
<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 1.1

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                                 KENNAMETAL INC.
                          (a Pennsylvania corporation)


                        3,440,000 Shares of Common Stock





                             U.S. PURCHASE AGREEMENT












Dated:  January __, 1998


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                                               TABLE OF CONTENTS


<S>                                                                                                               <C>
U.S. PURCHASE AGREEMENT.........................................................................................  1

SECTION 1.        Representations and Warranties................................................................  4
         (a)      Representations and Warranties by the Company.................................................  4
         (b)      Officer's Certificates........................................................................ 11

SECTION 2.        Sale and Delivery to U.S. Underwriters; Closing................................................12
         (a)      Initial Securities............................................................................ 12
         (b)      Option Securities............................................................................. 12
         (c)      Payment....................................................................................... 12
         (d)      Denominations; Registration................................................................... 13

SECTION 3.        Covenants of the Company...................................................................... 13
         (a)      Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests................................ 13
         (b)      Filing of Amendments.......................................................................... 14
         (c)      Delivery of Registration Statements........................................................... 14
         (d)      Delivery of Prospectuses...................................................................... 14
         (e)      Continued Compliance with Securities Laws..................................................... 14
         (f)      Blue Sky Qualifications....................................................................... 15
         (g)      Rule 158...................................................................................... 15
         (h)      Use of Proceeds............................................................................... 15
         (i)      Listing....................................................................................... 15
         (j)      Restriction on Sale of Securities............................................................. 15
         (k)      Reporting Requirements........................................................................ 16

SECTION 4.        Payment of Expenses........................................................................... 16
         (a)      Expenses.......................................................................................16
         (b)      Termination of Agreement...................................................................... 16

SECTION 5.        Conditions of U.S. Underwriters' Obligations.................................................. 17
         (a)      Effectiveness of Registration Statement....................................................... 17
         (b)      Opinion of Counsel for Company................................................................ 17
         (c)      Opinion of Counsel for U.S. Underwriters...................................................... 17
         (d)      Opinion of German Counsel..................................................................... 18
         (e)      Officers' Certificate......................................................................... 18
         (f)      Accountant's Comfort Letter................................................................... 19
         (g)      Accountant's Comfort Letter................................................................... 19
         (h)      Bring-down Comfort Letter..................................................................... 19
         (i)      Bring-down Comfort Letter..................................................................... 19
         (j)      Approval of Listing........................................................................... 19
         (k)      Maintenance of Rating......................................................................... 19
         (l)      Purchase of Initial International Securities.................................................. 19
         (m)      Conditions to Purchase of U.S. Option Securities.............................................. 20
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         (n)      Maintenance of Rating......................................................................... 21
         (o)      Additional Documents.......................................................................... 21
         (p)      Termination of Agreement...................................................................... 21

SECTION 6.        Indemnification............................................................................... 21
         (a)      Indemnification of U.S. Underwriters.......................................................... 21
         (b)      Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers............................................ 22
         (c)      Actions against Parties; Notification......................................................... 23
         (d)      Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse............................................ 23

SECTION 7.        Contribution.................................................................................. 23

SECTION 8.        Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery................................ 25

SECTION 9.        Termination of Agreement...................................................................... 25
         (a)      Termination; General.......................................................................... 25
         (b)      Liabilities................................................................................... 25

SECTION 10.       Default by One or More of the U.S. Underwriters............................................... 25

SECTION 11.       Notices....................................................................................... 26

SECTION 12.       Parties....................................................................................... 26

SECTION 13.       GOVERNING LAW AND TIME........................................................................ 27

SECTION 14.       Effect of Headings............................................................................ 27

SCHEDULES
         Schedule A - List of Underwriters................................................................. Sch A-1
         Schedule B - Pricing Information.................................................................. Sch B-1
         Schedule C - List of Subsidiaries................................................................. Sch C-1

EXHIBITS
         Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Company's Counsel...................................................... A-1
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                                       ii

<PAGE>   4




                                                       Draft of January 13, 1998


                                 KENNAMETAL INC.

                          (a Pennsylvania corporation)

                        3,440,000 Shares of Capital Stock

                           (Par Value $1.25 Per Share)

                             U.S. PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                                                January __, 1998

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
  Incorporated
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Lehman Brothers Inc.
  as U.S. Representatives of the
  several U.S. Underwriters
c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
     Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
      Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York  10281-1209

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  Kennametal Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"),
confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") and each of the other U.S. Underwriters
named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "U.S. Underwriters", which term
shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in
Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, CIBC Oppenheimer Corp., Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Lehman Brothers Inc. are acting as representatives (in such
capacity, the "U.S. Representatives"), with respect to the issue and sale by the
Company and the purchase by the U.S. Underwriters, acting severally and not
jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Capital Stock, par value $1.25
per share, of the Company ("Common Stock") set forth in said Schedule A, and
with respect to the grant by the Company to the U.S. Underwriters, acting
severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to
purchase all or any part of 516,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover
over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid 3,440,000 shares of Common Stock (the
"Initial U.S. Securities") to be purchased by the U.S. Underwriters and all or
any part of the 516,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described
in Section 2(b) hereof (the "U.S. Option Securities") are hereinafter called,
collectively, the "U.S. Securities".


