EXHIBIT 10.6
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FORM OF GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
made by
IFCO SYSTEMS N.V.,
PALEX, INC., as Borrower,
and certain of their Subsidiaries
in favor of
BANK ONE, NA
as Administrative Agent
Dated as of March 8, 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS .................................................. 1
1.1 Definitions ..................................................... 1
1.2 Other Definitional Provisions ................................... 7
SECTION 2. GUARANTEE ...................................................... 7
2.1 Guarantee ....................................................... 7
2.2 Right of Contribution ........................................... 8
2.3 No Subrogation .................................................. 8
2.4 Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations........ 8
2.5 Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional ............................ 9
2.6 Reinstatement ................................................... 10
2.7 Payments ........................................................ 10
SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST ..................................... 10
SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES ................................. 11
4.1 Representations in Credit Agreement ............................. 11
4.2 Title; No Other Liens ........................................... 11
4.3 Perfected First Priority Liens .................................. 11
4.4 Chief Executive Office .......................................... 12
4.5 Inventory and Equipment ......................................... 12
4.6 Farm Products ................................................... 12
4.7 Pledged Securities .............................................. 12
4.8 Receivables ..................................................... 12
4.9 Intellectual Property ........................................... 13
SECTION 5. COVENANTS ...................................................... 13
5.1 Covenants in Credit Agreement ................................... 13
5.2 Delivery of Instruments and Chattel Paper ....................... 13
5.3 Maintenance of Insurance ........................................ 14
5.4 Payment of Obligations .......................................... 14
5.5 Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further
Documentation .................................................. 14
5.6 Changes in Locations, Name, etc. ................................ 15
5.7 Notices ......................................................... 15
5.8 Investment Property ............................................. 15
5.9 Receivables ..................................................... 17
5.10 Intellectual Property ........................................... 17
SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS ............................................ 18
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6.1 Certain Matters Relating to Receivables ......................... 18
6.2 Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable ............ 19
6.3 Pledged Stock ................................................... 20
6.4 Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent .............. 20
6.5 Application of Proceeds ......................................... 21
6.6 Code and Other Remedies ......................................... 21
6.7 Waiver; Deficiency .............................................. 22
SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT ....................................... 22
7.1 Administrative Agent's Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc...... 22
7.2 Duty of Administrative Agent .................................... 24
7.3 Execution of Financing Statements ............................... 24
7.4 Authority of Administrative Agent ............................... 25
SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS .................................................. 25
8.1 Amendments in Writing ........................................... 25
8.2 Notices ......................................................... 25
8.3 No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies ............. 25
8.4 Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification ........................... 26
8.5 Successors and Assigns .......................................... 26
8.6 Set-Off ......................................................... 26
8.7 Counterparts .................................................... 27
8.8 Severability .................................................... 27
8.9 Section Headings ................................................ 27
8.10 Integration ..................................................... 27
8.11 GOVERNING LAW ................................................... 27
8.12 Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers ............................. 27
8.13 Acknowledgments ................................................. 28
8.14 Additional Grantors ............................................. 28
8.15 Releases ........................................................ 29
8.16 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL ............................................ 29
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GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT, dated as of March 8, 2000, made by
each of the signatories hereto, in favor of BANK ONE, NA, as Administrative
Agent (in such capacity, the "Administrative Agent") for the banks and other
financial institutions (the "Lenders") from time to time parties to the Credit
Agreement, dated as of March 8, 2000 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among IFCO SYSTEMS, N.V.,
PALEX, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), the several banks and
other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties to the Credit
Agreement, CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP. and BANC ONE CAPITAL MARKETS, INC. as co-
lead arrangers and co-book runners (in such capacity, the "Arrangers"), CIBC
WORLD MARKETS CORP., as Syndication Agent (in such capacity, the "Syndication
Agent"), and the Administrative Agent.
W I T N E S S E T H:
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have severally
agreed to make extensions of credit to the Borrower upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth therein;
WHEREAS, the Borrower is a member of an affiliated group of companies
that includes each other Grantor;
WHEREAS, the proceeds of the extensions of credit under the Credit
Agreement will be used in part to enable the Borrower to make valuable transfers
to one or more of the other Grantors in connection with the operation of their
respective businesses;
WHEREAS, the Borrower and the other Grantors are engaged in related
businesses, and each Grantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit
from the making of the extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement; and
WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the obligation of the Lenders
to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower under the Credit
Agreement that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered this Agreement to
the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to
induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower
thereunder, each Grantor hereby agrees with the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders, as follows:
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SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS
1.1 Definitions. (a) Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in
the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in
the Credit Agreement, and the following terms which are defined in the Uniform
Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on the date hereof are used
herein as so defined: Accounts, Chattel Paper, Documents, Equipment, Farm
Products, Goods, Instruments, Inventory and Investment Property.
(b) The following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Agreement": this Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, as the same may
be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
"Borrower Credit Agreement Obligations": the collective reference to
the unpaid principal of and interest on the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations
and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower (including, without
limitation, interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in the Credit
Agreement after the maturity of the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations and
interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement
after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any
insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether
or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such
proceeding) to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, whether direct or
indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or
hereafter incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, the
Credit Agreement, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any Letter of
Credit, or any other document made, delivered or given in connection therewith,
in each case whether on account of principal, interest, reimbursement
obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without
limitation, all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by the
Borrower pursuant to the terms of any of the foregoing agreements).
"Borrower Hedge Agreement Obligations": the collective reference to
all obligations and liabilities of the Borrower (including, without limitation,
interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in any Specified Hedge
Agreement after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of
any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower,
whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in
such proceeding) to any Lender or any affiliate of any Lender, whether direct or
indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or
hereafter incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, any
Specified Hedge Agreement or any other document made, delivered or given in
connection therewith, in each case whether on account of principal, interest,
reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise
(including, without limitation, all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
to the relevant
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Lender or affiliate thereof that are required to be paid by the Borrower
pursuant to the terms of any Specified Hedge Agreement).
"Borrower Obligations": the collective reference to (i) the Borrower Credit
Agreement Obligations, (ii) the Borrower Hedge Agreement Obligations, but only
to the extent that, and only so long as, the Borrower Credit Agreement
Obligations are secured and guaranteed pursuant hereto, and (iii) all other
obligations and liabilities of the Borrower, whether direct or indirect,
absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter
incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, this Agreement
(including, without limitation, all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
to the Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by
the Borrower pursuant to the terms of this Agreement).
"Collateral": as defined in Section 3.
"Collateral Account": any collateral account established by the
Administrative Agent as provided in Section 6.1 or 6.4.
"Copyrights": (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United
States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether
registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished (including,
without limitation, those listed in Schedule 6), all registrations and
recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, including,
without limitation, all registrations, recordings and applications in the United
States Copyright Office, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.
"Copyright Licenses": any written agreement naming any Grantor as licensor
or licensee (including, without limitation, those listed in Schedule 6),
granting any right under any Copyright, including, without limitation, the grant
of rights to manufacture, distribute, exploit and sell materials derived from
any Copyright.
"Deposit Account": as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code of any
applicable jurisdiction and, in any event, including, without limitation, any
demand, time, savings, passbook or like account maintained with a depositary
institution. It is mutually understood that although a security interest in
Deposit Accounts is granted by each Grantor hereunder, the Administrative Agent
does not intend to perfect such security interest (except to the extent that
such a security interest can be perfected by filing) on the Closing Date.
"Foreign Subsidiary": any Subsidiary organized under the laws of any
jurisdiction outside the United States of America.
"Foreign Subsidiary Voting Stock": the voting Capital Stock of any Foreign
Subsidiary.
