EXHIBIT 99.3
PLEDGE AGREEMENT
PLEDGE AGREEMENT, dated as of July 29, 1997 (as amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time, this "Agreement"), made by each of
the undersigned pledgors (each, a "Pledgor" and, together with any other entity
that becomes a pledgor hereunder pursuant to Section 22 hereof, the "Pledgors"),
in favor of BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, as Collateral Agent (the "Pledgee"), for the
benefit of the Secured Creditors (as defined below). Except as otherwise defined
herein, capitalized terms used herein and defined in the Credit Agreement (as
defined below) shall be used herein as therein defined.
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, Silgan Holdings Inc. ("Silgan"), Silgan Containers
Corporation ("Containers"), Silgan Plastics Corporation ("Plastics"), each other
Revolving Borrower (together with Silgan, Containers and Plastics, the
"Borrowers," and each individually, a "Borrower"), the lenders from time to time
party thereto (each a "Bank" and, collectively, the "Banks"), Bankers Trust
Company, as Administrative Agent (in such capacity and together with any
successor administrative agent, the "Administrative Agent"), Bank of America
National Trust & Savings Association, as Syndication Agent, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Credit
Partners L.P. and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Senior Funding, Inc., as Co-Documentation
Agents, and Bank of America National Trust & Savings Association, Bankers Trust
Company, Xxxxxxx Sachs Credit Partners L.P. and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Senior Funding,
Inc., as Co-Arrangers (in such capacity, the "Co-Arrangers"), have entered into
a Credit Agreement, dated as of July 29, 1997 (as amended, modified or
supplemented from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), providing for the
making of Loans to, and the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of,
the Borrowers as contemplated therein (the Banks, the Administrative Agent, the
Pledgee and the Co-Arrangers are collectively referred to herein as the "Bank
Creditors");
WHEREAS, one or more of the Borrowers are, or may from time to
time in the future be, party to one or more Interest Rate Protection Agreements
with any Bank or an affiliate of a Bank (each such Bank or affiliate, even if
the respective Bank subsequently ceases to be a Bank under the Credit Agreement
for any reason, together with such Bank's or affiliate's successors and assigns,
are herein called the "Other Creditors", and together with the Bank Creditors,
the "Secured Creditors");
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Borrowers/Subsidiaries Guaranty, each
Pledgor has jointly and severally guaranteed to the Secured Creditors the
payment when due of all obligations and liabilities of each Borrower under or
with respect to the Credit Documents and the Interest Rate Protection Agreements
with the Other Creditors;
WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the making of Loans to
each Borrower and the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of each
Revolving Borrower under the Credit Agreement that each Pledgor shall have
executed and delivered to the Pledgee this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, each Pledgor desires to execute this Agreement to
satisfy the conditions described in the preceding paragraph;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the benefits accruing to
each Pledgor, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each
Pledgor hereby makes the following representations and warranties to the Pledgee
for the benefit of the Secured Creditors and hereby covenants and agrees with
the Pledgee for the benefit of the Secured Creditors as follows:
1. SECURITY FOR OBLIGATIONS. This Agreement is made by
each Pledgor for the benefit of the Secured Creditors to secure:
(i) the full and prompt payment when due (whether at the
stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of all obligations and
liabilities (including obligations which, but for the automatic stay
under Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, would become due) of such
Pledgor, whether now existing or hereafter incurred under, arising out
of or in connection with any Credit Document to which such Pledgor is a
party (including all such obligations and liabilities under the
Borrowers/ Subsidiaries Guaranty) and the due performance and
compliance by such Pledgor with all of the terms and conditions of
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each such Credit Document (all such obligations and liabilities under
this clause (i), except to the extent consisting of obligations or
indebtedness with respect to Interest Rate Protection Agreements
entitled to the benefits of this Agreement, being herein collectively
called the "Credit Document Obligations");
(ii) the full and prompt payment when due (whether at the
stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of all obligations
(including obligations which, but for the automatic stay under Section
362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, would become due) and liabilities of
such Pledgor, whether now existing or hereafter incurred under, arising
out of or in connection with any Interest Rate Protection Agreement
with any Other Creditor (including all such obligations and liabilities
of such Pledgor under the Borrowers/ Subsidiaries Guaranty in respect
of such Interest Rate Protection Agreements) (all such obligations and
liabilities under this clause (ii) being herein collectively called the
"Other Obligations");
(iii) any and all sums advanced by the Pledgee in order to
preserve the Collateral (as hereinafter defined) or preserve its
security interest in the Collateral;
(iv) in the event of any proceeding for the collection or
enforcement of any indebtedness, obligations, or liabilities referred
to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, after an Event of Default
(such term, as used in this Agreement, shall mean any Event of Default
under, and as defined in, the Credit Agreement, or any payment default
by any Borrower under any Interest Rate Protection Agreement with any
Other Creditor and shall in any event include, without limitation, any
payment default (after the expiration of any applicable grace period)
on any of the Obligations (as hereinafter defined)) shall have occurred
and be continuing, the reasonable expenses of retaking, holding,
preparing for sale or lease, selling or otherwise disposing or
realizing on the Collateral, or of any exercise by the Pledgee of its
rights hereunder, together with reasonable attorneys' fees and court
costs; and
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(v) all amounts paid by any Secured Creditor as to which such
Secured Creditor has the right to reimbursement under Section 11 of
this Agreement;
all such obligations, liabilities, sums and expenses set forth in clauses (i)
through (v) of this Section 1 being herein collectively called the
"Obligations".
2. DEFINITION OF STOCK, NOTES, SECURITIES, ETC. As used
herein: (i) the term "Stock" shall mean (x) with respect to corporations
incorporated under the laws of the United States or any State or territory
thereof (each a "Domestic Corporation"), all of the issued and outstanding
shares of capital stock of any Domestic Corporation at any time owned by each
Pledgor and (y) with respect to corporations not Domestic Corporations (each a
"Foreign Corporation"), all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock at any time owned by any Pledgor of any Foreign Corporation, provided
that, (A)(I) except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 2, such
Pledgor shall not be required to pledge hereunder more than 66% of the total
combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of any Foreign Corporation
entitled to vote and (II) such Pledgor shall not be required to pledge the
capital stock of any Joint Venture entered into by any Pledgor to the extent
that such capital stock has been (or will be) pledged to support such Pledgor's
guaranty of the obligations of such Joint Venture, in each case, to the extent
that such guaranty and pledge are permitted by the Credit Agreement, and (B) the
term "Stock" shall not include any Margin Stock; (ii) the term "Notes" shall
mean (x) all Intercompany Notes at any time issued to each Pledgor and (y) all
other promissory notes from time to time issued to, or held by, each Pledgor,
provided, that, except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 2, no
Pledgor shall be required to pledge hereunder any promissory notes (including
any Intercompany Notes) issued to such Pledgor by any Foreign Subsidiary and
(iii) the term "Securities" shall mean all of the Stock and Notes. Each Pledgor
represents and warrants that on the date hereof (i) the Stock held by such
Pledgor consists of the number and type of shares of the stock of the
corporations as described in Annex A hereto; (ii) such Stock constitutes that
percentage of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the issuing
corporation as is set forth in Annex A hereto; (iii) the Notes held by such
Pledgor consist of the promissory notes described in Annex B hereto where such
Pledgor is listed as the lender; and (iv) on the date hereof, such Pledgor owns
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no Securities other than those listed on Annexes A and B. In the circumstances
and to the extent provided in Section 7.10 of the Credit Agreement, the 66%
limitation set forth in clause (i)(y) and the limitation in the proviso of
clause (ii) in each case of this Section 2 and in Section 3.2 hereof shall no
longer be applicable and such Pledgor shall duly pledge and deliver to the
Pledgee such of the Securities not theretofore required to be pledged hereunder.
