CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of October 27, 2006 Among ICO, INC., BAYSHORE INDUSTRIAL, L.P. and ICO POLYMERS NORTH AMERICA, INC., as Borrowers, KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AND THE OTHER LENDING INSTITUTIONS NAMED...
dated
as of
October
27, 2006
Among
ICO,
INC.,
BAYSHORE
INDUSTRIAL, L.P. and
ICO
POLYMERS NORTH AMERICA, INC.,
as
Borrowers,
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
XXXXX
FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
AND
THE OTHER LENDING INSTITUTIONS NAMED HEREIN,
as
Lenders,
and
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
an LC Issuer, Lead Arranger, Bookrunner,
Administrative
Agent and Syndication Agent
$30,000,000
Revolving Facility
$15,000,000
Term Facility
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
|
||
ARTICLE
I.
|
DEFINITIONS
AND TERMS
|
1
|
Section
1.01
|
Certain
Defined Terms
|
1
|
|
Section
1.02
|
Computation
of Time Periods
|
24
|
|
Section
1.03
|
Accounting
Terms
|
24
|
|
Section
1.04
|
Terms
Generally
|
25
|
|
Section
1.05
|
Borrower
Representative
|
25
|
ARTICLE
II.
|
THE
TERMS OF THE CREDIT FACILITY
|
25
|
Section
2.01
|
Establishment
of the Credit Facility
|
25
|
|
Section
2.02
|
Revolving
Facility
|
25
|
|
Section
2.03
|
Term
Loan
|
26
|
|
Section
2.04
|
[Reserved]
|
26
|
|
Section
2.05
|
Letters
of Credit
|
26
|
|
Section
2.06
|
Notice
of Borrowing
|
30
|
|
Section
2.07
|
Funding
Obligations; Disbursement of Funds
|
31
|
|
Section
2.08
|
Evidence
of Obligations
|
32
|
|
Section
2.09
|
Interest;
Default Rate
|
32
|
|
Section
2.10
|
Conversion
and Continuation of Loans
|
33
|
|
Section
2.11
|
Fees
|
34
|
|
Section
2.12
|
Termination
and Reduction of Revolving Commitments
|
35
|
|
Section
2.13
|
Voluntary,
Scheduled and Mandatory Prepayments of Loans
|
36
|
|
Section
2.14
|
Method
and Place of Payment
|
37
|
|
Section
2.15
|
Joint
and Several Liability of the Borrowers
|
38
|
ARTICLE
III.
|
INCREASED
COSTS, ILLEGALITY AND TAXES
|
39
|
Section
3.01
|
Increased
Costs, Illegality, etc.
|
39
|
|
Section
3.02
|
Breakage
Compensation
|
40
|
|
Section
3.03
|
Net
Payments
|
41
|
|
Section
3.04
|
Increased
Costs to LC Issuers
|
42
|
|
Section
3.05
|
Change
of Lending office; Replacement of Lenders
|
43
|
ARTICLE
IV.
|
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
|
44
|
Section
4.01
|
Conditions
Precedent at Closing Date
|
44
|
|
Section
4.02
|
Conditions
Precedent to All Credit Events
|
47
|
ARTICLE
V.
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
47
|
-i-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
Section
5.01
|
Corporate
Status
|
47
|
|
Section
5.02
|
Power
and Authority
|
47
|
|
Section
5.03
|
No
Violation
|
48
|
|
Section
5.04
|
Governmental
Approvals
|
48
|
|
Section
5.05
|
Litigation
|
48
|
|
Section
5.06
|
Use
of Proceeds; Margin Regulations
|
48
|
|
Section
5.07
|
Financial
Statements
|
48
|
|
Section
5.08
|
Solvency
|
49
|
|
Section
5.09
|
No
Material Adverse Change
|
49
|
|
Section
5.10
|
Tax
Returns and Payments
|
49
|
|
Section
5.11
|
Title
to Properties, etc.
|
50
|
|
Section
5.12
|
Lawful
Operations, etc.
|
50
|
|
Section
5.13
|
Environmental
Matters
|
50
|
|
Section
5.14
|
Compliance
with ERISA
|
51
|
|
Section
5.15
|
Intellectual
Property, etc.
|
51
|
|
Section
5.16
|
Investment
Company Act, etc.
|
51
|
|
Section
5.17
|
Insurance
|
51
|
|
Section
5.18
|
Burdensome
Contracts; Labor Relations
|
51
|
|
Section
5.19
|
Security
Interests
|
52
|
|
Section
5.20
|
True
and Complete Disclosure
|
52
|
|
Section
5.21
|
Defaults
|
52
|
|
Section
5.22
|
Anti-Terrorism
Law Compliance
|
52
|
|
Section
5.23
|
Mexico
Subsidiary; ICO Minerals, Inc.; RE Holdings Entities
|
52
|
ARTICLE
VI.
|
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
|
53
|
Section
6.01
|
Reporting
Requirements
|
53
|
|
Section
6.02
|
Books,
Records and Inspections
|
56
|
|
Section
6.03
|
Insurance
|
56
|
|
Section
6.04
|
Payment
of Taxes and Claims
|
57
|
|
Section
6.05
|
Corporate
Franchises
|
57
|
|
Section
6.06
|
Good
Repair
|
57
|
|
Section
6.07
|
Compliance
with Statutes, etc.
|
57
|
|
Section
6.08
|
Compliance
with Environmental Laws
|
58
|
-ii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
Section
6.09
|
Certain
Subsidiaries to Join in Subsidiary Guaranty
|
58
|
|
Section
6.10
|
Additional
Security; Real Estate Matters; Further Assurances
|
59
|
|
Section
6.11
|
Fiscal
Years, Fiscal Quarters
|
61
|
|
Section
6.12
|
Senior
Debt
|
61
|
|
Section
6.13
|
Federal
Tax Liens
|
62
|
|
Section
6.14
|
ICO
Minerals
|
62
|
|
Section
6.15
|
Australian
Loan Defaults
|
62
|
ARTICLE
VII.
|
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
62
|
Section
7.01
|
Changes
in Business
|
62
|
|
Section
7.02
|
Consolidation,
Merger, Acquisitions, Asset Sales, etc.
|
62
|
|
Section
7.03
|
Liens
|
63
|
|
Section
7.04
|
Indebtedness
|
64
|
|
Section
7.05
|
Investments
and Guaranty Obligations
|
64
|
|
Section
7.06
|
Restricted
Payments
|
65
|
|
Section
7.07
|
Financial
Covenants
|
66
|
|
Section
7.08
|
Limitation
on Certain Restrictive Agreements
|
66
|
|
Section
7.09
|
Transactions
with Affiliates
|
67
|
|
Section
7.10
|
Plan
Terminations, Minimum Funding, etc.
|
67
|
|
Section
7.11
|
RE
Holdings Entities
|
67
|
|
Section
7.12
|
JPMorgan
Securities Account
|
67
|
|
Section
7.13
|
Anti-Terrorism
Laws
|
68
|
ARTICLE
VIII.
|
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT
|
68
|
Section
8.01
|
Events
of Default
|
68
|
|
Section
8.02
|
Remedies
|
70
|
|
Section
8.03
|
Application
of Certain Payments and Proceeds
|
70
|
ARTICLE
IX.
|
THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
|
71
|
Section
9.01
|
Appointment
|
71
|
|
Section
9.02
|
Delegation
of Duties
|
71
|
|
Section
9.03
|
Exculpatory
Provisions
|
71
|
|
Section
9.04
|
Reliance
by Administrative Agent
|
72
|
|
Section
9.05
|
Notice
of Default
|
72
|
|
Section
9.06
|
Non-Reliance
|
72
|
-iii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
Section
9.07
|
No
Reliance on Administrative Agent’s Customer Identification
Program
|
73
|
|
Section
9.08
|
USA
Patriot Act
|
73
|
|
Section
9.09
|
Indemnification
|
73
|
|
Section
9.10
|
The
Administrative Agent in Individual Capacity
|
74
|
|
Section
9.11
|
Successor
Administrative Agent
|
74
|
|
Section
9.12
|
Other
Agents
|
74
|
ARTICLE
X.
|
GUARANTY
|
75
|
Section
10.01
|
Guaranty
by the Borrowers
|
75
|
|
Section
10.02
|
Additional
Undertaking
|
75
|
|
Section
10.03
|
Guaranty
Unconditional
|
75
|
|
Section
10.04
|
Borrowers
Obligations to Remain in Effect; Restoration
|
76
|
|
Section
10.05
|
Waiver
of Acceptance, etc.
|
76
|
|
Section
10.06
|
Subrogation
|
76
|
|
Section
10.07
|
Effect
of Stay
|
76
|
ARTICLE
XI.
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
77
|
Section
11.01
|
Payment
of Expenses etc.
|
77
|
|
Section
11.02
|
Indemnification
|
77
|
|
Section
11.03
|
Right
of Setoff
|
78
|
|
Section
11.04
|
Equalization
|
78
|
|
Section
11.05
|
Notices
|
78
|
|
Section
11.06
|
Successors
and Assigns
|
79
|
|
Section
11.07
|
No
Waiver; Remedies Cumulative
|
82
|
|
Section
11.08
|
Governing
Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury
Trial
|
82
|
|
Section
11.09
|
Counterparts
|
83
|
|
Section
11.10
|
Integration
|
83
|
|
Section
11.11
|
Headings
Descriptive
|
83
|
|
Section
11.12
|
Amendment
or Waiver
|
83
|
|
Section
11.13
|
Survival
of Indemnities
|
85
|
|
Section
11.14
|
Domicile
of Loans
|
85
|
|
Section
11.15
|
Confidentiality
|
85
|
|
Section
11.16
|
Limitations
on Liability of the LC Issuers
|
85
|
-iv-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
Section
11.17
|
General
Limitation of Liability
|
86
|
|
Section
11.18
|
No
Duty
|
86
|
|
Section
11.19
|
Lenders
and Agent Not Fiduciary to Borrowers, etc.
|
86
|
|
Section
11.20
|
Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
86
|
|
Section
11.21
|
Severability
|
87
|
|
Section
11.22
|
Independence
of covenants
|
87
|
|
Section
11.23
|
Interest
Rate Limitation
|
87
|
|
Section
11.24
|
USA
Patriot Act
|
87
|
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A-1
|
Form
of Revolving Facility Note
|
Exhibit
A-2
|
Form
of Term Note
|
Exhibit
B-1
|
Form
of Notice of Borrowing
|
Exhibit
B-2
|
Form
of Notice of Continuation or Conversion
|
Exhibit
B-3
|
Form
of LC Request
|
Exhibit
C-1
|
form
of Subsidiary Guaranty
|
Exhibit
C-2
|
Form
of Security Agreement
|
Exhibit
D
|
Form
of Compliance Certificate
|
Exhibit
E
|
Form
of Closing Certificate
|
Exhibit
F
|
Form
of Solvency Certificate
|
Exhibit
G
|
Form
of Assignment Agreement
|
Exhibit
H
|
Form
of Mortgage
|
-v
-
THIS
CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of October 27, 2006, among the
following:
(i) ICO,
INC., a Texas corporation (“ICO”),
BAYSHORE INDUSTRIAL, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (“Bayshore”),
and
ICO POLYMERS NORTH AMERICA, INC., a New Jersey corporation (“ICO
Polymers,”
and
together with ICO and Bayshore, the “Borrowers”
and
individually, each a “Borrower”);
(ii) KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, and the other lending institutions
from time to time party hereto (each a “Lender”
and
collectively, the “Lenders”);
and
(iii) KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as an LC Issuer, lead
arranger, bookrunner, and administrative agent (in such capacity as
administrative agent, the “Administrative
Agent”).
RECITALS:
(1) The
Borrowers have requested that the Lenders and each LC Issuer extend credit
to
the Borrowers to refinance existing senior debt facilities, finance the
Preferred Stock Transaction and provide working capital and funds for other
general corporate purposes permitted pursuant to this Agreement.
(2) Subject
to and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lenders and each
LC
Issuer are willing to extend credit and make available to the Borrowers the
credit facility provided for herein for the foregoing purposes.
AGREEMENT:
In
consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I.
DEFINITIONS
AND TERMS
Section
1.01 Certain
Defined Terms.
As used
herein, the following terms shall have the meanings herein specified unless
the
context otherwise requires:
“Accounts”
means
any present or future right to payment for goods sold or leased or for services
rendered, whether now existing or hereafter arising and whether or not earned
by
performance.
“Acquisition”
means
any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or
resulting, directly or indirectly, in (i) the acquisition of all or
substantially all of the assets of any Person, or any business or division
of
any Person, (ii) the acquisition or ownership of in excess of 50% of the Equity
Interest of any Person, or (iii) the acquisition of another Person by a merger,
consolidation, amalgamation or any other combination with such Person.
“Additional
Security Document”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 6.10(a).
“Adjusted
December Tax Payment”
means,
(i) for the four fiscal quarter period ending March 31, 2007, an amount equal
to
25% of the December Tax Payment, (ii) for the four fiscal quarter period ending
June 30, 2007, an amount equal to 50% of the December Tax Payment, and (iii)
for
the four fiscal quarter period ending September 30, 2007, an amount equal to
75%
of the December Tax Payment.
“Adjusted
Eurodollar Rate”
means
with respect to each Interest Period for a Eurodollar Loan, (i) the rate
per annum equal to the offered rate appearing on the applicable electronic
page
of Reuters (or on the appropriate page of any successor to or substitute for
such service, or, if such rate is not available, on the appropriate page of
any
generally recognized financial information service, as selected by the
Administrative Agent from time to time) that displays an average British Bankers
Association Interest Settlement Rate at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time)
two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for
deposits in Dollars with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period, divided
(and rounded to the nearest 1/16th of 1%) by (ii) a percentage equal to 100%
minus
the then
stated maximum rate of all reserve requirements (including, without limitation,
any marginal, emergency, supplemental, special or other reserves and without
benefit of credits for proration, exceptions or offsets that may be available
from time to time) applicable to any member bank of the Federal Reserve System
in respect of Eurocurrency liabilities as defined in Regulation D (or any
successor category of liabilities under Regulation D); provided,
however,
that if
the rate referred to in clause (i) above is not available at any such time
for
any reason, then the rate referred to in clause (i) shall instead be the
interest rate per annum, as determined by the Administrative Agent, to be the
average (rounded to the nearest 1/16th of 1%) of the rates per annum at which
deposits in Dollars in an amount equal to the amount of such Eurodollar Loan
are
offered to major banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00
A.M. (London time), two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period, for contracts that would be entered into at the commencement of such
Interest Period for the same duration as such Interest Period.
“Administrative
Agent”
has
the
meaning provided in the first paragraph of this Agreement and includes any
successor to the Administrative Agent appoint pursuant to Section
9.11.
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with such Person,
or,
in the case of any Lender that is an investment fund, the investment advisor
thereof and any investment fund having the same investment advisor. A Person
shall be deemed to control a second Person if such first Person possesses,
directly or indirectly, the power (i) to vote 10% or more of the securities
having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or managers of such
second Person or (ii) to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of such second Person, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither
the
Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall in any event be considered an
Affiliate of any Borrower or any Borrower’s Subsidiaries.
“Aggregate
Credit Facility Exposure”
means,
at any time, the sum of (i) the Aggregate Revolving Facility Exposure at such
time and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans outstanding
at
such time.
“Aggregate
Revolving Facility Exposure”
means,
at any time, the sum of (i) the principal amounts of all Revolving Loans made
by
all Lenders and outstanding at such time and (ii) the aggregate amount of the
LC
Outstandings at such time.
“Agreement”
means
this Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified.
“Allocable
Amount”
means,
as of any date of determination, for any Borrower, the maximum
2
amount
of
liability that could be asserted against such Borrower under this Agreement
with
respect to the applicable Borrower Payment without (a) rendering such
Borrower “insolvent” within the meaning of Section 101(31) of the Bankruptcy
Code or Section 2 of either the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (as in effect
in
any applicable State, the “UFTA”)
or the
Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act (as in effect in any applicable State, the
“UFCA”),
(ii) leaving such Borrower with unreasonably small capital, within the
meaning of Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or Section 4 of the UFTA or
Section 5 of the UFCA, or (iii) leaving such Borrower unable to pay its
debts as they become due within the meaning of Section 548 of the Bankruptcy
Code or Section 4 of the UFTA or Section 6 of the UFCA.
“Anti-Terrorism
Law”
means
the USA Patriot Act or any other law pertaining to the prevention of future
acts
of terrorism, in each case as such law may be amended from time to
time.
“Applicable
Lending Office”
means,
with respect to each Lender, the office designated by such Lender to the
Administrative Agent as such Lender’s lending office for all purposes of this
Agreement. A lender may have a different Applicable Lending Office for Base
Rate
Loans and Eurodollar Loans.
“Applicable
Margin”
means:
(i) Initially,
until changed hereunder in accordance with the following provisions, the
Applicable Margin shall be (A) 0.0 basis points for Base Rate Loans, and (B)
150.0 basis points for Eurodollar Loans;
(ii) Commencing
with the fiscal quarter of the Borrowers ended on December 31, 2006, and
continuing with each fiscal quarter thereafter, the Administrative Agent shall
determine the Applicable Margin in accordance with the following matrix, based
on the Leverage Ratio:
Leverage
Ratio
|
Applicable
Margin for Base Rate Loans
|
Applicable
Margin for Eurodollar Loans
|
Less
than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00
|
0.0
basis points
|
125.0
basis points
|
Greater
than 1.50 to 1.00 but less than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00
|
0.0
basis points
|
150.0
basis points
|
Greater
than 2.50 to 1.00
|
25.0
basis points
|
200.0
basis points
|
(iii) Changes
in the Applicable Margin based upon changes in the Leverage Ratio shall become
effective on the first day of the month following each Financial Statement
Due
Date based upon the Leverage Ratio in effect at the end of the applicable period
covered (in whole or in part) by the financial statements to be delivered by
the
applicable Financial Statement Due Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions, during any period when
(A)
the
Borrower Representative has failed to timely deliver the consolidated financial
statements referred to in Section 6.01(a) or (b), accompanied by the certificate
and calculations referred to in Section 6.01(c) or
(B)
a
Default under Section 8.01(a) has occurred and is continuing, the Applicable
Margin shall be the highest rate per annum indicated therefor in the above
matrix, regardless of the Leverage Ratio at such time. Upon the remedy or cure
of any such failure or Default, the Applicable Margin shall be adjusted as
of
the date of such remedy or cure based on the then applicable Leverage Ratio.
Any
changes in the Applicable Margin shall be determined by the Administrative
Agent
in accordance with the provisions set forth in this definition and the
Administrative Agent will promptly provide notice of such determinations to
the
Borrower Representative and the
3
Lenders.
Any such determination by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive and
binding absent manifest error.
“Approved
Bank”
has
the
meaning provided in subpart (ii) of the definition of “Cash
Equivalents.”
“Approved
Fund”
means
a
fund that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing
in
bank loans and similar extensions of credit and that is administered or managed
by a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.
“Asset
Coverage Ratio”
means
at any time the ratio of (i) the sum of (A) Domestic Cash, (B) Domestic Accounts
Receivable and (C) Domestic Inventory to (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Facility
Exposure.
“Asset
Sale”
means
the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition (including by means of Sale
and
Lease-Back Transactions, and by means of mergers, consolidations, amalgamations
and liquidations of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company
of
the interests therein of any Borrower or any Subsidiary) by any Borrower or
any
Subsidiary to any Person of any of such Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s
respective assets, provided
that the
term Asset Sale specifically excludes (i) any sales, transfers or other
dispositions of inventory, or obsolete, worn-out or excess furniture, fixtures,
equipment or other property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, in each
case in the ordinary course of business, and (ii) the actual or constructive
total loss of any property or the use thereof resulting from any Event of
Loss.
“Assignment
Agreement”
means
an Assignment Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G
hereto.
“Australian
Lender”
means
National Australia Bank Ltd.
“Australian
Loan Defaults”
means
violations of the capital adequacy ratio and financial charges coverage ratio
covenants measured as of the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2006 by the
Australian Subsidiary in connection with certain loan agreements by and between
the Australian Subsidiary and the Australian Lender.
“Australian
Subsidiary”
means
Courtenay Polymers Pty. Ltd.
“Authorized
Officer”
means
(i) with respect to a Borrower or the Borrower Representative, any of the
following officers of such Borrower or the Borrower Representative, as
applicable: the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer or the
Treasurer; and (ii) with respect to any other Loan Party, the President, the
Chief Financial Officer or the Treasurer of such Loan Party, or such other
Person as is authorized in writing to act on behalf of such Loan Party and
is
acceptable to the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise qualified, all
references herein to an Authorized Officer shall refer to an Authorized Officer
of the Borrower Representative.
“Back-to-Back
Letter of Credit”
means
the Letter of Credit Number S312020 issued to Wachovia Bank, N.A. by KeyBank
National Association as an LC Issuer on the Closing Date in the face amount
of
$2,178,598.
“Bankruptcy
Code”
means
Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy,” as now or hereafter in
effect, or any successor thereto, as hereafter amended.
4
“Base
Rate”
means,
for any day, a fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from
time to time which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the greater
of
(i) the rate of interest established by KeyBank National Association, from
time
to time, as its “prime rate,” whether or not publicly announced, which interest
rate may or may not be the lowest rate charged by it for commercial loans or
other extensions of credit; or (ii) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect
from time to time, determined one Business Day in arrears, plus
1/2 of
1% per annum.
“Base
Rate Loan”
means
any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Base Rate in effect from
time
to time.
“Bayshore
RE Holdings”
means
Bayshore RE Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Benefited
Creditors”
means,
with respect to the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations pursuant to Article X,
each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, each LC Issuer and each
Designated Hedge Creditor, and the respective successors and assigns of each
of
the foregoing.
“Borrower”
and
“Borrowers”
have
the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“Borrower
Guaranteed Obligations”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 10.01.
“Borrower
Payment”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.15(b).
“Borrower
Representative”
means
ICO in its capacity as Borrower Representative pursuant to Section
1.5.
“Borrowing”
means
a
Revolving Borrowing or a Term Borrowing.
“Business
Day”
means
(i) any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial
banks in Cleveland, Ohio are authorized or required by law to close and (ii)
with respect to any matters relating to Eurodollar Loans, any day on which
dealings in U.S. Dollars are carried on in the London interbank
market.
“Capital
Distribution”
means
a
payment made, liability incurred or other consideration given for the purchase,
acquisition, repurchase, redemption or retirement of any Equity Interest of
any
Borrower or any Subsidiary or as a dividend, return of capital or other
distribution in respect of any of such Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s Equity
Interest.
“Capital
Lease”
as
applied to any Person means any lease of any property (whether real, personal
or
mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP, should be
accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that
Person.
“Capitalized
Lease Obligations”
means
all obligations under Capital Leases of the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries, without duplication, in each case taken at the amount thereof
accounted for as liabilities identified as “capital lease obligations” (or any
similar words) on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Cash
Dividend”
means
a
Capital Distribution of a Borrower payable in cash to the shareholders of such
Borrower with respect to any class or series of Equity Interest of such
Borrower.
“Cash
Equivalents”
means
any of the following:
5
(i) securities
issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of
America or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided
that the
full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support
thereof) having maturities of not more than one year from the date of
acquisition;
(ii) U.S.
dollar denominated time deposits, certificates of deposit and bankers’
acceptances of (x) any Lender, (y) any domestic commercial bank of recognized
standing having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 or (z) any bank
(or the parent company of such bank) whose short-term commercial paper rating
from S&P is at least X-0, X-0 or the equivalent thereof or from Xxxxx’x is
at least P-1, P-2 or the equivalent thereof (any such bank, an “Approved
Bank”),
in
each case with maturities of not more than 180 days from the date of
acquisition;
(iii) commercial
paper issued by any Lender or Approved Bank or by the parent company of any
Lender or Approved Bank and commercial paper issued by, or guaranteed by, any
industrial or financial company with a short-term commercial paper rating of
at
least A-1 or the equivalent thereof by S&P or at least P-1 or the equivalent
thereof by Moody’s, or guaranteed by any industrial company with a long-term
unsecured debt rating of at least A or A2, or the equivalent of each thereof,
from S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, and in each case maturing within
180 days after the date of acquisition;
(iv) fully
collateralized repurchase agreements entered into with any Lender or Approved
Bank having a term of not more than 30 days and covering securities described
in
clause (i) above;
(v) investments
in money market funds substantially all the assets of which are comprised of
securities of the types described in clauses (i) through (iv)
above;
(vi) investments
in money market funds access to which is provided as part of “sweep” accounts
maintained with a Lender or an Approved Bank;
(vii) investments
in industrial development revenue bonds that (A) “re-set” interest rates not
less frequently than quarterly, (B) are entitled to the benefit of a remarketing
arrangement with an established broker dealer, and (C) are supported by a direct
pay letter of credit covering principal and accrued interest that is issued
by
an Approved Bank; and
(viii) investments
in pooled funds or investment accounts consisting of investments of the nature
described in the foregoing clause (vii).
“Cash
Proceeds”
means,
with respect to (i) any Asset Sale, the aggregate cash payments (including
any
cash received by way of deferred payment pursuant to a note receivable issued
in
connection with such Asset Sale, other than the portion of such deferred payment
constituting interest, but only as and when so received) received by any
Borrower or any Subsidiary from such Asset Sale, and (ii) any Event of Loss,
the
aggregate cash payments, including all insurance proceeds and proceeds of any
award for condemnation or taking, received in connection with such Event of
Loss.
“CERCLA”
means
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980, as the same may be amended from time to time, 42 U.S.C. § 9601
et
seq.
“Change
of Control”
means
(i) the acquisition of, or, if earlier, the shareholder or director
approval of the acquisition of, ownership or voting control, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or of
6
record,
on or after the Closing Date, by any Person or group (within the meaning of
Rule
13d-3 of the SEC under the 1934 Act, as then in effect), of shares representing
more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary Voting Power represented by the issued
and outstanding capital stock of ICO; (ii) the occupation of a majority of
the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of ICO by Persons
who were neither (A) nominated by the Board of Directors of ICO nor
(B) appointed by directors so nominated; (iii) the occurrence of a change
in control, or other similar provision, under or with respect to any Material
Indebtedness Agreement; or (iv) the failure of ICO to own, directly or
indirectly, all of the outstanding Equity Interests of each other
Borrower.
“Charges”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 11.23.
“China
RE Holdings”
means
China RE Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“CIP
Regulations”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 9.07.
“Claims”
has
the
meaning set forth in the definition of “Environmental Claims.”
“Closing
Date”
means
October 27, 2006.
“Closing
Date Mortgaged Property”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 6.10(c).
“Closing
Fee Letter”
means
the Closing Fee Letter dated as of the Closing Date between the Borrowers and
the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders.
“Code”
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the
regulations promulgated and the rulings issued thereunder. Section references
to
the Code are to the Code as in effect at the Closing Date and any subsequent
provisions of the Code, amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or substituted
therefor.
“Collateral”
means
the “Collateral” as defined in the Security Agreement, together with any other
collateral (whether real property or personal property) covered by any Security
Document.
“Collateral
Assignments”
has
the
meaning specified in the Security Agreement.
“Commercial
Letter of Credit”
means
any letter of credit or similar instrument issued for the purpose of providing
the primary payment mechanism in connection with the purchase of materials,
goods or services in the ordinary course of business.
“Commitment”
means
with respect to each Lender, (i) its Revolving Commitment or (ii) its Term
Commitment, if any, or, in the case of such Lender, all of such
Commitments.
“Commitment
Fees”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.11(b).
“Commodities
Hedge Agreement”
means
a
commodities contract purchased by any Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary
course of business, and not for speculative purposes, with respect to raw
materials necessary to the manufacturing or production of goods in connection
with the business of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries.
“Compliance
Certificate”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 6.01(c).
“Confidential
Fee Letter”
means
the Confidential Fee Letter, dated September 28, 2006, between ICO and the
Administrative Agent.
7
“Confidential
Information”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 11.15(b).
“Consideration”
means,
in connection with an Acquisition, the aggregate consideration paid, including
borrowed funds, cash, the issuance of securities or notes, the assumption or
incurring of liabilities (direct or contingent), the payment of consulting
fees
(excluding any fees payable to any investment banker in connection with such
Acquisition) or fees for a covenant not to compete and any other consideration
paid for the purchase.
“Consolidated
Capital Expenditures”
means,
for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or
accrued as liabilities) made by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries to acquire
or lease (pursuant to a Capital Lease) fixed or capital assets, or additions
to
equipment (including replacements, capitalized repairs and improvements during
such period).
“Consolidated
Depreciation and Amortization Expense”
means,
for any period, all depreciation and amortization expenses of the Borrowers
and
their Subsidiaries, all as determined for the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries
on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
EBITDA”
means,
for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus
(i) the sum (without duplication) of the amounts for such period included
in determining such Consolidated Net Income of, (A) Consolidated Interest
Expense, (B) Consolidated Income Tax Expense, (C) Consolidated Depreciation
and
Amortization Expense, (D) non-cash losses and non-cash charges, (E) non-cash
expenses relating to stock option plans of ICO, and (F) any extraordinary and
non-recurring non-cash losses, less
(ii) the
sum (without duplication) of the amounts for such period included in determining
such Consolidated Net Income of, (A) credits received or earned in respect
of
taxes, (B) non-cash gains, (C) extraordinary and non-recurring non-cash gains
and (D) expenses relating to discontinued operations in an aggregate amount
not
exceeding $1,000,000 in any fiscal year, all as determined for the Borrowers
and
their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided,
however,
that
Consolidated EBITDA for any Testing Period shall (y) include the EBITDA for
any Person or business unit that has been acquired by the Borrowers or any
of
their Subsidiaries for any portion of such Testing Period prior to the date
of
acquisition, so long as such EBITDA has been verified by appropriate audited
financial statements or other financial statements acceptable to the
Administrative Agent and (z) exclude the EBITDA for any Person or business
unit
that has been disposed of by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, for
the
portion of such Testing Period prior to the date of disposition.
“Consolidated
Fixed Charges”
means,
for any period, as determined on a consolidated basis and in accordance with
GAAP, without duplication, the aggregate of (i) Consolidated Interest
Expense, (ii) Consolidated Income Tax Expense paid (excluding in the case
of each of the four fiscal quarter periods ending March 31, 2007, June 30,
2007
and September 30, 2007, the Adjusted December Tax Payment), (iii) scheduled
principal payments on Consolidated Funded Indebtedness due in the twelve months
preceding the measurement date (other than optional prepayments of the Revolving
Loans), (iv) Capital Distributions made by ICO in respect of its Equity
Interests, (v) Consolidated Capital Expenditures that are made for the
purpose of maintaining existing fixed assets, and (vi) Rental
Expense.
