SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT REGARDING THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS IN SAUERESSIG GMBH + CO. KG
Exhibit
10.1
|
REGARDING
THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS IN XXXXXXXXXX GMBH + CO.
KG
|
25
FEBRUARY 2008
|
Clause Page
1.
|
CORPORATE
OWNERSHIP / STRUCTURE OF THE ACQUISITION
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9
|
1.1
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Particulars
of the Company
|
9
|
1.2
|
Partnership
Capital of the Company
|
9
|
1.3
|
Subsidiaries
of the Company; Companies’ Shares
|
9
|
1.4
|
Minority
Participations
|
10
|
1.5
|
Sellers’
Capital and Reserve Accounts
|
10
|
1.6
|
Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts
|
10
|
1.7
|
Signing
Date; Effective Date
|
10
|
1.8
|
Other
Definitions
|
10
|
2.
|
SALE
AND PURCHASE OF THE PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; SALE AND PURCHASE OF THE
SELLERS' LOANS AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS
|
10
|
2.1
|
Sale
and Purchase of the Partnership Interests; Rights to
Profits
|
10
|
2.2
|
Sale
and Purchase of the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
|
11
|
2.3
|
Separate
Transfer Agreements
|
11
|
2.4
|
Approval
of Shareholders
|
11
|
3.
|
PURCHASE
PRICE; SELLERS' LOANS AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS PURCHASE PRICE; PRELIMINARY
PURCHASE PRICE; PRELIMINARY SELLERS' LOANS AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS PURCHASE
PRICE; CONDITIONS OF PAYMENT
|
11
|
3.1
|
Purchase
Price; Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price
|
11
|
3.2
|
Calculation
of Purchase Price
|
12
|
3.3
|
Preliminary
Purchase Price; Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price; Due Date
|
12
|
3.4
|
Purchase
Price Adjustment; Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price
Adjustment; Due Date
|
13
|
3.5
|
Allocation
of Purchase Price, of any Purchase Price Adjustment, of Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price and of any Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment
|
14
|
3.6
|
Sellers'
Accounts; Purchaser's Account
|
14
|
3.7
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Interest
|
15
|
3.8
|
No
Right to Set-Off
|
15
|
3.9
|
Bank
Guaranty
|
16
|
3.10
|
Example
Calculation
|
16
|
4.
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CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2007
|
16
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4.1
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Preparation
and Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007
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16
|
4.2
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Review
and Delivery of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 to the
Purchaser
|
16
|
4.3
|
Objections
of the Purchaser; Arbitration Proceedings
|
17
|
4.4
|
Costs
of Auditing
|
17
|
5.
|
CLOSING;
CLOSING CONDITIONS
|
17
|
5.1
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Closing
Conditions; Closing Date
|
17
|
5.2
|
Closing
Conditions
|
17
|
5.3
|
Obligations
with Respect to the Closing Conditions
|
18
|
5.4
|
Consequences
of Non-Satisfaction of the Closing Conditions; Right to Waive Closing
Conditions
|
18
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5.5
|
Actions
on the Closing Date
|
19
|
6.
|
SELLERS’
GUARANTEES
|
20
|
6.1
|
Form
and Scope of Sellers’ Guarantees
|
20
|
6.2
|
Sellers’
Guarantees
|
20
|
6.3
|
No
other Sellers’ Guarantees
|
26
|
6.4
|
Sellers’
Knowledge
|
27
|
7.
|
REMEDIES
FOR BREACH OF SELLERS' GUARANTEES
|
27
|
7.1
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General/Recoverable
Damages
|
27
|
7.2
|
Overall
Scope of Sellers’ Liability pursuant to this Agreement
|
27
|
7.3
|
Threshold
|
28
|
7.4
|
Exclusion
of Claims due to Purchaser’s Knowledge
|
28
|
7.5
|
Notification
of Sellers; Procedure in Case of Third Party Claims
|
28
|
7.6
|
Mitigation
|
29
|
7.7
|
Limitation
Periods
|
29
|
7.8
|
Exclusion
of Further Remedies
|
29
|
8.
|
TAXES
|
30
|
8.1
|
Definition
of Tax
|
30
|
8.2
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Tax
Filings and Tax Payments until the Closing Date
|
30
|
8.3
|
Tax
Indemnification
|
30
|
8.4
|
Tax
Filings after the Closing Date
|
31
|
8.5
|
Tax
Covenants
|
31
|
8.6
|
Indemnification
Procedures
|
31
|
8.7
|
Tax
Refunds
|
32
|
8.8
|
Limitation
|
32
|
9.
|
PURCHASER’S
GUARANTEES
|
33
|
9.1
|
Guarantees
|
33
|
9.2
|
Indemnification
|
33
|
10.
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COVENANTS
|
33
|
10.1
|
Merger
Control Proceedings; Other Regulatory Requirements
|
33
|
10.2
|
Pre-Closing
Covenants of the Sellers
|
34
|
10.3
|
Exoneration
(Entlastung) of
Seller 1 as Managing Director
|
34
|
10.4
|
Access
to Financial Information
|
34
|
10.5
|
Insurance
Coverage
|
35
|
10.6
|
Indemnification
of the Sellers
|
35
|
10.7
|
Covenant
not to Compete
|
35
|
10.8
|
Indemnification
of the Company and/or the Purchaser
|
35
|
11.
|
CONFIDENTIALITY
/ PRESS RELEASES
|
36
|
11.1
|
Confidentiality;
Press Releases; Public Disclosure
|
36
|
11.2
|
Purchaser’s
Confidentiality; Return of Documents
|
36
|
12.
|
ASSIGNMENT
OF RIGHTS AND UNDERTAKINGS
|
36
|
13.
|
SELLERS'
LIABILITY
|
37
|
14.
|
ASSIGNEE
AFFILIATE'S GUARANTOR
|
37
|
14.1
|
Guarantee
|
37
|
14.2
|
Indemnification
|
37
|
15.
|
COSTS
AND TAXES
|
37
|
15.1
|
Taxes
|
37
|
15.2
|
Costs
|
38
|
16.
|
NOTICES
|
38
|
16.1
|
Form
of Notice
|
38
|
16.2
|
Notices
to Sellers; Notices of the Sellers
|
38
|
16.3
|
Notices
to Purchaser
|
38
|
16.4
|
Notices
to Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor
|
39
|
16.5
|
Change
of Address
|
39
|
16.6
|
Copies
to Advisors
|
39
|
17.
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
39
|
17.1
|
Governing
Law
|
39
|
17.2
|
Arbitration
|
40
|
17.3
|
Business
Day
|
40
|
17.4
|
Amendments,
Supplementations
|
40
|
17.5
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Language
|
40
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17.6
|
Headings
|
40
|
17.7
|
Annexes
|
40
|
17.8
|
Definitions
|
40
|
17.9
|
Entire
Agreement
|
41
|
17.10
|
Severability
|
41
|
by and
among
Mr.
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx
00, 00000 Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
(hereinafter
referred to as the "Seller
1"),
Xx.
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xx Xxxxxx
0, 00000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
(hereinafter referred
to as the "Seller
2"),
Xx.
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx 00-00, 00000 Xxxxx, Germany,
(hereinafter referred
to as the "Seller
3"),
Xx. Xxxxxxxx Xxxx xxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx 00, 00000 Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
(hereinafter
referred to as the "Seller
4")
and
Xxxxxxxx
International Corporation,
0 Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XXX,
(hereinafter referred to as
the "Purchaser
"),
Seller 1,
Seller 2, Seller 3 and Seller 4 hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Sellers" or each as a
"Seller"; the Sellers
and the Purchaser hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Parties" and each of them as a
"Party".
INDEX
OF ANNEXES
Annex
1
|
Index
of Definitions
|
|
Annex
1.3
|
Subsidiaries
of the Company
|
|
Annex
1.4
|
Minority
Participations of the Company
|
|
Annex
1.5
|
Sellers’
Capital and Reserve Accounts
|
|
Annex
2.3 (a)
|
Transfer
Agreement Partnership Interests
|
|
Annex
2.3 (b)
|
Transfer
Agreement Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
|
|
Annex
2.4
|
Shareholders’
approval resolution
|
|
Annex
3.2 (b)
|
Financial
Debt
|
|
Annex
3.2 (c)
|
Cash
|
|
Annex
3.2 (d)
|
Working
Capital
|
|
Annex
3.3 (a)
|
Preliminary
Effective Date Accounts
|
|
Annex
3.3 (a) (ii)
|
Draft
Escrow Agreement
|
|
Annex
3.3 (b)
|
Preliminary
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
|
|
Annex
3.5 (a)
|
Allocation
of Purchase Price
|
|
Annex
3.10
|
Example
Calculation Purchase Price
|
|
Annex
5.5 (g)
|
Sale
and Purchase Agreement Xxxxxx GmbH + Co. KG
|
|
Annex
6.2 (a) (1a)
|
Copy
of Company's partnership agreement
|
|
Annex
6.2 (a) (1b)
|
List
of articles of association (or equivalent documents)
|
|
Annex
6.2 (a) (2)
|
Certain
corporate documents
|
|
Annex
6.2 (a) (4)
|
Companies
in liquidation or already liquidated
|
|
Annex
6.2 (b)
|
Consolidation
Effects 2006 of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Co. Ltd.
|
|
Annex
6.2 (c) (1)
|
Real
Property owned by the Companies
|
|
Annex
6.2 (c) (2)
|
Real
Property leased or rented by the Companies
|
|
Annex
6.2 (d)
|
Transfers
by way of security and retention of title arrangements
|
|
Annex
6.2 (e) (1)
|
Intellectual
Property Rights
|
|
Annex
6.2 (f)
|
Compliance
with Laws and Permits
|
|
Annex
6.2 (g)
|
Environmental
Report of Xx. Xxxxx + Xxxxx
|
|
Annex
6.2 (h)
|
Material
Agreements
|
|
Annex
6.2 (i)
|
Largest
Customers and Largest Suppliers
|
|
Annex
6.2 (j) (1)
|
Collective
bargaining agreements and other material agreements
|
|
Annex
6.2 (j) (2)
|
Key
Employees
|
|
Annex
6.2 (j) (5)
|
Proceedings
between employees of the Companies and the Companies
|
|
Annex
6.2 (j) (6)
|
Agreements
relating to partial retirements of employees of the
Companies
|
|
Annex
6.2 (k)
|
Insurance
Policies
|
|
Annex
6.2 (l)
|
Public
Grants
|
|
Annex
6.2 (m) (1)
|
Litigation
|
|
Annex
6.2 (m) (2)
|
US
law suit
|
|
Annex
6.2 (n)
|
Product
Liability
|
|
Annex
6.2 (o)
|
Ordinary
Course of Business
|
|
Annex
6.4
|
List
of Individuals relevant for Sellers' Knowledge
|
|
Annex
7.4
|
Disclosed
Documents
|
|
Annex
10.8
|
Business
of Polywest Kunststofftechnik Xxxxxxxxxx & Partner GmbH & Co.
KG
|
|
Annex
11.1
|
Press
Release
|
|
Annex
13 (a)
|
Sellers’
Liability
|
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS,
the Sellers are limited partners (Kommanditisten) of Xxxxxxxxxx
GmbH + Co. KG (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), holding altogether
78 per cent of the fixed partnership interests (Kommanditanteile) in the
registered partnership capital of the Company, and the Company is the sole
shareholder of its sole general partner (Komplementär) Xxxxxxxxxx
Geschäftsführungsgesellschaft mbH (hereinafter referred to as the "General Partner") which has
no fixed interest in the registered partnership capital of the
Company;
WHEREAS,
the Company, including its Subsidiaries (as defined in Clause 1.3), is primarily engaged in the manufacturing of
various kinds of printing forms and embossing rollers, in the designing and
building of special purpose machines and the offering of design and reproduction
services (such business hereinafter also referred to as the "Business");
WHEREAS,
the Purchaser is a company duly organized under the laws of
Pennsylvania;
WHEREAS,
the Sellers have determined to sell all of their fixed partnership interests in
the Company and all of their Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts (as defined in
Clause 1.6), and the Purchaser wishes to acquire
these fixed partnership interests and these Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts;
NOW,
THEREFORE, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
1.
|
CORPORATE
OWNERSHIP / STRUCTURE OF THE
ACQUISITION
|
1.1
|
Particulars
of the Company
|
Xxxxxxxxxx
GmbH + Co. KG (hereinafter referred to as the "Company") is a limited
partnership (Kommanditgesellschaft) duly
organized under the laws of Germany with registered offices at Vreden and
registered with the Commercial Register of the Lower Court (Amtsgericht) at Coesfeld
under HRA 2299. The sole general partner (Komplementär) of the Company
is Xxxxxxxxxx Geschäftsführungsgesellschaft mbH (hereinafter referred to as the
"General Partner"), a
limited liability company (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter
Haftung) with registered offices at Vreden and registered with the
Commercial Register of the Lower Court at Coesfeld under HRB 3919. The Company
is the sole shareholder of the General Partner.
