ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS
ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into this 2nd
day of May, 2007, by and between DELTA PROCESS EQUIPMENT, INC., a Louisiana
corporation (the “Seller”), DELTA COMPANIES CONSOLIDATED, INC., a Louisiana
corporation (the “DCCI”), the Persons signing this Agreement under the heading
“Shareholders” (the “Shareholders”), and DXP ENTERPRISES, INC., a Texas
corporation (the “Buyer”).
W
I T N E
S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
the Seller desires to transfer to the Buyer the Business and certain of the
properties, assets and liabilities related to the Business, and the Buyer
desires to acquire such Business, properties and assets and assume such
liabilities, all upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS,
the parties hereto desire to set forth certain representations, warranties
and
agreements, all as more fully set forth below.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective covenants and
agreements contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:
PURCHASE
AND SALE OF ASSETS
Transferred
Assets.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in consideration of the
obligations of the Buyer as provided herein, and except as otherwise provided
in
Section 1.2 hereof, at the Closing, the Seller shall sell, assign, transfer,
grant, bargain, deliver and convey to the Buyer, free and clear of all Liens
other than Permitted Liens, the Seller’s entire right, title and interest in, to
and under any and all assets owned or used by the Seller in connection with
or
arising out of the Business of every type and description, tangible and
intangible, wherever located and whether or not reflected on the books and
records of the Seller (all of such assets, properties, rights and business
being
hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Transferred Assets”),
including, but not limited to:
the
Equipment, including the Equipment set forth in Schedule
1.1(a)(i)
hereto,
and all other tangible personal property (including supplies) held by Seller
and
used or useful in the Business;
all
Inventories, including the Inventories set forth in Schedule
1.1(a)(ii)
hereto;
all
accounts receivable of the Seller and the Business (the “Accounts Receivable”),
including the accounts receivable set forth in Schedule 1.1(a)(iii)
hereto;
the
Proprietary Information, including the name DELTA PROCESS EQUIPMENT or any
derivative thereof, and any service marks, trademarks, trade names, d/b/a names,
fictitious names, identifying symbols, logos, emblems or signs containing or
comprising the foregoing;
subject
to Section 1.1(b) hereof, all customer contracts, distributor agreements,
unfilled or outstanding purchase orders, sales contracts, other commitments,
contracts and engagements to which the Seller is entitled at the Closing and
which relate to the Business (the “Assumed Contracts”), including without
limitation those contracts set forth in Schedule
1.1(a)(v);
subject
to Section 1.1(b), the lease agreements listed in Schedule 1.1(a)(vi)
(the
“Leases”);
all
prepaid expenses and deposits made by the Seller, including those shown on
Seller’s financial statements relating to the Transferred Assets and the
Business and set forth in Schedule
1.1(a)(vii);
any
goodwill associated with the Transferred Assets and the Business;
all
Documents and Other Papers that are related to the Business or the other
Transferred Assets, including Documents and Other Papers relating to products,
services, marketing, advertising, promotional materials, Proprietary Rights,
personnel files for Transferred Employees, customer lists and files and
documents (including credit information to the extent legally transferable),
and
supplier lists, records and correspondence;
subject
to Section 1.1(b) hereof, all licenses, permits, concessions, warrants,
franchises and other governmental authorizations and approvals of all
Governmental Entities required or appropriate for the conduct of the Business
and the operation of the Transferred Assets as presently conducted or operated
by the Seller and all rights and incidents of interest therein;
subject
to Section 1.1(b) hereof, all rights of Seller under non-disclosure or
confidentiality, non-compete or non-solicitation agreements with former
employees, employees and agents of Seller or with third Persons to the extent
relating to the Business or the Transferred Assets (or any portion
thereof);
subject
to Section 1.1(b) hereof, all rights of Seller under or pursuant to all
warranties, representations and guarantees made by suppliers, manufacturers
and
contractors to the extent relating to products sold or services provided to
Seller in connection with the conduct or operation of the Business or to the
extent affecting any other Transferred Assets;
all
third
Person property and casualty insurance proceeds, and all rights to third Person
property and casualty insurance proceeds, in each case to the extent received
or
receivable in respect of the Business; and
Seller’s
cash and cash equivalents on hand as of the Closing Date.
The
Seller shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain such consents of third
Persons as are necessary for the assignment of the Transferred Assets; provided,
however, that Seller shall not be required to pay any amounts in respect of
obtaining such consents. To the extent that any of the Transferred Assets are
not assignable by the terms thereof or consents to the assignment thereof cannot
be obtained as herein provided, the Transferred Assets shall be held by the
Seller in trust for the Buyer and shall be performed by the Buyer in the name
of
the Seller and all benefits and obligations derived thereunder shall be for
the
account of the Buyer, provided, however, that where entitlement of the Buyer
to
such Transferred Assets hereunder is not recognized by any third Person, the
Seller shall, at the request of the Buyer, enforce in a reasonable manner,
at
the cost of and for the account of the Buyer, any and all rights of the Seller
against such third Person. Seller shall promptly pay over to the Buyer all
money
or other consideration received by it in respect of such entitlement of the
Buyer.
As
of the
Closing, except as may be identified by Seller in writing delivered to Buyer
at
the Closing, all of the Transferred Assets shall be located at a Facility.
With
respect to any Transferred Assets not located at a Facility as of the Closing,
the Seller shall notify each Person which may have possession of such
Transferred Assets of the ownership and other rights of the Buyer of such
Transferred Assets and shall inform them of their obligation to deliver
possession of such Transferred Assets to the Buyer.
Excluded
Assets
.
Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 1.1(a) to the contrary,
Seller is not selling, and Buyer is not buying, any of the following
(collectively, the “Excluded Assets”):
those
assets of the Seller, DCCI or the Shareholders listed or described on
Schedule
1.2(a)
hereto;
the
bank
account described on Schedule 1.2(b)
hereto,
and all cash in such account;
Seller’s
minute books, Tax Returns and other corporate organizational documents and
Seller’s financial statements and related documentation and bank records
relating to the bank account described in Section 1.2(b); provided,
however, that the Buyer shall be entitled to make and keep a copy of the
foregoing at its expense;
provided, further, that any documentation relating to Acquired Assets or Assumed
Liabilities shall not be deemed Excluded Assets;
all
rights, claims, counterclaims, credits, causes of action, lawsuits, judgments,
demands or rights of set-off in favor of Seller arising out of or relating
to
the conduct of the Business prior to the date hereof other than with respect
to
the Transferred Assets;
Seller’s
insurance policies; and
the
country club membership described on Schedule
1.2(f)
hereto.
Purchase
Price
.
In
consideration of the transfer to the Buyer of the Transferred Assets, the Buyer
shall at the Closing pay to the Seller $10,000,000 (the “Purchase Price”) and
assume the Assumed Liabilities. At the Closing, the Buyer shall pay to the
Seller by wire transfer of same day funds an amount equal to the Purchase
Price.
Liabilities
Assumed by the Buyer
.
Subject
to the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, at the Closing Buyer
will assume and agrees to pay or perform as and when due the following
liabilities and obligations (the “Assumed Liabilities”):
accounts
payable as of the Closing arising in the ordinary course and conduct of the
Business and of the same type as reflected on the balance sheet dated
February 28, 2007 (the “Reference Balance Sheet”);
all
liabilities and obligations of Seller arising under the Assumed Contracts and
Leases that are first required to be paid or performed from and after the
Closing Date (but excluding any liabilities or obligations which are
attributable to Seller’s violation, breach or default in respect of any Assumed
Contract or Lease), including, without limitation, any amounts payable with
respect to utility charges and other items of expense attributable to the
conduct of the Business and first becoming due and owing on or after the Closing
Date (whether or not such charges or expenses arise in respect of periods
beginning prior to the Closing Date);
the
obligations in respect of Transferred Employees as specifically set out in
Article 6 of this Agreement and the liabilities, costs and expenses (including
attorneys’ fees) for all employment claims that are filed by any Transferred
Employee who accepts employment with the Buyer relating to arbitrations, unfair
labor practice charges, employment discrimination charges, wrongful termination
claims, workers’ compensation claims, any employment-related tort claim or other
claims or charges of or by the Transferred Employees to the extent, but only
to
the extent, that the same result from the employment relationship between the
Buyer and the Transferred Employee and conditions, actions or events or series
of actions or events occurring on or subsequent to the Closing
Date;
all
liabilities for payroll Taxes, sales Taxes and general property Taxes of the
Business or assessed against or pertaining to the Transferred Assets to the
extent such first become due and owing (and are not past due) on or after the
Closing Date (whether or not such Taxes arise in respect of periods beginning
prior to the Closing Date);
all
product warranty liabilities and obligations of Seller relating to products
sold
or services furnished by Seller prior to the Closing Date;
those
liabilities and obligations specifically described on Schedule 1.4(f);
and
all
liabilities and obligations arising out of or related to the business,
operations or activities conducted by the Buyer or any of its affiliates in
connection with the Business or the Transferred Assets from and after the
Closing Date.
Liabilities
Not Assumed by the Buyer
.
Except
for the Assumed Liabilities, the Seller shall pay and discharge in due course
all of its liabilities, debts and obligations, whether known or unknown, now
existing or hereafter arising, contingent or liquidated (the “Retained
Liabilities”), and the Buyer shall not assume, or in any way be liable or
responsible for, any of such Retained Liabilities. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Retained Liabilities shall include the
following:
any
liability or obligation of the Seller arising out of or in connection with,
or
the negotiation and preparation of this Agreement and any other agreement,
certificate, Schedule, Exhibit or writing delivered to the Buyer pursuant to
this Agreement and the consummation and performance of the transactions
contemplated hereby (including as provided in Article 12 hereof), whether
or not such transactions are consummated, including but not limited to any
income Tax liability of the Seller so arising and all liabilities and
obligations for any fees, commissions or like payments for having acted or
claiming to have acted, directly or indirectly, as a broker, finder or financial
advisor for the Seller, DCCI or the Shareholders in connection the transactions
contemplated hereby;
all
liabilities and obligations of Seller and the Business attributable to Seller’s
violation, breach or default in respect of any Assumed Contract or
Lease;
any
liability or obligation for any and all Taxes of, or pertaining or attributable
to, the Seller or the Business for any period that ends prior to the Closing
Date and for which such Taxes became due and owing prior to the Closing
Date;
all
liabilities and obligations in respect of Employee Benefits and employees and
former employees of the Seller and the Business except to the extent
specifically assumed by the Buyer in respect of Transferred Employees as set
out
in Article 6 of this Agreement and all liabilities, costs and expenses
(including attorneys’ fees) for all existing employment claims that have been
filed by any employee or former employee of the Seller or the Business prior
to
the Closing Date relating to arbitrations, unfair labor practice charges,
employment discrimination charges, wrongful termination claims, workers’
compensation claims, any employment-related tort claim or other claims or
charges of or by employees of the Seller, or any thereof filed after the Closing
Date, to the extent (and only to the extent) that the same result from the
employment relationship between the Seller and the employee and conditions,
actions or events or series of actions or events which occurred prior to the
Closing Date;
all
liabilities and obligations of Seller and the Business under any and all
Contracts and Other Agreements between the Seller or the Business (other than
the Lease Agreements) and any one or more officers, directors, shareholders
or
members of Seller or any of its affiliates; and
all
product liabilities of Seller relating to products sold, distributed or
manufactured by Seller prior to the Closing Date.
Transfer
Taxes; Recording Fees.
The
Buyer
and the Seller acknowledge and agree that the Purchase Price includes and is
inclusive of any and all sales, use, transfer or other similar Taxes imposed
as
a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
The Seller hereby agrees to indemnify the Buyer against, and agrees to protect,
save and hold the Buyer harmless from, any loss, liability, obligation or claim
(whether or not ultimately successful) for sales, use, transfer or other similar
Taxes (and any interest, penalties, additions to tax and fines thereon or
related thereto) imposed as a result of the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
The
Buyer
shall pay any and all recording, filing or other fees relating to the conveyance
or transfer of the Transferred Assets from the Seller to the Buyer.
Allocation
of Purchase Price.
Seller
and Buyer have prepared an initial written statement setting forth the
allocation of the Purchase Price among the Transferred Assets based on the
Reference Balance Sheet and a copy of such written statement is attached hereto
as Exhibit
A.
