Exhibit 4.1
Execution Version
AMENDED AND RESTATED SECURED TERM LOAN NOTE
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$9,758,113.91
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August 28, 2009
Minneapolis, Minnesota
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FOR VALUE RECEIVED
, the undersigned,
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
, a Delaware limited liability
company (as more fully defined below,
Borrower
), hereby unconditionally promises to pay
to the order of
PJC CAPITAL LLC,
a Delaware limited liability company (including its successors,
assigns, pledgees, transferees and participants, collectively,
Lender
), on or before the
Maturity Date on the dates, in the manner and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions
of this Restated Note the principal sum of
NINE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT THOUSAND ONE
HUNDRED THIRTEEN DOLLARS AND NINETY-ONE CENTS
($9,758,113.91), on the terms and conditions set
forth in this Amended and Restated Secured Term Loan Note (this
Restated Note
), together
with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon computed as set forth below and all unpaid fees,
expenses, indemnities and other advances connected herewith. Capitalized terms used but not
otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given to them in
Section 13
.
This Restated Note amends and restates, and is being delivered in exchange for, that certain
Secured Term Loan Note dated as of October 17, 2007, in the original principal amount of
$10,000,000, made by Borrower in favor of Lender, as and to the extent modified by that Forbearance
Agreement dated June 1, 2009 (the
Forbearance Agreement
) between Lender and Borrower (as
so modified, the
Prior Note
). The original stated principal amount of this Restated Note
is equal to the sum of the original principal amount of the Prior Note plus all accrued and
capitalized interest on the Prior Note as of the date hereof, less the amount of principal
reductions made pursuant to the Forbearance Agreement. All amounts obligated to be paid by
Borrower pursuant to the Prior Note shall not be deemed extinguished by reason hereof but shall be
carried over from the Prior Note.
1.
Accrual and Imposition of Interest
.
(a) All amounts outstanding hereunder shall bear interest (computed daily until paid, both
prior to and after the Maturity Date and prior to and after any bankruptcy or insolvency of
Borrower) at a per annum rate equal to 10.0%. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of
any Event of Default hereunder, to the maximum extent not prohibited by applicable law, Lender (at
Lenders election) may increase the interest rate hereunder by 3.0% per annum in excess of the rate
then otherwise applicable hereunder (
provided
that, if the relevant default relates to the
insolvency or bankruptcy of Borrower, then such rate increase (to the maximum extent not prohibited
by applicable law) will occur automatically without any action by Lender). Interest hereunder will
be calculated, accrued, imposed and payable on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual number of
days elapsed.
(b) Unless prohibited by applicable law, (i) cash interest of $50,000 (or such lesser amount
as shall have accrued during the applicable calendar month), pro rata for any partial month, shall
be paid monthly in arrears on the first Business Day of the next succeeding calendar month; and
(ii) the entire remaining amount of interest, if any, in excess of the cash interest paid pursuant
to clause (i) above accrued during any calendar month shall be paid-in-kind rather than in cash,
with all such paid-in-kind interest to accrue and compound monthly (by being added to the principal
amount of the Obligations) on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month.
(c) The failure by Borrower to pay the full amount of the accrued cash interest as and when
the same becomes due and payable each month pursuant to this
Section 1
within three (3)
Business Days of the due date therefor shall constitute an immediate Event of Default, and
upon the occurrence of such Event of Default such unpaid accrued cash interest shall be immediately
deemed paid-in-kind and shall be added to the principal amount of the Obligations retroactive to
the first Business Day of such month (in which such cash interest first became due) and the amount
of interest that shall have been deemed paid-in-kind in accordance with this paragraph shall accrue
and compound at the per annum rate of interest of eighteen percent (18.0%).
2.
Payments at Maturity
. Borrower shall pay Lender the entire outstanding balance
hereunder together with all accrued but unpaid interest hereunder and all fees, expenses,
indemnities and other advances in connection herewith or any other Loan Document on the date of the
earlier to occur of the following (the
Maturity Date
): (a) October 1, 2012,
and
(b) the occurrence of a Change of Control
and
(c) the date of acceleration of the maturity
of the Obligations pursuant to
Section 14
(whether automatically or at Lenders election
after notice to Borrower) following the occurrence of an Event of Default.
3.
Voluntary Prepayments
. At any time, upon advance written notice to Lender of at
least 3 Business Days, Borrower may prepay outstanding balances hereunder in whole or in part
without penalty or premium. Any voluntary partial prepayment must be in an amount of not less than
$100,000 (or such lesser amount equal to the then outstanding principal balance of this Restated
Note) or in multiples of $25,000 in excess thereof. Amounts prepaid pursuant to this
Section
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shall be applied to the Obligations in accordance with
Section 7
.
4.
Mandatory Prepayments
.
(a)
Net Cash Proceeds
. If Borrower or ABE Fairmont (i) sells, leases, licenses
pursuant to an exclusive license, transfers or otherwise disposes of any assets (other than (A)
inventory sold in the ordinary course of business and (B) other dispositions of assets not
exceeding an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 during any 12 consecutive calendar month
period), (ii) issues any Equity Interests (other than Excluded Units, as such term is defined in
the Warrant as in effect on the date hereof) or (iii) issues any debt securities or notes (other
than Indebtedness permitted hereunder), Borrower shall (except for Net Cash Proceeds of
dispositions of assets of ABE Fairmont that are required to be applied pursuant to the applicable
mandatory prepayment provisions relating to dispositions of assets of ABE Fairmont either under the
CoBank Loan Documents or the Wells Fargo Loan Documents, in each case as in effect on the date
funds are first advanced under this Restated Note) immediately prepay the outstanding Obligations
under this Restated Note without penalty or premium in an amount equal to 100% of the resulting Net
Cash Proceeds from such sale or other disposition of assets or such issuance of equity or debt
securities, as the case may be. Net Cash Proceeds prepaid pursuant to this
Section 4
shall
be applied to the Obligations in accordance with
Section 7
.
(b)
GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral
. There is outstanding as of the date hereof
an irrevocable standby letter of credit dated March 31, 2008 in the stated face amount of
$2,500,000 issued by Geneva State Bank (
GSB
) for the account of Borrower and for the
benefit of WestLB AG, New York Branch, which expires on March 31, 2010 (the
GSB Letter of
Credit
). Borrowers reimbursement obligation under the GSB Letter of Credit is secured by
cash collateral deposited by Borrower with GSB in a deposit account (the
GSB Deposit
Account
) in the amount of $2,500,000 plus accrued interest (the
GSB Letter of Credit Cash
Collateral
). Immediately upon release by GSB of all or any portion of the GSB Letter of
Credit Cash Collateral as collateral for the GSB Letter of Credit at any time or from time to time,
whether such release is upon expiration of the GSB Letter of Credit or otherwise, Borrower shall
immediately pay or cause to be paid to Lender the full amount of GSB Letter of Credit Cash
Collateral released by GSB until Lender has received an aggregate of $1,700,000 (the
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Lender Portion
). To effect the foregoing, Borrower has opened a deposit account
with U.S. Bank, National Association (the
Blocked Account
) which shall be subject to a
control agreement in favor of Lender in the form attached to the Forbearance Agreement as Annex D
thereto (the
Control Agreement
) for the purpose of depositing, among other things, the
GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral when released by GSB. Borrower shall, effective on the date
hereof, instruct GSB in writing in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A
(the
GSB
Instruction Letter
) that the GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral shall be disbursed by GSB to
Borrower at the Blocked Account, which instructions shall contain the acknowledgment of GSB that it
shall not send the GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral to Borrower or to any other account or
Person other than to Borrower at the Blocked Account without the prior written consent of Lender.
Borrower shall not give any instructions to GSB inconsistent with the GSB Instruction Letter.
After the Lender Portion has been paid into the Blocked Account and such Lender Portion has been
received by Lender from the Blocked Account, Lender shall (i) deliver written instructions to GSB
authorizing Borrower to direct the payment of all further releases of GSB Letter of Credit Cash
Collateral without need for written consent from Lender and (ii) promptly authorize the withdrawal
by Borrower of all GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral paid into the Blocked Account in excess of
the Lender Portion pursuant to instructions confirmed by Lender (as to such excess amount).
Borrower shall execute and deliver such other agreements and documents and take such other actions
as Lender shall reasonably request in order to effect the distribution of the GSB Letter of Credit
Cash Collateral as set forth in this
Section 4(b)
.
(c)
Nebraska Advantage Act Payments
. Borrower currently participates in a program
under the State of Nebraska Advantage Act pursuant to that Nebraska Advantage Act Project Agreement
dated as of August 13, 2007 between Borrower and the State of Nebraska, by and through its Tax
Commissioner (the
NAA Agreement
). Pursuant to the NAA Agreement, Borrower expects to
receive certain payments and credits for various tax and other related investment and employment
credits and incentives (the
NAA Payments
) from the State of Nebraska Department of
Revenue (the
Nebraska DOR
). Immediately upon receipt by Borrower of any NAA Payment from
time to time from the Nebraska DOR with respect to the NAA Agreement, Borrower shall immediately
pay or cause to be paid to Lender the full amount of such NAA Payment, to be applied to the
Obligations in accordance with
Section 7
. To effect the foregoing, Borrower shall,
effective on the date hereof, instruct the Nebraska DOR in writing in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit B
(the
Nebraska Instruction Letter
) that all NAA Payments from time to
time shall be disbursed by the Nebraska DOR to Borrower at the Blocked Account. Borrower shall not
give any instructions to the Nebraska DOR inconsistent with the Nebraska Instruction Letter. If
any payment by the Nebraska DOR is not paid to the Blocked Account pursuant to the Nebraska
Instruction Letter, Borrower shall, immediately upon the making of such payment by the Nebraska
DOR, cause such payment to be deposited into the Blocked Account. Borrower shall give written
notice to Lender within two (2) Business Days of (i) the making of any request for NAA Payments by
Borrower, and (ii) the acknowledgment of, or payment by, the State of Nebraska of any NAA Payments,
in each case in reasonable detail. Borrower shall execute and deliver such other agreements and
documents and take such other actions as Lender shall reasonably request in order to effect the
distribution of the NAA Payments as set forth in this
Section 4(c)
.
(d)
ABE Fairmont Distributions
. Beginning with the fiscal year of Borrower and ABE
Fairmont ended September 30, 2009, Borrower shall calculate net profit (as defined in the Section
10(K) of the 11/20/06 MLA) of ABE Fairmont for such fiscal year, and shall provide evidence to
Lender in reasonable detail of such calculation no later than 10 Business Days after the end of
such fiscal year. If such net profit is a positive number, and so long as such distribution is
permitted by the CoBank Loan Documents, Borrower shall cause ABE Fairmont to distribute forty
percent (40.0%) of such net profit (or if less than sixty percent (60.0%) of the net profit is
required by the CoBank Loan Documents to be retained by ABE Fairmont, than such greater percentage
as is not required to be retained) (each such
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payment, an
ABE Fairmont Distribution
) no later than the date that the audited
financial statements of ABE Fairmont for such fiscal year are delivered to CoBank, to Lender by
causing ABE Fairmont to pay the full amount of such ABE Fairmont Distribution directly to Lender,
to be applied to the Obligations in accordance with
Section 7
. To effect the foregoing,
Borrower shall, effective on the date hereof, instruct ABE Fairmont in writing in the form attached
hereto as
Exhibit C
(the
ABE Fairmont Instruction Letter
) that all ABE Fairmont
Distributions from time to time shall be distributed by ABE Fairmont directly to Lender at an
account set forth in such ABE Fairmont Instruction Letter, which instructions shall contain the
acknowledgment of ABE Fairmont that it shall not send any ABE Fairmont Distributions to Borrower or
to any other account or Person other than to Lender at the account specified in the ABE Fairmont
Instruction Letter without the prior written consent of Lender. Borrower shall not give any
instructions to ABE Fairmont inconsistent with the ABE Fairmont Instruction Letter. Borrower shall
execute and deliver such other agreements and documents and take such other actions as Lender shall
reasonably request in order to effect the distribution of the ABE Fairmont Distributions as set
forth in this
Section 4(d)
.
(e)
Additional Principal Payments
. If at any time the interest on this Restated Note
accrued during any month is less than $50,000 (pro rata for any partial month), Borrower shall pay
to Lender the difference between $50,000 (or such pro rata portion thereof) and the interest
accruing on this Restated Note during such month, to be applied to the Obligations in accordance
with
Section 7
.
5.
Funding Advances
. At the written request and expense of Borrower, Lender will wire
transfer all or any portion of the advances hereunder in accordance with written instructions
therefor. By executing this Restated Note, Borrower hereby requests Lender to make and fund the
initial advances in accordance with the funding instructions that have been provided to Lender in
writing.
6.
Mechanics of Payment
. All payments and other amounts due hereunder must be
received by Lender by wire transfer in immediately available funds in Dollars (and without any
deduction, offset, netting, counterclaim or reservation of rights) on or before 2:00 p.m. Central
Time on the due date therefor at the principal office of Lender located at 800 Nicollet Mall,
Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention Tim Carter or Greg Meyer, or at such other location as Lender at
any time or from time to time may designate to Borrower in writing. Any funds received by Lender
after 2:00 p.m. Central Time on any day will be deemed to be received on the next succeeding
Business Day. Whenever any payment to be made hereunder is due on a day that is not a Business
Day, then such payment may be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time
will be included in the computation of interest due hereunder.
7.
Application of Payments
. All payments and other funds received by Lender hereunder
will be applied in the following order: (a) to the payment of any fees and charges due under the
Loan Documents,
then
(b) to any obligations for the payment of expenses, costs and
indemnities due under the Loan Documents,
then
(c) to the payment of all other interest due
and owing under
Section 1(b)
other than interest under
Section 1(b)(ii)
, then (d)
to payments of all paid-in-kind interest under
Section 1(b)(ii)
accrued and not yet paid,
to the extent such paid-in-kind has been added to principal,
then
(e) to the principal
indebtedness due hereunder,
then
(f) to any other interest accrued hereunder other than as
set forth in
clauses (c)
and
(d)
above,
then
(g) to any other indebtedness
of Borrower to Lender under the Loan Documents.
8.
Capital Adequacy, Taxes and Other Adjustments
. If Lender determines that (a) the
adoption, implementation or interpretation after the date hereof of any law, treaty, governmental
(or quasi-governmental) rule, regulation, guideline, directive, policy or order regarding capital
adequacy, reserve requirements, taxes or similar requirements, or (b) the compliance by Lender or
any entity
4
controlling or funding the operations of Lender with any request or directive regarding
capital adequacy, reserve requirements, taxes or similar requirements (whether or not having the
force of law and whether or not failure to comply therewith would be unlawful) from any central
bank, governmental agency, controlling entity, funding source or body, in either instance, would
have the effect of increasing the amount of capital, reserves, taxes, funding costs or other funds
required to be maintained or paid by Lender and thereby have the effect of reducing the rate of
return on Lenders capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder, then Borrower must pay to
Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate Lender for such reduction. Lender will notify
Borrower of any such determination and payment amount within a reasonable period of time
thereafter, and (upon written request) Lender will furnish a statement setting forth the basis and
the method for determining the amount of such payment. Any such determination or calculation by
Lender will be conclusive absent manifest error.
9.
Miscellaneous Additional Payment Terms, Including Ability to Re-Borrow
. Principal
amounts repaid or prepaid hereunder will not be available for re-borrowing under the terms hereof.
To the extent Lender notes the date or amount of any payment hereunder on a schedule annexed
hereto, then such notations shall constitute prima facie evidence of the information noted on such
schedule, but the failure of Lender to make any such notation will not limit or otherwise affect
the obligations or liabilities of Borrower hereunder.
10.
Usury Savings Provision
. Notwithstanding any provision of any Loan Document,
Borrower shall not be required to pay interest at a rate or any fee or charge in an amount
prohibited by applicable law. If interest or any fee or charge payable on any date would be in a
prohibited amount, then such interest, fee or charge will be automatically reduced to the maximum
amount that is not prohibited, and any interest, fee or charge for subsequent periods (to the
extent not prohibited by applicable law) will be increased accordingly until Lender receives
payment of the full amount of each such reduction. To the extent that any prohibited amount is
actually received by Lender, then such amount will be automatically deemed to constitute a
repayment of principal indebtedness hereunder.
11.
Affirmative and Negative Covenants
. Borrower hereby covenants and agrees that,
until this Restated Note has been Paid in Full, Borrower will comply with the following covenants:
(a)
Delivery of Periodic Financial Information
. Within 30 calendar days after the end
of each month (including the last month of each fiscal quarter and of each fiscal year), Borrower
shall deliver to Lender a set of consolidated financial statements for such immediately preceding
month (in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Lender) including a balance sheet, income
statement and statement of cash flows for Borrower and its Subsidiaries (with appropriate exhibits
and schedules). Together with the monthly financial statements, Lender must also receive a
certificate executed by the chief financial officer of Borrower as is acceptable to Lender
(1) stating that the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except for
the absence of footnotes and for customary, nonmaterial year-end adjustments) and fairly present
the consolidated financial condition of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and
for the periods covered thereby and (2) certifying that as of the date of such certificate there is
not any existing Default or Event of Default. In addition, Borrower shall deliver to Lender a copy
of each compliance package, including financial statements, compliance certificates and other
deliverables, as applicable, delivered by ABE Fairmont to CoBank as the administrative agent under
the CoBank Loan Documents, concurrently, but in no event later than five (5) days after the
delivery thereof to CoBank.
(b)
Delivery of Financial Statements
. Within 90 calendar days after each fiscal year,
Borrower shall deliver to Lender a complete set of annual consolidated and consolidating financial
statements for Borrower and its Subsidiaries (with accompanying notes), in reasonable detail and in
5
comparative form. Such financial statements (1) must be prepared in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied,
and
(2) must be audited by McGladrey & Pullen, LLP or another
independent certified public accounting firm satisfactory to Lender. Together with the annual
financial statements, Lender must also receive all related management letters, if any, prepared by
such accountants, and such financial statements shall be accompanied by a report of such
accountants, which report shall be without limitation as to the scope of the audit and shall state
that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of
Borrower and its Subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP as of the date thereof and for the periods
covered thereby.
(c)
Other Information; Access
. At Borrowers expense, upon request by Lender,
Borrower will, and will cause ABE Fairmont to, during normal business hours, permit Lender and its
representatives to visit and inspect any of their respective properties, to examine and make
abstracts or copies from any of their respective books and records (whether in the possession of
Borrower or a third party) and to discuss their respective operations, affairs, finances and
accounts with their respective management personnel, officers, employees and independent public
accountants. In addition to the foregoing, from time to time, Borrower shall provide Lender with
any other information (financial or otherwise) about Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries reasonably
requested by Lender.
(d)
Compliance with Laws; Existence and Good Standing
. Borrower shall, and shall
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply in all material respects with all laws, rules,
regulations and orders (federal, state, local and otherwise) that are applicable to Borrower, or
any Subsidiary of Borrower, including all applicable Environmental Control Statutes and ERISA.
Borrower shall, and shall cause each of Subsidiaries to, preserve and maintain (1) such Persons
existence as an organization in good standing under the applicable laws of such Persons
jurisdiction of organization,
and
(2) such Persons qualification in good standing to
conduct business in all jurisdictions where it conducts business and as to which the failure to be
in good standing could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
and
(3)
the validity of all such Persons authorizations and licenses required or otherwise appropriate in
the conduct of such Persons businesses and as to which the failure to have such valid
authorization or license could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
provided
that, and notwithstanding the foregoing, Borrower shall be permitted to wind up
and dissolve ABE Northfield, LLC and Indiana Renewal Fuels, LLC which, as of the date of this
Restated Note, are wholly owned shell Subsidiaries of Borrower.
(e)
Books and Records; Maintenance of Properties
. Borrower shall, and shall cause
each of Subsidiaries to, keep and maintain accurate books and records of account in accordance with
GAAP. Borrower shall, and shall cause each of Subsidiaries to, keep, maintain and preserve all of
its material assets in good order and repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted) and fully insured by
reputable and financially sound insurance companies with coverages that are customary for
Borrowers or such Subsidiarys industry (and reasonably acceptable to Lender).
(f)
Transactions with Affiliates
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its
Subsidiaries to, engage in any transaction (including employment, management and/or other
compensation arrangements) with any Person who is an Affiliate of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries other than (a) reasonable and customary compensation arrangements in the ordinary
course of business with its officers and directors, to the extent permitted hereunder and
(b) transactions on a basis no more favorable to such Affiliate then would be obtained in a
comparable arms length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries and disclosed to Lender in writing prior to entering into any such transaction.
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(g)
Indebtedness and Guaranties
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE
Fairmont to, (1) create, incur, assume or permit to exist any additional Indebtedness or
liabilities
or
(2) guarantee, assume or otherwise be or agree to become directly or
indirectly liable in any way for any additional indebtedness or liability of any other Person,
except (i) Indebtedness and guarantees in favor of Lender; (ii) trade debt and customary operating
expenses incurred and paid by such Person in the normal and ordinary course of business;
(iii) Indebtedness incurred to purchase fixed or capital assets and Capital Leases, consistent with
the restrictions and conditions in
Section 11(h)(2)
,
provided
that the aggregate
amount of such Indebtedness outstanding under this clause (iii) at any time may not exceed
$3,000,000; (iv) Indebtedness under the CoBank Loan Documents in an amount not to exceed
$93,650,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time; (v) the Indebtedness listed on
Schedule 11(g)
attached to this Restated Note; (vi) Indebtedness under the Wells Fargo
Documents in an amount not to exceed $7,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time; and (vii)
extensions, refinancings and renewals of any of the Indebtedness permitted by the foregoing
clauses,
provided
that the principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not be increased or
the terms of such Indebtedness modified to impose more burdensome terms upon Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(h)
Liens
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE Fairmont to, create, permit
or suffer the creation or existence of any Liens on any of its property or assets (real or
personal, tangible or intangible),
except
(1) Liens in favor of Lender; (2) Liens arising
in favor of sellers, lessors or other financial institutions for indebtedness and obligations
incurred to purchase or lease fixed or capital assets as permitted under
Section
11(g)(iii)
,
provided
that such Liens secure only the indebtedness and obligations
created thereunder (but not any related monetary obligations under non-compete and consulting
arrangements) and are limited to the assets purchased or leased pursuant thereto and the proceeds
thereof; (3) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges (federal, state or local)
that are not yet delinquent or that are then being currently contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings diligently prosecuted,
provided
that (i) adequate reserves therefor in
accordance with GAAP have been established,
and
(ii) such Liens could not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Material Adverse Effect, (4) deposits or pledges made in the ordinary
course of business to secure obligations which are not overdue in respect of under workmens
compensation, unemployment insurance or social security laws or similar legislation; (5) deposits
to secure performance or payment bonds, bids, tenders, contracts, leases, franchises or public and
statutory obligations required in the ordinary course of business; (6) statutory or common law
liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen, and landlords
incurred in the ordinary course of business and in existence less than 120 days from the date of
creation thereof in respect of obligations not past due or sums being currently contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings diligently prosecuted,
provided
that (A) adequate reserves
therefor in accordance with GAAP must have been established, and (B) such Liens could not
reasonably be expected to have or cause a Material Adverse Effect; (7) easements, rights-of-way,
restrictions and other similar encumbrances on real property owned or leased by Borrower and
encumbrances evidencing the ownership interest or title of any owner or lessor with respect to real
property leased by Borrower,
provided
that such Liens do not in the aggregate materially
interfere with the occupation, use or enjoyment by Borrower of the property or assets encumbered
thereby in the normal course of business or materially impair the value of the property subject
thereto; (8) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by
Section 11(g)(iv)
or
Section
11(g)(vi)
; (9) the Liens listed on
Schedule 11(h)
attached to this Restated Note; (10)
Liens arising from judgments, decrees or attachments that do not constitute an Event of Default;
(11) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment
of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods; (12) Liens arising solely by virtue
of any statutory or common law provision relating to bankers liens, rights of setoff or similar
rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository
institution; (13) Liens in favor of a depository bank or a securities intermediary pursuant to such
depository banks or securities intermediarys customary customer account agreement; provided that
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any such Liens shall at no time secure any indebtedness or obligations other than customary
fees and charges payable to such depository bank or securities intermediary; and (14) Liens
incurred in connection with the extension, renewal or refinancing of indebtedness secured by Liens
permitted under the preceding clauses, provided that any extension, renewal or replacement Lien
shall be limited to the property encumbered by the existing Lien and the principal amount of the
indebtedness being extended, renewed or refinanced does not increase. Lender also understands that
the State of Nebraska has certain rights under Section 22 of the NAA Agreement.
(i)
Investments, Acquisitions and Loans
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE
Fairmont to, purchase or otherwise acquire (including by way of share exchange) any part or share
of the Equity Interests or equity ownership of, or acquire all or substantially all of the assets
or any division or similar operating unit of, guaranty any Indebtedness of, or make any loan,
advance or extension of credit to, or contribute to the capital of, or make or permit to exist any
contribution, investment in or other interest in, any other Person (collectively,
Investments
),
except
for: (1) government and agency securities backed by the full
faith and credit of the U.S. federal government; (2) commercial paper of a U.S. domestic issuer
rated at least A-1+ or A-1 by Standard & Poors Ratings Group or at least P-1 by Moodys Investor
Services, Inc. and maturing not more than 90 calendar days from the date of acquisition thereof;
(3) certificates of deposit (maturing within 12 calendar months after the date of issuance), time
deposits, other deposits and bankers acceptances issued by or established with U.S. federally
insured commercial banks rated as well capitalized by their primary federal regulators, and
having unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus (collectively) of at least $250,000,000, and whose
commercial paper (or commercial paper that is supported by such banks letter of credit or
commitment to lend) is rated at least A-1+ or A-1 by Standard & Poors Ratings Group or at least
P-1 by Moodys Investor Services, Inc.; (4) loans and advances to employees of Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business not to exceed an aggregate principal amount of
$100,000 at any time outstanding; (5) Investments set forth on
Schedule 11(i)
attached to
this Restated Note; (6) Investments in Subsidiaries and in the Heartland Entities existing as of
the date of this Restated Note; and (7) repurchases of Equity Interests from former employees or
managers of Borrower under the terms of applicable repurchase agreements, including repurchases
effected by the cancellation of indebtedness owed to such former employees of Borrower, in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000 during the term of this Restated Note,
provided
that no Event of Default has occurred, is continuing or would exist after giving effect to such
repurchases or cancellation of indebtedness.
(j)
Transfer of Assets
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE Fairmont to,
sell, lease, license pursuant to an exclusive license (whether or not fully paid up front),
transfer or otherwise dispose of all or a substantial part of its assets or any asset the loss of
which could reasonably be expected to have or cause a Material Adverse Effect. In addition,
Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease, license, transfer
or otherwise dispose of any asset other than (1) pursuant to a transaction with an unrelated third
party in the normal and ordinary course of business for value received and otherwise in accordance
with the terms hereof that (together with all other transactions during the immediately preceding
12 consecutive calendar months) has a fair market value aggregating less than $1,000,000,
provided
that no Default or Event of Default is then occurring or would otherwise be caused
thereby; (2) with respect to obsolete or replaced equipment no longer useful in the operation of
Borrowers or any Subsidiarys business, pursuant to a reasonable and customary transaction with an
unrelated third party and otherwise in accordance with the terms hereof; or (3) dispositions of
inventory, or used, worn-out or surplus property, all in the ordinary course of business. Borrower
shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any sale-lease back
transaction with respect to any of their respective assets.
8
(k)
Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions
. Except as permitted by
Section 11(i)(9)
, Borrower shall not declare or make (directly or indirectly) any payment
or distribution with respect to, or incur any liability for the purchase, acquisition, redemption
or retirement of, any of its equity interests (including warrants therefor) or as a dividend,
return of capital or other payment or distribution of any kind to any holder of any such equity
interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as no Default or Event of Default then exists
under the Loan Documents or would otherwise be caused by the payment of such dividend, Borrower may
declare and distribute reasonable and lawful dividends to the holders of its equity securities for
the sole purpose of making Tax Distributions to such holders of its Equity Interests.
(l)
New Ventures; Mergers
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE Fairmont to,
(1) enter into any new business activities or ventures not directly related to its current
business; (2) merge or consolidate with or into any other corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or other organization; or (3) create or acquire (or cause or permit the creation
or acquisition of) any Subsidiary.
(m)
Modifications to Organizational Documents
. Borrower shall not, and shall not
permit ABE Fairmont to, (1) amend or otherwise modify any of its Organizational Documents, or (2)
change its legal or official name, its operating names or the names under which it executes
contracts and conducts business, in each instance, if such amendment or change could reasonably be
expected to have or cause an adverse effect (including any adverse affect on the attachment or
perfection of any pledge or security interest in favor of Lender).
