with Buyer's  ownership or operation of Purchased Assets
on or after the Closing Date, or (iv) the Burle Retiree Medical Plan.

                  (b) Seller shall  indemnify,  defend and hold harmless  Buyer,
its officers, directors, members, employees, shareholders, Affiliates and agents
(each, a "Buyer  Indemnitee") from and against any and all Indemnifiable  Losses
asserted against or suffered by any Buyer Indemnitee relating to, resulting from
or arising out of (i) any breach by Seller of any representations, warranties or
covenants  contained in this Agreement  (other than claims arising under Section
4.11 or  relating  to  Environmental  Laws,  which  shall be  covered by Section
8.1(c)), (ii) any of the Excluded  Liabilities,  or (iii) any Third Party Claims
against  a  Buyer  Indemnitee  arising  out of or in  connection  with  Seller's
ownership or operation  of the  Purchased  Assets or the Business on or prior to
the Closing Date (except Third Party Claims  arising out of Assumed  Liabilities
and Obligations).

                  (c) Seller shall further  indemnify,  defend and hold harmless
the  Buyer  Indemnitees  from  and  against,  any and all  Indemnifiable  Losses
incurred or  sustained  by any of them or to which any of them  become  subject,
resulting  from,  arising  out of or  relating  to (i)  the  presence,  Release,
threatened or suspected Release,  of any Hazardous  Substances at, from, in, to,
on or under any  property  currently  or formerly  owned,  operated or leased by
Seller in connection  with the Business,  or any  predecessor of the Business or
Seller  in  connection  with the  Business,  existing  as of the  Closing  Date,
including  the work  order  referred  to on  Schedule  4.11;  (ii) the  Release,
transportation, storage or disposal of Hazardous Substances generated by Seller,
any predecessor of Seller or any entities  previously  owned by Seller to, from,
at or under  any  off-site  location  prior to the  Closing  Date;  or (iii) any
violation of any Environmental  Law by Seller,  any predecessor of Seller or any
entity previously owned by Seller prior to the Closing Date.

                  (d) The expiration of any representation or warranty shall not
affect a Party's  obligations  under this Section 8.1 if the Person  entitled to
indemnification  hereunder  (the  "Indemnitee")  provided the Party  required to
provide  indemnification  under this Agreement (the  "Indemnifying  Party") with
proper notice of the claim or event for which indemnification is sought prior to
such expiration.

         8.2      Defense of Claims.

                  (a) If any Indemnitee  receives notice of the assertion of any
claim or of the commencement of any claim, action, or proceeding made or brought
by any Person who is not a Party to this  Agreement (a "Third Party Claim") with
respect to which indemnification is to be sought from an Indemnifying Party, the
Indemnitee shall give such Indemnifying Party prompt written notice thereof, but
in any event such notice  shall not be given later than  fifteen  (15)  calendar
days after the  Indemnitee's  receipt of notice of such Third Party Claim.  Such
notice shall  describe the nature of the Third Party Claim in reasonable  detail
and shall indicate the estimated  amount,  if practicable,  of the Indemnifiable
Loss that has been or may be sustained by the Indemnitee. The Indemnifying Party
will  have the right to  participate  in or,  by  giving  written  notice to the
Indemnitee,  to elect to assume  the  defense of any Third  Party  Claim at such
Indemnifying  Party's  expense and by such  Indemnifying  Party's  own  counsel,
provided  that the  counsel  for the  Indemnifying  Party who shall  conduct the
defense  of such Third  Party  Claim  shall be  reasonably  satisfactory  to the
Indemnitee. The Indemnitee shall cooperate in good faith in such defense at such
Indemnitee's  own  expense.  If an  Indemnifying  Party elects not to assume the
defense of any Third Party Claim,  the  Indemnitee may compromise or settle such
Third Party Claim over the objection of the Indemnifying Party, which settlement
or compromise shall  conclusively  establish the Indemnifying  Party's liability
pursuant to this Agreement.

                  (b) (i)  If,  within  fifteen  (15)  calendar  days  after  an
Indemnitee  provides written notice to the Indemnifying Party of any Third Party
Claims, the Indemnitee  receives written notice from the Indemnifying Party that
such  Indemnifying  Party has  elected to assume the defense of such Third Party
Claim as provided in Section 8.2 (a) , the Indemnifying Party will not be liable
for any legal  expenses  subsequently  incurred by the  Indemnitee in connection
with the defense thereof;  provided,  however,  that if the  Indemnifying  Party
shall fail to take reasonable  steps  necessary to defend  diligently such Third
Party Claim within  fifteen (15) calendar days after  receiving  notice from the
Indemnitee  that the Indemnitee  believes the  Indemnifying  Party has failed to
take such steps,  the Indemnitee may assume its own defense and the Indemnifying
Party shall be liable for all  reasonable  expenses  thereof;  (ii)  Without the
prior written consent of the Indemnitee,  the Indemnifying Party shall not enter
into any  settlement  of any Third Party Claim which would lead to  liability or
create any financial or other obligation on the part of the Indemnitee for which
the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification  hereunder. If a firm offer is
made to settle a Third Party Claim without  leading to liability or the creation
of a financial or other  obligation on the part of the  Indemnitee for which the
Indemnitee is not entitled to  indemnification  hereunder  and the  Indemnifying
Party desires to accept and agree to such offer,  the  Indemnifying  Party shall
give written notice to the Indemnitee to that effect. If the Indemnitee fails to
consent to such firm offer within  fifteen (15)  calendar days after its receipt
of such notice,  the Indemnifying  Party shall be relieved of its obligations to
defend  such Third  Party  Claim and the  Indemnitee  may contest or defend such
Third Party Claim.  In such event,  the maximum  liability  of the  Indemnifying
Party as to such Third Party Claim will be the amount of such  settlement  offer
plus reasonable costs and expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee up to the date
of said notice.

                  (c) Any claim by an Indemnitee on account of an  Indemnifiable
Loss which does not result from a Third Party Claim (a "Direct  Claim") shall be
asserted by giving the  Indemnifying  Party written notice thereof,  stating the
nature of such claim in reasonable  detail and indicating the estimated  amount,
if practicable,  and the  Indemnifying  Party shall have a period of thirty (30)
calendar days within which to respond to such Direct Claim. If the  Indemnifying
Party does not  respond  within  such  thirty  (30)  calendar  day  period,  the
Indemnifying  Party  shall  be  deemed  to  have  accepted  such  claim.  If the
Indemnifying  Party  rejects  such claim,  the  Indemnitee  will be free to seek
enforcement of its right to indemnification under this Agreement.

                  (d) A  failure  to give  timely  notice  as  provided  in this
Section 8.2 shall not affect the rights or  obligations  of any Party  hereunder
except if, and only to the extent that, as a result of such  failure,  the Party
which was entitled to receive such notice was actually prejudiced as a result of
such failure.

         8.3  Indemnification  Limits.  The rightto  indemnification  under this
Article shall be subject to the following limitations:

                  (a) Except as provided  in this  Section,  no  indemnification
shall be payable  under this  Article by an  Indemnifying  Party with respect to
breaches of or  inaccuracies  in any  representations  or  warranties  contained
herein  unless  and  until the  aggregate  amount  of all  Indemnifiable  Losses
sustained by all  Indemnified  Parties  exceeds  $200,000 (the  "Indemnification
Threshold"),  whereupon  indemnification  by the  Indemnifying  Party  shall  be
payable for all Losses back to the first dollar.

                  (b) The aggregate liability of either party for all claims for
indemnification  under this Article with respect to breaches of or  inaccuracies
in  the  representations  and  warranties  contained  herein  shall  not  exceed
$4,000,000.

                  (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing,  nothing herein shall limit
a Party's liability for an intentional misrepresentation contained herein.

                  (d) With  respect  to  breaches  by  Seller  of  Section  4.9,
indemnification  therefor by Seller shall not be subject to the  Indemnification
Threshold.

                  (e) Any determination of losses actually incurred shall be net
of any  insurance  proceeds  fully  recoverable  by the  Indemnified  Party with
respect to such claim or the underlying facts (net of insurance  detriments such
as premium adjustments or increases).

         8.4 Survival of Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Obligations.

                  (a) The  representations  and warranties given or made by each
Party to this  Agreement or in any  certificate  or other  writing  furnished in
connection  herewith  shall  survive  the  Closing for a period of two (2) years
after the Closing Date and shall thereafter terminate and be of no further force
or effect,  except that (a) all representations and warranties relating to Taxes
and Tax Returns  shall  survive  the  Closing  for the period of the  applicable
statutes  of  limitation  plus  any  extensions  or  waivers  thereof,  (b)  all
representations  and  warranties  with respect to  environmental  matters  shall
survive the Closing  for a period of six (6) years after the Closing  Date;  and
(c) any  representation  or  warranty  as to  which a claim  (including  without
limitation a contingent  claim) shall have been asserted prior to the expiration
of such representation or warranty shall continue in effect with respect to such
claim until such claim shall have been finally  resolved or settled.  Each Party
shall be entitled to rely upon the  representations  and warranties of the other
Party or Parties set forth herein,  notwithstanding  any  investigation or audit
conducted  before  or after the  Closing  Date or the  decision  of any Party to
complete the Closing.

