Purchase Agreement

HUTCHINSON TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED

(a Minnesota corporation)

3.25% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2026

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

Dated: January 19, 2006

HUTCHINSON TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED

(a Minnesota corporation)

$225,000,000

3.25% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2026

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

January 19, 2006

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                      Incorporated

4 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
      as Representative of the several Underwriters

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Hutchinson Technology Incorporated, a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective principal amounts set forth in said Schedule A of $225,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.25% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “Firm Securities”), and with respect to the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(c) hereof (the “Option”) to purchase all or any part of an additional $25,000,000 principal amount of the Company’s 3.25% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “Optional Securities” and, together with the Firm Securities, the “Securities”).

     The Securities will be convertible into fully paid, nonassessable shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), on the terms, and subject to the conditions, set forth in the Indenture (as defined below). As used herein, “Conversion Shares” means the shares of Common Stock into which the Securities are convertible. The Securities will be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Indenture”) to be dated as of January 25, 2006, between the Company and LaSalle Bank National Association (the “Trustee”).

     The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered and the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”).

     The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-131114), including the related prospectus, which registration statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) of the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “1933 Act Regulations”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933

Act”). Such registration statement covers the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the 1933 Act Regulations and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B Information.” Each prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430B Information is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, at any given time, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by 1933 Act Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and any preliminary prospectuses that form a part thereof, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

     All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

     SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

     (a) Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(ii) hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) hereof and as of each Delivery Date (if any) referred to in Section 2(c), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

     (i) Status as a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations and (D) at the date hereof, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”), including not having been and not being an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405, and the Securities, since their registration on the Registration

Statement, have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on a Rule 405 “automatic shelf registration statement” consistent with paragraph (1)(i)(A) of the definition of a “well known seasoned issuer” in Rule 405. The Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement form.

     At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

     (ii) Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure at Time of Sale. The Original Registration Statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”) on January 19, 2006, and any post-effective amendment thereto also became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e). No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.

     Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the filing of the Original Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

     At the respective times the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto became effective, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations and at the Closing Time, the Registration Statement (other than the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act Regulations”), and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

     Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Optional Securities are purchased, at the Delivery Date), included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

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

     As of the Applicable Time, neither (x) the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and the information included on Schedule B hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

     As of the time of the filing of the Final Term Sheet, the General Disclosure Package, when considered together with the Final Term Sheet (as defined in Section 3(b)), will not include any 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, not misleading.

     As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:

     “Applicable Time” means 5:30 p.m. (Eastern standard time) on January 19, 2006 or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.

     “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

     “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C hereto.

     “Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

     “Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof (including the preliminary prospectus supplement dated January 19, 2006).

     Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies Merrill Lynch as described in Section 3(e), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.

     The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use therein.

     (iii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations or the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Original Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the earlier of time the Prospectus was first used and the date and time of the first contract of sale of Securities in this offering and (c) at the Closing Time, did not or will not, as the case may be, 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.

     (iv) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, are independent registered public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (v) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, shareholders’ investment and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The summary financial information included in the Prospectus presents fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement. All disclosures included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act Regulations, to the extent applicable.

     (vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated or contemplated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as defined below) and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

     (vii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Minnesota and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is

in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

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

     (ix) Capitalization. The authorized issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus and the capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof in the Prospectus (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and no other person has or will have any preemptive or other rights to purchase, subscribe for or otherwise acquire (x) the Conversion Shares or any rights to such shares (other than those granted by the holders of the Securities) or (y) as a result of or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, any other capital stock of the Company or rights thereto; the capital stock of the Company conforms to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus in all material respects and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same; the Conversion Shares have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Securities by all necessary corporate action of the Company; all Conversion Shares, when so issued in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and delivered upon such conversion in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims and will conform to the description of the Common Stock contained in the Prospectus.

     (x) “Capitalization,” “Description of the Notes,” and “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences.” The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Capitalization” and “Description of Notes”, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the Securities and the Common Stock, and under the caption “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences”, insofar as it purports to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, fairly and accurately summarize the matters described therein in all material respects.

