SHARE AND ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT Ex. 2.1
by
and among
SK
Atlas, LLC
SK
Capital Partners II, LP
and
Chemtura
Corporation
_____________
December
23, 2009
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
|
||||
ARTICLE
1
|
DEFINITIONS
AND CONSTRUCTION
|
1
|
||
Section
1.1
|
Definitions
|
1
|
||
Section
1.2
|
Additional
Defined Terms
|
9
|
||
Section
1.3
|
Construction
|
12
|
||
ARTICLE
2
|
THE
TRANSACTION
|
12
|
||
Section
2.1
|
Sale
and Purchase of Shares and Purchased Assets.
|
12
|
||
Section
2.2
|
Excluded
Assets
|
13
|
||
Section
2.3
|
Assumed
Liabilities
|
15
|
||
Section
2.4
|
Excluded
Liabilities
|
16
|
||
Section
2.5
|
Consideration
|
17
|
||
Section
2.6
|
Post-Closing
Adjustment Net Working Capital Adjustment
|
18
|
||
Section
2.7
|
Allocation
of Purchase Price.
|
20
|
||
Section
2.8
|
Closing
|
21
|
||
Section
2.9
|
Closing
Deliveries
|
21
|
||
Section
2.10
|
Certain
Foreign Purchased Assets
|
23
|
||
ARTICLE
3
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
|
24
|
||
Section
3.1
|
Organization
and Good Standing
|
24
|
||
Section
3.2
|
Authority and
Enforceability.
|
24
|
||
Section
3.3
|
No
Conflict
|
24
|
||
Section
3.4
|
Capitalization
and Ownership
|
25
|
||
Section
3.5
|
Financial
Statements
|
25
|
||
Section
3.6
|
Operation
of the Business
|
26
|
||
Section
3.7
|
Absence
of Certain Changes and Events
|
26
|
||
Section
3.8
|
Personal
Property.
|
27
|
||
Section
3.9
|
Real Property.
|
27
|
||
Section
3.10
|
Intellectual
Property
|
28
|
||
Section
3.11
|
Contracts
|
29
|
||
Section
3.12
|
Tax Matters.
|
30
|
||
Section
3.13
|
Employee Benefit
Matters.
|
31
|
||
Section
3.14
|
Employment
and Labor Matters
|
31
|
||
Section
3.15
|
Environmental,
Health and Safety Matters
|
32
|
||
Section
3.16
|
Governmental
Authorizations
|
33
|
-i-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
||||
Section
3.17
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
33
|
||
Section
3.18
|
Permits
|
34
|
||
Section
3.19
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
34
|
||
Section
3.20
|
Insurance
|
34
|
||
Section
3.21
|
Brokers
Fees
|
34
|
||
Section
3.22
|
REACH
|
34
|
||
Section
3.23
|
Disclaimer
of Other Representations and Warranties
|
34
|
||
ARTICLE
4
|
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER
|
35
|
||
Section
4.1
|
Organization
and Good Standing
|
35
|
||
Section
4.2
|
Authority
and Enforceability
|
35
|
||
Section
4.3
|
No
Conflict
|
35
|
||
Section
4.4
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
36
|
||
Section
4.5
|
Investment
Intent
|
36
|
||
Section
4.6
|
Brokers
Fees
|
36
|
||
Section
4.7
|
Financial
Capacity
|
36
|
||
Section
4.8
|
Independent
Investigation
|
36
|
||
ARTICLE
5
|
COVENANTS
|
37
|
||
Section
5.1
|
Access and
Investigation.
|
37
|
||
Section
5.2
|
Operation
of the Business
|
37
|
||
Section
5.3
|
Bankruptcy
Actions.
|
39
|
||
Section
5.4
|
Exclusivity;
No Solicitation of Transactions
|
39
|
||
Section
5.5
|
Consents and
Filings.
|
40
|
||
Section
5.6
|
Supplements
to Disclosure Schedules
|
41
|
||
Section
5.7
|
Assignment
of Contracts; Cure of Defaults
|
41
|
||
Section
5.8
|
Financing
|
41
|
||
Section
5.9
|
Confidentiality.
|
42
|
||
Section
5.10
|
Public
Announcements
|
42
|
||
Section
5.11
|
Further
Actions
|
43
|
||
Section
5.12
|
Indemnification
and Insurance
|
43
|
||
Section
5.13
|
Bulk
Transfer Laws
|
43
|
||
Section
5.14
|
Designated
Affiliate
|
43
|
||
Section
5.15
|
Use of Seller’s Name; Seller
Marks.
|
43
|
-ii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
||||
Section
5.16
|
Refunds
and Remittances
|
44
|
||
Section
5.17
|
Litigation
Support.
|
44
|
||
Section
5.18
|
Intercompany
Accounts
|
45
|
||
Section
5.19
|
Assistance
with Preparation of Financial Statements
|
45
|
||
Section
5.20
|
Trade
Accounts Payable, Shared Accounts Payable and Accrued Payroll and
Benefits
|
45
|
||
Section
5.21
|
Certain
Commercial Arrangements
|
45
|
||
Section
5.22
|
German
Corporate Group Arrangements
|
46
|
||
Section
5.23
|
Restrictive
Covenants
|
47
|
||
Section
5.24
|
Transition
Services Agreement
|
49
|
||
Section
5.25
|
REACH
|
50
|
||
ARTICLE
6
|
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATION TO CLOSE
|
50
|
||
Section
6.1
|
Conditions
to the Obligation of the Purchaser
|
50
|
||
Section
6.2
|
Conditions
to the Obligation of the Seller
|
51
|
||
ARTICLE
7
|
TERMINATION
|
51
|
||
Section
7.1
|
Termination
Events
|
51
|
||
Section
7.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
52
|
||
Section
7.3
|
Certain
Effects of Termination
|
53
|
||
ARTICLE
8
|
INDEMNIFICATION
|
54
|
||
Section
8.1
|
Indemnification
by the Seller
|
54
|
||
Section
8.2
|
Indemnification
by the Purchaser
|
54
|
||
Section
8.3
|
Claim
Procedure
|
54
|
||
Section
8.4
|
Survival
|
55
|
||
Section
8.5
|
Limitations on
Liability.
|
56
|
||
Section
8.6
|
Exclusive
Remedy
|
57
|
||
ARTICLE
9
|
TAX
MATTERS
|
57
|
||
Section
9.1
|
Liability
and Indemnification for Taxes
|
57
|
||
Section
9.2
|
Tax
Return Filing; Audit Responsibilities
|
58
|
||
Section
9.3
|
Cooperation
|
59
|
||
Section
9.4
|
No
Code Section 338 Election
|
59
|
||
ARTICLE
10
|
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
|
60
|
||
Section
10.1
|
Employees
|
60
|
-iii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
||||
Section
10.2
|
Defined Benefit
Plans.
|
61
|
||
Section
10.3
|
Defined
Contribution Plan
|
62
|
||
Section
10.4
|
Welfare
Arrangements
|
62
|
||
Section
10.5
|
WARN
Act
|
62
|
||
Section
10.6
|
No
Third-Party Beneficiaries
|
63
|
||
Section
10.7
|
Negotiations
with Employees
|
63
|
||
ARTICLE
11
|
ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
|
63
|
||
Section
11.1
|
Indemnification
by the Seller
|
63
|
||
Section
11.2
|
Survival
|
63
|
||
Section
11.3
|
Limitations
on Liability
|
64
|
||
Section
11.4
|
Procedure
for Indemnification For Environmental Losses
|
66
|
||
Section
11.5
|
Xxxx
Air Issue
|
69
|
||
ARTICLE
12
|
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
69
|
||
Section
12.1
|
Notices
|
69
|
||
Section
12.2
|
Amendment
|
70
|
||
Section
12.3
|
Specific
Performance
|
71
|
||
Section
12.4
|
Waiver
and Remedies
|
71
|
||
Section
12.5
|
Entire
Agreement
|
71
|
||
Section
12.6
|
Assignment,
Successors and No Third Party Rights
|
71
|
||
Section
12.7
|
Severability
|
71
|
||
Section
12.8
|
Exhibits
and Schedules
|
71
|
||
Section
12.9
|
Interpretation
|
72
|
||
Section
12.10
|
Expenses
|
72
|
||
Section
12.11
|
Governing
Law
|
72
|
||
Section
12.12
|
Limitation
on Liability
|
72
|
||
Section
12.13
|
Jurisdiction
and Service of Process
|
72
|
||
Section
12.14
|
Waiver
of Jury Trial
|
72
|
||
Section
12.15
|
No
Joint Venture
|
73
|
||
Section
12.16
|
Counterparts
|
73
|
-iv-
Exhibits
Exhibit
A
|
Deposit
Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
B
|
Xxxx
of Sale
|
|
Exhibit
C
|
Assignment
and Assumption Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
D
|
Share
Transfer Agreement
|
|
Exhibits
E-1, E-2 and E-3
|
IP
Assignments and IP License Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
F
|
Transition
Services Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
G
|
TBT
Supply Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
H
|
TOT
Supply Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
I
|
TPP/LPE
Supply Agreement
|
|
Exhibit
J
|
Ciba
Environmental Indemnity Assignment
|
|
Exhibit
K
|
Bidding
Procedures Order
|
|
Exhibit
L
|
|
Approval
Order
|
-i-
This
Share and Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made
as of December 23, 2009, by and among Chemtura Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the “Seller”), SK Atlas,
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Purchaser”) and SK
Capital Partners II, LP, a Delaware limited liability company (“SK”). Capitalized
terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings given to such terms in
Article
1.
The
Seller and the Acquired Company (as defined below) are engaged in the
Business. This Agreement contemplates the sale and transfer to the
Purchaser of certain of the assets and liabilities relating to the Business,
including the shares of the capital stock of the Acquired Company.
The
Seller and certain of its Subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions initiating
cases under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court and intend
that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, insofar as they relate to
the Purchased Assets and the Assumed Liabilities, shall be implemented through
the filing of the Sale Motion, subject to better and higher bids, pursuant to
Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code seeking approval of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, intending to be legally bound and in consideration of the mutual
provisions set forth in this Agreement and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
AND CONSTRUCTION
Section
1.1 Definitions. For
the purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements:
“Accrued Payroll and Benefits
Adjustment Payment” means an amount equal to the outstanding payroll and
benefits to be paid to Employees or their benefit provider(s) for services
rendered through the Closing Date, which amount the Purchaser has received
written notice of at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing
Date.
“Acquired Company”
means Chemtura Vinyl Additives GmbH, a company duly organized and existing in
accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, registered with the
commercial register of the local court (Amtsgericht) Darmstadt under HRB
61629.
“Acquired Company
Employee” means any individual who, as of the Closing Date, is an
employee of the Acquired Company.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to a specified Person, a Person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with, the specified Person. For purposes of this
definition, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled
by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of
a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“Affiliated Group”
means a group of corporations with which the Acquired Company has filed
consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Tax Returns.
“Alternative
Transaction” means, in accordance with the Bid Procedures Order or such
other bidding procedures order or other order as may be approved by the
Bankruptcy Court, the sale, transfer, lease or other disposition, whether
through an asset sale, stock sale, merger or similar transaction, of all or
substantially all the Purchased Assets or the Shares in a transaction or series
of transactions with a party or parties other than the Purchaser.
“Ancillary Agreements”
means, collectively, the Deposit Agreement, the Xxxx of Sale, the Assignment and
Assumption Agreement, the Share Transfer Agreement, the IP Assignments, the
Transition Services Agreement, the TBT Supply Agreement, the TOT Supply
Agreement, the Weston 705 Supply Agreement, the IP License Agreement, the
TPP/LPE Supply Agreement, the TNPP Supply Agreement and the Isopetronate HL-44
Toll Manufacturing Agreement.
“Antitrust Laws” means
any antitrust, competition or trade regulatory Laws.
“Bankruptcy Code”
means 11 U.S.C. Section 101, et. seq., as it may be amended during the
Case.
“Bankruptcy Court”
means the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York,
or any other court having jurisdiction over the Case from time to
time.
“Bankruptcy Court
Orders” means the Bidding Procedures Order and the Approval
Order.
“Base Working Capital”
means an amount equal to the sum of (i) €24,363,000 for the Acquired Company (as
converted to U.S. dollars based on the euro foreign exchange reference rate
published in the Wall Street Journal on the Closing Date) and (ii) $35,432,930
for the Business (other than the Acquired Company).
“Business” means the
design, manufacture, assembly, marketing, sale and distribution of tin and mixed
metal stabilizers, organic based stabilizers (OBS), epoxidized soybean oil,
liquid phosphite esters, chemical foaming agents and impact modifiers, and
related intermediates of each of the foregoing, as engaged in by the Seller at
its Taft, Louisiana facility, and by the Acquired Company, in each case prior to
the Closing.
“Business Day” means
any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any day on which banking institutions in
New York, New York are closed either under applicable Law or action of any
Governmental Authority.
“Case” means the
bankruptcy case arising from the filing under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code
of the Seller and certain of its Subsidiaries, jointly administered as Case No.
09-11233 in the Bankruptcy Court.
“Cash Equivalents”
means checks, money orders, marketable securities, short-term instruments,
prepaid expenses (except prepayments for the Prepaid Inventory), security
deposits and other cash equivalents, funds in time and demand deposits or
similar accounts and any evidence of indebtedness issued or guaranteed by any
Governmental Authority.
“Ciba” means Ciba
Spezialitätenchemie Lampertheim GmbH (or its successors in
interest).
-2-
“Ciba Basic Agreement”
means that certain swap agreement between Ciba, the Seller (at that time named
Witco Corporation) and the Share Selling Affiliate (at that time named Witco
GmbH), dated May 29, 1998.
“Claims” means any
charges, mortgages, pledges, security interests, escrows, options, rights of
first refusal, indentures, security agreements or other encumbrances, claims,
agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind or character and whether or
not relating in any way to credit or the borrowing of money.
“Closing Net Working
Capital” means (a) the sum of (i) the Accounts Receivable plus the notes
and trade accounts receivable of the Acquired Company, and (ii) the Inventory,
the Prepaid Inventory plus the inventory of the Acquired Company, minus (b) the
accounts payable and other current liabilities of the Acquired Company, in each
case calculated as of the close of business on the Closing Date, in accordance
with the Calculation Principles and with the line items contained in the sample
of the Final Closing Net Working Capital set forth in Schedule
2.6(h).
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor
statute. Any reference herein to a particular provision of the Code
shall mean, where appropriate, the corresponding provision in any successor
statute.
“Consignment Raw Material
Inventory” means inventory physically present at any Real Property of the
Business, which is owned by a third party subject to purchase on consignment by
the Business.
“Contract” means any
contract, agreement, lease, license, commitment, understanding, franchise,
warranty, guaranty, mortgage, note, bond or other instrument or consensual
obligation that is legally binding.
“Cure Costs” means the
amount to cure any payment or other default under any Included Contract assumed
by the Purchaser pursuant to Section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code.
“Designated Affiliate”
means an Affiliate of the Purchaser which is designated by the Purchaser as the
purchaser of the Acquired Company and such designation (a) is reasonably
acceptable to the Seller, (b) does not impede or delay in any way the ability of
the parties to close the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (c) does
not directly or indirectly prejudice or increase the costs (including any Taxes)
to the Seller or the Share Selling Affiliate and (d) is made in accordance with
Section
5.14. The Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that any delay in
any attempt to make such a designation will be considered in determining whether
such designation is made in compliance with clauses (b) and (c) of this
definition.
“Employee” means any
individual who, as of the Closing Date, is an employee of the Seller, or an
Affiliate of the Seller (other than the Acquired Company) on the date hereof or
hired after the date hereof, who performs services primarily on behalf of the
Business. An individual who would otherwise satisfy this definition
but who is absent from active employment on the Closing Date on account of
vacation, sick leave, disability leave, leave under any local Law which
preserves employment or reemployment rights for the individual, or any other
similar reason, shall nonetheless be an “Employee”
hereunder.
-3-
“Encumbrance” means
(a) any lien, mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt, pledge, restriction
on transfer, proxy and voting or other agreement, claim, charge, security
interest, easement, right of way, encroachment, servitude, right of first
option, right of fast refusal, preemptive right or similar restriction, or other
encumbrance, option or defect on title of every type and description, whether
imposed by law, agreement, understanding or otherwise, including all liens,
encumbrances, and interests in property as set forth in Section 363 of the
Bankruptcy Code, (b) violations of set-back requirements or similar violations,
or (c) any other issues related to title, survey or zoning with respect to the
Real Property; but does not
include (u) carrier’s, warehousemen’s, mechanic’s, materialman’s and
other similar liens with respect to amounts that are not yet due and payable or
that are being contested in good faith, (v) liens for Taxes that are not yet due
and payable or that are being contested in good faith, (w) liens securing rental
payments under capital lease arrangements, (x) restrictions on the
transferability of securities arising under applicable securities Laws (to the
extent enforceable pursuant to applicable bankruptcy Law), (y) restrictions
arising under applicable zoning and other land use Laws that do not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the present
use or occupancy of the property subject thereto, or (z) defects, easements,
rights of way, restrictions, covenants, claims, subleases or similar items
relating to real property that do not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the present use or occupancy of the real property
subject thereto.
“Environmental Law”
means any Law concerning (a) the treatment, disposal, emission, discharge,
Release or threatened Release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Material or (b)
the protection of health (including worker health and safety) and the
environment (including natural resources, air and surface or subsurface land or
waters).
“ERISA” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“European Trade Accounts
Payable Adjustment Payment” means an amount equal to the outstanding
European Trade Accounts Payable which are not past due, which amount the
Purchaser has received written notice of at least one (1) Business Day prior to
the Closing Date.
“Final Order” means an
order of the Bankruptcy Court or other court of competent
jurisdiction: (a) as to which no appeal, notice of appeal,
motion to amend or make additional findings of fact, motion to alter or amend
judgment, motion for rehearing or motion for new trial, request for stay, motion
or petition for reconsideration, application or request for review, or other
similar motion, application, notice or request (collectively, a “Challenge”) has been
timely filed, or, if any of the foregoing has been timely filed, it has been
disposed of in a manner that upholds and affirms the subject order in all
respects without the possibility for further Challenge thereon; (b) as to
which the time for instituting or filing a Challenge shall have expired; and
(c) as to which no stay is in effect.
“GAAP” means United
States generally accepted accounting principles.
“Governmental
Authority” means any (a) nation, region, state, county, city, town,
village, district or other jurisdiction, (b) federal, state, local, municipal,
foreign or other government, (c) governmental or quasi-governmental authority of
any nature (including any governmental agency, branch, department or other
entity and any court or other tribunal), (d) multinational organization
exercising judicial, legislative or regulatory power or (e) body exercising, or
entitled to exercise, any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative,
police, regulatory or taxing authority or power of any nature of any federal,
state, local, municipal, foreign or other government.
-4-
“Governmental
Authorization” means any approval, consent, ratification, waiver,
license, permit, registration or other authorization issued or granted by any
Governmental Authority.
“Hazardous Material”
means any waste, chemical, material or other substance that is listed, defined,
designated or classified as hazardous, radioactive or toxic or a pollutant or a
contaminant under any Environmental Law, including any mixture or solution
thereof, and including petroleum and all derivatives thereof, asbestos or
asbestos-containing materials in any form or condition, polychlorinated
biphenyls and any other waste, chemical, material or other substance in any
amount or concentration that is regulated or for which liability can be imposed
under any Environmental Law.
“Initial
Consideration” means the sum of the Initial Cash Consideration, the Trade
Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, the European Trade Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment, the Shared Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, the Accrued
Payroll and Benefits Adjustment Payment and the Assumed
Liabilities.
“Intellectual
Property” means all of the following anywhere in the world and all legal
rights, title or interest in the following arising under Law: (a) all patents
and applications for patents and all related reissues, reexaminations,
divisions, renewals, extensions, provisionals, continuations and continuations
in part; (b) all copyrights, copyright registrations and copyright applications,
copyrightable works and all other corresponding rights; (c) all mask works, mask
work registrations and mask work applications and all other corresponding
rights; (d) all trade dress and trade names, logos, Internet addresses and
domain names, trademarks and service marks and related registrations and
applications, including any intent to use applications, supplemental
registrations and any renewals or extensions, all other indicia of commercial
source or origin and all goodwill associated with any of the foregoing; (e) all
inventions (whether patentable or unpatentable and whether or not reduced to
practice), know how, technology, technical data (including lab notebooks), trade
secrets, confidential business information, manufacturing and production
processes and techniques, product formulations, chemical formulations, research
and development information, REACH reformulation data and results,
experimentation data and results, product development information and
application data sheets including testing procedures, financial, marketing and
business data, pricing and cost information, business and marketing plans,
advertising and promotional materials, customer, distributor, reseller and
supplier lists and information including pricing terms and history,
correspondence, records, and other documentation, and other proprietary
information of every kind; (f) all computer software (including source and
object code), firmware, development tools, algorithms, files, records, technical
drawings and related documentation, process flow diagrams, material of
construction information, xxxx of materials, piping and information diagrams,
front end engineering and design (FEED) studies, material safety data sheets
(MSDS) and tech service data, data and manuals; (g) all strategy and marketing
data and marketing studies, advertisements, trade ads and tradeshow materials;
(h) all databases and data collections, including customer contact data and
customer call reports; and (i) all other intellectual property
rights.
“Intermediate
Products” means those products that are the subject of the Supply
Agreements.
“IRS” means the United
States Internal Revenue Service and, to the extent relevant, the United States
Department of Treasury.
“Judgment” means any
order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling, assessment or arbitration award of
any Governmental Authority or arbitrator.
-5-
“Knowledge” or “Known” means, with
respect to the Seller, the actual knowledge, following reasonable inquiry (which
shall consist of the level of inquiry set forth in Section 1.1(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule), of any of the executive officers or senior
managerial employees of the Seller listed in Section 1.1(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule.
“Known Environmental
Liability” means any Liability under Environmental Laws related to the
Taft, Louisiana facility arising from (a) any Proceeding pending or threatened
on or before the date hereof, (b) any Release of or any exposure of any Person
to any Hazardous Materials at, on, in, to, from or under the Owned Real Property
identified on or before the date hereof, including the subsequent migration of
such Hazardous Materials from the Owned Real Property, (c) any environmental
fact or condition that occurred or existed and is identified on or before the
date hereof, and (d) any violation of Environmental Law or Environmental
Authorization by the Business or Seller that occurred on or before the date
hereof, until such violation is resolved pursuant to the terms of Article 11, in each
case of (a) through (d), only to the extent identified on Schedule
1.1(a).
“Law” means any
federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, international, multinational, or
other constitution, law (including common law), statute, treaty, rule,
regulation, ordinance or code.
“Liability” means any
liability or obligation, whether known or unknown, absolute or contingent,
accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, due or to become
due.
“Loss” means any
direct and actual Liabilities, losses, damages, Judgments, fines, penalties,
costs or expenses (including reasonable attorney’s or other professional fees
and expenses) but excluding any special, incidental, indirect, exemplary,
punitive or consequential damages (including lost profits, loss of revenue or
lost sales, or amounts calculated as a multiple of earnings, profits, revenue,
sales or other measure).
“Material Adverse
Effect” means any event, change, circumstance, effect or other matter
that has a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of
operations or business prospects of the Business, taken as a whole; provided, however, that none of
the following, either alone or in combination, will constitute, or be considered
in determining whether there has been, a Material Adverse Effect: any
event, change, circumstance, effect or other matter resulting from or related to
(i) any outbreak or escalation of war or major hostilities or any act of
terrorism, (ii) changes in Laws, GAAP or enforcement or interpretation thereof,
(iii) changes that generally affect the industries and markets in which the
Business operates, (iv) changes in financial markets, general economic
conditions (including prevailing interest rates, exchange rates, commodity
prices and fuel costs) or political conditions, (v) any failure, in and of
itself, of the Business to meet any published or internally prepared
projections, budgets, plans or forecasts of revenues, earnings or other
financial performance measures or operating statistics (it being understood that
the facts and circumstances underlying any such failure that are not otherwise
excluded from the definition of a “Material Adverse Effect” may be considered in
determining whether there has been a Material Adverse Effect), (vi) any action
taken or failed to be taken pursuant to or in accordance with this Agreement or
at the request of, or consented to by, the Purchaser, or (vii) the execution or
delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or the public announcement or other publicity with respect to any
of the foregoing.
-6-
“Person” means an
individual or an entity, including a corporation, share company, limited
liability company, partnership, trust, association or other business or
investment entity, or any Governmental Authority.
“Petition Date” means
March 18, 2009.
“Post-Closing Period”
means any taxable period or portion of a period that begins after the Closing
Date.
“Pre-Closing Period”
means any taxable period or portion of a period that ends on or before the
Closing Date, including that portion of any Straddle Period ending on the
Closing Date.
“Prepaid Inventory”
means goods not received by the Business on or before the Closing Date that have
been paid for by the Seller on or before the Closing Date.
“Proceeding” means any
action, arbitration, audit, examination, investigation, hearing, litigation or
suit (whether civil, criminal, administrative, judicial or investigative,
whether formal or informal, and whether public or private) commenced, brought,
conducted or heard by or before, or otherwise involving, any Governmental
Authority or arbitrator.
“Purchaser Deemed Entity
Value” means $38,000,000.
“Purchaser Intermediate
Products” means those products that are the subject of the Supply
Agreements and which were sold by the Business at any time from January 1, 2008
until the Closing Date.
“Real Property” means,
collectively, the Owned Real Property, the Acquired Company Owned Real Property
and the Acquired Company Leased Real Property.
“Release” means the
release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, pouring, emptying, escaping,
dumping, injection, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or
migrating of any Hazardous Material into the environment.
“Remediation” and
“Remediate”
mean investigation, testing, analysis, monitoring, risk assessment, removal,
remedial action, cleanup, installation and implementation of institutional,
engineering or other controls, and any other actions reasonably necessary to
address or resolve a Release of Hazardous Material.
“Retained Business
Product” means any product manufactured and sold by the Seller or any of
its Affiliates from January 1, 2008 until the Closing Date and which relate to
Seller’s Antioxident/Ultra Violet Stabilizer business, Petroleum Additives
business or Organometallic Specialties business but shall explicitly exclude any
products exclusively manufactured by the Business on or before
Closing.
“Schedule” means the
Seller Disclosure Schedule or the SAPA Disclosure Schedule, as the context
requires.
“Seller Intermediate
Products” means those products that are the subject of the Supply
Agreements and which were sold by the Seller’s Antioxident/Ultra Violet
Stabilizer business or its Organometallic Specialties business at any time from
January 1, 2008 until the Closing Date.
