EXHIBIT 10.8
PLEDGE AGREEMENT
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PLEDGE AGREEMENT, dated as of September 18, 1997 (as amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time, this "Agreement"), made by each of the
undersigned pledgors (each, a "Pledgor" and, together with any other entity that
becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 22 hereof, the "Pledgors"), in favor
of BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRUST AND SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, as Collateral Agent
(the "Pledgee"), for the benefit of the Secured Creditors (as defined below).
Except as otherwise defined herein, terms used herein and defined in the Credit
Agreement (as defined below) shall be used herein as therein defined.
W I T N E S S E T H :
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WHEREAS, CII Technologies, Inc. ("Holdings"), Communications
Instruments, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the several financial institutions from time
to time party thereto (the "Banks"), Bank of America National Trust and Savings
Association, as Issuing Bank and Swingline Bank, Bank of America National Trust
and Savings Association, as Administrative Agent (together with any successor
agent, the "Administrative Agent", and together with the Pledgee and the Banks,
the "Bank Creditors"), and BancAmerica Securities, Inc., as Arranger, have
entered into a Credit Agreement, dated as of September 18, 1997 (as amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), providing
for the making of Loans to the Borrower and the issuance of, and participation
in, Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, all as contemplated
therein;
WHEREAS, the Borrower may from time to time be party to one or more
Interest Rate Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements with one or more
Banks or with an affiliate of a Bank (each such Bank or affiliate, even if the
respective Bank sub sequently ceases to be a Bank under the Credit Agreement for
any reason, together with such Bank's or affiliate's successors and assigns,
collectively, the "Other Creditors," and together with Bank Creditors, the
"Secured Creditors");
WHEREAS, pursuant to Article X of the Credit Agreement, Holdings has
guaranteed to the Secured Creditors the payment when due of all obligations and
liabilities of the Borrower under or with respect to the Loan Documents and the
Interest Rate Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Subsidiary Guaranty, each Pledgor (other than
Holdings and the Borrower) has jointly and severally guaranteed to the Secured
Creditors the payment when due of all obligations and liabilities of the
Borrower under or with respect to the Loan Documents and the Interest Rate
Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements;
WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the making of Loans to the
Borrower and the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower
under the Credit Agreement that each Pledgor shall have executed and delivered
to the Pledgee this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, each Pledgor desires to execute this Agreement to satisfy the
conditions described in the preceding paragraph;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the benefits accruing to each
Pledgor, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each
Pledgor hereby makes the following representations and warranties to the Pledgee
and hereby covenants and agrees with the Pledgee as follows:
1. SECURITY FOR OBLIGATIONS. This Agreement is made by each Pledgor
for the benefit of the Secured Creditors to secure:
(i) the full and prompt payment when due (whether at the
stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of all obligations and
liabilities (including obligations which, but for the automatic stay under
Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, would become due) of such Pledgor,
now existing or hereafter incurred under, arising out of or in connection
with any Loan Document to which such Pledgor is a party and the due
performance and compliance by such Pledgor with the terms of each such Loan
Document (all such obligations and liabilities under this clause (i),
except to the extent consisting of obligations or indebtedness with respect
to Interest Rate Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements, being
herein collectively called the "Loan Document Obligations");
(ii) the full and prompt payment when due (whether at the
stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of all obligations
(including obligations which, but for the automatic stay under Section
362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, would become due) and liabilities of such
Pledgor, now existing or hereafter incurred under, arising out of or in
connection with any Interest Rate Protection Agreement or Other Hedging
Agreement including, in the case of the Pledgors other than the Borrower,
all obligations of such Pledgor under Article X of the Credit Agreement or
the Subsidiary Guaranty, as the case may be, in respect of Interest Rate
Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements (all such obligations and
liabilities under this clause (ii) being herein collectively called the
"Other Obligations");
(iii) any and all sums advanced by the Pledgee in order to
preserve the Collateral (as hereinafter defined) or preserve its security
interest in the Collateral ;
(iv) in the event of any proceeding for the collection or
enforcement of any indebtedness, obligations, or liabilities referred to in
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, after an Event of Default (such term, as
used in this Agreement, shall mean any Event of Default under, and as
defined in, the Credit Agreement, or any payment default by the Borrower
under any Interest Rate Protection Agreement or Other Hedging Agreement and
shall in any event include, without limitation, any payment
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default (after the expiration of any applicable grace period) on any of the
Obligations (as hereinafter defined)) shall have occurred and be
continuing, the reasonable expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for
sale or lease, selling or otherwise disposing or realizing on the
Collateral, or of any exercise by the Pledgee of its rights hereunder,
together with reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs; and
(v) all amounts paid by any Secured Creditor as to which such
Secured Creditor has the right to reimbursement under Section 11 of this
Agreement;
all such obligations, liabilities, sums and expenses set forth in clauses (i)
through (v) of this Section 1 being herein collectively called the
"Obligations".