3. PLEDGE OF SECURITIES, ETC.
3.1. Pledge. To secure the Obligations of such Pledgor and for
the purposes set forth in Section 1 hereof, each Pledgor hereby: (i) grants to
the Pledgee for the benefit of the Secured Creditors a security interest in all
of the Collateral owned by such Pledgor; (ii) pledges and deposits as security
with the Pledgee for the benefit of the Secured Creditors the Securities owned
by such Pledgor on the date hereof, and delivers to the Pledgee certificates or
instruments therefor, duly endorsed in blank in the case of Notes and
accompanied by undated stock powers duly executed in blank by such Pledgor in
the case of Stock, or such other instruments of transfer as are reasonably
acceptable to the Pledgee; and (iii) assigns, transfers, hypothecates,
mortgages, charges and sets over to the Pledgee for the benefit of the Secured
Creditors all of such Pledgor's right, title and interest in and to such
Securities (and in and to all certificates or instruments evidencing such
Securities), to be held by the Pledgee, upon the terms and conditions set forth
in this Agreement.
3.2. Subsequently Acquired Securities. If any Pledgor shall
acquire (by purchase, stock dividend or otherwise) any additional Securities at
any time or from time to time after the date hereof, such Pledgor will forthwith
pledge and deposit such Securities (or certificates or instruments representing
such Securities) as security with the Pledgee and deliver to the Pledgee
certificates therefor or instruments thereof, duly endorsed in blank in the case
of Notes and accompanied by undated stock powers duly executed in blank in the
case of Stock, or such other instruments of transfer as are reasonably
acceptable to the Pledgee, and will promptly thereafter deliver to the Pledgee a
certificate executed by any authorized officer of such Pledgor describing such
Securities and certifying that the same have been duly pledged with the Pledgee
hereunder. Subject to the last sentence of Section 2 hereof, no Pledgor shall be
required at any time to pledge hereunder (i) any Stock which is more than 66%
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of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of any
Foreign Corporation entitled to vote or (y) any Notes issued by any Foreign
Subsidiary.
3.3. Uncertificated Securities. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 hereof, if any Securities
(whether now owned or hereafter acquired) are uncertificated securities, the
respective Pledgor shall promptly notify the Pledgee thereof, and shall promptly
take all actions required to perfect the security interest of the Pledgee under
applicable law (including, in any event, under Sections 8-313 and 8-321 of the
New York UCC, if applicable). Each Pledgor further agrees to take such actions
as the Pledgee deems reasonably necessary or desirable to effect the foregoing
and to permit the Pledgee to exercise any of its rights and remedies hereunder,
and agrees to provide an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Pledgee with respect to any such pledge of uncertificated Securities promptly
upon request of the Pledgee.
3.4 Definition of Pledged Stock, Pledged Notes, Pledged
Securities and Collateral. All Stock at any time pledged or required to be
pledged hereunder is hereinafter called the "Pledged Stock," all Notes at any
time pledged or required to be pledged hereunder are hereinafter called the
"Pledged Notes," all of the Pledged Stock and Pledged Notes together are
hereinafter called the "Pledged Securities," which together with all proceeds
thereof, including any securities and moneys received and at the time held by
the Pledgee hereunder, is hereinafter called the "Collateral."
4. APPOINTMENT OF SUB-AGENTS; ENDORSEMENTS, ETC. The Pledgee
shall have the right to appoint one or more sub-agents for the purpose of
retaining physical possession of the Pledged Securities, which may be held (in
the discretion of the Pledgee) in the name of such Pledgor, endorsed or assigned
in blank or in favor of the Pledgee or any nominee or nominees of the Pledgee or
a sub-agent appointed by the Pledgee. The Pledgee agrees to promptly notify the
relevant Pledgor after the appointment of any sub-agent; provided, however, that
the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such
appointment.
5. VOTING, ETC., WHILE NO EVENT OF DEFAULT. Unless and until
(i) an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) written
notice thereof shall have been given by the Pledgee to the relevant Pledgor
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(provided, that if an Event of Default specified in Section 9.05 of the Credit
Agreement shall occur, no such notice shall be required), each Pledgor shall be
entitled to exercise any and all voting and other consensual rights pertaining
to the Pledged Securities and to give all consents, waivers or ratifications in
respect thereof; provided, that no vote shall be cast or any consent, waiver or
ratification given or any action taken which would violate or be inconsistent
with any of the terms of this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any
Interest Rate Protection Agreement (collectively, the "Secured Debt
Agreements"), or which would have the effect of impairing the position or
interests of the Pledgee or any other Secured Creditor under this Agreement. All
such rights of such Pledgor to vote and to give consents, waivers and
ratifications shall cease in case an Event of Default shall occur and be
continuing and written notice shall have been given to the relevant Pledgor
pursuant to clause (ii) above, and Section 7 hereof shall become applicable.
6. DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. Unless an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, all cash dividends payable in
respect of the Pledged Stock and all payments in respect of the Pledged Notes
shall be paid to the respective Pledgor. The Pledgee shall be entitled to
receive directly, and to retain as part of the Collateral:
(i) all other or additional stock or other securities or
property (other than cash) paid or distributed by way of dividend or
otherwise in respect of the Pledged Stock;
(ii) all other or additional stock or other securities or
property (including cash) paid or distributed in respect of the Pledged
Stock by way of stock-split, spin-off, split-up, reclassification,
combination of shares or similar rearrangement; and
(iii) all other or additional stock or other securities or
property which may be paid in respect of the Collateral by reason of
any consolidation, merger, exchange of stock, conveyance of assets,
liquidation or similar corporate reorganization.
Nothing contained in this Section 6 (other than as set forth in the first
sentence hereof) shall limit or restrict in any way the Pledgee's right to
receive proceeds of the Collateral in any form in accordance with Section 3 of
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this Agreement. All dividends, distributions or other payments which are
received by any Pledgor contrary to the provisions of this Section 6 and Section
7 hereof shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Pledgee, shall be
segregated from other property or funds of such Pledgor and shall be forthwith
paid over to the Pledgee as Collateral in the same form as so received (with any
necessary endorsement).
7. REMEDIES IN CASE OF EVENT OF DEFAULT. In case an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be contin- uing, the Pledgee shall be entitled
to exercise all of the rights, powers and remedies (whether vested in it by this
Agreement or by any other Secured Debt Agreement or by law) for the protection
and enforcement of its rights in respect of the Collateral, and the Pledgee
shall be entitled, without limitation, to exercise the following rights, which
each Pledgor hereby agrees to be commercially reasonable:
(i) to receive all amounts payable in respect of the
Collateral payable to such Pledgor under Section 6 hereof;
(ii) to transfer all or any part of the Pledged Securities
into the Pledgee's name or the name of its nominee or nominees (the
Pledgee agrees to promptly notify the relevant Pledgor after such
transfer; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall
not affect the validity of such transfer);
(iii) to accelerate any Pledged Note which may be accelerated
in accordance with its terms, and take any other action to collect upon
any Pledged Note (including, without limitation, to make any demand for
payment thereon);
(iv) subject to the giving of written notice to the relevant
Pledgor in accordance with clause (ii) of Section 5 hereof, to vote all
or any part of the Pledged Stock (whether or not transferred into the
name of the Pledgee) and give all consents, waivers and ratifications
in respect of the Collateral and otherwise act with respect thereto as
though it were the outright owner thereof (each Pledgor hereby
irrevocably constituting and appointing the Pledgee the proxy and
attorney-in-fact of such Pledgor, with full power of substitution to do
so); and
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(v) at any time or from time to time to sell, assign and
deliver, or grant options to purchase, all or any part of the
Collateral, or any interest therein, at any public or private sale,
without demand of performance, advertisement or notice of intention to
sell or of the time or place of sale or adjournment thereof or to
redeem or otherwise (all of which are hereby waived by each Pledgor),
for cash, on credit or for other property, for immediate or future
delivery without any assumption of credit risk, and for such price or
prices and on such terms as the Pledgee in its absolute discretion may
determine; provided, that at least 10 days' written notice of the time
and place of any such sale shall be given to such Pledgor.
Each Pledgor hereby waives and releases to the fullest extent permitted by law
any right or equity of redemption with respect to the Collateral, whether before
or after sale hereunder, and all rights, if any, of marshalling the Collateral
and any other security for the Obligations or otherwise. At any such sale,
unless prohibited by applicable law, the Pledgee on behalf of the Secured
Creditors may bid for and purchase all or any part of the Collateral so sold
free from any such right or equity of redemption. Neither the Pledgee nor any
other Secured Creditor shall be liable for failure to collect or realize upon
any or all of the Collateral or for any delay in so doing nor shall any of them
be under any obligation to take any action whatsoever with regard thereto.