-7-
“Seller Plan” means
any Contract, plan, commitment, fund or program maintained, sponsored, owed,
adopted, contributed to, or followed by the Seller, any Selling Affiliate, the
Acquired Company or any of their respective Affiliates, providing compensation
(other than salary), benefits, pension, retirement, superannuation, profit
sharing, stock bonus, stock option, stock purchase, phantom or stock equivalent,
bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, hospitalization, medical, dental,
vision, vacation, life insurance, death benefit, sick pay, disability,
severance, termination indemnity, redundancy pay, educational assistance,
holiday pay, housing assistance, moving expense reimbursement, fringe benefit or
similar employee benefits to Employees or Acquired Company Employees Company and
former directors, officers, employees or agents employed or formerly employed or
otherwise retained or formerly retained primarily in the operation of the
Business or by the Acquired Company, but excluding (a) any Contract, plan, fund
or program required to be maintained by the Laws of the jurisdiction in which
the Employee or Acquired Company Employee is working and (b) any governmental
plan or program requiring the mandatory payment of social insurance Taxes or
similar contributions to a governmental fund with respect to the wages of an
employee.
“Share Selling
Affiliate” means Chemtura Organometallics GmbH, a company duly organized
and existing in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany,
registered with the commercial register of the local court (Amtsgericht) Xxxx
under HRB 4711.
“Shared Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment” means an amount equal to $200,000.
“Shared Intellectual
Property” means registered trademarks used by the Business and also used
by the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller in the ordinary course of business
and all other Intellectual Property used by both the Seller or any Affiliate of
the Seller and by the Business, and not used exclusively by the Business, which
are retained by the Seller and its relevant Affiliates and licensed to the
Purchaser pursuant to Exhibit
E-3.
“Shares” means all of
the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Acquired Company.
“Straddle Period”
means any taxable period that begins before and ends after the Closing
Date.
“Subsidiary” means,
with respect to a specified Person, any corporation or other Person of which
securities or other interests having the power to elect a majority of that
corporation’s or other Person’s board of directors or similar governing body, or
otherwise having the power to direct the business and policies of that
corporation or other Person (other than securities or other interests having
such power only upon the happening of a contingency that has not occurred) are
held by the specified Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries.
“Supply Agreements”
means the TBT Supply Agreement, the TOT Supply Agreement, the TPP/LPE Supply
Agreement, the Weston 705 Supply Agreement, the Isopetronate HL-44 Supply
Agreement and the TNPP Supply Agreement.
“Xxxx Air Issue” means
any emissions from and operational parameters of Emission Point No. 001-05GP
(Thermal Oxidizer UB-1300 Control Device) in excess of emission limits or
operational requirements established by any Governmental Authorization or
Environmental Law.
-8-
“Tax” means (a) any
federal, state, local, foreign or other tax, charge, fee, duty (including
customs duty), levy or assessment, including any income, gross receipts, net
proceeds, alternative or add-on minimum, corporation, ad valorem, turnover, real
property, personal property (tangible or intangible), sales, use, franchise,
excise, escheat, abandoned or unclaimed property, VAT, stamp, leasing, lease,
user, transfer, fuel, excess profits, profits, occupational, premium, interest
equalization, windfall profits, severance, license, registration, payroll,
environmental, capital stock, capital duty, disability, estimated, gains,
wealth, welfare, employee’s income withholding, other withholding, unemployment
or social security or other tax of whatever kind (including any fee, assessment
or other charges in the nature of or in lieu of any tax) that is imposed by any
Governmental Authority, (b) any interest, fines, penalties or additions
resulting from, attributable to, or incurred in connection with any items
described in this paragraph or any related contest or dispute and (c) any
Liability for the Taxes of another Person.
“Tax Attributes” means
any net operating loss, net capital loss, investment tax credit, foreign tax
credit, charitable deduction or any other tax credit or tax attribute that could
be carried forward or back to reduce Taxes (including deductions and credits
relating to alternative minimum Taxes).
“Tax Contest” means an
audit, claim, dispute or controversy relating to Taxes.
“Tax Return” means any
report, return, declaration, claim for refund, or information return or
statement related to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and
including any amendment thereof, required to be filed with a Governmental
Authority.
“Trade Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment” means an amount equal to $7,156,610.
“Unknown Environmental
Liability” means any Liability under Environmental Laws related to the
Taft, Louisiana facility (excluding any Known Environmental Liability) arising
from (a) any Release of or any exposure of any Person to any Hazardous Materials
at, on, in, to, from or under the Owned Real Property that occurred on or before
the Closing Date, including the subsequent migration of such Hazardous Materials
from the Owned Real Property, (b) any environmental fact or condition that
occurred or existed on or before the Closing Date; (c) any violation of
Environmental Law or Environmental Authorization by the Business or the Seller
that occurred on or before the Closing Date, until such violation is resolved
pursuant to the terms of Article 11; or (d)
any Proceeding asserted in response to (a) through (c) above.
“VAT” means any
value-added Tax, goods and services Tax or similar Tax, including such Tax as
may be levied in accordance with (but subject to derogation from) EEC Directive
77/388/EEC.
“WARN Act” means the
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, and any similar
foreign, state or local Law.
Section
1.2 Additional Defined
Terms. For purposes of this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements, the following terms have the meanings specified in the indicated
Section of this Agreement:
Defined Term
|
Section
|
|
Accounts
Receivable
|
2.1(b)(ii)
|
|
Accrued
Payroll and Benefits
|
2.4(e)
|
|
Acquired
Company Intellectual Property
|
3.10
|
|
Acquired
Company Leased Real Property
|
3.9(b)
|
|
Acquired
Company Real Property
|
3.9(a)
|
|
Adjustment
Calculation
|
2.6(a)
|
-9-
Defined Term
|
Section
|
|
Adjustment
Notice
|
2.6(a)
|
|
Affiliate
Indemnified Party
|
5.12
|
|
Agreement
|
Preamble
|
|
Approval
Notification
|
11.4(f)
|
|
Approval
Order
|
5.3(a)
|
|
Assignment
and Assumption Agreement
|
2.9(a)(ii)
|
|
Assumed
Liabilities
|
2.3
|
|
Bankruptcy
Avoidance Actions
|
2.2(m)
|
|
Bidding
Procedures Order
|
5.3(a)
|
|
Xxxx
of Sale
|
2.9(a)(i)
|
|
Bonus
Payments
|
10.1(e)
|
|
Breakup
Fee
|
7.2(b)
|
|
Business
Information
|
5.9(b)
|
|
Business
Intellectual Property Rights
|
3.10
|
|
Calculation
Principles
|
2.6(a)
|
|
Chosen
Court
|
12.13
|
|
Ciba
Environmental Indemnity Assignment
|
2.9(a)(xiii)
|
|
Claim
Notice
|
8.3(a)
|
|
Closing
|
2.8
|
|
Closing
Allocation Schedule
|
2.7(a)
|
|
Closing
Date
|
2.8
|
|
Commitment
Letters
|
4.7
|
|
Confidentiality
Agreement
|
5.9(a)
|
|
Continuation
Period
|
10.1(c)
|
|
Controlling
Party
|
8.3(d)
|
|
Control
Notice
|
11.4(b)
|
|
Deposit
Agent
|
2.5(b)(i)
|
|
Deposit
Agreement
|
2.5(b)(i)
|
|
Deposit
Amount
|
2.5(b)(i)
|
|
Dispute
Notice
|
2.6(c)(ii)
|
|
Dispute
Notification
|
11.4(f)
|
|
Environmental
Authorizations
|
3.15(a)
|
|
Environmental
Claim
|
11.4(a)
|
|
Environmental
Claim Notice
|
11.4(a)
|
|
Environmental
Response Action
|
11.4(b)
|
|
Environmental
Investigation
|
11.3(b)
|
|
Environmental
Losses
|
11.3(b)
|
|
Environmental
Response Action
|
11.4(b)
|
|
Environmental
Response Action Proposal
|
11.4(e)
|
|
European
Trade Accounts Payable
|
2.4(c)
|
|
Excluded
Assets
|
2.2
|
|
Excluded
Intellectual Property
|
2.2(h)
|
|
Excluded
Liabilities
|
2.4
|
|
Final
Cash Consideration
|
2.5(a)
|
|
Final
Closing Net Working Capital
|
2.6(a)
|
|
Financial
Statements
|
3.5
|
|
German
GAAP Financial Statements
|
5.22(b)
|
|
Governmental
Antitrust Authority
|
5.5(a)
|
|
Initial
Allocation Schdule
|
2.7(a)
|
|
Included
Contracts
|
2.1(b)(iii)
|
-10-
Defined Term
|
Section
|
|
Income
Statement
|
3.5
|
|
Indemnified
Party
|
8.3(a)
|
|
Indemnifying
Party
|
8.3(a)
|
|
Independent
Accounting Firm
|
2.6(f)
|
|
Independent
Consultant
|
11.4(g)
|
|
Initial
Allocation Schedule
|
2.7(a)
|
|
Initial
Cash Consideration
|
2.5(a)
|
|
Inventory
|
2.1(b)(i)
|
|
Inventory
Cap
|
2.6(b)
|
|
IP
Assignments
|
2.9(a)(v)
|
|
IP
License Agreement
|
2.9(a)(v)
|
|
Isopetronate
HL-44 Toll Manufacturing Agreement
|
5.21
|
|
Known
Environmental Liability Indemnity Period
|
11.2(b)
|
|
Known
Environmental Liability Losses
|
11.1(b)
|
|
Known
Losses Termination Date
|
11.2(b)
|
|
Latin
American Purchased Assets
|
2.10(d)
|
|
Lease
|
3.9(b)
|
|
Loss
Compensation Claim
|
5.22(b)
|
|
Marked
Assets
|
5.15(b)
|
|
Material
Contracts
|
3.11(a)
|
|
New
Defined Benefit Plan
|
10.2(a)
|
|
Non-Controlling
Party
|
8.3(d)
|
|
Off-Site
Liabilities
|
2.4(k)
|
|
Other
Purchased Assets
|
2.10(a)
|
|
Owned
Real Property
|
2.1(b)(v)
|
|
Pension
Plan
|
10.2(a)
|
|
Plan
Assets Amount
|
10.2(b)
|
|
Profit
Transfer Claim 2009
|
5.22(b)
|
|
Purchase
Price
|
2.5(a)
|
|
Purchased
Assets
|
2.1(b)
|
|
Purchased
Intellectual Property
|
2.1(b)(vi)
|
|
Purchaser
|
Preamble
|
|
Purchaser
Indemnified Parties
|
8.1
|
|
Regulation
|
3.22
|
|
Reimbursement
|
7.2(b)
|
|
Sale
Motion
|
5.3(a)
|
|
Savings
Plan
|
10.3(a)
|
|
Seller
|
Preamble
|
|
Seller
Disclosure Schedule
|
Article
3
|
|
Seller
Indemnified Parties
|
8.2
|
|
Seller
Information
|
5.15(f)
|
|
Seller
Marks
|
5.15(a)
|
|
September
’09 Net Assets Statement
|
3.5
|
|
Share
Transfer Agreement
|
2.9(a)(iii)
|
|
Shared
Accounts Payable
|
2.4(d)
|
|
SK
|
Preamble
|
|
TBT
Supply Agreement
|
2.9(a)(x)
|
|
TOT
Supply Agreement
|
2.9(a)(xi)
|
|
TNPP
Supply Agreement
|
5.21(a)
|
|
TPP/LPE
Supply Agreement
|
2.9(a)(xii)
|
-11-
Defined Term
|
Section
|
|
Third
Party Claim
|
8.3(b)
|
|
Third
Party Environmental Claim
|
11.3(b)
|
|
Threshold
|
8.5(a)(ii)
|
|
Trade
Accounts Payable
|
2.4(b)
|
|
Transferred
Employee
|
10.1(b)
|
|
Transfer
Taxes
|
9.1(e)
|
|
Transferred
Employee
|
10.1(b)
|
|
Transferred
Former Employee
|
10.1(c)
|
|
Transition
Services Agreement
|
2.9(a)(ix)
|
|
Unknown
Environmental Liability Indemnity Period
|
10.2(a)
|
|
Unknown
Environmental Liability Losses
|
11.1(a)
|
|
Unknown
Losses Termination Date
|
11.2(a)
|
|
Welfare
Plan
|
10.4
|
|
Weston
705 Supply Agreement
|
|
5.21
|
Section
1.3 Construction. Any
reference in this Agreement to an “Article,” “Section,” “Exhibit” or “Schedule”
refers to the corresponding Article, Section, Exhibit or Schedule of or to this
Agreement, unless the context indicates otherwise. The table of
contents and the headings of Articles and Sections are provided for convenience
only and are not intended to affect the construction or interpretation of this
Agreement. All words used in this Agreement are to be construed to be
of such gender or number as the circumstances require. The words
“including,” “includes,” or “include” are to be read as listing non-exclusive
examples of the matters referred to, whether or not words such as “without
limitation” or “but not limited to” are used in each instance. Where
this Agreement states that a party “shall”, “will” or “must” perform in some
manner or otherwise act or omit to act, it means that the party is legally
obligated to do so in accordance with this Agreement. Any reference
to a statute is deemed also to refer to any amendments or successor legislation
as in effect at the relevant time. Any reference to a Contract or
other document as of a given date means the Contract or other document as
amended, supplemented and modified from time to time through such
date.
ARTICLE
2
THE
TRANSACTION
Section
2.1 Sale and Purchase of Shares
and Purchased Assets.
(a) In
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, at the Closing, the Seller
will cause the Share Selling Affiliate to sell and transfer to the Designated
Affiliate and the Purchaser will cause its Designated Affiliate to purchase and
acquire from the Share Selling Affiliate, all of the Shares, free and clear of
all Claims.
(b) In
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and except as set forth in
Section 2.2, at
the Closing, the Seller will, and the Seller will cause the Seller Affiliates
(solely with respect to any inventory or receivables of the Business located in
Europe or Latin America as set forth in Section 2.10) to,
sell, convey, assign, transfer and deliver to the Purchaser, free and clear of
all Encumbrances, and the Purchaser will purchase and acquire from the Seller
and such Seller Affiliate, if applicable, all of the right, title and interest
of the Seller and such Seller Affiliate, if applicable, in and to all of the
following assets (collectively, the “Purchased
Assets”):
(i) all
finished goods inventory, goods-in-transit, raw materials and work-in-process
and packaging materials used or held for use solely and exclusively in the
Business including those on consignment or held in the possession of any third
party (the “Inventory”);
-12-
(ii) all
trade accounts receivable and other rights to payment from third-party customers
of the Business to the extent allocable to the Business and not to the Seller or
its Affiliates’ unrelated operations, and the full benefit of all security for
such accounts receivable or rights to payment, including all trade accounts
receivable representing amounts receivable in respect of goods shipped or
products sold or services rendered to customers of the Business and all other
accounts or notes receivable to the extent allocable to the Business and the
full benefit of all security for such accounts or notes (the “Accounts
Receivable”);
(iii) all
of the rights of the Seller under all Contracts exclusively relating to the
Business , including those Contracts set forth on Schedule 2.1(b)(iii)
(collectively, the “Included
Contracts”);
(iv) all
machinery, equipment, furniture, office supplies, motor vehicles, spare parts,
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) inventories, tools, and other items of
tangible personal property used or held for use by the Seller exclusively in the
Business, and the related interests of the Seller therein;
(v) (A)
the real property set forth on Schedule 2.1(b)(v)(A)
(collectively, the “Owned Real
Property”);
(vi) all
Intellectual Property owned by the Seller and used exclusively by the Business,
including the Intellectual Property set forth on Schedule 2.1(b)(vi)
(collectively, the “Purchased Intellectual
Property”);
(vii) all
goodwill of the Seller exclusively relating to the Business or the Purchased
Assets, other than goodwill associated with the corporate name of the
Seller;
(viii) to
the extent transferable under applicable Law, all Governmental Authorizations
held by the Seller to the extent necessary for and exclusively relating to the
operation of the Business;
(ix) to
the extent transferable under applicable Law, all books, records, studies,
reports, files and papers, exclusively used in the Business (and copies of all
books, records, files and papers used both in the Business and in other Seller
operations) to the extent used in the Business, including all advertising
materials, client and customer lists, supplier and vendor lists, purchase
orders, sales and purchase invoices, production reports, health and safety
studies, toxicology studies, personnel and employment records, and financial and
accounting records other than the corporate books and records of the
Seller;
(x) all
of the Seller’s claims, rights, credits, causes of action, defenses and rights
of set-off against third parties relating to or arising from any of the
Purchased Assets or Assumed Liabilities, including unliquidated rights under
manufacturers’ and vendors’ warranties; and
(xi) all
of the Seller’s Prepaid Inventory.
For
purposes of clarity, the Purchased Assets do not include the Shares or any
assets of the Acquired Company, it being understood that the Designated
Affiliate will acquire all of the Shares pursuant to Section
2.1(a).
Section
2.2 Excluded
Assets. Notwithstanding the terms of Section 2.1 the
Seller will not sell, convey, assign, transfer or deliver to the Purchaser, and
the Purchaser will not purchase or acquire, and the Purchased Assets do not
include, any assets other than the Purchased Assets, including any assets to
related to the Seller’s other business lines and any of the following assets
(the “Excluded
Assets”):
-13-
(a) all
cash and Cash Equivalents;
(b) all
assets, business lines, properties located at the real property set forth on
Schedule
2.2(b);
(c) all
minute books, records, stock ledgers, Tax records and all other materials that
the Seller is required by Law to retain;
(d) the
shares of the capital stock of the Seller and all of the Seller’s or any of its
Affiliate’s ownership interest in any Person (other than the Acquired
Company);
(e) all
insurance policies, binders and claims and rights thereunder and proceeds
thereof;
(f) all
rights under all Contracts of the Seller other than the Included Contracts,
including the shared Contracts set forth on Schedule
2.2(f);
(g) all
rights to refunds, credits or similar benefits relating to Taxes and other
governmental charges of whatever nature attributable to the Pre-Closing
Period;
(h) all
intellectual property rights of the Seller and its Affiliates other than the
Purchased Intellectual Property, including the Shared Intellectual Property (the
“Excluded Intellectual
Property”);
(i)
all real property and rights in respect of real property, other than
as described in Section
2.1(b)(v);
(j) other
than the rights to receive the services pursuant to the terms of the Transition
Services Agreement, all rights to receive services and benefits of the kind
provided to the Business by the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller, either
directly or indirectly through third-party service providers, prior to the
Closing Date, including (A) computer and information processing services, (B)
finance, accounting and payroll services, (C) facilities management services
(including environmental, health and safety), (D) treasury services (including
banking, insurance, administration, taxation and internal audit), (E) general
and administrative services, (F) executive and management services, (G) legal
services, (H) human resources services, (I) risk management services, (J) group
purchasing services, (K) corporate marketing, strategy and development services,
(L) corporate travel and aircraft services and (M) investor relation
services;
(k) all
rights in connection with and assets of any Seller Plan, except as otherwise
expressly provided in Article
10;
(l) all
intercompany receivables, loans and investments (i) between Seller or any of its
Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and Seller or any of its Subsidiaries, on the
other hand, or (ii) required to be settled in accordance with Section
5.19;
(m) any
and all avoidance or other causes of action arising under Sections 510, 544
through 550 and 553 of the Bankruptcy Code or under similar state laws
(collectively, the “Bankruptcy Avoidance
Actions”);
(n) all
rights arising under any Excluded Liability;
(o) all
assets and other rights relating to the Business sold or otherwise transferred
or disposed of during the period from the date of this Agreement through and
including the Closing Date, in any event in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement; and
-14-
(p) all
rights of the Seller or any of its Affiliates under this Agreement or any of the
Ancillary Agreements to which the Seller or any of its Affiliates is a
party.
For
purposes of clarity, the Excluded Assets do not include the Shares or any assets
of the Acquired Company.
Section
2.3 Assumed
Liabilities. In accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement, at the Closing, subject to Article 11, the
Purchaser will assume and pay or perform and discharge when due any and all of
the Liabilities of the Seller to the extent relating to the Business or the
Purchased Assets, whether arising on, prior to or following the Closing Date, in
each case other than the Excluded Liabilities (the “Assumed
Liabilities”). Subject to Article 11, the
Assumed Liabilities include the following:
(a) To
the extent reflected in the Final Closing Net Working Capital, all Liabilities
arising after the filing by the Seller of the Case and prior to the Closing,
including all Liabilities reserved or accrued within the “Other Accrued
Expenses” line item for the Xxxx facility on the Final Closing Net Working
Capital (other than (i) Taxes for any Pre-Closing Period or otherwise allocated
to the Pre-Closing Period pursuant to Section 9.1(c), (ii)
the Trade Accounts Payable, (iii) the European Trade Accounts Payable, (iv) the
Shared Accounts Payable and (v) the Accrued Payroll and Benefits);
(b) all
Liabilities for Taxes imposed on the Purchaser pursuant to Section 9.1 or
otherwise allocated to the Post-Closing Period pursuant to Section
9.1(c);
(c) all
Liabilities of the Seller and the Selling Affiliates arising on, prior to or
following the Closing Date under the Included Contracts and the Governmental
Authorizations included in the Purchased Assets, including payment of the Cure
Costs;
(d) all
pension obligations, accrued vacation and sick time relating to the employment
of Transferred Employees on or prior to the Closing Date and all Liabilities
relating to the employment of the Transferred Employees arising after the
Closing Date;
(e) all
Liabilities arising out of or relating to the termination by the Seller in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of, or failure
by the Purchaser to hire, any Employees, including any Liabilities to provide
benefits or severance with respect to any Employee or any of their dependents,
beneficiaries and joint annuitants and any Liabilities arising under the WARN
Act and any other Laws requiring notification to or consultation with Employees
or their representatives as a result of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement;
(f) all
Liabilities assumed by the Purchaser and its Affiliates pursuant to Article
10;
(g) all
Liabilities associated with the Owned Real Property first arising on or
following the Closing Date;
(h) all
Liabilities relating to or arising out of Environmental Laws or Hazardous
Materials, including, except as provided in Article 11, any Known
Environmental Liability and any Unknown Environmental Liability, relating to the
Business, the Purchased Assets, or the Owned Real Property, arising on, prior to
or following the Closing Date, other than the Off-Site Liabilities (as defined
below);
(i) all
Liabilities with respect to any return, rebate, recall, warranty or similar
liabilities relating to products of the Business;
(j) all
Liabilities associated with the Consignment Raw Material Inventory;
and
-15-
(k) all
other Liabilities arising out of, relating to or incurred in connection with the
Business or the Purchased Assets following the Closing Date, including (i) the
operation of the Business after the Closing Date, (ii) the use by the Purchaser
or its permitted licensees of Purchased Intellectual Property and (iii) any
other condition arising following the Closing Date with respect to the Purchased
Assets.
For
purposes of clarity, the Assumed Liabilities do not include any Liabilities of
the Acquired Company, all of which will remain Liabilities of the Acquired
Company before, on and after Closing.
Section
2.4 Excluded
Liabilities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement or any other writing to the contrary, the Purchaser and its Designated
Affiliates are assuming only the Assumed Liabilities and are not assuming any
other Liability of the Seller or any Selling Affiliate of whatever nature,
whether presently in existence or arising hereafter. Such Liabilities
include the following (the “Excluded
Liabilities”):
(a) any
Liability for Taxes of the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller arising or
related to any pre-Closing period or attributable to the Business or the
Purchased Assets for a Pre-Closing Period or otherwise allocated to a
Pre-Closing Period pursuant to Section 9.1(c) (but
specifically excluding (i) Taxes, if any, imposed on the Seller or any Affiliate
or the Seller and arising out of the operation of the Business or with respect
to the Purchased Assets after the Closing Date, and (ii) Taxes imposed on the
Purchaser pursuant to Section
9.1);
(b) all
trade accounts payable to third parties and other accrued expenses for the
procurement of goods and services arising from the conduct of the Business after
the Petition Date and prior to the Closing (the “Trade Accounts
Payable”);
(c) all
trade accounts payable to third parties and other accrued expenses for the
procurement of goods and services arising from the conduct of Seller Affiliates
located in Europe or Asia (other than the Acquired Company) after the Petition
Date and prior to the Closing that are attributable to the Business (the “European Trade Accounts
Payable”)
(d) all
shared accounts payable to third parties for the procurement of goods and
services arising from the conduct of both the Business and the Seller or any
Affiliate of the Seller after the Petition Date and prior to the Closing (the
“Shared Accounts
Payable”);
(e) all
accrued payroll and accrued benefits relating to the employment of Transferred
Employees on or prior to the Closing Date (the “Accrued Payroll and
Benefits”);
(f) any
Liability arising in connection with any Seller Plan, other than those
Liabilities assumed by the Purchaser and its Affiliates pursuant to Article
10;
(g) any
Liability arising out of or related to any Excluded Asset;
(h) all
intercompany payables, loans and investments (i) between Seller or any of its
Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and Seller or any of its Subsidiaries, on the
other hand, or (ii) required to be settled in accordance with Section 5.19;
and
(i) all
Encumbrances of which the Purchased Assets are being sold free and clear under
the Approval Order;
-16-
(j) any
Proceedings set forth in Schedule 2.4(j) or
filed after the date hereof relating exclusively to pre-Closing activity of the
Business (other than a Proceeding to the extent relating to Assumed
Liabilities);
(k) all
Liabilities arising out of or relating to the off-site transportation, handling,
treatment, storage or disposal of any Hazardous Material (other than migration
of a Hazardous Material from any Owned Real Property) or the arrangement for the
same by or on behalf of the Seller, its Affiliates or their respective
predecessors in connection with the Purchased Assets or the operation of the
Business at the Taft, Louisiana facility prior to Closing (the “Off-Site
Liabilities”); and
(l) all
Liabilities relating to the employment of employees and former employees of the
Business who are not Transferred Employees.
For
purposes of clarity, the Excluded Liabilities do not include any Liabilities of
the Acquired Company, all of which will remain Liabilities of the Acquired
Company before, or and after Closing.
Section
2.5 Consideration.
(a) The
consideration for the Purchased Assets and the Shares (the “Purchase Price”)
consists of (a) two million fifty six thousand dollars (U.S. $2,056,000) in cash
(the “Initial Cash
Consideration”), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2.6 (the
Initial Cash Consideration, as adjusted, the “Final Cash
Consideration”), (b) the Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, (c)
the European Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, (d) the Shared Accounts
Payable Adjustment Payment, (e) the Accrued Payroll and Benefits Adjustment
Payment and (f) the assumption of the Assumed Liabilities, including the on-site
environmental and pension Liabilities assumed pursuant to Section 2.3.