(n)
General Insurance Provisions
. Borrower shall, and shall cause ABE Fairmont to,
keep all of their respective property and assets fully covered by insurance with reputable and
financially sound insurance companies (reasonably acceptable to Lender), and also maintain such
protection against such hazards and liability in such amounts and with such deductibles as is
customary in the industry of Borrower or ABE Fairmont and appropriate under the relevant
circumstances and, on the date that is 5 Business Days from the date hereof, and at all times
thereafter, shall name (with appropriate endorsements) Lender as an additional insured with respect
to policies of liability insurance. Upon Lenders request, Borrower from time to time will furnish
Lender with proof of such insurance, in form and substance acceptable to Lender, and a copy of the
related policy or policies.
(o)
Taxes
. Borrower shall, and shall cause ABE Fairmont to, pay and discharge all
material taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies imposed on it or any of its
property or assets prior to the date upon which any penalty for non-payment or late payment is
incurred, unless the same are then being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
diligently prosecuted, adequate reserves therefor have been established in accordance with GAAP,
and the consequences of such non-payment could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(p)
Management Changes
. Borrower shall notify Lender in writing within 20 days after
any change (including any dismissal or change in title or status) in the senior management
personnel of Borrower or ABE Fairmont.
(q)
Litigation and Administrative Proceedings
. Borrower shall notify Lender in
writing promptly upon the institution or commencement of any litigation, legal or administrative
proceeding, any arbitration proceeding, or any labor controversy against or involving Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries (1) with a purported amount in controversy in excess of $250,000 (in excess
of the amount of any insurance coverage as to which the applicable insurer has accepted tender) or
(2) that could otherwise, if adversely determined, reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Material Adverse Effect.
9
(r)
Monitoring Compliance
. Borrower shall notify Lender in writing promptly, but in
any event within 5 calendar days, after obtaining knowledge of the occurrence or existence of any
Default or Event of Default hereunder.
(s)
Margin Stock Restrictions; Other Federal Statutes
. Borrower shall not, and shall
not permit ABE Fairmont to, use any of the proceeds hereunder, directly or indirectly, to purchase
or carry, or to reduce or retire any indebtedness that was originally incurred to purchase or
carry, any Margin Stock or for any other purpose that might constitute the transactions
contemplated hereby as a Purpose Credit within the meaning of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve Systems Margin Regulations. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE Fairmont
to, engage as its principal business in the extension of credit for purchasing or carrying Margin
Stock. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit ABE Fairmont to, cause or permit any Loan Document
to violate any other regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the
Securities and Exchange Commission or any provision of the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or the Small Business Investment Act of
1958, each as amended, or any rules or regulations promulgated under any of such statutes.
(t)
Further Assurances
. From time to time, Borrower shall, and shall cause ABE
Fairmont to, execute and deliver (or will cause to be executed and delivered) such supplements,
amendments, modifications to and/or replacements of the Loan Documents and such further instruments
as may be reasonably required or reasonably requested by Lender to effectuate the intention of the
parties to (or to otherwise facilitate the performance of) the Loan Documents.
(u)
Costs and Expenses
. Borrower shall pay or reimburse Lender for all fees and costs
(including all reasonable attorneys fees and disbursements) that Lender may pay or incur in
connection with (1) the preparation, negotiation and review of the Loan Documents, any waivers,
consents and amendments in connection herewith or therewith and all other documentation related
hereto or thereto, (2) the initial and continuing perfection or protection of Lenders interest in
any of the Collateral, (3) the collection or enforcement of any of the Loan Documents, (4) the
periodic examination of the books, records and operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries
(including with respect to the Collateral), and (5) Lenders release of its interests in the
Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents. Borrower shall pay any and all
recordation taxes or other fees due upon the filing of the financing statements or documents of
similar effect required to be filed under the Loan Documents, and shall provide Lender with a copy
of any receipt or other evidence reflecting such payments. All obligations provided for in this
Section 11(u)
shall survive the termination of this Restated Note and the repayment of the
Obligations hereunder.
(v)
Negative Pledge
. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries
to create, incur, permit, assume or suffer to exist, or agree or consent to cause or permit in the
future (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any Lien upon the GSB Letter of Credit
Cash Collateral, the GSB Deposit Account, the Blocked Account, the NAA Payments or the ABE Fairmont
Distributions, or any income, revenue or profits from any such property or assets, whether now
owned or hereafter acquired, other than as set forth in this Restated Note or in the other Loan
Documents. Lender also understands that the State of Nebraska has certain rights under Section 22
of the NAA Agreement.
(w)
Closing Conditions
. The effectiveness of this Restated Note is subject to the
satisfaction or waiver, on or before the date hereof, of the following conditions:
(i)
Note
. Borrower shall have duly executed and delivered this Restated Note to
Lender.
10
(ii)
Other Documents
. Borrower and ABE Fairmont shall have duly executed and
delivered the other Loan Documents together with such other certificates, documents and agreements
as Lender may reasonably request, and Borrower shall have delivered to Lender the Control
Agreement, the GSB Instruction Letter and the Nebraska Instruction Letter, in each case duly
executed by all parties thereto.
(iii)
Representations and Warranties; No Default
. The representations and warranties
contained in
Section 12
and in the other Loan Documents shall be true on and as of the date
hereof, both immediately before and immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and there shall exist on such day no Default or Event of Default,
both immediately before and immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby.
(iv)
Opinion
. Lender shall have received from Faegre & Benson, counsel to Borrower
and ABE Fairmont, an opinion letter regarding the Loan Documents and the financing transaction
contemplated thereby, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender.
(v)
Compliance with Laws
. The advance of the funds as contemplated by this Restated
Note on the terms and conditions herein provided (including the use of the proceeds thereof by
Borrower) and the issuance of the Warrant and the Prior Warrant shall not violate any applicable
law or governmental regulation and shall not subject Lender or the holder of the Warrant and the
Prior Warrant to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any applicable law or
governmental regulation.
(vi)
Consents
. Lender shall be satisfied that any and all material government,
contractual and other third-party licenses, approvals and consents necessary to the funding of the
advance contemplated by this Restated Note, the issuance of the Warrant and the Prior Warrant and
the granting of the security interest to Lender pursuant to the Collateral Security Documents have
been obtained.
(vii)
Warrant
. Borrower shall have issued the Warrant to Lender in form and substance
satisfactory to Lender.
(viii)
Other Fees and Expenses
. Borrower shall have paid all fees required by
Section 11(u)
then due and owing.
(ix)
Secretarys Certificate with Attachments
. Borrower shall have, and shall have
caused ABE Fairmont to have, delivered to Lender certificates of the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary and one other officer of each of Borrower and ABE Fairmont (with incumbency), certifying
the names and true signatures of the officers of such Person authorized to sign the Loan Documents
(and the Warrant, with respect to Borrower) to which such Person is a party and the other documents
to be delivered hereunder to which such Person is a party, in form and substance satisfactory to
Lender, attaching (A) copies of the resolutions of the board of directors or the sole member, as
applicable, of each of Borrower and ABE Fairmont, authorizing its execution and delivery of, and
the performance of, its respective obligations under the Loan Documents to which such Person is a
party (and the Warrant, with respect to Borrower), (B) certified copies of the certificates of
formation and operating agreements of each of Borrower and ABE Fairmont; and (C) a good standing
certificate for each of Borrower and ABE Fairmont from the Secretary of State of the state of
formation of each such Person, each dated as of a recent date.
11
(x)
Officers Certificate
. Borrower shall have delivered a certificate of an officer
of Borrower having primary responsibility for financial matters, in form and substance satisfactory
to Lender, certifying as to the amount of outstanding Indebtedness of each of Borrower and ABE
Fairmont on an unconsolidated basis as of the date hereof.
(xi)
Perfection of Security Interest
. All actions necessary to perfect (and to
maintain perfection of) the Lien of Lender in the Collateral shall have been taken in accordance
with the terms and provisions of the Collateral Security Documents. The Lien of Lender in the
Collateral shall be valid and enforceable and the Collateral shall be subject to no other Liens.
Lender also understands that the State of Nebraska has certain rights under Section 22 of the NAA
Agreement.
(xii)
Material Adverse Effect
. No Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred.
(x)
Independence of Covenants
. All covenants and defaults contained in this Restated
Note and the other Loan Documents shall be given independent effect. If a particular action or
condition is not permitted by any covenant in this Restated Note, then the fact that such action or
condition would be permitted by an exception to (or would otherwise be within the limitations of)
another covenant in this Restated Note shall not avoid the occurrence or existence of a Default or
Event of Default if such action is taken or if such condition exists.
12.
Representations and Warranties
. Borrower hereby represents and warrants to and
for the benefit of Lender as follows:
(a)
Organization and Good Standing
. Each of Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries (1)
is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
organization,
and
(2) has all requisite limited liability company power to own its
properties and to conduct its business as now conducted and as currently proposed to be conducted,
and
(3) is duly qualified to conduct business as a foreign limited liability company and is
currently in good standing in each state and jurisdiction in which it conducts business,
except
where failure to be duly qualified and in good standing could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b)
Power and Authority
. Borrower has all requisite limited liability company power
and authority under applicable law and under its Organizational Documents to execute, deliver and
perform its obligations under the Loan Documents.
(c)
Validity and Legal Effect
. This Restated Note constitutes, and the other Loan
Documents to which Borrower is a party constitute (or will constitute when executed and delivered),
the legal, valid and binding obligations of Borrower enforceable against it in accordance with the
terms thereof, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws and except as limited by general principles of equity.
(d)
No Violation of Laws or Agreements
. The execution, delivery and performance by
Borrower of the Loan Documents (1) will not violate or contravene any material provision of any
material law, rule, regulation, administrative order or judicial decree (federal, state or local),
(2) will not violate or contravene any provision of the Organizational Documents of Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries, (3) will not result in any material breach or violation of (or constitute a
material default under) any material agreement or instrument by which Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or property may be bound, and (4) will not result in
or require the creation of any Lien
12
(other than pursuant to the Loan Documents) upon or with respect to any assets or properties
of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, whether such assets or properties are now owned or
hereafter acquired.
(e)
Accuracy of Financial Information
. All financial statements previously furnished
to Lender concerning the financial condition and operations of Borrower and it Subsidiaries: (1)
fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the organization covered thereby
as of the dates and for the periods covered thereby, (2) disclose all material liabilities
(contingent and otherwise) of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and (3) with respect to financial
statements prepared by or on behalf of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, have been prepared in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied.
(f)
No Liens
. Other than the Lien of GSB in the GSB Deposit Account and the GSB
Letter of Credit Cash Collateral, Borrower owns the GSB Deposit Account, the GSB Letter of Credit
Cash Collateral and the rights to the NAA Payments and the ABE Fairmont Distributions free and
clear of any Lien. Lender also understands that the State of Nebraska has certain rights under
Section 22 of the NAA Agreement.
13.
Definitions
. For purposes of this Restated Note, the following terms have the
following corresponding meanings:
(a)
ABE Fairmont
means ABE Fairmont, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and
wholly-owned Subsidiary of Borrower.
(b)
Affiliate
of any Person means any other Person that directly or indirectly
controls, is controlled by or is under direct or indirect common control with such Person. A
Person shall be deemed to control another Person if such first Person directly or indirectly
possesses the power to direct (or to cause the direction of or to materially influence) the
management and policies of the second Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities,
by contract or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Person who owns
or controls 5% or more of any class or series of any equity interest of such Person will be deemed
to be an Affiliate of a Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Lender or any of
its Affiliates be deemed to be an Affiliate of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
(c)
Bankruptcy Code
means the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, as codified
under Title 11 of the United States Code, and the Bankruptcy Rules promulgated thereunder, as
amended.
(d)
Borrower
means Advanced BioEnergy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company,
having its principal and chief executive office at the address specified in
Section 25
, and
any successor or authorized assignee of any thereof.
(e)
Business Day
means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which
banks under the laws of the States of Minnesota or New York are authorized or required to be
closed.
(f)
Capital Leases
means all leases that have been or should be recorded as
capitalized leases in accordance with GAAP.
(g)
Change of Control
means shall mean the occurrence of an event, or series of
events, which shall lead, or has led to (a) any person or any syndicate or group deemed a
person
within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the
13
Exchange Act
), has become, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner
(as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a person shall be deemed
to have beneficial ownership of all shares that any such person has the right to acquire, whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), of 30% or more of the
voting power of the voting stock of Borrower on a fully-diluted basis, after giving effect to the
conversion and exercise of all outstanding warrants, options and other securities of Borrower
(whether or not such securities are then currently convertible or exercisable),
provided
that with respect to ECM, a Change of Control under this clause (a) shall occur only if ECM has
become, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner (as defined above) of more than 50% of the
voting power of the voting stock of Borrower on a fully-diluted basis, after giving effect to the
conversion and exercise of all outstanding warrants, options and other securities of Borrower
(whether or not such securities are then currently convertible or exercisable), by aggregating the
voting power of Borrower held by ECM as in effect on the date of the Forbearance Agreement plus all
voting power obtained by ECM subsequent to the date of the Forbearance Agreement, or (b) during any
period of 2 consecutive calendar years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted
the board of directors (or similar governing body) of Borrower cease for any reason (other than
death, disability or expiration of term) to constitute a majority of the board of directors (or
similar governing body) of Borrower then in office unless such new directors (or similar) were
elected by the directors (or similar) of Borrower who constituted the board of directors (or
similar governing body) of Borrower at the beginning of such period, or (c) the failure of Borrower
to own 100% of the equity interests of each of its Subsidiaries on a fully-diluted basis.
(h)
CoBank Loan Documents
means, collectively, (i) that Master Loan Agreement dated
as of November 20, 2006 between Farm Credit Services of America, FLCA (
Farm Credit
) and
ABE Fairmont as amended by an Amendment dated on or about October 5, 2007 and an amendment dated as
of December 24, 2008 (the
11/20/06 MLA
), as further amended and supplemented by that (1)
Construction and Term Loan Supplement to the MLA dated as of November 20, 2006 between Farm Credit
and ABE Fairmont with respect to a construction and term loan in an amount not to exceed
$6,500,000, as amended by the Amendment to such Supplement dated on or about October 5, 2007
between Farm Credit and ABE Fairmont, (2) Construction and Revolving Term Loan Supplement to the
11/20/06 MLA dated as of November 20, 2006 and effective as of June 1, 2007 between Farm Credit and
ABE Fairmont with respect to a construction and revolving term loan commitment in an amount not to
exceed $4,000,000, as amended by the Amendment to such Supplement entered into on or about October
5, 2007 between Farm Credit and ABE Fairmont, (3) Disbursing Agreement dated as of November 1, 2006
among ABE Fairmont, Farm Credit, CoBank, ACB (
CoBank
) and Homestead Escrow and Exchange
Co., (4) Administrative Agency Agreement dated as of November 20, 2006 among Farm Credit, CoBank
and ABE Fairmont, and (5) Statused Revolving Credit Supplement dated as of December 24, 2008 which
amended and restated the Statused Revolving Credit Supplement dated on or about October 5, 2007
between ABE Fairmont and Farm Credit; and (ii) that Master Loan Agreement dated as of February 17,
2006 between Farm Credit and Borrower (the
2/17/06 MLA
), as amended and supplemented by
that (1) Construction and Term Loan Supplement dated as of December 24, 2008 between Farm Credit
and ABE Fairmont, with respect to a construction and term loan in an amount not to exceed
$58,250,000, which amended and restated the Construction and Term Loan Supplement dated as of
February 17, 2006 between Farm Credit and ABE Fairmont, (2) Construction and Revolving Loan
Supplement dated as of December 24, 2008 between Farm Credit and ABE Fairmont, with respect to a
construction and revolving term loan in an amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding
$25,000,000 less the amounts scheduled to be repaid therein, which amended and restated the
Construction and Revolving Term Loan Supplement dated as of February 17, 2006 between Farm Credit
and ABE Fairmont, (3) Statused Revolving Credit Supplement dated as of February 17, 2006 between
Farm Credit and ABE Fairmont with respect to a revolving credit facility in an available amount not
to
exceed at any one time outstanding $5,000,000 as amended by the Amendment dated on or about
October 5, 2007 and
14
as further amended by the Revolving Credit Supplement Letters of Credit dated
as of October 24, 2008 (4) Administrative Agency Agreement dated as of February 17, 2006 among Farm
Credit, CoBank and Borrower, ABE Fairmont, (5) Amendment to Master Loan Agreement dated as of April
11, 2006 between Farm Credit and Borrower, (6) that Security Agreement dated February 17, 2006
between Borrower and Farm Credit, and (7) that Deed of Trust and Assignment of Rents dated February
17, 2006 by Borrower in favor of Farm Credit, all of Borrowers obligations and liabilities under
the 2/17/06 MLA, as amended, having been assumed by ABE Fairmont pursuant to Section 25 of the
11/20/06 MLA and Borrower having been discharged from its obligations under the 2/17/06 MLA, as
amended, pursuant to that letter agreement dated November 10, 2006 between Farm Credit and
Borrower, as the 2/17/06 MLA has been further amended by that (x) Amendments to the Construction
and Term Loan Supplement dated as of November 20, 2006 and on or about October 5, 2007 between Farm
Credit and ABE Fairmont and (y) Amendments to the Construction and Revolving Term Loan Supplement
dated as of November 20, 2006 and on or about October 5, 2007 between Farm Credit and ABE Fairmont,
together with all amendments, supplements, agreements, documents, exhibits, schedules and
certificates contemplated thereby or entered into in connection with any of the foregoing.
(i)
Collateral
means the collateral security committed to Lender under the
Collateral Security Documents executed by Borrower in favor of Lender pursuant to this Restated
Note from time to time and/or pursuant to all similar or related documents and agreements from time
to time, all as amended, modified, supplemented or restated and in effect from time to time.
(j)
Collateral Security Documents
means, individually and collectively, (1) the
Membership Interest Pledge Agreement, all financing statements filed pursuant thereto, and all
other instruments (including membership interest certificates) and documents otherwise executed
and/or delivered pursuant thereto and (2) any additional documents, including any deposit account
control agreements, granting security to Lender pursuant to this Restated Note or required or
delivered in connection with any other Loan Document, all as amended modified, supplemented or
restated and in effect from time to time.
(k)
Default
means any event or circumstance that with the giving of notice or the
passage of time (or both) would constitute an Event of Default.
(l)
Dollar
or
$
means U.S. dollars.
(m)
ECM
means, collectively, Tennessee Ethanol Partners, L.P., Ethanol Capital
Management, LLC and Ethanol Investment Partners, LLC and their respective Affiliates.
(n)
Environmental Control Statutes
means all federal, state and local laws,
statutes, rules, ordinances, regulations (as implemented and as interpreted), judgments, decrees,
orders, licenses, permits and rules governing the control, removal, storage, transportation, spill,
release or discharge of hazardous or toxic wastes, substances and petroleum products or otherwise
pertaining to the protection of human health, safety or the environment or natural resources.
(o)
Equity Interests
means shares of capital stock, partnership interests,
membership interests or units in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or
other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling
the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.
(p)
ERISA
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
15
(q)
Event of Default
means the occurrence of any one or more of the following
events: (1) if any payment of principal, interest, fees, expenses, indemnities or other sums
payable to Lender under any Loan Document is not received by Lender in immediately available funds
on the date such payment is due and payable
and
, except with respect to principal payments,
such failure to receive such payment in immediately available funds continues for 3 Business Days
after the due date therefor; (2) if any representation, warranty or other statement made in any
Loan Document or in any financial statement or written report provided to Lender by or on behalf of
Borrower or ABE Fairmont (or otherwise furnished in connection herewith) when made was misleading
or incorrect in any material respect; (3) if Borrower or ABE Fairmont defaults in the full and
timely performance when due of any other covenant or agreement contained in any Loan Document, and
such default remains uncured for 15 Business Days after the earlier of the date that Lender
notifies Borrower thereof or the date that Borrower or ABE Fairmont otherwise acquires knowledge or
should have acquired knowledge thereof; (4) if Borrower or ABE Fairmont fails or refuses to make
any required payment (whether as principal, interest or otherwise) with respect to any indebtedness
for borrowed money in excess of $1,000,000 (or with respect to any guaranty or reimbursement
obligation of any such indebtedness) prior to the expiration of any applicable grace period with
respect to such payment, or if any such indebtedness for borrowed money is accelerated prior to its
express maturity as a result of any default thereunder; (5) if Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
(i) becomes insolvent, bankrupt or generally fails to pay its debts as such debts become due; or
(ii) is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt in any Insolvency Proceeding;
or
(iii) admits in
writing an inability to pay its debts; or (iv) comes under the authority of a custodian, receiver
or trustee (or one is appointed for substantially all of its property); or (v) makes an assignment
for the benefit of creditors; or (vi) has commenced against it any proceeding (including any
Insolvency Proceeding) under any law related to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or
the reorganization, readjustment or release of debtors that is either not contested or if contested
is not dismissed or stayed within 60 calendar days after the commencement thereof; or (vii)
commences or institutes any proceeding (including any Insolvency Proceeding) under any law related
to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or the reorganization, readjustment or release
of debtors; or (viii) calls a meeting of creditors with a view to arranging a composition or
adjustment of debt; or (ix) by any act or failure to act that indicates consent to, approval of or
acquiescence in any of the foregoing; (6) if (i) any judgment, writ, warrant, attachment or
execution or similar process that calls for payment or presents liability in excess of $250,000 is
rendered, issued or levied against Borrower or ABE Fairmont or any of their respective properties
or assets or (ii) any final, non-appealable arbitration award that calls for payment or presents
liability in excess of $250,000 is rendered, issued or levied against Borrower or ABE Fairmont or
any of their respective properties or assets, and in either case such liability is not paid,
waived, stayed, vacated, discharged, settled, satisfied or fully bonded within 60 calendar days
after it is rendered, issued or levied; (7) (i) if the security interest or lien in any of the
Collateral with a fair market value exceeding collectively $250,000 at any time does not constitute
a legal, valid and enforceable security interest or lien in favor
of Lender or shall cease to have
the priority contemplated by the Collateral Security Documents otherwise than in accordance with
the terms thereof or with the express prior written agreement, consent or approval of Lender,
or
(ii) if any of the Loan Documents shall be cancelled, terminated, revoked or rescinded
otherwise than in accordance with the terms thereof or with the express prior written agreement,
consent or approval of Lender, or any action at law, suit or in equity or other legal proceeding to
cancel, revoke or rescind any of the Loan Documents shall be commenced by or on behalf of Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective equity holders, or any Governmental Authority
shall make a determination that, or issue a judgment, order, decree or ruling to the effect that,
any one or more of the Loan Documents is illegal, invalid or unenforceable in accordance with the
terms thereof; (8) Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries fails to observe or perform any agreement
or condition under the CoBank Loan Documents beyond the expiration of any applicable grace
period, or any default or other event occurs (unless such default or event is waived in writing in
accordance with the terms thereof), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to
permit the holder or holders of the Indebtedness under the
16
CoBank Loan Documents to cause, with the
giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be
repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase,
prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; (9) Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries fails to observe or perform any agreement or condition under the Wells
Fargo Documents beyond the expiration of any applicable grace period, or any other default or other
event occurs (unless such default or event is waived in writing in accordance with the terms
thereof), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or
holders of the Indebtedness under the Wells Fargo Documents to cause, with the giving of notice if
required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased
or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such
Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; (10) so long as the Warrant is held by
Lender or any of its Affiliates, (i) any representation, warranty or other statement made in the
Warrant when made shall be misleading or incorrect in any material respect; or (ii) Borrower
defaults in the full and timely performance when due of any covenant or agreement contained in the
Warrant, and such default remains uncured for 15 Business Days after the earlier of the date that
Lender notifies Borrower thereof or the date that Borrower otherwise acquires knowledge or should
have acquired knowledge thereof; and/or (11) if a Material Adverse Effect has occurred.
(r)
GAAP
means generally accepted accounting principles from time to time in effect,
including the statements and interpretations of the United States Financial Accounting Standards
Board, applied on a consistent basis.
(s)
Governmental Authority
means the government of the United States of America, any
other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising
executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or
pertaining to government.
(t)
Hazardous Materials
includes (a) any hazardous waste as defined by the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. § 6901
et
seq
.), as
amended from time to time, and regulations promulgated thereunder;
or
(b) any hazardous
substance as defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
of 1980 (42 U.S.C. § 9601
et
seq
.), as amended from time to time, and regulations
promulgated thereunder;
or
(c) any pollutant or contaminant as defined by 42 U.S.C.
§9601(33);
or
(d) any toxic substance, oil or hazardous material or other chemical or
substance (including, without limitation, asbestos in any form, urea formaldehyde or
polychlorinated biphenyls) the use or presence of which is similarly regulated or prohibited by any
Environmental Control Statute.
(u)
Heartland Entities
means, collectively, ABE Heartland, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, Dakota Fuels, Inc., a Delaware corporation and Heartland Grain Fuels, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership.
(v)
Indebtedness
of any Person means, without duplication, (1) all indebtedness of
such Person for borrowed money,
and
(2) all obligations of such Person for the deferred
purchase price of property or services (other than trade indebtedness, if and to the extent such
indebtedness is incurred in the ordinary course of business for value received which would be shown
as a liability on a balance sheet or are required to be set forth in the footnotes to a year-end
balance sheet, each prepared in
accordance with GAAP,
and
(3) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes,
bonds, debentures or other similar instruments,
and
(4) all obligations of such Person
created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to
property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and
17
remedies of the seller or lender under
such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property),
and
(5) all obligations of such Person as lessee under Capital Leases to the extent
classified as a liability on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP,
and
(6) all
obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person under acceptance, letter of credit or similar
facilities,
and
(7) all obligations of such Person in respect of any interest rate or
currency swap, cap or other agreement or arrangement designed to provide protection against
fluctuations in interest or currency exchange rates,
and
(8) all Indebtedness of others
referred to in clauses (1) through (7) above or clause (9) below guaranteed directly or indirectly
in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person to
assure a creditor against loss,
and
(9) all Indebtedness referred to in clauses (1) through
(8) above of another Person secured by (or for which the holder of such debt has an existing right,
contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including, without limitation,
accounts, contract rights or inventory) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not
assumed or become liable for the payment of such debt;
provided
that Indebtedness of any
Subsidiary of Borrower other than ABE Fairmont shall not be deemed to be Indebtedness of Borrower
solely as a result of a non-recourse pledge by Borrower of its Equity Interest in such Subsidiary
and/or its intercompany receivables from such Subsidiary in order to secure such Indebtedness,
and
(10) the principal balance outstanding under any synthetic lease, tax retention
operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing product to which
such Person is a party, where such transaction is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax
purposes but is classified as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP,
and
(11) all
payment obligations of such Person to former owners of businesses which were acquired by such
Person which are in the nature of deferred purchase price or earn-out. For the purposes of the
Agreement, the term Indebtedness shall exclude any effects of the application of FASB 150.
(w)
Insolvency Proceeding
means (1) any case, action or proceeding before any court
or other Governmental Authority relating to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation,
receivership, dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors,
or
(2) any general assignment
for the benefit of creditors, composition, marshalling of assets for creditors or other, similar
arrangement in respect of its creditors generally or any substantial portion of its creditors, in
each of case (1) and (2) undertaken under federal, state or foreign law, including the Bankruptcy
Code.
(x)
Lien
means any security interest, mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment,
deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or otherwise), reversionary or reclamation
interest, charge against or interest in property to secure payment of a debt or performance of an
obligation or other priority or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever.
(y)
Loan Documents
means this Restated Note, the Control Agreement, the GSB
Instruction Letter, the Nebraska Instruction Letter, the Collateral Security Documents and all
other documents, agreements and certificates (inclusive of all schedules and exhibits thereto) from
time to time entered into or delivered in connection herewith or therewith or pursuant hereto or
thereto, all as may be amended, modified and supplemented from time to time.
(z)
Material Adverse Effect
means, relative to any occurrence of whatever nature, a
change that has, causes or could reasonably be expect to have or cause a material adverse change to
or a materially adverse effect on: (1) the business, assets, revenues, financial condition,
operations or prospects of Borrower, or of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (2) the
ability of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to perform any of its payment obligations when due
or to perform any other
material obligations under any Loan Document or (3) any right, remedy, benefit or collateral
in favor of Lender under any Loan Document.
(aa)
Maturity Date
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2
.
18
(bb)
Net Cash Proceeds
means the cash proceeds or, with respect to non-cash
transactions, the cash equivalent of the fair market value of any equity or debt issuance, asset
disposition or asset condemned or subject to insurance proceeds in each case net of (as applicable)
(1) reasonable commissions and expenses actually paid to unrelated third parties in connection with
such transaction, (2) taxes actually due from Borrower as a direct result of such transaction and
(3) in the case of asset dispositions, commercially reasonable reserves established in respect of
post-closing purchase price adjustments and indemnification and other contingent liabilities
arising in connection with such asset dispositions.
