AMENDMENT NO. 8 TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT
NO. 8 TO THE
Dated
as
of July 31, 2007
AMENDMENT
NO. 8 TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT
among
Chemtura Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
the
banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders parties to the
Credit Agreement referred to below (collectively, the "Lenders")
and
Citibank, N.A., as agent (the "Agent")
for
the Lenders.
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENTS:
(1) The
Company, the Lenders and the Agent have entered into a Credit Agreement dated
as
of July 1, 2005 (as amended and restated by that certain Amendment No. 1 to
the
Credit Agreement dated as of December 12, 2005, as further amended by that
certain Amendment No. 2 to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 31, 2005,
as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 3 to the Credit Agreement
dated
as of December 31, 2005, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 4
to
the Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2006, as further amended by that certain
Amendment No. 5 to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 14, 2006, as
further amended by that certain Amendment No. 6 to the Credit Agreement dated
as
of February 27, 2007, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 7 to
the
Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2007, the "Credit
Agreement").
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Amendment have the same meanings
as specified in the Credit Agreement.
(2) The
Company has requested that the Credit Agreement be further amended as
hereinafter set forth.
(3) The
Lenders are, on the terms and conditions stated below, willing to grant the
request of the Company and the Company and the Required Lenders have agreed
to
amend the Credit Agreement as hereinafter set forth.
SECTION
1. Amendment
to Credit Agreement.
The
Credit Agreement is, effective as of the date hereof and subject to the
satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2, hereby
amended and restated in its entirety to read as set forth as Exhibit A
hereto.
SECTION
2. Conditions
of Effectiveness.
Section
1 of this Amendment shall become effective as of the date first above written
when, and only when, the Agent shall have received counterparts of this
Amendment executed by the Company, each Guarantor, the Required Lenders or,
as
to any of the Lenders, advice satisfactory to the Agent that such Lender has
executed this Amendment. This Amendment is subject to the provisions of Section
9.01 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION
3. Representations
and Warranties of the Company.
The
Company represents and warrants as follows:
(a) Each
Loan
Party and each of its Subsidiaries (i) is a corporation, limited liability
company, limited partnership, unlimited liability company or other legal entity
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (or its equivalent) under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, except where
the
failure to be so duly organized, validly existing or in good standing in the
case of a Subsidiary organized outside of the United States has not had, or
could not reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) is
duly qualified and in good standing as a foreign corporation or company in
each
other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property or in which the conduct
of its business requires it to so qualify or be licensed except where the
failure to so qualify or be licensed would not be reasonably likely to have
a
Material Adverse Effect, (iii) has all requisite corporate, limited liability
company, partnership, unlimited liability company or other organizational (as
applicable) power and authority and (iv) has all applicable governmental
authorizations to own or lease and operate its properties and to carry on its
business.
(b) The
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Amendment and the
Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, are within the Company’s corporate powers,
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not (i)
contravene the Company’s charter or bylaws, (ii) violate any law, rule,
regulation (including, without limitation, Regulation X of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System), order, writ, judgment, injunction,
decree, determination or award applicable to the Company, (iii) conflict with
or
result in the breach of, or constitute a default or require any payment to
be
made under, any contract, loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
lease or other instrument binding on or affecting the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their properties or (iv) except for the Liens created
under the Loan Documents, result in or require the creation or imposition of
any
Lien upon or with respect to any of the properties of the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation
of
any such law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree,
determination or award or in breach of any such contract, loan agreement,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other instrument, the violation
or
breach of which would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) No
authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with,
any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is
required for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
this
Amendment and the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, except for those
authorizations, approvals, actions, notices and filings which have been duly
obtained, taken, given, waived or made and are in full force and
effect.
(d) This
Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by the Company. This Amendment
and the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, are the legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except to the extent that such enforcement may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
affecting creditors rights generally and by equitable principles (regardless
of
whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law).
(e) There
is
no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan
Party or any of its Subsidiaries, including any Environmental Action, pending
or
threatened before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) would
be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed
Litigation) or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability
of this Amendment or the Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, and there has
been
no material adverse change in the status, or financial effect on any Loan Party
or any of its Subsidiaries, of the Disclosed Litigation.
(f) No
Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION
4. Reference
to and Effect on the Credit Agreement and the Notes.
(a)
On and
after the effectiveness of this Amendment, each reference in the Credit
Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder", "hereof" or words of like import
referring to the Credit Agreement, and each reference in the Notes and each
of
the other Loan Documents to "the Credit Agreement", "thereunder", "thereof"
or
words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a
reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment.
(b) The
Credit Agreement and the Notes and each of the other Loan Documents, as
specifically amended by this Amendment, are and shall continue to be in full
force and effect and are hereby in all respects ratified and confirmed.
(c) The
execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as
expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy
of
any Lender or the Agent under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document,
nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Credit Agreement or any other
Loan Document.
SECTION
5. Costs
and Expenses.
The
Company agrees to pay on demand all costs and expenses of the Agent in
connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and administration,
modification and amendment of this Amendment and the other instruments and
documents to be delivered hereunder (including, without limitation, the
reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent) in accordance with the
terms of Section 9.04 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION
6. Execution
in Counterparts.
This
Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties
hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed
to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute but one
and
the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page
to
this Amendment by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of this Amendment.
SECTION
7. Governing
Law .
This
Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws
of
the State of New York.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed
by
their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above
written.
CHEMTURA
CORPORATION
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title:
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer
|
A
& M CLEANING PRODUCTS, LLC
ANDEROL, INC. |
||
AQUA
CLEAR INDUSTRIES, LLC
ASCK, INC. |
||
ASEPSIS,
INC.
|
||
BIOLAB
TEXTILE ADDITIVES, LLC
BIO-LAB, INC. |
||
CNK CHEMICAL REALTY CORPORATION | ||
CROMPTON
COLORS INCORPORATED
|
||
CROMPTON
HOLDING CORPORATION
|
||
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX, INC.
|
||
ENENCO
INCORPORATED
|
||
GREAT
LAKES CHEMICAL CORPORATION
|
||
GREAT LAKES CHEMICAL GLOBAL, INC. | ||
GT
SEED TREATMENT, INC.
HATCO
CORPORATION
HATCO
INNOVATTI HOLDINGS, INC.
HOMECARE
LABS, INC.
ISCI,
INC.
XXXXXXX
HOLDINGS CORPORATION
KEM
MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
MONOCHEM,
INC.
NAUGATUCK
TREATMENT COMPANY
RECREATIONAL
WATER PRODUCTS, INC.
UNIROYAL
CHEMICAL COMPANY LIMITED
(DELAWARE)
XXXXX
CITY ROAD LLC
WRL
OF INDIANA, INC.
|
By: | ||
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Secretary
|
Accepted
and agreed:
CITIBANK,
N.A.,
as
Agent and as a Lender
By:
Name:
Title:
|
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.
By:
Name:
Title:
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V.
By:
Name:
Title:
By:
Name: Title:
|
CREDIT
SUISSE, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
By:
Name:
Title:
By:
Name:
Title:
|
XXXXXX
XXXXXXX BANK, as a Lender
By:
Name:
Title:
|
THE
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC, as a Lender
By:
Name:
Title:
|
WACHOVIA
BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By:
Name:
Title:
|
CALYON
NEW YORK BRANCH
By:
Name:
Title:
|
DEUTSCHE
BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
By:
Name:
Title:
By:
Name:
Title:
|
ING
CAPITAL LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
|
SUMITOMO
MITSUI BANKING CORP., NEW YORK
By:
Name:
Title:
|
INTESA
SANPAOLO SpA - NEW YORK BRANCH
(formerly
known as Banca Intesa)
By:
Name:
Title:
By:
Name:
Title:
|
BANCA
NAZIONALE DEL LAVOR SPA, NEW YORK BRANCH
By:
Name:
Title:
|
BANK
OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ TRUST COMPANY,
f.k.a.
BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI TRUST COMPANY
By:
Name:
Title:
|
COMMERZBANK
AG, NEW
YORK AND GRAND CAYMAN BRANCHES
By:
Name:
Title:
By:
Name:
Title:
|
THE
NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY
By:
Name:
Title:
|
CREDIT
AGREEMENT
Dated
as
of July 1, 2005
AMENDED
AND RESTATED as of July 31, 2007
CHEMTURA
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
the
Subsidiary Guarantors (as hereinafter defined), the banks, financial
institutions and other institutional lenders (the “Initial
Lenders”)
and
issuers of letters of credit (“Initial
Issuing Banks”)
listed
on Schedule I hereto, and CITIBANK, N.A. (“Citibank”),
as
agent (the “Agent”)
for
the Lenders (as hereinafter defined), agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
SECTION
1.01. Certain
Defined Terms.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such
meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of
the
terms defined):
“Acquisition”
means
the Company's acquisition of the Great Lakes.
“Advance”
means
an advance by a Lender to any Borrower as part of a Borrowing made pursuant
to
Section 2.01(a) and refers to a Base Rate Advance or a Eurocurrency Rate Advance
(each of which shall be a “Type”
of
Advance) and, for purposes of the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section
6.01, includes the acceptance or purchase of a Bankers’ Acceptance or a BA
Equivalent Note pursuant to Section 2.01(c).
“Affiliate”
means,
as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls,
is
controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is a director
or
officer of such Person. For purposes of this definition, the term “control”
(including the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control
with”) of a Person means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to
vote 10% or more of the Voting Stock of such Person or to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of Voting Stock, by contract or otherwise.
“Agent's
Account”
means
(a) in the case of Advances denominated in Dollars, the account of the
Agent maintained by the Agent at Citibank at its office at Xxx Xxxxx Xxx, Xxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Account No. 00000000, Attention: Bank Loan
Syndications, (b) in the case of Advances denominated in any Committed
Currency, the account of the Sub-Agent designated in writing from time to time
by the Agent to the Company and the Lenders for such purpose and (c) in any
such case, such other account of the Agent as is designated in writing from
time
to time by the Agent to the Company and the Lenders for such
purpose.
“Applicable
Lending Office”
means,
with respect to each Lender, such Lender's Domestic Lending Office in the case
of a Base Rate Advance, such Lender's Eurocurrency Lending Office in the case
of
a Eurocurrency Rate Advance and such Lender’s Canadian Lending Office in the
case of an advance by way of a Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent
Note.
“Applicable
Margin”
means
as of any date, a percentage per annum determined by reference to the Public
Debt Rating in effect on such date as set forth below:
Public
Debt Rating
S&P/Xxxxx'x
|
Applicable
Margin for
Base
Rate Advances
|
Applicable
Margin for
Eurocurrency
Rate Advances
|
Applicable
Margin for Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes
|
|||||||
Level
1
BBB
or Baa2 or above
|
0.000
|
%
|
0.500
|
%
|
0.500
|
%
|
||||
Xxxxx
0
XXX-
xx Xxx0
|
0.000
|
%
|
0.600
|
%
|
0.600
|
%
|
||||
Xxxxx
0
BB+
and Ba1
|
0.000
|
%
|
0.800
|
%
|
0.800
|
%
|
||||
Xxxxx
0
XX
or Ba2
|
0.250
|
%
|
1.250
|
%
|
1.250
|
%
|
||||
Xxxxx
0
Xxxxx
xxxx Xxxxx 0
|
0.600
|
%
|
1.600
|
%
|
1.600
|
%
|
“Applicable
Percentage”
means,
as of any date a percentage per annum determined by reference to the Public
Debt
Rating in effect on such date as set forth below:
Public
Debt Rating
S&P/Xxxxx'x
|
Applicable
Percentage
|
|||
Level
1
BBB
or Baa2 or above
|
0.125
|
%
|
||
Xxxxx
0
XXX-
xx Xxx0
|
0.150
|
%
|
||
Xxxxx
0
BB+
and Ba1
|
0.200
|
%
|
||
Xxxxx
0
XX
or Ba2
|
0.250
|
%
|
||
Xxxxx
0
Xxxxx
xxxx Xxxxx 0
|
0.4000
|
%
|
“Assignment
and Acceptance”
means
an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee,
and accepted by the Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C
hereto.
“Assuming
Lender”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.18(d).
“Assumption
Agreement”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.18(d)(ii).
“Available
Amount”
of
any
Letter of Credit means, at any time, the maximum amount available to be drawn
under such Letter of Credit at such time (assuming compliance at such time
with
all conditions to drawing).
“BA
Commitment”
means,
with respect to any Canadian Lender at any time, the amount set forth opposite
such Lender’s name on Schedule I hereto, or any written amendment,
supplement or modification hereto, under the caption “BA Commitment” or, if such
Lender has entered into one or more Assignment and Acceptances, set forth for
such Lender in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to
Section 9.07(d) as such Lender’s “BA Commitment”, as such amount may be
reduced at or prior to such time pursuant to Section 2.05.
“BA
Equivalent Note”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.19(a).
2
“BA
Lender”
means
any Canadian Lender that is a bank chartered under the Bank
Act
(Canada)
or that is an authorized foreign bank thereunder and which stamps and accepts
bankers’ acceptances.
“BA
Rate”
means:
(a) for
each
Schedule I Lender, and in respect of each BA Equivalent Note, the average rate
(calculated on an annual basis of a year of 365 days and rounded up to the
nearest multiple of 1/4 of 1%, if such average is not such a multiple) for
Canadian Dollar bankers’ acceptances having a comparable term that appears on
the Reuters Screen CDOR Page (or such other page as is a replacement page for
such bankers’ acceptances) at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) or, if such rate
is not available at such time, the applicable discount rate in respect of such
Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes shall be the average (as determined
by the Sub-Agent) of the respective percentage discount rates (calculated on
an
annual basis of 365 days and rounded up to the nearest multiple of 1/4 of 1%,
if
such average is not such a multiple), quoted to the Sub-Agent by each Schedule
I
Reference Lender as the discount rate at which such Lender would purchase,
as of
10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such Drawing, its own bankers’
acceptances having an aggregate Face Amount equal to and with a term to maturity
the same as the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes to be acquired by
such Lender as part of such Drawing; and
(b) for
each
Schedule II/III Lender and any other Lender or Person, the average rate
determined by the Sub-Agent pursuant to clause (a) plus 0.1%.
“Bankers’
Acceptance”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.01(c).
“Bankruptcy
Law”
means
any proceeding of the type referred to in Section 6.01(e) or Title 11, U.S.
Code, or any similar foreign, federal or state law for the relief of
debtors.
“Base
Rate”
means
a
fluctuating interest rate per annum in effect from time to time, which rate
per
annum shall at all times be equal to the highest of:
(a) the
rate
of interest announced publicly by Citibank in New York, New York, from
time to time, as Citibank's base rate;
(b) the
sum
(adjusted to the nearest 1/4 of 1% or, if there is no nearest 1/4 of 1%, to
the
next higher 1/4 of 1%) of (i) ½ of 1% per annum, plus
(ii) the rate obtained by dividing (A) the latest three-week moving
average of secondary market morning offering rates in the United States for
three-month certificates of deposit of major United States money market banks,
such three-week moving average (adjusted to the basis of a year of 360 days)
being determined weekly on each Monday (or, if such day is not a Business Day,
on the next succeeding Business Day) for the three-week period ending on the
previous Friday by Citibank on the basis of such rates reported by certificate
of deposit dealers to and published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
or, if such publication shall be suspended or terminated, on the basis of
quotations for such rates received by Citibank from three New York
certificate of deposit dealers of recognized standing selected by Citibank,
by
(B) a percentage equal to 100% minus the average of the daily percentages
specified during such three-week period by the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve
requirement (including, but not limited to, any emergency, supplemental or
other
marginal reserve requirement) for Citibank with respect to liabilities
consisting of or including (among other liabilities) three-month U.S. dollar
non-personal time deposits in the United States, plus
(iii) the average during such three-week period of the annual assessment
rates estimated by Citibank for determining the then current annual assessment
payable by Citibank to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (or any
successor) for insuring U.S. dollar deposits of Citibank in the United States;
and
3
(c) ½
of
one
percent per annum above the Federal Funds Rate.
“Base
Rate Advance”
means
an Advance denominated in Dollars that bears interest as provided in
Section 2.07(a)(i).
“Borrowers”
means,
collectively, the Company and the Designated Subsidiaries from time to
time.
“Borrowing”
means
(i) a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Advances of the same Type made by
each of the Lenders and (ii) a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Bankers’
Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes accepted, purchased, maintained or otherwise
made or made by each of the Canadian Lenders.
“Borrowing
Minimum”
means,
in respect of Advances denominated in Dollars, $5,000,000, in respect of
Advances denominated in any Committed Currency, the approximate Equivalent
of
$5,000,000 in such Committed Currency, rounded to the nearest 1,000,000 units
of
such Committed Currency.
“Borrowing
Multiple”
means,
in respect of Advances denominated in Dollars, $1,000,000, in respect of
Advances denominated in any Committed Currency, the approximate Equivalent
of
$1,000,000 in such Committed Currency, rounded to the nearest 100,000 units
of
such Committed Currency.
“Business
Day”
means
a
day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close
in
New York City and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any
Eurocurrency Rate Advances, on which dealings are carried on in the London
interbank market and banks are open for business in London and in the country
of
issue of the currency of such Eurocurrency Rate Advance (or, in the case of
an
Advance denominated in Euro, on which the Trans-European Automated Real-Time
Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) System is open).
“Canadian
Business Day”
means
a
day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close
in
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx.
“Canadian
Borrower”
means
a
Borrower organized under the laws of Canada or any political subdivision
thereof.
“Canadian
Dollars”
and
“CN$”
each
means lawful money of Canada.
“Canadian
Interbank Rate”
means
the interest rate, expressed as a percentage per annum, which is customarily
used by the Sub-Agent when calculating interest due by it or owing to it arising
from or in connection with correction of errors between it and other Canadian
chartered banks.
“Canadian
Lender”
means
any Lender listed on the signature pages hereof (or any written amendment,
supplement or other modification hereto) as a Canadian Lender or an Eligible
Assignee thereof, each of which is not a non-resident of Canada for purposes
of
the Income Tax Act (Canada).
“Canadian
Lending Office”
means,
with respect to each Canadian Lender, the office of such Lender set forth as
its
“Canadian Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in any
written amendment, supplement or modification hereto or in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a lender or such other office of such
Canadian Lender in Canada as such Lender may from time to time specify to the
Borrowers and the Administrative Agent for such purpose.
“Canadian
Subfacility”
means,
at any time, an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the Canadian Lenders’ BA
Commitment at such time.
4
“Collateral
Documents”
means
each of the collateral documents, instruments and agreements delivered pursuant
to Section 5.01(j), and each other agreement that creates or purports to create
a Lien in favor of the Agent for the benefit of the Lenders.
“Commitment”
means
a
Revolving Credit Commitment or a Letter of Credit Commitment.
“Commitment
Date”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.18(b).
“Commitment
Increase”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.18(a).
“Committed
Currencies”
means
lawful currency of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
lawful currency of Canada, lawful currency of The Swiss Federation, lawful
currency of Japan and Euros.
“Company
Guaranty”
means
the guaranty of the Company set forth in Article VII.
“Company
Information”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.08.
“Consolidated”
refers
to the consolidation of accounts in accordance with GAAP.
“Convert”,
“Conversion”
and
“Converted”
each
refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of the other Type
pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.09 or 2.12.
“Covenant
Debt”
means,
at any date of determination, Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries of the
types included in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (i) and (j) of the
definition of “Debt” plus Designated Litigation Liabilities other than those
described in clause (ii) of the proviso to this definition; provided,
however,
that
Covenant Debt (i) shall not include obligations under Hedge Agreements other
than Hedge Agreements related to interest rates, which included Hedge Agreement
obligations shall be valued at the unrealized net loss position, if any, of
the
Company and/or its Subsidiaries thereunder on a marked to market basis of such
Hedge Agreements as of such date of determination, (ii) shall not include
obligations in respect of the $50,000,000 settlement entered into with the
U.S.
Department of Justice, the $7,000,000 settlement entered into with the
Commissioner of Competition and the Attorney General of Canada, and the
$97,000,000 settlement entered into to resolve three consolidated direct class
action lawsuits, each as described in the Company's report on Form 10-Q filed
with the SEC with respect to the Company's fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005,
and (iii) shall not include Guaranteed Debt with respect to Debt of the Company
and its Subsidiaries of the types included in clauses (f), (h) and (k) of the
definition of “Debt”.
“Debt”
of
any
Person means, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for
borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred
purchase price of property or services (other than trade payables not overdue
by
more than 90 days incurred in the ordinary course of such Person's business),
(c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or
other similar instruments, (d) all obligations of such Person created or
arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with
respect to property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies
of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited
to repossession or sale of such property), (e) all obligations of such
Person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with
GAAP, recorded as capital leases, (f) all obligations, contingent or
otherwise, of such Person in respect of acceptances, letters of credit or
similar extensions of credit, (g) all obligations of such Person in respect
of Hedge Agreements, (h) all financings of the type described in Section
5.02(a)(v), (i) all obligations of such Person under any lease that is treated
as an operating lease for financial accounting purposes and a financing lease
for tax purposes (i.e., a “synthetic lease”), (j) all Debt of others referred to
in clauses (a) through (i) above or clause (k) below (collectively,
“Guaranteed
Debt”)
guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect
guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement
(1) to pay or purchase such Guaranteed Debt or to advance or supply funds
for the payment or purchase of such Guaranteed Debt, (2) to purchase, sell
or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services,
primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such
Guaranteed Debt or to assure the holder of such Guaranteed Debt against loss,
(3) to supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the debtor
(including any agreement to pay for property or services irrespective of whether
such property is received or such services are rendered) or (4) otherwise
to assure a creditor against loss, and (k) all Debt referred to in
clauses (a) through (j) above (including Guaranteed Debt) secured by
(or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or
otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including, without
limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though
such
Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such
Debt.
5
“Default”
means
any Event of Default or any event that would constitute an Event of Default
but
for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both.
“Designated
Litigation Liabilities”
means
all criminal and civil judgments rendered against, and all civil and criminal
settlements entered into, the Company and any of its Subsidiaries in connection
with the
antitrust investigations and related matters described under the heading
“ANTITRUST INVESTIGATION AND RELATED MATTERS” set forth in the Company's Form
10-Q filed with the SEC in respect of the Company's fiscal quarter ended March
31, 2005 and all costs and expenses related thereto.
“Designated
Subsidiary”
means
any direct or indirect Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company organized under
the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States of America or a
political subdivision thereof designated for borrowing privileges under this
Agreement pursuant to Section 9.09.
“Designation
Agreement”
means,
with respect to any Designated Subsidiary, an agreement substantially in the
form of Exhibit D hereto signed by such Designated Subsidiary and the
Company.
“Disclosed
Litigation”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 3.01(b).
“Dollars”
and
the
“$”
sign
each means lawful currency of the United States of America.
“Domestic
Lending Office”
means,
with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic
Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assumption
Agreement or the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender,
or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify
to the Company and the Agent.
“Draft”
means
a
xxxxx xxxx of exchange, within the meaning of the Bills of Exchange Act
(Canada), drawn in Canadian Dollars by a Canadian Borrower on any BA Lender,
and
which, except as otherwise provided herein, has not been completed or accepted
by such Lender.
“Drawing”
means
the simultaneous (i) acceptance of Drafts and purchase of Bankers’ Acceptances
by the Canadian Lenders, in accordance with Section 2.19(a), and (ii)
making of BA Equivalent Notes by Non-BA Lenders.
“Drawing
Purchase Price”
means,
with respect to each Bankers’ Acceptance to be purchased by any Canadian Lender
at any time, the amount (adjusted to the nearest whole cent or, if there is
no
nearest whole cent, the next higher whole cent) obtained by dividing
(i) the aggregate Face Amount of such Bankers’ Acceptance, by (ii) the
sum of (A) one and (B) the product of (1) the BA Rate in effect
at such time (expressed as a decimal) multiplied
by
(2) a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days in the term to
maturity of such Bankers’ Acceptance and the denominator of which is 365 days or
366 days, as the case may be.
6
“Dutch
Central Bank's Policy Guidelines”
means
the guidelines issued in relation to the Exemption Regulation (as defined below)
interpreting the concepts laid down in the Exemption Regulation (Beleidsregel
2005 kernbegrippen markttoetreding en handhaving Wtk 1992).
“EBITDA”
means,
for any period, net income (or net loss) (1) plus,
to the
extent included the calculation of net income of such Person for such period
in
accordance with GAAP, the sum of (a) Interest Expense, (b) income tax
expense, (c) depreciation expense, (d) amortization expense, (e)
charges
related to restructuring, asset impairment or other extraordinary items, (f)
charges for legal and other expenses in connection with Designated Litigation
Liabilities in an aggregate amount not to exceed $40,000,000, (g) the amount
of
all Designated Litigation Liabilities incurred for such period in excess of
$1,000,000 in the aggregate to the extent that the same were deducted in
arriving at net income (or net loss) for such period, (h)charges (x) related
to
merger expenses related to the Acquisition (other than as provided in clause
(y)
below) or acquisitions and consolidations which occur after the Effective Date
in an aggregate amount not to exceed $75,000,000 and (y) taken by Great Lakes
relating to the change of control which has occurred because of the Acquisition
and other merger related costs, (i) any losses from sales of assets other than
in the ordinary course of business, (j) the amount of all fees, expenses and
premiums incurred in connection with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and (k) charges for the payment of premiums in connection with the
early repayment or retirement of Debt in an amount not to exceed
$100,000,000,
(2)
minus
(a) cash
payments for previously reserved restructuring charges and (b) to the extent
included in the calculation of net income of such Person for such period in
accordance with GAAP, any
gains
from sales of assets other than in the ordinary course of business.
For
the
purposes of calculating EBITDA for any period, if during such period the Company
or any Subsidiary shall have made an acquisition, EBITDA for such period shall
be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such acquisition
occurred on the first day of such period. Pursuant to the forgoing, the
Consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter
ended September 30, 2004 is $97,100,000, for the fiscal quarter ended December
31, 2004 is $74,700,000 and for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005 is
$139,400,000.
“Effective
Date”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 3.01.
“Eligible
Assignee”
means
(i) a Lender; (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender; and (iii) any other
Person approved by the Agent, each Issuing Bank and, unless an Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing at the time any assignment is effected in
accordance with Section 9.07, the Company, such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed; provided,
however,
that
neither the Company nor an Affiliate of the Company shall qualify as an Eligible
Assignee; provided,
further
that,
with respect to any BA Commitments, Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes,
any Person that is not resident in Canada for purposes of the Income Tax Act
(Canada) shall not qualify as an Eligible Assignee under this
definition.
“Environmental
Action”
means
any action, suit, demand, demand letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or
violation, notice of liability or potential liability, investigation,
proceeding, consent order or consent agreement relating in any way to any
Environmental Law, Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials or arising from
alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the environment,
including, without limitation, (a) by any governmental or regulatory
authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions
or damages and (b) by any governmental or regulatory authority or any third
party for damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation
or
injunctive relief.
“Environmental
Law”
means
any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation,
code, order, judgment, decree or judicial or agency interpretation, policy
or
guidance relating to pollution or protection of the environment, health, safety
or natural resources, including, without limitation, those relating to the
use,
handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, release or discharge
of
Hazardous Materials.
“Environmental
Permit”
means
any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization
required under any Environmental Law.