(b) The
Initial Cash Consideration, the Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, the
European Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, the Shared Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment and the Accrued Payroll and Benefits Adjustment Payment shall
be paid as follows:
(i) within
five (5) Business Days after the date hereof, in accordance with the deposit
agreement (the form of which is attached as Exhibit A
hereto, the “Deposit
Agreement”), the Purchaser will deliver to Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National
Association, as deposit agent (the “Deposit Agent”), five
hundred thousand dollars (U.S. $500,000) (such amount, together with the
interest and income thereon, the “Deposit Amount”), to
be held in an interest-bearing account by the Deposit Agent and to be
distributed in accordance with the terms of the Deposit Agreement;
(ii) at
the Closing, the Purchaser shall pay, by wire transfer of immediately available
funds in U.S. dollars, the Initial Cash Consideration, plus fifty percent
(50%) of the aggregate amount of the Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment
and the Shared Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, plus the Accrued
Payroll and Benefits Adjustment Payment, plus any applicable Transfer Taxes
imposed on, or required to be remitted by, the Seller or any applicable
Subsidiary or Subsidiaries as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby,
less the
Deposit Amount, to an account or accounts designated by the Seller, such
designation to be made in writing at least three (3) Business Days prior to the
Closing Date;
(iii) on
the Business Day following the 15th day following the Closing Date, the
Purchaser shall pay, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in U.S.
dollars, an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the European Trade Accounts
Payable Adjustment Payment; and
-17-
(iv) on
the Business Day following the 30th day following the Closing Date, the
Purchaser shall pay, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in U.S.
dollars, an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate amount of the
Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, the European Trade Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment and the Shared Accounts Payable Adjustment
Payment.
Section
2.6 Post-Closing Closing Net
Working Capital Adjustment.
(a) Within
ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, the Seller will prepare and deliver to
the Purchaser a written notice (the “Adjustment Notice”)
containing (i) the Seller’s calculation of the Closing Net Working Capital (the
“Final Closing Net
Working Capital”) and (ii) the Seller’s calculation of the amount of any
payments required pursuant to Section 2.6(h) (the
“Adjustment
Calculation”). The Final Closing Net Working Capital and the
Adjustment Calculation, if any, shall be set forth in U.S. dollars after any
applicable portion thereof has been converted from euros at the euro foreign
exchange reference rate published in the Wall Street Journal on the Closing
Date. The Adjustment Notice will be prepared in accordance with the
accounting methods and practices set forth in Schedule 2.6(a) (the
“Calculation
Principles”).
(b) The
parties agree that, for purposes of calculating the Final Closing Net Working
Capital, the value of the Inventory shall be capped at an amount (the “Inventory Cap”) equal
to fifty million dollars ($50,000,000); provided, however, that the Seller and
the Purchaser shall negotiate in good faith prior to Closing to seek to agree a
methodology for adjusting the Inventory Cap upwards or downwards, and to set
forth such agreement on a Schedule 2.6(b),
based on fluctuations in the prices of (i) the metal tin, as quoted on the
London Metal Exchange, (ii) soy bean oil, as quoted on the Chicago Board of
Trade, and (iii) Butadiene, as quoted from Chemical Market Associates,
Inc. If prior to Closing Seller determines in good faith that it is
in the interest of the Business to pre-buy raw materials for the manufacture of
Inventory, Seller shall so notify Purchaser and Seller and Purchaser shall
negotiate in good faith to increase the Inventory Cap as appropriate, to reflect
the Closing Date impact of such pre-buy on the Closing Date
Inventory. Any dispute relating to the new Inventory Cap shall be
resolved in accordance with Section
2.6(f).
(c) During
the preparation of the Adjustment Notice, the Purchaser will, and will cause
each of its Affiliates to, (i) provide the Seller and the Seller’s
representatives with full access to the books, records, facilities and employees
of the Business, (ii) provide the Seller, within thirty (30) days after the
Closing Date, with normal month-end closing financial information for the period
ending as of the close of business on the Closing Date and (iii) reasonably
cooperate with the Seller and the Seller’s representatives, including by
providing on a timely basis all information reasonably necessary or useful in
preparing the Adjustment Notice.
(d) Within
forty-five (45) days after delivery of the Adjustment Notice, the Purchaser will
either:
(i) agree
in writing with the Adjustment Calculation, in which case such calculation will
be final and binding on the parties for purposes of Section 2.6(h);
or
(ii) dispute
the Adjustment Calculation by delivering to the Seller a written notice (a
“Dispute
Notice”) setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for each such
disputed item and certifying that all such disputed items are being disputed in
good faith.
-18-
During
the review of the Adjustment Notice, the Seller will, and will cause each of its
Affiliates to, (i) provide the Purchaser and the Purchaser’s representatives
with full access to the supporting documentation used to prepare the Adjustment
Notice, and (ii) reasonably cooperate with the Purchaser and the Purchaser’s
representatives, including by providing on a timely basis all information
reasonably necessary or useful in reviewing the Adjustment
Notice. For purposes of this Section 2.6(d), the
Purchaser may not deliver a Dispute Notice unless the aggregate value of all
such disputed items exceeds five hundred thousand dollars
($500,000).
(e) If
the Purchaser fails to take either of the foregoing actions within forty-five
(45) days after delivery of the Adjustment Notice, and the Seller and each of
its Affiliates have provided the Purchaser with all reasonably requested
supporting documentation to review the Adjustment Notice within such forty-five
(45) day period, then the Purchaser will be deemed to have irrevocably accepted
the Adjustment Calculation, in which case, the Adjustment Calculation will be
final and binding on the parties for purposes of Section
2.6(h).
(f) If
the Purchaser timely delivers a Dispute Notice to the Seller, then the Purchaser
and the Seller will attempt in good faith, for a period of thirty (30) days, to
agree on the Adjustment Calculation for purposes of Section
2.6(h). Any resolution by the Purchaser and the Seller during
such 30-day period as to any disputed items will be final and binding on the
parties for purposes of Section
2.6(h). If the Purchaser and the Seller do not resolve all
disputed items by the end of thirty (30) days after the date of delivery of the
Dispute Notice, then the Purchaser and the Seller will submit the remaining
items in dispute to Ernst & Young, LLP for resolution, or if that firm is
unwilling or unable to serve, the Purchaser and the Seller will engage another
mutually agreeable independent accounting firm of recognized national standing,
which firm is not the regular auditing firm of the Purchaser or the
Seller. If the Purchaser and the Seller are unable to jointly select
such independent accounting firm within ten (10) days after such 30-day period,
the Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Seller, on the other hand, will each
select an independent accounting firm of recognized national standing and such
selected accounting firms will select a third independent accounting firm of
recognized national standing, which firm is not the regular auditing firm of the
Purchaser or the Seller; provided, however, that if
either the Purchaser, on the one hand, or the Seller, on the other hand, fail to
select such independent accounting firm during this 10-day period, then the
parties agree that the independent accounting firm selected by the other party
will be the independent accounting firm selected by the parties for purposes of
this Section
2.6 (such selected independent accounting firm, whether pursuant to this
sentence or the preceding sentence, the “Independent Accounting
Firm”). The Purchaser and the Seller will instruct the
Independent Accounting Firm to render its determination with respect to the
items in dispute in a written report that specifies the conclusions of the
Independent Accounting Firm as to each item in dispute and the resulting
Adjustment Calculation. The Purchaser and the Seller will each use
their commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Independent Accounting Firm
to render its determination within thirty (30) days after referral of the items
to such firm or as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable. The
Independent Accounting Firm’s determination of the Adjustment Calculation as set
forth in its report will be final and binding on the parties for purposes of
Section
2.6(h). The Seller will revise the calculation of the Final
Closing Net Working Capital as appropriate to reflect the resolution of the
items in dispute pursuant to this Section
2.6(f). The fees and expenses of the Independent Accounting
Firm will be shared by the Purchaser and the Seller in inverse proportion to the
relative amounts of the disputed amount determined to be for the account of the
Purchaser and the Seller, respectively.
-19-
(g) For
purposes of complying with this Section 2.6, the
Purchaser and the Seller (i) may mutually agree in writing to extend any time
restriction set forth herein in ten (10) day increments, (ii) will furnish to
each other and to the Independent Accounting Firm such work papers and other
documents and information relating to the disputed items as the Independent
Accounting Firm may request and are available to that party (or its independent
public accountants) and (iii) will be afforded the opportunity to present to the
Independent Accounting Firm any material related to the disputed items and to
discuss the items with the Independent Accounting Firm.
(h) If
the Final Closing Net Working Capital as finally determined pursuant to this
Section 2.6 is
less than Base Working Capital, then the Seller will pay to the Purchaser the
amount of such difference in cash plus interest thereon (calculated based on the
actual number of days elapsed in a year consisting of 365 days) from the Closing
Date through and including the date of such payment at a rate of six percent
(6%) per annum. If the Final Closing Net Working Capital as finally
determined pursuant to this Section 2.6 is
greater than the Base Working Capital, then the Purchaser will pay to the Seller
the amount of such difference in cash plus interest thereon (calculated based on
the actual number of days elapsed in a year consisting of 365 days) from the
Closing Date through and including the date of such payment at a rate of six
percent (6%) per annum. For purposes of clarity, a sample of the
Final Closing Net Working Capital as of September 30, 2009, as determined in
accordance with the Calculation Principles, is set forth in Schedule
2.6(h).
(i) Any
payment to the Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.6(h) will
be effected by wire transfer of immediately available funds from the Seller to
an account designated by the Purchaser, and any payment to the Seller pursuant
to Section
2.6(h) will be effected by wire transfer of immediately available funds
to an account designated by the Seller. Such payments will be made
within five (5) Business Days following the final determination of the Final
Closing Net Working Capital in accordance with this Section
2.6.
(j) The
purpose of this Section 2.6 is to
determine the final consideration to be paid by the Purchaser under this
Agreement. Any payment made pursuant to this Section 2.6 will be
treated by the parties for all purposes as an adjustment to the consideration
and will not be subject to offset for any reason.
Section
2.7 Allocation of Purchase
Price.
(a) At
least twenty (20) Business Days prior to the Closing, the Seller and the
Purchaser shall have agreed to allocate the Initial Cash Consideration, the
Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment, the European Trade Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment, the Shared Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment and the
Accrued Payroll and Benefits Adjustments Payment among the Shares on the one
hand and the Purchased Assets on the other hand, and to set forth such
allocation on a Schedule 2.7(a)
(the “Initial
Allocation Schedule”). The cash amounts allocated on Schedule 2.7(a) shall
not be adjusted after the date thereof, except to take into account any
adjustment to the Initial Cash Consideration in accordance with this Agreement.
Prior to Closing and consistently with Schedule 2.7(a), the
Seller and the Purchaser shall in good faith agree how to allocate the Initial
Consideration (taking into account Assumed Liabilities to the extent they are
included in the amount realized for income tax purposes) among the Shares and
the Purchased Assets consistent with the principles set forth on Schedule 2.7(a), and
such agreement shall be set forth on a schedule to be delivered at or prior to
Closing (the “Closing
Allocation Schedule”). The Purchaser shall initially propose the content
of the Closing Allocation Schedule and if the Purchaser does so, such proposal
shall be subject to the Seller’s review and reasonable objection, to be resolved
by good-faith negotiations between the Purchaser and the
Seller. Except as otherwise required by Law or pursuant to a
“determination” under Section 1313(a) of the Code (or any comparable provision
of state, local or foreign Law), Purchaser and Seller agree to act, and to cause
their Affiliates to act, in accordance with the allocations contained in the
Closing Allocation Schedule, for all Tax purposes and that neither of them will
(or will permit its Affiliates to) take any position inconsistent therewith in
any Tax Returns or similar filings (including IRS Form 8594 or any similar
form required to be filed under state, local or foreign Law), any refund claim,
litigation, audit or otherwise. The Purchaser and the Seller each
agree to provide the other party with any additional information reasonably
required to complete and file IRS Form 8594 (or any similar form required to be
filed under state, local or foreign Law) and with completed copies of such
forms. Each party will, subject to
confidentiality obligations, provide to the other party a copy of any appraisal
obtained by such party in connection with the allocation under this Section 2.7. Where a
confidentiality obligation would otherwise prohibit a party from so providing a
copy of any such appraisal, such party shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain a waiver of such confidentiality obligations.
-20-
Section
2.8 Closing.
The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) will take
place at the offices of Xxxxx & XxXxxxxx LLP, 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, at 10:00 a.m., local time, on the last Business Day of
the calendar month in which the later of the following occurs: (i) thirty (30)
Business Days following the approval of the Approval Order or (ii) the date in
which the last of the conditions set forth in Article 6 has been
satisfied or waived (other than those conditions that by their nature can only
be satisfied at the Closing), or at such other time and place as the Seller and
the Purchaser may agree in writing. The date on which the Closing
actually occurs is referred to in this Agreement as the “Closing
Date.” For all purposes under this Agreement and each of the
Ancillary Agreements, all matters at Closing will be considered to take place
simultaneously, no delivery of any document will be deemed complete until all
transactions and deliveries of documents are completed, and the Closing will be
deemed to have occurred at 12:01 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the Closing
Date irrespective of the actual occurrence of the Closing at any particular time
on the Closing Date.
Section
2.9 Closing
Deliveries.
(a) At
the Closing, the Seller will deliver or cause to be delivered to the Purchaser,
for itself and as agent for the Designated Affiliates:
(i) a
xxxx of sale in the form of Exhibit B (the “Xxxx of Sale”), duly
executed by the Seller;
(ii) an
assignment and assumption agreement in the form of Exhibit C (the “Assignment and Assumption
Agreement”), duly executed by the Seller;
(iii) a
share sale and transfer agreement in respect of the Shares in the form of Exhibit D (the “Share Transfer
Agreement”), duly executed and notarized by the Share Selling
Affiliate;
(iv) such deeds,
documents, instruments and actions as are necessary or
appropriate to effect the valid sale and transfer
of the Shares to the Purchaser or its Designated
Affiliate, duly executed by the Share Selling Affiliate, and/or the
managing director or the Acquired Company, as required pursuant to
German Law;
(v) assignments
of all Purchased Intellectual Property in the forms of Exhibit E-1 and E-2 (collectively,
the “IP
Assignments”) and License of Shared Intellectual Property in the form of
Exhibit E-3
(the “IP License
Agreement”), duly executed by the Seller;
-21-
(vi) for
each parcel of Owned Real Property, a recordable warranty deed or such other
appropriate document or instrument of transfer in accordance with local custom,
each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser and its
counsel and executed by the Seller;
(vii) a
certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, executed by the Seller confirming the
satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 6.1(a) and
6.1(b);
(viii) the
resignations of the managing directors of the Acquired Company set forth on
Schedule
2.9(a)(viii), to the extent that such resignations have been requested in
writing by the Purchaser not less than two (2) Business Days prior to
Closing;
(ix) a
transition services agreement in the form of Exhibit F (the “Transition Services
Agreement”), duly executed by the Seller;
(x) a
supply agreement in the form of Exhibit G (the “TBT Supply
Agreement”), duly executed by the Seller;
(xi) a
supply agreement in the form of Exhibit H (the “TOT Supply
Agreement”), duly executed by the Seller;
(xii) a
supply agreement in the form of Exhibit I (the “TPP/LPE Supply
Agreement”), duly executed by the Seller;
(xiii) an
assignment of the environmental indemnity from Ciba contained in the Ciba Basic
Agreement in the form of Exhibit J (the “Ciba Environmental Indemnity
Assignment”);
(xiv) a
copy of the Approval Order; and
(xv) evidence
that notice of termination of the Acquired Company’s participation in the
domination and profit and loss pooling agreements has been made in accordance
with German Law.
(b) At
the Closing, the Purchaser will, for itself and as agent for its Designated
Affiliate, deliver or cause to be delivered to the Seller, for itself and as
agent for the Share Selling Affiliate:
(i) the
Initial Cash Consideration, fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate amount of the
Trade Accounts Payable Adjustment Payment and the Shared Accounts Payable
Adjustment Payment, and the Accrued Payroll and Benefits Adjustment Payment by
wire transfer of immediately available funds in U.S. dollars in the amount and
manner specified in Section
2.5(b);
(ii)
the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, duly executed
by the Purchaser;
(iii) the
Xxxx of Sale, duly executed by the Purchaser;
(iv) the
Share Transfer Agreement, duly executed and notarized by the Purchaser or its
Designated Affiliate, as applicable;
(v) the
IP Assignments, if any, that call for a signature by the Purchaser and/or its
Designated Affiliates, duly executed by the Purchaser and/or such Designated
Affiliates, as applicable, and the IP License Agreement, duly executed by the
Purchaser;
(vi) a
certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, duly executed by the Purchaser
confirming the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Sections 6.2(a) and
6.2(b);
-22-
(vii) the
Transition Services Agreement, duly executed by the Purchaser;
(viii) the
TBT Supply Agreement, duly executed by the Purchaser;
(ix) the
TOT Supply Agreement, duly executed by the Purchaser;
(x) the
TPP/LPE Supply Agreement, duly executed by the Purchaser; and
(xi) the
Ciba Environmental Indemnity Assignment, duly executed by the Acquired
Company.
Section
2.10 Certain Foreign Purchased
Assets.
(a) The
Seller shall cause all Purchased Assets currently located in Europe and Asia
(other than Included Contracts with any Seller Affiliate other than the Seller,
which shall be assigned directly to the Purchaser at Closing ) (the
“Other Purchased
Assets”) to be transferred to the Acquired Company prior to the
Closing.
(b) The
Seller shall cause the book value of the Other Purchased Assets in the books and
records of the Acquired Company immediately after the transfer pursuant to Section 2.10(a) above
to be equal to the book value of the Other Purchased Assets as set forth in the
books and records of the relevant Seller Affiliates immediately prior to such
transfer.
(c) To
the extent that any VAT is payable by the Acquired Company in respect of the
transfers to it of the Other Purchased Assets prior to Closing, the Seller shall
cause the Acquired Company to pay such VAT upon transfer to the relevant
Governmental Authority or the relevant transferor Seller Affiliate for payment
to the relevant Government Authority, and the Seller shall thereupon pay or
cause to be paid to the Acquired Company at or prior to Closing an amount equal
to the aggregate amount of all such VAT payments made by the Acquired Company.
Following Closing, the Purchaser shall cause the Acquired Company to reimburse
to the Seller, or as the Seller may direct in writing, an amount equal to such
VAT payments within five (5) Business Days after the receipt by the Acquired
Company of credit or repayment from the applicable Governmental Authority in
respect of the relevant VAT.
(d) All
Purchased Assets currently located in Latin America (the “Latin American Purchased
Assets”) shall be sold by the Seller or a Seller Affiliate to the
Purchaser, except that if the Purchaser instead requests in writing that such
Latin American Purchased Assets be assigned to a Purchaser Affiliate, the Seller
shall transfer such assets to such Purchaser Affiliate at the Closing or as soon
as practicable thereafter. The Purchaser shall take such steps as are necessary
to be able to, or to cause a Purchaser Affiliate to be able to, take title to
the Latin American Purchased Assets at, or as soon as practicable after,
Closing. The parties acknowledge and agree that (i) transfer of title to the
Latin American Purchased Assets may not, for reasons of local Law and
regulation, occur at the Closing, (ii) any such delay will not affect the
Initial Consideration payable at Closing, and (iii) the parties will take such
steps as are necessary to transfer title to the Latin American Purchased Assets,
to the extent the same is not transferred at Closing, to the Purchaser or its
designated Affiliate as soon as practicable after Closing.
-23-
ARTICLE
3
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
The
Seller represents and warrants to the Purchaser as follows, except as set forth
on the disclosure schedule delivered by the Seller to the Purchaser concurrently
with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and dated as of the date of
this Agreement (the “Seller Disclosure
Schedule”):
Section
3.1 Organization and Good
Standing. Each of the Seller and the Acquired Company is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (to the extent
such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdiction) under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization, and has all requisite corporate power and
authority to conduct its business as presently conducted.
Section
3.2 Authority and
Enforceability.
(a) Upon
entry of the Approval Order and subject to it becoming a Final Order, the Seller
will have all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and to perform its obligations under this
Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the
Seller have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part
of the Seller. Upon entry of the Approval Order and subject to it
becoming a Final Order, and assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery of this Agreement by the Purchaser, this Agreement will constitute the
valid and binding obligation of the Seller, enforceable against the Seller in
accordance with its terms, subject to (i) Laws of general application relating
to bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors and (ii) Laws governing
specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable
remedies.
(b) Subject
to the entry of the Approval Order and such other authorization as may be
required by the Bankruptcy Court and assuming the due authorization, execution
and delivery of the Ancillary Agreements by the Purchaser and/or the Designated
Affiliates and the other parties thereto, (i) the execution, delivery and
performance of each Ancillary Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby by the Seller and the Share Selling Affiliate party thereto
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the
Seller and the Share Selling Affiliate and (ii) and at the Closing each
Ancillary Agreement to which the Seller or the Share Selling Affiliate is a
party will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Seller or the
Share Selling Affiliate that is party thereto, enforceable against the Seller or
the Share Selling Affiliate in accordance with its terms, subject to (A) Laws of
general application relating to bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors
and (B) Laws governing specific performance, injunctive relief and other
equitable remedies.
Section
3.3 No
Conflict. Except as set forth on Section 3.3 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule and subject to entry of the Approval Order, except
for the requirements of applicable Antitrust Law, neither the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Seller and any Ancillary
Agreement by the Seller or the Share Selling Affiliate party thereto, nor the
consummation by the Seller of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
will (a) conflict with or violate the certificate of incorporation or bylaws or
other applicable charter or organizational documents of the Seller, the Share
Selling Affiliate or the Acquired Company, (b) result in a breach or default
under, or create in any Person the right to terminate, cancel, accelerate or
modify, or require any notice, consent or waiver under, any Material Contract,
(c) violate any Law or Judgment applicable to the Seller, the Share Selling
Affiliate or the Acquired Company (to the extent it relates exclusively to the
Business), the Business or the Purchased Assets, (d) require the Seller, the
Share Selling Affiliate or the Acquired Company to obtain any Governmental
Authorization or make any filing with any Governmental Authority, or (e) result
in the creation of an Encumbrance on any of the Purchased Assets.
-24-
Section
3.4 Capitalization and
Ownership.
(a) Section 3.4(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list of all the
issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Acquired Company.
Section 3.4(a)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule includes an up-to-date excerpt from the
commercial register and no material filings to the commercial register have been
made, or should have been made, that have not been registered. The Shares
represent all of the issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of the
Acquired Company. The Share Selling Affiliate is the sole record
holder and beneficial owner of all of the Shares, free and clear of all
Encumbrances, in the respective amounts set forth in Section 3.4(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule. Upon payment in full of the Purchase
Price, good and valid title to the Shares will pass to the Purchaser (or its
Designated Affiliate), free and clear of any Encumbrances, and with no
restrictions on the voting rights or other incidents of record and beneficial
ownership of such Shares. All of the Shares are duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. There are no Contracts
to which the Share Selling Affiliate or any other Person, is a party or bound
with respect to the voting (including voting trusts or proxies) of the
Shares. Other than the Shares, there are no outstanding or authorized
options, warrants, rights, agreements or commitments to which the Acquired
Company is a party or which are binding upon the Acquired Company providing for
the issuance or redemption of any shares of the Acquired Company’s capital
stock.
(b) The
Acquired Company does not own or have any rights to acquire, directly or
indirectly, any capital stock or other equity interests of any
Person.
(c) No
bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution proceedings are applied for, pending or,
to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened with respect to the Acquired Company or
the Share Selling Affiliate. Neither the Acquired Company nor the Share Selling
Affiliate is required under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization to file
for bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution.
Section
3.5 Financial
Statements. The Seller has made
available to the Purchaser copies of the unaudited pro forma statement of net
assets and liabilities (the “September ’09 Net Assets
Statement”) of the Business as at September 30, 2009 and the unaudited
pro forma consolidated statement of income (the “Income Statement”,
together with the September ’09 Net Assets Statement, the “Financial
Statements”) of the Business for the period ended September 30, 2009, in
each case prepared in accordance with GAAP as set forth in Section 3.5 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule and consistent with the Calculation Principles.
The Financial Statements were prepared based on the Seller’s normal quarter end
closing procedures, which are consistent in all material respects with normal
year end closing procedures, other than preparation of footnotes. The
Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP from the books
and records of the Seller and Business and (ii) fairly present, in all material
respects, the assets to be sold, the liabilities to be assumed and the revenues
and direct expenses of the Business as of the dates and for the periods
indicated herein, except as otherwise indicated in the Financial Statements and
Calculation Principles. Notwithstanding any reference in the Financial
Statements to the inclusion of certain assets to be sold and liabilities to be
transferred, the only assets to be sold are the Purchased Assets and the Shares
and only the liabilities to be assumed by the Purchaser are the Assumed
Liabilities.
-25-
There are
no material known liabilities, whether actual or contingent, arising out of the
Business other than (i) future obligations under the Included Contracts, (ii)
liabilities set forth on the Financial Statements or incurred in the ordinary
course of the Business since September 30, 2009, (iii) liabilities listed on
Section 3.5 of
the Seller Disclosure, and (iv) liabilities that, individually or in the
aggregate, do not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.6 Operation of the
Business. Except as set forth on Section 3.6 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Seller has conducted the Business only through
the Seller and the Acquired Company and not through any Subsidiary or Affiliate
(other than the Acquired Company) of the Seller and no part of the Business is
operated by the Seller through any Person other than the Seller and the Acquired
Company. Since the date of the Financial Statements, the Seller has operated
only in ordinary course of business (other than as impacted by the Bankruptcy)
and has not disposed of any material assets set forth in the Financial
Statements other than sales of inventory in ordinary course of the
Business.
Section
3.7 Absence of Certain Changes
and Events. From the date of the Financial Statements to the
date of this Agreement, there has not been any Material Adverse
Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, since the
date of the Financial Statements, there has not been any:
(a) amendment
or authorization of any amendment to the articles of incorporation or bylaws or
other applicable charter or organizational documents of the Seller or the
Acquired Company in a manner that could be expected to delay or otherwise
interfere with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement;
(b) declaration,
setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution (other than in
cash) in respect of the capital stock of the Acquired Company;
(c) except
as set forth on Section 3.7(c) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, sale, lease, license, pledge or other disposition
of, or Encumbrance on, any of the properties or assets of the Acquired Company
or the Seller used or held for use in connection with, necessary for or relating
to the Business (other than sales of inventory for fair consideration and in the
ordinary course of the Business);
(d) acquisition
of any properties or assets that are material to the Business individually or in
the aggregate, except purchases of inventory for fair consideration and in the
ordinary course of the Business;
(e) damage
to, or destruction or loss of, any of the properties or assets of the Acquired
Company or of the Seller used or held for use in connection with, necessary for
or relating to the Business with an aggregate value in excess of two hundred and
fifty thousand ($250,000), whether or not covered by insurance;
(f) settlement
or compromise with a value in excess of one hundred thousand ($100,000) in
connection with any Proceeding involving the Seller and the Acquired Company and
arising in connection with the operation of the Business or otherwise relating
to the Business, the Purchased Assets or the Assumed Liabilities;
(g) except
as set forth on Section 3.7(g) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, rejection, termination, expiration or adverse
amendment to any Material Contract,
(h) except
as set forth on Section 3.7(h) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, capital expenditure or other expenditure with
respect to property, plant or equipment used in or held for use in connection
with, necessary for or relating to the Business in excess of two hundred and
fifty thousand ($250,000) individually or one million ($1,000,000) in the
aggregate;
-26-
(i) change
in the Seller’s accounting principles, methods or practices or investment
practices in connection with or relating to the Business, including any changes
as were necessary to conform with GAAP;
(j) material
acceleration or delay in the payment of accounts payable or other Liabilities or
in the collection of notes or accounts receivable in connection with or relating
to the Business; or
(k) agreement
by the Seller, whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the
foregoing.
