EXHIBIT 2.1


                                3,000,000 Shares

                          SPEEDFAM INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                  Common Stock
                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------


                                                              February 13, 1997


Lehman Brothers Inc.
Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated
Needham & Company, Inc.
As Representatives of the several
  Underwriters named in Schedule 1,
c/o Lehman Brothers Inc.
Three World Financial Center
New York, New York 10285

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

     SpeedFam International, Inc., an Illinois corporation (the "Company") and
certain shareholders of the Company named in Schedule 2 hereto (the "Selling
Shareholders") propose to sell an aggregate of 3,000,000 shares (the "Firm
Stock") of the Company's Common Stock (the "Common Stock").  Of the 3,000,000
shares of the Firm Stock, 2,050,000 are being sold by the Company and 950,000 by
the Selling Shareholders.  In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the
Underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Underwriters") an option to
purchase up to an additional 450,000 shares of the Common Stock on the terms and
for the purposes set forth in Section 3 (the "Option Stock").  The Firm Stock
and the Option Stock, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the
"Stock."  This is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Stock
from the Company and the Selling Shareholders by the Underwriters.

     1.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company.  The Company
represents, warrants and agrees that:

          (a) A registration statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 333-20679,
     with respect to the Stock has (i) been prepared by the Company in
     conformity with the requirements of the United States Securities Act of
     1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and the rules and regulations (the
     "Rules and Regulations") of the United States Securities and Exchange
     Commission (the "Commission") thereunder, (ii) been transmitted
     electronically for filing with the Commission under the Securities Act and
     (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such
     registration statement and any amendments thereto have been delivered by
     the Company to you as the representatives (the "Representatives") of the
     Underwriters. As used in this Agreement, "Effective Time" means the date
     and the time as of which such registration statement, or the most recent
     post-effective amendment thereto, if any, was declared effective by the
     Commission; "Effective Date" means the date of the Effective Time;
     "Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus included in such
     registration statement, or amendments thereof, before it became effective
     under the Securities Act and any prospectus filed with the Commission by
     the Company with the consent of the Representatives pursuant to Rule 424(a)
     of the Rules and Regulations; "Registration Statement" means such
     registration statement, as amended at the Effective Time, including all
     information contained in the final prospectus transmitted for filing with
     the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations in
     accordance with the provisions hereof and deemed to be a part of the
     registration statement as of the Effective Time pursuant to paragraph (b)
     of Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations; and "Prospectus" means such
     final prospectus, as first transmitted for filing with the Commission
     pursuant to paragraph (1) or (4) of Rule 424(b), or Rule 434(a) of the
     Rules

                                       1.

 
     and Regulations. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any
     preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
     include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12
     of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
     amended (the "Exchange Act") on or before the effective date of the
     Registration Statement, the date of such preliminary prospectus or the date
     of the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference herein to the
     terms "amend," "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration
     Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
     refer to and include (i) the filing of any document under the Exchange Act
     after the effective date of the Registration Statement, the date of such
     preliminary prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be,
     which is incorporated therein by reference and (ii) any such document so
     filed. The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the
     use of any Preliminary Prospectus.

          (b) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any
     further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus will, when they become effective or are transmitted for filing
     with the Commission, as the case may be, and when any document filed under
     the Exchange Act is filed will conform in all respects to the requirements
     of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and
     Regulations thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable
     effective date (as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto)
     and as of the applicable filing date (as to the Prospectus and any
     amendment or supplement thereto) 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; provided that no
     representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or
     omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in reliance upon
     and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through
     the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for
     inclusion therein.

          (c) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries ("Subsidiaries" shall
     include all entities in which the Company directly or indirectly, has an
     ownership interest, specifically including SpeedFam Corporation, SpeedFam
     Limited, and SpeedFam GmbH, as well as SpeedFam Co., Ltd., a Japanese
     corporation, and Fujimi Corporation, an Illinois Corporation, and all
     subsidiaries and other entities in which such entities hold an ownership
     interest) have been duly incorporated and are validly existing as
     corporations in good standing under the laws of their respective
     jurisdictions of incorporation, are duly qualified to do business and are
     in good standing as foreign corporations in each jurisdiction in which
     their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their
     respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and
     authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to
     conduct the businesses in which they are engaged;

          (d) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
     Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
     have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-
     assessable and conform in all material respects to the description thereof
     contained in the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock
     of each Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and
     issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors'
     qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free
     and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

          (e) The shares of the Stock to be issued and sold by the Company to
     the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when
     issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be
     duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

          (f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
     the Company.

          (g) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the
     Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
     not conflict with or result in a 

                                       2.

 
     breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
     default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or
     other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
     is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of
     its Subsidiaries is subject, nor will such actions result in any violation
     of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court
     or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
     of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets; and except for
     the registration of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents,
     approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
     required under the Exchange Act and applicable state securities laws in
     connection with the purchase and distribution of the Stock by the
     Underwriters and clearance of such offering of the Stock with the National
     Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), no consent, approval,
     authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any such court
     or governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and
     performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the
     transactions contemplated hereby.

          (h) Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no contracts,
     agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting
     such person the right (other than rights which have been waived or
     satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under
     the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or
     to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such
     securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration
     Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other
     registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

          (i) Except as described in the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or
     issued any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the
     date of the Prospectus, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or
     Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued
     pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock options plans, stock
     purchase plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to
     outstanding options, rights or warrants.

          (j) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained,
     since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the
     Prospectus, any material loss or interference with its business from fire,
     explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
     from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree,
     otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since
     such date and except as contemplated by Section 1(i) above, there has not
     been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or
     any of its Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development
     involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the
     general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders' equity or
     results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
     otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus.

          (k) The financial statements (including the related notes and
     supporting schedules) filed as part of the Registration Statement or
     included in the Prospectus present fairly the financial condition and
     results of operations of the entities purported to be shown thereby, at the
     dates and for the periods indicated, and have been prepared in conformity
     with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
     throughout the periods involved except as may be described therein.

          (l) KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, who have audited certain financial
     statements of the Company, whose report appears in the Prospectus and who,
     concurrently with the execution hereof, are delivering the initial letter
     referred to in Section 9(k) hereof, are independent public accountants as
     required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

                                       3.

 
          (m) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable
     title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to
     all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all
     liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the
     Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property
     and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
     of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries; and all real property
     and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held
     by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, except as
     enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
     reorganization, moratorium, or other similar laws relating to or affecting
     creditors, rights generally or by general equitable principles, and with
     such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made
     and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and
     its Subsidiaries.

          (n) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by,
     insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the
     conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective
     properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses
     in similar industries.

          (o) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate
     rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks,
     service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark
     registrations, copyrights and licenses necessary for the conduct of their
     respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of
     their respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any
     notice of any claim by third parties that the Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries is infringing on the intellectual property rights of such
     third parties.

          (p) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which
     the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property
     or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject which,
     if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, might
     have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
     shareholders' equity, results of operations, business or prospects of the
     Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and to the best of the
     Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
     governmental authorities or threatened by others.

