LUKENS MEDICAL CORP
8-K, 1998-05-05
SURGICAL & MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & APPARATUS
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       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):     April 29, 1998

                           Lukens Medical Corporation
                           --------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

   Delaware                         1-11109                 22-2429965
   --------                         -------                 ----------
(State or other                 (Commission File         (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of                 Number)                  Identification
incorporation)                                           Number)

3820 Academy Parkway North, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico           87109
- -------------------------------------------------------           -----
     (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:    (505) 342-9638
                                                       -------------




          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




                  Exhibit Index on Sequentially Numbered Page 4


<PAGE>



                      INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN REPORT


Item 5.  Other Events.

     On April 29,  1998,  the  Registrant  announced  that on April 28,  1998 it
entered  into an  Agreement  and Plan of Merger  with  London-based  Medisys PLC
("Medisys"),  pursuant to which Medisys would  acquire the  Registrant,  and the
stockholders  of the Registrant  would receive $4.00, in cash, for each share of
Common Stock of the Registrant.  The  consummation of the merger is subject to a
number of conditions, including without limitation, approval by the stockholders
of the  Registrant,  satisfactory  completion  of due  diligence and securing of
financing by Medisys  sufficient to consummate  the merger and the  transactions
contemplated thereby. The merger is expected to close this summer.

     Medisys  also  recently  purchased  75,000  shares of Common Stock from the
Registrant  for  $4.00  per  share  in cash in  private  transactions  with  the
Registrant.

     As part of the Merger  Agreement,  the outside  directors of the Registrant
agreed to vote their shares in favor of the Merger at the special  meeting to be
called to approve the  transaction.  These outside  directors  collectively  own
approximately  29% of the outstanding  shares of Common Stock of the Registrant.
Additionally, in connection with the Merger, Medisys has agreed to repay certain
outstanding  loans due from the  Company to two of its outside  directors  in an
aggregate  principal  amount  equal to $2.3  million  (plus  accrued  but unpaid
interest), by payment of cash and $1.0 million worth of Medisys ordinary shares.
In the event of a termination of the Merger Agreement  directly or indirectly as
a result of an alternative  acquisition proposal being made, or the Registrant's
failure to obtain stockholder approval,  the Registrant may be required to pay a
break-up fee to Medisys in the amount of $500,000.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

          (c)  Exhibits

               2.1  Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of April 28,  1998,
                    among Medisys PLC, LMC Acquisition  Corp. and Lukens Medical
                    Corporation



                                        2

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES


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

                                             LUKENS MEDICAL CORPORATION
                                                     (Registrant)


                                             By:   /s/ Robert S. Huffstodt
                                                --------------------------------
                                                  Robert S. Huffstodt, President
                                                  and Chief Executive Officer





Dated:   May 1, 1998




                                        3

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



                                                                    Sequentially
         Exhibit                                                   Numbered Page
         -------                                                   -------------

2.1  Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of April 28, 1998,         5
     among Medisys PLC, LMC Acquisition Corp. and Lukens Medical
     Corporation





                                4





                                                                     Exhibit 2.1









                               AGREEMENT AND PLAN
                                    OF MERGER
                                   DATED AS OF
                                 APRIL 28, 1998
                                      AMONG
                                   MEDISYS PLC
                              LMC ACQUISITION CORP.
                                       AND
                           LUKENS MEDICAL CORPORATION




<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLE I.  THE MERGER.........................................................1
         Section 1.1.  The Merger..............................................1
         Section 1.2.  Effective Date of the Merger............................1

ARTICLE II. SURVIVING CORPORATION..............................................1
         Section 2.1.  Certificate of Incorporation............................1
         Section 2.2.  By-Laws.................................................2
         Section 2.3.  Board of Directors; Officers............................2
         Section 2.4.  Effects of Merger.......................................2

ARTICLE III.  CONVERSION OF SHARES; OTHER SECURITIES...........................2
         Section 3.1.  Merger Consideration....................................2

ARTICLE IV.  PAYMENT PROCEDURES; MECHANICS OF THE MERGER.......................3
         Section 4.1.  Payment Procedures......................................3
         Section 4.2.  Dissenting Shares.......................................4
         Section 4.3.  Stock Options...........................................5
         Section 4.4.  Stockholders' Meetings..................................5
         Section 4.5.  Closing of the Company's Transfer Books.................6
         Section 4.6.  Assistance in Consummation of Merger....................6
         Section 4.7.  Closing.................................................6



<PAGE>



ARTICLE V.  REPRESENTAIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT............................6
         Section 5.1.  Organization and Qualification..........................6
         Section 5.2.  Authority Relative to this Agreement....................6
         Section 5.3.  Parent Action...........................................7
         Section 5.4.  Financial Advisor.......................................7
         Section 5.5.  Information.............................................7
         Section 5.6.  Financing...............................................8
         Section 5.7.  Litigation..............................................8

ARTICLE VI.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.....................8
         Section 6.1.  Organization and Qualification..........................8
         Section 6.2.  Capitalization..........................................8
         Section 6.3.  Subsidiaries............................................9
         Section 6.4.  Authority Relative to this Agreement....................9
         Section 6.5.  Reports and Financial Statements.......................10
         Section 6.6.  Absence of Certain Changes or Events...................11
         Section 6.7.  Litigation.............................................11
         Section 6.8.  Employee Benefit Plans.................................12
         Section 6.9.  Labor Matters..........................................14
         Section 6.10. Company Action.........................................14
         Section 6.11. Compliance with Applicable Laws........................15
         Section 6.12. Liabilities............................................15
         Section 6.13. Taxes..................................................15



<PAGE>



         Section 6.14. Certain Agreements.....................................15
         Section 6.15. Patents, Trademarks, Etc...............................16
         Section 6.16. No Material Adverse Effect.............................16
         Section 6.17. Products Liability.....................................17
         Section 6.18. Environmental Matters..................................17
         Section 6.19. Title to Property......................................18
         Section 6.20. Absence of Certain Business Practices..................19
         Section 6.21. Financial Advisor .....................................19

ARTICLE VII.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES REGARDING SUB....................19
         Section 7.1.  Organization...........................................19
         Section 7.2.  Capitalization.........................................19
         Section 7.3.  Authority Relative to this Agreement...................19

ARTICLE VIII.  CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER.........................20
         Section 8.1.  Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger..20

ARTICLE IX.  ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS............................................21
         Section 9.1.  Access and Information.................................21
         Section 9.2.  Proxy Statement........................................22
         Section 9.3.  Employee Matters.......................................22
         Section 9.4.  Indemnification........................................23
         Section 9.5.  Additional Agreements..................................24
         Section 9.6.  Alternative Proposals..................................24
         Section 9.7.  Advice of Changes; SEC Filings.........................25




<PAGE>



         Section 9.8.  Restructuring of Merger................................25
         Section 9.9.  Cancellation of Warrants; Repayment of Loans from
                         Affiliates...........................................25
         Section 9.10. Agreement of Principal Stockholders....................26
         Section 9.11  Fairness Opinion.......................................26

ARTICLE X.  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT..............................................26
         Section 10.1. Conditions to Each Party's Obligation to Effect the
                         Merger...............................................26
         Section 10.2. Conditions to Obligation of the Company to Effect
                         the Merger...........................................27
         Section 10.3. Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Sub to 
                         Effect the Merger....................................27

ARTICLE XI.  TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER................................28
         Section 11.1. Termination by Mutual Consent..........................28
         Section 11.2  Termination by Either Parent or the Company............28
         Section 11.3. Termination by the Company.............................29
         Section 11.4. Termination by the Parent..............................29
         Section 11.5. Effect of Termination and Abandonment..................30

ARTICLE XII.  GENERAL PROVISIONS..............................................31
         Section 12.1. Non-Survival of Representations, Warranties and
                         Agreements...........................................31
         Section 12.2. Notices................................................31
         Section 12.3. Fees and Expenses......................................32
         Section 12.4. Publicity..............................................32
         Section 12.5. Specific Performance...................................32
         Section 12.6. Assignment; Binding Effect.............................33
         Section 12.7. Entire Agreement.......................................33



<PAGE>



         Section 12.8. Amendment..............................................33
         Section 12.9. Governing Law..........................................33
         Section 12.10. Counterparts..........................................33
         Section 12.11. Headings and Table of Contents........................33
         Section 12.12.  Interpretation.......................................33
         Section 12.13.  Waivers..............................................34
         Section 12.14.  Severability.........................................34
         Section 12.15.  Subsidiaries.........................................34
         Section 12.16.  United States Dollars; Exchange Rates................34






<PAGE>



                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

     THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (the "Agreement"),  dated as of April 28,
1998, by and among Medisys PLC, a Scottish  public limited  company  ("Parent"),
LMC Acquisition  Corp., a Delaware  corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of
Parent ("Sub"),  and Lukens Medical  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  (the
"Company"):

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

     WHEREAS,  Parent and the Company desire to effect a business combination by
means of the merger of Sub with and into the Company (the "Merger"); and

     WHEREAS,  the Boards of  Directors  of  Parent,  Sub and the  Company  have
approved  the  Merger,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions  set forth
herein;

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


                                    ARTICLE I
                                   THE MERGER

     1.1 The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, on the
Effective Date (as defined in Section 1.2), Sub shall be merged into the Company
and the separate existence of Sub shall thereupon cease, and the Company, as the
corporation surviving the Merger (the "Surviving Corporation"),  shall by virtue
of the Merger  continue its corporate  existence  under the laws of the State of
Delaware.

     1.2  Effective  Date  of the  Merger.  Subject  to the  provisions  of this
Agreement, a certificate of merger (the "Certificate of Merger") in such form as
is required by the relevant  provisions of the Delaware General  Corporation Law
(the "DGCL") shall be duly prepared,  executed and acknowledged by the Surviving
Corporation  and thereafter  delivered to the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware  for filing on the date of the Closing (as defined in Section  4.1(c)).
The Merger shall become effective (the "Effective  Date") upon the filing of the
Certificate  of  Merger  or at  such  time  thereafter  as is  provided  in such
Certificate of Merger.


                                   ARTICLE II
                              SURVIVING CORPORATION

     2.1 Certificate of  Incorporation.  The Certificate of Incorporation of Sub
shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation after the
Effective  Date, and thereafter may be amended in accordance  with its terms and
as provided by law and this Agreement.



<PAGE>




     2.2 By-Laws. The By-laws of Sub as in effect on the Effective Date shall be
the  By-laws of the  Surviving  Corporation,  and  thereafter  may be amended in
accordance with its terms and as provided by law and this Agreement.

     2.3 Board of Directors; Officers. The directors of Sub immediately prior to
the Effective Date shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation,  and the
officers of the Company  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Date shall be the
officers  of the  Surviving  Corporation,  in each case until  their  respective
successors are duly elected and qualified.

     2.4  Effects of  Merger.  The Merger  shall have the  effects  set forth in
Section 259 of the DGCL.


                                   ARTICLE III
                     CONVERSION OF SHARES; OTHER SECURITIES

     3.1 Merger  Consideration.  On the Effective  Date, by virtue of the Merger
and without any action on the part of any holder of any shares of Common  Stock,
par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Company Common Stock"):

          (a) All shares of Company  Common  Stock which are held by the Company
or any  subsidiary of the Company,  and any shares of Company Common Stock owned
by Parent, Sub or any other subsidiary of Parent, shall be canceled.

          (b) Each remaining  outstanding  share of Company Common Stock,  other
than the Dissenting  Shares (as defined in Section 4.2), shall be converted into
and represent the right to receive $4.00 in cash (the "Merger Consideration") in
accordance with Section 4.1.

          (c) Each issued and outstanding share of capital stock of Sub shall be
converted into and become one fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock
of the Surviving Corporation.

          In the event of any stock  dividend,  stock  split,  reclassification,
recapitalization,  combination  or exchange of shares with respect to, or rights
issued in respect of,  Company  Common Stock after the date  hereof,  the Merger
Consideration shall be adjusted accordingly.


                                        2

<PAGE>




                                   ARTICLE IV
                   PAYMENT PROCEDURES; MECHANICS OF THE MERGER

     4.1 Payment Procedures.

          (a) Prior to the Effective Date,  Parent shall select a Payment Agent,
which  shall  be  Parent's  Transfer  Agent  or such  other  person  or  persons
designated  by Parent,  to act as Payment  Agent for the  Merger  (the  "Payment
Agent").

          (b) Promptly  after the  Effective  Date,  Parent  shall  instruct the
Payment Agent to mail to each holder of a certificate or certificates evidencing
shares of Company Common Stock (other than Dissenting  Shares)  ("Certificates")
(i) a letter of transmittal (which shall include a Substitute Form W-9 and shall
specify  that  delivery  shall be  effected,  and risk of loss and  title to the
Certificates  shall pass, only upon proper delivery of such  Certificates to the
Payment Agent) and (ii) instructions to effect the surrender of the Certificates
in exchange for the Merger  Consideration.  Each holder of Company Common Stock,
upon  surrender  to the Payment  Agent of such  holder's  Certificates  with the
letter of transmittal,  duly executed, and such other customary documents as may
be required pursuant to such  instructions,  shall be paid the amount of cash to
which such holder is  entitled,  pursuant to this  Agreement,  as payment of the
Merger   Consideration   (without  any  interest  accrued  thereon).   Until  so
surrendered,  each Certificate  shall after the Effective Date represent for all
purposes  only the right to receive the Merger  Consideration.  In the event any
Certificate  shall have been lost,  stolen or  destroyed,  upon the making of an
affidavit  of that fact by the  person  claiming  such  Certificate  to be lost,
stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving  Corporation,  the posting
by such person of a bond in such reasonable amount as the Surviving  Corporation
may  direct as  indemnity  against  any claim  that may be made  against it with
respect to such Certificate, the Payment Agent will deliver in exchange for such
lost,  stolen or  destroyed  Certificate  the  Merger  Consideration  payable in
respect thereof pursuant to this Agreement.

