FORM OF EXCHANGE AGENT AGREEMENT
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EXHIBIT 99.2
As of , 2001
FORM OF EXCHANGE AGENT AGREEMENT
The
Bank of New York, London Branch
48th Floor
One Canada Square
Xxxxxx X00 0XX
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Xxxxxx Griesheim Holding AG a German company (the "Company") proposes to make an offer (the "Exchange Offer") to exchange all of its outstanding 10.375% Senior Notes due 2011 (the "Old Securities") for its 10.375% Senior Notes due 2011 (the "New Securities"). The terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer as currently contemplated are set forth in a prospectus, to be dated , 2001 (the "Prospectus"), proposed to be distributed to all record holders of the Old Securities. The Old Securities and the New Securities are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities".
The Company hereby appoints The Bank of New York to act as exchange agent (the "Exchange Agent") in connection with the Exchange Offer. References hereinafter to "you" shall refer to The Bank of New York.
The Exchange Offer is expected to be commenced by the Company on or about , 2001. The book-entry system of Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. and Clearstream Banking, societe anonyme (the "Book Entry Transfer Facility") is to be used by the holders of the Old Securities to accept the Exchange Offer.
The Exchange Offer shall expire at 5:00 p.m., London time, on , 2001, or on such subsequent date or time to which the Company may extend the Exchange Offer (the "Expiration Date"). Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus, the Company expressly reserves the right to extend the Exchange Offer from time to time and may extend the Exchange Offer by giving oral (promptly confirmed in writing) or written notice to you before 9:00 a.m., London time, on the business day following the previously scheduled Expiration Date.
The Company expressly reserves the right to amend or terminate the Exchange Offer, and not to accept for exchange any Old Securities not theretofore accepted for exchange, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions of the Exchange Offer specified in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer—Conditions to the Exchange Offer." The Company will give oral (promptly confirmed in writing) or written notice of any amendment, termination or nonacceptance to you as promptly as practicable.
In carrying out your duties as Exchange Agent, you are to act in accordance with the following instructions:
- 1.
- You
will perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange Offer" or as specifically set forth herein;
provided, however, that in no way will your general duty to act in good faith be discharged by the foregoing.
- 2.
- You
will establish a book-entry account with respect to the Old Securities at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility for purposes of the Exchange Offer within two
business days after the date of the Prospectus, and any financial institution that is a participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility's systems may make book-entry delivery
of the Old Securities by causing
the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to transfer such Old Securities into your account in accordance with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility's procedure for such transfer.
- 3.
- You
are to examine each confirmation of book-entry transfer into your account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility and any documents delivered or mailed to
you by or for holders of the Old Securities to ascertain whether: (i) any such documents are duly executed and properly completed in accordance with instructions set forth therein; and
(ii) the Old Securities have otherwise been properly tendered. In each case where any document has been improperly completed or executed or some other irregularity in connection with the
acceptance of the Exchange Offer exists, you will endeavor to inform the presenters of the need for fulfillment of all requirements and to take any other action as may be reasonably necessary or
advisable to cause such irregularity to be corrected.
- 4.
- With
the approval of any member of the management board of the Company (such approval, if given orally, to be promptly confirmed in writing) or any other party designated in
writing, by such board member, you are authorized to waive any irregularities in connection with any tender of Old Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
- 5.
- Tenders of Old Securities may be made only as set forth in the Letter of Transmittal and in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering Your Original Notes", and Old Securities shall be considered properly tendered to you only when tendered in accordance with the procedures set forth therein.
- 6.
- You
shall advise the Company with respect to any Old Securities received subsequent to the Expiration Date and accept its instructions with respect to disposition of such Old
Securities.
- 7.
- You
shall accept partial tenders of Old Securities and return any untendered Old Securities pursuant to the book-entry transfer procedures, to be credited to the
appropriate account with Euroclear and/or Clearstream as promptly as practicable after expiration or termination of the Exchange Offer.
- 8.
- Upon
satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions to the Exchange Offer, the Company will notify you (such notice, if given orally, to be promptly confirmed in writing) of its
acceptance, promptly after the Expiration Date, of all Old Securities properly tendered and you, on behalf of the Company, will exchange such Old Securities for New Securities and cause such Old
Securities to be cancelled. Delivery of New Securities will be made on behalf of the Company by you at the rate of $1,000 principal amount of New Securities for each $1,000 principal amount of the
corresponding series of Old Securities tendered promptly after notice (such notice if given orally, to be promptly confirmed in writing) of acceptance of said Old Securities by the Company; provided,
however, that in all cases, Old Securities tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be exchanged only after timely receipt by you of confirmation of book-entry transfer into your
account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility. You shall issue New Securities only in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof.
