Exhibit 99.1
$200,000,000
SECURED SUPER-PRIORITY DEBTOR-IN-POSSESSION
REVOLVING CREDIT
AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT
Among
KAISER ALUMINUM & CHEMICAL CORPORATION,
KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION,
AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE SUBSIDIARIES LISTED AS BORROWERS
ON
THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO
each a Debtor and a Debtor-in-Possession under Chapter 11 of
the Bankruptcy Code,
as Borrowers
and
THE SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWERS LISTED AS
GUARANTORS ON THE
SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO
as Guarantors
and
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO,
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
as Administrative Agent and Documentation
Agent
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as Lead Arranger, Sole Bookrunner
and
Syndication Agent
and
THE CIT GROUP/BUSINESS CREDIT, INC.
as Co-Arranger
Dated as of February 11,
2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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6
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SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms
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6
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SECTION 1.02. Terms Generally
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35
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SECTION 1.03. The Company As Agent For
Borrowers
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35
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SECTION 1.04. The Term “Borrower”
or “Borrowers”
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35
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SECTION 1.05. Obligations Not
Affected
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35
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SECTION 2. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF
CREDIT
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36
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SECTION 2.01. The Facility
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36
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SECTION 2.02. Revolving Loans
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36
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SECTION 2.03. Loans and
Borrowings
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36
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SECTION 2.04. Requests for
Borrowings
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37
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SECTION 2.05. Protective
Advances
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37
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SECTION 2.06. Swingline Loans
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38
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SECTION 2.07. Letters of Credit
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39
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SECTION 2.08. Funding of
Borrowings
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44
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SECTION 2.09. Interest Elections
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45
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SECTION 2.10. Termination of
Commitments
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46
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SECTION 2.11. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of
Debt
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47
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SECTION 2.12. Prepayment of
Loans
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48
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49
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50
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SECTION 2.15. Alternate Rate of
Interest
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51
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SECTION 2.16. Increased Costs
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51
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SECTION 2.17. Break Funding
Payments
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53
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53
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SECTION 2.19. Payments Generally; Allocation of
Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs
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55
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SECTION 2.20. Mitigation Obligations;
Replacement of Lenders
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57
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SECTION 2.21. Indemnity for Returned
Payments
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58
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SECTION 2.22. Priority and Liens
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58
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SECTION 2.23. Right of Set-Off
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59
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SECTION 2.24. Security Interest in Letter of
Credit Account
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60
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SECTION 2.25. Payment of
Obligations
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60
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SECTION 2.26. No Discharge; Survival of
Claims
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60
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SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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60
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SECTION 3.01. Organization and
Authority
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60
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SECTION 3.02. Due Execution
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61
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SECTION 3.03. Statements Made
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61
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SECTION 3.04. Financial
Statements
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62
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62
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62
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SECTION 3.07. Compliance with
Law
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62
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i
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Page
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62
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SECTION 3.09. Use of Proceeds
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62
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63
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SECTION 3.11. Investment and Holding Company
Status
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63
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63
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63
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63
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SECTION 3.15. Material
Agreements
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64
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SECTION 3.16. Reportable
Transaction
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64
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SECTION 3.17. Capitalization and
Subsidiaries
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64
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SECTION 3.18. Common Enterprise
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64
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SECTION 3.19. Location of Bank
Accounts
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64
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SECTION 3.20. Labor Disputes
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65
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SECTION 3.21. Subordinated
Indenture
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65
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SECTION 3.22. Environmental
Matters
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65
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SECTION 4. CONDITIONS OF LENDING
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67
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SECTION 4.01. Conditions Precedent to Initial
Loans and Initial Letters of Credit
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67
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SECTION 4.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Loan
and Each Letter of Credit
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70
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SECTION 5. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
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71
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SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements, Reports,
etc
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71
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SECTION 5.02. Corporate
Existence
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75
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75
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SECTION 5.04. Obligations and
Taxes
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76
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SECTION 5.05. Notice of Event of Default,
etc
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76
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SECTION 5.06. Access to Books and
Records
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76
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SECTION 5.07. Borrowing Base
Certificate
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76
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SECTION 5.08. Collateral Monitoring and
Review
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76
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SECTION 5.09. Business Plan
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77
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SECTION 5.10. Maintenance of Properties and
Intellectual Property Rights
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77
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SECTION 5.11. Compliance with
Laws
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77
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SECTION 5.12. Use of Proceeds and Letters of
Credit
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77
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SECTION 5.13. Additional Collateral; Further
Assurances
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77
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SECTION 5.14. Environmental
Covenant
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78
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SECTION 5.15. Post Closing
Deliveries
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79
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SECTION 6. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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79
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79
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SECTION 6.02. Merger, etc
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80
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SECTION 6.03. Indebtedness
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80
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SECTION 6.04. Guarantees and Other
Liabilities
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80
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SECTION 6.05. Chapter 11
Claims
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80
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SECTION 6.06. Dividends; Capital
Stock
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81
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SECTION 6.07. Transactions with
Affiliates
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81
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SECTION 6.08. Investments, Loans and
Advances
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81
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SECTION 6.09. Creation of
Subsidiaries
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82
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SECTION 6.10. Disposition of
Assets
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82
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ii
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Page
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SECTION 6.11. Nature of Business
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82
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SECTION 6.12. Restrictive
Agreements
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82
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SECTION 6.13. Prepayment of Indebtedness;
Subordinated Indebtedness
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83
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SECTION 7. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
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83
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SECTION 7.01. Events of Default
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83
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87
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SECTION 8.01. Administration by
Agent
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87
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SECTION 8.02. Advances and
Payments
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87
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SECTION 8.03. Collateral; Collateral
Reporting
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88
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SECTION 8.04. Agreement of Required
Lenders
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89
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SECTION 8.05. Liability of Agent
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89
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SECTION 8.06. Reimbursement and
Indemnification
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89
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SECTION 8.07. Rights of Agent
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90
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SECTION 8.08. Independent
Lenders
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90
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SECTION 8.09. Notice of Transfer
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90
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SECTION 8.10. Successor Agent
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90
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SECTION 8.11. Syndication Agent, Bookrunner,
Etc
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91
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91
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91
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SECTION 9.02. No Impairment of
Guaranty
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92
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SECTION 9.03. Subrogation
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92
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SECTION 10. CASH MANAGEMENT
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92
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SECTION 10.01. Cash Management
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92
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SECTION 10.02. Cash Dominion
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93
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SECTION 11. MISCELLANEOUS
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93
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93
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SECTION 11.02. Survival of Agreement,
Representations and Warranties, etc
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94
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SECTION 11.03. Successors and
Assigns
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94
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SECTION 11.04. Confidentiality
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96
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97
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97
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SECTION 11.07. CHOICE OF LAW
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97
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97
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SECTION 11.09. Extension of
Maturity
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98
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SECTION 11.10. Amendments, etc
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98
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SECTION 11.11. Severability
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99
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99
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SECTION 11.13. Execution in
Counterparts
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99
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SECTION 11.14. Prior Agreements
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99
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SECTION 11.15. USA Patriot Act
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100
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SECTION 11.16. Further
Assurances
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100
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SECTION 11.17. Lender Reporting
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100
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SECTION 11.18. WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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100
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iii
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-
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Commitment
Amounts
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-
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Agent Notice
Information
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-
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Form of
Order
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-
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Form of
Security and Pledge Agreement
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-
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Form of Opinion
of Counsel
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-
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Form of
Assignment and Assumption
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-
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Form of
Borrowing Base Certificate
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-
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Form of Joinder
Agreement
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-
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Form of
Borrowing Request
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-
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Form of
Mortgage
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-
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Filing
Dates
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-
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Subsidiaries
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-
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Liens
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-
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Compliance with
Laws
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-
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Litigation
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-
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Taxes
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-
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Material
Agreements
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-
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Capitalization
and Subsidiaries
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-
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Location of
Bank Accounts
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-
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Labor
Disputes
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-
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Environmental
Matters
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-
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Material
Consents
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-
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Cash
Management
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-
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Existing
Investments
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-
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Disposition of
Assets
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-
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Restrictive
Agreements
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-
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Notice
Parties
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iv
SECURED SUPER-PRIORITY DEBTOR-IN-POSSESSION
REVOLVING CREDIT AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT
SECURED
SUPER-PRIORITY DEBTOR-IN-POSSESSION REVOLVING CREDIT AND GUARANTY
AGREEMENT, dated as of February 11, 2005, among KAISER
ALUMINUM & CHEMICAL CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation as a
debtor and debtor-in-possession in a case pending under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “ Company
”), KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation and a
debtor and debtor-in-possession in a case pending under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “ Parent
”) and each of their respective subsidiaries listed as
“ Borrowers ” on the signature pages hereto (the
“ Subsidiary Borrowers ”, and together with the
Company and the Parent, each a “ Borrower ” and
collectively, the “ Borrowers ”), certain of the
direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Borrowers listed as “
Guarantors ” on the signature pages hereto (each a
“ Guarantor ” and collectively, the “
Guarantors ”), each of the Borrowers and the
Guarantors referred to in this paragraph is a debtor and
debtor-in-possession in a case pending under Chapter 11 of the
Bankruptcy Code (the cases of the Borrowers and the Guarantors,
each a “ Case ” and collectively, the “
Cases ”), JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a
national banking association organized under the laws of the United
States (“ JPMorgan Chase ”), THE CIT
GROUP/BUSINESS CREDIT, INC., a New York corporation (“
CIT ”) and each of the other financial institutions
from time to time party hereto (together with JPMorgan Chase, the
“ Lenders ”) and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “
Agent ”) for the Lenders.
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
On
February 12, 2002, certain of the Borrowers and certain of the
Guarantors filed voluntary petitions for relief with the Bankruptcy
Court initiating the Cases. On March 15, 2002 certain of the
other Borrowers and Guarantors filed voluntary petitions for relief
under the Bankruptcy Code. On January 14, 2003 the remaining
Borrowers and Guarantors filed petitions for relief under the
Bankruptcy Code. The Borrowers’ and the Guarantors’
Cases have been consolidated for procedural purposes only and are
being administered jointly.
The
Borrowers, the Guarantors, certain other subsidiaries of the
Borrowers, the Existing Lenders and Bank of America, N.A. are
parties to the Post-Petition Credit Agreement, dated as of
February 12, 2002 (as amended, restated or otherwise modified,
the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”) pursuant to
which the Borrowers and the Guarantors obtained extensions of
credit.
The
Borrowers have applied to the Lenders for a revolving credit,
letter of credit and swingline loan facility in an aggregate
principal amount not to exceed $200,000,000, all of the
Borrowers’ Obligations hereunder are to be guaranteed by the
Guarantors.
The
proceeds of the Loans will be used for (i) refinancing of the
outstanding Obligations under the Existing Credit Agreement,
(ii) working capital, letters of credit and capital
expenditures; (iii) other general corporate purposes of the
Borrowers and the Guarantors; (iv) payment of any related
transaction costs, fees and expenses; and (v) the costs of
administration of the Cases.
To
provide guarantees and security for the repayment of the Loans, the
reimbursement of any draft drawn under a Letter of Credit and the
payment of the other Obligations of the Borrowers and the
Guarantors hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including,
without limitation, Banking Services Obligations and Swap
Obligations owing to any Lender to the extent included in
Obligations) the Borrowers and the Guarantors will provide to the
Agent and the Lenders the following (each as more fully described
herein):
(a) a
guaranty from each of the Guarantors of the due and punctual
payment and performance of the Obligations of the Borrowers
hereunder;
(b) with
respect to the Obligations, a joint and several allowed
administrative expense claim in each of the Cases pursuant to
Section 364(c)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code having priority over
all administrative expenses of the kind specified in Sections
503(b) and 507(b) of the Bankruptcy Code;
(c) a
perfected first-priority Lien, pursuant to Section 364(c)(2)
of the Bankruptcy Code, upon all tangible and intangible property
of each Borrower’s and Guarantor’s estate in the Cases
that was not subject to valid, perfected and non-avoidable Liens as
of the applicable Filing Date of each such Borrower or Guarantor
and on all cash and cash equivalents in the Letter of Credit
Account provided that following the Termination Date, amounts in
the Letter of Credit Account shall not be subject to the Carve-Out
hereinafter referred to;
(d) a
perfected junior Lien, pursuant to Section 364(c)(3) of the
Bankruptcy Code, upon all tangible and intangible property of each
Borrower’s and Guarantor’s estate in the Cases that was
subject to valid, perfected and non-avoidable Liens in existence on
the applicable Filing Date of each such Borrower or Guarantor or
that was subject to valid Liens in existence on such Filing Date
that were perfected subsequent to such Filing Date as permitted by
Section 546(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, junior to all such valid,
perfected and non-avoidable Liens; and
All
of the claims and the Liens granted hereunder in the Cases to the
Agent and the Lenders shall be subject to the Carve-Out to the
extent provided in Section 2.22 .
