
<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10(a)


                                           Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.
                                                              3600 Euclid Avenue
                                                           Cleveland, Ohio 44115

                                                                          ,     
                                                          ---------------- ----



Dear:

                  Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (the "Company")
considers it essential to the best interest of the Company and its shareholders
that its management be encouraged to remain with the Company and to continue to
devote full attention to the Company's business. In this connection, the Company
recognizes that the possibility of a change in control may exist and that such
possibility, and the uncertainty and questions which it may raise among
management, may result in the departure or distraction of management personnel
to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders. Accordingly, the Company's
Board of Directors (the "Board") has determined that appropriate steps should be
taken to reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication of key
members of the Company's management, including yourself, to their assigned
duties without distraction in the face of the potentially disturbing
circumstances arising from the possibility of a change in control of the
Company.

                  In order to induce you to remain in the employ of the Company
until the occurrence of any "change in control of the Company" (as defined in
Section 2 hereof), this letter agreement ("Agreement") sets forth the severance
benefits which this Company agrees will be provided to you in the event your
employment with the Company is terminated within the two year period immediately
following any change in control of the Company for any reason other than your
death or normal retirement in accordance with the Company's retirement policy
generally applicable to its salaried executive employees. In the event that a
change in control of the Company shall not have occurred, your severance
benefits, if any, shall be determined without regard to this Agreement.

                  Nothing herein shall be construed so as to prevent either you
or the Company from terminating your employment at any time, for cause or
otherwise, subject only to the specific payment and other provisions hereinafter
provided for under certain circumstances in the event a change in control of the
Company shall have occurred prior to the date your termination becomes
effective. In addition, this agreement shall be deemed terminated, and of no
further force and effect, in the event that you cease to be a Board-elected
officer or an appointed officer of the Company prior to a change in control. You
hereby specifically acknowledge that your employment by the Company is
employment-at-will, subject to termination by you, or by the 

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Company, at any time with or without cause. You also acknowledge that such
employment-at-will status cannot be modified except in a specific writing which
has been authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors of the Company.

                           1. CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. This confirms that you have
advised the Company that, in consideration of, among other things, the Company's
entering into this Agreement with you, it is your present intention to remain in
the employ of the Company unless and until there occurs a change in control of
the Company.

                           2. CHANGE IN CONTROL. No benefits shall be payable
hereunder unless a change in control of the Company shall have occurred and your
employment by the Company shall have been terminated within two years thereafter
by either you or the Company other than by reason of your death or Retirement.
For purposes of this Agreement, a "change in control of the Company" shall mean
a change in control of a nature that would be required to be reported in
response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any similar item or
successor schedule, form, or report) promulgated under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 as amended ("Exchange Act"); provided that, without limitation, such
a change in control shall be deemed to have occurred if and at such times as (i)
any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the
Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing 40% or more of the combined voting power
of the Company's then outstanding securities, or (ii) during any period of two
consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute
the Board cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless
the election, or the nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, of
each new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors
then still in office who were directors at the beginning of the period.
Termination by the Company or you of your employment for "Retirement" shall mean
any termination at or after your normal retirement age determined in accordance
with the Company's retirement policy generally applicable to its salaried
executive employees, which normal retirement age, for the purpose of this
Agreement, shall be deemed to be attainment of age 65. Except in the case of
Retirement or death, termination of your employment shall be effective only as
of the earliest date (hereinafter referred to as the "Date of Termination")
specified by either you or the Company in a written notice of termination
("Notice of Termination") to the other party hereto. Notwithstanding any
provision herein to the contrary, if at any time prior to a change of control
you receive notice from the Company that you shall be placed in an income
continuation status (i.e. where the Company agrees to (i) continue to pay your
then existing salary or a modified level of salary continuation and/or all or
some of your then existing employee benefits and (ii) relieve you of your
obligation to render services to the Company) your employment for the purpose of
this Agreement only, shall be deemed terminated as of the date of such notice
and no benefits shall be payable to you hereunder.