<PAGE>   5


                                                                              2




                  It is understood that the Company is concurrently entering
into an agreement dated the date hereof (the "International Purchase Agreement")
providing for the offering by the Company of an aggregate of 860,000 shares of
Common Stock (the "Initial International Securities") through arrangements with
certain underwriters outside the United States and Canada (the "International
Managers") for which Merrill Lynch International, CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.,
Goldman Sachs International and Lehman Brothers International (Europe) are
acting as lead managers (the "Lead Managers") and the grant by the Company to
the International Managers, acting severally and not jointly, of an option to
purchase all or any part of the International Managers' pro rata portion of up
to 129,000 additional shares of Common Stock solely to cover over-allotments, if
any (the "International Option Securities" and, together with the U.S. Option
Securities, the "Option Securities"). The Initial International Securities and
the International Option Securities are hereinafter called the "International
Securities". It is understood that the Company is not obligated to sell and the
U.S. Underwriters are not obligated to purchase, any Initial U.S. Securities
unless all of the Initial International Securities are contemporaneously
purchased by the International Managers.

                  The U.S. Underwriters and the International Managers are
hereinafter collectively called the "Underwriters", the Initial U.S. Securities
and the Initial International Securities are hereinafter collectively called the
"Initial Securities", and the U.S. Securities, and the International Securities
are hereinafter collectively called the "Securities".

                  The Underwriters will concurrently enter into an
Intersyndicate Agreement of even date herewith (the "Intersyndicate Agreement")
providing for the coordination of certain transactions among the Underwriters
under the direction of Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated (in such capacity, the "Global Coordinator").

                  The Company understands that the U.S. Underwriters propose to
make a public offering of the U.S. Securities as soon as the U.S.
Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.

                  The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No.
333-40809) covering the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), including the related preliminary
prospectus or prospectuses. Promptly after execution and delivery of this
Agreement, the Company will either (i) prepare and file a prospectus in
accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A ("Rule 430A") of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations")
and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of the 1933 Act Regulations or
(ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933
Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a "Term Sheet") in accordance
with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). Two forms of prospectus are to
be used in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities: one relating
to the U.S. Securities (the "Form of U.S. Prospectus") and one relating to the
International Securities (the "Form of International Prospectus"). The Form of
International Prospectus is identical to the Form of U.S. Prospectus, except for
the front cover and back cover pages and the information under the caption
"Underwriting" and the inclusion in the


<PAGE>   6


                                                                              3



Form of International Prospectus of a section under the caption "Certain U.S.
Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders." The information included in any such
prospectus or in any such Term Sheet, as the case may be, that was omitted from
such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed
to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective (a)
pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred to as "Rule 430A Information"
or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is referred to as "Rule 434
Information." Each Form of U.S. Prospectus and Form of International Prospectus
used before such registration statement became effective, and any prospectus
that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434
Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution
and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus."
Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, schedules thereto,
if any, and the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12
of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, at the time it became effective and including
the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein
called the "Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant
to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule
462(b) Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration
Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final Form
of U.S. Prospectus and the final Form of International Prospectus, including the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the 1933 Act, in the forms first furnished to the Underwriters for use in
connection with the offering of the Securities are herein called the "U.S.
Prospectus" and the "International Prospectus," respectively, and collectively,
the "Prospectuses." If Rule 434 is relied on, the terms "U.S. Prospectus" and
"International Prospectus" shall refer to the preliminary U.S. Prospectus dated
January 2, 1998 and preliminary International Prospectus dated January 2, 1998,
respectively, each together with the applicable Term Sheet and all references in
this Agreement to the date of such Prospectuses shall mean the date of the
applicable Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus, the
International Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission
pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system
("EDGAR").

                  All references in this Agreement to financial statements and
schedules and other information which is "contained," "included" or "stated" in
the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus (including the Form of
U.S. Prospectus and Form of International Prospectus) or the Prospectuses (or
other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus
(including the Form of U.S. Prospectus and Form of International Prospectus) or
the Prospectuses, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectuses shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of
any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") which is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectuses, as the case may be.



<PAGE>   7


                                                                              4



                  SECTION 1.         Representations and Warranties.

                  (a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each U.S. Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of
the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of
Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b), hereof and agrees with each U.S.
Underwriter, as follows:

                          (i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The
         Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.
         Each of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration
         Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order
         suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule
         462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
         proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
         the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and
         any request on the part of the Commission for additional information
         has been complied with.

                  At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule
         462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto
         became effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any U.S. Option
         Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration
         Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments
         and supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material
         respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
         Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a
         material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
         therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
         Neither of the Prospectuses nor any amendments or supplements thereto
         at the time the Prospectuses or any amendments or supplements thereto
         were issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any U.S. Option Securities
         are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will include an
         untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will 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.
         If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the requirements of
         Rule 434. The representations and warranties in this subsection shall
         not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement
         or the U.S. Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with
         information furnished to the Company in writing by any U.S. Underwriter
         through the U.S. Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
         Statement or the U.S. Prospectus.

                  Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectuses filed as part
         of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any
         amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,
         complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act
         Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectuses
         delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering
         was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed
         with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted
         by Regulation S-T.




<PAGE>   8

                                                                              5



                         (ii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated
         or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
         and the Prospectuses at the time they were or hereafter are filed with
         the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with
         the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations or the
         1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
         (the "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read together with the other
         information in the Prospectuses, at the time the Registration Statement
         became effective, at the time the Prospectuses were issued and at the
         Closing Time (and, if any U.S. Option Securities are purchased, at the
         Date of Delivery), did not and will not contain an untrue statement of
         a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
         therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

                         (iii) Independent Accountants. Arthur Andersen LLP, the
         accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting
         schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in
         the Registration Statement, are independent public accountants as
         required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations; and Price
         Waterhouse LLP, the accountants who certified the financial statements
         and supporting schedules of Greenfield Industries, Inc. ("Greenfield")
         included in the Registration Statement, are independent public
         accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

                         (iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements of
         the Company included in the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectuses, together with the related schedules and notes, present
         fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated
         subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations,
         shareholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated
         subsidiaries for the periods specified; the financial statements of
         Greenfield included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses,
         together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the
         financial position of Greenfield and its consolidated subsidiaries at
         the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders'
         equity and cash flows of Greenfield and its consolidated subsidiaries
         for the periods specified; each of said financial statements have been
         prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
         ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.
         The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration
         Statement present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information
         required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the
         summary financial information included in the Prospectuses present
         fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
         consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in
         the Registration Statement. The pro forma financial statements and the
         related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectuses present fairly the information shown therein, have been
         prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with
         respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly
         compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in
         the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments



<PAGE>   9


                                                                              6



         used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and 
         circumstances referred to therein.