Accordingly, the
parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1.
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms.
“ ABR
Borrowing ” shall mean a Borrowing comprised of ABR
Loans.
“ ABR
Loan ” shall mean any Loan bearing interest at a rate
determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate in accordance
with the provisions of Section 2 .
“
Account ” shall mean “account” as defined
in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from
time to time in the State of New York, or when the context implies,
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in any
other applicable jurisdiction.
6
“ Account
Debtor ” shall mean any Person obligated on an
Account.
“
Adjusted LIBO Rate ” shall mean, with respect to any
Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per
annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%)
equal to the LIBO Rate for such interest period multiplied by the
Statutory Reserve Rate.
“
Affiliate ” shall mean, as to any Person, any other
Person which, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person
(excluding any trustee under, or any committee with responsibility
for administering, any Plan).
“
Agent ” shall have the meaning set forth in the first
paragraph of this Agreement.
“
Aggregate Credit Exposure ” shall mean, at any time,
the sum of the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all
Lenders.
“
Agreement ” shall mean this Secured Super-priority
Debtor-in-Possession Revolving Credit and Guaranty Agreement, as
the same may be amended, restated, modified or supplemented from
time to time.
“
Alternate Base Rate ” shall mean, for any day, a rate
per annum (rounded, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) equal
to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and
(b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day
plus 0.50%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change
in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be
effective from and including the effective date of such change in
the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate,
respectively.
“
Applicable Commitment Fee Rate ” means, at any time,
with respect to the Commitment Fees payable hereunder, the
applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption
“Commitment Fee Rate” based upon the Borrowers’
average daily Aggregate Credit Exposure for the most recently ended
calendar month:
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Average Daily Aggregate Credit
Exposure
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Commitment Fee
Rate
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0.35%
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$75,000,000 < x < $125,000,000
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0.25%
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0.20%
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provided
, however , that for the
period commencing on the Closing Date and ending one month
thereafter, the Applicable Commitment Fee Rate shall be
0.35%.
Adjustments, if
any, to the Applicable Commitment Fee Rate shall be effective as of
the first day of each calendar month based upon the
Borrowers’ average daily Aggregate Credit Exposure for the
most recently ended calendar month.
“
Applicable Margin ” shall mean (a) 0.50%, in the
case of ABR Loans and (b) 2.25%, in the case of Eurodollar
Loans.
“
Assignment and Assumption ” shall mean an assignment
and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the
consent of any party whose consent is required by
7
Section 11.03(b) ), and accepted by the Agent, substantially in
the form of Exhibit D or any other form approved by the
Agent.
“
Availability ” shall mean, at any time, an amount
equal to (a) the lesser of (i) the Total Commitment minus
the Liquidity Reserve from and after the occurrence and during the
continuance of a Liquidity Trigger Event and (ii) the
Borrowing Base, minus (b) the Aggregate Credit Exposure of all
Lenders.
“
Availability Period ” shall mean the period from and
including the Closing Date to but excluding the Termination
Date.
“ Banking
Services ” shall mean each and any of the following bank
services provided to any Borrower or Guarantor by JPMorgan Chase or
any of its Affiliates: (a) commercial credit cards,
(b) stored value cards, (c) purchasing cards and
(d) treasury management services (including, without
limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse
transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository
network services).
“ Banking
Services Obligations ” shall mean, with respect to any
Borrower or any Guarantor, any and all obligations of the Borrowers
and the Guarantors, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever
and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including
all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and
substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking
Services.
“ Banking
Services Reserves ” means all Reserves which the Agent
from time to time establishes in its Permitted Discretion for
Banking Services then provided or outstanding.
“
Bankruptcy Code ” shall mean The Bankruptcy Reform Act
of 1978, as heretofore and hereafter amended, and codified as 11
U.S.C. Section 101 et seq.
“
Bankruptcy Court ” shall mean the United States
Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware or any other court
having jurisdiction over the Cases from time to time.
“
Board ” shall mean the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“
Borrowers ” shall have its meaning as set forth in the
first paragraph of this Agreement.
“
Borrowers’ Agent ” shall mean the Company, in
its capacity as agent for the Borrowers and the Guarantors, as more
fully described in Section 1.03 .
“
Borrowing ” shall mean (a) Revolving Loans of the
same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in
the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period
is in effect, (b) a Swingline Loan or (c) a Protective
Advance.
“
Borrowing Base ” shall mean, at any time, an amount
that is equal to the sum of:
(i) 85% of Eligible Accounts
Receivable; plus
8
(ii) the lesser of
(a) 65% of Eligible Inventory (valued at the lower of cost or
market value, determined on a first-in, first-out basis), and
(b) 85% of the Net Recovery Percentage (based upon the most
recent Inventory appraisal delivered to the Agent in accordance
with the terms hereof) of Eligible Inventory (valued at the lower
of cost or market value, determined on a first-in, first-out
basis); plus
(iii) the Real Property
Percentage multiplied by 65% of the appraised Fair Market Value of
Eligible Real Estate; plus
(iv) the Equipment Percentage
multiplied by 80% of the appraised Net Orderly Liquidation Value of
Eligible Equipment; minus
(v) the Carve-Out Reserve;
minus
(vi) immediately upon the
occurrence and at all times during the continuance of a Liquidity
Trigger Event, the Liquidity Reserve; minus
(vii) Reserves (other than the
Carve-Out Reserve and the Liquidity Reserve).
The
maximum amount of Eligible Equipment and Eligible Real Estate that
may be included in the Borrowing Base is $50,000,000. The Agent
retains the right to, from time to time, in its Permitted
Discretion, establish additional standards of eligibility and
reserves against eligibility and to reduce advance rates, with any
changes in such standards to be effective upon delivery of notice
thereof to the Borrowers’ Agent.
“
Borrowing Base Certificate ” shall mean a certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit E together with
all supporting documentation required to be delivered as specified
in Schedule 1 to Exhibit E (with such changes
therein from time to time as may be required by the Agent in its
Permitted Discretion to reflect the components of and reserves
against the Borrowing Base as provided for hereunder from time to
time), executed and certified by a Financial Officer of the
Borrowers’ Agent.
“
Business Day ” shall mean any day that is not a
Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York
City are authorized or required by law to remain closed;
provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar
Loan, the term “ Business Day ” shall also
exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar
deposits in the London interbank market.
“
Canadian Subsidiaries ” shall mean Texada Mines,
Kaiser Canada Investment Limited, Kaiser Canada and Refractories
Engineering.
“ Capital
Expenditures ” shall mean, without duplication, any
actual cash expenditure for any purchase or other acquisition of
any asset which would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on
a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries
prepared in accordance with GAAP.
9
“ Capital
Lease ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any
agreement pursuant to which such Person obtains the right to use
any real or personal property which is required to be classified
and accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of such
Person under GAAP.
“ Capital
Lease Obligations ” shall mean, with respect to any
Person, the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts
under any Capital Lease and, for purposes of this Agreement, the
amount of such obligations at any time shall be the capitalized
amount thereof at such time determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“
Carve-Out ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.22 .
“
Carve-Out Reserve ” shall mean an amount at all times
equal to $4,000,000.
“
Cases ” shall have the meaning set forth in the first
paragraph of this Agreement.
“ Cash
Collateralization ” shall have the meaning given such
term in Section 2.07(j) .
“ Cash
Management Accounts ” shall mean those bank accounts of
each Borrower, each Guarantor, and their Significant Subsidiaries
(excluding any foreign Subsidiary and all Excluded Subsidiaries)
listed on Schedule 3.19 that are maintained at one or
more Cash Management Banks listed on Schedule 3.19
.
“ Cash
Management Bank ” shall have the meaning given such term
in Section 10.01(a) .
“
CERCLA ” shall mean the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended or
otherwise modified from time to time.
“
CERCLIS ” shall mean the Comprehensive Environmental
Response Compensation Liability Information System List.
“ Change
in Law ” shall mean (a) the adoption of any law,
rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any
change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or
application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of
this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank
(or, for purposes of Section 2.16(b) , by any lending
office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing
Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline
or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any
Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this
Agreement.
“ Change
of Control ” shall mean (i) the acquisition after
the date hereof of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially
or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of
shares representing more than 30% of the aggregate ordinary voting
power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of
the Parent; (ii) the occupation of a majority of the seats (other
than vacant seats) on the Board of Directors of any Borrower by
Persons who were neither (A) nominated by the Board of
Directors
10
of the Parent nor
(B) appointed by directors so nominated or (iii) the
acquisition of direct or indirect Control of any of the Borrowers
by any Person or group.
“ Closing
Date ” shall mean the date on which this Agreement has
been executed and the conditions precedent to the making of the
initial Loans set forth in Section 4.01 have been
satisfied or waived, which date shall occur as soon as practical
following the of entry of the Order but in no event later than
February 11, 2005.
“
Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and
rulings issued thereunder.
“
Collateral ” shall mean any and all property owned,
leased or operated by a Person granted as security for the
Obligations pursuant to any other Loan Document and any and all
other property of any Borrower or any Guarantor, now existing or
hereafter acquired, that may at any time be or become subject to a
security interest or Lien in favor of the Agent, on behalf of
itself and the Lenders, to secure the Obligations.
“
Collateral Access Agreement ” shall mean any landlord
waiver or other agreement, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent, between the Agent, for the benefit of
the Agent and the Lenders, and any third party (including any
bailee, consignee, customs broker, or other similar Person) in
possession of any Collateral or any landlord of any Borrower or
Guarantor for any real Property where any Collateral is located and
pursuant to which such third party, among other things, waives or
subordinates any Lien such third party may have in respect of the
Collateral, as such landlord waiver or other agreement may be
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“
Collateral Monitoring Fees ” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 5.08 .
“
Commitment ” shall mean, with respect to any Lender,
the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to
acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans
hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to
time pursuant to the terms hereof and (b) reduced or increased
from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender
pursuant to Section 11.03(b) . The initial amount of
each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on the Annex A
– Commitment Schedule or, if applicable, in the
Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have
assumed its Commitment. The initial aggregate amount of all of the
Lenders’ Commitments is $200,000,000.
“
Commitment Fee ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.13 .
“
Commitment Letter ” shall mean that certain Commitment
Letter, dated January 14, 2005, among the Agent, JPMSI, CIT,
the Parent and the Company.
“
Commitment Percentage ” shall mean, with respect to
any Lender, (a) with respect to Revolving Loans, Letter of
Credit Exposure or Swingline Loans, a portion thereof equal to a
fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Commitment
and the denominator of which is the Total Commitment (if the
Commitments have terminated or expired, the Commitment Percentages
shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in
effect, giving effect to any assignments), (b) with respect to
Protective Advances or with respect
11
to the Aggregate Credit Exposure
prior to the Termination Date, a portion thereof equal to a
fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Commitment
and the denominator of which is the Total Commitment, and
(c) with respect to Protective Advances or with respect to the
Aggregate Credit Exposure after the Termination Date, a portion
thereof equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such
Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure and the denominator of
which is the Aggregate Credit Exposure.
“
Commodity Swap Agreement ” shall mean any Swap
Agreement involving or settled by reference to one or more
commodities.
“
Consummation Date ” shall mean the date of the
substantial consummation (as defined in Section 1101 of the
Bankruptcy Code and which for purposes of this Agreement shall be
no later than the effective date of a Reorganization Plan) of a
Reorganization Plan that is confirmed pursuant to an order of the
Bankruptcy Court.
“
Control ” shall mean the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to
exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “
Controlling ” and “ Controlled ”
have meanings correlative thereto.
“
Default ” shall mean any event or condition which
constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of
time, or both would, unless cured or waived, constitute an Event of
Default.