7
“Equivalent”
(i)
in
Dollars of any
Committed Currency on
any
date, means the quoted spot rate at which the Sub-Agent's
principal office in London offers to exchange Dollars for such Committed
Currency in London at or prior to 11:00 A.M. (London
time) on such date and (ii) in any
Committed Currency of
Dollars on any date, means the quoted spot rate at which the Sub-Agent's
principal office in
London
offers to exchange such
Committed Currency for
Dollars in London at or prior to 11:00 A.M. (London time) on such
date.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to
time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued
thereunder.
“ERISA
Affiliate”
means
any Person that for purposes of Title IV of ERISA is a member of the
Company's controlled group, or under common control with the Company, within
the
meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.
“ERISA
Event”
means
(a) (i) the occurrence of a reportable event, within the meaning of
Section 4043 of ERISA, with respect to any Plan unless the 30-day notice
requirement with respect to such event has been waived by the PBGC, or (ii)
the
requirements of subsection (1) of Section 4043(b) of ERISA (without regard
to
subsection (2) of such Section) are met with respect to a contributing sponsor,
as defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA, of a Plan, and an event described
in
paragraph (9), (10), (11), (12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of ERISA is
reasonably expected to occur with respect to such Plan within the following
30
days; (b) the application for a minimum funding waiver with respect to a
Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a notice of
intent to terminate such Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA
(including any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred to in
Section 4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the cessation of operations at a
facility of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described
in
Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by the Company or any
ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year for which
it
was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA;
(f) the conditions for the imposition of a lien under Section 302(f)
of ERISA shall have been met with respect to any Plan; (g) the adoption of
an amendment to a Plan requiring the provision of security to such Plan pursuant
to Section 307 of ERISA; or (h) the institution by the PBGC of
proceedings to terminate a Plan pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA, 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.
“EURIBO
Rate”
means,
for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on the Reuters EURIBO 1
Page (or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any
successor to or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations
comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Service, as
determined by the Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations
of interest rates applicable to deposits in Euro by reference to the Banking
Federation of the European Union Settlement Rates for deposits in Euro) at
approximately 10:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for deposits in Euro with
a
maturity comparable to such Interest Period or, if for any reason such rate
is
not available, the average (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple of
1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) of the respective
rates per annum at which deposits in Euros are offered by the principal office
of each of the Reference Banks in London, England to prime banks in the London
interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days before the
first day of such Interest Period in an amount substantially equal to such
Reference Bank's Eurocurrency Rate Advance comprising part of such Borrowing
to
be outstanding during such Interest Period and for a period equal to such
Interest Period (subject, however, to the provisions of Section
2.08).
“Euro”
means
the lawful currency of the European Union as constituted by the Treaty of Rome
which established the European Community, as such treaty may be amended from
time to time and as referred to in the EMU legislation.
8
“Eurocurrency
Lending Office”
means,
with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its
“Eurocurrency Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in
the Assumption Agreement or the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which
it
became a Lender (or, if no such office is specified, its Domestic Lending
Office), or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to
time specify to the Company and the Agent.
“Eurocurrency
Liabilities”
has
the
meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.
“Eurocurrency
Rate”
means,
for any Interest Period for each Eurocurrency Rate Advance comprising part
of
the same Borrowing, an interest rate per annum equal to the rate per annum
obtained by dividing (a)(i) in the case of any Advance denominated in Dollars
or
any Committed Currency other than Euro, the rate per annum (rounded upward
to
the nearest whole multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum) appearing on Reuters LIBOR1
Page (or any successor page) as the London interbank offered rate for deposits
in Dollars or the applicable Committed Currency at approximately 11:00 A.M.
(London time) two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period
for a term comparable to such Interest Period or, if for any reason such rate
is
not available, the average (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple of
1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) of the rate per
annum at which deposits in Dollars or the applicable Committed Currency is
offered by the principal office of each of the Reference Banks in London,
England to prime banks in the London interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London
time) two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period in an
amount substantially equal to such Reference Bank's Eurocurrency Rate Advance
comprising part of such Borrowing to be outstanding during such Interest Period
and for a period equal to such Interest Period or, (ii) in the case of any
Advance denominated in Euros, the EURIBO Rate by (b) a percentage equal to
100% minus the Eurocurrency Rate Reserve Percentage for such Interest Period.
If
the Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750 (or any successor page) is unavailable,
the Eurocurrency Rate for any Interest Period for each Eurocurrency Rate Advance
comprising part of the same Borrowing shall be determined by the Agent on the
basis of applicable rates furnished to and received by the Agent from the
Reference Banks two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period,
subject,
however,
to the
provisions of Section 2.08.
“Eurocurrency
Rate Advance”
means
an Advance denominated in Dollars or a Committed Currency that bears interest
as
provided in Section 2.07(a)(ii).
“Eurocurrency
Rate Reserve Percentage”
for
any
Interest Period for all Eurocurrency Rate Advances comprising part of the same
Borrowing means the reserve percentage applicable two Business Days before
the
first day of such Interest Period under regulations issued from time to time
by
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for
determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation,
any
emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) for a member
bank
of the Federal Reserve System in New York City with respect to liabilities
or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect
to any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to
which the interest rate on Eurocurrency Rate Advances is determined) having
a
term equal to such Interest Period.
“Events
of Default”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“Exemption
Regulation”
means
the exemption regulation pursuant to the Dutch Act on the Supervision of Credit
Institutions 1992 (Vrijstellingsregeling
Wtk).
“Face
Amount”
means,
with respect to any Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note, the amount
payable to the holder of such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note on its
then existing Maturity Date.
9
“Federal
Funds Rate”
means,
for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum 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 Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing
selected by it.
“GAAP”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 1.03.
“Great
Lakes”
means
Great Lakes Chemical Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
“Guaranteed
Hedge Agreement”
means
any Hedge Agreement permitted under this Agreement entered into by and between
any Borrower and any Hedge Bank.
“Guaranteed
Obligations”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 7.01.
“Guaranties”
means
the Company Guaranty and the Subsidiary Guaranty.
“Guarantors”
means
the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
“Guaranty
Supplement”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 7.06.
“Hazardous
Materials”
means
(a) petroleum and petroleum products, byproducts or breakdown products,
radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls
and radon gas and (b) any other chemicals, materials or substances designated,
classified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant
under any Environmental Law.
“Hedge
Agreements”
means
interest rate swap, cap or collar agreements, interest rate future or option
contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts,
commodity future or option contracts and other similar agreements.
“Hedge
Bank”
means
any Lender or Issuing Bank or an Affiliate of a Lender or Issuing Bank in its
capacity as a party to a Guaranteed Hedge Agreement.
“Increase
Date”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.18(a).
“Increasing
Lender”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.18(b).
“Information
Memorandum”
means
the information memorandum dated May 6, 2005 used by the Agent in connection
with the syndication of the Commitments.
“Interest
Expense”
means
the sum of interest on, and amortization of debt discount, in respect of Debt
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries. For
the
purposes of calculating Interest Expense for any period, if during such period
the Company or any Subsidiary shall have made an acquisition, Interest Expense
for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as
if
such acquisition occurred on the first day of such period
“Interest
Period”
means,
for each Eurocurrency Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, the
period commencing on the date of such Eurocurrency Rate Advance or the date
of
the Conversion of any Base Rate Advance into such Eurocurrency Rate Advance
and
ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower requesting such
Borrowing pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter, each subsequent
period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period
and ending on the last day of the period selected by such Borrower pursuant
to
the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one,
two, three or six months, and subject to clause (c) of this definition, nine
or
twelve months, as the applicable Borrower may, upon notice received by the
Agent
not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business
Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided,
however,
that:
(a) the
Borrowers may not select any Interest Period that ends after the Termination
Date;
10
(b) Interest
Periods commencing on the same date for Eurocurrency Rate Advances comprising
part of the same Borrowing shall be of the same duration;
(c) in
the
case of any such Borrowing, the Borrowers shall not be entitled to select an
Interest Period having duration of nine or twelve months unless, by 2:00 P.M.
(New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such
Interest Period, each Lender notifies the Agent that such Lender will be
providing funding for such Borrowing with such Interest Period (the failure
of
any Lender to so respond by such time being deemed for all purposes of this
Agreement as an objection by such Lender to the requested duration of such
Interest Period); provided
that, if
any or all of the Lenders object to the requested duration of such Interest
Period, the duration of the Interest Period for such Borrowing shall be one,
two, three or six months, as specified by the Borrower requesting such Borrowing
in the applicable Notice of Borrowing as the desired alternative to an Interest
Period of nine or twelve months;
(d) whenever
the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than
a
Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur
on
the next succeeding Business Day, provided,
however,
that,
if such extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur
in
the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall
occur on the next preceding Business Day; and
(e) whenever
the first day of any Interest Period occurs on a day of an initial calendar
month for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month
that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months equal to
the
number of months in such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on
the
last Business Day of such succeeding calendar month.
“Internal
Revenue Code”
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the
regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
“Investment”
in
any
Person means any loan or advance to such Person, any purchase or other
acquisition of any capital stock, warrants, rights, options, obligations or
other securities or all or substantially all of the assets of such Person,
any
capital contribution to such Person or any other investment in such Person,
including, without limitation, any arrangement pursuant to which the investor
incurs Debt of the types referred to in clauses (h) and (j) of the
definition of “Debt”
in
respect of such Person; provided,
that
any purchase or other acquisition of any capital stock of the Company (or Great
Lakes) for accounting under the treasury method in connection with the exercise
of options or the issuance of restricted stock under any employee stock option
plan (or similar plan or program) approved by its board of directors shall
not
constitute an Investment.
“Investment
Grade Rating”
means
the Public Debt Ratings are at least BBB- by S&P and Baa3 by Xxxxx'x and
such rating shall not be accompanied by either (x) in the case of S&P, a
negative outlook, creditwatch negative or the equivalent thereof or (y) in
the
case of Moody's, a negative outlook, a review for possible downgrade or the
equivalent thereof.
“Investment
Grade Rating Date”
means
the first date after the date hereof on which the Company has an Investment
Grade Rating.
11
“issuance”
with
respect to any Letter of Credit means the issuance, amendment, renewal or
extension of such Letter of Credit.
“Issuing
Bank”
means
an Initial Issuing Bank or any Eligible Assignee to which a portion of the
Letter of Credit Commitment hereunder has been assigned pursuant to Section
9.07
so long as such Eligible Assignee expressly agrees to perform in accordance
with
their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are
required to be performed by it as an Issuing Bank and notifies the Agent of
its
Applicable Lending Office (which information shall be recorded by the Agent
in
the Register), for so long as such Initial Issuing Bank or Eligible Assignee,
as
the case may be, shall have a Letter of Credit Commitment.
“L/C
Cash Deposit Account”
means
an interest bearing cash deposit account to be established and maintained by
the
Agent, in which the Agent shall have a valid security interest and over which
the Agent shall have sole dominion and control, upon terms as may be
satisfactory to the Agent.
“L/C
Related Documents”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(i).
“Lenders”
means
each Initial Lender, each Issuing Bank, each Assuming Lender that shall become
a
party hereto pursuant to Section 2.18 and each Person that shall become a party
hereto pursuant to Section 9.07.
“Letter
of Credit”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.01(b).
“Letter
of Credit Agreement”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.03(a).
“Letter
of Credit Commitment”
means,
with respect to each Issuing Bank, the obligation of such Issuing Bank to issue
Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrowers and their specified
Subsidiaries in (a) the Dollar amount set forth opposite the Issuing Bank's
name
on Schedule I hereto under the caption “Letter of Credit Commitment” or (b) if
such Issuing Bank has entered into one or more Assignment and Acceptances,
the
Dollar amount set forth for such Issuing Bank in the Register maintained by
the
Agent pursuant to Section 9.07(d) as such Issuing Bank's “Letter of Credit
Commitment”, in each case as such amount may be reduced prior to such time
pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Letter
of Credit Facility”
means,
at any time, an amount equal to the least of (a) the aggregate amount of the
Issuing Banks' Letter of Credit Commitments at such time, (b) $300,000,000
and
(c) the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments, as such amount
may
be reduced at or prior to such time pursuant to Section 2.05.
“Lien”
means
any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind, or
any
other type of preferential arrangement, including, without limitation, the
lien
or retained security title of a conditional vendor and any easement, right
of
way or other encumbrance on title to real property.
“Loan
Documents”
means
(a) this Agreement, (b) the Notes, (c) the Guaranties, (d) during the Security
Period, the Collateral Documents, and (e) solely for purposes of the Guaranties
and, during the Security Period, the definition of "Secured Obligations"
(as
such term is defined in the Amended and Restated Pledge Agreement dated as
of
July 31, 2007 made by the Borrower and the Pledgors referred to therein,
as such
agreement may be further amended, amended and restated, modified or otherwise
supplemented), the Guaranteed Hedge Agreements, in each case as
amended.
“Loan
Parties”
means
the Company, the other Borrowers and the other Guarantors.
“Marketable
Securities”
means
any of the following, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries free and clear of all Liens and having a maturity of not greater
than 360 days from the date of acquisition thereof: (a) readily marketable
direct obligations of the Government of the United States or any agency or
instrumentality thereof or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by the full
faith and credit of the Government of the United States, (b) insured
certificates of deposit of or time deposits with any commercial bank that is
a
Lender or a member of the Federal Reserve System, issues (or the parent of
which
issues) commercial paper rated as described in clause (c), is organized
under the laws of the United States or any State thereof and has combined
capital and surplus of at least $1 billion or (c) commercial paper issued
by any corporation organized under the laws of any State of the United States
and rated at least “Prime-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by Moody's or “A-1”
(or the then equivalent grade) by S&P.
12
“Material
Adverse Change”
means
any material adverse change in (a) the business, condition (financial or
otherwise), operations or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole, (b) the rights and remedies of the Agent or any Lender under
this Agreement or any other Loan Document or (c) the ability of any
Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
a
material adverse effect on (a) the business, condition (financial or
otherwise), operations or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole, (b) the rights and remedies of the Agent or any Lender under
this Agreement or any Note or (c) the ability of any Borrower to perform
its obligations under this Agreement or any Note.
“Maturity
Date”
means,
for each Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note comprising part of the same
Drawing, the date on which the Face Amount for such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA
Equivalent Note, as the case may be, becomes due and payable in accordance
with
the provisions set forth below, which shall be a Canadian Business Day occurring
no later than 180 days (or, subject to availability, such greater period not
to
exceed 364 days) after the date on which such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA
Equivalent Note is created and purchased as part of any Drawing, as a Borrower
may select upon notice received by the Administrative Agent not later than
11:00
A.M. (New York City time) on a Canadian Business Day at least two Canadian
Business Days prior to the date on which such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA
Equivalent Note is to be purchased (whether as a new Drawing or by renewal);
provided,
however,
that:
(a) such
Borrower may not select any Maturity Date for any Bankers’ Acceptance or BA
Equivalent Loan that occurs after the then scheduled Termination
Date;
(b) the
Maturity Date for all Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Loans comprising
part of the same Drawing shall occur on the same date; and
(c) whenever
the Maturity Date for any Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Loan would
otherwise occur on a day other than a Canadian Business Day, such Maturity
Date
shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Canadian Business
Day.
“Moody's”
means
Xxxxx'x Investors Service, Inc.
“Multiemployer
Plan”
means
a
multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the
Company 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
a
single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that
(a) is maintained for employees of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate and
at least one Person other than the Company and the ERISA Affiliates or
(b) was so maintained and in respect of which the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the
event such plan has been or were to be terminated.
“Non-BA
Lender”
means
a
Canadian Lender which is not permitted by applicable law or by customary market
practices to stamp, for purposes of subsequent sale, or accept, a Bankers’
Acceptance.
“Note”
means
a
promissory note of any Borrower payable to the order of any Lender, delivered
pursuant to a request made under Section 2.16 in substantially the form of
Exhibit A hereto, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of such Borrower to
such Lender resulting from the Advances made by such Lender to such
Borrower.
13
“Notice
of Borrowing”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
“Notice
of Issuance”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.03(a).
“OFAC”
means
the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
“Patriot
Act”
means
the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required
to
Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, signed into law
October 26, 2001.
“Payment
Office”
means,
for any Committed Currency, such office of Citibank (or such other financial
institution as designated by the Agent) as shall be from time to time selected
by the Agent and notified by the Agent to the Company and the
Lenders.
“PBGC”
means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any successor).
“Permitted
Liens”
means
such of the following as to which no enforcement, collection, execution, levy
or
foreclosure proceeding shall have been commenced (or if commenced, shall have
been stayed): (a) Liens for taxes, assessments and governmental charges or
levies to the extent not required to be paid under Section 5.01(b) hereof;
(b) Liens imposed by law, such as materialmen's, mechanics', carriers',
workmen's and repairmen's Liens and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary
course of business securing obligations that are not overdue for a period of
more than 30 days; (c) pledges or deposits to secure obligations under
workers' compensation laws or similar legislation or to secure public or
statutory obligations; (d) easements, rights of way and other encumbrances
on title to real property that do not render title to the property encumbered
thereby unmarketable or materially adversely affect the use of such property
for
its present purposes, (e) deposits or other liens to secure the performance
of
bids, trade contracts (other than for Debt), leases, statutory obligations,
surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like
nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; (f) any banker's Lien or
right of offset on moneys of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in favor
of
any lender or holder of its commercial paper deposited with such lender or
holder in the ordinary course of business; (g) interest of lessees in property
owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries where such interests are created
in the ordinary course of their respective leasing activities and are not
created directly or indirectly in connection with the borrowing of money or
the
securing of Debt by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (h) Liens in favor
of customs or revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment
of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods; (i) Liens arising
from or related to precautionary UCC or like personal property security
financing statements regarding operating leases (if any) entered into by the
Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; (j) licenses,
sublicenses, leases and subleases, to the extent that such would be an
encumbrance, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business and
not materially interfering with the business of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries and (k) liens arising from judgments not otherwise constituting
an
Event of Default.
“Person”
means
an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), joint
stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, limited
liability company or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision
or agency thereof.
“Plan”
means
a
Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan.
“Post-Petition
Interest”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 7.05.
14
“Professional
Market Party”
means
a
professional market party (professionele
marktpartij)
within
the meaning of the Exemption Regulation and the Dutch Central Bank’s Policy
Guidelines, which as of the date of this Agreement include, without limitation,
(i) certain credit institutions, insurance companies,
pension
funds, securities intermediaries, asset managers and investment institutions
that are registered and subject to government supervision in The Netherlands,
any other European Economic Area member state, Monaco, Puerto Rico, Saudi
Arabia, Turkey, South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada,
Mexico, New Zealand or Switzerland and subsidiaries thereof which are subject
to
government supervision, (ii) central governments, international treaty
organizations and supranational public institutions, (iii) companies which
have
assets with a book value of EUR500,000,000 or more, according to their annual
accounts as per the end of their financial year preceding the year in which
they
grant or obtain the relevant loan or a portion thereof, (iv) companies or
natural persons with net assets of EUR10,000,000 or more as per the end of
the
preceding calendar year and which have been active on the financial markets
with
an average of at least two transactions per month during the preceding two
consecutive years, (v) persons under supervision of the regulatory authority
as
referred to in section 1 subsection f of the Decree on the Supervision of the
Securities Trade 1995 (Besluit
toezicht effectenverkeer 1995),
or
under supervision of the regulatory authority of another state to be active
on
the financial markets, (vi) legal entities or partnerships which, pursuant
to
their latest (consolidated) financial statements meet
two of
the following three criteria: (a) an average number of employees during the
financial year of 250 or more, (b) according to their balance sheet having
an
asset-value of at least EUR43,000,000, and (c) yearly turnover of at least
EUR50,000,000, (vii) a legal entity or partnership having the sole corporate
purpose of investing in securities and (viii) collective investment institutions
that are exempt from the Act on the Supervision of Collective Investment Schemes
pursuant to section 1 or 2 of the Regulation of the Minister of Finance of
9
October 1990 implementing section 14 of that Act.
“Public
Debt Rating”
means,
as of any date, the rating that has been most recently announced by either
S&P or Xxxxx'x, as the case may be, for any class of non-credit enhanced
long-term senior unsecured debt issued by the Company or, if any such rating
agency shall have issued more than one such rating, the lowest such rating
issued by such rating agency. For purposes of the foregoing, (a) if only
one of S&P and Xxxxx'x shall have in effect a Public Debt Rating, the
Applicable Margin and the Applicable Percentage shall be determined by reference
to the available rating; (b) if neither S&P nor Xxxxx'x shall have in
effect a Public Debt Rating, the Applicable Margin, the Applicable Percentage
will be set in accordance with Level 5 under the definition of
“Applicable
Margin”
or
“Applicable
Percentage”,
as the
case may be; (c) if the ratings established by S&P and Xxxxx'x shall
fall within different levels, the Applicable Margin and the Applicable
Percentage shall be based upon the higher rating unless the such ratings differ
by two or more levels, in which case the applicable level will be deemed to
be
one level above the lower of such levels; (d) if any rating established by
S&P or Xxxxx'x shall be changed, such change shall be effective as of the
date on which such change is first announced publicly by the rating agency
making such change; and (e) if S&P or Xxxxx'x shall change the basis on
which ratings are established, each reference to the Public Debt Rating
announced by S&P or Xxxxx'x, as the case may be, shall refer to the then
equivalent rating by S&P or Xxxxx'x, as the case may be.
“Ratable
Share”
of
any
amount means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the product of such amount
times
a
fraction the numerator of which is the amount of such Lender's Revolving Credit
Commitment at such time (or, if the Revolving Credit Commitments shall have
been
terminated pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.01, such Lender's Revolving Credit
Commitment as in effect immediately prior to such termination) and the
denominator of which is the aggregate amount of all Revolving Credit Commitments
at such time (or, if the Revolving Credit Commitments shall have been terminated
pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.01, the aggregate amount of all Revolving
Credit Commitments as in effect immediately prior to such
termination).
“Reference
Banks”
means
Citibank and Bank of America, N.A.
“Register”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.07(d).
“Required
Lenders”
means
at any time Lenders having at least a majority in interest of the Revolving
Credit Commitments or if the Commitments shall have been terminated, Lenders
owed at least a majority in interest of the sum of the then aggregate unpaid
principal amount (based on the Equivalent in Dollars at such time) of the
Advances.
15
“Revolving
Credit Commitment”
means
as to any Lender (a) the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender's
name on Schedule I hereto as such Lender's "Revolving Credit Commitment",
(b) if
such Lender has become a Lender hereunder pursuant to an Assumption Agreement,
the Dollar amount of the “Revolving Credit Commitment” of such Lender set forth
in such Assumption Agreement or (c) if such Lender has entered into an
Assignment and Acceptance, the Dollar amount of the “Revolving Credit
Commitment” of such Lender set forth in the Register maintained by the Agent
pursuant to Section 9.07(d), as such amount may be reduced pursuant to
Section 2.05 or increased pursuant to Section 2.18.
“S&P”
means
Standard & Poor's, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies,
Inc.
“Schedule
I Lenders”
shall
mean, at any time, the Lenders that are listed in Schedule I to the Bank Act
(Canada) at such time.
“Schedule
I Reference Lenders”
means,
where there are three or fewer Schedule I Lenders, all such Lenders, and where
there are more than three such Lenders, three of such Lenders chosen by the
Sub-Agent and identified by written notice to the Borrowers.
“Schedule
II/III Lenders”
shall
mean, at any time, the Lenders that are listed in Schedule II or Schedule III
to
the Bank Act (Canada) at such time.
“Security
Period”
means
any period from the date that the Public Debt Ratings are BB or lower by S&P
or Ba2 or lower by Xxxxx'x until the earlier of (a) the date, if any, that
the
Public Debt Ratings are at least BB+ by S&P and Ba1 by Xxxxx'x and (b) the
later of (i) the repayment in full of all Advances and the termination or
expiration of all Letters of Credit (or the provision of cash collateral or
other credit support therefor satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Banks
thereof) and (ii) the Termination Date.
“Single
Employer Plan”
means
a
single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that
(a) is maintained for employees of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate and
no Person other than the Company and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so
maintained and in respect of which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate could
have
liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or
were to be terminated.
“Solvent”
and
“Solvency”
mean,
with respect to any Person on a particular date, that on such date (a) the
fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount
of
liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent liabilities, of such
Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is
not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability
of
such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such
Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or
liabilities beyond such Person's ability to pay such debts and liabilities
as
they mature and (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a
transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which
such Person's property would constitute an unreasonably small capital. The
amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount
that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time,
represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or
matured liability.
“Stamping
Fee”
means,
with respect to each Bankers’ Acceptance and BA Equivalent Note, an amount equal
to (a) the Applicable Margin, as in effect on the date of the Drawing or
renewal, as the case may be, of such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note
multiplied
by
(b) the Face Amount of such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note,
calculated on the basis of the term to maturity of such Bankers’ Acceptance or
BA Equivalent Note and a year of 365 days or 366 days, as the case may
be.
16
“Sub-Agent”
means
(i) Citibank International plc or (ii) with respect to the Canadian Subfacility,
Citibank, N.A., Canadian Branch.
“Subordinated
Obligations”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 7.05.
“Subsidiary”
of
any
Person means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company, trust or estate of which (or in which) more than 50% of (a) the
issued and outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect
a
majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether
at the time capital stock of any other class or classes of such corporation
shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency),
(b) the interest in the capital or profits of such limited liability
company, partnership or joint venture or (c) the beneficial interest in
such trust or estate is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled
by such Person, by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or
by
one or more of such Person's other Subsidiaries.
“Subsidiary
Guarantors”
means
the Subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule II hereto and each other
Subsidiary of the Company that shall be required to execute and deliver a
guaranty pursuant to Section 5.01(j).
“Subsidiary
Guaranty”
means
the guaranty of the Subsidiary Guarantors set forth in Article VII,
together with each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant
to
Section 5.01(j), in each case as amended, amended and restated, modified or
otherwise supplemented.
“Termination
Date”
means
the earlier of July 1, 2010 and the date of termination in whole of the
Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.01.
“Type”
refers
to the distinction between Advances bearing interest at the Base Rate and
Advances bearing interest at the Eurocurrency Rate.
“Unissued
Letter of Credit Commitment”
means,
with respect to any Issuing Bank, the obligation of such Issuing Bank to issue
Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or its specified Subsidiaries
in an amount equal to the excess of (a) the amount of its Letter of Credit
Commitment over (b) the aggregate Available Amount of all Letters of Credit
issued by such Issuing Bank.
“Unused
BA Commitment”
means,
with respect to any Canadian Lender at any time, (a) such Lender’s BA
Commitment at such time minus
(b) the aggregate Face Amount of all Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent
Notes accepted, purchased, maintained or otherwise made by such Canadian
Lender.
“Unused
Commitment”
means,
with respect to each Lender at any time, (a) such Lender's Revolving Credit
Commitment at such time minus
(b) the
sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Advances made by such Lender
(in its capacity as a Lender) and outstanding at such time, plus
(ii) the
aggregate Face Amount of all outstanding Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent
Notes accepted, purchased, maintained or otherwise made by such Lender or a
Canadian Lender that is an Affiliate of such Lender, plus
(iii)
such Lender's Ratable Share of (A) the aggregate Available Amount of all the
Letters of Credit outstanding at such time and (B) the aggregate principal
amount of all Advances made by each Issuing Bank pursuant to
Section 2.03(c) that have not been ratably funded by such Lender and
outstanding at such time.
“Voting
Stock”
means
capital stock issued by a corporation, or equivalent interests in any other
Person, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies,
entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar
functions) of such Person, even if the right so to vote has been suspended
by
the happening of such a contingency.
“Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary”
of
any
Person means any Subsidiary of such Person all of the capital interests of
which, other than directors' qualifying shares, are owned directly or indirectly
by such Person.
17
“Withdrawal
Liability”
has
the
meaning specified in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of
ERISA.
SECTION
1.02. Computation
of Time Periods; Other Definitional Provisions.
In this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents in the computation of periods of time
from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and
including” and the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”.
References in the Loan Documents to any agreement or contract “as amended” shall
mean and be a reference to such agreement or contract as amended, amended and
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance
with its terms.
SECTION
1.03. Accounting
Terms.
All
accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistent with those
applied in the preparation of the financial statements referred to in
Section 4.01(g) (“GAAP”).
ARTICLE
II
AMOUNTS
AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES, LETTERS OF CREDIT
AND
BANKERS’ ACCEPTANCES
SECTION
2.01. The
Advances and Letters of Credit.
(a)
The
Advances.
Each
Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth,
to
make Advances to any Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during
the
period from the Effective Date until the Termination Date in an amount (based
in
respect of any Advances to be denominated in a Committed Currency by reference
to the Equivalent thereof in Dollars determined on the date of delivery of
the
applicable Notice of Borrowing) not to exceed such Lender's Unused Commitment.
Each Borrowing shall be in an amount not less than the Borrowing Minimum or
the
Borrowing Multiple in excess thereof and shall consist of Advances of the same
Type and in the same currency made on the same day by the Lenders ratably
according to their respective Unused Commitments. Within the limits of each
Lender's Revolving Credit Commitment, any Borrower may borrow under this Section
2.01(a), prepay pursuant to Section 2.10 and reborrow under this
Section 2.01(a). No Canadian Borrower may request any Advances under this
Section 2.01(a).
(b) Letters
of Credit.
Each
Issuing Bank agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, in
reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Agreement,
to issue standby and trade letters of credit (each, a “Letter
of Credit”)
denominated in Dollars or any Committed Currency for the account of any Borrower
(or on behalf of Subsidiaries specified by any Borrower) from time to time
on
any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until 30 days before
the Termination Date in an aggregate Available Amount (based in respect of
any
Letters of Credit to be denominated in a Committed Currency by reference to
the
Equivalent thereof in Dollars determined on the date of delivery of the
applicable Notice of Issuance) (i) for all Letters of Credit not to exceed
at
any time the Letter of Credit Facility at such time, (ii) for all Letters of
Credit issued by such Issuing Bank not to exceed at any time such Issuing Bank's
Letter of Credit Commitment at such time and (iii) for each such Letter of
Credit not to exceed an amount equal to the Unused Commitments of the Lenders
at
such time. No Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date (including all
rights of the applicable Borrower or the beneficiary to require renewal) later
than the earlier of one year after the issuance thereof (or one year after
its
renewal or extension) and ten Business Days before the Termination Date. Within
the limits referred to above, the Borrowers may from time to time request the
issuance of Letters of Credit under this Section 2.01(b). Each
letter of credit listed on Schedule 2.01(b) shall be deemed to constitute a
Letter of Credit issued hereunder, and each Lender that is an issuer of such
a
Letter of Credit shall, for purposes of Section 2.03, be deemed to be an Issuing
Bank for each such letter of credit, provided
that any
renewal or replacement of any such letter of credit shall be issued by an
Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
(c) The
Bankers’ Acceptances.
Each
Canadian Lender severally agrees on the terms and conditions hereinafter set
forth, in the case of each BA Lender, to accept Drafts (each such Draft so
accepted, a “Bankers’
Acceptance”)
for
the account of any Canadian Borrower, and to purchase such Bankers’ Acceptances
and in the case of non-BA Lenders to make BA Equivalents Advances, from time
to
time on any Canadian Business Day during the period from the Effective Date
until the Termination Date; provided,
that
the Face Amount of such Bankers’ Acceptance and of any BA Equivalent Note shall
not exceed the lesser of (x) the Unused BA Commitment of such Canadian Lender
and (y) the Unused Commitment of such Canadian Lender or the Lender that is
an
Affiliate of such Canadian Lender; provided,
further,
that
after giving effect to any Drawing under this Section 2.01(c), the sum of the
Equivalent in Dollars on such date of the aggregate Face Amount of all
outstanding Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes shall not exceed
US$50,000,000. Each Drawing shall consist of the creation and purchase of
Bankers’ Acceptances and the making of BA Equivalent Notes at or about the same
time by the Canadian Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective BA
Commitments. Within the limits of each Canadian Lender’s BA Commitment and
within the limits referred to above in this Section 2.01(c), the Canadian
Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.01(c), repay pursuant to
Section 2.19(j) and reborrow under this Section 2.01(c).
18
SECTION
2.02. Making
the Advances.
(a)
Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.03(c), each Borrowing shall be made
on
notice, given not later than (x) 11:00 A.M. (New York City time)
on the second Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing in the
case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurocurrency Rate Advances denominated in
Dollars, (y) 4:00 P.M. (London time) on the third Business Day prior to the
date
of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurocurrency
Rate Advances denominated in any Committed Currency, or (z) 11:00 A.M. (New
York
City time) on the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing
consisting of Base Rate Advances, by any Borrower to the Agent (and, in the
case
of a Borrowing consisting of Eurocurrency Rate Advances, simultaneously to
the
Sub-Agent), which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier.
Each such notice of a Borrowing (a “Notice
of Borrowing”)
shall
be by telephone, confirmed promptly in writing or telecopier in substantially
the form of Exhibit B-1 hereto, specifying therein the requested
(i) date of such Borrowing, (ii) Type of Advances comprising such
Borrowing, (iii) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) in the
case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurocurrency Rate Advances, initial Interest
Period and currency for each such Advance. Each Lender shall, before
11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such Borrowing, in the
case of a Borrowing consisting of Advances denominated in Dollars, and before
11:00 A.M. (London time) on the date of such Borrowing, in the case of a
Borrowing consisting of Eurocurrency Rate Advances denominated in any Committed
Currency, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to
the
Agent at the applicable Agent's Account, in same day funds, such Lender's
ratable portion of such Borrowing. After the Agent's receipt of such funds
and
upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the
Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower requesting the Borrowing
at
the Agent's address referred to in Section 9.02 or at the applicable
Payment Office, as the case may be.
(b) Anything
in subsection (a) above to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) the
Borrowers may not select Eurocurrency Rate Advances for any Borrowing if the
aggregate amount of such Borrowing is less than the Borrowing Minimum or if
the
obligation of the Lenders to make Eurocurrency Rate Advances shall then be
suspended pursuant to Section 2.08 or 2.12 and (ii) the Eurocurrency
Rate Advances may not be outstanding as part of more than ten separate
Borrowings.
(c) Each
Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower requesting
the Borrowing. In the case of any Borrowing that the related Notice of Borrowing
specifies is to be comprised of Eurocurrency Rate Advances, such Borrower shall
indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender
as a result of any failure to fulfill on or before the date specified in such
Notice of Borrowing for such Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth
in
Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (excluding loss of
anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation
or
reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the
Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing when such Advance,
as a result of such failure, is not made on such date.
(d) Unless
the Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the time of any
Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Agent such Lender's
ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Lender has
made such portion available to the Agent on the date of such Borrowing in
accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02, and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower requesting
the Borrowing on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that
such Lender shall not have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent,
such Lender and such Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent forthwith
on
demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day
from the date such amount is made available to such Borrower until the date
such
amount is repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of such Borrower, the
higher of (A) the interest rate applicable at the time to the Advances
comprising such Borrowing and (B) the cost of funds incurred by the Agent in
respect of such amount and (ii) in the case of such Lender (A) the Federal
Funds Rate in the case of Advances denominated in Dollars or (B) the cost of
funds incurred by the Agent in respect of such amount in the case of Advances
denominated in Committed Currencies. If such Lender shall repay to the Agent
such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender's
Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.
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(e) The
failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it as part of any
Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any,
hereunder to make its Advance on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender
shall
be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Advance to be
made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.
(f) If
the
respective Unused Commitments of the Lenders on the first day of an Interest
Period for any Borrowing are different from the respective Unused Commitments
of
the Lenders on the last day of such Interest Period, the Agent shall so notify
the Lenders and the respective Advances shall be reallocated among the Lenders
so that, after giving effect to such reallocation, the Advances comprising
such
Borrowing and continuing into the subsequent Interest Period are funded by
the
Lenders ratably according to their respective Unused Commitments on such last
day. Each Lender agrees that the conditions precedent set forth in Section
3.03
shall not apply to any additional amounts required to be funded by such Lender
pursuant to this Section 2.02(f).
SECTION
2.03. Issuance
of and Drawings and Reimbursement Under Letters of Credit.
(a)
Request
for Issuance.
(i)
Each Letter of Credit shall be issued upon notice, given not later than
11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the fifth Business Day prior to the
date of the proposed issuance of such Letter of Credit (or on such shorter
notice as the applicable Issuing Bank may agree), by any Borrower to any Issuing
Bank, and such Issuing Bank shall give the Agent prompt notice thereof. Each
such notice by a Borrower of issuance of a Letter of Credit (a “Notice
of Issuance”)
shall
be by telecopier, telephone or email, as specified by such Issuing Bank to
be
its preferred method of notification, specifying therein the requested
(A) date of such issuance (which shall be a Business Day),
(B) Available Amount of such Letter of Credit, (C) expiration date of
such Letter of Credit (which shall not be later than 10 Business Days before
the
Termination Date), (D) name and address of the beneficiary of such Letter
of Credit and (E) form of such Letter of Credit. Such Letter of Credit
shall be issued pursuant to such application and agreement for letter of credit
as such Issuing Bank and the applicable Borrower shall agree for use in
connection with such requested Letter of Credit (a “Letter
of Credit Agreement”).
If
the requested form of such Letter of Credit is acceptable to such Issuing Bank
in its reasonable discretion (it being understood that any such form shall
have
only explicit documentary conditions to draw and shall not include discretionary
conditions), such Issuing Bank will, upon fulfillment of the applicable
conditions set forth in Section 3.03, make such Letter of Credit available
to
the applicable Borrower at its office referred to in Section 9.02 or as
otherwise agreed with such Borrower in connection with such issuance. In the
event and to the extent that the provisions of any Letter of Credit Agreement
shall conflict with this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall
govern.
(b) Participations.
By the
issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing
or decreasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part
of
the applicable Issuing Bank or the Lenders, such Issuing Bank hereby grants
to
each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a
participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender's Ratable Share
of
the Available Amount of such Letter of Credit. Each Borrower hereby agrees
to
each such participation. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing,
each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Agent,
for the account of such Issuing Bank, such Lender's Ratable Share of each
drawing made under a Letter of Credit funded by such Issuing Bank and not
reimbursed by the applicable Borrower on the date made, or of any reimbursement
payment required to be refunded to such Borrower for any reason, which amount
will be advanced, and deemed to be an Advance to such Borrower hereunder,
regardless of the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 3.03.
Each
Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations
pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and
unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever,
including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the
occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the
Revolving Credit Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without
any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender further
acknowledges and agrees that its participation in each Letter of Credit will
be
automatically adjusted to reflect such Lender's Ratable Share of the Available
Amount of such Letter of Credit at each time such Lender's Revolving Credit
Commitment is amended pursuant to a Commitment Increase in accordance with
Section 2.18, an assignment in accordance with Section 9.07 or otherwise
pursuant to this Agreement.
20
(c) Drawing
and Reimbursement.
The
payment by an Issuing Bank of a draft drawn under any Letter of Credit which
is
not reimbursed by the applicable Borrower on the date made shall constitute
for
all purposes of this Agreement the making by any such Issuing Bank of an
Advance, which in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in Dollars shall
be
a Base Rate Advance, in the amount of such draft, and in the case of a Letter
of
Credit denominated in any Committed Currency, shall be exchanged into an
Equivalent amount of Dollars and shall be a Base Rate Advance in the amount
of
the Dollar Equivalent of such draft, without regard to whether the making of
such an Advance would exceed such Issuing Bank's Unused Commitment. Each Issuing
Bank shall give prompt notice of each drawing under any Letter of Credit issued
by it to the applicable Borrower and the Agent. Upon written demand by such
Issuing Bank, with a copy of such demand to the Agent and the applicable
Borrower, each Lender shall pay to the Agent such Lender's Ratable Share of
such
outstanding Advance pursuant to Section 2.03(b). Each Lender acknowledges and
agrees that its obligation to make Advances pursuant to this paragraph in
respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be
affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or
extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default
or reduction or termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments, and that each
such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or
reduction whatsoever. Promptly after receipt thereof, the Agent shall transfer
such funds to such Issuing Bank. Each Lender agrees to fund its Ratable Share
of
an outstanding Advance on (i) the Business Day on which demand therefor is
made by such Issuing Bank, provided
that
notice of such demand is given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York
City time) on such Business Day, or (ii) the first Business Day next
succeeding such demand if notice of such demand is given after such time. If
and
to the extent that any Lender shall not have so made the amount of such Advance
available to the Agent, such Lender agrees to pay to the Agent forthwith on
demand such amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date
of
demand by any such Issuing Bank until the date such amount is paid to the Agent,
at the Federal Funds Rate for its account or the account of such Issuing Bank,
as applicable. If such Lender shall pay to the Agent such amount for the account
of any such Issuing Bank on any Business Day, such amount so paid in respect
of
principal shall constitute an Advance made by such Lender on such Business
Day
for purposes of this Agreement, and the outstanding principal amount of the
Advance made by such Issuing Bank shall be reduced by such amount on such
Business Day.
(d) Letter
of Credit Reports.
Each
Issuing Bank shall furnish (A) to the Agent, unless otherwise requested by
the
Agent, a written report, on or prior to each Business Day on which such Issuing
Bank expects to cause an issuance of any Letter of Credit, including in such
report the date of such issuance, the nature of such issuance, and the aggregate
face amount of the Letters of Credit included in such issuance and outstanding
after giving effect to such issuance (and whether the amount thereof changed),
(B) to the Agent (with a copy to the Company), on the first Business Day of
each calendar quarter a written report summarizing issuance and expiration
dates
of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank during the preceding quarter
and drawings during such quarter under all Letters of Credit and (C) to the
Agent (with a copy to the Company) on the first Business Day of each calendar
quarter a written report setting forth the average daily aggregate Available
Amount during the preceding calendar quarter of all Letters of Credit issued
by
such Issuing Bank. The Agent shall provide copies of such reports promptly
to
each Lender.
(e) Failure
to Make Advances.
The
failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it on the date specified
in Section 2.03(c) shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation
hereunder to make its Advance on such date, but no Lender shall be responsible
for the failure of any other Lender to make the Advance to be made by such
other
Lender on such date.
(f) “Lender”
in Relation to Letters of Credit.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Section 2.03 and for all
purposes related to the issuance of or participation in Letters of Credit,
including any fees Payable to or Advances required to be made by a Lender in
connection with any Letter of Credit, the term “Lender” shall be limited to
those Lenders that have a Revolving Credit Commitment.
SECTION
2.04. Fees.
(a)
Facility
Fee.
The
Company agrees to pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a facility
fee
on the aggregate amount of such Lender's Revolving Credit Commitment from the
date hereof in the case of each Initial Lender and from the effective date
specified in the Assumption Agreement or in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which it became a Lender in the case of each other Lender until
the
Termination Date at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Percentage in
effect from time to time, payable in arrears quarterly on the last day of each
March, June, September and December, commencing September 30, 2005, and on
the
Termination Date.
21
(b) Letter
of Credit Fees.
(i)
Each Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a commission
on such Lender's Ratable Share of the average daily aggregate Available Amount
of all Letters of Credit issued for the account of such Borrower and outstanding
from time to time at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin for
Eurocurrency Rate Advances in effect from time to time during such calendar
quarter, payable in arrears quarterly on the last day of each March, June,
September and December, commencing with the quarter ended September 30, 2005,
and on the Termination Date; provided
that the
Applicable Margin shall be 2% above the Applicable Margin in effect upon the
occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default if such Borrower
is required to pay default interest pursuant to Section 2.07(b).
(ii) Each
Borrower shall pay to each Issuing Bank, for its own account, a fronting fee
and
such other commissions, issuance fees, transfer fees and other fees and charges
in connection with the issuance or administration of each Letter of Credit
as
such Borrower and such Issuing Bank shall agree.
(c) Agent's
Fees.
The
Company shall pay to the Agent for its own account such fees as may from time
to
time be agreed between the Company and the Agent.
SECTION
2.05. Termination
or Reduction of the Commitments.
The
Company shall have the right, upon at least three Business Days' notice to
the
Agent, to terminate in whole or permanently reduce ratably in part the Unused
Commitments, the Unused BA Commitments or the Unissued Letter of Credit
Commitments of the Lenders, provided
that
each partial reduction shall be in a minimum aggregate amount of $5,000,000
(or
CN$5,000,000 in the case of Unused BA Commitments) or an integral multiple
of
$1,000,000 (or CN$1,000,000 in the case of Unused BA Commitments) in excess
thereof. The BA Commitments shall be permanently reduced from time to time
on
the date of each reduction in the Unused Commitments by the amount, if any,
by
which the aggregate amount of the BA Commitments exceeds the Unused Commitments
after giving effect to such reduction of the Unused Commitments.
SECTION
2.06. Repayment
of Advances and Letter of Credit Drawings.
(a)
Advances.
Each
Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders on
the
Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Advances made to it
and
then outstanding.
(b) Letter
of Credit Drawings.
The
obligations of each Borrower under any Letter of Credit Agreement and any other
agreement or instrument relating to any Letter of Credit issued for the account
of such Borrower shall be unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid
strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such Letter of Credit
Agreement and such other agreement or instrument under all circumstances,
including, without limitation, the following circumstances (it being understood
that any such payment by such Borrower is without prejudice to, and does not
constitute a waiver of, any rights such Borrower might have or might acquire
as
a result of the payment by any Lender of any draft or the reimbursement by
such
Borrower thereof):
(i) any
lack
of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document, any Letter of Credit
Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other agreement or instrument relating
thereto (all of the foregoing being, collectively, the “L/C
Related Documents”);
(ii) any
change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of,
all
or any of the obligations of such Borrower in respect of any L/C Related
Document or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from
all or any of the L/C Related Documents;
(iii) the
existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that such Borrower
may
have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of a Letter of Credit
(or any Persons for which any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be
acting), any Issuing Bank, the Agent, any Lender or any other Person, whether
in
connection with the transactions contemplated by the L/C Related Documents
or
any unrelated transaction;
22
(iv) any
statement or any other document presented under a 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;
(v) payment
by any Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft
or
certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of
Credit;
(vi) any
exchange, release or non-perfection of any collateral, or any release or
amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from the Guaranties or any other
guarantee, for all or any of the obligations of such Borrower in respect of
the
L/C Related Documents; or
(vii) any
other
circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing, including, without limitation, any other circumstance that might
otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, such Borrower
or
a guarantor.
SECTION
2.07. Interest
on Advances.
(a)
Scheduled
Interest.
Each
Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance
made
to it and owing to each Lender from the date of such Advance until such
principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per
annum:
(i) Base
Rate Advances.
During
such periods as such Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal
at
all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time
plus
(y) the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, payable in arrears
quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and December during
such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid
in full.
(ii) Eurocurrency
Rate Advances.
During
such periods as such Advance is a Eurocurrency Rate Advance, a rate per annum
equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Advance to the sum
of
(x) the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period for such Advance
plus
(y) the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, payable in arrears
on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a
duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest
Period every three months from the first day of such Interest Period and on
the
date such Eurocurrency Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in
full.
(b) Default
Interest.
Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section
6.01(a), the Agent may, and upon the request of the Required Lenders shall,
require the Borrowers to pay interest (“Default
Interest”)
on
(i) the unpaid principal amount of each Advance owing to each Lender,
payable in arrears on the dates referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii)
above, at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate
per
annum required to be paid on such Advance pursuant to clause (a)(i) or
(a)(ii) above and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by law, the amount
of any interest, fee or other amount payable under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be
due
until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such
amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal at all
times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base
Rate
Advances pursuant to clause (a)(i) above; provided,
however,
that
following acceleration of the Advances pursuant to Section 6.01, Default
Interest shall accrue and be payable hereunder whether or not previously
required by the Agent.
SECTION
2.08. Interest
Rate Determination.
(a)
Each Reference Bank agrees, if requested by the Agent, to furnish to the Agent
timely information for the purpose of determining each Eurocurrency Rate. If
any
one or more of the Reference Banks shall not furnish such timely information
to
the Agent for the purpose of determining any such interest rate, the Agent
shall
determine such interest rate on the basis of timely information furnished by
the
remaining Reference Banks. The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Company
and
the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent for purposes
of Section 2.07(a)(i) or (ii), and the rate, if any, furnished by each
Reference Bank for the purpose of determining the interest rate under
Section 2.07(a)(ii).
23
(b) If,
with
respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Advances, the Required Lenders notify the
Agent
that (i) they are unable to obtain matching deposits in the London
inter-bank market at or about 11:00 A.M. (London time) on the second Business
Day before the making of a Borrowing in sufficient amounts to fund their
respective Advances as a part of such Borrowing during its Interest Period
or
(ii) the Eurocurrency Rate for any Interest Period for such Advances will
not adequately reflect the cost to such Required Lenders of making, funding
or
maintaining their respective Eurocurrency Rate Advances for such Interest
Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Company and the Lenders,
whereupon (A) the Borrower of such Eurocurrency Rate Advances will, on the
last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, (1) if such
Eurocurrency Rate Advances are denominated in Dollars, either (x) prepay such
Advances or (y) Convert such Advances into Base Rate Advances and (2) if
such Eurocurrency Rate Advances are denominated in any Committed Currency,
either (x) prepay such Advances or (y) exchange such Advances into an
Equivalent amount of Dollars and Convert such Advances into Base Rate Advances
and (B) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into,
Eurocurrency Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify
the
Company and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer
exist.
(c) If
any
Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest Period for any
Eurocurrency Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the
definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, the Agent will forthwith
so notify such Borrower and the Lenders and such Advances will automatically
be
continued as Eurocurrency Rate Advances having an Interest Period of one
month.
(d) On
the
date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurocurrency Rate
Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment
or
otherwise, to less than the Borrowing Minimum, such Advances shall automatically
(i) if such Eurocurrency Rate Advances are denominated in Dollars, Convert
into Base Rate Advances and (ii) if such Eurocurrency Rate Advances are
denominated in a Committed Currency, be exchanged for an Equivalent amount
of
Dollars and Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(e) Upon
the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, (i) each
Eurocurrency Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then
existing Interest Period therefor, (A) if such Eurocurrency Rate Advances
are denominated in Dollars, be Converted into Base Rate Advances and (B) if
such Eurocurrency Rate Advances are denominated in any Committed Currency,
be
exchanged for an Equivalent amount of Dollars and be Converted into Base Rate
Advances and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert
Advances into, Eurocurrency Rate Advances shall be suspended.
(f) If
Moneyline Telerate Markets Page 3750 is unavailable and fewer than two Reference
Banks furnish timely information to the Agent for determining the Eurocurrency
Rate for any Eurocurrency Rate Advances after the Agent has requested such
information,
(i) the
Agent
shall forthwith notify the applicable Borrower and the Lenders that the interest
rate cannot be determined for such Eurocurrency Rate Advances,
(ii) each
such
Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period
therefor, (A) if such Eurocurrency Rate Advance is denominated in Dollars,
Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (B) if such Eurocurrency Rate Advance
is denominated in any Committed Currency, be prepaid by the applicable Borrower
or be automatically exchanged for an Equivalent amount of Dollars and be
Converted into a Base Rate Advance (or if such Advance is then a Base Rate
Advance, will continue as a Base Rate Advance), and
(iii) the
obligation of the Lenders to make Eurocurrency Rate Advances or to Convert
Advances into Eurocurrency Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent
shall notify the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such
suspension no longer exist and the Agent shall promptly notify the Company
and
the Lenders following its knowledge thereof.
SECTION
2.09. Optional
Conversion of Advances.
The
Borrower of any Advance may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent
not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business
Day prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions
of Sections 2.08 and 2.12, Convert all Advances denominated in Dollars of
one Type comprising the same Borrowing into Advances denominated in Dollars
of
the other Type; provided,
however,
that
any Conversion of Base Rate Advances into Eurocurrency Rate Advances shall
be in
an amount not less than the minimum amount specified in Section 2.02(c) and
no Conversion of any Advances shall result in more separate Borrowings than
permitted under Section 2.02(c). Each such notice of a Conversion shall,
within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such
Conversion, (ii) the Dollar denominated Advances to be Converted, and
(iii) if such Conversion is into Eurocurrency Rate Advances, the duration
of the initial Interest Period for each such Advance. Each notice of Conversion
shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower giving such
notice.
24
SECTION
2.10. Prepayments
of Advances.
(a) Optional.
Each
Borrower may, upon notice at least two Business Days' prior to the date of
such
prepayment, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Advances, and not later than 11:00
A.M. (New York City time) on the date of such prepayment, in the case of Base
Rate Advances, to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal
amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given such Borrower shall,
prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Advances comprising part of
the
same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest
to
the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided,
however,
that
(x) each partial prepayment of Advances shall be in an aggregate principal
amount of not less than the Borrowing Minimum or a Borrowing Multiple in excess
thereof and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate
Advance, such Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect
thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).
(b) Mandatory.
(i) If,
on any date, the Agent notifies the Company that, on any interest payment date,
the sum of (A) the aggregate principal amount of all Advances denominated in
Dollars plus the aggregate Available Amount of all Letters of Credit denominated
in Dollars then outstanding plus (B) the Equivalent in Dollars (determined
on
the third Business Day prior to such interest payment date) of the aggregate
principal amount of all Advances denominated in Committed Currencies plus the
sum of the Face Amount of all Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes
denominated in Canadian Dollars plus the aggregate Available Amount of all
Letters of Credit denominated in Committed Currencies then outstanding exceeds
103% of the aggregate Commitments of the Lenders on such date, the Borrowers
shall, as soon as practicable and in any event within two Business Days after
receipt of such notice, (x) prepay the outstanding principal amount of any
Advances owing by the Borrowers in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce
such
sum to an amount not to exceed 100% of the aggregate Commitments of the Lenders
on such date,
and (y)
to the extent necessary after the Borrowers have made all prepayments required
pursuant to clause (x), cash collateralize the outstanding Bankers’ Acceptances
and BA Equivalent Notes in accordance with Section 2.19(n) in any aggregate
amount sufficient to reduce such sum to an amount not to exceed 100% of the
aggregate Commitments of the Lenders on such date.
(ii) Each
prepayment made pursuant to this Section 2.10(b) shall be made together with
any
interest accrued to the date of such prepayment on the principal amounts prepaid
and, in the case of any prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Advance on a date
other than the last day of an Interest Period or at its maturity, any additional
amounts which the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse to the
Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c). The Agent shall give
prompt notice of any prepayment required under this Section 2.10(b) to the
Company and the Lenders.
SECTION
2.11. Increased
Costs.