          (q) There are no contracts or other documents which are required to be
     described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration
     Statement by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have
     not been described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the
     Registration Statement or incorporated therein by reference as permitted by
     the Rules and Regulations.

          (r) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or, to
     the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which might be expected to have a
     material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
     shareholders' equity, results of operations, business or prospects of the
     Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

          (s) The Company 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"); no "reportable event" (as defined in
     ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in
     ERISA) for which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not
     incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA
     with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or
     (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
     including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the
     "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the Company 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, to the best knowledge of the

                                       4.

 
     Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act,
     which would cause the loss of such qualification.

          (t) The Company has filed all federal, state and local income and
     franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and has
     paid all taxes shown as 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 on the consolidated financial position,
     shareholders' equity, results of operations, business or prospects of the
     Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

          (u) Since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus
     through the date hereof, and except as may otherwise be disclosed in the
     Prospectus, the Company has not (i) issued or granted any securities (other
     than the issuance of options pursuant to the Company's stock option plans
     or stock purchase plan or as contemplated by Section 1(i) above), (ii)
     incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other
     than liabilities and obligations which were incurred in the ordinary course
     of business, (iii) entered into any material transaction not in the
     ordinary course of business or (iv) declared or paid any dividend on its
     capital stock.

          (v) The Company (i) makes and keeps accurate books and records and
     (ii) maintains internal accounting controls which provide reasonable
     assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with
     management's authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to
     permit preparation of its financial statements and to maintain
     accountability for its assets, (C) access to its assets is permitted only
     in accordance with management's authorization and  (D) the reported
     accountability for its assets is compared with existing assets at
     reasonable intervals.

          (w) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is in
     violation of its charter or by-laws, (ii) is in default in any material
     respect, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or
     both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance
     of any term, covenant or condition contained in any material indenture,
     mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to
     which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its
     properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation in any material
     respect of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court
     decree to which it or its property or assets may be subject or has failed
     to obtain any material license, permit, certificate, franchise or other
     governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its
     property or to the conduct of its business.

          (x) To the best knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, neither
     the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent,
     employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company
     or any of its Subsidiaries, has used any corporate funds for any unlawful
     contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to
     political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any
     foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds;
     violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt
     Practices Act of 1977; or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence
     payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

          (y) There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture,
     refinement, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes, medical
     wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Company or any of
     its Subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their
     predecessors in interest) at, upon or from any of the property now or
     previously owned or leased by the Company or its Subsidiaries in violation
     of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree
     or permit or which would require remedial action under any applicable law,
     ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, except for
     any violation or remedial action which would not have, or could not be
     reasonably likely to have, 

                                       5.

 
     singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and remedial
     actions, a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management,
     financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the
     Company and its Subsidiaries; there has been no material spill, discharge,
     leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release of any kind onto such
     property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic
     wastes, medical wastes, solid wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous
     substances due to or caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
     with respect to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have
     knowledge, except for any such spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection,
     escape, dumping or release which would not have or would not be reasonably
     likely to have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such spills,
     discharges, leaks, emissions, injections, escapes, dumpings and releases, a
     material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, financial
     position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
     its subsidiaries; and the terms "hazardous wastes", "toxic wastes",
     "hazardous substances" and "medical wastes" shall have the meanings
     specified in any applicable local, state, federal and foreign laws or
     regulations with respect to environmental protection.

          (z) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an "investment company"
     within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940
     and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

          (aa) The conditions for use of Form S-3 as set forth in the General
     Instructions thereto, have been satisfied.

          (bb) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
     reference in the Prospectus, 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 Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the
     Commission under the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other
     information in the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement and
     any amendments thereto become effective and at the First Delivery Date and
     the Second Delivery Date, if any, 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, in the light of the
     circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

     2.   Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Selling
Shareholders.  Each Selling Shareholder (except as otherwise set forth in
subsections (f) and (g)), severally and not jointly represents, warrants and
agrees that:

          (a) Upon delivery of shares of Stock to be sold by the Selling
     Shareholder hereunder and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid
     title to such shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities
     or claims, will pass to the several Underwriters assuming they acquire
     without notice of any adverse claim.

          (b) Such Selling Shareholder has placed in custody under a custody
     agreement (the "Custody Agreement" and, together with all other similar
     agreements executed by the other Selling Shareholders, the "Custody
     Agreements") with Firstar Trust Company as custodian (the "Custodian"), for
     delivery under this Agreement, certificates in negotiable form (with
     signature guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company having an office
     or correspondent in the United States or a member firm of the New York or
     American Stock Exchanges) representing the shares of Stock to be sold by
     such Selling Shareholder hereunder.

          (c) Such Selling Shareholder has duly and irrevocably executed and
     delivered a power of attorney (the "Power of Attorney" and, together with
     all other similar agreements executed by the other Selling Shareholders,
     the "Powers of Attorney") appointing James N. Farley and Roger K. Marach as
     attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution, and with full authority
     (exercisable by 

                                       6.

 
     any one or more of them) to execute and deliver this Agreement and to take
     such other action as may be necessary or desirable to carry out the
     provisions hereof on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.

          (d) Such Selling Shareholder has full right, power and authority to
     enter into this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement;
     the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Power of
     Attorney and the Custody Agreement by or on behalf of such Selling
     Shareholder and the consummation by such Selling Shareholder of the
     transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict with or
     result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
     constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
     agreement or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling
     Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder is bound or to
     which any of the property or assets of such Selling Shareholder is subject,
     nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the
     charter or by-laws of such Selling Shareholder, the articles of partnership
     of such Selling Shareholder, or any statute or any order, rule or
     regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
     over such Selling Shareholder or the property or assets of such Selling
     Shareholder; and, except for the registration of the Stock under the
     Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations
     or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act and applicable
     state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of
     the Stock by the Underwriters, no consent, approval, authorization or order
     of, or filing or registration with, any such court or governmental agency
     or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this
     Agreement, the Power of Attorney or the Custody Agreement by such Selling
     Shareholder and the consummation by such Selling Shareholder of the
     transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except such as may be
     required by the Securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in
     connection with the offer and sale of the shares of stock and clearance of
     such offering of the Stock with the NASD.

          (e) Such Selling Shareholder has not taken and will not take, directly
     or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or
     which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization
     or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate
     the sale or resale of the shares of the Stock.

          (f) James N. Farley and Makoto Kouzuma (the "Key Selling
     Shareholders") represent and warrant that the Registration Statement and
     the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the
     Registration Statement or the Prospectus will, when they become effective
     or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, do not and will not,
     as of the applicable effective date (as to the Registration Statement and
     any amendment thereto) and as of the applicable filing date (as to the
     Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto) contain an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
     be stated herein or necessary to make the statements therein not
     misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Key
     Selling Shareholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Key
     Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement or
     Prospectus, and provided that no representation or warranty be made as to
     information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
     furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any
     Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein.