“Consolidated
Income Tax Expense”
means,
for any period, all provisions for taxes based on the net income of the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any
additions to such taxes, and any penalties and interest with respect thereto),
all as determined for the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Interest Expense”
means,
for any period, total interest expense (including, without limitation, that
which is capitalized and that which is attributable to Capital Leases or
Synthetic Leases)
8
of
the
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to all
outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means
for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries
on a consolidated basis for such period taken as a single accounting period
determined in conformity with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Net Working Capital”
means
current assets (excluding cash and Cash Equivalents), minus
current
liabilities, all as determined for the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on
a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth”
means
at any time, all amounts that, in conformity with GAAP, would be included under
the caption “total stockholders’ equity” (or any like caption) on a consolidated
balance sheet of the Borrowers at such time, adjusted to eliminate the effect
of
foreign currency translations after the Closing Date less
the
aggregate amount of intangible assets of the Borrowers and its Subsidiaries,
determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Total Debt”
shall
mean the sum (without duplication) of all Indebtedness of the Borrowers and
each
of their Subsidiaries, all as determined on a consolidated basis.
“Contemplated
Protective Life Loan”
means
the Indebtedness contemplated to be incurred by Bayshore RE Holdings, Inc.
with
Protective Life as the lender, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed
$1,400,000.
“Continue,”
“Continuation”
and
“Continued”
each
refers to a continuation of a Eurodollar Loan for an additional Interest Period
as provided in Section 2.10.
“Control
Agreements”
has
the
meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.
“Convert,”
“Conversion”
and
“Converted”
each
refers to a conversion of Loans of one Type into Loans of another
Type.
“Convertible
Exchangeable Preferred Stock”
means
ICO’s Convertible Exchangeable Preferred Stock, no par value.
“Credit
Event”
means
the making of any Borrowing, any Conversion or Continuation or any LC
Issuance.
“Credit
Facility”
means
the credit facility established under this Agreement pursuant to which
(i) the Lenders shall make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers and shall
participate in LC Issuances under the Revolving Facility pursuant to the
Revolving Commitment of each such Lender, (ii) each Lender with a Term
Commitment shall make a Term Loan to the Borrowers pursuant to such Term
Commitment of such Lender, and (iii) each LC Issuer shall issue Letters of
Credit for the account of the LC Obligors in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
“Credit
Facility Exposure”
means,
for any Lender at any time, the sum of (i) such Lender’s Revolving Facility
Exposure at such time, and (ii) the outstanding aggregate principal amount
of
the Term Loan made by such Lender, if any.
“December
Tax Payment”
means
an amount equal to the Consolidated Income Tax Expense actually paid in cash
for
the four fiscal quarter period ending December 31, 2006.
9
“Default”
means
any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would
constitute an Event of Default.
“Default
Rate”
means,
for any day, (i) with respect to any Loan, a rate per annum equal to 2% per
annum above the interest rate that is or would be applicable from time to time
to such Loan pursuant to Section 2.09(a)(i) or Section 2.09(b)(i), as applicable
and (ii) with respect to any other amount, a rate per annum equal to 2% per
annum above the rate that would be applicable to Revolving Loans that are Base
Rate Loans pursuant to section 2.09(a)(i).
“Designated
Hedge Agreement”
means
any Hedge Agreement (other than a Commodities Hedge Agreement) to which any
Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party and as to which a Lender or any of its
Affiliates is a counterparty, which Administrative Agent shall designate by
written instrument as a Designated Hedge Agreement so that such Borrower’s or
such Subsidiary’s counterparty’s credit exposure thereunder will be entitled to
share in the benefits of the Subsidiary Guaranty and the Security Documents
to
the extent the Subsidiary Guaranty and such Security Documents provide
guarantees or security for creditors of any Borrower or any Subsidiary under
Designated Hedge Agreements.
“Designated
Hedge Creditor”
means
each Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that participates as a counterparty to
any
Loan Party pursuant to any Designated Hedge Agreement with such Lender or
Affiliate of such Lender.
“Dollars,”
“U.S.
Dollars”
and
the
sign “$”
each
means lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic
Accounts Receivable”
means,
as of any date, the gross outstanding balance on such date, determined in
accordance with GAAP and stated on a basis consistent with the historical
practices of the Domestic Loan Parties as of the Closing Date, of Accounts
of
the Domestic Loan Parties, net of intercompany Accounts.
“Domestic
Cash”
means
the sum of (i) cash and (ii) Cash Equivalents, in each case to the extent
subject to a Control Agreement.
“Domestic
Inventory”
means,
as of any date, the aggregate value of the Inventory of the Domestic Loan
Parties, in each case to the extent such Inventory is located in the United
States.
“Domestic
Loan Party”
means
any Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor.
“Domestic
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the United States of America, any
State thereof, or the District of Columbia.
“EBITDA”
means,
with respect to any Person for any period, the net income for such Person for
such period plus
the sum
of the amounts for such period included in determining such net income in
respect of (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax expense, and (iii) depreciation
and amortization expense, in each case as determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“Eligible
Assignee”
means
(i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender, (iii) an Approved
Fund, and (iv) any other Person (other than a natural Person) approved by
(A) the Administrative Agent, (B) each LC Issuer, and (C) unless an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative
(each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed);
provided,
however,
that
notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible
Assignee”
shall
not include the Borrowers or any of their Affiliates or
Subsidiaries.
10
“Environmental
Claims”
means
any and all global, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand
letters, claims, liens, notices of non-compliance or violation, investigations
or proceedings relating in any way to any Environmental Law or any permit issued
under any such law (hereafter “Claims”),
including, without limitation, (i) any and all Claims by any Governmental
Authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions
or damages pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law, and (ii) any and all
Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost
recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from the storage,
treatment or Release (as defined in CERCLA) of any Hazardous Materials or
arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the
environment.
“Environmental
Law”
means
any applicable Federal, state, foreign or local statute, law, rule, regulation,
ordinance, code, binding and enforceable guideline, binding and enforceable
written policy and rule of common law now or hereafter in effect and in each
case as amended, and any binding and enforceable judicial or global
interpretation thereof, including any judicial or global order, consent, decree
or judgment issued to or rendered against any Borrower or any Subsidiary
relating to the environment, employee health and safety or Hazardous Materials,
including, without limitation, CERCLA; RCRA; the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et
seq.;
the
Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et
seq.;
the
Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f
et
seq.;
the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990, 33 U.S.C. § 2701 et
seq.;
the
Emergency Planning and the Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C.
§ 11001 et
seq.,
the
Hazardous Material Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 5101 et
seq.
and the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. § 651
et
seq.
(to the
extent it regulates occupational exposure to Hazardous Materials); and any
state
and local or foreign counterparts or equivalents, in each case as amended from
time to time.
“Equity
Interest”
means
with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or
other equivalents, including membership interests (however designated, whether
voting or non-voting) of equity of such Person, including, if such Person is
a
partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or any other
interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share
of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such partnership,
but in no event will Equity Interest include any debt securities convertible
or
exchangeable into equity unless and until actually converted or
exchanged.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to
time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder. Section
references to ERISA are to ERISA, as in effect at the Closing Date and any
subsequent provisions of ERISA, amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or
substituted therefor.
“ERISA
Affiliate”
means
each Person (as defined in Section 3(9) of ERISA), which together with a
Borrower or a Subsidiary, would be deemed to be a “single employer” (i) within
the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section
4001(a)(14) or 4001(b)(i) of ERISA or (ii) as a result of any Borrower or a
Subsidiary of any Borrower being or having been a general partner of such
Person.
“Eurodollar
Loan”
means
each Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Adjusted Eurodollar
Rate.
“Event
of Default”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 8.01.
“Event
of Loss”
means,
with respect to any property, (i) the actual or constructive total loss of
such
property or the use thereof, resulting from destruction, damage beyond repair,
or the rendition of such property permanently unfit for normal use from any
casualty or similar occurrence whatsoever, (ii) the destruction or damage of
a
portion of such property from any casualty or similar occurrence
11
whatsoever
under circumstances in which such damage cannot reasonably be expected to be
repaired, or such property cannot reasonably be expected to be restored to
its
condition immediately prior to such destruction or damage, within 90 days after
the occurrence of such destruction or damage, (iii) the condemnation,
confiscation or seizure of, or requisition of title to or use of, any property,
or (iv) in the case of any property located upon a leasehold, the termination
or
expiration of such leasehold.
“Existing
Credit Agreement”
means
the Loan and Security Agreement, dated April 9, 2002, by and among Bayshore
and
ICO Polymers, as borrowers, and ICO, ICO Polymers, Inc., Wedco Technology,
Inc.,
Wedco Petrochemicals, Inc., ICO Technology, Inc. and Bayshore Industrial LP
L.L.C., as guarantors, and ICO P&O, ICO Global Services, Inc., and as a
lender, Wachovia Bank, National Association (successor by merger to Congress
Financial Corporation (Southwest)), as amended.
“Federal
Funds Effective Rate”
means,
for any period, a fluctuating interest rate equal for each day during such
period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal Funds
transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal
Funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business
Day,
for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,
or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the
average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the
Administrative Agent from three Federal Funds brokers of recognized standing
selected by the Administrative Agent.
“Fees”
means
all amounts payable pursuant to, or referred to in, Section 2.11.
“Financial
Statement Due Date”
means
each date by which annual or quarterly financial statements are required to
be
delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), as the case may be.
“Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio”
means,
for any Testing Period, the ratio of (i) the sum of (A) Consolidated EBITDA
and
(B) Rental Expense to (ii) Consolidated Fixed Charges.
“Foreign
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as
in
effect from time to time.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof,
any
agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, global tribunal,
central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial,
taxing, regulatory or global powers or functions of or pertaining to
government.
“Guaranty
Obligations”
means
as to any Person (without duplication) any obligation of such Person
guaranteeing any Indebtedness (“primary
Indebtedness”)
of any
other Person (the “primary
obligor”)
in any
manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any
obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such
primary Indebtedness or any property constituting direct or indirect security
therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of any
such primary Indebtedness or to maintain working capital or equity capital
of
the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the
primary obligor, (iii) to purchase property, securities or services primarily
for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary Indebtedness of the
ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary Indebtedness,
or
(iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of such primary
Indebtedness against loss in respect thereof, provided,
however,
that
the definition of Guaranty Obligation shall not include endorsements of
instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business. The
amount of any Guaranty Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount equal to
the
stated or determinable amount of the primary
12
Indebtedness
in respect of which such Guaranty Obligation is made or, if not stated or
determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof
(assuming such Person is required to perform thereunder).
“Hazardous
Materials”
means
(i) any petrochemical or petroleum products, radioactive materials, asbestos
in
any form that is or could become friable, urea formaldehyde foam insulation,
transformers or other equipment that contain dielectric fluid containing levels
of polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas; and (ii) any chemicals, materials
or substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous
substances,” “hazardous wastes,” “hazardous materials,” “restricted hazardous
materials,” “extremely hazardous wastes,” “restrictive hazardous wastes,” “toxic
substances,” “toxic pollutants,” “contaminants” or “pollutants,” or words of
similar meaning and regulatory effect, under any applicable Environmental
Law.
“Hedge
Agreement”
means
(i) any interest rate swap agreement, any interest rate cap agreement, any
interest rate collar agreement or other similar interest rate management
agreement or arrangement, (ii) any currency swap or option agreement,
foreign exchange contract, forward currency purchase agreement or similar
currency management agreement or arrangement or (iii) any Commodities Hedge
Agreement.
“ICO”
has
the
meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“ICO
Minerals”
means
ICO Minerals, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Indebtedness”
of
any
Person means without duplication (i) all indebtedness of such Person for
borrowed money; (ii) all bonds, notes, debentures and similar debt securities
of
such Person; (iii) the deferred purchase price of capital assets or services
that in accordance with GAAP would be shown on the liability side of the balance
sheet of such Person; (iv) the face amount of all letters of credit issued
for
the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn
thereunder; (v) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in
respect of bankers’ acceptances; (vi) all indebtedness of a second Person
secured by any Lien on any property owned by such first Person, whether or
not
such indebtedness has been assumed; (vii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations
of
such Person; (viii) the present value, determined on the basis of the implicit
interest rate, of all basic rental obligations under all Synthetic Leases of
such Person; (ix) all obligations of such Person with respect to asset
securitization financing; (x) all obligations of such Person to pay a specified
purchase price for goods or services whether or not delivered or accepted,
i.e.,
take-or-pay and similar obligations; (xi) all net obligations of such Person
under Hedge Agreements; (xii) the full outstanding balance of trade receivables,
notes or other instruments sold with full recourse (and the portion thereof
subject to potential recourse, if sold with limited recourse), other than in
any
such case any thereof sold solely for purposes of collection of delinquent
accounts; and (xiii) all Guaranty Obligations of such Person; provided,
however,
that
(y) neither trade payables, deferred revenue, taxes nor other similar
accrued expenses, in each case arising in the ordinary course of business,
shall
constitute Indebtedness; and (z) the Indebtedness of any Person shall in any
event include (without duplication) the Indebtedness of any other entity
(including any general partnership in which such Person is a general partner)
to
the extent such Person is liable thereon as a result of such Person’s ownership
interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the
terms of such Indebtedness provide expressly that such Person is not liable
thereon.
“Indemnitees”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 11.02.
“Insolvency
Event”
means,
with respect to any Person, (i) the commencement of a voluntary case by such
Person under the Bankruptcy Code or the seeking of relief by such Person under
any bankruptcy or insolvency or analogous law in any jurisdiction outside of
the
United States; (ii) the commencement of
13
an
involuntary case against such Person under the Bankruptcy Code and the petition
is not controverted within 10 days, or is not dismissed within 60 days, after
commencement of the case; (iii) a custodian (as defined in the Bankruptcy Code)
is appointed for, or takes charge of, all or substantially all of the property
of such Person; (iv) such Person commences (including by way of applying for
or
consenting to the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a
rehabilitator, receiver, custodian, trustee, conservator or liquidator
(collectively, a “conservator”)
of
such Person or all or any substantial portion of its property) any other
proceeding under any reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief
of
debtors, dissolution, insolvency, liquidation, rehabilitation, conservatorship
or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or hereafter in effect relating
to such Person; (v) any such proceeding of the type set forth in clause (iv)
above is commenced against such Person to the extent such proceeding is
consented to by such Person or remains undismissed for a period of 60 days;
(vi)
such Person is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt; (vii) any order of relief
or
other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered; (viii) such Person
suffers any appointment of any conservator or the like for it or any substantial
part of its property that continues undischarged or unstayed for a period of
60
days; (ix) such Person makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors
or generally does not pay its debts as such debts become due; or (x) any
corporate (or similar organizational) action is taken by such Person for the
purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.
“Interest
Period”
means,
with respect to each Eurodollar Loan, a period of one, two, three or six months
as selected by the Borrower Representative; provided,
however,
that (i)
the initial Interest Period for any Borrowing of such Eurodollar Loan shall
commence on the date of such Borrowing (the date of a Borrowing resulting from
a
Conversion or Continuation shall be the date of such Conversion or Continuation)
and each Interest Period occurring thereafter in respect of such Borrowing
shall
commence on the day on which the next preceding Interest Period expires; (ii)
if
any Interest Period begins on a day for which there is no numerically
corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period,
such
Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such calendar month;
(iii)
if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business
Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day;
provided,
however,
that if
any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business
Day
but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such
month, such Interest Period shall expire on the next preceding Business Day;
(iv) no Interest Period for any Eurodollar Loan may be selected that would
end
after the Revolving Facility Termination Date or the Term Loan Maturity Date,
as
the case may be; and (v) if, upon the expiration of any Interest Period, the
Borrower Representative has failed to (or may not) elect a new Interest Period
to be applicable to the respective Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans as provided
above, the Borrower Representative shall be deemed to have elected to Convert
such Borrowing to Base Rate Loans effective as of the expiration date of such
current Interest Period.
“Inventory”
means,
as of any date, the net book value of the inventory of the Borrowers and its
Domestic Subsidiaries as reflected on the Borrowers’ most recent financial
statements.
“Investment”
means
(i) any direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by a Person of any
Equity Interest of any other Person; (ii) any loan, advance (other than
deposits with financial institutions available for withdrawal on demand) or
extension of credit to, guarantee or assumption of debt or purchase or other
acquisition of any other Indebtedness of, any Person by any other Person; or
(iii) the purchase, acquisition or investment of or in any stocks, bonds, mutual
funds, notes, debentures or other securities, or any deposit account,
certificate of deposit or other investment of any kind.
“JPMorgan
Securities Account”
means
ICO’s account number 00000000 with JPMorgan Securities, Inc.
14
“Landlord’s
Agreement”
means
a
landlord’s waiver or mortgagee’s waiver, each in form and substance satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent, and providing, among other things, for waiver
of
Lien, certain notices and opportunity to cure and access to Collateral,
delivered by a Loan Party in connection with this Agreement, as the same may
from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.
“LC
Commitment Amount”
means
$10,000,000.
“LC
Documents”
means,
with respect to any Letter of Credit, any documents executed in connection
with
such Letter of Credit, including the Letter of Credit itself.
“LC
Fee”
means
any of the fees payable pursuant to Section 2.11(c) or Section 2.11(d) in
respect of Letters of Credit.
“LC
Issuance”
means
the issuance of any Letter of Credit by any LC Issuer for the account of an
LC
Obligor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and shall include any
amendment thereto that increases the Stated Amount thereof or extends the expiry
date of such Letter of Credit.
“LC
Issuer”
means
KeyBank National Association or any of its Affiliates, or such other Lender
that
is requested by the Borrowers and agrees to be an LC Issuer hereunder and is
approved by the Administrative Agent.
“LC
Obligor”
means,
with respect to each LC Issuance, the Borrower or the Subsidiary Guarantor
for
whose account such Letter of Credit is issued.
“LC
Outstandings”
means,
at any time, the sum, without duplication, of (i) the aggregate Stated Amount
of
all outstanding Letters of Credit and (ii) the aggregate amount of all Unpaid
Drawings with respect to Letters of Credit.
“LC
Participant”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.05(g)(i).
“LC
Participation”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.05(g).
“LC
Request”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.05(b).
“Leaseholds”
of
any
Person means all the right, title and interest of such Person as lessee or
licensee in, to and under leases or licenses of land, improvements and/or
fixtures.
“Lender”
and
“Lenders”
have
the meaning provided in the first paragraph of this Agreement and includes
any
other Person that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment Agreement,
other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an
Assignment Agreement.
“Lender
Register”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.08(b).
“Letter
of Credit”
means
any Standby Letter of Credit or Commercial Letter of Credit, in each case issued
by any LC Issuer under this Agreement pursuant to Section 2.05 for the account
of any LC Obligor.
“Leverage
Ratio”
means,
for any Testing Period, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Total Debt to
(ii) Consolidated EBITDA.
15
“Lien”
means
any mortgage, pledge, security interest, hypothecation, encumbrance, lien or
charge of any kind (including any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement or any lease in the nature
thereof).
“Loan”
means
any Revolving Loan or a Term Loan.
“Loan
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guaranty, the Security Documents,
the
Confidential Fee Letter, the Closing Fee Letter, and each Letter of Credit
and
each other LC Document.
“Loan
Party”
means
any Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor.
“Margin
Stock”
has
the
meaning provided in Regulation U.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
any or all of the following: (i) any material adverse effect on the business,
operations, property, assets, liabilities, financial or other condition or
prospects of the Borrowers or the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, taken as
a
whole; (ii) any material adverse effect on the ability of the Borrowers and
the
other Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under any
of
the Loan Documents to which they are parties; or (iii) any material adverse
effect on the validity, effectiveness or enforceability, as against the
Borrowers and the other Loan Parties, taken as a whole, of any of the Loan
Documents to which they are parties.
“Material
Foreign Indebtedness”
means
any Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary or Foreign Subsidiaries in excess
of,
individually or in the aggregate, a principal amount of $5,000,000
“Material
Domestic Indebtedness”
means,
as to the Borrowers or any of their Domestic Subsidiaries, any particular
Indebtedness of such Borrower or such Subsidiary (including any Guaranty
Obligations) in excess of the aggregate principal amount of
$500,000.
“Material
Indebtedness Agreement”
means
any agreement governing or evidencing any Material Indebtedness.
“Maximum
Rate”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 11.23.
“Mexico
Subsidiary”
means
The Innovation Company, S.A. de C.V., a company organized under the laws of
Mexico.
“Minimum
Borrowing Amount”
means
(i) with respect to any Base Rate Loan, $500,000, with minimum increments
thereafter of $250,000, and (ii) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan,
$2,000,000, with minimum increments thereafter of $1,000,000.
“Moody’s”
means
Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. and its successors.
“Mortgage”
means
a
Mortgage, Deed of Trust or other instrument, substantially in the form of
Exhibit H
hereto
and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent, executed by a Loan Party with respect to a Mortgaged
Real
Property, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise
modified.
“Mortgaged
Real Property”
means
each of the parcels of real property set forth on Schedule 3
hereto,
or interests therein, owned or leased by a Loan Party, together with each other
parcel of Real Property that shall become subject to a Mortgage after the
Closing Date, in each case together with all of
16
such
Loan
Party’s right, title and interest in the improvements and buildings thereon and
all appurtenances, easements or other rights belonging thereto.
“Multi-Employer
Plan”
means
a
multi-employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which the
Borrowers or any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an
obligation to make contributions or has within any of the preceding five plan
years made or accrued an obligation to make contributions.
“Multiple
Employer Plan”
means
an employee benefit plan, other than a Multi-Employer Plan, to which any
Borrower or any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate, and one or more employers
other than a Borrowers or a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate, is making or
accruing an obligation to make contributions or, in the event that any such
plan
has been terminated, to which a Borrower or a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate
made or accrued an obligation to make contributions during any of the five
plan
years preceding the date of termination of such plan.
“Net
Cash Proceeds”
means,
with respect to (i) any Asset Sale, the Cash Proceeds resulting therefrom net
of
(A) reasonable and customary expenses of sale incurred in connection with such
Asset Sale, and other reasonable and customary fees and expenses incurred,
and
all state and local taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable by such
person as a consequence of such Asset Sale and the payment of principal, premium
and interest of Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) secured by the asset
which is the subject of the Asset Sale and required to be, and which is, repaid
under the terms thereof as a result of such Asset Sale, and (B) incremental
federal, state and local income taxes paid or payable as a result thereof;
and
(ii) any Event of Loss, the Cash Proceeds resulting therefrom net of (A)
reasonable and customary expenses incurred in connection with such Event of
Loss, and local taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable by such person
as a consequence of such Event of Loss and the payment of principal, premium
and
interest of Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) secured by the asset
which
is the subject of the Event of Loss and required to be, and which is, repaid
under the terms thereof as a result of such Event of Loss, and (B) incremental
federal, state and local income taxes paid or payable as a result
thereof.
“1934
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Note”
means
a
Revolving Facility Note or a Term Note, as applicable.
“Notice
of Borrowing”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.06(b).
“Notice
of Continuation or Conversion”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.10(b).
“Notice
Office”
means
the office of the Administrative Agent at Key Tower, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000, Attention:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx (Telecopier No. (000) 000-0000; Telephone No. (000) 000-0000); email:
Xxxxxxxxx_Xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx, or such other office as the Administrative Agent
may designate in writing to the Borrower Representative from time to
time.
“Obligations”
means
all amounts, indemnities and reimbursement obligations, direct or indirect,
contingent or absolute, of every type or description, and at any time existing,
owing by the Borrowers or any other Loan Party to the Administrative Agent,
any
Lender or any LC Issuer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other
Loan Document (including, but not limited to, interest and fees that accrue
after the commencement by or against any Loan Party of any insolvency
proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding or
subject to an automatic stay under Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy
Code).
17
“Operating
Lease”
as
applied to any Person means any lease of any property (whether real, personal
or
mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity with GAAP, is not accounted
for as a Capital Lease on the balance sheet of that Person.
“Organizational
Documents”
means,
with respect to any Person (other than an individual), such Person’s Articles
(Certificate) of Incorporation, or equivalent formation documents, and
Regulations (Bylaws), or equivalent governing documents, and, in the case of
any
partnership, includes any partnership agreement and any amendments to any of
the
foregoing.
“Payment
Office”
means
the office of the Administrative Agent at Key Tower, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000, Attention:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx (Telecopier No. (000) 000-0000; Telephone No. (000) 000-0000); email:
Xxxxxxxxx_Xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx, or such other office as the Administrative Agent
may designate in writing to the Borrower Representative from time to
time.
“PBGC”
means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Section 4002
of
ERISA, or any successor thereto.
“Perfection
Certificate”
has
the
meaning provided in the Security Agreement.
“Permitted
Acquisition”
means
any Acquisition as to which all of the following conditions are
satisfied:
(i) such
Acquisition involves a line or lines of business that is or are complementary
to
the lines of business in which the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, considered
as an entirety, are engaged on the Closing Date;
(ii) the
aggregate Consideration for such Acquisition shall not exceed $5,000,000 and,
when added together with the aggregate Consideration for all other Permitted
Acquisitions made since the Closing Date, shall not exceed
$5,000,000;
(iii) no
Default or Event of Default shall exist prior to or immediately after giving
effect to such Acquisition;
(iv) the
Borrowers would, after giving effect to such Acquisition, on a pro
forma
basis
(as determined in accordance with subpart (v) below), (A) have a Leverage Ratio
of less than 2.50 to 1.00 and (B) otherwise be in compliance with the financial
covenants contained in Section 7.07; and
(v) at
least five Business
Days prior to the consummation of any such Acquisition, the Borrower
Representative shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
(A) a certificate of an Authorized Officer demonstrating, in reasonable detail,
the computation of the financial covenants referred to in Section 7.07 on a
pro
forma
basis,
such pro
forma
ratios
being determined as if (y) such Acquisition had been completed at the beginning
of the most recent Testing Period for which financial information for the
Borrowers and the business or Person to be acquired, is available, and (z)
any
such Indebtedness, or other Indebtedness incurred to finance such Acquisition,
had been outstanding for such entire Testing Period, and (B) historical
financial statements relating to the business or Person to be acquired and
such
other information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably
request.
“Permitted
Creditor Investment”
means
any securities (whether debt or equity) received by the Borrowers or any of
their Subsidiaries in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of any
18
customer
or supplier of the Borrowers or any such Subsidiary and in settlement of
delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers and suppliers
arising in the ordinary course of business.
“Permitted
Foreign Subsidiary Loans and Investments”
means
(i) loans and investments by a Loan Party to or in a Foreign Subsidiary made
on
or after the Closing Date in the ordinary course of business, provided that
the
aggregate amount of all Guaranty Obligations of the Loan Parties in respect
of
the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of all Foreign Subsidiaries shall not
be
increased beyond the amount in existence on the Closing Date; and
(ii) loans to a Foreign Subsidiary by any Person (other than a Borrower or
any Subsidiary).
“Permitted
Lien”
means
any Lien permitted by Section 7.03.
“Person”
means
any individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability
company, association, trust or other enterprise or any government or political
subdivision or any agency, department or instrumentality thereof.
“Plan”
means
any Multi-Employer Plan or Single-Employer Plan.
“Preferred
Stock Transaction”
means
the redemption and/or repurchase of ICO’s Convertible Exchangeable Preferred
Stock in one or more series of transactions.
“primary
Indebtedness”
has
the
meaning provided in the definition of “Guaranty Obligations.”
“primary
obligor”
has
the
meaning provided in the definition of “Guaranty Obligations.”
“Prohibited
Transaction”
means
a
transaction with respect to a Plan that is prohibited under Section 4975 of
the
Code or Section 406 of ERISA and not exempt under Section 4975 of the Code
or
Section 408 of ERISA.
“Purchase
Date”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.04(c).
“Quarterly
Payment Date”
means
the last Business Day of each September, December, March and June of each
year.
“RCRA”
means
the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as the same may be amended from
time
to time, 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et
seq.
“RE
Holdings Entities”
means,
collectively, China RE Holdings and Bayshore RE Holdings.
“Real
Property”
of
any
Person means all of the right, title and interest of such Person in and to
land,
improvements and fixtures, including Leaseholds.
“Regulation
D”
means
Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as from
time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof
establishing reserve requirements.
“Regulation
U”
means
Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as from
time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof
establishing margin requirements.
“Related
Parties”
means,
with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the directors,
officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s
Affiliates.
19
“Rental
Expense”
means,
for any period, the aggregate rent expense (both accrued and paid but without
duplication) of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries for such period (excluding
any such rent expense included in the calculation of Consolidated Interest
Expense) under leases (other than Capital Leases) having a maximum lease term
(after giving effect to any option relating to the renewal or extension thereof)
in excess of one year, determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Reportable
Event”
means
an event described in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations thereunder with
respect to a Plan, other than those events as to which the notice requirement
is
waived under subsection .22, .23, .25, .27, .28, .29, .30, .31, .32, .34, .35,
.62, .63, .64, .65 or .67 of PBGC Regulation Section 4043.
“Required
Lenders”
means,
at any time when there are no more than two Lenders, Lenders whose Credit
Facility Exposure and Unused Revolving Commitments constitute at least 66 2/3%
of the sum of the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure and the Unused Total
Revolving Commitment, and at any time when there are three or more Lenders,
Lenders whose Credit Facility Exposure and Unused Revolving Commitments
constitute at least 51% of the sum of the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure
and
the Unused Total Revolving Commitment.
“Restricted
Payment”
means
(i) any Capital Distribution; or (ii) any amount paid by the Borrower or any
of
its Subsidiaries in repayment, redemption, retirement, repurchase, direct or
indirect, of any Subordinated Indebtedness.
“Revolving
Borrowing”
means
the incurrence of Revolving Loans consisting of one Type of Revolving Loan
by
the Borrowers from all of the Lenders having Revolving Commitments in respect
thereof on a pro
rata
basis on
a given date (or resulting from Conversions or Continuations on a given date)
in
the same currency, having in the case of any Eurodollar Loans the same Interest
Period.
“Revolving
Commitment”
means,
with respect to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name in
Schedule
1
hereto
as its “Revolving Commitment,” or in the case of any Lender that becomes a party
hereto pursuant to an Assignment Agreement, the amount set forth in such
Assignment Agreement, as such commitment may be reduced from time to time
pursuant to Section 2.12(b) or (c) or adjusted from time to time as a result
of
assignments to or from such Lender pursuant to Section 11.06.
“Revolving
Facility”
means
the credit facility established under Section 2.02 pursuant to the Revolving
Commitment of each Lender.
“Revolving
Facility Availability Period”
means
the period from the Closing Date until the Revolving Facility Termination
Date.
“Revolving
Facility Exposure”
means,
for any Lender at any time, the sum of (i) the principal amount of Revolving
Loans made by such Lender and outstanding at such time, and (ii) such Lender’s
share of the LC Outstandings at such time.
“Revolving
Facility Note”
means
a
promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit
A-1
hereto.
“Revolving
Facility Percentage”
means,
at any time for any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing such Lender’s
Revolving Commitment by the Total Revolving Commitment, provided,
however,
that if
the Total Revolving Commitment has been terminated, the Revolving Facility
Percentage for each Lender shall be determined by dividing such Lender’s
Revolving Commitment immediately prior to such
20
termination
by the Total Revolving Commitment immediately prior to such termination. The
Revolving Facility Percentage of each Lender as of the Closing Date is set
forth
on Schedule
1
hereto.
“Revolving
Facility Termination Date”
means
the earlier of (i) October 27, 2011, or (ii) the date that the Commitments
have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02.
“Revolving
Loan”
means,
with respect to each Lender, any loan made by such Lender pursuant to Section
2.02.
