MAIL WELL INC
S-3/A, 1997-11-10
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<PAGE>
 
   
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 10, 1997     
 
                                                     REGISTRATION NO. 333-39013
===============================================================================
 
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                               ----------------
                               
                            AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO     
                                   FORM S-3
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                               ----------------
 
                                MAIL-WELL, INC.
            (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
                               ----------------
 
        COLORADO            23 INVERNESS WAY, SUITE          84-1250533
     (STATE OR OTHER                  160                 (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
     JURISDICTION OF          ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112      IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
    INCORPORATION OR            (303) 790-8023
      ORGANIZATION)
  (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF
                   REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
                               ----------------
 
                            ROGER WERTHEIMER, ESQ.
                          23 INVERNESS WAY, SUITE 160
                              ENGLEWOOD, CO 80112
                                (303) 790-8023
(NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                             OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                               ----------------
 
                                  COPIES TO:
      HERBERT H. DAVIS III, ESQ.                DAVID P. OELMAN, ESQ.
  ROTHGERBER, APPEL, POWERS & JOHNSON            ANDREWS & KURTH LLP
                  LLP                         4200 TEXAS COMMERCE TOWER
  1200 SEVENTEENTH STREET, SUITE 3000           HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002
        DENVER, COLORADO 80202                     (713) 220-4200
            (303) 623-9000
 
  APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: from time
to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

  If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the
following box. [_]
   
  If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.[_]     

  If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [_]

  If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [_]

  If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [_]
       
  THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS
REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID
SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
 
================================================================================
<PAGE>
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A         +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE   +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY  +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT        +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR   +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE      +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE    +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF  +
+ANY SUCH STATE.                                                               +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                
PROSPECTUS   SUBJECT TO COMPLETION -- DATED NOVEMBER 10, 1997     
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
                                3,820,200 Shares
 
[LOGO OF MAIL-WELL, INC. APPEARS HERE]

                                MAIL-WELL, INC.
 
                                  Common Stock
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Of the 3,820,200 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common
Stock"), offered hereby (the "Offering"), 3,125,000 shares are being sold by
Mail-Well, Inc. ("Mail-Well" or the "Company") and 695,200 shares are being
sold by certain selling shareholders of the Company (the "Selling
Shareholders"). The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale
of shares of Common Stock by the Selling Shareholders. See "Selling
Shareholders."
 
The Common Stock of the Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the
"NYSE") under the symbol "MWL." On October 27, 1997, the last reported sales
price of the Common Stock on the NYSE was $34.50 per share.
 
Concurrently with the Offering of Common Stock being made by this Prospectus,
the Company is offering $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of   %
Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2002, which are convertible into Common
Stock at a conversion price of $    per share (the "Convertible Note
Offering"). This Offering and the Convertible Note Offering are not contingent
upon one another.
 
SEE "RISK FACTORS" ON PAGES 10 TO 14 FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN MATERIAL
FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH AN INVESTMENT IN THE
COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY.
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
================================================================================
                                       Underwriting                Proceeds to
                           Price to   Discounts and  Proceeds to     Selling
                            Public    Commissions(1) Company(2)  Shareholders(2)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Per Share...............     $            $             $             $
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total(3)................  $             $            $             $
================================================================================

(1) The Company and the Selling Shareholders have agreed to indemnify the
    several Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities
    under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. See "Underwriting."
(2) Before deducting offering expenses payable by the Company, including the
    expenses of the Selling Shareholders, estimated to be $300,000.
(3) The Company has granted the several Underwriters a 30-day over-allotment
    option to purchase up to 573,030 additional shares of the Common Stock on
    the same terms and conditions as set forth above. If all such additional
    shares are purchased by the Underwriters, the total Price to Public will be
    $   , the total Underwriting Discounts and Commissions will be $   , the
    total Proceeds to Company will be $    and the total Proceeds to Selling
    Shareholders will be $   . See "Underwriting."
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
The shares of Common Stock are offered by the several Underwriters subject to
delivery by the Company and the Selling Shareholders and acceptance by the
Underwriters, to prior sale and to withdrawal, cancellation or modification of
the offer without notice. Delivery of the shares to the Underwriters is
expected to be made at the office of Prudential Securities Incorporated, One
New York Plaza, New York, New York, on or about November   , 1997.
 
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
                         BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
                                          DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
                                              SECURITIES CORPORATION
                                                            HANIFEN, IMHOFF INC.
 
November   , 1997
<PAGE>
 
                PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
  The estimated expenses of the offering (except for SEC registration and New
York Stock Exchange listing fees), all of which are to be borne by the
Registrant, are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
      <S>                                                              <C>
      Printing Expenses............................................... $ 60,000
      Accounting Fees and Expenses....................................   35,000
      Legal Fees and Expense..........................................   50,000
      Registrar and Transfer Agent Fees...............................    1,000
      SEC Registration Fee............................................   46,270
      New York Stock Exchange Listing Fees............................   10,500
      Blue Sky Fees...................................................    5,000
      Miscellaneous...................................................    5,000
                                                                       --------
        TOTAL......................................................... $212,770
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>
 
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
  Section 7-109-101 et seq. of the Colorado Business Corporation Act ("CBCA")
empowers a Colorado corporation to indemnify its directors, officers,
employees and agents under certain circumstance, as well as providing for the
elimination of personal liability of directors and officers of a Colorado
corporation for monetary damages.
 
  Article V of the Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant reads as
follows:
 
  "The Corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law in effect from time to time, any person, and the estate and
personal representative of any such person, against all liability and expense
(including attorneys' fees) incurred by reason of the fact that he or she is
or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a
director or officer of the Corporation, he or she is or was serving at the
request of the Corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee,
fiduciary, or agent of, or in any similar managerial or fiduciary position of,
another domestic or foreign Corporation or other individual or entity or of an
employee benefit plan. The Corporation shall also indemnify any person who is
serving or has served the Corporation as director, officer, employee,
fiduciary, or agent, and that person's estate and personal representative, to
the extent and in the manner provided in any bylaw, resolution of the
shareholders or directors, contract, or otherwise, so long as such provision
is legally permissible."
 
  Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant reads as
follows:
 
  "There shall be no personal liability of a director to the Corporation or to
its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a
director, except that said personal liability shall not be eliminated to the
Corporation or to the shareholders for monetary damages arising due to any
breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Corporation or to the
shareholders, acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a knowing violation of law, acts specified in section 7-108-403,
C.R.S., or any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal
benefit. Notwithstanding any other provisions herein, personal liability of a
director shall be eliminated to the greatest extent possible as is now, or in
the future, provided for by law. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing
sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of
the Corporation existing hereunder with respect to any act or omission
occurring prior to such repeal or modification."
 
  The Company has entered into Indemnity Agreements with its directors and
certain key officers pursuant to which the Company generally is obligated to
indemnify its directors and such officers to the full extent permitted by the
CBCA as described above.
 
 
                                     II-1
<PAGE>
 
  The Company has purchased liability insurance policies covering directors and
officers in certain circumstances.
 
ITEM  16. EXHIBITS.
 
  The following Exhibits are filed as a part of this Registration Statement
pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K:
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
 NUMBER
 -------
 <C>     <S>                                                               
   1.1   Underwriting Agreement
  *4.1   Form of Certificate representing the Common Stock, par value
          $0.01 per share, of the Company--incorporated by reference from
          exhibit 4.1 of the Company's Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-3
          filed on October 29, 1997 (Reg. No. 333-35561);
  *4.2   The Company's Articles of Incorporation--incorporated by
          reference from exhibit 3(i) of the Company's Form 10-Q for the
          quarter ended June 30, 1997
  *5.1   Legal Opinion of Rothgerber, Appel, Powers & Johnson LLP
  *23.1  Consent of Rothgerber, Appel, Powers & Johnson LLP (Reference is
          made to Exhibit 5.1)
   23.2  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
  *24.1  Power of Attorney
</TABLE>    
 
- --------
   
* Previously filed     
 
ITEM  17. UNDERTAKINGS.
 
  (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
 
    (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
  post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any
  material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
  previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change
  to such information in the registration statement;
 
    (2) That, for the purposes of determining any liability under the
  Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
  to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
  therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
  to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
    (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
  any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
  termination of the offering.
 
  (b)The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall
be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
  (c)Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>
 
a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful
defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director,
officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
   
  (d)The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:     
       
    (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act
    of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as
    part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and
    contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to
    rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be
    deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was
    declared effective.     
       
    (2) For the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
    Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of
    prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
    to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
    at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
    thereof.     
   
  (e)The undersigned registrant herby undertakes to file an application for
the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under
subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with
the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2)
of the Trust Indenture Act.     
 