2. DEFINITION OF STOCK, NOTES, SECURITIES, ETC. As used
herein: (i) the term "Stock" shall mean (x) with respect to corporations
incorporated under the laws of the United States or any State or territory
thereof (each, a "Domestic Corporation"), all of the issued and outstanding
shares of capital stock of any Domestic Corporation at any time owned by each
Pledgor and (y) with respect to corporations not Domestic Corporations (each, a
"Foreign Corporation"), all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock at any time directly owned by any Pledgor of any Foreign Corporation,
provided that,
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except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 2, such Pledgor shall
not be required to pledge hereunder more than 65% of the total combined voting
power of all classes of capital stock of any Foreign Corporation entitled to
vote; (ii) the term "Notes" shall mean (x) all Intercompany Notes at any time
issued to each Pledgor and (y) all other promissory notes from time to time
issued to, or held by, each Pledgor; provided, that, except as provided in the
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last sentence of this Section 2, no Pledgor shall be required to pledge
hereunder any promissory notes (including Intercompany Notes) issued to such
Pledgor by any Subsidiary of such Pledgor which is a Foreign Corporation and
(iii) the term "Securities" shall mean all of the Stock and Notes. Each Pledgor
represents and warrants that on the date hereof (i) the Stock held by such
Pledgor consists of the number and type of shares of the stock of the
corporations as described in Annex A hereto; (ii) such Stock constitutes that
percentage of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the issuing
corporation as is set forth in Annex A hereto; (iii) the Notes held by such
Pledgor consist of the promissory notes described in Annex B hereto where such
Pledgor is listed as the Lender; and (iv) on the date hereof, such Pledgor owns
no other Securities. In the circumstances and to the extent provided in Section
7.12 of the Credit Agreement, the 65% limitation set forth in clause (i)(y) and
the limitation in the proviso of clause (ii) in each case of the first sentence
of the first sentence of this Section 2 and in Section 3.2 hereof shall no
longer be applicable and such Pledgor shall duly pledge and deliver to the
Pledgee such of the Securities not theretofore required to be pledged hereunder.
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3. PLEDGE OF SECURITIES, ETC.
3.1. Pledge. To secure the Obligations and for the purposes set
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forth in Section 1 hereof, each Pledgor hereby: (i) grants to the Pledgee a
security interest in all of the Collateral owned by such Pledgor; (ii) pledges
and deposits as security with the Pledgee the Securities owned by such Pledgor
on the date hereof, and delivers to the Pledgee certificates or instruments
therefor, duly endorsed in blank in the case of Notes and accompanied by undated
stock powers duly executed in blank by such Pledgor in the case of Stock, or
such other instruments of transfer as are acceptable to the Pledgee; and (iii)
assigns, transfers, hypothecates, mortgages, charges and sets over to the
Pledgee all of such Pledgor's right, title and interest in and to such
Securities (and in and to all certificates or instruments evidencing such
Securities), to be held by the Pledgee, upon the terms and conditions set forth
in this Agreement.
