Shares -------- OCI HOLDINGS CORPORATION Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT ---------------------- , 1997 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORPORATION ALEX. BROWN & SONS INCORPORATED SALOMON BROTHERS INC As representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation 277 Park Avenue New York, New York 10172 Dear Sirs: OCI HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (the "Firm Shares") to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters"). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than additional shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (the "Additional Shares") if requested by the Underwriters as provided in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are herein collectively called the "Shares." The -2- shares of common stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the "Common Stock." Simultaneously with the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares, the Company is offering $125 million aggregate principal amount of its % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 (the "Note Offering"). Section 1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has ------------------------------------- prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collec- tively, the "Act"), a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- ) including a prospectus relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time when it becomes effective including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act, is hereinafter referred to as the "Registration Statement"; and the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares is hereinafter referred to as the "Prospectus." (1)(2) If the Company has filed or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file a registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional shares of Common Stock (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), then, unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462(b)Registration Statement. Section 2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase and Lock-Up Agreements. ------------------------------------------------------ On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement (this "Agreement"), and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to issue and sell and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at a price per share of $ (the "Purchase Price") the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto bears to the total number of Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Additional Shares and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to Additional Shares from the Company at the Purchase Price. Additional Shares may be purchased solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. The Underwriters may exercise their right to purchase Additional Shares in whole or in part from time to time by giving written -3- notice thereof to the Company within 30 days after the date of this Agreement. You shall give any such notice on behalf of the Underwriters and such notice shall specify the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased pursuant to such exercise and the date for payment and delivery thereof. The date specified in any such notice shall be a business day (i) no earlier than the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and (ii) no later than ten business days after such notice has been given. If any Additional Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased from the Company as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I bears to the total number of Firm Shares. The Company shall, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, deliver an agreement executed by (i) each of the directors and officers of the Company and (ii) each stockholder listed on Annex I hereto pursuant to which each such person agrees, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of any common stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such common stock or in any other manner transfer all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any such common stock, except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus without the prior written consent of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation. Section 3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you ------------------------ that the Underwriters propose (i) to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the execution and delivery of this Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. Section 4. Delivery and Payment. Delivery to the Underwriters of -------------------- and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on , 1997(the "Closing Date"), at the offices of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, New York, New York, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company. The Closing Date and the location of delivery of and the form of payment for the Firm Shares may be varied by agreement between you and the Company. -4- Delivery to the Underwriters of and payment for any Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters shall be made at such place as you shall designate at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the applicable exercise notice given by you pursuant to Section 2 (an "Option Closing Date"). Any such Option Closing Date and the location of delivery of and the form of payment for such Additional Shares may be varied by agreement between you and the Company. Certificates for the Shares shall be registered in such names and issued in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be. Such certificates shall be made available to you for inspection not later than 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes thereon duly paid by the Company, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment to the Company of the Purchase Price therefor by wire transfer of Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City to such account or accounts as specified by the Company. Section 5. Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with you: ------------------------- (a) To advise you promptly and, if requested by you, to confirm such advice in writing, (i) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the suspension of qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for such purposes, (iii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective, (iv) if the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the effectiveness of this Agreement, when the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become effective and (v) of the happening of any event during the period referred to in Section 5(d) below which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or which requires any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Company will use -5- its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time. (b) To furnish to you and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, four signed copies of the Registration Statement as first filed with the Commission and of each amendment to it, including all exhibits, and to furnish to you and each Underwriter designated by you such number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement as so filed and of each amendment to it, without exhibits, as you may reasonably request. (c) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file the Prospectus in such form with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Act; not to file any further amendment to the Registration Statement and not to make any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been advised or to which you shall reasonably object after being so advised; and to prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your reasonable request, any amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus which may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Shares by you, and to use its best efforts to cause any such amendment to the Registration Statement to become promptly effective. (d) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the first business day after the date of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter for such period as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or a dealer, to furnish to each Underwriter and dealer as many copies of the Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus) as such Underwriter or dealer may reasonably request. (e) If during the period specified in paragraph (e) any event shall occur as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, forthwith to prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus, -6- as so amended or supplemented, will not in the light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with law, and to furnish to each Underwriter and to such dealers as you shall specify, such number of copies thereof as such Underwriter or dealers may reasonably request. (f) Prior to any public offering of the Shares, to cooperate with you and counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale by the several Underwriters and by dealers under the state securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you may request, to continue such qualification in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares and to file such consents to service of process or other documents as may be necessary in order to effect such registration or qualification. (g) To mail and make generally available to its stockholders as soon as practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (but in no event commencing later than 90 days after such date) that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and to advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available. (h) During the period of three years after the date of this Agreement, to furnish to you as soon as available copies of all reports or other communications furnished to the record holders of Common Stock or furnished to