(cc)
Note
means this Secured Term Loan Note as amended, modified, renewed, extended
and/or restated from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
(dd)
Obligations
means all loans, advances, debts, liabilities and obligations
(including reimbursement obligations), for monetary amounts owing by Borrower to Lender, whether
due or to become due, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, contingent or
non-contingent, of any kind or nature, present or future, arising under or in respect of this
Restated Note or any of the other Loan Documents. This term includes all principal, interest
(including all interest that accrues after the commencement against Borrower of any Insolvency
Proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code), reasonable fees, including any and all arrangement fees,
delivery fees, loan fees, commitment fees, agent fees and any and all other reasonable fees,
expenses, costs or other sums (including reasonable attorneys fees) chargeable to Borrower under
any of the Loan Documents.
(ee)
Organizational Documents
means, relative to any entity, its certificate or
articles of incorporation or organization or formation, its by-laws or operating agreements, and
all equityholder agreements, voting agreements and similar arrangements applicable to any of its
authorized shares of capital stock, its partnership interests or its member interests, and any
other arrangements relating to the control or management of any such entity.
(ff)
Paid in Full
and
Payment in Full
mean, with respect to the
Obligations, all amounts owing with respect thereto (including any interest accruing thereon after
the commencement of any Insolvency Proceeding against Borrower, whether or not allowed as a claim
against Borrower in such Insolvency Proceeding, but excluding as yet unasserted contingent
obligations), have been fully, finally and completely paid in cash.
(gg)
Person
means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, firm, association, trust, government, governmental agency or any other entity, whether
acting in an individual, fiduciary or other capacity.
(hh)
Prior Warrant
means the Warrant to Purchase Units of Borrower, dated October
17, 2007 and numbered No. 1 issued by Borrower to Lender.
(ii)
Subsidiary
of any Person or entity means any Person as to which such other
Person or entity (1) directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds 50% or more of the outstanding
beneficial interest or (2) is otherwise required in accordance with GAAP to be considered as part
of a
consolidated organization. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Heartland Entities shall not be
Subsidiaries for purposes of this Restated Note or any of the other Loan Documents.
(jj)
Tax Distributions
means any dividend or distribution paid in accordance with
Section 11(k)
to any holder of membership interests of Borrower to the extent that such
funds are distributed to provide cash or other assets to such holder in order to pay such holders
federal, state and
19
local income tax liabilities for such year (determined based upon a combined
marginal rate of 40%) that is directly attributable to such holder as a direct result of the amount
of income and gain (net of allowable deductions, losses and credits) of Borrower.
(kk)
Warrant
means the Warrant to Purchase Units of Borrower, dated as of the date
hereof and numbered No. 2 issued by Borrower to Lender.
(ll)
Wells Fargo Loan Documents
means, collectively, (i) that Loan and Trust
Agreement dated as of April 1, 2006 (the
4/1/06 Loan Agreement
) among Borrower, County of
Fillmore, State of Nebraska, as issuer (
Issuer
), and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee
(
Trustee
), as Borrowers obligations and liabilities under the 4/1/06 Loan Agreement have
been assigned to and assumed by ABE Fairmont pursuant to that Assignment and Assumption Agreement
dated as of November 14, 2006 among Borrower, ABE Fairmont, Issuer and Trustee, (ii) that
Promissory Note dated April 27, 2007 among Borrower, issuer and Trustee, (iii) that Subordinate
Deed of Trust and Construction Security Agreement by Borrower in favor of Trustee, (iv) that Tax
Regulatory Agreement dated as of April 27, 2006 from Borrower and Issuer to Trustee and (v) that
Continuing Disclosure Agreement as of dated April 1, 2006 between Borrower and Trustee, together
with all amendments, supplements, agreements, documents, exhibits, schedules and certificates
contemplated thereby or entered into in connection with any of the foregoing.
14.
Selected Rights and Remedies Upon Event of Default
. Upon the occurrence and
during the continuation of any Event of Default, with notice thereof to Borrower (
unless
an
Event of Default described in clause (5) of the definition of Event of Default has occurred, in
which case acceleration will occur automatically with respect to the entire indebtedness and
without any notice), Lender may declare all or any portion of the indebtedness under any Loan
Document to be immediately due and payable. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any
Event of Default, Lender shall have the immediate right to enforce and realize upon any collateral
security (including all or any portion of the Collateral) for the Obligations hereunder in any
manner or order that Lender deems expedient without regard to any equitable principles of
marshalling or otherwise. Lender shall have and be entitled to all of the rights, remedies,
benefits and powers of enforcement with respect hereto that are available to a holder of a
negotiable instrument under Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code, and any subsequent transferee
of Lender shall have and be entitled to all of the rights, remedies, benefits and powers of
enforcement with respect hereto that are available to a holder in due course of a negotiable
instrument under Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code (
provided
that such transferee
acquired this Restated Note in good faith, for value and without actual notice of a claim or
defense hereunder by Borrower). In addition to any rights granted hereunder or in any other Loan
Document, Lender shall also have all other rights and remedies permissible under any applicable law
(including creditor rights and the rights of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code),
and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative in nature.
15.
Indemnification, Reliance and Assumption of Risk
. Without limiting any other
indemnification in any Loan Document, Borrower hereby agrees to defend Lender (and its directors,
officers, employees, agents, representatives, counsels and Affiliates) (each an
Indemnitee
) from, and hold each of them harmless against, any and all losses,
liabilities, claims, damages, interests, judgments,
or costs (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by any of them
arising out of or in any way connected with any Loan Document, except for losses resulting directly
from such Persons own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Expenses (including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee shall be paid in
advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking
from such Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnitee
is not entitled to indemnification.
20
Borrowers obligations provided for in this
Section 15
will survive any termination of this Agreement, and the repayment of the outstanding balances
hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless each Indemnitee from and against, any and all losses, liabilities, claims,
damages (including, without limitation, natural resource damages), interests, judgments, fines,
penalties, liens or costs (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and consultants)
resulting from or relating to any of the following: (1) the storage, holding, existence,
migration, release (as defined by CERCLA), threat of release, disposal, treatment, generation,
processing, abatement, handling or transportation of any Hazardous Materials (collectively
Environmental Activity
) at, on, under, from or in the vicinity of any property presently
or formerly owned, leased or operated by Borrower;
and
(2) any violation or alleged
violation of Environmental Control Statutes by Borrower at any property presently or formerly
owned, leased or operated by Borrower;
and
(3) any investigation, inquiry, notice, order
(including consent orders, agreements and decrees), hearing, action, proceeding, demand, directive,
fine, penalty, lien or claim instituted, asserted or threatened by any Person in connection with
any Environmental Activity or Environmental Control Statute relating to Borrower or any portion of
any property presently or formerly owned, leased or operated by Borrower;
and
(4) any
off-site transportation, treatment, storage or disposal or Hazardous Materials generated at or
transported from any property presently or formerly owned, leased or operated by Borrower.
16.
Selected Waivers and Consents by Borrower
. Borrower hereby waives diligence,
presentment, protest, demand for payment, notice of protest and non-payment, notice of dishonor,
and any and all other notices or demands in connection with the delivery, acceptance, payment,
performance, default, acceleration or enforcement of this Restated Note. Borrower, in addition,
hereby consents (without the necessity of prior notice) to any extensions of time, renewals,
releases of any party hereto or guarantor hereof, waivers and/or modifications in connection
herewith that may be granted or consented to by Lender from time to time. Borrower also waives any
defenses (other than the defense of full unconditional payment) and rights of discharge to its
obligations hereunder that it may have or may hereafter acquire based upon suretyship or impairment
of collateral (including lack of attachment or perfection with respect thereto).
17.
Waivers by Lender and Severability
. To be effective, any waiver by Lender must be
expressed in a writing executed by Lender. If Lender waives any term, right or remedy arising
hereunder or under any applicable law, then such waiver will not be deemed to be a waiver (1) upon
any later occurrence or recurrence of any events giving rise to the earlier waiver or (2) as to any
other Person. No failure or delay by Lender to insist upon the strict performance of any Loan
Document, or to exercise any right or remedy, will constitute a waiver of compliance with any term,
condition, covenant or agreement, or preclude Lender from exercising any right, power, or remedy at
any later time or times. By accepting payment after the due date of any amount payable under any
Loan Document, Lender will not be deemed to waive the right either to require prompt payment when
due of all other amounts payable under any Loan Document or to declare an Event of Default for
failure to effect such prompt payment of any such other amount. If fulfillment of any provision
hereof at the time performance is due involves transcending the limit of validity prescribed by
applicable law, then (
ipso facto
) the obligation to be fulfilled shall be reduced to the limit of
such validity. If any clause or provision hereof operates or would prospectively operate to
invalidate this Restated Note in whole or in part, then such clause or provision only shall be
void (as though not contained herein), and the remainder of this Restated Note shall remain
operative and in full force and effect;
provided
,
however
, if any such clause or
provision pertains to the repayment of any indebtedness hereunder, then the occurrence of any such
invalidity shall constitute an immediate Event of Default hereunder.
21
18.
Reinstatement
. To the maximum extent not prohibited by applicable law, this
Restated Note (and the Obligations hereunder and Collateral therefor) will be automatically
reinstated and the indebtedness correspondingly increased (as though such payments had not been
made) if at any time any amount received by Lender in respect hereof is rescinded or must otherwise
be restored, refunded or returned by Lender to Borrower or other Person for any reason, including
(a) as a result of the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of any
Person, or (b) as a result of the appointment of any receiver, intervenor, conservator, trustee or
similar official for any Person or for any part of the assets of any Person.
19.
Assignability
. Borrower shall not assign or delegate any of its obligations,
duties, rights or benefits hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written
consent of Lender. Lender (and its successors or assigns), at any time and from time to time, may
assign, transfer, participate, syndicate, delegate and/or pledge all or any part of its
obligations, duties, rights and benefits under this Restated Note and the other Loan Documents
without the consent of Borrower.
20.
Conflicts Among Loan Documents
. In the event of any irreconcilable conflict
between the terms and conditions of this Restated Note and the terms and conditions of any other
Loan Document, then the terms and conditions of this Restated Note shall govern.
21.
Relationship with Prior Agreements
. This Restated Note, together with the other
Loan Documents and the Warrant and that side letter agreement dated August 20, 2009 between
Borrower and Lender, completely and fully supersedes all oral agreements and all other and prior
written agreements by and among Borrower and Lender concerning the terms and conditions of this
credit arrangement.
22.
Severability
. If fulfillment of any provision of or any transaction related to
any Loan Document at the time performance is due involves transcending the limit of validity
prescribed by applicable law, then
ipso facto
, the obligation to be fulfilled shall be reduced to
the limit of such validity. If any clause or provision of this Agreement operates or would
prospectively operate to invalidate this Agreement or any other Loan Document in whole or in part,
then such clause or provision only shall be void (as though not contained herein or therein), and
the remainder of this Agreement or such other Loan Document shall remain operative and in full
force and effect;
provided
,
however
, if any such clause or provision pertains to
the repayment of any indebtedness hereunder, then the occurrence of any such invalidity shall
constitute an immediate Event of Default hereunder.
23.
No Fiduciary Relationship
. No provision in the Loan Documents and no course of
dealing between the parties shall be deemed to create any fiduciary duty owing to Borrower or any
of its Affiliates by Lender and Lender shall not be deemed to be a partner, joint venturer or
co-venturer with Borrower by reason of this Agreement or the transaction contemplated hereunder.
24.
Secured Note.
The full amount of this Restated Note is secured by the Collateral
identified and described as security therefor in the Collateral Security Documents and the other
Loan Documents.
25.
Notices
. Any notice or other communication required or permitted in connection
with the Loan Documents will be deemed satisfactorily given if it is in writing and is delivered
either
personally to the addressee thereof, or by prepaid registered or certified U.S. mail (return
receipt requested), or by a nationally recognized commercial courier service with next-day delivery
charges prepaid, or by facsimile (voice confirmed), or by any other reasonable means of personal
delivery to the party entitled thereto at its respective address set forth below:
22
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If to Borrower:
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Advanced BioEnergy, LLC
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10201 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 250
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Minneapolis, MN 55305
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Attn: Richard Peterson
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Facsimile No.: (763) 226-2728
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If to Lender:
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PJC Capital LLC
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c/o Piper, Jaffray & Co.
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800 Nicollet Mall
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Minneapolis, MN 55402-7020
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Attention: Robert P. Rinek
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Facsimile: (612) 303-1068
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Any party to a Loan Document may change its address or other contact information for notice
purposes by giving notice thereof to the other parties to such Loan Document in accordance with
this
Section 25
, provided that such change shall not be effective until 2 calendar days
after notice of such change. All such notices and other communications will be deemed given and
effective (a) if by mail,
then
upon actual receipt or 5 calendar days after mailing as
provided above (whichever is earlier),
or
(b) if by facsimile,
then
upon successful
transmittal to such partys designated number,
or
(c) if by nationally recognized
commercial courier service,
then
upon actual receipt or 2 Business Days after delivery to
the courier service (whichever is earlier),
or
(d) if otherwise delivered,
then
upon actual receipt.
26.
Jurisdictional and Related Consents
. Any litigation in any way related to this
Restated Note, or any course of conduct, course of dealing, statements (whether verbal or written),
actions or inactions of Lender or Borrower may be brought and maintained, on a non-exclusive basis,
in the courts of the State of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York;
provided
,
however
, that any suit seeking enforcement hereof
against Borrower or any property may also be brought (at Lenders option) in the courts of any
other jurisdiction where such property may be found or where Borrower may be subject to personal
jurisdiction. Borrower hereby expressly and irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the courts
of the State of New York and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York for the purpose of any such litigation as set forth above and irrevocably agrees to be bound
by any final and non-appealable judgment rendered thereby in connection with such litigation.
Borrower further irrevocably consents to the service of process by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid, or by personal service within or outside the State of New York. Borrower hereby
expressly and irrevocably waives (to the fullest extent permitted by law) any objection that it at
any time may have to the laying of venue of any such litigation brought in any such court referred
to above and any claim that any such litigation has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
27.
Jury Trial Waiver
. Lender and Borrower each hereby knowingly, voluntarily and
intentionally waives any rights it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any litigation
(whether as claim, counter-claim, affirmative defense or otherwise) in any way related to this
Restated Note or any of the Loan Documents or any course of conduct, course of dealing, statements
(whether verbal or written), actions or inactions of Lender or Borrower.
23
28.
Governing Law and Binding Effect
. This Restated Note and the other Loan Documents
are binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns. This Restated Note and the other Loan Documents are governed as to their validity,
interpretation, construction and effect by the laws of the State of New York (without giving effect
to the conflicts of law rules of such state).
[
Balance of Page Intentionally Blank
Signatures on Next Page
]
24
IN WITNESS WHEREOF
, Borrower has executed this Amended and Restated Secured Term Loan Note on
the day and year first written above.
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BORROWER:
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
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By:
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/s/ Richard Peterson
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Name:
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Richard Peterson
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Title:
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President, Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer and
Vice President of Accounting and Finance
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ACCEPTED:
PJC CAPITAL LLC
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By:
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/s/ Robert P. Rinek
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Robert P. Rinek
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Co-President and Co-Chief Operating
Officer
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AMENDED AND RESTATED SECURED TERM LOAN NOTE SIGNATURE PAGE
Exhibit A
GSB Instruction Letter
2
[ABE LETTERHEAD]
[
], 2009
Reference is made to the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit dated March 31, 2008 in the
stated face amount of $2,500,000 issued by Geneva State Bank (GSB) for the account of Advanced
BioEnergy, LLC (ABE) and for the benefit of WestLB AG, New York Branch, which expires of March
31, 2010 (the GSB Letter of Credit).
ABEs reimbursement obligation under the GSB Letter of Credit is secured by cash collateral in
the amount of $2,500,000 plus accrued interest (the GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral) in a
deposit account with GSB (the GSB Deposit Account).
ABE hereby requests and directs GSB, and by signing below hereto GSB acknowledges and agrees,
GSB shall remit any and all GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral from time to time released by GSB
from the GSB Deposit Account, whether upon expiration of the GSB Letter of Credit or otherwise, to
ABE by wire transfer to ABEs blocked account (account number 1-523-0777-2839) maintained at U.S.
Bank, N.A. according to the following wire instructions:
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Bank:
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U.S. Bank, N.A.
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ABA No.:
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081000210
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Account No.:
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1-523-0777-2839
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Account Name:
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Advanced BioEnergy/PJC Blocked Account
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Contact:
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Shawn F. Christian, (314) 418-2191
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GSB shall not disburse the GSB Letter of Credit Cash Collateral to any account or person or
entity other than to ABE at the Blocked Account in accordance with the above instructions without
the prior written consent of PJC Capital LLC, as the holder of secured debt obligations of ABE and
a beneficiary of these payment instructions.
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Sincerely,
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Agreed and Acknowledged
:
GENEVA STATE BANK
Exhibit B
Nebraska Instruction Letter
3
[ABE LETTERHEAD]
[
], 2009
Reference is made to the Nebraska Advantage Act Project Agreement dated as of August 13, 2007
between Advanced BioEnergy, LLC (ABE) and the State of Nebraska, by and through its Tax
Commissioner (the NAA Agreement).
Pursuant to the NAA Agreement, ABE expects to receive certain payments and credits for various
tax and other related investment and employment credits and incentives (the NAA Payments) from
the State of Nebraska Department of Revenue (the Nebraska DOR).
ABE hereby requests and directs the Nebraska DOR to remit any and all NAA Payments made from
time to time to ABE by wire transfer to ABEs account (account number 1-523-0777-2839) maintained
at U.S. Bank, N.A. according to the following wire instructions:
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Bank:
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U.S. Bank, N.A.
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ABA No.:
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081000210
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Account No.:
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1-523-0777-2839
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Account Name:
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Advanced BioEnergy/PJC Account
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Contact:
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Shawn F. Christian, (314) 418-2191
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Sincerely,
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Exhibit C
ABE Fairmont Instruction Letter
4
[ABE LETTERHEAD]
[
], 2009
Reference is made to the Master Loan Agreement dated as of November 20, 2006 between Farm
Credit Services of America, FLCA and ABE Fairmont, LLC (ABE Fairmont) as amended by an Amendment
dated on or about October 5, 2007 and an amendment dated as of December 24, 2008, and as further
supplemented (the 11/20/06 MLA) and to the Amended and Restated Secured Term Loan Note dated as
of [
], 2009 in the original principal amount of $[
] (the Restated Note), made
by Advanced BioEnergy, LLC (ABE) in favor of PJC Capital LLC (PJC).
If net profit (as defined in Section 10(K) of the 11/20/06 MLA) is a positive number, and so
long as such distribution is permitted by the CoBank Loan Documents (as defined in the Restated
Note), the Restated Note provides that ABE shall cause ABE Fairmont to pay forty percent (40.0%) of
such net profit (or if less than sixty percent (60.0%) of the net profit is required by the CoBank
Loan Documents to be retained by ABE Fairmont, than such greater percentage as is not required to
be retained) (each such payment, an ABE Fairmont Distribution) no later than the date that the
audited financial statements of ABE Fairmont for such fiscal year are delivered to CoBank (as
defined in the Restated Note) directly to PJC, as the holder of the Restated Note and a beneficiary
of these payment instructions.
ABE hereby requests and directs ABE Fairmont, and by signing below hereto ABE Fairmont
acknowledges and agrees, ABE Fairmont shall remit any and all ABE Fairmont Distributions from time
to time to PJC by wire transfer to PJCs account (account number 1-523-0777-2839) maintained at
U.S. Bank, N.A. (the PJC Account) according to the following wire instructions:
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Bank:
ABA No.:
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U.S. Bank, N.A.
081000210
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Account No.:
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1-523-0777-2839
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Account Name:
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Advanced BioEnergy/PJC Capital LLC
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Contact:
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Shawn F. Christian, (314) 418-2191
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ABE Fairmont shall not disburse any ABE Fairmont Distribution to any account or person or
entity other than to PJC at the PJC Account in accordance with the above instructions without the
prior written consent of PJC.
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Sincerely,
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Agreed and Acknowledged
:
ABE FAIRMONT, LLC
Exhibit 4.2
Execution Version
THIS WARRANT HAS BEEN, AND THE UNITS WHICH MAY BE RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT
WILL BE, ACQUIRED SOLELY FOR INVESTMENT AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR FOR RESALE IN CONNECTION WITH,
ANY DISTRIBUTION THEREOF. NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR SUCH UNITS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE SECURITIES ACT), OR QUALIFIED UNDER ANY STATE SECURITIES
LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD OR OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
QUALIFICATION OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY
THAT SUCH DISPOSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY
REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
WARRANT TO PURCHASE UNITS OF ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
This Warrant to Purchase Units (this
Warrant
) certifies that, for good and valuable
consideration,
PJC CAPITAL LLC
, a Delaware limited liability company (along with its permitted
assignees, the
Holder
) is entitled to purchase from
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
, a Delaware limited
liability company (the
Company
),
SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT
(742,598) fully paid and nonassessable Units (as defined in the Companys Third Amended and
Restated Operating Agreement dated February 1, 2006 (the
LLC Agreement
)) (the
Units
) of the
Company, as adjusted pursuant to
Section 3
hereof (the
Warrant Units
), at an exercise
price per Unit equal to $1.50 (as adjusted pursuant to
Section 3
hereof) (the
Exercise
Price
), subject to the provisions and upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. This
Warrant is issued in connection with the Amended and Restated Secured Term Loan Note made by the
Company in favor of the initial Holder dated as of the date hereof (the
Note
). Unless otherwise
defined in this Warrant, capitalized terms defined in the Note are used in this Warrant as defined
in the Note.
This Warrant replaces and is being delivered in exchange for the Warrant to Purchase Units of
Advanced BioEnergy, LLC, dated October 17, 2007 and numbered No. 1 issued by the Company to the
Holder (the
Prior Warrant
), and as of the date hereof the Prior Warrant shall be terminated and
have no further force and effect. The Holder shall surrender the Prior Warrant in exchange for
this Warrant.
1. Exercise; Payment.
(a)
Exercise Period
. This Warrant may be exercised in whole or part by the Holder
during the term (as set forth in
Section 11
) and in compliance with the provisions of this
Warrant at any time after the date of issuance set forth above (the
Warrant Date
), by the
surrender of this Warrant (with the notice of exercise form attached hereto as
Exhibit A
(the
Notice of Exercise
) duly executed) at the principal office of the Company. If this Warrant
shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the time of delivery of the certificate or
certificates representing Warrant Units, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights
of the
Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Units, which new Warrant shall in all other
respects be identical with this Warrant, or at the request of the Holder, appropriate notation may
be made on this Warrant and the same returned to the Holder.
(b)
Cash Exercise
. Upon exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall pay the Company an
amount equal to the product of (x) the Exercise Price multiplied by (y) the total number of Warrant
Units purchased pursuant to the Exercise of this Warrant, by wire transfer or check payable to the
order of the Company. The Holder shall be deemed to have become the holder of record of, and shall
be treated for all purposes as the record holder of, the Warrant Units represented by such exercise
(and such Warrant Units shall be deemed to have been issued) immediately prior to the close of
business on the date upon which this Warrant is exercised.
(c)
Net Exercise
. The Exercise Price also may be paid at the Holders election by
surrender of all or a portion of the Warrant for Units to be exercised under this Warrant (
Net
Exercise
). If the Holder elects the Net Exercise method, the Company will issue Warrant Units in
accordance with the following formula:
X =
Y(A-B)
A
Where:
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X =
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the number of Warrant Units to be issued upon
exercise of the Warrant
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Y =
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the number of Warrant Units requested to be
exercised
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A =
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the fair market value of 1 Unit on the date
of exercise of this Warrant
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B =
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the Exercise Price
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For purposes of the above calculation, the fair market value of a Unit shall mean:
(i)
if at any time the Units are not listed on any securities exchange or traded in the
over-the-counter market, the fair market value of the Units shall be the highest price per Unit
which the Company could obtain from a willing buyer (other than an employee, director or
Affiliate of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the
Securities Act
) for Units sold by the Company, as determined in good faith by its
Directors (as defined in the LLC Agreement);
(ii)
if the exercise is in connection with the conversion of the Units to common stock of the
Company (
Common Stock)
in order to facilitate a public offering of such Common Stock, and if the
Companys Registration Statement relating to such initial public offering has been declared
effective by the SEC, then the fair market value per Unit shall be the initial Price to Public of
the Common Stock specified in the final prospectus with respect to the
2
offering, giving effect to the conversion mechanism with respect to such conversion of the
Units to Common Stock;
(iii)
if the exercise is not in connection with a public offering, and:
(A)
if the Units (or the Common Stock, if the Units have been converted to Common Stock) are
traded on a securities exchange, the fair market value shall be deemed to be the average of the
closing prices over a 5 day period ending 3 days before the day the fair market value of the Units
or the Common Stock, as applicable, is being determined; or
(B)
if the Units (or the Common Stock, if the Units have been converted to Common Stock) are
traded over-the-counter, the fair market value shall be deemed to be the average of the closing bid
and asked prices quoted on the principal market on which or through which the Units or the Common
Stock, as applicable, are traded over the 5 day period ending 3 days before the day the fair market
value of the Units or the Common Stock, as applicable, is being determined;
(iv)
if property or securities in addition to or in substitution for Units shall be issuable
upon exercise of the Warrant, the fair market value of such property (to the extent such property
does not include a security which is listed on any securities exchange or traded in the
over-the-counter market, in which fair market value shall be calculated as provided in
Section 1(c)(i) (iii)
above) shall be determined in good faith by the Companys Directors
(as defined in the LLC Agreement).
(d)
Exercise Prior to Expiration
. To the extent this Warrant has not been previously
exercised as to any Warrant Units issuable hereunder, and if the fair market value of one Warrant
Unit immediately before expiration of the Warrant is greater than the Exercise Price then in
effect, this Warrant shall be deemed automatically exercised pursuant to the Net Exercise
provisions in
Section 1(c)
(even if not surrendered) immediately before its expiration. In
such event, the fair market value of one Warrant Unit shall be determined pursuant to
Section
1(c)
. To the extent this Warrant or any portion thereof is deemed automatically exercised
pursuant to this
Section 1(d)
, the Company agrees to promptly notify the Holder of the
number of Units, if any, and any other property, which the Holder is entitled to receive by reason
of such automatic exercise.
(e)
Unit Certificates
. In the event of the exercise of this Warrant, certificates for
the Warrant Units so purchased shall be delivered to the Holder within a reasonable time after
exercise, to the extent that the Units are certificated.
2. Units Fully Paid; Reservation of Units.
All of the Units issuable upon the exercise of this
Warrant, upon issuance and receipt by the Company of the Exercise Price therefor (or upon Net
Exercise thereof, as provided in
Section 1(c)
), shall be fully paid and nonassessable, and
free from all preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or first offer, taxes, liens and charges
with respect to the issuance thereof. During the period within which the rights represented by
this Warrant may be exercised, the Company shall at all times have authorized and reserved for
issuance a sufficient number of Units to provide for the exercise of this Warrant.
3
3. Adjustment of Exercise Price and Number of Units.
The number and kind of Warrant Units
purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise Price payable therefor shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time upon the occurrence of certain events, as follows:
(a)
Unit Distributions, Subdivisions, Combinations
. If the Company shall (i) make a
distribution in respect of the Units in additional Units (or securities convertible into,
exchangeable for or otherwise entitling the registered holder to receive Units), (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Units into a greater number of Units or (iii) combine the outstanding Units into a
smaller number of Units, the number of Units purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately
prior to the record date applicable to such event shall be adjusted so that the Holder shall
thereafter be entitled to receive that kind and number of Units or other securities of the Company
that the Holder would have owned or have been entitled to receive after the happening of any of the
events described above, had the Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the happening of such
event or any record date with respect thereto. The Exercise Price per Warrant Unit purchasable
upon exercise of any Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time such that upon each
adjustment of the number of Warrant Units purchasable pursuant to this
Section 3(a)
, the
Exercise Price shall be reduced or increased, as the case may be, to a price determined by dividing
the aggregate Exercise Price of all Warrant Units in effect prior to such adjustment by the total
maximum number of Warrant Units purchasable upon the exercise of all Warrants immediately after
such adjustment.
(b)
Reorganization or Reclassification
. In case of any capital reorganization or
reclassification of the equity interests of the Company, or the conversion of the Company into a
corporation (whether pursuant to a merger, consolidation, statutory conversion or otherwise), each
Warrant shall thereafter be exercisable from the number of Units or other securities or property
receivable upon such capital reorganization, reclassification or conversion, as the case may be, by
a holder of the number of Units into which the Warrant was exercisable immediately prior to such
capital reorganization, reclassification or conversion; and, in any such case, appropriate
adjustment shall be made in the application of the provisions herein set forth with respect to the
rights and interests thereafter of the Holder of the Warrant to the end that the provisions set
forth herein shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to any
shares of stock or other securities or property thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the
Warrant.