“ Default
Notice Period ” shall have the meaning given to such term
in Section 7.01 .
“
Defaulting Lender ” shall have the meaning given to
such term in Section 2.08(b) .
“
Departing Lender ” shall have the meaning given to
such term in Section 2.20(b) .
“
Dollars ” and “ $ ” shall mean
lawful money of the United States of America.
“
Dominion Period ” shall have the meaning given to such
term in Section 10.02 .
“
Dominion Release Event ” shall mean, as of any date
following the occurrence of a Dominion Trigger Event, the first
date upon which both of the following conditions have been
satisfied: (i) Availability has exceeded $65,000,000 for each
day during the ninety (90) consecutive calendar day period ending
on such date after the immediately preceding Dominion Trigger Event
and (ii) at least 365 days have elapsed since the date of
the last Dominion Release Event, if any.
“
Dominion Trigger Event ” shall mean any date on which
Availability has been less than $50,000,000 for any period of five
(5) consecutive Business Days ending on such date.
“
Eligible Accounts Receivable ” shall mean, at any
time, all Accounts of the Company, KAII and Kaiser Bellwood unless
such Account is excluded from “Eligible Accounts
12
Receivable” in accordance
with the following provisions of this definition. Without limiting
the Agent’s Permitted Discretion provided herein, Eligible
Accounts Receivable shall not include any Account: (i) which
is not subject to a perfected first-priority security interest in
favor of the Agent, (ii) which is subject to any Lien other
than (a) a Lien in favor of the Agent and (b) a Permitted
Lien or other Lien permitted under this Agreement in each case,
which does not have priority over the Lien in favor of the Agent;
(iii) with respect to which more than ninety (90) days have
elapsed since the date of the original invoice therefor;
(iv) owing by an Account Debtor as to which 25% or more of the
dollar amount of all accounts owing by such Account Debtor are more
than ninety (90) days past the date of the original invoice
for such accounts; (v) to any one Account Debtor or group of
affiliated Account Debtors that are in excess of 15% of total
Eligible Accounts Receivable; (vi) with respect to which any
covenant, representation, or warranty contained in this Agreement
or in the Security Agreement has been breached in any material
respect or is not true in all material respects; (vii) which
does not arise from the sale of goods or performance of services in
the ordinary course of the applicable Borrower’s business;
(viii) which is not evidenced by an invoice or other
documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Agent which has been
sent to the Account Debtor; (ix) which is contingent upon the
completion of any further performance by any Borrower, Guarantor,
or Affiliate of any Borrower or Guarantor (other than alumina
purchase or sales agreements and product returns in the ordinary
course of business); (x) owing by a director, officer,
employee or Affiliate of any Borrower or Guarantor; (xi) for
which the goods giving rise to such Account have not been shipped
to the Account Debtor or for which the services giving rise to such
Account have not been performed by the applicable Borrower (other
than bill and hold Accounts which satisfy the requirements set
forth in clause (xxiii) below); (xii) which is owed by an
Account Debtor which has (a) applied for, suffered, or
consented to the appointment of any receiver, custodian, trustee,
or liquidator of its assets, (b) had possession of all or a
material part of its property taken by any receiver, custodian,
trustee or liquidator, (c) filed, or had filed against it, any
request or petition for liquidation, reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment of debts, adjudication as bankrupt, winding-up, or
voluntary or involuntary case under any state or federal bankruptcy
laws, (d) admitted in writing its inability, or is generally
unable to, pay its debts as they become due, (e) become
insolvent, or (f) ceased operation of its business,
provided , however , that in each case of clauses
(a) through (f) above the Agent may determine, in its
Permitted Discretion, that post-petition Accounts owning by a
debtor-in-possession under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code
shall not be deemed ineligible; (xiii) which is owed by any Account
Debtor which has sold all or substantially all of its assets; (xiv)
which is owed by (a) the government (or any department,
agency, public corporation, or instrumentality thereof) of any
country other than the U.S. unless such Account is backed by a
Letter of Credit acceptable to the Agent which is in the possession
of the Agent, or (b) the government of the United States of
America, or any department, agency, public corporation, or
instrumentality thereof, unless the Federal Assignment of Claims
Act of 1940, as amended (31 U.S.C. § 3727 et seq
. and 41 U.S.C. § 15 et seq .), and any other
steps necessary to perfect the Lien of the Agent in such Account
have been complied with to the Agent’s satisfaction;
(xv) which is owed by an Account Debtor which (a) does
not maintain its chief executive office in the U.S., the United
Kingdom or Canada (other than the Canadian province of Quebec) or
(b) is not organized under applicable law of the U.S., any
state of the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, or any province of
Canada (other than the Canadian province of Quebec) unless such
Account is either (x) backed by a Letter of Credit acceptable
to the Agent which is in the possession of the Agent or
(y) owed by an Account Debtor (not otherwise
13
described in (a) or
(b) above) specified by the Agent in its Permitted Discretion,
provided , however , such Accounts of Account Debtors
under this clause (y) shall not exceed 20% of the total
Eligible Accounts Receivable; (xvi) which is or is reasonably
likely to be subject to any counterclaim, deduction, defense,
setoff or dispute and then only to the extent of such counterclaim,
deduction, defense, setoff or dispute; (xvii) which is
evidenced by any promissory note, chattel paper or instrument;
(xviii) which is owed by an Account Debtor located in any
jurisdiction which requires filing of a “Notice of Business
Activities Report” or other similar report in order to permit
the applicable Borrower to seek judicial enforcement in such
jurisdiction of payment of such Account, unless such Borrower has
filed such report or is qualified to do business in such
jurisdiction; (xix) with respect to which any Borrower,
Guarantor, or Affiliate of any Borrower or Guarantor has made any
agreement with the Account Debtor for any reduction thereof, other
than discounts and adjustments given in the ordinary course of
business; (xx) which the Agent determines in its Permitted
Discretion may not be paid by reason of the Account Debtor’s
inability to pay or which the Agent otherwise determines in its
Permitted Discretion is unacceptable for any reason whatsoever;
(xxi) that is payable in any currency other than Dollars;
(xxii) which is a guaranteed sale, sale and return, sale on
approval, consignment, cash-on-delivery or other repurchase or
return basis (excluding Accounts that are subject to returns in the
ordinary course of business); (xxiii) that is the subject of a
bill and hold or for which the goods have not been shipped (
provided that such Account will be deemed eligible if the
Account Debtor with respect to such Account has delivered an
agreement (in form and substance acceptable to the Agent) between
the Account Debtor, the applicable Borrower and the Agent pursuant
to which such Account Debtor unconditionally agrees to accept
delivery of such goods and waives any rights of off-set with
respect to such Account or such Account Debtor unconditionally
agrees to pay in cash for such Account in the event such Account
Debtor elects not to take delivery); (xxiv) which represents a
progress billing; (xxv) with respect to which an invoice has
not been sent to the applicable Account Debtor; and (xvi) such
other categories as may be established by the Agent in its
Permitted Discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any domestic
Account which would otherwise be deemed ineligible may be deemed
eligible by the Agent in its Permitted Discretion if such Account
is supported by a letter of credit in form and substance acceptable
to the Agent.
“
Eligible Assignee ” shall mean (i) a commercial
bank having total assets in excess of $1,000,000,000; (ii) a
finance company, insurance company or other financial institution
or fund, in each case reasonably acceptable to the Agent and, so
long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Borrowers’ Agent (such consent by the Borrowers’ Agent
not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), which in
the ordinary course of business extends credit of the type
contemplated herein and has total assets in excess of $200,000,000
and whose becoming an assignee would not constitute a prohibited
transaction under Section 4975 of ERISA; (iii) a Lender
Affiliate of the assignor Lender; and (iv) any other financial
institution satisfactory to the Agent and, so long as no Default
has occurred and is continuing, the Borrowers’ Agent (such
consent by the Borrowers’ Agent not to be unreasonably
withheld, conditioned or delayed).
“
Eligible Equipment ” shall mean machinery, equipment
and rolling stock (collectively, “ Equipment ”)
owned by the Company, KAII and Kaiser Bellwood and located in the
United States, which satisfies each of the following requirements:
(i) the applicable Borrower has good and marketable title to
the Equipment; (ii) the full purchase price for the Equipment
has
14
been paid by the applicable
Borrower; (iii) the Equipment is located on premises owned or
leased by the applicable Borrower ( provided that with
respect to Equipment that is located at a leased facility, the
Agent shall have received a Collateral Access Agreement in form and
substance acceptable to the Agent or the Agent shall have
implemented Reserves in an amount equal to three (3) months
rent for such leased facility, but without duplication of any
Reserves for rent pursuant to any other provision of this
Agreement); (iv) the Equipment is in good repair and working
order; (v) the Equipment is not subject to any agreement which
restricts the ability of the applicable Borrower to use, sell,
transport or dispose of the Equipment or which restricts the
Agent’s ability to take possession of, sell or otherwise
dispose of the Equipment; (vi) the Equipment does not
constitute “fixtures” under the applicable laws of the
jurisdiction in which the Equipment is located; (vii) the
Agent has received an appraisal report with respect to the
Equipment from an independent appraiser reasonably satisfactory to
the Agent setting forth the Net Orderly Liquidation Value of the
Equipment; (viii) the Agent has a perfected first-priority
Lien on the Equipment subject to no other Liens, except Liens
permitted under Section 6.01 hereof that are
subordinate and junior to the Lien in favor of the Agent; and
(ix) the Agent has not determined, in its Permitted Discretion
that such Equipment is ineligible.
“
Eligible Inventory ” means, at any time, the Inventory
of the Company, KAII, and Kaiser Bellwood unless such Inventory is
excluded from the definition of Eligible Inventory in accordance
with the following provisions of this definition. Without limiting
the Agent’s Permitted Discretion provided herein, Eligible
Inventory shall not include any Inventory: (i) which is not subject
to a first-priority perfected security interest in favor of the
Agent, (ii) which is subject to any Lien other than (a) a Lien
in favor of the Agent and (b) a Lien permitted under
Section 6.01 hereof which Lien is subordinate and
junior to the Lien in favor of the Agent; (iii) which is, in
the Agent’s opinion, applying its Permitted Discretion, slow
moving, obsolete, unmerchantable, defective, unfit for sale, not
salable at prices approximating at least the cost of such Inventory
in the ordinary course of business or unacceptable due to age,
type, category and/or quantity; (iv) with respect to which any
covenant, representation, or warranty contained in this Agreement
or the Security Agreement has been breached in any material respect
or is not true in all material respects; (v) which does not
conform in all material respects to all standards imposed by any
governmental authority; (vi) located outside of the United
States and Canada or located in the Canadian province of Quebec;
(vii) that is in transit except for Inventory in transit
between locations controlled by a Borrower or a Guarantor;
(viii) which is located in any location not owned or operated
by a Borrower or a Guarantor or is in the possession of a bailee
unless the owner of such property, the bailee, and any other
applicable party has delivered to the Agent a Collateral Access
Agreement and such other documentation as the Agent may in its
Permitted Discretion require ( provided , however ,
that $4,000,000 of such Inventory may be included in the Borrowing
Base even if Collateral Access Agreements and such other
documentation as the Agent may require have not been obtained for
such Inventory); (ix) which is located in any location not
owned by a Borrower or a Guarantor but is operated by such Borrower
or such Guarantor, unless the owner of such property and any other
applicable party has delivered to the Agent a Collateral Access
Agreement and such other documentation as the Agent may in its
Permitted Discretion require or the Agent shall have implemented
Reserves equal to three months rent for such facility, but without
duplication of any Reserves for rent pursuant to any other
provision of this Agreement; (x) which contains or bears any
intellectual property rights licensed from any party other than a
Borrower or a Guarantor unless the Agent is satisfied, in its
Permitted Discretion, that it may sell or otherwise dispose of such
Inventory
15
without (a) infringing the
rights of such licensor, (b) violating any contract with such
licensor, or (c) incurring any liability with respect to
payment of royalties other than royalties incurred pursuant to sale
of such Inventory under the current licensing agreement;
(xi) which is not reflected in the books and records of the
applicable Borrower; (xii) that is held by any Borrower on
consignment or which any Borrower has placed on consignment with
another Person (other than a Person that is a third party processor
of such Inventory (in which case such Inventory shall be included
as Eligible Inventory to the extent provided in clause
(viii) above)); (xiii) that consists of display items or
packing or shipping materials or stores, provided that such
stores may be deemed eligible in the Agent’s Permitted
Discretion upon receipt of an inventory appraisal with respect to
such stores, which appraisal shall be done in a manner acceptable
to the Agent by an appraiser acceptable to the Agent;
(xiv) which is bill-and-hold goods, returned or repossessed
goods, or goods which are not of a type held for sale in the
ordinary course of the applicable Borrower’s business;
(xv) which is perishable; (xvi) such other categories as
may be established by the Agent in its Permitted
Discretion.