1.2
|
Partnership
Capital of the Company
|
The
registered partnership capital (Kommanditkapital) of the
Company amounts to EUR 3,000,000.00 (in words: three million Euros) (hereinafter
referred to as the "Partnership
Capital"). The Partnership Capital is divided into the following fixed
partnership interests (Kommanditanteile), held by
the Sellers and Xx. Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx as limited partners (Kommanditisten) of the
Company as follows:
(a)
|
one
fixed partnership interest in the amount of EUR 700,000.00 (in words:
seven hundred thousand Euros) held by Seller
1,
|
(b)
|
one
fixed partnership interest in the amount of EUR 340,000.00 (in words:
three hundred forty thousand Euros) held by Seller
2,
|
(c)
|
one
fixed partnership interest in the amount of EUR 300,000.00 (in words:
three hundred thousand Euros) held by Seller
3,
|
(d)
|
one
fixed partnership interest in the amount of EUR 1,000,000.00 (in words:
one million Euros) held by Seller 4,
and
|
(e)
|
one
fixed partnership interest in the amount of EUR 660,000.00 (in words: six
hundred sixty thousand Euros) held by Xx. Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx.
|
The fixed
partnership interests held by the Sellers listed in Clause 1.2(a) through (d) above,
altogether corresponding to 78 per cent of the fixed partnership interests in
the Partnership Capital, (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Partnership Interests" or each as a "Partnership Interest") shall
be sold and purchased as set forth in Clause 2.1.
Each of the amounts of the Partnership Interests is registered in the Commercial
Register as the amount of the respective Seller’s personal liability (Hafteinlage). The General
Partner has no fixed interest in the Partnership Capital.
1.3
|
Subsidiaries
of the Company; Companies’ Shares
|
The
Company holds shares or interests, directly or indirectly, in the wholly-owned
or majority-owned subsidiaries listed in Annex 1.3 (herein
collectively referred to as the "Subsidiaries", and each of
them as a "Subsidiary").
The Company and its Subsidiaries are hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Companies". The shares
and interests in the Company and its Subsidiaries are hereinafter also referred
to as the "Companies’
Shares".
9
1.4
|
Minority
Participations
|
The
Company holds, directly or indirectly, the minority participations in such
entities as set forth in Annex 1.4. Such
participations are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Minority Participations" and
each of them as a "Minority
Participation". For the avoidance of doubt, Minority Participations
include also participations of exactly 50 per cent of the shares or interests in
the respective entities. The participation in the shares or interests in
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Co. Ltd. shall for the purpose of this Agreement also be
deemed a Minority Participation. The respective entities in which the Minority
Participations exist are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Minority Entities", and each of them as a "Minority Entity".
1.5
|
Sellers’
Capital and Reserve Accounts
|
The fixed
capital accounts (Festkapitalkonten) and the
reserve accounts (Rücklagenkonten) of the
Sellers are listed in Annex 1.5, which
shows at least the respective accounts balances as of the Effective Date (as
defined in Clause 1.7), (hereinafter collectively
referred to as the "Sellers'
Capital and Reserve Accounts"). The Sellers' Capital and Reserve Accounts
shall be sold and purchased together with the Partnership Interests as set forth
in Clause 2.1.
1.6
|
Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts
|
The loan
accounts (Darlehenskonten) of the
Sellers for loans granted by the Sellers to the Company (Gesellschafterdarlehen) and
the private accounts (Privatkonten) of the Sellers
are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts". The Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts as of the Effective
Date (as defined in Clause 1.7) shall be sold and purchased in accordance with
Clause 2.2.
1.7
|
Signing
Date; Effective Date
|
For the
purposes of this agreement (hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement") the "Signing Date"
shall mean the date this Agreement is signed (hereinafter referred to as the
"Signing Date"), and the
"Effective Date" shall mean 1 January 2008, 00:00 hours (German time) (herein
referred to as the "Effective
Date").
1.8
|
Other
Definitions
|
Capitalised
Terms used but not defined in the subsequent Clauses shall have the meaning
attributed to them in
Annex 1.
2.
|
SALE
AND PURCHASE OF THE PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; SALE AND PURCHASE OF THE
SELLERS' LOANS AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS
|
2.1
|
Sale
and Purchase of the Partnership Interests; Rights to
Profits
|
Each
Seller hereby sells, and the Purchaser hereby purchases from each Seller, upon
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the respective Partnership Interest
in the Company as set forth in Clause 1.2 with
commercial effect (mit
wirtschaftlicher Wirkung) as of the Effective Date. The sale and purchase
of the Partnership Interests hereunder shall include any and all rights
pertaining to the Partnership Interests, including, without limitation, the
rights to receive profits for the current fiscal year 2008, and the accounts
balances in the Sellers’ Capital and Reserve Accounts, including any and all
rights in the relation of the Company and the Sellers reflected in and
pertaining to the Sellers’ Capital and Reserve Accounts.
10
2.2
|
Sale
and Purchase of the Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts
|
Each
Seller hereby sells, and the Purchaser hereby purchases from each Seller, upon
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, any and all rights in the relation
of the Company and the Sellers reflected in and pertaining to the Sellers' Loans
and Private Accounts as of the Effective Date with commercial effect (mit wirtschaftlicher Wirkung)
as of the Effective Date.
2.3
|
Separate
Transfer Agreements
|
The
Sellers and the Purchaser agree that the Partnership Interests sold and
purchased in accordance with Clause 2.1 are not
transferred by virtue of this Agreement but will be transferred with effect
"in rem" (mit dinglicher Wirkung/tatsächlicher
Besitzübergang) at the Closing (as defined in Clause 5.1) by means of a separate transfer agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex 2.3 (a). The
Sellers and the Purchaser agree that the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
sold and purchased in accordance with Clause 2.2
are not transferred by virtue of this Agreement but will be transferred with
effect "in rem" (mit dinglicher Wirkung/tatsächlicher
Besitzübergang) at the Closing by means of a separate transfer agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex 2.3
(b).
2.4
|
Approval
of Shareholders
|
The
Sellers and Xx. Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx have approved the sale and purchase of
the Partnership Interests and of the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts to the
Purchaser and the transfer of the Partnership Interests and of the Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts to the Purchaser or an Affiliate of the Purchaser
according to Clause 12 para.2 and Clause 10 para.3 second sentence of the
Company's partnership agreement. A copy of the resolution is attached to this
Agreement as Annex
2.4.
3.
|
PURCHASE
PRICE; SELLERS' LOANS AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS PURCHASE PRICE; PRELIMINARY
PURCHASE PRICE; PRELIMINARY SELLERS' LOANS AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTS PURCHASE
PRICE; CONDITIONS OF PAYMENT
|
3.1
|
Purchase
Price; Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price
|
(a)
|
The
purchase price to be paid by the Purchaser for the Partnership Interests
as sold and purchased in accordance with Clause 2.1 shall be 78 per cent of the aggregate amount
equal to
|
(1)
|
the
Gross Enterprise Value (as defined in Clause 3.2(a)),
|
(2)
|
less
the Financial Debt as of the Effective Date (as defined in Clause 3.2(b)),
|
(3)
|
plus
the Cash as of the Effective Date (as defined in Clause 3.2(c)),
|
(4)
|
less
the amount of any Working Capital Shortfall or, as the case may be, plus
the amount of any Working Capital Surplus, in each case as of the
Effective Date (in each case as defined in Clause 3.2(d)),
|
(5)
|
less
the amount of any EBITDA Shortfall or, as the case may be, plus the amount
of any EBITDA Surplus, in each case as of the Effective Date (in each case
as defined in Clause 3.2(e)),
|
(hereinafter
referred to as the "Purchase
Price").
11
(b)
|
The
purchase price to be paid by the Purchaser for the Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts as sold and purchased in accordance with Clause 2.2 shall be an amount equal to the aggregate of
the accounts balances of the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts, in each
case as of the Effective Date, plus accrued interest thereon for the
period from and including the Effective Date up to and including the
Closing Date. This amount is hereinafter referred to as the "Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price" and shall not be
part of the Purchase Price pursuant to Clause 3.1(a).
|
3.2
|
Calculation
of Purchase Price
|
(a)
|
The
Gross Enterprise Value amounts to EUR 97,000,000.00 (in words: ninety
seven million Euros) (hereinafter referred to as the "Gross Enterprise
Value").
|
(b)
|
"Financial
Debt" shall mean the items listed in Annex 3.2(b)
(hereinafter referred to as the "Financial
Debt").
|
(c)
|
"Cash"
shall mean the items listed in Annex 3.2(c)
(hereinafter referred to as the "Cash").
|
(d)
|
"Working
Capital Shortfall" to be deducted pursuant to Clause 3.1(4) shall mean the amount by which the
Working Capital falls short of EUR 10,500,000.00 (in words: ten million
five hundred thousand Euros) (herein referred to as the "Working Capital
Shortfall"). "Working Capital Surplus" to be added pursuant to
Clause 3.1(4) shall mean the amount by which
the Working Capital exceeds the amount of EUR 11,500,000.00 (in words:
eleven million five hundred thousand Euros) (herein referred to as the
"Working Capital
Surplus"). "Working Capital" shall mean the items listed in Annex 3.2(d)
(hereinafter referred to as the "Working
Capital").
|
(e)
|
"EBITDA
Shortfall" to be deducted pursuant to Clause 3.1(5) shall mean 3.5 times
the amount by which the EBITDA falls short of EUR 11,700,000.00 (in words:
eleven million seven hundred thousand Euros) (herein referred to as the
"EBITDA
Shortfall"). "EBITDA Surplus" to be added pursuant to Clause 3.1(5)
shall mean 3.5 times the amount by which the EBITDA exceeds the amount of
EUR 14,200,000.00 (in words: fourteen million two hundred thousand Euros)
(herein referred to as the "EBITDA
Surplus").
|
(f)
|
The
items referred to in this Clause 3.2(b)
through 3.2(e) in conjunction with the Annexes 3.2 are to be assessed
(anzusetzen) with
the amounts shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 (as
defined in Clause 4.1), provided, however,
that all of these items relating to the Subsidiaries which are not,
directly or indirectly, wholly-owned by the Company and which have been
fully consolidated, shall be assessed only on a pro-rata basis
corresponding to the participation held by the Company in such
Subsidiaries.
|
(g)
|
3.3
|
Preliminary
Purchase Price; Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price; Due Date
|
(a)
|
As
of the date of this Agreement and based on the financial information
provided by the Sellers to the Purchaser, the Parties have estimated and
agreed the Financial Debt, Cash and any Working Capital Shortfall or
Working Capital Surplus, in each case as of the Effective Date, as shown
in each case in the preliminary effective date accounts attached hereto as
Annex 3.3 (a)
(hereinafter referred to as the "Preliminary Effective Date
Accounts"). Based thereon, the Sellers and the Purchaser have
agreed on a preliminary purchase price of EUR 55,450,200.00 (in words:
fifty five million four hundred and fifty thousand two hundred Euros)
(hereinafter referred to as the "Preliminary Purchase
Price"). On the Closing Date, the Preliminary Purchase Price shall
become due and payable and the Purchaser shall pay the Preliminary
Purchase Price as follows:
|
12
(i)
|
(ii)
|
EUR
750,000.00 (in words: seven hundred and fifty thousand Euros) (hereinafter
referred to as the "Escrow Amount") to the
Escrow Account named in the Escrow Agreement (hereinafter referred to as
the "Escrow
Account"). The Parties will agree upon the particulars about the
Escrow Account and the release of the Escrow Amount by means of an escrow
agreement with a bank substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex 3.3(a)
(ii) (herein referred to as the "Escrow Agreement") and
which will be executed on the Closing Date, at the
latest.
|
(b)
|
As
of the date of this Agreement and based on the financial information
provided by the Sellers to the Purchaser, the Sellers and the Purchaser
have estimated and agreed the aggregate of the accounts balances of the
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts, in each case as of the Effective
Date, as shown in each case in the preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts attached hereto as Annex 3.3(b)
("Preliminary Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts"). Based thereon, the Sellers and the
Purchaser have agreed on a preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
purchase price of EUR 11,389,699.00 (in words: eleven million three
hundred eighty nine thousand six hundred ninety nine Euros) (hereinafter
referred to as the "Preliminary Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price"). On the Closing Date, the
Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price shall
become due and payable and the Purchaser shall pay the Preliminary
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price, together with accrued
interest thereon for the period from and including the Effective Date up
to and including the Closing Date, to the Sellers' Accounts (as set forth
in Clauses 3.5(b) and 3.6(a) through
(d)).
|
3.4
|
Purchase
Price Adjustment; Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price
Adjustment; Due Date
|
(a)
|
If
on the basis of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 (as defined in
Clause 4.1) the Purchase Price is higher than
the Preliminary Purchase Price, the Purchaser shall pay to the Sellers an
amount equal to the amount by which the Purchase Price exceeds the
Preliminary Purchase Price. If on the basis of the Consolidated Financial
Statements 2007 (as defined in Clause 4.1)
the Preliminary Purchase Price is higher than the Purchase Price, the
Sellers shall pay to the Purchaser an amount equal to the amount by which
the Preliminary Purchase Price exceeds the Purchase Price. Any such amount
to be paid by either the Purchaser or the Sellers (hereinafter referred to
as the "Purchase Price
Adjustment") shall be paid, together with interest thereon for the
period from and including the Effective Date up to and including the date
payment is due at the rate set forth in Clause 3.7(a), as set forth in Clause3.4(c)
below.
|
(b)
|
If
on the basis of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 (as defined in
Clause 4.1) the Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price is higher than the Preliminary Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price, the Purchaser shall pay to the Sellers an
amount equal to the amount by which the Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price exceeds the Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price. If on the basis of the Consolidated Financial
Statements 2007 (as defined in Clause 4.1)
the Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price is
higher than the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price, the
Sellers shall pay to the Purchaser an amount equal to the amount by which
the Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price exceeds
the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price. Any such amount to
be paid by either the Purchaser or the Sellers (hereinafter referred to as
the "Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment") shall be paid,
together with accrued interest thereon for the period from and including
the Effective Date up to and including the date payment is due, as set
forth in Clause 3.4(d)
below.
|
13
(c)
|
(i)
Any Purchase Price Adjustment owed by the Purchaser shall be paid by the
Purchaser ten Business Days after the Purchase Price Adjustment has become
final and binding upon the Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3, however, at the earliest on the Closing
Date, to the Sellers' Accounts (as set forth in Clauses 3.5(a) and 3.6(a)
through (d)).
|
(ii) Any
Purchase Price Adjustment owed by the Sellers shall be paid by the Sellers ten
Business Days after the Purchase Price Adjustment has become final and binding
upon the Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3,
however, at the earliest on the Closing Date, to the Purchaser's Account (as set
forth in Clause 3.6(e)).
