Exhibit 2.1
ASSIGNMENT AND AMENDMENT
AGREEMENT
This
Agreement is made as of the 30th day of June, 2004 between Heller
Financial Canada (“Heller”), IKON Office Solutions,
Inc. (the “Seller”), IKON Office Solutions Northern
Ltd. (“IKON Northern”), and GE VFS Canada Limited
Partnership (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS
Heller and IKON entered into an asset purchase agreement as of
March 31, 2004 (the “Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to
which Heller agreed to purchase, and IKON agreed to sell, certain
of IKON’s assets;
AND
WHEREAS Heller wishes to assign all of its rights and obligations
under the Purchase Agreement to the Purchaser and the Purchaser
wishes to assume all of Heller’s obligations under the
Purchase Agreement, pursuant to the provisions hereof;
AND
WHEREAS after the date of the Purchase Agreement IKON determined
that IKON Northern is the lessor, seller, lender, secured party or
obligee under certain of the Financing Contracts (as such term is
defined in the Purchase Agreement) entered into by any of IKON or
its Affiliates with residents of the Northwest Territories (the
“NWT Financing Contracts”);
AND
WHEREAS the parties hereto wish to amend the Purchase Agreement to
provide that IKON Northern will sell and assign to the Purchaser,
and the Purchaser will purchase and assume from IKON Northern, the
Purchased Assets and Assumed Liabilities, respectively, which
relate to the NWT Financing Contracts;
AND
WHEREAS the parties hereto wish to make certain other amendments to
the Purchase Agreement;
NOW
THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
hereinafter contained and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereby covenant and agree as
follows:
1.
Interpretation .
(a)
Unless otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms used in this
Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in
the Purchase Agreement.
(b)
The rules of interpretation set forth in Sections 1.02 and 8.06 of
the Purchase Agreement shall apply, with necessary changes, to this
Agreement as if set out in full in this Section.
2.
Assignment . Effective on the date hereof, Heller
hereby assigns and transfers unto GE VFS all of its right, title
and interest in, to and under the Purchase Agreement.
3.
Assumption and Indemnity . The Purchaser hereby
accepts the assignment and transfers contained in Section 2 and
covenants and agrees with Heller that the Purchaser will observe,
perform and fulfil each and every covenant, proviso, obligation,
term and condition of Heller in, to and under the Purchase
Agreement that is applicable at any time from and including the
date of the Purchase Agreement. The parties hereto agree Heller is
hereby released from any and all obligations under the Purchase
Agreement, including any and all liabilities, damages, costs,
expenses, causes of action, suits, claims and judgments arising
from or in connection with, or resulting from the Purchase
Agreement.
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4.
Seller Appointment of Purchaser as Agent to Notify Quebec
Residents of Assignment . The Seller hereby appoints the
Purchaser as its agent for the sole purpose of notifying Quebec
residents party to Purchased Financing Contracts that such
Purchased Financing Contracts have been assigned by the Seller to
the Purchaser.
5.
Consents Not Obtained On or Prior to Closing . The
Seller Entities have advised the Purchaser that the assignment by
the Seller Entities of certain of the Purchased Financing Contracts
requires prior notice and consent to have been obtained pursuant to
their provisions, the Financial Administration Act of each
of Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut and the Law of
Property Act (Manitoba) (collectively, the “Outstanding
Consents”), but that such consents have not been obtained and
delivered to the Purchaser on or prior to the Closing Date. The
parties hereto acknowledge the following: (a) the Outstanding
Consents shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.07 and (b)
the rights exercisable by the Purchaser in Section 2.07(a)(ii) with
respect to the Outstanding Consents shall be exercisable by the
Purchaser notwithstanding that it may (i) assist the Seller in
obtaining, or (ii) undertake on behalf of the Seller to obtain,
such Outstanding Consents.
6.
(a) Seller to
Provide Specified Information for IKON Canada Billed
Accounts . The Seller shall comply with its covenants in
Section 2(c)(iii) of the Administrative Services Agreement and such
covenant shall be incorporated herein, and have the same effect, as
if made and agreed to herein.
(b)
Invoicing of Serviced Assets . Each of the Seller,
IKON Northern and the Purchaser shall comply with its covenants in
Section 2(i) of the IKON Invoicing Services Agreement dated as of
the date hereof between the Purchaser, the Seller and IKON Northern
and such covenant shall be incorporated herein, and have the same
effect, as if made and agreed to herein.
7.
Amendments to Purchase Agreement . The following
amendments to the Purchase Agreement are made effective immediately
prior to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Purchase Agreement on the Closing Date.
