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EXHIBIT 10.6
MASTER GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
MASTER GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT, dated as of June
12, 1997, made by each of the signatories hereto (together with any other
entity that may become a party hereto as provided herein, the "Grantors"), in
favor of CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, as Administrative Agent (in such capacity,
the "Administrative Agent") for the banks and other financial institutions or
entities (the "Lenders") from time to time parties to the Credit Agreement,
dated as of June 12, 1997 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among HEDSTROM CORPORATION (the
"Borrower"), the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have
severally agreed to make extensions of credit to the Borrower upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth therein;
WHEREAS, the Borrower is a member of an affiliated group of
companies that includes each other Grantor;
WHEREAS, the proceeds of the extensions of credit under the
Credit Agreement will be used in part to enable the Borrower to make valuable
transfers to one or more of the other Grantors in connection with the operation
of their respective businesses;
WHEREAS, the Borrower and the other Grantors are engaged in
related businesses, and each Grantor will derive substantial direct and
indirect benefit from the making of the extensions of credit under the Credit
Agreement; and
WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the obligation of the
Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower under the
Credit Agreement that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered this
Agreement to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and
to induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the
Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby agrees with the Administrative Agent,
for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, as follows:
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SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS
1.1. Definitions. (a) Unless otherwise defined herein,
terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings
given to them in the Credit Agreement, and the following terms which are
defined in the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on
the date hereof are used herein as so defined: Accounts, Chattel Paper,
Documents, Equipment, Farm Products, Instruments and Inventory.
(b) The following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Agreement": this Master Guarantee and Collateral Agreement,
as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time.
"Borrower Obligations": the collective reference to the
unpaid principal of and interest on the Loans and Reimbursement
Obligations and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower
(including, without limitation, interest accruing at the then
applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the maturity of
the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations and interest accruing at the
then applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the filing
of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency,
reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether
or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in
such proceeding) to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or, in the
case of any Hedge Agreement referred to below, any Affiliate of any
Lender), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to
become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred, which may arise
under, out of, or in connection with, the Credit Agreement, this
Agreement, the other Credit Documents, any Letter of Credit or any
Hedge Agreement entered into by the Borrower with any Lender (or any
Affiliate of any Lender) or any other document made, delivered or
given in connection therewith, in each case whether on account of
principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities,
costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation, all
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative
Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by the Borrower
pursuant to the terms of any of the foregoing agreements).
"Collateral": as defined in Section 3.
"Collateral Account": any collateral account established by
the Administrative Agent as provided in Section 6.1 or 6.4.
"Copyrights": (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of
the United States, any other country or any political subdivision
thereof, whether registered or unregistered and whether published or
unpublished (including, without limitation, those listed in Schedule
6), all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in
connection therewith, including, without limitation, all
registrations, recordings and applications in the United States
Copyright Office, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.
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"Copyright Licenses": any written agreement naming any
Grantor as licensor or licensee (including, without limitation, those
listed in Schedule 6), granting any right under any Copyright,
including, without limitation, the grant of rights to manufacture,
distribute, exploit and sell materials derived from any Copyright.
"Foreign Issuer": any Issuer organized under the laws of any
jurisdiction outside the United States.
"General Intangibles": all "general intangibles" as such term
is defined in Section 9-106 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect
in the State of New York on the date hereof and, in any event,
including, without limitation, with respect to any Grantor, all
contracts, agreements, instruments and indentures in any form, and
portions thereof, to which such Grantor is a party or under which such
Grantor has any right, title or interest or to which such Grantor or
any property of such Grantor is subject, as the same may from time to
time be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, including,
without limitation, (i) all rights of such Grantor to receive moneys
due and to become due to it thereunder or in connection therewith,
(ii) all rights of such Grantor to damages arising thereunder and
(iii) all rights of such Grantor to perform and to exercise all
remedies thereunder, in each case to the extent the grant by such
Grantor of a security interest pursuant to this Agreement in its
right, title and interest in such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture is not prohibited by such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture without the consent of any other party thereto, would not
give any other party to such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture the right to terminate its obligations thereunder, or is
permitted with consent if all necessary consents to such grant of a
security interest have been obtained from the other parties thereto
(it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to
obligate such Grantor to obtain such consents); provided that the
foregoing limitation shall not affect, limit, restrict or impair the
grant by such Grantor of a security interest pursuant to this
Agreement in any Receivable or any money or other amounts due or to
become due under any such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture.
"Guarantor Obligations": with respect to any Guarantor, the
collective reference to (i) such Guarantor's guarantee of the Borrower
Obligations pursuant to Section 2 hereof and (ii) all obligations and
liabilities of such Guarantor which may arise under or in connection
with this Agreement or any other Credit Document to which such
Guarantor is a party, in each case whether on account of guarantee
obligations, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs,
expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation, all reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to
the Lenders that are required to be paid by such Guarantor pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement or any other Credit Document).
"Guarantors": the collective reference to each Grantor other
than the Borrower.
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"Hedge Agreements": as to any Person, all interest rate
swaps, caps or collar agreements or similar arrangements entered into
by such Person, providing for protection against fluctuations in
interest rates or currency exchange rates or the exchange of nominal
interest obligations, either generally or under specific
contingencies.
"Intellectual Property": the collective reference to all
rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property,
whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or
otherwise, including, without limitation, the Copyrights, the
Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent Licenses, the Trademarks
and the Trademark Licenses, and all rights to sue at law or in equity
for any infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right
to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom.
"Intercompany Note": any promissory note evidencing loans
made by any Grantor to the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
"Issuers": the collective reference to each issuer of a
Pledged Security.
"New York UCC": the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to
time in effect in the State of New York.
"Obligations": (i) in the case of the Borrower, the Borrower
Obligations, and (ii) in the case of each Guarantor, its Guarantor
Obligations.
"Patents": (i) all letters patent of the United States, any
other country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and
extensions thereof and all goodwill associated therewith, including,
without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6,
(ii) all applications for letters patent of the United States or any
other country and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-
part thereof, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing
referred to in Schedule 6, and (iii) all rights to obtain any reissues
or extensions of the foregoing.
"Patent License": all agreements, whether written or oral,
providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to
manufacture, use or sell any invention covered in whole or in part by
a Patent, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred
to in Schedule 6.
"Pledged Notes": all promissory notes listed on Schedule 2,
all Intercompany Notes at any time issued to any Grantor and all other
promissory notes issued to or held by any Grantor (other than
promissory notes issued in connection with extensions of trade credit
by any Grantor in the ordinary course of business).