(d)
|
(i)
Any Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment owed by
the Purchaser shall be paid by the Purchaser ten Business Days after the
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment has become
final and binding upon the Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3, however, at the earliest on the Closing
Date, to the Sellers' Accounts (as set forth in Clauses 3.5(b) and 3.6(a)
through (d)).
|
(ii) Any
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment owed by the
Sellers shall be paid by the Sellers ten Business Days after the Sellers' Loans
and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment has become final and binding upon
the Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3, however,
at the earliest on the Closing Date, to the Purchaser's Account (as set forth in
Clause 3.6(e)).
3.5
|
Allocation
of Purchase Price, of any Purchase Price Adjustment, of Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price and of any Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment
|
(a)
|
The
Purchase Price and any Purchase Price Adjustment, together with interest
thereon at the rate and the period set forth in Clause 3.7(a), shall be allocated between the Sellers
in accordance with their respective holding in the aggregate amount of all
Partnership Interests as set forth in Annex 3.5
(a).
|
(b)
|
The
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price, together with the
respective accrued interest thereon for the period as set forth in Clause
3.3(b), shall be allocated between the
Sellers in proportion to the respective aggregate accounts balances of
their Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts as of the Effective Date. Any
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment, together
with the respective accrued interest thereon for the period as set forth
in Clause 3.3(b), shall be paid by the
respective Seller whose respective aggregate accounts balances of the
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts as of the Effective Date result in a
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price
Adjustment.
|
3.6
|
Sellers'
Accounts; Purchaser's Account
|
(a)
|
All
payments owed by the Purchaser to the Seller 1 under this Agreement shall
be paid by the Purchaser by way of irrevocable wire transfer – to be
credited on the same day – free of any costs and fees to the bank account
of the Seller 1 kept with Muensterlaendische Bank
Thie & Co., Muenster, Germany, sort code (Bankleitzahl) 400 300
00, account number 349 258 83 00 (hereinafter referred to as the "Seller 1's Account") or
any other account to be nominated by the Seller 1 to the Purchaser in
writing at least five Business Days prior to the Closing
Date.
|
14
(b)
|
All
payments owed by the Purchaser to the Seller 2 under this Agreement shall
be paid by the Purchaser by way of irrevocable wire transfer – to be
credited on the same day – free of any costs and fees to the bank account
of the Seller 2 kept with Sparkasse Westmuensterland, Germany, sort code
(Bankleitzahl)
00000000, account number 69047 (hereinafter referred to as the "Seller 2's Account") or
any other account to be nominated by the Seller 2 to the Purchaser in
writing at least five Business Days prior to the Closing
Date.
|
(c)
|
All
payments owed by the Purchaser to the Seller 3 under this Agreement shall
be paid by the Purchaser by way of irrevocable wire transfer – to be
credited on the same day – free of any costs and fees to the bank account
of the Seller 3 kept with Bankhaus Xxxxx KG, Muenster, Germany, sort code
(Bankleitzahl)
00000000, account number 363855 (hereinafter referred to as the "Seller 3's Account") or
any other account to be nominated by the Seller 3 to the Purchaser in
writing at least five Business Days prior to the Closing
Date.
|
(d)
|
All
payments owed by the Purchaser to the Seller 4 under this Agreement shall
be paid by the Purchaser by way of irrevocable wire transfer – to be
credited on the same day – free of any costs and fees to the bank account
of the Seller 4 kept with Koelner Bank eG, Germany, sort code (Bankleitzahl) 00000000,
account number 940252008 (hereinafter referred to as the "Seller 4's Account") or
any other account to be nominated by the Seller 4 to the Purchaser in
writing at least five Business Days prior to the Closing Date. Seller 1's
Account, Seller 2's Account, Seller 3's Account and Seller 4's Account are
herein collectively referred to as the "Sellers'
Accounts".
|
(e)
|
All
payments owed by the Sellers to the Purchaser under this Agreement shall
be paid by the Sellers by way of irrevocable wire transfer – to be
credited on the same day – free of any costs and fees to the Purchaser's
bank account to be specifically identified by the Purchaser to the Sellers
in writing at least five Business Days prior to the Closing Date (herein
referred to as the "Purchaser's
Account").
|
3.7
|
Interest
|
(a)
|
The
Purchase Price shall bear interest at the rate of six (6) per cent,
commencing as of the Effective Date through the Closing Date. Interest
shall be calculated on the basis of actual days elapsed and a calendar
year with 360 days.
|
(b)
|
If
the Purchaser is in default (Verzug) of payment of
the Purchase Price or the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price or if the Sellers are in default of payment of any Purchase Price
Adjustment and/or Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price
Adjustment, the Purchase Price, the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
Purchase Price or any Purchase Price Adjustment and/or Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment shall bear interest at the rate
of 600 basis points over the one month rate Euribor p.a. as of the next
Business Day after the respective Party is in default of payment for the
time the respective Party is in
default.
|
3.8
|
No
Right to Set-Off
|
Any right
of the Purchaser to set-off and/or to withhold any payments due under this
Agreement is hereby expressly waived and excluded except for claims which are
undisputed or res
iudicatae.
15
3.9
|
Bank
Guaranty
|
Until the
Closing Date (as defined in Clause 5.1) the Sellers
shall deliver to the Purchaser a bank guaranty in the amount of EUR
10,000,000.00 (in words: ten million Euros) covering any and all claims, except
for claims pursuant to Clause 10.8(a), of the
Purchaser against the Sellers under this Agreement which (i) have been
identified by the Purchaser and communicated to the Sellers within eighteen
months after the Closing Date, and (ii) are either undisputed or have become
legally binding in accordance with Clause 17.2
(hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Guaranty Claims" and each of
them as a "Guaranty
Claim"). If, for whatever reason, a Guaranty Claim has been identified
and timely communicated by the Purchaser to the Sellers but has prior to the
expiration of the bank guaranty not yet been resolved, either amicably by the
Parties or through arbitration pursuant to Clause 17.2, then the bank guaranty shall remain effective,
but reduced to the amount sufficient to cover such outstanding Guaranty
Claim.
3.10
|
Example
Calculation
|
For the
sake of clarity and by way of example only, Annex 3.10 contains a
calculation of the Purchase Price and related items which is partly based on
hypothetical figures and, therefore, not binding and does not create a prejudice
for the Parties.
4.
|
CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2007
|
4.1
|
Preparation
and Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements
2007
|
Any
Purchase Price Adjustment and any Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price Adjustment shall be determined on the basis of the consolidated financial
statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2007 (hereinafter
referred to as the "Consolidated Financial Statements
2007"). The Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 shall be prepared by
the Company in accordance with the applicable statutory accounting provisions of
Clauses 290 et seqq. of the German Commercial Code (HGB), taking into account the
generally accepted accounting principles (Grundsätze ordnungsmäßiger
Buchführung), and shall be audited with the intention of an unqualified
opinion by HLB, Xx. Xxxxxxxxxx & Partner GmbH,
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Steuerberatungsgesellschaft, Muenster,
Duesseldorf (hereinafter referred to as the "Company’s Auditor"). The
Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 shall be prepared according to the
accounting and valuation principles used for the preparation of the Consolidated
Financial Statements 2006 (as defined in Clause 6.2(b)) and applied for previous fiscal years, in
particular under identical utilization of any election rights and continuation
of the valuation and consolidation principles and methods used for the
preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2006 (as defined in Clause
6.2(b)).
4.2
|
Review
and Delivery of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 to the
Purchaser
|
The
Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 prepared by the Company and audited by
the Company’s Auditor shall be delivered by the Sellers to the Purchaser without
delay. The Sellers shall use their best efforts, to the extent permissible under
applicable law, that the Purchaser receives access by the management of each of
the Companies to all relevant documentation necessary for reviewing a possible
Purchase Price Adjustment and/or Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price Adjustment resulting out of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007,
however, excluding the working papers of the Company’s Auditor.
16
4.3
|
Objections
of the Purchaser; Arbitration
Proceedings
|
Any
Purchase Price Adjustment and any Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price Adjustment shall be carried out bindingly on the basis of the Consolidated
Financial Statements 2007 to the extent that the Purchaser does not within sixty
days after the receipt of the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 raise any
written objections vis-à-vis the Sellers (hereinafter referred to as the "Objections"). If, after the
Purchaser having raised in time and due form its Objections, the Sellers and the
Purchaser cannot agree on any Purchase Price Adjustment and/or any Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment, within thirty days
following the delivery of the Objections, each of the Sellers and the Purchaser
shall be entitled to request the "Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer in
Deutschland e.V.", Duesseldorf, to appoint an auditor or an audit firm to
act as an arbitrator (Schiedsgutachter)
(hereinafter referred to as the "Arbitrator") to determine the
Purchase Price Adjustment and/or the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
Purchase Price Adjustment, to the extent permissible under applicable law,
within the positions in dispute between the Sellers and the Purchaser. The
Arbitrator shall aim to decide on the Purchase Price Adjustment and/or the
Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment within thirty
Business Days after being appointed. The Arbitrator shall give the Sellers and
the Purchaser adequate opportunity to present their views in writing and at a
hearing or hearings to be held in the presence of the Sellers and the Purchaser
and their advisors. The Arbitrator shall give reasons for his decision and on
all issues which are in dispute between the Sellers and the Purchaser. The
Purchase Price Adjustment and/or the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
Purchase Price Adjustment as determined by the Arbitrator shall be final and
binding on the Parties subject to Clause 319 of the German Civil Code (BGB).
4.4
|
Costs
of Auditing
|
All costs
arising out of or in connection with the audits by the Company’s Auditor shall
be borne by the Company. All costs arising out of or in connection with the
audit by the Purchaser shall be borne by the Purchaser alone. In case of
arbitration proceedings referred to in Clause 4.3,
the Arbitrator may decide in its equitable discretion upon the allocation of his
costs and expenses, taking into account, however, the degree of success and
defeat of each Party. Each Party shall bear its own costs and the costs of its
advisors and counsel.
5.
|
CLOSING;
CLOSING CONDITIONS
|
5.1
|
Closing
Conditions; Closing Date
|
The
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (hereinafter
referred to as "Closing") shall take place at
the offices of Xxxxx & Xxxxx LLP in 40213 Duesseldorf, Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx 00, five Business Days after the date on which the last of the
Closing Conditions set forth in Clause 5.2 has been
fulfilled or waived, or at any other time or place which the Sellers and the
Purchaser will mutually agree upon (hereinafter referred to as "Closing Date").
5.2
|
Closing
Conditions
|
The
obligations of the Sellers and the Purchaser to carry out the Closing shall be
subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions to Closing
(collectively referred to herein as the "Closing Conditions", and each
of them as a "Closing
Condition"):
(a)
|
The
German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt)
("FCO") shall have
cleared the proposed concentration. This condition shall be deemed
satisfied if
|
17
(1)
|
the
FCO has cleared the proposed concentration in accordance with Clause
40 para. 2 sentence 1 of the Law against Restraints of
Competition (GWB);
or
|
(2)
|
the
parties involved (Zusammenschlussbeteiligte)
have received a written notice from the FCO that the facts of the case do
not allow a prohibition of the proposed concentration under Clause 36 GWB;
or
|
(3)
|
the
FCO fails to notify the Parties in accordance with Clause 40 para. 1
sentence 1 GWB within one (1) month after receipt of the pre-merger
notification that it has commenced a formal investigation of the proposed
concentration; or
|
(4)
|
the
FCO (i) fails to prohibit the proposed concentration in accordance with
Clause 40 para. 2 sentence 1 GWB within four (4) months after receipt
of the pre-merger notification and (ii) fails to come to an agreement with
the parties involved (Zusammenschlussbeteiligte)
on the extension of such four-month waiting period in accordance with
Clause 40 para. 2 sentence 3 no. 1 GWB;
or
|
(5)
|
the
FCO fails to (i) prohibit the proposed concentration in accordance with
Clause 40 para. 2 sentence 1 GWB within the agreed extension and (ii)
fails to come to an agreement with the parties involved (Zusammenschlussbeteiligte)
on a further extension of the (extended) waiting period mentioned in (4)
of this Clause 5.2(a) in accordance with Clause 40 para. 2 sentence 3 no.