                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES
   
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING ON FORM S-3 AND HAS DULY CAUSED THIS AMENDMENT TO THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED,
THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED, IN THE CITY OF ENGLEWOOD, STATE OF COLORADO, ON
NOVEMBER 7, 1997.     
 
                                          Mail-Well, Inc.
 
                                             /s/        *
                                          By: _________________________________
                                               
                                            Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-
                                            fact for     
                                            Gerald F. Mahoney, Chief Executive
                                            Officer
   
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS AMENDMENT
TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE
CAPACITIES AND ON THE DATES INDICATED.     
       
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
              SIGNATURE                        TITLE                 DATE
    
/s/        *                         
- -------------------------------------  Chairman of the         November 7, 1997
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-      Board/ Chief               
fact for Gerald F. Mahoney             Executive 
                                       Officer/Director    
    
/s/        *                         
- -------------------------------------  President and COO       November 7, 1997
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-      American Mail-Well        
fact for Robert J. Terry               Envelope/ Director    
 
     
/s/        *                          
- -------------------------------------  Vice President/         November 7, 1997
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-      Chief Financial           
fact for Paul V. Reilly                Officer     

     
/s/        *                       
- -------------------------------------  Director                November 7, 1997
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-
fact for Frank J. Hevrdejs     
 
     
/s/        *                           
- -------------------------------------  Director                November 7, 1997
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-
fact for Frank P. Diassi     
 
     
/s/        *                        
- -------------------------------------  Director                November 7, 1997
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-
fact for J. Bruce Duty     

                                    
/s/                                    Director                November 7, 1997
- -------------------------------------                 
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-
fact for Jerome W. Pickholz     

                           
/s/                                    Director                November 7, 1997
- -------------------------------------                  
Roger Wertheimer, as attorney-in-
fact for W. Thomas Stevens     

   
*By: /s/ Roger Wertheimer     
   
Roger Wertheimer 
Attorney-in-fact     
 
                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT NO.                              EXHIBITS
 -----------                              --------
 <C>         <S>
   1.1       Underwriting Agreement
  *4.1       Form of Certificate representing the Common Stock, par value $0.01
              per share, of the Company--incorporated by reference from exhibit
              4.1 of the Company's Amendment No. 1 to the Form
              S-3 filed on October 29, 1997 (Reg. No. 333-35561);
  *4.2       The Company's Articles of Incorporation--incorporated by reference
              from exhibit 3(i) of the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter
              ended June 30, 1997
  *5.1       Legal Opinion of Rothgerber, Appel, Powers & Johnson LLP
             Consent of Rothgerber, Appel, Powers & Johnson LLP (Reference is
  *23.1       made to Exhibit 5.1)
   23.2      Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
  *24.1      Power of Attorney (included on the signature page attached to this
              Registration Statement)
</TABLE>    
 
- --------
   
* Previously filed     
 
                                      II-6

<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.1


                                MAIL-WELL, INC.

                                 COMMON STOCK

                            UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                            ----------------------


                                                             November ____, 1997


PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
BEAR STEARNS & CO., INC.
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
     SECURITIES CORPORATION
HANIFEN, IMHOFF INC.
As the Representatives of the Underwriters
    named in Schedule 3 hereto

Dear Sirs:

     Each of Mail-Well, Inc., a Colorado corporation (the "Company"), and the
selling securityholders set forth on Schedule 2 attached hereto (the "Selling
Securityholders") hereby confirms its agreement with the several underwriters
named in Schedule 3 hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you have been duly
authorized to act as representatives (in such capacities, the
"Representatives"), as set forth below.  If you are the only Underwriters, all
references herein to the Representatives shall be deemed to be to the
Underwriters.

     1.   Securities.  Subject to the terms and conditions herein contained, the
          ----------                                                            
Company proposes to issue and sell, and the Selling Securityholders severally
propose to sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate to 3,820,200 shares
(the "Firm Securities") of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
(the "Offered Common Stock").  The Company also proposes to issue and sell to
the several Underwriters not more than 573,030 additional shares of Common Stock
if requested by the Underwriters as provided in Section 3 of this Agreement.
Any and all shares of Common Stock purchased by the Underwriters pursuant to
such options are referred to herein as the "Option Securities" and the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities are referred to herein as the "Securities".

     2.   Representations and Warranties of the Company.  The Company and each
          ---------------------------------------------                       
of the Selling Securityholders, jointly and severally, represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, each of the several Underwriters that:

     (a)  The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act").  A registration statement on
such Form (File No. 333-_____) with respect to the Securities, including a
prospectus subject to completion, has been filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Act, and one or
more amendments to such registration statement may have been so filed.  After
the execution of this Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission
either (i) if such registration statement, as it may have been amended, has been
declared by the Commission to be effective under the Act, either (A) if the
Company relies on Rule 434 under the Act, a Term Sheet (as hereinafter defined)
relating to the Securities, that shall identify the Preliminary Prospectus (as
hereinafter defined) that it supplements containing such information as is
required or permitted by 
<PAGE>
 
Rules 434, 430A and 424(b) under the Act or (B) if the Company does not rely on
Rule 434 under the Act, a prospectus in the form most recently included in an
amendment to such registration statement (or, if no such amendment shall have
been filed, in such registration statement), with such changes or insertions as
are required by Rule 430A under the Act or permitted by Rule 424(b) under the
Act, and in the case of either clause (i)(A) or (i)(B) of this sentence as have
been provided to and approved by the Representatives prior to the execution of
this Agreement, or (ii) if such registration statement, as it may have been
amended, has not been declared by the Commission to be effective under the Act,
an amendment to such registration statement, including a form of prospectus, a
copy of which amendment has been furnished to and approved by the
Representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement. The Company may also
file a related registration statement with the Commission pursuant to Rule
462(b) under the Act for the purpose of registering certain additional
Securities, which registration shall be effective upon filing with the
Commission. As used in this Agreement, the term "Original Registration
Statement" means the registration statement initially filed relating to the
Securities, as amended at the time when it was declared effective, including (A)
all financial schedules and exhibits thereto, (B) all documents incorporated by
reference therein filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act") and (C) any information omitted therefrom and required to
be filed pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and included in the Prospectus; the
term "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement" means any registration statement filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act (including the
Registration Statement and any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus incorporated
therein at the time such Registration Statement becomes effective); the term
"Registration Statement" includes both the Original Registration Statement and
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means
each preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities
and previously filed pursuant to Rule 424 (b), including all documents
incorporated by reference therein filed under the Exchange Act; the term
"Prospectus" means:

          (A)  if the Company relies on Rule 434 under the Act, the Term Sheet
     relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7)
     under the Act, together with the Preliminary Prospectus identified therein
     that such Term Sheet supplements;

          (B)  if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act, the
     prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
     the Act, including, in the case of clauses (A) or (B) of this sentence, all
     documents incorporated by reference therein filed under the Exchange Act;
     or

          (C)  if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act and if no
     prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act,
     the prospectus included in the Registration Statement;

and the term "Term Sheet" means any abbreviated term sheet that satisfies the
requirements of Rule 434 under the Act.  Any reference in this Agreement to an
"amendment" or "supplement" to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or
an "amendment" to any registration statement (including the Registration
Statement) shall be deemed to include any document incorporated by reference
therein that is filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act after the date
of such Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus or registration statement, as the
case may be; any reference herein to the "date" of a Prospectus that includes a
Term Sheet shall mean the date of such Term Sheet.  For purposes of the
preceding sentence, any reference to the "effective date" of an amendment to a
registration statement shall, if such amendment is effected by means of the
filing with the Commission under the Exchange Act of a document incorporated by
reference in such 

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
registration statement, be deemed to refer to the date on which such document
was so filed with the Commission.

     (b)  The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the
use of any Preliminary Prospectus.  When any Preliminary Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto was filed with the Commission, it (i) contained
all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied in
all material respects with the requirements of, the Act, the Exchange Act and
the respective rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (ii) did
not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  When the
Registration Statement was declared effective or when any amendment was or is
made thereto, it (i) contained or will contain all statements required to be
stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did not or will not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  When the
Prospectus or any Term Sheet that is a part thereof or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b), on the date when the Prospectus is otherwise amended or supplemented
(or, if the Prospectus or part thereof or such amendment or supplement is not
required to be so filed, when the Registration Statement or the amendment
thereto containing such amendment or supplement to the Prospectus was or is
declared effective) and on the Firm Closing Date and any Option Closing Date
(both as hereinafter defined), each of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
at any such time, (i) contained or will contain all statements required to be
stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did not or will not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (b) do not apply to statements or omissions made in
any Preliminary Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein.