Prior
to the Closing, Seller and Buyer shall agree upon a final allocation of the
Purchase Price (the “Allocation”).
For
federal income tax purposes (including, without limitation, the Buyer’s and the
Seller’s compliance with the reporting requirements of Section 1060 of the
Code), each of the Seller and the Buyer hereby agree to use the Allocation
and
to cooperate in good faith with each other in connection with the preparation
and filing of any information required to be furnished to the Internal Revenue
Service under Section 1060 of the Code (including, without limitation, Section
1060(b) and (e) of the Code) and any applicable regulations thereunder. Without
limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the Buyer and the Seller
agree to (i) report such allocations to the Internal Revenue Service on Form
8594 and, if required, supplemental Forms 8594, in accordance with the
instructions to Form 8594 and the provisions of Section 1060 of the Code and
the
applicable regulations thereunder, and (ii) coordinate their respective
preparation and filing of each such Form 8594 and any other forms or information
statements or schedules required to be filed under Section 1060 of the Code
and
the applicable regulations thereunder so that the Allocation and information
reflected on such forms, statements and schedules shall be
consistent.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions to this Section 1.7, the Buyer shall prepare and
deliver to Seller from time to time revised statements of any Allocation to
the
extent that any matters need updating (including, without limitation, in respect
of any adjustments under Section 10.8 hereof), which such revised statements
shall be substantially consistent with the manner of Allocation previously
agreed by the Seller and the Buyer.
CLOSING
Subject
to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Closing shall take place
at
the offices of Xxxxx Xxxxxx, LLP, located at 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx
000 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 10:00 a.m. on May 4, 2007 or at such
other time, date and place as the parties hereto shall mutually agree upon
in
writing (the date the Closing actually occurs, the “Closing Date”). Failure to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby on such date shall not result
in
a termination of this Agreement or relieve any party hereto of any obligation
hereunder. Title to, ownership of, control over and risk of loss of the
Transferred Assets shall pass to the Buyer at 12:01 AM, in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana as of the Closing Date.
REPRESENTATIONS,
WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF
THE
SELLER
Except
as
otherwise set forth in the correspondingly numbered section of the Disclosure
Schedule attached hereto as Exhibit B,
the
Seller hereby represents and warrants to the Buyer and covenants and agrees
as
follows:
Corporate
Matters
.
The
Seller is a corporation organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the State of Louisiana. The Seller is duly authorized, qualified
and
licensed and has all requisite power and authority under all applicable laws,
ordinances and orders of public authorities to own, operate and lease its
properties and assets and to carry on its business in the places and in the
manner currently conducted. The Seller is qualified to transact business as
a
foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the
nature and extent of the Seller’s business or the character of its assets makes
such qualification necessary, except where any such failures to qualify as
could
not reasonable be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material
Adverse Effect. The Seller has all requisite corporate power and authority
to
enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations under this
Agreement.
The
Seller has no Subsidiaries.
Attached
as Schedule
3.1(c)
of the
Disclosure Schedule is a true, correct and complete copy of the Articles of
Incorporation certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Louisiana
and
the Bylaws certified by the corporate secretary of the Seller, in each case
as
amended and in full force and effect as of the date hereof and as of the Closing
Date.
The
Seller does not do business in any state or commonwealth under any name other
than the corporate name set forth in the first paragraph of this
Agreement.
DCCI
holds of record and owns beneficially one hundred percent (100%) of all the
issued and outstanding shares of the stock of Seller. The Seller is not a party
to an option, warrant, purchase right, or other contract or commitment that
could require the Seller to issue, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any
stock of Seller.
Validity
of Agreement and Conflict with Other Instruments.
This
Agreement has been duly authorized by the Seller and DCCI. No further corporate
action is necessary on the part of the Seller to execute and deliver this
Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement
has been duly executed and delivered by the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders
and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Seller, DCCI and the
Shareholders enforceable against each in accordance with its terms, except
as
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws from time to time in effect that
affect creditors’ rights generally and by legal and equitable limitations on the
availability of specific remedies.
The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other agreements
and documents to be delivered by the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders to the
Buyer, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby,
and
the compliance with the provisions hereof or thereof, by the Seller, DCCI and
the Shareholders will not, with or without the passage of time or the giving
of
notice or both:
conflict
with, constitute a breach, violation or termination of any provision of, or
give
rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration, or loss of
any
right or benefit or both, under, any Contract and Other Agreement to which
the
Seller is a party or by which any of its properties or assets is
bound;
result
in
an acceleration or increase of any amounts due with respect to the Trade
Payables constituting part of the Assumed Liabilities;
conflict
with or violate the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Seller;
result
in
the creation or imposition of any Lien on any of the Transferred Assets;
or
violate
any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, judgment, writ, injunction, rule,
decree, order or any other restriction of any kind or character applicable
to
the Seller or any of Seller's properties or assets;
other
than violations, defaults or conflicts that would not materially and adversely
affect the ability of the Seller to consummate the transactions provided for
in
this Agreement.
Attached
as Schedule
3.2(c)
of the
Disclosure Schedule are true, correct and complete copies of the resolutions
adopted by the Seller's Board of Directors and DCCI approving this Agreement
and
the transactions contemplated hereby. Such resolutions were adopted by unanimous
written consents. Such resolutions are in full force and effect without
amendment or modification.
Approvals,
Licenses and Authorizations.
Except
as
set forth on Schedule
3.3(a)
of the
Disclosure Schedule (as disclosed, the “Required Consents”), no order, license,
consent, waiver, authorization or approval of, or exemption by, or the giving
of
notice to, or the registration with, or the taking of any other action in
respect of, any Person not a party to this Agreement, including any Governmental
Entity, and no filing, recording, publication or registration in any public
office or any other place is necessary on behalf of the Seller to authorize
the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any other agreement
contemplated hereby to be executed and delivered by them and the consummation
of
the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including, but not limited
to,
assignment of the Transferred Assets and the use and occupation of the
Facilities by the Buyer in the same manner as currently used and occupied by
the
Seller), or to effect the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability
thereof.
Schedule
3.3(b)
of the
Disclosure Schedule contains a list of all material licenses, permits,
concessions, warrants, franchises and other governmental authorizations and
approvals of all Governmental Entities required or appropriate for the conduct
of the Business and the operation of the Transferred Assets as presently
conducted or operated. Except as set forth on Schedule
3.3(b)
of the
Disclosure Schedule, all of such licenses, permits, concessions, warrants,
franchises and other governmental authorizations and approvals have been duly
obtained and are in full force and effect and no violations are in existence
or
have been recorded, and no proceeding is pending or, to the best knowledge
of
the Seller, threatened with respect to the revocation or limitation thereof.
The
Seller has complied with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable
to
the operation, conduct and maintenance of the Business, except for violations
that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Title
to and Condition of Transferred Assets.
The
Seller leases all of the Facilities. Each of the Facilities is in reasonable
condition for the operation of the Business as the same is currently being
conducted by the Seller. Seller is not in default under any of the leases for
a
Facility and, to the knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred and no
circumstances exists which, if not remedied, and whether with or without notice
or the passage of time or both, would result in such a default. The Seller
has
not received or given any notice of any default or event that with notice or
lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default by the Seller under any
of
the leases for a Facility and no party to any of such leases has exercised
any
termination rights with respect thereto.
All
Equipment (excluding Equipment that does not have a cost basis of $10,000 or
more as of the date of this Agreement) is set forth in Schedule
1.1(a)(i)
hereto.
Except as set forth in Schedule 3.4(b)
of the
Disclosure Schedule, the Seller has good and marketable title to all of the
Equipment and all of the Equipment is in the Seller’s possession.
All
Inventories as of the date of this Agreement are set forth in Schedule
1.1(a)(ii)
hereto.
The Seller has good and marketable title to all Inventories free and clear
of
all Liens other than Permitted Liens and those Liens set forth in Schedule
3.4(c)
of the
Disclosure Schedule, which Liens set forth on such schedule shall be released
on
or prior to the Closing, and such Inventories are in a good and marketable
condition and are saleable in the ordinary course of the Business. The
Inventories constitute sufficient quantities for the normal operation of the
Business in the ordinary course in accordance with past practice.
The
Accounts Receivable are owned by the Seller free and clear of all Liens other
than Permitted Liens and those Liens set forth in Schedule
3.4(d)
of the
Disclosure Schedule, which Liens set forth on such schedule shall be released
on
or prior to the Closing. All Accounts Receivable were generated in the ordinary
course of business. Except as set forth on Schedule
3.4(d) of
the
Disclosure Schedule, the Seller is unaware of any existing facts or
circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in the Accounts
Receivable not being fully collected in accordance with their
terms.
The
Seller owns or possesses licenses or other rights to use, and will at the
Closing transfer to the Buyer, all rights to all Proprietary Rights necessary
for the conduct of the Business as currently conducted. Set forth in
Schedule 1.1(a)(iv)
is a
complete and accurate list of all patents, trademarks and licenses the Seller
owns or possesses or otherwise has rights to use pertaining to the Business.
No
licenses, sublicenses, covenants or agreements have been granted or entered
into
by the Seller in respect of the items listed in Schedule 1.1(a)(iv)
except
as noted in Schedule 3.4(e)
of the
Disclosure Schedule. The Seller has not received any notice of infringement,
misappropriation or conflict from any other Person with respect to such
Proprietary Rights, and the conduct of the Business has not infringed,
misappropriated or otherwise conflicted with any Proprietary Rights of any
such
Person. The Seller has not given indemnification for patent, trademark, service
xxxx or copyright infringements except to licensees or customers in the ordinary
course of business. All of the Proprietary Rights that are owned by the Seller
are owned free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens or as set
forth
in Schedule
3.4(e)
of the
Disclosure Schedule and all such Proprietary Rights will be transferred to
the
Buyer free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens. All Proprietary
Rights that are licensed to the Seller by third parties are licensed pursuant
to
valid and existing license agreements and such interests are not subject to
any
Liens other than those under the applicable license agreements. The consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result in the loss
of any Proprietary Rights, unless, with respect to such Proprietary Rights
licensed to the Seller by third parties a Required Consent is necessary and
is
not obtained.
The
Seller owns or has rights to use, and is transferring to the Buyer hereunder,
the Transferred Assets that, together with the Seller’s agreements hereunder and
the Lease Agreements, are necessary for the conduct of the Business in the
ordinary course consistent with past practices. The conduct of the Business
in
the ordinary course is not dependent upon the right to use the property of
others, except such property as is leased or licensed to the Seller pursuant
to
any of the Transferred Assets.
Contracts
and Commitments.
Except
as
set forth in Schedule
3.5(a)
of the
Disclosure Schedule and except for the Retained Liabilities, the Seller is
not a
party to or bound by:
any
agreement, contract or commitment requiring the expenditure, or series of
related expenditures, of funds in excess of $10,000 (other than purchase orders
arising in the ordinary course of business);
to
the
best knowledge of Seller, any agreement, contract or commitment requiring the
provision of goods or services as a price less than the Seller’s cost of
producing such goods or providing such services;
any
agreement, contract or commitment requiring the payment for goods or services
whether or not such goods or services are actually provided;
any
loan
or advance to, or investment in, any Person in an amount greater than $5,000
(other than trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business) or any
agreement, contract, commitment or understanding relating to the making of
any
such loan, advance or investment;
any
contract, agreement, indenture, note or other instrument relating to the
borrowing of money or any guarantee or other contingent liability in respect
of
any obligation of any other Person (other than the endorsement of negotiable
instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of
business);
any
management service, employment, consulting or other similar type contract or
agreement;
any
agreement, contract or commitment that prohibits the Seller or the Business
from
engaging in any line of business or competing with any Person or engaging in
any
business or activity in any geographic area;
any
agreement or contract obligating the Seller or any owner of the Business or
the
Transferred Assets to provide for indemnification or contribution with respect
to any matter;
any
agreement, contract or commitment, or series of related agreements, contracts
or
commitments, not entered into in the ordinary course of business for the
Business;
any
sales, distributorship or similar agreement relating to the products sold or
services provided by the Seller;
any
license, royalty or similar agreement; or
any
agreement, contract or commitment between, with or among the Seller and any
current or former officer, director, shareholder, partner, member or any member
of his or her immediate family or an of their respective
affiliates.