(c)
Issuance of Securities Under Certain Circumstances
.
(i)
If the Company shall issue or sell (or, in accordance with clause (ii) below, shall be
deemed to have issued or sold) any Units (other than Excluded Units, as defined below) without
consideration or for a consideration per unit that is less than the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such issuance or sale, as adjusted for any unit splits, combinations, unit
dividends or similar transactions after the date hereof, then, effective immediately upon such
issuance or sale, (a) this Warrant shall immediately become exercisable for such additional Warrant
Units as are necessary to maintain the percentage ownership interest in the Companys Units
(calculated on an as-converted, fully diluted basis assuming the issuance of all outstanding
options and warrants other than this Warrant) held by the Holder immediately prior to such issuance
and (b) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such issuance or sale shall be reduced,
concurrently with such issuance or sale, to the consideration per Unit received by the
4
Company for such issuance, sale or deemed issuance of such additional Units;
provided
that if such issuance, sale or deemed issuance was without consideration, then the Company shall be
deemed to have received an aggregate of $0.01 of consideration for all such additional Units
issued, sold or deemed to be issued. Adjustments shall be made successively whenever such an
issuance or sale is made.
(ii)
For the purpose of determining the adjusted Exercise Price under
Section 3(c)
,
the following shall be applicable:
(A)
If the Company in any manner issues or grants any Option Rights or Convertible Securities
(each as defined below) and the price per unit for which Units are issuable upon the exercise of
such Option Rights or upon conversion or exchange of such Convertible Securities is less than the
Exercise Price, then the total maximum number of Units issuable upon the exercise of such Option
Rights or upon conversion or exchange of the total maximum amount of such Convertible Securities
(or any Convertible Securities issuable upon the exercise of such Option Rights) shall be deemed to
be outstanding and to have been issued and sold by the Company for such lesser price per unit. For
purposes of this paragraph, the price per unit for which a Unit is issuable upon exercise of Option
Rights or upon conversion or exchange of Convertible Securities (or any Convertible Securities
issuable upon exercise of Option Rights) shall be determined by dividing (x) the total amount, if
any, received or receivable by the Company as consideration for the issuing or granting of such
Option Rights or Convertible Securities, plus the minimum aggregate amount of additional
consideration payable to the Company upon the exercise of all such Option Rights or the exchange or
conversion of all such Convertible Securities (plus in the case of such Option Rights which relate
to Convertible Securities, the minimum aggregate amount of additional consideration, if any,
payable to the Company upon the issuance or sale of such Convertible Securities and the conversion
or exchange thereof) by (y) the total maximum number of Units issuable upon exercise of such Option
Rights or Convertible Securities (or upon the conversion or exchange of all such Convertible
Securities issuable upon the exercise of such Option Rights).
(B)
If the purchase price provided for in any Option Rights, the additional consideration, if
any, payable upon the issuance, conversion or exchange of any Convertible Securities or the rate at
which any Convertible Securities are convertible into or exchangeable for Units decreases at any
time, then the number of Warrant Units issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant and the Exercise
Price (each as in effect at the time of such decrease) shall be readjusted to number of Warrant
Units and the Exercise Price which would have been in effect at such time had such Option Rights or
Convertible Securities still outstanding provided for such decreased purchase price, additional
consideration or changed conversion rate, as the case may be, at the time initially granted, issued
or sold.
(C)
If any Units, Option Rights or Convertible Securities are issued or sold or deemed to have
been issued or sold for cash, then the consideration received therefor shall be deemed to be the
gross amount received by the Company therefor. If any Units, Option Rights or Convertible
Securities are issued or sold for consideration other than cash, then the amount of consideration
received by the Company shall be the fair value of such consideration determined in good faith by
the Directors of the Company.
5
(iii)
For purposes of this
Section 3(c)
:
(A)
Convertible Securities
means any securities or other obligations issued or issuable by
the Company or any other Person that are exchangeable for, or convertible into, (i) any Units or
(ii) any securities exchangeable for, or convertible into, any Units.
(B)
Excluded Units
means, collectively, (i) Units or Option Rights issued in any of the
transactions described in
Sections 3(a) or 3(b)
, (ii) Units issued or issuable to officers,
directors or employees of, or consultants to, the Company pursuant to equity incentive plans or
agreements on terms approved by the Directors of the Company in an amount not to exceed 742,598
Units in the aggregate during the term of this Warrant, (iii) Units issued after the date hereof
upon the exercise of other Option Rights or the exchange or conversion of Convertible Securities in
each case outstanding on the date hereof and (iv) the issuance of this Warrant or any Warrant Units
pursuant to this Warrant.
(C)
Option Rights
means any warrants, options or other rights to subscribe for or purchase,
or obligations to issue, any Units, or any Convertible Securities, including, without limitation,
any options or similar rights issued or issuable under any employee equity incentive plan, pension
plan or other employee benefit plan of the Company.
(d)
Notice of Certain Transactions
. In the event that the Company shall propose at
any time to effect any action of the type described in
Sections 3(a), (b) or (c)
, or any
right to subscribe for or purchase any evidences of its indebtedness, any units or capital stock of
any class or any other securities or property, or to receive any other right, or take any similar
extraordinary action affecting the Companys Units or equity capital (including but not limited to
the transfer of substantially all of the Companys assets), then, in connection with each such
event, the Company shall send notice thereof to all Holders no later than 10 days after the earlier
to occur of (i) the date on which such event became effective or (ii) the record date for such
event, in each case specifying in reasonable detail what the transaction or event consists of and,
if applicable, the aggregate amount or value of any cash or property distributed, paid, purchased
or received by the Company in connection therewith.
4. Investment Representations of Holder; Transfer of Warrant and Warrant Units.
(a)
Holder represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) it is an Accredited Investor as
that term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act; and (ii) it
has the ability to bear the economic risks of such Holders prospective investment, including a
complete loss of Holders investment in the Warrants and the Warrant Units; and (iii) the Warrants
and the Warrant Units are purchased for the Holders own account, and not with view to distribution
of either the Warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise thereof; provided however that
the Holder may transfer the Warrant and any Warrant Units to any Affiliate of the Holder.
(b)
This Warrant and the Warrant Units may only be Transferred (as defined in the LLC
Agreement) in compliance with federal and state securities laws. At the time of the surrender of
this Warrant in connection with any Transfer of this Warrant or the Transfer of the Warrant Units
(except to an Affiliate), the Company may require, as a condition of allowing such
6
Transfer (i) that the Holder or transferee of this Warrant or the Warrant Units, as the case
may be, furnish to the Company a written opinion of counsel that is reasonably acceptable to the
Company to the effect that such Transfer may be made without registration under the Securities Act
or qualification under any state securities laws and/or (ii) that the Holder or transferee execute
and deliver to the Company an investment representation letter in form and substance acceptable to
the Company and substantially in the form of
Exhibit B
hereto and the transfer application
used by the Company, a form of which has previously been provided to the Holder. Transfer of this
Warrant and all rights hereunder, in whole or in part, in accordance with the foregoing provisions,
shall be registered on the books of the Company to be maintained for such purpose, upon surrender
of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or the office or agency designated by the
Company, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form of
Exhibit C
hereto duly executed by the Holder or its attorney-in-fact. Upon such surrender
and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in
the name of the assignee or assignees and in the denomination specified in such instrument of
assignment, and shall issue to the Holder a new warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not
so assigned, and this Warrant shall be deemed cancelled.
(c)
Subject to the requirements of
Section 4(b)
of this Warrant and Section 9.2 of the
LLC Agreement, the Holder shall be entitled to Transfer all or any portion of the Warrant Units to
any Person, whether or not such Person is an Affiliate of the Holder,
provided
that
notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9.2(b)(i) of the LLC Agreement, a Transfer to any Person
that would otherwise require the consent of the Directors in writing under such section, shall be
subject to the consent of a majority of the Directors (as defined in the LLC Agreement), such
consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.
5. Legend.
(a)
Each certificate evidencing the Warrant Units issued upon exercise of this Warrant shall
be stamped or imprinted with a legend substantially in the following form:
THE TRANSFERABILITY OF THE MEMBERSHIP UNITS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS
RESTRICTED. SUCH UNITS MAY NOT BE SOLD, ASSIGNED, OR TRANSFERRED, NOR WILL ANY
ASSIGNEE, VENDEE, TRANSFEREE OR ENDORSEE THEREOF BE RECOGNIZED AS HAVING ACQUIRED
ANY SUCH UNITS FOR ANY PURPOSES, UNLESS AND TO THE EXTENT SUCH SALE, TRANSFER,
HYPOTHECATION, OR ASSIGNMENT IS PERMITTED BY, AND IS COMPLETED IN STRICT ACCORDANCE
WITH, THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE OPERATING AGREEMENT OF THE COMPANY.
THE UNITS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, OR
TRANSFERRED IN ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND UNDER APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAW.
7
(b) Removal of Legend and Transfer Restrictions.
Any legend endorsed on a certificate
pursuant to this
Section 5
shall be removed, and the Company shall issue a certificate
without such legend to the holder of such Warrant Units if (i) such Warrant Units are resold
pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, (ii) if such holder
satisfies the requirements of Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act or (iii) if such holder provides
the Company with an opinion of counsel for such holder of the Warrant Units, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that a sale, transfer or assignment of such
Warrant Units may be made without registration and that upon such sale, transfer or assignment such
Warrant Units will not be deemed restricted securities, as such term is defined in Rule 144 under
the Securities Act.
6. Fractional Units.
No fractional Warrant Units will be issued in connection with any exercise of
this Warrant, but in lieu of such fractional Units the Company shall make a cash payment therefor
upon the basis of the Exercise Price then in effect.
7. Rights as a Member.
Except as set forth in
Section 3
, the Holder shall not be entitled
to vote, or receive dividends or distributions, or be deemed a holder of Units or a member of the
Company, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confer upon the Holder any of the
rights of a member of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to members at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any action
with respect to the Warrant Units, until this Warrant shall have been exercised and the Warrant
Units purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant shall have become deliverable, as provided in
Section 1(b)
. Upon exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall automatically be deemed to
be a Member (as defined in the LLC Agreement) of the Company with all rights of a Member, including
the Membership Voting Interest (as defined in the LLC Agreement), without any further approval of
the members, directors, officers or managers of the Company required;
provided
that the
Holder shall execute such documents as are reasonably requested by the Company to document the
Holders agreement to be bound by the terms and provisions of the LLC Agreement and evidence of the
authority of the Holder to execute and deliver such agreement to be so bound.
8. Information Rights
. At all times when Holder is holding this Warrant (whether or not exercised
in part) or any Warrant Units, and if not already delivered pursuant to another agreement, the
Company will deliver to the Holder the financial statements delivered to the Members of the Company
pursuant to the LLC Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 7.3 thereof.
9. Registration Rights; Resales Under Rule 144.
(a)
Registration Rights
. If the Company at any time converts into a corporation, and
the Company, as converted, proposes to register any Common Stock solely for cash pursuant to a
registration statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration solely for the sale of
securities to participants in a Company stock or other incentive plan or in connection with a
transaction under Rule 145 promulgated under the Securities Act, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause to be registered for resale under the Securities Act all of the Common Stock that
the Holder has requested to be registered on such registration statement.
8
(b)
Compliance with Rule 144(c)
. If the Holder proposes to sell Common Stock, the
Warrant or any Warrant Units in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, then, upon
Holders written request the Company shall furnish to the Holder, within 3 days after receipt of
such request, a written statement confirming the Companys compliance with the Current Public
Information requirements of Rule 144(c), as such Rule may be amended from time to time.
10. Parallel Rights; No Impairment
. The Holder shall be entitled, but not required, to become a
signatory to and entitled to the benefits of, any investor rights agreement to the extent any such
agreement is entered into on or after the Warrant Date until the consummation of a Change of
Control (as defined in the Note), including any such agreement entered into in connection with a
Change of Control. The Company shall not, by amendment of its certificate of formation or the LLC
Agreement or through a reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution,
issue, or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance
or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed under this Warrant by the Company,
but shall at all times in good faith assist in carrying out of all the provisions of this Warrant
and in taking all such action as may be necessary or appropriate to protect Holders rights under
this Warrant against impairment.
11. Term of Warrant; Early Termination.
(a)
This Warrant shall become exercisable on the Warrant Date and shall no longer be
exercisable as of 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on October 1, 2014 (the
Exercise Period
).
(b)
Notwithstanding
Section 11(a)
, in the case of any consolidation of the Company
with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person, any merger of another Person into the
Company (other than a merger which does not result in any reclassification, conversion, exchange or
cancellation of outstanding securities as to which Warrants may then be exercised and other than a
merger solely to change the jurisdiction of organization of the Company) or any sale, transfer or
lease of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person, in each case during
the Exercise Period, the Company shall provide the Holder with written notice of such proposed
transaction, in reasonable detail, no less than 10 days prior to the consummation thereof, and this
Warrant shall terminate upon the consummation of such transaction unless exercised prior to such
consummation.
12. Registry of Warrants
.
The Company shall maintain a registry showing the name and address of the registered holder of
this Warrant. Holders initial address, for purposes of such registry, is set forth below Holders
signature on this Warrant. Holder may change such address by giving written notice of such changed
address to the Company.
13. Miscellaneous.
(a)
This Warrant shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws
of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.
(b)
The Company shall pay all expenses (including attorneys fees and expenses) in connection
with, and all taxes and other governmental charges that may be imposed in respect of,
9
the issue or delivery of any Warrant Units issuable upon the exercise of any Warrant
(excluding any applicable income taxes payable by the Holder);
provided
that the Company
shall not be required to pay any tax or other charge imposed in connection with any transfer
involved in the issue of Warrant Units in any name other than that of the Holder.
(c)
The headings in this Warrant are for purposes of reference only, and shall not limit or
otherwise affect any of the terms hereof.
(d)
The terms of this Warrant shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any
successors or assigns of the Company and of the Holder and of the Warrant Units issued or issuable
upon the exercise hereof.
(e)
Any notice provided for or permitted under this Warrant shall be treated as having been
given (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally, (ii) one day after sending, when sent by
commercial overnight courier with written verification of receipt, (iii) upon confirmed
transmission when sent via facsimile on a business day prior to 5:00 pm (Central Time) or, if sent
after 5:00 pm (Central Time), the next business day after confirmed transmission, or (iv) three
business days after deposit with the United States Postal Service, when mailed postage prepaid by
certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, addressed at such address or facsimile
number as set forth on the signature page below, or at such other place of which the other party
has been notified in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 13(e)
.
(f)
This Warrant, together with that side letter agreement dated August 20, 2009 between the
Company and Holder, constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement between the parties
with regard to the matters contained herein.
(g)
Upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft,
destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction,
upon delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and amount to the Company
or, in the case of any such mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant, the
Company at the Holders expense will execute and deliver to the holder of record, in lieu thereof,
a new Warrant of like date and tenor.
(h)
This Warrant and any provision hereof may be amended, waived or terminated only by an
instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Holder.
10
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized
officer, all as of the day and year first above written.
COMPANY:
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ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
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a Delaware limited liability company
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By:
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/s/ Richard Peterson
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Name:
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Richard Peterson
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Title:
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President, Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer and
Vice President of Accounting and Finance
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Notice Address:
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10201 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 250
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Minneapolis, MN 55305
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Attn: Richard Peterson
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Facsimile: (763) 226-2728
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WARRANTHOLDER:
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PJC CAPITAL LLC,
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a Delaware limited liability company
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By:
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/s/ Robert P. Rinek
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Robert P. Rinek
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Co-President and Co-Chief Operating
Officer
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Notice Address:
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c/o Piper, Jaffray & Co.
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800 Nicollet Mall
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Minneapolis, MN 55402
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Attn: Robert P. Rinek
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Facsimile: (612) 303-1068
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WARRANT TO PURCHASE UNITS OF ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC SIGNATURE PAGE
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
1.
Cash Exercise
. The undersigned hereby elects to purchase
Units (
Units
),
of ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
Company
) pursuant to the
terms of
Section 1(b)
of the Warrant to Purchase Units dated August 28, 2009, (the
Warrant
), and tenders herewith payment of the Exercise Price (as such term is defined in the
Warrant) therefor.
2.
Net Exercise
. The undersigned hereby elects to effect a Net Exercise for
Units pursuant to
Section 1(c)
of the Warrant.
Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said
Units in the name of the
undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the aforesaid Units are being acquired for
the account of the undersigned for investment and not with a view to, or for resale, in connection
with the distribution thereof, and that the undersigned has no present intention of distributing or
reselling such shares.
EXHIBIT
B
FORM OF INVESTMENT REPRESENTATION LETTER
In connection with the acquisition of [warrants (the
Warrants
) to purchase
Units
of ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC (the
Company
)] [Units of ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC (the
Company
)] (the
Units
), by
(the
Holder
) from
, the Holder hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:
The Holder has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that the Holder is
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Warrants and the Units issuable
upon the exercise thereof (collectively, the
Securities
); and, has the ability to bear
the economic risks of such Holders investment, including a complete loss of the Holders
investment in Securities.
The Holder, by acceptance of the [Warrants/Units], represents to the Company that the Warrants and
all securities acquired upon any and all exercises of the Warrants are purchased for the Holders
own account, and not with view to distribution of either the Warrants or any securities purchasable
upon exercise thereof in violation of applicable securities laws.
The Holder acknowledges that (i) the Securities have not been registered under the Act, (ii) the
certificate(s) representing the Securities shall bear a legend as set forth in the Warrant
Agreement until such Securities shall have been registered for resale by the Holder under the Act
that has been declared effective by the SEC; or (ii) in the opinion of counsel in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, such Securities may be sold without registration
under the Act.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Holder has caused this Investment Representation Letter to be executed in
its corporate name by its duly authorized officer this [___] day of [
], 20[___].
[Name]
EXHIBIT
C
ASSIGNMENT FORM
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned owner of this Warrant for the purchase of Units of ADVANCED
BIOENERGY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
Company
) hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto the assignee named below all of the rights of the undersigned under this Warrant,
with respect to the number of Units set forth below:
(Name and Address of Assignee)
(Number of Units)
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
attorney-in-fact to register
such transfer on the books of the Company, maintained for the purpose, with full power of
substitution in the premises.
Dated:
[Name]
Exhibit 4.4
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
AND
HAWKEYE ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC
August 28, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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1.
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Definitions
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1
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2.
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Registration Rights
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4
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2.1
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Demand Registration
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4
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2.2
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Company Registration
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6
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2.3
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Underwriting Requirements
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6
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2.4
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Obligations of the Company
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7
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2.5
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Furnish Information
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9
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2.6
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Expenses of Registration
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9
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2.7
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Indemnification
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9
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2.8
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Reports Under Exchange Act
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12
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2.9
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Limitations on Subsequent Registration Rights
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12
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2.10
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Market Stand-off Agreement
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13
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2.11
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Restrictions on Transfer
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13
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2.12
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Termination of Registration Rights
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15
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3.
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Miscellaneous
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15
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3.1
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Successors and Assigns
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15
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3.2
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Governing Law
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15
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3.3
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Counterparts; Facsimile
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15
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3.4
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Titles and Subtitles
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15
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3.5
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Notices
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15
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3.6
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Amendments and Waivers
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16
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3.7
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Severability
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17
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3.8
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Aggregation of Securities
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17
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3.9
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Entire Agreement
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17
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3.10
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Delays or Omissions
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17
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i
Advanced BioEnergy, LLC
Registration Rights Agreement
This
Registration Rights Agreement (this
Agreement
) is
made as of the 28
th
day of
August, 2009, between Advanced BioEnergy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
Company
), and Hawkeye Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (
Hawkeye
).
Background
A. On the date hereof, the Company and Hawkeye entered into that certain Subscription
Agreement (the
Subscription Agreement
) and letter agreement (the
Subscription Letter Agreement
and together with the Subscription Agreement, the
Subscription Documents
) providing for the
issuance and sale of Units to Hawkeye.
B. In connection with the Subscription Documents the Parties desire to provide Hawkeye with
the right, among other rights, to demand the registration of Registrable Securities (as defined
below) held by Hawkeye in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Capitalized terms used
herein but not otherwise defined have the meaning given to them in the Subscription Documents.
Agreement
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises contained herein,
the Parties agree as follows:
1.
Definitions
. For purposes of this Agreement:
1.1
Affiliate
means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person who or which,
directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such specified
Person, including without limitation any general partner, officer, director, or manager of such
Person.
1.2
Damages
means any loss, damage, or liability to which a party hereto may become subject
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state law, insofar as such loss,
damage, or liability (or any action in respect thereof) arises out of or is based upon (a) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration
statement of the Company, including any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained
therein or any amendments or supplements thereto; (b) an omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; or (c) any violation or alleged violation by the indemnifying party (or any of its
agents or Affiliates) of the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law, or any
rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or any state securities
law.
1.3
Derivative Securities
means any securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or
exchangeable for (in each case, directly or indirectly), Units, including options and warrants.
1.4
EIP
means Ethanol Investment Partners, LLC.
1.5
EIP Holder
means any Holder as that term is defined under the EIP Registration Rights
Agreement.
1.6
EIP Registration Rights Agreement
means that certain Registration Rights Agreement dated
as of June 2, 2007 between the Company and EIP.
1.7
Exchange Act
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
1.8
Excluded Registration
means (a) a registration relating to the sale of securities to
employees of the Company or a subsidiary pursuant to a stock option, stock purchase, or similar
plan or (b) a registration relating to an SEC Rule 145 transaction.
1.9
Form S-1
means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or any
successor registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC.
1.10
Form S-2
means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or
any successor registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC.
1.11
Form S-3
means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or
any registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC that permits
incorporation of substantial information by reference to other documents filed by the Company with
the SEC.
1.12
GAAP
means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
1.13
Holder
means any holder of Registrable Securities who is a party to this Agreement,
including permitted transferees that agree in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement.
1.14
Initiating Holders
means, collectively, Holders who properly initiate a registration
request under this Agreement.
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 2
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1.15
IPO
means the Companys first underwritten public offering of its Units or other equity
securities under the Securities Act after the date of this Agreement.
1.16
Operating Agreement
means that certain Third Amended and Restated Operating Agreement
of the Company dated as of February 1, 2006, as may be amended from time to time.
1.17
Person
means any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability
company, association or other entity.
1.18
Registrable Securities
means (a) the Units beneficially owned by Hawkeye from time to
time; and (b) any Units issued as (or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of any warrant,
right, or other security that is issued as) a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in
exchange for or in replacement of, the Units referenced in clause (a) above, including without
limitation any Units which are issued to Hawkeye subsequent to the conversion resulting from any
stock split or merger, and excluding in all cases, however, any Registrable Securities sold by a
Person in a transaction in which the applicable rights under this Agreement are not assigned
pursuant to Section 3.1, and excluding for purposes of Section 2 any Units for which registration
rights have terminated pursuant to Section 2.12 of this Agreement.
1.19
Restricted Securities
means the securities of the Company required to bear the legend
set forth in Section 2.11(b) hereof.
1.20
SDWG
means South Dakota Wheat Growers Association, a South Dakota cooperative.
1.21
SDWG Holder
means any Holder as that term is defined under the SDWG Investor Rights
Agreement.
1.22
SDWG Investor Rights Agreement
means that certain Investor Rights Agreement dated as of
November 8, 2006 between the Company and SDWG, as amended.
1.23
SEC
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.24
SEC Rule 144
means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.
1.25
SEC Rule 145
means Rule 145 promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.
1.26
Securities Act
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 3
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1.27
Selling Expenses
means all underwriting discounts, selling commissions, and stock
transfer taxes applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities, and fees and disbursements of
counsel for any Holder, except for the fees and disbursements of the Selling Holder Counsel borne
and paid by the Company as provided in
Section 2.6
.
1.28
Units
means units of membership interests in the Company, or shares or other equity
interests of the Company issued in exchange for or otherwise in connection with any transaction as
described in Section 2.1.
2.
Registration Rights
. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
2.1
Demand Registration
.
(a)
Form S-1 Demand
. If at any time after the earlier of (i) one year after the date
of this Agreement or (ii) ninety (90) days after the effective date of the registration statement
for the IPO or such longer period after the IPO if the Holders cannot sell their securities as a
result of executing a market stand-off agreement contemplated by Section 2.10 hereof, the Company
receives a request from Holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Registrable
Securities that the Company file a Form S-1 registration statement with respect to at least
seventy-five percent (75%) of the Registrable Securities (or any lesser percentage if the
anticipated aggregate offering price, net of Selling Expenses, would exceed $15 million), then the
Company shall (x) within ten (10) days after the date such request is given, give notice thereof
(the
Demand Notice
) to all Holders other than the Initiating Holders (including for purposes of
this Section 2.1(a), solely for purposes of this clause (x), any EIP Holder and any SDWG Holder);
and (y) as soon as practicable, and in any event within forty-five (45) days after the date such
request is given by the Initiating Holders, file a Form S-1 registration statement under the
Securities Act covering all Registrable Securities that the Initiating Holders requested to be
registered and any additional Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration
by any other Holders (including for purposes of this Section 2.1(a), solely for purposes of this
clause (y), any EIP Holder and any SDWG Holder), as specified by notice given by each such Holder
to the Company within twenty (20) days of the date the Demand Notice is given, and in each case,
subject to the limitations of Section 2.1(c) and Section 2.3.
(b)
Form S-3 Demand
. If at any time when it is eligible to use a Form S-3
registration statement, the Company receives a request from Holders of at least fifty percent (50%)
of the Registrable Securities that the Company file a Form S-3 registration statement with respect
to at least fifty percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities (or any lesser percentage if the
anticipated aggregate offering price, net of Selling Expenses, would exceed $15 million), then the
Company shall (i) within ten (10) days after the date such request is given, give a Demand Notice
to all Holders other than the Initiating Holders (including for purposes of this Section 2.1(b),
solely for purposes of this clause (i), any EIP Holder and any SDWG Holder); and (ii) as soon as
practicable, and in any event within forty-five (45) days after the date such request is given by
the Initiating Holders, file a Form S-3 registration statement under the Securities Act covering
all Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration by any other Holders
(including for purposes of this Section 2.1(b), solely for purposes of this clause (ii), any EIP
Holder and any SDWG Holder), as specified by notice given by each such Holder to the
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 4
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Company within
twenty (20) days of the date the Demand Notice is given, and in each case, subject to the
limitations of Section 2.1(c) and Section 2.3.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing obligations, if the Company furnishes to Holders requesting
a registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or Section 2.1(b) a certificate signed by the Companys
chief executive officer stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board it
would be materially detrimental to the Company and its members for such registration statement
to either become effective or remain effective for as long as such registration statement otherwise
would be required to remain effective, because such action would (i) materially interfere with a
significant acquisition, corporate reorganization, or other similar transaction involving the
Company; or (ii) require premature disclosure of material information that the Company has a bona
fide business purpose for preserving as confidential; and it is therefore necessary to defer the
filing of such registration statement, then the Company shall have the right to defer taking action
with respect to such filing, and any time periods with respect to filing or effectiveness thereof
shall be tolled correspondingly, for a period of not more than thirty (30) days after the request
of the Initiating Holders is given; provided, however, that the Company may not invoke this right
more than once in any twelve (12) month period; and provided further that the Company shall not
register any securities for its own account or that of any other member during such thirty (30) day
period other than an Excluded Registration.
(d) The Company shall not be obligated to effect, or to take any action to effect, any
registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a): (i) during the period that is thirty (30) days before the
Companys good faith estimate of the date of filing of, and ending on a date that is ninety (90)
days after the effective date of, a Company-initiated registration, provided, that the Company is
actively employing in good faith commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration
statement to become effective; (ii) after the Company has effected two registrations pursuant to
Section 2.1(a); or (iii) if the Initiating Holders propose to dispose of shares of Registrable
Securities that may be immediately registered on Form S-3 pursuant to a request made pursuant to
Section 2.1(b). The Company shall not be obligated to effect, or to take any action to effect, any
registration pursuant to Section 2.1(b): (x) during the period that is thirty (30) days before the
Companys good faith estimate of the date of filing of, and ending on a date that is ninety (90)
days after the effective date of, a Company-initiated registration, provided, that the Company is
actively employing in good faith commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration
statement to become effective; or (y) if the Company has effected two registrations pursuant to
Section 2.1(b) within the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the date of such request.
A registration shall not be counted as effected for purposes of this Section 2.1(d) until such
time as the applicable registration statement has been declared effective by the SEC, unless the
Company has performed its obligations hereunder in all material respects, the Initiating Holders
withdraw their request for such registration, the Initiating Holders elect not to pay the
registration expenses therefor, and the Initiating Holders forfeit their right to one demand
registration statement pursuant to Section 2.6, in which case such withdrawn registration statement
shall be counted as effected for purposes of this Section 2.1(d).