8. REMEDIES, ETC., CUMULATIVE. Each right, power and remedy of
the Pledgee provided for in this Agreement or in any other Secured Debt
Agreement or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute shall
be cumulative and concurrent and shall be in addition to every other such right,
power or remedy. The exercise or beginning of the exercise by the Pledgee or any
other Secured Creditor of any one or more of the rights, powers or remedies
provided for in this Agreement or in any other Secured Debt Agreement or now or
hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise shall not
preclude the simultaneous or later exercise by the Pledgee or any other Secured
Creditor of all such other rights, powers or remedies, and no failure or delay
on the part of the Pledgee or any other Secured Creditor to exercise any such
right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof. The Secured Creditors
agree that this Agreement may be enforced only by the action of the
Administrative Agent or the Pledgee, in each case acting upon the instructions
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of the Required Secured Creditors (as defined in the Security Agreement) and
that no other Secured Creditor shall have any right individually to seek to
enforce or to enforce this Agreement or to realize upon the security to be
granted hereby, it being understood and agreed that such rights and remedies may
be exercised only by the Administrative Agent or the Pledgee for the benefit of
the Secured Creditors upon the terms of this Agreement.
9. APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS. (a) All moneys collected by the
Pledgee upon any sale or other disposition of the Collateral pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement, together with all other moneys received by the Pledgee
hereunder, shall be applied in the manner provided in the Security Agreement.
(b) It is understood and agreed that the Pledgors shall remain
jointly and severally liable to the extent of any deficiency between the amount
of the proceeds of the Collateral hereunder and the aggregate amount of the
Obligations.
10. PURCHASERS OF COLLATERAL. Upon any sale of the Collateral
by the Pledgee hereunder (whether by virtue of the power of sale herein granted,
pursuant to judicial process or otherwise), the receipt of the Pledgee or the
officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or
purchasers of the Collateral so sold, and such purchaser or purchasers shall not
be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid
over to the Pledgee or such officer or be answerable in any way for the
misapplication or nonapplication thereof.
11. INDEMNITY. Each Pledgor jointly and severally agrees (i)
to indemnify and hold harmless the Pledgee in such capacity and each other
Secured Creditor from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, judgments
and liabilities of whatsoever kind or nature, and (ii) to reimburse the Pledgee
and each other Secured Creditor for all costs and expenses, including reasonable
attorneys' fees and expenses, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above,
growing out of or resulting from this Agreement or the exercise by the Pledgee
of any right or remedy granted to it hereunder or under any other Secured Debt
Agreement except, with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above, to the extent that
same arose from the Pledgee's or such other Secured Creditor's gross negligence
or willful misconduct. In no event shall the Pledgee be liable, in the absence
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of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, for any matter or thing
in connection with this Agreement other than to account for moneys actually
received by it in accordance with the terms hereof. If and to the extent that
the obligations of the Pledgors under this Section 11 are unenforceable for any
reason, each Pledgor hereby agrees to make the maximum contribution to the
payment and satisfaction of such obligations which is permissible under
applicable law.
12. FURTHER ASSURANCES. Each Pledgor agrees that it will join
with the Pledgee in executing and, at such Pledgor's own expense, file and
refile under the applicable UCC or appropriate local equivalent, such financing
statements, continuation statements and other documents in such offices as the
Pledgee may deem necessary or appropriate and wherever required or permitted by
law in order to perfect and preserve the Pledgee's security interest in the
Collateral and hereby authorizes the Pledgee to file financing statements and
amendments thereto relative to all or any part of the Collateral without the
signature of such Pledgor where permitted by law, and agrees to do such further
acts and things and to execute and deliver to the Pledgee such additional
conveyances, assignments, agreements and instruments as the Pledgee may
reasonably require or deem advisable to carry into effect the purposes of this
Agreement or to further assure and confirm unto the Pledgee its rights, powers
and remedies hereunder.
13. THE PLEDGEE AS AGENT. The Pledgee will hold in accordance
with this Agreement all items of the Collateral at any time received under this
Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed that the obligations of the
Pledgee as holder of the Collateral and interests therein and with respect to
the disposition thereof, and otherwise under this Agreement, are only those
expressly set forth in this Agreement. The Pledgee shall act hereunder on the
terms and conditions set forth herein and in Section 11 of the Credit Agreement.