(a) If,
due to either (i) the introduction of or any change in or in the
interpretation of any law or regulation or (ii) the compliance with any
guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority
including, without limitation, any agency of the European Union or similar
monetary or multinational authority (whether or not having the force of law),
there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or
making, funding or maintaining Eurocurrency Rate Advances or of agreeing to
issue or of issuing or maintaining or participating in Letters of Credit or
of
purchasing, accepting or maintaining Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes
(excluding for purposes of this Section 2.11 any such increased costs resulting
from (i) taxes (as to which Section 2.14 shall govern) and (ii) changes in
the
basis or rate of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by
the
United States or by the foreign jurisdiction or state under the laws of which
such Lender is organized or has its Applicable Lending Office or any political
subdivision thereof), then the Company shall from time to time, upon demand
by
such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for
the
account of such Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender
for such increased cost; provided,
however,
that
before making any such demand, each Lender agrees to use reasonable efforts
(consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions)
to
designate a different Applicable Lending Office if the making of such
designation would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, such increased
cost and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise
disadvantageous to such Lender. A certificate as to the amount of such increased
cost, submitted to the Company and the Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive
and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
25
(b) If
any
Lender determines that compliance with any law or regulation or any guideline
or
request from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not
having the force of law) affects or would affect the amount of capital required
or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any corporation controlling
such
Lender and that the amount of such capital is increased by or based upon the
existence of such Lender's commitment to lend, to accept, purchase, maintain
and/or discount Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes or to issue or
participate in Letters of Credit hereunder and other commitments of such type
or
the issuance or maintenance of or participation in the Letters of Credit (or
similar contingent obligations), then, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy
of such demand to the Agent), the Company shall pay to the Agent for the account
of such Lender, from time to time as specified by such Lender, additional
amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such corporation in the light
of
such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender reasonably determines such
increase in capital to be allocable to the existence of such Lender's commitment
to lend, to accept, purchase, maintain loans, and/or discount Bankers’
Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes or to issue or participate in Letters of
Credit hereunder or to the issuance or maintenance of or participation in any
Letters of Credit. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to the Company
and
the Agent by such Lender shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes,
absent manifest error.
SECTION
2.12. Illegality.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall
notify the Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the
interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank
or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender
or
its Eurocurrency Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make
Eurocurrency Rate Advances in Dollars or any Committed Currency or to fund
or
maintain Eurocurrency Rate Advances in Dollars or any Committed Currency
hereunder, (a) each Eurocurrency Rate Advance will automatically at the end
of the applicable Interest Period therefor or if required by law, upon such
demand (i) if such Eurocurrency Rate Advance is denominated in Dollars, be
Converted into a Base Rate Advance and (ii) if such Eurocurrency Rate
Advance is denominated in any Committed Currency, be exchanged into an
Equivalent amount of Dollars and be Converted into a Base Rate Advance and
(b) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurocurrency Rate Advances or to
Convert Advances into Eurocurrency Rate Advances shall be suspended until the
Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances causing
such suspension no longer exist (and the Agent shall promptly notify the Company
and the Lenders following its knowledge thereof).
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, if the introduction of or any change
in
the interpretation of any law or regulation shall make it unlawful, or any
central bank or other governmental authority shall assert that it is unlawful,
for any Canadian Lender or its Canadian Lending Office to perform its
obligations hereunder to complete and accept Drafts, to purchase Bankers’
Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes or to continue to fund or maintain Bankers’
Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes hereunder, then, on notice thereof and demand
therefor by such Canadian Lender to the Borrowers through the Agent (i) an
amount equal to the aggregate Face Amount of all Bankers’ Acceptances and BA
Equivalent Notes outstanding at such time shall, upon such demand (which shall
only be made if deemed necessary by the applicable Canadian Lender to comply
with applicable law), be deposited by the Borrowers with the Agent in accordance
with Section 2.19(n) until the Maturity Date of each such Bankers’ Acceptance
and BA Equivalent Note, (ii) upon the Maturity Date of any Bankers’
Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note in respect of which any such deposit has been
made, the Agent shall be, and hereby is, authorized (without notice to or any
further action by the Borrowers) to apply, or to direct the Agent to apply,
such
amount (or the applicable portion thereof) to the reimbursement of such Bankers’
Acceptance and (iii) the obligation of the Canadian Lenders to complete and
accept Drafts and purchase Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Note shall be
suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrowers that such Canadian Lender
has determined that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer
exist.
SECTION
2.13. Payments
and Computations.
(a)
Each Loan Party shall make each payment hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents (except with respect to principal of, interest on, and other amounts
relating to, Advances denominated in a Committed Currency), irrespective of
any
right of counterclaim or set-off, not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York
City time) on the day when due in U.S. Dollars to the Agent at the applicable
Agent's Account in same day funds. Each Loan Party shall make each payment
hereunder and under the other Loan Documents with respect to principal of,
interest on, and other amounts relating to, Advances denominated in a Committed
Currency, irrespective of any right of counterclaim or set-off, not later than
11:00 A.M. (at the Payment Office for such Committed Currency) on the day
when due in such Committed Currency to the Agent, by deposit of such funds
to
the applicable Agent's Account in same day funds. The Agent will promptly
thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of
principal or interest, fees or commissions ratably (other than amounts payable
pursuant to Section 2.11, 2.14 or 9.04(c)) to the Lenders for the account
of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to
the
payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account
of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance
with
the terms of this Agreement. Upon any Assuming Lender becoming a Lender
hereunder as a result of a Commitment Increase pursuant to Section 2.18 and
upon
the Agent's receipt of such Lender's Assumption Agreement and recording of
the
information contained therein in the Register, from and after the applicable
Increase Date, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the other
Loan Documents in respect of the interest assumed thereby to the Assuming
Lender. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Acceptance and recording of
the
information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 9.07(c),
from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Acceptance,
the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder,
and the parties to such Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate
adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly
between themselves.
26
(b) All
computations of interest based on clause (a) of the definition of the Base
Rate
shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the
case may be, and all computations of interest based on the Eurocurrency Rate
or
the Federal Funds Rate and of fees and Letter of Credit Commissions shall be
made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days (or, in each case of
Advances denominated in Committed Currencies where market practice differs,
in
accordance with market practice), in each case for the actual number of days
(including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period
for
which such interest, fees or commissions are payable. Each determination by
the
Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes, absent manifest error.
(c) Whenever
any payment hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall be stated to
be
due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next
succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be
included in the computation of payment of interest, fee or commission, as the
case may be; provided,
however,
that,
if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of
Eurocurrency Rate Advances to be made in the next following calendar month,
such
payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.
(d) Unless
the Agent shall have received notice from any Borrower prior to the date on
which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that such Borrower will not
make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that such Borrower has made
such
payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent may, in reliance upon
such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an
amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent such
Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Agent, each Lender
shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such
Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount
is
distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to
the
Agent, at (i) the Federal Funds Rate in the case of Advances denominated in
Dollars or (ii) the cost of funds incurred by the Agent in respect of such
amount in the case of Advances denominated in Committed Currencies.
(e) To
the
extent that the Agent receives funds for application to the amounts owing by
any
Borrower under or in respect of this Agreement or any Note in currencies other
than the currency or currencies required to enable the Agent to distribute
funds
to the Lenders in accordance with the terms of this Section 2.13, the Agent
shall be entitled to convert or exchange such funds into Dollars or into a
Committed Currency or from Dollars to a Committed Currency or from a Committed
Currency to Dollars, as the case may be, to the extent necessary to enable
the
Agent to distribute such funds in accordance with the terms of this Section
2.13; provided that each Borrower and each of the Lenders hereby agree that
the
Agent shall not be liable or responsible for any loss, cost or expense suffered
by such Borrower or such Lender as a result of any conversion or exchange of
currencies affected pursuant to this Section 2.13(f) or as a result of the
failure of the Agent to effect any such conversion or exchange; and provided
further that the Borrowers agree to indemnify the Agent and each Lender, and
hold the Agent and each Lender harmless, for any and all losses, costs and
expenses incurred by the Agent or any Lender for any conversion or exchange
of
currencies (or the failure to convert or exchange any currencies) in accordance
with this Section 2.13(e).
27
(f) Whenever
any payment hereunder in respect of Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes
shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Canadian Business Day such
payment shall be made on the next succeeding Canadian Business Day.
(g) For
the
purposes of the Interest
Act
(Canada)
and disclosure under such act, whenever any interest or fees to be paid under
this Agreement are to be calculated on the basis of a year of 365 days or 360
days or any other period of time that is less than a calendar year, the yearly
rate of interest to which the rate determined pursuant to such calculation
is
equivalent is the rate so determined multiplied by the actual number of days
in
the calendar year in which the same is to be ascertained and divided by either
365, 360 or such other period of time, as the case may be.
(h) Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement, in no event shall the aggregate “interest” (as
defined in section 347 of the Criminal
Code
(Canada)) payable under this Agreement exceed the effective annual rate of
interest on the “credit advanced” (as defined in that section) under this
Agreement lawfully permitted by that section and, if any payment, collection
or
demand pursuant to this Agreement in respect of “interest” (as defined in that
section) is determined to be contrary to the provisions of that section, such
payment, collection or demand shall be deemed to have been made by mutual
mistake of the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders and the amount of such
payment or collection shall be refunded to the applicable Borrower. For the
purposes of this Agreement, the effective annual rate of interest shall be
determined in accordance with generally accepted actuarial practices and
principles over the relevant term and, in the event of dispute, a certificate
of
a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries appointed by the Agent will
be
prima
facie
evidence
of such rate.
SECTION
2.14. Taxes.
(a) Any
and all payments by each Loan Party to or for the account of any Lender or
the
Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made, in accordance
with Section 2.13 or the applicable provisions of such other documents, if
any, free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future
taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities
with respect thereto, excluding,
in the
case of each Lender and the Agent, taxes imposed on its overall net income,
and
franchise taxes (including net profits or capital taxes) imposed on it in lieu
of net income taxes, by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender
or
the Agent (as the case may be) is organized or any political subdivision thereof
and, in the case of each Lender, taxes imposed on its overall net income, and
franchise taxes imposed on it in lieu of net income taxes, by the jurisdiction
of such Lender's Applicable Lending Office or any jurisdiction in which it
is
otherwise treated as doing business (other than a jurisdiction in which such
Lender would not have been treated as doing business but for and solely as
a
result of its execution and delivery of any Loan Document or its exercise of
its
rights or performance of its obligations thereunder or otherwise as a result
of
its participation (or the participation of an entity in which it owns a
beneficial interest) in the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents)
or
any political subdivision thereof (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts,
deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities in respect of payments
hereunder or under any other Loan Document being hereinafter referred to as
“Taxes”).
In
addition, it is understood and agreed that a Loan Party shall not be required
to
indemnify the Agent or any Lenders for, or pay additional amounts under this
Section 2.14 with respect to, any withholding Taxes imposed by the United
States, except to the extent the withholding Taxes would not have been imposed
but for and solely as a result of a change in applicable law occurring after
(i)
the date such Person became a party to this Agreement or (ii) with respect
to an
assignment, participation, acquisition, designation of a new Applicable Lending
Office or the appointment of a successor Agent, the effective date thereof
except, in each case (x) to the extent and at the rate that such Person's
predecessor was entitled to such amounts as provided for in Section 2.14(e)
or
(y) if the assignment, acquisition, designation of a new Applicable Lending
Office or the appointment of a successor Agent occurs as a result of the
Borrower's request pursuant to Section 9.07(a). If any Loan Party shall be
required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable
hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Lender or the Agent,
(1) the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after
making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional
sums payable under this Section 2.14) such Lender or the Agent (as the case
may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such
deductions been made, (2) such Loan Party shall make such deductions and
(3) such Loan Party shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant
taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable
law.
28
(b) In
addition, the Company shall pay any present or future stamp or documentary
taxes
or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that arise
from
any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Documents or from the
execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with
respect to, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents excluding, in each case,
such amounts that result from an assignment, grant of a participation, transfer
or designation of a new Applicable Lending Office or other office for receiving
payments under any Loan Document (hereinafter referred to as “Other
Taxes”).
(c) Each
Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and the Agent for and hold it harmless
against the full amount of Taxes or Other Taxes (including, without limitation,
Taxes of any kind imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable
under this Section 2.14) imposed on or paid by such Lender or the Agent (as
the case may be) and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses)
arising therefrom or with respect thereto. This indemnification shall be made
within 30 days from the date such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be)
makes
written demand therefor. A certificate from the Applicable Lender or the Agent
setting forth in reasonable detail the basis and calculation of such amounts
shall be deemed to be correct, absent manifest error.
(d) Within
30
days after the date of any payment of Taxes, each Loan Party shall furnish
to
the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 9.02, the original or a
certified copy of a receipt evidencing such payment to the extent such a receipt
is issued therefor, or other written proof of payment thereof that is reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent.
(e) Each
Lender organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States,
on
or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement in the
case
of each Initial Lender and on the date of the Assumption Agreement or the
Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case
of
each other Lender, upon a change in Applicable Lending Office and from time
to
time thereafter as reasonably requested in writing by the Company (but only
so
long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide each of
the
Agent and the Company with two original Internal Revenue Service
Forms W-8BEN or W-8ECI, as appropriate, or any successor or other form
prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service, certifying that such Lender is
exempt from or entitled to a reduced rate of United States withholding tax
on
payments pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document. If the form
provided by a Lender at the time such Lender first becomes a party to this
Agreement indicates a United States interest withholding tax rate in excess
of
zero, withholding tax at such rate shall be considered excluded from Taxes
unless and until such Lender provides the appropriate forms certifying that
a
lesser rate applies, whereupon withholding tax at such lesser rate only shall
be
considered excluded from Taxes for periods governed by such form; provided,
however,
that,
if at the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which a Lender
assignee becomes a party to this Agreement, the Lender assignor was entitled
to
payments under subsection (a) in respect of United States withholding tax
with respect to interest paid at such date, then, to such extent, the term
Taxes
shall include (in addition to withholding taxes that may be imposed in the
future or other amounts otherwise includable in Taxes) United States withholding
tax, if any, applicable with respect to the Lender assignee on such date. If
any
form or document referred to in this subsection (e) requires the disclosure
of information, other than information necessary to compute the tax payable
and
information required on the date hereof by Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8BEN or W-8ECI, that the Lender reasonably considers to be
confidential, the Lender shall give notice thereof to the Company and shall
not
be obligated to include in such form or document such confidential
information.
(f) For
any
period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide the Company with
the
appropriate form, certificate or other document described in
Section 2.14(e) (other than
if such
failure is due to a change in law, or in the interpretation or application
thereof, occurring subsequent to the date on which a form, certificate or other
document originally was required to be provided, or if such form, certificate
or
other document otherwise is not required under subsection (e) above), such
Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification or additional amounts under
Section 2.14(a) or (c) with respect to Taxes imposed by the United States
by reason of such failure; provided,
however,
that
should a Lender become subject to Taxes because of its failure to deliver a
form, certificate or other document required hereunder, the Company shall take
such steps as the Lender shall reasonably request to assist the Lender to
recover such Taxes.
29
(g) If
the
Agent of any Lender determines in good faith that it has received a refund
in
respect of any Taxes paid by a Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.14, it shall
within thirty (30) days from the date of such receipt pay over such refund
to
the such Borrower (but only to the extent of Taxes paid pursuant to this Section
2.14, net of all out-of-pocket expenses of such Lender, and with out interest
(other than interest paid by the relevant taxing authority with respect to
such
refund); provided,
however,
that
upon the request of such Lender, the Borrower agrees to repay such amounts
in
the event such Lender is required to repay such refund to the relevant taxing
authority. Nothing in this Section 2.14(g) shall require the Agent or any Lender
to disclose the contents of its tax returns to any Person.
SECTION
2.15. Sharing
of Payments, Etc.
If any
Lender shall obtain any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the
exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Advances,
Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes owing to it (other than (x) as
payment of an Advance made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to the first sentence
of
Section 2.03(c) or (y) pursuant to Section 2.03(b), 2.11, 2.14 or 9.04(c))
in excess of its Ratable Share of payments on account of the Advances, Bankers’
Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender
shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the
Advances, Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes owing to them as shall be
necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably
with each of them; provided,
however,
that if
all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such
purchasing Lender, such purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such
Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent
of
such recovery together with an amount equal to such Lender's ratable share
(according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Lender's required
repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender)
of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in
respect of the total amount so recovered. Each Borrower agrees that any Lender
so purchasing a participation from another Lender pursuant to this
Section 2.15 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its
rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with respect to such
participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of such
Borrower in the amount of such participation.
SECTION
2.16. Evidence
of Debt.
(a)
Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account
or
accounts evidencing the indebtedness of each Borrower to such Lender resulting
from each Advance, Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes owing to such
Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest
payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder in respect of
Advances, Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes. Each Borrower agrees that
upon notice by any Lender to such Borrower (with a copy of such notice to the
Agent) to the effect that a Note is required or appropriate in order for such
Lender to evidence (whether for purposes of pledge, enforcement or otherwise)
the Advances owing to, or to be made by, such Lender, such Borrower shall
promptly execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to the order of
such
Lender in a principal amount up to the Revolving Credit Commitment of such
Lender. All references to Notes in the Loan Documents shall mean Notes, if
any,
to the extent issued hereunder.
(b) The
Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.07(d) shall include
a
control account, and a subsidiary account for each Lender, in which accounts
(taken together) shall be recorded (i) the date and amount of each Borrowing
made hereunder, the Type of Advances, Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent
Notes comprising such Borrowing and, if appropriate, the Interest Period
applicable thereto, (ii) the terms of each Assumption Agreement and each
Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it, (iii) the amount
of
any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from
each
Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iv) the amount of any sum received by
the
Agent from such Borrower hereunder and each Lender's share thereof.
(c) Entries
made in good faith by the Agent in the Register pursuant to subsection (b)
above, and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to subsection
(a)
above, shall be prima facie
evidence
of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and
payable from each Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and,
in
the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement, absent
manifest error; provided,
however,
that
the failure of the Agent or such Lender to make an entry, or any finding that
an
entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account or accounts shall not limit
or otherwise affect the obligations of any Borrower under this
Agreement.
30
SECTION
2.17. Use
of
Proceeds.
The
proceeds of the Advances and the Letters of Credit shall be available (and
each
Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) solely for general corporate
purposes of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including acquisition financing
relating to the merger of the Company with Great Lakes.
SECTION
2.18. Increase
in the Aggregate Commitments.
(a) The
Company may, at any time but in any event not more than twice in any calendar
year prior to the Termination Date, by notice to the Agent, request that the
aggregate amount of the Commitment be increased by an amount of $10,000,000
or
an integral multiple thereof (each a “Commitment
Increase”)
to be
effective as of a date that is at least 90 days prior to the scheduled
Termination Date then in effect (the “Increase
Date”)
as
specified in the related notice to the Agent; provided,
however
that (i)
in no event shall the aggregate amount of the Commitments at any time exceed
$750,000,000 and (ii) on the date of any request by the Company for a Commitment
Increase and on the related Increase Date the applicable conditions set forth
in
Section 3.03 shall be satisfied.
(b) The
Agent
shall promptly notify the Lenders of a request by the Company for a Commitment
Increase, which notice shall include (i) the proposed amount of such requested
Commitment Increase, (ii) the proposed Increase Date and (iii) the date by
which
Lenders wishing to participate in the Commitment Increase must commit to an
increase in the amount of their respective Commitments (the “Commitment
Date”).
Each
Lender that is willing to participate in such requested Commitment Increase
(each an “Increasing
Lender”)
shall,
in its sole discretion, give written notice to the Agent on or prior to the
Commitment Date of the amount by which it is willing to increase its Commitment.
If the Lenders notify the Agent that they are willing to increase the amount
of
their respective Commitments by an aggregate amount that exceeds the amount
of
the requested Commitment Increase, the requested Commitment Increase shall
be
allocated among the Lenders willing to participate therein in such amounts
as
are agreed between the Company and the Agent.
(c) Promptly
following each Commitment Date, the Agent shall notify the Company as to the
amount, if any, by which the Lenders are willing to participate in the requested
Commitment Increase. If the aggregate amount by which the Lenders are willing
to
participate in any requested Commitment Increase on any such Commitment Date
is
less than the requested Commitment Increase, then the Company may extend offers
to one or more Eligible Assignees to participate in any portion of the requested
Commitment Increase that has not been committed to by the Lenders as of the
applicable Commitment Date; provided,
however,
that
the Commitment of each such Eligible Assignee shall be in an amount of
$5,000,000 or more.
(d) On
each
Increase Date, each Eligible Assignee that accepts an offer to participate
in a
requested Commitment Increase in accordance with Section 2.18(b) (each such
Eligible Assignee, an “Assuming
Lender”)
shall
become a Lender party to this Agreement as of such Increase Date and the
Commitment of each Increasing Lender for such requested Commitment Increase
shall be so increased by such amount (or by the amount allocated to such Lender
pursuant to the last sentence of Section 2.18(b)) as of such Increase Date;
provided,
however,
that
the Agent shall have received on or before such Increase Date the following,
each dated such date:
(i) (A)
certified copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company or
the
Executive Committee of such Board approving the Commitment Increase and (B)
an
opinion of counsel for the Company (which may be in-house counsel), in
substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto;
(ii) an
assumption agreement from each Assuming Lender, if any, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Agent (each an “Assumption
Agreement”),
duly
executed by such Eligible Assignee, the Agent and the Company; and
(iii) confirmation
from each Increasing Lender of the increase in the amount of its Commitment
in a
writing satisfactory to the Company and the Agent.
On
each
Increase Date, upon fulfillment of the conditions set forth in the immediately
preceding sentence of this Section 2.18(d), the Agent shall notify the Lenders
(including, without limitation, each Assuming Lender) and the Company, on or
before 1:00 P.M. (New York City time), by telecopier, of the occurrence of
the
Commitment Increase to be effected on such Increase Date and shall record in
the
Register the relevant information with respect to each Increasing Lender and
each Assuming Lender on such date. Each Increasing Lender and each Assuming
Lender shall, before 2:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the Increase Date, make
available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at
the
Agent's Account, in same day funds, in the case of such Assuming Lender, an
amount equal to such Assuming Lender's ratable portion of the Borrowings then
outstanding (calculated based on its Revolving Credit Commitment as a percentage
of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments outstanding after giving effect
to
the relevant Commitment Increase) and, in the case of such Increasing Lender,
an
amount equal to the excess of (i) such Increasing Lender's ratable portion
of
the Borrowings then outstanding (calculated based on its Revolving Credit
Commitment as a percentage of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments
outstanding after giving effect to the relevant Commitment Increase) over (ii)
such Increasing Lender's ratable portion of the Borrowings then outstanding
(calculated based on its Revolving Credit Commitment (without giving effect
to
the relevant Commitment Increase) as a percentage of the aggregate Revolving
Credit Commitments (without giving effect to the relevant Commitment Increase).
After the Agent's receipt of such funds from each such Increasing Lender and
each such Assuming Lender, the Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be
distributed like funds to the other Lenders for the account of their respective
Applicable Lending Offices in an amount to each other Lender such that the
aggregate amount of the outstanding Advances owing to each Lender after giving
effect to such distribution equals such Lender's ratable portion of the
Borrowings then outstanding (calculated based on its Revolving Credit Commitment
as a percentage of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments outstanding after
giving effect to the relevant Commitment Increase).
31
SECTION
2.19. Drawings
of Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes.
(a)
Request
for Drawing.
Each
Drawing shall be made on notice, given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York
City
time) on a Canadian Business Day at least two Canadian Business Days prior
to
the date of the proposed Drawing, by any Canadian Borrower to the Agent, which
shall give each Canadian Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier. Each notice
of a Drawing shall be in writing (including by telecopier), in substantially
the
form of Exhibit B hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such
Drawing (which shall be a Canadian Business Day), (ii) aggregate Face Amount
of
such Drawing and (iii) initial Maturity Date for each Bankers’ Acceptance and BA
Equivalent Notes comprising part of such Drawing; provided, however, that,
if
the Agent determines in good faith (which determination shall be conclusive
and
binding upon such Canadian Borrower) that the Drafts to be accepted and
purchased as part of any Drawing cannot, due solely to the requested aggregate
Face Amount thereof, be accepted and/or purchased ratably by the Canadian
Lenders in accordance with Section 2.01(c), then the aggregate Face Amount
of
such Drawing (or the Face Amount of Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes
to be created and purchased by any Canadian Lender) shall be reduced to such
lesser amount as the Agent determines will permit such Drafts comprising part
of
such Drawing to be so accepted and purchased. The Agent agrees that it will,
as
promptly as practicable, notify such Canadian Borrower of the unavailability
of
Bankers’ Acceptances. Each Draft in connection with any requested Drawing (A)
shall be in a minimum amount of CN$1,000,000 or an integral multiple of
CN$100,000 in excess thereof, and (B) shall be dated the date of the proposed
Drawing. Each Canadian Lender that is a BA Canadian Lender shall, before 1:00
P.M. (New York City time) on the date of each Drawing, complete one or more
Drafts in accordance with the related Notice of Borrowing, accept such Drafts
and purchase the Bankers’ Acceptances created thereby for the Drawing Purchase
Price and shall, before 1:00 P.M. (New York City time) on such date, make
available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at
its
appropriate Agent’s Account, in same day funds, the Drawing Purchase Price
payable by such Canadian Lender for such Drawing less the Stamping Fee payable
to such Canadian Lender with respect thereto under Section 2.19(b). Each Non-BA
Canadian Lender shall, in lieu of accepting its proportionate amount of Bankers
Acceptances forming part of a Drawing, make available such Canadian Borrower
a
loan (a “BA
Equivalent Note”)
in
Canadian Dollars in an amount equal to the Drawing Purchase Price of the
Bankers’ Acceptances that such Non-BA Canadian Lender would have been required
to accept if it were a BA Canadian Lender. Each Non-BA Canadian Lender shall,
before 1:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of each Drawing, make
available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at
its
appropriate Agent’s Account, in same day funds, the amount of the BA Equivalent
Note, less an amount equal to the Stamping Fee that would have been applicable
to the BA Equivalent Note had it been a Bankers’ Acceptance. Upon the
fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 3.03, the Agent
will make the funds it has received from the Canadian Lenders available to
such
Canadian Borrower requesting such Drawing at the Agent’s address referred to in
Section 9.02 or at the applicable Payment Office, as the case may
be.
(b) Stamping
Fees.
Each
Canadian Borrower shall, on the date of each Drawing and on the date of each
renewal of any outstanding Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes, pay to
the Agent, in Canadian Dollars, for the ratable account of the Canadian Lenders
accepting Drafts and purchasing Bankers’ Acceptances or making BA Equivalent
Notes, the Stamping Fee with respect to such Bankers’ Acceptances or
corresponding BA Equivalent Notes. Each Canadian Borrower irrevocably authorizes
each such Canadian Lender to deduct the Stamping Fee payable with respect to
each Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Notes of such Canadian Lender from the
Drawing Purchase Price payable by such Canadian Lender in respect of such
Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Notes in accordance with this
Section 2.19 and to apply such amount so withheld to the payment of such
Stamping Fee for the account of the applicable Canadian Borrower and, to the
extent such Stamping Fee is so withheld and legally permitted to be so applied,
the applicable Canadian Borrower’s obligations under the preceding sentence in
respect of such Stamping Fee shall be satisfied.
32
(c)
Limitations
on Drawings.
Anything in Section 2.19(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, no Canadian
Borrower may select a Drawing if the obligation of the Canadian Lenders to
purchase and accept Bankers’ Acceptances shall then be suspended pursuant to
Section 2.19(e) or 2.12(b).
(d) Binding
Effect of Notices of Borrowing.