2.2
Company Registration
. If the Company proposes to register (including, for this
purpose, a registration effected by the Company for equity holders other than the Holders,
including, without limitation, pursuant to the EIP Registration Rights Agreement or the
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 5
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SDWG
Investor Rights Agreement) any of its securities under the Securities Act in connection with the
public offering of such securities solely for cash (other than in an Excluded Registration), the
Company shall, at such time, promptly give each Holder notice of such registration. Upon the
request of each Holder given within twenty (20) days after such notice is given by the Company, the
Company shall, subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, cause to be registered all of the
Registrable Securities that each such Holder has requested to be included in such registration.
The Company shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration
initiated by it under this Section 2.2 before the effective date of such registration, whether
or not any Holder has elected to include Registrable Securities in such registration. The expenses
(other than Selling Expenses) of such withdrawn registration shall be borne by the Company in
accordance with Section 2.6.
2.3
Underwriting Requirements
.
(a) If, pursuant to Section 2.1, the Initiating Holders intend to distribute the Registrable
Securities covered by their request by means of an underwriting, they shall so advise the Company
as a part of their request made pursuant to Section 2.1, and the Company shall include such
information in the Demand Notice. The underwriter(s) will be selected by the Company and shall be
reasonably acceptable to a majority in interest of the Initiating Holders. In such event, the
right of any Holder to include such Holders Registrable Securities in such registration shall be
conditioned upon such Holders participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such
Holders Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Holders
proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall (together with the Company
as provided in Section 2.4(e)) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the
underwriter(s) selected for such underwriting. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section
2.3, if the underwriter(s) advise(s) the Initiating Holders in writing that marketing factors
require a limitation on the number of equity securities to be underwritten, then the Initiating
Holders shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities that otherwise would be underwritten
pursuant hereto, and the number of equity securities that may be included in the underwriting shall
be allocated as follows: (1) as between the Holders of Registrable Securities that are party to
this Agreement (the
Hawkeye Holders
), the EIP Holders and the SDWG Holders in proportion (as
nearly as practicable) to the number of equity securities that each group requested to be included
in the underwriting, and then (2) as between the persons that comprise the Hawkeye Holders, the EIP
Holders and the SDWG Holders in proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the number of equity
securities owned by each holder or in such other proportion as shall mutually be agreed to by all
such holders; provided, however, that the number of Registrable Securities held by the Hawkeye
Holders to be included in such underwriting shall not be reduced unless all other securities,
except the equity securities requested to be included in the underwriting by the EIP Holders and
the SDWG Holders which shall be reduced as contemplated in the prior sentence, are first entirely
excluded from the underwriting.
(b) In connection with any offering involving an underwriting of the Companys securities
pursuant to Section 2.2, the Company shall not be required to include any of the Holders
Registrable Securities in such underwriting unless the Holders accept the terms of the underwriting
agreement as agreed upon between the Company and its underwriters (which underwriting agreement
shall contain customary terms and conditions), and then only in such
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quantity as the underwriters
in their reasonable discretion determine will not jeopardize the success of the offering by the
Company. If the total number of securities, including Registrable Securities, requested by
security holders of the Company to be included in such offering exceeds the number of securities to
be sold (other than by the Company) that the underwriters in their reasonable discretion determine
is compatible with the success of the offering, then the Company shall be required to include in
the offering only that number of such securities, including Registrable Securities, which the
underwriters in their reasonable discretion determine will not jeopardize the success of the
offering. If the underwriters determine that less than all of the
Registrable Securities requested to be registered can be included in such offering, then the
Registrable Securities that are included in such offering shall be allocated among the selling
Holders in proportion (as nearly as practicable to) the number of Registrable Securities owned by
each selling Holder or in such other proportions as shall mutually be agreed to by all such selling
Holders; provided, however, in no event shall any securities held by any SDWG Holder be eliminated
unless all Registrable Securities held by all EIP Holders and all Hawkeye Holders are completely
eliminated. For purposes of the provision in this Section 2.3(b) concerning apportionment, for any
selling Holder that is a partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, the partners,
members, retired partners, retired members, stockholders, and Affiliates of such Holder, shall be
deemed to be a single selling Holder, and any pro rata reduction with respect to such selling
Holder shall be based upon the aggregate number of Registrable Securities owned by all Persons
included in such selling Holder as defined in this sentence.
(c) For purposes of Section 2.1, a registration shall not be counted as effected if, as a
result of an exercise of the underwriters cutback provisions in Section 2.3, fewer than fifty
percent (50%) of the total number of Registrable Securities that Holders have requested to be
included in such registration statement are actually included.
2.4
Obligations of the Company
. Whenever required under this Section 2 to effect the
registration of any Registrable Securities, the Company shall, as expeditiously as reasonably
possible:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to such Registrable
Securities and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to
become effective and, upon the request of the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities
registered thereunder, keep such registration statement effective for a period of up to one hundred
eighty (180) days or, if earlier, until the distribution contemplated in the registration statement
has been completed; provided, however, that (i) such one hundred eighty (180) day period shall be
extended for a period of time equal to the period the Holder refrains, at the request of the
Company or an underwriter of Units (or other securities) of the Company, from selling any
securities included in such registration, and (ii) in the case of any registration of Registrable
Securities on Form S-3 that are intended to be offered on a continuous or delayed basis, subject to
compliance with applicable SEC rules, such one hundred eighty (180) day period shall be extended
for up to two hundred forty (240) days, if necessary, to keep the registration statement effective
until all such Registrable Securities are sold;
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(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration
statement, and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement, as may be
necessary to comply with the Securities Act in order to enable the disposition of all securities
covered by such registration statement;
(c) furnish to the selling Holders such numbers of copies of a prospectus, including a
preliminary prospectus, as required by the Securities Act, and such other documents as the Holders
may reasonably request in order to facilitate their disposition of their Registrable Securities;
(d) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register and qualify the securities covered by
such registration statement under such other securities or blue-sky laws of such jurisdictions as
shall be reasonably requested by the selling Holders; provided that the Company shall not be
required to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to service of process in any such
states or jurisdictions, unless the Company is already subject to service in such jurisdiction and
except as may be required by the Securities Act;
(e) in the event of any underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations
under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the underwriter(s) of such
offering;
(f) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all such Registrable Securities covered
by such registration statement to be listed on a national securities exchange or trading system and
each securities exchange and trading system (if any) on which similar securities issued by the
Company are then listed;
(g) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities registered pursuant
to this Agreement and provide a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not
later than the effective date of such registration;
(h) promptly make available for inspection by the selling Holders, any underwriter(s)
participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement, and any attorney or
accountant or other agent retained by any such underwriter or selected by the selling Holders, all
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents, and properties of the Company, and
cause the Companys officers, directors, employees, and independent accountants to supply all
information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant, or agent,
in each case, as necessary or advisable to verify the accuracy of the information in such
registration statement and to conduct appropriate due diligence in connection therewith;
(i) notify each selling Holder, promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the
time when such registration statement has been declared effective or a supplement to any prospectus
forming a part of such registration statement has been filed; and
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(j) after such registration statement becomes effective, notify each selling Holder of any
request by the SEC that the Company amend or supplement such registration statement or prospectus.
2.5
Furnish Information
. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the
Company to take any action pursuant to Section 2 with respect to the Registrable Securities of any
selling Holder that such Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the
Registrable Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of such securities as is
reasonably required to effect the registration of such Holders Registrable Securities.
2.6
Expenses of Registration
. All expenses (other than Selling Expenses) incurred in
connection with registrations, filings, or qualifications pursuant to Section 2, including all
registration, filing, and qualification fees; printers and accounting fees; fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Company; and the reasonable fees and disbursements of one
counsel for the selling Holders (
Selling Holder Counsel
), shall be borne and paid by the Company;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay for any expenses of any
registration proceeding begun pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or Section 2.1(b) if the registration
request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of the Holders of a majority of the Registrable
Securities to be registered (in which case all selling Holders, including the EIP Holders and the
SDWG Holders, shall bear such expenses pro rata based upon the number of Registrable Securities
that were actually to be included in the withdrawn registration), unless the Holders of a majority
of the Registrable Securities agree to forfeit their right to one registration pursuant to Section
2.1(a) or Section 2.1(b), as the case may be; provided further that if, at the time of such
withdrawal, the Holders have learned of a material adverse change in the condition, business, or
prospects of the Company from that known to the Holders at the time of their request and have
withdrawn the request with reasonable promptness after learning of such information, then the
Holders shall not be required to pay any of such expenses and shall not forfeit their right to one
registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or Section 2.1(b). All Selling Expenses relating to
Registrable Securities registered pursuant to Section 2 shall be borne and paid by the Holders pro
rata on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities registered on their behalf.
2.7
Indemnification
. If any Registrable Securities are included in a registration
statement under this Section 2:
(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify and hold harmless each selling
Holder, and the partners, members, officers, directors, employees, agents and stockholders of each
such Holder; legal counsel, accountants and other advisors for each such Holder; any underwriter
(as defined in the Securities Act) for each such Holder; and each Person, if any, who controls such
Holder or underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any
Damages, and the Company will pay to each such Holder, underwriter, controlling Person, or other
aforementioned Person any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred thereby in connection with
investigating or defending any claim or proceeding from which Damages may result, as such expenses
are incurred; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 2.7(a)
shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim or proceeding if such settlement is
effected without the consent of
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the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, nor
shall the Company be liable for any Damages to the extent that they arise out of or are based upon
actions or omissions made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information
furnished by or on behalf of any such Holder, underwriter, controlling Person, or other
aforementioned Person expressly for use in such registration statement.
(b) To the extent permitted by law, each selling Holder, severally and not jointly, will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and each of its directors, each of its officers who has
signed the registration statement, each Person (if any), who controls the Company within the
meaning of the Securities Act, legal counsel, accountants and other advisors for the Company, any
underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act), any other Holder selling securities in such
registration statement, and any controlling Person of any such underwriter or other Holder, against
any Damages, in each case only to the extent that such Damages arise out of or are based upon
actions or omissions made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information
furnished by or on behalf of such selling Holder expressly for use in such
registration statement; and each such selling Holder will pay, severally and not jointly, to
the Company and each other aforementioned Person any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
thereby in connection with investigating or defending any claim or proceeding from which such
indemnifiable Damages may result, as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this Section 2.7(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement
of any such claim or proceeding if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Holder,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and provided further that in no event shall any
indemnity under this Section 2.7(b) exceed the net proceeds from the offering received by such
Holder, except in the case of common law fraud or willful misconduct by such Holder.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 2.7 of notice of the
commencement of any action (including any governmental action) for which a party may be entitled to
indemnification hereunder, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against any indemnifying party under this Section 2.7, give the indemnifying party notice of the
commencement thereof. The indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in such action
and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, participate jointly with any other
indemnifying party to which notice has been given, and to assume the defense thereof with counsel
mutually satisfactory to the parties; provided, however, that an indemnified party (together with
all other indemnified parties that may be represented without conflict by one counsel) shall have
the right to retain one separate counsel, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying
party, if representation of such indemnified party by the counsel retained by the indemnifying
party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflicting interests between such
indemnified party and any other party represented by such counsel in such action. The failure to
give notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such
action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the indemnified party under
this Section 2.7, unless such failure actually and materially prejudices the indemnifying partys
ability to defend such action.
(d) Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, the foregoing indemnity agreements
of the Company and the selling Holders are subject to the condition that,
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insofar as they relate to
any Damages arising from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in, or omission or alleged omission of a material fact from, a preliminary prospectus (or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading) that has been corrected in the form of
prospectus included in the registration statement at the time it becomes effective, or any
amendment or supplement thereto filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act
(the
Final Prospectus
), such indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Person if
a copy of the Final Prospectus was furnished to the indemnified party and such indemnified party
failed to deliver, at or before the confirmation of the sale of the shares registered in such
offering, a copy of the Final Prospectus to the Person asserting the loss, liability, claim, or
damage in any case in which such delivery was required by the Securities Act.
(e) To provide for just and equitable contribution to joint liability under the Securities Act
in any case in which either (i) any party otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder makes a
claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 2.7 but it is judicially determined (by the
entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and
the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such
indemnification may not be enforced in such case, notwithstanding the fact that this Section 2.7
provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may be
required on the part of any party hereto for which indemnification is provided under this Section
2.7, then, and in each such case, such parties will contribute to the aggregate losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, or expenses to which they may be subject (after contribution from others) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of each of the indemnifying party
and the indemnified party in connection with the statements, omissions, or other actions that
resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability, or expense, as well as to reflect any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the
indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
allegedly untrue statement of a material fact, or the omission or alleged omission of a material
fact, relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the
parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission; provided, however, that, in any such case, (x) no Holder will be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the public offering price of all such Registrable
Securities offered and sold by such Holder pursuant to such registration statement, and (y) no
Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation; and provided further that in no event shall a Holders liability
pursuant to this Section 2.7(e), when combined with the amounts paid or payable by such Holder
pursuant to Section 2.7(b), exceed the net proceeds from the offering received by such Holder (net
of any Selling Expenses) paid by such Holder), except in the case of willful misconduct or common
law fraud by such Holder.
(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and
contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with the
underwritten public offering are in conflict with the foregoing provisions, the provisions in the
underwriting agreement shall control; provided, however, that the provisions on indemnification and
contribution contained in the underwriting agreement shall not
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contain provisions which expose the
Holders to greater liability (including greater liability resulting from reduced indemnification
rights) than the terms contained herein.
(g) The obligations of the Company and Holders under this Section 2.7 shall survive the
completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a registration under Section 2 and shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.
2.8
Reports Under Exchange Act
. With a view to making available to the Holders the
benefits of SEC Rule 144 and any other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit a
Holder to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration or pursuant to a
registration on Form S-3, the Company shall:
(a) make and keep available adequate current public information, as those terms are understood
and defined in SEC Rule 144, at all times;
(b) use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports
and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act ; and
(c) furnish to any Holder, so long as the Holder owns any Registrable Securities, upon request
(i) to the extent accurate, a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the
reporting requirements of SEC Rule 144, the Securities Act, and the Exchange Act, or that it
qualifies as a registrant whose securities may be resold pursuant to Form S-3 (at any time after
the Company so qualifies); (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company
and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company; and (iii) such other information as
may be reasonably requested in availing any Holder of any rule or regulation of the SEC that
permits the selling of any such securities without registration or pursuant to Form S-3 (at any
time after the Company so qualifies to use such form).
2.9
Limitations on Subsequent Registration Rights
. From and after the date of this
Agreement, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Holders of a majority of
the Registrable Securities, enter into any agreement with any holder or prospective holder of any
securities of the Company that would allow such holder or prospective holder to include such
securities in any Company registration or demand registration of any securities held by such holder
or prospective holder unless, under the terms of such agreement, such holder or prospective holder
may include such securities in any such registration only on a
pari passu
basis to the number of
the Registrable Securities of the Holders that are included. The Company shall not amend the EIP
Registration Rights Agreement or the SDWG Investor Rights Agreement in a manner adverse to the
Holders without the prior written consent of a majority in interest of the Holders.
2.10
Market Stand-off Agreement
. Each Holder hereby agrees that it will not,
without the prior written consent of the managing underwriter, during the period commencing on the
date of the final prospectus relating to the IPO or other registration by the Company for its own
behalf of Units or any other equity securities under the Securities Act on a registration statement
on Form S-1, Form S-2, or Form S-3, and ending on the date specified by
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the Company and the
managing underwriter (such period not to exceed (a) one hundred eighty (180) days in the case of
the IPO, which period may be extended upon the request of the managing underwriter for an
additional period of up to fifteen (15) days if the Company issues or proposes to issue an earnings
or other public release within fifteen (15) days of the expiration of the 180-day lockup period, or
(b) ninety (90) days in the case of any registration other than the IPO, which period may be
extended upon the request of the managing underwriter for an additional period of up to fifteen
(15) days if the Company issues or proposes to issue an earnings or other public release within
fifteen (15) days of the expiration of the 90-day lockup period), (i) lend; offer; pledge; sell;
contract to sell; sell any option or contract to purchase; purchase any option or contract to sell;
grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase; or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any Units or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable (directly
or indirectly) for Units held immediately before the effective date of the registration statement
for such offering or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in
whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such securities, whether any
such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Units or
other securities, in cash, or otherwise. The foregoing
provisions of this Section 2.10 shall not apply to the sale of any shares to an underwriter
pursuant to an underwriting agreement, and shall be applicable to the Holders only if all officers,
directors, and members individually owning more than five percent (5%) of the Companys outstanding
Units (or other voting equity securities) are subject to the same restrictions. Each Holder
further agrees to execute such agreements as may be reasonably requested by the underwriters in
connection with such registration that are consistent with this Section 2.10 or that are necessary
to give further effect thereto.
2.11
Restrictions on Transfer
.
(a) The Registrable Securities shall not be sold, pledged, or otherwise transferred, and the
Company shall not recognize any such sale, pledge, or transfer, except upon the conditions
specified in this Agreement and Section 9 of the Operating Agreement, which conditions are intended
to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act. A transferring Holder will cause
any proposed purchaser, pledgee, or transferee of the Registrable Securities held by such Holder to
agree to take and hold such securities subject to the provisions and upon the conditions specified
in this Agreement and the Operating Agreement.
(b) In addition to any legend requirements set forth in the Operating Agreement, each
certificate or instrument representing the Registrable Securities shall (unless otherwise permitted
by the provisions of Section 2.11(c)) be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend substantially
in the following form:
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND
HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933. SUCH SECURITIES
MAY NOT BE SOLD, PLEDGED, OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION
OR A VALID EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION AND PROSPECTUS DELIVERY
REQUIREMENTS OF SAID ACT.
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THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE TERMS OF THAT CERTAIN REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
COMPANY AND CERTAIN HOLDERS OF ITS SECURITIES, A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE WITH
THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY.
The Holders consent to the Company making a notation in its records and giving instructions to
any transfer agent of the Restricted Securities in order to implement the restrictions on transfer
set forth in this Section 2.11
(c) The holder of each certificate representing Restricted Securities, by acceptance thereof,
agrees to comply in all respects with the provisions of this Section 2. Before any proposed sale,
pledge, or transfer of any Restricted Securities, unless there is in effect a registration
statement under the Securities Act covering the proposed transaction, the Holder thereof shall give
notice to the Company of such Holders intention to effect such sale, pledge, or transfer. Each
such notice shall describe the manner and circumstances of the proposed sale, pledge, or transfer
in sufficient detail and, if reasonably requested by the Company, shall be accompanied at such
Holders expense by either (i) a written opinion of legal counsel who shall, and whose legal
opinion shall, be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, addressed to the Company, to the effect
that the proposed transaction may be effected without registration under the Securities Act; (ii) a
no action letter from the SEC to the effect that the proposed sale, pledge, or transfer of such
Restricted Securities without registration will not result in a recommendation by the staff of the
SEC that action be taken with respect thereto; or (iii) any other evidence reasonably satisfactory
to counsel to the Company to the effect that the proposed sale, pledge, or transfer of the
Restricted Securities may be effected without registration under the Securities Act, whereupon the
Holder of such Restricted Securities shall be entitled to sell, pledge, or transfer such Restricted
Securities in accordance with the terms of the notice given by the Holder to the Company. The
Company will not require such a legal opinion or no action letter (x) in any transaction in
compliance with SEC Rule 144 or (y) in any transaction in which such Holder distributes Restricted
Securities to an Affiliate of such Holder (which for the purposes of this sentence shall include
any member, partner or stockholder of such Holder) for no consideration; provided that in the case
of a transfer to an Affiliate each transferee agrees in writing to be subject to the terms of this
Section 2.11. Each certificate or instrument evidencing the Restricted Securities transferred as
above provided shall bear, except if such transfer is made pursuant to SEC Rule 144, the
appropriate restrictive legend set forth in Section 2.11(b), except that such certificate shall not
bear such restrictive legend if, in the opinion of counsel for such Holder and the Company, such
legend is not required in order to establish compliance with any provisions of the Securities Act.
2.12
Termination of Registration Rights
. The right of any Holder to request
registration or inclusion of Registrable Securities in any registration pursuant to Section 2.1 or
Section 2.2 shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (a) the closing of a transaction
resulting in a Dissolution Event as such term is defined in the Operating Agreement and (b) the
date on which such Holder is entitled to sell all of the Units owned by it pursuant to Rule 144
without compliance with any of the Rule 144 availability of adequate current public information
about the issuer, volume limitations, manner of sale requirements, filing of a Form 144 or other
conditions.
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3.
Miscellaneous
.
3.1
Successors and Assigns
. Except as set forth in this Section 3.1, this Agreement
shall not be assignable by Hawkeye without the prior written consent of the Company. Prior written
consent will not be required for any assignment of this Agreement by Hawkeye to an Affiliate
assignee or an assignee acquiring at least fifty percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities prior
to such assignment, provided that (i) the Company is, within a reasonable period of time after such
transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such assignee and (ii) such
assignee agrees in a written instrument satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by and subject to
the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is
intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and
permitted assignees any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this
Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.
3.2
Governing Law
. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Delaware as to matters within the scope
thereof, and as to all other matters shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws. In
any action between the parties arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement: (a) each of the parties irrevocably waives the right
to trial by jury; and (b) each of the parties irrevocably consents to service of process by first
class certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, to the address at which such party
is to receive notice in accordance with
Section 3.5
.
3.3
Counterparts; Facsimile
. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile
signature and in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of
which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
3.4
Titles and Subtitles
. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are for
convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
3.5
Notices
.
All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given
if delivered personally, telecopied (which is confirmed), one business day after being deposited
with a nationally recognized overnight courier, or two business days after being mailed by
registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) to the parties at the following addresses
(or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 15
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If to Hawkeye:
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with a copy to:
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Hawkeye Energy Holdings, LLC
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Thomas H. Lee Partners, LLP
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224 S. Bell Ave.
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100 Federal Street, 35th Floor
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Ames, Iowa 50010
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Boston, Massachusetts 02110
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Attention: Timothy B. Callahan
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Attention: Joshua M. Nelson
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Fax: (515) 233-5577
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Fax: (617) 227-3514
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and a copy to:
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Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
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100 Federal Street, 34th Floor
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Boston, Massachusetts 02110
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Attention: Steven M. Peck
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Fax: (617) 772-8333
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If to the Company:
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with a copy to:
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Advanced BioEnergy, LLC
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Faegre & Benson LLP
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10201 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 250
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2200 Wells Fargo Center
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Minneapolis, Minnesota 55305
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90 South Seventh Street
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Attention: President Donald Gales
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Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
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Fax: (763) 226-2725
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Attention: Peter J. Ekberg
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Fax: (612) 766-1600
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(a) If, during the period of time from and after any permissible assignment under Section 3.1
until the time the Company receives written notice of the name and address of the Affiliate
assignee, the Company provides notice to Hawkeye under this Agreement and in accordance with this
Section 3.5, the notice given to Hawkeye will be deemed to have been given to the Affiliate
assignee.
3.6
Amendments and Waivers
. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and the
observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular
instance, and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of the Company
and the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities;
provided
, that the Company may
in its sole discretion waive compliance with
Section 2.11(c)
(and the Companys failure to
object promptly in writing after notification of a proposed assignment allegedly in violation of
Section 2.11(c)
shall be deemed to be a waiver); and
provided further
, that any
provision hereof may be waived by any waiving party on such partys own behalf, without the consent
of any other party;
provided further
, however, this Agreement may not be amended or
terminated and the observance of any term hereof may not be waived with respect to any Holder
without the written consent of such Holder, unless such amendment, termination, or waiver applies
to all Holders in the same fashion. The Company shall give prompt notice of any amendment or
termination hereof or waiver hereunder to any party hereto that did not consent in writing to such
amendment, termination, or waiver. Any amendment, termination, or waiver effected in accordance
with this
Section 3.6
shall be binding on all parties hereto, regardless of whether any
such party has consented thereto. No waivers of or exceptions to any term,
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 16
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condition, or provision of this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be
or construed as a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition, or provision.
3.7
Severability
. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid
or unenforceable under any present or future law or regulation, and if the rights or obligations of
any party hereto under this Agreement will not be materially and adversely affected thereby, (a)
such provision will be fully severable, (b) this Agreement will be construed and enforced as if
such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part hereof, (c) the
remaining provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect and will not be
affected by the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision or by its severance from this Agreement
and (d) in lieu of such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision, there will be added
automatically as a part of this Agreement a legal, valid and enforceable provision as similar in
terms to such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible.
3.8
Aggregation of Securities
. All shares of Registrable Securities held or acquired
by Affiliates of a Holder shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the
availability of any rights under this Agreement of such Holder.
3.9
Entire Agreement
. This Agreement, together with the Subscription Documents
(including any Schedules and Exhibits hereto and thereto), constitutes the full and entire
understanding and agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and any
other written or oral agreement relating to the subject matter hereof existing between the parties
is expressly canceled.
3.10
Delays or Omissions
. No delay or omission to exercise any right, power, or
remedy accruing to any party under this Agreement, upon any breach or default of any other party
under this Agreement, shall impair any such right, power, or remedy of such nonbreaching or
nondefaulting party, nor shall it be construed to be a waiver of or acquiescence to any such breach
or default, or to any similar breach or default thereafter occurring, nor shall any waiver of any
single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or
thereafter occurring. All remedies, whether under this Agreement or by law or otherwise afforded
to any party, shall be cumulative and not alternative.
*****
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Advanced BioEnergy LLC Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
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Page 17
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The Parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the date first above written.
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ADVANCED BIOENERGY, LLC
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/s/ Richard R. Peterson
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Name:
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Richard R. Peterson
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Title:
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CEO
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HAWKEYE ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC
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/s/ Timothy B. Callahan
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Name:
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Timothy B. Callahan
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Title:
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Chief Financial Officer
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[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
Exhibit 4.5
Second Amendment to Investor Rights Agreement
This Second Amendment (the
Amendment
) is entered into as of August 28, 2009, by and among
Advanced BioEnergy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
Company
), and South Dakota
Wheat Growers Association, a South Dakota cooperative (
SDWG
).
Background
A. On November 8, 2006, the Company and SDWG entered into an investor rights agreement (as
amended, the
SDWG Investor Rights Agreement
) in connection with the purchase by the Company of
SDWGs limited partnership interest in Heartland Grain Fuels, L.P. (
HGF
).
B. On August 21, 2009, the Company entered into a subscription agreement with Hawkeye Energy
Holdings, LLC (
Hawkeye
) pursuant to which the Company agreed to enter into a registration rights
agreement with Hawkeye (the
Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
), provided the Company first
obtained, among other third party consents, SDWGs consent to grant such rights.
C. In connection with the execution of the Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement, ABE and SDWG
desire to amend the SDWG Investor Rights Agreement as follows:
Agreement
1.
Amendment to Article 1.
Article 1 of the SDWG Investor Rights Agreement is hereby
amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in the attached
Exhibit A
.
2.
Amendment to Section 2.3(a)
. Section 2.3(a) of the SDWG Investor Rights Agreement
is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in the attached
Exhibit B
.
3.
Amendment to Section 2.7
. Section 2.7 of the SDWG Investor Rights Agreement is
hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in
Exhibit C
.
4.
Amendment to Section 2.9
. Section 2.9 of the SDWG Investor Rights Agreement is
hereby amended by adding the following sentence to the end of that provision:
The Company shall not amend the Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement or the EIP
Registration Rights Agreement in a manner adverse to the Holders without the prior
written consent of a majority in interest of the Holders.
5.
Governing Law
.
The parties to this Amendment intend for the laws of the State of
Minnesota to govern the validity of this Amendment, the construction of its terms and the
interpretation of the rights and duties of the parties, without regard to the conflict of law
provisions of such state.
6.
Counterparts
. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original and enforceable against the parties actually executing such
counterpart, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
7.
Miscellaneous
. Except as specifically amended herein, the SDWG Investor Rights
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, as so amended. Any reference to this Amendment,
shall include the Recitals set forth in the beginning of this Amendment.
[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank.]
2
This Amendment has been executed by the parties hereto as of the date first set forth above.
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ADVANCED BIOENERGY LLC
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By:
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/s/ Richard Peterson
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Richard Peterson
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President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
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SOUTH DAKOTA WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIATION
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By:
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/s/ Dale Locken
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Dale Locken
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Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer
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3
EXHIBIT A
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLE 1
1.
Definitions
. For purposes of this Agreement:
1.1
Additional Financing
means the sale by the Company of additional Units as contemplated
by the registration statement on Form SB-2 filed by the Company with the SEC on September 13, 2006,
as amended from time to time thereafter.