Section
3.8 Personal
Property.
(a) After
giving effect to the entry of the Approval Order and subject to it becoming a
Final Order, the Seller has good and marketable title to, or in the case of
leased assets, valid leasehold interests in, all of the tangible personal
property included in the Purchased Assets, and the Acquired Company has good and
marketable title to, or in the case of leased assets, valid leasehold interests
in, all of their tangible personal property, free and clear of all
Encumbrances.
(b) Except
as set forth on Section 3.8 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Purchased Assets and the assets of the Acquired
Company, taken as a whole, constitute all of the assets used exclusively in the
Business and constitute all of the assets that are necessary to conduct the
Business as conducted immediately prior to Closing (except assets sold, cash
disposed of, accounts receivable collected, prepaid expenses realized, Contracts
fully performed, properties or assets replaced by equivalent or superior
properties or assets, in each case in the ordinary course of the Business,
employees not to be hired by the Purchaser, the Excluded Assets and any assets
to be made available under the Transition Services Agreement).
(c) Each
tangible asset included in the Purchased Assets is in all material respects in
satisfactory operating condition and repair, ordinary wear and tear excepted, is
suitable for the purposes for which it is being used by the Seller or the
Acquired Company and has been maintained in accordance with normal industry
practice.
Section
3.9 Real
Property.
(a) Section 3.9(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list (by street
address and current owner) (i) of all real property in which the Acquired
Company has fee title (or equivalent) interest (collectively, the “Acquired Company Real
Property”) and (ii) of all Owned Real Property. Section 3.9(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule includes up-to-date excerpts from the land register
for each parcel of the Acquired Company Real Property. After giving
effect to the entry of the Approval Order and subject to it becoming a Final
Order, the current owner has good and marketable title in fee simple to each
parcel of Acquired Company Real Property and each parcel of Owned Real Property,
free and clear of any Encumbrance.
-27-
(b) The
Seller has no leasehold interest in any real property related to the
Business. Section 3.9(b) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete description (by
street address of the subject leased real property, the date and term of the
lease, the name of the parties thereto and the aggregate annual rent payable
thereunder) (i) of all real property that is leased by the Acquired Company
(collectively, the “Acquired Company Leased Real
Property”). The Acquired Company holds valid leasehold
interests in the Acquired Company Leased Real Property, free and clear of any
Encumbrances. The Seller has made available to the Purchaser complete
copies of the leases, together with any amendments thereto, in effect as of the
date hereof relating to the Acquired Company Leased Real Property (collectively,
the “Leases”
and each a “Lease”) and there has
not been any sublease or assignment entered into by the Acquired Company in
respect of the Leases. Each Lease is enforceable as to the Acquired
Company and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, the other party thereto, in accordance
with its terms except to the extent it has previously expired in accordance with
its terms and subject to (i) Laws of general application relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency and the relief of debtors, and (ii) rules of Law governing specific
performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies. All
material obligations and conditions under the Leases to be performed to date by
the Acquired Company and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, the landlords thereunder
have been satisfied.
(c) Except
as set forth on Section 3.9(c) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Seller and the Acquired Company are in peaceful
and undisturbed possession of the Real Property, and there are no contractual or
legal restrictions or other Encumbrances that preclude or restrict the ability
of the Seller and the Acquired Company to use the Real Property for the purposes
for which it is currently being used or in order to affect the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Neither the Seller nor the Acquired
Company has subleased, licensed or otherwise granted to any Person the right to
use or occupy any portion of the Real Property, and neither the Seller nor the
Acquired Company has received notice, of any claim of any Person to the
contrary.
(d) Use
of the Real Property for the various purposes for which it is presently being
used is permitted as of right under applicable zoning Laws and is not subject to
“permitted non-conforming” use or structure classifications. The Real
Property is supplied with utilities and other services necessary for the
operation of the Business and each parcel of Real Property abuts on and has
direct vehicular access to an improved public road or access to an improved
public road via a permanent, irrevocable appurtenant easement improved with a
road benefiting the parcel of Real Property.
Section
3.10 Intellectual
Property. Section 3.10 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth all registered Purchased Intellectual
Property (including registration applications) that the Seller owns or otherwise
has the right to use in its operation of the Business and all registered
Intellectual Property that the Acquired Company owns or otherwise has the right
to use in its operation of the Business as presently conducted (together with
all unregistered Intellectual Property that the Acquired Company owns or
otherwise has the right to use in its operation of the Business as presently
conducted, the “Acquired Company
Intellectual Property” and together with the Purchased Intellectual
Property, the “Business Intellectual
Property Rights”). To the Seller’s Knowledge, none of the
activities or business presently conducted by the Business infringes or
violates, or constitutes a misappropriation of, any Intellectual Property rights
of any Person. The Business Intellectual Property Rights are not
subject to any Encumbrance (other than an Encumbrance that will be removed and
stricken as against the Purchased Assets pursuant to the Approval Order), and
are not subject to any restrictions or limitations regarding use or disclosure
other than pursuant to a written license agreement set forth on Section 3.10 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule. Since the date of the Financial
Statements, neither the Seller nor the Acquired Company has received written
notification from any third party alleging that the Seller or Acquired Company
infringes any Intellectual Property of such third party. To the Knowledge of
Seller, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise conflicting
with any of the Business Intellectual Property Rights. No compensation claims
under any employee invention Laws are pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge,
threatened in respect of the Business Intellectual Property Rights.
-28-
Section
3.11 Contracts.
(a) Section 3.11(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list as of
the date hereof of each written Included Contract to which the Seller is a party
and each written Contract to which the Acquired Company is a party,
which:
(i) is
for the purchase or sale of materials, supplies, goods, equipment or services
that involves the payment by or to the Seller or the Acquired Company of more
than two hundred and fifty thousand ($250,000) over the life of the
Contract;
(ii) is
for capital expenditures in excess of one hundred thousand
($100,000);
(iii) is
a mortgage, indenture, guarantee, loan or credit agreement, security agreement
or other Contract relating to indebtedness for borrowed money, other than
accounts receivables and payables in the ordinary course of the Business, and in
each case having an outstanding principal amount in excess of one hundred
thousand ($100,000);
(iv) is
a material license or other material Contract under which the Seller or the
Acquired Company has obtained a license to use the Intellectual Property of
another Person (except for any license implied by the sale of a product and
perpetual, paid-up licenses for commonly available software programs with a
value of less than fifty thousand ($50,000) under which the Seller or the
Acquired Company is the licensee);
(v) is
a material employment Contract that is not terminable by the Seller or the
Acquired Company without penalty or further payment and without more than sixty
(60) days’ notice;
(vi) is
a material contract that provides for the Seller or the Acquired Company to act
as a distributor, dealer, sales representative or authorized service
Person;
(vii) is
a material Contract that limits or purports to limit the ability of the Business
or the Acquired Company to compete in any line of business or with any Person or
in any geographic area;
(viii) is
a material Contract between or among the Business (as conducted through the
Seller or the Acquired Company, as applicable), on the one hand, and the Seller
or the Acquired Company or their respective Affiliates, on the other hand;
or
(ix) is
entered into with a Governmental Authority.
The
Contracts listed in Section 3.11(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule are referred to in this Agreement as the “Material
Contracts.”
(b) The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser an accurate and complete copy of each
Material Contract. With respect to each such Material Contract,
neither the Seller nor the Acquired Company party to the Material Contract, nor,
to the Seller’s Knowledge, any other party to the Material Contract is in
material breach or material default under the Material Contract. Each
Material Contract is enforceable as to the Seller or the Acquired Company party
thereto and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, the other party thereto, in accordance
with its terms except to the extent it has previously expired in accordance with
its terms and subject to (i) Laws of general application relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency and the relief of debtors, and (ii) rules of Law governing specific
performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies.
-29-
(c) Section 3.11(c) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of Contracts with third parties
relating to the Business which are not Included Contracts because they are
shared with other Seller operations, but would have otherwise been considered
Material Contracts pursuant to Section
3.11(a).
(d) Section 3.11(d) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule identifies which Material Contracts require third
party consent to assign in accordance with their terms, subject to the
provisions of the Bankruptcy Code in respect thereof or, with respect to
Material Contracts involving the Acquired Company, require third party consent
in connection with a stock transfer or other change of control.
Section
3.12 Tax
Matters.
(a) All
material Tax Returns required to be filed by the Seller with respect to the
Purchased Assets or by the Acquired Company have been timely filed and all such
Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate in all material
respects. All material Taxes due and payable by the Seller with
respect to the Purchased Assets, or by the Acquired Company whether or not shown
on such Tax Returns, have been paid, except for any payments by the Seller which
have been stayed by the filing of the Case under Section 362 of the Bankruptcy
Code. No Governmental Authority has proposed formally in writing to
make or has made any material adjustment with respect to Taxes primarily
attributable to the Purchased Assets or such Tax Returns of the Acquired
Company. The Acquired Company does not have any Liability for any Tax
obligation of any other taxpayer, including any obligation under any Tax sharing
agreement. The Seller has made available to the Purchaser accurate
and complete copies of all Tax Returns filed by the Seller with respect to the
Purchased Assets and all Tax Returns filed by the Acquired Company for the years
ended December 31, 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively.
(b) All
material Taxes that the Acquired Company is required by Law to withhold or
collect, and all material Taxes that the Seller is required by Law to withhold
or collect in respect of Taxes primarily relating to the Purchased Assets, have
been properly withheld or collected, and, to the extent required by applicable
Law, have been paid over to the proper Governmental Authority.
(c) No
audits or other Proceedings are pending or being conducted, nor has the Seller
or the Acquired Company received any written notice from any Governmental
Authority that any such audit or other Proceeding is pending or, to the Seller’s
Knowledge, threatened in any case with respect to Taxes attributable to the
Purchased Assets or the Acquired Company. Neither the Seller nor the
Acquired Company has waived any statute of limitations with respect to Taxes or
agreed to an extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency in
any case with respect to Taxes attributable to the Purchased Assets or the
Acquired Company, which waiver or extension of time is currently
outstanding.
(d) The
Acquired Company (i) is a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income Tax
purposes, (ii) is not, and has never been, a passive foreign investment company
within the meaning of Section 1296 of the Code, and (iii) is not, and has never
been, engaged in the conduct of a trade or business within the United States
within the meaning of Section 864(b) of the Code.
(e) This
Section 3.12
constitutes the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of the Seller
with respect to any matters relating to Taxes.
-30-
Section
3.13 Employee Benefit
Matters.
(a) Section 3.13(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list of all
Seller Plans.
(b) The
Seller has made available to the Purchaser an accurate written summary of each
Seller Plan.
(c) No
Proceeding with respect to the administration or the investment of the assets of
any Seller Plan (other than routine claims for benefits) is pending or, the
Seller’s Knowledge, threatened. All contributions, including all
social security contributions, required to be made by the Seller or the Acquired
Company to each Seller Plan under the terms of such Seller Plan or applicable
Law have been timely made. Each Seller Plan materially complies and
is operated in accordance with the requirements of applicable Law.
(d) Section 3.13(d) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list of: (i)
any employment, severance and change of control agreement with any executive
officer or other senior managerial employee of the Acquired Company (A) the
benefits of which are contingent upon the occurrence of a transaction involving
the Acquired Company of the nature of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (either alone or upon termination of employment following such
transactions), or (B) providing any guarantee of employment or compensation; and
(ii) any agreement or plan binding upon the Acquired Company, including, any
Seller Plan, any of the benefits of which will be increased, or the vesting of
the benefits of which will be accelerated, by the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (either alone or upon the
termination of employment following such transactions).
(e) Each
Seller Plan that intended to be tax-qualified under Code Section 401(a) has
received a favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS that it is
qualified under Code Section 401(a) and that its related trust is
exempt from federal income Tax under Section 501(a) of the Code. To
Seller’s Knowledge, no event has occurred or circumstance exists that could
reasonably be expected to give rise to disqualification or loss of Tax-exempt
status of any such Seller Plan or trust.
(f) With
respect to the Chemtura Corporation Retirement Plan, the Seller has made
available to the Purchaser correct and complete copies of the two (2) most
recent annual valuations as certified by Seller’s actuaries and the certified
financial audit prepared for the most recently filed Form 5500 annual
return/report by the auditors of such plan.
(g) This
Section 3.13
constitutes the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of the Seller
with respect to any matters relating to employee benefits.
Section
3.14 Employment and Labor
Matters.
(a) Section 3.14(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list of all
Employees and Acquired Company Employees as of the date of this Agreement, along
with the position of such Persons.
-31-
(b) Except
as set forth on Section 3.14(b) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule, neither the Seller nor the Acquired Company is a
party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreement applicable to, and, to
the Seller’s Knowledge, no petition has been filed or Proceedings instituted by,
any Employee or Acquired Company Employee or group of Employees or Acquired
Company Employees with any labor relations board seeking recognition of a
bargaining representative. The Acquired Company has a works council.
There is no organizational effort currently being made or, to the Seller’s
Knowledge, threatened by or on behalf of any labor union to organize any
Employees or Acquired Company Employees. There is no labor strike,
picketing, slowdown, lockout, employee grievance process or other work stoppage
or labor dispute pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened between the
Seller or the Acquired Company, on the one hand, and any of its Employees or
Acquired Company Employees, on the other hand, except for such disputes with
individual Employees or Acquired Company Employees arising in the ordinary
course of the Business. The Seller and the Acquired Company are in
compliance with all applicable Laws pertaining to the employment of their
Employees and Acquired Company Employees, including all such Laws relating to
fair employment practices, equal employment opportunities, prohibited
discrimination and other similar employment activities, except where the failure
to so comply would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) There
is no Proceeding pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against or
affecting the Seller or the Acquired Company relating to the alleged violation
by the Seller or the Acquired Company (or their directors or
officers) of any Law pertaining to labor relations or employment matters in
connection with the Business. There has within the two (2) years
prior to the date of this Agreement been no complaint, claim or charge of
discrimination filed or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened, against any
member of the Seller Group with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or
any other Governmental Authority in connection with the Business.
(d) Since
December 31, 2008, the Seller has not implemented any plant closing or layoff of
employees in connection with the Business that could implicate the WARN Act or
similar legislation in other jurisdictions of the Business.
(e) Except
as set forth on Section 3.14(e) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule, all the Employees of the Business are employees
“at-will” and no Employee is employed pursuant to a written employment
agreement.
(f) This
Section 3.14
constitutes the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of the Seller
with respect to any matters relating to employment and labor
matters.
Section
3.15 Environmental, Health and
Safety Matters.
(a) With
respect to the Business, the Purchased Assets and the Owned Real Property,
except as set forth on Section 3.15(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule: (i) to the Seller’s Knowledge, the Seller is in
material compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws and all Governmental
Authorizations required of the Seller under Environmental Laws (“Environmental
Authorizations”) to conduct the Business as presently conducted including
the obligations imposed on the Business under Regulation (EC) 1907/2006
governing the registration of chemicals in the European Union; (ii) the Seller
has not received any written notice stating that the conduct of the Business or
the condition of any Owned Real Property or Purchased Assets is or may be
currently in violation of any Environmental Law or that Seller may have a
liability under Environmental Laws with respect to the Business, the Purchased
Assets, or the Owned Real Property; (iii) no Proceeding is pending or, to the
Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against the Seller that alleges a violation by or
Liability of the Seller under any applicable Environmental Laws or
Environmental Authorizations; (iv) to the Seller’s Knowledge, there
have been no Releases at, to, from, in, on, to or under the Purchased Assets or
Owned Real Property in violation of Environmental Laws or Environmental
Authorizations or that could reasonably be expected to result in Liability under
Environmental Laws; (v) the Seller holds all Environmental Authorizations
required to be held by the Seller in connection with the Business, the Purchased
Assets and the Owned Real Property; and (vi) Section 3.15(a)(vi)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list of
all Environmental Authorizations held by the Seller in connection with the
Business, the Purchased Assets and the Owned Real Property.
-32-
(b) Except
as set forth on Section 3.15(b) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule: (i) to the Seller’s Knowledge, the Acquired
Company is in material compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws and all
Environmental Authorizations; (ii) neither the Seller nor the Acquired Company
has received any written notice stating that the Acquired Company is or may be
currently in violation of or have a Liability under any Environmental Law; (iii)
no Proceeding is pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge or the Knowledge of the
Acquired Company, threatened against the Acquired Company that alleges a
violation by or Liability of the Acquired Company under any applicable
Environmental Laws or Environmental Authorizations; (iv) to the
Seller’s Knowledge or the Knowledge of the Acquired Company, there have been no
Releases at, to, from, in, on, to or under the Acquired Company Real Property or
Acquired Company Leased Property in violation of Environmental Laws or
Environmental Authorizations or that could reasonably be expected to result in
Liability under Environmental Laws; (v) the Acquired Company holds all
Environmental Authorizations required to be held by the Acquired Company; and
(vi) Section
3.15(b)(vi) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and
complete list of all Environmental Authorizations held by the Acquired
Company.
(c) This
Section 3.15
constitutes the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of the Seller
with respect to any matters relating to Environmental Laws.
Section
3.16 Governmental
Authorizations. The Seller and the Acquired Company have
all material Governmental Authorizations that are necessary for them to conduct
the Business in the manner in which it is presently conducted. The
Seller and the Acquired Company are in compliance in all material respects with
all material Governmental Authorizations that are necessary for them to conduct
the Business in the manner in which it is presently conducted. The
Seller and the Acquired Company have not received any public grants or subsidies
from any Governmental Authority, and there are no public grants or subsidies
that are repayable by the Acquired Company to any Governmental
Authority.
Section
3.17 Compliance with
Laws.
(a) Except
as set forth on Section 3.17(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule, the Seller and the Acquired Company, and the
conduct of the Business by the Seller and the Acquired Company, are in material
compliance with all Laws applicable to the conduct of the Business or the
ownership or use of the Purchased Assets or the assets of the Acquired Company.
Neither the Seller nor the Acquired Company has received at any time since
December 31, 2006 any notice or other communication from any Governmental
Authority or any other Person regarding any actual, alleged or potential
violation of, or failure to comply with, any applicable Law, Judgment or
Governmental Authorization, or any actual or threatened revocation, withdrawal,
suspension, cancellation, termination or modification of any Governmental
Authorization in connection with the conduct of the Business or the ownership or
use of any of its properties or assets used or held for use in connection with,
necessary for or relating to the Business.
(b) Section 3.17(b) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth an accurate and complete list of all
material Judgments to which the Business, any of the properties or assets used
or held for use in connection with, necessary for or relating to the Business,
or the Acquired Company or the Seller in connection with the Business is or has
been subject within the three (3) years prior to the date of this
Agreement.
-33-
Section
3.18 Permits. Section 3.18 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete list of all material permits
and all pending applications therefore obtained by the Seller in connection with
the operation of the Business or the Purchased Assets. As of the date
of this Agreement, each such permit is valid and in full force and effect, and
is not subject to any pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened
administrative or judicial proceeding to revoke, cancel, suspend or declare such
permit invalid in any respect.
Section
3.19 Legal
Proceedings. Section 3.19 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete list of all outstanding
Proceedings against the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller relating to the
Business or the Acquired Company. There is no Proceeding pending or,
to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against the Acquired Company or against
the Seller with respect to the Business or any Purchased Asset that, if
adversely determined, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.20 Insurance. The
Acquired Company maintains, and through the Closing will continue to maintain,
in full force and effect, policies of insurance against fire, theft and other
casualties, and covering such other Liabilities and business risks and
properties of the Acquired Company. A list and brief description of
such policies, including the policy number, the coverage, names of insurance
carrier, principal amount or limit, annual premium and date of expiration of
each policy is set forth in Section 3.20 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule.
Section
3.21 Brokers
Fees. None of the Seller, any Affiliate of the Seller or the
Acquired Company has incurred any Liability to pay any fees or commissions to
any broker, finder or agent in connection with any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement for which the Purchaser would become liable or
obligated.
Section
3.22 REACH. Section 3.22 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate list of all of
chemical substances that (a) the Seller in respect of the Business and (b) the
Acquired Company, have pre-registered under Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 governing
the registration of chemicals in the European Union (the “Regulation”). Each
of the Seller and the Acquired Company has pre-registered by the due date any
substance which is placed on the market in the European Union and comprises or
is incorporated in products manufactured by the Business and which falls within
the definition of a “phase in substance” under the Regulation.
Section
3.23 Disclaimer of Other
Representations and Warranties. The representations and
warranties set forth in this Article 3 are the
only representations and warranties made by the Seller with respect to the
Business, the Purchased Assets, the Assumed Liabilities, the Shares, the
Acquired Company or any other matter relating to the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. Except as specifically set forth in this Article 3, (a) the
Seller is selling the Purchased Assets and the Shares to the Purchaser “as is”
and “where is” and with all faults, and makes no warranty, express or implied,
as to any matter whatsoever relating to the Business, the Purchased Assets, the
Assumed Liabilities, the Shares, the Acquired Company or any other matter
relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement including as to (i)
merchantability or fitness for any particular use or purpose, (ii) the operation
of the Business by the Purchaser after the Closing in any manner or (iii) the
probable success or profitability of the Business after the Closing, and (b)
none of the Seller, the Acquired Company, any of their Affiliates, or any of
their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives or
stockholders will have, or will be subject to, any Liability or indemnification
obligation to the Purchaser or any other Person resulting from the distribution
to the Purchaser or its Affiliates or representatives of, or the Purchaser’s use
of, any information relating to the Business, the Acquired
Company or any other matter relating to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including any descriptive memoranda, summary business descriptions or
any information, documents or material made available to the Purchaser or its
Affiliates or representatives, whether orally or in writing, in certain “data
rooms,” management presentations, functional “break-out” discussions, responses
to questions submitted on behalf of the Purchaser or in any other form in
expectation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
-34-
ARTICLE
4
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER
The
Purchaser represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:
Section 4.1 Organization and Good
Standing. The Purchaser and any Designated Affiliate is a
corporation or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and has all
requisite corporate power and authority to conduct its business as it is
presently conducted.
Section 4.2
Authority and
Enforceability. The Purchaser has all requisite corporate
power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Purchaser and
any Designated Affiliate have all requisite corporate power and authority to
execute and deliver each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party and to
perform its respective obligations under this Agreement and each such Ancillary
Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
and each Ancillary Agreement to which the Purchaser and any Designated Affiliate
is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the
Purchaser and such Designated Affiliate party thereto. The Purchaser
has duly and validly executed and delivered this Agreement and, on or prior to
the Closing, the Purchaser and any Designated Affiliate will have duly and
validly executed and delivered each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a
party. Assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements by the Seller and the other parties
thereto, this Agreement constitutes, and at the Closing each Ancillary Agreement
to which the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate is a party will constitute,
the valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser and any Designated Affiliate,
enforceable against the Purchaser and any Designated Affiliate in accordance
with its terms, subject to (a) Laws of general application relating to
bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors and (b) Laws governing specific
performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies.
Section 4.3
No
Conflict. Upon entry of the Approval Order and subject to it
becoming a Final Order, except for the requirements of applicable Antitrust
Laws, and except in any case that would not have a material adverse effect on
the ability of the Purchaser to perform its obligations under this Agreement or
on the ability of the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, neither the execution, delivery and performance by the Purchaser
of this Agreement and by the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate of any
Ancillary Agreement to which the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate is a
party, nor the consummation by the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will (a) conflict with or violate
the certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other applicable charter or
organizational documents of the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate, (b)
result in a breach or default under or create in any Person the right terminate,
cancel, accelerate or modify, or require any notice, consent or waiver under,
any Contract to which the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate is a party or by
which the Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate is bound, in any case with or
without due notice or lapse of time or both, (c) result in the imposition of any
lien or other encumbrance on any of the assets of the Purchaser or any
Designated Affiliate, (d) violate any Law or Judgment applicable to the
Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate or (e) require the Purchaser or any
Designated Affiliate to obtain any Governmental Authorization or make any filing
with any Governmental Authority.
-35-
Section 4.4
Legal
Proceedings. There is no Proceeding pending or, to the
Purchaser’s knowledge, threatened against the Purchaser or any Designated
Affiliate that questions or challenges the validity of this Agreement or that
may prevent, delay, make illegal or otherwise interfere with the ability of the
Purchaser or any Designated Affiliate to consummate any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.5 Investment
Intent. The Purchaser and any Designated Affiliate are
acquiring the Shares for the Purchaser’s and the Designated Affiliate’s own
account and investment purposes and are not acquiring the Shares with a view to,
or for sale in connection with, any distribution thereof within the meaning of
any securities Laws.
Section 4.6 Brokers
Fees. Neither the Purchaser nor any Designated Affiliate nor
any Person acting on their behalf has incurred any Liability to pay any fees or
commissions to any broker, finder or agent in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.7 Financial
Capacity. The Purchaser has immediately available cash
in an amount sufficient to pay the Purchase Price or, if some or all of the
Purchase Price will be obtained from external financing sources, the Purchaser
has delivered to the Seller executed commitments, including bridge commitments
(collectively, the “Commitment Letters”),
if necessary, for all such funds, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Seller, and the Purchaser will have available as of the Closing Date (either
from its immediately available cash or from the financing contemplated by the
Commitment Letters, or a combination thereof) funds sufficient to pay the
Purchase Price. The Purchaser knows of no circumstance or condition
that it expects will prevent the availability at the Closing of the requisite
financing to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement on the
terms set forth in this Agreement.
Section 4.8 Independent
Investigation. The Purchaser has conducted its own independent
investigation, review and analysis of the business, operations, assets,
liabilities, results of operations, financial condition and prospects of the
Business and the Acquired Company as it has deemed appropriate, which
investigation, review and analysis was done by the Purchaser and its Affiliates
and representatives. The Purchaser hereby acknowledges and agrees
that (a) other than the representations and warranties set forth in Article 3, none of
the Seller, the Share Selling Affiliate, the Acquired Company, any of their
Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents,
representatives or stockholders make or have made any representation or
warranty, express or implied, at law or in equity, as to any matter whatsoever
relating to the Business, the Purchased Assets, the Assumed Liabilities, the
Shares, the Acquired Company or any other matter relating to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement including as to (i) merchantability or fitness
for any particular use or purpose, (ii) the operation of the Business by the
Purchaser after the Closing in any manner or (iii) the probable success or
profitability of the Business after the Closing, and (b) none of the Seller, the
Share Selling Affiliate, the Acquired Company, any of their Affiliates, or any
of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives or
stockholders will have or will be subject to any Liability or indemnification
obligation to the Purchaser or any other Person resulting from the distribution
to the Purchaser or its Affiliates or representatives of, or the Purchaser’s use
of, any information relating to the Business, the Acquired Company or any other
matter relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
any descriptive memoranda, summary business descriptions or any information,
documents or material made available to the Purchaser or its Affiliates or
representatives, whether orally or in writing, in certain “data rooms,”
management presentations, functional “break-out” discussions, responses to
questions submitted on behalf of the Purchaser or in any other form in
expectation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
-36-
ARTICLE
5
COVENANTS
Section 5.1 Access and
Investigation.