Each
Notice of Borrowing for a Drawing shall be irrevocable and binding on the
applicable Canadian Borrower. In the case of any proposed Drawing, the
applicable Canadian Borrower shall indemnify each Canadian Lender (absent any
gross negligence by the Canadian Lender) against any loss, cost or expense
incurred by such Canadian Lender as a result of any failure to fulfill on or
before the date specified in the Notice of Borrowing for such Drawing the
applicable conditions set forth in Section 3.03, including, without limitation,
any loss, cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment
of deposits or other funds acquired by such Canadian Lender to fund the Drawing
Purchase Price (or in the case of Non-BA Canadian Lenders, the BA Equivalent
Note) to be paid by such Canadian Lender as part of such Drawing when, as a
result of such failure, such Drawing is not made on such date (but, in any
event, excluding any loss of profit and the Stamping Fee applicable to such
Drawing or Advance).
(e) Circumstances
Making Bankers’ Acceptances Unavailable.
(i) If, with respect to any proposed Drawing, the Agent determines in
good faith that circumstances affecting the money markets at the time any
related Notice of Borrowing is delivered or is outstanding will result in no
market for the Bankers’ Acceptances to be created in connection with such
Drawing or an insufficient demand for such Bankers’ Acceptances to allow the
Canadian Lenders creating such Bankers’ Acceptances to sell or trade the
Bankers’ Acceptances to be created and purchased or discounted by them hereunder
in connection with such Drawing, then, upon notice to the applicable Canadian
Borrower and the Canadian Lenders thereof, (A) the Notice of Borrowing with
respect to such proposed Drawing shall be cancelled and the Drawing requested
therein shall not be made and (B) the right of such Canadian Borrower to
request a Drawing shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify such Canadian
Borrower that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist. The
Agent agrees that it will, as promptly as practicable, notify such Canadian
Borrower of the unavailability of Bankers’ Acceptances.
(ii) Upon
the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Default, the obligation of the
Canadian Lenders to create and purchase Bankers’ Acceptances shall be
suspended.
(iii) If
the
Reuters Screen CDOR Page is not available for the timely determination of the
BA
Rate, and the BA Rate for any Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes can
not otherwise be determined in a timely manner in accordance with the definition
of “BA Rate”, the Agent shall forthwith notify the Canadian Borrowers and the
Canadian Lenders that such interest rate cannot be determined for such Bankers’
Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes, and the obligation of the Canadian Lenders
to make, or to renew, Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes shall be
suspended until the Agent shall notify the Canadian Borrowers and the Canadian
Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer
exist.
(f) Assumptions
of the Agent.
Unless
the Agent shall have received notice from a Canadian Lender prior to the date
of
any Drawing that such Canadian Lender will not make available to it such
Canadian Lender’s ratable share of the proceeds of such Drawing, in accordance
with Section 2.19(a), the Agent may assume that such Canadian Lender has
made such ratable share available to it on the date of such Drawing in
accordance with Section 2.19(a) and the Agent may, in reliance upon such
assumption, make available to the applicable Canadian Borrower on such date
a
corresponding amount. If and to the extent that any such Canadian Lender shall
not have so made such ratable share available to the Agent, such Canadian Lender
and the Canadian Borrowers severally agree to repay or pay to the Agent
forthwith on demand such corresponding amount, together with interest thereon,
for each day from the date such amount is made available to the applicable
Canadian Borrower until the date such amount is repaid or paid to the Agent,
at
(i) in the case of the applicable Canadian Borrower, a rate per annum equal
to the BA Rate used in calculating the Drawing Purchase Price with respect
to
such Drawing, and (ii) in the case of such Canadian Lender, the Canadian
Interbank Rate. If such Canadian Lender shall pay to the Agent such
corresponding amount, such amount so paid shall constitute such Canadian
Lender’s ratable share of the proceeds of such Drawing for all purposes under
this Agreement.
33
(g) Presigned
Draft Forms.
To
enable the Canadian Lenders which are BA Lenders to create Bankers’ Acceptances
in accordance with Section 2.01(c) and this Section 2.19, each
Canadian Borrower intending to make Drawings of Bankers’ Acceptances and
Notional Bankers’ Acceptances hereby appoints each BA Lender as its attorney to
sign and endorse on its behalf (for the purpose of acceptance and purchase
of
Bankers' Acceptances pursuant to this Agreement), in handwriting or by facsimile
or mechanical signature as and when deemed necessary by such BA Lender, blank
forms of Bankers' Acceptances. In this respect, it is each BA Lender's
responsibility to maintain an adequate supply of blank forms of Bankers'
Acceptances for acceptance under this Agreement. The Canadian Borrowers
recognize and agree that all Bankers' Acceptances signed and/or endorsed on
its
behalf by a BA Lender shall bind each Canadian Borrower as fully and effectually
as if signed in the handwriting of and duly issued by the proper signing
officers of such Canadian Borrower. Each BA Lender is hereby authorized (for
the
purpose of acceptance and purchase of Bankers' Acceptances pursuant to this
Agreement) to issue such Bankers' Acceptances endorsed in blank in such face
amounts as may be determined by such BA Lender; provided
that the
aggregate amount thereof is equal to the aggregate amount of Bankers'
Acceptances required to be accepted and purchased by such BA Lender. On request
by any Canadian Borrower, a BA Lender shall cancel all forms of Bankers'
Acceptances which have been pre-signed or pre-endorsed by or on behalf of the
Canadian Borrowers and which are held by such BA Lender and have not yet been
issued in accordance herewith. Each BA Lender further agrees to retain such
records in the manner and/or the statutory periods provided in the various
Canadian provincial or federal statutes and regulations which apply to such
BA
Lender. Each BA Lender shall maintain a record with respect to Bankers'
Acceptances held by it in blank hereunder, voided by it for any reason, accepted
and purchased by it hereunder, and cancelled at their respective maturities.
Each BA Lender agrees to provide such records to the Canadian Borrowers at
the
Canadian Borrowers’ expense upon request. Bankers' Acceptances shall be signed
by a duly authorized officer or officers of the Canadian Borrowers or by its
attorneys, including its attorneys appointed pursuant to Section 2.19(g).
Notwithstanding that any person whose signature appears on any Bankers'
Acceptance as a signatory for any Canadian Borrower may no longer be an
authorized signatory for such Canadian Borrower at the date of issuance of
a
Bankers' Acceptance, such signature shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient
for all purposes as if such authority had remained in force at the time of
such
issuance, and any such Bankers' Acceptance so signed shall be binding on the
Canadian Borrowers.
(h) Distribution
of Bankers’ Acceptances.
Bankers’ Acceptances purchased by a Canadian Lender in accordance with the terms
of Section 2.01(c) and this Section 2.19 may, in such Canadian
Lender’s sole discretion, be held by such Canadian Lender for its own account
until the applicable Maturity Date or sold, rediscounted or otherwise disposed
of by it at any time prior thereto in any relevant market therefor.
(i) Failure
to Fund in Respect of Drawings.
The
failure of any Canadian Lender to fund the Drawing Purchase Price to be funded
by it as part of any Drawing or to make a BA Equivalent Note shall not relieve
any other Canadian Lender of its obligation hereunder to fund its Drawing
Purchase Price on the date of such Drawing or to make a BA Equivalent Note,
but
no Canadian Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Canadian
Lender to fund the Drawing Purchase Price or make the BA Equivalent Note to
be
funded or made, as the case may be by such other Canadian Lender on the date
of
any Drawing.
(j) Optional
Renewal/Repayment of Bankers’ Acceptances.
The
Canadian Borrowers shall give notice to the Agent not later than 11:00 A.M.
(New
York City time) on a Business Day at least two Canadian Business Days prior
to
the Maturity Date of the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes comprising
part of the same Drawing, and subject to the provisions of Section 2.12,
specifying either that the Canadian Borrowers intend to renew all or any portion
of such Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes or that the Canadian
Borrowers intend to repay such maturing Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent
Notes. Failure by the Canadian Borrowers to deliver such notice to the Agent
in
accordance with this Section 2.19(j) shall be deemed an election by the Canadian
Borrowers to repay such Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes on the
applicable Maturity Date.
34
(k) Renewal
of Bankers’ Acceptances.
Subject
to Section 2.19(j), the Canadian Borrowers may elect to renew Bankers’
Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes comprising part of the same Drawing,
provided, however, that:
(i) any
renewal of Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes shall be made only on the
then existing Maturity Date for such Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent
Notes;
(ii) each
renewal of Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes comprising part of the
same Drawing shall be made ratably among the Canadian Lenders holding such
Bankers’ Acceptances and having made BA Equivalent Notes in accordance with the
respective amount of such Bankers’ Acceptances so held and BA Equivalent Notes
so made; and
(iii) upon
the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default no renewal of
any
Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Notes may be made.
Each
such
notice of renewal shall, within the restrictions set forth above, specify
(A) the date of such renewal (which shall be the then existing Maturity
Date of such Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes and shall be a
Canadian Business Day), (B) the Bankers’ Acceptances to be renewed,
(C) if less than all of the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes
comprising part of any Drawing are to be renewed, the aggregate Face Amount
for
such renewal and (D) the term to maturity of the renewed Bankers’
Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes (which shall comply with the definition
of
“Maturity Date” in Section 1.01); provided, however, that, if the Agent
determines in good faith (which determination shall be conclusive and binding
upon such Canadian Borrower) that the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent
Notes cannot, due solely to the requested aggregate Face Amount thereof, be
renewed ratably by the Canadian Lenders, the aggregate Face Amount of such
renewal (or the Face Amount of Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes to be
created by any Canadian Lender) shall be reduced to such lesser amount as the
Agent determines will permit such renewal to be so made. Each notice of renewal
under this Section 2.19 shall be irrevocable and binding on the applicable
Canadian Borrower. Upon any renewal of Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent
Notes comprising part of any Drawing in accordance with this
Section 2.19(k), the Canadian Lenders that hold the Bankers’ Acceptances
and that made BA Equivalent Notes to be renewed shall exchange such maturing
Bankers’ Acceptances for new Bankers’ Acceptances and shall make a new BA
Equivalent Notes, containing the terms set forth in the applicable notice of
renewal, and the Drawing Purchase Price payable for each such renewed Bankers’
Acceptance and the proceeds of the new BA Equivalent Note shall be applied,
together with other funds, if necessary, available to the applicable Canadian
Borrower, to reimburse the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes
otherwise maturing on such date. Each Canadian Borrower hereby irrevocably
authorizes and directs each Canadian Lender to apply the proceeds of each
renewed Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Note owing to it to the
reimbursement, in accordance with this Section 2.19(k), of the Bankers’
Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes owing to such Canadian Lender and maturing
on
such date.
(l) Repayment
of Bankers’ Acceptances.
Subject
to Section 2.19(j), the Canadian Borrowers shall repay on or before 12:00 noon
(Toronto time) on the Maturity Date for those Bankers’ Acceptances and BA
Equivalent Notes comprising part of the same Drawing, an amount in Canadian
Dollars equal to the Face Amount of such Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent
Notes (notwithstanding that a Canadian Lender may be the holder of it at
maturity). Any such payment shall satisfy the Canadian Borrower’s obligations
under the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes to which it relates and
the relevant Canadian Lender shall (y) then be solely responsible for the
payment of the applicable Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes, and (z)
thereafter indemnify the Canadian Borrower from any loss, cost or expense
suffered by or imposed upon the Canadian Borrowers in respect of any claim
from
a holder of such Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes that any Canadian
Borrower is liable for payment thereunder or any payment by the Canadian
Borrowers in connection with such claim.
(m) Mandatory
Conversion.
Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of any Default or if the Canadian
Borrower shall fail (i) to deliver a properly completed notice of renewal under
Section 2.19(j) or (ii) to reimburse the Canadian Lenders for any
Bankers’ Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes comprising part of the same Drawing
pursuant to Section 2.19(l), the Agent will forthwith so notify the
applicable Canadian Borrower and the Canadian Lenders, whereupon each such
Bankers’ Acceptance and BA Equivalent Notes will automatically, on the then
existing Maturity Date of such Bankers’ Acceptance or BA Equivalent Notes,
Convert into a Base Rate Advance at the Equivalent in Dollars of the Face Amount
of such Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes.
35
(n) Collateralization
of Bankers' Acceptances.
Bankers' Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes may not be prepaid. The Canadian
Borrowers may, however, at their option, exercisable upon not less than one
Business Day's notice to the Agent, elect to deposit with the Agent Canadian
Dollars in same-day funds to be held by the Agent, pursuant to collateral
arrangements satisfactory to the Agent, for application to the payment of any
Borrowing of Bankers' Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes designated by the
Canadian Borrowers in such notice. If such a deposit is made, then such Bankers'
Acceptances and BA Equivalent Notes shall be deemed no longer outstanding for
purposes of this Agreement; provided
that the
amount of such deposit shall be not less than the full Face Amount of such
Bankers' Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes.
Furthermore, in the event the maturity of the Bankers’ Acceptances and BA
Equivalent Notes is accelerated pursuant to Section 6.01, the Canadian Borrowers
shall cash collateralize all outstanding Banker's Acceptances.
(o) Inconsistencies.
In the
event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Section 2.19 and
any
other provision of Article II with respect to Bankers' Acceptances or BA
Equivalent Notes, the provisions of this Section 2.19 shall
prevail.
ARTICLE
III
CONDITIONS
TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING
SECTION
3.01. Conditions
Precedent to Effectiveness of Section 2.01.
Section 2.01 of this Agreement shall become effective on and as of the
first date (the “Effective
Date”)
on
which the following conditions precedent have been satisfied:
(a) There
shall have occurred no Material Adverse Change since December 31, 2004, and
no material adverse change in the business, condition (financial or otherwise),
operations or properties of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole
since December 31, 2004.
(b) There
shall exist no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending or threatened before any court,
governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) could be reasonably likely to
have a Material Adverse Effect other than the matters described on
Schedule 3.01(b) hereto (the “Disclosed
Litigation”)
or a
material adverse effect on the business, condition (financial or otherwise),
operations or properties of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or any Note or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, and there shall have been no material adverse change in the status,
or
financial effect on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, of the Disclosed
Litigation from that described on Schedule 3.01(b) hereto.
(c) Nothing
shall have come to the attention of the Lenders during the course of their
due
diligence investigation to lead them to believe that the Information Memorandum
was or has become misleading, incorrect or incomplete in any material respect
or
that the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or properties
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are different in any
material adverse respect from that presented in the Information Memorandum
or
derived by the Agent and the Lender from the public filings of the Company
and
its Subsidiaries.
(d) All
governmental and third party consents and approvals necessary in order to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained
(without the imposition of any conditions that are not acceptable to the
Lenders) and shall remain in effect, all applicable waiting periods in
connection with the Acquisition shall have expired without any action being
taken by any competent authority, and no law or regulation shall be applicable
in the reasonable judgment of the Lenders, in each case that restrains, prevents
or imposes materially adverse conditions upon the transactions contemplated
hereby, and
36
(e) The
Company shall have notified each Lender and the Agent in writing as to the
proposed Effective Date.
(f) The
Company shall have paid all accrued fees and expenses of the Agent and the
Lenders (including the accrued and invoiced reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel to the Agent).
(g) On
the
Effective Date, the following statements shall be true and the Agent shall
have
received for the account of each Lender a certificate signed by a duly
authorized officer of the Company, dated the Effective Date, stating
that:
(i) The
representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are correct on and
as of the Effective Date,
(ii)
No
event
has occurred and is continuing that constitutes a Default, and
(iii) all
conditions precedent to the consummation of the Acquisition shall have been
satisfied substantially in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and Plan
of Merger dated as of March 8, 2005 between Great Lakes, Copernicus Merger
Corporation and the Company, without any waiver or amendment not consented
to by
the Required Lenders of any material term, provision or condition set forth
therein, and in compliance with all applicable laws.
(h) The
Agent
shall have received on or before the Effective Date the following, each dated
such day, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and (except for the
Notes) in sufficient copies for each Lender:
(i) The
Notes
to the order of the Lenders to the extent requested by any Lender pursuant
to
Section 2.16.
(ii) Certified
copies of the resolutions of the board of directors (or similar governing body)
of each Loan Party approving each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party,
and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and
governmental approvals, if any, with respect to such Loan Document.
(iii) A
certificate of each Loan Party signed on behalf of such Loan Party by its
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, dated the Effective Date (the statements
made in which certificate shall be true on and as of the Effective Date),
certifying as to (A) a true and correct copy of the charter or similar
document of such Loan Party, (B) a true and correct copy of the bylaws or
similar document of such Loan Party as in effect on the date on which the
resolutions referred to in Section 3.01(h)(ii) were adopted and on the
Effective Date, (C) the due incorporation and good standing or valid
existence of such Loan Party under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation or formation, and the absence of any proceeding for the
dissolution or liquidation of such Loan Party and (D) certifying the names
and
true signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign each
of
the Loan Documents to which it is a party and the other documents to be
delivered hereunder.
(iv) Certificates
in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent attesting to the Solvency of
the
Company and the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, before and
after
giving effect to the merger with Great Lakes, from the chief financial officer
or other officer of the Company acceptable to the Agent.
37
(v) Pro
forma
financial statements as to the Company and forecasts prepared by management
of
the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lenders, of balance
sheets, income statements and cash flow statements on an annual basis through
December 31, 2009.
(vi) A
favorable opinion of Skadden, Arps, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, counsel for the
Company, substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto.
(vii) A
favorable opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Agent, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.
(i) The
Company shall have terminated the commitments of the lenders and repaid or
prepaid all of the obligations under, the Credit Agreement dated as of August
16, 2004 among the Company, the lenders parties thereto and Deutsche Bank AG,
New York Branch, as administrative agent, and each of the Lenders that is a
party to such credit facility hereby waives, upon execution of this Agreement,
any notice required by said Credit Agreement relating to the termination of
commitments thereunder.
(j) Liens
securing any of the public notes of the Company shall have been
released.
(k) Great
Lakes shall have terminated the commitments of the lenders and repaid or prepaid
all of the obligations under, the Five Year Credit Agreement dated as of
September 30, 2004 among Great Lakes, the lenders parties thereto and Citicorp
USA, Inc., as administrative agent, and each of the Lenders that is a party
to
such credit facility hereby waives, upon execution of this Agreement, any notice
required by said Credit Agreement relating to the termination of commitments
thereunder.
SECTION
3.02. Initial
Advance to Each Designated Subsidiary.
The
obligation of each Lender to make an initial Advance to each Designated
Subsidiary is subject to the receipt by the Agent on or before the date of
such
initial Advance of each of the following, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent and dated such date, and (except for the Notes) in
sufficient copies for each Lender:
(a) The
Notes
of such Designated Subsidiary to the order of the Lenders to the extent
requested by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16.
(b) Certified
copies of the resolutions of the board of directors (or similar governing body)
of such Designated Subsidiary (with a certified English translation if the
original thereof is not in English) approving this Agreement and the Notes
to be
delivered by it, and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate
action and governmental approvals, if any, with respect to this
Agreement.
(c) A
certificate of a proper officer of such Designated Subsidiary certifying the
names and true signatures of the officers of such Designated Subsidiary
authorized to sign its Designation Agreement and the Notes to be delivered
by it
and the other documents to be delivered by it hereunder.
(d) A
certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company, certifying
that
such Designated Subsidiary has obtained all governmental and third party
authorizations, consents, approvals (including exchange control approvals)
and
licenses required under applicable laws and regulations necessary for such
Designated Subsidiary to execute and deliver its Designation Agreement and
the
Notes to be delivered by it and to perform its obligations hereunder and
thereunder.
(e) A
Designation Agreement duly executed by such Designated Subsidiary and the
Company.
(f) Favorable
opinions of counsel (which may be in-house counsel) to such Designated
Subsidiary substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, and as to such other
matters as any Lender through the Agent may reasonably request.
38
(g) Such
other approvals, opinions or documents as any Lender, through the Agent may
reasonably request.
SECTION
3.03. Conditions
Precedent to Each Borrowing, Issuance and
Commitment Increase.
The
obligation of each Lender to make an Advance (other than an Advance made by
any
Issuing Bank or any Lender pursuant to Section 2.03(c)) on the occasion of
each
Borrowing, the obligation of each Issuing Bank to issue, renew or extend a
Letter of Credit and each Commitment Increase shall be subject to the conditions
precedent that the Effective Date shall have occurred and on the date of such
Borrowing, such issuance or the applicable Increase Date (as the case may be)
the following statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable
Notice of Borrowing, Notice of Issuance or request for Commitment Increase
and
the acceptance by any Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing, such issuance
or such Increase Date shall constitute a representation and warranty by such
Borrower that on the date of such Borrowing, such issuance or such Increase
Date
such statements are true):
(a) the
representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are correct in all
material respects on and as of such date, before and after giving effect to
such
Borrowing, such issuance or such Commitment Increase and to the application
of
the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date (it being
understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms
is
made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all
material respects only as of such specified date), and additionally, if such
Borrowing or issuance shall have been requested by a Designated Subsidiary,
the
representations and warranties of such Designated Subsidiary contained in its
Designation Agreement are correct in all material respects on and as of the
date
of such Borrowing or such issuance, before and after giving effect to such
Borrowing, such issuance or such Commitment Increase and to the application
of
the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date, and
(b) no
event
has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Borrowing, such
issuance or such Commitment Increase or from the application of the proceeds
therefrom, that constitutes a Default.
SECTION
3.04. Determinations
Under Section 3.01 and 3.02.
For
purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in
Sections 3.01 and 3.02, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to,
approved or accepted or to be satisfied with each document or other matter
required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or
satisfactory to the Lenders unless an officer of the Agent responsible for
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have received notice from
such
Lender prior to the date that the Company, by notice to the Agent, designates
as
the proposed Effective Date or the date of the initial Advance to the applicable
Designated Subsidiary, as the case may be, specifying its objection thereto.
The
Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of the occurrence of the Effective
Date
and each date of initial Advance to a Designated Subsidiary, as
applicable.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
SECTION
4.01. Representations
and Warranties of the Company.
The
Company represents and warrants as follows:
(a) Each
Loan
Party and each of its Subsidiaries (i) is a corporation, limited liability
company or limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing (or its equivalent) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation or formation, except where the failure to be so duly organized,
validly existing or in good standing in the case of a Subsidiary organized
outside of the United States has not had, or could not reasonably be expected
to
have, a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) is duly qualified and in good
standing as a foreign corporation or company in each other jurisdiction in
which
it owns or leases property or in which the conduct of its business requires
it
to so qualify or be licensed except where the failure to so qualify or be
licensed would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and
(iii) has all requisite corporate, limited liability company or partnership
(as applicable) power and authority (including, without limitation, all
governmental authorizations to own or lease and operate its properties and
to
carry on its business.
39
(b) Set
forth
on Schedule 4.01(b) hereto is a complete and accurate list of all Loan Parties,
showing as of the date hereof (as to each Loan Party) the jurisdiction of its
incorporation and its U.S. taxpayer identification number or, in the case of
any
non-U.S. Loan Party that does not have a U.S. taxpayer identification number,
its unique identification number (if any) issued to it by the jurisdiction
of
its organization. The copy of the charter of each Loan Party and each amendment
thereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01(h)(iii) is a true and correct copy
of
each such document as of the Effective Date, each of which is valid and in
full
force and effect.
(c) Set
forth
on Schedule 4.01(c) hereto is a complete and accurate list of all
Subsidiaries of each Loan Party, showing as of the date hereof (as to each
such
Subsidiary) the jurisdiction of its formation, the number of shares, membership
interests or partnership interests (as applicable) of each class of its equity
interests authorized, and the number outstanding, on the date hereof and the
percentage of each such class of its equity interests owned (directly or
indirectly) by such Loan Party and the number of shares covered by all
outstanding options, warrants, rights of conversion or purchase and similar
rights at the date hereof. All of the outstanding equity interests in each
Loan
Party's Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
and are owned by such Loan Party or one or more of its Subsidiaries free and
clear of all Liens, except Permitted Liens and those created under the
Collateral Documents.
(d) The
execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document
to
which it is or is to be a party, and the incurrence of Debt hereunder, are
within such Loan Party's corporate, limited liability company or limited
partnership (as applicable) powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership (as applicable)
action, and do not (i) contravene such Loan Party's charter, bylaws,
limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other constituent
documents, (ii) violate any law, rule, regulation (including, without
limitation, Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System), order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award
applicable to such Loan Party, (iii) conflict with or result in the breach
of, or constitute a default or require any payment to be made under, any
contract, loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other
instrument binding on or affecting any Loan Party, any of its Subsidiaries
or
any of their properties or (iv) except for the Liens created under the Loan
Documents, result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon
or
with respect to any of the properties of any Loan Party or any of its
Subsidiaries. No Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any
such law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree,
determination or award or in breach of any such contract, loan agreement,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other instrument, the violation
or
breach of which would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(e) No
authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with,
any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is
required for the due execution, delivery and performance by any Loan Party
of
any Loan Document to which it is or is to be a party, or for the incurrence
of
Debt hereunder, except for those authorizations, approvals, actions, notices
and
filings which have been duly obtained, taken, given, waived or made and are
in
full force and effect. All applicable waiting periods in connection with the
Acquisition have expired without any action having been taken by any competent
authority restraining, preventing or imposing materially adverse conditions
upon
the Acquisition or the rights of the Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries freely
to transfer or otherwise dispose of, or to create any Lien on, any properties
now owned or hereafter acquired by any of them.
(f) This
Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document when delivered hereunder will
have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party party thereto. This
Agreement is, and each other Loan Document when delivered hereunder will be,
the
legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party party thereto,
enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, except to
the
extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors
rights and by equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought
in equity or at law).
40
(g) (i)
The
Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at
December 31, 2004, and the related Consolidated statements of income and
cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended,
accompanied by an opinion of KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, and
the
Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at March
31,
2005, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the
Company and its Subsidiaries for the three months then ended, duly certified
by
the chief financial officer of the Company, copies of which have been furnished
to each Lender, fairly present, subject, in the case of said balance sheet
as at
March 31, 2005, and said statements of income and cash flows for the three
months then ended, to year-end audit adjustments, the Consolidated financial
condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at such dates and the
Consolidated results of the operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries
for
the periods ended on such dates, all in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied. Since December 31, 2004, there
has
been no Material Adverse Change.
(ii) The
Consolidated balance sheet of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries as at
December 31, 2004, and the related Consolidated statements of income and
cash flows of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended,
accompanied by an opinion of Ernst & Young LLP, independent public
accountants, and the Consolidated balance sheet of Great Lakes and its
Subsidiaries as at March 31, 2005, and the related Consolidated statements
of
income and cash flows of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries for the three months
then ended, duly certified by the chief financial officer of Great Lakes, copies
of which have been furnished to each Lender, fairly present, subject, in the
case of said balance sheet as at March 31, 2005, and said statements of income
and cash flows for the three months then ended, to year-end audit adjustments
and absence of footnotes, the Consolidated financial condition of Great Lakes
and its Subsidiaries as at such dates and the Consolidated results of the
operations of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on such
dates, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied. Since December 31, 2003, there has been no material
adverse change in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations
or properties of Great Lakes and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(h) The
Consolidated forecasted balance sheets, statements of income and statements
of
cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries delivered to the Agent pursuant
to Section 3.01(h)(v) were prepared in good faith on the basis of the
assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were fair in light of the
conditions existing at the time of delivery of such forecasts, it being
understood that projections are subject to significant uncertainties and
contingencies many of which are beyond the Company's control, and that no
guarantees can be giving that the forecasts will be realized.
