UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

March 31, 2008

 

 

AZZ incorporated

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Texas   1-12777   75-0948250

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

University Centre I, Suite 200

1300 South University Drive

Fort Worth, Texas 76107

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (817) 810-0095

None

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Section 1-Registrant’s Business and Operations

 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On March 31, 2008, AZZ incorporated (the “Company”), Arbor-Crowley, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Subsidiary”), AAA Industries, Inc., for itself and its wholly owned subsidiaries identified in the Purchase Agreement (as defined herein) (collectively, “Seller”), and Seller’s Shareholders identified in the Purchase Agreement entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to which Subsidiary purchased all or substantially all of the assets of Seller (the “Asset Purchase”). The purchase price of the transaction was approximately $85,000,000, subject to adjustment as more fully described in the Purchase Agreement. The purchased assets included six galvanizing plants (three plants located in Illinois, one plant located in Indiana, one plant located in Minnesota and one plant located in Oklahoma) and related equipment and supplies.

Additionally, on March 31, 2008, the Company entered into a Note Purchase Agreement by and among the Company and the purchasers listed on Schedule A thereto (the “Note Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company issued $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.24% unsecured Senior Notes due March 31, 2018 (the “Notes”) (the “Note Offering”). Pursuant to the Note Agreement, the Company’s payment obligations with respect to the Notes may be accelerated upon any Event of Default, as defined in the Note Agreement.

In connection with the Note Offering the Company has entered into the Second Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, (the “Second Amendment”) with Bank of America, N. A. (“Bank of America”), which amends the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement Company by and among the Company, Bank of America and certain other lenders (including Bank of America) dated as of May 25, 2006 (the “Credit Agreement”). The Second Amendment contains the consent of Bank of America to the Note Offering and amends the Credit Agreement so that undertaking the Note Offering will not otherwise constitute a default under the Credit Agreement.

The summary above does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual text of each of the Purchase Agreement, the Note Purchase Agreement and the Second Amendment as filed respectively as Exhibit 10.1, Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K (incorporated herein by reference).

Section 2-Financial Information

 

Item 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

The information presented in Item 1.01 hereof with respect to the Asset Purchase is hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 2.01.

Section 2-Financial Information

 

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement or a Registrant.

The information presented in Item 1.01 hereof with respect to the Note Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 2.03.

Section 7-Regulation FD

 

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On March 31, 2008, the Company issued a press release announcing the Asset Purchase and the Note Offering. A copy of this press release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.


Section 9-Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

  (c) Exhibits.

The following exhibits are furnished with this Form 8-K.

 

10.1   Note Purchase Agreement dated March 31, 2008, by and among AZZ incorporated and the purchasers listed therein.*
10.2   Asset Purchase Agreement dated March 31, 2008, by and among AZZ incorporated, Arbor-Crowley, Inc., AAA Industries, Inc., for itself and its wholly owned subsidiaries identified therein, and the shareholders of AAA Industries, Inc., identified therein.*
10.3   Second Amendment and Consent to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated March 31, 2008, by and between AZZ incorporated and Bank of America, N.A.*
99.1   Press release of the Company, dated March 31, 2008.*

 

* Each document marked with an asterisk is filed herewith.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: March 31, 2008   AZZ incorporated
  (Registrant)
  By:  

/s/ Dana L. Perry

    Dana L. Perry
    Senior Vice President Finance
    Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

10.1

  Note Purchase Agreement dated March 31, 2008, by and among AZZ incorporated and the purchasers listed therein.*

10.2

  Asset Purchase Agreement dated March 31, 2008, by and among AZZ incorporated, Arbor-Crowley, Inc., AAA Industries, Inc., for itself and its wholly owned subsidiaries identified therein, and the shareholders of AAA Industries, Inc., identified therein.*

10.3

  Second Amendment and Consent to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated March 31, 2008, by and between AZZ incorporated and Bank of America, N.A.*

99.1

  Press release of the Company, dated March 31, 2008.*

 

* Each document marked with an asterisk is filed herewith.

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

 

AZZ INCORPORATED

$100,000,000 6.24% Senior Notes

due March 31, 2018

 

 

N OTE P URCHASE A GREEMENT

 

 

D ATED AS OF M ARCH  31, 2008

 

 

 


T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

 

S ECTION    H EADING    P AGE
S ECTION  1.    A UTHORIZATION OF N OTES    1
  Section 1.1.    Description of Notes    1
  Section 1.2.    Interest Rate    1
S ECTION  2.    S ALE AND P URCHASE OF N OTES    1
  Section 2.1.    Notes    1
  Section 2.2.    Subsidiary Guaranty    2
S ECTION  3.    C LOSING    2
S ECTION  4.    C ONDITIONS TO C LOSING    3
  Section 4.1.    Representations and Warranties    3
  Section 4.2.    Performance; No Default    3
  Section 4.3.    Compliance Certificates    3
  Section 4.4.    Opinions of Counsel    4
  Section 4.5.    Purchase Permitted By Applicable Law, Etc    4
  Section 4.6.    Sale of Other Notes    4
  Section 4.7.    Payment of Special Counsel Fees    4
  Section 4.8.    Private Placement Number    4
  Section 4.9.    Changes in Corporate Structure    4
  Section 4.10.    Subsidiary Guaranty    4
  Section 4.11.    Funding Instructions    5
  Section 4.12.    Proceedings and Documents    5
S ECTION  5.    R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE C OMPANY    5
  Section 5.1.    Organization; Power and Authority    5
  Section 5.2.    Authorization, Etc    5
  Section 5.3.    Disclosure    5
  Section 5.4.    Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries; Affiliates    6
  Section 5.5.    Financial Statements; Material Liabilities    6
  Section 5.6.    Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc    7
  Section 5.7.    Governmental Authorizations, Etc    7
  Section 5.8.    Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders    7
  Section 5.9.    Taxes    7
  Section 5.10.    Title to Property; Leases    8
  Section 5.11.    Licenses, Permits, Etc    8
  Section 5.12.    Compliance with ERISA    8
  Section 5.13.    Private Offering by the Company    9

 

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  Section 5.14.    Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations    9
  Section 5.15.    Existing Indebtedness; Future Liens    9
  Section 5.16.    Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc    10
  Section 5.17.    Status under Certain Statutes    10
  Section 5.18.    Environmental Matters    11
  Section 5.19.    Notes Rank Pari Passu    11
S ECTION  6.    R EPRESENTATIONS OF THE P URCHASER    11
  Section 6.1.    Purchase for Investment    11
  Section 6.2.    Source of Funds    11
  Section 6.3.    Accredited Investor    13
S ECTION  7.    I NFORMATION AS TO C OMPANY    13
  Section 7.1.    Financial and Business Information    13
  Section 7.2.    Officer’s Certificate    16
  Section 7.3.    Visitation    17
S ECTION  8.    P AYMENT OF THE N OTES    17
  Section 8.1.    Required Prepayments    17
  Section 8.2.    Optional Prepayments with Make-Whole Amount    18
  Section 8.3.    Allocation of Partial Prepayments    18
  Section 8.4.    Maturity; Surrender, Etc.    18
  Section 8.5.    Purchase of Notes    18
  Section 8.6.    Make-Whole Amount for the Notes    18
  Section 8.7.    Change in Control    20
S ECTION  9.    A FFIRMATIVE C OVENANTS    22
  Section 9.1.    Compliance with Law    22
  Section 9.2.    Insurance    22
  Section 9.3.    Maintenance of Properties    23
  Section 9.4.    Payment of Taxes and Claims    23
  Section 9.5.    Corporate Existence, Etc    23
  Section 9.6.    Notes to Rank Pari Passu    23
  Section 9.7.    Additional Subsidiary Guarantors    23
  Section 9.8.    Books and Records    24
  Section 9.9.    Subsidiary Qualification    24
S ECTION  10.    N EGATIVE C OVENANTS    24
  Section 10.1.    Consolidated Net Worth    24
  Section 10.2.    Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA    24
  Section 10.3.    Fixed Charges Coverage Ratio    25
  Section 10.4.    Priority Indebtedness    25
  Section 10.5.    Limitation on Liens    25
  Section 10.6.    Sales of Asset    27

 

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  Section 10.7.    Merger and Consolidation    28
  Section 10.8.    Line of Business    28
  Section 10.9.    Transactions with Affiliates    29
  Section 10.10.    Terrorism Sanctions Regulations    29
S ECTION  11.    E VENTS OF D EFAULT    29
S ECTION  12.    R EMEDIES ON D EFAULT , E TC    31
  Section 12.1.    Acceleration    31
  Section 12.2.    Other Remedies    32
  Section 12.3.    Rescission    32
  Section 12.4.    No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc    32
S ECTION  13.    R EGISTRATION ; E XCHANGE ; S UBSTITUTION OF N OTES    33
  Section 13.1.    Registration of Notes    33
  Section 13.2.    Transfer and Exchange of Notes    33
  Section 13.3.    Replacement of Notes    33
S ECTION  14.    P AYMENTS ON N OTES    34
  Section 14.1.    Place of Payment    34
  Section 14.2.    Home Office Payment    34
S ECTION  15.    E XPENSES , E TC    35
  Section 15.1.    Transaction Expenses    35
  Section 15.2.    Survival    35
S ECTION  16.    S URVIVAL OF R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES ; E NTIRE A GREEMENT    35
S ECTION  17.    A MENDMENT AND W AIVER    35
  Section 17.1.    Requirements    35
  Section 17.2.    Solicitation of Holders of Notes    36
  Section 17.3.    Binding Effect, Etc    36
  Section 17.4.    Notes Held by Company, Etc    36
S ECTION  18.    N OTICES    37
S ECTION  19.    R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS    37
S ECTION  20.    C ONFIDENTIAL I NFORMATION    37
S ECTION  21.    S UBSTITUTION OF P URCHASER    38

 

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S ECTION  22.    M ISCELLANEOUS    39
  Section 22.1.    Successors and Assigns    39
  Section 22.2.    Payments Due on Non-Business Days    39
  Section 22.3.    Accounting Terms    39
  Section 22.4.    Severability    39
  Section 22.5.    Construction    39
  Section 22.6.    Counterparts    40
  Section 22.7.    Governing Law    40
  Section 22.8.    Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial    40

 

-iv-


S CHEDULE  A    —      I NFORMATION R ELATING TO P URCHASERS
S CHEDULE  B    —      D EFINED T ERMS
S CHEDULE  4.9    —      Changes in Corporate Structure
S CHEDULE  5.4    —      Subsidiaries of the Company, Ownership of Subsidiary Stock, Affiliates
S CHEDULE  5.5    —      Financial Statements
S CHEDULE  5.11    —      Licenses, Permits, Etc.
S CHEDULE  5.15    —      Existing Indebtedness
S CHEDULE  10.5    —      Existing Liens
E XHIBIT  1    —      Form of 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018
E XHIBIT  2.2    —      Form of Subsidiary Guaranty
E XHIBIT  4.4(a)    —      Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Company
E XHIBIT  4.4(b)    —      Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Purchasers

 

-v-


AZZ INCORPORATED

1300 S OUTH U NIVERSITY D RIVE , S UITE 200

F ORT W ORTH , T EXAS 76107

$100,000,000 6.24% Senior Notes

DUE M ARCH  31, 2018

Dated as of

March 31, 2008

T O THE P URCHASERS LISTED IN

THE ATTACHED S CHEDULE A:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

AZZ INCORPORATED , a Texas corporation (the “Company” ), agrees with the Purchasers listed in the attached Schedule A (the “Purchasers” ) to this Note Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement” ) as follows:

 

S ECTION  1. A UTHORIZATION OF N OTES .

Section 1.1. Description of Notes . The Company will authorize the issue and sale of $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018 (the “Notes” , such term to include any such notes issued in substitution therefor pursuant to Section 13). The Notes shall be substantially in the form set out in Exhibit 1. Certain capitalized and other terms used in this Agreement are defined in Schedule B; and references to a “Schedule” or an “Exhibit” are, unless otherwise specified, to a Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this Agreement.

Section 1.2. Interest Rate. The Notes shall bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months) on the unpaid principal thereof from the date of issuance at their stated rate of interest payable semi-annually in arrears on the last day of March and September in each year and at maturity commencing on September 30, 2008, until such principal sum shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity, upon notice of prepayment or otherwise) and interest (so computed) on any overdue principal, interest or Make-Whole Amount from the due date thereof (whether by acceleration or otherwise) and, during the continuance of an Event of Default, on the unpaid balance hereof, at the Default Rate until paid.

 

S ECTION  2. S ALE AND P URCHASE OF N OTES .

Section 2.1. Notes. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will issue and sell to each Purchaser and each Purchaser will purchase from the Company, at the Closing provided for in Section 3, Notes in the principal amount specified opposite such Purchaser’s name in Schedule A at the purchase price of 100% of the principal amount thereof.


The Purchasers’ obligations hereunder are several and not joint obligations and no Purchaser shall have any liability to any Person for the performance or non-performance of any obligation by any other Purchaser hereunder.

Section 2.2. Subsidiary Guaranty. (a) The payment by the Company of all amounts due with respect to the Notes and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement will be absolutely and unconditionally guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors pursuant to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement dated as of even date herewith, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.2 attached hereto, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.7 hereof (the “Subsidiary Guaranty” ).

(b) The holders of the Notes agree to discharge and release any Subsidiary Guarantor from the Subsidiary Guaranty upon the written request of the Company, provided that (i) such Subsidiary Guarantor has been released and discharged (or will be released and discharged concurrently with the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Subsidiary Guaranty) as an obligor and guarantor under and in respect of the Bank Credit Agreement and the Company so certifies to the holders of the Notes in a certificate of a Responsible Officer, (ii) at the time of such release and discharge, the Company shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the holders of the Notes stating that no Default or Event of Default exists, and (iii) if any fee or other form of consideration is given to any holder of Indebtedness of the Company for the purpose of such release, holders of the Notes shall receive equivalent consideration (a “Collateral Release” ).

 

S ECTION  3. C LOSING .

The sale and purchase of the Notes to be purchased by each Purchaser shall occur at the offices of Chapman and Cutler, LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 at 10:00 a.m. Central time, at a closing (the “ Closing ”) on March 31, 2008 or on such other Business Day thereafter on or prior to April 15, 2008 as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Purchasers. On the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to each Purchaser the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of a single Note (or such greater number of Notes in denominations of at least $100,000 as such Purchaser may request) dated the date of the Closing Date and registered in such Purchaser’s name (or in the name of such Purchaser’s nominee), against delivery by such Purchaser to the Company or its order of immediately available funds in the amount of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds for the account of the Company to Account Number 0026051-00154, at Bank of America, Dallas, Texas, ABA Number 0260-0959-3, in the Account Name of “AZZ incorporated” If, on the Closing Date, the Company shall fail to tender such Notes to any Purchaser as provided above in this Section 3, or any of the conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been fulfilled to any Purchaser’s satisfaction, such Purchaser shall, at such Purchaser’s election, be relieved of all further obligations under this Agreement, without thereby waiving any rights such Purchaser may have by reason of such failure or such nonfulfillment.

 

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S ECTION  4. C ONDITIONS TO C LOSING .

Each Purchaser’s obligation to purchase and pay for the Notes to be sold to such Purchaser at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Purchaser’s satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of the following conditions:

Section 4.1. Representations and Warranties .

(a) Representations and Warranties of the Company. The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement shall be correct when made and at the time of the Closing.

(b) Representations and Warranties of the Subsidiary Guarantors. The representations and warranties of the Subsidiary Guarantors in the Subsidiary Guaranty shall be correct when made and at the time of the Closing.

Section 4.2. Performance; No Default . The Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have performed and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement and the Subsidiary Guaranty required to be performed or complied with by the Company and each such Subsidiary Guarantor prior to or at the Closing, and after giving effect to the issue and sale of the Notes (and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated by Section 5.14), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall have entered into any transaction since November 30, 2007 that would have been prohibited by Section 10 hereof had such Sections applied since such date.

Section 4.3. Compliance Certificates .

(a) Officer’s Certificate of the Company. The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser an Officer’s Certificate, dated the Closing Date, certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.9 have been fulfilled.

(b) Secretary’s Certificate of the Company. The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, dated the date of Closing, certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other corporate proceedings relating to the authorization, execution and delivery of the Notes and this Agreement.

(c) Officer’s Certificate of the Subsidiary Guarantors. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have delivered to such Purchaser an Officer’s Certificate, dated the Closing Date, certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.1(b), 4.2 and 4.9 have been fulfilled.

(d) Secretary’s Certificate of the Subsidiary Guarantors. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, dated the date of Closing, certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other corporate proceedings relating to the authorization, execution and delivery of the Subsidiary Guaranty.

 

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Section 4.4. Opinions of Counsel . Such Purchaser shall have received opinions in form and substance satisfactory to such Purchaser, dated the Closing Date (a) from Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP, special counsel for the Company, covering the matters set forth in Exhibit 4.4(a) and covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or its counsel may reasonably request (and the Company hereby instructs its counsel to deliver such opinion to the Purchasers), and (b) from Chapman and Cutler, LLP, the Purchasers’ special counsel in connection with such transactions, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit 4.4(b) and covering such other matters incident to such transactions as such Purchaser may reasonably request.

Section 4.5. Purchase Permitted By Applicable Law, Etc . On the date of the Closing such Purchaser’s purchase of Notes shall (a) be permitted by the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction to which such Purchaser is subject, without recourse to provisions (such as section 1405(a)(8) of the New York Insurance Law) permitting limited investments by insurance companies without restriction as to the character of the particular investment, (b) not violate any applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and (c) not subject such Purchaser to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, which law or regulation was not in effect on the date hereof. If requested by such Purchaser, such Purchaser shall have received an Officer’s Certificate certifying as to such matters of fact as such Purchaser may reasonably specify to enable such Purchaser to determine whether such purchase is so permitted.

Section 4.6. Sale of Other Notes . Contemporaneously with the Closing the Company shall sell to each other Purchaser and each other Purchaser shall purchase the Notes to be purchased by it at the Closing as specified in Schedule A.

Section 4.7. Payment of Special Counsel Fees . Without limiting the provisions of Section 15.1, the Company shall have paid on or before the Closing Date, the reasonable fees, reasonable charges and reasonable disbursements of the Purchasers’ special counsel referred to in Section 4.4 to the extent reflected in a statement of such counsel rendered to the Company at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date.

Section 4.8. Private Placement Number . A Private Placement Number issued by Standard & Poor’s CUSIP Service Bureau (in cooperation with the Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners) shall have been obtained for the Notes.

Section 4.9. Changes in Corporate Structure . Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have changed its jurisdiction of organization or, except as reflected in Schedule 4.9, been a party to any merger or consolidation, or shall have succeeded to all or any substantial part of the liabilities of any other entity, at any time following the date of the most recent financial statements referred to in Schedule 5.5.

Section 4.10. Subsidiary Guaranty. The Subsidiary Guaranty shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Subsidiary Guarantor, shall constitute the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of each Subsidiary Guarantor and such Purchaser shall have received a true, correct and complete copy thereof.

 

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Section 4.11. Funding Instructions . At least three Business Days prior to the date of the Closing, each Purchaser shall have received written instructions signed by a Responsible Officer on letterhead of the Company confirming the information specified in Section 3 including (i) the name and address of the transferee bank, (ii) such transferee bank’s ABA number and (iii) the account name and number into which the purchase price for the Notes is to be deposited.

Section 4.12. Proceedings and Documents . All corporate and other organizational proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory to such Purchaser and its special counsel, and such Purchaser and its special counsel shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as such Purchaser or such special counsel may reasonably request.

 

S ECTION  5. R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE C OMPANY .

The Company represents and warrants to each Purchaser that:

Section 5.1. Organization; Power and Authority . The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease, to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact, to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Notes and to perform the provisions hereof and thereof.

Section 5.2. Authorization, Etc . This Agreement and the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, and this Agreement constitutes, and upon execution and delivery thereof each Note will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

Section 5.3. Disclosure . The documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Public Filings” ) fairly describe, in all material respects, the general nature of the business and principal properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries. This Agreement, the Public Filings, the documents, certificates or other writings delivered to the Purchasers by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the financial statements referred to in Section 5.5, in each case, delivered (or deemed to be delivered by reference to the Public Filings) to the Purchasers prior to March 14, 2008 being referred to, collectively, as the “Disclosure Documents” ), taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made.

 

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Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, since February 28, 2007, there has been no change in the financial condition, operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company or any Subsidiary except changes that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to the Company that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein or in the Disclosure Documents.

Section 5.4. Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries; Affiliates . (a) Schedule 5.4 contains (except as noted therein) complete and correct lists (i) of the Company’s Subsidiaries, showing, as to each Subsidiary, the correct name thereof, the jurisdiction of its organization, and the percentage of shares of each class of its capital stock or similar equity interests outstanding owned by the Company and each other Subsidiary, (ii) of the Company’s Affiliates, other than Subsidiaries, and (iii) of the Company’s directors and senior officers.

(b) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of each Subsidiary shown in Schedule 5.4 as being owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of any Lien (except as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 5.4).

(c) Each Subsidiary identified in Schedule 5.4 (other than Electrical Power Systems, Inc., a Missouri corporation ( “Electrical Power Systems” )) is a corporation or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other legal entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary has the corporate or other power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease and to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact.

(d) No Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to any legal, regulatory, contractual or other restriction (other than this Agreement, the agreements listed on Schedule 5.4 and customary limitations imposed by corporate law or similar statutes) restricting the ability of such Subsidiary to pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of profits to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of such Subsidiary.

Section 5.5. Financial Statements; Material Liabilities . The Company has delivered to each Purchaser copies of the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 5.5. All of said financial statements (including in each case the related schedules and notes) fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates specified in such Schedule and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the respective periods so specified and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except as set forth in the notes thereto (subject, in the case of any interim financial statements, to normal

 

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year-end adjustments). The Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any Material liabilities that are not disclosed on such financial statements or otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.

Section 5.6. Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Notes will not (i) contravene, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation of any Lien in respect of any property of the Company or any Subsidiary under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan, purchase or credit agreement, lease, corporate charter or by-laws, or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, (ii) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any order, judgment, decree, or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary or (iii) violate any provision of any statute or other rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary.

Section 5.7. Governmental Authorizations, Etc . No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration, filing or declaration with, any Governmental Authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement or the Notes.

Section 5.8. Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders . (a) There are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or any property of the Company or any Subsidiary in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default under any term of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound, or any order, judgment, decree or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority or is in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation (including without limitation Environmental Laws or the USA Patriot Act) of any Governmental Authority, which default or violation, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.9. Taxes . The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all tax returns that are required to have been filed in any jurisdiction, and have paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes and assessments levied upon them or their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, except for any taxes and assessments (i) the amount of which is not individually or in the aggregate Material or (ii) the amount, applicability or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, has established adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP. The Company knows of no basis for any other tax or assessment that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries in respect of Federal,

 

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state or other taxes for all fiscal periods are adequate. The Federal income tax liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been finally determined (whether by reason of completed audits or the statute of limitations having run) for all fiscal years up to and including the fiscal year ended February 28, 2003.

Section 5.10. Title to Property; Leases . The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and sufficient title to their respective properties that individually or in the aggregate are Material, including all such properties reflected in the most recent audited balance sheet referred to in Section 5.5 or purported to have been acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary after said date (except as sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business), in each case free and clear of Liens prohibited by this Agreement. All leases that individually or in the aggregate are Material are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect in all material respects.

Section 5.11. Licenses, Permits, Etc . (a) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess all licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, proprietary software, service marks, trademarks and trade names, or rights thereto, that individually or in the aggregate are Material, without known conflict with the rights of others.

(b) To the best knowledge of the Company, no product of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries infringes in any material respect any license, permit, franchise, authorization, patent, copyright, proprietary software, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned by any other Person.

(c) To the best knowledge of the Company, there is no Material violation by any Person of any right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any patent, copyright, proprietary software, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 5.12. Compliance with ERISA . (a) The Company and each ERISA Affiliate have operated and administered each Plan in compliance with all applicable laws except for such instances of noncompliance as have not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans (as defined in section 3 of ERISA), and no event, transaction or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in the incurrence of any such liability by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, in either case pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or to such penalty or excise tax provisions or to section 401(a)(29) or 412 of the Code or section 4068 of ERISA, other than such liabilities or Liens as would not be individually or in the aggregate Material.

(b) The present value of the aggregate benefit liabilities under each of the Plans (other than Multiemployer Plans), determined as of the end of such Plan’s most recently ended plan year on the basis of the actuarial assumptions specified for funding purposes in such Plan’s most recent actuarial valuation report, did not exceed the aggregate current value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term “benefit liabilities” has the meaning specified in section 4001 of ERISA and the terms “current value” and “present value” have the meaning specified in section 3 of ERISA.

 

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(c) The Company and its ERISA Affiliates have not incurred withdrawal liabilities (and are not subject to contingent withdrawal liabilities) under section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate are Material.

(d) The expected postretirement benefit obligation (determined as of the last day of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal year in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 106, without regard to liabilities attributable to continuation coverage mandated by section 4980B of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries is not Material.

(e) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Notes hereunder will not involve any transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of section 406 of ERISA or in connection with which a tax could be imposed pursuant to section 4975(c)(1)(A)-(D) of the Code. The representation by the Company to each Purchaser in the first sentence of this Section 5.12(e) is made in reliance upon and subject to the accuracy of such Purchaser’s representation in Section 6.2 as to the sources of the funds used to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser.

Section 5.13. Private Offering by the Company . Neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has offered the Notes or any similar securities for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with, any person other than the Purchasers and not more than 30 other Institutional Investors, each of which has been offered the Notes at a private sale for investment. Neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the Notes to the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act or to the registration requirements of any securities or blue sky laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

Section 5.14. Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations . The Company will apply the proceeds of the sale of the Notes to finance an acquisition and for general corporate purposes. No part of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of buying or carrying any margin stock within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR 221), or for the purpose of buying or carrying or trading in any securities under such circumstances as to involve the Company in a violation of Regulation X of said Board (12 CFR 224) or to involve any broker or dealer in a violation of Regulation T of said Board (12 CFR 220). Margin stock does not constitute more than 5% of the value of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the Company does not have any present intention that margin stock will constitute more than 5 % of the value of such assets. As used in this Section, the terms “margin stock” and “purpose of buying or carrying” shall have the meanings assigned to them in said Regulation U.

Section 5.15. Existing Indebtedness; Future Liens . (a) Except as described therein, Schedule 5.15 sets forth a complete and correct list of all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of February 29, 2008 (including a description of the obligors

 

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and obligees, principal amount outstanding and collateral therefor, if any, and Guarantee thereof, if any), since which date there has been no Material change in the amounts, interest rates, sinking funds, installment payments or maturities of the Indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default and no waiver of default is currently in effect, in the payment of any principal or interest on any Indebtedness of the Company or such Subsidiary and no event or condition exists with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary that would permit (or that with notice or the lapse of time, or both, would permit) one or more Persons to cause such Indebtedness to become due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment.

(b) Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.15, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has agreed or consented to cause or permit in the future (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to be subject to a Lien not permitted by Section 10.5.

(c) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or such Subsidiary, any agreement relating thereto or any other agreement (including, but not limited to, its charter or other organizational document) which limits the amount of, or otherwise imposes restrictions on the incurring of, Indebtedness of the Company, except as specifically indicated in Schedule 5.15.

Section 5.16. Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc . (a) Neither the sale of the Notes by the Company hereunder nor its use of the proceeds thereof will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto.

(b) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) engages in any dealings or transactions with any such Person. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act.

(c) No part of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, assuming in all cases that such Act applies to the Company.

Section 5.17. Status under Certain Statutes . Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as amended, or the Federal Power Act, as amended.

 

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Section 5.18. Environmental Matters . (a) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has knowledge of any claim or has received any notice of any claim, and no proceeding has been instituted raising any claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or other assets, alleging any damage to the environment or violation of any Environmental Laws, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has knowledge of any facts which would give rise to any claim, public or private, of violation of Environmental Laws or damage to the environment emanating from, occurring on or in any way related to real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or to other assets or their use, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has stored any Hazardous Materials on real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them and has not disposed of any Hazardous Materials in a manner contrary to any Environmental Laws in each case in any manner that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(d) All buildings on all real properties now owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Subsidiary are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.19. Notes Rank Pari Passu. The obligations of the Company under this Agreement and the Notes rank pari passu in right of payment with all other senior unsecured Indebtedness (actual or contingent) of the Company, including, without limitation, all senior unsecured Indebtedness of the Company described in Schedule 5.15 hereto.

 

S ECTION  6. R EPRESENTATIONS OF THE P URCHASER .

Section 6.1. Purchase for Investment . Each Purchaser severally represents that it is purchasing the Notes for its own account or for one or more separate accounts maintained by it or for the account of one or more pension or trust funds and not with a view to the distribution thereof, provided that the disposition of such Purchaser’s or such pension or trust funds’ property shall at all times be within such Purchaser’s or such pension or trust funds’ control. Each Purchaser understands that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law, and that the Company is not required to register the Notes.

Section 6.2. Source of Funds . Each Purchaser severally represents that at least one of the following statements is an accurate representation as to each source of funds (a “Source” ) to be used by such Purchaser to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser hereunder:

(a) the Source is an “insurance company general account” (as the term is defined in the United States Department of Labor’s Prohibited Transaction Exemption

 

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( “PTE” ) 95-60) in respect of which the reserves and liabilities (as defined by the annual statement for life insurance companies approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the “NAIC Annual Statement” )) for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any employee benefit plan together with the amount of the reserves and liabilities for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any other employee benefit plans maintained by the same employer (or affiliate thereof as defined in PTE 95-60) or by the same employee organization in the general account do not exceed 10% of the total reserves and liabilities of the general account (exclusive of separate account liabilities) plus surplus as set forth in the NAIC Annual Statement filed with such Purchaser’s state of domicile; or

(b) the Source is a separate account that is maintained solely in connection with such Purchaser’s fixed contractual obligations under which the amounts payable, or credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) that has any interest in such separate account (or to any participant or beneficiary of such plan (including any annuitant)) are not affected in any manner by the investment performance of the separate account; or

(c) the Source is either (i) an insurance company pooled separate account, within the meaning of PTE 90-1 or (ii) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of the PTE 91-38 and, except as disclosed by such Purchaser to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (c), no employee benefit plan or group of plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such pooled separate account or collective investment fund; or

(d) the Source constitutes assets of an “investment fund” (within the meaning of Part V of PTE 84-14 (the “QPAM Exemption”)) managed by a “qualified professional asset manager” or “QPAM” (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption), no employee benefit plan’s assets that are included in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of Section V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization and managed by such QPAM, exceed 20% of the total client assets managed by such QPAM, the conditions of Part I(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied, as of the last day of its most recent calendar quarter, the QPAM does not own a 10% or more interest in the Company and no person controlling or controlled by the QPAM (applying the definition of “control” in Section V(e) of the QPAM Exemption) owns a 20% or more interest in the Company (or less than 20% but greater than 10%, if such person exercises control over the management or policies of the Company by reason of its ownership interest) and (i) the identity of such QPAM and (ii) the names of all employee benefit plans whose assets are included in such investment fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (d); or

(e) the Source constitutes assets of a “plan(s)” (within the meaning of Section IV of PTE 96-23 (the “INHAM Exemption” )) managed by an “in-house asset manager” or “INHAM” (within the meaning of Part IV of the INHAM Exemption), the conditions

 

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of Part I(a), (g) and (h) of the INHAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the INHAM nor a person controlling or controlled by the INHAM (applying the definition of “control” in Section IV(d) of the INHAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (i) the identity of such INHAM and (ii) the name(s) of the employee benefit plan(s) whose assets constitute the Source have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (e); or

(f) the Source is a governmental plan; or

(g) the Source is one or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which has been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (g); or

(h) the Source does not include assets of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of ERISA.