                         (v) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the
         respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
         Statement and the Prospectuses, except as otherwise stated therein, (A)
         there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial
         or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
         prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
         enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business
         (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been no transactions
         entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than
         those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with
         respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
         enterprise, and (C) except for regular quarterly dividends on the
         Common Stock in amounts per share that are consistent with past
         practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind
         declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
         stock.

                         (vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been
         duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
         standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and has
         corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
         and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectuses and to
         enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the
         Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business
         and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such
         qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
         leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
         failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a
         Material Adverse Effect.

                         (vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each "significant
         subsidiary" of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of
         Regulation S-X) (each a "Subsidiary" and, collectively, the
         "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
         corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
         incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and
         operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
         Prospectuses and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
         business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
         qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
         leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
         failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a
         Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the
         Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
         of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is
         fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or
         through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
         mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the
         outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in
         violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of
         such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the
         subsidiaries listed on Schedule C hereto.




<PAGE>   10


                                                                              7



                         (viii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and
         outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
         Prospectuses in the column entitled "Actual" under the caption
         "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to
         this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee
         benefit plans referred to in the Prospectuses or pursuant to the
         exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the
         Prospectuses). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of
         the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
         paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital
         stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other
         similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

                         (ix) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement and the
         International Purchase Agreement have been duly authorized, executed
         and delivered by the Company.

                         (x) Authorization and Description of Securities. The
         Securities to be purchased by the U.S. Underwriters and the
         International Managers from the Company have been duly authorized for
         issuance and sale to the U.S. Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement
         and the International Managers pursuant to the International Purchase
         Agreement, respectively, and, when issued and delivered by the Company
         pursuant to this Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement,
         respectively, against payment of the consideration set forth herein and
         the International Purchase Agreement, respectively, will be validly
         issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms to all
         statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectuses and such
         description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments
         defining the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject to
         personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance
         of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar
         rights of any securityholder of the Company.

                         (xi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the
         Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or
         by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any
         obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
         indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note,
         lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of
         its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound,
         or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any
         subsidiary is subject (collectively, "Agreements and Instruments")
         except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse
         Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
         and the International Purchase Agreement and the consummation of the
         transactions contemplated in this Agreement, the International Purchase
         Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and
         sale of the Securities, the use of the proceeds from the sale of the
         Securities as described in the Prospectuses under the caption "Use of
         Proceeds" and the concurrent issuance and sale by the Company of
         4,500,000 FELINE PRIDES(SM) and $450,000,000 aggregate principal amount
         of senior debt (the "Concurrent Offerings")) and compliance by the
         Company with its



<PAGE>   11


                                                                              8



         obligations under this Agreement and the International Purchase
         Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
         and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice
         or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or
         default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the
         creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
         property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the
         Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or
         defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a
         Material Adverse Effect and except for the contemplated use of proceeds
         as described in the Registration Statement), nor will such action
         result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
         the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule,
         regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
         government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
         jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets,
         properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any
         event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or
         other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's
         behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of
         all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.

                         (xii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with
         the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the
         knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of
         any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of
         its or any subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers
         or contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to
         result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                         (xiii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action,
         suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any
         court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending,
         or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting
         the Company or any subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the
         Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which
         might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or
         which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect
         the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and
         the International Purchase Agreement or the Concurrent Offerings or the
         performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder;
         the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which
         the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their
         respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in
         the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation
         incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result
         in a Material Adverse Effect.

                         (xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or
         documents which are required to be described in the Registration
         Statement, the Prospectuses or the documents incorporated by reference
         therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so
         described and filed as required.




<PAGE>   12


                                                                              9



                         (xv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company
         and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable
         terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions,
         copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented
         and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
         procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other
         intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary
         to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company
         nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise
         aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others
         with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or
         circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or
         inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the
         subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity
         or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material
         Adverse Effect.

                         (xvi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with,
         or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
         qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
         agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of
         its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or
         sale of the Securities under this Agreement and the International
         Purchase Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
         by this Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement or in
         connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the securities
         offered in the Concurrent Offerings, except such as have been already
         obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
         Regulations and foreign or state securities or blue sky laws.

                         (xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company
         and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals,
         consents and other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental
         Licenses") issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign
         regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now
         operated by them; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance
         with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except
         where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate,
         have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are
         valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such
         Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to
         be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
         and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any
         notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any
         such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
         subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in
         a Material Adverse Effect.

                         (xviii) Title to Property. The Company and its
         subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned
         by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all other
         properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all
         mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or
         encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the
         Prospectuses or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially
         affect the value of such property and do not interfere with



<PAGE>   13


                                                                             10



         the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or
         any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material
         to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
         enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
         holds properties described in the Prospectuses, are in full force and
         effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of
         any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse
         to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases
         or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of
         the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the
         leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

                         (xix) Compliance with Cuba Act. The Company has
         complied with, and is and will be in compliance with, the provisions of
         that certain Florida act relating to disclosure of doing business with
         Cuba, codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the
         rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Cuba Act") or is
         exempt therefrom.