          (c) At the Closing of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement
(the  "Closing),  Parent shall deposit in trust with the Payment Agent,  for the
ratable  benefit of the holders of Company  Common Stock (other than  Dissenting
Shares),  the  appropriate  amount of cash to which such  holders  are  entitled
pursuant to this Agreement as payment of the Merger  Consideration (the "Payment
Fund"). The Payment Agent shall, pursuant to irrevocable instructions,  make the
payments  to the  holders  of the  Company  Common  Stock  as set  forth in this
Agreement.

          (d) If any  delivery  of the Merger  Consideration  is to be made to a
person  other than the  registered  holder of the  Certificates  surrendered  in
exchange therefor, it shall be a condition to such delivery that the Certificate
so  surrendered  shall be properly  endorsed or be  otherwise in proper form for
transfer  and that the  person  requesting  such  delivery  shall (i) pay to the
Payment Agent any transfer or other taxes required as a result of delivery to a


                                        3

<PAGE>



person other than the registered holder or (ii) establish to the satisfaction of
the Payment Agent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

          (e) Any portion of the Payment Fund that remains  undistributed to the
holders of Company  Common Stock as of the first  anniversary  of the  Effective
Date shall be delivered to Parent upon demand,  and any holder of Company Common
Stock who has not  theretofore  complied with the exchange  requirements of this
Section shall have no further claim upon the Payment Agent and shall  thereafter
look only to Parent for payment of the Merger Consideration.

          (f) If a  Certificate  has not been  surrendered  prior to the date on
which any receipt of Merger  Consideration  would otherwise escheat to or become
the property of any governmental  agency,  such Certificate shall, to the extent
permitted  by   applicable   law,  be  deemed  to  be  canceled  and  no  Merger
Consideration, money or other property will be due to the holder thereof.

          (g)  The  Payment  Agent  shall  invest  cash in the  Payment  Fund in
obligations  of or  guaranteed  by the United  States of America with  remaining
maturities not exceeding 180 days, in commercial paper obligations receiving the
highest rating from either Moody's Investors Services, Inc. or Standard & Poor's
Corporation, or in certificates of deposit or banker's acceptances of commercial
banks  with   capital   exceeding   $500   million   (collectively,   "Permitted
Investments").  The  maturities  of  Permitted  Investments  shall be such as to
permit the Payment Agent to make prompt  payment to former  stockholders  of the
Company entitled thereto as contemplated by this Section. Any interest and other
income resulting from such investments  shall be paid to Parent or as Parent may
otherwise direct.

     4.2 Dissenting Shares.

          (a)  Notwithstanding  any other  provision  of this  Agreement  to the
contrary,  shares of Company Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective  Date and which are held by holders who shall have not voted in
favor of the Merger or consented  thereto in writing and who shall have demanded
properly in writing  appraisal for such shares in accordance with Section 262 of
the  DGCL and who  shall  not have  withdrawn  such  demand  or  otherwise  have
forfeited appraisal rights (collectively,  the "Dissenting Shares") shall not be
converted into or represent the right to receive the Merger Consideration.  Such
holders  shall be entitled  to receive  payment of the  appraised  value of such
shares,  except that all Dissenting Shares held by holders who shall have failed
to  perfect or who  effectively  shall have  withdrawn  or lost their  rights to
appraisal  of such shares  under such  Section 262 shall  thereupon be deemed to
have been  converted into and to have become  exchangeable,  as of the Effective
Date,  for the right to  receive,  without  any  interest  thereon,  the  Merger
Consideration, upon surrender of the Certificates evidencing such shares.

          (b) The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any demands for
appraisal  received by the Company,  withdrawals of such demands,  and any other
instruments


                                        4

<PAGE>



served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company and (ii) the opportunity
to direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal
under the DGCL. The Company shall not,  except with the prior written consent of
Parent, make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisal,  or offer to
settle, or settle, any such demands.

     4.3 Stock Options.

          (a) The Company's stock option plan,  which is attached to Section 4.3
of the Company  Disclosure  Schedule  (as defined in Section  6.1) (the  "Option
Plan"),  and each option to acquire shares of Company  Common Stock  outstanding
immediately  prior to the Effective Date thereunder,  whether vested or unvested
(each, an "Option" and collectively,  the "Options"), shall be assumed by Parent
at the Effective Date, and each such Option shall become an option to purchase a
number of ordinary shares of Parent, par value 1p (a "Substitute Option"), equal
to the  number  of  shares  of  Company  Common  Stock  subject  to such  Option
multiplied  by the  Option  Exchange  Ratio (as  defined  below).  The per share
exercise price for each  Substitute  Option shall be the current  exercise price
per share of Company Common Stock divided by the Option Exchange Ratio, and each
Substitute  Option otherwise shall after the Effective Date be subject to all of
the other terms and conditions of the original Option to which it relates. Prior
to the Effective  Date,  the Company shall take such  additional  actions as are
reasonably necessary under the applicable  agreements and Option Plan to provide
that each outstanding Option shall, from and after the Effective Date, represent
only the right to purchase, upon exercise,  ordinary shares of Parent and Parent
shall  take such  additional  actions  as are  reasonable  and  necessary  under
applicable  law in order to effect the  issuance of such  Substitute  Options to
such  holders.  Except as set forth in  Section  4.3 of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  the vesting of no Option shall be accelerated by reason of the Merger
unless the agreement or arrangement under which it was granted or by which it is
otherwise governed specifically provides for such acceleration. For avoidance of
doubt, it is the intention of Parent and the Company that the Substitute Options
be identical  in all respects to the Options  (except for the number and type of
shares for which they shall be  exercisable  and the exercise price thereof) and
that,  without  limitation,  (i) all terms of the plans under which such Options
were  issued  and (ii) all  policies  set forth in  Section  4.3 of the  Company
Disclosure Schedule, shall apply thereto from and after the Effective Date.

          (b) For purposes of this Agreement,  the term "Option  Exchange Ratio"
shall  mean the  ratio of (x)  $4.00 to (y) the U.S.  dollar  equivalent  of the
average of the  middle-market  closing  price per share of the  Parent  ordinary
shares on the Alternative  Investment  Market of the London Stock  Exchange,  as
shown in the "London Stock Exchange  Daily  Official  List," for each of the ten
trading days ending two trading days prior to the Effective Date.

     4.4  Stockholders'   Meetings.  (a)  The  Company  shall  take  all  action
necessary,   in  accordance   with   applicable  law  and  its   Certificate  of
Incorporation  and  By-laws,  to  convene a special  meeting  of the  holders of
Company Common Stock (the "Company  Meeting") as promptly as practicable for the
purpose of considering and taking action upon this Agreement.  Subject solely to
its fiduciary duties, the Board of Directors of the Company will recommend


                                        5

<PAGE>



that holders of Company Common Stock vote in favor of and approve the Merger and
the adoption of the Agreement at the Company  Meeting.  At the Company  Meeting,
all of the shares of Company  Common  Stock  then owned by Parent,  Sub,  or any
other subsidiary of Parent,  or with respect to which Parent,  Sub, or any other
subsidiary  of Parent  holds the power to direct  the  voting,  will be voted in
favor of approval of the Merger and adoption of this Agreement.

          (b)  Parent  shall  take all  action  necessary,  in  accordance  with
applicable  law,  stock  exchange  rules  and its  Memorandum  and  Articles  of
Association,  to convene an extraordinary meeting of the holders of its ordinary
shares to  approve  this  Agreement,  the  Merger and the  related  issuance  of
securities of Parent,  to the extent  approval is required and sought by Parent.
Subject  solely to its fiduciary  duties,  the Board of Directors of Parent will
recommend  that holders of its ordinary  shares vote in favor of the matters put
before them.

     4.5 Closing of the Company's  Transfer  Books.  At the Effective  Date, the
stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and no transfer of shares of
Company  Common  Stock shall be made  thereafter.  In the event that,  after the
Effective Date,  Certificates are presented to the Surviving  Corporation,  they
shall be canceled  and  exchanged  for the Merger  Consideration  as provided in
Sections 3.1 (b) and 4.1.

     4.6 Assistance in Consummation of the Merger.  Each of Parent,  Sub and the
Company  shall  provide all  commercially  reasonable  assistance  to, and shall
cooperate with, each other to bring about the consummation of the Merger as soon
as possible  in  accordance  with the terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement.
Parent shall cause Sub to perform all of its obligations in connection with this
Agreement.

     4.7  Closing.  The  Closing  shall take  place (i) at the  offices of Brock
Silverstein  McAuliffe  LLC, One  Citicorp  Center,  153 East 53rd Street,  56th
floor, New York, New York 10022, at 10:00am,  New York City time, on the earlier
of (A) August 14, 1998 or (B) the day which is no later than two  business  days
after the day on which  the last of the  conditions  set  forth in  Article X is
fulfilled or waived and the meeting of Parent's Shareholders with respect to the
Merger and related  financing has been held or (ii) at such other time and place
as Parent and the Company shall agree in writing.


                                    ARTICLE V
                    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT

Parent represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

     5.1 Organization and Qualification. Parent is a public limited company duly
incorporated,  validly  existing and in good standing under the laws of Scotland
and  has the  corporate  power  to  carry  on its  business  as it is now  being
conducted or currently proposed to be conducted.


                                        6

<PAGE>



     5.2  Authority  Relative  to  this  Agreement.  Parent  has  the  corporate
authority to enter into this Agreement and,  subject to the  satisfaction of the
conditions  contained  herein,  to  carry  out its  obligations  hereunder.  The
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by Parent's Board of
Directors.  The Agreement  constitutes a valid and binding  obligation of Parent
enforceable in accordance with its terms except as enforcement may be limited by
bankruptcy,  insolvency  or other  similar laws  affecting  the  enforcement  of
creditors'  rights  generally  and except  that the  availability  of  equitable
remedies,  including specific  performance,  is subject to the discretion of the
court  before  which any  proceeding  therefor  may be  brought.  Except for the
requisite  approval  of  the  holders  of  the  Parent  ordinary  shares  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby and  related  financing,  no other  corporate
proceedings  on the part of Parent are  necessary to authorize the Agreement and
the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  Parent is not subject to or  obligated
under (i) any  memorandum,  articles  of  association,  indenture  or other loan
document  provision  or (ii) any other  contract,  license,  franchise,  permit,
order, decree, concession, lease, instrument, judgment, statute, law, ordinance,
rule or  regulation  applicable  to Parent or any of its  subsidiaries  or their
respective  properties or assets, which would be breached or violated,  or under
which  there  would be a default  (with or without  notice or lapse of time,  or
both),  or under which there would arise a right of  termination,  cancellation,
modification  or  acceleration  of any  obligation  or the  loss  of a  material
benefit,  by its  executing  and  carrying out this  Agreement  other than those
which,  either singly or in the aggregate,  has not had, or would not reasonably
be  expected  to have,  a material  adverse  effect on the  Parent's  ability to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger. Except as
required in connection, or in compliance,  with the provisions of the Securities
and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the corporation, securities or blue
sky laws or regulations of the various states or any rules or regulations of the
London Stock Exchange  applicable to Parent, no filing or registration  with, or
authorization, consent or approval of, any public body or authority is necessary
for  the  consummation  by  Parent  of  the  Merger  or the  other  transactions
contemplated   by   this   Agreement   other   than   filings,    registrations,
authorizations, consents or approvals the failure of which to make or obtain has
not had, or would not  reasonably be expected to have a material  adverse effect
on  Parent's  ability  to  consummate  the  transactions   contemplated  hereby,
including the Merger.

     5.3 Parent  Action.  The Board of  Directors  of Parent (at a meeting  duly
called and held) has by the requisite vote of all directors  present  determined
that the  Agreement  is  advisable  and in the best  interests of Parent and its
stockholders.

     5.4 Financial  Advisor.  Parent  represents and warrants  that,  except for
Henry  Ansbacher & Co.  Limited  and any other  underwriter,  broker,  finder or
investment  banker  to be  engaged  in the  normal  course of  business  for the
offering of  Parent's  securities,  no broker,  finder or  investment  banker is
entitled  to  any  brokerage  or  finder's  fee  or  investment  banking  fee in
connection  with the Merger and the related  financing  based upon  arrangements
made by or on behalf of Parent.