1 GWB.
|
Neither
the Purchaser nor any of the Sellers shall grant its consent and approval to any
extension of the waiting period without the prior written consent of the
respective other Parties involved.
(b)
|
The
Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 shall have been adopted (festgestellt).
|
5.3
|
Obligations
with Respect to the Closing
Conditions
|
The
Sellers and the Purchaser undertake to use their best efforts to cause each of
the Closing Conditions to be satisfied as soon as possible. With regard to the
merger control clearance, the obligations of the Sellers and the Purchaser are
more specifically set out in Clause 11.1 below. The
Sellers and the Purchaser shall inform each other in writing without undue delay
(unverzüglich) as soon
as the Closing Conditions have been satisfied or waived.
5.4
|
Consequences
of Non-Satisfaction of the Closing Conditions; Right to Waive Closing
Conditions
|
(a)
|
If
the FCO has not cleared the proposed concentration within thirty six days
after receipt of the pre-merger notification, the Sellers may rescind this
Agreement (Rücktritt vom
Vertrag) by written notice to the other Parties. If the Closing has
not occurred, at the latest, 5 months after the Signing Date, the Sellers
and/or the Purchaser may rescind this Agreement (Rücktritt vom Vertrag)
by written notice to the other Parties. Any rescission under this Clause
5.4 shall be valid only if the recipient
Party has received such written notice of rescission prior to the date on
which the last Closing Condition has been satisfied or waived. If this
Agreement is rescinded in accordance with this Clause, this Agreement
shall cease to have force and effect and shall not create any binding
obligation between the Parties, except that this Clause 5.4 and Clauses 11
(Confidentiality), 14 (Assignee Affiliate's
Guarantor), 15 (Costs and Taxes), 16 (Notices) and 17
(Miscellaneous) shall remain in force and effect. If the Closing Condition
set out in Clause 5.2(a) has not been
satisfied and the Sellers and/or the Purchaser have rescinded the
Agreement in accordance with this Clause, the Purchaser shall reimburse to
the Sellers all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the limited
auction selling process of the Company up to an amount of EUR 300,000.00
(in words: three hundred thousand
Euros).
|
18
(b)
|
If
the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 have not been adopted (festgestellt) as set
forth in Clause 5.2(b) by 15 May 2008, at the
latest, such Closing Condition shall cease to have force and
effect.
|
(c)
|
The
Sellers shall have the right to waive in writing the Closing Condition set
forth in Clause 5.2(b).
|
5.5
|
Actions
on the Closing Date
|
At the
Closing, the Parties shall simultaneously execute and deliver the following
documents and take the following actions:
(a)
|
The
Parties shall execute the Escrow Agreement (as defined in Clause 3.3(a)(ii)), unless such agreement has already
been executed prior to the Closing
Date.
|
(b)
|
The
Purchaser shall pay the Preliminary Purchase Price in accordance with
Clause 3.3(a) and, as the case may be, the
Purchase Price Adjustment in accordance with Clause 3.4(c)(i), to the extent the Purchase Price
Adjustment has become final and binding upon the Parties in accordance
with Clause 4.3 on the Closing Date and the
Purchaser is therefore obliged to a corresponding
payment.
|
(c)
|
The
Purchaser shall pay the Preliminary Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
Purchase Price in accordance with Clause 3.3(b) and, as the case may be, the Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment in accordance with
Clause 3.4(d)(i), to the extent the Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment has become final and
binding upon the Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3 on the Closing Date and the Purchaser is
therefore obliged to a corresponding
payment.
|
(d)
|
The
Sellers shall pay, as the case may be, the Purchase Price Adjustment in
accordance with Clause 3.4(c)(ii), to the
extent the Purchase Price Adjustment has become final and binding upon the
Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3 on the
Closing Date and the Sellers are therefore obliged to a corresponding
payment.
|
(e)
|
The
Sellers shall pay, as the case may be, the Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment in accordance with Clause 3.4(d)(ii), to the extent the Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price Adjustment has become final and binding
upon the Parties in accordance with Clause 4.3 on the Closing Date and the Sellers are
therefore obliged to a corresponding
payment.
|
(f)
|
The
Sellers shall transfer the Partnership Interests and any and all rights
reflected in and pertaining to the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts to
the Purchaser or an Affiliate of the Purchaser as provided in Clause 2.3.
|
(g)
|
Seller
1, Seller 4 and Xx. Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx shall transfer their fixed
partnership interests in Xxxxxx GmbH + Co. KG to the Company by means of
the transfer agreement substantially in the form attached to the
respective sale and purchase agreement which is attached hereto as Annex 5.5
(g).
|
19
6.
|
SELLERS’
GUARANTEES
|
6.1
|
Form
and Scope of Sellers’ Guarantees
|
The
Sellers hereby guarantee to the Purchaser by way of an independent promise of
guarantee pursuant to Clause 311 para. 1 BGB (selbständiges Garantieversprechen im
Sinne des § 311 Abs. 1 BGB) within the scope and subject to the
requirements and limitations provided in Clause 6 hereof or otherwise in this
Agreement that the statements set forth in Clause 6.2 below are complete and correct as of the Signing
Date and, unless explicitly provided otherwise in this Clause 6, on the Closing Date. The Sellers and the Purchaser
agree and explicitly confirm that the guarantees in this Clause 6 are not granted, and shall not be qualified and
construed as, quality guarantees concerning the object of the purchase (Garantien für die Beschaffenheit der
Sache) within the meaning of Clauses 443, 444 BGB, respectively, that
Clause 444 BGB shall not and does not apply to the guarantees contained in this
Clause 6.
6.2
|
Sellers’
Guarantees
|
(a)
|
Corporate
Issues and Authority of the Sellers
|
(1)
|
The
statements in Clause 1 hereof regarding the
Companies, the Minority Entities, the Sellers’ Capital and Reserve
Accounts are complete and correct. The Companies and the Minority Entities
have been duly established and are validly existing under the laws of
their respective jurisdiction. The copy attached hereto as Annex
6.2(a)(1a) completely and correctly reflects the Company's
partnership agreement (except for amendments reflected in the recordings
in the commercial register since 28 September 2004 until the Closing
Date), which is in full force and effect and which the Sellers will not
amend until the Closing Date, except for the deletion of Clause 12 para. 4
of the Company's partnership agreement. Annex 6.2
(a)(1b) contains a true and correct list of the articles of
association (or equivalent documents) (i) of such Subsidiaries which are
not, directly or indirectly, wholly-owned by the Company and (ii) of the
Minority Entities.
|
(2)
|
The
Companies’ Shares and the Minority Participations have been validly
issued, are fully paid in, either in cash or in kind, have not been repaid
and are free from any encumbrances or other rights of Third Parties, and
there are no pre-emptive rights, options, voting arrangements or other
rights of Third Parties to acquire any of the Companies’ Shares or the
Minority Participations, in each case except under statutory law, under
the articles of association (or equivalent documents) listed in Annex
6.2(a)(1b) or as disclosed in Annex 6.2(a)
(2).
|
(3)
|
Except
as disclosed in Annex
6.2(a)(4), as of the Signing Date, no bankruptcy, insolvency or
judicial composition proceedings concerning any of the Companies have been
applied for. No circumstances exist which would require an application for
any bankruptcy, insolvency or judicial composition proceedings nor do any
circumstances exist according to any applicable bankruptcy or insolvency
laws which would justify the avoidance of this
Agreement.
|
(4)
|
The
companies listed in Annex 6.2(a)(4)
are in liquidation or already liquidated. No outstanding liabilities exist
insofar which would give rise to any obligation of the
Company.
|
(5)
|
The
Sellers are entitled to freely dispose of the Partnership Interests
without such a disposal infringing any rights of a Third
Party.
|
20
(6)
|
The
statements in Clause 1 hereof regarding the Sellers' Loans and Private
Accounts are complete and correct. The Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts
are validly existing and they are free from any encumbrances or other
rights of Third Parties.
|
(b)
|
Financial
Statements 2006; Consolidated Financial Statements 2006; Consolidated
Financial Statements 2007
|
(1)
|
The
Sellers have delivered to the Purchaser the audited financial statements
of the Company as of 31 December 2006 (the "Financial Statements
2006") as well as the audited consolidated financial statements of
the Company as of 31 December 2006 (the "Consolidated Financial
Statements 2006"). The Financial Statements 2006 have been prepared
in accordance with the applicable statutory accounting provisions of
Clauses 264 et seqq. HGB and present, taking into account the generally
accepted accounting principles (Grundsätze ordnungsmäßiger Buchführung)
and the principles of formal and material balance sheet continuity
(formelle und materielle Bilanzkontinuität), a true and fair view, within
the meaning of Clause 264 para. 2 HGB, of the assets and liabilities,
financial condition and results of operation (Vermögens-, Finanz- und
Ertragslage) of the Company for the period referenced therein. Except for
effects resulting from the consolidation of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Co. Ltd. in
the fiscal year 2006 as described in Annex 6.2(b), the Consolidated
Financial Statements 2006 have been prepared in accordance with the
applicable statutory accounting provisions of Clauses 290 et seqq. HGB and
present, taking into account the generally accepted accounting principles
(Grundsätze ordnungsmäßiger Buchführung) and the principles of formal and
material balance sheet continuity (formelle und materielle
Bilanzkontinuität), a true and fair view, within the meaning of Clause 297
para. 2 HGB, of the assets and liabilities, financial condition and
results of operation (Vermögens-, Finanz- und Ertragslage) of the
Companies for the period referenced
therein.
|
(2)
|
All
receivables shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 are fully
recoverable (xxxx
einbringlich), net off value adjustments (Wertberichtigungen) or
write-offs (Abschreibungen) shown
in the Consolidated Financial Statements
2007.
|
Unless
otherwise provided for in this Agreement, the Sellers shall indemnify and hold
harmless the Companies and the Purchaser from and against all claims the factual
or legal basis of which has been realized in the fiscal years prior to the
fiscal year 2008 and which no liability or provision is shown for in the
Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 or in financial statements.
(c)
|
Real
Property
|
(1)
|
Annex 6.2(c)(1)
contains a complete and correct list of real property owned by the
Companies.
|
(2)
|
Annex 6.2(c)(2)
contains a complete and correct list of real property leased or rented by
the Companies as of the Signing Date, whether as lessee or as lessor,
where the respective lessee’s payment obligations under the lease
agreements exceeds a value of EUR 50,000.00 p.a.. The lessee’s payment
obligations from all other lease agreements relating to real estate are
not higher than EUR 100,000.00 a
year.
|
(d)
|
Other
Assets
|
To the
Sellers’ Knowledge, the assets owned or lawfully used by the Companies as of the
Signing Date are sufficient to, and in a reasonably usable condition (gebrauchsfähiger Zustand) in
order to, continue the Business substantially in the same manner as conducted at
the Signing Date. Subject to any transfers by way of security (Sicherungsübereignung) or
retention of title arrangements (Eigentumsvorbehalte) which
are disclosed in Annex
6.2(d) and subject to any statutory liens which all have arisen in the
ordinary course of business of the Companies, the aforementioned assets are free
from any encumbrances.
21
(e)
|
Intellectual
Property Rights; Information
Technology
|
(1)
|
Annex 6.2(e)
(1) contains a complete and correct list of patents, trademarks and
other registered intellectual property rights owned (berechtigte
Inhaberschaft) or used by the Companies as of the Signing Date
(hereinafter referred to as the "Intellectual Property
Rights").
|
(2)
|
To
the Sellers’ Knowledge, the Intellectual Property Rights are, as of the
Signing Date, not subject to any pending proceedings for opposition,
cancellation, revocation or rectification which may negatively affect the
operation of the Business nor are they being materially in-fringed by
Third Parties. All fees necessary to maintain the Intellectual Property
Rights have been paid, all necessary renewal applications have been filed
and all other material steps necessary for their maintenance have been
taken. To the Sellers’ Knowledge, the Companies do not infringe any
intellectual property rights of Third
Parties.
|
(3)
|
All
computer hardware, software, communication systems, networks and other
information technology owned or lawfully used by the Companies as of the
Signing Date (hereinafter referred to as the "Information Technology")
are sufficient to continue the Business substantially in the same manner
as conducted at the Signing Date.
|
(f)
|
Compliance
with Laws and Permits
|
As of the
Signing Date, the Companies hold all material permits which are required, if
any, under applicable public laws (öffentliches Recht) for the
operation of the Business as presently conducted. Except as disclosed in Annex 6.2(f), there
are, as of the Signing Date, no indications or threats of any revocation or
restriction or subsequent orders (nachträgliche Anordnungen)
relating to any such permits after the Effective Date which would materially
affect the Business. The Companies conduct their respective business in
compliance with all material provisions of such permits, the non-compliance with
which would have a material adverse effect with respect to the
Business.