As used in this Section 6.2, the terms “employee benefit plan,” “governmental plan,” and “separate account” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in section 3 of ERISA.

Section 6.3. Accredited Investor . Each Purchaser represents that it is an “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) of Regulation D under the Securities Act acting for its own account (and not for the account of others) or as a fiduciary or agent for others (which others are also “accredited investors”). Each Purchaser further represents that such Purchaser has had the opportunity to ask questions of the Company and received answers concerning the terms and conditions of the sale of the Notes.

 

S ECTION  7. I NFORMATION AS TO C OMPANY .

Section 7.1. Financial and Business Information . The Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor:

(a) Quarterly Statements — within 60 days (or such shorter period as is 15 days greater than the period applicable to the filing of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Form 10-Q” ) with the SEC regardless of whether the Company is subject to the filing requirements thereof) after the end of each quarterly fiscal period in each fiscal year of the Company (other than the last quarterly fiscal period of each such fiscal year), duplicate copies of,

(i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and

(ii) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, for such quarter and (in the case of the second and third quarters) for the portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter,

 

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setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding periods in the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP applicable to quarterly financial statements generally, and certified by a Senior Financial Officer as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported on and their results of operations and cash flows, subject to changes resulting from year-end adjustments, provided that delivery within the time period specified above of copies of the Company’s Form 10-Q prepared in compliance with the requirements therefor and filed with the SEC shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 7.1(a), provided, further, that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such Form 10-Q if it shall have timely made such Form 10-Q available on “EDGAR” and on its home page on the worldwide web (at the date of this Agreement located at: http//www.azz.com) and shall have given each Purchaser prior notice of such availability on EDGAR and on its home page in connection with each delivery (such availability and notice thereof being referred to as “Electronic Delivery” );

(b) Annual Statements — within 105 days (or such shorter period as is 15 days greater than the period applicable to the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K” ) with the SEC regardless of whether the Company is subject to the filing requirements thereof) after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, duplicate copies of

(i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year, and

(ii) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such year,

setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP, and accompanied by

(A) an opinion thereon of independent public accountants of recognized national standing, which opinion shall state that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported upon and their results of operations and cash flows and have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, and that the examination of such accountants in connection with such financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and that such audit provides a reasonable basis for such opinion in the circumstances, and

(B) a certificate of such accountants stating that they have reviewed this Agreement and stating further whether, in making their audit, they have become aware of any condition or event that then constitutes a Default or an Event of Default, and, if they are aware that any such condition or event then exists, specifying the nature and period of the existence thereof (it being understood that such accountants shall not be liable, directly or indirectly, for any

 

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failure to obtain knowledge of any Default or Event of Default unless such accountants should have obtained knowledge thereof in making an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or did not make such an audit),

provided that the delivery within the time period specified above of the Company’s Form 10-K for such fiscal year (together with the Company’s annual report to shareholders, if any, prepared pursuant to Rule 14a-3 under the Exchange Act) prepared in accordance with the requirements therefor and filed with the SEC, together with the accountant’s certificate described in clause (B) above (the “Accountants’ Certificate” ), shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 7.1(b), provided, further, that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such Form 10-K if it shall have timely made Electronic Delivery thereof, in which event the Company shall separately deliver, concurrently with such Electronic Delivery, the Accountants’ Certificate;

(c) SEC and Other Reports — promptly upon their becoming available, one copy of (i) each financial statement, report, notice or proxy statement sent by the Company or any Subsidiary to its principal lending banks as a whole (excluding information sent to such banks in the ordinary course of administration of a bank facility, such as information relating to pricing and borrowing availability) or to its public securities holders generally, and (ii) each regular or periodic report, each registration statement (without exhibits except as expressly requested by such holder), and each prospectus and all amendments thereto filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with the SEC and of all press releases and other statements made available generally by the Company or any Subsidiary to the public concerning developments that are Material;

(d) Notice of Default or Event of Default — promptly, and in any event within five days after a Responsible Officer becoming aware of the existence of any Default or Event of Default or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default hereunder or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default of the type referred to in Section 11(f), a written notice specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto;

(e) ERISA Matters — promptly, and in any event within five days after a Responsible Officer becoming aware of any of the following, a written notice setting forth the nature thereof and the action, if any, that the Company or an ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto:

(i) with respect to any Plan, any reportable event, as defined in section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations thereunder, for which notice thereof has not been waived pursuant to such regulations as in effect on the date hereof; or

 

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(ii) the taking by the PBGC of steps to institute, or the threatening by the PBGC of the institution of, proceedings under section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from a Multi-employer Plan that such action has been taken by the PBGC with respect to such Multi-employer Plan; or

(iii) any event, transaction or condition that could result in the incurrence of any liability by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or such penalty or excise tax provisions, if such liability or Lien, taken together with any other such liabilities or Liens then existing, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(f) Notices from Governmental Authority — promptly, and in any event within 30 days of receipt thereof, copies of any notice to the Company or any Subsidiary from any Federal or state Governmental Authority relating to any order, ruling, statute or other law or regulation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

(g) Requested Information — with reasonable promptness, such other data and information relating to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including, but without limitation, actual copies of the Company’s Form 10-Q and Form 10-K) or relating to the ability of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder and under the Notes as from time to time may be reasonably requested by any such holder of Notes.

Section 7.2. Officer’s Certificate . Each set of financial statements delivered to a holder of Notes pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or Section 7.1(b) shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer setting forth (which, in the case of Electronic Delivery of any such financial statements, shall be by separate concurrent delivery of such certificate to each holder of Notes):

(a) Covenant Compliance — the information (including detailed calculations where applicable) required in order to establish whether the Company was in compliance with the requirements of Section 10.1 through Section 10.7, inclusive, during the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished (including with respect to each such Section, where applicable, the calculations of the maximum or minimum amount, ratio or percentage, as the case may be, permissible under the terms of such Sections, and the calculation of the amount, ratio or percentage then in existence); and

(b) Event of Default — a statement that such Senior Financial Officer has reviewed the relevant terms hereof and has made, or caused to be made, under his or her

 

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supervision, a review of the transactions and conditions of the Company and its Subsidiaries from the beginning of the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished to the date of the certificate and that such review shall not have disclosed the existence during such period of any condition or event that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default or, if any such condition or event existed or exists (including, without limitation, any such event or condition resulting from the failure of the Company or any Subsidiary to comply with any Environmental Law), specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company shall have taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 7.3. Visitation . The Company shall permit the representatives of each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor:

(a) No Default — if no Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of such holder and upon reasonable prior notice to the Company, to visit the principal executive office of the Company, to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries with the Company’s officers, and (with the consent of the Company, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) its independent public accountants, and (with the consent of the Company, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) to visit the other offices and properties of the Company and each Subsidiary, all at such reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably requested in writing; and

(b) Default — if a Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of the Company to visit and inspect any of the offices or properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, to examine all their respective books of account, records, reports and other papers, to make copies and extracts therefrom, and to discuss their respective affairs, finances and accounts with their respective officers and independent public accountants (and by this provision the Company authorizes said accountants to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries), all at such times and as often as may be requested.

 

S ECTION  8. P AYMENT OF THE N OTES .

Section 8.1. Required Prepayments. (a) On March 31, 2012 and on each March 31 thereafter to and including March 31, 2017, the Company will prepay $14,285,714 principal amount (or such lesser principal amount as shall then be outstanding) of the Notes at par and without payment of the Make-Whole Amount or any premium. The entire unpaid principal amount of the Notes shall become due and payable on March 31, 2018.

(b) Upon any partial prepayment of the Notes pursuant to Section 8.2 or Section 8.7, the principal amount of each required prepayment of the Notes becoming due under this Section 8.1 on and after the date of such prepayment or purchase shall be reduced in the same proportion as the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes is reduced as a result of such prepayment or purchase.

 

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Section 8.2. Optional Prepayments with Make-Whole Amount . The Company may, at its option, upon notice as provided below, prepay at any time all, or from time to time any part of, the Notes, in an amount not less than 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding in the case of a partial prepayment (or such lesser amount as shall be required to effect a partial prepayment resulting from an offer of prepayment pursuant to Section 10.6), at 100% of the principal amount so prepaid, together with interest accrued thereon to the date of such prepayment, plus the Make-Whole Amount determined for the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount. The Company will give each holder of Notes written notice of each optional prepayment under this Section 8.2 not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify such date (which shall be a Business Day), the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid on such date, the principal amount of each Note held by such holder to be prepaid (determined in accordance with Section 8.3), and the interest to be paid on the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount being prepaid, and shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer as to the estimated Make-Whole Amount due in connection with such prepayment (calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the prepayment), setting forth the details of such computation. Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer specifying the calculation of such Make-Whole Amount as of the specified prepayment date.

Section 8.3. Allocation of Partial Prepayments . In the case of each partial prepayment of the Notes, the principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid shall be allocated among all of the Notes at the time outstanding in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof not theretofore called for prepayment.

Section 8.4. Maturity; Surrender, Etc. In the case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 8, the principal amount of each Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and payable on the date fixed for such prepayment (which shall be a Business Day), together with interest on such principal amount accrued to such date and the applicable Make-Whole Amount. From and after such date, unless the Company shall fail to pay such principal amount when so due and payable, together with the interest and Make-Whole Amount as aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall cease to accrue. Any Note paid or prepaid in full shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled and shall not be reissued, and no Note shall be issued in lieu of any prepaid principal amount of any Note.

Section 8.5. Purchase of Notes . The Company will not and will not permit any Affiliate to purchase, redeem, prepay or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the outstanding Notes except upon the payment or prepayment of the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Notes. The Company will promptly cancel all Notes acquired by it or any Affiliate pursuant to any payment or prepayment of Notes pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and no Notes may be issued in substitution or exchange for any such Notes.

Section 8.6. Make-Whole Amount for the Notes . The term “Make-Whole Amount” means with respect to any Note an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Discounted Value of the Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to the Called Principal of such Note, minus the amount of such Called Principal, provided that the Make-Whole Amount may in no event be less than zero. For the purposes of determining the Make-Whole Amount, the following terms have the following meanings with respect to the Called Principal of such Note:

 

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“Called Principal” means, the principal of any Note that is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires.

“Discounted Value” means, the amount obtained by discounting all Remaining Scheduled Payments from their respective scheduled due dates to the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on which interest on such Note is payable) equal to the Reinvestment Yield.

“Reinvestment Yield” means, 0.50% plus the yield to maturity calculated by using (i) the yields reported, as of 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date on screen “PX-1” on the Bloomberg Financial Market Service (or such other information service as may replace Bloomberg) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date, or (ii) if such yields are not reported as of such time or the yields reported as of such time are not ascertainable, the Treasury Constant Maturity Series Yields reported, for the latest day for which such yields have been so reported as of the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date, in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (or any comparable successor publication) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a constant maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date. In either case, the yield will be determined, if necessary, by (a) converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to bond-equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial practice and (b) interpolating linearly on a straight line basis between (1) the actively traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and greater than the Remaining Average Life and (2) the actively traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and less than the Remaining Average Life.

“Remaining Average Life” means, the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) obtained by dividing (i) such Called Principal into (ii) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the principal component of each Remaining Scheduled Payment by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) that will elapse between the Settlement Date and the scheduled due date of such Remaining Scheduled Payment.

“Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, all payments of such Called Principal and interest thereon that would be due after the Settlement Date if no payment of such Called Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date, provided that if such Settlement Date is not a date on which interest payments are due to be made under the terms of such Note, then the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued to such Settlement Date and required to be paid on such Settlement Date pursuant to Section 8.2 or 12.1.

 

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“Settlement Date” means, the date on which such Called Principal is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires.

Section 8.7. Change in Control . (a)  Notice of Change in Control or Control Event. The Company will, within 15 Business Days after any Responsible Officer has knowledge of the occurrence of any Change in Control or Control Event, give written notice of such Change in Control or Control Event to each holder of Notes unless notice in respect of such Change in Control (or the Change in Control contemplated by such Control Event) shall have been given pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this Section 8.7. If a Change in Control has occurred, such notice shall contain and constitute an offer to prepay Notes as described in subparagraph (c) of this Section 8.7 and shall be accompanied by the certificate described in subparagraph (g) of this Section 8.7.

(b) Condition to Company Action. The Company will not take any action that consummates or finalizes a Change in Control unless (i) at least 15 Business Days prior to such action it shall have given to each holder of Notes written notice containing and constituting an offer to prepay Notes as described in subparagraph (c) of this Section 8.7, accompanied by the certificate described in subparagraph (g) of this Section 8.7, and (ii) contemporaneously with such action, it prepays all Notes required to be prepaid in accordance with this Section 8.7.

(c) Offer to Prepay Notes. The offer to prepay Notes contemplated by subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 8.7 shall be an offer to prepay, in accordance with and subject to this Section 8.7, all, but not less than all, the Notes held by each holder (in this case only, “holder” in respect of any Note registered in the name of a nominee for a disclosed beneficial owner shall mean such beneficial owner) on a date specified in such offer (the “Proposed Prepayment Date” ). If such Proposed Prepayment Date is in connection with an offer contemplated by subparagraph (a) of this Section 8.7, such date shall be not less than 20 days and not more than 30 days after the date of such offer (if the Proposed Prepayment Date shall not be specified in such offer, the Proposed Prepayment Date shall be the 20th day after the date of such offer).

(d) Acceptance; Rejection. A holder of Notes may accept the offer to prepay made pursuant to this Section 8.7 by causing a notice of such acceptance or rejection to be delivered to the Company at least 5 Business Days prior to the Proposed Prepayment Date. A failure by a holder of Notes to respond to an offer to prepay made pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be deemed to constitute a rejection of such offer by such holder.

(e) Prepayment. Prepayment of the Notes to be prepaid pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be at 100% of the principal amount of such Notes, together with interest on such Notes accrued to the date of prepayment. The prepayment shall be made on the Proposed Prepayment Date except as provided in subparagraph (f) of this Section 8.7.

(f) Deferral Pending Change in Control. The obligation of the Company to prepay Notes pursuant to the offers required by subparagraph (b) and accepted in accordance with subparagraph (d) of this Section 8.7 is subject to the occurrence of the Change in Control in respect of which such offers and acceptances shall have been made. In the event that such

 

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Change in Control does not occur on the Proposed Prepayment Date in respect thereof, the prepayment shall be deferred until and shall be made on the date on which such Change in Control occurs. The Company shall keep each holder of Notes reasonably and timely informed of (i) any such deferral of the date of prepayment, (ii) the date on which such Change in Control and the prepayment are expected to occur, and (iii) any determination by the Company that efforts to effect such Change in Control have ceased or been abandoned (in which case the offers and acceptances made pursuant to this Section 8.7 in respect of such Change in Control shall be deemed rescinded).

(g) Officer’s Certificate. Each offer to prepay the Notes pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be accompanied by a certificate, executed by a Senior Financial Officer of the Company and dated the date of such offer, specifying: (i) the Proposed Prepayment Date; (ii) that such offer is made pursuant to this Section 8.7; (iii) the principal amount of each Note offered to be prepaid; (iv) the interest that would be due on each Note offered to be prepaid, accrued to the Proposed Prepayment Date; (v) that the conditions of this Section 8.7 have been fulfilled; and (vi) in reasonable detail, the nature and date or proposed date of the Change in Control.

(h) Effect on Required Payments. The amount of each payment of the principal of the Notes made pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be applied against and reduce each of the then remaining principal payments due pursuant to Section 8.7 by a percentage equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes so paid divided by the aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding immediately prior to such payment.

(i) “Change in Control” Defined. “Change in Control” means, with respect to any Person, an event or series of events by which:

(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right, an “option right” ), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of such Person entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of such Person on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or

(b) during any period of 12 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of such Person cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other

 

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equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body (excluding, in the case of both clause (ii) and clause (iii), any individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member of that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for the election of one or more directors by or on behalf of the board of directors).

(j) “Control Event” Defined. “Control Event” means:

(i) the execution by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates of any agreement or letter of intent with respect to any proposed transaction or event or series of transactions or events which, individually or in the aggregate, may reasonably be expected to result in a Change in Control,

(ii) the execution of any written agreement which, when fully performed by the parties thereto, would result in a Change in Control, or

(iii) the making of any written offer by any person (as such term is used in section 13(d) and section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of the Closing) or related persons constituting a group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of the Closing) to the holders of the common stock of the Company, which offer, if accepted by the requisite number of holders, would result in a Change in Control.

 

S ECTION  9. A FFIRMATIVE C OVENANTS .

The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

Section 9.1. Compliance with Law . Without limiting Section 10.10, the Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them is subject, including, without limitation, ERISA, the USA Patriot Act and Environmental Laws, and will obtain and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership of their respective properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that non-compliance with such laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or failures to obtain or maintain in effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.2. Insurance . The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts (including deductibles, co-insurance and self-insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or a similar business and similarly situated.

 

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Section 9.3. Maintenance of Properties . The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, provided that this Section shall not prevent the Company or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Company has concluded that such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.4. Payment of Taxes and Claims . The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges, or levies imposed on them or any of their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent the same have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent and all claims for which sums have become due and payable that have or might become a Lien on properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim if (i) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested by the Company or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Company or a Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Company or such Subsidiary or (ii) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments, charges, levies and claims in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.5. Corporate Existence, Etc . Subject to Section 10.6, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence. Subject to Sections 10.6 and 10.7, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the corporate existence of each of its Subsidiaries (unless merged into the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) and all rights and franchises of the Company and its Subsidiaries unless, in the good faith judgment of the Company, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such corporate existence, right or franchise could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.6. Notes to Rank Pari Passu. The Notes and all other obligations under this Agreement of the Company are and at all times shall remain direct and unsecured obligations of the Company ranking pari passu with all Indebtedness outstanding under the Bank Credit Agreement and all other present and future unsecured Indebtedness (actual or contingent) of the Company which is not expressed to be subordinate or junior in rank to any other unsecured Indebtedness of the Company.

Section 9.7. Additional Subsidiary Guarantors . The Company will cause any Subsidiary which is required by the terms of the Bank Credit Agreement to become a party to, or otherwise guarantee, Indebtedness in respect of the Bank Credit Agreement, to enter into the Subsidiary Guaranty and deliver to each of the holders of the Notes (concurrently with the incurrence of any such obligation pursuant to the Bank Credit Agreement) the following items:

(a) a joinder agreement in respect of the Subsidiary Guaranty;

 

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(b) a certificate signed by an authorized Responsible Officer of the Company making representations and warranties to the effect of those contained in Sections 5.4, 5.6 and 5.7, with respect to such Subsidiary and the Subsidiary Guaranty, as applicable; and

(c) an opinion of counsel (who may be in-house counsel for the Company) addressed to each of the holders of the Notes satisfactory to the Required Holders, to the effect that the Subsidiary Guaranty by such Person has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and that the Subsidiary Guaranty constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as an enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.

Section 9.8. Books and Records. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP and all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having legal or regulatory jurisdiction over the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

Section 9.9. Subsidiary Qualification. The Company will cause Electrical Power Systems to have its charter reinstated in the State of Missouri and be in good standing in the States of Missouri and Oklahoma within 120 days after the date hereof. The Company shall provide evidence satisfactory to Chapman and Cutler LLP as counsel to the Purchasers of the foregoing.

 

S ECTION  10. N EGATIVE C OVENANTS .

The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

Section 10.1. Consolidated Net Worth. The Company will not at any time permit Consolidated Net Worth to be less than the sum of (a) $116,926,600, plus (b) 50% of Consolidated Net Income (but only if a positive number) for each fiscal quarter beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after February 29, 2008, plus (c) the net proceeds from the issuance by the Company or any Subsidiary of Equity Interests after February 29, 2008.

Section 10.2. Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA. The Company will not permit, at the end of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA (Consolidated EBITDA to be calculated as at the end of each fiscal quarter for each Rolling Period then ended) to exceed 3.25 to 1.00.

 

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Section 10.3. Fixed Charges Coverage Ratio. The Company will not permit the ratio of Consolidated EBITDAR to Consolidated Fixed Charges for each Rolling Period (calculated as at the end of each fiscal quarter for the Rolling Period then ended) to be less than 2.00 to 1.00.

Section 10.4. Priority Indebtedness. The Company will not at any time permit the aggregate amount of all Priority Indebtedness to exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Worth (Consolidated Net Worth to be determined as of the end of the then most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Company).

Section 10.5. Limitation on Liens . The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly create, incur, assume or permit to exist (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any Lien on or with respect to any property or asset (including, without limitation, any document or instrument in respect of goods or accounts receivable) of the Company or any such Subsidiary, whether now owned or held or hereafter acquired, or any income or profits therefrom, or assign or otherwise convey any right to receive income or profits (unless it makes, or causes to be made, effective provision whereby the Notes will be equally and ratably secured with any and all other obligations thereby secured, such security to be pursuant to an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders and, in any such case, the Notes shall have the benefit, to the fullest extent that, and with such priority as, the holders of the Notes may be entitled under applicable law, of an equitable Lien on such property), except:

(a) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges that are not yet due and payable or the payment of which is not at the time required by Section 9.4;

(b) any attachment or judgment Lien, unless the judgment it secures shall not, within 60 days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal, or shall not have been discharged within 60 days after the expiration of any such stay;

(c) Liens incidental to the conduct of business or the ownership of properties and assets (including landlords’, carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s and other similar Liens for sums not yet due and payable) and Liens to secure the performance of bids, tenders, leases, or trade contracts, or to secure statutory obligations (including obligations under workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation), surety or appeal bonds or other Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money;

(d) leases or subleases granted to others, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances, in each case incidental to the ownership of property or assets or the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or Liens incidental to minor survey exceptions and the like, provided that such Liens do not, in the aggregate, materially detract from the value of such property;

(e) Liens securing Indebtedness of a Subsidiary to the Company or to a Subsidiary;

 

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(f) Liens existing as of the Closing Date and reflected in Schedule 10.5;

(g) Liens incurred after the Closing Date given to secure the payment of the purchase price incurred in connection with the acquisition, construction or improvement of property (other than accounts receivable or inventory) useful and intended to be used in carrying on the business of the Company or a Subsidiary, including Liens existing on such property at the time of acquisition or construction thereof or Liens incurred within 365 days of such acquisition or completion of such construction or improvement, provided that (i) the Lien shall attach solely to the property acquired, purchased, constructed or improved; (ii) at the time of acquisition, construction or improvement of such property (or, in the case of any Lien incurred within three hundred sixty-five (365) days of such acquisition or completion of such construction or improvement, at the time of the incurrence of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien), the aggregate amount remaining unpaid on all Indebtedness secured by Liens on such property, whether or not assumed by the Company or a Subsidiary, shall not exceed the lesser of (y) the cost of such acquisition, construction or improvement or (z) the Fair Market Value of such property (as determined in good faith by one or more officers of the Company to whom authority to enter into the transaction has been delegated by the board of directors of the Company); and (iii) at the time of such incurrence and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

(h) any Lien existing on property of a Person immediately prior to its being consolidated with or merged into the Company or a Subsidiary or its becoming a Subsidiary, or any Lien existing on any property acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary at the time such property is so acquired (whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby shall have been assumed), provided that (i) no such Lien shall have been created or assumed in contemplation of such consolidation or merger or such Person’s becoming a Subsidiary or such acquisition of property, (ii) each such Lien shall extend solely to the item or items of property so acquired and, if required by the terms of the instrument originally creating such Lien, other property which is an improvement to or is acquired for specific use in connection with such acquired property, and (iii) at the time of such incurrence and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

(i) any extensions, renewals or replacements of any Lien permitted by the preceding subparagraphs (f), (g) and (h) of this Section 10.5, provided that (i) no additional property shall be encumbered by such Liens, (ii) the unpaid principal amount of the Indebtedness or other obligations secured thereby shall not be increased on or after the date of any extension, renewal or replacement, and (iii) at such time and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(j) Liens securing Priority Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, provided that the aggregate principal amount of any such Priority Indebtedness shall be permitted by Section 10.4, and, provided further that, no such Liens may secure any obligations under the Bank Credit Agreement.

 

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Section 10.6. Sales of Assets. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any substantial part (as defined below) of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Company or any Subsidiary may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of assets constituting a substantial part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries if such assets are sold in an arms length transaction and, at such time and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and an amount equal to the net proceeds received from such sale, lease or other disposition (but only with respect to that portion of such assets that exceeds the definition of “substantial part” set forth below) shall be used within 365 days of such sale, lease or disposition, in any combination:

(1) to acquire productive assets used or useful in carrying on the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries and having a value at least equal to the value of such assets sold, leased or otherwise disposed of; and/or

(2) to prepay or retire Senior Indebtedness of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, provided that (i) the Company shall offer to prepay each outstanding Note in a principal amount which equals the Ratable Portion for such Note, and (ii) any such prepayment of the Notes shall be made at par, together with accrued interest thereon to the date of such prepayment, but without the payment of the Make-Whole Amount. Any offer of prepayment of the Notes pursuant to this Section 10.6 shall be given to each holder of the Notes by written notice that shall be delivered not less than fifteen (15) days and not more than sixty (60) days prior to the proposed prepayment date. Each such notice shall state that it is given pursuant to this Section and that the offer set forth in such notice must be accepted by such holder in writing and shall also set forth (i) the prepayment date, (ii) a description of the circumstances which give rise to the proposed prepayment and (iii) a calculation of the Ratable Portion for such holder’s Notes. Each holder of the Notes which desires to have its Notes prepaid shall notify the Company in writing delivered not less than five (5) Business Days prior to the proposed prepayment date of its acceptance of such offer of prepayment. Prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 10.6 shall be made in accordance with Section 8.2 (but without payment of the Make-Whole Amount).

As used in this Section 10.6, a sale, lease or other disposition of assets shall be deemed to be a “substantial part” of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries if the book value of such assets, when added to the book value of all other assets sold, leased or otherwise disposed of by the Company and its Subsidiaries during the period of 12 consecutive months ending on the date of such sale, lease or other disposition, exceeds 10% of the book value of Consolidated Total Assets, determined as of the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such sale, lease or other disposition; provided that there shall be excluded from any determination of a “substantial part” any (i) sale or disposition of assets in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) any transfer of assets from the Company to any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary or from any Subsidiary to the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and (iii) any sale or transfer of property acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary after the date of this Agreement to any Person within 365 days following the acquisition or construction of such property by the Company or any Subsidiary if the Company or a Subsidiary shall concurrently with such sale or transfer, lease such property, as lessee.

 

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Section 10.7. Merger and Consolidation. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, consolidate with or merge with any other Person or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its assets in a single transaction or series of transactions to any Person; provided that:

(1) any Subsidiary of the Company may (x) consolidate with or merge with, or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its assets in a single transaction or series of transactions to, (i) the Company or a Subsidiary so long as in any merger or consolidation involving the Company, the Company shall be the surviving or continuing corporation or (ii) any other Person so long as the survivor is the Subsidiary, or (y) convey, transfer or lease all of its assets in compliance with the provisions of Section 10.6; and

(2) the foregoing restriction does not apply to the consolidation or merger of the Company with, or the conveyance, transfer or lease of substantially all of the assets of the Company in a single transaction or series of transactions to, any Person so long as:

(a) the successor formed by such consolidation or the survivor of such merger or the Person that acquires by conveyance, transfer or lease substantially all of the assets of the Company as an entirety, as the case may be (the “Successor Corporation” ), shall be a solvent entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia;

(b) if the Company is not the Successor Corporation, such Successor Corporation shall have executed and delivered to each holder of Notes its assumption of the due and punctual performance and observance of each covenant and condition of this Agreement and the Notes (pursuant to such agreements and instruments as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders), and the Successor Corporation shall have caused to be delivered to each holder of Notes (A) an opinion of independent counsel reasonable satisfactory to the Required Holders, to the effect that all agreements or instruments effecting such assumption are enforceable in accordance with their terms and (B) an acknowledgment from each Subsidiary Guarantor that the Subsidiary Guaranty continues in full force and effect; and

(c) at such time and immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default would exist (it being agreed that for purposes of determining compliance with Section 10.2, such transaction shall be treated on a pro forma basis for the relevant period as having been consummated as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter).

Section 10.8. Line of Business . The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to engage in any business if, as a result, the general nature of the business in which the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would then be engaged would be substantially changed from the general nature of the business in which the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are engaged on the date of this Agreement as described in the Public Filings.

 

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Section 10.9. Transactions with Affiliates . The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to enter into directly or indirectly any Material transaction or Material group of related transactions (including without limitation the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate (other than the Company or another Subsidiary), except in the ordinary course and upon fair and reasonable terms that are not materially less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary, taken as a whole, than would be obtainable in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.

Section 10.10. Terrorism Sanctions Regulations . The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to (a) become a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) engage in any dealings or transactions with any such Person.

 

S ECTION  11. E VENTS OF D EFAULT .

An “Event of Default” shall exist if any of the following conditions or events shall occur and be continuing:

(a) the Company defaults in the payment of any principal or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise; or

(b) the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any Note for more than five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or

(c) the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained in Section 7.1(d), Section 10 or any Subsidiary Guarantor defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term of the Subsidiary Guaranty beyond any period of grace or cure period provided with respect thereto; or

(d) the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein (other than those referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 11) and such default is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default or (ii) the Company receiving written notice of such default from any holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this paragraph (d) of Section 11); or

(e) any Subsidiary Guaranty ceases to be a legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation or contract of a Subsidiary Guarantor (other than upon a release of any Subsidiary Guarantor from a Subsidiary Guaranty in accordance with the terms of Section 2.2(b) hereof), or any Subsidiary Guarantor or any party by, through or on account of any such Person, challenges the validity, binding nature or enforceability of any such Subsidiary Guaranty; or

 

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(f) any representation or warranty made in writing by or on behalf of the Company or Subsidiary Guarantor in this Agreement or any Subsidiary Guaranty or by any officer of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in any writing furnished in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or by any Subsidiary Guaranty proves to have been false or incorrect in any material respect on the date as of which made; or

(g) (i) the Company or any Subsidiary is in default (as principal or as guarantor or other surety) in the payment of any principal of or premium or make-whole amount or interest on any Indebtedness that is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $2,500,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary is in default in the performance of or compliance with any term of any evidence of any Indebtedness in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $2,500,000 or of any mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating thereto or any other condition exists, and as a consequence of such default or condition such Indebtedness has become, or has been declared (or one or more Persons are entitled to declare such Indebtedness to be), due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment, or (iii) as a consequence of the occurrence or continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage of time or the right of the holder of Indebtedness to convert such Indebtedness into equity interests), (x) the Company or any Subsidiary has become obligated to purchase or repay Indebtedness before its regular maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $2,500,000, or (y) one or more Persons have the right to require the Company or any Subsidiary so to purchase or repay such Indebtedness; or

(h) the Company or any Subsidiary (i) is generally not paying, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts as they become due, (ii) files, or consents by answer or otherwise to the filing against it of, a petition for relief or reorganization or arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy, for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar law of any jurisdiction, (iii) makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (iv) consents to the appointment of a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, (v) is adjudicated as insolvent or to be liquidated, or (vi) takes corporate action for the purpose of any of the foregoing; or

(i) a court or Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction enters an order appointing, without consent by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, or constituting an order for relief or approving a petition for relief or reorganization or any other petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any jurisdiction, or ordering the dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any Subsidiary Guarantor, or any such petition shall be filed against the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any Subsidiary Guarantor and such petition shall not be dismissed within 60 days; or

 

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(j) a final judgment or judgments for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $2,500,000 are rendered against one or more of the Company and its Subsidiaries and which judgments are not, within 60 days after entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within 60 days after the expiration of such stay; or

(k) if (i) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standards of ERISA or the Code for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standards or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code, (ii) a notice of intent to terminate any Plan shall have been or is reasonably expected to be filed with the PBGC or the PBGC shall have instituted proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA to terminate or appoint a trustee to administer any Plan or the PBGC shall have notified the Company or any ERISA Affiliate that a Plan may become a subject of any such proceedings, (iii) the aggregate “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA) under all Plans, determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA, shall exceed $2,500,000, (iv) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, (v) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate withdraws from any Multiemployer Plan, or (vi) the Company or any Subsidiary establishes or amends any employee welfare benefit plan that provides post-employment welfare benefits in a manner that could increase the liability of the Company or any Subsidiary thereunder; and any such event or events described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, either individually or together with any other such event or events, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

As used in Section 11(k), the terms “employee benefit plan” and “employee welfare benefit plan” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA.