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"General Intangibles": all "general intangibles" as such term is defined in
Section 9-106 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York
on the date hereof and, in any event, including, without limitation, with
respect to any Grantor, all contracts, agreements, instruments and indentures in
any form, and portions thereof, to which such Grantor is a party or under which
such Grantor has any right, title or interest or to which such Grantor or any
property of such Grantor is subject, as the same may from time to time be
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, including, without limitation, (i)
all rights of such Grantor to receive moneys due and to become due to it
thereunder or in connection therewith, (ii) all rights of such Grantor to
damages arising thereunder and (iii) all rights of such Grantor to perform and
to exercise all remedies thereunder, in each case to the extent the grant by
such Grantor of a security interest pursuant to this Agreement in its right,
title and interest in such contract, agreement, instrument or indenture is not
prohibited by such contract, agreement, instrument or indenture without the
consent of any other party thereto, would not give any other party to such
contract, agreement, instrument or indenture the right to terminate its
obligations thereunder, or is permitted with consent if all necessary consents
to such grant of a security interest have been obtained from the other parties
thereto (it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to obligate
such Grantor to obtain such consents); provided, that the foregoing limitation
shall not affect, limit, restrict or impair the grant by such Grantor of a
security interest pursuant to this Agreement in any Receivable or any money or
other amounts due or to become due under any such contract, agreement,
instrument or indenture.
"Grantor" each signatory hereto, together with any other entity that may
become a party hereto; provided that (i) Schoeller International Logistics
Beteiligungs GmbH shall only be a Grantor hereunder to the extent that it
pledges the Capital Stock of any of its Domestic Subsidiaries and (ii) Holdings
shall only be a Grantor hereunder to the extent that it pledges stock of the
Borrower.
"Guarantor Obligations": with respect to any Guarantor, all obligations and
liabilities of such Guarantor which may arise under or in connection with this
Agreement (including, without limitation, Section 2) or any other Loan Document
to which such Guarantor is a party, in each case whether on account of guarantee
obligations, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or
otherwise (including, without limitation, all reasonable fees and disbursements
of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be
paid by such Guarantor pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document).
"Guarantors": the collective reference to each Grantor other than the
Borrower and Schoeller International Logistics Beteiligungs GmbH.
"Hedge Agreements": as to any Person, all interest rate swaps, caps or
collar agreements or similar arrangements entered into by such Person providing
for protection against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates
or the exchange of nominal interest obligations, either generally or under
specific contingencies.
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"Intellectual Property": the collective reference to all rights, priorities
and privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United
States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including, without
limitation, the Copyrights, the Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent
Licenses, the Trademarks and the Trademark Licenses, and all rights to xxx at
law or in equity for any infringement or other impairment thereof, including the
right to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom.
"Intercompany Note": any promissory note evidencing loans made by any
Grantor to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries.
"Investment Property": the collective reference to (i) all "investment
property" as such term is defined in Section 9-115 of the New York UCC (other
than any Foreign Subsidiary Voting Stock excluded from the definition of
"Pledged Stock") and (ii) whether or not constituting "investment property" as
so defined, all Pledged Notes and all Pledged Stock.
"Issuers": the collective reference to each issuer of a Pledged Security.
"New York UCC": the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect
in the State of New York.
"Obligations": (i) in the case of the Borrower, the Borrower Obligations,
and (ii) in the case of each Guarantor, its Guarantor Obligations.
"Patents": (i) all letters patent of the United States, any other country
or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions thereof and
all goodwill associated therewith, including, without limitation, any of the
foregoing referred to in Schedule 6, (ii) all applications for letters patent of
the United States or any other country and all divisions, continuations and
continuations-in-part thereof, including, without limitation, any of the
foregoing referred to in Schedule 6, and (iii) all rights to obtain any reissues
or extensions of the foregoing.
"Patent License": all agreements, whether written or oral, providing for
the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to manufacture, use or sell any
invention covered in whole or in part by a Patent, including, without
limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6.
"Pledged Notes": all promissory notes listed on Schedule 2, all
Intercompany Notes at any time issued to any Grantor and all other promissory
notes issued to or held by any Grantor (other than (i) promissory notes issued
in connection with extensions of trade credit by any Grantor in the ordinary
course of business and (ii) promissory notes existing on the Closing Date which
individually are for an aggregate principal amount of less than $200,000).
"Pledged Securities": the collective reference to the Pledged Notes and the
Pledged Stock.
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"Pledged Stock": the shares of Capital Stock listed on Schedule 2, together
with any other shares, stock certificates, options or rights of any nature
whatsoever in respect of the Capital Stock of any Person that may be issued or
granted to, or held by, any Grantor while this Agreement is in effect; provided
that in no event shall more than 65% of the total outstanding Foreign Subsidiary
Voting Stock of any Foreign Subsidiary be required to be pledged hereunder.
"Proceeds": all "proceeds" as such term is defined in Section 9-306(1) of
the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on the date
hereof and, in any event, shall include, without limitation, all dividends or
other income from the Investment Property, collections thereon or distributions
or payments with respect thereto.
"Receivable": any right to payment for goods sold or leased or for services
rendered, whether or not such right is evidenced by an Instrument or Chattel
Paper and whether or not it has been earned by performance (including, without
limitation, any Account).
"Securities Act": the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Specified Hedge Agreement": any Hedge Agreement (a) entered into by (i)
the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries and (ii) any Lender or any affiliate
thereof, as counterparty, and (b) which has been designated by such Lender and
the Borrower, by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Syndication Agent
not later than 90 days after the execution and delivery by the Borrower or its
Subsidiary thereof, as a Specified Hedge Agreement. The designation of any Hedge
Agreement as a Specified Hedge Agreement shall not create in favor of the Lender
or affiliate thereof that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the
management or release of any Collateral or any Guarantor Obligations.
"Trademarks": (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company
names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, service marks,
logos and other source or business identifiers, and all goodwill associated
therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and
recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, whether in the
United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of
the United States, any State thereof or any other country or any political
subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common-law rights related thereto,
including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6,
and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.
"Trademark License": any agreement, whether written or oral, providing for
the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any Trademark, including,
without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 5.
"Vehicles": all cars, trucks, trailers, construction and earth moving
equipment and other vehicles covered by a certificate of title law of any state
and all tires and other appurtenances to
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any of the foregoing. It is mutually understood that although a security
interest in Vehicles is granted by each Grantor hereunder, the Administrative
Agent does not intend to require the perfection of such security interest on the
Closing Date.
1.2 Other Definitional Provisions. The words "hereof," "herein",
"hereto" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in this Agreement
shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of
this Agreement, and Section and Schedule references are to this Agreement unless
otherwise specified.
(a) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.
(b) Where the context requires, terms relating to the Collateral or
any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, shall refer to such
Grantor's Collateral or the relevant part thereof.
SECTION 2. GUARANTEE
2.1 Guarantee. (a) Each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and
severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the Administrative
Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders and their respective successors,
indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment and
performance by the Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations.
(b) Anything herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary
notwithstanding, the maximum liability of each Guarantor hereunder and under the
other Loan Documents shall in no event exceed the amount which can be guaranteed
by such Guarantor under applicable federal and state laws relating to the
insolvency of debtors (after giving effect to the right of contribution
established in Section 2.2).
(c) Each Guarantor agrees that the Borrower Obligations may at any
time and from time to time exceed the amount of the liability of such Guarantor
hereunder without impairing the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or
affecting the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
hereunder.
(d) The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall remain in full
force and effect until (i) all the Borrower Obligations and the obligations of
each Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall have been
satisfied by payment in full, (ii) no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and
(iii) the Commitments shall be terminated, notwithstanding that from time to
time during the term of the Credit Agreement the Borrower may be free from any
Borrower Obligations.
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(e) No payment made by the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other
guarantor or any other Person or received or collected by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender from the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other
guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding or any set-
off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time in
reduction of or in payment of the Borrower Obligations shall be deemed to
modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor
hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment
made by such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations or any payment
received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower
Obligations), remain liable for the Borrower Obligations up to the maximum
liability of such Guarantor hereunder until the Borrower Obligations are paid in
full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments are
terminated.
2.2 Right of Contribution. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees
that to the extent that a Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than its
proportionate share of any payment made hereunder, such Subsidiary Guarantor
shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against any other
Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder which has not paid its proportionate share of
such payment. Each Subsidiary Guarantor's right of contribution shall be subject
to the terms and conditions of Section 2.3. The provisions of this Section 2.2
shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Subsidiary
Guarantor to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and each Subsidiary
Guarantor shall remain liable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for
the full amount guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.
