Exhibit 10.1
CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of August 20 ,
2009
by and among
CARAUSTAR INDUSTRIES,
INC.
AND CERTAIN OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES,
as Borrowers,
THE OTHER CREDIT PARTIES SIGNATORY
HERETO,
as Credit Parties,
THE LENDERS SIGNATORY HERETO FROM
TIME TO TIME,
as Lenders,
GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL
CORPORATION,
as Administrative Agent,
and
GE CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.,
as Lead Arranger
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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1.
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AMOUNT AND
TERMS OF CREDIT
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4
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1.1
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Credit
Facilities
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4
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1.2
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Letters of
Credit
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7
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1.2A
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Swap Related
Reimbursement Obligations
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7
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1.3
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Prepayments
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8
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1.4
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Use of
Proceeds
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11
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1.5
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Interest and
Applicable Margins
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11
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1.6
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Eligible
Accounts
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13
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1.7
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Eligible
Inventory
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15
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1.8
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Cash Management
Systems
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17
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1.9
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Fees
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17
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1.10
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Receipt of
Payments
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17
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1.11
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Application and
Allocation of Payments
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18
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1.12
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Loan Account
and Accounting
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18
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1.13
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Indemnity
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19
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1.14
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Access
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20
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1.15
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Taxes
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21
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1.16
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Capital
Adequacy; Increased Costs; Illegality
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22
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1.17
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Single
Loan
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24
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1.18
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Bank
Products
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24
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2.
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CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
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24
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2.1
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Conditions to
the Initial Loans
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24
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2.2
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Further
Conditions to Each Loan
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25
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3.
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
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26
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3.1
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Corporate
Existence; Compliance with Law
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26
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3.2
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Executive
Offices, Collateral Locations, FEIN
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27
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3.3
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Corporate
Power, Authorization, Enforceable Obligations
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27
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3.4
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Financial
Statements and Projections
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27
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3.5
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Material
Adverse Effect
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28
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3.6
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Ownership of
Property; Liens
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28
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3.7
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Labor
Matters
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29
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3.8
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Ventures,
Subsidiaries and Affiliates; Outstanding Stock and
Indebtedness
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29
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3.9
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Government
Regulation
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29
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3.10
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Margin
Regulations
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30
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3.11
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Taxes
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30
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3.12
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ERISA
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30
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3.13
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No
Litigation
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31
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3.14
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Brokers
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31
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3.15
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Intellectual
Property
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31
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3.16
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Full
Disclosure
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32
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3.17
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Environmental
Matters
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32
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3.18
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Insurance
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33
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3.19
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Deposit and
Disbursement Accounts
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33
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3.20
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Government
Contracts
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33
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3.21
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Customer and
Trade Relations
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33
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3.22
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Bonding;
Licenses
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33
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3.23
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Solvency
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33
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3.24
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Term
Notes
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33
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3.25
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Intentionally
Omitted
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34
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3.26
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Anti-Terrorism
Laws
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34
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4.
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FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION
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34
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4.1
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Reports and
Notices
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34
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4.2
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Communication
with Accountants and Other Financial Advisors
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34
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5.
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AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
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35
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5.1
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Maintenance of
Existence and Conduct of Business
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35
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5.2
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Payment of
Charges
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35
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5.3
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Books and
Records
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35
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5.4
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Insurance;
Damage to or Destruction of Collateral
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35
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5.5
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Compliance with
Laws
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37
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5.6
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Supplemental
Disclosure
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37
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5.7
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Intellectual
Property
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37
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5.8
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Environmental
Matters
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37
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ii
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5.9
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Landlords’ Agreements, Mortgagee
Agreements, Bailee Letters and Real Estate Purchases
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38
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5.10
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Intentionally
Omitted
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39
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5.11
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Further
Assurances
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39
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5.12
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New
Subsidiaries
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39
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6.
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NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
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40
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6.1
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Mergers,
Subsidiaries, Etc.
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40
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6.2
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Investments;
Loans and Advances
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40
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6.3
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Indebtedness
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41
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6.4
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Employee Loans
and Affiliate Transactions
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42
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6.5
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Capital
Structure and Business
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42
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6.6
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Guaranteed
Indebtedness
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42
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6.7
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Liens
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42
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6.8
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Sale of Stock
and Assets
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43
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6.9
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ERISA
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43
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6.10
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Financial
Covenants
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43
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6.11
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Hazardous
Materials
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44
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6.12
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Sale-Leasebacks
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44
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6.13
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Cancellation of
Indebtedness
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44
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6.14
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Restricted
Payments
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44
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6.15
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Change of
Corporate Name, State of Incorporation or Location; Change of
Fiscal Year
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44
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6.16
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No Impairment
of Intercompany Transfers
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44
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6.17
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No Speculative
Transactions
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45
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6.18
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Real Estate
Purchases
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45
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6.19
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Anti-Terrorism
Laws
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45
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6.20
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Changes
Relating to Material Contracts
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45
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6.21
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Term Note
Documents
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45
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7.
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TERM
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46
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7.1
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Termination
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46
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7.2
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Survival of
Obligations Upon Termination of Financing Arrangements
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46
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8.
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EVENTS OF
DEFAULT; RIGHTS AND REMEDIES
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46
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8.1
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Events of
Default
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46
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iii
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8.2
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Remedies
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48
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8.3
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Waivers by
Credit Parties
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49
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9.
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ASSIGNMENT AND
PARTICIPATIONS; APPOINTMENT OF AGENT
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49
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9.1
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Assignment and
Participations
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49
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9.2
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Appointment of
Agent
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52
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9.3
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Agent’s
Reliance, Etc.
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52
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9.4
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GE Capital and
Affiliates
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53
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9.5
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Lender Credit
Decision
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53
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9.6
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Indemnification
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53
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9.7
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Successor
Agent
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54
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9.8
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Setoff and
Sharing of Payments
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54
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9.9
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Advances;
Payments; Non-Funding Lenders; Information; Actions in
Concert
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55
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10.
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SUCCESSORS AND
ASSIGNS
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57
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10.1
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Successors and
Assigns
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57
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11.
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MISCELLANEOUS
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58
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11.1
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Complete
Agreement; Modification of Agreement
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58
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11.2
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Amendments and
Waivers
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58
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11.3
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Fees and
Expenses
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60
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11.4
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No
Waiver
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61
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11.5
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Remedies
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61
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11.6
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Severability
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61
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11.7
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Conflict of
Terms
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62
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11.8
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Confidentiality
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62
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11.9
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GOVERNING
LAW
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62
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11.10
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Notices
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63
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11.11
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Section
Titles
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64
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11.12
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Counterparts
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64
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11.13
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WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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64
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11.14
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Press Releases
and Related Matters
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64
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11.15
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Reinstatement
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64
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11.16
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Advice of
Counsel
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65
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11.17
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No Strict
Construction
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65
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iv
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12.
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CROSS-GUARANTY
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65
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12.1
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Cross-Guaranty
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65
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12.2
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Waivers by
Borrowers
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66
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12.3
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Benefit of
Guaranty
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66
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12.4
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Waiver of
Subrogation, Etc.
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66
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12.5
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Election of
Remedies
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66
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12.6
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Limitation
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67
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12.7
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Contribution
with Respect to Guaranty Obligations
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67
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12.8
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Liability
Cumulative
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68
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12.9
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Subordination
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68
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v
INDEX OF
APPENDICES
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Annex A (Recitals)
Annex B ( Section 1.2 )
Annex C ( Section 1.8 )
Annex D ( Section 2.1(a) )
Annex E ( Section 4.1 a )
Annex F
( Section 4.1(b) )
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—
—
—
—
—
—
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Definitions
Letters of Credit
Cash Management System
Closing Checklist
Financial Statements and Projections -
Reporting
Collateral Reports
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Annex G ( Section 6.10 )
Annex H ( Section 9.9(a) )
Annex I
( Section 11.10 )
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—
—
—
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Financial Covenants
Lenders’ Wire Transfer
Information
Notice Addresses
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Annex J (from Annex A
Commitments definition)
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—
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Commitments as
of Closing Date
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Exhibit 1.1 (a)(i)
Exhibit 1.1 (a)(ii)
Exhibit 1.1 (c)(ii)
Exhibit 1.5(e)
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—
—
—
—
|
|
Form of Notice of Revolving Credit
Advance
Form of Revolving Note
Form of Swing Line Note
Form of Notice of
Conversion/Continuation
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Exhibit 4.1(b)
Exhibit 9.1(a)
Exhibit B-1
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—
—
—
|
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Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
Form of Assignment Agreement
Application for Standby Letter of
Credit
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Schedule 1.1
Schedule 1.3(b)
Schedule 1.4
Schedule 3.1
Schedule 3.2
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—
—
—
—
—
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Agent’s Representatives
Permitted Dispositions
Sources and Uses; Funds Flow
Memorandum
Type of Entity; State of Organization
Executive Offices, Collateral
Locations, FEIN
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Schedule 3.4(a)
Schedule 3.4(c)
Schedule 3.5
Schedule 3.6
Schedule 3.7
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—
—
—
—
—
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Financial Statements
Projections
Material Adverse Effect
Real Estate and Leases
Labor Matters
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Schedule 3.8
Schedule 3.12
Schedule 3.13
Schedule 3.14
Schedule 3.15
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—
—
—
—
—
|
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Ventures, Subsidiaries and Affiliates;
Outstanding Stock
ERISA Plans
Litigation
Brokers
Intellectual Property
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Schedule 3.17
Schedule 3.18
Schedule 3.19
Schedule 3.20
Schedule 3.21
Schedule 3.22
Schedule 6.2
Schedule 6.3
Schedule 6.4(a)
Schedule 6.7
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—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
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|
Hazardous Materials
Insurance
Deposit and Disbursement Accounts
Government Contracts
Customer Relations
Bonding; Licensing
Investments
Indebtedness
Affiliate Transactions
Liens
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Schedule 6.16
Schedule E-1
Schedule F-1
Schedule R-1
Schedule S-1
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—
—
—
—
—
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|
Intercompany Transfers
Existing Letters of Credit
Deemed EBITDA and Fixed Charges
Mortgaged Properties
Significant Subsidiaries
|
This CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement ”), dated as of August 20, 2009 among
CARAUSTAR INDUSTRIES, INC., a Delaware corporation and
successor-by-merger to Caraustar Industries, Inc., a North Carolina
corporation (“ Parent ”), CARAUSTAR CUSTOM
PACKAGING GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation (“ Custom
Packaging ”), CARAUSTAR RECOVERED FIBER GROUP, INC., a
Delaware corporation (“ Fiber ”), CARAUSTAR
INDUSTRIAL AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP, INC., a Delaware
corporation (“ Caraustar Industrial ”),
CARAUSTAR MILL GROUP, INC., an Ohio corporation (“
Caraustar Mill Group ”), SPRAGUE PAPERBOARD, INC., a
Connecticut corporation (“ Sprague ”), PBL INC.,
a Delaware corporation (“ PBL ”), GYPSUM MGC,
INC., a Delaware corporation (“ Gypsum MGC ”),
MCQUEENEY GYPSUM COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (“
McQueeney Gypsum ”), CARAUSTAR, G.P., a South Carolina
general partnership (“ Caraustar GP ”), MCQUEENY
GYPSUM COMPANY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“
McQueeny Gypsum LLC ”), RECCMG, LLC, a Georgia limited
liability company (“ RECCMG ”), FEDERAL
TRANSPORT, INC., an Ohio corporation (“ Federal
”), AUSTELL HOLDING COMPANY, LLC, a Georgia limited liability
company (“ Austell ”), CAMDEN PAPERBOARD
CORPORATION, a New Jersey corporation (“ Camden
”), CHICAGO PAPERBOARD CORPORATION, an Illinois corporation
(“ Chicago ”), HALIFAX PAPER BOARD COMPANY,
INC., a North Carolina corporation (“ Halifax
”), CARAUSTAR CUSTOM PACKAGING GROUP (MARYLAND), INC., a
Maryland corporation (“ Custom Packaging MD ”),
and PARAGON PLASTICS, INC., a South Carolina corporation (“
Paragon ”; and together with Parent, Custom Packaging,
Fiber, Caraustar Industrial, Caraustar Mill Group, Sprague, PBL,
Gypsum MGC, McQueeney Gypsum, Caraustar GP, McQueeny Gypsum LLC,
RECCMG, Federal, Austell, Camden, Chicago, Halifax and Custom
Packaging MD are sometimes collectively referred to herein as
“ Borrowers ” and individually as a “
Borrower ”); the other Credit Parties signatory
hereto, if any; GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation (in its individual capacity, “ GE Capital
”), for itself, as Lender, and as administrative agent for
Lenders (“ Agent ”), Wells Fargo Foothill, LLC
and GE Capital, each as an L/C Issuer (an “ L/C Issuer
”) and the other Lenders signatory hereto from time to
time.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on May 31, 2009,
Borrowers and certain other Credit Parties (such Borrowers and
Credit Parties are sometimes collectively referred to herein as the
“ Debtors ” and individually as a “
Debtor ”) commenced Chapter 11 Case Nos.
09-73830, 09-73835 through 09-73837, 09-73839 through 09-73841,
09-73843 through 09-73851, 09-73853 through 09-73855, as
administratively consolidated at Chapter 11 Case
No. 09-73830 (each a “ Chapter 11 Case
” and collectively, the “ Chapter 11 Cases
”) by filing separate voluntary petitions for reorganization
under Chapter 11, 11 U.S.C. §§101 et seq .