"Pledged Securities": the collective reference to the Pledged
Notes and the Pledged Stock.
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"Pledged Stock": the shares of Capital Stock listed on
Schedule 2, together with any other shares, stock certificates,
options or rights of any nature whatsoever in respect of the Capital
Stock of any Subsidiary that may be issued or granted to, or held by,
any Grantor while this Agreement is in effect; provided that in no
event shall any Grantor be required to pledge more than 65% of the
Capital Stock of any Foreign Issuer.
"Proceeds": all "proceeds" as such term is defined in Section
9-306(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New
York on the date hereof and, in any event, shall include, without
limitation, all dividends or other income from the Pledged Securities,
collections thereon or distributions or payments with respect thereto.
"Receivable": any right to payment for goods sold or leased
or for services rendered, whether or not such right is evidenced by an
Instrument or Chattel Paper and whether or not it has been earned by
performance (including, without limitation, any Account).
"Securities Act": the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Subsidiary Guarantor": each of the Subsidiaries of the
Borrower which is a party to this Agreement.
"Trademarks": (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate
names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade
styles, service marks, logos and other source or business identifiers,
and all goodwill associated therewith, now existing or hereafter
adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications in connection therewith, whether in the United States
Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the
United States, any State thereof or any other country or any political
subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common-law rights related
thereto, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred
to in Schedule 6, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.
"Trademark License": any agreement, whether written or oral,
providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any
Trademark, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing
referred to in Schedule 6.
1.2. Other Definitional Provisions. (a) The words "hereof,"
"herein", "hereto" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in
this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular provision of this Agreement, and Section and Schedule references are
to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.
(b) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be
equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.
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(c) Where the context requires, terms relating to the
Collateral or any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, shall refer
to such Grantor's Collateral or the relevant part thereof.
SECTION 2. GUARANTEE
2.1. Guarantee. (a) Each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly
and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the
Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders and their
respective successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and
complete payment and performance by the Borrower when due (whether at the
stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations.
(b) Anything herein or in any other Credit Document to the
contrary notwithstanding, the maximum liability of each Guarantor hereunder and
under the other Credit Documents shall in no event exceed the amount which can
be guaranteed by such Guarantor under applicable federal and state laws
relating to the insolvency of debtors (after giving effect to the right of
contribution established in Section 2.2).
(c) Each Guarantor agrees that the Borrower Obligations may
at any time and from time to time exceed the amount of the liability of such
Guarantor hereunder without impairing the guarantee contained in this Section 2
or affecting the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
hereunder.
(d) The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall remain in
full force and effect until all the Borrower Obligations and the obligations of
each Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall have been
satisfied by payment in full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the
Commitments shall be terminated, notwithstanding that from time to time during
the term of the Credit Agreement the Borrower may be free from any Borrower
Obligations.
(e) No payment made by the Borrower, any of the Guarantors,
any other guarantor or any other Person or received or collected by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender from the Borrower, any of the Guarantors,
any other guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding
or any set-off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time
in reduction of or in payment of the Borrower Obligations shall be deemed to
modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor
hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment
made by such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations or any payment
received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower
Obligations), remain liable for the Borrower Obligations up to the maximum
liability of such Guarantor hereunder until the Borrower Obligations are paid
in full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments are
terminated.
2.2. Right of Contribution. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby
agrees that to the extent that a Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than
its proportionate share of
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any payment made hereunder, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to seek
and receive contribution from and against any other Subsidiary Guarantor
hereunder which has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. Each
Subsidiary Guarantor's right of contribution shall be subject to the terms and
conditions of Section 2.3. The provisions of this Section 2.2 shall in no
respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Subsidiary Guarantor to
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall
remain liable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for the full amount
guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.
2.3. No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment made by any
Guarantor hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be
subrogated to any of the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
against the Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or
guarantee or right of offset held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for
the payment of the Borrower Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be
entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Borrower or any
other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until
all amounts owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower
on account of the Borrower Obligations are paid in full, no Letter of Credit
shall be outstanding and the Commitments are terminated. If any amount shall
be paid to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when
all of the Borrower Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount
shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith
upon receipt by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Administrative Agent in
the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to
the Administrative Agent, if required), to be applied against the Borrower
Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in such order as the Administrative
Agent may, in its reasonable judgment, determine.
2.4. Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower
Obligations. Each Guarantor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding
that, without any reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without
notice to or further assent by any Guarantor, any demand for payment of any of
the Borrower Obligations made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be
rescinded by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and any of the Borrower
Obligations continued, and the Borrower Obligations, or the liability of any
other Person upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or
guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to
time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, amended, modified,
accelerated, compromised, waived, surrendered or released by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender, and the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents
and any other documents executed and delivered in connection therewith may be
amended, modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in part, as the
Administrative Agent (or the Required Lenders or all Lenders, as the case may
be) may deem advisable from time to time, and any collateral security,
guarantee or right of offset at any time held by the Administrative Agent or
any Lender for the payment of the Borrower Obligations may be sold, exchanged,
waived, surrendered or released. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any
Lender shall have any obligation to protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien
at any
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time held by it as security for the Borrower Obligations or for the guarantee
contained in this Section 2 or any property subject thereto.
2.5. Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional. Each Guarantor
waives any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension or accrual of any
of the Borrower Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the guarantee contained in this Section
2 or acceptance of the guarantee contained in this Section 2; the Borrower
Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been
created, contracted or incurred, or renewed, extended, amended or waived, in
reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2; and all dealings
between the Borrower and any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, likewise shall be
conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon the
guarantee contained in this Section 2. Each Guarantor waives diligence,
presentment, protest, demand for payment and notice of default or nonpayment to
or upon the Borrower or any of the Guarantors with respect to the Borrower
Obligations. Each Guarantor understands and agrees that the guarantee
contained in this Section 2 shall be construed as a continuing, absolute and
unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to (a) the validity or
enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document, any of the
Borrower Obligations or any other collateral security therefor or guarantee or
right of offset with respect thereto at any time or from time to time held by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (b) any defense, set-off or
counterclaim (other than a defense of payment or performance) which may at any
time be available to or be asserted by the Borrower or any other Person against
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, other than payment in full of the
Borrower Obligations or (c) any other circumstance whatsoever (with or without
notice to or knowledge of the Borrower or such Guarantor) which constitutes, or
might be construed to constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of the
Borrower for the Borrower Obligations, or of such Guarantor under the guarantee
contained in this Section 2, in bankruptcy or in any other instance. When
making any demand hereunder or otherwise pursuing its rights and remedies
hereunder against any Guarantor, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may,
but shall be under no obligation to, make a similar demand on or otherwise
pursue such rights and remedies as it may have against the Borrower, any other
Guarantor or any other Person or against any collateral security or guarantee
for the Borrower Obligations or any right of offset with respect thereto, and
any failure by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make any such demand,
to pursue such other rights or remedies or to collect any payments from the
Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such
collateral security or guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or
any release of the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any
such collateral security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any
Guarantor of any obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or
affect the rights and remedies, whether express, implied or available as a
matter of law, of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against any Guarantor.