Seller
is
not in breach of any provision of, or is in default (or knows of any event
or
circumstance that with notice, or lapse of time or both, would constitute an
event of default) under the terms of, any of the Contracts and Other Agreements
that constitute a part of the Transferred Assets. All of the Contracts and
Other
Agreements that constitute a part of the Transferred Assets are in full force
and effect. The Seller is not aware of any pending or threatened disputes with
respect to any of the Contracts and Other Agreements.
Except
for the Required Consents, each Contract and Other Agreement that constitute
a
part of the Transferred Assets may be validly assigned by Seller to Buyer
without the consent, approval or waiver of any other party and without resulting
in any breach, violation or right of termination, or increase or acceleration
of
any amounts due thereunder, of and from the Seller, the Business and the Buyer
in respect of such assignment and transfer.
Financial
Statements.
Attached
as Schedule
3.6(a)
of the
Disclosure Schedule are true, correct and complete copies of (i) the audited
balance sheet of the Seller as of December 31, 2004 and the unaudited balance
sheet of the Seller as of December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2006, and (ii)
the audited statement of income of the Seller for the 12 month period ended
December 31, 2004 and the unaudited statement of income of the Seller for the
12
month period ended December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2006; and (iii) the
unaudited balance sheet of the Seller and the unaudited statement of income
for
the Seller as of and for the three month period ended March 31, 2007
(collectively, the “Financial Statements”). The Financial
Statements:
fairly
present the financial position of the Seller as of their respective dates and
the results of operations of the Seller for the periods indicated
therein;
have
been
prepared on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby;
and
fairly
present in all material respects the financial position of the Seller as of
the
respective dates of the balance sheets and the results of its operations for
the
respective periods indicated.
The
values at which the Inventories are carried on the Financial Statements reflect
normal and consistent inventory valuation policies of the Seller.
Taxes.
All
material Tax Returns that are required to be filed (taking into account all
extensions) on or before the Closing Date for, by or on behalf of the Seller,
the Business and the Transferred Assets have been or will be filed by the Seller
with the appropriate foreign, federal, state and local authorities at or prior
to the time they are due, and all Taxes shown to be due and payable on, or
otherwise related to, such Tax Returns, the failure to make payment of which
could be material to the Business or the Transferred Assets, have been or will
be timely paid in full by Seller.
All
such
Tax Returns and the information and data contained therein have been or will
be
completed in all material respects, fairly present or will fairly present in
all
material respects the information purported to be shown therein, and reflect
or
will reflect all liabilities for Taxes for the periods covered by such Tax
Returns.
None
of
such Tax Returns are now under audit or examination by any foreign, federal,
state or local authority and there are no agreements, waivers or other
arrangements providing for an extension of time with respect to the assessment
or collection of any Tax or deficiency of any nature against the Seller, the
Business or the Transferred Assets or any suits or other actions, proceedings,
investigations or claims now pending or threatened against the Seller, the
Business or the Transferred Assets with respect to any Tax, or any material
matters under discussion with any foreign, federal, state or local authority
relating to any Tax or any claims for any additional Tax asserted by any such
authority.
All
Taxes
due and owing from the Seller or assessed and due and owing against the Business
or the Transferred Assets on or before the Closing Date have been or will be
timely paid by Seller.
All
withholding Tax and Tax deposit requirements imposed on the Seller and
applicable to the Business for any and all periods prior to the Closing Date
have been or will be timely satisfied by Seller.
The
Seller has made or will make adequate provision in Seller’s financial statements
for the payment in full of any and all unpaid Taxes which in any way may affect
the Transferred Assets or the Business for any and all periods or portions
thereof ending before the Closing Date.
No
Violations or Litigation.
Seller
has not materially violated, and is not currently in material violation of,
any
order of any Governmental Entity or any law, ordinance, regulation, order,
requirement, statute, rule, permit, concession, grant, franchise, license or
other governmental authorization relating or applicable to the Seller, the
Business or to any of the Seller’s properties, assets or operations, including
without limitation, the Transferred Assets and the Facilities.
There
is
no action, suit, claim or legal, administrative, arbitration or other
proceeding, or any change in any zoning or building ordinance, pending or,
to
the Seller’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Seller, the
Business, the Facilities or any of the Transferred Assets, at law or in equity,
before or by any Governmental Entity and, to the Seller’s knowledge, there is no
investigation and no basis otherwise exists for any such action, suit, claim,
investigation or proceeding.
No
Adverse Changes or Events
.
Since
January 1, 2007, except as set forth on Schedule 3.9
of the
Disclosure Schedule, the Business has been consistently operated only in the
ordinary course and there has not been:
any
adverse occurrence, event, circumstance, change or combination thereof in the
financial condition, assets, liabilities (contingent or otherwise), results
of
operations or business of the Seller, except for such changes that, individually
or in the aggregate, have not had and could not reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect;
any
damage, destruction or loss, whether or not covered by insurance, adversely
affecting any Transferred Asset or the Business having a replacement cost of
more than $25,000 for any single loss or $50,000 for all such
losses;
any
award
or payment of any bonuses to directors, officers, employees or former employees,
agents or representatives of the Seller or the Business, except to the extent
accrued on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2006, or any increase (or
payment in respect of any increase) in the compensation or rate of compensation
or commissions or bonuses payable, or to become payable, by the Seller or in
respect of the Business to any employee of Seller, any payment or accrual of,
or
commitment with respect to, any bonus plan, severance arrangement or other
Employee Benefits that is not consistent with past practice, or any change
or
modification to any severance arrangement or other Employee
Benefits;
any
debt,
obligation or liability issued, incurred or created by the Seller, other than
the incurrence of trade payables of the Business arising in a manner consistent
with the past practice of the Business and in the ordinary course, or any
assumption, guarantee, endorsement or other responsibility of or by the Seller
for the liability or obligation of any other Person (whether absolute, accrued,
contingent or otherwise) not arising in a manner consistent with the past
practice of the Business and in the ordinary course;
any
mortgage, pledge or creation of any Lien with respect to any of the Transferred
Assets, and any discharge or satisfaction of any Lien or payment of any
obligation or liability of Seller except in a manner consistent with past
practice of the Business and in the ordinary course;
any
sale,
assignment, transfer, conveyance, license or sublicense or other disposition
or
lapse of any Proprietary Rights or disclosure to any Person (other than to
the
Buyer, employees of the Seller in the scope of their employment or otherwise
in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) of any
Proprietary Rights material to the Business;
any
write
up or write down in the value of any Equipment or Inventories;
any
cancellation or compromise of any material claims, institution or settlement
of
any material legal proceeding, or any waiver of any other material rights
relating to the Business, or any sale, transfer or other disposition of any
properties or assets, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, material
to the Business (other than sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice);
any
change in the Seller’s method, principles or polices of accounting for
financial, Tax or other purposes;
any
declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution
in
respect of any shares of capital stock of Seller or any repurchase, redemption
or other acquisition by Seller of any outstanding shares of capital stock or
other securities of, or other ownership interest in, Seller;
any
election or rescission of any election relating to Taxes, or settlement or
compromise of any claim, action, suit, litigation, proceeding, arbitration,
investigation, audit or controversy relating to Taxes, or except as may be
required by applicable law, any change made to any of Seller’s methods of
reporting income or deductions for federal income tax purposes from those
employed in the preparation of its most recently filed federal Tax Returns,
in
each case, to the extent related to the Business or the Transferred
Assets;
any
failure to pay and discharge current liabilities in a manner consistent with
past practice of the Business and in the ordinary course;
any
capital investment in, any loan to, or any acquisition of the securities or
assets of any other Person;
any
capital expenditures or commitment to make any capital expenditures by the
Seller or in respect of the Business other than such expenditures arising in
the
ordinary course consistent with past practice;
any
loan
to or other transaction with any of its shareholders (including, without
limitation, DCCI or the Shareholders), affiliates, officers, directors or
partners, except for advances and reimbursements to employees for business
expenses in the ordinary course of business;
any
material change in the customary methods used in operating the Business
(including the pricing practices) or any material change in the sales
operations; or
any
agreement, commitment, arrangement or entry into any understanding to do
anything set forth in subsections (a)-(p) above.
Environmental
Matters.
Neither
the Seller nor, to the knowledge of the Seller, any prior owner or operator
of
the Business, any of the Facilities or the Transferred Assets has caused or
allowed the generation, use, treatment, storage, or disposal of Hazardous
Materials at any site (including any Facility) owned, leased or operated by
the
Seller or used in the Business, except in accordance with all applicable
Environmental Laws or except to the extent the same would not result in any
material liability, contingent or otherwise, to the Buyer or its
affiliates.
The
Seller does not own or lease any real property, improvements or related assets
that form a part of the Facilities, the Transferred Assets or the Business
and
that have been subject to the release of any Hazardous Materials except to
the
extent that the same would not result in any material liability, contingent
or
otherwise, to the Buyer or its affiliates.
Except
as
set forth on Schedule 3.10
of the
Disclosure Schedule, the Seller has secured all Environmental Permits necessary
to conduct and operate the Business as currently conducted by the Seller and
the
Facilities and the Seller is in material compliance with such
permits.
Except
as
set forth on Schedule 3.10
of the
Disclosure Schedule, the Seller has not received any notice, nor is it aware,
of
any proposal to amend, revoke or replace any Environmental Permit, or requiring
the issuance of any additional Environmental Permit.
The
Seller has not received inquiry or notice nor does it have any reason to believe
that it is likely to receive inquiry or notice of any actual or potential
proceedings, claims, lawsuits or losses related to or arising under any
Environmental Law.
The
Seller is not currently operating or required to be operating under any
compliance order, schedule, decree or agreement, any consent decree, order
or
agreement, and/or corrective action decree, order or agreement issued or entered
into under any federal, state or local statute, regulation or ordinance
regarding the environment and/or health or safety in the work
place.
Neither
the Seller nor, to the knowledge of the Seller, any prior owner or operator
of
the Business, any of the Facilities or the Transferred Assets has transported,
arranged for the transportation of or disposed of any substance in a manner
that
may lead to claims against the Buyer for clean-up costs, remedial work, damages
to natural resources or for personal injury claims.
The
Facilities, the Transferred Assets and the Business are in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable limitations, restrictions, conditions,
standards, prohibitions, requirements and obligations established under
Environmental Laws.
Condition
of Inventories and Equipment
.
Except
as expressly provided herein (including Section 3.13 hereof), the Inventories
and Equipment included in the Transferred Assets are being sold, transferred
and
conveyed “AS IS, WHERE IS,” and the Seller makes NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THEIR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Seller makes no
representations or warranties to Buyer with respect to any projections,
estimates or budgets heretofore delivered to or made available to Buyer of
future revenues, future results of operations (or any component thereof), future
cash flows or future financial condition (or any component thereof) of
Seller.
Undisclosed
Liabilities
.
The
Seller does not have any material liabilities or obligations of any nature,
whether accrued, absolute, contingent, unliquidated, civil, criminal or
otherwise, and whether due or to become due, other than liabilities that
(a) are reflected or reserved against in the Reference Balance Sheet,
(b) are disclosed in any Schedule (or in any plan, instrument, lease or
agreement referred to therein) or Exhibit hereto, (c) are liabilities
incurred since December 31, 2006, in the ordinary course of business that would
not have a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) liabilities under Contracts and
Other Agreements that are not due and have not arisen in respect of any breach
or violation of, or default under, any provision thereof.
Warranties
and Product Liability
.
Except
for warranties implied by law or set forth in written agreements between the
Seller and its customers, the Seller has not given or made any warranties in
connection with the sale or rental of goods or services, including, without
limitation, warranties covering the customer’s consequential damages. To the
Seller’s knowledge, there are no facts or the occurrence of any events forming
the basis of any present claim against the Seller and the Seller does not have
any reason to believe the Business will likely be subject to any such claim
with
respect to warranties relating to products manufactured, sold or distributed
by
the Seller or services performed by the Seller, except any claim that would
not
individually or in the aggregate with all such claims exceed
$100,000.
Employee
Matters.
There
are
no collective bargaining or other labor union agreements to which the Seller
is
a party or by which it or the Business is bound. To the best knowledge of the
Seller, it has not encountered any labor union organizing activity or had any
actual or threatened employee strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns or
walkouts.