                  3. SEVERANCE PAY. If a change in control of the Company shall
have occurred and within two years thereafter your employment by the Company
shall have been terminated for any reason other than your Retirement or death,
then in addition to all other 


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benefits which you have earned prior to termination or to which you are
otherwise entitled, the Company shall pay to you as severance pay in a lump sum
on or before the fifth day following the Date of Termination, the following
amounts:

                  (a) your full base salary through the Date of Termination at
the rate in effect ten days prior to the date Notice of Termination is given;

                  (b) in lieu of any further salary for periods subsequent to
the Date of Termination, an amount equal to the product of (i) the sum of your
annual base salary at the highest rate in effect at any time since any change in
control of the Company (your "base compensation") multiplied by (ii) the lesser
of the number ______ or a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
months from and including the month in which the Date of Termination occurs to
and including the month in which you would attain age sixty-five (65) and the
denominator of which is twelve (12);

                  (c) in lieu of shares of Common Stock of the Company, without
par value ("Company Shares") issuable upon exercise of options ("Options"), if
any, granted to you under any Company stock option plan (which Options shall be
deemed canceled upon the making of the payment herein referred to), you shall
receive an amount in cash equal to the aggregate spread between the exercise
prices of all such Options that are outstanding and held by you (whether or not
then fully exercisable) and the higher of (i) the mean of the high and low
trading prices of Company Shares on the New York Stock Exchange on the Date of
Termination or (ii) the highest price per Company Share actually paid in
connection with any change in control of the Company; and

                  (d) an amount of cash equal to any unvested portion of your
interest in any of the Company's benefit plans as of the Date of Termination.

                  4. BENEFIT PLANS. If a change in control of the Company shall
have occurred and within two years thereafter your employment by the Company
shall have been terminated for any reason other than your death or Retirement,
then the Company shall maintain in full force and effect, for your continued
benefit for two years after the Date of Termination, all group insurance, health
and accident, disability and other employee benefit plans, programs and
arrangements (but the provisions of this section shall not extend to any
retirement plan of the Company), in which you were entitled to participate
immediately prior to the Date of Termination, provided that your continued
participation is possible under the general terms and provisions of such plans,
programs and arrangements. In the event that your participation in any such
plan, program or arrangement is barred, or any such plan, program or arrangement
is discontinued or the benefits thereunder materially reduced, the Company shall
arrange to provide you with benefits substantially similar to those which you
were entitled to receive under such plans, programs and arrangements immediately
prior to the Date of Termination. At the end of the period of coverage
hereinabove provided for, you shall have the option to have assigned to you 


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at no cost and with no apportionment of prepaid premiums, any assignable
insurance owned by the Company and relating specifically to you.

                  5. NO MITIGATION REQUIRED. You shall not be required to
mitigate the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in paragraph 3 or 4
by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or
benefit provided for in paragraph 3 or 4 be reduced by any compensation earned
by you as the result of employment by another employer after the Date of
Termination, or otherwise.

                  6. ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS.

                  (a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event it shall be determined (as hereafter provided)
that any payment or distribution to or for your benefit, whether paid or payable
or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or
otherwise pursuant to or by reason of any other agreement, policy, plan, program
or arrangement (including without limitation the Management Incentive Plan or
any stock option agreement) or similar right (a "Payment"), would be subject to
the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision
thereto), or any interest or penalties with respect to such excise tax (such
excise tax, together with any such interest and penalties, are hereafter
collectively referred to as the "Excise Tax"), then you shall be entitled to
receive an additional payment or payments (a "Gross-Up Payment") in an amount
such that, after payment by you of all taxes (including federal, state, and
local taxes and any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes and
including any Excise Tax) imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, you retain (or have
withheld and credited on your behalf for tax purposes) an amount of the Gross-Up
Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments.