                  (b) The  covenants  and  obligations  of Seller  and Buyer set
forth  in this  Agreement,  including  without  limitation  the  indemnification
obligations  of the  Parties  under this  Article 8, shall  survive  the Closing
indefinitely in accordance with their terms.

                                    ARTICLE 9

                                   TERMINATION

         9.1      Termination.

                  (a) This  Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the
Closing Date by mutual written consent of Seller and Buyer.

                  (b) This  Agreement may be  terminated by Seller or Buyer,  if
(i) any Federal or state court of  competent  jurisdiction  shall have issued an
order,  judgment  or decree  permanently  restraining,  enjoining  or  otherwise
prohibiting  the Closing,  and such order,  judgment or decree shall have become
final and  nonappealable  or (ii) any statute,  rule,  order or regulation shall
have been enacted or issued by any  Governmental  Authority  which,  directly or
indirectly,  prohibits  the  consummation  of the  Closing or (iii) the  Closing
contemplated  hereby  shall  have not  occurred  on or before  July 1, 1999 (the
"Termination  Date");  provided,  however,  that  the  right to  terminate  this
Agreement  under this  Section  9.1(b)  (iii) shall not be  available to a Party
whose failure to fulfill any obligation  under this Agreement has been the cause
of, or resulted in, the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date.

                  (c) This  Agreement  may be  terminated  by Buyer if there has
been a material violation or breach by Seller of any covenant, representation or
warranty  contained in this  Agreement and such violation or breach is not cured
by the  earlier of the Closing  Date or the date ten (10) days after  receipt by
Seller of notice  specifying  such  violation or breach,  and such  violation or
breach has not been waived by Buyer.

                  (d) This  Agreement  may be  terminated by Seller if there has
been a material violation or breach by Buyer of any covenant,  representation or
warranty  contained in this  Agreement and such violation or breach is not cured
by the  earlier of the Closing  Date or the date ten (10) days after  receipt by
Buyer of notice  specifying  such  violation  or breach,  and such  violation or
breach has not been waived by Seller.

         9.2 Procedure and Effect of Termination. In the event of termination of
this  Agreement  by either or both of the Parties  pursuant  to this  Article 9,
written notice thereof shall forthwith be given by the terminating  Party to the
other Party. If this Agreement is terminated  pursuant to any of Sections 9.1(a)
or (b), the  obligations  of the Parties  hereunder  will  terminate,  except as
otherwise  expressly  provided in this Agreement,  and thereafter  neither Party
shall have any recourse  against the other by reason of this  Agreement.  In the
event that this  Agreement is terminated by a Party for a breach of any material
representation,  warranty,  covenant or other agreement  contained  herein,  and
provided  that  the  terminating  Party is not then in  breach  of any  material
representation,  warranty,  covenant or other  agreement  contained  herein,  in
addition to any rights or remedies provided by law, the breaching Party shall be
liable  to the  terminating  party  for all fees,  expenses  and  disbursements,
including the fees and expenses of their  respective  counsel,  accountants  and
other experts,  incurred by the terminating party in connection with the subject
matter of this Agreement.



<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE 10

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

         10.1  Amendment  and  Modification.  This  Agreement  may  be  amended,
modified or supplemented only by written agreement of Seller and Buyer.

         10.2 Waiver of Compliance;  Consents.  Except as otherwise  provided in
this Agreement, any failure of any of the Parties to comply with any obligation,
covenant,  agreement or condition  herein may be waived by the Party entitled to
the benefits thereof only by a written  instrument  signed by the Party granting
such  waiver,  but  such  waiver  of such  obligation,  covenant,  agreement  or
condition  shall not  operate as a waiver of, or estoppel  with  respect to, any
subsequent failure to comply therewith.

         10.3 Notices. All notices and other  communications  hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be deemed given and effective if delivered personally or by
facsimile  transmission,  or  mailed  by  overnight  courier  or  registered  or
certified mail (return receipt  requested),  postage  prepaid,  to the recipient
Party at its address (or at such other  address or facsimile  number for a Party
as shall be specified by like notice; provided however, that notices of a change
of address shall be effective only upon receipt thereof):

                  If to Buyer, to:

                           Burle Industries, Inc.
                           1000 New Holland Ave.
                           Lancaster, PA 17601
                           Attention:  President
                           FAX:  717-295-6098

                           with a copy to:

                           Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
                           1701 Market Street
                           Philadelphia, PA 19103
                           Attention:  Peter S. Sartorius, Esq.
                           FAX:  215-963-5299

                  if to Seller, to:

                           Galileo Corporation
                           6401 Congress Avenue
                           Boca Raton, FL 33487
                           Attention:  President
                           FAX:  561-997-1645

                           with a copy to:

                           Edwards & Angell, LLP
                           250 Royal Palm Way
                           Suite 300
                           Palm Beach, FL  33480
                           Attention:  Jonathan E. Cole, Esq.
                           FAX:  561-655-8719

         10.4 Assignment.  This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall
be  binding  upon and  inure to the  benefit  of the  Parties  hereto  and their
respective  successors and permitted assigns, but neither this Agreement nor any
of the rights,  interests or obligations  hereunder  shall be assigned by either
Party hereto without the prior written consent of the other Party,  such consent
not to be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Buyer may assign
its rights,  interests and obligations hereunder,  or cause the Purchased Assets
to be conveyed, to one or more Affiliates,  but no such assignment shall relieve
Buyer of performance of its obligations hereunder.

         10.5 No Third Party  Beneficiary.  This  Agreement  is not  intended to
confer upon any other Person  except the Parties  hereto any rights,  interests,
obligations or remedies  hereunder.  No provision of this Agreement shall create
any third party beneficiary  rights in any employee or former employee of Seller
(including  any  beneficiary  or  dependent  thereof)  in respect  of  continued
employment  or resumed  employment,  and no  provision of this  Agreement  shall
create any rights in any such  Persons  in respect of any  benefits  that may be
provided,   directly  or  indirectly,   under  any  employee   benefit  plan  or
arrangement.

         10.6 Governing  Law. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts  (without giving
effect to conflict  of law  principles)  as to all  matters,  including  but not
limited to matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies.

         10.7 Venue;  Consent to Jurisdiction.  The Parties hereby expressly and
irrevocably  submit to the  jurisdiction  of the courts of the  Commonwealth  of
Massachusetts  and of the  United  States  District  Court for the  District  of
Massachusetts for the purpose of any litigation based hereon, or arising out of,
under, or in connection with, this Agreement,  and irrevocably agree to be bound
by any judgment rendered thereby in connection with such litigation. The Parties
hereby expressly and irrevocably  waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
any objection that they now have or hereafter may have to the laying of venue of
any such  litigation  brought in any such court  referred to above and any claim
that any such  litigation  has been  brought in an  inconvenient  forum.  To the
extent that any Party has  acquired or hereafter  may acquire any immunity  from
the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service
or notice,  attachment  prior to  judgment,  attachment  in aid of  execution or
otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, such Party hereby irrevocably
waives such immunity with respect to its obligations  under this Agreement.  The
Parties  hereby  further  irrevocably  consent  to the  service  of  process  by
registered mail,  postage prepaid,  or by personal service within or without the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

         10.8  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in two or  more
counterparts,  each of  which  shall be  deemed  an  original,  but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

         10.9  Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement that is invalid or
unenforceable  in any  jurisdiction  shall be  ineffective to the extent of such
invalidity or unenforceability  without invalidating or rendering  unenforceable
the remaining  provisions hereof, and any such invalidity or unenforceability in
any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render  unenforceable such provision in
any other jurisdiction.

         10.10  Interpretation.  The  articles,  section and  schedule  headings
contained in this  Agreement  are solely for the purpose of  reference,  are not
part of the agreement of the Parties and shall not in any way affect the meaning
or interpretation of this Agreement.

         10.11  Schedules  and  Exhibits.  Except as otherwise  provided in this
Agreement,  all Exhibits and Schedules referred to herein are intended to be and
hereby are specifically made a part of this Agreement.

         10.12  Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement,   including  the  Exhibits,
Schedules,  documents,  certificates and instruments referred to herein,  embody
the entire  agreement and  understanding of the Parties hereto in respect of the
transactions  contemplated  by  this  Agreement.   There  are  no  restrictions,
promises,  representations,  warranties,  covenants or undertakings,  other than
those expressly set forth or referred to herein.  This Agreement  supersedes all
prior  agreements  and  understandings  between the Parties  with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby.



<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  Buyer and Seller have caused this Agreement to be
signed by their  respective duly authorized  officers as of the date first above
written.