2.3 No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment made by any Guarantor
hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be
subrogated to any of the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
against the Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or
guarantee or right of offset held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for
the payment of the Borrower Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be
entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Borrower or any
other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until
all amounts owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower on
account of the Borrower Obligations are paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall
be outstanding and the Commitments are terminated. If any amount shall be paid
to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of
the Borrower Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be
held by such Guarantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders,
segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt
by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Administrative Agent in the exact form
received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the
Administrative Agent, if required), to be applied against the Borrower
Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in such order as the Administrative
Agent may determine.
2.4 Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each
Guarantor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding that, without any
reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without notice to or further
assent by any Guarantor, any demand for payment of any of
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the Borrower Obligations made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be
rescinded by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and any of the Borrower
Obligations continued, and the Borrower Obligations, or the liability of any
other Person upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or
guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to
time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, amended, modified, accelerated,
compromised, waived, surrendered or released by the Administrative Agent or any
Lender, and the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other
documents executed and delivered in connection therewith may be amended,
modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in part, as the Administrative
Agent (or the Required Lenders or all Lenders, as the case may be) may deem
advisable from time to time, and any collateral security, guarantee or right of
offset at any time held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the
payment of the Borrower Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived, surrendered
or released. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any
obligation to protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any time held by it
as security for the Borrower Obligations or for the guarantee contained in this
Section 2 or any property subject thereto.
2.5 Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional. Each Guarantor waives any
and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension or accrual of any of the
Borrower Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or acceptance
of the guarantee contained in this Section 2; the Borrower Obligations, and any
of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or
incurred, or renewed, extended, amended or waived, in reliance upon the
guarantee contained in this Section 2; and all dealings between the Borrower and
any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders, on the other hand, likewise shall be conclusively presumed to have been
had or consummated in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2.
Each Guarantor waives diligence, presentment, protest, demand for payment and
notice of default or nonpayment to or upon the Borrower or any of the Guarantors
with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor understands and agrees
that the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall be construed as a
continuing, absolute and unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to
(a) the validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan
Document, any of the Borrower Obligations or any other collateral security
therefor or guarantee or right of offset with respect thereto at any time or
from time to time held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (b) any
defense, set-off or counterclaim (other than a defense of payment or
performance) which may at any time be available to or be asserted by the
Borrower or any other Person against the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or
(c) any other circumstance whatsoever (with or without notice to or knowledge of
the Borrower or such Guarantor) which constitutes, or might be construed to
constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of the Borrower for the Borrower
Obligations, or of such Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section
2, in bankruptcy or in any other instance. When making any demand hereunder or
otherwise pursuing its rights and remedies hereunder against any Guarantor, the
Administrative Agent or any Lender may, but shall be under no obligation to,
make a similar demand on or otherwise pursue such rights and remedies as it may
have against the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or against
any collateral security or guarantee for the Borrower Obligations or any right
of offset with respect thereto, and any failure by the Administrative Agent or
any Lender to make any such demand, to pursue such other
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rights or remedies or to collect any payments from the Borrower, any other
Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such collateral security or
guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or any release of the
Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any such collateral
security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any Guarantor of any
obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or affect the rights and
remedies, whether express, implied or available as a matter of law, of the
Administrative Agent or any Lender against any Guarantor. For the purposes
hereof "demand" shall include the commencement and continuance of any legal
proceedings.
2.6 Reinstatement. The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall
continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time
payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Borrower Obligations is rescinded or
must otherwise be restored or returned by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of
the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a
receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the
Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise,
all as though such payments had not been made.
2.7 Payments. Each Guarantor hereby guarantees that payments hereunder
will be paid to the Administrative Agent without set-off or counterclaim in
Dollars.
SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST
Each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the Administrative Agent,
and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the
Lenders (and any affiliates of any Lender to which Hedge Agreement Obligations
are owing), a security interest in, all of the following property now owned or
at any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such Grantor now has
or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest
(collectively, the "Collateral"), as collateral security for the prompt and
complete payment and performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise) of such Grantor's Obligation:
(a) all Accounts;
(b) all Chattel Paper;
(c) all Deposit Accounts;
(d) all Documents;
(e) all Equipment;
(f) all General Intangibles;
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(g) all Instruments;
(h) all Intellectual Property;
(i) all Inventory;
(j) all Investment Property;
(k) all Vehicles;
(l) all Goods and other property not otherwise described above;
(m) all books and records pertaining to the Collateral; and
(n) to the extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds and products of
any and all of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees given by
any Person with respect to any of the foregoing.
SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the
Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions
of credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby represents and
warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender that:
4.1 Representations in Credit Agreement. In the case of each
Guarantor, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 of the
Credit Agreement as they relate to such Guarantor or to the Loan Documents to
which such Guarantor is a party, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by
reference, are true and correct, and the Administrative Agent and each Lender
shall be entitled to rely on each of them as if they were fully set forth
herein, provided that each reference in each such representation and warranty to
the Borrower's or Holding's knowledge shall, for the purposes of this Section
4.1, be deemed to be a reference to such Guarantor's knowledge.
4.2 Title; No Other Liens. Except for the security interest granted to
the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders pursuant to this
Agreement and the other Liens permitted to exist on the Collateral by the Credit
Agreement, such Grantor owns each item of the Collateral free and clear of any
and all Liens or claims of others. Upon the filing of UCC-3 terminations in all
jurisdictions in which financing statements were filed in connection with the
Existing Credit Facility, no financing statement or other public notice with
respect to all or any part of the Collateral will be on file or of record in any
public office, except such as have been filed in favor of the Administrative
Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, pursuant to this Agreement or as
are permitted by the Credit Agreement.
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4.3 Perfected First Priority Liens. The security interests granted
pursuant to this Agreement (a) constitute valid security interests in all of the
Collateral located in the United States in favor of the Administrative Agent,
for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, as collateral security for such
Grantor's Obligations, enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof against
all creditors of such Grantor and any Persons purporting to purchase any
Collateral from such Grantor (other than purchasers in the ordinary course of
business) and (b) are prior to all other Liens on the Collateral in existence on
the date hereof except for Liens permitted by the Credit Agreement. Except as
provided in Section 5.1(l) of the Credit Agreement, upon the filing of
appropriate financing statements or other similar such documentation, and the
transfer of possession of Collateral constituting Instruments, Certificates of
Title or certificated securities to the Administrative Agent, such security
interests shall constitute perfected security interests in the Collateral.
4.4 Chief Executive Office. On the date hereof, such Grantor's
jurisdiction of organization and the location of such Grantor's chief executive
office or sole place of business are specified on Schedule 3.
4.5 Inventory and Equipment. On the date hereof, the Inventory and the
Equipment (other than mobile goods) are kept at the locations listed on
Schedule 5.
4.6 Farm Products. None of the Collateral constitutes, or is the
Proceeds of, Farm Products.
4.7 Pledged Securities. (a) The shares of Pledged Stock pledged by
such Grantor hereunder constitute all the issued and outstanding shares of all
classes of the Capital Stock of each Issuer owned by such Grantor or, in the
case of Foreign Subsidiary Voting Stock, if less, 65% of the outstanding Foreign
Subsidiary Voting Stock of each relevant Issuer.
(b) All the shares of the Pledged Stock have been duly and validly
issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
(c) Each of the Pledged Notes constitutes the legal, valid and binding
obligation of the obligor with respect thereto, enforceable in accordance with
its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors' rights generally, general equitable principles (whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good
faith and fair dealing.
(d) Such Grantor is the record and beneficial owner of, and has good
and marketable title to, the Investment Property pledged by it hereunder, free
of any and all Liens or options in favor of, or claims of, any other Person,
except the security interest created by this Agreement, and as permitted under
the Credit Agreement.
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4.8 Receivables. (a) No amount payable to such Grantor under or in
connection with any Receivable is evidenced by any Instrument or Chattel Paper
which has not been delivered to the Administrative Agent.
(b) None of the obligors on any Receivables is a Governmental
Authority.
(c) The amounts represented by such Grantor to the Lenders from time
to time as owing to such Grantor in respect of the Receivables will at such
times be accurate in all material respects.