(a) Until
the Closing and upon reasonable advance notice from the Purchaser, the Seller
will, and will cause the Acquired Company to, allow the Purchaser and its
representatives reasonable access during normal business hours and without
unreasonable interference with the operation of the Business to (a) such
materials and information about the Business and the properties of the Business
and the Acquired Company as the Purchaser may reasonably request and (b)
specified members of management of the Business as the parties may reasonably
agree. The foregoing covenant will not require the Seller to provide the
Purchaser or its representatives with access to any document or other
communication that the Seller believes in good faith may be subject to any
contractual confidentiality obligation or that may be covered by any
attorney-client, work product or similar legal privilege or to permit the
Purchaser or its representatives to conduct any Phase II or other invasive
environmental testing procedures, including conducting soil, ground water, air
emissions or other testing relating to any of the assets, property or facilities
of the Seller or the Acquired Company.
(b) Without
the prior written consent of the Seller, which may be withheld for any reason or
no reason, the Purchaser shall not contact any suppliers to, or customers of,
the Business or any Employees or Acquired Company Employees in connection with
or pertaining to any subject matter of this Agreement or the Ancillary
Agreements.
Section 5.2 Operation of the
Business.
Unless
otherwise ordered by the Bankruptcy Court sua sponte or on motion by a third
party, and provided that no provision of this Section 5.2 shall
require the Seller to make any payment to any of its creditors with respect to
any amount owed to such creditors on the Petition Date or which would otherwise
violate the Bankruptcy Code, until the Closing, except as otherwise set forth in
this Agreement or the Seller Disclosure Schedule or as otherwise consented to by
the Purchaser (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed), the Seller will, and will cause the Acquired Company to:
(a) conduct
the Business in the ordinary course of the Business in all material respects,
taking into account that the Seller is in bankruptcy proceedings and use its
commercially reasonable efforts to keep available the services of the Employees
and Acquired Company Employees and to preserve the Business’ relationships with
its customers and others doing business with it;
(b) not
amend the articles of incorporation or bylaws or other applicable charter or
organizational documents of the Acquired Company;
(c) not
issue, sell or pledge additional shares of the capital stock of the Acquired
Company or securities convertible into any such shares, or any options, warrants
or rights to acquire any such shares or other convertible
securities;
(d)
not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any outstanding
shares of the capital stock of the Acquired Company;
(e) not
declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution in respect of the
capital stock of the Acquired Company, other than in cash;
-37-
(f) not
incur any indebtedness for borrowed money of the Acquired Company or that
constitutes an Assumed Liability, in either case in amounts in excess of one
hundred thousand ($100,000) individually or five hundred thousand ($500,000) in
the aggregate;
(g) not
reject, terminate, permit to expire (to the extent the Seller is able to prevent
such expiration by giving notice to renew to the relevant counterparty) or
adversely amend any Material Contract;
(h) not
settle or compromise with a value in excess of one hundred thousand ($100,000)
in connection with any Proceeding involving the Seller or arising in connection
with the operation of the Business or otherwise relating to the Business, the
Purchased Assets or the Assumed Liabilities;
(i) except
as set forth on Schedule 5.2(i), not
incur any capital expenditure or other expenditure with respect to property,
plant or equipment used in or held for use in connection with, necessary for or
relating the Business in excess of two hundred and fifty thousand ($250,000)
individually or one million ($1,000,000) in the aggregate;
(j) not
waive or release any right or claim of a material value to the Business other
than in the ordinary course of the Business;
(k) not
sell, lease, license, pledge or otherwise dispose of, or permit any Encumbrance
on, any of the properties or assets of the Acquired Company or the Seller used
or held for use in connection with, necessary for or relating to the Business
(other than sales of inventory for fair consideration and in the ordinary course
of the Business);
(l) not
(i) acquire, by merger or consolidation with, or by purchase of all or a
substantial portion of the assets or stock of, or by any other manner, any
business or entity, by the Acquired Company or which would constitute a
Purchased Asset or Assumed Liability, or (ii) enter into any joint venture,
partnership or other similar arrangement for the conduct of the
Business;
(m) not
materially change the remuneration or terms of employment of any Employee or
Acquired Company Employee other than (A) in the ordinary course of the Business,
(B) as required by Law or (C) for retention, incentive and similar payments
relating to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
that will be paid by the Seller prior to or on the Closing Date;
(n) not
make, revoke or change any Tax election, adopt or change any Tax accounting
method or period, file any amended Tax Return or settle any Tax claim or
assessment, in each case with respect to the Acquired Company or the Business,
that, individually or in the aggregate, are material to the Acquired Company or
the Business;
(o) not
change the Seller’s accounting principles, methods or practices or investment
practices in connection with or relating to the Business, other than changes
that are necessary to conform with GAAP or, in the case of the Acquired Company,
German generally accepted accounting principles;
(p) not
take any action to accelerate the payment of accounts receivable or delay the
billing or payment of accounts payable, outside of the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice;
(q) not
effect any material change in the practices of (i) ordering supplies and raw
materials or (ii) manufacturing work in process or finished goods Inventory
beyond the normal requirements of the Business to meet ordinary customer demands
taking into account current Inventory levels for such product; provided,
however, that if the Seller determines in good faith that it is in the best
interest of the Business to make such change prior to the Closing, the Seller
shall so notify the Purchaser in writing prior to making such change and the
Purchaser shall not unreasonably withhold or delay its consent for these
purposes; or
-38-
(r) not
agree in writing to take any of the action or actions prohibited by any of the
foregoing clauses (b) through (q).
Section 5.3 Bankruptcy
Actions.
(a) Prior
to or within five (5) Business Days after the execution of this Agreement, the
Seller shall file with the Bankruptcy Court a motion (the “Sale Motion”)
seeking, among other things, entry of (i) an order approving (A) the bidding
protections described and/or set forth in Section 7.2 of this
Agreement or otherwise set forth in the Sale Motion, and (B) certain bidding
procedures for alternative offers for the Shares and Purchased Assets, which
proposed order shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit K hereto (the
“Bidding Procedures
Order”), and (ii) an order approving this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated thereby (including the sale of the Purchased Assets to the
Purchaser free and clear of all Encumbrances) should the purchase offer made by
this Agreement constitute the highest and best offer for the Shares and
Purchased Assets pursuant to the Bidding Procedures Order, which order shall be
substantially in the form of Exhibit L hereto
(the “Approval
Order”); provided, however, that the Bidding
Procedures Order and the Approval Order may include changes and amendments as
agreed to by the Seller and the Purchaser.
(b) The
Seller shall provide Purchaser with advance drafts of all Bankruptcy Court
filings relating to the Sale Motion and shall comply with the notice
requirements set forth in the Bidding Procedures Order for providing notice of
the entry of the Bidding Procedures Order and the hearing on the Approval
Order. The Seller shall promptly provide the Purchaser with copies of
all communications from the Bankruptcy Court or third parties relating to the
Sale Motion..
(c) The
Purchaser shall use its reasonable best efforts to assist the Seller in
obtaining entry of the Bankruptcy Court Orders, including providing testimony as
required at any hearing before the Bankruptcy Court.
Section 5.4 Exclusivity; No Solicitation
of Transactions.
(a) The
Seller represents that, other than the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, neither the Seller nor any of its Affiliates is party to or bound by
any agreement with respect to a possible merger, sale, restructuring,
refinancing or other disposition of all or any material part of the Business or
the Purchased Assets or the Shares.
(b) Prior
to the entry of the Bidding Procedures Order on the Bankruptcy Courts docket,
the Seller agrees that it shall not (i) execute an agreement with respect to an
Alternative Transaction or (ii) except as provided in this Agreement, seek or
support Bankruptcy Court approval of a motion or order inconsistent in any
material respect with the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement. The Seller agrees that it shall not, and shall cause its
Affiliates not to, directly or indirectly, through any officer director,
employee, agent, professional or advisor, solicit any bid with respect to an
Alternative Transaction or participate in any negotiations or discussions with
respect to any Alternative Transaction except as contemplated by the Bidding
Procedures Order; provided, however, that nothing
herein shall preclude the Seller from taking any action in the Case seeking to
sell, pursuant to the process contemplated by the Bidding Procedures Order, the
Purchased Assets.
-39-
(c) Purchaser
acknowledges that the Seller will solicit bids from other prospective purchasers
for the sale of the Purchased Assets, on terms and conditions substantially the
same in all respects to this Agreement and in accordance with the procedures set
forth in the proposed Bidding Procedures Order prior to entry thereof on the
Bankruptcy Court’s docket, or pursuant to the Bidding Procedures Order after
entry thereof on the Bankruptcy Court's docket. For the avoidance of
doubt, prior to the entry of the Bidding Procedures Order on the Bankruptcy
Court’s docket, the Seller shall not execute an agreement with respect to an
Alternative Transaction.
Section 5.5 Consents and
Filings.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and except with respect to
approval by the Bankruptcy Court, each of the parties will use their respective
commercially reasonable efforts (i) to take promptly, or cause to be taken, all
actions, and to do promptly, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper
or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement and (ii) as promptly as practicable after the date of this
Agreement, to obtain all Governmental Authorizations (including Environmental
Authorizations) from, and make all filings with, all Governmental Authorities
(including any other national antitrust authorities with mandatory pre-merger
filing requirements that are deemed by the Seller and the Purchaser, after
consulting with one another, to be applicable to the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement (each “Governmental Antitrust
Authority”)), and to obtain all other consents, waivers, approvals and
other authorizations from, all other third parties, that are necessary or
advisable in connection with the authorization, execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(b) The
Seller and the Purchaser agree to file with the applicable Governmental
Antitrust Authority, as soon as reasonably practicable following the date of
this Agreement, any filings or similar information submissions required under
applicable antitrust or other competition Laws of jurisdictions outside of the
United States of America, including the Federal Republic of
Germany. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser will be solely
responsible for all filing fees due under the HSR Act and any non-US applicable
Laws in connection with the filings described above and neither the Seller nor
any of its Affiliates will have any Liability with respect to the payment of
such filing fees.
(c) The
Seller and the Purchaser will promptly notify the other of any communication it
or any of its Affiliates receives from any Governmental Antitrust Authority
relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and will permit the
other party to review in advance any proposed communication by such party to any
Governmental Antitrust Authority. Neither party will agree to
participate in any meeting with any Governmental Antitrust Authority in respect
of any filings, investigation or other inquiry unless it consults with the other
party in advance and, to the extent permitted by such Governmental Antitrust
Authority, gives the other party the opportunity to attend and participate at
such meeting. The Seller and the Purchaser will coordinate and
cooperate fully with each other in exchanging such information and providing
such assistance as the other party may reasonably request in connection with the
foregoing and in seeking early termination of any applicable waiting periods
including under the HSR Act. The Seller and the Purchaser will
provide each other with copies of all correspondence, filings or communications
between them or any of their representatives, on the one hand, and any
Governmental Antitrust Authority or members of its staff, on the other hand,
with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
-40-
Section 5.6 Supplements to Disclosure
Schedules. The Seller shall promptly, from time to time
prior to the Closing by written notice to the Purchaser, supplement the Seller
Disclosure Schedule or add a schedule to the Seller Disclosure Schedule (such
added schedule to be deemed a supplement hereunder) in order to disclose any
matter which, if occurring prior to the date of this Agreement, would have been
required to be set forth or described in the Seller Disclosure Schedule or to
correct any inaccuracy or breach in the representations and warranties made by
the Seller in this Agreement. Subject to this Section 5.6, none of
such supplements to the Seller Disclosure Schedule will be deemed to cure the
representations and warranties to which such matters relate with respect to
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1(a) or
otherwise affect any other term or condition contained in this Agreement; provided, however, that unless
the Purchaser will have delivered a notice of termination with respect to such
matter as contemplated by Section 7.1(b) (to
the extent the Purchaser is entitled to deliver such notice pursuant to Section 7.1(b))
within fifteen (15) Business Days of the receipt by the Purchaser of any
supplement to the Seller Disclosure Schedule pursuant to this Section 5.6, then the
Purchaser will have waived any and all rights to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to Section
7.1(b) or otherwise arising out of or relating to the contents of such
supplement and the resulting breach or breaches of the representations and
warranties and the Purchaser will be deemed to have accepted the contents of
such supplement for all purposes of this Agreement.
Section 5.7 Assignment of Contracts;
Cure of Defaults.
(a) The
Seller and the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to have
included in the Approval Order an authorization for the Seller to assume the
Included Contracts and assign to the Purchaser all Included
Contracts.
(b) Subject
to entry of the Approval Order and it becoming a Final Order, at the Closing the
Purchaser shall at its expense cure any and all Cure Costs with respect to the
Included Contracts that will be transferred to the Purchaser at Closing as and
in the amounts required by the Bankruptcy Court to assume and assign the
Included Contracts under Section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code; provided, however, that,
notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser shall be responsible for such cure
whether such defaults occur or arise prior to or after commencement of the
Case.
Section 5.8 Financing. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Purchaser expressly
acknowledges and agrees that the Purchaser’s obligations under this Agreement
are not conditioned in any manner whatsoever upon the Purchaser or any
Designated Affiliate obtaining any financing. The Purchaser will keep
the Seller apprised of all developments or changes relating to the financing
contemplated by the Commitment Letters. In the event that the
Commitment Letters cease to be in full force and effect at any time or the
lenders party thereto indicate any unwillingness to provide the financing
contemplated thereby, or for any reason the Purchaser otherwise no longer
believes in good faith that it or any Designated Affiliate will be able to
obtain the financing contemplated thereby, then the Purchaser will promptly
notify the Seller and use best efforts to obtain replacement financing
arrangements or commitment letters as soon as reasonably
practicable. The Purchaser will not, and will not permit any of its
Subsidiaries or Affiliates to, without the prior written consent of the Seller,
take any action or enter into any transaction, including any merger,
acquisition, joint venture, lease or other Contract or debt or equity financing
that would reasonably be expected to impair, delay or prevent the financing
contemplated by the Commitment Letters.
-41-
Section 5.9 Confidentiality.
(a) The
parties agree to continue to abide by that certain Confidentiality Agreement
between the Seller and the Purchaser dated August 12, 2009 (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”), which will survive until the Closing, at which time the
Confidentiality Agreement will terminate; provided, however, that if this
Agreement is, for any reason, terminated prior to the Closing, the
Confidentiality Agreement will continue in full force and effect in accordance
with its terms; provided, further, that the
Confidentiality Agreement shall not apply to the Seller’s obligations under
Section 5.3 of
this Agreement and any ancillary actions necessary to effectuate the transaction
contemplated in this Agreement.
(b) After
the Closing, the Seller will, and will cause its Affiliates to, hold in
confidence, unless compelled to disclose by judicial or administrative process
or by other requirements of Law, all non-public documents and information to the
extent relating to the Business (the “Business
Information”), except to the extent that such Business Information (i)
must be disclosed in connection with the obligations of the Seller or its
Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (ii) can be
shown to have been in the public domain through no fault of the Seller or any of
its Affiliates or (iii) was later lawfully acquired by the Seller or any of its
Affiliates from sources other than those related to its prior ownership of the
Business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will this Section 5.9(b) limit
or otherwise restrict the right of the Seller or any of its Affiliates to
disclose such Business Information (w) to its and its Affiliates’ respective
directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors to the extent reasonably
required to facilitate the negotiation, execution, delivery or performance of
this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (x) to any Governmental Authority
or arbitrator to the extent reasonably required in connection with any
Proceeding, (y) in connection with its indemnification obligations under this
Agreement, including the defense of any Third Party Claim, and (z) as permitted
in accordance with Section
5.10.
(c) After
the Closing, the Purchaser will, and will cause its Affiliates to, hold in
confidence, unless compelled to disclose by judicial or administrative process
or by other requirements of Law, all Seller Information, except to the extent
that such Seller Information (i) must be disclosed in connection with the
obligations of the Purchaser or its Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement and
the Ancillary Agreements, (ii) can be shown to have been in the public domain
through no fault of the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates or (iii) was later
lawfully acquired by the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates from sources other
than those related to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will this Section 5.9(c) limit
or otherwise restrict the right of the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates to
disclose such Seller Information (w) to its and its Affiliates’ respective
directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors to the extent reasonably
required to facilitate the negotiation, execution, delivery or performance of
this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, (x) to any Governmental Authority
or arbitrator to the extent reasonably required in connection with any
Proceeding, (y) in connection with its indemnification obligations under this
Agreement, including the defense of any Third Party Claim, and (z) as permitted
in accordance with Section
5.10.
Section 5.10 Public
Announcements. Prior to the Closing, each party agrees not to
issue any press release or make any other public announcement relating to this
Agreement without the prior written approval of the other party, unless required
by applicable securities Law, securities listing standards (in the reasonable
opinion of counsel to the disclosing party), the applicable provisions of the
Bankruptcy Code, or the Bankruptcy Court, in which case the non-disclosing party
will, to the extent permitted by Law, have the right to review such press
release or other announcement prior to issuance, distribution or publication;
provided, however, that
each party acknowledges that the Seller shall take the bankruptcy actions
described in Section
5.3; provided, further, that the parties have agreed that the Seller
shall be entitled to issue a press release on signing of this Agreement in a
form that has been reviewed by the Purchaser prior to the date
hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Seller shall be entitled
to issue communications to its employees (including the employees of the
Business) and to customers and suppliers of the Business, informing them of the
transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
-42-
Section 5.11 Further
Actions. Subject to the other express provisions of this
Agreement, upon the request of either party to this Agreement, the other party
will execute and deliver such other documents, instruments and agreements as the
requesting party may reasonably require for the purpose of carrying out the
intent of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
Section 5.12 Indemnification and
Insurance. The Purchaser will not, for a period of six (6)
years after the Closing, take or permit any action to alter or impair any
exculpatory or indemnification provisions now existing in the certificate of
incorporation or bylaws or other applicable charter or organizational documents
of the Acquired Company for the benefit of any individual who served as a
director or officer of the Acquired Company at any time prior to the Closing
(each an “Affiliate
Indemnified Party”), except for any changes which may be required to
conform with changes in applicable Law and any changes which do not affect the
application of such provisions to acts or omissions of such individuals prior to
the Closing.
Section 5.13 Bulk Transfer
Laws. The Purchaser hereby waives compliance by the Seller
and/or the Share Selling Affiliate with any applicable bulk sale or bulk
transfer Laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.14 Designated
Affiliate. The Purchaser will use its commercially reasonable
efforts to designate a Designated Affiliate as soon as practicable following the
date of this Agreement and, in any event, will make such designation not less
than ten (10) days prior to the Closing. The Purchaser acknowledges
and agrees that any representation, warranty or covenant of the Seller which is
breached or not true and correct, shall be deemed not breached and true and
correct to the extent such breach or inaccuracy resulted solely from the
designation of a Designated Affiliate.
Section 5.15 Use of Seller’s Name; Seller
Marks. The Purchaser agrees that:
(a) Within
ninety (90) days after the Closing, the Purchaser will, and will cause its
Affiliates to, (i) remove or cause to be removed “Chemtura” or other similar
xxxx and any other trademark, design or logo previously or currently used by the
Seller or any of its Affiliates (the “Seller Marks”) from
all buildings, signs and vehicles of the Business, (ii) change the name of the
Acquired Company to a name not including any Seller Xxxx, and (iii) cease using
the Seller Marks in electronic databases, web sites, product instructions,
packaging and other materials, printed or otherwise (all such materials,
together with buildings, signs and vehicles, the “Marked
Assets”).
(b) Immediately
after the Closing, the Purchaser will, and will cause its Affiliates to, cease
using the Seller Marks in all invoices, letterhead, advertising and promotional
materials, office forms and business cards.
(c) From
and after the Closing, the Purchaser will use commercially reasonable efforts to
remove or cause to be removed the Seller Marks from all inventory sold by the
Business (including all Marked Assets); provided, however, that in no
event will the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates use the Seller Marks after the
six-month anniversary of the Closing Date, other than pursuant to the IP License
Agreement.
(d) The
Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Seller or an Affiliate of the Seller
is the owner of the Seller Marks and all goodwill attached
thereto. This Agreement does not give the Purchaser or any of its
Affiliates the right to use the Seller Marks except in accordance with this
Agreement. The Purchaser will not, and will not cause or permit any
of its Affiliates to, attempt to register the Seller Marks nor to register
anywhere in the world a xxxx that is the same as or similar to the Seller
Marks.
-43-
(e) In
no event will the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates advertise or hold itself
out as the Seller or any of its Affiliates after the Closing.
(f) If,
at any time after the Closing, the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates possesses
any information belonging to or concerning the Seller or any of its Affiliates
that is not necessary for the operation of the Business (such information, the
“Seller
Information”), the Purchaser will promptly transfer, or cause to be
transferred, such Seller Information to the Seller (without retaining a copy
thereof). The Purchaser will not, and will not allow any of its
Affiliates to, use any Seller Information or disclose such information to any
Person. For the purposes of this Agreement, Seller Information
includes written, graphical or machine-readable information that relates to
trade secrets, product plans, software, vendor and customer information,
business plans and data stored electronically which are not Business
Intellectual Property Rights. The Seller acknowledges that following
the Closing it will possess certain material Business Intellectual Property
Rights. If, at any time after the Closing, the Seller or any of its
Affiliates possesses any information constituting Business Intellectual Property
Rights, the Seller will promptly transfer, or cause to be transferred, such
Business Intellectual Property Rights to the Purchaser (without retaining a copy
thereof). The Seller will not, and will not allow any of its
Affiliates to, use any Business Intellectual Property Rights or disclose
Business Intellectual Property Rights to any Person. Following the
fifth anniversary of the Closing Date, the Seller shall no longer be presumed to
possess any material Business Intellectual Property Rights. Each
party will use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the other party
to identify any information to be provided to the other party in accordance with
the foregoing.
Section 5.16 Refunds and
Remittances. If the Seller or any of its Affiliates, on the
one hand, or the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates, on the other hand, after
the Closing Date receives any funds properly belonging to the other party in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the receiving party will promptly
so advise such other party and will promptly deliver such funds to an account or
accounts designated in writing by such other party.
Section 5.17 Litigation
Support.
(a) In
the event and for so long as the Seller actively is contesting or defending
against any action, investigation, charge, claim, or demand by a third party in
connection with (a) any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or (b) any
fact, situation, circumstance, status, condition, activity, practice, plan,
occurrence, event, incident, action, failure to act, or transaction on or prior
to the Closing Date involving the Business, the Acquired Company or the Seller
and its Affiliates, the Purchaser will cooperate with the Seller and its counsel
in the contest or defense, make available its personnel, and provide such
testimony and access to its books, records and other materials as shall be
reasonably necessary in connection with the contest or defense, all at the sole
control, cost and expense of the Seller (unless the Seller is entitled to
indemnification therefor under Article
8).
(b) In
the event and for so long as the Purchaser actively is contesting or defending
against any action, investigation, charge, claim, or demand by a third party in
connection with (a) any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or (b) any
fact, situation, circumstance, status, condition, activity, practice, plan,
occurrence, event, incident, action, failure to act, or transaction involving
the Business, the Seller will cooperate with the Purchaser and its counsel in
the contest or defense, make available its personnel, and provide such testimony
and access to its books, records and other materials as shall be reasonably
necessary in connection with the contest or defense, all at the sole control,
cost and expense of the Purchaser (unless the Purchaser is entitled to
indemnification therefor under Article
8).
-44-
Section 5.18 Intercompany
Accounts. Effective prior to or at the Closing Date and
subject to the Bankruptcy Court Orders, except as otherwise contemplated hereby
or by any Ancillary Agreement, all intercompany receivables, payables, loans and
investments then existing between or among the Seller and/or any of its
Subsidiaries other than the Acquired Company, on the one hand, and the Acquired
Company, on the other hand, shall be forgiven or settled, including by way of
capital contribution or by way of dividend in kind or otherwise as
appropriate.
Section 5.19 Assistance with Preparation
of Financial Statements. On or after the Closing Date, at the
reasonable request of the Purchaser and subject to customary confidentiality
restrictions, the Seller will cooperate with the Purchaser, and provide
reasonable assistance to the Purchaser (including causing its personnel to be
available for interviews during normal working hours), in connection with the
Purchaser’s preparation of any historical or pro forma financial statements
relating to the conduct of the Business prior to the Closing; provided, however,
that no such cooperation or provision of assistance will unreasonably interfere
with the conduct of the businesses of the Seller and its Affiliates, nor will
the covenant set forth in this Section 5.19 be
deemed to grant to the Purchaser any right of access to the books and records of
the Seller and its Affiliates. In addition to the services provided
in the Transition Services Agreement, the Purchaser will compensate the Seller
based on an hourly rate to be agreed by the parties in good faith prior to
making any Seller personnel available, and the Purchaser will also reimburse the
Seller for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection
therewith.
Section 5.20 Trade Accounts Payable,
Shared Accounts Payable and Accrued Payroll and Benefits. The
Seller agrees that it will pay any and all outstanding Trade Accounts Payable,
Shared Accounts Payable and Accrued Payroll and Benefits following the Closing
in accordance with their terms, but in all circumstances within one hundred
twenty (120) days following the Closing.
Section 5.21 Certain Commercial
Arrangements.
(a) Prior
to and if necessary after Closing, the Seller and Purchaser shall negotiate in
good faith to agree terms for (i) a toll manufacturing agreement (the “Isopetronate HL-44 Toll
Manufacturing Agreement”) pursuant to which the Purchaser would after
Closing supply Isopetronate HL-44 manufactured at the Taft, Louisiana facility
to the Seller, (ii) a supply agreement (the “TNPP Supply
Agreement”) pursuant to which the Purchaser and the Purchaser would cause
the Acquired Company to supply to an Affiliate of Seller, and the Seller would
supply to Purchaser from Seller’s Morgantown facility, the product
tris(nonylphenyl) phosphite, and (iii) a supply agreement (the “Weston 705 Supply
Agreement”) pursuant to which the Seller would supply to the Purchaser,
from Seller’s Morgantown facility, the product Weston 705.
(b) Prior
to and if necessary after Closing, the Seller and Purchaser shall negotiate in
good faith to agree terms for a distribution agreement or agreements (the
“Distribution Agreement(s)”), pursuant to which Affiliates of Seller located in
Mexico and certain South American countries would act as distributors for the
Business in Mexico and those South American countries.
-45-
(c) Prior
to Closing, the Seller and the Purchaser shall in good faith agree upon the
terms of those parts of the TBT Supply Agreement, the TOT Supply Agreement and
the TPP/LPE Supply Agreement that are expressed to be subject to further
discussion in Exhibits
G, H and
I
respectively.