          (g) Each of the Key Selling Shareholders has no reason to believe that
     the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1
     hereof are not materially true and correct, is familiar with the
     Registration Statement and the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) and
     has no knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not
     disclosed in the Registration Statement, as of the effective date, or the
     Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), as of the applicable
     filing date, which has adversely affected or may adversely affect the
     business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and is not
     prompted to 

                                       7.

 
     sell shares of Common Stock by any information concerning the Company which
     is not set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

     3.   Purchase of Stock by the Underwriters.    On the basis of the
representations and warranties contained in, and subject to the terms and
conditions of, this Agreement, the Company agrees to sell 2,050,000 shares of
the Firm Stock and each Selling Shareholder hereby agrees to sell the number of
shares of the Firm Stock set opposite its name in Schedule 2 hereto, severally
and not jointly, to the several Underwriters and each of the Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of shares of the Firm
Stock set opposite that Underwriter's name in Schedule 1 hereto. Each
Underwriter shall be obligated to purchase from the Company, and from each
Selling Shareholder, that number of shares of the Firm Stock which represents
the same proportion of the number of shares of the Firm Stock to be sold by the
Company, and by each Selling Shareholder, as the number of shares of the Firm
Stock set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule 1 represents
the total number of shares of the Firm Stock to be purchased by all of the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement. The respective purchase obligations of
the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Stock shall be rounded among the
Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.

          In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to
purchase up to 450,000 shares of Option Stock.  Such option is granted solely
for the purpose of covering over-allotments in the sale of Firm Stock and is
exercisable as provided in Section 5 hereof.   Shares of Option Stock shall be
purchased from the Company for the account of the Underwriters in proportion to
that number of shares of the Option Stock which represents the same proportion
of the number of shares of the Firm Stock to be sold by the Company as the
number of shares of the Firm Stock set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule 1 represents of the total number of shares of the Firm
Stock to be purchased by all of the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
The respective purchase obligations of each Underwriter with respect to the
Option Stock shall be adjusted by the Representatives so that no Underwriter
shall be obligated to purchase Option Stock other than in 100 share amounts. The
price of both the Firm Stock and any Option Stock shall be $31.265 per share.

          The Company and the Selling Shareholders shall not be obligated to
deliver any of the Stock to be delivered on the First Delivery Date or the
Second Delivery Date (as hereinafter defined), as the case may be, except upon
payment for all the Stock to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided
herein.

     4.   Offering of Stock by the Underwriters.  Upon authorization by the
Representatives of the release of the Firm Stock, the several Underwriters
propose to offer the Firm Stock for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth
in the Prospectus.

     5.   Delivery of and Payment for the Stock.  Delivery of and payment for
the Firm Stock shall be made at the office of Chapman and Cutler, Chicago,
Illinois at 9:00 A.M., central time, on the fourth full business day following
the date of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined
by agreement between the Representatives and the Company.  Such date and time
are sometimes referred to as the "First Delivery Date." On the First Delivery
Date, the Company and the Selling Shareholders shall deliver or cause to be
delivered certificates representing the Firm Stock to the Representatives for
the account of each Underwriter against payment to or upon the order of the
Company and the Selling Shareholders of the purchase price by certified or
official bank check or checks payable or wire transfer in immediately available
(same-day) funds. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and
place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the
obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. Upon delivery, the Firm Stock shall be
registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall
request in writing not less than two full business days prior to the First
Delivery Date. For the purpose of expediting the checking and packaging of the
certificates for the Firm Stock, the Company and the Selling Shareholders shall
make the certificates representing the Firm Stock available for inspection by
the Representatives in New York, New York, not later than 2:00 P.M., New York
City time, on the business day prior to the First Delivery Date.

                                       8.

 
          At any time on or before the thirtieth day after the date of this
Agreement the option granted in Section 3 may be exercised by written notice
being given to the Company by the Representatives.  Such notice shall set forth
the aggregate number of shares of Option Stock as to which the option is being
exercised, the names in which the shares of Option Stock are to be registered,
the denominations in which the shares of Option Stock are to be issued and the
date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the shares of Option
Stock are to be delivered; provided, however, that such date and time shall not
be earlier than the First Delivery Date nor earlier than the second full
business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor
later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have
been exercised.  The date and time the shares of Option Stock are delivered are
sometimes referred to as the "Second Delivery Date" and the First Delivery Date
and the Second Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a "Delivery
Date".

          Delivery of and payment for the Option Stock shall be made at the
place specified in the first sentence of the first paragraph of this Section 5
(or at such other place as shall be determined by agreement between the
Representatives and the Company) at 9:00 A.M., central time, on the Second
Delivery Date.  On the Second Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver or cause
to be delivered the certificates representing the Option Stock to the
Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment to or upon
the order of the Company of the purchase price by certified or official bank
check or checks payable or wire transfer in immediately available (same-day)
funds.  Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place
specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of
each Underwriter hereunder.  Upon delivery, the Option Stock shall be registered
in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in
the aforesaid written notice.  For the purpose of expediting the checking and
packaging of the certificates for the Option Stock, the Company shall make the
certificates representing the Option Stock available for inspection by the
Representatives in New York, New York, not later than 2:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the business day prior to the Second Delivery Date.

     6.   Further Agreements of the Company.  The Company agrees:

          (a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the
     Representatives and to transmit for filing such Prospectus pursuant to Rule
     424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission's close of
     business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of
     this Agreement or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by
     Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Securities Act; to make no further amendment or
     any supplement to the Registration Statement or to the Prospectus except as
     permitted herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives
     notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration
     Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the
     Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the
     Representatives with copies thereof; to advise the Representatives,
     promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the
     Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the
     use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, of the suspension of
     the qualification of the Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of
     the initiation or notification of any proceeding for any such purpose, or
     of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the
     Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information;
     and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order
     preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
     Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best
     efforts to obtain its withdrawal;

          (b) To furnish promptly to each of the Representatives and to counsel
     for the Underwriters a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as
     originally transmitted for filing with the Commission, and each amendment
     thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits
     filed therewith;

          (c) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the
     following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (i)
     conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the
     Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits

                                       9.

 
     other than this Agreement, the computation of per share earnings and any
     exhibits incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement
     on Form S-3, SEC File No. 333-20679), (ii) each Preliminary Prospectus, the
     Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus and, if the delivery
     of a prospectus is required at any time after the Effective Time in
     connection with the offering or sale of the Stock or any other securities
     relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a
     result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
     include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
     material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
     light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus
     is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
     necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
     Securities Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to
     file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each
     Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the
     Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or
     supplemented Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or
     effect such compliance and, in case any Underwriter is required to deliver
     a Prospectus nine months or more after the effective date of the
     Registration Statement, the Company upon request, but at the expense of
     such Underwriter, will prepare promptly such Prospectus or Prospectuses as
     may be necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of Section
     10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

          (d) To transmit for filing promptly with the Commission any amendment
     to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any supplement to the
     Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Representatives,
     be required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or requested by the
     Commission;

          (e) Prior to transmission of filing with the Commission any amendment
     to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any
     Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 of the Rules and Regulations or file any
     document under the Exchange Act if such document would be deemed to be
     incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to
     the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters;