                         (xx) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and
         upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and
         the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the
         Prospectuses will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
         "controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in
         the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

                         (xxi) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the
         Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the
         aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company
         nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state,
         local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code,
         policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative
         interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order,
         consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of
         human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient
         air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or
         wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating
         to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
         contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum
         or petroleum products (collectively, "Hazardous Materials") or to the
         manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
         disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively,
         "Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all
         permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable
         Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements,
         (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or
         judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens,
         notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
         relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might
         reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
         remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
         governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of
         its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental
         Laws.



<PAGE>   14


                                                                             11




                         (xxii) Registration Rights. There are no persons with
         registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities
         registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise
         registered by the Company under the 1933 Act.

                         (xxiii) Related Party Transactions. No relationship,
         direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company on the one
         hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers
         of the Company on the other hand, which is required to be described in
         the Prospectuses which is not so described.

                         (xxiv) Employee Matters. The Company and any entity
         which would be treated as a single employer under Section 414(b), (c),
         (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including
         the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code")
         (each such entity, an "ERISA Affiliate"), is in compliance in all
         material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the
         Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including
         the regulations and published interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"),
         and, if applicable, the Code; no "reportable event" (as defined in
         ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in
         ERISA) for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate would have any
         liability; neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or
         expects to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to
         termination of, or withdrawal from, any such "pension plan" or (ii)
         Sections 412 or 4971 of the Code; and each "pension plan" for which the
         Company or any ERISA Affiliate would have any liability that is
         intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so
         qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by
         action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such
         qualification.

                         (xxv) Taxes. The Company has filed all federal, state,
         local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed
         through the date hereof and has paid all taxes due thereon, and no tax
         deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries which has had (nor does the Company have any knowledge of
         any tax deficiency which, if determined adversely to the Company or any
         of its subsidiaries, might have) a Material Adverse Effect or a
         material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or on
         the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and
         its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

                  (b) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any
officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Global
Coordinator, the U.S. Representatives or to counsel for the U.S. Underwriters
shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each U.S.
Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.




<PAGE>   15


                                                                             12



                  SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to U.S. Underwriters; Closing.

                  (a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each U.S. Underwriter, severally and
not jointly, and each U.S. Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to
purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, the
number of Initial U.S. Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of
such U.S. Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial U.S. Securities
which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the
provisions of Section 10 hereof.

                  (b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the U.S.
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 516,000
shares of Common Stock at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, less an
amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company
and payable on the Initial U.S. Securities but not payable on the U.S. Option
Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof
and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose
of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering
and distribution of the Initial U.S. Securities upon notice by the Global
Coordinator to the Company setting forth the number of U.S. Option Securities as
to which the several U.S. Underwriters are then exercising the option and the
time and date of payment and delivery for such U.S. Option Securities. Any such
time and date of delivery for the U.S. Option Securities (a "Date of Delivery")
shall be determined by the Global Coordinator, but shall not be later than seven
full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to
the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all
or any portion of the U.S. Option Securities, each of the U.S. Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total
number of U.S. Option Securities then being purchased which the number of
Initial U.S. Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such U.S.
Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial U.S. Securities, subject in
each case to such adjustments as the Global Coordinator in its discretion shall
make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

                  (c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, or
at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Global Coordinator and the
Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs
after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date
hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or
such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be
agreed upon by the Global Coordinator and the Company (such time and date of
payment and delivery being herein called "Closing Time").

                  In addition, in the event that any or all of the U.S. Option
Securities are purchased by the U.S. Underwriters, payment of the purchase price
for, and delivery of


<PAGE>   16


                                                                             13



certificates for, such U.S. Option Securities shall be made at the
above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Global Coordinator and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the
notice from the Global Coordinator to the Company.

                  Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against
delivery to the U.S. Representatives for the respective accounts of the U.S.
Underwriters of certificates for the U.S. Securities to be purchased by them. It
is understood that each U.S. Underwriter has authorized the U.S.
Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make
payment of the purchase price for, the Initial U.S. Securities and the U.S.
Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch,
individually and not as representative of the U.S. Underwriters, may (but shall
not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial U.S.
Securities or the U.S. Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any U.S.
Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the
relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not
relieve such U.S. Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

                  (d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial
U.S. Securities and the U.S. Option Securities, if any, shall be in such
denominations and registered in such names as the U.S. Representatives may
request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the
relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial
U.S. Securities and the U.S. Option Securities, if any, will be made available
for examination and packaging by the U.S. Representatives in The City of New
York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the
Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

                  SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants
with each U.S. Underwriter as follows:

                  (a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
         Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the
         requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify
         the Global Coordinator immediately, and confirm the notice in writing,
         (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement
         shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectuses or any
         amended Prospectuses shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any
         comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission
         for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
         supplement to the Prospectuses or for additional information, and (iv)
         of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
         effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing
         or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the
         suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
         in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
         proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect
         the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps
         as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of
         prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for
         filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will
         promptly file such prospectus. The Company


<PAGE>   17


                                                                             14



         will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop
         order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof
         at the earliest possible moment.

                  (b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the Global
         Coordinator notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to
         the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)),
         any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the
         prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became
         effective or to the Prospectuses, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the
         1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish the Global Coordinator with copies
         of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such
         proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use
         any such document to which the Global Coordinator or counsel for the
         U.S. Underwriters shall reasonably object.