or filed with the Commission on any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed and such other publicly available information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries as you may reasonably request. (i) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and the Company's accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits), any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus -7- and all amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing prior to or during the period specified in Section 5(d), including the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers in the quantities specified herein, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) all costs of printing or producing this Agreement and any other agreements or documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale or delivery of the Shares, (iv) all expenses in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the several states and all costs of printing or producing any Preliminary and Supplemental Blue Sky Memoranda in connection therewith (including the filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such registration or qualification and memoranda relating thereto), (v) the filing fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the review and clearance of the offering of the Shares by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (vi) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (vii) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (viii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar and/or depositary, and (ix) and all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. (j) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Common Stock on the Nadasq National Market and to maintain the inclusion of the Common Stock in the Nasdaq National Market (or on a national securities exchange) for a period of three years from the date of this Agreement. (k) To use its best efforts to do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Shares. (l) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading "Use of Proceeds." -8- (m) If the Registration Statement at the time of the effectiveness of this Agreement does not cover all of the Shares, to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission registering the Shares not so covered in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement and to pay to the Commission the filing fee for such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement at the time of the filing thereof or to give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act. Section 6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The --------------------------------------------- Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that: (a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission. (b) (i) The Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of this Agreement), when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Act and (iii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein. (c) Each preliminary prospectus 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 Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Act; and did not contain an untrue statement of a ma- -9- terial fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in any preliminary prospectus bases upon information relating to any underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such underwriter through you expressly for use therein. (d) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to carry on its business as described in its Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its properties, and each is duly qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. (e) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and are owned by the Company, free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any nature. (f) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; and the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor as provided by this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights. (g) There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants, calls or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, or agreements or understandings with respect to the sale or issuance of, any shares of capital stock of or other equity or other ownership interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries. -10- (h) The Company has the authorized capitalization, including the Common Stock, as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization." (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any other agreement, indenture or instrument material to the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound. (j) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to issue and deliver the Shares to be issued and sold by it hereunder. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (k) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, compliance by the Company with all the provisions hereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body (except as such may be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states) and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agreement, indenture or other instrument to which it or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, or violate or conflict with any laws, administrative regulations or rulings or court decrees applicable to the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their respective property. (l) There are no material legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective property is the subject, and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated. -11- (m) There are no contracts or other documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is not so described or filed as required. (n) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated any foreign, federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental Laws"), nor any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees nor any applicable federal or state wages and hours laws, nor any provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, that in each case might result in any material adverse change in the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. (o) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has such permits, licenses, franchises and authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities ("permits"), including, without limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws, as are necessary to own, lease and operate its respective properties and to conduct its business; the Company and each of its subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to such permits and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such permit; and, except as described in the Prospectus, such permits contain no restrictions that are materially burdensome to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. (p) Except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus or such as are not material to the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title, free and clear of all liens, claims, encumbrances and restrictions except liens for taxes not yet due and payable, to all property and assets described in the Registration Statement as being owned by it. All leases to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party are valid and binding and no default has occurred or is continuing -12- thereunder that might result in any material adverse change in the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and the Company and its subsidiaries enjoy peaceful and undisturbed possession under all such leases to which any of them is a party as lessee with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made by the Company or such subsidiary. (q) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains reasonably adequate insurance for the business in which it is engaged. (r) Each of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, Moore & Gray, Ernst & Young LLP, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, Morrison and Smith and Arthur Andersen LLP (collectively, the "Independent Public Accountants") is an independent public accountant with respect to the Company as required by the Act. (s) The consolidated financial statements, together with related schedules and notes forming part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), present fairly the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated in the Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein; and the other financial and statistical information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) is, in all material respects, accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of the Company. The pro forma financial statements and data set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro form information, have been properly compiled on the pro forma basis described therein and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. -13- (t) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. (u) No holder of any security of the Company has any right to require registration of shares of Common Stock or any other security of the Company. (v) The Company has complied with all provisions of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes (Chapter 92-198, Laws of Florida). (w) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no business relationships or related party transactions required to be disclosed therein by Item 404 of Regulation S-K of the Commission. (x) There is (i) no significant unfair labor practice complaint pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against any of them, before the National Labor Relations Board or any state or local labor relations board, and no significant grievance or more significant arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is so pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against any of them, and (ii) no