                                        7

<PAGE>



     5.5 Information.  As of the date of this Agreement, Parent does not know of
any  facts  or  circumstances  which  currently  or  with  the  passage  of time
constitute a breach of the  representations  or  warranties  made by the Company
herein.  To its knowledge,  Parent has been furnished with and been given access
by the Company to considerable information about the Company and its business as
it has requested.  The Company  acknowledges that the foregoing shall not in any
way limit Parent's ability to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.4.

     5.6 Financing. Based upon preliminary discussions with its proposed sources
of  financing,  Parent has a good faith belief that it will be able to raise the
funds necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

     5.7 Litigation.  There is no suit, action, claim, arbitration or proceeding
pending or, to the knowledge of Parent,  threatened  against  Parent  seeking to
prevent or challenge the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Parent is
not subject to any  judgment,  decree,  injunction,  rule or order of any court,
governmental  department,  commission,  agency,  instrumentality,  or arbitrator
outstanding  against  Parent  having,  or which would  reasonably be expected to
have,  either alone or in the aggregate,  a material  adverse effect on Parent's
ability to consummate the transactions hereby.


                                   ARTICLE VI
                  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company represents and warrants to Parent and Sub as follows:

     6.1  Organization  and  Qualification.  The Company is a  corporation  duly
incorporated,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware  and has the  corporate  power to carry on its business as it is now
being  conducted.  The Company is duly qualified as a foreign  corporation to do
business,  and is in good standing,  in each jurisdiction where the character of
its properties  owned or held under lease or the nature of its activities  makes
such qualification  necessary,  except where the failure to be so qualified will
not have a  material  adverse  effect on the  business,  properties,  prospects,
assets, condition (financial or otherwise), liabilities or results of operations
of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  taken  as a whole (a  "Company  Material
Adverse  Effect").  Complete  and  correct  copies as of the date  hereof of the
Certificate  of  Incorporation  and  By-laws  of the  Company  and  each  of its
Subsidiaries are attached to Section 6.1 of the disclosure schedule delivered by
the Company to Parent prior to execution  and  delivery of this  Agreement  (the
"Company Disclosure Schedule").  The Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws of
the Company are in full force and effect. The Company is not in violation of any
provision of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws.

     6.2 Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of
20,000,000  shares of Company Common Stock,  $.01 par value and 1,000,000 shares
of preferred  stock,  $.01 par value (the  "Preferred  Stock").  As of March 31,
1998,  3,093,359  shares  of  Company  Common  Stock  were  validly  issued  and
outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable,


                                        8

<PAGE>



there were no shares of Preferred  Stock issued and  outstanding and (except for
issuances upon the exercise of  outstanding  options) there have been no changes
in such numbers of shares through the date hereof. As of the date hereof,  there
are no bonds,  debentures,  notes or other indebtedness having the right to vote
on  any  matters  on  which  the  Company's  shareholders  may  vote  issued  or
outstanding.  Except  as set  forth in  Section  6.2 of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule, there are no options,  warrants, calls or other rights,  agreements or
commitments  presently  outstanding  obligating the Company to issue, deliver or
sell shares of its capital stock or debt  securities,  or obligating the Company
to grant,  extend or enter  into any such  option,  warrant,  call or other such
right,  agreement or commitment.  After the Effective  Date,  subject to Section
4.3, the Surviving  Corporation  will have no  obligation to issue,  transfer or
sell any shares of capital  stock of the  Company or the  Surviving  Corporation
pursuant to any Company Employee Benefit Plan (as defined in Section 6.8).

     6.3  Subsidiaries.  The only  Subsidiaries  of the Company are disclosed in
Section 6.3 of the Company Disclosure  Schedule.  Each Subsidiary of the Company
is a corporation duly incorporated,  validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of its  jurisdiction  of  incorporation  and has the corporate power to
carry on its  business  as it is now being  conducted.  Each  Subsidiary  of the
Company is duly  qualified as a foreign  corporation  to do business,  and is in
good standing,  in each jurisdiction where the character of its properties owned
or held under  lease or the nature of its  activities  makes such  qualification
necessary except where the failure to be so qualified,  when taken together with
all such  failures,  has not had, or would not  reasonably be expected to have a
material  adverse  effect  on  the  business,   properties,   assets,  condition
(financial  or  otherwise),   liabilities  or  results  of  operations  of  such
Subsidiary.  Section  6.3 of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  contains,  with
respect  to each  Subsidiary  of the  Company,  its  name  and  jurisdiction  of
incorporation and, with respect to each Subsidiary that is not wholly owned, the
number of issued  and  outstanding  shares of  capital  stock and the  number of
shares  of  capital  stock  owned  by  the  Company  or a  Subsidiary.  All  the
outstanding  shares of  capital  stock of each  Subsidiary  of the  Company  are
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable,  and those owned by the Company or
by a Subsidiary of the Company are owned free and clear of any liens,  claims or
encumbrances.  Except  as set forth in  Section  6.3 of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  there  are no  existing  options,  warrants,  calls or other  rights,
agreements or  commitments  of any character  relating to the issued or unissued
capital  stock or other  securities of any of the  Subsidiaries  of the Company.
Except as set forth in  Section  6.3 of the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  the
Company  does  not  directly  or  indirectly  own  any  interest  in  any  other
corporation, partnership, joint venture or other business association or entity.

     6.4  Authority  Relative to this  Agreement.  The Company has the corporate
power to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its  obligations  hereunder.
The  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement  and the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly  authorized  by the  Company's
Board of Directors. This Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of
the Company  enforceable in accordance  with its terms except as enforcement may
be limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or other  similar  laws  affecting  the
enforcement of creditors'  rights  generally and except that the availability of
equitable remedies,


                                        9

<PAGE>



including specific performance, is subject to the discretion of the court before
which any  proceeding  therefor  may be brought.  Except for the approval of the
holders of a majority of the shares of Company Common Stock,  no other corporate
proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement
and the transactions  contemplated hereby. Except as set forth in Section 6.4 of
the Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  the  Company is not subject to or  obligated
under (i) any charter,  by-law,  indenture or other loan  document  provision or
(ii) any other contract, license, franchise,  permit, order, decree, concession,
lease,  instrument,  judgment,  statute,  law,  ordinance,  rule  or  regulation
applicable  to  the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  or  their  respective
properties  or assets which would be breached or violated,  or under which there
would be a default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both),  or under
which there would arise a right of  termination,  cancellation,  modification or
acceleration  of any  obligation  or the  loss  of a  material  benefit,  by its
executing and carrying out this Agreement. Except as disclosed in Section 6.4 of
the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule  or,  with  respect  to  the  Merger  or  the
transactions  contemplated  thereby, in connection,  or in compliance,  with the
provisions  of the  Securities  Act,  the  Exchange  Act,  and the  corporation,
securities or blue sky laws or regulations of the various  states,  no filing or
registration with, or authorization,  consent or approval of, any public body or
authority is necessary for the  consummation by the Company of the Merger or the
other  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  other than  filings,  registrations,
authorizations, consents or approvals the failure of which to make or obtain has
not had, or would not reasonably be expected to have, a Company Material Adverse
Effect or prevent the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,
including the Merger.

     6.5 Reports and Financial Statements.

          (a) The Company has previously furnished Parent with true and complete
copies of its (i) Annual Report to Stockholders  and Annual Reports on Form 10-K
for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1995, December 31, 1996 and December 31,
1997 as filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission"),
(ii) proxy  statements  related to all  meetings  of its  shareholders  (whether
annual or special) since January 1, 1996 and (iii) the other reports  (including
Forms 10-Q and 8-K) or  registration  statements set forth in Section 6.5 of the
Company  Disclosure  Schedule  which  have been  filed by the  Company  with the
Commission since January 1, 1995,  except for preliminary  material (in the case
of clauses (ii) and (iii) above) and except for registration  statements on Form
S-8 relating to employee  benefit  plans,  which are all the documents  that the
Company was required to file with the  Commission  since that date  (clauses (i)
through (iii) being referred to herein collectively, together with all financial
statements  (including  footnotes),  exhibits,  schedules  thereto and documents
incorporated by reference  therein,  as the "Company SEC Reports").  As of their
respective  filing  dates,  the Company  SEC Reports  complied as to form in all
material  respects with the  requirements  of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act,  as the  case may be,  and the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Commission
thereunder applicable to such Company SEC Reports. As of their respective filing
dates,  the  Company SEC  Reports  did not  contain  any untrue  statement  of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or
necessary to make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances  under
which they were made,  not  misleading.  None of the Company's  subsidiaries  is
required to file any forms, reports or other documents


                                       10

<PAGE>



with the  Commission.  The  consolidated  financial  statements  of the  Company
included in the  Company  SEC  Reports,  including  any forms,  reports or other
documents  filed  with the  Commission  by the  Company  subsequent  to the date
hereof,  (i)  comply  as to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  applicable
accounting  requirements  and with the published  rules and  regulations  of the
Commission  with respect  thereto;  (ii) have been prepared in  accordance  with
generally  accepted   accounting   principles  applied  on  a  consistent  basis
throughout the periods  presented  (except as may be indicated therein or in the
notes  thereto)  or in the  case  of  unaudited  statements,  as  permitted  for
presentation in quarterly  reports on Form 10-Q;  (iii) present  fairly,  in all
material respects, the financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as
at the dates thereof and the results of their  operations  and cash flow for the
periods  then  ended,  subject in the case of interim  financial  statements  to
normal year-end adjustments;  and (iv) are in all material respects, prepared in
accordance  with  the  books of  account  and  records  of the  Company  and its
Subsidiaries.

          (b) The Company has (i)  delivered to Parent true and complete  copies
of all material  correspondence  between the  Commission  and the Company or its
legal  counsel,  accountants  or other advisors since January 1, 1995 except for
cover letters  transmitting SEC reports, and (ii) disclosed to Parent in writing
the content of all material  discussions  between the Commission and the Company
or its legal counsel,  accountants or other advisors  concerning the adequacy of
form of any SEC Report  filed with the  Commission  since  January 1, 1995.  The
Company is not aware of any issues raised by the Commission  with respect to any
of the SEC Reports,  other than those disclosed to Parent pursuant to clause (i)
or (ii) of this Section 6.5(b).

     6.6 Absence of Certain Changes or Events.  Since December 31, 1997,  except
as set forth on Section 6.6 of the Company Disclosure Schedule,  the Company and
its  Subsidiaries  have  conducted  their  businesses  in the  ordinary  course,
consistent with past practice,  and since such date,  there has not been (i) any
transaction,  commitment,  dispute or other  event or  condition  (financial  or
otherwise) of any character  (whether or not in the ordinary course of business)
individually  or in the aggregate that has had, or would  reasonably be expected
to have, a Company  Material  Adverse  Effect;  (ii) any damage,  destruction or
loss, whether or not covered by insurance, which has had, or would reasonably be
expected to have, a Company  Material  Adverse Effect;  (iii) any entry into any
commitment or transaction  material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole (including,  without limitation, any borrowing or sale of assets) except
in the  ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past  practice;  (iv) any
declaration,  setting aside or payment of any dividend or distribution  (whether
in cash,  stock or property) with respect to its capital stock; (v) any material
change in its accounting principles,  practices or methods or revaluation of the
Company's assets;  (vi) any repurchase or redemption with respect to its capital
stock; (vii) any split,  combination or reclassification of any of the Company's
capital  stock or the  issuance or  authorization  of any  issuance of any other
securities  in  respect  of, in lieu of or in  substitution  for,  shares of the
Company's  capital  stock  except as set  forth in  Section  6.6 of the  Company
Disclosure  Schedule;  (viii) any grant of or any  amendment of the terms of any
option to purchase shares of capital stock of the Company;  (ix) any granting by
the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries to any director,  officer or employee of
the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  of (A) any  increase  in  compensation
(other than in the case of employees in the


                                       11

<PAGE>



ordinary  course of business  consistent with past practice) or (B) any increase
in  severance  or  termination  pay;  (x) any entry by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries into any employment, severance, bonus or termination agreement with
any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;  or
(xi) any agreement (whether or not in writing),  arrangement or understanding to
do any of the foregoing.

     6.7  Litigation.  Except as described in the SEC Reports and in Section 6.7
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there is no suit, action, claim, arbitration
or proceeding  pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,  threatened  against
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries  which, either alone or in the aggregate,
has had or would  reasonably  be  expected  to have a Company  Material  Adverse
Effect or a material  adverse effect on the Company's  ability to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor is there any judgment, decree, injunction,
rule  or  order  of any  court,  governmental  department,  commission,  agency,
instrumentality  or  arbitrator  outstanding  against  the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries having, or which would reasonably be expected to have, either alone
or in the aggregate,  a Company  Material  Adverse Effect or a material  adverse
effect on the Company's  ability to  consummate  the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

     6.8 Employee Benefit Plans.

          (a) Section 6.8 of the Company Disclosure Schedule hereto sets forth a
list of all "employee  benefit plans",  as defined in Section 3(3) of the United
States Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA"),
and all other  material  employee  benefit  arrangements  or payroll  practices,
including,  without  limitation,  any such  arrangements  or  payroll  practices
providing  severance  pay, sick leave,  vacation pay,  salary  continuation  for
disability,  retirement benefits,  deferred  compensation,  bonus pay, incentive
pay,  stock  options  (including  those  held  by  Directors,   employees,   and
consultants),  hospitalization  insurance,  medical  insurance,  life insurance,
scholarships or tuition reimbursements,  that are maintained by the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company or any Company ERISA  Affiliate (as defined  below) or
to which the  Company,  any  Subsidiary  of the  Company  or any  Company  ERISA
Affiliate is obligated to contribute thereunder for current or former employees,
independent  contractors,  consultants and leased employees of the Company,  any
Subsidiary of the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate (the "Company  Employee
Benefit Plans").