“
Eligible Real Estate ” shall mean any real Property
which meets all of the following specifications:
(a) the
applicable Borrower is the record owner of and has good fee title
to such real Property;
(b) the
applicable Borrower has the right to subject such real Property to
a Lien in favor of the Agent for the ratable benefit of the
Lenders; such real Property is subject to a perfected
first-priority Lien in favor of the Agent for the ratable benefit
of the Lenders and is free and clear of all other Liens (except for
Permitted Liens acceptable to the Agent in its Permitted
Discretion), unless such real Property is otherwise acceptable to
the Agent and a Mortgage has been recorded in the appropriate
jurisdiction and filing office to perfect such Lien;
(c) such
real Property is not subject to any contractual restriction on the
Agent’s ability to sell or otherwise dispose of such real
Property;
(d) the
Agent shall have received Phase I (and, if necessary, Phase II)
environmental reports delivered with respect to such real Property
together with letters from the environmental engineering firms
reasonably satisfactory to Agent providing that Agent and the
Lenders may rely upon such reports, each in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to Agent.
(e) with
respect to such real Property, such surveys or surveyor
certificates as the Agent may reasonably require;
(f) the
Agent shall have received evidence reasonably acceptable to the
Agent as to whether such real Property is located in an area
designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as having
special flood or mud slide hazards and requiring either the
applicable Borrower or Guarantor that is the owner of the real
Property or the Agent to purchase special flood insurance and, if
so required, evidence that the applicable Borrower or Guarantor
that owns such real Property has obtained flood hazard insurance as
required by law and as reasonably acceptable to Agent;
16
(g) the
Agent shall have received an ALTA loan title insurance policies or
an unconditional commitments therefor with extended coverage,
including insurance over matters that would be disclosed by an
accurate survey, issued by a title company reasonably satisfactory
to Agent insuring the Agent, for the benefit of the Agent and the
Lenders, that the applicable Mortgage insured thereby creates a
valid first lien on such real Property, in an amount not less than
the appraised fair market value of such real Property and insuring
that fee simple title to such Property is vested in the applicable
Borrower or Guarantor, subject only to any exceptions as may be
reasonably acceptable to the Agent and which appear as exceptions
on Schedule B to the applicable title insurance loan policy,
which policy shall include endorsements, including a comprehensive
lender’s endorsement and any other legally available
endorsements, assurances or affirmative coverage reasonably
requested by the Agent;
(h) the
Agent shall have received copies of all recorded documents listed
as exceptions to title or otherwise referred to in such title
insurance loan policy and any other such documents as Agent shall
reasonably request;
(i) the
Agent shall have received appraisals, together with reliance
letters where applicable, concerning such real Property from one or
more independent real estate appraisers reasonably satisfactory to
the Agent, which appraisals shall set forth the Fair Market Value
of such real Property and be in form, scope and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and shall satisfy the
requirements of any applicable laws and regulation; and
(j) the
Agent has not determined, in its Permitted Discretion, that such
real Property is ineligible.
“
Environmental Compliance Reserve ” shall mean any
reserve which the Agent establishes in its Permitted Discretion
from time to time for amounts that are reasonably likely to be
expended by the Borrowers, the Guarantors and their Subsidiaries in
order for the Borrowers, the Guarantors and their Subsidiaries and
their respective operations and property (a) to comply with
Environmental Laws in all material respects, (b) to correct in
all material respects any such non-compliance with Environmental
Laws or (c) to satisfy any Environmental Liability.
“
Environmental Laws ” shall mean all applicable
federal, state, local or foreign statutes, laws, regulations,
ordinances, codes, rules, requirements and guidelines (including
consent decrees and administrative orders to which any Borrower,
any Guarantor, or any of their Subsidiaries, is subject) relating
to protection of human health or the environment or imposing
liability or standards of conduct concerning any Hazardous
Material, as any of the foregoing may be from time to time amended
or supplemented.
“
Environmental Liability ” shall mean any liability,
contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs
of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of
the Borrowers, the Guarantors or any of their respective
Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon
(a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the
generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any
Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of
any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any
contract, agreement or other consensual
17
arrangement pursuant to which
liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
“
Environmental Lien ” shall mean a Lien in favor of any
Governmental Authority for (i) any liability under Environmental
Laws, or (ii) damages arising from or costs incurred by such
Governmental Authority in response to a release or threatened
release of a hazardous or toxic waste, substance or constituent, or
other substance into the environment.
“
Equipment ” shall mean (a) any machinery or
equipment and (b) any other Property classified as
“equipment” under the UCC.
“
Equipment Percentage ” shall mean, as of any date, the
percentage equal to one hundred percent (100%) minus the percentage
obtained by dividing the number of full calendar months elapsed
since the Closing Date by eighty-four (84).
“ Equity
Interests ” shall mean shares of capital stock in a
corporation, partnership interests in a partnership, membership
interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a
trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any
warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to
purchase or acquire any of the foregoing.
“
ERISA ” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the
regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
“ ERISA
Affiliate ” shall mean each person (as defined in
Section 3(9) of ERISA) which together with any Borrower or
Guarantor or any Subsidiary of any Borrower or Guarantor would be
deemed to be a single employer within the meaning of
Section 414(b), (c), (m), or (o) of the Code.
“
Eurodollar Borrowing ” shall mean a Borrowing
comprised of Eurodollar Loans.
“
Eurodollar Loan ” shall mean any Loan bearing interest
at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate in
accordance with the provisions of Section 2
.
“ Event
of Default ” shall have the meaning given such term in
Section 7 .
“
Excluded Subsidiaries ” shall mean Alpart Jamaica
Inc., a Delaware corporation, Kaiser Jamaica Corporation, a
Delaware corporation, Kaiser Alumina Australia Corporation, a
Delaware corporation, Kaiser Bauxite Company, a Nevada corporation,
and Kaiser Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation. Under no
circumstances will an Excluded Subsidiary be, or be deemed to be, a
Significant Subsidiary or a Subsidiary hereunder.
“
Excluded Taxes ” shall mean, with respect to the
Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any
payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the
Borrowers hereunder, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by its
overall net income or its overall gross income (other than
withholding taxes) and franchise Taxes imposed in lieu thereof by
the United States of America or by the jurisdiction (or any
political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such
recipient is organized or in which its lending office or principal
executive office is located, (b) any branch profits Taxes
imposed by the United States of America or any
18
similar Tax imposed by any other
jurisdiction in which such lending office or principal executive
office is located and (c) in the case of a Lender, any
withholding Tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Lender
at the time such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or
designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such
Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.18(e) ,
except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was
entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or
assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with
respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to
Section 2.18(a) .
“
Existing Credit Agreement ” shall have meaning given
such term in Introductory Statement.
“
Existing Lenders ” shall mean the financial
institutions from time to time party to the Existing Credit
Agreement.
“
Extraordinary Receipts ” means any Net Proceeds
received by any Borrower or Guarantor not in the ordinary course of
business, including, without limitation, (i) foreign, United
States, state or local tax refunds, (ii) pension plan
reversions, (iii) judgments, proceeds of settlements or other
consideration of any kind in connection with any cause of action,
(iv) indemnity payments, (v) any purchase price
adjustment received in connection with any purchase agreement, and
(vi) any proceeds from any escrow; provided ,
however , that such indemnity payments or proceeds shall not
include proceeds from any insurance for asbestos claims and
demands, silica claims and demands, coal tar pitch volatile claims
and demands and noise induced hearing loss claims in escrow as of
the date hereof or later received.
“ Fair
Market Value ” shall mean, with respect to real Property
of any Person, the fair market value thereof as determined in the
most recent appraisal received by the Agent in accordance with the
terms hereof, which appraisal shall be done in a manner acceptable
to the Agent by an appraiser acceptable to the Agent.
“ Federal
Funds Effective Rate ” shall mean, for any day, the
weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100
of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with
members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds
brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so
published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations
for such day for such transactions received by the Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by
it.
“
Fees ” shall collectively mean the Commitment Fees,
Letter of Credit Fees, the Collateral Monitoring Fees, other fees
referred to in Section 2.13 , and all other fees
referred to in any Loan Document.
“ Filing
Date ” shall mean with respect to each Borrower and each
Guarantor, the date set forth opposite such Person’s name on
Schedule 1.01(a) .
“
Financial Officer ” shall mean, with respect to any
Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer,
treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Person or any
other Person who performs a function similar to any of the
foregoing and has been identified in writing to the Agent as a
“Financial Officer” hereunder.
19
“ Fiscal
Month ” means any of the monthly accounting periods of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“ Fiscal
Quarter ” means any of the quarterly accounting periods
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, ending on March 31,
June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each
year.
“ Fiscal
Year ” means any of the annual accounting periods of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on December 31 of each
year.
“
Fixtures ” shall mean any Property classified as
“fixtures” under the UCC.
“ Funding
Account ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.01(q) .
“
GAAP ” shall mean generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States of America as in effect from time
to time applied in accordance with Section 1.02
.
“
Governmental Authority ” shall mean the government of
the United States of America, any other nation or any political
subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or
other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing,
regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining
to government.
“
Guarantee ” shall mean, with respect to any Person
(such Person, a “ guarantor ”), any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having
the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other
obligation of any other Person (the “ primary obligor
”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and
including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect,
(i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the
purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to
purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any
security for the payment thereof, (ii) to purchase or lease
property, securities or services for the primary purpose of
assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the
payment thereof, (iii) to advance funds to maintain working
capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition
or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or
(iv) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or
letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or
obligation; provided , that the term Guarantee shall not
include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary
course of business.
“
Guarantor ” shall have the meaning set forth in the
first paragraph of this Agreement.
“
Hazardous Materials ” shall mean any “hazardous
substance,” as defined by CERCLA; any “hazardous
waste,” as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, as amended; any petroleum product; or any pollutant or
contaminant or hazardous, dangerous, or toxic chemical, material,
or substance regulated under or within the meaning of any other
Environmental Law.
“
Indebtedness ” shall mean, at any time and with
respect to any Person, without duplication, (i) all
indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to
deposits
20
or advances of any kind;
(ii) all indebtedness of such Person for the deferred purchase
price of property or services (other than property, including
inventory, and services purchased, and expense accruals and
deferred compensation items arising, in the ordinary course of
business); (iii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by
notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments (other than
performance, surety and appeal bonds arising in the ordinary course
of business); (iv) all indebtedness of such Person created or
arising under any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even
though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such
agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or
sale of such property); (v) all Capital Lease Obligations of
such Person; (vi) all reimbursement, payment or similar
obligations of such Person, contingent or otherwise, under
acceptance, letter of credit or similar facilities; (vii) all
Swap Obligations (and the amount of Indebtedness under any Swap
Obligation shall be deemed the Net Mark-to-Market Exposure
thereunder); (viii) all Guarantees by such Person of
Indebtedness of others; (ix) all Indebtedness referred to in
clauses (i) through (viii) above secured by (or for which
the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent
or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien upon or in property
(including, without limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned
by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become
liable for the payment of such Indebtedness; (x) obligations under
any liquidated earn-out and (xi) obligations of such Person to
purchase securities or other property arising out of or in
connection with the sale of the same or substantially similar
securities or property or any other Off-Balance Sheet Liability.
The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of
any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is
a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as
a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other
relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of
such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable
therefor.
“
Indemnified Party ” shall have the meaning given to
such term in Section 11.06 .
“
Indemnified Taxes ” shall mean Taxes other than
Excluded Taxes.
“
Insufficiency ” shall mean, with respect to any Plan,
its “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” within the
meaning of Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA, if any.
“
Interest Election Request ” shall mean a request by
the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with
Section 2.09 .
“
Interest Expense ” shall mean, with reference to any
period, the interest expense of the Borrowers and its their
Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis in conformity with
GAAP for such period.