4.9 Intellectual Property. (a) Schedule 5 lists all Intellectual
Property owned by such Grantor in its own name on the date hereof.
(b) On the date hereof, all material Intellectual Property of such
Grantor described on Schedule 6 is valid, subsisting, unexpired and enforceable,
has not been abandoned and does not infringe the intellectual property rights of
any other Person.
(c) Except as set forth in Schedule 6, on the date hereof, none of the
Intellectual Property is the subject of any licensing or franchise agreement
pursuant to which such Grantor is the licensor or franchisor.
(d) No holding, decision or judgment has been rendered by any
Governmental Authority which would limit, cancel or question the validity of, or
such Grantor's rights in, any Intellectual Property in any respect that could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) No action or proceeding is pending, or, to the knowledge of such
Grantor, threatened, on the date hereof (i) seeking to limit, cancel or question
the validity of any Intellectual Property or such Grantor's ownership interest
therein, or (ii) which, if adversely determined, would have a material adverse
effect on the value of any Intellectual Property.
SECTION 5. COVENANTS
Each Grantor covenants and agrees with the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders that, from and after the date of this Agreement until the
Obligations shall have been paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall be
outstanding and the Commitments shall have terminated:
5.1 Covenants in Credit Agreement. In the case of each Guarantor, such
Guarantor shall take, or shall refrain from taking, as the case may be, each
action that is necessary to be taken or not taken, as the case may be, so that
no Default or Event of Default is caused by the failure to take such action or
to refrain from taking such action by such Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.
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5.2 Delivery of Instruments and Chattel Paper. If any amount payable
under or in connection with any of the Collateral shall be or become evidenced
by any Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper, such Instrument,
Certificated Security or Chattel Paper shall be immediately delivered to the
Administrative Agent, duly indorsed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent, to be held as Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.
5.3 Maintenance of Insurance. (a) Such Grantor will maintain, with
financially sound and reputable companies, insurance policies (i) insuring the
Inventory, Equipment and Vehicles against loss by fire, explosion, theft and
such other casualties as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent and (ii) insuring such Grantor and the Administrative Agent, for the
benefit of the Lenders, against liability for personal injury and property
damage relating to such Inventory, Equipment and Vehicles, such policies to be
in such form and amounts and having such coverage as may be reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.
(b) All such insurance shall (i) provide that no cancellation,
material reduction in amount or material change in coverage thereof shall be
effective until at least 30 days after receipt by the Administrative Agent of
written notice thereof, (ii) name the Administrative Agent as insured party or
loss payee, (iii) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, include a
breach of warranty clause and (iv) be reasonably satisfactory in all other
respects to the Administrative Agent.
(c) The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a report of
a reputable insurance broker with respect to such insurance substantially
concurrently with the delivery by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent of
its audited financial statements for each fiscal year and such supplemental
reports with respect thereto as the Administrative Agent may from time to time
reasonably request.
5.4 Payment of Obligations. Such Grantor will pay and discharge or
otherwise satisfy at or before maturity or before they become delinquent, as the
case may be, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed
upon the Collateral or in respect of income or profits therefrom, as well as all
claims of any kind (including, without limitation, claims for labor, materials
and supplies) against or with respect to the Collateral, except that no such
charge need be paid if the amount or validity thereof is currently being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, reserves in conformity with
GAAP with respect thereto have been provided on the books of such Grantor and
such proceedings could not reasonably be expected to result in the sale,
forfeiture or loss of any material portion of the Collateral or any interest
therein.
5.5 Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further Documentation.
(a) Such Grantor shall maintain the security interest created by this
Agreement as a perfected security interest (except in the case of Vehicles and
Deposit Accounts) having at least the priority described in Section 4.3 and
shall defend such security interest against the claims and demands of all
Persons whomsoever.
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(b) Such Grantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders from time to time statements and schedules further identifying and
describing the assets and property of such Grantor and such other reports in
connection with the Collateral as the Administrative Agent may reasonably
request, all in reasonable detail.
(c) At any time and from time to time, upon the written request of the
Administrative Agent, and at the sole expense of such Grantor, such Grantor will
promptly and duly execute and deliver, and have recorded, such further
instruments and documents and take such further actions as the Administrative
Agent may reasonably request for the purpose of obtaining or preserving the full
benefits of this Agreement and of the rights and powers herein granted,
including, without limitation, (i) the filing of any financing or continuation
statements under the Uniform Commercial Code (or other similar laws) in effect
in any jurisdiction with respect to the security interests created hereby and
(ii) in the case of Investment Property, Deposit Accounts and any other relevant
Collateral, taking any actions necessary to enable the Administrative Agent to
obtain "control" (within the meaning of the applicable Uniform Commercial Code)
with respect thereto.
5.6 Changes in Locations, Name, etc. Such Grantor will not, except
upon 20 days' prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and delivery to
the Administrative Agent of (a) all additional executed financing statements and
other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain the
validity, perfection and priority of the security interests provided for herein
and (b) if applicable, a written supplement to Schedule 5 showing any additional
location at which Inventory or Equipment shall be kept:
(i) permit any of the Inventory or Equipment (other than mobile
goods) to be kept at a location other than those listed on Schedule 4 or in
a state or county (when necessary for perfection) in which a financing
statement in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the
Lenders, has been filed in respect thereof;
(ii) change its jurisdiction of organization or the location of its
chief executive office or sole place of business from that referred to in
Section 4.4; or
(iii) change its name, identity or corporate structure to such an
extent that any financing statement filed by the Administrative Agent in
connection with this Agreement would become misleading.
5.7 Notices. Such Grantor will advise the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders promptly, in reasonable detail, of:
(a) any Lien (other than security interests created hereby or Liens
permitted under the Credit Agreement) on any of the Collateral which would
adversely affect the ability of the Administrative Agent to exercise any of its
remedies hereunder; and
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(b) of the occurrence of any other event which could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the aggregate value of the
Collateral or on the security interests created hereby.
5.8 Investment Property. (a) If such Grantor shall become entitled to
receive or shall receive any stock certificate (including, without limitation,
any certificate representing a stock dividend or a distribution in connection
with any reclassification, increase or reduction of capital or any certificate
issued in connection with any reorganization), option or rights (if in
deliverable form) in respect of the Capital Stock of any Issuer, whether in
addition to, in substitution of, as a conversion of, or in exchange for, any
shares of the Pledged Stock, or otherwise in respect thereof, such Grantor shall
accept the same as the agent of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, hold
the same in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and deliver the
same forthwith to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received, duly
indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required, together with
an undated stock power covering such certificate duly executed in blank by such
Grantor and with, if the Administrative Agent so requests, signature guaranteed,
to be held by the Administrative Agent, subject to the terms hereof, as
additional collateral security for the Obligations. Except as provided in the
Credit Agreement, any sums paid upon or in respect of the Investment Property
upon the liquidation or dissolution of any Issuer shall be paid over to the
Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as additional collateral
security for the Obligations, and in case any distribution of capital shall be
made on or in respect of the Investment Property or any property shall be
distributed upon or with respect to the Investment Property pursuant to the
recapitalization or reclassification of the capital of any Issuer or pursuant to
the reorganization thereof, the property so distributed shall, unless otherwise
subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent,
be delivered to the Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as
additional collateral security for the Obligations. Except as provided in the
Credit Agreement, if any sums of money or property so paid or distributed in
respect of the Pledged Securities shall be received by such Grantor, such
Grantor shall, until such money or property is paid or delivered to the
Administrative Agent, hold such money or property in trust for the Lenders,
segregated from other funds of such Grantor, as additional collateral security
for the Obligations.
(b) Except as provided in the Credit Agreement, without the prior
written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Grantor will not (i) vote to
enable, or take any other action to permit, any Issuer to issue any stock or
other equity securities of any nature or to issue any other securities
convertible into or granting the right to purchase or exchange for any stock or
other equity securities of any nature of any Issuer, (ii) sell, assign,
transfer, exchange, or otherwise dispose of, or grant any option with respect
to, the Investment Property or Proceeds thereof (except pursuant to a
transaction expressly permitted by the Credit Agreement), (iii) create, incur or
permit to exist any Lien or option in favor of, or any claim of any Person with
respect to, any of the Investment Property or Proceeds thereof, or any interest
therein, except for the security interests created by this Agreement or (iv)
enter into any agreement or undertaking restricting the right or ability of such
Grantor or the Administrative Agent to sell, assign or transfer any of the
Pledged Securities or Proceeds thereof.