 

S ECTION  12. R EMEDIES ON D EFAULT , E TC .

Section 12.1. Acceleration . (a) If an Event of Default with respect to the Company described in paragraph (h) or (i) of Section 11 (other than an Event of Default described in clause (i) of paragraph (h) or described in clause (vi) of paragraph (h) by virtue of the fact that such clause encompasses clause (i) of paragraph (h)) has occurred, all the Notes then outstanding shall automatically become immediately due and payable.

(b) If any other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of more than 50% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may at any time at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes then outstanding to be immediately due and payable.

 

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(c) If any Event of Default described in paragraph (a) or (b) of Section 11 has occurred and is continuing with respect to any Notes, any holder or holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected by such Event of Default may at any time, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes held by such holder or holders to be immediately due and payable.

Upon any Note’s becoming due and payable under this Section 12.1, whether automatically or by declaration, such Note will forthwith mature and the entire unpaid principal amount of such Note, plus (i) all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, but not limited to, interest accrued thereon at the Default Rate) and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount determined in respect of such principal amount (to the full extent permitted by applicable law), shall all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case without presentment, demand, protest or further notice, all of which are hereby waived. The Company acknowledges, and the parties hereto agree, that each holder of a Note has the right to maintain its investment in the Notes free from repayment by the Company (except as herein specifically provided for) and that the provision for payment of a Make-Whole Amount by the Company in the event that the Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a result of an Event of Default, is intended to provide compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances.

Section 12.2. Other Remedies . If any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and irrespective of whether any Notes have become or have been declared immediately due and payable under Section 12.1, the holder of any Note at the time outstanding may proceed to protect and enforce the rights of such holder by an action at law, suit in equity or other appropriate proceeding, whether for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or in any Note, or for an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or thereof, or in aid of the exercise of any power granted hereby or thereby or by law or otherwise.

Section 12.3. Rescission . At any time after the Notes have been declared due and payable pursuant to clause (b) or (c) of Section 12.1, the holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company, may rescind and annul any such declaration and its consequences if (a) the Company has paid all overdue interest on the Notes, all principal of and Make-Whole Amount on any Notes that are due and payable and are unpaid other than by reason of such declaration, and all interest on such overdue principal and Make-Whole Amount and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any overdue interest in respect of the Notes, at the Default Rate, (b) neither the Company nor any other Person shall have paid any amounts which have become due solely by reason of such declaration, (c) all Events of Default and Defaults, other than non-payment of amounts that have become due solely by reason of such declaration, have been cured or have been waived pursuant to Section 17, and (d) no judgment or decree has been entered for the payment of any monies due pursuant hereto or to any Notes. No rescission and annulment under this Section 12.3 will extend to or affect any subsequent Event of Default or Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 12.4. No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc . No course of dealing and no delay on the part of any holder of any Note in exercising any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof or otherwise prejudice such holder’s rights, powers or remedies. No

 

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right, power or remedy conferred by this Agreement or by any Note upon any holder thereof shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy referred to herein or therein or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise. Without limiting the obligations of the Company under Section 15, the Company will pay to the holder of each Note on demand such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover all costs and expenses of such holder incurred in any enforcement or collection under this Section 12, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements.

 

S ECTION  13. R EGISTRATION ; E XCHANGE ; S UBSTITUTION OF N OTES .

Section 13.1. Registration of Note s. The Company shall keep at its principal executive office a register for the registration and registration of transfers of Notes. The name and address of each holder of one or more Notes, each transfer thereof and the name and address of each transferee of one or more Notes shall be registered in such register. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Person in whose name any Note shall be registered shall be deemed and treated as the owner and holder thereof for all purposes hereof, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice or knowledge to the contrary. The Company shall give to any holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor promptly upon request therefor, a complete and correct copy of the names and addresses of all registered holders of Notes.

Section 13.2. Transfer and Exchange of Notes . Upon surrender of any Note to the Company at the address and to the attention of the designated officer (all as specified in Section 18(iii)), for registration of transfer or exchange (and in the case of a surrender for registration of transfer accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed by the registered holder of such Note or such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing and accompanied by the relevant name, address and other information for notices of each transferee of such Note or part thereof), within ten Business Days thereafter, the Company shall execute and deliver, at the Company’s expense (except as provided below), one or more new Notes (as requested by the holder thereof) in exchange therefor, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unpaid principal amount of the surrendered Note. Each such new Note shall be payable to such Person as such holder may request and shall be substantially in the form of the Note originally issued hereunder. Each such new Note shall be dated and bear interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on the surrendered Note or dated the date of the surrendered Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp tax or governmental charge imposed in respect of any such transfer of Notes. Notes shall not be transferred in denominations of less than $100,000, provided that if necessary to enable the registration of transfer by a holder of its entire holding of Notes, one Note may be in a denomination of less than $100,000. Any transferee, by its acceptance of a Note registered in its name (or the name of its nominee), shall be deemed to have made the representation set forth in Section 6.2, provided , that in lieu thereof such holder may (in reliance upon information provided by the Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld) make a representation to the effect that the purchase by any holder of any Note will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406(a) of ERISA.

Section 13.3. Replacement of Notes . Upon receipt by the Company at the address and to the attention of the designated officer (all as specified in Section 18(iv)) of evidence reasonably

 

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satisfactory to it of the ownership of and the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Note (which evidence shall be, in the case of an Institutional Investor, notice from such Institutional Investor of such ownership and such loss, theft, destruction or mutilation), and

(a) in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it ( provided that if the holder of such Note is, or is a nominee for, an original Purchaser or another holder of a Note with a minimum net worth of at least $100,000,000 or a Qualified Institutional Buyer, such Person’s own unsecured agreement of indemnity shall be deemed to be satisfactory), or

(b) in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation thereof,

the Company at its own expense shall execute and deliver not more than five Business Days following satisfaction of such conditions, in lieu thereof, a new Note, dated and bearing interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note or dated the date of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon.

 

S ECTION  14. P AYMENTS ON N OTES .

Section 14.1. Place of Payment . Subject to Section 14.2, payments of principal, Make-Whole Amount and interest becoming due and payable on the Notes shall be made in New York, New York at the principal office of Banc of America, N.A. in such jurisdiction. The Company may at any time, by notice to each holder of a Note, change the place of payment of the Notes so long as such place of payment shall be either the principal office of the Company in such jurisdiction or the principal office of a bank or trust company in such jurisdiction.

Section 14.2. Home Office Payment . So long as any Purchaser or such Purchaser’s nominee shall be the holder of any Note, and notwithstanding anything contained in Section 14.1 or in such Note to the contrary, the Company will pay all sums becoming due on such Note for principal, Make-Whole Amount and interest by the method and at the address specified for such purpose for such Purchaser on Schedule A hereto or by such other method or at such other address as such Purchaser shall have from time to time specified to the Company in writing for such purpose, without the presentation or surrender of such Note or the making of any notation thereon, except that upon written request of the Company made concurrently with or reasonably promptly after payment or prepayment in full of any Note or such Purchaser shall surrender such Note for cancellation, reasonably promptly after any such request, to the Company at its principal executive office or at the place of payment most recently designated by the Company pursuant to Section 14.1. Prior to any sale or other disposition of any Note held by any Purchaser or such Person’s nominee, such Person will, at its election, either endorse thereon the amount of principal paid thereon and the last date to which interest has been paid thereon or surrender such Note to the Company in exchange for a new Note or Notes pursuant to Section 13.2. The Company will afford the benefits of this Section 14.2 to any Institutional Investor that is the direct or indirect transferee of any Note.

 

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S ECTION  15. E XPENSES , E TC .

Section 15.1. Transaction Expenses . Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Company will pay all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees of a special counsel and, if reasonably required by the Required Holders, local or other counsel) incurred by the Purchasers and each other holder of a Note in connection with such transactions and in connection with any amendments, waivers or consents under or in respect of this Agreement or the Notes (whether or not such amendment, waiver or consent becomes effective), including, without limitation: (a) the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing or defending (or determining whether or how to enforce or defend) any rights under this Agreement or the Notes or in responding to any subpoena or other legal process or informal investigative demand issued in connection with this Agreement or the Notes, or by reason of being a holder of any Note, (b) the costs and expenses, including financial advisors’ fees, incurred in connection with the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or any Subsidiary or in connection with any work-out or restructuring of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Notes and (c) the costs and expenses incurred in connection with the initial filing of this Agreement and all related documents and financial information with the SVO provided, that such costs and expenses under this clause (c) shall not exceed $3,500. The Company will pay, and will save each Purchaser and each other holder of a Note harmless from, all claims in respect of any fees, costs or expenses, if any, of brokers and finders (other than those, if any, retained by a Purchaser or other holder in connection with its purchase of the Notes).

Section 15.2. Survival . The obligations of the Company under this Section 15 will survive the payment or transfer of any Note, the enforcement, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes, and the termination of this Agreement.

 

S ECTION  16. S URVIVAL OF R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES ; E NTIRE A GREEMENT .

All representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Notes, the purchase or transfer by any Purchaser of any such Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note may be relied upon by any subsequent holder of any such Note, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of any Purchaser or any other holder of any such Note. All statements contained in any certificate or other instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed representations and warranties of the Company under this Agreement. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement and the Notes embody the entire agreement and understanding between the Purchasers and the Company and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.

 

S ECTION  17. A MENDMENT AND W AIVER .

Section 17.1. Requirements . This Agreement and the Notes may be amended, and the observance of any term hereof or of the Notes may be waived (either retroactively or prospectively), with (and only with) the written consent of the Company and the Required Holders, except that (a) no amendment or waiver of any of the provisions of Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 21 hereof, or any defined term (as it is used therein), will be effective as to any Purchaser

 

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unless consented to by such Purchaser in writing, and (b) no such amendment or waiver may, without the written consent of the holder of each Note at the time outstanding affected thereby, (i) subject to the provisions of Section 12 relating to acceleration or rescission, change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest or of the Make-Whole Amount on, the Notes, (ii) change the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes the holders of which are required to consent to any such amendment or waiver, or (iii) amend any of Sections 8, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 17 or 20.

Section 17.2. Solicitation of Holders of Notes .

(a) Solicitation. The Company will provide each holder of the Notes (irrespective of the amount of Notes then owned by it) with sufficient information, sufficiently far in advance of the date a decision is required, to enable such holder to make an informed and considered decision with respect to any proposed amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof or of the Notes. The Company will deliver executed or true and correct copies of each amendment, waiver or consent effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 17 to each holder of outstanding Notes promptly following the date on which it is executed and delivered by, or receives the consent or approval of, the requisite holders of Notes.

(b) Payment. The Company will not directly or indirectly pay or cause to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional interest, fee or otherwise, or grant any security or provide other credit support, to any holder of Notes as consideration for or as an inducement to the entering into by any holder of Notes of any waiver or amendment of any of the terms and provisions hereof unless such remuneration is concurrently paid, or security is concurrently granted or other credit support is concurrently provided, on the same terms, ratably to each holder of Notes then outstanding even if such holder did not consent to such waiver or amendment.

Section 17.3. Binding Effect, Etc . Any amendment or waiver consented to as provided in this Section 17 applies equally to all holders of Notes and is binding upon them and upon each future holder of any Note and upon the Company without regard to whether such Note has been marked to indicate such amendment or waiver. No such amendment or waiver will extend to or affect any obligation, covenant, agreement, Default or Event of Default not expressly amended or waived or impair any right consequent thereon. No course of dealing between the Company and the holder of any Note nor any delay in exercising any rights hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any holder of such Note. As used herein, the term “this Agreement” and references thereto shall mean this Agreement as it may from time to time be amended or supplemented.

Section 17.4. Notes Held by Company, Etc . Solely for the purpose of determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this Agreement or the Notes, or have directed the taking of any action provided herein or in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.

 

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S ECTION  18. N OTICES .

All notices and communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and sent (a) by telecopy if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), or (b) by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested (postage prepaid), or (c) by a recognized overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent:

(i) if to any Purchaser or its nominee, to such Purchaser or nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A, or at such other address as such Purchaser or nominee shall have specified to the Company in writing,

(ii) if to any other holder of any Note, to such holder at such address as such other holder shall have specified to the Company in writing, or

(iii) if to the Company, to the Company at its address set forth at the beginning hereof to the attention of Dana L. Perry, or at such other address as the Company shall have specified to the holder of each Note in writing.

Notices under this Section 18 will be deemed given only when actually received.

 

S ECTION  19. R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS .

This Agreement and all documents relating thereto, including, without limitation, (a) consents, waivers and modifications that may hereafter be executed, (b) documents received by any Purchaser at the Closing (except the Notes themselves), and (c) financial statements, certificates and other information previously or hereafter furnished to any Purchaser, may be reproduced by such Purchaser by any photographic, photostatic, electronic, digital, or other similar process and such Purchaser may destroy any original document so reproduced. The Company agrees and stipulates that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding (whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by such Purchaser in the regular course of business) and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence. This Section 19 shall not prohibit the Company or any other holder of Notes from contesting any such reproduction to the same extent that it could contest the original, or from introducing evidence to demonstrate the inaccuracy of any such reproduction.

 

S ECTION  20. C ONFIDENTIAL I NFORMATION .

For the purposes of this Section 20, “Confidential Information ” means information delivered to any Purchaser by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with

 

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the transactions contemplated by or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement that is proprietary in nature and that was clearly marked or labeled or otherwise adequately identified when received by such Purchaser as being confidential information of the Company or such Subsidiary, provided that such term does not include information that (a) was publicly known or otherwise known to such Purchaser prior to the time of such disclosure, (b) subsequently becomes publicly known through no act or omission by such Purchaser or any Person acting on such Purchaser’s behalf, (c) otherwise becomes known to such Purchaser other than through disclosure by the Company or any Subsidiary or (d) constitutes financial statements delivered to such Purchaser under Section 7.1 that are otherwise publicly available. Each Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of such Confidential Information in accordance with procedures adopted by such Purchaser in good faith to protect confidential information of third parties delivered to such Purchaser, provided that such Purchaser may deliver or disclose Confidential Information to (i) such Purchaser’s directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents, attorneys and affiliates (to the extent such disclosure reasonably relates to the administration of the investment represented by such Purchaser’s Notes), (ii) such Purchaser’s financial advisors and other professional advisors who agree to hold confidential the Confidential Information substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 20, (iii) any other holder of any Note, (iv) any Institutional Investor to which such Purchaser sells or offers to sell such Note or any part thereof or any participation therein (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20), (v) any Person from which such Purchaser offers to purchase any security of the Company (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20), (vi) any federal or state regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Purchaser, (vii) the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization, or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about such Purchaser’s investment portfolio, or (viii) any other Person to which such delivery or disclosure may be necessary or appropriate (w) to effect compliance with any law, rule, regulation or order applicable to such Purchaser, (x) in response to any subpoena or other legal process, (y) in connection with any litigation to which such Purchaser is a party or (z) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to the extent such Purchaser may reasonably determine such delivery and disclosure to be necessary or appropriate in the enforcement or for the protection of the rights and remedies under such Purchaser’s Notes, the Subsidiary Guaranty and this Agreement. Each holder of a Note, by its acceptance of a Note, will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to be entitled to the benefits of this Section 20 as though it were a party to this Agreement. On reasonable request by the Company in connection with the delivery to any holder of a Note of information required to be delivered to such holder under this Agreement or requested by such holder (other than a holder that is a party to this Agreement or its nominee), such holder will enter into an agreement with the Company embodying the provisions of this Section 20.

 

S ECTION  21. S UBSTITUTION OF P URCHASER .

Each Purchaser shall have the right to substitute any one of its Affiliates as the purchaser of the Notes that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, by written notice to the Company, which notice shall be signed by both such Purchaser and such Affiliate, shall contain such Affiliate’s agreement to be bound by this Agreement and shall contain a confirmation by such Affiliate of the accuracy with respect to it of the representations set forth in Section 6. Upon receipt of such

 

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notice, any reference to such Purchaser in this Agreement (other than in this Section 21), shall be deemed to refer to such Affiliate in lieu of such original Purchaser. In the event that such Affiliate is so substituted as a Purchaser hereunder and such Affiliate thereafter transfers to such original Purchaser all of the Notes then held by such Affiliate, upon receipt by the Company of notice of such transfer, any reference to such Affiliate as a “Purchaser” in this Agreement (other than in this Section 21), shall no longer be deemed to refer to such Affiliate, but shall refer to such original Purchaser, and such original Purchaser shall again have all the rights of an original holder of the Notes under this Agreement.

 

S ECTION  22. M ISCELLANEOUS .

Section 22.1. Successors and Assigns . All covenants and other agreements contained in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns (including, without limitation, any subsequent holder of a Note) whether so expressed or not.

Section 22.2. Payments Due on Non-Business Days . Anything in this Agreement or the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding (but without limiting the requirement in Section 8.4 that the notice of any optional prepayment specify a Business Day as the date fixed for such prepayment), any payment of principal of or Make-Whole Amount or interest on any Note that is due on a date other than a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without including the additional days elapsed in the computation of the interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day; provided that if the maturity date of any Note is a date other than a Business Day, the payment otherwise due on such maturity date shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and shall include the additional days elapsed in the computation of interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 22.3. Accounting Terms . All accounting terms used herein which are not expressly defined in this Agreement have the meanings respectively given to them in accordance with GAAP. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, (i) all computations made pursuant to this Agreement shall be made in accordance with GAAP, and (ii) all financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Section 22.4. Severability . Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall (to the full extent permitted by law) not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 22.5. Construction . Each covenant contained herein shall be construed (absent express provision to the contrary) as being independent of each other covenant contained herein, so that compliance with any one covenant shall not (absent such an express contrary provision) be deemed to excuse compliance with any other covenant. Where any provision herein refers to action to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether such action is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.

 

-39-


For the avoidance of doubt, all Schedules and Exhibits attached to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a part hereof.

Section 22.6. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Each counterpart may consist of a number of copies hereof, each signed by less than all, but together signed by all, of the parties hereto.

Section 22.7. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such State that would permit the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such State.

Section 22.8. Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial . (a) The Company irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company irrevocably waives and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise, any claim that it is not subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(b) The Company consents to process being served by or on behalf of any holder of Notes in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 22.8(a) by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to it at its address specified in Section 18 or at such other address of which such holder shall then have been notified pursuant to said Section. The Company agrees that such service upon receipt (i) shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon it in any such suit, action or proceeding and (ii) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be taken and held to be valid personal service upon and personal delivery to it. Notices hereunder shall be conclusively presumed received as evidenced by a delivery receipt furnished by the United States Postal Service or any reputable commercial delivery service.

(c) Nothing in this Section 22.8 shall affect the right of any holder of a Note to serve process in any manner permitted by law, or limit any right that the holders of any of the Notes may have to bring proceedings against the Company in the courts of any appropriate jurisdiction or to enforce in any lawful manner a judgment obtained in one jurisdiction in any other jurisdiction.

(d) T HE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT ON OR WITH RESPECT TO THIS A GREEMENT , THE N OTES OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH .

*     *     *     *     *

 

-40-


The execution hereof by the Purchasers shall constitute a contract among the Company and the Purchasers for the uses and purposes hereinabove set forth. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each executed counterpart constituting an original but all together only one agreement.

 

Very truly yours,
AZZ INCORPORATED
By  

 

Name:   Dana Perry
Title:   Senior Vice President


Accepted as of the date first written above.

 

T HE G UARDIAN L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF A MERICA

By  

 

Name:   Ellen I. Whittaker
Title:   Senior Director, Private Placements

 

AZZ incorporated-NPA


T HE P RUDENTIAL I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF A MERICA

By  

 

  Vice President

P RUDENTIAL R ETIREMENT I NSURANCE AND A NNUITY C OMPANY

By:   Prudential Investment Management, Inc., as
  investment manager
  By  

 

    Vice President
P RUCO L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF N EW J ERSEY
By  

 

  Vice President
P HYSICIANS M UTUAL I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:   Prudential Private Placement Investors, L.P.
  (as Investment Advisor)
By:  

Prudential Private Placement Investors, Inc.

(as its General Partner)

  By  

 

    Vice President


M ASSACHUSETTS M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:   Babson Capital Management LLC as Investment Adviser
  By  

 

  Name:   Elisabeth A. Perenick
  Title:   Managing Director
C.M. L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:   Babson Capital Management LLC as Investment Sub-Adviser
  By  

 

  Name:   Elisabeth A. Perenick
  Title:   Managing Director
H AKONE F UND II LLC
By:   Babson Capital Management LLC as Investment Adviser
  By  

 

  Name:   Elisabeth A. Perenick
  Title:   Managing Director


C ANADA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF A MERICA
By:  

 

Name:   Eve Hampton
Title:   Vice President, Investments
By:  

 

Name:   Tad Anderson
Title:   Assistant Vice President, Investments
T HE C ANADA L IFE A SSURANCE C OMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Eve Hampton
Title:   Vice President, Investments
By:  

 

Name:   Tad Anderson
Title:   Assistant Vice President, Investments
L ONDON L IFE AND G ENERAL R EINSURANCE C OMPANY L IMITED
By:   Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, as Investment Adviser
  By:  

 

  Name:   Eve Hampton
  Title:   Vice President, Investments
  By:  

 

  Name:   Tad Anderson
  Title:   Assistant Vice President, Investments


U NITED OF O MAHA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Curtis R. Caldwell
Title:   Vice President
M UTUAL OF O MAHA I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Curtis R. Caldwell
Title:   Vice President
C OMPANION L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Curtis R. Caldwell
Title:   Vice President


A MERICAN E QUITY I NVESTMENT L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY
By:  

 

Name:   Rachel Stauffer
Title:   Vice President – Investments


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT  O F  T HE  N OTES
T O B E P URCHASED

T HE G UARDIAN L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF A MERICA

c/o Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America

700 South Street

Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201-8285

Attention: Ellen Whittaker

Facsimile No.: (413) 442-9763

   $20,000,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

JP Morgan Chase

FED ABA #021000021

Chase/NYC/CTR/BNF

A/C 900-9-000200

Reference A/C #G05978, Guardian Life, PPN 002474 A*5

Notices

All notices and communications, including notices with respect to payments and written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 13-5123390

S CHEDULE A

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

T HE P RUDENTIAL I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF A MERICA

c/o Prudential Capital Group

2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 4200E

Dallas, Texas 75201

Attn: Managing Director

   $8,700,000

Payments

(1) All payments on account of Notes held by such purchaser shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

New York, NY

ABA No.: 021-000-021

Account Name: The Prudential - Privest Portfolio

Account No.: P86189 (please do not include spaces)

Each such wire transfer shall set forth the name of the Company, a reference to AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, INV10999, PPN 002474 A*5” and the application (as among principal, interest and Make-Whole Amount) of the payment being made.

 

(2) Address for all notices relating to payments:

The Prudential Insurance Company of America

c/o Investment Operations Group

Gateway Center Two, 10 th Floor

100 Mulberry Street

Newark, NJ 07102-4077

Attention: Manager, Billings and Collections

(3) All other notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above:

(4) Recipient of telephonic prepayment notices:

Manager, Trade Management Group

Telephone: (973) 367-3141

Facsimile: (888) 889-3832

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 22-1211670

 

A-2


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

P RUDENTIAL R ETIREMENT I NSURANCE AND A NNUITY C OMPANY

c/o Prudential Capital Group

2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 4200E

Dallas, Texas 75201

Attention: Managing Director

   $5,900,000

Payments

(1) All payments on account of Notes held by such purchaser shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

New York, New York

ABA No.: 021000021

Account Name: PRIAC

Account No.: P86329 (please do not include spaces)

Each such wire transfer shall set forth the name of the Company, a reference to “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, INV10999, PPN 002474 A*5” and the application (as among principal, interest and Make-Whole Amount) of the payment being made.

(2) Address for all notices relating to payments:

Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company

c/o Prudential Investment Management, Inc.

Private Placement Trade Management

PRIAC Administration

Gateway Center Four, 7 th Floor

100 Mulberry Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Telephone: (973) 802-8107

Facsimile: (888) 889-3832

(3) All other notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above:

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 06-1050034

 

A-3


N AME O F P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT  O F  T HE  N OTES
T O B E P URCHASED

P RUCO L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF N EW J ERSEY

c/o Prudential Capital Group

2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 4200E

Dallas, Texas 75201

Attention: Managing Director

   $4,100,000

(1) All payments on account of Notes held by such purchaser shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

New York, NY

ABA #021-000-021

Account No. P86202 (please do not include spaces)

Account Name: Pruco Life of New Jersey Private Placement

Each such wire transfer shall set forth the name of the Company, a reference to “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, INV10999, PPN 002474 A*5” and the application (as among principal, interest and Make-Whole Amount) of the payment being made.

(2) Address for all notices relating to payments:

Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey

c/o The Prudential Insurance Company of America

c/o Investment Operations Group

Gateway Center Two, 10th Floor

100 Mulberry Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Attention: Manager, Billings and Collections

(3) All other notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above:

(4) Recipient of telephonic prepayment notices:

Manager, Trade Management Group

Telephone: (973) 367-3141

Facsimile: (888) 889-3832

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 22-2426091

 

A-4


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

P HYSICIANS M UTUAL I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Prudential Capital Group

2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 4200E

Dallas, Texas 75201

Attention: Managing Director

   $1,300,000

Payments

(1) All payments on account of Notes held by such purchaser shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit to:

The Northern Trust Company

Chicago, Illinois

ABA No.: 071000152

Account Name: Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

Account No.: 26-27099

Each such wire transfer shall set forth the name of the Company, a reference to “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5” and the application (as among principal, interest and Make-Whole Amount) of the payment being made.

(2) Address for all notices relating to payments:

Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

2600 Dodge Street

Omaha, Nebraska 68131

Attention: Jerry Coon

Facsimile: (402) 633-1096

(3) All other notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above:

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: How & Co.

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 47-0270450

 

A-5


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

M ASSACHUSETTS M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attention: Securities Investment Division

   $5,850,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

For MassMutual Unified Traditional

Account Name: MassMutual BA 033 TRAD Private ELBX

Account Number 30566056

Re: Description of security, cusip, principal and interest split

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1889 or (413) 226-1803.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 04-1590850

 

A-6


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

M ASSACHUSETTS M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attention: Securities Investment Division

   $3,850,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

For MassMutual Pension Management

Account Number 30510538

Re: Description of security, cusip, principal and interest split

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1803 or (413) 226-1889.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 04-1590850

 

A-7


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

M ASSACHUSETTS M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attention: Securities Investment Division

   $2,850,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

For MassMutual Spot Priced Contract

Account Number 30510597

Re: Description of security, cusip, principal and interest split

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1819 or (413) 226-1889.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 04-1590850

 

A-8


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

M ASSACHUSETTS M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attention: Securities Investment Division

   $2,100,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

For MassMutual IFM Non-Traditional

Account Number 30510589

Re: Description of security, cusip, principal and interest split

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1889 or (413) 226-1803.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 04-1590850

 

A-9


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

H AKONE F UND II LLC

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attn: Securities Investment Division

   $1,450,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Gerlach & Co.

c/o Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

Concentration Account 36112805

FFC: Account #851549

Account Name: Hakone II

Ref: PPN Number, Name of Security

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1857 or (413) 226-1803.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: Gerlach & Co.

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 43-2108439

 

A-10


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

C.M. L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attention: Securities Investment Division

   $1,200,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

For CM Life Segment 43-Universal Life

Account Number 30510546

Re: Description of security, cusip, principal and interest split

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1819 or (413) 226-1803.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 06-1041383

 

A-11


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

M ASSACHUSETTS M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Babson Capital Management LLC

1500 Main Street, Suite 2200

P.O. Box 15189

Springfield, Massachusetts 01115-5189

Attention: Securities Investment Division

   $700,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Citibank, N.A

New York, New York

ABA #021000089

For MassMutual BA 0038 DI Private ELBX

Account Number 30566064

Re: Description of security, cusip, principal and interest split

With telephone advice of payment to the Securities Custody and Collection Department of Babson Capital Management LLC at (413) 226-1889 or (413) 226-1803.

Notices

All notices and communications to be addressed as first provided above, except notices with respect to payments to be addressed Suite 200, Attention: Securities Custody and Collection Department.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 04-1590850

 

A-12


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

C ANADA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY OF A MERICA

3rd Floor, Tower 2

8515 East Orchard Road

Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002

Attention: Investments Division

Telecopier: (303) 737-6193

   $7,500,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

The Bank of New York

ABA No.: 021-000-018

BNF Account No.: IOC566

Further Credit to: Canada Life A/C #235206

Reference:    1. security description
   2. allocation of payment between principal and interest, and
   3. confirmation of principal balance.

Notices

Notices with respect to payments and written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed:

The Bank of New York

Institutional Custody Department, 14th Floor

One Wall Street

New York, NY 10286

Telecopier: (212) 635-8844

All other notices and communications (including financial statements) to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 38-2816473

 

A-13


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

T HE C ANADA L IFE A SSURANCE C OMPANY

3rd Floor, Tower 2

8515 East Orchard Road

Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002

Attention: Investments Division

Telecopier: (303) 737-6193

   $4,500,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

The Bank of New York

ABA No.: 021-000-018

BNF Account No.: IOC566

Further Credit to: Canada Life A/C #114706

Reference:    1. security description
   2. allocation of payment between principal and interest, and
   3. confirmation of principal balance.

Notices

Notices with respect to payments and written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed:

The Bank of New York

Institutional Custody Department, 14th Floor

One Wall Street

New York, NY 10286

Telecopier: (212) 635-8844

All other notices and communications (including financial statements) to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 38-0397420

 

A-14


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

L ONDON L IFE AND G ENERAL R EINSURANCE C OMPANY L IMITED

c/o Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company

8515 East Orchard Road, 3T2

Greenwood Village, CO 80111-5002

Attention: Investments Division

Telecopier: (303) 737-6193

   $3,000,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”) to:

Comerica Bank

ABA #072000096

Account No.: 21585-98546

FBO LLGRC C&S/Acct. No. 1085004328

Reference:    1. security description
   2. allocation of payment between principal and interest, and
   3. confirmation of principal balance.