          (b) None of the Company  Employee  Benefit  Plans is a  "multiemployer
plan", as defined in Section  4001(a)(3) of ERISA (a "Multiemployer  Plan"), and
neither the Company nor any Company ERISA Affiliate  presently  maintains such a
plan. None of the Company, any Subsidiary or Company ERISA Affiliate (subject to
the  knowledge of the Company,  in the case of any  Subsidiary  or Company ERISA
Affiliate acquired by the Company,  for periods prior to such acquisition),  has
withdrawn in a complete or partial  withdrawal from any Multiemployer  Plan, nor
has any of them  incurred  any  material  liability  due to the  termination  or
reorganization of such a Multiemployer Plan.


                                       12

<PAGE>



          (c) No Company  Benefit Plan nor the Company has incurred any material
liability or penalty under Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended
(the "Code") or Section 502(i) of ERISA.

          (d) Except as set forth in Section 6.8 (d) of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule, the Company does not maintain or contribute to any plan or arrangement
which  provides or has any  liability  to provide  life  insurance or medical or
other  employee  welfare  benefits to any employee or former  employee  upon his
retirement or termination of employment,  and the Company has never represented,
promised  or  contracted  (whether in oral or written  form) to any  employee or
former employee that such benefits would be provided.

          (e) The execution of, and performance of the transactions contemplated
in, this Agreement  will not,  either alone or upon the occurrence of subsequent
events,  result  in  any  payment  (whether  of  severance  pay  or  otherwise),
acceleration,  forgiveness of indebtedness,  vesting, distribution,  increase in
benefits or obligation  to fund benefits with respect to any employee.  The only
severance  agreements  or severance  policies  applicable  to the Company or its
Subsidiaries  in the  event  of a  change  of  control  of the  Company  are the
agreements and policies  specifically  referred to in Section 6.8 of the Company
Disclosure  Schedule (and, in the case of such agreements,  the form of which is
attached to the Company  Disclosure  Schedule).  Each  executive  officer of the
Company (as such term is defined in Rule 3b-7 under the  Exchange  Act) and each
of the  individuals  identified  on  Section  6.8(e) of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule  is a party  to a  non-competition  agreement  with  the  Company  or a
Significant  Subsidiary,  as the case may be,  and  copies  of the forms of such
non-competition agreements are attached to Section 6.8 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule.

          (f) None of the Company  Employee  Benefit Plans is a "single employer
plan", as defined in Section  4001(a)(15) of ERISA,  that is subject to Title IV
of ERISA,  and neither the Company  nor any Company  ERISA  Affiliate  presently
maintains such a plan. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA
Affiliate has any material  liability under Section 4062 of ERISA to the Pension
Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation or to a trustee  appointed  under Section 4042 of
ERISA.  None of the Company,  any  Subsidiary,  or any Company  ERISA  Affiliate
(subject to the  knowledge  of the  Company,  in the case of any  Subsidiary  or
Company  ERISA  Affiliate  acquired by the  Company,  for periods  prior to such
acquisition) has engaged in any transaction described in Section 4069 of ERISA.

          (g) Each  Company  Employee  Benefit  Plan that is intended to qualify
under Section 401 of the Code, and each trust maintained  pursuant thereto,  has
been  determined to be exempt from federal income  taxation under Section 501 of
the Code by the IRS, and, to the Company's knowledge,  nothing has occurred with
respect to the operation or  organization of any such Company  Employee  Benefit
Plan and there have been no amendments to any such Company Employee Benefit Plan
that would cause the loss of such  qualification  or exemption or the imposition
of any material liability, penalty or tax under ERISA or the Code.


                                       13

<PAGE>



          (h)  All  contributions  (including  all  employer  contributions  and
employee salary reduction contributions) required to have been made under any of
the Company Employee Benefit Plans to any funds or trusts established thereunder
or in  connection  therewith  have  been  made by the due  date  thereof  and no
contributions have been made to the Company Employee Benefit Plans that would be
considered non-deductible under the Code.

          (i) There has been no  violation  of ERISA or the Code with respect to
the filing of applicable  reports,  documents and notices  regarding the Company
Employee  Benefit  Plans with the  Secretary  of Labor or the  Secretary  of the
Treasury or the  furnishing  of required  reports,  documents  or notices to the
participants or beneficiaries of the Company Employee Benefit Plans.

          (j) True, correct and complete copies of the following documents, with
respect  to each of the  Company  Benefit  Plans,  have been  delivered  or made
available  to the  Parent  by the  Company:  (i) all  plans  and  related  trust
documents  and any other  instruments  or  contracts  under  which  the  Company
Employee Benefit Plans are operated, and amendments thereto; (ii) the Forms 5500
for the past three years and (iii) summary plan descriptions.

          (k) There are no pending  actions,  claims or lawsuits which have been
asserted,  instituted or, to the Company's  knowledge,  threatened,  against the
Company Employee Benefit Plans, the assets of any of the trusts under such plans
or the plan sponsor or the plan administrator,  or, to the Company's  knowledge,
against any fiduciary of the Company  Employee Benefit Plans with respect to the
operation of such plans (other than routine benefit claims).

          (l) The Company Employee  Benefit Plans have been  maintained,  in all
material  respects,  in accordance  with their terms and with all  provisions of
ERISA  and the Code  (including  rules  and  regulations  thereunder)  and other
applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

          (m) For purposes of this Agreement,  "Company ERISA  Affiliate"  means
any  business  or  entity  which is a member  of the same  "controlled  group of
corporations,"  under "common control" or an "affiliated  service group" with an
entity  within the  meanings  of  Sections  414(b),  (c) or (m) of the Code,  or
required to be aggregated  with the entity under Section  414(o) of the Code, or
is under  "common  control"  with the  entity,  within  the  meaning  of Section
4001(a)(14) of ERISA,  or any  regulations  promulgated or proposed under any of
the foregoing Sections.

     6.9 Labor  Matters.  Neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is a
party to, or bound by, any collective  bargaining  agreement,  contract or other
agreement or understanding with a labor union or labor organization. There is no
unfair  labor  practice  or labor  arbitration  proceeding  pending  or,  to the
knowledge of the  Company,  threatened  against the Company or its  Subsidiaries
relating to their business.  To the best knowledge of the Company,  there are no
organizational  efforts with respect to the formation of a collective bargaining
unit presently  being made or threatened  involving  employees of the Company or
any of its


                                       14

<PAGE>



Subsidiaries.  There is no labor  strike,  material  slowdown or  material  work
stoppage or lockout  actually  pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company,
threatened  against or affecting the Company or its Subsidiaries and neither the
Company nor any  Subsidiary has  experienced  any strike,  material  slowdown or
material work stoppage or lockout.

     6.10  Company  Action.  The Board of Directors of the Company (at a meeting
duly called and held) has by the  requisite  vote of all  directors  present (a)
determined  that the Merger is advisable  and fair and in the best  interests of
the Company and its shareholders, (b) approved the Merger in accordance with the
provisions  of Section 251 of the DGCL,  (c)  recommended  the  approval of this
Agreement and the Merger by the holders of the Company Common Stock and directed
that the Merger be submitted for consideration by the Company's  shareholders at
the Company Meeting.

     6.11  Compliance  with  Applicable  Laws.  The  Company  and  each  of  its
Subsidiaries  hold all  permits,  licenses,  variances,  exemptions,  orders and
approvals  of all  courts,  administrative  agencies  or  commissions  or  other
governmental  authorities  or  instrumentalities,  domestic or foreign  (each, a
"Governmental Entity"), material to and necessary to conduct the business of the
Company or such  Subsidiary,  as the case may be (the  "Company  Permits").  The
Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the
terms of the Company  Permits,  and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are
in compliance in all material respects with all laws, ordinances and regulations
of any Governmental  Entity.  Except as disclosed in Section 6.11 of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, no investigation or review by any Governmental Entity, with
respect  to  the  Company  or  any of its  Subsidiaries  is  pending,  or to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened.

     6.12 Liabilities.  Since December 31, 1997,  neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations (absolute,
accrued,  contingent  or otherwise) of the type that is required to be disclosed
in the  Company  SEC  Reports  (including  the  financial  statements  contained
therein),  except for (i) accounts  payable  incurred in the ordinary  course of
business not in excess of $250,000, (ii) liabilities of the same nature as those
reflected on the financial  statements to the Company SEC Reports (including the
footnotes  thereto)  incurred in the ordinary  course of business in  accordance
with past practice (iii) liabilities under or required to be incurred under this
Agreement and (iv) liabilities  under Company  Material  Contracts (as hereafter
defined).  To  the  best  knowledge  of the  Company,  as of the  date  of  this
Agreement,  there was no basis for any claim or liability of any nature  against
the  Company or its  Subsidiaries,  whether  absolute,  accrued,  contingent  or
otherwise,  which has had, or would  reasonably  be expected to have,  a Company
Material  Adverse  Effect,  other than as  reflected  in the Company SEC Reports
(including the financial statements thereto).

     6.13 Taxes.  (a) For the purposes of this  Agreement,  the term "Tax" shall
include all Federal, state, local and foreign income, profits,  franchise, gross
receipts,  payroll, sales, employment,  use, property,  withholding,  excise and
other taxes,  duties and assessments of any nature whatsoever  together with all
interest,  penalties and additions imposed with respect to such amounts. Each of
the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all Tax returns required to be


                                       15

<PAGE>



filed by any of them and has paid (or the  Company has paid on its  behalf),  or
has set up an adequate reserve for the payment of, all Taxes required to be paid
in respect of the periods covered by such returns. The information  contained in
such Tax returns is true and  complete  in all  material  respects.  Neither the
Company nor any  Subsidiary  of the Company is  delinquent in the payment of any
Tax, assessment or governmental  charge.  Except as disclosed in Section 6.13 of
the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  no  deficiencies  for any  taxes  have been
proposed,  asserted or assessed  against the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
that have not been finally  settled or paid in full, and no requests for waivers
of the time to assess any such Tax are pending.

     6.14 Certain Agreements. Except as set forth on Section 6.14 of the Company
Disclosure  Schedule,  neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries,  nor, to
the best knowledge of the Company,  any other party thereto,  is in breach of or
default  under any  material  agreement,  contract  or  commitment  to which the
Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a  party  (each,  a  "Company  Material
Contract"),  nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received in writing any claim
or  threat  of such  breach  or  default,  in any case in such a manner as would
permit any other party to cancel or terminate the same or would permit any other
party to collect  material  damages from the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
thereunder.  All of the Company Material Contracts are in full force and effect.
True and complete copies of the Company Material Contracts have been provided to
Parent  by the  Company.  Except  as set forth on  Section  6.14 of the  Company
Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is party to
any  agreement  containing  any  provision or covenant  limiting in any material
respect the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to (i) sell any products or
services  of any other  person,  (ii) engage in any line of  business,  or (iii)
compete with or to obtain  products or services  from any person or limiting the
ability of any person to provide  products  or  services  to the  Company or any
Subsidiary.

     6.15 Patents, Trademarks, Etc.

          (a) The Company and its  Subsidiaries own or are licensed or otherwise
possess legally enforceable rights to use all patents,  trademarks, trade names,
service marks, trade secrets,  copyrights and licenses, all applications for and
registrations of such patents,  trademarks,  trade names,  service marks,  trade
secrets,  copyrights  and  licenses,  and  all  processes,   formulae,  methods,
schematics, technology, know-how, tangible or intangible proprietary information
or material  that are  necessary  to conduct the business of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as currently conducted (the "Intellectual Property Rights");

          (b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is or will be as a
result of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, in breach of any license,  sublicense or other
agreement  relating  to  the  Intellectual   Property  Rights  or  any  license,
sublicense  or other  agreement  pursuant  to which  the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries  is  authorized  to use any  third  party  patents,  trademarks  or
copyrights,  in the  manufacture  of,  incorporated  in,  or  form a part of any
product of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.


                                       16

<PAGE>



          (c) To the Company's knowledge,  all patents,  registered  trademarks,
service  marks and  copyrights  held by the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
which  the  Company  considers  to be  material  to its  business  are valid and
enforceable  and except as set forth on Section  6.15 of the Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries (i) has been sued in
any suit,  action or proceeding  which involves a claim of  infringement  of any
patent,  trademark,  service or mark or copyright or the  violation of any trade
secret or other  proprietary right of any third party; or (ii) has any knowledge
that the manufacturing, importation, marketing, licensing, sale, offer for sale,
or use of any of its products  infringes  any patent,  trademark,  service mark,
copyright, trade secret or other proprietary right of any third party.