          (f) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date to make generally
     available to the Company's security holders and to deliver to the
     Representatives an earnings statement of the Company and its Subsidiaries
     (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities
     Act and the Rules and Regulations (including, at the option of the Company,
     Rule 158);

          (g) For a period of five years following the Effective Date, to
     furnish to the Representatives copies of all materials furnished by the
     Company to its shareholders and all public reports and all reports and
     financial statements furnished by the Company to the principal national
     securities exchange upon which the Common Stock may be listed pursuant to
     requirements of or agreements with such exchange or to the Commission
     pursuant to the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission
     thereunder;

          (h) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
     Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Stock for offering
     and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
     Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit
     the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as
     long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Stock;

          (i) For a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, not to,
     directly or indirectly, offer for sale, sell or otherwise dispose of (or
     enter into any transaction or device which is designed to, or could be
     expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the
     future of) any shares of Common Stock (other than the Stock and shares or
     options issued or granted pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified
     stock option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the
     date hereof or pursuant to currently outstanding options, warrants or
     rights or 

                                      10.

 
     in connection with an acquisition of assets or other business combination),
     or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of
     Common Stock (other than the grant of options pursuant to option plans
     existing on the date hereof), without the prior written consent of Lehman
     Brothers Inc.; and to cause each officer and director of the Company to
     furnish to the Representatives, prior to the First Delivery Date, a letter
     or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
     Underwriters, pursuant to which each such person shall agree not to,
     directly or indirectly, offer for sale, sell or otherwise dispose of (or
     enter into any transaction or device which is designed to, or could be
     expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the
     future of) any shares of Common Stock for a period of 90 days from the date
     of the Prospectus, without the prior written consent of Lehman Brothers
     Inc.;

          (j) That the Company's common stock currently outstanding is listed on
     the Nasdaq National Market System and prior to the Effective Date, to apply
     for the listing of the Stock on the Nasdaq National Market System and to
     use its best efforts to complete that listing, subject only to official
     notice of issuance, prior to the First Delivery Date;

          (k) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Stock being sold by
     the Company substantially as set forth in the Prospectus;

          (l) To take such steps as shall be necessary to ensure that neither
     the Company nor any Subsidiary shall become an "investment company" within
     the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
     rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and

          (m) The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to
     be delivered under the Securities Act will file all documents required to
     be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the
     Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and the
     rules and regulations thereunder.

     7.   Further Agreements of the Selling Shareholders.  Each Selling
Shareholder severally agrees:

          (a) For a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, not to,
     directly or indirectly, offer for sale, sell or otherwise dispose of (or
     enter into any transaction or device which is designed to, or could be
     expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the
     future of) any shares of Common Stock (other than the Stock), without the
     prior written consent of Lehman Brothers Inc.;

          (b) That the Stock to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder,
     which is represented by the certificates held in custody for the Selling
     Shareholder, is subject to the interest of the Underwriters and the other
     Selling Shareholders thereunder, that the arrangements made by such Selling
     Shareholder for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the
     obligations of such Selling Shareholder hereunder shall not be terminated
     by any act of such Selling Shareholder, by operation of law, by the death
     or incapacity of any individual Selling Shareholder or, in the case of a
     trust, by the death or incapacity of any executor or trustee or the
     termination of such trust, or the occurrence of any other event;

          (c) To deliver to the Representatives prior to the First Delivery Date
     a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form 
     W-8 (if such Selling Shareholder is a non-United States person or Form W-9
     (if such Selling Shareholder is a United States person).

     8.   Expenses.  The Company agrees to pay (a) the costs incident to the
authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Stock and any taxes payable in
that connection; (b) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing
under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement and any amendments and
exhibits thereto; (c) the costs of distributing the Registration Statement as
originally transmitted for filing and each amendment thereto and any post-
effective amendments thereof (including, in each case, 

                                      11.

 
exhibits), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the costs
of producing and distributing this Agreement and any other related documents in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the stock; (e) the
costs of delivering and distributing the Custody Agreements and the Powers of
Attorney; (f) the filing fees incident to securing any required review by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of sale of the
Stock; (g) any applicable listing or other fees; (h) the fees and expenses of
qualifying the Stock under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as
provided in Section 6(h) and of preparing, printing and distributing a Blue Sky
Memorandum (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters);
and (i) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the
obligations of the Company under this Agreement; provided that, except as
provided in Section 13, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses,
including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the
Stock which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the
Stock made by the Underwriters.

     9.   Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.  The respective obligations
of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy in all material
respects, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and
warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained herein, to the
performance by the Company and the Selling Shareholders in all material
respects, of their respective obligations hereunder, and to each of the
following additional terms and conditions:

          (a) The Prospectus shall have been timely transmitted for filing with
     the Commission in accordance with Section 6(a); no stop order suspending
     the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall
     have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been
     initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the
     Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration
     Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with.

          (b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company
     on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue
     statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison
     LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact
     which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be
     stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not
     misleading.

          (c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the
     authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Custody Agreements,
     the Powers of Attorney, the Stock, the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the
     transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all
     material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company and the
     Selling Shareholders shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and
     information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
     such matters.

          (d) Chapman and Cutler shall have furnished to the Representatives its
     written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters
     and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
     to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                    (i) Each of the Company and SpeedFam Corporation
          ("SpeedFam") has been duly incorporated and validly existing as
          corporations in good standing under the laws of their respective
          jurisdictions of incorporation, are duly qualified to do business and
          are in good standing as foreign corporations in each jurisdiction in
          which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct
          of their respective businesses requires such qualification, except
          where the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse
          effect on the financial condition, earnings, operations, business or
          business prospects of such corporation, and have all power and
          authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and
          conduct the businesses in which they are engaged;

                                      12.

 
                    (ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set
          forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock
          of the Company (including the shares of Stock being delivered on such
          Delivery Date upon issuance and delivery against payment therefore in
          accordance with the terms hereof) have been duly and validly
          authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform
          to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;

                    (iii)  There are no preemptive or other rights that have not
          been properly waived to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any
          restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares of the Stock
          pursuant to the Company's charter or by-laws or any agreement or other
          instrument known to such counsel;

                    (iv) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than
          as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental
          proceedings pending to which the Company or SpeedFam is a party or of
          which any property or assets of the Company or SpeedFam is the subject
          which, if determined adversely to the Company or SpeedFam, might have
          a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
          shareholders' equity, results of operations, business or prospects of
          the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and, to the best
          of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
          contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

                    (v) The Registration Statement was declared effective under
          the Securities Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion,
          the Prospectus was transmitted for filing 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 and no stop
          order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has
          been issued and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no proceeding for
          that purpose is pending or threatened by the Commission;

                    (vi) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
          further amendments or supplements thereto made by the Company prior to
          such Delivery Date (other than the financial statements and related
          schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
          comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of
          the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations;

                    (vii)  To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
          contracts or other documents which are required to be described in the
          Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the
          Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have not been
          described or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or
          incorporated therein by reference as permitted by the Rules and
          Regulations;

                    (viii)  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
          and delivered by the Company;

                    (ix) The issue and sale of the shares of Stock being
          delivered on such Delivery Date by the Company and the compliance by
          the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the
          consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not conflict
          with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
          provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage,
          deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known
          to such counsel to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
          party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or
          to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
          Subsidiaries is subject, nor will such actions result in any violation
          of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of
          its Subsidiaries or any statute or any order, rule or

                                      13.

 
          regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency
          or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
          Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets; and, except for the
          registration of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents,
          approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
          required under the Exchange Act and applicable state securities laws
          in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Stock by the
          Underwriters, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or
          filing or registration with, any such court or governmental agency or
          body is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this
          Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the transactions
          contemplated hereby; and

                    (x) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
          contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any
          person granting such person the right (other than rights which have
          been waived or satisfied) to require the Company to file a
          registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
          securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to
          require the Company to include such securities in the securities
          registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities
          being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by
          the Company under the Securities Act.