14. TRANSFER BY PLEDGORS. No Pledgor will sell or otherwise
dispose of, grant any option with respect to, or mortgage, pledge or otherwise
encumber any of the Collateral or any interest therein (except as may be
permitted in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the Credit
Agreement).
15. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF PLEDGOR. Each
Pledgor represents, warrants and covenants that (i) it is the legal, record and
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beneficial owner of, and has good and marketable title to, all Securities
pledged by it hereunder, subject to no pledge, lien, mortgage, hypothecation,
security interest, charge, option or other encumbrance whatsoever, except the
liens and security interests created by this Agreement and the other Security
Documents; (ii) it has full power, authority and legal right to pledge all the
Securities pledged by it pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) this Agreement has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Pledgor and constitutes a
legal, valid and binding obligation of such Pledgor enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability hereof may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by equitable
principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);
(iv) no consent of any other party (including, without limitation, any
stockholder or creditor of such Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries) and no
consent, license, permit, approval or authorization of, exemption by, notice or
report to, or registration, filing or declaration with, any governmental
authority is required to be obtained by such Pledgor in connection with the
execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, or in connection with the
exercise of its rights and remedies pursuant to this Agreement, except as may be
required in connection with the disposition of the Securities by laws affecting
the offering and sale of securities generally; (v) the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement by such Pledgor does not violate any provision of
any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation or of any order, writ,
injunction or decree of any court or governmental authority, domestic or
foreign, or of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Pledgor or of
any securities issued by such Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries, or of any
mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, loan agreement, credit agreement or any
other agreement, instrument or undertaking to which such Pledgor or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or which purports to be binding upon such Pledgor or any
of its Subsidiaries or upon any of their respective assets and will not result
in the creation or imposition of any lien or encumbrance on any of the assets of
such Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries except as contemplated by this
Agreement; (vi) all the shares of Stock of Subsidiaries of Silgan have been duly
and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable; (vii) each of the Pledged
Notes constituting Intercompany Notes, when executed by the obligor thereof,
will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of such obligor, enforceable in
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accordance with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof
may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by equitable
principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);
and (viii) the pledge and assignment of the Securities pursuant to this
Agreement, together with the delivery of the Securities pursuant to this
Agreement (which delivery has been made), creates a valid and perfected first
security interest in such Securities and the proceeds thereof, subject to no
prior lien or encumbrance or to any agreement purporting to grant to any third
party a lien or encumbrance on the property or assets of such Pledgor which
would include the Securities. Each Pledgor covenants and agrees that it will
defend the Pledgee's right, title and security interest in and to the Securities
and the proceeds thereof against the claims and demands of all persons
whomsoever; and such Pledgor covenants and agrees that it will have like title
to and right to pledge any other property at any time hereafter pledged to the
Pledgee as Collateral hereunder and will likewise defend the right thereto and
security interest therein of the Pledgee and the other Secured Creditors.
16. PLEDGORS' OBLIGATIONS ABSOLUTE, ETC. The obligations of
each Pledgor under this Agreement shall be absolute and unconditional and shall
remain in full force and effect without regard to, and shall not be released,
suspended, discharged, terminated or otherwise affected by, any circumstance or
occurrence whatsoever, including, with- out limitation: (i) any renewal,
extension, amendment or modification of or addition or supplement to or deletion
from any Secured Debt Agreement or any other instrument or agreement referred to
therein, or any assignment or transfer of any thereof; (ii) any waiver, consent,
extension, indulgence or other action or inaction under or in respect of any
such agreement or instrument or this Agreement; (iii) any furnishing of any
additional security to the Pledgee or its assignee or any acceptance thereof or
any release of any security by the Pledgee or its assignee; (iv) any limitation
on any party's liability or obligations under any such instrument or agreement
or any invalidity or unenforceability, in whole or in part, of any such
instrument or agreement or any term thereof; or (v) any bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, composition, adjustment, dissolution, liquidation or other like
proceeding relating to such Pledgor or any Subsidiary of such Pledgor, or any
action taken with respect to this Agreement by any trustee or receiver, or by
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any court, in any such proceeding, whether or not such Pledgor shall have notice
or knowledge of any of the foregoing.