(the “ Bankruptcy Code ”), with the United
States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia (the
“ Bankruptcy Court ”);
WHEREAS, Borrowers and certain other
Credit Parties entered into that certain Senior Secured,
Super-Priority Debtor-in-Possession Credit Agreement, dated
June 4, 2009 (as amended, modified or supplemented prior to
the date hereof, the “ DIP Credit Agreement ”),
among Borrowers, the other credit parties signatory thereto, GE
Capital, as agent, and the lenders from time to time signatory
thereto;
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WHEREAS, by order, dated
August 4, 2009, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed that certain
Debtors’ First Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization Under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, dated June 30, 2009, as
supplemented by the Plan Supplement dated and filed July 17,
2009 and the Annex to the Plan Supplement dated and filed
July 29, 2009 (the “ Plan of Reorganization
”), in accordance with §1129 of the Bankruptcy
Code;
WHEREAS, Borrowers have requested
that Lenders extend a revolving credit facility to Borrowers of up
to Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000) in the aggregate to
fund the working capital requirements of Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries, to pay administrative expenses and other emergence
costs, fees and expenses in respect of the Chapter 11 Cases, to pay
other obligations of Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, and for
other general business purposes, and to repay in full all
obligations under the DIP Credit Agreement;
WHEREAS, Lenders are willing to make
certain loans and other extensions of credit to Borrowers of up to
such amount upon the terms and conditions set forth
herein;
WHEREAS, Borrowers have agreed to
secure all of their Obligations under the Loan Documents by
granting to Agent, for the benefit of Agent and Lenders, a security
interest in and lien upon all of their existing and after-acquired
personal and real property; and
WHEREAS, Borrowers’ business
is a mutual and collective enterprise and Borrowers believe that
the consolidation of all loans and other financial accommodations
under this Agreement will enhance the aggregate borrowing powers of
Borrowers and their loan relationship with Agent and the Lenders,
all to the mutual advantage of Borrowers and their respective
Subsidiaries;
WHEREAS, each Borrower acknowledges
that it will receive substantial direct and indirect benefits by
reason of the making of loans and other financial accommodations to
the other Borrowers as provided in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, Agent’s and the
Lenders’ willingness to extend financial accommodations to
Borrowers, and to administer each Borrower’s collateral
security therefor, on a combined basis as more fully set forth in
this Agreement, is done solely as an accommodation to Borrowers and
at Borrowers’ request and in furtherance of Borrowers’
mutual and collective enterprise; and
WHEREAS, capitalized terms used in
this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to them in
Annex A and, for purposes of this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents, the rules of construction set forth in
Annex A shall govern. All Annexes, Schedules, Exhibits
and other attachments (collectively, “ Appendices
”) hereto, or expressly identified to this Agreement, are
incorporated herein by reference, and taken together with this
Agreement, shall constitute but a single agreement. These Recitals
shall be construed as part of the Agreement.
3
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, and
for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree
as follows:
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1.
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AMOUNT AND
TERMS OF CREDIT
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1.1 Credit Facilities
.
(a) Revolving Credit Facility
.
(i) Subject to the terms and
conditions hereof, each Revolving Lender agrees to make available
to Borrowers from time to time until the Commitment Termination
Date its Pro Rata Share of advances (each, a “ Revolving
Credit Advance ”). The Pro Rata Share of the Revolving
Loan of any Revolving Lender shall not at any time exceed its
separate Revolving Loan Commitment. The obligations of each
Revolving Lender hereunder shall be several and not joint. Until
the Commitment Termination Date, Borrowers may borrow, repay and
reborrow under this Section 1.1(a) ; provided ,
that the amount of any Revolving Credit Advance to be made at any
time shall not exceed Borrowing Availability at such time.
Borrowing Availability may be reduced by Reserves (without
duplication of any Reserve included in the calculation of the
Borrowing Base) imposed by Agent in its reasonable credit judgment.
Each Revolving Credit Advance shall be made on notice by Borrower
Representative on behalf of the applicable Borrower to one of the
representatives of Agent identified in Schedule (1.1)
at the address specified therein. Any such notice must be
given no later than (1) 12:00 noon (New York time) on the
Business Day of the proposed Revolving Credit Advance, in the case
of an Index Rate Loan, or (2) 12:00 noon (New York time) on
the date which is three (3) Business Days prior to the
proposed Revolving Credit Advance, in the case of a LIBOR Loan.
Each such notice (a “ Notice of Revolving Credit
Advance ”) must be given in writing (by telecopy or
overnight courier) substantially in the form of Exhibit
1.1(a)(i) , and shall include the information required in such
Exhibit and such other information as may be required by Agent. If
any Borrower desires to have the Revolving Credit Advances bear
interest by reference to a LIBOR Rate, Borrower Representative must
comply with Section 1.5(e) .
(ii) Each Borrower shall, if
requested by a Revolving Lender, jointly execute and deliver to
such Revolving Lender a note to evidence the Revolving Loan
Commitment of that Revolving Lender. Each note shall be in the
principal amount of the Revolving Loan Commitment of the applicable
Revolving Lender, dated the Closing Date (or such “effective
date” as set forth under any Assignment Agreement) and
substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.1(a)(ii) (each a
“ Revolving Note ” and, collectively, the
“ Revolving Notes ”). Each Revolving Note shall
represent the obligation of the applicable Borrower to pay the
amount of the applicable Revolving Lender’s Revolving Loan
Commitment or, if less, such Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata
Share of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving
Credit Advances to such Borrower together with interest thereon as
prescribed in Section 1.5 . The entire unpaid balance
of the aggregate Revolving Loan and all other non-contingent
Obligations shall be immediately due and payable in full in
immediately available funds on the Commitment Termination
Date.
4
(b) Intentionally Omitted
.
(c) Swing Line Facility
.
(i) Agent shall notify the Swing
Line Lender upon Agent’s receipt of any Notice of Revolving
Credit Advance. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the
Swing Line Lender may, in its discretion, make available from time
to time until the Commitment Termination Date advances (each, a
“ Swing Line Advance ”) in accordance with any
such notice. The provisions of this Section 1.1(c)
shall not relieve Revolving Lenders of their obligations to make
Revolving Credit Advances under Section 1.1(a) ;
provided that if the Swing Line Lender makes a Swing Line
Advance pursuant to any such notice, such Swing Line Advance shall
be in lieu of any Revolving Credit Advance that otherwise may be
made by Revolving Credit Lenders pursuant to such notice. The
aggregate amount of Swing Line Advances outstanding shall not
exceed at any time the lesser of (A) the Swing Line Commitment
and (B) the lesser of the Maximum Amount and the Borrowing
Base, in each case, less the outstanding balance of the Revolving
Loan at such time (“ Swing Line Availability ”).
Until the Commitment Termination Date, Borrowers may from time to
time borrow, repay and reborrow under this
Section 1.1(c) . Each Swing Line Advance shall be made
pursuant to a Notice of Revolving Credit Advance delivered to Agent
by Borrower Representative on behalf of the applicable Borrower in
accordance with Section 1.1(a) . Any such notice must
be given no later than 12:00 noon (New York time) on the Business
Day of the proposed Swing Line Advance. Unless the Swing Line
Lender has received at least one Business Day’s prior written
notice from Requisite Lenders instructing it not to make a Swing
Line Advance, the Swing Line Lender shall, notwithstanding the
failure of any condition precedent set forth in
Section 2.2 , be entitled to fund that Swing Line
Advance, and to have each Revolving Lender make Revolving Credit
Advances in accordance with Section 1.1(c)(iii) or
purchase participating interests in accordance with
Section 1.1(c)(iv) . Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, the Swing
Line Loan shall constitute an Index Rate Loan. Borrowers shall
repay the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Swing Line
Loan upon demand therefor by Agent from the proceeds of a Revolving
Credit Advance, whether requested by Borrower Representative or by
Swing Line Lender on behalf of Borrowers in the manner provided in
Section 1.1(c)(iii) .
(ii) Each Borrower shall, if
requested by Swing Line Lender, jointly execute and deliver to the
Swing Line Lender a promissory note to evidence the Swing Line
Commitment. Such note shall be in the principal amount of the Swing
Line Commitment of the Swing Line Lender, dated the Closing Date
and substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.1(c)(ii) (the
“ Swing Line Note ”). The Swing Line Note shall
represent the obligation of each Borrower to pay the amount of the
Swing Line Commitment or, if less, the aggregate unpaid principal
amount of all Swing Line Advances made to such Borrower together
with interest thereon as prescribed in Section 1.5 .
The entire unpaid balance of the Swing Line Loan and all other
noncontingent Obligations shall be immediately due and payable in
full in immediately available funds on the Commitment Termination
Date if not sooner paid in full.
(iii) The Swing Line Lender, at any
time and from time to time no less frequently than once weekly
shall on behalf of any Borrower (and each Borrower hereby
irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so act on its
behalf) request each Revolving Lender (including the Swing Line
Lender) to make a Revolving Credit Advance to each
5
Borrower (which shall be an Index Rate Loan) in
an amount equal to that Revolving Lender’s Pro Rata Share of
the principal amount of the applicable Borrower’s Swing Line
Loan (the “ Refunded Swing Line Loan ”)
outstanding on the date such notice is given. Unless any of the
events described in Sections 8.1(h) or 8.1(i) has occurred
(in which event the procedures of Section 1.1(c)(iv)
shall apply) and regardless of whether the conditions precedent set
forth in this Agreement to the making of a Revolving Credit Advance
are then satisfied, each Revolving Lender shall disburse directly
to Agent, its Pro Rata Share of a Revolving Credit Advance on
behalf of the Swing Line Lender prior to 3:00 p.m. (New York time)
in immediately available funds on the Business Day next succeeding
the date that notice is given. The proceeds of those Revolving
Credit Advances shall be immediately paid to the Swing Line Lender
and applied to repay the Refunded Swing Line Loan of the applicable
Borrower.
(iv) If, prior to refunding a Swing
Line Loan with a Revolving Credit Advance pursuant to
Section 1.1(c)(iii) , one of the events described in
Sections 8.1(h) or 8.1(i) has occurred, then, subject to the
provisions of Section 1.1(c)(v) below, each Revolving
Lender shall, on the date such Revolving Credit Advance was to have
been made, purchase from the Swing Line Lender an undivided
participation interest in the Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to
its Pro Rata Share of such Swing Line Loan. Upon request, each
Revolving Lender shall promptly transfer to the Swing Line Lender,
in immediately available funds, the amount of its participation
interest.
(v) Each Revolving Lender’s
obligation to make Revolving Credit Advances in accordance with
Section 1.1(c)(iii) and to purchase participation
interests in accordance with Section 1.1(c)(iv) shall
be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any
circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim,
recoupment, defense or other right that such Revolving Lender may
have against the Swing Line Lender, any Borrower or any other
Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or
continuance of any Default or Event of Default; (C) any
inability of any Borrower to satisfy the conditions precedent to
borrowing set forth in this Agreement at any time or (D) any
other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not
similar to any of the foregoing. If any Revolving Lender does not
make available to Agent or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable,
the amount required pursuant to Sections 1.1(c)(iii) or
1.1(c)(iv) , as the case may be, the Swing Line Lender shall be
entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Revolving
Lender, together with interest thereon for each day from the date
of non-payment until such amount is paid in full at the Federal
Funds Rate for the first two (2) Business Days and at the
Index Rate thereafter.
(d) Reliance on Notices;
Appointment of Borrower Representative . Agent shall be
entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying
upon, any Notice of Revolving Credit Advance, Notice of
Conversion/Continuation or similar notice believed by Agent to be
genuine. Agent may assume that each Person executing and delivering
any notice in accordance herewith was duly authorized, unless the
responsible individual acting thereon for Agent has actual
knowledge to the contrary. Each Borrower hereby designates Parent
as its representative and agent on its behalf for the purposes of
issuing Notices of Revolving Credit Advances and Notices of
Conversion/Continuation, giving instructions with respect to the
disbursement of the proceeds of the Loans, selecting interest rate
options, requesting Letters of Credit, giving and receiving all
other notices and consents hereunder or under any of the other Loan
Documents and taking all other actions (including in respect of
compliance with covenants)
6
on behalf of any Borrower or Borrowers under the
Loan Documents. Borrower Representative hereby accepts such
appointment. Agent and each Lender may regard any notice or other
communication pursuant to any Loan Document from Borrower
Representative as a notice or communication from all Borrowers, and
may give any notice or communication required or permitted to be
given to any Borrower or Borrowers hereunder to Borrower
Representative on behalf of such Borrower or Borrowers. Each
Borrower agrees that each notice, election, representation and
warranty, covenant, agreement and undertaking made on its behalf by
Borrower Representative shall be deemed for all purposes to have
been made by such Borrower and shall be binding upon and
enforceable against such Borrower to the same extent as if the same
had been made directly by such Borrower.
1.2 Letters of Credit
.
(a) Subject to and in accordance
with the terms and conditions contained herein and in
Annex B , Borrower Representative, on behalf of the
applicable Borrower, shall have the right to request, and Revolving
Lenders agree to incur, or purchase participations in, Letter of
Credit Obligations in respect of each Borrower.
(b) On and as of the Closing Date,
all letters of credit issued for the account of Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries under the DIP Credit Agreement (the “
Existing Letters of Credit ”) as listed on Schedule
E-1 shall continue in place as Letters of Credit under this
Agreement and shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, Annex B . All
obligations under or in connection with the Existing Letters of
Credit shall constitute Letter of Credit Obligations
hereunder.
1.2A Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligations .
(a) Borrowers agree to reimburse GE
Capital in immediately available funds in the amount of any payment
made by GE Capital under a Swap Related L/C (such reimbursement
obligation, whether contingent upon payment by GE Capital under the
Swap Related L/C or otherwise, being herein called a “
Swap Related Reimbursement Obligation ”). No Swap
Related Reimbursement Obligation for any Swap Related L/C may
exceed the amount of the payment obligations owed by Borrowers
under the interest rate protection or hedging agreement or
transaction supported by the Swap Related L/C.
(b) A Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligation shall be due and payable by Borrowers within one
(1) Business Day after the date on which the related payment
is made by GE Capital under the Swap Related L/C.
(c) Any Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligation shall, during the period in which it is unpaid, bear
interest at the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate plus one
percent (1%), as if the unpaid amount of the Swap Related
Reimbursement Obligation were a LIBOR Loan, and not at any
otherwise applicable Default Rate. Such interest shall be payable
upon demand. The following additional provisions apply to the
calculation and charging of interest by reference to the LIBOR
Rate:
(i) The LIBOR Rate shall be
determined for each successive one-month LIBOR Period during which
the Swap Related Reimbursement Obligation is unpaid,
notwithstanding the occurrence of any Event of Default and even if
the LIBOR Period were to extend beyond the Commitment Termination
Date.
7
(ii) If a Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligation is paid during a monthly period for which the LIBOR Rate
is determined, interest shall be pro-rated and charged for the
portion of the monthly period during which the Swap Related
Reimbursement Obligation was unpaid. Section 1.13(b)
shall not apply to any payment of a Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligation during the monthly period.
(iii) Notwithstanding the last
paragraph of the definition of “LIBOR Rate”, if the
LIBOR Rate is no longer available from Reuters, the LIBOR Rate
shall be determined by GE Capital from such financial reporting
service or other information available to GE Capital as in GE
Capital’s reasonable discretion indicates GE Capital’s
cost of funds.
(d) Except as provided in the
foregoing provisions of this Section 1.2A and in
Section 11.3 , Borrowers shall not be obligated to pay
to GE Capital or any of its Affiliates any Letter of Credit Fee, or
any other fees, charges or expenses, in respect of a Swap Related
L/C or arranging for any interest rate protection or hedging
agreement or transaction supported by the Swap Related L/C. GE
Capital and its Affiliates shall look to the beneficiary of a Swap
Related L/C for payment of any such letter of credit fees or other
fees, charges or expenses and such beneficiary may factor such
fees, charges, or expenses into the pricing of any interest rate
protection or hedging arrangement or transaction supported by the
Swap Related L/C.