(g)
|
Compliance
with Environmental Laws
|
(1)
|
The
following terms used in this Agreement shall have the following
meaning:
|
(i)
|
"Environment" means all
or any of the following media, namely air (including the air within
buildings or other natural or man-made structures above or below ground),
water (including surface or ground water) or
land;
|
(ii)
|
"Environmental Matters"
means all matters relating to the protection of the
Environment;
|
(iii)
|
"Environmental Laws"
means all laws, ordinances, executable administrative decisions,
public-law agreements, legally binding judgements or judgments declared as
immediately enforceable, which are effective and enforceable at the
Signing Date relating to Environmental
Matters.
|
(2)
|
Except
as disclosed in Annex 6.2(g),
to the Sellers’ Knowledge, as of the Signing Date, the Companies conduct
their respective business in compliance with all Environmental Laws and
there are no circumstances which give rise to any obligation under
Environmental Laws.
|
22
(3)
|
Except
as disclosed in Annex 6.2(f),
as of the Signing Date, there are no claims, proceedings, actions or
investigations pending against the Companies with respect to
non-compliance with or obligation under material Environmental Laws nor
have any such claims, proceedings, actions or investigations been
threatened in writing.
|
(4)
|
If
a claim is asserted against either the Companies or the Purchaser under
Environmental Laws, at any time, due to occurrences before the Effective
Date (hereinafter referred to as "Environmental Claims"),
the Sellers are obliged to indemnify the Purchaser of all costs,
liabilities, penalties and/or expenses incurred by the Companies or the
Purchaser as a result of the Environmental Claims, including, but not
limited to, reasonable indemnification of any and all reasonable legal
fees incurred in addressing and/or defending the Environmental
Claims.
|
(5)
|
Except
as disclosed in Annex 6.2(g),
to the Sellers' Knowledge, there are no occurrences between the Effective
Date and the Signing Date which could give rise to any Environmental
Claim.
|
(h)
|
Material
Agreements
|
Annex 6.2 (h)
contains a complete and correct list of material
agreements as described below to which any of the Companies, as of the Signing
Date, is a party and of which the main obligations have not yet been completely
fulfilled (hereinafter referred to as the "Material
Agreements"):
(1)
|
agreements
relating to the acquisition or sale of interests in other companies or
businesses;
|
(2)
|
agreements
relating to the acquisition, disposal or encumbrance of real property, in
each case, for a consideration/an amount of EUR 50,000.00 or more; the
obligations from all other agreements in this regard are not higher than
EUR 50,000.00 a year;
|
(3)
|
rental
and lease agreements relating to real estate which, individually, provide
for annual payments of EUR 50,000.00 or more and which cannot be
terminated by the respective Companies on twelve months or less notice
without penalty; the lessee’s payment obligations from all other lease
agreements relating to real estate are not higher than EUR 100,000.00 a
year;
|
(4)
|
license
agreements which, individually, provide for annual payments of EUR
50,000.00 or more and which cannot be terminated by the respective
Companies on twelve months or less notice without penalty; the obligations
from all other license agreements are not higher than EUR 100,000.00 a
year;
|
(5)
|
loan
agreements, bonds, notes or any other instruments of debt involving any
Third Party outside the Companies and, individually, an amount of EUR
100,000.00 or more; the obligations from all other agreements in this
regard are not higher than EUR 100,000.00 a
year;
|
(6)
|
guarantees,
indemnities, and suretyships issued for any debt of any Third Party other
than the Companies for an amount of EUR 100,000.00 or more; the
obligations from all other agreements in this regard are not higher than
EUR 100,000.00 a year;
|
(7)
|
agreements
with customers and suppliers which, individually, provide for annual
payments of more than EUR
250,000.00;
|
(8)
|
joint
venture- and cooperation agreements with Third
Parties;
|
23
(9)
|
agreements
prohibiting or limiting the ability of any of the respective Companies to
engage in any business activity or to compete with any market participant
(including any exclusive purchasing or sales
agreements);
|
(10)
|
any
continuing obligations (Dauerschuldverhältnisse)
other than described in Clauses 6.2 (h) (1)
through (9) which cannot be
terminated with effect as of or prior to 31 October 2009 and which provide
for annual obligations of the Company or the Subsidiaries in excess of EUR
150,000.00. The obligations from all other agreements in this regard are
not higher than EUR 500,000.00 a
year.
|
Each of
the Material Agreements is, as of the Signing Date, in full force and effect,
and the Company or the respective Subsidiary have received no notice of
termination as of the Signing Date and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is
in any material breach of any of the Material Agreements. The dealings between
the Companies and the customers taken as a whole are carried out at arm’s length
terms.
(i)
|
Largest
Customers and Largest Suppliers
|
Annex 6.2(i) contains
a complete and correct list of the five (5) largest customers and the five (5)
largest suppliers of the Companies, in each case measured on the basis of (and
the list in each case specifying) the business volume for the fiscal year ended
on 31 December 2007.
(j)
|
Employees
|
(1)
|
Annex 6.2(j)
(1) contains, as of the Signing Date, a complete and correct list
of collective bargaining agreements and agreements with unions, workers’
councils and similar organizations by which any of the Companies, as of
the Signing Date, are bound. There are no legally binding unilateral
declarations of intention by any of the Companies in favour of the
employees of the Companies.
|
(2)
|
Annex 6.2(j)
(2) contains, as of the Signing Date, a complete and correct list
of employees of the Companies who are entitled, as of the Signing Date, to
receive in the calendar year 2008 a gross annual base salary
(excluding fringe benefits, such as incentives, stock options or
appreciation rights, company car and other benefits) in excess of EUR
100,000.00 (such employees collectively hereinafter referred to as the
"Key Employees"
and each of them as a "Key Employee"). Except
as set forth in Annex 6.2(j)
(2), as of the Signing Date, none of the Key Employees has given
notice of termination of his or her
employment.
|
(3)
|
The
total number of employees of German Companies does not exceed the number
of 753 employees as of the Signing Date. The total number of employees of
the foreign Companies and foreign Minority Entities does not exceed the
number of 232 employees as of the Signing
Date.
|
(4)
|
The
Companies have made provisions for pensions of their employees in
accordance with German generally accepted accounting
principles.
|
(5)
|
Except
as disclosed in Annex 6.2(j)
(5), as of the Signing Date, there are no lawsuits, court actions
or similar proceedings between employees of the Companies and the
Companies involving an amount in dispute (Streitwert) exceeding
EUR 25,000.00 in each individual
case.
|
(6)
|
Annex 6.2(j)
(6) contains, as of the Signing Date, a complete and correct list
of agreements relating to partial retirements (Altersteilzeit) of
employees of the Companies who were entitled to receive a gross
annual base salary (excluding fringe benefits, such as incentives, stock
options or appreciation rights, company car and other benefits) before
entering into the respective partial retirement in excess of EUR
35,000.00.
|
24
(7)
|
There
are no agreements between the Companies and their employees which provide
for change of control or compensation provisions in relation to the
execution of this Agreement.
|
(k)
|
Insurance
|
Annex 6.2(k)
contains, as of the Signing Date, a complete and correct list of insurance
policies taken out by, or for the benefit of, any of the Companies with regard
to their assets, business operations, board members or employees (hereinafter
referred to as "Insurance
Policies" or each as "Insurance Policy"). To the
Sellers’ Knowledge, the Insurance Policies are valid and in full force. All
premiums due on the Insurance Policies have been duly paid up to the Signing
Date and, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, there are no circumstances due to which any
such Insurance Policy might be voidable.
(l)
|
Public
Grants
|
Annex 6.2(l)
contains, as of the Signing Date, a complete and correct list of public grants
(öffentliche
Förderungen) granted to any of the Companies within the past three years
prior to the Signing Date which, individually, provide for annual payments of
EUR 50,000.00 or more (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Public Grants"). The Companies
have no indications that those Public Grants will be revoked because of the fact
that the Companies do not use, have not used and have not applied for, the
Public Grants in accordance with applicable law.
(m)
|
Litigation
|
None of
the Companies is involved in any law suits, court actions or similar proceedings
before a court of justice, arbitration panel or an administrative authority
involving an amount in dispute (Streitwert) exceeding EUR
50,000.00 in each individual case on the Signing Date pending (rechtshängig) or, to the
Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened in writing to be filed against any of the
Companies, except those disclosed in Annex 6.2(m) (1).
Annex 6.2(m)
(2) contains a note concerning the US law suit against Airlaid Alliance
Geschäftsführungs Sp z.o.o., a Minority Participation of the Company, and
McAirlaids Vliesstoffe GmbH & Co. KG, the indirect majority shareholder of
that Minority Participation. The liability risk for the Company resulting out of
that US law suit is not higher than its holding in the share capital of Airlaid
Alliance Geschäftsführungs Sp z.o.o. which amounts to PLN 24,500.00 (EUR
6,819.00). The amount in dispute for all other litigations is not exceeding EUR
100,000.00.
(n)
|
Product
Liability
|
Except as
set forth in Annex
6.2(n), to the Sellers’ Knowledge, as of the Signing Date, none of the
Companies has manufactured, sold or otherwise placed into circulation (in Verkehr gebracht) any
product or provided any service in a manner due to which any individual
liability under product liability (aus Produkthaftung) exists in
excess of EUR 50,000.00. The obligations from all other individual liabilities
under product liability are not higher than EUR 100,000.00.
(o)
|
Ordinary
Course of Business
|
Except as
set forth in Annex
6.2(o), from 1 January 2007 until the Signing Date, the business
operations of the Companies have been conducted in the ordinary course of
business and substantially in the same manner as before, and there has been no
material adverse change with respect to the Business taken as a whole. In
particular, the Companies, from 1 January 2007 until the Signing Date, have
not:
25
(1)
|
distribute
any profits, declared any dividend or made any other distribution to a
person or an entity other than the
Companies;
|
(2)
|
issued
any share capital or similar interest to an entity which is not part of
the Companies;
|
(3)
|
undertaken
to make any capital expenditure or entered into any contract or commitment
outside the ordinary course of
business;
|
(4)
|
acquired
or disposed of or pledged or otherwise encumbered any fixed assets
relating to its business outside the ordinary course of
business;
|
(5)
|
incurred
any indebtedness vis-à-vis Third Parties other than in the ordinary course
of business;
|
(6)
|
made
any advance or extended any loan to any Third Party outside the ordinary
course of business;
|
(7)
|
waived
or settled any claims or other rights with an aggregate value of more than
EUR 50,000.00;
|
(8)
|
made
any material change in the terms of employment (including changes to
compensations) of any Key Employees other than in the ordinary course of
business.
|
(p)
|
Services-
and Consultancy Contracts with
Sellers
|
Except
for the managing director employment contract (Geschäftsführeranstellungsvertrag)
between the General Partner and Seller 1 and except for Seller 1's salary claims
in this regard, there are neither services- or consultancy contracts between the
Companies and the Sellers nor any outstanding payment claims of the Sellers
against the Companies in this regard.
6.3
|
No
other Sellers’ Guarantees
|
(a)
|
The
Purchaser explicitly acknowledges that it is purchasing and acquiring the
Partnership Interests and the Business in the condition they are in on the
Closing Date based upon its own inspection, examination and determination
with respect thereto, and that it is undertaking the acquisition based
upon its own inspection, examination and determination without reliance
upon any expressed or implied representations, warranties or guarantees of
any nature made by the Sellers except for the guarantees explicitly given
by the Sellers under this
Agreement.
|
(b)
|
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Purchaser acknowledges that
the Sellers give no representation, warranty or guarantee with respect
to
|
(1)
|
any
projections, estimates or budgets delivered or made available to the
Purchaser of future revenues, future results of operations (or any
component thereof), future cash flows or future financial condition (or
any component thereof) or the future business operations of the Companies
or the Business;
|
(2)
|
any
other information or documents made available to the Purchaser or its
counsel, accountants or advisors with respect to the Companies or the
Business, including without limitation the Information Memorandum and the
information provided during the Management Presentation delivered on 15
January 2008, except as expressly set forth in this
Agreement;
|
26
(3)
|
any
Tax matter except as explicitly otherwise provided for in Clause 8; or
|
(4)
|
any
matter for which an indemnification has been given by the
Sellers.
|
6.4
|
Sellers’
Knowledge
|
In this
Agreement, the knowledge of the Sellers (herein referred to as the "Sellers’ Knowledge") shall
solely encompass the actual knowledge and the grossly negligent lack of
knowledge (xxxx fahrlässige
Unkenntnis), including, for the avoidance of doubt, the actual knowledge
and the grossly negligent lack of knowledge of the Disclosed Documents (as
defined in Clause 7.4), as of the Signing Date of
the individuals listed in Annex
6.4.