- 9.
- Tenders pursuant to the Exchange Offer are irrevocable, except that, subject to the terms and upon the conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the Letter of Transmittal, Old Securities tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date.
- 10.
- The
Company shall not be required to exchange any Old Securities tendered if any of the conditions set forth in the Exchange Offer are not met. Notice of any decision by the Company
not to exchange any Old Securities tendered shall be given (if given orally, to be promptly confirmed in writing) by the Company to you.
- 11.
- If,
pursuant to the Exchange Offer, the Company does not accept for exchange all or part of the Old Securities tendered because of an invalid tender, the occurrence of certain other
events set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer—Conditions to the Exchange Offer" or otherwise, you shall return any unaccepted or non-exchanged Old
Securities pursuant to the book-entry transfer procedures, to be credited to the appropriate account with Euroclear and/or Clearstream as promptly as practicable after expiration or
termination of the Exchange Offer.
- 12.
- You
are not authorized to pay or offer to pay any concessions, commissions or solicitation fees to any broker, dealer, bank or other persons or to engage or utilize any person to
solicit tenders.
- 13.
- As
Exchange Agent hereunder you:
- (a)
- shall
not be liable for any action or omission to act unless the same constitutes your own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith, and in no event shall you be liable to
a securityholder, the Company or any third party for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits, arising in connection with this Agreement.
- (b)
- shall
have no duties or obligations other than those specifically set forth herein or as may be subsequently agreed to in writing between you and the Company;
- (c)
- will
be regarded as making no representations and having no responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value or genuineness of any of the Old Securities deposited with you
pursuant to the Exchange Offer, and will not be required to and will make no representation as to the validity, value or genuineness of the Exchange Offer;
- (d)
- shall
not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder which might in your judgment involve any expense or liability, unless you shall have been furnished with indemnity
satisfactory to you;
- (e)
- may
conclusively rely on and shall be protected in acting in reliance upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram or other document or security delivered to
you and believed by you to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person or persons;
- (f)
- may
act upon any tender, statement, request, document, agreement, certificate or other instrument whatsoever not only as to its due execution and validity and effectiveness of its
provisions, but also as to the truth and accuracy of any information contained therein, which you shall in good faith believe to be genuine or to have been signed or presented by the proper person or
persons;
- (g)
- may
conclusively rely on and shall be protected in acting upon written or oral instructions from any authorized officer of the Company;
- (h)
- may consult with counsel of your selection with respect to any questions relating to your duties and responsibilities and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by you hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel; and
- (i)
- shall not advise any person tendering Old Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer as to the wisdom of making such tender or as to the market value or decline or appreciation in market value of any Old Securities.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, Old Securities which any member of the management board of the Company shall approve as having been properly tendered shall be considered to be properly tendered (such approval, if given orally, shall be promptly confirmed in writing).
- 14.
- You
shall take such action as may from time to time be requested by the Company (and such other action as you may deem appropriate) to furnish copies of the Prospectus and the
Letter of Transmittal or such other forms as may be approved from time to time by the Company, to all
persons requesting such documents and to accept and comply with telephone requests for information relating to the Exchange Offer, provided that such information shall relate only to the procedures
for accepting (or withdrawing from) the Exchange Offer. The Company will furnish you with copies of such documents on your request. All other requests for information relating to the Exchange Offer
shall be directed to the Company, Attention: Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx.
- 15.
- You
shall advise by facsimile transmission Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (at the facsimile number
x00 000 00 00 00 00), and such other person or persons as the Company may request, daily (and more frequently during the week immediately preceding the Expiration
Date if requested) up to and including the Expiration Date, as to the number of Old Securities which have been tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and the items received by you pursuant to this
Agreement, separately reporting and giving cumulative totals as to items properly received and items improperly received. In addition, you will also inform, and cooperate in making available to, the
Company or any such other person or persons upon oral request made from time to time prior to the Expiration Date of such other information as they may reasonably request. Such cooperation shall
include, without limitation, the granting by you to the Company and such person as the Company may request of access to those persons on your staff who are responsible for receiving tenders, in order
to ensure that immediately prior to the Expiration Date the Company shall have received information in sufficient detail to enable it to decide whether to extend the Exchange Offer. You shall prepare
a final list of all persons whose tenders were accepted, the aggregate principal amount of Old Securities tendered, the aggregate principal amount of Old Securities accepted and deliver said list to
the Company.