(e) If any Swap Related L/C is
revocable prior to its scheduled expiry date, GE Capital agrees not
to revoke the Swap Related L/C unless the Commitment Termination
Date or an Event of Default has occurred.
(f) GE Capital or any of its
Affiliates shall be permitted to (i) provide confidential or
other information furnished to it by any of the Credit Parties
(including, without limitation, copies of any documents and
information in or referred to in the Closing Checklist, Financial
Statements and Compliance Certificates) to a beneficiary or
potential beneficiary of a Swap Related L/C and (ii) receive
confidential or other information from the beneficiary or potential
beneficiary relating to any agreement or transaction supported or
to be supported by the Swap Related L/C. However, no confidential
information shall be provided to any Person under this paragraph
unless the Person has agreed to comply with the covenant
substantially as contained in Section 11.8 .
1.3 Prepayments .
(a) Voluntary Prepayments;
Reductions in Revolving Loan Commitments . Borrowers may at any
time on at least five (5) days’ prior written notice by
Borrower Representative to Agent permanently reduce (but not
terminate) the Revolving Loan Commitment; provided that
(A) any such prepayments or reductions shall be in a minimum
amount of $5,000,000 and integral multiples of $250,000 in excess
of such amount, (B) the Revolving Loan Commitment shall not be
reduced to an amount less than the amount of the Revolving Loan
then outstanding, and (C) after giving effect to such
reductions, Borrowers shall comply with
Section 1.3(b)(i) . In addition, Borrowers may at any
time on at least three (3)
8
Business Days’ prior written notice by
Borrower Representative to Agent terminate the Revolving Loan
Commitment; provided that upon such termination, all Loans
and other Obligations shall be immediately due and payable in full
and all Letter of Credit Obligations shall be cash collateralized
or otherwise satisfied in accordance with Annex B
hereto. Any voluntary prepayment and any reduction or termination
of the Revolving Loan Commitment must be accompanied by payment of
the Fee required by the GE Capital Fee Letter, if any, plus the
payment of any LIBOR funding breakage costs in accordance with
Section 1.13(b) . Upon any such reduction or
termination of the Revolving Loan Commitment, each Borrower’s
right to request Revolving Credit Advances, or request that Letter
of Credit Obligations be incurred on its behalf, or request Swing
Line Advances, shall simultaneously be permanently reduced or
terminated, as the case may be; provided that a permanent
reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitment shall not require a
corresponding pro rata reduction in the L/C Sublimit. Each notice
of partial prepayment shall designate the Loans or other
Obligations to which such prepayment is to be applied.
(b) Mandatory Prepayments
.
(i) If at any time the aggregate
outstanding balances of the Revolving Loan and the Swing Line Loan
exceed the lesser of (A) the Maximum Amount and (B) the
Borrowing Base, Borrowers shall immediately repay the aggregate
outstanding Revolving Credit Advances to the extent required to
eliminate such excess. If any such excess remains after repayment
in full of the aggregate outstanding Revolving Credit Advances,
Borrowers shall provide cash collateral for the Letter of Credit
Obligations in the manner set forth in Annex B to the
extent required to eliminate such excess.
(ii) Immediately upon receipt by any
Credit Party of cash proceeds of any asset disposition,
(A) from ABL Priority Collateral, Borrowers shall prepay the
Loans in an amount equal to all such proceeds and (B) from any
Term Priority Collateral, Borrowers shall only be required to
prepay the Loans in an amount equal to the amount required to be
paid if such proceeds were a required “Asset Sale
Offer” or “Event of Loss Offer” (each as defined
in the Term Note Indenture), but were not required to be paid to
the Term Note Holders (after expiration of any reinvestment periods
under Sections 4.13 and 4.22 of the Term Note Indenture), in each
case pursuant to clause (A) or clause (B), net of
(I) commissions and other reasonable and customary transaction
costs, fees and expenses properly attributable to such transaction
and payable by Borrowers in connection therewith (in each case,
paid to non-Affiliates), (II) transfer taxes, (III) amounts payable
to holders of senior Liens on such asset (to the extent such Liens
constitute Permitted Encumbrances hereunder), if any, (IV) an
appropriate reserve for income taxes in accordance with GAAP in
connection therewith, and (V) reserves determined in good
faith in accordance with GAAP against seller liabilities associated
with such asset disposition, including, without limitation,
customary purchase price adjustments, environmental liabilities and
other customary indemnities. Any such prepayment shall be applied
in accordance with Section 1.3(c) ; provided
that the amount of any mandatory prepayment required to be made
under this Section 1.3(b)(ii)(B) shall be reduced, on a
dollar-for-dollar basis, by (1) the amount of any
corresponding mandatory prepayment made under the Term Note
Indenture or (2) the amount of any reinvestment of such
proceeds made in accordance with the Term Note Indenture. The
following shall not be subject to mandatory prepayment under this
clause (ii): (1) proceeds of sales of Inventory in the
ordinary course of
9
business; (2) asset disposition proceeds of
less than $1,000,000 in the aggregate in any Fiscal Year;
(3) asset disposition proceeds received in respect of any
assets and properties described in Schedule (1.3(b)) ;
(4) proceeds of sales of Equipment in the ordinary course of
business; (5) disposition of cash equivalents;
(6) dispositions of obsolete, worn-out or surplus Equipment in
the ordinary course of business; (7) dispositions of Term
Priority Collateral in any transaction or series of related
transactions in an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000
individually; and (8) asset disposition proceeds that are
reinvested in Equipment, Fixtures or Real Estate within one hundred
and eighty (180) days following receipt thereof;
provided that Borrower notifies Agent of its intent to
reinvest at the time such proceeds are received and when such
reinvestment occurs; and provided , further , that
if, within such 180-day period, a Borrower has entered into an
agreement on terms acceptable to Agent to apply such proceeds to
the purchase or construction of replacement assets for use in the
business of such Borrower, then such 180-day period may be extended
by such Borrower for an additional 180 days.
(iii) If any Borrower issues Stock
or any debt securities, no later than the Business Day following
the date of receipt of any cash proceeds thereof, the issuing
Borrower shall prepay the Loans (and cash collateralize Letter of
Credit Obligations) in an amount equal to all such cash proceeds,
net of usual and customary placement and investment banking fees,
legal and accounting fees, taxes, expense indemnities, underwriting
discounts and commissions and other reasonable costs paid to
non-Affiliates in connection therewith. Any such prepayment shall
be applied in accordance with Section 1.3(c) . The
following shall not be subject to mandatory prepayment under this
clause (iii): (a) cash proceeds received from another
Borrower; (b) cash proceeds received from any Indebtedness
permitted pursuant to Section 6.3(a) ; and
(c) cash proceeds of equity issuances by or contributions to
Parent.
(c) Application of Certain
Mandatory Prepayments . Any prepayments made by any Borrower
pursuant to Sections 1.3(b)(i) , 1.3(b)(ii) or 1.3
(b)(iii) above shall be applied as follows: first , to
Fees and reimbursable expenses of Agent then due and payable
pursuant to any of the Loan Documents, second , to interest
then due and payable on Swing Line Loan; third , to the
principal balance of the Swing Line Loan outstanding until the same
has been repaid in full; fourth , to interest then due and
payable on Revolving Credit Advances; fifth , to the
principal balance of Revolving Credit Advances outstanding until
the same has been paid in full; sixth , to any Letter of
Credit Obligations to provide cash collateral therefore in the
manner set forth in Annex B , until all such Letter of
Credit Obligations have been fully cash collateralized in the
manner set forth in Annex B . Neither the Revolving
Loan Commitment nor the Swing Line Commitment shall be permanently
reduced by the amount of any such prepayments.
(d) Application of Prepayments
from Insurance and Condemnation Proceeds . Prepayments from
insurance or condemnation proceeds in accordance with
Section 5.4(c) shall be applied as follows:
first , to the Swing Line Loans and, second , to the
Revolving Credit Advances; provided , that prior to the
Discharge of Note Obligations (as defined in the Intercreditor
Agreement), proceeds of Term Priority Collateral to the extent
payable to the Term Note Holders or to be held as Term Priority
Collateral or otherwise shall be applied, in each case, in
accordance with the terms of the Term Note Indenture and the
Intercreditor Agreement; provided further that the
Borrower Representative shall certify to Agent that all such
proceeds of Term Priority Collateral have been deposited or paid as
required by the Term Note Indenture and the Intercreditor
Agreement. Neither the Revolving Loan Commitment nor the Swing Line
Loan Commitment shall be permanently reduced by the amount of any
such prepayments.
10
(e) No Implied Consent .
Nothing in this Section 1.3 shall be construed to
constitute Agent’s or any Lender’s consent to any
transaction that is not permitted by other provisions of this
Agreement or the other Loan Documents.
1.4 Use of Proceeds .
Borrowers shall utilize the proceeds of the Loans and the proceeds
of Collateral solely for the Refinancing (and to pay any related
transaction expenses), the payment of fees, costs and expenses
related to the Chapter 11 Cases, mandatory payments required
pursuant to the Term Note Documents so long as any such payment
would not result in a Default or an Event of Default, payments to
Bank of America, N.A. (or its Affiliates) in respect of outstanding
lease obligations so long as all cash collateral held by Bank of
America, N.A. (or its Affiliate) with respect to such lease
obligations has been returned to Borrowers, and for the financing
of Borrowers’ working capital and general corporate needs.
Schedule (1.4) contains a description of
Borrowers’ sources and uses of funds as of the Closing Date,
including Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations to be made or
incurred on that date, and a funds flow memorandum detailing how
funds from each source are to be transferred to particular
uses.
1.5 Interest and Applicable
Margins .
(a) Borrowers shall pay interest to
Agent, for the ratable benefit of Lenders in accordance with the
various Loans being made by each Lender, in arrears on each
applicable Interest Payment Date, at the following rates:
(i) with respect to the Revolving Credit Advances, the Index
Rate plus the Applicable Revolver Index Margin per annum or, at the
election of Borrower Representative, the applicable LIBOR Rate plus
the Applicable Revolver LIBOR Margin per annum; and (ii) with
respect to the Swing Line Loan, the Index Rate plus the Applicable
Revolver Index Margin per annum.
The Applicable Margins are as
follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Applicable Revolver Index Margin
|
|
3.50
|
%
|
|
|
|
Applicable Revolver LIBOR Margin
|
|
4.50
|
%
|
|
|
|
Applicable L/C Margin
|
|
4.50
|
%
|
|
|
|
Applicable Unused Line Fee Margin
|
|
1.00
|
%
|
(b) If any payment on any Loan
becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the
maturity thereof will be extended to the next succeeding Business
Day (except as set forth in the definition of LIBOR Period) and,
with respect to payments of principal, interest thereon shall be
payable at the then applicable rate during such
extension.
(c) All computations of Fees
calculated on a per annum basis and interest shall be made by Agent
on the basis of a 360-day year (except that Loans that bear
interest based on the Index Rate shall be calculated on the basis
of a 365-day year), in each case for the actual
11
number of days occurring in the period for which
such interest and Fees are payable. The Index Rate is a floating
rate determined for each day. Each determination by Agent of an
interest rate and Fees hereunder shall be presumptive evidence of
the correctness of such rates and Fees in the absence of manifest
error.
(d) So long as an Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing under Sections 8.1(a) ,
(h) or (i) or so long as any other Event
of Default has occurred and is continuing and at the election of
Agent (or upon the written request of Requisite Lenders) confirmed
by written notice from Agent to Borrower Representative, the
interest rates applicable to the Loans and the Letter of Credit
Fees shall be increased by two percentage points (2.00%) per
annum above the rates of interest or the rate of such Fees
otherwise applicable hereunder unless Agent or Requisite Lenders
elect to impose a smaller increase (the “ Default Rate
”), and all outstanding Obligations shall bear interest at
the Default Rate applicable to such Obligations. Interest and
Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate shall accrue from the
initial date of such Event of Default until that Event of Default
is cured or waived and shall be payable upon demand.
(e) Subject to the conditions
precedent set forth in Section 2.2 , Borrower
Representative shall have the option to (i) request that any
Revolving Credit Advance be made as a LIBOR Loan, (ii) convert
at any time all or any part of outstanding Loans (other than the
Swing Line Loan) from Index Rate Loans to LIBOR Loans,
(iii) convert any LIBOR Loan to an Index Rate Loan subject to
payment of LIBOR breakage costs in accordance with
Section 1.13(b) if such conversion is made prior to the
expiration of the LIBOR Period applicable thereto, or
(iv) continue all or any portion of any Loan (other than the
Swing Line Loan) as a LIBOR Loan upon the expiration of the
applicable LIBOR Period and the succeeding LIBOR Period of that
continued Loan shall commence on the first day after the last day
of the LIBOR Period of the Loan to be continued. Any Loan or group
of Loans having the same proposed LIBOR Period to be made or
continued as, or converted into, a LIBOR Loan must be in a minimum
amount of $5,000,000 and integral multiples of $500,000 in excess
of such amount. Any such election must be made by 12:00 noon (New
York time) on the third Business Day prior to (1) the date of
any proposed Advance which is to bear interest at the LIBOR Rate,
(2) the end of each LIBOR Period with respect to any LIBOR
Loans to be continued as such, or (3) the date on which
Borrower Representative wishes to convert any Index Rate Loan to a
LIBOR Loan for a LIBOR Period designated by Borrower Representative
in such election. If no election is received with respect to a
LIBOR Loan by 12:00 noon (New York time) on the third Business Day
prior to the end of the LIBOR Period with respect thereto (or if a
Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or if
the additional conditions precedent set forth in
Section 2.2 shall not have been satisfied), that LIBOR
Loan shall be converted to an Index Rate Loan at the end of its
LIBOR Period. Borrower Representative must make such election by
notice to Agent in writing, by telecopy or overnight courier. In
the case of any conversion or continuation, such election must be
made pursuant to a written notice (a “ Notice of
Conversion/Continuation ”) in the form of Exhibit
1.5(e ).
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary set forth in this Section 1.5 , if a court of
competent jurisdiction determines in a final order that the rate of
interest payable hereunder exceeds the highest rate of interest
permissible under law (the “ Maximum Lawful Rate
”), then so long as the Maximum Lawful Rate would be so
exceeded, the rate of interest payable hereunder shall be equal to
the Maximum Lawful Rate; provided , however, that if
at any
12
time thereafter the rate of interest payable
hereunder is less than the Maximum Lawful Rate, Borrowers shall
continue to pay interest hereunder at the Maximum Lawful Rate until
such time as the total interest received by Agent, on behalf of
Lenders, is equal to the total interest that would have been
received had the interest rate payable hereunder been (but for the
operation of this paragraph) the interest rate payable since the
Closing Date as otherwise provided in this Agreement. In no event
shall the total interest received by any Lender pursuant to the
terms hereof exceed the amount that such Lender could lawfully have
received had the interest due hereunder been calculated for the
full term hereof at the Maximum Lawful Rate.