               In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) state that its
          opinion is limited to matters governed by the Federal laws of the
          United States of America and the laws of the State of Illinois, and
          (ii) as to questions of fact upon representations or certificates of
          officers of the Company and of government officials, in which case
          their opinion is to state that they are so relying and that they have
          no knowledge of any material misstatement or inaccuracy in such
          opinions, representations or certificates.  Copies of any opinion,
          representation or certificate so relied upon shall be delivered to the
          Representatives and to the Representatives' counsel.  Such counsel
          shall also have furnished to the Representatives a written statement,
          addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form
          and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that
          based on the foregoing and with no independent check or verification
          thereof, no facts have come to the attention of such counsel which
          lead it to believe that the Registration Statement (other than the
          financial statements, the notes thereto and other financial and
          statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which
          such counsel need express no view), as of the Effective Date,
          contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
          a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
          make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus
          (other than the financial statements, the notes thereto and other
          financial and statistical data included therein or omitted therefrom,
          as to which such counsel need express no view) contains any untrue
          statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
          required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
          statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
          were made, not misleading.

          (e) Chapman and Cutler shall have furnished to the Representatives its
     written opinion, as counsel to the Selling Shareholders, addressed to the
     Underwriters and dated the First Delivery Date, in form and substance
     reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                    (i) Each Selling Shareholder has full right, power and
          authority to enter into this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the
          Custody Agreement; the execution, delivery and performance of this
          Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement by each
          Selling Shareholder and the consummation by each Selling Shareholder
          of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict
          with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
          provisions of, or constitute a default under, any statute, any
          indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement
          or instrument known to such counsel to which such Selling Shareholder
          is a party 

                                      14.

 
          or by which such Selling Shareholder is bound or to which any of the
          property or assets of such Selling Shareholder is subject, nor will
          such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the charter
          or by-laws or the articles of partnership of any Selling Shareholder,
          or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel
          of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
          any such Selling Shareholder or the property or assets of any Selling
          Shareholder; and, except for the registration of the Stock under the
          Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
          registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange
          Act and applicable state securities laws in connection with the
          purchase and distribution of the Stock by the Underwriters, no
          consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or
          registration with, any such court or governmental agency or body is
          required for the execution, delivery and performance of this
          Agreement, the Power of Attorney or the Custody Agreement by any
          Selling Shareholder and the consummation by such Selling Shareholder
          of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;

                    (ii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
          delivered by or on behalf of each Selling Shareholder;

                    (iii)  A Power-of-Attorney and a Custody Agreement have been
          duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Selling Shareholder
          and constitute valid and binding agreements of such Selling
          Shareholder, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms,
          except as enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
          insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or other similar laws relating
          to or affecting creditor's rights generally or by general equitable
          principles; and

                    (iv) Each Selling Shareholder has full right, power and
          authority to sell, transfer and deliver the shares of Stock to be sold
          by such Selling Shareholder hereunder and good and marketable title to
          such shares of Stock so sold, free and clear of all voting trust
          arrangements, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and community
          property rights whatsoever, has been transferred to the Underwriters
          (who such counsel may assume to be bona fide purchasers) who have
          purchased such shares of Stock hereunder.

               In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) state that its
          opinion is limited to matters governed by the Federal laws of the
          United States of America and the laws of the State of Illinois and
          (ii) in rendering the opinions above, rely upon a certificate of each
          Selling Shareholder (or representations of such Selling Shareholder as
          set forth in the Power of Attorney) in respect of matters of fact,
          provided that such counsel shall furnish copies thereof to the
          Representatives and state that it believes that both the Underwriters
          and it are justified in relying upon such certificate.

          (f) Snell & Wilmer shall have furnished to the Representatives its
     written opinion, as special patent counsel to the Company, addressed to the
     Underwriters and dated the First Delivery Date, in form and substance
     reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                    (i) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than
          as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no pending or threatened
          actions, suits, proceedings or claims of any third party challenging
          the validity or scope of any United States or foreign patent filed by
          the Company, and no actual or threatened claim of infringement by the
          Company of a patent held by a third party has been brought to such
          counsel's attention by such third party; and

                    (ii) Such counsel has carefully examined the Prospectus and
          no facts have come to such counsel's attention that leads it to
          believe that the information contained under the captions "Risk
          Factors - Intellectual Property Rights" and "Business - Intellectual

                                      15.

 
          Property", insofar as it concerns patent matters, as of the Effective
          Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
          state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
          make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of the date of
          such opinion, the information contained in such sections of the
          Prospectus contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits
          to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
          therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not
          misleading.

               In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) state that its
          opinion is limited to matters governed by the Federal laws of the
          United States of America and the laws of the State of Arizona, and as
          to questions of fact upon representations or certificates of officers
          of the Company and of government officials, in which case their
          opinion is to state that they are so relying and that they have no
          knowledge of any material misstatement or inaccuracy in such opinions,
          representations or certificates.  Copies of any opinion,
          representation or certificate so relied upon shall be delivered to the
          Representatives and to the Representatives' counsel.

          (g) Baker & McKenzie shall have furnished to the Representatives its
     written opinion, as counsel to SpeedFam Limited, addressed to the
     Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                    (i) SpeedFam Limited has been duly incorporated and is
          validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
          its jurisdiction of incorporation;

                    (ii) SpeedFam Limited has the corporate power to own, lease
          and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in
          the Prospectus;

                    (iii)  SpeedFam Limited is duly qualified to do business as
          a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction, if
          any, in which the ownership or leasing of its properties or the
          conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the
          failure so to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the
          financial condition, earnings, operations, business or business
          prospects of such corporation; and

                    (iv) With respect to SpeedFam Limited, the performance of
          this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
          contemplated (other than performance of the Company's indemnification
          and contribution obligations hereunder, concerning which no opinion
          need be expressed) will not, to such counsel's knowledge, result in
          the violation of any foreign statue, rule or regulation.

               Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions
          of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
          Company and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to
          state that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any
          material misstatement or inaccuracy in such representations or
          certificate.  Copies of any representation or certificate so relied
          upon shall be delivered to you, as Representatives of the
          Underwriters, and to Underwriters' Counsel.