Schedule 3.14
of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth all Employee Benefits. The Seller does not
contribute to or have an obligation to contribute to, and has not at any time
within six years prior to the Closing Date contributed to or had an obligation
to contribute to, a multi-employer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37)
of
ERISA.
The
Seller does not have any defined benefit plan or employee benefit plan. Seller
does have plan(s) established pursuant to Section 401(k) of the
Code.
No
lawsuit, complaint or investigation or governmental audit has been noticed,
initiated or filed with respect to any employee benefit plan. The Seller has
not
incurred any liability to the PBGC or otherwise under Title IV of
ERISA.
Attached
as Schedule
3.14(e)
to the
Disclosure Schedule is a list of the current employees and their respective
total compensation paid by the Seller during 2006 and their respective rates
of
compensation for 2007.
Seller
is
in material compliance with all laws relating to the employment of labor,
including all such laws relating to wages, hours, the Worker and Retraining
Notification Act of 1988, as amended (“WARN”) and any similar state or local
“mass layoff” or “plant closing” law, collective bargaining, discrimination,
safety and health and the collection and payment of withholding and/or social
security Taxes and any similar Tax. There has been no “mass layoff” or “plant
closing” (as defined by WARN) with respect to the Seller or the Business within
the six months prior to Closing.
Finder’s
Fees
.
Neither
the Seller nor any affiliate of the Seller has employed or retained any
investment banker, broker, agent, finder or other party, or incurred any
obligation for brokerage fees, finder’s fees or commissions, with respect to the
sale by the Seller of any of the Transferred Assets or with respect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or otherwise dealt with anyone
purporting to act in the capacity of a finder or broker with respect thereto
whereby any party hereto may be obligated to pay such a fee or
commission.
Bank
Accounts
.
Schedule
3.16
of the
Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and correct list of (a) the names and
locations of all banks at which the Seller maintains accounts or safe deposit
boxes of the Business, (b) the account numbers of all such accounts and (c)
the
names of all persons authorized to draw thereon or to have access thereto.
Except as set forth on Schedule
3.16
of the
Disclosure Schedule, no person holds a power of attorney to act on behalf of
Seller.
Insurance
.
Seller
has insurance policies in full force and effect (a) for such amounts as are
sufficient for all requirements of law and all Contracts and Other Agreements
to
which Seller or the Business is a party or by which any of the Transferred
Assets is bound and (b) which are in such amounts, with such deductibles and
against such risks and losses, as are reasonable for the maintenance of the
Facilities, the Business and the Transferred Assets. Set forth in Schedule
3.17
of the
Disclosure Schedule is a list of all insurance policies and all fidelity bonds
held by or applicable to the Facilities, the Business or the Transferred Assets
setting forth, in respect of each such policy, the policy name, policy number,
carrier, term, type and amount of coverage and annual premium.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER
The
Buyer
represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:
Corporate
Matters
.
The
Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Texas. The Buyer has full corporate power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations under
this
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by
the Buyer and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Buyer, enforceable
in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
from time to time in effect that affect creditors’ rights generally and by legal
and equitable limitations on the availability of specific remedies. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby by the Buyer will not violate any provision
of,
or constitute a default under, any contract or other agreement to which the
Buyer is a party or by which it is bound, or conflict with its Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws, other than violations, defaults or conflicts that
would
not materially and adversely affect the ability of the Buyer to consummate
the
transactions provided for in this Agreement.
Finder’s
Fees
.
Neither
the Buyer nor any affiliate of the Buyer has employed or retained any investment
banker, broker, agent, finder or other party, or incurred any obligation for
brokerage fees, finder’s fees or commissions, with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, or otherwise dealt with anyone purporting to
act
in the capacity of a finder or broker with respect thereto whereby any party
hereto other than Buyer may be obligated to pay such a fee or a
commission.
ACCESS
TO
INFORMATION BY THE BUYER
Prior
to Closing
.
Prior
to the Closing, Seller will furnish the Buyer and its employees, officers,
accountants, attorneys, agents, investment bankers and other authorized
representatives with all financial, operating and other data and information
concerning the Business, commitments and properties of the Seller as the Buyer
shall from time to time reasonably request and will afford the Buyer and its
employees, officers, accountants, attorneys, agents, investment bankers and
other authorized representatives reasonable access to the Seller’s offices,
properties, books, records, contracts and documents (including Tax Returns
filed
and those in preparation) and will be given the opportunity to ask questions
of,
and receive answers from, representatives of the Seller with respect to the
Business, the Contracts and Other Agreements, the Transferred Assets and the
other properties of the Seller. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller shall
not
be required to disclose any information if such disclosure would contravene
any
applicable law. No investigations by the Buyer or its employees, representatives
or agents shall reduce or otherwise affect the obligation or liability of the
Seller with respect to any representations, warranties, covenants or agreements
made herein or in any Exhibit, Schedule or other certificate, instrument,
agreement or document, including the Disclosure Schedule, executed and delivered
in connection with this Agreement.
Public
Information
.
Until
the Closing or termination hereof, the Buyer and the Seller will consult in
advance on the necessity for, and the timing and content of, any communications
to be made to the public and to the form and content of any application or
report to be made to any Governmental Entity that relates to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and, except with respect to public announcements
or disclosures in response to legal requirements (including, without limitation,
requirements under the Federal securities laws in connection with any
registration, sale or purchase of securities), all such public announcements
and
disclosures shall require the consent of the Buyer and the Seller, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, denied or conditioned. Each of
the
Buyer, the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders agrees that the terms of this
Agreement shall not be disclosed or otherwise made available to the public
and
that copies of this Agreement shall not be publicly filed or otherwise made
available to the public, except where such disclosure, availability or filing
is
required by applicable law and only to the extent required by such law. The
Seller will reasonably cooperate with the Buyer and its employees, officers,
accountants, attorneys, agents and other authorized representatives in the
preparation of any documents or other materials that may be required by any
Governmental Entity.
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
Hiring
of Transferred Employees
.
The
Buyer
shall offer employment (on an “at will basis”) to all of the Seller’s active
hourly employees and other active salaried employees as of the Closing
(collectively, those accepting such employment, the “Transferred Employees”).
The Buyer will give credit, under the Buyer’s employee plans and policies, for
all unused vacation and sick days of the Transferred Employees accrued as of
and
at the Closing Date under the employee plans and policies of the Seller for
calendar year 2007, and will, in accordance with and subject to applicable
laws,
permit the Transferred Employees to “rollover” their benefits in the Seller’s
Section 401(k) plan (including any outstanding loans thereunder) into the
Section 401(k) plan maintained by the Buyer generally for the benefit of the
Buyer’s employees. Except for the foregoing, the Buyer shall not assume any
liabilities or obligations of the Seller with respect to its employees and
will
have complete discretion as to the terms of employment (including wages and
position) that are offered to the Transferred Employees. Schedule 6.1 of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of all of the employees of the Seller
as
of the date hereof and their respective accrued unused vacation and sick days
and outstanding balances of accounts under the Seller’s 401(k) plan and, if
applicable, any loan amounts outstanding from such respective employees under
the 401(k) plan. No later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date,
the Seller shall deliver an updated Schedule
6.1
and the
Buyer will be entitled to rely definitively on the information presented in
the
updated Schedule
6.1
for
purposes of fulfillment of its obligations hereunder. Nothing contained in
this
Section 6.1 is intended to confer upon any of the Seller’s employees any right
to continued employment after evaluation by the Buyer of its employment needs
after the Closing Date. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the parties hereto do not intend to create any third-party beneficiary rights
respecting any of the Seller’s employees or former employees as a result of the
provisions herein and specifically hereby negate any such
intention.
Employee
Benefits.
Except
as
expressly provided under Section 6.1, the Buyer shall not be liable or obligated
under any Employee Benefits of the Seller or its employees, and the Seller
expressly acknowledges that it has sole liability for all employee benefit
costs
accrued as of the Closing whether or not any or all of such employees are
subsequently hired by the Buyer. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Seller acknowledges and agrees that the Buyer does not assume
the
sponsorship of, the responsibility of contributions to, or any liabilities
in
connection with any employee benefit plan maintained by the Seller for active
employees, retirees, former employees, their beneficiaries or any other Person,
including any employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(2)
of ERISA, employee welfare plan within the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA
and
any personnel policy, stock option plan, bonus plan or arrangement, incentive
award plan or arrangement, vacation policy, severance pay plan, policy or
agreement, deferred compensation agreement arrangement, executive compensation
or supplemental income arrangement, consulting agreement, employment agreement
and each other employee benefit plan, agreement, arrangement, program, practice
or understanding.
With
respect to Transferred Employees, the Seller will remain responsible for medical
expenses covered under its plans (i) actually incurred prior to the Closing
Date
or (ii) actually incurred with respect to any hospitalization that began prior
to the Closing Date until such hospitalization ends (as required under such
plans), and the Buyer will be responsible for all other medical expenses
incurred on or after the Closing Date to the extent covered under its plans
without the application of any waiting period for coverage generally applicable
to newly hired employees. The Seller shall provide medical coverage to the
Transferred Employees with respect to any pre-existing medical conditions to
the
extent required by applicable law. To the fullest extent permitted under its
applicable policies of insurance, the Seller shall maintain health,
hospitalization, life, travel and accident insurance coverage for the
Transferred Employees in effect for so long as Buyer shall request; provided,
that Buyer shall be responsible for all costs (if any) of maintaining such
policies for all periods beginning on the first day of the month following
the
month in which the Closing Date falls. The cost of such insurance coverage
from
and after the Closing Date shall be borne by the Buyer. The Seller shall
cooperate with the Buyer to provide continuity of such insurance coverage to
such employees. The Seller shall be exclusively responsible for complying with
the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”)
with respect to its employees (including the Transferred Employees) and their
qualified beneficiaries by reason of any such employees’ termination of
employment with the Seller until the Closing Date, at which point the Buyer
shall be exclusively responsible for complying with COBRA with respect to the
Transferred Employees and any “M+A Qualified Beneficiaries” (as defined in
Treasury Regulation Section 54.4980B-9 Q/A-4), in accordance with the
Treasury Regulations governing asset sales in which the Seller ceases to provide
any group health plan, at Treasury Regulation Section 54.4980B-9
Q/A-8(c).
With
respect to the Transferred Employees, the Buyer shall take all actions necessary
to cause Buyer’s 401(k) plan to recognize the service that the Transferred
Employees had in the Seller’s 401(k) plan, for purposes of determining such
Transferred Employees’ eligibility to participate in, and vesting under, the
Buyer’s 401(k) plan.
Reporting
of Data
.
The
Buyer and the Seller shall complete and furnish to each other such other
employee data as shall be reasonably required from time to time for each party
to perform and fulfill its obligations under this Article 6.
In
addition to, and not in limitation of, the obligations under the immediately
preceding sentence, pursuant to the “Standard Procedure” provided in Section 4
of Revenue Procedure 2004-53. 2004-34 IRB 320, (i) the Buyer and the Seller
shall report on a predecessor/successor basis as set forth therein, (ii)
the Seller will not be relieved from filing a Form W-2 with respect to any
Transferred Employees, and (iii) the Buyer will undertake to file (or cause
to be filed) a Form W-2 for each such Transferred Employee only with respect
to
the portion of the year during which such Transferred Employees are employed
by
the Buyer that includes the Closing Date, excluding the portion of such year
that such Transferred Employee was employed by the Seller.
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
Conduct
of the Business
.