     (c)  If the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has not been declared effective, (i) the Company has
filed a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in compliance with, and that is
effective upon filing pursuant to, Rule 462(b) and has received confirmation of
its receipt, and (ii) the Company has given irrevocable instructions for
transmission of the applicable filing fee in connection with the filing of the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, in compliance with Rule 111 promulgated
under the Act or the Commission has received payment of such filing fee.

     (d)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and
are validly existing as corporations in good standing under the laws of their
respective jurisdictions of incorporation and are duly qualified to transact
business as foreign corporations and are in good standing under the laws of all
other jurisdictions where the ownership or leasing of their respective
properties or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a
material liability or disability to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
     (e)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have full power (corporate
and other) to own or lease their respective properties and conduct their
respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus; and the Company has full power (corporate and other) to
enter into this Agreement and to carry out all the terms and provisions hereof
to be carried out by it.

     (f)  The issued shares of capital stock of each of the Company's
subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable and, except for directors' qualifying shares and as otherwise set
forth in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus) are owned beneficially by the Company free and
clear of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

     (g)  The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization
as set forth in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus). All of the issued shares of capital stock
of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
and nonassessable.

     (h)  The capital stock of the Company conforms to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus, or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus.

     (i)  The Offered Common Stock has been duly authorized and, when issued and
paid for as provided herein will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.  All corporate action required to be taken for the issuance,
delivery and sale of such Offered Common Stock has been validly taken.  No
holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are entitled as
such to any preemptive or other rights to subscribe for any shares of the
Offered Common Stock, and no holder of securities of the Company has any right
which has not been fully exercised or waived to require the Company to register
the offer or sale of any securities owned by such holder under the Act in the
public offering contemplated by this agreement.

     (j)  Except as disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), there are not outstanding
(A) securities or obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock of the Company or any
such subsidiary, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase
from the Company or any such subsidiary any such capital stock or any such
convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations, or (C) obligations of the
Company or any such subsidiary to issue any shares of capital stock, any such
convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations, or any such warrants,
rights or options.

     (k)  The consolidated financial statements and schedules of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) fairly present the financial position of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries and the results of operations and changes in
financial condition as of the dates and periods therein specified.  Such
financial statements and schedules have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the
periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein).  The selected financial
data set forth under the caption "Selected Financial Information" if included in
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 19__, fairly present, on the basis stated in the
Prospectus (or such Preliminary Prospectus) and such Annual Report, the
information included therein.

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
     (l)  Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements
of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with
respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the Exchange Act and the related
published rules and regulations thereunder.

     (m)  The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been duly authorized
by the Company and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Company and is the valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms.

     (n)  No legal or governmental proceedings are pending to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) and that are not described
therein, and no such proceedings have been threatened against the Company or any
of its subsidiaries or with respect to any of their respective properties; and
no contract or other document is required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement that is not described therein (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) or filed as required.

     (o)  The issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, or the execution, delivery or
performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, and the
consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do not (i) require
the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with
any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained, such as may be
required under state securities or blue sky laws or (ii) conflict with or result
in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other agreement
or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties are bound, or the charter documents or by-laws of the Company or any
of its subsidiaries, or any statute or any judgment, decree, order, rule or
regulation of any court or other governmental authority or any arbitrator
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

     (p)  Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), neither the Company nor any
of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with their
respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
or any legal or governmental proceeding and there has not been any material
adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse
change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), management, business
prospects, net worth, or results of operations of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, except in each case as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus.

     (q)  The Company has not, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) since the filing of the Registration Statement (A) sold, bid
for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the
Securities or (B) paid 

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to
purchase any other securities of the Company.

     (r)  The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later of (i) the
Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date (as the case may be) and (ii) the
completion of the distribution of the Securities, will not distribute any
offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
other than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or other
materials, if any permitted by the Act.

     (s)  Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), (1) the Company and its
subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, nor entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course
of business; (2) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital
stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any
kind on its capital stock; and (3) there has not been any material change in the
capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries, except in each case as described in or contemplated
by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).

     (t)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable
title in fee simple to all items of real property and marketable title to all
personal property owned by each of them, in each case free and clear of any
security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects,
except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property
and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property
by the Company or such subsidiary, and any real property and buildings held
under lease by the Company or any such subsidiary are held under valid,
subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and
do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company or such subsidiary, in each case except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (u)  No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent that could result in a material
adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects,
net worth or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, except
as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not
in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (v)  The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess,  or can acquire on
reasonable terms, all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service
marks, trade names, licenses, copyrights and proprietary or other confidential
information currently employed by them in connection with their respective
businesses, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any
notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of any third party
with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a
material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business
prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if
the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
     (w)  The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of
recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such
amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are
engaged; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such
subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its
existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain
similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its
business at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition
(financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth or results of operations
of the Company and its subsidiaries, except as described in or contemplated by
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).

     (x)  No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or
indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other
distribution on such subsidiary's capital stock, from repaying to the Company
any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring
any of such subsidiary's property or assets to the Company or any other
subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).

     (y)  The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates,
authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign
regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and
neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate,
authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a material adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth
or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, except as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (z)  The Company will conduct its operations in a manner that will not
subject it to registration as an investment company under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, and this transaction will not cause the Company to
become an investment company subject to registration under such Act.

     (aa) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax
returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof
(except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a material
adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries) and has paid all taxes
required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied
against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except
for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in
good faith or as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (bb) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any
federal or state law or regulation relating to occupational safety and health or
to the storage, handling or transportation of hazardous or toxic materials and
the Company and its subsidiaries have received all permits, licenses or other
approvals required of them under applicable federal and state occupational
safety and health and environmental laws and regulations to conduct their
respective businesses, and the Company and each such subsidiary is in compliance
with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except
any such violation of law or regulation, failure to receive required permits,
licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions
of such permits, licenses or approvals which would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), business prospects, net 

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
worth or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, except as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (cc) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to
the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the
offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty
by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

     (dd) Except for the shares of capital stock of each of the subsidiaries
owned by the Company and such subsidiaries, neither the Company nor any such
subsidiary owns any shares of stock or any other equity securities of any
corporation or has any equity interest in any firm, partnership, association or
other entity, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if
the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (ee) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (1)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation
of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles and to maintain asset accountability; (3) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.

     (ff) No default exists, and no event has occurred which, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would constitute a default in the due performance and
observance of any term, covenant or condition of any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or any of their respective properties is bound or may be affected in any
material adverse respect with regard to property, business or operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries.

     (gg) The Securities conform to the descriptions thereof contained in each
of the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).

     3.   Representations and Warranties of the Selling Securityholders.  Each
          -------------------------------------------------------------       
Selling Securityholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to,
and agrees with, each of the several Underwriters that:

     (a)  Such Selling Securityholder has full power (corporate and other) to
enter into this Agreement, the related Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney
and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver to the Underwriters the Securities to
be sold by such Selling Securityholder hereunder in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement; the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the related
Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney  have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action of such Selling Securityholder; and this Agreement,
the related Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney  have been duly executed and
delivered by such Selling Securityholder.

     (b)  Such Selling Securityholder has duly executed and delivered a power of
attorney and custody agreement (with respect to such Selling Securityholder, the
"Power-of-Attorney" and the "Custody Agreement", respectively), each in the form
heretofore delivered to the 

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
Representatives, appointing each of Gerald F. Mahoney and Frank J. Hevrdejs as
such Selling Securityholder's attorney-in-fact (the "Attorney-in-Fact") with
authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement on behalf of such
Selling Securityholder and appointing American Securities Transfer, Inc., as 
custodian thereunder (the "Custodian"). Certificates in negotiable form,
endorsed in blank or accompanied by blank stock powers duly executed, with
signatures appropriately guaranteed, representing the Securities to be sold by
such Selling Securityholder hereunder have been deposited with the Custodian
pursuant to the Custody Agreement for the purpose of delivery pursuant to this
Agreement. Such Selling Securityholder has full power (corporate and other) to
enter into the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action of such Selling Securityholder; the
Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney have been duly executed and
delivered by such Selling Securityholder and, assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery by the Custodian, are the legal, valid, binding and
enforceable instruments of such Selling Securityholder. Such Selling
Securityholder agrees that each of the Securities represented by the
certificates on deposit with the Custodian is subject to the interests of the
Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements made for such custody, the
appointment of the Attorney-in-Fact and the right, power and authority of the
Attorney-in-Fact to execute and deliver this Agreement, to agree on the price at
which the Securities (including such Selling Securityholder's Securities) are to
be sold to the Underwriters, and to carry out the terms of this Agreement, are
to that extent irrevocable and that the obligations of such Selling
Securityholder hereunder shall not be terminated, except as provided in this
Agreement or the Custody Agreement, by any act of such Selling Securityholder,
by operation of law or otherwise, whether in the case of any individual Selling
Securityholder by the death or incapacity of such Selling Securityholder, in the
case of a trust or estate by the death of the trustee or trustees or the
executor or executors or the termination of such trust or estate, or in the case
of a corporate or partnership Selling Securityholder by its liquidation or
dissolution or by the occurrence of any other event. If any individual Selling
Securityholder, trustee or executor should die or become incapacitated or any
such trust should be terminated, or if any corporate or partnership Selling
Securityholder shall liquidate or dissolve, or if any other event should occur,
before the delivery of such Securities hereunder, the certificates for such
Securities deposited with the Custodian shall be delivered by the Custodian in
accordance with the respective terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such
death, incapacity, termination, liquidation or dissolution or other event had
not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian or the Attorney-in-Fact
shall have received notice thereof.