     6.16 No Material Adverse Effect.  Except as otherwise  disclosed herein, in
the Company SEC Reports,  in the Company Disclosure  Schedule or Section 6.16 of
the  Company  Disclosure  Schedule,  the Company is not aware of any fact which,
alone or together  with  another  fact,  which has had, or would  reasonably  be
expected to have, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

     6.17 Products Liability.

          (a) There is no notice, demand, claim, action, suit, inquiry, hearing,
proceeding,  notice  of  violation  or  investigation  of a civil,  criminal  or
administrative  nature before any court or governmental  or other  regulatory or
administrative agency, commission or authority against or involving any product,
substance or material  (collectively,  "Product") or class of claims or lawsuits
involving the same or similar  Product  produced,  distributed  or sold by or on
behalf  of the  Company  which is  pending  or,  to the  knowledge  of  Company,
threatened,  resulting from an alleged defect in design, manufacture,  materials
or workmanship of any Product  produced,  distributed or sold by or on behalf of
the  Company,  or any  alleged  failure  to warn,  or from any breach of implied
warranties or representations, and there has not been any Occurrence (as defined
below)  that  is  material  to  the  business  of  the  Company  or  any  of its
subsidiaries taken as a whole;

          (b) For purposes of this Section  6.17,  the term  "Occurrence"  shall
mean any  accident,  happening or event which was caused or allegedly  caused by
any  alleged  hazard or alleged  defect in  manufacture,  design,  materials  or
workmanship  including,  without limitation,  any alleged failure to warn or any
breach of express or implied warranties or  representations  with respect to, or
any such accident,  happening or event otherwise involving, a Product (including
any parts or components)  manufactured,  produced,  distributed or sold by or on
behalf of the Company which is likely to result in a claim or loss.

     6.18 Environmental Matters.

          (a) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are, and in the
past have been, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws,
regulations and other requirements of governmental or regulatory  authorities or
duties under the common law


                                       17

<PAGE>



relating  to  toxic  or  hazardous  substances,  wastes,  pollution  or  to  the
protection  of  human  health,   safety,   or  the  environment   (collectively,
"Environmental  Laws") and have  obtained and  maintained in effect all material
licenses,  permits  and  other  authorizations  or  registrations  (collectively
"Environmental  Permits")  required under all Environmental Laws and are, and in
the past have been, in  compliance  with all such  Environmental  Permits in all
material respects.

          (b) Neither the Company nor any  Subsidiary  has performed or suffered
any act which would  reasonably  be  expected to give rise to, or has  otherwise
incurred,  liability  to any  person  (governmental  or other)  under the United
States  Comprehensive  Environmental  Response,  Compensation  and Liability Act
("CERCLA"),  or any other Environmental Laws, as amended, nor has the Company or
any  Subsidiary  received  written  notice  of any such  liability  or any claim
therefor  or  submitted  notice  pursuant  to  Section  103  of  CERCLA  to  any
governmental agency with respect to any of its assets.

          (c) No hazardous substance, hazardous waste, contaminant, pollutant or
toxic substance (as such terms are defined in any applicable  Environmental  Law
and collectively referred to herein as "Hazardous Materials") has been released,
placed or dumped by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or by action of any
of them  otherwise  come to be located on, at, beneath or near any of the assets
or properties  owned or leased by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or any
surface waters or groundwaters thereon or thereunder.

          (d) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries  owns or operates,
and has never  owned or  operated,  aboveground  or  underground  storage  tanks
containing a regulated  substance,  as such term is defined in  Subchapter IX of
the Resource  Conservation  and  Recovery  Act, 42 U.S.C.  ss. 6991 et seq.,  as
amended, or a surface impoundment,  lagoon,  landfill, PCB containing electrical
equipment or asbestos containing materials.

          (e) With respect to any or all of the real properties  owned or leased
by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries to the knowledge of the Company,  (i)
there are no, nor have there  been in the past,  asbestos-containing  materials,
urea  formaldehyde  insulation,  polychlorinated  biphenyls or lead-based paints
present at any such properties; and (ii) there are no wetlands (as defined under
any  Environmental  Law)  located  on any  such  properties,  nor  have any been
drained, filled or otherwise altered.

          (f) None of the real properties  owned or leased by the Company or any
of its  Subsidiaries  (i) has  been  used  or is now  used  for the  generation,
transportation,  storage,  handling,  treatment  or  disposal  of any  Hazardous
Materials in violation of applicable Environmental Laws or (ii) is identified on
a federal,  state or local  listing  of sites  which  require  or might  require
environmental cleanup.

          (g) There are no ongoing  investigations  or negotiations,  pending or
threatened,  or administrative,  judicial or regulatory proceedings,  or consent
decrees or other  agreements in effect that relate to  environmental  conditions
in, on, under, about or related to the


                                       18

<PAGE>



Company  or  any of  its  Subsidiaries,  any of  their  operations  or the  real
properties owned or leased by them.

          (h)  Neither the  Company  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is subject to
reporting  requirements  under the  federal  Emergency  Planning  and  Community
Right-to-Know  Act, 42 U.S.C.  ss. 11001 et seq., or analogous state statues and
related regulations, all as amended.

          (i) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representation
or warranty  with respect to any  buildings in which the Company  leases  office
space,  the common areas of such  buildings,  the land upon which such buildings
are situated,  or the premises in such buildings  leased by the Company  (except
with respect to the Company's personal property located therein).

     6.19 Title to Property.

          (a)  Except as set forth in  Section  6.19 of the  Company  Disclosure
Schedule,  the Company and its Subsidiaries  have good and marketable  title, or
valid leasehold rights in the case of leased property,  to all real property and
all personal property purported to be owned or leased by them, free and clear of
all  material  liens,  security  interests,  claims,  encumbrances  and charges,
excluding (i) liens for fees,  taxes,  levies,  imposts,  duties or governmental
charges of any kind which are not yet delinquent or are being  contested in good
faith by  appropriate  proceedings  which suspend the collection  thereof,  (ii)
liens for mechanics, materialmen,  laborers, employees, suppliers or other liens
arising by operation of law for sums which are not yet  delinquent  or are being
contested in good faith by appropriate  proceedings,  (iii) liens created in the
ordinary  course of business in  connection  with the  leasing or  financing  of
office,  computer and related equipment and supplies, (iv) easements and similar
encumbrances   ordinarily  created  for  fuller  utilization  and  enjoyment  of
property,  and (v) liens or defects in title or leasehold  rights  that,  in the
aggregate, do not and will not have a Company Material Adverse Effect;

          (b)  Consummation  of the  Merger  will not result in any breach of or
constitute  a default  (or an event with  which  notice or lapse of time or both
would  constitute a default)  under, or give to others any rights of termination
or cancellation  of, or require the consent of others under,  any lease in which
the Company or its Subsidiaries is a lessee.

     6.20  Absence Of Certain  Business  Practices.  During the past five years,
none of the  Company's  officers,  employees  or,  to the  Company's  knowledge,
agents,  nor, to the Company's  knowledge,  any other person acting on behalf of
any of them or the Company, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give
any improper  gift or similar  benefit to any customer,  supplier,  governmental
employee or other person.

     6.21 Financial Advisor.  Except for the financial advisor that will deliver
the Fairness Opinion (as defined in Section 9.11 hereof),  no broker,  finder or
investment banker is


                                       19

<PAGE>



entitled  to  any  brokerage  or  finder's  fee  or  investment  banking  fee in
connection with the Merger based upon  arrangements  made by or on behalf of the
Company.


                                   ARTICLE VII
                  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES REGARDING SUB

Parent and Sub jointly  and  severally  represent  and warrant to the Company as
follows:

     7.1 Organization. Sub is a corporation duly incorporated,  validly existing
and in good  standing  under  the  laws of the  State of  Delaware.  Sub has not
engaged in any business since it was incorporated  other than in connection with
its organization and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     7.2  Capitalization.  The authorized capital stock of Sub consists of 1,000
shares of  Common  Stock,  par value  $.01 per  share,  100  shares of which are
validly  issued  and  outstanding,  fully paid and  nonassessable  and are owned
directly  or  indirectly  by Parent  free and  clear of all  liens,  claims  and
encumbrances.

     7.3 Authority  Relative to this  Agreement.  Sub has the corporate power to
enter  into this  Agreement  and to carry  out its  obligations  hereunder.  The
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  have  been duly  authorized  by its Board of
Directors and sole shareholder,  and no other corporate  proceedings on the part
of  Sub  are  necessary  to  authorize  this  Agreement  and  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby.  Except as  referred  to herein  or in  connection,  or in
compliance,  with the provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the
environmental,  corporation,  securities or blue sky laws or  regulations of the
various states,  no filing or registration  with, or  authorization,  consent or
approval of, any public body or authority is necessary for the  consummation  by
Sub of the Merger or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, other than
filings,  registrations,  authorizations,  consents or approvals  the failure to
make  or  obtain  would  not  prevent  the   consummation  of  the  transactions
contemplated hereby.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                     CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER

     8.1 Conduct of Business  by the  Company  Pending the Merger.  Prior to the
Effective Date, unless Parent shall otherwise agree in writing:

          (i) The Company shall,  and shall cause its  Subsidiaries to, carry on
their  respective  businesses  in the  usual,  regular  and  ordinary  course in
substantially  the same manner as  heretofore  conducted,  and shall,  and shall
cause its Subsidiaries to, use their commercially reasonable efforts to preserve
intact their present  business  organizations  and preserve their  relationships
with customers, suppliers and others having business dealings with


                                       20

<PAGE>



them to the end that their goodwill and on going  businesses shall be unimpaired
at the Effective Date. The Company shall,  and shall cause its  Subsidiaries to,
(a)  maintain  insurance  coverages  and its books,  accounts and records in the
usual  manner  consistent  with  prior  practices;  (b)  comply in all  material
respects with all laws,  ordinances  and  regulations of  Governmental  Entities
applicable  to the Company and its  subsidiaries;  and (c) maintain and keep its
properties  and  equipment  in good  repair,  working  order  and  condition  in
accordance with past practice,  ordinary wear and tear excepted; and (d) perform
in all  material  respects its  obligations  under all  material  contracts  and
commitments to which it is a party or by which it is bound;

          (ii) The Company shall not and shall not propose to (A) sell or pledge
or  agree  to  sell  or  pledge  any  capital  stock  owned  by it in any of its
Subsidiaries  (subject  to the  fiduciary  duties  of  the  Company's  Board  of
Directors),  (B) amend its Certificate of Incorporation  or By-laws,  (C) split,
combine or  reclassify  its  outstanding  capital stock or issue or authorize or
propose  the  issuance of any other  securities  in respect of, in lieu of or in
substitution for shares of capital stock of the Company,  or declare,  set aside
or pay any dividend or other distribution payable in cash, stock or property, or
(D) directly or  indirectly  redeem,  purchase or otherwise  acquire or agree to
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of Company capital stock;

          (iii)  Subject  to the  fiduciary  duties  of the  Company's  Board of
Directors,  the Company  shall not, nor shall it permit any of its  Subsidiaries
to, without the consent of Parent which shall not be  unreasonably  withheld (A)
issue,  deliver or sell or agree to issue, deliver or sell any additional shares
of, or rights of any kind to acquire  any shares  of, its  capital  stock of any
class,  any  indebtedness  having  the  right  to vote on  which  the  Company's
shareholders  may  vote  or any  option,  rights  or  warrants  to  acquire,  or
securities  convertible  into,  shares of capital stock other than  issuances of
Company Common Stock pursuant to employment  agreements as in effect on the date
hereof, the exercise of stock options  outstanding on the date hereof or granted
prior to the Effective Date under automatic grants under the Company's  Employee
Stock Option Plan; (B) acquire,  lease or dispose or agree to acquire,  lease or
dispose of any capital  assets or any other  assets  other than in the  ordinary
course  of  business  consistent  with  past  practice;   (C)  incur  additional
indebtedness or encumber or grant a security interest in any asset or enter into
any other material transaction other than in each case in the ordinary course of
business  consistent  with past  practice;  (D)  acquire  or agree to acquire by
merging or  consolidating  with, or by purchasing a substantial  equity interest
in,  or by any other  manner,  any  business  or any  corporation,  partnership,
association or other business  organization  or division  thereof;  or (E) enter
into any contract,  agreement,  commitment or arrangement with respect to any of
the foregoing;

          (iv)  The  Company   shall  not,  nor  shall  it  permit  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  to, except as required to comply with  applicable  law, enter into
any new (or amend any  existing)  Company  Benefit Plan or any new (or amend any
existing)  employment,  severance  or  consulting  agreement,  grant any general
increase in the compensation of directors,  officers or employees (including any
such increase  pursuant to any bonus,  pension,  profit-sharing or other plan or
commitment)  or grant any  increase  in the  compensation  payable  or to become
payable to


                                       21

<PAGE>



any  director,  officer or  employee,  except in any of the  foregoing  cases in
accordance with pre-existing contractual provisions or in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice; and

          (v) The Company shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries
to, make any investments in non-investment grade securities


                                   ARTICLE IX
                              ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

     9.1 Access and Information.  The Company and its Subsidiaries  shall afford
Parent  and  to  its  accountants,  counsel  and  other  representatives,   upon
reasonable  advance notice,  reasonable access during normal business hours (and
at such other times as the parties may  mutually  agree)  throughout  the period
prior  to the  Effective  Date to all of  their  properties,  books,  contracts,
commitments,  records and personnel and,  during such period,  the Company shall
furnish  promptly to the Parent (i) a copy of each  report,  schedule  and other
document  filed  or  received  by  it  or  its  Subsidiaries   pursuant  to  the
requirements of federal or state securities laws, and (ii) all other information
concerning the Company's or its Subsidiaries' business, properties and personnel
as the Parent may request.  Each of the Company and Parent shall hold, and shall
cause their respective  Affiliates,  employees and agents to hold, in confidence
all  information  provided  to the  other  pursuant  to  the  terms  hereof,  in
connection with the transactions  contemplated hereby or otherwise provided on a
confidential basis.