Notices

Notices with respect to payments and written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed:

Comerica Bank

P.O. Box 75000

Detroit, MI 48275-3462

Attention: Genevieve Cobbs

Private Placements Income

Telephone: (313) 222-4736

Facsimile: (313) 222-7041

All other notices and communications (including financial statements) to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 98-0356779

 

A-15


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

U NITED OF O MAHA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

Mutual of Omaha Plaza

Omaha, Nebraska 68175-1011

Attention: 4-Investment Loan Administration

   $8,000,000

Payments

All principal and interest payments on or in respect of the Notes shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

ABA #021000021

Private Income Processing

for credit to: United of Omaha Life Insurance Company

Account Number 900-9000200

a/c G07097

PPN 002474 A*5

Interest Amount:

Principal Amount:

Notices

All notices of payments of principal and interest, on or in respect of the Notes and written confirmation of each such payment, corporate actions and reorganization notifications to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

14201 Dallas Parkway, 13th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75254-2917

Attention: Income Processing - G. Ruiz

a/c: G07097

All other notices and communications ( i.e., quarterly/annual reports, tax filings, modifications, waivers regarding the indenture) to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 47-0322111

 

A-16


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

M UTUAL OF O MAHA I NSURANCE C OMPANY

Mutual of Omaha Plaza

Omaha, Nebraska 68175-1011

Attention: 4-Investment Loan Administration

   $6,000,000

Payments

All principal and interest payments on or in respect of the Notes shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

ABA #021000021

Private Income Processing

for credit to: Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company

Account Number 900-9000200

a/c G07096

PPN 002474 A*5

Interest Amount:

Principal Amount:

Notices

All notices of payments of principal and interest, on or in respect of the Notes and written confirmation of each such payment, corporate actions and reorganization notifications to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

14201 Dallas Parkway, 13th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75254-2917

Attention: Income Processing - G. Ruiz

a/c: G07096

All other notices and communications ( i.e. , quarterly/annual reports, tax filings, modifications, waivers regarding the indenture) to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 47-0246511

 

A-17


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

C OMPANION L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

c/o Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company

Mutual of Omaha Plaza

Omaha, Nebraska 68175-1011

Attention: 4 – Investment Loan Administration

   $1,000,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds to:

Chase Manhattan Bank

ABA #021000021

Private Income Processing

for credit to: Companion Life Insurance Company

Account Number 900-9000200

a/c G07903

PPN 002474 A*5

Interest Amount:

Principal Amount:

Notices

All notices of payments, on or in respect of the Notes and written confirmation of each such payment, corporate actions and reorganization notifications to:

JPMorgan Chase Bank

14201 Dallas Parkway, 13th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75254-2917

Attention: Income Processing - G. Ruiz

a/c: G07903

All other notices and communications ( i.e., quarterly/annual reports, tax filings, modifications, waivers regarding the indenture) to be addressed as first provided above.

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 13-1595128

 

A-18


N AME OF P URCHASER    P RINCIPAL  A MOUNT   OF   THE  N OTES
TO B E P URCHASED

A MERICAN E QUITY I NVESTMENT L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

5000 Westown Parkway, Suite 440

West Des Moines, Iowa 50266

Attention: Investment Department - Private Placements

Telephone: (888) 221-1234

Facsimile: (515) 221-0329

   $12,000,000

Payments

All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as “AZZ incorporated, 6.24% Senior Notes due March 31, 2018, PPN 002474 A*5, principal, premium or interest”, principal, premium or interest”) to:

State Street Bank & Trust Company

ABA #011000028

Account No.: 00076026, Income Collection

Attention: Michael Rodelle

Reference: (PPN listed on security, Nominee, Security Description, P&I breakdown)

Notices

All notices and communications, including notices with respect to payments and written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed as first provided above with a duplicate copy to:

American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company

5000 Westown Parkway, Suite 440

West Des Moines, Iowa 50266

Attention: Asset Administration

Facsimile: (515) 221-0329

Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: CHIMEFISH & CO

Taxpayer I.D. Number: 65-1186810

 

A-19


D EFINED T ERMS

As used herein, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Section hereof following such term:

“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A. in its capacity as administrative agent under the Bank Credit Agreement, together with its successors and assigns in such capacity.

“Affiliate” means, at any time, and with respect to any Person, (a) any other Person that at such time directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such first Person, and (b) any Person beneficially owning or holding, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests of the Company or any Subsidiary or any Person of which the Company and its Subsidiaries beneficially own or hold, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests. As used in this definition, “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to an “Affiliate” is a reference to an Affiliate of the Company.

“Anti-Terrorism Order” means Executive Order No. 13,224 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism, 66 U.S. Fed. Reg. 49, 079 (2001), as amended.

“Bank Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2006 by and among the Company, certain Subsidiaries of the Company named therein, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto, as amended, restated, joined, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified from time to time, and any renewals, extensions, increases or replacements thereof, which constitute the primary bank credit facility of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

“Bank Lenders” means the banks and financial institutions party to the Bank Credit Agreement.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are required or authorized to be closed.

“Capital Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.

“Capital Lease Obligation” means, with respect to any Person and a Capital Lease, the amount of the obligation of such Person as the lessee under such Capital Lease which would, in accordance with GAAP, appear as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person.

S CHEDULE  B

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


“Closing” is defined in Section 3.

“Closing Date” means the date of the Closing.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.

“Company” means AZZ incorporated, a Texas corporation.

“Confidential Information” is defined in Section 20.

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any Rolling Period, the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such Rolling Period, plus (b) the sum of all amounts deducted therefrom in respect of such Rolling Period, in conformity with GAAP, for interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. For purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any Rolling Period, if during such period the Company or any Subsidiary shall have acquired or disposed of any Person or acquired or disposed of all or substantially all of the operating assets of any Person, Consolidated EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such transaction occurred on the first day of such period.

“Consolidated EBITDAR” means, for any Rolling Period, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such Rolling Period plus (b) Rental Expense for such Rolling Period.

“Consolidated Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any period, the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period plus (ii) Rental Expense for such period, determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Subsidiaries.

“Consolidated Indebtedness” means, all Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period of calculation thereof for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the aggregate amount of all interest (including commitment fees) on all Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries, whether paid in cash or accrued as a liability and payable in cash during such period (including, without limitation, imputed interest on Capital Lease Obligations; the amortization of any original issue discount on any Indebtedness; the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation; all commissions, discounts, and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit or bankers’ acceptance financing; net costs associated with Swap Contracts; the interest component of any Indebtedness that is guaranteed or secured by such Person), and all cash premiums or penalties for the repayment, redemption, or repurchase of Indebtedness.

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, as applied to Company and its Subsidiaries (including any Subsidiaries acquired during such period and such consolidated net income (or net loss) is supported by an audit or is otherwise acceptable to the Required Holders), the consolidated net income (or net loss) of the Company and its Subsidiaries after giving effect to deduction of or provision for all operating expenses, all taxes and reserves (including, without limitation, reserves for deferred taxes); provided, however , that such sum shall exclude:

(i) any net gains or losses on the sale or the other disposition, not in the ordinary course of business, of investments and other capital assets, provided that there shall also be excluded any related charges for taxes thereon;

 

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(ii) any net gain arising from the collection of the proceeds of any insurance policy (other than any business interruption insurance policy);

(iii) any write-up or write-down of any asset; and

(iv) any other extraordinary item, as defined by GAAP.

“Consolidated Net Worth” shall mean the consolidated stockholder’s equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as defined according to GAAP.

“Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of any date of determination, the total amount of all assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

“Default” means an event or condition the occurrence or existence of which would, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, become an Event of Default.

“Default Rate” means that rate of interest that is the greater of (i) 2% per annum above the rate of interest stated in clause (a) of the first paragraph of the Notes or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Bank of America, N.A. as its “base” or “prime” rate.

“Disclosure Documents” is defined in Section 5.3.

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including but not limited to those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

 

B-3


“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is treated as a single employer together with the Company under section 414 of the Code.

“Event of Default” is defined in Section 11.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Fair Market Value” means, at any time and with respect to any property, the sale value of such property that would be realized in an arm’s-length sale at such time between an informed and willing buyer and an informed and willing seller (neither being under a compulsion to buy or sell), as reasonably determined in the good faith opinion of the Company’s board of directors.

“Form 10-K” is defined in Section 7.1(b).

“Form 10-Q” is defined in Section 7.1(a).

“GAAP” means those generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States of America.

“Governmental Authority” means

(a) the government of

(i) the United States of America or any state or other political subdivision thereof, or

(ii) any jurisdiction in which the Company or any Subsidiary conducts all or any part of its business, or which has jurisdiction over any properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, or

(b) any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of, or pertaining to, any such government.

“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor” ) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or

 

B-4


cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

“Hazardous Material” means any and all pollutants, toxic or hazardous wastes or other substances that might pose a hazard to health and safety, the removal of which may be required or the generation, manufacture, refining, production, processing, treatment, storage, handling, transportation, transfer, use, disposal, release, discharge, spillage, seepage or filtration of which is or shall be restricted, prohibited or penalized by any applicable law including, but not limited to, asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum, petroleum products, lead based paint, radon gas or similar restricted, prohibited or penalized substances.

“holder” means, with respect to any Note, the Person in whose name such Note is registered in the register maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 13.1.

“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) all direct obligations of such Person for amounts drawn under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, not past due for more than 60 days after the date on which such trade account payable was created);

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

B-5


(f) Capital Leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and other obligations that are considered borrowed money obligations for tax purposes but operating leases in accordance with GAAP;

(g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any Capital Lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.

“Institutional Investor” means (a) any Purchaser of a Note, (b) any holder of a Note holding (together with one or more of its affiliates) more than $1,000,000 of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, (c) any bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution, any pension plan, any investment company, any insurance company, any broker or dealer, or any other similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form, and (d) any Related Fund of any holder of any Note.

“Lien” means, with respect to any Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance, or any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement (other than an operating lease) or Capital Lease, upon or with respect to any property or asset of such Person (including, in the case of stock, shareholder agreements, voting trust agreements and all similar arrangements).

“Make-Whole Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.6 with respect to any Note.

“Material” means material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets, properties, or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes, (c) the ability of any Subsidiary Guarantor to perform its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty or (d) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guaranty.

 

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“Material Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary of the Company which, together with all other Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary, accounts for more than (i) 5% of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (ii) 5% of consolidated revenue of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

“Moody’s” shall mean Moody Investors Service, Inc.

“Multiemployer Plan” means any Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” (as such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

“Notes” is defined in Section 1.

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer or of any other officer of the Company whose responsibilities extend to the subject matter of such certificate.

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA or any successor thereto.

“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Plan” means an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is or, within the preceding five years, has been established or maintained, or to which contributions are or, within the preceding five years, have been made or required to be made, by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.

“Priority Indebtedness” means (without duplication), as of the date of any determination thereof, the sum of (i) all unsecured Indebtedness of Subsidiaries (including all Guarantees of Indebtedness of the Company but excluding (x) Indebtedness owing to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (y) Indebtedness outstanding at the time such Person became a Subsidiary, provided that such Indebtedness shall have not been incurred in contemplation of such person becoming a Subsidiary, and (z) all Subsidiary Guarantees and all Guarantees of Indebtedness of the Company by any Subsidiary which has also guaranteed the Notes) and (ii) all Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries secured by Liens other than Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by subparagraphs (a) through (i), inclusive, of Section 10.5.

“property” or “properties” means, unless otherwise specifically limited, real or personal property of any kind, tangible or intangible, choate or inchoate.

“Public Filings” is defined in Section 5.3.

 

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“Purchasers” means the purchasers of the Notes named in Schedule A hereto.

“QPAM Exemption” means Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 84-14 issued by the United States Department of Labor.

“Qualified Institutional Buyer” means any Person who is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of such term as set forth in Rule 144(a)(1) under the Securities Act.

“Ratable Portion” means, with respect to any Note, an amount equal to the product of (x) the amount equal to the net proceeds being so applied to the prepayment of Senior Indebtedness in accordance with Section 10.6(2), multiplied by (y) a fraction the numerator of which is the outstanding principal amount of such Note and the denominator of which is the aggregate principal amount of Senior Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries being prepaid pursuant to Section 10.6(2).

“Related Fund” means, with respect to any holder of any Note, any fund or entity that (i) invests in Securities or bank loans, and (ii) is advised or managed by such holder, the same investment advisor as such holder or by an affiliate of such holder or such investment advisor.

“Rental Expense” means, for any Rolling Period, all fees, costs and expenses (including any penalties and interest thereon) of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with the use, occupancy or possession by Company and its Subsidiaries of any real or personal, or mixed, property, but excluding all payments pursuant to all Capital Leases.

“Required Holders” means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding (exclusive of Notes then owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates).

“Responsible Officer” means any Senior Financial Officer and any other officer of the Company with responsibility for the administration of the relevant portion of this Agreement.

“Rolling Period” means, on any date of determination, the most recent four fiscal quarters of the Company and its Subsidiaries ended on May 31, August 31, November 30 or February 28 or 29 (as the case may be).

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“Senior Indebtedness” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, all Consolidated Indebtedness, other than Subordinated Indebtedness.

“Senior Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or comptroller of the Company.

 

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“Subordinated Indebtedness” means all unsecured Indebtedness of the Company that shall contain or have applicable thereto subordination provisions providing for the subordination thereof to other Indebtedness of the Company (including, without limitation, the obligations of the Company under this Agreement or the Notes).

“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity in which such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar functions) of such entity, and any partnership or joint venture if more than a 50% interest in the profits or capital thereof is owned by such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership can and does ordinarily take major business actions without the prior approval of such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to a “Subsidiary” is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Company.

“Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Subsidiary which is party to the Subsidiary Guaranty.

“Subsidiary Guaranty” is defined in Section 2.2 of this Agreement.

“SVO” means the Securities Valuation Office of the NAIC or any successor to such Office.

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement” ), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts.

 

B-9


“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

“USA Patriot Act” means United States Public Law 107-56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary one hundred percent of all of the equity interests (except directors’ qualifying shares) and voting interests of which are owned by any one or more of the Company and the Company’s other Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries at such time.

 

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Schedule 4.9

CHANGES IN CORPORATE STRUCTURE

None


Schedule 5.4

SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY, OWNERSHIP OF SUBSIDIARY

STOCK AND AFFILIATES

 

I. List of the Company’s Subsidiaries—Name, Jurisdiction, Ownership Percentages

 

     

Name

  

Jurisdiction

  

Ownership Percentage

1.   AAA Galvanizing –Chelsea, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
2.   AAA Galvanizing – Dixon, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
3.   AAA Galvanizing – Hamilton, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
4.   AAA Galvanizing – Joliet, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
5.   AAA Galvanizing – Peoria, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
6.   AAA Galvanizing – Winsted, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
7.   Arbor-Crowley, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by the Company
8.   Arizona Galvanizing, Inc.    Arizona    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
9.   Arkgalv, Inc.    Arkansas    100% of shares owned by the Company
10.   Atkinson Industries, Inc.    Kansas    100% of shares owned by the Company
11.   Automatic Processing Incorporated    Mississippi    100% of shares owned by Aztec Industries, Inc. – Moss Point
12.   Aztec Industries, Inc.    Mississippi    100% of shares owned by the Company
13.   Aztec Industries, Inc. –Moss Point    Mississippi    100% of shares owned by Aztec Industries, Inc.
14.   Aztec Manufacturing Partnership, Ltd.    Texas    100% of partnership interests ultimately beneficially owned by the Company
15.   Aztec Manufacturing – Waskom Partnership, Ltd.    Texas    100% of partnership interests ultimately beneficially owned by the Company
16.   AZZ GP, LLC    Delaware    100% of interests owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.


17.   AZZ Group, LP    Delaware    1% General Partner interest held by AZZ GP, LLC; 99% Limited Partner interest held by AZZ LP, LLC
18.   AZZ Holdings, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
19.   AZZ LP, LLC    Delaware    100% of interests owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
20.   Carter and Crawley, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
21.   Central Electric Company    Missouri    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
22.   Central Electric Manufacturing Company    Missouri    100% of shares owned by Central Electric Company
23.   CGIT Systems, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
24.   Drilling Rig Electrical Systems Co. Partnership, Ltd.    Texas    100% of partnership interests ultimately beneficially owned by the Company
25.   Electrical Power Systems, Inc. (administratively dissolved as of 2004; attempting to reactivate)    Missouri    100% of shares owned by Central Electric Company
26.   Gulf Coast Galvanizing, Inc    Alabama    100% of shares owned by the Company
27.   Hobson Galvanizing, Inc.    Louisiana    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
28.   International Galvanizers Partnership, Ltd.    Texas    100% of partnership interests ultimately beneficially owned by the Company
29.   Rig-A-Lite Partnership, Ltd.    Texas    100% of partnership interests ultimately beneficially owned by the Company
30.   The Calvert Company, Inc.    Mississippi    100% of shares owned by the Company
31.   Westside Galvanizing Services, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
32.   Witt Galvanizing – Cincinnati, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
33.   Witt Galvanizing – Muncie, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.
34.   Witt Galvanizing – Plymouth, Inc.    Delaware    100% of shares owned by Arbor-Crowley, Inc.

 

5.4-13


II. List of the Company’s Affiliates (other than Subsidiaries) : None

 

III. List of the Company’s Directors and Senior Officers

 

Directors:   H. Kirk Downey, Daniel R. Feehan, Peter A. Hegedus, David H. Dingus, Dana L. Perry, Daniel E. Berce, Martin C. Bowen, Sam Rosen and Kevern R. Joyce.
Senior Officers:   David H. Dingus (President and CEO); Dana L. Perry (Senior VP of Finance, CFO and Secretary); and John V. Petro (Senior VP of Operations/Electrical & Industrial Products) Tim Pendley (VP – Galvanizing Services)

 

5.4-14


Schedule 5.5

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

1. AZZ incorporated Form 10-Q, filed January 8, 2008, for period ending November 30, 2007.

 

2. AZZ incorporated Form 10-K, filed May 27, 2003, for the period ending February 28, 2003.

 

3. AZZ incorporated Form 10-K, filed May 26, 2004, for the period ending February 28, 2004.

 

4. AZZ incorporated Form 10-K, filed May 27, 2005, for the period ending February 28, 2005.

 

5. AZZ incorporated Form 10-K, filed May 12, 2006, for the period ending February 28, 2006.

 

6. AZZ incorporated Form 10-K/A filed July 10, 2007, for the period ending February 28, 2007.

 

7. Power Point Presentation – AZZ incorporated, February 26, 2008.


Schedule 5.11

LICENSES, PERMITS, ETC.

None


Schedule 5.15

EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS

Indebtedness arising under Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated May 25, 2006 among AZZ incorporated, as borrower, Bank of America, as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/c Issuer, and the other Lenders party thereto, as amended by First Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated February 28, 2007, as further amended by Second Amendment and Consent to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated March 31, 2008. The Indebtedness under this Credit Agreement is unsecured and is guaranteed by the Company’s subsidiaries. Section 7.03 of the Credit Agreement, as amended by the Second Amendment and Consent, contains restrictions on the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to incur Indebtedness.


Schedule 10.5

EXISTING LIENS

None


[F ORM OF S ENIOR N OTE ]

AZZ INCORPORATED

6.24% S ENIOR N OTES DUE M ARCH  31, 2018

 

No. [              ]    [Date]
$[                   ]    PPN 002474 A*5

F OR V ALUE R ECEIVED , the undersigned, AZZ INCORPORATED (herein called the “Company” ), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Texas, hereby promises to pay to [                                  ] or registered assigns, the principal sum of [                      ] D OLLARS (or so much thereof as shall not have been prepaid) on March 31, 2018 with interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months) (a) on the unpaid balance hereof at the rate of 6.24% per annum from the date hereof, payable semi-annually, on the last day of March and September in each year and at maturity, commencing on September 30, 2008, until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and (b) to the extent permitted by law, on any overdue payment of interest and, during the continuance of an Event of Default, on such unpaid balance and on any overdue payment of any Make-Whole Amount, at a rate per annum from time to time equal to the greater of (i) 8.24%, or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Bank of America, N.A. from time to time in New York, New York as its “base” or “prime” rate, payable semiannually as aforesaid (or, at the option of the registered holder hereof, on demand).

Payments of principal of, interest on and any Make-Whole Amount with respect to this Note are to be made in lawful money of the United States of America at the principal office of Bank of America, N.A. in New York, New York or at such other place as the Company shall have designated by written notice to the holder of this Note as provided in the Note Purchase Agreement referred to below.

This Note is one of a series of Senior Notes (herein called the “Notes” ) issued pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (as from time to time amended, supplemented or modified, the “Note Purchase Agreement” ), between the Company and the respective Purchasers named therein and is entitled to the benefits thereof. Each holder of this Note will be deemed, by its acceptance hereof, to have (i) agreed to the confidentiality provisions set forth in Section 20 of the Note Purchase Agreement and (ii) made the representations set forth in Section 6.2 of the Note Purchase Agreement, provided , that in lieu thereof such holder may (in reliance upon information provided by the Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld) make a representation to the effect that the purchase by any holder of any Note will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406(a) of ERISA. Unless otherwise indicated, capitalized terms used in this Note shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Note Purchase Agreement.

This Note is a registered Note and, as provided in the Note Purchase Agreement, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed, by the registered holder hereof or such holder’s attorney

 

E XHIBIT 1

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


duly authorized in writing, a new Note for a like principal amount will be issued to, and registered in the name of, the transferee. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Company may treat the person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment and for all other purposes, and the Company will not be affected by any notice to the contrary.

The Company will make required prepayments of principal on the date and in the amounts specified in the Note Purchase Agreement. This Note is subject to optional prepayment, in whole or from time to time in part, at the times and on the terms specified in the Note Purchase Agreement, but not otherwise.

Pursuant to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement dated as of March 31, 2008 (as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Subsidiary Guaranty” ), certain Subsidiaries of the Company have absolutely and unconditionally guaranteed payment in full of the principal of, Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest on this Note and the performance by the Company of its obligations contained in the Note Purchase Agreement all as more fully set forth in said Subsidiary Guaranty.

If an Event of Default, as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement, occurs and is continuing, the principal of this Note may be declared or otherwise become due and payable in the manner, at the price (including any applicable Make-Whole Amount) and with the effect provided in the Note Purchase Agreement.

This Note shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the issuer and holder hereof shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such State that would require the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such State.

 

AZZ INCORPORATED
By  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

E-1-2


F ORM OF S UBSIDIARY G UARANTY

E XHIBIT 4.4(a)

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


F ORM OF O PINION OF S PECIAL C OUNSEL

TO THE C OMPANY

The closing opinion of Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP, special counsel to the Company, which is called for by Section 4.4 of the Note Purchase Agreement, shall be dated the date of Closing and addressed to the Purchasers, shall be satisfactory in scope and form to each Purchaser and shall be to the effect that:

1. The Company is a corporation, duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to execute and perform the Note Purchase Agreement and to issue the Notes. The Company has the full corporate power and the corporate authority to conduct the activities in which it is now engaged and is duly licensed or qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or the nature of the business transacted by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary except in jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not have a material adverse effect on the business of the Company.

2. Each Subsidiary is a corporation or similar legal entity, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly licensed or qualified and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or the nature of the business transacted by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary except in jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not have a material adverse effect on the business of such Subsidiary. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of each such Subsidiary have been duly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, by one or more Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more Subsidiaries.

3. The issuance and sale of the Notes, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Note Purchase Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by each Subsidiary Guarantor of the Subsidiary Guaranty do not violate any provision of any law or other rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any such Subsidiary Guarantor or conflict with or result in any breach of any of the provisions of or constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property of the Company or any such Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of the Articles or Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, or such similar organizational or governing instrument, as the case may be, of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor or any agreement or other instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any such Subsidiary Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any such Subsidiary Guarantor may be bound.

4. There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of such counsel after due inquiry, threatened against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary in any court or before any governmental authority or arbitration board or tribunal which, if adversely determined, would have a materially adverse effect on the properties, business, profits or condition, (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Subsidiaries or the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the Note Purchase Agreement and the Notes or on the

 

E XHIBIT 4.4(b)

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


legality, validity or enforceability of the Company’s obligations under the Note Purchase Agreement and the Notes. To the knowledge of such counsel, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any court or governmental authority, or arbitration board or tribunal.

5. The Note Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

6. The Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding contract of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

7. The Subsidiary Guaranty has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action on the part of each Subsidiary Guarantor, has been duly executed and delivered by each Subsidiary Guarantor and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract of each such Subsidiary Guarantor enforceable against such Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

8. No approval, consent or withholding of objection on the part of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any governmental body, Federal or state, is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guaranty.

9. The issuance, sale and delivery of the Notes and the execution and delivery of the Subsidiary Guaranty by the Subsidiary Guarantors under the circumstances contemplated by the Note Purchase Agreement and the Subsidiary Guaranty do not, under existing law, require the registration of the Notes or the Subsidiary Guaranty under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the qualification of an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

10. Neither the issuance of the Notes nor the application of the proceeds of the sale of the Notes will violate or result in a violation of Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any regulation issued pursuant thereto, including, without limitation, Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

 

E-4.4(b)-2


11. The Company is not an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

The opinion of Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP, shall cover such other matters relating to the sale of the Notes as each Purchaser may reasonably request and successors and assigns of the Purchasers shall be entitled to rely on such opinion. With respect to matters of fact on which such opinion is based, such counsel shall be entitled to rely on appropriate certificates of public officials and other officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

E-4.4(b)-2


F ORM OF O PINION OF S PECIAL C OUNSEL

TO THE P URCHASERS

The closing opinion of Chapman and Cutler, LLP, special counsel to the Purchasers, called for by Section 4.4 of the Note Purchase Agreement, shall be dated the date of Closing and addressed to each Purchaser, shall be satisfactory in form and substance to each Purchaser and shall be to the effect that:

1. The Company is a corporation, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and the corporate authority to execute and deliver the Note Purchase Agreement and to issue the Notes.

2. The Note Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

3. The Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, and the Notes being delivered on the date hereof have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

4. The issuance, sale and delivery of the Notes and the execution and delivery of the Subsidiary Guaranty under the circumstances contemplated by the Note Purchase Agreement and the Subsidiary Guaranty do not, under existing law, require the registration of the Notes or the Subsidiary Guaranty under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the qualification of an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

E XHIBIT 4.4(c)

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


With respect to matters of fact upon which such opinion is based, Chapman and Cutler, LLP, may rely on appropriate certificates of public officials and officers of the Company and upon representations of the Company and the Purchasers delivered in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes.

In rendering the opinion set forth in paragraph 1 above, Chapman and Cutler, LLP, may rely, as to matters referred to in paragraph 1, solely upon an examination of the Articles of Incorporation certified by, and a certificate of good standing of the Company from, the Secretary of State of the State of Texas. The opinion of Chapman and Cutler, LLP, is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the Federal laws of the United States.

 

E-4.4(c)-2

Exhibit 10.2

Execution Version

ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

BY AND AMONG

ARBOR-CROWLEY, INC.

BUYER,

AZZ incorporated,

AZZ,

and

AAA INDUSTRIES, INC.

SELLER

and

the Shareholders of Seller

identified on Schedule 3.3 attached hereto

SHAREHOLDERS

March 31, 2008


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1.    Purchase and Sale    2
   1.1    Purchased Assets    2
   1.2    Assumption of Specified Liabilities    5
   1.3    Non-Assumption of Certain Liabilities    6
   1.4    No Expansion of Third-Party Rights    10
2.    Closing Consideration; Adjustment; Allocation of Consideration    10
   2.1    Closing Consideration    10
   2.2    Adjustment    12
   2.3    The Closing    14
3.    Representations and Warranties of Seller and the Shareholders    14
   3.1    Existence; Good Standing; Corporate Authority; Compliance With Law    14
   3.2    Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreements    14
   3.3    Ownership of Capital Stock of Seller    15
   3.4    Financial Statements    15
   3.5    Absence of Certain Changes or Events    16
   3.6    Taxes    16
   3.7    Personal Property    17
   3.8    Accounts Receivable    17
   3.9    Inventory    18
   3.10    Business Property Rights    18
   3.11    Real Property    18
   3.12    Title to Property; Encumbrances; Sufficiency of Purchased Assets    22
   3.13    Licenses and Permits    22
   3.14    Compliance with Law    22
   3.15    Litigation    23
   3.16    Contracts    23
   3.17    Labor Matters    24
   3.18    Employee Plans    24
   3.19    Insurance    25
   3.20    Environmental Matters    25
   3.21    Customers and Suppliers    26
   3.22    No Brokers    26
   3.23    No Other Agreements to Sell the Purchased Assets    26
   3.24    Accuracy of Information    27
   3.25    Knowledge    27
   3.26    Books and Records; Internal Controls    27
4.    Representations and Warranties of Buyer    27
   4.1    Existence; Good Standing; Corporate Authority; Compliance With Law    27
   4.2    Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreements    28
5.    Survival of Provisions/Indemnification    28
   5.1    Survival of Provisions    28
   5.2    Indemnification by Seller and the Shareholders    29
   5.3    Indemnification by Buyer    30
   5.4    Conditions of Indemnification    31


   5.5    Limitations on Indemnification    32
   5.6    AZZ Undertaking    33
6.    Other Covenants and Agreements    33
   6.1    Restrictive Covenants    33
      6.1.1    Customer Restriction    33
      6.1.2    Non-Raid    34
      6.1.3    Non-Competition    34
      6.1.4    Reformation    35
      6.1.5    Injunctive Relief    35
   6.2    Public Announcements    35
   6.3    Execution of Additional Documents    36
   6.4    Costs and Expenses    36
   6.5    Transfer Taxes    36
   6.6    Cooperation on Tax Matters; Business Records    36
   6.7    Allocation of Total Purchase Price    37
   6.8    Proration of Property Taxes    37
   6.9    Offer of Employment    37
   6.10    Guaranty of Receivables    38
   6.11    Real Estate Covenants and Conditions    39
   6.12    Right of First Refusal for Related Party Leased Equipment    41
   6.13    Purchase of Pollution Legal Liability Insurance    41
   6.14    Replacement of Seller’s Letter of Credit    42
7.    Closing Deliveries    43
   7.1    Seller’s and Shareholder’s Closing Deliveries    43
   7.2    Buyer’s Closing Deliveries    44
8.    Miscellaneous    44
   8.1    Notices    44
   8.2    Binding Effect; Benefits    45
   8.3    Entire Agreement    46
   8.4    Governing Law    46
   8.5    Counterparts    46
   8.6    Headings    46
   8.7    Waivers    46
   8.8    Merger of Documents    47
   8.9    Incorporation of Exhibits and Schedules    47
   8.10    Severability    47
   8.11    Assignability    47
   8.12    Drafting    48
   8.13    References    48
   8.14    Calendar Days, Weeks and Months    48
   8.15    Gender; Plural and Singular    48
   8.16    Cumulative Rights    48
   8.17    No Implied Covenants    48
   8.18    Attorneys’ Fees    48
   8.19    Indirect Action    48


Exhibit

    
A    Form of Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement
B    Form of Warranty Deed
C    Form of Escrow Agreement
D    Financial Statements
E    Form of Receivables Guaranty
F    Kevin Irving Employment Agreement
G    Form of FIRPTA Certificate
H    Purchased Assets Value and Assumed Liabilities Value Calculation
I    Laxman Alreja Consulting Agreement

Schedule

    
1.1.1    Certain Purchased Assets
1.1.1(a)    Certain Leased Assets
1.1.2    Excluded Assets
1.2A    Certain Assumed Liabilities
1.2B    Assumed Contracts
1.3(viii)    Minnesota Plant Liabilities
3.1    Subsidiaries
3.2    Seller’s and Shareholders’ Third Party Consents Required
3.3    Ownership of Capital Stock of Seller
3.5    Certain Changes or Events
3.6    Tax Matters
3.7    Condition of Purchased and Leased Assets
3.10    Business Property Rights
3.11    Real Property
3.11(b)    Leases
3.11(c)    Copies of Leases and Other Real Property Documentation That Has Not Been Made Available to Buyer
3.12    Encumbrances
3.13    Licenses and Permits
3.14    Compliance with Law
3.15    Pending or Threatened Litigation or Claims
3.16    Contracts
3.16(a)    Nonassignable Contracts
3.17    Employment and Labor Agreements
3.18    Employee Plans
3.19    Insurance
3.20    Environmental Matters
3.20(a)    Environmental Assessment Reports
3.21(a)    Customers
3.21(b)    Suppliers
6.9    Employees of Seller and Annual Compensation Rates
6.11.4    Title Policies


ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “ Agreement ”) is made as of March 31, 2008, by and among ARBOR-CROWLEY, INC. , a Delaware corporation (“ Buyer ”), AZZ incorporated , a Texas corporation (“ AZZ ”), AAA INDUSTRIES, INC. , an Illinois corporation for itself and its wholly owned subsidiaries identified on Schedule 3.1 (collectively, “ Seller ”), and Seller’s Shareholders identified on Schedule 3.3 (collectively, the “ Shareholders ”).