(a)
Section 2.04(c) of the Purchase Agreement is amended by deleting
and replacing the words “On the last Business Day of the
month immediately following the month of the Closing, the Purchaser
shall pay to the Seller the GST and QST exigible on the Initial
Payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the
account to which the Initial Payment was wire transferred”
with the words “The Purchaser and the Seller shall, on the
Closing Date, elect jointly under section 167(1) of the Excise
Tax Act (Canada), and under any similar provision of any
applicable provincial legislation, in the form prescribed for the
purposes of that provision, in respect of the sale and transfer of
the Purchased Assets hereunder, and the Purchaser shall file such
election with Canada Customs and Revenue Agency on or before the
time specified in section 167(1.1) of the Excise Tax Act
(Canada) and any other similar election under similar applicable
provincial legislation for this purpose”.
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(b) Section 2.05
of the Purchase Agreement is amended by deleting the words
“If a Settlement Payment is made pursuant to Section 2.05(a),
then on the last Business Day of the month immediately following
the month of the Settlement Date, the Purchaser shall pay to the
Seller the GST and QST exigible on the Settlement Payment made
pursuant to Section 2.05(a) by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the account to which the Purchase Price was wire
transferred” in the last paragraph of such
section.
(c) Section 2.05(b)
of the Purchase Agreement is amended by deleting the words
“plus the amount in respect of GST and QST on the Settlement
Payment previously paid by the Purchaser to the
Seller”.
(d) Section
2.07(a)(iv) of the Purchase Agreement is amended by deleting and
replacing the words “shall be bound to pay to the
Purchaser” with the words “shall be bound to pay, or
shall cause its applicable Affiliates to pay, to the
Purchaser”.
(e) Section 2.07(b)
of the Purchase Agreement is amended as follows:
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(i)
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by inserting
the words “or IKON Northern, as the case may be,”
immediately following:
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(A)
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the words
“In particular, in the event that any requisite consent is
not obtained prior to Closing, then the Purchaser or the applicable
Acquiring Entity and Seller”;
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(B)
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the words
“and the performance by the Purchaser or such Acquiring
Entity of the obligations thereunder. The Seller”;
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(C)
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the words
“or draw under or with respect to any such Purchased Assets.
Upon the Closing, the Seller”;
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(D)
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the words
“On the Closing Date, or as requested from time to time after
the Closing Date, the Seller”; and
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(E)
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the words
“ provided , however , that any and all
liabilities or obligations incurred by the Seller”;
and
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(ii)
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by inserting
the words “or IKON Northern’s, as the case may
be,” immediately following the words “(y) amend, modify
or waive any such contract or agreement in the
Seller’s”.
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(f)
Article IV of the Purchase Agreement is amended by deleting and
replacing the words “to the Seller on the date hereof”
with the words “to the Seller Entities on the date
hereof”.
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(g)
Article V of the Purchase Agreement is amended by deleting and
replacing the words “The Seller agrees and covenants with the
Purchaser as follows:” with the words “The Seller
Entities agree and covenant with the Purchaser as
follows:".
(h)
Section 5.01(a) of the Purchase Agreement is amended as
follows:
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(i)
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by deleting and
replacing the words “The Seller shall give or cause to be
given” with the words “Each Seller Entity shall give or
cause to be given”;
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(ii)
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by deleting and
replacing the words “(wherever located) of the Seller”
with the words “(wherever located) of such Seller
Entity”; and
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(iii)
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by deleting and
replacing the words “interfere unreasonably with the business
of the Seller” with the words “interfere unreasonably
with the business of any Seller Entity”.
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(i)
Section 5.01(c) of the Purchase Agreement is amended as
follows:
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(i)
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by deleting and
replacing the words “Except as otherwise expressly provided
in this Agreement, the Seller” with the words “Except
as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, each Seller
Entity”; and
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(ii)
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by deleting and
replacing the words “in this Section 5.01(c)
shall prevent the Seller” with the words “in this
Section 5.01(c) shall prevent the applicable Seller
Entity”.
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(j)
Section 5.01(d) of the Purchase Agreement is amended as
follows:
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(i)
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by inserting
the word “Entities” immediately following the words:
(A) “Except as otherwise expressly required by this
Agreement, the Seller”; (B) “Except as otherwise
expressly required by this Agreement, with respect to the Business,
the Seller”; (C) “(iii) modify, replace or supersede
any credit, underwriting or collection practices of the
Seller”; (D) “reflected, to the extent applicable, in
the books and records of the Seller; and (E) “following
entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with the
past practices of the Seller”;
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(ii)
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by deleting and
replacing the words “(vi) take any
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