LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of April 19, 2007 among Synutra International, Inc. Liang Zhang Xiuqing Meng and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
Exhibit
10.1
dated
as
of April 19, 2007
among
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
and
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V.,
Hong
Kong Branch
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page(s)
ARTICLE
1
|
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
|
1
|
Section
1.01.
|
Defined
Terms
|
1
|
Section
1.02.
|
With
reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless
otherwise
specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
|
14
|
Section
1.03.
|
Accounting
Terms
|
15
|
Section
1.04.
|
References
to Agreements, Laws and Persons
|
15
|
Section
1.05.
|
Times
of Day
|
15
|
ARTICLE
2
|
THE
COMMITMENTS AND THE LOANS
|
16
|
Section
2.01.
|
Loans.
|
16
|
Section
2.02.
|
Prepayments.
|
16
|
Section
2.03.
|
Repayment
of Loans
|
17
|
Section
2.04.
|
Interest.
|
17
|
Section
2.05.
|
Computation
of Interest
|
17
|
Section
2.06.
|
Evidence
of Debt
|
17
|
Section
2.07.
|
Payments
Generally.
|
17
|
Section
2.08.
|
Fees
and Expenses.
|
18
|
ARTICLE
3
|
TAXES,
YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
|
18
|
Section
3.01.
|
Taxes.
|
18
|
Section
3.02.
|
Illegality
|
20
|
Section
3.03.
|
Inability
to Determine Eurodollar Rate
|
20
|
Section
3.04.
|
Increased
Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.
|
20
|
Section
3.05.
|
Funding
Losses
|
21
|
Section
3.06.
|
Requests
for Compensation
|
21
|
Section
3.07.
|
Survival
|
21
|
ARTICLE
4
|
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
|
21
|
Section
4.01.
|
Conditions
to All Credit Extensions
|
21
|
ARTICLE
5
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
|
23
|
Section
5.01.
|
Existence,
Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws
|
23
|
Section
5.02.
|
Authorization;
No Contravention
|
23
|
Section
5.03.
|
Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents
|
23
|
Section
5.04.
|
Binding
Effect
|
24
|
Section
5.05.
|
Disclosure
Documents; No Material Adverse Effect.
|
24
|
Section
5.06.
|
Litigation
|
24
|
i
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page(s)
Section
5.07.
|
No
Default
|
24
|
Section
5.08
|
Ownership
of Collateral; Liens
|
24
|
Section
5.09
|
Taxes
|
24
|
Section
5.10
|
Subsidiaries
|
24
|
Section
5.11
|
Investment
Company Act
|
25
|
Section
5.12
|
Disclosure
|
25
|
Section
5.13
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
25
|
Section
5.14
|
Security
Interests
|
25
|
Section
5.15
|
Financial
Ratios.
|
25
|
Section
5.16
|
Pari
Passu Ranking
|
25
|
Section
5.17
|
Corporate
Chart
|
25
|
Section
5.18
|
Residence
|
25
|
Section
5.19
|
Government
Approvals
|
26
|
Section
5.20
|
Distributions
|
26
|
Section
5.21
|
Common
Stock
|
26
|
ARTICLE
6
|
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
|
26
|
Section
6.01
|
Information
|
26
|
Section
6.02
|
Notices
|
26
|
Section
6.03
|
Payment
of Obligations
|
26
|
Section
6.04
|
Preservation
of Existence, etc
|
27
|
Section
6.05
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
27
|
Section
6.06
|
Books
and Records
|
27
|
Section
6.07
|
Inspection
Rights
|
27
|
Section
6.08
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
27
|
Section
6.09
|
Know
Your Customer Checks
|
28
|
Section
6.10
|
Pari
Passu Ranking
|
28
|
Section
6.11
|
Unlawful
Contributions
|
28
|
Section
6.12
|
Distributions
|
28
|
Section
6.13
|
Compliance
Certificates.
|
28
|
ARTICLE
7
|
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
|
29
|
Section
7.01
|
Liens
|
29
|
Section
7.02
|
Fundamental
Changes
|
29
|
Section
7.03
|
Restricted
Payments on Stock
|
29
|
Section
7.04
|
Financial
Covenants.
|
29
|
ii
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page(s)
ARTICLE
8
|
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
|
29
|
Section
8.01
|
Events
of Default
|
29
|
Section
8.02
|
Remedies
Upon Event of Default
|
32
|
Section
8.03
|
Application
of Funds
|
32
|
ARTICLE
9
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
33
|
Section
9.01
|
Amendments;
Etc
|
33
|
Section
9.02
|
Notices
and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.
|
33
|
Section
9.03
|
No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies
|
34
|
Section
9.04
|
Attorney
Costs, Expenses and Taxes
|
34
|
Section
9.05
|
Indemnification
by Each Obligor
|
34
|
Section
9.06
|
Payments
Set Aside
|
35
|
Section
9.07
|
Successors
and Assigns; Participations.
|
35
|
Section
9.08
|
Confidentiality
|
36
|
Section
9.09
|
Set-off
|
37
|
Section
9.10
|
Interest
Rate Limitation
|
37
|
Section
9.11
|
Counterparts
|
38
|
Section
9.12
|
Integration
|
38
|
Section
9.13
|
Survival
of Representations and Warranties
|
38
|
Section
9.14
|
Severability
|
38
|
Section
9.15
|
Governing
Law.
|
38
|
Section
9.16
|
Waiver
of Right to Trial by Jury
|
39
|
Section
9.17
|
New
York Process Agent
|
39
|
Section
9.18
|
Obligation
Currency
|
39
|
ARTICLE
10
|
GUARANTEES
|
40
|
Section
10.01
|
The
Guarantees
|
40
|
Section
10.02
|
Guaranty
Unconditional
|
40
|
Section
10.03
|
Discharge
Only Upon Payment in Full; Reinstatement in Certain
Circumstances
|
41
|
Section
10.04
|
Waiver
by the Individual Guarantors
|
41
|
Section
10.05
|
Subrogation
|
41
|
Section
10.06
|
Stay
of Acceleration
|
41
|
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A
|
Form
of Collateral Agreement
|
Exhibit
B
|
Form
of Loan Drawdown Notice
|
Exhibit
C
|
Form
of U.S. Counsel Opinion
|
Exhibit
D
|
Form
of PRC Counsel Opinion
|
Exhibit
E
|
Form
of BVI Counsel Opinion
|
iii
This
LOAN
AGREEMENT (“Agreement”)
is
entered into as of April 19, 2007 by and among Synutra International, Inc.,
a
Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”),
Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxx (“Individual
Guarantors”)
and
ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch, as lender (the “Lender”)
and as
collateral agent (the “Collateral
Agent”).
In
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the
parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
Section
1.01. Defined
Terms.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
“ABN
AMRO”
means
ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch.
“Acquisition
Recovery”
means
any claim brought by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection
with
an asset acquisition against the seller of such assets; provided that the
aggregate amount received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower
in
connection with such claim or series of claims exceeds US$3.0
million.
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common
Control with the Person specified. “Control”
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability
to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling”
and
“Controlled”
have
meanings correlative thereto. In any event, each Individual Guarantor and its
Affiliates shall be deemed Affiliates of the Borrower.
“Agreement”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Alternate
Interest Rate”
means
a
rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable
Margin.
“Applicable
Margin”
means
2.00% per annum.
“Applicable
Rate”
means
for any day of the Closing Date 2.50% per annum.
“Asset
Disposition”
means
the sale or other Disposition by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other
than to the Borrower or another Subsidiary of the Borrower), other than in
the
Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s ordinary course of business, of (a) Capital
Stock of any Subsidiary of the Borrower or (b) assets of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate amount received by the Borrower or
any
Subsidiaries in connection with such sales or other Dispositions exceeds US$3.0
million.
“Assignee”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.07(a).
“Attorney
Costs”
means
and includes all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm
or
other external counsel.
“Attributable
Indebtedness”
means,
on any date, (a) in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the
capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person
prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, (b) in respect of any
Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease or
similar payments under the relevant lease or other applicable agreement or
instrument that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as
of
such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease or other agreement or instrument
were accounted for as a Capitalized Lease and (c) all Synthetic Debt of such
Person.
“Availability
Period”
means
the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (i) the date
that falls 60 days after the Closing Date and (ii) any date of termination
of
the Commitment pursuant to Section 8.02(a);
“Base
Rate”
means
for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the rate of interest in effect
for such day as publicly announced from time to time by ABN AMRO as its “prime
rate” for US Dollar borrowings. The “prime rate” is a rate set by ABN AMRO based
upon various factors including its costs and desired return, general economic
conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing
some
loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change
in such rate announced by ABN AMRO shall take effect at the opening of business
on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Beams
Power”
means
Beams Power Investment Limited, an International Business Act company
re-registered as a BVI business company under the laws of the BVI.
“Borrower”
means,
Synutra International, Inc., a company organized under the laws of the State
of
Delaware.
“Business
Day”
means
any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks
are
authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the State
of
New York or Hong Kong and on which dealings in US Dollar deposits are conducted
by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“BVI”
means
the British Virgin Islands.
“Capital
Stock”
means,
with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or
other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) in equity
of such Person, whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter,
including, without limitation, all common stock and preferred
stock.
“Capitalized
Leases”
means
all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as
capitalized leases.
“Change
of Control”
means
the occurrence of one or more of the following events:
2
(a) the
sale
of all or substantially all the assets of the Borrower to another Person or
any
merger, amalgamation or consolidation involving the Borrower in which the
Borrower shall not be the surviving Person;
(b) at
any
time the Permitted Holders are the beneficial owners and “control”, as
determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the United States Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, less than 67.0% of the total voting power of the Voting
Stock of the Borrower (or any successor entity); or
(c) the
adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the
Borrower.
“Closing
Date”
means
the date of this Agreement.
“Collateral”
means
any and all “Collateral” as defined in the Collateral Agreement.
“Collateral
Agent”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Collateral
Agreement”
means
the Collateral Agreement dated as of the date hereof (as amended from time
to
time) among the Borrower, Beams Power as the Lien Grantor (the “Lien
Grantor”)
and
ABN AMRO as the Lender and Collateral Agent, substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto.
“Collateral
Permitted Liens”
means
any Permitted Lien set forth in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of Permitted
Liens.
“Collateral
Requirement”
means
the requirement that:
(a) the
Lender and Collateral Agent shall have received counterparts of the Collateral
Agreement duly executed and delivered on behalf of each of Beams Power and
the
Borrower, together with certificates for the Pledged Stocks delivered in
accordance with the Collateral Agreement;
(b) the
Issuer shall have delivered to the stock transfer agent of the Borrower stop
transfer instructions and a lien registration notice with respect to the Pledged
Stock, instructing the stock transfer agent not to effect any transfer of
Pledged Stock without the consent of the Collateral Agent;
(c) all
documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements, required by law or reasonably requested by the Lender to be filed,
registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by the
Collateral Agreement and perfect or record such Liens to the extent, and with
the priority, required by the Collateral Agreement, shall have been filed,
registered or recorded or delivered to the Lender for filing, registration
or
recording;
(d) Beams
Power shall have obtained all consents and approvals required to be obtained
by
it in connection with the execution and delivery of the Collateral Agreement
and
related documents to which it is a party, the performance of the obligations
of
Beams Power thereunder and the granting of the Liens granted by Beams Power
thereunder; and
3
(e) Beams
Power shall have taken all other action required under the Collateral Agreement
to perfect, register and/or record the Liens granted by it
thereunder.
“Commitment”
means
the Lender’s obligation to make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section
2.01(a) in an initial aggregate principal amount not to exceed US$35.0
million.
“Consolidated
EBITDA”
means,
at any date of determination, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income of
the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently
completed Measurement Period plus
(a) the
following items, to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net
Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges, (ii) the provision for Federal,
state, local and foreign income taxes payable, (iii) depreciation and
amortization expense, (iv) restructuring expenses incurred during such period,
(v) non-cash compensation resulting from stock based awards, deferred
compensation or similar incentive compensation and (vi) other non-recurring
costs and expenses reducing such Consolidated Net Income which do not represent
a cash item in such period or any future period (in each case of or by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such Measurement Period); and minus
(b) the
following items, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net
Income: (i) Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits and (ii) all
non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income (in each case of or by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such Measurement Period).
“Consolidated
Indebtedness”
means,
as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all
obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including
Obligations hereunder) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures,
notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money
Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under letters of credit
(including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guarantees,
surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) all obligations in respect of the
deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts
payable in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Attributable Indebtedness,
(f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness
of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other than
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types
referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture
(other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability
company) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower is a general
partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made
non-recourse to the Borrower or such Subsidiary.
“Consolidated
Interest Charges”
means,
for any Measurement Period, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments,
debt
discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money
(including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase
price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance
with GAAP, (b) all interest paid or payable with respect to discontinued
operations, (c) the portion of rent expense under Capitalized Leases that is
treated as interest in accordance with GAAP and (d) any dividends paid on
preference stock, in each case, of or by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
on a
consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement
Period.
4
“Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio”
means,
as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to (b)
Consolidated Interest Charges, in each case, of or by the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement
Period.
“Consolidated
Leverage Ratio”
means,
as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness
as
of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
on
a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement Period.
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means,
at any date of determination, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and
its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Measurement
Period; provided that Consolidated Net Income shall exclude (a) extraordinary
gains and extraordinary losses for such Measurement Period, (b) the net income
of any Subsidiary of the Borrower during such Measurement Period to the extent
that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such
Subsidiary of such income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its
Organization Documents or any agreement, instrument or Law applicable to such
Subsidiary during such Measurement Period, except that the Borrower’s equity in
any net loss of any such Subsidiary for such Measurement Period shall be
included in determining Consolidated Net Income, and (c) any income (or loss)
for such period of any Person if such Person is not a Subsidiary of the
Borrower, except that the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Person
for such Measurement Period shall be included in Consolidated Net Income up
to
the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such
period to the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower as a dividend or other
distribution (and in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a
Subsidiary of the Borrower, such Subsidiary is not precluded from further
distributing such amount to the Borrower as described in clause (b) of this
proviso).
“Contractual
Obligation”
means,
as to any Person, any material provision of any debt, equity or hybrid security
issued by such Person or of any material agreement, instrument or other
undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its
material properties is bound.
“Control”
has
the
meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”
“Credit
Extension”
means
any borrowing of Loans pursuant to Section 2.01(a).
“Debtor
Relief Laws”
means
the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation,
conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors,
moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar
debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from
time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors
generally.
“Default”
means
any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the
giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of
Default.
5
“Default
Rate”
means
an interest rate equal to 2% per annum in excess of the interest rate otherwise
payable under this Agreement with respect to the applicable Loans (or, in the
case of any such fees and other amounts, at a rate which is 2% per annum in
excess of the Alternate Interest Rate).
“Disclosure
Documents”
means
the Borrower’s (a) quarterly report filed with the U.S. SEC on Form 10Q/A
(Amendment No. 1) on Xxxxx 00, 0000, (x) annual report filed with the U.S.
SEC
on Form 10-KSB (Amendment No. 4) on March 16, 2007 and (c) any other document
filed with the U.S. SEC during the period beginning on April 5, 2007 and ending
on the day immediately preceding the Closing Date, including any exhibits
thereto, whether included by incorporation by reference or
otherwise.
“Disposition”
or
“Dispose”
means
the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale
and
leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale,
assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes
or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated
therewith.
“Equity
Offering”
means
any sale or series of related sales by the Borrower of Capital Stock of the
Borrower to any person other than to an Individual Guarantor, any of their
Affiliates, or any existing holder of Capital Stock of the Borrower; provided
that the aggregate proceeds received by the Borrower from any such sale or
series of sales exceeds US$3.0 million; provided that Equity Offering shall
not
include any sale or series of related sales by the Borrower of any Capital
Stock, warrants, or options of the Borrower to directors or employees of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to
time, and any successor thereto.
“Eurodollar
Rate”
means,
for each day during any Interest Period, the rate of interest (rounded upwards,
if necessary to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing on Telerate Page 3750 (or
any
successor page) as the 1-month London interbank offered rate for deposits in
US
Dollars at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second Business Day
preceding the first day of such Interest Period, as adjusted from time to time
in the Lender’s sole discretion for then-applicable reserve requirements,
deposit insurance assessment rates and other regulatory costs; if for any reason
such rate is not available, the “Eurodollar Rate” for such day shall be the rate
of interest (rounded upwards, if necessary to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing
on Reuters Screen LIBO Page as the 1-month London interbank offered rate for
deposits in US Dollars at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second
preceding Business Day, as adjusted from time to time in the Lender’s sole
discretion for then-applicable reserve requirements, deposit insurance
assessment rates and other regulatory costs; provided, however, if more than
one
rate is specified on Reuters Screen LIBO page, the applicable rate shall be
the
arithmetic mean of all such rates.
“Event
of Default”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 8.01.
6
“Excluded
Taxes”
shall
mean, with respect to any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be
made by or on account of any obligation of Borrower hereunder, inclusive in
each
case of all interest, additions to Tax, penalties and other liabilities with
respect thereto, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income
(however denominated), franchise Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income
Taxes) and branch profits or similar Taxes imposed on it, by a jurisdiction
(or
any political subdivision thereof) as a result of the recipient being organized
or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable
lending office in such jurisdiction or as a result of a present or former
connection between the recipient and such jurisdiction (other than any such
connection arising from such recipient having executed, delivered or performed
its obligations or received a payment under, or enforced, or otherwise with
respect to, any of the Loan Documents) and (b) any withholding or backup
withholding Tax that (i) is imposed under a law in effect at the time a Lender
who is not party to this Agreement on the Closing Date becomes a party hereto
or
otherwise acquires an interest herein (or designates a new lending office),
except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled,
at
the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive
additional amounts from Borrower with respect to such withholding or backup
withholding Tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a) or (ii) is attributable to such
Lender’s failure (or unreasonable delay) to comply with Section 3.01(d) or
Section 3.01(e).
“Foreign
Lender”
shall
mean any Lender that is not, for United States federal income tax purposes,
(i)
an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a
corporation, partnership or other entity treated as a corporation or partnership
created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, or any political
subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal
income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if a court within
the
United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration
of
such trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control
all substantial decisions of such trust.
“Foreign
Plan”
means
any employee benefit plan maintained by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
that
is mandated or governed by any law, rule or regulation of any Governmental
Authority other than the United States, any state thereof or any other political
subdivision thereof.