                                                 BURLE INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                                 By:  /s/ Kirk Jenne
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Kirk Jenne
                                                      Vice President


                                                 GALILEO CORPORATION


                                                 By:  /s/ Charles T. Ball
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Charles T. Ball
                                                      Director and Authorized
                                                        Signatory








                        ASSET PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT


          THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of this 24th day of May, 1999
(the  "Effective  Date") between  Galileo  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation
having its office at Galileo Park,  Sturbridge,  Massachusetts  01566 ("Seller")
and IPG  Photonics  Corporation,  a  Delaware  corporation  having its office at
Galileo Park, Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566 ("Buyer");

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

          WHEREAS,  Seller  wishes to sell to Buyer and Buyer wishes to buy from
Seller the  following  assets:  (i)  certain  assets  relating  to the  Seller's
telecommunications  business unit (the "Business") and (ii) certain intellectual
property  rights  relating to the Business,  upon the terms and  conditions  set
forth herein;

          WHEREAS,  Buyer has, since December 15, 1998, had access to and use of
the assets of the  Business  and has used the Assets  (as  herein  defined)  and
manufactured  products  of the  Business  since  such date  pursuant  to an oral
agreement between Buyer and Seller (the "Buyer Prior Use"); and

          WHEREAS,  simultaneously with execution of this Agreement,  Seller and
Buyer are entering into a Lease  Agreement (the "Lease") under which Seller as a
lessor will lease to Buyer as a lessee that  portion of the  building,  fixtures
and other  improvements  located on the land known as Galileo Park,  Sturbridge,
Massachusetts,  as set forth in the Lease, and Seller agrees to share with Buyer
certain facilities and services and share the costs associated therewith, all as
set forth in the Lease,  to enable  Buyer to operate the  Business  and exercise
ownership of the Assets.

          NOW, THEREFORE,  for good and valuable consideration,  the receipt and
sufficiency  of which are  hereby  mutually  acknowledged,  Buyer and  Seller do
hereby covenant and agree as follows:

          1. Assets.

          1.1 Assets  Purchased.  Subject to the terms and conditions  contained
herein,  Buyer  agrees to buy and Seller  agrees to sell to Buyer the  following
property and rights (collectively, the "Assets"), in each case free and clear of
all liens, charges,  pledges, security interests or other encumbrances except as
may be set forth in Schedule 5.1(b) (the "Liens"):

             (a) Certain  tangible  assets  owned by the Seller and used or held
for  use or  sale  in  the  Business,  including,  without  limitation,  certain
machinery,  equipment,  inventory,  work-in progress and other items,  including
without limitation,  laboratory fixtures and furniture,  office furniture, small
tools and other property currently located on the premises or the property owned
by the Seller and used or held for use or sale in the Business, all of which are
identified on Schedule A annexed hereto (the "Business Assets"), and

             (b)  Certain  intellectual  property  rights  and other  intangible
assets  owned by the Seller and used or held for use or sale in the  Business as
set forth on Schedule B annexed hereto (the "Intellectual Property").

          1.2 Assumption of Liabilities.  Except for the  liabilities  expressly
disclosed  on Schedule 1.2 hereto (the  "Assumed  Liabilities"),  which  Assumed
Liabilities  Buyer  hereby  agrees  to  assume  and  perform  as of the  date of
execution of this  Agreement,  Buyer assumes no  obligations  or  liabilities of
Seller in connection with this transaction,  the Business or the Assets. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, Seller shall be solely responsible for
payment of all  amounts  at any time owing by Seller at the time of the  Closing
(other than the Assumed  Liabilities and amounts incurred by Buyer from December
15, 1998,  with respect to the Business,  Assets or this  transaction),  whether
accrued  or  contingent,   known  or  unknown,  including,  without  limitation,
liabilities arising out of the provision by Seller of goods or services prior to
the Closing, obligations for any payments that may be due to employees of Seller
and obligations  for any of Seller's  Taxes.  As used herein,  "Tax" and "Taxes"
refer  to any and all  taxes,  duties,  levies,  fines,  license  fees or  other
monetary charges imposed by any governmental or regulatory entity.

          1.3  Instruments of Transfer.  The transfer of the Assets to Seller at
the  Closing  shall be  effected  by a Bill of Sale  and  Patent  and  Trademark
Assignments in the forms attached hereto as Exhibits A-1, A-2 and A-3.

          1.4  Instrument of Assumption of  Liabilities.  The  assumption of the
Assumed  Liabilities  by the  Buyer  at the  Closing  shall  be  effected  by an
instrument of Assumption of Liabilities in the form attached  hereto as Schedule
1.4.

          1.5 Use of Assets and Intellectual  Property Prior to Closing.  Seller
has previously loaned the Assets to Buyer and Buyer,  with Seller's  permission,
has made and will  continue to make use of such  Assets  prior to the Closing or
until earlier  termination  of this  Agreement.  Seller agrees that all proceeds
from such use of such Assets shall be the sole and exclusive property of Buyer.

          2. Purchase Price.

          2.1 Purchase Price. Buyer shall pay to Seller, in consideration of the
transfer of the Assets,  a purchase price (the "Purchase  Price") of ONE MILLION
FIVE-HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,500,000) in cash payable by Buyer to Seller by
wire transfer in immediately  available funds to an account designated by Seller
to be paid at the Closing.

          2.2 In preparation for payment of the Purchase Price,  Buyer agrees to
transfer to an escrow account (the "Escrow Account") to be held by Foley, Hoag &
Eliot, LLP as escrow agent (the "Escrow Agent") the following sums which will be
held in escrow in accordance with the terms of this Agreement:

             (a) The sum of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($500,000) (the "First
Deposit") will be paid into the Escrow Account on the Effective Date, and

             (b)  The  sum of ONE  MILLION  DOLLARS  ($1,000,000)  (the  "Second
Deposit") shall be paid into the Escrow Account prior to the Closing.

          2.3 Deferred  Payments.  Within thirty (30) days after the end of each
calendar  quarter over the ten (10) year period  following the Closing Date (the
"Deferred Payment Period"),  Buyer shall make the additional  payments to Seller
as specified in Schedule 2.3 attached hereto (the "Deferred Payments").

          2.4 Escrow Account.

             (a) The First Deposit, the Second Deposit, and all accrued interest
thereon (the "Deposit") shall be held in escrow by Escrow Agent,  subject to the
terms  of this  Agreement  and  shall be duly  accounted  for at the time of the
Closing or other  termination  of this  Agreement.  All such  deposits  shall be
invested to the extent practicable in Qualified Investments by the Escrow Agent.
For the purposes hereof, unless otherwise agreed in writing by Seller and Buyer,
"Qualified  Investments" shall mean United States Treasury bills or notes having
a maturity  date which is not more than 21 days after the date of purchase.  All
interest and other income earned on the Deposit shall be paid to Buyer.

             (b) The  liability of the Escrow Agent to the parties  hereto shall
be only as set forth in this Agreement. The Escrow Agent shall not be liable for
any mistake or error of judgment in the  discharge of its  functions  hereunder,
but shall be liable only for bad faith or gross negligence. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Escrow Agent shall not incur any liability with
respect to any action taken or omitted in reliance upon any instrument, not only
as to its due execution and delivery and the validity and  effectiveness  of its
provisions,  but also as to the truth and accuracy of any information  contained
therein,  which the Escrow Agent shall in good faith  believe to be genuine,  to
have been signed or presented by a proper  person or persons and to conform with
the provisions of this Agreement.

             (c)  Notwithstanding  anything  contained in this  Agreement to the
contrary, should any dispute arise with respect to the disposition of any sum or
any document held by the Escrow Agent  pursuant to the terms hereof,  the Escrow
Agent shall retain the disputed sum or document (or make  delivery to a court in
accordance with the immediately  succeeding sentence) and the Escrow Agent shall
have no liability to any party hereto for  retaining  any portion of such sum or
any  document  until such  dispute  shall  have been  settled by either a mutual
written agreement between the parties or a final order,  decree or judgment by a
court of  competent  jurisdiction  in the United  States of America (and no such
order,  decree or  judgment  shall be deemed to be "final"  unless and until the
time for appeal has  expired and no appeal has been  perfected),  and the Escrow
Agent shall  deliver such sum or such  document in  accordance  with such mutual
agreement or final order,  decree or judgment.  In the event that there shall be
any action or legal proceeding arising out of this Agreement, to which action or
legal  proceeding the Escrow Agent is or may be a party,  whether  directly,  as
counsel to the Buyer or  otherwise,  the Escrow Agent shall be entitled,  at any
time,  in its sole  discretion,  to deliver the moneys or  documents  held by it
hereunder,  or any portion  thereof,  into court, and upon so doing, it shall be
relieved  of any  further  responsibility  or  liability  as to said  moneys  or
documents,  as the case may be, and as an Escrow Agent under this Agreement.  In
no event  shall the  Escrow  Agent be under any duty  whatsoever  to  institute,
defend or actively  participate in any such proceeding.  Each party acknowledges
and agrees that Escrow Agent has  rendered,  and may  continue to render,  legal
services to Buyer in connection  with the  preparation of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions to which it relates.