                  (c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has
         furnished or will deliver to the U.S. Representatives and counsel for
         the U.S. Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the
         Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment
         thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by
         reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be
         incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents
         and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the U.S.
         Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration
         Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without
         exhibits) for each of the U.S. Underwriters. The copies of the
         Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the U.S.
         Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies
         thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the
         extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                  (d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to
         each U.S. Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each
         preliminary prospectus as such U.S. Underwriter reasonably requested,
         and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes
         permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each U.S.
         Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the U.S. Prospectus
         is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, such
         number of copies of the U.S. Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as
         such U.S. Underwriter may reasonably request. The U.S. Prospectus and
         any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the U.S.
         Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies
         thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the
         extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                  (e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company
         will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934
         Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the
         distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the
         International Purchase Agreement and in the Prospectuses. If at any
         time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in
         connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or
         condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the
         opinion of counsel for the U.S. Underwriters or for the Company, to
         amend the Registration Statement or


<PAGE>   18


                                                                             15



         amend or supplement any Prospectus in order that the Prospectuses will
         not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a
         material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
         misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is
         delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion
         of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement
         or amend or supplement any Prospectus in order to comply with the
         requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company
         will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section
         3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such
         statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectuses comply with such requirements, and the Company will
         furnish to the U.S. Underwriters such number of copies of such
         amendment or supplement as the U.S. Underwriters may reasonably
         request.

                  (f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best
         efforts, in cooperation with the U.S. Underwriters, to qualify the
         Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws
         of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
         Global Coordinator may designate and to maintain such qualifications in
         effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the
         effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
         Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not
         be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to
         qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
         jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to
         taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it
         is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the
         Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such
         statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such
         jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of
         not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration
         Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

                  (g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports
         pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally
         available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earning
         statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated
         by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

                  (h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds
         received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified
         in the Prospectuses under "Use of Proceeds".

                  (i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect
         the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange.

                  (j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90
         days from the date of the Prospectuses, the Company will not, without
         the prior written consent of the Global Coordinator, (i) directly or
         indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
         contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant
         any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or
         dispose of any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into
         or exercisable or exchangeable for


<PAGE>   19


                                                                             16



         Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with
         respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any
         other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part,
         directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the
         Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
         exchangeable for Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction
         described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of
         Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The
         foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold
         hereunder or under the International Purchase Agreement, (B) any shares
         of Common Stock issuable upon early settlement of the shares of FELINE
         PRIDESSM, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the
         exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security
         outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Prospectuses, (D)
         any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock
         granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company
         referred to in the Prospectuses or (E) any shares of Common Stock
         issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend
         reinvestment plan.

                  (k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period
         when the Prospectuses are required to be delivered under the 1933 Act
         or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the
         Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by
         the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

                  SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. (a) Expenses. The Company will
pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as
originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing
and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among
Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the
offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the
Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other
duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters and the transfer of the Securities between the U.S. Underwriters
and the International Managers, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's
counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities
under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof,
including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation
of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and
delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Term
Sheets and of the Prospectuses and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii)
the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue
Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any
transfer agent or registrar for the Securities and (ix) the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock
Exchange.

                  (b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated
by the U.S. Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or
Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the



<PAGE>   20


                                                                             17



Company shall reimburse the U.S. Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket
expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the
U.S. Underwriters.

         SECTION 5. Conditions of U.S. Underwriters' Obligations. The
obligations of the several U.S. Underwriters hereunder are subject to the
accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and
to the following further conditions:

                  (a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
         Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
         effective and at Closing Time, no stop order suspending the
         effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
         under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by
         the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
         additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
         satisfaction of counsel to the U.S. Underwriters. A prospectus
         containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the
         Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective
         amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared
         effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the
         Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been
         filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).

                  (b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the U.S.
         Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
         Closing Time, of David T. Cofer, Vice President, Secretary and General
         Counsel to the Company and of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
         Corporation, special counsel for the Company, in form and substance
         satisfactory to counsel for the U.S. Underwriters, together with signed
         or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other U.S.
         Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such
         further effect as counsel to the U.S.
         Underwriters may reasonably request.

                  (c) Opinion of Counsel for U.S. Underwriters. At Closing Time,
         the U.S. Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion,
         dated as of Closing Time, of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, counsel for
         the U.S. Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of
         such letter for each of the other U.S. Underwriters with respect to the
         matters set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (v), (vi) (solely as to
         preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under
         the charter or by-laws of the Company), (viii) through (x), inclusive,
         (xiv) (solely as to the information in the Prospectus under
         "Description of Common Stock--Common Stock") and the penultimate
         paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may
         rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other
         than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United
         States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the U.S.
         Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such
         opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they


<PAGE>   21


                                                                             18



         deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its
         subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

                  (d) Opinion of German Counsel. At Closing Time, the U.S.
         Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
         the Closing Time, of Hasche Eschenlohr Peltzer Riesenkampff Fischotter,
         German counsel to the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to
         counsel for the U.S. Underwriters to the effect that:

                            (i) Kennametal Hertel AG has been incorporated and
                  is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under
                  German laws, has the corporate power and authority to own,
                  lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business
                  as presently conducted and as described in the Prospectus, and
                  is qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and
                  is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
                  qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership
                  or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
                  where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would
                  not have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and
                  outstanding capital stock of Kennametal Hertel AG has been
                  authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and
                  non-assessable and 98.25% of the ordinary and 57.21% of the
                  non-voting preferred shares are owned by the Company, directly
                  or through its subsidiaries, free and clear of any security
                  interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
                  equity; and

                            (ii) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus,
                  there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to
                  which Kennametal Hertel AG or any of its subsidiaries is a
                  party or to which any property of Kennametal Hertel AG or any
                  of its subsidiaries is the subject which reasonably would be
                  expected individually or in the aggregate to have a Material
                  Adverse Effect; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge,
                  no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
                  governmental authorities or threatened by others.