                  (b) Subject to the provisions of Section 6(e) hereof, all
determinations required to be made under this Section 6, (including whether an
Excise Tax is payable by the Executive, the amount of such Excise Tax, whether a
Gross-Up Payment is required, and the amount of such Gross-Up Payment) shall be
made by a nationally-recognized legal or accounting firm (the "Firm") selected
by you in your sole discretion. You agree to direct the Firm to submit its
determination and detailed supporting calculations to both you and the Company
within 15 calendar days after the Date of Termination, if applicable, or such
earlier time or times as may be requested by you or the Company. If the Firm
determines that any Excise Tax is payable by you and that a Gross-Up Payment is
required, the Company shall pay you the required Gross-Up Payment within five
business days after receipt of such determination and calculations. If the Firm
determines that no Excise Tax is payable by you, it shall, at the same time as
it makes such determination, furnish you with an opinion that you have
substantial authority not to report any Excise Tax on your federal income tax
return. Any determination by the Firm as to the amount of the Gross-Up Payment
shall be binding upon you and the Company. As a result of the uncertainty in the
application of Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision thereto) at
the time of the initial determination by the Firm hereunder, it is possible that
Gross-Up Payments which will not have been made by the Company should have been
made (an "Underpayment"). In


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the event that the Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to Section 6(e)
hereof and you thereafter are required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, you
may direct the Firm to determine the amount of the Underpayment (if any) that
has occurred and to submit its determination and detailed supporting
calculations to both you and the Company as promptly as possible. Any such
Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to you, or for your benefit,
within five business days after receipt of such determination and calculations.

                  (c) You and the Company shall each provide the Firm access to
and copies of any books, records and documents in the possession of the Company
or you, as the case may be, reasonably requested by the Firm, and otherwise
cooperate with the Firm in connection with the preparation and issuance of the
determination contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof.

                  (d) The fees and expenses of the Firm for its services in
connection with the determinations and calculations contemplated by Section 6(b)
hereof shall be borne by the Company. If such fees and expenses are initially
paid by you, the Company shall reimburse you the full amount of such fees and
expenses within five business days after receipt from you of a statement
therefor and reasonable evidence of your payment thereof.

                  (e) You agree to notify the Company in writing of any claim by
the Internal Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by
the Company of a Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given as promptly
as practicable but no later than ten business days after you actually receive
notice of such claim. You agree to further apprise the Company of the nature of
such claim and the date on which such claim is requested to be paid (in each
case, to the extent known by you). You agree not to pay such claim prior to the
earlier of (i) the expiration of the 30-calendar-day period following the date
on which you give such notice to the Company and (ii) the date that any payment
or amount with respect to such claim is due. If the Company notifies you in
writing at least five business days prior to the expiration of such period that
it desires to contest such claim, you agree to:

                   (i)     provide the Company with any written records or
                           documents in your possession relating to such claim
                           reasonably requested by the Company;

                   (ii)    take such action in connection with contesting such
                           claim as the Company shall reasonably request in
                           writing from time to time, including without
                           limitation accepting legal representation with
                           respect to such claim by an attorney competent in
                           respect of the subject matter and reasonably selected
                           by the Company,

                   (iii)   cooperate with the Company in good faith in order
                           effectively to contest such claim, and

                   (iv)    permit the Company to participate in any proceedings
                           relating to such claim,

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provided, however, that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and
expenses (including interest and penalties) incurred in connection with such
contest and shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, for
and against any Excise Tax or income tax, including interest and penalties with
respect thereto, imposed as a result of such representation and payment of costs
and expenses. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e),
the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with the contest
of any claim contemplated by this Section 6(e) and, at its sole option, may
pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and
conferences with the taxing authority in respect of such claim (provided,
however, that you may participate therein at your own cost and expense) and may,
at its option, either direct you to pay the tax claimed and sue for a refund or
contest the claim in any permissible manner, and you agree to prosecute such
contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of
initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the Company shall
determine; provided, however, that if the Company directs you to pay the tax
claimed and sue for a refund, the Company shall advance the amount of such
payment to you on an interest-free basis and shall indemnify and hold you
harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax including
interest or penalties with respect thereto, imposed with respect to such
advance; and provided further, however, that any extension of the statute of
limitations relating to payment of taxes for your taxable year with respect to
which the contested amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such
contested amount. Furthermore, the Company's control of any such contested claim
shall be limited to issues with respect to which a Gross-Up Payment would be
payable hereunder and you shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case
may be, any other issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other
taxing authority.