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in
the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of
the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be
approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United
States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of
determination, consistently applied.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof,
any
agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative
tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or
pertaining to government.
“Guarantee”
means,
as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person
guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness
or
other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary
obligor”)
in any
manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such
Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds
for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii)
to
purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring
the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment
or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain
working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition
or
liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable
the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv)
entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in
respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance
thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole
or
in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness
or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or
other obligation is assumed by such Person. The amount of any Guarantee shall
be
deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related
primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee
is
made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated
liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good
faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
7
“Indebtedness”
means,
as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the
following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance
with GAAP:
(a) all
obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar
instruments;
(b) all
direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit
(including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties,
surety bonds and similar instruments;
(c) net
obligations of such Person under any derivative contract (and calculated based
on termination values as of any relevant date);
(d) all
obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or
services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of
business);
(e) indebtedness
(excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or
being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional
sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness
shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) capital
leases; and
(g) all
Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.
For
all
purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness
of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself
a
corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general
partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made
non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any
derivative contract on any date shall be deemed to be the termination value
thereof as of such date.
8
“Indemnified
Liabilities”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.05.
“Indemnified
Taxes”
shall
mean all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Indemnitees”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.05.
“Individual
Guarantor”
means
Xxxxx Xxxxx, a citizen of the PRC with a PRC passport number X00000000 and
currently domiciled in #000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx PRC, and
Xxxxxxx Xxxx, a citizen of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC,
with a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport number XX0000000 and
currently domiciled in Xxxx X, 00/X, Xxxxx Overseas Building, 139 Xxxxxxxx
Road,
Wanchai, Hong Kong, HK, and “Individual
Guarantors”
means
both of them.
“Insurance
Claim”
means
any claim brought by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries against an
insurance carrier of the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any other
insurance carrier; provided that the aggregate amount received by the Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any insured event or series of
insured events exceeds US$3.0 million.
“Interest
Payment Date”
means,
as to any Loan, (x) the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable
to such Loan and (y) the Maturity Date.
“Interest
Period”
means,
as to each Loan, (x) the initial period commencing on the date such Loan is
disbursed or continued and ending on the date one (1) month thereafter and
(y)
each successive one-month period thereafter; provided that:
(a) any
Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business
Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end
on
the next preceding Business Day;
(b) any
Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or
on
a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month
at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the
calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;
(c) no
Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date; and
(d) the
Interest Period applicable to Loans and other obligations accruing interest
at
the Default Rate after the Maturity Date under any Loan Document shall be
daily.
“Internal
Revenue Code”
means
the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Laws”
means,
collectively, all international, foreign, U.S. federal, state and local
statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and
administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the
interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged
with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all
applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority,
in each case whether or not having the force of law.
9
“Lender”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto or as determined pursuant
to Section 9.07.
“Lending
Office”
means
the office or offices of the Lender described as such on Schedule 9.02, or
such
other office or offices as the Lender may from time to time notify the
Borrower.
“Lien”
means
any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement,
encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or
other
security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever
(including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any
financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the
foregoing).
“Loan”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).
“Loan
Documents”
means
this Agreement, the Collateral Agreement or any other Security Documents and
any
fee and expense reimbursement letter agreements entered into among the parties
hereto in connection herewith.
“Loan
Drawdown Notice”
means
a
request for a Loan substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
“Margin
Stock”
means
any “margin stock” (as such term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States).
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
(a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the
operations, business, properties, assets, operations, liabilities (actual or
contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of any Obligor;
(b)
a material impairment of the ability of any Obligor to perform its obligations
under any Loan Document to which any Obligor is a party; or (c) a material
adverse effect upon the Collateral or upon the legality, validity, binding
effect or enforceability against any Obligor of any Loan Document to which
it is
a party.
“Material
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary of the Borrower that would be a “significant subsidiary” for
purposes of the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower, as defined
in
Article 1, Rule 1-02 (w)(1) or (2) of Regulation S-X promulgated under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such regulation is in
effect from time to time; provided that the term “10 percent” in each of clause
(1) and (2) of such Rule will be substituted by the term “5 percent” for
purposes of this determination; provided further that Qingdao ST Xxxxxx Dairy
Co. Ltd shall at all times be a Material Subsidiary.
“Maturity
Date”
means
October 19, 2007 in regard to each Loan, or if such date is not a Business
Day,
the next preceding Business Day.
10
“Measurement
Period”
means,
at any date of determination, the most recently completed four fiscal quarters
of the Borrower.
“Notice
No. 75”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.18.
“Obligation
Currency”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.18.
“Obligations”
means
all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties
of,
any Obligor arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any
Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption),
absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising
and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against
any Obligor or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief
Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether
such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“Obligor”
means
each of the Borrower and the Individual Guarantors; provided that for purposes
of Article 8 only, the term shall also include the Lien Grantor under the
Collateral Agreement.
“Organization
Documents”
means,
(a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of
incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents
with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited
liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization
and
operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture,
trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other
applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument,
filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation
or
organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction
of
its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles
of
formation or organization of such entity.
“Other
Taxes”
shall
mean all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or
property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made
hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery
or
enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
“Participant”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 9.07(b).
“Permitted
Holders”
means
any or all of the following:
(a) Xxxxx
Xxxxx and Xxxxxxx Xxxx; and
(b) any
Person both the Capital Stock and the Voting Stock of which (or in the case
of a
trust, the beneficial interests in which) are owned 95% or more by Persons
specified in clause (a).
“Permitted
Liens”
means
the following types of Liens (excluding any such Lien imposed pursuant to
Section 401(a)(29) or 412(n) of the Internal Revenue Code or by ERISA, any
such
Lien imposed by a Governmental Authority in connection with any Foreign Plan,
any such Lien relating to or imposed in connection with any environmental
claim):
11
(a) Liens
for
taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims the payment of which is
not, at the time, required by Section 6.03;
(b) Liens
arising pursuant to any Loan Document;
(c) Liens
for
taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate
proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto
are
maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with
GAAP;
(d) the
existing Liens set forth on Schedule 7.01;
(e) in
the
case of the Borrower, other Liens so long as the aggregate fair market value
of
all assets of the Borrower which are subject to Liens permitted only by this
paragraph (e) does not exceed US$1.0 million;
(f) in
the
case of each Individual Guarantor, (i) a Lien on his primary residence securing
obligations not exceeding the US Dollar equivalent of US$3.0 million and (ii)
a
Lien or Liens securing additional obligations not exceeding the US Dollar
equivalent of US$4.0 million, which Lien(s) may be upon his primary residence
or
upon any other assets;
(g) statutory
Liens of landlords, Liens of collecting banks under the Uniform Commercial
Code
on items in the course of collection, statutory Liens and rights of set-off
of
banks, statutory Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, repairmen, workmen
and materialmen, and other Liens imposed by law, in each case incurred in the
ordinary course of business (a) for amounts not yet overdue or (b) for amounts
that are overdue and that (in the case of any such amounts overdue for a period
in excess of 5 days) are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings, so long as such reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any,
as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made for any such contested
amounts;
(h) deposits
made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or
to
secure the performance of statutory obligations, bids, leases, government
contracts, trade contracts, and other similar obligations (exclusive of
obligations for the payment of borrowed money), so long as no foreclosure,
sale
or similar proceedings have been commenced with respect to any portion of the
Collateral on account thereof;
(i) any
attachment or judgment Lien not constituting an Event of Default under Section
8.01(j);
(j) licenses
(with respect to Intellectual Property and other property), leases or subleases
granted to third parties and not interfering in any material respect with the
ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or
resulting in a material diminution in the value of any Collateral as security
for the Obligations;
12
(k) easements,
right-of-way restrictions, encroachments, and other minor defects or
irregularities in titles, in each case which do not and will not interfere
in
any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower
or
any of its Subsidiaries;
(l) any
(a)
interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease not prohibited by
this Agreement, (b) Lien or restriction that the interest or title of such
lessor or sublessor may be subject to, or (c) subordination of the interest
of
the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any Lien or restriction referred
to
in the preceding clause (b), so long as the holder of such Lien or restriction
agrees to recognize the rights of such lessee or sublessee under such
lease;
(m) Liens
arising from filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements relating solely
to leases not prohibited by this Agreement;
(n) Liens
in
favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure
payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of
goods;
(o) any
zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental
Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property;
(p) Liens
securing obligations (other than obligations representing Indebtedness for
borrowed money) under operating, reciprocal easement or similar agreements
entered into in the ordinary course of business of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries.
“Person”
means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint
venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other
entity.
“Pledged
Stock”
means
any shares of Capital Stock of the Borrower constituting
Collateral.
“PRC”
means
the People’s Republic of China.
“Related
Parties”
means,
with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners,
directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such
Person’s Affiliates.
“Responsible
Officer”
means
any of the president, chief executive officer and chief financial officer of
the
Borrower. Any document delivered hereunder signed by a Responsible Officer
of
the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all
necessary action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall
be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.
“Restricted
Payment”
means
any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other
property) with respect to any equity interest of the Borrower, or any payment
(whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund
or
similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement,
acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such equity interest or of
any
option, warrant or other right to acquire any such equity interest.
13
“Security
Documents”
means
the Collateral Agreement and any additional pledges, security agreements or
mortgages required to be delivered from time to time pursuant to the Loan
Agreement or Collateral Agreement, and any instruments of assignment or other
instruments or agreements executed pursuant to the foregoing.
“Subsidiary”
of
a
Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities
or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors
or
other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power
only
by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned,
or the management of which is otherwise Controlled, directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.
“Synthetic
Debt”
means,
with respect to any Person as of any date of determination thereof, all
obligations of such Person in respect of transactions entered into by such
Person that are intended to function primarily as a borrowing of funds
(including any minority interest transactions that function primarily as a
borrowing) but are not otherwise included in the definition of “Indebtedness”
or
as a
liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries
in accordance with GAAP.
“Synthetic
Lease Obligation”
means
the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance
sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession
of
property (including sale and leaseback transactions), in each case, creating
obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which,
upon the application of any Debtor Relief Laws to such Person, would be
characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting
treatment).
“Taxes”
shall
mean all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions,
withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental
Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable
thereto.
“United
States”
and
“U.S.”
mean
the United States of America.
“US
Dollar”
and
“US$”
mean
lawful money of the United States.
“U.S.
SEC”
means
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor
Governmental Authority.
“Voting
Stock”
means,
with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having
the power to vote for the election of directors, managers or other voting
members of the governing body of such Person.
Section
1.02. With
reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise
specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The
meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural
forms of the defined terms.
14
(b) (i) The
words
“herein”,
“hereto”,
“hereof”
and
“hereunder”
and
words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such
Loan
Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.
(ii) Article,
Section, Exhibit and Appendix references are to the Loan Document in which
such
reference appears.
(iii) The
term
“including”
is
by
way of example and not limitation.
(iv) The
term
“documents”
includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices,
reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether
in
physical or electronic form.
(c) In
the
computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date,
the word “from”
means
“from
and including”;
the
words “to”
and
“until”
each
mean “to
but
excluding”;
and
the word “through”
means
“to
and
including”.
(d) Section
headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience
of
reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or
any
other Loan Document.
(e) References
to “him”
or
“he”
or
“his”
shall
also refer to the opposite gender.
Section
1.03. Accounting
Terms.
All
accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be
construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios
and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this
Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent
basis, as in effect from time to time, except as otherwise specifically
prescribed herein.
Section
1.04. References
to Agreements, Laws and Persons.
Unless
otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents,
agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments
shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions,
supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such
amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are
not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include
all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing,
supplementing or interpreting such Law and (c) references to any Person include
its successors and permitted assigns.
Section
1.05. Times
of Day.
Unless
otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references
to Hong Kong time.
ARTICLE
2
THE
COMMITMENTS AND THE LOANS
Section
2.01. Loans.
15
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lender agrees to (i) make
loans (the “Loans”)
to the
Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period,
in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Commitment. The Commitment is not
revolving in nature, and amounts repaid or prepaid may not be
reborrowed.
(b) Upon
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.01, the Lender shall
make
the proceeds of the Loan available to the Borrower by wire transfer of such
proceeds in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable
to) the Lender by the Borrower.
(c) The
Commitment shall terminate at the close of business on the last day of the
Availability Period whether or not Loans were made.
Section
2.02. Prepayments.
(a) Optional.
The
Borrower may, upon notice to the Lender, on any Business Day voluntarily prepay
any Loan in whole or in part without premium or penalty, but subject to Section
3.05; provided that such notice must be received by the Lender not later than
1:00 p.m. local time at the Lending Office ten Business Days prior to any date
of prepayment and (ii) any prepayment of a Loan shall be in a principal amount
of US$5,000,000 or a multiple of US$1,000,000 in excess thereof or, if less,
the
entire principal amount thereof then outstanding under such Loan. Each such
notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and shall be
delivered to the Lender appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible
Officer. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such
prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and
payable on the date specified therein.
(b) Mandatory.
(i) Upon
the
occurrence of a Change of Control, but subject to Article 8, (x) the Borrower
shall, on the first Business Day thereafter, prepay, without premium or penalty,
but subject to Section 3.05, all and any amounts outstanding under the Loans
and
(y) any remaining Commitments shall terminate.
(ii) Upon
the
date of receipt of any net proceeds by the Borrower from an (1) Equity Offering,
(2) Asset Disposition, (3) Insurance Claim or (4) Acquisition Recovery, in
a
cumulative aggregate amount in excess of US$3.0 million (since any prior
prepayment effected hereunder) the Borrower shall prepay, without premium or
penalty (other than pursuant to Section 3.05), a principal amount of Loans
equal
to the aggregate net proceeds so received, rounded down to the nearest multiple
of US$100,000. Such prepayment shall be applied to prepay the outstanding Loans
on a pro rata basis. To the extent that the aggregate amount of such net
proceeds exceeds the aggregate amount of Loans outstanding at such time, the
Commitment shall be reduced in an amount equal to such excess
amount.
Section
2.03. Repayment
of Loans.
Subject
to Section 2.02(b) and Article 8, the Borrower shall repay to the Lender on
the
Maturity Date the principal amount of all Loans outstanding on such
date.
Section
2.04. Interest.
16
(a) Subject
to the provisions of subsection (b) below and other relevant provisions hereof,
each Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for
each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such
Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate. Interest on each Loan shall be due
and
payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at
such
other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and
payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and
before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief
Law.
(b) If
any
amount payable by any Obligor under any Loan Document is not paid when due
(without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity,
by
acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at an
interest rate at all times equal to the Default Rate, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Laws. Furthermore, while any Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal
amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at an interest rate equal to
the
Default Rate, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and
unpaid interest on past-due amounts (including interest on past-due interest)
shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest
hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before
and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding
under any Debtor Relief Law.
Section
2.05. Computation
of Interest.
All
computations of interest hereunder shall be made on the basis of a 360-day
year
and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable,
being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year); provided that
Obligations accruing Default Interest shall be calculated on a compounded daily
basis. Interest shall accrue for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall
not accrue on the Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan
or
such portion is repaid.
Section
2.06. Evidence
of Debt.
Each
Loan shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by the
Lender in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained
by
the Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of any Loan
made by the Lender to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any
failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or
otherwise affect the obligation of any Obligor to pay any amount owing with
respect to the Obligations.
Section
2.07. Payments
Generally.
(a) All
payments to be made by any Obligor shall be made without condition or deduction
for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise
expressly provided herein, all payments by any Obligor hereunder shall be made
to the Lender at the applicable Lending Office in US Dollars and in immediately
available funds not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. All
payments received by the Lender after 1:00 p.m. local time at the Lending Office
shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable
interest or fee shall continue to accrue.
17
(b) If
any
payment to be made by any Obligor shall come due on a day other than a Business
Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such
extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest.
(c) Nothing
herein shall be deemed to obligate the Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan
in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by the
Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any
particular place or manner.
Section
2.08. Fees
and Expenses.
(a) Fees
and Expenses.
Within
five Business Days after presentation of the relevant invoices to the Borrower,
the Borrower shall pay to the Lender the amount of all fees and expenses payable
by the Borrower pursuant to Section 9.04.
(b) Commitment
Fees.
The
Borrower shall pay to the Lender for the account of the Commitment, a commitment
fee at a rate per annum equal to 1.00% on the actual daily amount by which
the
Commitment exceeds the aggregate outstanding amount under the Loans. The
commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the relevant Availability
Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in
Article 4 is not met, and shall be due and payable on each of May 19, 2007
and
June 19, 2007. The commitment fee shall be calculated monthly in
arrears.
ARTICLE
3
TAXES,
YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
Section
3.01. Taxes.
(a) Any
and
all payments by any Obligor to or for the account of the Lender under any Loan
Document to or for the account of the beneficiary thereof shall be made free
and
clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes. If
any
Obligor shall be required by any Laws to deduct any Indemnified Taxes (including
Other Taxes) from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document
to
the Lender, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after
making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional
sums payable under this Section 3.01), the Lender receives an amount equal
to
the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) such
Obligor shall make such deductions, (iii) such Obligor shall pay the full amount
deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance
with applicable Laws, and (iv) as promptly as practicable after the date of
such
payment, such Obligor shall furnish to the Lender the original or a certified
copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof.
(b) Without
limiting the provisions of paragraph (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay
any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with
applicable Law.
(c) The
Borrower agrees to indemnify the Lender for (i) the full amount of any
Indemnified Taxes and Other Taxes (including any Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this
Section) paid by the Lender and (ii) any liability (including additions to
tax,
penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto.
Payment under this subsection (c) shall be made within ten days after the date
the Lender makes a demand therefor.
18
(d) Any
Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it may lawfully do so, deliver to Borrower
(in such number of copies as shall be reasonably requested by the recipient)
on
or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this
Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of Borrower or
as
otherwise prescribed by applicable Law, but only if such Foreign Lender is
legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is
applicable:
(i) duly
completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility
for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America
is a
party,
(ii) duly
completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(iii) in
the
case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio
interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate,
to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of
Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, (B) a “10 percent
shareholder” of Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the
Internal Revenue Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in
Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code and (y) duly completed copies
of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or
(iv) any
other
form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or
a
reduction in United States federal withholding tax duly completed together
with
such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to
permit Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be
made.