WHEREAS, the Shareholders are the record and beneficial owners of all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Seller;

WHEREAS, Seller is engaged in the galvanizing business (the “ Business ”) and desires to sell to Buyer, and Buyer desires to acquire from Seller, all of the Purchased Assets (as such term is hereinafter defined) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

WHEREAS, AZZ is the record and beneficial owner of all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Buyer;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

1. Purchase and Sale .

1.1 Purchased Assets .

1.1.1 On the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, at the Closing (as such term is hereinafter defined), Seller shall sell, assign, grant, convey, transfer and deliver to Buyer, and Buyer shall purchase and acquire from Seller, the real property described in clause (xiii) of this Section 1.1.1 and all of the assets and properties of Seller of every kind, nature and description (wherever located) free of any Encumbrance (as hereafter defined) and all indebtedness, including, without limitation, the Seller Indebtedness (as hereafter defined), except the Excluded Assets (as such term is hereinafter defined). The assets and properties to be sold, granted, conveyed, transferred, assigned and delivered by Seller to Buyer hereunder are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “ Purchased Assets .” Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Purchased Assets shall include, without limitation, the following assets and properties of Seller (except any of the following which are Excluded Assets):

(i) all accounts, notes, vendor rebate, agency commission, credit card and other receivables (including, without limitation, amounts due from Seller’s customers whether recorded as accounts, notes, vendor


rebate, agency commission, credit card or other receivables or reductions in accounts payable) and related deposits, security or collateral therefor (including, without limitation, recoverable customer deposits of Seller);

(ii) all machinery, inventories, inventories of parts, computers, furniture, furnishings, fixtures, office supplies and equipment, automobiles, trucks, vehicles, returnable containers, tools and parts, raw materials and work in process;

(iii) all drawings, blueprints, specifications, designs and data of Seller;

(iv) all technology, know-how, designs, devices, processes, methods, inventions, drawings, schematics, specifications, standards, trade secrets and other proprietary information, and all patents and applications therefor;

(v) all right, title and interest of Seller in and to the names “AAA Galvanizers,” “AAA Galvanizing” and all other derivations thereof and all trademarks and trade names, trademark and trade name registrations, service marks and service mark registrations, copyrights and copyright registrations relating specifically to such names, the applications therefor and the licenses thereto, together with the goodwill and the business appurtenant thereto; provided, however, Seller may use the name “AAA” and “AAA Industries” in connection with any business that is not a galvanizing business or related to a galvanizing business;

(vi) all catalogues, brochures, sales literature, promotional material, samples and other selling material of Seller;

(vii) all books and records and all files, documents, papers, agreements, books of account and other records pertaining to the Purchased Assets or to Seller’s Business;

(viii) subject to the provisions of Section 1.1.4, all right, title and interest of Seller under all contracts, agreements, leases, sales orders, purchase orders and other commitments (whether oral or written) by which any of the Purchased Assets are bound or affected, or to which Seller is a party or by which it is bound (the “ Contracts ”), and that Buyer has requested be assigned to it pursuant to Section 1.2 hereof;

(ix) all lists maintained by Seller of past, present and prospective customers of Seller for the period in which the Seller has owned the Business;

(x) all goodwill relating to the Purchased Assets or Business as a going concern;


(xi) to the extent they are transferable, all governmental, establishment and product licenses and permits, approvals, license and permit applications and license and permit amendment applications;

(xii) all claims against third parties, whether or not asserted and whether now existing or hereafter arising, related to the Business or the Purchased Assets (including, without limitation, all claims based on any indemnities or warranties in favor of Seller relating to the Business or any of the Purchased Assets);

(xiii) except for the real property and improvements thereon of Seller located in Cicero, Illinois (the “ Cicero Real Property ”), all real property owned by Seller, together with all interests in such real property, all buildings, improvements and other structures located on such real property, all uses, easements, appurtenant rights and rights-of-way which benefit such real property and all minerals (including, without limitation, oil, gas, clay, sand and all other surface or subsurface minerals or materials and other substances of any nature however mined or severed) (the “ Owned Real Property ”); and

(xiv) all right, title and interest of Seller in and to the following domain name: www.aaagalvanizing.com, together with the goodwill and the business appurtenant thereto.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Purchased Assets shall, except as set forth in Section 1.1.2 hereof and except for certain machinery, equipment and leasehold improvements which are leased by Seller attached hereto as Schedule 1.1.1(a) , include all assets which are held in connection with, or used or held for use in the operations of the Business, including those set forth in a detailed list of plant and equipment as of the Balance Sheet Date (as such term is hereinafter defined) prepared from the accounting records of Seller and attached hereto as Schedule 1.1.1 , and all such assets of Seller as may have been acquired by Seller which would be included on a list prepared in like manner from such accounting records as of the Closing Date, except any such assets which may have been disposed of since the Balance Sheet Date in the ordinary course of business on a basis consistent with past practice.

1.1.2 Anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) all of Seller’s cash, (ii) all rights of Seller relating to its joint venture with Zinco Services, SRL, an Italian entity, including cash and assets of the joint venture (which are not included on Seller’s balance sheet), (iii) the Cicero Real Property and Seller’s plant and equipment attributable to the Cicero Real Property (iv) certain other non-operating assets of Seller, which are not used in, or relevant to, the Business, including the minute book and stock transfer records of Seller and (v) Seller’s 2008 Lexus LS460 (collectively, the “ Excluded Assets ”) are specifically excluded from the Purchased Assets and shall be retained by Seller. The Excluded Assets are listed on Schedule 1.1.2 hereof.


1.1.3 Subject to Section 1.1.4 hereof, at the Closing, Seller shall execute and deliver to Buyer (i) a Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement ”), under the terms of which Seller shall sell, grant, convey, assign, transfer and deliver the Purchased Assets to Buyer, and (ii) such other bills of sale, deeds, instruments of assignment and other usual and customary documents as may be requested by Buyer in order to carry out the intentions and purposes hereof, which shall include general warranty deeds in the Form of Exhibit B (the “ Deeds ”) conveying the Owned Real Property to Buyer.

1.1.4 Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement shall not constitute an agreement to assign or transfer any Contract if an assignment or transfer or an attempt to make such an assignment or transfer without the consent of a third party would constitute a breach or violation thereof or affect adversely the rights of Buyer or Seller thereunder; and any transfer or assignment to Buyer by Seller of any interest under any such Contract that requires the consent or approval of a third party shall be made subject to such consent or approval being obtained. In the event any such consent or approval is not obtained on or prior to the Closing Date and Buyer waives as of the Closing Date the condition that such consent or approval be obtained, Seller shall continue to use all reasonable efforts to obtain any such consent or approval after the Closing Date until such time as such consent or approval has been obtained, and Seller will cooperate with Buyer in any lawful and economically feasible arrangement to provide that Buyer shall receive the interest of Seller in all benefits under any such Contract, including without limitation performance by Seller as agent if economically feasible; provided , however , that Buyer shall undertake to pay or satisfy the corresponding liabilities for the enjoyment of such benefit to the extent Buyer would have been responsible therefor hereunder if such consent or approval had been obtained as of the Closing Date. Seller shall pay and discharge, any and all reasonable out-of-pocket costs of seeking to obtain or obtaining any such contractual consent or approval whether before or after the Closing Date; provided, however, such reasonable out-of-pocket costs shall not exceed $5,000. Nothing in this Section 1.1.4 shall be deemed a waiver by Buyer of its right to have received on or before the Closing Date an effective assignment of all of the Contracts it has requested be assigned to it nor shall this Section 1.1.4 be deemed to constitute an agreement to exclude any Contracts from the terms of this Agreement.

1.2 Assumption of Specified Liabilities . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, subject however to Section 1.1.4 and 1.3 hereof, and as additional consideration for Buyer’s purchase of the Purchased Assets, Buyer shall, at Closing, assume, and covenant and agree to pay, perform and discharge when due, only the following liabilities and obligations of Seller (the “ Assumed Liabilities ”) listed on Schedule 1.2A hereof:

(i) liabilities for accounts payable and accrued wages associated with the operation of the Business and reflected on the Seller’s balance sheet; and


(ii) those liabilities or obligations of Seller accruing after the Closing Date under the terms of a Contract or other obligation which is listed on Schedule 1.2B hereof.

Subject to Sections 1.1.4 and 1.3 hereof, at the Closing, Buyer shall execute and deliver to Seller the Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement assuming the Assumed Liabilities.

1.3 Non-Assumption of Certain Liabilities . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Buyer shall not assume, and shall not be deemed to have assumed or be in any way liable for or subject to or have any obligation for or with respect to, any liabilities or obligations of Seller of any kind, nature or description whatsoever, except as expressly provided in this Section 1.3 or in Section 1.2 hereof (the “ Excluded Liabilities ”). Anything in Section 1.2 hereof or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Buyer shall not assume, and shall not be deemed to have assumed or be in any way liable for or subject to or have any obligation for or with respect to, any of the following Excluded Liabilities:

(i) except as specifically provided in Section 1.2(i) or Section 6.9, any and all claims, liabilities or obligations that arise prior to or on the Closing Date in connection with persons employed or seeking to be employed, including without limitation any and all such claims, liabilities or obligations that arise out of, result from, or relate to (a) Employment and Labor Agreements, Employee Policies and Procedures or Plans (as such terms are hereinafter defined), (b) any National Labor Relations Board (“ NLRB ”) proceedings, (c) any other matters arising out of the employment of people, such as workers’ compensation, wage and hour, safety and health, employment discrimination, unfunded pension liability for vested and non-vested employees, vacation accruals, and the like, and (d) any liability, including without limitation federal and state income tax liability, by reason of Seller’s failure, through any act or omission prior to or on the Closing, Date to comply with the requirements of COBRA (as such term is hereinafter defined) with respect to any “qualified beneficiary” (as defined in COBRA); or

(ii) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller in respect of (x) any Taxes (as such term is hereinafter defined) attributable to periods prior to or ending or occurring on the Closing Date, or (y) any Taxes, legal, accounting, brokerage, finder’s fees, or other expenses of whatsoever kind or nature incurred by Seller or any partner, affiliate, director, employee or officer of Seller as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; or

(iii) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller arising out of any litigation, action, suit or proceeding based solely upon an event occurring, or a


claim arising (x) on or prior to the Closing Date (including, without limitation, the litigation, actions, suits, proceedings and claims listed on Schedule 3.15 hereof), or (y) after the Closing Date in the case of claims, litigation, actions, suits or proceedings in respect of products sold or services provided by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date and that Buyer can demonstrate are attributable to acts performed or omitted by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date; or

(iv) all warranties, liabilities or obligations to customers with respect to the repair or replacement of any products which have been manufactured, sold or otherwise provided by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date and which have been shipped by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date; provided, however, Buyer shall not provide any warranty work to customers with respect to any products which have been manufactured, sold or otherwise provided by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date without Seller’s prior written consent; or

(v) all warranties, liabilities or obligations to customers with respect to the repair or replacement of any products which have been manufactured, sold or otherwise provided by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date and which are shipped by Buyer after the Closing Date; provided, however, Buyer shall be responsible for any liabilities or obligations that may arise in connection with the shipping of such products; or

(vi) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller under any of the Contracts assigned to Buyer hereunder based solely upon an event occurring or a claim arising (x) on or prior to the Closing Date, or (y) after the Closing Date solely to the extent that Buyer can demonstrate those liabilities and obligations are attributable to acts performed or omitted by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date; or

(vii) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller arising out of this Agreement; or

(viii) except as set forth on Schedule 1.3(viii) , any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller arising out of or related to Seller’s galvanizing plant in Winsted, Minnesota arising (x) on or prior to the Closing Date, or (y) after the Closing Date solely to the extent that Buyer can demonstrate those liabilities and obligations are attributable to acts performed or omitted by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date; or

(ix) any Release (as such term is hereinafter defined) or threat of Release into the environment of a Hazardous Material (as such term is hereinafter defined) (1) indicated in any environmental reports as listed on Schedule 3.20(a) with respect to the Purchased Assets, or (2) at or from any property to which Hazardous Material has been sent or arranged for shipment by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date (hereafter a “ Seller Environmental Condition ”), including without limitation (x) any suits, causes of action, proceedings, judgments, administrative and judicial orders arising out of any matter relating to such Seller


Environmental Condition, (y) any liability arising in tort (strict or otherwise) resulting from any such Seller Environmental Condition, and (z) any required cleanup or full or partial remediation of such Seller Environmental Condition in accordance with the provisions or requirements of any Environmental Law (as such term is hereinafter defined); or

(x) (a) all obligations of the Seller for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of the Seller evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, including, without limitation, any industrial revenue bonds, (c) all obligations of the Seller upon which interest charges are customarily paid (excluding current accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (d) all obligations of the Seller under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by the Seller, (e) all obligations of the Seller in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (f) all other indebtedness of the types described herein of other persons or entities secured by (or for which the holder of such indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Encumbrance on property owned or acquired by the Seller, whether or not such indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed by Seller, (g) all guarantees by the Seller of the indebtedness of any other person or entity, (h) all capital lease obligations of the Seller (not otherwise assumed pursuant to this Agreement), (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of the Seller as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of the Seller, in respect of bankers’ acceptances and (k) all of the Seller’s and Shareholder’s fees relating to the transaction contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the “ Seller’s Indebtedness ”) The “Seller’s Indebtedness” shall include the indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which the Seller is a general partner) to the extent the Seller is liable or could be liable therefor as a result of the Seller’s ownership in, or other relationship with, such other entity; or

(xi) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller occurring prior to or after the Closing Date with respect to any Contract, including, without limitation, any Contract pursuant to which any counterparty to such Contract is related to Seller by blood or “control” (as defined in Section 5.2), except for any such Contract that is assumed by Buyer and set forth on Schedule 1.2B ; or

(xii) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller relating to the Cicero Real Property and Seller’s plant and equipment attributable to the Cicero Real Property;

(xiii) any and all liabilities or obligations of Seller regarding termination or severance pay to salaried, non-exempt or hourly employees; or

(xiv) any and all liabilities or obligations due to Lexus Financial Services in regard to Seller’s 2008 Lexus LS460 (Account Number 0046467685).


As used herein, the term “ CERCLA ” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. §9601 et seq., as amended.

As used herein, the term “ COBRA ” means the provisions of the Code, ERISA and the Public Health Service Act enacted by Sections 10001 through 10003 of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-272), including any subsequent amendments to such provisions.

As used herein, the term “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

As used herein, the term “ ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

As used herein, the term “ Environmental Laws ” shall mean all applicable laws and regulations (federal, state, and local) relating to pollution or to the protection of public safety, public health, public welfare, industrial hygiene, or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including without limitation (i) those laws and regulations relating to the Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials and to the manufacture, generation, management, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, (ii) duties or requirements arising out of common law, and (iii) judicial and administrative interpretations thereof.

As used herein, the term “ Hazardous Material ” shall mean (i) any chemicals, materials, wastes or substances that are defined, regulated, determined or identified as toxic or hazardous in any Environmental Law (including, without limitation, substances defined as “hazardous substances,” “hazardous materials,” or “hazardous waste,” “pollutant or contaminant,” “petroleum” or “natural gas liquids” in CERCLA, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or comparable state and local statutes or in the regulations adopted and publications promulgated pursuant to said statutes), and (ii) any asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde, lead based paint, petroleum, petroleum products, oil, solid waste, pollutants, and other contaminants (whether or not regulated under any Environmental Law).

As used herein, the term “ Release ” shall mean emitting, depositing, leaking, spilling, pumping, pouring, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing.

As used herein, the terms “ Tax ” or “ Taxes ” means all federal, foreign, state, county, local or other net or gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, transfer, transfer gains, ad valorem, value-added, franchise, production, severance, windfall profit, withholding, payroll, employment, excise or similar taxes, assessments, duties, fees, levies or other governmental charges (together with any interest thereon, any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto and any interest in respect of such penalties, additions or additional amounts).


1.4 No Expansion of Third-Party Rights . The assumption by Buyer of any liabilities of Seller hereunder shall in no way expand the rights or remedies of any third party against Buyer as compared to the rights and remedies that such third party would have had against Seller had Buyer not assumed such liabilities. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the assumption by Buyer of such liabilities shall not create any third-party beneficiary rights.

2. Closing Consideration; Adjustment; Allocation of Consideration .

2.1 Closing Consideration . The total consideration for the Purchased Assets shall consist of the following:

2.1.1 At the Closing, Buyer shall pay to Seller an amount equal to $80,939,000.00 (the “ Purchase Price ”), as adjusted pursuant to this Section 2.1.1, less (i) the Indemnity Deposit (as defined in Section 2.1.2(a)), (ii) the Environmental Deposit (as defined in Section 2.1.2(b)), 50% of the Pollution Legal Liability Premiums (as defined in Section 6.13) and (iii) 50% of the filing fees previously paid by Buyer in connection with the filings made under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “ HSR Act ”) (the “ Initial Payment ”). The Initial Payment shall be made by wire transfer to an account or accounts designated by Seller by written notice to Buyer given at least two (2) business days prior to the Closing Date. Seller shall deliver to Buyer an estimated balance sheet of the Seller as of the last day of the calendar month preceding the month in which the Closing Date occurs (the “ Estimated Balance Sheet ”), such balance sheet to be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Seller shall determine the “ Purchased Assets Value ” in accordance with Exhibit H determined based on the Audited Financial Statements. If the Purchased Assets Value is greater than $55,343,893 (calculated in accordance with Exhibit H), the Purchase Price shall be increased by the amount by which the Purchased Assets Value is greater than $55,343,893 (the “ Asset Increase Adjustment Amount ”). If the Purchased Assets Value is less than $55,343,893 (calculated in accordance with Exhibit H) the Purchase Price shall be decreased by the amount by which the Purchased Assets Value is less than $55,343,893 (the “ Asset Decrease Adjustment Amount”) . Seller shall also determine the “ Assumed Liabilities Value ” in accordance with Exhibit H determined based on the Audited Financial Statements. If the Assumed Liabilities Value is greater than $3,067,607 (calculated in accordance with Exhibit H), the Purchase Price shall be decreased by the amount by which the Assumed Liabilities Value is greater than $3,067,607 (the “ Liability Increase Adjustment Amount ”). If the Assumed Liabilities Value is less than $3,067,607 (calculated in accordance with Exhibit H) the Purchase Price shall be increased by the amount by which the Assumed Liabilities Value is less than $3,067,607 (the “ Liability Decrease Adjustment Amount ”).


2.1.2 (a) At the Closing, Buyer also shall deposit $2,000,000 (such amount, the “ Indemnity Deposit ”) with Regions Bank, an Alabama Banking Corporation, as escrow agent (the “ Escrow Agent ”), which amount shall be held and disposed of pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and an Escrow Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “ Escrow Agreement ”). The Escrow Agreement shall be executed and delivered by Buyer, Seller and the Escrow Agent at the Closing. Provided no dispute then exists as to any Claim by Buyer of all or a portion of the Indemnity Escrow Fund (as defined below) and after giving effect to any additional payments in satisfaction of Seller’s and the Shareholders’ representations, warranties, covenants and obligations under this Agreement, the Indemnity Escrow Fund will be released to Seller on May 14, 2009 (the “ Escrow Termination Date ”), and the Escrow Agreement shall thereupon terminate. To the extent a dispute does exist as to a Claim or Claims on the Escrow Termination Date, an amount equal to the amount of such Claim or Claims will be withheld from such remaining Indemnity Escrow Fund and will continue to be held in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement until such Claim or Claims have been fully resolved. Seller’s obligations under this Agreement shall not be affected by any termination of the Escrow Agreement. As used herein, the term “ Indemnity Escrow Fund ” shall mean the Indemnity Deposit delivered as provided above, together with all interest and other income earned thereon. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Escrow Agreement, as among Seller, the Shareholders and Buyer, the fees, costs and expenses of the Escrow Agent under the Escrow Agreement shall be borne 50% by Seller and the Shareholders (jointly and severally) and 50% by Buyer.

(b) At the Closing, Buyer also shall deposit $265,000 (such amount, the “ Environmental Deposit ”) with the Escrow Agent, which amount shall be held and disposed of pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement. As used herein, the term “ Environmental Escrow Fund ” shall mean the Environmental Deposit delivered as provided above, together with all interest and other income earned thereon.

(c) For United States federal income tax purposes (and any relevant state or local income, franchise or sales and use taxes purposes), Seller and Buyer shall (x) treat all amounts deposited into the Indemnity Escrow Fund and the Environmental Escrow Fund as the property of Seller on the date such amounts are deposited into the Indemnity Escrow Fund and Environmental Escrow Fund and (y) Seller shall report and pay any Taxes due and payable on any income earned on or with respect to the funds deposited in the Indemnity Escrow Fund and Environmental Escrow Fund except to the extent of payments to Buyer thereof.


2.1.3 At the Closing, Seller shall maintain an amount equal to $3,000,000 of the Purchase Price in reserve (the “ Adjustment Reserve ”) for the payment to Buyer of any adjustment amount, if applicable, pursuant to Section 2.2.4 below. Buyer shall not distribute any portion of the Adjustment Reserve to the Shareholders until (i) the foregoing adjustment amount, if applicable, has been paid to Buyer or (ii) it is determined pursuant to the final and binding Audited Financial Statements that no such adjustment payment is due to Buyer.

2.2 Adjustment .

2.2.1 Within seventy-five (75) days after the Closing Date, Seller shall deliver to Buyer financial statements for Seller as of the Closing Date which have been prepared in accordance with, and reflect all audit adjustments (regardless of amounts or materiality and whether or not waived in prior periods) required by, generally accepted accounting principles applied consistently with Seller’s prior financial statements and audited by Washington, Pittman & McKeever, LLC (“ Seller’s Auditor ”) (the “ Audited Financial Statements ”). Promptly upon Buyer’s request, Seller shall make available to Buyer copies of the work papers and back-up materials used by Seller’s Auditor in preparing the Audited Financial Statements and such other documents as Buyer may reasonably request in connection with its review of the Audited Financial Statements. The fees and expenses payable to Seller’s Auditor shall be paid 50% by Seller and the Shareholders (jointly and severally); provided , however , Seller and the Shareholders shall only be responsible for such fees up to $5,000.00 and the balance of such fees shall be paid by Buyer.

2.2.2 Within thirty (30) days after Buyer’s receipt of the Audited Financial Statements, Buyer shall review the Audited Financial Statements and notify Seller in writing whether or not Buyer accepts the Audited Financial Statements. If Buyer accepts the Audited Financial Statements, the Audited Financial Statements shall become final and binding on all parties.

2.2.3 If Buyer in good faith objects to any item set forth on the Audited Financial Statements, Buyer shall give notice thereof to Seller in writing within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Audited Financial Statements, specifying in reasonable detail the nature and extent of such disagreement, and Buyer and Seller shall have a period of thirty (30) days from Seller’s receipt of such notice in which to resolve such disagreement. If such notice of objection is not received by Seller within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Audited Financial Statements, it shall be deemed that Buyer has accepted the Audited Financial Statements with respect to all items set forth therein and the Audited Financial Statements shall become final and binding on all parties. Any disputed items which cannot be agreed to by the parties within thirty (30) days from Seller’s receipt of Buyer’s notice of objection to any of the items set forth in the Audited Financial Statements (the “ Unresolved Objections ”) shall be referred by Buyer to the Fort Worth, Texas office of the accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP (the “ Accountant ”) for reconciliation with Seller’s Auditor. In the event Seller’s


Auditor and Accountant cannot reach agreement on the Unresolved Objections within thirty (30) days from the date such Unresolved Objections are referred thereto, Seller’s Auditor and Accountant shall mutually agree on a nationally recognized independent accounting firm (the “ Independent Accountant ”) to fully and finally resolve all Unresolved Objections. The engagement of and the determination by Independent Accountant (or any other accounting firm designated by Independent Accountant as set forth below) shall be completed within sixty (60) days after such assignment is given to Independent Accountant and shall be final and binding and shall be nonappealable by Seller and Buyer. If for any reason Independent Accountant is unable to act in such capacity, such determination will be made by any other nationally recognized accounting firm selected by Independent Accountant. The fees and expenses payable to Independent Accountant (or any other accounting firm designated by Independent Accountant in connection with such determination will be borne 50% by Seller and the Shareholders (jointly and severally) and 50% by Buyer, unless (i) the determination of Independent Accountant (or any other accounting firm designated by Independent Accountant) with respect to the Unresolved Objections results in a payment by Seller, out of the Indemnity Escrow Fund or otherwise, in an amount which exceeds by more than $25,000.00 the amount Seller shall have last claimed Seller owes hereunder at the end of the thirty (30) day period following Seller’s receipt of Buyer’s notice of objection, in which case the fees and expenses payable to Independent Accountant (or any other accounting firm designated by Independent Accountant) shall be paid by Seller and the Shareholders (jointly and severally), or (ii) the determination of Independent Accountant (or any other accounting firm designated by Independent Accountant) with respect to the Unresolved Objections results in a payment by Buyer in an amount which exceeds by more than $25,000.00 the amount Buyer shall have last claimed it owes hereunder at the end of the thirty (30) day period following Seller’s receipt of Buyer’s notice of objection, in which case the fees and expenses payable to Independent Accountant (or any other accounting firm designated by Independent Accountant) shall be paid by Buyer.

2.2.4 Within three (3) business days after the date that the Audited Financial Statements become final and binding in accordance with Section 2.2.2 or 2.2.3, as the case may be, (a) Buyer shall pay to Seller in cash (by means of federal funds wire or interbank transfer in immediately available funds) (i) the Asset Increase Adjustment Amount and (ii) the Liability Decrease Adjustment Amount and (b) Seller shall pay to Buyer in cash (by means of federal funds wire or interbank transfer in immediately available funds) from the Adjustment Reserve an amount equal to (i) the Asset Decrease Adjustment Amount and (ii) Liability Increase Adjustment Amount. With respect to the foregoing, if payments are required to be made by each of Buyer and Seller, such payments shall be netted such that only one payment shall be required to be made by either Buyer or Seller, as applicable. Any adjustments made pursuant to this Section 2.2.4 shall be considered adjustments to the Purchase Price for tax purposes.


2.2.5 AZZ hereby guarantees the obligation of Buyer under this Section 2.2.

2.3 The Closing . The execution of this Agreement and the other documents contemplated herein and the closing of the purchase and sale of the Purchased Assets provided herein (the “ Closing ”) shall occur simultaneously at the offices of Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP, 201 Main Street, Suite 2500, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, at 10:00 a.m., local time, on March 31, 2008 or at such other time and place or on such other date as Seller and Buyer may mutually agree (such date and time of Closing being herein referred to collectively as the “ Closing Date ”). The Closing shall be deemed to have occurred as of 11:59 p.m. on the Closing Date.

3. Representations and Warranties of Seller and the Shareholders . Seller, and with respect to Section 3.2 and 3.3 the Shareholders severally as to their own individual approvals and obligations hereunder, represent and warrant to Buyer as follows:

3.1 Existence; Good Standing; Corporate Authority; Compliance With Law .  Seller, including its wholly owned subsidiaries, all of which are identified on Schedule 3.1 (the “ Subsidiaries ”) (i) are corporations duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their jurisdiction of incorporation; (ii) are duly licensed or qualified to do business as a foreign corporation under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by them therein or in which the transaction of their business makes such qualification necessary; (iii) have all requisite corporate power and authority to own their properties and carry on their business as now conducted; (iv) are not in default with respect to any order of any court, governmental authority or arbitration board or tribunal to which they are a party or are subject; (v) are not in violation of any laws, ordinances, governmental rules or regulations to which they are subject except where such violation would not have a material adverse affect on the business or operations of Seller; and (vi) have obtained all licenses, permits and other authorizations and have taken all actions required by applicable laws or governmental regulations in connection with its business as now conducted except where such failure would not have a material adverse affect on the business or operations of Seller.

3.2 Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreements .

3.2.1 The execution and delivery of this Agreement and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby by Seller, and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly authorized by the Board of Directors of Seller and a majority of Seller’s shareholders, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Seller are necessary to authorize this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

3.2.2 This Agreement constitutes, and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby when executed and delivered pursuant hereto for value received will constitute, the valid and legally binding obligations of Seller and the Shareholders (but only with respect to such agreements and documents actually


executed by such party) enforceable in accordance with their terms, except that enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium, bulk sales, preference, equitable subordination, marshalling or other similar laws of general application now or hereafter in effect relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except that the remedies of specific performance, injunction and other forms of equitable relief are subject to certain tests of equity jurisdiction, equitable defenses and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

3.2.3 The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Seller and the Shareholders does not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by each of Seller and the Shareholders will not except as set forth on Schedule 3.2 hereof, (i) require the consent, approval or authorization of, or declaration, filing or registration with, any governmental or regulatory authority or any third party other than compliance with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act; (ii) result in the breach of any term or provision of, or constitute a default under, or result in the acceleration of or entitle any party to accelerate (whether after the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both) any obligation under any Seller Indebtedness, or result in the creation or imposition of any Encumbrance (as such term is hereinafter defined) upon any part of the property of Seller or the Shareholders pursuant to any provision of, any Seller Indebtedness, order, judgment, arbitration award, injunction, decree, indenture, mortgage, lease, license, lien, or other agreement or instrument to which Seller or the Shareholders is a party or by which any of them is bound; or (iii) violate or conflict with any provision of the bylaws or certificate of incorporation of Seller as amended to the date hereof. As used herein, the term “ Encumbrance ” means any security interest, pledge, mortgage, lien (including without limitation, environmental and tax liens), charge, adverse claim, preferential arrangement, or restriction of any kind, including, without limitation, any restriction on the use, transfer, or other exercise of any attributes of ownership.

3.3 Ownership of Capital Stock of Seller .

3.3.1 Each Shareholder is the record and beneficial owner of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Seller set forth on Schedule 3.3 .

3.3.2 There are no options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the capital stock of Seller or obligating Seller or the Shareholders to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or any other interest in, Seller.

3.4 Financial Statements .

3.4.1 Seller has furnished to Buyer (i) a balance sheet of Seller as of December 31, 2007 (the “ Balance Sheet Date ”); and (ii) a statement of operations of Seller for the year ended December 31, 2007; copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibit D . The financial statements referred to in (i) through (ii) above are herein collectively referred to as the “ Financial Statements ”.


3.4.2 The Financial Statements fully and fairly set forth, in all material respects, the financial condition of Seller as of the dates indicated, and the results of its operations for the periods indicated, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied, except as otherwise stated therein.