“Sale
and Lease-Back Transaction”
means
any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by a Borrower or
any
Subsidiary of any property (except for temporary leases for a term, including
any renewal thereof, of not more than one year and except for leases between
Borrowers or between a Borrower and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries),
which
property has been or is to be sold or transferred by such Borrower or such
Subsidiary to such Person.
“S&P”
means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc., and its
successors.
“Scheduled
Repayment”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 2.13(b).
“SEC”
means
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SEC
Regulation D”
means
Regulation D as promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as
the
same may be in effect from time to time.
“Secured
Creditors”
has
the
meaning provided in the Security Agreement.
“Security
Agreement”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 4.01(iv).
“Security
Documents”
means
the Security Agreement, each Landlord’s Agreement, each Additional Security
Document, any UCC financing statement, any Control Agreement, any Collateral
Assignment, any Perfection Certificate and any document pursuant to which any
Lien is granted or perfected by any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent
as
security for any of the Obligations.
“Single
Employer Plan”
means
a
single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, to which
a
Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is making or accruing an
obligation to make contributions or, in the event that any such plan has been
terminated, to which a Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate made
or
accrued an obligation to make contributions during any of the five plan years
preceding the date of termination of such plan.
“Standard
Permitted Lien”
means
any of the following: (i) Liens for taxes not yet delinquent or Liens for taxes,
assessments or governmental charges being contested in good faith and by
appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP
have
been established; (ii) Liens in respect of property or assets imposed by law
that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, such as carriers’,
suppliers’, warehousemen’s, materialmen’s and mechanics’ Liens and other similar
Liens arising in the ordinary course of business, that do not in the aggregate
materially detract from the value of such property or assets or materially
impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of the Borrowers or
any
of their Subsidiaries and do not secure any Indebtedness; (iii) Liens created
by
this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; (iv) Liens arising from judgments,
decrees or attachments in circumstances not constituting an Event of Default
under Section 8.01(g); (v) Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA) incurred
or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with
21
workers
compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, and
mechanic’s Liens, carrier’s Liens, and other Liens to secure the performance of
tenders, statutory obligations, contract bids, government contracts, surety,
appeal, customs, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar
obligations, incurred in the ordinary course of business (exclusive of
obligations in respect of the payment for borrowed money), whether pursuant
to
statutory requirements, common law or consensual arrangements; (vi) leases
or
subleases granted in the ordinary course of business to others not interfering
in any material respect with the business of the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries and any interest or title of a lessor under any lease not in
violation of this Agreement; (vii) easements, rights-of-way, zoning or other
restrictions, charges, encumbrances, defects in title, prior rights of other
persons, and obligations contained in similar instruments, in each case that
do
not secure Indebtedness and do not involve, and are not likely to involve at
any
future time, either individually or in the aggregate, (A) a substantial and
prolonged interruption or disruption of the business activities of the Borrowers
and their Subsidiaries considered as an entirety, or (B) a Material Adverse
Effect; (viii) Liens arising from the rights of lessors under leases (including
financing statements regarding property subject to lease) not in violation
of
the requirements of this Agreement, provided
that
such Liens are only in respect of the property subject to, and secure only,
the
respective lease (and any other lease with the same or an affiliated lessor);
and (ix) rights of consignors of goods, whether or not perfected by the filing
of a financing statement under the UCC.
“Standby
Letter of Credit”
means
any standby letter of credit issued for the purpose of supporting workers
compensation, liability insurance, releases of contract retention obligations,
contract performance guarantee requirements and other bonding obligations or
for
other lawful purposes.
“Stated
Amount”
of
each
Letter of Credit means the maximum amount available to be drawn thereunder
(regardless of whether any conditions or other requirements for drawing could
then be met).
“Subordinated”
means,
as applied to any Indebtedness, that the Indebtedness shall have been
subordinated (by written terms or written agreement being, in either case,
in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and
the
Required Lenders) in favor of the prior payment in full of the
Obligations.
“Subordinated
Indebtedness”
means
any Indebtedness that has been subordinated to the prior payment in full of
all
of the Obligations pursuant to a written agreement or written terms reasonably
acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders.
“Subsidiary”
of
any
Person means (i) any corporation more than 50% of whose stock of any class
or
classes having by the terms thereof ordinary Voting Power to elect a majority
of
the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time
stock of any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have
Voting Power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time
owned
by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, and (ii) any
partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other
entity in which such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, owns
more than 50% of the Equity Interests of such Person at the time or in which
such Person, one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person or such Person and
one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, has the power
to direct the policies, management and affairs thereof. Unless otherwise
expressly provided, all references herein to “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of
the Borrower.
“Subsidiary
Guarantor”
means
any Subsidiary that is or hereafter becomes a party to the Subsidiary Guaranty.
Schedule
2
hereto
lists each Subsidiary Guarantor as of the Closing Date.
“Subsidiary
Guaranty”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 4.01(iii).
22
“Synthetic
Lease”
means
any lease (i) that is accounted for by the lessee as an Operating Lease, and
(ii) under which the lessee is intended to be the “owner” of the leased property
for federal income tax purposes.
“Taxes”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 3.03(a).
“Term
Borrowing”
means
the incurrence of Term Loans consisting of one Type of Term Loan by the
Borrowers from all of the Lenders having Term Commitments in respect thereof
on
a pro
rata
basis on
a given date (or resulting from Conversions or Continuations on a given date),
having in the case of Eurodollar Loans the same Interest Period.
“Term
Commitment”
means,
with respect to each Lender, the amount, if any, set forth opposite such
Lender’s name in Schedule
1
hereto
as its “Term Commitment.”
“Term
Lender”
means
a
Lender with a Term Commitment.
“Term
Loan”
means,
with respect to each Lender that has a Term Commitment, any loan made by such
Lender pursuant to Section 2.03.
“Term
Loan Commitment Period”
means
the period from and including the Closing Date through and including the date
that is 180 days after the Closing Date
“Term
Loan Maturity Date”
means
October 27, 2011 or such earlier date on which the Total Term Loan Commitment
is
terminated.
“Term
Note”
means
a
promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit
A-2
hereto.
“Testing
Period”
means
a
single period consisting of the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the
Borrowers then last ended (whether or not such quarters are all within the
same
fiscal year), except
that if
a particular provision of this Agreement indicates that a Testing Period shall
be of a different specified duration, such Testing Period shall consist of
the
particular fiscal quarter or quarters then last ended that are so indicated
in
such provision.
“Title
Company”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 6.10(c).
“Title
Policy”
has
the
meaning provided in Section 6.10(d).
“Total
Credit Facility Amount”
means
the aggregate of the Total Revolving Commitment and the Total Term Loan
Commitment. As of the Closing Date, the Total Credit Facility Amount is
$45,000,000.
“Total
Revolving Commitment”
means
the sum of the Revolving Commitments of the Lenders as the same may be decreased
pursuant to Section 2.12(b) or (c) hereof. As of the Closing Date, the amount
of
the Total Revolving Commitment is $30,000,000.
“Total
Term Loan Commitment”
means
the sum of the Term Commitments of the Lenders. As of the Closing Date, the
amount of the Total Term Loan Commitment is $15,000,000.
“Type”
means
any type of Loan determined with respect to the interest option and currency
denomination applicable thereto, which in each case shall be a Base Rate Loan
or
a Eurodollar Loan.
“UCC”
means
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time. Unless otherwise
specified, the UCC shall refer to the UCC as in effect in the State of New
York.
23
“Unfunded
Benefit Liabilities”
of
any
Plan means the amount, if any, of its unfunded benefit liabilities, as defined
in Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA.
“United
States”
and
“U.S.”
each
means United States of America.
“Unpaid
Drawing”
means,
with respect to any Letter of Credit, the aggregate amount of the draws made
on
such Letter of Credit that have not been reimbursed by the Borrowers or the
applicable LC Obligor or converted to a Revolving Loan pursuant to
Section 2.05(f)(i), and, in each case, all interest that accrues thereon
pursuant to this Agreement.
“Unused
Revolving Commitment”
means,
for any Lender at any time, the excess of (i) such Lender’s Revolving Commitment
at such time over (ii) such Lender’s Revolving Facility Exposure at such
time.
“Unused
Total Revolving Commitment”
means,
at any time, the excess of (i) the Total Revolving Commitment at such time
over
(ii) the Aggregate Revolving Facility Exposure at such time.
“USA
Patriot Act”
means
the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required
to
Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001.
“Varco
Indemnification Claims”
refers
to the claims described in ICO’s Form 10K for the fiscal year ended September
30, 2005 in Part I, Item 3 thereof under the subheading “Varco Indemnification
Claims” and in ICO’s Form 10Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006 in Part
II, Item 1 thereof.
“Voting
Power”
means,
with respect to any Person, the exclusive ability to control, through the
ownership of shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership
interests or otherwise, the election of members of the board of directors or
other similar governing body of such Person, and the holding of a designated
percentage of Voting Power of a Person means the ownership of shares of capital
stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other interests of such
Person sufficient to control exclusively the election of that percentage of
the
members of the board of directors or similar governing body of such
Person.
Section
1.02 Computation
of Time Periods.
In this
Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a
later
specified date, the word “from” means “from and including,” the words “to” and
“until” each means “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “through and
including.”
Section
1.03 Accounting
Terms.
Except
as otherwise specifically provided herein, all terms of an accounting or
financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from
time to time, provided
that if
the Borrower Representative notifies the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
that the Borrowers wish to amend any covenant in Article VII to eliminate the
effect of any change in GAAP that occurs after the Closing Date on the operation
of such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower
Representative that the Required Lenders wish to amend Article VII for such
purpose), then the Borrowers’ compliance with such covenant shall be determined
on the basis of GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP
became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant is
amended in a manner satisfactory to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent
and
the Required Lenders, the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
agreeing to enter into negotiations to amend any such covenant immediately
upon
receipt from any party entitled to send such notice.
24
Section
1.04 Terms
Generally.
The
definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural
forms
of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words
“include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the
phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same
meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires
otherwise,
(a)
any
definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein
shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document
as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified
(subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications
set forth herein),
(b)
any
reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s
successors and assigns,
(c)
the
words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be
construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular
provision hereof,
(d)
all
references herein to Sections, Schedules and Exhibits shall be construed to
refer to Sections of, and Schedules and Exhibits to, this Agreement,
(e)
the
words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and
effect and to refer to any and all Real Property, tangible and intangible assets
and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, and
interests in any of the foregoing, and (f) any reference to a statute, rule
or
regulation is to that statute, rule or regulation as now enacted or as the
same
may from time to time be amended, re-enacted or expressly replaced.
Section
1.05 Borrower
Representative.
For
purposes of this Agreement, each of Bayshore and ICO Polymers (i) authorizes
ICO
to make such requests, give such notices or furnish such certificates to the
Administrative Agent or any Lender as may be required or permitted by this
Agreement for the benefit of the Borrowers and (ii) authorizes the
Administrative Agent to treat such requests, notices, certificates or consents
given or made by ICO to have been made, given or furnished by the Borrowers
for
purposes of this Agreement. The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall
be
entitled to rely on each such request, notice, certificate or consent made,
given or furnished by the Borrower Representative pursuant to the provisions
of
this Agreement or any other Loan Document as being made or furnished on behalf
of, and with the effect of irrevocably binding, such Borrower. Each warranty,
covenant, agreement and undertaking made on its behalf by the Borrower
Representative shall be deemed for all purposes to have been made by each
Borrower and shall be binding upon and enforceable against each Borrower to
the
same extent as if the same had been made directly by each Borrower.
ARTICLE
II.
THE
TERMS
OF THE CREDIT FACILITY
Section
2.01 Establishment
of the Credit Facility.
On the
Closing Date, and subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in
this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders
and each LC Issuer agree to establish the Credit Facility for the benefit of
the
Borrower; provided,
however,
that at
no time will (i) the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure exceed the Total Credit
Facility Amount, or (ii) the Credit Facility Exposure of any Lender exceed
the
aggregate amount of such Lender’s Commitment.
Section
2.02 Revolving
Facility.
During
the Revolving Facility Availability Period, each Lender severally agrees, on
the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make a Revolving Loan
or
Revolving Loans to the Borrowers from time to time pursuant to such Lender’s
Revolving Commitment, which Revolving Loans (i) may, except as set forth herein,
at the option of the Borrower Representative, be incurred and maintained as,
or
Converted into, Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans,
provided
that all
Revolving Loans made as part of the same Revolving Borrowing shall consist
of
Revolving Loans of the same Type;
(ii)
may be
repaid or prepaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof;
and
(iii)
shall
not be made if, after giving effect to
25
any
such
Revolving Loan, (A) the Revolving Facility Exposure of any Lender would
exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, or (B) the Borrowers would be
required to prepay Loans or cash collateralize Letters of Credit pursuant to
Section 2.13(c). The Revolving Loans to be made by each Lender will be made
by
such Lender on a pro
rata
basis
based upon such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of each Revolving
Borrowing, in each case in accordance with Section 2.07 hereof.
Section
2.03 Term
Loan.
During
the Term Loan Commitment Period, each Lender that has a Term Commitment
severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
to
make a Term Loan to the Borrowers pursuant to such Lender’s Term Commitment,
which Term Loans:
(i)
can only
be incurred in a single Term Borrowing during the Term Loan Commitment Period
in
the entire amount of each Lender’s Term Commitment;
(ii)
once prepaid or repaid, may not be reborrowed, (iii)
may,
except as set forth herein, at the option of the Borrower Representative, be
incurred and maintained as, or Converted into, Term Loans that are Base Rate
Loans or Eurodollar Loans, in each case denominated in Dollars, provided
that all
Term Loans made as part of the same Term Borrowing shall consist of Term Loans
of the same Type; (iv) shall be repaid in accordance with Section 2.13(b);
and
(v)
shall
not exceed (A) for any Lender at the time of incurrence thereof the aggregate
principal amount of such Lender’s Term Commitment, if any, and (B) for all the
Lenders at the time of incurrence thereof the Total Term Loan Commitment. The
Term Loans to be made by each Lender will be made by such Lender in the
aggregate amount of its Term Commitment in accordance with Section 2.07 hereof.
The Term Commitments shall automatically terminate on the earlier to occur
of
(x) the date of the initial Term Borrowing and (y) the last day of the Term
Loan
Commitment Period.
Section
2.04 [Reserved].
Section
2.05 Letters
of Credit.
(a) LC
Issuances.
During
the Revolving Facility Availability Period, the Borrower Representative may
request an LC Issuer at any time and from time to time to issue, for the account
of any Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, and subject to and upon the terms
and conditions herein set forth, each LC Issuer agrees to issue from time to
time Letters of Credit denominated and payable in Dollars and in each case
in
such form as may be approved by such LC Issuer and the Administrative Agent;
provided,
however,
that
notwithstanding the foregoing, no
LC
Issuance shall be made if, after giving effect thereto, (i) the LC Outstandings
would exceed the LC Commitment Amount, (ii) the Revolving Facility Exposure
of
any Lender would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, or (iii) the
Borrowers would be required to prepay Loans or cash collateralize Letters of
Credit pursuant to Section 2.13(c) hereof. Subject to Section 2.05(c) below,
each Letter of Credit shall have an expiry date (including any renewal periods)
occurring not later than the earlier of
(y)
one year
from the date of issuance thereof, or
(z)
30
Business Days prior to the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(b) LC
Requests.
Whenever the Borrowers desire that a Letter of Credit be issued for its account
or the account of any eligible LC Obligor, the Borrower Representative shall
give the Administrative Agent and the applicable LC Issuer written or telephonic
notice (in the case of telephonic notice, promptly confirmed in writing if
so
requested by the Administrative Agent) which, if in the form of written notice,
shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit
B-3
(each
such request, a “LC
Request”),
or
transmit by electronic communication (if arrangements for doing so have been
approved by the applicable LC Issuer), prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at the
Notice Office) at least three Business Days (or such shorter period as may
be
acceptable to the relevant LC Issuer) prior to the proposed date of issuance
(which shall be a Business Day), which LC Request shall include such supporting
documents that such LC Issuer customarily requires in connection therewith
(including, in the case of a Letter of Credit for an account party other than
a
Borrower, an application for, and if applicable a reimbursement agreement with
respect to, such Letter of Credit). In the event of any inconsistency between
any of the terms or
26
provisions
of any LC Document and the terms and provisions of this Agreement respecting
Letters of Credit, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall control.
(c) Auto-Renewal
Letters of Credit.
If an
LC Obligor so requests in any applicable LC Request, each LC Issuer shall agree
to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions; provided,
however,
that
any Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions must permit such
LC
Issuer to prevent any such renewal at least once in each twelve-month period
(commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior
notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day in each such twelve-month
period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Once
any
such Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions has been issued,
the
Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) such LC Issuer
to permit the renewal of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date
not
later than 30 Business Days prior to the Revolving Facility Termination Date;
provided,
however,
that
such LC Issuer shall not permit any such renewal if (i) such LC Issuer has
determined that it would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter
of
Credit in its renewed form under the terms hereof, or (ii) it has received
notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that
is
two Business Days before the date that such LC Issuer is permitted to send
a
notice of non-renewal from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower
Representative that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in
Section 4.02 is not then satisfied.
(d) Applicability
of ISP98 and UCP.
Unless
otherwise expressly agreed by the applicable LC Issuer and the applicable LC
Obligor, when a Letter of Credit is issued, (i) the rules of the “International
Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law
& Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of
issuance) shall apply to each Standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules
of
the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently
published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance
(including the International Chamber of Commerce’s decision published by the
Commission on Banking Technique and Practice on April 6, 1998 regarding the
European single currency (euro)) shall apply to each Commercial Letter of
Credit.
(e) Notice
of LC Issuance.
Each LC
Issuer shall, on the date of each LC Issuance by it, give the Administrative
Agent, each applicable Lender and the Borrower Representative written notice
of
such LC Issuance, accompanied by a copy to the Administrative Agent of the
Letter of Credit or Letters of Credit issued by it. Each LC Issuer shall provide
to the Administrative Agent a quarterly (or monthly if requested by any
applicable Lender) summary describing each Letter of Credit issued by such
LC
Issuer and then outstanding and an identification for the relevant period of
the
daily aggregate LC Outstandings represented by Letters of Credit issued by
such
LC Issuer.
(f) Reimbursement
Obligations.
(i) The
Borrowers hereby agree to reimburse (or cause any LC Obligor for whose account
a
Letter of Credit was issued to reimburse) each LC Issuer, by making payment
directly to such LC Issuer in immediately available funds at the payment office
of such LC Issuer, for any Unpaid Drawing with respect to any Letter of Credit
immediately after, and in any event on the date on which, such LC Issuer
notifies the Borrower Representative (or any such other LC Obligor for whose
account such Letter of Credit was issued) of such payment or disbursement (which
notice to the Borrower Representative (or such other LC Obligor) shall be
delivered reasonably promptly after any such payment or disbursement), such
payment to be made in Dollars, with interest on the amount so paid or disbursed
by such LC Issuer, to the extent not reimbursed prior to 1:00 P.M. (local time
at the payment office of the applicable LC Issuer) on the date of such payment
or disbursement, from and including the date paid or disbursed to but not
including the date such LC Issuer is reimbursed therefor at a rate per annum
that shall be the
27
rate
then
applicable to Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 2.09(a)(i) that are Base
Rate
Loans or, if not reimbursed on the date of such payment or disbursement, at
the
Default Rate, any such interest also to be payable on demand. If by 11:00 A.M.
on the Business Day immediately following notice to it of its obligation to
make
reimbursement in respect of an Unpaid Drawing, the Borrower Representative
or
the relevant LC Obligor has not made such reimbursement out of its available
cash on hand or, in the case of a Borrower, a contemporaneous Borrowing
hereunder (if such Borrowing is otherwise available to the Borrowers), (x)
the
Borrower Representative will in each case be deemed to have given a Notice
of
Borrowing for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans in an aggregate principal
amount sufficient to reimburse such Unpaid Drawing (and the Administrative
Agent
shall promptly give notice to the Lenders of such deemed Notice of Borrowing),
(y) the Lenders shall, unless they are legally prohibited from doing so, make
the Revolving Loans contemplated by such deemed Notice of Borrowing (which
Revolving Loans shall be considered made under Section 2.02), and (z) the
proceeds of such Revolving Loans shall be disbursed directly to the applicable
LC Issuer to the extent necessary to effect such reimbursement and repayment
of
the Unpaid Drawing, with any excess proceeds to be made available to the
Borrowers in accordance with the applicable provisions of this
Agreement.
(ii) Obligations
Absolute.
Each LC
Obligor’s obligation under this Section to reimburse each LC Issuer with respect
to Unpaid Drawings (including, in each case, interest thereon) shall be absolute
and unconditional under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any
setoff, counterclaim or defense to payment that such LC Obligor may have or
have
had against such LC Issuer, the Administrative Agent or any Lender, including,
without limitation, any defense based upon the failure of any drawing under
a
Letter of Credit to conform to the terms of the Letter of Credit or any
non-application or misapplication by the beneficiary of the proceeds of such
drawing; provided,
however,
that no
LC Obligor shall be obligated to reimburse an LC Issuer for any wrongful payment
made by such LC Issuer under a Letter of Credit as a result of acts or omissions
constituting willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of such LC
Issuer.
(g) LC
Participations.
(i) Immediately
upon each LC Issuance, the LC Issuer of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed
to
have sold and transferred to each Lender with a Revolving Commitment, and each
such Lender (each an “LC
Participant”)
shall
be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from
such LC Issuer, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and
participation (an “LC
Participation”),
to
the extent of such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the Stated Amount
of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time of issuance, in such Letter
of
Credit, each substitute Letter of Credit, each drawing made thereunder, the
obligations of any LC Obligor under this Agreement with respect thereto
(although LC Fees relating thereto shall be payable directly to the
Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders as provided in Section
2.11
and the LC Participants shall have no right to receive any portion of any fees
of the nature contemplated by Section 2.11(c) or Section 2.11(e)), the
obligations of any LC Obligor under any LC Documents pertaining thereto, and
any
security for, or guaranty pertaining to, any of the foregoing.
(ii) In
determining whether to pay under any Letter of Credit, an LC Issuer shall not
have any obligation relative to the LC Participants other than to determine
that
any documents required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been
delivered and that they appear to comply on their face with the requirements
of
such Letter of Credit. Any action taken or omitted to be taken by an LC Issuer
under or in connection with any Letter of Credit, if taken or omitted
28
in
the
absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct, shall not create for such
LC
Issuer any resulting liability.
(iii) If
an LC
Issuer makes any payment under any Letter of Credit and the applicable LC
Obligor shall not have reimbursed such amount in full to such LC Issuer pursuant
to Section 2.05(f), such LC Issuer shall promptly notify the Administrative
Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each LC Participant
of
such failure, and each LC Participant shall promptly and unconditionally pay
to
the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer, the amount of such
LC Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of such payment in Dollars and in
same-day funds; provided,
however,
that no
LC Participant shall be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent its
Revolving Facility Percentage of such unreimbursed amount for any wrongful
payment made by such LC Issuer under a Letter of Credit as a result of acts
or
omissions constituting willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of
such LC Issuer. If the Administrative Agent so notifies any LC Participant
required to fund a payment under a Letter of Credit prior to 11:00 A.M. (local
time at its Notice Office) on any Business Day, such LC Participant shall make
available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant LC Issuer
such LC Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such
payment on such Business Day in same-day funds. If and to the extent such LC
Participant shall not have so made its Revolving Facility Percentage of the
amount of such payment available to the Administrative Agent for the account
of
the relevant LC Issuer, such LC Participant agrees to pay to the Administrative
Agent for the account of such LC Issuer, forthwith on demand, such amount,
together with interest thereon, for each day from such date until the date
such
amount is paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer
at
the Federal Funds Effective Rate. The failure of any LC Participant to make
available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant LC Issuer
its Revolving Facility Percentage of any payment under any Letter of Credit
shall not relieve any other LC Participant of its obligation hereunder to make
available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer its
Revolving Facility Percentage of any payment under any Letter of Credit on
the
date required, as specified above, but no LC Participant shall be responsible
for the failure of any other LC Participant to make available to the
Administrative Agent for the account of such LC Issuer such other LC
Participant’s Revolving Facility Percentage of any such payment.
(iv) Whenever
an LC Issuer receives a payment of a reimbursement obligation as to which the
Administrative Agent has received for the account of such LC Issuer any payments
from the LC Participants pursuant to subpart (iii) above, such LC Issuer shall
pay to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly
pay
to each LC Participant that has paid its Revolving Facility Percentage thereof,
in same-day funds, an amount equal to such LC Participant’s Revolving Facility
Percentage of the principal amount thereof and interest thereon accruing after
the purchase of the respective LC Participations, as and to the extent so
received.
(v) The
obligations of the LC Participants to make payments to the Administrative Agent
for the account of each LC Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit shall be
irrevocable and not subject to counterclaim, set-off or other defense or any
other qualification or exception whatsoever and shall be made in accordance
with
the terms and conditions of this Agreement under all circumstances, including,
without limitation, any of the following circumstances:
(A) any
lack of validity or
enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Loan
Documents;
29
(B) the
existence of any claim, set-off defense or other right that any LC Obligor
may
have at any time against a beneficiary named in a Letter of Credit, any
transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such transferee
may be acting), the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer, any Lender, or other
Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, the
transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transactions (including any
underlying transaction between the applicable LC Obligor and the beneficiary
named in any such Letter of Credit), other than any claim that the applicable
LC
Obligor may have against any applicable LC Issuer for gross negligence or
willful misconduct of such LC Issuer in making payment under any applicable
Letter of Credit;
(C) any
draft, certificate or other document presented under the Letter of Credit
proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or
any
statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;
(D) the
surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of
any
of the terms of any of the Loan Documents; or
(E) the
occurrence of any Default or Event of Default.
(vi) To
the
extent any LC Issuer is not indemnified by the Borrowers or any LC Obligor,
the
LC Participants will reimburse and indemnify such LC Issuer, in proportion
to
their respective Revolving Facility Percentages, for and against any and all
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions,
judgments, costs, expenses or disbursements of whatsoever kind or nature that
may be imposed on, asserted against or incurred by such LC Issuer in performing
its respective duties in any way related to or arising out of LC Issuances
by
it; provided,
however, that
no
LC Participants shall be liable for any portion of such liabilities,
obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, judgments, costs,
expenses or disbursements resulting from such LC Issuer’s gross negligence or
willful misconduct.
Section
2.06 Notice
of Borrowing.
(a) Time
of Notice.
Each
Borrowing of a Loan (other than a Continuation or Conversion) shall be made
upon
notice in the form provided for below which shall be provided by the Borrower
Representative to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office not later than
(i) in the case of each Borrowing of a Eurodollar Loan, 11:00 A.M. (local time
at its Notice Office) at least three Business Days’ prior to the date of such
Borrowing and (ii) in the case of each Borrowing of a Base Rate Loan, prior
to
11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) on the proposed date of such
Borrowing.
(b) Notice
of Borrowing.
Each
request for a Borrowing (other than a Continuation or Conversion) shall be
made
by an Authorized Officer by delivering written notice of such request
substantially in the form of Exhibit
B-1
hereto
(each such notice, a “Notice
of Borrowing”)
or by
telephone (to be confirmed immediately in writing by delivery by an Authorized
Officer of a Notice of Borrowing), and in any event each such request shall
be
irrevocable and shall specify (i) the aggregate principal amount of the Loans
to
be made pursuant to such Borrowing, (ii) the date of the Borrowing (which shall
be a Business Day), and (iii) the Type of Loans such Borrowing will consist
of. Without in any way limiting the obligation of the Borrower Representative
to
confirm in writing any telephonic notice permitted to be given hereunder, the
Administrative Agent may act prior to receipt of written confirmation without
liability upon the basis of such telephonic notice believed by the
Administrative Agent in good faith to be from an Authorized Officer entitled
to
give telephonic notices under this
30
Agreement
on behalf of the Borrowers. In each such case, the Administrative Agent’s record
of the terms of such telephonic notice shall be conclusive absent manifest
error.
(c) Minimum
Borrowing Amount.
The
aggregate principal amount of each Borrowing by the Borrowers shall not be
less
than the Minimum Borrowing Amount.
(d) Maximum
Borrowings.
More
than one Borrowing may be incurred by the Borrowers on any day; provided,
however,
that
(i)
if there
are two or more Borrowings on a single day (other than with respect to a Term
Borrowing made on the Closing Date) by the Borrowers that consist of Eurodollar
Loans, each such Borrowing shall have a different initial Interest Period,
and
(ii)
at no
time shall there be more than five Borrowings of Eurodollar Loans outstanding
hereunder.
Section
2.07 Funding
Obligations; Disbursement of Funds.
(a) Several
Nature of Funding Obligations.
The
Commitments of each Lender hereunder and the obligation of each Lender to make
Loans and fund LC Participations, as the case may be, are several and not joint
obligations. No Lender shall be responsible for any default by any other Lender
in its obligation to make Loans or fund any participation hereunder and each
Lender shall be obligated to make the Loans provided to be made by it and fund
its participations required to be funded by it hereunder, regardless of the
failure of any other Lender to fulfill any of its Commitments hereunder. Nothing
herein and no subsequent termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section
2.12
shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its
commitments hereunder and in existence from time to time or to prejudice any
rights that the Borrowers may have against any Lender as a result of any default
by such Lender hereunder.
(b) Borrowings
Pro
Rata.
All
Loans hereunder shall be made as follows: (i) all Revolving Loans made, and
LC
Participations acquired by each Lender, shall be made or acquired, as the case
may be, on a pro
rata
basis
based upon each Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such
Revolving Borrowing or Letter of Credit in effect on the date the applicable
Revolving Borrowing is to be made or the Letter of Credit is to be issued,
and
(ii) all Term Loans shall be made by the Lenders having Term Commitments
pro
rata
on the
basis of their respective Term Commitments.
(c) Notice
to Lenders.
The
Administrative Agent shall promptly give each Lender, as applicable, written
notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of each proposed
Borrowing, or Conversion or Continuation thereof, and LC Issuance, and of such
Lender’s proportionate share thereof or participation therein and of the other
matters covered by the Notice of Borrowing, Notice of Continuation or
Conversion, or LC Request, as the case may be, relating thereto.
(d) Funding
of Loans.
No
later than 2:00 P.M. (local time at the Payment Office) on the date
specified in each Notice of Borrowing, each Lender will make available its
amount, if any, of each Borrowing requested to be made on such date to the
Administrative Agent at the Payment Office in Dollars and in immediately
available funds and the Administrative Agent promptly will make available to
the
Borrowers by depositing to its account at the Payment Office (or such other
account as the Borrower Representative shall specify) the aggregate of the
amounts so made available in the type of funds received.
(e) Advance
Funding.
Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to the
date of Borrowing that such Lender does not intend to make available to the
Administrative Agent its portion of the Borrowing or Borrowings to be made
on
such date, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such
amount available to the Administrative Agent on such date of Borrowing, and
the
Administrative Agent, in reliance upon such
31
assumption,
may (in its sole discretion and without any obligation to do so) make available
to the Borrowers a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not
in
fact made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender and the
Administrative Agent has made the same available to the Borrowers, the
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover such corresponding amount
from
such Lender. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith
upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, the Administrative Agent shall
promptly notify the Borrower Representative, and the Borrowers shall immediately
pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative
Agent shall also be entitled to recover from such Lender or the Borrowers,
as
the case may be, interest on such corresponding amount in respect of each day
from the date such corresponding amount was made available by the Administrative
Agent to the Borrowers to the date such corresponding amount is recovered by
the
Administrative Agent at a rate per annum equal to (i) if paid by such Lender,
the overnight Federal Funds Effective Rate or (ii) if paid by the Borrowers,
the
then applicable rate of interest, calculated in accordance with Section 2.09,
for the respective Loans (but without any requirement to pay any amounts in
respect thereof pursuant to Section 3.02).
Section
2.08 Evidence
of Obligations.
(a) Loan
Accounts of Lenders.
Each
Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or
accounts evidencing the Obligations of the Borrowers to such Lender resulting
from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and
interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time
hereunder.
(b) Loan
Accounts of Administrative Agent; Lender Register.
The
Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall
record
(i)
the
amount of each Loan and Borrowing made hereunder, the Type thereof, the currency
in which such Loan is denominated, the Interest Period and applicable interest
rate,
(ii)
the
amount and other details with respect to each Letter of Credit issued hereunder,
(iii) the amount of any principal due and payable or to become due and payable
from the Borrowers to each Lender hereunder, (iv)
the
amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account
of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof, and (v) the other details
relating to the Loans, Letters of Credit and other Obligations. In addition,
the
Administrative Agent shall maintain a register (the “Lender
Register”)
on or
in which it will record the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the
Commitments from time to time of each of the Lenders. The Administrative Agent
will make the Lender Register available to any Lender or the Borrowers upon
request.
(c) Effect
of Loan Accounts, etc.
The
entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to Section 2.08(b) shall be
prima
facie
evidence
of the existence and amounts of the Obligations recorded therein; provided,
that
the failure of the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error
(other than manifest error) therein shall not in any manner affect the
obligation of any Loan Party to repay or prepay the Loans or the other
Obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(d) Notes.
Upon
request of any Lender, the Borrowers will execute and deliver to such Lender
(i)
a Revolving Facility Note with blanks appropriately completed in conformity
herewith to evidence the Borrowers’ obligation to pay the principal of, and
interest on, the Revolving Loans made to it by such Lender and (ii) a Term
Note
with blanks appropriately completed in conformity herewith to evidence their
obligation to pay the principal of, and interest on, the Term Loan made to
it by
such Lender.
Section
2.09 Interest;
Default Rate.
(a) Interest
on Revolving Loans.
The
outstanding principal amount of each Revolving Loan made by each Lender shall
bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum that shall at all times be equal
to
32
(i) during
such periods as
such Revolving Loan is a Base Rate Loan, the Base Rate plus
the
Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, and (ii) during such periods
as
such Revolving Loan is a Eurodollar Loan, the relevant Adjusted Eurodollar
Rate
for such Eurodollar Loan for the applicable Interest Period plus
the
Applicable Margin in effect from time to time.
(b) Interest
on Term Loans.
The
outstanding principal amount of each Term Loan made by each Lender shall bear
interest at a fluctuating rate per annum that shall at all times be equal to
(i)
during such periods as such Term Loan is a Base Rate Loan, the Base Rate
plus
the
Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, and (ii) during such periods
as
such Term Loan is a Eurodollar Loan, the relevant Adjusted Eurodollar Rate
for
such Eurodollar Loan for the applicable Interest Period plus
the
Applicable Margin in effect from time to time.
(c) Default
Interest.
Notwithstanding the above provisions, if an Event of Default is in existence,
upon written notice by the Administrative Agent (which notice the Administrative
Agent shall give at the direction of the Required Lenders), (i) all outstanding
amounts of principal and, to the extent permitted by law, all overdue interest,
in respect of each Loan shall bear interest, payable on demand, at a rate per
annum equal to the Default Rate, and (ii) the LC Fees shall be increased by
an
additional 2% per annum in excess of the LC Fees otherwise applicable thereto.
In addition, if any amount (other than amounts as to which the foregoing
subparts (i) and (ii) are applicable) payable by the Borrowers under the Loan
Documents is not paid when due, upon written notice by the Administrative Agent
(which notice the Administrative Agent shall give at the direction of the
Required Lenders), such amount shall bear interest, payable on demand, at a
rate
per annum equal to the Default Rate.
(d) Accrual
and Payment of Interest.
Interest shall accrue from and including the date of any Borrowing to but
excluding the date of any prepayment or repayment thereof and shall be payable
by the Borrowers: (i) in respect of each Base Rate Loan, quarterly in arrears
on
the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, (ii) in
respect of each Eurodollar Loan, on the last day of each Interest Period
applicable thereto and, in the case of an Interest Period in excess of three
months, on the dates that are successively three months after the commencement
of such Interest Period, and (iii) in respect of all Loans, other than Revolving
Loans accruing interest at a Base Rate, on any repayment, prepayment or
Conversion (on the amount repaid, prepaid or Converted), at maturity (whether
by
acceleration or otherwise), and, after such maturity or, in the case of any
interest payable pursuant to Section 2.09(c), on demand.
(e) Computations
of
Interest.
All
computations of interest on Eurodollar Loans hereunder shall be made on the
actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days. All computations of
interest on Base Rate Loans and Unpaid Drawings hereunder shall be made on
the
actual number of days elapsed over a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable.
(f) Information
as to Interest Rates.
The
Administrative Agent, upon determining the interest rate for any Borrowing,
shall promptly notify the Borrower Representative and the Lenders thereof.
Any
changes in the Applicable Margin shall be determined by the Administrative
Agent
in accordance with the provisions set forth in the definition of “Applicable
Margin” and the Administrative Agent will promptly provide notice of such
determinations to the Borrower Representative and the Lenders. Any such
determination by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive and binding absent
manifest error.
Section
2.10 Conversion
and Continuation of Loans.
(a) Conversion
and Continuation of Revolving Loans.
The
Borrowers shall have the right, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, to (i) Convert all or a portion of the outstanding
33
principal
amount of Loans of one Type made to it into a Borrowing or Borrowings of another
Type of Loans that can be made to it pursuant to this Agreement and (ii)
Continue a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans at the end of the applicable Interest
Period as a new Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans with a new Interest Period;
provided,
however,
that any
Conversion of Eurodollar Loans into Base Rate Loans shall be made on, and only
on, the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Loans.
(b) Notice
of Continuation and Conversion.
Each
Continuation or Conversion of a Loan shall be made upon notice in the form
provided for below provided by the Borrower Representative to the Administrative
Agent at its Notice Office not later than (i) in the case of each Continuation
of or Conversion into a Eurodollar Loan, prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at
its
Notice Office) at least three Business Days’ prior to the date of such
Continuation or Conversion, and (ii) in the case of each Conversion to a Base
Rate Loan, prior to 11:00 A.M. (local time at its Notice Office) on the proposed
date of such Conversion. Each such request shall be made by an Authorized
Officer delivering written notice of such request substantially in the form
of
Exhibit
B-2
hereto
(each such notice, a “Notice
of Continuation or Conversion”)
or by
telephone (to be confirmed immediately in writing by delivery by an Authorized
Officer of a Notice of Continuation or Conversion), and in any event each such
request shall be irrevocable and shall specify (A) the Borrowings to be
Continued or Converted, (B) the date of the Continuation or Conversion (which
shall be a Business Day), and (C) the Interest Period or, in the case of a
Continuation, the new Interest Period. Without in any way limiting the
obligation of the Borrowers to confirm in writing any telephonic notice
permitted to be given hereunder, the Administrative Agent may act prior to
receipt of written confirmation without liability upon the basis of such
telephonic notice believed by the Administrative Agent in good faith to be
from
an Authorized Officer entitled to give telephonic notices under this Agreement
on behalf of the Borrower. In each such case, the Administrative Agent’s record
of the terms of such telephonic notice shall be conclusive absent manifest
error.
Section
2.11 Fees.
(a) Closing
Fees.
The
Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit
of
each Lender, the closing fees set forth in the Closing Fee Letter.
(b) Commitment
Fees.
(i) The
Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit
of
each Lender based upon each such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage, as
consideration for the Revolving Commitments of the Lenders, commitment fees
(the
“Commitment
Fees”)
for
the period from the Closing Date to, but not including, the Revolving Facility
Termination Date, computed for each day at a rate per annum equal to (i) 37.5
basis points times
(ii) the
Unused Total Revolving Commitment in effect on such day. Accrued Commitment
Fees
shall be due and payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each March,
June, September and December and on the Revolving Facility Termination
Date.
(ii) The
Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit
of
each Lender based upon each such Lender’s Term Commitment, as consideration for
the Term Commitments of the Lenders, commitment fees (the “Term
Commitment Fees”)
for
the period from the Closing Date to, but not including, the last day the Term
Loan Commitment Period, computed for each day at a rate per annum equal to
(i)
37.5 basis points times
(ii) the
Total Term Loan Commitment in effect on such day. Accrued Term Commitment Fees
shall be due and payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each fiscal
quarter and on the last day of the Term Loan Commitment Period.
34
(c) LC
Fees.
(i) Standby
Letters of Credit.
The
Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit
of
each Lender with a Revolving Commitment based upon each such Lender’s Revolving
Facility Percentage, a fee in respect of each Letter of Credit issued hereunder
that is a Standby Letter of Credit for the period from the date of issuance
of
such Letter of Credit until the expiration date thereof (including any
extensions of such expiration date that may be made at the election of the
account party or the beneficiary), computed for each day at a rate per annum
equal to (A) the Applicable Margin for Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar
Loans
in effect on such day times
(B) the
Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit on such day. The foregoing fees shall
be
payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June,
September and December and on the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(ii) Commercial
Letters of Credit.
The
Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit
of
each Lender based upon each such Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage, a fee
in respect of each Letter of Credit issued hereunder that is a Commercial Letter
of Credit in an amount equal to (A) the Applicable Margin for Revolving Loans
that are Eurodollar Loans in effect on the date of issuance times
(B) the
Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit. The foregoing fees shall be payable
on
the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit.
(d) Fronting
Fees.
The
Borrowers agree to pay directly to each LC Issuer, for its own account, a fee
in
respect of each Letter of Credit issued by it, payable on the date of issuance
(or any increase in the amount, or renewal or extension) thereof, computed
at
the rate of 1/8th
of 1%
per annum on the Stated Amount thereof for the period from the date of issuance
(or increase, renewal or extension) to the expiration date thereof (including
any extensions of such expiration date which may be made at the election of
the
beneficiary thereof).
(e) Additional
Charges of LC
Issuer.
The
Borrowers agree to pay directly to each LC Issuer upon each LC Issuance, drawing
under, or amendment, extension, renewal or transfer of, a Letter of Credit
issued by it such amount as shall at the time of such LC Issuance, drawing
under, amendment, extension, renewal or transfer be the processing charge that
such LC Issuer is customarily charging for issuances of, drawings under or
amendments, extensions, renewals or transfers of, letters of credit issued
by
it.
(f) Administrative
Agent Fees.
The
Borrowers shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on the Closing Date and
thereafter, for its own account, the fees set forth in the Confidential Fee
Letter.
(g) Computations
of Fees.
All
computations of Commitment Fees, LC Fees and other Fees hereunder shall be
made
on the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days.
Section
2.12 Termination
and Reduction of Revolving Commitments.
(a) Mandatory
Termination of Revolving Commitments.
All of
the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Facility Termination
Date.
(b) Voluntary
Termination of the Total Revolving Commitment.
Upon at
least three Business Days’ prior irrevocable written notice (or telephonic
notice confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office
(which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the
Lenders), the Borrowers shall have the right to terminate in whole the Total
Revolving Commitment, provided
that
(i)
all
outstanding Revolving Loans and Unpaid Drawings are contemporaneously prepaid
in
accordance with Section 2.13 and
(ii)
either there
are
no outstanding
35
Letters
of Credit or the
Borrowers shall contemporaneously cause all outstanding Letters of Credit to
be
surrendered for cancellation (any such Letters of Credit to be replaced by
letters of credit issued by other financial institutions reasonably acceptable
to each LC Issuer and the Revolving Lenders).
(c) Partial
Reduction of Total Revolving Commitment.
Upon at
least three Business Days’ prior irrevocable written notice (or telephonic
notice confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent at its Notice Office
(which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the
Lenders), the Borrowers shall have the right to partially and permanently reduce
the Unused Total Revolving Commitment; provided,
however,
that
(i) any
such reduction shall apply to proportionately (based on each Lender’s Revolving
Facility Percentage) and permanently reduce the Revolving Commitment of each
Lender, (ii) such reduction shall apply to proportionately and permanently
reduce the LC Commitment Amount, but only to the extent that the Unused Total
Revolving Commitment would be reduced below any such limits, (iii) no such
reduction shall be permitted if the Borrowers would be required to make a
mandatory prepayment of Loans or cash collateralize Letters of Credit pursuant
to Section 2.13, and
(iv)
any
partial reduction shall be in the amount of at least $5,000,000 (or, if greater,
in integral multiples of $1,000,000).
Section
2.13 Voluntary,
Scheduled and Mandatory Prepayments of Loans.
(a) Voluntary
Prepayments.
The
Borrowers shall have the right to prepay any of the Loans owing by it, in whole
or in part, without premium or penalty, except
as
specified in subparts (d) and (e) below, from time to time. The Borrower
Representative shall give the Administrative Agent at the Notice Office written
or telephonic notice (in the case of telephonic notice, promptly confirmed
in
writing if so requested by the Administrative Agent) of its intent to prepay
the
Loans, the amount of such prepayment and (in the case of Eurodollar Loans)
the
specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which the prepayment is to be made, which
notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent by (y) 11:00 A.M. (local
time at the Notice Office) three Business Days prior to the date of such
prepayment, in the case of any prepayment of Eurodollar Loans, or (z) 11:00
A.M.
(local time at the Notice Office) one Business Day prior to the date of such
prepayment, in the case of any prepayment of Base Rate Loans, and which notice
shall promptly be transmitted by the Administrative Agent to each of the
affected Lenders, provided
that:
(i) each
partial prepayment
shall be in an aggregate principal amount of at least (A) in the case of
any prepayment of a Eurodollar Loan, $10,000,000 (or, if less, the full amount
of such Borrowing), or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof,
and
(B) in the case of any prepayment of a Base Rate Loan, $1,000,000 (or, if less,
the full amount of such Borrowing, or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess
thereof;
(ii) no
partial prepayment of any Loans made pursuant to a Borrowing shall reduce the
aggregate principal amount of such Loans outstanding pursuant to such Borrowing
to an amount less than the Minimum Borrowing Amount applicable thereto;
and
(iii) in
the
case of any prepayment of Term Loans, such prepayment shall be applied to the
Scheduled Repayments in respect of the Term Loans in the inverse order of
maturity.
(b) Scheduled
Repayments of Term Loans.
Commencing on the first Quarterly Payment Date after the expiration of the
Term
Loan Commitment Period and continuing on each Quarterly Payment Date thereafter,
the Borrowers shall make principal payments of the Term Loans in an amount
equal
to $833,333 for each such quarterly payment, except
that the
payment due on the Term Loan Maturity Date shall in any event be in the amount
of the entire remaining principal amount of the outstanding Term Loans (each
such repayment, a “Scheduled
Repayment”).
36
(c) Mandatory
Payments.
The
Loans shall be subject to mandatory repayment or prepayment (in the case of
any
partial prepayment conforming to the requirements as to the amounts of partial
prepayments set forth in Section 2.13(a) above), and the LC Outstandings shall
be subject to cash collateralization requirements, in accordance with the
following provisions:
(i) Revolving
Facility Termination Date.
The
entire principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans shall be repaid
in
full on the Revolving Facility Termination Date.
(ii) Loans
Exceed the Commitments.
If on
any date (after giving effect to any other payments on such date) (A) the
Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure exceeds the Total Credit Facility Amount,
or
(B) the Revolving Facility Exposure of any Lender exceeds such Lender’s
Revolving Commitment, then,
in the
case of each of the foregoing, the Borrowers shall, on such day, prepay on
such
date the principal amount of Loans and, after Loans have been paid in full,
Unpaid Drawings, in an aggregate amount at least equal to such
excess.
(iii) LC
Outstandings Exceed LC Commitment
If on
any date the LC Outstandings exceed the LC Commitment Amount, then
the
applicable LC Obligor or the Borrowers shall, on such day, pay to the
Administrative Agent an amount in cash equal to such excess and the
Administrative Agent shall hold such payment as security for the reimbursement
obligations of the applicable LC Obligors hereunder in respect of Letters of
Credit pursuant to a cash collateral agreement to be entered into in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer
and the Borrowers (which shall permit certain investments in Cash Equivalents
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Borrowers
until
the proceeds are applied to any Unpaid Drawings or to any other Obligations
in
accordance with any such cash collateral agreement).
(d) Particular
Loans to be Prepaid.
With
respect to each repayment or prepayment of Loans made or required by this
Section, the Borrower Representative shall designate the Types of Loans that
are
to be repaid or prepaid and the specific Borrowing(s) pursuant to which such
repayment or prepayment is to be made; provided,
however,
that
(i)
the
Borrower Representative shall first so designate all Loans that are Base Rate
Loans and Eurodollar Loans with Interest Periods ending on the date of repayment
or prepayment prior to designating any other Eurodollar Loans for repayment
or
prepayment,
and
(ii)
if the
outstanding principal amount of Eurodollar Loans made pursuant to a Borrowing
is
reduced below the applicable Minimum Borrowing Amount as a result of any such
repayment or prepayment, then all the Loans outstanding pursuant to such
Borrowing shall, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, be Converted into Base Rate
Loans. In the absence of a designation by the Borrower Representative as
described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall, subject
to
the above, make such designation in its sole discretion with a view, but no
obligation, to minimize breakage costs owing under Article III.
(e) Breakage
and Other Compensation.
Any
prepayment made pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall be accompanied by any
amounts payable in respect thereof under Article III hereof.
Section
2.14 Method
and Place of Payment.
(a) Generally.
All
payments made by the Borrowers hereunder (including any payments made with
respect to the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations under Article X) under any
Note or any other Loan Document, shall be made without setoff, counterclaim
or
other defense.
(b) Application
of Payments.
Except
as specifically set forth elsewhere in this Agreement and subject to Section
8.03, (i) all payments and prepayments of Revolving Loans and Unpaid Drawings
with respect to Letters of Credit shall be applied by the Administrative Agent
on a pro
rata
basis
based
37
upon
each
Lender’s Revolving Facility Percentage of the amount of such prepayment, and
(ii) all payments and prepayments of Term Loans shall be applied by the
Administrative Agent to reduce the principal amount of the Term Loans made
by
each Lender with a Term Commitment, pro
rata
on the
basis of their respective Term Commitments.
(c) Payment
of Obligations.
Except
as specifically set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, all payments under this
Agreement with respect to any of the Obligations shall be made to the
Administrative Agent on the date when due and shall be made at the Payment
Office in immediately available funds and, except as set forth in the next
sentence, shall be made in Dollars.
(d) Timing
of Payments.
Any
payments under this Agreement that are made later than 11:00 A.M. (local
time at the Payment Office) shall be deemed to have been made on the next
succeeding Business Day. Whenever any payment to be made hereunder shall be
stated to be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the due date thereof
shall
be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, with respect to payments
of
principal, interest shall be payable during such extension at the applicable
rate in effect immediately prior to such extension.
(e) Distribution
to Lenders.
Upon
the Administrative Agent’s receipt of payments hereunder, the Administrative
Agent shall promptly distribute to each Lender or the applicable LC Issuer,
as
the case may be, its ratable share, if any, of the amount of principal,
interest, and Fees received by it for the account of such Lender. Payments
received by the Administrative Agent in Dollars shall be delivered to the
Lenders or the applicable LC Issuer, as the case may be, in Dollars in
immediately available funds; provided,
however,
that if
at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the
Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, Unpaid Drawings,
interest and Fees then due hereunder then, except as specifically set forth
elsewhere in this Agreement and subject to Section 8.03, such funds shall be
applied, first,
towards
payment of interest and Fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties
entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and Fees then due
to
such parties, and second,
towards
payment of principal and Unpaid Drawings then due hereunder, ratably among
the
parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and Unpaid
Drawings then due to such parties.
Section
2.15 Joint
and Several Liability of the Borrowers.
(a) Each
request by the Borrower Representative for a Borrowing, Continuation or
Conversion of any Loan shall be deemed to be a joint and several request by
all
of the Borrowers. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the Lenders are
entering into this Agreement at the request of each Borrower and with the
understanding that each Borrower is and shall remain fully liable, jointly
and
severally, for payment in full of all of the Obligations.
(b) To
the
extent that a Borrower shall make a payment (each a “Borrower
Payment”)
of all
or any portion of the Obligations, then such Borrower shall be entitled to
contribution and indemnification from, and be reimbursed by, each of the other
Borrowers in an amount equal to a fraction of such Borrower Payment, the
numerator of which fraction is the sum of such other Borrowers’ Allocable
Amounts and the denominator of which is the sum of the Allocable Amounts of
all
of the Borrowers.
(c) This
Section 2.15 is intended only to define the relative rights of the Borrowers,
and nothing set forth in this Section 2.15 is intended to or shall impair the
obligations of the Borrowers, jointly and severally, to pay any amounts, as
and
when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of
this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
38
(d) The
Borrowers acknowledge that the rights of contribution and indemnification
hereunder shall constitute assets in favor of each Borrower to which such
contribution and indemnification is owing.
(e) Any
right of contribution
of any of the Borrowers shall be subject and subordinate to the prior
indefeasible payment in full of the Obligations.
ARTICLE
III.
INCREASED
COSTS, ILLEGALITY AND TAXES
Section
3.01 Increased
Costs, Illegality, etc.
(a) In
the
event that (y) in the case of clause (i) below, the Administrative Agent or
(z)
in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) below, any Lender, shall have determined
on a reasonable basis (which determination shall, absent manifest error, be
final and conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto):
(i) on
any
date for determining the interest rate applicable to any Eurodollar Loan for
any
Interest Period that, by reason of any changes arising after the Closing Date,
adequate and fair means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest
rate on the basis provided for in this Agreement for such Eurodollar Loan;
or
(ii) at
any
time, that such Lender shall incur increased costs or reductions in the amounts
received or receivable by it hereunder in an amount that such Lender deems
material with respect to any Eurodollar Loans (other than any increased cost
or
reduction in the amount received or receivable resulting from the imposition
of
or a change in the rate of taxes or similar charges) because of (x) any change
since the Closing Date in any applicable law, governmental rule, regulation,
guideline, order or request (whether or not having the force of law), or in
the
interpretation or administration thereof and including the introduction of
any
new law or governmental rule, regulation, guideline, order or request (such
as,
for example, but not limited to, a change in official reserve requirements,
but,
in all events, excluding reserves already includable in the interest rate
applicable to such Eurodollar Loan pursuant to this Agreement) or (y) other
circumstances adversely affecting the London interbank market or the position
of
such Lender in any such market; or
(iii) at
any
time, that the making or continuance of any Eurodollar Loan has become unlawful
by compliance by such Lender in good faith with any change since the Closing
Date in any law, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order, or the
interpretation or application thereof, or would conflict with any thereof not
having the force of law but with which such Lender customarily complies, or
has
become impracticable as a result of a contingency occurring after the Closing
Date that materially adversely affects the London interbank market;
then,
and in
each such event, such Lender (or the Administrative Agent in the case of clause
(i) above) shall (1) on or promptly following such date or time and (2) within
10 Business Days of the date on which such event no longer exists give notice
(by telephone confirmed in writing) to the Borrower Representative and to the
Administrative Agent of such determination (which notice the Administrative
Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the other Lenders). Thereafter
(x) in the case of clause (i) above, the affected Type of Eurodollar Loans
shall no longer be available until such time as the Administrative Agent
notifies the Borrower Representative and the Lenders that the circumstances
giving rise to such notice by the Administrative Agent no longer exist, and
any
Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Continuation or Conversion given by the
Borrower Representative with respect to such Type of
39
Eurodollar
Loans that have not yet been incurred, Converted or Continued shall be deemed
rescinded by the Borrower Representative or, in the case of a Notice of
Borrowing, shall, at the option of the Borrower Representative, be deemed
converted into a Notice of Borrowing for Base Rate Loans to be made on the
date
of Borrowing contained in such Notice of Borrowing, (y) in the case of clause
(ii) above, the Borrowers shall pay to such Lender, upon written demand
therefor, such additional amounts (in the form of an increased rate of, or
a
different method of calculating, interest or otherwise as such Lender shall
determine) as shall be required to compensate such Lender for such increased
costs or reductions in amounts receivable hereunder (a written notice as to
the
additional amounts owed to such Lender, showing the basis for the calculation
thereof, which basis must be reasonable, submitted to the Borrower
Representative by such Lender shall, absent manifest error, be final and
conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto) and (z) in the case of clause
(iii) above, the Borrowers shall take one of the actions specified in
Section 3.01(b) as promptly as possible and, in any event, within the time
period required by law.
(b) At
any
time that any Eurodollar Loan is affected by the circumstances described in
Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), the Borrower Representative may (and in the case
of a Eurodollar Loan affected pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(iii) the Borrower
Representative shall) either
(i) if
the affected Eurodollar Loan is then being made pursuant to a Borrowing, by
giving the Administrative Agent telephonic notice (confirmed promptly in
writing) thereof on the same date that the Borrower Representative was notified
by a Lender pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), cancel said Borrowing,
or
convert the related Notice of Borrowing into one requesting a Borrowing of
Base
Rate Loans or require the affected Lender to make its requested Loan as a Base
Rate Loan, or
(ii)
if the
affected Eurodollar Loan is then outstanding, upon at least one Business Day’s
notice to the Administrative Agent, require the affected Lender to Convert
each
such Eurodollar Loan into a Base Rate Loan; provided,
however,
that if
more than one Lender is affected at any time, then all affected Lenders must
be
treated the same pursuant to this Section 3.01(b).
(c) If
any
Lender shall have determined that after the Closing Date, the adoption of any
applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change
therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any
Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged by law with
the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by such Lender
or
its parent corporation with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy
(whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank,
or
comparable agency, in each case made subsequent to the Closing Date, has or
would have the effect of reducing by an amount reasonably deemed by such Lender
to be material to the rate of return on such Lender’s or its parent
corporation’s capital or assets as a consequence of such Lender’s commitments or
obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender or its parent
corporation could have achieved but for such adoption, effectiveness, change
or
compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s or its parent corporation’s
policies with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time, within
15
days after demand by such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent),
the
Borrowers shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will
compensate such Lender or its parent corporation for such reduction. Each
Lender, upon determining in good faith that any additional amounts will be
payable pursuant to this Section 3.01(c), will give prompt written notice
thereof to the Borrower Representative, which notice shall set forth, in
reasonable detail, the basis of the calculation of such additional amounts,
which basis must be reasonable, although the failure to give any such notice
shall not release or diminish any of the Borrowers’ obligations to pay
additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01(c) upon the subsequent receipt
of such notice.
Section
3.02 Breakage
Compensation.
The
Borrowers shall compensate each Lender, upon its written request (which request
shall set forth the detailed basis for requesting and the method of calculating
such compensation), for all reasonable losses, costs, expenses and liabilities
(including, without limitation, any loss, cost, expense or liability incurred
by
reason of the liquidation or
40
reemployment
of deposits or other funds required by such Lender to fund its Eurodollar Loans
and costs associated with foreign currency hedging obligations incurred by
such
Lender in connection with any Eurodollar Loan) which such Lender may sustain
in
connection with any of the following:
(i)
if for
any reason (other than a default by such Lender or the Administrative Agent)
a
Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans does not occur on a date specified therefor in
a
Notice of Borrowing or a Notice of Continuation or Conversion (whether or not
withdrawn by the Borrower Representative or deemed withdrawn pursuant to Section
3.01(a));
(ii)
if
any
repayment, prepayment, Conversion or Continuation of any Eurodollar Loan occurs
on a date that is not the last day of an Interest Period applicable
thereto;
(iii)
if any
prepayment of any of its Eurodollar Loans is not made on any date specified
in a
notice of prepayment given by the Borrower;
(iv)
as a
result of an assignment by a Lender of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the
last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto pursuant to a request by
the
Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 3.05(b); or
(v)
as a
consequence of (y) any other default by the Borrowers to repay or prepay any
Eurodollar Loans when required by the terms of this Agreement or (z) an
election made pursuant to Section 3.05(b). The written request of any Lender
setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive
pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative
and
shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender
the amount shown as due on any such request within 10 days after receipt
thereof.
Section
3.03 Net
Payments.
(a) Except
as
provided for in Section 3.03(b), all payments made by the Borrowers hereunder,
under any Note or any other Loan Document, including all payments made by the
Borrowers pursuant to its guaranty obligations under Article X, will be
made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for, any present
or
future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, fees, assessments or other charges of
whatever nature now or hereafter imposed by any jurisdiction or by any political
subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein with respect to such payments
(but excluding, except as provided in this Section 3.03(a), any tax imposed
on
or measured by the net income or net profits of a Lender and franchise taxes
imposed on it pursuant to the laws of the jurisdiction under which such Lender
is organized or the jurisdiction in which the principal office or Applicable
Lending Office of such Lender, as applicable, is located or any subdivision
thereof or therein) and all interest, penalties or similar liabilities with
respect to such non-excluded taxes, levies imposts, duties, fees, assessments
or
other charges (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties, fees,
assessments or other charges being referred to collectively as “Taxes”).
If
any Taxes are so levied or imposed, the Borrowers agree to pay the full amount
of such Taxes and such additional amounts (including additional amounts to
compensate for withholding on amounts paid pursuant to this Section 3.03) as
may
be necessary so that every payment by it of all amounts due hereunder, under
any
Note or under any other Loan Document, after withholding or deduction for or
on
account of any Taxes will not be less than the amount provided for herein or
in
such Note or in such other Loan Document. The Borrowers will indemnify and
hold
harmless the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and reimburse the
Administrative Agent or such Lender upon its written request, for the amount
of
any Taxes imposed on and paid by such Lender. If any amounts are payable in
respect of Taxes pursuant to this Section 3.03(a), the Borrowers agree to
reimburse each Lender, upon the written request of such Lender, for taxes
imposed on or measured by the net income, profits or franchise of such Lender
pursuant to the laws of the jurisdiction in which such Lender is organized
or in
which the principal office or Applicable Lending Office of such Lender is
located, as the case may be, or under the laws of any political subdivision
or
taxing authority therein, and for any withholding of taxes as such Lender shall
determine are payable by, or withheld from, such Lender in respect of such
reimbursement of taxes, which request shall be accompanied by a statement from
such Lender setting forth, in reasonable detail, the computations used in
determining such amounts. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative
Agent
within 45 days after the date the payment of any Taxes, or any withholding
or
deduction on account thereof, is due pursuant to applicable law certified
41
copies
of
tax receipts, or other evidence satisfactory to the respective Lender,
evidencing such payment by the Borrower.