3.2. Subsequently Acquired Securities. If any Pledgor shall acquire
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(by purchase, stock dividend or otherwise) any additional Securities at any time
or from time to time after the date hereof, such Pledgor will forthwith pledge
and deposit such Securities (or certificates or instruments representing such
Securities) as security with the Pledgee and deliver to the Pledgee certificates
therefor or instruments thereof, duly endorsed in blank in the case of Notes and
accompanied by undated stock powers duly executed in blank in the case of Stock,
or such other instruments of transfer as are acceptable to the Pledgee, and will
promptly thereafter deliver to the Pledgee a certificate executed by any
Responsible Officer of such Pledgor describing such Securities and certifying
that the same have been duly pledged with the Pledgee hereunder. Subject to the
last sentence of Section 2 hereof, no Pledgor shall be required at any time to
pledge hereunder (x) any Stock which is more than 65% of the total combined
voting power of all classes of capital stock of any Foreign Corporation entitled
to vote or (y) any promissory notes (including Intercompany Notes) issued to
such Pledgor by any Subsidiary of such Pledgor which is a Foreign Corporation.
3.3. Uncertificated Securities. Notwithstanding anything to the
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contrary contained in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 hereof, if any Securities (whether
now owned or hereafter acquired) are uncertificated securities, the respective
Pledgor shall promptly notify the Pledgee in writing thereof, and, if after such
notification, the Pledgee so requests, such Pledgor shall promptly take all
actions required to perfect the security interest of the Pledgee under
applicable law (including, in any event, under Sections 8-313 and 8-321 of the
New York UCC, if applicable). Each Pledgor further agrees to take such actions
as the Pledgee deems reasonably necessary or desirable to effect the foregoing
and to permit the Pledgee to exercise any of its rights and remedies hereunder,
and agrees to provide an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Pledgee with respect to any such pledge of uncertificated Securities promptly
upon request of the Pledgee.
3.4 Definition of Pledged Stock, Pledged Notes, Pledged Securities
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and Collateral. All Stock at any time pledged or required to be pledged
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hereunder is hereinafter called the "Pledged Stock," all Notes at any time
pledged or required to be pledged
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hereunder are hereinafter called the "Pledged Notes," all of the Pledged Stock
and Pledged Notes together are hereinafter called the "Pledged Securities,"
which together with all dividends and interest thereon, as the case may be, and
all proceeds thereof, including any securities and moneys received and at the
time held by the Pledgee hereunder, is hereinafter called the "Collateral."
4. APPOINTMENT OF SUB-AGENTS; ENDORSEMENTS, ETC. The Pledgee shall
have the right to appoint one or more sub-agents for the purpose of retaining
physical possession of the Pledged Securities, which may be held (in the
discretion of the Pledgee) in the name of such Pledgor, endorsed or assigned in
blank or in favor of the Pledgee or any nominee or nominees of the Pledgee or a
sub-agent appointed by the Pledgee. The Pledgee agrees to promptly notify the
relevant Pledgor after the appointment of any sub-agent; provided, however, that
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the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such
appointment.
5. VOTING, ETC., WHILE NO EVENT OF DEFAULT. Unless and until (i) an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) written notice
thereof shall have been given by the Pledgee to the relevant Pledgor (provided,
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that if an Event of Default specified in Sections 9.01(f) and (g) of the Credit
Agreement shall occur, no such notice shall be required), each Pledgor shall be
entitled to exercise any and all voting and other consensual rights pertaining
to the Pledged Securities and to give all consents, waivers or ratifications in
respect thereof; provided, that no vote shall be cast or any consent, waiver or
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ratification given or any action taken which would violate or be inconsistent
with any of the terms of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Interest
Rate Protection Agreement or Other Hedging Agreement (collectively, the
"Secured Debt Agreements"), or which would have the effect of impairing the
position or interests of the Pledgee or any other Secured Creditor, except to
the extent such violation, inconsistency or impairment shall be waived in
accordance with the terms of Section 20 hereof. All such rights of such Pledgor
to vote and to give consents, waivers and ratifications shall cease in case an
Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, and Section 7 hereof shall
become applicable.
6. DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. Unless an Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, all cash dividends payable in respect of
the Pledged Stock and all payments in respect of the Pledged Notes shall be paid
to the respective Pledgor; provided, that all cash dividends payable in respect
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of the Pledged Stock which are determined by the Pledgee to represent in whole
or in part an extraordinary, liquidating or other distribution in return of
capital shall be paid, to the extent so determined to represent an
extraordinary, liquidating or other distribution in return of capital, to the
Pledgee and retained by it as part of the Collateral. Subject to the last
sentence of Section 3.2 hereof, the Pledgee shall also be entitled to receive
directly, and to retain as part of the Collateral:
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(i) all other or additional stock or other securities or
property (other than cash) paid or distributed by way of dividend or
otherwise in respect of the Pledged Stock;
(ii) all other or additional stock or other securities or
property (including cash) paid or distributed in respect of the Pledged
Stock by way of stock-split, spin-off, split-up, reclassification,
combination of shares or similar rearrangement; and
(iii) all other or additional stock or other securities or
property (including cash) which may be paid in respect of the Collateral by
reason of any consolidation, merger, exchange of stock, conveyance of
assets, liquidation or similar corporate reorganization.