(e) Any
Lender that is not a Foreign Lender and has not otherwise established to the
reasonable satisfaction of Borrower that it is an exempt recipient (as defined
in section 6049(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and the United States
Treasury Regulations thereunder) shall deliver to Borrower (in such number
of
copies as shall be reasonably requested by the recipient) on or prior to the
date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time
to time thereafter upon the request of Borrower or as otherwise prescribed
by
applicable Law, but only if such Lender is legally entitled to do so), duly
executed and properly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form
W-9.
(f) If
a
Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of
any
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by Borrower
or with respect to which Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this
Section, it shall pay to Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only
to
the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by Borrower
under this Section with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving
rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of such Lender and
without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental
Authority with respect to such refund); provided that Borrower, upon the request
of such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to Borrower (plus any
penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental
Authority) to such Lender in the event such Lender is required to repay such
refund to such Governmental Authority. This paragraph shall not be construed
to
require any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information
relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to Borrower or any other
person.
19
Section
3.02. Illegality.
If the
Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental
Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for the Lender or its Lending Office
to make, maintain or fund any Loan, or to determine or charge interest rates
based upon the Eurodollar Rate, then, on notice thereof by the Lender to the
Borrower, any obligation of the Lender to make such Loan shall be suspended
until the Lender notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to
such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice with respect
to
any Loan, the Borrower shall, upon demand from the Lender, prepay such Loan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may, at its option by notice to
the
Lender, in lieu of prepaying a Loan pursuant to this Section 3.02, elect that
such Loan shall bear interest at the Alternate Interest Rate from the date
on
which such prepayment would otherwise have been required until the Lender
notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise thereto no longer
exist. The Lender agrees to designate a different Lending Office if such
designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not, in the good faith
judgment of the Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous to the
Lender.
Section
3.03. Inability
to Determine Eurodollar Rate.
If the
Lender determines that for any reason adequate and reasonable means do not
exist
for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any day, or that the Eurodollar Rate
for
any day does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lender of funding
the Loans, the Lender will promptly so notify the Borrower. Thereafter, the
Loans shall bear interest at the Alternate Interest Rate until the Lender
revokes such notice.
Section
3.04. Increased
Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.
(a) If
the
Lender determines that as a result of the introduction of or any change in
or in
the interpretation of any Law, or the Lender’s compliance therewith, there shall
be any increase in the cost to the Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding
or maintaining Loans, or a reduction in the amount received or receivable by
the
Lender in connection with any of the foregoing (excluding for purposes of this
subsection (a) any such increased costs or reduction in amount resulting from
(i) Taxes or Other Taxes (as to which Section 3.01 shall govern), (ii) changes
in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the
United States, Hong Kong or any other foreign jurisdiction or any political
subdivision of either thereof under the Laws of which the Lender is organized
or
has its Lending Office; and it being understood that, to the extent duplicative
of the provisions of Section 3.01, this Section 3.04 shall not apply to Taxes),
or (iii) regulatory costs (whether or not reflected in an adjustment by the
Lender to the Eurodollar Rate), then from time to time upon demand of the
Lender, the Borrower shall pay to the Lender such additional amounts as will
compensate the Lender for such increased cost or reduction.
(b) If
the
Lender determines that the introduction of any Law regarding capital adequacy
or
any change therein or in the interpretation thereof, or compliance by the Lender
(or its Lending Office) therewith, has the effect of reducing the rate of return
on the capital of the Lender or any corporation controlling the Lender as a
consequence of the Lender’s obligations hereunder (taking into consideration its
policies with respect to capital adequacy and the Lender’s desired return on
capital), then from time to time upon demand of the Lender, the Borrower shall
pay to the Lender such additional amounts as will compensate the Lender for
such
reduction.
20
Section
3.05. Funding
Losses.
Upon
demand of the Lender from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate
the Lender for and hold the Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense
incurred by it as a result of (a) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason
other than the failure of the Lender to make a Loan) to prepay or borrow a
Loan
on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower in accordance with this
Agreement, or (b) the prepayment of any principal of any Loan other than on
the
last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of
an
Event of Default), including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or
expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it
to
maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which
such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary
administrative fees charged by the Lender in connection with the
foregoing.
Section
3.06. Requests
for Compensation.
A
certificate of the Lender claiming compensation under this Article 3 and setting
forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder shall be
conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, the
Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.
Section
3.07. Survival.
All of
the Borrower’s obligations under this Article 3 shall survive termination of the
Commitment and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.
ARTICLE
4
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
Section
4.01. Conditions
to All Credit Extensions.
The
obligation of the Lender to make any Credit Extension hereunder is subject
to
satisfaction of the following conditions precedent; provided that the Lender
may
waive any such condition in its sole discretion:
(a) The
Lender’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or
facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each
properly executed, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates
of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each
in
form and substance satisfactory to the Lender and its legal
counsel:
(i) counterparts
of this Agreement, duly executed by each Obligor;
(ii) counterparts
of the Collateral Agreement, duly executed by each party thereto;
(iii) such
certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or
other certificates of Responsible Officers of the Borrower as the Lender may
require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of any such Responsible
Officer authorized to so act in connection with this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party;
21
(iv) such
documents and certifications as the Lender may reasonably require to evidence
(x) that the Borrower and the Lien Grantor are duly organized or formed, validly
existing and in good standing and (y) have taken all necessary or appropriate
corporate or other actions to authorize and enter into the Loan
Documents;
(v) a
favorable opinion of O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP, United States counsel to the
Obligors, addressed to the Lender, substantially in the form set forth in
Exhibit C hereto and such other matters concerning the Obligors, the Lien
Grantor and the Loan Documents as the Lender may reasonably request in form
and
substance satisfactory to the Lender;
(vi) a
favorable opinion of DeHeng Law Office, PRC counsel to the Obligors, addressed
to the Lender, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit D hereto and
such
other matters concerning the Obligors, the Lien Grantor and the Loan Documents
as the Lender may reasonably request in form and substance satisfactory to
the
Lender;
(vii) a
favorable opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, BVI counsel to the Obligors,
addressed to the Lender, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit E hereto
and such other matters concerning the Obligors, the Lien Grantor and the Loan
Documents as the Lender may reasonably request in form and substance
satisfactory to the Lender;
(viii) a
certificate signed by each Obligor certifying (A) that the conditions specified
in Sections 4.01(c) and (d) have been satisfied, and (B) that since the
respective dates of which information is set forth in the Disclosure Documents,
there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the
aggregate, that has had or would be reasonably expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; and
(ix) such
other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Lender
reasonably may require.
(b) The
Collateral Requirement shall have been satisfied.
(c) The
representations and warranties of the Obligors and the Lien Grantor contained
in
Article 5 of this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, or which are
contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith
or therewith, shall be true and correct on and as of Article 1 the Closing
Date
and Article 2 immediately prior to and after giving effect to the relevant
Credit Extension; provided
that,
with
respect to Schedules 5.10 and 5.17, the Borrower may, in connection with any
Credit Extension, update such schedules, solely to reflect any additional
Subsidiaries the Borrower may have formed or acquired.
(d) No
Default shall exist, or would result from the relevant Credit Extension and
all
of the Loan Documents shall be in full force and effect.
(e) All
fees
and reasonable expense reimbursements arising under or in connection with a
Loan
Document and payable to the Lender or the Collateral Agent by the Borrower,
the
Lien Grantor or the Individual Guarantors shall either (x) have been paid and
satisfied or (y) arrangements satisfactory to the Lender, in its reasonable
discretion, regarding the concurrent or expected future payment of such fees
and
expenses in a timely manner shall have been established.
22
(f) The
Availability Period is continuing.
(g) The
Commitment has not been terminated.
(h) The
Lender’s receipt of a Loan Drawdown Notice at least two Business Days prior to
the date of the respective Credit Extension.
ARTICLE
5
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
Each
Obligor represents and warrants to the Lender that:
Section
5.01. Existence,
Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws.
The
Borrower and each Material Subsidiary (a) in the case of the Borrower, is duly
organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of
the
State of Delaware, and in the case of a Material Subsidiary, is duly organized
or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction where it was organized or formed, (b) has all requisite power
and
authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents
and
approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is
a
party, (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the
Laws
of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties
or
the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d)
is
in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i),
(c) or (d), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.02. Authorization;
No Contravention.
The
execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to
which it is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action,
and do not and will not contravene the terms of any of its Organization
Documents. The execution, delivery and performance by each Obligor of each
Loan
Document to which he or it is a party do not and will not (e) conflict with
or
result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien (other
than the Liens created by the Collateral Agreements) under, (i) any Contractual
Obligation to which any Obligor or any Affiliate of any Obligor is a party
or
(ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or
any
arbitral award to which any Obligor or any Affiliate of any Obligor or his
or
its property is subject; or (iii) violate any Law.
Section
5.03. Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents.
No
approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice
to,
or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary
or
required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or
enforcement against, any Obligor of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
Section
5.04. Binding
Effect.
This
Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document to which any Obligor is a
party, when delivered hereunder, will have been duly executed and delivered
by
such Obligor. This Agreement constitutes, and each such other Loan Document
when
so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of each
Obligor party thereto, enforceable against such Obligor in accordance with
its
terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and
other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity.
23
Section
5.05. Disclosure
Documents; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The
Disclosure Documents do not contain any untrue statement of material fact or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not
misleading.
(b) Since
the
respective dates as of which information is set forth in the Disclosure
Documents, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or
in
the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
Section
5.06. Litigation.
There
are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the
knowledge of Obligors after due and diligent investigation, threatened or
contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental
Authority, by or against any Obligor or any Affiliate of any Obligor or against
any of its or their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain
to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions
contemplated hereby, or (b) either individually or in the aggregate, if
determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.07. No
Default.
Neither
any Obligor nor any Affiliate of any Obligor is in default under or with respect
to any Contractual Obligation that would, either individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default
has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
Section
5.08. Ownership
of Collateral; Liens.
Beams
Power has good title to the Collateral and the Capital Stock of the Borrower
constituting the pledged Collateral has been duly and validly issued, and is
outstanding and non-assessable and is registered in the name of Beams Power
on
the stock transfer records of the Borrower. The Collateral is also not subject
to any Liens other than those permitted by Section 7.01.
Section
5.09. Taxes.
Each
Obligor and each Material Subsidiary has filed all material tax returns and
reports required to be filed, and has paid all material taxes, assessments,
fees
and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon him or it or his or its
properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which
are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted
and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.
There is no proposed tax assessment against any Obligor or any Affiliate of
any
Obligor that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.10. Subsidiaries.
Except
for the information set forth on Schedule 5.10 hereto with respect to identity
and percentage ownership, the Obligors have no Subsidiaries.
Section
5.11. Investment
Company Act.
Neither
the Borrower nor any Person Controlling the Borrower is or is required to be
registered as an “investment company” under the United States Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended.
24
Section
5.12. Disclosure.
The
Obligors have disclosed to the Lender all agreements, instruments and corporate
or other restrictions to which he or it or any Affiliate of any Obligor is
subject, and all other matters known to him or it, that, individually or in
the
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished
(whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of the Obligors to the Lender
in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of
this
Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other
information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits
to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
Section
5.13. Compliance
with Laws.
Each
Obligor and each Affiliate of any Obligor is in compliance in all material
respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions
and decrees applicable to him or it or to its properties, except in such
instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or
decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently
conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in
the
aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.14. Security
Interests.
Each of
the representations and warranties of Beams Power contained in the Collateral
Agreement is true and correct. The Borrower has delivered to the stock transfer
agent of the Borrower a stop transfer instruction and a lien registration notice
with respect to the Pledged Stock, instructing the stock transfer agent not
to
effect any transfer of Pledged Stock without the consent of the Collateral
Agent.
Section
5.15. Financial
Ratios.
(a) The
Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of the most recent completed
fiscal quarter of the Borrower was higher than 4.00.
(b) The
Consolidated Leverage Ratio of the Borrower is lower than 4.25.
Section
5.16. Pari
Passu Ranking.
The
payment Obligations of each Obligor under the Loan Documents rank at least
pari
passu with the claims of all of his (or her) or its other unsecured and
unsubordinated creditors, except for obligations mandatorily preferred by law
applying to such Obligor generally.
Section
5.17. Corporate
Chart.
The
corporate chart attached as Schedule 5.17 hereto sets out the corporate and
shareholding structure of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and such corporate
chart and the information contained therein is true, complete and
accurate.
Section
5.18. Residence.
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx is a resident of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC
and
is not a resident of the PRC as defined in Article 1 of the Notice (Hui Fa
2005
No. 75) issued by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC (the
“Notice
No. 75”).
Section
5.19. Government
Approvals.
Each
Individual Guarantor has obtained all applicable governmental licenses,
registrations, authorizations, consents and approvals for their respective
direct or indirect investments in the Borrower, including any registration
pursuant to Article 1 of the Notice No. 75 and has delivered all applicable
notices to Governmental Authorities in connection therewith.
25
Section
5.20. Distributions.
Each
Subsidiary of the Borrower has obtained or completed (a) all approvals,
consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions by or notices to, or
filings with any Governmental Authority or any person and (b) any corporate
or
shareholder approval necessary or required in order to permit such Subsidiary
to
pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock.
Section
5.21. Common
Stock.
As of
the date hereof, the aggregate number of outstanding shares of common stock
of
the Borrower is 50,000,713.
ARTICLE
6
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
So
long
as any Commitment shall be in effect or any Loan or any other Obligation
hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied:
Section
6.01. Information.
Each
Obligor will deliver promptly to the Lender, in form and detail reasonably
satisfactory to the Lender, such information regarding the business, assets
or
affairs of the Obligors, the Collateral or compliance with the terms of the
Loan
Documents, as the Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
Section
6.02. Notices.
Each
Obligor will promptly notify the Lender:
(a) of
the
occurrence of any Default; and
(b) of
any
matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, including (i) a breach or non-performance of, or any default
under, a Contractual Obligation of any Obligor; (ii) any dispute, litigation,
investigation, proceeding or suspension between any Obligor and any Governmental
Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any
litigation or proceeding affecting any Obligor.
Each
notice pursuant to this Section 6.02 shall be accompanied by a statement, which,
in the case of the Borrower, shall be a statement of a Responsible Officer,
setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what
action the Obligors have taken and propose to take with respect thereto. Each
notice pursuant to Section 6.02(a) shall describe with particularity any and
all
provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been
breached.
Section
6.03. Payment
of Obligations.
Each
Obligor will pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all
obligations and liabilities, including (a) all tax liabilities, assessments
and
governmental charges or levies upon any Obligor or its properties or assets,
unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being
maintained by such Obligor; (b) all material lawful claims which, if unpaid,
would by law become a Lien upon his (or her) or its property; and (c) all
Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination
provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such
Indebtedness.
26
Section
6.04. Preservation
of Existence, etc.
The
Borrower will, and will procure that each Material Subsidiary will, Article
3
preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and
good standing under the Laws of the respective jurisdiction of its organization;
and Article 4 take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges,
permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct
of
its business, except to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
6.05. Compliance
with Laws.
The
Borrower will, and will procure that each Material Subsidiary will comply with
the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees
applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in
which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or
(b)
the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
Section
6.06. Books
and Records.
Each
Obligor will maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true
and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made
of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business
of
such Obligor.
Section
6.07. Inspection
Rights.
Each
Obligor will permit representatives and independent contractors of the Lender
to
examine his (or her) or its corporate, financial and operating records
(including any documents relating to the Collateral), and make copies thereof
or
abstracts therefrom, and to discuss his (or her) or its affairs, finances and
accounts with his (or her) or its directors, officers, and independent public
accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and
as
often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice; provided,
however,
that
when an Event of Default exists the Lender (or any of its representatives or
independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the
Obligors at any time during normal business hours and without advance
notice.
Section
6.08. Use
of
Proceeds.
The
Borrower will use the proceeds of any Loans made to it
(a) (i) to
make
investments in Heilongjiang Baoquanling Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy and to fund the
construction of new production facilities with an aggregate capacity to produce
no less than 11,000 tonnes of milk powder per year, (ii) to establish a joint
venture for the production of Chondroitin, (iii) to purchase fixed assets for
the production of nutritional food bars and (iv) to establish a joint venture
that will offer genetic blood testing services,
(b) not
in
contravention of any Law or any Loan Document; and
(c) not,
directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or
ultimate, of buying or carrying Margin Stock;
provided
that, in
any event, the proceeds will not be applied to any business activities of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or, to the knowledge of the
Borrower, the business activities of the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’
or Affiliates’ customers, in or related to Iran, Sudan or Myanmar or other
restricted jurisdictions, or with or related to any restricted person, for
so
long as the United States, the European Union or any member country of the
European Union, or the United Nations Security Council maintain mandatory
economic sanctions against the relevant jurisdiction or person.
27
Section
6.09. Know
Your Customer Checks.
Each
Obligor will promptly upon the request of the Lender supply, or procure the
supply of, such documentation and other evidence as is reasonably requested
by
the Lender (for itself or on behalf of any Participant) in order for the Lender
or any Participant or Assignee to conduct any “know your customer” or other
similar procedures under applicable laws and regulations.
Section
6.10. Pari
Passu Ranking.
Each
Obligor will ensure that its payment Obligations under the Loan Documents rank
and continue to rank at least pari passu with the claims of all of its other
unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, except for obligations mandatorily
preferred by law applying to such Obligor generally.
Section
6.11. Unlawful
Contributions.
Each
Obligor will not, and, as applicable, will not permit any of its Subsidiaries
or
any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting with specific
instruction from such Obligor or, as applicable, any of its Subsidiaries, to
(a)
use any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment
or
other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (b) make any direct
or
indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or
employee from corporate funds or (c) make any bribe or other unlawful
payment.
Section
6.12. Distributions.
Each
Obligor will procure that each Subsidiary of the Borrower has, at all times,
obtained or completed (a) all approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations
or
other actions by or notices to, or filings with any Governmental Authority
or
any person and (b) any corporate or shareholder approval necessary or required
in order to permit such Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other
distributions on its Capital Stock.
Section
6.13. Compliance
Certificates.
The
Borrower will deliver to the Lender (a) within 60 days after the end of any
fiscal quarter of the Borrower, a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower stating the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio and the Consolidated
Leverage Ratio, each as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the
Borrower and showing in reasonable detail the calculation of the Consolidated
Interest Coverage Ratio and the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, including the
arithmetic computations of each component of these ratios, and (b) as soon
as
possible and in any event within 5 Business Days after the Borrower becomes
aware or should reasonably become aware of the occurrence of a Default, a
certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the details
of the Default, and the action which the Borrower proposes to take with respect
thereto.