The
Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders (as applicable) covenant and agree with the
Buyer that from and after the date hereof until the Closing, except as expressly
authorized by this Agreement or expressly consented to in writing by the Buyer
(such consent not to be unreasonably withheld in respect of any request for
the
actions described in subsection (i) hereof to the extent that such action would
be in the ordinary course for the Business or otherwise would not result in
any
adverse effect to the Business), the Seller shall:
operate
the Business and the Transferred Assets only in the usual, regular and ordinary
manner with a view to maintaining the goodwill that the Seller now enjoys and,
to the extent consistent with such operation, will use all reasonable efforts
to
preserve intact its present business organization, keep available the services
of its employees and preserve its relationship with its customers, suppliers,
jobbers, distributors and other Persons having business relations with
it;
use
all
reasonable efforts to maintain the Transferred Assets in a state of repair,
order and condition consistent with its usual practice in connection with the
Business;
maintain
its books of account and records relating to the Business in the usual, regular
and ordinary manner, in accordance with the Seller’s usual accounting practices
applied on a consistent basis;
comply
in
all material respects with all statutes, laws, orders and regulations applicable
to it and to the conduct of the Business;
not
sell,
assign, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any Proprietary Rights,
Equipment or any of the other Transferred Assets, except for dispositions of
Inventories for value in the usual and ordinary course of business;
preserve
and maintain all rights that it now enjoys in and to the Proprietary
Rights;
not
mortgage, pledge or otherwise create a security interest in any of the
Transferred Assets or permit there to be created or exist any Liens thereon
that
would not be released upon the transfer of the Transferred Assets to the Buyer
pursuant to this Agreement;
not
enter
into any contract, commitment or lease in relation to the Business that is
not
in the ordinary course of the Business;
not
amend, modify or consent to the termination of any Assumed Contract or Lease
or
waive any of the Seller’s rights with respect thereto;
not
grant
any increase in the compensation or rate of compensation or commissions or
bonuses payable to or severance obligations for any of the Transferred Employees
or in any bonus plan and not transfer or otherwise change any of the terms
or
conditions of employment of any of the Transferred Employees;
not
permit any insurance policy naming it as a beneficiary or a loss payee relating
to the Business or the Transferred Assets to be canceled or terminated or any
of
the coverage thereunder to lapse unless simultaneously with such termination
or
cancellation replacement policies providing substantially the same or better
coverage are in full force and effect;
pay
when
due all trade payables and all payments required by any of the Contracts and
Other Agreements, and all Taxes of the Seller or with respect to the Business
or
the Transferred Assets that are or become due and owing, other than Taxes that
are being contested in good faith and which would not result in a Lien being
imposed on any of the Transferred Assets;
not
change or modify its credit or collection policies, procedures or practices,
including acceleration of collections or receivables (whether or not past
due);
promptly
notify the Buyer in writing if the Seller becomes aware of any change that
shall
have occurred or that shall have been threatened (or any development that shall
have occurred or that shall have been threatened involving a prospective change)
in the Transferred Assets or the Business that would reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course
of business; and
not
agree
to anything prohibited by this Section 7.1 or which would make any of the
representations and warranties of Seller in this Agreement untrue or
incorrect.
Information
.
During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Closing Date, the Buyer and
the Seller will promptly inform the other in writing of any claim, action or
any
proceeding commenced against such party with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any assets or property of the Seller or the
Business.
Required
Consents
.
The
Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders shall use their reasonable best efforts to
obtain those Required Consents described on Schedule 7.3
(the
“Closing Consents”).
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall
the Seller, DCCI or the Shareholders have any liability to the Buyer in the
event Buyer is unable to obtain any Required Consent.
Delivery
of and Access to Corporate Documents and Assistance.
At
the
Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the Buyer at the Facilities all Documents
and Other Papers constituting Transferred Assets or relating to the Assumed
Liabilities, including, without limitation, all files relating to the Trade
Payables, computer disks reflecting any books or records, documents or other
papers, or other information or data relating to the operation of the Business
or the Transferred Assets or customer records and sales history stored on any
electronic media, including computers. The Seller, however, shall be entitled
to
retain all Documents and Other Papers constituting Excluded Assets. For a period
of four years after the Closing Date, each of Buyer and Seller will retain
such
Documents and Other Papers retained or obtained by it pursuant to this
Section 7.4(a). During such period, each of Buyer and Seller will afford
duly authorized representatives of the other reasonable access during normal
business hours to all of such records and will permit such representatives,
at
the requesting party’s expense, to make copies of any of such records as may be
reasonably required by the other; provided, however, that (i) any such
access shall be had or done in such a manner so as to not unreasonably interfere
with the normal conduct of the Business or the business of Buyer and its
affiliates or the Seller and its affiliates (as the case may be), (ii) neither
the Buyer nor the Seller shall be required to provide access to any confidential
record or records, the disclosure of which would violate any governmental
statute or regulation, and (iii) neither the Buyer nor the Seller shall be
required to provide access to any confidential record or records, the disclosure
of which would cause it or any of its respective affiliates to waive its
attorney-client privilege or attorney work product privilege.
In
addition to, and not in limitation of subsection (a) above, the Seller, DCCI
and
the Shareholders, if requested by the Buyer and at Buyer’s expense, shall make
available to Buyer and its representatives financial and accounting records
of
the Business in the Seller’s, DCCI’s or the Shareholders’ custody or control,
including, without limitation, by causing its accountant to provide the Buyer
with access to such firm’s work papers in support of the Business, in order that
Buyer may prepare financial statements of the Business in connection with the
filing by the Buyer of a Current Report on Form 8-K (if necessary) with the
Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereby, and to comply with any other
financial disclosure requirements with respect to the Business applicable to
Buyer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Securities
Act
of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. Notwithstanding
anything in this Section 7.4(b) to the contrary, in no event shall the
Seller, DCCI or the Shareholders have any liability to Buyer or any third party
with respect to any records made available to the Buyer or its representatives
pursuant to this Section 7.4(b), except for any claim or action based on
fraud or as otherwise expressly provided under the representations and
warranties contained in Article 3 hereof.
Further
Assurances
.
Each
party hereto shall execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be executed,
acknowledged and delivered to the any other party such bills of sale,
assignments, assumptions and other instruments of transfer, assignment and
conveyance, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
requesting party, as shall be necessary to vest in the Buyer all the right,
title and interest in and to the Transferred Assets free and clear of all Liens
(including the release of all Liens of record) and all obligations for the
Assumed Liabilities, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause to
be
taken such other action as a party reasonably may require to more effectively
implement and carry into effect the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Nondisclosure
of Proprietary Information
.
The
Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders agree that, from and after the Closing Date,
they and their Subsidiaries and affiliates shall hold in confidence and will
not
directly or indirectly at any time reveal, report, publish, disclose or transfer
to any Person other than the Buyer and its representatives any of the
Proprietary Information that is not generally known to the public or utilize
any
of the Proprietary Information for pecuniary gain. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Seller and its affiliates may disclose information that is (i)
required to be disclosed by applicable laws to the extent, and only to the
extent, such laws require such disclosure and the Seller provides the Buyer
prior written notice of its intent to provide such disclosure and the general
text of such disclosure and such disclosure is consented to by the Buyer, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, and (ii) required to be disclosed
by
final order of a court of competent jurisdiction, provided that, in the event
Seller or such affiliate is served or threatened with litigation that would
require the Seller or such affiliate to disclose such information, the Seller
or
such affiliate shall tender to the Buyer the opportunity to defend, at Buyer’s
cost, against such disclosure. Because of the unique nature of the Proprietary
Information, the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders understand and agree that
the
Buyer and its affiliates and their successors and assigns shall be entitled
to
seek specific performance and injunctive relief in accordance with Section
15.7
(as well as any other legal and equitable remedies to which they may be
entitled) in respect of any breach or anticipated breach of their respective
obligations (as well as those of their respective affiliates) under this Section
7.6.
Covenant
Not to Compete With the Business
.
Each of
the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders agrees that, effective as of the Closing
Date and for a period of two (2) years thereafter, the Seller, DCCI, the
Shareholders and their respective affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly,
for itself or others, (i) own, manage, operate, control, be employed by,
engage or participate in, allow its or their skill, knowledge, experience or
reputation to be used by, or otherwise be connected in any manner with the
ownership, management, operation or control of, any company or other business
enterprise (other than Buyer or its affiliates) engaged in any aspect of the
Business within all of the Parishes and Counties set forth on Schedule 7.7(1),
(ii)
make any contact with, for the purpose of transacting any business competitive
to the Business, with any Person which was a customer of Seller at any time
in
the six (6) years prior to the Closing Date (“Company’s Customers”), (iii)
attempt to direct or take away the business or patronage from the Buyer or
the
Business of any of the Business’ customers, (iv) solicit, hire away or attempt
to solicit or hire away to any firm or entity engaged in the Business, any
person employed by the Buyer or any of its affiliates, or (v) interfere with
the
business, trade, goodwill or customers of the Buyer or the Business.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders shall
be
able to: (a) own in the aggregate not more than five percent (5%) of a
public company that engages in the Business; provided, that the Seller, DCCI
or
the Shareholders, as applicable, does not exert or possess the power to exert,
directly or indirectly, the direction of the management, policies or other
control (whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise) over such public company; and (b) participate in the activities
specifically described on Schedule 7.7(2).
The
Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders understand and agree that, due to the unique
nature of the obligations hereunder and inadequacy of a remedy of law for a
breach or attempted breach of this Section 7.7, the Buyer and its affiliates
and
their successors and assigns shall be entitled to seek specific performance
and
injunctive relief in accordance with Section 15.7 (as well as any other legal
and equitable remedies to which they may be entitled) in respect of any such
breach or attempted breach of their respective obligations (as well as those
of
their respective affiliates) under this Section 7.7. The Seller, DCCI and the
Shareholders acknowledge that this covenant not to compete is being provided
as
an inducement to the Buyer to acquire the Business and the Transferred Assets
and that this Section 7.7 contains reasonable limitations as to time,
geographical area and scope of activity to be restrained that do not impose
a
greater restraint than is necessary to protect the goodwill or other business
interest of the Buyer. Whenever possible, each provision of this Section 7.7
shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under
applicable law but if any provision of this Section 7.7 shall be prohibited
by
or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the
extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remaining
provisions of this Section 7.7. If any provision of this Section 7.7 shall,
for
any reason, be judged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid
or
unenforceable, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the
remainder of this Section 7.7 but shall be confined in its operation to the
provision of this Section 7.7 directly
involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
In
the event that the provisions of this Section 7.7 should ever be deemed to
exceed the time or geographic limitations permitted by applicable laws, then
such provision shall be reformed to the maximum time or geographic limitations
permitted by applicable law.
Continuation
of Business by the Buyer
.
Nothing
in this Section 7.8, in any other provision of this Agreement, in any Exhibit
or
Section hereto, or in any agreement, instrument, or other document executed
or
delivered in connection with this Agreement shall require the Buyer to continue
its business or operations or to manage and operate the Business with any duty
or standard of care to the Seller. The Seller acknowledges and agrees that
the
Buyer in its sole discretion may continue, manage, modify or discontinue its
operations, liquidate or otherwise change or cease its operations.
Collection
of Accounts Receivable
.
If the
Seller shall receive payment in respect of Accounts Receivable that is included
in the Transferred Assets, then the Seller shall promptly, but in any event
within ten (10) days of Seller’s receipt thereof, forward such payment to the
Buyer.
Use
of
Name
.
All
uses of the names “Delta Process Equipment, Inc.” and any derivations thereof
(collectively, the “Names”) are being transferred to Buyer on the Closing Date
as part of the Transferred Assets. From and after the Closing Date, Seller
and
its affiliates will not, directly or indirectly, use in any manner the Names
or
any other trade name, trademark, service xxxx or logo used by Seller, or any
word or logo, that is similar in sound or appearance, in the Business. Within
fifteen (15) days after the Closing Date, Seller shall provide Buyer with a
certified copy of its organizational documents indicating that it has changed
its name in accordance with the foregoing sentence.
Tax
Arrangements
.
The
Buyer, on the one hand, and the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders, on the other
hand, shall furnish or cause to be furnished to each other, as promptly as
practicable, such information and assistance relating to the Transferred Assets
and the Assumed Liabilities as is reasonably necessary for the preparation
and
filing of any Tax Return, claim or refund or other filings relating to Tax
matters, for the preparation of any Tax audit, for the preparation of any Tax
protest, or for the prosecution or defense of any suit or other proceeding
relating to Tax matters.
CONDITIONS
TO THE BUYER’S OBLIGATION
TO
CONSUMMATE THE TRANSACTIONS
The
obligation of the Buyer to purchase the Transferred Assets and to assume the
Assumed Liabilities as contemplated hereby is subject to the satisfaction on
or
before the Closing Date of the conditions set forth below, any of which may
be
waived by the Buyer in writing; provided, however, the Buyer’s election to
proceed with the Closing of the transactions contemplated hereby shall not
be
deemed a waiver of any breach of any representation, warranty or covenant herein
not known to the Buyer as of the Closing Date or existing on the Closing Date,
and such action shall not prejudice the Buyer’s right to recover damages for any
breach.