(b) Each
Lender that is not a United States Person (as such term is defined in Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code) for federal income tax purposes and that is entitled
to
claim an exemption from or reduction in United States withholding tax with
respect to a payment by Borrowers agree to provide to the Borrower
Representative and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date,
or
in the case of a Lender that is an assignee or transferee of an interest under
this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.06 (unless the respective Lender was
already a Lender hereunder immediately prior to such assignment or transfer
and
such Lender is in compliance with the provisions of this Section), on the date
of such assignment or transfer to such Lender, and from time to time thereafter
if required by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative
Agent two
accurate and complete original signed copies of Internal Revenue Service Forms
W-8BEN, W-8ECI, W-8EXP or W-8IMY (or successor, substitute or other appropriate
forms and, in the case of Form W-8IMY, complete with accompanying Forms W-8BEN
with respect to beneficial owners of the payment) certifying to such Lender’s
entitlement to exemption from or a reduced rate of withholding of United States
withholding tax with respect to payments to be made under this Agreement, any
Note or any other Loan Document, along with any other appropriate documentation
establishing such exemption or reduction (such as statements certifying
qualification for exemption with respect to portfolio interest). In addition,
each Lender agrees that from time to time after the Closing Date, when a lapse
in time or change in circumstances renders the previous certification obsolete
or inaccurate in any material respect, it will deliver to the Borrower
Representative and the Administrative Agent two new accurate and complete
original signed copies of the applicable Internal Revenue Service form
establishing such exemption or reduction (such as statements certifying
qualification for exemption with respect to portfolio interest) and any related
documentation as may be required in order to confirm or establish the
entitlement of such Lender to a continued exemption from or reduction in United
States withholding tax if the Lender continues to be so entitled. No Lender
shall be required by this Section 3.03(b) to deliver a form or certificate
that
it is not legally entitled to deliver. The Borrowers shall not be obligated
pursuant to Section 3.03(a) hereof to pay additional amounts on account of
or
indemnify with respect to United States withholding taxes to the extent that
such taxes arise solely due to a Lender's failure to deliver forms that it
was
legally entitled to but failed to deliver under this Section 3.03(b). The
Borrowers agree to pay additional amounts and indemnify each Lender in the
manner set forth in Section 3.03(a) in respect of any Taxes deducted or withheld
by it as a result of any changes after the Closing Date in any applicable law,
treaty, governmental rule, regulation, guideline or order, or in the
interpretation thereof, relating to the deducting or withholding of income
or
similar Taxes.
(c) If
any
Lender, in its sole opinion, determines that it has finally and irrevocably
received or been granted a refund in respect of any Taxes as to which
indemnification has been paid by the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 3.03,
it
shall promptly remit such refund (including any interest received in respect
thereof), net of all out-of-pocket costs and expenses to the Borrower;
provided,
however,
that the
Borrowers agree to promptly return any such refund (plus interest) to such
Lender in the event such Lender is required to repay such refund to the relevant
taxing authority. Any such Lender shall provide the Borrower Representative
with
a copy of any notice of assessment from the relevant taxing authority (redacting
any unrelated confidential information contained therein) requiring repayment
of
such refund. Nothing contained herein shall impose an obligation on any Lender
to apply for any such refund.
Section
3.04 Increased
Costs to LC Issuers.
If
after the Closing Date, the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation,
or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration
thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged
with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any LC
Issuer or any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the
force of law) by any such authority, central bank or
42
comparable
agency (in each case made subsequent to the Closing Date) shall either (i)
impose, modify or make applicable any reserve, deposit, capital adequacy or
similar requirement against Letters of Credit issued by such LC Issuer or such
Lender’s participation therein, or (ii) impose on such LC Issuer or any Lender
any other conditions affecting this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or such
Lender’s participation therein; and the result of any of the foregoing is to
increase the cost to such LC Issuer or such Lender of issuing, maintaining
or
participating in any Letter of Credit, or to reduce the amount of any sum
received or receivable by such LC Issuer or such Lender hereunder (other than
any increased cost or reduction in the amount received or receivable resulting
from the imposition of or a change in the rate of taxes or similar charges),
then, upon demand to the Borrower Representative by such LC Issuer or such
Lender (a copy of which notice shall be sent by such LC Issuer or such Lender
to
the Administrative Agent), the Borrowers shall pay to such LC Issuer or such
Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate any such LC Issuer
or such Lender for such increased cost or reduction. A certificate submitted
to
the Borrower Representative by any LC Issuer or any Lender, as the case may
be
(a copy of which certificate shall be sent by such LC Issuer or such Lender
to
the Administrative Agent), setting forth, in reasonable detail, the basis for
the determination of such additional amount or amounts necessary to compensate
any LC Issuer or such Lender as aforesaid shall be conclusive and binding on
the
Borrowers absent manifest error, although the failure to deliver any such
certificate shall not release or diminish the Borrowers’ obligations to pay
additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.04.
Section
3.05 Change
of Lending Office; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) Each
Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the
operation of Sections 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), 3.01(c), 3.03 or 3.04 requiring
the
payment of additional amounts to the Lender, such Lender will, if requested
by
the Borrower Representative, use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy
considerations of such Lender) to designate another Applicable Lending Office
for any Loans or Commitments affected by such event; provided,
however,
that
such designation is made on such terms that such Lender and its Applicable
Lending Office suffer no economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, with the
object of avoiding the consequence of the event giving rise to the operation
of
any such Section.
(b) If
(i) any Lender requests any compensation, reimbursement or other payment
under Sections 3.01(a)(ii) or (iii), 3.01(c) or 3.04 with respect to such
Lender, or (ii) the Borrowers are required to pay any additional amount to
any Lender or Governmental Authority pursuant to Section 3.03, then the
Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender
and
the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without
recourse (in accordance with the restrictions contained in Section 11.06(c)),
all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an Eligible
Assignee that shall assume such obligations; provided,
however,
that
(1) the
Borrower Representative shall have received the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed,
(2)
such
Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding
principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other
amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such
outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the
case of all other amounts, including any breakage compensation under Section
3.02 hereof), and
(3)
in the
case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation,
reimbursement or other payments required to be made under Section 3.01(a)(ii)
or
(iii), Section 3.01(c) or Section 3.04 with respect to such Lender, or resulting
from any required payments to any Lender or Governmental Authority pursuant
to
Section 3.03, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation,
reimbursement or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such
assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such
Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such
assignment and delegation cease to apply.
43
(c) Nothing
in this Section 3.05 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the
Borrowers or the right of any Lender provided in Sections 3.01, 3.03 or
3.04.
ARTICLE
IV.
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
Section
4.01 Conditions
Precedent at Closing Date.
The
obligation of the Lenders to make Loans, and of any LC Issuer to issue Letters
of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions
on
or prior to the Closing Date:
(i) Credit
Agreement.
This
Agreement shall have been executed by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent,
each LC Issuer and each of the Lenders.
(ii) Notes.
The
Borrowers shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent the
appropriate Note or Notes for the account of each Lender that has requested
the
same.
(iii) Subsidiary
Guaranty.
The
Subsidiary Guarantors shall have duly executed and delivered a Guaranty of
Payment (the “Subsidiary
Guaranty”),
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
C-1.
(iv) Security
Agreement.
The
Borrowers and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have duly executed and delivered
a
Pledge and Security Agreement (the
“Security
Agreement”),
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
C-2,
and
shall have executed and delivered all of the following in connection therewith,
each of which shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent: (A) the Control Agreements required pursuant to the terms of the Security
Agreement, duly executed by the appropriate depositary institution, securities
intermediary or issuer as the case may be, (B) the Collateral Assignment
Agreements required pursuant to the terms of the Security Agreement, and (C)
a
Perfection Certificate.
(v) Closing
Date Mortgages.
Each
Loan Party, as appropriate, shall have (A) executed and delivered to the
Administrative Agent a Mortgage, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent, with respect to each Mortgaged Real Property of such
Loan
Party owned or leased as of the Closing Date, and (B) provided to the
Administrative Agent all of the other items required to be provided with respect
to each such Mortgaged Real Property pursuant to Section 6.10(c), each of which
shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent.
(vi) Fees
and Fee Letters.
The
Borrowers
shall
have (A) paid to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, the fees
required to be paid by them on the Closing Date pursuant to the Confidential
Fee
Letter, (B) executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent the Closing
Fee
Letter and shall have paid to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of
the
Lenders, the fees required to be paid therein, and (C) paid or caused to be
paid
all reasonable fees and expenses of the Administrative Agent and of special
counsel to the Administrative Agent that have been invoiced on or prior to
the
Closing Date in connection with the preparation, execution and delivery of
this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby.
(vii) Resolutions
and Approvals.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received certified copies of the resolutions
of
the Board of Directors or other approving body of the Borrowers
and
each
Subsidiary Guarantor approving the Loan Documents to which the
44
Borrowers
or
any
such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, are or may become a party, and
of
all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and governmental
approvals, if any, with respect to the execution, delivery and performance
by
the Borrowers or any such Subsidiary Guarantor of the Loan Documents to which
it
is or may become a party.
(viii) Incumbency
Certificates.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or
an
Assistant Secretary of each Borrower and of each Subsidiary Guarantor certifying
the names and true signatures of the officers of such Borrower or such
Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, authorized to sign the Loan Documents
to which such Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor is a party and any other
documents to which such Borrower or any such other Subsidiary Guarantor is
a
party that may be executed and delivered in connection herewith.
(ix) Opinions
of Counsel.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received such opinions of counsel from counsel
to the Borrowers and the Subsidiary Guarantors as the Administrative Agent
shall
request, each of which shall be addressed to the Administrative Agent and each
of the Lenders and dated the Closing Date and in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(x) Recordation
of Security Documents, Delivery of Collateral, Taxes, etc.
The
Security Documents (or proper notices or UCC financing statements in respect
thereof) shall have been duly recorded, published and filed in such manner
and
in such places as is required by law to establish, perfect, preserve and protect
the rights, Liens and security interests of the parties thereto and their
respective successors and assigns, all Collateral items required to be
physically delivered to the Administrative Agent thereunder shall have been
so
delivered, accompanied by any appropriate instruments of transfer, and all
taxes, fees and other charges then due and payable in connection with the
execution, delivery, recording, publishing and filing of such instruments and
the issuance of the Obligations and the delivery of the Notes shall have been
paid in full.
(xi) Evidence
of Insurance.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of insurance and other
evidence, satisfactory to it, of compliance with the insurance requirements
of
this Agreement and the Security Documents.
(xii) Search
Reports.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received the results of UCC and other search
reports from one or more commercial search firms acceptable to the
Administrative Agent, listing all of the effective financing statements filed
against any Loan Party, together with copies of such financing
statements.
(xiii) Corporate
Charter, Partnership Agreement and Good Standing Certificates.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received: (A) an original certified copy of
the
Certificate or Articles of Incorporation or equivalent formation document of
each Loan Party and any and all amendments and restatements thereof, certified
as of a recent date by the relevant Secretary of State; (B) an original good
standing certificate from the Secretary of State of the state of incorporation,
dated as of a recent date, listing all charter documents affecting such Loan
Party and certifying as to the good standing of such Loan Party; and (C)
original certificates of good standing from each other jurisdiction in which
each Loan Party is authorized or qualified to do business.
(xiv) Closing
Certificate.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate substantially in the
form
of Exhibit
E
hereto,
dated the Closing Date, of an Authorized Officer to the effect that, at and
as
of the Closing Date and both before and after giving effect to the initial
45
Borrowings
hereunder and the application of the proceeds thereof: (A) no Default or Event
of Default has occurred or is continuing; and (B) all representations and
warranties of the Loan Parties contained herein or in the other Loan Documents
are true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing
Date.
(xv) Solvency
Certificate.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate substantially
in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit
F,
dated
as of the Closing Date, and executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the
Borrower Representative.
(xvi) Repayment
of Existing Indebtedness.
The
Administrative Agent shall have received a fully executed payoff letter
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent confirming that all obligations under
the Existing Credit Agreement will be repaid in full from the proceeds of the
initial extension of credit, all Liens upon any of the property of the Loan
Parties constituting Collateral will be terminated immediately upon such payment
and all letters of credit issued or guaranteed under the Existing Credit
Agreement shall have been cash collateralized or supported by a Letter of Credit
as mutually agreed upon by the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers and the
lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement; and the Loan Parties shall have
delivered UCC termination statements with respect to any filings against the
Collateral as may be requested by the Administrative Agent and shall have
authorized the filing of such termination statements or amendments.
(xvii) Proceedings
and Documents.
All
corporate and other proceedings and all documents incidental to the transactions
contemplated hereby (including, but not limited to, the Preferred Stock
Transaction) shall be satisfactory in substance and form to the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and its special counsel
and
the Lenders shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified
or
other copies of such documents as the Administrative Agent or its special
counsel or any Lender may reasonably request.
(xviii) Approvals,
etc. The
Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that all necessary consents,
permits, licenses and approvals (governmental or otherwise) required for the
execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents
and
the Preferred Stock Transaction have been duly obtained and are in full force
and effect.
(xix)
Absence
of Litigation.
There
shall not be any action, suits or proceedings pending or threatened with respect
to any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries (other than in the case of subclause
(i),
the Varco Indemnification Claims) (i) that have, or could reasonably be expected
to have, a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that question the validity or
enforceability of any of the Loan Documents, or of any action to be taken by
the
Borrowers or any of the other Loan Parties pursuant to any of the Loan
Documents.
(xx) No
Material Adverse Change.
There
shall not have occurred a change in the business, assets, properties,
liabilities (actual or contingent), operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Borrowers and its Subsidiaries since September
30, 2005 that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xxi) Miscellaneous.
The
Loan Parties shall have provided to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
such other items and shall have satisfied such other conditions as may be
reasonably required by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.
46
Section
4.02 Conditions
Precedent to All Credit Events.
The
obligations of the Lenders and each LC Issuer to make or participate in each
Credit Event is subject, at the time thereof, to the satisfaction of the
following conditions:
(a) Notice.
The
Administrative Agent (and in the case of subpart (iii) below, the applicable
LC
Issuer) shall have received, as applicable, (i) a Notice of Borrowing meeting
the requirements of Section 2.06(b) with respect to any Borrowing (other than
a
Continuation or Conversion), (ii) a Notice of Continuation or Conversion meeting
the requirements of Section 2.10(b) with respect to a Continuation or
Conversion, or (iii) an LC Request meeting the requirements of Section 2.05(b)
with respect to each LC Issuance.
(b) No
Default; Representations and Warranties.
At the
time of each Credit Event and also after giving effect thereto,
(i)
there
shall exist no Default or Event of Default and
(ii)
all
representations and warranties of the Loan Parties contained herein or in the
other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with
the
same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on
and
as of the date of such Credit Event, except to the extent that such
representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier specified date,
in
which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct
in all material respects as of the date when made.
The
acceptance of the benefits of each Credit Event shall constitute a
representation and warranty by the Borrowers to the Administrative Agent, each
LC Issuer and each of the Lenders that all of the applicable conditions
specified in Section 4.01 and Section 4.02 have been satisfied as of the times
referred to in such Sections.
ARTICLE
V.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
In
order
to induce the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and each LC Issuer to enter
into
this Agreement and to make the Loans and to issue and to participate in the
Letters of Credit provided for herein, the Borrowers make the following
representations and warranties to, and agreements with, the Administrative
Agent, the Lenders and each LC Issuer, all of which shall survive the execution
and delivery of this Agreement and each Credit Event:
Section
5.01 Corporate
Status.
Each
Borrower and each of their respective Subsidiaries
(i)
is a
duly organized or formed and validly existing corporation, partnership or
limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing or in full
force
and effect under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation and has the
corporate, partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as
applicable, to own its property and assets and to transact the business in
which
it is engaged and presently proposes to engage, and
(ii)
has duly
qualified and is authorized to do business in all jurisdictions where it is
required to be so qualified or authorized except where the failure to be so
qualified would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule
5.01
hereto
lists, as of the Closing Date, each Subsidiary (and the direct and indirect
ownership interest of the Borrowers therein).
Section
5.02 Power
and Authority.
Each
Loan Party has the corporate or other organizational power and authority to
execute, deliver and carry out the terms and provisions of the Loan Documents
to
which it is party and has taken all necessary corporate or other organizational
action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan
Documents to which it is party. Each Loan Party has duly executed and delivered
each Loan Document to which it is party and each Loan Document to which it
is
party constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement and obligation of
such
Loan Party enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that
the enforceability thereof
47
may
be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws generally affecting creditors’ rights and by equitable
principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at
law).
Section
5.03 No
Violation.
Neither
the execution, delivery and performance by any Loan Party of the Loan Documents
to which it is party nor compliance with the terms and provisions
thereof
(i)
will
contravene any provision of any law, statute, rule, regulation, order, writ,
injunction or decree of any Governmental Authority applicable to such Loan
Party
or its properties and assets,
(ii) will
conflict with or result in any breach of, any of the terms, covenants,
conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the
creation or imposition of (or the obligation to create or impose) any Lien
(other than the Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents) upon any
of
the property or assets of such Loan Party pursuant to the terms of any
promissory note, bond, debenture, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, credit
or
loan agreement, or any other agreement or other instrument, to which such Loan
Party is a party or by which it or any of its property or assets are bound
or to
which it may be subject, other than when consent has been obtained,
or
(iii)
will
violate any provision of the Organizational Documents of such Loan
Party.
Section
5.04 Governmental
Approvals.
No
order, consent, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing,
recording or registration with, or exemption by, any Governmental Authority
is
required to authorize or is required as a condition to (i) the execution,
delivery and performance by any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it
is a
party or any of its obligations thereunder, or (ii) the legality, validity,
binding effect or enforceability of any Loan Document to which any Loan Party
is
a party, except
the
filing and recording of financing statements and other documents necessary
in
order to perfect the Liens created by the Security Documents.
Section
5.05 Litigation.
There
are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the
Borrowers, threatened with respect to the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries
(i)
that
have had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect,
except for the Varco Indemnification Claims, or
(ii)
that
question the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents, or of
any
action to be taken by any Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties pursuant
to
any of the Loan Documents.
Section
5.06 Use
of
Proceeds; Margin Regulations.
(a) The
proceeds of all Revolving Loans and LC Issuances shall be utilized to refinance
existing senior debt facilities, provide working capital and funds for general
corporate purposes, in each case, not inconsistent with the terms of this
Agreement. The proceeds of all Term Loans shall be utilized to provide funds
for
the Preferred Stock Transaction.
(b) No
part
of the proceeds of any Credit Event will be used directly or indirectly to
purchase or carry Margin Stock, or to extend credit to others for the purpose
of
purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock, in violation of any of the provisions
of Regulations U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
No Borrower is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose
of
purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock. At no time would more than 25% of
the
value of the assets of the Borrowers or of the Borrowers and their consolidated
Subsidiaries that are subject to any “arrangement” (as such term is used in
Section 221.2(g) of such Regulation U) hereunder be represented by Margin
Stock.
Section
5.07 Financial
Statements.
The
Borrower Representative has furnished to the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent complete and correct copies of
(i)
the
audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrowers and their consolidated
Subsidiaries as of September 30, 2005 and the related
48
audited
consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows of the
Borrowers and their consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal years then ended,
accompanied by the report thereon of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and
(ii)
the
consolidated balance sheets of the Borrowers and their consolidated Subsidiaries
as of June 30, 2006 and the related consolidated statements of income and
of cash flows of the Borrowers and their consolidated Subsidiaries for the
fiscal period then ended, as included in ICO’s Report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006, filed with the SEC. All such financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied
(except as stated therein), and fairly present in all material respects the
financial position of the entities described in such financial statements as
of
the respective dates indicated and the consolidated results of their operations
and cash flows for the respective periods indicated, subject in the case of
any
such financial statements that are unaudited, to normal audit adjustments,
none
of which will involve a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries did not have, as of the date of the latest financial statements
referred to above, and will not have as of the Closing Date after giving effect
to the incurrence of Loans hereunder, any material or significant contingent
liability or liability for taxes, long-term lease or unusual forward or
long-term commitment that is not reflected in the foregoing financial statements
or the notes thereto in accordance with GAAP and that in any such case is
material in relation to the business, operations, properties, assets, financial
or other condition or prospects of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries.
Section
5.08 Solvency.
The
Borrowers have received consideration that is the reasonable equivalent value
of
the obligations and liabilities that the Borrowers have incurred to the
Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders under the Loan Documents.
The Borrowers now have capital sufficient to carry on their business and
transactions and all business and transactions in which it is about to engage
and is now solvent and able to pay their debts as they mature and the Borrowers,
as of the Closing Date, owns property having a value, both at fair valuation
and
at present fair salable value, greater than the amount required to pay the
Borrowers’ debts; and the Borrowers are not entering into the Loan Documents
with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud their creditors. For purposes of
this Section, “debt”
means
any liability on a claim, and “claim”
means
(y) right to payment whether or not such a right is reduced to judgment,
liquidated, unliquidated, fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed,
undisputed, legal, equitable, secured or unsecured; or (z) right to an equitable
remedy for breach of performance if such breach gives rise to a payment, whether
or not such right to an equitable remedy is reduced to judgment, fixed,
contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, secured or
unsecured.
Section
5.09 No
Material Adverse Change.
Since
September 30, 2005, there has been no change in the financial or other
condition, business, affairs or prospects of the Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or their properties and assets considered as
an
entirety, except
for changes
none of which, individually or in the aggregate, has had or could reasonably
be
expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.10 Tax
Returns and Payments.
Each of
the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries have filed all federal income tax returns
and all other tax returns, domestic and foreign, required to be filed by it
and
has paid all taxes and assessments payable by it that have become due, other
than those not yet delinquent and except for those contested in good faith.
Each
of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries have established on its books such
charges, accruals and reserves in respect of taxes, assessments, fees and other
governmental charges for all fiscal periods as are required by GAAP. Neither
the
Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries know of any proposed assessment for
additional federal, foreign or state taxes for any period, or of any basis
therefor, which, individually or in the aggregate, taking into account such
charges, accruals and reserves in respect thereof as the Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries have made, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
49
Section
5.11 Title
to Properties, etc.
Each of
the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries has good and marketable title, in the
case
of Real Property, and good title (or valid Leaseholds, in the case of any leased
property), in the case of all other property, to all of its properties and
assets free and clear of Liens other than Permitted Liens. The interests of
the
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in the properties reflected in the most recent
balance sheet referred to in Section 5.07, taken as a whole, were sufficient,
in
the judgment of the Borrowers, as of the date of such balance sheet for purposes
of the ownership and operation of the businesses conducted by the Borrowers
and
their Subsidiaries.
Section
5.12 Lawful
Operations, etc.
Each of
the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries: (i)
holds
all necessary foreign, federal, state, local and other governmental licenses,
registrations, certifications, permits and authorizations necessary to conduct
its business, except to the extent the failure to so hold could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
and
(ii)
is in
full compliance with all requirements imposed by law, regulation or rule,
whether foreign, federal, state or local, that are applicable to it, its
operations, or its properties and assets, including, without limitation,
applicable requirements of Environmental Laws, except
for any
failure to obtain and maintain in effect, or noncompliance that, individually
or
in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.13 Environmental
Matters.
(a) Except
in
connection with the Varco Indemnification Claims, each of the Borrowers and
their Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Environmental Laws, except to
the
extent that any such failure to comply (together with any resulting penalties,
fines or forfeitures) would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. All licenses, permits, registrations or approvals required
for
the conduct of the business of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries under any
Environmental Law have been secured and the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries
is
in substantial compliance therewith, except for such licenses, permits,
registrations or approvals the failure to secure or to comply therewith is
not
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrowers
nor
any of their Subsidiaries have received written notice, or otherwise knows,
that
it is in any respect in noncompliance with, breach of or default under any
applicable writ, order, judgment, injunction, or decree to which such Borrower
or such Subsidiary is a party or that would affect the ability of such Borrower
or such Subsidiary to operate any Real Property and no event has occurred and
is
continuing that, with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both,
would
constitute noncompliance, breach of or default thereunder, except in each such
case, such noncompliance, breaches or defaults as would not reasonably be
expected to, in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except in
connection with the Varco Indemnification Claims, there are no Environmental
Claims pending or, to the best knowledge of any Borrower, threatened wherein
an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding in connection therewith would reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except in connection with the
Varco Indemnification Claims, there are no facts, circumstances, conditions
or
occurrences on any Real Property now or at any time owned, leased or operated
by
the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries or on any property adjacent to any
such Real Property, that are known by the Borrowers or as to which the Borrowers
or any such Subsidiary has received written notice, that could reasonably be
expected: (i)
to form
the basis of an Environmental Claim against the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries or any Real Property of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries;
or
(ii)
to cause
such Real Property to be subject to any restrictions on the ownership,
occupancy, use or transferability of such Real Property under any Environmental
Law, except in each such case, such Environmental Claims or restrictions that
individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Hazardous
Materials have not at any time been
(i)
generated, used, treated or stored on, or transported to or from, any Real
Property of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries or
(ii)
released
50
on
any
such Real Property, in each case where such occurrence or event is not in
compliance with Environmental Laws and is reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
Section
5.14 Compliance
with ERISA.
Compliance by the Borrowers with the provisions hereof and Credit Events
contemplated hereby will not involve any prohibited transaction within the
meaning of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. The Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries
(i)
have
fulfilled all obligations under minimum funding standards of ERISA and the
Code
with respect to each Plan that is not a Multi-Employer Plan or a Multiple
Employer Plan,
(ii)
have
satisfied all respective contribution obligations in respect of each
Multi-Employer Plan and each Multiple Employer Plan,
(iii)
are in
compliance in all material respects with all other applicable provisions of
ERISA and the Code with respect to each Plan, each Multi-Employer Plan and
each
Multiple Employer Plan, and
(iv)
have not
incurred any liability under the Title IV of ERISA to the PBGC with respect
to
any Plan, any Multi-Employer Plan, any Multiple Employer Plan, or any trust
established thereunder. No Plan or trust created thereunder has been terminated,
and there have been no Reportable Events, with respect to any Plan or trust
created thereunder or with respect to any Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple
Employer Plan, which termination or Reportable Event will or could result in
the
termination of such Plan, Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan and
give
rise to a material liability of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in respect
thereof. No Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is at the date hereof, or has been
at any time within the two years preceding the date hereof, an employer required
to contribute to any Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, or a
“contributing sponsor” (as such term is defined in Section 4001 of ERISA) in any
Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan. No Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate has any contingent liability with respect to any post-retirement
“welfare benefit plan” (as such term is defined in ERISA), except as has been
disclosed to the Lenders in writing.
Section
5.15 Intellectual
Property, etc.
The
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries have obtained or have the right to use all
material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses
and other rights with respect to the foregoing necessary for the present and
planned future conduct of its business, without any known conflict with the
rights of others, except
for such
patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses and
rights, the loss of which, and such conflicts which, in any such case
individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.16 Investment
Company Act, etc.
Neither
the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries are subject to regulation with
respect to the creation or incurrence of Indebtedness under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended, the
Federal Power Act, as amended, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as amended, or
any
applicable state public utility law.
Section
5.17 Insurance.
The
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries maintain insurance coverage by such insurers
and in such forms and amounts and against such risks as are generally consistent
with industry standards and in each case in compliance with the terms of the
Loan Documents.
Section
5.18 Burdensome
Contracts; Labor Relations.
Neither
the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries
(a)
are
subject to any burdensome contract, agreement, corporate restriction, judgment,
decree or order,
(b)
are a
party to any labor dispute affecting any bargaining unit or other group of
employees generally,
(c)
are
subject to any strike, slowdown, walk out or other concerted interruptions
of
operations by employees of any Borrower or any Subsidiary, whether or not
relating to any labor contracts,
(d)
are
subject to any pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, threatened, unfair
labor practice complaint, before the National Labor Relations Board,
(e)
are
subject to any pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers, threatened
grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective
bargaining agreement,
(f)
are
subject to any significant pending or, to the knowledge of the
51
Borrowers,
threatened strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage, or
(g)
are, to
the knowledge of the Borrowers, involved or subject to any union representation
organizing or certification matter with respect to the employees of the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, except
(with
respect to any matter specified in any of the above clauses) for such matters
as, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.19 Security
Interests.
Once
executed and delivered, each of the Security Documents creates, as security
for
the Secured Obligations (as defined in the Security Agreement), a valid and
enforceable, and upon making the filings and recordings referenced in the next
sentence, perfected security interest in and Lien on all of the Collateral
subject thereto from time to time, in favor of the Administrative Agent for
the
benefit of the Secured Creditors, superior to and prior to the rights of all
third persons and subject to no other Liens, except
that the
Collateral under the Security Documents may be subject to Permitted Liens.
No
filings or recordings are required in order to perfect the security interests
created under any Security Document, except for filings or recordings required
in connection with any such Security Document that shall have been made, or
for
which satisfactory arrangements have been made, upon or prior to the execution
and delivery thereof. All recording, stamp, intangible or other similar taxes
required to be paid by any Person under applicable legal requirements or other
laws applicable to the property encumbered by the Security Documents in
connection with the execution, delivery, recordation, filing, registration,
perfection or enforcement thereof have been paid.
Section
5.20 True
and Complete Disclosure.
All
factual information (taken as a whole) heretofore or contemporaneously furnished
by or on behalf of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries in writing to
the
Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of or in connection with this
Agreement or any transaction contemplated herein, is, and all other such factual
information (taken as a whole) hereafter furnished by or on behalf of such
Person in writing to the Administrative Agent or any Lender will be, true and
accurate in all material respects on the date as of which such information
is
dated or certified and not incomplete by omitting to state any material fact
necessary to make such information (taken as a whole) not misleading at such
time in light of the circumstances under which such information was provided,
except that any such future information consisting of financial projections
prepared by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries is only represented
herein as being based on good faith estimates and assumptions believed by such
persons to be reasonable at the time made, it being recognized by the Lenders
that such projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and
that
actual results during the period or periods covered by any such projections
may
differ materially from the projected results.
Section
5.21 Defaults.
No
Default or Event of Default exists as of the Closing Date hereunder, nor will
any Default or Event of Default begin to exist immediately after the execution
and delivery hereof.
Section
5.22 Anti-Terrorism
Law Compliance.
Neither
the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries are subject to or in violation
of
any law, regulation, or list of any government agency (including, without
limitation, the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control list, Executive Order
No. 13224 or the USA Patriot Act) that prohibits or limits the conduct of
business with or the receiving of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit
of certain Persons specified therein or that prohibits or limits any Lender
or
LC Issuer from making any advance or extension of credit to the Borrower or
from
otherwise conducting business with the Borrower.
Section
5.23 Mexico
Subsidiary; ICO Minerals, Inc.; RE Holdings Entities.
(a) The
Mexico Subsidiary does not conduct business and, to the extent that the Mexico
Subsidiary owns any assets, such assets have a fair market value of no more
than
$5,000.
52
(b) ICO
Minerals does not conduct business and, to the extent ICO Minerals owns any
assets, such assets have a fair market value of no more than $5,000. ICO
Minerals will be dissolved or merged into a Loan Party no later than 90 days
following the Closing Date.
(c) The
only
assets owned by the RE Holdings Entities are the Real Properties located at
0000
XxXxxx Xxxx, XxXxxxx, Xxxxx; 00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx; 0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx; Xxxxx 000, 0 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx,
Xxx
Xxxxxx; 000 X. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx; and 00000 Xxx Xxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxx, Xxxxx. No assets are leased by the RE Holdings
Entities.