                  (e) Officers' Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not
         have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of
         which information is given in the Prospectuses, any material adverse
         change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings,
         business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
         subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
         the ordinary course of business, and the U.S. Representatives shall
         have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the
         Company and of the chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or
         treasurer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that
         (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the
         representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and
         correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and
         as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements
         and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
         at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the
         effectiveness of the


<PAGE>   22

                                                                             19



         Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
         purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the
         Commission.

                  (f) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution
         of this Agreement, the U.S. Representatives shall have received from
         Arthur Andersen LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance
         satisfactory to the U.S. Representatives, together with signed or
         reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other U.S.
         Underwriters containing statements and information of the type
         ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters
         with respect to the financial statements, pro forma financial
         statements and certain financial information of the Company contained
         in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses.

                  (g) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution
         of this Agreement, the U.S. Representatives shall have received from
         Price Waterhouse LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance
         satisfactory to the U.S. Representatives, together with signed or
         reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other U.S.
         Underwriters containing statements and information of the type
         ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters
         with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
         information of Greenfield contained in the Registration Statement and
         the Prospectuses.

                  (h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the
         Representatives shall have received from Arthur Andersen LLP a letter,
         dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the
         statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of
         this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a
         date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.

                  (i) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the
         Representatives shall have received from Price Waterhouse LLP a letter,
         dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the
         statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of
         this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a
         date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.

                  (j) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall
         have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject
         only to official notice of issuance.

                  (k) Maintenance of Rating. Since the date of this Agreement,
         there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the rating assigned to
         any of the Company's other securities by any "nationally recognized
         statistical rating agency", as that term is defined by the Commission
         for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and no such
         organization shall have publicly announced that it has under
         surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company's other
         securities.

                  (l) Purchase of Initial International Securities.
         Contemporaneously with the purchase by the U.S. Underwriters of the
         Initial U.S. Securities under this


<PAGE>   23

                                                                             20



         Agreement, the International Managers shall have purchased the Initial
         International Securities under the International Purchase Agreement.

                  (m) Conditions to Purchase of U.S. Option Securities. In the
         event that the U.S. Underwriters exercise their option provided in
         Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the U.S. Option
         Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained
         herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company
         or any subsidiary of the Company hereunder shall be true and correct as
         of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery:

                            (1) the U.S. Representatives shall have received:

                            (i) Officers' Certificate. A certificate, dated such
                  Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the
                  Company and of the chief financial officer, chief accounting
                  officer or treasurer of the Company confirming that the
                  certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section
                  5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of
                  Delivery.

                            (ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable
                  opinion of Buchanan Ingersoll Professional Corporation,
                  counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to
                  counsel for the U.S. Underwriters, dated such Date of
                  Delivery, relating to the U.S. Option Securities to be
                  purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same
                  effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

                            (iii) Opinion of Counsel for U.S. Underwriters. The
                  favorable opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, counsel for
                  the U.S. Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating
                  to the U.S. Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of
                  Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion
                  required by Section 5(c) hereof.

                            (iv) Opinion of German Counsel. The favorable
                  opinion of Hasche Eschenlohr Peltzer Riesenkampff Fischotter,
                  German counsel for the Company, in form and substance
                  satisfactory to counsel to the U.S. Underwriters, dated such
                  Date of Delivery, relating to the U.S. Option Securities to be
                  purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same
                  effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.

                            (v) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Arthur
                  Andersen LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the U.S.
                  Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially
                  in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the
                  U.S. Representatives pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof, except
                  that the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to
                  this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior
                  to such Date of Delivery.



<PAGE>   24


                                                                             21



                            (vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Price
                  Waterhouse LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the U.S.
                  Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially
                  in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the
                  U.S. Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except
                  that the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to
                  this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior
                  to such Date of Delivery.

                            (2) Maintenance of Rating. Since the date of this
                  Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the
                  rating assigned to any of the Company's other securities by
                  any "nationally recognized statistical rating agency", as that
                  term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule
                  436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and no such organization shall
                  have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
                  review its rating of any of the Company's other securities.

                  (n) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of
         Delivery, counsel for the U.S. Underwriters shall have been furnished
         with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of
         enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as
         herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
         representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
         conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company
         in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein
         contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the U.S.
         Representatives and counsel for the U.S. Underwriters.

                  (o) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in
         this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be
         fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the
         purchase of U.S. Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after
         the Closing Time, the obligations of the several U.S. Underwriters to
         purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the U.S.
         Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to
         Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such
         termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
         except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8
         shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

                  SECTION 6. Indemnification.

                  (a) Indemnification of U.S. Underwriters. The Company agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless each U.S. Underwriter and each person, if any,
who controls any U.S. Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

                  (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
         alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
         Registration Statement (or any


<PAGE>   25


                                                                             22



         amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule
         434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged omission
         therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
         to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any
         untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
         included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectuses (or any
         amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission
         therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
         therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
         not misleading;

                  (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
         paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
         proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
         or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
         omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided
         that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected
         with the written consent of the Company; and

                  (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
         (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill
         Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
         against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
         governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
         whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
         such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such
         expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
U.S. Underwriter through the U.S. Representatives expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary
prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

                  (b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each
U.S. Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15
of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss,
liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in
subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue
statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary U.S.
prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such U.S. Underwriter through the U.S. Representatives expressly for
use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or


<PAGE>   26


                                                                             23



such preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto).