             (d) Upon  receipt of a joint  written  notice from Buyer and Seller
directing  Escrow  Agent  to  deliver  any sum or  document  held in the  Escrow
Account, the Escrow Agent shall make delivery as directed by such written notice
unless otherwise directed by a court or administrative agency.

             (e) Seller and Buyer  agree to  indemnify  the Escrow  Agent and to
hold  it  harmless  from  and  against  any  and all  losses,  claims,  damages,
liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, costs of investigation,
disbursements  and attorneys' fees) which may be imposed upon or incurred by the
Escrow  Agent  pursuant to this  Agreement or in the  performance  of its duties
hereunder, or in connection with any arbitration or litigation arising from this
Agreement or involving the subject matter hereof.

          3. Closing.  Subject to the terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement,
Seller shall  deliver to Buyer the  documents  specified in Section 7, and Buyer
shall (i) deliver the  documents  specified  in Section 8 and (ii)  instruct the
Escrow  Agent  to use the  Deposit  to pay  the  Purchase  Price  to  Seller  in
accordance  with Section 2.1 hereof (or to BankBoston,  pursuant to the terms of
the letter agreement (the "BankBoston Letter") attached hereto as Schedule 3) at
a closing (the "Closing") which shall take place on June 15, 1999, or such other
date as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties (the "Closing Date"),  at the
offices  of  Foley,   Hoag  &  Eliot  LLP,  One  Post  Office  Square,   Boston,
Massachusetts. It is agreed that time is of the essence of this Agreement.

          4. Seller's Obligations. Between the date hereof and the Closing Date,
Seller hereby agrees that:

             (a)  Leases.   Seller  shall  not  enter  into  any  leases,  lease
amendments or other agreements  (written or oral) relating to any portion of the
Assets without in each case obtaining the prior written consent of Buyer.

             (b) Contracts.  Seller shall not enter into any management or other
agreements in any way relating to the Assets without obtaining the prior written
consent of Buyer.

             (c) Consent to  Governmental  Action.  Seller  shall not request or
apply  for any  action  by any  federal,  state or  local  agency  or  authority
involving the Assets without obtaining the prior written consent of Buyer, which
consent shall not be withheld or delayed unless in Buyer's  reasonable  judgment
such action by Seller will or could materially  adversely  affect Buyer.  Seller
shall provide  notice to Buyer of any proposed  action by any federal,  state or
local agency or authority  involving  the Assets and shall provide not less than
five days' prior notice to Buyer of its proposed consent to any such action.

             (d) No Sales. Seller shall not sell or otherwise transfer, or enter
into any  agreement  to sell or  otherwise  transfer,  the Assets or any portion
thereof.

             (e) No Encumbrances. Seller shall not pledge or affirmatively grant
any Lien on the Assets or any portion thereof.

             (f)  Compliance  with Laws.  Seller  shall  comply in all  material
respects with all applicable laws, rules, orders and regulations relating to the
Assets or the Business.

          5.  Representations and Warranties.

          5.1 By Seller. Seller represents, warrants and agrees as follows:

             (a) Authority.  Seller is a corporation  duly organized and validly
existing  under the laws of the State of  Delaware,  qualified to do business in
The Commonwealth of  Massachusetts,  with full capacity,  power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and to perform all of its obligations  hereunder.  The
execution,  delivery and  performance of this Agreement and the  consummation of
the transactions  contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary
action on the part of the Seller.  This Agreement  constitutes the legal,  valid
and binding obligation of the Seller,  enforceable  against Seller in accordance
with its terms.

             (b) Title to the Assets. Absence of Liens and Encumbrances.  Except
as set forth on  Schedule  5.1(b)  hereto,  Seller  has the full  right to sell,
transfer,  and assign all of the  Assets to Buyer,  and has good title  thereto,
free and clear of all Liens whatsoever. Following the Closing, Buyer will be the
lawful owner of, and have good title to, the Assets, free and clear of any Liens
whatsoever  other than the Assumed  Liabilities.  The Assets  include all of the
assets and properties,  tangible and intangible,  necessary for Buyer to conduct
the Business  substantially  as Seller has  conducted  its business in the past.
None of the Assets is in the possession,  custody or control of any person other
than Seller or Buyer.

             (c) Condition.  Each item of tangible personal property included in
the Business  Assets is in good operating  condition,  repair and calibration in
light of its age, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

             (d)  Inventory.  Not less  than 90% of  inventory  included  in the
Business Assets is saleable in the ordinary course of business.

             (e)  Rights  in  Intellectual  Property.  Except  as set  forth  on
Schedule 5.1(e), the Seller owns the Intellectual Property free and clear of any
liens or other  encumbrances.  Except as set forth on  Schedule  5.1(e),  to the
Seller's  knowledge,  the use of the  Intellectual  Property  by Buyer  will not
infringe or violate or constitute the misappropriation of any proprietary rights
of any other  person or entity and no other  person or entity is  infringing  or
violating  or  misappropriating   any  proprietary  rights  of  Seller  in  such
Intellectual  Property.  Except as set forth on Schedule 5.1(e),  Seller has not
received  notice of any claim that the  conduct of the  Business  infringes  any
patent, invention,  trademark,  service mark, trade name or other property right
of any other  person  or  entity  or notice of any claim of any other  person or
entity  relating to the  Intellectual  Property  and Seller does not know of any
basis  for any such  claim.  Except  as set  forth on  Schedule  5.1(e),  all of
Seller's  rights in and to the  Intellectual  Property are freely  transferable.
Seller has granted no licenses  or other  rights to use any of the  Intellectual
Property to any other person or entity.  Except as set forth on Schedule 5.1(e),
no royalties  or other  amounts are payable by the Seller to any other person or
entity by reason  of the  ownership  or use of the  Intellectual  Property.  The
Seller  has made  available  to the Buyer  correct  and  complete  copies of all
written  documentation  evidencing  ownership of each patent and registered mark
and any claims or disputes relating to each item of Intellectual Property.

             (f) Contracts.  Schedule  5.1(f) attached hereto sets forth a true,
correct and complete list of all  outstanding  management  and other  agreements
(collectively,  the  "Contracts")  relating  to the Assets to which  Seller is a
party or by which Seller or the Assets are bound.

             (g) Year 2000.  Except as  disclosed  in  Schedule  5.1(g),  (1) no
change of date, including,  but not limited to, the change of date from December
31,  1999 to January  1,  2000,  will have any  material  adverse  impact on the
performance  or use of any of the  Assets;  and (2) any of the Assets  with date
processing  functions  will be able to perform such functions to the same extent
and with the same accuracy notwithstanding any change of date, including but not
limited  to the  change of date from  December  31,  1999 to  January  1,  2000,
provided in each case that all other  technology  used in  combination  with the
Assets properly exchanges date data with the Assets.

             (h) Violations. This Agreement and the performance hereof by Seller
will not, with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice,  or both,
contravene  any law,  judgment,  order,  injunction,  or  decree,  the  Seller's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, or any contractual restriction or other
arrangement  binding on Seller or by which any of Seller's  assets or properties
may be affected.

             (i) Consents. No consent,  approval,  order or authorization of any
court or other  governmental  entity  or any  third  party,  other  than that of
BankBoston,  N.A. and British Telecommunications PLC, is required to be obtained
by Seller in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
performance hereof by Seller.

             (j)  Violation  of Laws.  Except as  disclosed  in Schedule  5.1(j)
annexed hereto,  Seller has not received any notice from any governmental entity
of any  violation of any statutes,  ordinances,  rules,  regulations,  orders or
requirements  of  any  federal,  state  or  local  authority  or  of  any  other
governmental entity having  jurisdiction  relating to or affecting the Assets or
any portion  thereof and, to the best of Seller's  knowledge,  no such violation
now exists, and no event has occurred and is continuing which with the giving of
notice or the passage of time or both, would constitute such a violation.

             (k) Pending or Threatened  Proceedings.  There is no pending or, to
the best of  Seller's  knowledge,  threatened  action or  proceeding  before any
court,  governmental  agency or  arbitrator  relating  to or arising  out of the
ownership of the Assets or any portion  thereof,  or which may adversely  affect
Seller's  ability to perform this  Agreement,  or which may affect the Assets or
any portion thereof.

             (l)  Outstanding  Agreements.  There  are no  outstanding  options,
purchase and sale  agreements  or other  agreements,  other than as set forth as
Schedule 5.1(b),  Schedule 5.1(f) and the license dated December 23, 1992 by and
between  Seller and British  Telecommunications  PLC (the "BT  Agreement")  with
respect to the Assets or any portion thereof.

             (m) Full Disclosure.  To the best knowledge of the Seller,  neither
this Agreement nor any written statement,  report or other document furnished by
Seller pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Assets contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements  contained  herein or therein,  in light of the  circumstances in
which it was made, not false or misleading. There is no fact known to the Seller
which the Seller has not disclosed to Buyer in writing that materially adversely
affects or so far as the  Seller  can now  reasonably  foresee  will  materially
adversely  affect (i) the  ability of Seller to perform  this  Agreement  or the
consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  or (ii) the use of the
Assets by Buyer.