ARTICLE
7
NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
So
long
as the Commitment shall be in effect or the Loan or any other Obligation
hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, no Obligor shall, directly or
indirectly:
28
Section
7.01. Liens.
Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of his or its assets, whether
now owned or hereafter acquired, other than Permitted Liens; provided that,
in
any event, at no time shall any Liens other than Collateral Permitted Liens
exist with respect to the Collateral.
Section
7.02. Fundamental
Changes.
In the
case of the Borrower, merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into
another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of
transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or
hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any other Person.
Section
7.03. Restricted
Payments on Stock.
In the
case of the Borrower, declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted
Payment in an aggregate amount in excess of US$3.0 million during the term
of
this Agreement.
Section
7.04. Financial
Covenants.
(a) Permit
the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter
of
the Borrower to be lower than 4.00.
(b) Permit
the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the
Borrower to be higher than 4.25.
ARTICLE
8
EVENTS
OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
Section
8.01. Events
of Default.
Any of
the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment.
Any
Obligor fails to pay when due any amount of principal of any Loan, or any
Obligor fails to pay any interest on any Loan, any fee due hereunder, or any
other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document on or within
five days after the due date thereof; or
(b) Specific
Covenants.
Any
Obligor fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained
in
any of Section 6.02, 6.04, 6.08, 6.10 or 6.11 or Article 7, as applicable;
or
(c) Other
Defaults.
Any
Obligor fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not
specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on
its
part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days;
or
(d) Representations
and Warranties.
Any
representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed
made
by or on behalf of any Obligor herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any
document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or
misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or
29
(e) Cross-Default.
Any
Obligor or any Material Subsidiary Article 6 fails to make any payment when
due
(whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand,
or
otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee, (other than Indebtedness
hereunder) in a principal amount in excess of US$1,000,000, or Article 7 fails
to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any
Indebtedness or Guarantee, or contained in any instrument or agreement
evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect
of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders
of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee
(or a
trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or
beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such
Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid,
defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase,
prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated
maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect
thereof to be demanded; or
(f) Insolvency
Proceedings, Etc.
Any
Obligor or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution
of
any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the
benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any
receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar
officer for him or it or for all or any material part of his or its property;
or
any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or
similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Obligor
or such Material Subsidiary and the appointment continues undischarged or
unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law
relating to any Obligor or any Material Subsidiary or to all or any material
part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Obligor or such
Material Subsidiary and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days,
or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability
to Pay Debts; Attachment.
(i) Any
Obligor or any Material Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing his
or
its inability or fails generally to pay his or its debts as they become due,
or
(ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued
or levied against all or any material part of the property of any Obligor or
any
Material Subsidiary and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30
days
after its issue or levy; or
(h) Reduction
or Loss of Capital.
A
meeting is convened by the Borrower for the purpose of passing any resolution
to
purchase, reduce or redeem any of its share capital; or
(i) Composition.
Any
steps are taken, or negotiations commenced, by any Obligor or any Material
Subsidiary or by any of their respective creditors with a view to proposing
any
kind of composition, compromise or arrangement involving such company or, as
the
case may be, such Person and any of its creditors; or
(j) Analogous
Proceedings.
There
occurs, in relation to any Obligor or any Material Subsidiary in any country
or
territory in which any of them carries on business or to the jurisdiction of
whose courts any part of their respective assets is subject, any event which,
in
the reasonable opinion of the Lender, appears in that country or territory
to
correspond with, or have an effect equivalent or similar to, any of those
mentioned in Sections 8.01(f) through (i) (inclusive) or any Obligor or any
Material Subsidiary otherwise becomes subject, in any such country or territory,
to the operation of any law relating to insolvency, bankruptcy or liquidation;
or
30
(k) Judgments.
There
is entered against any Obligor or any Material Subsidiary Article 8 a final
judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding
US$1,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance
as
to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or Article 9 any one or more
non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to
have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either
case,
(A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment
or
order, or (B) there is a period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay
of
enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is
not
in effect; or
(l) Cessation
of Business.
The
Borrower or any Material Subsidiary suspends or ceases or threatens to suspend
or cease to carry on its businesses; or
(m) Seizure.
All or
a material part of the undertakings, assets, rights or revenues of, or shares
or
other ownership interests in, any Obligor or any Material Subsidiary are seized,
nationalised, expropriated or compulsorily acquired by or under the authority
of
any government; or
(n) Invalidity
of Loan Documents.
Any
Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason
other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all
the
Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Obligor or any other
Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan
Document; or any Obligor denies that it has any or further liability or
obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind
any Loan Document; or
(o) Lien
Defects.
Any
Lien created by any of the Collateral Agreements shall at any time fail to
constitute a valid and perfected Lien on all of the Collateral purported to
be
subject thereto, securing the obligations purported to be secured thereby,
with
the priority required by the Loan Documents, or any Obligor (or Beams Power
in
respect of the Collateral Agreement) shall so assert in writing; or
(p) Material
Adverse Change, etc.
Any
event shall occur which has had or is reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect; or
(q) Change
of Management, etc.
Any
claim, demand or the commencement of any proceeding shall have been made or
threatened to be made against any Obligor, or any of their respective Affiliates
or employees (not limited to the filing of a lawsuit against any Affiliate
or
employee) which alleges any impropriety, illegality, negligence or contractual
or fiduciary breach related to the performance of services by such Person that,
if successful, could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect
such Obligor or any Material Subsidiary; or
(r) Judgment
or Order.
Any
judgment or order shall be entered in any investigative, administrative or
judicial proceeding involving a determination that an Obligor (or an Affiliate
of an Obligor) shall have violated in any material respect any civil or criminal
law or regulation applicable to him or it.
31
(s) Individual
Guarantor.
Any
Individual Guarantor dies or by reason of illness or incapacity becomes
incapable of managing his/her own affairs or becomes a patient under any mental
health legislation.
(t) Permitted
Holders.
The
Permitted Holders are the beneficial owners and “control”, as determined
pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, of less than 50% plus one vote of the total voting power of the
Voting Stock of the Borrower (or any successor entity).
(u) Pledged
Stock.
The
Pledged Stock constitutes less than 34.0% of the total voting power of the
Voting Stock of the Borrower (or any successor entity).
Section
8.02. Remedies
Upon Event of Default.
If any
Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Lender may take any or all of
the
following actions:
(a) declare
any Commitment to be terminated, whereupon such Commitment shall be
terminated;
(b) declare
the unpaid principal amount of any Loan, all interest accrued and unpaid
thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other
Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand,
protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived
by
each Obligor;
(c) give
instructions to the Collateral Agent to foreclose on the Collateral in
accordance with the Collateral Agreement and with any other Security Documents
then in existence; and
(d) exercise
all rights and remedies available to it under the Loan Documents or applicable
law;
provided,
however,
that
upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with
respect to any Obligor under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the
Commitments shall automatically terminate, and the unpaid principal amount
of
the Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically
become due and payable, in each case without further act of the
Lender.
Section
8.03. Application
of Funds.
After
the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have
automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso
to
Section 8.02), subject to Article 3 and Article 9, any amounts received on
account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Lender in such order as
it
elects in its sole discretion.
ARTICLE
9
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
9.01. Amendments;
Etc.
No
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, and no consent to any departure by any Obligor therefrom, shall be
effective unless in writing signed by the Lender and each Obligor to be bound
thereby, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific
instance and for the specific purpose for which given.
32
Section
9.02. Notices
and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.
(a) General.
Unless
otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications
provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including by facsimile
transmission). All such written notices shall be mailed, faxed or delivered
to
the address, facsimile number or (subject to subsection (c) below) electronic
mail address specified for notices to the applicable party on Schedule 9.02;
or
to such other address, facsimile number or electronic mail address as shall
be
designated by such party in a notice to the other party. All notices and other
communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall
be
made to the telephone number specified for notices to the applicable party
on
Schedule 9.02, or to such other telephone number as shall be designated by
such
party in a notice to the other party. All such notices and other communications
shall be deemed to be given or made upon the earlier to occur of (i) actual
receipt by the relevant party hereto and (ii) (A) if delivered by hand or by
courier, when signed for by or on behalf of the relevant party hereto; (B)
if
delivered by mail, four Business Days after deposit in the mails, postage
prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile, when sent and receipt has been confirmed
by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic mail (which form of delivery
is
subject to the provisions of subsection (c) below), when delivered; provided,
however, that notices and other communications to the Lender pursuant to Article
2 shall not be effective until actually received by the Lender. In no event
shall a voicemail message be effective as a notice, communication or
confirmation hereunder.
(b) Effectiveness
of Facsimile Documents and Signatures.
Loan
Documents may be transmitted and/or signed by facsimile. The effectiveness
of
any such documents and signatures shall, subject to applicable Law, have the
same force and effect as manually-signed originals and shall be binding on
each
Obligor and the Lender. The Lender may also require that any such documents
and
signatures be confirmed by a manually-signed original thereof; provided,
however, that the failure to request or deliver the same shall not limit the
effectiveness of any facsimile document or signature.
(c) Limited
Use of Electronic Mail.
Electronic mail and Internet and intranet websites may be used only to
distribute routine communications, such as financial statements and other
information as provided in Section 6.01, and to distribute Loan Documents for
negotiation and execution by the parties thereto, and may not be used for any
other purpose.
(d) Reliance
by Lender.
The
Lender shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices reasonably believed
by
the Lender to be given by or on behalf of any Obligor even if (i) such notices
were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded
or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms
thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof.
Each Obligor shall indemnify the Lender, its Affiliates, and their respective
officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys-in-fact from all losses,
costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person
on
each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of such Obligor. All telephonic
notices to and other communications with the Lender may be recorded by the
Lender, and each Obligor hereby consents to such recording.
33
Section
9.03. No
Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.
No
failure by the Lender to exercise, and no delay by the Lender in exercising,
any
right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof;
nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or
privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the
exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies,
powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any
rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
Section
9.04. Attorney
Costs, Expenses and Taxes.
Each
Obligor agrees to pay or reimburse the Lender for all reasonable out-of-pocket
costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, drafting,
execution (including notary or other attestation fees) or delivery of any Loan
Document and the enforcement, attempted enforcement, or preservation of any
rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including
all such costs and expenses incurred during any “workout” or restructuring in
respect of the Obligations and during any legal proceeding, including any
proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law), including all Attorney Costs, any
documentary or stamp taxes and notary fees. The foregoing costs and expenses
shall include all search, filing, recording, title insurance and appraisal
charges and fees and taxes related thereto, and other out-of-pocket expenses
reasonably incurred by the Lender and the cost of independent public accountants
and other outside experts retained by the Lender. All amounts due under this
Section 9.04 shall be payable within two Business Days after written demand
therefor. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of the
Commitment and repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other
Obligations.
Section
9.05. Indemnification
by Each Obligor.
Whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, but subject to
the
provisions of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (which shall provide the only source
of indemnification for the matters covered therein), each Obligor shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Lender and its Affiliates, and their respective
directors, officers, employees, counsel, agents and attorneys-in-fact
(collectively the “Indemnitees”)
from
and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties,
claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements
(including Attorney Costs) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any
time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in
any
way relating to or arising out of or in connection with (a) the execution,
delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or
any
other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the
transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby, (b) the Commitment, the Loan or the use or proposed use
of
the proceeds therefrom or (c) any actual or prospective claim, litigation,
investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based
on
contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation
for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation
or
proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all
the
foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified
Liabilities”),
in
all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of
the
negligence of the Indemnitee; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to
any
Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations,
losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs,
expenses or disbursements are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction
by
final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence
or
willful misconduct of such Indemnitee. No Indemnitee shall have any liability
for any indirect or consequential damages relating to this Agreement or any
other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith
or
therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date). All amounts due under
this
Section 9.05 shall be payable within five Business Days after demand therefor.
The agreements in this Section 9.05 shall survive the termination of the
Commitment and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other
Obligations.
34
Section
9.06. Payments
Set Aside.
To the
extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Obligor is made to the Lender,
or
the Lender exercises its right of set-off, and such payment or the proceeds
of
such set-off or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be
fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any
settlement entered into by the Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a
trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under
any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then, to the extent of such recovery, the
obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived
and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made
or
such set-off had not occurred.
Section
9.07. Successors
and Assigns; Participations.
(a) The
provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby,
except that no Obligor may assign or otherwise transfer any of his (or her)
or
its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the
Lender. The Lender may assign and transfer all or any part of its rights and/or
obligations under this Agreement to any one or more persons (an “Assignee”)
and
after any such assignment/transfer the expression the “Lender”
shall
be deemed to include such assignees/transferees to the extent or their
respective interests; provided that any transfer of all or part of the Lender’s
obligations may only be effected if the transferee shall undertake to become
bound by the terms of this Agreement and thereafter that transferee alone shall
be obliged to perform that portion of the Lender’s obligations which corresponds
to its interest; provided further that ABN AMRO shall at all times hold not
less
than 50% of the aggregate principal amount of the Loans. Upon request, the
Borrower shall execute and deliver any documents reasonably necessary or
appropriate to give effect to such assignment and to provide for the
administration of this Agreement after giving effect thereto. Nothing in this
Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person
(other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns
permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in Section 9.07(b) and,
to
the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Indemnitees) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
Subsequent to any assignment by the Lender to an Assignee, the Lender will
notify the Borrower of such assignment.
(b) The
Lender may at any time, without acknowledgement by, or notice to, any Obligor,
sell participations to any Person (other than any Obligor or any of the
Obligor’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”)
in all
or a portion of the Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement
(including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans); provided that
(i) the Lender’s and each Obligor’s obligations under this Agreement shall
remain unchanged, (ii) the Lender shall remain solely responsible to the
Borrower for the performance of such obligations and (iii) each Obligor shall
continue to deal solely and directly with the Lender in connection with the
Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or
instrument pursuant to which the Lender sells such a participation shall provide
that the Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to
approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this
Agreement; provided
that
such agreement or instrument may provide that the Lender will not, without
an
acknowledgement by the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other
modification that would (i) postpone any date upon which any payment of money
is
scheduled to be made to such Participant, (ii) reduce the principal, interest,
fees or other amounts payable to such Participant (provided, however, that
the
Lender may, without an acknowledgement by the Participant, waive the right
to be
paid interest at the Default Rate) or (iii) release all or substantially all
of
the Collateral. Subject to Section 9.07(c), each Obligor agrees that each
Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05
to
the same extent as if it were the Lender and had acquired its interest by
assignment. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be
entitled to the benefits of Section 9.09 as though it were the
Lender.
35
(c) A
Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section
3.01, 3.04 or 3.05 than the Lender would have been entitled to receive with
respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the
participation to such Participant is acknowledged by the Borrower in writing.
(d) The
Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any
portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of the Lender;
provided
that no
such pledge or assignment shall release the Lender from any of its obligations
hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for the Lender as a party
hereto.
(e) The
Borrower and its Related Parties shall use their respective reasonable best
efforts to facilitate any selling of any participation pursuant to Section
9.07(b), including by promptly providing any information requested by the Lender
for the benefit of any potential Participant.
Section
9.08. Confidentiality.
The
Lender agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined
below), except that Information may be disclosed Article 10 to its and its
Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants,
legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom
such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such
Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential); Article
11 to
the extent requested by any regulatory authority; Article 12 to the extent
required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal
process; Article 13 to any other party to this Agreement; Article 14 in
connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action
or
proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder;
Article 15 subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the
same
as those of this Section 9.08 (i) any Assignee of or Participant in, or any
prospective Assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations
under this Agreement or (ii) any direct or indirect contractual counterparty
or
prospective counterparty (or such contractual counterparty’s or prospective
counterparty’s professional advisor) to any credit derivative transaction
relating to obligations of any Obligor; Article 16 with the consent of each
Obligor; or Article 17 to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly
available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 9.08 or (ii)
becomes available to the Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other
than any Obligor. In addition, the Lender may disclose the existence of this
Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors,
similar service providers to the lending industry, and service providers to
the
Lender in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement,
the other Loan Documents, the Commitment and the Loans.
36
For
the
purposes of this Section 9.08, “Information”
means
all information received from any Obligor relating to such Obligor or its
business, other than any such information that is available to the Lender on
a
nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Obligor; provided that in
the
case of information received from any Obligor after the date hereof, such
information is clearly identified in writing at the time of delivery as
confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information
as provided in this Section 9.08 shall be considered to have complied with
its
obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to
maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord
to
its own confidential information.
Section
9.09. Set-off.
In
addition to any rights and remedies of the Lender provided by law, upon the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, but subject
to
Article 3 and Article 9, the Lender is authorized at any time and from time
to
time, without prior notice to any Obligor, any such notice being waived by
each
Obligor to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and
all
deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any
time
held by, and other indebtedness at any time owing by, the Lender to or for
the
credit or the account of any Obligor against any and all Obligations owing
to
the Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter
existing, irrespective of whether or not the Lender shall have made demand
under
this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such Obligations may
be
contingent or unmatured or denominated in a currency different from that of
the
applicable deposit or indebtedness. The Lender agrees promptly to notify each
Obligor after any such set-off and application; provided, however, that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application.
Section
9.10. Interest
Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the
interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed
the
maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the
“Maximum
Rate”).
If
the Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate,
the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it
exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether
the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Lender exceeds the
Maximum Rate, the Lender may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a)
characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium
rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof,
and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the
total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations
hereunder.
Section
9.11. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same
instrument.
Section
9.12. Integration.
This
Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, comprises the complete and
integrated agreement of the parties on the subject matter hereof and thereof
and
supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, on such subject matter. In
the
event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those of
any
other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control; provided
that the inclusion of supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Lender
in
any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict with this Agreement.
Each
Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation of the respective parties
thereto and shall be construed neither against nor in favor of any party, but
rather in accordance with the fair meaning thereof.
37
Section
9.13. Survival
of Representations and Warranties.
All
representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document
or
other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith
or
therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such
representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Lender,
regardless of any investigation made by the Lender or on its behalf and
notwithstanding that the Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default
at the time of any Loan, and shall continue in full force and effect as long
as
any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or
unsatisfied.
Section
9.14. Severability.
If any
provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal,
invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of
the
remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not
be
affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith
negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with
valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to
that
of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a
provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
Section
9.15. Governing
Law.