                  (c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified
party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each
indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which
indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying
party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to
the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event
shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on
account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant
to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b)
above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An
indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such
action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not
(except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the
indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees
and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel)
separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with
any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in
respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this
Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i)
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does
not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure
to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

                  (d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at
any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the
nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to
such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not
have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to
the date of such settlement.

                  SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for
in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold
harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages
and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the U.S. Underwriters on the other hand from the
offering of the Securities pursuant to this


<PAGE>   27


                                                                             24



Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company on the one hand and of the U.S. Underwriters on the other hand in
connection with the statements or omissions, which resulted in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.

                  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the U.S. Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of
the U.S. Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same
respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the U.S.
Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by
the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the U.S.
Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the U.S. Prospectus, or,
if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the
aggregate initial public offering price of the U.S. Securities as set forth on
such cover.

                  The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the U.S.
Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the U.S. Underwriters and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.

                  The Company and the U.S. Underwriters agree that it would not
be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined
by pro rata allocation (even if the U.S. Underwriters were treated as one entity
for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The
aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred
by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed
to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.

                  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no U.S.
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the U.S. Securities underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such U.S. Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason
of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

                  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.



<PAGE>   28


                                                                             25



                  For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who
controls a U.S. Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such
U.S. 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 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The U.S.
Underwriters' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7
are several in proportion to the number of Initial U.S. Securities set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

                  SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to
Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in
this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force
and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any U.S.
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of the Securities to the U.S. Underwriters.

                  SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

                  (a) Termination; General. The U.S. Representatives may
terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to
Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this
Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
U.S. Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any
material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the
international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation
thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a
prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic
conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the U.S. Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities or
to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any
securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the
Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the
American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National
Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices
for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by
any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental
authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal,
New York or Pennsylvania authorities.

                  (b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to
this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that
Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force
and effect.



<PAGE>   29


                                                                             26



                  SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the U.S. Underwriters.
If one or more of the U.S. Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of
Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase
under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the U.S. Representatives
shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one
or more of the non-defaulting U.S. Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to
purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts
as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the U.S.
Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour
period, then:

                  (a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10%
         of the number of U.S. Securities to be purchased on such date, each of
         the non-defaulting U.S. Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and
         not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions
         that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the
         underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting U.S. Underwriters, or

                  (b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the
         number of U.S. Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement
         or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing
         Time, the obligation of the U.S. Underwriters to purchase and of the
         Company to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such
         Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any
         non-defaulting U.S. Underwriter.

                  No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any
defaulting U.S. Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

                  In the event of any such default which does not result in a
termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is
after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation
of the U.S. Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant U.S.
Option Securities, as the case may be, either the U.S. Representatives or the
Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or the relevant Date
of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order
to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term "U.S. Underwriter"
includes any person substituted for a U.S. Underwriter under this Section 10.

                  SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if
mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
U.S. Underwriters shall be directed to the U.S. Representatives at North Tower,
World Financial Center, New York, New York 10281-1201, attention of John J.
Bolebruch; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Route 981 South
at Westmoreland County Airport, Latrobe, PA 15650, attention of David T. Cofer.

                  SECTION 12. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the U.S. Underwriters and the Company and their
respective successors.



<PAGE>   30


                                                                             27



Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the U.S.
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling
persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their
heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This
Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the U.S. Underwriters and the Company and their
respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors
and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other
person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any U.S.
Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

                  SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

                  SECTION 14. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section
headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not
affect the construction hereof.



<PAGE>   31


                                                                             28



                  If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof,
whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding
agreement between the U.S. Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its
terms.

                                               Very truly yours,

                                               KENNAMETAL INC.



                                               By______________________________
                                                 Title:

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, 
as of the date first above written:


MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &
   SMITH INCORPORATED

CIBC OPPENHEIMER CORP.
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.

BY:  MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &
      SMITH INCORPORATED


By_______________________________________________
   Authorized Signatory

For themselves and as U.S. Representatives of the
other U.S. Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.




<PAGE>   32

                                   SCHEDULE A
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                          Number of
                                                                                                          Initial U.S.
                                Name of U.S. Underwriter                                                  Securities
                                ------------------------                                                  ----------
<S>                                                                                                         <C>  
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
     Incorporated..........................................................................
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp......................................................................
Goldman, Sachs & Co........................................................................
Lehman Brothers Inc........................................................................






                                                                                                           ---------

Total......................................................................................                3,440,000

                                                                                                           =========
</TABLE>

                                   Sch A - 1


<PAGE>   33



                                   SCHEDULE B

                                 KENNAMETAL INC.

                       3,440,000 Shares of Capital Stock
                           (Par Value $1.25 Per Share)






         1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities,
determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $_________________.

         2. The purchase price per share for the U.S. Securities to be paid by
the several U.S. Underwriters shall be $_________________, being an amount equal
to the initial public offering price set forth above less $___________________
per share; provided that the purchase price per share for any U.S. Option
Securities purchased upon the exercise of the over-allotment option described in
Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or
distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial U.S. Securities
but not payable on the U.S. Option Securities.


                                    Sch B-1
<PAGE>   34


                                   SCHEDULE C

                             [List of Subsidiaries]








                                    Sch C-1
<PAGE>   35





                                                                       Exhibit A



                      FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL
                           TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
                                  SECTION 5(b)


                  (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
         Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

                  (ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own,
         lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as
         described in the Prospectuses and to enter into and perform its
         obligations under the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International
         Purchase Agreement.