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(c) In the case of each Grantor which is an Issuer, such Issuer agrees
that (i) it will be bound by the terms of this Agreement relating to the Pledged
Securities issued by it and will comply with such terms insofar as such terms
are applicable to it, (ii) it will notify the Administrative Agent promptly in
writing of the occurrence of any of the events described in Section 5.8(a) with
respect to the Pledged Securities issued by it and (iii) the terms of Sections
6.3(c) and 6.7 shall apply to it, mutatis mutandis, with respect to all actions
that may be required of it pursuant to Section 6.3(c) or 6.7 with respect to the
Pledged Securities issued by it.
5.9 Receivables. (a) Other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with its past practice, such Grantor will not (i) grant any extension
of the time of payment of any Receivable, (ii) compromise or settle any
Receivable for less than the full amount thereof, (iii) release, wholly or
partially, any Person liable for the payment of any Receivable, (iv) allow any
credit or discount whatsoever on any Receivable or (v) amend, supplement or
modify any Receivable in any manner that could adversely affect the value
thereof.
(b) Such Grantor will deliver to the Administrative Agent a copy of
each material demand, notice or document received by it that questions or calls
into doubt the validity or enforceability of more than 5% of the aggregate
amount of the then outstanding Receivables.
5.10 Intellectual Property. (a) Such Grantor (either itself or through
licensees) will (i) continue to use each material Trademark on each and every
trademark class of goods applicable to its current line as reflected in its
current catalogs, brochures and price lists in order to maintain such Trademark
in full force free from any claim of abandonment for non-use, (ii) maintain as
in the past the quality of products and services offered under such Trademark,
(iii) use such Trademark with the appropriate notice of registration and all
other notices and legends required by applicable Requirements of Law, (iv) not
adopt or use any xxxx which is confusingly similar or a colorable imitation of
such Trademark unless the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the
Lenders, shall obtain a security interest in such xxxx pursuant to this
Agreement and take reasonable steps to perfect such security interest promptly,
and (v) not (and not permit any licensee or sublicensee thereof to) do any act
or knowingly omit to do any act whereby such Trademark may become invalidated or
impaired in any way, except to the extent that such Grantor reasonably
determines that any Trademark is of no further value.
(b) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will not do any
act, or omit to do any act, whereby any material Patent may become forfeited,
abandoned or dedicated to the public.
(c) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) (i) will employ
each material Copyright and (ii) will not (and will not permit any licensee or
sublicensee thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any
material portion of the Copyrights may become invalidated or otherwise impaired.
Such Grantor will not (either itself or through licensees) do any act whereby
any material portion of the Copyrights may fall into the public domain.
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(d) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will not do any
act that knowingly uses any material Intellectual Property to infringe the
intellectual property rights of any other Person.
(e) Such Grantor will notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
immediately if it knows, or has reason to know, that any application or
registration relating to any material Intellectual Property may become
forfeited, abandoned or dedicated to the public, or of any adverse determination
or development (including, without limitation, the institution of, or any such
determination or development in, any proceeding in the United States Patent and
Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any court or tribunal in
any country) regarding such Grantor's ownership of, or the validity of, any
material Intellectual Property or such Grantor's right to register the same or
to own and maintain the same.
(f) Whenever such Grantor, either by itself or through any agent,
employee, licensee or designee, shall file an application for the registration
of any Intellectual Property with the United States Patent and Trademark Office,
the United States Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in any other
country or any political subdivision thereof, such Grantor shall report such
filing to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after the last day
of the fiscal quarter in which such filing occurs. Upon request of the
Administrative Agent, such Grantor shall execute and deliver, and have recorded,
any and all agreements, instruments, documents, and papers as the Administrative
Agent may request to evidence the Administrative Agent's and the Lenders'
security interest in any Copyright, Patent or Trademark and the goodwill and
general intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby.
(g) Such Grantor will take all reasonable and necessary steps,
including, without limitation, in any proceeding before the United States Patent
and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any similar office
or agency in any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to maintain
and pursue each application (and to obtain the relevant registration) and to
maintain each registration of the material Intellectual Property, including,
without limitation, filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use and
affidavits of incontestability.
(h) In the event that any material Intellectual Property is infringed,
misappropriated or diluted by a third party, such Grantor shall (i) take such
actions as such Grantor shall reasonably deem appropriate under the
circumstances to protect such Intellectual Property and (ii) if such
Intellectual Property is of material economic value, promptly notify the
Administrative Agent after it learns thereof.
SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS
6.1 Certain Matters Relating to Receivables. (a) The Administrative
Agent shall have the right to make test verifications of the Receivables in any
manner and through any medium that
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it reasonably considers advisable, and each Grantor shall furnish all such
assistance and information as the Administrative Agent may require in connection
with such test verifications. At any time during the existence and continuance
of a Default or an Event of Default, upon the Administrative Agent's request and
at the expense of the relevant Grantor, such Grantor shall cause independent
public accountants or others satisfactory to the Administrative Agent to furnish
to the Administrative Agent reports showing reconciliations, aging and test
verifications of, and trial balances for, the Receivables.
(b) The Administrative Agent hereby authorizes each Grantor to collect
such Grantor's Receivables, subject to the Administrative Agent's direction and
control, and the Administrative Agent may curtail or terminate said authority at
any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default.
If required by the Administrative Agent at any time after the occurrence and
during the continuance of an Event of Default, any payments of Receivables, when
collected by any Grantor, (i) shall be forthwith (and, in any event, within two
Business Days) deposited by such Grantor in the exact form received, duly
indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent if required, in a
Collateral Account maintained under the sole dominion and control of the
Administrative Agent, subject to withdrawal by the Administrative Agent for the
account of the Lenders only as provided in Section 6.5, and (ii) until so turned
over, shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor. Each such deposit of
Proceeds of Receivables shall be accompanied by a report identifying in
reasonable detail the nature and source of the payments included in the deposit.
(c) At the Administrative Agent's request, each Grantor shall deliver
to the Administrative Agent all original and other documents evidencing, and
relating to, the agreements and transactions which gave rise to the Receivables,
including, without limitation, all original orders, invoices and shipping
receipts.
6.2 Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable. (a) The
Administrative Agent in its own name or in the name of others may at any time
communicate with obligors under the Receivables and parties to the Contracts to
verify with them to the Administrative Agent's satisfaction the existence,
amount and terms of any Receivables or Contracts provided that in the absence of
an Event of Default, such communication may be had only with the Borrower's
prior approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time after the
occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor shall
notify obligors on the Receivables and parties to the Contracts that the
Receivables and the Contracts have been assigned to the Administrative Agent for
the ratable benefit of the Lenders and that payments in respect thereof shall be
made directly to the Administrative Agent.
(c) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Grantor
shall remain liable under each of the Receivables and Contracts to observe and
perform all the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it
thereunder, all in accordance with the terms of any
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agreement giving rise thereto. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender
shall have any obligation or liability under any Receivable (or any agreement
giving rise thereto) or Contract by reason of or arising out of this Agreement
or the receipt by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of any payment relating
thereto, nor shall the Administrative Agent or any Lender be obligated in any
manner to perform any of the obligations of any Grantor under or pursuant to any
Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto) or Contract, to make any
payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or the sufficiency of any payment
received by it or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party
thereunder, to present or file any claim, to take any action to enforce any
performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have been
assigned to it or to which it may be entitled at any time or times.