“
Interest Payment Date ” shall mean (i) as to any
Eurodollar Loan, the last day of each applicable Interest Period,
and, in the case of any Interest Period longer than three months,
on each successive date three months after the first day of such
Interest Period and (ii) as to all ABR Loans, the last
calendar day of each month in arrears and the date on which any ABR
Loans are refinanced with Eurodollar Loans pursuant to
Section 2.09 .
“
Interest Period ” shall mean, as to any Borrowing of
Eurodollar Loans, the period commencing on the date of such
Borrowing (including as a result of a refinancing of ABR
21
Loans) or on the last day of the
preceding Interest Period applicable to such Borrowing and ending
on the numerically corresponding day (or if there is no
corresponding day, the last day) in the calendar month that is one,
two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrowers’ Agent
may elect in the related notice delivered pursuant to
Sections 2.04 or 2.09 ; provided ,
however , that (i) if any Interest Period would end on
a day which shall not be a Business Day, such Interest Period shall
be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next
succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in
which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately
preceding Business Day, and (ii) no Interest Period shall end
later than the Maturity Date.
“
Inventory ” shall mean “inventory” as
defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in
effect from time to time in the State of New York, or when the
context implies, the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time
to time in any other applicable jurisdiction.
“
Investments ” shall have the meaning given such term
in Section 6.08 .
“ Issuing
Bank ” means (i) JPMorgan Chase, in its capacity as
the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in
such capacity as provided in Section 2.07 . The Issuing
Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of
Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which
case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such
Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such
Affiliate.
“
JPMorgan Chase ” shall have the meaning set forth in
the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“
JPMSI ” shall mean J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc.
“
KAII ” shall mean Kaiser Aluminium International,
Inc., a Delaware corporation, as debtor and debtor-in-possession
under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.
“ Kaiser
Bellwood ” shall mean Kaiser Bellwood Corporation, a
Delaware corporation, as debtor and debtor-in-possession under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.
“ Kaiser
Canada ” shall mean Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical of
Canada Limited, an Ontario corporation as debtor and
debtor-in-possession under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy
Code.
“ Kaiser
Canada Investment Limited ” shall mean Kaiser Aluminum
& Chemical Canada Investment Limited, an Ontario corporation,
as debtor and debtor-in-possession under Chapter 11 of the
Bankruptcy Code.
“ Lender
Affiliate ” shall mean, (a) with respect to any
Lender, (i) an Affiliate of such Lender or (ii) any
entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise)
that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise
investing in Lender loans and similar extensions of credit in the
ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a
Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender and (b) with respect to
any Lender that is a fund which invests in Lender loans and similar
extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in
Lender
22
loans and similar extensions of
credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender
or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.
“
Lenders ” shall have the meaning set forth in the
first paragraph of this Agreement.
“ Letter
of Credit ” shall mean any irrevocable letter of credit
issued pursuant to Section 2.07 , which letter of
credit shall be (i) a letter of credit, (ii) issued for
purposes that are consistent with the ordinary course of business
of any Borrower, or for such other purposes as are reasonably
acceptable to the Agent, (iii) denominated in Dollars and (iv)
otherwise in such form as may be reasonably approved from time to
time by the Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank.
“ Letter
of Credit Account ” shall mean the account established by
the Borrowers under the sole and exclusive control of the Agent
maintained at the office of the Agent at 270 Park Avenue, New York,
New York 10017 designated as the “Kaiser Letter of Credit
Account” that shall be used solely for the purposes set forth
in Section 2.07(j) .
“ Letter
of Credit Disbursement ” shall mean a payment made by the
Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
“ Letter
of Credit Exposure ” shall mean, at any time, the sum of
(a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of
Credit at such time and (b) the aggregate amount of all Letter
of Credit Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on
behalf of the Borrowers at such time. The Letter of Credit Exposure
of any Lender at any time shall be its Commitment Percentage of the
total Letter of Credit Exposure at such time.
“ Letter
of Credit Fees ” shall mean the fees payable in respect
of Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.13
.
“ Letter
of Credit Shortfall Amount ” shall mean an amount equal
to the difference of (x) the amount of Letter of Credit
Exposure at such time, less (y) the amount on deposit in the
Letter of Credit Account at such time which is free and clear of
all rights and claims of third parties and has not been applied
against the Obligations.
“ LIBO
Rate ” shall mean, with respect to any Eurodollar
Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750
of the Dow Jones Market Service (or on any successor page or any
successor to such service or any substitute page or substitute for
such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those
currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by
the Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of
interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London
interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time,
two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period, as the rate for dollar deposits (for delivery on the first
day of such period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period.
In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any
reason, then the “ LIBO Rate ” with respect to
such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the
rate at which dollar deposits of comparable size and for a maturity
comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal
London office of the Agent in immediately
23
available funds in the London
interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two
(2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period.
“
Lien ” shall mean, with respect to any asset,
(a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation,
encumbrance, charge or security interest of any kind whatsoever in,
on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor
under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease or title
retention agreement (or any financing having substantially the same
economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and
(c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or
similar right of a third party with respect to such
securities.
“
Liquidity Release Event ” shall mean, as of any date
following the occurrence of a Liquidity Trigger Event, the first
date upon which both of the following conditions have been
satisfied: (i) Availability has exceeded $50,000,000 for each
day during the ninety (90) consecutive calendar day period ending
on such date and after the immediately preceding Liquidity Trigger
Event and (ii) at least 365 days have elapsed since the
date of the last Liquidity Trigger Event, if any.
“
Liquidity Reserve ” shall mean an amount at all times
equal to $20,000,000.
“
Liquidity Trigger Event ” shall mean, any date on
which, either before or after giving effect to Borrowings requested
or deemed requested on such date, Availability is less than
$40,000,000. A Liquidity Trigger Event shall be deemed to have
occurred and be continuing from the occurrence of such Liquidity
Trigger Event up to but not including the first date upon which a
Liquidity Release Event occurs following such Liquidity Trigger
Event.
“
Loan ” shall mean any loan or advance made by the
Lenders pursuant to this Agreement including, without limitation,
Revolving Loans, unreimbursed Letter of Credit Disbursements,
Swingline Loans and Protective Advances.
“ Loan
Documents ” shall mean this Agreement, the Letters of
Credit, the Security and Pledge Agreement, the Mortgages, the Order
and any other instrument or agreement executed and delivered to the
Agent or any Lender in connection herewith (including, without
limitation, applications for Letters of Credit and related
reimbursement agreements), in each case, as the same may be
amended, modified, supplemented, extended or restated from time to
time.
“
Material Adverse Effect ” shall mean a material
adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations,
prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrowers
and the Guarantors taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any
Borrower or any Guarantor to perform any of its obligations under
the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) the Collateral,
or the Agent’s Liens (on behalf of itself and the Lenders) on
the Collateral or the priority of such Liens, or (d) the rights of
or benefits available to the Agent or the Lenders hereunder or
under any other Loan Document.
“
Material Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness (other
than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of
one or more Swap Agreements either arising after the applicable
Filing Date, if any, or that is secured, of any one or more of the
Borrowers, Guarantors, and the Subsidiaries of any Borrower or
Guarantor in an aggregate principal amount
24
exceeding $10,000,000. For
purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the
“obligations” of any Borrower, Guarantor, or Subsidiary
of any Borrower or Guarantor in respect of any Swap Agreement at
any time shall be the Net Mark-to-Market Exposure that such
Borrower, Guarantor or Subsidiary would be required to pay if such
Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
“
Maturity Date ” shall mean February 11,
2006.
“
Mortgage ” shall mean any mortgage, deed of trust or
other agreement which conveys or evidences a Lien in favor of the
Agent, for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders, on any real
Property owned or leased by a Borrower or Guarantor, including any
amendment, modification or supplement thereto.
“
Multiemployer Plan ” shall mean a “
multiemployer plan ” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3)
of ERISA, which is maintained or contributed to by (or to which
there is an obligation to contribute of) any Borrower or Guarantor
or a Subsidiary of any Borrower or Guarantor or an ERISA Affiliate,
and each such plan for the five-year period immediately following
the latest date on which any Borrower, Guarantor or a Subsidiary of
any Borrower or Guarantor or an ERISA Affiliate maintained,
contributed to or had an obligation to contribute to such
plan.
“
Multiple Employer Plan ” shall mean a Single Employer
Plan, which (i) is maintained for employees of any Borrower or
Guarantor or an ERISA Affiliate and at least one person (as defined
in Section 3(9) of ERISA) other than any Borrower or Guarantor
and its ERISA Affiliates or (ii) was so maintained and in
respect of which any Borrower Guarantor or an ERISA Affiliate could
have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the
event such Plan has been or were to be terminated.
“
National Priorities List ” shall mean the list
established pursuant to Section 105 of CERCLA, as amended,
modified, supplemented, or replaced from time to time.
“ Net
Income ” shall mean, with reference to any period, the
net income (or loss) of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries
calculated on a consolidated basis for such period.
“ Net
Mark-to-Market Exposure ” shall mean, with respect to any
Person, as of any date of determination, the excess (if any) of all
unrealized losses over all unrealized profits of such Person
arising from Swap Agreement transactions. As used in this
definition, “unrealized losses” means the fair market
value of the cost to such Person of replacing such Swap Agreement
transactions as of the date of determination (assuming the Swap
Agreement transactions were to be terminated as of that date), and
“unrealized profits” means the fair market value of the
gain to such Person of replacing such Swap Agreement transactions
as of the date of determination (assuming such Swap Agreement
transactions were to be terminated as of that date).
“ Net
Orderly Liquidation Value ” shall mean, with respect to
Inventory or Equipment of any Person, the orderly liquidation value
thereof as determined in the most recent appraisal received by the
Agent in accordance with the terms hereof, which appraisal shall be
done in a manner acceptable to the Agent by an appraiser acceptable
to the Agent, net of all costs of liquidation thereof.
25
“ Net
Proceeds ” shall mean, if in connection with (a) an
asset disposition, cash proceeds received by any Borrower or
Guarantor net of (i) commissions, attorneys’ fees,
accountants’ fees, investment banking fees and other
reasonable and customary transaction costs, fees and expenses
properly attributable to such transaction and payable by such
Borrower or Guarantor in connection therewith (in each case, paid
to non-Affiliates of such Borrower or Guarantor), (ii) taxes
actually payable in respect thereof and reasonable estimates of
taxes actually payable with respect to such transaction in the tax
year of such transaction or in the following tax year,
(iii) amounts payable to holders of senior Liens on such asset
(to the extent such Liens constitute Permitted Liens or other Liens
permitted under Section 6.01 hereunder), if any,
(iv) an appropriate reserve for income taxes in accordance
with GAAP established in connection therewith, and (v) amounts
escrowed or reserved against indemnification, obligations or
purchase price adjustments, or (b) the issuance or incurrence
of Indebtedness, cash proceeds net of attorneys’ fees,
investment banking fees, accountants’ fees, underwriting
discounts and commissions and other customary fees and expenses
actually incurred in connection therewith, (c) an equity
issuance, cash proceeds net of underwriting discounts and
commissions and other reasonable costs paid to non-Affiliates in
connection therewith, or (d) Extraordinary Receipts received
by any Borrower or Guarantor, the amount of cash proceeds received
(directly or indirectly) from time to time by or on behalf of such
Borrower or Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries after deducting
therefrom only (i) expenses related thereto incurred by such
Person or such Subsidiary in connection therewith,
(ii) transfer taxes paid by such Person or such Subsidiary in
connection therewith, (iii) net income taxes to be paid in
connection therewith (after taking into account any tax credits or
deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), and (iv) that
portion of the cash proceeds received which the applicable Borrower
is legally obligated pursuant to an order of the Bankruptcy Court
or any agreement binding on the applicable Borrower entered into
prior to the date hereof to pay to another Person.
“ Net
Recovery Percentage ” shall mean the fraction, expressed
as a percentage, (a) the numerator of which is the amount
estimated to be recoverable in respect of the Net Orderly
Liquidation Value of Eligible Inventory and (b) the
denominator of which is the aggregate original cost of the Eligible
Inventory subject to such appraisal.
“
Non-Consenting Lender ” shall have the meaning
specified in Section 11.10(b) .
“ Notice
Parties ” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 11.01 .