3.5 Absence of Certain Changes or Events . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.5 , since the Balance Sheet Date, there has not been: (i) any material adverse change in the business, operations, properties, condition (financial or other) of Seller, and to the knowledge of Seller no factor or condition exists and no event has occurred that would be likely to result in any such change, (ii) any material loss, damage or other casualty to the Purchased Assets (other than any for which insurance awards have been received or guaranteed), or (iii) any loss of the employment, services or benefits of Kevin Irving. Since the Balance Sheet Date, Seller has operated its Business in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and has not: (i) incurred or failed to pay or satisfy any material obligation or liability (whether accrued, contingent or otherwise) except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) incurred or failed to discharge or satisfy any Encumbrance other than Encumbrances arising in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (iii) sold or transferred any of the assets of the Business except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or canceled any debts or claims or waived any rights material to the operations of its business, (iv) defaulted on any material obligation, (v) entered into any transaction material to its Business, or materially amended or terminated any arrangement material to its Business or relating to its Business, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (vi) redeemed any of its capital stock or declared, made or paid any dividends or distributions (whether in cash, securities or other property) to the holders of its capital stock or otherwise other than S corporation tax distributions, if any, or (vii) settled, released or forgiven any material claim or material litigation or waived any material right thereto; (viii) made, changed or revoked any election or method of accounting with respect to Taxes affecting or relating to its Business; (ix) entered into, or permitted to be entered into, any closing or other agreement or settlement with respect to Taxes, or (x) entered into any agreement or made any commitment to do any of the foregoing. For purposes of this Section 3.5, a material adverse change shall mean any $25,000 or more adverse change in the business, operations, properties, condition (financial or other) of Seller.

3.6 Taxes .

(i) Except as provided in Schedule 3.6 attached hereto, the Seller has timely filed all returns and reports required to be filed for Taxes for all taxable years or periods that end on or before the Closing Date and, with respect to any taxable year or period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date, the portion of such taxable year or period ending on and including the Closing Date (“ Pre-Closing Periods ”) (collectively, the “ Returns ”) and such Returns as filed are accurate and complete in all material respects.


(ii) Except as provided in Schedule 3.6 attached hereto, the Seller has timely paid all Taxes (whether or not shown on a Return) for all Pre-Closing Periods or adequately disclosed and fully provided for such Taxes on the balance sheet of the Seller as of the Balance Sheet Date.

(iii) Except as provided in Schedule 3.6 attached hereto, there is no action, suit, proceeding, investigation, audit, or claim now pending or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened by any authority regarding any Taxes relating to the Seller or the Assets for any Pre-Closing Period.

(iv) No claim has been made in the ten years preceding the date of this Agreement by any taxing authority in a jurisdiction where the Seller does not file Returns that the Seller or any of the Assets are or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.

(v) There are no liens or security interests on any of the Assets that arose in connection with any failure (or alleged failure) to pay any Taxes.

(vi) Except as provided in Schedule 3.6 attached hereto, there are no agreements for the extension or waiver of the time for assessment of any Taxes relating to the Seller or the Assets for any Pre-Closing Period and the Seller has not been requested to enter into any such agreement or waiver.

(vii) Except as provided in Schedule 3.6 , all Taxes which the Seller is required by law to withhold or collect have been duly withheld or collected, and have been timely paid over to the proper authorities to the extent due and payable.

(viii) Except pursuant to this Agreement, Seller is not now nor has been a party to any tax indemnification, tax allocation or tax sharing agreement that could result in any liability to the Buyer.

(ix) Except as provided in Schedule 3.6 attached hereto, Seller has not been included in any “consolidated,” “unitary” or “combined” Return provided for under the law of the United States, any foreign jurisdiction or any state or locality with respect to Taxes for any taxable period for which the statute of limitations has not expired.

3.7 Personal Property . The machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures and other tangible personal property owned, leased or used by Seller in its Business are sufficient and adequate to carry on its Business as presently conducted and, except as provided in Schedule 3.7 attached hereto, are in good operating condition and repair and are suitable for the purposes for which they are used, normal “wear and tear” excepted.

3.8 Accounts Receivable . All trade accounts, notes and other receivables of the Business reflected in the Balance Sheet and all trade accounts, notes and other


receivables of the Business included in the Purchased Assets or arising between the Balance Sheet Date and the date hereof have arisen in the ordinary course of business and represent bona fide indebtedness which to Seller’s knowledge are not in dispute (subject to no counterclaim, right of setoff or warranty claim, or to the extent subject to any counterclaim, right of setoff or warranty claim, are net of appropriate reserves therefor properly reflected in the Balance Sheet) incurred by the applicable account debtor for goods held subject to delivery instructions or heretofore shipped or delivered pursuant to a contract of sale or for services heretofore performed by Seller.

3.9 Inventory . The inventories of the Business reflected in the Financial Statements or included in the Purchased Assets, or acquired by Seller between the Balance Sheet Date and the date hereof, are carried on a FIFO basis in the case of raw materials, and do not include any inventory (other than the amount of normal shrinkage in inventory since the Balance Sheet Date) which is not usable or saleable in the ordinary course of business as heretofore conducted, unless full and adequate reserves have been provided therefor on such Financial Statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

3.10 Business Property Rights .

3.10.1 Schedule 3.10 hereof sets forth (i) all computer software, patents, and registrations for trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights which are unexpired as of the date hereof and which are used or held for use in connection with the Business, as well as all applications pending on said date for patents or for trademark, trade name, service mark or copyright registrations, and all other proprietary rights, owned or held by Seller; and (ii) all licenses granted by or to Seller and all other agreements to which Seller is a party and which relate, in whole or in part, to any items of the categories mentioned in (i) above or to other proprietary rights of Seller which are used or held for use in connection with the Business.

3.10.2 The property referred to in Section 3.10.1 hereof, together with (i) all designs, methods, inventions and know-how, related thereto and (ii) all trademarks, trade names, service marks, and copyrights claimed or used by Seller which have not been registered (collectively “ Business Property Rights ”), constitute all such proprietary rights owned or held by Seller.

3.10.3 Seller owns or has valid rights to use all such Business Property Rights without conflict with the rights of others. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.15 hereof, no person or entity has made or, to the best of Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, threatened to make any claims that Seller is in violation of or infringes any other proprietary or trade rights of any third party. To the best of Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, no third party is in violation of or is infringing upon any Business Property Rights.


3.11 Real Property .

3.11.1 Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11 ,

(i) Seller currently has in place commercial general liability insurance with respect to damage or injury to person or property occurring on the Owned Real Property and fire and extended coverage property insurance policies (collectively, the “ Policies ”); the Policies are in full force and effect and all premiums due thereunder have been paid; and Seller has not received any notice from any insurance company or the insurance companies which issued the Policies, stating (or indicating) that any of the Policies will not be renewed or will be renewed at a substantially higher premium than is presently payable therefor;

(ii) Seller has not received any notice from any insurance company which has issued a policy with respect to the Owned Real Property or from any board of fire underwriters (or other body exercising similar functions) claiming any defects or deficiencies in the Owned Real Property or suggesting or requesting the performance of any repairs, alterations, or other work to the Owned Real Property;

(iii) To the best of Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, all roads, parking areas, curbs, sidewalks, sewers and other utilities, buildings, fixtures and all other improvements included within the Owned Real Property (collectively, the “ Improvements ”), have been completed, constructed, and installed substantially in accordance with the plans and specifications therefor approved by the governmental authorities having jurisdiction, and all permanent certificates of occupancy and all other licenses, permits, authorizations, consents, certificates and approvals required by all governmental authorities having jurisdiction and the requisite certificates of the local board of fire insurance underwriters (or other body exercising similar functions) have been issued for the Owned Real Property, have been paid for, and are in full force and effect;

(iv) To the best of Seller’s and Shareholders’ knowledge, the Improvements have been constructed in a good and workmanlike manner, free from material defects in workmanship and material, substantially in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, ordinances and codes and are being maintained and operated substantially in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, insurance requirements, contracts, leases, permits, licenses, ordinances, restrictions and easements (except where failure to be in compliance therewith would not have a material adverse effect on the value or use of the Owned Real Property), and Seller has not received notice, written or verbal, claiming any violation of any of the same;

(v) The location, construction, occupancy, operation and use by Seller of the Owned Real Property do not violate any applicable law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, certificate of occupancy or determination of any governmental authority or any board of fire underwriters (or other body exercising similar functions), or any restrictive covenant or deed restriction (recorded or otherwise) affecting the Owned Real Property, including without


limitation all applicable zoning ordinances and building codes, flood disaster laws, Americans with Disabilities Act, and health and Environmental Laws and regulations, including, without limitation, CERCLA;

(vi) To the best of Seller’s knowledge, no material defective condition, structural or nonstructural, with respect to the Owned Real Property or the Improvements exists; and, as applicable, the heating, ventilating and air conditioning, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and drainage systems, the elevators, and the roofs at or serving the Owned Real Property are in working order;

(vii) Adequate water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, drainage, electric, telephone, gas and other public utility systems and lines serve the Owned Real Property and are directly connected to the lines and/or other facilities of the respective public authorities or utility companies providing such services or accepting such discharge, either adjacent to the Owned Real Property or through easements or rights of way appurtenant to and forming a part of the Owned Real Property; and any such easements or rights-of-way have been fully granted, and all charges therefor have been fully paid by Seller and all charges for the aforesaid utility systems and the connection of the Owned Real Property thereto, including without limitation connection fees, “tie-in” charges and other charges now due and payable, have been fully paid by Seller;

(viii) All contractors, subcontractors and other persons or entities furnishing work, labor, materials or supplies to Seller or any Seller’s predecessors in interest for the development and construction of the Owned Real Property have been paid in full for all work performed to date except for retainage in customary amounts in accordance with the construction contracts for the Owned Real Property, and there are no claims against Seller or the Owned Real Property in connection therewith;

(ix) No zoning variances, special exceptions or other special relief from applicable governmental requirements have been issued for the construction of the Owned Real Property or for its present or intended use;

(x) No Improvements lie outside the boundaries and building restriction lines or encroach upon existing easements; no improvements on adjoining properties encroach upon the Owned Real Property; and no existing restrictions are or will be violated by the Improvements located upon the Owned Real Property;

(xi) Seller has not received any notice of any governmental regulation, order or requirement restricting the operation of the Owned Real Property in the manner in which the Owned Real Property is being operated on the date of this Agreement;

(xii) Seller has not received any written notice of, nor to the best of Seller’s or the Shareholders’ knowledge, is there any proceeding pending for the increase or decrease of the assessed valuation of all or any portion of the Owned Real Property;


(xiii) Seller has not received any notice of any condemnation proceeding or other proceedings in the nature of eminent domain in connection with the Owned Real Property;

(xiv) No portion of the Owned Real Property is located within an area designated as a flood hazard area or an area which will require the purchase of flood insurance for the obtaining of any federally insured or federally related loan; and no portion of the Owned Real Property is located in any conservation or historic district;

(xv) No assessments for public improvements have been made against the Owned Real Property which remain unpaid and all such assessments which have been levied for public improvements ordered, commenced or completed prior to the Closing Date have been paid for in full by Seller;

(xvi) There are no special assessments respecting the Owned Real Property which will result from work, activities or improvements done to the Owned Real Property by Seller in the course of construction, alteration or repair of the Owned Real Property;

(xvii) Seller is the sole owner of the Owned Real Property and has good and marketable fee simple title to the Owned Real Property, free and clear of any encumbrances, except the Real Property Encumbrances (as defined in Section 6.11.1); and

(xviii) Other than Buyer, no person, firm, corporation or other entity has any right or option to acquire the Owned Real Property or any part thereof, or any interest therein.

(b) Schedule 3.11(b) attached hereto identifies the real property leased or subleased by Seller (the “ Leases ”). Seller has not received any notification that it is in default with respect to any of the Leases, nor are there any disputes between any landlord and Seller with respect to the Leases that would affect the right of Seller to remain in possession or otherwise affect the current use of the property leased or the rental amount then due. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.11(b) , Seller has performed all obligations required to be performed by it to date under, and is not in default in respect of, any Lease, and no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. To the best of Seller’s or the Shareholders’ knowledge, no other party to any Lease is in default in respect thereof, and no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. At the Closing, Seller shall deliver to Buyer a Landlord Estoppel Certificate from each landlord under the Leases, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Buyer, which delivery shall be a condition to Buyer’s obligation to close.


(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(c) attached hereto, true and complete copies of all Leases and all title reports, surveys, leases, licenses, permits, agreements, reports or other documents in Seller’s possession relating to the Owned Real Property have been made available to Buyer or its representatives.

(d) The consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not affect in any way, or result in the termination of, any of the Leases, particularly those necessary to support activities permitted or licensed by federal, state or local regulatory authorities.

3.12 Title to Property; Encumbrances; Sufficiency of Purchased Assets . Seller has good, valid and marketable fee simple title to the Owned Real Property and good, valid and marketable title to all the properties and assets shown on the Financial Statements or thereafter acquired, including the Purchased Assets (except for (i) inventory subsequently sold or otherwise disposed of for fair value in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) accounts receivable subsequently collected in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (iii) immaterial amounts of inventory, machinery and equipment that have been determined to be obsolete or otherwise not necessary and have been disposed of in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), in each case free and clear of all Seller’s Indebtedness and Encumbrances except for any Encumbrance reflected in Schedule 3.12 hereof. No part of Seller’s Business is operated by Seller through any person or entity other than Seller. The Purchased Assets and leased assets identified on Schedule 3.12 comprise all assets and services required for the continued conduct of the Business as now being conducted. The Purchased Assets are adequate for the purposes for which such assets are currently used or are held for use.

3.13 Licenses and Permits . Schedule 3.13 hereof sets forth a true and complete list of all of Seller’s material licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, registrations, approvals and certificates of occupancy (or their equivalent) issued or granted to it with respect to the Business by the government of the United States or of any state, city, municipality, county or town thereof, or of any foreign jurisdiction, or any department, agency, board, division, subdivision, audit group or procuring office, commission, bureau or instrumentality of any of the foregoing (the “ Licenses and Permits ”), and all pending applications therefor. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.13 , each of Seller’s Licenses and Permits has been duly obtained, is valid and in full force and effect, and is not subject to any pending or, to the best of Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, threatened administrative or judicial proceeding to revoke, cancel, suspend or declare such License and Permit invalid in any respect. Seller makes no representation regarding the transferability of Licenses and Permits.

3.14 Compliance with Law . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.20(a) , the operations of Seller’s business have been conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, orders and other requirements of all courts and other governmental or regulatory authorities, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Seller and its assets, properties and operations except where such conduct would not result in a material adverse affect on the business or operations of Seller. Except as set


forth on Schedule 3.14 , neither Seller nor the Shareholders has received notice of any violation of any such law, regulation, order or other legal requirement, or is in default with respect to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any national, state or local court or governmental or regulatory authority or arbitrator, domestic or foreign, applicable to Seller’s Business or the Purchased Assets.

3.15 Litigation . Except as set forth in Schedule 3.15 hereof, there are no claims, actions, suits, proceedings or investigations pending or, to the best of Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, threatened before any federal, state or local court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against Seller or any of its officers, directors, employees, or agents involving, affecting or relating to any of the Purchased Assets or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, nor, to the best of Seller’s and Shareholders’ knowledge, does there exist any fact which might reasonably be expected to give rise to any such suit, proceeding, dispute or investigation. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.15 hereof, neither Seller nor any of the Purchased Assets is subject to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any federal, state or local court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or any arbitrator of any nature, that affects or might affect the Purchased Assets, or that would or might interfere with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

3.16 Contracts . Schedule 3.16 hereof sets forth a true and complete list of all Contracts which are material to the Business or the Purchased Assets and being assumed by Buyer hereunder, including but not limited to: (i) leases, licenses, permits, insurance policies and other arrangements concerning or relating to machinery, equipment or real estate; (ii) employment, consulting, collective bargaining or other similar arrangements relating to or for the benefit of current, future or former employees, agents, and independent contractors or consultants; (iii) brokerage or finder’s agreements; (iv) contracts involving a sharing of profits or expenses; (vi) acquisition or divestiture agreements; (v) service agreements, manufacturer’s representative, or distributorship agreements; (vi) arrangements limiting or restraining Seller from engaging or competing in any lines of business or with any person or entity; (viii) documents granting a power of attorney; (ix) agreements with customers or suppliers; and (x) any other agreements or arrangements that are material to the Business or the Purchased Assets.

All of the Contracts are in full force and effect and are valid, binding and enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with their terms, as amended from time to time. Each other party to the Contracts has performed all obligations required to be performed by it to date under, and is not in default or delinquent in performance, status or any other respect (claimed or actual) in connection with, the Contracts, and to the knowledge of Seller no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.16(a) , the Contracts are assignable from Seller to Buyer (and/or its affiliates) on such terms and conditions as set forth in such Contracts and the enforceability of the Contracts will not be affected in any manner by the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the assignment of the Contracts pursuant hereto. Seller has delivered to Buyer or its representatives true and complete originals or copies of all the Contracts which are material to the Business or the Purchased Assets and being assumed by Buyer hereunder.


3.17 Labor Matters . With respect to employees of Seller, except as set forth in Schedule 3.17 hereof: (i) Seller is not a party to any employment agreements with employees that are not terminable at will, or that provide for the payment of any bonus or commission, (ii) Seller is not a party to any agreement, policy or practice that requires it to pay termination or severance pay to salaried, non-exempt or hourly employees (other than as required by law), (iii) Seller is not a party to any collective bargaining agreement or other labor union contract nor does Seller know of any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any such employees, and (iv) Seller is not a party to or subject to any conciliation agreements, consent decrees or settlements with respect to the Business or its employees. Seller has furnished to Buyer complete and correct copies of all such agreements (the “ Employment and Labor Agreements ”). Seller has not breached or otherwise failed to comply with any provisions of the Employment and Labor Agreements, there are no grievances outstanding thereunder and all of such agreements are assignable to Buyer.

Except as set forth in Schedule 3.17 hereof: (i) Seller is in compliance with all applicable laws relating to employment and employment practices, wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment except where failure to comply would not have a material adverse effect on the value of the Purchased Assets or the financial condition or operations of Seller, (ii) there is no unfair labor practice charge or complaint pending before the NLRB relating to Seller, or, to Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, threatened against Seller, (iii) there is no labor strike, material slowdown or material work stoppage or lockout pending or, to Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, threatened against or affecting Seller, and Seller has not experienced any strike, material slowdown or material work stoppage, lockout or other collective labor action by or with respect to employees of Seller, (iv) there is no representation, claim or petition pending before the NLRB or any similar foreign agency and to Seller’s knowledge no question concerning representation exists relating to the employees of Seller, (v) there are no charges with respect to or relating to Seller pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any state, local or foreign agency responsible for the prevention of unlawful employment practices, and (vi) neither Seller nor the Shareholders has received notice from any national, state, local or foreign agency responsible for the enforcement of labor or employment laws of an intention to conduct an investigation of it and no such investigation is in progress.

Seller has furnished Buyer with a complete and accurate list of all its written employee manuals, policies, procedures and work-related rules affecting employees of Seller (“ Employee Policies and Procedures ”). Seller has provided Buyer with a copy of all its written Employee Policies and Procedures and a written description of all material unwritten Employee Policies and Procedures. Each of the Employee Policies and Procedures can be amended or terminated at will by Seller.

3.18 Employee Plans . With respect to employees of the Business, except as set forth in Schedule 3.18 hereof, Seller does not maintain and does not have any


obligation to contribute to any pension, savings, retirement, health, life, disability, other insurance, severance, bonus, incentive compensation, stock option or other equity-based or other employee benefit or fringe benefit plans, whether or not “employee benefit plans” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA (collectively referred to herein as the “ Plans ”). Seller or any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which is or has ever been treated as a single employer with Seller under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code (“ ERISA Affiliate “) has incurred no liability under Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, except for any such liability which has been satisfied in full, and no events have occurred and no circumstances exist that could reasonably be expected to result in any such liability to Seller or any ERISA Affiliate.

3.19 Insurance . Schedule 3.19 hereof lists the fidelity bonds and the aggregate coverage amount and type and generally applicable deductibles of all insurance policies insuring Seller and/or the Purchased Assets or relating to employees of the Business. All policies and bonds listed in Schedule 3.19 hereof are in full force and effect through the date hereof.

3.20 Environmental Matters . Except as indicated in the draft March 17, 2008 Environmental Audit Report prepared by Dykton & Associates, Inc. (“ Env. Audit Report ”), all Licenses and Permits required under all Environmental Laws have been obtained and maintained in effect for Seller and the Purchased Assets except to the extent such failure would not result in a material adverse affect on the business or operations of the Seller. To Seller’s and the Shareholders’ knowledge, and except as indicated in the Env. Audit Report, Seller and the Purchased Assets are in compliance with all Environmental Laws and with all such Licenses and Permits except to the extent noncompliance that would not result in a material adverse affect on the business or operations of the Seller. Based upon Seller’s knowledge and information, Seller has not performed or suffered any act which could give rise to, or has otherwise incurred, liability to any Person under any Environmental Law, nor has Seller or the Shareholders received notice of any such liability or any Claim therefor or submitted notice pursuant to section 103 of CERCLA to any governmental agency nor provided information in response to a request for information pursuant to Section 104(e) of CERCLA or any analogous state or local information gathering authority. Except as set forth on the environmental reports listed on Schedule 3.20(a) , and to Seller’s and Shareholders’ knowledge, no Hazardous Material has been released, placed, dumped or otherwise come to be located on, at, beneath or near any of the Purchased Assets or any surface waters or groundwaters thereon or thereunder. Except as set forth on the environmental reports listed on Schedule 3.20(a) , there have been and are no aboveground or underground storage tanks or asbestos-containing materials located at or within the premises where any of the Purchased Assets are located. None of Seller’s properties previously owned or leased is identified or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List under 40 C.F.R. § 300 Appendix B, the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Inventory System (“ CERCLIS ”) or any analogous list of any state or foreign government and neither Seller nor the Shareholders is aware of any conditions on such properties which, if known to a governmental authority, would qualify such properties for inclusion on any such list. Seller has furnished Buyer with copies of all environmental studies, assessments or reports which Seller has commissioned or possesses. Except as set forth


on Schedule 3.20 , none of the properties previously owned or leased by Seller, or any current or previous business operations conducted by it, are the subject of any investigation respecting any violation of any Environmental Law, or any releases of Hazardous Material into any surface water, ground water drinking water supply, land surface or subsurface strata, or ambient air. Seller has not reported any material violation of any applicable Environmental Law to any governmental authority. Based upon Seller’s knowledge and information, Seller has not sent, transported, or directly arranged for the transport of any garbage, solid waste or Hazardous Material, whether generated by it or another Person, to any site listed on the National Priorities List or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List or to a site included on the CERCLIS list, or any state list of sites requiring investigation or remedial action as a result of environmental issues. Except as set forth on the environmental reports listed on Schedule 3.20(a) , there is not now, nor to Seller’s and Shareholders’ knowledge has there ever been on or in any properties previously leased or owned by Seller, any generation, treatment, recycling, storage or disposal of any hazardous waste, as that term is defined under 40 C.F.R. Part 261 or any state equivalent.

3.21 Customers and Suppliers . Schedule 3.21(a) sets forth the name of each of the top ten customers of Seller by revenue for the twelve months ended as of December 31, 2007 (the “ Customers ” or “ Customer ”). Except as described in Schedule 3.21(a) , within the last twelve months, no Customer has

 

  (i) canceled or otherwise terminated its relationship with Seller;

 

  (ii) materially decreased its usage, purchases, pricing terms or any other material term of the services of Seller;

 

  (iii) to the knowledge of Seller, any plan or intention to do any of the foregoing.

Schedule 3.21(b) sets forth the name of each of the top ten suppliers to Seller by expense for the twelve months ended as of December 31, 2007 and (the “ Suppliers ”). Within the last twelve months, other than with respect to Contracts or arrangements which by their terms have expired or for which no election to renew was made, none of the Suppliers has canceled, modified, or otherwise terminated its relationship with Seller,

 

  (i) decreased its services, supplies or materials to Seller,

 

  (ii) materially changed its pricing terms or any other material term or

 

  (iii) to the knowledge of the Seller, any plan or intention to do any of the foregoing.

3.22 No Brokers . Neither Seller nor any related party has entered into any contract, arrangement or understanding with any person or firm which may result in the obligation of Buyer to pay any finder’s fees, brokerage or agent’s commissions or other like payments in connection with the negotiations leading to this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

3.23 No Other Agreements to Sell the Purchased Assets . Except for the Millerbernd right of first refusal disclosed herein, neither Seller nor any related party has any commitment or legal obligation to any other person other than Buyer to sell, assign, transfer or effect a sale of any of the Purchased Assets (other than inventory in the


ordinary course of business), to effect any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or other reorganization of Seller, or to enter into any agreement or cause the entering into of an agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.

3.24 Accuracy of Information . None of Seller’s or the Shareholders’ representations, warranties or statements contained in this Agreement or in the Schedules and Exhibits hereto contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make any of such representations, warranties or statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

3.25 Knowledge . As used in this Agreement, the term “knowledge” or “best knowledge” (i) of Seller means the actual knowledge of Mark D. Toljanic, Laxman Alreja and Rajesh Alreja and (ii) of the Shareholders means the actual knowledge of the Shareholders except that with regard to matters relating to human health and the environment the term “knowledge” or “best knowledge” includes the actual knowledge of all plant managers and environmental managers and all information contained in documents in the custody, possession or control of Seller.

3.26 Books and Records; Internal Controls . Since December 31, 2005, Seller has maintained a system of internal controls that provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and includes policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions, liabilities and dispositions of assets of Seller, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of Seller are being made only in accordance with authorizations of the management and Seller’s board of directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding the prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of assets of Seller that could have a material effect on its financial statements.

4. Representations and Warranties of Buyer and AZZ . Buyer and AZZ represent and warrant to Seller and the Shareholders as follows:

4.1 Existence; Good Standing; Corporate Authority; Compliance With Law . Buyer and AZZ (i) are corporations duly organized under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (ii) are duly licensed or qualified to do business as a corporation under the laws of all other jurisdictions in which the character of the properties owned or leased by them therein or in which the transaction of their business makes such qualification necessary; (iii) have all requisite corporate power and authority to own their properties and carry on their business as now conducted; (iv) are not in default with respect to any order of any court, governmental authority or arbitration board or tribunal to which Buyer or AZZ is a party or is subject; (v) are not in violation of any laws, ordinances, governmental rules or regulations to which they are subject; and (vi) have obtained all licenses, permits and other authorizations and have taken all actions required by applicable laws or governmental regulations in connection with its business as now conducted.


4.2 Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreements .

4.2.1 The execution and delivery of this Agreement and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby by Buyer or AZZ, and the consummation by them of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action.

4.2.2 This Agreement constitutes, and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby when executed and delivered pursuant hereto for value received will constitute, the valid and legally binding obligations of Buyer and AZZ (but only with respect to such agreements and documents actually executed by Buyer) and AZZ enforceable in accordance with their terms, except that enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium, bulk sales, preference, equitable subordination, marshalling or other similar laws of general application now or hereafter in effect relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except that the remedies of specific performance, injunction and other forms of equitable relief are subject to certain tests of equity jurisdiction, equitable defenses and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

4.2.3 The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Buyer and AZZ does not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, (i) require the consent, approval or authorization of, or declaration, filing or registration with, any governmental or regulatory authority or any third party other than in compliance with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act, (ii) result in the breach of any term or provision of, or constitute a default under, or result in the acceleration of or entitle any party to accelerate (whether after the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both) any obligation under, or result in the creation or imposition of any Encumbrance upon any part of the property of Buyer or AZZ pursuant to any provision of, any order, judgment, arbitration award, injunction, decree, indenture, mortgage, lease, license, lien, or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer or AZZ is a party or by which it is bound, and (iii) violate or conflict with any provision of the bylaws or certificate of incorporation of Buyer or AZZ as amended to the date hereof.

5. Survival of Provisions/Indemnification .

5.1 Survival of Provisions . All the respective representations, warranties covenants and agreements of each of the parties to this Agreement made herein or in any certificate or other document furnished or to be furnished by the parties pursuant hereto (except covenants and agreements which are expressly required to be performed and are performed in full on or before the Closing Date) shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other party hereto, as the case may be, shall survive delivery by the parties hereto of the consideration to be given by them hereunder, and shall survive the execution hereof, the Closing hereunder and the Closing Date until the Escrow


Termination Date, except for the representations and warranties of Seller and the Shareholders contained in (1) Section 3.6 which shall survive until the expiration of the statute of limitations applicable thereto and (2) Section 3.20 which shall survive for a period of ten (10) years after the Closing Date.

5.2 Indemnification by Seller and the Shareholders . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Sections 5.1, 5.4 and 5.5 hereof and this Section 5.2, Seller and the Shareholders, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify, defend, protect, save and hold harmless each Buyer Indemnitee (as such term is hereinafter defined) against, and will reimburse each Buyer Indemnitee on demand for, any and all Losses (as such term is hereinafter defined) made or incurred by or asserted against such Buyer Indemnitee, at any time after the Closing Date, directly or indirectly, arising out of, related to, caused by, or resulting from any of the following (“ Seller Indemnifiable Claims ”):

(a) any and all Excluded Liabilities;

(b) any and all Excluded Assets;

(c) any inaccuracy, omission, misrepresentation, breach of representation or warranty, or nonfulfillment of any term, provision, covenant or agreement on the part of Seller or the Shareholders contained herein or in any certificate or other instrument furnished or to be furnished by Seller or the Shareholders to Buyer pursuant hereto;

(d) legal matters entitled (i)  Juan Vazquez, as Special Administrator of The Estate of Juan Jacal, deceased v. AAA Galvanizing of Joliet, Inc. , Case No. 03L-016135, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Law Division; (ii)  Baker & Lewis Investments, LLC, an Oklahoma Limited Liability Company, Alan & Vicki Baker, individually, and as guardians of Stephanie Baker, Carl Dean Lewis, an individual, May J. Parker, an individual, Dawn Workman, individually, and as Mother and next friend of Taylor Workman, a minor, Tony Carlson, individually, and as Father and next friend of Tyson Carlson, a minor, Richard and Rita Wise, individually, Melissa Killman, individually, and as Mother and next friend of Michael Wilson, Vicki Killman, Jeffrey Killman, and Danny Jo Cordey, minor children, and Community Options, Inc., an Oklahoma Corporation v. Quality Galvanizing, LLC and AAA Quality Galvanizing, Inc. , Case No. CJ-2006-653, filed in the District Court of Rogers County, State of Oklahoma; (iii)  In the Matter of Brightly Galvanized Products, Inc. and Frank Flowers and International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America and its Amalgamated Local 6 , Case No. 13-RD-2560, filed before the National Labor Relations Board, Region 13; (iv)  Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality v. AAA Quality Galvanizing (Notice of Violation No. 07-AQN-022); (v)  Barry Chupp d/b/a Old 33 Auto Salvage v. AAA Quality Galvanizing, Inc. (Case No. CJ-2008-6); and (vi)  U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. AAA Quality Galvanizing, Inc. ( EEOC Charge No. 564-2008-01135);


(e) any action, failure to take action, event, matter or circumstance set forth in the disclosures on Schedule 3.5 , Schedule 3.6 . Schedule 3.7 , and Schedule 3.15 ; or

(f) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs of seeking to obtain or obtaining any contractual consent or approval described in Section 1.1.4 whether before or after the Closing Date;

As used herein, the term “ Losses ” shall mean, with respect to any person or party, any payment, loss, liability, obligation, damage, deficiency, lien, claim, suit, cause of action, judgment, cost (including, without limitation, any cost relating to remediation of any Seller Environmental Condition) or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs) of any kind, nature or description.

As used herein, the term “ Buyer Indemnitee ” shall mean Buyer and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with Buyer.

As used herein, the term “control,” “controlling,” and “controlled” shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or party, whether through the ownership of voting securities or voting interests, by contract or otherwise.