     (c)  Such Selling Securityholder is the lawful owner of the Securities to
be sold by such Selling Securityholder hereunder and upon sale and delivery of,
and payment for, such Securities, as provided herein, such Selling
Securityholder will convey good and marketable title to such Securities, free
and clear of any interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims or other
defects.

     (d)  Such Selling Securityholder has not, directly or indirectly, (i) taken
any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or which
might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) since the filing of the Registration Statement (A) sold, bid
for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the
Securities or (B) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company (except for
the sale of Securities by the Selling Securityholders under this Agreement).

     (e)  Such Selling Securityholder has reviewed the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) and the
Registration Statement, and the information regarding such Selling
Securityholder set forth therein under the captions "Security 

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
Ownership of Management and Certain Beneficial Owners" and "Selling
Securityholders" is complete and accurate.

     (f)  The sale by such Selling Securityholder of Securities pursuant hereto
is not prompted by any adverse information concerning the Company that is not
set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus
is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

     (g)  The sale of the Securities to the Underwriters by such Selling
Securityholder pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by such Selling
Securityholder with the other provisions of this Agreement and the consummation
of the other transactions herein contemplated do not (i) require the consent,
approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with any
governmental authority, except such as have been obtained, such as may be
required under state securities or blue sky laws and, if the registration
statement filed with respect to the Securities (as amended) is not effective
under the Act as of the time of execution hereof, such as may be required (and
shall be obtained as provided in this Agreement) under the Act and the Exchange
Act or (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms
and provisions of, or constitute a default under any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling
Securityholder is a party or by which such Selling Securityholder or any of such
Selling Securityholder's properties are bound, or the charter documents or by-
laws of such Selling Securityholder or any statute or any judgment, decree,
order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental authority or any
arbitrator applicable to such Selling Securityholder.

     (h)  Neither of the Selling Securityholders has distributed and, prior to
the Option Closing Date will not distribute, any offering material in connection
with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto, any Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or other materials, if any permitted by the Act.

     4.   Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities.  (a)  On the basis of
          ---------------------------------------------                       
the representations, warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained
(except as may be otherwise specified in Schedule 1) and subject to the terms
and conditions herein set forth and therein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and each of the
Selling Securityholders, severally and not jointly, at a purchase price set
forth in Schedule 1 hereto, the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the
name of such Underwriter in Schedule 3 hereto.  One or more certificates in
definitive form for the Firm Securities that the several Underwriters have
agreed to purchase hereunder, and in such denomination or denominations and
registered in such name or names as the Representatives request upon notice to
the Company at least 48 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date, shall be delivered
by or on behalf of the Company and each of the Selling Securityholders to the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters, against payment
by or on behalf of the Underwriters of the purchase price therefor by wire
transfer in same-day funds (the "Wired Funds") to the account of the Company and
each of the Selling Securityholders.  Such delivery of and payment for the Firm
Securities shall be made at the date, time and place identified in Schedule 1
hereto or at such other place, time or date as the Representatives and the
Company may agree upon or as the Representatives may determine pursuant to
Section 9 hereof, such time and date of delivery against payment being herein
referred to as the "Firm Closing Date".  The Company and each of the Selling
Securityholders will make such certificate or certificates for the Firm
Securities available for checking and packaging by the Representatives at the
offices in New York, New York of the Company's transfer agent or registrar at
such other place as the Representatives and the Company may agree at least 24
hours prior to the Firm Closing Date.

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
     (b)  For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with the
distribution and sale of the Firm Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus,
the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to purchase the
Option Securities.  The purchase price to be paid for any Option Securities
shall be the same price per share as the price per share for the Firm Securities
set forth above in paragraph (a) of this Section 3.  The option granted hereby
may be exercised as to all or any part of the Option Securities from time to
time within thirty days after the date of the Prospectus (or, if such 30th day
shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, on the next business day thereafter
when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading).  The Underwriters shall
not be under any obligation to purchase any of the Option Securities prior to
the exercise of such option.  The Representatives may from time to time exercise
the option granted hereby by giving notice in writing or by telephone (confirmed
in writing) to the Company setting forth the aggregate principal amount of
Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the
option and the date and time for delivery of and payment for such Option
Securities.  Any such date of delivery shall be determined by the
Representatives but shall not be earlier than two business days or later than
five business days after such exercise of the option and, in any event, shall
not be earlier than the Firm Closing Date.  The time and date set forth in such
notice, or such other time on such other date as the Representatives and the
Company may agree upon or as the Representatives may determine pursuant to
Section 9 hereof, is herein called the "Option Closing Date" with respect to
such Option Securities.  Upon exercise of the option as provided herein, the
Company shall become obligated to sell to each of the several Underwriters, and,
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each of the Underwriters
(severally and not jointly) shall become obligated to purchase from the Company
the same percentage of the total number of the Option Securities as to which the
several Underwriters are then exercising the option as such Underwriter is
obligated to purchase of the aggregate number of Firm Securities, as adjusted by
the Representatives in such manner as they deem advisable to avoid fractional
Shares.  If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option
Securities, one or more certificates in definitive form for such Option
Securities, and payment therefor, shall be delivered on the related Option
Closing Date in the manner, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in
paragraph (a) of this Section 4, except that reference therein to the Firm
Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed, for purposes of this
paragraph (b), to refer to such Option Securities and Option Closing Date,
respectively.

     (c) The Company and each of the Selling Securityholders hereby acknowledges
that the wire transfer by or on behalf of the Underwriters of the purchase price
for any Securities does not constitute closing of a purchase and sale of the
Securities.  Only execution and delivery of a receipt for Securities by the
Underwriters indicates completion of the closing of a purchase of the Securities
from the Company and each of the Selling Securityholders.  Furthermore, in the
event that the Underwriters wire funds to the Company and each of the Selling
Securityholders prior to the completion of the closing of a purchase of
Securities, the Company and each of the Selling Securityholders hereby
acknowledge that until the Underwriters execute and deliver a receipt for the
Securities, by facsimile or otherwise, the Company and each of the Selling
Securityholders will not be entitled to the wired funds and shall return the
wired funds to the Underwriters as soon as practicable (by wire transfer of
same-day funds) upon demand.  In the event that the closing of a purchase of
Securities is not completed and the wire funds are not returned by the Company
or any of the Selling Securityholders to the Underwriters on the same day the
wired funds were received by the Company and each of the Selling
Securityholders, the Company and each of the Selling Securityholders agrees to
pay to the Underwriters in respect of each day the wire funds are not returned
by it, in same-day funds, interest on the amount of such wire funds in an amount
representing the Underwriters' cost of financing as reasonably determined by the
Representatives.

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
     (d)  It is understood that any of you, individually and not as one of the
Representatives, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment on behalf of
any Underwriter or Underwriters for any of the Securities to be purchased by
such Underwriter or Underwriters.  No such payment shall relieve such
Underwriter or Underwriters from any of its or their obligations hereunder.

     5.   Covenants of the Company.  The Company covenants and agrees with each
          ------------------------                                             
of the Underwriters that:

     (a)  The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement, if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any
amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as possible.  If required,
the Company will file the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part
thereof and any amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the
manner and within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b) under the
Act.  During any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required
to be delivered under the Act, the Company (i) will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder to the extent necessary to permit the
continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities in accordance with the
provisions hereof and of each of the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, and (ii) will not file with the Commission the prospectus or the
amendment referred to in the fifth sentence of Section 2(a) hereof, any
amendment or supplement to such prospectus or any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement of which the Representatives
shall not previously have been advised and furnished with a copy for a
reasonable period of time prior to the proposed filing and as to which filing
the Representatives shall not have given their consent.  The Company will
prepare and file with the Commission, in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Commission, promptly upon request by the Representatives or
counsel for the Underwriters, any amendments to the Registration Statement or
amendments or supplements to the Prospectus that may be necessary or advisable
in connection with the distribution of the Securities by the several
Underwriters, and will use its best efforts to cause any such amendment to the
Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as
possible.  The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto has been filed or declared effective or the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto has been filed and will provide evidence satisfactory to
the Representatives of each such filing.