7. REMEDIES IN CASE OF EVENT OF DEFAULT. In case an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Pledgee shall be entitled to
exercise all of the rights, powers and remedies (whether vested in it by this
Agreement or by any other Secured Debt Agreement or by law) for the protection
and enforcement of its rights in respect of the Collateral, and the Pledgee
shall be entitled, without limitation, to exercise the following rights, which
each Pledgor hereby agrees to be commercially reasonable:
(i) to receive all amounts payable in respect of the
Collateral payable to such Pledgor under Section 6 hereof;
(ii) to transfer all or any part of the Pledged Securities into
the Pledgee's name or the name of its nominee or nominees (the Pledgee
agrees to promptly notify the relevant Pledgor after such transfer;
provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect
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the validity of such transfer);
(iii) to accelerate any Pledged Note which may be accelerated in
accordance with its terms, and take any other action to collect upon any
Pledged Note (including, without limitation, to make any demand for
payment thereon);
(iv) subject to the giving of written notice to the relevant
Pledgor in accordance with clause (ii) of Section 5 hereof (to the extent
such practice is required by such Section 5), to vote all or any part of
the Pledged Stock (whether or not transferred into the name of the Pledgee)
and give all consents, waivers and ratifications in respect of the
Collateral and otherwise act with respect thereto as though it were the
outright owner thereof (each Pledgor hereby irrevocably constituting and
appointing the Pledgee the proxy and attorney-in-fact of such Pledgor, with
full power of substitution to do so); and
(v) at any time or from time to time to sell, assign and
deliver, or grant options to purchase, all or any part of the Collateral,
or any interest therein, at any public or private sale, without demand of
performance, advertisement or notice of
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intention to sell or of the time or place of sale or adjournment thereof or
to redeem or otherwise (all of which are hereby waived by each Pledgor),
for cash, on credit or for other property, for immediate or future delivery
without any assumption of credit risk, and for such price or prices and on
such terms as the Pledgee in its absolute discretion may determine;
provided, that at least 10 days' written notice of the time and place of
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any such sale shall be given to such Pledgor. Each Pledgor hereby waives
and releases to the fullest extent permitted by law any right or equity of
redemption with respect to the Collateral, whether before or after sale
hereunder, and all rights, if any, of marshalling the Collateral and any
other security for the Obligations or otherwise. At any such sale, unless
prohibited by applicable law, the Pledgee on behalf of the Secured
Creditors may bid for and purchase all or any part of the Collateral so
sold free from any such right or equity of redemption. Neither the Pledgee
nor any other Secured Creditor shall be liable for failure to collect or
realize upon any or all of the Collateral or for any delay in so doing nor
shall any of them be under any obligation to take any action whatsoever
with regard thereto.
8. REMEDIES, ETC., CUMULATIVE. Each right, power and remedy of the
Pledgee provided for in this Agreement or any other Secured Debt Agreement or
now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute shall be cumulative
and concurrent and shall be in addition to every other such right, power or
remedy. The exercise or beginning of the exercise by the Pledgee or any other
Secured Creditor of any one or more of the rights, powers or remedies provided
for in this Agreement or in any other Secured Debt Agreement or now or hereafter
existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise shall not preclude the
simultaneous or later exercise by the Pledgee or any other Secured Creditor of
all such other rights, powers or remedies, and no failure or delay on the part
of the Pledgee or any other Secured Creditor to exercise any such right, power
or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof. The Secured Creditors agree that
this Agreement may be enforced only by the action of the Administrative Agent or
the Pledgee, in each case acting upon the instructions of the Majority Banks
(or, after the date on which all Loan Document Obligations have been paid in
full, the holders of at least the majority of the outstanding Other Obligations)
and that no other Secured Creditor shall have any right individually to seek to
enforce or to enforce this Agreement or to realize upon the security to be
granted hereby, it being understood and agreed that such rights and remedies may
be exercised by the Administrative Agent or the Pledgee or the holders of at
least a majority of the outstanding Other Obligations, as the case may be, for
the benefit of the Secured Creditors upon the terms of this Agreement.
9. APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS. (a) All moneys collected by the Pledgee
upon any sale or other disposition of the Collateral pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, together with all other moneys received by the Pledgee
hereunder, shall be applied in the manner provided in the Security Agreement.
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(b) It is understood and agreed that the Pledgors shall remain
jointly and severally liable to the extent of any deficiency between the amount
of the proceeds of the Collateral hereunder and the aggregate amount of the
Obligations.
10. PURCHASERS OF COLLATERAL. Upon any sale of the Collateral by the
Pledgee hereunder (whether by virtue of the power of sale herein granted,
pursuant to judicial process or otherwise), the receipt of the Pledgee or the
officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or
purchasers of the Collateral so sold, and such purchaser or purchasers shall not
be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid
over to the Pledgee or such officer or be answerable in any way for the
misapplication or nonapplication thereof.
11. INDEMNITY. Each Pledgor jointly and severally agrees (i) to
indemnify and hold harmless the Pledgee in such capacity and each other Secured
Creditor from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, judgments and
liabilities of whatsoever kind or nature, and (ii) to reimburse the Pledgee and
each other Secured Creditor for all costs and expenses, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, growing out of or resulting from this Agreement or the exercise
by the Pledgee of any right or remedy granted to it hereunder or under any other
Secured Debt Agreement except, with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above, for
those arising from the Pledgee's or such other Secured Creditor's gross
negligence or willful misconduct. In no event shall the Pledgee be liable, in
the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, for any
matter or thing in connection with this Agreement other than to account for
moneys actually received by it in accordance with the terms hereof. If and to
the extent that the obligations of the Pledgors under this Section 11 are
unenforceable for any reason, each Pledgor hereby agrees to make the maximum
contribution to the payment and satisfaction of such obligations which is
permissible under applicable law.
12. FURTHER ASSURANCES. Each Pledgor agrees that it will join with
the Pledgee in executing and, at such Pledgor's own expense, file and refile
under the applicable UCC or appropriate local equivalent, such financing
statements, continuation statements and other documents in such offices as the
Pledgee may deem reasonably necessary or appropriate and wherever required or
permitted by law in order to perfect and preserve the Pledgee's security
interest in the Collateral and hereby authorizes the Pledgee to file financing
statements and amendments thereto relative to all or any part of the Collateral
without the signature of such Pledgor where permitted by law, and agrees to do
such further acts and things and to execute and deliver to the Pledgee such
additional conveyances, assignments, agreements and instruments as the Pledgee
may reasonably require or deem advisable to carry into effect the purposes of
this Agreement or to further assure and confirm unto the Pledgee its rights,
powers and remedies hereunder.
13. THE PLEDGEE AS AGENT. The Pledgee will hold in accordance with
this Agreement all items of the Collateral at any time received under this
Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed that the obligations of the
Pledgee as holder of the
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Collateral and interests therein and with respect to the disposition thereof,
and otherwise under this Agreement, are only those expressly set forth in this
Agreement. The Pledgee shall act hereunder on the terms and conditions set forth
herein and in Article XI of the Credit Agreement.
14. TRANSFER BY PLEDGORS. Except for sales or dispositions of
Collateral permitted pursuant to the Credit Agreement, no Pledgor will sell or
otherwise dispose of, grant any option with respect to, or mortgage, pledge or
otherwise encumber any of the Collateral or any interest therein (except in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement).
15. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF PLEDGOR. Each
Pledgor represents, warrants and covenants that (i) it is the legal, record and
beneficial owner of, and has good and marketable title to, all Securities
pledged by it hereunder, subject to no pledge, lien, mortgage, hypothecation,
security interest, charge, option or other encumbrance whatsoever, except the
liens and security interests created by this Agreement and liens permitted under
clauses (i) and (x) of Section 8.01 of the Credit Agreement; (ii) it has full
power, authority and legal right to pledge all the Securities pledged by it
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) this Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by such Pledgor and constitutes a legal, valid and
binding obligation of such Pledgor enforceable in accordance with its terms,
except to the extent that the enforceability hereof may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and by equitable principles (regardless of
whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law); (iv) no consent of any other
party (including, without limitation, any stockholder or creditor of such
Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries) and no consent, license, permit, approval or
authorization of, exemption by, notice or report to, or registration, filing or
declaration with, any governmental authority is required to be obtained by such
Pledgor in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement, or in connection with the exercise of its rights and remedies
pursuant to this Agreement, except as may be required in connection with the
disposition of the Securities by laws affecting the offering and sale of
securities generally; (v) the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by such Pledgor does not violate any provision of any applicable law
or regulation or of any order, judgment, writ, award or decree of any court,
arbitrator or governmental authority, domestic or foreign, or of the certificate
of incorporation or by-laws of such Pledgor or of any securities issued by such
Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries, or of any mortgage, indenture, deed of
trust, loan agreement, credit agreement or any other material agreement or
material instrument to which such Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries is a party
or which purports to be binding upon such Pledgor or any of its Subsidiaries or
upon any of their respective assets and will not result in the creation or
imposition of any lien or encumbrance on any of the assets of such Pledgor or
any of its Subsidiaries except as contemplated by this Agreement; (vi) all the
shares of Stock of Subsidiaries of Holding have been duly and validly issued,
are fully paid and nonassessable; (vii) each of the Pledged Notes constituting
Intercompany Notes, when executed by the obligor thereof, will be the
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legal, valid and binding obligation of such obligor, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by equitable
principles (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);
and (viii) the pledge and assignment of the Securities pursuant to this
Agreement, together with the delivery of the Securities pursuant to this
Agreement (which delivery has been made), creates a valid and perfected first
security interest in such Securities and the proceeds thereof, subject to no
prior lien or encumbrance or to any agreement purporting to grant to any third
party a lien or encumbrance on the property or assets of such Pledgor which
would include the Securities other than liens permitted under clauses (i) and
(x) of Section 8.01 of the Credit Agreement. Each Pledgor covenants and agrees
that it will defend the Pledgee's right, title and security interest in and to
the Securities and the proceeds thereof against the claims and demands of all
persons whomsoever; and such Pledgor covenants and agrees that it will have
like title to and right to pledge any other property at any time hereafter
pledged to the Pledgee as Collateral hereunder and will likewise defend the
right thereto and security interest therein of the Pledgee and the other Secured
Creditors.
16. PLEDGORS' OBLIGATIONS ABSOLUTE, ETC. The obligations of each
Pledgor under this Agreement shall be absolute and unconditional and shall
remain in full force and effect without regard to, and shall not be released,
suspended, discharged, terminated or otherwise affected by, any circumstance or
occurrence whatsoever, including, without limitation: (i) any renewal,
extension, amendment or modification of or addition or supplement to or deletion
from any Secured Debt Agreement or any other instrument or agreement referred to
therein, or any assignment or transfer of any thereof; (ii) any waiver, consent,
extension, indulgence or other action or inaction under or in respect of any
such agreement or instrument or this Agreement; (iii) any furnishing of any
additional security to the Pledgee or its assignee or any acceptance thereof or
any release of any security by the Pledgee or its assignee; (iv) any limitation
on any party's liability or obligations under any such instrument or agreement
or any invalidity or unenforceability, in whole or in part, of any such
instrument or agreement or any term thereof; or (v) any bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, composition, adjustment, dissolution, liquidation or other like
proceeding relating to such Pledgor or any Subsidiary of such Pledgor, or any
action taken with respect to this Agreement by any trustee or receiver, or by
any court, in any such proceeding, whether or not such Pledgor shall have notice
or knowledge of any of the foregoing.