5.3 Indemnification by Buyer .  Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.4 hereof and this Section 5.3, Buyer agrees to indemnify, defend, protect, save and hold harmless Seller and the Shareholders against, and will reimburse Seller on demand for, any and all Losses made or incurred by or asserted against Seller, at any time after the Closing Date, directly or indirectly, arising out of, related to, caused by, or resulting from any of the following (“ Buyer Indemnifiable Claims ”):

(a) any Assumed Liability;

(b) any inaccuracy, omission, misrepresentation, breach of representation or warranty, or nonfulfillment of any term, provision, covenant or agreement on the part of Buyer contained herein or in any certificate or other instrument furnished or to be furnished by Buyer to Seller pursuant hereto;

(c) any event occurring subsequent to the Closing related to Buyer’s ownership or operation of the Purchased Assets or Buyer’s ownership of the Business (other than as a result of or relating to an occurrence regarding Seller’s ownership or operation of the Purchased Assets or Seller’s operation of the Business that existed or took place prior to Closing); or

(d) any final judgment in regard to the WARN Act based upon acts of Buyer that occurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.


5.4 Conditions of Indemnification . With respect to any actual or potential claim, any written demand, the commencement of any action, or the occurrence of any other event which involves any Seller Indemnifiable Claim or Buyer Indemnifiable Claim (a “ Claim ”):

(a) Promptly after the party seeking indemnification (the “ Indemnified Party ”) first receives written documents pertaining to the Claim, or if such Claim does not involve a third party Claim (a “ Third Party Claim ”), promptly after the Indemnified Party first has actual knowledge of such Claim, the Indemnified Party shall give notice to the party from whom indemnification is sought (the “ Indemnifying Party ” of such Claim in reasonable detail and stating the amount involved, if known, together with copies of any such written documents.

(b) The obligation of the Indemnifying Party to indemnify the Indemnified Party with respect to any Claim shall not be affected by the failure of the Indemnified Party to give the notice with respect thereto in accordance with Section 5.4(a) hereof unless the Indemnifying Party shall establish that it has been irretrievably prejudiced thereby.

(c) If the Claim involves a Third Party Claim, then the Indemnifying Party shall have the right, at its sole cost, expense and ultimate liability regardless of the outcome, and through counsel of its choice (which counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party), to litigate, defend, settle or otherwise attempt to resolve such Third Party Claim; provided , however , that if in the Indemnified Party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest may exist between the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party with respect to such Third Party Claim, then the Indemnified Party shall be entitled to select counsel of its own choosing, reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnifying Party, in which event the Indemnifying Party shall be obligated to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Indemnified Party may elect, at any time and at the Indemnified Party’s sole cost, expense and ultimate liability, regardless of the outcome, and through counsel of its choice, to litigate, defend, settle or otherwise attempt to resolve such Third Party Claim. If the Indemnified Party so elects (for reasons other than the Indemnifying Party’s failure or refusal to provide a defense to such Third Party Claim), then the Indemnifying Party shall have no obligation to indemnify the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim, but such disposition will be without prejudice to any other right the Indemnified Party may have to indemnification under Section 5.2 or 5.3 hereof with respect to other third party Claims, regardless of the outcome of such Third Party Claim. If the Indemnifying Party fails or refuses to provide a defense to any Third Party Claim, then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to undertake the defense, compromise or settlement of such Third Party Claim, through counsel of its choice, on behalf of and for the account and at the risk of the Indemnifying Party, and the Indemnifying Party shall be obligated to pay the costs, expenses and attorney’s fees incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with such Third Party Claim. In any event, Seller and the Buyer Indemnitees shall fully cooperate with each other and their respective counsel in connection with any such litigation, defense, settlement or other attempted resolution.


5.5 Limitations on Indemnification . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, rights to indemnification under Section 5.2 hereof are subject to the following limitations:

5.5.1 The Seller and the Shareholders shall not be liable for Losses in respect of any Seller Indemnifiable Claims made by any Buyer Indemnitee unless the total of all Losses in respect of such Seller Indemnifiable Claims made by the Buyer Indemnitees shall exceed $815,000 in the aggregate (the “ Indemnity Threshold ”), at which point the Seller and the Shareholders shall be obligated to indemnify all claims by each Buyer Indemnitee for all Losses in excess of the Indemnity Threshold, but subject to the other limitations established by Section 5.5.2. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Excluded Liabilities in Section 1.3(ix) and the representations and warranties in Section 3.20 are not subject to the Indemnity Threshold.

5.5.2 The aggregate amount payable by Seller and the Shareholders pursuant to Section 5.2 with respect to any Losses incurred by Buyer Indemnitees in regard to Seller Indemnifiable Claims relating to (i) an intentional misrepresentation or intentional omission by any Seller or the Shareholders, or (ii) a breach of a representation or warranty of Seller or the Shareholders contained in Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 3.12, 3.15, 3.18 or 3.20 (the “ Fundamental Representations ”) shall not exceed $27,966,000 (the “ Fundamental Cap ”). The aggregate amount payable by Seller and the Shareholders pursuant to Section 5.2 with respect to any other Losses incurred by Buyer Indemnitees in regard to Seller Indemnifiable Claims shall not exceed $8,150,000 (the “ Cap ”). In addition, in no event shall an individual Shareholder’s liability exceed such Shareholder’s pro rata share (based upon share ownership set forth in Schedule 3.3 ) of the total consideration paid by Buyer for the Purchased Assets, with such Shareholder’s individual liability being limited by such Shareholder’s pro rata share of the Cap and Fundamental Cap, as applicable.

5.5.3 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no Indemnifying Party shall be liable for punitive, consequential, or special damages, except to the extent any Indemnified Party suffered Losses for punitive, consequential, or special damages paid to a third-party.

5.5.5 Neither Seller nor any Shareholder shall be liable for Losses to the extent such Losses arise as a result of (x) any action taken or omitted to be taken by Buyer or any of its affiliates or (y) any breach of a representation or warranty of Buyer.

5.5.6 The amount of any Loss for which indemnification is provided under this Article V shall be net of any amounts recovered by Buyer under insurance policies with respect to such Loss.


5.5.7 THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY THE PARTIES IN THIS AGREEMENT AND THE DOCUMENTS OR AGREEMENTS DELIVERED HEREUNDER ARE EXCLUSIVE OF ALL OTHER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT AND THE DOCUMENTS AND AGREEMENTS DELIVERED HEREUNDER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN, THE PURCHASED ASSETS ARE BEING SOLD TO PURCHASER “AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH ALL FAULTS”. FURTHER, EACH PARTY’S LIABILITY TO OTHER PARTIES SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL DAMAGES, AND NO PARTY SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO THE OTHER PARTY OR THIRD PARTIES FOR ANY LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF PROFITS OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, EVEN IF SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.

5.5.8 THE INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE V, AS LIMITED HEREIN, SHALL CONSTITUTE THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES FOR ALL DAMAGES PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT.

5.6 AZZ Undertaking . In the event Buyer fails to pay sums due under this Article V, AZZ agrees to promptly satisfy Buyer’s obligations hereunder within 10 days of written notice from Seller regarding same.

6. Other Covenants and Agreements .

6.1 Restrictive Covenants .

6.1.1   Customer Restriction .  Each of Seller and the Shareholders covenants and agrees severally that it, he or she shall not, for a period of five years from and after the Closing Date, working alone or in conjunction with one or more other persons or entities, for compensation or not, (i) provide or offer to provide to any Customer (as such term is hereinafter defined) hot dip galvanizing services, or (ii) induce or attempt to induce any Customer to withdraw, curtail or cancel its business with Buyer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates for hot dip galvanizing services or in any manner modify or fail to enter into any actual or potential business relationship with Buyer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. As used in this Section 6.1, the term “ Customer ” means (i) any person or entity for whom Seller provided galvanizing services on or prior to the Closing Date or to whom Seller provided any galvanizing related product on or prior to the Closing Date; or (ii) any person or entity for whom Buyer or any of its


subsidiaries or affiliates provided or provides galvanizing services after the Closing Date or to whom Buyer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates provided or provides a galvanizing related product after the Closing Date.

6.1.2   Non-Raid . Each of Seller and the Shareholders covenants and agrees severally that it, he or she shall not, for a period of five years from and after the Closing Date, working alone or in conjunction with one or more other persons or entities, for compensation or not, hire, recruit or otherwise solicit or induce any person or entity who is an employee or Vendor of the Business on the Closing Date or within the six months immediately preceding the Closing Date had been an employee or Vendor of the Business, or who is an employee or Vendor of Buyer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates after the Closing Date, to terminate their employment with, or otherwise cease or reduce their relationship with, Buyer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, as the case may be. As used in this Section 6.1, the term “ Vendor ” means (i) any third party selling or licensing a product or service to a Customer or to the Business on or prior to the Closing Date; or (ii) any third party selling or licensing a product or service to a Customer or to Buyer or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates after the Closing Date. Nothing contained in this Section 6.1.2 shall preclude Seller and/or Shareholders from hiring former employees of Seller who (i) are not hired by Buyer or who are terminated by Buyer following the Closing Date or (ii) who may respond to general solicitations, such as advertisements for employment published in newspapers or magazines, provided that the employee has responded to such general solicitation without prompting from Seller or its Shareholders.

6.1.3   Non-Competition .  Each of Seller and the Shareholders covenants and agrees severally that it, he or she shall not, for a period of five years from and after the Closing Date, working alone or in conjunction with one or more other persons or entities, for compensation or not, permit Seller’s or such Shareholders’ name to be used by or engage in or carry on, directly or indirectly, either for itself or as a member of a partnership or other entity or as a stockholder, member, investor, agent, associate or consultant of any person, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other entity (other than Buyer or a subsidiary or affiliate of Buyer), a hot dip galvanizing business in competition with the galvanizing business purchased hereunder, including the use of the Cicero Real Property for a hot dip galvanizing business (but only for as long as such business is carried on by (i) Buyer and/or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or (ii) any person, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other organization or entity deriving title from Buyer and/or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates to the assets and goodwill of such business) (i) in any state of the United States where the Owned Real Property is located and (ii) any state of the United States within 500 miles of the Owned Real Property and all states contiguous to such states. The parties intend that the covenants contained in this Section 6.1.3 shall be deemed to be a series of separate covenants, one for each state of the United States where the Owned Real Property is located, and one for each state of the United States within 500 miles of the Owned Real Property and all states contiguous to such states and, except for geographic coverage, each such separate


covenant shall be identical in terms to the covenant contained in this Section 6.1.3. The parties shall allocate $1,800,000 of the Purchase Price to the Restrictive Covenants contained in this Section 6.1.3. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Shareholders may, directly or indirectly own, solely as an investment, securities of any entity engaged in the Business which are publicly traded on a national or regional stock exchange or on the over-the-counter market if Shareholder (i) is not a “controlling” person of, or a member of a group which “controls,” such person and (ii) does not, directly or indirectly, own 1% or more of any class of securities of such entity.

6.1.4   Reformation .  If, in any judicial proceeding, the court shall refuse to enforce any of the separate covenants contained in Section 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 hereof because the time limit is too long, it is expressly understood and agreed between the parties hereto that for purposes of such proceeding such time limitation shall be deemed reduced to the extent necessary to permit enforcement of such covenants. If, in any judicial proceeding, the court shall refuse to enforce any of the separate covenants contained in Section 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 hereof because it is more extensive (whether as to geographic area, scope of business or otherwise) than necessary to protect the business and goodwill of Buyer, it is expressly understood and agreed between the parties hereto that for purposes of such proceeding the geographic area, scope of business or other aspect shall be deemed reduced to the extent necessary to permit enforcement of such covenants.

6.1.5   Injunctive Relief .  Each of Seller and the Shareholders acknowledge that a breach of Section 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 hereof would cause irreparable damage to Buyer, and in the event of its actual or threatened breach of the provisions of Section 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 hereof, Buyer shall be entitled to a temporary restraining order and an injunction restraining Seller and/or the Shareholders from breaching such covenants without the necessity of posting bond or proving irreparable harm, such being conclusively admitted by Seller and the Shareholders. Nothing shall be construed as prohibiting Buyer from pursuing any other available remedies for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from Seller and/or the Shareholders; provided, however, any such recovery shall solely be from the Seller and/or Shareholder found to have breached the covenants in this Section 6.1 and the Seller and Shareholders shall not bear joint liability for such conduct. Each of Seller and the Shareholders acknowledge that the restrictions set forth in Sections 6.1.1, 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 hereof are reasonable in scope and duration, given the nature of the business of Buyer.

6.2 Public Announcements . Upon execution of this Agreement, Buyer shall be entitled to issue such press releases or make any public statements or reports concerning the Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby required or advisable under any applicable law or by any governmental authority having jurisdiction over such matters with such content and wording as Buyer shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate; provided , however , that Buyer shall provide Seller a reasonable opportunity to review the initial press release announcing the transactions contemplated hereby. Neither Seller nor the Shareholders shall make any disclosure of the terms of this Agreement that is inconsistent with the public statements of Buyer described in the preceding sentence.


6.3 Execution of Additional Documents . Each party hereto will at any time, and from time to time after the Closing Date, upon request of the other party hereto, execute, acknowledge and deliver, without payment, all such further deeds, assignments, transfers, conveyances, powers of attorney and assurances, and take all such further action, as may be required to carry out or effectuate the intentions and purposes of this Agreement, and to transfer and vest title to any Purchased Asset being transferred hereunder, and to protect the right, title and interest in and enjoyment of all of the Purchased Assets sold, granted, assigned, transferred, delivered and conveyed pursuant hereto; provided , however , that this Agreement shall be effective regardless of whether any such additional documents are executed.

6.4 Costs and Expenses . Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.

6.5 Transfer Taxes . Any and all sales, use, transfer, registration, transfer gains or similar Taxes and fees (including interest and penalties thereon) (“ Transfer Taxes ”) which result from the transfer of the Purchased Assets or Assumed Liabilities pursuant to this Agreement shall be borne 50% by Seller and/or the Shareholders and 50% by Buyer. The Seller, with the cooperation of Buyer, shall prepare and file any related tax returns required to be filed in connection with the payment of such Transfer Taxes on a timely basis, and Seller shall provide Buyer with copies of all returns and evidence of payment of all Transfer Taxes. After the Closing Date, each party shall, upon the request of the other party, promptly reimburse the other party for any Transfer Taxes or related expenses for which a party is responsible under this Agreement but which have been paid by the other party.

6.6 Cooperation on Tax Matters; Business Records . Buyer, Seller and the Shareholders agree to furnish or cause to be furnished to each other, as promptly as practicable, such information and assistance relating to Seller as is reasonably necessary for the preparation and filing of any return, claim for refund or other required or optional filings relating to Tax matters, for the preparation for and proof of facts during any tax audit, for the preparation for any Tax protest, for the prosecution or defense of any suit or other proceeding relating to Tax matters and for the answer to any governmental or regulatory inquiry relating to Tax matters.

Buyer agrees to retain possession of all accounting, business, financial and Tax records and information (i) relating to the Purchased Assets and Seller’s Business in existence on the Closing Date transferred to Buyer hereunder and (ii) coming into existence after the Closing Date which relate to the Purchased Assets and Seller’s Business prior to or on the Closing Date, for the period not to exceed six years from the Closing Date. In addition, from and after the Closing Date, Buyer agrees that it will not unreasonably withhold access by Seller and its attorneys, accountants and other representatives (after reasonable notice and during normal business hours and with


reasonable charge), to such personnel, books, records, documents and any or all other information relating to the Purchased Assets and Seller’s galvanizing business as Seller or the Shareholders may reasonably deem necessary to properly prepare for, file, prove, answer, prosecute and/or defend any such Tax return, filing, audit, protest, claim, suit, inquiry or other proceeding. Such access shall include without limitation access to any computerized information retrieval systems relating to Seller’s Business.

6.7 Allocation of Total Purchase Price . On or after the Closing Date, Buyer shall prepare and deliver to Seller an allocation of the Total Purchase Price (as such term is hereinafter defined) and the Assumed Liabilities among the Purchased Assets (any agreed allocation hereinafter referred to as the “ Allocation ”) and the covenant not to compete set forth in Section 6.1.3 of this Agreement. The Purchased Assets Allocation shall be done in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder. In addition, Buyer and Seller hereby undertake to file timely Form 8594 pursuant to the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 1060(b) of the Code. In the event that the Parties are unable to agree on the Allocation within 45 days after the Closing Date, the Parties will submit the Allocation to Independent Accountant for determination within 30 days thereafter. The Allocation determined by Independent Accountant shall be binding on the Parties, and the fees of that firm will be paid equally by the Parties. Neither Buyer nor Seller shall take any position with any Taxing authority that is inconsistent with the Allocation. In the event that any Tax authority disputes the Allocation, Seller or Buyer, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the other party of the nature of such dispute. Seller agrees that Buyer shall control resolution of any dispute with such Tax authority relating to the Allocation, at Buyer’s sole cost and expense; provided, however, that Buyer shall not settle any such matter without Seller’s written consent which shall not be unreasonably withheld. Buyer also shall allocate any adjustments to the Total Purchase Price in the manner as described in this Section 6.7 and such allocations shall become part of the Allocation. As used herein, the term “ Total Purchase Price ” shall mean the Purchase Price, as adjusted, including the Indemnity Deposit and Environmental Deposit.

6.8 Proration of Property Taxes . Ad valorem real property and personal property Taxes and assessments on the Purchased Assets shall be prorated between Buyer and Seller as of the Closing Date. All such prorations shall be allocated so that items relating to time periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date shall be allocated to Seller and items relating to time periods beginning after the Closing Date shall be allocated to Buyer. The amount of all such prorations shall be finally settled and paid on the Closing Date based upon the most recent available tax bill, tax notice or notification of appraised value.

6.9 Offer of Employment . Buyer may, but shall not be required to, offer employment to individuals who are employees of Seller on the Closing Date, in accordance with Buyer’s normal hiring practices. Buyer, or its affiliates, shall offer employment to a sufficient number of the Business employees on such terms and conditions so that Seller is not required to provide notice of a “plant closing” or “mass layoff” to any person or entity under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, 29 U.S.C. § 2101 et seq. or any other similar federal, state or local law or


regulation (the “ WARN Act ”) as a result of the termination of employment of its employees by Seller as of the Closing. Set forth on Schedule 6.9 hereof is a list of all employees of Seller as of the date hereof and their annual rate of Compensation (as such term is hereinafter defined) as of the date hereof. As used herein, the term “ Compensation ” shall mean all forms of direct and indirect renumeration and include, without limitation, salaries, commissions, bonuses, securities, property, insurance benefits, personal benefits and contingent forms of renumeration. Seller shall cooperate with all reasonable requests made by Buyer for the purpose of facilitating Buyer’s hiring of such employees. As used herein, “ Transferred Employees ” shall mean all such employees to whom employment is offered by Buyer as provided above and who accept employment with Buyer, including without limitation those on medical, disability or other leave of absence, provided that employees on leave shall not be considered Transferred Employees until the date on which each such employee is released by the employee’s physician to return to work and the employee actually returns to work. Buyer shall comply with all provisions of the WARN Act with respect to all of Seller’s employees. Buyer shall permit all Transferred Employees to participate in Buyer’s 401(k) plan pursuant to the terms thereof and, in connection therewith, shall credit each Transferred Employee with the number of days such Transferred Employee was employed by Seller for purposes of any length of service requirements under such 401(k) plan. To the extent allowable under Buyer’s policies and procedures, Buyer shall provide each Transferred Employee credit for years of service prior to the Closing with Seller for (i) the purposes of eligibility and vesting (but not for benefit accrual) under Buyer’s health and vacation programs and policies and (ii) any and all pre-existing condition limitations and eligibility waiting periods under group health plans of Buyer, and shall cause to be credited to any deductible or out-of-pocket expenses (which are applicable in the plan year of Buyer in which the Closing Date falls) under any health plans of Buyer any deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Transferred Employee and their beneficiaries and dependents under health plans of Seller during the plan year of Seller in which the Closing Date falls. Nothing herein expressed or implied shall confer upon any Transferred Employee or other employee or former employee of Seller or legal representatives thereof, any rights or remedies, including without limitation any right to employment or continued employment for any specified period, of any nature or kind whatsoever, or, except as otherwise provided in this Section 6.9, any right to specific terms or conditions of employment (including rate of pay, fringe benefits or position) under or by reason of this Agreement. The employment of any Transferred Employee or all Transferred Employees may be terminated by Buyer for any reason or for no reason at any time after the Closing Date. With respect to employees who either are not extended an offer of employment with Buyer or who choose not to accept an offer of employment with Buyer, Seller and the Shareholders covenant and agree to cooperate with and to assist Buyer in obtaining the agreement of those employees to continue to be available to Buyer during a transition period of six months beginning on the Closing Date during which Buyer shall compensate such employees for services rendered and their availability; provided, however, any such compensation shall be commensurate with the compensation of similarly situated employees of Buyer.

6.10 Guaranty of Receivables . At the Closing, Seller shall execute and deliver to Buyer a Guaranty in the form attached as Exhibit E hereto (the “ Receivables


Guaranty ”), under the terms of which Seller shall unconditionally guarantee that all indebtedness represented by the accounts and notes receivable of Seller as of the Closing Date that are included in the Purchased Assets (net of any allowance for doubtful accounts on the Financial Statements) will be paid by the respective debtors to Buyer. In the event such net indebtedness is not paid within 180 days after the Closing Date, Seller shall within ten days following receipt from Buyer of notice to such effect make payment to Buyer of an amount in cash equal to the difference between such net indebtedness and the amount collected in respect of such accounts and notes receivable, whereupon Buyer shall promptly assign or cause to be assigned to Seller all rights, claims, actions or causes of action which Buyer may have relating to such unpaid receivables. Buyer shall provide monthly aged receivable reports to Seller on the last day of each month and shall permit Seller to communicate with such account debtor for reasonable collection purposes. All reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by Buyer during the six month period immediately after the Closing Date with respect to the collection of such accounts and notes receivable (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and court costs) shall be the responsibility of Seller but solely to the extent such costs exceed the amount by which Buyer’s actual collections of Closing Date accounts receivable exceed the net indebtedness guaranteed hereunder, and Seller shall reimburse Buyer therefor as part of the Receivables Guaranty. Following the Closing Date, Buyer acknowledges that Seller’s accounts receivable are Buyer’s and Buyer shall follow the same practice with respect to the Seller’s accounts receivable that Buyer follows with respect to its own collection efforts, including sending statements to the account debtors or note makers, writing letters and making telephone calls seeking payment. Buyer shall employ reasonable collection efforts with respect to such accounts receivable. Buyer shall apply all customer payments to the oldest invoice for such customer. Buyer shall not be obligated to commence a suit to enforce payment of any accounts or notes receivable or undertake any extraordinary collection efforts and will not do so without the consent of Seller which will not be unreasonably withheld. Buyer shall not make concession on or settle an account receivable of Seller without Seller’s written consent which will not be unreasonably withheld.

6.11 Real Estate Covenants and Conditions .

6.11.1 With respect to the Owned Real Property, Seller, at its sole cost and expense, shall have obtained (i) a commitment for title insurance (a “ Title Commitment ”), from a title company of Buyer’s choice (the “ Title Company ”), setting forth the status of the title of the Owned Real Property and showing all title encumbrances and other matters of record (“ Real Property Encumbrances ”) and all improvements thereon; and (ii) a true, complete and legible copy of all documents referred to in such Title Commitment.

6.11.2 Seller, at Seller’s sole cost and expense, shall have obtained a survey for the Owned Real Property (the “ Survey ”). The Survey shall have been prepared pursuant to a current on-the-ground staked survey performed by a registered public surveyor or engineer satisfactory to Buyer and the Title Company. The Survey conforms to the standards for an ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey and to any applicable state standards , and (i) reflects the location and


actual dimensions of and the total number of square feet of land and improvements comprising the Owned Real Property, (ii) identifies any rights-of-way, improvements, easements, or any Real Property Encumbrances by applicable recording reference, (iii) identifies any protrusions, encroachments, fences, building lines, public utilities not of record, and flood plain status, and (iv) includes the Surveyor’s registered number and seal, the date of each Survey and a narrative certificate acceptable to Buyer and the Title Company. The Survey is in form and substance sufficient for the Title Company to issue the Owner Title Policy (as defined in Section 6.11.4).

6.11.3 At Closing, Seller shall have delivered to Buyer: (i) copies of the tax statements covering the Owned Real Property for the year prior to the current year and, if available, for the current year, (ii) copies of any leases affecting the Owned Real Property, if any, (iii) copies of all reports, surveys, and studies, including, without limitation, any environmental studies, prepared by or on behalf of any Seller with respect to the Owned Real Property, and (iv) copies of any documents, notices, or information in Seller’s possession relating to: any easements or claims of easement, rights, rights-of-way, licenses or other unrecorded interests of third parties (other than pursuant to the leases) in and to the Owned Real Property, the condition of the Owned Real Property, including any environmental condition or condition constituting a violation of any ordinance, regulation, law, or statute of any governmental agency, including, without limitation, any Environmental Law or zoning ordinance; and any threatened or pending administrative or condemnation proceedings or litigation with respect to the Owned Real Property.

6.11.4 At the Closing, Buyer shall have obtained, at Seller’s sole expense, an ALTA Standard Form Owner Policy of Title Insurance (the “ Owner Title Policy ”) for the Owned Real Property set forth on Schedule 6.11.4 , in such amount as reasonably determined by Buyer, and issued through the Title Company pursuant to the applicable Title Commitment, insuring that, after the completion of the Closing, Buyer is the owner of good and marketable fee simple title to the Owned Real Property subject only to the Real Property Encumbrances and the standard printed exceptions included in an ALTA Standard Form Owner Policy of Title Insurance. Seller shall do such further acts and execute such other documents as may reasonably be required by Title Company to issue to Buyer the Owner Title Policy. At the Closing, Seller shall deliver or cause to be delivered to Buyer the Deeds with respect to the Owned Real Property, conveying good, marketable and indefeasible fee simple title to the Owned Real Property, subject to the Permitted Title Encumbrances. Upon completion of the Closing, Seller shall deliver to Buyer actual possession of the Owned Real Property free and clear of all liens, tenancies of every kind and parties in possession, with all parts of the Owned Real Property in substantially the same condition as on the date of this Agreement.

6.11.5 Prior to Closing, upon giving 24 hour notice to Seller, Buyer and its agents, contractors, or representatives, at Buyer’s sole cost, may go on to the Owned Real Property to make inspections, surveys, test borings, environmental inspections, and other tests and surveys.


6.12 Right of First Refusal for Related Party Leased Equipment . Buyer shall have the right of first refusal as well as the option to purchase any of Seller’s related parties’ leased property and equipment for the price and terms described in amendments to Seller’s leases with Real Estate Development Associates, LLC.

6.13 Purchase of Pollution Legal Liability Insurance; Remediation .

(a) Immediately following the Closing, Buyer will purchase pollution legal liability insurance to cover all Purchased Assets for a term of ten years. (“ PLL Insurance ”) Buyer anticipates that the premiums for such insurance coverage shall be $200,000 in the aggregate (the “ Pollution Legal Liability Premiums ”). Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, Buyer’s sole recourse for any environmental liability or claim (other than relating to (a) Seller Environmental Conditions or (b) a breach of a representation or warranty of Seller or Shareholders contained in Section 3.20), shall be against the PLL Insurance (hereinafter, “ PLL Claim ”). PLL Claims shall not constitute either an Excluded Liability under Section 1.3, or Section 5.2, or be considered a Seller Environmental Condition. The Pollution Legal Liability Premiums shall be borne 50% by Seller and 50% by Buyer. Any deductible required to be paid under the PLL Insurance shall be borne 50% by Seller and 50% by Buyer.

(b)(i) After the Closing, Buyer shall diligently proceed to perform remediation work reasonably necessary to obtain No Further Remediation Letters (“ NFR Letters ”) from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (“ IEPA ”) with respect to the Peoria, Illinois property and the Joliet, Illinois property. This remediation work shall include, but is not limited to, investigation and studies; regulatory agency negotiations, notifications, filings, reports and interactions; engineering design and permitting; remedial action; excavation; operation and maintenance of remedial systems; and monitoring and sampling activities. Buyer shall control all facets of such remediation work including the engagement of environmental consultants. Notwithstanding these provisions, however, prior to commencing any remedial action, monitoring, excavation or other field work, Buyer shall provide to Seller for its review and comment the associated scope of work, work plan, and budget for such work. Seller shall provide any comments to Buyer within ten (10) business days of receiving the relevant documentation, or waive the right to comment. If Seller does provide comments, then Buyer and Seller shall in good faith attempt to resolve those comments subject to the dispute resolution procedures set forth in Section 6.13(b)(ii) below. Seller shall have access to all data and reports generated by the Buyer in connection with the remediation work. As Buyer carries out portions of the remediation work, Buyer may request the release of a portion of the Environmental Escrow Fund for payment for such work. Each such request shall be made in writing to the Escrow Agent, and Buyer shall, at the same time, deliver to Seller a copy of such request and supporting documentation (including consulting/contractor invoices and


break-down or itemization of the remediation work to which the request relates). Seller shall respond to Buyer’s disbursement request, with reasons for any disapproval, within 10 business days after Seller’s receipt of such request, and, if Seller fails to object to Buyer’s request by delivery of written notice of such objection to Buyer and the Escrow Agent within ten (10) business days, then the request shall be deemed approved, and the Escrow Agent shall disburse payments to the invoicing entity in the requested amount from the Environmental Escrow Fund. Should Seller object to a portion of the disbursement request, then Seller shall approve payment of the uncontested portion of the request. Seller and Buyer shall then in good faith attempt to resolve the contested portion of the disbursement request subject to the dispute resolution procedures set forth in Section 6.13(b)(ii) below. Seller’s approval of the disbursement request shall not be unreasonably withheld. Thirty days following issuance by the IEPA of a NFR Letter with respect to the Peoria, Illinois property, the following amount shall be disbursed from the Environmental Escrow Fund to Seller: $100,000 less any amounts paid from the Environmental Escrow Fund for remediation work at the Peoria property and less any pending requests with the Escrow Agent for payment for remediation work at the Peoria property. Thirty (30) days after IEPA issues an NFR Letter for the Joliet, Illinois property, the following shall be disbursed from the Environmental Escrow Fund to the Seller: $165,000 less any amounts paid from the Environmental Escrow Fund for remediation work at the Joliet property and less any pending requests for payment for remediation work at the Joliet facility. After both NFR Letters are issued by IEPA, any amounts remaining in the Environmental Escrow Fund less the amount of any pending requests for reimbursement for remediation work at any of the two facilities shall be disbursed to Seller.

(b)(ii) Seller and Buyer agree to attempt to resolve informally all disputes that may arise as to each party’s obligations under this Section 6.13. If a dispute arises regarding any matter hereunder, the party claiming the dispute shall submit in writing to the other party a letter describing the nature of the dispute and any details known at that time (the “ Dispute Notice ”). If, within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the Dispute Notice, the parties are unable to resolve the dispute, the disputed matter is to be submitted to mediation. The parties shall mutually select a mediator and the mediation shall occur within forty-five 45 days after the receipt of the Dispute Notice. Any default hereunder shall not be actionable until the earlier to occur of (i) such time as the mediation has been completed, or (ii) forty-five (45) days from the date of the Dispute Notice. If any dispute is being mediated as provided herein, any deadlines contained in this Section 6.13 impacted by such dispute shall be tolled until the earlier of the parties’ resolution of the dispute or forty-five (45) days after the date of the Dispute Notice.

6.14 Replacement of Seller’s Letter of Credit . As soon as practicable after the Closing, Buyer shall provide a letter of credit to replace Seller’s letter of credit regarding Seller’s galvanizing plant in Winsted, Minnesota.


7. Closing Deliveries .

7.1 Seller’s and Shareholder’s Closing Deliveries .

7.1.1  Seller shall deliver all authorizations, consents, waivers and approvals as may be required in connection with the assignment of those Contracts to be assigned to Buyer pursuant hereto upon terms acceptable to Buyer in its sole discretion.