(a) THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF
THE
STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY
WITHIN SUCH STATE; PROVIDED THAT THE LENDER SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS ARISING
UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
(b) ANY
LEGAL
ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT
MAY BE BROUGHT IN XXX XXXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XX XXX XXXX SITTING IN THE BOROUGH
OF
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT
OF
SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH OBLIGOR AND
THE LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE
NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH OBLIGOR AND THE LENDER
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF
VENUE
OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER
HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT
OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO. EACH OBLIGOR AND THE
LENDER WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY SUMMONS, COMPLAINT OR OTHER PROCESS,
WHICH
MAY BE MADE BY ANY OTHER MEANS PERMITTED BY THE LAW OF SUCH STATE. EACH OBLIGOR
AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT
IN
SUCH A COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON IT AND WILL BE GIVEN EFFECT
IN
ANY OTHER JURISDICTION TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW AND
MAY
BE ENFORCED IN ANY COURT TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH SUCH OBLIGOR IS OR MAY
BE
SUBJECT BY A SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT; PROVIDED THAT SERVICE OF PROCESS IS
EFFECTED UPON IT IN ONE OF THE MANNERS SPECIFIED HEREIN OR AS OTHERWISE
PERMITTED BY LAW.
38
Section
9.16. Waiver
of Right to Trial by Jury.
EACH
PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY
OF
ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT
OR
IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE
PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE
TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER
ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY
HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF
ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO
THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION WITH
ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE
WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
Section
9.17. New
York Process Agent.
Without
prejudice to any other mode of service allowed under any relevant Law each
Obligor:
(a) irrevocably
appoints CT Corporation System, located at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000
as its agent for service of process in relation to any proceedings before the
courts of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York
City or of the United States for the Southern District of such State in
connection with this Agreement; and
(b) agrees
that failure by a process agent to notify the relevant Obligor of the process
will not invalidate the proceedings concerned.
Section
9.18. Obligation
Currency.
The
obligation of the Obligors to make payments pursuant to this Agreement is in
US
Dollars (the “Obligation
Currency”)
and
such obligation shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender or recovery
pursuant to any judgment expressed in any currency other than the Obligation
Currency or any other realization in such other currency, whether as proceeds
of
set-off, security, guarantee, distributions, or otherwise, except to the extent
to which such tender, recovery or realization shall result in the receipt by
the
party which is to receive such payment of the full amount of the Obligation
Currency expressed to be payable hereunder. The Obligor liable to make such
payment agrees to indemnify the party which is to receive such payment for
the
amount (if any) by which such receipt shall fall short of the full amount of
the
Obligation Currency expressed to be payable hereunder and the party which is
to
receive such payment agrees to pay to the party liable to make such payment
the
amount (if any) by which such receipt shall exceed the full amount of the
Obligation Currency, and, in each case, such obligation shall not be affected
by
judgment being obtained for any other sums due under this Agreement. The parties
agree that the rate of exchange which shall be used to determine if such tender,
recovery or realization shall result in the receipt by the party which is to
receive such payment of the full amount of the Obligation Currency expressed
to
be payable hereunder shall be the noon buying rate in New York City for cable
transfers in foreign currencies as certified for customs purposes by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York for the business day (being a day (excluding Saturdays
and Sundays) on which banks are generally open in New York) preceding that
on
which the judgment becomes a final judgment.
39
ARTICLE
10
GUARANTEES
Section
10.01. The
Guarantees.
Each
Individual Guarantor hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally and
absolutely guarantees the full and punctual payment (whether at stated maturity,
upon acceleration or otherwise) of the principal of and interest on the Loan
made to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, and the full and punctual
payment of all other amounts payable by the Borrower under the Loan Documents.
Upon failure by the Borrower to pay punctually any such amount, each Individual
Guarantor shall forthwith on demand pay the amount not so paid at the place
and
in the manner specified in this Agreement.
Section
10.02. Guaranty
Unconditional.
The
obligations of each Individual Guarantor hereunder shall be unconditional and
absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall not be
released, discharged or otherwise affected by:
(a) any
extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release in respect of
any
obligation of any other Obligor under any Loan Document, by operation of law
or
otherwise;
(b) any
modification or amendment of or supplement to any Loan Document;
(c) any
release, impairment, non-perfection or invalidity of any direct or indirect
security for any obligation of any other Obligor under any Loan
Document;
(d) any
change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any other Obligor,
or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding
affecting any other Obligor or its assets or any resulting release or discharge
of any obligation of any other Obligor contained in any Loan
Document;
(e) the
existence of any claim, set-off or other rights which such Individual Guarantor
may have at any time against any other Obligor, the Lender or any other Person,
whether in connection herewith or any unrelated transactions; provided that
nothing herein shall prevent the assertion of any such claim by separate suit
or
compulsory counterclaim;
(f) any
invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against any other Obligor for
any
reason of any Loan Document, or any provision of applicable law or regulation
purporting to prohibit the payment by any other Obligor of the principal of
or
interest on the Loan or any other amount payable by it under any Loan Document;
or
40
(g) any
other
act or omission to act or delay of any kind by any other Obligor, any Lender
or
any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but for
the
provisions of this paragraph, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of
such
Individual Guarantor’s obligations hereunder.
Each
Individual Guarantor agrees, jointly and severally, as a primary obligation
to
indemnify the Lender from time to time on demand from and against any loss
incurred by the Lender as a result of any such obligation or liability of any
Individual Guarantor set forth in the preceding sentence being or becoming
void,
voidable, unenforceable or ineffective or being or becoming suspended (whether
pursuant to any rehabilitation, reorganization or moratorium proceedings or
otherwise) as against such Individual Guarantor for any reason whatsoever,
whether or not known to the Lender, the amount of such loss being the amount
which the Lender would otherwise have been entitled to recover from such
Individual Guarantor.
Section
10.03. Discharge
Only Upon Payment in Full; Reinstatement in Certain
Circumstances.
Each
Individual Guarantor’s obligations hereunder shall remain in full force and
effect until the Commitment shall have terminated and the principal of and
interest on any Loan and all other amounts payable by the Borrower under the
Loan Documents shall have been paid in full. If at any time any payment of
the
principal of or interest on any Loan or any other amount payable by the Borrower
under the Loan Documents is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned
upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Obligor or otherwise,
each Individual Guarantor’s obligations hereunder with respect to such payment
shall be reinstated at such time as though such payment had been due but not
made at such time.
Section
10.04. Waiver
by the Individual Guarantors.
Each
Individual Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand,
protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement
that
at any time any action be taken by any Person against any other Obligor or
any
other Person.
Section
10.05. Subrogation.
Upon
making any payment with respect to the Borrower hereunder, each Individual
Guarantor shall be subrogated to the rights of the payee against such Borrower
with respect to such payment; provided that no Individual Guarantor shall
enforce any payment by way of subrogation unless all amounts of principal of
and
interest on any Loan and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents
have
been paid in full.
Section
10.06. Stay
of Acceleration.
If
acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Borrower
under
the Loan Documents is stayed upon insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization
of
the Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the
terms
of this Agreement shall nonetheless be payable by each Individual Guarantor
hereunder forthwith on demand by the Lender.
41
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed as of the date first above written.
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
42
XXXXX
XXXXX
_______________________________________
|
|
Name
in Chinese: 张亮
PRC
passport number: X00000000
|
|
in
the presence of
_______________________________________
|
|
Witness
Name:
|
43
XXXXXXX
XXXX
_______________________________________
|
|
Name
in Chinese: 孟秀清
Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region passport number: XX0000000
|
|
in
the presence of
_______________________________________
|
|
Witness
Name:
|
44
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V., HONG KONG BRANCH, as Lender
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V., HONG KONG BRANCH, as Collateral
Agent
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
45
Schedule
5.10
SUBSIDIARIES
OF THE BORROWER
No
|
Name
of the Subsidiaries
|
Place
of Incorporation
|
Shareholder
Structure
|
|||
1.
|
Synutra,
Inc.
|
Illinois,
U.S.A.
|
100%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.
|
|||
2.
|
Hunan
Synutra Dairy Co., Ltd.1
|
PRC
|
70%
owned by Qingdao ST Xxxxxx Dairy Co., Ltd; 30% owned by Synutra
International, Inc.
|
|||
3.
|
Inner
Mongolia Xxxxx Xxxx Food Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.
|
|||
4.
|
Xxx
Xxx Technology (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra International, Inc.
|
|||
5.
|
Qingdao
ST Xxxxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
|||
6.
|
Qingdao
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
|||
7.
|
Luobei
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
|||
8.
|
Xxxxx
Xx Pin Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
|||
9.
|
Zhangjiakou
Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Synutra, Inc.
|
|||
10.
|
Inner
Mongolia Xxxx Xxxx Food Co., Ltd.
|
PRC
|
100%
owned by Zhangjiakou Xxxxx Xxxx Dairy Co.,
Ltd.
|
1 Hunan
Synutra is now in the process of liquidation.
S-1
CORPORATE
CHART OF THE BORROWER
*Hunan
Synutra is now in the process of liquidation
S-2
EXISTING
LIENS
None
SUBSIDIARIES:
(A) |
Qingdao
ST Xxxxxx Dairy Co. Ltd.
|
1. With
respect to the loan of RMB40,000,000 extended by China Construction Bank Economy
and Development Zone Branch, Qingdao City on November 16, 2006 to the entity,
the entity has mortgaged its land use right and its building located on the
relevant land for a loan of RMB40,000,000. The land in relation to the land
use
right is located in Road West, No 18, South to Century Avenue, Jiaonan City,
Shandong Province. Certificate of the land use right is numbered
Nanguoyong(2002)zi No.4835. The building is located in South to Century Avenue
Jiaonan City with a Property Mortgage Certificate numbered Nanfangdigongzi
No
1268.
2. With
respect to the loan of RMB24,000,000 extended by Agricultural Bank of China
Zhangbei Branch on March 29, 2007 to Zhangjiakou Shengyuan Dairy Co., Ltd.,
the
entity has provided guarantee for the loan. Scope of the debt guaranteed include
principal and accrued cost as well.
(B) |
Qingdao
Shengyuan Dairy Co. Ltd.
|
1. With
respect to the loan of RMB20,000,000 extended by Hengfeng Bank Economy and
Development Zone Branch, Qingdao City on October 26, 2006 to Qingdao ST Xxxxxx
Dairy Co. Ltd., the entity has provided guarantees for the loan. Scope of the
debt guaranteed include principal and accrued cost as well.
2. With
respect to the loan of RMB20,000,000 extended by Agricultural Bank of China
Zhangbei Branch, in December, 2006 to Zhangjiakou Shengyuan Dairy Co., Ltd.,
the
entity has provided guarantees for the loan. Scope of the debt guaranteed
includes principal and accrued cost as well.
(C) |
Zhangjiakou
Shengyuan Dairy Co., Ltd.
|
The
entity has entered into a ceiling mortgage contract with Agricultural Bank
of
China Zhangbei Branch in July 5, 2006, to mortgage its land use rights,
buildings and equipments for the loans (maximum of RMB80,000,000) over the
period from July 5, 2006 to July 5, 2009. The land in relation to the land
use
right is located in Chabei Administration Zone, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei
Province, and certificate of the land use right is numbered
Zhangshichaguoyong2004zi No.0001. The mortgaged buildings are located Chabei
Administration Zone, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province with a ownership
certificate numbered Zhangfangquanzhengchazi No. 001027. The mortgaged
equipments include an imported production line and a set of boiler. Such
mortgage is registered with Zhangjiakou Commercial and Industry Administration,
Chabei Branch, and is evidenced by a registration certificate numbered
(2006)dizi No.002.
S-3
XXXXX
XXXXX:
None
XXXX
XXXXXXX:
None
S-4
SCHEDULE
9.02
NOTICE
ADDRESSES AND LENDING OFFICE
BORROWER:
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000, XXX
Attn:
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Telephone:
x0-000-000-0000 / x0-000-000-0000
Facsimile:
x0-000-000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
INDIVIDUAL
GUARANTORS:
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Shenglong
Garden
Xx.
000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
000000, XXX
Telephone:
x00-00-0000-0000
Facsimile:
x00-00-0000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxxx.xxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
c/o
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Shenglong
Garden
Xx.
000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
000000, XXX
Telephone:
x00-00-0000-0000
Facsimile:
x00-00-0000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
LENDER:
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
38/F,
Xxxxxx Kong Centre
2
Queen’s
Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx Xxx, Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx Xxx
Telephone:
x000-0000-0000/3211/3297/3452/3281
Facsimile:
x000-0000-0000/3836/3300
E-mail: |
xxxxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx;
xxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxxx.xxxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx;
xxxxxxx.xxxxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx; xxxxxxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx
|
S-5
EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
COLLATERAL
AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT
dated as of April 19, 2007 (this “Agreement”)
among
BEAMS POWER INVESTMENT LIMITED, an International Business Companies Act company
re-registered as a BVI business company organized under the laws of the British
Virgin Islands (the “Lien
Grantor”),
SYNUTRA INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”)
and
ABN AMRO BANK N.V., HONG KONG BRANCH as lender (the “Lender”)
and as
collateral agent (the “Collateral
Agent”).
W
I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS,
the Obligors (as defined therein) and the Lender are parties to a Loan Agreement
of even date herewith (as the same may be amended from time to time, the
“Loan
Agreement”)
providing for credit extensions to and on behalf of the Issuer;
WHEREAS,
all of the equity interests in the Lien Grantor are owned by certain of the
Obligors under the Loan Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
in order to induce the Lender to enter into the Loan Agreement, the Lien Grantor
has agreed to grant a continuing security interest in and to the Collateral
(as
hereafter defined) to secure the Obligors’ obligations under the Loan
Agreement;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,
the
parties hereto agree as follows:
Section
1. Definitions.
(a) Terms
Defined in the Loan Agreement.
Terms
defined in the Loan Agreement and not otherwise defined herein shall have,
as
used herein, the respective meanings provided for therein.
(b) Additional
Definitions.
The
following additional terms, as used herein, have the following
meanings:
“Acceleration
Default”
means
an Event of Default which either (i) results in acceleration of the maturity
of
some or all of the Obligations or (ii) arises from a failure to pay the
principal amount of some or all of the Obligations at final
maturity.
“BC
Act”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5(b).
“Collateral”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 3(a).
A-1
“Default”
and
“Event
of Default”
have
the meanings assigned such terms under the Loan Agreement and, for purposes
of
this Agreement only, Event of Default shall also include any payment defaults
by
the Issuer or the Lien Grantor arising under any other Loan
Document.
“Issuer”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Pledged
Stock”
means
(i) the 25,000,000 shares of common stock of the Issuer owned by the Lien
Grantor as of the date hereof and (ii) any other capital stock required to
be
pledged to the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 3(b).
“Post-Petition
Interest”
means
any interest that accrues after the commencement of any case, proceeding or
other action relating to the bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of any
Obligor (or would accrue but for the operation of applicable bankruptcy or
insolvency laws), whether or not such interest is allowed or allowable as a
claim in any such proceeding.
“Proceeds”
means
all proceeds of, and all other profits, products, rents or receipts, in whatever
form, arising from the collection, sale, lease, exchange, assignment, licensing
or other disposition of, or other realization upon, any Collateral, including
all claims of the Lien Grantor against third parties for loss of, damage to
or
destruction of, or for proceeds payable under, or unearned premiums with respect
to, policies of insurance in respect of, any Collateral.
“Register
of Charges”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5(b).
“Registrar”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5(c).
“Secured
Obligations”
means
the obligations secured under this Agreement including (i) the Obligations,
(ii)
any note issued pursuant to any of the Loan Documents and (iii) any renewals
or
extensions of any of the foregoing.
“Security
Interests”
means
the security interests in the Collateral granted hereunder securing the Secured
Obligations.
“UCC”
means
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of
New
York; provided that, if perfection or the effect of perfection or non-perfection
or the priority of the Security Interests on any Collateral is governed by
the
Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than New York,
“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in such
other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such
perfection, effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority.
Unless
otherwise defined herein or in the Loan Agreement, or unless the context
otherwise requires, all terms used herein which are defined in the UCC as in
effect on the date hereof shall have the meanings therein stated.
(c) Terms
Generally.
The
definitions of terms herein (including those incorporated by reference to the
UCC or to another document) apply equally to the singular and plural forms
of
the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun includes the
corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”,
“includes”
and
“including”
shall
be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without
limitation”.
The
word “will”
shall
be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.
Unless
the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such
amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference
herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and
permitted assigns, (iii) the words “herein”,
“hereof”
and
“hereunder”,
and
words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its
entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all references herein
to Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Sections
of,
and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, and (v) the word “property”
shall
be construed to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and
properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract
rights.
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Section
2. Representations
and Warranties.
The
Lien Grantor represents and warrants as follows:
(a) Title
to Pledged Stock.
The
Lien Grantor owns all of the Pledged Stock, free and clear of any Liens other
than the Security Interests. All of the Pledged Stock has been duly authorized
and validly issued, and is fully paid and non-assessable, and is not subject
to
options to purchase, claims or similar rights of any Person. The Lien Grantor
is
not and will not become a party to or otherwise bound by any agreement, other
than this Agreement, which restricts in any manner the rights of the Lender,
the
Collateral Agent or any present or future holder of any of the Pledged Stock
with respect thereto.
(b) Pledged
Stock.
As of
the date hereof, the Pledged Stock represents at least 49.9% of the issued
and
outstanding common stock of the Issuer.
(c) Validity,
Perfection and Priority of Security Interests.
Upon
delivery of the certificates representing the Pledged Stock to the Collateral
Agent or its designee in accordance with Section 4 hereof, the Collateral Agent
will have a valid and perfected security interest in the Collateral subject
to
no prior Lien. Except as set forth in Section 5, no registration, recordation
or
filing with any governmental body, agency or official is required in connection
with the execution or delivery of this Agreement or necessary for the validity
or enforceability hereof or for the perfection or enforcement of the Security
Interests. Neither the Lien Grantor nor any of its Subsidiaries has performed
or
will perform any acts which could prevent the Collateral Agent from enforcing
any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or which would limit the
Collateral Agent in any such enforcement.
(d) Lien
Grantor and UCC Filing Locations.
The
Lien Grantor is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the
laws of the British Virgin Islands.
(e) Authorization;
No Contravention.