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

     (xii) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act and, when duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

     (xiii) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture.

     (xiv) Description of the Securities and the Indenture. The Securities and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and will be in substantially the respective forms filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the Registration Statement.

     (xv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or bylaws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the issuance of the Securities and Conversion Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and under the Indenture and the Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that, singly or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,

government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

     (xvi) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent or has been threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

     (xvii) Absence of Proceedings. Other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, or which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Indenture or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.

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

     (xix) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use, on reasonable terms, all valid patents, patent applications, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, trade and service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or as proposed in the Prospectus to be conducted. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any charge, complaint, claim, demand or notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with rights that have been asserted to the Company by others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xx) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”), of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any Affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be reasonably expected to cause or result in unlawful stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (xxi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities or the Conversion Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or for the due execution, delivery or performance of the Indenture by the Company, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws and except for the qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act.

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

     (xxiii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or any subsidiary thereof to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

     (xxiv) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as, an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), without taking account of any exemption arising out of the number of holders of the Company’s securities.

     (xxv) Environmental Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries (i) have been and are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; (iii) other than notices excluded in (iv) below, have not received

notice of any actual or potential liability for the (x) investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes at any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ currently or formerly owned or leased sites, or at any off-site location where their wastes were disposed; or (y) exposure to any such hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus or Registration Statement; and (iv) in the past five years prior to the date hereof, have not been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

     (xxvi) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (I) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

     The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

     (xxvii) Third-Party Compensation. Except as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company has not paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any Securities or any Conversion Shares.

     (xxviii) Dividends. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or Prospectus.

     (xxix) ERISA. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to each “plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations) in which employees of the Company and its subsidiaries are eligible to participate and each such plan subject to the minimum funding standards is in compliance in all material respects with the presently applicable provisions of

ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations; the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for the payment of premiums in the ordinary course) or to any such plan under Title IV of ERISA.

     (xxx) Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged, except that for the purposes of workers’ compensation coverage, the Company is self-insured; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; other than claims that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business other than refusals, failures to renew and failures to obtain that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

     (xxxi) Taxes. The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus or Registration Statement) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus or Registration Statement.

     (xxxii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, Affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

     (xxxiii) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the

rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

     (xxxiv) Pending Proceedings and Examinations. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

     (xxxv) Lock-up Agreements. Each of the persons listed on Schedule E hereto has entered into a written agreement with the Representative in the form of Exhibit A hereto (each such agreement, a “Lock-up Agreement”), and executed originals of each Lock-up Agreement have been delivered to the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters.

     (b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

     SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

     (a) Firm Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price set forth in Schedule B less a 2.5% Underwriter spread plus accrued interest, if any, from January 25, 2006, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.

     (b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Securities shall be made at the offices of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

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

     (c) Optional Securities. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants the Option to the Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, the Optional Securities at the same price as the Underwriters shall pay for the Firm Securities and the principal amount of the Optional Securities to be sold to an Underwriter shall be that principal amount which bears the same ratio to the aggregate principal amount

of Optional Securities being purchased as the principal amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10). The Option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Securities by the Underwriters. The Option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of this Agreement upon notice in writing or by facsimile by the Representative to the Company setting forth the amount (which shall be an integral multiple of $1,000) of Optional Securities as to which the Underwriters are exercising the Option; provided that the Option may not be exercised in more than two installments without the consent of the Company.

     The date for payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Delivery Date,” which may be the Closing Date (the Closing Date and the Optional Delivery Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Delivery Date”), shall be determined by the Representative but shall not be later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. Delivery of the Optional Securities shall be made to the Underwriters against payment of the purchase price by the Underwriters. Payment for the Optional Securities shall be effected either by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account, the account number and the ABA number for such bank to be provided by the Company to the Representative at least two business days in advance of the Optional Delivery Date, or by such other manner of payment as may be agreed in writing by the Company and the Representative. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, issue a receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Optional Securities that it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Optional Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Optional Delivery Date, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

     (d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Securities shall be in such denominations ($1,000 or integral multiples thereof) and registered in such names as the Representative(s) may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time. The Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time.

     SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

     (a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests; Payment of Filing Fees. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of a new registration statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect the filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period

required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933 Act Regulations (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)).

     (b) Filing of Amendments and Exchange Act Documents; Preparation of Final Term Sheet. The Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities or any amendment, supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus included in the Original Registration Statement or amendment thereto at the time it became effective) or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, and the Company will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company and the Representative will use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”) reflecting the final terms of the Securities as set forth in Schedule B hereto, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, on the date hereof and the Company shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof.

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

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

     (e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or to file a new registration statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such requirements, the Company will use its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable (if it is not an automatic shelf registration statement with respect to the Securities) and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement (or any other registration statement relating to the Securities) or the Statutory Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify Merrill Lynch and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

     (f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange, if necessary, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities and the Conversion Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect as long as required for the sale of the Securities and the Conversion Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or so subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

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

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

     (i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect the listing of the Conversion Shares on the Nasdaq National Market (“Nasdaq”).

     (j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of ninety (90) days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise transfer or

dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person of), directly or indirectly, or file (or participate in the filing of) a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, (i) any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital stock or, (ii) any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Company may issue shares of Common Stock and options to purchase shares of Common Stock pursuant to existing employee benefit plans and stock incentive plans.

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

     (l) Reservation of Common Stock. The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy any obligations to issue Conversion Shares upon the conversion of the Securities.

     (m) Stabilization. The Company will not, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its Affiliates not to, take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to unlawfully stabilize or manipulate, or which constitutes or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in unlawful stabilization or manipulation, of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities.

     (n) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission; provided that the Final Term Sheet prepared in accordance with Section 3(b) hereof may be used by the Underwriters to convey the final terms of the offering to investors. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.

     SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

     (a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters, the Indenture and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities and Conversion Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and

delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (x) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities, (xi) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities or the Conversion Shares on Nasdaq and (xii) the costs and expenses (including without limitation any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the sixth paragraph of Section 1(a)(ii).

     (b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

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

     (a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus; Payment of Filing Fee. The Registration Statement has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B). The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(1)(i) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933 Act Regulations and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).

     (b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Faegre & Benson LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.

     (c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for

each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in clauses (i), (ii) (only as to the Company’s corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Purchase Agreement), (vi) through (xi), inclusive, and the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit B hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of California and the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

     (d) Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.

     (e) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

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

     (g) Indenture. The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.

     (h) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Conversion Shares have been approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject only to official notice of issuance.

     (i) Lock-up Agreements. On or prior to the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received a Lock-up Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule E hereto.

     (j) Conditions to Purchase of Optional Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(c) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Optional Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company hereunder shall be true and

correct as of each Delivery Date and, at the relevant Delivery Date, the Representative shall have received:

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

     (ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Delivery Date, relating to the Optional Securities to be purchased on such Delivery Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

     (iii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Delivery Date, relating to the Optional Securities to be purchased on such Delivery Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

     (iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Delivery Date, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Delivery Date.

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

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

     SECTION 6. Indemnification.

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

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

contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

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

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

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

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

     (c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense and, to the extent that it shall wish, assume at its own expense with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying

party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party, whose fees and expenses shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

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

     SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

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

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

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

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

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

     For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each of the Company’s Affiliates shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

     SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company, and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

     SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

     (a) Termination; General. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplement thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement) or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or Nasdaq, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock

Exchange or in Nasdaq has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

     SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication.

     (a) Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative at 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080, Attention: Syndicate Department, with a copy to Robert A.

     Claassen, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, California 94303; and

     (b) Notices to the Company shall be directed to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer via facsimile at (320)  ###-###-#### and confirmed to the Company at 40 West Highland Park, Hutchinson, Minnesota ###-###-####, Attention: Investor Relations.

provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to each such Underwriter, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto by Merrill Lynch upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by Merrill Lynch.

     SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any similar obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

     SECTION 13. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

     SECTION 14. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

     SECTION 15. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

     SECTION 16. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

     SECTION 17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

     SECTION 18. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

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

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

     as of the date first above written:

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

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

SCHEDULE A

		Principal
		Amount of
Name of Underwriter		Securities
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated			180,000,000
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.			22,500,000
Needham & Company, LLC			22,500,000
Total		$	225,000,000

SCHEDULE B

Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
(HTCH/NASDAQ)

Convertible Subordinated Notes
Offering Size: $225,000,000
Overallotment Option: $25,000,000

		Terms
Public Offering Price:		$1,000.00 per note (100%)
Maturity:		January 15, 2026
Interest Rate:		3.25% payable semiannually in arrears in cash
Last Sale (1/19/06):		$28.02
Conversion Price:		$36.43
Conversion Premium:		30.0%
Conversion Rate:		27.4499
Interest Payment Dates:		January 15 and July 15, beginning July 15, 2006
Redemption:		Beginning January 21, 2011 at any time at the option of the Company at the prices set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date:
		Year		Percentage
		2011		100.93%
		2012		100.46%
		2013 and thereafter		100.00%
Put Dates:		January 15, 2013, January 15, 2016 and January 15, 2021
Conversion Trigger Price:		$43.72
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain Fundamental Changes:		If a fundamental change occurs prior to January 21, 2011 and a holder elects to convert in connection with such transaction, the conversion rate will be increased by a number of shares. The number of additional shares will be determined by reference to the following table and is based on the date on which such fundamental change becomes effective and the price paid per share of common stock on the effective date:

Effective Date
Stock Price		Jan 25, 2006				Jan 15, 2007				Jan 15, 2008				Jan 15, 2009				Jan 15, 2010				Jan 21, 2011
$28.02			8.23				8.23				8.23				8.23				8.23				8.23
32.00			6.52				6.04				5.48				4.78				3.87				3.80
36.00			5.34				4.82				4.23				3.47				2.46				0.32
40.00			4.48				4.02				3.45				2.63				1.64				0.00
45.00			3.71				3.22				2.66				1.96				1.08				0.00
50.00			3.16				2.70				2.19				1.55				0.79				0.00
55.00			2.76				2.33				1.85				1.28				0.63				0.00
60.00			2.44				2.04				1.62				1.10				0.54				0.00
65.00			2.20				1.83				1.44				0.97				0.48				0.00
70.00			2.00				1.66				1.30				0.88				0.44				0.00
75.00			1.84				1.52				1.19				0.81				0.41				0.00

Trade Date:		1/19/2006
Settlement Date:		1/25/2006
CUSIP:		448407AF3
Sole Bookrunner:		Merrill Lynch & Co.
Co-Managers:		Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Needham & Company, LLC

SCHEDULE C

ISSUER GENERAL USE FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS

1. Final Term Sheet

SCHEDULE D

SUBSIDIARIES

None.

SCHEDULE E

LIST OF PERSONS SIGNING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

Directors

W. Thomas Brunberg
Archibald Cox, Jr.
Wayne M. Fortun
Jeffrey W. Green
Russell Huffer
R. Frederick McCoy, Jr.
William T. Monahan
Richard B. Solum

Officers

Rebecca A. Albrecht
Kevin D. Bjork
Beatrice A. Graczyk
John A. Ingleman
Richard J. Penn
R. Scott Schaefer
Kathleen S. Skarvan
Christina M. Temperante

Exhibit A

FORM OF LOCK-UP
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(i)

January 19, 2006

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                      Incorporated,

as Representative of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement

4 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080

Re:		Proposed Public Offering by Hutchinson Technology Incorporated

Dear Sirs:

     The undersigned, a securityholder of Hutchinson Technology Incorporated, a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), understands that Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) propose(s) to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering of an aggregate principal amount of up to $250,000,000 of the Company’s 3.25% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “Securities”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a securityholder of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during a period of 90 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 (the “Common Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”) or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, with respect to those stock options that expire on or prior to November 19, 2006, after 30 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement have elapsed, the undersigned may exercise such stock options and sell shares of Common Stock of the Company sufficient to pay the strike price and the income taxes associated with the exercise of such stock options without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch.