1.2
Affiliate
means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person who or which,
directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such specified
Person, including without limitation any general partner, officer, director, or manager of such
Person.
1.3
Damages
means any loss, damage, or liability to which a party hereto may become subject
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state law, insofar as such loss,
damage, or liability (or any action in respect thereof) arises out of or is based upon (a) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration
statement of the Company, including any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained
therein or any amendments or supplements thereto; (b) an omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; or (c) any violation or alleged violation by the indemnifying party (or any of its
agents or Affiliates) of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law, or any
rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or any state securities
law.
1.4
Derivative Securities
means any securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or
exchangeable for (in each case, directly or indirectly), Units, including options and warrants.
1.5
EIP
means Ethanol Investment Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
1.6
EIP Holder
means any Holder as that term is defined under the Registration Rights
Agreement.
1.7
EIP Registration Rights Agreement
means that certain Registration Rights Agreement dated
as of June 25, 2007, between the Company and EIP, as amended.
1.8
Exchange Act
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
1.9
Excluded Registration
means (a) a registration of Units in connection with the
Additional Financing so long as such registration is declared effective by the SEC no later than
February 28, 2007; (b) a registration relating to the sale of securities to employees of
the Company or a subsidiary pursuant to a stock option, stock purchase, or similar plan; or (c) a
registration relating to an SEC Rule 145 transaction.
1.10
Form S-1
means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or
any successor registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC.
1.11
Form S-2
means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or
any successor registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC.
1.12
Form S-3
means such form under the Securities Act as in effect on the date hereof or
any registration form under the Securities Act subsequently adopted by the SEC that permits
incorporation of substantial information by reference to other documents filed by the Company with
the SEC.
1.13
GAAP
means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
1.14
Hawkeye
means Hawkeye Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
1.15
Hawkeye Holders
means any Holder as that term is defined under the Hawkeye
Registration Rights Agreement.
1.16
Hawkeye Registration Rights Agreement
means that certain Registration Rights Agreement
dated as of August 28, 2009, between the Company and Hawkeye.
1.17
Holder
means any holder of Registrable Securities who is a party to this Agreement,
including permitted transferees that agree in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement.
1.18
Initiating Holders
means, collectively, Holders who properly initiate a registration
request under this Agreement.
1.19
IPO
means the Companys first underwritten public offering of its Units or other equity
securities under the Securities Act.
1.20
Operating Agreement
means that certain Third Amended and Restated Operating Agreement
of the Company dated as of February 1, 2006, as amended from time to time.
1.21
Person
means any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability
company, association or other entity.
1.22
Registrable Securities
means (a) the Units issued to SDWG, and any Units acquired by
SDWG after the date hereof; and (b) any Units issued as (or issuable upon the conversion or
exercise of any warrant, right, or other security that is issued as) a dividend or other
distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, the Units referenced in
clause (a) above, excluding in all cases, however, any Registrable Securities sold by a Person in a
transaction in which the applicable rights under this Agreement are not assigned pursuant to
Section 3.1
, and excluding for purposes of
Section 2
any Units for which
registration rights have terminated pursuant to
Section 2.12
of this Agreement.
1.23
Restricted Securities
means the securities of the Company required to bear the legend
set forth in
Section 2.11(b)
hereof.
1.24
SEC
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.25
SEC Rule 144
means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.
1.26
SEC Rule 144(k)
means Rule 144(k) promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.
1.27
SEC Rule 145
means Rule 145 promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.
1.28
Securities Act
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
1.29
Selling Expenses
means all underwriting discounts, selling commissions, and stock
transfer taxes applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities, and fees and disbursements of
counsel for any Holder, except for the fees and disbursements of the Selling Holder Counsel borne
and paid by the Company as provided in
Section 2.6.
1.30
Units
means units of membership interests in the Company, or shares or other equity
interests of the Company issued in exchange for or otherwise in connection with any transaction as
described in
Section 2.1
.
EXHIBIT B
AMENDED AND RESTATED SECTION 2.3(a)
2.3
Underwriting Requirements
.
(a) If, pursuant to Section 2.1, the Initiating Holders intend to distribute the Registrable
Securities covered by their request by means of an underwriting, they shall so advise the Company
as a part of their request made pursuant to Section 2.1, and the Company shall include such
information in the Demand Notice. The underwriter(s) will be selected by the Company and shall be
reasonably acceptable to a majority in interest of the Initiating Holders. In such event, the
right of any Holder to include such Holders Registrable Securities in such registration shall be
conditioned upon such Holders participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such
Holders Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Holders
proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall (together with the Company
as provided in Section 2.4(e)) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the
underwriter(s) selected for such underwriting. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section
2.3, if the underwriter(s) advise(s) the Initiating Holders in writing that marketing factors
require a limitation on the number of equity securities to be underwritten, then the Initiating
Holders shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities that otherwise would be underwritten
pursuant hereto, and the number of equity securities that may be included in the underwriting shall
be allocated as follows: (1) as between Holders, the Hawkeye Holders and the EIP Holders, in
proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the number of equity securities that each group requested
to be included in the underwriting, and then (2) as between the persons that comprise the Holders,
the Hawkeye Holders, and the EIP Holders in proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the number of
equity securities owned by each such holder or in such other proportion as shall mutually be agreed
to by all such holders; provided, however, the number of Registrable Securities held by the Holders
to be included in such underwriting shall not be reduced unless all other securities, except the
equity securities requested to be included in the underwriting by the Hawkeye Holders and the EIP
Holders which shall be reduced as contemplated in the prior sentence, are first entirely excluded
from the underwriting.
EXHIBIT C
AMENDED AND RESTATED SECTION 2.7
2.7
Indemnification
. If any Registrable Securities are included in a registration
statement under this Section 2:
(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify and hold harmless each selling
Holder, and the partners, members, officers, directors, employees, agents and stockholders of each
such Holder; legal counsel, accountants and other advisors for each such Holder; any underwriter
(as defined in the Securities Act) for each such Holder; and each Person, if any, who controls such
Holder or underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any
Damages, and the Company will pay to each such Holder, underwriter, controlling Person, or other
aforementioned Person any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred thereby in connection with
investigating or defending any claim or proceeding from which Damages may result, as such expenses
are incurred; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 2.7(a)
shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim or proceeding if such settlement is
effected without the consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, nor
shall the Company be liable for any Damages to the extent that they arise out of or are based upon
actions or omissions made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information
furnished by or on behalf of any such Holder, underwriter, controlling Person, or other
aforementioned Person expressly for use in such registration statement.
(b) To the extent permitted by law, each selling Holder, severally and not jointly, will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and each of its directors, each of its officers who has
signed the registration statement, each Person (if any), who controls the Company within the
meaning of the Securities Act, legal counsel, accountants and other advisors for the Company, any
underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act), any other Holder selling securities in such
registration statement, and any controlling Person of any such underwriter or other Holder, against
any Damages, in each case only to the extent that such Damages arise out of or are based upon
actions or omissions made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information
furnished by or on behalf of such selling Holder expressly for use in such registration statement;
and each such selling Holder will pay, severally and not jointly, to the Company and each other
aforementioned Person any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred thereby in connection with
investigating or defending any claim or proceeding from which such indemnifiable Damages may
result, as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in
this Section 2.7(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim or proceeding
if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Holder, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld; and provided further that in no event shall any indemnity under this Section
2.7(b) exceed the net proceeds from the offering received by such Holder, except in the case of
common law fraud or willful misconduct by such Holder.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 2.7 of notice of the
commencement of any action (including any governmental action) for which a party may be entitled to
indemnification hereunder, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 2.7, give the
indemnifying party notice of the commencement thereof. The indemnifying party shall have the right
to participate in such action and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, participate
jointly with any other indemnifying party to which notice has been given, and to assume the defense
thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the parties; provided, however, that an indemnified
party (together with all other indemnified parties that may be represented without conflict by one
counsel) shall have the right to retain one separate counsel, with the fees and expenses to be paid
by the indemnifying party, if representation of such indemnified party by the counsel retained by
the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflicting interests
between such indemnified party and any other party represented by such counsel in such action. The
failure to give notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of
any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the indemnified party
under this Section 2.7, unless such failure actually and materially prejudices the indemnifying
partys ability to defend such action.
(d) Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, the foregoing indemnity agreements
of the Company and the selling Holders are subject to the condition that, insofar as they relate to
any Damages arising from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in, or omission or alleged omission of a material fact from, a preliminary prospectus (or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading) that has been corrected in the form of
prospectus included in the registration statement at the time it becomes effective, or any
amendment or supplement thereto filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act
(the
Final Prospectus
), such indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Person if
a copy of the Final Prospectus was furnished to the indemnified party and such indemnified party
failed to deliver, at or before the confirmation of the sale of the shares registered in such
offering, a copy of the Final Prospectus to the Person asserting the loss, liability, claim, or
damage in any case in which such delivery was required by the Securities Act.
(e) To provide for just and equitable contribution to joint liability under the Securities Act
in any case in which either (i) any party otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder makes a
claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 2.7 but it is judicially determined (by the
entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time
to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced
in such case, notwithstanding the fact that this Section 2.7 provides for indemnification in such
case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may be required on the part of any party hereto
for which indemnification is provided under this Section 2.7, then, and in each such case, such
parties will contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses to which
they may be subject (after contribution from others) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative fault of each of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in
connection with the statements, omissions, or other actions that resulted in such loss, claim,
damage, liability, or expense, as well as to reflect any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or allegedly untrue statement of a material
fact, or the omission or alleged omission of a material fact, relates to information supplied by
the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties relative intent, knowledge,
access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission; provided, however, that, in any such case, (x) no Holder will be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the public offering price of all such Registrable Securities
offered and sold by such Holder pursuant to such registration statement, and (y) no Person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be
entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation;
and provided further that in no event shall a Holders liability pursuant to this Section 2.7(e),
when combined with the amounts paid or payable by such Holder pursuant to Section 2.7(b), exceed
the net proceeds from the offering received by such Holder (net of any Selling Expenses) paid by
such Holder), except in the case of willful misconduct or common law fraud by such Holder.
(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and
contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with the
underwritten public offering are in conflict with the foregoing provisions, the provisions in the
underwriting agreement shall control; provided, however, that the provisions on indemnification and
contribution contained in the underwriting agreement shall not contain provisions which expose the
Holders to greater liability (including greater liability resulting from reduced indemnification
rights) than the terms contained herein.
(g) The obligations of the Company and Holders under this Section 2.7 shall survive the
completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a registration under Section 2 and shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.
Exhibit 10.1
EXCLUSIVE ETHANOL MARKETING AGREEMENT
August 28, 2009
This EXCLUSIVE ETHANOL MARKETING AGREEMENT (this
Agreement
) is made as of the date
first written above, and entered into and effective as of the Effective Date (as hereinafter
defined), by and among Hawkeye Gold, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (
Gold
),
and ABE Fairmont, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (
Producer
).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
Producer operates an ethanol plant located in or around Fairmont, Nebraska (as the
same may be expanded from time to time, including any conversion involving the use of new
technology, the
Plant
);
WHEREAS,
Producer desires to sell to Gold, and Gold desires to purchase from Producer, all of
the denatured fuel grade ethanol produced at the Plant (the
Ethanol
), all upon and
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
capitalized terms used in this Agreement are used herein as defined in
Section
45
hereof.
NOW, THEREFORE,
in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual agreements set forth
in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, Gold and Producer hereby agree as follows:
Section 1.
Purchase Orders
.
a.
Purchase Orders Generally
. Gold shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
from time to time submit purchase orders or purchase contracts (each a
Purchase Order
) to
Producer for purchases constituting, in the aggregate, the entire output of Ethanol from the Plant,
each such Purchase order to be upon and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Golds analysis of the commercial reasonableness of a Purchase Order may include, among other
factors, the performance and credit risk of the proposed end customer for the Ethanol in question.
b.
Form of Purchase Orders
. Gold may place a Purchase Order with Producer orally, by
email or by a written purchase order or contract in a form mutually acceptable to Producer and
Gold. The terms of any Purchase Order may include a request for the sale and delivery of Ethanol
on a one-time basis or on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or other periodic basis. Each
Purchase Order shall be irrevocable by Gold during the Acceptance Period (as defined below), unless
and until it becomes a Rejected Purchase Order. A Purchase Order may take the form of (A) a Direct
Fixed
Price Purchase Order (as defined below), (B) a Direct Index Price Purchase Order (as defined
below), (C) a Terminal Storage Purchase Order (as defined below), or (D) a transportation swap or
similar transaction that is mutually acceptable to Producer and Gold. Each Purchase Order shall be
subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement except, with respect to any Purchase Order,
to the extent expressly set forth in writing in such Purchase Order.
i.
Direct Fixed Price Purchase Orders
. Gold may place a Purchase
Order with Producer for a fixed quantity of Ethanol to be sold for a fixed
price-per-gallon to an end customer of Gold (each a
Direct Fixed Price
Purchase Order
). Delivery Payments for Direct Fixed Price Purchase Orders
will be paid by check of Gold or by wire transfer (according to Producers
preference) on or before the earliest to occur of the date that is two Business
Days after Gold receives payment for the relevant Ethanol from Golds customer and
the first Business Day that is at least 20 days after the date on which the
relevant Ethanol was loaded at the Plant (as evidenced by the date on which all
Payment Documents for such shipment have been delivered).
ii.
Direct Index Price Purchase Orders
. Gold may place a Purchase
Order with Producer for a fixed quantity of Ethanol to be sold for based on a
formula agreed upon between Gold and an end customer which formula takes into
account standard benchmark daily prices for a given period (for example: the
average Platts New York ethanol price-per-gallon for a given month), as specified
in such Purchase Order (each a
Direct Index Price Purchase Order
). Gold
and Golds end customer will agree on a pro forma initial purchase price-per-gallon
for Ethanol delivered pursuant to a Direct Index Price Purchase Order (with respect
to such Purchase Order, the
Pro Forma Price
). Delivery Payments of the
applicable Pro Forma Price for Direct Index Price Purchase Orders will be paid by
check of Gold or by wire transfer (according to Producers preference) on or before
the earliest to occur of the date that is two Business Days after Gold receives
payment for the relevant Ethanol from Golds customer and the first Business Day
that is at least 20 days after the date on which the relevant Ethanol was loaded at
the Plant (as evidenced by the date on which all Payment Documents for such
shipment have been delivered);
provided
,
however
, that Delivery
Payments for the sale of Terminal Storage Ethanol (as defined below) shall be paid
in accordance with
Section 1(b)(iii)
. For each delivery of Ethanol made
pursuant to a Direct Index Price Purchase Order, Gold shall, no later than seven
days after the end of the applicable calendar month during which a Delivery Payment
was paid for such Ethanol, inform Producer of the Final Purchase Price. If the
Final Purchase Price is lower than the Pro Forma Price of such Ethanol, Producer
shall be liable for such difference (each, a
Producer True-Up Amount
) and
Gold may, at its option, either (i)
2
invoice Producer for such Producer True-Up Amount, in which event Producer
shall pay such Producer True-Up Amount to Gold within five days of the date on
which such invoice is delivered to Producer; or (ii) include such Producer True-Up
Amount in the Set-Off Amount deductible from a future Delivery Payment or set off
against and withhold such Producer True-Up Amount from any Gold True-Up Amounts
then due and payable. If, however, the Final Purchase Price is greater than the
Pro Forma Price, then Gold shall, at its option, (i) pay such difference (each, a
Gold True-Up Amount
) to Producer within five days of Golds determination
thereof, or (ii) set off such Gold True-Up Amount against any Set-Off Amount then
due and owing to Gold.
iii.
Terminal Storage Purchase Orders
. Gold may place a Purchase Order
with Producer for a fixed quantity of Ethanol to be shipped to a terminal location
(with respect to such shipment, the
Terminal Storage Ethanol
) unsold to
an end customer with the intention of selling such Terminal Storage Ethanol
en
route
or after delivery to the terminal (
Terminal Storage Purchase
Orders
). Gold will determine and specify a Pro Forma Price for the Terminal
Storage Ethanol in any Terminal Storage Purchase Order, to be used for Producers
and Golds respective accounting purposes, but such Pro Forma Price will not
represent the final Delivery Payment for such Terminal Storage Purchase Order.
Gold will submit one or more Direct Fixed Price Purchase Orders or Direct Index
Price Purchase Order for the Terminal Storage Ethanol when the applicable shipment
is
en route
or after delivery to the terminal (each such Purchase Order, with
respect to the Terminal Storage Ethanol, a
Supplemental Purchase Order
).
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any Delivery Payment
for Terminal Storage Ethanol will be paid by check of Gold or by wire transfer
(according to Producers preference) on or before the earliest to occur of the date
that is two Business Days after Gold receives payment for the relevant Terminal
Storage Ethanol from Golds customer; and the first Business Day that is at least
20 days after the date on which the relevant Terminal Storage Ethanol was actually
shipped or transferred to Golds end customer. Subject to Golds duties pursuant
to
Section 16(a)(i)
, in the event that any Terminal Storage Ethanol remains
unsold for more than 30 days after delivery to the applicable storage terminal,
Gold shall have the right and authority to sell such Terminal Storage Ethanol to
such customer or customers as are determined by Gold, and without any notice to or
further approval of Producer;
provided
, that upon consummation of any such
sale, Gold shall make a Delivery Payment for such Terminal Storage Ethanol as
though such sale were an Accepted Supplemental Purchase Order.
3
Section 2.
Acceptance or Rejection of Purchase Orders
. Producer shall, in its sole
discretion (based on Producers commercially reasonable judgment), accept or reject each Purchase
Order, in whole, but not in part. Producer shall notify Gold of whether Producer accepts or
rejects each particular Purchase Order within the time period specified in the Purchase Order, or
if no time period is specified in the Purchase Order, by 5:00 p.m. (Ames, Iowa local time) on the
date on which such Purchase Order is submitted (in either case, the
Acceptance Period
),
and if Producer fails to notify Gold within the Acceptance Period, Producer shall be deemed to have
rejected the Purchase Order. Gold reserves the right to require Producer to accept or reject any
particular Purchase Order in writing. Producer hereby acknowledges that Gold will rely on Accepted
Purchase Orders in its decisions to enter into third-party agreements for the sale of Ethanol to
Golds end customers. In the event that Producer is unable to deliver Ethanol (due to unforeseen
production shortfalls or otherwise) pursuant to the terms of a given Accepted Purchase Order, Gold
will use its commercially reasonable efforts to restructure the corresponding third-party agreement
or otherwise procure replacement ethanol for delivery to its end customer. If, as a result of
Producers failure to deliver, Gold incurs costs in replacing such Ethanol or terminating such
third-party agreement, Producer shall pay to Gold all such replacement or other costs incurred by
Gold in fulfilling or terminating its obligations to the respective end customer (collectively
Replacement Costs
).
Section 3.
Payment Documents
. As a precondition to Golds obligation to make the
Delivery Payment for a given shipment of Ethanol, Gold shall have received from Producer all meter
certificates, bills of lading and certificates of analysis (each in proper form) for such shipment
(collectively, the
Payment Documents
). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if Gold has not received all Payment Documents for a given Ethanol shipment by the
applicable payment date for such shipment, the Delivery Payment for such shipment shall instead be
made on the second Business Day following the receipt of all Payment Documents for such shipment.
Section 4.
Optional Accelerated Delivery Payments
.
Producer may elect to receive
Delivery Payments on a consistent weekly basis for a given calendar quarter (or quarters) by giving
advance written notice of such election to Gold at least 14 days prior to the start of the first
calendar quarter to which such notice applies, and specifying the quarter(s) to which such notice
applies (each such notice, a
Payment Acceleration Notice
). Gold shall accept or reject
each Payment Acceleration Notice within 10 days of Golds receipt thereof, and if Gold fails to
notify Producer within such 10 day period, Gold shall be deemed to have accepted such Payment
Acceleration Notice. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, during any
calendar quarter for which a Payment Acceleration Notice has been properly delivered to and
accepted by Gold:
a. Gold shall make Delivery Payments each Thursday for all Direct Shipments that were
previously delivered to Gold and all Terminal Storage Shipments that were previously shipped to
Golds customers, in each case for which a Delivery Payment has not previously been made and with
respect to which the Payment
4
Documents were received by Gold on or before 11:59 p.m. on the preceding Sunday (each such
date of payment, a
Payment Acceleration Date
);
b. the Set-Off Amount that may be deducted from any Delivery Payment shall include an amount
equal to 0.41% (such percentage, or such other percentage of which Gold may later notify Producer
upon 10 days advance written notice, the
Surcharge Percentage
) multiplied by the amount
of such Delivery Payment (such amount the
Acceleration Surcharge Amount
); and
c. upon written notice to Producer of an increase in the Surcharge Percentage, Producer may,
at its option, terminate any then-effective Payment Acceleration Notice at any time prior to the
effective date of such increased Surcharge Percentage.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Gold may, (i) upon 10 days advance
written notice, terminate Producers right to submit and receive the benefits of future Payment
Acceleration Notices, in which case, upon the expiration of any then-effective Payment Acceleration
Notice(s), all Delivery Payments will be made pursuant to
Section 1
, and (ii) upon 10 days
advance written notice terminate any then-effective Payment Acceleration Notice, in which case all
remaining Delivery Payments will be made during such calendar quarter pursuant to
Section
1
.
Section 5.
Production and Loading Schedules
.
a.
Production Schedules
. From time to time as commercially reasonable and necessary,
Producer shall provide to Gold production schedules that will to the best of Producers knowledge,
accurately specify the Ethanol production schedule at the Plant for upcoming period of production
broken down by week and by calendar month. Producer shall also provide to Gold, on a daily basis
by 8:30 a.m. (Ames, Iowa local time), a status report regarding that days Ethanol inventory and
production schedule for the Plant. Producer shall utilize its best efforts to produce the amount
of Ethanol set out in its previously submitted production schedules and shall in all events fulfill
each Accepted Purchase Order.
b.
Loading Schedules
. Gold shall schedule the loading and shipping of Ethanol which
becomes the subject of an Accepted Purchase Order, and shall provide Producer with daily or other
periodic loading schedules (each a
Loading Schedule
and, collectively, the
Loading
Schedules
) specifying the quantities of Ethanol to be removed from the Plant each day, and
specifying the method of removal (i.e., by truck or rail), with sufficient advance notice so as to
allow Producer, acting in a commercially reasonable manner, to timely perform Producers loading
and related obligations under this Agreement. Gold shall determine whether each shipment of
Ethanol shall be shipped by truck or rail.
c.
Cooperation
. To ensure that Gold can satisfy its contractual commitments with
Golds customers, Producer and Gold shall cooperate in coordinating
5
production schedules and loading schedules, including by promptly notifying the other of any
changes in, respectively, any production schedules or loading schedules delivered under this
Section 5
; provided, however, that Gold shall be entitled to act and rely upon each
Accepted Purchase Order, each Eight Week Schedule provided by Producer and each loading schedule
provided by Gold.
Section 6.
Delivery, Storage, Loading, Title
.
a.
Delivery
. The place of delivery for all Ethanol shall be the Plant. Producer
shall grant and allow Gold and the Carriers access to the Plant in a manner and at all times
reasonably necessary and appropriate for Gold to take delivery of Ethanol in accordance with the
Loading Schedules.
b.
Producer to Provide Trucks and Railcars
. Producer shall utilize Producers best
efforts to obtain access to and the use of the number of trucks and railcars, through ownership,
lease or other arrangement, as Gold, pursuant to
Section 7
, advises Producer may be
necessary from time to time for the shipment of the Ethanol (collectively, the
Carriers
).
All Carriers must be approved by Gold (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld). Producer
shall make the Carriers available to Gold for the loading, shipment and transportation of Ethanol,
and Gold shall have the right to direct the Carriers for and on behalf of Producer. Producer shall
also be responsible for negotiating the rates and other terms of all rail and freight contracts
(the
Rail Contracts
).
c.
Payment of Freight Costs by Producer
. Producer shall be responsible for, and shall
timely pay, all fees, costs, expenses and other amounts incurred or payable in connection with the
pick-up, shipment, delivery or other transportation of Ethanol to Golds customers, or, in the
event of an Accepted Terminal Storage Purchase Order, to the storage facility or terminal in
question, including all amounts payable under the Rail Contracts and to the Carriers and all
freight, express bills, terminal fees, insurance, taxes and all other related or similar costs,
expenses, charges, fees and other amounts (collectively, the
Freight Costs
). Producer
shall provide Gold with satisfactory evidence of the Freight Costs for each shipment of Ethanol
from the Plant (each, a
Freight Cost Report
). If Gold pays any Freight Costs (
Gold
Freight Costs
), Gold may, at its option, either (i) invoice Producer for such Gold Freight
Costs, in which event Producer shall reimburse Gold for all such Gold Freight Costs within 5 days
of Producers receipt of an invoice therefor from Gold; or (ii) include such Gold Freight Costs in
the Set-Off Amount deductible from future Delivery Payments, pursuant to the definition of
Delivery Payment, and/or set off against and withhold such Gold Freight Costs from any Gold
True-Up Amounts payable hereunder.
d.
Storage
. Gold may store the Ethanol that is the subject of an Accepted Storage
Purchase Order on such storage terms as are determined by Gold. Producer acknowledges that all
Ethanol that is in storage will likely be in commingled storage with ethanol of various third
parties, including ethanol that Gold has purchased from Other Clients. Gold shall have the right
and authority to treat all ethanol that Gold has in
6
storage, including Ethanol in storage pursuant to an Accepted Storage Purchase Order and
whether or not in commingled storage, as fungible, and to exchange or otherwise allocate any such
ethanol between or among Producer, Other Clients and third parties as Gold determines to be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate sales of the ethanol, to meet any inventory residence time
restrictions or requirements, or otherwise.
e.
Payment of Allocated Storage Costs by Producer
. On a monthly basis, Gold shall
either (i) invoice Producer for any or all of its Allocated Storage Costs, in which event Producer
shall pay such Allocated Storage Costs to Gold within five days of Producers receipt of an invoice
therefor from Gold; or (ii) include such Allocated Storage Costs in the Set-Off Amount deductible
from future Delivery Payments, pursuant to the definition of Delivery Payment, and/or set off
against and withhold such Allocated Storage Costs from any Gold True-Up Amounts payable hereunder.
f.
Delivery of Payment and Other Documents and Information
.
i. Producer shall provide Gold with a certificate of analysis in form and
content consistent with industry standards, legal requirements, the reasonable
requirements of Golds customers and otherwise reasonably acceptable to Gold for
each truck and rail car of Ethanol which is sold to Gold pursuant to this
Agreement. Producer shall also provide Gold each day, weekends and holidays
excluded, with meter certificates and bills of lading for the previous days
deliveries of Ethanol to Gold. The meter certificates and bills of lading with
respect to any deliveries that are made on a weekend or a holiday will be provided
to Gold on the next succeeding Business Day. All meter certificates and bills of
lading provided by Producer must meet and comply with industry standards, the
reasonable requirements of Golds customers and the requirements of all applicable
laws, rules and regulations. Producer shall provide Gold with a Freight Cost
Report for each shipment of Ethanol as soon as it is available, but in all events
prior to the Delivery Payment for the Ethanol in question.
ii. Producer is responsible for complying with, and generating all reports,
documents and information required under, all federal, state or other laws, rules
or regulations in any way related to volume accounting or the tracking, labeling or
other identification of ethanol, including the renewable identification number
requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
iii. Producer shall also provide Gold, within such time period as is
reasonably specified by Gold, with all such other documentation and information as
may from time to time become necessary or appropriate under industry standards or
applicable laws, rules or regulations.
g.
Producer Storage Space
. Producer shall provide storage space at the Plant for a
minimum of 10 days of Ethanol production at the Plant (the
Maximum
7
Storage
), with the number of gallons of storage of Ethanol available at the Plant
based on the current production capacity of the Plant being set forth below Producers signature to
this Agreement, and such storage space shall be continuously available for Golds use for storage
of Ethanol, without charge to Gold.
h.
Loading
.
i. Subject to
Section 6(b)
and
Section 6(c)
, Gold shall
arrange for trucks or railcars of the Carriers to be at the Plant for pick-up of
Ethanol in accordance with the Loading Schedules.
ii. Producer shall timely provide and supply, without charge to Gold, all
facilities, equipment and labor necessary to load the Ethanol into a given
Carriers trucks or railcars at the Plant in accordance with the Loading Schedules.
Producer shall be liable and responsible for all demurrage and other costs and
expenses arising from Producers failure to timely satisfy and meet Golds loading
schedules. Producer agrees that all railcars shall be loaded to full visible
capacity at the Plant and shall be sealed prior to leaving the Plant. Producer
shall maintain all loading facilities and equipment at the Plant in accordance with
industry standards and in good and safe operating condition and repair, subject to
ordinary wear and tear and depreciation.
i.