Representations,
Warranties and Covenants
.
The
representations and warranties of the Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders
contained in this Agreement qualified as to materiality (including as to any
Material Adverse Effect) shall be true, correct and complete in all respects,
and those not so qualified shall be true, correct and complete in all material
respects, on and as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as though
such representations and warranties had been made or given on and as of such
date; each and all of the agreements and covenants of the Seller, DCCI and
the
Shareholders to be performed or complied with by it on or before the Closing
Date pursuant to this Agreement shall have been performed or complied with
in
all material respects; and the Seller shall have delivered to the Buyer a
certificate signed by one of its duly authorized officers, dated the Closing
Date, to all such effects.
Good
Standing
.
The
Seller shall have delivered to the Buyer certificates issued by appropriate
Governmental Entities evidencing the good standing of the Seller, as of a date
not more than ten calendar days prior to the Closing Date, in Louisiana and
the
states or commonwealths in which it is qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation. To the extent provided for under applicable law, the Seller shall
also have delivered to the Buyer certificates or other writings issued by
appropriate Governmental Entities evidencing that all applicable state franchise
Taxes have been paid.
Instruments
of Transfer
.
(i) The Seller shall have executed and delivered to the Buyer (a) the
General Conveyance, Transfer, Assignment and Assumption, in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit
C
hereto
(the “General Conveyance, Transfer, Assignment and Assumption”), as shall be
necessary to vest in the Buyer all the right, title and interest in and to
the
Transferred Assets and assumption of all Assumed Liabilities, and (b) a power
of
attorney in the form of Exhibit
D
hereto,
and (ii) Stone Flower, L.L.C., an affiliate of Seller (“Stone Flower”), shall
have executed Lease Agreements, in substantially the forms attached hereto
as
Exhibits E-1
and
E-2
hereto
(the “Lease Agreements”), for the Facilities described on Schedule 8.3.
No
Litigation.
No
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order of any court or other
Governmental Entity shall be in effect nor shall there be in effect any statute,
rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any Governmental
Entity that, in any such case, prevents the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
No
suit,
action, claim, proceeding or investigation before any Governmental Entity shall
have been commenced or threatened seeking to prevent the sale of the Transferred
Assets or the Business or asserting that the sale of all or a portion of the
Transferred Assets or the Business would be unlawful.
Receipt
of Closing Consents
.
The
Buyer shall have obtained the Closing Consents.
Receipt
of Approvals and Authorizations
.
The
Buyer shall have received each of the licenses, consents, approvals and other
authorizations from Governmental Entities necessary or appropriate for the
Buyer
to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to conduct
the
Business and operate the Transferred Assets on and after the Closing
Date.
No
Liens
.
The
Seller shall have delivered to the Buyer releases of all Liens (other than
Permitted Liens) and/or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Buyer
to
show that the Transferred Assets are being transferred, sold, assigned,
delivered and conveyed to the Buyer hereunder free and clear of all Liens (other
than Permitted Liens).
CONDITIONS
TO THE SELLER’S OBLIGATION TO
CONSUMMATE THE TRANSACTIONS
The
obligation of the Seller to transfer the Transferred Assets as contemplated
hereby is subject to the satisfaction on or before the Closing Date of the
conditions set forth below, any of which may be waived by the Seller in writing;
provided, however, the Seller’s election to proceed with the Closing of the
transactions contemplated hereby shall not be deemed a waiver of any breach
of
any representation, warranty or covenant herein, not known to the Seller as
of
the Closing Date or existing on the Closing Date, and such action shall not
prejudice the Seller’s right to recover damages for any breach.
Representations
and Warranties and Covenants
.
The
representations and warranties of the Buyer contained in this Agreement
qualified as to materiality (including as to any Material Adverse Effect) shall
be true, correct and complete in all respects, and those not so qualified shall
be true, correct and complete in all material respects, on and as of the Closing
Date with the same force and effect as though such representations and
warranties had been made or given on and as of such date; each and all of the
agreements and covenants of the Buyer to be performed or complied with by it
on
or before the Closing Date pursuant to this Agreement shall have been performed
or complied with in all material respects; and the Buyer shall have delivered
to
the Seller a certificate signed by one of its duly authorized officers, dated
the Closing Date, to such effects.
Receipt
of the Purchase Price; Instruments of Transfer
.
The
Seller shall have received the Purchase Price. The Buyer shall have executed
and
delivered to (i) the Seller, the General Conveyance, Transfer, Assignment
and Assumption and (ii) Stone Flower, the Lease Agreements.
No
Litigation.
No
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order of any Governmental Entity
shall be in effect nor shall there be any statute, rule, regulation or executive
order promulgated or enacted by any Governmental Entity that, in any such case,
prevents the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
No
suit,
action, claim, proceeding or investigation before any court or other
Governmental Entity shall have been commenced or threatened seeking to prevent
the sale of the Transferred Assets or the Business or asserting that the sale
of
all or a portion of the Transferred Assets or the Business would be
unlawful.
INDEMNIFICATION
Indemnification
by the Seller
.
Except
as otherwise limited by this Article 10 and Article 11 hereof, the Seller agrees
to indemnify, defend and hold the Buyer and each of its officers, directors,
employees, agents, stockholders and controlling Persons and their respective
successors and assigns harmless from and against and in respect of Damages
actually suffered, incurred or realized by such party (collectively, “General
Buyer Losses”), arising out of or resulting from or relating to:
the
failure of any representation or warranty made by the Seller, DCCI or the
Shareholders in this Agreement or in any other agreement, certificate, Schedule,
Exhibit or writing delivered to the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement to be
true
and correct;
the
breach of any covenant or other agreement made or undertaken by the Seller,
DCCI
or the Shareholders in this Agreement or in any other agreement, certificate,
Schedule, Exhibit or writing delivered to the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement;
and
any
Retained Liability.
Indemnification
by the Buyer
.
Except
as otherwise limited by this Article 10 and Article 11 hereof, the Buyer agrees
to indemnify, defend and hold the Seller and each of its officers, directors,
employees, agents, stockholders and controlling Persons and successors and
assigns (including DCCI and the Shareholders) harmless from and against and
in
respect of Damages actually suffered, incurred or realized by such party
(collectively, “Seller Losses”), arising out of or resulting from:
the
failure of any representation or warranty made by the Buyer in this Agreement
or
in any other agreement, certificate, Schedule, Exhibit or writing delivered
to
the Seller pursuant to this Agreement to be true and correct;
the
breach of any covenant or other agreement made or undertaken by the Buyer in
this Agreement or in any other agreement, certificate, Schedule, Exhibit or
writing delivered to the Seller pursuant to this Agreement; and
any
Assumed Liability.
Limitations
on Indemnifications
.
An
indemnified party shall not have any liability under Sections 10.1 and 10.2
hereof unless the aggregate amount of Damages incurred by the indemnified
parties exceeds $50,000, and then only to the extent such Damages exceed
$50,000. For purposes of calculating the Damages hereunder arising out of or
resulting from or relating to any failure of representations to be true and
correct or the breach of any covenants or agreements, any materiality or
Material Adverse Effect qualifications in the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements shall be disregarded. The aggregate amount of all
Damages for which the Seller shall be required to indemnify an indemnified
party
under Section 10.1(a) shall not exceed $5,000,000; provided, however, that
such
limitation shall not apply in respect of indemnification for the failure of
any
representations or warranties made by the Seller in Sections 3.1(a), 3.2(a),
3.4(b), 3.4(c), 3.4(d), 3.4(e), 3.7, 3.10 and 3.15, for which the Seller’s
obligation to indemnify shall not exceed the Purchase Price.
Procedure
.
All
claims for indemnification under this Article 10 shall be asserted and resolved
as follows:
An
Indemnitee shall promptly give the Indemnitor notice of any matter which an
Indemnitee has determined has given or could give rise to a right of
indemnification under this Agreement, stating the amount of the Loss, if known,
and method of computation thereof, all with reasonable particularity, and
stating with particularity the nature of such matter. Failure to provide such
notice shall not affect the right of the Indemnitee to indemnification except
to
the extent such failure shall have resulted in liability to the Indemnitor
that
could have been actually avoided had such notice been provided within such
required time period.
The
obligations and liabilities of an Indemnitor under this Article 10 with respect
to Losses arising from claims of any third party that are subject to the
indemnification provided for in this Article 10 (“Third Party Claims”) shall be
governed by and contingent upon the following additional terms and conditions:
if an Indemnitee shall receive notice of any Third Party Claim, the Indemnitee
shall give the Indemnitor prompt notice of such Third Party Claim and the
Indemnitor may, at its option provided that it shall acknowledge in writing
to
Indemnitee its unqualified obligation to indemnify the Indemnitee as provided
hereunder with respect to such Third Party Claim, assume and control the defense
of such Third Party Claim at the Indemnitor’s expense and through counsel of the
Indemnitor’s choice reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee. In the event the
Indemnitor assumes the defense against any such Third Party Claim as provided
above, the Indemnitee shall have the right to participate at its own expense
in
the defense of such asserted liability (provided that such Indemnitee shall
be
entitled to participate in any such defense with separate counsel at the expense
of the Indemnitor if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Indemnitee
a
conflict or potential conflict exists between the Indemnitor and the Indemnitee
that would make such separate representation advisable), shall reasonably
cooperate with the Indemnitor in such defense and will attempt to make available
on a reasonable basis to the Indemnitor all witnesses, pertinent records,
materials and information in its possession or under its control relating
thereto as is reasonably required by the Indemnitor. In the event the Indemnitor
does not elect to conduct the defense against any such Third Party Claim, but
it
is ultimately determined that such Indemnitor is liable for any Losses under
this Article 10, the Indemnitor shall pay all costs and expenses of such
defense and shall cooperate with the Indemnitee (and be entitled to participate)
in such defense and attempt to make available to it on a reasonable basis all
such witnesses, records, materials and information in its possession or under
its control relating thereto as is reasonably required by the Indemnitee. Except
for the settlement of a Third Party Claim that involves the payment of money
only and for which the Indemnitee is totally indemnified by the Indemnitor
and
provided with an unqualified release from all liability in respect of such
Third
Party Claim, no Third Party Claim may be settled without the written consent
of
the Indemnitee.
Payment
.
Payment
of any amounts due pursuant to this Article 10 shall be made within ten Business
Days after notice of a final determination of Losses, including, without
limitation, in respect of any Third Party Claims, is sent by the
Indemnitee.
Failure
to Pay Indemnification
.
If and
to the extent the Indemnitee shall make written demand upon the Indemnitor
for
indemnification and the Indemnitor shall refuse or fail to pay in full within
ten (10) Business Days of such written demand the amounts demanded pursuant
hereto and in accordance herewith, then the Indemnitee may utilize any legal
or
equitable remedy to collect from the Indemnitor the amount of its Losses.
Nothing contained herein is intended to limit or constrain the Indemnitee’s
rights against the Indemnitor for indemnity, the remedies herein being
cumulative. In the event the Seller is obligated to provide indemnification
pursuant to this Agreement and the Seller shall refuse or fail to pay any such
claim therefor in full within ten (10) Business Days after written demand upon
Seller, then each of DCCI and the Shareholders, jointly and severally, agree
(subject to the terms and conditions of this Article 10 and Article 11 hereof,
including the limitations contained in Section 10.3) to pay to the Indemnitee
any amount equal to such General Buyer Losses (which shall include any
additional losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in seeking
and
obtaining such recovery from DCCI and the Shareholders pursuant hereto) less
any
amount(s) paid by the Seller in respect of such claim.
Adjustment
of Liability
.
The
amount which an Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive from an Indemnitor
with
respect to any indemnifiable Loss under this Article 10 shall
be
net of any actual insurance recovery received by the Indemnitee at the time
of
such indemnification on account of such Loss under any Third Party Claim;
provided, however, that any costs of obtaining such recovery shall further
constitute Losses that are indemnifiable under this Article 10.
Tax
Treatment of Indemnity Payments
.
Each
of
the Seller, DCCI, the Shareholders and the Buyer agrees to treat any indemnity
payment
made
pursuant to this Article 10 as an adjustment to the Purchase Price for all
income Tax purposes.