For the purposes hereof "demand" shall include the commencement and continuance
of any legal proceedings.
2.6. Reinstatement. The guarantee contained in this Section
2 shall continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at
any time payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Borrower Obligations is
rescinded or must otherwise be restored or
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returned by the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the insolvency,
bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower or any
Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor
or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the Borrower or any
Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though
such payments had not been made.
2.7. Payments. Each Guarantor hereby guarantees that
payments hereunder will be paid to the Administrative Agent without set-off or
counterclaim in Dollars at the office of the Administrative Agent located at
Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010.
SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST
Each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the
Administrative Agent, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders, a security interest in, all of the following
property now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in
which such Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right,
title or interest (collectively, the "Collateral"), as collateral security for
the prompt and complete payment and performance when due (whether at the stated
maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of such Grantor's Obligations; provided
that prior to the consummation of the Merger, the Collateral of ERO and its
Subsidiaries (other than any Capital Stock issued by ERO, which shall be
collateral security for all of the Obligations) shall only be collateral
security for the prompt and complete payment of Specified Loans:
(a) all Accounts;
(b) all Chattel Paper;
(c) any Collateral Account;
(d) all Documents;
(e) all Equipment;
(f) all General Intangibles;
(g) all Instruments;
(h) all Intellectual Property;
(i) all Inventory;
(j) all Pledged Securities;
(k) all books and records pertaining to the Collateral; and
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(l) to the extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds,
investment securities and products of any and all of the foregoing and
all collateral security and guarantees given by any Person with
respect to any of the foregoing.
(m) Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Collateral" shall not
include, with respect to any Grantor, any General Intangible or
Intellectual Property to the extent the grant by such Grantor of a
security interest pursuant to this Agreement in its rights under such
General Intangible or Intellectual Property, as the case may be, is
prohibited by such General Intangible or Intellectual Property, as the
case may be, and the consent of applicable Persons has not been
obtained, provided that the foregoing limitation shall not affect,
limit, restrict or impair the grant by such Grantor of a security
interest pursuant to this Agreement in any Account or any money or
other amounts due or to become due under such General Intangible or
Intellectual Property, as the case may be, to the extent provided in
Section 9-318 of the New York UCC as in effect on the date hereof.
SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter
into the Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective
extensions of credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby represents
and warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender that:
4.1. Representations in Credit Agreement. In the case of
each Guarantor, the representations and warranties set forth in the Credit
Agreement as they relate to such Guarantor or to the Credit Documents to which
such Guarantor is a party, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by
reference, are true and correct, and the Administrative Agent and each Lender
shall be entitled to rely on each of them as if they were fully set forth
herein, provided that each reference in each such representation and warranty
to the Borrower's knowledge shall, for the purposes of this Section 4.1, be
deemed to be a reference to such Guarantor's knowledge.
4.2. Pledged Securities. (a) The shares of Pledged Stock
pledged by such Grantor hereunder constitute all the issued and outstanding
shares of all classes of the Capital Stock of each Issuer owned by such
Grantor, except in respect to the Capital Stock of a Foreign Issuer, in which
case, such Grantor pledges no more than 65% of the Capital Stock of such
Foreign Issuer owned by Grantor.
(b) All the shares of the Pledged Stock have been duly and
validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
(c) To the knowledge of Grantor, each of the Pledged Notes
constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor with respect
thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws relating to or affecting
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creditors' rights generally, general equitable principles (whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and
fair dealing.
(d) Such Grantor is the record and beneficial owner of, and
has good and marketable title to, the Pledged Securities pledged by it
hereunder, free of any and all Liens or options in favor of, or claims of, any
other Person, except the security interest created by this Agreement.
4.3. ERO Acquisition Corporation. ERO Acquisition
Corporation does not conduct any business and does not own any assets.
SECTION 5. COVENANTS
Each Grantor covenants and agrees with the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders that, from and after the date of this Agreement until the
Obligations shall have been paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall be
outstanding and the Commitments shall have terminated:
5.1. Covenants in Credit Agreement. In the case of each
Guarantor, such Guarantor shall take, or shall refrain from taking, as the case
may be, each action that is necessary to be taken or not taken, as the case may
be, so that no Default or Event of Default is caused by the failure to take
such action or to refrain from taking such action by such Guarantor or any of
its Subsidiaries.
5.2. Maintenance of Insurance. Such Grantor will maintain
insurance policies insuring the Inventory and Equipment pursuant to and in
accordance with the Credit Agreement.
5.3. Payment of Obligations. Such Grantor will pay and
discharge or otherwise satisfy at or before maturity or before they become
delinquent, as the case may be, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges
or levies imposed upon the Collateral or in respect of income or profits
therefrom, as well as all claims of any kind (including, without limitation,
claims for labor, materials and supplies) against or with respect to the
Collateral, except that no such charge need be paid if the amount or validity
thereof is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings,
reserves in conformity with GAAP with respect thereto have been provided on the
books of such Grantor and such proceedings could not reasonably be expected to
result in the sale, forfeiture or loss of any material portion of the
Collateral or any interest therein.
5.4. Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further
Documentation. (a) Such Grantor shall maintain the security interest created
by this Agreement as a perfected security interest having at least the priority
described in subsection 8.16(a) of the Credit Agreement and shall defend such
security interest against the claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever.
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(b) Such Grantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders from time to time statements and schedules further identifying and
describing the Collateral and such other reports in connection with the
Collateral as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all in
reasonable detail.