          (h) Doser Amereller Noack shall have furnished to the Representatives
     its written opinion, as counsel to SpeedFam GmbH, addressed to the
     Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                    (i) SpeedFam GmbH has been duly incorporated and is validly
          existing as a limited liability corporation in good standing under the
          laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;

                                      16.

 
                    (ii) SpeedFam GmbH has the corporate power to own, lease and
          operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
          Prospectus;

                    (iii)  SpeedFam GmbH is duly qualified to do business as a
          foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction, if
          any, in which the ownership or leasing of its properties or the
          conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the
          failure so to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the
          financial condition, earnings, operations, business or business
          prospects of such corporation; and

                    (iv) With respect to SpeedFam GmbH, the performance of this
          Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
          (other than performance of the Company's indemnification and
          contribution obligations hereunder, concerning which no opinion need
          be expressed) will not, to such counsel's knowledge, result in the
          violation of any foreign statute, rule or regulation.

               Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions
          of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
          Company and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to
          state that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any
          material misstatement or inaccuracy in such representations or
          certificate.  Copies of any representation or certificate so relied
          upon shall be delivered to you, as Representatives of the
          Underwriters, and to Underwriters' Counsel.

          (i) Sanno Law Offices shall have furnished to the Representatives its
     written opinion, as counsel to SpeedFam Co., Ltd., a Japanese corporation,
     addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and
     substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect
     that:
 
                    (i) SpeedFam Co., Ltd., a Japanese corporation has been duly
          incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
          under the laws of Japan, with full corporate power and authority to
          own or lease its properties and conduct its business;

                    (ii) Each of the subsidiaries of SpeedFam Co., Ltd.,
          including without limitation SpeedFam Clean System Co., Ltd. (Japan),
          Saku Seki K.K. (Japan), SpeedFam Incorporated (Taiwan), SpeedFam India
          (Pvt.) Ltd. (India), SpeedFam Korea Ltd. (Korea), SpeedFam Thailand
          Co. Ltd. (Thailand) and Met Coil Ltd. (Japan), (collectively the
          "SpeedFam Ltd. Subsidiaries") has been duly incorporated and is
          validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
          the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with the corporate power and
          authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business;

                    (iii)  Each branch of SpeedFam Co., Ltd. has been duly
          qualified and is in good standing in its applicable jurisdiction.
          SpeedFam Co., Ltd. is qualified to do business as a foreign
          corporation in each jurisdiction where its failure to do so would have
          a materially adverse effect on its business or properties;

                    (iv) The descriptions and representations of SpeedFam Co.,
          Ltd. and the SpeedFam Ltd. Subsidiaries as set forth in the
          Registration Statement are true and accurate in all material respects
          as of the date hereof;

                    (v) The authorized capital stock of SpeedFam Co., Ltd. and
          the SpeedFam Ltd. Subsidiaries conforms as to legal matters in all
          material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the
          Registration Statement;

                                      17.

 
                    (vi) The outstanding shares of capital stock of SpeedFam
          Co., Ltd. and the SpeedFam Ltd. Subsidiaries have been duly and
          validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and
          are not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;

                    (vii)  Neither SpeedFam Co., Ltd. nor any of the SpeedFam
          Ltd. Subsidiaries is in default under any of the Material Agreements
          (as defined in such opinion), the material terms of the Material
          Agreements have been substantially performed, and there is no
          litigation or other governmental proceeding pending or threatened in
          connection with any of the Material Agreements; and

                    (viii)  With respect to SpeedFam Co., Ltd., the performance
          of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
          contemplated (other than performance of the Company's indemnification
          and contribution obligations hereunder, concerning which no opinion
          need be expressed) will not, to such counsel's knowledge, result in
          the violation of any foreign statute, rule or regulation.

               Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions
          of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
          Company and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to
          state that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any
          material misstatement or inaccuracy in such representations or
          certificate.  Copies of any representation or certificate so relied
          upon shall be delivered to you, as Representatives of the
          Underwriters, and to Underwriters' Counsel.

          (j) Kenji Misono shall have furnished to the Representatives its
     written opinion, as counsel to the SpeedFam Co., Ltd., addressed to the
     Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

                    (i) There is no litigation, action, proceeding or
          governmental investigation pending or threatened to which SpeedFam
          Co., Ltd. is or may become a party, or to which any of the properties
          of SpeedFam Co., Ltd. is or may become subject, or against any of its
          officers, directors or employees, and, to the best such counsel's
          knowledge, none of the foregoing has received any threat thereof.

               Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions
          of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
          Company and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to
          state that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any
          material misstatement or inaccuracy in such representations or
          certificate.  Copies of any representation or certificate so relied
          upon shall be delivered to you, as Representatives of the
          Underwriters, and to Underwriters' Counsel.

          (k) The Representatives shall have received from Brobeck, Phleger &
     Harrison LLP counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated
     such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Stock, the
     Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the
     Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have
     furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the
     purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

          (l) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives
     shall have received from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP a letter, in form and
     substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the
     Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are
     independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and
     are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the
     qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the
     Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to
     matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of
     which specified financial information is 

                                      18.

 
     given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than five days prior to the
     date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the
     financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants'
     "comfort letters" to underwriters in connection with registered public
     offerings.

          (m) With respect to the letter of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP referred to in
     the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently
     with the execution of this Agreement (the "initial letter"), the Company
     shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter (the "bring-down
     letter") of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such
     Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants
     within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the
     applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under
     Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date
     of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or
     developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial
     information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than five
     days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and
     findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other
     matters covered by the initial letter and (iii) confirming in all material
     respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.

          (n) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a
     certificate, dated such Delivery Date, executed by its Chairman of the
     Board or its President and its Chief Financial Officer stating that:

                    (i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the
          Company in Section 1 are true and correct in all material respects as
          of such Delivery Date; the Company has complied in all material
          respects with all its agreements contained herein; and the conditions
          set forth in Sections 9(a) and 9(o) have been fulfilled; and

                    (ii) They have carefully examined the Registration Statement
          and the Prospectus and, in their opinion (A) as of the Effective Date,
          the Registration Statement and Prospectus did not include any untrue
          statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact
          required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
          therein not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date no event has
          occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment
          to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

          (o) Each Selling Shareholder (or the Custodian or one or more
     attorneys-in-fact on behalf of the Selling Shareholders) shall have
     furnished to the Representatives on the First Delivery Date a certificate,
     dated the First Delivery Date, signed by, or on behalf of, the Selling
     Shareholder (or the Custodian or one or more attorneys-in-fact) stating
     that the representations, warranties and agreements of such Selling
     Shareholder contained in Section 2 are true and correct in all material
     respects as of the First Delivery Date and that such Selling Shareholder
     has complied in all material respects with all agreements contained herein
     to be performed by such Selling Shareholder at or prior to the First
     Delivery Date.