     The aggregate amount of Lock-Up Securities transferred by all of the securityholders of the Company pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall not exceed 267,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company.

     The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

     This Lock-Up Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Exhibit B

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

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

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

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

     (iv) The authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Prospectus and the capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description in the Prospectus; the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company; the shares of Company common stock initially issuable upon conversion of the Securities being delivered on the date hereof (the “Conversion Shares”) have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon such conversion and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and the Indenture, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable.

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

     (vi) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

     (vii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is

subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

     (viii) The Securities are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized by the Company and, assuming that the Securities have been duly authenticated by the Trustee (which fact such counsel need not determine by an inspection of the Securities) and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Securities have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company and constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

     (ix) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.

     (x) The Securities and the Indenture conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus.

     (xi) The Registration Statement has been become effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing of each prospectus relating to the Securities (including the Prospectus) pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reference to Rule 424(b)(8)); any required filing of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433(d); and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission.

     (xii) The Registration Statement, including without limitation the Rule 430B Information, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of their respective effective or issue dates (including without limitation each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations), other than the documents incorporated by reference therein, the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 (the “Form T-1”), as to which we need express no opinion, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (xiii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

     (xiv) To our knowledge, other than as contemplated in the Prospectus, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any subsidiary is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.

     (xv) The information in the Prospectus under “Risk Factors,” “Capitalization,” “Description of Notes,” and “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations,” and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, to the extent that it constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company’s charter and bylaws or legal proceedings, has been reviewed by us and is accurate in all material respects.

     (xvi) To our knowledge, there are no franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference thereto.

     (xvii) To our knowledge, as of December 25, 2005, the Company owned 158, and co-owned one, issued U.S. Patents (the “U.S. Patents”) and had 79 pending U.S. Applications (the “U.S. Applications”); and such counsel knows of no claims of third parties or liens with respect to the Company’s ownership interest in any of the U.S. Patents or U.S. Applications.

     (xviii) To our knowledge, as of December 25, 2005, the Company owned 48 issued foreign patents (the “Non-U.S. Patents”) and had 24 pending foreign patent applications (the “Non-U.S. Applications”); and such counsel knows of no claims of third parties or liens with respect to the Company’s ownership interest in any of the Non-U.S. Patents or Non-U.S. Applications.

     (xix) To our knowledge, the Company or the Company’s customers own or possess sufficient rights to valid patents, patent applications, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights necessary to the conduct of its disk drive suspension business as now or proposed to be conducted by the Company as described in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

     (xx) To our knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by governmental authorities or others that the Company is infringing or otherwise violating any patents or trade secrets.

     (xxi) We are not aware of any material defects of form in the preparation or filing of the U.S. Applications and Non-U.S. Applications on behalf of the Company; the U.S. Applications and Non-U.S. Applications are being diligently pursued by the Company; and such counsel is not aware of any pending or threatened actions, suits, proceedings or claims by governmental authorities or others challenging the validity of the U.S. Patents or Non-U.S. Patents.

     (xxii) We are not aware of any infringement on the part of any third party of the U.S. Patents or Non-U.S. Patents, trade secrets, know-how or other proprietary rights of the Company.

     (xxiii) To our knowledge, there are no contracts or other documents relating to the Company’s intellectual property of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s filings with the Commission or required to be described in the Company’s filings with the Commission that are not filed or described as required.

     (xxiv) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various states and except for the qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or the due

execution, delivery or performance of the Indenture by the Company or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities.

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

     (xxvi) The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the 1940 Act.

     Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Original Registration Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; that the Registration Statement, including the Rule 430B Information (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need make no statement), at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In addition, nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the General Disclosure Package, other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need make no statement, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. With respect to statements contained in the

General Disclosure Package, any statement contained in any of the constituent documents shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that any information contained in subsequent constituent documents modifies or replaces such statement.

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