1.6 Eligible Accounts . All
of the Accounts owned by each Borrower and reflected in the most
recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered by Borrower
Representative, on behalf of itself and each other Borrower, to
Agent shall be “ Eligible Accounts ” for
purposes of this Agreement, except any Account to which any of the
exclusionary criteria set forth below applies. Agent shall have the
right to establish, modify or eliminate Reserves against Eligible
Accounts from time to time in its reasonable credit judgment. In
addition, Agent reserves the right, at any time and from time to
time after the Closing Date, to adjust any of the criteria set
forth below, to establish new criteria, and to adjust, without
duplication of any Reserves established by Agent, advance rates
with respect to Eligible Accounts, in each case in its reasonable
credit judgment, in order to reflect changes in the collectibility
or realization values of such Accounts arising or discovered by
Agent after the Closing Date which have the effect of making more
or less credit available. Agent shall furnish Borrower
Representative with notice as soon as reasonably practicable of
Agent’s determination to establish or increase Reserves or to
establish new eligibility criteria or to decrease advance rates
pursuant to the forgoing; provided , however ,
Agent’s failure to provide such notice shall not impair the
rights of Agent or the Lenders hereunder and shall not impose any
liability upon Agent or the Lenders for not providing such notice.
Eligible Accounts shall not include any Account of any
Borrower:
(a) that does not arise from the
sale of goods or the performance of services by such Borrower in
the ordinary course of its business;
(b) (i) upon which such
Borrower’s right to receive payment is contingent upon the
fulfillment of any further obligation on the part of such Borrower
or (ii) as to which such Borrower is not able to bring suit or
otherwise enforce its remedies against the Account Debtor through
judicial process or (iii) if the Account represents a progress
billing consisting of an invoice for goods sold or used or services
rendered pursuant to a contract under which the Account
Debtor’s obligation to pay that invoice is subject to such
Borrower’s completion of further performance under such
contract or is subject to the equitable lien of a surety bond
issuer;
(c) to the extent that any defense,
counterclaim, setoff or dispute is asserted as to such Account (but
any portion of such Account net of the amount of such defense,
counterclaim, setoff or dispute shall not be excluded as an
Eligible Account pursuant to this clause (c));
(d) that is not a true and correct
statement of a bona fide obligation incurred in the amount of the
Account for merchandise sold to or services rendered and accepted
by the applicable Account Debtor;
13
(e) with respect to which an invoice
in the form used on the Closing Date, or otherwise in a form
reasonably acceptable to Agent, in either case in compliance with
Annex C , has not been sent to the applicable Account
Debtor;
(f) that (i) is not owned by
such Borrower or (ii) is subject to any Lien of any other
Person, other than Liens in favor of Agent, on behalf of itself and
Lenders;
(g) that arises from a sale to any
director, officer, other employee or Affiliate of any Credit Party,
or to any entity that has any common officer or director with any
Credit Party, except for Accounts arising from ordinary course,
arm’s length transactions with entities that are Affiliates
of a Borrower by virtue of the ownership interests held by
Parent’s Stockholders, directly or indirectly, in such
entities;
(h) that is the obligation of an
Account Debtor that is the United States government or a political
subdivision thereof, or any state, county or municipality or
department, agency or instrumentality thereof unless Agent, in its
sole discretion, has agreed to the contrary in writing and such
Borrower, if necessary or desirable, has complied with respect to
such obligation with the Federal Assignment of Claims Act of 1940,
or any applicable state, county or municipal law restricting
assignment thereof;
(i) that is the obligation of an
Account Debtor located in a foreign country other than Canada
unless payment thereof is assured by a letter of credit assigned
and delivered to Agent, reasonably satisfactory to Agent as to
form, amount and issuer;
(j) to the extent such Borrower or
any Subsidiary thereof is liable for goods sold or services
rendered by the applicable Account Debtor to such Borrower or any
Subsidiary thereof but only to the extent of the potential
offset;
(k) that arises with respect to
goods that are delivered on a bill-and-hold or cash-on-delivery
basis or placed on guaranteed sale or other terms by reason of
which the payment by the Account Debtor is or may be
conditional;
(l) that is in default;
provided , that, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, an Account shall be deemed in default upon the
occurrence of any of the following:
(i) the Account is not paid within
the earlier of: sixty (60) days following its due date or
ninety (90) days following its original invoice
date;
(ii) the Account Debtor obligated
upon such Account suspends business, makes a general assignment for
the benefit of creditors or fails to pay its debts generally as
they come due; or
(iii) a petition is filed by or
against any Account Debtor obligated upon such Account under any
bankruptcy law or any other federal, state or foreign (including
any provincial) receivership, insolvency relief or other law or
laws for the relief of debtors;
14
(m) that is the obligation of an
Account Debtor if fifty percent (50%) or more of the Dollar
amount of all Accounts owing by that Account Debtor are ineligible
under the other criteria set forth in this Section 1.6
;
(n) as to which Agent’s Lien
thereon, on behalf of itself and Lenders, is not a first priority
perfected Lien;
(o) as to which any of the
representations or warranties in the Loan Documents are untrue with
respect to such Account in any material respect (but without
duplication of any materiality qualifier contained
therein);
(p) to the extent such Account is
evidenced by a judgment, Instrument or Chattel Paper;
(q) to the extent such Account
exceeds any credit limit established by Agent, in its reasonable
credit judgment , following prior notice of such limit by Agent to
Borrower Representative;
(r) to the extent that such Account,
together with all other Accounts owing by such Account Debtor and
its Affiliates as of any date of determination exceed twenty
percent (20%) of all Eligible Accounts (but only to the extent
of such excess); or
(s) that is payable in any currency
other than Dollars.
1.7 Eligible Inventory . All
of the Inventory owned by Borrowers and reflected in the most
recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered by Borrower
Representative (which may include “freight-in” charges
recorded under Borrowers’ standard cost accounting policies,
consistent with past practices, in accordance with GAAP), on behalf
of itself and each other Borrower, to Agent shall be “
Eligible Inventory ” for purposes of this Agreement,
except any Inventory to which any of the exclusionary criteria set
forth below applies. Agent shall have the right to establish,
modify or eliminate Reserves against Eligible Inventory from time
to time in its reasonable credit judgment. In addition, Agent
reserves the right, at any time and from time to time after the
Closing Date, to adjust of the criteria set forth below, to
establish new criteria, and to adjust, without duplication of any
Reserves established by Agent, advance rates with respect to
Eligible Inventory, in each case in its reasonable credit judgment,
in order to reflect changes in the salability or realization values
of Inventory arising or discovered by Agent after the Closing Date
which have the effect of making more or less credit available.
Agent shall furnish Borrower Representative with notice as soon as
reasonably practicable of Agent’s determination to establish
or increase Reserves or to establish new eligibility criteria or to
decrease advance rates pursuant to the forgoing; provided ,
however , Agent’s failure to provide such notice shall
not impair the rights of Agent or the Lenders hereunder and shall
not impose any liability upon Agent or the Lenders for not
providing such notice. Eligible Inventory shall not include any
Inventory of any Borrower that:
(a) is not owned by such Borrower
free and clear of all Liens and rights of any other Person
(including the rights of a purchaser that has made progress
payments and the rights of a surety that has issued a bond to
assure such Borrower’s performance with respect to that
Inventory), except the Liens in favor of Agent, on behalf of itself
and Lenders, and
15
Permitted Encumbrances in favor of landlords and
bailees to the extent permitted in Section 5.9 hereof
(subject to Reserves established by Agent in accordance with
Section 5.9 hereof) and other Permitted
Encumbrances;
(b) (i) is not located on premises
owned, leased or rented by such Borrower and set forth in
Schedule (3.2) (as may be amended from time to time),
(ii) is stored at a leased location, unless either (x) a
reasonably satisfactory landlord waiver has been delivered to Agent
or (y) Agent has established a reserve in an amount equal to
the Rent Reserve Amount plus any amounts past due and owing
to such landlord, (iii) is stored with a bailee or
warehouseman unless a reasonably satisfactory, acknowledged bailee
letter has been received by Agent, (iv) is located at an owned
locations subject to a mortgage in favor of a lender other than
Agent or Term Note Agent, unless a reasonably satisfactory
mortgagee waiver has been delivered to Agent or (v) is located
at any site if the aggregate book value of Inventory at any such
location is less than $100,000;
(c) (i) is placed on consignment
unless a reasonably satisfactory, acknowledged customer access and
waiver letter has been received by Agent, or (ii) is in
transit, except for Inventory in transit between domestic locations
of Credit Parties as to which Agent’s Liens have been
perfected at origin and destination;
(d) is covered by a negotiable
document of title, unless such document has been delivered to Agent
with all necessary endorsements, free and clear of all Liens except
those in favor of Agent and Lenders;
(e) is obsolete, slow moving (in
excess of one year’s supply), unsaleable, shopworn, seconds,
damaged or unfit for sale;
(f) consists of display items or
packing or shipping materials, manufacturing supplies,
work-in-process Inventory or replacement parts;
(g) consists of goods which have
been returned by the buyer;
(h) is not of a type held for sale
in the ordinary course of such Borrower’s
business;
(i) is not subject to a first
priority lien in favor of Agent on behalf of itself and Lenders
(subject to Permitted Encumbrances) unless subject to reserves
established by Agent in the exercise of its reasonable credit
judgment;
(j) breaches in any material respect
(but without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained
therein) any of the representations or warranties made with respect
to such Inventory set forth in the Loan Documents;
(k) [reserved];
(l) consists of Hazardous Materials
or goods that can be transported or sold only with Licenses that
are not readily available;
16
(m) is otherwise unacceptable to
Agent in its reasonable credit judgment;
(n) is not covered by casualty
insurance as required by the provisions of this
Agreement;
(o) is subject to any patent or
trademark License requiring the payment of royalties or fees or
requiring the consent of the Licensor for a sale thereof by Agent
unless the applicable Borrower has delivered to Agent a consent or
sublicenses agreement from such licensor in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Agent; or
(p) is subject to any derivative or
forward contract that can be terminated based upon the bankruptcy
filing of any Borrower.
1.8 Cash Management Systems .
Subject to the terms of the Post-Closing Letter, Borrowers will
establish and will maintain until the Termination Date, the cash
management systems described in Annex C (the “ Cash
Management Systems ”) or otherwise satisfactory to Agent
in the exercise of its reasonable discretion.
1.9 Fees .
(a) Borrowers shall pay to GE
Capital, individually, the Fees specified in the GE Capital Fee
Letter dated as of August 20, 2009 among Borrowers and GE
Capital (the “ GE Capital Fee Letter ”), at the
times specified for payment therein.
(b) As additional compensation for
the Revolving Lenders, Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the
ratable benefit of such Lenders, in arrears, on the first Business
Day of each month prior to the Commitment Termination Date and on
the Commitment Termination Date, a Fee for Borrowers’ non-use
of available funds in an amount equal to the Applicable Unused Line
Fee Margin per annum (calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for
actual days elapsed) multiplied by the difference between
(x) the Maximum Amount (as it may be reduced from time to
time) and (y) the average for the period of the daily closing
balances of the aggregate Revolving Loan and the Swing Line Loan
outstanding during the period for which such Fee is due.
(c) Borrowers shall pay to Agent,
for the ratable benefit of Revolving Lenders, the Letter of Credit
Fee as provided in Annex B .
1.10 Receipt of Payments .
Borrowers shall make each payment under this Agreement not later
than 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on the day when due in immediately
available funds in Dollars to the Collection Account. For purposes
of computing interest and Fees and determining Borrowing
Availability as of any date, all payments shall be deemed received
on the Business Day on which immediately available funds therefor
are received in the Collection Account prior to 2:00 p.m. New York
time. Payments received after 2:00 p.m. New York time on any
Business Day or on a day that is not a Business Day shall be deemed
to have been received on the following Business Day.
17
1.11 Application and Allocation
of Payments .
(a) So long as no Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing, (i) payments consisting of
proceeds of Accounts received in the ordinary course of business
shall be applied, first, to the Swing Line Loan, second, to the
Revolving Loan, and third, to any Obligations arising under any
Bank Product Document; (ii) payments matching specific
scheduled payments then due shall be applied to those scheduled
payments; (iii) voluntary prepayments shall be applied in
accordance with the provisions of Section 1.3(a) ; and
(iv) mandatory prepayments shall be applied as set forth in
Sections 1.3(c) and 1.3(d) . All payments and
prepayments applied to a particular Loan shall be applied ratably
to the portion thereof held by each Lender as determined by its Pro
Rata Share. As to any other payment, and as to all payments made
when an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or
following the Commitment Termination Date, each Borrower hereby
irrevocably waives the right to direct the application of any and
all payments received from or on behalf of such Borrower, and each
Borrower hereby irrevocably agrees that Agent shall have the
continuing exclusive right to apply any and all such payments
against the Obligations of Borrowers as Agent may deem advisable
notwithstanding any previous entry by Agent in the Loan Account or
any other books and records. In all circumstances, after
acceleration or maturity of the Obligations, all payments and
proceeds of Collateral shall be applied to amounts then due and
payable in the following order: (1) to reimburse the L/C
Issuer for all unreimbursed draws or payments made by it under
Letters of Credit; (2) to Fees and Agent’s expenses
reimbursable hereunder; (3) to interest on the Swing Line
Loan; (4) to principal payments on the Swing Line Loan;
(5) to interest on the other Loans and unpaid Swap Related
Reimbursement Obligations, ratably in proportion to the interest
accrued as to each Loan and unpaid Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligation, as applicable; (6) to principal payments on the
other Loans and the Obligations arising in respect of Bank Products
then due and payable and unpaid Swap Related Reimbursement
Obligations and to provide cash collateral for contingent Letter of
Credit Obligations in the manner described in Annex B ,
ratably to the aggregate, combined principal balance of the other
Loans, outstanding Obligations arising in respect of Bank Products
then due and payable, unpaid Swap Related Reimbursement Obligations
and outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations; and (7) to all
other Obligations, including expenses of Lenders to the extent
reimbursable under Section 11.3 .
(b) Agent is authorized to, and at
its sole election may, charge to the Revolving Loan balance on
behalf of each Borrower and cause to be paid all Fees, expenses,
Charges, costs (including insurance premiums in accordance with
Section 5.4(a) ) and interest and principal, other than
principal of the Revolving Loan, owing by Borrowers under this
Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents if and to the extent
Borrowers fail to pay promptly any such amounts as and when due,
even if the amount of such charges would exceed Borrowing
Availability at such time. At Agent’s option and to the
extent permitted by law, any charges so made shall constitute part
of the Revolving Loan hereunder.