     (b)  The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (i) the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Original Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto or any order directed at any document incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto or any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
(ii) the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction, (iii) the institution, threatening or contemplation of any
proceeding for any such purpose or (iv) any request made by the Commission for
amending the Original Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, for amending or supplementing any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or for additional information.  The Company will use its best efforts
to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if any such stop order is
issued, to obtain the withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.

     (c)  The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for
offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as
the Representatives may designate and will continue such qualifications in
effect for as long as may be necessary to 

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
complete the distribution of the Securities, provided, however, that in
connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign
corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction.

     (d)  If, at any time prior to the later of (i) the final date when a
prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act
or (ii) the Option Closing Date, any event occurs as a result of which the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, or if for any other reason it is necessary at any time to
amend or supplement each of the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the
Exchange Act or the respective rules or regulations of the Commission
thereunder, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives thereof and,
subject to Section 4(a) hereof, will prepare and file with the Commission, at
the Company's expense, an amendment to the Registration Statement or an
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus that corrects such statement or
omission or effects such compliance.

     (e)  The Company will, without charge, provide (i) to the Representatives
and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the registration statement
originally filed with respect to the Securities and each amendment thereto (in
each case including exhibits thereto) or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,
certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to be true
and complete copies thereof as filed with the Commission by electronic
transmission, (ii) to each other Underwriter, a conformed copy of such
registration statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and each
amendment thereto (in each case without exhibits thereto) and (iii) so long as a
prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act,
as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment
or supplement thereto, as the Representatives may reasonably request; without
limiting the application of clause (iii) of this sentence, the Company, not
later than (A) 6:00 PM, New York City time, on the date of determination of the
public offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior to 10:00 AM,
New York City time on such date or (B) 2:00 PM, New York City time, on the
business day following the date of determination of the public offering price,
if such determination occurred after 10:00 AM, New York City time, on such date,
will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, as many copies of the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto as the Representatives may
reasonably request for purposes of confirming orders that are expected to settle
on the Firm Closing Date.

     (f)  During the period when the Prospectus is required by the Act to be
delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, the Company will file
promptly all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

     (g)  The Company, as soon as practicable, will make generally available to
its Securityholders and to the Representatives a consolidated earnings statement
of the Company and its subsidiaries that satisfies the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 thereunder.

     (h)  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities as set forth under "Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.

     (i)  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, without the prior
written consent of the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, offer,
sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or
otherwise sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract
of sale, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or other sale or disposition)
of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or
exchangeable or exercisable 

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
for, shares of Common Stock for a period of 180 days after the date hereof,
except pursuant to this Agreement and except for issuances pursuant to the
exercise of employee stock options outstanding on the date hereof, pursuant to
the Company's dividend reinvestment plan or pursuant to the terms of convertible
securities of the Company outstanding on the date hereof.

     (j)  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) (A) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation
for soliciting purchases of, the Securities or (B) pay or agree to pay to any
person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities
of the Company.  Prudential Securities Incorporated may, in its sole discretion,
at any time and without notice, release all or any portion of the Securities
subject to such lock-up agreements.

     (k)  The Company will obtain the agreements described in Section 7(f)
hereof prior to the Firm Closing Date.

     (l)  If at any time during the 25-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective or the period prior to any Option Closing Date, any
rumor, publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as
a result of which in your opinion the market price of the Common Stock has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus
and any Integrated Prospectus), the Company will, after notice from you advising
the Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you
concerning the substance of, and disseminate a press release or other public
statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such
rumor, publication or event.

     (m)  If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall both
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with
Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111 promulgated
under the Act by the earlier of (i) 10:00 P.M. Eastern time on the date of this
Agreement and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given, as specified by
Rule 462(b)(2).

     (n)  If and to the extent specified in Schedule 1, the Company will use its
best efforts to cause the Securities to be duly authorized for listing on the
New York Stock Exchange.

     6.   Covenants of Selling Securityholders.
          ------------------------------------ 

     (a)  Each Selling Securityholder will not, directly or indirectly, without
the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, offer to sell,
contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise sell or
dispose (or announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract of sale, pledge,
grant of any option to purchase or other sale or disposition) of any shares of
Common Stock legally or beneficially owned by such Selling Securityholder or any
securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of
Common Stock  for a period of 180 days after the date hereof.  Prudential
Securities Incorporated may, in its sole discretion, at any time and without
notice, release all or any portion of the Securities subject to such lock-up
agreements.

     (b)  Such Selling Securityholder will not, directly or indirectly (i) take
any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or which
might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) (a) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any 

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
compensation for soliciting purchases of, the Securities or any other securities
of the Company convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of
Common Stock or (b) pay or agree to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company (except for
the sale of Securities by the Selling Securityholders under this Agreement).

     (c)  Each of the Selling Securityholders agrees to deliver to you prior to
or at the Firm Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) a properly completed and
executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or
statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

     7.   Expenses.  (a) The Company will pay all costs and expenses incident to
          --------                                                              
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the
transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 10 hereof, including all costs and expenses incident to (a)
the printing or other production of documents with respect to the transactions,
including any costs of printing the registration statement originally filed with
respect to the Securities and any amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto, this Agreement and any blue sky memoranda, (b)
all arrangements relating to the delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the
foregoing documents, (c) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants
and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company, (d) preparation,
issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of any certificates evidencing the
Securities, including transfer agent's and registrar's fees, (e) the
qualification of the Securities under state securities and blue sky laws,
including filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
relating thereto, (f) the filing fees of the Commission (and the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.) relating to the Securities, (g) the
listing of the Securities on any stock exchange, (h) meetings with prospective
investors in the Securities (other than as shall have been specifically approved
by the Representatives to be paid for by the Underwriters) and (i) advertising
relating to the offering of the Securities (other than as shall have been
specifically approved by the Representatives to be paid for by the
Underwriters).

     (b)  Each Selling Securityholder will pay or cause to be paid all costs and
expenses incident to the performance of such Selling Stockholder's obligations
hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section,
including without limitation (i) any fees and expenses of counsel for such
Selling Securityholder; (ii) additional federal or state registration and filing
fees, printing expenses and other expenses resulting solely from the inclusion
of shares owned by such Selling Securityholder in the offering to which this
Agreement relates; and (iii) all expenses and taxes incident to the sale and
delivery of the shares to be sold by such Selling Securityholder to the
Underwriters hereunder.  In connection with clause (iii) of the preceding
sentence, Prudential Securities Incorporated agrees to pay the New York State
stock transfer tax, and the Selling Stockholder agrees to reimburse for
associated carrying costs if such tax payment is not rebated on the date of
payment and for any portion of such tax payment not rebated; provided, that
Prudential Securities Incorporated has promptly and properly filed all necessary
notices and reports with respect thereto to obtain such rebate.  It is
understood, however, that the Company shall bear, and the Selling
Securityholders shall not be required to pay or to reimburse the Company for,
the cost of any other matters not directly relating to the sale and purchase of
the shares pursuant to this Agreement.

     (c)  If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated
because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in
Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because this Agreement is terminated pursuant
to Section 10 hereof or because of any failure, refusal or inability on the part
of the Company to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions 

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder other than by reason of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters
severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and
disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection
with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. The Company shall not in
any event be liable to any of the Underwriters for the loss of anticipated
profits from the transactions covered by this Agreement.

     8.   Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations.  Except as otherwise
          -------------------------------------------                      
provided in Schedule 1, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase
and pay for the Firm Securities shall be subject, in the Representatives' sole
discretion, to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company
and each Selling Securityholder contained herein as of the date hereof and as of
the Firm Closing Date, as if made on and as of the Firm Closing Date, to the
accuracy of the statements of the Company's and each Selling Securityholder's
officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Company and each Selling Securityholder of its covenants and agreements
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

     (a)  If the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto filed
prior to the Firm Closing Date has not been declared effective as of the time of
execution hereof, the Original Registration Statement or such amendment and, if
the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have been declared effective not later than the earlier of (i)
11:00 A.M., New York time, on the date on which the amendment to the
registration statement originally filed with respect to the Securities or to the
Registration Statement, as the case may be, containing information regarding the
initial public offering price of the Securities has been filed with the
Commission and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given as specified by
Rule 462(b)(2), or with respect to the Original Registration Statement, or such
later time and date as shall have been consented to by the Representatives; if
required, the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part thereof and
any amendment or supplement thereto shall have been filed with the Commission in
the manner and within the time period required by Rule 434 and 424(b) under the
Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto and no order directed at any document
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto shall have been issued and no proceedings for
that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened or, to the knowledge of
the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission; and
the Company shall have complied with any request of the Commission for
additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or otherwise).