     9.2 Proxy  Statement.  Parent and the Company shall  cooperate and promptly
prepare,  and the Company shall file with the Commission as soon as practicable,
a proxy statement with respect to the Company  Meeting (the "Proxy  Statement"),
which  shall  comply as to form in all  material  respects  with the  applicable
provisions  of the Exchange Act and the rules and  regulations  thereunder.  The
Company shall use all  reasonable  efforts,  and Parent will  cooperate with the
Company,  to have the Proxy  Statement  cleared by the Commission as promptly as
practicable.  The Company shall, as promptly as  practicable,  provide copies of
any written  comments  received  from the  Commission  with respect to the Proxy
Statement to Parent and advise  Parent of any oral  comments with respect to the
Proxy  Statement  received from the  Commission.  Parent agrees that none of the
information  supplied or to be supplied by Parent for inclusion or incorporation
by reference in the Proxy Statement and each amendment or supplement thereto, at
the time of mailing thereof and at the time of the Company Meeting, will contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company agrees
that none of the  information  supplied  or to be  supplied  by the  Company for
inclusion  or  incorporation  by  reference  in the  Proxy  Statement  and  each
amendment or supplement  thereto, at the time of mailing thereof and at the time
of the Company  Meeting,  will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the  statements  therein,  in light of the  circumstances  under which they were
made, not misleading. For purposes of the


                                       22

<PAGE>



foregoing, it is understood and agreed that information concerning or related to
Parent will be deemed to have been supplied by Parent and information concerning
or related to the Company and the Company  Meeting  shall be deemed to have been
supplied by the  Company.  The Company  will  provide  Parent with a  reasonable
opportunity to review any amendment or supplement to the Proxy  Statement  prior
to filing such with the  Commission,  and will provide Parent with a copy of all
such filings made with the  Commission.  No amendment or supplement to the Proxy
Statement shall be made without the approval of Parent, which approval shall not
be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

     9.3  Employee  Matters.  As of the  Effective  Date,  the  employees of the
Company  and each  Subsidiary  shall  continue  employment  with  the  Surviving
Corporation and the Subsidiaries, respectively, in the same positions and at the
same level of wages and/or salary and without  having  incurred a termination of
employment  or  separation  from service;  provided,  however,  except as may be
specifically  required  by  applicable  law  or  any  contract,   the  Surviving
Corporation  and  the  Subsidiaries  shall  not be  obligated  to  continue  any
employment  relationship  with any  employee  for any  specific  period of time.
Except as otherwise  provided by Section 4.3 hereof,  as of the Effective  Date,
the Surviving  Corporation  shall be the sponsor of the Company Employee Benefit
Plans  sponsored by the Company  immediately  prior to the Effective  Date,  and
Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation and the Subsidiaries to satisfy all
obligations and liabilities  under such Company  Employee  Benefit Plans. To the
extent  any  employee  benefit  plan,  program  or policy  of the  Parent or its
affiliates is made  available to the employees of the Surviving  Corporation  or
its  Subsidiaries:  (i) service  with the Company  and the  Subsidiaries  by any
employee  prior to the  Effective  Date shall be credited  for  eligibility  and
vesting purposes under such plan, program or policy, but not for benefit accrual
purposes,  and (ii) with  respect  to any  welfare  benefit  plans to which such
employees may become  eligible,  Parent shall cause such plans to provide credit
for any co-payments or deductibles by such employees and waive all  pre-existing
condition  exclusions  and waiting  periods,  other than  limitations or waiting
periods that have not been satisfied  under any welfare plans  maintained by the
Company and the Subsidiaries for their employees prior to the Effective Date.

     9.4 Indemnification.

          (a) The Company shall indemnify,  defend and hold harmless,  and after
the Effective Date, the Surviving  Corporation shall indemnify,  defend and hold
harmless  the  officers,   directors  and  employees  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries  who  were  such at any  time  prior  to the  Effective  Date  (the
"Indemnified Parties") from and against all losses, expenses, claims, damages or
liabilities  ("Losses")  arising out of the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement occurring before the Effective Date to the fullest extent permitted or
required under applicable law,  including without  limitation the advancement of
expenses;  provided,  however,  that such indemnification shall not be available
with  respect to Losses  arising out of the failure of the Company to obtain the
Fairness Opinion.  Parent agrees that all rights to indemnification  existing in
favor of the directors,  officers or employees of the Company as provided in the
Company's  Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws,  as in effect as of the date
hereof,  with respect to matters  occurring  through the Effective  Date,  shall
survive the Merger and shall


                                       23

<PAGE>



continue in full force and effect for a period of not less than three years from
the Effective Date. Parent agrees to cause the Surviving Corporation to maintain
in effect for not less than three  years  after the  Effective  Date the current
policies of  directors'  and  officers'  liability  insurance  maintained by the
Company with respect to matters  occurring  on or prior to the  Effective  Date;
provided,  however,  that the  Surviving  Corporation  may  substitute  therefor
policies  of at  least  the  same  coverage  (with  carriers  comparable  to the
Company's existing  carriers)  containing terms and conditions which are no less
advantageous to the Indemnified Parties;  provided,  further,  that Parent shall
not be required in order to maintain or procure  such  coverage to pay an annual
premium in excess of 150% of the current  annual premium paid by the Company for
its existing  coverage (the "Cap");  and provided,  further,  that if equivalent
coverage cannot be obtained, or can be obtained only by paying an annual premium
in excess of the Cap,  Parent shall only be required to obtain as much  coverage
as can be obtained by paying an annual premium equal to the Cap.

          (b) In the event that any action,  suit,  proceeding or  investigation
relating  hereto  or to the  transactions  contemplated  by  this  Agreement  is
commenced  by a person or entity who or which is not a party to this  Agreement,
whether  before  or after  the  Effective  Date,  the  parties  hereto  agree to
cooperate  and use their  respective  reasonable  efforts to defend  against and
respond thereto.


     9.5 Additional Agreements.

          (a) Subject to the terms and conditions  herein provided,  each of the
parties  hereto  agrees to use all  reasonable  efforts to take,  or cause to be
taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary,  proper
or advisable  under  applicable  laws and  regulations  to  consummate  and make
effective the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,  including using all
reasonable  efforts to obtain all necessary  waivers,  consents and approvals as
may be necessary or advisable to consummate the merger,  to effect all necessary
registrations  and filings  (including,  but not limited  to,  filings  with all
applicable Governmental Entities) and to lift any injunction to the Merger (and,
in such case, to proceed with the Merger as expeditiously as possible).

          (b) In case at any time after the Effective Date any further action is
necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this  Agreement,  the proper
officers and/or directors of Parent,  the Company and the Surviving  Corporation
shall take all such commercially reasonable and necessary action.

     9.6 Alternative Proposals.  Prior to the Effective Date, the Company agrees
(a) that neither it nor any of its  Subsidiaries  shall, and it shall direct and
use its best  efforts  to cause it and its  Subsidiaries'  officers,  directors,
employees,  agents  and  representatives  (including,  without  limitation,  any
investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by it or


                                       24

<PAGE>



any of its  Subsidiaries)  not to, initiate,  solicit or encourage,  directly or
indirectly,  any  inquiries or the making or  implementation  of any proposal or
offer (including, without limitation, any proposal or offer to its stockholders)
with  respect to a merger,  acquisition,  consolidation  or similar  transaction
involving,  or any  purchase  of all or  substantially  all of the assets or any
equity  securities of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (any such proposal
or offer being hereinafter  referred to as an "Alternative  Proposal") or engage
in any negotiations concerning,  or provide any confidential information or data
to,  or have  any  discussions  with,  any  person  relating  to an  Alternative
Proposal,  or release any third party from any  obligations  under any  existing
standstill  agreement or arrangement  relating to any Alternative  Proposal,  or
otherwise  facilitate  any effort or attempt to make or implement an Alternative
Proposal;  (b) that it will  immediately  cease and cause to be  terminated  any
existing  activities,  discussions or  negotiations  with any parties  conducted
heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing,  and it will take the necessary
steps to inform the individuals or entities referred to above of the obligations
undertaken in this Section 9.6; and (c) that it will notify  Parent  immediately
if any such  inquiries or proposals  are  received by, any such  information  is
requested  from,  or any such  negotiations  or  discussions  are  sought  to be
initiated or continued with, it or any of its Subsidiaries:  provided,  however,
that nothing contained in this Section 9.6 shall prohibit the Board of Directors
of the Company from (i) furnishing  information to or entering into  discussions
or negotiations  with, any person or entity that makes an unsolicited  bona fide
proposal  to acquire  the Company  pursuant  to a merger,  consolidation,  share
exchange,  purchase of a substantial portion of assets,  business combination or
other  similar  transaction,  if, and only to the extent that,  (A) the Board of
Directors of the Company  determines in good faith (after  consultation with and
based on advice of its outside  legal  counsel) that such action is required for
the Board of  Directors  to comply  with its  fiduciary  duties to  stockholders
imposed by law, (B) prior to furnishing  such  information  to, or entering into
discussions  or  negotiations  with,  such  person or  entity,  (i) the  Company
provides  written  notice  to  Parent  to  the  effect  that  it  is  furnishing
information to, or entering into  discussions or negotiations  with, such person
or  entity  and (ii) the  Company  and  such  person  or  entity  enter  into an
appropriate confidentiality agreement with respect to information to be supplied
by the Company and (C) the Company keeps Parent promptly  informed of the status
and all material  terms and conditions of any such  discussions or  negotiations
(including  identities  of parties)  and, if any such  proposal or inquiry is in
writing,  furnishes  a copy of such  proposal  or  inquiry  to Parent as soon as
practicable  after  the  receipt  thereof;  and (ii) to the  extent  applicable,
complying with Rule 14e-2  promulgated  under the Exchange Act with regard to an
Alternative  Proposal.  Nothing in this Section 9.6 shall (x) permit the Company
to  terminate  this  Agreement  (except as  specifically  provided in Article XI
hereof),  (y) permit the Company to enter into any agreement  with respect to an
Alternative  Proposal  during the term of this  Agreement  (it being agreed that
during  the  term of this  Agreement,  the  Company  shall  not  enter  into any
agreement  with any person  that  provides  for, or in any way  facilitates,  an
Alternative  Proposal  (other  than a  confidentiality  agreement  in  customary
form)), or (z) affect any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement.

     9.7 Advice of Changes;  SEC Filings.  The Company shall confer on a regular
basis with Parent on  operational  matters.  The Company shall  promptly  advise
Parent  orally and in  writing  of any  change or event  that has had,  or could
reasonably be expected to have, a


                                       25

<PAGE>



Company  Material  Adverse Effect.  The Company shall promptly provide to Parent
(and its counsel)  copies of all filings made by such party with the  Commission
or any  other  state or  federal  Governmental  Entity in  connection  with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

     9.8  Restructuring  of Merger.  Upon the mutual agreement of Parent and the
Company,  the Merger shall be restructured  in the form of a forward  subsidiary
merger of the Company into Sub, with Sub being the surviving corporation,  or as
a  merger  of  the  Company  into  Parent,   with  Parent  being  the  surviving
corporation.  In such  event,  this  Agreement  shall  be  deemed  appropriately
modified to reflect such form of merger.

     9.9 Cancellation of Warrants;  Repayment of Loans from  Affiliates.  On the
Effective  Date,  and  without any  further  action by the  holders  thereof (a)
warrants to purchase  400,000  shares of Company  Common  Stock held by Mr. John
Robinson and warrants to purchase  50,000 shares of Company Common Stock held by
Mr. Peter Lordi shall be canceled and the holders thereof shall  thereafter have
the right to payment in cash equal to $400,000  and  $50,000,  respectively,  in
exchange  therefor,  which payment  shall be made by the  Surviving  Corporation
promptly  after the  Effective  Date and (b) the loans by Mr.  Robinson  and Mr.
Robert L. Priddy to the Company in the original  principal amounts of $1,700,000
and $500,000,  respectively,  shall be converted  into the right to (i) the cash
payment to Mr.  Robinson of $1,200,000  plus all accrued and unpaid  interest on
his loan and the issuance to Mr. Robinson by Parent of Parent  ordinary  shares,
par  value 1p per  share,  having a value  equal to  $500,000  and (ii) the cash
payment to Mr.  Priddy of all  accrued  and unpaid  interest on his loan and the
issuance to Mr. Priddy by Parent of Parent  ordinary shares having a value equal
to $500,000,  which  payments and  issuances  shall be made  promptly  after the
Effective  Date and (c) the 300,000  options  outstanding to Mr. Priddy shall be
canceled  at  Closing.  For  purposes  of  determining  the value of the  Parent
ordinary shares  hereunder,  each Parent ordinary share shall have a value equal
to the average of the middle market closing price for the Parent ordinary shares
on the Alternative  Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange,  as shown in
"The London Stock  Exchange Daily Official List" on each of the ten trading days
ending two days  prior to the  Effective  Date.  Prior to the  issuance  of such
Parent ordinary shares,  each of Messrs.  Robinson and Priddy shall enter into a
subscription with Parent in form reasonably  satisfactory to Parent,  which will
provide,  among  other  things,  that the  Parent  ordinary  shares to be issued
hereunder  may not be sold,  assigned,  pledged or otherwise  transferred  for a
period of six months from the date of issuance.

