FORBEARANCE AGREEMENT
THIS FORBEARANCE AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement
”) is made and entered as of the 15th day of August, 2005, is
by and between BADGER PAPER MILLS, INC., a corporation organized
under the laws of the State of Wisconsin (“Borrower
”) and PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (“ PNC
”), as Agent and sole Lender under the Credit Agreement
referred to below.
1.1
Borrower and PNC entered into a Revolving Credit and Security
Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2001 (as from time to time
amended, the “ Credit Agreement ”).
1.2
Borrower has advised PNC that certain “Events of
Default” (as defined in the Credit Agreement) have occurred
and are continuing.
1.3
Borrower has requested that PNC forbear from exercising the rights
and remedies available, or to become available, to PNC under the
Credit Agreement and the “Other Documents” (as defined
in the Credit Agreement).
1.4
PNC is willing to temporarily forbear from exercising its rights
and remedies under the Credit Agreement and the Other Documents on
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Capitalized
words and terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined
herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Credit
Agreement. In addition, the following words and terms shall have
the meanings set forth below:
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“
Existing Defaults ” shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3.1.
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“
Expiration Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 8.1.
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“
Remedies ” shall mean the rights and remedies
available to PNC under the Credit Agreement, the Other Documents,
at law or in equity, as the result of the occurrence of an Event of
Default.
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“
Termination Event ” shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 8.3.
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3.
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CONFIRMATION OF EVENTS OF DEFAULT
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3.1
Borrower acknowledges that the following Events of Default exist
under the Credit Agreement (the “Existing Defaults
”):
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(a)
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An Event of
Default under Section 10.5 of the Credit Agreement on account of
violations of Section 6.5 of the Credit Agreement due to
Borrower’s failure to maintain the requisite Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio at the end of the calendar quarters ending March 31,
2005 and June 30, 2005; and
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(b)
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An Event of
Default under Section 10.12 of the Credit Agreement on account of
the occurrence of events of default under the Wisconsin Business
Bank Loan Documents, as disclosed in Borrower’s Form 10-Q
filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for
the period ended March 31, 2005.
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3.2
Borrower acknowledges that in addition to the Existing Defaults a
further Event of Default exists under Section 10.5 of the Credit
Agreement on account of violations of Section 6.5 of the Credit
Agreement due to Borrower’s failure on certain occasions to
maintain the requisite Undrawn Availability (the “ Undrawn
Availability Defaults ”).
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4.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, AGREEMENTS, REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES .
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Borrower
hereby represents, warrants, acknowledges and agrees to and for the
benefit of PNC as follows:
4.1
Borrower has full power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement, and has taken all necessary corporate action to
authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement, and no authorization, approval or other action by, and
no notice to or filing with, any Person is required for the due
execution, delivery and performance by Borrower of this
Agreement.
4.2
This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation
of Borrower, enforceable against Borrower in accordance with the
terms hereof. The Credit Agreement and the Other Documents
constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of Borrower and
are enforceable against Borrower in accordance with the terms
thereof.
4.3
The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by PNC
shall not be deemed or construed to be a satisfaction, restatement,
novation, or release of the Credit Agreement or of any of the Other
Documents or of the Obligations. The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement by PNC shall not be deemed or
construed as a waiver by PNC of any of the Remedies. Except as
expressly set forth in Section 6 hereof, neither the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by PNC nor any actions
taken or not taken by PNC prior to the execution of this Agreement
or pursuant hereto or under the Credit Agreement or any of the
Other Documents shall be deemed or construed as a waiver by PNC of
any of the Existing Defaults or as a cure of any of the Existing
Defaults; and, except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Agreement, PNC reserves all of its Remedies in connection with such
Existing Defaults.
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4.4
Borrower has no defenses, setoffs, claims, counterclaims or causes
of action of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the
Credit Agreement, the Other Documents or the Obligations, or with
respect to any other documents or instruments now or heretofore
evidencing, securing or in any way relating to any of Obligations
or the Credit Agreement or the Other Documents, or with respect to
the administration or funding of any of the Obligations.
4.5
Borrower acknowledges and agrees that each violation giving rise to
the Existing Defaults constitutes a separate Event of Default that
has occurred and continues to exist.
4.6
Borrower hereby reaffirms all of its obligations under the Credit
Agreement and the Other Documents and hereby further reaffirms that
the Obligations are secured by all of the Collateral.
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5.
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COVENANTS
AND AGREEMENTS .
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Borrower
covenants and agrees that from and after the date of this Agreement
that:
5.1
The Maximum Revolving Advance amount shall be reduced to
$7,000,000.
5.2
Borrower will maintain Undrawn Availability of not less than the
following:
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(a)
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at any time
that the aggregate outstanding Advances exceed $4,500,000, Undrawn
Availability of not less than $1,750,000;
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(b)
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at any time
that the aggregate outstanding Advances are less than $4,500,000,
but are equal to or greater than $3,500,000, Undrawn Availability
of not less than $1,500,000; and
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(c)
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at any time
that the aggregate outstanding Advances are less than $3,500,000
Undrawn Availability of $1,250,000.
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The failure of Borrower to (i)
maintain Undrawn Availability in the amounts set forth above for
any period of five consecutive Business Days shall constitute a
violation of this Section 5.2, or (ii) maintain on any day Undrawn
Availability in at least an amount equal to the greater of (x)
$1,000,000, or (y) 20% of the remainder of (x) the Formula Amount,
minus (y) $100,000.
5.3
Borrower will not incur net losses (calculated on a FIFO basis and
exclusive of the one-time write-off of the Fourdrinier inventory)
in excess of the amounts and for the periods set forth
below:
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Period
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Net Loss
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One month
ending July 31, 2005
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$1,050,000
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One month
ending August 31, 2005
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$825,000
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One month
ending September 30, 2005
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$800,000
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5.4
Borrower will maintain a positive cash flow calculated on a
cumulative basis throughout the period from July 1, 2005 through
and including October 31, 2005 and will provide to PNC on a weekly
basis, in form and content acceptable to PNC, evidencing
Borrower’s satisfaction of the provisions of this Section
5.4.
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