ARTICLE
VI.
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
The
Borrowers hereby covenant and agree that on the Closing Date and thereafter
so
long as this Agreement is in effect and until such time as the Commitments
have
been terminated, no Notes remain outstanding and the Loans, together with
interest, Fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents, have been paid in full:
Section
6.01 Reporting
Requirements.
The
Borrower Representative will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each
Lender:
(a) Annual
Financial Statements.
As soon
as available and in any event within 90 days after the close of each fiscal
year
of the Borrowers, the consolidated balance sheets of the Borrowers and their
respective consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year and
the
related consolidated statements of income, of stockholders’ equity and of cash
flows for such fiscal year, in each case setting forth comparative figures
for
the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and accompanied by the
opinion with respect to such consolidated financial statements of independent
public accountants of recognized national standing selected by the Borrowers,
which opinion shall be unqualified and shall
(i)
state
that such accountants audited such consolidated financial statements in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, that such accountants
believe that such audit provides a reasonable basis for their opinion, and
that
in their opinion such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in
all
material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Borrowers and
their respective consolidated subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year
and
the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for such fiscal
year
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, or
(ii)
contain
such statements as are customarily included in unqualified reports of
independent accountants in conformity with the recommendations and requirements
of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (or any successor
organization).
(b) Quarterly
Financial Statements.
As soon
as available and in any event within 45 days after the close of each of the
first three quarterly accounting periods in each fiscal year of the Borrowers,
the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrowers and their respective
consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarterly period and the related
unaudited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such quarterly
period and/or for the fiscal year to date, and setting forth, in the case of
such unaudited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows, comparative
figures for the related periods in the prior fiscal year, and which shall be
certified on behalf of the Borrowers by the Chief Financial Officer of the
Borrower Representative, subject to changes resulting from normal year-end
audit
adjustments.
(c) Officer’s
Compliance Certificates.
At the
time of the delivery of the financial statements provided for in Sections 8.1(a)
and (b) above, a certificate (a “Compliance
Certificate”)
substantially in
53
the
form
of Exhibit
E
to the
effect that (i) no Default or Event of Default exists or, if any Default or
Event of Default does exist, specifying the nature and extent thereof and the
actions the Borrowers propose to take with respect thereto and (ii) the
representations and warranties of the Loan Parties are true and correct in
all
material respects, except to the extent that any relate to an earlier specified
date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and
correct in all material respects as of the date made, which certificate shall
set forth the calculations required to establish compliance with the provisions
of Section 7.07 of this Agreement.
(d) Budgets
and Forecasts.
As soon
as available but in any event not later than 60 days after the commencement
of
any fiscal year of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, commencing with the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, a consolidated budget in reasonable
detail for each of the four fiscal quarters of such fiscal year, and (if and
to
the extent prepared by management of the Borrowers) for any subsequent fiscal
years, as customarily prepared by management for its internal use, setting
forth, with appropriate discussion, the forecasted balance sheet, income
statement, operating cash flows and capital expenditures of the Borrower and
its
Subsidiaries for the period covered thereby, and the principal assumptions
upon
which forecasts and budget are based.
(e) Notices.
Promptly, and in any event within three Business Days after, notice
of:
(i) the
occurrence of any event that constitutes a Default or Event of Default, which
notice shall specify the nature thereof, the period of existence thereof and
what action the Borrowers propose to take with respect thereto; or
(ii) the
commencement of, or any other material development concerning, any litigation
or
governmental or regulatory proceeding pending against the Borrowers or any
of
their Subsidiaries or the occurrence of any other event, if the same would
be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) ERISA.
Promptly, and in any event within 10 days after any Borrower or any Subsidiary
of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate knows of the occurrence of any of the
following, the Borrower Representative will deliver to the Administrative Agent
a certificate of an Authorized Officer setting forth the full details as to
such
occurrence and the action, if any, that such Borrower or such Subsidiary of
such
Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate is required or proposes to take, together
with
any notices required or proposed to be given to or filed with or by any
Borrower, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate with the PBGC, a Plan
participant or the Plan administrator with respect thereto: (i) that a
Reportable Event has occurred with respect to any Plan; (ii) the
institution of any steps by any Borrower, any Subsidiary, any ERISA Affiliate,
the PBGC or any other Person to terminate any Plan or the occurrence of any
event or condition described in Section 4042 of ERISA that constitutes grounds
for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, a Plan;
(iii) the institution of any steps by any Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA
Affiliate to withdraw from any Plan; (iv) the institution of any steps by any
Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate to withdraw from any
Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, if such withdrawal could result
in withdrawal liability (as described in Part 1 of Subtitle E of Title IV of
ERISA or in Section 4063 of ERISA) in excess of $500,000; (v) that a non-exempt
“prohibited transaction” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA in
connection with any Plan has occurred; (vi) that a Plan has Unfunded
Benefit Liabilities exceeding $500,000; (vii) the cessation of operations at
a
facility of the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
in the circumstances described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (viii) the
conditions for imposition of a lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA shall have
been met with respect to a Plan; (ix) the adoption of an amendment to a Plan
requiring the provision of security to such Plan pursuant to Section 307 of
ERISA; (x) the insolvency of or commencement of reorganization proceedings
with
respect to a Multi-Employer Plan; (xi) any material increase in the contingent
liability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary with respect to any
54
post-retirement
welfare liability; or (xii) the taking of any action by, or the threatening
of
the taking of any action by, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of
Labor or the PBGC with respect to any of the foregoing.
(g) Environmental
Matters.
Promptly upon, and in any event within 10 Business Days after, an officer of
the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries obtaining knowledge thereof, notice
of
one or more of the following environmental matters to the extent any of the
following could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect:
(i)
any
pending or threatened Environmental Claim against the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries or any Real Property owned or operated by the Borrowers or any
of
their Subsidiaries;
(ii)
any
condition or occurrence on or arising from any Real Property owned or operated
by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries that
(A)
results
in noncompliance in any material respect by the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries with any applicable Environmental Law or
(B)
would
reasonably be expected to form the basis of a Environmental Claim against the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries or any such Real Property;
(iii)
any
condition or occurrence on any Real Property owned, leased or operated by the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to
cause such Real Property to be subject to any restrictions on the ownership,
occupancy, use or transferability by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries
of such Real Property under any Environmental Law; and
(iv)
the
taking of any removal or remedial action in response to the actual or alleged
presence of any Hazardous Material on any Real Property owned, leased or
operated by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries as required by any
Environmental Law or any governmental or other administrative agency. All such
notices shall describe in reasonable detail the nature of the Environmental
Claim, such Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s response thereto and such Borrower’s
or such Subsidiary’s estimate of the potential exposure in Dollars of the
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries with respect thereto.
(h) SEC
Reports and Registration Statements.
Promptly after transmission or other filing with the SEC of any registration
statement or annual, quarterly or current reports that any Borrower or any
of
its Subsidiaries files with the SEC on Form 10-K, 10-Q or 8-K (or any successor
forms), notice that the same has been posted to ICO’s website or is otherwise
available on the SEC’s website, and if the same is not then available on either
such website, a copy of such registration statement or report.
(i) Annual,
Quarterly and Other Reports.
Promptly after transmission to ICO’s stockholders of any annual, quarterly and
other report and all proxy statements, notice that the same has been provided
to
its stockholders and posted to ICO’s website, and if such report or statement is
not then available on such website, a copy of such report or
statement.
(j) Press
Releases.
Promptly after the release of any press releases and other similar statements
intended to be made available generally by any Borrower or any Subsidiary to
the
public concerning material developments relating to any Borrower or any
Subsidiaries, notice that the same has been released and posted to ICO’s
website, and if such release is not then available on such website, a copy
of
such release.
(k) Information
Relating to Collateral.
At the
time of the delivery of the annual financial statements provided for in subpart
(a) above, a certificate of an Authorized Officer (i) setting forth any changes
to the information required pursuant to the Perfection Certificate or confirming
that there has been no change in such information since the date of the most
recently delivered or updated Perfection Certificate and (ii) certifying that
neither the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries have taken any actions
(and
is not aware of any actions so taken) to terminate any UCC financing statements
or other appropriate filings, recordings or registrations, including all
refilings, rerecordings and reregistrations, containing a description of the
Collateral that have been filed of record in each governmental, municipal or
other appropriate office in each jurisdiction identified pursuant to clause
(i)
above to the extent
55
necessary
to protect and perfect the security interests and Liens under the Security
Documents for a period of not less than 18 months after the date of such
certificate (except as noted therein with respect to any continuation statements
to be filed within such period).
(l) Other
Notices.
Promptly after the transmission or receipt thereof, as applicable, copies of
all
notices received or sent by any Borrower or any Subsidiary to or from the
holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee with respect
thereto.
(m) Other
Information.
Promptly, but in any event within 10 days after a request therefor, such other
information or documents (financial or otherwise) relating to the Borrowers
or
any of their Subsidiaries as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may
reasonably request from time to time.
Section
6.02 Books,
Records and Inspections.
The
Borrowers will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries
to,
(i)
keep
proper books of record and account, in which full and correct entries shall
be
made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of the Borrowers
or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, in accordance with GAAP; and
(ii) permit,
upon reasonable prior notice to the Borrower Representative and during normal
business hours, officers and designated representatives of the Administrative
Agent or any of the Lenders to visit and inspect any of the properties or assets
of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in whomsoever’s possession (but only to
the extent the Borrowers or such Subsidiary has the right to do so to the extent
in the possession of another Person), to examine the books of account of the
Borrowers and any of its Subsidiaries, and make copies thereof and take extracts
therefrom, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrowers
and of their Subsidiaries with, and be advised as to the same by, its and their
officers and independent accountants and independent actuaries, if any, all
at
such reasonable times and intervals and to such reasonable extent as the
Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders may request.
Section
6.03 Insurance.
(a) The
Borrowers will, and
will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to,
(i)
maintain
insurance coverage by such insurers and in such forms and amounts and against
such risks as are generally consistent with the insurance coverage maintained
by
the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date, and
(ii)
forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s written request,
furnish to the Administrative Agent or such Lender such information about such
insurance as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may from time to time
reasonably request, which information shall be prepared in form and detail
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or such Lender and certified
by an Authorized Officer.
(b) The
Borrowers will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party
to, at all times keep their respective property that is subject to the Lien
of
any of the Security Documents insured in favor of the Administrative Agent,
and
all policies or certificates (or certified copies thereof) with respect to
such
insurance (and any other insurance maintained by any Borrower or any such
Subsidiary)
(i)
shall be
endorsed to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction for the benefit of the
Administrative Agent (including, without limitation, by naming the
Administrative Agent as an additional loss payee (with respect to Collateral)
or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, as an additional insured as
its
interests may appear),
(ii)
shall
provide that the respective insurers irrevocably waive any and all rights of
subrogation with respect to the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders,
(iii)
shall in
the case of any such certificates or endorsements in favor of the Administrative
Agent, be delivered to or deposited with the Administrative Agent, and (iv)
shall provide that the interests of the Administrative Agent shall not be
invalidated by an act or negligence of any Borrower or any Subsidiary or any
person having an interest in any facility owned, leased or used by any Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries nor by occupancy or use of any facility owned, leased
or used by any Borrower or any Subsidiary for purposes more hazardous than
56
permitted
by such policy nor by any foreclosure or other proceedings relating to any
facility owned, leased or used by any Borrower or any Subsidiary. The
Borrower will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries that is a Loan Party
to, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the policies
or certificates referred to in the preceding sentence to state that such
insurance policies shall not be canceled, reduced or expire without 30 days’
prior written notice thereof (or 10 days’ prior written notice in the case of
cancellation for the non-payment of premiums) by the respective insurer to
the
Administrative Agent. The Borrower Representative shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent contemporaneously with the expiration or replacement of
any
policy of insurance required to be maintained by this Agreement a certificate
as
to the new or renewal policy. The Borrower Representative shall advise the
Administrative Agent promptly upon the cancellation, reduction or amendment
of
any policy. If requested to do so by the Administrative Agent at any time,
the
Borrower Representative shall deliver copies of all insurance policies
maintained by it as required by this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall
deliver copies of any certificates of insurance to a Lender upon such Lender’s
reasonable request.
(c) If
the
Borrowers or any other Loan Party shall fail to maintain any insurance in
accordance with this Section, or if the Borrower Representative or any such
Loan
Party shall fail to so endorse and deliver or deposit all endorsements or
certificates with respect thereto, the Administrative Agent shall have the
right
(but shall be under no obligation) to procure such insurance and the Borrowers
agree to reimburse the Administrative Agent on demand for all costs and expenses
of procuring such insurance.
Section
6.04 Payment
of Taxes and Claims.
The
Borrowers will pay and discharge, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to
pay
and discharge, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed
upon it or upon its income or profits, or upon any properties belonging to
it,
prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, and all lawful claims
that,
if unpaid, might become a Lien or charge upon any properties of the Borrowers
or
any of their Subsidiaries;
provided, however,
that
neither the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries shall be required to pay
any
such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim that is being contested in good
faith and by proper proceedings if it has maintained adequate reserves with
respect thereto in accordance with GAAP. Without limiting the generality of
the
foregoing, the Borrowers will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
pay
in full all of its wage obligations to its employees in accordance with the
Fair
Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. Sections 206-207) and any comparable provisions
of applicable law.
Section
6.05 Corporate
Franchises.
The
Borrowers will do, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to do, or cause
to
be done, all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect
its
corporate existence, rights and authority; provided,
however,
that
nothing in this Section shall be deemed to prohibit any
transaction permitted by Section 7.02.
Section
6.06 Good
Repair.
The
Borrowers will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, ensure that its
material properties and equipment used or useful in its business in whomsoever’s
possession they may be, are kept in good repair, working order and condition,
normal wear and tear and damage caused by fire or other casualty event (solely
to the extent covered by insurance) excepted, and that from time to time there
are made in such properties and equipment all needful and proper repairs,
renewals, replacements, extensions, additions, betterments and improvements
thereto, to the extent and in the manner customary for companies in similar
businesses.
Section
6.07 Compliance
with Statutes, etc.
The
Borrowers will, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to, comply with all
applicable statutes, regulations and orders of, and all applicable restrictions
imposed by, all Governmental Authorities in respect of the conduct of its
business and the ownership of its property, other than those the noncompliance
with which would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
57
Section
6.08 Compliance
with Environmental Laws.
Without
limitation of the covenants contained in Section 6.07:
(a) The
Borrowers will comply, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to comply,
with
all Environmental Laws applicable to the ownership, lease or use of all Real
Property now or hereafter owned, leased or operated by the Borrowers or any
of
their Subsidiaries, and will promptly pay or cause to be paid all costs and
expenses incurred in connection with such compliance, except
to the
extent that such compliance with Environmental Laws is being contested in good
faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been
established to the extent required by GAAP, and an adverse outcome in such
proceedings is not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b) The
Borrowers will keep or cause to be kept, and will cause each of their
Subsidiaries to keep or cause to be kept, all such Real Property free and clear
of any Liens imposed pursuant to such Environmental Laws other than Permitted
Liens.
(c) Neither
the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries will generate, use, treat, store,
release or dispose of, or permit the generation, use, treatment, storage,
release or disposal of, Hazardous Materials on any Real Property now or
hereafter owned, leased or operated by the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries or transport or permit the transportation of Hazardous Materials
to
or from any such Real Property other than in compliance with applicable
Environmental Laws, except for such noncompliance as would not be reasonably
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) If
required to do so under any applicable order of any Governmental Authority,
the
Borrowers will undertake, and cause each of their Subsidiaries to undertake,
any
clean up, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up
any
Hazardous Materials from any Real Property owned, leased or operated by the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries in accordance with, in all material
respects, the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws and in
accordance with, in all material respects, such orders of all Governmental
Authorities, except to the extent that such Borrower or such Subsidiary is
contesting such order in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for
which
adequate reserves have been established to the extent required by
GAAP.
(e) At
the written request of
the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, which request shall specify
in
reasonable detail the basis therefor, at any time and from time to time after
the Lenders receive notice under Section 6.01(g) for any Environmental Claim
involving potential expenditures by any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
in
excess of $500,000 in the aggregate (after giving effect to any available
insurance proceeds) for any Real Property, the Borrower Representative will
provide, at its sole cost and expense, an environmental site assessment report
concerning any such Real Property now or hereafter owned, leased or operated
by
such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, prepared by an environmental
consulting firm reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, indicating
the presence or absence of Hazardous Materials in violation of Environmental
Laws and the potential cost of any removal or a remedial action in connection
with any Hazardous Materials on such Real Property in violation of Environmental
Laws. If the Borrower Representative fails to provide the same within 90 days
after such request was made, the Administrative Agent may order the same, and
such Borrower shall grant and hereby grants, to the Administrative Agent and
the
Lenders and their agents, access to such Real Property and specifically grants
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders an irrevocable non-exclusive license,
subject to the rights of tenants, to undertake such an assessment, all at the
Borrowers’ expense.
Section
6.09 Certain
Subsidiaries to Join in Subsidiary Guaranty.
58
(a) In
the
event that at any time after the Closing Date any Borrower creates, holds,
acquires or at any time has any Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary
as
to which Section 6.01(b) applies and other than ICO Minerals to the extent
that
the representation and warranty set forth in Section 5.23(b) is true and correct
in all respects) that is not a party to the Subsidiary Guaranty, such Borrower
will immediately, but in any event within five Business Days, notify the
Administrative Agent in writing of such event, identifying the Subsidiary in
question and referring specifically to the rights of the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders under this Section. The Borrowers promptly, and in any event
within five Business Days, will cause such Subsidiary to deliver to the
Administrative Agent, in sufficient quantities for the Lenders,
(i)
a
joinder supplement, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the
Administrative Agent, duly executed by such Subsidiary, pursuant to which such
Subsidiary joins in the Subsidiary Guaranty as a guarantor thereunder, and
(ii)
if such Subsidiary is a corporation, resolutions of the Board of Directors
of
such Subsidiary, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such
Subsidiary as duly adopted and in full force and effect, authorizing the
execution and delivery of such joinder supplement, or if such Subsidiary is
not
a corporation, such other evidence of the authority of such Subsidiary to
execute such joinder supplement as the Administrative Agent may reasonably
request.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing or the provisions of Section 6.10 hereof, no Borrower shall be
required to pledge (or cause to be pledged) more than 66% of the stock or other
equity interests in any first tier Foreign Subsidiary, or any of the stock
or
other equity interests in any other Foreign Subsidiary, or to cause a Foreign
Subsidiary to join in the Subsidiary Guaranty or to become a party to the
Security Agreement or any other Security Document, if to do so would subject
such Borrower to liability for additional United States income taxes by virtue
of Section 956 of the Code in an amount such Borrower considers
material.
Section
6.10 Additional
Security; Real Estate Matters; Further Assurances.
(a) Additional
Security.
Subject
to subpart (b) below, the Borrowers or any Subsidiary Guarantor acquires, owns
or holds an interest in any Real Property or any personal property that is
not
at the time included in the Collateral and is required to be included in the
Collateral pursuant to any Security Document, the Borrower Representative will
promptly notify the Administrative Agent in writing of such event, identifying
the property or interests in question and referring specifically to the rights
of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section, and the Borrower
Representative will, or will cause such Subsidiary to, within 10 Business Days
following request by the Administrative Agent, grant to the Administrative
Agent
for the benefit of the Lenders a Lien on such Real Property or such personal
property pursuant to the terms of such security agreements, assignments or
other
documents as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate (collectively, the
“Additional
Security Document”)
or a
joinder in any existing Security Document. Furthermore, the Borrower
Representative shall cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent such
opinions of local counsel, corporate resolutions, a Perfection Certificate,
consents of landlords, Landlord’s Agreements and other related documents as may
be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with the
execution, delivery and recording of any such Additional Security Document
or
joinder, all of which documents shall be in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(b) Foreign
Subsidiaries.
No
Domestic Loan Party shall be required to pledge (or cause to be pledged) more
than 66% of the Equity Interests in any first tier Foreign Subsidiary, or any
of
the Equity Interests in any other Foreign Subsidiary, or to cause a Foreign
Subsidiary to join in the Subsidiary Guaranty or to become a party to the
Security Agreement or any other Security Document, if to do so would subject
the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries to liability for additional United States
income taxes by virtue of Section 956 of the Code in an amount the Borrowers
consider material.
59
(c) Real
Estate Matters.
The
Borrowers shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent (x) with respect
to each parcel of Real Property subjected to a Mortgage as of the Closing Date
(each, a “Closing
Date Mortgaged Property”),
and
(y) within 30 days of the request therefor by the Administrative Agent,
with respect to each parcel of Real Property acquired by any Borrower or any
Subsidiary Guarantor after the Closing Date that becomes subject to a Mortgage
pursuant to Section 6.10(a) above, all of the following:
(i) evidence,
which may be in
the form of a letter or other certification from a title insurance company
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (a “Title
Company”)
or
from an insurance broker, surveyor, engineer or other provider, as to whether
(1) such Real Property is a Flood Hazard Property, and (2) the
community in which such Flood Hazard Property is located is participating in
the
National Flood Insurance Program, and if such Closing Date Mortgaged Property
is
a Flood Hazard Property, evidence that the applicable Loan Party has obtained
flood insurance in respect of such Flood Hazard Property to the extent required
under the applicable regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System;
(ii) a
certificate of the Borrowers identifying any Phase I, Phase II or other
environmental report received in draft or final form by any Loan Party during
the five-year period prior to the date of execution of the Mortgage relating
to
such Real Property and/or the operations conducted therefrom, or stating that
no
such draft or final form reports have been requested or received by any Loan
Party (or its counsel), together with true and correct copies of all such
environmental reports so listed (in draft form, if not finalized), and all
such
environmental reports shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
to
the Administrative Agent; and
(iii) an
opinion of local counsel admitted to practice in the jurisdiction in which
such
Real Property is located, satisfactory in form and substance to the
Administrative Agent, as to the validity and effectiveness of such Mortgage
as a
lien on such Real Property encumbered thereby, and covering such other matters
of law in connection with the execution, delivery, recording and enforcement
of
such Mortgage as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
(d) Other
Real Estate Matters.
At any
time after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Administrative Agent may require, with respect to each parcel of Real Property
that is subject to a Mortgage, the Borrowers to deliver to the Administrative
Agent, within 30 days of the request therefor, all of the following with respect
to each parcel of Real Property that becomes subject to a Mortgage pursuant
to
Section 6.10(a) above:
(i) an
American Land Title
Association ( ALTA) mortgagee title insurance policy or policies, or
unconditional commitments therefor (a “Title
Policy”)
issued
by a Title Company, in an amount not less than the amount reasonably required
therefor by the Administrative Agent (taking into account the estimated value
of
the property involved), insuring fee simple title to, or a valid leasehold
interest in, such Real Property vested in the applicable Loan Party and assuring
the Administrative Agent that the applicable Mortgage creates a valid and
enforceable first priority mortgage lien on the respective Real Property
encumbered thereby, subject only to Permitted Liens and a standard survey
exception, which Title Policy (1) shall include an endorsement for mechanics’
liens, for revolving, “variable rate” and future advances under this Agreement
and for any other matters reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent
and
(2) shall provide for affirmative insurance and such reinsurance as the
Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all of the foregoing in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
60
(ii) a
title
report issued by the Title Company with respect thereto, dated not more than
30
days prior to the date of execution of the applicable Mortgage and reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent;
(iii) copies
of
all recorded documents listed as exceptions to title or otherwise referred
to in
the Title Policy or in such title report relating to such real
Property;
(iv) a
survey,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent,
of
such Real Property, certified in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent by a licensed professional surveyor reasonably satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent; and
(v) appraisals,
satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent and each Lender,
dated not more than 60 days prior to the date of execution of each Mortgage
and
addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or accompanied by a
separate letter indicating that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may
rely thereon, from one or more nationally recognized appraisal firms,
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, covering
(i)
the Real
Properties, and
(ii)
all
other tangible property, plant and equipment owned by any Borrower or any
Subsidiary, that is to be subjected to the Lien of the Security Agreement and
is
located at any plant or facility owned or leased by any Borrower or any
Subsidiary in the United States of America, which appraisals shall set
forth
(A)
the
“fair market value” of such property (i.e.,
the
amount at which such property would equitably exchange between a willing buyer
and a willing seller, neither being under a compulsion and both having
reasonable knowledge of all relevant facts on the premise that such property
will continue in its present use as part of an ongoing business
enterprise),
(B)
the
“orderly disposal value” of such property (i.e.,
the
amount which may be realized through a forced sale disposal of such property
when a reasonable time to find a buyer is allowed), and
(C)
the
“forced liquidation value” of such property (i.e.,
the
amount which may be realized through an immediate forced sale disposal of such
property), in each case as determined in accordance with sound appraisal
standards.
(e) Landlord
Waivers.
The
Borrowers will promptly upon request of the Administrative Agent obtain, and
will maintain in effect,
Landlord’s Agreements on any
Real
Property on which any items of Collateral are located, in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
(f) Further
Assurances.
The
Borrowers will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, at
the
expense of the Borrowers, make, execute, endorse, acknowledge, file and/or
deliver to the Administrative Agent from time to time such conveyances,
financing statements, transfer endorsements, powers of attorney, certificates,
and other assurances or instruments and take such further steps relating to
the
Collateral covered by any of the Security Documents as the Administrative Agent
may reasonably require. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines,
based on applicable law, that all applicable taxes (including, without
limitation, mortgage recording taxes or similar charges) were not paid in
connection with the recordation of any mortgage or deed of trust, the Borrowers
shall promptly pay the same upon demand.
Section
6.11 Fiscal
Years, Fiscal Quarters
No
Borrower shall change its or any of its Subsidiaries’ fiscal years or fiscal
quarters (other than the fiscal year or fiscal quarters of a person that becomes
a Subsidiary, made at the time such person becomes a Subsidiary to conform
to
such Borrower’s fiscal year and fiscal quarters).
Section
6.12 Senior
Debt.
The
Obligations shall, and the Borrowers shall take all necessary action to ensure
that the Obligations shall, at all times rank at least pari
passu
in right
of
61
payment
(to the fullest extent permitted by law) with all other senior secured
Indebtedness of the Borrowers and each Subsidiary Guarantor.
Section
6.13 Federal
Tax Liens.
The
Borrowers shall, within 30 days of the Closing Date, cause a Certificate of
Release of Federal Tax Lien to be filed with each of the Secretary of State
of
the State of Texas and the County Clerk of Xxxxxx County, Texas, in each case
with respect to the federal tax lien filed against ICO on March 14, 2003 in
the
amount of $1,203,783.50.
Section
6.14 ICO
Minerals.
ICO
Minerals will be dissolved or merged into a Loan Party and evidence thereof
shall have been provided to the Administrative Agent as soon as available but
in
no event later than 90 days following the Closing Date.
Section
6.15 Australian
Loan Defaults.
Within
120 days of the Closing Date, the Australian Subsidiary shall receive a waiver
from the Australian Lender of the Australian Loan Defaults, and such waiver
shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent.
ARTICLE
VII.
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
The
Borrowers hereby covenant and agree that on the Closing Date and thereafter
for
so long as this Agreement is in effect and until such time as the Commitments
have been terminated, no Notes remain outstanding and the Loans, together with
interest, Fees and all other Obligations incurred hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents, have been paid in full:
Section
7.01 Changes
in Business.
Neither
the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries will engage in any business if,
as a
result, the general nature of the business, taken on a consolidated basis,
which
would then be engaged in by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, would be
substantially changed from the general nature of the business engaged in by
the
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on the Closing Date.
Section
7.02 Consolidation,
Merger, Acquisitions, Asset Sales, etc.
The
Borrowers will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, (i) wind up,
liquidate or dissolve its affairs, (ii) enter into any transaction of merger
or
consolidation, (iii) make or otherwise effect any Acquisition, (iv) make or
otherwise effect any Asset Sale, or (v) agree to do any of the foregoing at
any
future time, except
that,
each of the following shall be permitted:
(a) ICO
Minerals may be dissolved or merged with or into any Loan Party, provided
that the
surviving or continuing or resulting corporation is Loan Party, and if no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would
result therefrom, the merger, consolidation or amalgamation of (i) any
Subsidiary with or into any Borrower, provided
such
Borrower is the surviving or continuing or resulting corporation; (ii) any
Subsidiary with or into any Subsidiary Guarantor, provided
that the
surviving or continuing or resulting corporation is a Subsidiary Guarantor;
or
(iii) any Foreign Subsidiary with or into any other Foreign Subsidiary;
(b) if
no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would
result therefrom, any Asset Sale by (i) a Borrower to any other Domestic Loan
Party, (ii) any Subsidiary to any Domestic Loan Party, or (iii) any Foreign
Subsidiary to any other Foreign Subsidiary;
(c) if
no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would
result therefrom, any Borrower or any Subsidiary may make any Acquisition that
is a Permitted Acquisition,
62
provided
that all
of the conditions contained in the definition of the term Permitted Acquisition
are satisfied;
(d) if
no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would
result therefrom, in addition to any Asset Sale permitted above, any Borrower
or
any Subsidiary may consummate
any Asset Sale, provided
that
(i)
the consideration for each such Asset Sale represents fair value and at least
90% of such consideration consists of cash; (ii) in the case of any Asset Sale
involving consideration in excess of $500,000, at least five Business Days
prior
to the date of completion of such Asset Sale, the Borrower Representative shall
have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate executed by
an Authorized Officer, which certificate shall contain
(A)
a
description of the proposed transaction, the date such transaction is scheduled
to be consummated, the estimated sale price or other consideration for such
transaction,
and
(B)
a
certification that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, or would result from consummation of such transaction; and (iii)
the
aggregate amount of all Asset Sales made pursuant to this subpart during any
fiscal year of the Borrowers shall not exceed $1,000,000;
(e) The
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries shall be permitted to make Consolidated Capital
Expenditures, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing or will occur as a result of such Consolidated Capital Expenditure;
and
(f) The
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries shall be permitted to make and dispose of
the
investments permitted pursuant to Section 7.05(a), (b), (c), or
(d).
Section
7.03 Liens.
The
Borrowers will not, and will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon or with respect to any property
or assets of any kind (real or personal, tangible or intangible) of any of
the
Borrowers or any such Subsidiary whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or
sell any such property or assets subject to an understanding or agreement,
contingent or otherwise, to repurchase such property or assets (including sales
of accounts receivable or notes with or without recourse to a Borrower or any
of
its Subsidiaries, other than for purposes of collection of delinquent accounts
in the ordinary course of business) or assign any right to receive income,
or
file or permit the filing of any financing statement under the UCC or any other
similar notice of Lien under any similar recording or notice statute, except
that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:
(a) Standard
Permitted Liens; and
(b) Liens
on the
Borrowers’ and their Subsidiaries’ properties in
existence on the Closing Date that are listed in Schedule
7.03;
and
(c) Liens
(i)
that are
placed upon fixed or capital assets, leased, acquired, constructed or improved
by any Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that
(A) such Liens only secure Capital Lease Obligations permitted by Section
7.04(i),
(B)
such
Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within
120
days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or
improvement,
(C)
the
Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 90% of the cost of acquiring,
constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets, and
(D)
such
Liens shall not apply to any other property or assets of any Borrower or any
Subsidiary; or
(ii)
arising
out of the refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any Indebtedness
secured by any such Liens, provided that the principal amount of such
Indebtedness is not increased and such Indebtedness is not secured by any
additional assets; and
63
(d) any
Lien
on the new building constructed in the fiscal year 2006 of the Borrowers and
located at 0000 XxXxxx Xxxx, XxXxxxx, Xxxxx and owned by Bayshore RE Holdings,
Inc., granted in connection with the Contemplated Protective Life Loan;
and
(e) any
Lien
granted to the Administrative Agent securing any of the Obligations or any
other
Indebtedness of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents or any Indebtedness
under any Designated Hedge Agreement; and
(f) any
Lien
granted to secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.04(h).