6.3 Pledged Stock. (a) Unless an Event of Default shall have occurred
and be continuing and the Administrative Agent shall have given notice to the
relevant Grantor of the Administrative Agent's intent to exercise its
corresponding rights pursuant to Section 6.3(b), each Grantor shall be permitted
to receive all cash dividends paid in respect of the Pledged Stock and all
payments made in respect of the Pledged Notes, in each case paid in the normal
course of business of the relevant Issuer and consistent with past practice, to
the extent permitted in the Credit Agreement, and to exercise all voting and
corporate rights with respect to the Pledged Securities; provided, however, that
no vote shall be cast or corporate right exercised or other action taken which,
in the Administrative Agent's reasonable judgment, would impair the Collateral
or which would be inconsistent with or result in any violation of any provision
of the Credit Agreement, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(b) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the
Administrative Agent shall give notice of its intent to exercise such rights to
the relevant Grantor or Grantors, (i) the Administrative Agent shall have the
right to receive any and all cash dividends, payments or other Proceeds paid in
respect of the Pledged Securities and make application thereof to the
Obligations in the order set forth in Section 6.5, and (ii) any or all of the
Pledged Securities shall be registered in the name of the Administrative Agent
or its nominee, and the Administrative Agent or its nominee may thereafter
exercise (x) all voting, corporate and other rights pertaining to such Pledged
Securities at any meeting of shareholders of the relevant Issuer or Issuers or
otherwise and (y) any and all rights of conversion, exchange and subscription
and any other rights, privileges or options pertaining to such Pledged
Securities as if it were the absolute owner thereof (including, without
limitation, the right to exchange at its discretion any and all of the Pledged
Securities upon the merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or
other fundamental change in the corporate structure of any Issuer, or upon the
exercise by any Grantor or the Administrative Agent of any right, privilege or
option pertaining to such Pledged Securities, and in connection therewith, the
right to deposit and deliver any and all of the Pledged Securities with any
committee, depositary, transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon
such terms and conditions as the Administrative Agent may determine), all
without liability except to account for property actually received by it, but
the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to any Grantor to exercise any such
right, privilege or option and shall not be responsible for any failure to do so
or delay in so doing.
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(c) Each Grantor hereby authorizes and instructs each Issuer of any
Pledged Securities pledged by such Grantor hereunder to (i) comply with any
instruction received by it from the Administrative Agent in writing that (x)
states that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) is
otherwise in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, without any other or
further instructions from such Grantor, and each Grantor agrees that each Issuer
shall be fully protected in so complying, and (ii) unless otherwise expressly
permitted hereby, pay any dividends or other payments with respect to the
Pledged Securities directly to the Administrative Agent.
6.4 Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent. In addition to
the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders specified in Section 6.1
with respect to payments of Receivables, if an Event of Default shall occur and
be continuing, all Proceeds received by any Grantor consisting of cash, checks
and other near-cash items shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such
Grantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Grantor, be turned over to
the Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Grantor (duly
indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required). All Proceeds
received by the Administrative Agent hereunder shall be held by the
Administrative Agent in a Collateral Account maintained under its sole dominion
and control. All Proceeds while held by the Administrative Agent in a Collateral
Account (or by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders) shall continue to be held as collateral security for all the
Obligations and shall not constitute payment thereof until applied as provided
in Section 6.5.
6.5 Application of Proceeds. At such intervals as may be agreed upon
by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or, if an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, at any time at the Administrative Agent's
election, the Administrative Agent may apply all or any part of Proceeds
constituting Collateral, whether or not held in any Collateral Account, and any
proceeds of the guarantee set forth in Section 2, in payment of the Obligations
in the following order:
First, to pay incurred and unpaid fees and expenses of the
Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents;
Second, to the Administrative Agent, for application by it towards
payment of amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of
the Obligations, pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of the
Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the Lenders;
Third, to the Administrative Agent, for application by it towards
prepayment of the Obligations, pro rata among the Lenders according to the
amounts of the Obligations then held by the Lenders; and
Fourth, any balance of such Proceeds remaining after the Obligations
shall have been paid in full, no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding and
the Commitments shall have terminated
22
shall be paid over to the Borrower or to whomsoever may be lawfully
entitled to receive the same.
6.6 Code and Other Remedies. If an Event of Default shall occur and be
continuing, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, may exercise, in
addition to all other rights and remedies granted to them in this Agreement and
in any other instrument or agreement securing, evidencing or relating to the
Obligations, all rights and remedies of a secured party under the New York UCC
or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the Administrative Agent, without demand of performance or other demand,
presentment, protest, advertisement or notice of any kind (except any notice
required by law referred to below) to or upon any Grantor or any other Person
(all and each of which demands, defenses, advertisements and notices are hereby
waived), may in such circumstances forthwith collect, receive, appropriate and
realize upon the Collateral, or any part thereof, and/or may forthwith sell,
lease, assign, give option or options to purchase, or otherwise dispose of and
deliver the Collateral or any part thereof (or contract to do any of the
foregoing), in one or more parcels at public or private sale or sales, at any
exchange, broker's board or office of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or
elsewhere upon such terms and conditions as it may deem advisable and at such
prices as it may deem best, for cash or on credit or for future delivery without
assumption of any credit risk. The Administrative Agent or any Lender shall have
the right upon any such public sale or sales, and, to the extent permitted by
law, upon any such private sale or sales, to purchase the whole or any part of
the Collateral so sold, free of any right or equity of redemption in any
Grantor, which right or equity is hereby waived and released. Each Grantor
further agrees, at the Administrative Agent's request, to assemble the
Collateral and make it available to the Administrative Agent at places which the
Administrative Agent shall reasonably select, whether at such Grantor's premises
or elsewhere. The Administrative Agent shall apply the net proceeds of any
action taken by it pursuant to this Section 6.6, after deducting all reasonable
costs and expenses of every kind incurred in connection therewith or incidental
to the care or safekeeping of any of the Collateral or in any way relating to
the Collateral or the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and
disbursements, to the payment in whole or in part of the Obligations, in such
order as the Administrative Agent may elect, and only after such application and
after the payment by the Administrative Agent of any other amount required by
any provision of law, including, without limitation, Section 9-504(1)(c) of the
New York UCC, need the Administrative Agent account for the surplus, if any, to
any Grantor. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Grantor waives all
claims, damages and demands it may acquire against the Administrative Agent or
any Lender arising out of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder. If any
notice of a proposed sale or other disposition of Collateral shall be required
by law, such notice shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at least 10
days before such sale or other disposition.
6.7 Waiver; Deficiency. Each Grantor waives and agrees not to assert
any rights or privileges which it may acquire under Section 9-112 of the New
York UCC. Each Grantor shall remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of
any sale or other disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay its
Obligations and the fees and disbursements of any attorneys employed by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender to collect such deficiency.
23
SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
7.1 Administrative Agent's Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc. (a)
Each Grantor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Administrative
Agent and any officer or agent thereof, with full power of substitution, as its
true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in
the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or in its
own name, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take
any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and
instruments which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of
this Agreement, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each
Grantor hereby gives the Administrative Agent the power and right, on behalf of
such Grantor, without notice to or assent by such Grantor, to do any or all of
the following:
(i) in the name of such Grantor or its own name, or otherwise, take
possession of and indorse and collect any checks, drafts, notes,
acceptances or other instruments for the payment of moneys due under any
Receivable or Contract or with respect to any other Collateral and file any
claim or take any other action or proceeding in any court of law or equity
or otherwise deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent for the purpose
of collecting any and all such moneys due under any Receivable or Contract
or with respect to any other Collateral whenever payable;
(ii) in the case of any Intellectual Property, execute and deliver,
and have recorded, any and all agreements, instruments, documents and
papers as the Administrative Agent may request to evidence the
Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' security interest in such
Intellectual Property and the goodwill and general intangibles of such
Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby;
(iii) pay or discharge taxes and Liens levied or placed on or
threatened against the Collateral, effect any repairs or any insurance
called for by the terms of this Agreement and pay all or any part of the
premiums therefor and the costs thereof;
(iv) execute, in connection with any sale provided for in Section 6.6
or 6.7, any endorsements, assignments or other instruments of conveyance or
transfer with respect to the Collateral; and
(v) (1) direct any party liable for any payment under any of the
Collateral to make payment of any and all moneys due or to become due
thereunder directly to the Administrative Agent or as the Administrative
Agent shall direct; (2) ask or demand for, collect, and receive payment of
and receipt for, any and all moneys, claims and other amounts due or to
become due at any time in respect of or arising out of any Collateral; (3)
sign and indorse any invoices, freight or express bills, bills of lading,
storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against debtors,
24
assignments, verifications, notices and other documents in connection with
any of the Collateral; (4) commence and prosecute any suits, actions or
proceedings at law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to
collect the Collateral or any portion thereof and to enforce any other
right in respect of any Collateral; (5) defend any suit, action or
proceeding brought against such Grantor with respect to any Collateral; (6)
settle, compromise or adjust any such suit, action or proceeding and, in
connection therewith, give such discharges or releases as the
Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; (7) assign any Copyright, Patent
or Trademark (along with the goodwill of the business to which any such
Copyright, Patent or Trademark pertains), throughout the world for such
term or terms, on such conditions, and in such manner, as the
Administrative Agent shall in its sole discretion determine; and (8)
generally, sell, transfer, pledge and make any agreement with respect to or
otherwise deal with any of the Collateral as fully and completely as though
the Administrative Agent were the absolute owner thereof for all purposes,
and do, at the Administrative Agent's option and such Grantor's expense, at
any time, or from time to time, all acts and things which the
Administrative Agent deems necessary to protect, preserve or realize upon
the Collateral and the Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' security
interests therein and to effect the intent of this Agreement, all as fully
and effectively as such Grantor might do.
