VOTING AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 99.1
VOTING AGREEMENT
APPENDIX E
VOTING AGREEMENT, dated as of September 6, 2001 (this “Agreement”), among those shareholders of Cartesian Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) listed on Exhibit A hereto (each, a “Shareholder” and, collectively, the “Shareholders”), Genomic Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Cartesian Acquiring Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“CAP”) (with Genomic Solutions Inc., collectively “GNSL”).
WHEREAS, each Shareholder beneficially owns the Common Shares, no par value per share, of the Company (“Company Common Shares”) set forth opposite such Shareholder’s name on Exhibit A hereto (all such Company Common Shares, together with any other shares of the Company which any Shareholder hereinafter acquires, are referred to as the “Subject Shares”);
WHEREAS, GNSL, CAP, the Company and the Shareholders are, simultaneously with the execution hereof, entering into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of the date hereof (the “Merger Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has adopted the Merger Agreement, approved the transactions contemplated thereby, and recommended to the shareholders of the Company the merger of the Company with and into CAP, pursuant to the Merger Agreement substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto (the “Merger”);
WHEREAS, the Shareholders and GNSL desire to enter into this Agreement to provide for, among other things, the obligation of the Shareholders to vote their respective Subject Shares to adopt the Merger Agreement and approve the transactions contemplated thereby;
WHEREAS, each Shareholder acknowledges that GNSL is entering into the Merger Agreement in reliance on the representations, warranties, covenants and other agreements of the Shareholders set forth in this Agreement; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Covenants of the Shareholders.
(a) Voting of the Company Stock. Until the termination of this Agreement, each Shareholder shall do the following:
(1) be present, in person or represented by proxy, at each meeting (whether annual or special, and whether or not an adjourned or postponed meeting) of the shareholders of the Company, or any class thereof, however called, or in connection with any written consent of the shareholders of the Company, so that all the Subject Shares then entitled to vote may be counted for the purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at such meetings or in connection with such consent; and | |
(2) at each such meeting held and with respect to each such written consent, vote (or cause to be voted), or deliver a written consent (or cause a consent to be delivered) covering, all the Subject Shares held by such Shareholder (i) to adopt the Merger Agreement and to approve the transactions contemplated thereby, and any action necessary or desirable in furtherance thereof, (ii) against any proposal for any recapitalization, amalgamation, merger, sale of assets or other business combination of or by the Company other than the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, or any other action or agreement that would in any such case result in a breach of any covenant, representation or warranty or any other obligation or agreement of the Company under the Merger Agreement or that would result in any of the conditions to the obligations of the Company under the Merger Agreement not being fulfilled, (iii) to adopt the Merger Plan (as set forth in the Merger Agreement), and (iv) to approve the Merger, and any action necessary or desirable in the furtherance thereof. |
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way preclude or in any manner restrict a Shareholder or a Shareholder’s designee who is serving on the Company’s Board of Directors from discharging that Shareholder’s
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(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Until the termination of this Agreement, each Shareholder shall not enter into any voting agreement or grant a proxy or power of attorney with respect to the Subject Shares which is inconsistent with this Agreement.
(c) Review of Merger Agreement. Each Shareholder acknowledges receipt and review of a copy of the Merger Agreement.
(d) Transfer.
(1) During the term of this Agreement, each Shareholder shall not transfer record ownership or beneficial ownership, or both, of any Subject Shares without the prior written consent of GNSL. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, each Shareholder shall be free to transfer record ownership or beneficial ownership, or both, of any Subject Shares to an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such Shareholder, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound by this Agreement with respect to such transferred Subject Shares. For elimination of doubt, any transfer or proposed transfer pursuant to the preceding sentence shall not be deemed an “Acquisition Proposal” for purposes of this Agreement. | |
(2) The certificates evidencing the Subject Shares shall bear the following legend reflecting the restrictions on the transfer of such securities contained in this Agreement: |
“The securities evidenced hereby are subject to the terms of that certain Voting Agreement, dated as of September 6, 2001, by and among Cartesian Acquiring Corporation, Genomic Solutions Inc., and certain investors identified therein, which includes certain voting agreements and restrictions on transfer. A copy of this Agreement has been filed with the Secretary of the Company and is available upon request.” |
As promptly as practicable after the date hereof, the Shareholders shall deliver all certificates representing any Subject Shares to the Company to enable the Company to place the foregoing legend on such certificates. | |
(3) For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “transfer” means a sale, an assignment, a grant, a transfer, a pledge, the creation of a lien or other disposition (including a Hedging Transaction) of any Subject Shares or any interest of any nature in any Subject Shares, including, without limitations, the “beneficial ownership” of such Subject Shares (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act). For purposes of this Agreement, a “Hedging Transaction” means any short sale (whether or not against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives any significant part of its value from the Subject Shares. |
(e) No Revocation. The voting agreements contained herein are coupled with an interest and may not be revoked, except by an amendment, modification or termination effected in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
Section 2. Additional Covenants of the Shareholders.
