EXHIBIT 10.38
MASTER GUARANTEE REIMBURSEMENT
AND LOAN AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT is entered into as of the 14th day of
November, 1997 by and among Thermo Electron Corporation (the
"Parent") and those of its subsidiaries that join in this
Agreement by executing the signature page hereto (the "Majority
Owned Subsidiaries").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Majority Owned Subsidiaries
wholly-owned subsidiaries wish to enter into various financial
transactions, such as convertible or nonconvertible debt, loans,
and equity offerings, and other contractual arrangements with
third parties (the "Underlying Obligations") and may provide
credit support to, on behalf of or for the benefit of, other
subsidiaries of the Parent ("Credit Support Obligations");
WHEREAS, the Majority Owned Subsidiaries and the Parent
acknowledge that the Majority Owned Subsidiaries and their
wholly-owned subsidiaries may be unable to enter into many kinds
of Underlying Obligations without a guarantee of their
performance thereunder from the Parent (a "Parent Guarantee") or
without obtaining Credit Support Obligations from other Majority
Owned Subsidiaries;
WHEREAS, the Majority Owned Subsidiaries and their
wholly-owned subsidiaries may borrow funds from the Parent, and
the Parent may loan funds or provide credit to the Majority Owned
Subsidiaries and their wholly-owned subsidiaries, on a short-term
and unsecured basis;
WHEREAS, certain Majority Owned Subsidiaries ("Second Tier
Majority Owned Subsidiaries ") may themselves be majority owned
subsidiaries of other Majority Owned Subsidiaries ("First Tier
Majority Owned Subsidiaries");
WHEREAS, for various reasons, Parent Guarantees of a Second
Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary's Underlying Obligations may be
demanded and given without the respective First Tier Majority
Owned Subsidiary also issuing a guarantee of such Underlying
Obligation;
WHEREAS, the Parent may itself make a loan or provide other
credit to a Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary or its
wholly-owned subsidiaries under circumstances where the
applicable First Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary does not provide
such credit; and
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WHEREAS, the Parent is willing to consider continuing to
issue Parent Guarantees and providing credit, and the Majority
Owned Subsidiaries are willing to consider continuing to provide
Credit Support Obligations and to borrow funds, on the terms and
conditions set forth below;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged by each party hereto, the parties
agree as follows:
1. If he Parent provides a Parent Guarantee of an Underlying
Obligation, and the beneficiary(ies) of the Parent Guarantee
enforce the Parent Guarantee, or the Parent performs under
the Parent Guarantee for any other reason, then the Majority
Owned Subsidiary that is obligated, either directly or
indirectly through a wholly-owned subsidiary, under such
Underlying Obligation shall indemnify and save harmless the
Parent from any liability, cost, expense or damage
(including reasonable attorneys' fees) suffered by the
Parent as a result of the Parent Guarantee. If the
Underlying Obligation is issued by a Second Tier Majority
Owned Subsidiary or a wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, and
such Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary is unable to
fully indemnify the Parent (because of the poor financial
condition of such Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary, or
for any other reason), then the First Tier Majority Owned
Subsidiary that owns the majority of the stock of such
Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary shall indemnify and
save harmless the Parent from any remaining liability, cost,
expense or damage (including reasonable attorneys' fees)
suffered by the Parent as a result of the Parent Guarantee.
If a Majority Owned Subsidiary or a wholly-owned subsidiary
thereof provides a Credit Support Obligation for any
subsidiary of the Parent, other than a subsidiary of such
Majority Owned Subsidiary, and the beneficiary(ies) of the
Credit Support Obligation enforce the Credit Support
Obligation, or the Majority Owned Subsidiary or its
wholly-owned subsidiary performs under the Credit Support
Obligation for any other reason, then the Parent shall
indemnify and save harmless the Majority Owned Subsidiary or
its wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable, from any
liability, cost, expense or damage (including reasonable
attorneys' fees) suffered by the Majority Owned Subsidiary
or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable, as a result
of the Credit Support Obligation. Without limiting the
foregoing, Credit Support Obligations include the deposit of
funds by a Majority Owned Subsidiary or a wholly-owned
subsidiary thereof in a credit arrangement with a banking
facility whereby such funds are available to the banking
facility as collateral for overdraft obligations of other
Majority Owned Subsidiaries or their subsidiaries also
participating in the credit arrangement with such banking
facility.
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2. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "guarantee" shall
include not only a formal guarantee of an obligation, but
also any other arrangement where the Parent is liable for
the obligations of a Majority Owned Subsidiary or its
wholly-owned subsidiarie s. Such other arrangements include
(a) representations, warranties and/or covenants or other
obligations joined in by the Parent, whether on a joint or
joint and several basis, for the benefit of the Majority
Owned Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiarie s and (b)
responsibility of the Parent by operation of law for the
acts and omissions of the Majority Owned Subsidiary or its
wholly-owned subsidiaries, including controlling person
liability under securities and other laws.