                  (iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
         to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
         which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the
         ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
         where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not
         result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of
         the Company is as set forth in the Prospectuses in the column entitled
         "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent
         issuances, if any, pursuant to the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the
         International Purchase Agreement or pursuant to reservations,
         agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectuses or
         pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred
         to in the Prospectuses); the shares of issued and outstanding capital
         stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
         and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock
         of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other
         similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

                  (v) The Securities to be purchased by the U.S. Underwriters
         and the International Managers from the Company have been duly
         authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to the
         U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement,
         respectively, and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to
         the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement,
         respectively, against payment of the consideration set forth in the
         U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement, will
         be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and no holder of
         the Securities is or will be subject to personal liability by reason of
         being such a holder.

                  (vi) The issuance of the Securities is not subject to the
         preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
         Company.


                                       A-1


<PAGE>   36







                  (vii) Each U.S. Subsidiary has been duly incorporated and is
         validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
         the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
         authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
         business as described in the Prospectuses and is duly qualified as a
         foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in
         each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
         reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of
         business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good
         standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
         otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued
         and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly
         authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and, to
         the best of our knowledge, is owned by the Company, directly or through
         subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage,
         pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding
         shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of
         the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such
         Subsidiary.

                  (viii) The U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International
         Purchase Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
         the Company.

                  (ix) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
         Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act;
         any required filing of the Prospectuses pursuant to Rule 424(b) has
         been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule
         424(b); and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the
         effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
         Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
         proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or
         threatened by the Commission.

                  (x) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
         Registration Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
         Information, as applicable, the Prospectuses, excluding the documents
         incorporated by reference therein, and each amendment or supplement to
         the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, excluding the
         documents incorporated by reference therein, as of their respective
         effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements and
         supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which
         we need express no opinion) complied as to form in all material
         respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
         Regulations.

                  (xi) The documents incorporated by reference in the
         Prospectuses (other than the financial statements and supporting
         schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need
         express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission, complied
         as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934
         Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                  (xii) The form of certificate used to evidence the Common
         Stock complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory
         requirements, with any applicable requirements of the charter and
         by-laws of the Company and the requirements of the New York Stock
         Exchange.

                  
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<PAGE>   37






                  (xiii) To the best of our knowledge, there is not pending or
         threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to
         which the Company or any subsidiary is a party, or to which the
         property of the Company or any subsidiary is subject, before or brought
         by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which
         might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or
         which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect
         the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the U.S. Purchase
         Agreement and International Purchase Agreement or the Concurrent
         Offerings or the performance by the Company of its obligations
         thereunder.

                  (xiv) The information in the Prospectuses under "Description
         of Common Stock", "Business--Properties", "Business--Regulation",
         "Business--Legal Matters", "Description of Other Offerings", and in the
         Registration Statement under Item 15, to the extent that it constitutes
         matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter and
         bylaws or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by
         us and is correct in all material respects.

                  (xv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or
         regulations that are required to be described in the Prospectuses that
         are not described as required.

                  (xvi) All descriptions in the Prospectuses of contracts and
         other documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a party
         are accurate in all material respects; to the best of our knowledge,
         there are no franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan
         agreements, notes, leases or other instruments required to be described
         or referred to in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits
         thereto other than those described or referred to therein or filed or
         incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto, and the descriptions
         thereof or references thereto are correct in all material respects.

                  (xvii) To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor
         any subsidiary is in violation of its charter or by-laws and no default
         by the Company or any subsidiary exists in the due performance or
         observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
         contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note,
         lease or other agreement or instrument that is described or referred to
         in the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses or filed or
         incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                  (xviii) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent,
         license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
         governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under
         the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or
         as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various
         states, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or
         required in connection with the due authorization, execution and
         delivery of the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase
         Agreement or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the
         Securities or the securities offered in the concurrent Offerings.


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<PAGE>   38






                  (xix) The execution, delivery and performance of the U.S.
         Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement and the
         consummation of the transactions contemplated in the U.S. Purchase
         Agreement, the International Purchase Agreement and in the Registration
         Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities, and the
         use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the
         Prospectuses under the caption "Use Of Proceeds" and the Concurrent
         Offerings) and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the
         U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement do not
         and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of
         time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or
         Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a)(xi) of the Purchase
         Agreements) under or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
         charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any
         subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
         trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or
         instrument, known to us, to which the Company or any subsidiary is a
         party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of
         the property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject
         (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or
         encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect and except
         for the contemplated use of proceeds as described in the Registration
         Statement), nor will such action result in any violation of the
         provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary,
         or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ
         or decree, known to us, of any government, government instrumentality
         or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or
         any subsidiary or any of their respective properties, assets or
         operations.

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

                  (xxi) The rights under the Company's shareholder rights plan
         to which holders of the Securities will be entitled have been duly
         authorized and validly issued.

                  Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to
         believe that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto,
         including the Rule 430A Information and Rule 434 Information (if
         applicable), (except for financial statements and schedules and other
         financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted
         therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such
         Registration Statement or any such amendment became effective,
         contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
         material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
         statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectuses or any
         amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and
         schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by
         reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need make no
         statement), at the time the Prospectuses were issued, at the time any
         such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Closing
         Time, included or includes an 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.


                                       A-4


<PAGE>   39




                  In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to
         matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they
         deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and
         public officials. Such opinion shall not state that it is to be
         governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject to, any
         treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions,
         including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA
         Section of Business Law (1991).



                                       A-5