     (b)  The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Rothgerber, Appel, Powers & Johnson LLP, counsel for the
Company, to the effect that:

          (i)  the Company and each of its subsidiaries (the "Subsidiaries")
     have been duly incorporated and are validly existing as corporations in
     good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of
     incorporation and are duly qualified to transact business as foreign
     corporations and are in good standing under the laws of all other
     jurisdictions where the ownership or leasing of their respective properties
     or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification,
     except where the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a material
     liability or disability to the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a
     whole;

          (ii) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have corporate power to
     own or lease their respective properties and conduct their respective
     businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
     and the Company has corporate power to enter 

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
     into this Agreement and to carry out all the terms and provisions hereof
     and thereof to be carried out by it;

          (iii)  the issued shares of capital stock of each of the Company and
     the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully
     paid and nonassessable and, except for directors' qualifying shares and as
     otherwise set forth in each of the Prospectus, and are owned beneficially
     by the Company free and clear of any perfected security interests or, to
     the best knowledge of such counsel, any other security interests, liens,
     encumbrances, equities or claims;

          (iv)   the Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
     capitalization as set forth in each of the Prospectus; all of the issued
     shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
     validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in
     compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws and were
     not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other
     rights to subscribe for or purchase securities; the Securities have been
     duly authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the
     New York Stock Exchange;

          (v)    the Offered Common Stock has been duly authorized and, when
     issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters, will be validly
     issued, fully paid and nonassessable. All corporate action required to be
     taken for the issuance, delivery and sale of such Offered Common Stock has
     been validly taken. No holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of
     the Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or other rights to
     subscribe for any shares of Offered Common Stock; and no holders of
     securities of the Company are entitled to have such securities registered
     under the Registration Statement;

          (viii) the statements set forth under the heading "Description of
     Common Stock" in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to
     summarize certain provisions of the securities of the Company described
     therein, provide a fair summary of such provisions; and the descriptions in
     each of the Prospectus, of such of the statutes, regulations, legal or
     governmental proceedings, contracts and other documents as have been
     included therein, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the
     legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, provide a fair
     summary of such legal matters, documents and proceedings;

          (ix)   the execution and delivery of this Agreement has been duly
     authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and this
     Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company;

          (x)    each of the Securities conform in all material respects as to
     legal matters to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus;

          (xi)   no legal or governmental proceedings are pending to which the
     Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of
     the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject that are required to be
     described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not
     described therein, and, to the best knowledge of such counsel, no such
     proceedings have been threatened against the Company or any of the
     Subsidiaries or with respect to any of their respective properties; and no
     contract or other document is required to be described in the Registration
     Statement, the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
     Statement that is not described therein or filed as required;

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
          (xii)  the issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the
     Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, or the execution,
     delivery or performance by the Company of its obligations under this
     Agreement, and the consummation of the other transactions herein
     contemplated do not (A) require the consent, approval, authorization,
     registration or qualification of or with any governmental authority, except
     such as have been obtained and such as may be required under state
     securities or blue sky laws, or (B) conflict with or result in a breach or
     violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default
     under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other agreement or
     instrument, known to such counsel, to which the Company or any of the
     Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries
     or any of their respective properties are bound, or the charter documents
     or by-laws of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or any statute or any
     judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other
     governmental authority or any arbitrator known to such counsel and
     applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries;

          (xiii) the Registration Statement is effective under the Act; any
     required filing of the Prospectus, or any Term Sheet that constitutes a
     part thereof pursuant to Rules 434 and 424(b) has been made in the manner
     and within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b); and no stop
     order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
     post-effective amendment thereto and no order directed at any document
     incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
     or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued, and no proceedings
     for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the best
     knowledge of such counsel, are contemplated by the Commission;

          (xiv)  the Registration Statement originally filed with respect to the
     Securities and each amendment thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration
     Statement, the Prospectus (in each case, including the documents
     incorporated by reference therein but not including the financial
     statements and other financial information contained therein, as to which
     such counsel need express no opinion), as of their respective effective or
     issue dates, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
     requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules and
     regulations of the Commission thereunder;

          (xv)   if the Company elects to rely on Rule 434, the Prospectus is
     not "materially different", as such term is used in Rule 434, from the
     prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its
     effectiveness or any effective post-effective amendment thereto (including
     such information that is permitted to be omitted pursuant to Rule 430A);
     and

          (xvi)  the Company is not an "investment company" or an entity
     "controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in the
     Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Such counsel shall also state that they have participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and have no reason to believe that
the Registration Statement, as of its effective date, contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or
that the Prospectus, as of its date or the date of such opinion, included or
includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
     In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deem proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials and, as to matters involving the
application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York or the
United States, to the extent satisfactory in form and scope to counsel for the
Underwriters, upon local counsel in such jurisdictions.  The foregoing opinion
shall also state that the Underwriters are justified in relying upon such
opinion of local counsel, and copies of such opinion shall be delivered to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

     References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
Integrated Prospectus in this paragraph (b) shall include any amendment or
supplement thereto at the date of such opinion.

     (c)  Each of the Selling Securityholders shall have furnished to the
Representatives an opinion from Roger Wertheimer, Esq., General Counsel to the
Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

          (i)    Such Selling Securityholder has full corporate power to enter
     into this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney and to
     sell, transfer and deliver the Securities being sold by such Selling
     Securityholder hereunder in the manner provided in this Agreement and to
     perform its obligations under the Custody Agreement; the execution and
     delivery of this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney
     have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of such Selling
     Securityholder; this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-
     Attorney have been duly executed and delivered by such Selling
     Securityholder; assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the
     Custodian, the Custody Agreement and the Power-of-Attorney are the legal,
     valid, binding and enforceable instruments of such Selling Securityholder,
     subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting
     creditors' rights generally and subject, as to enforceability, to general
     principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a
     proceeding in equity or at law);

          (ii)   the delivery by such Selling Securityholder to the several
     Underwriters of certificates for the Securities being sold hereunder by
     such Selling Securityholder against payment therefor as provided herein,
     will convey good and marketable title to such Securities to the several
     Underwriters, free and clear of all security interests, liens,
     encumbrances, equities, claims or other defects;

          (iii)  the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters by such Selling
     Securityholder pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by such Selling
     Securityholder with the other provisions of this Agreement, the Custody
     Agreement and the Power of Attorney and the consummation of the other
     transactions herein and therein contemplated do not (i) require the
     consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with
     any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained and such as
     may be required under state securities or blue sky laws, or (ii) conflict
     with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions
     of, or constitute a default under (A) any indenture, mortgage, deed of
     trust, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling
     Securityholder or any of such Selling Securityholder's properties are bound
     (other than such conflicts, breaches, defaults or violations which would
     not impair such Selling Securityholders obligations hereunder or have any
     adverse effect on the Underwriters as such or the title to the Shares), (B)
     the charter documents or by-laws of such Selling Securityholder or (C) any
     statute or, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, any 

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
     judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other
     governmental authority or any arbitrator applicable to such Selling
     Securityholder.

     In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of fact, to
the extent such counsel deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of
the Selling Securityholders and public officials.

     (d)  The Representatives shall have received a certificate from each
Selling Securityholder, signed by an appropriate officer of such Selling
Securityholder, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

          (i)    the representations and warranties of such Selling
     Securityholder in this Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as
     of the Closing Date;
 
          (ii)   to the extent that any statements or omissions are made in the
     Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
     amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with
     written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Securityholder
     specifically for use therein, the Registration Statement, as amended as of
     the Closing Date, does not include any untrue statement of a material fact
     or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein
     not misleading, and the Prospectus any Integrated Prospectus, as amended or
     supplemented as of the Closing Date, does not include any untrue statement
     of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to
     make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
     they were made, not misleading; and

          (iii)  such Selling Securityholder has performed all covenants and
     agreements on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the
     Closing Date.

     (e)  The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, with
respect to the issuance and sale of the Firm Securities, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and such other related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to
such counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon such matters.