             (n) Tax Matters.  Within the time and in the manner  prescribed  by
law,  (a) all Tax returns  that were or are required to be filed with respect to
the Assets or the Business have been filed and all Taxes that have become due or
have been  assessed  with respect to the Assets or the Business have been timely
paid in full unless otherwise  identified on Schedule  5.1(n);  (b) no Tax liens
have been filed with  respect  to the  Assets and no  material  claims are being
asserted or have been  threatened  with  respect to any of such  Taxes;  and (c)
Seller has withheld,  collected and paid to the proper governmental agencies all
amounts which it has been required by law to withhold or collect with respect to
the Assets and the Business.

          5.2 By Buyer. Buyer represents, warrants and agrees as follows:

             (a)  Authority.  Buyer is a corporation  duly organized and validly
existing  under the laws of the State of  Delaware,  qualified to do business in
The Commonwealth of  Massachusetts,  with full capacity,  power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and to perform all of its obligations  hereunder.  The
execution,  delivery and  performance of this Agreement and the  consummation of
the transactions  contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary
action on the part of the Buyer. This Agreement  constitutes a legal,  valid and
binding  obligation  of the Buyer,  enforceable  against the Buyer in accordance
with its terms.

             (b)  No  Violations. This Agreement and the  performance  hereof by
Buyer will not, with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice,  or
both, contravene any law, judgment,  order,  injunction,  or decree, the Buyer's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, or any contractual restriction or other
arrangement binding on Buyer or by which any of Buyer's assets or properties may
be affected.

             (c)  Consents.  No consent, approval, order or authorization of any
court or other governmental entity or any third party is required to be obtained
by Buyer in connection  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
performance hereof by Buyer.

             (d)  Financial  Resources.   The  Buyer  has  sufficient  financial
resources to complete the  transactions  contemplated  by this Agreement and the
ancillary agreements.

             (e)  Full Disclosure. To the best knowledge of Buyer,  neither this
Agreement nor any written statement, report or other document, taken as a whole,
furnished by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement  contains any untrue  statement of
material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
contained herein or therein, in light of the circumstances in which it was made,
not false or misleading. There is no fact known to the Buyer which the Buyer has
not disclosed to Seller in writing that materially  adversely  affects or so far
as the Buyer can now reasonably  foresee will  materially  adversely  affect the
ability  of  Buyer  to  perform  this  Agreement  or  the  consummation  of  the
transactions contemplated hereby.

             (f) Pending and Threatened Proceedings.  There is no pending or, to
the best of  Buyer's  knowledge,  threatened,  action or  proceeding  before any
court,  governmental  agency or arbitrator  which will or could adversely affect
Buyer's ability to perform this Agreement and/or the ancillary agreements or the
transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby.

          6.  Termination of Agreement.

          6.1 Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated at or prior to the
Closing:

             (a) by mutual agreement of Buyer and Seller;

             (b) by the Seller by written  notice  stating the reasons  therefor
(provided that the Seller is not then in material breach of any  representation,
warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein) if there shall have been
a  material  breach  of  any  of  the  covenants  or  agreements  or  any of the
representations  or  warranties  contained in this  Agreement on the part of the
Buyer,  which  breach is either  not cured by the  earlier  of (a) 30 days after
receipt of such notice or (b) the Closing  Date,  or which cannot be cured prior
to the Closing Date; provided, however, that the Seller shall not have the right
to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this subsection because of the breach of
any representation or warranty unless such breach,  together with all such other
breaches,   would  entitle  the  Seller  not  to  consummate  the   transactions
contemplated hereby under Section 8.1(a);

             (c) by the Buyer by written  notice  stating the  reasons  therefor
(provided that the Buyer is not then in material  breach of any  representation,
warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein) if there shall have been
a  material  breach  of  any  of  the  covenants  or  agreements  or  any of the
representations  or  warranties  contained in this  Agreement on the part of the
Seller,  which  breach is either  not cured by the  earlier of (a) 30 days after
receipt of such notice or (b) the Closing  Date,  or which cannot be cured prior
to the Closing Date; provided,  however, that the Buyer shall not have the right
to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this subsection because of the breach of
any representation or warranty unless such breach,  together with all such other
breaches,   would  entitle  the  Buyer  not  to  consummate   the   transactions
contemplated hereby under Section 7.1(a).

          6.2 Effect of  Termination.  Each party's rights of termination  under
Section 6.1 is in addition to any other rights it may have under this  Agreement
or otherwise and the exercise of a right of termination  will not be an election
of remedies.  Upon any  termination of this  Agreement,  all  obligations of the
parties hereto shall cease, other than under Section 2.4 and this Section 6, and
this  Agreement  shall be void  and  without  recourse  to the  parties  hereto;
provided, however, that nothing in this Section 6.2 shall relieve any party from
liability for any breach of this Agreement  occurring  before such  termination.
Upon any termination of this Agreement, Buyer shall pay to Seller (i) the amount
of the Deferred  Payments set forth on Schedule 2.3, Item 1, calculated  through
the termination  date,  (ii)  restitution for actual damage caused to the Assets
(which  shall  not  include  any  damages  for any  ordinary  wear  and  tear or
consequential,  incidental, exemplary or other damages), (iii) payment of unpaid
rent and unpaid operating costs for the premises being occupied by Buyer for the
period beginning March 1, 1999 through the date of termination; and (iv) if such
termination is not resulting from Seller's  non-performance or from the material
breach  by  Seller  of  any  of  its  covenants  or  agreements  or  any  of its
representations or warranties  contained in this Agreement,  $25,000 for Buyer's
Prior Use. Upon any termination, the Deposit will be returned to the Buyer, less
moneys,  if  any,  due to the  Seller  pursuant  to  the  immediately  preceding
sentence,  which  moneys,  upon joint  notice  from Buyer and  Seller,  shall be
transferred from the Escrow Account by Escrow Agent to Seller.

          7.  Buyer's Closing Requirements.

          7.1 Buyer Closing Conditions. The obligations of Buyer hereunder shall
be  subject  to the  fulfillment  prior  to or at the  Closing,  of  each of the
following conditions (any or all of which may be waived, in writing, by Buyer in
its sole discretion):

             (a) The  representations  and  warranties  made by  Seller  in this
Agreement  shall be true and correct in all  material  respects on and as of the
date of the Closing  (except  for changes  contemplated  by this  Agreement  and
except for those  representations and warranties that address matters only as of
a particular  date,  which shall  remain true and correct as of such  particular
date)  with the same  force  and  effect  as  though  such  representations  and
warranties  had been made on and as of the Closing  Date,  and Seller shall have
performed   and  complied   with  in  all  material   respects  all   covenants,
undertakings,  obligations  and  conditions  required  by this  Agreement  to be
performed or complied  with by Seller at or prior to the  Closing.  Seller shall
have  delivered to Buyer a  certificate  dated the Closing Date  executed by the
President or a Vice President of Seller to such effect.

             (b) The novation of the BT Agreement,  in the form attached  hereto
as Schedule  7.2(f),  shall have been duly  executed  and  delivered  by British
Telecommunications PLC.

          7.2 Buyer Closing Documents.  At the Closing,  Seller shall deliver to
Buyer the following documents:

             (a) A certificate,  dated as of the Closing Date,  duly executed by
the Seller's Secretary,  certifying as to (i) the signing authority,  incumbency
and  specimen  signature  of the  signatory  of this  Agreement  and  the  other
documents  signed on  behalf of the  Seller  in  connection  herewith,  (ii) the
resolutions  adopted  by the  Board  of  Directors  of  Seller  authorizing  and
approving the  execution,  delivery and  performance  of this  Agreement and the
other  documents  executed in connection  herewith and the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby and stating that such resolutions
have not been modified,  amended,  revoked or rescinded and remain in full force
and effect, and (iii) the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of Seller.

             (b) A recently dated legal existence and good standing  certificate
issued by the Secretary of State of Delaware.

             (c) A recently dated  certificate of Seller's  qualification  to do
business  in  Massachusetts  issued  by the  Secretary  of the  Commonwealth  of
Massachusetts.

             (d) The Bill of Sale and the Patent and Trademark Assignments, duly
executed by Seller,  each in the form  attached  hereto as Exhibits A-1, A-2 and
A-3, respectively.

             (e) An  assignment,  duly  executed by Seller,  of Seller's  right,
title and interest in and to all assignable  guarantees and warranties,  if any,
issued in  connection  with the Assets,  together with the original of each such
guaranty  or  warranty,  if such  original  is in the  possession  or control of
Seller.

             (f) The novation of the BT Agreement  duly  executed by Seller,  in
the form attached hereto as Schedule 7.2(f).

             (g) A Non-Disturbance  Agreement,  duly executed by BankBoston,  in
the form attached hereto as Schedule 7.2(g).