          (p) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have
     sustained since ______________, 1997 any loss or interference with its
     business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
     covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental
     action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
     Prospectus or (ii) since such date, there shall not have been any change in
     the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries (except as contemplated by Section 1(v) hereof) or any change,
     or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
     general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders' equity or
     results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, otherwise than
     as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any
     such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the
     Representatives, so material and adverse as 

                                      19.

 
     to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering
     or the delivery of the Stock being delivered on such Delivery Date on the
     terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

          (q) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there
     shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities
     generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or
     in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company
     on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been
     suspended or minimum prices shall have been established on any such
     exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other
     regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a
     banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal or state
     authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in
     hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving
     the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national
     emergency or war by the United States or (iv) there shall have occurred
     such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial
     conditions (or the effect of international conditions on the financial
     markets in the United States shall be such) as to make it, in the judgment
     of a majority in interest of the several Underwriters, impracticable or
     inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Stock
     being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner
     contemplated in the Prospectus.

          (r) The Nasdaq National Market System shall have approved the Stock
     for listing subject only to official notice of issuance and evidence of
     satisfactory distribution.

               All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above
     or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the
     provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

     10.  Indemnification and Contribution.

          (a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter,
     its officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any
     Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
     from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or
     any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss,
     claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of
     Stock), to which that Underwriter, officer, employee or controlling person
     may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or
     otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises
     out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
     statement of a material fact contained (A) in any Preliminary Prospectus,
     the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any amendment or
     supplement thereto or (B) in any blue sky application or other document
     prepared or executed by the Company (or based upon any written information
     furnished by the Company) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or
     all of the Stock under the securities laws of any state or other
     jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being
     hereinafter called a "Blue Sky Application"), (ii) the omission or alleged
     omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
     or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any
     Blue Sky Application any material fact required to be stated therein or
     necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any act
     or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter
     in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Stock or the offering
     contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any
     loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon
     matters covered by clause (i) or (ii) above (provided that the Company
     shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that it is
     determined in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that
     such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any
     such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such
     Underwriter through its gross negligence or willful misconduct) and shall
     reimburse each Underwriter and each such officer, employee or controlling
     person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably

                                      20.

 
     incurred by that Underwriter, officer, employee or controlling person in
     connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against
     any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
     incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any
     such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
     action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged
     untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
     Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any such
     amendment or supplement, or in any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon
     and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter
     furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any
     Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein or if such statement or
     omission was contained or made in any preliminary prospectus and corrected
     in the Prospectus and (1) any such loss, claim, damage or liability
     suffered or incurred by an Underwriter (or any person who controls any
     Underwriter) resulted from an action, claim or suit by any person who
     purchased Stock which are the subject thereof from such Underwriter in the
     offering and (2) such Underwriter failed to deliver or provide a copy of
     the Prospectus to such person at or prior to the confirmation of the sale
     of such Stock in any case where such delivery is required by the Securities
     Act.  The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability
     which the Company may otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any officer,
     employee or controlling person of that Underwriter.

          (b) Each Key Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, shall
     indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees,
     and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of
     the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim,
     damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof
     (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or
     action relating to purchases and sales of Stock), to which that
     Underwriter, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject,
     under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such
     loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon,
     (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
     contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, but only with
     reference to information relating to such Key Selling Shareholder furnished
     in writing by or on behalf of such Key Selling Shareholder expressly for
     use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or (ii) the omission or
     alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, Registration
     Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, any
     material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
     statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information
     relating to such Key Selling Shareholder furnished in writing by or on
     behalf of such Key Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the
     Registration Statement or Prospectus, and shall reimburse each Underwriter,
     its officers and employees and each such controlling person for any legal
     or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, its officers and
     employees or controlling person in connection with investigating or
     defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage,
     liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that
     the Key Selling Shareholders shall in no event be liable for losses or
     claims exceeding the proceeds received by each such Key Selling Shareholder
     from the sale of their respective Stock upon the consummation of the sale
     contemplated hereunder. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to
     any liability which the Key Selling Shareholders may otherwise have to any
     Underwriter or any officer, employee or controlling person of that
     Underwriter.

          (c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and
     hold harmless the Company, its officers and employees, each of its
     directors and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
     meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, from and against any
     loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in
     respect thereof, to which the Company or any such director, officer or
     controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the
     Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability
     or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or
     alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in any
     Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in
     any amendment or supplement thereto, or (B) in any Blue Sky Application or
     (ii) the omission or alleged omission to 

                                      21.

 
     state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky
     Application any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
     make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the
     extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
     alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
     information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through
     the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for
     inclusion therein, and shall reimburse the Company and any such director,
     officer or controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably
     incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person
     in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend
     against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses
     are incurred. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any
     liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any
     such director, officer, employee or controlling person.

          (d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
     10 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the
     indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
     against the indemnifying party under this Section 10, notify the
     indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that
     action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying
     party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this
     Section 10 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such
     failure and, provided further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying
     party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an
     indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 10.  If any such claim
     or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall
     notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
     entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly
     with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense
     thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party.
     After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its
     election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying
     party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 10
     for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified
     party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
     investigation; provided, however, that the Representatives shall have the
     right to employ counsel to represent jointly the Representatives and those
     other Underwriters and their respective officers, employees and controlling
     persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect
     of which indemnity may be sought by the Underwriters against the Company or
     any Selling Shareholder under this Section 10 if, in the reasonable
     judgment of the Representatives, it is advisable for the Representatives
     and those Underwriters, officers, employees and controlling persons to be
     jointly represented by separate counsel, and in that event the fees and
     expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the Company or the
     Selling Shareholders.  No indemnifying party shall (i) without the prior
     written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be
     unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
     judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or
     proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be
     sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or
     potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement,
     compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified
     party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or
     proceeding, or (ii) be liable for any settlement of any such action
     effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be
     unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying
     party or if there be a final judgment of the plaintiff in any such action,
     the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any
     indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
     settlement or judgment.

          (e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 shall for
     any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
     indemnified party under Section 10(a), 10(b) or 10(c) in respect of any
     loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof,
     referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of
     indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or
     payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage
     or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall
     be appropriate to reflect the 

                                      22.

 
     relative benefits received by the Company, the Selling Shareholders and the
     Underwriters, respectively, from the offering of the Stock or (ii) if the
     allocation provided by clause (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 (i) above but also the relative fault of the
     Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters respectively with
     respect to the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim,
     damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other
     relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
     Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters, respectively with
     respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as
     the total net proceeds from the offering of the Stock purchased under this
     Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, the Selling
     Shareholders, respectively and the total underwriting discounts and
     commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of the
     Stock purchased under this Agreement, on the other, bear to the total gross
     proceeds from the offering of the shares of the Stock under this Agreement,
     in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus.
     The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the 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, the Selling Shareholders or the Underwriters, the intent of the
     parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity
     to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Selling
     Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
     equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section were to be determined
     by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity
     for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
     into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount
     paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim,
     damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in
     this Section shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section
     10(e), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
     party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or
     claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10(e), no Underwriter
     shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which
     the total price at which the Stock underwritten by it and distributed to
     the public was offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages
     which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason
     of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
     and no Selling Shareholder shall be required to contribute any amount in
     excess of the amount by which the proceeds received by such Selling
     Shareholder from the sale of the shares of Stock hereunder exceeds the
     amount of any damages which such Selling Shareholder 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 Securities
     Act or the Exchange Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
     who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
     obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 10(e) are several in
     proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