17. REGISTRATION, ETC. (a) If an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing and any Pledgor shall have received from the Pledgee
a written request or requests that such Pledgor cause any registration,
qualification or compliance under any Federal or state securities law or laws to
be effected with respect to all or any part of the Pledged Stock, such Pledgor
as soon as practicable and at its expense will use its reasonable efforts to
cause such registration to be effected (and be kept effective) and will use its
reasonable efforts to cause such qualification and compliance to be effected
(and be kept effective) as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate
the sale and distribution of such Pledged Stock, including, without limitation,
registration under the Securities Act as then in effect (or any similar statute
then in effect), appropriate qualifications under applicable blue sky or other
state securities laws and appropriate compliance with any other government
requirements; provided, that the Pledgee shall furnish to such Pledgor such
information regarding the Pledgee as such Pledgor may request in writing and as
shall be required in connection with any such registration, qualification or
compliance. Such Pledgor will cause the Pledgee to be kept reasonably advised in
writing as to the progress of each such registration, qualification or
compliance and as to the completion thereof, will furnish to the Pledgee such
number of prospectuses, offering circulars or other documents incident thereto
as the Pledgee from time to time may reasonably request, and will indemnify the
Pledgee, each other Secured Creditor and all others participating in the
distribution of the Pledged Stock against all claims, losses, damages and
liabilities caused by any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a
material fact contained therein (or in any related registration statement,
notification or the like) or by any omission (or alleged omission) to state
therein (or in any related registration statement, notification or the like) a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, except insofar as the same may have been caused by an
untrue statement or omission based upon information furnished in writing to such
Pledgor by the Pledgee or such other Secured Creditor expressly for use therein.
(b) If at any time when the Pledgee shall deter- mine to
exercise its right to sell all or any part of the Pledged Securities pursuant to
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Section 7 hereof, such Pledged Securities or the part thereof to be sold shall
not, for any reason whatsoever, be effectively registered under the Securities
Act as then in effect, the Pledgee may, in its sole and absolute discretion,
sell such Pledged Securities or part thereof by private sale in such manner and
under such circumstances as the Pledgee may deem necessary or advisable in order
that such sale may legally be effected without such registration; provided, that
at least 10 days' notice of the time and place of any such sale shall be given
to such Pledgor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in any such
event the Pledgee, in its sole and absolute discretion: (i) may proceed to make
such private sale notwithstanding that a registration statement for the purpose
of registering such Pledged Securities or part thereof shall have been filed
under such Securities Act; (ii) may approach and negotiate with a single
possible purchaser to effect such sale; and (iii) may restrict such sale to a
purchaser who will represent and agree that such purchaser is purchasing for its
own account, for investment, and not with a view to the distribution or sale of
such Pledged Securities or part thereof. In the event of any such sale, the
Pledgee shall incur no responsibility or liability for selling all or any part
of the Pledged Securities at a price which the Pledgee, in its sole and absolute
discretion, may in good xxxxx xxxx reasonable under the circumstances,
notwithstanding the possibility that a substantially higher price might be
realized if the sale were deferred until after registration as aforesaid.
18. TERMINATION, RELEASE. (a) After the Termination Date (as
defined below), this Agreement shall terminate (provided that all indemnities
set forth herein including, without limitation, in Section 11 hereof shall
survive any such termination) and the Pledgee, at the request and expense of the
respective Pledgor, will promptly execute and deliver to such Pledgor a proper
instrument or instruments acknowledging the satisfaction and termination of this
Agreement, and will duly release from the security interest created hereby and
assign, transfer and deliver to such Pledgor (without recourse and without any
representation or warranty) such of the Collateral as may be in the possession
of the Pledgee and as has not theretofore been sold or otherwise applied or
released pursuant to this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, "Termination
Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the date upon which the Total Commitment and
all Interest Rate Protection Agreements entitled to the benefits of this
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Agreement have been terminated, no Note (as defined in the Credit Agreement) or
Letter of Credit is outstanding and all other Obligations (other than
indemnities described in Section 11 hereof and described in Section 12.13 of the
Credit Agreement, and any other indemnities set forth in any other Security
Documents, in each case which are not then due and payable) have been paid in
full and (ii) that date upon which the conditions set forth in Section 12.17(b)
of the Credit Agreement with respect to the release of the collateral under all
of the Security Documents shall have been satisfied and Silgan shall have
requested the release of all such collateral under such Security Documents.
