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Exhibit 10.2
Execution Copy
INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT
INTERCREDITOR
AGREEMENT dated as of December 29, 2006, among BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
(“B of A”), as agent under the Bank Documents, THE BANK OF
NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (“BONY”), as trustee (in such
capacity, the “Trustee”) and collateral agent under the
Noteholder Documents, NEENAH FOUNDRY COMPANY, a Wisconsin corporation (the
“Company”), and each other Grantor listed on Schedule I
hereto.
A. The
Company is party to the Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement dated
as of December 29, 2006 (as amended, restated, supplemented, waived,
modified or Refinanced from time to time, the “Senior Credit Agreement”),
among the Company and certain Subsidiaries of the Company, as borrowers, the
lenders party thereto from time to time, B of A , as agent for the lenders,
Credit Suisse Securities (USA), LLC, as syndication agent, and Banc of America
Securities, LLC and Credit Suisse Securities (USA), LLC, as co-lead arrangers
and book managers. The Senior Credit Agreement has been designated by the
Company to be included in the definition of “Credit Agreement”
under the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.
B. The
Company is party to the Indenture dated as of December 29, 2006 (as
amended, restated, supplemented, modified or Refinanced from time to time, the
“Senior Secured Notes Indenture”), among the Company, as
Issuer (in such capacity, the “Issuer”), the Guarantors (as
defined therein) thereunder and the Trustee.
Accordingly,
in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual covenants and obligations herein
set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and
receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be
legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
SECTION
1. Definitions.
1.1.
Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
specified below:
“Account”
shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Agents”
shall mean the Bank Agent and the Noteholder Agent.
“Agreement”
shall mean this Agreement, as amended, renewed, extended, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
“B
of A” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Bank
Agent” shall mean (i) B of A, in its capacity as agent for the
lenders under the Senior Credit Agreement and the other Bank Documents entered
into pursuant thereto, (ii) the administrative agent and collateral agent
under such Bank Documents as may be entered into pursuant to any Refinancing of
the foregoing permitted hereunder and (iii) with respect to both
(i) and (ii), its successors and permitted assigns.
“Bank
Cash Management Obligations” shall mean any Cash Management
Obligations that are (i) owed to a Person that is a lender or agent under the
Senior Credit Agreement or an affiliate of such a lender or agent at the time
of entry into such Cash Management Obligations and (ii) secured by any
Common Collateral pursuant to the Bank Collateral Documents.
“Bank
Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of each Grantor, whether
real, personal or mixed, with respect to which a Lien is granted as security
for any Bank Obligation.
“Bank
Collateral Documents” shall mean any agreement, document or
instrument pursuant to which a Lien is now or hereafter granted securing any
Bank Obligations or under which rights or remedies with respect to such Liens
are at any time governed.
“Bank
Documents” shall mean the Senior Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents (as defined in the Senior Credit Agreement) and each of the other
agreements, documents and instruments (including each agreement, document or
instrument providing for or evidencing a Bank Hedging Obligation or Bank Cash
Management Obligation) providing for or evidencing any Bank Obligation, and any
other document or instrument executed or delivered at any time in connection
with any Bank Obligations under the Senior Credit Agreement and the Loan
Documents (as defined in the Senior Credit Agreement), including any
intercreditor or joinder agreement among holders of Bank Obligations, in each
case to the extent such are effective at the relevant time and as each may be
amended, restated, supplemented, modified, renewed, extended or Refinanced from
time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
“Bank
Hedging Obligations” shall mean any Hedging Obligations that are
(i) owed to a Person that is a lender or agent under the Senior Credit
Agreement or an affiliate of such a lender or agent at the time of entry into
such Hedging Obligations and (ii) secured by any Common Collateral
pursuant to the Bank Collateral Documents.
“Bank
Obligations” shall mean all Obligations outstanding under the Senior
Credit Agreement and the other Bank Documents (including, without limitation,
all Obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries in respect of Bank Hedging
Obligations or Bank Cash Management Obligations. To the extent any payment with
respect to the Bank Obligations (whether by or on behalf of any Grantor, as
proceeds of security, enforcement of any right of set-off or otherwise) is
declared to be fraudulent or preferential in any respect, set aside or required
to be paid to a debtor in possession, trustee, receiver or similar Person, then
the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be
deemed to be reinstated and outstanding as if such payment had not occurred and
no Discharge of Bank Obligations shall be deemed to have occurred with respect to
such amount. “Bank Obligations” shall also include all interest,
fees, costs and other charges accrued or accruing (or which would, absent
commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, accrue) after
commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in accordance with the
rate specified in the relevant Bank Document, whether or not the claim for such
interest is allowed as a claim in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.
“Bank
Outstandings Amount” shall mean, at any time, an amount equal to the
sum (without duplication) of (x) the aggregate principal amount of all
loans outstanding at such
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time under the Senior Credit
Agreement and the other Bank Documents then in effect and (y) the
aggregate face amount of all unreimbursed letters of credit issued at such time
under the Senior Credit Agreement and the other Bank Documents then in effect.
“Bank
Priority Collateral” shall mean the following assets of each Grantor:
(i) all
Accounts (but excluding any Accounts consisting of a right to receive payment
from a sale, assignment, transfer, lease, license or other disposition of
property constituting Noteholder Priority Collateral);
(ii) all
Inventory;
(iii) all
Patterns and Core Boxes Collateral;
(iv) to
the extent governing or involving any of the items referred to in preceding
clauses (i) through (iii), all Chattel Paper, Documents, General
Intangibles, Instruments and Letter-of-Credit Rights, provided that to
the extent any of the foregoing also relates to Noteholder Priority Collateral,
only that portion related to the items referred to in preceding clauses
(i) through (iii) shall be included in the Bank Priority Collateral;
(v) to
the extent relating to any of the items referred to in preceding clauses
(i) through (iv), all Supporting Obligations, provided that to the
extent any of the foregoing also relates to Noteholder Priority Collateral,
only that portion related to the items referred to in preceding clauses
(i) through (iv) shall be included in the Bank Priority Collateral;
(vi) all
Deposit Accounts and all deposits of cash, checks, other negotiable
instruments, funds and other evidences of payments held therein or credited
thereto (but excluding (x) all deposits of cash, checks, other negotiable
instruments, funds, and other evidences of payments constituting identifiable
Proceeds of Noteholder Priority Collateral and (y) any Noteholder Priority
Collateral Proceeds Account and all cash, checks, other negotiable instruments,
funds, other evidences of payments, securities, financial assets or other
property held therein or credited thereto);
(vii) all
loans payable by a Grantor to any other Grantor to the extent made using the
direct proceeds of advances under the Senior Credit Agreement;
(viii) all
policies of business interruption insurance;
(ix) all
books and Records (including, without limitation, databases, customer lists and
engineer drawings), in each case whether tangible or electronic and to the
extent embodying, incorporating or otherwise relating to any of the foregoing;
and
(x) all
Bank Priority Proceeds.
“Bank
Priority Proceeds” shall mean any and all Proceeds of the Bank
Priority Collateral described in clauses (i) through (ix) of the
definition thereof, but excluding in all instances outside of an Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding any property that is acquired with
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Cash Proceeds of such Bank
Priority Collateral and does not otherwise constitute Bank Priority Collateral.
“Bank
Secured Parties” shall mean the Persons holding Bank Obligations,
including the Bank Agent.
“Bankruptcy
Law” shall mean Title 11 of the United States Code and any similar
Federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.
“BONY”
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Cash
Management Obligations” shall mean, with respect to any Person, all
obligations, whether now owing or hereafter arising, of such Person in respect
of overdrafts and related liabilities or arising from cash management services
(including treasury, depositary, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic
funds transfer, netting, automatic clearing house transfers of funds or any
similar transactions).
“Cash
Proceeds” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Chattel
Paper” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Class”
refers, when used with respect to any Secured Obligations or Secured Parties,
to whether the same are Bank Obligations or Bank Secured Parties, on the one
hand, or Noteholder Obligations or Noteholder Secured Parties, on the other
hand.
“Class Discharge”
shall mean a Discharge of Bank Obligations or a Discharge of Noteholder
Obligations.
“Common
Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of any Grantor, whether
real, personal or mixed, constituting both Bank Collateral and Noteholder
Collateral.
“Company”
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Comparable
Second-Lien Collateral Document” shall mean, in relation to any
Common Collateral subject to any Lien created under any First-Lien Collateral
Document, those Second-Lien Collateral Documents that create a Lien on the same
Common Collateral, granted by the same Grantor.
“Deposit
Account” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Deposit
Account Collateral” shall mean that part of the Common Collateral
comprised of or contained in Deposit Accounts or Securities Accounts.
“DIP
Financing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
“Discharge
of Bank Obligations” shall mean (i) payment in full in cash of
the principal of, and interest (including interest accruing on or after the
commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not such
interest would be allowed in such
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Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding) and premium (if any) on, all Indebtedness outstanding under the
Bank Documents, (ii) payment in full in cash of all other Bank Obligations
that are due and payable or otherwise accrued and owing at or prior to the time
such principal and interest are paid, (iii) termination or cash
collateralization of in an amount and on terms satisfactory to the Bank Agent,
or other provision for in a manner satisfactory to the Bank Agent and the
issuing bank under the Senior Credit Agreement, all letters of credit issued
under the Bank Documents, (iv) termination or expiration of all commitments to
lend and all obligations to lend and all obligations to issue letters of credit
under the Bank Documents, (v) termination and payment in full in cash of
all termination fees and other amounts due in respect of Bank Hedging
Obligations, or cash collateralization or the provision of other security in
respect thereof in an amount and on terms satisfactory to the Bank Agent and
(vi) any costs, expenses and contingent indemnification obligations not
yet due and payable but with respect to which a claim has been threatened or
asserted in writing under any Bank Documents, are backed by letters of credit
or cash collateral in an amount and on terms satisfactory to Bank Agent.
“Discharge
of First-Lien Obligations” shall mean (i) in respect of Bank
Priority Collateral, the Discharge of Bank Obligations and (ii) in respect
of Noteholder Priority Collateral, the Discharge of Noteholder Obligations.
“Discharge
of Noteholder Obligations” shall mean (i) payment in full in
cash of the principal of, and interest (including interest accruing on or after
the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not
such interest would be allowed in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding)
and premium (if any) on, all Indebtedness outstanding under the Noteholder
Documents and (ii) payment in full in cash of all other Noteholder
Obligations that are due and payable or otherwise accrued and owing at or prior
to the time such principal and interest are paid.
“Discharge
of Second-Lien Obligations” shall mean (i) in respect of Bank
Priority Collateral, the Discharge of Noteholder Obligations and (ii) in
respect of Noteholder Priority Collateral, the Discharge of Bank Obligations.
“Documents”
shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Finance
Documents” shall mean the Bank Documents and the Noteholder
Documents.
“First-Lien
Agent” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank Priority Collateral,
the Bank Agent and (ii) with respect to Noteholder Priority Collateral,
the Noteholder Agent.
“First-Lien
Collateral” shall mean, for purposes of determining the respective
rights and obligations of either Class of Secured Parties as First-Lien Secured
Parties or Second-Lien Secured Parties under any provision of this Agreement,
such portion of the Common Collateral with respect to which the Secured Parties
of such Class are First-Lien Secured Parties or Second-Lien Secured Parties, as
the context may require.
“First-Lien
Collateral Documents” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank
Priority Collateral, the Bank Collateral Documents and (ii) with respect
to Noteholder Priority Collateral, the Noteholder Collateral Documents.
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“First-Lien
Documents” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank Priority
Collateral, the Bank Documents and (ii) with respect to Noteholder
Priority Collateral, the Noteholder Documents.
“First-Lien
Obligations” shall mean (i) in respect of Bank Priority Collateral,
the Bank Obligations and (ii) in respect of Noteholder Priority
Collateral, the Noteholder Obligations.
“First-Lien
Secured Parties” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank Priority
Collateral, the Bank Secured Parties and (ii) with respect to Noteholder
Priority Collateral, the Noteholder Secured Parties.
“General
Intangibles” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Grantors”
shall mean the Company and each Subsidiary of the Company that has executed and
delivered a Bank Collateral Document or a Noteholder Collateral Document.
“Hedging
Obligations” shall mean, with respect to any Person, all obligations
and liabilities, whether now owing or hereafter arising, of such Person in
respect of (i) currency exchange, interest rate or commodity swap
agreements, currency exchange, interest rate or commodity cap agreements and
currency exchange, interest rate or commodity collar agreements and
(ii) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person
against fluctuations in currency exchange, interest rates and/or commodity
prices.
“Indebtedness”
shall mean and include all obligations that constitute “Debt” or
“Indebtedness” within the meaning of the Senior Secured Notes
Indenture and the Senior Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.
“Insolvency
or Liquidation Proceeding” shall mean (i) any voluntary or
involuntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law with respect to any
Grantor, (ii) any other voluntary or involuntary insolvency,
reorganization or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership,
liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding with respect to
any Grantor or with respect to any of its assets, (iii) any liquidation,
dissolution, reorganization or winding up of any Grantor whether voluntary or
involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy or
(iv) any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling
of assets and liabilities of any Grantor.
“Instrument”
shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Inventory”
shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Issuer”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Letter-of-Credit
Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Lien”
shall mean, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien,
pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of
such asset.
“Maximum
Bank Documents Amount” shall mean an amount equal to (x)
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$121,000,000 or, if less, (y) the
product of (i) 1.1 and (ii) the aggregate amount of all commitments
to make loans and other advances under the Senior Credit Agreement (after
giving effect to any permanent reductions of such commitments that are
accompanied by a payment of principal outstanding under such commitments (other
than those made in connection with a Refinancing)).
“Noteholder
Agent” shall mean (i) BONY, in its capacity as Trustee and
collateral agent under the Senior Secured Notes Indenture and the other
Noteholder Documents entered into pursuant thereto, (ii) the trustee and
collateral agent under such Noteholder Documents as may be entered into
pursuant to any Refinancing of the foregoing permitted hereunder and
(iii) with respect to both (i) and (ii), its successors and permitted
assigns.
“Noteholder
Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of each Grantor, whether
real, personal or mixed, with respect to which a Lien is granted as security
for any Noteholder Obligation.
“Noteholder
Collateral Documents” shall mean the Noteholder Security Agreement,
the Noteholder Pledge Agreement and any other document or instrument pursuant
to which a Lien is granted by any Grantor to secure any Noteholder Obligations
or under which rights or remedies with respect to any such Lien are governed.
“Noteholder
Documents” means the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Notes, the
Noteholder Collateral Documents and each of the other agreements, documents and
instruments providing for or evidencing any Noteholder Obligation, and any
other document or instrument executed or delivered at any time in connection
with any Noteholder Obligations under the Senior Secured Notes Indenture and
the other Noteholder Documents, including any intercreditor or joinder
agreement among holders of Noteholder Obligations, in each case to the extent
such are effective at the relevant time and as each may be amended, restated,
supplemented, modified, renewed, extended or Refinanced from time to time in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
“Noteholder
Obligations” shall mean all Obligations outstanding under the Senior
Secured Notes Indenture and the other Noteholder Documents (including, without
limitation, all fees and expenses of the Trustee thereunder). To the extent any
payment with respect to the Noteholder Obligations (whether by or on behalf of
any Grantor, as proceeds of security, enforcement of any right of set-off or
otherwise) is declared to be fraudulent or preferential in any respect, set
aside or required to be paid to a debtor in possession, trustee, receiver or
similar Person, then the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be
satisfied shall be deemed to be reinstated and outstanding as if such payment
had not occurred and no Discharge of Noteholder Obligations shall be deemed to
have occurred with respect to such amount. “Noteholder Obligations”
shall also include all interest accrued or accruing (or which would, absent
commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, accrue) after
commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in accordance with the
rate specified in the relevant Noteholder Document, whether or not the claim
for such interest is allowed as a claim in such Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding.
“Noteholder
Pledge Agreement” shall mean the Pledge Agreement dated as of
December 29, 2006, among the Company, certain other Grantors and the
Noteholder Agent in
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respect of the Senior Secured
Notes Indenture.
“Noteholder
Security Agreement” shall mean the Security Agreement dated as of
December 29, 2006, among the Company, certain other Grantors and the
Noteholder Agent in respect of the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.
“Noteholder
Priority Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of each Grantor,
whether real, personal or mixed, other than the Bank Priority Collateral.
“Noteholder
Priority Collateral Proceeds Account” shall mean one or more Deposit
Accounts established pursuant to the Senior Secured Notes Indenture for the
purposes of holding proceeds of Noteholder Priority Collateral, and into which
there shall be deposited only proceeds of Noteholder Priority Collateral.
“Noteholder
Secured Parties” shall mean the Persons holding Noteholder
Obligations, including the Noteholder Agent.
“Notes”
shall mean (i) the 91/2% senior secured notes due 2017 issued by the Issuer
pursuant to the Senior Secured Notes Indenture and (ii) any additional
notes issued under the Senior Secured Notes Indenture by the Issuer, to the
extent permitted by the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Senior Credit
Agreement, the other Bank Documents and the other Noteholder Documents, as
applicable.
“Obligations”
means any and all obligations with respect to the payment of (i) any
principal of, or interest or premium on, any Indebtedness, including any
reimbursement obligation in respect of any letter of credit, or any other
liability, including, without limitation, interest accruing after the filing of
a petition initiating any proceeding under Bankruptcy Law, (ii) any fees,
indemnification obligations, expense reimbursement obligations or other
liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness and
(iii) any obligation to post cash collateral in respect of letters of
credit or any other obligations.
“Patterns
and Core Boxes Collateral” shall mean any and all casting patterns or
core boxes of any Grantor.
“Person”
shall mean any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust,
joint venture, association, company, partnership, entity or other party,
including any government and any political subdivision, agency or
instrumentality thereof.
“Pledged
Collateral” shall mean the Common Collateral in the possession of an
Agent (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that possession thereof
perfects a Lien thereon under the UCC.
“Proceeds”
shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Promissory
Note” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Records”
shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
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“Recovery”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.
“Refinance”
shall mean, in respect of any indebtedness or other obligation, to refinance,
extend, renew, defease, amend, amend and restate, modify, supplement,
restructure, replace, refund or repay, or to issue other indebtedness or other
obligation in exchange or replacement for, such indebtedness or other
obligation in whole or in part. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing”
shall have correlative meanings.
“Required
Lenders” shall mean those lenders the approval of which is required
to approve an amendment or modification of, termination or waiver of any
provision of, or consent to any departure from, the Senior Credit Agreement (or
would be required to effect such consent under this Agreement if such consent
were treated as an amendment thereof).
“Second-Lien
Agent” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank Priority Collateral,
the Noteholder Agent and (ii) with respect to Noteholder Priority
Collateral, the Bank Agent.
“Second-Lien
Collateral Documents” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank
Priority Collateral, the Noteholder Collateral Documents and (ii) with
respect to Noteholder Priority Collateral, the Bank Collateral Documents.
“Second-Lien
Documents” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank Priority
Collateral, the Noteholder Documents and (ii) with respect to Noteholder
Priority Collateral, the Bank Documents.
“Second-Lien
Obligations” shall mean (i) in respect of Noteholder Priority
Collateral, the Bank Obligations and (ii) in respect of Bank Priority
Collateral, the Noteholder Obligations.
“Second-Lien
Secured Parties” shall mean (i) with respect to Bank Priority
Collateral, the Noteholder Secured Parties and (ii) with respect to
Noteholder Priority Collateral, the Bank Secured Parties.
“Secured
Obligations” shall mean Bank Obligations and Noteholder Obligations.
“Secured
Parties” shall mean the Bank Secured Parties and the Noteholder
Secured Parties.
“Securities
Account” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Senior
Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Senior
Secured Notes Indenture” shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals.
“Standstill
Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a).
“Subsidiary”
shall mean, with respect to any Person, any “Subsidiary” of such
Person as defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.
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“Supporting
Obligations” shall have the meaning set forth in the UCC.
“Trustee”
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“UCC”
shall mean (i) with respect to the provisions hereof that relate to the
definition of the Bank Priority Collateral, the Uniform Commercial Code as from
time to time in effect in the State of Illinois and (ii) for all other
purposes hereunder, the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect
in the State of New York.
1.2.
Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to
the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may
require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and
neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and
“including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase
“without limitation”. The word “will” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.
Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference
to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended,
supplemented, modified or Refinanced in accordance with this Agreement,
(b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such
Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,”
“hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import,
shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any
particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Sections shall
be construed to refer to Sections of this Agreement and (e) the words
“asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the
same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible
assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract
rights.
SECTION
2. Lien Priorities.
2.1.
Subordination of Liens. Notwithstanding (i) the date, time, manner
or order of filing or recordation of any document or instrument or grant,
attachment or perfection (including any defect or deficiency or alleged defect
or deficiency in any of the foregoing) of any Liens granted to the respective
Secured Parties on any Common Collateral, (ii) any provision of the UCC,
Bankruptcy Law, any applicable law or any Finance Document, (iii) whether
any Secured Party, either directly or through agents, holds possession of, or
has control over, all or any part of the Common Collateral, (iv) the fact
that any such Liens may be subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated or lapsed
or (v) any other circumstance of any kind or nature whatsoever, the
Second-Lien Agent, on behalf of itself and each applicable Second-Lien Secured
Party, hereby agrees that: (a) any Lien on First-Lien Collateral securing
any First-Lien Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the
First-Lien Agent or any First-Lien Secured Party or any agent or trustee
therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of
law, subrogation or otherwise, shall have priority over and be senior in all
respects and prior to any Lien on such Common Collateral securing any
Second-Lien Obligations and (b) any Lien on the Common Collateral securing
any Second-Lien Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the
Second-Lien Agent or any Second-Lien Secured Parties or any agent or trustee
therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of
law, subrogation or otherwise, shall be junior and subordinate in all respects
to all Liens on the Common Collateral securing any First-Lien Obligations. All
Liens on the Common Collateral securing any First-Lien Obligations shall be and
remain senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Common Collateral
securing
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any Second-Lien Obligations
for all purposes, whether or not such Liens securing any First-Lien Obligations
are subordinated to any Lien securing any other obligation of the Company, any
other Grantor or any other Person.
2.2.
Prohibition on Contesting Liens. The Bank Agent, for itself and on
behalf of each applicable Bank Secured Party, and the Noteholder Agent, for
itself and on behalf of each applicable Noteolder Secured Party, agrees that it
shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to challenge,
contest or support any other Person in contesting or challenging, directly or
indirectly, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding), the perfection, priority, validity or enforceability of a Lien
securing any Secured Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf
of any of the Secured Parties or any agent or trustee therefor in any Common
Collateral.
2.3.
No New Liens. It is agreed and understood that the intent of the parties
is for each Class of Secured Obligations to be secured by a perfected lien on
all Bank Priority Collateral and all Noteholder Priority Collateral. In
furtherance of the foregoing, if any Secured Party of either Class shall
acquire or hold any Lien on any asset of the Company or any other Grantor that
is not also subject to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations of the other
Class, then such Secured Party shall (i) without the need for any further
consent of any party and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other
document, be deemed to also hold and have held such Lien for the benefit of the
Secured Parties of the other Class as security for the Secured Obligations of
the other Class (subject to the Lien priorities and other terms hereof) and
(ii) in the case of any such Lien acquired after the date hereof,
(x) endeavor to give the other Agent prompt written notice of such additional
Lien, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the
validity of such additional Lien or the rights hereunder of the Agent receiving
such additional Lien (subject to the Lien priorities and other terms hereof)
and (y) enter into, execute and/or deliver any agreements, filings,
instruments or other documents reasonably requested by the other Agent in order
to evidence the Lien priorities set forth herein.
2.4.
Perfection of Liens. Neither the First-Lien Agent nor the First-Lien
Secured Parties shall be responsible for perfecting and maintaining the
perfection of Liens with respect to the Common Collateral for the benefit of
the Second-Lien Agent and the Second-Lien Secured Parties. The provisions of
this Agreement are intended solely to govern the respective Lien priorities as
between the First-Lien Secured Parties and the Second-Lien Secured Parties and
shall not impose on any Secured Party or any agent or trustee therefor any
obligations in respect of the disposition of proceeds of any Common Collateral
which would conflict with prior perfected claims therein in favor of any other
Person or any order or decree of any court or governmental authority or any
applicable law.
SECTION
3. Enforcement.
3.1.
Exercise of Remedies.
(a) So
long as the Discharge of First-Lien Obligations has not occurred, whether or
not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against
the Company or any other Grantor, neither the Second-Lien Agent nor any Second-Lien
Secured Party shall:
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(i)
exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies (including set-off) with
respect to any First-Lien Collateral in respect of any applicable Second-Lien
Obligations, or institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights
or remedies (including any action of foreclosure);
(ii)
contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought with
respect to the First-Lien Collateral by the First-Lien Agent or any First-Lien
Secured Party in respect of the First-Lien Obligations, the exercise of any
right by the First-Lien Agent or any First-Lien Secured Party (or any agent or
sub-agent on their behalf) in respect of the First-Lien Obligations under any
lockbox agreement, control agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s letter
or similar agreement or arrangement to which the Second-Lien Agent or any
Second-Lien Secured Party either is a party or may have rights as a third party
beneficiary, or any other exercise by any such party of any rights and remedies
as a secured party relating to the First-Lien Collateral under the First-Lien
Documents or otherwise in respect of First-Lien Obligations; or
(iii)
object to the forbearance by the First-Lien Secured Parties from bringing or
pursuing any foreclosure proceeding or action or any other exercise of any
rights or remedies relating to the First-Lien Collateral in respect of
First-Lien Obligations;
provided, however that if an Event of Default (as defined in the
Second-Lien Documents (as in effect on the date hereof)) has occurred and for
so long as such Event of Default is continuing, subject at all times to the
provisions of Sections 2.1 and 4, after the expiration of a 120-day period
(the “Standstill Period”) which shall commence on the date
of receipt by the First-Lien Agent of the written declaration of the
Second-Lien Agent of such Event of Default and written demand by the
Second-Lien Agent to the Company for the accelerated payment of all Second-Lien
Obligations (unless any Grantor is subject to an Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding by reason of which such declaration and the making of such demand is
stayed, in which case, commencing on the date of the commencement of such
Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the Second-Lien Agent may take action to
enforce its second-priority Liens on the First-Lien Collateral upon
10 days’ prior written notice to the First-Lien Agent (which notice
may be given prior to the completion of such 120-day period, but not prior to
the 90th day of such period), but only so long as the First-Lien Agent is not,
or has not within such 10-day period commenced, diligently pursuing in good
faith the exercise of its enforcement rights or remedies against, or diligently
attempting to vacate any stay on enforcement of its Liens on, all or any
material portion of the First-Lien Collateral (including, without limitation,
commencement of any reasonable action to foreclose its Liens on such First-Lien
Collateral, any reasonable action to take possession of such First-Lien
Collateral or commencement of any reasonable legal proceedings or actions
against or with respect to such First-Lien Collateral).
(b) Except
as expressly provided in the proviso in Section 3.1(a), so long as the
Discharge of First-Lien Obligations has not occurred and whether or not any
Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against the
Company or any other Grantor, the First-Lien Agent and the First-Lien Secured
Parties shall have the exclusive right to enforce rights, exercise remedies
(including set-off and the right to credit bid their debt) and make
determinations regarding the release, disposition or restrictions with respect
to the First-Lien Collateral without any consultation with or the consent of
any Second-Lien Agent or
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any Second-Lien Secured
Party; provided, however, that the Second-Lien Agent may take any
action (not adverse to the prior Liens on the First-Lien Collateral securing
the First-Lien Obligations, or the rights of the First-Lien Agent or the
First-Lien Secured Parties to exercise remedies in respect thereof) in order to
create, prove, perfect, preserve or protect (but not enforce) its rights in,
and perfection and priority of its Lien on, the First-Lien Collateral. In
exercising rights and remedies with respect to the First-Lien Collateral, the
First-Lien Agent and the First-Lien Secured Parties may enforce the provisions
of the First-Lien Documents and exercise remedies thereunder, all in such order
and in such manner as they may determine in the exercise of their sole
discretion. Such exercise and enforcement shall include the rights of an agent
appointed by them to sell or otherwise dispose of First-Lien Collateral upon
foreclosure, to incur expenses in connection with such sale or disposition, and
to exercise all the rights and remedies of a secured lender under the Uniform
Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction and of a secured creditor under
the Bankruptcy Law of any applicable jurisdiction.
(c) Excep