Handling of Ethanol
. Producer shall handle the Ethanol during the loading process
in a good and workmanlike manner and in accordance with industry practices and Golds reasonable
requirements, including with respect to shrinkage in quantity. Producer shall visually inspect all
trucks and railcars for cleanliness in order to avoid contamination of the Ethanol and shall assure
that the trucks and railcars are not overfilled at the Plant.
j.
Title and Risk of Loss
. The title to, and all risk of loss of, all Ethanol which
is purchased by Gold (including pursuant to an Accepted Terminal Storage Purchase Order) shall
automatically pass from Producer to Gold at the time after both (i) the Ethanol has crossed the
loading flange between the Plant and the truck or railcar, as the case may be, of the Carrier and
(ii) the Payment Documents for the applicable shipment have been delivered to Gold.
Section 7.
Gold Consulting Regarding Trucks and Railcars
.
a. Gold shall consult with Producer regarding the number of trucks and railcars that may be
needed from time to time to ship the Ethanol. Gold shall not have any liability or responsibility
with respect to or for the lease or other arrangements of Producer regarding any trucks or railcars
or otherwise for or with respect to the Carriers, including for any acts or omissions of the
Carriers.
8
b. Gold shall utilize commercially reasonable efforts to coordinate the scheduling of
Producers railcars for Producer in a cost effective manner, but Producer acknowledges that the
efficient use of Producers railcars depends on various factors, many of which are outside of
Golds control, including general market conditions for ethanol, general railroad and freight
conditions, the frequency of Accepted Purchase Orders, the delivery times under Accepted Purchase
Orders and the locations and related transportation periods which apply to Golds customers for
Ethanol.
Section 8.
Quantity of Ethanol
.
a. The quantity of Ethanol delivered to Gold under this Agreement shall be definitively
established by outbound meter certificates obtained from meters of Producer that are properly
certified as of the time of loading in accordance with any requirements imposed by any governmental
or regulatory authorities and that otherwise comply with all applicable laws, rules and
regulations. The quantity of Ethanol shall be determined and expressed in net
temperature-corrected gallons in accordance with customary industry weights, measures and
standards, which as of the date of this Agreement require Ethanol to be delivered in gallons which
have been temperature corrected to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Producer shall bear and be responsible
for any errors created or caused by Producers meters.
b. The current monthly nameplate production capacity of Ethanol at the Plant is set forth
below Producers signature to this Agreement (the
Monthly Production
). Producer may,
however, expand the capacity of the Plant. If Producer determines to expand the capacity of the
Plant, Producer shall give Gold reasonable notice of such increased capacity so that Gold can
effectively market any additional Ethanol produced. Such notice will include written notice of:
(i) such expansion at least six months before the estimated substantial completion date of the
construction activities related to such expansion, and (ii) the new Monthly Production amount by no
later than the substantial completion date of the expansion. Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, if Gold determines that it can not market the additional Ethanol
produced by such expanded capacity, Gold may provide written notice to Producer at least 30 days
before the estimated date of substantial completion that the new Ethanol will not be covered by
this Agreement, in which case Gold shall have no obligation to market such additional production.
Section 9.
Quality of Ethanol
.
a. Producer acknowledges that Gold intends to sell the Ethanol as motor fuel quality ethanol,
and that the Ethanol is subject to industry standards and governmental standards. Producer
represents and warrants to Gold that all Ethanol, in the form loaded onto the truck or railcar of
the Carrier: (i) shall meet or exceed the standards, specifications and other requirements set
forth in
Exhibit A
(attached hereto), as
Exhibit A
may be amended, restated,
amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time by Gold (as provided
below); (ii) shall comply with all applicable governmental laws, rules, regulations, standards and
specifications, including with
9
respect to quality, composition, naming and labeling; and (iii) may lawfully be introduced
into interstate commerce.
b. Gold may amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify
Exhibit A
at any time and
from time to time as Gold deems necessary or appropriate to comply with any changes in industry
standards or applicable federal or state laws, rules or regulations, with each such amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified
Exhibit A
to be effective with respect to all
Accepted Purchase Orders which become such after the date of Producers receipt of such updated
Exhibit A
from Gold.
Section 10.
Rejection of Ethanol by Gold
.
a. Gold may reject, before or after delivery, any Ethanol that fails to conform to
Section
9
or is otherwise unsaleable because of a failure to meet industry standards or the
requirements of any applicable law, rule or regulation; provided, however, that Producer must
receive written notice of rejection of a load of Ethanol on such basis from Gold within two days of
the delivery of such Ethanol to the end customer of Gold or such Ethanol shall be deemed to be
accepted by Gold, but such deemed acceptance shall not constitute a waiver of or otherwise affect
any other rights or remedies of Gold under this Agreement, at law, in equity or otherwise.
b. If any Ethanol is seized or condemned by any governmental authority for any reason other
than the failure of Gold to comply with any term of this Agreement (any such seizure or
condemnation, a
Governmental Seizure
), the Governmental Seizure shall automatically
constitute a rejection by Gold of the Ethanol which is the subject of the Governmental Seizure, and
Gold shall have no obligation to offer any defense in connection with the Governmental Seizure.
Gold shall, however, notify Producer of the Governmental Seizure within two days of Gold receiving
notice of the Governmental Seizure. Gold shall also reasonably cooperate with Producer, but at
Producers cost and expense, in defending against or otherwise contesting the Governmental Seizure.
c. If any Ethanol is rejected by Gold (any such Ethanol,
Rejected Ethanol
), Gold
will, in the following order:
i. Use reasonable efforts to assist Producer in identifying a use or market
for the Rejected Ethanol, which may include sale of the Rejected Ethanol in
industrial markets or reprocessing such rejected Ethanol; or
ii. Offer Producer a reasonable opportunity, but in no event to exceed 24
hours following rejection, to examine and take possession of the Rejected Ethanol,
at Producers cost and expense, but only if Gold reasonably determines that the
condition of the Rejected Ethanol and the other circumstances permit such
examination and delivery prior to disposal of the Rejected Ethanol; or
10
iii. Dispose of the Rejected Ethanol in the manner as directed by Producer,
and at Producers cost and expense, but subject to the requirements of applicable
laws, rules and regulations and to any customer or other third party rights; or
iv. If Producer fails to direct Gold to dispose of the Rejected Ethanol or
directs Gold to dispose of the Rejected Ethanol in a manner inconsistent with
applicable laws, rules or regulations or with any customer or other third party
rights, then Gold may dispose of the Rejected Ethanol as determined by Gold or
return the Rejected Ethanol to Producer, in either event at Producers cost and
expense.
d. Golds obligation with respect to any Rejected Ethanol shall be fulfilled upon Producer
taking possession of the Rejected Ethanol, the disposal of the Rejected Ethanol or the return of
the Rejected Ethanol to Producer, as the case may be, in accordance with
subsection
10(c)(i)
,
(ii)
or
(iii)
above.
e. Producer shall reimburse Gold for all costs and expenses incurred by Gold for storing,
transporting, returning, disposing of, or otherwise handling Rejected Ethanol, and Gold shall
provide Producer with reasonable substantiating documentation for all such costs and expenses.
Producer shall also refund any amounts paid by Gold to Producer for Rejected Ethanol within 5 days
of the date of Producers receipt of Golds written notice of the rejection. Gold has no
obligation to pay Producer for Rejected Ethanol, and Gold may deduct from payments otherwise due
from Gold to Producer under this Agreement the amount of any reimbursable costs or any required
refund by Producer as described above. Golds rights and remedies under this
Section 10
are not exclusive, and Gold shall also have all other rights or remedies available to Gold under
this Agreement, at law, in equity or otherwise for Producers failure to deliver Ethanol that
complies with this Agreement and to otherwise meet and fulfill the Accepted Purchase Order in
question.
f. If any Ethanol is rejected by Gold following the transfer of title and risk of loss to Gold
under
Section 6(j)
, title and risk of loss shall automatically and fully revert to Producer
effective upon the rejection of the Ethanol.
Section 11.
Testing and Samples
.
a. If Producer knows or has reason to believe that any Ethanol does not comply with
Section 9
or may be subject to rejection under
Section 10
, Producer shall promptly
notify Gold so that such Ethanol can be tested by Gold or by an independent laboratory selected by
Gold. If Gold knows or has reason to believe that any Ethanol does not comply with
Section
9
or may be subject to rejection under
Section 10
, then Gold may test, or may obtain
independent laboratory tests of, such Ethanol. If the test was initiated by Gold pursuant to the
preceding sentence and if the Ethanol is tested and found to comply with
Section 9
and to
not be subject to rejection under
Section 10
, then
11
Gold shall be responsible for the costs of testing such Ethanol. Producer shall be
responsible for all testing costs in all other circumstances.
b. Producer will take an origin sample of Ethanol from every truck and railcar loaded with
Ethanol at the Plant, using sampling methodology that is consistent with then prevailing industry
standards. Producer will label and number the samples to indicate the date of loading and the
truck or railcar number, and will retain the samples for a period consistent with industry
standards and applicable laws, rules and regulations, but in no event for less than six months.
Producer shall make such samples available to Gold upon any request by Gold. Gold has the right to
witness the taking of such samples at any time and from time to time.
Section 12.
Gold Marks
.
a. Gold may market and sell the Ethanol under such names, marks, brands and logos as are
determined by Gold from time to time, in its sole discretion (collectively, the
Marks
).
The Marks shall at all times be the sole and exclusive property of Gold, and Gold reserves to
itself all rights, entitlements and benefits of ownership and property of every kind and nature
whatsoever in, to or in any way arising from or related to the Marks, including all goodwill.
b. Producer shall not utilize any of the Marks without the prior written consent of Gold,
which consent may be withheld in Golds sole discretion. Any permitted use of any Mark by Producer
shall not grant Producer any rights in the Mark, other than as a nonexclusive licensee, and shall
in each event be (i) limited in scope, area, use and otherwise in accordance with the express
consent as granted by Gold; (ii) in strict accordance with Golds policies and requirements as
established by Gold from time to time, in its sole discretion, regarding the use of the Marks;
(iii) nonassignable and nontransferable, whether voluntarily or involuntarily; and (iv) terminable
at any time upon the giving of written notice by Gold, with or without cause, and in the absence of
any such written notice, terminated automatically and immediately upon the effective time of the
termination of this Agreement.
Section 13.
Taxes, Fees and Expenses
. Producer shall be responsible for all taxes,
fees and charges assessed or imposed on the Ethanol by any governmental authority or industry
organization with respect to the sale and delivery of the Ethanol to Gold as contemplated by this
Agreement, including for branding, packaging, inspection, or otherwise. If any such taxes, fees or
charges are paid by Gold, Producer shall reimburse Gold for such taxes, fees and charges within 5
days of the date of Golds invoice therefor to Producer, which invoice shall be accompanied by
reasonable supporting documentation. Gold shall consult with Producer regarding any taxes, fees or
charges payable by Producer under this
Section 13
and the related governmental or industry
requirements and standards.
Section 14.
Duties of Producer
. In addition to Producers other duties and
obligations under this Agreement, Producer agrees as follows:
12
a.
Exclusivity
. Producer shall not sell or otherwise dispose of any Ethanol to any
person other than Gold during the term of this Agreement;
provided
,
however
, that
if Producers on-hand supply of Ethanol is reasonably expected to exceed Producers Maximum Storage
because no Purchase Orders have been received from Gold to sell Ethanol or because all Purchase
Orders have been properly rejected by Producer and, but for this paragraph, Producer would have to
cease production of Ethanol (due to its inability to continue storing such Ethanol), then to the
extent no Accepted Purchase Orders remain outstanding and no additional Purchase Orders are
Accepted, Producer may sell Ethanol to third parties as necessary in order to maintain an on-hand
supply of Ethanol that is equal to five days storage, and thereby facilitate the production of
additional Ethanol (each such sale a
Storage Limit Sale
);
provided
,
further
, that in connection with each Storage Limit Sale, Producer shall pay to Gold,
within 5 days of receipt by Purchaser of payment for such Storage Limit Sale, an amount equal to
the Marketing Fee that Gold would have received if such sale were made pursuant to this Agreement.
b. Producer shall cooperate with Gold in the performance of Golds services under this
Agreement, including by (i) providing Gold in a timely manner with any records or information that
Gold may reasonably request from time to time as part of Golds marketing of the Ethanol; and (ii)
furnishing any representative of Gold who may be working at the Plant from time to time with
reasonable administrative support, office space and other facilities and supplies.
c. Producer shall maintain the Plant in good and safe operating repair and condition, subject
to ordinary wear and tear and depreciation.
d. Producer shall at all times have designated to Gold one or more employees of Producer who
shall have authority to act for and on behalf of Producer under this Agreement, including for
purposes of accepting Purchase Orders (each, a
Producer Representative
). Producer may
change the identity of any Producer Representative at any time, but no change shall be effective
with respect to Gold unless and until Gold has received written notice of such change. Any action
taken by a Producer Representative shall bind Producer and may be relied and acted upon by Gold
without inquiry to, or confirmation from, Producer or any other Producer Representative.
Producers initial Producer Representative is identified below Producers signature to this
Agreement.
e. Producer shall provide Gold with not less than three months prior written notice of any
material change in any of the technology that is from time to time utilized at the Plant.
f. Producer shall utilize meters at the Plant that measure both gross and net 60 degrees
Fahrenheit temperature-corrected gallons of Ethanol.
13
g. Producer shall perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement and operate the
Plant in a commercially reasonable manner and in compliance in all material respects with all
governmental laws, rules and regulations.
h. Producer shall promptly, but in any event within 24 hours, advise Gold of any material
problems with respect to any Ethanol or the Plant, including any unscheduled shutdowns or downtime
at the Plant.
i. Producer shall promptly, but in any event within 24 hours, advise Gold of any matter
regarding any Ethanol that raises an issue of the compliance of the Ethanol with this Agreement or
any governmental laws, rules or regulations or industry standards.
j. Producer shall obtain and continuously maintain in effect any and all governmental or other
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations, licenses or permits that are necessary or
appropriate for Producer to fully and timely perform all of its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
Section 15.
Duties of Gold
. In addition to Golds other duties and obligations under
this Agreement, Gold agrees as follows:
a. Gold shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) attempt to achieve the highest per
gallon customer sales price available for Ethanol under the prevailing market conditions at the
time of sale by Gold; and (ii) submit Purchase Orders to Producer on such a periodic basis as in
necessary to permit Producer to produce Ethanol at the Plant in accordance with the expected rate
of production as reflected in Producers production schedules delivered to Gold.
b. Gold shall perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement in a commercially
reasonable manner and in compliance in all material respects with all governmental laws, rules and
regulations.
c. In relation to sales between Producer and the other producers for which Gold markets
ethanol for sale, including Affiliates of Gold (each such other ethanol plant, an
Other
Client
and, collectively, the
Other Clients
), Gold shall submit purchase orders for
ethanol in a commercially reasonable manner taking into account appropriate commercial factors
including (without limitation) geographical considerations, a given producers risk management
preferences, shipping and storage costs, customer relationships and customer requests, and
pre-existing contractual obligations.
d. Gold will deliver to Producer (i) a bi-weekly report (each, a
Bi-Weekly Transparency
Report
) within 5 days of the end of each two week period showing all of Golds sales of, or
trades in, ethanol during the prior two week period and (ii) a monthly report (each, a
Monthly
Summary Report
) within 14 days of the end of each calendar month showing all of Golds sales
of, or trades in, Producers Ethanol
14
during the calendar month, and all contractual commitments that Gold had in place for Producer
regarding any Ethanol as of the close of the calendar month.
e. Gold shall be responsible and liable for Golds relationship and dealings with all third
party purchasers of Ethanol from Gold, including with respect to and for billing, collections and
account servicing and management, and Gold shall bear all credit and collection risk with respect
to Golds sales of Ethanol to third parties.
f. Gold shall promptly, but in any event within 24 hours, advise Producer of any material
problems or questions raised by any customer of Gold with respect to any Ethanol.
g. Gold shall promptly, but in any event within 24 hours, advise Producer of any matter
regarding any Ethanol which comes to the attention of Gold which raises an issue of compliance of
the Ethanol with this Agreement or any governmental laws, rules or regulations or industry
standards.
h. Gold shall obtain and continuously maintain in effect any and all governmental or other
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations, licenses or permits which are necessary or
appropriate for Gold to fully and timely perform all of its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
i. Gold shall reasonably consult with Producer regarding freight rates and prices and trends
in the ethanol markets.
Section 16.
Representations and Warranties of Gold
. Gold represents and warrants to
Producer, both as of the date of this Agreement and again with each Accepted Purchase Order, as
follows:
a. Gold is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware, and has and shall maintain all requisite power and
authority to own or otherwise hold and use its property and carry on its business, except, in each
case, where the failure to be or do so could not reasonably be expected to have a material and
adverse effect upon the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
b. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Gold, and constitutes
the legal, valid and binding obligation of Gold, enforceable against Gold in accordance with its
terms. Gold has and shall maintain all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform
this Agreement, and all necessary actions and proceedings of Gold have been taken to authorize the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
c. The execution and performance of this Agreement do not and will not conflict with, breach
or otherwise violate any of the terms or provisions of the organizational or governing documents of
Gold or of any material agreement, document
15
or instrument to which Gold is a party or by which Gold or any of its assets or properties are
bound.
d. There is no civil, criminal or other litigation, action, suit, investigation, claim or
demand pending or, to the knowledge of Gold, threatened, against Gold, which could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect upon the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
Golds ability to perform its duties and obligations under, or to otherwise comply with, this
Agreement.
Section 17.
Representations and Warranties of Producer
. Producer represents and
warrants to Gold, as of the date of this Agreement and again with each Accepted Purchase Order, as
follows:
a. Producer is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
state under which Producer was organized, and has and shall maintain all requisite power and
authority to own or otherwise hold and use its property and carry on its business except, in each
case, where the failure to be or do so could not reasonably be expected to have a material and
adverse effect upon the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
b. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Producer, and
constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Producer, enforceable against Producer in
accordance with its terms. Producer has and shall maintain all requisite power and authority to
enter into and perform this Agreement, and all necessary actions and proceedings of Producer have
been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
c. The execution and performance of this Agreement do not and will not conflict with, breach
or otherwise violate any of the terms or provisions of the organizational or governing documents of
Producer or of any material agreement, document or instrument to which Producer is a party or by
which Producer or any of its assets or properties are bound.
d. There is no civil, criminal or other litigation, action, suit, investigation, claim or
demand pending or, to the knowledge of Producer, threatened, against Producer, which could
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect upon the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or Producers ability to perform its duties and obligations under, or to otherwise comply
with, this Agreement.
e. All Ethanol shall be delivered and sold to Gold by Producer free and clear of all liens,
restrictions on transferability, reservations, security interests, financing statements, licenses,
mortgages, tax liens, charges, contracts of sale, mechanics and statutory liens and all other
liens, claims, demands, restrictions or encumbrances whatsoever.
16
Section 18.
No Other Warranties
. Except for the express warranties set forth in
Sections
9
,
16
and
17
, neither Gold nor Producer make any express
warranties whatsoever regarding any Ethanol or any other thing or matter whatsoever, and Gold and
Producer hereby exclude and disclaim in entirety all implied warranties whatsoever, including the
implied warranties of merchantability, noninfringement and fitness for a particular purpose, with
respect to all Ethanol and all other things and matters whatsoever. For example, Gold makes no
representation or warranty that Gold will be able to sell any Ethanol at profitable prices or at
all.
Section 19.
No Indirect Damages; Statute of Limitations
.
a. Except as provided in the following paragraph, under no circumstances or theories shall
Gold or Producer be liable to the other for any lost profits, business or goodwill, or for any
exemplary, special, incidental, consequential, punitive or indirect damages whatsoever, that in any
way relate to, are connected with or arise out of this Agreement (even if Gold or Producer, as the
case may be, knew or should have known of the possibility of any such damages), including any such
damages related to, connected with or arising out of any (y) performance or nonperformance by Gold
or Producer, or (z) use, sale or liability regarding any Ethanol.
b. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other term of this Agreement that may appear to be the
contrary, Gold and Producer acknowledge and agree that the preceding paragraph is not applicable
to, and accordingly does not limit the scope or extent of Producers liability under or with
respect to
Section 9
or Golds or Producers liability under or with respect to (i)
Sections
20
or
21
; or (ii) any act or omission of Gold or Producer, as the
case may be, or of their respective employees or agents, that is, in whole or in part, grossly
negligent or reckless or that constitutes willful or wanton misconduct, fraud or an intentional
tort.
c.
Any claim, suit, action or other proceeding for any breach or nonfulfillment of, or default
under, any term or condition of this Agreement must be commenced within two years of the date on
which the breach, non-fulfillment or default occurred, or such claim, suit, action or proceeding
shall be lost and forever barred.
Section 20.
CONFIDENTIALITY
.
a. Gold and Producer acknowledge that they may have access to Confidential Information of the
other, and that it is necessary for the other to prevent the unauthorized use or disclosure of the
others Confidential Information. Accordingly, and in further consideration for this Agreement,
Gold and Producer covenant and agree that they shall not, during the term of this Agreement or at
any time within two years following the effective date of the termination of this Agreement
(whether this Agreement is terminated by Gold, by Producer or by mutual consent, and for whatever
reason or for no reason), directly or indirectly, engage in or take or refrain from taking any
action or inaction that may lead to the use or disclosure of any Confidential
17
Information of the other by or to any person, or use or disclose any Confidential Information
of the other for their own benefit;
provided
,
however
, that Gold and Producer may
(i) make disclosures of and regarding this Agreement to their respective legal counsel and
accountants, and (ii) use and disclose the others Confidential Information during the term of this
Agreement as necessary or reasonably appropriate to Golds or Producers, as the case may be,
performance of their duties and obligations under this Agreement, including, with respect to Gold,
its marketing and sale of the Ethanol to third parties. Gold may also use and disclose Producers
Confidential Information for purposes of Golds compliance with any terms similar to
Sections
15(a)
or
15(c)
that are included in any agreements of Gold with
Other Clients.
b. In addition, and notwithstanding any of the foregoing, Gold and Producer may disclose
Confidential Information of the other as may be required from time to time by any court order,
governmental action, legal process or by applicable law, rule or regulation;
provided
,
however
, that in such event they shall, if permitted under the terms of such order, action,
process, law, rule or regulation, first give written notice to the other and shall reasonably
cooperate, but at the others sole cost and expense, in the others attempt to obtain a protective
order or other waiver or exclusion from the court or other applicable governmental or other
authority. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, however, Gold and Producer may, without the
consent of the other, make such disclosures and filings of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby as Gold or Producer, as the case may be, from time to time is advised by
counsel to be necessary or appropriate under, or as may be required in connection with, (i) the
federal and applicable state securities laws, rules or regulations, including the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the various rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto;
provided
,
however
, that Gold or Producer, as the case may be, shall cooperate with
the other in requesting confidential treatment in all filings under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 for all pricing and payment information and all such other information as may be reasonably
requested by the other; and (ii) any debt or equity financing or insurance coverage as may from
time to time be pursued or obtained by Gold or Producer or any Affiliate of Gold or Producer, as
the case may be, including to any prospective or actual lenders or investors and to actual or
potential participants, assignees or transferees of any such lender or in connection with a
foreclosure, assignment in lieu of foreclosure or the exercise of any rights or remedies by any
such lender. Gold or Producer shall, where reasonably practicable, give the other prior written
notice of the fact that they intend to make a disclosure pursuant to the preceding sentence.
c. As provided above, Golds and Producers respective obligations under this
Section
20
shall in all events end and terminate on the date that is two years following the effective
date of the termination of this Agreement.
d. Nothing in this
Section 20
is intended or shall be construed as requiring Gold or
Producer to furnish any Confidential Information to the other, except to the extent necessary or
reasonably appropriate for the other to perform and provide the services and duties required of
such party under this Agreement.
18
Section 21.
Nonsolicitation Covenants
.
a. Gold and Producer shall not, respectively, during the term of this Agreement or at any time
within two years of the effective date of the termination of this Agreement (whether this Agreement
is terminated by Gold, by Producer or by mutual consent, and for whatever reason or for no reason),
directly or indirectly, solicit or contact any employee of the other for purposes of employing or
otherwise retaining such employee without the express prior written consent of the other, which
consent may be withheld in Golds or Producers, as the case may be, sole discretion. This
Section 21
shall not, however, prohibit general, nontargeted solicitation such as general
advertisements.
Section 22.
Reasonableness of Covenants
.
a. Gold and Producer acknowledge and agree that the covenants set forth in
Section 20
and
Section 21
are reasonable and are necessary and appropriate to protect the justifiable
business interests of, respectively, Gold and Producer, and are not to be limited or restricted in
any way or found to be or held by any court or other applicable authority to be unenforceable or
invalid because of the scope of the area, actions subject thereto or restricted thereby, the time
period over which the covenants are applicable, or otherwise. Without limiting
Section 34
,
and in addition thereto, in the event any of the covenants set forth in
Section 20
or
Section 21
are deemed by a court or other applicable authority, notwithstanding the
foregoing, to be too broad in terms of the scope of the area, actions subject thereto or restricted
thereby, the time period over which the covenants are applicable, or otherwise, Gold and Producer
expressly authorize and direct the court and/or such other applicable authority to enforce each and
all of the covenants contained in
Section 20
and
Section 21
to the full and maximum
extent the court or such other applicable authority, as the case may be, deems permissible.
b. Gold and Producer also agree that a breach or imminent breach by them of
Section 20
or
Section 21
shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement for which the other will
not have an adequate remedy at law, and that the others remedies upon a breach or imminent breach
by them of
Section 20
or
Section 21
therefore include the right to preliminary,
temporary and permanent injunctive relief restraining them and their employees and agents from any
further violation of
Section 20
or
Section 21
, as the case may be, and without any
requirement that the party pursuing such injunctive relief prove any monetary loss or post any bond
or other form of collateral or security in order to be able to pursue, obtain or maintain any such
injunctive relief.
Section 23.
Effective Date / Term
. This Agreement shall be effective as of the
earlier of (a) the date that is six months after the date first set forth above, and (b) such
earlier date as Producer and Gold, through their mutual exercise of commercially reasonable
efforts, are able to implement the terms hereof (the
Effective Date
). The initial term
of this Agreement shall be for a period of two years following the Effective Date (the
Initial
Term
), unless terminated earlier under
Section 24
. This Agreement shall automatically
renew for successive 18-month terms (each, a
Renewal Term
)
19
following the expiration of the Initial Term or the Renewal Term then in effect, as the case
may be, unless Gold or Producer gives the other written notice of their election not to renew, for
whatever reason or for no reason, at least 180 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or the
Renewal Term then in effect, as the case may be, or this Agreement is terminated earlier under
Section 24
.
Section 24.
Termination
. Producer and Gold shall have the right to terminate this
Agreement as follows:
a. Producer may terminate this Agreement at its option in any of the following events: (i)
the failure by Gold to make any payment to Producer when due, if such nonpayment has not been fully
cured within 8 days of Golds receipt of written notice thereof from Producer; (ii) any breach or
nonfulfillment of or any default under any term or condition of this Agreement by Gold (other than
a payment obligation), if such breach, nonfulfillment or default is not fully cured by Gold within
10 days of Golds receipt of written notice thereof from Producer; (iii) upon the giving of written
notice by Producer to Gold, without any opportunity for cure by Gold, in the event of the
dissolution or liquidation of, appointment of a trustee or receiver of or for any part of the
property of, assignment for the benefit of creditors by, or the commencement of any proceeding
(whether voluntary or involuntary) under any bankruptcy, insolvency, debtor/creditor, receivership
or similar or related law by or against Gold.
b. Gold may terminate this Agreement at its option in any of the following events: (i) the
failure by Producer to make any payment to Gold when due, if such nonpayment has not been fully
cured within 8 days of Producers receipt of written notice thereof from Gold; (ii) any breach or
nonfulfillment of or any default under any term or condition of this Agreement by Producer (other
than a payment obligation), if such breach, nonfulfillment or default is not fully cured by
Producer within 10 days of Producers receipt of written notice thereof from Gold; or (iii) upon
the giving of written notice by Gold to Producer, without any opportunity for cure by Producer, in
the event of the dissolution or liquidation of, appointment of a trustee or receiver of or for any
part of the property of, assignment for the benefit of creditors by, or the commencement of any
proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) under any bankruptcy, insolvency, debtor/creditor,
receivership or similar or related law by or against, Producer.
c. This Agreement may be terminated by Producer or by Gold if such termination is required by
any governmental or regulatory authority, and any such termination shall be effective on the
earlier of: (i) the date required by such governmental or regulatory authority, or (ii) the
thirtieth day following the giving of written notice of termination pursuant to this subparagraph
(c) by Producer or Gold, as the case may be, to the other.
d. This Agreement may also be terminated (i) as provided in
Section 27
or (ii) by
mutual consent of both Gold and Producer.