                  (f) If, after the receipt by you of an amount advanced by the
Company pursuant to Section 6(e) hereof, you receive any refund with respect to
such claim, you agree (subject to the Company's complying with the requirements
of Section 6(e) hereof) to promptly pay to the Company the amount of such refund
(together with any interest paid or credited thereon after any taxes applicable
thereto). If, after your receipt of an amount advanced by the Company pursuant
to Section 6(e) hereof, a determination is made that you are not entitled to any
refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify you in writing
of its intent to contest such denial of refund prior to the expiration of 30
calendar days after such determination, then such advance shall be forgiven and
shall not be required to be repaid and the amount of such advance shall offset,
to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid
pursuant to this Section 6.

                  7. SECURITY. To secure payment of the benefits herein provided
for the Company agrees to maintain an irrevocable escrow account (the "Escrow
Account") at Key Trust Company of Ohio, N.A. (the "Bank"), Cleveland, Ohio, and
to keep on deposit in the Escrow Account such amount, if any, as shall at all
times be at least equal to the required security hereinafter provided for. The
maximum amount of required security to be kept on deposit at any time shall be
(A) an amount equal to one (1) times your annualized base compensation, with
such amount to be recalculated each November to reflect changes in your
annualized base compensation, or (B) if there has been a determination with your
written consent or by a final 


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arbitral award rendered in accordance with this Agreement that a specific lesser
amount fully secures the Company's obligations under this Agreement, or that the
Company has fully performed its obligations under this Agreement, then such
specific lesser amount or, in the case that the Company has fully performed its
obligations under this Agreement, nothing. The full maximum amount of required
security shall be kept on deposit at all times after there shall have been a
change in control of the Company. Unless and until such a change in control of
the Company shall have occurred, however, the Company shall only be obliged to
maintain on deposit in the Escrow Account an amount at least equal to 50% of the
maximum amount of required security. Amounts deposited in the Escrow Account
shall be paid out by the Bank only to you, in such amounts as you shall certify
to the Bank as amounts that the Company is in default in paying to you under
this Agreement, or to the Company, to the extent that the amount on deposit
exceeds the maximum amount of required security as specified in joint written
instructions from you and the Company to the Bank or in a final arbitral award
rendered pursuant to paragraph 14 hereof.

                  8. SUCCESSORS, BINDING AGREEMENT. The Company will require any
successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or
otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the
Company, by agreement in form and substances satisfactory to you, to expressly
assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same
extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession
had taken place. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the
effectiveness of any such succession shall be a breach of this Agreement and
shall entitle you to compensation from the Company in the same amount and on the
same terms as you would be entitled hereunder if the Company had terminated your
employment after a change in control of the Company occurring at the time of
succession, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date on
which any such succession becomes effective shall be deemed the Date of
Termination. As used in this Agreement "Company" shall mean the Company as
hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as
aforesaid which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this
paragraph 8 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of
this Agreement by operation of law. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be enforceable by your personal or legal representatives, executors,
administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If you
should die while any amounts would still be payable to you hereunder if you had
continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be
paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to your devises, legates, or
other designee or, if there be no such designee, to your estate.

                  9. CONTINUED STATUS AS ELECTED OFFICER OR APPOINTED OFFICER.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere contained in this Agreement,
if you cease to be a Board-elected officer or an appointed officer of the
Company prior to a change in control, this Agreement shall be deemed terminated
and of no further force and effect.

                  10. NOTICE. Notices and all other communications provided for
in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly
given when delivered or 


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mailed by United States registered mail, return receipt requested, postage
prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth on the first page of
this Agreement, provided that all notices to the Company shall be directed to
the attention of the Secretary of the Company, or to such other address as
either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith,
except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

                  11. MISCELLANEOUS. No provisions of this Agreement may be
modified, waived or discharged unless such modification, waiver or discharge is
agreed to in writing signed by you and such officer as may be specifically
designated by the Board, provided, that the Company shall have the right to
terminate its obligations to you under this Agreement by written notice given to
you at least two years in advance of your Date of Termination. No waiver by
either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or
compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by
such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or
conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time. This Agreement
constitutes the entire agreement between the Company and you with respect to the
subject matter hereof and, except to the extent a specific compensation program
provides for benefits upon a change in control relative to that program, which
provisions shall remain in effect, no agreements or representations, oral or
otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have
been made by either party which are not set forth expressly in this Agreement.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement supersedes and
replaces in its entirety any prior agreement relating to the subject matter
hereof. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio.