             (h)  The   original   of   each   certificate,   license,   permit,
authorization and approval required by law with respect to the Assets and issued
by any governmental  authority having  jurisdiction,  the absence of which would
have a material  adverse effect on the operation of the Business,  together with
an  assignment  thereof,  duly  executed  by  Seller,  if any of  the  same  are
assignable.

             (i) All files and records relating to the continuing  operation and
maintenance of the Assets.

             (j) All books and records  relating to or constituting  part of the
Business Assets.

             (k) Such  other  informational  instruments,  documents  and  other
materials in the  possession of Seller as may be necessary or desirable  for, or
incidental to, the  consummation  of the sale provided for herein,  as Buyer may
reasonably  request,  provided however that Seller shall not be required to give
any  indemnities  or undertake  any  obligation  not  specifically  contemplated
herein.

             (l)  Instruments,  in form and substance  reasonably  acceptable to
Buyer,  releasing or sufficient  to release the Assets from all liens,  charges,
pledges,  security interests and other encumbrances,  including, but not limited
to, the Liens.

          8.  Seller's Closing Requirements.

          8.1 Seller Closing  Conditions.  The  obligations of Seller  hereunder
shall be subject to the  fulfillment  prior to or at the  Closing of each of the
following conditions (any or all of which may be waived in writing by the Seller
in its sole discretion):

             (a)  The  representations  and  warranties  made by  Buyer  in this
Agreement  shall be true and correct in all  material  respects on and as of the
date of the Closing  (except  for changes  contemplated  by this  Agreement  and
except for those  representations and warranties that address matters only as of
a particular  date,  which remain true and correct as of such  particular  date)
with the same force and effect as though such representations and warranties had
been made on and as of the  Closing  Date,  and Buyer shall have  performed  and
complied with in all material respects all covenants, undertakings,  obligations
and  conditions  required by this  Agreement to be performed or complied with by
Buyer  prior to or at the  Closing.  Buyer  shall  have  delivered  to  Seller a
certificate  dated the Closing  Date  executed by the Buyer's  President to such
effect.  (b) The novation of the BT Agreement,  in the form  attached  hereto as
Schedule  7.2(f),  shall  have been  duly  executed  and  delivered  by  British
Telecommunications PLC.

          8.2 Seller Closing Documents.  At the Closing, Buyer shall deliver the
following to Seller (unless otherwise indicated):

             (a) The Purchase Price to Seller or BankBoston.

             (b) A  certificate,  dated the Closing  Date,  duly executed by its
Secretary  certifying as to (i) the signing  authority,  incumbency and specimen
signature of the signatory of this Agreement and the other  documents  signed on
behalf of such entity in connection herewith and (ii) the resolutions adopted by
the sole Director of Buyer  authorizing the execution,  delivery and performance
of this  Agreement  and the documents  executed in  connection  herewith and the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby and stating
that such resolutions have not been modified,  amended, revoked or rescinded and
remain in full force and effect,  and (iii) the Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws of Buyer.

             (c) A recently dated legal existence and good standing  certificate
issued by the Secretary of State of Delaware.

             (d) A recently  dated  certificate of Buyer's  qualification  to do
business  in  Massachusetts  issued  by the  Secretary  of the  Commonwealth  of
Massachusetts.

             (e) The  instrument of Assumption of  Liabilities  duly executed by
Buyer in the form attached hereto as Schedule 1.4.

             (f) The novation of the BT Agreement,  duly  executed by Buyer,  in
the form attached hereto as Schedule 7.2(f).

             (g) All amounts due to Seller for rent during the period of Buyer's
Prior Use.

          9.  Closing  Costs.  The  cost  and  expense  of  or  related  to  any
documentary,  transfer or sales tax payable in  connection  with the delivery of
any instrument or document  provided in or contemplated  by this Agreement,  and
the cost of recording any discharges or other documents necessary to comply with
Seller's  obligations  hereunder,  shall be paid by Seller. Each party shall pay
its own  attorneys'  fees  and  other  costs  incurred  in  connection  with the
transactions contemplated hereby.

          10.  Seller's  Performance.  The  acceptance of the  certificates  and
documents to be delivered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement by Seller
to Buyer at the Closing shall be deemed to be a full  performance  and discharge
of every agreement and obligation on the part of Seller to be performed pursuant
to the provisions of this Agreement,  except those which are herein specifically
stated to survive the Closing.

          11. Failure to Perform.

             (a) If Seller is unable to give title or deliver  possession of the
Assets,  all as herein  stipulated,  or if, at the  Closing,  the  Assets do not
conform with the provisions hereof or any other condition to Buyer's  obligation
to purchase  the Assets is not  satisfied,  then Seller shall use its good faith
efforts  and due  diligence  to  remove  any  defects  in  title  or to  deliver
possession as provided  herein or to make the Assets  conform to the  provisions
hereof  or to  satisfy  such  closing  conditions,  as the case may be,  and the
Closing Date, at Buyer's option, shall be postponed for a period of up to thirty
(30) days. If at the expiration of the extended time Seller shall have failed to
remove such defects, deliver possession or make the Assets conform or to satisfy
such closing  conditions,  as the case may be, then subject to the provisions of
subsections  (b) and (c)  below,  this  Agreement  may be  terminated  by Buyer,
whereupon the Deposit  shall be forthwith  repaid in full to Buyer and all other
obligations of the parties  hereto shall cease and this Agreement  shall be void
and without recourse to the parties hereto.

             (b) Buyer shall have the election, without waiving any other rights
it may have, at either the original or any extended time for Closing,  to accept
such title as Seller can  deliver to the Assets or to accept the Assets in their
then  condition or to waive any other  obligation  of Seller and to pay therefor
the full Purchase Price without  deduction,  in which case Seller shall transfer
such title;  provided,  however, that Buyer may use the Deposit to terminate any
and all liens on the  Assets  held by  BankBoston,  as  provided  in  BankBoston
Letter.

             (c) In the  event  of a  breach  of  any  of  Seller's  agreements,
representations  or warranties under this Agreement,  Buyer shall be entitled to
all  of its  rights  and  remedies  under  applicable  law,  including,  without
limitation the right to specific performance of this Agreement.

          12. Certain Additional Covenants

             (a) Access  to  Information.  Seller  shall  give  Buyer  and  its
representatives,  upon reasonable  prior notice to Seller,  access during normal
business  hours to the  facilities,  properties,  books,  financial  statements,
records, directors, officers, employees and agents of Seller with respect to the
Assets and shall  permit Buyer to confirm  with  contractual  partners and other
third  parties the title to any Assets.  Seller shall  furnish to Buyer all such
reasonable  information  concerning  the  Business or the Assets as Buyer or its
representatives may reasonably request.

             (b) Covenant of Further  Assurances.  Seller shall, at any time and
from time to time after the Closing, execute,  acknowledge, seal and deliver all
such  instruments and documents,  and do all such further  things,  as Buyer may
reasonably  request to perfect the transfer and delivery to Buyer of any and all
of the Assets or to  transfer  to or  otherwise  obtain  for Buyer any  consent,
license,  permit,  registration or approval necessary or desirable to accomplish
the purchase of the Assets or to enable Buyer, fully and without restriction, to
use the Assets.

             (c) Buyer Patent Covenant. Buyer shall make commercially reasonable
efforts to maintain all of the patents, including the payment of all maintenance
fees, until the end of the Deferred Payment Period.

             (d) BT Royalty Payments.  Seller shall be responsible for and shall
pay all royalty payments due to BT for sales made prior to December 15, 1998. In
accordance with the Novation of the BT Agreement, the Buyer shall be responsible
for and shall pay all royalty payments due to BT after December 15, 1998.

          13. Notices. Any notice pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be delivered by hand, by facsimile transmission with receipt confirmed
by telephone or automatic  transmission  report, sent by registered or certified
mail,  send by the  registered  or  certified  mail,  return-receipt  requested,
postage prepaid or by Federal Express or other recognized  commercial  overnight
courier, addressed as follows:


         If to Seller to:           Galileo Corporation
                                    P.O. Box 550
                                    Galileo Park
                                    Sturbridge, MA  01566
                                    Attention: Josef W. Rokus, Vice President
                                    Fax:  (617) 347-2270

         With copies to:            Palmer & Dodge LLP
                                    One Beacon Street
                                    Boston, Massachusetts  02108
                                    Attention:  David R. Pokross Jr., Esquire
                                    Fax: (617) 227-4420

         If to Buyer to:            Dr. Valentin Gapontsev
                                    IPG Laser GmbH
                                    Siemensstrasse 7,
                                    Burbach
                                    D-57299 Germany
                                    Fax:

         and to:                    Mr. Peter Mammen
                                    14 Fitzgerald Park
                                    Seaford, East Sussex BN25 1AX
                                    United Kingdom

         With copies to:            Foley, Hoag & Eliot LLP
                                    One Post Office Square
                                    Boston, MA  02109
                                    Attention:  Brandon F. White,  Esquire
                                    Fax: (617) 832 7000

                                    and

                                    IPG Photonics Corporation
                                    660 Main Street, P. O. Box 519
                                    Sturbridge, MA 01566
                                    Attention: Mr. David Hardwick
                                    Fax:

          Notice  shall be  deemed  effective  on the date of  receipt  thereof.
Either  party may from time to time change the  address to which  notices may be
sent by giving the other party notice of such change in accordance herewith.