significant strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against it or any of its subsidiaries except for such actions specified in clause (i) or (ii) above that, singly or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. (y) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at -14- reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. (z) All material tax returns required to be filed by the Company and each of its subsidiaries in any jurisdiction have been filed, other than those filings being contested in good faith, and all material taxes, including withholding taxes, penalties and interest, assessments, fees and other charges due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any of its subsidiaries have been paid, other than those being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided. (aa) No "prohibited transaction" (as defined in Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the "Code")) or "accumulated funding deficiency" (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or any of the events set forth in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect to which the 30-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company or its subsidiaries; each such employee benefit plan is in compliance in all material respects with applicable law, including ERISA and the Code; the Company and each of its subsidiaries have not incurred and do not expect to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any pension plan for which the Company or any of its subsidiaries would have any liability; and each such pension plan 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, that could reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification. (ab) Neither the Company nor, to the best knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; -15- (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment. (ac) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares. (ad) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith. (ae) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (i) there has been no material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than in the ordinary course of business, (iii) the Company has not entered into any material transaction other than in the ordinary course of business and (iv) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock. Section 7. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and --------------- hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments (including without limitation, any legal or other expenses incurred in connection with defending or investigating any matter, including any action that could give rise to any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement -16- thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein. (b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary prospectus. (c) In case any action shall be commenced involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7(a) or 7(b) (the "indemnified party"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred (except that in the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to both Sections 7(a) and 7(b), the Underwriter shall not be required to assume the defense of such action pursuant to this Section 7(c), but may employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel, except as provided below, shall be at the expense of such Underwriter). Any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnified party unless (i) the employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified -17- party or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified person shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party. In any such case, the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties, and all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.) Such firm shall be designated in writing by Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b). The indemnifying party shall indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments by reason of any settlement of any action (i) effected with its written consent or (ii) effected without its written consent if the settlement is entered into more than ten business days after the indemnifying party shall have received a request from the indemnified party for reimbursement for the fees and expenses of counsel (in any case where such fees and expenses are at the expense of the indemnifying party) and, prior to the date of such settlement, the indemnifying party shall have failed to comply with such reimbursement request. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action in respect of which the indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought hereunder by the indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability on claims that are or could have been the subject matter of such action 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 the indemnified party. -18- (d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then each indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 7(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Underwriters in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, bear to the total price to the public of the Shares, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company and the Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, or the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or de- -19- fending any matter that could have given rise to such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of 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 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7(d) are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares purchased by each of the Underwriters hereunder and not joint. (e) The remedies provided for in this section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity. Section 8. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several --------------------------------------- obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Shares under this Agreement are subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions: (a) All of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date. (b) If the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been commenced or shall be pending before or contemplated by the Commission. (c) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating of any of the Company's securities (including, without limitation, -20- the placing of any securities on negative or developing watch or negative or developing outlook) by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act. (d) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate dated the Closing Date, signed by the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, in their capacities as the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, confirming the matters set forth in Sections 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c). (e) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), (i) there shall not have occurred any change or any development involving a prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) there shall not have been any change or any development involving a prospective change in the capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause 8(e)(i), 8(e)(ii) or 8(e)(iii), in your judgment, is material and adverse and, in your judgment, makes it impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus. (f) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion (satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date, of Goodwin, Proctor & Hoar LLP, counsel for the Company, to the effect that: (i) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and authority required to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted and to own, lease and operate its properties; (ii) each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation -21- authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iii) all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Company's subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and are owned by the Company, free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any nature; (iv) all of the outstanding shares of capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; (v) the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized, and when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor as provided by this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights; (vi) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except as rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by applicable law; (vii) the authorized capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; (viii) the Registration Statement was declared effective under the Act; the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations specified in such opinion on the date specified therein; no stop order suspending its ef- -22- fectiveness has been issued and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose are pending or threatened by the Commission; (ix) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge after due inquiry, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any other agreement, indenture or instrument material to the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound; (x) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, compliance by the Company with all of the provisions hereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body (except as such may be required under the Act or other securities or Blue Sky laws) and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any agreement, indenture or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective properties are bound, or violate or conflict with any laws, administrative regulations or rulings or court decrees applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective properties; (xi) after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceeding pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of their respective property is subject that is required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and is not so described, or of any contract or other document which is required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or is required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is not described or filed as required; -23- (xii) to the best of such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated any Environmental Laws, nor any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees nor any applicable federal or state wages and hours laws, nor any provisions of ERISA or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, which in each case might result in any material adverse change in the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (xiii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries has such permits, licenses, franchises and authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities ("permits"), including, without limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws, as are necessary to own, lease and operate its respective properties and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Prospectus; to the best of such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to such permits and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such permit, subject in each case to such qualification as may be set forth in the Prospectus; and, except as described in the Prospectus, such permits contain no restrictions that are materially burdensome to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (xiv) the Company is not an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (xv) to the best of such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, no holder of any security of the Company has any right to require registration of shares of Common Stock or any other security of the Company; (xvi) to the best of such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, except as otherwise set forth in the Registration Statement or such as are not material to the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title, free and clear of all liens, claims, encumbrances and restrictions except liens for taxes not yet -24- due and payable, to all property and assets described in the Registration Statement as being owned by it; (xvii) to the best of such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, all leases to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party are valid and binding and no default has occurred or is continuing thereunder, which might result in any material adverse change in the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and the Company and its subsidiaries enjoy peaceful and undisturbed possession under all such leases to which any of them is a party as lessee with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made by the Company or such subsidiary; (xviii) (1) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any supplement or amendment thereto (except for financial statements as to which no opinion need be expressed) comply as to form in all material respects with the Act, and (2) such counsel believes that (except for financial statements, as aforesaid) the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein at the time the Registration Statement became effective did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable (except for financial statements, as aforesaid) does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; In giving such opinion with respect to the matters covered by clause (xvii) such counsel may state that their opinion and belief are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification except as specified. The opinion of Goodwin Proctor & Hoar LLP described in paragraph (d) above shall be rendered to you at the request of the Company and shall so state therein . (g) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, -25- counsel for the Underwriters, as to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably require. (h) You shall have received a letter on and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to you, from each of the Independent Public Accountants, with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and substantially in the form and substance of the letters delivered to you by the Independent Public Accountants on the date of this Agreement. (i) The Company shall not have failed at or prior to the Closing Date to perform or comply with any of the agreements herein contained and required to be performed or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date. (j) The Company shall have consummated the Note Offering. The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase any Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of such Additional Shares and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares. Section 9. Effectiveness of Agreement and Termination. This Agreement ------------------------------------------ shall become effective upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto . (a) This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing Date by you by written notice to the Company if any of the following has occurred: (i) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in economic conditions or in the financial markets of the United States or elsewhere that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and would, in your judgment, make it impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus, (ii) the suspension or material limitation of trading in securities on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade or the Nasdaq National Market or limitation on prices for securities on any such exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (iii) the suspension of trading of -26- any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority that in your opinion materially and adversely affects, or will materially and adversely affect, the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (v) the declaration of a banking moratorium by either federal or New York State authorities or (vi) the taking of any action by any federal, state or local government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs that in your opinion has a material adverse effect on the financial markets in the United States. (b) If on the Closing Date or on an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date and the aggregate number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, as the case may be, agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the total number of Shares to be purchased on such date by all Underwriters, each non-defaulting Underwriter shall be obligated severally, in the proportion that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite its name in Schedule I bears to the total number of Firm Shares which all the non-defaulting Underwriters, as the case may be, have agreed to purchase, or in such other proportion as you may specify, to purchase the Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, as the case may be, agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, without the written consent of such Underwriter. If on the Closing Date any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date by all Underwriters and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 -27- hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter and the Company. In any such case that does not result in termination of this Agreement, either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase such Additional Shares or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase on such date in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of any such Underwriter under this Agreement. Section 10. Miscellaneous. Notices given pursuant to any provision of ------------- this Agreement shall be addressed as follows: (a) if to the Company, to OCI Holdings Corporation, P.O. Box 1580, 512 Taylor Street, Corinth, Mississippi 38834-4853, (b) if to any Underwriter or to you, to you c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation, 277 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10172, Attention: Syndicate Department, or in any case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing. (a) The respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares, regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or directors of any underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, the officers or directors of the Company or any controlling person of the Company, (ii) acceptance of the Shares and payment for them hereunder and (iii) termination of this Agreement. -28- (b) If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the several Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them. (c) Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the Underwriters, any controlling persons referred to herein and their respective successors and assigns, all as and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term "successors and assigns" shall not include a purchaser of any of the Shares from any of the several Underwriters merely because of such purchase. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. -29- Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the several Underwriters. Very truly yours, OCI HOLDINGS CORPORATION By: -------------------------------- Title: DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORPORATION ALEX. BROWN & SONS SALOMON BROTHERS INC Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto By DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORPORATION By -------------------------- SCHEDULE I ---------- Number of Firm Shares Underwriters to be Purchased - ------------ --------------------- Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation Alex. Brown & Sons Salomon Brothers Inc -------------------- Total ANNEX I ------- Required Lock-ups -----------------