(c) At any time and from time to time, upon the written
request of the Administrative Agent, and at the sole expense of such Grantor,
such Grantor will promptly and duly execute and deliver, and have recorded,
such further instruments and documents and take such further actions as the
Administrative Agent may reasonably request for the purpose of obtaining or
preserving the full benefits of this Agreement and of the rights and powers
herein granted, including, without limitation, the filing of any financing or
continuation statements under the Uniform Commercial Code (or other similar
laws) in effect in any jurisdiction with respect to the security interests
created hereby.
5.5. Pledged Securities. (a) If such Grantor shall become
entitled to receive or shall receive any stock certificate (including, without
limitation, any certificate representing a stock dividend or a distribution in
connection with any reclassification, increase or reduction of capital or any
certificate issued in connection with any reorganization), option or rights in
respect of the Capital Stock of any Issuer, whether in addition to, in
substitution of, as a conversion of, or in exchange for, any shares of the
Pledged Stock, or otherwise in respect thereof, such Grantor shall accept the
same as the agent of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, hold the same in
trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and deliver the same
forthwith to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received, duly indorsed
by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required, together with an
undated stock power covering such certificate duly executed in blank by such
Grantor to be held by the Administrative Agent, subject to the terms hereof, as
additional collateral security for the Obligations; provided that in no event
shall such Grantor be required to pledge more than 65% of the Capital Stock of
any Foreign Issuer. Any sums paid upon or in respect of the Pledged Securities
upon the liquidation or dissolution of any Issuer shall be paid over to the
Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as additional collateral
security for the Obligations, and in case any distribution of capital shall be
made on or in respect of the Pledged Securities or any property shall be
distributed upon or with respect to the Pledged Securities pursuant to the
recapitalization or reclassification of the capital of any Issuer or pursuant
to the reorganization thereof, the property so distributed shall, unless
otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the
Administrative Agent, be delivered to the Administrative Agent to be held by it
hereunder as additional collateral security for the Obligations. If any sums
of money or property so paid or distributed in respect of the Pledged
Securities shall be received by such Grantor, such Grantor shall, until such
money or property is paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent, hold such
money or property in trust for the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such
Grantor, as additional collateral security for the Obligations.
(b) Without the prior written consent of the Administrative
Agent, such Grantor will not, except as otherwise explicitly permitted in the
Credit Agreement, (i) vote to enable, or take any other action to permit, any
Issuer to issue any stock or other equity securities of any nature or to issue
any other securities convertible into or granting the right
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to purchase or exchange for any stock or other equity securities of any nature
of any Issuer, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, or otherwise dispose of,
or grant any option with respect to, the Pledged Securities or Proceeds thereof
(except pursuant to a transaction expressly permitted by the Credit Agreement),
or (iii) enter into any agreement or undertaking restricting the right or
ability of such Grantor or the Administrative Agent to sell, assign or transfer
any of the Pledged Securities or Proceeds thereof.
(c) In the case of each Grantor which is an Issuer, such
Grantor agrees that (i) it will be bound by the terms of this Agreement
relating to the Pledged Securities issued by it and will comply with such terms
insofar as such terms are applicable to it, (ii) it will notify the
Administrative Agent promptly in writing of the occurrence of any of the events
described in Section 5.5(a) with respect to the Pledged Securities issued by it
and (iii) the terms of Sections 6.3(c) and 6.7 shall apply to it, mutatis
mutandis, with respect to all actions that may be required of it pursuant to
Section 6.3(c) or 6.7 with respect to the Pledged Securities issued by it.
5.6. Receivables. Other than in the ordinary course of
business, such Grantor will not (i) grant any extension of the time of payment
of any Receivable, (ii) compromise or settle any Receivable for less than the
full amount thereof, (iii) release, wholly or partially, any Person liable for
the payment of any Receivable, (iv) allow any credit or discount whatsoever on
any Receivable or (v) amend, supplement or modify any Receivable in any manner
that could materially adversely affect the value thereof.
5.7. Intellectual Property. (a) Such Grantor (either itself
or through licensees) will (i) continue to use each material Trademark on each
and every trademark class of goods applicable to its current line as reflected
in its current catalogs, brochures and price lists in order to maintain such
Trademark in full force free from any claim of abandonment for non-use, (ii)
maintain as in the past the quality of products and services offered under such
Trademark, (iii) use such Trademark with the appropriate notice of registration
and all other notices and legends required by applicable Requirements of Law,
(iv) not adopt or use any mark which is confusingly similar or a colorable
imitation of such Trademark unless the Administrative Agent, for the ratable
benefit of the Lenders, shall obtain a perfected security interest in such mark
pursuant to this Agreement, and (v) not (and not permit any licensee or
sublicensee thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby such
Trademark may become materially invalidated or impaired.
(b) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will
not do any act, or omit to do any act, whereby any material Patent may become
forfeited, abandoned or dedicated to the public.
(c) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) (i)
will employ each material Copyright and (ii) will not (and will not permit any
licensee or sublicensee thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act
whereby any material portion of such Copyrights may become invalidated or
otherwise impaired. Such Grantor will not (either itself or through licensees)
do any act whereby any material portion of the Copyrights may fall into the
public domain.
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(d) Such Grantor will take all reasonable and necessary
steps, including, without limitation, in any proceeding before the United
States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any
similar office or agency in any other country or any political subdivision
thereof, to maintain and pursue each application (and to obtain the relevant
registration) and to maintain each registration of the material Intellectual
Property, including, without limitation, filing of applications for renewal,
affidavits of use and affidavits of incontestability.
(e) In the event that any material Intellectual Property is
infringed, misappropriated or diluted by a third party, such Grantor shall take
such actions as such Grantor shall reasonably deem appropriate under the
circumstances to protect such Intellectual Property.
SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS
6.1. Certain Matters Relating to Receivables. (a) At any
time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) the Administrative Agent shall have the right to make test verifications of
the Receivables in any manner and through any medium that it reasonably
considers advisable, and each Grantor shall furnish all such assistance and
information as the Administrative Agent may require in connection with such
test verifications, and (ii) upon the Administrative Agent's reasonable request
and at the expense of the relevant Grantor, such Grantor shall cause
independent public accountants or others satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent to furnish to the Administrative Agent reports showing reconciliations,
aging and test verifications of, and trial balances for, the Receivables.