          14.  Indemnification.

          14.1 By Seller.  Seller hereby agrees to defend,  indemnify,  and hold
harmless Buyer and its officers,  directors,  employees,  agents, successors and
assigns from and against any and all liability,  loss, cost, damage,  penalties,
fines,  expenses and causes of action,  including  but not limited to,  personal
injury,  property  damage,  damage  to  natural  resources,  investigation,  and
reasonable attorneys' and consultants' fees and disbursements ("Losses") arising
from or relating to:

             (a)  any  breach  of  Seller's   representations,   warranties,  or
covenants contained in this Agreement or made in any document delivered pursuant
to this Agreement;

             (b) any claim,  action or  proceeding  asserted or brought  against
Buyer which arises in whole or in part out of, or in connection  with,  Seller's
conduct of the Business before or after the Closing;

             (c) any claim, action or proceeding asserted or brought against the
Buyer which arises out of, or in connection with,  Seller's failure to pay, when
due, any amount owing with respect to Seller's conduct of the Business or use of
Assets prior to the Closing (other than the Assumed Liabilities, if any);

             (d) any claim, action or proceeding asserted or brought against the
Buyer  asserting  that the  manufacture,  sale or use of  Products  (as  defined
herein) infringes U.S. Patent No. 5,309,452 identified on Schedule 5.1(e), up to
the total amount of $250,000 for all losses under this Section 14.1(d).  For the
purposes  of this  Section  14.1(d),  "Products"  shall  mean (i)  single  stage
amplifiers  using  Praseodymium  (Pr3+)  dopant in an  optical  fiber  producing
optical gain within  wavelength range 1.25 to 1.34 microns such as the FluoroAmp
1310P,  (ii) multi stage amplifiers using  Praseodymium  (Pr3+) dopant within an
optical fiber such as the FluoroAmp  1310,  (iii)  broadband light sources using
amplified  spontaneous  emission from  Praseodymium  (Pr3+) dopant in an optical
fiber producing  light within the wavelength  range 1.25 to 1.34 microns such as
the FluoroLight,  (iv) tunable and fixed laser light sources using  Praseodymium
(Pr3+) dopant in an optical fiber  producing  light within the wavelength  range
1.25 to 1.34  microns,  and (v) all  modified  and  substituted  versions of (i)
through  (iv)  above  that  incorporate,  rely on or are  based  upon any of the
Intellectual Property.

             (e) any claim, action or proceeding asserted or brought against the
Buyer which arises out of, or in connection with,  Seller's failure to pay, when
due, any Tax, fee or other charge assessed against Seller which shall become due
or shall have accrued (i) on account of Seller's use,  acquisition  or ownership
of any of the Assets or (ii) on account of the transactions contemplated hereby.

          14.2 By Buyer.  Buyer agrees to defend,  indemnify  and hold  harmless
Seller and its officers,  directors,  employees,  agents, successors and assigns
from and against any and all Losses arising from or relating to:

              (a) any breach of Buyer's covenants, warranties or representations
contained in this Agreement or made in any document  delivered  pursuant to this
Agreement;

              (b) any claim, action or  proceeding  asserted or brought  against
Seller which arises in whole or in part out of, or in connection  with,  Buyer's
conduct of the Business before or after the Closing;

             (c) any claim, action or proceeding asserted or brought against the
Seller which arises out of, or in connection with,  Buyer's failure to pay, when
due, any amount owing with respect to Buyer's  conduct of the Business before or
after the Closing or use of the Assets after the Closing or during Buyer's Prior
Use;

             (d) any claim, action or proceeding asserted or brought against the
Seller which arises out of, or in connection with,  Buyer's failure to pay, when
due, any Tax, fee or other charge assessed  against Buyer which shall become due
or shall have accrued on account of Buyer's use, acquisition or ownership of any
of the Assets.

          14.3  Survival.  Any claim  alleging  (i) that any  representation  or
warranty  contained in this  Agreement or any document  delivered in  connection
with the  transactions  contemplated  hereby was false  when  made,  or (ii) the
breach  of any  representation  or  warranty  or  agreement  contained  in  this
Agreement  or  any  document  delivered  in  connection  with  the  transactions
contemplated hereby, or (iii) any right of indemnification under this Section 14
shall be brought  within  two (2) years  after the  Closing  Date,  except  that
Seller's indemnification obligation pursuant to Section 14.1(d) shall be brought
within five (5) years after the Closing Date.

          14.4  Claims for Indemnification.  Whenever  any claim shall arise for
indemnification  hereunder  with  respect to a liability or  obligation  owed or
asserted to be owed to a third party,  the party  seeking  indemnification  (the
"Indemnified  Party") shall promptly  notify (in accordance with Section 13) the
party from whom  indemnification  is sought  (the  "Indemnifying  Party") of the
claim  and,  when  known,  the facts  constituting  the  basis  for such  claim;
provided,  however,  that no  delay  on the  part of the  Indemnified  Party  in
notifying the Indemnifying  Party shall relieve the Indemnifying  Party from any
liability  or  obligation  hereunder  except  to the  extent  of any  damage  or
liability caused by or arising out of such failure (except that the Indemnifying
Party shall not be liable for any expenses,  including attorneys' fees, incurred
during the period in which the Indemnified Party failed to give such notice). In
the event of any such claim for  indemnification  hereunder resulting from or in
connection with any claim or legal  proceedings by a third party,  the notice to
the Indemnifying Party shall specify, if known, the amount or an estimate of the
amount of the  liability  arising  therefrom.  The  Indemnified  Party shall not
settle  or  compromise  any  claim by a third  party  for  which  it is  seeking
indemnification  hereunder without the prior written consent of the Indemnifying
Party (which shall not be unreasonably withheld).

          14.5  Defense by the Indemnifying  Party. In connection with any claim
for  indemnification  hereunder  resulting  from or arising  out of any claim or
legal proceeding by a third party,  the Indemnifying  Party at its sole cost and
expense may, upon written  notice to the  Indemnified  Party given within twenty
(20) days after the date of the notice of the claim from the  Indemnified  Party
pursuant to Section 14.4,  assume the defense of such claim or legal proceeding.
If the Indemnifying  Party so assumes such defense,  the Indemnified Party shall
be entitled to participate  in (but not control) such defense,  with its counsel
and at its own expense.  In addition,  if the Indemnifying Party so assumes such
defense, it shall take all steps necessary in the defense or settlement thereof;
provided,  however,  that  the  Indemnifying  Party  shall  not  consent  to any
settlement  or to the entry of any  judgment  with  respect  to a claim or legal
proceeding  which does not include a complete  release of the Indemnified  Party
from all  liability  with respect  thereto or which imposes any liability on the
Indemnified  Party without the written consent of the Indemnified  Party. If the
Indemnifying  Party  does not  assume  the  defense  of any such  claim or legal
proceeding,  the  Indemnified  Party  may  defend  against  such  claim or legal
proceeding (with the Indemnifying  Party responsible for the reasonable fees and
expenses  of counsel  for the  Indemnified  Party) in such manner as it may deem
appropriate,  and the  Indemnifying  Party shall be entitled to participate (but
not  control)  the  defense  of such  action,  with its  counsel  and at its own
expense.

          14.6  Limitation. The  indemnification  provided for in this Agreement
shall not apply unless and until the aggregate  Losses for which the Indemnified
Party seeks  indemnification (a) with respect to claims solely between Buyer and
Seller, exceeds $15,000,  exclusive of legal fees; and (b) with respect to third
party claims,  exceeds or is reasonably expected to exceed,  $15,000,  including
legal fees; when either case (a) or (b) applies,  the Indemnifying Party will be
liable for all Losses  (including  amounts  less than  $15,000),  except as such
liability is limited by Section 14.1(d) hereof.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,
(i) the maximum  liability of the  Indemnifying  Party to the Indemnified  Party
shall not exceed the Purchase  Price and (ii) the Losses shall be reduced by (A)
any tax benefit received by the Indemnified Party in connection with such Losses
and (B) any insurance proceeds received by the Indemnified Party with respect to
such  Losses.  No party shall be liable for any  special,  exemplary,  indirect,
reliance,  incidental, or consequential damages, including,  without limitation,
loss of profits,  even if the Indemnifying  Party was advised of the possibility
of such damages.  No party shall have a right to recovery  against any party (or
any  officer,  director,  employee or agent of a party)  other than  through the
exercise of the indemnification rights set forth in this Section 14, which shall
constitute  the sole and exclusive  remedy after the Closing Date for any breach
by a party of any  representation,  warranty,  covenant or  agreement  contained
herein or in any certificate or other instrument delivered pursuant hereto.