1.12 Loan Account and
Accounting . Agent shall maintain a loan account (the “
Loan Account ”) on its books to record: all Advances,
all payments made by Borrowers, and all other debits and credits as
provided in this Agreement with respect to the Loans or any other
Obligations. All entries in the Loan Account shall be made in
accordance with Agent’s customary accounting practices as in
effect from time to time. The balance in the Loan Account, as
recorded on Agent’s most recent printout or other written
statement, shall, absent manifest
18
error, be presumptive evidence of the amounts
due and owing to Agent and Lenders by each Borrower;
provided that any failure to so record or any error in so
recording shall not limit or otherwise affect any Borrower’s
duty to pay the Obligations. Agent shall render to Borrower
Representative a monthly accounting of transactions with respect to
the Loans setting forth the balance of the Loan Account as to each
Borrower for the immediately preceding month. Unless Borrower
Representative notifies Agent in writing of any objection to any
such accounting (specifically describing the basis for such
objection), within thirty (30) days after the date thereof,
each and every such accounting shall, absent manifest error, be
presumptive evidence of all matters reflected therein. Only those
items expressly objected to in such notice shall be deemed to be
disputed by Borrowers. Notwithstanding any provision herein
contained to the contrary, any Lender may elect (which election may
be revoked) to dispense with the issuance of Notes to that Lender
and may rely on the Loan Account as evidence of the amount of
Obligations from time to time owing to it. A transfer of the Notes,
or any interest therein, is effective only if the transferee is
recorded on records of Agent, which shall be deemed for this
purpose to be acting on behalf of Borrowers. If requested in
writing by the Borrower Representative (due to a written request
for the information from the IRS), Agent will provide the name of
the transferee (and its address, if known) to the Borrower
Representative.
1.13 Indemnity .
(a) Each Credit Party that is a
signatory hereto shall jointly and severally indemnify and hold
harmless each of Agent, Lenders and their respective Affiliates,
and each such Person’s respective officers, directors,
employees, attorneys, agents and representatives (each, an “
Indemnified Person ”), from and against any and all
suits, actions, proceedings, claims, damages, losses, liabilities
and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and
disbursements and other costs of investigation or defense,
including those incurred upon any appeal) that may be instituted or
asserted against or incurred by any such Indemnified Person as the
result of credit having been extended, suspended or terminated
under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the
administration of such credit, and in connection with or arising
out of the transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder and
any actions or failures to act in connection therewith, including
any and all Environmental Liabilities and legal costs and expenses
arising out of or incurred in connection with disputes between or
among any parties to any of the Loan Documents (collectively,
“ Indemnified Liabilities ”); provided
that no such Credit Party shall be liable for any indemnification
to an Indemnified Person to the extent that any such suit, action,
proceeding, claim, damage, loss, liability or expense results from
that Indemnified Person’s gross negligence, willful
misconduct or breach of its express obligations under the Loan
Documents. No Indemnified Person shall be responsible or liable to
any other Party to any Loan Document, any successor, assignee or
third party beneficiary of such Person or any other Person
asserting claims derivatively through such Party, for indirect,
punitive, exemplary or consequential damages which may be alleged
as a result of credit having been extended, suspended or terminated
under any Loan Document or as a result of any other transaction
contemplated hereunder or thereunder.
(b) To induce Lenders to provide the
LIBOR Rate option on the terms provided herein, if (i) any
LIBOR Loans are repaid in whole or in part prior to the last day of
any applicable LIBOR Period (whether that repayment is made
pursuant to any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan
Document or occurs as a result of acceleration, by operation of
law
19
or otherwise); (ii) any Borrower shall
default in payment when due of the principal amount of or interest
on any LIBOR Loan; (iii) any Borrower shall refuse to accept
any borrowing of, or shall request a termination of, any borrowing
of, conversion into or continuation of, LIBOR Loans after Borrower
Representative has given notice requesting the same in accordance
herewith; or (iv) any Borrower shall fail to make any
prepayment of a LIBOR Loan after Borrower Representative has given
a notice thereof in accordance herewith, then Borrowers shall
jointly and severally indemnify and hold harmless each Lender from
and against all losses, costs and expenses resulting from or
arising from any of the foregoing. Such indemnification shall
include any loss (excluding loss of margin) or expense arising from
the reemployment of funds obtained by it or from fees payable to
terminate deposits from which such funds were obtained. For the
purpose of calculating amounts payable to a Lender under this
subsection, each Lender shall be deemed to have actually funded its
relevant LIBOR Loan through the purchase of a deposit bearing
interest at the LIBOR Rate in an amount equal to the amount of that
LIBOR Loan and having a maturity comparable to the relevant LIBOR
Period; provided that each Lender may fund each of its LIBOR
Loans in any manner it sees fit, and the foregoing assumption shall
be utilized only for the calculation of amounts payable under this
subsection. This covenant shall survive the termination of this
Agreement and the payment of the Notes and all other amounts
payable hereunder. As promptly as practicable under the
circumstances, each Lender shall provide Borrower Representative
with its written calculation of all amounts payable pursuant to
this Section 1.13(b) , and such calculation shall be
binding on the parties hereto unless Borrower Representative shall
object in writing within ten (10) Business Days of receipt
thereof, specifying the basis for such objection in
detail.
1.14 Access . Each Credit
Party that is a party hereto shall, during normal business hours,
from time to time upon two (2) Business Days’ prior
notice as frequently as Agent reasonably determines to be
appropriate: (a) provide Agent and any of its officers,
employees, consultants, financial advisors, agents and other
designees access to its properties, facilities, advisors, officers
and employees of each Credit Party and to the Collateral,
(b) permit Agent, and any of its officers, employees and
agents, to inspect, audit and make extracts from any Credit
Party’s books and records, and (c) permit Agent, and its
officers, employees, consultants, financial advisors, agents and
other designees, to inspect, review, evaluate and make test
verifications and counts of the Accounts, Inventory and other
Collateral of any Credit Party. If an Event of Default has occurred
and is continuing, each such Credit Party shall provide such access
to Agent and to each Lender and their respective officers,
employees, consultants, financial advisors, agents and other
designees at all times and without advance notice. Each Credit
Party shall make available to Agent and its counsel reasonably
promptly originals or copies of all books and records that Agent
may reasonably request, including, without limitation, the work
product of any financial advisors, investment bankers or other
consultants retained by an Credit Party (redacted to exclude any
privileged or confidential portion). Each Credit Party shall
deliver any document or instrument necessary for Agent, as it may
from time to time reasonably request, to obtain records from any
service bureau or other Person that maintains records for such
Credit Party, and shall maintain duplicate records or supporting
documentation on media, including computer tapes and discs owned by
such Credit Party. Agent will give Lenders at least five
(5) days’ prior written notice of regularly scheduled
audits. Representatives of other Lenders may accompany
Agent’s representatives on regularly scheduled audits at no
charge to Borrowers.
20
1.15 Taxes .
(a) Any and all payments by each
Borrower hereunder (including any payments made pursuant to
Section 12 ) or under the Notes shall be made, in
accordance with this Section 1.15 , free and clear of
and without deduction for any and all present or future Taxes. If
any Borrower shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or
in respect of any sum payable hereunder (including any sum payable
pursuant to Section 12 ) or under the Notes,
(i) the sum payable shall be increased as much as shall be
necessary so that, after making all required deductions (including
deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this
Section 1.15 ), Agent or Lenders, as applicable,
receive an amount equal to the sum they would have received had no
such deductions been made, (ii) such Borrower shall make such
deductions, and (iii) such Borrower shall pay the full amount
deducted to the relevant taxing or other authority in accordance
with applicable law; provided , however , that no
Credit Party shall be required to pay any additional amounts to
Agent or any Lender pursuant to this clause (a) for Taxes to
the extent that the obligation for such Taxes existed on the date
that such Person became a Lender under this Agreement in the
capacity under which such Person makes a claim under this clause
(a), except in each case to the extent such Person is a direct or
indirect assignee of any Lender that was entitled, at the time the
assignment to such Person became effective, to receive additional
amounts under this clause (a). Within thirty (30) days after
the date of any payment of Taxes, Borrower Representative shall
furnish to Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt
evidencing payment thereof.
(b) Each Credit Party that is a
signatory hereto shall jointly and severally indemnify and, within
ten (10) days of demand therefor, pay Agent and each Lender
for the full amount of Taxes (including any Taxes imposed by any
jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 1.15
) paid by Agent or such Lender, as appropriate, and any liability
(including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or
with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or
legally asserted; provided , however , that no Credit
Party shall be required to indemnify Agent or any Lender pursuant
to this clause (b) for Taxes to the extent that the obligation
for such Taxes existed on the date that such Person became a Lender
under this Agreement in the capacity under which such Person makes
a claim under this clause (b), except in each case to the extent
such Person is a direct or indirect assignee of any Lender that was
entitled, at the time the assignment to such Person became
effective, to receive additional amounts under this clause
(b).
(c) Each Lender organized under the
laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States (a “
Foreign Lender ”) as to which payments to be made
under this Agreement or under the Notes are exempt from United
States withholding tax under an applicable statute or tax treaty
shall provide to Borrower Representative and Agent a properly
completed and executed IRS Form W-8ECI or Form W-8BEN or other
applicable form, certificate or document prescribed by the IRS or
the United States certifying as to such Foreign Lender’s
entitlement to such exemption (a “ Certificate of
Exemption ”). Any foreign Person that seeks to become a
Lender under this Agreement shall provide a Certificate of
Exemption to Borrower Representative and Agent prior to becoming a
Lender hereunder. No foreign Person may become a Lender hereunder
if such Person fails to deliver a Certificate of Exemption in
advance of becoming a Lender.
21
(d) If any Borrower is required to
pay any additional amounts to any Lender pursuant to this
Section 1.15 , then such Lender shall, at
Borrowers’ sole cost and expense, use reasonable efforts
(consistent with legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the
jurisdiction of its lending office so as to eliminate any such
additional payment by any Borrower which may thereafter accrue, if
such change in the judgment of such Lender is not otherwise
disadvantageous to it.
(e) Each Lender that is not a
Foreign Lender (a “ U.S. Lender ”) shall
(A) on or prior to the date such U.S. Lender becomes a Lender
hereunder, (B) on or prior to the date on which any such form
or certification expires or becomes obsolete, (C) after the
occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent form
or certification previously delivered by it pursuant to this clause
(e) and (D) from time to time if requested by Borrowers
or Agent (or, in the case of a participant, the relevant Lender),
provide Agent and Borrowers (or, in the case of a participant, the
relevant Lender) with a completed original of Form W-9 (certifying
that such U.S. Lender is entitled to an exemption from U.S. backup
withholding tax) or any successor form. Each Lender having sold a
participation in any of its Obligations or Revolving Loan
Commitment shall collect from such participant the documents
described in this clause (e) or in clause (c), as the case may
be, and provide them to Agent.
1.16 Capital Adequacy; Increased
Costs; Illegality .
(a) If any law, treaty, governmental
(or quasi-governmental) rule, regulation, guideline or order
regarding capital adequacy, reserve requirements or similar
requirements or compliance by any Lender with any request or
directive regarding capital adequacy, reserve requirements or
similar requirements (whether or not having the force of law), in
each case, adopted after the Closing Date, from any central bank or
other Governmental Authority increases or would have the effect of
increasing the amount of capital, reserves or other funds required
to be maintained by such Lender and thereby reducing the rate of
return on such Lender’s capital as a consequence of its
obligations hereunder, then Borrowers shall from time to time upon
demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to Agent) pay to
Agent, for the account of such Lender, additional amounts
sufficient to compensate such Lender for such reduction;
provided , that Borrowers shall not be required to
compensate any Lender under this Section for any such reduction
incurred more than six (6) months prior to the date that such
Lender notifies Borrowers of such reductions and of such
Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor;
provided , further , that if any change giving rise
to such reductions is retroactive, then such six-month period shall
be extended to include the period of such retroactive effect. A
certificate as to the amount of that reduction and showing the
basis of the computation thereof submitted by such Lender to
Borrower Representative and to Agent shall be presumptive evidence
of the matters set forth therein.
(b) If, due to either (i) the
introduction of or any change in any law or regulation (or any
change in the interpretation thereof) or (ii) the compliance
with any guideline or request from any central bank or other
Governmental Authority (whether or not having the force of law), in
each case adopted after the Closing Date, there shall be any
increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or making,
funding or maintaining any Loan, then Borrowers shall from time to
time, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to
Agent), pay to Agent for the account of such Lender additional
amounts sufficient to compensate such
22
Lender for such increased cost; provided
, that Borrowers shall not be required to compensate any Lender
under this Section for any such increased costs incurred more than
six (6) months prior to the date that such Lender notifies
Borrowers of such increased costs and of such Lender’s
intention to claim compensation therefor; provided ,
further , that if any change giving rise to such increased
costs is retroactive, then such six-month period shall be extended
to include the period of such retroactive effect. A certificate as
to the amount of such increased cost, submitted to Borrower
Representative and to Agent by such Lender, shall be presumptive
evidence of the matters set forth therein. Each Lender agrees that,
as promptly as practicable after it becomes aware of any
circumstances referred to above which would result in any such
increased cost, the affected Lender shall, to the extent not
inconsistent with such Lender’s internal policies of general
application, use reasonable commercial efforts to minimize costs
and expenses incurred by it and payable to it by Borrowers pursuant
to this Section 1.16(b) .
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, if the introduction of or any change in
any law or regulation (or any change in the interpretation thereof)
shall make it unlawful, or any central bank or other Governmental
Authority shall assert that it is unlawful, for any Lender to agree
to make or to make or to continue to fund or maintain any LIBOR
Loan, then, unless that Lender is able to make or to continue to
fund or to maintain such LIBOR Loan at another branch or office of
that Lender without, in that Lender’s reasonable opinion,
materially adversely affecting it or its Loans or the income
obtained therefrom, on notice thereof and demand therefor by such
Lender to Borrower Representative through Agent, (i) the
obligation of such Lender to agree to make or to make or to
continue to fund or maintain LIBOR Loans shall terminate and
(ii) to the extent it would be unlawful for such Lender to
maintain such LIBOR Loans in effect prior to the expiration of the
current Interest Period, such LIBOR Loans shall automatically
convert into Index Rate Loans, or, at such Borrower’s option,
such Borrower shall forthwith prepay in full all such LIBOR Loans,
together with interest thereon.