Anything in this Section 7.1 (a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Administrative Agent agrees that it will not exercise any rights under the power
of attorney provided for in this Section 7.1(a) unless an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing.
(b) If any Grantor fails to perform or comply with any of its
agreements contained herein, the Administrative Agent, at its option, but
without any obligation so to do, may perform or comply, or otherwise cause
performance or compliance, with such agreement.
(c) The expenses of the Administrative Agent incurred in connection
with actions undertaken as provided in this Section 7.1, together with interest
thereon at a rate per annum equal to the rate per annum at which interest would
then be payable on past due Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans under the
Credit Agreement, from the date of payment by the Administrative Agent to the
date reimbursed by the relevant Grantor, shall be payable by such Grantor to the
Administrative Agent on demand.
(d) Each Grantor hereby ratifies all that said attorneys shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. All powers, authorizations and
agencies contained in this Agreement are coupled with an interest and are
irrevocable until this Agreement is terminated and the security interests
created hereby are released.
7.2 Duty of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent's sole duty
with respect to the custody, safekeeping and physical preservation of the
Collateral in its possession, under Section 9-207 of the New York UCC or
otherwise, shall be to deal with it in the same manner as the Administrative
Agent deals with similar property for its own account. Neither the
Administrative Agent,
25
any Lender nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents
shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or realize upon any of the
Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be under any obligation to sell
or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the request of any Grantor or any
other Person or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the
Collateral or any part thereof. The powers conferred on the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders hereunder are solely to protect the Administrative Agent's and
the Lenders' interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon the
Administrative Agent or any Lender to exercise any such powers. The
Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be accountable only for amounts that
they actually receive as a result of the exercise of such powers, and neither
they nor any of their officers, directors, employees or agents shall be
responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for
their own gross negligence or willful misconduct.
7.3 Execution of Financing Statements. Pursuant to Section 9-402 of
the New York UCC and any other applicable law, each Grantor authorizes the
Administrative Agent to file or record financing statements and other filing or
recording documents or instruments with respect to the Collateral without the
signature of such Grantor in such form and in such offices as the Administrative
Agent reasonably determines appropriate to perfect the security interests of the
Administrative Agent under this Agreement. A photographic or other reproduction
of this Agreement shall be sufficient as a financing statement or other filing
or recording document or instrument for filing or recording in any jurisdiction.
7.4 Authority of Administrative Agent. Each Grantor acknowledges that
the rights and responsibilities of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement
with respect to any action taken by the Administrative Agent or the exercise or
non-exercise by the Administrative Agent of any option, voting right, request,
judgment or other right or remedy provided for herein or resulting or arising
out of this Agreement shall, as between the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders, be governed by the Credit Agreement and by such other agreements with
respect thereto as may exist from time to time among them, but, as between the
Administrative Agent and the Grantors, the Administrative Agent shall be
conclusively presumed to be acting as agent for the Lenders with full and valid
authority so to act or refrain from acting, and no Grantor shall be under any
obligation, or entitlement, to make any inquiry respecting such authority.
SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 Amendments in Writing. None of the terms or provisions of this
Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except in
accordance with Section 10.1 of the Credit Agreement.
8.2 Notices. All notices, requests and demands to or upon the
Administrative Agent or any Grantor hereunder shall be effected in the manner
provided for in Section 10.2 of the
26
Credit Agreement; provided that any such notice, request or demand to or upon
any Guarantor shall be addressed to such Guarantor at its notice address set
forth on Schedule 1.
8.3 No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies. Neither the
Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall by any act (except by a written
instrument pursuant to Section 8.1), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be
deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any
Default or Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in
exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any right,
power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or
partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any
other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or
privilege. A waiver by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of any right or
remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to any
right or remedy which the Administrative Agent or such Lender would otherwise
have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies herein provided are
cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of any
other rights or remedies provided by law.
8.4 Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification. (a) Each Guarantor agrees
to pay, or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent for, all its costs
and expenses incurred in collecting against such Guarantor under the guarantee
contained in Section 2 or otherwise enforcing or preserving any rights under
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Guarantor is a party,
including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of counsel to each
Lender and of counsel to the Administrative Agent.
(b) Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities with respect to, or
resulting from any delay in paying, any and all stamp, excise, sales or other
taxes which may be payable or determined to be payable with respect to any of
the Collateral or in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
(c) Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses,
damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements
of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution, delivery,
enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement to the extent the
Borrower would be required to do so pursuant to Section 10.5 of the Credit
Agreement.
(d) The agreements in this Section shall survive repayment of the
Obligations and all other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and the
other Loan Documents.
8.5 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
successors and assigns of each Grantor and shall inure to the benefit of the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their successors and assigns; provided
that no Grantor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or
obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent.
27
8.6 Set-Off. Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the
Administrative Agent and each Lender during the continuation of a Default or
Event of Default, without notice to such Grantor or any other Grantor, any such
notice being expressly waived by each Grantor, to set-off and appropriate and
apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or
final), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any
currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent,
matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by the Administrative Agent or
such Lender to or for the credit or the account of such Grantor, or any part
thereof in such amounts as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may elect,
against and on account of the obligations and liabilities of such Grantor to the
Administrative Agent or such Lender hereunder and claims of every nature and
description of the Administrative Agent or such Lender against such Grantor, in
any currency, whether arising hereunder, under the Credit Agreement, any other
Loan Document or otherwise, as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may
elect, whether or not the Administrative Agent or any Lender has made any demand
for payment and although such obligations, liabilities and claims may be
contingent or unmatured. The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall notify
such Grantor promptly of any such set-off and the application made by the
Administrative Agent or such Lender of the proceeds thereof, provided that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application. The rights of the Administrative Agent and each Lender under this
Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without
limitation, other rights of setoff) which the Administrative Agent or such
Lender may have.
8.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of
the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including
by telecopy), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to
constitute one and the same instrument.
8.8 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited
or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or
unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
8.9 Section Headings. The Section headings used in this Agreement are
for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the construction hereof
or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.
8.10 Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents
represent the agreement of the Grantors, the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no
promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender relative to subject matter hereof and thereof not expressly
set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.
28
8.11 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
8.12 Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Grantor hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally:
(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or
proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it
is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect
thereof, to the non-exclusive general jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of
New York, the courts of the United States of America for the Southern District
of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;
(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in
such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the
venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or
proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim
the same;
(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding
may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or
any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Grantor at its
address referred to in Section 8.2 or at such other address of which the
Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto;
(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect
service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right
to xxx in any other jurisdiction; and
(e) if such Grantor is organized under a jurisdiction outside the
United States, such Grantor irrevocably and unconditionally appoints CT
Corporation System (the "New York Process Agent"), with an office on the date
hereof at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, as its agent to receive
on behalf of itself and its property, service of copies of the summons and
complaint and any other process which may be served in any such action or
proceeding in any such New York State or Federal court and agrees promptly to
appoint a successor New York Process Agent in New York City (which successor New
York Process Agent shall accept such appointment in writing prior to the
termination, for any reason, of the appointment of the initial New York Process
Agent) and promptly to provide written notice to the Administrative Agent and
each Lender of the appointment of such successor New York Process Agent. In any
such action or proceeding in such New York State or Federal court sitting in New
York City, such service may be made on such Grantor by delivering a copy of such
process to in care of the appropriate New York Process Agent at such New York
Process Agent's address. Each such Grantor hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally authorizes and directs such New York Process Agent to accept
such service on its behalf.