(b) In the event that any part of the Collateral is sold in
connection with a sale permitted by Section 8.02 of the Credit Agreement or is
otherwise released at the direction of the Required Secured Creditors, the
Pledgee, at the request and expense of such Pledgor, will duly release from the
security interest created hereby and assign, transfer and deliver to such
Pledgor (without recourse and without any representation or warranty) such of
the Collateral as is then being (or has been) so sold or released and as may be
in possession of the Pledgee and has not theretofore been released pursuant to
this Agreement.
(c) At any time that a Pledgor desires that Collateral be
released as provided in the foregoing Section 18(a) or (b), it shall deliver to
the Pledgee a certificate signed by an authorized officer of such Pledgor
stating that the release of the respective Collateral is permitted pursuant to
Section 18(a) or (b).
19. NOTICES, ETC. All notices and other communications
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered or mailed by first class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed:
(a) if to any Pledgor, at:
c/o Silgan Holdings Inc.
0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Telephone No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
(b) if to the Pledgee, at:
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Bankers Trust Company
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Telephone No.: (000) 000-0000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
(c) if to any Bank (other than the Pledgee), at such address
as such Bank shall have specified in the
Credit Agreement;
(d) if to any Other Creditor, at such address as such Other
Creditor shall have specified in writing to each Pledgor and the Pledgee;
or at such other address as shall have been furnished in writing by any Person
described above to the party required to give notice hereunder.
20. WAIVER; AMENDMENT. None of the terms and conditions of
this Agreement may be changed, waived, modified or varied in any manner
whatsoever unless in writing duly signed by each Pledgor directly affected
thereby and the Pledgee (with the written consent of the Required Secured
Creditors); provided, that any change, waiver, modification or variance
affecting the rights and benefits of a single Class (as defined below) of
Secured Creditors (and not all Secured Creditors in a like or similar manner)
shall require the written consent of the Requisite Creditors (as defined below)
of such Class. For the purpose of this Agreement, the term "Class" shall mean
each class of Secured Creditors, i.e., whether (i) the Bank Creditors as holders
of the Credit Document Obligations or (ii) the Other Creditors as holders of the
Other Obligations. For the purpose of this Agreement, the term "Requisite
Creditors" of any Class shall mean each of (i) with respect to the Credit
Document Obligations, the Required Banks and (ii) with respect to the Other
Obligations, the holders of at least a majority of all obligations outstanding
from time to time under the Interest Rate Protection Agreements with the Other
Creditors.
21. MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
successors and assigns of each Pledgor and shall inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by the Pledgee and its successors and assigns, provided that no
Pledgor may assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, except
in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE
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CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE
OF NEW YORK. The headings in this Agreement are for purposes of reference only
and shall not limit or define the meaning hereof. This Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of
which shall constitute one instrument.
22. ADDITIONAL PLEDGORS. It is understood and agreed that any
Subsidiary of Silgan that is required to execute a counterpart of this Agreement
after the date hereof pursuant to the Credit Agreement shall automatically
become a Pledgor hereunder by executing a counterpart hereof and delivering the
same to the Pledgee.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Pledgor and the Pledgee have caused
this Agreement to be executed by their duly elected officers duly authorized as
of the date first above written.
SILGAN HOLDINGS INC., as a Pledgor
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx III
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary
SILGAN CONTAINERS CORPORATION,
as a Pledgor
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx III
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary
SILGAN PLASTICS CORPORATION,
as a Pledgor
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx III
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary
CALIFORNIA-WASHINGTON CAN
CORPORATION, as a Pledgor
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx III
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary
SCCW CAN CORPORATION, as a Pledgor
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx III
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY,
as Collateral Agent and as Pledgee
By /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President
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