7.1.2 Seller shall execute and deliver the Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement and such other bills of sale, deeds, instruments of assignment and other appropriate documents (including the Deeds) as may be requested by Buyer in order to carry out the intentions and purposes hereof.

7.1.3 Seller, the Shareholders and the Escrow Agent shall execute and deliver the Escrow Agreement.

7.1.4  Seller shall deliver to Buyer a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of Seller’s corporate Secretary certifying:

(i) resolutions of its Board of Directors and shareholders approving and adopting this Agreement and all transactions contemplated hereby and authorizing Seller’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and all agreements, documents and transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) the incumbency of its officers executing this Agreement and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby.

7.1.5 Seller shall deliver the approval and all consents from third parties and governmental agencies required to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

7.1.6 Seller shall execute and deliver the Receivables Guaranty.

7.1.7 Kevin Irving shall execute and deliver an Employment and Noncompetition Agreement with Buyer in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F (the “ Kevin Irving Employment Agreement ”).

7.1.8 Seller shall deliver a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G from an officer of the Seller dated on the Closing Date certifying the non-foreign status of the Seller in the form and substance as required under the Treasury Regulations under Sections 897 and 1445 of the Code.

7.1.9 Laxman Alreja shall execute and deliver a Consulting Agreement with Buyer in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit I (the “ Laxman Alreja Consulting Agreement ”).


7.2 Buyer’s Closing Deliveries .

7.2.1  Buyer shall deliver (i) the Initial Payment in accordance with Section 2.1 hereof and (ii) the Indemnity Deposit and Environmental Deposit to the Escrow Agent.

7.2.2  Buyer shall execute and deliver the Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement.

7.2.3 Buyer and the Escrow Agent shall execute and deliver the Escrow Agreement.

7.2.4 Buyer shall execute and deliver the Kevin Irving Employment Agreement.

7.2.5 Buyer shall execute and deliver the Laxman Alreja Consulting Agreement.

8. Miscellaneous .

8.1 Notices .  Any notice, consent, approval, request, demand, declaration or other communication required hereunder shall be in writing to be effective and shall be given and shall be deemed to have been given if (i) delivered in person with receipt acknowledged, (ii) telexed or telecopied and electronically confirmed, (iii) deposited in the custody of a nationally recognized overnight courier for next day delivery, or (iv) placed in the federal mail, postage prepaid, certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, in each case addressed as follows:

If to Buyer:

c/o AZZ incorporated

University Centre I

Suite 200

Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Attention: David H. Dingus, Chief Executive Officer

Facsimile #: 817/336-4211

Confirming #: 817/810-0095

Copies to:

F. Richard Bernasek, Esq.

Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

201 Main Street

Suite 2500

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Facsimile #: 817/878-9709

Confirming #: 817/878-3509


and

S. Benton Cantey, Esq.

Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

201 Main Street

Suite 2500

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Facsimile #: 817/878-9759

Confirming #: 817/878-3559

If to Seller or the Shareholders:

Laxman Alreja

1750 Buena Vista Drive

Wheaton, IL 60187

Facsimile #: 630/510-3552

Confirming #: 630/510-2276

Copies to:

Mark D. Toljanic

Martin, Craig, Chester & Sonnenschein LLP

2215 York Road, Suite 550

Oak Brook, IL 60523

Facsimile #: 630/472-0048

Confirming #: 630/472-3410

or at such other address as may be substituted by giving the other parties not fewer than five business days’ advance written notice of such change of address in accordance with the provisions hereof. The giving of any notice required hereunder may be waived in writing by the party entitled to receive such notice. Every notice, demand, request, consent, approval, declaration or other communication hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly served, delivered and received on the date on which personally delivered with receipt acknowledged or telecopied or telexed and electronically confirmed, or 48 hours after being deposited into the custody of a nationally recognized overnight courier for next day delivery, or five business days after the same shall have been placed in the federal mail as aforesaid. Failure or delay in delivering copies of any consent, notice, demand, request, approval, declaration or other communication to the persons designated above to receive copies shall in no way adversely affect the effectiveness of such notice, demand, request, consent, approval, declaration or other communication.

8.2 Binding Effect; Benefits . This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer on any person (other than the parties hereto, the Buyer Indemnitees (but only with respect to Section 5 hereof), or their respective successors and permitted assigns) any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.


8.3 Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Exhibits, Schedules and other agreements and documents contemplated hereby, constitutes the final written expression of all of the agreements between the parties, and is a complete and exclusive statement of those terms. Except as specifically included or referred to herein, this Agreement and the Exhibits, Schedules and other agreements and documents contemplated hereby supersede all prior understandings, negotiations and agreements concerning the matters specified herein, including, without limitation, that certain Confidentiality Agreement dated December 11, 2007 and that certain Letter of Intent dated January 31, 2008. Any representations, promises, warranties or statements made by any party that differ in any way from the terms of this written Agreement, and the Exhibits, Schedules and other agreements and documents contemplated hereby, shall be given no force or effect (except as specifically included or referred to herein). The parties specifically represent, each to the others, that there are no additional or supplemental agreements between them related in any way to the matters herein contained unless specifically included or referred to herein. No addition to or modification or amendment of any provision hereof shall be binding upon any party hereto unless made in writing and signed by all parties hereto.

8.4 Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT, AND ALL QUESTIONS RELATING TO ITS VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION, PERFORMANCE AND ENFORCEMENT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, PROVISIONS CONCERNING LIMITATIONS OF ACTION), SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS (EXCLUSIVE OF THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF) APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE.

8.5 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument; but in making proof of this Agreement, it shall not be necessary to produce or account for more than one such counterpart. It is not necessary that each party execute the same counterpart, so long as identical counterparts are executed by all parties. Executed signature pages to any counterpart instrument may be detached and affixed to a single counterpart, which single counterpart with multiple signature pages affixed thereto constitutes an original counterpart instrument. All such counterpart signature pages shall be read as though one and they shall have the same force and effect as if all of the parties had executed a single signature page.

8.6 Headings . Headings of the Sections of this Agreement are for the convenience of reference only, and shall be given no substantive or interpretive effect whatsoever.

8.7 Waivers . Any party may, by written notice to the other parties, (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other actions of the other parties hereunder; (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations or warranties of the other parties contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered pursuant


hereto; (iii) waive compliance with any of the conditions or covenants of the other parties contained herein; or (iv) waive performance of any of the obligations of the other parties hereunder. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, no action taken pursuant hereto, including without limitation any investigation by or on behalf of any party, shall be deemed to constitute a waiver by the party taking such action of compliance with any representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein. No failure or delay on the part of any party in exercising any right, privilege, power or remedy under this Agreement, and no course of dealing among the parties, shall operate as a waiver of such right, privilege, power or remedy; nor shall any single or partial waiver or exercise of any right, privilege, power or remedy under this Agreement preclude any other or further exercise of such right, privilege, power or remedy, or the exercise of any other right, privilege, power or remedy. No notice or demand on any party in any case shall entitle such party to any other or future notice or demand in any similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the right of the party giving such notice or making such demand to take any other or future action in any circumstances without notice or demand.

8.8 Merger of Documents . This Agreement and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby constitute one agreement and are interdependent upon each other in all respects.

8.9 Incorporation of Exhibits and Schedules . All Exhibits and Schedules attached hereto are by this reference incorporated herein and made a part hereof for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

8.10 Severability . If for any reason whatsoever, any one or more of the provisions hereof shall be held or deemed to be illegal, inoperative, unenforceable or invalid as applied to any particular case or in all cases, such circumstances shall not have the effect of rendering such provision illegal, inoperative, unenforceable or invalid in any other case or of rendering any of the other provisions hereof illegal, inoperative, unenforceable or invalid. Furthermore, in lieu of each illegal, invalid, unenforceable or inoperative provision, there shall be added automatically, as part of this Agreement, a provision similar in terms of such illegal, invalid, unenforceable or inoperative provision as may be possible and as shall be legal, valid, enforceable and operative.

8.11 Assignability . Neither this Agreement nor any of the parties’ rights hereunder may be assigned or otherwise transferred by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties; provided , however , that Buyer’s or its successors’ or assigns’ rights hereunder may be assigned or otherwise transferred, in whole or in part, without any other party’s consent (i) to any successor by merger or consolidation, (ii) to any bank or other financial institution, or to any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity, providing any financing to Buyer, its successors or assigns, or (iii) to any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity deriving title from Buyer, or its successors or assigns, to all or substantially all of the Purchased Assets as constituted on the date of any such transfer. No assignment or other transfer permitted by this Section 8.11 shall operate as a release of the assignor’s obligations or liabilities hereunder, and the assignor shall remain liable hereunder notwithstanding such assignment or other transfer. In the


event of any assignment or other transfer permitted by this Section 8.11, an instrument of assignment shall be executed by the assignee and shall expressly state that the assignee assumes all of the applicable obligations and liabilities of the assignor contained herein.

8.12 Drafting . The parties acknowledge and confirm that each of their respective attorneys have participated jointly in the review and revision of this Agreement and that it has not been written solely by counsel for one party. The parties therefore stipulate and agree that the rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be or may be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement to favor any party against another.

8.13 References . The use of the words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereunder,” “herewith,” “hereto,” “hereby,” and words of similar import shall refer to this entire Agreement, and not to any particular article, section, subsection, clause, or paragraph of this Agreement, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

8.14 Calendar Days, Weeks and Months . Unless otherwise, specified herein, any reference to “day,” “week,” or “month” herein shall mean a calendar day, week or month.

8.15 Gender; Plural and Singular . Where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. Whenever the masculine, feminine or neuter gender is used inappropriately in this Agreement, this Agreement shall be read as if the appropriate gender had been used.

8.16 Cumulative Rights . All rights and remedies specified herein are cumulative and are in addition to, not in limitation of, any rights or remedies the parties may have at law, in equity, or otherwise, and all such rights and remedies may be exercised singularly or concurrently.

8.17 No Implied Covenants . Each party, against the other, waives and relinquishes any right to assert, either as a claim or as a defense, that the other party is bound to perform or liable for the nonperformance of any implied covenant or implied duty or implied obligation.

8.18 Attorneys’ Fees . The prevailing party in any dispute between the parties arising out of the interpretation, application or enforcement of any provision hereof shall be entitled to recover all of its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs whether suit be filed or not, including without limitation costs and attorneys’ fees related to or arising out of any trial or appellate proceedings.

8.19 Indirect Action . Where any provision hereof refers to action to be taken by any person or party, or which such person or party is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether the action in question is taken directly or indirectly by such person or party.


[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank-Signature Page Follows]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be effective as of the day and year hereinabove first set forth.

 

BUYER:
ARBOR-CROWLEY, INC.
By:  

/s/ David H. Dingus

Name:   David H. Dingus
Title:   President
AZZ:
AZZ incorporated
By:  

/s/ David H. Dingus

Name:   David H. Dingus
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
SELLER:
AAA INDUSTRIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Laxman Alreja

Name:   Laxman Alreja
Title:   President
SHAREHOLDERS:
By:  

/s/ Laxman Alreja

Name:   Laxman Alreja, as duly appointed agent and attorney-in-fact for the Shareholders identified on Schedule 3.3 attached hereto, pursuant to Shareholder Agreement dated March 8, 2008


The following Exhibits and Schedules are omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A supplemental copy of such Exhibits and Schedules shall be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

 

Exhibit
A   Form of Bill of Sale, Assignment and Assumption Agreement
B   Form of Warranty Deed
C   Form of Escrow Agreement
D   Financial Statements
E   Form of Receivables Guaranty
F   Kevin Irving Employment Agreement
G   Form of FIRPTA Certificate
H   Purchased Assets Value and Assumed Liabilities Value Calculation
I   Laxman Alreja Consulting Agreement
Schedule  
1.1.1   Certain Purchased Assets
1.1.1(a)   Certain Leased Assets
1.1.2   Excluded Assets
1.2A   Certain Assumed Liabilities
1.2B   Assumed Contracts
1.3(viii)   Minnesota Plant Liabilities
3.1   Subsidiaries
3.2   Seller’s and Shareholders’ Third Party Consents Required
3.3   Ownership of Capital Stock of Seller
3.5   Certain Changes or Events
3.6   Tax Matters
3.7   Condition of Purchased and Leased Assets
3.10   Business Property Rights
3.11   Real Property
3.11(b)   Leases
3.11(c)   Copies of Leases and Other Real Property Documentation That Has Not Been Made Available to Buyer
3.12   Encumbrances
3.13   Licenses and Permits
3.14   Compliance with Law
3.15   Pending or Threatened Litigation or Claims
3.16   Contracts
3.16(a)   Nonassignable Contracts
3.17   Employment and Labor Agreements
3.18   Employee Plans
3.21   Insurance
3.22   Environmental Matters
3.20(a)   Environmental Assessment Reports
3.21(a)   Customers
3.21(b)   Suppliers
6.9   Employees of Seller and Annual Compensation Rates
6.11.4   Title Policies

Exhibit 10.3

SECOND AMENDMENT AND CONSENT

TO

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

This Second Amendment and Consent to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (this “ Amendment ”) is executed effective as of March 31, 2008 (the “ Effective Date ”), by and among AZZ incorporated , a Texas corporation (“ Borrower ”), and Bank of America, N.A. , as Lender, Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer (“ Administrative Agent ”).

A. Borrower and Administrative Agent are party to that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2006 (as heretofore amended, modified, supplemented, restated or amended and restated from time to time, the “ Agreement ”).

B. Borrower has advised Administrative Agent that Borrower intends to acquire substantially all of the assets and assume certain of the liabilities (the “ Acquisition ”) of AAA Industries, Inc. (the “ Acquired Company ”) pursuant to that certain Asset Purchase Agreement dated March 31, 2008, among Borrower, Arbor-Crowley, Inc., the Acquired Company and certain shareholders of the Acquired Company (the “ Acquisition Agreement ”). Borrower has further advised Administrative Agent that Borrower intends to finance the purchase price for the Acquisition, certain related costs and expenses, and certain other financing needs of Borrower through the issuance and private placement sale of senior unsecured notes in the aggregate principal amount of $100,000,000 (the “ Senior Notes ”) upon the terms and conditions set forth in that certain Note Purchase Agreement dated as of March 31, 2008, among Borrower and certain purchasers (the “ Note Purchase Agreement ”). Borrower has further advised Administrative Agent that, pending the issuance and private placement sale of the Senior Notes pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, Borrower may finance the purchase price of the Acquisition through a short term bridge loan in an amount up to $100,000,000, having terms and conditions (other than tenor and interest rate) substantially similar to these set forth in the Loan Documents (the “ Bridge Loan Terms ”). Borrower has requested that Administrative Agent consent to the Acquisition of the Acquired Company pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, to the issuance and private placement sale of the Senior Notes pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement and to the Bridge Loan upon the Bridge Loan Terms.

C. Borrower has also requested that Administrative Agent amend certain terms and provisions of the Agreement.

D. Upon the following terms and conditions, Administrative Agent has agreed to give the requested consents, and Administrative Agent and Borrower have agreed to amend the Agreement in certain respects.

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, and for other valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:

Section 1 . Defined Terms; References . Unless otherwise specifically defined herein, each term used herein that is defined in the Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Agreement.

Section 2 . Amendments to Agreement . Effective as of the Effective Date, but subject to satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3 hereof, the Agreement is hereby amended as set forth below.

 

  1   AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


(a) The definition of “ Funded Debt ” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:

“Funded Debt” means, with respect to Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, at any time and without duplication, the sum of (a) the principal amount of all Indebtedness for borrowed money, including, without limitation, all letters of credit issued on behalf of any Company, including without limitation, the Letters of Credit, (b) the total amount capitalized on a balance sheet with respect to Capital Leases, plus (c) all other Indebtedness.”

(b) The following sentence is added at the end of the definition of “ Leverage Ratio ” in Section 1.01 of the Agreement:

“For purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio at any date of determination thereof, the Net Income and EBITDA of Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recently ended Rolling Period shall (i) include, without duplication, the Net Income and EBITDA of any Subsidiary or business acquired during such Rolling Period in a Permitted Acquisition as if it was acquired on the first day of such Rolling Period, provided that such Net Income and EBITDA are supported by audited or other financial statements acceptable to Agent and (ii) exclude the Net Income and EBITDA of any Subsidiary, or associated with any business of Borrower or any Subsidiary, Disposed of during such Rolling Period as if such Disposition had occurred on the first day of such Rolling Period.

(c) The parenthetical beginning on the first line and ending on the third line of the definition of “ Net Income ” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Agreement, which reads “(including any Subsidiaries acquired during such Rolling Period if such Acquisition is a Permitted Acquisition and such net income (or net loss) is supported by an audit or is otherwise acceptable to Agent)”, is deleted.

(d) Section 6.12(a) of the Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:

“(a) Net Worth . Maintain on a consolidated basis Net Worth equal to at least the sum of the following:

(i) $116,925,600.00; plus

(ii) the sum of 50% of Net Income (without subtracting losses) earned in each fiscal quarter ended after February 29, 2008; plus

(iii) the net proceeds from the issuance by Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Equity Interests after February 29, 2008.”

(e) Section 6.12(b) of the Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:

“(b) Leverage Ratio . Maintain on a consolidated basis a Leverage Ratio not exceeding 3.25:1.00. This ratio will be calculated at the end of each reporting period for which this Agreement requires Borrower to deliver financial statements for the Rolling Period then ended.”

Section 3 . Consents . Administrative Agent hereby consents to the following transactions or events and agrees that the consummation or occurrence of such transaction or events shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default; provided that the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) The Acquisition of the Acquired Company pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Acquisition Agreement, which shall be a Permitted Acquisition; provided that on or before the consummation of the Acquisition, Borrower shall satisfy the requirements set forth in clauses (a)(ii), (a)(iii), (a)(iv), (a)(v), (a)(vi) and (a)(vii) of the definition of “ Permitted Acquisition ” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Agreement and in Section 6.13 of the Agreement.

 

  2   AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


(b) The issuance and private placement sale of the Senior Notes pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Note Purchase Agreement, which issuance and sale shall be the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03 of the Agreement; provided that, if the Bridge Loan is borrowed, the proceeds of such issuance and sale shall, to the extent necessary, immediately be used to prepay and discharge the Bridge Loan and all obligations owing in connection therewith.

(c) If the issuance and private placement sale of the Senior Notes pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Note Purchase Agreement have not theretofore occurred, the borrowing of the Bridge Loan upon the Bridge Loan Terms; provided that the Bridge Loan has a stated maturity date no later than September 30, 2008 and the proceeds of the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes shall, to the extent necessary, immediately upon their issuance and sale, be used to prepay and discharge the Bridge Loan and all obligations owing in connection therewith.

(d) The administrative dissolution of Clark Control Systems, Inc., and Administrative Agent hereby releases and discharges Clark Control Systems, Inc. from liability under the Guaranty; provided that in the event Clark Control Systems, Inc. hereafter reinstates its existence and good standing in the State of Missouri or any other state, Borrower shall give Administrative Agent notice thereof and cause Clark Control Systems, Inc. to re-join in the Guaranty.

Section 4 . Conditions to Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective as of the Effective Date when and if Administrative Agent has received the following:

(a) this Amendment, duly executed by Borrower, each Guarantor and Administrative Agent;

(b) all documents, instruments and Loan Documents required by Section 3(a) of this Amendment;

(c) if requested by Administrative Agent, a certificate of a Responsible Officer, certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of Borrower authorized to execute and deliver this Amendment;

(d)(i) if requested by Administrative Agent, for Borrower and each Guarantor that is not a partnership, copies of the resolutions of the Board of Managers or Board of Directors of Borrower or such Guarantor, approving and authorizing the execution, delivery and performance by Borrower or such Guarantor of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, certified by a Responsible Officer of Borrower or such Guarantor; and (ii) for each Guarantor that is a partnership, evidence of approval and authorization of the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, accompanied by a certificate from the general partner or other appropriate managing partner;

(e) a certificate of a Responsible Officer (or general partner or other appropriate managing partner, as applicable) of each Guarantor, certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of such Guarantor authorized to execute and deliver this Amendment; and

(f) such other assurances, certificates, Loan Documents, other documents, consents and opinions as Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

 

  3   AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


Section 5 . Representations and Warranties of Borrower . Borrower represents and warrants to Administrative Agent as set forth below.

(a) The execution, delivery and performance by Borrower and each Guarantor of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Agreement, as amended hereby, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not (i) require any consent or approval of any stockholder, member, partner, security holder or creditor of Borrower or such Guarantor, (ii) violate or conflict with any provision of Borrower’s or such Guarantor’s Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement, or other organizational documents, (iii) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property now owned or leased or hereafter acquired by Borrower or such Guarantor, (iv) violate any Laws applicable to Borrower or such Guarantor (v) result in a breach of or constitute a default under, or cause or permit the acceleration of any obligation owed under, any indenture or loan agreement or any other material agreement to which Borrower or such Guarantor is a party or by which Borrower or such Guarantor or any of its Property is bound or affected.

(b) No authorization, consent, approval, order license or permit from, or filing, registration or qualification with, any Governmental Authority is or will be required to authorize or permit under applicable Law the execution, delivery and performance by Borrower or any Guarantor of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Agreement, as amended hereby.

(c) Each of this Amendment and the Agreement, as amended hereby, has been duly executed and delivered by Borrower and each Guarantor and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Borrower and each Guarantor, enforceable against Borrower and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws or equitable principles relating to the granting of specific performance and other equitable remedies as a matter of judicial discretion.

(d) The representations and warranties of Borrower contained in Article V of the Agreement are true and correct as though made on and as of the Effective Date (except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly refer to an earlier date, in which case they were true and correct as of such earlier date), except that Electrical Power Systems, Inc. has ceased to be in good standing in the States of Missouri and Oklahoma, but intends to reinstate such good standing within 120 days after the date hereof.

(e) No Default or Potential Default exists or would result from the effectiveness of this Amendment.

(f) Borrower has delivered to Administrative Agent true and correct copies of the Acquisition Agreement and the Note Purchase Agreement and all schedules and exhibits thereto, and each of the Acquisition Agreement and the Note Purchase Agreement is in full force and effect.

(g) Borrower and each Guarantor agrees to perform such acts and duly authorize, execute, acknowledge, deliver, file, and record such additional documents and certificates as Administrative Agent may reasonably request in order to create, perfect, preserve, and protect the guaranties, assurances, and Liens granted, conveyed or assigned by the Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

  4   AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


Section 6 . Reference to and Effect on Loan Documents .

(a) On and after the Effective Date, each reference in the Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof,” “herein” or any other expression of like import referring to the Agreement, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to “the Agreement,” “thereunder,” “thereof,” “therein” or any other expression of like import referring to the Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Agreement as amended and modified by this Amendment.

(b) Except as specifically amended hereby, all provisions of the Agreement and all Collateral Documents shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed.

(c) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not operate as a consent to any other matter requiring the consent of any Lender or Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or a waiver of any right, power or remedy of any Lender or Administrative Agent under any of the Loan Documents or constitute a waiver of any provision of any of the Loan Documents.

Section 7 . Costs and Expenses . Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable costs and expenses of Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution and delivery of this Amendment and the other instruments, agreements and Loan Documents to be delivered hereunder, including the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for Administrative Agent with respect thereto and with respect to advising Administrative Agent as to its rights and responsibilities hereunder and thereunder.

Section 8 . Execution in Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This agreement, when executed by the parties hereto, shall be a “Loan Document” as defined and referred to in the Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Delivery of an executed counterpart hereof by fax shall be effective as the delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

Section 9 . Governing Law . THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.

Section 10 . ENTIRETY . THIS AMENDMENT, THE AGREEMENT, THE NOTES AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS EMBODY THE FINAL, ENTIRE AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND SUPERSEDE ANY AND ALL PRIOR COMMITMENTS, AGREEMENTS, REPRESENTATIONS, AND UNDERSTANDINGS, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED OR VARIED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OR DISCUSSIONS OF THE PARTIES HERETO. THERE ARE NO ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO.

[ REMAINDER O F P AGE I NTENTIONALLY L EFT B LANK .]

 

  5   AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


AZZ incorporated
By:  

/s/ Dana Perry

  Dana Perry, Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. , as Administrative Agent
By:  

/s/ Allison W. Connally

Name:   Allison W. Connally
Title:   Vice President
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. , as a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender
By:  

/s/ Allison W. Connally

Name:   Allison W. Connally
Title:   Vice President

Signature Page to AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and pursuant to Section 6.13 of the Agreement, the undersigned, each of which is a Subsidiary of Borrower after giving effect to the Acquisition, hereby join in that certain Guaranty dated as of November 1, 2001 (as amended, modified, supplemented and/or restated), executed by certain other Subsidiaries of Borrower, and agree to be bound as a Guarantor thereunder.

 

NEW GUARANTORS:
AAA GALVANIZING – JOLIET, INC.
AAA GALVANIZING – DIXON, INC.
AAA GALVANIZING – CHELSEA, INC.
AAA GALVANIZING – HAMILTON, INC.
AAA GALVANIZING – PEORIA, INC.
AAA GALVANIZING – WINSTED, INC.
By:  

/s/ Dana L. Perry

  Dana L. Perry, Secretary of each of the foregoing entities

Signature Page to AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


To induce Administrative Agent to enter into this Amendment, the undersigned hereby consent and agree (a) to its execution and delivery and terms and conditions thereof, (b) that this document in no way releases, diminishes, impairs, reduces, or otherwise adversely affects any guaranties, assurances, or other obligations or undertakings of any of the undersigned under any Loan Documents, and (c) waive notice of acceptance of this Amendment, which Amendment binds each of the undersigned and their respective successors and permitted assigns and inures to the benefit of Administrative Agent and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

GUARANTORS:
AZTEC INDUSTRIES, INC.
THE CALVERT COMPANY, INC.
GULF COAST GALVANIZING, INC.
ARKGALV, INC.
ARBOR-CROWLEY, INC.
ATKINSON INDUSTRIES, INC.
AZTEC INDUSTRIES, INC. – MOSS POINT
AUTOMATIC PROCESSING INCORPORATED
ARIZONA GALVANIZING, INC.
HOBSON GALVANIZING, INC.
CGIT SYSTEMS, INC.
WESTSIDE GALVANIZING SERVICES, INC.
CARTER AND CRAWLEY, INC.
CENTRAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
CENTRAL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
WITT GALVANIZING – CINCINNATI, INC.
WITT GALVANIZING – MUNCIE, INC.
WITT GALVANIZING – PLYMOUTH, INC.
AZTEC MANUFACTURING PARTNERSHIP, LTD.
By:   AZZ GROUP, LP, its General Partner
  By:   AZZ GP, LLC, its General Partner
AZTEC MANUFACTURING – WASKOM PARTNERSHIP, LTD.
By:   AZZ GROUP, LP, its General Partner
  By:   AZZ GP, LLC, its General Partner

Signature Page to AZZ Second Amendment and Consent


RIG-A-LITE PARTNERSHIP, LTD.
By:   AZZ GROUP, LP, its General Partner
  By:   AZZ GP, LLC, its General Partner
INTERNATIONAL GALVANIZERS PARTNERSHIP, LTD.
By:   AZZ GROUP, LP, its General Partner
  By:   AZZ GP, LLC, its General Partner
DRILLING RIG ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS CO. PARTNERSHIP, LTD.
By:   AZZ GROUP, LP, its General Partner
  By:   AZZ GP, LLC, its General Partner
AZZ GROUP, LP
By:   AZZ GP, LLC, its General Partner
AZZ GP, LLC
AZZ LP, LLC
AZZ HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Dana L. Perry

  Dana L. Perry, Secretary of each of the foregoing entities

Signature Page to AZZ Second Amendment and Consent

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

AZZ incorporated Signs Agreement to Acquire

Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Oklahoma

Galvanizing Facilities

 

Acquisition of multi-facility AAA Galvanizing will complement our recent entry in upper Midwest and provide for additional growth and expansion opportunities

 

Contact:    Dana Perry, Senior Vice President – Finance and CFO
   AZZ incorporated 817-810-0095
   Internet: www.azz.com
   Lytham Partners 602-889-9700
   Joe Dorame, Joe Diaz or Robert Blum
   Internet: www.lythampartners.com

April 1, 2008 FORT WORTH, TX - AZZ incorporated (NYSE:AZZ) , a manufacturer of electrical products and a provider of galvanizing services, today announced the signing of an asset purchase agreement with AAA Industries, Inc., a privately held company, to acquire substantially all of the assets related to AAA’s galvanizing operations. The acquisition with a purchase price of approximately $85 million will be paid for in cash. AAA operates seven galvanizing facilities with locations in Joliet, Peoria, Dixon and Cicero Illinois, Hamilton Indiana, Winsted Minnesota and Chelsea Oklahoma. While the Cicero Illinois facility was not acquired by AZZ, it will be closed effective April 1, 2008, and the operations will be consolidated with the Joliet Illinois facility. The acquisition will compliment AZZ’s previous move into this geographic territory in November of 2006 with the multi facility acquisition of Witt Galvanizing. This acquisition should provide an additional potential for continued growth and expansion of the Galvanizing Services Segment of AZZ incorporated.

“This not only represents a multiple facility addition to our network of plants, but significantly strengthens our marketing and customer service opportunities in this strategic area. It is indeed a privilege to purchase operations that have such a rich regional heritage and one that has enjoyed impressive growth while providing an outstanding level of quality and customer service. Certainly the pride and integrity with which it has been operated is consistent with the philosophy and methodology that AZZ employs in its current operations. We anticipate that it will be accretive to earnings per share in the first year of operation of approximately 10 cents, and should add in excess of $50 million in revenues. The anticipated favorable impact on the outlook and guidance for Fiscal 2009 for the eleven months of the consolidated operations, combined with details of the financing arrangements will be discussed in detail during our upcoming regularly scheduled quarterly conference call on April 4, 2008. We appreciate the opportunity to continue the proud tradition of service that has been sustained by AAA founder and CEO Laxman Alreja,” stated David H. Dingus, president and chief executive officer of AZZ incorporated.


AAA was originally founded in 1993 by Mr. Alreja with the initial facility in Joliet Illinois. Through a series of acquisitions and building of new facilities, it has grown into a dominant player in its primary served markets. It will be the intent of AZZ to service the Cicero customers from one highly efficient strategically located customer service facility in Joliet. All remaining facilities will continue to operate in the same manner as was conducted prior to the acquisition. With the addition of these facilities, the network of Galvanizing operations of AZZ will grow to 20, clearly the largest provider of after fabrication hot dip galvanizing in North America.

In conjunction with the acquisition, the Company also completed a Private Placement of 10 Year 6.24 percent unsecured Senior Notes in the amount of $100 million, the details of which have been provided in the company’s Form 8-K filing with the SEC. These Senior Notes facilitated the acquisition of the AAA galvanizing operations.

AZZ incorporated is a specialty electrical equipment manufacturer serving the global markets of power generation, transmission and distribution and industrial, as well as, a leading provider of hot dip galvanizing services to the steel fabrication market nationwide.

Except for the statements of historical fact, this release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties some of which are detailed from time to time in documents filed by the Company with the SEC. Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: changes in customer demand and response to products and services offered by the company, including demand by the electrical power generation markets, electrical transmission and distribution markets, the industrial markets, and the hot dip galvanizing markets; prices and raw material cost, including zinc and natural gas which are used in the hot dip galvanizing process; changes in the economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, foreign and domestic, customer request delays of shipments, acquisition opportunities, adequacy of financing, and availability of experienced management employees to implement the Company’s growth strategy. The Company can give no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. We undertake no obligation to affirm, publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of information, future events or otherwise.

—END—