17. REGISTRATION, ETC. (a) If an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing and any Pledgor shall have received from the Pledgee
a written request or requests that such Pledgor cause any registration,
qualification or compliance under any Federal or state securities law or laws to
be effected with respect to all or any part of the Pledged Stock, such Pledgor
as soon as practicable and at its expense will use its reasonable efforts to
cause such registration to be effected (and be kept effective) and will use its
reasonable efforts to cause such qualification and compliance to be effected
(and
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be kept effective) as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the
sale and distribution of such Pledged Stock, including, without limitation,
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 as then in effect (or any similar
statute then in effect), appropriate qualifications under applicable blue sky or
other state securities laws and appropriate compliance with any other government
requirements; provided, that the Pledgee shall furnish to such Pledgor such
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information regarding the Pledgee as such Pledgor may request in writing and as
shall be required in connection with any such registration, qualification or
compliance. Such Pledgor will cause the Pledgee to be kept reasonably advised
in writing as to the progress of each such registration, qualification or
compliance and as to the completion thereof, will furnish to the Pledgee such
number of prospectuses, offering circulars or other documents incident thereto
as the Pledgee from time to time may reasonably request, and will indemnify the
Pledgee, each other Secured Creditor and all others participating in the
distribution of the Pledged Stock against all claims, losses, damages and
liabilities caused by any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a
material fact contained therein (or in any related registration statement,
notification or the like) or by any omission (or alleged omission) to state
therein (or in any related registration statement, notification or the like) a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, except insofar as the same may have been caused by an
untrue statement or omission based upon information furnished in writing to such
Pledgor by the Pledgee or such other Secured Creditor expressly for use therein.
(b) If at any time when the Pledgee shall determine to exercise its
right to sell all or any part of the Pledged Securities pursuant to Section 7
hereof, such Pledged Securities or the part thereof to be sold shall not, for
any reason whatsoever, be effectively registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as then in effect, the Pledgee may, in its sole and absolute discretion,
sell such Pledged Securities or part thereof by private sale in such manner and
under such circumstances as the Pledgee may deem necessary or advisable in order
that such sale may legally be effected without such registration; provided, that
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at least 10 days' notice of the time and place of any such sale shall be given
to such Pledgor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in any such
event the Pledgee, in its sole and absolute discretion: (i) may proceed to make
such private sale notwithstanding that a registration statement for the purpose
of registering such Pledged Securities or part thereof shall have been filed
under such Securities Act; (ii) may approach and negotiate with a single
possible purchaser to effect such sale; and (iii) may restrict such sale to a
purchaser who will represent and agree that such purchaser is purchasing for its
own account, for investment, and not with a view to the distribution or sale of
such Pledged Securities or part thereof. In the event of any such sale, the
Pledgee shall incur no responsibility or liability for selling all or any part
of the Pledged Securities at a price which the Pledgee, in its sole and absolute
discretion, may in good faith deem reasonable under the circumstances,
notwithstanding the possibility that a substantially higher price might be
realized if the sale were deferred until after registration as aforesaid.
18. TERMINATION, RELEASE. (a) After the Termination Date (as
defined below), this Agreement shall terminate (provided that all indemnities
set forth
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herein including, without limitation, in Section 11 hereof shall survive any
such termination) and the Pledgee, at the request and expense of the respective
Pledgor, will promptly execute and deliver to such Pledgor a proper instrument
or instruments acknowledging the satisfaction and termination of this Agreement,
and will duly release from the security interest created hereby and assign,
transfer and deliver to such Pledgor (without recourse and without any
representation or warranty) such of the Collateral as may be in the possession
of the Pledgee and as has not theretofore been sold or otherwise applied or
released pursuant to this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, "Termination
Date" shall mean the date upon which the Aggregate Commitment and all Interest
Rate Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements have been terminated, no
promissory note or Letter of Credit under the Credit Agreement is outstanding
(other than Letters of Credit, together with all fees that have accrued and will
accrue thereon through the stated termination date of such Letters of Credit,
which have been supported in a manner satisfactory to the Issuing Bank in its
sole and absolute discretion) and all other Obligations (other than indemnities
described in Section 11 hereof and in Section 12.05 of the Credit Agreement
which are not then due and payable) have been paid in full.
(b) In the event that any part of the Collateral is sold or otherwise
disposed of in connection with a sale or other disposition permitted by Section
8.02 of the Credit Agreement or is otherwise released at the direction of the
Majority Banks (or all the Banks if required by Section 12.01 of the Credit
Agreement), the Pledgee, at the request and expense of such Pledgor will duly
release from the security interest created hereby and assign, transfer and
deliver to such Pledgor (without recourse and without any representation or
warranty) such of the Collateral as is then being (or has been) so sold or
released and as may be in possession of the Pledgee and has not theretofore been
released pursuant to this Agreement.