(d) Within thirty (30) days
after receipt by Borrower Representative of written notice and
demand from any Lender (an “ Affected Lender ”)
for payment of additional amounts or increased costs as provided in
Sections 1.15(a) , 1.16(a) or 1.16(b) ,
Borrower Representative may, at its option, notify Agent and such
Affected Lender of its intention to replace the Affected Lender. So
long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, Borrower Representative, with the consent of Agent, may
obtain, at Borrowers’ expense, a replacement Lender (“
Replacement Lender ”) for the Affected Lender, which
Replacement Lender must be reasonably satisfactory to Agent. If
Borrowers obtain a Replacement Lender within ninety (90) days
following notice of their intention to do so, the Affected Lender
must sell and assign its Loans and Commitments to such Replacement
Lender for an amount equal to the principal balance of all Loans
held by the Affected Lender and all accrued interest and Fees with
respect thereto through the date of such sale and such assignment
shall not require the payment of an assignment fee to Agent;
provided , that Borrowers shall have reimbursed such
Affected Lender for the additional amounts or increased costs that
it is entitled to receive under this Agreement through the date of
such sale and assignment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Borrowers
shall not have the right to obtain a Replacement Lender if the
Affected Lender rescinds its demand for increased costs or
additional amounts within 15 days following its receipt of
Borrowers’ notice of intention to replace such Affected
Lender. Furthermore, if Borrowers give a notice of intention to
replace and do not so replace such Affected Lender within ninety
(90) days
23
thereafter, Borrowers’ rights under this
Section 1.16(d) shall terminate with respect to such
Affected Lender and Borrowers shall promptly pay all increased
costs or additional amounts demanded by such Affected Lender
pursuant to Sections 1.15(a) , 1.16(a) and
1.16(b) .
1.17 Single Loan . All Loans
to each Borrower and all of the other Obligations of each Borrower
arising under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall
constitute one general obligation of that Borrower secured, until
the Termination Date, by all of the Collateral.
1.18 Bank Products . Any
Credit Party may request and any Lender may, in its sole and
absolute discretion, arrange for such Credit Party to obtain from
such Lender or any Affiliate of such Lender, Bank Products although
no Credit Party is required to do so. If any Bank Products are
provided by an Affiliate of any Lender, the Credit Parties agree to
indemnify and hold Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, harmless
from any and all costs and obligations now or hereafter incurred by
Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, which arise from any
indemnity given by such Lender to any of its Affiliates, as
applicable, related to such Bank Products; provided ,
however , nothing contained herein is intended to limit the
Credit Parties’ rights, with respect to such Lender or any of
its Affiliates, as applicable, if any, which arise as a result of
the execution of documents by and between the Credit Parties and
such Person which relate to any Bank Products; provided ,
further , that no such Credit Party shall be liable for any
indemnification to any Lender to the extent that any such costs or
obligations results from such Lender’s or its
Affiliates’ gross negligence or willful misconduct (as
determined by a final, non-appealable judgment). The agreement
contained in this Section shall survive termination of this
Agreement. The Credit Parties acknowledge and agree that the
obtaining of Bank Products from any Lender or its Affiliates
(a) is in the sole and absolute discretion of such Lender or
such Affiliates, and (b) is subject to all rules and
regulations of such Lender or such Affiliates.
2.1 Conditions to the Initial
Loans . No Lender shall be obligated to make any Loan or incur
any Letter of Credit Obligations on the Closing Date, or to take,
fulfill, or perform any other action hereunder, until the following
conditions have been satisfied or provided for in a manner
reasonably satisfactory to Agent, or waived in writing by Agent and
Lenders:
(a) Credit Agreement; Loan
Documents . This Agreement or counterparts hereof shall have
been duly executed by, and delivered to, Borrowers, each other
Credit Party, if any, Agent and Lenders; and Agent shall have
received such documents, instruments, agreements and legal opinions
as Agent shall reasonably request in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents, including all those listed in the Closing Checklist
attached hereto as Annex D , each in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Agent.
(b) Repayment of Prior Lender
Obligations . Agent shall have received a fully executed
original flow of funds statement reasonably satisfactory to Agent
confirming that all of the Prior Lender Obligations will be repaid
in full from the proceeds of the initial Revolving Credit
Advance.
24
(c) Approvals . Agent shall
have received (i) satisfactory evidence that the Credit
Parties have obtained all required consents and approvals of all
Persons including all requisite Governmental Authorities, to the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents and the consummation of the Related Transactions or
(ii) an officer’s certificate in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Agent affirming that no such consents or
approvals are required.
(d) Opening Availability .
The Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory supporting the initial
Revolving Credit Advance and the initial Letter of Credit
Obligations incurred and the amount of the Reserves to be
established on the Closing Date shall be sufficient in value, as
determined by Agent in its reasonable credit judgment, to provide
Borrowers, collectively, with Borrowing Availability, after giving
effect to the initial Revolving Credit Advance made to each
Borrower, the Existing Letters of Credit and the incurrence of any
initial Letter of Credit Obligations and the consummation of the
Related Transactions (on a pro forma basis, with trade payables
being paid currently, and expenses and liabilities being paid in
the ordinary course of business and without acceleration of sales)
of at least $35,000,000 (based on the Borrowing Base Certificate
determined as of July 31, 2009).
(e) EBITDA . Borrowers shall
have a trailing twelve-month consolidated EBITDA, calculated as of
July 31, 2009, of not less than $20,000,000.
(f) Leverage Ratio .
Borrowers shall have a Leverage Ratio, measured as of July 31,
2009 after giving pro forma effect to the Related Transactions, of
not greater than 4.00 to 1.00.
(g) Payment of Fees .
Borrowers shall have paid the Fees required to be paid on the
Closing Date in the respective amounts specified in
Section 1.9 (including the Fees specified in the GE
Capital Fee Letter), and shall have reimbursed Agent for all
reasonable out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses of closing
presented as of the Closing Date.
(h) Cash Management Systems .
Subject to the terms of the Post-Closing Letter, Borrowers shall
have established the Cash Management System described in Annex
C (or as otherwise acceptable to Agent), all as acceptable to
Agent.
2.2 Further Conditions to Each
Loan . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no Lender
shall be obligated to fund any Advance, convert or continue any
Loan as a LIBOR Loan or incur any Letter of Credit Obligation, if,
as of the date thereof:
(a) (i) any representation or
warranty by any Credit Party contained herein or in any other Loan
Document is untrue or incorrect in any material respect (but
without duplication of any materiality qualifier contained therein)
as of such date as determined by Agent or Requisite Lenders, except
to the extent that such representation or warranty expressly
relates to an earlier date and except for changes therein expressly
permitted or expressly contemplated by this Agreement and
(ii) Agent or Requisite Lenders have determined not to make
such Advance, convert or continue any Loan as LIBOR Loan or incur
such Letter of Credit Obligation as a result of the fact that such
warranty or representation is untrue or incorrect in any material
respect (but without duplication of any materiality qualifier
contained therein);
25
(b) (i) any Default or Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing or would result after giving
effect to any Advance (or the incurrence of any Letter of Credit
Obligation), and (ii) Requisite Lenders shall have determined
not to make any Advance, convert or continue any Loan as a LIBOR
Loan or incur any Letter of Credit Obligation as a result of that
Default or Event of Default; or
(c) after giving effect to any
Advance (or the incurrence of any Letter of Credit Obligations),
the outstanding principal amount of the aggregate Revolving Loan
would exceed the lesser of (i) the Borrowing Base and
(ii) the Maximum Amount, in each case, less the then
outstanding principal amount of the Swing Line Loan.
The request and acceptance by any
Borrower of the proceeds of any Advance, the incurrence of any
Letter of Credit Obligations or the conversion or continuation of
any Loan into, or as, a LIBOR Loan shall be deemed to constitute,
as of the date thereof, (i) a representation and warranty by
Borrowers that the conditions in this Section 2.2 have
been satisfied and (ii) a reaffirmation by Borrowers of the
cross-guaranty provisions set forth in Section 12 and
of the granting and continuance of Agent’s Liens, on behalf
of itself and Lenders, pursuant to the Collateral
Documents.
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3.
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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To induce Lenders to make the Loans
and to incur Letter of Credit Obligations, the Credit Parties
executing this Agreement, jointly and severally, make the following
representations and warranties to Agent and each Lender with
respect to all Credit Parties, each and all of which shall survive
the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
3.1 Corporate Existence;
Compliance with Law . Each Credit Party (a) is a
corporation, limited liability company or partnership that is
(except as noted on Schedule (3.1) ) duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
respective jurisdiction of incorporation or organization set forth
in Schedule (3.1) ; (b) is duly qualified to conduct
business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction where
its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so
qualified would not result in exposure to losses or liabilities
which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; (c) has the requisite power and authority and the
legal right to own, pledge, mortgage or otherwise encumber and
operate its properties, to lease the property it operates under
lease and to conduct its business as now conducted or proposed to
be conducted; (d) subject to specific representations
regarding Environmental Laws, has all material Licenses, permits,
consents or approvals from or by, and has made all material filings
with, and has given all material notices to, all Governmental
Authorities having jurisdiction, to the extent required for such
ownership, operation and conduct; (e) is in compliance in all
material respects with its charter and bylaws or partnership or
operating agreement, as applicable; and (f) subject to
specific representations set forth herein regarding ERISA,
Environmental Laws, tax and other laws, is in compliance with all
applicable provisions of law, except where the failure to comply,
individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
26
3.2 Executive Offices, Collateral
Locations, FEIN . As of the Closing Date, each Credit
Party’s name as it appears in official filings in its state
of incorporation or organization, organization type, organization
number, if any, issued by its state of incorporation or
organization, and the current location of each Credit Party’s
chief executive office and the warehouses and premises at which any
Collateral is located (excluding property (i) located at any
customer locations, (ii) located at any bailee or processor
locations, (iii) located at other locations for which the
value of the Collateral at such locations is not, in the aggregate,
greater than $500,000, or (iv) in-transit, in each case in the
ordinary course of business) are set forth in Schedule (3.2)
, and each Credit Party has only one state of incorporation or
organization. In addition, Schedule (3.2) lists the
federal employer identification number of each Credit
Party.
3.3 Corporate Power,
Authorization, Enforceable Obligations . The execution,
delivery and performance by each Credit Party of the Loan Documents
to which it is a party and the creation of all Liens provided for
therein: (a) are within such Person’s power;
(b) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate,
limited liability company or limited partnership action;
(c) do not contravene any provision of such Person’s
charter, bylaws or partnership or operating agreement as
applicable; (d) do not violate any law or regulation, or any
order or decree of any court or Governmental Authority; (e) do
not conflict with or result in the breach or termination of,
constitute a default under or accelerate or permit the acceleration
of any performance required by, any material indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, lease, agreement or other instrument to which such
Person is a party or by which such Person or any of its property is
bound; (f) do not result in the creation or imposition of any
Lien upon any of the property of such Person other than those in
favor of Agent, on behalf of itself and Lenders, pursuant to the
Loan Documents; and (g) do not require the consent or approval
of any Governmental Authority or any other Person, except those
referred to in Section 2.1(c) , all of which will have
been duly obtained, made or complied with prior to the Closing
Date. Each of the Loan Documents shall be duly executed and
delivered by each Credit Party that is a party thereto and each
such Loan Document shall constitute a legal, valid and binding
obligation of such Credit Party enforceable against it in
accordance with its terms.
3.4 Financial Statements and
Projections . Except for the Projections, all Financial
Statements concerning Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries
that are referred to below have been prepared in accordance with
GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered (except as
disclosed therein and except, with respect to unaudited Financial
Statements, for the absence of footnotes and normal year-end audit
adjustments) and present fairly in all material respects the
financial position of the Persons covered thereby as at the dates
thereof and the results of their operations and cash flows for the
periods then ended.
(a) Financial Statements .
The unaudited balance sheet(s) at July 31, 2009 and the
related statement(s) of income and cash flows of Borrowers and
their Subsidiaries for the seven-month period then ended attached
hereto as Schedule (3.4(a)) have been delivered on the
date hereof.
(b) Intentionally Omitted
.
(c) Projections . The
Projections delivered on the date hereof and attached hereto as
Schedule (3.4(c)) have been prepared by Borrowers in
light of the past operations of
27
their businesses, and reflect projections for at
least the two-year period beginning on October 31, 2009 on a
month-by-month basis for the first year and on a year-by-year basis
thereafter. The Projections are based upon the same accounting
principles as those used in the preparation of the financial
statements described above and the estimates and assumptions stated
therein, all of which Borrowers believe to be reasonable and fair
in light of current conditions and current facts known to Borrowers
and, as of the Closing Date, reflect Borrowers’ good faith
and reasonable estimates of the future financial performance of
Borrowers for the period set forth therein. The Projections are not
a guaranty of future performance, and actual results may differ
from the Projections.
3.5 Material Adverse Effect .
Between March 31, 2009 and the Closing Date except for the
filing by Borrowers of the Chapter 11 Cases and matters relating
thereto: (a) no Credit Party has incurred any obligations,
contingent or noncontingent liabilities, liabilities for Charges,
long-term leases or unusual forward or long-term commitments that
are not reflected in the Projections and that, alone or in the
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, (b) no contract, lease or other agreement or
instrument has been entered into by any Credit Party or has become
binding upon any Credit Party’s assets and no law or
regulation applicable to any Credit Party has been adopted that has
had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, and (c) except as set forth on Schedule 3.5 ,
no Credit Party is in default and to the best of Borrowers’
knowledge no third party is in default under any material contract,
lease or other agreement or instrument, that alone or in the
aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. Since March 31, 2009, no event has occurred, that
alone or together with other events, could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect other than the commencement of
the Chapter 11 Cases and matters relating thereto.
3.6 Ownership of Property;
Liens . The Real Estate listed in Schedule (3.6)
constitutes all of the real property (i) owned, leased
or subleased by any Credit Party as of the Closing Date and
(ii) used by any Credit Party as of July 31, 2009. Each
Credit Party owns good and marketable fee simple title to all of
its owned Real Estate, except where failure to own good and
marketable fee simple title to such Real Estate could not
reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect, and
valid and marketable leasehold interests in all of its leased Real
Estate, all as described on Schedule (3.6) , and copies of
all such leases or a summary of terms thereof reasonably
satisfactory to Agent have been made available to Agent.
Schedule (3.6) further describes any Real Estate with
respect to which any Credit Party is a lessor or sublessor as of
the Closing Date. Each Credit Party also has good and marketable
title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its material
personal property and assets. As of the Closing Date, none of the
properties and assets of any Credit Party are subject to any Liens
other than Permitted Encumbrances, and there are no facts,
circumstances or conditions known to any Credit Party that may
result in any Liens (including Liens arising under Environmental
Laws) other than Permitted Encumbrances. Each Credit Party has
received all deeds, assignments, waivers, consents, nondisturbance
and attornment or similar agreements, bills of sale and other
documents, and has duly effected all recordings, filings and other
actions necessary to establish, protect and perfect such Credit
Party’s right, title and interest in and to all such Real
Estate and other material properties and assets (excluding
equipment made available, or sold pursuant to secured financing
arrangements, to customers, and Inventory subject to consignment
arrangements, in each case in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices),
28
except where failure to so receive, record, file
or perform any other such action could not reasonably be expected
to cause a Material Adverse Effect. As of the Closing Date, no
material portion of any Credit Party’s Real Estate has
suffered any material damage by fire or other casualty loss that
has not heretofore been repaired and restored in all material
respects to its original condition or otherwise remedied. As of the
Closing Date, all material permits required to have been issued or
appropriate to enable the Real Estate to be lawfully occupied and
used for all of the purposes for which it is currently occupied and
used have been lawfully issued and are in full force and
effect.
