February 5, 2007
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February 5, 2007 |
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
MFRI, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Niles, IL 60714
Dear Xx. Xxxxx:
This letter (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Lane Capital Markets LLC (“LCM” or the “Placement Agent”) and MFRI, Inc. (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed placement (the “Placement”) by the Company of up to 1,090,000 registered shares (the “Company Shares”) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”). LCM shall serve as a placement agent in connection with the Placement and shall be the exclusive placement agent with respect to Shares sold to certain clients of Placement Agent (“Lane Clients”) agreed to in writing between Placement Agent and the Company from time to time (the “Shares”) and as a non-exclusive placement agent with respect to the balance of the Shares. In all cases, LCM’s engagement hereunder shall be on a “reasonable best efforts” basis. The terms of such Placement shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the purchasers of the Shares (each a “Purchaser and, collectively, the “Purchasers”) and nothing herein constitutes that LCM would have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser or an obligation for the Company to issue any Shares or complete the Placement. This Agreement and the stock purchase agreement and any agreement contemplated thereby to be executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Placement shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.” The date of the closing of the Placement shall be referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that LCM’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by LCM to purchase the Shares and does not ensure the successful placement of the Shares or any portion thereof or the success of LCM with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company.
SECTION 1. COMPENSATION AND OTHER FEES. (A) As compensation for the services provided by LCM hereunder, the Company agrees to pay to LCM a cash fee payable immediately upon the closing of the Placement equal to 3% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement solely from the Placement of the Shares to Lane Clients. (B) The Company also agrees to reimburse LCM up to a maximum of $15,000 for its legal expenses incurred (with supporting invoices/receipts) in connection with the preparation of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Such reimbursement shall be payable immediately upon (but only in the event of) the closing of the Placement. (C) In addition, as additional compensation for the services provided by LCM hereunder, the Company agrees to pay to LCM a cash fee equal to 3% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised from any Lane Client in any subsequent financing of equity or debt or other capital raising activity of the Company (or any affiliate of the Company) (each, a “Subsequent Financing”) within 12 months after the date hereof. Any such amount shall be due and payable immediately upon the closing of a Subsequent Financing.
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February 5, 2007
Page 2
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SECTION 2. |
REGISTRATION STATEMENT. |
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Placement Agent that:
(A) On December 18, 2006 the Company filed, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration File No.333-139432) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which became effective on January 4, 2007, for the registration under the Securities Act of the Shares. At the time of such filing, the Company met the requirements of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. Such registration statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities Act and complies with said Rule. The Company will file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission promulgated thereunder, a supplement to the form of prospectus included in such registration statement relating to the placement of the Shares and the plan of distribution thereof and will include in such supplement all further information (financial and other) with respect to the Company required to be set forth therein. Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as amended at the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement” such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus” and the supplemented form of prospectus, in the form in which it will be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called the “Prospectus Supplement.” Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”) pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on or before the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be; and any reference in this Agreement to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement has been issued, and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or has been initiated or, to the Company's knowledge, is threatened by the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and the “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus, if any, or the Prospectus Supplement (if used prior to or at the time of sale), each together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, used in connection with the Placement, including any documents incorporated by reference therein.
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February 5, 2007
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(B) The Registration Statement (and any further documents to be filed with the Commission) contains all exhibits and schedules as required by the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations and did not and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement, each as of its respective date, comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations. Each of the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, did not and will not contain as of the date thereof any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, and none of such documents, when they were filed with the Commission, and when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (with respect to Incorporated Documents incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement), in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, or Prospectus Supplement, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in this Section 2 (B) are given on the basis that any statement contained or not contained in a document or deemed to be incorporated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Base Prospectus prior to the Time of Sale shall be deemed to be or deemed not to be contained in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus if such statement or omission has been modified or superseded by any subsequent statement in or deemed incorporated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the Time of Sale. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, or Prospectus Supplement, or to be filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement, which have not been, or will not be, described or filed as required.
(C) The Company is eligible to use free writing prospectuses in connection with the Placement pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
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February 5, 2007
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applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Placement Agent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus and the Placement Agent will not, without the prior consent of the Company, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
(D) The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Placement Agent complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Placement Agent reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, the Prospectus Supplement, the Registration Statement, copies of the documents incorporated by reference therein and any other materials permitted by the Securities Act.
SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Except as set forth under the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof, the Company hereby makes the representations and warranties set forth below to the Placement Agent.
(A) Organization and Qualification. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries (individually, a “Subsidiary”) of the Company set forth on Schedule 3(A) are wholly-owned and the Company owns, directly or indirectly the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any “Liens” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction), and all the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities, except for the Liens created under the Company’s Loan Agreement with Bank of America, N.A. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business or financial condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no “Proceeding” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any action, claim, suit,
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February 5, 2007
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investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened), which to the actual or contractive knowledge of the Company, has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
(B) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, its board of directors or its stockholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the “Required Approvals” (as defined in subsection 3(D) below). Each Transaction Document has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies.