SURVIVAL
OF COVENANTS, REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES
AND AGREEMENTS
The
representations and warranties of the parties to this Agreement shall survive
the Closing Date and shall remain in full force and effect for a period of
twelve (12) months following the Closing Date (except that (i) the
representations and warranties set forth in the second sentence in each of
Sections 3.4(b) and 3.4(c) and the first sentence of Section 3.4(d) shall
survive the Closing Date without limitation and (ii) the representations and
warranties contained in Sections 3.7, 3.10 and 3.14 hereof shall survive the
Closing Date and shall not terminate until twenty (20) days after the expiration
of all applicable statutes of limitations) (the period during which the
representations and warranties shall survive being referred to herein with
respect to such representations and warranties respectively as the “Survival
Period”), and shall be effective with respect to any inaccuracy therein or
breach thereof (and a claim for indemnification under Article 10 hereof may
be
made thereon) if a written notice asserting the claim shall have been duly
given
in accordance with Article 10 hereof within the Survival Period with respect
to
such matter. Any claim for indemnification made in writing during the Survival
Period shall be valid and the representations and warranties relating thereto
shall remain in effect for purposes of such indemnification notwithstanding
that
such claim may not be resolved within the Survival Period. All representations,
warranties and covenants and agreements made by the parties shall not be
affected by any investigation heretofore or hereafter made by and on behalf
of
any of them and shall not be deemed merged into any instruments or agreements
delivered in connection with the Closing or otherwise in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby.
EXPENSES
Except
as
otherwise expressly set forth herein, and whether or not the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be consummated, each party agrees to pay,
without assumption of liability or right of reimbursement from any other party,
the costs and expenses incurred by such party incident to or in connection
with
the preparation, negotiation and execution of this Agreement, the transactions
contemplated hereby and performance of its obligations hereunder, including
without limitation the fees and disbursements of legal counsel, accountants
and
consultants employed by such party in connection with such preparation,
negotiation, execution and performance.
TERMINATION
Reasonable
Best
Efforts to Satisfy Conditions
.
Subject
to the provisions of this Agreement, the Buyer, on the one hand, and the Seller,
DCCI and the Shareholders, on the other hand, agree to use their reasonable
best
efforts to bring about the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Articles
9 and 8 hereof, respectively.
Termination
.
The
obligation to close the transactions contemplated by this Agreement may be
terminated by:
mutual
written agreement of the Buyer and the Seller;
the
Buyer, if a material default shall be made in the observance or in the due
and
timely performance by the Seller, DCCI or the Shareholders of any agreements
and
covenants of the Seller, DCCI or the Shareholder herein contained, or if there
shall have been a material breach by the Seller, DCCI or the Shareholders of
any
of their respective warranties and representations herein contained, and such
default or breach is incapable of being cured or, if capable of being cured,
shall not have been cured within ten (10) days following receipt by the Seller,
DCCI or the Shareholders (as the case may be) of notice of such default or
breach;
the
Seller, if a material default shall be made in the observance or in the due
and
timely performance by the Buyer of any agreements and covenants of the Buyer
herein contained, or if there shall have been a material breach by the Buyer
of
any of the warranties and representations of the Buyer herein contained, and
such default or breach is incapable of being cured or, if capable of being
cured, shall not have been cured within ten (10) days following receipt by
the
Buyer of notice of such default or breach; or
the
Buyer
or the Seller (provided the terminating party has not materially breached any
of
its agreements, covenants, representations or warranties) if the Closing shall
not have occurred on or before April 30, 2007.
Liability
Upon Termination
.
If the
obligation to close the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 13.2(a) or 13.2(d), then this Agreement shall,
forthwith become void and there shall not be any liability or obligation with
respect to the terminated provisions of this Agreement on the part of the
Seller, DCCI, the Shareholders or the Buyer. If this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 13.2(b) or 13.2(c), then the breaching party, as applicable,
shall remain liable for any breach of this Agreement prior to the effective
date
of such termination. The exercise of any rights or remedy shall not be an
election of remedies.
Notice
of Termination
.
The
parties hereto may exercise their respective rights of termination under this
Article 13 only by delivering written notice to that effect to the other party
or parties, and such notice is received on or before the Closing
Date.
DEFINITIONS
OF CERTAIN TERMS
In
addition to terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms
shall
have the meanings assigned to them herein, unless the context otherwise
indicates, both for purposes of this Agreement and all Exhibits and Schedules
hereto:
“AAA”
shall have the meaning given such term in Section 15.6(c) hereof.
“Accounts
Receivable” shall have the meaning given such term in Section
1.1(a)(iii).
“Agreement”
shall have the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof, as the same
may
be amended from time to time by the parties hereto, and including the Exhibits
and Schedules hereto.
“Allocation”
shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.7(a).
“Assumed
Contracts” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.1(a)(v)
hereof.
“Assumed
Liabilities” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.4
hereof.
“Business”
shall mean the businesses and operations of the Seller including, without
limitation, the distribution and installation of equipment used in the
industrial and municipal markets and the representation of industrial and
municipal equipment manufacturers, the distribution and installation of water
and wastewater treatment plants and the representation of water and wastewater
treatment plant manufacturers, the repair and remanufacturing of industrial
equipment, and the fabrication of equipment packaging.
“Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
commercial banks in Baton Rouge, Louisiana or Houston, Texas are authorized
by
law to close.
“Buyer”
shall have the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof, or one or more
of
such Person’s designees.
“Closing”
shall mean the transfer by the Seller to the Buyer of the Transferred Assets,
the assumption by the Buyer of the Assumed Liabilities and the transfer by
the
Buyer to the Seller of the Purchase Price.
“Closing
Consents” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 7.3
hereof.
“Closing
Date” shall mean the time and date of the Closing as specified in Article 2
hereof.
“COBRA”
shall have the meaning given such term in Section 6.2(b) hereof.
“Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time,
or
similar provisions of legislation replacing such law from time to
time.
“Contracts
and Other Agreements” shall mean all contracts, agreements, understandings,
indentures, notes, bonds, loans, instruments, leases, mortgages, franchises,
licenses, commitments or binding arrangements, whether express or implied,
oral
or written, to which the Seller is a party or bound or to which its properties
or assets are subject.
“Damages”
shall mean any and all liabilities, losses, damages, demands, assessments,
claims, costs and expenses (including interest, awards, judgments, penalties,
settlements, fines, costs of remediation, costs and expenses incurred in
connection with investigating and defending any claims or causes of action,
including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and all
fees and expenses of consultants and other professionals).
“DCCI”
shall have the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof.
“Disclosure
Schedule” shall mean the disclosure schedule delivered to the Buyer attached
hereto as Exhibit
B.
“Documents
and Other Papers” shall mean and include any document, agreement, instrument,
certificate, writing, notice, consent, affidavit, letter, telegram, telex,
financial record, statement, file, computer disk, microfiche or other document
in electronic format, schedule, exhibit or any other paper or record
whatsoever.
“Employee
Benefits” shall mean any and all pension or welfare benefit programs, payroll
practices, fringe benefits, or other plans, arrangements, agreements and
understandings for employees or other service providers, groups of employees
or
other service providers or specific individual employees or other service
providers to which the Seller contributes or is a party, by which it may be
bound or under which it may have liability, other than benefits required by
applicable law (e.g., social security benefits and payroll taxes related
thereto), including without limitation pension or retirement plans, deferred
compensation plans, bonus or incentive plans, early retirement programs,
severance pay policies, support funds, medical or dental insurance, short-term
and long-term disability, educational reimbursement plans, sick leave, vacation
policy, and any other payment or reimbursement plans.
“Environmental
Laws” shall mean all federal, state, or municipal laws, rules, regulations,
statutes, ordinances, or orders of any Governmental Entity relating to (a)
the
control of any potential pollutant or protection of the air, water, or land,
(b)
solid, gaseous or liquid waste generation, handling, treatment, storage,
disposal or transportation and (c) exposure to hazardous, toxic or other
substances alleged to be harmful. “Environmental Laws” shall include, but not be
limited to, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq., the Clean Water Act, 33
U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (“RCRA”), 42
U.S.C. § 6901 et seq., the Superfund Amendments and Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxx, 00
X.X.X. § 00000, et seq., the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2601 et
seq., the Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., the Safe
Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq. and the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.
The term “Environmental Laws” shall also include all state, local and municipal
laws, rules, regulations, statutes, ordinances and orders dealing with the
same
subject matter or promulgated by any governmental or quasi-governmental agency
thereunder or to carry out the purposes of any federal, state, local and
municipal law.
“Environmental
Permit” shall mean any permit, license, approval, registration, identification
number or other authorization with respect to the Transferred Assets or the
operation of the Business under any applicable law, regulation or other
requirement of the United States or any other country or of any state,
municipality or other subdivision thereof relating to the control of any
pollutant or protection of health or the environment, including laws,
regulations or other requirements relating to emissions, discharges, releases
or
threatened releases of pollutants, contaminants or hazardous or toxic materials
or wastes into ambient air, surface water, groundwater or land, or otherwise
relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport, or handling of chemical substances, pollutants,
contaminants or hazardous or toxic materials or wastes.
“Equipment”
shall mean all machinery, transportation equipment, tools, equipment,
furnishings and fixtures owned, leased or subject to a contract of purchase
and
sale, or lease commitment that is used in the Business as operated by the
Seller.
“ERISA”
shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the related
regulations, as amended from time to time.
“Excluded
Assets” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.2
hereof.
“Facilities”
shall collectively mean the real property that is leased by Seller and is
described in Exhibit
F
(including, without limitation, that real property to be leased in connection
with the consummation of the transactions under this Agreement to the Buyer
by
Stone Flower under the Lease Agreements). Facilities shall include all fixtures
and improvements erected or located on or affixed to the
Facilities.
“Financial
Statements” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 3.6
hereof.
“General
Buyer Losses” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 10.1
hereof.
“General
Conveyance, Transfer, Assignment and Assumption” shall have the meaning given
such term in Section 8.3 hereof.
“Governmental
Entity” shall mean any arbitrator, court, administrative or regulatory agency,
commission, department, board or bureau or body or other government or
authority, instrumentality or subdivision or any entity or Person exercising
executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of
or
pertaining to government.
“Hazardous
Materials” shall mean any (a) petroleum or petroleum products, (b) hazardous
substances as defined by § 101(14) of CERCLA and (c) any other chemical,
substance or waste that is regulated by any Governmental Entity under any
Environmental Law.
“Indemnitee”
shall mean the Person or Persons indemnified, or entitled, or claiming to be
entitled to be indemnified, pursuant to the provisions of Sections 10.1 or
10.2
hereof, as the case may be.
“Indemnitor”
shall mean the Person or Persons having the obligation to indemnify, or alleged
to have the obligation to indemnify, pursuant to the provisions of Sections
10.1
or 10.2 hereof, as the case may be.
“Inventories”
shall mean all inventories of finished goods, tooling inventory, work in
progress, raw materials and other inventories relating to the Business, wherever
situated.
“Lease
Agreements” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 8.3
hereof.
“Leases”
shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.1(a)(vi)
hereof.
“Lien”
shall mean any lien, pledge, claim, charge, security interest, right of first
refusal or other encumbrance, option or other rights of any third Person of
any
nature whatsoever.
“Losses”
shall mean Seller Losses or General Buyer Losses, as the case may
be.
“Material
Adverse Effect” shall mean any change, circumstance or effect that, individually
or in the aggregate with all other changes, circumstances and effects, is or
could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the assets, business,
operations or financial condition of Seller or the Business, other than adverse
effects arising from events or conditions relating to the economy or the water
or wastewater treatment plants industry in general and not disproportionately
impacting the Transferred Assets or the results of operations and financial
condition of the Business.
“Names”
shall have the meaning given such term in Section 7.11 hereof.
“Permitted
Liens” shall mean (a) liens or encumbrances created by this Agreement,
(b) mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s or other
like statutory liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing
obligations not yet due and not resulting from a breach, default or violation
by
Seller, (c) liens or encumbrances for Taxes or other governmental
obligations not yet due and payable (without taking into account any extensions
therefore), provided an appropriate reserve has been established therefore
in
the Financial Statements and (d) those Liens listed on Schedule 14.40.