3.7 Labor Matters . Except as
set forth on Schedule (3.7) , as of the Closing Date
(a) no strikes or other material labor disputes against any
Credit Party are pending or, to any Credit Party’s knowledge,
threatened; (b) hours worked by and payment made to employees
of each Credit Party comply in all material respects with the Fair
Labor Standards Act and each other federal, state, local or foreign
law applicable to such matters; (c) all material payments due
from any Credit Party for employee health and welfare insurance
have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such
Credit Party to the extent required under GAAP; (d) no Credit
Party is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining
agreement, management agreement, consulting agreement, employment
agreement, bonus, restricted stock, stock option, or stock
appreciation plan or agreement or any similar plan, agreement or
arrangement (and true and complete copies of any agreements
described on Schedule (3.7) have been made available
to Agent); (e) there is no organizing activity involving any
Credit Party pending or, to any Credit Party’s knowledge,
threatened by any labor union or group of employees; (f) there
are no representation proceedings pending or, to any Credit
Party’s knowledge, threatened with the National Labor
Relations Board, and no labor organization or group of employees of
any Credit Party has made a pending demand for recognition; and
(g) there are no material complaints or charges against any
Credit Party pending or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party,
threatened to be filed with any Governmental Authority or
arbitrator based on, arising out of, in connection with, or
otherwise relating to the employment or termination of employment
by any Credit Party of any individual that could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
3.8 Ventures, Subsidiaries and
Affiliates; Outstanding Stock and Indebtedness . Except as set
forth in Schedule (3.8) , as of the Closing Date,
(i) no Credit Party has any Subsidiaries, is engaged in any
joint venture or partnership with any other Person, or is an
Affiliate of any other Person, and (ii) all of the issued and
outstanding Stock of each Credit Party (other than Parent) is owned
by each of the Stockholders and in the amounts set forth in
Schedule (3.8) . All outstanding Indebtedness and Guaranteed
Indebtedness of each Credit Party as of the Closing Date (except
for the Obligations) in excess of $250,000 individually, but not to
exceed $500,000 in the aggregate, is described in
Section 6.3 (including Schedule (6.3)
).
3.9 Government Regulation .
No Credit Party is an “investment company” or an
“affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or
“principal underwriter” for, an “investment
company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940. No Credit Party is subject to regulation under the
Federal Power Act or any other federal or state statute that
restricts or limits its ability to incur Indebtedness or to perform
its obligations hereunder. The making of the Loans by Lenders to
Borrowers, the incurrence of the Letter of Credit Obligations on
behalf of Borrowers, the application of the proceeds thereof and
repayment thereof and the consummation of the Related Transactions
will not violate any provision of any such statute or any rule,
regulation or order issued by the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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3.10 Margin Regulations . No
Credit Party is engaged, nor will it engage, principally or as one
of its important activities, in the business of extending credit
for the purpose of “purchasing” or
“carrying” any “margin stock” as such terms
are defined in Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board as now and
from time to time hereafter in effect (such securities being
referred to herein as “ Margin Stock ”). No
Credit Party owns any Margin Stock, and none of the proceeds of the
Loans or other extensions of credit under this Agreement will be
used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or
carrying any Margin Stock, for the purpose of reducing or retiring
any Indebtedness that was originally incurred to purchase or carry
any Margin Stock or for any other purpose that might cause any of
the Loans or other extensions of credit under this Agreement to be
considered a “purpose credit” within the meaning of
Regulations T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board. No Credit Party
will take or permit to be taken any action that might cause any
Loan Document to violate any regulation of the Federal Reserve
Board.
3.11 Taxes . All Federal and
other material tax returns, reports and statements, including
information returns, required by any Governmental Authority to be
filed by any Credit Party have been filed with the appropriate
Governmental Authority, and all Charges have been paid prior to the
date on which any fine, penalty, interest or late charge may be
added thereto for nonpayment thereof, excluding Charges or other
amounts being contested in accordance with
Section 5.2(b) or unless the failure to so file or pay
would not reasonably be expected to result in fines, penalties or
interest in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate. Proper and
accurate amounts have been withheld by each Credit Party from its
respective employees for all periods in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws
and such withholdings have been timely paid to the respective
Governmental Authorities. As of the Closing Date, no Credit Party
has agreed or been requested to make any adjustment under IRC
Section 481(a), by reason of a change in accounting method or
otherwise, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
3.12 ERISA .
(a) Schedule (3.12)
lists, as of the Closing Date, (i) all ERISA Affiliates
and (ii) all Plans and separately identifies all Pension
Plans, including Title IV Plans, Multiemployer Plans, and all
Retiree Welfare Plans. Copies of all such listed Plans, together
with a copy of the latest form IRS/DOL 5500-series, as applicable,
for each such Plan, have been made available to Agent. Except with
respect to Multiemployer Plans, each Qualified Plan has been
determined by the IRS to qualify under Section 401 of the IRC,
the trusts created thereunder have been determined to be exempt
from tax under the provisions of Section 501 of the IRC, and
nothing has occurred that would cause the loss of such
qualification or tax-exempt status. Each Plan is in compliance in
all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the
IRC and its terms, including the timely filing of all reports
required under the IRC or ERISA. Except as may be set forth in
Schedule (3.12) , as of the Closing Date, neither any Credit
Party nor ERISA Affiliate has failed to make any material
contribution or pay any material amount due as required by either
Section 412 of the IRC or Section 302 of ERISA or the
terms of any such Plan. Except as may be set forth in Schedule
(3.12) , as of the Closing Date, no “prohibited
transaction,” as
30
defined in Section 406 of ERISA and
Section 4975 of the IRC, has occurred with respect to any Plan
that would subject any Credit Party to a material tax on prohibited
transactions imposed by Section 502(i) of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the IRC.
(b) Except as set forth in
Schedule (3.12) : (i) no Title IV Plan has any material
Unfunded Pension Liability; (ii) no ERISA Event that could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect has
occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (iii) there are
no pending, or to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened
material claims (other than claims for benefits in the normal
course), sanctions, actions or lawsuits, asserted or instituted
against any Plan or any Person as fiduciary or sponsor of any Plan;
(iv) no Credit Party or ERISA Affiliate has incurred or
reasonably expects to incur any material liability as a result of a
complete or partial withdrawal from a Multiemployer Plan; and
(v) within the last five years no Title IV Plan of any Credit
Party or ERISA Affiliate has been terminated, whether or not in a
“standard termination” as that term is used in
Section 4041 of ERISA, nor has any Title IV Plan of any Credit
Party or any ERISA Affiliate (determined at any time within the
last five years) with material Unfunded Pension Liabilities been
transferred outside of the “controlled group” (within
the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA) of any Credit
Party or ERISA Affiliate (determined at such time).
3.13 No Litigation . No
action, claim, lawsuit, demand, investigation or proceeding is now
pending or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened
against any Credit Party, before any Governmental Authority or
before any arbitrator or panel of arbitrators (collectively,
“ Litigation ”), (a) that challenges any
Credit Party’s right or power to enter into or perform any of
its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, or
the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or any action
taken thereunder, or (b) except as set forth on Schedule
(3.13) , that could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule (3.13) , as
of the Closing Date there is no Litigation pending or, to any
Credit Party’s knowledge, threatened, that could reasonably
be expected to result in damages (not covered by insurance) in
excess of $1,000,000 or that seeks injunctive relief against, or
alleges criminal misconduct of, any Credit Party.
3.14 Brokers . Except as set
forth on Schedule (3.14) , no broker or finder brought about
the obtaining, making or closing of the Loans or the Related
Transactions, and no Credit Party or Affiliate thereof has any
obligation to any Person in respect of any finder’s or
brokerage fees in connection therewith.
3.15 Intellectual Property .
As of the Closing Date, each Credit Party owns or has rights to use
all material intellectual property necessary to continue to conduct
its business as now conducted by it or presently proposed to be
conducted by it, and each Patent, Trademark, registered Copyright
and License now owned or held by a Credit Party, as applicable, is
listed, together with application or registration numbers, as
applicable, in Schedule (3.15) . Each Credit Party conducts
its business and affairs without infringement of or interference
with any intellectual property of any other Person in any material
respect. Except as set forth in Schedule (3.15) , no Credit
Party is aware of any material infringement by any other Person
with respect to any Intellectual Property.
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3.16 Full Disclosure . No
information contained in this Agreement, any of the other Loan
Documents, Financial Statements or Collateral Reports or other
written reports from time to time prepared by any Credit Party and
delivered hereunder or any written statement prepared by any Credit
Party and furnished by or on behalf of any Credit Party to Agent or
any Lender pursuant to the terms of this Agreement contains or will
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will
omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
contained herein or therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances under which they were made. Projections from time to
time delivered hereunder are or will be based upon the estimates
and assumptions stated therein, all of which Borrowers believed at
the time of delivery to be reasonable and fair in light of current
conditions and current facts known to Borrowers as of such delivery
date, and reflect Borrowers’ good faith and reasonable
estimates of the future financial performance of Borrowers and of
the other information projected therein for the period set forth
therein. Such Projections are not a guaranty of future performance
and actual results may differ from those set forth in such
Projections. The Liens granted to Agent, on behalf of itself and
Lenders, pursuant to the Collateral Documents will at all times be
fully perfected first priority Liens in and to the Collateral
described therein, subject, as to priority, only to Permitted
Encumbrances.
3.17 Environmental Matters
.
(a) Except as set forth in
Schedule (3.17) , as of the Closing Date: (i) the Real
Estate is free of contamination from any Hazardous Material except
for such contamination that would not adversely impact the value or
marketability of such Real Estate and that would not result in
Environmental Liabilities that could reasonably be expected to
exceed $2,500,000; (ii) no Credit Party has caused or suffered
to occur any material Release of Hazardous Materials on, at, in,
under, above, to, from or about any of its Real Estate;
(iii) the Credit Parties are and have been in compliance with
all Environmental Laws, except for such noncompliance that would
not result in Environmental Liabilities which could reasonably be
expected to exceed $2,500,000; (iv) the Credit Parties have
obtained, and are in compliance with, all Environmental Permits
required by Environmental Laws for the operations of their
respective businesses as presently conducted or as proposed to be
conducted, except where the failure to so obtain or comply with
such Environmental Permits would not result in Environmental
Liabilities that could reasonably be expected to exceed $2,500,000,
and all such Environmental Permits are valid, uncontested and in
good standing; (v) no Credit Party is involved in operations
or knows of any facts, circumstances or conditions, including any
Releases of Hazardous Materials, that are likely to result in any
Environmental Liabilities of such Credit Party which could
reasonably be expected to exceed $2,500,000; (vi) there is no
Litigation arising under or related to any Environmental Laws,
Environmental Permits or Hazardous Material that seeks damages,
penalties, fines, costs or expenses in excess of $2,500,000 or
injunctive relief against, or that alleges criminal misconduct by,
any Credit Party; (vii) no notice has been received by any
Credit Party identifying it as a “potentially responsible
party” or requesting information under CERCLA or analogous
state statutes, and to the knowledge of the Credit Parties, there
are no facts, circumstances or conditions that may result in any
Credit Party being identified as a “potentially responsible
party” under CERCLA or analogous state statutes; and
(viii) the Credit Parties have made available to Agent copies
of all existing environmental reports, reviews and audits and all
written information pertaining to actual or potential material
Environmental Liabilities, in each case relating to any Credit
Party.
32
(b) Each Credit Party hereby
acknowledges and agrees that Agent (i) is not now, and has not
ever been, in control of any of the Real Estate or any Credit
Party’s affairs, and (ii) does not have the capacity
through the provisions of the Loan Documents or otherwise to
influence any Credit Party’s conduct with respect to the
ownership, operation or management of any of its Real Estate or
compliance with Environmental Laws or Environmental
Permits.
3.18 Insurance . Schedule
(3.18) lists all material insurance policies of any
nature maintained, as of the Closing Date, for current occurrences
by each Credit Party.
3.19 Deposit and Disbursement
Accounts . Schedule (3.19) lists all banks and
other financial institutions at which any Credit Party maintains
deposit or other accounts as of the Closing Date, including any
Disbursement Accounts, and such Schedule identifies the name of
each depository, the name in which the account is held, a
description of the purpose of the account, and the complete account
number therefor, and is accurate in all material
respects.
3.20 Government Contracts .
Except as set forth in Schedule (3.20) , as of the Closing
Date, no Credit Party is a party to any contract or agreement with
any Governmental Authority and no Credit Party’s Accounts are
subject to the Federal Assignment of Claims Act (31 U.S.C.
Section 3727) or any similar state or local law, for amounts
in excess of $1,000,000.
3.21 Customer and Trade
Relations . As of the Closing Date, except as may be set forth
on Schedule (3.21) , there exists no actual or, to the
knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened termination or
cancellation of, or any material adverse modification or change in:
the business relationship of any Credit Party with any customer or
group of customers whose purchases during the preceding 12 months
caused them to be ranked among the ten largest customers of such
Credit Party; or the business relationship of any Credit Party with
any supplier essential to its operations that could not reasonably
be replaced.
3.22 Bonding; Licenses .
Except as set forth on Schedule (3.22) , as of the Closing
Date, no Credit Party is a party to or bound by any surety bond
agreement or bonding requirement with respect to products or
services sold by it or any trademark or patent license agreement
with respect to products sold by it.
3.23 Solvency . After giving
effect to (a) the Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations to be
made or incurred on the Closing Date or such other date as Loans
and Letter of Credit Obligations requested hereunder are made or
incurred, (b) the disbursement of the proceeds of such Loans
pursuant to the instructions of the Borrower Representative,
(c) the Refinancing and the consummation of the other Related
Transactions and (d) the payment and accrual of all
transaction costs in connection with the foregoing, the Credit
Parties, taken as a whole, are and will be Solvent.
3.24 Term Notes .
(a) Delivery . Parent has
delivered to Agent complete and correct copies of (i) each
Term Note Document and of all exhibits and schedules thereto as of
the date hereof, and (ii) copies of any amendment,
restatement, supplement or other modification to or waiver of each
Term Note Document entered into after the date hereof.