The
execution, delivery and performance by the Lien Grantor of this Agreement has
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part, and does
not
and will not contravene the terms of its Organization Documents. The execution,
delivery and performance by the Lien Grantor of this Agreement does not and
will
not (a) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the
creation of any Lien (other than those contemplated hereby) under (i) any
Contractual Obligation to which the Lien Grantor is a party or (ii) any order,
injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award
to which the Lien Grantor or its property is subject or (b) violate any Law
applicable to the Lien Grantor, this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated hereby.
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(f) Governmental
Authorization; Other Consents.
Except
as set forth in Section 5, no approval, consent, exemption, authorization,
or
other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or
any
other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery
or performance by, or enforcement against, the Lien Grantor or the Collateral
of
this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(g) Binding
Effect.
This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Lien Grantor. The
Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Lien Grantor,
enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
Section
3. The
Security Interests.
In
order to secure the full and punctual payment of the Secured Obligations in
accordance with the terms thereof, and to secure the performance of all the
obligations of the Lien Grantor and the Issuer hereunder:
(a) The
Lien
Grantor hereby assigns and pledges to and with the Collateral Agent for the
benefit of the Lender and grants to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of
the
Lender a security interest in the Pledged Stock, and all of its rights and
privileges with respect to the Pledged Stock, and all income and profits
thereon, and all interest, dividends and other payments and distributions with
respect thereto, and all Proceeds of the foregoing (the “Collateral”).
Contemporaneously with the execution and delivery hereof, the Lien Grantor
is
delivering the certificates representing the Pledged Stock in pledge
hereunder.
(b) In
the
event that the Issuer at any time issues any additional or substitute shares
of
capital stock of any class to the Lien Grantor, the Lien Grantor will
immediately (i) pledge and deposit with the Collateral Agent certificates,
if
any, representing a pro
rata
portion
of such shares as additional security for the Secured Obligations that is equal
to the ratio of the Pledged Stock to the aggregate shares of common stock of
the
Issuer owned by the Lien Grantor on the date hereof and (ii) take all other
steps required to grant or maintain, as applicable, a first priority security
interest in such shares to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lender.
All such shares constitute Pledged Stock and are subject to all provisions
of
this Agreement.
(c) The
Security Interests are granted as security only and shall not subject the
Collateral Agent or the Lender to, or transfer or in any way affect or modify,
any obligation or liability of the Lien Grantor with respect to any of the
Collateral or any transaction in connection therewith.
Section
4. Delivery
of Pledged Stock.
All
certificates representing Pledged Stock delivered to the Collateral Agent or
its
designee by the Lien Grantor pursuant hereto shall be (x) in suitable form
for
transfer by delivery, or shall be accompanied by duly executed instruments
of
transfer or assignment in blank, with signatures appropriately guaranteed,
and
accompanied by any required transfer tax stamps, all in form and substance
satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and (y) accompanied by a completed notice
to the stock transfer agent of the Issuer as contemplated by Section 17 below.
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Section
5. Further
Assurances.
Section
1 The Lien Grantor agrees that it will, at its expense and in such manner and
form as the Collateral Agent may reasonably require, execute, deliver, file
and
record any financing statement, specific assignment or other paper and take
any
other action that may be necessary or desirable, or that the Collateral Agent
may reasonably request, in order to create, preserve, perfect or validate any
Security Interest or to enable the Collateral Agent to exercise and enforce
its
rights hereunder with respect to any of the Collateral. To the extent permitted
by applicable law, the Lien Grantor hereby authorizes the Collateral Agent
to
execute and file, in the name of the Lien Grantor or otherwise, financing
statements (which may be carbon, photographic, photostatic or other
reproductions of this Agreement or of a financing statement relating to this
Agreement) which the Collateral Agent in its reasonable discretion may deem
necessary or appropriate to further perfect the Security Interests.
(a) The
Lien
Grantor agrees that it will not change Section 2 its name, identity or corporate
structure in any manner or Section 3 the location of its chief executive office
unless it shall have given the Collateral Agent not less than 30 days’ prior
notice thereof (or such shorter period consented to by the Collateral Agent
in
its sole discretion).
(b) The
Lien
Grantor shall enter, or shall procure the entry, in its register of relevant
charges (the “Register
of Charges”)
maintained by the Lien Grantor pursuant to Part VIII of the BVI Business
Companies Act, 2004 (as the same may be amended from time to time) (the
“BC
Act”)
such
particulars regarding the charge created by this Agreement as are specified
in
section 162 of the BC Act (or any similar provision in any statute pursuant
to
which the Lien Grantor is incorporated or existing from time to time) and submit
a copy of such revised Register of Charges to its registered agent in the
British Virgin Islands to keep at the Lien Grantor’s registered office and at
the office of its registered agent in the British Virgin Islands.
(c) The
Lien
Grantor shall make an application, or procure that an application is made,
in
the approved form to the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin
Islands (the “Registrar”)
to
register the charge created by this Agreement in the register of registered
charges kept by the Registrar for the Lien Grantor and, forthwith upon receipt
by the Lien Grantor of the certificate of registration of the charge issued
by
the Registrar, send a copy of such certificate of registration to the Issuer
and
the Collateral Agent.
Section
6. Record
Ownership of Pledged Stock.
The
Collateral Agent may at any time or from time to time, in its sole discretion,
cause any or all of the Pledged Stock to be transferred of record into the
name
of the Collateral Agent or its nominee. The Lien Grantor will promptly give
to
the Collateral Agent copies of any notices or other communications received
by
it with respect to Pledged Stock registered in the name of the Lien Grantor
and
the Collateral Agent will promptly give to the Lien Grantor copies of any
notices and communications received by the Collateral Agent with respect to
Pledged Stock registered in the name of the Collateral Agent or its
nominee.
Section
7. Right
to Receive Distributions on Collateral.
The
Collateral Agent shall have the right to receive and, during the continuance
of
any Default, to retain as Collateral hereunder all dividends and other payments
and distributions made upon or with respect to the Collateral and the Lien
Grantor shall take all such action as the Collateral Agent may deem necessary
or
appropriate to give effect to such right. All such dividends and other payments
and distributions which are received by the Lien Grantor shall be received
in
trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Lender and, if the
Collateral Agent so directs during the continuance of a Default, shall be
segregated from other funds of the Lien Grantor and shall, forthwith upon demand
by the Collateral Agent during the continuance of a Default, be paid over to
the
Collateral Agent as Collateral in the same form as received (with any necessary
endorsement). After all Defaults have been cured, the Collateral Agent’s right
to retain dividends, interest and other payments and distributions under this
Section 7 shall cease and the Collateral Agent shall pay over to the Lien
Grantor any such Collateral retained by it during the continuance of a
Default.
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Section
8. Right
to Vote Pledged Stock.
Unless
an Acceleration Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Lien Grantor
shall have the right, from time to time, to vote and to give consents,
ratifications and waivers with respect to the Pledged Stock, and the Collateral
Agent shall, upon receiving a written request from the Obligor accompanied
by a
certificate signed by its principal financial officer stating that no Default
has occurred and is continuing, deliver to the Lien Grantor or as specified
in
such request such proxies, powers of attorney, consents, ratifications and
waivers in respect of any of the Pledged Stock which is registered in the name
of the Collateral Agent or its nominee as shall be specified in such request
and
be in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
If
an
Acceleration Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Collateral
Agent
shall have the right to the extent permitted by law and the Lien Grantor shall
take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to such
right, to vote and to give consents, ratifications and waivers, and take any
other action with respect to any or all of the Pledged Stock with the same
force
and effect as if the Collateral Agent were the absolute and sole owner
thereof.
Section
9. General
Authority.
The
Lien Grantor hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent its true and
lawful attorney, with full power of substitution, in the name of the Lien
Grantor, the Collateral Agent, the Lender or otherwise, for the sole use and
benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Lender, but at the expense of the Lien
Grantor, to the extent permitted by law to exercise, at any time and from time
to time while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, all or any
of
the following powers with respect to all or any of the Collateral:
(a) to
demand, xxx for, collect, receive and give acquittance for any and all monies
due or to become due upon or by virtue thereof,
(b) to
settle, compromise, compound, prosecute or defend any action or proceeding
with
respect thereto,
(c) to
sell,
transfer, assign or otherwise deal in or with the same or the proceeds or avails
thereof, as fully and effectually as if the Collateral Agent were the absolute
owner thereof, and
(d) to
extend
the time of payment of any or all thereof and to make any allowance and other
adjustments with reference thereto;
provided
that the
Collateral Agent (x) shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Pledged Stock
unless an Acceleration Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) shall
give
the Lien Grantor at least ten days’ prior written notice of the time and place
of any public sale thereof or the time after which any private sale or other
intended disposition thereof will be made. Any such notice shall (i) contain
the
information specified in UCC Section 9-613, (ii) be authenticated and (iii)
be
sent to the parties required to be notified pursuant to UCC Section 9-611(c);
provided that, if the Collateral Agent fails to comply with this sentence in
any
respect, its liability for such failure shall be limited to the liability (if
any) imposed on it as a matter of law under the UCC.
A-6
Section
10. Remedies
upon Event of Default.
If any
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Collateral Agent
may
exercise on behalf of the Lender all the rights of a secured party under the
UCC
(whether or not in effect in the jurisdiction where such rights are exercised)
and, in addition, the Collateral Agent may, without being required to give
any
notice, except as herein provided or as may be required by mandatory provisions
of law, (i) apply the cash, if any, then held by it as Collateral as specified
in Section 13 and (ii) if there shall be no such cash or if such cash shall
be
insufficient to pay all the Secured Obligations in full, but only if an
Acceleration Default has occurred and is continuing, sell the Collateral or
any
part thereof at public or private sale or at any broker’s board or on any
securities exchange, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery, and at such
price or prices as the Collateral Agent may deem satisfactory. The Lender may
be
the purchaser of any or all of the Collateral so sold at any public sale (or,
if
the Collateral is of a type customarily sold in a recognized market or is of
a
type which is the subject of widely distributed standard price quotations,
at
any private sale). The Collateral Agent is authorized, in connection with any
such sale, if it deems it advisable so to do, (A) to restrict the prospective
bidders on or purchasers of any of the Pledged Stock to a limited number of
sophisticated investors who will represent and agree that they are purchasing
for their own account for investment and not with a view to the distribution
or
sale of any of such Pledged Stock, (B) to cause to be placed on certificates
for
any or all of the Pledged Stock or on any other securities pledged hereunder
a
legend to the effect that such security has not been registered under the United
States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be disposed of in
violation of the provision of said Act, and (C) to impose such other limitations
or conditions in connection with any such sale as the Collateral Agent deems
necessary or advisable in order to comply with said Act or any other law. The
Lien Grantor will execute and deliver such documents and take such other action
as the Collateral Agent deems necessary or advisable in order that any such
sale
may be made in compliance with law. Upon any such sale the Collateral Agent
shall have the right to deliver, assign and transfer to the purchaser thereof
the Collateral so sold. Each purchaser at any such sale shall hold the
Collateral so sold absolutely and free from any claim or right of whatsoever
kind, including any equity or right of redemption of the Lien Grantor which
may
be waived, and the Lien Grantor, to the extent permitted by law, hereby
specifically waives all rights of redemption, stay or appraisal which it has
or
may have under any law now existing or hereafter adopted. The notice (if any)
of
such sale required by Section 9 shall (1) in the case of a public sale, state
the time and place fixed for such sale, (2) in the case of a sale at a broker’s
board or on a securities exchange, state the board or exchange at which such
sale is to be made and the day on which the Collateral, or the portion thereof
so being sold, will first be offered for sale at such board or exchange, and
(3)
in the case of a private sale, state the day after which such sale may be
consummated. Any such public sale shall be held at such time or times within
ordinary business hours and at such place or places as the Collateral Agent
may
fix in the notice of such sale. At any such sale the Collateral may be sold
in
one lot as an entirety or in separate parcels, as the Collateral Agent may
determine. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to make any such sale
pursuant to any such notice. The Collateral Agent may, without notice or
publication, adjourn any public or private sale or cause the same to be
adjourned from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed for
the
sale, and such sale may be made at any time or place to which the same may
be so
adjourned. In the case of any sale of all or any part of the Collateral on
credit or for future delivery, the Collateral so sold may be retained by the
Collateral Agent until the selling price is paid by the purchaser thereof,
but
the Collateral Agent shall not incur any liability in the case of the failure
of
such purchaser to take up and pay for the Collateral so sold and, in the case
of
any such failure, such Collateral may again be sold upon like notice. The
Collateral Agent, instead of exercising the power of sale herein conferred
upon
it, may proceed by a suit or suits at law or in equity to foreclose the Security
Interests and sell the Collateral, or any portion thereof, under a judgment
or
decree of a court or courts of competent jurisdiction.
A-7
Section
11. Expenses.
Each of
the Lien Grantor and the Issuer jointly and severally agrees that it will
forthwith upon demand pay to the Collateral Agent:
(a) the
amount of any taxes which the Collateral Agent may have been required to pay
by
reason of the Security Interests or to free any of the Collateral from any
Lien
thereon, and
(b) the
amount of any and all out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel and of any other experts, which the Collateral Agent
may incur in connection with Section 4 the administration or enforcement of
this
Agreement, including such expenses as are incurred to preserve the value of
the
Collateral and the validity, perfection, rank and value of any Security
Interest, Section 5 the collection, sale or other disposition of any of the
Collateral, Section 6 the exercise by the Collateral Agent of any of the rights
conferred upon it hereunder or Section 7 any Default or Event of
Default.
Any
such
amount not paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate equal to the Default
Rate and shall be treated as additional Secured Obligations
hereunder.
Section
12. Limitation
on Duty of Collateral Agent in Respect of Collateral; Indemnity.
Section 8 Beyond the exercise of reasonable care in the custody thereof,
the Collateral Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral in its possession
or control or in the possession or control of any agent or bailee or any income
thereon or as to the preservation of rights against prior parties or any other
rights pertaining thereto. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have
exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral
in
its possession if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal
to
that which it accords its own property, and shall not be liable or responsible
for any loss or damage to any of the Collateral, or for any diminution in the
value thereof, by reason of the act or omission of any agent or bailee selected
by the Collateral Agent in good faith. In no event shall the Collateral Agent
be
liable to the Lien Grantor or the Issuer or any other party to this Agreement
for any consequential (being loss of business, goodwill, opportunity or profit)
or punitive loss or damages, even if advised of the possibility of such loss
or
damage.
(a) Each
of
the Lien Grantor and the Issuer agrees to be jointly and severally responsible
for and will indemnify each of the Collateral Agent, any predecessor Collateral
Agent and their agents, employees, officers and directors for, and hold it
harmless against, any loss or liability or expense incurred by it without
negligence or willful misconduct on its part arising out of or in connection
with the acceptance or administration of this Agreement and its duties under
this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against
any
claim or liability and of complying with any process served upon it or any
of
its officers in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers
or duties under this Agreement.
A-8
(b) This
Section 12 shall survive the termination of the Security Interests and the
release of the Collateral.
Section
13. Application
of Proceeds.
Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the proceeds
of any sale of, or other realization upon, all or any part of the Collateral
and
any cash held shall be applied by the Collateral Agent in the following order
of
priorities:
first,
to pay
the expenses of such sale or other realization, including reasonable
compensation to agents and counsel for the Collateral Agent, and all expenses,
liabilities and advances incurred or made by the Collateral Agent in connection
therewith, and any other unreimbursed expenses for which the Collateral Agent
or
the Lender is to be reimbursed pursuant to Section 9.04 of the Loan Agreement
or
Section 11 hereof and unpaid fees owing to the Collateral Agent or the Lender
under any Loan Document;
second,
to pay
ratably all interest (including Post-Petition Interest, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable Law) on the Secured Obligations, until payment in full
of all such interest shall have been made;
third,
to pay
the unpaid principal of the Secured Obligations, until payment in full of the
principal of the Secured Obligations shall have been made;
fourth,
to pay
all other Secured Obligations, until payment in full of all such other Secured
Obligations shall have been made; and
finally,
to
payment to the Lien Grantor or its successors or assigns, or as a court of
competent jurisdiction may direct, of any surplus then remaining from such
proceeds.
The
Collateral Agent may make distributions hereunder in cash or in kind or, on
a
ratable basis, in any combination thereof.
Section
14. Concerning
the Collateral Agent.
The
provisions of Article 7 of the Loan Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
the
Collateral Agent in respect of this Agreement and shall be binding upon the
parties to the Loan Agreement in such respect. In furtherance and not in
derogation of the rights, privileges and immunities of the Collateral Agent
therein set forth:
(a) The
Collateral Agent is authorized to take all such action as is provided to be
taken by it as Collateral Agent hereunder and all other action reasonably
incidental thereto. As to any matters not expressly provided for herein
(including, without limitation, the timing and methods of realization upon
the
Collateral) the Collateral Agent shall act or refrain from acting in accordance
with written instructions from the Lender or, in the absence of such
instructions, in accordance with its discretion.
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(b) The
Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for the existence, genuineness or
value of any of the Collateral or for the validity, perfection, priority or
enforceability of the Security Interests in any of the Collateral, whether
impaired by operation of law or by reason of any action or omission to act
on
its part hereunder. The Collateral Agent shall have no duty to ascertain or
inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms of this
Agreement by the Lien Grantor.
Section
15. Appointment
of Co-Collateral Agents.
At any
time or times, in order to comply with any legal requirement in any
jurisdiction, the Collateral Agent may appoint another bank or trust company
or
one or more other persons, either to act as co-collateral agent or co-collateral
agents, jointly with the Collateral Agent, or to act as separate collateral
agent or collateral agents on behalf of the Lender with such power and authority
as may be necessary for the effectual operation of the provisions hereof and
may
be specified in the instrument of appointment (which may, in the discretion
of
the Collateral Agent, include provisions for the protection of such
co-collateral agent or separate collateral agent similar to the provisions
of
Section 14).
Section
16. Termination
of Security Interests; Release of Collateral.
Upon
the repayment in full of all Secured Obligations and the termination of all
lending commitments under the Loan Agreement, the Security Interests shall
terminate and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to the Lien Grantor.
At
any time and from time to time prior to such termination of the Security
Interests, the Collateral Agent may release any of the Collateral with the
prior
written consent of the Lender. Upon any such termination of the Security
Interests or release of Collateral, the Collateral Agent will, at the expense
of
the Lien Grantor, execute and deliver to the Lien Grantor such documents as
the
Lien Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence the termination of the
Security Interests or the release of such Collateral, as the case may be,
including but not limited to a notice to the stock transfer agent of the Pledged
Stock.