Section
7.04 Indebtedness.
The
Borrowers will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, contract,
create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness of the Borrowers
or
any of their Subsidiaries, except:
(a) Indebtedness
incurred under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; and
(b) the
Indebtedness set forth on Schedule
7.04
hereto,
and any refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any such Indebtedness
not involving an increase in the principal amount thereof;
and
(c) Indebtedness
constituting Permitted Foreign Subsidiary Loans and Investments;
and
(d) any
intercompany loans (i) made by any Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Domestic
Loan Party, or (ii) made by any Foreign Subsidiary to any other Foreign
Subsidiary;
and
(e) Indebtedness
of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries under Hedge Agreements, provided
such
Hedge Agreements have been entered into in the ordinary course of business
and
not for speculative purposes; and
(f) Indebtedness
constituting Guaranty Obligations permitted by Section 7.05; and
(g) the
Contemplated Protective Life Loan;
(h) Indebtedness
incurred by any Foreign Subsidiary or Foreign Subsidiaries; and
(i) additional
Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrowers or any
of
their Subsidiaries to the extent not permitted by any of the foregoing clauses,
provided
that (i)
the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness shall not exceed
$5,000,000 per annum, (ii) after giving effect to the incurrence of any such
Indebtedness the Leverage Ratio is less than 2.50 to 1.00 and (iii) no Default
or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of or immediately
after the incurrence of any such Indebtedness.
Section
7.05 Investments
and Guaranty Obligations.
The
Borrowers
will
not,
and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (i)
make
or commit to make any Investment or (ii) be or become obligated under any
Guaranty Obligations, except:
(a) Investments
by any Borrower or any Subsidiaries in cash and Cash Equivalents;
and
(b) any
endorsement of a check or other medium of payment for deposit or collection,
or
any similar transaction in the normal course of business; and
64
(c) the
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may acquire and hold receivables and similar
items owing to them in the ordinary course of business and payable or
dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; and
(d) any
Permitted Creditor Investment; and
(e) loans
and
advances to employees for business-related travel expenses, moving expenses,
costs of replacement homes, business machines or supplies, automobiles and
other
similar expenses, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business,
provided
the
aggregate outstanding amount of all such loans and advances shall not exceed
$1,000,000 at any time; and
(f) to
the
extent not permitted by any of the other subparts in this Section, Investments
existing as of the Closing Date and described on Schedule
7.05
hereto;
and
(g) any
Guaranty Obligations of any Borrower or any Subsidiary in favor of the
Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders and any other benefited
creditors under any Designated Hedge Agreements pursuant to the Loan Documents;
and
(h) Investments
of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in Hedge Agreements permitted to be
entered into pursuant to this Agreement; and
(i) Investments
(i) of any Borrower or any Subsidiary in any Subsidiary existing as of the
Closing Date, (ii) of any Borrower in any Domestic Loan Party made after the
Closing Date, (iii) of any Domestic Loan Party in any other Domestic Loan Party
(other than a Borrower) made after the Closing Date, or (iv) constituting
Permitted Foreign Subsidiary Loans and Investments; and
(j) Investments
of any Foreign Subsidiary in any other Subsidiary; and
(k) intercompany
loans and advances permitted by Section 7.04(d); and
(l) the
Acquisitions permitted by Section 7.02; and
(m) any
Guaranty Obligation incurred by any Domestic Loan Party with respect
to Indebtedness
of another Domestic Loan Party which Indebtedness is permitted by Section 7.04;
and
(n) Investments
constituting Restricted Payments permitted pursuant to Section 7.06;
and
(o) other
Investments by any
Borrower or any Subsidiary in any other Person (other than a Borrower or any
Subsidiary) made after the Closing Date and not permitted pursuant to the
foregoing subparts, provided
that
(i)
at the
time of making any such Investment no Default or Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, or would result therefrom, and
(ii) the
maximum cumulative amount of all such Investments that are so made pursuant
to
this subpart and outstanding at any time shall not exceed an aggregate of
$5,000,000, taking into account the repayment of any loans or advances
comprising such Investments.
Section
7.06 Restricted
Payments. The
Borrowers will not, and
will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to
pay
or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:
65
(a) any
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may declare and pay or make Capital
Distributions that are payable solely in additional shares of its common stock
(or warrants, options or other rights to acquire additional shares of its common
stock); and
(b) (i)
any
Subsidiary may declare and pay or make Capital Distributions to any Domestic
Loan Party, and (ii) any Foreign Subsidiary may declare and pay or make Capital
Distributions to any other Foreign Subsidiary or to any Domestic Loan Party;
and
(c) ICO
may
declare and pay or make Capital Distributions (including, but not limited to
any
made in connection with the Preferred Stock Transaction), provided
that (i)
no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would
result therefrom, (ii) the Borrowers will be in compliance with the financial
covenants set forth in Section 7.07 after giving pro
forma
effect
to each such Capital Distribution, and (iii) after giving pro
forma
effect
to each such Capital Distribution, the Leverage Ratio is less than 2.50 to
1.00.
Section
7.07 Financial
Covenants.
(a) Consolidated
Tangible Net Worth.
The
Borrower will not permit its Consolidated Tangible Net Worth at any time to
be
less than the sum of (i) $50,000,000 plus
(ii) 50%
of Consolidated Net Income (to the extent a positive number) for each fiscal
quarter ending after the Closing Date.
(b) Leverage
Ratio.
The
Borrowers will not at any time permit the Leverage Ratio to exceed 3.00 to
1.00.
(c) Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio.
The
Borrowers will not permit at any time the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio to be
less
than 1.10 to 1.00.
(d) Asset
Coverage Ratio.
The
Borrowers will not permit at any time the Asset Coverage Ratio to be less than
the minimum ratio specified below during the period opposite such maximum
amount:
Period
|
Minimum
Ratio
|
Closing
Date through September
30, 2008
|
1.15
to 1.00
|
October 1, 2008 and thereafter
|
1.25
to 1.00
|
(e) Maintenance
of Profitability.
The Borrowers shall not permit Consolidated EBITDA less Consolidated Interest
Expense to be less than zero for two consecutive fiscal quarters.
Section
7.08 Limitation
on Certain Restrictive Agreements.
Except
as set forth on Schedule
7.08,
the
Borrowers will not, and will not permit any of their respective Subsidiaries
to,
directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist or become
effective, any “negative pledge” covenant or other agreement, restriction or
arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon
(a)
the
ability of a Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or suffer to exist
any
Lien upon any of its property or assets as security for Indebtedness,
or
(b)
the
ability of any such Subsidiary to make Capital Distributions or any other
interest or participation in its profits owned by the Borrowers or any
Subsidiary, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Borrowers or a Subsidiary,
or to
make loans or advances to the Borrowers or any other Subsidiaries, or transfer
any of its property or assets to the Borrowers or any other Subsidiaries,
except
for such
restrictions existing under or by reason of
(i)
applicable law,
(ii)
this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents,
(iii)
customary provisions restricting subletting or
66
assignment
of any lease governing a leasehold interest,
(iv)
customary provisions restricting assignment of any licensing agreement entered
into in the ordinary course of business,
(v)
customary provisions restricting the transfer or further encumbering of assets
subject to Liens permitted under Section 7.03(c),
(vi)
customary restrictions affecting only a Subsidiary under any agreement or
instrument governing any of the Indebtedness of a Subsidiary permitted pursuant
to Section 7.04,
(vii) restrictions
affecting any Foreign Subsidiary under any agreement or instrument governing
any
Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary permitted pursuant to Section 7.04,
and
customary restrictions contained in “comfort” letters and guarantees of any such
Indebtedness,
(viii)
any
document relating to Indebtedness secured by a Lien permitted by Section 7.03,
insofar as the provisions thereof limit grants of junior liens on the assets
securing such Indebtedness, and
(ix)
any
Operating Lease or Capital Lease, insofar as the provisions thereof limit grants
of a security interest in, or other assignments of, the related leasehold
interest to any other Person.
Section
7.09 Transactions
with Affiliates.
The
Borrowers will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any
transaction or series of transactions with any Affiliate (other than, in the
case of the Borrowers, any Subsidiary, and in the case of a Subsidiary, the
Borrowers or another Subsidiary) other than in the ordinary course of business
of and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of such Borrower’s or such
Subsidiary’s business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to
such Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable
arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, except (i)
sales of
goods to an Affiliate for use or distribution outside the United States that
in
the good faith judgment of the Borrowers comply with any applicable legal
requirements of the Code, or (ii) agreements and transactions with and payments
to officers, directors and shareholders that are either
(A)
entered
into in the ordinary course of business and not prohibited by any of the
provisions of this Agreement, or
(B) entered
into outside the ordinary course of business, approved by the directors or
shareholders of the Borrowers, and not prohibited by any of the provisions
of
this Agreement or in violation of any law, rule or regulation.
Section
7.10 Plan
Terminations, Minimum Funding, etc.
The
Borrowers will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate
to,
(i)
terminate any Plan or Plans so as to result in liability of the Borrowers or
any
ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC in excess of, in the aggregate, the amount that
is
equal to 5% of the Borrowers’ Consolidated Net Worth as of the date of the then
most recent financial statements furnished to the Lenders pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement,
(ii) permit
to exist one or more events or conditions that present a material risk of the
termination by the PBGC of any Plan or Plans with respect to which the Borrowers
or any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate would, in the event of such termination,
incur liability to the PBGC in excess of such amount in the aggregate,
(iii) fail
to comply with the minimum funding standards of ERISA and the Code with respect
to any Plan, or (iv) incur an obligation to contribute to, or become a
contributing sponsor (as such term is defined in Section 4001 of ERISA) in,
any
Multi-Employer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan.
Section
7.11 RE
Holdings Entities.
From
and after the Closing Date, the Borrowers shall not permit the RE Holdings
Entities to acquire any additional assets, whether by purchase, lease or
otherwise, that were not owned by such Subsidiaries as of the Closing
Date.
Section
7.12 JPMorgan
Securities Account.
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Loan Documents to the contrary, the
Borrowers shall not be permitted to request a Revolving Borrowing (other than
any Revolving Borrowing requested on the Closing Date) or the issuance of any
Letter of Credit (other than with respect to the Back-to-Back Letter of Credit
issued on the Closing Date and any full or partial replacements thereof), and
the Lenders shall not be required to make any Revolving Loans (other than any
Revolving Loans made on the Closing Date) and the LC Issuer shall not be
required to issue any Letter of Credit (other than the Back-to-Back Letter
of
Credit issued on the Closing Date and any full or partial replacements thereof),
until such time as there is less than $1,000,000 on deposit in the
67
JPMorgan
Securities Account or there has been delivered a Control Agreement with respect
to the JPMorgan Securities Account in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent; provided,
however,
that if
the Borrowers request a Revolving Borrowing and the Lenders make a Revolving
Loan or the Borrowers request the issuance of any Letter of Credit and the
LC
Issuer issues any Letter of Credit after the amount on deposit in the JPMorgan
Securities Account is less than $1,000,000 but a Control Agreement has not
been
delivered, if the amount on deposit in the JPMorgan Securities Account at any
time thereafter exceeds $1,000,000, the Lenders shall not be required to make
any additional Revolving Loans and the LC Issuer shall not be required to issue
any Letter of Credit until such time as the Borrowers shall have delivered
a
Control Agreement with respect to the JPMorgan Securities Account in form and
substance satsifactory to the Administrative Agent.
Section
7.13 Anti-Terrorism
Laws.
Neither
the Borrowers nor any of their Subsidiaries
shall be
subject to or in violation of any law, regulation, or list of any government
agency (including, without limitation, the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control
list, Executive Order No. 13224 or the USA Patriot Act) that prohibits or limits
the conduct of business with or the receiving of funds, goods or services to
or
for the benefit of certain Persons specified therein or that prohibits or limits
any Lender or LC Issuer from making any advance or extension of credit to the
Borrowers or from otherwise conducting business with the Borrowers.
ARTICLE
VIII.
EVENTS
OF
DEFAULT
Section
8.01 Events
of Default.
Any of
the following specified events shall constitute an Event of Default (each an
“Event
of Default”):
(a) Payments:
the
Borrowers shall
(i)
default
in the payment when due (whether at maturity, on a date fixed for a scheduled
repayment, on a date on which a required prepayment is to be made, upon
acceleration or otherwise) of any principal of the Loans or any reimbursement
obligation in respect of any Unpaid Drawing; or
(ii)
default,
and such default shall continue for three or more Business Days, in the payment
when due of any interest on the Loans, any Fees or any other Obligations;
or
(b) Representations,
etc.:
any
representation, warranty or statement made by the Borrowers
or
any
other Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document or in any statement or
certificate delivered or required to be delivered pursuant hereto or thereto
shall prove to be untrue in any material respect on the date as of which made
or
deemed made; or
(c) Certain
Covenants:
the
Borrowers shall
default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or
agreement contained in Sections 6.01, 6.09, 6.10, 6.11, 6.12 or Article VII
of
this Agreement; or
(d) Other
Covenants:
any
Loan
Party
shall
default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or
agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than
those referred to in Section 8.01(a) or (b) or (c) above) and such default
is
not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of
(i)
an
officer of any Loan Party obtaining knowledge of such default or
(ii) the
Borrowers receiving
written notice of such default from the Administrative Agent or the Required
Lenders (any such notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer
specifically to this paragraph); or
(e) Cross
Default Under Other Agreements:
the
Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries shall
(i) default
in any payment with respect to any Material Domestic Indebtedness (other than
the
68
Obligations),
and such default shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any,
specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Material Domestic
Indebtedness; or
(ii)
default
in the observance or performance of any agreement or condition relating to
any
such Material Domestic Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement
evidencing, securing or relating thereto (and all grace periods applicable
to
such observance, performance or condition shall have expired), or any other
event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other
event
or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Material
Domestic Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or
holders) to cause any such Material Domestic Indebtedness to become due prior
to
its stated maturity; or any such Material Domestic Indebtedness of the Borrowers
or any of their Subsidiaries shall be declared to be due and payable, or shall
be required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required
prepayment or redemption, prior to the stated maturity thereof); or
(iii)
default
in any payment with respect to any Material Foreign Indebtedness, and such
default shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified
in
the agreement or instrument relating to such Material Foreign Indebtedness;
or
(iv) other than the Australian Loan Defaults (so long as the Australian Lender
shall not have taken any enforcement action with respect thereto), default
in
the observance or performance of any agreement or condition relating to any
such
Material Foreign Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement
evidencing, securing or relating thereto (and all grace periods applicable
to
such observance, performance or condition shall have expired), or any other
event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other
event
or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Material
Foreign Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders)
to cause any such Material Foreign Indebtedness to become due prior to its
stated maturity; or any such Material Foreign Indebtedness of the Borrowers
or
any of their Subsidiaries shall be declared to be due and payable, or shall
be
required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment
or redemption, prior to the stated maturity thereof); or (v) without limitation
of the foregoing clauses, default in any payment obligation under a Designated
Hedge Agreement, and such default shall continue after the applicable grace
period, if any, specified in such Designated Hedge Agreement or any other
agreement or instrument relating thereto; or
(f) Invalidity
of Loan Documents or Liens:
any
provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery
and
for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or under such Loan
Document or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full
force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner
the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any
Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under
any
Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document;
or
(g) Judgments:
(i)
one or
more judgments, orders or decrees shall be entered against any Borrower and/or
any of its Subsidiaries involving a liability (other than a liability covered
by
insurance, as to which the carrier has adequate claims paying ability and has
not effectively reserved its rights) of $1,000,000 or more in the aggregate
for
all such judgments, orders and decrees for the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries,
and any such judgments or orders or decrees shall not have been vacated,
discharged or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days (or such longer
period, not in excess of 60 days, during which enforcement thereof, and the
filing of any judgment lien, is effectively stayed or prohibited) from the
entry
thereof; or
(ii)
one or
more judgments, orders or decrees shall be entered against any Borrower and/or
any of its Subsidiaries involving a required divestiture of any material
properties, assets or business reasonably estimated to have a fair value in
excess of $1,000,000, and any such judgments, orders or decrees shall not have
been vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days
(or
such longer period, not in excess of 60 days, during which enforcement thereof,
and the filing of any judgment lien, is effectively stayed or prohibited) from
the entry thereof; or
(h) Insolvency
Event:
any
Insolvency Event shall occur with respect to any Borrower or any Subsidiary;
or
69
(i) ERISA:
(i)
any of
the events described in clauses (i) through (xi) of Section 6.01(f) shall have
occurred; and
(ii)
there
shall result from any such event or events the imposition of a Lien, the
granting of a security interest, or a liability or a material risk of incurring
a liability; or
(j) Change
of Control:
if
there occurs a Change of Control.
Section
8.02 Remedies.
Upon
the occurrence of any Event of Default, and at any time thereafter, if any
Event
of Default shall then be continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, upon the
written request of the Required Lenders, by written notice to the Borrower
Representative, take any or all of the following actions, without prejudice
to
the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to enforce its claims
against any Borrower or any other Loan Party in any manner permitted under
applicable law:
(a) declare
the Commitments
terminated, whereupon the Commitment of each Lender shall forthwith terminate
immediately without any other notice of any kind;
(b) declare
the principal of
and any accrued interest in respect of all Loans, all Unpaid Drawings and all
other Obligations (other than any Obligations under any Designated Hedge
Agreement) owing hereunder and thereunder to be, whereupon the same shall
become, forthwith due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other
notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower;
(c) terminate
any Letter of Credit that may be terminated in accordance with its terms;
or
(d) exercise
any other right or remedy available under any of the Loan Documents or
applicable law;
provided
that, if
an Event of Default specified in Section 8.01(h) shall occur, the result that
would occur upon the giving of written notice by the Administrative Agent as
specified in clauses (a) and/or (b) above shall occur automatically without
the
giving of any such notice.
Section
8.03 Application
of Certain Payments and Proceeds.
All
payments and other amounts received by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
through the exercise of remedies hereunder or under the other Loan Documents
shall, unless otherwise required by the terms of the other Loan Documents or
by
applicable law, be applied as follows:
(i) first,
to the
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and
expenses and other amounts (including attorneys’ fees and amounts due under
Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as
such;
(ii) second,
to the
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and
expenses (including attorneys’ fees and amounts due under Article III) payable
to each Lender or each LC Issuer, ratably among them in proportion to the
aggregate of all such amounts;
(iii) third,
to the
payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid
interest on the Loans and Unpaid Drawings with respect to Letters of Credit,
ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the aggregate of all such
amounts;
(iv) fourth,
pro
rata
to the
payment of (A) that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal
of
the Loans and Unpaid Drawings, ratably among the Lenders and each LC
70
Issuer
in
proportion to the aggregate of all such amounts, and (B) the amounts due to
Designated Hedge Creditors under Designated Hedge Agreements subject to
confirmation by the Administrative Agent that any calculations of termination
or
other payment obligations are being made in accordance with normal industry
practice;
(v) fifth,
to the
Administrative Agent for the benefit of each LC Issuer to cash collateralize
the
Stated Amount of outstanding Letters of Credit;
(vi) sixth,
to the
payment of all other Obligations of the Loan Parties owing under or in respect
of the Loan Documents that are then due and payable to the Administrative Agent,
each LC Issuer, the Lenders and the Designated Hedge Creditors, ratably based
upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to them
on
such date; and
(vii) finally,
any
remaining surplus after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the
Borrowers or to whomsoever shall be lawfully entitled thereto.
ARTICLE
IX.
THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Section
9.01 Appointment.
Each
Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints KeyBank National Association
to act as specified herein and in the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender
hereby irrevocably authorizes KeyBank National Association as the Administrative
Agent for such Lender, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions
of
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and
perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent
by
the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such
other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Administrative Agent
agrees to act as such upon the express conditions contained in this Article.
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement,
the
Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except
those
expressly set forth herein or in the other Loan Documents, nor any fiduciary
relationship with any Lender or LC Issuer, and no implied covenants, functions,
responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this
Agreement or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent. The provisions
of
this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders, and no Loan Party shall have any rights as a third-party beneficiary
of
any of the provisions hereof. In performing its functions and duties under
this
Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall act solely as agent of the Lenders
and
does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or
relationship of agency or trust with or for the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries.
Section
9.02 Delegation
of Duties.
The
Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document by or through agents, sub-agents or attorneys-in-fact,
and
shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to
such
duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence
or
misconduct of any agents, sub-agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with
reasonable care except to the extent otherwise required by Section
9.03.
Section
9.03 Exculpatory
Provisions.
Neither
the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (a) liable
for
any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under
or
in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except for its
or
such Related Parties’ own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (b)
responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements,
representations or warranties made by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries
or any of their respective officers contained in this Agreement, any other
Loan
Document or
71
in
any
certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for
in,
or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of the Borrowers or
any
Subsidiary or any of their respective officers to perform its obligations
hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall not be under any
obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or
performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this
Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or
records of the
Borrowers or
any
Subsidiary. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible to any Lender
for
the effectiveness, genuineness, validity, enforceability, collectibility or
sufficiency of this Agreement or any Loan Document or for any representations,
warranties, recitals or statements made herein or therein or made in any written
or oral statement or in any financial or other statements, instruments, reports,
certificates or any other documents in connection herewith or therewith
furnished or made by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders or by or on behalf
of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or
any
Lender or be required to ascertain or inquire as to the performance or
observance of any of the terms, conditions, provisions, covenants or agreements
contained herein or therein or as to the use of the proceeds of the Loans or
of
the existence or possible existence of any Default or Event of
Default.
Section
9.04 Reliance
by Administrative Agent.
The
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected
in
relying, upon any note, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate,
affidavit, letter, cablegram, telegram, e-mail or other electronic transmission,
facsimile transmission, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other
document or conversation believed by it, in good faith, to be genuine and
correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons
and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation,
counsel to the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries), independent accountants
and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative
Agent
shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this
Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice
or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate or it shall
first
be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability
and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to
take
any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected
in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other
Loan
Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders or all of the
Lenders, as applicable, as to any matter that, pursuant to Section 11.12, can
only be effectuated with the consent of all Required Lenders, or all applicable
Lenders, as the case may be), and such request and any action taken or failure
to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders.
Section
9.05 Notice
of Default.
The
Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the
occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder unless the
Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender or the Borrowers
referring
to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating
that
such notice is a “notice of default.” If the Administrative Agent receives such
a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice thereof to the
Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such
Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required
Lenders; provided,
however,
that
unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions,
the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action,
or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of
Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the
Lenders.
Section
9.06 Non-Reliance.
Each
Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor any
of
its Related Parties has made any representations or warranties to it and that
no
act by the Administrative Agent hereinafter taken, including, without
limitation, any review of the affairs of the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty
by
the Administrative Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the
Administrative
72
Agent
that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent,
or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has
deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the
business, assets, operations, property, financial and other conditions,
prospects and creditworthiness of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries and
made
its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement.
Each
Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon
the
Administrative Agent, or any other Lender, and based on such documents and
information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its
own
credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under
this Agreement, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform
itself as to the business, assets, operations, property, financial and other
conditions, prospects and creditworthiness of the Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility
to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the
business, operations, assets, property, financial and other conditions,
prospects or creditworthiness of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries
that
may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its Related
Parties.
Section
9.07 No
Reliance on Administrative Agent’s Customer Identification
Program.
Each
Lender acknowledges and agrees that neither such Lender, nor any of its
Affiliates, participants or assignees, may rely on the Administrative Agent
to
carry out such Lender’s, Affiliate’s, participant’s or assignee’s customer
identification program, or other obligations required or imposed under or
pursuant to the USA Patriot Act or the regulations thereunder, including the
regulations contained in 31 CFR 103.121 (as hereafter amended or replaced,
the
“CIP
Regulations”),
or
any other Anti-Terrorism Law, including any programs involving any of the
following items relating to or in connection with the Borrowers or any of their
Subsidiaries, any of their respective Affiliates or agents, the Loan Documents
or the transactions hereunder: (a) any
identity verification procedures, (b) any record keeping, (c) any
comparisons with government lists, (d) any customer notices or
(e) any
other
procedures required under the CIP Regulations or such other laws.
Section
9.08 USA
Patriot Act.
Each
Lender or assignee or participant of a Lender that is not organized under the
laws of the United States of America or a state thereof (and is not excepted
from the certification requirement contained in Section 313 of the USA Patriot
Act and the applicable regulations because it is both (a) an
affiliate of a depository institution or foreign bank that maintains a physical
presence in the United States or foreign country, and (b) subject
to supervision by a banking authority regulating such affiliated depository
institution or foreign bank) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the
certification, or, if applicable, recertification, certifying that such Lender
is not a “shell” and certifying to other matters as required by Section 313
of the USA Patriot Act and the applicable regulations: (i) within
10
days after the Closing Date, and (ii) at such other times as are required
under the USA Patriot Act.
Section
9.09 Indemnification.
The
Lenders agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties,
ratably according to their pro
rata
share of
the Aggregate Credit Facility Exposure, from and against any and all
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits,
costs, reasonable expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may
at
any time (including, without limitation, at any time following the payment
of
the Obligations) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the
Administrative Agent or such Related Parties in any way relating to or arising
out of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any documents contemplated
by or referred to herein or the transactions contemplated hereby or any action
taken or omitted to be taken by the Administrative Agent or such Related Parties
under or in connection with any of the foregoing, but only to the extent that
any of the foregoing is not paid by the Borrower; provided,
however,
that no
Lender shall be liable to the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties
for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses,
damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements
to the extent resulting solely from the Administrative Agent’s or such Related
Parties’
73
gross
negligence or willful misconduct. If any indemnity furnished to the
Administrative Agent or any such Related Parties for any purpose shall, in
the
opinion of the Administrative Agent, be insufficient or become impaired, the
Administrative Agent may call for additional indemnity and cease, or not
commence, to do the acts indemnified against until such additional indemnity
is
furnished. The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of all
Obligations.
Section
9.10 The
Administrative Agent in Individual Capacity.
The
Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits
from
and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrowers, their
respective Subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates as though not acting
as
Administrative Agent hereunder. With respect to the Loans made by it and all
Obligations owing to it, the Administrative Agent shall have the same rights
and
powers under this Agreement as any Lender and may exercise the same as though
it
were not the Administrative Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall
include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity.
Section
9.11 Successor
Administrative Agent.
The
Administrative Agent may resign at any time upon not less than 30 days notice
to
the Lenders, each LC Issuer and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice
of
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with
the
Borrower Representative, to appoint a successor. If no such successor shall
have
been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such
appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives
notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf
of the Lenders and each LC Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent;
provided,
however,
that if
the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower
Representative and
the
Lenders that no such successor is willing to accept such appointment, then
such
resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice
and (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its
duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except
that
in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on
behalf of the Lenders or any LC Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the
retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security
until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and
(ii) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made
by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each
Lender and LC Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint
a
successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this paragraph. Upon
the
acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such
successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers,
privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and
the
retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and
obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already
discharged therefrom as provided above in this paragraph). The fees payable
by
the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those
payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrowers and
such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder
and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section
11.02 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative
Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any
actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring
Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
Section
9.12 Other
Agents.
Any
Lender identified herein as a Co-Agent, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent,
Managing Agent, Manager, Lead Arranger, Arranger or any other corresponding
title, other than “Administrative Agent,” shall have no right, power,
obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document except those applicable to all Lenders as such. Each Lender
acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any Lender so
identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking
any action hereunder.
74
ARTICLE
X.
GUARANTY
Section
10.01 Guaranty
by the Borrowers.
The
Borrowers hereby unconditionally guarantee, for the benefit of the Benefited
Creditors, all of the following (collectively, the “Borrower
Guaranteed Obligations”):
(a)
all reimbursement obligations and Unpaid Drawings with respect to Letters of
Credit issued for the benefit of any LC Obligor (other than such Borrower)
under
this Agreement, and (b) all amounts, indemnities and reimbursement obligations,
direct or indirect, contingent or absolute, of every type or description, and
at
any time existing owing by any Subsidiary under any Designated Hedge Agreement
or any other document or agreement executed and delivered in connection
therewith to any Designated Hedge Creditor, in all cases under subparts (a)
or
(b) above, whether now existing, or hereafter incurred or arising, including
any
such interest or other amounts incurred or arising during the pendency of any
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership or similar proceeding,
regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding or subject to
an
automatic stay under Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code). Upon failure by
any
Loan Party to pay punctually any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, the
Borrowers shall forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent pay the amount
not so paid at the place and in the currency and otherwise in the manner
specified in this Agreement or any other applicable agreement or
instrument.
Section
10.02 Additional
Undertaking.
As a
separate, additional and continuing obligation, the Borrowers unconditionally
and irrevocably undertake and agree, for the benefit of the Benefited Creditors
that, should any Borrower Guaranteed Obligations not be recoverable from the
Borrowers under Section 10.01 for any reason whatsoever (including, without
limitation, by reason of any provision of any Loan Document or any other
agreement or instrument executed in connection therewith being or becoming
void,
unenforceable, or otherwise invalid under any applicable law) then,
notwithstanding any notice or knowledge thereof by any Lender, the
Administrative Agent, any of their respective Affiliates, or any other person,
at any time, the Borrowers as sole, original and independent obligor, upon
demand by the Administrative Agent, will make payment to the Administrative
Agent, for the account of the Benefited Creditors, of all such obligations
not
so recoverable by way of full indemnity, in such currency and otherwise in
such
manner as is provided in the Loan Documents or any other applicable agreement
or
instrument.
Section
10.03 Guaranty
Unconditional.
The
obligations of the Borrowers under this Article shall be unconditional and
absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing shall not be
released, discharged or otherwise affected by the occurrence, one or more times,
of any of the following:
(a) any
extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release in respect to
the
Borrower Guaranteed Obligations under any agreement or instrument, by operation
of law or otherwise;
(b) any
modification or amendment of or supplement to this Agreement, any Note, any
other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating
to
any Company Guaranteed Obligation;
(c) any
release, non-perfection or invalidity of any direct or indirect security for
the
Borrower Guaranteed Obligations under any agreement or instrument evidencing
or
relating to any Borrower Guaranteed Obligations;
(d) any
change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Loan Party
or
other Subsidiary or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar
proceeding affecting any Loan Party or other Subsidiary or its assets or any
resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any Loan
75
Party
or
other Subsidiary contained in any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating
to any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations;
(e) the
existence of any claim, set-off or other rights which the Borrowers may have
at
any time against any other Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, any Lender,
any
Affiliate of any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection herewith
or
any unrelated transactions;
(f) any
invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against any other Loan Party
for
any reason of any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any of
the
Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, or any provision of applicable law or
regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by any Loan Party of any of the
Borrower Guaranteed Obligations; or
(g) any
other
act or omission of any kind by any other Loan Party, the Administrative Agent,
any Lender or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might,
but for the provisions of this Article, constitute a legal or equitable
discharge of the Borrowers’ obligations under this Section other than the
irrevocable payment in full of all Borrower Guaranteed Obligations.