Section 5.22 German Corporate Group
Arrangements.
(a) Without
limiting any claims under this Agreement (in particular any claims pursuant to
Section 9.1(a)), the
Purchaser shall cause the Acquired Company not to, at any time after
the Closing, raise any claim against the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller
or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, or other
representatives, or assign any such claim to a third party, arising from or in
connection with:
(i) any
enterprise agreement (Unternehmensverträge) or
equivalent agreement, or any cash pooling arrangement, in each case that was in
effect between the Seller (or its legal predecessor) or any Seller’s Affiliate
on the one hand and the Acquired Company (or its legal predecessor) on the other
hand at any time prior to the Closing Date, or from the amendment or termination
of any such agreement,
(ii) any
comfort letter or liquidity commitment provided by the Seller (or its legal
predecessor) or any of Seller’s Affiliates in connection with, or for the
benefit of, the Acquired Company at any time prior to the Closing Date, or from
the amendment or termination of any such letter or commitment,
(iii) any
existence-destroying intervention or omission (existenzvernichtender
Eingriff) by the Seller (or its legal predecessor) any of Seller’s
Affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, or
other representatives at any time prior to the Closing Date,
(iv) any
re-payments of equity replacing shareholder loans or securities (eigenkapitalersetzende
Gesellschafterdarlehen oder -sicherheiten), or any
other action taken or failure to act by the Seller (or its legal predecessor) or
any of the Seller’s Affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers,
employees, agents, or other representatives at any time prior to the Closing
Date that infringes the rules of capital maintenance (Kapitalerhaltungsvorschriften)
pursuant to German Law; or
(v) the
shareholder relationship or any transaction between the Seller (or its legal
predecessor) and the Acquired Company.
(b) The
Parties agree that the domination agreement and the profit and loss pooling
agreement currently in effect between the Share Selling Affiliate and the
Acquired Company will be terminated prior to Closing by termination agreement
with effect as of December 31, 2009. In order to determine for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2009 the Share Selling Affiliate’s claim, if any, against
the Acquired Company for transfer of the Acquired Company’s profit (the “Profit Transfer
Claim”) or, if any, the Acquired Company’s claim against the Share
Selling Affiliate for compensation of the Acquired Company’s loss (the “Loss Compensation
Claim”), as soon as reasonably practical after December 31, 2009, Seller
will prepare financial statements of the Acquired Company pursuant to German
GAAP for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2009 (the “German GAAP Financial
Statements”). The financial statement principles set forth in
Section 2.6
shall apply to the German GAAP Financial Statements except that any caps or
other financial limitations set forth therein shall not apply for purposes of
this Section
5.22(b). For the determination of adjustments to the consideration
pursuant to Section
2.5 and 2.6, the Profit
Transfer Claim shall qualify as an account payable of the Acquired Company
reducing the Final Closing Net Working Capital by an amount equal to such
payable, and the Loss Compensation Claim shall qualify as an account receivable
of the Acquired Company increasing the Final Closing Net Working Capital by an
amount equal to such receivable. Contemporaneously with the determination of the
Final Closing Net Working Capital, if the German GAAP Financial Statements
reflect a profit, Purchaser shall pay on behalf of the Acquired Company the
amount of the Profit Transfer Claim to the Share Selling Affiliate at the same
time as any Final Net Working Capital adjustment payment pursuant to Section 2.6 (which
Final Net Working Capital adjustment shall be reduced by the Profit Transfer
Claim). If the German GAAP Financial Statements reflect a loss,
Seller shall satisfy on behalf of the Share Selling Affiliate the Loss
Compensation Claim by paying an amount equal to the Loss Compensation Claim to
the Acquired Company, which payment shall be satisfied at the same time as any
Final Closing Net Working Capital adjustment payment pursuant to Section 2.6 (which
Final Net Working Capital adjustment shall be increased by the Loss Compensation
Claim). For the avoidance of doubt, Purchaser’s indemnification
obligation pursuant to Section 8 for
breaches of Section
5.22(a) and Seller’s responsibility for pre-Closing Taxes in
accordance with Section 9 shall
remain unaffected by this Section
5.22(b). Section 9.2(d) shall
apply mutatis mutandis for any Tax Contest relating to any periods prior to the
Closing in which the tax unit between the Share Selling Affiliate and the
Acquired Company has been in place.
-46-
(c) From
and after the Closing, the Purchaser will indemnify and hold harmless the Seller
Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses incurred by the Seller
Indemnified Parties arising or resulting from collateral claims asserted by
creditors of the Acquired Company against the Share Selling Affiliate as a
result of, and within six (6) months after the electronic publication of, the
termination of the domination agreement and the profit and loss pooling
agreement currently in effect between the Share Selling Affiliate and the
Acquired Company.
(d) Prior
to the Closing, title to all inventory of the Business in Europe currently owned
by the Seller or any Seller Affiliates shall be transferred to the Acquired
Company, and all VAT required to be paid in connection with such transfer shall
be attributed to the period prior to the Closing and shall be treated in
accordance with Section 9.1(f) of this
Agreement.
(e) The
Seller agrees that neither the Seller nor any Seller Affiliate, at any time
after Closing, will raise any claim against the Acquired Company relating to the
shareholder relationship or any transaction between the Seller or any Seller
Affiliate and the Acquired Company.
Section 5.23 Restrictive
Covenants.
(a) For
a period of five (5) years following the Closing Date, the Seller shall not, and
shall ensure that none of its Affiliates will, directly or indirectly (including
as a stockholder, member or partner), solicit any customer of the Business
existing from January 1, 2008 through the Closing Date for the purposes of sale
to that customer of any product (i) manufactured or sold by the Business at the
Closing or (ii) competitive with any product manufactured or sold by the
Business at the Closing.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Section 5.23 will not
prohibit the Seller or any of its Affiliates, directly or indirectly, from (i)
conducting any business activities conducted by them as of the date of this
Agreement (other than the Business), including the manufacture and sale of
Seller Intermediate Products to entities which are not customers of the Business
from January 1, 2008 through the Closing Date through the Closing; (ii)
investing in or holding not more than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding
voting stock or other ownership interests of any Person; or (iii) acquiring any
ownership interest in any business or conducting any business activities of such
acquired business (including the manufacture or sale of Purchaser Intermediate
Products) in which the products of such acquired business that are competitive
with the Business or the Purchaser Intermediate Products represent less than
twenty-five percent (25%) of revenues of such acquired business so long as no
Business Information is disclosed to such acquired business; so long as such
acquired business does not violate Section 5.23(a)
following such acquisition.
-47-
(c) For
a period of five (5) years following the Closing Date, the Purchaser shall not
and shall ensure that none of its subsidiaries will, directly or indirectly
(including as a stockholder, member or partner):
(i) solicit
any Retained Business Products customer of the Seller existing from January 1,
2008 through the Closing Date for the purposes of sale to that customer of any
(a) Retained Business Product or (b) any product competitive with any Retained
Business Product; or
(ii) provide
or make available, whether by sale, lease, transfer, loan, gift or otherwise,
and whether on a temporary or permanent basis, any of the Purchased Intellectual
Property or the Shared Intellectual Property to any Affiliate of the Purchaser
for the purpose of producing or selling any Retained Business Product, or any
product competitive with any Retained Business Product, to any Retained Business
Product customer of the Seller existing from January 1, 2008 through the Closing
Date.
(d) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Section 5.23 will not
prohibit the Purchaser or any of its subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, from
(i) conducting any business activities conducted by them as of the date of this
Agreement or engaging in the Business activities as conducted at the date of
this Agreement or engaging in the manufacture and sale of Purchaser Intermediate
Products; (ii) investing in or holding not more than ten percent (10%) of the
outstanding voting stock or other ownership interests of any Person; or (iii)
acquiring any ownership interest in any business or conducting any business
activities of such acquired business (including the manufacture or sale of
Retained Business Products) in which Retained Business Products represent less
than twenty-five percent (25%) of revenues of such business; so long as such
acquired business does not violate Section 5.23(c)
following such acquisition. In addition, nothing herein shall prohibit SK from
making any other investments or any such investment entity (other than the
Purchaser or any of the Purchaser’s subsidiaries) from competing with the
Retained Business Products, provided, however, that SK shall not provide or make
available, whether by sale, lease, transfer, loan, gift or otherwise, and
whether on a temporary or permanent basis, any of the Purchased Intellectual
Property or the Shared Intellectual Property to any such investment entity for
the purpose of producing or selling any Retained Business Product, or any
product competitive with any Retained Business Product, to any Retained Business
Product customer of the Seller existing from January 1, 2008 through the Closing
Date; and provided further that SK and the Purchaser comply at all times with
the confidentiality obligations set forth in Section 5.9 of this
Agreement.
(e) The
Seller and the Purchaser acknowledge and agree that the Supply Agreements
contain certain restrictions on the supply of Intermediate Products and the
provisions of this Section 5.23 shall
not be construed to amend, waive or contradict the relevant provisions of the
Supply Agreements.
(f) If
either party discovers a potential breach of the foregoing provisions (a)
through (d) of this Section 5.23, prior
to bringing a claim or action against such party, the discovering party shall
provide the potential breaching party with notice of such alleged breach and a
reasonable opportunity, not to exceed thirty (30) days, to cease the conduct
giving rise to the potential breach.
-48-
(g) Unless
otherwise agreed to in writing by the Purchaser, during the period commencing on
the date of this Agreement and ending on the one-year anniversary of the Closing
Date, the Seller will not, directly or indirectly, for itself or on behalf of or
in conjunction with any other Person (other than in its capacity as a holder of
not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the outstanding voting stock of a
Person or as a passive investor in a privately-held Person), nor will it permit
any of its Affiliates or their respective directors, officers, employees,
agents, advisors or representatives to, directly or indirectly, employ or offer
employment to any Transferred Employee unless such Transferred Employee will
have ceased to be employed by the Purchaser for a period of at least six (6)
months prior thereto.
(h) Unless
otherwise agreed to in writing by the Seller, during the period commencing on
the date of this Agreement and ending on the one-year anniversary of the Closing
Date (or, if this Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing, ending six (6)
months after the date of termination), the Purchaser will not, directly or
indirectly, for itself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person
(other than in its capacity as a holder of not more than twenty-five percent
(25%) of the outstanding voting stock of a Person or as a passive investor in a
privately-held Person), nor will it permit any of its subsidiaries, Affiliates,
directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors or representatives to, directly
or indirectly, call upon any Person who is, at the time the Person is called
upon, an employee of the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller, for the purpose
or with the intent of soliciting such employee away from or out of the employ of
the Seller or such Affiliate of the Seller, or employ or offer employment to any
Person who was or is employed by the Seller or any Affiliate of the Seller
unless such Person will have ceased to be employed by Seller and the its
Affiliates for a period of at least six (6) months prior thereto.
(i) This
Section 5.23
will not be deemed to prohibit the Seller or the Purchaser from engaging in
general media advertising or solicitation that may be targeted to a particular
geographic or technical area but that is not targeted towards employees of the
Purchaser or the Seller or their Affiliates or hiring any individuals who
respond to such advertising or solicitation.
Section 5.24 Transition Services
Agreement.
(a) Prior
to the Closing, the Seller shall, at the Seller’s expense, use commercially
reasonable efforts to facilitate the Business being operated in the ordinary
course of business on the Seller’s information technology platform following the
Closing as contemplated by the Transition Services Agreement. Any fees or other
amounts charged by third party service providers before the Closing Date in
connection with Seller’s preparation for provision of the information technology
services after Closing pursuant to the Transition Services Agreement shall not
be included in Out-of-Pocket Expenses (as such term is defined in the Transition
Services Agreement) and charged as such after Closing pursuant to the provisions
of the Transition Services Agreement (other than any fees or other amounts
charged by third party service providers before the Closing Date for rebranding
or as a one-time fee for set up and acquisition of space for hosting hardware,
each to the extent approved in advance by the Purchaser, such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed).
-49-
(b) Between
the date hereof and Closing, the Seller and Purchaser shall work in good faith
to prepare the services schedule to the Transition Services Agreement, which
shall set forth a Schedule of Services currently performed by Seller and Seller
Affiliates (other than by Transferred Employees) for the benefit of the Business
in the ordinary course of the Business, it being acknowledged and agreed that
such services will not include Tax or accounting services.
Section 5.25 REACH. Prior to and
after the Closing, the Seller shall cooperate with and provide reasonable
assistance to the Purchaser, including without limitation, providing documents,
studies and other data in Seller’s possession that are reasonably necessary for
the Purchaser to comply with REACH with respect to the Purchased Assets, the
Business and the Acquired Company.
ARTICLE
6
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATION TO CLOSE
Section 6.1 Conditions to the Obligation
of the Purchaser. The obligation of the Purchaser to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the
satisfaction, on or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions
(any of which may be waived by the Purchaser, in whole or in part):
(a) Accuracy of Representations
and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the
Seller in Article
3 must be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing (except to
the extent any such representation or warranty speaks as of the date of this
Agreement or any other specific date, in which case such representation or
warranty must have been true and correct in all respects as of such
date), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be so
true and correct (without regard for any “material,” “Material Adverse Effect”
or similar qualification) would not, individually or in the aggregate,
constitute a Material Adverse Effect;
(b) Performance of
Covenants. All of the covenants and obligations that the
Seller is required to perform or comply with under this Agreement on or before
the Closing Date must have been duly performed and complied with in all material
respects;
(c) Consents. Each
of the Governmental Authorizations and consents listed in Schedule 6.1(c) must
have been obtained and must be in full force and effect, except for such
consents which the failure to obtain would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect, and all applicable waiting periods (and any extensions thereof) under
any applicable Antitrust Laws must have expired or otherwise terminated and all
other approvals under other applicable Antitrust Laws must have been
obtained;
(d) Entry of Orders By
Bankruptcy Court. The Bankruptcy Court shall have entered the Bidding
Procedures Order and the Approval Order, and the Bidding Procedures Order and
the Approval Order shall have become Final Orders and shall not have
been vacated, stayed, or reversed, or modified, amended, or supplemented in any
manner that has a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that it
shall not be a condition to the Seller’s obligation to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement that the Approval Order be a Final
Order if the Approval Order is not a Final Order solely as a result of an appeal
of the relief granted pursuant to the Approval Order, which appeal (a) does not
challenge Purchaser’s good faith purchaser status under Section 363(m) of the
Bankruptcy Code, (b) does not assert that the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement are avoidable pursuant to, or otherwise violates, Section 363(n) of
the Bankruptcy Code, and (c) has not resulted in a stay of the Approval Order;
and
(e) No
Action. There must not be in effect any Law or Judgment that
would prohibit or make illegal the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or cause the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be
rescinded following consummation.
-50-
(f) Absence of Material Adverse
Effect. No Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred since
the date of this Agreement and be continuing.
Section 6.2 Conditions to the Obligation
of the Seller. The obligation of the Seller to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction, on
or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions (any of which
may be waived by the Seller, in whole or in part):
(a) Accuracy of Representations
and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the
Purchaser in Article
4 must be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing
(except to the extent any such representation or warranty speaks as of the date
of this Agreement or any other specific date, in which case such representation
or warranty must have been true and correct in all material respects as of such
date);
(b) Performance of
Covenants. All of the covenants and obligations that the
Purchaser is required to perform or comply with under this Agreement on or
before the Closing Date must have been duly performed and complied with in all
material respects;
(c) Consents. Each
of the Governmental Authorizations and consents listed in Schedule 6.1(c),
except for such consents which the failure to obtain would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect, must have been obtained and must be in full force and
effect, and all applicable waiting periods (and any extensions thereof) under
any applicable Antitrust Laws must have expired or otherwise terminated and all
other approvals under other applicable Antitrust Laws must have been
obtained;
(d) Entry of Orders By
Bankruptcy Court. The Bankruptcy Court shall have entered the
Approval Order, and the Approval Order shall have become a Final Order and shall
not have been vacated, stayed, or reversed, or modified, amended, or
supplemented in any manner that has a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that it
shall not be a condition to the Seller’s obligation to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement that the Approval Order be a Final
Order if the Approval Order is not a Final Order solely as a result of an appeal
of the relief granted pursuant to the Approval Order, which appeal (a) does not
challenge Purchaser’s good faith purchaser status under Section 363(m) of the
Bankruptcy Code, (b) does not assert that the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement are avoidable pursuant to, or otherwise violates, Section 363(n) of
the Bankruptcy Code, and (c) has not resulted in a stay of the Approval Order;
and
(e) No
Action. There must not be in effect any Law or Judgment that
would prohibit or make illegal the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or cause the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be
rescinded following consummation.
ARTICLE
7
TERMINATION
Section 7.1 Termination
Events. This Agreement may, by written notice given before or
at the Closing, be terminated:
(a) by
mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the Seller;
-51-
(b) by
the Purchaser (so long as the Purchaser is not then in material breach of any of
its representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement) if
there has been a breach of any of the Seller’s representations, warranties or
covenants contained in this Agreement, which would result in the failure of a
condition set forth in Section 6.1(a) or
Section 6.1(b),
and which breach has not been cured within thirty (30) days after written notice
of the breach has been delivered to the Seller from the Purchaser to the extent
capable of being cured;
(c) by
the Seller (so long as the Seller is not then in material breach of any of its
representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement) if there
has been a breach of any of the Purchaser’s representations, warranties or
covenants contained in this Agreement, which would result in the failure of a
condition set forth in Section 6.2(a) or
Section 6.2(b),
and which breach has not been cured within thirty (30) days after written notice
of the breach has been delivered to the Purchaser from the Seller to the extent
capable of being cured;
(d) by
either the Purchaser or the Seller if any Governmental Authority has issued a
nonappealable final Judgment or taken any other nonappealable final action, in
each case having the effect of permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.1(d) will
not be available to any party whose failure to fulfill any material covenant
under this Agreement has been the cause of or resulted in the action or event
described in this Section 7.1(d)
occurring; or
(e) by
the Seller or the Purchaser, if the Seller accepts or the Bankruptcy Court
approves an Alternative Transaction for any of the Shares or Purchased Assets
pursuant to the terms of the Bidding Procedures Order; provided, however, that
the Purchaser shall not be entitled to terminate pursuant to this Section 7.1(e) if and
so long as the Purchaser is the Alternate Bidder (as such term is defined in
Exhibit 1 to the Bidding Procedures Order);
(f) by
the Purchaser if the Closing has not occurred (other than through the failure of
the Purchaser to comply fully with its obligations under this Agreement) on or
before May 31, 2010; or
(g) by
the Seller if the Closing has not occurred (other than through the failure of
the Seller to comply fully with its obligations under this Agreement) on or
before May 31, 2010.
Section 7.2 Effect of
Termination.
(a) If
this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1, this
Agreement and all rights and obligations of the parties under this Agreement
automatically end without Liability against any party or its Affiliates, except
that (a) Section
5.9(a) (Confidentiality), Section 5.10 (Public Announcements), Section 7.3 (Certain Effects of
Termination), Article 11 (General Provisions) and this
Section 7.2
will remain in full force and survive any termination of this Agreement and (b)
if this Agreement is terminated by a party because of the breach of this
Agreement by the other party or because one or more of the conditions to the
terminating party’s obligations under this Agreement is not satisfied as a
result of the other party’s failure to comply with its obligations under this
Agreement, the terminating party’s right to pursue all legal remedies will,
subject to Section
7.2(c)(iii), survive such termination unimpaired.
-52-
(b) Breakup Fee and
Reimbursement. In the event that (i) this Agreement is
terminated by either the Seller or the Purchaser pursuant to Section 7.1(e)
and (ii) an Alternative Transaction(s) is consummated no later than within
twelve (12) months of such termination, then, upon the closing of such
Alternative Transaction, the Purchaser will be paid a fee (the “Breakup Fee”) equal
to US five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) by the Seller. Such
payments will be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to an
account designated by the Purchaser, and the Purchaser shall have the right to
be paid the Breakup Fee from the first proceeds of the Alternative Transaction
for any of the Shares or Purchased Assets. In the event that this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Sections 7.1(b),
7.1(e), 7.1(f) (but only if
at the time of such termination, the Purchaser is the Alternate Bidder (as such
term is defined in Exhibit 1 to the Bidding Procedures Order)) or 7.1(g), in addition
to any Breakup Fee, the Purchaser will be paid reimbursement of the Purchaser’s
actual out-of-pocket due diligence cost and expenses, in an amount not to exceed
seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) (“Reimbursement”). The
Reimbursement shall be paid to the Purchaser, in the case of a termination
pursuant to Section
7.1(e), on the earlier to occur of (i) the closing of the Alternative
Transaction and (ii) the consummation of the plan of reorganization of the
Seller and, in the case of a termination pursuant to Sections 7.1(b),
7.1(f) (but
only if at the time of such termination, the Purchaser is the Alternate Bidder
(as such term is defined in Exhibit 1 to the Bidding Procedures Order)) or 7.1(g), within five
(5) business days following receipt or delivery of notice in accordance with
Section
7.1.
(c) Release of
Deposit.
(i) If
this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Sections 7.1(a),
7.1(b), 7.1(d), 7.1(e), 7.1(f) or 7.1(g), the Deposit
Agent will wire transfer the Deposit Amount to an account designated by the
Purchaser no later than five (5) Business Days immediately following such
termination.
(ii) If
this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(c),
the Deposit Agent will wire transfer the Deposit Amount to an account designated
by the Seller.
(iii) If
this Agreement is terminated as permitted by Section 7.1, the
return of the Deposit Amount to the Purchaser pursuant to the terms of the
Deposit Agreement and the payment of the Breakup Fee and/or Reimbursement, if
any, pursuant to the terms of this Section 7.2,
shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Purchaser, whether at law or in
equity, for any breach by the Seller or any of its Affiliates of the terms and
conditions of this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement. If this
Agreement is terminated as permitted by Section 7.1(c),
notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Deposit shall be
retained by Seller as liquidated damages, and retention of the Deposit by the
Seller shall be the sole recourse against Purchaser, SK or its Affiliates for
any breach by the Purchaser or SK of this Agreement, other than a breach of
Section 363(n) of the Bankruptcy Code. In the event of a breach by the Purchaser
or any of its Affiliates of Section 363(n) of the Bankruptcy Code, the Seller
shall be entitled to keep the Deposit Amount and to pursue any other remedies
available under Section 363(n) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(iv) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the entry of the Bidding
Procedures Order by the Bankruptcy Court is a condition precedent to the
Seller’s obligation to pay, and payment of, the Breakup Fee and Reimbursement as
otherwise required by this Section 7.2. Subject
to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court, the obligations of the Seller to pay
the Breakup Fee and Reimbursement shall be entitled to administrative expense
claim status in the Case with priority pursuant to Section 507(a)(2) of the
Bankruptcy Code, and payable without further order of the Bankruptcy Court
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Bidding Procedures Order, and
the obligation to pay the Breakup Fee and Reimbursement in full in cash when due
shall not be discharged, modified, or otherwise affected by any plan of
reorganization or liquidation for the Seller.
Section 7.3 Certain Effects of
Termination. If the Purchaser or the Seller terminates this
Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1, the
Purchaser will comply with the Confidentiality Agreement regarding the return
and/or destruction of any information furnished to the Purchaser in connection
with this Agreement.
-53-
ARTICLE
8
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.1 Indemnification by the
Seller. If the Closing occurs, from and after the date
thereof, and subject to the limitations expressly set forth in Sections 8.4 and
8.5, the Seller
will indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser, the Purchaser’s Affiliates and
their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives,
stockholders and Affiliates (collectively, the “Purchaser Indemnified
Parties”) from and against any and all Losses (other than (i) Losses with
respect to Taxes, for which the provisions of Section 9.1(a) will
govern) incurred by the Purchaser Indemnified Parties arising or resulting from
(a) any breach of any covenant of the Seller set forth in this Agreement, (b)
any Excluded Liability, and (c) in connection with Statement of Objections,
dated March 17, 2009, relating to the proceeding under Article 81 of the Treaty
of the European Community and Article 53 of the European Economic Area
Agreement, any fines or other liability imposed upon the Acquired Company
pursuant to Article 23(2)(a) of Regulation No. 1/2003 and any Losses from
related Civil Proceedings.
Section 8.2 Indemnification by the
Purchaser. If the Closing occurs, from and after the date
thereof, and subject to the limitations expressly set forth in Sections 8.4 and
8.5, the
Purchaser will indemnify and hold harmless the Seller, the Seller’s Affiliates
and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives,
stockholders and Affiliates (collectively, the “Seller Indemnified
Parties”) from and against any and all Losses (other than (i) Losses with
respect to Taxes, for which the provisions of Section 9.1(a) will
govern) incurred by the Seller Indemnified Parties arising or resulting from (a)
any breach of any covenant of the Purchaser set forth in this Agreement and (b)
any Assumed Liability.
Section 8.3 Claim
Procedure.
(a) A
party that seeks indemnity under this Article 8 (an “Indemnified Party”)
will give written notice (a “Claim Notice”) to the
party from whom indemnification is sought (an “Indemnifying Party”)
whether the Losses sought arise from matters solely between the parties or from
Third Party Claims described in Section
8.3(b). The Claim Notice must contain (i) a description and,
if known, the estimated amount of any Losses incurred or reasonably expected to
be incurred by the Indemnified Party, (ii) a reasonable explanation of the basis
for the Claim Notice to the extent of the facts then known by the Indemnified
Party and (iii) a demand for payment of those Losses.
(b) If
the Indemnified Party seeks indemnity under this Article 8 in response
to a claim or Proceeding by another Person not a party to this Agreement (a
“Third Party
Claim”), then the Indemnified Party will give a Claim Notice to the
Indemnifying Party within ten (10) days after the Indemnified Party has received
notice or otherwise learns of the assertion of such Third Party Claim and will
include in the Claim Notice (i) the facts constituting the basis for such Third
Party Claim and the amount of the damages claimed by the other Person, in each
case to the extent known to the Indemnified Party, accompanied by reasonable
supporting documentation submitted by such third party (to the extent then in
the possession of the Indemnified Party) and (ii) the assertion of the claim or
the notice of the commencement of any Proceeding relating to such Third Party
Claim; provided, however, that no
delay or deficiency on the part of the Indemnified Party in so notifying the
Indemnifying Party will relieve the Indemnifying Party of any Liability under
this Agreement except to the extent such delay or deficiency prejudices or
otherwise adversely affects the rights of the Indemnifying Party with respect
thereto.
-54-
(c) In
the event of a Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party will be entitled to
participate in the defense thereof and, if it so chooses, assume at any time
control of the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnified Party by giving to the Indemnified Party written notice of its
intention to assume control of the defense of such Third Party Claim; provided, however, that the
Indemnified Party may participate in the defense of such Third Party Claim with
its own counsel at its own expense, except as provided in Section 8.3(d)
below).