- 16.
- For
services rendered as Exchange Agent hereunder, you shall be entitled to such compensation as set forth on Schedule I attached hereto. The provisions of this section shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.
- 17.
- You
hereby acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and the Letter of Transmittal. Any inconsistency between this Agreement, on the one hand, and the Prospectus and the Letter of
Transmittal (as they may be amended from time to time), on the other hand, shall be resolved in favor of the latter two documents, except with respect to your duties, liabilities and indemnification
as Exchange Agent.
- 18.
- The
Company covenants and agrees to fully indemnify and hold you harmless against any and all loss, liability, cost or expense, including attorneys' fees and expenses, incurred
without gross negligence or willful misconduct on your part, arising out of or in connection with any act, omission, delay or refusal made by you in reliance upon any signature, endorsement,
assignment, certificate, order, request, notice, instruction or other instrument or document believed by you to be valid, genuine and sufficient and in accepting any tender or effecting any transfer
of Old Securities believed by you in good faith to be authorized, and in delaying or refusing in good faith to accept any tenders or effect any transfer of Old Securities. In each case, the Company
shall be notified by you, by letter or facsimile transmission, of the written assertion of a claim against you or of any other action
commenced against you, promptly after you shall have received any such written assertion or shall have been served with a summons in connection therewith. The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such claim or other action and, if the Company so elects, the Company shall assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim. In the event that the Company shall assume the defense of any such suit, the Company shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of any additional counsel thereafter retained by you, so long as the Company shall retain counsel satisfactory to you to defend such suit, and so long as you have not determined, in your reasonable judgment, that a conflict of interest exists between you and the Company. The provisions of this section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
- 19.
- You
shall arrange to comply with all requirements under the tax laws of the United States, including those relating to missing Tax Identification Numbers, and shall file any
appropriate reports with the Internal Revenue Service.
- 20.
- You
shall deliver or cause to be delivered, in a timely manner to each governmental authority to which any transfer taxes are payable in respect of the exchange of Old Securities,
the Company's check in the amount of all transfer taxes so payable; provided, however, that you shall reimburse the Company for amounts refunded to you in respect of your payment of any such transfer
taxes, at such time as such refund is received by you.
- 21.
- This
Agreement and your appointment as Exchange Agent hereunder shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made
and to be performed entirely within such state, and without regard to conflicts of law principles, and shall inure to the benefit of, and the obligations created hereby shall be binding upon, the
successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
- 22.
- This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
- 23.
- In
case any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be
affected or impaired thereby.
- 24.
- This
Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be modified, amended, rescinded, cancelled or waived, in whole or in part, except by a written instrument signed by a duly
authorized representative of the party to be charged. This Agreement may not be modified orally.
- 25.
- Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile or similar writing) and shall be given to such party, addressed to it, at its address or telecopy number set forth below:
- 26.
- Unless
terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Agreement shall terminate 90 days following the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sections 16 and 18 shall
survive the termination of this Agreement. Upon any termination of this Agreement, you shall promptly deliver to the Company any funds or property then held by you as Exchange Agent under this
Agreement.
- 27.
- This Agreement shall be binding and effective as of the date hereof.
If to the Company:
Xxxxxx
Griesheim Holding AG
Xxxxxxxxxx 00
00000 Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
Facsimile: x00 000 00 00 00 00
Attention: Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
If to the Exchange Agent:
The
Bank of New York, London Branch
48th Floor
One Canada Square
Xxxxxx X00 0XX
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Facsimile: 00-00-0000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee
Administration
Please acknowledge receipt of this Agreement and confirm the arrangements herein provided by signing and returning the enclosed copy.
XXXXXX GRIESHEIM HOLDING AG | ||||
By: |
Name: Title: |
Accepted
as of the date
first above written:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Exchange Agent
By: |
Name: Title: |
Schedule I
Compensation Of Exchange Agent
$5,000
plus $500 per extension of offer
plus out-of pocket expenses, including without
limitation, legal fees and expenses.
FORM OF EXCHANGE AGENT AGREEMENT