(C) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(D) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other “Person” (defined as an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind, including, without limitation, any “Trading Market” (which, for purposes of this Agreement shall mean the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the Nasdaq Global Market) in connection with the
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February 5, 2007
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execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than such filings or consents as have been made, received or as are required to be made under applicable Federal and state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).
(E) Issuance of the Shares; Registration. The Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will have reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Transaction Documents. The Shares are being issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Shares has been registered by the Company under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is effective and available for the issuance of the Shares thereunder and the Company has not received any notice that the Commission has issued or intends to issue a stop-order with respect to the Registration Statement or that the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened in writing to do so. The "Plan of Distribution" section under the Registration Statement permits the issuance and sale of the Shares hereunder. Upon transfer of the Shares, the Company will transfer good and marketable title to such Shares.
(F) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plan and pursuant to the conversion or exercise of securities exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock (“Common Stock Equivalents”). No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Assuming the Purchasers do not own shares of Common Stock prior to the Closing, as a result of the purchase and sale of the Shares, there are no outstanding options, warrants, script rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents and the issuance and sale of the Shares will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors of the Company or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.
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(G) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has complied in all material respects with requirements to file all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
(H) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in the SEC Reports, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables, accrued expenses and other liabilities, including bank and other debt and lease liabilities, incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or required to be disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or “Affiliate” (defined as any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144 under the Securities Act), except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(H), the Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule 3(H), no event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made that has not been publicly disclosed one Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.
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(I) Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, Proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Shares or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect except as set forth on Schedule 3(I). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act. No executive officer, to the knowledge of the Company, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(J) Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(K) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to its business and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as could not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(L) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.
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(M) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens that do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, except where failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(N) Patents and Trademarks. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other similar intellectual property rights necessary or material for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights of others. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(O) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage.
(P) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any material transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner, other than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) for other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(Q) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx. The Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the date hereof and of the closing date of the Placement.
(R) Certain Fees. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or
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consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(S) Trading Market Rules. The issuance and sale of the Shares hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
(T) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Shares, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company intends to conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.
(U) Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company to effect a registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.
(V) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Company’s Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.
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(W) |
Intentionally Deleted. |
(X) Solvency. The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date.
(Y) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon, and the Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted or threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.
(Z) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company, has violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(AA) Accountants. The Company’s Independent Public Accountants are set forth in the Registration Statement. To the knowledge of the Company, such accountants, who the Company expects will express their opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s next Annual Report on Form 10-K, are a registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act.
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(BB) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Shares (other than for the placement agent’s placement of the Shares), or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.
(CC) Approvals. The issuance and listing on the Nasdaq Global Market of the Shares requires no further approvals, including but not limited to, the approval of shareholders.
(DD) NASD Affiliations. There are no affiliations with any NASD member firm among the Company’s officers or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director of the Company, except as set forth in the Base Prospectus.
SECTION 4. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Provisions (the “Indemnification”) attached hereto as Addendum A, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
SECTION 5. ENGAGEMENT TERM. LCM’s engagement hereunder will be for the period of 30 days. The engagement may be terminated by either the Company or LCM at any time on written notice. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the provisions concerning confidentiality, indemnification, contribution and the Company’s obligations to pay fees and reimburse expenses contained herein and the Company’s obligations contained in the Indemnification Provisions will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement. LCM agrees not to use any confidential information concerning the Company provided to them by the Company for any purposes other than those contemplated under this Agreement.
SECTION 6. LCM INFORMATION. The Company agrees that any information or advice rendered by LCM in connection with this engagement is for the confidential use of the Company only in their evaluation of the Placement and, except as otherwise required by law, the Company will not disclose or otherwise refer to the advice or information in any manner without LCM’s prior written consent.
SECTION 7. NO FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP. This Agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating rights enforceable by any person or entity not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the Indemnification Provisions hereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that LCM is not and shall not be construed as a fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the creditors of the Company or any other person by virtue of this Agreement or the retention of LCM hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.
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SECTION 8. CLOSING. The obligations of the Placement Agent and the closing of the sale of the Shares hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and its Subsidiaries contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and its Subsidiaries of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(A) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Placement Agent. Any filings required to be made by the Company in shall have been timely filed with the Commission.
(B) The Placement Agent shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Placement Agent, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(C) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form, execution, delivery and validity of each of this Agreement, the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Placement Agent, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(D) The Placement Agent shall have received from outside counsel to the Company such counsel’s written opinion, addressed to the Placement Agent dated as of the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel.
(E) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, terrorist act or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Base Prospectus and (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Base Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Shares
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on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement.
(F) The Common Stock is registered under the Exchange Act and, as of the Closing Date, the Shares shall be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Placement Agent. The Company shall have taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting or suspending from trading the Common Stock from the Nasdaq Global Market, nor has the Company received any information suggesting that the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
(G) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market or the American Stock Exchange or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or minimum or maximum prices or maximum ranges for prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities in which it is not currently engaged, the subject of an act of terrorism, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred any other calamity or crisis or any change in general economic, political or financial conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event in clause (iii) or (iv) makes it, in the sole judgment of the Placement Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement.