7.
|
REMEDIES
FOR BREACH OF SELLERS' GUARANTEES
|
7.1
|
General/Recoverable
Damages
|
(a)
|
In
the event of any breach or non-fulfilment by the Sellers of any of the
guarantees or obligations pursuant to Clauses 6.2 and 8, the
Sellers are obliged to pay monetary damages (Schadenersatz in Geld)
to the Purchaser provided, however, that such damages shall only cover
actual damages incurred by the Purchaser, including, for the avoidance of
doubt, foreseeable consequential damages (Folgeschäden), but
excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any damages based on the argument
that the Companies cannot pursue any business expansion plans or business
opportunities that the Companies have not successfully pursued prior to
the Closing Date. The damage compensation under this Agreement shall in
particular not cover internal administration or overhead costs of the
Purchaser, loss of profits (entgangener Gewinn) or
any arguments that the Purchase Price was calculated upon incorrect
assumptions. The Purchaser is excluded with any arguments that the damage
amounts shall be calculated by reference to the fact that the Purchase
Price was calculated taking into account a certain earnings multiple
("Euro for Euro principle").
|
(b)
|
The
Sellers shall not be liable for, and the Purchaser shall not be entitled
to claim for, any damages of the Purchaser under or in connection with
this Agreement if
|
(1)
|
the
matter to which the claim relates is provided for in the financial
statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2007 (hereinafter
referred to as the "Financial Statements
2007") or the Consolidated Financial Statements
2007;
|
(2)
|
any
damages of the Purchaser are covered and recoverable by claims against
Third Parties, including, but not limited to, through existing insurance
policies; or
|
(3)
|
provisions
contained in the Financial Statements 2007 or Consolidated Financial
Statements 2007 may be dissolved, the value of assets which had been
depreciated may be reinstated (Wertaufholung), or
accounts receivable which had already been written off in whole or in part
are fulfilled by the respective debtors after the Effective
Date.
|
7.2
|
Overall
Scope of Sellers’ Liability pursuant to this
Agreement
|
(a)
|
For
any and all claims of the Purchaser against the Sellers pursuant to
Clauses 6 and 8
referring to any of the Companies in which the Sellers hold (directly or
indirectly) as of Closing less than 100 per cent, the Sellers’ liability
shall further be limited pro rata to the Sellers’ equity shareholding in
such member of the Companies.
|
27
(b)
|
The
Sellers’ aggregate liability under this Agreement including, but not
limited to, any and all claims for breach of any of the guarantees or
obligations pursuant to Clauses 6 and 8, shall be limited to 30 per cent of the
Purchase Price (hereinafter referred to as the "Sellers’ Liability
Cap"), provided that any claims of the Purchaser for breach of any
of the guarantees pursuant to Clauses 6.2(a)(1), 6.2(a)(2) and 6.2(a)(5) shall be limited to the
Purchase Price (hereinafter referred to as the "Extended Sellers’ Liability
Cap").
|
7.3
|
Threshold
|
The
Purchaser shall only be entitled to any claims against the Sellers under Clauses
6 through 8 to the
extent the aggregate amount of all individual claims as limited pursuant to
Clauses 7.2(a), including, for the avoidance of
doubt, a series of damages resulting from identical or similar causes (Serienschäden), exceeds EUR
600,000.00 (in words: six hundred thousand Euros) (hereinafter referred to as
the "Threshold"). In
case the Threshold is exceeded, the Purchaser can claim the whole
amount.
7.4
|
Exclusion
of Claims due to Purchaser’s
Knowledge
|
The
Purchaser shall not be entitled to bring any claim against the Sellers under
Clauses 6 through 8 if
the underlying facts or circumstances to which the claim relates were known, or
could have been known (grossly negligent lack of knowledge; grobfahrlässige Unkenntnis),
by the Purchaser, taking into account that the Purchaser, prior to entering into
this Agreement, has been given the opportunity to review the status of the
Companies, the Minority Entities and the Business on the basis of the documents
disclosed in the electronic data room until 12 February 2008, which are attached
hereto in form of a CD-Rom in Annex 7.4
(hereinafter referred to as the "Disclosed Documents"), from a
commercial, technical, financial and legal perspective. Facts and circumstances
that could reasonably be concluded from the Disclosed Documents or are disclosed
in this Agreement or its Annexes are deemed to be known by the Purchaser. For
the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing sentence, however, (i) does not exclude
the Purchaser to bring a claim against the Sellers with respect to the
information disclosed in Annex 6.2(m) (2) to
the extent the liability risk for the Company realizes in excess of PLN
24,500.00 (EUR 6,819.00) and (ii) does not limit or otherwise affect the
Sellers' indemnification obligations pursuant to Clause 10.8. The knowledge of
the Purchaser’s managing directors, advisors and those of its employees who were
engaged in carrying out the due diligence examination undertaken with regard to
entering into this Agreement shall be imputed to the Purchaser.
7.5
|
Notification
of Sellers; Procedure in Case of Third Party
Claims
|
(a)
|
In
the event of an actual or potential breach of guarantee pursuant to Clause
6 above, the Purchaser shall without undue
delay after becoming aware of the matter notify the Sellers of such
alleged breach in writing, describing the potential claim in detail and,
to the extent practical, state the estimated amount of such claim and give
the Sellers the opportunity to remedy the breach within sixty days after
having been notified by the Purchaser of the
breach.
|
(b)
|
Furthermore,
in the event that in connection with a breach of a guarantee under Clause
6 any claim or demand of a Third Party is
asserted against the Purchaser or any of the Companies or the Minority
Entities (for the purposes of this Clause each a "Relevant Company"), the
Purchaser shall (i) make available to the Sellers a copy of the Third
Party claim or demand and of all time-sensitive documents and (ii) give
the Sellers the opportunity to defend the Purchaser or the Relevant
Company against such claim. The Sellers shall have the right to defend the
claim by all appropriate proceedings and shall have the sole power to
direct and control such defence. In particular, without limitation, the
Sellers may (i) participate in and direct all negotiations and
correspondence with the Third Party, (ii) appoint and instruct counsel
acting, if necessary, in the name of the Purchaser or any of the Relevant
Company, and (iii) require that the claim be litigated or settled in
accordance with the Sellers’ instructions. The Sellers shall conduct such
proceedings in good faith with due regard to the concerns of the Purchaser
at their expense, except for expenses incurred by Purchaser’s advisors
which shall be borne by the
Purchaser.
|
28
(c)
|
In
no event shall the Purchaser or the Relevant Company be entitled to
acknowledge or settle a claim or permit any such acknowledgement or
settlement without the Sellers’ prior written consent to the extent that
such claims may result in a liability of the Sellers under this Agreement.
The Purchaser or the Relevant Company shall, at its expense, fully
cooperate with the Sellers in the defence of any Third Party claim,
provide the Sellers and their representatives (including, for the
avoidance of doubt, its advisors) access to all relevant business records
and documents and permit the Sellers and its representatives to consult
with the directors, employees and representatives of the Purchaser or the
Relevant Company. To the extent that the Sellers are in breach of a
guarantee provided for under Clause 6 above,
all costs and expenses incurred by the Sellers in defending such claim
shall be borne by the Sellers. If it turns out that the Sellers were not
in breach, any costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Sellers in
connection with the defence (including advisors’ fees) shall be borne by
the Purchaser or the Relevant
Company.
|
(d)
|
7.6
|
Mitigation
|
Clause
254 BGB shall remain unaffected, i.e. the Purchaser is in particular obliged to
prevent the occurrence of any damages and to limit the scope of any damages
incurred.
7.7
|
Limitation
Periods
|
All
claims for any breach of guarantees of the Sellers pursuant to Clauses 6.2 above shall become time-barred (verjähren) eighteen months
after the Closing Date, except for claims based on a breach of the guarantees
given by the Sellers under Clauses 6.2(a)(1),
6.2(a)(2) and 6.2(a)(5) shall become time-barred five years after the Closing
Date. Claims with respect to Taxes (Clause 8) shall
become time-barred in accordance with Clause 8.8.
7.8
|
Exclusion
of Further Remedies
|
(a)
|
To
the extent permitted by law, any further claims and remedies other than
explicitly provided for under Clauses 6
through 8 hereof, irrespective of their
nature, amount or legal basis, are hereby expressly waived and excluded,
in particular, without limitation, claims under pre-contractual fault
(Clause 311 para. 2 and 3 BGB, breach of contract (Pflichtverletzung aus dem
Schuldverhältnis) and/or the right to reduce the Purchase Price
(Minderung) or to
rescind this Agreement (Rücktritt), and any
liability in tort (Deliktshaftung).
|
(b)
|
Further
to the statements made in Clause 6.1, the
Sellers and the Purchaser agree that the provisions contained in Clauses
6 through 8 of
this Agreement are not quality guarantees concerning the object of the
purchase (Garantien für
die Beschaffenheit der Sache) within the meaning of Clauses 443,
444 BGB. In the unlikely event that the provisions of Clauses 6 through 8 setting
out the scope and limitations of the Sellers’ liability are, contrary to
the intention and explicit understanding of the Parties, regarded and
construed as quality guarantees concerning the object of the purchase, and
the limitations of the Sellers’ liability contained herein are found
wholly or partially invalid therefore, the Purchaser hereby waives the
right to assert claims going beyond the limits of limitations provided for
herein. The Sellers accept such
waiver.
|
29
8.
|
TAXES
|
8.1
|
Definition
of Tax
|
For the
purpose of this Agreement "Tax" shall mean any taxes
within the meaning of Clause 3 para. 1 through 3 of the German Tax Code (AO) or any corresponding
provisions under foreign laws, plus any tax fringe benefits (steuerliche Nebenleistungen),
e.g. interest, costs, surtaxes, within the meaning of Clause 3 para. 4 AO or any
corresponding provisions under foreign laws, plus social security contributions
and fees required by law as well as liabilities from any of the aforementioned
taxes, all imposed by any governmental authority responsible for the imposition
of such tax (hereinafter referred to as a "Taxing
Authority")
8.2
|
Tax
Filings and Tax Payments until the Closing
Date
|
The
Sellers hereby guarantee to the Purchaser by way of an independent promise of
guarantee pursuant to Clause 311 para. 1 BGB (selbständiges Garantieversprechen im
Sinne des § 311 Abs. 1 BGB), within the scope of and subject to the
requirements and limitations contained in this Clause 8, that the Companies (i) have duly and timely made,
and will duly and timely (taking into consideration extensions of time allowed
by the competent Taxing Authorities) make until the Closing Date, all Tax
filings due, and (ii) have paid, and will pay until the Closing Date, all Taxes
when due and payable. Clause 7.8(b) shall apply
mutatis
mutandis.
8.3
|
Tax
Indemnification
|
(a)
|
Subject
to full compliance with the provisions set forth under Clause 8.6 below, the Sellers agree to indemnify the
Purchaser from and against all Taxes due and payable by the Companies and
assessed for periods ending on or before 31 December 2007, unless, and
except to the extent, that such Tax
liabilities
|
(1)
|
are
shown or provided for in the Financial Statements 2007 or Consolidated
Financial Statements 2007; or
|
(2)
|
are
subject of a valid and enforceable claim for repayment or indemnification
against a Third Party; or
|
(3)
|
are
the result of a reorganization or other measures initiated by Purchaser;
or
|
(4)
|
relate
to income or gains that can be offset against Tax loss carry backs or loss
carry forwards as shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements 2007 that
are or were available (including as a result of subsequent tax audits) in
the period to which such taxes are allocable, whereby any use or reduction
caused directly or indirectly by the Purchaser of such Tax loss carry back
or loss carry forward shall be disregarded;
or
|
(5)
|
can
be offset against future Tax reductions (Steuerminderungen)
arising during the next five years after the Effective Date out of the
circumstance triggering the Tax indemnification claim, e.g. resulting from
the lengthening of depreciation periods or higher depreciation allowances
(Phasenverschiebung);
or
|
(6)
|
correspond
to Tax advantages of any of the Companies, the Purchaser or any Affiliate
of the Purchaser arising during the next five years after the Effective
Date.
|
30
(b)
|
Subject
to the second sentence of this Clause, the Sellers will not indemnify the
Purchaser for any Tax liability of the Companies for tax years ending
after the Effective Date. The Sellers shall indemnify the Company from and
against all trade income tax (Gewerbesteuer) due and
payable by the Company resulting from the sale of the Partnership
Interests to the Purchaser, provided, however, that the Sellers are not
obliged to indemnify the Company from such trade income tax which results
out of a reorganization or other measures initiated by the Purchaser, in
particular, without limitation, an assignment and transfer of this
Agreement and of any rights and obligations hereunder, in whole or in
part, by the Purchaser to one of its Affiliates as set forth in Clause
12.
|
(c)
|
Indemnification
payments due by the Sellers under this Clause 8 shall be made within 20 Business Days
following written notice by the Purchaser, provided that the payment of
such amounts to the Taxing Authority is due and that the Sellers shall not
be required to make any payment earlier than two Business Days before such
Taxes are due to the Taxing Authority. In case of any Tax being contested
in accordance with Clause 8.6(b), payment of
such Tax to the Taxing Authority will be considered due no earlier than on
the date a final (bestandskräftig)
determination to such effect is made by either the Taxing Authority or a
court of proper jurisdiction, provided that the Taxing Authority has
granted relief from paying the assessed Tax until such Tax becomes final
and binding. If the Taxing Authority only grants that relief from paying
the assessed Tax against a security, the Sellers have to grant such
security. If the Taxing Authority has not granted that relief from paying
the assessed Tax, the Purchaser shall have the opportunity to make a
respective payment provided that the Sellers provide a guarantee by a
reputable bank as security for any reimbursement claims of the Purchaser
against the Sellers in this
respect.
|
8.4
|
Tax
Filings after the Closing Date
|
After the
Closing Date, the Purchaser shall prepare and make, or cause the Companies to
prepare and make, all Tax filings required to be filed by or on behalf of the
Companies, in the case of any Tax filings for periods ending on, prior to or
including the Closing Date, subject to the review and approval of the Sellers
(which may not unreasonably be withheld). Tax filings for periods including the
period ending on 31 December 2007 shall be prepared on a basis consistent with
those prepared for prior Tax assessment periods. The Purchaser shall ensure that
any Tax filing to be reviewed and approved by the Sellers will be furnished to
the Sellers no later than 30 days prior to the due date of such Tax
filing.