20
e. Gold and Producer shall continue to comply with and otherwise perform under this Agreement
during any notice or cure periods provided for above in this
Section 24
, including with
respect to the acceptance or rejection of Purchase Orders in accordance with
Sections
1
and
2
.
Section 25.
Effect of Termination
.
a. The termination of this Agreement, by Gold or Producer, and for whatever reason or for no
reason, shall not affect any liability or obligation of Gold or Producer under this Agreement which
shall have accrued prior to or as a result of such termination, including any liability for loss or
damage on account of breach, nor shall the termination of this Agreement (by Gold or Producer, and
for whatever reason or for no reason) affect the terms or provisions of this Agreement that
contemplate performance or continuing obligations beyond the termination of this Agreement,
including the obligations of, as applicable, Gold and/or Producer under
Sections
12
,
20
,
21
,
35
and
36
.
b. Upon the termination of this Agreement by Gold or Producer, and for whatever reason or for
no reason, Producer and Gold shall be and remain responsible for selling and purchasing, in
accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, all Ethanol that is the subject of
Accepted Purchase Orders (including Accepted Storage Purchase Orders) on the effective date of the
termination of this Agreement but that have not yet been performed on the effective date of the
termination of this Agreement (including with respect to Accepted Terminal Storage Purchase
Orders), and this Agreement (including
Sections
1
through
4
) shall also
continue for that limited purpose.
Section 26.
Audit Rights
.
a. Gold and Producer shall each maintain complete, accurate and up-to-date records of their
activities with respect to, as applicable, the production, delivery, shipment and sale of Ethanol
pursuant to this Agreement (collectively, and in general, the
Records
). Gold and
Producer shall maintain each of their respective Records for a period of not less than two years
from the date of the creation of the particular Record in question.
b. Gold and Producer shall each have the right, upon reasonable notice to the other, to review
or to have a mutually acceptable third party (the
Reviewer
) review, the Records of the
other during normal business hours for the sole purpose of determining the accuracy of any payment,
invoice, statement, report or other document provided by the other under this Agreement; provided,
however, that (i) neither Gold nor Producer shall have the right to cause a review of the Records
of the other more than once during any calendar quarter; and (ii) once the Records of Gold or
Producer, as the case may be, for any given period of time have been reviewed pursuant to this
Section 26
, such Records shall not be subject to review again except with the consent of
Gold or Producer, as the case may be, which consent may be withheld in Golds or Producers, as the
case may be, sole discretion. If Gold requests a review of Producers Records pursuant to this
Section 26
, Gold shall pay all of the fees, costs and expenses of the Reviewer, and if
21
Producer requests a review of Golds Records pursuant to this
Section 26
, Producer
shall pay all of the fees, costs and expenses of the Reviewer.
c. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if Golds or Producers review
of the Records of the other reveals any shortages or deficiencies in excess of $10,000 in the
amount of any payments required to be made by Gold to Producer, or by Producer to Gold, as the case
may be, pursuant to this Agreement, Gold or Producer, as the case may be, shall pay the amount that
exceeds $10,000 (the
Unpaid Amount
) to the other within 15 days of Golds or Producers,
as the case may be, written notice to the other of the Unpaid Amount. The written notice of the
Unpaid Amount must include the basis for the calculation of the Unpaid Amount.
Section 27.
Force Majeure
. If any term or condition of this Agreement to be performed
or observed by Gold or Producer is rendered impossible of performance or observance due to any
force majeure
or any other material act, omission, matter, circumstance, event or occurrence beyond
the commercially reasonable control of Gold or Producer, as the case may be (any such event, an
Impossibility Event
), the affected party shall, for so long as such Impossibility Event
exists, be excused from such performance or observance, provided the affected party (i) promptly
notifies the other party of the occurrence of the Impossibility Event; (ii) takes all such steps as
are reasonably necessary or appropriate to terminate, remedy or otherwise discontinue the effects
of the Impossibility Event; and (iii) recommences performance after the termination or
discontinuance of the Impossibility Event;
provided
,
however
, that if after 30 days
from the occurrence of the Impossibility Event the affected party is still unable to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, the other party may, in such partys sole discretion, terminate
this Agreement effective upon the giving of written notice to the affected party. The term
Impossibility Event includes an actual or threatened act or acts of war or terrorism, fire,
storm, flood, earthquake, acts of God, civil disturbances or disorders, riots, sabotage, strikes,
lockouts and labor disputes. Nothing in this
Section 27
is intended to or shall be
interpreted so as to require the resolution of labor disputes by acceding to the demands of labor
when such course is inadvisable in the discretion of the party subject to such dispute.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this
Section 27
shall not apply
to, and no term of this Agreement shall be deemed to in any event excuse any performance or
observance of, any Accepted Purchase Order,
Section 9
,
Section 20
,
Section
21
, or any payment or indemnification duty or obligation under this Agreement.
Section 28.
Arbitration
.
a. Except as provided below, all controversies, disputes or claims between Gold and Producer
in any way related to, arising out of or connected with this Agreement shall be resolved solely and
exclusively through binding arbitration in accordance with the then current commercial arbitration
rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration proceeding shall be conducted in
Des Moines, Iowa and shall be heard by one arbitrator mutually agreed to by Gold and Producer;
provided, however, that if Gold and Producer are unable to agree on an arbitrator within
22
15 days of the date of a written demand for arbitration given by either Gold or Producer, then
Gold and Producer shall each select one arbitrator, and those two arbitrators shall in turn select
a third arbitrator, and the arbitration proceedings shall be heard and determined before those
three arbitrators, with the decision of a majority of the arbitrators to govern.
b. The arbitrator or arbitrators shall have the right to award or include in the award any
relief deemed appropriate under the circumstances, including money damages, specific performance,
injunctive relief and attorneys fees and costs in accordance with this Agreement, but subject to
Section 19
.
c. Gold and Producer agree that, in connection with any arbitration proceeding, they shall
file any compulsory counterclaim (as defined under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure) within 30
days after the date of the filing of the claim to which it relates.
d. The award and decision of the arbitrator or arbitrators shall be conclusive and binding
upon Gold and Producer and judgment upon the award may be entered in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
e. Gold and Producer shall share the fees of the arbitrator or arbitrators and the other costs
of the arbitration equally, but shall pay their own attorneys fees and other costs and expenses,
except that the arbitrator or arbitrators may award costs and fees to the prevailing party as the
arbitrator or arbitrators deem appropriate.
f. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no controversy, dispute or claim in any way related to,
arising out of or connected with
Sections
20
or
21
or any action by Gold or
Producer seeking specific performance or injunctive relief shall be subject to arbitration under
this
Section 28
unless Gold and Producer, in their respective sole discretion, consent in
writing to the arbitration of any such particular controversy, dispute or claim.
Section 29.
Insurance
. Gold and Producer shall each maintain during the term of this
Agreement commercial general liability insurance with combined single limits of not less than
$2,000,000. The respective commercial general liability insurance policies issued to Gold and to
Producer must be reasonably acceptable to the other, and must (i) name the other as an additional
insured; (ii) provide for a minimum of 30 days written notice to the other prior to any
cancellation, termination, nonrenewal, amendment or other change of such insurance policy; and
(iii) provide that in the event of payment of any loss or damage the respective insurers will have
no rights of recovery against the other. Gold and Producer shall, respectively, provide reasonable
proof of such insurance to the other upon the reasonable request of the other from time to time.
Section 30.
Assignment
.
This Agreement shall be assignable by Gold or Producer, as
the case may be, only with the prior written consent of the other, which consent shall not be
unreasonably delayed, conditioned or withheld;
provided
,
23
however
, that Gold and Producer may, respectively, without the consent of the other (i)
assign this Agreement or any or all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any
Affiliate of Gold or Producer, as the case may be; (ii) assign this Agreement or any or all of its
rights and obligations under this Agreement in connection with any sale of all or substantially all
of the assets of Gold or Producer, as the case may be; and (iii) assign this Agreement as
collateral, security or otherwise to any lender of Gold or Producer, as the case may be, and any
such lender may in turn assign this Agreement upon any foreclosure or other exercise of any rights
or remedies against Gold or Producer, as the case may be. Gold or Producer, as the case may be,
shall give prompt written notice to the other of any assignment by them pursuant to any of
subclauses
(i)
through
(iii)
in the preceding sentence.
Section 31.
Governing Law
. This Agreement is entered into and is performable in
material part in Iowa, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of Iowa, but without regard to or application of the choice of law or conflicts of law
provisions thereof.
Section 32.
Notices
.
a. All notices and demands desired or required to be given under this Agreement
(
Notices
) shall be given in writing and shall be given by (i) hand delivery to the
address for Notices; (ii) delivery by overnight courier service to the address for Notices; or
(iii) sending the Notice by United States mail, postage prepaid, certified mail, addressed to the
address for Notices.
b. All Notices shall be deemed given and effective upon the earliest to occur of (i) the hand
delivery of the Notice to the address for Notices; (ii) delivery by overnight courier service to
the address for Notices; or (iii) three Business Days after the depositing of the Notice in the
United States mail as provided in the foregoing paragraph.
c. All Notices shall be addressed to the addresses set forth below the signatures to this
Agreement or to such other person or at such other address as Gold or Producer may from time to
time by Notice designate to the other as a place for service of Notice.
d. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Purchase Orders, Accepted Purchase Orders, Monthly Summary
Reports, Freight Cost Reports, Bi-Weekly Transparency Reports, production schedules, loading
schedules, delivery reports, certificates of analysis, bills of lading, meter certificates or
tickets, rejection notices and invoices to be provided under this Agreement may be given and
delivered by facsimile or email to the facsimile numbers or email addresses set forth below the
signatures to this Agreement or to such other facsimile number or email address as Gold or Producer
may from time to time by Notice designate to the other, and shall be deemed given and effective
upon receipt. In addition, Purchase Orders may be submitted orally and shall be deemed received by
Producer at the time a given Purchase Order is orally transmitted by a representative of Gold to a
Producer Representative. Gold may, in its discretion (but
24
shall have no duty to), record any or all telephone conversations between Gold and any
Producer Representative or employee of Producer, and Producer hereby consents to all such
recordings.
Section 33.
Binding Effect on Successors and Assigns
. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and shall inure to the benefit of Gold and Producer and their respective successors and
permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any
person other than Gold and Producer (and their respective successors and permitted assigns) any
rights, remedies, liabilities or obligations under or by reason of this Agreement, except that (i)
Producer acknowledges that Gold shall sell the Ethanol to third parties based upon and in reliance
on Producers representations and warranties set forth in
Section 9
and
Section
17(e)
; and (ii) Golds and Producers respective Affiliates, employees and agents shall have
the rights provided in, respectively,
Sections
35
and
36
.
Section 34.
Severability
. In the event any provision of this Agreement is held
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions of this Agreement
shall not be affected thereby and shall continue to be valid and enforceable. In the event any
provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written, but valid,
legal and enforceable if modified, then such provision shall be deemed to be amended to such extent
as shall be necessary for such provision to be valid, legal and enforceable and it shall be
enforced to that extent. Any finding of invalidity, illegality or unenforceability in any
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render illegal or unenforceable such provision in any other
jurisdiction. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each term of this Agreement which
provides for a limitation of remedies or liability, disclaimer or exclusion of warranties, or
exclusion or limitation of damages is subject to this
Section 34
.
Section 35.
Indemnification by Producer; Interest
. Subject to
Section 19
,
Producer shall indemnify, defend and hold Gold and Golds Affiliates, employees and agents harmless
from and against any and all suits, actions, proceedings, claims, counterclaims, losses, damages,
liabilities, costs and expenses (including attorneys fees) in any way relating to, arising out of
or in connection with or resulting from this Agreement or Golds performance of the terms of this
Agreement (collectively,
Gold Indemnity Events
);
provided
,
however
, that
Producer shall have no obligation to indemnify Gold to the extent such Gold Indemnity Events result
from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Gold, its Affiliates, or the employees or agents
of any such entity. Any payment owed by Producer to Gold under this Agreement that is not made
within two days of the date on which the payment was due shall bear interest until paid, such
interest to accrue at the Prime Rate as published in The Wall Street Journal from time to time,
plus
4.00% per annum.
Section 36.
Indemnification by Gold; Interest
. Subject to
Section 19
, Gold
shall indemnify, defend and hold Producer and Producers Affiliates, employees and agents harmless
from and against any and all suits, actions, proceedings, claims, counterclaims, losses, damages,
liabilities, costs and expenses (including attorneys fees)
25
in any way arising in connection with or resulting from (i) any breach or nonfulfillment of or
default under any term or condition of this Agreement by Gold; or (ii) any act or omission of Gold
that is, in whole or in part, grossly negligent or reckless or that constitutes willful or wanton
misconduct, fraud or an intentional tort. Any payment owed by Gold to Producer under this
Agreement that is not made within two days of the date on which the payment was due shall bear
interest until paid, such interest to accrue at the Prime Rate as published in The Wall Street
Journal from time to time,
plus
4.00% per annum.
Section 37.
Right of Offset
. Gold has and hereby reserves the right to set off
against and withhold from any amounts due or owing to Producer by Gold under this Agreement any and
all amounts of whatever kind or nature (including interest as provided in
Section 35
) as
may from time to time be due or owing to Gold from Producer and that are past due or that arise out
of or under
Section 35
. Producer has and hereby reserves the right to set off against and
withhold from any amounts due or owing to Gold by Producer under this Agreement any and all amounts
of whatever kind or nature (including interest as provided in
Section 36
) as may from time
to time be due or owing to Producer from Gold and that are past due or that arise out of or under
Section 36
.
Section 38.
No Waiver; Modifications in Writing
. No failure or delay on the part of
Gold or Producer in exercising any right, power or remedy under this Agreement shall operate as a
waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy.
Except as provided in
Section 19
, the remedies provided for in this Agreement are
cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to Gold or Producer at law,
in equity or otherwise. No amendment, modification, supplement, termination or waiver of or to any
provision of this Agreement, or consent to any departure therefrom, shall be effective unless the
same shall be in writing and signed by Gold and Producer, except that Gold may unilaterally amend,
restate, amend and restate, supplement or otherwise modify the Surcharge Percentage and
Exhibit
A
at any time and from time to time as provided in, respectively,
Section 3
and
Section 9
. Producer and Gold may amend this Agreement pursuant to an Accepted Purchase
Order which is signed by both Producer and Gold and which provides that specified terms of such
Accepted Purchase Order constitute an amendment of specified terms of this Agreement (each such
amendment, a
PO Amendment
). A PO Amendment and any other amendment, modification or
supplement of or to any provision of this Agreement, any waiver of any provision of this Agreement,
and any consent to any departure from the terms of any provision of this Agreement, shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given. A PO
Amendment shall also be effective only with respect to the particular Accepted Purchase Order in
question.
Section 39.
Counterparts; Delivery by Facsimile or Email Transmission
. This Agreement
and Accepted Purchase Orders may be executed in counterparts (including by facsimile or email),
each of which shall be deemed an original and all of
26
which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement or Accepted Purchase Order, as the
case may be.
Section 40.
Entire Agreement
. This Agreement, any exhibits and schedules to this
Agreement and each Accepted Purchase Order constitute the entire agreement between Gold and
Producer relating to the subject matters of this Agreement, and supersede all negotiations,
preliminary agreements and all prior or contemporaneous discussions and understandings of Gold and
Producer in connection with the subject matters of this Agreement. No course of dealing or usage
of trade shall be relevant or admissible to supplement, explain, or vary any of the terms of this
Agreement, except only where this Agreement expressly refers to industry standards or industry
practices, in which event industry standards or industry practices shall only be considered or
applied with respect to the particular action, item, matter or issue in question, but the terms of
this Agreement shall govern and control in the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any such
industry standard or industry practice. Any reference to industry standards or industry practices
in this Agreement is to the then current generally recognized industry standards or industry
practices for the ethanol industry in the United States.
Section 41.
Construction; Certain Definitions; Gender and Number
.
a. This Agreement shall not be construed more strongly against Gold or Producer, regardless of
who is more responsible for its preparation.
b. The use of the words
herein
,
hereof
,
hereunder
and other
similar compounds of the word
here
in this Agreement mean and refer to this entire
Agreement, and not to any particular section, paragraph or provision. The words
include
,
includes
and
including
are used in this Agreement in a nonexclusive manner and
fashion, that is so as to include, but without limitation, the facts, items or matters in question.
Any references in this Agreement to a
Section
,
Exhibit
or
Schedule
shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated, be a reference to the section in this Agreement or to
such exhibit or schedule to this Agreement. Words and phrases in this Agreement shall be construed
as in the singular or plural number and as masculine, feminine or neuter gender, according to the
context. The titles or captions of sections and paragraphs in this Agreement are provided for
convenience of reference only, and shall not be considered a part of this Agreement for purposes of
interpreting or applying this Agreement and such titles or captions do not define, limit, extend,
explain or describe the scope or extent of this Agreement or any of its terms or conditions. The
word
person
as used in this Agreement includes natural persons and all forms and types of
entities.
Section 42.
Nature of Relationship
.
a.
No Partnership, Association or Joint Venture
. Nothing contained in this Agreement
and no action taken or omitted to be taken by Gold or Producer pursuant to this Agreement shall be
deemed to constitute a partnership, an association, a joint venture or other entity whatsoever.
Gold shall at all times be acting as an independent contractor under this Agreement. Neither Gold
nor Producer has the authority to enter
27
into any contract or agreement on behalf of the other, except that Gold may bind and obligate
Producer for and with respect to Freight Costs, Storage Costs and the Carriers for the loading,
shipment and transportation of Ethanol.
b.
Conduct of Gold
. Gold may purchase and otherwise deal in ethanol, ethanol
by-products or co-products and other products for Golds own use or account, and Gold may also
market and sell ethanol, ethanol by-products or co-products and other products of other persons
(including Affiliates or related parties of Gold), and provide services to other persons, all on
such terms and conditions as are determined by Gold from time to time, in Golds sole discretion,
subject only to Golds compliance with
Section 15(c)
.
Section 43.
Time Is of the Essence
. Gold and Producer each acknowledge and agree that
time is of the essence in the performance by them of their respective duties and obligations under
this Agreement.
Section 44.
Waiver of Jury Trial; Jurisdiction
. Without limiting
Section 28
,
Producer and Gold waive any right to a jury trial in and with respect to any suit, action,
proceeding, claim, counterclaim, demand or other matter whatsoever arising out of this Agreement.
Producer and Gold submit to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any United States or Iowa court
sitting in Des Moines, Iowa in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this
Agreement which is not subject to
Section 28
and with respect to the enforcement of any
arbitration award under
Section 28
.
Section 45.
Definitions
.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth therefor
in this
Section 45
.
Acceleration Surcharge Amount
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 4(b)
.
Acceptance Period
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 2
.
Accepted
means, with respect to any Purchase Order, that such Purchase Order was accepted by
Producer in accordance with
Section 2
of this Agreement.
Affiliate
means, with respect to either Gold or Producer, any person controlling, controlled
by or under common control with Gold or Producer, as applicable.
Agreement
has the meaning given to such term in the preamble.
Allocated Storage Costs
means an amount equal to 99% of the Producer Storage Amount.
Bi-Weekly Transparency Report
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 15(d)
.
28
Business Day
means any day of the year on which national banking institutions in Ames, Iowa
are open to the public for conducting business and are not required or authorized to close.
Carriers
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 6(b)
.
Confidential Information
means all information in any form (whether written, oral, or
otherwise) that is proprietary or confidential to, respectively, Gold or Producer, as the case may
be, whether regarding their services, products, business or otherwise, and whether or not
designated as such when received, obtained, compiled or observed by Gold or Producer, as the case
may be, including the following information or types of information: (i) the terms of this
Agreement; (ii) financial and accounting information and projections; (iii) marketing information,
including price and discount lists, payment terms, prospects or market research data, and sales
plans, strategies or methods; (iv) customers, suppliers and vendors and related information; and
(v) any and all notes, reports, memoranda, analyses, studies or other documents making any use of
any Confidential Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Confidential Information
shall in no event include any information that: (i) is already lawfully known to, or in the
possession of, Gold or Producer, as the case may be, at the time of disclosure by the other; (ii)
is or subsequently becomes publicly available or publicly known through no wrongful act of Gold or
Producer, as the case may be; (iii) is disclosed or provided to Gold or Producer, as the case may
be, by a person having the right to make an unrestricted disclosure of the information; or (iv) is
developed independently by Gold or Producer, as the case may be, without the use of the others
Confidential Information.
Customer Price
means the final purchase price and other amounts, if any, set forth in a
given Gold customer invoice for a given Ethanol sale to such customer,
less
all Reimbursement
Amounts.
Delivery Payment
means a payment for Ethanol due on and in accordance with the terms
specified in a given Accepted Purchase Order,
less
any portion of the current Set-Off Amount that
Gold, in its sole discretion, chooses to set off against such Delivery Payment, as specified at the
time of such Delivery Payment.
Direct Fixed Price Purchase Order
has the meaning given to such term in
Section
1(b)(i)
.
Direct Index Price Purchase Order
has the meaning given to such term in
Section
1(b)(ii)
.
Direct Shipment
means a shipment of Ethanol pursuant to an Accepted Direct Fixed Price
Purchase Order or an Accepted Direct Index Price Purchase Order.
Ethanol
has the meaning given to such term in the recitals.
29
Final Purchase Price
means a price per gallon of ethanol based on the final purchase price
formula mutually agreed by Gold and an end customer, as specified in a given Direct Index Price
Purchase Order, which final purchase price may be based on a monthly average from a specified day
of trading of a specified reputable ethanol index (which indices include, but are not limited to,
OPIS or Platts New York Harbor), and/or such other factors and Gold and such end customer may
choose to include in the final purchase price formula.
Freight Costs
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 6(c)
.
Freight Cost Report
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 6(c)
.
Gold
has the meaning given to such term in the preamble.
Gold Freight Costs
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 6(c)
.
Gold Indemnity Events
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 35
.
Gold True-Up Amount
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 1(b)(ii)
.
Governmental Seizure
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 10(b)
.
Impossibility Event
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 27
.
Loading Schedule
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 5(b)
.
Marketing Fee
means a fee payable to Gold by Producer in an amount equal to one percent of
the Net Purchase Price of a given shipment of Ethanol, which fee shall become due and payable to
Gold on the date that is the later of (i) the date on which the corresponding Delivery Payment for
such Ethanol is made and (ii) the date on which the Customer Price and Freight Costs for such
Ethanol have been determined by Gold.
Marks
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 12(a)
.
Maximum Storage
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 6(g)
.
Monthly Production
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 8(b)
.
Monthly Summary Report
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 15(d)
.
Net Purchase Price
means the amount derived by subtracting the Freight Costs for the Ethanol
in question from the Customer Price for such Ethanol.
Notices
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 32(a)
.
Other Clients
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 15(c)
30
Payment Acceleration Notice
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 4
.
Payment Acceleration Date
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 4(a)
.
Payment Documents
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 3
.
Plant
has the meaning given to such term in the recitals.
PO Amendment
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 38
.
Producer
has the meaning given to such term in the preamble.
Producer Percentage
means the amount determined by dividing the then-current Monthly
Production by the aggregate estimated monthly production of ethanol for all plants for which Gold
markets ethanol.
Producer Representative
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 14(d)
.
Producer Storage Amount
means the amount determined by multiplying the Producer Percentage
for a given calendar month by the Storage Costs for such calendar month.
Producer True-Up Amount
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 1(b)(ii)
.
Pro Forma Price
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 1(b)(ii)
.
Purchase Order
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 1(a)
.
Rail Contracts
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 6(b)
.
Records
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 26(a)
.
Reimbursement Amounts
means the sum of all amounts billed to a given Gold customer for
terminal costs, excise taxes, transportation costs or other similar charges that are for
reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs and expenses of Gold.
Rejected Ethanol
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 10(c)
.
Replacement Costs
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 2
.
Reviewer
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 26(b)
.
Set-Off Amount
means the sum, without duplication, of all outstanding and unpaid Marketing
Fees, Acceleration Surcharge Amounts, Producer True-Up Amounts,
31
Gold Freight Costs, Allocated Storage Costs, Replacement Costs and amounts owed pursuant to
Sections
10(e)
,
13
, or
37
arising under this Agreement from time to
time.
Storage Costs
means, with respect to a given calendar month, the sum of all fees, costs,
expenses and other amounts paid or incurred by Gold that in any way arise from or are related to or
connected with Golds storage of ethanol and the pick-up, shipment, delivery or other
transportation of ethanol from any storage facility or terminal to Golds customers, including
rental, transfer fees and other charges or amounts payable to the lessor or owner of the storage
facility or terminal, freight, express bills, terminal fees, insurance, taxes and all other related
or similar costs, expenses, charges, fees and other amounts.
Storage Limit Sale
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 14(a)
.
Supplemental Purchase Order
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 1(b)(iii)
.
Surcharge Percentage
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 4(b)
.
Terminal Storage Ethanol
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 1(b)(iii)
.
Terminal Storage Purchase Order
has the meaning given to such term in
Section
1(b)(iii)
.
Terminal Storage Shipment
means a shipment of Ethanol pursuant to an Accepted Supplemental
Purchase Order or any sale of Terminal Storage Ethanol as though such sale were an Accepted
Supplemental Purchase Order.
Unpaid Amount
has the meaning given to such term in
Section 26(c)
.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank Signature
Page Follows]
32
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Gold and Producer have executed and entered into this Agreement as of the
date first above written.
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PRODUCER:
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GOLD:
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ABE FAIRMONT, LLC
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HAWKEYE GOLD, LLC
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By:
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/s/ Richard R. Peterson
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By:
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/s/ Timothy B. Callahan
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Name:
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Richard R. Peterson
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Name:
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Timothy B. Callahan
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Title:
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CEO
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Title:
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Executive Vice President
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Address:
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Address:
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ABE Fairmont, LLC
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Hawkeye Gold, LLC
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1214 G (Road)
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224 S. Bell Ave.
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Fairmont, NE 68354-3054
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Ames, IA 50010
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Attn: Ty Weisendanger
(
Producer
Representative
)
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Attn: Timothy B. Callahan
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Facsimile:
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Facsimile: (515) 233-5577
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Email:
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Email: tcallahan@hawkeye-energy.com
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Maximum Storage: 3,000,000 Finished Denatured Ethanol
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Monthly Production: 9,100,000 Gallons
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[Signature Page to Hawkeye Gold Exclusive Ethanol Marketing Agreement]
Exhibit A
ETHANOL SPECIFICATIONS
*
Hawkeye Gold Fuel Ethanol product quality will meet the most recent version of ASTM D 4806:
ASTM D 4806 - 07
Standard Specification for Denatured Fuel Ethanol for
Blending with Gasolines for use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel
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Quality Parameter
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Limits
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ASTM Test Methods
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Ethanol, vol.%, min
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92.1
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D 5501
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Methanol, vol.%, max
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0.5
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D 5501
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Solvent washed gum,
mg/100mL, max
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5.0
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D 381
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Water content, vol.%, max
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1.0
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E 1064, E 203
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Denaturant content, vol.%,
min - vol.% max
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1.96 - 5.0
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Estimated calculation
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Inorganic Chloride,
mass ppm (mg/L), max
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40.
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(32)
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D 7319, D7328
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Copper, mg/kg, max
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0.1
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D 1688
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Acidity, as acetic acid,
mass% (mg/L), max
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0.007
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(56)
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D 1613
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pHe
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6.5 - 9.0
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D 6423
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Sulfur, mass ppm, max
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10.
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D 5453
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Sulfate, mass ppm, max
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4
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D 7318, D 7319, D 7328
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Appearance
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Clear and Bright
Free of suspended
or precipitated
contaminants
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Visual at room temperature
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Benzene, vol.%, max
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0.06
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D 5580
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Aromatics, vol.%, max
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1.7
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D 5580
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Olefins, vol.%, max
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0.5
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D 6550
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Workmanship
: The specification defines only a basic purity of the product. The product shall be
free of any adulterant or contaminant that may render the material unacceptable for its
application.
Denaturant
: Natural Gasoline, Unleaded Gasoline, Straight Run Gasoline or Raffinate.
Corrosion Protection
: Hawkeye Gold Denatured Fuel Ethanol will contain a corrosion inhibitor
designed for use in ethanol fuels.
Filtration
: The final Denatured Fuel Ethanol product will be filtered using 10 micron nominal
filters to control any suspended particles or precipitants while being transferred out of the
storage tanks and being loaded on to railcars or trucks
.
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*
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Gold may amend, restate, amend and restate, supplement or
otherwise modify the attached
Exhibit A
at any time and from
time to time as provided in
Section 9
of the Exclusive Ethanol
Marketing Agreement to which this
Exhibit A
is attached.
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