1 Exhibit (xi) PROMISSORY NOTE - ------------------- ---------------------- -------------- ---------------- --------------- ----------- ------------ ------- Principal Loan Date Maturity Loan No. Call Collateral Account Officer Initials $20,000,000.00 09-30-1998 08-31-2000 UCC KBN - ------------------- ---------------------- -------------- ---------------- --------------- ----------- ------------ ------- References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item. - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Borrower: RVM Industries, Inc.; Ravens, Inc.; Signs and Lender: FirstMerit Bank, N.A. Blanks, Inc.; Albex Aluminum, Inc. Asset Based Lending 753 W. Waterloo Rd. 106 S. Main St. Akron, OH 44314 Akron, OH 44308 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Principal Amount: $20,000,000.00 Initial Rate: 8.250% Date of Note: September 30, 1998 PROMISE TO PAY. RVM Industries, Inc.; Ravens, Inc.; Signs and Blanks Inc.; Albex Aluminum, Inc. ("Borrower") promises to pay to FirstMerit Bank, N.A. ("Lender"), or order, in lawful money of the United States of America, the principal amount of Twenty Million & 00/100 Dollars ($20,000,000.00) or so much as may be outstanding, together with interest on the unpaid outstanding principal balance of each advance. Interest shall be calculated from the date of each advance until repayment of each advance. PAYMENT. Borrower will pay this loan in one payment of all outstanding principal plus all accrued unpaid interest on August 31, 2000. In addition, Borrower will pay regular monthly payments of accrued unpaid interest beginning October 31, 1998, and all subsequent interest payments are due on the same day of each month after that. The annual interest rate for this Note is computed on a 365/360 basis; that is, by applying the ratio of the annual interest rate over a year of 360 days, multiplied by the outstanding principal balance, multiplied by the actual number of days the principal balance is outstanding. Borrower will pay Lender at Lender's address shown above or at such other place as Lender may designate in writing. Unless otherwise agreed or required by applicable law, payments will be applied first to accrued unpaid interest, then to principal, and any remaining amount to any unpaid collection costs and late charges. VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from time to time based on changes in an Index which is Lender's Prime Rate (the "Index"). This is the rate Lender charges, or would charge, on 90-day unsecured loans to the most creditworthy corporate customers. This rate may or may not be the lowest rate available from Lender at any given time. Lender will tell Borrower the current Index rate upon Borrower's request. Borrower understands that Lender may make loans based on other rates as well. The Interest rate change will not occur more often than each day as Prime changes. The Index currently is 8.50% per annum. The interest rate to be applied to the unpaid principal balance of this Note will be at a rate of 0.250 percentage points under the Index, resulting in an initial rate of 8.250% per annum. NOTICE: Under no circumstances will the interest rate on this Note be more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law. PREPAYMENT: MINIMUM INTEREST CHARGE. In any event, even upon full prepayment of this Note, Borrower understands that Lender is entitled to a minimum interest charge of $35.00. Other than Borrower's obligation to pay any minimum Interest charge, Borrower may pay without penalty all or a portion of the amount owed earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower's obligation to continue to make payments of accrued unpaid interest. Rather, they will reduce the principal balance due. LATE CHARGE. If a payment is 10 days or more late, Borrower will be charged 5.00% of the unpaid portion of the regularly scheduled payment or $35.00, whichever is greater. DEFAULT. Borrower will be in default if any of the following happens: (a) Borrower fails to make any payment when due. (b) Borrower breaks any promise borrower has made to Lender, or Borrower fails to comply with or to perform when due any other term, obligation, covenant, or condition contained in this Note or any agreement related to this Note, or in any other agreement or loan Borrower has with Lender. (c) Borrower defaults under any loan, extension of credit, security agreement, purchase or sales agreement, or any other agreement, in favor of any other creditor or person that may materially affect any of Borrower's property or Borrower's ability to repay this Note or perform Borrower's obligations under this Note or any of the Related Documents. (d) Any representation or statement made or furnished to Lender by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf is false or misleading in any material respect either now or at the time made or furnished. (e) Borrower becomes insolvent, a receiver is appointed for any part of Borrower's property, Borrower makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or any proceeding is commenced either by Borrower or against Borrower under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws. (f) Any creditor tries to take any of Borrower's property on or in which Lender has a lien or security interest. This includes a garnishment of any of Borrower's accounts with Lender. (g) Any guarantor dies or any of the other events described in this default section occurs with respect to any guarantor of this Note. (h) A material adverse change occurs in Borrower's financial condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or performance of the indebtedness is impaired. If any default, other than a default in payment, is curable and if Borrower has not been given a notice of a breach of the same provision of this Note within the preceding twelve (12) months, it may be cured (and no event of default will have occurred) if Borrower, after receiving written notice from Lender demanding cure of such default: (a) cured the default within fifteen (15) days; or (b) if the cure requires more than fifteen (15) days, immediately initiates steps which Lender deems in Lender's sole discretion to be sufficient to cure the default and thereafter continues and completes all reasonable and necessary steps sufficient to produce compliance as soon as reasonably practical. LENDER'S RIGHTS, Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal balance on this Note and all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, without notice, and then Borrower will pay that amount. Lender may hire or pay someone else to help collect this Note if Borrower does not pay. Borrower also will pay Lender that amount. This includes, subject to any limits under applicable law. Lender's attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses whether or not there is a lawsuit, including attorneys' fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), appeals, and any anticipated post-judgment collection services. If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower also will pay any court costs, in addition to all other sums provided by law. This Note has been delivered to Lender and accepted by Lender in the State of Ohio. If there is a lawsuit, Borrower agrees upon Lender's request to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of Summit County, the State of Ohio. Lender and Borrower hereby waive the right to any jury trial in any action, proceeding, or counterclaim brought by either Lender or Borrower against the other. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio. CONFESSION OF JUDGMENT. Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes and empowers any attorney-at-law, including an attorney hired by Lender, to appear in any court of record and to confess judgment against Borrower for the unpaid amount of this Note as evidenced by an affidavit signed by an officer of Lender setting forth the amount then due, plus attorneys' fees as provided in this Note, plus costs of suit, and to release all errors and waive all rights of appeal. If a copy of this Note, verified by an affidavit, shall have been filed in the proceeding, it will not be necessary to file the original as a warrant of attorney. Borrower waives the right to any stay of execution and the benefit of all exemption laws now or hereafter in effect. No single exercise of the foregoing warrant and power to confess judgment will be deemed to exhaust the power, whether or not any such exercise shall be held by any court to be invalid, voidable, or void; but the power will continue undiminished and may be exercised from time to time as Lender may elect until all amounts owing on this Note have been paid in full. Borrower waives any conflict of interest that an attorney hired by Lender may have in acting on behalf of Borrower in confessing judgment against Borrower while such attorney is retained by Lender. Borrower expressly consents to such attorney acting for Borrower in confessing judgment. DISHONORED ITEM FEE. Borrower will pay a fee to Lender of $24.00 if Borrower makes a payment on Borrower's loan and the check or preauthorized charge with which Borrower pays is later dishonored. 2 PROMISSORY NOTE (Continued) Loan No - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LINE OF CREDIT. This Note evidences a revolving line of credit. Advances under this Note may be requested orally by Borrower or by an authorized person. Lender may, but need not, require that all oral requests be confirmed in writing. All communications, instructions, or directions by telephone or otherwise to Lender are to be directed to Lender's office shown above. The following party or parties are authorized to request advances under the line of credit until Lender receives from Borrower at Lender's address shown above written notice of revocation of their authority: Jacob Pollock; Richard D. Pollock; John J. Stitz; The following party or parties are authorized to request advances on the Line of Credit on behalf of the Company specifically listed next to their names until Lender receives from Borower, at Lender's address shown above, written notice of revocation of their authority; Linda DePrato, (All); Kathy Bean, (All); Steve McDevitt, (All); Carol Cutler, (Signs and Blanks, Inc.); Diane Clark, (Albex Aluminum, Inc.); and Jayshree Shah, (Ravens, Inc.). Borrower agrees to be liable for all sums either: (a) advanced in accordance with the instructions of an authorized person or (b) credited to any of Borrower's accounts with Lender. The unpaid principal balance owing on this Note at any time may be evidenced by endorsements on this Note or by Lender's internal records, including daily computer print-outs. Lender will have no obligation to advance funds under this Note if: (a) Borrower or any guarantor is in default under the terms of this Note or any agreement that Borrower or any guarantor has with Lender, including any agreement made in connection with the signing of this Note; (b) Borrower or any guarantor ceases doing business or is insolvent; (c) any guarantor seeks, claims or otherwise attempts to limit, modify or revoke such guarantor's guarantee of this Note or any other loan with Lender; (d) Borrower has applied funds provided pursuant to this Note for purposes other than those authorized by Lender. FEE PROVISION. Upon receipt of billing from Lender, I agree to pay a loan fee of $n/a and a document preparation fee of $n/a. GENERAL PROVISIONS. If any part of this Note cannot be enforced, this fact will not affect the rest of the Note. In particular, this section means (among other things) that Borrower does not agree or intend to pay, and Lender does not agree or intend to contract for, charge, collect, take, reserve or receive (collectively referred to herein as "charge or collect"), any amount in the nature of interest or in the nature of a fee for this loan, which would in any way or event (including demand, prepayment, or acceleration) cause Lender to charge or collect more for this loan than the maximum Lender would be permitted to charge or collect by federal law or the law of the State of Ohio (as applicable). Any such excess interest or unauthorized fee shall, instead of anything stated to the contrary, be applied first to reduce the principal balance of this loan, and when the principal has been paid in full, be refunded to Borrower. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies under this Note without losing them. Borrower and any other person who signs, guarantees or endorses this Note, to the extent allowed by law, waive presentment, demand for payment, protest and notice of dishonor. Upon any change in the terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no party who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan, or release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such parties also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or notice to anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made. PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS NOTE, BORROWER READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS NOTE, INCLUDING THE VARIABLE INTEREST RATE PROVISIONS. BORROWER AGREES TO THE TERMS OF THE NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED COPY OF THE NOTE. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTICE: FOR THIS NOTICE "YOU" MEANS THE BORROWER AND "HIS" MEANS LENDER. WARNING - BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME, A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER CAUSE. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BORROWER: RVM Industries, Inc.; Signs and Blanks, Inc.; Albex Aluminum, Inc. By: /s/ John J. Stitz ------------------------------------------------ John J. Stitz, Vice President, CFO of RVM Industries, Inc. By: /s/ John J. Stitz ------------------------------------------------ John J. Stitz, Vice President, CFO of Ravens, Inc. By: /s/ John J. Stitz ------------------------------------------------ John J. Stitz, Vice President of Signs and Blanks, Inc. By: /s/ John J. Stitz ------------------------------------------------ John J. Stitz, Vice President of Albex Aluminum, Inc.