     (f)  The Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a
letter or letters dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Firm Closing
Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect
that:

          (i)    they are independent accountants with respect to the Company
     and its consolidated subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act, the
     Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder;

          (ii)   in their opinion, the audited consolidated financial statements
     and schedules examined by them and included in the Registration Statement
     and the Prospectus and any Integrated Prospectus comply as to form in all
     material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act,
     the Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations
     thereunder;

          (iii)  on the basis of their limited review in accordance with
     standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public
     Accountants of any interim unaudited 

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
     consolidated condensed financial statements of the Company and its
     consolidated subsidiaries as indicated in their report[s] incorporated in
     the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, a reading of the latest
     available interim unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements of
     the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, for the six months ended
     Junex months ended Junex months ended June 30, 1997 and of the unaudited
     consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated
     subsidiaries for the periods from which such amounts are derived, carrying
     out certain specified procedures (which do not constitute an examination
     made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) that would
     not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the comments
     set forth in this paragraph (iii), a reading of the minute books of the
     shareholders, the board of directors and any committees thereof of the
     Company and each of its consolidated subsidiaries, and inquiries of certain
     officials of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries who have
     responsibility for financial and accounting matters, nothing came to their
     attention that caused them to believe that:

               (A)  the unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements of
          the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply in form in all
          material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
          Act, the Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations
          thereunder, or are not in conformity with generally accepted
          accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with
          that of the audited consolidated financial statements included in the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

               (B)  at a specific date not more than five business days prior to
          the date of such letter, there were any changes in the capital stock
          or long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or
          any decreases in net current assets or Securityholders' equity of the
          Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, in each case compared with
          amounts shown on the June 30, 1997 unaudited consolidated condensed
          balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the
          Prospectus, or for the period from August 1, 1997 to such specified
          date there were any decreases, as compared with the period from August
          1, 1996 to a year prior to such specified date, in sales, net
          revenues, net income before income taxes or total or per share amounts
          of net income of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, except
          in all instances for changes, decreases or increases set forth in such
          letter; and

          (iv)   they have carried out certain specified procedures, not
     constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
     financial information that are derived from the general accounting records
     of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and are included in the
     Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the captions "Prospectus
     Summary -- The Company," "Capitalization," and ["Management's Discussion
     and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,"] in Exhibit
     II to the Registration Statement or under Part I, Item 1 and Part II, Items
     6 and 7 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
     December 31, 1997 and under Part I, Items 1 and 2 of the Company's
     Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 1997
     and June 30, 1997, respectively, incorporated by reference in the
     Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and have compared such amounts,
     percentages and financial information with such records of the Company and
     its consolidated subsidiaries and with information derived from such
     records and have found them to be in agreement, excluding any questions of
     legal interpretation.

                                       21
<PAGE>
 
     In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any such changes,
decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the obligations of
the Underwriters that (A) such letters shall be accompanied by a written
explanation of the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the
Representatives deem such explanation unnecessary, and (B) such changes,
decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the
Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the
date hereof.

     References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (f) with respect to either letter referred to above shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such letter.

     (g)  The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of
the Company to the effect that:

          (i)    the representations and warranties of the Company in this
     Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of the Firm Closing
     Date; the Registration Statement, as amended as of the Firm Closing Date,
     does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
     any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
     and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the Firm Closing Date,
     does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
     any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
     light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
     the Company has performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all
     conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Firm
     Closing Date;

          (ii)   no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
     Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto and no order directed at
     any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued, and no
     proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the
     best of the Company's knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission; and

          (iii)  subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
     given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company
     nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference
     with their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane,
     accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
     any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has
     not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a
     prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or
     otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results of
     operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except in each case
     as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

     (f)  The Representatives shall have received from each person who is a
director or officer of the Company or who owns _______ shares of Common Stock an
agreement to the effect that such person will not, directly or indirectly,
without your prior written consent, on behalf of the Underwriters, offer, sell,
offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or
otherwise sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract
of sale, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or other sale or disposition)
of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or

                                       22
<PAGE>
 
     exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Common Stock for a period of 180
     days after the date of this Agreement.

     (g)  On or before the Firm Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel
for the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents or
other information as they may have reasonably requested from the Company.

     (h)  Prior to the commencement of the offering of the Securities, the
Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange,
subject to official notice of issuance.

     All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters.  The Company shall furnish to the Representatives
such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents in
such quantities as the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall
reasonably request.

     The respective obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay
for any Option Securities shall be subject, in their discretion, to each of the
foregoing conditions to purchase the Firm Securities, except that all references
to the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to
such Option Securities and the related Option Closing Date, respectively.

     9.   Indemnification and Contribution.
          -------------------------------- 

     (a)  The Company and each of the Selling Securityholders, jointly and
severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter or such controlling
person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar
as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon:

          (i)    any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the
     Company or the Selling Securityholders in Section 2 and Section 3 of this
     Agreement,
    
          (ii)   any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
     material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement or any amendment
     thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or
     supplement thereto or (B) any application or other document, or any
     amendment or supplement thereto, executed by the Company or based upon
     written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any
     jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under the securities or
     blue sky laws thereof or filed with the Commission or any securities
     association or securities exchange (each an "Application"),

          (iii)  the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration
     Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
     Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application a
     material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
     statements therein not misleading, or

                                       23
<PAGE>
 
          (iv)   any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
     material fact contained in any audio or visual materials used in connection
     with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation,
     slides, videos, films and tape recordings 

          and will reimburse, as incurred, each Underwriter and each such
     controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
     such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with
     investigating, defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in
     connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action;
     provided, however, that the Company and each Selling Securityholder will
     not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
     damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or
     alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such
     registration statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary
     Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any
     Application in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
     furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives
     specifically for use therein; and provided, further, that the Company and
     each Selling Securityholder will not be liable to any Underwriter or any
     person controlling such Underwriter with respect to any such untrue
     statement or omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus that is corrected
     in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) if the person
     asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability purchased Securities
     from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a copy of the Prospectus
     (as amended or supplemented), other than the documents incorporated by
     reference therein, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of
     such Securities to such person in any case where such delivery of the
     Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) is required by the Act, unless such
     failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) was a result
     of noncompliance by the Company with Section 4(d) and (a) of this
     Agreement. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability
     which the Company may otherwise have. The Company and each Selling
     Securityholder will not, without the prior written consent of the
     Underwriter or Underwriters purchasing, in the aggregate, more than fifty
     percent (50%) of the Securities, settle or compromise or consent to the
     entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or
     proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder
     (whether or not any such Underwriter or any person who controls any such
     Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
     the Exchange Act is a party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding),
     unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional
     release of all of the Underwriters and such controlling persons from all
     liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

     (b)  Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement, each Selling Securityholder and each person, if any, who
controls the Company or such Selling Securityholder within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such director,
officer or controlling person or such Selling Securityholder may become subject
under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any Application or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated in the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application, or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue 

                                       24
<PAGE>
 
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use
therein; and, subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this
clause, will reimburse, as incurred, any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person or
such Selling Securityholder in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or any action in respect thereof. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter
may otherwise have.

     (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Section 9, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 9.  In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party,
and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified
party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both
the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to
those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have
the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to
select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties.  After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such
indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel
in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being
understood, however, that in connection with such action the indemnifying party
shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in
addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially
similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances, designated by the Representatives in the case of
paragraph (a) of this Section 9, representing the indemnified parties under such
paragraph (a) who are parties to such action or actions) or (ii) the
indemnifying party does not promptly retain counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment
of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party.
After such notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party, the
indemnifying party will not be liable for the costs and expenses of any
settlement of such action effected by such indemnified party without the consent
of the indemnifying party.

     (d)  In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in the
preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 is unavailable or insufficient, for any
reason, to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), each indemnifying party,
in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by
the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided

                                       25
<PAGE>
 
by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or omissions that
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative
benefits received by the Company and the Selling Securityholders on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion
as the total proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by
the Company and the Selling Securityholders bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters.  The relative fault of
the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company, the Selling Securityholders or the Underwriters, the parties' relative
intents, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate
in the circumstances.  The Company, the Selling Securityholders and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be equitable if the amount of such
contribution were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation (even if the
Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method
of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations
referred to above in this paragraph (d).  Notwithstanding any other provision of
this paragraph (d), no Underwriter shall be obligated to make contributions
hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the total public offering price of the
Securities purchased by such Underwriter under this Agreement, less the
aggregate amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been
required to pay in respect of the same or any substantially similar claim, and
no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters' obligations to
contribute hereunder are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint, and contributions among Underwriters shall be
governed by the provisions of the agreement among underwriters.  For purposes of
this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the
Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15
of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.

     (e)  The liability of each Selling Securityholder under this Section 9
shall not exceed the total public offering price of the Shares sold by such
Selling Securityholder, less applicable underwriting discounts and commissions.