“
Obligations ” shall mean all unpaid principal of and
accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all Letter of Credit
Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses,
reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of the Borrowers
and the Guarantors to the Lenders or to any Lender, the Agent, the
Issuing Bank or any Indemnified Party arising under the Loan
Documents. Obligations shall also include (i) all Banking
Services Obligations; and (ii) all Swap Obligations (other
than Swap Obligations incurred in connection with, arising out of,
or relating to a Commodity Swap Agreement) owing to one or more
Lenders or their respective Affiliates; provided , that Swap
Obligations entered into with a Lender or any of such
Lender’s Affiliates (other than JPMorgan Chase or its
Affiliates) shall only constitute an “Obligation” if
prior to entering into the transaction giving rise to the Swap
Obligation, the Lender (or its Affiliate) party thereto (other than
JPMorgan Chase or its Affiliates) shall have delivered written
notice to the Agent that such transaction has been entered into and
that it constitutes an
26
Obligation entitled to the
benefits of the Security and Pledge Agreement, the Mortgages and
any other security document. Nothing in this definition of
Obligations shall permit the Borrowers, the Guarantors or their
Significant Subsidiaries to incur or permit to exist any
Indebtedness not otherwise permitted pursuant to the terms
hereof.
“
Off-Balance Sheet Liability ” shall mean, with respect
to any Person, (a) any repurchase obligation or liability for
the principal amount thereof of such Person with respect to
accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (b) any
indebtedness, liability or obligation under any sale and leaseback
transaction which is not a Capital Lease Obligation and under which
such Person retains ownership of the Property so leased for Federal
income tax purposes, other than any lease under which such Person
is the lessor, or (c) any indebtedness, liability or
obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which is
the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but
which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheets of such
Person, but excluding from this clause (c) operating leases
and Capital Lease Obligations.
“
Order ” shall have the meaning given such term in
Section 4.01(c) .
“ Other
Taxes ” shall mean any and all present or future stamp or
documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes, charges or
similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the
execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect
to, any Loan Document.
“
PBGC ” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, or any successor agency or entity performing
substantially the same functions.
“ Pension
Plan ” shall mean a defined benefit plan (as defined in
Section 414(j) of the Code and Section 3(35) of ERISA) which
meets and is subject to the requirements of Section 401(a) of the
Code.
“
Permitted Commodity Swap Agreement ” shall mean any
Commodity Swap Agreement that (i) involves or is settled with
respect to electricity, natural gas, alumina, bauxite or other
mineral or metal used in the business of the Borrowers, the
Guarantors or their Significant Subsidiaries, and (ii) is
entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge against
fluctuations in the price of alumina, bauxite or other minerals or
metals used in the business of the Borrowers, the Guarantors or
their Significant Subsidiaries and not for speculative
purposes.
“
Permitted Discretion ” shall mean a determination by
the Agent made in good faith and in the exercise of reasonable
(from the perspective of a secured asset based lender making a loan
to a debtor-in-possession under the Bankruptcy Code) business
judgment.
“
Permitted Investments ” shall mean:
(a) direct
obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on
which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of
America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations
are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of
America), in each case maturing within twelve months from the date
of acquisition thereof;
27
(b) without
limiting the provisions of paragraph (d) below, investments in
commercial paper maturing within six months from the date of
acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, a
rating of at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof from
Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. or of at least “P-2” or the equivalent
thereof from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.;
(c) investments
in certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and time deposits
(including Eurodollar time deposits) maturing within six months
from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or
placed with (i) any domestic office of the Agent or the bank
with whom the Borrowers and the Guarantors maintain their cash
management system, provided that if such bank is not a
Lender hereunder, such Lender shall have entered into an agreement
with the Agent pursuant to which such Lender shall have waived all
rights of setoff and confirmed that such Lender does not have, nor
shall it claim, a security interest therein or (ii) any
domestic office of any other commercial bank of recognized standing
organized under the laws of the United States of America or any
State thereof that has a combined capital and surplus and undivided
profits of not less than $250,000,000 and is the principal Banking
Subsidiary of a bank holding company having a long-term unsecured
debt rating of at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof
from Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. or at least “P-2” or the equivalent
thereof from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.;
(d) investments
in commercial paper maturing within six months from the date of
acquisition thereof and issued by (i) the holding company of
the Agent or (ii) the holding company of any other commercial
bank of recognized standing organized under the laws of the United
States of America or any State thereof that has (A) a combined
capital and surplus in excess of $250,000,000 and (B) commercial
paper rated at least “A-2” or the equivalent thereof
from Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. or of at least “P-2” or the equivalent
thereof from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.;
(e) investments
in repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days
for underlying securities of the types described in clause
(a) above entered into with any office of a bank or trust
company meeting the qualifications specified in clause
(c) above; and
(f) investments
in money market funds substantially all the assets of which are
comprised of securities of the types described in clauses
(a) through (e) above.
“
Permitted Liens ” shall mean (i) Liens imposed by
law (other than Environmental Liens and any Lien imposed under
ERISA) for taxes, assessments or charges of any Governmental
Authority for claims not yet due or which are being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which
adequate reserves or other appropriate provisions are being
maintained in accordance with GAAP; (ii) Liens of landlords
and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, workmen, repairmen, vendors,
consignors, mechanics, materialmen and other Liens (other than
Environmental Liens and any Lien imposed under ERISA) in existence
on the applicable Filing Date or thereafter imposed by law and
created in the ordinary course of business; (iii) Liens (other
than any Lien imposed under ERISA) incurred or deposits made in the
ordinary course of business (including, without limitation, surety
bonds and appeal bonds) in connection with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of
social
28
security benefits or governmental
insurance or to secure the performance of tenders, bids, leases,
contracts (other than for the repayment of Indebtedness), statutory
obligations and other similar obligations or arising as a result of
progress payments under government contracts; (iv) easements
(including, without limitation, reciprocal easement agreements and
utility agreements), rights-of-way, covenants, consents,
reservations, mineral leases, encroachments, variations and zoning
laws, ordinances, other restrictions and rights reserved to or
vested in any municipality or government or proper authority to
control or regulate any Property of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, charges or encumbrances (whether or not recorded) and
interest of ground lessors, minor defects and irregularities in the
title to any Property, which do not interfere materially with the
ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrowers or any Guarantor,
as the case may be, and which do not materially detract from the
value of the property to which they attach or materially impair the
use thereof to the Borrowers or any Guarantor, as the case may be;
(v) purchase money Liens (including capital leases) upon or in any
property acquired or held in the ordinary course of business to
secure the purchase price of such property solely for the purpose
of financing the acquisition of such property to the extent such
purchase money Liens secure Indebtedness in accordance with
Section 6.03(iv) ; (vi) pledges or deposits in the
ordinary course to secure leases entered into in the ordinary
course of business; (vii) Liens covering portions of the
proceeds of dispositions of assets permitted under this Agreement
which are held in escrow in connection with such dispositions;
(viii) pledges and deposits of cash and Permitted Investments
with a commodity broker or dealer for the purpose of margining or
securing the obligations of any Borrower, Guarantor or Significant
Subsidiary under a Permitted Commodity Swap Agreement;
(ix) any interest of a consignor in goods held by any
Borrower, Guarantor or Significant Subsidiary on consignment
provided that such goods are held on consignment in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices;
(x) Permitted PBGC Liens; and (xi) extensions, renewals
or replacements of any Lien referred to in paragraphs
(i) through (x) above, provided that the principal
amount of the obligation secured thereby is not increased and that
any such extension, renewal or replacement is limited to the
property originally encumbered thereby.
“
Permitted PBGC Liens ” shall mean Liens, if any,
imposed under ERISA or the Code on assets of the Borrowers or
Guarantors (to the extent and for so long as such Lien is
unperfected and junior in priority to Liens of the Agent under the
Order and the Security and Pledge Agreement) or any ERISA Affiliate
which is not a Borrower or Guarantor (whether or not perfected) as
a result of (i) the failure to make minimum funding
contributions to any pension plan other than a plan that is a
Terminated Plan prior to the later of (A) the day that is
31 days after the effective date of the Settlement and Release
Agreement and (B) the date when such contributions are due,
(ii) the imposition of federal, state or local taxes in
connection with the failure described in clause (i) above, or
(iii) the termination of any Plan that is a Terminated
Plan.
“
Person ” shall mean any natural person, corporation,
division of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
trust, joint venture, association, company, estate, unincorporated
organization, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“
Plan ” shall mean a Single Employer Plan or a
Multiemployer Plan.
29
“
Pre-Petition Payment ” shall mean a payment (by way of
adequate protection or otherwise) of principal or interest or
otherwise on account of any pre-petition Indebtedness or trade
payables (including, without limitation, in respect of reclamation
claims) or other pre-petition claims against the Borrowers or any
Guarantor.
“
Prime Rate ” shall mean the rate of interest per annum
publicly announced from time to time by the Agent as its prime rate
in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in
the Prime Rate shall be effective on the date such change is
publicly announced.
“
Projections ” shall have the meaning assigned such to
term in Section 5.01(e).
“
Property ” shall mean any interest in any kind of
property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or
intangible.
“
Protective Advance ” shall have the meaning assigned
to such term in Section 2.05 .
“
QAL ” shall mean Queensland Alumina Limited, a
Queensland, Australia corporation.
“
QAL Purchase Agreement ” shall mean the Purchase
Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2004, among Alumina &
Bauxite Company Ltd., a British Virgin Islands company, the
Company, and Kaiser Alumina Australia Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (“ KAAC ”); provided ,
however , that if the Purchase Agreement, dated
October 28, 2004, among Alumina & Bauxite Company Ltd.,
the Company, and KAAC is terminated for any reason and the Company
and KAAC elect to sell their interests in QAL (the “ QAL
Interests ”) to Pegasus Queensland Acquisition Pty
Limited (“ Pegasus ”), then the term “QAL
Purchase Agreement” shall mean the purchase agreement entered
into among Pegasus, the Company and KAAC on substantially the same
terms as the purchase agreement submitted by Pegasus as its bid for
the QAL Interests at the auction for the QAL Interests held on
October 28, 2004 and accepted by the Company and KAAC as the
Backup Bid (as defined in the Bidding and Auction Procedures (as
defined in the QAL Purchase Agreement)).
“
Real Property Percentage ” shall mean, as of any date,
the percentage equal to one hundred percent (100%) minus the
percentage obtained by dividing the number of full calendar months
elapsed since the Closing Date by one hundred twenty
(120).
“
Register ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11.03(d) .
“
Related Parties ” shall mean, with respect to any
specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective
directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person
and such Person’s Affiliates.
“
Release ” shall mean any release, spill, emission,
leaking, pumping, pouring, injection, escaping, deposit, disposal,
discharge, dispersal, dumping, leaching or migration of Hazardous
Materials into the indoor or outdoor environment (including,
without limitation, the abandonment or disposal of any barrels,
containers or other closed receptacles containing any
30
Hazardous Materials), or into or
out of any property, including the movement of any Hazardous
Material through the air, soil, surface water, groundwater or
property.
“
Reorganization Plan ” shall mean a plan of
reorganization in any of the Cases.
“
Report ” shall mean any report prepared by the Agent
or another Person showing the results of appraisals, field
examinations or audits pertaining to the assets of any Borrower or
any Guarantor from information furnished by or on behalf of the
Borrowers and the Guarantors, which Reports may be distributed to
the Lenders by the Agent.
“
Required Lenders ” shall mean, at any time, Lenders
holding Loans representing not less than 51% of the aggregate
principal amount of such Loans outstanding or, if no Loans are
outstanding, Lenders having Commitments representing not less than
51% of the Total Commitment.
“
Refractories Engineering ” shall mean Refractories
Engineering and Supplies Limited, a federal corporation of
Canada.
“
Reserves ” shall mean, collectively, any and all
reserves which the Agent deems necessary, in its Permitted
Discretion, to maintain (including, without limitation, Banking
Services Reserves, Environmental Compliance Reserves, the Carve-out
Reserve, the Liquidity Reserve, reserves for rent at locations
leased by any Borrower or Guarantor and for consignee’s,
warehousemen’s and bailee’s charges, reserves for
dilution of Accounts, reserves for Inventory shrinkage, reserves
for customs charges and shipping charges related to any Inventory
in transit, reserves for Swap Obligations, reserves for contingent
liabilities of any Borrower or Guarantor, reserves for uninsured
losses of any Borrower or Guarantor, reserves for uninsured,
underinsured, unidemnified or underindemnified liabilities or
potential liabilities with respect to any litigation and reserves
for taxes, fees, assessments, and other governmental charges) with
respect to the Collateral or any Borrower or Guarantor.