(i) There
is
no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan
Party or any of its Subsidiaries, including any Environmental Action, pending
or
threatened before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that
(i) would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (other
than the Disclosed Litigation) or (ii) purports to affect the legality,
validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and there has been no material adverse change
in the status, or financial effect on any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries,
of the Disclosed Litigation.
(j) No
Borrower is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of
purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U
issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no proceeds
of any Advance will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock or to extend
credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin
stock.
(k) Neither
any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company,” or an
“affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an
“investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended. Neither any Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries is a
“holding company,” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” or an
“affiliate” of a “holding company” or of a “subsidiary company” of a “holding
company,” as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, as amended. Neither the making of any Advances, nor the issuance of any
Letters of Credit, nor the application of the proceeds or repayment thereof
by
the Borrower, nor the consummation of the other transactions contemplated by
the
Loan Documents, will violate any provision of any such Act or any rule,
regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder.
41
(l) Neither
the Information Memorandum nor any other information, exhibit or report
furnished by or on behalf of the Company or any other Borrower to the Agent
or
any Lender in connection with the negotiation and syndication of this Agreement
or pursuant to the terms of this Agreement contained any untrue statement of
a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements, taken as a whole, made therein not misleading in any material
respect in light of the circumstances under which such statements were
made.
(m) The
Company is, individually and together with its Subsidiaries,
Solvent.
(n) The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all
trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, technology, know-how and processes necessary
for the conduct of its business as currently conducted except for those the
failure to own or license which could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect (the “Intellectual
Property”).
No
claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning
the use of any such Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness
of
any such Intellectual Property, nor does such Borrower know of any valid basis
for any such claim, except, in either case, for such claims that in the
aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
The use of such Intellectual Property by the Company and its Subsidiaries does
not infringe on the rights of any Person, except for such claims and
infringements that, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect.
(o) (i)
No
ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to
any
Plan that has resulted in or is reasonably expected to result in a liability
of
any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate that in the aggregate could reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) Neither
any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or is reasonably expected
to
incur any Withdrawal Liability to any Multiemployer Plan that in the aggregate
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) Neither
any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of
a
Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or has
been
terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, and no such
Multiemployer Plan is reasonably expected to be in reorganization or to be
terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
(p) Except
as
could not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect, the operations and properties of the Company and
each
of its Subsidiaries comply in all material respects with all applicable
Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits, all past non-compliance with
such
Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits has been resolved without ongoing
obligations or costs, and no circumstances exist that could be reasonably likely
to (i) form the basis of an Environmental Action against the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties (whether owned, leased or
operated or formerly owned leased or operated) or (ii) cause any such
property to be subject to any restrictions on ownership, occupancy, use or
transferability under any Environmental Law.
42
(q) Each
Loan
Party and each of its Subsidiaries and Affiliates has filed, has caused to
be
filed or has been included in all material tax returns (Federal, state, local
and foreign) required to be filed and has paid all taxes shown thereon to be
due, together with applicable interest and penalties.
(r) Except
as
could not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect, neither the business nor the properties of any Loan
Party or any of its Subsidiaries are affected by any unfair labor practices
complaint, union representation campaigns, strike, lockout or other labor
dispute.
(s) Each
Loan
Party and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all contracts and
agreements to which it is a party, except such non-compliances as have not
had,
and could not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) All
Borrowers which are established in the Netherlands have verified the status
of
each Lender as a Professional Market Party and such verification has been
conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Exemption Regulation and
the Dutch Central Bank's Policy Guidelines.
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
OF THE COMPANY
SECTION
5.01. Affirmative
Covenants.
So long
as any Advance shall remain unpaid, any Bankers’ Acceptance, BA Equivalent Note
or Letter of Credit is outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment
hereunder, the Company will:
(a) Compliance
with Laws, Etc.
Comply,
and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects, with
all
applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders material to the business of
the
Company and its Subsidiaries, such compliance to include, without limitation,
compliance with ERISA, Environmental Laws and the Patriot Act.
(b) Payment
of Taxes, Etc.
Pay and
discharge, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before
the
same shall become delinquent, (i) all material taxes, assessments and
governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property and
(ii) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon its
property; provided,
however,
that
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or
discharge any such tax, assessment, charge, claim or levy that is being
contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate
reserves are being maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom
attaches to its property and becomes enforceable and enforcement thereof has
not
been stayed.
(c) Maintenance
of Insurance.
Maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with
responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations in such amounts
and covering such risks as is usually carried by companies engaged in similar
businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas in which
the
Company or such Subsidiary operates; provided,
however,
that
the Company and its Subsidiaries may self-insure to the same extent as other
companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in the
same general areas in which the Company or such Subsidiary operates and to
the
extent consistent with prudent business practice.
(d) Preservation
of Corporate Existence, Etc.
Preserve and maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to preserve and
maintain, its corporate existence, material rights (charter and statutory)
and
material franchises; provided,
however,
that
the Company and its Subsidiaries may consummate any merger or consolidation
permitted under Section 5.02(b) and provided further
that
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve
any right or franchise, or the existence of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan
Party, if the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the Company
or
such Subsidiary shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer
desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company or such Subsidiary,
as
the case may be, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any
material respect to the Company, such Subsidiary or the Lenders.
43
(e) Visitation
Rights.
At any
reasonable time and at reasonable intervals, permit the Agent or any of the
Lenders or any agents or representatives thereof, to examine and make copies
of
and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties
of, the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs,
finances and accounts of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries with any of
their officers or directors and with their independent certified public
accountants; provided
that
such visitation rights shall not include access to or review of any intellectual
property or trade secrets of the Company and provided,
further,
that,
unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company
shall have the right to have a representative present during any such discussion
with the Company's independent certified accountants.
(f) Keeping
of Books.
Keep,
and cause each of its Subsidiaries to 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 Company and each such Subsidiary in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect from time
to
time.
(g) Maintenance
of Properties, Etc.
Maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and
preserve, all of its material properties that are used or useful in the conduct
of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear,
casualty and condemnation excepted.
(h) Transactions
with Affiliates.
Conduct, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to conduct, all transactions
otherwise permitted under this Agreement with any of their Affiliates on terms
that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Company or such
Subsidiary than it would obtain in a comparable arm's-length transaction with
a
Person not an Affiliate, other than (i) intercompany transactions among the
Company and its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries, (ii) customary fees and other
benefits to non-officer directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (iii)
employment and severance arrangements with officers and employees of the Company
and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and (iv) Investments
consisting of guarantees by the Company or its Subsidiaries of Debt or other
obligations of joint ventures of the Company and its Subsidiaries in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $75,000,000 at any time outstanding.
(i) Reporting
Requirements.
Furnish
to the Lenders:
(i) as
soon
as available and in any event within 10 days after the date the Company is
required to file its Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(without giving effect to any extension of such due date, whether obtained
by
filing the notification permitted by Rule 12b-25 or any successor provision
or
otherwise), the Consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries
as of the end of such quarter and Consolidated statements of income and cash
flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the
end
of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, duly
certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by the chief financial
officer, controller or treasurer of the Company as having been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and certificates of
the
chief financial officer, controller or treasurer of the Company as to compliance
with the terms of this Agreement and setting forth in reasonable detail the
calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.03,
provided
that in
the event of any change in generally accepted accounting principles used in
the
preparation of such financial statements, the Company shall also provide, if
necessary for the determination of compliance with Section 5.03, a
statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to
GAAP;
(ii) as
soon
as available and in any event within 10 days after the date the Company is
required to file its Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(without giving effect to any extension of such due date, whether obtained
by
filing the notification permitted by Rule 12b-25 or any successor provision
or
otherwise), a copy of the annual audit report for such year for the Company
and
its Subsidiaries, containing the Consolidated balance sheet of the Company
and
its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and Consolidated statements
of income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal
year, in each case accompanied by an opinion by KPMG LLP or other nationally
recognized independent public accountants without any going concern
qualification and certificates of the chief financial officer, controller or
treasurer of the Company as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement
and
setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to demonstrate
compliance with Section 5.03, provided
that in
the event of any change in generally accepted accounting principles used in
the
preparation of such financial statements, the Company shall also provide, if
necessary for the determination of compliance with Section 5.03, a statement
of
reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP;
44
(iii) as
soon
as available and in any event within 75 days after the beginning of each fiscal
year of the Company the budget for such fiscal year of the Company for such
fiscal year certified by the chief financial officer, controller or treasurer
of
the Company;
(iv) as
soon
as possible and in any event within five days after the occurrence of each
Default continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of the chief
financial officer of the Company setting forth details of such Default and
the
action that the Company has taken and proposes to take with respect
thereto;
(v) promptly
after the sending or filing thereof, copies of all reports that the Company
sends to any of its securityholders, and copies of all reports and registration
statements that the Company or any Subsidiary files with the Securities and
Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange;
(vi) promptly
after the commencement thereof, notice of all actions and proceedings before
any
court, governmental agency or arbitrator affecting the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 4.01(i); and
(vii) such
other information respecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as any
Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request.
(j) Covenant
to Guarantee Obligations and Provide Security.
Upon
(x) the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect Subsidiaries
by
any Loan Party or (y) the commencement of the Security Period, then at the
Company's expense:
(i) within
10
Business Days after such formation or acquisition, cause each such Subsidiary
that is not (A) a controlled foreign corporation of the Company under Section
957 of the Internal Revenue Code (a “CFC”),
(B) a
Subsidiary that engages in no other activity other than the ownership of the
equity of one or more CFCs (a “CFC
Holdco”),
(C) a
special purpose corporation formed in connection with a securitization
transaction or (D) a captive insurance company (each of the Subsidiaries
described in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) being an “Excluded
Subsidiary”),
to
duly execute and deliver to the Agent a guaranty or guaranty supplement, in
form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, guaranteeing the other
Loan
Parties' obligations under the Loan Documents,
(ii) within
30
days after the commencement of the Security Period, execute, and cause each
Subsidiary that is not an Excluded Subsidiary to execute and deliver pledges,
assignments and other security agreements as specified by, and in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to, the Agent to create Liens securing
payment
of all of the “Secured Obligations” (as such term is defined in the Amended and
Restated Pledge Agreement dated as of July 31, 2007 made by the Borrower
and the
Pledgors referred to therein, as such agreement may be further amended, amended
and restated, modified or otherwise supplemented) in favor of the Agent for
the
benefit of the Lenders on the equity interests of each of the Company's
Subsidiaries; provided
that (A)
the stock of any Subsidiary held by a CFC or a CFC Holdco shall not be required
to be pledged and (B) if such new property is equity interests in a CFC or
a CFC
Holdco, no more than 66% of the equity interests in a CFC or a CFC Holdco
shall
be pledged in favor of the Agent and the Lenders,
45
(iii) if
the
Security Period is in effect, within 30 days after such formation or acquisition
of any new Subsidiary duly execute and deliver and cause such Subsidiary and
each Loan Party acquiring equity interests in such Subsidiary to duly execute
and deliver to the Agent documents as specified in clause (ii)
above,
(iv) within
60
days after such formation or acquisition or the commencement of the Security
Period, as the case may be, deliver to the Agent, upon the request of the Agent
in its sole discretion, a signed copy of a favorable opinion, addressed to
the
Agent and the Lenders, of counsel for the Loan Parties reasonably acceptable
to
the Agent as to (1) the matters contained in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii)
above, (2) such guaranties, guaranty supplements, pledges, assignments and
security agreements being legal, valid and binding obligations of each Loan
Party party thereto enforceable in accordance with their terms, (3) such
pledges, assignments, security agreements and other actions being sufficient
to
create valid perfected Liens on such equity interests and (4) such other matters
as the Agent may reasonably request,
(v) at
any
time and from time to time, promptly execute and deliver, and cause each Loan
Party and each newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary (other than any
Excluded Subsidiary) to execute and deliver, any and all further instruments
and
documents and take, and cause each Loan Party and each newly acquired or newly
formed Subsidiary (other than any Excluded Subsidiary) to take, all such other
action as the Agent may deem necessary or desirable in obtaining the full
benefits of, or in perfecting and preserving the Liens of, such guaranties,
pledges, assignments, and security agreements.
Upon
the
termination of the Security Period and at the request and sole expense of the
Company, the security interests shall terminate on and subject to the terms
of
the Collateral Documents, and the parties shall take such further action all
as
provided therein.
(k) Further
Assurances.
Promptly upon request by the Agent, or any Lender through the Agent, do,
execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and
re-register any and all such further acts, pledge agreements, assignments,
financing statements and continuations thereof, termination statements, notices
of assignment, transfers, certificates, assurances and other instruments as
the
Agent, or any Lender through the Agent, may reasonably require from time to
time
in order to (i) carry out more effectively the purposes of the Loan
Documents, (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject
any Loan Party's or any of its Subsidiaries' properties, assets, rights or
interests to the Liens now or hereafter intended to be covered by any of the
Collateral Documents, (iii) perfect and maintain the validity,
effectiveness and priority of any of the Collateral Documents and any of the
Liens intended to be created thereunder and (iv) assure, convey, grant,
assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm more effectively unto the
Secured Parties the rights granted or now or hereafter intended to be granted
to
the Secured Parties under any Loan Document or under any other instrument
executed in connection with any Loan Document to which any Loan Party or any
of
its Subsidiaries is or is to be a party, and cause each of its Subsidiaries
to
do so.
(l) Legal
Opinions With Respect to Designated Subsidiaries.
With
respect to each Subsidiary of the Company that on or prior to December 31,
2005
(i) becomes a Designated Subsidiary and (ii) receives an initial Advance or
Drawing, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered, on or prior to
January 15, 2006, to the Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to
the Agent, a favorable opinion of counsel (which may be in-house counsel) to
such Designated Subsidiary.
46
SECTION
5.02. Negative
Covenants.
So long
as any Advance shall remain unpaid, any Bankers’ Acceptance, BA Equivalent Note
or Letter of Credit is outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment
hereunder, the Company will not:
(a) Liens,
Etc.
Create
or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to create or suffer to
exist, any Lien on or with respect to any of its properties, whether now owned
or hereafter acquired, or assign, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to assign,
any right to receive income, other than:
(i) Permitted
Liens and Liens, if any, created under the Loan Documents (including, if
applicable, Liens that are required by the terms of the applicable indentures
existing on the date hereof to secure equally and ratably the Debt issued under
such indentures),
(ii) purchase
money Liens upon or in any real property or equipment acquired or held by the
Company or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business to secure the
purchase price of such property or equipment or to secure Debt incurred solely
for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property or equipment,
or
Liens existing on such property or equipment at the time of its acquisition
(other than any such Liens created in contemplation of such acquisition that
were not incurred to finance the acquisition of such property) or extensions,
renewals or replacements of any of the foregoing for the same or a lesser
amount, provided,
however,
that no
such Lien shall extend to or cover any properties of any character other than
the real property or equipment being acquired, and no such extension, renewal
or
replacement shall extend to or cover any properties not theretofore subject
to
the Lien being extended, renewed or replaced, provided further
that the
aggregate principal amount of the indebtedness secured by the Liens referred
to
in this clause (ii) shall not exceed $100,000,000 at any time
outstanding,
(iii) the
Liens
existing on the Effective Date and described on Schedule 5.02(a) hereto and
other Liens aggregating not more than $10,000,000 existing on the Effective
Date
on assets of Subsidiaries of the Company organized outside of the United
States,
(iv) Liens
on
property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or
consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or becomes a
Subsidiary of the Company; provided
that
such Liens were not created in contemplation of such merger, consolidation
or
acquisition and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person
so
merged into or consolidated with the Company or such Subsidiary or acquired
by
the Company or such Subsidiary,
(v) assignments
of the right to receive income (including factoring of accounts receivable)
or
Liens that arise in connection with receivables securitization programs, in
an
aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000,000 at any time outstanding
(for purposes of this clause (v), the “principal amount” of a receivables
securitization program shall mean the amount invested by investors that are
not
Affiliates of the company and paid to the Company or its Subsidiaries, as
reduced by the aggregate amounts received by such investors from the payment
of
receivables and applied to reduce such invested amounts)),
(vi) other
Liens securing obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed
$200,000,000 at any time outstanding ,
(vii) Liens
securing Hedge Agreements in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 at any time
outstanding, and
(viii) the
replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (iii) and
clause (iv) above upon or in the same property theretofore subject thereto
or
the replacement, extension or renewal (without increase in the amount or change
in any direct or contingent obligor) of the Debt secured thereby.
47
(b) Mergers,
Etc.
Merge
into or consolidate with any Person or permit any Person to merge into it,
or
permit any of its Subsidiaries to do so, except that:
(i) the
Company may consummate the Acquisition;
(ii) any
Subsidiary of the Company may merge into or consolidate with any other
Subsidiary of the Company; provided
that, in
the case of any such merger or consolidation, the Person formed by such merger
or consolidation shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company; and
provided further
that, in
the case of any such merger or consolidation to which a Subsidiary Guarantor
is
a party, the Person formed by such merger or consolidation shall be a Subsidiary
Guarantor;
(iii) as
part
of any acquisition permitted under Section 5.02(g), any Subsidiary of the
Company may merge into or consolidate with any other Person or permit any other
Person to merge into or consolidate with it; provided
that the
Person surviving such merger shall be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company;
and provided further
that, in
the case of any merger or consolidation to which a Subsidiary Guarantor is
a
party, the Person formed by such merger or consolidation shall be a Subsidiary
Guarantor;
(iv) as
part
of any sale or other disposition permitted under Section 5.02(f) (other than
clause (ii) thereof), any Subsidiary of the Company may merge into or
consolidate with any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into
or
consolidate with it; and
(v) any
of
the Company's Subsidiaries may merge into the Company;
provided,
however,
that in
each case, immediately before and after giving effect thereto, no Default shall
have occurred and be continuing and, in the case of any such merger to which
the
Company is a party, the Company is the surviving corporation.
(c) Accounting
Changes.
Make or
permit, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to make or permit, any change in
accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required or permitted
by
generally accepted accounting principles.
(d) Subsidiary
Debt.
Permit
any of its Subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Guarantors to create or suffer
to exist, any Debt other than:
(i) Debt
owed
to the Company or to a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company or Debt arising
under the Loan Documents,
(ii) Debt
existing on the Effective Date and described on Schedule 5.02(d) hereto
(the “Existing
Debt”),
and
any Debt extending the maturity of, or refunding or refinancing, in whole or
in
part, the Existing Debt, provided
that the
principal amount of such Existing Debt shall not be increased above the
principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such extension,
refunding or refinancing, and the direct and contingent obligors therefor shall
not be changed, as a result of or in connection with such extension, refunding
or refinancing,
(iii) Debt
secured by Liens permitted by Section 5.02(a)(ii) or (iv),
(iv) Debt
arising in connection with receivables securitization programs to the extent
permitted by Section 5.02(a)(v),
(v) Debt
of a
Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with
the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or becomes a Subsidiary of the Company;
provided
that
such Debt was not created in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or
acquisition,
48
(vi) Debt
consisting of guarantees of Debt which is otherwise permitted by this Section
5.02(d),
(vii) Hedge
Agreements permitted under Section 5.02(k) having an aggregate unrealized net
loss position, if any, on a marked to market basis determined as of any date
of
determination of Covenant Debt not to exceed $10,000,000,
(viii) other
Debt (whether secured or unsecured) to the extent such Debt would be permitted
to be secured under Section 5.02(a)(vi), and
(ix) endorsement
of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions
in
the ordinary course of business.
(e) Lease
Obligations.
Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist, any obligations as lessee for the rental
or
hire of real or personal property of any kind under sale and leaseback
arrangements that would cause the direct and contingent liabilities of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated basis, in respect of all such
obligations to exceed $50,000,000 payable in any period of 12 consecutive months
prior to the Investment Grade Rating Date, and not to exceed $100,000,000
payable in any period of 12 consecutive months on or after the Investment Grade
Rating Date.
(f) Sales,
Etc. of Assets.
Until
either (x) the Company has an Investment Grade Rating or (y) (1) the Public
Debt
Ratings are at least BB+ by S&P and Ba1 by Xxxxx'x and (2) the ratio of
Covenant Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries at such date to Consolidated
EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the most recently completed
four
consecutive fiscal quarters is less than 3.00 to 1.00, sell, lease, transfer
or
otherwise dispose of, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to sell, lease, transfer
or otherwise dispose of, any assets, or grant any option or other right to
purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any assets (unless such option is
conditioned upon approval of the Required Lenders or termination of this
Agreement), except (i) sales of inventory in the ordinary course of its
business, (ii) in a transaction authorized by subsection (b) of this
Section, (iii) in transactions between or among the Company and its Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries, (iv) dispositions of obsolete or worn-out tools, equipment or
other property no longer used or useful in business and sales of intellectual
property determined to be uneconomical, negligible or obsolete, (v) licenses
and
sub-licenses of intellectual property incurred in the ordinary course of
business, (vi) dispositions of Marketable Securities, (vii) sales of accounts
receivable to the extent permitted by Section 5.02(a)(v), (viii) leases of
real
property and (ix) (1) sales of the Organic Peroxides business, the EPDM and
Rubber Chemicals business and certain other businesses identified to the Lenders
in a letter from the Company dated May 16, 2007 (so
long
as, to the extent that there are Advances outstanding, the net cash proceeds
of
the sales of the businesses referred to in this clause (1) are used to prepay
such Advances),
and
(2) other sales of assets for fair value in an aggregate amount not to exceed
$250,000,000 in any year, provided
that in
the case of the sale of any asset in a single transaction or a series of related
transactions pursuant to this clause (ix)(2) in an aggregate amount exceeding
$50,000,000, the fair value of such asset shall have been determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g) Investments
in Other Persons.
Until
the Company has an Investment Grade Rating, make or hold, or permit any of
its
Subsidiaries to make or hold, any Investment in any Person other
than:
(i) (A)
Investments by the Company and its Subsidiaries in their Subsidiaries
outstanding on the date hereof, (B) additional Investments by the Company and
its Subsidiaries in Subsidiary Guarantors, (C) additional Investments by
Subsidiaries of the Company that are not Loan Parties in other Subsidiaries
that
are not Subsidiary Guarantors and (D) additional Investments by the Loan Parties
in Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties in an aggregate amount
invested from the date hereof not to exceed $100,000,000;
49
(ii) loans
and
advances to employees in the ordinary course of the business of the Company
and
its Subsidiaries as presently conducted in an aggregate principal amount not
to
exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(iii) Investments
existing on the date hereof, including those listed on Schedule 5.02(g), and
Investments in Marketable Securities;
(iv) Investments
consisting of intercompany Debt;
(v) Investments
received in settlement of claims against another Person in connection with
a
bankruptcy proceeding against such Person;
(vi) Investments
arising in connection with receivables securitization programs to the extent
permitted by Section 5.02(a)(v),
(vii) the
purchase or other acquisition of all of the equity interests in any Person
that,
upon the consummation thereof, will be a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company
or one or more of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries (including, without limitation,
as a result of a merger or consolidation) and the purchase or other acquisition
by the Company or one or more of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of all or
substantially all of the property and assets of any Person; provided
that,
with respect to each purchase or other acquisition made pursuant to this clause
(vii):
(A) the
Loan
Parties and any such newly created or acquired Subsidiary shall comply with
the
requirements of Section 5.01(j);
(B) the
lines
of business of the Person to be (or the property and assets of which are to
be)
so purchased or otherwise acquired shall be substantially the same lines of
business as one or more of the principal businesses of the Company and its
Subsidiaries in the ordinary course or complimentary to such lines of
business;
(C) the
total
cash consideration (including, without limitation, earnouts and other contingent
payment obligations to, and the aggregate amounts paid or to be paid under
noncompete, consulting and other affiliated agreements with, the sellers of
such
Person or assets and all assumptions of debt, liabilities and other obligations
in connection therewith) paid by or on behalf of the Company and its
Subsidiaries after July 31, 2007 for any such purchase or other acquisition,
when aggregated with the total cash consideration paid by or on behalf of the
Company and its Subsidiaries for all other purchases and other acquisitions
made
by the Company and its Subsidiaries pursuant to this clause (vii), shall not
exceed $150,000,000;
(D) (1)
immediately before and immediately after giving effect to any such purchase
or
other acquisition, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (2)
immediately after giving effect to such purchase or other acquisition, the
Company and its Subsidiaries shall be in pro forma compliance with all of the
covenants set forth in Section 5.03, such compliance to be determined on the
basis of financial statements of such Person or assets as though such purchase
or other acquisition had been consummated as of the first day of the fiscal
period covered thereby; and
(E) the
Company shall have delivered to the Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, at least
five Business Days prior to the date on which any such purchase or other
acquisition is to be consummated, a certificate of the chief financial officer,
controller or treasurer of the Company, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent, certifying that all of the requirements set forth
in
this clause (vii) have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or prior to the
consummation of such purchase or other acquisition; and
50
(viii) Investments
by the Company and its Subsidiaries after July 31, 2007 which are not otherwise
permitted under this Section 5.02(g) in an aggregate amount not to exceed
$100,000,000; provided
that,
with respect to each Investment made after the date hereof pursuant to this
clause (viii):
(A) such
Investment shall be in property and assets which are part of, or in lines of
business that are, substantially the same lines of business as one or more
of
the principal businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary
course or complimentary lines of business;
(B) any
determination of the amount of such Investment shall include all cash
consideration (including, without limitation, earnouts and other contingent
payment obligations to, and the aggregate amounts paid or to be paid under
noncompete, consulting and other affiliated agreements with, the sellers of
such
investment and all assumptions of debt, liabilities and other obligations in
connection therewith) paid by or on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries
in connection with such Investment; and
(C) (1)
immediately before and immediately after giving effect to any such purchase
or
other acquisition, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (2)
immediately after giving effect to such purchase or other acquisition, the
Company and its Subsidiaries shall be in pro forma compliance with all of the
covenants set forth in Section 5.03, such compliance to be determined on the
basis of financial statements for such Investment as though such Investment
had
been consummated as of the first day of the fiscal period covered
thereby.
(h) Change
in Nature of Business.
(i)
Make, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to make, any material change in the
nature of its business as carried on at the date hereof; (ii) permit any entity
created as a special purpose entity in connection with any receivables
securitization program to own any material assets or have any material
liabilities other than in connection with its activities as a special purpose
vehicle to facilitate such receivables securitization program; and (iii) permit
Crompton International Corp. to engage in any material operations, or own any
material assets or have any material liabilities other than its ownership of
the
equity interests of Subsidiaries of the Company organized in jurisdictions
outside of the United States, in each case so long as Crompton International
Corp. is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.
(i) Negative
Pledge.
Enter
into or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to enter into or
suffer to exist, any agreement prohibiting or conditioning the creation or
assumption of any Lien upon any of its property or assets except
(i) agreements in favor of the Lenders or (ii) prohibitions or
conditions under (A) indentures, agreements or instruments in effect on the
date hereof and any similar indentures, agreements or instruments that are
no
more restrictive as to the ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to incur
Liens than such existing indentures, agreements or instruments, (B) any
purchase money Debt solely to the extent that the agreement or instrument
governing such Debt prohibits a Lien on the property acquired with the proceeds
of such Debt, (C) any Capitalized Lease solely to the extent that such
Capitalized Lease prohibits a Lien on the property subject thereto, (D) any
agreement in effect on the date any Person first becomes a Subsidiary of the
Company (so long as such agreement was not entered into solely in contemplation
of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Company), (E) any restrictions
consisting of customary provisions restricting assignment, subletting or other
transfers contained in leases, licenses and other agreements entered into in
the
ordinary course of business so long as such restrictions do not extend to assets
other than those that are the subject of such lease, license or other agreement
or (F) restrictions with respect to any asset pending the close of the sale
of
such asset.