8.5
|
Tax
Covenants
|
The
Purchaser covenants to the Sellers that except as legally required by any Taxing
Authority or otherwise compelled by mandatory law and after having given the
Sellers the opportunity to intervene, the Purchaser will not cause or permit any
of the Companies
(1)
|
to
take or omit to take any action on or after the Closing Date that could
give rise to any Tax liability of the Sellers or reduce any of their Tax
assets;
|
(2)
|
to
make or change any Tax election, amend any Tax return or take any Tax
position on any Tax return, take any action, omit to take any action or
enter into any transaction, merger or restructuring that results in any
increased Tax liability (including a Tax indemnification liability) of the
Sellers or reduction of any of their Tax
assets.
|
8.6
|
Indemnification
Procedures
|
(a)
|
Following
the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall promptly notify the Sellers of any
Tax audit or administrative or judicial proceeding that is announced or
commenced and that might constitute a basis for indemnification by the
Sellers pursuant to this Clause 8. Such
notice shall be given by the Purchaser within two weeks time after the
authorities have issued the respective administrative act in writing and
by registered mail and shall contain sufficient factual information
describing the object of the Tax audit or the asserted Tax liability in
reasonable detail and shall include copies of any notice or other document
received from any Taxing Authority in respect of any such Tax audit or
asserted Tax liability. The Purchaser shall further procure that the
Companies allow the Sellers to fully participate in such Tax audit. If the
Sellers are not given prompt notice as required by this Clause 8.6(a), then the
Sellers shall not have any obligation to indemnify the Purchaser for any
damages arising out of such asserted Tax liability, unless the Purchaser
has appealed against the notice of assessment within the statutory period
and such assessment has thereby not become binding and the Purchaser has
immediately after filing of the appeal notified the Sellers as required by
this Clause 8.6(a).
|
31
(b)
|
The
Sellers may elect to direct on their own or through counsel of their
choice and at their expense, any audit, claim for refund and
administrative or judicial proceeding involving any asserted Tax liability
with respect to which indemnity may be sought under this Clause 8 (any such audit, claim for refund or
proceeding relating to an asserted Tax liability is hereinafter referred
to as a "Tax
Contest"). If the Sellers elect to direct a Tax Contest, then the
Sellers shall within 25 Business Days of receipt of the Purchaser’s
written notice pursuant to Clause 8.6(a)
above, notify the Purchaser of their intent to do so, and the Purchaser
shall cooperate and cause the Companies or the respective successors to
cooperate and follow the Sellers’ directions, at the Sellers’ expense in
each phase of such Tax Contest. If the Sellers do not elect to direct such
Tax Contest or fail to notify the Purchaser of their election as herein
provided, the Purchaser or the Companies may pay, compromise or contest
such asserted Tax liability, provided that neither the Purchaser nor any
of the Companies may settle or compromise any asserted Tax liability
without the Sellers’ consent. In any event, the Sellers may participate,
at their own expense, in any Tax Contest and may, at their own discretion,
take any action they deem appropriate to further or settle the case. If
the Sellers choose to direct the Tax Contest, the Purchaser shall promptly
authorize, and shall cause the respective Companies to authorize, (by
power-of-attorney and such other documentation as may be necessary and
appropriate) the designated representative of the Sellers to represent the
Purchaser and/or the Companies or their successors in the Tax Contest
insofar as the Tax Contest involves an asserted Tax liability for which
the Sellers would be liable under this Clause 8.
|
8.7
|
Tax
Refunds
|
(a)
|
If
any of the Companies receives a Tax refund relating to any period ending
on or before 31 December 2007 (to the extent not reflected in the
Financial Statements 2007 or Consolidated Financial Statements 2007), the
amount of the Tax refund shall be paid by the Purchaser to the Sellers.
The Purchaser shall duly notify the Sellers of any Tax refund relating to
any period ending on or before 31 December 2007.Clauses 8.3(4) and 8.3(5) shall apply
accordingly.
|
(b)
|
If
the Company receives a Tax refund relating to any trade income tax (Gewerbesteuer) paid by
the Company due to the sale of the Partnership Interests to the Purchaser
and relating to any period ending on or before 31 December 2008, the
amount of such tax refund shall be paid by the Purchaser to the Sellers.
The Purchaser shall duly notify the Sellers of any such Tax refund
relating to any period ending on or before 31 December
2008.
|
8.8
|
Limitation
|
Claims of
the Purchaser under this Clause 8 shall be
time-barred three months after the final and binding assessment of the relevant
Taxes.
32
9.
|
PURCHASER’S
GUARANTEES
|
9.1
|
Guarantees
|
Purchaser
hereby guarantees by way of an independent promise of guarantee pursuant to
Clause 311 para. 1 BGB (selbständiges Garantieversprechen im
Sinne des § 311 Abs. 1 BGB):
(a)
|
The
Purchaser is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of
Pennsylvania and has all requisite corporate power and authority to own
its assets and to carry out its
business.
|
(b)
|
The
execution and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby are within the
corporate powers of the Purchaser and have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action on part of the
Purchaser.
|
(c)
|
The
execution and performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transaction contemplated herein do not (i) violate the
articles of association or by-laws of the Purchaser or (ii) violate any
applicable law, regulation, judgment, injunction or order binding on the
Purchaser, and (iii) there is no action, law suit, investigation or
proceeding pending against, or to the knowledge of the Purchaser
threatened against, the Purchaser before any court, arbitration panel or
governmental authority which in any manner challenges or seeks to prevent,
alter or delay the transaction contemplated
herein.
|
(d)
|
(e)
|
The
Purchaser has sufficient immediately available funds or binding financing
commitments to pay the Purchase Price as well as the Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts Purchase Price and to make all other payments required to
be made under or in connection with this
Agreement.
|
9.2
|
Indemnification
|
In the
event that the Purchaser is in breach of any guarantee pursuant to Clause 9.1, the Purchaser shall indemnify and hold harmless
the Sellers from any damages incurred by the Sellers. All claims of the Sellers
arising under this Clause 9 shall be time-barred
eighteen months after the Closing Date.
10.
|
COVENANTS
|
10.1
|
Merger
Control Proceedings; Other Regulatory
Requirements
|
(a)
|
The
Purchaser shall ensure that any filings to be made with the competent
merger control authorities or other governmental authorities, to the
extent they have not already been made prior to the Signing Date, will be
made within ten Business Days after the Signing Date. Such filings shall
be made by the Purchaser on behalf of all Parties, provided, however, that
the contents of such filings shall require prior written approval of the
Sellers, which shall not unreasonably be withheld. The Sellers and the
Purchaser shall closely cooperate in the preparation of such filings. The
Sellers shall without undue delay provide the Purchaser with the data and
information required for the preparation of the filings. Each Party shall
without undue delay provide all other Parties with copies of any
correspondence with the merger control or other governmental authorities
and with copies of any written statement, order or decision of such
authorities. The Parties shall closely cooperate in any discussions and
negotiations with the competent authorities with the objective of
obtaining clearance for the transaction contemplated by this Agreement in
the shortest time period possible. The Purchaser may waive (zurücknehmen) filings
with the competent authorities or agree with such authorities on the
extension of any examination period only with the express prior written
consent of the Sellers.
|
33
(b)
|
If
on the Closing Date any merger control approval or any other governmental
consent, approval or waiver required under applicable law in any
jurisdiction (other than Germany) in order to effect the Closing has not
been obtained, the Sellers and the Purchaser shall consummate the Closing,
provided, however, that the Sellers and the Purchaser shall not be under
an obligation to, directly or indirectly, transfer or acquire shares or
interests in respect of which the consummation of the Closing would
violate any applicable law or decision. The Sellers and the Purchaser
shall in such case agree on all appropriate measures, including "hold
separate" arrangements, regarding the shares or interests affected, in
order that the relevant jurisdiction can be exempted from the consummation
of the transaction until the required consents and approvals have been
obtained.
|
10.2
|
Pre-Closing
Covenants of the Sellers
|
(a)
|
Between
the Signing Date and the Closing Date, the Sellers shall procure, to the
extent permissible under applicable law, that the Companies shall conduct
their business operations in the ordinary course of business and
substantially in the same manner as before. Clause 6.2(o)(1) through (8) shall apply mutatis
mutandis.
|
(b)
|
Between
the Effective Date and the Closing Date, the Sellers shall ensure that no
alteration to nor disposal of the Sellers’ Capital and Reserve Accounts
will be made during that time, that the amounts of the Sellers' Loans and
Private Accounts will only be increased by accrued interest and profit
shares pertaining to the fiscal year 2007 which will be booked at the
adoption (Feststellung) of the
Financial Statements 2007 and that no other alteration to nor disposal of
the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts will be made during that
time.
|
(c)
|
Between
the Signing Date and the Closing Date, Seller 1 shall resign as managing
director (Geschäftsführer) of the
General Partner with effect as of the Closing Date. The Sellers shall
ensure that the managing director employment contract (Geschäftsführeranstellungsvertrag)
between the General Partner and Seller 1 will be terminated with effect as
of the Closing Date and that all salary claims of Seller 1 in this regard
will be settled by the Closing Date, except for Seller 1's entitlement for
salary for the month in which the Closing takes
place.
|
10.3
|
Exoneration
(Entlastung) of
Seller 1 as Managing Director
|
The
Purchaser undertakes to vote at the shareholders' general meeting (Gesellschafterversammlung) of
the Company, which shall resolve upon the Exoneration (Entlastung) of the managing
directors of the General Partner, for a shareholders' resolution granting
exoneration to Seller 1 as managing director of the General Partner for the time
period from 1 January 2008 through the date his resignation becomes
effective.
10.4
|
Access
to Financial Information
|
The
Purchaser shall procure that after the Closing Date the Sellers and their
representatives are given unlimited access to, and are allowed to make copies
of, (i) the annual books of accounts for the fiscal year that ended on 31
December 2007 and (ii) any information the Sellers require to prepare the Tax
filings as mentioned in Clause 8.4 of this
Agreement.
34
10.5
|
Insurance
Coverage
|
The
Sellers shall procure, to the extent permissible under applicable law, that the
Companies and the Business remain insured until the Closing Date in
substantially the same way as they are on the Signing Date and that all premiums
due for such insurances are duly and timely paid.
10.6
|
Indemnification
of the Sellers
|
To the
extent that after the Effective Date a Third Party raises a claim against the
Sellers which is due to a legal relationship between such Third Party and any of
the Companies, the Purchaser shall hold harmless and indemnify the Sellers from
any such claim as well as any costs and expenses incurred in connection
therewith, unless the Sellers are liable in accordance with this
Agreement.
10.7
|
Covenant
not to Compete
|
(a)
|
For
a period of two years after the Closing Date, the Sellers shall
not
|
(1)
|
work
for a Competitor (as defined in this Clause under (b)), in particular
enter into an employment, consulting, independent contractor or advisory
agreement with a Competitor; or
|
(2)
|
establish
or acquire a Competitive Business (as defined in this Clause under (b)) or
become involved, either directly or indirectly, in the establishment or
operation of a Competitive Business or have a direct or indirect interest
in such Competitive Business.
|
The
acquisition and ownership of stock which is traded on a stock exchange shall be
exempted from the covenant not to compete.