“
Revolving Credit Exposure ” shall mean, with respect
to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the outstanding
principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its
Letter of Credit Exposure plus (b) an amount equal to its
Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of
Swingline Loans at such time, plus (c) an amount
equal to its Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal
amount of Protective Advances outstanding at such time.
“
Revolving Loan ” shall mean any Loan made pursuant to
Section 2.02 .
“
Security and Pledge Agreement ” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 4.01(c) .
“
Settlement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.06(c) .
“
Settlement and Release Agreement ” shall mean that
certain Settlement and Release Agreement dated as of
October 5, 2004 between the Borrowers, the Guarantors, and
their debtor affiliates and the Official Committee of Unsecured
Creditors in the Cases, as amended from time to time;
31
“
Settlement Agreement ” shall mean the agreement
reached with the PBGC and approved by the Bankruptcy Court on
January 24, 2005.
“
Settlement Date ” shall have the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 2.06(c) .
“
Significant Subsidiary ” shall mean (other than an
Excluded Subsidiary) each Subsidiary of the Company that
(a) is
designated with an asterisk in Schedule 3.05 —
Subsidiaries;
(b) accounted
for at least 5% of consolidated revenues of the Company and its
Subsidiaries from sales to third parties for the four Fiscal
Quarters of the Company ending on the last day of the last Fiscal
Quarter of the Company immediately preceding the date as of which
any such determination is made; or
(c) has
assets (other than assets which are eliminated in consolidation)
which represent at least 5% of the consolidated assets of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of the last day of the last Fiscal
Quarter of the Company immediately preceding the date as of which
any such determination is made,
all of which, with respect to
clauses (b) and (c), shall be as included in the consolidated
financial statements of the Company for the period, or as of the
date, in question.
“
Single Employer Plan ” shall mean a single employer
plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (i) is
maintained for employees of any Borrower or Guarantor or an ERISA
Affiliate or (ii) was so maintained and in respect of which
any Borrower or Guarantor could have liability under Title IV of
ERISA in the event such Plan has been or were to be
terminated.
“
Statutory Reserve Rate ” shall mean a fraction
(expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one
and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate
of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal,
special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal
as in effect on any date of determination and established by the
Board to which the Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted
LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as
“Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the
Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed
pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be
deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such
reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration,
exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to
any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable
regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted
automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any
reserve percentage.
“
Subordinated Indenture ” shall mean the indenture
dated as of February 1, 1993 between the Company, and the
Subsidiaries of the Company parties thereto as Subsidiary
Guarantors, and The First National Bank of Boston, as trustee,
pursuant to which the Subordinated Notes were issued, as
supplemented prior to the date hereof.
32
“
Subordinated Notes ” shall mean the 12-3/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2003 in a principal amount not exceeding
$400 million issued by the Company pursuant to the
Subordinated Indenture, as amended, supplemented, restated, or
otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date
hereof.
“
Subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person
(herein referred to as the “ parent ”), any
corporation, association or other business entity (whether now
existing or hereafter organized) of which at least a majority of
the securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting
power for the election of directors is, at the time as of which any
determination is being made, owned or controlled by the parent or
one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or
more subsidiaries of the parent.
“
Super-majority Lenders ” shall have the meaning given
such term in Section 11.10(b) .
“
Super-priority Claim ” shall mean a claim against any
Borrower in any of the Cases which is an administrative expense
claim having priority over any or all administrative expenses of
the kind specified in Sections 503(b) or 507(b) of the Bankruptcy
Code.
“
Supporting Letter of Credit ” shall mean a standby
letter of credit, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent,
issued by an issuer satisfactory to the Agent, in a stated amount
equal to 105% of the Letter of Credit Shortfall Amount.
“
Swap Agreement ” shall mean any agreement with respect
to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or
similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or
more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or
securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures
of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar
transaction or any combination of these transactions;
provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for
payments only on account of services provided by current or former
directors, officers, employees or consultants of any Borrower, any
Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries shall be a Swap
Agreement.
“
Swap Obligations ” shall mean, with respect to any
Person, any and all obligations of such Person, whether absolute or
contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced
or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications
thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any and all
Swap Agreements, and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs,
reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement
transaction.
“
Swingline Lender ” shall mean JPMorgan Chase, in its
capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.
“
Swingline Loan ” shall have the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 2.06(a) .
“
Tax ” or “ Taxes ” shall mean any
and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties,
deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority.
33
“
Tax Related Person ” means any Person (including,
without limitation, a beneficial owner of an interest in a
pass-through entity) whose income is realized through or determined
by reference to the Agent, Issuing Bank or any Participant or any
Tax Related Person of any of the foregoing.
“
Texada Mines ” shall mean Texada Mines Ltd., a British
Columbia corporation, as debtor and debtor-in-possession under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.
“
Terminated Plans ” shall mean (i) the Kaiser
Aluminum Salaried Employees Retirement Plan, terminated by the PBGC
effective December 17, 2003; (ii) the Kaiser Aluminum
Pension Plan, terminated by the PBGC effective April 30, 2004;
and (iii) the Kaiser Aluminum Inactive Pension Plan,
terminated by the PBGC effective June 30, 2004.
“
Termination Date ” shall mean the earliest to occur of
(i) the Maturity Date, (ii) the Consummation Date and
(iii) the acceleration of the Loans and the termination of the
Total Commitment in accordance with the terms hereof.
“
Termination Event ” shall mean (i) a
“reportable event”, as such term is described in
Section 4043(c) of ERISA (other than a “reportable
event” as to which the 30-day notice is waived) or an event
described in Section 4068 of ERISA and excluding
(a) events which would not be reasonably likely (as reasonably
determined by the Agent) to have a material adverse effect on the
financial condition, operations, business, properties or assets of
the Borrower and the Guarantors taken as a whole; (b) any
reportable event or other event related to a missed funding or
contribution requirement prior to the day that is 31 days
after the effective date of the Settlement and Release Agreement;
or (c) any reportable event or other event related to a plan
termination of the Terminated Plans; or (ii) the withdrawal of
the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan
during a plan year in which it was a “substantial
employer,” as such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(2)
of ERISA, the incurrence of liability by the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate under Section 4064 of ERISA upon the termination of
a Multiple Employer Plan, or the imposition of Withdrawal
Liability.
“
Total Commitment ” shall mean, at any time, the sum of
the Commitments at such time.
“
Trochus ” means Trochus Insurance Company, Ltd., a
Bermuda entity.
“
Type ” when used in respect of any Loan or Borrowing
shall refer to the Rate of interest by reference to which interest
on such Loan or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing is
determined. For purposes hereof, “Rate” shall mean the
Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate, as
applicable.
“
Unused Total Commitment ” shall mean, with respect to
all Lenders, at any time, (i) the Total Commitment less
(ii) the sum of (x) the aggregate outstanding principal
amount of all Loans and (y) the aggregate Letter of Credit
Exposure.
“
Withdrawal Liability ” shall have the meaning given
such term under Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of
ERISA.
34
SECTION 1.02. Terms Generally . The definitions in
Section 1.01 shall apply equally to both the singular
and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may
require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine,
feminine and neuter forms. All references herein to Sections,
Exhibits and Schedules shall be deemed references to Sections of,
and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement unless the context
shall otherwise require. Except as otherwise expressly provided
herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be
construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time.
Terms that are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect
in the State of New York from time to time shall have the same
meaning herein unless otherwise defined herein.
SECTION 1.03. The Company As Agent For Borrowers .
Each Borrower and Guarantor hereby irrevocably appoints the Company
as the borrowing agent and attorney-in-fact for all Borrowers (the
“ Borrowers’ Agent” ) which appointment
shall remain in full force and effect unless and until Agent shall
have received prior written notice signed by each Borrower and each
Guarantor that such appointment has been revoked and that another
Borrower has been appointed the Borrowers’ Agent. Each
Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the
Borrowers’ Agent (i) to provide the Agent with all
notices with respect to Borrowings and Letters of Credit obtained
for the benefit of any Borrower and all other notices and
instructions under this Agreement and (ii) to take such action
as the Borrowers’ Agent deems appropriate on its behalf to
obtain Borrowings and Letters of Credit and to exercise such other
powers as are reasonably incidental thereto to carry out the
purposes of this Agreement. It is understood that the handling of
the Funding Account, Cash Management Account, Concentration Account
and Collateral of Borrowers in a combined fashion, as more fully
set forth herein, is done solely as an accommodation to Borrowers
in order to utilize the collective borrowing powers of Borrowers in
the most efficient and economical manner and at their request, and
that no Lender shall incur any liability to any Borrower as a
result hereof.
SECTION 1.04. The Term “Borrower” or
“Borrowers” . Unless otherwise specifically
provided herein, all references to “Borrower” or
“Borrowers” herein shall refer to and include each
Borrower separately and all representations contained herein shall
be deemed to be separately made by each of them, and each of the
covenants, agreements and obligations set forth herein shall be
deemed to be the joint and several covenants, agreements and
obligations of them. Any notice, request, consent, report or other
information or agreement delivered to the Agent or any other Lender
by any Borrower shall be deemed to be ratified by, consented to and
also delivered by each other Borrower. Unless otherwise specified
in this Agreement, the parties hereto anticipate that any notice,
request, consent, report or other information or agreement to be
delivered in connection with this Agreement by Borrowers to the
Agent will be executed by the Borrowers’ Agent, on behalf of
Borrowers, and that any such notice, request, consent, report or
other information or agreement delivered to the Agent and executed
by the Borrowers’ Agent shall be deemed to be executed by the
Borrowers’ Agent on behalf of all the Borrowers. In addition,
unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, the parties hereto
anticipate that any advances made hereunder by any Lender to
Borrowers shall be disbursed directly to the Borrowers’
Agent.
SECTION 1.05. Obligations Not Affected . The
Obligations of the Borrowers hereunder shall not be affected by
(i) the failure of the Agent or a Lender to assert any claim
or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against any Borrower or
any Guarantor under the
35
provisions of this Agreement or
any other Loan Document or otherwise; (ii) any extension or
renewal of any provision hereof or thereof; (iii) any
rescission, waiver, compromise, acceleration, amendment or
modification of any of the terms or provisions of any of the Loan
Documents; (iv) the release, exchange, waiver or foreclosure
of any security held by the Agent for the Obligations or any of
them; (v) the failure of the Agent or a Lender to exercise any
right or remedy against any other Borrower or Guarantor;
(vi) the release or substitution of any Borrower or any
Guarantor; or (vii) any other circumstance that might
otherwise constitute a discharge of a surety, other than, in each
case, the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Obligations
.
SECTION 2. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF
CREDIT
SECTION 2.01. The Facility . Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans to
the Borrowers from time to time during the Availability Period in
an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) such
Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such
Lender’s Commitment or (ii) the Aggregate Credit
Exposures exceeding the Total Commitment. The Issuing Bank will
issue Letters of Credit hereunder on the terms and conditions set
forth below. The Facility shall be composed of Revolving Loans,
Swingline Loans, Protective Advances and Letters of Credit as set
forth below.
SECTION 2.02. Revolving Loans . Subject to the terms
and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make
Revolving Loans to the Borrowers from time to time during the
Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not
result in (i) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure
exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (ii) the Aggregate
Credit Exposure exceeding the lesser of (x) the sum of the
Total Commitments minus the Liquidity Reserve from and after the
occurrence and during the continuance of a Liquidity Trigger Event
or (y) the Borrowing Base, subject to the Agent’s
authority, in its sole discretion, to make Protective Advances
pursuant to the terms of Section 2.05 . Within the
foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving
Loans.
SECTION 2.03. Loans and Borrowings .
(a) Each
Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of
Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with
their respective Commitments. Any Protective Advance shall be made
in accordance with the procedures set forth in
Section 2.05 .