     9.10  Agreement  of  Principal  Stockholders.  Each of  Messrs.  Priddy and
Robinson and Mr. John Holmes (collectively, the "Stockholders") agrees that from
and after the date hereof until  August 31,  1998,  or such earlier date as this
Agreement shall be terminated (a) he shall not pledge,  hypothecate or otherwise
transfer his shares of Company  Common Stock in any manner and (b) he shall vote
all of his shares of Company  Common  Stock in favor of the Merger (and  against
any  Alternative  Proposal).  Nothing  contained  in this  Section 9.10 shall be
construed to prevent any of the Stockholders, when acting in their capacities as
directors of the Company, from exercising their fiduciary duties as directors in
accordance with applicable law.


                                       26

<PAGE>



     9.11 Fairness  Opinion.  The Company shall use its commercially  reasonable
efforts to engage an investment  bank  reasonably  acceptable to Parent promptly
after the date of this Agreement for the purpose of delivering a written opinion
to the effect that, as of the date of this Agreement,  the Merger  Consideration
is fair to the holders of Company  Common  Stock from a financial  point of view
(the  "Fairness  Opinion").  The Company  shall engage such  investment  bank to
deliver the Fairness  Opinion  within three weeks of the date of this  Agreement
(the  "Fairness  Opinion  Period").  The fees  and  commissions  payable  to the
Company's financial advisor in connection with its services to the Company shall
be reasonably acceptable to Parent. The Company take all commercially reasonable
steps to  facilitate  the  delivery  of the  Fairness  Opinion and shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the investment bank and supply
all  information  reasonably  requested  on a timely  basis.  Any failure by the
Company's  investment bank to deliver the Fairness  Opinion for any reason other
than the adequacy of the value of the Merger Consideration shall be deemed to be
a breach of this covenant by the Company.



                                    ARTICLE X
                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     10.1  Conditions  to Each  Party's  Obligation  to Effect the  Merger.  The
respective  obligations  of each party to effect the Merger  shall be subject to
the fulfillment at or prior to the Effective Date of the following conditions:

          (a) This Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved and adopted
by the requisite vote of the holders of the Company Common Stock.

          (b) No  preliminary  or  permanent  injunction  or other  order by any
federal or state  court in the United  States of  competent  jurisdiction  which
prevents  the  consummation  of the Merger  shall have been issued and remain in
effect  (each  party  agreeing  to use its  reasonable  efforts to have any such
injunction lifted).

     10.2  Conditions  to  Obligation  of the Company to Effect the Merger.  The
obligation  of the  Company  to  effect  the  Merger  shall  be  subject  to the
fulfillment  at or  prior to the  Effective  Date of the  following  conditions,
unless waived by the Company:

          (a) The Parent and Sub shall have  performed in all material  respects
their  agreements  contained  in this  Agreement  required to be performed on or
prior to the Effective  Date, and the  representations  and warranties of Parent
and Sub contained in this Agreement shall be true in all material  respects when
made  and on and as of the  Effective  Date as if  made  on and as of such  date
(except to the extent they relate to a  particular  date),  except as  expressly
contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, and the Company shall have received
a certificate of the President or Chief Executive Officer or a Vice President of
Parent and Sub to that effect.


                                       27

<PAGE>



          (b) Parent and Sub shall have  furnished  the Company with a certified
copy of the  resolutions  adopted by their  respective  directors  approving the
terms, execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Merger contemplated hereby,
and Parent's and Sub's  performance  hereunder,  together with a certificate  of
incumbency  of Parent  and Sub,  executed  by their  respective  President  or a
Vice-President,  and Secretary, which lists the officers and specimen signatures
of the officers who have  executed this  Agreement  and all other  documents and
instruments contemplated by this Agreement on behalf of Parent and Sub.

          (c) The Company  shall have  received an opinion of Parent's and Sub's
legal  counsel,  dated as of the  Closing  Date,  as to the matters set forth on
Exhibit 10.2(c) attached hereto, addressed to the Company.

     10.3 Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Sub to Effect the Merger.  The
obligations  of Parent  and Sub to effect  the  Merger  shall be  subject to the
fulfillment  at or  prior  to the  Effective  Date of the  additional  following
conditions, unless waived by Parent:

          (a) The Company  shall have  performed  in all  material  respects its
agreements  contained in this Agreement  required to be performed on or prior to
the  Effective  Date,  and the  representations  and  warranties  of the Company
contained  in this  Agreement  shall  be  true  when  made  and on and as of the
Effective  Date as if made on and as of such date  (except  to the  extent  they
relate to a particular date),  except as expressly  contemplated or permitted by
this  Agreement,  and Parent and Sub shall have  received a  certificate  of the
President or Chief Executive  Officer or a Vice President of the Company to that
effect.

          (b) From the date of this Agreement  through the Effective Date, there
shall not have occurred any change, individually or together with other changes,
that has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a material adverse change
in the financial condition,  business, results of operations or prospects of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

          (c) The number of shares of  Company  Common  Stock for which  written
demand for  appraisal has been properly made pursuant to Section 262 of the DCGL
shall not have exceeded 5% of the total number of shares of Company Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date.

          (d) The Company shall have  furnished  Parent and Sub with a certified
copy of the  resolutions  adopted by the Company's  directors  and  stockholders
approving  the terms,  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement,  the Merger
contemplated hereby, and the Company's  performance  hereunder,  together with a
certificate  of  incumbency  of the  Company,  executed  by its  President  or a
Vice-President,  and its  Secretary,  which  lists  the  officers  and  specimen
signatures  of the  officers  who have  executed  this  Agreement  and all other
documents  and  instruments  contemplated  by this  Agreement  on  behalf of the
Company.


                                       28

<PAGE>



          (e)  Parent and Sub shall have  received  an opinion of the  Company's
legal  counsel,  dated as of the  Closing  Date,  as to the matters set forth on
Exhibit 10.3(e) attached hereto, addressed to Parent and Sub.


                                   ARTICLE XI
                        TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

     11.1  Termination by Mutual  Consent.  This Agreement may be terminated and
the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective  Date,  before or
after the approval of this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company,  by the
mutual consent of Parent and the Company.

     11.2  Termination  by Either Parent or the Company.  This  Agreement may be
terminated  and the Merger may be  abandoned by action of the Board of Directors
of  either  Parent  or the  Company  if (a)  the  Merger  shall  not  have  been
consummated by August 31, 1998, or (b)the approval of the Company's stockholders
required  by Section  10.1(a)  shall not have been  obtained  at a meeting  duly
convened therefor or at any adjournment or postponement thereof, or (c) a United
States federal or state court of competent jurisdiction or United States federal
or state governmental,  regulatory or administrative  agency or commission shall
have  issued an order,  decree or ruling or taken any other  action  permanently
restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement and such order, decree,  ruling or other action shall have become
final and  non-appealable;  provided,  that the party seeking to terminate  this
Agreement  pursuant to this clause (c) shall have used all reasonable efforts to
remove  such  injunction,  order  or  decree;  and  provided,  in the  case of a
termination  pursuant to clause (a) above,  that the terminating party shall not
have breached in any material  respect its  obligations  under this Agreement in
any manner that shall have proximately  contributed to the failure to consummate
the Merger.

     11.3  Termination by the Company.  This Agreement may be terminated and the
Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Date, before or after
the  adoption  and approval by the  stockholders  of the Company  referred to in
Section 10.1(a),  by action of the Board of Directors of the Company and written
notice  to  Parent,  if (a) in the  exercise  of  its  fiduciary  duties  to its
stockholders  imposed by law, the Board of  Directors of the Company  determines
that such  termination  is required by reason of an  Alternative  Proposal being
made,  or  (b)  there  has  been  a  material  breach  by  Parent  or Sub of any
representation or warranty contained in this Agreement,  or (c) there has been a
material  breach  of any of the  covenants  or  agreements  set  forth  in  this
Agreement on the part of Parent,  which breach is not curable or, if curable, is
not cured  within 30 days after  written  notice of such  breach is given by the
Company to Parent.  Notwithstanding  anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary,  the Company  shall have the right to  terminate  this  Agreement  and
abandon  the  Merger  (A)  during the  Fairness  Opinion  Period if the  Company
receives a written opinion from the investment bank retained pursuant to Section
9.11 to the effect  that the Merger  Consideration  is not fair from a financial
point of view to the holders of the Company Common Stock,  or on the last day of
the Fairness Opinion Period


                                       29

<PAGE>



if the Fairness  Opinion has not been  delivered,  or (B) at any time after June
30,  1998,  if,  within five (5) days after the  written  request by the Company
after  such  date,  Parent  does not  furnish  to the  Company a written  letter
addressed  to the  Company  from Henry  Ansbacher  & Co.  Limited  and/or  other
reputable  investment banks capable of providing such financing confirming their
firm  commitment  to provide  the  financing  required  in  connection  with the
transactions contemplated hereby for the payment of all amounts due hereunder or
related hereto (including fees and expenses of its financial  advisors and legal
counsel).

     11.4 Termination by Parent. This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger
may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Date, by action of the Board
of  Directors of Parent and written  notice to the Company,  if (a) the Board of
Directors of the Company shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to
Parent its approval or  recommendation  of this Agreement or the Merger or shall
have recommended an Alternative Proposal to the Company's  stockholders,  or (b)
there  has been a  material  breach  by the  Company  of any  representation  or
warranty contained in this Agreement, or (c) there has been a material breach by
the Company of any of the covenants or agreements  set forth in this  Agreement,
which  breach is not curable or, if curable,  is not cured  within 30 days after
written notice of such breach is given by Parent to the Company, or (d) a change
or changes having the effect  specified in Section  10.3(b) shall have occurred.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  this Agreement may be terminated by Parent and
the Merger may be abandoned  (A) at any time prior to May 15, 1998, by action of
the Board of  Directors of Parent and written  notice to the Company,  if Parent
concludes as a result of Parent's  legal,  business and  financial due diligence
review of the Company,  that (i) the  Company's  business,  properties,  assets,
condition   (financial  or   otherwise),   liabilities  or  operations  are  not
satisfactory, or (ii) the Company is in material breach of any representation or
warranty made in this  Agreement,  or (B) during the Fairness  Opinion Period if
the  Company  receives  a written  opinion  from the  investment  bank  retained
pursuant to Section 9.11 to the effect that the Merger consideration is not fair
from a financial  point of view to the holders of the Company  Common Stock,  or
within two business days after the termination of the Fairness Opinion Period if
the Company shall not have obtained the Fairness Opinion, or (C) before June 30,
1998 if Parent  shall have  failed to obtain the  irrevocable  undertaking  from
holders  of a  majority  of  Parent's  ordinary  shares  to vote in favor of the
resolutions  necessary  to effect the Merger and the  related  financing  or (D)
prior to June  30,  1998 if  Parent  and Sub  shall  not  have  obtained  a firm
commitment from Henry Ansbacher & Co. Limited and/or other reputable  investment
banks capable of providing such  financing to provide the financing  required in
connection  with the  transactions  contemplated  hereby for the  payment of all
amounts due  hereunder  or related  hereto  (including  fees and expenses of its
financial  advisors and legal  counsel) on terms  satisfactory  to Parent in its
sole discretion.

     11.5 Effect of Termination and Abandonment.

          (a) In the event  that (x) any person  shall have made an  Alternative
Proposal  and  thereafter  this  Agreement is  terminated  either by the Company
pursuant  to Section  11.3(a) or by either  Parent or the  Company  pursuant  to
Section 11.2(b),  (y) the Board of Directors of the Company shall have withdrawn
or modified in a manner adverse to Parent its


                                       30

<PAGE>



approval  or  recommendation  of this  Agreement  or the  Merger  or shall  have
recommended an Alternative Proposal to the Company stockholders and Parent shall
have  terminated  this Agreement  pursuant to Section  11.4(a) or (z) any person
shall  have made an  Alternative  Proposal  and  thereafter  this  Agreement  is
terminated for any reason other than those set forth in clauses (x) or (y) above
and  within  12 months  thereafter  any  Alternative  Proposal  shall  have been
consummated  with the third party who made such Alternative  Proposal,  then the
Company  shall  promptly,  but in no  event  later  than  two  days  after  such
termination  or  consummation  with  respect to clause (z),  pay Parent a fee of
$500,000 (the "Termination Fee"), which amount shall be payable by wire transfer
of same day funds.  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary  contained herein,
Parent shall only be entitled to be paid the  Termination  Fee in the event that
at the time of the  termination  of this  Agreement  Parent  is not in  material
breach of any of the representations,  warranties or covenants set forth in this
Agreement.  The  Company  acknowledges  that the  agreements  contained  in this
Section  11.5(a) are an integral part of the  transactions  contemplated in this
Agreement,  and that,  without these agreements,  Parent and Sub would not enter
into this  Agreement;  accordingly,  if the Company  fails to  promptly  pay the
amount due  pursuant  to this  Section  11.5(a),  and,  in order to obtain  such
payment,  Parent or Sub commences a suit which results in a judgment against the
Company for the fee set forth in this Section 11.5(a),  the Company shall pay to
Parent its costs and expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees) in connection  with
such suit,  together  with  interest on the amount of the fee at the rate of 12%
per annum from the date such payment should have been made.

