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                               ARTICLES OF MERGER
                                       OF
                              UC ACQUISITION CORP.
                                       AND
                               UNIVAR CORPORATION


To the Secretary of State
State of Washington

         Pursuant to the provisions of the Washington Business Corporation Act
("WBCA"), the domestic business corporations herein named do hereby submit the
following Articles of Merger.

         1. Annexed hereto and made a part hereof is the Plan of Merger for
merging UC Acquisition Corp. with and into Univar Corporation as adopted by
resolution at a meeting by the Board of Directors of UC Acquisition Corp. on
___________, 1996 and by resolution adopted at a meeting by the Board of
Directors of Univar Corporation on ____________, 1996.

         2. The merger was duly approved by the shareholders of UC Acquisition
Corp. and of Univar Corporation pursuant to WBCA 23B.11.030.

         3. The effective time and date of the merger herein provided for shall
be the date that the Articles of Merger are filed with the Washington Secretary
of State.

         Executed on _________________, 1996.



                                                 UNIVAR CORPORATION


                                                 By:____________________________
                                                 Name:
                                                 Capacity:

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                                                                      EXHIBIT 4

                                 PLAN OF MERGER

         PLAN OF MERGER adopted by UC Acquisition Corp., a business corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Washington, by resolution of its Board
of Directors on _________________, 1996, and adopted by Univar Corporation, a
business corporation organized under the laws of the State of Washington, by
resolution of its Board of Directors on _________________, 1996.

         1. UC Acquisition Corp. and Univar Corporation shall, pursuant to the
provisions of the Washington Business Corporation Act, be merged with and into a
single corporation, to wit, Univar Corporation. Univar Corporation shall be
the surviving corporation at the effective time and date of the merger and is
sometimes hereinafter referred to as the "surviving corporation," and shall
continue to exist as said surviving corporation under its present name pursuant
to the provisions of the Washington Business Corporation Act. The separate
existence of UC Acquisition Corp., which is sometimes hereinafter referred to as
the "non-surviving corporation," shall cease at the effective time and date of
the merger in accordance with the provisions of the Washington Business
Corporation Act.

         2. The articles of incorporation of the surviving corporation shall be
the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of said surviving corporation
at the effective time and date of the merger, a copy of which is attached hereto
as Exhibit A.

         3. The bylaws of the surviving corporation shall be the Amended and
Restated Bylaws of said surviving corporation at the effective time and date of
the merger and will continue in full force and effect until changed, altered, or
amended as therein provided and in the manner prescribed by the provisions of
the Washington Business Corporation Act.

         4. The effective date of merger shall be the date upon which the
Articles of Merger are filed with the Secretary of State. Upon the effective
date of the merger: the separate corporate existence of UC Acquisition Corp.
shall cease; title to all real estate and other property owned by UC Acquisition
Corp. or Univar Corporation shall be vested in Univar Corporation without
reversion or impairment; and the surviving corporation shall have all
liabilities of UC Acquisition Corp. and Univar Corporation. Any proceeding
pending by or against UC Acquisition Corp. or Univar Corporation may be
continued as if such merger did not occur, or the surviving corporation may be
substituted in the proceeding for UC Acquisition Corp.

         5. Each issued share of the non-surviving corporation shall, at the
effective time and date of the merger, be converted into one share of the
surviving corporation. The issued 

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shares of the surviving corporation existing prior to the merger shall be
cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist, and holders of certificates
formerly representing shares of the surviving corporation, other than those
shares held by UC Acquisition Corp. and its affiliates, shall cease to have any
rights with respect thereto other than a right to receive [$____] per share or
any dissenters' rights they have perfected pursuant to Section 23B.13.210 of the
Washington Business Corporations Act. Any shares of Univar Corporation in the
treasury of Univar Corporation on the effective date of the merger shall be
surrendered to the surviving corporation for cancellation,and no shares of the
surviving corporation shall be issued in respect thereof.

         6. Any shareholder of Univar Corporation who has the right to dissent
from this merger as provided in Section 23B.13.020 of the Washington Business
Corporation Act and who so dissents in accordance with the requirements of
Sections 23B.11.020 through 23B.13.280 of the Washington Business Corporation
Act, shall be entitled, upon surrender of the certificate or certificates
representing certificated shares or upon imposition of restrictions of transfer
of uncertificated shares, to receive payment of the fair value of such
shareholder's shares as provided pursuant to Section 23B.13.250 of the
Washington Business Corporation Act.

         7. Unless the conditions of Section 23B.11.040 of the Washington
Business Corporation Act are satisfied, the Plan of Merger herein made and
approved shall be submitted to the shareholders of the non-surviving corporation
and the shareholders of the surviving corporation for their approval or
rejection in the manner prescribed by the provisions of the Washington Business
Corporation Act.

         8. In the event that the Plan of Merger shall have been approved by the
shareholders entitled to vote of the non-surviving corporation and by the
shareholders entitled to vote of the surviving corporation in the manner
prescribed by the provisions of the Washington Business Corporation Act, the
non-surviving corporation and the surviving corporation hereby stipulate that
they will cause to be executed and filed and/or recorded any document or
documents prescribed by the laws of the State of Washington, and that they will
cause to be performed all necessary acts therein and elsewhere to effectuate the
merger.

         9. The Board of Directors and the proper officers of the non-surviving
corporation and of the surviving corporation, respectively, are hereby
authorized, empowered, and directed to do any and all acts and things, and to
make, execute, deliver, file, and/or record any and all instruments, papers, and
documents which shall be or become necessary, proper, or convenient to carry out
or put into effect any of the provisions of this Plan of Merger or of the merger
herein provided for.

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         10. The address of the registered office of the surviving corporation
shall be _______________________________________________________________.

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