(b) Subject
to Section 2.04 , each Borrowing shall be comprised
entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrowers Agent
may request in accordance herewith. Each Swingline Loan shall be an
ABR Loan. Subject to Section 2.15 , each Lender at its
option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or
foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan;
provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect
the obligation of the Borrowers to repay such Loan in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) At
the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar
Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is
an integral multiple of
36
$1,000,000 and not less than
$5,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at
the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be
more than a total of 10 Eurodollar Borrowings
outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be
entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any
Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto
would end after the Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.04. Requests for Borrowings . To request a
Borrowing, the Borrowers’ Agent shall notify the Agent of
such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, Central time, three Business
Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the
case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 1:00 p.m., Central time,
on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic
Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed
promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Agent of a written
Borrowing Request in substantially the form of
Exhibit G and signed by the Borrowers’ Agent.
Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify
the following information in compliance with
Section 2.03 :
(i)
the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii)
the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iii)
whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar
Borrowing; and
(iv)
in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period
to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by
the definition of the term “Interest
Period.”
If no election as to the Type of
Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an
ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to
any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be
deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s
duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in
accordance with this Section, the Agent shall advise each Lender of
the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan
to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.05. Protective Advances .
(a) Subject
to the limitations set forth below, the Agent is authorized by the
Borrowers, the Guarantors and the Lenders, from time to time after
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default in
the Agent’s sole discretion (but shall have absolutely no
obligation to), to make Loans to the Borrowers, on behalf of all
Lenders, which the Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, deems
necessary or desirable (i) to preserve or protect the
Collateral, or any portion thereof, (ii) to enhance the
likelihood of, or maximize the amount of, repayment of the Loans
and other Obligations, or (iii) to pay any other amount
chargeable to or required to be paid by the Borrowers pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement, including
37
payments of principal, interest,
Letter of Credit Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable
expenses and other sums payable under the Loan Documents (any of
such Loans are herein referred to as “ Protective
Advances ”), whether or not such Protective Advances
shall cause the Aggregate Credit Exposure to exceed the Total
Commitment; provided that, the aggregate amount of
Protective Advances outstanding at any time, which were made
pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above, shall not at any time
exceed $10,000,000. Protective Advances may be made even if the
conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 have not
been satisfied. The Protective Advances shall be secured by the
Liens in favor of the Agent in and to the Collateral and shall
constitute Obligations hereunder. All Protective Advances shall be
ABR Borrowings. The Agent’s authorization to make Protective
Advances may be revoked at any time by the Required Lenders. Any
such revocation must be in writing and shall become effective
prospectively upon the Agent’s receipt thereof. At any time
that there is sufficient Availability and the conditions precedent
set forth in Section 4.02 have been satisfied, the
Agent may request the Lenders to make a Revolving Loan to repay a
Protective Advance. At any other time the Agent may require the
Lenders to fund their risk participations described in
Section 2.05(b) .
(b) Upon
the making of a Protective Advance by the Agent (whether before or
after the occurrence of a Default), each Lender shall be deemed,
without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally
and irrevocably purchased from the Agent without recourse or
warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such
Protective Advance in proportion to its Commitment
Percentage.
SECTION 2.06. Swingline Loans .
(a) The
Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Revolving Lenders agree that in
order to facilitate the administration of this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents, promptly after the Borrowers request an ABR
Borrowing, the Swingline Lender may elect to have the terms of this
Section 2.06(a) apply to such Borrowing Request by
advancing, on behalf of the Lenders and in the amount requested,
same day funds to the Borrowers on the applicable Borrowing date to
the Funding Account (each such Loan made solely by the Swingline
Lender pursuant to this Section 2.06(a) is referred to in
this Agreement as a “ Swingline Loan ”), with
settlement among them as to the Swingline Loans to take place on a
periodic basis as set forth in Section 2.06(c) . Each
Swingline Loan shall be subject to all the terms and conditions
applicable to other ABR Loans funded by the Lenders, except that
all payments thereon shall be payable to the Swingline Lender
solely for its own account. In addition, the Borrowers hereby
authorize the Swingline Lender to, and the Swingline Lender shall,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein (but without
any further written notice required), not later than 3:00 p.m.,
Central time, on each Business Day, make available to the Borrowers
by means of a credit to the Funding Account, the proceeds of a
Swingline Loan to the extent necessary to pay items to be drawn on
any Cash Management Account that day (as determined based on notice
from the Agent). The aggregate amount of Swingline Loans
outstanding at any time shall not exceed $17,500,000. The Swingline
Lender shall not make any Swingline Loan if the requested Swingline
Loan exceeds Availability (immediately before giving effect to such
Swingline Loan). Swingline Loans may be made even if a Default
exists, but may not be made if the conditions precedent set forth
in Section 4.02 (other than the condition set forth in
Section 4.02(c)) have not been satisfied. All Swingline Loans
shall be ABR Borrowings.
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(b) Upon
the making of a Swingline Loan (whether before or after the
occurrence of a Default and regardless of whether a Settlement has
been requested with respect to such Swingline Loan), each Lender
shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to
have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the Swingline
Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, without
recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in
such Swingline Loan in proportion to its Commitment Percentage of
the Commitment. The Swingline Lender or the Agent may, at any time,
require the Lenders to fund their participations. From and after
the date, if any, on which any Lender is required to fund its
participation in any Swingline Loan purchased hereunder, the Agent
shall promptly distribute to such Lender, such Lender’s
Commitment Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and
all proceeds of Collateral received by the Agent in respect of such
Loan.
(c) The
Agent, on behalf of the Swingline Lender, shall request settlement
(a “ Settlement ”) with the Lenders on at least
a weekly basis on any date that the Agent elects, by notifying the
Lenders of such requested Settlement by facsimile, telephone, or
e-mail no later than 12:00 noon, Central time on the date of such
requested Settlement (the “ Settlement Date ”).
Each Lender (other than the Swingline Lender, in the case of the
Swingline Loans) shall transfer the amount of such Lender’s
Commitment Percentage of the outstanding principal amount of the
applicable Loan with respect to which Settlement is requested to
the Agent, to such account of the Agent as the Agent may designate,
not later than 2:00 p.m., Central time, on such Settlement Date.
Settlements may occur during the existence of a Default and whether
or not the applicable conditions precedent set forth in
Section 4.02 have then been satisfied. Such amounts
transferred to the Agent shall be applied against the amounts of
the Swingline Lender’s Swingline Loans and, together with
Swingline Lender’s Commitment Percentage of such Swingline
Loan, shall constitute Revolving Loans of such Lenders,
respectively. If any such amount is not transferred to the Agent by
any Lender on such Settlement Date, the Swingline Lender shall be
entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Lender together
with interest thereon as specified in Section 2.08
.
SECTION 2.07. Letters of Credit .
(a)
General . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Borrowers’ Agent may request the issuance of
Letters of Credit for the account of any Borrower, in a form
reasonably acceptable to the Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any
time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the
event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this
Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of
credit application or other agreement submitted by the
Borrowers’ Agent, any Borrower or any Guarantor to, or
entered into by any such Person with, the Issuing Bank relating to
any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement
shall control.
(b)
Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain
Conditions . To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or
the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of
Credit), the Borrowers’ Agent shall hand deliver or facsimile
(or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing
so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and
the Agent (prior to 1:00 p.m., Central time, at least three
(3) Business Days (or such shorter period as may be agreed by
the Borrowers’ Agent and the Issuing Bank) prior to the
requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or
39
extension) a notice requesting
the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of
Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date
of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a
Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire
(which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the
amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the
beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be
necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.
If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a
letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard
form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A
Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only
if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each
Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and
warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment,
renewal or extension (i) the Letter of Credit Exposure shall
not exceed $60,000,000, (ii) the total Revolving Credit
Exposures shall not exceed the lesser of (x) the Total
Commitments minus the Liquidity Reserve from and after the
occurrence and during the continuance of a Liquidity Trigger Event
and (y) the Borrowing Base and (iii) such requested
Letter of Credit is satisfactory to the Issuing Bank and the
Agent.
(c)
Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire (the
“ Expiration Date ”) at or prior to the close of
business on the date one year after the date of the issuance of
such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension
thereof, one year after such renewal or extension); provided
that if the Expiration Date is a date which is on or after the
5 th
Business Day prior to the Maturity
Date, then on or prior to the Maturity Date, the Borrower shall
cash collateralize the Obligations with respect to such Letter of
Credit in accordance with Section 2.07(j)(ii)
.
(d)
Participations . By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or
an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof)
and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or
the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and
each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation
in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Commitment
Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such
Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the
foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees
to pay to the Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such
Lender’s Commitment Percentage of each Letter of Credit
Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the
Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this
Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to
the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees
that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this
paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and
unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance
whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any
Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or
reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such
payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or
reduction whatsoever.
(e)
Reimbursement . If the Issuing Bank shall make any Letter of
Credit Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrowers
shall reimburse such Letter of Credit Disbursement by paying to the
Agent an amount equal to such Letter of Credit Disbursement not
later than 3:00 p.m., Central time, on the date that such Letter of
Credit Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received
notice of such Letter of Credit Disbursement prior to 1:00 p.m.,
Central time, on such date, or, if such notice has not
been
40
received by the Borrower prior to
such time on such date, then not later than 1:00 p.m., Central
time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such
notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m.,
Chicago time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day
immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such
notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the
day of receipt. The Borrowers may, subject to the conditions of
borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with
Sections 2.04 or 2.06 that such payment be
financed with an ABR Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent
amount. Unless the Borrowers otherwise specify, each such payment
automatically will be financed with a Swingline Loan in an
equivalent amount, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions
set forth in Section 4.02 . To the extent any such
payment is financed with an ABR Loan or a Swingline Loan, the
Borrowers’ obligation to make such payment shall be
discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Loan or Swingline
Loan. If the Borrower is ineligible to finance such payment with an
ABR Loan or a Swingline Loan due to its inability to satisfy the
conditions set forth in Section 4.02 or otherwise fails
to make such payment when due, the Agent shall notify each Lender
of the applicable Letter of Credit Disbursement, the payment then
due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s
Commitment Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such
notice, each Lender shall pay to the Agent its Commitment
Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrowers, in the same
manner as provided in Section 2.08 with respect to
Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.08 shall
apply, mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations
of the Lenders), and the Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing
Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly
following receipt by the Agent of any payment from the Borrowers
pursuant to this paragraph, the Agent shall distribute such payment
to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made
payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank,
then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may
appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to
reimburse the Issuing Bank for any Letter of Credit Disbursement
(other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan
as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not
relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Letter of
Credit Disbursement.
(f)
Obligations Absolute . The Borrower’s obligation to
reimburse Letter of Credit Disbursements as provided in paragraph
(e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and
irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever
and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability
of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision
therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a
Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any
respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any
respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of
Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does
not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or
(iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or
not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the
provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable
discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the
Borrowers’ obligations hereunder. Neither the Agent, the
Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties,
shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in
connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or
any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective
of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence),
or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission
or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or
relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required
to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation
of
41
technical terms or any
consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing
Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to
excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrowers to the
extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages,
claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers to
the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by any Borrower
that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise
care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented
under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties
hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or
willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank
shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.
In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality
thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents
presented which appear on their face to be in substantial
compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank
may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon
such documents without responsibility for further investigation,
regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse
to accept and refuse to make payment upon such documents if such
documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such
Letter of Credit.
(g)
Disbursement Procedures . The Issuing Bank shall, promptly
following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to
represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The
Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Agent and the
Borrowers’ Agent by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of
such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or
will make an Letter of Credit Disbursement thereunder;
provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such
notice shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to
reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such
Letter of Credit Disbursement.
(h)
Interim Interest . If the Issuing Bank shall make any Letter
of Credit Disbursement, then, unless the Borrowers shall reimburse
such Letter of Credit Disbursement in full on the date such Letter
of Credit Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall
bear interest, for each day from and including the date such Letter
of Credit Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the
Borrower reimburses such Letter of Credit Disbursement, at the rate
per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans; provided
that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such Letter of Credit
Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this
Section, then Section 2.14(d) shall apply. Interest
accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the
Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of
payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this
Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of
such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(i)
Replacement of the Issuing Bank . The Issuing Bank may be
replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrowers, the
Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.
The Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the
Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become
effective, the Borrowers shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the
account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to
Section 2.13(b) . From and after the effective date of
any such replace
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