(H) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
(I) The Company shall have prepared and filed with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K with respect to the Placement, including as an exhibit thereto this Agreement.
(J) The Company shall have entered into common stock purchase agreements with each of the Purchasers and such agreements shall be in full force and effect and shall contain representations and warranties of the Company and the Purchasers as agreed between the Company and the Purchasers.
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(K) The NASD shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of this Agreement.
(L) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Placement Agent.
SECTION 9. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Illinois applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Any right to trial by jury with respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement or any transaction or conduct in connection herewith is waived. Any dispute arising under this Agreement may be brought into the courts of the State of Illinois or into the Federal Court located in Chicago, Illinois and, by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company hereby accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of aforesaid courts. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by delivering a copy thereof via overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of a Transaction Document, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
SECTION 10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT/MISC. This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Provisions) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by both LCM and the Company. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the closing of the Placement and delivery and/or exercise of the Shares, as applicable. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or a .pdf format file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or
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on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature page were an original thereof.
SECTION 11. NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a business day, (b) the next business day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a business day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any business day, (c) the business day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages hereto.
[Signature page follows]
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing and returning to LCM the enclosed copy of this Agreement.
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Very truly yours, | |||
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Lane CAPITAL MArkets, LLC | |||
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Partner and Managing Director | ||
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Address for notice: |
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000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 | |||
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New York, NY, 10271 | |||
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Copy to: |
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq. | |||
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Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxx, LLP | |||
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000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 | |||
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New York, NY 10022 | |||
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Accepted and Agreed to as of the date first written above: |
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MFRI, Inc. |
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Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
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Niles, IL 60714 |
DLA Piper US, LLP | |||||
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000 Xxxxx XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 | |||||
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Chicago, IL 60601-1293 | |||||
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ADDENDUM A
INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS
In connection with the engagement of Lane Capital Markets LLC (“LCM”) by MFRI, Inc. (the “Company”) pursuant to a letter agreement dated February 2, 2007, between the Company and LCM, as it may be amended from time to time in writing (the “Agreement”), the Company and LCM hereby agree as follows:
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To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify LCM and its affiliates, stockholders, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) against all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, as the same are incurred (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus Supplement or Time of Sale Prospectus, each as amended or supplemented, if applicable, or arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (a) arises primarily out of or is based primarily upon any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in or omitted from and in conformity with information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Placement Agent to the Company expressly for use therein, or (b) are found in a final judgment (not subject to appeal) by a court of law to have resulted primarily and directly from LCM’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in performing the services described herein. |
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The Placement Agent agrees to indemnify the Company, its directors and officers and any controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) against all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, as the same are incurred (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which the Company or any such party may incur under the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability is arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Placement Agent to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, Prospectus Supplement or Time of Sale Prospectus or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in connection with such information. The Placement Agent’s liability hereunder shall be limited to a maximum amount equal to any fees it actually receives pursuant to this Agreement. |
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Promptly after receipt by any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either section 1 or 2 above (the “Indemnified Party”) of notice of any claim or the |
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commencement of any action or proceeding with respect to which the Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnity hereunder, the Indemnified Party will notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing of such claim or of the commencement of such action or proceeding, and the Indemnifying Party will assume the defense of such action or proceeding and will employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and will pay the fees and expenses of such counsel. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Indemnified Party will be entitled to employ counsel separate from counsel for the Indemnifying Party and from any other party in such action if counsel for the Indemnified Party reasonably determines that it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility for the same counsel to represent both parties. In such event, the reasonable fees and disbursements of no more than one such separate counsel will be paid by the Indemnifying Party. The Indemnifying Party will have the exclusive right to settle the claim or proceeding provided that the Indemnifying Party will not settle any such claim, action or proceeding without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, which will not be unreasonably withheld. No party shall be liable for any settlement payment made without its prior written consent.
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Subject to the limitations set forth herein, if for any reason the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to the Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold the Indemnified Party harmless, then the Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and LCM on the other, but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and LCM on the other that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any relevant equitable considerations. The amounts paid or payable by a party in respect of losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees and expenses incurred in defending any litigation, proceeding or other action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions hereof, LCM’s share of the liability hereunder shall not be in excess of the amount of fees actually received, or to be received, by LCM under the Agreement (excluding any amounts received as reimbursement of expenses incurred by LCM). |
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These Indemnification Provisions shall remain in full force and effect whether or not the transaction contemplated by the Agreement is completed and shall survive the termination of the Agreement, and shall be in addition to any liability that the Company might otherwise have to any indemnified party under the Agreement or otherwise. |
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Very truly yours, | |
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Lane CAPITAL MArkets, LLC | |
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Title: |
Partner and Managing Director |
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Accepted and Agreed to as of the date first written above: |
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Title: |
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
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SCHEDULE 3(A)
Midwesco Filter Resources, Inc.
Perma-Pipe, Inc.
Thermal Care, Inc.