Section
17. Acknowledgment
by the Issuer, Stop Transfer Instructions.
The
Issuer hereby acknowledges the Security Interests in the Pledged Stock. The
Issuer agrees to effect or recognize any transfer of the Pledged Stock only
if
and to the extent such transfer is made in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement. Prior to the date hereof, the Issuer and the Lien Grantor have
instructed the stock transfer agent for the Pledged Stock by means of delivery
of a notice in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto to refrain from
effecting any proposed transfer of Pledged Stock without the prior written
consent of the Collateral Agent and the Issuer has delivered a copy of such
notice, acknowledged and confirmed by the stock transfer agent, to the
Collateral Agent.
Section
18. Notices.
All
notices hereunder shall be (x) in the case of the Lien Grantor; in writing
(including by facsimile transmission) and mailed, faxed or delivered to the
address, facsimile number or electronic mail address specified for notices
to
the Lien Grantor on Schedule A hereto, (y) in the case of the Collateral Agent;
in writing (including by facsimile transmission) and mailed, faxed or delivered
to the address, facsimile number or electronic mail address specified for
notices to Collateral Agent on Schedule A hereto and (z) in the case of any
other party, given in accordance with Section 9.02 of the Loan Agreement.
Section
19. Waivers,
Non-exclusive Remedies.
No
failure on the part of the Collateral Agent to exercise, and no delay in
exercising and no course of dealing with respect to, any right under this
Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial
exercise by the Collateral Agent of any right under any Loan Document preclude
any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The
rights in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are
not
exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.
A-10
Section
20. Successors
and Assigns.
This
Agreement is for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Lender and their
successors and assigns (if any), and in the event of an assignment of all or
any
of the Secured Obligations, the rights hereunder, to the extent applicable
to
the indebtedness so assigned, may be transferred with such indebtedness. This
Agreement shall be binding on the Lien Grantor and its successors and
assigns.
Section
21. Amendments
and Waivers.
Neither
this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be changed, waived, discharged
or
terminated orally, but only in writing signed by the Lien Grantor and the
Collateral Agent with the consent of the Lender.
Section
22. New
York Law.
THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF
THE
STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY
WITHIN SUCH STATE; PROVIDED
THAT THE
LENDER AND COLLATERAL AGENT SHALL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS ARISING UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
Section
23. Submission
to Jurisdiction.
ANY
LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE BROUGHT IN
XXX
XXXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XX XXX XXXX SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, NEW YORK
CITY OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY
EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY HERETO CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF
AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE
COURTS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY
OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM
NON CONVENIENS,
WHICH
IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN
SUCH
JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO.
EACH PARTY HERETO WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY SUMMONS, COMPLAINT OR OTHER
PROCESS, WHICH MAY BE MADE BY ANY OTHER MEANS PERMITTED BY THE LAW OF SUCH
STATE. THE LIEN GRANTOR AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION
OR
PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON IT
AND
WILL BE GIVEN EFFECT IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED
BY APPLICABLE LAW AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY COURT TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH
SUCH PARTY IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT BY A SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT, PROVIDED THAT
SERVICE OF PROCESS IS EFFECTED UPON IT IN ONE OF THE MANNERS SPECIFIED HEREIN
OR
AS OTHERWISE PERMITTED BY LAW.
Section
24. Waiver
of Right to Jury Trial.
EACH
PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY
OF
ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT
OR
IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE
PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE
TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER
ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY
HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF
ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO
THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION WITH
ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE
WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
A-11
Section
25. Process
Agent.
Without
prejudice to any other mode of service allowed under any relevant Law, each
of
the Lien Grantor and the Issuer:
(a) irrevocably
appoints CT Corporation System, located at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000
as its agent for service of process in relation to any proceedings before the
courts of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York
City or of the United States for the Southern District of such State in
connection with this Agreement; and
(b) agrees
that failure by a process agent to notify it of the process will not invalidate
the proceedings concerned.
Section
26. Severability.
If any
provision hereof is invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then, to
the
fullest extent permitted by law, (i) the other provisions hereof shall remain
in
full force and effect in such jurisdiction and shall be liberally construed
in
favor of the Collateral Agent and the Lender in order to carry out the
intentions of the parties hereto as nearly as may be possible; and (ii) the
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof in any jurisdiction
shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
Section
27. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall
be
an original but all of which together shall constitute one
xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first
above written.
BEAMS
POWER INVESTMENT LIMITED
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title
|
A-12
SYNUTRA
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title
|
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V., HONG KONG BRANCH, as Collateral Agent
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title
|
|
|
|
ABN
AMRO BANK N.V., HONG KONG BRANCH, as Lender
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title
|
|
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title
|
A-13
[Schedule
A]
NOTICE
ADDRESSES
LIEN
GRANTOR:
Beams
Power Investment Limited
Akara
Bldg., 00 Xx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxx I,
Road
Town, Tortola
British
Virgin Islands
Attn:
Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Facsimile:
x00-00-0000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
COLLATERAL
AGENT:
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
38/F,
Xxxxxx Kong Center
2
Queen’s
Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attn:
Xxxxxxx Xxx / Xxxxx Xxx / Xxxxxx Xxxx / Xxxxxxx Xxxxx / Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx
Facsimile:
x00-0-0000-0000 / 2700-3836 / 2700-3300
E-mail:
|
Xxxxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx
/ xxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx / xxxxxx.xxxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx /
xxxxxxx.xxxxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx /
xxxxxxxxx.xxx@xx.xxxxxxx.xxx
|
A-14
[Exhibit
A]
FORM
OF NOTICE OF PLEDGE OF PLEDGED STOCK TO
SYNUTRA
STOCK TRANSFER AGENT
[LETTERHEAD
OF ISSUER]
U.S.
Stock Transfer Corporation
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Attention:
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Facsimile:
x0-000-000-0000
Re:
|
Shares
of Common Stock of Synutra International, Inc. - Notice of Pledge
and
Limitation on Transfers
|
Beams
Power Investment Limited and Synutra International, Inc. hereby notify U.S.
Stock Transfer Corporation that the shares evidenced by the share certificate
numbered [_____________] of Synutra International, Inc. (the “Pledged
Stock”)
on the
date hereof registered in the name of Beams Power Investment Limited are pledged
to ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch, as Collateral Agent (“Collateral
Agent”)
under
the Collateral Agreement dated April 19, 2007 among Beams Power Investment
Limited, Synutra International, Inc. and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch,
for the benefit of ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch as Lender under the
Loan
Agreement dated April 19, 2007 among Synutra International, Inc., Xxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxx Xxxx and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch.
Beams
Power Investment Limited and Synutra International, Inc. hereby direct and
request that U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation shall not register or effect any
transfer of the Pledged Stock without the written consent of the Collateral
Agent. The direction and request set forth in the preceding sentence shall
be
revocable only with the written consent of the Collateral Agent.
BEAMS
POWER INVESTMENT LIMITED
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
A-15
SYNUTRA
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
A-16
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF
LOAN
DRAWDOWN NOTICE
Date:
___________, 200_
To: |
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
|
Reference
is made to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of April ·, 2007 (as amended,
restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time
to
time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein
defined) among Synutra International, Inc. (the “Borrower”), Xxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxx Xxxx and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch, as Lender and Collateral
Agent.
The
undersigned hereby requests a Loan:
1. |
On (a
Business Day).
|
2. |
In
the amount of US$
|
3. |
By
wire transfer to:
|
Account
Name: [_______]
Account
No.: [_______]
Account
Type: [_______]
Bank
Name: [_______]
ABA
No.:
[_______]
Routing
No.: [_______]
SWIFT
Code: [_______]
The
Borrower hereby represents and warrants that the conditions specified in Section
4.01 shall be satisfied on and as of the date of the requested Credit
Extension.
SYNUTRA
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
|
|
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
B-1
EXHIBIT
C
FORM
OF U.S. COUNSEL OPINION
April
19,
2007
To
the
Lender party to the
Loan
Agreement referred to below
and
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch,
as
Collateral Agent
Re: |
Synutra
International Inc. - Loan
Agreement
|
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We
have
acted as special New York counsel for Synutra International Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Borrower”)
and
the Individual Guarantors in connection with the Loan Agreement dated as of
April 19, 2007 (the “Loan
Agreement”)
among
the Borrower, the Individual Guarantors listed therein (the “Individual
Guarantors”
and
the
Borrower, collectively the “Obligors”),
ABN
AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch as Lender (the “Lender”)
and
the Collateral Agent (the “Collateral
Agent”).
We
are providing this opinion to you at the request of the Obligors pursuant to
Section 4.01(a)(v) of the Loan Agreement. Except as otherwise indicated,
capitalized terms used in this opinion and defined in the Loan Agreement will
have the meanings given in the Loan Agreement.
In
our
capacity as such counsel, we have examined originals or copies of those
corporate and other records and documents we considered appropriate, including
the following (the documents listed in clauses (a) through (b) below
collectively being referred to herein as the “Loan Documents”):
(a) the
Loan
Agreement; and
(b) the
Collateral Agreement dated as of April 19, 2007 (the “Collateral
Agreement”)
among
Beams Power Investment Ltd., an International Business Companies Act company
re-registered as a BVI business company under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands (the “Lien Grantor”), the Borrower, the Lender and the Collateral
Agent.
As
to
relevant factual matters, we have relied upon, among other things, each
Obligor’s and the Lien Grantor’s factual representations in the certificate by
such Obligor or the Lien Grantor, as applicable (each, an “Opinion
Certificate”)
and in
the Loan Documents. In addition, we have obtained and relied upon those
certificates of public officials we considered appropriate.
We
have
assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents
submitted to us as originals and the conformity with originals of all documents
submitted to us as copies. We have assumed that each natural person, including
each Individual Guarantor, who is a party to the transaction has sufficient
legal capacity to enter into and carry out his or her obligations under the
Agreement. To the extent each Obligor’s or the Lien Grantor’s respective
obligations depend on the enforceability of the Loan Documents against other
parties to the Loan Documents, we have assumed that the Loan Documents are
enforceable against such other parties.
C-1
On
the
basis of such examination, our reliance upon the assumptions in this opinion
and
our consideration of those questions of law we considered relevant, and subject
to the limitations and qualifications in this opinion, we are of the opinion
that:
(1) The
Borrower is a corporation validly existing in good standing under the laws
of
the State of Delaware with corporate power to enter into the Loan Documents
and
to perform its obligation under the Loan Documents.
(2) The
execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Borrower, and
the Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the
Borrower.
(3) Each
of
the Loan Documents constitutes the legally valid and binding obligation of
each
Obligor party thereto, and assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery of the Collateral Agreement by the parties thereto, the Collateral
Agreement constitutes the legally valid and binding obligation of the Lien
Grantor, in each case, enforceable against such Person in accordance with its
terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally
(including, without limitation, fraudulent conveyance laws), and by general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability
of
specific performance or injunctive relief, regardless of whether considered
in a
proceeding in equity or at law.
(4) The
execution and delivery by the Borrower of the Loan Documents to which it is
a
party do not, and the Borrower’s performance of its obligations under such Loan
Documents will not (i) violate the Borrower’s certificate of incorporation or
bylaws or other constitutive documents of the Borrower, (ii) violate, breach,
or
result in a default under, any existing obligation of or restriction on the
Borrower under any other agreement (the “Other
Agreements”)
identified in Schedule I attached hereto, or (iii) breach or otherwise violate
any existing obligation of or restriction on the Borrower under any order,
judgment or decree of any New York or federal court or governmental authority
binding on the Borrower identified in the Opinion Certificate. If an Other
Agreement is governed by the laws of a jurisdiction other than New York, we
have
assumed such Other Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of New
York.
(5) The
execution and delivery by the Borrower of the Loan Documents to which it is
a
party do not, and the Borrower’s performance of its obligations under such Loan
Documents will not, violate the Delaware General Corporation Law or any current
New York or federal statute, rule or regulation that we have, in the exercise
of
customary professional diligence, recognized as applicable to the Borrower
or to
transactions of the type contemplated by the Loan Documents.
(6) No
order,
consent, permit or approval of any New York or federal governmental authority
that we have, in the exercise of customary professional diligence, recognized
as
applicable to the Borrower or the Lien Grantor or to transactions of the type
contemplated by the Loan Documents is required on the part of the Borrower
or
the Lien Grantor for the execution and delivery of, and performance of their
respective obligations under, the Loan Documents to which it is a party,
respectively, except for such as have been made or obtained.
C-2
(7) The
Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent
a
security interest in that Collateral (which term is used in this Opinion as
such
term is defined in the Collateral Agreement) of the Lien Grantor in which a
security interest may be created under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial
Code
as in effect in the State of New York (the “NY
Code”).
(8) The
Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent
a
security interest in the Certificated Security (as defined below) identified
on
Schedule II attached hereto under the NY Code. Upon delivery of the security
certificate representing the Certificated Security listed on Schedule II
attached hereto to the Collateral Agent in the State of New York, effectively
endorsed to the Collateral Agent or in blank, Collateral Agent will acquire
a
perfected security interest in such Certificated Security, free of adverse
claims. For purposes of this paragraph, “Certificated Security” means
“certificated securities” as defined in Section 8-102 of the Code.
(9) Neither
the Borrower nor the Lien Grantor is an investment company required to register
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(10) Neither
the extension of credit nor the use of proceeds provided in the Loan Agreement
will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System. For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that none of
the
Lenders is a “creditor” as defined in Regulation T.
Our
opinion in paragraph 3 above as to the enforceability of the Loan Documents
is
subject to:
(i) public
policy considerations, statutes or court decisions that may limit the rights
of
a party to obtain indemnification against its own negligence, willful misconduct
or unlawful conduct;
(ii) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of broadly or vaguely stated
waivers or waivers of rights granted by law where the waivers are against public
policy or prohibited by law;
(iii) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions imposing penalties,
liquidated damages or other economic remedies; and
(iv) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions appointing one party
as trustee for an adverse party or provisions for the appointment of a
receiver.
Our
opinion in paragraph 3 is subject to the qualification that certain rights,
remedies, waivers and other provisions of the Loan Documents may not be
enforceable, but such unenforceability will not, subject to the other
exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, render the Loan
Documents invalid as a whole or substantially interfere with the substantial
realization of the principal benefits or security, or both, that the Loan
Documents purports to provide (except for the economic consequences of
procedural or other delay).
C-3
For
purposes of the opinions expressed in paragraphs 4, 5 and 6, we have assumed
that the Borrower will not in the future take any discretionary action
(including a decision not to act) permitted by the Loan Documents that would
cause the performance of the Loan Documents to violate any organizational
document of the Borrower, the Delaware General Corporation Law or any New York
or federal statute, rule or regulation, or require an order, consent, permit
or
approval to be obtained from a New York or federal governmental
authority.
We
express no opinion as to the effect of non-compliance by you with any state
or
federal laws or regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by
the
Loan Documents because of the nature of your business.
We
express no opinion as to any provision of the Loan Documents insofar as it
purports to grant a right of setoff in respect of any Obligor’s assets to any
person other than a creditor of such Obligor.
We
advise
you that Section 9.15 of the Loan Agreement, which provides for non-exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and federal courts sitting
in the State of New York, may not be binding on the federal courts sitting
in
the State of New York (or any federal appellate court).
We
advise
you that if an action based on the Loan Documents were commenced in a federal
or
state court in New York, a judgment for money relating to the Loan Documents
ordinarily would be enforced only in United States dollars. The method used
to
determine the rate of conversion of foreign currency into United States dollars
will depend on various factors.
We
express no opinion concerning (i) federal or state securities laws or
regulations or (ii) the foreign assets control regulations of the Trading with
the Enemy Act, as amended, the United States Treasury Department, the Uniting
and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept
and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT Act) Act of 2001, as amended, Executive
Order No. 13,224 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting
Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism,
as amended, and any enabling legislation, rules, regulations or executive orders
relating thereto.
Our
opinions in paragraphs 7 and 8 are (i) limited to Article 9 of the NY Code
(except our opinion in paragraph 8 to the extent it addresses Article 8 of
the
NY Code) and do not address (A) laws of jurisdictions other than New York,
(B)
collateral not subject to Article 9 of the NY Code (including by reason of
Section 9-109(c) or (d) thereof), or (C) under Sections 9-301 through 9-306
of
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any jurisdiction, or otherwise,
what
law governs the perfection of the security interests granted in the collateral
covered by those opinion paragraphs, and (ii) subject to the effect of
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating
to
or affecting creditors’ rights generally (including, without limitation,
fraudulent conveyance laws) and to the effect of general principles of
equity.
C-4
We
express no opinion with respect to:
(i) the
priority of any security interest, except as set forth in paragraph 8 relating
to Certificated Security or the perfection of any security interest except
as
set forth in paragraph 8; and
(ii) Collateral
consisting of real property, copyrights, farm products, consumer goods,
as-extracted collateral, commercial tort claims, cooperative interests (as
such
terms are defined in the NY Code) and timber to be cut.
We
express no opinion regarding any provision of the Collateral Agreement that
purports to permit Collateral Agent or any other person to sell or otherwise
dispose of any Collateral subject thereto except in compliance with the NY
Code,
any other applicable federal and state laws and any agreement governing such
Collateral, or to impose on Collateral Agent standards of care of Collateral
in
Collateral Agent’s possession other than as provided in Section 9-207 of the NY
Code. We advise you that federal and state securities laws may limit the right
to transfer or dispose of Collateral that may constitute securities under such
laws.
In
rendering the opinions in paragraphs 7 and 8, we have assumed that:
(i) the
Lien
Grantor has, or will have at the relevant time, rights in the Collateral in
which the Lien Grantor has granted a security interest to Collateral Agent
within the meaning of Section 9-203(b)(2) of the NY Code at all times relevant
to this opinion;
(ii) the
Collateral is reasonably identified in the description of collateral set forth
in the Collateral Agreement in accordance with Section 9-108 of the NY
Code;
(iii) at
all
times relevant to this opinion, value has been given within the meaning of
Section 9-203(b)(1) of the NY Code; and
(iv) neither
Collateral Agent nor the Lenders have notice of any adverse claims to the
Certificated Security referred to in paragraph 8.
We
advise
you that we have not made or undertaken to make any investigation as to the
existence of or state of title to the Collateral and we express no opinion
as to
the existence, condition, or location of the Collateral.