(a) Acquisition Proposal. Each Shareholder shall not, and shall cause its affiliates (other than the Company), the officers and directors of it and such affiliates, and its and such affiliate’s employees, agents and representatives (including any investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by it or any of such Affiliates) not to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit, encourage or knowingly facilitate (including by way of furnishing information) any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer with respect to a merger, amalgamation, reorganization, share exchange, consolidation, business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company, or any purchase or sale of 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company, taken as a whole, or any purchase or sale of, or tender or exchange
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Section 3. Representations and Warranties of the Shareholders. Each Shareholder severally represents and warrants to GNSL as follows:
(a) Authority. If such Shareholder is an individual, such Shareholder has full legal capacity and authority to enter into this Agreement and all instruments, documents and agreements contemplated hereby to be executed by or on behalf of such Shareholder and to carry out such Shareholder’s obligations hereunder. This Agreement and all instruments, documents and agreements contemplated hereby to be executed by or on behalf of such Shareholder have been or will be at the Closing duly executed and delivered by such Shareholder and constitute, or will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Shareholder, enforceable against such Shareholder, except to the extent enforceability is limited by applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws from time to time in effect and subject to general principles of equity and judicial discretion.
(b) Existence and Power. If such Shareholder is not an individual, that such Shareholder is a validly existing company, duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. It has all requisite company power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement.
(c) No Conflicts; Approvals. Neither the execution, delivery and performance by such Shareholder of this Agreement, nor the consummation by such Shareholder of the transactions contemplated hereby, will (a) violate, conflict with or result in a breach of any agreement, contract or other instrument to which such Shareholder is a party, (b) violate or conflict with any order, decree, law, rule or regulation applicable to such Shareholder or by which any property or asset of such Shareholder is bound, or (c) require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, action by, filing with, or notification to, any federal, state, municipal, foreign or other court or governmental body or agency, or any other regulatory body or Person by such Shareholder.
(d) Authorization; Contravention. If such Shareholder is not an individual, that the execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the performance by it of its obligations hereunder have (1) been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and (2) do not and will not conflict with or result in a violation of, (A) any provision of its certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or similar organizational document, or (B) any loan or credit agreement, note, mortgage, bond, indenture, lease, benefit plan or other agreement, obligation, instrument, permit, concession, franchise, license, judgment, order, decree, statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to it, the Subject Shares or any of its other properties or assets.
(e) Binding Effect. If such Shareholder is not an individual, this Agreement constitutes, or when executed and delivered by it will constitute, a valid and binding obligation of it, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, by general equity principles, (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) or by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(f) Ownership. Such Shareholder is the record owner or beneficial owner of the Subject Shares listed beside its name in Exhibit A, free and clear of all liens, security interests, claims, pledges, options, rights of first refusal, limitations on voting rights, charges and other encumbrances of any nature whatsoever except as contemplated by the Merger Agreement or any Transaction Documents set forth therein. As of the date of this Agreement, it does not own beneficially or of record any equity securities of the Company other than the
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(g) Litigation. There is no action, suit, investigation, complaint or other proceeding pending against such Shareholder or, to its knowledge, threatened against it or any other Person that restricts in any material respect or prohibits (or, if successful, would restrict or prohibit) the exercise by such Shareholder or its beneficiary of such Shareholder’s rights hereunder or the performance by such Shareholder of its obligations hereunder.
Section 4. Miscellaneous Provisions.
(a) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (1) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, or by telecopy or telefacsimile, upon confirmation of receipt, (2) on the first business day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next-day courier service, or (3) on the seventh business day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be given to GNSL at its address stated in the Merger Agreement and all notices to each of the Shareholders shall be given at its address in the register of shareholders of the Company, or, in each case, at any other address as the party may specify for this purpose by notice to the other parties.
(b) No Waivers; Remedies; Specific Performance.
(1) No failure or delay by GNSL in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of the right, power or privilege. A single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege shall not preclude any other or further exercise of the right, power or privilege or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. | |
(2) In view of the uniqueness of the agreements contained in this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and the fact that GNSL would not have an adequate remedy at law for money damages in the event that any obligation under this Agreement is not performed in accordance with its terms, each of the Shareholders therefore agrees that GNSL shall be entitled to specific enforcement of the terms of this Agreement (without the showing of special, imminent or irreparable damages and without any obligation to post bond or other security or surety) in addition to any other remedy to which GNSL may be entitled, at law or in equity, and if GNSL shall institute any action or proceeding to enforce the provisions hereof, the Shareholders hereby waive the claim or defense that GNSL has an adequate remedy at law. |
(c) Amendment, Etc. No amendment, modification, termination, or waiver of any provision of any this Agreement, and no consent to any departure by any party hereto or GNSL from any provision of this Agreement, shall be effective unless it shall be in writing and signed and delivered by all the Shareholders and GNSL.