(b)
|
The
terms "Competitor"
and "Competitive
Business" shall mean any business which manufactures, renders,
markets or sells products or services, which are competitive with any of
the products or services manufactured, rendered or sold by the Companies
within the Business as presently conducted by the
Companies.
|
(c)
|
For
the avoidance of doubt, the engagement of Seller 1 and Seller 2 in the
business of Polywest Kunststofftechnik Xxxxxxxxxx & Partner GmbH &
Co. KG, Germany, Ahaus, as presently conducted, which business is
described in Annex 10.8,
shall not be deemed a Competitive
Business.
|
(d)
|
For
a period of two years after the Closing Date, the Sellers shall not,
directly or indirectly, solicit the business of, or do business with any
customer of the Purchaser with whom the Sellers had direct or indirect
contact or about whom the Sellers acquired knowledge while employed by the
Company, in competition with the
Purchaser.
|
(e)
|
For
a period of two years after the Closing Date, the Sellers shall not,
directly or indirectly, solicit or induce or attempt to solicit or induce,
any employee of the Company and/or the Purchaser to leave the Company
and/or the Purchaser for any
reason.
|
10.8
|
Indemnification
of the Company and/or the Purchaser
|
(a)
|
Between
the Signing Date and the Closing Date, the Sellers shall procure that the
Company shall cleanup the Company's site in Vreden from contamination due
to the occurrence described in Annex 6.2(g).
The Sellers shall hold harmless and indemnify the Company from any and all
proved costs and proved expenses incurred in connection with the cleanup
of the Company's site in Vreden from contamination due to such occurrence
described in Annex 6.2(g),
provided, however, that the Escrow Amount (as defined in Clause 3.3(a)(ii)) shall be used up first before
further payments may be requested.
|
35
(b)
|
The
Sellers are obliged to indemnify the Company of all reasonable costs,
liabilities, penalties and/or reasonable expenses incurred by the Company
as a result of the complaint regarding alleged noise and odour emissions
(Lärm- und
Geruchsemissionen), which is described in Annex
6.2(f).
|
11.
|
CONFIDENTIALITY
/ PRESS RELEASES
|
11.1
|
Confidentiality;
Press Releases; Public Disclosure
|
The
Parties mutually undertake to keep the contents of this Agreement secret and
confidential vis-à-vis any Third Party, except to the extent that the relevant
facts are publicly known or disclosure is required by law or by any applicable
stock exchange listing regulation. In such case, the Parties shall, however,
inform each other prior to such disclosure and shall limit any disclosure to the
minimum required by statute or the authorities. No press releases or other
public announcement concerning the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall be made by either Party unless the form and text of such announcement
shall first have been approved by the other Parties, except that - if the other
Party is required by law or by applicable stock exchange regulations to make an
announcement - it may do so after first consulting with the other Parties. The
Parties have agreed on the wording of a press release announcing the signing of
this Agreement a draft of which is attached hereto as Annex 11.1 and they
hereby expressly approve the wording of such press release.
11.2
|
Purchaser’s
Confidentiality; Return of
Documents
|
In the
unlikely event that this Agreement is terminated without the Closing having been
consummated, the Purchaser undertakes to keep confidential all information
received from the Sellers in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement and to return all documents and information embodied otherwise
which the Purchaser received from the Sellers, together with any copies thereof
and to destroy all documents and information embodied otherwise it produced
based on information received from the Sellers, unless such information is in
the public domain without breach of a confidentiality obligation towards the
Sellers. The Purchaser shall not be entitled to any retention right with respect
to such documents or information.
12.
|
ASSIGNMENT
OF RIGHTS AND UNDERTAKINGS
|
In
principle, this Agreement and any rights and obligations hereunder may not be
assigned and transferred, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent
of the other Parties hereto. As an exception, the Purchaser shall be entitled to
assign and transfer this Agreement and any rights and obligations hereunder, in
whole or in part, to one of its Affiliates (hereinafter referred to as the
"Assignee Affiliate"),
provided, however, that (i) the Purchaser always remains as Assignee Affiliate's
Guarantor to this Agreement (as set forth in Clause 14 below), (ii) the
Purchaser informs the Sellers in writing before such assignment and (iii) the
Sellers' rights to set-off and/or to withhold any payments vis-à-vis the
Purchaser and due under this Agreement shall in no event be affected thereby;
Clause 406 BGB shall insofar not apply. Additionally, the Purchaser shall be
entitled to assign certain rights under Clauses 6
through 8 of this Agreement for purposes of
security to the bank(s) acting as financier(s) of the Purchaser’s obligations
under this Agreement provided that (i) the right to collect any claims against
the Sellers (Einziehungsberechtigung)
remains solely with the Purchaser, (ii) the Purchaser informs the Sellers in
writing before such assignment of claims and (iii) the Sellers' rights to
set-off and/or to withhold any payments vis-à-vis the Purchaser and due under
this Agreement shall in no event be affected thereby; Clause 406 BGB shall
insofar not apply. For the purpose of clarification, the Purchaser’s obligations
under this Agreement, in particular the obligation to pay the Purchase Price and
the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase Price shall not be affected by
such assignment.
36
13.
|
SELLERS'
LIABILITY
|
Subject
to the second sentence, in case of a liability of the Sellers to the Purchaser
under Clauses 6 through 8 of this Agreement, each Seller shall be liable
individually (einzelschuldnerische Haftung)
in accordance with his respective holding in the aggregate amount of all
Partnership Interests as set forth in Annex 13(a). In case
of a liability of the Sellers to the Purchaser with respect to their Sellers'
Loans and Private Accounts, each Seller shall be liable individually (einzelschuldnerische
Haftung) in proportion to the respective aggregate accounts balances of
their Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts as of the Effective Date.
14.
|
ASSIGNEE
AFFILIATE'S GUARANTOR
|
14.1
|
Guarantee
|
In case
the Purchaser assigns and transfers this Agreement and any rights and
obligations hereunder, in whole or in part, to the Assignee Affiliate, the
Purchaser shall always remain as Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor to this
Agreement (herein referred to as the "Assignee Affiliate's
Guarantor"). The Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor hereby guarantees by way
of an independent promise of guarantee pursuant to Clause 311 para. 1 BGB the
proper fulfilment of all of the obligations of the Assignee Affiliate pursuant
to this Agreement, in particular, but not limited to, the payment of the
Purchase Price and the Sellers' Loans and Private Accounts Purchase
Price.
14.2
|
Indemnification
|
The
Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor shall indemnify and hold harmless on first demand
the Sellers from any rights and claims brought by the Assignee Affiliate against
the Sellers in excess of the limitations of the Sellers’ liability set out in
Clauses 6 through 8
above; the Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor hereby expressly waives by way of a
contract for the benefit of the Company (Vertrag zugunsten Dritter)
any recourse against the Company.
15.
|
COSTS
AND TAXES
|
15.1
|
Taxes
|
All
transfer taxes (including real estate transfer taxes), stamp duties and any
other charges and costs which result from this Agreement and the Closing of the
transaction considered hereby shall be borne by the Purchaser. All charges,
costs and fees which result from the filings under the merger control laws and
in compliance with other regulatory requirements, including, but not limited to,
the charges, costs and fees of the competent merger control authorities, shall
be borne by the Purchaser.
37
15.2
|
Costs
|
Each
Party shall bear the costs and fees of their own advisors.
16.
|
NOTICES
|
16.1
|
Form
of Notice
|
All
declarations, notices or other communications hereunder (hereinafter referred to
as the "Notices") shall
be done in writing - as far as no notarization or other specific form is
required under statutory law - in the English or German language and delivered
by hand or by courier or by facsimile to the person at the addresses set forth
below, or such other addresses as may be designated by the respective Party to
the other Parties in the same manner:
16.2
|
Notices
to Sellers; Notices of the Sellers
|
Any
Notice to be given to the Sellers hereunder shall be addressed as
follows:
Attn.:
Xx. Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
c/o:
Xxxxxxxxx & Co Corporate Finance GmbH
Rheinisches
Palais
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx 00
00000
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Fax: x00
000 00 00 00 00
with a
copy
to:
Xxxxx
& Overy LLP
Attn.:
Xxxxxx Austmann
Rheinisches
Palais
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx 00
00000
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Fax: x00
000 00 00 0000.
All
Notices of the Sellers hereunder shall be given bindingly for each of the
Sellers by Xx. Xxxxxxxx Xxxx until revocation of the respective power of
attorney which, however, is only effective if another authorized agent is
appointed by the Sellers at the same time.
16.3
|
Notices
to Purchaser
|
Any
Notice to be given to the Purchaser hereunder shall be addressed as
follows:
Xxxxxxxx
International Corporation
Attn.:
Brain X. Xxxxxxx, Esq. (Legal Counsel)
Two
NorthShore Center
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
00000 (XXX)
Fax: 001
412 -442-8290
with a
copy to:
00
Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Attn.: Xx. Xxxxx-Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
0-00
00000 Xxxx (Junkersdorf)
Germany
Fax: x00 0000 00 00 000
16.4
|
Notices
to Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor
|
Any
Notice to be given to the Assignee Affiliate's Guarantor hereunder shall be
addressed as follows:
Xxxxxxxx
International Corporation
Attn.:
Brain X. Xxxxxxx, Esq. (Legal Counsel)
Two
NorthShore Center
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
00000 (XXX)
Fax: 001
412 -442-8290
with a
copy to:
Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Attn.:
Xx. Xxxxx-Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
0-00
00000
Xxxx (Junkersdorf)
Germany
Fax: x00
0000 00 00 000
16.5
|
Change
of Address
|
The
Parties are to, without being legally obliged to, communicate any change of
their respective addresses set forth in Clauses 17.2 through 17.4 as soon
as possible in writing to the respective other Parties. Until such
communication, the address as hitherto shall be relevant.
16.6
|
Copies
to Advisors
|
(a)
|
The
receipt of copies of Notices by the Parties’ advisors shall not constitute
or substitute the receipt of such Notices by the Parties
themselves.
|
(b)
|
Any
Notice shall be deemed received by a Party regardless of whether any copy
of such Notice has been sent to or received by an advisor of such Party,
irrespective of whether the delivery of such copy was mandated by this
Agreement.
|
17.
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
17.1
|
Governing
Law
|
This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
Germany, excluding the German conflicts of laws rules and further excluding the
United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods
(CISG).
39
17.2
|
Arbitration
|
(a)
|
Any
dispute, disagreement, controversy or claim arising out of or in
connection with this Agreement or its Annexes or the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby shall be finally and exclusively settled in
accordance with the Rules of Arbitration of the German Institution of
Arbitration e.V. (Deutsche Institution für
Schiedsgerichtswesen , DIS) without recourse to the ordinary courts
of law. The arbitral tribunal shall consist of three (3) arbitrators. The
arbitration shall take place in Duesseldorf. The arbitration shall be
conducted in English or German and written evidence (Beweismittel) may be
submitted in English or German.
|
(b)
|
In
the event that applicable mandatory law requires any matter arising out of
or in connection with this Agreement and its implementation to be decided
by an ordinary court of law, the competent courts in Duesseldorf shall
have the exclusive jurisdiction.
|
17.3
|
Business
Day
|
In this
Agreement, "Business
Day" means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are
open for business in Frankfurt am Main.
17.4
|
Amendments,
Supplementations
|
Any
amendment or supplementation of this Agreement, including of this provision,
shall be valid only if made in writing, except where a stricter form (e.g.
notarization) is required under applicable law. Clause 17.1 shall apply mutatis
mutandis.
17.5
|
Language
|
(a)
|
This
Agreement is written in the English language (except that Annexes may be
partly in the German language). Terms to which a German translation has
been added shall be interpreted throughout this Agreement in the meaning
assigned to them by the German
translation.
|
(b)
|
Any
reference made in this Agreement to any types of companies or
participations, proceedings, authorities or other bodies, rights,
institutions, regulations or legal relationships (hereinafter collectively
referred to as the "Legal
Terms") under German law shall extend to any corresponding or
identical Legal Terms under foreign law to the extent that relevant facts
and circumstances must be assessed under such foreign law. Where no
corresponding or identical Legal Terms under foreign law exist, such Legal
Terms shall be introduced as - functionally - come closest to the Legal
Terms under German law.
|
17.6
|
Headings
|
The
headings and sub-headings of the Clauses contained herein are for convenience
and reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or construction of
any of the provisions hereof.
17.7
|
Annexes
|
All
Annexes attached hereto form an integral part of this Agreement.
17.8
|
Definitions
|
In this
Agreement defined terms shall have the meaning as so defined throughout the
entire Agreement.
40
17.9
|
Entire
Agreement
|
This
Agreement constitutes the full understanding of the Parties and the complete and
exclusive statements of the terms and conditions of the Parties’ agreements
relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior
agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, that may exist between
the Parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement or parts
thereof. Side agreements to this Agreement do not exist.
17.10
|
Severability
|
Should
any provision of this Agreement be or become invalid, ineffective or
unenforceable as a whole or in part, the validity, effectiveness and
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby. Any
such invalid, ineffective or unenforceable provision shall be deemed replaced by
such valid, effective and enforceable provision as comes closest to the economic
intent and the purpose of such invalid, ineffective or unenforceable provision
as regards subject-matter, amount, time, place and extent. The aforesaid shall
apply mutatis mutandis
to any gap in this Agreement.
00
Xxxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx, 25 February 2008
Seller
1 Purchaser
____________________________ ___________________________________
Jörg
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
International Corporation
Name:
Function:
Seller
2
____________________________
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Seller
3
____________________________
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Seller
4
____________________________
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx von Hymmen
42