(c) At any time that a Pledgor desires that Collateral be released as
provided in the foregoing Section 18(a) or (b), it shall deliver to the Pledgee
a certificate signed by an Responsible Officer of such Pledgor stating that the
release of the respective Collateral is permitted pursuant to Section 18(a) or
(b).
19. NOTICES, ETC. All notices and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be delivered or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed:
(a) if to any Pledgor, at;
c/o CII Technologies, Inc.
1396 Charlotte Highway
Fairview, N.C. 29730
Attention: David Henning
Telephone No.: (704) 628-1711
Telecopier No.: (704) 628-1439
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(b) if to the Pledgee, at:
Bank of America National Trust
and Savings Association
1455 Market Street, 12th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
Attention: Agency Management #10831
Dietmar Schiel, Vice President
Telephone No.:(415) 436-2769
Telecopier No.:(415) 436-3425
(c) if to any Bank (other than the Pledgee), at such address as such
Bank shall have specified in the Credit Agreement;
(d) if to any Other Creditor, at such address as such Other Creditor
shall have specified in writing to each Pledgor and the Pledgee;
or at such other address as shall have been furnished in writing by any Person
described above to the party required to give notice hereunder.
20. WAIVER; AMENDMENT. None of the terms and conditions of this
Agreement may be changed, waived, modified or varied in any manner whatsoever
unless in writing duly signed by each Pledgor directly affected thereby and the
Pledgee (with the written consent of either (x) the Majority Banks (or all the
Banks if required by Section 12.01 of the Credit Agreement) at all times prior
to the time on which all Loan Document Obligations have been paid in full or (y)
the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Other Obligations at all
times after the time on which all Loan Document Obligations have been paid in
full); provided, that any change, waiver, modification or variance affecting the
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rights and benefits of a single Class (as defined below) of Secured Creditors
(and not all Secured Creditors in a like or similar manner) shall require the
written consent of the Requisite Creditors (as defined below) of such Class.
For the purpose of this Agreement, the term "Class" shall mean each class of
Secured Creditors, i.e., whether (i) the Bank Creditors as holders of the Loan
----
Document Obligations or (ii) the Other Creditors as holders of the Other
Obligations. For the purpose of this Agreement, the term "Requisite Creditors"
of any Class shall mean each of (i) with respect to the Loan Document
Obligations, the Majority Banks and (ii) with respect to the Other Obligations,
the holders of at least a majority of all obligations outstanding from time to
time under the Interest Rate Protection Agreements or Other Hedging Agreements.
21. MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
successors and assigns of each Pledgor and shall inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by the Pledgee and its successors and assigns; provided that no
Pledgor may transfer or assign any or all of its rights and obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of the Pledgee. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL
BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
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ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. The headings
in this Agreement are for purposes of reference only and shall not limit or
define the meaning hereof. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which shall
constitute one instrument.
22. ADDITIONAL PLEDGORS. It is understood and agreed that any
Subsidiary of the Borrower that is required to execute a counterpart of this
Agreement after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 7.12 and/or 8.15 of the
Credit Agreement shall automatically become a Pledgor hereunder by executing a
counterpart hereof and delivering the same to the Pledgee.
* * *
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Pledgor and the Pledgee have caused this Agreement
to be executed by their duly elected officers duly authorized as of the date
first above written.
CII TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
as a Pledgor
By:__________________________________
Title:
COMMUNICATIONS INSTRUMENTS, INC.,
as a Pledgor
By:__________________________________
Title:
KILOVAC CORPORATION,
as a Pledgor
By:__________________________________
Title:
KILOVAC INTERNATIONAL, INC.,
as a Pledgor
By:__________________________________
Title:
BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL
TRUST AND SAVINGS ASSOCIATION,
as Pledgee, Collateral Agent
By:________________________________
Title:
ANNEX A
to
PLEDGE AGREEMENT
----------------
LIST OF STOCK
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ANNEX B
to
PLEDGE AGREEMENT
----------------
LIST OF NOTES
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