(b) The Administrative Agent hereby authorizes each Grantor
to collect such Grantor's Receivables, subject to the Administrative Agent's
direction and control, and the Administrative Agent may curtail or terminate
said authority at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of
an Event of Default. If required by the Administrative Agent at any time after
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any payments
of Receivables, when collected by any Grantor, (i) shall be forthwith (and, in
any event, within two Business Days) deposited by such Grantor in the exact
form received, duly indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent if
required, in a Collateral Account maintained under the sole dominion and
control of the Administrative Agent, subject to withdrawal by the
Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders only as provided in Section
6.5, and (ii) until so turned over, shall be held by such Grantor in trust for
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such
Grantor. Each such deposit of Proceeds of Receivables shall be accompanied by
a report identifying in reasonable detail the nature and source of the payments
included in the deposit.
(c) At any time after the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Event of Default: at the Administrative Agent's request, each
Grantor shall deliver to the Administrative Agent all original and other
documents evidencing, and relating to, the
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agreements and transactions which gave rise to the Receivables, including,
without limitation, all original orders, invoices and shipping receipts.
6.2. Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable.
(a) The Administrative Agent in its own name or in the name of others may at
any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default
communicate with obligors under the Receivables to verify with them to the
Administrative Agent's reasonable satisfaction the existence, amount and terms
of any Receivables.
(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time
after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each
Grantor shall notify obligors on the Receivables that the Receivables have been
assigned to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders and
that payments in respect thereof shall be made directly to the Administrative
Agent.
(c) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each
Grantor shall remain liable under each of the Receivables to observe and
perform all the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it
thereunder, all in accordance with the terms of any agreement giving rise
thereto. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any
obligation or liability under any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise
thereto) by reason of or arising out of this Agreement or the receipt by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender of any payment relating thereto, nor shall
the Administrative Agent or any Lender be obligated in any manner to perform
any of the obligations of any Grantor under or pursuant to any Receivable (or
any agreement giving rise thereto), to make any payment, to make any inquiry as
to the nature or the sufficiency of any payment received by it or as to the
sufficiency of any performance by any party thereunder, to present or file any
claim, to take any action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment
of any amounts which may have been assigned to it or to which it may be
entitled at any time or times.
6.3. Pledged Stock. (a) Unless an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent shall have given
notice to the relevant Grantor of the Administrative Agent's intent to exercise
its corresponding rights pursuant to Section 6.3(b), each Grantor shall be
permitted to receive all cash dividends paid in respect of the Pledged Stock
and all payments made in respect of the Pledged Notes, to the extent permitted
in the Credit Agreement, and to exercise all voting and corporate rights with
respect to the Pledged Securities; provided that no vote shall be cast or
corporate right exercised or other action taken which, in the Administrative
Agent's reasonable judgment, would impair the Collateral or which would be
inconsistent with or result in any violation of any provision of the Credit
Agreement, this Agreement or any other Credit Document.
(b) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and
the Administrative Agent shall give notice of its intent to exercise such
rights to the relevant Grantor or Grantors (i) the Administrative Agent shall
have the right to receive any and all cash dividends, payments or other
Proceeds paid in respect of the Pledged Securities and make application thereof
to the Obligations in such order as the Administrative Agent may, in its
reasonable judgment, determine, and (ii) any or all of the Pledged Securities
shall be
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registered in the name of the Administrative Agent or its nominee, and the
Administrative Agent or its nominee may thereafter exercise (x) all voting,
corporate and other rights pertaining to such Pledged Securities at any meeting
of shareholders of the relevant Issuer or Issuers or otherwise and (y) any and
all rights of conversion, exchange and subscription and any other rights,
privileges or options pertaining to such Pledged Securities as if it were the
absolute owner thereof (including, without limitation, the right to exchange at
its discretion any and all of the Pledged Securities upon the merger,
consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or other fundamental change in
the corporate structure of any Issuer, or upon the exercise by any Grantor or
the Administrative Agent of any right, privilege or option pertaining to such
Pledged Securities, and in connection therewith, the right to deposit and
deliver any and all of the Pledged Securities with any committee, depositary,
transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon such terms and
conditions as the Administrative Agent may determine), all without liability
except to account for property actually received by it, but the Administrative
Agent shall have no duty to any Grantor to exercise any such right, privilege
or option and shall not be responsible for any failure to do so or delay in so
doing.
(c) Each Grantor hereby authorizes and instructs each Issuer
of any Pledged Securities pledged by such Grantor hereunder to (i) comply with
any instruction received by it from the Administrative Agent in writing that
(x) states that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) is
otherwise in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, without any other or
further instructions from such Grantor, and each Grantor agrees that each
Issuer shall be fully protected in so complying, and (ii) unless otherwise
expressly permitted hereby, pay any dividends or other payments with respect to
the Pledged Securities directly to the Administrative Agent.
6.4. Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent. In
addition to the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders specified in
Section 6.1 with respect to payments of Receivables, if an Event of Default
shall occur and be continuing, all Proceeds received by any Grantor consisting
of cash, checks and other near-cash items shall be held by such Grantor in
trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds
of such Grantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Grantor, be turned
over to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Grantor
(duly indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required). All
Proceeds received by the Administrative Agent hereunder shall be held by the
Administrative Agent in a Collateral Account maintained under its sole dominion
and control. All Proceeds while held by the Administrative Agent in a
Collateral Account (or by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders) shall continue to be held as collateral security for all the
Obligations and shall not constitute payment thereof until applied as provided
in Section 6.5.
6.5. Application of Proceeds. At such intervals as may be
agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or, if an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, at any time at the
Administrative Agent's election, the Administrative Agent may apply all or any
part of Proceeds held in any Collateral Account in payment of the Obligations
in such order as the Administrative Agent, in its reasonable judgment, may
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elect, and any part of such funds which the Administrative Agent elects not so
to apply and deems not required as collateral security for the Obligations
shall be paid over from time to time by the Administrative Agent to the
Borrower or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same. Any
balance of such Proceeds remaining after the Obligations shall have been paid
in full, no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments shall
have terminated shall be paid over to the Borrower or to whomsoever may be
lawfully entitled to receive the same.