3. Promptly after the Parent receives notice that a beneficiary
of a Parent Guarantee is seeking to enforce such Parent
Guarantee, the Parent shall notify the Majority Owned
Subsidiary(s) obligated, either directly or indirectly
through a wholly-owned subsidiary, under the relevant
Underlying Obligation. Such Majority Owned Subsidiary(s) or
wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, as applicable, shall have
the right, at its own expense, to contest the claim of such
beneficiary. If a Majority Owned Subsidiary or wholly-owned
subsidiary thereof, as applicable, is contesting the claim
of such beneficiary, the Parent will not perform under the
relevant Parent Guarantee unless and until, in the Parent's
reasonable judgment, the Parent is obligated under the terms
of such Parent Guarantee to perform. Subject to the
foregoing, any dispute between a Majority Owned Subsidiary
or wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, as applicable, and a
beneficiary of a Parent Guarantee shall not affect such
Majority Owned Subsidiary's obligation to promptly indemnify
the Parent hereunder. Promptly after a Majority Owned
Subsidiary or wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, as
applicable, receives notice that a beneficiary of a Credit
Support Obligation is seeking to enforce such Credit Support
Obligation, the Majority Owned Subsidiary shall notify the
Parent. The Parent shall have the right, at its own
expense, to contest the claim of such beneficiary . If the
Parent or the subsidiary of the Parent on whose behalf the
Credit Support Obligation is given is contesting the claim
of such beneficiary, the Majority Owned Subsidiary or
wholly-owned subsidiary thereof, as applicable, will not
perform under the relevant Credit Support Obligation unless
and until, in the Majority Owned Subsidiary's reasonable
judgment, the Majority Owned Subsidiary or wholly-owned
subsidiary thereof, as applicable, is obligated under the
terms of such Credit Support Obligation to perform. Subject
to the foregoing, any dispute between the Parent or the
subsidiary of the Parent on whose behalf the Credit Support
Obligation was given, on the one hand, and a beneficiary of
a Credit Support Obligation, on the other, shall not affect
the Parent's obligation to promptly indemnify the Majority
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Owned Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as
applicable, hereunder.
4. Upon the request of a Majority Owned Subsidiary, the Parent
may make loans and advances to the Majority Owned Subsidiary
or its wholly-owned subsidiarie s on a short-term, revolving
credit basis, from time to time in such amounts as mutually
determined by the Parent and the Majority Owned Subsidiary.
The aggregate principal amount of such loans and advances
shall be reflected on the books and records of the Majority
Owned Subsidiary (or wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable)
and the Parent. All such loans and advances shall be on an
unsecured basis unless specifically provided otherwise in
loan documents executed at that time. The Majority Owned
Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiaries, as applicable,
shall pay interest on the aggregate unpaid principal amount
of such loans from time to time outstanding at a rate
("Interest Rate") equal to the rate of the Commercial Paper
Composite Rate for 90-day maturities as reported by Merrill
Lynch Capital Markets, as an average of the last five
business days of such Majority Owned Subsidiary's latest
fiscal quarter then ended, plus twenty-five (25) basis
points. The Interest Rate shall be adjusted on the first
business day of each fiscal quarter of such Majority Owned
Subsidiary pursuant to the Interest Rate formula contained
in the preceding sentence and shall be in effect for the
entirety of such fiscal quarter. Interest shall be computed
on a 360-day basis. The aggregate principal amount
outstanding and accrued interest thereon shall be payable on
demand. The principal and accrued interest may be paid by
the Majority Owned Subsidiaries or their wholly-owned
subsidiaries, as applicable, at any time or from time to
time, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty. All
payments shall be applied first to accrued interest and then
to principal. Principal and interest shall be payable in
lawful money of the United States of America, in immediately
available funds, at the principal office of the Parent or at
such other place as the Parent may designate from time to
time in writing to the Majority Owned Subsidiary. The
unpaid principal amount of any such borrowings, and accrued
interest thereon, shall become immediately due and payable,
without demand, upon the failure of the Majority Owned
Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable, to
pay its debts as they become due, the insolvency of the
Majority Owned Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as
applicable, the filing by or against the Majority Owned
Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable, of
any petition under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (or the filing
of any similar petition under the insolvency law of any
jurisdiction), or the making by the Majority Owned
Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable, of
an assignment or trust mortgage for the benefit of creditors
or the appointment of a receiver, custodian or similar agent
with respect to, or the taking by any such person of
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possession of, any property of the Majority Owned Subsidiary
or its wholly-owned subsidiary, as applicable . In case any
payments of principal and interest shall not be paid when
due, the Majority Owned Subsidiary or its wholly-owned
subsidiary, as applicable, further promises to pay all cost
of collection, including reasonable attorneys' fees.
5. If the Parent makes a loan or provides other credit ("Credit
Extension") to a Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary , the
First Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary that owns the majority
of the stock of such Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary
hereby guarantees the Second Tier Majority Owned
Subsidiary's obligations to the Parent thereunder. Such
guaranty shall be enforced only after the Parent, in its
reasonable judgment, determines that the Second Tier
Majority Owned Subsidiary is unable to fully perform its
obligations under the Credit Extension. If the Parent
provides Credit Extension to a wholly-owned subsidiary of a
Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary, the Second Tier
Majority Owned Subsidiary hereby guarantees it wholly-owned
subsidiary's obligations to the Parent thereunder and the
First Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary that owns the majority
of the stock of such Second Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary
hereby guarantees the Second Tier Majority Owned
Subsidiary's obligations to the Parent hereunder. Such
guaranty by the First Tier Majority Owned Subsidiary shall
be enforced only after the Parent, in its reasonable
judgment, determines that the Second Tier Majority Owned
Subsidiary is unable to fully perform its guaranty
obligation hereunder.
6. All payments required to be made by a Majority Owned
Subsidiary or its wholly-owned subsidiaries, as applicable,
shall be made within two days after receipt of notice from
the Parent. All payments required to be made by the Parent
shall be made within two days after receipt of notice from
the Majority Owned Subsidiary.
7. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts applicable to contracts made and performed
therein.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement
to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date
first above written.
THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
By: /s/John N. Hatsopoulos
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Title: President
THERMO VISION CORPORATION
By: /s/Kristine Stotz Langdon
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Title: President