Section
10.04 Borrowers
Obligations to Remain in Effect; Restoration.
The
Borrowers’ obligations under this Article shall remain in full force and effect
until the Commitments shall have terminated, and the principal of and interest
on the Notes and other Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, and all other amounts
payable by the Borrowers, any other Loan Party or other Subsidiary, under the
Loan Documents or any other agreement or instrument evidencing or relating
to
any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations, shall have been paid in full. If
at
any time any payment of any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded
or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or
reorganization of such Loan Party, the Borrowers’ obligations under this Article
with respect to such payment shall be reinstated at such time as though such
payment had been due but not made at such time.
Section
10.05 Waiver
of Acceptance, etc.
The
Borrowers irrevocably waive acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest
and
any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any
time
any action be taken by any person against any other Loan Party or any other
Person, or against any collateral or guaranty of any other Person.
Section
10.06 Subrogation.
Until
the indefeasible payment in full of all of the Obligations and the termination
of the Commitments hereunder, the Borrowers shall have no rights, by operation
of law or otherwise, upon making any payment under this Section to be subrogated
to the rights of the payee against any other Loan Party with respect to such
payment or otherwise to be reimbursed, indemnified or exonerated by any such
Loan Party in respect thereof.
Section
10.07 Effect
of Stay.
In the
event that acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by any
Loan Party under any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon
insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of such Loan Party, all such amounts
otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of any applicable agreement
or
instrument evidencing or relating to any of the Borrower Guaranteed Obligations
shall nonetheless be payable by the Borrowers under this Article forthwith
on
demand by the Administrative Agent.
76
ARTICLE
XI.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
11.01 Payment
of Expenses etc.
The
Borrowers agree to pay (or reimburse the Administrative Agent, the Lenders
or
their Affiliates, as the case may be) all of the following: (i) whether
or
not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, for all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection
with
the negotiation, preparation, syndication, administration and execution and
delivery of the Loan Documents and the documents and instruments referred to
therein and the syndication of the Commitments; (ii) all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent and the
Administrative
Agent
in
connection with any amendment, waiver or consent relating to any of the Loan
Documents that are requested by any Loan Party; (iii) all reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and
their Affiliates in connection with the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents
or the other documents and instruments referred to therein, including, without
limitation, the
reasonable fees and disbursements of any individual counsel to the
Administrative Agent and any Lender (including, without limitation, allocated
costs of internal counsel); and (iv) any and all present and future stamp and
other similar taxes with respect to the foregoing matters and save the
Administrative
Agent
and each
of the Lenders harmless from and against any and all liabilities with respect
to
or resulting from any delay or omission (other than to the extent attributable
to any such indemnified Person) to pay such taxes.
Section
11.02 Indemnification.
The
Borrowers agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender, and their
respective Related Parties (collectively, the “Indemnitees”)
from
and hold each of them harmless against any and all losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses reasonably incurred by any of them as a result of, or
arising out of, or in any way related to, or by reason of (i) any investigation,
litigation or other proceeding (whether or not any Lender is a party thereto)
related to the entering into and/or performance of any Loan Document or the
use
of the proceeds of any Loans hereunder or the consummation of any transactions
contemplated in any Loan Document, other than any such investigation, litigation
or proceeding arising out of transactions solely between any of the Lenders
or
the Administrative Agent, transactions solely involving the assignment by a
Lender of all or a portion of its Loans and Commitments, or the granting of
participations therein, as provided in this Agreement, or arising solely out
of
any examination of a Lender by any regulatory or other Governmental Authority
having jurisdiction over it, or (ii) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous
Materials in violation of Environmental Laws in the air, surface water or
groundwater or on the surface or subsurface of any Real Property owned, leased
or at any time operated by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, the
release, generation, storage, transportation, handling or disposal of Hazardous
Materials in violation of Environmental Laws at any location, whether or not
owned or operated by the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries, if such
Borrower or any such Subsidiary could have or is alleged to have any
responsibility in respect thereof, the non-compliance of any such Real Property
with foreign, federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances
(including applicable permits thereunder) applicable thereto, or any
Environmental Claim asserted against the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries,
in respect of any such Real Property, including, in the case of each of (i)
and
(ii) above, without limitation, the reasonable documented fees and disbursements
of counsel incurred in connection with any such investigation, litigation or
other proceeding (but excluding any such losses, liabilities, claims, damages
or
expenses to the extent incurred by reason of the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of the Person to be indemnified or of any other Indemnitee who is
such Person or an Affiliate of such Person). To the extent that the undertaking
to indemnify, pay or hold harmless any Person set forth in the preceding
sentence may be unenforceable because it is violative of any law or public
policy, the Borrowers shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and
satisfaction of each of the indemnified liabilities that is permissible under
applicable law.
77
Section
11.03 Right
of Setoff.
In
addition to any rights now or hereafter granted under applicable law or
otherwise, and not by way of limitation of any such rights, upon the occurrence
and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Lender and each LC
Issuer is hereby authorized at any time or from time to time, without
presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind to the
Borrower
Representative or to any other Person, any such notice being hereby expressly
waived, to set off and to appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general
or
special) and any other Indebtedness at any time held or owing by such Lender
or
such LC Issuer (including, without limitation, by branches, agencies and
Affiliates of such Lender or LC Issuer wherever located) to or for the credit
or
the account of the
Borrowers against
and on account of the Obligations and liabilities of the Borrowers
to
such
Lender or LC Issuer under this Agreement or under any of the other Loan
Documents, including, without limitation, all claims of any nature or
description arising out of or connected with this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or LC Issuer shall have
made any demand hereunder and although said Obligations, liabilities or claims,
or any of them, shall be contingent or unmatured. Each Lender and LC Issuer
agrees to promptly notify the Borrower Representative after any such set off
and
application, provided,
however,
that
the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set off
and application.
Section
11.04 Equalization.
(a) Equalization.
If at
any time any Lender receives any amount hereunder (whether by voluntary payment,
by realization upon security, by the exercise of the right of setoff or banker’s
lien, by counterclaim or cross action, by the enforcement of any right under
the
Loan Documents, or otherwise) that is applicable to the payment of the principal
of, or interest on, the Loans, LC Participations or Fees (other than Fees that
are intended to be paid solely to the Administrative Agent or an LC Issuer
and
amounts payable to a Lender under Article III), of a sum that with respect
to
the related sum or sums received by other Lenders is in a greater proportion
than the total of such Obligation then owed and due to such Lender bears to
the
total of such Obligation then owed and due to all of the Lenders immediately
prior to such receipt, then
such
Lender receiving such excess payment shall purchase for cash without recourse
or
warranty from the other Lenders an interest in the Obligations to such Lenders
in such amount as shall result in a proportional participation by all of the
Lenders in such amount.
(b) Recovery
of Amounts.
If any
amount paid to any Lender pursuant to subparts (i) or (ii) above is recovered
in
whole or in part from such Lender, such original purchase shall be rescinded,
and the purchase price restored ratably to the extent of the
recovery.
(c) Consent
of Borrower.
The
Borrowers consent to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively
do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant
to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrowers rights of
set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if
such
Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrowers in the amount of such
participation.
Section
11.05 Notices.
(a) Generally.
Except
in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given
by telephone (and except as provided in subpart (c) below), all notices and
other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be
delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or
registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows:
(i) if
to any
Borrower or any other Loan Party, c/o the Borrower Representative, at 0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention: Chief Financial
Officer (Telecopier No. 000-000-0000; Telephone No. 000-000-0000;
78
(ii) if
to the
Administrative Agent, to it at the Notice Office; and
(iii) if
to a
Lender, to it at its address (or telecopier number) set forth next to its name
on the signature pages hereto or, in the case of any Lender that becomes a
party
to this Agreement by way of assignment under Section 11.04 of this Agreement,
to
it at the address set forth in the Assignment Agreement to which it is a
party.
(b) Receipt
of Notices.
Notices
and communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by
certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received;
notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent and
receipt has been confirmed by telephone. Notices delivered through electronic
communications to the extent provided in subpart (c) below shall be effective
as
provided in said subpart (c).
(c) Electronic
Communications.
Notices
and other communications to the Administrative Agent, an LC Issuer or any Lender
hereunder and required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(a), (b), (c),
(d), (h) or (i) may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication
(including e-mail and Internet or intranet web sites) pursuant to procedures
approved by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and the Borrowers
may, in their discretion, agree in a separate writing to accept notices and
other communications to them hereunder by electronic communications pursuant
to
procedures approved by it, provided
that
approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or
communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes,
(i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be
deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the
intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as
available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided
that if
such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours
of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been
sent
at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and
(ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet web site
shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient
at
its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification
that such notice or communication is available and identifying the web site
address therefor.
(d) Change
of Address, Etc.
Any
party hereto may change its address or telecopier number for notices and other
communications hereunder by notice to each of the other parties hereto in
accordance with Section 11.05(a).
Section
11.06 Successors
and Assigns.
(a) Successors
and Assigns Generally.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable
by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided,
however,
that the
Borrowers may not assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder
without the prior written consent of all the Lenders, provided,
further,
that
any assignment or participation by a Lender of any of its rights and obligations
hereunder shall be effected in accordance with this Section 11.06.
(b) Participations.
Each
Lender may at any time grant participations in any of its rights hereunder
or
under any of the Notes to an Eligible Assignee, provided
that in
the case of any such participation,
(i) the
participant shall not have any rights under this Agreement or any of the other
Loan Documents, including rights of consent, approval or waiver (the
participant’s rights against
79
such
Lender in respect of such participation to be those set forth in the agreement
executed by such Lender in favor of the participant relating
thereto),
(ii) such
Lender’s obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its
Commitments hereunder) shall remain unchanged,
(iii) such
Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the
performance of such obligations,
(iv) such
Lender shall remain the holder of the Obligations owing to it and of any Note
issued to it for all purposes of this Agreement, and
(v) the
Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, and the other Lenders shall continue to
deal solely and directly with the selling Lender in connection with such
Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, and all amounts payable by
the Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if such Lender had not sold
such
participation, except that the participant shall be entitled to the benefits
of
Article III to the extent that such Lender would be entitled to such benefits
if
the participation had not been entered into or sold,
and,
provided
further,
that no
Lender shall transfer, grant or sell any participation under which the
participant shall have rights to approve any amendment to or waiver of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document except to the extent such amendment or
waiver would (x) extend the final scheduled maturity of the date of any
Scheduled Repayment of any of the Loans in which such participant is
participating, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest
or
Fees thereon (except in connection with a waiver of the applicability of any
post-default increase in interest rates), or reduce the principal amount
thereof, or increase such participant’s participating interest in any Commitment
over the amount thereof then in effect (it being understood that a waiver of
any
Default or Event of Default shall not constitute a change in the terms of any
such Commitment), (y) release all or any substantial portion of the Collateral,
or release any guarantor from its guaranty of any of the Obligations, except
strictly in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, or (z) consent
to
the assignment or transfer by the
Borrowers of
any of
its rights and obligations under this Agreement.
(c) Assignments
by Lenders.
(i) Any
Lender may assign all, or if less than all, a fixed portion, of its Loans,
LC
Participations and/or Commitments and its rights and obligations hereunder
to
one or more Eligible Assignees, each of which shall become a party to this
Agreement as a Lender by execution of an Assignment Agreement; provided,
however,
that
(A) except
in
the case of (x) an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning
Lender’s Loans and/or Commitments or (y) an assignment to another Lender, an
Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender, the
aggregate amount of the Commitment so assigned (which for this purpose includes
the Loans outstanding thereunder) shall not be less than
$2,500,000;
(B) in
the
case of any assignment to an Eligible Assignee at the time of any such
assignment the Lender Register shall be deemed modified to reflect the
Commitments of such new Lender and of the existing Lenders;
80
(C) upon
surrender of the old Notes, if any, upon request of the new Lender, new Notes
will be issued, at the Borrowers’ expense, to such new Lender and to the
assigning Lender, to the extent needed to reflect the revised Commitments;
and
(D) unless
waived by the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall receive
at
the time of each such assignment, from the assigning or assignee Lender, the
payment of a non-refundable assignment fee of $3,500.
(ii) To
the
extent of any assignment pursuant to this subpart (c), the assigning Lender
shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its assigned
Commitments.
(iii) At
the
time of each assignment pursuant to this subpart (c), to a Person that is not
already a Lender hereunder and that is not a United States Person (as such
term
is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) for Federal income tax purposes,
the respective assignee Lender shall provide to the Borrower Representative
and
the Administrative Agent the applicable Internal Revenue Service Forms (and
any
necessary additional documentation) described in Section 3.03(b).
(iv) With
respect to any
Lender, the transfer of any Commitment of such Lender and the rights to the
principal of, and interest on, any Loan made pursuant to such Commitment shall
not be effective until such transfer is recorded on the Lender Register
maintained by the Administrative Agent with respect to ownership of such
Commitment and Loans and prior to such recordation all amounts owing to the
transferor with respect to such Commitment and Loans shall remain owing to
the
transferor. The registration of assignment or transfer of all or part of any
Commitments and Loans shall be recorded by the Administrative Agent on the
Lender Register only upon the acceptance by the Administrative Agent of a
properly executed and delivered Assignment Agreement pursuant to this subpart
(c).
(v) Nothing
in this Section shall prevent or prohibit (A) any Lender that is a bank, trust
company or other financial institution from pledging its Notes or Loans to
a
Federal Reserve Bank in support of borrowings made by such Lender from such
Federal Reserve Bank, or (B) any Lender that is a trust, limited liability
company, partnership or other investment company from pledging its Notes or
Loans to a trustee or agent for the benefit of holders of certificates or debt
securities issued by it. No such pledge, or any assignment pursuant to or in
lieu of an enforcement of such a pledge, shall relieve the transferor Lender
from its obligations hereunder.
(d) No
SEC
Registration or Blue Sky Compliance.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, no transfer or assignment
of the interests or obligations of any Lender hereunder or any grant of
participation therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or grant
would require the
Borrowers to
file a
registration statement with the SEC or to qualify the Loans under the “Blue Sky”
laws of any State.
(e) Representations
of Lenders.
Each
Lender initially party to this Agreement hereby represents, and each Person
that
becomes a Lender pursuant to an assignment permitted by this Section will,
upon
its becoming party to this Agreement, represents that it is a commercial lender,
other financial institution or other “accredited” investor (as defined in SEC
Regulation D) that makes or acquires loans in the ordinary course of its
business and that it will make or acquire Loans for its own account in the
ordinary course of such business; provided,
however,
that
subject to the preceding Sections 11.06(b) and (c), the disposition of any
promissory notes or other evidences of or interests in Indebtedness held by
such
Lender shall at all times be within its exclusive control.
81
Section
11.07 No
Waiver; Remedies Cumulative.
No
failure or delay on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in
exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan
Document and no course of dealing between the Borrowers
and
the
Administrative Agent or any Lender shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall
any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder or
under any other Loan Document preclude any other or further exercise thereof
or
the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder or thereunder.
No
notice to or demand on the
Borrowers in
any
case shall entitle the Borrowers
to
any
other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or
constitute a waiver of the rights of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders
to
any other or further action in any circumstances without notice or demand.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or any
LC
Issuance shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default or Event of Default,
regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any LC Issuer
may
have had notice or knowledge of such Default or Event of Default at the time.
The rights and remedies herein expressly provided are cumulative and not
exclusive of any rights or remedies that the Administrative Agent or any Lender
would otherwise have.
Section
11.08 Governing
Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial.
ཉ
THIS
AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE
PARTIES HEREUNDER AND THEREUNDER SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND
BE
GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW
PRINCIPLES. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE BORROWERS HEREBY
UNCONDITIONALLY AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY CLAIM TO ASSERT THAT THE LAW OF ANY
JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS GOVERNS THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF
THE
OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS. Any legal action or proceeding with respect to this
Agreement or any other Loan Document may be brought in any court located in
Xxxxxx County, Texas or in any court of the United States for the Southern
District of Texas, Houston Division, and, by execution and delivery of this
Agreement, each Borrower hereby irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect
of
its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid
courts. The Borrowers hereby further irrevocably consent to the service of
process out of any of the aforementioned courts in any such action or proceeding
by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid, to the Borrower Representative at its address for notices pursuant
to
Section 11.05, such service to become effective 30 days after such mailing
or at
such earlier time as may be provided under applicable law. Nothing herein shall
affect the right of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to serve process
in
any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or otherwise
proceed against the Borrowers in any other jurisdiction.
(b) The
Borrowers hereby irrevocably waive any objection that they may now or hereafter
have to the laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions or proceedings
arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document
brought in the courts referred to in Section 11.08(a) above and hereby further
irrevocably waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any
such action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an
inconvenient forum.
(c) EACH
OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL
BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO
THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, ANY AMENDMENTS, WAIVERS OR OTHER MODIFICATIONS RELATING TO ANY
OF
THE FOREGOING), OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. EACH PARTY
HERETO HEREBY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY
OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY
WOULD
NOT, IN THE EVENT OF
82
LITIGATION,
SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE
OTHER
PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS
PARAGRAPH.
Section
11.09 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different
parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and
delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall together constitute
one
and the same agreement. A set of counterparts executed by all the parties hereto
shall be lodged with the Borrower Representative and the Administrative
Agent.
Section
11.10 Integration.
This
Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with
respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, for its own account and
benefit and/or for the account, benefit of, and distribution to, the Lenders,
constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter
hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and
understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof or
thereof.
Section
11.11 Headings
Descriptive.
The
headings of the several Sections and other portions of this Agreement are
inserted for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or
construction of any provision of this Agreement.
Section
11.12 Amendment
or Waiver.
(a) Neither
this Agreement nor any other Loan Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof,
may
be amended, changed, waived or otherwise modified unless
such
amendment, change, waiver or other modification is in writing and signed by
the
Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, and the Required Lenders or by the
Administrative Agent acting at the written direction of the Required Lenders;
provided,
however,
that
(i) no
change, waiver or other modification shall:
(A) increase
the amount of any Commitment of any Lender hereunder, without the written
consent of such Lender or increase the Total Credit Facility Amount without
the
consent of all the Lenders;
(B) extend
or
postpone the Revolving Facility Termination Date, the Term Loan Maturity Date
or
the maturity date provided for herein that is applicable to any Loan of any
Lender, extend or postpone the expiration date of any Letter of Credit as to
which such Lender is an LC Participant beyond the latest expiration date for
a
Letter of Credit provided for herein, or extend or postpone any scheduled
expiration or termination date provided for herein that is applicable to a
Commitment of any Lender, without the written consent of such
Lender;
(C) reduce
the principal amount of any Loan made by any Lender, or reduce the rate or
extend the time of payment of, or excuse the payment of, interest thereon (other
than as a result of (x) waiving the applicability of any post-default
increase in interest rates or (y) any amendment or modification of defined
terms used in financial covenants), without the written consent of such
Lender;
(D) reduce
the amount of any Unpaid Drawing as to which any Lender is an LC Participant,
or
reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of, or excuse the
83
payment
of, interest thereon (other than as a result of waiving the applicability of
any
post-default increase in interest rates), without the written consent of such
Lender; or
(E) reduce
the rate or extend the time of payment of, or excuse the payment of, any Fees
to
which any Lender is entitled hereunder, without the written consent of such
Lender; and
(ii) no
change, waiver or other modification or termination shall, without the written
consent of each Lender affected thereby,
(A) release
the
Borrowers from
any
of their obligations hereunder;
(B) release
the Borrowers from their guaranty obligations under Article X or release any
Loan Party from the Subsidiary Guaranty, except,
in the
case of a Subsidiary Guarantor, in accordance with a transaction permitted
under
this Agreement;
(C) release
all or any substantial portion of the Collateral, except
in
accordance with Section 2.19 or in connection with a transaction permitted
under
this Agreement;
(D) amend,
modify or waive any provision of this Section 11.12, Section 8.03, or any other
provision of any of the Loan Documents pursuant to which the consent or approval
of all Lenders, or a number or specified percentage or other required grouping
of Lenders or Lenders having Commitments, is by the terms of such provision
explicitly required;
(E) reduce
the percentage specified in, or otherwise modify, the definition of Required
Lenders; or
(F) consent
to the assignment or transfer by the
Borrowers of
any of
its rights and obligations under this Agreement.
Any
waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement given or made in accordance
with this Section shall be effective only in the specific instance and for
the
specific purpose for which it was given or made.
(b) No
provision of Section 2.05 or any other provision in this Agreement specifically
relating to Letters of Credit may be amended without the consent of any LC
Issuer adversely affected thereby.
(c) No
provision of Article IX may be amended without the consent of the Administrative
Agent.
(d) To
the
extent the Required Lenders (or all of the Lenders, as applicable, as shall
be
required by this Section) waive the provisions of Section 7.02 with respect
to
the sale, transfer or other disposition of any Collateral, or any Collateral
is
sold, transferred or disposed of as permitted by Section 7.02, (i) such
Collateral shall be sold, transferred or disposed of free and clear of the
Liens
created by the respective Security Documents; (ii) if such Collateral includes
all of the capital stock of a Subsidiary that is a party to the Subsidiary
Guaranty or whose stock is pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, such
capital stock shall be released from the Security Agreement and such Subsidiary
shall be released from the Subsidiary Guaranty; and (iii) the Administrative
Agent shall be authorized to take actions deemed appropriate by it in order
to
effectuate the foregoing.
84
Section
11.13 Survival
of Indemnities.
All
indemnities set forth herein including, without limitation, in Article III
(subject to the limitations set forth Section 3.01(d)), Section 9.09 or Section
11.02 shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making
and repayment of the Obligations.
Section
11.14 Domicile
of Loans.
Each
Lender may transfer and carry its Loans at, to or for the account of any branch
office, subsidiary or affiliate of such Lender; provided,
however,
that the
Borrower shall not be responsible for costs arising under Section 3.01 resulting
from any such transfer (other than a transfer pursuant to Section 3.05) to
the
extent not otherwise applicable to such Lender prior to such
transfer.
Section
11.15 Confidentiality.
(a) Each
of
the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders agrees to maintain
the
confidentiality of the Confidential Information, except
that
Confidential Information may be disclosed
(1) to
its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including
accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the
persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential
nature of such Confidential Information and instructed to keep such Confidential
Information confidential),
(2)
to any
direct or indirect contractual counterparty in any Hedge Agreement (or to any
such contractual counterparty’s professional advisor), so long as such
contractual counterparty (or such professional advisor) agrees to be bound
by
the provisions of this Section,
(3)
to the
extent requested by any regulatory authority,
(4) to
the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or
similar legal process,
(5)
to any
other party to this Agreement,
(6)
to any
other creditor of any Loan Party that is a direct or intended beneficiary of
any
of the Loan Documents,
(7)
in
connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any of the
other
Loan Documents, or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement
or
any of the other Loan Documents or the enforcement of rights hereunder or
thereunder,
(8)
subject
to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this
Section, to any assignee of or participant in any of its rights or obligations
under this Agreement,
(9)
with the
consent of the Borrowers, or
(10)
to the
extent such Confidential Information (i) becomes publicly available other
than as a result of a breach of this Section, or (ii) becomes available to
the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer or any Lender on a non-confidential
basis from a source other than a Loan Party and not otherwise in violation
of
this Section.
(b) As
used
in this Section, “Confidential
Information”
means
all information received from the Borrowers relating to the Borrowers or their
business, other than any such information that is available to the
Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer or any Lender on a non-confidential basis
prior to disclosure by the Borrowers; provided,
however,
that, in
the case of information received from the Borrowers after the Closing Date,
such
information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as
confidential.
(c) Any
Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information
as
provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its
obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to
maintain the confidentiality of such Confidential Information as such Person
would accord to its own confidential information. The Borrowers hereby agree
that the failure of the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer or any Lender to
comply with the provisions of this Section shall not relieve the Borrowers,
or
any other Loan Party, of any of its obligations under this Agreement or any
of
the other Loan Documents.
Section
11.16 Limitations
on Liability of the LC Issuers.
The
Borrowers assume all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or
transferee of any Letter of Credit with respect to its use of such Letters
of
Credit. Neither any LC Issuer nor any of its officers or directors shall be
liable or
85
responsible
for:
(a)
the use
that may be made of any Letter of Credit or any acts or omissions of any
beneficiary or transferee in connection therewith;
(b)
the
validity, sufficiency or genuineness of documents, or of any endorsement
thereon, even if such documents should prove to be in any or all respects
invalid, insufficient, fraudulent or forged;
(c) payment
by an LC Issuer against presentation of documents that do not comply with the
terms of a Letter of Credit, including failure of any documents to bear any
reference or adequate reference to such Letter of Credit; or
(d)
any
other circumstances whatsoever in making or failing to make payment under any
Letter of Credit, except
that the
LC Obligor shall have a claim against an LC Issuer, and an LC Issuer shall
be
liable to such LC Obligor, to the extent of any direct, but not consequential,
damages suffered by such LC Obligor that such LC Obligor proves were caused
by
(i) such
LC Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in determining whether
documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms of such
Letter of Credit or
(ii) such
LC Issuer’s willful failure to make lawful payment under any Letter of Credit
after the presentation to it of documentation strictly complying with the terms
and conditions of such Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation
of
the foregoing, an LC Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face
to be
in order, without responsibility for further investigation.
Section
11.17 General
Limitation of Liability.
No
claim may be made by any Loan Party, any Lender, the Administrative Agent,
any
LC Issuer or any other Person against the Administrative Agent, any LC Issuer,
or any other Lender or the Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, attorneys
or agents of any of them for any damages other than actual compensatory damages
in respect of any claim for breach of contract or any other theory of liability
arising out of or related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
or
any of the other Loan Documents, or any act, omission or event occurring in
connection therewith; and the Borrowers, each Lender, the Administrative Agent
and each LC Issuer hereby, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable
law,
waive, release and agree not to xxx or counterclaim upon any such claim for
any
special, consequential or punitive damages, whether or not accrued and whether
or not known or suspected to exist in their favor.
Section
11.18 No
Duty.
All
attorneys, accountants, appraisers, consultants and other professional persons
(including the firms or other entities on behalf of which any such Person may
act) retained by the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to the
transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents shall have the right to act
exclusively in the interest of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as
the
case may be, and shall have no duty of disclosure, duty of loyalty, duty of
care, or other duty or obligation of any type or nature whatsoever to the
Borrowers, to any of its Subsidiaries, or to any other Person, with respect
to
any matters within the scope of such representation or related to their
activities in connection with such representation. The Borrowers agree, on
behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries, not to assert any claim or counterclaim
against any such persons with regard to such matters, all such claims and
counterclaims, now existing or hereafter arising, whether known or unknown,
foreseen or unforeseeable, being hereby waived, released and forever
discharged.
Section
11.19 Lenders
and Agent Not Fiduciary to Borrowers, etc.
The
relationship among the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and
the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer and the Lenders, on the other hand,
is
solely that of debtor and creditor, and the Administrative Agent, each LC Issuer
and the Lenders have no fiduciary or other special relationship with the
Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, and no term or provision of any Loan Document,
no course of dealing, no written or oral communication, or other action, shall
be construed so as to deem such relationship to be other than that of debtor
and
creditor.
Section
11.20 Survival
of Representations and Warranties.
All
representations and warranties herein shall survive the making of Loans and
all
LC Issuances hereunder, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Notes
and the other documents the forms of which are attached as Exhibits hereto,
the
issue and delivery of the Notes, any disposition thereof by any holder thereof,
and any
86
investigation
made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any other holder of any of
the
Notes or on its behalf. All statements contained in any certificate or other
document delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any holder
of
any Notes by or on behalf of the Borrowers or any of their Subsidiaries pursuant
hereto or otherwise specifically for use in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby shall constitute representations and warranties by the
Borrowers hereunder, made as of the respective dates specified therein or,
if no
date is specified, as of the respective dates furnished to the Administrative
Agent or any Lender.
Section
11.21 Severability.
Any
provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in
any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity,
legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the
invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not
invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
Section
11.22 Independence
of Covenants.
All
covenants hereunder shall be given independent effect so that if a particular
action, event, condition or circumstance is not permitted by any of such
covenants, the fact that it would be permitted by an exception to, or would
otherwise be within the limitations or restrictions of, another covenant, shall
not avoid the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default if such action
is
taken or event, condition or circumstance exists.
Section
11.23 Interest
Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest
rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts
that are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively,
the “Charges”),
shall
exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum
Rate”)
that
may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender
holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest
payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable
in
respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful,
the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan
but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be
cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of
other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate
therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the
Base Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such
Lender.
Section
11.24 USA
Patriot Act.
Each
Lender subject to the USA Patriot Act hereby notifies the Borrowers
that
pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act, it is required to obtain,
verify and record information that identifies the Borrowers, which information
includes the name and address of the Borrowers
and
other
information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrowers
in
accordance with the USA Patriot Act.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank.]
87
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this
Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above
written.
ICO,
INC.
|
|||
Address:
|
0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxx X. Xxxx
|
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
|
Name:
|
Xxx
X. Xxxx
|
|
Title:
|
Chief
Financial Officer &
|
||
Treasurer
|
88
BAYSHORE
INDUSTRIAL, L.P.
|
|||
By:
|
Bayshore
Industrial GP, L.L.C.
|
||
Address:
|
1811
Bering, Suite 200
|
Its:
|
General
Partner
|
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxx X. Xxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxx
X. Xxxx
|
||
Title:
|
Chief
Financial Officer &
|
||
Treasurer
|
89
ICO
POLYMERS NORTH AMERICA, INC.
|
|||
Address:
|
0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxx X. Xxxx
|
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
|
Name:
|
Xxx
X. Xxxx
|
|
Title:
|
Chief
Financial Officer &
|
||
Treasurer
|
90
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
|
|||
as
a Lender, LC Issuer, and Administrative
|
|||
Agent
|
|||
Address:
|
0000
Xxxx Xxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
|
Suite
500
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
|
Title:
|
Vice
President
|
|
91
XXXXX
FARGO BANK, NATIONAL
|
|||
ASSOCIATION,
as
a Lender
|
|||
Address:
|
0000
Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
|
Vice
President
|
||
92
Schedule
1
Lenders
and Commitments
Lender
|
Revolving
Commitment
|
Revolving
Facility Percentage as of the Closing Date
|
Term
Commitment
|
KeyBank National Association
|
$15,000,000
|
50.00%
|
$7,500,000
|
Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association
|
$15,000,000
|
50.00%
|
$7,500,000
|
Total:
|
$30,000,000
|
100.00%
|
$15,000,000
|