“Person”
shall mean a corporation, an association, a partnership, a limited liability
company, a trust, an organization, a business, an individual or a Governmental
Entity.
“Proprietary
Information” shall mean collectively (a) the Seller’s Proprietary Rights and (b)
any and all other information and material proprietary to the Seller, owned,
possessed or used by the Seller, whether or not such information is embodied
in
writing or other physical form, and which is not generally known to the public,
that (i) relates to financial information regarding the Business, including,
without limitation, (y) business plans and (z) sales, financing, pricing and
marketing procedures or methods of the Business or (ii) relates to specific
matters concerning the Seller or the Business, including, without limitation,
the identity of or other information regarding sales personnel or customers
of
the Seller.
“Proprietary
Rights” means all patents, inventions, shop rights, trade secrets, designs,
plans, user manuals, including training documentation, computer software and
programs, whether in source code or object code, including licenses related
thereto, databases and compilations, whether machine readable or otherwise,
specifications, flow charts and other work products used to design, plan or
organize and develop any of the foregoing, confidentiality agreements,
confidential information and other proprietary technology and similar
information; all registered and unregistered trademarks, service marks, logos,
corporate names, trade names and all other trademark rights; all registered
and
unregistered copyrights; and all registrations for, and applications for
registration of, any of the foregoing, that are used in the conduct of the
Business.
“Purchase
Price” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.3
hereof.
“Reference
Balance Sheet” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.4(a)
hereof.
“Required
Consents” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 3.3(a)
hereof.
“Retained
Liabilities” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.5
hereof.
“Seller”
shall have the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof.
“Seller
Losses” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 10.2
hereof.
“Shareholders”
shall have the meaning given such term in the preamble hereof.
“Stone
Flower” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 8.3
hereof.
“Subsidiary”
shall mean, as to a Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, association or other entity or organization in which
such Person owns (directly or indirectly) any equity or other similar capital
interest (other than obligations under trade payables arising in the ordinary
course of business of such Person).
“Survival
Period” shall have the meaning given such term in Article 11
hereof.
“Tax
Returns” shall mean all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other
documents of, relating to, or required to be filed in respect of, any and all
Taxes, and the term “Tax Return” means any one of the foregoing Tax
Returns.
“Taxes”
shall mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other taxes, charges, fees,
duties, levies, imposts, customs or other assessments, including, without
limitation, all net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad
valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, profit share, license, lease, service,
service use, value added, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, estimated,
severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, or other
taxes, fees, assessments, customs, duties, levies, imposts, or charges of any
kind whatsoever, together with any interests, penalties, additions to tax,
fines
or other additional amounts imposed thereon or related thereto, and the term
“Tax” means any one of the foregoing Taxes.
“Third
Party Claims” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 10.4(b)
hereof.
“Trade
Payables” shall mean those obligations of the Seller relating to the provision
of goods and services to the Seller for the conduct of the Business in the
ordinary course of business of the Seller that relate to the Transferred Assets
and that are classified as Trade Payables and are shown on Seller’s financial
statements delivered to Buyer.
“Transferred
Assets” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1.1
hereof.
“Transferred
Employees” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 6.1
hereof.
“WARN”
shall have the meaning given such term in Section 3.14(f) hereof.
MISCELLANEOUS
Notices
.
All
notices, requests, consents, directions and other instruments and communications
required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing
and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered in person, by courier,
by
overnight delivery service with proof of delivery or by prepaid registered
or
certified United States first-class mail, return receipt requested, addressed
to
the respective party at the address set forth below, or if sent by facsimile
or
other similar form of communication (with receipt confirmed) to the respective
party at the facsimile number set forth below:
If
to the
Seller, DCCI
or
the Shareholders, to:
|
M. Xxxxx Xxx
|
00000
Xxxxxxxx Xx.,
Xxxxx X-000
Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xx.
00000
(V)
(000)
000-0000
(F)
(000)
000-0000
Copies
to:
|
B. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
Jones,
Walker,
Waechter, Poitevent,
Carrere
&
Xxxxxxx
L.L.P.
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx., 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxx, XX
00000
(V)
(000)
000-0000
(F)
(000)
000-0000
If
to the Buyer, to:
|
DXP
Enterprises,
Inc.
|
0000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx
00000
Attn:
Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx, CEO
(V)
(000)
000-0000
(F)
(000)
000-0000
Copies
to:
|
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
|
Xxxxxx,
Xxxx &
McGraw, P.C.
0000
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx.,
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx
00000
(V)
(000)
000-0000
(F)
(000)
000-0000
or
to
such other address or facsimile number and to the attention of such other
Person(s) as either party may designate by written notice. Any notice mailed
shall be deemed to have been given and received on the third Business Day
following the day of mailing.
Assignment
.
Prior
to the Closing Date, no party to this Agreement may sell, transfer, assign,
pledge or hypothecate its rights, interests or obligations under this Agreement,
except that the Buyer may assign its rights to any affiliate of the Buyer.
Subsequent to the Closing Date, the parties may, from time to time, without
the
consent of the other parties hereto assign any or all of their respective rights
(but not their obligations) under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
no assignment of this Agreement or any of the rights, interests or obligations
hereof by the Buyer shall relieve the Buyer of its obligations under this
Agreement and, upon any such assignment occurring prior to the Closing, the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this
Agreement shall be deemed to have been made by the Buyer’s assignee as well as
by the Buyer. The Buyer and the Seller agree that in connection with any sale
or
other disposition or series of sales or dispositions of all or substantially
all
of such party’s assets to an affiliate of such party or any merger or
liquidation of such party, the acquiring Person or other recipient of
substantially all of such party’s assets, as the case may be, shall assume the
obligations of such party under this Agreement. Such obligation shall apply
to
successive sales, dispositions, mergers and liquidations.
Successors
.
This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, be binding upon and be enforceable
by
the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Each
of DCCI and the Shareholders represents and warrants to the Buyer that (i)
DCCI
holds of record and owns beneficially one hundred percent (100%) of all of
the
issued and outstanding shares of stock of Seller, (ii) the Shareholders hold
of
record and own beneficially ninety eight and two tenths percent (98.2%) of
the
issued and outstanding shares of stock of DCCI, (iii) DCCI is not a party to
an
option, warrant, purchase right or other contract or commitment that could
require DCCI to issue, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any stock of
DCCI,
(iv) this Agreement has been duly authorized by DCCI and is a legal, valid
and
binding obligation of DCCI and the Shareholders, enforceable against each of
them in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited
by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
from time to time in effect that affect creditors’ rights generally and by legal
and equitable limitations on the availability of specific remedies.
Entire
Agreement
.
This
Agreement and the Exhibits and Schedules hereto and the Disclosure Schedule
constitute the entire agreement and understanding between the parties relating
to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior
representations, endorsements, premises, agreements, memoranda communications,
negotiations, discussions, understandings and arrangements, whether oral,
written or inferred, between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof.
This Agreement may not be modified, amended, rescinded, canceled, altered or
supplemented, in whole or in part, except upon the execution and delivery of
a
written instrument executed by a duly authorized representative of each of
the
parties hereto.
Governing
Law
.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the
laws of the State of Texas without giving effect to choice of law
principles.
Dispute
Resolution; Mediation; Arbitration.
Except
with respect to any dispute, breach or attempted breach arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in respect
of
which a party or parties shall seek or be entitled to obtain specific
performance or injunctive relief hereunder, any dispute arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (including
without limitation any questions regarding the existence, validity,
interpretation or termination hereof) shall be resolved in accordance with
the
procedures specified in this Section 15.6, which shall be the sole and
exclusive procedures for the resolution of any such disputes.
Any
dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby shall first be submitted to mediation by a mutually
acceptable mediator in a non-binding mediation after written notice by a party
of such dispute. The fee of such mediator shall be paid one-half by the Seller
and one-half by the Buyer.
Any
part
of a dispute which is not resolved by mediation within sixty (60) days from
the
notice of such dispute provided under Section 15.6(b) shall be referred to
and finally resolved by binding arbitration under the auspices and the then
applicable Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association
(the “AAA”) as herein modified or supplemented or otherwise agreed to by the
parties hereto. At any time, by express written agreement the parties may
modify, limit the application of, add to or avoid the operation of one or more
rules of the AAA.
The
arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with the rules of the AAA. The
location of the arbitration proceedings shall be in Houston, Texas. The AAA
shall arrange for a prehearing conference as soon as practicable after the
appointment of the arbitrator. At the prehearing conference, the arbitrator
shall set a hearing date, which shall commence not later than sixty (60) days
after the prehearing conference.
The
parties agree that the arbitrator may call and question any witness, including
any expert witness, and may require a party to produce any relevant documents
or
evidence prior to or at any hearing. The parties and the arbitrator shall
proceed expeditiously so that the arbitral award is issued as soon as
practicable. The arbitrator will be empowered to grant injunctive relief in
the
form of interim orders pending the outcome of the arbitration and in the final
arbitral award. The costs, expenses and fees of a party incurred in connection
with any arbitration proceeding shall be borne by that party. Costs, expenses
and fees of the arbitrator shall be borne equally by the Seller and the Buyer,
unless the arbitral award otherwise provides.
Any
award
may, in the discretion of the arbitrators, include interest from the date of
the
breach or other violation of the Agreement until the award is fully paid.
Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court
having jurisdiction thereof. Judgment may be entered on the award of the
arbitrators and may be enforced in any court having competent jurisdiction.
Any
additional costs, fees or expenses incurred in enforcing the arbitral award
will
be charged against the party that resists enforcement.
Waiver
.
The
waiver of any breach of any term or condition of this Agreement shall not be
deemed to constitute the waiver of any other breach of the same or any other
term or condition. No failure on the part of any party to exercise, and no
delay
in exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver
thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of such right, power or remedy
by such party preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise
of
any other right, power or remedy. Each of Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders
acknowledges and agrees that the breach of this Agreement would cause
irreparable damage to Buyer and that Buyer will not have an adequate remedy
at
law. Therefore, the obligations of Seller, DCCI and the Shareholders under
this
Agreement, including Seller’s obligation to sell the Transferred Assets to
Buyer, shall be enforceable by a decree of specific performance issued by any
court of competent jurisdiction, and appropriate injunctive relief may be
applied for and granted in connection therewith.
Severability
.
Without
limitation to the terms and provisions contained in Section
7.8
hereof
and except as provided therein, any provision of this Agreement that is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or
unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
No
Third Party Beneficiaries
.
Any
agreement contained, expressed or implied in this Agreement shall be only for
the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective legal representatives,
successors and permitted assigns, and such agreements shall not inure to the
benefit of the obligees of any indebtedness of any party hereto, it being the
intention of the parties hereto that no Person shall be deemed a third party
beneficiary of this Agreement, except to the extent a third party is expressly
given rights herein.
Counterparts
. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall
be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same
instrument.
Headings
.
Each
statement set forth in the Disclosure Schedule with respect to a particular
section herein shall be deemed made with respect to such section and with
respect to any other section hereof where such statement would be appropriate
and the relevance of such statement to such other section is readily apparent.
The Table of Contents and the headings of the Articles and Sections of this
Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall in
no
way restrict or otherwise modify any of the terms or provisions hereof or affect
in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Negotiated
Transaction
.
The
provisions of this Agreement were negotiated by the parties hereto, and this
Agreement shall be deemed to have been drafted by all of the parties
hereto.
Negotiation
with Others
.
The
Seller agrees that from the date hereof until the Closing Date or the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article 13, it will not, directly
or
indirectly, negotiate with any Person not a party hereto or not affiliated
with
a party hereto with respect to a merger, consolidation, asset purchase or any
similar transaction with any such Person.
[Signature
page follows.]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of
the
date first above written.
SELLER:
DELTA
PROCESS EQUIPMENT, INC.
By:
/s/
M.
Xxxxx Xxx
M.
Xxxxx
Xxx, President
DCCI:
DELTA
COMPANIES CONSOLIDATED, INC.
By:
/s/
M.
Xxxxx Xxx
M.
Xxxxx
Xxx, President
SHAREHOLDERS:
/s/
M.
Xxxxx Xxx
M.
Xxxxx
Xxx
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx
BUYER:
DXP
ENTERPRISES, INC.
By:
/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
X.
Xxxxxx, CEO