          15.  Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  sets  forth all of the prior
promises,  representations,  agreements, conditions and understandings,  whether
oral  or  written,   between   the   parties   and  there  exist  no   promises,
representations,  agreements,  conditions or understandings  which have not been
expressed  herein with  respect to the subject  matter  hereof.  This  Agreement
cannot be changed orally, and no agreement shall be effective to waive, amend or
modify this Agreement or any provision  hereof, or discharge either party hereto
in whole or in part,  unless  such  agreement  is in writing  and signed by both
parties.

          16. Binding Effect.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and
be binding upon, the parties hereto and their respective legal  representatives,
successors  and assigns and upon any  successor or assign of the Business or the
Assets.

          17.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed in any number of
counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to be an original  and all of which
together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement.

          18.  Schedules.  All Schedules  annexed  hereto and referred to herein
shall constitute part of this Agreement.

          19.  Governing  Law. This  Agreement  shall be construed in accordance
with the substantive laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provided that if
the  principles of conflict of laws would apply the  substantive  law of another
jurisdiction, the substantive law of Massachusetts will be applied nevertheless.

          IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have duly  executed  this
Agreement, under seal, as of the day and year first above written.

                                       GALILEO CORPORATION



                                       By:  /s/ Josef W. Rokus
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:   Josef W. Rokus
                                            Title:  Vice President


                                       IPG PHOTONICS CORPORATION



                                        By: /s/ Valentin P. Gapontsev
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:   Dr. Valentin P. Gapontsev
                                            Title:  President

For the purposes of Section 2.4 only:

FOLEY, HOAG & ELIOT LLP,
as ESCROW AGENT



By: /s/ Paul R. Murphy
    ---------------------------------
     A Partner


<PAGE>




                          Schedule of Omitted Exhibits


Schedule A - Business Assets
             Appendix A-1 - Machinery and Equipment
             Appendix A-2 - Furniture
             Appendix A-3 - Inventory
             Appendix A-4 - Computer Software

Schedule B - Intellectual Property
             Exhibit B-1  - Patents & Foreign Patent Applications
             Appendix B-2 - Trademarks
             Exhibit B-3  - Third Party License Agreements
             Exhibit B-4  - British Telecommunications PLC License Agreement
             Exhibit B-5  - Employee Agreements

Schedule 1.2    - Assumed Liabilities
Schedule 1.4    - Form of Assumption of Liabilities
Schedule 2.3    - Deferred Payments
Schedule 3      - BankBoston Letter Agreement
Schedule 5.1(b) - Liens and Encumbrances
Schedule 5.1(e) - Rights in Intellectual Property;  Disclaimers and Limitations
Schedule 5.1(f) - Contracts
Schedule 5.1(g) - Year 2000 Compliance  Exceptions
Schedule 5.1(j) - Violation  of Laws
Schedule 5.1(n) - Tax  Matters
Schedule 7.2(f) - BT  Novation  Agreement
Schedule 7.2(g) - Non-Disturbance  Agreement

Exhibit  A-1    - Form  of Bill of Sale
Exhibit  A-2    - Form of  Patent  Assignment
Exhibit  A-3    - Form of Trademark Assignment





                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1



Contact:  Josef W. Rokus, Vice President -- 508-347-4347



                     Galileo Corporation Announces Sale of
           Its Scientific Detector Products Business and Other Assets

Sturbridge,  Massachusetts,  July 1, 1999 - Galileo Corporation (NASDAQ National
Market:  GAEO) today announced that it has sold its Scientific Detector Products
Business to BURLE  INDUSTRIES,  INC. of Lancaster,  Pennsylvania.  This business
includes   microchannel   plates,   Channeltron(R)   single  channel  detectors,
microchannel   plate-based   detectors,    flexible   fiberoptics   lightguides,
glass-coated wire, and remote spectroscopy products. BURLE is a leading supplier
of electronic  tubes,  including  photomultipliers  and silicon  target  imaging
devices as well as power tubes and cavities. BURLE plans to operate the business
at its  present  location  in  Sturbridge,  Massachusetts.  Separately,  Galileo
announced  that it has also  sold  certain  manufacturing  assets  related  to a
previously  discontinued  business to IPG Photonics  Corporation  of Sturbridge,
Massachusetts.  IPG Photonics, a part of the IP Group which is based in Burbach,
Germany,  is a supplier of optical fiber  amplifiers and lasers for applications
in  telecommunications,  laser  material  processing,  product  coding  and  the
printing industry. The Company has applied the proceeds from these transactions,
aggregating  approximately  $8.5  million,  to the  repayment  of the  Company's
indebtedness  under its revolving  credit  agreement,  reducing the  outstanding
balance  thereunder  to below $6 million,  as  required.  Gerhard R.  Andlinger,
Galileo's  Chairman of the Board,  said,  "The sales of our Scientific  Detector
Products Business and the other assets are key steps in our strategy of focusing
our Company on those  businesses  which we believe  provide  the best  long-term
growth  opportunities for Galileo. We are particularly pleased that we were able
to sell the Scientific Detector Products Business to BURLE INDUSTRIES because of
BURLE's long  involvement in many of the same markets.  We believe that the sale
will  benefit  our  customers,   employees  and   suppliers,   as  well  as  our
shareholders,   and  we  will  work  closely  with  BURLE  to  ensure  a  smooth
transition."




                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2






Contact:  Josef W. Rokus, Vice President - 508-347-4347


                     GALILEO CORP. ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF
                             GERHARD R. ANDLINGER AS
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


Sturbridge,  MA, July 6, 1999 -- Galileo  Corporation  (NASDAQ  National Market:
GAEO) today  announced that Gerhard R.  Andlinger,  Chairman of the Board of the
Company,  has assumed the  additional  titles of President  and Chief  Executive
Officer, succeeding W. Kip Speyer who has resigned from those positions and as a
Director of the Company.

John D. Barlow,  48, most  recently  President of Ethox  Corp.,  Buffalo,  NY, a
business affiliated with Andlinger & Company, has been named President and Chief
Executive Officer of Galileo's Leisegang Medical,  Inc.  subsidiary,  succeeding
Mr.  Speyer who  resigned  from  those  positions  as well.  Ethox  Corp.,  with
approximately  $20 million in annual  sales,  is engaged in the  manufacture  of
plastic disposable medical devices and provides ethylene oxide sterilization and
microbiological/chemistry  laboratory testing services. Mr. Barlow has more than
twenty years experience in the pharmaceutical  and medical device  manufacturing
and  distribution  industries  and is a seasoned  operating  executive.  He is a
graduate of the  University  of Michigan and holds an MBA from Eastern  Michigan
University.

Gerhard R. Andlinger,  Chairman of Galileo since January, 1999 when an affiliate
of his closely held investment and management firm,  Andlinger & Company,  Inc.,
invested in 2 million shares of Galileo  Corporation  with options to acquire an
additional 2 million shares, has an extensive background in  telecommunications,
both in operating and  equipment  manufacturing  companies,  having served as an
Executive  Vice  President of ITT  Corporation,  and President of its ITT Europe
subsidiary.  Mr. Andlinger is a graduate of Princeton University and the Harvard
Business School. He is recognized as an accomplished  turnaround manager and has
previously  managed and taken public  Esterline  Technologies  Corp.  and Anitec
Image Technology Corp.

Mr.  Andlinger  commented:  "With the addition of an executive of John  Barlow's
background  and  experience  with  our  operating   policies  and  standards  of
performance  to Galileo's  female health care business;  the recently  announced
recruitment  of Ralf Faber (See press  release dated June 21, 1999) as President
and CEO of Galileo's  Optical  Filter  Corporation  subsidiary;  and the earlier
addition  of Thomas J.  Mathews  as Vice  President,  Finance  and CFO,  Galileo
Corporation  (See press release dated  February 24, 1999),  we have achieved our
first  priority:  namely,  the  building  of an  experienced,  hard  hitting and
cohesive  top  management  team which can propel  Galileo  into its well defined
future."

"Our second priority,  strengthening Galileo's balance sheet and liquidity which
was initially addressed with our January equity investment, was further realized
with last weeks' announcement (See press release dated July 1, 1999) of the sale
of  nonstrategic  assets in the amount of $8.5 million,  the proceeds from which
have reduced the Company's debt to  approximately  $1.1 million.  Our materially
strengthened  financial  position  should  enable us to  continue  making  major
research and capital commitments in the rapidly growing area of Dense Wavelength
Division Multiplex (DWDM) filters for the telecommunications industry."

This  press  release  includes  forward-looking   statements  concerning  growth
opportunities  for the company  and other  aspects of future  operations.  These
forward-looking  statements  are based on  certain  underlying  assumptions  and
expectations  of  management.  As such,  these  forward-looking  statements  are
subject to risks and  uncertainties  which could cause actual  results to differ
materially from the  forward-looking  statements included in this press release.
For additional  information on those factors which could affect actual  results,
please refer to the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  September 30,
1998.



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