     10.  Default of Underwriters.  If one or more Underwriters default in their
          -----------------------                                               
obligations to purchase Firm Securities or Option Securities hereunder and the
aggregate number of such Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase is ten percent or less of the
aggregate number of Firm Securities or Option Securities to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, the other Underwriters may make
arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives for the purchase of such
Securities by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives), but if no such arrangements are
made by the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in proportion to
their respective commitments hereunder to purchase the Firm Securities or Option
Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase.  If one or more Underwriters so default with respect to an aggregate
number of Securities that is more than ten percent of the aggregate number of
Firm Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, to be purchased by all
of the 

                                       26
<PAGE>
 
Underwriters at such time hereunder, and if arrangements satisfactory to the
Representatives are not made within 36 hours after such default for the purchase
by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives) of the Securities with respect to
which such default occurs, this Agreement will terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company other than as provided
in Section 11 hereof. In the event of any default by one or more Underwriters as
described in this Section 10, the Representatives shall have the right to
postpone the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
established as provided in Section 3 hereof for not more than seven business
days in order that any necessary changes may be made in the arrangements or
documents for the purchase and delivery of the Firm Securities or Option
Securities, as the case may be. As used in this Agreement, the term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section 10. Nothing herein shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability for its default.

     11.  Survival.  The respective representations, warranties, agreements,
          --------                                                          
covenants, indemnities and other statements of the Company, its officers, the
Selling Securityholders and the several Underwriters set forth in this Agreement
or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or
on behalf of the Company, any of its officers or directors, any Selling
Securityholder, any Underwriter or any controlling person referred to in Section
9 hereof and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.  The respective
agreements, covenants, indemnities and other statements set forth in Sections 7
and 9 hereof shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

     12.  Termination.  (a)  This Agreement may be terminated with respect to
          -----------                                                        
the Firm Securities or any Option Securities in the sole discretion of the
Representatives by notice to the Company and each of the Selling Securityholders
given prior to the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date,
respectively, in the event that the Company or any of the Selling
Securityholders shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform all
obligations and satisfy all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder at or prior thereto or, if at or prior to the Firm Closing Date or
such Option Closing Date, respectively,

          (i)    the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall have, in the sole
     judgment of the Representatives, sustained any material loss or
     interference with their respective businesses or properties from fire,
     flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by
     insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental
     proceeding or there shall have been any material adverse change, or any
     development involving a prospective material adverse change (including,
     without limitation, a change in management or control of the Company), in
     the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net worth or
     results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each
     case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
     amendment or supplement thereto);

          (ii)   trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the
     Commission or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
     Exchange shall have been suspended or minimum or maximum prices shall have
     been established on such exchange;

          (iii)  a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York or
     United States authorities; or

                                       27
<PAGE>
 
          (iv)   there shall have been (A) an outbreak or escalation of
     hostilities between the United States and any foreign power, (B) an
     outbreak or escalation of any other insurrection or armed conflict
     involving the United States or (C) any other calamity or crisis or material
     adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions
     having an effect on the U.S. financial markets that, in the sole judgment
     of the Representatives, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with
     the public offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by
     the Registration Statement, as amended as of the date hereof.

     (b)  Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12 shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section
11 hereof.

     13.  Information Supplied by Underwriters.  The statements set forth in
          ------------------------------------                              
[the last paragraph on the front cover page and under the heading "Underwriting"
in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (to the extent such statements
relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by any
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company for the purposes of
Sections 2(b) and 7 hereof.  The Underwriters confirm that such statements (to
such extent) are correct.

     14.  Notices.  All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if
          -------                                                           
sent to any of the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission and confirmed in writing as set forth in Schedule 1; if
sent to the Selling Securityholders, to the addresses set forth on Schedule 2;
and if sent to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission and confirmed in writing to the Company at 21 Inverness
Way, Suite 160, Englewood, Colorado 80112, Attention: Roger Wertheimer, Esq.

     15.  Successors.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be
          ----------                                                            
binding upon the several Underwriters, the Company, the Selling Securityholders
and their respective successors and legal representatives, and nothing expressed
or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any
other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect
of this Agreement, or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all
conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and
exclusive benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person except
that (i) the indemnities of the Company contained in Section 9 of this Agreement
shall also be for the benefit of any person or persons who control any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act and (ii) the indemnities of the Underwriters contained in Section 9
of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the directors of the Company,
the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any
person or persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.  No purchaser of Securities from any
Underwriter shall be deemed a successor because of such purchase.

     16.  Applicable Law.  The validity and interpretation of this Agreement,
          --------------                                                     
and the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to any provisions relating to conflicts of laws.

     17.  Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process.  All judicial
          ----------------------------------------------               
proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be brought in any
state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State of New York, and
by execution and delivery of this Agreement, each of the Selling Securityholders
accepts for himself and in connection with its properties, generally and
unconditionally, the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and
waives any defense of forum non conveniens and irrevocably agrees to be bound by
any judgment rendered thereby in connection with this Agreement.  Each Selling
Securityholder designates and appoints Roger 

                                       28
<PAGE>
 
Wertheimer, Esq., General Counsel to the Company, and such other persons as may
hereafter be selected by the Selling Securityholder irrevocably agreeing in
writing to so serve, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all
process in any such proceedings in any such court, such service being hereby
acknowledged by each Selling Securityholder to be effective and binding service
in every respect. A copy of any such process so served shall be mailed by
registered mail to each Selling Securityholder at its address provided in
Schedule 2 attached hereto; provided, however, that, unless otherwise provided
by applicable law, any failure to mail such copy shall not affect the validity
of service of such process. If any agent appointed by the Selling Securityholder
refuses to accept service, each Selling Securityholder hereby agrees that
service of process sufficient for personal jurisdiction in any action against
each Selling Securityholder in the State of New York may be made by registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, to each Selling Securityholder at
its address provided in Schedule 2 attached hereto, and each Selling
Securityholder hereby acknowledges that such service shall be effective and
binding in every respect. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process
in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of any Underwriter
to bring proceedings against each Selling Securityholder in the courts of any
other jurisdiction.

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

                                       29
<PAGE>
 
     If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate
your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon
this letter shall constitute an agreement binding the Company and each of the
several Underwriters.


                                    Very truly yours,

                                    MAIL-WELL, INC.



                                    By:________________________________________
                                       Name:
                                       Title:


The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.

PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
BEAR, STEARNS & CO., INC.
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
     SECURITIES CORPORATION
HANIFEN, IMHOFF INC.



By:_______________________________
   Jean-Claude Canfin
   Managing Director

For itself and on behalf of the Representatives.

                                       30
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE 1

                                MAIL-WELL, INC.
                         PRICE DETERMINATION AGREEMENT

                                 Common Stock

A.   General

          Registration Statement File No. 333-_______:

          Date of Underwriting Agreement:

          Send Notices to Underwriters to:

          Closing date, time and location:

          Other terms and conditions:

B.   Terms of Offered Common Stock (if any)

          Number of shares of Common Stock:

          Purchase price per share:  $_______________

          Public offering price:  $________________

          Other provisions:  $___________________

C.   Lock-up period:

          (i)   Last day of lock-up period contemplated by Section ______ if
                other than closing time:

          (ii)  Last day of lock-up period contemplated by Section ______: 180
                days

D.   Exceptions to the conditions to the Underwriters' obligations provided for
     in Section _____ (if any):

H.   Locations:

          Packaging/Inspection:

          Pre-Closing:

          Closing:

          Banks:  $_________________

                                      
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE 2

                            SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS


                                             NUMBER OF FIRM
      SELLING SECURITYHOLDER          SECURITIES TO BE PURCHASED
      ----------------------          --------------------------

        Gerald F. Mahoney                     300,000

        Paul V. Reilly                          3,700

        Roger Wertheimer                        1,500

        Robert J. Terry                        33,000

        Frank J. Hevrdejs                     345,000

        Jerome W. Pickholz                     12,000

                                       
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE 3

                                 UNDERWRITERS

                                                        NUMBER OF FIRM
                                                        SECURITIES TO
          UNDERWRITER                                   BE PURCHASED
- ----------------------------------                      --------------

Prudential Securities Incorporated
Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc.
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
   Securities Corporation
Hanifen, Imhoff Inc.



          Total...................

                                      

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    Exhibit 23.2

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Amendment No. 1 to
Registration Statement No. 333-39013 of Mail-Well, Inc. on Form S-3 of our
reports dated February 10, 1997, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of
Mail-Well, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 1996 and to the reference to us
under the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus, which is part of this
Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Denver, Colorado
November 7, 1997



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