6.6. Code and Other Remedies. If an Event of Default shall
occur and be continuing, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders,
may exercise, in addition to all other rights and remedies granted to them in
this Agreement and in any other instrument or agreement securing, evidencing or
relating to the Obligations, all rights and remedies of a secured party under
the New York UCC or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent, without demand of performance or
other demand, presentment, protest, advertisement or notice of any kind (except
any notice required by law referred to below) to or upon any Grantor or any
other Person (all and each of which demands, defenses, advertisements and
notices are hereby waived), may in such circumstances forthwith collect,
receive, appropriate and realize upon the Collateral, or any part thereof,
and/or may forthwith sell, lease, assign, give option or options to purchase,
or otherwise dispose of and deliver the Collateral or any part thereof (or
contract to do any of the foregoing), in one or more parcels at public or
private sale or sales, at any exchange, broker's board or office of the
Administrative Agent or any Lender or elsewhere upon such terms and conditions
as it may deem advisable and at such prices as it may deem best, for cash or on
credit or for future delivery without assumption of any credit risk. The
Administrative Agent or any Lender shall have the right upon any such public
sale or sales, and, to the extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale
or sales, to purchase the whole or any part of the Collateral so sold, free of
any right or equity of redemption in any Grantor, which right or equity is
hereby waived and released. Each Grantor further agrees, at the Administrative
Agent's request, to assemble the Collateral and make it available to the
Administrative Agent at places which the Administrative Agent shall reasonably
select, whether at such Grantor's premises or elsewhere. The Administrative
Agent shall apply the net proceeds of any action taken by it pursuant to this
Section 6.6, after deducting all reasonable costs and expenses of every kind
incurred in connection therewith or incidental to the care or safekeeping of
any of the Collateral or in any way relating to the Collateral or the rights of
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder, including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements, to the payment in
whole or in part of the Obligations, in such order as the Administrative Agent
may, in its reasonable judgment, elect, and only after such application and
after the payment by the Administrative Agent of any other amount required by
any provision of law, including, without limitation, Section 9-504(1)(c) of the
New York UCC, need the Administrative Agent account for the surplus, if any, to
any Grantor. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Grantor waives
all claims, damages and demands it may acquire against the Administrative Agent
or any Lender arising out of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder. If
any notice of a proposed sale or other disposition of Collateral shall be
required by law, such notice shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at
least 10 days before such sale or other disposition.
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6.7. Registration Rights. (a) If the Administrative Agent
shall determine to exercise its right to sell any or all of the Pledged Stock
pursuant to Section 6.6, and if in the opinion of the Administrative Agent it
is necessary or advisable to have the Pledged Stock, or that portion thereof to
be sold, registered under the provisions of the Securities Act, the relevant
Grantor will cause the Issuer thereof to (i) execute and deliver, and cause the
directors and officers of such Issuer to execute and deliver, all such
instruments and documents, and do or cause to be done all such other acts as
may be, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, necessary or advisable to
register the Pledged Stock, or that portion thereof to be sold, under the
provisions of the Securities Act, (ii) use its best efforts to cause the
registration statement relating thereto to become effective and to remain
effective for a period of one year from the date of the first public offering
of the Pledged Stock, or that portion thereof to be sold, and (iii) make all
amendments thereto and/or to the related prospectus which, in the reasonable
opinion of the Administrative Agent, are necessary or advisable, all in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission applicable thereto. Each
Grantor agrees to cause such Issuer to comply with the provisions of the
securities or "Blue Sky" laws of any and all jurisdictions which the
Administrative Agent shall designate and to make available to its security
holders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement (which need not be
audited) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act.
(b) Each Grantor recognizes that the Administrative Agent may
be unable to effect a public sale of any or all the Pledged Stock, by reason of
certain prohibitions contained in the Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws or otherwise, and may be compelled to resort to one or more
private sales thereof to a restricted group of purchasers which will be obliged
to agree, among other things, to acquire such securities for their own account
for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof. Each
Grantor acknowledges and agrees that any such private sale may result in prices
and other terms less favorable than if such sale were a public sale and,
notwithstanding such circumstances, agrees that any such private sale shall be
deemed to have been made in a commercially reasonable manner. The
Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to delay a sale of any of the
Pledged Stock for the period of time necessary to permit the Issuer thereof to
register such securities for public sale under the Securities Act, or under
applicable state securities laws, even if such Issuer would agree to do so.
(c) Each Grantor agrees to use its best efforts to do or
cause to be done all such other acts as may be necessary to make such sale or
sales of all or any portion of the Pledged Stock pursuant to this Section 6.7
valid and binding and in compliance with any and all other applicable
Requirements of Law. Each Grantor further agrees that a breach of any of the
covenants contained in this Section 6.7 will cause irreparable injury to the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders, that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders have no adequate remedy at law in respect of such breach and, as a
consequence, that each and every covenant contained in this Section 6.7 shall
be specifically enforceable against such Grantor, and such Grantor hereby
waives and agrees not to assert any defenses against an action for specific
performance of such covenants except for a defense that no Event of Default has
occurred under the Credit Agreement.
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6.8. Waiver; Deficiency. Each Grantor waives and agrees not
to assert any rights or privileges which it may acquire under Section 9-112 of
the New York UCC. Each Grantor shall remain liable for any deficiency if the
proceeds of any sale or other disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to
pay its Obligations and the fees and disbursements of any attorneys employed by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender to collect such deficiency.
SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
7.1. Administrative Agent's Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact,
etc. (a) Each Grantor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the
Administrative Agent and any officer or agent thereof, with full power of
substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable
power and authority in the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of
such Grantor or in its own name, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of
this Agreement, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and
all documents and instruments which may be reasonably necessary or desirable to
accomplish the purposes of this Agreement, and, without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby gives the Administrative Agent the power
and right, on behalf of such Grantor, without notice to or assent by such
Grantor, to do any or all of the following:
(i) in the name of such Grantor or its own name, or
otherwise, take possession of and indorse and collect any checks,
drafts, notes, acceptances or other instruments for the payment of
moneys due under any Receivable or with respect to any other
Collateral and file any claim or take any other action or proceeding
in any court of law or equity or otherwise deemed appropriate by the
Administrative Agent for the purpose of collecting any and all such
moneys due under any Receivable or with respect to any other
Collateral whenever payable;
(ii) in the case of any Intellectual Property, execute and
deliver, and have recorded, any and all agreements, instruments,
documents and papers as the Administrative Agent may request to
evidence the Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' security interest
in such Intellectual Property and the goodwill and general intangibles
of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby;
(iii) pay or discharge taxes and Liens levied or placed on
or threatened against the Collateral, effect any repairs or any
insurance called for by the terms of this Agreement and pay all or any
part of the premiums therefor and the costs thereof; provided that (i)
if any tax is the subject of a protest permitted hereunder or under
the Credit Agreement and (ii) such tax could not have a material
adverse effect on the value of the Collateral to the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders, then the Administrative Agent shall not
prejudice Grantor's rights to contest such tax;
(iv) execute, in connection with any sale provided for in
Section 6.6 or 6.7, any indorsements, assignments or other instruments
of conveyance or transfer with respect to the Collateral; and
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(v) (i) direct any party liable for any payment under any
of the Collateral to make payment of any and all moneys due or to
become due thereunder directly to the Administrative Agent or as the
Administrative Agent shall direct; (ii) ask or demand for, collect,
and receive payment of and receipt for, any and all moneys, claims and
other amounts due or to become due at any time in respect of or
arising out of any Collateral; (iii) sign and indorse any invoices,
freight or express bills, bills of lading, storage or warehouse
receipts, drafts against debtors, assignments, verifications, notices
and other documents in connection with any of the Collateral; (iv)
commence and prosecute any suits, actions or proceedings at law or in
equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect the
Collateral or any portion thereof and to enforce any other right in
respect of any Collateral; (v) defend any suit, action or proceeding
brought against such Grantor with respect to any Collateral; (vi)
settle, compromise or adjust any such suit, action or proceeding and,
in connection therewith, give such discharges or releases as the
Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; (vii) assign any Copyright,
Patent or Trademark (along with the goodwill of the business to which
any such Copyright, Patent or Trademark pertains), throughout the
world for such term or terms, on such conditions, and in such manner,
as the Administrative Agent shall in its reasonable discretion
determine; and (viii) generally, sell, transfer, pledge and make any
agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with any of the Collateral
as fully and completely as though the Administrative Agent were the
absolute owner thereof for all purposes, and do, at the Administrative
Agent's option and such Grantor's expense, at any time, or from time
to time, all acts and things which the Administrative Agent deems
necessary to protect, preserve or realize upon the Collateral and the
Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' security interests therein and
to effect the intent of this Agreement, all as fully and effectively
as such Grantor might do.
Anything in this Section 7.1(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Administrative Agent agrees that it will not exercise any rights under the
power of attorney provided for in this Section 7.1(a) unless an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(b) If any Grantor fails to perform or comply with any of its
agreements contained herein, the Administrative Agent, at its option, but
without any obligation so to do, may perform or comply, or otherwise cause
performance or compliance, with such agreement.
(c) The expenses of the Administrative Agent incurred in
connection with actions undertaken as provided in this Section 7.1, together
with interest thereon at a rate per annum equal to the rate per annum at which
interest would then be payable on past due ABR Loans under the Credit
Agreement, from the date of payment by the Administrative Agent to the date
reimbursed by the relevant Grantor, shall be payable by such Grantor to the
Administrative Agent on demand.
(d) Each Grantor hereby ratifies all that said attorneys
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. All powers,
authorizations and agencies contained in this
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Agreement are coupled with an interest and are irrevocable until this Agreement
is terminated and the security interests created hereby are released.
7.2. Duty of Administrative Agent. The Administrative
Agent's sole duty with respect to the custody, safekeeping and physical
preservation of the Collateral in its possession, under Section 9-207 of the
New York UCC or otherwise, shall be to deal with it in the same manner as the
Administrative Agent deals with similar property for its own account. Neither
the Administrative Agent, any Lender nor any of their respective officers,
directors, employees or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect
or realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be
under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the
request of any Grantor or any other Person or to take any other action
whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof. The powers
conferred on the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are solely to
protect the Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' interests in the Collateral
and shall not impose any duty upon the Administrative Agent or any Lender to
exercise any such powers. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be
accountable only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of the
exercise of such powers, and neither they nor any of their officers, directors,
employees or agents shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure
to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct
or their breach of a Credit Document to which they are a party.
7.3. Execution of Financing Statements. Pursuant to Section
9-402 of the New York UCC and any other applicable law, each Grantor authorizes
the Administrative Agent to file or record financing statements and other
filing or recording documents or instruments with respect to the Collateral
without the signature of such Grantor in such form and in such offices as the
Administrative Agent reasonably determines appropriate to perfect the security
interests of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement. A photographic or
other reproduction of this Agreement shall be sufficient as a financing
statement or other filing or recording document or instrument for filing or
recording in any jurisdiction.
7.4. Authority of Administrative Agent. Each Grantor
acknowledges that the rights and responsibilities of the Administrative Agent
under this Agreement with respect to any action taken by the Administrative
Agent or the exercise or non-exercise by the Administrative Agent of any
option, voting right, request, judgment or other right or remedy provided for
herein or resulting or arising out of this Agreement shall, as between the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders, be governed by the Credit Agreement and
by such other agreements with respect thereto as may exist from time to time
among them, but, as between the Administrative Agent and the Grantors, the
Administrative Agent shall be conclusively presumed to be acting as agent for
the Lenders with full and valid authority so to act or refrain from acting, and
no Grantor shall be under any obligation, or entitlement, to make any inquiry
respecting such authority.
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SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1. Amendments in Writing. None of the terms or provisions
of this Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified
except in accordance with subsection 14.1 of the Credit Agreement.
8.2. Notices. All notices, requests and demands to or upon
the Administrative Agent or any Grantor hereunder shall be effected in the
manner provided for in subsection 14.2 of the Credit Agreement; provided that
any such notice, request or demand to or upon any Guarantor shall be addressed
to such Guarantor at its notice address set forth on Schedule 1.
8.3. No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall by any act (except by a
written instrument pursuant to Section 8.1), delay, indulgence, omission or
otherwise be deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have
acquiesced in any Default or Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any
delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any
right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No
single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right, power or privilege. A waiver by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
of any right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as
a bar to any right or remedy which the Administrative Agent or such Lender
would otherwise have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies herein
provided are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not
exclusive of any other rights or remedies provided by law.
8.4. Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification. (a) Each
Guarantor agrees to pay or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent
for all its costs and expenses incurred in collecting against such Guarantor
under the guarantee contained in Section 2 or otherwise enforcing or preserving
any rights under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which such
Guarantor is a party, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel (including the allocated fees and expenses of in-house
counsel) to each Lender and of counsel to the Administrative Agent.
(b) Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities
with respect to, or resulting from any delay in paying, any and all stamp,
excise, sales or other taxes which may be payable or determined to be payable
with respect to any of the Collateral or in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities,
obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs,
expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the
execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this
Agreement to the extent the Borrower would be required to do so pursuant to
subsection 14.5 of the Credit Agreement.
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(d) The agreements in this Section 8.4 shall survive
repayment of the Obligations and all other amounts payable under the Credit
Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
8.5. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding
upon the successors and assigns of each Grantor and shall inure to the benefit
of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their successors and assigns;
provided that no Grantor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or
obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent.
8.6. Set-Off. Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the
Administrative Agent and each Lender at any time and from time to time while an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, without notice to such
Grantor or any other Grantor, any such notice being expressly waived by each
Grantor, to set-off and appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or
special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other
credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct
or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or
owing by the Administrative Agent or such Lender or any bank controlling any
Lender to or for the credit or the account of such Grantor, or any part thereof
in such amounts as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may elect, against
and on account of the obligations and liabilities of such Grantor to the
Administrative Agent or such Lender hereunder and claims of every nature and
description of the Administrative Agent or such Lender against such Grantor, in
any currency, whether arising hereunder, under the Credit Agreement, any other
Credit Document or otherwise, as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may
elect, whether or not the Administrative Agent or any Lender has made any
demand for payment and although such obligations, liabilities and claims may be
contingent or unmatured. The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall notify
such Grantor promptly of any such set-off and the application made by the
Administrative Agent or such Lender of the proceeds thereof, provided that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application. The rights of the Administrative Agent and each Lender under this
Section 8.6 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without
limitation, other rights of set-off) which the Administrative Agent or such
Lender may have.
8.7. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or
more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts
(including by telecopy), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be
deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
8.8. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or
unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
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8.9. Section Headings. The Section headings used in this
Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the
construction hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation
hereof.
8.10. Integration. This Agreement and the other Credit
Documents represent the agreement of the Grantors, the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there
are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the
Administrative Agent or any Lender relative to subject matter hereof and
thereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Credit
Documents.
8.11. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY,
AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK.
8.12. Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Grantor
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:
(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action
or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Credit
Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement
of any judgment in respect thereof, to the non-exclusive general
jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of New York, the courts of the
United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and
appellate courts from any thereof;
(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be
brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or
hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any
such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an
inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;
(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or
proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or
certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage
prepaid, to such Grantor at its address referred to in Section 8.2 or
at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have
been notified pursuant thereto;
(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to
effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or
shall limit the right to sue in any other jurisdiction; and
(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any
right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or
proceeding referred to in this Section any special, exemplary,
punitive or consequential damages.
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8.13. Acknowledgements. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges
that:
(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation,
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Credit
Documents to which it is a party;
(b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any
fiduciary relationship with or duty to any Grantor arising out of or
in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Credit
Documents, and the relationship between the Grantors, on the one hand,
and the Administrative Agent and Lenders, on the other hand, in
connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and
creditor; and
(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Credit
Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions
contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Grantors and the
Lenders.
8.14. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH GRANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY
AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING
RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY
COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.
8.15. Additional Grantors. Each Subsidiary of the Borrower
that is required to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to subsection
10.10 of the Credit Agreement shall become a Grantor for all purposes of this
Agreement upon execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of an Assumption
Agreement in the form of Annex 1 hereto.
8.16. Releases. (a) At such time as the Loans, the
Reimbursement Obligations and the other Obligations shall have been paid in
full, the Commitments have been terminated and no Letters of Credit shall be
outstanding, the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created hereby,
and this Agreement and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to
survive such termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Grantor
hereunder shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or
performance of any act by any party, and all rights to the Collateral shall
revert to the Grantors. At the request and sole expense of any Grantor
following any such termination, the Administrative Agent shall deliver to such
Grantor any Collateral held by the Administrative Agent hereunder, and execute
and deliver to such Grantor such documents as such Grantor shall reasonably
request to evidence such termination.
(b) If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred or
otherwise disposed of by any Grantor in a transaction permitted by the Credit
Agreement, then the Administrative Agent, at the request and sole expense of
such Grantor, shall execute and deliver to such Grantor all releases or other
documents reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens
created hereby on such Collateral. At the request and sole expense of the
Borrower, a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be released from its obligations
hereunder in the event that all the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor
shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted
by the Credit Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this
Master Guarantee and Collateral Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as
of the date first above written.
HEDSTROM HOLDINGS, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
HEDSTROM CORPORATION
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
ERO, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
ERO INDUSTRIES, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
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ERO MARKETING, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
PRISS PRINTS, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
IMPACT, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
ERO CANADA, INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
AMAV INDUSTRIES INC.
By: /s/ ANDREW S. ROSEN
------------------------------
Name: Andrew S. Rosen
Title: Vice President
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Schedule 1
NOTICE ADDRESSES OF GUARANTORS
Guarantors
----------
Hedstrom Holdings, Inc.
Hedstrom Corporation
HC Acquisition Corp.
ERO, Inc.
ERO Industries, Inc.
ERO Marketing, Inc.
Priss Prints, Inc.
Impact, Inc.
ERO Canada, Inc.
AMAV Industries, Inc.
ERO Acquisition Corp.
Address
-------
585 Slawin Court
Mt. Prospect, Illinois 60056-2183
Notice Address of Borrower - Page 1
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Schedule 2
DESCRIPTION OF PLEDGED SECURITIES
PLEDGED STOCK:
Issuer Issuer Class of Stock Stock Certificate No. No. of Shares
- -------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ---------------
Hedstrom Holdings, Inc. Hedstrom Corporation Common 1 10
Hedstrom Corporation Hedstrom U.K. Limited Ordinary 3 65
Hedstrom Corporation ERO, Inc. (1) Common 001 1,000
ERO, Inc. ERO Industries, Inc. Common
ERO Industries, Inc. ERO Marketing, Inc. Common 1 1,000
ERO Industries, Inc. Priss Prints, Inc. Common 2 100
ERO Industries, Inc. Impact, Inc. Common 1 1,000
ERO Industries, Inc. ERO Canada, Inc. Common 1 1,000
ERO Industries, Inc. AMAV Industries, Inc. Common 1 1,000
Amav Industries, Inc. (2) AMAV Industries, Inc. Common C- 650
Ltd. (3)
AMAV Industries, Inc. AMAV Industries,
Limited ---- 650
PLEDGED NOTES:
Pledger Issuer Payee Principal Amount
- --------------------- ------------------ --------------------- ----------------------------
- ----------------------------
1. f/k/a HC Acquisition Corp.
2. f/k/a ERO NY Acquisition, Inc.
3. f/k/a ERO Canada Acquisition, Ltd.
Description of Pledged Securities - Page 1