29
(f) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it
may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in
this Section any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.
8.13 Acknowledgments. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges that:
(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party;
(b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary
relationship with or duty to any Grantor arising out of or in connection with
this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between
the Grantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and Lenders, on the
other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and
creditor; and
(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents
or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the
Lenders or among the Grantors and the Lenders.
8.14 Additional Grantors. Each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is
required to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.9 of the
Credit Agreement shall become a Grantor for all purposes of this Agreement upon
execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of an Assumption Agreement in the form
of Annex 1 hereto.
8.15 Releases. (a) At such time as the Loans, the Reimbursement
Obligations and the other Obligations (other than Borrower Hedge Agreement
Obligations) shall have been paid in full, the Commitments have been terminated
and no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding or the principal amount thereof
shall be cash collateralized, the Collateral other than cash securing
outstanding Letters of Credit shall be released from the Liens created hereby,
and this Agreement and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to
survive such termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Grantor hereunder
shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any
act by any party, and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to the Grantors.
At the request and sole expense of any Grantor following any such termination,
the Administrative Agent shall deliver to such Grantor any Collateral held by
the Administrative Agent hereunder, and execute and deliver to such Grantor such
documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.
(b) If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred or otherwise
disposed of by any Grantor in a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement,
then the Administrative Agent, at the request and sole expense of such Grantor,
shall execute and deliver to such Grantor all releases or other documents
reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens created hereby on
such Collateral. At the request and sole expense of the Borrower, a Subsidiary
Guarantor shall be released from its obligations hereunder in the event that all
the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor shall
30
be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted by the
Credit Agreement; provided that the Borrower shall have delivered to the
Administrative Agent, at least ten Business Days prior to the date of the
proposed release, a written request for release identifying the relevant
Subsidiary Guarantor and the terms of the sale or other disposition in
reasonable detail, including the price thereof and any expenses in connection
therewith, together with a certification by the Borrower stating that such
transaction is in compliance with the Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents.
8.16 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH GRANTOR AND, BY ACCEPTANCE OF THE
BENEFITS HEREOF, EACH AGENT AND EACH LENDER, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND
UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.
[Remainder of Page Left Blank Intentionally]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Guarantee
and Collateral Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first
above written.
IFCO SYSTEMS, N.V.
By: /s/ XXXXXX XXXXX
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President
PALEX, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: Vice President
INTERSTATE PALLET CO., INC.
RIDGE PALLETS, INC.
SONOMA PACIFIC COMPANY, INC.
SHEFFIELD LUMBER & PALLET COMPANY, INC.
NEW LONDON PALLET, INC.
NLD, INC.
NLP TRANSPORT, INC.
BAY AREA PALLET COMPANY, INC.
SOUTHERN PALLET, INC.
PALLET OUTLET COMPANY, INC.
SHIPSHEWANA PALLET CO., INC.
XXXXXXX LUMBER INC.
VALLEY CRATING AND PACKAGING, INC.
XXXXXXX PALLET CO., INC.
XXXXXXXX LUMBER CO., INC.
BLACK RIVER FOREST PRODUCTS, INC.
PALEX-TEXAS, INC.
PALEX IOWA INC.
By: /s/ XXXXXX XXXXX
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: Vice President
PALEX MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXXX XXXXX
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: President
PALEX-TEXAS, L.P.
By: PalEx-Texas, Inc., as General Partner
By: /s/ XXXXXX XXXXX
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: Vice President
ACME BARREL COMPANY, INC.
PALEX CONTAINER SYSTEMS, INC.
CONTAINER SERVICES COMPANY SW, INC.
CONTAINER SERVICES COMPANY NW, INC.
ENVIRONMENTAL RECYCLERS OF COLORADO, INC.
DRUM SERVICE CO. OF FLORIDA, INC.
WESTERN CONTAINER LIMITED LIABILITY CO.
CONSOLIDATED CONTAINER CORPORATION,
SOUTHERN STEEL DRUMS, INC.
XXXXXX DRUM & BARREL CO., INC.
CHARLOTTE STEEL DRUM CORPORATION
ATLAS CONTAINER COMPANY, INC.
CONTAINER RESOURCES CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXX
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
PALEX TEXAS HOLDINGS INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXXXX
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
Schedule 1
----------
NOTICE ADDRESSES OF GUARANTORS
Schedule 2
----------
DESCRIPTION OF PLEDGED SECURITIES
PLEDGED STOCK:
Issuer Class of Stock Stock Certificate No. No. of Shares
------ -------------- --------------------- -------------
PLEDGED NOTES:
Issuer Payee Principal Amount
------ ----- ----------------
Schedule 3
----------
JURISDICTION OF ORGANIZATION AND LOCATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Location of Chief
Grantor Jurisdiction of Organization Executive Office
------- ---------------------------- ----------------
Schedule 4
----------
LOCATIONS OF INVENTORY AND EQUIPMENT
Grantor Locations
------- ---------
Schedule 5
----------
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
I. Copyrights and Copyright Licenses:
II. Patents and Patent Licenses:
III. Trademarks and Trademark Licenses:
Annex 1 to
Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
----------------------------------
ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of ________________, 200_, made by
______________________________, a ______________ corporation (the "Additional
Grantor"), in favor of BANK ONE, NA, as administrative agent (in such capacity,
the "Administrative Agent") for the banks and other financial institutions (the
"Lenders") parties to the Credit Agreement referred to below. All capitalized
terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in such Credit
Agreement.
W I T N E S S E T H :
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, IFCO Systems, N.V., and Palex, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the
Lenders and the Administrative Agent have entered into a Credit Agreement, dated
as of March 8, 2000 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time, the "Credit Agreement");
WHEREAS, in connection with the Credit Agreement, the Borrower and
certain of its Affiliates (other than the Additional Grantor) have entered into
the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of March 8, 2000 (as amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Guarantee and
Collateral Agreement") in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of
the Lenders;
WHEREAS, the Credit Agreement requires the Additional Grantor to
become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Additional Grantor has agreed to execute and deliver this
Assumption Agreement in order to become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:
1. Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. By executing and delivering
this Assumption Agreement, the Additional Grantor, as provided in Section 8.14
of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, hereby becomes a party to the
Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as a Grantor thereunder with the same force
and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor and, without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, hereby expressly assumes all obligations and
liabilities of a Grantor thereunder. The information set forth in Annex 1-A
hereto is hereby added to the information set forth in the schedules to the
Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. The Additional Grantor hereby represents and
warrants that each of the representations and warranties contained in Section 4
of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement is true and correct on and as the date
hereof (after giving effect to this Assumption Agreement) as if made on and as
of such date.
2
2. GOVERNING LAW. THIS ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Assumption
Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
[ADDITIONAL GRANTOR]
By:
------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Annex II
to
Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CONSENT
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Guarantee and
Collateral Agreement dated as of March __, 2000 (the "Agreement"), made by the
Grantors parties thereto for the benefit of Bank One, Texas, National
Association, as Administrative Agent. The undersigned agrees for the benefit of
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as follows:
1. The undersigned will be bound by the terms of the Agreement and will comply
with such terms insofar as such terms are applicable to the undersigned.
2. The undersigned will notify the Administrative Agent promptly in writing of
the occurrence of any of the events described in Section 5.8(a) of the
Agreement.
3. The terms of Section 6.3(a) of the Agreement shall apply to it, mutatis
mutandis, with respect to all actions that may be required of it pursuant
to Section 6.3(a) of the Agreement.
[NAME OF ISSUER]
By:
------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Address for Notices:
