Exhibit 4.9
INTERCREDITOR
AGREEMENT
This I NTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT (
“Agreement” ), is dated
as of May 2, 2005, and entered into by and among NewPage
Corporation (the “Company” ), NewPage
Holding Corporation ( “Holdings” ), certain
subsidiaries of the Company (the “Subsidiary Guarantors” and together with
Holdings, the “Guarantors” ), JPMorgan
Chase Bank, in its capacity as collateral agent for the Revolving
Credit Lenders (including its successors and assigns from time to
time, the “Revolving
Credit Agent” ) and The Bank of New York, in its
capacity as collateral trustee (including its successors and
assigns from time to time, the “Collateral Trustee” )
for (i) Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P., in its capacity as
agent for the First Lien Term Loan Lenders (including its
successors and assigns from time to time, the “First Lien Term Loan
Agent” ), and
the First Lien Term Loan Lenders, (ii) the Trustees for the
Noteholders and the Noteholders, and (iii) any future Parity Lien
Representative, Parity Lien Claimholders, Priority Lien
Representative or Priority Lien Claimholders. As described in more
detail in Section 8.11 hereof, this Agreement is intended to
be binding on all Claimholders and Secured Debt Representatives, as
well as the Revolving Credit Agent and the Collateral Trustee.
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings assigned
to them in Section 1 below.
RECITALS
The
Company, the Guarantors, the lenders (the “Revolving Credit
Lenders” ) and agents party thereto, and Revolving
Credit Agent, have entered into that Revolving Credit and Guaranty
Agreement dated as of the date hereof providing for a revolving
credit facility (as amended, restated, supplemented, modified,
replaced or refinanced from time to time, the “Revolving Credit Agreement”
);
The
Company, the Guarantors, the lenders (the “First Lien Term Loan
Lenders” ) and agents party thereto, and the First
Lien Term Loan Agent, have entered into that First Lien Term Loan
Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of the date hereof providing
for the making of certain term loans (as amended, restated,
supplemented, modified, replaced or refinanced from time to time,
the “First Lien Term Loan
Agreement” );
The
Company is also issuing (i) the floating rate senior secured notes
in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $225 million
(including any related exchange notes, the “Floating Rate Notes” ) pursuant to an
Indenture dated as of the date hereof (as amended, supplemented,
amended and restated or otherwise modified and in effect from time
to time, the “Floating
Rate Notes
Indenture” ) among the Company, the guarantors party
thereto and HSBC Bank USA, National Association, as trustee (in
such capacity and including its successors and assigns from time to
time, the “Floating Rate
Notes Trustee” ) and (ii) the 10% senior secured
notes in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $350 million
(including any related exchange notes, the “10% Senior Secured
Notes” and together with the Floating Rate Notes, the
“Notes” )
pursuant to an Indenture dated as of the date hereof (as amended,
supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified and in
effect from time to time, the “10% Senior Secured Notes Indenture” ) among the
Company, the guarantors party thereto and HSBC Bank USA, National
Association, as trustee (in such capacity and including its
successors and assigns
from time to time, the “10% Senior Secured Notes
Trustee” and, together with the Floating Rate Notes
Trustee, the “Trustees” );
The
obligations of the Company to (i) the Revolving Credit Agent and
Revolving Credit Claimholders and (ii) the Secured Debt
Representatives and the Secured Debt Claimholders are each secured
by Liens on certain of the assets of the Company and the
Guarantors; and
As
a condition to the closing of each of the “Financing
Transactions”, each of the Revolving Credit Agent, the
Collateral Trustee, the Secured Debt Representatives and the
various Claimholders have agreed to the relative priority of their
respective Liens on the Collateral and certain other rights,
priorities and interests as set forth in this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
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:
I.
DEFINITIONS.
1.1
Defined Terms . As used in the Agreement, the following
terms shall have the following meanings:
“10%
Senior Secured
Notes” has the
meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this
Agreement.
“10% Senior Secured
Notes Indenture” has the meaning assigned to that
term in the recitals to this Agreement.
“10%
Senior Secured
Notes Trustee” has the meaning
assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Access
Period” means for each parcel of Mortgaged
Premises the period, after the commencement of an Enforcement
Period, which begins on the day that Revolving Credit Agent (or,
following the Discharge of Revolving Credit Obligations, a Priority
Lien Representative) provides Collateral Trustee with the notice of
its election to request access pursuant to Section 3.3(b)
below and ends on the earlier of (i) the 180 th day
after Revolving Credit Agent obtains the ability to use, take
physical possession of, remove or otherwise control the use or
access to the Revolving Credit Collateral located on such Mortgaged
Premises following Enforcement plus such number of days, if any,
after Revolving Credit Agent (or, following the Discharge of
Revolving Credit Obligations, the Collateral Trustee acting upon
direction of the Priority Lien Claimholders or a Priority Lien
Representative acting on behalf of the Collateral Trustee) obtains
access to such Revolving Credit Collateral that it is stayed or
otherwise prohibited by law or court order from exercising remedies
with respect to Revolving Credit Collateral located on such
Mortgaged Premises or (ii) the date on which all or substantially
all of the Revolving Credit Collateral located on such Mortgaged
Premises is sold,
2
collected or liquidated or (iii) the date on
which the Discharge of Revolving Credit Obligations and the
Discharge of Priority Lien Obligations occurs.
“Accounts”
means all now present and future “accounts” and
“payment intangibles” (in each case, as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC).
“Account
Agreements” means any lockbox account agreement,
pledged account agreement, blocked account agreement, securities
account control agreement, or any similar deposit or securities
account agreements among the Collateral Trustee and/or Revolving
Credit Agent and the Company and/or a Guarantor and the relevant
financial institution depository or securities intermediary.
“Affiliate”
of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect
common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this
definition, “control,” as used with respect to any
Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power
to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of
such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by
agreement or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership
of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a Person will be deemed to be
control. For purposes of this definition, the terms
“controlling,” “controlled by” and
“under common control with” have correlative
meanings.
“Agreement”
means this Intercreditor Agreement, as amended, restated, renewed,
extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Bankruptcy
Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code
entitled “Bankruptcy,” as now and hereafter in effect,
or any successor statute.
“Bankruptcy
Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar
federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.
“Board of
Directors” means (1) with respect to a
corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any
committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board,
(2) with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the
general partner of the partnership, (3) with respect to a limited
liability company, the managing member or members or any
controlling committee or board of directors of such company or of
the sole member or of the managing member thereof and (4) with
respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person
serving a similar function.
“Business
Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized
or required by law to close.
“Capital
Stock” means:
(1)
in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2)
in the case of an association or business entity, any and all
shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents
(however designated) of corporate stock;
3
(3)
in the case of a partnership or limited liability company,
partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership
interests; and
(4)
any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the
right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or
distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from
all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital
Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of
participation with Capital Stock.
“Chattel
Paper” means all present and future “chattel
paper” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC).
“Claimholders”
means the Revolving Credit Claimholders and each of the Parity Lien
Claimholders and Priority Lien Claimholders.
“Class”
means (i) in the case of Parity Lien Debt, all Series of Parity
Lien Debt, taken together and (ii) in the case of Priority Lien
Debt, all Series of Priority Lien Debt, taken together.
“Collateral”
means all of the assets and property of any Grantor, whether real,
personal or mixed, constituting either Revolving Credit Collateral,
Shared Collateral or Separate Collateral.
“Collateral Trust
Agreement” means that certain Collateral Trust
Agreement dated as of May 2, 2005 (as the same may be amended from
time to time) by and among the First Lien Term Loan Agent, the
Trustees and the Collateral Trustee, as amended, restated, modified
or replaced from time to time.
“Collateral
Trustee” has the meaning assigned to that term in
the preamble to this Agreement.
“Company”
has the meaning assigned to that term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“Copyright
Licenses” means any and all present and future
agreements providing for the granting of any right in or to
Copyrights (whether such Grantor is licensee or licensor
thereunder).
“Copyrights”
means all present and future United States, and foreign copyrights
(including Community designs), including but not limited to
copyrights in software and databases, and all Mask Works (as
defined under 17 U.S.C. 901 of the U.S. Copyright Act), whether
registered or unregistered, and, with respect to any and all of the
foregoing: (i) all registrations and applications therefore, (iii)
all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world, and (iv) all
rights to sue for past, present and future infringements
thereof.
“Deposit
Accounts” means all present and future
“deposit accounts” (as defined in Article 9 of the
UCC).
“DIP
Financing” has the meaning assigned to that term
in Section 6.1.
4
“Discharge of Parity
Lien Obligations” means, except to the extent
otherwise expressly provided in Section 5.5:
(1)
termination or expiration of all commitments to extend credit that
would constitute Parity Lien Debt;
(2)
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), on all
Indebtedness outstanding under the Parity Lien Documents and
constituting Parity Lien Debt;
(3)
discharge or cash collateralization (at the lower of (A) 105% of
the aggregate undrawn amount and (b) the percentage of the
aggregate undrawn amount required for release of Liens under the
terms of the applicable Parity Lien Document) of all outstanding
letters of credit constituting Parity Lien Debt; and
(4)
payment in full in cash of all other Parity Lien Obligations that
are outstanding and unpaid at the time the Parity Lien Debt is paid
in full in cash (other than any obligations for taxes, costs,
indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities in
respect of which no claim or demand for payment has been made at
such time).
If
a Discharge of Parity Lien Obligations occurs prior to the
termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2,
to the extent that additional Parity Lien Obligations are incurred
or Parity Lien Obligations are reinstated in accordance with
Section 6.4, the Discharge of Parity Lien Obligations shall
(effective upon the incurrence of such additional Parity Lien
Obligations or reinstatement of such Parity Lien Obligations, as
applicable) be deemed to no longer be effective.
“Discharge of Priority
Lien Obligations” means, except to the extent
otherwise expressly provided in Section 5.5:
(1)
termination or expiration of all commitments to extend credit that
would constitute Priority Lien Debt;
(2)
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), on all
Indebtedness outstanding under the Priority Lien Documents and
constituting Priority Lien Obligations;
(3)
discharge or cash collateralization (at the lower of (A) 105% of
the aggregate undrawn amount and (b) the percentage of the
aggregate undrawn amount required for release of Liens under the
terms of the applicable Priority Lien Document) of all outstanding
letters of credit constituting Priority Lien Debt; and
(4)
payment in full in cash of all other Priority Lien Obligations that
are outstanding and unpaid at the time the Priority Lien Debt is
paid in full in cash (other than any
5
obligations for taxes, costs, indemnifications,
reimbursements, damages and other liabilities in respect of which
no claim or demand for payment has been made at such
time).
If
a Discharge of Priority Lien Obligations occurs prior to the
termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2,
to the extent that additional Priority Lien Obligations are
incurred or Priority Lien Obligations are reinstated in accordance
with Section 6.4, the Discharge of Priority Lien Obligations
shall (effective upon the incurrence of such additional Priority
Lien Obligations or reinstatement of such Priority Lien
Obligations, as applicable) be deemed to no longer be
effective.
“Discharge of Revolving
Credit Obligations” means, except to the extent
otherwise expressly provided in Section 5.5:
(1)
termination or expiration of all commitments, if any, to extend
credit that would constitute Revolving Credit Obligations;
(2)
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), on all
Indebtedness outstanding under the Revolving Credit Loan Documents
and constituting Revolving Credit Obligations;
(3)
termination or cash collateralization (in an amount and manner
reasonably satisfactory to the Revolving Credit Agent, but in no
event greater than 105% of the aggregate undrawn face amount) of
all letters of credit issued under the Revolving Credit Loan
Documents and constituting Revolving Credit Obligations; and
(4)
payment in full in cash of all other Revolving Credit Obligations
that are outstanding and unpaid at the time the Indebtedness
constituting such Revolving Credit Obligations is paid in full in
cash (other than any obligations for taxes, costs,
indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities in
respect of which no claim or demand for payment has been made at
such time).
If
a Discharge of Revolving Credit Obligations occurs prior to the
termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2,
to the extent that additional Revolving Credit Obligations are
incurred or Revolving Credit Obligations are reinstated in
accordance with Section 6.4, the Discharge of Revolving Credit
Obligations shall (effective upon the incurrence of such additional
Revolving Credit Obligations or reinstatement of such Revolving
Credit Obligations, as applicable) be deemed to no longer be
effective.
“Discharge of Secured
Debt Obligations” means the occurrence of both the
Discharge of Parity Lien Obligations and the Discharge of Priority
Lien Obligations.
“Disposition”
has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 5.l(b).
“Enforcement”
means, collectively or individually for any one of the Revolving
Credit Agent, the Collateral Trustee, or any Secured Debt
Representative when a Revolving Credit Default or a Secured Debt
Default, as the case may be, has occurred and is continuing,
6
any
action taken by such Person to repossess, or exercise any remedies
with respect to, any material amount of Collateral or commence the
judicial enforcement of any of the rights and remedies under the
Revolving Credit Loan Documents or the Secured Debt Documents or
under any applicable law, but in all cases excluding (i) the
imposition of a default rate or late fee and (ii) the collection
and application of Accounts or other monies deposited from time to
time in Bank Accounts or Securities Accounts against the Revolving
Credit Obligations pursuant to the Revolving Credit Loan Documents;
provided , however , the foregoing exclusion set
forth in clause (ii) shall immediately cease to apply upon the
earlier of (x) the Revolving Credit Agent’s delivery of
written notice to the Borrowers that such exclusion no longer
applies, (y) the lapse of ten (10) consecutive Business Days after
a Revolving Credit Default in which no “Revolving
Loans” or “Special Agent Advances” are made and
no “Letters of Credit” are issued (in each case, as
defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement), and (z) the termination
of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 8.1 (or any
other applicable provision) of the Revolving Credit
Agreement.
“Enforcement
Notice” means a written notice delivered, at a
time when a Revolving Credit Default or Secured Debt Default has
occurred and is continuing, by either Revolving Credit Agent or
Collateral Trustee to the other such Person announcing that an
Enforcement Period has commenced, specifying the relevant event of
default, stating the current balance of the Revolving Credit
Obligations or the current balances owing with respect to Parity
Lien Obligations and Priority Lien Obligations, as the case may be,
and requesting the current balance owing of the Revolving Credit
Obligations or Parity Lien Obligations and Priority Lien
Obligations, as the case may be.
“Enforcement
Period” means the period of time following the
receipt by either Revolving Credit Agent or Collateral Trustee of
an Enforcement Notice from the other until either (i) in the case
of an Enforcement Period commenced by Collateral Trustee, the
Discharge of Secured Debt Obligations, or (ii) in the case of an
Enforcement Period commenced by Revolving Credit Agent, the
Discharge of Revolving Credit Obligations, or (iii) Revolving
Credit Agent or Collateral Trustee (as applicable) agree in writing
to terminate the Enforcement Period.
“Equally and
Ratably” means, in reference to sharing of Liens
or proceeds thereof as between holders of Secured Obligations
within the same Class, “equally and ratably” as defined
in the Collateral Trust Agreement.
“Equipment”
means: (i) all “equipment” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC), (ii) all machinery, manufacturing
equipment, data processing equipment, computers, office equipment,
furnishings, furniture, appliances, “fixtures” (as
defined in the UCC) and tools (in each case, regardless of whether
characterized as equipment under the UCC) and (iii) all accessions
or additions thereto, all parts thereof, whether or not at any time
of determination incorporated or installed therein or attached
thereto, and all replacements therefore, wherever located, now or
hereafter existing, including any fixtures.
“Equity
Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants,
options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any
debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for,
Capital Stock).
7
“Financing
Transactions” means the execution, delivery and
initial funding under the Revolving Credit Agreement and the First
Lien Term Loan Agreement and the issuance of the Notes.
“First Lien Term Loan
Agent” has the meaning assigned to that term in
the preamble of this Agreement.
“First Lien Term Loan
Agreement” has the meaning assigned to that term
in the recitals to this Agreement.
“First Lien Term Loan
Documents” means the First Lien Term Loan
Agreement, the First Lien Term Loan Mortgages and the other Credit
Documents (as defined in the First Lien Term Loan Agreement) and
each of the other agreements, documents and instruments providing
for or evidencing any other First Lien Term Loan Obligation, and
any other document or instrument executed or delivered at any time
in connection with any First Lien Term Loan Obligations, including
any intercreditor or joinder agreement among holders of First Lien
Term Loan Obligations to the extent such are effective at the
relevant time, as each may be amended, restated, supplemented,
modified, renewed or extended from time to time in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement.
“First Lien Term Loan
Lenders” has the meaning assigned to that term in
the recitals to this Agreement.
“First
Lien Term Loan
Mortgages”
means a collective reference to each mortgage, deed of trust and
any other document or instrument under which any Lien on real
property owned or leased by any Grantor is granted to secure any
First Lien Term Loan Obligations or (except for this Agreement and
the Collateral Trust Agreement) under which rights or remedies with
respect to any such Liens are governed.
“First Lien Term Loan
Obligations” means all Obligations with respect to
principal of and interest and premium (if any) on Indebtedness
incurred and outstanding under the First Lien Term Loan Agreement
and the other First Term Loan Documents. “First Lien Term
Loan Obligations” shall 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 First Lien Term Loan Document whether or not the claim
for such interest is allowed as a claim in such Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding.
“Floating
Rate Notes” has the meaning
assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Floating Rate Notes
Indenture” has the meaning assigned to that term
in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Floating
Rate Notes
Trustee” has
the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this
Agreement.
8
“General
Intangibles” means all present and future
“general intangibles” (as defined in Article 9 of
the UCC), but excluding “payment intangibles” (as
defined in Article 9 of the UCC), Hedge Agreements and
Intellectual Property and any rights thereunder.
“Grantors”
means the Company, each Guarantor and each other Person that has or
may from time to time hereafter execute and deliver a Revolving
Credit Collateral Document, Parity Lien Collateral Document or
Priority Lien Collateral Document as a “Grantor” (or
the equivalent thereof).
“Guarantor”
has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Hedge
Agreements” means any (i) interest rate swap
agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to
fixed), interest rate cap agreements, interest rate collar
agreements and other agreements or arrangements designed for the
purpose of fixing, hedging or swapping interest rate risk; (ii)
other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates
or interest rate risk; and (iii) other agreements or arrangements
designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency
exchange rates or commodity prices.
“Hedging
Obligation” of any Person means any Obligation of
such Person pursuant to any Hedge Agreement.
“Holdings”
has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Indebtedness”
means and includes all Obligations that constitute
“Indebtedness” within the meaning of the Revolving
Credit Agreement or the Parity Lien Documents or the Priority Lien
Documents, as applicable.
“Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding” means:
(1)
any voluntary or involuntary case or proceeding under the
Bankruptcy Code with respect to any Grantor;
(2)
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 a material portion of their
respective assets;
(3)
any liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or winding up of any
Grantor whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not
involving insolvency or bankruptcy; or
(4)
any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other
marshalling of assets and liabilities of any Grantor.
“Instruments”
means all present and future “instruments” (as defined
in Article 9 of the UCC).
9
“Intellectual
Property” means, collectively, the Copyrights, the
Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent Licenses, the
Trademarks, the Trademark Licenses, the Trade Secrets, and the
Trade Secret Licenses.
“Intercompany Notes of
Subsidiaries” means all indebtedness owing by any
of the Company’s Subsidiaries to the Company or any of the
Company’s other Subsidiaries, whether or not represented by a
note or agreement.
“Intercreditor Agreement
Joinder” means an agreement substantially in the
form of Exhibit
A.
“Inventory”
mean all present and future “inventory” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC) including, without limitation, all goods
held for sale or lease or to be furnished under contracts of
service or so leased or furnished, all raw materials, work in
process, finished goods, and materials used or consumed in the
manufacture, packing, shipping, advertising, selling, leasing,
furnishing or production of such inventory or otherwise used or
consumed in any Grantor’s business; all goods in which any
Grantor has an interest in mass or a joint or other interest or
right of any kind; and all goods which are returned to or
repossessed by any Grantor, all computer programs embedded in any
goods and all accessions thereto and products thereof (in each
case, regardless of whether characterized as inventory under the
UCC).
“Letter of
Credit” means any present and future “letter
of credit” (as defined in Article 5 of the UCC).
“Lien”
means any lien, mortgage, pledge, assignment, security interest,
charge or encumbrance of any kind (including any agreement to give
any of the foregoing, any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement, and any lease in the nature thereof) and any option,
trust, UCC financing statement or other preferential arrangement
having the practical effect of any of the foregoing.
“Lien Sharing and
Priority Confirmation” means:
(1)
as to any Series of Parity Lien Debt, the written agreement of the
holders of such Series of Parity Lien Debt, as set forth in the
indentures, credit agreement or other agreement governing such
Series of Parity Lien Debt, for the enforceable benefit of all
holders of each existing and future Series of Priority Lien Debt
and Parity Lien Debt, each existing and future Priority Lien
Representative and Parity Lien Representative and each existing and
future holder of “Permitted Liens” (as defined in the
Senior Secured Notes Indentures):
(a)
that all Parity Lien Obligations will be and are secured Equally
and Ratably by all Parity Liens at any time granted by the Company
or any other Guarantor to secure any Obligations in respect of such
Series of Parity Lien Debt, whether or not upon property otherwise
constituting collateral for such Series of Parity Lien Debt, and
that all such Parity Liens will be enforceable by the Collateral
Trustee for the benefit of all holders of Parity Lien Obligations
Equally and Ratably; provided that holders of any future
Parity Lien Debt that constitutes a “security” for
purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 will not be entitled to be
secured by any Separate Collateral;
10
(b)
that the holders of Obligations in respect of such Series of Parity
Lien Debt are bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the
Collateral Trust Agreement, including the provisions relating to
the ranking of Parity Liens and the order of application of
proceeds from the enforcement of Parity Liens;
(c)
consenting to and directing the Collateral Trustee to perform its
obligations under the Collateral Trust Agreement and the other
Security Documents; and
(d)
consenting to the terms of this Agreement; and
(2)
as to any Series of Priority Lien Debt, the written agreement of
the holders of such Series of Priority Lien Debt, as set forth in
the credit agreement, indenture or other agreement governing such
Series of Priority Lien Debt, for the enforceable benefit of all
holders of each existing and future Series of Parity Lien Debt,
each existing and future Parity Lien Representative and each
existing and future holder of “Permitted Liens” (as
defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indentures):
(a)
that all Priority Lien Obligations will be and are secured Equally
and Ratably by all Priority Liens at any time granted by the
Company or any other Grantor to secure any Obligations in respect
of such Series of Priority Lien Debt, whether or not upon property
otherwise constituting collateral for such Series of Priority Lien
Debt, and that all such Priority Liens will be enforceable by the
Collateral Trustee for the benefit of all holders of Priority Lien
Obligations Equally and Ratably; provided that the holders
of any future Priority Lien Debt that constitutes a
“security” for purposes of the Security Act of 1933, as
amended, will be entitled to be secured by any Separate
Collateral;
(b)
that the holders of Obligations in respect of such Series of
Priority Lien Debt are bound by the provisions of this Agreement
and the Collateral Trust Agreement, including the provisions
relating to the ranking of Priority Liens and the order of
application of proceeds from enforcement of Priority Liens;
(c)
consenting to and directing the Collateral Trustee to perform its
obligations under the Collateral Trust Agreement and the other
Security Documents; and
(d)
consenting to the terms of this Agreement.
“Mortgaged
Premises” means any real property which shall now
or hereafter be subject to a Parity Lien Mortgage or Priority Lien
Mortgage, as applicable.
“New
Agent” has the
meaning assigned to that term in Section 5.5.
“New
Debt Notice”
has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 5.5.
“Note
Claimholders”
means, at any relevant time, the holders of the Note Obligations,
including the Noteholders and the Trustees.
11
“Noteholder”
means, at any relevant time, a Person in whose name a Note is
registered.
“Note
Obligations”
means all Obligations with respect to Notes outstanding under the
Senior Secured Note Indentures and the other applicable Security
Documents. “Note Obligations” shall 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 Senior Secured
Note Indenture whether or not the claim for such interest is
allowed as a claim in such Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding.
“Notes”
has the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this
Agreement.
“Obligations”
means all obligations of every nature of each Grantor from time to
time owed to any agent or trustee, the Revolving Credit
Claimholders, the Secured Debt Claimholders or any of them or their
respective Affiliates, in each case under the Revolving Credit Loan
Documents or the Secured Debt Documents, whether for principal,
interest or payments for early termination of Hedge Agreements,
fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise and all guarantees of
any of the foregoing.
“Parity
Lien” means a Lien granted by a security document
to the Collateral Trustee, at any time, upon any property of the
Company or any other Guarantor to secure Parity Lien
Obligations.
“Parity Lien
Claimholder” means the holders of any Parity Lien
Obligation at that time, including the Parity Lien
Representatives.
“Parity Lien
Debt” means:
(1)
the Notes issued and the related guarantees by the Guarantors
incurred on the date of the Senior Secured Note Indentures
(including any related exchange notes); and
(2)
any other Indebtedness of the Company (including additional notes),
which may be guaranteed by the Guarantors, that is secured Equally
and Ratably with the Notes by a Parity Lien that was permitted to
be incurred and so secured under each applicable Secured Debt
Document; provided that:
(a)
the net proceeds are used to refund, refinance, replace, defease,
discharge or otherwise acquire or retire Priority Lien Debt or
other Parity Lien Debt; or
(b)
on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness, after giving pro
forma effect to the incurrence thereof and the application of the
proceeds therefrom, the Secured Leverage Ratio would not be greater
than 4.0 to 1.0;
provided , further , in the
case of any Indebtedness referred to in clause (3) of this
definition:
(a)
on or before the date on which such Indebtedness is incurred by the
Company, such Indebtedness is designated by the Company, in an
officers’ certificate
12
delivered to each Parity Lien Representative
and the Collateral Trustee, as “Parity Lien Debt” for
the purposes of the Senior Secured Note Indentures and the
Collateral Trust Agreement; provided that no Series of
Secured Debt may be designated as both Parity Lien Debt and
Priority Lien Debt;
(b)
such Indebtedness is governed by an indenture, credit agreement or
other agreement that includes a Lien Sharing and Priority
Confirmation; and
(c)
all requirements set forth in the Collateral Trust Agreement as to
the confirmation, grant or perfection of the Collateral
Trustee’s Liens to secure such Indebtedness or Obligations in
respect thereof are satisfied (and the satisfaction of such
requirements and the other provisions of this clause (c) will be
conclusively established if the Company delivers to the Collateral
Trustee an officers’ certificate stating that such
requirements and other provisions have been satisfied and that such
Indebtedness is “Parity Lien Debt”).
“Parity Lien
Default” means an “Event of Default”
(as defined in any of the Parity Lien Documents), which is no
longer subject to any applicable cure or notice period.
“Parity Lien
Documents” means, collectively, the Senior Secured
Note Indentures and the indenture, credit agreement or other
agreement governing each other Series of Parity Lien Debt and the
related Security Documents (other than any Security Documents that
do not secure Parity Lien Obligations).
“Parity Lien
Mortgages” means a collective reference to each
mortgage, deed of trust and other document or instrument under
which any Lien on real property owned or leased by any Grantor is
granted to secure any Parity Lien Obligations or (except for this
Agreement and the Collateral Trust Agreement) under which rights or
remedies with respect to any such Liens are governed.
“Parity Lien
Obligations”
means Parity Lien Debt and all other Obligations in respect thereof
(including, without limitation, all Note Obligations).
“Parity Lien
Representative” means:
(1)
in the case of each Series of the Notes, the applicable Trustee;
or
(2)
in the case of any other Series of Parity Debt, the trustee, agent
or representative of the holders of such Series of Parity Lien Debt
who maintains the transfer register for such Series of Parity Lien
Debt and (a) is appointed as a Parity Lien Representative (for
purposes related to the administration of the Security Documents)
pursuant to an indenture, credit agreement or other agreement
governing such Series of Parity Lien Debt, together with its
successors in such capacity, and (b) has become a party to the
Collateral Trust Agreement by executing a joinder in the form
required under the Collateral Trust Agreement.
“Patent
Licenses” means
all present and future agreements providing for the granting of any
right in or to Patents (whether such Grantor is licensee or
licensor thereunder).
13
“Patents”
shall mean all United States and foreign patents and certificates
of invention, or similar industrial property rights, and
applications for any of the foregoing, including, but not limited
to: (i) each patent and patent application referred to from time to
time on schedules to Revolving Credit Collateral Documents, or
Security Agreements relating to the Parity Lien Obligations or
Priority Lien Obligations, (ii) all reissues, divisions,
continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions, renewals, and
reexaminations thereof, (iii) all rights corresponding thereto
throughout the world, (iv) all inventions and improvements
described therein, and (v) all rights to sue for past, present and
future infringements thereof.
“Person”
means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company,
trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership,
governmental authority or other entity.
“Pledged
Collateral” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.4(a).
“Priority
Lien” means a Lien granted by a security document
to the Collateral Trustee, at any time, upon any property of the
Company or any other Guarantor to secure Priority Lien
Obligations.
“Priority Lien
Claimholder” means, at any relevant time, the
holders of any Priority Lien Obligations at that time, including
the Priority Lien Representatives.
“Priority Lien
Debt” means:
(1)
Indebtedness of the Company (which may be guaranteed by the
Guarantors) under the First Lien Term Loan Agreement that was
permitted to be incurred and secured under each applicable Secured
Debt Document (or as to which the lenders under such Credit
Agreement obtained an officers’ certificate at the time of
incurrence to the effect that such Indebtedness was permitted to be
incurred and secured by all applicable Secured Debt Documents);
(2)
any other Indebtedness of the Company (which may be guaranteed by
the Guarantors) that is secured by a Priority Lien that was
permitted to be incurred and so secured under each applicable
Secured Debt Document; provided , in the case of any
Indebtedness referred to in this clause (2), that:
(a)
on or before the date on which such Indebtedness is incurred, such
Indebtedness is designated by the Company, in an officers’
certificate delivered to each Secured Debt Representative and the
Collateral Trustee, as “Priority Lien Debt” for the
purposes of the Secured Debt Documents; provided that no
Series of Secured Debt may be designated as both Parity Lien Debt
and Priority Lien Debt;
(b)
such Indebtedness is governed by an indenture, credit agreement or
other agreement that includes a Lien Sharing and Priority
Confirmation; and
(c)
all requirements set forth in the Collateral Trust Agreement as to
the confirmation, grant or perfection of the Collateral
Trustee’s Lien to secure such Indebtedness or Obligations in
respect thereof are satisfied (and the satisfaction of such
requirements and the other provisions of this clause (c) will be
conclusively established if
14
the
Company delivers to the Collateral Trustee an officers’
certificate stating that such requirements and other provisions
have been satisfied and that such Indebtedness is “Priority
Lien Debt”); and
(3)
Hedging Obligations of the Company (which may be guaranteed by the
Guarantors) incurred to hedge or manage interest rate risk with
respect to Priority Lien Debt or Parity Lien Debt, or to protect
the Company against fluctuations in currency exchange risks or
commodity prices; provided that:
(a)
such Hedging Obligations are secured by a Priority Lien on all of
the assets and properties that secure the Priority Lien Debt in
respect of which such Hedging Obligations are incurred; and
(b)
such Priority Lien is senior to or on a parity with the Priority
Liens securing the Priority Lien Debt in respect of which such
Hedging Obligations are incurred.
“Priority Lien
Default” means an “Event of Default”
(as defined in any of the Priority Lien Documents), which is no
longer subject to any applicable cure or notice period.
“Priority Lien
Documents” means the First Lien Term Loan
Documents and any other indenture, credit agreement or other
agreement pursuant to which any Priority Lien Debt is incurred and
the related Security Documents (other than any Security Documents
that do not secure Priority Lien Obligations).
“Priority Lien
Mortgages” means a collective reference to each
First Lien Term Loan Mortgage and each other mortgage, deed of
trust and other document or instrument under which any Lien on real
property owned or leased by any Grantor is granted to secure any
Priority Lien Obligations or (except for this Agreement and the
Collateral Trust Agreement) under which rights or remedies with
respect to any such Liens are governed.
“Priority Lien
Obligations” means the Priority Lien Debt and all
other Obligations in respect of Priority Lien Debt.
“Priority Lien
Representative” means (1) the First Lien Term Loan
Agent or (2) in the case of any other Series of Priority Lien Debt,
the trustee, agent or representative of the holders of such Series
of Priority Lien Debt who maintains the transfer register for such
Series of Priority Lien Debt and is appointed as a representative
of the Priority Lien Debt (for purposes related to the
administration of the Security Documents) pursuant to the credit
agreement or other agreement governing such Series of Priority Lien
Debt.
“Priority Lien
Standstill Period” has the meaning set forth in
Section 3.1(a)(1).
“Real Estate
Asset” means, at any time of determination, any
interest (fee, leasehold or otherwise) then owned by the Company or
any Grantor in any real property.
“Records”
means all present and future “records” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC).
15
“Recovery”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.
“Refinance”
means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew,
defease, amend, modify, supplement, restructure, replace, refund or
repay, or to issue other indebtedness, in exchange or replacement
for, such Indebtedness in whole or in part. “Refinanced” and
“Refinancing” shall have
correlative meanings.
“Revolving
Commitments” means the “Revolving
Commitments,” (as such term is defined in the Revolving
Credit Agreement).
“Revolving Credit
Agent” has the meaning assigned to that term in
the preamble to this Agreement.
“Revolving Credit
Agreement” has the meaning assigned to that term
in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Revolving Credit
Claimholders” means, at any relevant time, the
holders of Revolving Credit Obligations at that time, including the
Revolving Credit Lenders and the agents under the Revolving Credit
Loan Documents.
“Revolving Credit
Collateral” means all now owned or hereafter
acquired: (a) Accounts, other than “payment
intangibles” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC) which
constitute identifiable proceeds of Shared Collateral, (b) all
Inventory or documents of title for any Inventory; (c) Deposit
Accounts, Securities Accounts (including all cash, marketable
securities and other funds held in or on deposit in either of the
foregoing) Instruments (including Intercompany Notes of
Subsidiaries) and Chattel Paper; provided , however ,
that to the extent that Instruments or Chattel Paper constitute
identifiable proceeds of Shared Collateral or Separate Collateral
or other identifiable proceeds of Shared Collateral or Separate
Collateral are deposited or held in any such Bank Accounts or
Securities Accounts after an Enforcement Notice, then (as provided
in Section 3.5 below) such Instruments, Chattel Paper or other
identifiable proceeds shall be treated as Shared Collateral or
Separate Collateral, as the case may be; (d) Revolving Credit
General Intangibles; (e) Records, “supporting
obligations” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC) and
related Letters of Credit, commercial tort claims or other claims
and causes of action, in each case, to the extent related primarily
to any of the foregoing; and (f) substitutions, replacements,
accessions, products and proceeds (including, without limitation,
insurance proceeds, licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims,
damages and proceeds of suit) of any or all of the foregoing.
“Revolving Credit
Collateral Documents” means the “Collateral
Documents” (as defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement) and
any other agreement, document or instrument pursuant to which a
Lien is granted securing any Revolving Credit Obligations or under
which rights or remedies with respect to such Liens are
governed.
“Revolving Credit
Default” means an “Event of Default”
(as defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement).
“Revolving Credit
General Intangibles” means all General Intangibles
pertaining to the other items of property included within clauses
(a), (b), (c), (e), and (f) of the
16
definition of Revolving Credit Collateral,
including, without limitation, all contingent rights with respect
to warranties on Inventory or Accounts which are not yet
“payment intangibles” (as defined in Article 9 of
the UCC).
“Revolving Credit
Lenders” has the meaning assigned to that term in
the recitals to this Agreement.
“Revolving Credit Loan
Documents” means the Revolving Credit Agreement,
the Revolving Credit Collateral Documents and the other Credit
Documents (as defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement) and each
of the other agreements, documents and instruments providing for or
evidencing any other Revolving Credit Obligation, and any other
document or instrument executed or delivered at any time in
connection with any Revolving Credit Obligations, including any
intercreditor or joinder agreement among holders of Revolving
Credit Obligations, to the extent such are effective at the
relevant time, as each may be amended, supplemented, refunded,
deferred, restructured, replaced or refinanced from time to time in
whole or in part (whether with the Revolving Credit Agent and
Revolving Credit Lenders or other agents and lenders or otherwise),
in each case in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
“Revolving Credit
Obligations” means all Obligations outstanding
under the Revolving Credit Agreement and the other Revolving Credit
Loan Documents. “Revolving Credit Obligations” shall
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 Revolving Credit
Loan Document whether or not the claim for such interest is allowed
as a claim in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.
“Revolving Credit
Standstill Period” has the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(a)(1).
“Secured
Debt” means, collectively, all Parity Lien Debt
and Priority Lien Debt.
“Secured Debt
Claimholders” means, collectively, all Parity Lien
Claimholders and Priority Lien Claimholders.
“Secured Debt
Default” means a Parity Lien Default or a Priority
Lien Default.
“Secured Debt Collateral
Documents” means the “Collateral
Documents” as respectively defined in the First Lien Term
Loan Agreement and any other agreement, document or instrument
pursuant to which a Lien is granted securing any Secured Debt
Obligations or under which rights or remedies with respect to such
Liens are governed.
“Secured Debt
Documents” means the Collateral Trust Agreement,
the Parity Lien Documents and the Priority Lien Documents.
“Secured Debt
Obligations” means, collectively, all Parity Lien
Obligations and Priority Lien Obligations.
17
“Secured Debt
Representative” means each Parity Lien
Representative and each Priority Lien Representative.
“Secured Leverage
Ratio” means the “Secured Leverage
Ratio” as defined in the Senior Secured Note Indentures.
“Securities
Accounts” means
all present and future “securities accounts” (as
defined in Article 8 of the UCC), including all monies,
“uncertificated securities,” and “securities
entitlements” (as defined in Article 8 of the UCC)
contained therein.
“Security
Documents” means this Agreement, the Collateral
Trust Agreement, each Lien Sharing and Priority Confirmation, and
all security agreements, pledge agreements, collateral assignments,
mortgages, deeds of trust, collateral agency agreements, control
agreements or other grants or transfers for security executed and
delivered by the Company or any other Grantor creating (or
purporting to create) a Lien upon Collateral in favor of the
Collateral Trustee, as each may be amended, supplemented, refunded,
deferred, restructured, replaced or refinanced from time to time in
whole or in part (whether with the First Lien Term Loan Agent,
First Lien Term Loan Lenders, the Trustees and Noteholders existing
on the date of this Agreement or other agents, lenders, trustees
and Noteholders or otherwise), in each case in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement.
“Senior
Secured Note Indentures” means,
collectively, the % Senior Secured Notes
Indenture and the Floating Rate Notes Indenture.
“Separate
Collateral” means Stock of Subsidiaries and
Intercompany Notes of Subsidiaries unless, at the relevant time of
consideration, such Intercompany Notes of Subsidiaries secure
Revolving Credit Obligations.
“Series of
Parity Lien
Debt” means, severally, the Notes and each other
issue or series of Parity Lien Debt for which a single transfer
register is maintained.
“Series
of Priority Lien
Debt” means, severally, the Indebtedness
outstanding under the First Lien Term Loan Agreement and any other
credit facility that constitutes Priority Lien Debt.
“Series
of Secured Debt” means each Series of
Parity Lien Debt and each Series of Priority Lien Debt.
“
Shared
Collateral”
means all now owned or hereafter acquired Collateral other than the
Revolving Credit Collateral, including, without limitation all: (a)
Equipment; (b) Real Estate Assets; (c) Intellectual Property; (d)
Shared Lien General Intangibles; (e) documents of title related to
Equipment; (f) Records, “supporting obligations” (as
defined in Article 9 of the UCC) and related Letters of
Credit, commercial tort claims or other claims and causes of
action, in each case, to the extent related primarily to the
foregoing; and (g) substitutions, replacements, accessions,
products and proceeds (including, without limitation, insurance
proceeds, licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages
and proceeds of suit) of any or all of the foregoing.
18
“Shared Lien General
Intangibles” means all General Intangibles which
are not Revolving Credit General Intangibles.
“Stock of
Subsidiaries” means all Capital Stock of, and
Equity Interests in, Subsidiaries of the Company.
“Subsidiary”
means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1)
any corporation, association or other business entity of which more
than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock
entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and
after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’
agreement that effectively transfers voting power) to vote in the
election of directors, managers, trustees of the corporation,
association or other business entity is at the time owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more
of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination
thereof); and
(2)
any partnership (A) the sole general partner or the managing
general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such
Person or (B) the only general partners of which are that Person or
one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination
thereof); provided , however , that notwithstanding
the foregoing, Rumford Cogeneration Company Limited Partnership, a
Maine limited partnership, shall not constitute a Subsidiary of the
Borrower, unless and until the Borrower directly or indirectly
acquires all of the limited partner interests therein.
“Subsidiary
Guarantors” has the meaning assigned to that term
in the preamble of this Agreement.
“Subsidiary
Stock” means
all present and future equity securities of Subsidiaries of
Holdings.
“Trademark
Licenses” means any and all present and future
agreements providing for the granting of any right in or to
Trademarks (whether such Grantor is licensee or licensor
thereunder).
“Trademarks”
means all present and future United States, and foreign trademarks,
trade names, corporate names, company names, business names,
fictitious business names, Internet domain names, service marks,
certification marks, collective marks, logos, other source or
business identifiers, designs and general intangibles of a like
nature, all registrations and applications for any of the foregoing
including, but not limited to: (i) all extensions or renewals of
any of the foregoing, (ii) all of the goodwill of the business
connected with the use of and symbolized by the foregoing, and
(iii) the right to sue for past, present and future infringement or
dilution of any of the foregoing or for any injury to goodwill.
“Trade Secret
Licenses” means any and all present and future
agreements providing for the granting of any right in or to Trade
Secrets (whether such Grantor is licensee or licensor
thereunder).
19
“Trade
Secrets” means all present and future trade
secrets and other confidential or proprietary information and
know-how, regardless of whether such Trade Secret has been reduced
to a writing or other tangible form, including all documents and
things embodying, incorporating, or referring in any way to such
Trade Secret, including but not limited to the right to sue for
past, present and future misappropriation or other violation of any
Trade Secret.
“Trustees”
has the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this
Agreement.
“UCC”
means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in
the State of New York or when the context implies, the Uniform
Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in any other
applicable jurisdiction.
“Voting
Stock” of any specified Person as of any date
means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled
to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such
Person.
1.2
Terms Generally . The definitions of terms in this Agreement
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, restated, supplemented, modified, renewed or extended;
(b)
any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include
such Person’s permitted 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;
(e)
all references to terms defined in the New York UCC shall have the
meaning ascribed to them therein (unless otherwise specifically
defined herein); and
(f)
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.
Whenever any term used in this Agreement is
defined or otherwise incorporated by reference to the Senior
Secured Note Indentures, such reference shall be deemed to have
the
20
same effect as if the definition of such term
had been independently set forth herein in full, and such term
shall continue to have the meaning established pursuant to the
Senior Secured Note Indentures (subject to the immediately
preceding sentence of this subsection) notwithstanding the
termination of the Senior Secured Note Indentures or redemption of
all Secured Debt Obligations evidenced thereby.
II.
LIEN PRIORITIES.
2.1
Relative Priorities . Notwithstanding the date, time,
method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any
Liens securing the Secured Debt Obligations granted on the
Collateral or of any Liens securing the Revolving Credit
Obligations granted on the Collateral and notwithstanding any
provision of any UCC, or any other applicable law or the Revolving
Credit Loan Documents or the Secured Debt Documents or any defect
or deficiencies in, or failure to perfect, the Liens securing the
Revolving Credit Obligations or Secured Debt Obligations or any
other circumstance whatsoever, the Revolving Credit Agent, on
behalf of itself and/or the Revolving Credit Claimholders, the
Collateral Trustee and each Secured Debt Representative, for itself
on behalf of the respective Secured Debt Claimholders hereby each
agrees that:
(a)
any Lien of the Revolving Credit Agent on the Revolving Credit
Collateral, whether now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the
Revolving Credit Agent or any Revolving Credit Claimholder or any
agent or trustee therefore, regardless of how acquired, whether by
grant, possession, statute, operation of law, subrogation or
otherwise, shall be senior in all respects and prior to any Lien on
the Revolving Credit Collateral securing any Secured Debt
Obligations; and
(b)
any Lien of the Collateral Trustee or any Secured Debt
Representative on the Shared Collateral or the Separate Collateral,
whether now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the Collateral
Trustee or any Secured Debt Representative, any Secured Debt
Claimholder or any agent or trustee therefore regardless of how
acquired, whether by grant, possession, statute, operation of law,
subrogation or otherwise, shall be senior in all respects to any
Liens on the Shared Collateral or Separate Collateral which may
secure any Revolving Credit Obligations.
2.2
Prohibition on Contesting Liens . The Revolving Credit
Agent, Revolving Credit Claimholders, the Collateral Trustee, each
Secured Debt Representative and the Secured Debt Claimholders, each
agrees that it will not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or
support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding
(including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the
perfection, priority, validity or enforceability of a Lien held by
or on behalf of any of the Revolving Credit Claimholders or any of
the Secured Debt Claimholders in all or any part of the Collateral,
or the provisions of this Agreement; provided that nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the
rights of the either the Revolving Credit Agent or any Revolving
Credit Claimholder, the Collateral Trustee, or the Secured Debt
Representatives or any Secured Debt Claimholder to enforce this
Agreement, including the provisions of this Agreement relating to
the priority of the Liens securing the Obligations as provided in
Sections 2.1, 3.1 and 3.2.
21
2.3
No New Liens . So long as the Discharge of Revolving Credit
Obligations and the Discharge of Secured Debt Obligations have not
occurred, whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding
has been commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor,
the Revolving Credit Agent, Revolving Credit Claimholders, the
Collateral Trustee, the Secured Debt Representatives and the
Secured Debt Claimholders, each agree that the Company shall not,
and shall not permit any other Grantor to:
(a)
grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property to
secure any Priority Lien Obligation unless it has granted or
concurrently grants a Lien on such asset or property to secure all
of the Priority Lien Obligations;
(b)
grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property to
secure any Parity Lien Obligations, unless it has granted or
concurrently grants a Lien on such asset or property to secure all
of the Secured Debt Obligations (except, with respect to Parity
Lien Obligations, Separate Collateral); or
(c)
grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property to
secure any Revolving Credit Obligations unless it has granted or
concurrently grants a Lien on such asset or property to secure the
Priority Lien Obligations.
To
the extent any additional Liens are granted on any asset or
property pursuant to this Section 2.3, the priority of such
additional Liens shall be determined in accordance with
Section 2.1 (and with respect to priorities among the Parity
Liens and Priority Liens, also the terms of the Collateral Trust
Agreement). In addition, to the extent that the foregoing
provisions are not complied with for any reason, without limiting
any other rights and remedies available hereunder, the Revolving
Credit Agent, the Collateral Trustee and each Secured Debt
Representative, agree that any amounts received by or distributed
to any of them pursuant to or as a result of Liens granted in
contravention of this Section 2.3 shall be subject to
Section 4.2.
III.
ENFORCEMENT.
3.1
Exercise of Remedies – Restrictions on Collateral Trustee,
and Secured Debt Representatives and Secured Debt Claimholders
.
(a)
Until the Discharge of Revolving Credit Obligations has occurred,
whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been
commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor, the
Collateral Trustee and each Secured Debt Representative and Secured
Debt Claimholder:
(1)
will not exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies with
respect to any Revolving Credit Collateral (including the exercise
of any right of setoff or any right under any Account Agreement,
landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or similar agreement or
arrangement to which the Collateral Agent, any Secured Debt
Representative or any Secured Debt Claimholder is a party) or
institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or
remedies (including any action of foreclosure); provided ,
however , that the Collateral Trustee may exercise any or
all such rights or remedies after the passage of a period of at
least 180 days has elapsed since the later of: (i) the date on
which a Priority Lien Representative first declares the existence
of a Priority Lien Default and demands
22
the
repayment of all the principal amount of any Priority Lien
Obligations; and (ii) the date on which the Revolving Credit Agent
received notice from the Collateral Trustee of such declarations of
a Priority Lien Default, (the “Priority Lien Standstill
Period” ); provided , further ,
however , that notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, in no event shall the Collateral Trustee, any Secured
Debt Representative or any Secured Debt Claimholder exercise any
rights or remedies with respect to the Revolving Credit Collateral
if, notwithstanding the expiration of the Priority Lien Standstill
Period, the Revolving Credit Agent or Revolving Credit Claimholders
shall have commenced and be diligently pursuing the exercise of
their rights or remedies with respect to all or any material
portion of such Revolving Credit Collateral (prompt notice of such
exercise to be given to the Collateral Trustee);
(2)
will not contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding
or action brought by the Revolving Credit Agent or any Revolving
Credit Claimholder or any other exercise by the Revolving Credit
Agent or any Revolving Credit Claimholder of any rights and
remedies relating to the Revolving Credit Collateral, whether under
the Revolving Credit Loan Documents or otherwise; and
(3)
subject to their rights under clause (a)(l) above and except as may
be permitted
|