          (f) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges
     that the statements with respect to the public offering of the Stock by the
     Underwriters set forth on the cover page of, the legends concerning over-
     allotments and passive market making on the inside front cover page of and
     the section "Underwriting" in, the Prospectus are correct and constitute
     the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to
     the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion
     in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

     11.  Defaulting Underwriters.  If, on either Delivery Date, any Underwriter
defaults in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, the
remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase the Stock
which the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery
Date in the respective proportions which the number of shares of the Firm Stock
set opposite the name of each remaining non-defaulting Underwriter in Schedule 1
hereto bears to the total number of shares of the Firm Stock set opposite the
names of all the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule 1 hereto;
provided, however, that the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be
obligated to purchase 

                                      23.

 
any of the Stock on such Delivery Date if the total number of shares of the
Stock which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase on such date exceeds 9.9% of the total number of shares of the Stock to
be purchased on such Delivery Date, and any remaining non-defaulting Underwriter
shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the number of shares of the
Stock which it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of
Section 3. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the remaining non-defaulting
Underwriters, or those other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives
who so agree, shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to purchase, in
such proportion as may be agreed upon among them, all the Stock to be purchased
on such Delivery Date. If the remaining Underwriters or other underwriters
satisfactory to the Representatives do not elect to purchase the shares which
the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such
Delivery Date, this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Delivery Date, the
obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and of the Company to sell, the
Option Stock) shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-
defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the Selling Shareholders, except that
the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses to the extent
set forth in Sections 8 and 13. As used in this Agreement, the term
"Underwriter" includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context
requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule 1 hereto who, pursuant to
this Section 11, purchases Firm Stock which a defaulting Underwriter agreed but
failed to purchase.

          Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any
liability it may have to the Company and the Selling Shareholders for damages
caused by its default.  If other underwriters are obligated or agree to purchase
the Stock of a defaulting or withdrawing Underwriter, either the Representatives
or the Company may postpone the Delivery Date for up to seven full business days
in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or
counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement.

     12.  Termination.  The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be
terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the Company
and the Selling Shareholders prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock
if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 9(o) or 9(p),
shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Stock
for any reason permitted under this Agreement.

     13.  Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses.  If (a) the Company or any
Selling Shareholder shall fail to tender the Stock for delivery to the
Underwriters by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company or the Selling Shareholder(s) to perform any agreement on its part to be
performed, or because any other condition of the Underwriters' obligations
hereunder required to be fulfilled by the Company or the Selling Shareholder(s)
is not fulfilled, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by
the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of
the Stock, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the
Representative(s). If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9(o) or
9(p) or Section 11 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, neither
the Company nor any Selling Shareholder shall be obligated to reimburse any
defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.

     14.  Notices, etc.  All statements, requests, notices and agreements
hereunder shall be in writing, and:

          (a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex
     or facsimile transmission to Lehman Brothers Inc., Three World Financial
     Center, New York, New York 10285, Attention:  Syndicate Department (Fax:
     212-526-6588), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section
     10(d), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Lehman
     Brothers Inc., Three World Financial Center, 10th Floor, New York, NY
     10285;

          (b) if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
     facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
     Registration Statement, Attention: James N. Farley, 

                                      24.

 
     Chief Executive Officer (Fax: (602) 961-2171), with a copy to Jonathan A.
     Koff, at the address set forth on the cover page of the Registration
     Statement (Fax: (312) 701-2361);

          (c) if to the Selling Shareholders, shall be delivered or sent by
     mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Selling Shareholder at the
     address set forth on Schedule 2 hereto;

provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 10(d)
shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such
Underwriter at its address set forth in its acceptance telex to the
Representatives, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto by the
Representatives upon request.  Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof.  The Company, and
the Selling Shareholders shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request,
consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by
Lehman Brothers Inc. on behalf of the Representatives and the Company and the
Underwriters shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice
or agreement given or made on behalf of the Selling Shareholders by the
Custodian.

     15.  Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure
to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, the Selling
Shareholders and their respective personal representatives and successors.  This
Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only
those persons, except that (A) the representations, warranties, indemnities and
agreements of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained in this
Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the person or persons,
if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (B) the indemnity agreement of the
Underwriters contained in Section 10(c) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be
for the benefit of directors of the Company, officers and Selling Shareholders
of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any person
controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section
15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision contained herein.

     16.  Survival.  The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and
agreements of the Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters
contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf on them, respectively,
pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the
Stock and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.

     17.  Definition of the Term "Business Day."  For purposes of this
Agreement, "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange,
Inc. is open for trading.

     18.  Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of New York.

     19.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed
counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

     20.  Headings.  The headings herein are inserted for convenience of
reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or
interpretation of, this Agreement.



               [REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

                                      25.

 
     If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Company, the
Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in
the space provided for that purpose below.

                              Very truly yours,

                              SPEEDFAM INTERNATIONAL, INC.



                              By:   /s/ James N. Farley
                                  -------------------------------------------


                              The Selling Shareholders named in Schedule 2 to
                              this Agreement



                              By:   /s/ Roger K. Marach
                                  -------------------------------------------
                                  Attorney-in-Fact



ACCEPTED, FEBRUARY 13, 1997:

Lehman Brothers Inc.
Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated
Needham & Company, Inc.

For themselves and as Representatives
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto

By: Lehman Brothers Inc.



    By:  /s/ Ernest Ruehl
        -------------------------
        Authorized Representative

 
                                  SCHEDULE 1

 
 
                                             Number of
      Underwriters                            Shares
- ------------------------------------         ---------
                                           
Lehman Brothers Inc. ...............         1,000,000
Alex. Brown & Sons Incorporated.....         1,000,000   
Needham & Company, Inc. ............         1,000,000
                                             ---------
     Total                                   3,000,000
                                             =========
 
 

 
                                  SCHEDULE 2



     Name and Address of              Number of Shares
     Selling Shareholder               of Firm Stock
- ------------------------------        ----------------
                                   
James N. Farley Trust                          400,000
Nancy J. Farley Trust                           50,000
Sarah F. Huskey                                 10,000
Timothy P. Farley                               10,000
Barbara J. Farley                               10,000
James C. Farley                                 40,000
SpeedFam Employees Profit                       
  Sharing Trust                                 75,000
James N. and Nancy J. Farley                   
  Foundation                                   235,000
Makoto Kouzuma Trust                           100,000
Thomas J. McCook                                10,000
Robert R. Smith                                 10,000
                                               -------
          Total                                950,000
                                               =======