(d) Successors and Assigns; Third Party Beneficiaries.
(1) No party shall assign any of its rights or delegate any of its obligations under this Agreement. Any assignment or delegation in contravention of this Section 4(d) shall be void ab initio and shall not relieve the assigning or delegating party of any obligation under this Agreement. | |
(2) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted heirs, executors, legal representatives, successors and assigns, and no other person shall be entitled to enforce its rights hereunder directly. |
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(e) Scope. References in this Agreement to the Merger Agreement shall not be deemed to include any amendments to the Merger Agreement, unless the parties hereto have agreed in writing to such inclusion.
(f) Governing Law. This Agreement and all rights, remedies, liabilities, powers and duties of the parties hereto, shall be governed in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
(g) Severability of Provisions. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any law or public policy, all other terms and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.
(h) Headings and References. Article and section headings herein are included for the convenience of reference only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose. References to parties, express beneficiaries, articles and sections in this Agreement are references to parties to or the express beneficiaries and sections of this Agreement, unless the context shall require otherwise. Any of the terms defined in this Agreement may, unless the context otherwise requires, be used in the singular or the plural, depending on the reference. The use in this Agreement of the word “include” or “including,” when following any general statement, term or matter, shall not be construed to limit such statement, term, or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not nonlimiting language (such as “without limitation” or “but not limited to” or words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term or matter.
(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding of the Shareholders and GNSL, and supersedes all prior agreements or understandings, with respect to the subject matters of this Agreement.
(j) Survival. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, each representation, warranty and covenant of a party contained herein shall remain in full force and effect, notwithstanding any investigation or notice to the contrary or any waiver by any other party or beneficiary of a related condition precedent to the performance by the other party or beneficiary of an obligation under this Agreement. No representation, warranty or covenant shall survive termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 4(l) below; provided, however, if any party has made a written claim for breach prior to the expiration of any applicable survival period, then in such case the breaching party shall remain liable for any losses resulting from, arising out of or related to the asserted breach.
(k) Arbitration. In the event of any dispute or controversy arising out of, or relating to, this Agreement, the parties agree to submit such dispute or controversy to binding arbitration. The sole arbitrator shall be selected from the list (the “List”) of arbitrators supplied by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) following written request by any party. If the parties to such dispute cannot agree upon an arbitrator within thirty (30) days following receipt of the List by all parties to such arbitration, then any party to the dispute may request, in writing, that AAA appoint an arbitrator within ten (10) days following receipt of such request (the “Arbitrator”). The arbitration shall take place in Orange County, California, if the defendant is any of the Shareholders, or Ann Arbor, Michigan, if the defendant is GNSL, at a place mutually agreeable to the parties or if no such agreement is reached within ten (10) days following notice from the Arbitrator, at a place determined by the Arbitrator. Such arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of AAA then in effect. The parties agree that all actions or proceedings arising in connection with this Agreement shall be arbitrated exclusively in Orange County, California, if the defendant is any of the Shareholders, or Ann Arbor, Michigan, if the defendant is GNSL. The aforementioned choice of venue is intended by the parties to be mandatory and not permissive in nature, thereby precluding the possibility of litigation between the parties with respect to or arising out of this Agreement in any jurisdiction other than
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(l) Termination. Unless terminated earlier by mutual agreement of the parties, this Agreement shall terminate upon the first to occur of (i) consummation of the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement or (ii) the termination of the Merger Agreement pursuant to its terms or (iii) January 31, 2002.
(m) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if all signatures were on the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Voting Agreement as of the date first written above.
GNSL: |
|
GENOMIC SOLUTIONS INC. |
By: |
/s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX ____________________________________________________________ |
Its: President & Chief Executive Officer ____________________________________________________________ |
CARTESIAN ACQUIRING CORPORATION |
By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX ____________________________________________________________ |
Its: President ____________________________________________________________ |
SHAREHOLDERS: |
|
S&S BETEILIGUNGS GmbH |
By: |
/s/ XXXXXX SPRECT ____________________________________________________________ |
Its: President ____________________________________________________________ |
/s/ XXXXXX XXXXXX |
____________________________________________________________ | |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, PhD |
XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXXX |
____________________________________________________________ | |
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx |
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Number of | ||||
Shareholders | Shares Owned | |||
S&S BETEILIGUNGS GmbH
|
473,841 | |||
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, PhD
|
425,720 | |||
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
316,560 |
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