(d) The
party not controlling the defense of the Third Party Claim (the “Non-controlling
Party”) may participate in the defense thereof at its own
expense. However, if the Indemnifying Party assumes control of such
defense as permitted above and the Indemnified Party reasonably concludes that
the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party have conflicting interests or
different defenses available with respect to the Third Party Claim, then the
reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Party will be
considered as “Losses” for purposes of this Agreement. The
Non-controlling Party will furnish the party controlling the defense of the
Third Party Claim (the “Controlling Party”)
with such information as it may have with respect to the Third Party Claim
(including copies of any summons, complaint or other pleading which may have
been served on such party and any written claim, demand, invoice, billing or
other document evidencing or asserting the same) and will otherwise cooperate
with and assist the Controlling Party and its counsel in the defense of such
Third Party Claim. The Controlling Party will keep the
Non-controlling Party reasonably advised of the status of such Third Party Claim
and will consider in good faith recommendations made by the Non-controlling
Party with respect thereto.
(e) The
Indemnifying Party will not agree to any settlement of, or consent to the entry
of any Judgment (other than a Judgment of dismissal on the merits without costs)
arising from, any such Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of
the Indemnified Party; provided, however, that the
consent of the Indemnified Party will not be required if the Indemnifying Party
agrees in writing to pay any amounts payable pursuant to such settlement or any
Judgment and such settlement or Judgment includes a full, complete and
unconditional release of the Indemnified Party from further
Liability. The Indemnified Party will not agree to any settlement of,
or the entry of any Judgment (other than a Judgment of dismissal on the merits
without costs) arising from, any such Third Party Claim without the prior
written consent of the Indemnifying Party.
Section 8.4 Survival. All of the
representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and the right to
commence any claim with respect thereto, shall terminate at the Closing and none
of the parties hereto shall have any Liability with respect to such
representations and warranties after the Closing. All covenants
contained in this Agreement (A) that contemplate actions to be taken after
Closing will survive the Closing and continue in effect in accordance with their
terms until the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or for such
shorter period explicitly specified therein, except that for such covenants that
survive for such shorter period, breaches thereof will survive until the
expiration of the applicable statute of limitations and (b) that contemplate
actions to be taken only on or prior to Closing shall terminate and cease to be
obligations as of the Closing and no claim, action or proceeding with respect to
such covenant may be brought after the Closing. All claims for
indemnification under this Agreement must be asserted pursuant to a Claim Notice
given prior to the expiration of the applicable survival period set forth in
this Section
8.4.
-55-
Section 8.5 Limitations on
Liability.
(a) Cap and
Deductible. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
in this Agreement (except that the following limitations set forth in clauses
(i), (ii) and (iii) will not apply to Losses (including any Environmental
Losses) arising under Section 8.1(c), Section 9.1 or Article 11 or
adjustments pursuant to Section 2.6 or Section
2.7):
(i) no
indemnification payments will be made by or on behalf of either Seller to
Purchaser or Purchaser to Seller under this Agreement in respect of any
individual claim or series claims having the same nature or origin where the
Losses relating thereto are less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000),
and such items less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) will not be
aggregated for purposes of calculating the Deductible in clause (ii)
below;
(ii) no
indemnification payments will be made by or on behalf of either Seller to
Purchaser or Purchaser to Seller under this Agreement until the aggregate amount
of Losses for which such indemnifying party would (but for this clause (ii)) be
liable thereunder exceeds two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000)
(such amount being, the “Threshold”), but once
exceeded, such indemnifying party shall be liable for all Losses;
and
(iii) the
aggregate total amount in respect of which the Seller will be liable to
indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties pursuant to this
Agreement will not exceed one million, five hundred thousand dollars
($1,500,000).
(b) Aggregate
Cap. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
this Agreement, the aggregate total amount in respect of which the Seller will
be liable to indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties
pursuant to this Agreement, including pursuant to Article 8, Article 9 and Article 11, will not
exceed an amount equal to the Purchaser Deemed Entity Value.
(c) Tax Refunds, Insurance
Proceeds and Other Payments. The amount of any and all Losses
for which indemnification is provided pursuant to this Article 8 , Article 9 or Article 11 will be
net of any actual Tax benefit (reflecting an actual increase in cash Tax refund
received or reduction in actual cash Taxes paid with respect to the period in
which such Loss arose or such Liability was paid) to which an Indemnified Party
is entitled by reason of payment of such Liability (taking into account any Tax
cost or reduction in such Tax benefits by reason of receipt of the
indemnification payment) and any amounts of any insurance proceeds,
indemnification payments, contribution payments or reimbursements receivable by,
or payable in kind to, the Indemnified Party with respect to such Losses or any
of the circumstances giving rise thereto. In connection therewith,
if, at any time following payment in full by the Indemnifying Party of any
amounts of Losses due under this Agreement, the Indemnified Party receives any
insurance proceeds, indemnification payments, contribution payments or
reimbursements relating to the circumstances giving rise to such Losses, the
Indemnified Party will promptly remit to the Indemnifying Party such proceeds,
payments or reimbursements in an amount not to exceed the amount of the
corresponding indemnification payment made by the Indemnifying
Party. The Purchaser will use (and will cause its Affiliates to use)
commercially reasonable efforts to collect the proceeds of any available
insurance which would have the effect of reducing any Losses (in which case the
net proceeds thereof will reduce the Losses).
(d) Mitigation. The
Indemnified Party will use its commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate any
Losses with respect to which it may be entitled to seek indemnification pursuant
to this Agreement.
-56-
Section 8.6 Exclusive
Remedy. From and after the Closing, the sole and exclusive
remedy of the parties for any matter arising out of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement will be pursuant to the indemnification
obligations set forth in Article 8, Article 9 and Article
11. In no event will the Seller have any Liability for Losses
arising from the conduct of the Business or the Acquired Company after the
Closing.
ARTICLE
9
TAX
MATTERS
Section 9.1 Liability and
Indemnification for Taxes.
(a) If
the Closing occurs, and subject to Section 8.4 and the
limitations expressly set forth in Sections 8.5(b) and
9.1(d), the
Seller will indemnify the Purchaser Indemnified Parties against all Losses for
(i) all Taxes of the Acquired Company that are attributable to any Pre-Closing
Period (except (a) to the extent any such Taxes are reserved or accrued as a
current liability on the Final Closing Net Working Capital, and (b) for any VAT
(other than VAT arising from the transfer of Other Purchased Assets and which
shall be dealt with in accordance with Section 2.10)
recoverable in the ordinary course of business of the Acquired Company),
including all Taxes relating to the termination of the domination and profit and
loss pooling agreements that the Acquired Company is a party to, (ii) all Taxes
that are Excluded Liabilities, and (iii) all Taxes arising solely out of or due
to any breach of any covenant of the Seller set forth in this
Agreement.
(b) If
the Closing occurs, and subject to Section 8.4, the
Purchaser will indemnify the Seller Indemnified Parties against all Losses for
(i) all Taxes of the Acquired Company that are attributable to any Post-Closing
Period, except to the extent that such Losses for Taxes are attributable to any
breach of the Seller’s representations and warranties in Section 3.12, (ii)
all Taxes that are Assumed Liabilities, (iii) all Transfer Taxes, and (iv) all
Taxes arising solely out of or due to any breach of any covenant of the
Purchaser set forth in this Agreement.
(c) With
respect to any Straddle Period, any Losses for Taxes will be allocated between a
Pre-Closing Period and a Post-Closing Period by closing the books at the end of
the Closing Date, except that Tax items of a periodic nature, such as property
taxes or depreciation allowances calculated on an annual basis, will be
allocated by apportioning a pro-rata portion of such Taxes to each day in the
relevant Straddle Period. This Section 9.1(c) does
not apply to Transfer Taxes or VAT as a result of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, which are the sole responsibility of the Purchaser under the
provisions of Sections
9.1(e) and 9.1(f).
(d) The
Seller will not be required to indemnify the Purchaser Indemnified Parties for
reductions in any Tax Attributes. The Seller will not be required to
indemnify the Purchaser Indemnified Parties against Losses for Taxes
attributable to a Pre-Closing Period to the extent such Losses for Taxes could
be reduced under applicable Law by reason of net operating loss carryovers, Tax
credits and similar Tax Attributes of the Acquired Company arising in the
Pre-Closing Period (assuming for the purposes of this sentence that such Tax
Attributes are not used to reduce Taxes in a Post-Closing Period after taking
into account any applicable limitations on the use of such Tax
Attributes).
(e) Any
applicable transfer or similar Taxes that are, or become due and payable as a
result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including real estate
transfer taxes, whether such Taxes are imposed by Law on the Seller, the Share
Selling Affiliate, the Purchased Assets, the Purchaser or any Designated
Affiliate (other than VAT, which is addressed in subsection (f) hereof) (such
Taxes, the “Transfer
Taxes”), will be borne by the Purchaser. The Purchaser will
pay to the Seller the amount of any Transfer Taxes which the Seller or the Share
Selling Affiliate is required to remit no later than five (5) days prior to the
date such Transfer Taxes are due. The parties will cooperate with
each other in the provision of any information or preparation of any
documentation that may be necessary or useful for obtaining any available
mitigation, reduction or exemption from any such Transfer Taxes, and for timely
making and filing all Tax Returns that may be required to comply with Laws
relating to such Transfer Taxes.
-57-
(f) The
amount of any payment for a supply of goods or services or the value of any
supply made or deemed to have been made pursuant to this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement will be exclusive of any VAT properly chargeable on the
supply, and the amount of the VAT will be borne by the recipient of the relevant
goods or services in addition to any payment due under this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement at the time the supply is made. In the event that
any VAT is imposed upon or imposed against such recipient, the supplier of the
relevant goods or services will promptly notify the recipient of the VAT amount
on a valid VAT invoice (unless the reverse charge procedure
applies). Upon receipt thereof, the recipient will promptly remit to
the supplier the amount specified in such VAT invoice, and the supplier will
make, or will cause to be made, any payments to the applicable Governmental
Authorities as required under applicable Law.
Section 9.2 Tax Return Filing; Audit
Responsibilities.
(a) Except
as set forth in Section 9.2(b), the
Purchaser will control and be responsible for the filing of all Tax Returns
required to be filed with respect to the Acquired Company and, with respect to
any Post-Closing Period or Straddle Period, the Purchased Assets after the
Closing Date. All such Tax Returns with respect to a Pre-Closing
Period or a Straddle Period will be completed in accordance with past practice
of the Acquired Company to the extent permitted by applicable Law, and a copy of
such Tax Returns shall be provided to the Seller for its review and approval
(not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The
Purchaser will make all payments required with respect to any such Tax Return,
subject to any indemnification obligation of the Seller with respect
hereto.
(b) The
Seller will control and be responsible for the preparation and filing of all Tax
Returns due after the Closing Date that relate to the Acquired Company or any
Affiliate of the Acquired Company and are Affiliated Group Tax Returns which
include Pre-Closing Period operations. All such Tax Returns will be
completed in accordance with past practice to the extent permitted by applicable
Law and a copy of such Tax Returns (or the portion thereof reflecting the
Acquired Company) shall be provided to the Purchaser for its review and approval
(not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The Seller
will make all payments required with respect to any such Tax
Return. Any Tax Returns that must be filed in connection with any
Transfer Taxes will be prepared by the party that customarily has primary
responsibility for filing such Tax Returns pursuant to the applicable Law under
and according to which the respective Tax Returns are due to be filed; provided, however, that the
preparing party will deliver such Tax Returns for the other party’s review and
approval (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) at least ten
(10) Business Days prior to the applicable due date.
(c) In
the event that the Seller or the Purchaser is liable under this Agreement for
any Taxes paid by the other party with respect to any Tax Return, prompt
reimbursement will be made.
(d) If
the Purchaser receives notice of a Tax Contest with respect to the Acquired
Company or the Purchased Assets which could reasonably be expected to cause the
Seller to have an indemnification obligation under this Article 9, then the
Purchaser will notify the Seller in writing of such Tax Contest within five (5)
Business Days of receiving such notice. The Seller will have the
right to control the conduct and resolution of such Tax Contest; provided, however, that the
Seller may decline to participate in such Tax Contest. If the Seller
controls the conduct of such Tax Contest, the Seller will not resolve such Tax
Contest, to the extent such Tax Contest relates to or could result in an
increase in Post-Closing Period Taxes, without the Purchaser’s written consent,
which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed. If the Seller declines to control such Tax Contest, then the
Purchaser will have the right to control the conduct of such Tax Contest; provided, however, that the
Purchaser will not resolve such Tax Contest without the Seller’s written
consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed. Each party will bear its own costs for participating in such
Tax Contest.
-58-
(e) Any
net refunds and credits attributable to the payment of Taxes for a Pre-Closing
Period (to the extent not attributable to the use of a Post-Closing Tax
Attribute) will be for the account of the Seller, and the Purchaser will
promptly pay to the Seller any such refund or credit.
(f) To
the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 9.2, the
procedures of Article
8 will apply in the case of any claim for Losses related to
Taxes.
Section 9.3 Cooperation. Each
of the Seller and the Purchaser agree that it will, and will cause its
respective Affiliates to:
(a) provide
assistance to the other party as reasonably requested in preparing and filing
Tax Returns, responding to Tax Contests and recovering any VAT;
(b) make
available to the other party as reasonably requested all information, records
and documents relating to Taxes concerning the Acquired Company and the
Business; and
(c) retain
any books and records that could reasonably be expected to be necessary or
useful in connection with any preparation by any other party of any Tax Return
or for any Tax Contest or other examination or Proceeding relating to
Taxes. Such books and records will be retained until the expiration
of the applicable statute of limitations (including extensions
thereof). Thereafter, the Purchaser will not dispose of any such Tax
Returns, books and records unless it first offers in writing such Tax Returns,
books and records to the Seller and the Seller fails to accept such offer within
sixty (60) days of it being made.
Section 9.4 No Code Section 338
Election. Neither the Purchaser, the Acquired Company, nor any
of their Affiliates will, with respect to the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, make any election under Section 338 of the Code, other than an
election under Section 338(g) of the Code by the Purchaser with respect to the
Acquired Company; provided, however, that the Purchaser shall not make any
election under Section 338(g) of the Code with respect to the Acquired Company
without the prior written consent of the Seller, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. For purposes of this
Section 9.4,
the Seller shall not be deemed to unreasonably withhold, condition or delay
consent if such consent may have the effect of increasing the Seller’s
indemnification liability under this Agreement or otherwise result in a Tax cost
or other cost to the Seller that is not reimbursed by the Purchaser or its
Affiliates.
-59-
ARTICLE
10
EMPLOYEE
MATTERS
Section 10.1 Employees.
(a) At
least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Purchaser or its
Affiliates will extend a written offer of employment to the active Employees,
such offer to be on terms and conditions, including pay, position,
responsibility and benefits, that are substantially similar in the aggregate to
or better than the terms and conditions provided to such US Employees
immediately prior to the Closing Date. With respect to inactive
Employees, the Purchaser will extend a written offer of employment on same terms
and conditions as similar Employees of the Purchaser when such inactive Employee
is ready to return to active status; provided however, that this obligation
shall not extend beyond December 31, 2010. In addition, Purchaser,
the Acquired Company or a Purchaser Affiliate shall extend a written offer of
employment to the employees of Seller Affiliates set forth on Schedule 10.1(a) on
same terms and conditions as similar Acquired Company Employees. An active
Employee shall be deemed to have accepted an offer of employment from the
Purchaser if he or she presents himself or herself as available for active
employment at his or her then applicable place of employment on the first
Business Day immediate following the Closing Date (or, in the case of an active
Employee who is absent from work on the Closing Date due to vacation, holiday or
temporary illness, the first Business Day following the Closing Date that such
active Employee is scheduled to return or is fit to return to active employment)
and executes commercially reasonable Purchaser employment documents for its new
employees.
(b) Each
(i) Acquired Company Employee and (ii) Employee who accepts the offer of
employment extended by the Purchaser or its Affiliate pursuant to Section 10.1(a), will
be referred to in this Agreement as a “Transferred
Employee”. The Purchaser agrees to assume, or to cause the
appropriate Affiliate of the Purchaser to assume, all Liabilities with respect
to the Transferred Employees which accrue following the Closing
Date. The Seller may terminate the employment of any Employee who
does not become a Transferred Employee on the Closing Date.
(c) Through
December 31, 2010 (the “Continuation
Period”), the Purchaser or its Affiliates will provide the Transferred
Employees with employee benefits (including but not limited to welfare benefits,
severance and retirement benefits) that are substantially equivalent to, and no
less favorable as a whole than, those benefits provided to such Transferred
Employees immediately prior to the Closing. During the Continuation Period, the
Purchaser will continue to provide those former employees of the Business who
left employment prior to the Closing and who retain a benefit in any applicable
Seller Plan (the “Transferred Former
Employees”) and their dependants, beneficiaries and joint annuitants,
with employee/retiree benefits that are substantially equivalent, and no less
favorable than, the benefits to which such Transferred Former Employees were
entitled under the Seller Plans in effect immediately prior to the
Closing.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything else in this Section 10.1, all
Transferred Employees in the United States shall be employees-at-will of the
Purchaser.
(e) On
or within five (5) Business days after March 31, 2010, the Seller shall notify
the Purchaser of the gross amount payable to eligible Employees, on a per
employee basis, for bonuses for 2009 performance and all management or sales
incentive plan, stay bonus or retention bonus program or agreement payments, in
each case that are or would have been due and payable to an Employee if such
Employee were to have remained an employee of the Seller or an Affiliate of the
Seller through March 31, 2010 (the “Bonus
Payments”). Upon the next payroll disbursement to Employees
thereafter, the Purchaser shall pay to each eligible Employee who is still an
Employee of the Business at such time such Employee’s relevant portion of the
Bonus Payments, as notified by the Seller, less any withholdings and deductions
therefrom required by applicable Law. The Seller shall reimburse the Purchaser
in an amount equal to the Bonus Payments one Business Day prior to the payment
to eligible Employees.
-60-
(f) The
Purchaser agrees that (i) all unpaid accrued vacation and sick time as of the
Closing Date shall be the Purchaser’s responsibility and shall be recognized by
the Purchaser under its policies to the extent not paid by the Seller on or
before the Closing Date and (ii) to the extent that the Seller is required by
applicable Law or the terms of any Seller Plan to make any payment to any
Transferred Employee for any unpaid accrued vacation or sick time as of the
Closing Date in connection with the consummation of the transaction, the
Purchaser agrees to promptly reimburse the Seller for the amount of such
payment, but only to the extent that the Liabilities described in (i) and (ii)
above are properly reflected on the Final Closing Net Working
Capital.
Section 10.2 Defined Benefit
Plans.
(a) Effective
as of the Closing Date, the Transferred Employees will no longer participate in
the Chemtura Corporation Retirement Plan (the “Pension Plan”), and
the Seller will have taken all such action prior to the Closing Date as may be
required to achieve this result. Effective as of the Closing Date,
the Purchaser will establish a replacement defined benefit pension plan (the
“New Defined Benefit
Plan”) intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, and a
related trust intended to be exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the
Code, for the benefit of the Transferred Employees, the terms of which plan and
trust will be substantially identical to the terms of the Pension
Plan. The Purchaser agrees to apply for, and to take all actions
necessary to secure, as soon as practicable after the Closing Date, a
determination letter from the IRS to the effect that the New Defined Benefit
Plan is qualified under the applicable provisions of the Code. The
Purchaser will recognize the service of the Transferred Employees with the
Seller or any of its Affiliates prior to the Closing Date for all purposes under
the New Defined Benefit Plan.
(b) As
soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, the Seller will cause
its actuaries to determine, effective as of the Closing Date and in accordance
with the requirements of ERISA and Section 414(1) of the Code, an amount of
assets of the Pension Plan (the “Plan Assets Amount”)
equal to the present value of benefits accrued to the Closing Date for all
Transferred Employees, determined as if the Transferred Employees terminated
employment with the Seller as of the Closing Date and with regard to only those
benefits to which the Transferred Employees would be eligible based on their age
and service as of the Closing Date. The Plan Assets Amount that will
be transferred to the New Defined Benefit Plan will be the amount which would be
allocated to Transferred Employees if the Pension Plan were terminated as of the
Closing Date and assets were allocated to participants in accordance with
Section 4044 of ERISA using the assumptions and methodology of the PBGC for plan
terminations as of the Closing Date and such other reasonable assumptions not
specified by the PBGC and determined by Seller’s actuary.
(c) As
soon as practicable after the Seller’s actuaries determine the Plan Assets
Amount, the Seller will cause the transfer of an amount of cash equal to the
Plan Assets Amount from the Pension Plan to the New Defined Benefit Plan,
together with interest on such Plan Assets Amount at the prime rate of Citibank
as of the Closing Date from the Closing Date to the date of
transfer. Benefit payments to Transferred Employees (or their
beneficiaries) in pay status will continue to be made from the Pension Plan
following the Closing Date and until the date of transfer. Any such
payments, adjusted for applicable interest, will be deducted from the Plan
Assets Amount. Following the date of transfer, the Purchaser will
assume all Liabilities of the Seller and its Affiliates under the Pension Plan
with respect to accrued benefits of the Transferred Employees, and the Seller
and its Affiliates will have no further Liability to the Purchaser or any
Transferred Employees with respect thereto following the date of
transfer.
-61-
Section 10.3 Defined Contribution
Plan.
(a) Effective
as of the Closing Date, the Transferred Employees will no longer participate in
the Chemtura Corporation Employees Savings Plan (the “Savings Plan”), and
the Seller will have taken all such action prior to the Closing Date as may be
required to achieve this result. As of the Closing Date, the Seller will cause
each Transferred Employee to be one hundred percent (100%) vested in his or her
account balance.
(b) After
the Closing Date, the Purchaser will establish or provide the Transferred
Employees with a new savings plan intended to be qualified under Sections 401(a)
and 401(k) of the Code, which shall provide (i) for immediate eligibility for
participation for each Transferred Employee who participated in the Savings Plan
immediately prior to the Closing Date, and (ii) vesting and eligibility
provisions that are no less favorable than those of the Savings Plan as in
effect immediately prior to the Closing Date, applied by aggregating service
with the Seller and its Affiliates prior to the Closing Date with service with
the Purchaser and its Affiliates on and after the Closing Date. The
Seller and the Purchaser agree to cooperate fully with respect to the actions
necessary to effect the transactions contemplated in this Section 10.3,
including the provision of records and information as each may reasonably
request from the other.
(c) With
effect from the Closing, the Purchaser shall cause its savings plan established
pursuant to Section
10.3(b) above to accept rollovers of distributions to Transferred
Employees from, and direct rollovers elected by Transferred Employees from, the
Savings Plan, including any note evidencing a loan to any Transferred Employee
under the Savings Plan.
Section 10.4 Welfare
Arrangements. Subject to Section 10.1(b)
above, to the extent that any medical, dental, hospitalization, life or other
similar health, welfare or insurance benefits are provided to Transferred
Employees through one or more Seller Plans (the “Welfare Plans”), the
Purchaser agrees to designate or establish, effective as of the Closing, one or
more benefit plans, programs or arrangements for the purpose of providing such
benefits to Transferred Employees. The Purchaser will cause such
benefit plans, programs or arrangements to (i) waive any preexisting condition
limitations for conditions covered under the applicable Welfare Plans available
to the Transferred Employees immediately prior to the Closing and any applicable
waiting periods, and (ii) credit Transferred Employees with any deductible and
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such employees and their dependents under the
Welfare Plans during the portion of the current year preceding the Closing Date
for purposes of satisfying any applicable deductible or out-of-pocket
requirements under any similar plan, program or arrangement in which such
employees may be eligible to participate after the Closing Date. With
respect to aggregate lifetime maximum benefits available under the Purchaser’s
welfare benefit plans, a Transferred Employee’s prior claim experience under any
of the Welfare Plans will not be taken into account. Effective as of
the Closing Date, the Transferred Employees (and their dependants) will no
longer participate in the Welfare Plans and the Seller will have taken all such
action prior to the Closing Date as may be required to achieve this
result. The Purchaser shall be responsible for making tuition
reimbursements or adoption assistance payments to any Transferred Employees who
(i) obtained all necessary approval under the applicable tuition reimbursement
plan or adoption assistance plan of the Seller and its Affiliates prior to the
Closing Date, and (ii) satisfy all necessary requirements for reimbursement
under such plans after the Closing Date.
Section 10.5 WARN
Act. The Purchaser and the Seller agree to cooperate in good
faith to determine whether any notification may be required under the WARN Act
as a result of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and, if such
notices are required, to provide such notice in a manner that is reasonably
satisfactory to each of the Purchaser and the Seller.
-62-
Section 10.6 No Third-Party
Beneficiaries. Nothing contained in this Agreement, expressed
or implied, is intended to confer upon any Employee any benefits under any
employee benefit plan, fund or program including severance benefits or the right
to employment or continued employment with the Purchaser or any Affiliate of the
Purchaser for any period by reason of this Agreement. In addition,
the provisions of this Agreement, in particular this Article 10, are for
the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective Affiliates and are
not for the benefit of any third parties.
Section 10.7 Negotiations with
Employees. To the extent required by applicable Law, the
Seller and, on request by the Seller, the Purchaser, will (or will cause their
applicable Affiliates to) notify the Employees or their representatives
(including any relevant works council or trade union) of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and will thereafter enter into and properly
conduct consultations with the Employees and/or their representatives, all as
required by Law and/or any applicable collective bargaining
agreements.
ARTICLE
11
ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
Section 11.1 Indemnification by the
Seller. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
this Agreement, and subject to the limitations expressly set forth in Sections 11.2 and
11.3, the
Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties from
and against any and all Losses incurred by the Purchaser Indemnified Parties
relating to or resulting from:
(a) any
Unknown Environmental Liability (“Unknown Environmental
Liability Losses”); and
(b) any
Known Environmental Liability (“Known Environmental
Liability Losses”).
Section
11.2 Survival.
(a) The
indemnity set forth in Section 11.1(a) shall
expire on the seven (7) year anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Unknown Environmental
Liability Indemnity Period”); provided only, however, that if any
Purchaser Indemnified Party provides an Environmental Claim Notice in respect of
a particular Unknown Environmental Liability within the Unknown Environmental
Liability Indemnity Period, the indemnity set forth in Section 11.1(a) shall
survive until resolved with respect to Losses relating to or resulting from that
Unknown Environmental Liability until the nine (9) year anniversary of the
Closing Date (the “Unknown Losses Termination
Date”). Any Unknown Environmental Liability Losses relating to or
resulting from an Unknown Environmental Liability that is not the subject of an
Environmental Claim Notice issued prior to the expiration of the Unknown
Liability Indemnity Period shall be deemed to constitute Assumed Liabilities
with effect from the expiration of the Unknown Environmental Liability Indemnity
Period and the Seller shall have no Liability under this Agreement for such
Losses thereafter. In no event shall the Seller have any Liability for any
Unknown Environmental Liability Losses that are incurred, paid or payable at any
time after the Unknown Losses Termination Date, whether or not the relevant
Unknown Environmental Liability was the subject of an Environmental Claim Notice
issued prior to the expiration of the Unknown Environmental Liability Indemnity
Period, and any such Losses shall be deemed to constitute Assumed Liabilities
with effect from the Unknown Losses Termination Date.