                  12. VALIDITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any one or
more provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in
full force and effect.

                  13. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of
which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

                  14. ARBITRATION. Any dispute or controversy arising under or
in connection with this Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in
Cleveland, Ohio in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration
Association then in effect and all arbitration expenses, shall be borne by the
Company. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrators' award in any court having
jurisdiction, provided, however, that you shall be entitled to seek specific
performance of your right to be paid until the Date of Termination during the
pendency of any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this
Agreement.

                  15. EFFECTIVE DATE. This letter Agreement will be effective as
of __________________.


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                  16. LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES. It is the intent of the Company
that you shall not be required to incur the expenses associated with the
enforcement of your rights under this Agreement by arbitration, litigation or
other legal action because the cost and expenses thereof would substantially
detract from the benefits intended to be extended to you hereunder. Accordingly,
if it should appear to you that the Company has failed to comply with any of its
obligations under this Agreement or in the event the Company or any other person
takes any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes
any arbitration or litigation designed to deny, or to recover from, you the
benefits intended to be provided to you hereunder, the Company irrevocably
authorizes you from time to time to retain counsel of your choice, at the
expense of the Company, to represent you in connection with the initiation or
defense of any arbitration, litigation or other legal action, whether by or
against the Company or any director, officer, stockholder or other person
affiliated with the Company, in any jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any existing
or prior attorney-client relationship between the Company and such counsel, the
Company irrevocably consents to your entering into an attorney-client
relationship with such counsel, and in that connection the Company and you agree
that a confidential relationship shall exist between you and such counsel. The
Company shall pay or cause to be paid and shall be solely responsible for any
and all attorneys' and related fees and expenses incurred by you as a result of
the Company's failure to perform this Agreement or any provision hereof
(including this Section 16) or as a result of the Company or any person
contesting the validly or enforceability of this Agreement or any provision
hereof.

                  If this letter, correctly sets forth our agreement on the
subject matter hereof, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copy
of the letter which will then constitute our agreement on this subject.

                                       Sincerely,

                                       APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.



                                       By:
                                           -------------------------------------


AGREED TO EFFECTIVE AS OF



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                              Schedule Pursuant to
                     Item 2 of Item 601(a) of Regulation S-K

The Executive Severance Agreements ("Agreements") presently in effect for eight
(8) executive officers are substantially identical in all material respects.
This revised schedule is included pursuant to Instruction 2 of Item 601(a) of
Regulation S-K for the purpose of setting forth the material details in which
the specific Agreements differ from the form of Agreement:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                "Base Compensation"
                                                                                Multiple Pursuant
Name                                Title                                       to Paragraph 3(b)

<S>                                <C>                                          <C>    
J. C. Dannemiller                   Chairman, Chief
                                    Executive Officer &  
                                    President                                   Three (3)

J. C. Robinson                      Vice Chairman                               Three (3)

F. A. Martins                       Vice President-Sales &
                                    Field Operations                            Two (2)

B. L. Purser                        Vice President-Marketing
                                    & National Accounts                         Two (2)

R. C. Shaw                          Vice President-Communications,              Two (2)
                                    Organizational Learning &
                                    Quality Standards

R. C. Stinson                       Vice President-Administration,              Two (2)
                                    Human Resources,
                                    General Counsel & Secretary

J. R. Whitten                       Vice President-Finance &
                                    Treasurer                                   Two (2)

M. O. Eisele                        Controller                                  Two (2)

</TABLE>

          The continuation of employee benefit plans, programs and arrangements
set forth in Paragraph 4 is three (3) years for Messrs. Dannemiller and
Robinson, and two (2) years for the other executive officers listed.




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