33
(b) Governmental Approvals .
All Governmental Authorizations and all other authorizations,
approvals and consents of any other Person required to be obtained
by the Term Note Documents as of the date of this Agreement have
been obtained and are in full force and effect.
(c) Conditions Precedent . On
the Closing Date, all of the conditions to the effectiveness of the
Term Note Indenture have been duly satisfied or waived.
3.25 Intentionally Omitted
.
3.26 Anti-Terrorism Laws .
None of Borrowers nor any of their Affiliates is in violation of
any Anti-Terrorism Law, or engages in or conspires to engage in any
transaction that attempts to violate, or otherwise evades or avoids
(or has the purpose of evading or avoiding) any prohibitions set
forth in any Anti-Terrorism Law. None of Borrowers any of their
Affiliates (a) is a Blocked Person; (b) conducts any
business or engages in making or receiving any contribution of
funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any Blocked
Person in any manner that would violate any Anti-Terrorism Law;
(c) has any of its assets in a Blocked Person; (d) deals
in, or otherwise engages in any transaction relating to, any assets
or property blocked pursuant to Executive Order No. 13224; or
(e) derives a substantial portion of any of its operating
income from investments in or transactions with a Blocked
Person.
|
4.
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION
|
4.1 Reports and Notices
.
(a) Each Credit Party executing this
Agreement hereby agrees that from and after the Closing Date and
until the Termination Date, it shall deliver to Agent or to Agent
and Lenders, as required herein, the Financial Statements, notices,
Projections and other information at the times, to the Persons and
in the manner set forth in Annex E .
(b) Each Credit Party executing this
Agreement hereby agrees that, from and after the Closing Date and
until the Termination Date, it shall deliver to Agent or to Agent
and Lenders, as required herein, the various Collateral Reports
(including Borrowing Base Certificates in the form of Exhibit
4.1(b) ) at the times, to the Persons and in the manner set
forth in Annex F .
4.2 Communication with
Accountants and Other Financial Advisors . Each Credit Party
executing this Agreement authorizes (a) Agent and (b) so
long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, each
Lender, to communicate directly with its independent certified
public accountants, financial advisors, investment bankers and
consultants, including Deloitte & Touche LLP, and
authorizes and shall instruct those accountants, financial
advisors, investment bankers and consultants to communicate to
Agent and each Lender information relating to any Credit Party with
respect to the business, results of operations and financial
condition of any Credit Party; provided that in each case Parent
shall be given reasonable prior notice of such direct
communications and afforded the opportunity to participate in such
communications.
34
Each Credit Party executing this
Credit Agreement jointly and severally agrees as to all Credit
Parties that from and after the date hereof and until the
Termination Date:
5.1 Maintenance of Existence and
Conduct of Business . Except as otherwise permitted by this
Agreement, each Credit Party shall: do or cause to be done all
things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its
corporate existence and its material rights and franchises;
continue to conduct its business substantially as now conducted or
as otherwise permitted hereunder; and at all times maintain,
preserve and protect all of its assets and properties used or
useful in the conduct of its business, and keep the same in good
repair, working order and condition in all material respects
(taking into consideration ordinary wear and tear) and from time to
time make, or cause to be made, all necessary or appropriate
repairs, replacements and improvements thereto consistent with
industry practices.
5.2 Payment of Charges
.
(a) Subject to
Section 5.2(b) , each Credit Party shall pay and
discharge or cause to be paid and discharged promptly all Charges
payable by it, including (i) Charges imposed upon it, its
income and profits, or any of its property (real, personal or
mixed) and all Charges with respect to tax, social security and
unemployment withholding with respect to its employees,
(ii) material amounts for all lawful claims for labor,
materials, supplies and services or otherwise, and
(iii) material amounts for all storage or rental charges
payable to warehousemen or bailees, in each case, before any
thereof shall become past due.
(b) Each Credit Party may in good
faith contest, by appropriate proceedings, the validity or amount
of any Charges, Taxes or claims described in
Section 5.2(a) ; provided , that
(i) adequate reserves with respect to such contest are
maintained on the books of such Credit Party, in accordance with
GAAP; (ii) no Lien shall be imposed to secure payment of such
Charges (other than payments to warehousemen and/or bailees) that
is superior to any of the Liens securing the Obligations and such
contest is maintained and prosecuted continuously and with
diligence and operates to suspend collection or enforcement of such
Charges; (iii) none of the Collateral becomes subject to
forfeiture or loss as a result of such contest and (iv) such
Credit Party shall promptly pay or discharge such contested
Charges, Taxes or claims and all additional charges, interest,
penalties and expenses, if any, and shall deliver to Agent evidence
reasonably acceptable to Agent of such compliance, payment or
discharge, if such contest is terminated or discontinued adversely
to such Credit Party or the conditions set forth in this
Section 5.2(b) are no longer met.
5.3 Books and Records . Each
Credit Party shall keep adequate books and records with respect to
its business activities in which proper entries, reflecting all
financial transactions, are made in accordance with GAAP and on a
basis consistent with the Financial Statements attached as
Schedule (3.4(a)) .
5.4 Insurance; Damage to or
Destruction of Collateral .
(a) The Credit Parties shall, at
their sole cost and expense, maintain the policies of insurance
described on Schedule (3.18) as in effect on the date
hereof or otherwise in
35
form and amounts and with insurers reasonably
acceptable to Agent. Such policies of insurance (or the loss
payable and additional insured endorsements delivered to Agent)
shall contain provisions pursuant to which the insurer agrees to
provide thirty (30) days prior written notice to Agent in the
event of any non-renewal, cancellation or amendment of any such
insurance policy. If any Credit Party at any time or times
hereafter shall fail to obtain or maintain any of the policies of
insurance required above, or to pay all premiums relating thereto,
Agent may at any time or times thereafter obtain and maintain such
policies of insurance and pay such premiums and take any other
action with respect thereto that Agent deems advisable. Agent shall
have no obligation to obtain insurance for any Credit Party or pay
any premiums therefor. By doing so, Agent shall not be deemed to
have waived any Default or Event of Default arising from any Credit
Party’s failure to maintain such insurance or pay any
premiums therefor. All sums so disbursed, including reasonable
attorneys’ fees, court costs and other charges related
thereto, shall be payable on demand by Borrowers to Agent and shall
be additional Obligations hereunder secured by the
Collateral.
(b) Agent reserves the right at any
time upon any change in any Credit Party’s risk profile
(including any change in the product mix maintained by any Credit
Party or any laws affecting the potential liability of such Credit
Party) to require additional forms and limits of insurance to, in
Agent’s opinion, adequately protect both Agent’s and
Lenders’ interests in all or any portion of the Collateral
and to ensure that each Credit Party is protected by insurance in
amounts and with coverage customary for its industry. If reasonably
requested by Agent, each Credit Party shall deliver to Agent from
time to time a report of a reputable insurance broker, reasonably
satisfactory to Agent, with respect to its insurance
policies.
(c) Each Credit Party shall deliver
to Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent,
endorsements to (i) all “All Risk” and business
interruption insurance naming Agent, on behalf of itself and
Lenders, and Term Agent, on behalf of Term Note Holders, as loss
payees, and (ii) all general liability and other liability
policies naming Agent, on behalf of itself and Lenders, as
additional insured. Each Credit Party irrevocably makes,
constitutes and appoints Agent (and all officers, employees or
agents designated by Agent), so long as any Default or Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing, as such Credit
Party’s true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact for the
purpose of making, settling and adjusting claims under such
“All Risk” policies of insurance, endorsing the name of
such Credit Party on any check or other item of payment for the
proceeds of such “All Risk” policies of insurance and
for making all determinations and decisions with respect to such
“All Risk” policies of insurance. Agent shall have no
duty to exercise any rights or powers granted to it pursuant to the
foregoing power-of-attorney. Borrower Representative shall promptly
notify Agent of any loss, damage, or destruction to the Collateral
in the amount of $1,000,000 or more, whether or not covered by
insurance. After deducting from such proceeds (i) the expenses
incurred by Agent in the collection or handling thereof, and
(ii) amounts required to be paid to creditors (other than
Lenders) having Permitted Encumbrances, Agent may, at its option,
apply such proceeds to the reduction of the Obligations in
accordance with Section 1.3(d) ; provided that
in the case of insurance proceeds pertaining to any Credit Party
that is not a Borrower, such insurance proceeds shall be applied
ratably to all of the Loans owing by each Borrower and;
provided , further , that at the option of the
applicable Credit Party so long as no Default or Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, the applicable Credit Party
may use such money, or any part thereof, to replace, repair,
restore or rebuild the Collateral in a diligent and expeditious
manner with
36
materials and workmanship of substantially the
same quality as existed before the loss, damage or destruction. All
insurance proceeds that are to be made available to any Borrower to
replace, repair, restore or rebuild the Collateral shall be applied
by Agent to reduce the outstanding principal balance of the
Revolving Loans (which application shall not result in a permanent
reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitment). All insurance proceeds
made available to any Credit Party that is not a Borrower to
replace, repair, restore or rebuild Collateral shall be deposited
in a cash collateral account. Thereafter, such funds shall be made
available to that Borrower or Credit Party to provide funds to
replace, repair, restore or rebuild the Collateral as follows:
(i) Borrower Representative shall request a Revolving Credit
Advance or a release from the cash collateral account be made to
such Borrower or Credit Party in the amount requested to be
released; and (ii) so long as the conditions set forth in
Section 2.2 have been met, Revolving Lenders shall make
such Revolving Credit Advance or Agent shall release funds from the
cash collateral account. To the extent not used to replace, repair,
restore or rebuild the Collateral, such insurance proceeds shall be
applied in accordance with Section 1.3(d) ;
provided that in the case of insurance proceeds pertaining
to any Credit Party that is not a Borrower, such insurance proceeds
shall be applied ratably to all of the Loans owing by each
Borrower. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contain in this
Section 5.4(c) , with respect to any Term Priority
Collateral, the provisions of this Section 5.4(c) shall
be subject to the terms and conditions of the Term Note Documents
and the Intercreditor Agreement.
5.5 Compliance with Laws .
Each Credit Party shall comply with all federal, state, local and
foreign laws and regulations applicable to it, including those
relating to ERISA, labor laws, and Environmental Laws and
Environmental Permits, except to the extent that the failure to
comply, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.6 Supplemental Disclosure .
From time to time as may be reasonably requested by Agent (which
request will not be made more frequently than once each year absent
the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default) or at Credit
Parties’ election, the Credit Parties shall supplement each
Schedule hereto, or any representation herein or in any other Loan
Document, with respect to any matter hereafter arising that, if
existing or occurring at the date of this Agreement, would have
been required to be set forth or described in such Schedule or as
an exception to such representation or that is necessary to correct
any information in such Schedule or representation which has been
rendered inaccurate in any material respect thereby (and, in the
case of any supplements to any Schedule, such Schedule shall be
appropriately marked to show the changes made therein);
provided that (a) no such supplement to any such
Schedule or representation shall amend, supplement or otherwise
modify any Schedule or representation, or be or be deemed a waiver
of any Default or Event of Default resulting from the matters
disclosed therein, except as consented to by Requisite Lenders in
writing, and (b) no supplement shall be required or permitted
as to representations and warranties that relate solely to the
Closing Date.
5.7 Intellectual Property .
Each Credit Party will conduct its business and affairs without
infringement of or interference with any intellectual property of
any other Person in any material respect and shall comply in all
material respects with the terms of its Licenses.
5.8 Environmental Matters .
Each Credit Party shall and shall cause each Person within its
control to: (a) conduct its operations and keep and maintain
its Real Estate in
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compliance with all Environmental Laws and
Environmental Permits other than noncompliance that could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(b) implement any and all investigation, remediation, removal
and response actions that are appropriate or necessary to maintain
the value and marketability of the Real Estate or to otherwise
comply with Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits pertaining
to the presence, generation, treatment, storage, use, disposal,
transportation or Release of any Hazardous Material on, at, in,
under, above, to, from or about any of its Real Estate in all
material respects; (c) notify Agent promptly after such Credit
Party becomes aware of any violation of Environmental Laws or
Environmental Permits or any Release on, at, in, under, above, to,
from or about any Real Estate that is reasonably likely to result
in Environmental Liabilities in excess of $2,500,000; and
(d) promptly forward to Agent a copy of any order, notice,
request for information or any communication or report received by
such Credit Party in connection with any such violation or Release
or any other matter relating to any Environmental Laws or
Environmental Permits that could reasonably be expected to result
in Environmental Liabilities in excess of $2,500,000, in each case
whether or not the Environmental Protection Agency or any
Governmental Authority has taken or threatened any action in
connection with any such violation, Release or other matter. If
Agent at any time has a reasonable basis to believe that there may
be a violation of any Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits
by any Credit Party or any Environmental Liability arising
thereunder, or a Release of Hazardous Materials on, at, in, under,
above, to, from or about any of its Real Estate, that, in each
case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, then each Credit Party shall, upon Agent’s written
request (i) cause the performance of such environmental audits
including subsurface sampling of soil and groundwater, and
preparation of such environmental reports, at Borrowers’
expense, as Agent may from time to time reasonably request, which
shall be conducted by reputable environmental consulting firms
reasonably acceptable to Agent and shall be in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to Agent, and (ii) permit Agent or its
representatives to have access to all Real Estate for the purpose
of conducting such environmental audits and testing as Agent
reasonably deems appropriate, including subsurface sampling of soil
and groundwater. Borrowers shall reimburse Agent for the reasonable
out-of-pocket costs of such audits and tests and the same will
constitute a part of the Obligations secured hereunder.
5.9 Landlords’ Agreements,
Mortgagee Agreements, Bailee Letters and Real Estate Purchases
. Each Credit Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
obtain a landlord’s agreement, mortgagee agreement or bailee
letter, as applicable, from the lessor of each leased property,
mortgagee of owned property or bailee with respect to any
warehouse, processor or converter facility or other location where
Collateral having a value in excess of $500,000 is stored or
located, which agreement or letter shall contain a waiver or
subordination of all Liens or claims that the landlord, mortgagee
or bailee may assert against the Collateral at that location, and
shall otherwise be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to
Agent. With respect to such locations or warehouse space leased or
owned as of the Closing Date and thereafter, if Agent has not
received a landlord or mortgagee agreement or bailee letter as of
the Closing Date (or, if later, as of the date such location is
acquired or leased), Borrowers shall have the option to elect that
either (a) any Borrower’s Eligible Inventory at that
location shall be excluded from the Borrowing Base or (b) be
subject to a Reserve in the amount equal to the Rent Reserve
Amount. Each Credit Party shall timely and fully pay and perform
its obligations under all leases and other agreements with respect
to each leased location or public warehouse where any Collateral is
or may be located. To the extent otherwise permitted hereunder, if
any Credit Party proposes
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