-63-
(b) The
indemnity set forth in Section 11.1(b) shall
expire on the four (4) year anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Known Environmental
Liability Indemnity Period”) provided only, however, that if any
Purchaser Indemnified Party provides an Environmental Claim Notice in respect of
a particular Known Environmental Liability within the Known Environmental
Liability Indemnity Period, the indemnity set forth in Section 11.1(a) shall
survive until resolved with respect to Losses relating to or resulting from that
Known Environmental Liability until the five (5) year anniversary of that
Environmental Claim Notice (such anniversary date in respect of that Known
Environmental Liability being the “Known Losses Termination
Date”). Any Known Environmental Liability Losses relating to or resulting
from a Known Environmental Liability that is not the subject of an Environmental
Claim Notice issued prior to the expiration of the Known Liability Indemnity
Period shall be deemed to constitute Assumed Liabilities with effect from the
expiration of the Known Environmental Liability Indemnity Period and the Seller
shall have no Liability under this Agreement for such Losses thereafter. In no
event shall the Seller have any Liability for any Known Environmental Liability
Losses that are incurred, paid or payable at any time after the Known Losses
Termination Date for the relevant Known Environmental Liability, whether or not
the relevant Known Environmental Liability was the subject of an Environmental
Claim Notice issued prior to the expiration of the Known Environmental Liability
Indemnity Period, and any such Losses shall be deemed to constitute Assumed
Liabilities with effect from such Known Losses Termination Date.
Section
11.3 Limitations on
Liability.
(a) Shifting of Responsibility
for Known Environmental Liability Losses. Subject to Section 11.2(b), the
amount in respect of which the Seller shall be liable to indemnify and hold
harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties pursuant to Section 11.1(b) shall
be limited as follows:
(i) The
Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties from
and against one hundred percent (100%) of any and all Known Environmental
Liability Losses relating to or resulting from a Known Environmental Liability
that is the subject of an Environmental Claim Notice issued prior to the one (1)
year anniversary of the Closing Date;
(ii) The
Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties from
and against seventy-five percent (75%) of any and all Known Environmental
Liability Losses relating to or resulting from a Known Environmental Liability
that is the subject of an Environmental Claim Notice issued after the one (1)
year anniversary of the Closing Date but prior to the two (2) year anniversary
of the Closing Date, and the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of such Known
Environmental Liability Losses shall be deemed to constitute Assumed
Liabilities;
(iii) The
Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties from
and against fifty percent (50%) of any and all Known Environmental Liability
Losses relating to or resulting from a Known Environmental Liability that is the
subject of an Environmental Claim Notice issued after the two (2) year
anniversary of the Closing Date but prior to the three (3) year anniversary of
the Closing Date, and the remaining fifty percent (50%) of such Known
Environmental Liability Losses shall be deemed to constitute Assumed
Liabilities;
(iv) The
Seller shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser Indemnified Parties from
and against twenty-five percent (25%) of any and all Known Environmental
Liability Losses relating to or resulting from a Known Environmental Liability
that is the subject of an Environmental Claim Notice issued after the three (3)
year anniversary of the Closing Date but prior to the four (4) year anniversary
of the Closing, and the remaining seventy-five percent (75%) of such Known
Environmental Liability Losses shall be deemed to constitute Assumed
Liabilities;
-64-
(v) Mitigation. Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Purchaser shall, and shall
cause each of the Purchaser Indemnified Parties to, use reasonable efforts to
mitigate any Environmental Losses with respect to which it may be entitled to
seek indemnification pursuant to this Article
11. Such efforts by the Purchaser shall include, without
limitation, prompt notice to the Seller of any facts constituting the basis of
any Environmental Claim, as defined in Section 11.4(a), and
reasonable actions to limit the extent or duration of any Environmental Losses
until such time as the Seller accepts responsibility for the resolution of such
Environmental Claim pursuant to Section
11.4.
(b) Conditions. In
no event shall the Seller be obligated to indemnify Purchaser Indemnified
Parties pursuant to this Article 11 for Known
Environmental Liability Losses or Unknown Environmental Liability Losses
(collectively “Environmental
Losses”), and such Environmental Losses shall be deemed to constitute
Assumed Liabilities, unless Environmental Losses for which indemnification is
sought relate to: (i) a Proceeding, third-party claim filed in any court of
competent jurisdiction (“Third Party Environmental
Claim”), or Judgment; or (ii) any requirement of Environmental Law,
Environmental Authorization, or Governmental Authority acting pursuant to
Environmental Law in existence on or before the Closing Date and applicable to
the operation of the Business, the Purchased Assets, or the Owned Real Property
on or before the Closing Date and imposing or requiring an affirmative response,
action or obligation on the Purchaser. The Seller shall have no
obligation to indemnify Purchaser Indemnified Parties pursuant to this Article 11 for any
Environmental Losses that arise out of any “Phase II environmental site
assessments (ESAs)” (as that term is described in the ASTM E 1903-97 Standard
Guide for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
Process) or any other invasive investigation, sampling or monitoring of
environmental media conducted by Purchaser or the Purchaser Indemnified Parties
(collectively an “Environmental
Investigation”) that is not: (i) required by applicable Environmental Law
or Law in existence on or before the Closing Date (including any such
requirement of Environmental Law or Law relating to any maintenance, repair,
renovation or expansion activities); or (ii) required by any Proceeding,
Environmental Authorization, Judgment, Governmental Authority or Third Party
Environmental Claim applicable to the operation of the Business, the Purchased
Assets or the Owned Real Property. The Seller shall have no
obligation to indemnify the Purchaser Indemnified Parties pursuant to this Article 11 for any
Environmental Losses that arise out of any report or notice to any Governmental
Authority or third party regarding any Release of Hazardous Materials or the
results of any Environmental Investigation conducted by Purchaser or a Purchaser
Indemnified Party except to the extent such report or notice is required by Law,
Environmental Laws, Environmental Authorization or Governmental
Authorization. The Seller shall have the unilateral right to raise
reasonable objections and defenses to any alleged requirement of Law,
Environmental Law, Environmental Authorization, or Governmental Authority acting
pursuant to any Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any obligation
to provide any report or notice to any Governmental Authority or to perform any
environmental investigation or Remediation, and the Purchaser shall ensure that
its actions under this Article 11 will not
in any way prejudice such rights.
-65-
(c) Scope of Seller Response
Obligations. The Seller shall have no obligation to indemnify
Purchaser Indemnified Parties pursuant to this Article 11 for any
Environmental Losses, and such Environmental Losses shall be deemed to
constitute Assumed Liabilities, that arise out of: (i) a change in use
(including any shutdown of the Xxxx facility, but excluding change in activity
levels for current uses) by the Purchaser of any Owned Real Property in a manner
that changes the Purchaser’s obligations under any Environmental Law impacting
the Environmental Losses; (ii) a change in Environmental Law after the Closing
Date; or (iii) a new obligation under Environmental Law that arises out of a
change in operations or increase in production by Purchaser after the
Closing.
Section
11.4 Procedure for
Indemnification For Environmental Losses.
(a) If
the Purchaser seeks indemnity under this Article 11 (an “Environmental
Claim”), it will give written notice (an “Environmental Claim
Notice”) to the Seller. The Environmental Claim Notice must
set forth with reasonable particularity (to the extent then known) the nature of
the condition or event giving rise to the Environmental Claim and, if known, the
estimated amount of any Losses incurred or reasonably expected to be incurred by
the Purchaser Indemnified Parties. The Purchaser shall provide the
Seller with copies of sampling data, environmental reports, proposals and
correspondence in the possession of the Purchaser relevant to the Environmental
Claim. If the Purchaser seeks indemnity under this Article 11, the
Purchaser will promptly provide the Seller with an Environmental Claim Notice as
soon as the Purchaser is in possession of sufficient facts constituting the
basis of an Environmental Claim, but in no event greater than thirty (30)
calendar days after the relevant Purchaser Indemnified Party has received such
facts or any notice of a third party claim or Proceeding. The
Purchaser will include in the Environmental Claim Notice the facts constituting
the basis for such Environmental Claim Notice and details of the amount of the
damages claimed or other action required to resolve the Environmental Claim;
provided, however, that no delay or deficiency on the part of the Purchaser in
so notifying the Seller will relieve the Seller of any Liability under this
Agreement except to the extent such delay or deficiency prejudices or otherwise
adversely affects the rights of the Seller with respect thereto.
(b) Subject
to the terms of this Section 11.4, the
Seller shall have the right, by written notice to the Purchaser (a “Control Notice”), to
conduct, direct, manage, implement and control the resolution of any
Environmental Claim for which the Seller has greater than fifty percent (50%) of
the indemnification obligation under this Article 11, including
the right to raise timely and reasonable objections and defenses to any
obligations imposed on the parties under any Law, Environmental Laws,
Environmental Authorization, or Governmental Authorization, (any such
Environmental Claim the subject of a Control Notice being hereinafter an “Environmental Response
Action”), so long as the Seller does so in a commercially reasonable
manner. The Seller shall comply with the requirements and procedures
contained in this Section 11.4 with
respect to all Environmental Response Actions. The election of the Seller to
assume the defense of an Environmental Claim shall not be deemed an admission by
the Seller that the Environmental Claim is within the scope of or subject to
indemnification under this Article
11.
(c) The
Seller shall be entitled to participate, with its own counsel and at its own
expense, in the defense or conduct of any Environmental Claim that is not the
subject of an Environmental Response Action.
(d) All
Environmental Response Actions that require the assistance of an environmental
consultant, shall be performed by a third-party environmental consultant
reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser. Any consultant retained by
the Seller in connection with an Environmental Response Action must hold and
maintain insurance of the types and amounts that are customary in the industry
and the Purchaser and the relevant Purchaser Indemnified Parties shall, to the
extent possible without increasing the costs of such insurance, be added as
additional named insureds on such policies.
-66-
(e) In
respect of an Environmental Response Action, the Seller shall, as soon as
practicable and in no event later than the date that is the earlier of: (i) an
applicable deadline under Environmental Laws or of a Governmental Authority; or
(ii) thirty (30) days after the Purchaser’s receipt of the relevant Control
Notice, provide the Purchaser with a written response that provides the
following information with reasonable particularity to the extent of Seller’s
knowledge at that time: (i) the nature of the activities proposed to
be undertaken, recognizing that the Seller may not have sufficient information
to propose a final response plan to address the matter and that the activities
proposed may be limited to additional investigation work; (ii) the identity of
the environmental consultant proposed to undertake the action; (iii) the
proposed time frame for undertaking the proposed action (including interim
milestones to the extent appropriate) and, if appropriate, an estimate of the
time frame required before a final response plan can be developed; (iv) the
estimated cost associated with such action (to the extent then estimable); and
(v) copies of sampling data, environmental reports, proposals and correspondence
in the possession of the Seller relevant to the subject matter (each such
notice, an “Environmental Response
Action Proposal”).
(f) The
Purchaser shall, as soon as practicable and in no event later than the date that
is the earlier of (i) an applicable deadline under Environmental Laws or of a
Governmental Authority; or (ii) thirty (30) days after receipt of the
Environmental Response Action Proposal, notify the Seller, in writing, that the
Purchaser, in whole or in part, approves of (“Approval
Notification”) or objects to (“Dispute
Notification”) such Environmental Response Action Proposal, including the
selection of the environmental consultant. The Purchaser may object
to any Environmental Response Action Proposal only to the extent that it
reasonably determines that the Proposal is inconsistent with the terms of Section
11.4(l). Issuance of such Approval Notification shall grant
the Seller, its representatives and consultants reasonable rights of access to
the relevant Owned Real Property to conduct activities in conjunction with the
Environmental Response Action Proposal; provided, however, that the Seller shall
provide reasonable prior notice of any dates or times the Seller or its
consultants or representatives plan to access the relevant Owned Real Property
and shall accommodate the Purchaser’s schedule to the extent reasonably
practicable. In the event the Purchaser issues a Dispute Notification
objecting, in whole or in part, to an Environmental Response Action Proposal,
the Purchaser shall include in such Dispute Notification details of its specific
disagreement regarding such Environmental Response Action Proposal, including
the basis for the Purchaser’s determination that the Environmental Response
Action Proposal is not consistent with the terms of Section
11.4(l). The Purchaser agrees that its approval of an
Environmental Response Action Proposal shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed. In the event the Purchaser fails to approve or object to the
Environmental Response Action Proposal within thirty (30) days after its receipt
thereof, the Environmental Response Action Proposal shall be deemed
approved.
(g) In
the event the Purchaser objects to an Environmental Response Action Proposal or
any portion thereof under Section 11.4(f), the
Purchaser and the Seller shall thereafter negotiate in good faith in an attempt
to reach agreement as to the disputed Environmental Response Action
Proposal. In the event the Purchaser and the Seller are unable to
resolve the dispute within a reasonable period of time, the parties shall
jointly select and retain a mutually agreeable nationally recognized qualified
third party independent environmental consultant or expert (“Independent
Consultant”): (i) to determine whether the disputed Environmental
Response Action Proposal is consistent with the terms of Section 11.4(l) ; and
(ii) in the event the Independent Consultant determines the disputed
Environmental Response Action Proposal is not consistent with the terms of Section 11.4(l), the
Independent Consultant shall recommend an alternative Environmental Response
Action Proposal that is consistent with the terms of Section
11.4(l). The determination of the Independent Consultant shall
be binding on the Seller and the Purchaser. All fees and expenses of
the Independent Consultant shall be borne equally by the Purchaser and the
Seller.
-67-
(h) With
respect to any Environmental Response Action, the Seller agrees to provide the
Purchaser with the following: (i) copies of all work plans, test
results, sampling data, surveys and other data generated by the Seller and its
representatives, promptly upon the availability thereof, but in any event, prior
to submitting the same to any Governmental Authority; (ii) copies of all
material draft reports and final reports, plans and other documents developed
with respect to the Environmental Response Action, including any such materials
to be submitted to any Governmental Authority prior to any such submission;
(iii) an opportunity to meet with the Seller and/or its representatives prior to
and following any substantive communications or meetings with any Governmental
Authority, (iv) the opportunity to attend and participate in substantive
meetings or teleconferences with Governmental Authorities; and (v) an
opportunity to timely comment upon the foregoing and any other proposed material
determinations or actions relating to investigative, testing and remedial
actions and the reporting of the same to any Governmental
Authority. The Seller shall provide due consideration to any comments
or suggestions provided by the Purchaser. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in no event shall the Purchaser’s actions as set forth herein
interfere with or compromise the Seller’s pursuit of any Environmental Response
Action as it deems reasonably appropriate consistent with the terms of this
Agreement.
(i) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Seller shall develop and
implement the relevant Environmental Response Actions in a manner that does not
unreasonably interfere with the existing operations of the Business by the
Purchaser at the relevant Owned Real Property, recognizing that the Purchaser
shall reasonably cooperate with the Seller to ensure that any Environmental
Response Action is implemented consistent with the terms of Section
11.4(l).
(j) The
Seller agrees to diligently perform (or direct its consultants to perform) all
Environmental Response Actions in a good and xxxxxxx-like manner in accordance
with accepted industry practices and standards in compliance with applicable
Environmental Laws and any of the Purchaser’s or the Businesses’ reasonable
site-specific health and safety requirements or policies that are comparable to
those which are customary in the industry and which are provided to the Seller
prior to initiation of any Environmental Response Action. If the
Seller fails to diligently undertake or implement the Environmental Response
Action in a good and workmanlike manner in accordance with accepted industry
practices and standards and in compliance with its obligations and terms of this
Article 11, the
Purchaser, following written notice to the Seller and a reasonable opportunity
to cure depending upon the nature of the alleged failure, which cure period
shall not be less than thirty (30) days following such written notice under any
circumstances, shall have the right to conduct, direct, manage, implement and
control the relevant Response Action provided the procedures in this Section 11.4 shall be
complied with, substituting in each case (other than payment obligations), the
Purchaser for the Seller and vice versa.
(k) The
Seller shall not agree to any settlement of, or consent to the entry of any
Judgment (other than a Judgment of dismissal on the merits without costs
relating to an Environmental Response Action) arising from or relating to any
Environmental Losses without the prior written consent of the Purchaser, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, other than a settlement
or judgment for solely monetary damages.
-68-
(l) With
respect to any Environmental Losses for which the Seller has the right to
control resolution pursuant to an Environmental Response Plan under this Article 11, the
Seller shall be entitled to use the most cost effective response techniques,
including risk-based Remediation standards consistent with the current
industrial use of the Owned Real Property and utilization of activity and use
limitations, institutional controls and engineered barriers, in each case, to
the extent (i) authorized by applicable Environmental Law; and (ii) consistent
with and that does not unreasonably restrict or interfere with the existing
operation of the Business by the Purchaser at the Owned Real
Property.
Section 11.5 Xxxx Air
Issue.
(a) The
Seller shall perform the actions set forth on Schedule 11.5 before
Closing (except as otherwise set forth on Schedule 11.5) or
otherwise required to be taken by a Governmental Authority prior to the Closing
Date to resolve the Xxxx Air Issue.
(b) If,
at or within the twelve (12) months after Closing, emissions from and
operational parameters of Emission Point No. 001-05GP (Thermal Oxidizer UB-1300
Control Device) at the Xxxx facility continue to be in excess of emission limits
or operational requirements established by any Governmental Authorization or
Environmental Law, then the Seller shall, within thirty (30) days after
presentation of an invoice therefor, reimburse the Purchaser for any costs and
expenses incurred by the Purchaser after Closing in performing further repairs,
services and maintenance on the Thermal Oxidizer UB-1300 Control Device, up to a
maximum reimbursement hereunder of one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000).
(c) Any
penalties or fines assessed for an occurrence of the Xxxx Air Issue pre-Closing
and reported by Seller to a Governmental Authority shall be considered a Known
Environmental Liability subject to the limitations on liability in Section
11.3(a). Any penalties or fines assessed for any other
occurrence of the Xxxx Air Issue pre-Closing and not reported by Seller to a
Governmental Authority shall be considered an Unknown Environmental Liability,
but only to the extent the fine or penalty is assessed within the Unknown
Environmental Liability Indemnity Period.
(d) Except
as aforesaid in this Section 11.5, Seller
shall have no responsibility or liability in respect of the Xxxx Air Issue, or
for any Losses arising from or in connection therewith, after the
Closing.
ARTICLE
12
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section 12.1 Notices. All
notices and other communications under this Agreement must be in writing and are
deemed duly delivered when (a) delivered if delivered personally or by
internationally recognized overnight courier service (costs prepaid), (b) sent
by facsimile with confirmation of transmission by the transmitting equipment
(or, the first Business Day following such transmission if the date of
transmission is not a Business Day) or (c) received or rejected by the
addressee, if sent by United States of America certified or registered mail,
return receipt requested; in each case to the following addresses or facsimile
numbers and marked to the attention of the individual (by name or title)
designated below (or to such other address, facsimile number or individual as a
party may designate by notice to the other party):
-69-
If to the
Seller:
Chemtura
Corporation
000
Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx of America
Facsimile:
x0 000 000 0000
Attention:
General Counsel
with a
copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxx
& XxXxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx, 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx of America
Facsimile:
x0 000 000 0000
Attention: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxx, Esquire
If to the
Purchaser:
SK
Capital Partners II, L.P.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xxx Xxxx
XX 00000
Facsimile:
x0 000 000 0000
Attention:
Xx. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
with a
copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
SK
Capital Partners II, L.P.
0000 X
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xxxx
Xxxxx XX 00000
Facsimile:
x0 000 000 0000
Attention:
Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Esquire
and
to:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx & Bockius, LLP
000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile:
x0 000 000 0000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esquire
Section 12.2 Amendment. Except
as contemplated by Section 5.6, this
Agreement may not be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except in a
written document signed by each party to be bound by the amendment and that
identifies itself as an amendment to this Agreement.
-70-
Section 12.3 Specific
Performance. Each of the Seller and the Purchaser acknowledge
and agree that the other party would be damaged irreparably in the event of a
breach of this Agreement. Accordingly, the parties agree that, prior
to the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1, in the
event of a breach of the provisions of this Agreement, the non-breaching party
shall have the right to seek temporary or permanent injunctive relief, or to
enforce specifically the provisions of this Agreement, in any court of competent
jurisdiction as may be available under the Laws and rules applicable in such
jurisdiction, in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at
law or in equity.
Section 12.4 Waiver and
Remedies. The parties may (a) extend the time for performance
of any of the obligations or other acts of the other party to this Agreement,
(b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other
party to this Agreement contained in this Agreement or (c) waive compliance with
any of the covenants or conditions for the benefit of such party contained in
this Agreement. Except as contemplated by Section 5.6: (i) any
such extension or waiver by a party to this Agreement will be valid only if set
forth in a written document signed on behalf of the party against whom the
extension or waiver is to be effective; (ii) no extension or waiver will apply
to any time for performance, inaccuracy in any representation or warranty, or
noncompliance with any covenant or condition, as the case may be, other than
that which is specified in the written extension or waiver; and (iii) no failure
or delay by a party in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement or
any of the documents delivered pursuant to this Agreement, and no course of
dealing between the parties, operates as a waiver of such right or remedy, and
no single or partial exercise of any such right or remedy precludes any other or
further exercise of such right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or
remedy. Except as provided in Sections 5.6 and
8.6, any
enumeration of a party’s rights and remedies in this Agreement is not intended
to be exclusive, and a party’s rights and remedies are intended to be cumulative
to the extent permitted by law and include any rights and remedies authorized in
law or in equity.
Section 12.5 Entire
Agreement. This Agreement (including the Schedules and
Exhibits hereto and the documents and instruments referred to in this Agreement
that are to be delivered at the Closing) constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties and supersedes any prior understandings, agreements or
representations by or between the parties, or either of them, written or oral,
with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Confidentiality Agreement will remain in effect in accordance
with its terms as modified pursuant to Section
5.9.
Section 12.6 Assignment, Successors and
No Third Party Rights. This Agreement binds and
benefits the parties and their respective successors and assigns. No party may
assign any rights, or delegate the performance of any of its obligations, under
this Agreement, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior
written consent of the other parties. Any purported assignment or
delegation in contravention of the foregoing shall be void and of no
effect. Nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be
construed to give any Person, other than the parties to this Agreement, any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or with respect to this
Agreement or any provision of this Agreement except such rights as may inure to
a successor or permitted assignee under this Section
12.6.
Section 12.7 Severability. If
any provision of this Agreement is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the
remaining provisions of this Agreement remain in full force and effect, if the
essential terms and conditions of this Agreement for each party remain valid,
binding and enforceable.
Section 12.8 Exhibits and
Schedules. The Exhibits and Schedules to this Agreement are
incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this
Agreement. The Seller Disclosure Schedule is arranged in sections and
paragraphs corresponding to the numbered and lettered sections and paragraphs of
Article
3. The disclosure in any section or paragraph of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, and those in any amendment or supplement thereto, will be
deemed to relate to each other provision of Article
3.
-71-
Section 12.9 Interpretation. In
the negotiation of this Agreement, each party has received advice from its own
attorney. The language used in this Agreement is the language chosen
by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no provision of this
Agreement will be interpreted for or against either party because that party or
its attorney drafted the provision.
Section 12.10 Expenses. Except
as set forth in this Agreement, each party will pay its own direct and indirect
expenses incurred by it in connection with the preparation and negotiation of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including all fees and expenses of its advisors and representatives;
provided, however, the
Purchaser will bear all notarial and similar fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the execution and delivery of any Ancillary
Agreement.
Section 12.11 Governing
Law. Unless any Exhibit or Schedule specifies a different
choice of law, the internal laws of the State of New York (without giving effect
to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New
York or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of laws of any
other jurisdiction) govern all matters
arising out of or relating to this Agreement and its Exhibits and Schedules and
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including its validity,
interpretation, construction, performance and enforcement and any disputes or
controversies arising therefrom or related thereto.
Section 12.12 Limitation on
Liability. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION
OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY ANCILLARY AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT WILL
ANY PARTY OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL,
INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS,
LOSS OF REVENUE OR LOST SALES) IN CONNECTION WITH ANY CLAIMS, LOSSES, DAMAGES OR
INJURIES ARISING OUT OF THE CONDUCT OF SUCH PARTY PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE NONPERFORMING PARTY WAS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SUCH DAMAGES OR NOT.
Section 12.13 Jurisdiction and Service of
Process. Except as contemplated by Section 12.3, any
action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement must be brought only in either the
Bankruptcy Court, while the Case is pending, or thereafter in any federal or
state court located in New York County, New York (each, a “Chosen Court”). Each
of the parties knowingly, voluntarily and irrevocably submits to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts in any such action or proceeding and waives
any objection it may now or hereafter have to venue or to convenience of
forum. Each party to this Agreement may make service on the other
party by sending or delivering a copy of the process to the party to be served
at the address and in the manner provided for the giving of notices in Section
12.1. Nothing in this Section 12.13,
however, affects the right of a party to serve legal process in any other manner
permitted by law.
Section 12.14 Waiver of Jury
Trial. EACH
OF THE PARTIES KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST
EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR
COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT OR
THE ACTIONS OF EITHER PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT IN NEGOTIATION, EXECUTION AND
DELIVERY, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT.
-72-
Section 12.15 No Joint
Venture. Nothing in this Agreement creates a joint venture or
partnership between the parties. This Agreement does not authorize
either party (a) to bind or commit, or to act as an agent, employee or legal
representative of, the other party, except as may be specifically set forth in
other provisions of this Agreement, or (b) to have the power to control the
activities and operations of the other party. The parties are
independent contractors with respect to each other under this
Agreement. Each party agrees not to hold itself out as having any
authority or relationship contrary to this Section
12.15.
Section 12.16 Counterparts. The
parties may execute this Agreement in multiple counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original as against the party that signed it, and all of which
together constitute one agreement. This Agreement is effective upon
delivery of one (1) executed counterpart from each party to the other
party. The signatures of all parties need not appear on the same
counterpart. The delivery of signed counterparts by facsimile or
email transmission that includes a copy of the sending party’s signature(s) is
as effective as signing and delivering the counterpart in person.
[Signature
page follows.]
-73-
The
parties have executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date indicated in
the first sentence of this Agreement.
CHEMTURA
CORPORATION
|
|||
By:
|
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|||
Title:
Executive Vice
President
& Chief Financial
Officer
|
|||
SK
ATLAS, LLC
|
|||
By:
|
|
||
Name:
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
|
Manager
|
||
SK
CAPITAL PARTNERS II, LP
|
|||
By:
|
SK
Capital Investments II, LLC
|
||
its
general partner
|
|||
By:
|
|
||
Name:
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
|
Manager
|
-74-