51
(j) Partnerships,
Etc.
Until
the Company has an Investment Grade Rating, become a general partner in any
general or limited partnership or joint venture, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to do so, other than any Subsidiary the sole assets of which
consist of its interest in such partnership or joint venture.
(k) Speculative
Transactions.
Engage,
or permit any of its Subsidiaries to engage, in any transaction involving
commodity options or futures contracts or any similar speculative transactions
(including, without limitation, take-or-pay contracts) solely for speculative
purposes or other than for the purpose of hedging risks associated with the
businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of such
businesses.
(l) Payment
Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
Directly or indirectly, enter into or suffer to exist, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to enter into or suffer to exist, any agreement or arrangement
limiting the ability of any of its Subsidiaries to declare or pay dividends
or
other distributions in respect of its Equity Interests or repay or prepay any
Debt owed to, make loans or advances to, or otherwise transfer assets to or
make
Investments in, the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (whether through
a
covenant restricting dividends, loans, asset transfers or investments, a
financial covenant or otherwise), except (i) the Loan Documents, (ii) any
indenture, agreement or instrument existing on the date hereof and any similar
indentures, agreements or instruments that are no more restrictive as to the
ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to declare or pay dividends or other
distributions in respect of its Equity Interests or repay or prepay any Debt
than such existing indentures, agreements or instruments, (iii) any agreement
in
effect at the time a Person first became a Subsidiary of the Company, so long
as
such agreement was not entered into solely in contemplation of such Person
becoming a Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any restrictions consisting of
customary provisions restricting assignment, subletting or other transfers
contained in leases, licenses and other agreements entered into in the ordinary
course of business so long as such restrictions do not extend to assets other
than those that are the subject of such lease, license or other agreement,
(v)
restrictions with respect to any asset pending the close of the sale of such
asset, (vi) any restriction or encumbrance on the transfer of any assets subject
to the Liens permitted by Section 5.02(a)(ii) or (v), or (vii) under applicable
law.
SECTION
5.03. Financial
Covenants.
So long
as any Advance shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit is outstanding or
any
Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Company will:
(a) Leverage
Ratio.
Maintain, as of any date, a ratio of Covenant Debt of the Company and its
Subsidiaries at such date to Consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for the most recently completed four consecutive fiscal quarters
of
not greater than the amount set forth below for each period set forth
below:
Quarter
Ending
On
|
Ratio
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
September
30, 2005
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
December
31, 2005
|
3.25
: 1.00
|
|
March
31, 2006
|
3.25
: 1.00
|
|
June
30, 2006
|
3.25
: 1.00
|
|
September
30, 2006
|
3.25
: 1.00
|
|
December
31, 2006
|
3.00
: 1.00
|
|
March
31, 2007
|
3.70
:1.00
|
|
June
30, 2007
|
3.70
:1.00
|
|
September
30, 2007
|
3.00
:1.00
|
|
December
31, 2007 and thereafter
|
3.00
:1.00
|
52
(b) Interest
Coverage Ratio.
Maintain a ratio of Consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries
to
Interest Expense of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case for the
period of four consecutive financial quarters most recently ended of not less
than the amount set forth below for each period set forth below:
Quarter
Ending
On
|
Ratio
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
3.75
: 1.00
|
|
September
30, 2005
|
3.75
: 1.00
|
|
December
31, 2005
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
March
31, 2006
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
June
30, 2006
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
September
30, 2006
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
December
31, 2006
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
March
31, 2007
|
3.80
: 1.00
|
|
June
30, 2007
|
4.00
: 1.00
|
|
September
30, 2007 and thereafter
|
4.50
: 1.00
|
ARTICLE
VI
EVENTS
OF
DEFAULT
SECTION
6.01. Events
of Default.
If any
of the following events (“Events
of Default”)
shall
occur and be continuing:
(a) The
Company or any other Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Advance
when the same becomes due and payable; or the Company or any other Borrower
shall fail to pay any interest on any Advance or make any other payment of
fees
or other amounts payable under this Agreement or any Note within three Business
Days after the same becomes due and payable; or
(b) Any
representation or warranty made by any Loan Party herein or by any Loan Party
(or any of its officers) in connection with this Agreement or by any Designated
Subsidiary in the Designation Agreement pursuant to which such Designated
Subsidiary became a Borrower hereunder shall prove to have been incorrect in
any
material respect when made; or
(c) (i) The
Company shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement
contained in Section 5.01(d), (e), (h) or (i), 5.02 or 5.03, or
(ii) the Company shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant
or agreement contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or observed
if such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written notice thereof
shall have been given to the Company by the Agent or any Lender; or
(d) The
Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall fail to pay any principal of or premium
or interest on any Debt that is outstanding in a principal or notional amount
of
at least $25,000,000 in the aggregate (but excluding Debt outstanding hereunder)
of the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may be), when the same becomes
due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment,
acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the
applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument
relating to such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist
under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt and shall continue
after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or
instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate, or to
permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Debt; or any such Debt shall
be
declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid or redeemed (other
than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or redemption), purchased
or
defeased, or an offer to prepay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall
be
required to be made (other than prepayments on customary terms in connection
with sales of assets), in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof;
or
53
(e) The
Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall generally not pay its debts as such
debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts
generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors;
or
any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking
liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection,
relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of
an
order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other
similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in
the
case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it),
either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of
60
days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including, without
limitation, the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of
a
receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any
substantial part of its property) shall occur; or the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions
set
forth above in this subsection (e); or
(f) Judgments
or orders for the payment of money in excess of $25,000,000 in the aggregate
shall be rendered against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and either
(i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon
such judgment or order and not been stayed or (ii) there shall be any
period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such
judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be
in
effect; provided,
however,
that
any such judgment or order shall not be an Event of Default under this
Section 6.01(f) if and for so long as (i) the amount of such judgment
or order is covered by a valid and binding policy of insurance between the
defendant and the insurer covering payment thereof and (ii) such insurer,
which shall be rated at least “A” by A.M. Best Company, has been notified of,
and has not disputed in writing the claim made for payment of, the amount of
such judgment or order; or
(g) (i) Any
Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired beneficial
ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly,
of Voting Stock of the Company (or other securities convertible into such Voting
Stock) representing 35% or more of the combined voting power of all Voting
Stock
of the Company; or (ii) during any period of up to 24 consecutive months,
commencing after the date of this Agreement, individuals who at the beginning
of
such 24-month period were directors of the Company, together with individuals
who were either (x) elected by a majority of the remaining members of the board
of directors of the Company or (y) nominated for election by a majority of
the
remaining members of the board of directors of the Company, shall cease for
any
reason to constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Company;
or
(h) The
Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates shall incur, or shall be reasonably
likely to incur liability in excess of $25,000,000 in the aggregate as a result
of one or more of the following: (i) the occurrence of any ERISA Event;
(ii) the partial or complete withdrawal of the Company or any of its ERISA
Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan; or (iii) the reorganization or
termination of a Multiemployer Plan; or
(i) any
Guaranty or any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to
Section 3.01 or 5.01(j) shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding
on or enforceable against any Loan Party party to it, or any such Loan Party
shall so state in writing;
then,
and
in any such event, the Agent (i) shall at the request, or may with the
consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrowers, declare the
obligation of each Lender to make Advances (other than Advances to be made
by an
Issuing Bank or a Lender pursuant to Section 2.03(c)), each Canadian Lender
to
accept and/or purchase Bankers’ Acceptances and/or make BA Equivalent Notes and
of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit to be terminated, whereupon
the
same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) shall at the request, or may with
the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrowers, declare the
Advances, the Bankers’ Acceptances and the BA Equivalent Notes, all interest
thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement to be forthwith
due
and payable, whereupon the Advances, the Bankers’ Acceptances and the BA
Equivalent Notes, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be
forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further
notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by each Borrower;
provided,
however,
that in
the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect
to
the Company or any other Borrower under any Bankruptcy Law, (A) the
obligation of each Lender to make Advances (other than Advances to be made
by an
Issuing Bank or a Lender pursuant to Section 2.03(c)), each Canadian Lender
to
accept and/or purchase Bankers’ Acceptances and/or make BA Equivalent Notes and
of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit shall automatically be
terminated and (B) the Advances, the Bankers’ Acceptances and the BA
Equivalent Notes, all such interest and all such amounts shall automatically
become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any
notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by each
Borrower.
54
SECTION
6.02. Actions
in Respect of the Letters of Credit upon Default.
If any
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Agent may with
the
consent, or shall at the request, of the Required Lenders, irrespective of
whether it is taking any of the actions described in Section 6.01 or otherwise,
make demand upon the Borrowers to, and forthwith upon such demand the Borrowers
will, (a) pay to the Agent on behalf of the Lenders in same day funds at the
Agent's office designated in such demand, for deposit in the L/C Cash Deposit
Account, an amount equal to the aggregate Available Amount of all Letters of
Credit then outstanding or (b) make such other arrangements in respect of the
outstanding Letters of Credit as shall be acceptable
to the Required Lenders and not more disadvantageous to the Borrowers than
clause (a);
provided,
however,
that in
the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect
to
any Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, an amount equal to the aggregate
Available Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit shall be immediately
due
and payable to the Agent for the account of the Lenders without notice to or
demand upon the Borrowers, which are expressly waived by each Borrower, to
be
held in the L/C Cash Deposit Account. If at any time an Event of Default is
continuing the Agent determines that any funds held in the L/C Cash Deposit
Account are subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Agent
and
the Lenders or that the total amount of such funds is less than the aggregate
Available Amount of all Letters of Credit, the Borrowers will, forthwith upon
demand by the Agent, pay to the Agent, as additional funds to be deposited
and
held in the L/C Cash Deposit Account, an amount equal to the excess of (a)
such
aggregate Available Amount over (b) the total amount of funds, if any, then
held
in the L/C Cash Deposit Account that the Agent determines to be free and clear
of any such right and claim. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit, to the
extent funds are on deposit in the L/C Cash Deposit Account, such funds shall
be
applied to reimburse the Issuing Banks to the extent permitted by applicable
law. After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn
upon and all other obligations of the Borrowers hereunder and under the Notes
shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such L/C Cash Deposit
Account shall be returned to the Borrowers.
ARTICLE
VII
GUARANTY
SECTION
7.01. Unconditional
Guaranty.
(a)
Each Guarantor, jointly and severally, hereby absolutely, unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantees the punctual payment when due, whether at scheduled
maturity or on any date of a required prepayment or by acceleration, demand
or
otherwise, of all obligations of each other Loan Party now or hereafter existing
under or in respect of the Loan Documents (including, without limitation, any
extensions, modifications, substitutions, amendments or renewals of any or
all
of the foregoing obligations), whether direct or indirect, absolute or
contingent, and whether for principal, interest, premiums, fees, indemnities,
contract causes of action, costs, expenses or otherwise (such obligations being
the “Guaranteed
Obligations”),
and
agrees to pay any and all expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable
fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by the Agent or any Lender in enforcing
any rights under this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, each Guarantor's liability shall extend to all amounts that
constitute part of the Guaranteed Obligations and would be owed by any other
Loan Party to the Agent or any Lender under or in respect of the Loan Documents
but for the fact that they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the
existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving other
Loan Party.
55
(b) Each
Guarantor, and by its acceptance of this Guaranty, the Agent and each Lender,
hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such Persons that this Guaranty
and the obligations of each
Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder not constitute a fraudulent transfer or
conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance
Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar foreign, federal or
state law to the extent applicable to this Guaranty and the obligations of
each
Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the
Agent, the Lenders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the
obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under this Guaranty at any time shall
be limited to the maximum amount as will result in the obligations of such
Guarantor under this Guaranty not constituting a fraudulent transfer or
conveyance.
(c) Each
Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that in the event any
payment shall be required to be made to the Agent or any Lender under this
Guaranty or any other guaranty, such Guarantor will contribute, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, such amounts to each other Guarantor and each other
guarantor so as to maximize the aggregate amount paid to the Agent and the
Lenders under or in respect of the Loan Documents.
SECTION
7.02. Guaranty
Absolute.
(a)
Each Guarantor guarantees that the Guaranteed Obligations will be paid strictly
in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, regardless of any law,
regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting
any
of such terms or the rights of the Agent or any Lender with respect thereto.
The
obligations of each Guarantor under or in respect of this Guaranty are
independent of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other obligations of any other
Loan Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents, and a separate action
or
actions may be brought and prosecuted against each Guarantor to enforce this
Guaranty, irrespective of whether any action is brought against any other Loan
Party or whether any other Loan Party is joined in any such action or actions.
The liability of each Guarantor under this Guaranty shall be irrevocable,
absolute and unconditional irrespective of, and each Guarantor hereby
irrevocably waives any defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire in any
way
relating to, any or all of the following:
(a) any
lack
of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or any agreement or
instrument relating thereto;
(b) any
change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of,
all
or any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other obligations of any other
Loan
Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents, or any other amendment or
waiver of or any consent to departure from any Loan Document, including, without
limitation, any increase in the Guaranteed Obligations resulting from the
extension of additional credit to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries
or
otherwise;
(c) any
taking, exchange, release or non-perfection of any collateral, or any taking,
release or amendment or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any other
guaranty, for all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(d) any
manner of application of any collateral, or proceeds thereof, to all or any
of
the Guaranteed Obligations, or any manner of sale or other disposition of any
collateral for all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other obligations
of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents or any other assets of any Loan
Party
or any of its Subsidiaries;
(e) any
change, restructuring or termination of the corporate structure or existence
of
any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries;
(f) any
failure of the Agent or any Lender to disclose to any Loan Party any information
relating to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations,
performance, properties or prospects of any other Loan Party now or hereafter
known to the Agent or such Lender (each Guarantor waiving any duty on the part
of the Agent and the Lenders to disclose such information);
56
(g) the
failure of any other Person to execute or deliver this Agreement, any Guaranty
Supplement or any other guaranty or agreement or the release or reduction of
liability of any Guarantor or other guarantor or surety with respect to the
Guaranteed Obligations; or
(h) any
other
circumstance (including, without limitation, any statute of limitations) or
any
existence of or reliance on any representation by the Agent or any Lender that
might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan
Party or any other guarantor or surety.
This
Guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be,
if
at any time any payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or
must otherwise be returned by the Agent or any Lender or any other Person upon
the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any other Loan Party or
otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.
SECTION
7.03. Waivers
and Acknowledgments.
(a)
Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives promptness,
diligence, notice of acceptance, presentment, demand for performance, notice
of
nonperformance, default, acceleration, protest or dishonor and any other notice
with respect to any of the Guaranteed Obligations and this Guaranty and any
requirement that the Agent or any Lender protect, secure, perfect or insure
any
Lien or any property subject thereto or exhaust any right or take any action
against any Loan Party or any other Person or any collateral.
(b) Each
Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives any right to revoke
this
Guaranty and acknowledges that this Guaranty is continuing in nature and applies
to all Guaranteed Obligations, whether existing now or in the
future.
(c) Each
Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives (i) any defense
arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies
by
the Agent or any Lender that in any manner impairs, reduces, releases or
otherwise adversely affects the subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration,
contribution or indemnification rights of such Guarantor or other rights of
such
Guarantor to proceed against any of the other Loan Parties, any other guarantor
or any other Person or any collateral and (ii) any defense based on any
right of set-off or counterclaim against or in respect of the obligations of
such Guarantor hereunder.
(d) Each
Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives any duty on the part
of
the Agent or any Lender to disclose to such Guarantor any matter, fact or thing
relating to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations,
performance, properties or prospects of any other Loan Party or any of its
Subsidiaries now or hereafter known by the Agent or such Lender.
(e) Each
Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive substantial direct and indirect
benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Loan Documents
and
that the waivers set forth in Section 7.02 and this Section 7.03 are
knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.
SECTION
7.04. Subrogation.
Each
Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees not to exercise any
rights that it may now have or hereafter acquire against any other Loan Party
or
any other insider guarantor that arise from the existence, payment, performance
or enforcement of such Guarantor's obligations under or in respect of this
Guaranty or any other Loan Document, including, without limitation, any right
of
subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification and
any
right to participate in any claim or remedy of the Agent or any Lender against
any other Loan Party or any other insider guarantor or any collateral, whether
or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract, statute
or common law, including, without limitation, the right to take or receive
from
any other Loan Party or any other insider guarantor, directly or indirectly,
in
cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security
on account of such claim, remedy or right, unless and until all of the
Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty shall
have been paid in full in cash, all Letters of Credit shall have expired or
been
terminated and the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated. If any
amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in violation of the immediately preceding
sentence at any time prior to the latest of (a) the payment in full in cash
of the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty,
(b) the Termination Date and (c) the latest date of expiration or
termination of all Letters of Credit, such amount shall be received and held
in
trust for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders, shall be segregated from
other property and funds of such Guarantor and shall forthwith be paid or
delivered to the Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary
endorsement or assignment) to be credited and applied to the Guaranteed
Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty, whether matured
or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, or to be
held
as collateral for any Guaranteed Obligations or other amounts payable under
this
Guaranty thereafter arising. If (i) any Guarantor shall make payment to the
Agent or any Lender of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations,
(ii) all of the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under
this Guaranty shall have been paid in full in cash, (iii) the Termination
Date shall have occurred and (iv) all Letters of Credit shall have expired
or been terminated, the Agent and the Lenders will, at such Guarantor's request
and expense, execute and deliver to such Guarantor appropriate documents,
without recourse and without representation or warranty, necessary to evidence
the transfer by subrogation to such Guarantor of an interest in the Guaranteed
Obligations resulting from such payment made by such Guarantor pursuant to
this
Guaranty.
57
SECTION
7.05. Subordination.
Each
Guarantor hereby subordinates any and all debts, liabilities and other
obligations owed to such Guarantor by each other Loan Party (the “Subordinated
Obligations”)
to the
Guaranteed Obligations to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth
in
this Section 7.05:
(a) Prohibited
Payments, Etc.
Except
during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a) or (e)
(including the commencement and continuation of any proceeding under any
Bankruptcy Law relating to such Loan Party), each Guarantor may receive
regularly scheduled payments from such Loan Party on account of the Subordinated
Obligations. After the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of
Default under Section 6.01(a) or (e) (including the commencement and
continuation of any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law relating to such Loan
Party), however, unless the Required Lenders otherwise agree, no Guarantor
shall
demand, accept or take any action to collect any payment on account of the
Subordinated Obligations.
(b) Prior
Payment of Guaranteed Obligations.
In any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law relating to such Loan Party, each Guarantor
agrees that the Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to receive payment
in
full in cash of all Guaranteed Obligations (including all interest and expenses
accruing after the commencement of a proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law,
whether or not constituting an allowed claim in such proceeding (“Post
Petition Interest”))
before such Guarantor receives payment of any Subordinated
Obligations.
(c) Turn-Over.
After
the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default under Section
6.01(a) or (e) (including the commencement and continuation of any proceeding
under any Bankruptcy Law relating to such Loan Party), each Guarantor shall,
if
the Agent so requests, collect, enforce and receive payments on account of
the
Subordinated Obligations as trustee for the Agent and the Lenders and deliver
such payments to the Agent on account of the Guaranteed Obligations (including
all Post Petition Interest), together with any necessary endorsements or other
instruments of transfer, but without reducing or affecting in any manner the
liability of such Guarantor under the other provisions of this
Guaranty.
(d) Agent
Authorization.
After
the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default under Section
6.01(a) or (e) (including the commencement and continuation of any proceeding
under any Bankruptcy Law relating to such Loan Party), the Agent is authorized
and empowered (but without any obligation to so do), in its discretion, (i)
in
the name of each Guarantor, to collect and enforce, and to submit claims in
respect of, Subordinated Obligations and to apply any amounts received thereon
to the Guaranteed Obligations (including any and all Post Petition Interest),
and (ii) to require each Guarantor (A) to collect and enforce, and to submit
claims in respect of, Subordinated Obligations and (B) to pay any amounts
received on such obligations to the Agent for application to the Guaranteed
Obligations (including any and all Post Petition Interest).
SECTION
7.06. Guaranty
Supplements.
Upon
the
execution and delivery by any Person of a guaranty supplement in substantially
the form of Exhibit F hereto (each, a “Guaranty
Supplement”),
(a) such Person shall be referred to as an “Additional
Guarantor”
and
shall become and be a Guarantor hereunder, and each reference in this Guaranty
to a “Guarantor” shall also mean and be a reference to such Additional
Guarantor, and each reference in any other Loan Document to a “Subsidiary
Guarantor” shall also mean and be a reference to such Additional Guarantor, and
(b) each reference herein to “this Guaranty,” “hereunder,” “hereof” or
words of like import referring to this Guaranty, and each reference in any
other
Loan Document to the “Guaranty,” “thereunder,” “thereof” or words of like import
referring to this Guaranty, shall mean and be a reference to this Guaranty
as
supplemented by such Guaranty Supplement.
58
SECTION
7.07. Continuing
Guaranty; Assignments.
This
Guaranty is a continuing guaranty and shall (a) remain in full force and
effect until the latest of (i) the payment in full in cash of the
Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty, (ii)
the Termination Date and (iii) the latest date of expiration or termination
of all Letters of Credit, (b) be binding upon each Guarantor, its
successors and assigns and (c) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable
by the Agent and the Lenders and their successors, transferees and assigns.
Without limiting the generality of clause (c) of the immediately preceding
sentence, the Agent or any Lender may assign or otherwise transfer all or any
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, all or any portion of its Commitments, the Advances owing to it
and
any Note or Notes held by it) to any other Person, and such other Person shall
thereupon become vested with all the benefits in respect thereof granted to
the
Agent or such Lender herein or otherwise, in each case as and to the extent
provided in Section 9.07. No Guarantor shall have the right to assign its
rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of
the
Lenders.
ARTICLE
VIII
THE
AGENT
SECTION
8.01. Authorization
and Action.
Each
Lender (in its capacities as a Lender and Issuing Bank, as applicable) hereby
appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf
and
to exercise such powers and discretion under this Agreement as are delegated
to
the Agent by the terms hereof, together with such powers and discretion as
are
reasonably incidental thereto. As to any matters not expressly provided for
by
this Agreement (including, without limitation, enforcement or collection of
the
Loan Documents), the Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion
or
take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and
shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the
instructions of the Required Lenders, and such instructions shall be binding
upon all Lenders and all holders of Notes; provided,
however,
that
the Agent shall not be required to take any action that exposes the Agent to
personal liability or that is contrary to this Agreement, any other Loan
Document or applicable law. The Agent agrees to give to each Lender prompt
notice of each notice given to it by the Company or any other Loan Party
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
SECTION
8.02. Agent's
Reliance, Etc.
Neither
the Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be
liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or them under or in
connection with any Loan Document, except for its or their own gross negligence
or willful misconduct. Without limitation of the generality of the foregoing,
the Agent: (i) may treat the Lender
that made any Advance as the holder of the Debt resulting therefrom until the
Agent receives and accepts an Assumption Agreement entered into by an Assuming
Lender as provided in Section 2.18 or an Assignment and Acceptance entered
into
by such Lender, as assignor, and an Eligible Assignee, as assignee, as provided
in Section 9.07; (ii) may consult with legal counsel (including
counsel for the Company), independent public accountants and other experts
selected by it and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be
taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel,
accountants or experts; (iii) makes no warranty or representation to any
Lender and shall not be responsible to any Lender for any statements, warranties
or representations (whether written or oral) made in or in connection with
any
Loan Document; (iv) shall not have any duty to ascertain or to inquire as
to the performance, observance or satisfaction of any of the terms, covenants
or
conditions of any Loan Document on the part of any Loan Party or the existence
at any time of any Default or to inspect the property (including the books
and
records) of the Company or any other Loan Party; (v) shall not be
responsible to any Lender for the due execution, legality, validity,
enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of, or the perfection or
priority of any lien or security interest created or purported to be created
under or in connection with, any Loan Document or any other instrument or
document furnished pursuant hereto; and (vi) shall incur no liability under
or in respect of any Loan Document by acting upon any notice, consent,
certificate or other instrument or writing (which may be by telecopier or
telegram) believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent by the proper party
or
parties.
59
SECTION
8.03. Citibank
and Affiliates.
With
respect to its Commitments, the Advances made by it and the Note issued to
it,
Citibank shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any
other
Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent; and the term
“Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated, include
Citibank in its individual capacity. Citibank and its Affiliates may accept
deposits from, lend money to, act as trustee under indentures of, accept
investment banking engagements from and generally engage in any kind of business
with, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries and any Person who may do business
with or own securities of the Company or any such Subsidiary, all as if Citibank
were not the Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.
The
Agent shall have no duty to disclose any information obtained or received by
it
or any of its Affiliates relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to
the extent such information was obtained or received in any capacity other
than
as Agent.
SECTION
8.04. Lender
Credit Decision.
Each
Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the
Agent or any other Lender and based on the financial statements referred to
in
Section 4.01 and such other documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this
Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without
reliance upon the 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 decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement.
SECTION
8.05. Indemnification.
(a)
Each Lender severally agrees to indemnify the Agent (to the extent not
reimbursed by the Company) from and against such Lender's Ratable Share of
any
and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, actions, judgments, suits,
costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever that may
be
imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against the Agent in any way relating
to or
arising out of the Loan Documents or any action taken or omitted by the Agent
in
its capacity as such under the Loan Documents (collectively, the “Indemnified
Costs”),
provided
that no
Lender shall be liable for any portion of the Indemnified Costs resulting from
the Agent's gross negligence or willful misconduct. Without limitation of the
foregoing, each Lender agrees to reimburse the Agent promptly upon demand for
its Ratable Share of any out-of-pocket expenses (including counsel fees)
incurred by the Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery,
administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through
negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect
of
rights or responsibilities under, the Loan Documents, to the extent that the
Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by the Company. In the case of any
investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Costs,
this Section 8.05 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or
proceeding is brought by the Agent, any Lender or a third party.
(b) Each
Lender severally agrees to indemnify the Issuing Banks (to the extent not
promptly reimbursed by the Company) from and against such Lender's Ratable
Share
of any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, actions, judgments,
suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever that
may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against any such Issuing Bank in
any
way relating to or arising out of the Loan Documents or any action taken or
omitted by such Issuing Bank in its capacity as such hereunder or in connection
herewith; provided,
however,
that no
Lender shall be liable for any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses,
damages, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting
from such Issuing Bank's gross negligence or willful misconduct. Without
limitation of the foregoing, each Lender agrees to reimburse any such Issuing
Bank promptly upon demand for its Ratable Share of any costs and expenses
(including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) payable by the
Company under Section 9.04, to the extent that such Issuing Bank is not promptly
reimbursed for such costs and expenses by the Company.
(c) The
failure of any Lender to reimburse the Agent or any Issuing Bank promptly upon
demand for its Ratable Share of any amount required to be paid by the Lenders
to
the Agent as provided herein shall not relieve any other Lender of its
obligation hereunder to reimburse the Agent or any Issuing Bank for its Ratable
Share of such amount, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of
any
other Lender to reimburse the Agent or any Issuing Bank for such other Lender's
Ratable Share of such amount. Without prejudice to the survival of any other
agreement of any Lender hereunder, the agreement and obligations of each Lender
contained in this Section 8.05 shall survive the payment in full of principal,
interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the Notes. Each
of
the Agent and each Issuing Bank agrees to return to the Lenders their respective
Ratable Shares of any amounts paid under this Section 8.05 that are subsequently
reimbursed by the Company.