          (b) In the event of termination of this Agreement and the  abandonment
of the Merger pursuant to this Article XI, all obligations of the parties hereto
shall terminate,  except the obligations of the parties pursuant to this Section
11.5 and Section  12.3 and except for the  provisions  of Sections  12.5,  12.6,
12.7, 12.9,  12.11,  12.12 and 12.14.  Moreover,  in the event of termination of
this  Agreement  pursuant to Section 11.2,  11.3 or 11.4,  nothing  herein shall
prejudice the ability of the  non-breaching  party from seeking damages from any
other  party for any breach of this  Agreement,  including  without  limitation,
attorneys' fees and the right to pursue any remedy at law or in equity; provided
that  following  termination of this Agreement upon the occurrence of any of the
events  described in clauses (x),  (y) or (z) of Section  11.5(a),  and provided
that the  Termination  Fee  payable  pursuant  to Section  11.5 shall after such
termination be paid, neither Parent nor Sub shall (i) have any rights whatsoever
in respect of or in connection with the representations, warranties or covenants
of the Company, (ii) assert or pursue in any manner, directly or indirectly, any
claim or cause of action  based in whole or in part  upon  alleged  tortious  or
other interference with rights under this Agreement against any entity or person
submitting  an  Alternative  Proposal  or (iii)  assert or pursue in any manner,
directly or indirectly,  any claim or cause of action against the Company or any
of its  officers  or  directors  based  in  whole  or in part  upon its or their
receipt, consideration, recommendation, or approval of an Alternative Proposal.


                                       31

<PAGE>




                                   ARTICLE XII
                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

     12.1  Non-Survival  of  Representations,  Warranties  and  Agreements.  All
representations  and warranties set forth in this Agreement  shall  terminate at
the Effective Date. All covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement and
any instrument  delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive in accordance
with their terms.

     12.2  Notices.  All notices or other  communications  under this  Agreement
shall be in  writing  and shall be given  (and shall be deemed to have been duly
given upon receipt) by delivery in person,  by facsimile or other  standard form
of  telecommunications,  overnight  courier or by registered or certified  mail,
postage prepaid, return receipt requested, addressed as follows:


           If to the Company:

           Lukens Medical Corporation
           3820 Academy Parkway North NE
           Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
           Attention: Robert Huffstodt, President
                          and Chief Executive Officer
           Facsimile: (505) 342-9735

           With a copy to:

           Golenbock, Eiseman, Assor & Bell
           437 Madison Avenue, 35th Floor
           New York, New York 10022
           Attention: Andrew M. Singer, Esq.
           Facsimile: (212)754-0330

           If to Parent or Sub:


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<PAGE>



           Medisys PLC
           Walmar House
           288-292 Regent Street
           London W1R SH8 England
           Attention: Brian Timmons
           Facsimile: (011) 171-436-5303

           With a copy to:

           Brock Silverstein McAuliffe LLC
           One Citicorp Center
           153 East 53rd Street, 56th Floor
           New York, New York 10022
           Attention: David Robbins, Esq.
           Facsimile: (212) 371-5500

or to such other address as any party may have furnished to the other parties in
writing in accordance with this Section.

     12.3 Fees and Expenses. Whether or not the Merger is consummated, all costs
and expenses  incurred in connection  with this  Agreement and the  transactions
contemplated  by  this  Agreement  shall  be paid by the  party  incurring  such
expenses,  whether or not the Merger is consummated except as expressly provided
herein and except that (a) the filing fee in  connection  with the filing of the
Proxy Statement with the Commission and (b) the expenses  incurred in connection
with printing and mailing the Proxy  Statement,  shall be shared  equally by the
Company and Parent.

     12.4 Publicity. So long as this Agreement is in effect, Parent, Sub and the
Company  agree to  consult  with each  other in  issuing  any press  release  or
otherwise   making  any  public  statement  with  respect  to  the  transactions
contemplated by this  Agreement,  and none of them shall issue any press release
or make any  public  statement  prior  to such  consultation,  except  as may be
required by law or by obligations pursuant to the rules of any listing agreement
with any national securities exchange, NASDAQ, the Alternative Investment Market
of the London Stock  Exchange,  or other  regulatory  body or  association.  The
commencement  of  litigation  relating  to this  Agreement  or the  transactions
contemplated  hereby or any  proceedings  in connection  therewith  shall not be
deemed a violation of this Section 12.4.

     12.5 Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event that any of the  provisions of this  Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It
is  accordingly  agreed that the parties  shall be entitled to an  injunction or
injunctions or other appropriate equitable relief (in addition to other remedies
at law), without the requirement to post bond or security to prevent breaches of
this Agreement and to enforce  specifically  the terms and provisions  hereof in
any


                                       33

<PAGE>



court of the  United  States or any state  having  jurisdiction,  this  being in
addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.

     12.6  Assignment;  Binding  Effect.  Neither this  Agreement nor any of the
rights,  interests  or  obligations  hereunder  shall be  assigned by any of the
parties  hereto  (whether by  operation of law or  otherwise)  without the prior
written  consent of the other  parties;  provided,  however,  Parent and Sub may
assign their rights, but not their  obligations,  under this Agreement to any of
their respective  direct or indirect wholly owned  subsidiaries.  Subject to the
preceding sentence,  this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the
benefit of the  parties  hereto and their  respective  successors  and  assigns.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in
this Agreement,  expressed or implied, is intended to confer on any person other
than the parties hereto or their  respective  successors and assigns any rights,
remedies,  obligations  or  liabilities  under or by reason  of this  Agreement;
provided that the  Indemnified  Parties shall be  third-party  beneficiaries  of
Parent's agreement contained in Section 9.4 hereof.

     12.7 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the Exhibits, the Company Disclosure
Schedule and any documents  delivered by the parties in connection  herewith and
therewith  constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the
subject  matter  hereof and supersede all prior  agreements  and  understandings
among the parties with respect  thereto.  No addition to or  modification of any
provision of this  Agreement  shall be binding upon any party hereto unless made
in writing and signed by all parties hereto.

     12.8  Amendment.  This Agreement may be amended by the parties  hereto,  by
action  taken by their  respective  Boards of  Directors,  at any time before or
after  approval  of  matters  presented  in  connection  with the  Merger by the
stockholders  of the  Company  and the  Parent,  but after any such  stockholder
approval,  no amendment shall be made which by law requires the further approval
of stockholders without obtaining such further approval.  This Agreement may not
be amended  except by an instrument  in writing  signed on behalf of each of the
parties hereto.

     12.9 Governing  Law. This  Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in
accordance  with the laws of the State of Delaware,  without regard to its rules
of conflict of laws.

     12.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in
separate counterparts,  each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an
original,  but all such counterparts shall together  constitute one and the same
instrument.  Each  counterpart  may  consist of a number of copies  hereof  each
signed by less than all, but together signed by all of the parties hereto.

     12.11 Headings and Table of Contents. Headings of the Articles and Sections
of this  Agreement  and the Table of  Contents  are for the  convenience  of the
parties  only,  and  shall  be  given  no  substantive  or  interpretive  effect
whatsoever.


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<PAGE>



     12.12  Interpretation.  In this  Agreement,  unless the  context  otherwise
requires, words describing the singular number shall include the plural and vice
versa,  and words  denoting  any gender  shall  include  all  genders  and words
denoting  natural persons shall include  corporations  and partnerships and vice
versa.

     12.13 Waivers. At any time prior to the Effective Date, the parties hereto,
by or pursuant to action taken by their respective Boards of Directors,  may (i)
extend the time for the  performance of any of the  obligations or other acts of
the other parties hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and
warranties  contained herein or in any documents  delivered  pursuant hereto and
(iii)  waive  compliance  with any of the  agreements  or  conditions  contained
herein.  Any  agreement on the part of a party  hereto to any such  extension or
waiver shall be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing  signed on behalf
of such party. Except as provided in this Agreement, no action taken pursuant to
this Agreement, including, without limitation, any investigation by or on behalf
of any party,  shall be deemed to  constitute  a waiver by the party taking such
action  of  compliance  with  any  representations,   warranties,  covenants  or
agreements  contained  in this  Agreement.  The waiver by any party  hereto of a
breach of any provision  hereunder shall not operate or be construed as a waiver
of any prior or subsequent breach of the same or any other provision hereunder.

     12.14  Severability.  Any  term or  provision  of this  Agreement  which is
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction,  be
ineffective  to the  extent  of  such  invalidity  or  unenforceability  without
rendering  invalid or  unenforceable  the remaining terms and provisions of this
Agreement or affecting  the  validity or  enforceability  of any of the terms or
provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. If any provision of this
Agreement is so broad as to be unenforceable, the provision shall be interpreted
to be only so broad as is enforceable.

     12.15 Subsidiaries.  As used in this Agreement,  the word "Subsidiary" when
used with  respect to any party  means any  corporation  or other  organization,
whether  incorporated  or  unincorporated,  of  which  such  party  directly  or
indirectly  owns or  controls  at least a majority  of the  securities  or other
interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the
board of directors or others  performing  similar functions with respect to such
corporation or other organization,  or any organization of which such party is a
general partner.

     12.16 United States Dollars; Exchange Rates. (a) As used in this Agreement,
unless otherwise  indicated,  "$" shall mean U.S. dollars; and (b) to the extent
that the  calculation of foreign  currency  exchange  rates is required  hereby,
reference shall be made to the  appropriate  rates set forth in "The Wall Street
Journal" for the applicable date.


                                       35

<PAGE>



     IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  Parent, Sub and the Company have caused this Agreement
to be signed by their respective  officers  thereunder duly authorized all as of
the date first written above.

                                                   MEDISYS PLC

                                                   By: /s/ Brian P. Timmons
                                                      -------------------------
                                                      Name: Brian P. Timmons
                                                      Title: Vice President


                                                   LMC ACQUISITION CORP.

                                                   By: /s/ Brian P. Timmons
                                                      -------------------------
                                                      Name: Brian P. Timmons
                                                      Title: Vice President


                                                   LUKENS MEDICAL CORPORATION

                                                   By: /s/ Robert S. Huffstodt
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Name: Robert S. Huffstodt
                                                      Title: President

Agreed and Accepted
with Respect to Sections 9.9 and  9.10

/s/ John Robinson
- ----------------------
John Robinson


/s/ Robert L. Priddy
- ----------------------
Robert L. Priddy


/s/ John Holmes
- ----------------------
John Holmes


                                       36

<PAGE>



                                                                 Exhibit 10.2(e)


Form of Opinion  of  Counsel  to Parent  and Sub (to be split  between US and UK
counsel)

1. Parent is a public limited company duly incorporated, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of Scotland and has the corporate power to carry on
its business as it is now being conducted or currently proposed to be conducted.

2. Sub is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware.

3. Parent has the corporate  authority to enter into the Merger Agreement and to
carry out its  obligations  hereunder.  The execution and delivery of the Merger
Agreement and the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  thereby have
been  duly  authorized  by  Parent's  Board of  Directors.  No  other  corporate
proceedings  on the  part of  Parent  are  necessary  to  authorize  the  Merger
Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby.

4. Sub has the corporate  power to enter into the Merger  Agreement and to carry
out its  obligations  thereunder.  The  execution  and  delivery  of the  Merger
Agreement and the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  thereby have
been duly  authorized by Sub's Board of Directors and sole  shareholder,  and no
other  corporate  proceedings on the part of Sub are necessary to authorize this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.


                                       37

<PAGE>



                                                                 Exhibit 10.3(e)


Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Company

1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated,  validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the corporate  power to
carry on its business as it is now being conducted.

2. The authorized  capital stock of the Company consists of 20,000,000 shares of
Company Common Stock, par value $.01 per share and 1,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $.01 per share.

3.  Each  Subsidiary  of the  Company  incorporated  in the  United  States is a
corporation duly  incorporated,  validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of  incorporation  and has the corporate power to carry
on its business as it is now being conducted.

4. The Company has the corporate power to enter into the Merger Agreement and to
carry out its obligations  thereunder.  The execution and delivery of the Merger
Agreement and the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  thereby have
been duly  authorized by the Company's  Board of Directors.  No other  corporate
proceedings  on the part of the Company are  necessary to  authorize  the Merger
Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby.

5. The Board of Directors of the Company (at a meeting duly called and held) has
by the requisite vote of all directors present approved the Merger in accordance
with the provisions of Sections 251 of the DGCL.

6. A majority of the Company's  stockholders  have approved the Merger Agreement
and the Merger at a meeting duly called and held for such purpose.


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