The
law
covered by this opinion is limited to the present federal law of the United
States, the present law of the State of New York and the present Delaware
General Corporation Law and Article 9 of the Delaware Code, in each case, as
in
effect on the date hereof. We express no opinion as to the laws of any other
jurisdiction and no opinion regarding the statutes, administrative decisions,
rules, regulations or requirements of any county, municipality, subdivision
or
local authority of any jurisdiction.
C-5
This
opinion is furnished by us as special New York counsel for Borrowers and may
be
relied upon by you only in connection with the Loan Documents. It may not be
used or relied upon by you for any other purpose or by any other person, nor
may
copies be delivered to any other person, without in each instance our prior
written consent. You may, however, deliver a copy of this opinion to your
accountants, attorneys, and other professional advisors, to governmental
regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over you, to permitted assignees of
the
Loans in connection with such assignment and to participants in connection
with
their purchase of a participation interest in the Loans. At your request, we
hereby consent to reliance on this opinion by such assignees (but not such
participants) to the same extent as the addressees hereof as if this opinion
were addressed and had been delivered to them on the date of this opinion,
on
the condition and understanding that we assume no responsibility or obligation
to consider the applicability or correctness of this opinion to any person
other
than its addressee(s). This opinion is expressly limited to the matters set
forth above, and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise,
as
to any other matters. This letter speaks only as of the date hereof and we
assume no obligation to update or supplement this opinion to reflect any facts
or circumstances that arise after the date of this opinion and come to our
attention, or any future changes in laws.
Respectfully
submitted,
|
C-6
Schedule
I
Other
Agreements
Agreement
dated June 8, 2006 between Synutra International, Inc. and the Department of
Finance of Zhen Lan Qi (County) of Inner Mongolia.
Share
Exchange Agreement dated June 14, 2005 among Vorsatech Ventures Inc., Xxxxxx
Xxxxx and Berlin Capital Investments, Beams Power Investment Corporation and
Strong Gold Finance Corporation, and Synutra International, Inc.
License
and Supply Agreement dated September 1, 2003 between Martek Biosciences
Corporation and American St. Xxxxxx Biological Technology Corporation (n/k/a
Synutra International, Inc.).
C-7
Schedule
II
Certificated
Security
Issuer
|
Certificate
No.
|
Percent
Pledged
|
||
Synutra
International, Inc.
|
[·]2
|
100%
|
2 OM&M
/Xxxx Xxxxx to provide.
C-8
EXHIBIT
D
FORM
OF PRC COUNSEL OPINION
April
19,
2007
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
38/F,
Xxxxxx Kong Centre
2
Queen’s
Road Central
Hong
Kong
SAR
Re: |
Synutra
International Inc. - Loan Agreement
|
Dear
Sirs,
We
have
acted as special PRC counsel for Synutra International Inc. (the “Company”), a
Delaware corporation, and its PRC Subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) and the
Individual Guarantors in connection with the Loan Agreement dated as of April,
2007 (the “Loan Agreement”) among the Company, the Individual Guarantors listed
therein (the “Individual Guarantors”, and the Individual Guarantors and the
Company, collectively the “Obligors”), ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch as
Lender (the “Lender”) and Collateral Agent (the “Collateral Agent”). Terms used
(but not defined) herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Loan
Agreement or, if not defined in the Loan Agreement, the meanings assigned to
them in the Collateral Agreement.
We
have
reviewed executed copies of:
(a) the
Loan
Agreement; and
(b) the
Collateral Agreement dated as of April 19, 2007 (the “Collateral
Agreement”)
among
the Lien Grantor, the Borrower, the Lender and the Collateral
Agent.
The
documents listed in items (a) through (b) above are sometimes hereinafter
referred to as the “Loan
Documents”.
The
documents listed in item (b) above is sometimes hereinafter referred to as
the
“Collateral
Documents”.
We
have
also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our
satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and certificates of public
officials and officers of the Company and the Subsidiaries and have conducted
such other investigations of fact and law as we have deemed necessary or
advisable for purposes of this opinion.
Based
on
the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth
below, we are of the opinion that:
1. Each
Subsidiary of the Company organized under the laws of the PRC (each
“PRC
Subsidiary”)
is
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the PRC.
D-1
2. The
execution, delivery and performance by each Individual Guarantor of the Loan
Documents to which it is a party, is within its power. Each Individual Guarantor
has duly executed and delivered each Loan Document to which it is a
party.
3. Each
Obligor and each PRC Subsidiary of the Company has all requisite power and
authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents
and
approvals to (1) own its assets and carry on its business and (2) execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is
a
party.
4. Each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified and licensed and in good
standing under the laws of the PRC to the extent that its ownership, lease
or
operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification or license.
5. The
execution, delivery and performance, by, and the enforcement against, each
Obligor of each Loan Document to which it is a party require no action by or
in
respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official under
PRC
law and do not contravene any provision of applicable PRC law or
regulation.
6. The
execution, delivery and performance by each Obligor of each Loan Document to
which he or it is a party do not and will not conflict with or result in any
breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien (other than the Liens
created by the Collateral Agreements) under, (a) any Contractual Obligation,
governed by PRC Law, to which any Obligor or any Affiliate of any Obligor is
a
party or (b) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority
in the PRC or any arbitral award to which any Obligor or any Affiliate of any
Obligor or his or its property is subject.
7. Each
Loan
Document constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each Individual Guarantor
party thereto, in each case enforceable against such Individual Guarantor in
accordance with its terms.
8. There
are
no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to our knowledge
after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in
equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority in the PRC, by
or
against any Obligor or any Affiliate of any Obligor or against any of its or
their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this
Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated
hereby or (b) either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely,
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
9. The
payment obligations of each Individual Guarantor under the Loan Documents rank
at least pari
passu
with the
claims of all of his (or her) or its other unsecured and unsubordinated
creditors.
10. Xxxx
Xxxxxxx is not a resident of the PRC as defined in Article 1 of the Notice
No.
75.
11. Each
Individual Guarantor has obtained all applicable governmental licenses,
registrations, authorizations, consents and approvals for their respective
direct or indirect investments in the Borrower, including any registration
pursuant to Article 1 of the Notice (Hui Fa 2005 No. 75) issued by the State
Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC and have delivered all applicable
notices to Governmental Authorities in connection therewith.
D-2
12. Each
PRC
Subsidiary has obtained or completed (a) all approvals, consents, exemptions,
authorizations or other actions by or notices to, or filings with any PRC
Governmental Authority or any person and (b) any corporate or shareholder
approval necessary or required in order to permit such PRC Subsidiary to pay
dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock.
13. The
choice of New York law as the governing law of each of the Loan Documents is
a
valid choice of law.
14. Each
of
the Individual Guarantors has validly appointed CT Corporation System as its
agent for service of process pursuant to Section 9.17 of the Loan Agreement.
15. The
choice of New York law as the proper law to govern the obligations of the
parties under the Loan Documents should be upheld as a valid choice of law
by
the courts of the PRC and applied by such courts in proceedings relating to
the
obligations of the parties under the Loan Documents, unless the application
of
New York law would contravene the public policy of the PRC law. We are not
aware
of any public policy of the PRC law that would be impugned by the enforcement
of
the express provisions of the Loan Documents.
16. Each
Individual Guarantor has validly submitted to the jurisdiction as set forth
in
Section 9.15 of the Loan Agreement.
The
law
covered by this opinion is limited to the law of the PRC and any province or
other political subdivision thereof. We express no opinion as to the laws of
any
other jurisdiction.
Very
truly yours,
|
D-3
EXHIBIT
E
FORM
OF BVI COUNSEL OPINION
19
April
2007
ABN
AMRO
Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch
38/F,
Xxxxxx Kong Centre
2
Queen’s
Road Central
Hong
Kong
SAR
Attention
: the board of directors
Dear
Sirs,
Beams
Power Investment Limited
We
have
acted as special legal counsel in the British Virgin Islands to Beams Power
Investment Limited (the “Company”) in connection with the granting by the
Company of a security interest over shares of Synutra International, Inc. a
Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”).
For
the
purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined a collateral agreement between
the Company, the Issuer and ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Hong Kong Branch (the “Bank”)
dated 19 April, 2007, which is herein sometimes referred to as the “Document”
(which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not
specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule
thereto).
We
have
also reviewed the memorandum of association and the articles of association
of
the Company, as obtained from the Registrar of Corporate Affairs on [ ] April
2007, resolutions in writing signed by all the directors of the Company and
dated [ ] April 2007 and resolutions in writing signed by all the shareholders
of the Company and dated [ ] April 2007, (the “Minutes”), and such other
documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed
necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We
have
assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the
conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined
by
us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies
were taken; (b) that where a document has been examined by us in draft form,
it
will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number
of
drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been
marked or otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and
authority of each of the parties to the Documents, other than the Company,
to
enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Document; (d) the
due execution and delivery of the Document by each of the parties thereto,
other
than the Company, and the physical delivery thereof by the Company with an
intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy and completeness of all factual
representations made in the Document and other documents reviewed by us; (f)
that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at one or more duly
convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolution,
remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g)
that
there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the British
Virgin Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions
expressed herein; (h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of the
Sate
of New York (the “Foreign Laws”) of the Document which is expressed to be
governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with its terms; (i) the validity
and
binding effect under the Foreign Laws of the submission by the Company pursuant
to the Document to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State
of
New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City or of the United
States for the Southern District of such state (the “Foreign Courts”) and (j)
that on the date of entering into the Document the Company is, and immediately
after entering into the Document will be, able to pay its liabilities as they
become due.
E-1
The
term
“enforceable” as used in this opinion means that an obligation is of a type
which the courts of the British Virgin Islands enforce. It does not mean that
those obligations will be enforced in all circumstances in accordance with
the
terms of the Document. In particular, the obligations of the Company under
the
Document (a) will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating
to
bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off,
reorganisation, merger, consolidation, moratorium or any other laws or legal
procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the
rights of creditors; (b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time
within which proceedings may be brought; (c) will be subject to general
principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief,
being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect
to
by a British Virgin Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign
Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is
in
the nature of a penalty and not in the nature of liquidated damages; and (e)
may
not be given effect by a British Virgin Islands court to the extent that they
are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the British Virgin Islands and
such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction.
Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of specific
courts, a British Virgin Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow
proceedings in the British Virgin Islands courts.
We
express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Document
which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount
of
a judgment after the date of judgment or which purports to xxxxxx the statutory
powers of the Company.
We
have
made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of
any
jurisdiction other than the British Virgin Islands. This opinion is to be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the British Virgin
Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and
practice in the British Virgin Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your
benefit and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or
in
respect of any other matter.
On
the
basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. The
Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands in good standing (meaning solely that it has not failed to make any
filing with any British Virgin Islands governmental authority or to pay any
British Virgin Islands government fee or tax which would make it liable to
be
struck off the Register of Companies and thereby cease to exist under the laws
of the British Virgin Islands).
E-2
2. The
Company has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and
perform its obligations under the Document. The execution and delivery of the
Document by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations
thereunder will not violate the memorandum of association or articles of
association of the Company nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree
in the British Virgin Islands.
3. The
Company has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution,
delivery and performance of the Document. The Document has been duly executed
and delivered by or on behalf of the Company, and constitutes the valid and
binding obligations of the Company enforceable against it in accordance with
the
terms thereof.
4. No
order,
consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by
any
government or public body or authority of the British Virgin Islands or any
sub-division thereof is required to authorise or is required in connection
with
the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of the
Document.
5. Except
as
set out in this paragraph, it is not necessary or desirable to ensure the
enforceability in the British Virgin Islands of the Document that it be
registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any governmental authority
or
regulatory body in the British Virgin Islands. The Company is required to keep
a
register of all charges created on or after the date that the Company
re-registered as a BVI business company under the BVI Business Companies Act
2004 (“relevant charges”). To the extent that the Document creates a relevant
charge over assets of the Company, particulars of the charge must be entered
in
the register and a copy of the register shall be kept at the registered office
of the Company or at the office of its registered agent. Where the Document
creates a relevant charge, it may be desirable to ensure the priority in the
British Virgin Islands of the charge that the particulars of the charge be
registered at the office of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs pursuant to
Section 163(1) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004. On registration, to
the
extent that British Virgin Islands law governs the priority of a charge, such
charge will have priority in the British Virgin Islands over a relevant charge
on the property that is subsequently registered in accordance with section
163
and a relevant charge on the property that is not registered in accordance
with
that section, provided that a registered floating charge is postponed to a
subsequently registered fixed charge unless the floating charge contains a
prohibition or restriction on the power of the company to create any future
charge ranking in priority to or equally with the charge. A registration fee
of
$100.00 will be payable in respect of the registration.
It
should
be noted that charges created before the date that the Company re-registered
as
a BVI business company under the BVI Business Companies Act 2004 ("Preexisting
Charges") will continue to rank in the order in which they would have ranked
had
the relevant section of the BVI Business Companies Act 2004 not come into force
and thus may have priority over any of the Documents which creates a relevant
charge.
Under
BVI
law, “charge” means any form of security interest, whether fixed or floating,
over property, wherever situated, other than an interest arising by operation
of
law.
However,
as the Document is governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of whether it
would constitute a charge would be determined under the Foreign
Laws.
E-3
6. The
Document will not be subject to ad valorem stamp duty in the British Virgin
Islands and no registration, documentary, recording, transfer or other similar
tax, fee or charge is payable in the British Virgin Islands in connection with
the execution, delivery, filing, registration or performance of the Document
other than as stated in paragraph 5 hereof.
7. The
choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Document is a valid
choice of law and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought
before a court of competent jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, except
for those laws (i) which such court considers to be procedural in nature, (ii)
which are revenue or penal laws or (iii) the application of which would be
inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted under the laws
of
the British Virgin Islands. The submission in the Document to the non exclusive
jurisdiction of the Foreign Courts is valid and binding upon the Company and
enforceable against it.
8. The
courts of the British Virgin Islands would recognise as a valid judgment, a
final and conclusive judgment in personam obtained in the Foreign Courts against
the Company based upon the Document under which a sum of money is payable (other
than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other
charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) and would
give a judgment based thereon provided that (a) such courts had proper
jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, (b) such courts did
not
contravene the rules of natural justice of the British Virgin Islands, (c)
such
judgment was not obtained by fraud, (d) the enforcement of the judgment would
not be contrary to the public policy of the British Virgin Islands, (e) no
new
admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering
of the judgment by the courts of the British Virgin Islands and (f) there is
due
compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands.
9. There
is
no income or other tax of the British Virgin Islands imposed by withholding
or
otherwise on any payment to be made to or by the Company pursuant to the
Document.
10. Based
solely upon a search of the Index of Civil Suits maintained at the Supreme
Court
Registry, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands conducted at ____ on
___________ 2007 (which would not reveal details of proceedings which have
been
filed but not actually entered in the Index of Civil Suits at the time of our
search), there are no judgments against the Company, nor any legal proceedings
pending in the British Virgin Islands to which the Company is subject.
11. Based
solely on a search of the public records in respect of the Company maintained
at
the offices of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs at _____ on ___________ 2007
(which would not reveal details of matters which have not been lodged for
registration or have been lodged for registration but not actually registered
at
the time of our search) and a search of the Index of Civil Suits maintained
at
the Supreme Court Registry, Road Town, Tortola British Virgin Islands conducted
at _____ on _________ 2007 (which would not reveal details of proceedings which
have been filed but not actually entered in the Index of Civil Suits at the
time
of our search), there are no judgments against the Company, nor any legal or
governmental proceedings pending in the British Virgin Islands to which the
Company is subject. Further, based solely on the search of the public records
in
respect of the Company maintained at the offices of the Registrar of Corporate
Affairs mentioned above, no details have been lodged of any steps taken in
the
British Virgin Islands for the appointment of a receiver, administrator or
liquidator to, or for the winding-up, dissolution, reconstruction or
reorganisation of the Company (however, it should be noted that (i) failure
to
file notice of appointment of a receiver does not invalidate the receivership
but only gives rise to penalties on the part of the receiver and (ii) in the
case of the appointment of a liquidator, notice of the appointment of a
liquidator may be filed up to 14 days after the actual
appointment).
X-0
00. Based
solely on a search of the public records in respect of the Company maintained
at
the offices of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs at _____ on __________ 2007,
(which would not reveal details of matters which have not been lodged for
registration or which have been lodged for registration but not actually
registered at the time of our search) no register of mortgages, charges and
other encumbrances of the Company has been filed at the offices of the Registrar
of Corporate Affairs under the International Business Companies Act (the “IBC
Act”). No charge has been registered at the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in
respect of the Company under Section 163 of the BVI Business Companies Act
(“BC
Act”). Based on our review of a registered agent’s certificate issued by the
registered agent of the Company dated [ ] April 2007 and a certificate issued
by
a director of the Company dated [ ] April 2007, the Company does not maintain
a
register of mortgages, charges and other encumbrances at its registered office
under the IBC Act or a register of relevant charges at its registered office
or
the office of its registered agent under Section 162 of the BC Act. It should
be
noted that (i) the creation of a register of mortgages, charges and other
encumbrances is not mandatory under the IBC Act and if such a register is
created and maintained at the registered office of the Company , the filing
of
such register at the office of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs is further
not
mandatory under the IBC Act and (ii) it is mandatory for a register of charges
to be created and maintained at the registered office of the Company or at
the
office of its registered agent under the BC Act but the filing of such register
at the offices of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs is not mandatory under
the
BC Act.
13. The
Bank
will not be deemed to be resident, domiciled or carrying on business in the
British Virgin Islands by reason only of the execution, performance and/or
enforcement of the Document by the Company.
14. The
Bank
has standing to bring an action or proceedings before the appropriate courts
in
the British Virgin Islands for the enforcement of the Document. It is not
necessary or advisable in order for the Bank to enforce its rights under the
Document, including the exercise of remedies thereunder, that it be licensed,
qualified or otherwise entitled to carry on business in the British Virgin
Islands.
15. The
Company is not entitled to any immunity under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands, whether characterised as sovereign immunity or otherwise, from any
legal proceedings to enforce the Document in respect of itself or its
property.
16. The
obligations of the Company under the Document will rank at least pari passu
in
priority of payment with all other unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness of
the
Company, other than indebtedness which is preferred by virtue of any provision
of the laws of the British Virgin Islands of general application.
E-5
17. The
Document is in an acceptable legal form under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands for enforcement thereof in the British Virgin Islands.
18. The
appointment of CT Corporation System to accept service of process in the Foreign
Courts pursuant to the Document is legal, valid and binding on the
Company.
Yours
faithfully,
|
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