60
SECTION
8.06. Successor
Agent.
The
Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders
and
the Company and may be removed at any time with or without cause by the Required
Lenders. Upon any such resignation or removal, the Required Lenders shall have
the right to appoint a successor Agent with the consent of the Company, so
long
as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If no successor Agent shall
have
been so appointed by the Required Lenders, and shall have accepted such
appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Agent's giving of notice of
resignation or the Required Lenders' removal of the retiring Agent, then the
retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent, which
shall be a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of
America or of any State thereof and having a combined capital and surplus of
at
least $500,000,000. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Agent hereunder
by
a successor Agent, such successor Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become
vested with all the rights, powers, discretion, privileges and duties of the
retiring Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties
and
obligations under this Agreement. After any retiring Agent's resignation or
removal hereunder as Agent, the provisions of this Article VIII shall inure
to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it
was
Agent under this Agreement.
SECTION
8.07. Sub-Agent.
The
Sub-Agent has been designated under this Agreement to carry out duties of the
Agent. The Sub-Agent shall be subject to each of the obligations in this
Agreement to be performed by the Sub-Agent, and each of the Company, each other
Borrower, the Lenders and the Canadian Lenders agrees that the Sub-Agent shall
be entitled to exercise each of the rights and shall be entitled to each of
the
benefits of the Agent under this Agreement as relate to the performance of
its
obligations hereunder. References in Sections 2.14 and 2.19 to the Agent shall
also include the Sub-Agent.
SECTION
8.08. Other
Agents.
Each
Lender hereby acknowledges that none of the syndication agents, the
documentation agents nor any other Lender designated as any “Agent” on the
signature pages hereof has any liability hereunder other than in its capacity
as
a Lender.
ARTICLE
IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION
9.01. Amendments,
Etc.
No
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes, nor consent
to any departure by any Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective
unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders, and
then
such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and
for
the specific purpose for which given; provided,
however,
that no
amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by all the
Lenders, do any of the following: (a) waive any of the conditions specified
in Section 3.01, (b) increase the Commitments of the Lenders other
than in accordance with Section 2.18, (c) reduce the principal of, or
interest on, the Advances, the Face Amount of any Bankers’ Acceptances or BA
Equivalent Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder,
(d) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest
on, the Advances, the Face Amount of any Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent
Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, (e) change the
percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of
the
Advances, the Face Amount of any Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes, or
the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them
to
take any action hereunder, (f) release one or more Guarantors (or otherwise
limit such Guarantors' liability with respect to the obligations owing to the
Agent and the Lenders under the Guaranties) if such release or limitation is
in
respect of all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranties to the
Lenders, (g) during the Security Period, release all or substantially all of
the
Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, (h) amend
this
Section 9.01, or (i) extend the Termination Date; and provided further
that (x)
no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the
Agent
in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights
or duties of the Agent under this Agreement or any Note and (y) no amendment,
waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Canadian Lenders
or
the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, in addition to the Lenders required
above
to take such action, adversely affect the rights or obligations of the Canadian
Lenders or the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, in their capacities as such
under this Agreement.
SECTION
9.02. Notices,
Etc.
(a) All
notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be either (x)
in
writing (including telecopier or telegraphic communication) and mailed,
telecopied, telegraphed or delivered or (y) as and to the extent set forth
in
Section 9.02(b) and in the proviso to this Section 9.02(a), if to the Company
or
any other Borrower, at the Company's address at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Treasurer, with a copy to General Counsel; if
to
any Initial Lender, at its Domestic Lending Office specified opposite its name
on Schedule I hereto; if to any other Lender, at its Domestic Lending
Office specified in the Assumption Agreement or the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which it became a Lender; and if to the Agent, at its address at
Two
Penns Way, New Castle, 19720, Attention: Bank Loan Syndications Department;
or,
as to the Company or the Agent, at such other address as shall be designated
by
such party in a written notice to the other parties and, as to each other party,
at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice
to the Company and the Agent, provided
that
materials required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(i)(i), (ii) or
(v)
shall be delivered to the Agent as specified in Section 9.02(b) or as otherwise
specified to the Company by the Agent. All such notices and communications
shall, when mailed, telecopied, telegraphed or e-mailed, be effective when
deposited in the mails, telecopied, delivered to the telegraph company or
confirmed by e-mail, respectively, except that notices and communications to
the
Agent pursuant to Article II, III or VIII shall not be effective until
received by the Agent. Delivery by telecopier of an executed counterpart of
any
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes or of any
Exhibit hereto to be executed and delivered hereunder shall be effective as
delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.
61
(b) So
long
as Citibank or any of its Affiliates is the Agent, materials required to be
delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(i)(i), (ii) and (v) shall be delivered to
the
Agent in an electronic medium in a format acceptable to the Agent and the
Lenders by e-mail at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx. The Company agrees that
the
Agent may make such materials, as well as any other written information,
documents, instruments and other material relating to the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any other materials or matters relating to this Agreement,
the
Notes or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (collectively, the
“Communications”)
available to the Lenders by posting such notices on Intralinks or a
substantially similar electronic system (the “Platform”).
The
Company acknowledges that (i) the distribution of material through an electronic
medium is not necessarily secure and that there are confidentiality and other
risks associated with such distribution, (ii) the Platform is provided “as is”
and “as available” and (iii) neither the Agent nor any of its Affiliates
warrants the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the Communications or the
Platform and each expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in
the
Communications or the Platform. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or
statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third party rights or
freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by the Agent or any of
its
Affiliates in connection with the Platform.
(c) Each
Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) (a
“Notice”)
specifying that any Communications have been posted to the Platform shall
constitute effective delivery of such information, documents or other materials
to such Lender for purposes of this Agreement; provided
that if
requested by any Lender the Agent shall deliver a copy of the Communications
to
such Lender by email or telecopier. Each Lender agrees (i) to notify the Agent
in writing of such Lender's e-mail address to which a Notice may be sent by
electronic transmission (including by electronic communication) on or before
the
date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time
thereafter to ensure that the Agent has on record an effective e-mail address
for such Lender) and (ii) that any Notice may be sent to such e-mail
address.
SECTION
9.03. No
Waiver; Remedies.
No
failure on the part of any Lender or the Agent to exercise, and no delay in
exercising, any right hereunder or under any Note or any other Loan Document
shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise
of
any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise
of
any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive
of any remedies provided by law.
SECTION
9.04. Costs
and Expenses.
(a) The
Company agrees to pay on demand all reasonable and documented costs and expenses
of the Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery,
administration, modification and amendment of the Loan Documents and the other
documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, (A) all
due diligence, syndication (including printing, distribution and bank meetings),
transportation, computer, duplication, appraisal, consultant, and audit expenses
and (B) the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent with
respect thereto and with respect to advising the Agent as to its rights and
responsibilities under the Loan Documents. The Company further agrees to pay
on
demand all costs and expenses of the Agent and the Lenders, if any (including,
without limitation, reasonable counsel fees and expenses), in connection with
the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise)
of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel for the Agent and each Lender in connection with the
enforcement of rights under this Section 9.04(a).
62
(b) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent and each Lender and
each
of their Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and
advisors (each, an “Indemnified
Party”)
from
and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses
(including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel)
incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case
arising out of or in connection with or by reason of (including, without
limitation, in connection with any investigation, litigation or proceeding
or
preparation of a defense in connection therewith) (i) any Loan Document,
any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of
the
proceeds of the Advances, the Bankers’ Acceptances, BA Equivalent Notes or
Letters of Credit or (ii) the actual or alleged presence of Hazardous
Materials on any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
Environmental Action relating in any way to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or
expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent
jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party's gross negligence
or
willful misconduct. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other
proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 9.04(b) applies, such
indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation
or
proceeding is brought by the Company, its directors, equityholders or creditors
or an Indemnified Party or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnified
Party is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not the transactions
contemplated hereby are consummated. The Company and the Indemnified Parties
agree not to assert any claim for special, indirect, consequential or punitive
damages against any Indemnified Party or the Company, on any theory of
liability, arising out of or otherwise relating to any Loan Document, any of
the
transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds
of the Advances or the Bankers’ Acceptances or BA Equivalent Notes. The Company
further agrees to pay any civil penalty or fine assessed by OFAC against the
Agent or any Lender and all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without
limitation, reasonable counsel fees and expenses) incurred in connection with
the defense thereof, as a result of conduct by any Borrower that violates a
sanction enforced by OFAC.
(c) If
any
payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurocurrency Rate Advance is
made
by any Borrower to or for the account of a Lender (i) other than on the last
day
of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of a payment or Conversion
pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.10 or 2.12, acceleration of the maturity of the
Advances pursuant to Section 6.01 or for any other reason, or by an
Eligible Assignee to a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period
for such Advance upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this
Agreement pursuant to Section 9.07 as a result of a demand by the Company
pursuant to Section 9.07(a) or (ii) as a result of a payment or Conversion
pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.10 or 2.12, such Borrower shall, upon demand by
such
Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the
account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any
additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result
of
such payment or Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss (excluding
loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the
liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender
to
fund or maintain such Advance. If the amount of the Committed Currency purchased
by any Lender in the case of a Conversion or exchange of Advances in the case
of
Section 2.08 or 2.12 exceeds the sum required to satisfy such Lender's liability
in respect of such Advances, such Lender agrees to remit to the applicable
Borrower such excess.
(d) Without
prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Borrowers hereunder,
the
agreements and obligations of the Borrowers contained in Sections 2.11,
2.14 and 9.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and
all
other amounts payable hereunder and under the Notes.
SECTION
9.05. Right
of Set-off.
Upon
(i) the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default and
(ii) the making of the request or the granting of the consent specified by
Section 6.01 to authorize the Agent to declare the Advances due and payable
pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.01, each Lender and each of its
Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits
(general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held
and
other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender or such Affiliate to or
for
the credit or the account of the Company or any Loan Party against any and
all
of the obligations of the Company or any Loan Party now or hereafter existing
under this Agreement and the Note held by such Lender, whether or not such
Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or such Note and although
such obligations may be unmatured. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the
Company or the applicable Loan Party after any such set-off and application,
provided
that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section
are
in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other
rights of set-off) that such Lender and its Affiliates may have.
63
SECTION
9.06. Binding
Effect.
This
Agreement shall become effective (other than Section 2.01, which shall only
become effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in
Section 3.01) when it shall have been executed by the Company and the other
Loan Parties to be party hereto as of the date hereof and the Agent and when
the
Agent shall have been notified by each Initial Lender that such Initial Lender
has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of
the Company, the other Loan Parties, the Agent and each Lender and their
respective successors and assigns, except that neither the Company nor any
other
Loan Party shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest
herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.
SECTION
9.07. Assignments
and Participations.
(a)
Each Lender may with the consent of each Issuing Bank (which consent shall
not
be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and, if demanded by the Company (so long
as
no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and following (w) the refusal
of such Lender to approve any request for an amendment, waiver or consent,
(x) a
demand by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.14, (y) an assertion of
illegality by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.12 or (z) the failure of such
Lender to perform its obligations hereunder) upon at least five Business Days'
notice to such Lender and the Agent, will assign to one or more Persons all
or a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitment, its Unissued
Letter of Credit Commitment, the Advances owing to it, its participations in
Letters of Credit and the Note or Notes held by it); provided,
however,
that
(i) each such assignment shall be of a constant, and not a varying,
percentage of all rights and obligations under this Agreement, (ii) except
in the case of an assignment to a Person that, immediately prior to such
assignment, was a Lender or an assignment of all of a Lender's rights and
obligations under this Agreement, the amount of (x) the Revolving Credit
Commitment of the assigning Lender being assigned pursuant to each such
assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with
respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000 or an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) the Unissued Letter
of
Credit Commitment of the assigning Lender being assigned pursuant to each such
assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with
respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $5,000,000 or an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, in each case, unless the
Company and the Agent otherwise agree, (iii) each such assignment shall be
to an Eligible Assignee, (iv) each such assignment made as a result of a demand
by the Company pursuant to this Section 9.07(a) shall be arranged by the
Company after consultation with the Agent and shall be either an assignment
of
all of the rights and obligations of the assigning Lender under this Agreement
or an assignment of a portion of such rights and obligations made concurrently
with another such assignment or other such assignments that together cover
all
of the rights and obligations of the assigning Lender under this Agreement,
(v) no Lender shall be obligated to make any such assignment as a result of
a demand by the Company pursuant to this Section 9.07(a) unless and until
such Lender shall have received one or more payments from either the Borrowers
or one or more Eligible Assignees in an aggregate amount at least equal to
the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Advances owing to such Lender,
together with accrued interest thereon to the date of payment of such principal
amount and all other amounts payable to such Lender under this Agreement, and
(vi) the parties to each such assignment shall execute and deliver to the
Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the Register, an Assignment and
Acceptance, together with any Note subject to such assignment and a processing
and recordation fee of $3,500 payable by the parties to each such assignment,
provided,
however,
that in
the case of each assignment made as a result of a demand by the Company, such
recordation fee shall be payable by the Company except that no such recordation
fee shall be payable in the case of an assignment made at the request of the
Company to an Eligible Assignee that is an existing Lender. Upon such execution,
delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date specified
in each Assignment and Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a
party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have
been
assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights
and
obligations of a Lender hereunder and (y) the Lender assignor thereunder
shall, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned
by
it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights (other
than
its rights under Sections 2.11, 2.14 and 9.04 to the extent any claim thereunder
relates to an event arising prior to such assignment) and be released from
its
obligations (other than its obligations under Section 8.05 to the extent any
claim thereunder relates to an event arising prior to such assignment) under
this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all
or
the remaining portion of an assigning Lender's rights and obligations under
this
Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto).
64
(b) By
executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the Lender assignor
thereunder and the assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other
and
the other parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such
Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation or
warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements,
warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement
or
the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency
or
value of, or the perfection or priority of any lien or security interest created
or purported to be created under or in connection with, this Agreement or any
other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (ii) such assigning
Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with
respect to the financial condition of the Company or any other Borrower or
the
performance or observance by the Company or any other Borrower of any of its
obligations under this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished
pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy
of this Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred
to
in Section 4.01 and such other documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such
Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will, independently and
without reliance upon the Agent, such assigning Lender 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 decisions in taking or not taking action
under this Agreement; (v) such assignee confirms that it is an Eligible
Assignee; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such
action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under
this Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof, together
with
such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and
(vii) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their
terms all of the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are required
to
be performed by it as a Lender.
(c) Upon
its
receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and
an
assignee representing that it is an Eligible Assignee, together with any Note
or
Notes subject to such assignment, the Agent shall, if such Assignment and
Acceptance has been completed and is in substantially the form of Exhibit C
hereto, (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) record the
information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice
thereof to the Company.
(d) The
Agent
shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.02 a copy of each
Assumption Agreement and each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and
accepted by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses
of
the Lenders and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Advances owing
to, each Lender from time to time (the “Register”).
The
entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent
manifest error, and the Company and the other Borrowers, the Agent and the
Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a
Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. No Assumption Agreement
or
Assignment and Acceptance shall be effective unless and until entered in the
Register. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Company or
any
Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior
notice.
(e) Each
Lender may sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other
than the Company or any of its Affiliates) in or to all or a portion of its
rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation,
all
or a portion of its Commitment, the Advances owing to it and any Note or Notes
held by it); provided,
however,
that
(i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, its Commitment to the Borrowers hereunder) shall remain unchanged,
(ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties
hereto for the performance of such obligations, (iii) such Lender shall
remain the holder of any such Note for all purposes of this Agreement,
(iv) the Company, the other Borrowers, the Agent and the other Lenders
shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with
such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement and (v) no
participant under any such participation shall have any right to approve any
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Note, or any
consent to any departure by the Company or any other Borrower therefrom, except
to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would reduce the principal
of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder,
in
each case to the extent subject to such participation, or postpone any date
fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees
or
other amounts payable hereunder, in each case to the extent subject to such
participation or release all or substantially all of the Collateral or the
value
of the Guaranties.
65
(f) Any
Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed
assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 9.07, disclose to the
assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information
relating to the Company furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Company;
provided
that,
prior to any such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee
or participant shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of any Company
Information relating to the Company received by it from such
Lender.
(g) Notwithstanding
any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time
create a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this
Agreement (including, without limitation, the Advances owing to it and any
Note
or Notes held by it) in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with
Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.
(h) No
Lender
will assign its rights and obligations hereunder, or sell participations, to
any
Person who is (i) listed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked
Persons List maintained by OFAC and/or on any other similar list maintained
by
the OFAC pursuant to any authorizing statute, executive order or regulation,
or
(ii) either (A) included within the term “designated national” as defined in the
Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515, or (B) designated under
Sections 1(a), 1(b), 1(c) or 1(d) of Executive Order No. 13224, 66 Fed. Reg.
49079 (published September 25, 2001) or similarly designated under any related
enabling legislation or any other similar executive orders.
SECTION
9.08. Confidentiality.
Neither
the Agent nor any Lender may disclose to any Person any confidential,
proprietary or non-public information of the Company furnished to the Agent
or
the Lenders by the Company (such information being referred to collectively
herein as the “Company
Information”),
except that each of the Agent and each of the Lenders may disclose Company
Information (i) to its and its affiliates' employees, officers, directors,
agents and advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such
disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Company
Information and instructed to keep such Company Information confidential on
substantially the same terms as provided herein), (ii) to the extent
requested by any regulatory or self-regulatory authority, (iii) to the
extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar
legal process, provided,
to the
extent practicable under the circumstances, the Agent or such Lender shall
provide the Company with prompt notice of such requested disclosure so that
the
Company may seek a protective order prior to the time when the Agent or such
Lender is required to make such disclosure, (iv) to any other party to this
Agreement, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or
any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement
of
rights hereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as those of this Section 9.08, to any assignee or
participant or prospective assignee or participant, (vii) to the extent such
Company Information (A) is or becomes generally available to the public on
a
non-confidential basis other than as a result of a breach of this Section 9.08
by the Agent or such Lender, or (B) is or becomes available to the Agent or
such
Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Company and
(viii) with the consent of the Company.
SECTION
9.09. Designated
Subsidiaries.
(a)
Designation.
The
Company may at any time, and from time to time, by delivery to the Agent of
a
Designation Agreement duly executed by the Company and the respective Subsidiary
and substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto, designate such
Subsidiary as a “Designated Subsidiary” for purposes of this Agreement and such
Subsidiary shall thereupon become a “Designated Subsidiary” for purposes of this
Agreement and, as such, shall have all of the rights and obligations of a
Borrower hereunder. The Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of each such
designation by the Company and the identity of the respective
Subsidiary.
(b) Termination.
Upon
the indefeasible payment and performance in full of all of the indebtedness,
liabilities and obligations under this Agreement of any Designated Subsidiary
then, so long as at the time no Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Issuance in
respect of such Designated Subsidiary is outstanding, such Subsidiary's status
as a “Designated Subsidiary” shall terminate upon notice to such effect from the
Agent to the Lenders (which notice the Agent shall give promptly, and only
upon
its receipt of a request therefor from the Company). Thereafter, the Lenders
shall be under no further obligation to make any Advance hereunder to such
Designated Subsidiary.
66
(c) Obligations
of Designated Subsidiaries.
A
Designated Subsidiary shall be obligated solely for its own obligations under
the Loan Documents, and not for the obligations of any
Borrower that is a U.S. entity.
SECTION
9.10. Governing
Law.
This
Agreement and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of New York.
SECTION
9.11. Execution
in Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties
hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed
to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and
the
same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to
this
Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed
counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION
9.12. Judgment.
(a) If
for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert
a
sum due hereunder in Dollars into another currency, the parties hereto agree,
to
the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange
used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the
Agent could purchase Dollars with such other currency at Citibank's principal
office in London at 11:00 A.M. (London time) on the Business Day preceding
that
on which final judgment is given.
(b) If
for
the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert
a sum
due hereunder in a Committed Currency into Dollars, the parties agree to the
fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used
shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Agent
could purchase such Committed Currency with Dollars at Citibank's principal
office in London at 11:00 A.M. (London time) on the Business Day preceding
that
on which final judgment is given.
(c) The
obligation of any Borrower in respect of any sum due from it in any currency
(the “Primary
Currency”)
to any
Lender or the Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in any other
currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following
receipt by such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be), of any sum adjudged
to
be so due in such other currency, such Lender or the Agent (as the case may
be)
may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the applicable Primary
Currency with such other currency; if the amount of the applicable Primary
Currency so purchased is less than such sum due to such Lender or the Agent
(as
the case may be) in the applicable Primary Currency, each Borrower agrees,
as a
separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such
Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) against such loss, and if the amount
of
the applicable Primary Currency so purchased exceeds such sum due to any Lender
or the Agent (as the case may be) in the applicable Primary Currency, such
Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) agrees to remit to such Borrower such
excess.
SECTION
9.13. Jurisdiction,
Etc.
(a)
Each of the parties hereto and the Designated Subsidiaries hereby irrevocably
and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive
jurisdiction of any New York State court or federal court of the United
States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from
any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this
Agreement or the Notes, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment,
and
each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that
all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and
determined in any such New York State court or, to the extent permitted by
law, in such federal court. Each Designated Subsidiary hereby agrees that
service of process in any such action or proceeding brought in the any such
New
York State court or in such federal court may be made upon the Company and
each
Designated Subsidiary hereby irrevocably appoints the Company its authorized
agent to accept such service of process, and agrees that the failure of the
Company to give any notice of any such service shall not impair or affect the
validity of such service or of any judgment rendered in any action or proceeding
based thereon. The Company and each Designated Subsidiary hereby further
irrevocably consent to the service of process in any action or proceeding in
such courts by the mailing thereof by any parties hereto by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, to the Company at its address specified
pursuant to Section 9.02. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final
judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be
enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner
provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any
party
may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement
or the Notes in the courts of any jurisdiction. To the extent that each
Designated Subsidiary has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from
jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service
or
notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution
or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, each Designated Subsidiary
hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under
this
Agreement.
67
(b) Each
of
the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent
it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter
have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of
or
relating to this Agreement or the Notes in any New York State or federal
court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance
of such action or proceeding in any such court.
SECTION
9.14. Substitution
of Currency.
If a
change in any Committed Currency occurs pursuant to any applicable law, rule
or
regulation of any governmental, monetary or multi-national authority, this
Agreement (including, without limitation, the definition of Eurocurrency Rate)
will be amended to the extent determined by the Agent (acting reasonably and
in
consultation with the Company) to be necessary to reflect the change in currency
and to put the Lenders and the Borrowers in the same position, so far as
possible, that they would have been in if no change in such Committed Currency
had occurred.
SECTION
9.15. No
Liability of the Issuing Banks.
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 Letter of Credit. Neither
an Issuing Bank nor any of its officers or directors shall be liable or
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 such Issuing Bank
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 the Letter of Credit; or (d) any other circumstances whatsoever
in
making or failing to make payment under any Letter of Credit, except that the
applicable Borrower shall have a claim against such Issuing Bank, and such
Issuing Bank shall be liable to such Borrower, to the extent of any direct,
but
not consequential, damages suffered by such Borrower that such Borrower proves
were caused by such Issuing Bank's willful misconduct or gross negligence
when
determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of
Credit comply with the terms thereof.
In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, such Issuing Bank may accept
documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility
for
further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary;
provided
that
nothing herein shall be deemed to excuse such Issuing Bank if it acts with
gross
negligence or willful misconduct in accepting such documents.
SECTION
9.16. Patriot
Act Notice.
Each
Lender and the Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby
notifies each Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act,
it
is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each
Borrower, which information includes the name and address of each Borrower
and
other information that will allow such Lender or the Agent, as applicable,
to
identify each Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act. Each Borrower shall
provide such information and take such actions as are reasonably requested
by
the Agent or any Lenders in order to assist the Agent and the Lenders in
maintaining compliance with the Patriot Act.
SECTION
9.17. Power
of Attorney.
Each
Subsidiary of the Company may from time to time authorize and appoint the
Company as its attorney-in-fact to execute and deliver (a) any amendment, waiver
or consent in accordance with Section 9.01 on behalf of and in the name of
such
Subsidiary and (b) any notice or other communication hereunder, on behalf of
and
in the name of such Subsidiary. Such authorization shall become effective as
of
the date on which such Subsidiary delivers to the Agent a power of attorney
enforceable under applicable law and any additional information to the Agent
as
necessary to make such power of attorney the legal, valid and binding obligation
of such Subsidiary.
SECTION
9.18. Lender
Representation and Undertaking.
Each
Lender (a) (i) represents and warrants on the date hereof that it is a
Professional Market Party; (ii) expressly (A) acknowledges that it is a
requirement pursuant to the Dutch Act on the Supervision of Credit Institutions
1992 (Wet
toezicht kredietwezen 1992)
that the
Borrowers may only borrow monies from an entity that qualifies as a Professional
Market Party or within a closed circle (besloten
xxxxx),
(B)
declares that it is fully aware of the consequences of the incorporation
Professional Market Party status set out in this Section 9.18 under clause
(i)
above, and (C) acknowledges that each of the Borrowers may rely on the
representation concerning its Professional Market Party status set out in this
Section 9.18 under clause (i) above and (b) agrees, that for so long as it
is a
requirement under Dutch law that any Lender hereunder needs to be a Professional
Market Party, such Lender will not assign its rights and obligations hereunder,
or sell participations to any Person who (i) does not qualify as a Professional
Market Party; (ii) has not expressly confirmed the Professional Market Party
representation and information undertaking set out in Section 9.18(a) above;
and
(iii) has not acknowledged that the Borrowers may rely upon the representations
regarding the Lender's Professional Market Party status.
68
SECTION
9.19. Waiver
of Jury Trial.
Each of
the Company, each of the other Loan Parties party hereto, the Agent and the
Lenders hereby irrevocably waives all right to trial by jury in any action,
proceeding or counterclaim (whether based on contract, tort or otherwise)
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes or the actions of
the
Agent or any Lender in the negotiation, administration, performance or
enforcement thereof.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
by
their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above
written.
CHEMTURA
CORPORATION
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||
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By: | ||
Title:
|
CITIBANK,
N.A.,
as
Agent and as a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
CITIBANK,
N.A., Canadian Branch,
as
a Canadian Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.,
Canada
Branch,
as
a Canadian Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
69
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V., CANADA BRANCH,
as
a Canadian Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
CREDIT
SUISSE, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
CREDIT
SUISSE, TORONTO BRANCH,
as
a Canadian Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
XXXXXX
XXXXXXX BANK.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
THE
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
WACHOVIA
BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
CALYON
NEW YORK BRANCH.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
DEUTSCHE
BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
70
ING
CAPITAL LLC.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
SUMITOMO
MITSUI BANKING CORP.,
NEW
YORK.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
BANCA
INTESA S.P.A. NEW YORK BRANCH.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
BANCA
NAZIONALE DEL LAVOR SPA,
NEW
YORK BRANCH.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
THE
BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI TRUST
COMPANY.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
COMMERZBANK
AG, NEW YORK AND
GRAND
CAYMAN BRANCHES.,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
|
71
UFJ
BANK LIMITED,
as
a Lender
|
||
|
|
|
By: | ||
Title:
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72